Hearts in chaos: Hearts Entwined book 4

14

Jin left early that morning, the sun just beginning to peek through the curtains. He had a long day ahead at work, but the thought of leaving Jiwoon and Mia together at home brought him a sense of comfort. After spending the past few days with her, he felt confident that his son was in capable hands. As he locked the door behind him, he glanced back at the two of them, Jiwoon still rubbing the sleep from his eyes while Mia hummed softly, preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

“Have a good day, Dad!” Jiwoon called, his voice still slightly raspy from sleep.

“Make sure to be good for Mia, alright?” Jin replied with a smile, ruffling his son’s hair before heading out.

Once the door clicked shut, Mia turned her attention fully to Jiwoon. “How about we have a fun breakfast today?” she asked, trying to engage him as she finished setting the table.

“Yay! Fun breakfast!” Jiwoon exclaimed, bouncing on his little feet.

Mia laughed and quickly scrambled some eggs while also toasting bread. She sliced up some fruit, making sure to include Jiwoon’s favorites—strawberries and bananas.

“Can I help?” Jiwoon asked, his eyes wide with enthusiasm.

“Of course! You can help me wash the strawberries. Just be careful, okay?” she replied, handing him a bowl and guiding him to the sink.

As Jiwoon carefully rinsed the fruit, Mia busied herself with the rest of the breakfast. She was genuinely enjoying the time spent with Jiwoon; his laughter was infectious, and it made the kitchen feel bright and warm.

After breakfast, Mia decided it was time to tackle the challenge of getting Jiwoon to eat some vegetables. She had heard from Jin that Jiwoon was a picky eater, and she wanted to make sure he was getting a balanced diet.

“Alright, little chef,” she said, kneeling beside him at the table. “Today, we’re going to have some fun with veggies!”

Jiwoon scrunched his face up. “But I don’t like veggies! They taste funny!”

“They don’t taste funny when you try them with a bit of magic,” Mia said, winking playfully. “How about we pretend they’re superpower foods that’ll make you strong?”

Jiwoon considered this for a moment, his brow furrowed. “Like Hulk?”

“Exactly! If you eat your veggies, you’ll become Hulk’s best friend!” Mia declared, lifting up a small carrot stick like it was a magic wand. “You’ll be super strong and able to lift heavy things!”

Jiwoon’s eyes lit up at the thought. “Okay! I’ll be Hulk’s best friend!” he agreed, picking up a carrot stick tentatively.

Mia beamed, encouraged by his response. “Great! Let’s dip it in some ranch dressing. That’ll make it taste even better!”

With a little coaxing, Jiwoon dipped the carrot in the ranch and took a small bite. Mia held her breath, watching him intently. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment before his face broke into a grin.

“Yummy!” Jiwoon exclaimed, his surprise evident.

“See? Not so bad, right?” Mia encouraged, feeling a rush of accomplishment. She was gaining his trust, one carrot stick at a time.

With newfound confidence, Jiwoon finished the carrot and moved on to some broccoli, while Mia cheered him on. “You’re doing amazing, Jiwoon! Keep it up!”

By the end of breakfast, Jiwoon had eaten more vegetables than Mia had expected. She felt a swell of pride as she watched him finish his last bite of broccoli, grinning as if he had just conquered a great feat.