Hearts in chaos: Hearts Entwined book 4

37

As the sun streamed through the glass doors of the grocery store, Mia felt a flutter of nostalgia. This was the same store where her journey with Jin had begun, where their lives had intertwined in unexpected ways. Now, she walked through the aisles not alone, but with Jiwoon in her arms, his small frame cradled against her chest. His head rested against her shoulder, and she could feel the warmth radiating from him.

“Look, Mia!” Jiwoon exclaimed, pointing excitedly at a colorful display of fruits. “Can we get strawberries? They’re my favorite!”

“Of course, buddy!” Mia replied, her heart swelling with affection. She gently set him down and took his small hand in hers as they made their way toward the strawberries. “How about we get some for a snack and to make a smoothie later?”

“Yeah! That sounds yummy!” Jiwoon bounced on his feet, his enthusiasm contagious.

As they selected ripe strawberries together, Mia couldn’t help but notice how much Jiwoon seemed to thrive in her presence. He looked up at her with shining eyes, his small face lit up with joy. It stirred something deep within her—a mixture of warmth and longing that she couldn’t quite put into words. It was as if the bond they were forming was starting to fill a void in her heart.

“Do you think Daddy will help us make the smoothie?” Jiwoon asked, his innocent curiosity making Mia smile.

“I’m sure he will,” Mia replied, thinking about how Jin had embraced the role of a caring father since she came into their lives. “He loves cooking with you, right?”

Jiwoon nodded vigorously. “Yeah! He lets me pour things into the blender. It’s so fun!” He looked around, his small hand still grasping Mia’s as they walked through the produce section. “You know what else is fun?” he asked, his tone dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “When you read me stories! You’re the best story-reader ever!”

Mia chuckled, her cheeks flushing slightly at his praise. “You really think so?”

“Uh-huh! Can you read me another story tonight? Maybe one about a princess and a dragon?” Jiwoon suggested, his eyes wide with excitement. “Or maybe a superhero! I like superheroes!”

“Absolutely! We can have a superhero story tonight,” Mia said, her heart melting at his enthusiasm. “But only if you promise to eat all your dinner first.”

Jiwoon giggled, his laughter echoing through the aisle. “Deal!”

They continued shopping, filling their cart with a colorful array of groceries. As they moved from aisle to aisle, Jiwoon continued to chatter away, sharing his thoughts on everything from the snacks they should get to his favorite cartoons. Mia listened intently, enjoying every moment spent with him.

At one point, they found themselves in the dairy section, and Jiwoon spotted a large tub of ice cream. “Can we get this? Please?” he begged, his eyes wide with hope.

Mia looked at the ice cream, then back at Jiwoon. “Well, how about we make a deal? If you finish all your veggies tonight, we can have some ice cream for dessert. What do you think?”

“Okay! I promise I’ll eat them all!” Jiwoon exclaimed, jumping with joy.

Mia smiled, her heart feeling full. “Alright, it’s a deal then.” She reached for the ice cream, placing it carefully in the cart.

As they moved to the checkout line, Jiwoon’s chatter shifted to something more serious. “Mia, can I ask you something?” he said, his small voice filled with sincerity.

“Of course, Jiwoon. You can ask me anything,” she replied, her heart racing slightly as she anticipated what he might say.

“Do you like being with me and Daddy?” he asked, tilting his head to look up at her. “Because I really like being with you. You’re fun and nice, and I want you to stay forever.”