The En- Hearthrob😏 Toddlers👶

~20~

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Heeseung woke up early, excited to get the boys to the beach. The sun was shining, the waves were gentle, and he thought it would be a perfect day for some swimming and sandcastle building. He packed everything they’d need: snacks, sunscreen, towels, beach toys, and an assortment of colorful buoys for each of the boys.

The boys were wide awake as soon as they heard about the beach trip. Ni-ki started running around the hotel room in excitement, Jake pretended to be surfing on the bed, and Jungwon clutched his buoy like it was a lifeline, his face a mix of excitement and nerves.

“Alright, boys, let’s go to the beach!” Heeseung announced, leading his little crew down to the sandy shore.

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As soon as they reached the sand, the boys scattered in all directions, their buoys bouncing around their tiny bodies. Jay, who immediately claimed a spot under a big beach umbrella, flopped down and pulled his bucket hat over his eyes, seemingly content to nap before the fun even began. Sunoo, on the other hand, was standing near the edge of the water, eyeing it with deep suspicion.

“Hyung,” he whispered to Heeseung, “are you sure there aren’t any monsters in there?”

“There are no monsters, Sunoo,” Heeseung assured him with a laugh. “Just fish and maybe a crab or two. You’ll be safe, promise.”

Sunoo didn’t seem convinced, hugging his buoy as if it might protect him from the entire ocean. “But… crabs have claws,” he muttered darkly.

Before Heeseung could respond, Ni-ki had already waded into the water up to his knees, waving his arms dramatically. “Look! I’m catching a HUGE fish!” he yelled, splashing around as if he could grab one with his bare hands. Sunghoon, impressed, ran in after him, copying his friend’s “fishing” moves.

Jungwon edged up to Heeseung, clutching his buoy tightly. “I’ll just… stick with you, hyung,” he said, casting wary glances at the small waves.

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Just as Heeseung was about to coax Sunoo a little further into the water, there was a loud, triumphant yell from Ni-ki.

“HYUNG! I GOT ONE!” Ni-ki shouted.

Heeseung turned to see Ni-ki holding up a fish almost as big as his arm. It was flopping and wriggling as Ni-ki grinned from ear to ear.

“Ni-ki, where did you even—?”

“It’s HUGE!” Jake yelled, rushing over to inspect Ni-ki’s catch. Sunghoon followed close behind, staring in awe.

The boys gathered around Ni-ki, who proudly held his “trophy fish” as if he’d caught it in the open ocean.

“Look, I’m the best fish-man!” Ni-ki declared, puffing out his chest.

“Alright, let’s put the fish back,” Heeseung said, chuckling as he gently took the fish from Ni-ki and set it back in the water. The fish swam off quickly, leaving the boys staring after it in amazement.

Sunoo was horrified. “Hyung! There are monsters!” he whispered, stepping back even further from the water.

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After the fish excitement died down, Heeseung managed to get most of the boys back on track for their swimming time. He led them into the shallow water, each of them wearing a different buoy—Jake had a shark, Ni-ki a dragon, Sunghoon a pirate ship, and Jungwon a turtle. They looked like a parade of colorful buoys bobbing in the water.

Jungwon clung to Heeseung, holding onto his arm and peeking over the edge of his turtle buoy every time a wave rolled in. “Are you really, really sure there are no fish?” he asked for the hundredth time.