Annyeongz One-shots

139. Shelter

Yujin was only twenty-two when he married Wonyoung.

Many people thought he was too young.

Wonyoung was twenty-four, and she already had a little son named Jayden. The boy was only three years old and still struggled to speak properly. Most of the time, he communicated through pointing, random sounds, and adorable gibberish that only Wonyoung and Yujin seemed capable of understanding.

Before Yujin entered their lives, things had been difficult.

Wonyoung's ex-husband had been controlling and abusive. There were many nights when she cried herself to sleep while trying to protect Jayden. Leaving that marriage had taken every bit of courage she had.

Yujin had appeared during one of the darkest periods of her life.

At first, he simply helped her.

Then he protected her.

Then he stayed.

And before either of them realized it, he had become the safe place she never thought she would have.

Even after marriage, Yujin never treated Jayden differently.

He never called him "her son."

To Yujin, Jayden was simply his son.

And Jayden seemed to agree.

"Dada!"

"Daddy!"

Those were some of the first clear words the little boy ever learned.

It made Yujin happier than he would ever admit.

One Saturday afternoon, the small family decided to go grocery shopping together.

The supermarket was crowded.

Families pushed carts through the aisles while children ran around begging for snacks.

Wonyoung was standing in front of a shelf filled with different brands of cereal, comparing prices.

"I'm going to get the household items," she told Yujin.

Yujin nodded.

"Okay."

She smiled.

"Watch Jayden."

Yujin glanced down.

The little boy was already holding onto his leg.

"Got it."

Wonyoung walked away with the shopping list while Yujin pushed the cart.

Jayden sat inside the child seat.

The boy immediately started pointing at everything.

"Dada!"

"What?"

Jayden pointed toward a colorful package.

"Ehhhh!"

Yujin looked.

"That's pasta."

Jayden blinked.

Then pointed somewhere else.

"EHHHHHH!"

"That's rice."

The boy pointed again.

"Ba!"

"That's not a banana."

"Ba!"

"It's definitely not a banana."