The Reluctant Manny

Episode Eighteen

"Hey, isn't that Jin's twins?" Jimin, lounging lazily in the sunshine, nudged Hoseok in the ribs with his elbow.

"Ow! Did anyone ever tell you your elbows are like knives?!"

"Oh man up, I didn't jab you that hard," said Jimin, rolling his eyes.

Hoseok curled his lips in disapproval of Jimin's dismissal of his pain. However, he moved his gaze to where Jimin was looking. "Yeah, looks like them. Where's Jin though?"

"Don't see him. But I do see an unfamiliar woman over there. She looks out of place. Think that's the twins' aunt Jin told us about? The comic author?"

Hoseok hummed his agreement with Jimin, but kept his eyes on the woman. Her eyes were locked on the twins, her hands nervously shifting from her pockets to her front, to her sides, then back into her jacket pockets once more. She looked like she wanted to sit down, but the nanny group was exceptionally large this morning, and all the tables except the ones right next to Hoseok and Jimin were taken.

"I'll be back," said Hoseok, standing up and shoving his own hands into his black hoodie pockets. He moseyed over towards the woman but stopped dead in his tracks as he saw one of the nannies approach her.

Instead of approaching, he turned his eyes to the playground, looking for Minjae. However, he kept his ears tuned to the conversation happening not far from where he stood.

* * *

Minji had been unable to keep the twins' hands in her own as they entered the park playground. They went running off, screeching and giggling towards a little group of kids. They seemed to know them and so Minji allowed them to play.

She looked around, outside of her comfort zone. She had only been here once since she had taken in the twins. When she had come it had been late afternoon and no one was there. However, the park today was bustling with a large group of women with strollers, diaper bags, backpacks, and surrounded by sippy cups littering most all of the picnic tables.

She saw a table with a couple of men at it, but that made her uneasy. Two men at a park? She shivered and kept an eye on the men. No creeps better approach her boys. They would regret it.

One of the men seemed to see her eyeing them and got up, walking closer to her. She shifted nervously on her feet.

"Hey, I've never seen you here. Are you a new nanny to those twins?"

Minji, startled by the sudden question, looked to her right and was face-to-face with a younger looking woman. Her smile wasn't reaching her eyes and Minji put up a guard immediately. "Those twins are mine."

"Oh? Usually there's a handsome man who brings them. Is that their father? I don't see a ring on your hand nor have I seen one on his."

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh, is it your boyfriend? Are you a single mom? There's no same in being a single mom." The woman smiled again, looking out over the playground. After seeming to locate her ward she turned back to Minji.

"He's such a handsome guy. You're so lucky to have him!"

"I assume you're speaking of my manny," said Minji, her tone guarded and clipped.

"Your manny?! Honey, you need to snatch him up. You should hear how the women talk about him when he's here and even when he's not!." The woman grinned and cast a sly wink at Minji.

Minji felt a bit irritated at the woman, but for the sake of civility, she didn't move to dismiss her.

"Hey, ladies! Beautiful day, isn't it?" One of the men from the far table had moved up beside Minji, leaning around her and staring pointedly at the offending nanny.