Crash Landing On You - These Are The Days

Da Eun's First Step

Yoon Se Ri's biggest fear about being a mother – aside from the terror of bringing a kid into the world she and Jeong Hyeok inhabit in the roles that they do – had always been the potential of missing major milestones. She already has, really. She's missed the first time Da Eun flipped herself over because Se Ri needed to go back to Seoul at that time, the first time she'd really held her head up on her own. She'd missed her first few shuffles crawls, which had lead to a frantic baby-proofing of the house that had left the parents laughing and exhausted, and the hilarious first time Da Eun had laughed so hard she scared herself.

The very last thing she wanted to do was set a precedent so early in her daughter's life.

Jeong Hyeok's been understanding about the whole thing. Se Ri had more pictures and videos of her daughter on her phone than she'd ever admitted to and on the bad days she pulled out the video of Da Eun cackling at the faces Jeong Hyeok makes from across the room. But sometimes, when Da Eun pulled herself up using Se Ri's knees for balance, she found herself praying that she would actually be around for the next big one.

And her prayers paid off.

She brought Da Eun into the office with her. It wasn't unheard of, especially when Jeong Hyeok was away and couldn't play Mr Mom. Saint Petersburg this time, accompanying his students on a musical performance. She was working at the low table in her sitting area, an eye-popping up to check on her daughter every few seconds. Da Eun seemed perfectly happy bashing a stuffed animal her maternal grandparents gave her against the floor. Se Ri already sent Jeong Hyeok two videos of the hilarity.

She just looked back down, an affectionate smile playing around her mouth, when her daughter called her out.

"Ma... Mama!"

Se Ri saw the little hands first. Little hands on the low table and she quietly shuffled a couple of papers out of her daughter's reach. Then came the top of her little head, then those beautiful eyes, beautiful eyes that reminded her so much of Jeong Hyeok. Jeong Hyeok always argued that they are hers.

"Hi, Butterflake." Se Ri murmured. Da Eun's little grin came next and it melted her mother's heart. Se Ri crawled her fingers across the table, slowly, then a few steps quick until she brushed her daughter's fingers. Da Eun laughed and Se Ri chuckled with her.

"Daepyonim?"

Manager Hong got a raised eyebrow for the interruption but they both knew it might be a little more embarrassment being caught goofing with her daughter on industry time. Not that anyone cared, but Se Ri was still trying to get used to the whole thing. The balance of mother and badass CEO of Seri's Choice.

"The reports, Daepyonim. Wow, this office is much better than the main branch. Can't I just work here, Daepyonim?"

Se Ri pushed herself up, letting her hand slide across Da Eun's head as she headed for Manager Hong.

"You want to work here? Really? What about your fam—"

Before she could finish her sentences, Se Ri heard "Mama!" at the same time Manager Hong's eyes widen. She turned, terrified, only to found Da Eun standing on her own. She got the look on her face that always made her thinks of Jeong Hyeok just seconds before he did something reckless and stupid, like taking a bullet for her. But Da Eun had always been strangely methodical for a toddler.

"Da Eun?"

Her little legs twitched and Se Ri's eyes widen.

"Daepyonim..." Manager Hong breathed and she could hear the awe in his voice too.

Se Ri had no idea what made her do it, absolutely no clue what kind of instinct had her stepping back toward Da Eun, stopping a dozen baby steps away. She could her Manager Hong fumbling behind her, his phone, she bet, because they could feel the anticipation in the air.

"Come on, Butterflake. Come to Mama." She found herself murmuring. She crouched down, fell to her knees and held out a hand as she fumbled for the camera on her own phone. "You going to walk, Da Eun-ah?"

Da Eun frowned as she watched her mother. Flapped her arms a little but kept her balance. Se Ri was pretty impressed actually. She checked to make sure her camera's filming, then held out a hand.

"You coming, sweetheart?"

Da Eun wobbled again, fell. Se Ri chuckled as Da Eun started to babbling to herself, toddler-frustrated. But her daughter was nothing if not determined and she pushed herself up again. "Mama.."

"Right here, baby." Se Ri said, the same calm, cool vice, despite the adrenaline and excitement racing through her veins. Her daughter's first step. She could only hope.

And then, sure enough, a few moments later, like Ella was gathering her courage and determination, Da Eun very carefully put one foot in front of the other. It took time, a few minutes before she took the next step. But by the third, her determined little girl, sent herself all but running forward, the momentum pitching her into Se Ri's lap.

Se Ri laughed as she caught Da Eun, wrapped her arms tight around her daughter and hide her teary eyes in Da Eun's little neck. She breathed for a moment, baby powder and the sensitive skin soap, hugging Da Eun tight.

"Look at you, Butterflake." She said when she finally thought she could pull back. Da Eun was babbling, some of her words in her own language, others a repetition of Mama and something else Se Ri couldn't comprehend.

"Look at you, Princess." Manager Hong said and Se Ri pulled back so Manager Hong could squeeze Da Eun's arm. "First step! You're growing too fast."

Se Ri laughed and if it was watery, neither she nor Manager Hong mentioned it. "Ri Jeong Hyeok is going to piss he missed this."

Manager Hong smiled, remembering the look on Se Ri's face that he had on film. Se Ri would send Jeong Hyeok the video, of course, but Manager Hong thought his video that perfectly captured both mother and daughter was going to be the one the former Captain kept.

And Jeong Hyeok, the sap, left her a message with tears shaking in his voice, the pride was so painfully obvious it made her smiled.

When he texted her that he was on his way a few days later, Da Eun and Se Ri were at home. Se Ri sat with Da Eun a handful of steps from the front door, holding her daughter around her tiny hips as she bounced. Then there was the scratch of the key in the lock and Da Eun's head turned.

"Appa!"

And the little girl was off, those little stumbling steps that hadn't stabilized yet, racing right to her father. Jeong Hyeok's face at that moment was the most beautiful thing Se Ri had seen since their wedding day.

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Couldn't sleep last night and decided to write more. Who missed Butterflake? I missed writing about this little family. So here we go, Butterflake's first step 😉