TEN

“Sooyoung-ah, come here.”

“Dada.”

Little Joy snuck her head into her dad’s neck as he carrying her. Joy could see endless people walking by the seashore.

“Doong-ah, peach~”

An old lady gave her plateful of peaches. Joy let go off her dad and set herself on the tiny chair that her grandma bought for her only.

“Is it tasty?” her grandma asked.

“Welly cwasty glenny!” she answered while chewing the fruit.

She took the next slice and shoved it into her already full mouth.

“Slowly, honey.”

Mr. Park wiped the stain at the corner of . His only daughter smiled at him and grabbed his hand.

“Dada, it’s dirty.” Little Joy cleaned her dad’s thumb with her clothe.

Mr. Park didn’t say anything, just putting his hand on Joy’s head. her hair with such lovely gaze.

His phone rang,

“Hello… yeah…” Mr. Park’s face turned stiff, “…Okay, I’ll be there in a minute.”

He shifted his focus to Joy again who’s still happily eating her fruit. She forked the last slice and put it into again.

“Granny, the peaches are gone!” Joy laughed cutely.

“Aigoo, our cute doongi. That’s right, don’t ever leave any food, okay?”

“Ay, ay!”

Joy hugged her grandma and kissed her.

“Sooyoung-ah, Dada will be going now.” Mr. Park touched her cheek, “…be good to grandma, alright?”

“Just leave it to me, Dada.”

Her dad laughed at such confident answer she said. He kissed her cheeks and went out to the door. Nodded slightly to her mother, he started the car then disappeared at the end of the street.

---

Little Joy was playing with sand by the seashore. Like the little kid she is, she built bucket-shaped houses.

“It’s ugly.”

A pretty boy holding a wooden-toy-gun appeared out of nowhere. He’s almost too pretty for a boy. Little Joy squinted her nose, upset about the boy’s words.

Joy just stayed silent, ignoring the boy.

She thought the boy had already gone until he squatted right beside her.

“I said it’s ugly.” The boy said.

Little Joy was still ignoring him. She put her bucket toy away from him and threw the sand angrily. But still remained silent.

“Hey, can you even speak?” that boy came closer toward her, “It’s ugly.”

Little Joy couldn’t take it anymore. She’s feeling really upset by the boy’s insult. She tucked her head low, letting her hair covering the face.

A sobbing sound was heard.

“It’s ugly.” That boy said again.

“I know!” Joy screamed, really mad about it.

That boy smiled sweetly to her and grabbed something from his pocket.

A lot of shells.

He placed those shells onto Joy’s sandy house and then wiped his hands.

“…now it’s pretty!” He said.

Joy looked up. Her house was now looking different from before. She admitted that it looked more beautiful.

She stared at the boy. He continued to smile. The corner of his lips were almost got stretched along the way to the ears. Joy could not even see his eyes. That smile was contagious.

“It is.”

She also smiled.

---

“Woah, peach!” Joy jumped up and down happily seeing her favorite fruit.

They’re now walking side by side. After that sandy-house incident, Joy befriended that boy quickly and they played along really well.

She reached out her hand to take the peach but it’s still a bit too far for her.

“There.” The boy plucked it for her.

“Thanks!” Joy gladly received it.

She cut the peach in half with her hands. It looked a bit disheveled because of its uneven slice, but it still tasted sweet. She gave a half of it to the boy.

“Here, it’s really delicious.” Joy said.

“It’s sweet!” he answered, hanging up his wooden-gun toy on his neck.

“I told you.”

They continued their walk.

---

“Granny, is Dada home yet?” Little Joy gripped the tip of her grandma’s shirt.

She hadn’t seen her dad for two days. The last time she saw him, he bought her a doll and not forgetting her favorite fruit. She felt happy back then but she would feel happier if her dad was here.

“He’s still working sweetheart.” Her grandma caressed her cheeks.

Joy hugged her grandma tightly. A wave of water pilling up her eyes, trying to escape from it anytime soon.

“But I miss him.” Little Joy hid her face on her grandma’s chest.

A sobbing voice was heard. Her shoulders were slightly shaking every time a sob escaping her lips. Little joy nudged into her grandma’s hug more.

Grandma Park her granddaughter’s head slowly. A mother smile plastered on her face. A loving, understanding the heart of her tiny granddaughter who’s missing her dad so much.

“Me too, sweetheart. Me too.” Her grandma said.

Joy’s sobs was gone as she felt a bit lighter inside her heart.

“Does our Doongi want an ice cream?” grandma Park said that with a cheerful tone, trying to stop the crying Joy.

“Peach flavor?” Joy asked.

Her grandma laughed, “Always!”

---

“Hey, peach!”

Little Joy turned around. She found that boy standing behind her. Joy went to the boy blissfully.

“Come here!” the boy said grabbing Joy’s tiny hand.

He brought her past a trail of big stones, it almost reached the end of that island. Passing through grey stones and there’s a dark big cave.

Little Joy flinched a bit, feeling scared of the place. But the boy held onto her really tight as they proceeded toward the cave.

The boy stopped, and Joy was temporarily blind.

“Did something happen?” She’d tightened her hold on him.

“Hold onto me more, it’s a bit slippery here.” He said

“I’m already doing i-it.” Joy stuttered

“Just so you know, I won’t catch you if you fall.”

“Don’t scare me!” Joy hit him.

The boy laughed and that time Joy knew he was just joking. He probably had noticed that she’s a scaredy cat.

They came out from that cave and a fast wind was blowing the little Joy’s black locks.

The natural smell of the sea went inside her tiny nose.

“Look there!” he shouted

Little Joy was shocked by the voice and instantly looked at something the boy was pointing at.

They’re now at the cliff. It’s not too far from the sea but it’s not close either. Joy felt a bit timid