Kim Moonah

Our family was on the living room table, everyone doing something different. Taeyang, WooJun and HanByul were trying to do a puzzle, the first two trying also to keep HanByul from getting angry when she failed at finding the adequate pieces. I loved spending time like this, being surrounded by my family.  I was reading my classes on my computer, looking at Mom draw on her tablet and Dad work on his computer.

« Dad did you show Mom the photos you took with Moon Soo ??» I suddenly remembered.

Dad removed his glasses. He needed them for work and was heavily teased by all of us. How could we not ? He used to tease Mom all the time for her glasses and Mom never forgot that fact. She got closer to him and looked at the photo Dad took with my little sister. Taeyang looked at it and widened her eyes. "That's you."

I shook my head. "She had my eyes."

Mom looked at it with a smile. « Gosh Moonah, she really is your portrait. That's disturbing. She'll be two very soon, right ?  »

I nodded, eager to talk about my other little sister. She was a sweetheart.  MoonSoo, she walked very well now and knew some words. Well, her parents being scientists, she often heard them talking about  the ocean and knows a few worlds related to the ocean and fishes. It was very funny.

Dad looked at the photo with a smile. « She is a pretty little girl for sure, like her elder sister. I feel like I got a photo with mini Moonah.»

HanByul looked at him with angry eyes. She was a bit jealous about MoonSoo and she heard about her a lot. HanByul was two when MoonSoo was born but it's only recently we noticed her being jealous. A real little star !

«I guess I can stop singing lullaby to you if you like MoonSoo that much when she isn't even your daughter. » She said not even looking at Dad, nonchalant.

Dad widened his eyes and had a dramatic gasp. « And how would I sleep ? HanByul, my sweety, you know you're my favourite daughter right ? »

Taeyang and I looked at each others before shaking the head, betrayed by our father whereas HanByul grinned satisfied.. Dad winked at us and we chuckled. HanByul required a lot of attention, maybe it was because as a star, she wanted everyone to be looking at her. But she didn't need to worry about getting attention. Our parents loved her so much, she is the last child and will always stays their little baby. WooJun who was in a middle position never complained. But he was more independant. Unlike HanByul, he could spend an afternoon alone, drawing. But somehow, we always fear that he'd get jealous of HanByul and covered him with attention as well. He was our only brother and that was precious.

Mom chuckled and looked at her last child with a lot of love in her eyes. It was crazy to see how much patience she had around us, not losing her calm. Dad played a huge factor of this quiet strengh, he took care of us as much as she did. They enjoyed giving bath to HanByul together, spending time with their kids, doing a lot of activities. As we both left house for high school and coming back only for the week end, we felt like they connected with us in another way, more mature one. Dad reguraly sent food to my dorm and did the same for Taeyang. Ordering food too. It was really cute when coming back to the dorm, after studying for finals to find a huge box of grocery  on my bed.  My friends were always jealous of my fathers's little attention.

HanByul was now on Dad lap, hugging him tighly. She was sleepy and Dad was her back with a single hand while reading a document on his computer.  Taeyang kept trying to do the puzzle with WooJun and ruffled his hair. Mom suddenly realized the hour.  "Woojun, you should head to sleep you have classes on saturday morning. They have sports activity."

"I don't understand the school, why they did this ? " Taeyang said.

Dad had a long sigh. "To force us, the parents to wake up even on saturday. Gosh, they are evil."

"Come on Dad, we'll go drop WooJun for you." I said. Taeyang nodded and Dad smiled to us. "Thanks you."

"Ya, Sujin, don't you think it's pretty cool to have teenage girls. They can be useful."

"Then what about me ? I can drop WooJun to school too." HanByul said with a grumpy voice, her sleepy eyes barely opened. I smiled to her. "We can go and have fun between girls."

Taeyang shouted. "SAUNA !!"

"SAUNA yeah !" I answered, high fiving my sister. Our parents looked at us with amused eyes. "Is there so much fun going to sauna ?"

"Good for muscles." Taeyang said.

"Good for relaxation." I added.

Mom nodded. "True. So we'll leave the kids to you tomorrow. Be vigilant." She came to pick up HanByul and I looked at her whisper sweet things to her. HanByul was completely asleep now. Mom dropped her in her room and came back only half an hour later. Taeyang looked at us and sighed loudly. "Moonah you'll help me with school tomorrow, okay ?"

I smiled doing my english exercises. "Maths again ?"

She had a dramatic sigh. I nodded. "Of course I'll help you."

Taeyang usually had basic maths lessons but somehow she didn't understand anything. I was always forced to help her. But she was talented at ice skating, winning competitions already. She was majestuous and really I admired her for that, she trained all day long, her knees were always bruised and she is so fit. I could never be like this. While watching TV, she would learn kpop choreography so easily. It was upsetting but well, we each had our talents. Dance wasn't one of mine.

*

Bang Taeyang

After our breakfast, I looked at dad take care of his little daughter hair. She had longer hair than me at this age. He took his time to do a braid then a second one, then a third one before braiding them all together. He pinned her hair. Han Byul looked bored just like I was. Mom came and sighed. « I already told you to hurry up, Han Byul doesn't like that. Just do a quick up do and go. She gets moody when she waits. »

« But I love it. Han Byul you don't like when I take care of your hair ? »

The little girl touched his face gently. « Of course I do but you're veryyyyyyyyyyyyy slow. »

He laughed. « Yeah sorry darling for today it's over right ? »

HanByul ran to our side, asking us if she was pretty today. I smiled and showed her my thums up. "Dad told me he used to do your hair every morning. He always said that you were quiet."

I crossed eyes with Dad and chuckled. "Huh, I was so quiet." False, I was a real worm. Dad came to my side. "May I ?"

I sat down and let him brush my hair. "Ya, you shouldn't make something childish."

"I'll use black elastic." He answered me. Five minute later, I had a beautiful braid on my left side. I felt nostalgic. "Thanks Dad." I remembered having so much complicated hairtsyles that my friends would always compliment me. I guess in someway Dad wanted me to look pretty and prove to people that he was able to take care of me very well.

Moonah looked at us and smiled. "Dad, we said we'll take care of HanByul. And WooJun."

He looked a bit flustered. "I just woke up early. Come here too. I never did your hair."

She narrowed her eyes and pointed to her bob hair. Moonah wasn't really keen on long hair or even taking care of it because 'It's annoying to take care of.'  "What can you do with that ?"

Dad made a thin braid to frame her face and took a glitter elastic to finish off. It looked bohemian on her. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. "Not bad."

WooJun hugged her and Moonah took her bag. WooJun hugged Mom a last time and got some snack with dad. Dad looked at us, a really proud smile on. His four kids all together. He took time to rearrange the hair of Taeyang before softly patting my bob.

« Take good care of them as you drop them to school. » He warned us gently.

*

Bang Taeyang

I walked HanByul insisting to hold both our hands, forcing WooJun to walk next to us. I looked at him and smiled. That's crazy how he just look like dad. I called him over and rested my hand on his shoulder.

« Excited to go to school ? » He shrugged. « Well … not much. My teacher always naggs me because I don't follow his classes. »

I laughed. « Moonah he is indeed your brother. »

« Daydreamer. WooJun try to follow classes okay ? It's important you just have to find something you really like. »

« I like painting. »

I giggled. If he looked like Dad he was just like Mom in his personnality. Shy with people he didn't know, quiet and with this burning passion for painting. They always painted together. He was very good and always have trouble with his teachers that don't believe he did those paintings alone.

I ruffled hir hair. « You can paint at home with mom but study at school, understood ? »

He pouted. « I'll try. »

 We walked a bit faster to reach WooJun middle school. « Have a good day bro' »

« Goodbye Noona !! Goodbye Byulie !  »

He entered his room and we smiled to each other. « Should we walk around ? It didn't change much huh ? »

HanByul was exploring the place with a lot of curiosity. "You'll come to this school too when you'll be older"

« Bang Taeyang, Kim Moonah what are you doing here ? »

We yelled in sync « Teacher Kim !! » and ran to him. He became a old and little man. « You grew up so much huh. »

« We came to drop our brother here. And are just taking a walk with our little sister. »

He nodded. « How are your parents ? »

«Good. They are really busy between Woojun and Han Byul. » Mister Kim looked at our little sister and smiled to her. "Hello sweetheart." She greeted him with a huge smile and he chuckled. "Greet your parents on my behalf. I had really no idea they would end up together."

We had a polite conversation with him and bid goodbye. He looked proud of us as we explained to us what we were doing in high school.

HanByul We spend a nice time in the public baths, HanByul staying with us. We rubbed her back until she laughed and she shamppoed our hair, really diligent. We came back home and found Mom and Dad in the living room working on their respective things. Dad was frowning a bit, Mom mess was already taking all the space. He cleared his throat and Mom raised her head. « You're the one who asked me to work with you, you knew it was bound to happen. »

«We met Teacher Kim he's giving you his greetings. »

Mom smiled. « Oh Taecher Kim. It's been a while we've seen him right ? »

« Yeah, actually it is how we first met.» Dad said, a dreamy smile on. Mom nodded. « Right. »

We looked at each other confused. « Wait what ? »

«Oh Mr Kim asked us to enter the both of us to talk to him, because you girls chatted too much. Before that I never met your dad. »

« But it was six months after school started !!! » Moonah said, outraged.

« Sujin came at nigh to pick up Moonah and I prefered to come at morning drop Taeyang. »

We were litteraly blown away. Teacher Kim made our parents meet, without him maybe the story would have been different. 

« Oh. Then what were your first impressions of each other ? » I asked.

Mom suddenly blushed. « I suggest you go first YongGuk. »

He grinned and removed his glasses. «She looked so young. I thought she must have been your older sister, Moonah»

We nodded and turned ourselves to Mom, she looked away. « Well, YongGuk was late. He made a huge impression with the women assemblee … like every women there I thought he was really handsome and ... he also had a really soothing voice. »

« And you wanted to date him right ? » I asked, really loving that storytelling.

Mom had a laugh that lasted a bit too long to Dad liking, as he pinched her cheek. She tried to calm herself. « Well. Not at first. We had polite conversation for a while and when we kind of got closer, your dad turned cold to me so I sticked to polite conversation. We even fought once and got really angry at each other. I thought to myself  'whoah I don't need a man who hates women in my life.'

« You cooked each of your daughter snack !! And Taeyang always ate them. And you gave her ginger chicken when she was sick, I knew you never forgive me for my reaction, I told you I was pissed of by the doctor that day.. You acted like a mother way before everything started. »

Mom pouted. « I was just being nice, you was so mean to me and then you just stopped to care all at once. » She stopped herself before laughing. «Then all of sudden, he asked me on a date. »

Dad looked pretty embarassed now. «You have such a way to distort reality. »

« Then how reality was ? When you would just mumble hello to me ? »

He narrowed his eyes. « I thought I was too much of a mess for such a bright person and I tried to just stick to polite greetings but it wasn't possible. »

Mom looked at him with a pout. She was obviosuly not happy to hear that. «  You're a silly boy, huh ? »

Dad smircked. « Who got all red when I told her she looked cute as hell without glasses ? »

Mom scoffed. « You were even more embarassed than me !! Stop this !! » Dad laughed and brought her closer to himself. He placed his glasses on her nose and we squealed.

« Mom ! It just made us remember our childhood so much. »

« Steam used to get on her glasses. It was so funny. » Moonah said. Mom ended up by giving the glasses back to dad.

« We had to see each other a lot. And you know, being a single parent it's nice to talk with someone that understands you. » Dad said softly,

« Oh, Love. » Mom touched his hand and his hair. I think true love looks like this. In those years, They must have fought a bit but always supported each others.

Moonah sighed. « But you had kids, so much responsabilities, it's not the same right ? »

YongGuk laughed all together. « Yeah you were so much on the way !!! Gosh it's crazy how we missed out !!! »

Moonah gasped at such sentences and YongGuk came to hug her. « I'm joking. Of course we had responsabilities but we had fun. If we wanted so much freedom, we could have choose to never have kids together after you two but Woojun and HanByul happened. And I think in a sense we knew what to expect from the other. Sujin was so gentle with children, so soft and mild mannered. It's important to know if you want to built a family with someone.»

Mom rolled her eyes. « Said the man who takes half a hour daily to style his hair daughter.»

«Gosh that's the professional cooker and baker who said that to me ?» He complimented her back.

Mom laughed. "Maybe I need to present myself. Kim Sujin illustrator." We all smiled because she had a proud smile on. She really became an illustrator and her first children book was released last year.

Here is your cute chapter !!  Well thanks for reading this story, you're more than one hundred and it's a huge amount for such a modest story thanks you !!