It was the kind of snow that makes one feel happy and not curse the weather. Little flakes were showering upon the cold asphalt, making up piles of fluffy white. The ice hadn’t formed yet. So, Choi Young Do, secured his hold on the child in his arms and almost dashed to his car, where David was already holding the door open to the passenger seat. As he approached the car in a sprint, he instinctively repositioned Sunny across his chest in a cradle so that he could protect his head from the door frame. David shut the door and got into the driver’s seat. He fiddled with the heat as Choi Young Do settled in with Sunny on his lap and proceeded to take off the improvised cape from around his head. As soon as David pressed the accelerator, he heard his boss speak up.

“Drive as smoothly as possible. Avoid braking suddenly. And hand me some of those wet tissues and a bottle of water.” David did as he was told before he pulled into the city’s traffic.

David glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Choi Young Do carefully clean the child’s face and hands. Then he opened the bottle of water and held it to the child’s mouth. Sunny drank gratefully since his little body was exhausted and dehydrated after the entire episode. When the child had his fill, he put the bottle to his lips and drank the rest of it, only realizing then that he was equally thirsty. Choi Young Do cast the bottle aside and noticed how beleaguered the little boy looked. He decided that he could definitely do with some cheering up. But he had to prepare him before he made the call that he had promised to his mother. He decided to play to his pride that he had witnessed many times before.

“Sunny, let’s call your mother and tell her that everything is alright. She must be sad and worried.” Sunny looked concerned and nodded in agreement, “So let’s be a little brave and not….make her worry more.” Sunny nodded again but his eyes filled with tears.

And that was what Choi Young Do was afraid of. The long distance call was going to dissolve into a cryfest. The mom will be inconsolable, the child will be distraught and Choi Young Do did not want to start all over again with pacifying the child. Worse still, he didn’t want Cha Eun Sang to be an emotional mess, when she was so far away and already struggling with a mother’s guilt at not being at her injured child’s side. He remembered how fiercely she had contended that her child was her priority over business. She was just now taking tentative steps towards shouldering more responsibility at work and this could undo the nascent ambition that she had shown so far. Choi Young Do gathered the boy a little closer and continued in the vein of a superb negotiator.

“So, shall we desist from letting her know how much you miss her? And even if she starts crying, would you promise me to be brave and not cry as well? She is going to be home this evening and if you want, you can tell her then. You know that she loves you the most in the world, right? And you are the only man, who can make her feel strong. So, would you please tell her that everything is fine and not to worry? I have a feeling that she would listen to you.” Sunny sniffled but nodded again.

Choi Young Do knew that he was expecting a lot of a young boy but he had a feeling that Sunny was tougher than he looked. He had grown up around adults, who lived in the shadow of a death that had marred their lives forever. He was unusually undemanding and independent for a little boy. He wanted to treat him with respect and give him a say since what he had asked of him was indeed a tall task. He spoke to him with sincerity, which showed in his tone.

“Tell me when you feel you are ready to speak to your mother. I will wait.”

Sunny nodded again but averted his eyes as he tried to compose himself. Choi young Do waited and gave him space. His arms were loosely cast around the boy to secure him in his lap and in a wordless gesture of comfort, he tightened his fingers around his little limbs. Sunny was sitting sideways, so Choi Young Do could only see a little bit of his side profile as he sat with his head downcast. He decided against hurrying him so he decided against even take out the phone till he got the word from Sunny. He wanted the little boy to feel absolutely in control. After a minute of introspection, Sunny looked up at Choi Young Do.

“Somchon, call mom. I promise I won’t cry.” His voice was low and resigned rather confident.

Choi Young Do smiled at him and said the first thing that popped into his head naturally and truthfully, “I am so proud of you. Thank you.”

He took out the phone and hit the speed dial button, turning on the speaker option. He needed the opportunity to intervene if he saw the conversation giving way to a meltdown on either side. She picked up the call at first ring and her anxious ‘hello’ was answered by Sunny, even before Choi Young Do could get a word in.

“Amma, I am fine. Don’t worry. It doesn’t hurt as much now. I got stitches. I will show you when you come back. There is a bandage but don’t get scared by that. The doctor said that I will be fine. And Somchon said I will feel much better by tonight.” He finished in a rush and looked to Choi Young Do for approval with hopeful eyes. Choi Young Do nodded and smiled, congratulating him on a job well done. On the other side, he could hear Cha Eun Sang chuckle that was laced with sniffles. Her voice was tear stained when she spoke.

“Thank you, son. You have been very brave today. I am very proud of you. I will be home as soon as I can. I promise that I will be home to read you the bedtime story. Or maybe you can tell me about your day for a change. I am so sorry that I can’t be with you right now” her voice cracked noticeably as she struggled to contain her tears, “I promise, I will make it up to you somehow.”

Choi Young Do noticed that Sunny teared up as well, his lower lip trembling and his forehead frowning to keep himself from sobbing. Choi Young Do decided to lend a hand. He filled in the awkward silence.

“Cha Eun Sang, how exactly will you make it up?” He challenged in a serious tone.

She was a little taken aback at his question, which for all appearances, seemed to make things more difficult. She wasn’t even sure what he meant so she almost stuttered, “What? What do you mean?”

Choi Young Do noticed that his ploy had worked. Sunny’s interest was piqued and he was looking at Choi Young Do with curious eyes. Choi Young Do smiled at him but played up his grave tone for Cha Eun Sang.

“Well, I think, given how brave Sunny has proven himself to be, a handsome reward is called for. Not some story telling session. I think it calls for something special” he looked at Sunny, who looked interested in the way the conversation was going, “Sunny, what do you want? Think about it hard. This is a golden opportunity to ask for anything you want.”

Sunny looked more baffled than giddy at the ‘golden opportunity’. Choi Young Do didn’t know too many kids who didn’t have a long wish list at any given point of time. But he had a feeling that Sunny craved human company and friends more than things. So, he chimed in to make it easier for both mother and son.

“Think of what one finds in China.” Choi Young Do prompted encouragingly.

Sunny uncertainly answered, “Panda?”

Choi Young Do swallowed the laughter and gravely confirmed, “Cha Eun Sang, get him a panda” he looked at Sunny and added in the most sincere tone, “I am no expert but I do believe they come in different sizes. What size did you have in mind?”

Sunny looked totally confused by now but playing along. He suggested most considerately, “A small one? I think it would be easy to carry that way. And they all look the same so any one will do.” He finished a little more confidently.

Choi Young Do noticed that even Cha Eun Sang was too astounded at the other end and he had managed to distract both mother and child at the same time. Some days he felt he could solve all the world’s problems. This was one of those days. He carried on, “That’s settled then. Cha Eun Sang, please get him a small panda. Any small one would do. They are all cute…..like Sunny here.” He winked at Sunny, who giggled and blushed at his words.

Cha Eun Sang chuckled when she heard her son giggle. She didn’t care about the impossible order that Choi Young Do had just handed her. She was relieved and happy that her son was safe and…..in the care of a man…who cared for him. Cared enough not to just show up but take charge and show genuine warmth for him. She didn’t want to analyze why that grizzly bear of a man seemed to soften up around her son but she was thankful for his presence and felt eternally grateful to him. She spoke for her son’s benefit first.

“Alright. I will try my best. I will have to check with the airlines though. They may not allow a panda to travel alongside human beings. But I will try…only for you, my son. Ok?”

Sunny suddenly grew pensive. Choi Young Do noticed it and braced himself. Sunny spoke haltingly, keeping his face lowered as if he was ashamed.

“Amma, I…..can I go to grandma instead of going home? I promise, I will help her at work. I won’t be in her way. I just don’t want to go home alone.” His voice faded as he admitted aloud how vulnerable he felt. Choi Young Do bit his lower lip as he remembered that dreaded feeling of being alone, absolutely alone, in a huge mansion or later on in a hotel suite as he grappled with injuries, which was often or sickness, which was rare. He didn’t plan to leave him alone at home anyway. He wanted to allay his fears at once.

“But Sunny, you are coming with me. To the hotel. Do you remember? The restaurant that you visited with your mother? We can go there if you want.” Choi Young Do made it sound like a day out, with enthusiasm.

Sunny didn’t seem very keen. Cha Eun Sang on the other hand was caught in a dilemma over this piece of information that came out of nowhere at her. She didn’t want to put upon Choi Young Do any further but neither did she want Sunny to go back to the Kim mansion or to her mother’s. She feared that her mother, though not as fragile as her mother-in-law, would go into a tizzy over her injured grandchild. She decided to swallow her pride and write the rest of her life to Choi Young Do in debt, for her son’s wellbeing came first. He needed a strong and capable person rather than somebody cloyingly doting to fuss over him. She would do that gladly once she was back. She spoke to her son reluctantly.

“Sunny, I am sorry but I think your somchon is right. Please be a good boy and go with him. And please do not cause him any trouble either. He is a very busy man. He is being very kind by taking care of you. Be grateful for his help. Do as he tells you. Ok?” She preemptively but lightly admonished her son to make it easier on Choi Young Do manage him. Good as he was with him, he was not a parent and he was not exactly a patient person. She did not want him to lash out at Sunny mindlessly out of frustration. She had no other choice of minders of her son at that moment. She spoke to Choi Young Do to apologize for the proble