MUSIC

Start:  Blue Sky  (Standing Egg)

End: 햇살이 아파 (Standing Egg)

Okay, I didn't really think about it thoroughly. I agreed to eomma's request to babysit my little sister for a month. Eomma had to leave the next day for LA to meet the investors. Aein didn't seem to mind that she was going to be left in my care for a while. She hugged eomma once and said "Bye, bye." Eomma had kissed my cheek and told me to take care of myself and Aein. She would be coming back to pick up Aein after a month. I thought it was easy-breezy. But it wasn't. So I thought, I need someone to help me take care of my little sister. 

"Nugu?" I had thought out loud as I sat on an armchair out in the private balcony of my room. Aein was sleeping in her room that was beside mine.

It was ten in the evening, the night when eomma had left for LA. I could hear the waves washing on the shore. The sound relaxed me from my dilemma. Tomorrow, I would be going to meet Mr. Ryland's assistant who would help me get to the different branches of the store around Florida. I wondered where I'd leave Aein as I did my rounds on the first few stores. It might mean that I'd have to bring her with me, but let her stay in the car. 

"Aish..Yoongi. What did you agree on? Paboya."

I was talking to myself, thinking why I had agreed knowing that I didn't know anything how to take care of a little girl. 

When Aein was born, I was already in Italy and a university student. I wasn't expecting another brother or sister, but it was sort of a miracle that she was born after a long time. She was a menopausal baby, that was what eomma had said. Taehyung was the closest to her and he was also the one who oftentimes babysat Aein when we were back at home.

I left the french doors open when I came back inside to my room from the balcony. I wanted to sleep being lulled by the sound of the waves.

The next morning, I woke up refreshed. The warm breeze of the sea air woke me up. I sat up in bed, thinking of Aein and the work I would be doing that day. I slowly got up and walked out of my room to check on her. She was still sleeping, snuggled between the sheets. I went to get my phone and dialled delivery. I wanted Aein to eat a proper breakfast. I had been cooking my own food when I got here, but to be honest, it wasn't edible for a five year-old kid.

There was a BnB that was near the house, and they offered delivery from breakfast to dinner. I called them to place an order for breakfast fit for a little girl, and myself of course. After I called, I went back to Aein's room. She was still fast asleep. I went to sit on her bedside. I just realized she looked like me more than Namu or Taehyung. I laughed softly. If I was a girl, I'd probably look like her. She opened her eyes, then.

"Yugi-oh," that was the first thing she said.

"Ne? Are you hungry?"

"Aniyo. Can we play at the beach?"

"I can't play with you today. I have to go to work, because appa told me to finish some work for him."

"Aein can go to the beach?"

"No. You can't go alone to the beach. You will be going with me."

"Shireo! I don't want to work."

"Ah, you are not going to work. You will just be by my side."

"Can we play after you work?"

"Sure. But only after work, okay?"

"Okay."

She smiled at that, then sat up in bed and hugged my waist. I patted her head and told her that breakfast would soon arrive, so she has to get up and comb her hair. Then I remembered that I was talking to a five year old kid who was only starting to learn how to brush her own teeth. I lazily reached for her hairbrush on the table and started combing her hair.

Taehyung was better at this than me.

Sighs.

Aein was carefully strapped in on the passenger seat as I drove to the office. I reached the office a little earlier than the scheduled meeting. I looked for a parking space that was accessible for when I had to leave later. I unbuckled Aein's seatbelt and got her out of the car. I held onto her hand as I led her into the office building. The meeting room was at the 10th floor, so we had to ride the elevator. Aein kept looking around her as we walked the hallway and into the elevator. She wanted to press the floor number, and I had to oblige, so I carried her so she could reach the number 10.

The elevator doors opened on the 10th floor. Aein stood back when a number of people had gotten in. I took her hand and led her out. I was chuckling to myself, realizing she might be scared of all the big people in this place. Namu was the tallest in the family, but in this place, there were people who were even taller than him.

I was quite familiar with the 10th floor office by now, so I found the meeting room easily. Mr. Ryland's assistant was already there. 

"Oh, good morning sir. Please take your seat. Coffee? Tea?" He offered me. Then he saw my little sister. "Uhm, what would you like to have little miss?"

Aein hid behind me. She didn't understood him. LOL. I waved my hand, a gesture to tell the assistant that it was okay. I was fine without coffee, today. Aein kept herself behind me even as I walked toward the conference table. I told her to sit on the chair beside mine. She looked at me with pleading eyes. I pulled the chair closer to mine, and that was when she climbed up to sit down.

"Your daughter sir?"

I laughed out loud, not expecting that question. Yeah, I should have kept my cool, but I couldn't control myself, so I laughed.

"No, no. She is my sister. Youngest sister."

"Oh. I'm sorry sir. Really sorry."

"It's okay. I know we have a very large , so people who don't know us might think she is my daughter. Her name is Aein."

"Hello, Aein. I'm Jeff. Your brother's uhm...assistant."

"Aein, say hello to Jeff."

Aein curled up on the chair and shook her head. Jeff just smiled and understood that she was shy. 

"Sir, sorry for the late notice, but something came up and I'm not able to go with you to the stores today. Mr. Ryland needs me somewhere else, but I have delegated someone to take over for me to help you today."

"Hmmm..." I drummed my fingers on the table. I wasn't a strict boss, so anyone was fine as long as they will be able to help me with my work here.

"She's supposed to be here now. Ahh...where is she? Sir, do you mind if I leave you for a minute. I will just go look for her. I'm really sorry."

"No, it's okay. Go ahead."

Jeff walked out of the room and closed the door. Aein was starting to get bored. She was swinging her feet as she turned the swivel chair round and round. I took out my phone and sent a message to eomma telling her my schedule and that Aein was fine.

She caught my arm and pulled it toward her. She held my hand that was holding my phone and looked at the screen. 

"Eomma?" She asked, as she saw the conversation I had with eomma on the screen. I nodded and she nodded too.

"If you behave today, I'll buy you ice cream later."

"Jinjjayo?"

"Ne, jinjja."

"Gomawo, Yugi-oh."

At that moment, the door opened. A girl, stepped in, breathing heavily as if she had been running. When she saw me, she stopped abruptly and bowed.

"I'm sooooooooooo sorry. So sorry. I'm late. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

I raised an eyebrow. What an introduction.

"And you are?" I asked her.

"Winter. Winter Hwang, sir."

"Are you by any chance-"

"Korean? Yes. My father and mother. I mean. Yes. I was born here, though. But I understand and speak a little Korean. Sir."

"I didn't ask you that. But thanks for telling me."

"Jeff sent me here. He says he couldn't come back with me because he was also running late. I'm really sorry for being late. Sir."

"Hmm-kay. You're the one who'll guide me to the stores today, huh?"

"Yes. Sir."

I got up from my seat, and roused Aein from being slouched on her chair.

"She is so cute. Sir."

I didn't answer her, and just looked her in the eye.

"So, which store do we go to first?"

She clumsily opened the file folder she had on her hand, then flipped through pages before she could give me the address to the first store we had to visit. On the schedule, I had to check the store's current financial standing, employee performances, and physical status of the stores. I would be meeting with the store managers directly, and not necessarily interact with the employees from the lower ranks.

That was fine, because I didn't know how I'd do that. Then I remembered Aein.

"Uh..Snow? What was your name again?" I felt stupid for not remembering her name.

"My name's Winter."

"Yeah. So, I can't leave Aein here. I'm taking her with me. Can you take care of her for me as I talk to the managers at the store?"

She had open for a second before she nodded. "O-okay, sir."

Yoongi has met Winter.

The music I picked as soundtrack for this story is mostly from Standing Egg. This is an experimental story, so the way I'd do this is somehow like a web drama: short chapters and have an opening and ending song. You are free to check the songs in Youtube or Spotify, or any music platforms you are using. 

Also, my original plan for this is only a short story. I'm not planning to make this a long one, but who knows? LOL.

The Florida house.

Aein.

I haven't found someone who fits the image of Winter, so far. LOL.