—

Yujin puffed her cheeks as she waited for her younger sister to come out from her class. She was excited, as today she and Wonyoung are allowed to play at the park after school due to their good grades from the last exam. It’s been a long time since she played with Wonyoung, ever since her sister started school.

Unlike Yujin, who preferred playing over studying and always hated going to school, Wonyoung enjoyed spending her time reading and learning something. Eunbi said she got that from Sakura, as their mama used to have a dream of becoming a doctor. Instead of being a doctor, Wonyoung preferred to be the one who read scripts on TV, or adults called it announcer. That’s why Wonyoung loved learning languages and reading.

Yujin might have looked a lot like her mama, but she definitely got her mommy’s genes. She doesn’t like staying still. She’d preferred running somewhere, trying to find something, poking everything. There was one time she poke a bee nest, which made her and Sakura get chased by bees. They got home with bee stings right on their forehead. That accident makes Yujin refuse to go out for two days, before running around and coming home with other scars.

But Yujin loved her little sister dearly. Only Wonyoung can make Yujin stay in one place and actually read. Wonyoung used to run around with Yujin when they were younger, but due to asthma that they didn’t know she had, Eunbi and Sakura decided it was best for Wonyoung to not restrain herself. Her asthma was actually giving her sisters scares as they were playing together in the backyard.

Yujin checked her watch again and became restless. She doesn’t like waiting, and Wonyoung knows that. Or she might be early, totally not because she ran off from her class before the bell rings.

Yujin’s face brightened as kids from Wonyoung’s class started to run off out of class. She made use of her long neck to find her little sister, and delighted as she saw a familiar face. Yujin waved her hand.

“Wonnie! Here!”

Hearing her name being called, Wonyoung skipped her way to her sister who was waiting across her classroom door.

“Ding! You came!”

Yujin let her sister squeeze her before she patted Wonyoung’s head.

“Of course! Are you ready for the park?!”

Wonyoung nodded excitedly before she let go of her sister, running off to her class. Yujin stared at her sister confusedly when she saw Wonyoung holding hands with two unfamiliar girls.

“This is Reichan and Jiwon. They are my new friends. Can they come with us?”

Yujin stares at two girls who stand behind Wonyoung, staring shyly at her. It was a cute sight.

“Sure! But we should hurry before it gets dark! Let’s go!”

…

“You’re home already?”

Nako put her bag down before sitting beside her sister. Hitomi grimaced and pushed her older sister away.

“Go away, you smell!”

Nako, being the prankster she was, scooted closer to her sister and hugged her.

“And you smell good. Hiichan~”

Eunbi, who just came down from her room, shook her head when she heard commotion downstairs.

“Come on, girls. Nako, go take shower. You just came back from practice. And Hii, could you please pick up your sisters? It’s almost dinner.”

Hitomi grumbled when Nako gave her a peck before running off to their shared room. Eunbi patted her head and gave her daughter her phone.

“Take my phone, in case something happens. Mama is on her way home so maybe you can call her and ask her to pick you guys up. Your sisters are probably gonna be too tired to walk back home.”

Hitomi nodded before leaving the house. Even though she's almost in her last year in elementary school, her parents allowed them to have their own phone in middle school, which means Nako has hers now. Her other sisters, however, have to use the public phone or the phone in their house. If it’s urgent, Eunbi or Sakura will lend the kids their phone to call home.

When Hitomi arrived at the park, she saw Yujin playing with unfamiliar girls while Wonyoung was reading on the park bench. Hitomi walked closer to her youngest sister before sitting beside her, watching Yujin and two unfamiliar girls laughing together.

“Ready to go home?”

Hitomi tried to hold back her laugh when she saw Wonyoung flinched before she sighed in relief as she lowered her book and realized it was her older sister. Wonyoung nodded her head and stared at her sister and friends having fun together.

“Is that Yuding’s new friends?”

Wonyoung lowered her head before she shook it. She then closed her book and put it back inside her bag.

“Nope. They are my new classmates.”

Hitomi hummed before she called Yujin.

“Ding! Time to go home!”

Yujin and the other two kids stopped whatever they were doing and turned their heads at Hitomi.

“Ohh! Hii unnie!”

Yujin stood up and dusted her pants before staring at the two girls.

“It was fun playing with you guys! Let’s play again later!”

Jiwon and Rei, who were now standing as well, nodded their heads in unison.

“Yes, unnie! See you tomorrow Wonyoungie!”

Both girls waved their hands at Wonyoung before walking away, back to their home. The three sisters are now walking back to their home, with Hitomi in the middle of her younger sisters. She could feel something was wrong, but that was coming from Wonyoung’s side. Yujin was just like usual, humming and kicking stones that she was on her way. But Wonyoung was quiet, too quiet for her liking.

“Ah~ I’m hungry..”

Yujin nodded at her sister’s statement while Wonyoung just held her bag’s strap. Yeap, something definitely happened. Hitomi then turned at Wonyoung.

“Are you hungry, Wonnie? What do you want to eat?”

Wonyoung just responded to her sister with a shrug, which is not surprising. Whenever she was upset or sad, the youngest tended to give minimal reactions. Hitomi felt her other hand being pulled.

“Unnie, unnie! I’m hungry! Can we ride the bus home??”

Hitomi rolled her eyes, but that was predicted by their mother. Instead of going to the bus station, Hitomi ushered her sisters to sit on the bench and took her mommy’s phone before dialing a number.

“Yes, my princess? I’m on my way home.”

Hitomi gagged, which made Yujin giggled and Wonyoung smile a little. That makes her feel good, at least Wonyoung smiles now.

“Ma, it’s me. We’re at the park now, can you pick us up on your way home?”

After confirming with their mama, Hitomi sits beside Wonyoung, making the youngest sit in the middle of her older sisters. Usually, Wonyoung is the one who talked the most, as she always questioned everything. But right now she was too quiet. Even Yujin got ignored. Not long after the call, a car stops in front of them.

“Hey kiddos! Let’s go home!”

Yujin immediately ran to the car and sat in the front, leaving Hitomi and Wonyoung to sit in the back. After making sure her kids were wearing their seatbelts, Sakura drove them home.

…

“Ahh~ today was fun~”

Yujin was now sprawled on her bed, with her arms and legs stretched out. Wonyoung, who was sharing her room with Yujin, climbed to her bed without words and crawled under her blanket.

“It was fun, isn’t it Wonnie? We should play again together!”

Getting no response, Yujin turned her head and stared at her sister, who was now buried under the blanket. Yujin grinned and went to her sister’s bed before jumping on top of the bed, beside Wonyoung.

“Won~ Let’s go play together again!”

Yujin lowered her head as she only heard mumbles.

“What is that? I can’t hear you..”

Yujin got pushed back, but thankfully didn’t fall from the bed, when Wonyoung pushed her blanket away. Yujin’s eyes widened when she saw tears running down on her sister’s face.

“Wha- Are you okay?! What happened?!”

“No.”

Yujin blinked her eyes.

“No?”

Wonyoung wiped her tears with her arms.

“I don’t want to play with you again!”

And then she bawled. Wonyoung cried her heart out, making Yujin flustered with her sister. Her cries make their parents rush to their room, including Nako and Hitomi.

“What happened?”

Yujin shook her head repeatedly as she wasn’t sure herself. Eunbi walked over to Wonyoung and held her, making Wonyoung bury her face to her mother’s neck.

“Is something wrong? Why are you upset, sweetheart?”

While sniffing, Wonyoung rests her head on Eunbi’s shoulder before she plays with her mother’s hair. Sakura decided to sit beside her wife and rubbed Wonyoung’s back gently. Her sisters were seated across from them, sitting on Yujin’s bed.

“Wonnie upset.. Because Yuding only plays with Reichan and Jiwon..”

Yujin blinked her eyes while her parents stared at their youngest daughter confusedly.

“Who-“

“It’s her new friends at school.”

Hitomi voiced it out with a smile, now she knew why her little sister was upset before. Hitomi just ruffled Yujin’s hair, which actually reminds her of herself and Nako before. She got jealous over Nako, who preferred playing with her friends than her.

“But, but we play too!”

“But you told me to sit! You don’t want to play with me anymore!”

“But you’re sick! Mommy and mama wouldn’t want you to get sick again!”

Sakura and Eunbi staring back and forth at each other. It was true that they have watched over Wonyoung’s playtime whenever she was too active due to her asthma, but they didn’t think that Yujin would think playing with her would make her sick. Eunbi then signalled Sakura to talk with Yujin while she calmed Wonyoung down.

Sakura has no choice but to talk with her daughter.

“Ding, listen. Uh… Mommy and mama are sorry to make you… What I meant was… You see, you can play with her, you know. Just… her physical… uh…”

Nako rolled her eyes at her mother before she cupped Yujin’s head toward her.

“Remember when we were playing in our front yard when my friend Mikurin came over and you just watched me play with her?”

Yujin nodded her head hesitantly.

“You don’t like it when you’re with me but I’m playing with Mikurin, right?”

Yujin nodded again, making Nako smile.

“That’s probably what Wonnie feels when you play with her friends. Today was supposed to be your time playing with her, but you play with others. You won’t like it when Wonnie ignores you, right?”

Yujin looked down, suddenly feeling sad at the thought Wonyoung ignored her for others. She turned her head with tears pooling at the edge of her eyes.

“I’m sorry… I should have played with you… I just don’t want to make you sick…”

Now it’s Yujin’s time to cry, making Nako pat her back softly. Sakura scratched her head before she tapped Yujin’s knee, making the crying girl look at her.

“Listen, you could play with Wonnie. But now you know she was sick, doesn’t mean you can’t play with her. You don’t have to run around to play, right? In the park, you can try playing in the sand or swing, right?”

Yujin nodded her head as she sniffed. Sakura helped her wipe her tears before Yujin jumped from her bed and walked over Wonyoung, holding her pinky out.

“I’m sorry for not playing with you. I promise we will play a lot, together with Reichan and Jiwon, okay?”

Both their pinkies were folded together as they were smiling at each other with tears on their faces, making the rest of the family sighed in relief.

Another peaceful day in Miyawaki house today.

—

A/N

Ah… IVE is so cute.. I guess… expect more members to make cameo.. hehehe….

Anyway, enjoy~