What could go wrong?

 

Well.

 

Irene took care of Yeri when she was a baby—when their daughter did not have the ability to speak.

 

But now...

 

“I want a bedtime story!”

 

Yeri’s yell woke Irene, whom was mere seconds away from falling asleep on the sofa. She thought the girl was already sleeping when she tucked her in an hour ago.

 

The young girl had never requested for a story for the past few days. Irene thought she was in the clear, since her wife would come home tomorrow morning. When Wendy was home, it was always her who read stories for Yeri.

 

It totally was not because how bored and soulless Irene sounded when she read stories. Wendy just liked doing the voice acting.

 

Irene marched towards her daughter’s room, as if she was heading towards a battlefield. She really did not want to read a bedtime story.

 

“Hey. I thought you slept?” She asked as she stood at the bedroom door.

 

Yeri shook her head, her blanket covering most of her and showing only the upper part of her face.

 

“What story did you want to hear? Sleeping Beauty?”

 

“Mommy makes up her own stories.”

 

This was not going to be easy, Irene knew.

 

**

 

“OK, so there was a deserted island called—”

 

“You have to start with once upon a time.”

 

Deep breaths, Irene took.

 

“Once upon a time, there was a dodo family who was brought to a deserted island. Here on the island, there were a lot of resources. Baby dodo watched his parents work to pay off their debt to a raccoon, and wished to grow up quickly so he could help them.

 

 

 

 

Irene went on and told an entire story of how the dodo family became slaves for this raccoon, because they just could not stop upgrading their house. To be very honest, she was impressed by herself. She came up with a somewhat coherent story in such a short period of time.

 

But Yeri just stared blankly at Irene.

 

“That was bad.”

 

“What?”

 

"How did they even come up with the idea to move to a deserted island?"

 

"Because... Just because they can!"

 

“And you didn’t even do the voice for the animals!”

 

“I did!”

 

“No, you didn’t!”

 

“I did!”

 

“Nope!”

 

“Fine! I’ll call your aunt Seulgi then! She can probably do a better one since she’s a kid who gets excited at things!”

 

“Fine!”

 

So Irene left her house and banged on her neighbors' door.

 

“Gosh! What’s so urgent that you are waking us up at, 8PM? I need my beauty sleep.” Joy was the one who answered the door, with Seulgi trailing her. Seulgi would have hit the wall with her head otherwise.

 

“When did your bed time become 8PM?"

 

"It's always been! That is the secret to maintaining my beauty."

 

"Is it really a secret if you're announcing it to everyone?"

 

"Ugh, so what's up?"

 

"Yeri wants you to tell her a story. Well, Seulgi, actually.”

 

"She can't even read a script without stumbling over her words."

 

"I can!"

 

"Prove it!"

 

Irene gave Seulgi the plot of the story and let her improvise.

 

"Once upon a time, thewe was a dodo famiwy who was bwought to a desewted iswand. Hewe on the iswand, thewe wewe a wot of wesouwces. Baby dodo watched his pawents wowk to pay off theiw debt to a waccoon, and wished to gwow up quickwy so he couwd hewp them.

 

 

 

 

“Need less owo and more voice acting, next!”

 

The shock on Seulgi’s face was priceless. Joy pushed her away from the seat next to the bed.

 

“I suppose it is my turn. I am an actress, after all.”

 

**

 

"once UPOn a time, tHerE WAs a doDO FamiLy WHo wAS bROUGhT to a dESeRted IsLanD. HERe ON THe ISlaND, TheRE WerE A lot Of ReSourcEs. bABY DodO watCheD his PaRENTS WorK To pAY oFF THEIR dEBt TO a raCcoon, And WiSHed To grOw up QuiCKLy sO HE cOuLD helP tHEm.

 

 

 

 

So much emotion. So much sarcasm. Joy poured her heart out telling the story. She even cried in the end, when the dodo family finally paid off all their debt and escaped from the evil raccoon family company.

 

“Kid, I’m good, right?”

 

Yeri simply gave her a thumbs down.

 

Joy stood up so quickly that her chair almost fell backwards from the sudden force.

 

“What did you say to me you little bitc—”

 

Irene covered with her palm so quickly to prevent her daughter from hearing those words. But everyone can still faintly hear her "I'll have you know I graduated top of my class in the acting program," and the rest of the familiar quote.

 

“Bit? What is a bit?”

 

“Nothing, Yeri!”

 

"A bit is, what, one-eighth of a byte?"

 

"Not helpful, Seulgi. And you, Joy, are you gonna calm down?"

 

Irene glared at Joy and the younger girl nodded. Once she was satisfied with Joy’s reaction, she removed her hand.

 

Wrong move.

 

Joy immediately turned to her and continued her speech, which got interrupted last time.

 

"You’re effing dead, kiddo."

 

Irene appreciates Joy's effort to censor herself, but it still was not appropriate for her to say that.

 

"Joy!"

 

“Unnie, your daughter is a b—“

 

This was it. This was the day when Irene would be labeled a bad parent, who was friends with bad people that make bad decisions. She would admit that she made a bad decision when she decided to ask for their help. Who in their right mind would think they were kid-friendly? Not Irene, not anymore.

 

Then the voice of her savior echoed in the house.

 

“I’m home!”

 

Her beautiful, kind, and generous wife was home.

 

“Alright, you guys, Wendy is home. Leave now, or prepare to die.“

 

"That is not how the quote goes." Seulgi mumbled.

 

"My name is Irene Bae. You both told terrible stories. Prepare to die."

 

**

 

"Mommy, you're back!"

 

"Hey, kid. Where is your mama?"

 

Yeri quickly glanced towards her bedroom door and shrugged.

 

"I dunno."

 

"Are aunt Seulgi and aunt Joy here also? I saw their shoes."

 

"Nope."

 

"Are you sure?"

 

"Not here anymore..."

 

"Huh?"

 

Wendy wanted to ask her more about it, but Yeri interrupted her.

 

"Look! I learned how to write today! It's a gift for aunt Seulgi and aunt Joy!"

 

In her daughter's hands was a piece of paper, with a big F written on it.

 

**

 

It's crap. I don't care.

 

Thanks for reading. Not sure why you did, but thanks.

 

Here is the link to the original prompt again.