Joy may be six (and 7 months!) but she isn’t some dumb kid. Nuh uh. In fact, Joy would say she’s pretty smart! She’s already on what she calls her last year of baby school and is definitely one of the most lovable kids around. She gets the best grades in class and her teacher told her mom she was astute! Joy doesn’t know what that word means but her mom gave her a big hug afterwards so she’s pretty sure it means something good. 

Her teachers and tutors say that she’s incredibly cute and charming, intuitive, imaginative and for a kid her age, she knows exactly what she wants. Her dad says she’s headstrong, her mom says she’s brilliant and her unnie? Her Joohyun unnie calls her the best thing that’s ever happened to her. Joy thinks she likes that the best. 

And as a little kid that knows exactly what she wants, Joy writes down all of these in her sparkly green notebook with a matching pen, a gift from her unnie on her birthday. She and her unnie even spend a whole weekend looking at different dog breeds on the internet, and her unnie helps her spell so she can make a list of her favorite ones down in her notebook. She has one page about the things she dislikes, and though it’s not a lot, it mostly contains certain vegetables, but her unnie likes them so Joy thinks that maybe she can try to like them a little more. 

But the ‘Love’ portion of her notebook is very important. It’s the first thing she wrote when she got her notebook! She even decorated the page with stickers and colored pencils! Because for the things she loves, Joy thinks they deserve the best. 

Joy’s favorites: 

“Wait, why am I number 5? Why are dogs before me?!” Seungwan cries when Joy proudly shows her the list. 

Joy rolls her eyes, too mature for a six year old, but simply says, “Many many dogs, and one Seungwan unnie. I want many dogs!” 

“You don’t even have a dog, Joy-ah!” 

“But I want many dogs.” 

Seungwan sighs in defeat, ruffling the little girl’s hair, causing her to huff and stomp her foot. 

“See, at least dogs don’t mess up her hair.” Joohyun says, stuffing the notebook back into her bag and Joy sticks her tongue out at Seungwan. “Anyway, let’s get going?”

“YAY! ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM!” Joy starts to scream, and Yerim follows suit. 

You see, one thing that is not on the list (because Joy declares there should only be 10), but Joy still loves are Fridays. On Fridays, after kindergarten, she has lunch then goes to her extra English classes. Those classes aren’t fun but Hayoung and Yerin are with her so it’s okay. Then, when the clock is close to 4:30, she puts on her jacket and her backpack and waits for her teacher to say, “Sooyoung, your unnie is here!” and she zips out of the center as fast as she can, shouting her goodbyes to her friends and tutors. As soon as she gets out, she spots her sisters and she runs to give them the biggest hug her little arms can manage. Usually, Seungwan is there too, and she likes to wink, salute and sometimes raise her hand too high for Joy to reach. (Joohyun always rolls her eyes, and teases Seungwan that one day, Joy will most probably be taller than all of them.) 

As soon as they enter Dahyun’s ice cream shop, Joy and Yerim let go of their unnie’s hands and run to their favorite circular booth, the one closest to the ice cream. Joy scrambles into the booth first, then pulls her little sister up beside her. By the time they’re securely in the center, the unnies have caught up, Joohyun on one end beside Yerim and Seungwan on the other, beside Joy. 

“There’s my favorite customers!” Dahyun says with a smile, handing them the menus. “And Seungwan.” 

“Ha ha. Very funny.” 

“Dahyun unnie, look!” Joy says, her notebook already open. “I wrote your name!” 

“Wow! Number eight in your favorites? This little place? Thank you so much, Joy-ah!” And Joy beams at the older girl. “And just for that, do you want extra rainbow sprinkles or extra marshmallows on your ice cream today?” 

“Sprinkles!!” 

“ME, ME!!” Yerim says, raising her chubby little hand. 

“No, Yerim, you don’t get any. It’s my notebook.” Joy says but she regrets it immediately when she sees tears well up in her little sister's eyes. 

“I’ve got an idea!” Joohyun says, already rubbing Yerim’s back to relax her. “Why don’t we make a little drawing for Dahyun unnie, hmm? Both of you can do it together!” 

“Yeah! Like, ‘Joy and Yerim’s favorite ice cream shop’!” Seungwan says, giving the kids a thumbs up. 

“That’s a great idea, Joohyun! Then I’ll put it up on the wall,” Dahyun joins in and points to the empty space behind the cashier. “Right there. So I can always see it.” 

Joohyun mouths a ‘thank you’ to her friend and turns to the little girls, “Is that okay with the both of you?” When she receives twin nods, she claps her hands together, “Great! Let’s get started so Dahyun unnie can get your ice cream ready, okay?” 

As they make their drawing for Dahyun, Joy tells her unnies about her day. She says how she was mad because Doyoung destroyed Taeyong’s ball and she wanted to shout at him but Miss Seo already put him on time out before she got the chance. They also read a book about a pigeon that wanted to drive a bus! “That’s so crazy, unnie! Pigeon’s can’t drive!” Joy says and Joohyun laughs at how confused Joy looks. 

Eventually, Yerim sits on their sister’s lap, coloring the stars for their little gift, while Joy shows Wendy all the new things she learned how to draw over the week. She’s in the middle of a drawing when they hear a loud, “Joohyun-ssi!” 

Joy jumps at the loud voice, dropping her pencil in the process. She’s always hated sudden loud sounds, and so does Joohyun, so Joy throws the meanest glare she can muster at whoever caused the commotion. 

“Oh, hi, Suho.” Joohyun says with a stiff smile, then continues to help Yeri color. 

“Seungwan-ssi! You’re here too!” 

“Hey,” Seungwan greets, and Joy instantly notices that it isn’t like her unnie’s usually happy and hyper greetings. 

The boy pulls up a chair to their booth, and the older girls give each other a look and Seungwan is already rolling her eyes. Yerim finally looks up from her drawing, confusion etched over her face. 

“And who are these cuties?” he asks, about to reach for Joy’s hand but the little girl quickly pulls away and sinks into the couch. 

“I’m Joy. That’s Yerim.” 

“Aren’t you the cutest?” he coos.

“Yes. I am cute.” Joy says, and smiles when she sees her Joohyun unnie smiling at her too. 

The boy talks ab