I’m going crazy now. Tell me, why is it so hard for a father to all the changes that their kids are showing? I mean, c’mon! Danny ran towards me while shouting “DAD! I”VE GOT A SURPRISE FOR YOU!” and of course, I got excited then he handed me this picture of my eldest daughter kissing a boy who is hugging her. Aigoo. Please make time stop. If only I can stop them from growing up, I will.

“Babe!” ______ called while rushing down the stairs with our daughters behind her.

“Watch it mum!” Gabrielle said while pointing at a lightsaber that is scattered on the floor.

“That was close” I said when she was about to trip on it, thankfully she was able to see it.

AISH! She just got out of sickness and here she is, about to get her foot fractured because of a lightsaber. From the way my girls are acting, I know that they’re up for the picture that Danny gave me.

“Hey baby boy!” my wife greeted as if everything’s fine and she doesn’t know what’s going on.

“Hey dad! Morning!” Isabella said with fear in her eyes.

“Oh Appa! You’re so cute!” Gabby said while pretending that she’s pinching something.

“Good Morning dad! How’s everything going so far?” DK asked.

AISH! These girls are really obvious. I cannot believe that my wife has teamed up with them and has hid Isabella’s dating nightmare to me. I know that she’s really a cool mum and she’s so open with the girls, but I believe that we should be telling them that dating is not yet right as of the moment for they are still kids.

“I want the four of you to sit there!” I demanded and they all sat on the couch.

“Do I really have to be here babe?” ________ asked and our kids giggled.

“Mum is like us…she’s being scolded while sitting on the couch” Danny told his brothers while watching the current scene.

“Yes _______ Kwon…you need to be there” I told her and she glared at me and I turned my back on them and chuckled for a while.

Seeing my wife, sitting on the couch with our three little girls, head bowed down and almost crying because of fear is really funny. In our household, ________ and I have agreed that we’ll be disciplining the kids by the use of mouth not by hands. Our kids already know that when we asked them to sit on the couch, they need to be prepared for intense scolding and now, my wife is going to experience it.

 “Who is this Isabella Kwon?” I started while showing her, her picture.

“Dad…it’s….it’s Aiden…the boy that I told you about before” Isabella answered nervously with tears pooling in her eyes already.

I got shocked with myself when I asked what’s my daughter’s relationship status with that little boy. Yes, at that point, I also realized that I’m exaggerating. Then my wife adds up to the craziness when she said that she’s got three childhood sweethearts and she’s still friends with all of them. AISH! Yes, I’m sure that those three guys are living far away from here for they’re in another country, but still, I can’t take to add three more guys in my watch list, Alfie and Brady are already too much.

“Babe…there’s no need for this talk…dismiss us now” ______ told me and I nod and sighed.

The moment they saw me nod, they all got up from the couch and ran to the kitchen to make breakfast.

A lot of things are going in my head while I was having a cigarette break at the balcony. I’ve realized that our kids are not getting any younger and they are having a mind of their own already, that in five years time, they’ll be hiding secrets from us and the usual sweetness of this family will lessen. I’m telling you, my mind and heart are really being crushed by these thoughts. What’s worse is that, _______ and I are not with them always for we are so busy and even though we give them our time, it’s not enough.

When my wife came in, she talked me out of my worries and dilemmas. She’s right, we are doing everything for our kids and we don’t lack anything. I even told her that she still got two years to work, but I’m going to cut it down to one if Brady and Alfie continue to bug her.

I’ll be dropping by your office later…let’s have lunch together” I told _____ when she was about to leave for work already.

“OK” she replied and kissed me.

Actually, ever since Brady and Alfie showed their admiration to ________, I’ve always been on guard already. These past few days, those two jerks keeps on bugging my wife, and to prevent them from doing that, I make sure that they always see me around her. So even though I’m dead busy, I always make it a point to join her for lunch in that way, her “suitors” won’t even have a chance to ask her out.

“Dad…is mum really that busy” DK asked while we’re watching TV.

“Well…she’s got a lot of things to do in the office…why?” I looked at her curiously.

“We’re not having special days anymore…I mean…the last time was Gabby unnie….and it was already months ago” she said and I pulled her close to me and hugged her tightly.

“Don’t worry…I’ll tell mum to give us some time and we’ll have your special day again” I said and her face lit up in excitement.

“I want to go to the museum dad…I have read in a newspaper that there is a new display in the national museum…I love to see it” she said and I looked at her weirdly.

I don’t even know that my daughter reads the newspaper. Truth is, it’s a bit impossible for her to understand all of it, for she’s not that good with Korean writings yet. And, we don’t even have a newspaper around for ________ cannot read Korean and I don’t have time to read at all.

“Where did you get a newspaper?” I asked her curiously.

“Harabeoji brought one and the unnies and I read it…thing is….Isabella unnie cannot understand anything so we have to translate everything to her….and dad…she’s really hopeless! She can’t even read a short sentence…I wonder what she’s doing every Korean class” she said, making me laugh.

From the very beginning, Isabella is the not-so-Korean among our kids. I don’t know why, but she really prefers to speak in English for she’s much comfortable with it. My parents were the ones who pushed them to speak in fluent Korean and so far, DK and Gabby are doing well in it, making their grandparents so happy.

“uhmm….is…Isabella unnie really with that Aiden?” I can’t help not to ask.

“Dad! How many times will you ask that today?” DK faced me with her hands on her hips.

“I just want to know the truth” I told her and she shook her head and narrowed her eyes.

“Dad…Aiden is just Isabella unnie’s crush…or we can say that they have this mutual feeling for each other” she said and I looked at her in disbelief.

Seriously, how can a six year old know about mutual feelings? Can someone tell me that it’s just normal for this generation to talk and think so mature even if they’re still so young?

“How come you know things like mutual feelings?” I asked and she giggled.

“Isabella unnie defined her relationship like that dad” she answered and from that point, I already had enough, this little game called child dating, needs to end.

I sped off to my daughters room, followed by DK and the moment I walked in, Isabella and Gabby are putting make-up on each other’s faces. Just the mere fact that I’m seeing my kids putting make-up is enough to make me go insane.

“What are you doing girls?” I asked, trying to sound cool.

“Dad! What’s going on?” Gabby looked at me then at DK.

“Nothing unnie….dad just wants to check on you two” DK climbed up to her bed and stared at me.

I don’t know how to approach my daughters. I have a feeling that I’m not in the right place to talk to them about boys and puppy love, make-ups and such, coz I’m not their mother and of course, they’ll feel so awkward in opening girly things to me.

“uhmm…” I just stared at one spot of their room and I can feel three pairs of eyes staring at me.

“Dad…if you’re going to talk about Aiden and Isabella unnie once again…go on…start” Gabby said all of a sudden and I looked at my girls in surprise.

“Well …girls...dad is really sorry for being so crazy about this whole thing” I started and they just waited for me to continue.

“You see…dad just wants you girls to enjoy yourselves first….just look at your mum…did you know that I’m her first boyfriend?” I asked and Isabella nods and the two shook their heads.

“Really?” Gabby asked Isabella and she nods.

“Mum has had a few guys here and there but she never really had any serious relationships…it’s only dad who really got her heart” Isabella answered, making me smile.

“What I’m saying is…you shouldn’t fasten things up…just enjoy being little girls…crushes are fine…but…it’s still weird to know that DK is having a crush on Uncle TOP…anyway…going back…kissing a boy is not cool…well…in other people’s perspective…maybe it’s cute…but for me…it’s not…you guys are still kids and in my eyes you’re still my babies…most especially….you are girls…and what do fathers do to their daughters?” I asked.

“Dads protect their daughters forever” they answered in unison and I smiled in satisfaction.

My three oldest daughters are really aware of these sayings for I always tell them the same thing over and over again. And I will not get tired of repeating it. Yes, as days passes by, I’m already accepting that my girls are growing up and they are learning the world of beauty and cosmetics, but as much as possible, if I can make them go out without make-up on their faces up until their eighteen, I will. I mean, c’mon! My daughters are really beautiful and they don’t need make-ups at all.

“Dad…we know that you’r