"I can do better than this."

|xoxo|

"Shh, baby girl, please don't cry!" Daehyun whispered almost desperately into the wailing infant's ears; he was even singing as an attempt to lull her frantic sobs. "Dayoung-ah, baby; you'll wake your umma. Please don't do that now, baby!" Daehyun cooed wistfully, pulling her out at arms' length.
He made funny faces; blew raspberries into her stomach; tickled her; fed her; changed her.
No matter what he tried, though, the three-month-old baby just wouldn't stop.
Whether she was hungry, or if she needed a change, Daehyun couldn't figure it out.
Dayoung rejected the bottle of formula dozens of time.
Her diaper was light.
The only thing hinting at her distress were those reddened, tear-streaked cheeks of hers.

It killed him to see his baby princess like this.

Daehyun groaned, resting Dayoung on his hip gently before scanning the playpen in the living area for toys; his patience was running low, and the fact that Dayoung's cries were growing incessantly incensed made him even more edgy.

"What's going on out here?"

Daehyun froze. He squeezed his eyes shut tight and pressed Dayoung to his chest, muffling her boisterous wails. "N-nothing; go back to bed, jagi," he stated, his voice cracking from the pressure he found himself under.
His tired wife huffed, scratching her head softly as she tugged the robe around her small frame. Holding out her arms, Daehyun could only decline her offer. "I got this," he proposed indignantly. He shook his head defiantly, eyeing his significant other with apologetic eyes. "You need your rest --"

"But Dayoung needs her mother."

Daehyun fell submissive as he watched Dayoung be exchanged from his arms to his lover's. "Jagiya, don't worry. I got it --"

"It's fine."

With that, she stalked off sleepily into the room, cradling the sniffling Dayoung in her arms, the cries already vanishing into stifled whimpers. He bit his lip, shamfully bowing his head with guilt. I can do better than this, he thought chidingly to himself. I can be a much better father than this.

|xoxo|

Jung Daehyun

Status: Poor daddy.