"Hakyeon-ah, don't be so shy," Cha Cho Hee grinned with amused eyes at her six-year-old son who was currently hiding behind her legs, poking only his head out to peer at their visitors. "This is Lee Kyung Mi and her daughter Lee Jin Ae. Remember when I told you about them?"

She only received a nod from the small boy.

"Your mother and I are old friends, so you can call me Auntie, alright?" Kyung Mi gave Hakyeon a friendly smile and bent down to his level. "That is, if you want to."

Once again the boy merely nodded, though now he had stepped up to stand beside his mother. Kyung Mi's smile widened and she ruffled his hair, surprising the boy who looked at her with wide eyes for a few moments before finally smiling back shyly.

Kyung Mi stood once more and locked gazes with a happy Cho Hee. "He's like Jin Ae, but I'd have to say he isn't nearly as shy."

Said girl pouted slightly at her mother's words, causing the two women to chuckle and Hakyeon to stare at her with curiosity. Jin Ae's mother pinched her right cheek. "Don't pout at me like that when you know it's true, Jin Ae-ah." Nevertheless, the girl continued to pout.

"I'm sure they'll get along somehow," Cho Hee stated, patting her own child's head. "Even though my Hakyeon-ah can be shy at first, he tends to warm up to people pretty fast, and makes friends even faster. They'll be fine."

"It's reassuring to hear that; I was beginning to get worried for Jin Ae because she's barely said a word to the kids in her neighborhood."

The adults continued on about this and that, but Hakyeon wasn't paying attention. Instead he was watching Jin Ae very closely, almost as if he was trying to figure out what she was. It wasn't long before the young girl noticed, and she immediately turned away from him, either upset with him for staring or embarrassed because of it. Hakyeon smiled again, this time much less shy and more more excited. He moved so that he was in Jin Ae's view again, but she turned just as fast. He tried again, and she ce more. This went on for a few minutes until Jin Ae gave up, pouting and crossing her arms in discomfort. She refused to make eye contact with Hakyeon, so he did the logical thing and bent down so that she had to and gave his brightest smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Jin Ae-ssi. I'm Hakyeon. Wanna be my friend?"

Jin Ae met his eyes with surprise at his closeness and stumbled back a few steps, blinking as Hakyeon continued to stand there with the biggest smile she had ever seen on a six-year-old. Slowly she nodded in response to his question. That's what Momma wants, right?

If it was possible, Hakyeon's smile became brighter and wider. He turned to his mother. "Mom, is it okay if we play outside?"

Cho Hee smiled back at him. "Of course, but remember the dog. Tell Jin Ae what she needs to do, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

He had already pulled Jin Ae halfway to the back door by the time his mother finished.

~IWantToSquishTheirCheeks~

"You can't just walk up to them all of a sudden, okay? You have to hold out your hand and let them smell you. Mom says dogs get to know you by your smell, so that's why we have to let them smell us before we can pet them."

"Mm."

"And Kuma is really big and looks