“Aly-yah! I thought we’re going on a date today? What are we gonna do with this thing? He can take care of himself here alone right? Hurry now!” Seunghyun shouts for Aly who’s still prepping in her room.

Truth is, they’ve planned this date a few weeks ago but her aunt suddenly called this morning and asked her to pick up his son because she’ll attend an emergency meeting and it’ll take about almost half a day to fix whatever problem that came up in their company. Aly couldn’t help but say yes to this despite already having plans with Seunghyun today. Besides, Taeyang was her favorite nephew. Having a really busy working mom, she can’t help but pity the boy. Despite having an actual mom and even living in the same house, Taeyang can’t seem to feel his mother’s presence. Always busy with work, taking calls day in day out, his mom barely had time to play with him. Aly, being an orphan since her parents died in an accident when she was 13, sympathizes with the kid so she always takes him out when she has the time. Sometimes, Taeyang feels his mom might actually be Aly after all.

“We are going on a date, aren’t we? And this thing is called a kid. His name is Taeyang and we’re taking him with us” Aly says as she walks out of her room, dressed casually in all pastel colors making her look like a cute and young kindergarten teacher. She must really love this kid to dress up like that instead of dressing up for Seunghyun.

“Wait… what? We’re taking this thing?” Seunghyun still eyeing the little kid who’s now hiding behind Aly’s leg who’s also looking at him with knitted eyebrows “—and can you please stay away from her. That’s my girl right there. I wouldn’t bat an eyelash even if you’re a little bratty kid”

“Eomma!! This ahjusshi’s scaring me!!” Taeyang says as he tugs on Aly’s shirt with teary puppy eyes. Aly picks him up and looked mad at Seunghyun playfully. “Never mind that ahjusshi. We’re going out right? Where does our little Taeyang want to go?” Aly asks the boy who’s now deeply thinking of maybe going to Lotte World or to the zoo. No one ever knows what’s going on in children’s minds “To the zoo!!”

“To the zoo it is then!” Aly says as they walk towards the door and went outside passing by Seunghyun who’s still frozen in shock by everything.

 “Hey! I can’t call this a date but I’m going with you!! This little brat!!” Seunghyun hurries after them.

**

“Why do we actually have to go here? It’s freezing and the animals surely wouldn’t like the cold and I bet they’re holed up in their caves or whatever it is there inside those cages. Who enjoys this kind of thing anyway? If it only weren’t for this crappy thing” Seunghyun continues ranting in front of the zoo entrance. They’ve travelled for some time and up until now, he’s still complaining about everything and him being completely ignored by Aly the whole trip for the ‘crappy thing’ really did not help.

“You’re here now, Mr. Choi. Are you still complaining about that? If you want to go somewhere else then go by yourself. Taeyang and I are gonna go see animals” Aly says in all smiles at Taeyang while the little kid shows his tongue to Seunghyun, letting out a merong.

“This kid…really” Taeyang obviously getting on Seunghyun’s nerves “No! I’m going with you! Whether you like it or not, I’m not letting that monkey steal you away from me. By the end of this day, he should be left here with his fellow animals and I’ll do the honors of sending them to animal kingdom where they originally belong” Seunghyun says in all seriousness as he stomps entering the zoo with his girlfriend and his rival. Aly just laughs at his childishness. Sometimes she thinks Seunghyun’s more childish than most of the kids, always pouty and clingy.

**

Upon entering, little Taeyang spotted the headband stand just by the entrance. As little kids would have it, “Eomma! Let’s buy those!! I want to become a lion!!” They went to pick headbands and role-played each animal they wanted.

After a few minutes, which felt like decades to Seunghyun, he drags his feet and went to them “Can’t we just hurry up and get this over with? Let’s feed this little kid to the lions and—“ he was cut off as Aly wore cat ears over his head and kissed him on the cheek “Just tag along, okay? I’ll give you a reward when we go home” Aly says winki