He clenches his stuffed bunny closer with a frown on his face. “Auntie Tiana?”

“What’s the matter, Shin? Are you hungry?”

“No, I’m thirsty.” He tilts his head to look forward in front of him, the large amount of people scaring him. “Why aren’t we moving?”

Tatiana pulls the phone away from her ear, putting a hand on speaker. “There are people in front of us that needs to move first, sweetie.”

“Why aren’t they moving?”

“They are talking to their oppa on stage so you need to wait okay? It’ll be your turn soon.” She removes her hand and returns to her phone call.

“Okay.” Shin plays with his stuffed bunny as he tugs on his small wheeled basket next to him. He has presents he needs to give out, precious presents. Pouting, he sticks his head out of line again and looks ahead, lifting a finger up to count.

Tatiana smiles down at the counting boy, grateful that the child is willing to wait in the extremely long line at his age, noting that it must be from his mom who seemed to have patience as long as the current line.

Looking around in wonder at the crowd of people, his finger moves up to his lips, his eyes sparkling. Partially covering his lips, his hand feels cold from the sudden wind. He shivers at the cold and hides his face into the scarf bundled around his neck, hiding half his face.

It’s always been a habit of his mother’s. She would lift her hand to her lips when something catches her eyes or she’s trying to solve a problem. This, Shin had picked up from her, among lots of other things. Some are small gestures and others are behavioral habits. Shin would smile with joy whenever Auntie Tiana would say how he’s like a miniature version of his mother.

Turning towards the stage, Shin flinches as he locks eyes with one of the people sitting at the table. The red headed man frowns and nudges the chocolate haired person next to him, pointing towards Shin. Feeling suddenly self-conscious, Shin shifts closer to the woman next to him, trying to hide his body as he buries his face into her long coat.

“What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“Mr. Cherry Tomato Head is looking at me.”

“That’s not nice. You can’t go around calling people cherry tomato heads.” Tatiana pats his head with a smile. “It’s rude, don’t do that again, okay?” More than reprimanding the child, she finds it better to explain things to the boy, clarifying his wrong rather than scolding and not telling him why he’s in trouble. His mother’s been doing the same for the past years and Tatiana doesn’t see why she needs to treat the child any different now.

Shin turns his eyes back to the table again, still shy, yet curiosity wins. A pout appears on his face as the cherry tomato man lifts his hand and waves at him. He buries his face into Tatiana’s coat again, smiling.

“Shin sweetie, don’t tug on my coat.”

“Sorry.” Letting go, Shin pulls his stuffed bunny closer, turning his attention to the cherry tomato man. He smiles as the other lifts his hand up to his head to make bunny ears, and giggles into the stuffed bunny’s head.

“Come on, sweetie. It’s almost our turn.”

Shin giggles in delight at the four people in front of him. He’s going to go on stage all by himself. It’s going to be his first time and he’s happy even though his Auntie Tiana won’t be able to take him to see that Pororo show. This is more important anyways.

“Sweetie, can you go by yourself?” Tatiana grabs the basket and helps the child pull it on stage. “You’re presents are in here, right? Be careful.” Tatiana smiles as she watches Shin grab the edge of the table, looking up at Bang Yongguk with, no doubt, huge, wide eyes.

“Hello.” The man greets, waving at him. He lets out a chuckle when Shin steps back bashfully. “Are you cold?”

Shin shakes his head with enough force that his head just might fall off, his hair swaying to and fro. “It’s not cold.” He pulls out his small notebook and scribbles a note, putting it on the table. He turns and grabs the bag with the member’s corresponding Matoki symbol and on it with a matching ribbon laced around the handle. He pushes it onto the table, huffing and puffing like a little big bad wolf.

“Is this for me? Can I open it?”

“You can’t open it now. It’s gonna fly away.”

“Really? I’ll open it at home then, okay?” Yongguk pats Shin’s head and slides the CD over to the group’s visual. “Bye-bye.”

Shin waves and pulls his basket along. Grabbing the next item, a while box with the visual’s Matoki, he hauls it up, with much difficulty. He tugs and tries to push it on the table, finding it suddenly pulled out of his small hands. The white of the box disappears and he comes face to face with the smiling visual. Shin looks down timidly. Glancing up, he notices the man has already sat back down and he moves closer to the table, standing on tip-toes to glue his eyes on the man. He looks down, trying to get a glimpse of the CD on the table. “Who’s that? Is that you?” He points a chubby finger towards the CD. “Is that for me?”

“Do you want it?”

“Please? I’ll put it in my treasure box with all the other presents mommy gave me.” With his eyes glued to the CD, he doesn’t notice how the man’s smile falters slightly. “Can I have it now?” He looks up expectantly towards the visual, his hand reaching out towards the CD.

“Nope, you have to ask the hyung next to me.” Himchan slides the CD over to Daehyun, who smiles at the older man’s behavior.

Shin pouts adorably, pulling his stuffed bunny closer. “Then maybe I should take my present back.” He reaches his hands over to the box. “Gimme.”

“Nope, it’s mine now.” Himchan tugs the box closer to him, putting it on the ground next to his chair. “You can’t get it now.”

“I can crawl under the table to get it, but just because you’re pretty, I won’t.” He smiles and scribbles again on his notebook, tearing the paper out, folding it twice and putting it on the table. “This is for you.” He grabs the handle on the basket and tugs it over to the third member.

“Hello. Are you happy to be here today?” Daehyun pats his head, ruffling Shin’s raven hair with a smile. He grabs the bag the child pushes up, noting on how heavy it feels.

“I’m happy because you’re here.” Shin replies, gluing his eyes to the present that’s been promised to him.

Daehyun pauses as he finishes signing, his eyes turning to the child, taken back by his words. “You’re happy that I’m here? Why?”

Shin smiles and writes another note, giving it to the confused man. He lifts his hand to his lips and blows the other a kiss, surprising him again.

“Yah, I don’t get one?” Himchan asks with a pout.

Shin turns towards the visual and sticks out his tongue. Smiling, he turns around and pulls his basket to the next member. “Hello. I got a present for you.” Shin frowns at the heavy bag. There will be no way he can lift it on the table. Instead, he grabs the edge of the tablecloth and throws it over his head.

“Where did he…?” Youngjae looks down to find the child sticking his head out from under the table, right in between his legs. He watches, slightly amused, as the child ducks back under the table and pushes the bag into the spot next to him, between his chair and Jongup’s.

“Peek-a-boo.” Shin giggles as Youngjae puts a hand to his chest as he reappears on the other side of the table. “I scared you.” He writes his fourth note and pushes it over as his CD is slide towards Jongup.

Laughing at the older man being pranked, Jongup gives the child a thumbs-up, watching as the said child give him a wide smile.

Shin giggles with glee until he saw the angry looking man standing next to the members. His smile fades and he takes a step back, taking a bow and gesturing an “I’m sorry” to the staff member.

His apologetic act surprises the staff and makes him feel slightly ashamed for picking on the child. He bows his head and walks away.

Jongup smiles as the staff walks away with his head down and gives the child another thumbs-up. His eyes turns to the bag pushed towards him and the note on the table. Picking it up, he opens it. ‘Jonguppie hyung, I hope you like them. They’re very hard to get.’ He smiles again and pats Shin’s head affectionately. “Thank you.”

Tatiana watches as Jongup scribbles his signature on the CD before pushing it aside. “I don’t care how you do it, I want it done by tonight or don’t come in for work tomorrow.” She demands into the phone and ends the call abruptly.

“You promise to take care of it?” Shin gives the smiling man a pout. “You will, right?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“If you break it, I’ll be really sad.”

“I’ll take care of it so you won’t be sad okay?”

“You promise?”

“I promise. If I break it, you can hit me with a pillow, okay?”

“But I don’t want to. Hyung is pretty and I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jongup pets Shin’s hair again, a brighter smile on his face because of the boy’s words and at how adorable it sounds coming from a child. Despite rather wanting to be call handsome or attractive than pretty, he doesn’t mind all that much when the child gives him the compliment. “You’re pretty too.”

“Can we be pretty together?”

“Of course.” Jongup pushes the CD over to Zelo as the younger man finishes with the one if front of him, waving bye to the cute child, flinching when the said child nearly trips. As if his heart would fly out of his chest, he puts hand on his chest to calm it down.

“Hello, Cherry Tomato hyung.”

“I’m a cherry tomato?”

“Your hair is red like cherry tomatoes. They’re my favorite.”

“They’re my favorite too.” Zelo’s eyes turn to the stuffed bunny. “Can I see your bunny?” He reaches towards the stuffed animal. “It’s pretty.” The smile on his face fades as Shin suddenly frowns, his face scrunched up and looking like he’s about to cry. “It’s okay. You don’t have to. I’m not going to take it. I just want to look at it.” His words make it worse as Shin starts crying, his voice covering the conversations begin held over the long table, causing the other members to turn and stare.

It didn’t take long for the crowd’s murmurs to die down and turn their attention to the crying child and ultimately to the maknae of the group.

“What happened?” Jongup asks, the silence making him uneasy.

“I just said his bunny is pretty.”

“Sorry.” Tatiana rushes on stage. “It’s okay. It’s okay.” She rubs his back in an attempt to calm him down. “What’s wrong?”

Hundreds of eyes turn towards Zelo immediately, putting him on stop and different thoughts enters their heads. What could have made the child cry? What did the youngest member of BAP do and make the child cry?

“What’s wrong, sweetie? Tell Auntie Tiana.”

“Hyung said my bunny is pretty.” Shin says in between sobs and buries his face in Tatiana’s shoulder.

“It’s okay sweetie. There, there.”

Relief washes over the members and the fans in a large tsunami. The silence disappears as the conversations continue.

Shin sniffles as the CD is pushed over to him and he takes it happily in between his hands. He tugs his Matoki backpack off and puts the CD neatly inside. “This is for you.” Shin pushes the last bag onto the table, rubbing his red eyes. “Sorry for crying.”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it anymore.” Zelo reaches out hesitantly to the boy’s head, smiling in relief as the child stands up on his toes to make his head meet Zelo’s hand. “Grow up big and strong, okay?” He tilts his head in confusion as Shin writes him an especially long note. “Thank you.” He waves the boy goodbye. His gazes moves up as the woman reaches out a hand and gives him a slip of paper. He takes it confusedly, watching as she follows after the child.

Shin huffs and puffs as he pulls the basket down by himself, refusing Tatiana’s help. “I can do it Auntie Tiana.” His step wavers and he nearly falls, but manages to regain his balance.

“Should we go get lunch?” Tatiana asks, putting the other presents from the fan signing into Shin’s basket. “What do you want to eat?”

“Cheeseburger!” Shin throws his arms in the air with a shout, earning smiles and glances from the crowd who coos at how adorable he is. “Cheeseburger! Cheeseburger!” He jumps excitedly up and down, causing his Matoki backpack to dance with him on his back.

“Okay, okay. Let’s go.”

 

 

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So~, how's this so far? Hehe... I know. It took a long time. It's still not done yet. I only have a few chapters written. Please bare with me okay?