Photo: Sweet Love

Finding solution to problem is never easy, but it feels impossible to him what with the time constraint and pressure from the higher ups. Papers scatter the coffee table and he scans through one after the other, hoping by some miracle they could bestow him with an answer. But none came, and it’s already been 2 hours.

His deep sigh silenced by the cheerful cackling.

Glancing back, he saw the two sprawled on the floor. Like him, papers circled them. Like him, they were both deeply concentrated on them. But unlike him, they were both enjoying every moment of it. Bom scrawls on the white paper, bringing life to creatures that only exist in a 4 year old world and her father, Woohyun, assisted her with much excitement, narrating tales to fuel the infant’s imagination.

Howon wished he could join his family, to be in complete freedom and speaks only the language of laughter. But tomorrow inches closer, deadline and potential nagging stopped him from doing so.

Forcing his sight away from them, he scribbles down a few notes; sighing for the umpteenth time. Developing a marketing plan for the company’s new group hasn’t been easy, more so, when the competitions this time round are aplenty. Biting the end of his pen, the frown deepens between his brows; Howon’s so lost in his own thought, he had failed to register the pitter-patter of little feet inching closer.

“Daddy.” Howon heard her calling and jumps a bit, surprised seeing her near.

Climbing onto the sofa like an expert and plopping right onto her daddy’s lap; Bom stares at that tired smile and look as if she’s seeing a puzzle before her, brows sewing, lips jutting. Howon’s infant daughter looks concernedly at him with her bright, innocent eyes.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” His questioning was gentle and sincere; Howon moving her bangs to the side, disliking anything more than seeing that frown on her chubby face.  

“Daddy, why do you look so worried?”

His brows rose slightly, taken aback by her question. “Do you have lots of things in your mind?”

Bom is a detective, leaning close to inspect her father’s expression, with her eyes squinting for the truth, trying to get an answer to her questions. She reminds him so much of that certain someone, and he has a feeling that that certain someone was behind this unexpected interrogation.

Conscious of the growing smile on his face; he feels like playing around, mimicking his daughter’s methods of questioning, “But Bom, see this…” The man in his early 30’s points at a certain feature on his face, “I’m smiling, sweetheart. I was smiling when you came to me too. So, where exactly did you get the idea that I was worried?”

Blank. Her detective expression softened ever so slightly, replaced by her widening eyes that look to be overtaken by confusion. She was considering, humming to fill the silence. Howon held back laughter as his daughter look back not-so-discreetly towards her other father, sending mute emergency signal.

Now, he doesn’t have eyes at the back of his head, but he imagined his partner using some sort of a “sign language” (overdramatic flailing arms, or more familiarly to the general public, a game of charade) to help little Bom.

She nods once, and her reasoning rushed, “Ah…but, you weren’t smiling before daddy. That’s how I know you were worried.”

Her nods were full of confidence, but her father’s not so kind to give-in to the act; no matter the pure intention. “Was I?” He tilted his head, tapping his forefinger on his chin for persuasion purposes. “How would you know that when you’ve just came to me though. From where you were, playing with Appa at the back there; I don’t think you could see my face.”

She huffs and puffs, crinkling her nose, “Well, I…I…” and looks back once again, receiving another signal from daddy dearest and suddenly, her face brightens; Howon guessed she’d recalled what was planned out before, “I know how you feel daddy. Yup, I know how you feel. Just like magic!”

Howon repeats, “Just like magic?”

Another sequence of aggressive nodding, “Uhuh. Just like how you and Appa know my feelings.” She thought for a while, before adding, “Oh, and just like how you and Appa know each other’s feelings too.”

The four-year-old feels relieved that her plan with Woohyun Appa wasn’t completely derailed. Though her daddy makes it difficult, she thought she’d handled things well; at least she did as were told by Woohyun Appa. Speaking of what her Appa has told her to do,  

Howon receives a crushing hug and peck on his cheek.  Looking excitedly into his eyes, seeking to see whether it was a success, his daughter asked, “Now you’re happier after I hugged and kissed you, right? Aren’t you happier, daddy? Aren’t you?”

Her zealous enquiry makes Howon chuckle. “Don’t I make you feel better like magic, daddy?” She added; her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

Woohyun is great at making up stories to entertain their daughter and he is sure that this is one of his creations. He pinches her round cheeks softly, kissing her nose, “Of course, I feel better. Besides, I’m always happy whenever you’re around – “ leaning in as if he was telling her the universe’s greatest secret, Howon adds, “just like magic.”

She giggles when he ends their conversation with a tickle-attack. Howon feeling warmth blanketed over him as if he was embraced by the comforting breeze of a pleasant summer day. His daughter has that capacity and he is just grateful to have her in his life; grateful also for having that certain someone who’d always go to great length to make him feel better.

He hears clanking of dishes in the kitchen; Woohyun’s probably cleaning up now that he knows his plan has been carried out successfully by their daughter. Quietly whispering, “Bom-ah… Did Woohyun Appa tell you to talk to me and give me a hug?”

The child bit her lips momentarily, but doesn’t take long to admit, “Yes, but I’m not supposed to tell you that. Appa said that you were worried about work, and he said that only I have the magic power to make you feel better and I really do want to make you feel better daddy…’

Smiling widely, he pats her head and gave her a kiss on the cheek, “Thank you, sweetheart.”

He knows he should say his thanks to that other person too. “Should we go to Appa?” The 4 year-old agrees, but before anything, he needs her help with something first.

Life can get in the way at times. You fall into a routine, running on automatic. The only goal that exists is to complete yet another task that was given to you.

Woohyun knows his partner was overwhelmed with his latest assignment, not that Howon would ever admits it. He’s really good at keeping it all inside and that worries him. When he saw how restless he was, Woohyun knows he has to do something and he’s glad that his idea has worked out well. Hearing the sound of laughter coming from the living room; all Woohyun has is a wide smile on his face, happy that the love of his life is feeling better.

Not too soon, the two graced him with their presence – Howon carrying Bom into the kitchen, stating with a little knowing smirk on his face, “Did you know that our daughter has magical power?”

He knows Howon would figure it out, not so much their daughter though, so Woohyun plays along, “Oh?”

“I was feeling really bad about work just now, but when Bom came to me, and gave me a hug and a kiss, that – “ a strong emphasis on the word; he pauses and look straight at his daughter before continuing, “disappeared.”

“Like magic right? I told her she has magical power, but she wouldn’t believe me.” Woohyun walks that few feet to be where the two were standing, and pinches Bom’s cheek, “See, Appa was telling the truth.” Bom giggled at that, making Woohyun grin with pride.

“But Woohyun Appa, you did get one thing wrong.”

Woohyun brow rises in interest, seeing Howon whispering to their daughter, before he lets her go and watches the young girl skips to the living room. “What was that about?”

A lopsided smile that is proud of its innocence welcomes him and Howon gets closer, “She’s not the only one, you know.” His gaze burns into him, hands landing on his sides. “You’re just as magical.”

Trying hard to contain a grin, Woohyun tried sounding unimpressed, “Oh?”

But of course, Howon ignores it. Leaning in for a kiss, Woohyun meets him half-way and melted at the contact. Gently moving his lips against his, Woohyun could feel the smile in his kiss. His heart beats that much harder, instigated by the senses that were overwhelmed by his partner.

Woohyun loves that part. Even after all these years, he would react the same way he would during their younger years. Once apart, they locked eyes, still close to each other. His grin was brightly foolish, and he isn’t in the least bit embarrassed to show it.

“I see you’ve learned a thing or two from me.”

“Unfortunately,” he sighs dramatically, making Woohyun chuckle at his playfulness.   

Howon’s grin was replaced with a gentler smile. “Joking aside though,” his gaze was gentle too, adding volume to his words, “thank you.”

Woohyun gets it. The way Howon looks at him with his lips pressed, eyes shining with something that worth more than everything. He nods, telling him he gets him, caressing his hair a little bit. “Don’t worry about things too much. I’m sure you’ll figure things out - like always.”

Woohyun made a face and that made Howon smile. Even so, he still sighs, muttering, “I hope so.”

It saddened Woohyun seeing the other still being worried about his work. It’s unavoidable, he supposed. But Woohyun also knows the ways by which would ensure that happiness is unavoidable for him. Looking back, he’s satisfied that Bom is focused on her toys in the living room. They’re safe.

Wrapping his arms around his partner’s neck, Woohyun begin to employ another plan. “How about I help you gain a little bit of inspiration?” Biting his lips, he adds flirtatiously, “Or maybe I can give you your reward. It depends on whether you have the answer by the time I put Bom to sleep.”

Grinning, Howon responded, “Oh, how kind of you?” Wrapping his arms tighter around his waist, he adds, “But why do I feel like you’re at the better end of this deal.”

“Really? I thought it was win-win.” Woohyun mutters as he leans in to kiss him.

 Howon held back a laugh when he feels his hands travel along his back, resting on his bum; pulling him tight. Snuggling into the crook of his neck, Howon melts into his embrace – completely content. “Keep it PG, darling then I’ll agree to the very fair deal.”

A little child is playing with her dolls, trying her hardest to comply with her daddy’s wishes – no peaking on daddies when they’re having adult conversation.

She has her dragons, goblins and faeries, and her drawings of magical creatures that came from a land far, far away at an island so enchanted that few has managed to know it’s exact location. She held the new addition to her growing magical family close, Rudy, the 200-year-old dragon. She’s still in the middle of introducing him to the new world, their house, when she heard her daddies chuckling.

And that gets her giddy.

“See Rudy, you should know that my daddies have the greatest love story.” She told him proudly. “Even greater that the princes and princesses in your land.” She adds, to convince him. Sneaking a glance for only a few seconds (because clearly she’s not breaking her promise by doing that), she had a bright, bright smile on her face.

Though she yearns to visit the magical-land her enchanted families derived from, the 4 year-old begins to realize that maybe magic isn’t just about faeries and goblins, and the romance of the royalties in an enchanted island far, far away. That maybe, just maybe, it is something simpler than that. Something that exists in the mundane world she lives in. That maybe magic is just in the way her daddies look into each other’s eyes that have stars trapped in them whenever they are together.

Holding Rudy up, so he could see what she sees, she asks quietly, “That’s magic, isn’t it Rudy?”

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Note: If you watch the video I think you can hear them say the kid's name is Bom (if I'm not mistaken). Anyhow, isn't she cutest thing? And isn't the picture (and many other pictures available of the three) makes you go wild. All about family, right? He..he..

P.S: If you read the foreword, I mentioned that I created a blog to inspire myself and hopefully others to write about Wooya. Well, do check out this month's (February) prompts. I really hope that this can get more people to write about Wooya TT TT I'm so desparate for them  Hopefully we'll get to see more Wooya stories in the future.