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The school bell rings which marks the end of lunch time for Yeoreum and his friends. He neatly puts away his cutleries and take out crayons from his bag. Art class is up next on the schedule. His favorite subject, not only because of Ms. Gu is the nicest teacher but also the fact that he can always bring home his artwork home and show it off to his parents.
Yeoreum: Jiwon-ah do you want to play Lego at my house tomorrow? Eomma just bought me a new set of Lego for my birthday! It has-
Jiwon: I can’t tomorrow, I am going to Everland!
Yeoreum: Whoa! That must be a lot of fun!
Jiwon: It’s Father’s Day tomorrow and my appa wanted to go to Everland so we are going there!
Yeoreum: Huh? Father’s Day? What is that?
Jiwon: Whaaattt? You don’t know what Father’s Day is?
Yeoreum nods in response to Jiwon’s shocked,
He realized then he never had one before,
Last year he celebrated Mother’s Day since the daycare made program for that
But other than celebrating his and his mom’s birthday, every day is just regular day at his house.
Yeoreum: what do you do for Father’s Day?
Jiwon: hmmm, usually we asked appa what do he want. Last year we went to the beach, this year we are going to Everland
Yeoreum’s mind suddenly goes here and there,
He doesn’t know what Jeongwon wanted for Father’s Day,
Wait he doesn’t even know what’s his favorite food, his favorite color, his favorite toys,
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA what should he do?
Ms. Gu: Good afternoon class!
She greets upon entering the class, and the students are happily responding to her warm greet.
Ms. Gu: Since this week you have a lot of assignments, for today I won’t give any lecture or assignment
Jiwon: Are you serious ms. Gu????!!!!!
She chuckles hearing the room filled with cheers
Ms. Gu: yes, yes, yes, today’s art class is playtime for you
Ms. Gu: You can read or play with the blocks or even if you want to draw anything you can do that
Ms. Gu: I bring some drawing paper here,
She lifts the paper to show it to the class,
Soon all the students in the room are occupied with their own choices,
Jiwon asked Yeoreum to join him and other boys playing with blocks and cars,
Yeoreum: uhmm, I will join later Jiwon-ah
He ignores Jiwon’s whines and walk to the teacher’s table in front of the class,
Yeoreum: uhhh ms. Gu, can I uhmm have one paper please
Ms. Gu: ah yes, as expected from our master painter mr. Jang Yeoreum
Yeoreum: (chuckles)
Ms. Gu: what are you going to draw today?
Ms. Gu says while giving him a piece of drawing paper
Yeoreum: Uhmmm I am not sure
Ms. Gu: you know, tomorrow’s Father’s Day, maybe you can give your father an amazing drawing?
Yeoreum: but uhmmm will that be okay? Jiwon’s family are going to Everland for Father’s Day, a drawing won’t be special
Ms. Gu chuckles and rubs Yeoreum’s sulky (and cute) face
Ms. Gu: Do you know what I gave to my father for Father’s Day when I was in grade 2?
Yeoreum stares at his teacher in anticipation
Ms. Gu: I gave him the warmest hug and say “Appa, thank you for being my appa”
Yeoreum: is that all?
Ms. Gu nods and smiles at Yeoreum’s confused look,
Ms. Gu: my father really loves hugs and kisses, so I gave him his favorite thing
Ms. Gu: what’s your father’s favorite thing?
Yeoreum was about to say eomma, when he remembers eomma is not a thing
Yeoreum: uhm… he likes… uhm…
Ah eureka!
Yeoreum: he likes to cook and eat delicious meal and to do sports like uhm running
Ms. Gu: whoaa what if you and eomma cook for him tomorrow, he must be happy for that!
Ms. Gu: maybe you can also made him drawings to express how much you love him,
Ms. Gu: he must be so thrilled to the amazing-painter-mr. Jang Yeoreum’s artwork ;)
Yeoreum walks back to his chair determined to prepared a memorable first Father's Day celebration for Jeongwon!
_________________________________________
After school activities become more diverse for Yeoreum, Jeongwon offered him lists of clubs and classes he can take after school and this year Yeoreum wanted to try baseball aside from his on-going drum class. One day at grandma’s house he saw a baseball glove so to respond to his curiosity Jeongwon took him to the field to catch-and-throw some balls. And now he is into the sport day and night.
Practice ends at 4 PM and today his parents promised to pick him up from the court at 5,
He sits at the lobby chair waiting, swinging his tiny feet, sighs in worries
Will his favorite uncle turn appa like his present? Will it be enough?
He stares at the surprisingly empty road and find a sock store right in front of his training center
He remembered Jeongwon appa complained on how the lost one pair of socks he believes was taken by uncle Junwan
He takes his bags and cross the street to the sock stores.
Yeoreum: whoa… so many socks
He was stunned by the variety of socks being displayed at the stores
Salesman: hello, how can I help you?
Yeoreum: oh annyeonghaseyo,
Salesman: ne^^ annyeong
Salesman: do you need anything?
Yeoreum: uhm, I want to buy a pair of socks for my father,
Salesman: ah I see, what kind of socks he likes?
Yeoreum: uhmmmm
Yeoreum tries to crack his brain, what kind of socks uncle Jeongwon likes?
He never sees any of his sock collection
AAAAAAAAAAAAA
Yeoreum: he uhm most of the times he wears black socks
The salesman guide Yeoreum to the black socks sections,
Rather than picking one, he read the price tag provided,
10,000 won, 11,000 won, 12,000 won
He only has 9,000 won,
Now he regrets his decision to buy a 1,000 won snack earlier
Yeoreum: oh!
He found it, a pair of socks,
Black with banana pattern,
7,000 won
Yeoreum: I am going to buy this one!
_________________________________________
Arriving at home, Yeoreum’s plan was to run to him room and hide the gifts so he can give it to Jeongwon tomorrow morning,
A simple surprise plan he made
He takes of his shoes in hurry
But when he was about to enter the house,
Gyeoul: Oh yeoreum-ah
Yeoreum turns around responding to her
Gyeoul: did you put your water bottle inside your bag?
Gyeoul: there’s water dripping from your bag,
Gyeoul: Aigu, you must have not properly kept your water bottle,
Gyeoul takes off Yeoreum’s bag and took out his water bottle from his flooded bag,
Yeoreum’s knees turned jelly
Oh no
The gifts
Jeongwon: everything alright?
Yeoreum sits in the entryway watching his mother taking out the things inside his bag to save it from the water,
His sulky face become obvious and Jeongwon can’t help to notice it
Gyeoul: oh? What is this Yeoreum-ah?
She takes out a brown paper bag now completely wet
Disappointment took over Yeoreum’s feeling
He can no longer hide his teary eyes
Jeongwon kneels and pull him closer to his hug
Jeongwon: mwoya, you are going to be a big brother soon you can’t cry like in kindergarten anymore Yeoreum-ah
But Jeongwon’s hug is a driveway for Yeoreum’s tears
Gyeoul opens the paperbag and find a pair of wet socks and a folded paper,
It was a drawing Yeoreum made earlier,
But she cannot figure out what’s the drawing is, as the color were washed off by the water,
The blue color matched with jeongwon’s scrub at the hospital become prominent,
A sketch of stethoscope was half clear
Only a sentence at the corner of the paper was still clear
“My Father is a superhero”
Jeongwon chuckles and find it cute that he was crying over a drawing he made earlier
Jeongwon: gwenchana Yeoreum-ah you can draw it again tomorrow
Yeoreum wipes his teary eyes
Yeoreum: I uhm :”
Yeoreum: those are the presents for you :”
Jeongwon: for who? For me?
Yeoreum nods
Yeoreum: you said you lost your socks so I buy one for you … for Father’s Day :”(
Yeoreum: it’s nothing special but now it’s completely ruined HUAAAAAAAA
Gyeoul watches her favorite men wrapping her son in his bulky arms trying to calm him down,
It’s warm and sweet.
When Yeoreum finally stops crying, Jeongwon caresses his head and chuckles
Jeongwon: aiguyaa, gomawo Yeoreum-ah,
Jeongwon: this is very special for me
Yeoreum: but (sob) but (sob)
Yeoreum: I am sorry if you don’t like it
He says while wipping his teary eyes
Yeoreum: I (sob) I uhm (sob) I am sorry I don’t know what you like, what’s your favorite color, what’s your favorite food or uhhh huhuhu
Jeongwon laughs and hugs Yeoreum even tighter
Jeongwon: hey hey hey (wipping Yeoreum’s cheeks)
Jeongwon: aigooooo, my favorite thing to do is to be with you, Yeoreum-ah
Jeongwon: you are the best present, arrasseo?
Yeoreum stares at Jeongwon’s flowery eyes and its not until seconds Jeongwon rubs his nose at Yeoreum’s to make him laugh
and his son laughs,
Jeongwon: kajja, let’s have some dinner and go to bed!
_________________________________________
EPILOGUE
[at band practice/dinner at Seokhyeong’s]
Junwan: mwoya Ahn jeongwon
Jeongwon: mwo?
Junwan: what’s with that banana socks
Jeongwon: yha you steal my socks, didn’t you?!
Junwan: why would I steal you 1,000 won socks??????
Songhwa: yha yha yha stop it
Junwan: whatever he won’t trust me anyway
Ikjun: but Jeongwon-ah, I thought you don’t like patterned socks
Seokhyeong: correction he hates it
Jeongwon: no, I am not
Songhwa: (scoff) heol
Ikjun: yha, Songhwa still hates the fact that you never wore the patterned socks she gave you back at med school
Songhwa: and now you wear those flashy-yellow over black-tacky-banana patterned socks
Songhwa: oh wow, mine was not as cool as that I guess
Junwan: yeah what’s with the flashy banana there
Jeongwon: hey don’t you dare calling it tacky -_-
Jeongwon: from now on I like patterned socks -_-