A child who looks like me

Feeling proud after wrapping up the day, the couple returned home.

Even though they had been busy with work and hadn’t paid much attention, their child was growing up fast. As they spent time laughing and marveling at the new expressions the child casually used, bedtime had arrived before they knew it.

After changing into her pajamas, Ye-na said, “Dad, I’m going to countdown at twelve o’clock.”

“Do you know what a countdown is?”

“Yep! It’s when you say 10, 9, 8, 7, and so on.”

“That happens late at night. But Ye-na has to go to bed at nine o’clock.”

“I’m not going to sleep today.”

After Christmas Eve, the energetic child seemed to have some sort of fantasy about staying up all night.

“Well, I wonder if Mom will allow it?”

“Dad, you tell Mom.”

“Hey, honey. Our daughter says she’s going to sleep at twelve o’clock?”

Ji-heon conveyed Ye-na’s position to Jeong-o. As expected, Jeong-o reacted unfavorably.

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to countdown! When the New Year chimes, I’ll bow to Mom and Dad!”

Ye-na was going to bow.

Ji-heon felt a twinge of excitement at the thought of receiving a bow from his daughter. Recognizing Ji-heon’s bright expression, Jeong-o suggested an alternative for Ye-na.

“It might be tough to stay awake until then. How about you take a nap first? I’ll wake you up.”

“Okay! Wake me up one minute before twelve. No, five minutes before!”

“But Ye-na doesn’t wake up easily when she’s asleep. Can I tickle her to wake her up?”

“No, no tickling.”

“Then how will you wake me up?”

“Yell in my ear.”

“What if I still don’t wake up when you yell in my ear? Can I pinch you?”

“Okay.”

“Don’t cry if it hurts.”

“Okay.”

Having reached a pleasant compromise with her mother, Ye-na went to bed happily.

So, five minutes before midnight, the crucial role of waking Ye-na fell to her dad.

“Princess Ye-na, it’s time to wake up. It’s five minutes until midnight.”

Ji-heon clearly remembered that Ye-na had said to yell in her ear.

How would she wake up if he whispered sweetly?

As expected, Ye-na did not move, and Ji-heon transitioned to the second step.

With his fingers pinched, Ji-heon approached Ye-na’s soft skin.

“Ye-na. Jeong Ye-na.”

From Jeong-o’s perspective, all she could do was sigh.

“Is that how you pinch? How do you expect her to wake up like that?”

Jeong-o pushed Ji-heon aside and sat in front of Ye-na.

“Wake up, Jeong Ye-na! We have to see the countdown!”

“Ugh….”

With a voice like a drill sergeant, Jeong-o gave Ye-na a little smack on the bottom, and only then did Ye-na respond. However, she still couldn’t get up.

She seemed unable to shake off her sleep, raising just her bottom towards the ceiling, looking as if she were bowing. It was utterly adorable, enough to melt anyone’s heart.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

At the same time,

Seung-kyu’s household was no different.

“Park Do-bin, it’s countdown time!”

“Ughhh.”

Seung-kyu raised his voice and shook Do-bin, but Do-bin could only moan and was slow to get up.

“It’s one minute until the New Year! Get up! You said you’d wake up!”

“We decided to watch this with Mom and Dad!”

“Park Do-bin, wake up!”

“Nooo. Don’t call me.”

Seung-kyu and Jin-seo teamed up to wake Do-bin, but he only grumbled in his sleep. Unable to take it any longer, Jin-seo resorted to her secret weapon.

“Park Do-bin, Ye-na is here. Wake up.”

“Hmm?”

Only then did Do-bin finally open his eyelids.

Meanwhile, time marched on.

Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!

Finally, the New Year had arrived.

“Yay! It’s the New Year! Happy New Year to our son! Congratulations on entering elementary school!”

Jin-seo joyfully hugged Do-bin and delivered her New Year’s greetings, but the boy still seemed dazed.

“Where’s Ye-na?”

“…She’s sleeping.”

It felt like starting the New Year with a defeat.

On the other hand, worries flooded in.

He was of age, and it was time to send him to school, but would he really be able to adjust to school life…?

With a heavy heart, Jin-seo welcomed the New Year.

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

The world outside was cold, but inside the house was warm, and at the end of a short winter, the children graduated from kindergarten.