Chapter Text
The little boy smiled, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
He had been begging his parents for months to go to the amusement park that opened on the outskirts of Seoul about a year ago. Almost all of his classmates had already gotten to go at least once and the boy was thrilled with their stories of fun rides and yummy treats and sparkling fireworks in the evenings. If he was completely honest, he was also maybe a tiny bit jealous that they got to go and he didn't.
His parents had explained to him that the park was expensive and that they couldn't really pay for it. They were also always so busy with their jobs and taking care of the boy and his younger brother.
The little boy knew all that. He might only be seven years old, but he understood that his parents worked this hard for their children, trying to give them the best home possible. And even though he really wanted to go to that park and was disappointed that he couldn't, the boy wouldn't trade his family for anything.
Their family was small, it was only the four of them, always had been, from what he knew. His mother's parents were in heaven and his father had once said that he never knew his parents. The boy didn't exactly understand what that meant, but he guessed it must be a bad feeling, so he made sure to hug his father extra tight every night before going to bed.
Their family might not be big, but they loved each other, and they had everything they needed, so the little boy stopped asking his parents about the park after a little while. He didn't want to make them feel bad that they couldn't fulfill his wish after all.
And like that, the boy had let go of his wish and he actually had more or less forgotten about the park since the initial excitement at school had also died down by now.
Today though...
Today was the boy's seventh birthday. The boy loved birthdays. His own, of course, but also those of his family members. He probably liked those even better because he could give them gifts and make them happy.
The boy loved seeing his family happy.
Knowing about his parents' money struggle, he hadn't really wished for anything for his birthday this year. In the last few weeks, his parents had been working many extra hours, so he reckoned money was a problem once again and he didn't want to create more problems with selfish wishes.
He had woken up this morning not expecting much, but looking forward to being the center of attention for the day. However, instead of the usual birthday breakfast spread, the kitchen table only held four lunchboxes. His parents had hugged him tight and wished him a happy birthday and then they had told him that for his birthday they were going on a family trip to the amusement park. The boy's heart had done a weird flipping thing from excitement.
Suddenly he understood why his parents had been working late so often. He understood the hushed conversations between his mother and father that would stop abruptly when he entered a room. His parents had worked extra hard to fulfill a wish he himself had almost forgotten about.
He really had the best family in the whole world.
Right now, they were on their way to the park. They would be going by train because his parents didn't own a car. Another exciting part of the day for the little boy. He didn't take the train very often, there was a bus that took him to school and all the shops the family usually went to were close to their apartment.
Making their way to the train station together, he looked at his family members. His father was holding his younger brother's hand tightly as they walked side by side, his mother and the boy himself right behind them.
He still couldn't believe they were actually going to the amusement park.
The boy's heart swelled with happiness.
He loved his family so much.