The Tiger and The Rose~A Hwanjo Short Story

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Hello! 

Thank you for checking out The Tiger and The Rose! This is a Hwanjo short story combined with some elements of The Little Prince, a story I've loved since childhood. As always the characters portrayed are STRICTLY FICTIONAL including the scenarios they are depicted in. Any italicized lettering are direct quotes of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. 

I got the inspiration for this story at exactly 3am and decided staying awake to finish it in one go was the way to do it. I finished it at 5, went to bed, and Youngjo went live at 6. I am very upset that I didn't stay up-REGARDLESS I really like this story and I think it's super cute and wholesome. A simple 2500 worder that I hope can ease your mind like it does for me. Love you guys and love our ONEUS boys MWAH!

Please feel free to let me know of any questions or concerns you have regarding the story. Other than that, please enjoy the story and have a wonderful day/night!

xoxo Atinytoweve <3

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There was a rhythmic thumping coming from the other side of her bedroom door. She turned the knob slowly to expose herself to the sight that awaited her. When she looked up to her bed, fear coursed through her veins at the imminent disaster before her. She rushed forward with her cautious arms extended.

It was mere seconds before her fingers intertwined with the soft fabric of the boy's clothing. "Woongie, what did I say about jumping on the bed?" She wrapped her arms tightly around the giggling child, pulling her toddler onto her lap as she sat at the bed's edge. "Next time it's no story and you sleep in the animal kingdom." Hwanwoong's playfulness melted into sadness of her implying he would have to sleep alone.

The neighboring bedroom had been decorated from floor to ceiling to resemble a lush rainforest. Complete with lots of trees, ferns, birds, insects, monkeys, frogs, and snakes. He had begged his parents for a trip to the Amazon Rainforest to see his favorite animal of all time. The trip was not one they were comfortable taking a four year on so they decided to transform his room for his fifth birthday. They surprised the boy with the decorations. When he first saw it, the excitement that coursed through him could've put the sun out of the job. Hwanwoong jumped and squealed as he named off every creature he saw. When he reached every corner of the room, his excitement turned into a sour frown. He turned to ask his parents about the most important missing piece when he saw his dad holding up an orange onesie complete with all four paws, a long tail, a hood with ears, and lots of black stripes.

"No animal kingdom is complete without the king of the jungle, right?" Hwanwoong's dad grinned at his small son who immediately bounded in his direction. The little boy jumped to pull the onesie from his dad's hands and clung to the adult's leg with the most sincere gratitude a child can express. His mom and dad kneeled down to meet him, only then noticing the happy tears streaming down his small pink cheeks. They dried them with their thumbs as they continued to hug their son who they couldn't have been more happy to please.

Hwanwoong always loved his bedroom, but the darker shadows the decals cast across the room when moonlight shone through his window scared the boy. He worried one day they would peel off the wall in his sleep and pull him into their jungle in the wall and he'd be stuck there forever. He would only be able to sleep in there if his mom laid by his side, reading to him or playing with his hair until he fell asleep.

The little boy shuffled into a straddle position across his mom's lap, pushing the big-looking book he held into her face, "I promise I won't jump anymore so can we please read this one tonight?" She took the book from her son and dropped it on the bed behind her.