jangmi (장미) ● taejoon

s i x t y .

  "... Don't get scared, Jangmi. You're going great."

Namjoon held Jangmi's waist as the little girl tried to trust the cold waters to keep her body afloat. He reassures her every time she seems to be frantic, helping her stand up whether she got too scare. "Hey, hey don't worry. I got you."

"... I-I can't do it!" Jangmi stutters, pushing her soaking wet hair out of her watering eyes. "I'm too small!"

Namjoon brushed hair hair out of her face and tied it into a ponytail, tucking it in using a piece of her own hair as a hair tie. He knew how to do it, he learned how when he was the same age as Jangmi.

He slicked back her baby hairs using the ocean's water. "... You may be small now, but don't be afraid of the bigger things in life," he says softly, "... You'll be big enough to do anything when you grow up, you can change the world just by growing."

"I'm not a plant, daddy," She giggles, wiping her cheeks.

"Yes you are," Namjoon wraps his arms around her shoulders, and embraces her. "You're a pretty little rose that just sprouted."

"Then you're a big, beautiful sunflower!" Jangmi hums, placing her hands on top of the waves. Feeling the cool water tickle her skin. "You're tall like they are!"

"... And your papa over there," Namjoon turns them both to face the beach, pointing to Taehyung who laid on the picnic blankets next to the bonfire. "... He's a venus fly trap."

"Ew!" Jangmi scrunches her nose, "He eats those yucky flies that fly around the garbage!"

Namjoon laughs, shaking his head. "... He eats all the bad things, so they never get to you."

"Papa takes care of all the bad yucky stuff, so you, a rose, won't have to," The man sighs softly, "He may be mean, cold, but it's because he's worried his little rose might be surrounded by all those nasty flies, so he eats them all up before they could ever hurt you."

"... Then he should keep all the bad stuff away from you too!" Jangmi says, splashing a little bit of the water frustratingly. "If papa can't gobble up all the bad things in the world then I'll be a fly trap too!"

Namjoon smiles before laughing. "C'mon lets show your papa that you can swim."

The man lets go of the little girl and moves  away from her, opening her arms. "... Don't be afraid, I'm right here."

"No, that's-that's too far!" Jangmi cries out, clenching her fists above the water warily. "Come back, daddy!"

"You'll be alright, Jangmi!" Namjoon says, giving a thumbs up. "Just breathe, and swim to me. Show papa, you can swim."

Jangmi puffed her cheeks as she frantically looked around, clenching her fists before going into the water. Namjoon watches with fond eyes as the silly little girl paddles through the water. Her hello kitty floaties poking out from the gentle tides.

"Keep your head up, you're doing amazing!" Namjoon claps, glancing over at Taehyung - who gotten up and walked over to the wet sand.

The two men made eye contact and Namjoon mouthed 'say something!'

"That's my baby!" Taehyung cheers, clapping as Jangmi reaches to Namjoon. Engulfing the man into a tiny bit mighty hug.

She wipes the water from her face and a bright smile appeared on her face. "I did it!" She exclaimed, bouncing in the ocean. She looked quickly at Taehyung with pride in her eyes. "Did you see me? Did you? I swam, papa!"

"... Yes you did," Taehyung hummed back, "Now its time for you to get dry, Bennie came back with dinner. We'll be grilling some meat and vegetables here then we'll head home, okay?"