delicate | K.TH

1

AMIN

"Is that...him?"

Mrs. Kim nods, and I watch the little boy, his hair hanging over his eyes. He's arranging flowers on the grass.

"You'll only have to babysit him for three hours— just on weekends." She smiles, clasping her hands together.

"He might not take you that well in the beginning— but I know he'll warm up to you eventually. Taehyung hasn't been around people in ages."

I blink. "Why?"

"He doesn't want to." Then she taps at her lips. "Also his asthma. The last time I tried sending him to school, he was made fun of."

My mother frowns behind me.

"Kids these days. They always want something to tease."

Mrs. Kim slips something into my palm. It's a chocolate, wrapped in shiny silver.

"Just a little something." She says, smiling again. "It might help you get to know him a bit better. He loves sweets."

Then I'm left alone, as Mrs. Kim drives off to work and my mother too. She gives me an encouraging look before calling through the window.

"I'll be back in three hours!"

And I open my palm again, looking down at the piece of chocolate.

________________________

"Hey."

The boy's head snaps up. He instantly stumbles away, messing up the flowers he'd so neatly fixed.

"W-Who...Mom!"

"She's gone for work." I say, shrugging my shoulders. "I'll be with you for three hours."

"I don't want to be with you!"

He jumps up to his feet, starting to run when he suddenly slows down— like he'd remembered something.

I peek over.

"It's your asthma. You shouldn't run."

Looking defeated, he slows down to a walk. Then he glares back at me, and I laugh softly at the childishness.

"How old are you?"

"I'm not telling you."

I open up my palm. His eyes dart to the chocolate in the center, and I laugh again when his mouth drops open.

"I might give this to you if you tell me."

"Seven!" He exclaims, and I let him snatch the candy off of my hand. He starts unwrapping the piece.

"I'm seven."

"So we're four years apart." I say thoughtfully, and he frowns.

"Then you're weird. My eleven-year old cousin acts nothing like you— he got his head stuck in a bush."