CHILD MANAGEMENT 101: How to Console a Crying Brat
"the stories of old, they speak of many truths and lies"

Everything started with a crash. Yeah, that one crash between a car and a human. But that’s for a bit later. For now, let us focus on the matter on hand.

After an endless session of pacing the maroon carpeted floor, he finally brought himself in front of the mirror, aligned along the bare white walls of the waiting room. Glancing a bit left, then right, all over his attire for the evening, before his fingers ran through the crumpled tie encircling his neck.

“What’s wrong, Chief? Ye nervous?”

He sensed the rather playful tone of the male standing next to him, arms crossed, lips curled to a teeny-tiny smirk.

"Tch. In your dreams, brother," he scoffed, dusting his tux, giving the male a sideway look. "A real man won't be bothered by something like this. It's not like I've never done this before." His statement earned him a low chuckle from his precious cousin.

A knock on the door, enter a woman wearing her hair into a messy bun, her left ear busily occupied with the buzzing sounds from her handy-talkie, her hand scribbling profusely on the paper on her clipboard. Apparently, running a press conference for a huge case involving both lawyer and chief police officer had taken a toll on her appearance.

With her eyes still fixed onto the clipboard in her left hand, her leg keeping the door open, "Excuse me, Sires, the conference will be starting in a minute. We would like to ask the both of you to stand-by."

The cousin's attention now at her, "Aye, miss. Be right there in a sec...?"

He slurred the last remaining bit as the lady in question had already left with a bow. Only the soft clicks of the door remained. The two males chuckled slightly.

"Ready?"

"As I always am."

A slight smirk laced the cousin's lips as he followed the proud back of his cousin, stepping outside of the waiting room. "Spoken like a true Chief indeed."

 

"Jjan!" Their glasses softly clinked against each other, signalling the start of the celebration. All praise the glorious duo who managed to solve yet another chain-murder case in just one month. With Wonwoo's swift actions and Mingyu's quick thinking, the duo never failed to impress.

Another gulp of soju for the young lawyer. "Keuuuhh... Though she be but little, she is fierce!"

"What's this I hear -- a high class lawyer quoting Shakespeare?" Wonwoo fixed his eyes onto the younger, shaking the liquor in his hand in circular motion.

Mingyu dropped his glass. "Shut up, hyung. This is a moment of celebration, and a moment of celebration calls for a cheesy line like that of Shakespeare."

Wonwoo chuckled as he poured another shot for Mingyu. "Well," he raised his glass, "just remember I was the one who pinned him in action," he gulped his liquor refreshingly. 

"Huh?! Excuse you, mister. But if it wasn't for me figuring out his pattern, you'd be dead meat already!"

The two broke out in laughter, mocking their silliness.

"Alright, alright. Just make sure you don't drink too much. You've still got to go home to your wife and son." Wonwoo lectured his younger cousin, only to be blatantly ignored.

"Ahjumma! Four more bottles, please!"

"Aye, son. Coming right up!"

Mingyu snickered smugly. Wonwoo sighed at his antique. Guess I'm driving for the night.

On the other end of the stall, a lonely back of a brunette seemed to enjoy her drink rather... recklessly. Other than talking to herself and shouting frantically, she'd occasionally slam her glass onto the table. Perhaps to ease her frustration.

"You don't understand!" And she slammed her glass, followed by a hiccup. "He was my sun, the light of my life -- he made me believe there's still hope after dusk!"

Wonwoo, being one of the few sober customers in the stall, shook his head at the sight of her, wondering what had happened to the generation of women these days. Well, mind you, despite his looks, he's quite on the reserved side. But little did he know, she was nowehere near insane nor has she lost her mind, for she was indeed talking to someone... or something. 

The air around the brunette was chilly. Ever so slightly, from bottom up, the brunette lifted her head from her succumb position. There she was. A middle aged woman, her hair styled with old ornaments, her hand busy filing her nail as she listened to the brunette's rambling. Problem is, only the brunette could see her.

The woman dropped her nail filer. "Buttercup," she yawned a little, cupping her face within her palm, "there's only dawn after dusk. Besides, if he really does love you, he wouldn't leave you for another woman."

The brunette shrugged her head abruptly. "What woman?!" She gulped her liquor before slamming the bottle harshly on the table. "He left me for another world! Another world, damnit!"

"Ah, yes... I meant world, yes, world... Aish... just what the heck is wrong with this child..." The woman patted her head as she sobbed fervently.

Mingyu lifted his drunk head, witnessing the crazy sight. "Ya... hyung..." his words were stopped by his hiccup. "Would ya' look at that... When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools!"

"Aish, this guy," Wonwoo smacked the poor drunk head who wasn't in a much better state than the brunette he talked about. "Just shut up and drink, will you."

Drink after drink, the feverish night had finally come to a close. With the tipsy-topsy Mingyu on his shoulder, Wonwoo bowed and quickly left the stall. "Here you go, Ma'am." The old woman smiled as she accepted the sum of money. "Aigoo," she chanted, "your parents must have raised you well."

Wonwoo beamed against the compliment given, but it quickly vanished due to a certain comment made by his stupidly drunk, precious cousin. "Yes, honey?" He slurred, "A third? Suree..."

Well, they did say that the drunk mind does speak the sober heart.

 

Fast forward to the late twilight, there stood a little boy, wandering around the lightless park. Alas, the Darkness enveloped him. The night closed in around his being, filling the young child with a deep dread. He held his breath for as long as he could — in fact, longer than he should have.

Red and black splotches danced before his very eyes and his mind could not tell whether his eyes were opened or closed. The coldness he had felt upon entering the greenery heaven had completely vanished. A desperate hot wave had come over him, warming even his once frosted toes. The heart of the little boy began beating rapidly in panic. The urgency for air was more apparent than ever. There were no red blotches in his field of vision anymore.

It was all black.

 

On one end, Wonwoo’s struggle to put his cousin’s into his sleek white Ford finally came to an end, as the younger found comfort in his snores, fumbling his limbs all over the passenger seat. Wonwoo humped his back onto the driver seat, breathing an air of relief. He glanced at his cousin from the corner of his eyes. “And I’m being paid a loud snore and a sore back, huh, Kim Mingyu?” He smacked Mingyu’s head with his finger, earning the younger’s soft smile. His attention soon shifted to the limping br