Are you hungry Sooyoung?
The little girl smiled at her mother.
No, Mommy. I am fine.
It hasn't been that long since her sister was born. Sooyoung went from being the only daughter to being the eldest of three sisters in just a few years. Of course, her parents love her as always and show her all the affection they have for her. However, little Sooyoung understands that her place now is that of the older sister, and she feels a little more adult and with more responsibilities, even if she is only 8 years old. That's why although she is hungry, she decides to tell her mother that she is not, so they can go straight home to rest.
Why don't we have a hot chocolate, Sooyoungie?
Her mother insists, and Sooyoung thinks that giving up that mission of being a responsible adult for a while won't hurt her. After all, drinking hot chocolate isn't something kids do. Or at least not her little sisters, because of their age, and anyway if they did, they would burn their tongues. Drinking chocolate in a shopping mall on December 30 is something that only adult women like her can do.
Okay, mommy.
Are you going to put marshmallows in the chocolate?
Sooyoung is a little offended by the question. And she's a little embarrassed, too. What kind of responsible adult puts marshmallows in chocolate?.
Anyway, she says yes, she's going to put marshmallows in the chocolate. Much better if they are shaped like polar bears, she thinks.

Sehun is always neat. Even after playing all afternoon with his friends, he is the only one in the group who does not end up bruised or dirty. Of course, unlike his friends, he doesn't run. He only laughs at how each one of his friends stumbles or falls playing the game, be it a race or hide-and-seek. Sehun participates but decides not to run. In fact, he is a bit lazy. And he doesn't like to sweat. Especially at this time of year when the combination of sweating and cold can cause illness.
Let's go into the shopping, it's getting too cold out here, says one of Sehun's friends, with a red face. Sehun doesn't know if it's because he was running or because of the cold. Everyone enters the shopping mall and begins to walk around the place while chaotically looking at the stained-glass windows.
Let's buy something hot, says another one of his friends shaking his arms trying to get rid of the cold.
Chocolate! Shouts one of the boys. And the discussion begins. Yes, let's buy chocolate. No, something to eat. Some crazy one even proposes to have ice cream, but nobody takes it seriously. Sehun wants pizza, but it's okay whatever his friends decide. In the end, everyone decides to go for something to drink. Whether it's milkshake or chocolate, as Sehun prefers.

Lucky for Sooyoung, there are bear shaped marshmallows. But unfortunately, there is a very long line of people in front of them.
Mom, can I go play for a while you wait here?
Sooyoung...
Mom, please.
Okay, but be careful. Don't talk to anyone. And only five minutes. Understood?
I promise Mom, she says, taking her mother's hand and then running to the arcade.
Sooyoung! she hears her mother's scream and turns around as fast as she can. With all the clothes she's wearing, it's quite difficult.
Aren't you going to need money? And Sooyoung comes running back to her mom.

This place is full... says one of Sehun's friends, seeing the number of people in front of them.
Get in line, fool, add another.
Let's go somewhere else...
Everything in this mall is going to be full. Sehun doesn't like to wait, he's not good at queuing. He gets impatient too quickly. Jungwoo, can I give you the money to buy me a hot chocolate, please? He tells his best friend.
Only if you pay mine. Sehun turns his face. He doesn't want to pay for two drinks and starts to move away from the place where his friends were lining up.
Where are you going? Asks one of his friends.
I don't feel like drinking anything. I don't want to wait.
You don't have to pay me anything, Sehun, says Jungwoo.
No, it's okay, it's not that. I don't feel like it.
I don't want to drink hot chocolate either, says another friend, I prefer to go to video games.
Well, we'll meet in half an hour at the door of the mall, okay?

Sooyoung has lost two of his coins trying to win one of the stuffed animals on the machine. And she's about to lose the third.
You're doing it wrong, you are not going to get it, says a guy behind her. Sooyoung thinks the boy is nosy but doesn't tell him, even if she wanted to. Let me do it, says the boy approaching the game controls without caring if that's what she wants or not. He's a little taller than her and therefore has a better view of the game. Sooyoung sees how the claw goes down and takes one of the stuffed animals. Slowly, it starts to rise and move towards the target but falls before getting there. Sooyoung who had been holding her breath, sighs. And the boy kicks the machine. I'll try again, he says, without even looking at her and without caring if she wanted to keep trying. After all, it was she who came to the machine first. Sooyoung abandons the idea of winning that stuffed animal and begins to walk towards another of the games, hoping that the obnoxious child doesn't approach her again. A police siren goes off and the girl managed to cover her ears and close her eyes. Followed by that, a few shots are heard, and when she opens her eyes she finds herself in front of one of those games where the goal is to shoot zombies or whatever.
Are you okay? A boy asks her. Sooyoung realizes that she still has his hands covering his ears.
Yes, I got a little scared with the loud noise. The boy smiles at her.
I know, the volume is a little high and the shotsAHHH shouts the boy when the police siren goes off again. Sooyoung closes his eyes. And when he opens them the boy is standing next to her with his eyes wide open, visibly frightened by the noise.
We should get away from here, says the girl and begins to walk. And Sehun follows her.
Oh, a stuffed animal machine, says Sehun. Sooyoung can't believe that in 5 minutes she came across two children addicted to these stuffed animals. But she still follows him. The boy takes some coins out of his pocket and puts them on top of the machine.
Can I look while you play? She asks.
Of course, he says, but I don't think I'm going to get anything, I'm pretty bad at this game.
First try. Nothing. Sehun laughs.
Do you want to try? He asks Sooyoung.
No, it's okay, she says.
Second attempt. Almost. But the stuffed animal falls again.
Try. He says.
Okay.
First Attempt for Sooyoung. Nothing. Sooyoung inserts another of the coins that gives her three attempts and tries again.
Second Attempt for Sooyoung. Almost. But the stuffed animal hits another one and ends up falling.
You're close, Sehun says.
I think it's better to grab one that's closer, says Sooyoung.
Mmm, it could be.
She tries again. The third attempt. But nothing.
Now it's Sehun who puts in the coin. Third attempt and although it's close, the stuffed animal doesn't want to leave.
I think... we should use one attempt to move it closer and another to take it out, says Sooyoung.
Oh, it may work, says Sehun and tries to bring one of the stuffed animals closer to the exit, just like Sooyoung told him.
Fourth attempt for Sehun. Stuffed animal in the area.
Why don't you try?
Me? Sooyoung asks.
Yes, come on, he says and moves.
Sooyoung stands in front of the machine and stares at that stuffed animal that is complicating their lives. She mentally reviews the movements she must make.
Okay, I'll do it. But first, she takes off his jacket. She needs as much freedom of movement as possible.
I'll hold it for you, says Sehun and extends his arm, grabbing the red and white jacket of his new circumstantial adventure companion.
Thank you, she says and looks back at the machine.

Goal: to rescue the stuffed animal.
Attempt number: eighth between the two and fourth for Sooyoung. The claw descends slowly and the eyes of the two kids follow the movement, no blinking allowed. Sooyoung finds herself unconsciously holding her breath again. The cuddly toy is reached by the claw, that begins to rise slowly.
Good, says Sehun. Sooyoung doesn't speak. The toy approaches the exit when suddenly...
Sooyoung!
They both turn their heads and see a lady with two cups of chocolate in her hands, a few feet away from them.
Mom! She smiles back.
We won! He shouts and Sooyoung turns to look at him. Sehun has the stuffed animal in his hands. Sooyoung's mother approaches the kids.
What did you guys win?
A stuffed animal, ma'am, says Sehun showing it to her.
Oh, it's very cute.
It's yours, says Sehun looking at the girl.
No, we both won it.
Yes but... you took it out.
But it was your coin.
It's okay, you can take it with you. You won it, he says.
Sooyoung looks at his mother and she smiles.
Thank you! She says and takes the stuffed animal from Sehun's hands.
You're welcome, says Sehun.
Are you with your mother? Asks Sooyoung's mother to the boy.
No, with my friends, he answers.
Oh, okay. Take care of yourself, she says, caressing his head
Thank you, ma'am. The three exchange farewells and Sehun begins to walk towards the games again when he hears someone calling him.
Hey! Sehun turns around. Sooyoung walks quickly towards him with the chocolate in her hands being careful not to spill it.
Do you like hot chocolate? She asks shyly.
What?
Here, she says offering him her hot chocolate glass. For the stuffed animal.
Oh, it's not necessary...
Take it, she insists.
Thank you very much. He says. She smiles and starts running towards her mother.
Sehun can't complain. He played with his friends all afternoon. He won a stuffed animal. And a hot chocolate. With bear shaped marshmallows.
What more could he ask for?