Worry

Despite caring for three kids on a fourteen-hour flight, Valena wasn't tired.

"Eonni, when are mom and dad coming?"

Nabi asked, gazing up expectantly. The thought had raced through Valena's head a thousand times, along with every phone call she made to them.

"Well, we are going to check into a hotel, and mom and dad will meet us later. They are running late, so we have to go first."

Her cheerful voice and nonchalant smile easily convinced the young child. Making sure their luggage would be delivered to their hotel, the four of them piled into a bus. Coming from behind, Valena hurriedly pushed the children away from the street and into the hotel.

"How may I help you?"

The clerk was an older woman with a kind smile. Her English had a heavy accent, but she could speak well.

"Hello, I made a reservation for room 215."

Valena's Korean happily surprised the woman as she quickly pulled up the reservation.

"Of course, and I see that your bags will be delivered here shortly. Your payment has already been processed, and your room is on the twenty-first floor. I hope you enjoy your stay."

Giving the woman a small bow and thanking her, Valena guided her siblings into the elevator.

"Noona, do we get our own beds?"

Haru's questioning stare made her smile as she explained.

"Yes, but you will share a room. Yejun and I will be in the other room."

"Why do I have to share a room!"

Haru exclaimed loudly. Rolling her eyes, she raised a brow,

"Do you want to sleep with the baby?"

He quickly shouted no, making her smile.

"Then that settles it."

Her light chuckle soothed the minds of the kids as the elevator signaled their stop. Calmly walking down the hall, Valena opened the door to their room as the kids rushed past her to have their pick of the beds. The room was on the twenty-first floor, the second from the top. The main room was large enough for the kids to run around, and the two bedrooms were on opposite sides. They were lucky enough to be placed in a corner room with floor-to-ceiling windows letting in the sun's warm rays. The room had a gray, white, and blue theme with bamboo throughout.

The sectional couch was bamboo with light gray cushions and white pillows. The large, eight-seat table was bamboo with blue floor cushions that served as a dining room and coffee table. The massive flat-screen TV was opposite the couch with a gas-lit rock fireplace beneath it. In the corner by the window was a pile of gray, white, and blue pillows in the form of a reading nook, above it, was a white mesh hanging canopy. Hearing shouting coming from the room on the left, Valena let out a sigh. Walking into the room with the baby in her arms, she yelled,

"Hey!"

Two pairs of eyes all darted to her in sync. Laying the toddler on the bed, she faced the bickering kids.

"Yejun and I will be sleeping in here, and the rest of you will be sleeping in the other room."

Having already guessed the cause of their arguing, she addressed it before it could get any worse. Nabi opened her mouth, but Valena cut her off,

"Yejun is two, and he wakes up at night. You're still growing and need your sleep. That is unless you want to change his diaper and feed him in the middle of th-?"

Before she could finish her sentence, the two ran out of the room with Valena laughing. The room had a similar design to the main room. The TV was opposite the king bed with a white comforter and gray and blue pillows. There was a white and gray marble end table on either side of the bed with a tall white and silver lamp. The room looked cozy with a bamboo chair with white cushions and blue pillows in the corner.

The enormous bathroom was decorated with white and gray marble with silver accents. The huge corner bathtub could fit all six kids easily. With two sinks large enough to hold a two-year-old and a large rainfall shower. Satisfied, Valena gave Yejun a quick diaper change, scooped him up, and made her way to the other room. The kids' room had the same design as hers, the only difference being two beds rather than one.

"Noona, how long are we going to stay here?"

Spread out on the bed, Haru nudged the resting Nabi when Valena walked into the room.

"I am not sure."

Laying the sleeping baby in between the two kids, she continued.

"After I meet with mom and dad, we'll figure it out. You two stay with Yejun, and I will be back with mom and dad. No fighting! And keep the baby asleep!"

She gave the kids a playful glare before adding,

"You can watch TV until I get back. As long as you keep Yejun asleep, I will bring sweets. Okay?"

Hugging the little girl, she turned on the kid's channel.

"But it's in Korean! How are we supposed to watch it!"

Nabi threw her hands in the air and pouted.

Grabbing her bag and the key to their room, Valena spoke in Korean.

"But you speak Korean."

As if remembering something she forgot, Nabi exclaimed.

"Oh yeah!"

With a smile on her face, Valena closed the door with a growing worry for her parents, who were still M.I.A.