Calm Before the Storm

We were both going through the airport formalities and fortunately our plan of dressing up different worked. We wanted to give dad a surprise and paparazzi would have not allowed it if we were caught at the airport. We both boarded the plane and I took the seat by the window. It was just a 2-hour flight from Seoul to Tokyo. And my dad's concert is tomorrow and also my birthday. So, we could spend the whole day together having fun.

The plane was on the runway, my mom held my hand. I used to be afraid of planes when I was very young but now, I am not afraid anymore. But my mom still has a habit of holding my hands while taking off. Soon enough we were surrounded by the clouds. My mom was now busy drafting a new research paper of hers and I was watching a movie.

"Mom can I ask you something?", I said. "Yes, baby! What is it?", she said closing her laptop. The best thing about my mom was no matter how urgent her work was, but if I needed her attention it was all mine. "Is it true that babies born exactly at 12 am can have their one wish fulfilled if they ask for it at exact 12.", I asked her. She chuckled. "What is it that you want to wish for? You can write it down and keep it under your pillow tonight. The fairy will come and collect it for you.", she said smiling. One more thing about moms, no matter how old you are they will still want you to believe in these fairy stories.

"Mom, why dad leaves you crying? Uncle Suga says no boy should leave their girl crying no matter what.", I asked again. My mom looked at me with a sad smile. "Who says your dad leaves me. He just goes to think about how to make it up to me after the fight. He never leaves me, he is one of the most caring men I have and could ever meet.", she said. I could still see so much love in her eyes for my dad. I held her hand and kept my head on her shoulder. She slowly caressed my hair and soon I fell asleep.

1 hour 57 minutes later-

"Baby wake up! we are about to land.", I heard my mom call. I woke and stretched my body. I buckled the seat belt again and started to look outside the window. Slowly and slowly, we came close to the ground and then the wheels touched the ground and we all felt the jerk. The plane soon stopped and people started to get down.

Mom and I collected our luggage and we went out, where Uncle Hope was waiting for us all dressed up in a funny attire. I ran and hugged him tightly. "Uncle Hope!!", I shouted while running. He grabbed and flung me up the air. "How is my favourite girl doing?", he asked once he kept me down. I loved all my uncles but uncle Hope was that one person who could always cheer me up with just a goofy smile. "I am doing great. I missed you. And what's with the clothes uncle Hope?", I asked chuckling. "Just trying to not get noticed", he said while taking the luggage from mom and giving her a side hug. "Oppa, all you are doing right now is getting noticed because of these clothes.", my mom said and we all laughed. He kept the luggage in the car and I sat in front with him.

"Did uncle JK get his punching bag with him this time? And did Uncle Suga and Uncle Jin get their fight sorted? And is uncle Jimin still carrying the blue teddy I gave him? And is Uncle Joon still going to teach me English this time?", I asked a little too excited to meet all my uncles after so long. "They don't know you are coming either; we will surprise them all", uncle Hope said and my excitement went from 100 to 10,000. I was literally jumping in the car. "How is Tae?", my mom asked a bit nervous. "He is doing fine, not laughing much but doing just fine. But now you two are here he will be back to being our goofy and all smiles Taehyung.", uncle Hope said.

We reached the hotel and I could see Uncle JK in the garden with his punching bag. Before uncle Hope could open the gate for me, I opened it myself and ran towards my other favourite uncle. "Uncle Jungkook...!", I yelled and he was taken aback at first but then he also ran towards me and gave me a tight hug. "wow! What is my beautiful Cinderella doing here?", he asked all smiling. "Giving you all and dad a surprise.", I said.

My mom met Uncle Jungkook and together we all went inside the hotel. Uncle Joon was standing at the reception and all my other uncles were sitting on the sofa watching football. I ran to them and there was total chaos. Some were surprised and some were laughing. I was hugged so many times that I lost the count. "So, you came here to get your birthday gift, didn't you little monster!", Uncle Joon said laughing. I showed him my perfect smile and nodded. They all burst into laughter. "Where is dad?", I asked. "He is in his room upstairs. Room number 308.", Uncle Jimin said. I took my mom's hand and ran upstairs.

I rang the bell and a voice from inside said, "Come in!". I was so happy to hear my dad's voice. I pulled my mom but she said she will come later. I looked at her again and she gave me a nod saying, 'go inside first'. I opened the door and ran inside. "Surprise Dad!!", I said. My dad saw me and he was actually so surprised. He came and hugged me tight crying. "Oh! I missed you so much my little angel", he said. "I missed you too dad.", I replied.

Once he asked me how I came and did I meet others, I went and jumped onto the bed. I was tired and the bed was comfy. "Mom is also here. Maybe you want to talk to her about something.", I said burying myself deeper into the mattress. "Where is Aish? She didn't come to meet me?", he asked. "She was outside when I entered, but now I don't know.", I said.

My dad was about to go out when my mom entered with the luggage. "Hey!", she said all nervous. That's my mom guys, always nervous and anxious. And maybe that's what my dad loves the most about her, her innocent nature.

My dad went and hugged her tight. It was weird. Not because they were my parents but because he hugged her as if it was the last time, he was holding her. "What happened? Are you okay Tae?", I could hear worry in my mom's voice. "Yes, I am fine. It's good you are here, I missed you", my dad said.

But none of us knew what disaster the next few hours were going to bring onto my family.