Yearn Him

As Kazoo turned one, he had started to understand emotions better; even if he couldn’t fully express them yet. That day, when Cha Eunwoo finally came home, Kazoo felt a rush of happiness. He touched his father’s face, held his hand tightly, and babbled stories in his own little language.

For five precious hours, it felt like everything was perfect again. Eunwoo played with him, fed him, even carried him around the house, making Kazoo giggle with delight. The little boy clung to his father, not wanting to let go. But as the night deepened, Eunwoo tucked Kazoo into bed, kissed his forehead, and whispered, “Sleep well, my little star.”

The next morning, Kazoo woke up expecting to see his father again, but the house was quiet. Eunwoo had already left.

Days turned into weeks, and Kazoo slowly realized that his father was just a visitor in his life. His interactions with Eunwoo were brief, fleeting like the wind; just enough to make him happy before disappearing again. His grandmother tried her best to fill the void, showering him with love and attention. But Kazoo was still a child, and nothing could replace the warmth of a father’s embrace.

As his second birthday arrived, the house was decorated beautifully, but something was missing. The guests were his Grandma and Grandpa, smiling warmly at him, clapping as he blew out his tiny candle. His Grandma sighed, glancing at her phone before looking at Kazoo with sadness. She had reminded Cha Eunwoo countless times to come home, but his career was like blood running through his veins; he couldn’t stop.

Yet, no matter how much he thrived under the spotlight, Eunwoo yearned for his son. He scrolled through pictures and videos his mother sent him, replaying Kazoo’s laughter over and over again. On the other side of the screen, Kazoo sat in his high chair, staring at the door with hopeful eyes; waiting for someone who wouldn’t come.

As Kazoo looked around the room, his small hands clutching the edge of the table, he realized something was missing; someone was missing. The candles had been blown out, the cake had been sliced, but his father was nowhere to be seen.

His tiny lips trembled. At first, he tried to hold it in, blinking his big, teary eyes as if still hoping his father would walk through the door. But no one came.

And then, the tears spilled over.

Kazoo sobbed, his little body shaking as he pushed himself off the chair and ran away from the table. His Grandma and Grandpa called out to him, but he didn’t turn back. His small feet pattered against the floor, taking him toward the corner of the house where he often played. He curled up there, burying his face into his arms, his cries coming in quiet, hiccupping gasps.

His Grandma followed, standing a few steps away as she watched him break down in the most innocent way a child could; blubbering like he would never see his father again. She brought a hand to her chest, feeling the tight pain inside her heart.

She turned toward the window, not wanting Kazoo to see her own tears. But they fell anyway, silent and heavy. She wiped them away with trembling fingers as she watched the tiny boy sob alone, his small shoulders rising and falling with every shaky breath.

"Cha Eunwoo…" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Do you even know how much your son yearns you?"

Outside, the night stretched on, quiet and still. And inside, a little boy cried for his father, while a grandmother cried for them both.

Kazoo's sobs softened into quiet sniffles as he hugged his knees, his tiny fingers clenching onto the fabric of his pants. His Grandma knelt beside him, her heart aching as she reached out, gently brushing his soft hair.

“Kazoo… my dear, don’t cry,” she whispered, though she knew her words meant little.

Kazoo lifted his face, his big, glistening eyes filled with sorrow no child his age should bear. His lower lip trembled as he looked at her, his tiny voice breaking as he spoke.

“Grandma…” he whimpered, his small hands clutching at her sleeve like he was afraid to let go. “I want daddy…” His voice was fragile, like glass about to shatter.

Grandma sucked in a sharp breath, her vision blurring with unshed tears.

“I miss him,” Kazoo continued, his voice barely above a whisper, but every word felt like a dagger to her chest. “I don’t want just a birthday cake… I want daddy to hug me.”

His tiny body trembled again, and before Grandma could stop herself, she pulled him into her arms, holding him as tightly as she could. His warmth, his shaking sobs, the way his little fingers gripped her as if she was the only thing keeping him from breaking; it was all too much.

A single tear slipped down her wrinkled cheek. Then another.

She closed her eyes, pressing a kiss to Kazoo’s soft hair, whispering the only promise she could give.

“Daddy loves you, Kazoo… he loves you so much,” her voice broke. “He just… doesn’t know how much you need him right now.”

And in the quiet of the night, a grandmother wept for the grandson in her arms, and for the son who was slipping further and further away.

Kazoo's tiny chest heaved as he sobbed, his face buried in his knees. His grandmother knelt beside him, placing a gentle hand on his back, but he didn't look up. His small body shook, his sniffles broken by sharp little gasps.

"I want Papa…" his voice came out in a whisper, so fragile, so full of longing. His little fingers gripped his pajama sleeves as he clenched his fists. "I miss him, Grandma… He never comes home…"

His grandmother's throat tightened. She knew. She had known for so long. But hearing it from Kazoo, hearing that small, innocent voice break into helpless cries, shattered something deep inside her.

She could have shushed him, told him everything would be okay. But it wouldn't be, would it? So instead, she stroked his back, her own tears slipping down her wrinkled cheeks.

"Then cry, my love," she whispered, her voice soft, trembling. "Cry as much as you want."

Kazoo didn't hold back. His little sobs turned into wails, raw and heart-wrenching, filling the quiet room with the sound of his grief. His grandmother sat beside him, her own silent tears falling, as she bore witness to the heartbreak of a child longing for a father who was never there.

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