MI Sun kicked off her shoes,briefly adding them to the pile near the door. She sighed in frustration as she bent down and put her shoes in an empty space in the shelf that was meant to hold the family's shoes. The kids often forgot or were to busy to care to put their shoes where they belonged.
MI Sun straightened up and looked around the living room. Toys and a few dirty dishes were strewn about.
''Can't anyone in this house clean up after themselves?'' Mi Sun asked herself as she picked up a cup, plate, and two sippy cups from off the coffee table.
MI Sun deposited the dirty dishes into the sink which was full on both sides with last nights dinner dishes and no doubt yesterday's breakfast dishes as well.
She wanted her kids to live in a clean house, but with her job as a nurse taking up much of her time she found it hard to keep the house clean all of the time.
Despite her exhaustion from the night shift, MI Sun began to cleaning off the dishes to put them in the dishwasher. When she opened it there were more dishes inside that needed to be put away.
MI Sun sighed and began putting the dishes in the cabinets where they belonged only to get interrupted by Ji Yeon crying and Min Jun running into the kitchen crying and with wet pajama shorts on.
''Did you have another nightmare?'' Mi Sun asked kneeling down to Min Jun's level.
Even though it had been a few months since he had seen his parents, Min Jun still suffered from awful nightmares that would result in him wetting the bed, it also didn't help that at three in a half years old he was not fully potty trained. He would need to be in he wanted to join his friends at pre school in the fall.
''Let's get you cleaned up.'' Mi Sun said leading Min Jun into the bathroom. She was starting to wonder if the dishes would ever get done at this point. As she was running a bath for Min Jun Jin walked into the bathroom holding a still crying Ji Yeon in his arms.
''She wants you.'' Jin said setting Ji Yeon down on the floor and walking away.
''I'm a little busy.'' Mi Sun called as Ji Yeon pulled herself up and was now peering into the bathtub.
''You're not getting a bath.'' Mi Sun said pulling Ji Yeon away from the bathtub and setting her near the door. ''Go play.''
MI Sun began helping Min Jun wash himself but was soon interrupted by Ji Yeon pulling herself up on the bathtub edge once again.
MI Sun ignored her this time and finished getting Min Jun cleaned up. She helped him dry off and sent him to his room to get dressed. She pulled the plug in the tub and picked Ji Yeon up and walked out of the bathroom.
Ji Yeon started screaming as they left the bathroom.
''Stop. I told you you weren't getting a bath.'' Mi Sun told Ji Yeon.
In retaliation for not getting what she wanted, Ji Yeon bit Mi Sun's finger.
''if that's how you're going to be, you can have breakfast in the baby cage.'' Mi Sun said placing Ji Yeon in the pink and white panel playpen. As expected Ji Yeon continued to cry. MI Sun returned a few minutes later with a bottle and a bowl of dry cheerios and set them next to Ji Yeon.
MI Sun sat on the couch and closed her eyes. She just wanted to relax for a few minutes. Her peace was short lived when teo pairs of footsteps were heard coming down the stairs and the doorbell rang.
MI Sun got up and answered the door to find Didi and Betty standing on the porch with all of Min Jun's friends.
''Thsnk you for watching the kids today.'' Didi said.
''Yeah thanks.'' Betty added. ''The once a year coffee tasting and antiques show only happens once a year.''
''You'er welcome.'' Mi Sun said a little uncertainly. She didn't remember offering to watch all of the kids.
She closed the door and went into the kitchen to find yet another mess. Min Jun and his siblings were standing at and on the table which was covered with three different types and cereal mixed with milk and orange juice.
''I don't want to know what happened. Just get it cleaned up.'' Mi Sun stated sternly as she poured herself a cup of coffee only to open the fridge and find that her creamer wasn't there.
She looked more closely at the table and noticed the empty bottle on one of the chairs.
''We are out of milk.'' Min Hee said.
''And orange juice.'' Min Ho added.
Of course they were out of those things because Mi Sun hadn't had time to go grocery shopping, and it looked like they were out of cereal now too.
''I tried to get my own breakfast, but they wouldn't let me.'' Min Jun explained as he stuck his tongue out at his older siblings.
''i don't care who did what just clean it up.'' Mi Sun said leaving no room for argument.
''What happened?'' Jin asked as he walked into the kitchen dressed for work.
''The kids.'' Mi Sun stated as she watched the kids begin cleaning up the mess on the table.
''Did you know anything about watching the other kids today?'' Mi Sun asked as she handed Jin her untouched cup of coffee so another dish wouldn't be dirtied up.
''Yeah. You said you felt bad for having them watch Min Jun almost everyday so you would watch them on your days off.'' Jin reminded her.
''I don't remember that at all.'' Mi Sun sighed rubbing her temples. She really needed coffee.
''I sent you a text to remind you when I picked Min Jun up last night.'' Jin told her.
''Last night was crazy. I didn't even have a chance to look at my phone.'' Mi Sun said pulling it out of her pocket and seeing the unread text.
''I gotta go. I'll see you tonight. I love you.'' Jin said giving Mi Sun a kiss and putting his empty cup in the sink.
MI Sun decided that the dishes could wait until she had more energy to do them. She sent the kids minus Ji Yeon out into the backyard so she could get some peace. She sat on the couch ordered some breakfast for the family making sure to order the largest coffee with extra vanilla cream in it.
Meanwhile out in the backyard the toddlers were talking after taking notice of a few things.
''Your mommy doesn't seem very happy.'' Kimi noted as the kids sat in the grass rolling a soccer ball back and forth to each other.
''Yeah and no fence but your house is kinda messy.'' Chuckie added.
''Yeah, well my mommy is to busy to clean it all the time.'' Min Jun said catching the ball.''And she's just tired from working.''
A few minutes later Min Jun left his friends to play so he could finally eat breakfast.
Once Min Jun was inside Tommy called all of his friends together.
''You know how Min Jun said his mommy is to tired to clean?''
Everyone nodded and Tommy continued.''Maybr we should clean the house.''
''But Tommy we don't know how to clean a house.'' Phil reminded him.
''Sure we do.'' Tommy assured him.''We clean our rooms right?''
Everyone nodded while Chuckie just shook hid head at Kimi.
''Ok most of us know how to clean our room. It can't be that hard to clean a house.'' Tommy said.
By this point Min Jun had finished his breakfast. Tommy filled Min Jun in on the plan and everyone went inside.
Once inside they all split up and went in different directions.
''Nobody go upstairs. That's off limits unless my brother and sister say we can go up there.'' Min Jun advised everyone.
''Can I help?'' Lil asked Mi Sun as she began putting up the dishes from the dishwasher. The coffee had given her the energy she so desperately needed to get through this day.
''Can you go get all the sippy cups and bottles and bring them to me please?'' Mi Sun asked figuring that was an easy enough job for a three year old to do. She was pretty sure Lil would come back with quite a few as the cabinet was empty and there hadn't been any in the dishwasher.
''I'll take out the trash.'' Phil offered grabbing the bag out of the trash can.
''You guys can go play.'' Mi Sun offered.
''No we want to help clean.'' Lil insisted as she returned with her arms full of bottles and sippy cups.
Down in the basement Tommy, Chuckie, and Dil were busy putting toys away while Min Jun cleaned his room.
Min Jun even got his older siblings involved in the cleaning.
''You guys can wash the clothes.'' Min Jun instructed his older siblings.
''Why would we do that when auntie does it for us already?'' Min Hee scoffed.
''Cuz she works so hard already.'' Min Jun explained.''And if she's to tired cuz we don't help her enough she could send us back to our real parents.''
That was convincing enough for the older kids to get involved.
By the end of the day the whole house was clean.
MI Sun sighed in contentment as she folded the last towel and added it to the basket. She only wished the house could stay this clean all the time. She looked up as the door opened.
''The house looks great.'' Jin noted as he took a seat next to his wife.
''I had a little help.'' Mi Sun smiled as she looked down at Ji Yeon who was asleep on a pile of folded blankets.''The kids did a great job helping.''
''Speaking of help, I was thinking we could hire someone to help clean.'' Jin said.
''That would be nice.'' Mi Sun said.
A/N The idea for this story was given to me by Celrock. There will be one more chapter. And possibly an alternate chapter for this one.