5 Years Old

"Jin wake up it is time for you to get ready. You're starting school today, remember?"

The older woman placed her hands on her hips and huffed playfully, watching as her son merely shifted and buried his face under the covers.

Feeling the need to take extreme measures, Jun crept over to the other side of Jin's bed and peeled the covers off of him. The spring breeze began to blow through his room; the young child shivered and instinctively curled up in a ball.

After removing the bed covers, Jun sat down on Jin's bed and gently pulled his legs away from his body. His eyes remained closed; his brows were twitching in annoyance as he scrunched his nose.

Lifting his pyjama shirt up, the Japanese woman contained her giggles and moved her face closer to his belly, taking a breath she kissed his pudgy stomach and began to blow a big raspberry.

Jin didn't respond straight away, but after a minute or so, he burst into a fit of giggles, gaining a wide smile from his mother, her eyes expressing the love and care she felt for him.

"Hehehe…M-Mommy…" Jin set his eyes on Jun as she moved her face away and grinned down at him as he sat up.

"I couldn't get your attention any other way, son. Are you excited for your first day of school?"

Nodding happily, the little boy ran to the bathroom to wash his face, upon returning to his bedroom he watched as Jun made his bed all neat and tidy.

Next thing to do was to eat breakfast, brush his teeth, and get dressed and to put his socks and shoes on.

Once all of his duties were done for the morning, eagerly grabbing his school bag and slinging it on his back. His mother informed him that his lunch, water bottle and a tiny pencil case was already packed in his bag.

Mother and son were walking hand-in-hand down the road, making their way to Jin's Kindergarten.

On arrival, Jun hugged and kissed him, "Now I want you to behave, and to be happy and have fun. I'm sure everyone will love you, and you'll make new friends."

"You're not staying?" The look on his face destroyed Jun, his lip dropped as tears formed, clutching onto his mother's shirt he buried his face into her chest as she wrapped her arms around his small form and gave a few comforting pats to his back softly.

Whimpering to his mother, her shirt was now damp with his tears, but she wanted her son to be strong.

"It's only for a little while Jinny, I know you can be away from me. You're my strong baby boy and I'll be missing you every second that you're not with me."

Wiping his tears away he realised that his mother was counting on him to be strong and to go and have fun with new kids he'll meet.

"I'll miss you too, Mama. You'll be back for me later, right?"

"Of course I will."

"Kay, I love you Mama." Kissing her cheek, he smiled once more and hugged her one last time before turning away and greeting the children that had just arrived.

"I love you too son…" Whispering her reply, she turned around and began walking back home.