As the afternoon wore on, Mia realized that this was what she had been missing in her life—joy, laughter, and the simple pleasures of being a child again. Jiwoon’s innocence and exuberance brought a lightness to her heart that she hadn’t felt in a long time. They played until they were both out of breath, collapsing onto the couch in fits of giggles.

“Phew! That was an epic battle!” Jiwoon exclaimed, wiping sweat from his brow dramatically. “We’re the best superheroes ever!”

Mia laughed, looking at him with admiration. “Absolutely! But every superhero needs a snack after saving the world. How about some more apple slices?”

“Yes! Superheroes need to stay strong!” Jiwoon declared, jumping off the couch and racing into the kitchen.

Mia followed closely behind, her heart swelling with affection for this little boy. As she prepared more apple slices, she couldn’t help but think about how much he reminded her of the children she used to babysit. They were always full of energy and imagination, but Jiwoon had a special light in him that made her want to protect him even more.

“Hey, Jiwoon, do you like playing superheroes?” she asked, trying to gauge his feelings.

“Yeah! It’s the best! But can we be villains too?” he replied, looking up at her with wide eyes.

“Of course! But what kind of villains do you want to be?” Mia questioned, intrigued.

“Mean ones! Like the ones who steal candy!” Jiwoon answered, laughing at the thought. “We can stop them!”

Mia chuckled, her mind racing with ideas. “Okay, how about we make a superhero movie later? We can dress up and act out the story!”

“Yay! I wanna be the hero!” Jiwoon shouted, clapping his hands in excitement.

They spent the next few hours brainstorming ideas for their “movie,” creating a script full of heroic deeds and villainous plots. Mia helped Jiwoon come up with character names, and they even drew costumes on paper, giggling at their silly designs. The living room transformed into a makeshift set, with cushions for props and blankets for costumes.

Just then, Mia’s phone buzzed, breaking the immersion. It was another message from Jin.

*“How’s the hero and sidekick doing? I can’t wait to hear about all the adventures!”*

Mia smiled and quickly replied, *“We’ve been saving the world from candy-stealing villains! Can’t wait for you to see our movie!”*

Jiwoon looked up, curious. “Who are you texting?”

“Mister Jin! He wants to know how our adventures are going!” Mia replied, ruffling Jiwoon’s hair.

“Tell him we’re the best superheroes!” Jiwoon insisted.

Mia laughed and typed, *“We’re the best superheroes! Jiwoon says we’re unbeatable!”*

As they waited for Jin to respond, Mia looked at Jiwoon, who was already busy drawing more superhero designs. She felt a sense of pride in being a part of his life, knowing that she was making a difference, no matter how small.

After a few moments, Jin replied, *“Can’t wait to see the movie! I’ll bring home snacks for the premiere!”*

Jiwoon’s eyes widened in excitement. “Snacks! Yay!”

“Looks like we’ll have a snack party for our movie!” Mia said, clapping her hands.

“Can I have ice cream?” Jiwoon asked, his eyes sparkling.

“Of course! Ice cream is a superhero’s best friend!” Mia declared.

They spent the rest of the afternoon preparing for their big movie premiere. Jiwoon insisted on making posters, and they worked together to create colorful drawings of their characters. They even had a “cast and crew” list, where they both proudly wrote their names.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow in the living room, Jiwoon stood back to admire their work. “This is going to be the best movie ever!” he cheered.

“It really is! I’m so proud of you, Jiwoon!” Mia said, beaming with happiness.

“Can we start filming now?” Jiwoon asked eagerly.

“Of course! Let’s get into our costumes first!” Mia replied, pulling out the blankets and pillows they had planned to use. They fashioned makeshift capes and hats, giggling as they pretended to swoop around the room.

The door opened just then, and Jin walked in, holding several bags of snacks. “What’s going on in here?” he asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

“We’re making a superhero movie!” Jiwoon announced, rushing to Jin with excitement. “You’re just in time for the snacks!”

“Snacks? Count me in!” Jin laughed, walking over to the table where Mia had set everything up. He set the bags down and peered at their drawings. “What do we have here?”

“Those are our superhero characters! I’m the Mighty Jiwoon, and Mia is my sidekick!” Jiwoon explained, puffing out his chest proudly.

“Mighty Jiwoon and his sidekick? I’m impressed! This is going to be a blockbuster!” Jin said, feigning seriousness.

“Yeah! And you can be our director!” Jiwoon exclaimed.

“I’d be honored to direct the adventures of the Mighty Jiwoon!” Jin replied, giving Jiwoon a playful salute.

Mia watched as Jin engaged with his son, her heart warming at the sight of them together. It was a stark contrast to the man she had first met, who seemed burdened and troubled. Seeing him interact with Jiwoon like this showed a softer side of him that she was beginning to admire.

As they settled down with their snacks, Jiwoon insisted on starting the “movie” right away. Jin grabbed his phone to record, and Mia could feel the excitement building in the room.

“Alright, action!” Jin called, and Jiwoon jumped up, striking a heroic pose.

Mia joined him, and together they began their exaggerated adventure, filled with dramatic lines and silly antics that had everyone in stitches. Jin recorded every moment, capturing Jiwoon’s infectious laughter and Mia’s bright smile as they played out their roles.

They spent the next hour filming, with Jin guiding them through scenes and Jiwoon embracing every moment as if he were truly a superhero. Mia found herself lost in the joy of it all, forgetting her worries and the outside world for just a little while.

“Cut! That was amazing! I think we’ve got a winner here!” Jin declared after one particularly enthusiastic scene.

“Can we watch it now?” Jiwoon begged, bouncing in his seat.

“Not yet! We still have to edit it!” Jin teased, winking at Mia.

Mia giggled, enjoying the playful banter. “We can watch it after dinner. Right now, let’s clean up and get ready for a superhero feast!”

Jiwoon sighed but nodded, knowing they would soon get to see their masterpiece. Together, they cleaned up the living room, putting away the blankets and cushions while Jin took care of the snacks.

As they worked, Mia couldn’t help but steal glances at Jin. He was attentive and gentle, reminding her of the fatherly side she had witnessed when Jiwoon was around. It struck her how quickly her feelings were changing, how drawn she was to him as he shared moments with Jiwoon.

Once everything was clean, they all gathered around the table for dinner. Jin had ordered pizza, a favorite of Jiwoon’s. As they dug into their food, the conversation flowed easily, laughter punctuating their words.

“Do you think superheroes eat pizza?” Jiwoon asked between bites.

“Of course! Every superhero needs to fuel up,” Mia replied, grinning at him.

Jin leaned in, feigning a serious tone. “Especially if it’s loaded with extra cheese!”

Jiwoon’s eyes widened with excitement. “Extra cheese is the best!”

After dinner, they finally settled down to watch their recorded movie. Jin set up the laptop, and they all gathered on the couch, Jiwoon sandwiched between them.

As the video played, Mia watched Jiwoon’s reactions, his laughter filling the room with joy. She couldn’t help but smile, feeling an overwhelming sense of contentment wash over her.

“This is so cool!” Jiwoon shouted, clapping his hands at their antics on the screen.

Jin laughed, glancing at Mia, who was equally invested in the moment. As the movie came to an end, Jiwoon jumped up and down. “Can we make another one tomorrow? It’s going to be even better!”

“Absolutely! But remember, every good superhero movie needs a great plot twist,” Jin said, winking at Mia.

“Like a secret villain!” Jiwoon suggested, his eyes sparkling with ideas.

“Exactly! We’ll come up with something great!” Mia agreed, feeling a surge of inspiration.

As they continued to chat and brainstorm new ideas for their superhero franchise, Mia felt a warmth in her chest, knowing that she had found something special here. In this whirlwind of a new life, she felt grateful for Jin and Jiwoon. They had welcomed her in, and for the first time in a long while, she felt truly happy.

As the night wore on, and Jiwoon’s eyes began to droop again, Jin finally said, “Alright, superhero, it’s time for bed.”

“Aww, but we just started our movie career!” Jiwoon whined, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

“We can pick it up tomorrow,” Jin assured him. “You need your rest to save the world again.”

Mia stood up and helped Jiwoon back to his room, feeling a sense of satisfaction as they prepared him for bed once more. She tucked him in before leaving g the room.