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Hyunjin stood near the pantry, putting away groceries one by one while the twins hovered nearby.
“Mama,” little Hyejin asked for the fourth time in three minutes, “Snacks?”
“You two just ate crackers,” Hyunjin pointed out calmly.
“Choco- chocolates,” Jihan nodded seriously beside his sister. “Happy snack please.”
Hyunjin sighed softly to herself, and crouched near the lower grocery bags thoughtfully while two tiny humans watched her with enormous expectant eyes. After a long few seconds search, she found a massive chocolate bar.
Hyunjin looked at it, then looked at the twins, then, against all better judgment, she handed it over, and the second both children gasped like she’d personally handed them the moon.
“Ohhhh,” Hyejin whispered.
“BIG chocolate,” Jihan breathed.
Hyunjin smiled despite herself. “Okay,” she warned gently, holding the bar carefully before either child could launch themselves at it. “You have to share with the family too, alright?”
Both twins nodded instantly.
Too instantly.
Suspiciously instantly.
“We share,” little Jihan promised solemnly.
“Very sharing,” Hyejin agreed.
Hyunjin narrowed her eyes slightly. Still, the twins looked sincere enough. So she carefully opened the wrapper and handed over the giant chocolate bar, with eight big pieces.
The twins held it together with both hands like sacred treasure because honestly, it was almost bigger than Hyejin’s face.
“Thank you, Mama!” they chorused happily.
“You’re welcome, babies.” Hyunjin returned to unpacking groceries while tiny excited whispers immediately started behind her.
“So big…”
“We rich.”
“Eat peaceful.”
“Peaceful chocolate.”
Hyunjin hid her smile as the twins shuffled together toward the kitchen table carrying the chocolate with astonishing seriousness. Then they immediately began negotiations.
“Half-half,” Jihan declared.
“Equal,” Hyejin agreed.
Together they carefully broke the huge chocolate bar directly down the middle. Not exactly evenly because one piece was definitely larger. Both twins stared at the difference silently. Then Hyejin dramatically snapped off one tiny square from hers and handed it over to her brother.
“Now equal.” said the little girl and Jihan nodded with deep respect.
Hyunjin watched from the counter quietly, warmth settling softly in her chest. “Remember,” she reminded while putting milk away in the fridge, “family gets some too.”
The twins looked at her, then at their chocolate, then back at her again. Hyunjin just laughed softly and waved them toward the living room.
“Don’t make a mess.”
“No mess!” Jihan promised confidently.
“Very clean,” Hyejin added.
The twins hurried off immediately afterward, tiny socked feet pattering excitedly across the hallway while each carried their precious half of chocolate like royal treasure.
Hyejin climbed onto one side of the couch, while Jihan climbed onto the other. Both settled in with deep satisfaction. Then simultaneously looked down at the massive chocolate pieces in their hands.
“Best day,” Jihan whispered.
“Best ever,” Hyejin agreed with chocolate already melting slightly around her hand.
Curled up peacefully on opposite ends of the couch with giant chocolate bars in hand, the twins fully believed they would finally get to enjoy a sweet without interruption.
Poor innocent children.
Jihan sat curled into one corner of the couch while Hyejin sprawled sideways dramatically on the other, both carefully holding their giant chocolate pieces as if guarding treasure.
Heavy footsteps suddenly thundered from upstairs, making the twins freeze automatically. Then came Changbin’s voice somewhere near the staircase.
“No because listen to THIS part-”
“That’s literally just screaming,” Chan argued.
“Yes. Emotional music.”
“It sounds like construction work.”
“It’s ART.”
The twins turned slowly toward the hallway just as Changbin appeared downstairs wearing a headphones around his neck. Chan walked beside him already laughing at something while Yongbok trailed after both boys.
“You don’t understand layered vocals,” Changbin dramatically pointed at Chan while still talking. “Loud music is culture. A personality.”
Yongbok sighed deeply like she’d aged thirty years. “You’re both annoying.”
“Thank you,” Changbin replied proudly. It was when the three of them noticed the twins. More specifically, they noticed the chocolate.
Jihan felt danger immediately. His tiny boy slowly tightened his grip on the chocolate bar. Hyejin narrowed her eyes suspiciously too.
Changbin gasped dramatically. “Whoa.”
Chan pointed immediately. “That’s one giant chocolate.”
Yongbok’s eyes widened too. “Auntie honey gave you that?”
The twins exchanged a silent look, a look filled with understanding.
Mama said share with family.
The tragic memory resurfaced instantly.
Little Hyejin looked down at her chocolate with visible pain, while Jihan sighed softly. Then, with the greatest reluctance imaginable, both twins carefully snapped off pieces.
Jihan held out one piece toward Changbin, then another toward Chan, while Hyejin painfully handed one toward Yongbok.
The betrayal in her eyes could’ve won awards.
“Share with family,” she whispered bravely.
“Aww,” Changbin immediately softened. “You guys are actually sharing?”
“We kind children,” Jihan said sadly.
Yongbok accepted her piece carefully. “Thank you.”
The twins watched with visible suffering as all three older kids ate the chocolate immediately.
Gone.
Just like that.
A part of their treasure disappeared forever.
Changbin grinned brightly afterward. “That’s good chocolate.”
“Very good,” Chan agreed, while Yongbok nodded seriously.
Then Changbin adjusted his headphones again and immediately returned to his previous argument like nothing happened.
“I’m telling you, the bridge of the song is genius.”
“There is no bridge,” Chan replied. “It’s just yelling with drums.”
Yongbok wandered after them while still chewing chocolate thoughtfully. “I liked the yelling part.”
“THANK GOD,” Changbin cried victoriously.
The three of them continued toward the stairs still arguing loudly about music, but none of them noticed the twins staring after them in devastation.
The twins looked down at their now slightly smaller chocolate bars. Then slowly looked at each other.
“That was a lot,” Hyejin whispered.
Jihan nodded gravely. “Family expensive.”
The twins sat in silence for a long moment after the older kids disappeared upstairs, and Hyejin stared down at her chocolate bar mournfully.
“Chocolate got smaller.”
Jihan looked equally heartbroken. “Very smaller.”
Hyejin took another careful look while trying not to think about the pieces already lost forever. Beside her, Jihan adjusted himself deeper into the couch cushions protectively, holding his remaining chocolate with both hands now.
From somewhere upstairs, Changbin suddenly yelled, “THAT NOTE CHANGED MY LIFE.”
“TURN IT OFF.” Chan yelled back immediately.
Then, The back door area rustled softly, and Jisung’s voice floated into the hallway first. “Where did I even put them…”
The twins turned toward the hallway just as Jisung wandered into the living room wearing a hoodie thrown lazily over sweatpants, car keys apparently nowhere in sight. Jeongin followed behind him quietly, already dressed to leave for her apartment again after spending last night at the house.
Jisung spotted the twins instantly, and his entire face softened automatically. “There are my babies.”
The twins brightened immediately. “Appa!”
Jisung crossed the room and bent down between them, kissing one forehead and then the other affectionately. “Appa has to drop Auntie Innie home, okay? I’ll be back soon.” said the man and gasped dramatically as he saw the chocolate. “Whoa. You guys have this giant chocolate bars and weren’t going to share with us?”
Hyejin clutched her chocolate tighter immediately, while Jihan looked deeply conflicted. Because technically they already had shared. With sacrifice. With pain.
But Jisung looked at them with such fake betrayal that both twins visibly wilted. “Aww,” Jisung continued dramatically, hand over his chest now. “Appa raised selfish babies?”
“Manipulative,” Jeongin muttered quietly from nearby, but Jisung ignored her completely.
The kids exchanged another silent look, and slowly, very slowly both twins broke off another piece from their chocolate bars. Jihan handed his piece toward Jisung with the expression of ultimate sacrifice, while Hyejin offered hers toward Jeongin reluctantly too.
“For family,” she whispered sadly.
Jeongin immediately looked guilty accepting it. “You really don’t have to, babies.”
Little Jihan watched with visible devastation. “Take. Good chocolate,”
Jisung hummed contentedly, taking the share, while Jeongin smiled softly after tasting hers too. The twins looked down at their bars afterwards, now noticeably smaller, dangerously smaller.
Jisung ate the chocolate, and the next second his gaze land on the car keys sitting on the side table and snapped his fingers triumphantly.
“Aha!” he grinned before leaning down one last time to squeeze both twins affectionately. “Be good while Appa is gone, okay? Don't trouble Mama.”
“Okay.”
Then he and Jeongin started toward the front door again. Halfway down the hallway, Jisung suddenly turned back dramatically. “You know, babies,” he said thoughtfully, “sharing makes food taste better.”
The twins stared at him in exhausted betrayal.
Jeongin snorted softly beside him while opening the door. As they both disappeared outside, the twins slowly looked down at their chocolate bars again.
Hyejin sighed heavily. “Family very hungry.”
“Too many...” Jihan nodded with deep sorrow. “Too many people.”
The twins sat quietly on the couch after Jisung and Jeongin left.
Hyejin held her remaining chocolate carefully in both hands now like it required protection from society itself. Beside her, Jihan counted his sister's bar silently under his breath.
“One piece… two piece…” Then his face fell. “Oh. Only two.”
Hyejin immediately looked down at Jihan's bar too. Only one. The realization hit both of them at once, that their beautiful giant chocolate bars were almost gone. Only a few uneven pieces remained now.
Jihan looked personally betrayed by mathematics. “We used to be rich.”
Hyejin nodded solemnly. “Now poor.”
The front door opened again, and the twins physically jumped.
No.
Not more people.
Voices drifted inside immediately afterward.
“I told you we already have candles.”
“That one smelled better.”
“All candles smell like candles, Lina.”
“No, and you got no artistic soul, Seungmin.”
The twins turned sharply toward the hallway. Uncle Min and auntie Lina.
The couple stepped inside carrying shopping bags while still bickering lightly under their breath. Minhee walked ahead first, hair slightly messy from the wind outside while Seungmin followed carrying most of the bags because apparently that was simply his role in life now.
The twins stared, then slowly looked at each other. Because if Seungmin or Minhee saw the chocolate first... it would be over. So both twins silently reached the same conclusion.
Emergency sharing before being asked.
They scrambled off the couch instantly and hurried toward the doorway before the older couple could even properly notice them.
Minhee blinked in surprise. “Oh? Hey, babies.” said the woman and Seungmin looked down too just as two tiny hands shoved chocolate pieces toward them.
“For you,” Jihan announced bravely.
Minhee looked genuinely startled. “You’re giving us chocolate?”
The twins nodded.
Seungmin accepted the tiny piece carefully while narrowing his eyes slightly in suspicion. “Is this a trap?”
“No trap,” Hyejin promised immediately. “Share with family.”
Minhee already looked emotional. “Aww, babies…” said the woman and ate the chocolate piece happily. Seungmin followed a second later.
Gone.
Another sacrifice completed.
“Thank you,” Minhee said warmly, bending slightly to kiss Hyejin’s hair.
Seungmin ruffled Jihan’s head gently too. “That was nice of you.”
The twins smiled weakly.
But inside... pain. Terrible pain.
But Mama said share with family. And everyone looked so happy receiving chocolate. So maybe… maybe it was okay.
Seungmin and Minhee disappeared further inside afterward, still discussing groceries and candles and something about needing milk.
The twins slowly returned to the couch afterward. Now... only one piece remained, one single chocolate square. And it sat in little Hyejin’s hand.
Jihan looked devastated. “That’s all?”
Hyejin looked equally heartbroken. “Small chocolate.”
For one terrible second, both children clearly considered just splitting the final piece.
But suddenly little Hyejin gasped softly. “Mama.” said the girl and Jihan blinked. The twins looked at each other again, and realization spread slowly across both little faces.
They shared with Bin, Channie, Bokkie, Appa, auntie Innie, uncle Min, auntie Lina… but not Mama, the person who gave them the chocolate in the first place.
Jihan sighed deeply. “We forgot Mama.”
Hyejin closed her hand around the last piece decisively. “We give Mama.”
Jihan nodded immediately despite the visible sadness on his face. “We don’t need chocolate. Share with family.”
“Little bit need chocolate,” Hyejin admitted honestly.
“Yeah.” Jihan straightened bravely. “But Mama more important.”
And just like that, the twins climbed off the couch again and carefully carried the final tiny piece of chocolate together toward the kitchen.
Hand in hand.
Sharing heartbreak equally.
The twins walked slowly toward the kitchen together. One tiny chocolate piece remained between them, carefully protected inside Hyejin’s hands while Jihan walked beside her with the solemn expression of someone enduring great emotional hardship.
“We strong,” he whispered quietly.
Hyejin nodded bravely. “Very strong.”
The twins continued forward anyway, ready to sacrifice the final piece. But suddenly, a shadow appeared in front of them, and the twins stopped.
Slowly, two large chocolate bars lowered into view before them, bigger than the first ones. The twins froze completely, while their little eyes widened so fast it looked painful.
They both slowly looked upward. “Mama…” little Hyejin whispered.
Hyunjin stood there in the kitchen entrance wearing the softest smile imaginable, and in her hands sat two enormous chocolate bars.
The twins stared at her in complete disbelief.
Hyunjin crouched slowly down in front of them until she sat at eye level. “I saw what happened,” she said softly.
Jihan immediately looked defensive despite everything. “Mama said share.”
“And family very hungry,” Hyejin informed her seriously.
Hyunjin laughed softly under her breath. “Yes,” she agreed. “Apparently.” Then she carefully handed one chocolate bar to Jihan, and one to Hyejin.
The twins gasped so loudly together. Jihan hugged the chocolate against his chest, while Hyejin looked moments away from tears.
“FOR US?” she squeaked.
Hyunjin nodded. “For you.”
The twins looked at each other with complete wonder, then immediately launched themselves into Hyunjin at full speed, while the woman just laughed softly before wrapping both arms around them carefully.
“Thank you for sharing so nicely today,” she whispered into their hair.
“We shared everything,” Jihan said proudly against her shoulder.
“I know.”
The twins finally pulled back slightly from Hyunjin’s hug but stayed tucked close against her sides, still clutching their new chocolate bars protectively.
Jihan thought hard for a moment. “If we share, everybody happy?”
Hyunjin’s expression softened instantly. “Yes, sweetheart.”
Hyejin looked down at the giant chocolate bar in her hands thoughtfully. “Then… chocolate comes back?”
That made Hyunjin smile even wider. “Sometimes,” she answered gently, taking the almost melt chocolate piece from the little girl's hand. “When you share good things with people, when you do good things to others... good things come back to you too.”
The twins absorbed this information with complete seriousness.
Sharing meant happiness.
Sharing meant kindness.
And somehow... sharing also brought more love back.
Even if it felt hard at first.
Then Hyejin suddenly held her chocolate bar closer protectively. “But not sharing THIS one.”
Hyunjin laughed, leaning forward to kiss both tiny foreheads lovingly. “Fair enough,” she admitted. “I think you earned this one.”
And finally...
Curled safely against their mother with giant chocolate bars in hand and the whole house warm around them, the twins got to take their very first bite in peace.