도윤와 별이 된 초코
4–8세
초코가 떠나고 나서, 도윤는 너무 슬프고 화가 나서 그 이야기를 입 밖에 내지 못해요. 꽃 한 송이와 추억 하나, 작고 환한 별 하나가 사랑은 사라지지 않고 모습만 바뀔 뿐이라는 걸 보여줄 때까지요.
The house felt too quiet. No little paws pattering. No happy snorting sound by the door. 도윤 sat on the porch steps, arms crossed tight, and did not want to talk. Not one bit.
"I don't want a new flower," 도윤 said, kicking a pebble off the path. "I want things back the way they were." His chin wobbled but he would not cry. Not today.
He stomped past the flowerbed three whole times. He would not dig. He would not plant. "It won't bring 초코 back," he said, voice cracking just a little at the end.
