After Fred and Charly had gone, Bam sat looking at Tannie as he walked back to the house.

"Hyung, stop. Please tell me what a tour is." He gets up and meets Tannie at the sliding door. "I thought it was something fun the way Dad and the others have been so excited. What is it?"

Tannie released a sigh; he knew this would make Bam very sad. "Come with me." Tannie walks over to sit in the shade of a tree closest to the door. Bam follows, confused as to what is so serious about a tour for Fred and Tannie to both act like they are.

"Sit, good boy." Says Tannie as Bam sits before him.

"I'm not sure where to start, Bam-ah."

Bam tilts his head curiously, "Start from the start?"

Tannie tries not to laugh; he loves his maknae. "Ok, okay, I will start from the start. I have been on a couple of small local tours, but no worldwide tours yet, and I'm not sure I would want to go."

"But what is a tour?" 

'If nothing else, Bam is persistent.' thinks Tannie. "A tour is when our dads and the others go away to sing and dance for lots and lots of people who love them and are excited to see them. It's the only time they get to see our dads."

Bam says, "Then we are lucky."

Tannie nods and woofs softly, "In many ways, we are."

"But we don't get to go with them ?" asks Bam, afraid of being left behind.

"Usually not," Tannie says with a sigh.

"Do they love tours more than us? Is that why they leave us behind? Are we bad doggies?" asks Bam as he starts to hyperventilate.

 He stands panting in panic. "I can behave very well, especially if there is no toy chicken. I can leave my toy chicken at home, and I won't sneak any food from my dad's plate when he isn't looking, and I'll sleep in my kennel instead of hogging the bed and covers from him. I can be a good boy." Bam is willing to leave his favorite toy chicken behind to be with his dad.

He hangs his head as a thought occurs to him. "They don't want us with them." He drops to the ground, lays his head dejectedly on his paws, and looks sorrowfully at Tannie.

Tannie nuzzles his face and gives his big nose a doggie kiss. "If they could, they would have us with them, and trust me, they miss us as much as we miss them. It isn't safe for us to go, but we can visit sometimes."

"Will we be left here alone?" Bam is on the verge of tears.

"No, our dad's family will take us home with them," says Tannie, trying to comfort him.

"You mean we won't be together!?" Bam stands panting in panic again. "I won't be with you?"

"Don't worry, Bam, Song, and Paeng will be there, and your dad's family adores you."

Bam hangs his head, "I love them, but they are not you, hyung. Besides, they have each other."

"But you won't be alone." Comforts Tannie.

"But it's not the same as being with you. What was it like when you went on tour with your dad?"

"Well, I didn't get to be on a full tour. But I can tell you that our dads will be so busy that we hardly see them. Some people took me for walks and fed me but didn't love me. It's just a job to them, something they have to do.  There are so many places where no dogs are allowed and some people who don't even like dogs."

Wide-eyed Bam finds it unbelievable that someone wouldn't like a dog. "There are people who don't like dogs!?" Tannie nods.

"It gets so crazy, Bam; so many times I almost got stepped on, and so many things on the floor made me cough. Some don't know me and just have to hold and pet me. Occasionally, they hold me too tight or have yucky breath. Sometimes, people kept me on my leash tied to something so I could see my dad, but I couldn't go to him. That hurts the most. More than when people accidentally step on my paws. It's scary." 

Tannie is ready to go inside, so he stands, as does Bam, who follows him, "I'd rather go home to my dad's parents where they love me, play with me, and ensure I'm healthy. And, sometimes, they take me to see my dad when he is far away. But only for a little bit. Let's go in now. I'm getting thirsty."

Bam considers all his hyung has told him. "So our dads love us, they just can't take us sometimes?"

Reaching the sliding door to wait to go in, Tannie says, "That's right. They leave us with their family because they love us and don't want us left with strangers if they can't take care of us." Tannie is pushing his nose against the glass of the door. 

"Do you see anyone, Bam?" Tannie urgently asks.

Bam smiles and gives his hyung a doggie kiss on the head. "What was that for?" asks Tannie.

"Because I love you," says Bam.

"Aww I love you too maknae." Tannie pushes his nose against the door. "Is anybody coming to let us in?"

Bam jumps up with his front paws on the glass, "I got this, hyung. " He then begins barking and jumping on and off the door, making thud sounds.

Jin swiftly opens the door to let them in. "It's about time you wanted in; your lunch is ready." He pets them as they come through the door.

This time, Tannie doesn't push his dish across to the other side of the kitchen; instead, he stays next to Bam while they eat.

  'I'm going to miss him trying to sneak my kibble.'  Tannie sighs as he watches his maknae eat.

AWARDS:

(May 2024) First Place award for the Fantasy Category in the Epiphany Awards hosted by inva_Jung 

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(July 2024) Pink Diamond Winner. 1st place award in Fantasy from the Phoenix Awards hosted by AthenaPersephone9