The Day I Kissed An Older Man

As the twins’ mother, Corinne was worried they would cry at being left at the kindergarten, which happened a few days ago.
The twins were crying when she went to pick them up, but on this day, they came out smiling instead.
“That’s wonderful. Since you two have been so good, you can each choose a balloon you like.”
“Yay!”
“I want the bunny!”
The twins skipped and hopped over to the old man selling the balloons. The old man kindly bent down so that it would be easier
for them to choose which balloon they wanted.
Corinne felt relieved to see the twins getting used to their days at the kindergarten.
At that moment, she noticed Joey did not go to pick his balloon. Instead, he stood alone with his head hung low.
“What’s the matter, Joey? You don’t want a balloon?” Corinne asked him gently.
Joey looked up at her with surprise. “I get one, too?”
Corinne frowned. “Of course. Why wouldn’t Mommy get you one?”
Joey’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Mommy!” he said, beaming at her.
Only then did he walk to the old man selling the balloons. However, he stood waiting until the twins finished choosing their
balloons before choosing one himself.
Seeing how cautious he was, Corinne could not help but frown with worry.
Joey was in the older kindergarten class then and would be going to elementary school next year.
As he got older, he lost his innocence and became more sensitive. When he was still a toddler, he would express himself and
talk to Corinne nonstop despite not being able to speak clearly then.
He was happy when the twins were born, too. However, the twins’ arrival also brought to light the difference in treatment
between an adopted son and biological children. He then became more cautious in his behavior until he became almost too
silent for a child his age.

Having watched Joey grow up, Corinne knew all of the suffering he kept to himself, and it always made her heart ache to see
him like that. After all, she saw him as her own son from the moment she took him in.
She did not wish to see Joey living so timidly. She would prefer him to behave like kids his age, like acting stubbornly or throwing
a tantrum or two. However, that was not the case for Joey.
Just as she mulled over these matters, a fight broke out between the kids.
Joey chose a balloon he liked after the twins were done choosing. However, Bryan—one of the twins—changed his mind and
wanted Joey’s tiger-shaped balloon after seeing it.
Joey agreed to trade balloons with Bryan, but the younger kid insisted on having both. The older boy was reluctant to let him
have both balloons, so Bryan started throwing a tantrum.
Seeing this, Joey pouted and gave Bryan the tiger-shaped balloon.
Satisfied, Bryan reached out to take the balloon. Before he could even touch it, however, his hand was slapped away.
Bryan started crying again.
“You each get one! It’s not right to force others to give you their balloon just because you regret the one you chose!” scolded
Corinne with a frown.