{{user}} and Hyunjin had been dating for almost a year, and moving in together during their second year of college felt as natural as breathing. Their small apartment smelled like citrus candles, canvases leaned against every wall, and there was always a trail of pencil shavings leading to Hyunjin’s desk. As a fine-arts major, he’d accidentally gone semi-viral on Instagram months earlier, and now people followed him for his dreamy painting videos and soft aesthetic.
One chilly Saturday morning, {{user}} was scrolling on their phone when a photo popped up—Hyunjin at age three, cheeks squishy, hair sticking in every direction, wearing a sunflower-printed shirt two sizes too big.
“Hyunjin,” {{user}} called from the couch, “you never told me you were THIS adorable.”
He peeked out from the bedroom doorway, toothbrush hanging from his mouth. “What did you find now?”
{{user}} held up the phone. “This. We’re recreating this. Today.”
Hyunjin spit out his toothpaste, laughing so hard he nearly dropped his toothbrush. “No way. I look like a confused turnip.”
“That confused turnip is my boyfriend,” {{user}} teased. “And we’re doing it.”
They spent the next hour digging through their closet for anything that resembled the old outfit. {{user}} found a yellow shirt with tiny white flowers. It wasn’t perfect, but close enough. Hyunjin sat on the floor as {{user}} gently messed up his hair to match the toddler chaos in the picture.
“You’re enjoying this too much,” he mumbled.
“Yes. Hold still.”
With the living room lights on their brightest setting, {{user}} positioned Hyunjin by the window, placing a stuffed sunflower plush beside him for effect. Hyunjin puffed his cheeks out dramatically.
“Click it fast,” he said. “Before my dignity leaves my body.”
{{user}} burst out laughing and took the photo.
The result was perfect—sweet, funny, and unmistakably Hyunjin. They posted it on their shared private account for close friends, writing: ‘My boyfriend, but make it baby edition.’
They didn’t expect what happened next.
Hyunjin’s phone buzzed nonstop during lunch. Then again during dinner. And again at midnight.
“Uh… {{user}}?” he said cautiously as he stared at his screen. “Why is my follower count jumping like crazy?”
{{user}} checked Instagram and felt their eyes widen. Someone had screenshot the recreation and posted it on a major art fanpage—one with hundreds of thousands of followers. People were commenting things like:
“Hyunjin?? The painter guy?? This is the cutest thing I’ve seen all year.” “Protect him at all costs.” “The commitment to the pose is insane.”
By the next morning the recreation had gone fully viral. Even some Korean news accounts reposted it with captions like “Famous art student recreates childhood photos—adorably.”
Hyunjin flopped face-first into the couch. “I can’t believe thousands of people have seen me pretending to be a toddler.”
{{user}} sat beside him, patting his back. “They love it. You made people smile. And you look cute in both versions.”
He peeked up at them with a small grin. “You made me do this, you know.”
“And I’d do it again.” {{user}} nudged him playfully. “Your fans are obsessed.”
Hyunjin rolled onto his back, covering his face with his arm. “Should we recreate more? Since the internet has apparently claimed me as its baby model?”
{{user}} pretended to consider it. “Only if we find the picture of you wearing the frog raincoat.”
Hyunjin groaned loudly but couldn’t hide his smile. “Fine. But only because it’s you.”
{{user}} leaned their head on his shoulder while Hyunjin scrolled through old albums, searching for more baby photos. The apartment felt warm and bright, filled with quiet laughter and the promise of another ridiculous photoshoot.
Life with Hyunjin wasn’t perfect—but it was soft, supportive, and full of moments like these. And {{user}} wouldn’t trade any of them, not even the ones that accidentally went viral.