Impatient little Yuri sat on the floor, arms crossed, lips pushed forward in an exaggerated pout. His eyes looked watery, but mom could tell something wasn’t quite right. He let out a soft cry, then glanced quickly toward the fruit basket nearby. The sadness looked real at first, but behind it was a spark of mischief.
Mom asked him to wait. Just a moment more. But waiting was Yuri’s least favorite thing.
He cried louder, shoulders shaking dramatically, as if his heart was completely broken. He rubbed his eyes with his fists, pretending tears were falling. Every few seconds, he peeked to see if mom was watching. When she turned away, Yuri’s crying suddenly paused. His body leaned slightly toward the fruit.
Slowly, carefully, he crawled closer, still making small sad sounds to keep up the act. One hand reached out, fingers stretching toward the colorful fruit. His face changed from sorrow to focus. This was his plan. Cry first. Steal later.
But mom turned back at the last second.
“Yuri,” she said gently.
He froze. His hand stopped mid-air. Instantly, the crying returned, louder than before. He dropped back onto the floor, pretending to be deeply hurt, as if he had done nothing wrong. His face twisted into sadness, and he avoided mom’s eyes.
Mom sighed, half tired, half amused. She knew this trick well. Yuri wasn’t disobedient because he was bad. He was testing limits, learning how the world worked. Still, rules mattered.
She picked him up and sat him on her lap. Yuri cried a little more, then slowly calmed as she held him. She explained softly, guiding his hands away from the fruit basket. He sniffed, listening, though his eyes still wandered toward the food.
After a moment, mom gave him a small piece of fruit properly. Yuri’s crying stopped instantly. He chewed happily, eyes bright again, as if nothing had happened. No sadness. No tears.
Mom shook her head with a smile.
Yuri wasn’t heartbroken.
He was impatient, clever, and learning.
That day, Yuri learned a small lesson. Fake tears might get attention, but patience earned trust. And even when he tried to steal, mom’s gentle guidance showed him the right way—without anger, only love.
