Come on, fish, please bite!” Khai muttered, tugging his reel impatiently. The line remained slack, and shoulders slumped in disappointment.
Beside him, DJ held up his wiggling fish, still buzzing with excitement. Suddenly, Khai’s line lurched, the bobber dipping. “Woah, I think I got one!” he cried, gripping the reel tightly.
In his excitement, Khai yanked the line hard, tangling it with DJ’s. The boys groaned as they tried to untangle the mess.
Poppy hurried over, hearing the commotion. “What’s going on here?” he asked.
“Khai tangled our lines!” DJ explained, annoyed.
Poppy knelt to inspect the tangle. “Let’s not get upset. This is an easy fix.” He carefully untangled the lines, guiding the boys’ hands. “You need to be patient and gentle with your lines,” Poppy said. “Fishing takes time.”
Khai nodded, feeling ashamed. “I’m sorry, Poppy. I just wanted to catch a fish like DJ.”
Poppy smiled. “I know, but the best fishermen are patient. The fish will bite when they’re ready.”
Once the lines were untangled, Poppy showed the boys how to cast properly. Khai watched closely, determined to get it right.
“Take one of my worms,” DJ offered. “Maybe it’ll help.”
Khai’s face lit up. He hooked the worm onto his line and cast it out. Minutes ticked by, and his bobber stayed still. Just as he was about to give up, it dipped and disappeared.
“Woah, I got one!” Khai shouted, heart racing. He followed Poppy’s instructions, letting the line go taut before giving a gentle, steady pull.

Poppy and Nana cheered him on as the line peeled out, then Khai began to reel it in. Slowly but surely, a large, shimmering fish emerged from the water, thrashing and splashing.
“I did it, I did it!” Khai cried, his face split into a huge grin. “Look, Poppy, look at the size of this one!”
Poppy whooped with delight. “Way to go, Khai! That’s a real beauty. You really proved your patience and skill there, buddy.”
As Khai carefully lifted the fish onto the boat, DJ let out a cheer and threw his arms around his brother. “I knew you could do it, Khai! That’s an even bigger one than mine!”
Khai beamed, his
swelling with pride. “Thanks, DJ. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
The two boys high-fived, their laughter echoing across the still waters of the pond. Nana and Poppy watched the heartwarming scene, smiles spreading across their faces.
“Well, I’d say this fishing trip has been a success, wouldn’t you?” Nana remarked, giving Poppy’s hand a gentle squeeze.
Poppy nodded, his eyes twinkling. “Absolutely. These boys are naturals, just like their old Poppy.” He chuckled and reached over to ruffle Khai’s hair affectionately.
The fishing trip had not only taught Khai and DJ the value of patience and perseverance, but had also strengthened the unbreakable bond of their family.