“Unnie, I love the way you laugh, I love hearing it from right here.”

Sowon had calmed down when Yuju said that. Smiling gently, she petted the pitch-black ears.

“Well, I guess it’s kind of like me liking the way you purr. It’s a clear sign of your happiness.”

Yuju grinned and let out a short purr, nuzzling into Sowon’s shoulder.

“Well, either way, I love you Sowon unnie, you’re the best.”

“And I love you too Yuju.”

Sowon smooched Yuju’s head, leaving the nuko held closely to herself.

“Unnie can I hear your laughter too?”

“Hm? You’d have to make me laugh then.”

Umji pouted, how to make Sowon laugh?

Scrunching her face up, Umji made a funny face, pulling at her cheeks.

“How’s dis?”

Sowon giggled but did not laugh. Pulling Umji closer to her, Sowon smiled like a mad person.

“You have to try harder than that Yewoon ah.”

Yerin had gotten up from her slumber, sleepily rubbing at her eyes.

“What’cha doing Omuji?”

“Making Sowon unnie laugh, can you do it? I want to hear her laugh from right here.”

Umji jabbed in Sowon’s chest’s direction.

“Huh?”

Sowon laughed lightly, not loud enough to resound in her chest cavity.

Umji pouted as Yuju laughed.

“Haha! It just needed to be a little louder.”

Yerin scratched aa ther head, wait what was going on?

“Whatever.”

Yerin climbed up to Sowon’s shoulder, tucking against her ear, wrapping her tail in Sowon’s hair. Pecking Sowon’s cheek lightly, she whispered.

“I love you unnie.”

Sowon giggled and kissed Yerin’s cheek in return.

“I love you too Yennie, why can’t you be this affectionate when you’re fully awake huh? I love this side you, of course I love every side of you, but this one is so rare for me to see since I’m usually not here when you wake up.”

Eunha perked up.

“What about not being there when we wake? No! Bad! You should be there when Umji wakes! It’s very important!”

Sowon laughed, indirectly fulfilling Umji’s wish as she purred against her chest.

“I can’t be there when she’s waking up, I have to be at school! If I could be there I would! Do you doubt me?”

Umji grinned as Eunha opened and closed like a gaping fish.

“No, I was just, I dunno what I was thinking.”

Sowon grinned and cupped Eunha in her hands, her ears until they perked back up.

“It’s okay, you’re cute. I’d forgive you even if there was nothing to forgive.”

Kissing Eunha’s cheek, she set her down, forgetting that she left Yuju clinging to her shirt. Yuju giggled as she hung lightly on Sowon’s sweater, hands gripped in the soft material. Umji had crawled up to Sowon’s other shoulder, imitating Yerin’s position.

“Oh! I can see something!”

Sowon played along with SinB.

“Omo! What is it? A ghost?”

“No! You have an angel and the devil on your shoulder!”

“Eh? Are you calling either Umji or Yerin a devil?”

SinB pouted and shook her head.

“No, they are not devils but I saw in webtoons that two figures on your shoulders tell you good things and bad things and you reminded me of it.”

Sowon smiled and ruffled SinB’s hair.

“Ah! If it’s like this then could it be that you are so nice since you have two angels on your shoulders?”

Sowon laughed, nearly knocking Yuju off her sweater.

“Wah!”

Sowon caught Yuju quickly and placed her back in her lap before clapping her hands in happiness.

“Gosh! You’re so cute Bi! I have two angels on my shoulders! Haha! Umji, Yerin did you hear that? SinB thinks of you two as angels, see, I’m not the only one who can see it. You’re all good kids, no matter what you think of yourselves, you’re all angels to me.”

She snuggled against Yerin’s cheek and kissed Umji’s cheek, not forgetting to pet the other three’s heads.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the dinner table as the nukos waited for Sowon to finish talking with her mom about her sister’s impending visit, Yerin tugged lightly on SinB’s sleeve.

“H-hey.”

“What’s up Yerin unnie?”

“D-do you r-really think Umji and I are angels?”

“Hm? I’m pretty sure you’re only asking about yourself most importantly isn’t it?”

Yerin froze as SinB coldly , she couldn’t get used to the icy frost SinB spread with her emotionless face. Noticing, Yerin’s slowly drooping tail, SinB shook her head and slapped her cheeks lightly.

“I-I mean yea, I do think you two as angels.”

She offered a warm smile to the older nuko.

“Th-thanks?”

“You’re always nice to me and you’re pretty too. You might as well be an angel.”

Yerin blushed, unable to say anything.

“Awwwww.”

Eunha slapped Yuju’s shoulder.

“Yah! You ruined it!”

Yuju rubbed at her shoulder lightly, still grinning.

“But they were so cute I couldn’t help it.”

Umji giggled along with Yuju at Eunha’s pouty face. It was like she was watching a beautiful romance drama and then Yuju destroyed it, feeling betrayed she jut out her lip.

“Oh? What’s got Eunha upset?”

Sowon reached over and rubbed at Eunha’s ears, causing the nuko to forget the pouting and lean into the touch.

“I ruined a pretty picture.”

Yuju snickered as SinB began to blush. SinB never blushes, yet there she was, holding Yerin’s hand and blushing at being called a ‘pretty picture.’

“Aw, Bi, that look suits you~.”

Sowon patted both Yerin’s and SinB’s hair, Yerin winking as her bangs brushed lower.

“You need a haircut too huh. Well, everyone, tomorrow will be haircut day. If it’s too long tell me, I’ll cut it. I’m going to trim everyone’s hair, even if it’s not bothering you right now, it will soon.”

Yerin cringed, did that mean they were all going to be in a bath together tomorrow? She worried about the marks on her skin, unconsciously rubbing at her clothes. Sowon noticed and shot Yerin a reassuring look, rubbing Yerin’s back lightly.

===========================

Haha, the actual chapter's word count is 1004. teehee also I love seeing Sowon layered in a sweater with a collared shirt under, she's so beautiful~