Sowon’s creased brow of worry deepened when she noticed the other nuko’s clothes. They were dirty and torn in some places. She looked up when she finally responded to her question.

“It’ll be fine.”

Sowon smiled gently.

“Did he just step on the tip?”

“Mm.”

Umji wiggled out of her pouch and landed on the floor near the other nuko. Sniffing slightly, Umji looked at her intensely as if unsure whether to say something or not.

“Umji-yah what’s wrong?”

“Um, I’m sorry if I’m rude but when was the last time you took a bath?”

Sowon looked at the nuko again, if Umji could tell that it had been awhile since their last bath, where did she come from?

“A long time ago.”

Sowon interrupted, unable to stand it.

“Where do you live?”

The nuko looked briefly away dodging Sowon’s gaze.

“Somewhere.”

“So, you’re lost?”

“No, I’m not lost.”

She sighed and looked at her feet, hands still holding her tail gently.

“What’s wrong?”

Umji reached out and touched the other nuko’s shoulder, she flinched away on contact.

“I was chased out.”

Sowon reached out and picked up Umji first confusing the hurt nuko. Putting Umji back in her pouch, she reached out for the other nuko.

“I’m Sowon, she’s Umji. Would you like to come with me for a bit?”

“I’m Yerin.”

Yerin nodded and stepped closer to Sowon a bit, getting more and more relaxed around Sowon.

“Well, then Umji-yah. Let’s head home.”

“Yea!”

Sowon held Yerin carefully, not touching her tail and cupped in both of her hands. Umji watched from her pouch. Yerin seemed a bit taller than her, slightly off put that she was smaller and a little intimidated, she reached out a hand.

Yerin looked at her and stared, reaching out her own hand, she shook Umji’s lightly.

“Where’d you come from?”

“Me? I was given to Sowon unnie when I was really small.”

“So, you don’t know your parents?”

“No, but it’s okay. I have Sowon unnie. Did you know your parents?”

“I did. But then I was given away to a baddie.”

“Baddie?”

“I don’t want to talk about him.”

“Mm. Then I’ll talk about our house.”

“Mm.”

As Umji described the way their house was like with all their little paths, ramps and cubbies, Sowon managed to board a bus. Shifting Yerin over to one hand, she fished her bus pass out of her pocket and moved to the back of the bus. There were no seats left so she stood in the walkway, holding a bar next to her head.

“Careful, hold my bag strap if you lose your balance.”

Yerin was being balanced on Sowon’s left hand and Sowon had brought her closer to her body, nearly holding her to herself.

Umji grinned and pulled Yerin’s hand to the bag.

“And she always makes good food.”

“That’s nice.”

Sowon could tell Yerin was getting jealous of Umji’s life, cutting in the conversation she told them they were nearing their stop.

~~~~~~~~~~~

As Sowon stepped through the doorway, she set Yerin on the ground and pulled Umji out of her pocket and placed her on the shelf. She pulled of her shoes and picked Yerin back up who was staring in awe at the complex construction of bridges and shelves up above.

Taking her to the bathroom, she the tap filling the sink with warm water. Umji followed along on her trail of shelves and bridges.

Since the bridges traversed rooms in this apartment, there were no doors. The only thing for privacy in the bathroom was a curtain Sowon had installed in the middle to block the toilet and shower off.

Umji told Yerin to go ahead to clean herself as she kept her company on the other side of the faucet, Sowon gone in search of the bigger clothes that didn’t fit Umji. As Sowon returned, she found that Yerin had bruises across her tiny body. Afraid of touching them, Sowon handed Yerin the soap instead of cleaning her like she did with Umji.

~~~~~~~~~~

Yerin flinched as Sowon continued to stare at her, she was given some tuna from Umji’s breakfast and for some reason Sowon wouldn’t stop looking at her even though Umji was focused on eating her grapes.

“Uh, what is it?”

“Were you running away from an abusive household?”

Yerin visibly shook for a second before nodding slowly, there was no hiding it when her bruises were already discovered. Sowon had found cold and heat patched to cut up and put them on her little battered body.

“Do you want to find a different place to stay? I can help you find a nicer place to stay.”

Sowon had originally planned to treat Yerin and then send her to the people that helped nukos find their homes but seeing this little one shiver in fear of people, she couldn’t help but want to take care of her.

“N-no. I’m just going to live by myself.”

Sowon frowned, there wasn’t a way for a nuko to survive on their own yet.

She contemplated her thoughts for a while, she was already short on her budget, most of Umji’s clothes were hand made because she couldn’t afford to buy them.

“Unnie can we keep her?”

“Eh? Umji you want to keep her? You’ll be sharing my attention with her?”

Umji nodded, she felt that Yerin was a nice kid and a fun one if she wasn’t scared. She had tons of expressions she had discovered. While Sowon was pulling out Yerin’s food, Umji had watched Yerin’s eyes wandered all over the house in awe, her face changing into different expressions showing her incredulity of Umji’s freedom.

“Please? I’ll have a playmate when you’re gone.”

Sowon frowned, she knew that Umji was lonely whenever she was gone but she was uncertain about her financial stability. Seeing Umji’s pouting face she shook her head and made her decision.

“Welcome to the family Yerin-ah.”

Yerin looked at Sowon with the world’s most cutest look of confusion.

“What?”

“You’ll be living here from now on.”

“Eh?”

“You’re gonna be my best friend!”

Yerin looked at Umji surprised that the younger nuko was super excited at this development.

“Wait, what?”

“You’re living here with me now!”

Yerin turned back to her tuna and scooped another mouthful with the tiny fork.

“Home?”

“This is your home now Yerin ah. If you don’t like it, I could take you back to where I found you but I’d like it if you stayed and played with Yewon when I’m gone.”

Yerin was still in denial when Sowon scooped her up from the table. Pressing a kiss to the top of Yerin’s now clean head, Sowon hummed.

“Welcome home.”

Dumbfounded at the affection, Yerin stuttered.

“I-I’m home?”

Umji jumped in joy.

“Welcome home!”

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

Hahaha! Don't worry about updates, by now you probably noticed that when I start something it always goes to the end unless I have to leave my precious internet for a long time. I live for comments, they bring me so much joy!