They sat there patiently as Sowon left to her study to grab the presents. Eunha bounced in her seat excitedly as Sowon’s foot steps came closer and closer.

“Cha, close your eyes.”

SinB and Yerin gasped at the sight of the presents, adding to Yuju’s excitement.

“Oh! What is it! What is it!”

Sowon giggled and held a hand over Yuju’s face to make sure she didn’t peek first. Setting their presents in front of each respective nuko, she took a breath.

“Now, you may look.”

“Kya!”

Eunha hugged her present, a pillow the same size as her, for her to sleep on. She loved sleeping so much, Sowon just went for the best quality for her, even embroidering her name on the little corner.

‘Eunbi’

“I love it! Thank you so much Sowon unnie!”

Eunha kissed Sowon’s palm, causing giggles. Sowon fluffed Eunha’s hair lightly in response, happy that her present was a success. She had seen a small mirror at the store but decided to go with the pillow, not wanting to make Eunha feel like she needed more clothes by looking at herself.

Yuju opened her box and stared as if making eye contact with something very delicate.

In the small box was a miniature box.

“I get a box?”

Sowon laughed and helped pull the box out, gesturing to the key in the side, she handed it back to Yuju.

“Turn the crank.”

Twisting the small nub carefully, Yuju watched as a small figurine appeared from the box, it skated around on the surface to a small plinking tune. Drooping as it stopped halfway, Sowon helped crank it some more for the little figurine to finish her dance.

Watching mesmerized, Yuju had the urge to follow along. Was ice skating that fun?

“I want to learn how to ice skate.”

“That can be arranged honey.”

“Really?”

Yuju never took her eyes off the small contraption.

“Really.”

Finally looking away, she beamed at Sowon.

“Really, really?”

“Really, really.”

“I love you so much!”

Sowon smiled and kissed Yuju’s head.

“And I you, my little ballerina.”

Umji giggled and Sowon glanced over. Umji’s present was a little keychain doll from a show she liked, it wasn’t really anything to giggle that way over.

“Omuji? Do you not like it?”

Umji pouted and held Sowon’s finger.

“It’s not that I don’t like it, I’m just being a bit delirious right now.”

“Oh? Delirious?”

Umji kissed Sowon’s hand and took a breath. It’s been a while since she was sick, and she really didn’t want to admit it since earlier. Pulling Sowon’s hand to rest on her forehead, she looked away.

“Omuji you’re burning up, when did this start?”

Sowon held Umji carefully and checked her temperature once more.

“You definitely have a fever. Does anything else hurt?”

Umji shook her head.

“No, I’m just not very stable. Everything’s swaying lightly.”

Sowon kissed Umji’s head once more, sighed deeply. Why? How? They didn’t go outside without permission, she didn’t leave any windows open. She kept the place super clean for her kids. How did they get sick? The only way in and out was when Sowon left the house.

“It’s my fault.”

 Sowon was heartbroken, she hadn’t been careful enough. Somewhere out there, university, work or her other part time job, somehow she had picked up a virus or something.

“No, I might not have covered properly in my blanket last night.”

Sowon looked back down at Umji and smiled sadly.

“No, I make sure to fix your blanket for you. With you tucked between Yuju and Eunha now, there’s no way for the blanket to not be on you.”

Caressing Umji’s small head, Sowon soothed Umji’s small headache.

“I’ll get you some medicine, thank god I went to buy new ones.”

Yerin held Umji’s hand as Sowon went to her medicine cupboard.

“You’ll be okay right?”

“I’m sure I will be.”

Yerin was slightly terrified, no one knew but she had another older brother. He had gotten sick and her last owner didn’t do anything. Her hands shook lightly, gripping harder on Umji’s hand to steady herself.

“Promise me you’ll be fine.”

“I promise, Sowon unnie would never let anything happen to me.”

Hugging Umji tightly, Yerin tried to reassure herself. Sowon was not her last owner, she was going to do everything to cure Umji again, unlike that monster.

“Yerin?”

Sowon placed the small cup of medicine on the table and held both Yerin and Umji together.

“Are you sick too?”

Yerin pulled away and made her way up Sowon’s arm to her shoulder, where she tucked herself against Sowon’s neck and ear.

“Talk later.”

Sowon nodded and let Yerin snuggle against her. Making sure Umji ate her medicine, she gathered all the nukos into the bedroom.

“Tonight, will be an early night ok? I don’t want anyone else to get sick. Make sure to wash  your hands often, clean your stuff as often as you can.”

Kissing each of her nukos on the head, she tucked them into her bed. No basket tonight, she need them by her side to be assured that they would stay healthy. Once, they all fell asleep with Sowon patting their stomachs lightly over the blanket, Yerin crawled down from Sowon’s shoulder to lay on Sowon’s chest. Holding one hand over Yerin, cupping her there, Sowon pet her golden ears lightly.

“Tell me what’s wrong, baby.”

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I was recently sick and it was terrible, my last final is two hours away and I'm terrified. Thank you for the support also this story is nearing its end, maybe three more events then the end. Thank you for sticking around.