“Auntie Jihyo!” Nico was more than happy to be back in Mina and Jihyo’s apartment. Jihyo smiled and dropped everything for her favorite niece. 

“Hi Nico.” Jihyo smiled, tucking Nico’s loose hair behind her ear. “I missed you my little troublemaker.”

“Well Nico clearly doesn’t have a favorite.” Mina giggled as she left Momo inside. 

“Oh clearly.” Momo rolled her eyes. “It’s between Jihyo and Nayeon though. Nayeon is her teacher now, Jihyo’s not the instant favorite like she used to be.” 

“Hm well I guess Jihyo will have to step up her efforts then.” Mina shrugged. “And I guess that means us bringing you guys dinner more.” 

“Mina I appreciate the thought but we get by, instant meals have gotten a lot healthier.” Momo nodded. 

“Nico likes my cooking though, and argue all you want but at least I can make Nico custom meals with bell peppers sprinkled in so she’ll actually eat them and not spit them out.” Mina accused. 

“Did Nayeon tell you that story?” Momo laughed. 

“She did, I understand I’m not a huge fan of them either.” Mina nodded. “Young kids have sensitive tongues, spicy foods like peppers can be shocking to some kids mouths.” Mina explained. “No bell peppers tonight though.” 

“Good, she can spot them in anything now.” Momo giggled as she watched Jihyo safely swung her daughter around the living room. 

“She’s a smart girl.” Mina smiled proudly. “Want to help me set up the table?” Momo nodded and joined Mina in the kitchen. 

“Jihyo! Nico! Dinner!” Momo called once the table was set up. 

“I want to sit with Auntie Jihyo.” Nico insisted.

“Oh Nico let’s not bother-”

“Come here kiddo you can tell Auntie everything you’ve done since I saw you last.” Jihyo picked up Nico and put her on her lap, letting the kid talk herself to death and interjecting to keep Nico happy. 

“She’s great with kids.” Momo whispered to Mina. 

“She works with them all day.” Mina shrugged. “Jihyo’s trying to argue for first graders again.” 

“Hopefully she can be Nico’s teacher. Having Nayeon to keep an eye on her is helpful.” Momo nodded. “It’s funny, your the younger ones but your the ones that are better at cooking.” 

“Oh Sana could out-cook me any day, I’m just her little cousin who looks up to her.” Mina smiled at the memory of Sana. 

“Yeah, she loves you a lot though Mina.” Momo smiled.

“I’m happy she does. She was like the older sister I never had.” Mina finished. “Also, Nico should stay the night. We still have her pajamas from when she was staying with us.” 

“Oh I wouldn’t want to be a burden-”

“Nonsense, we’re family Momo. Jihyo and I mis our favorite kid, and you deserve sometime away from her.” Mina smiled. 

“Okay but I’ll stay until bedtime.” Momo nodded. “She also likes to get into bed with me now so if that happens you can just put her back in her own bed.” 

“Nah, she used to squeeze herself between me and Jihyo at night. She’s a good cuddle buddy.” Mina replied. “She will be fine with us, we know how to get her to bed, you should go home, take a long bath and relax a bit. Sana would want you to go.”

“Sana wouldn’t let our baby out of her sight for five minutes.” Momo laughed. “She’s pretty protective.” 

“Your right, she is.” Mina laughed too. “But I’m sure she would understand you needing some time to yourself. Maybe you will even drink some alcohol tonight.” 

“Ha, we don’t have any in the house.” Momo nodded. “I might take you up on that though.”

“We have some left over champagne from when we went to Jihyo’s sister’s graduation party. It would actually be helpful if you took it off our hands.” Mina explained. “We got this Momo, take the champagne and have a night to yourself, Nico will be fine tonight.” Momo briefly looked up at her daughter. It was the first time in months Momo was spending a night away from her daughter, but Mina was right. She did want to take a bubble bath with Sana’s favorite bubble bath and alcohol.

“Okay. Let me just say goodbye real quick.” Momo took her daughter back to inform her of the nightly plan and Nico had this huge smile and smiled when she learned she got to have a sleepover at her Auntie Jihyo and Auntie Mina’s house.

Once Momo gets home, the champagne bottle Mina had given her in one hand and a bag full of food containers Mina had cooked for her in the other, she made a fast beeline for the bathroom, starting her bubble bath while she poured the champagne. The smell of the bubble bath solution almost made Momo cry. Whenever Sana had a bad day at work she would always insist her and Momo took a bath with this scent and they would cuddle and make out once Nico was safely asleep. Momo missed taking a bath with her love, but Sana was right, the scent was calming. 

xx

Dear Sana,

Nico is spending the night with Mina and Jihyo. She was so excited when I told her, she loves them, especially Jihyo. We had dinner with them tonight, Mina misses you a lot. You were right, she’s a good kid. She sent me home with food so we won’t only have instant food this week. I used your bubble bath tonight, not cause I had a bad day or anything, I just missed you. Mina gave me some champagne, but it’s the first time I’ve had alcohol in months. I forgot how good it is. But I promise, I’m not using it for comfort again. Thank god our friends stepped in a few months ago, they were right it was getting dangerous. I was just so sad when you first left us. The first weeks were the hardest. We have good friends. They do so much for me, lord knows I’m such a wreck without you. It’s weird being home alone. I haven’t been home alone since before Nico was born. The house feels bigger. The bed feels bigger, though it has felt that way for the past few months. I miss your cuddles, and kisses. I regret ever pushing you away. I want my kiss monster back. 

I love you, 
Momo 

xx

“So what are you doing after work?” Chaeyoung asks over a lunch session. 

“Nico is going to her friends house, so I’m actually probably going to work overtime today.” Momo answered, taking a bite of some of the food Jihyo had brought to her house last night.

“Lame it’s Friday night.” Chaeyoung voiced, eating a bit of her sandwich.

“I have a family,” Momo shrugged. “I have to pick my daughter up at seven thirty and if I don’t work overtime I get off at four thirty, so there’s not real point in trying to go anywhere besides home or work.” 

“Maybe you should go get that kitten for your daughter.” 

“My wife would have my head.” Momo laughed. “Though I suppose it’s a better idea than getting her a puppy, my wife is a cat person.”

“See? She would love it!” Chaeyoung argued. “You said your daughter is struggling a bit with your wife being gone, a kitten is a perfect friend and distraction for her.” 

“Her birthday already passed a while ago, and as far as I know it’s not a holiday. I can’t just buy her a present for no reason.” Momo reasoned. 

“Well? Why not?” Chaeyoung shrugged. “Gifts just show you care, and you care about her right?”

“Well of course, I’ll think about it.” Momo shrugged. “But if we were to get a cat-” Momo was interrupted by her phone ringing. Momo apologized quickly to Chaeyoung before picking up her phone. 

“Hi Momo.” Nayeon greeted her on the other side. “I know your at work, and I’m sorry, but Nico got into a little bit of a fight.” 

“God I’m on my way is she okay?”

“She’s, pouting.” Nayeon answered. “Again I’m so sorry but school policy is to have the parents of both kids come in.” 

“I know, I’ll be there in a bit.” Momo sighed. “Sorry to cut lunch short Chaeyoung, I have to go.” 

xx

Momo wasn’t mad. She really wasn’t. She’s sure other parents would be but she didn’t even know what happened, and Nico was never much of an aggressive kid. Momo was surprised to find Nico with a jacket covering her face curled in a little ball on the floor while Nayeon sat next to her. A woman and her son standing next to them. 

“Hi Momo.” Nayeon sighed. “Nico and Doyoung here got into a small argument and-”

“She scratched me!” The little boy argued. 

“Did not!” Nico yelled, muffled from the jacket wrapped around her face. 

“I saw it, it was an accident, Doyoung slightly pushed Nico and she scratched him as she fell. They were arguing about markers.” 

“Nico stole Sooyoung and Yerim’s markers!” The boy explained. 

“No I didn’t!!” Nico answered. 

“Enough,” The boy’s mother interrupted. “Doyoung say your sorry.” 

“But-”

“Doyoung.” The boy pouted and stood in front of Nico. 

“I’m sorry Nico.” The boy apologized. 

“Nico can you say your sorry back?” Momo asked her daughter. 

“No!” Nico screamed, kicking her legs around. “No!” Momo sighed. 

“I’m sorry for her, is it okay if she says sorry tomorrow?” Momo asked the boy and his mother. 

“That would be fine.” The boy's mother nodded. “Doyoung, go back outside and play with the other kids, I’ll be back to pick you up later.” 

“Okay fine.” The boy pouted and ran out of the classrooms. 

“Nico-chan, what’s wrong?” Momo put one hand on Nico’s back. 

“No!” Nico screamed. 

“She’s been like this for the last twenty minutes.” Nayeon nodded. 

“I’m going to take her home okay? She has her moments but she’ll be fine with some alone time in time out.” Momo explained. 

“Feel better Nico. I’ll tell Haeun Nico had to go home so they can’t play.” Nayeon nodded. 

“Thank you Unnie.” Momo nodded. 

“Of course, I’m so sorry about this.” Nayeon sighed. 

“Don’t worry, she’ll be okay.” Momo nodded. “Nico-chan, come here.” Momo picked up the lump of her daughter and carried her to the car. They stayed silent the whole way home, Momo peaking back to see Nico still buried her jacket. Momo carried Nico up to her room, putting her on her bed. 

“Nico-chan, we’re alone now. It’s just you and mama.” Momo told Nico in Japanese, so it was clear it was just them. “Why don’t you come out so we can talk about it?” Nico slowly took her jacket off her face and looked at Momo. “Hi Nico, why don’t you tell Mama why your so upset.” 

“I’m not a thief.” Nico’s voice was a little hoarse. “They gave their markers I was gonna give them back.” 

“I know you were baby.” 

“But Doyoung called me a thief and I’m not a thief. Thieves are bad girls and I can’t be a bad girl.” Nico explained. “Am I bad girl?” 

“Of course your not honey. You do lots of good things. You make Mama happy, and listen well and your smart and kind. Why are you worried your a bad girl?” 

"Cause then mommy will never wake up.” Momo froze for a second and Nico started crying. 

“Nico, mommy, she’s really hurt baby. Her brain and her lungs were hurt. And she needs to rest so she can be better. And yes mommy would want you to be a good girl and stay out of trouble but that won’t help mommy heal any faster.” Momo was torn between sugar coating everything to protect Nico’s innocent and telling her the truth. “Mommy loves you and she wants to see you and I again. She just has to get better first.” 

“Promise?” 

“I swear honey. Mommy misses you too.” Momo reassured. “How about we watch some Magi girl and you can say sorry to Doyoung tomorrow.” 

“Okay.” Nico nodded. 

“Come here honey.” Momo opened her arms for Nico to climb into, Nico happily climbing into them. Nico held tight onto Momo while they watched tv.

xx

Dear Sana,

Guess who got into trouble today? She really wasn’t doing anything wrong I promise. She had borrowed markers and another kid accused her of being a thief and that made her really sad and defensive so she shut down and put her jacket over her face and refused to come out. She wasn’t in any real trouble, but Nayeon unnie still wanted me to come and have her talk it out. Nico really wasn’t happy though so I took her home and she told me what was wrong. She thinks if she’s a good girl you’ll wake up sooner. I don’t know who told her that, bit the poor thing was so upset at the prospect of being a bad girl. We talked about it though, she’s okay now I think. We spent the whole night watching Magi girl, and we ate Jajangmyeon. She asleep on top of me now, I should move her to bed but I’m worried she’ll wake up. She’s been such a good girl since the accident. She hasn’t gotten into real trouble once, maybe she was only acting like a little trouble maker with you because she was messing with you, or maybe the accident made her so much more mature. Either way, I sort of miss my little bath escaping getting marker everywhere kid. She’s so respectful now. It’s such a change, and it happened so fast. But I guess that’s what happens with kids, but I’m trying my best to take photos and videos for you. So when you wake up you’ll be able to experience everything you missed. Please come back. Please. 

I love you, 
Momo 

xx

It had started raining in the afternoon, and from the look of the clouds it was likely it was going to develop into a thunderstorm. Momo was anxious of that happening, not for her but for her daughter, who had her wife’s fear of thunder storms. 

And she was scared for her wife. Sure, Sana was comatose, but Momo had promised her she would never let Sana go through another thunder storm alone. 

As Momo drove home, Nico in the back humming the Magi girl theme song and playing with her bunny, Momo looked at the sky. Sure Mina didn’t like it when she showed up without any kind of warning, but she had promised Sana. And she wasn’t one to break a promise to Sana. Momo drove past their house. Consequences be damned she made a promise. Once they arrived, the rain was coming down harder. 

“Mama are we seeing Mommy today?” Nico asked excitedly. 

“Yup, we’re going to be with mommy because there’s a thunder storm coming and we don’t want her to be scared.” Momo told her daughter, taking Nico’s hand and leading her into the hospital. “Mina.” Momo knocked on Mina’s door. 

“Momo?” Mina opened the door for her. “What are you doing here I was about to go home?” 

“Sorry to bother you, there’s a thunder storm coming and I want to stay with Sana until it’s okay.” Momo told Mina. Mina sighed, a small smile as she nodded. 

“Okay, come here Nico-chan. Let’s have another sleep over.” Nico ran to Mina’s leg. 

“You don’t-”

“If you will be here all night Nico needs to have a bed to sleep on and some dinner. I’ll text Jihyo and you can help Sana. She would be happy to know you stayed with her during a storm.” Mina couldn’t fight her smile. She was genuinely touched by Momo, knowing her cousin was afraid of thunder storms. 

“You know Nico is afraid too-”

“Yup, we’ve been through a thunderstorm together,” Mina put her hand on Nico’s back before bending down to pick her up. “Do you want to say hi to mommy?” Mina asked Nico. 

“I made mommy a present.” Nico nodded. “Auntie Nayeon said it’s called a better card and it’s supposed to make mommy better.” 

“Get well card that’s going to encourage mommy to get better card.” Momo corrected. “She spent a lot of time on it in class today.” Nico nodded proudly.

“Yup Auntie Nayeon said-” Nico was interrupted by a loud clap of thunder and she squeaked and hugged Mina. 

“It’s okay Nico-chan, let’s go give mommy her card okay?” Nico nodded at Mina’s question. They wen