ANGEL
UNTOUCHABLE (KRYBER)Tiffany opened the door car, revealing the little angel who's sleeping soundly on the car seat.
"Awe. Poor kid. She fell asleep." Tiffany turned to the others. "Should I wake her, Cap?"
"No need. Just carry her. It's better if she's asleep," said Amber, turning her back on Tiffany.
Tiffany leaned forward to check the inside of the car. She picked the mobile phone on the dashboard and placed it into one of her pockets. "Phone's dead. Now come here, you little girl..."
The kid’s eyes flutter open when she was lifted from the seat. She looked at Tiffany with her round eyes.
"Hey there, Katie baby..." said Tiffany, smiling.
Katrien didn't say anything. She looked frightened. She looked at the other three people in the area and went back at Tiffany, her eyes watery now. "Mommy..."
"No, baby... don't cry... we're going to bring you to mommy now..." said Tiffany.
"Mommy..." Katrien started crying, her hands covering her eyes.
"Tiffany, don't frighten the kid!" said Taeyeon.
"I am not frightening her! She cried when she saw you!" retorted Tiffany.
"Mommy!!!" this time the cry was louder. Katrien was looking around, searching for her mom.
"Can you make her stop, Tiff?" asked Yuri. "We're gonna attract some Evens if she won't stop."
Tiffany lifted Katie out of the car and hugged her. "Hey, Katie. Don't cry now. We're here to save you and we'll bring you to your mom in a few..."
But that didn't work. Katrien continued crying.
"Tiffany, we're going to be in a difficult situation if the kid won't stop crying now," said Amber this time. She's looking around now for any signs of Evens.
"I'm trying, Captain!" Tiffany was patting Katrien’s back now.
"And I thought you were good with kids?" asked Taeyeon, already in defense position.
"I only said I love kids. I never said that I was good with them," Tiffany hissed. "Hush now, baby. Your mom is waiting for you in the headquarters..."
"Mommy..."
"Tiffany, we're gonna be in trouble…" said Taeyeon, looking around.
"I know! I know! I'm trying here, okay?" Tiffany tried cuddling the kid but it didn't work. The kid continued crying. "Maybe we should switch positions if you think this is easy!"
"Will you two stop bickering?" said Amber, annoyed. She walked towards Tiffany. "Give her to me. We've got to do something to make her stop."
Tiffany obeyed right away and handled the crying Katrien to Amber.
The moment she was transferred, Katrien wrapped her arms around the Captain's neck, resting her little head on Amber's shoulder. And just like that, without Amber doing anything, Katrien stopped crying.
It became too silent that the wind blowing can be heard. The troop stared at their captain, amazed.
"W-what did you do, Cap?" asked Tiffany.
Amber looked clueless at Tiffany. "I-I don't know. I just carried her."
"Wow. Didn’t know you were good with kids," teased Taeyeon. Amber grunted.
"Since the kid seems to be comfortable around you, if I may suggest, let's make Tiffany our Finisher instead," said Yuri.
Amber looked at Tiffany and the kid. "I guess there are no other options. Tiffany, you take the Finisher role. Let’s head to Sanctuary Four now before it rains."
As they were about to walk, Amber caught Yuri smiling at her, the latter mouthing, "Like mother, like daughter."
---
Krystal finally settled back on the couch, feeling relieved. Jiwon came back with a glass of water on her hand. "Here, take this."
Krystal obeyed and drank it in one down. She handed back the empty glass to Jiwon. "I'm sorry. I... I just panicked. I was worried that Evens might attack them because she can't stop crying..."
"We know... we know..." said Jiwon, slowly sitting back beside Krystal. Krystal's mom is rubbing her back to calm her down. "But it's okay now. They're heading to the Sanctuary now."
"Jiwon, can I call Katie? I'm worried that she might look for me again. I'll just assure her that I'm here waiting for her."
Jiwon looked at Krystal's mom who gave her the same expression. "Okay. I'll talk to them. Just please stay right here."
---
"Captain Amber?"
"Yes?"
"We're patching through Mrs. Jung on the line. She wants to talk to her daughter."
Amber felt her world stopped. Although she continued walking, her mind was flying somewhere else. She felt nervous knowing that she'll be hearing Krystal's voice directly now like they're just talking on the phone.
"Captain Amber?"
Amber noticed Yuri waving at her, signaling her to answer the Control Room. "Ah. Yes. Give me a sec." She tapped the Katrien lightly. "Hey, mommy wants to talk to you."
Katrien lifted her head right away, finally letting out a small smile. "Mommy?"
Amber couldn't help but smile back. This is the first time she's got a good view of Katrien’s face and she can't deny the striking resemblance of the kid to her mother. "Yes, mommy wants to talk to you." She put one of the earpieces in Katrien’s ear.
Katrien innocently held her ear with the earpiece. "Mommy?"
"Hey, sweetie! How's my baby?"
Amber cleared .
"I'm fine, mommy. I'm with SAU."
"Yes. SAUs are good people okay? No need to cry, sweetie."
"But, Katie is scared, mommy…"
"Don't be scared, sweetie. You're with Captain Amber. You'll be safe."
Amber stiffened upon hearing that.
"Captain Amber?" Katrien looked at Amber like it's the first time she's seen a human being. Amber just nodded at her.
"Yes, baby. You know Captain Amber, right?"
"Mm-mm. She's in the TV..." said Katrien, touching Amber's face with her free hand.
"Yes, and she will protect you from the monsters so there's no need to be scared, okay? If you keep crying loud the monsters will come to get you."
"Okay, mommy. Katie won't cry anymore…"
"That's good, sweetie. Mommy will see you in a bit, okay?"
"Okay, mommy. Yabyu!"
"Oh, I love you too."
Amber had to stop on her tracks to take that in. She closed her eyes and took in a full breath. It just feels weird hearing Krystal's voice on the line saying I love you to another person now instead of hers.
No, she's not jealous of the kid. She's just being melancholic about the past.
But her musing was disturbed by another earthquake. Amber hugged the kid out of instinct and crouched on the floor. The kid hugged Amber back and hid her face in Amber's shoulder.
The shaking lasted for about fifteen seconds before everything stopped.
"Captain, you okay?" it was Tiffany.
"I'm fine. It's the second time now."
"Yes. I don't really feel good about this," said Yuri.
"Me too," said Amber. "But let's hurry to the Sanctuary now so we could rest for a bit."
"Aye, aye, Cap!"
Amber was about to stand when she noticed that Katrien was sobbing. "Hey, Katie, what's wrong?" she felt something inside mentioning the kid's name.
Katrien didn't pull back and just continued crying silently. "Katie, scared of earthquakes..."
Amber hugged the kid tightly. "Don't be scared. The earthquake is over now, see?"
"Katie is scared of monsters too. There are lots of monsters here..."
Amber put the kid down and wiped the tears with her thumbs. "Hey. Don't be scared. You're with me."
The kid is just pouting while looking down on the floor.
"Katie, look at me." Amber lifted Katrien's chin so their eyes would meet. "No one will hurt you while I'm here. As long as you're with me, you're untouchable. Got that?"
Kate nodded. "Pwomise?"
Amber patted the kid's head. "I promise."
---
Jiwon noticed Krystal wiping tears from her eyes. She handed her friend her handkerchief. "Getting emotional?"
"It's just that she's saved me before, and now she's saving my daughter too," said Krystal, sniffing. "I just wonder if when will be I able to get the chance to save her. All I did was hurt her."
"It's not like that," said Jiwon immediately. "I'm sure that the time she had with you was one of the happiest moments in her life. It ended badly, yes, but I'm sure there are more good memories you both shared than that sour ending."
"I just feel that it's unfair for her," said Krystal, wiping her nose. "She always put others first before her own. She deserves to be happy too..."
"She's happy doing what she's doing now. We all know that."
"I'm just feeling guilty, I guess. She's all about saving the world and loving me, you know. And I... I betrayed her, Jiwon. And even after all that had happened, there she is, being kind to Katie."
"Krystal, darling, don't feel sorry about that," said Krystal's mom. "It was not your fault."
"You don't understand, mom…"
"I do understand because I saw you, Krys. I saw you suffer. You were lonely. You needed her. But she wasn't around."
"But that doesn't justify what I did."
"Are you saying that you regret marrying Jihoon and having Katie?"
"I don't regret having Katie. She's my life now. I just regret hurting Amber."
"You shouldn't put all the blame to yourself, Krystal," said Jiwon. "Yes, you were at your weakest that time, but she knows you're not gonna leave her. Apparently, she made a choice that doesn't include you in it."
---
"Just in time," said Taeyeon, looking out the window. The troop made it to Sanctuary Four even before it rained. "It's pretty heavy rain outside. We may want to take a rest for a bit."
The troop sat around the tiny chairs. Amber put Katrien down who observed the place first before starting to walk around.
"Look at you, little Krystal," said Yuri, kneeling in front of the kid. "You look just like your mom, huh?"
Katrien, who's one finger is in , smiled at Yuri.
"How old are you, little baby?" asked Yuri.
Katrien held out four fingers. "I'm f-four..."
"Wow. She knows her age," said Tiffany, clapping.
Katrien turned to Tiffany. "B-but next week, I'll be like this." She held out five fingers towards Tiffany.
"Oh. It's your birthday next week? Are you going to have a party?" asked Tiffany.
Katrien smiled cutely, her eyes disappearing. "Yeah. Mommy will invite you all."
"That's nice, Katie," said Yuri, making the kid turn back to her. "Are you being a good girl to mom?"
Katrien nodded. "Mmm-mmm. Katie's always a good giwl..."
"Can I hug you?"
Without second thoughts, Katrien wrapped her arms around Yuri's neck. Taeyeon and Tiffany find it really cute.
"How about a kiss?" Yuri gestured to her cheek. Katrien kissed her. "Awe. That's so sweet of you."
"How about me, Katie? Can I have a kiss too?" said Taeyeon, pointing at her cheek.
The kid stared at Taeyeon and run towards Amber. Everyone laughed.
"See? Even the little girl knows you're a maniac, Taeyeon," said Tiffany, getting a scoff from Taeyeon. She turned to Amber who's now placing Katrien on her lap. "Pretty kid, ain't she, Cap?"
"And very sweet too," said Amber, after Katrien kissed her in the cheek. She noticed that the kid is observing all the pockets in her suit. "Curious, aren't ya?"
"Holes," said Katrien, putting her hands in all the pockets she could find. Her hand finally landed on Amber's left arm, grasping it.
"And what are you doing to my arm?"
Katrien looked at Amber with a smile on her face. "Just checking..." Her little hands squeezing Amber's arm gently.
Amber just smiled, remembering how Krystal used to do that to her before.
"By the way, since it looks like we'll be staying here for a bit, why don't you tell us the rest of the story, Yuri?" said Taeyeon.
"Story?"
"About why Cap and Honey broke up."
"Ahh. That. I think it's more of different things happening all at once. I guess they weren't able to take it." Yuri looked at Amber. "Honestly, I felt partly responsible for it. I urged Captain to take the SAU test that year."
"It wasn't really your fault, Yul," said Amber. She's holding Katie on her lap while the kid is busy playing with the buttons on her suit. "Right from the start, you knew I wanted to be in SAU. I changed my plans because I don't want her to worry."
"But you still took the exam, right, Cap?" asked Tiffany.
"I did. Only because Yuri wants me to accompany her. It wasn't really serious. I was just taking it for the sake of experiencing it. And even if I'll pass, I won't continue."
"Then, what changed your mind?" asked Taeyeon.
"Just like Yuri said, a lot has happened that year," said Amber, willingly giving her hand to Katrien who's playing on it now. "First is, when her dad died."
Comments