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HANA

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After their little misunderstanding about the whole Yuri situation, Hana became even more clingy and sweet to her parents. Making her even more irresistible to her parents and her brother. She never fails to give them all the love that she can give, just to let them know how happy she is about their support.

And even though, up until the last day before the school dance, her mama was still not convinced that she should attend the said event, because her mom saw the dance as a chance to dress up her daughter, both she and Hana won in the end. Dahyun had no choice but to agree.

Dahyun just settled on talking to Yuri for two hours, probably warning her about crossing the line or something like that.

The night of the event, Sana dragged Hana across the house and over to her own closet.

Hana eyed the closet, eyeing the pastel pink dress that came out of her wardrobe. It is a new dress other than the one that they already bought. The main portion was a pink, lace-up bodice, a little lower than her normal dresses but no doubt perfectly measured to accentuate her curves. It also has a long, flowing skirt that sparkles like stars in the night sky.

It was… perfect.

She stared at it for some time, and when she finally looked up she saw her mom smiling. “Do you like it?” asked her mother—Hana belatedly wondered what kind of goofy, dazed look she must have on her own face.

Before she could answer, Sana pulled her into the walk-in closet. “Come on, let’s see if it fits,” she said and Hana could only nod.

Usually, when they go and try on some clothes, she would be loud and giggly. For this one, Hana was mostly silent, allowing her mother to slip the dress over her head and do the many intricate actions to wear the dress. A part of her feels emotional seeing her mom get excited over her school event. She remembers her mama telling her that her mom was the happiest to have a girl for a baby. She wanted nothing more than to have a mini version of herself.

A smaller, traitorous part of Hana’s mind was afraid.

Afraid of not living up to her mom’s expectations. Of not making her proud.

And this— letting her mom dress her up— was something that she sees as a reward for her mom doing a very good job at raising her. Not to mention her mom’s impeccable taste.

Conflicted between crying and smiling, Hana chose only to sit quietly and see the end result.

Soon, Hana was standing before a full length mirror, looking at the reflection as if it was a stranger. The dress made her feel like a different person. It flowed and wrapped and cascaded down her body, elegant and strange.

“A perfect fit,” her mom said, sounding pleased. Hana stepped away, eyeing her baby girl with a smile, and clapped her hands together. “Well, princess, do you like it? Give it a twirl.”

Numbly, Hana touched the skirt, lifting up one fold with her fingertips. The reflection mimicked her movements.

So that’s… really me? That’s what I look like all grown up? She wondered. The person in the mirror stares back, shining like a princess, ready to be a queen.

Hesitating slightly, she stepped back from the mirror, and spun.

The dress billowed out from her ankles, twirling through the air. She spun and she spun, feeling the cloth floating around her body. When she stopped, a bit dizzy, she caught a glimpse of the long pink dress arching around her body like a beautiful wave following her every step.

Hana had to blink at her own reflection. I—I look… she smoothed her hands against the front of the dress—I look really pretty.

And that was just the dress, she realized. With a little hair magic, a bit of nice makeup— she would be positively glowing. Her parents always tell her how pretty she is, but Hana was not fully believing it, not until now. This dress made her feel… beautiful.

A swirl of emotions consumed her, and her eyes flickered to the floor.

She knows that it’s not only the dress that’s making her feel that way. Because she always loves to dress up with her mom.

Hana turned. Her mom watched, breath held in anticipation, waiting for her daughter to say yes, it’s beautiful or I can’t wait to wear it to the dance or you’re the best mom ever.

Her mom’s hopeful expression was the only thing that made her bite back her urge to cry.

But of course, her mom being her mom already knows that something’s up.

“What’s wrong, honey? You don’t like the dress?”

Hana smiled and ran towards her mom, embracing her and trying her hardest not to burst into tears. She just feels so much love from her parents that there’s never a day that she’s not thankful she’s born in this family. Even when her parents were not supportive of her relationship with the first ever girl that she liked.

“I am just so happy that you’re my mom.”

“Aww, sweetie!” Sana kissed the top of her head and hugged her tighter. “I’m lucky to have you as my daughter.”

“No, really. I am just so grateful that I get to spend my life being your daughter, mama’s too. I— I know that mama has her reasons why she doesn’t want me to attend the dance, but it’s just that I never felt that you just don’t want me to be happy. Actually, I know that you only want the best for me.” Hana explained, breathless, still clutching her mom’s dress.

“Oh, honey… you are such a gentle child even as you’re growing up. I remember you always considering how we feel whenever you want to do things. You always observe our facial expressions and make sure that you are making us happy. And while I appreciate that, I need you to start choosing for yourself, honey. I know that there might be instances when we won’t see eye to eye, but as long as you talk to us, we will surely keep an open mind. And I’m sorry if we were so concerned about your wellbeing that we forgot to ask how you feel about our decision.” Sana kissed the top of her daughter’s head again as she complimented Hana’s love for them.

“What if I chose the wrong thing, mom?”

“Then we will hold your hand and together, we will help you get back on track. You don’t have to be afraid of facing anything alone, sweetie. I promise you that.” Sana assured her.

“Mom, I don’t want to fight with you and mama ever again,” she confessed.

“Do you know one of the reasons why your mom was so against you going to this dance?” Sana whispered.

Hana’s gaze became more focused, “May I know why?” She whispered back.

Her mom grinned, “Because she doesn’t want you hanging out with Yuri more than her,” she leaned in and Hana giggled.

Releasing herself from the hug, Hana played with her fingers, giving her sheepish expression that made her voice go slightly higher in pitch, “Mom, you know that mama would always be… you know, my favorite protector.”

Hana immediately raised her brow into a smirk, “Is that so?” she asked suspiciously.

Hana’s cheeks immediately turned pink, “Yeah—of course!” she rushed out an answer.

The older woman gave a loud, “Mmm hm,” that made Hana blush even more as Sana walked to her vanity table. Noticing her mom was picking up her cosmetics bag, Hana questioned as to why.

Sana only smiled and held up the bags, “So you don’t want to learn how to do your own makeup?”

Hana’s whole face lit up, “Really?!”

The girl’s mother nodded, “You seriously thought that I would just rely on makeup artists to do my daughter’s makeup? I don’t think so.”

Skipping towards her mom, Hana gave her Sana the biggest hug she could, “Thank you, mom! I love you so much!”

The first eye is almost done when Sana speaks up, “How are you feeling? Excited?”

“Nervous,” Hana mumbles as Sana packs on one of the pigments—she couldn’t remember which one.

“Why? School dances are just a lot of teenagers horribly dancing and eating a whole bunch of unhealthy snack foods.” Sana says as she taps the excess pigment into the waste.

“Yuri, mom.” Hana all but yelps.

“It all comes down to her, huh? Is it that serious?” Sana teases. She moves to the next swatch. “What about Yuri, honey?”

“It is,” Hana sighs before closing her eyes so Sana can finish the second eye. “I like her. A lot, Mom. She’s really nice and funny… and really, really, smart. She’s cute… and so pretty. Everytime a girl talks about her, I just get this angry feeling. And whenever I see her my brain just… freezes. She’s all I can think about. I want to see her smile and hear her laugh that sounds like music to my ears. I want to be the one that makes her laugh. But it’s just that there are so many people around her.”

“How do you know that you’re not already making her happy?” Sana inquires as she finishes the outer corner.

Hana opens her eyes and blinks at her Mom. “I… I just— I don’t know.”

“She said that she has liked you since you were little kids and with the glances she shoots you during movie night and dinners, along with the very adorable way she does everything around you, I think it’s safe to say that you are Yuri’s happiness. My bet is that you’re just being your old self, always doubtful of your impact on people.”

“Okay… maybe you’re right.” Hana sighs. “I just don’t want… to mess everything up.”

“Lips.” Sana says, ignoring Hana’s comment. “Which one? All of these work.” She lays out three different shades of lipstick and two lipglosses.

“You think Mama would be okay with me wearing lipstick to a school function?” Hana snickers.

“No,” Sana holds in a chortle.

Hana points to the second shade of gloss.

After Sana finished helping Hana with her makeup, it was almost time to go downstairs and wait for her date and the others.

“I know I’m just your Mom and what I’ll be saying won’t mean anything to you, but you look so beautiful, Hana.” Sana compliments as Hana looks at herself in the mirror.

Hana rolls her eyes before cracking a smile. “Thanks, mom.”

Sana smiled down lovingly, but was surprised when Hana spoke again, “But believe it or not, Mom, Yuri helped me realize that it’s so wrong to fight with you on so many levels. She told me that whatever happens, you and mama would always be my family, and that we should always understand your reasons.” Hana continued to tell her mom.

“And for that, I’m thankful that she’s the first person that you liked, honey.” Sana admitted, hugging her daughter tighter, “I can’t thank her enough for not trying to ruin our family.” then gestured for Hana to take a seat so that they could begin the final touches.

Hana’s makeup was done in no time, and when Sana was finished placing the final touches, she spun the chair around and revealed her work to Hana.

The teenager gasped, slowly bringing her hands up to her face to look trance her blushed cheeks. “It’s perfect, mom!” Sana smiled, she was more than grateful she was able to have this time with her daughter and make her happy.

Hana stood to take a closer look, the shade of pink upon her lips complimenting the faint color applied onto her eyelids, she thought it was gorgeous, and it perfectly fit her dress. She felt so full of love from her mom, and when she turned around, she gave her a kiss on the cheek before saying, “I love everything mom. You’re the best ever!”

The corner of Sana’s mouth went up as she gave her a knowing smile, “Of course, honey. I’m already an expert, and your face is really the prettiest.”

Hana smirked, “When do I get that level of beauty like yours, mom?”

Sana let out a light chuckle as she ushered her daughter to the shoes that she prepared, “Since you’re my daughter, give or take another year or two.”

Hana turned her head and gave a quick smile before opening the shoe box.

Hana grumbles, “I forgot about the heels.”

“I didn’t like them at first, either.” Sana says, picking up the box that contained the sparkly heels. “Mostly because I’m on the taller side anway. My mom always told me that beauty is pain.”

“It is,” Hana whines.

“You can always take them off when they get too irritating,” Sana suggests. “That’s what I did at my school dances all those years ago. Although I always just went with your aunts that time because I always break up with my exes. And also, I wore stilettos and you are just wearing a half inch block heel.”

“Aw, Mom.” The youngest Kim frowns.

“It’s okay,” Sana shrugs. “If it wasn’t for the heartbreakers, I wouldn’t have found my way to my wife… and therefore, you would not be here.”

“Princess Hana, your friends are here!” Dahyun calls from downstairs.

“Speaking of my wife and your Mama…”

When they were ready to go down, Sana couldn’t help but beam proudly at how gorgeous her daughter looked.

Hana was truly a sight to see, the first layer of fabric on the gown was sprinkled with golden constellation designs. Sana almost fell into a trance gazing at her daughter swaying the a-line skirt.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she smiled. Her little girl was getting older, she realized. Dressing her up when she was little was adorable, now it only reminded her of how fast her daughter was growing up. Dress after dress, each outfit made Hana appear even more mature, and as stunning as she was, Sana secretly hated the fact that Hana was no longer a small child.

But it was moments like this where Hana did little things she used to do when she was younger that warmed her heart. Hana was always going to be her baby, and both mother and daughter knew that well.

“Honey! The girl’s dates are here!” Dahyun’s voice called from downstairs. Snapped out of her thoughts, she went out of the room but not before taking one last look at her daughter looking all pretty in front of the mirror.

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Bare feet pace the length of the bedroom in endless loops, but Hana couldn’t tell if it had been from nerves or excitement. Tonight is their first ever school dance and soon they’ll be moving up to their second year in high school.

Everything in her life had been perfect for the last few months, except… well, except from the days when her parents were not okay with Yuri being her girlfriend.

She took one last look at the mirror, her pink dress reaching just below her knees, diamonds all over it. She definitely felt comfortable with the way she looked, moving in the mirror; staring idly at the way the ends twirled.

She didn’t know this kind of happiness existed, until she started to feel it. She recalls the time when she only had four friends. Now, her circle of friends has grown a lot and her family is accepting of her relationship with Yuri.

Her eyelids were smudged with a soft pink hue. She wears less than she did during her early teenage years, her dress thinner but she thinks she’s warmer than she ever felt.

She has found that love is the measure of warmth, and Yuri is the measure of love.

Her heart is full of love, of a girl called Yuri who she notices as soon as she walks down the stairs earlier, standing at the bottom with a smile on her face.

She chose to just wear a plain white shirt inside the black tux.

Simple. Yuri was going to keep it simple, she thought.

She catches Yuri’s eyes as she walks down the stairs and she watches her unfurl. All at once, she is waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs, tenderness bared whole in her movement. Something indescribable, relief and sheer happiness, sears in her chest, with such fervor that Hana is helpless to express it, except for her smile.

“You look… I mean… you’re always beautiful,” she tells her, earnestly. She fumbles on the first syllable, so keen to convey this of her, and now carves a bright smile, bashfulness lost in certainty.

“You can say it, I’m stunn