To the birthday girls...

 

****

 

7:15 am…

 

When Irene realized that she slept an extra 30 minutes, she knew that this day is going to start in chaos.

 

Her day started out fluffy, waking up to the sound of splashing and giggling and her favorite fluffballs conversing about something, only fluffballs could relate.

 

One of the selling points to their house was the luxurious master bath that looked like it is ripped out of the pages of an Architectural digest. Decked out in marble with a brass overhead shower, now it would be amusing to see their realtor’s expression when she sees their marble bathtub filled with squishy bath toys, a plastic boat, and their faucet with a safari water spout.

 

She walked in, and Wendy was shampooing their youngest while Chaeyoung is happily flapping around with her squishy toy whale and octopus.

 

Wait… she’s missing one fluffball.

 

“Where’s Jisoo?” Was the first thing Irene asked.

 

“Mama! Look squishy!” Chaeyoung announced while hugging her toy whale.

 

“Morning princess,” Irene walks closer and kisses those chubby cheeks. “Where’s your unnie?”

 

There was really no point in setting your alarm clock when you have a daughter like Jisoo. Their eldest wakes up during ungodly hours just to pitter patter around their room. If they’re lucky, Jisoo would just crawl into bed with them and sleep, but if not, she’ll turn on the TV, watching Disney Junior or Noggin in full blast or turn their bed into a trampoline.

 

“She looks tired so I ummm…” Wendy’s voice trailed into a whisper. “kinda let her sleep a bit.”

 

Irene shot Wendy a glare so cold, Wendy swore the bath water froze like a damn scene from Frozen when Elsa went bat crazy.

 

“Seriously?”

 

“What?”

 

Irene narrowed her eyes and her wife quickly turned her focus on their baby girl. Irene knows that Wendy perfectly knows what fifteen minutes of delay could do to their morning schedule. It’s nothing short of mad chaos. Waking them up, getting them bathe, breakfast and the drive to school, it sounds easy but not when you have to deal with a five and three year old. Wendy is just asking for trouble and Irene is hell bent on making sure Wendy gets it.

 

“So, you didn’t wake her up?”

 

“She was tired.”

 

“Tired of what? She’s five.”

 

“Fine. Fine.” Wendy sighs in defeat. “Let me go and-“

 

“Nope, I’ll take care of it.”

 

“Okay. Thank you!” Wendy calls out as Irene already walks out of the restroom.

 

*

 

Irene loves her wife and kids with everything she got and doesn’t have, but this softness that Wendy is prone every once in a while always results in mad chaos. And on more than one occasion, it’s always her who must play the bad cop to get everyone back on track.

 

But her stern expression changed as soon as she sees the faraway look in Jisoo’s eyes.

 

“Jisoo?”

 

Jisoo just answers her with a blink before nuzzling her face deeper into her pillow. This wasn’t the Jisoo who pretends to sleep just to avoid going to school. There’s something wrong with their baby.

 

“What’s wrong?” Irene whispers as she sits down on her daughter’s bed. She didn’t even get a chance to touch Jisoo’s forehead, but she already felt the heat radiating from her. “Come here…” Irene lifted her baby out of bed with Jisoo just laying her head on her mommy’s shoulder.

 

“Chichoo just wants to sleep,” Jisoo croaks out before she snuggles deeper into her mommy’s embrace.

 

“I’m sorry, love.” Irene cradled Jisoo in her arms. The initial morning bicker with her wife flies out the window as she holds Jisoo. It was rare for their eldest to be so sweet and tender, rubbing her face before nuzzling in her mommy’s shoulders.

 

And even if Irene cherishes this sweet moment, in the end, she would rather have her rambunctious baby back.

 

*

 

“Jisoo has the fever.”

 

“Wait what?”

 

Wendy could put Spiderman to shame by how far she leaped from their breakfast table all way to the kitchen counter where Irene and Jisoo are. Jisoo, who is never much about affection lays her head on her wife’s shoulder.

 

“Omo! Poor baby… I can’t believe I didn’t even realize that. Let me just call Dr. Park to set an appointment for today- Hold on…”

 

Anyone would think that being a parent to two little girls for five years have calmed Wendy down, though she’s not as gung-ho as she was during the first few years, just hearing one of her babies getting sick is enough to summon the superwoman out of her.

 

“Wendy…”

 

“What?” Wendy asked while doing a balancing act of calling on her phone and digging through their medicine cabinet for a Kids Tylenol. “Did you take her temp? What is it?”

 

“It’s around a 100.”

 

“A hundred?!”

 

From Wendy’s expression, it looks like she’ll end up in the ER, rather than their daughter.

 

“She’s going to be okay. I’ll keep her at home.”

 

“It’s better to be safe than sorry, Irene. I read articles about the flu this year. Don’t you know that-“

 

This is another stark difference between her and her wife. Her parents’ mantra has always been “What doesn’t kill you make you stronger,” and if you’re not dead, then there is no reason for you not to go to school. Her wife is another case; she could already imagine it, her in-laws taking Wendy to the doctor the second she sneezes. It must be a Canadian thing.

 

“I’ll stay here with her for today, okay? If her fever doesn’t go down, then I’ll take her to the doctor.”

 

“But-“

 

“It’s okay, Wen.”

 

Chaeyoung blinks curiously as those words chug inside her mind, and when it dawned on her that her unnie gets to stay home, she had to devise a plan quickly.

 

“I’m sick too,” Chaeyoung says while fake coughing, which sounds more like she’s about to throw up her lungs. Wendy and Irene exchanged amused looks trying not to break out of character from their dramatic baby.

 

“Oh no, Wen, Chaeyoungie is sick too,” Irene says dramatically.

 

“Yeah, I could take her to Dr. Park right now so she could get some shots.”

 

Chaeyoung’s gasp was just as dramatic as it was cute. Her reaction was enough to make her parents gushed deep inside at their adorable angel.

 

“No…no… I feel better now.”

 

“Are you sure?” Wendy raised a brow and Chaeyoung nods her cute little head off.

 

“Very sure.”

 

“Okay, just want to make sure,” Irene says before exchanging a triumphant gaze at her wife. They need to enjoy this little moment of victories before their kids are smart enough to figure them out.

 

“It’s this weather,” Wendy lets out a dramatic sigh, and it’s not hard to tell where Chaeyoung got the theatrics from. “That’s why you big girl,” Wendy turns to their youngest who looks at her with those bright brown eyes. “You need to eat all your breakfast so that you could grow big and strong.” Wendy continues while spoonfeeding Chaeyoung the last scoops of her cereals.

 

Wendy walks over to her eldest and presses a soft kiss on Jisoo’s forehead before softly whispering, “Mommy will be thinking of you all day. Do you want something when I come back?”

 

“Jikin…” Jisoo said without any hesitation.

 

“Okay… I’ll get some chicken soup…”

 

“No… Fried chicken…”

 

“Babe, that’s too much gre-“

 

“Yes, mommy is gonna get you some fried chicken.” Irene interrupted before cutting a gaze towards Wendy’s direction.

 

“Fine. We can have chicken for dinner. I love you, get better, okay, buddy?” Wendy kisses Jisoo once again before turning to her youngest. “And our baby princess needs to go to school.”

 

“Ohhhhh…”

 

“Chaeyoung, listen to mama.”

 

Chaeyoung sits in full attention at her mama’s command. Although she’s their little princess, Chaeyoung still knows perfectly not to mess with her mommy Irene.

 

“You’re going to be four soon, so I don’t want you having anymore of your pee pee accidents, okay?” Irene’s voice was firm and without hesitation, and it was enough to strike a sense of dread even if it’s someone as fluffy as Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung has been coming home with accidents for almost a week, and while Wendy is more forgiving of their baby, Irene isn’t.

 

“No accidents.” Chaeyoung could barely croak out.

 

“You’re not a baby anymore, do I need to put you back in pull ups?” When Irene threatens someone, she threats them hard. She avoids Wendy’s gaze knowing her wife is probably on the brink of tears, as she gets tough on their baby. It kills Irene too, but someone needs to play the bad cop.

 

“No,” Chaeyoung shakes her head, her lips jutting in a cute pout. Those brown eyes are starting to glisten with tears, as she tries hard to prove it. “I’m a big girl.”

 

But while Irene had a drill sergeant mentality to raising the girls, here comes Wendy with her Mary Poppins motherhood, getting down on one knee to gaze tenderly into Chaeyoung’s eyes before saying,

 

“Okay, you’re a big girl now, right?”

 

“Right…”

 

“So, no accidents and if you need to go to the potty, you have to tell Ms. Ji.”

 

“I…I will.”

 

“Okay, if you have an accident, I’ll be sad so no accidents, promise?”

 

Chaeyoung pouts but tries her best to say it out loud.

 

“I promise.”

 

*

 

“Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww…”

 

A collective sigh could be heard from the nurse’s office to the front gates of West Chester Academy, as Seulgi walks in the nurse’s clinic and swoops her baby girl in her arms, before pressing a loving kiss on her little’s girl’s hair.

 

“It’s okay, mommy’s here,” Seulgi whispers in Jennie’s ear.

 

Another audible lovesick sigh is loud enough even for the people in the back.

 

But it wasn’t just Seulgi’s attractiveness or the loving way she holds on to her little girl, but it was the vulnerability in those almond eyes that just have these teacher’s heart in a frenzy. If anyone would want to picture how heartbreak would look like, it’s drawn all over Seulgi’s face. Those eyes that wish so badly that she could take away the pain from her daughter, the gentle hums hoping to comfort Jennie even in just little measures.

 

And as someone who just watches from afar, basking in this sweetness, all these people wished to be that other special one that Seulgi might be begging for.

 

Jennie just answers with a soft mumble before burying her face in her mommy’s shoulder.

 

“Are we going home?”

 

“Yes, love…”

 

“Ms. Kang…”

 

Seulgi who was too occupied with pampering on her baby, forgot that she’s in the room with the school nurse.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry. Thank you so much for taking care of my baby.”

 

“Oh.” The blush rises on the cheeks of the school nurse. “Of course, of course. She’s such a sweet girl, she’s so lucky to have a mom like you.”

 

“I try my best.”

 

Jennie might have a 102 fever, but she’s not that sick not to send a warning look at the nurse. But the nurse is already too far gone and must have finally caught the flu, as her delusions send her to some far off land with this gorgeous mom whose eyes could only look at her little girl.

*

 

“And she was like, it’s okay baby, mommy is here.”

 

The entire faculty break room of West Chester elementary squealed like high school teen girls as Nurse Park gushes every sappy, squeal worthy detail about her mom in shining armor.

 

“Seulgi-shii is just unbelievable. Beautiful and hot and super sweet, she has a kid, but you know what? I don’t mind at all being a stepmom if I get that.”

 

Not one person in the room disagrees.

 

“Well, Jennie is a very sweet girl.”

 

Everyone turns around to the Kindergarten teacher, who took away her attention from her unhealthy diet of Mcdonalds cheeseburger and fries. If there is one thing that Eunae couldn’t wrap her head around, it’s her co-workers who see Jennie as a burden to dating Seulgi. For Eunae, the best thing about Seulgi is how much she loves Jennie and seeing how devoted Jennie is to her mom, clearly shows that Seulgi is doing a great job.

 

“She’s just very cautious around people around her mom. And if you think about it, it’s just the two of them so she could get very protective of Seu- Ms. Kang.”

 

“Well, make that three because I’m gonna go for it.” Nurse Park proudly announced as if daring other teachers. “New year, new me… so, I’m gonna go take the risk and ask her out. Next week, I’ll go over her and asked if for something casual at first like maybe coffee.”

 

All the teachers turned to each other in an expression of both awe and she’s-mothering-drinking-all-the-cough-syrups-to-be-this-high look.

 

“Ohhhhhh…”

 

“Good luck, Ms. Kim isn’t going to back down.”

 

“But hey I think Jennie likes me more than Ms. Kim.” Nurse Park said that made the other teachers believe that yup, this girl is high as .

 

“Eunae-“

 

Eunae turns away from her phone and blinks curiously.

 

“What do you think? You see Ms. Kang more than us, who do you think has a much bigger chance? Me or Ms. Kim?”

 

The Kindergarten teacher hopes her smile doesn’t give it away. Although she should be jealous of all this fawning over the girl she’s getting very close with. If these teachers only knew who she was texting with that moment, she’ll probably won’t make it out of her lunch break alive.

 

“I’m not sure.”

 

“Really? C’mon…”

 

“I think right now the only thing that matters to Seu- Ms. Kang is Jennie.”

 

“I think I could make a good stepmom, what do girls like nowadays? My little pony?”

 

The rest of the faculty just snickers in response, enjoying to see how this crazy love triangle would play out.

 

If they only knew…

 

*

Jennie wakes up with a fuzzy feeling in her head and a wrapped in the world’s best embrace. She wiggles around in her mommy’s embrace, stirring her mom awake.

 

“Baby?” Seulgi whispers, trying to fight her drowsiness. But instantly wakes up when she remembers why they’re at home napping than at school. “Let me see?”

 

A sense of relief washed over Seulgi as she doesn’t feel Jennie’s body on fire like it was this morning. It completely blew her away how a body this little could feel like it was set on fire. Jennie is pretty much a healthy kid, but they get these bouts of fever maybe twice a year. But until now, Seulgi will never get used to it. It’s a day where Seulgi is up for 24 hours when she goes into high alert at just the stir or a groan from Jennie, and she’ll be checking her temperature, feeling her forehead, but no matter what she does, she still feels so hopeless.

 

Seulgi called Wendy, wondering how to bring the fever down. Seulgi realized a couple of seconds too late that it was a terrible idea, seeing how Wendy sounded like she’s about to have a panic attack.

 

Jennie nods weakly, cupping her mom’s cheeks. “Are you crying?”

 

“No,” Seulgi nuzzles deeper in her daughter’s embrace. “I just don’t like to see my baby sick.”

 

“There there…” Jennie reassures her mom with a pat on her head. “I’m okay now, mommy.”

 

“By the way, I have a surprise for you.”

 

“A puppy?”

 

“No… no… not yet, remember we can’t have a puppy until we have our own house.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Seulgi giggles at her daughter’s cute pout before kissing those cheeks. “C’mon.”

 

Seulgi got off the bed first, before lifting Jennie in her arms leading her little girl to their living room.

 

“YOU MADE A FORT!” Jennie scrambles from her mom’s hug before scurrying over to the pillow and cushion fort that her mom lovingly made for her.

 

Jennie has been into pillow fort making this week after seeing one in her favorite show. Seulgi would be in the kitchen getting dinner ready when Jennie would flip their living room upside down, using their cushions and their pillows and even their blanket have to be sacrificed to make the fort.

 

Jennie’s fort would last as long as four hours before it would collapse in a heap of fluffy pillows and cushions.

 

After Seulgi gave Jennie her medicine and pat her daughter to sleep, she went into the living room, consulting Pinterest in the process on how to make the prettiest and at the same time steadiest pillow fort out there.

 

Judging from the shock expression in Jennie’s face (which is rarer than the blood moon), her baby love is so happy with HER fort that looks like it isn't going to collapse when she crawls inside it.

 

Jennie has no problems settling in, curling in the soft pillows ready to drift back to nap again, when she hears someone.

 

“Knock Knock.”

 

The four year old raises her head and sees her mommy’s smiling face crouched by the front of her Fort.

 

“Can I come in?”

 

“Yes, it’s our pillow fort.” Seulgi crawled inside the pillow fort and didn’t waste a second in swaying Jennie in her arms. “I really like it.”

 

“I’m glad you like it. This is our secret place.”

 

Jennie turns to her mom, and even with those exhausted eyes, Seulgi could still see it gleaming.

 

“Only you and me can go inside.”

 

“Just us? What about when other people come over to visit?”

 

“Well, maybe Aunt Joy and Aunt Wendy and Aunt Irene, but nooo Aunt Yeri.”

 

“No, aunt Yeri. Got it.”

 

“If Jisoo is nice she could come, Chaeyoungie is cute, so she could come in, I don’t know about Lisa.”

 

“That’s a lot of people, you think they can all fit?”

 

“They’re not going to go in the same time, silly.” Jennie lectured her mom, who answers her with a giggle. “Mommy?”

 

“Hmmm?”

 

Jennie turns to face her, those pretty eyes filled with worry, “Ms. Choi told me that Ms. Kim is going to be my second mommy.”

 

“What? No… No of course not. I’m your only mommy.” Seulgi kisses Jennie on her forehead, hoping to reassure her little girl.

 

“Ms. Kim is going to take you away.”

 

“No. she won’t, nobody in this world would.”

 

“If it’s Ms. Jo, I’m okay.”

The mention of her kindergarten teacher’s name made Seulgi raise her head in surprise.

 

“What? Ms. Jo?”

 

“She’s so nice, even to Bobby. And Bobby is very bad.”

 

“Hey, what did I tell you about talking about other people?” Seulgi warns her girl in a semi stern voice.

 

“But it’s true! He throws fits a lot. Yesterday he colored all over the table and Ms. Jo had to clean it up.”

 

Seulgi knew she shouldn’t be smiling at the expense of the pretty girl that holds her attention, but somehow she was grinning so wide at the thought of Eunae in her teacher mode.

 

“Ms. Jo really works hard for you guys.”

 

“Does she give you jelly knees?”

 

Seulgi lifts her head up, blinking in confusion.

 

“Jelly knees?”

 

“Jisoo said it. She said her mommy Wendy always say that her mommy Irene always give her jelly knees.”

 

Seulgi eyes disappeared into those crescents smiles that snatched hearts. If only the girl responsible for this could just see it now.

 

But out of all the descriptions and mixed emotions that she has been feeling for her daughter’s kindergarten teacher, it’s quite funny that it could all be summed up into two words that her little girl just thought of, Jelly knees.

But no words felt more right than that cheesy description.

 

“Yes. I do get jelly knees with her.”

 

Jennie who is still drugged up from her medicines lightens up at the thought that her mommy is going to end up with her second most favorite person in the world.

 

“Are you going to tell her?”

 

“Ahhhhhhh… not right now, baby.”

 

“But when?”

 

“When the time is right.”

 

“Soon?”

 

“Soon.”

 

*

 

There are different ways that a mom shows her affection with her child.

 

Some do it through hugs and kisses; some does it through declarations of I love you, and you’re doing great, sweetie. And others… they do it through firm discipline.

 

But with Wendy, all she has to do is look at her little girls, and nothing says I love you louder than the way her eyes gleam. She was standing on the side of her youngest’s classroom window, careful that Chaeyoung doesn’t see her as she sneaks a picture of her little girl bouncing happily on those chubby legs as she tries to catch bubbles.

She looked closely and realized that Chaeyoung isn’t wearing the plaid school uniform that she send her daughter to school today. When it dawned on Wendy that Chaeyoung was now wearing pinstriped shorts, Wendy had to sigh in disappointment because from the looks of it, Chaeyoung had an accident again.

 

“Chaeyoung! Look who is here?”

 

Wendy greets Chaeyoung’s teacher with a warm smile before turning to her little girl.

 

“What happened?”

 

The response she got from her little one is those teary eyes and quivering lips.

 

“I peepee on myself.” Chaeyoung whimpers to her mommy. Lisa who was playing with Chaeyoung couldn’t help but have a confusing mix of feelings.

 

Lisa turned back to her bestfriend then to Wendy, then back again at Chaeyoung before the scrawny little girl breaks down in ugly tears.

 

“Lisa… what’s wrong?”

 

“Chaeyoung is sad, so I’m sad!”

 

“It’s okay, girls.” Chaeyoung’s teacher tenderly explained to the heaving little girl. “It was during nap time.”

 

Wendy scooped her daughter in her arms while taking her bag of wet clothes with one hand and wiping away those tears with another.

 

“It’s okay, baby…”

 

Chaeyoung looks up at her mom, those brown eyes glistening with tears.

 

“I’m so sad.”

 

“Why?” Wendy pressed another kiss those cheeks.

 

“I’m sad because I made you sad.”

 

“What? No… no…no… that’s not true, because guess what?”

 

Chaeyoung looks up at her mommy with those fluttering brown eyes.

 

“I love you.”

 

“Even if I peepee on myself?”

 

“Of course! You’re still mommy’s baby Chaeyoungie… and I love you.” She nuzzles Chaeyoung’s forehead. And now the teary face suddenly glowed into that squishy smile.

 

“Is mama going to be mad at me?”

 

“She’s gonna be sad bu-“

 

“Oh no…”

 

“It’s okay, mama loves you too much too.”

 

And this is the kind of world that Chaeyoung lives in, where all she knows is love at its purest form. Love is when her mommies don’t get sad even if she had an accident again. Love is when her mama Irene stays home with her Chichoo unnie. Love is when her mommy make sure she eats so she’s big and strong.

 

For a three years old, that’s the definition of love…

 

And there are no other people who taught her that better than her own mommy.

 

*

 

 

“I got a puppy!”

 

Chaeyoung happily announces as soon as she walks into their kitchen clutching to what looked like one of those snapping dog games than an adorable stuffed puppy. Irene looks away from the dining table, and her gaze turned into daggers at her wife as she sees the shorts that her daughter is wearing.

 

“You bought her a toy?”

 

“Well, her and Jisoo.” Wendy whimpers through it all before smiling at her eldest. “How are you doing big girl?”

 

“Chichoo is better.”

 

“She’s feeling much better now. She took a nap and when she wakes up, she’s doing okay. But you… Put her on the floor, she can stand.” Irene snaps in that low tone that send goosebumps (not the good kind) all over Wendy.

 

Jisoo might still be nursing a fever, but the savagery never dies.

 

“Oooohhhh… Chaeyoungie is going to get it.”

 

The mother and daughter fluffball team looks at each other before Wendy puts Chaeyoung on the floor. Irene bends down, stilling her heart in the process as she sees Chaeyoung let out a whimper.

 

“What happened?”

 

“I was sleeping and I pee pee on myself, I didn’t know!” Chaeyoung defended herself. “I’m sowee…”

 

And that cute apology and lack of “r” is enough for Irene to back down.

 

“Okay, but no more, you’re going to be four soon. You can’t go to Kindergarten if you keep having accidents.”

 

“Sowee”

 

“Mommy Wendy got you a toy puppy?”

 

“Yes!” Chaeyoung beams before giving her bulldog a hug and pressing it to her mommy’s Irene’s cheek. “Puppy gives you kisses!”

 

Irene didn’t bother to look up at her wife, as she could already picture the eating grin on her face.

 

*

 

“Still mad?”

 

Irene just rolls her eyes at her wife and kept on flipping the magazine so hard, Wendy swears it’s gonna rip.

 

“I guess you still are.” Wendy offers Irene a peace offering. A steaming chocolatey goodness in a mug oozing with whipped cream and marshmallows. But since Irene seems to be more interested in flipping the magazine, Wendy just settles the hot chocolate in their bedside desk.

 

After what felt like forever…

 

“How do expect Chaeyoung to learn, if you’re spoiling her like that?”

 

Oh she speaks…

 

“She’s a baby, Irene.”

 

“No. She’s not.”

 

Wendy tried her best not to let out a snort, Irene says this but the moment she sees those chubby cheeks and huge brown eyes, Irene’s eyes turns into those cartoonish hearts.

 

“You should have seen her face when I picked her up today, babe. She looks so… I don’t know… disappointed in herself.”

 

“Because she’s not a big girl anymore?”

 

“No. because she said she made me sad.”

 

Irene tried to still her expression for a couple of seconds but turned away defeated. And judging by Irene’s face, it’s clear to see that Wendy wins this argument. As much as Wendy would have love to rub this win all over Irene’s competitive face, she knows better than to hold it in.

 

But their little moment was interrupted as they heard their fluffy babies arguing.

 

*

 

Wendy was about to play referee, but Irene stops her, her wife’s face filled with an amusement as she watch their little girls deep in an argument. And to add more cuteness to it, the two are in their matching unicorn onesies.

 

“NO MY PUPPY!” Chaeyoung airs out in her cute voice, while she has her new toy in a makeshift leash out of her shoelace.

 

“SHAWE! SHAWE CHAEYOUNGIE!” Jisoo tries to sound intimidating, but her lack of “r’s” just made her oddly cute.

 

“No…” Chaeyoung shakes her head, both Irene and Wendy scoffs in pride. Their baby who used to just surrenders to whatever her unnie says is now learning to fight back, even if it’s through cute whimpers. “My puppy, not unnie’s.”

 

“SHAWE!”

 

“NO!”

 

“SHAWE BABY CHAEYOUNGIE!”

 

“No!”

 

Then Jisoo being Jisoo let her genius take over as she coughs on the toy dog before saying,

 

“Oh Chichoo cough on it. It got gewms now.”

 

“Okay! Okay that’s enough.” Irene intervenes, taking away the puppy from her arguing kids. “My puppy now.”

 

The two looked at each other, both in the brink of tears as they watch the puppy being taken away.

 

“Okay, time for bed you two.” Wendy steps in before their girls starts breaking into tears, the last thing they need is two little girls throwing at fight at night.

 

*

 

“Hi…”

 

“Hey! Oh my God, I’m a mess right now.” Seulgi tries fixing the loose hair off her messy bun, straightening up her sweats which probably has snot or germs from her sick daughter. It’s no use for Eunae she still looks divine.

 

“How is she doing?” Eunae walks in to the tiny apartment and instantly smile as she sees the pillow fort standing tall in the middle of the living room.

 

“Her fever is just going up and down all day. I’m just so glad her fever went down right now.”

 

“Okay, I brought her some orange juice and soup to make her feel better. And I got you dinner.”

 

“You shouldn’t have.” Seulgi admits while trying to nurse her blushing cheeks. “I ummm… I just got her to sleep right now.”

 

“Ohhh, did you make the pillow fort?”

 

“Yes. C’mon…” Seulgi crawls in first before tugging Eunae along with her. It was everything Eunae would expect from a pillow fort from Seulgi, cozy, full of warmth and feels like home.

“You look quite comfortable there.”

 

“I am. You did a great job with the pillow fort.”

 

“Thanks for coming by tonight.”

 

Eunae answers Seulgi with a soft smile, before turning back to the ceiling.

 

“You know they were talking about you in school today.”

 

“Hmmm? Who?”

 

“Other teachers.”

 

“Oh really?” Seulgi’s brow quirk in interest. “About what?”

 

“Want to guess?”

 

“I’m such a good mom?”

 

“Well that and they are ready to be Jennie’s stepmom just say the word.”

 

“Oh, I guess…”

 

“You can pretty much take any pick of the West Chester faculty members.”

 

Seulgi smiles before asking, “Anyone?”

 

Eunae turns away, trying and failing miserably to hide her blush. “Yes, anyone.”

 

“Okay,” Seulgi softly nods before turning around to look at Eunae. “You said anyone, right?”

 

Eunae couldn’t even maintain her gaze, looking up at the striped pink and purple blanket masquerading as the ceiling for the pillow fort. “Anyone.”

 

“I can’t afford a girlfriend right now.”

 

Eunae thought her heart would break from the confession, but instead she smiles softly because just the thought that her heart allowed her to feel this much after getting her broken is more than enough. She is going to walk in this relationship expecting nothing from Seulgi and yet she’s still going to be at her happiest. She is slowly falling for her, but even if Seulgi is not ready right now, she is willing to wait.

 

“Whenever I hear Wendy and Irene unnie, talking about how Jisoo and Chaeyoung go to all this extra curricular activities, swimming, and kumon and ballet class. I think to myself am I really doing a good job raising Jennie? I sent her to this school which I could barely afford, and I try to get her the best toys and books? But other than that…”

 

“Jennie is an amazing kid, Seulgi-shii. And that’s because she has you as her mom.”

 

“You always know the right things to say.”

 

“I try.”

 

Eunae does. Always trying hard for Seulgi and Jennie.

 

Seulgi moves in closer, feeling the warmth of Eunae radiating through her skin as their bodies takes over space and air.

 

“I’ll make a terrible lover though.” Seulgi said in a heartbreaking tone. She wanted this. She wanted Eunae and her. But she also knew that Eunae deserves better. Someone who takes her out on dates and text her quicker than after twenty minutes. Someone who would put her first.

 

Eunae lays her lips on Seulgi’s hair. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

 

Seulgi looks up, her hopelessness that she had earlier now turned into something else.

 

“Jennie is my everything.”

 

“And I’ll love you for that, and I’ll love Jennie as much as you do.”

 

“Eunae?”

 

Eunae presses her lips on Seulgi’s forehead, “Let me take care of you.”

 

Seulgi finally looks up, their gaze locked in each other before Seulgi finally let goes of every apprehension and fear of being with someone once again. Their lips softly brushing against each other, just enough to send shivers through their spine. Seulgi tried to figure out why this kiss, so soft and so sweet could feel so different, from the ones she has before? But as their kisses linger, Seulgi knows better now that sometimes you just have to let your heart dictate your actions, even just for once.

 

Eunae pulls away from their kiss first, resting her lips on Seulgi’s hair, before her hand does lazy circles on Seulgi’s back.

 

“Don’t do that.” Seulgi mumbles sleepily as she snuggles closely to Eunae. “Or I’m going to fall asleep.”

 

“Then go to sleep.”

 

“I can’t. Jennie might need me and it’s hard for me to wake up.”

 

“I’ll take care of her.” Eunae smiles reassuringly. “Go sleep, I’m here now.”

 

And Eunae’s confession worth more than any I love you’s in the world. To know that she doesn’t have to be alone anymore, that there is someone she could hold now when things fall apart.

 

Seulgi pulls closer, pressing a soft kiss in both love and thanks on Eunae’s lips.

 

“I’ll sleep for a little bit. Just a little bit.”

 

“You can rest as much you want,” Seulgi felt warm lips on her forehead again, and the last words that she heard before falling asleep was,

 

“I’m here now.”

 

*

 

“So, did Chaeyoung forgive me yet?”

 

Wendy gives her wife a smile before climbing into the spot next to her.

 

“Of course. She’s just sad that she can’t sleep with her puppy.”

 

“That dog look like it could bite your finger off.”

 

“You know, Chaeyoung she’s too fluffy. How was Jisoo doing all day?”

 

“She fell asleep after breakfast then when she wakes up, she’s back to her old self.”

 

“I just check on her earlier too. The meds must have work cause she’s like knock out. “Have you tried playing this game?”

 

“What?”

 

“This one. Chaeyoung’s new toy?” Wendy nudges Irene to join her as they look at the toy bulldog ready to bite their finger off. “C’mon…”

 

Irene cocked a suspicious brow at her wife before she sits up in bed. “Really?”

 

“C’mon… I’ll let you go first.” Wendy extends her arms out, offering the first turn to her wife. “C’mon babe, c’mon beautiful…”

 

She rolls her eyes, reaching out for the toy and Irene’s finger barely graze over the dog’s teeth when the dog’s jaw almost snapped her finger in two.

 

She could tell how much Wendy is holding her laughter in by her pursed lips and the way Wendy’s eyes dances as she holds it in.

 

Irene huffs, before having her wife tries again, and luckily didn’t get bit. Three more turns and yup, her finger getting snapped again.

 

“Yah!” Irene warns the toy dog. “You got something against me? You think it’s funny?”

 

Wendy swallows her lips, shaking her head. “Ummm nope.”

 

“Yah Son Seungwan!”

 

“What?”

 

The two gazes back at each other as they manage to keep their laughter in. Irene tucks her hand underneath her cheek and just stares back at her wife. Oftentimes, she wonders what is it about Wendy that is just so in love with. So, she tries to pick apart what Wendy is made of, of sweet smiles, and gentle gaze and that ever expressive brows and over and over again, Irene is left with a multitude of verbs, of hearts racing, of eyes glowing, and of knees melting into jelly.

 

“You drive me nuts, you know?” It was her version of for better or for worse, I would still love you.

 

“In a good way or bad way?”

 

“Both. It drives me nuts how you are too sweet to the girls. I mean I love it, but not when I’m trying to get on them.”

 

“You know I try, but… they’re my babies with you.”

 

“Yeah. I know.”

 

Their bed dipped when Irene scoots closer to where Wendy could breathe in her every word.

 

“It’s only going to get worse they say.”

 

“What is?” Wendy asked while her hand rested on her wife’s waist.

 

“When they turned into teenagers, them dating, they would be wearing shortest skirts and I’ll be sending them back to their room while you’ll be saying, it’s the trend nowadays. I’m gonna be that bad mom.”

 

“We can both be bad moms.” Wendy reassures her wife, tucking a loose hair behind Irene’s ear. “We could take turns.”

 

Irene highly doubts that.

 

“Really?”

 

“When they bring home their girlfriends or boyfriends. We will roast them together.”

 

“Sounds promising.”

 

“That’s going to be fifteen years from now. So, before we worry about that. Let’s worry about now.”

 

“Like if our door is locked?”

 

A smile that can either be seductive or loving or a mix of both graces Wendy’s lips, and they’re back at this moment again, where an influx of verbs takes over.

 

Where hearts race.

 

Where breaths hinge.

 

Where knees turned to jelly.

 

And where lips meld into one, before Wendy whispers.

 

“Exactly.”

 

TBC

 

Happy birthday to two of my most favorite kpop artists these days. #BelatedhappybdaySeulgi #Mayyourbodyrollscontinuetoslay #HappyBdayRose #Fluffiestofthemall. Wenrene's day is coming up and Wendy's birthday is right around the corner too. February has too many things to celebrate hehehe. 

 

Hope you guys enjoy the update and to more updates to come. 

 

Have an awesome day where you guys are. 

 

TBC