As Nayeon handed the needed cash to the taxi driver, she sighed deeply. The cab rides and train tickets she had spent on over the last three days and the medical bills summed up to her entire Christmas budget. Without it, she wouldn’t be able to afford any present for Sungjae, and yet, as she turned, reaching out for Sungjae's arm, standing in front of a modest house, she couldn’t bring herself to regret her decision.

The house was exactly what Nayeon had anticipated, simple but charming, Christmas lights twinkling along the roof top as a layer of snow covered the grass. There was an old beat up car in the driveway, tread tracks leading onto the street looking freshly done. Lights from inside the home shun through the windows, indicating a sign of life as Nayeon pulled Sungjae along her side, up the driveway until she stood before the front door.

For a second, being here, in Jeongyeon’s hometown, on her parent’s doorstep felt like a horrible idea but Sungjae obviously had a different opinion. Smiling brightly, the boy raised his bandaged hand, frowning to himself before turning sideways, knocking on the door with his elbow.

“Sungjae” warned Nayeon kneeling down to lift the boy into her arms, tapping his nose in reprimand. “We don’t knock like that, it’s rude.”

“Sorry,” mumbled the boy, looking everything but apologetic. “I wanna see Yeoni”

Before Nayeon could answer, the door opened, revealing a woman with a soft, tired smile, something elegantly motherish about her stance. “Hello,” she said, her voice almost melodic as her eyes fell on Nayeon and Sungjae, her grin widening knowingly. “How can I help you two?”

“I’m sorry to disturb you Ma’am,” started Nayeon, her heart beating furiously as she tightened her hold around Sungjae's waist. “I’m looking for Yoo Jeongyeon.”

“You must be Nayeon,” she breathed, eyes shining with unshed tears as a hand came to cover , a quiet sigh clouding the frigid winter air. “And that must be Sungjae, Oh god please come in. I’m Hyomin, Jeongyeon's mother.”

Stepping aside, the woman escorted Nayeon in, pushing a bulky suitcase out of the way.

“I don’t mean to bother you,” Nayeon said, feeling out of place but a comforting hand was soon wrapped around her bicep, interrupting her.

“You’re not,” replied Hyomin, a wobbly smile on her face. “You’re family.”

Forcing a smile, Nayeon swallowed around the lump in , watching attentively as Sungjae  stretched out his hand that wasn't  bandaged to shake Hyomin’s own delicate one.

“Where’s my Jeongyeon?” asked the boy, and the woman only laughed in response, a genuine chuckle that almost seem misplaced on her tired features.

“She’s at the hospital,” Hyomin said, her body language suddenly tight as she reached for her winter coat, slipping into it. “Chaeyoung called, told me that you’d be on your way. I figured I should come home, pack some things for Changjoon until you arrived. Jeongyeon will be so happy to see you.”

“Does she know?” Nayeon questioned, following the woman without question when she opened the front door again, dragging the luggage behind her. She allowed Nayeon out before locking the door, indicating for Sungjae and her to get in the car with her.

“She doesn’t,” sighed Hyomin, starting the car swiftly when Sungjae was sitting safely at the back, Nayeon sitting up front by her side. “My daughter is a stubborn mule and whatever happened between you two, she refused to say. I assumed it wasn’t my place to announce your arrival if Chaeyoung called me, rather than Jeongyeon.”

Unable to answer, Nayeon found herself silent as she watched the late afternoon sun disappear into the night, the last sun rays reflecting brightly along the snow.

“Is your husband ok?” she inquired after a minute, realizing that through her own selfish worry she’d forgotten the fact that this woman was going through something just as emotionally draining as she was.

With a chuckle, Hyomin nodded, pulling onto the highway as Sungjae started babbling to himself. “Changjoon is a stubborn man, that's where my daughter's get it from” she explained, her face filled with loving admiration. “It’s not a heart attack that will bring him down.”

“I’m glad to hear,” Nayeon said honestly. Even if she didn’t know this woman, didn’t know her husband, Nayeon found herself wanting nothing but the best for them. She could see Jeongyeon's genuine happiness in the woman’s laugh, the way she smiled and her eyes crinkled at the side, almost a mirror image of her daughter.

“Jeongyeon's a little broken over the incident,” Hyomin explained as they pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. “They're are pretty close, but I have a feeling she missed you.”

There were so many things that went through Nayeon's mind at the admission, her usual eloquent tongue rendered silent at the woman’s worried words.

“We missed her too,” Sungjae lamented from the backseat, voice bare and vulnerable as Nayeon turned around to look at her son. “Can we go see her now?”

“Of course,” responded Hyomin, cutting the engine of the car. She seemed so accepting of the situation, welcoming Nayeon into her home, into her life that was obviously chaotic at the moment without missing a step. She knew she should feel out of place and yet she felt as though she belonged, as though she and her son had found their place.

Quickly Nayeon undid her own seat belt, helping Sungjae out of the car before following the woman inside. But Sungjae was too restless to stay in Nayeon’s arms, preferring to walk rapidly by Hyomin’s side, his clunky winter boots making a cacophonic sound as the boy trudged through the hospital.

Before Nayeon could tell the boy to slow down, he started to run as fast as he could, arms flailing wildly as he called Jeongyeon’s name.

Nayeon’s eyes caught up with the little boy just in time to see him jump into a woman’s arm, being swept up easily into a loving embrace. Nayeon recognized Jeongyeon easily enough, the curve of the woman’s body imprinted in her memory.

What hurt most at the sight before Nayeon however was the look on Jeongyeon’s face, pure and utter relief as she cried into the boy’s neck, whispering Sungjae's name over and over again, just as Sungjae had done for her two days ago.

And then something seemed to click in Jeongyeon's head as she opened her eyes, looking over Sungjae's shoulder where Nayeon stood alone, Hyomin having discreetly made her way into her husband’s hospital room. The woman’s face hardened instantly, making Nayeon wince as Jeongyeon kissed the side of Sungjae's head, depositing the boy back on solid ground.

“Go see your mom,” Jeongyeon said quietly, giving Sungjae a slightly push in Nayeon’s direction but the boy didn’t move an inch.

In fact, Sungjae looked up at Jeongyeon with a confused look on his face, trembling lip caught between his teeth as if saying but you’re my Mom, that’s my Mommy.

It was all too much for Nayeon to handle, the look of guilt on Jeongyeon’s face as she kept staring at Sungjae's bandaged hand, and Sungjae's look of utter turmoil at Jeongyeon’s rejecting. Stepping forward, breaking the distance between them in a few seconds, Nayeon wrapped her arms around Sungjae's waist, settling the boy on his hip before facing Jeongyeon.

“I owe you an apology,” whispered Nayeon, gaze falling to the cold floor. Hes inability to face her own mistakes had always been a flaw she's had. “I should have listened to you, known you had a good reason to miss out on something you promised Sungjae.”

“Nayeon stop,” interrupted Jeongyeon. bringing the woman’s attention up to her face, voice stern and commanding.

Jeongyeon looked as though she was struggling with her words though, swallowing loudly as she stepped forward into Nayeon’s space, crowding her. Placing her finger under Nayeon’s chin, she her lips.

“I never meant for this to happen,” exhaled Jeongyeon eyes falling on Sungjae's hands but the small boy’s grin only widened at the attention, tiny palm settling on Jeongyeon's cheek.

“I know,” replied Nayeon as she watched Sungjae kiss Jeongyeon’s face before settling his head against the woman’s shoulder, yet still wrapped in Nayeon’s arms. “I knew that then too, I just..”

“You needed to protect your son,” completed Jeongyeon with a nod. “I understand.”

Dipping her head in agreement, Nayeon tried to rub the tears out of her eyes, puffing in frustration when they fell down her face anyways. Jeongyeon’s fingers swept the wetness away immediately, plush lips coming to settle on Nayeon’s dry chapped ones. It wasn’t much of a kiss, more of a broken promise; a comforting touch expressing both their utter most vulnerability.

“I love you too,” whispered Jeongyeon  as she pulled away, forehead pressed to Nayeon's. “Do you want to meet my dad?”

“Are you sure?”Nayeon asked, her tone just as quiet as Sungjae's weight shifted in her arms, the boy reaching out for Jeongyeon.

Letting go of Sungjae to allow Jeongyeon to take him was the easiest thing Nayeon ever did in her life, trusting the woman completely as Sungjae sighed contently.

Intertwining their fingers, the warm press of Nayeon's hand in her own, Jeongyeon grinned widely, a deep contrast to the tired look etched into her  face before she pulled Nayeon down the corridor.

“How embarrassing was my mom?” Jeongyeon asked, making a grimace at the thought. “Did she break out the baby pictures yet?”

“Not yet,” chuckled Nayeon leaning her head on Jeongyeon’s shoulder as they walked, trying desperately to forget the past few days.

“I’ll have to ask her later.”

Snorting, Jeongyeon turned the corner into a brightly lit room, fingers tightening around Nayeon’s as she uttered a she’ll be happy to oblige, before stopping in front of a room filled with people, all eyes turning on them.

“This is my family,” Jeongyeon said, gaze sweeping over the room where her mother sat next to her father, their hands clasped together. Both her sisters were huddled by the window, her oldest sister's husband in tow as they all smiled at Jeongyeon.

“This is my family,” echoed Sungjae, hand pressed over Jeongyeon’s heart, the boy’s eyes glued to Nayeon’s face.

“Bunny,” warned Nayeon, feeling the raw emotion in her own voice, but Jeongyeon shook her head, interrupting Nayeon.

“I’ll be whatever you let me be,” vowed Jeongyeon before her entire family, looking at Nayeon expectantly.

And Nayeon hated being put on the spot, hated when everyone’s attention was on her but in that moment she saw no one but Jeongyeon holding her son adoringly, giving herself over fully.

“I want you to be everything,” Nayeon whispered, pushing herself on the tip of her toes, pressing a gentle kiss to Jeongyeon’s lips.

The sound of someone holding back a sob was what brought her back to reality, turning to see Jeongyeon’s father crying silently.

“I’m sorry,” Nayeon started apologizing, releasing she was making a horrible first impression.

But Jeongyeon’s father only shook his head in response, an obvious distaste to Nayeon’s apology.

“Non-sense,” argued the man, fighting against the tears that strolled down his face, a wide smile appearing upon his mouth. “Just always wanted to see my Jeongyeon happy,” sighed the man, forcing down another sob.

“Always wanted to see her with her own kid, I wanted to have the time to get to know my grandson. I’ve always wanted a grandson ”

This time it was Jeongyeon's turn to warn her father with a carefully toned, Dad, but Nayeon placed her hand on Jeongyeon’s arm, accepting the older man’s words easily, as if she’d known that this family was where she was meant to be.

“I guess you’ll just have to get better so you can get to know him,” Nayeon replied confidently, her voice soft as she pushed Sungjae's fringe out of his eyes. “Say hello bunny.”

Suddenly shy, the boy hid his face into Jeongyeon's neck, mumbling a hello that every cooed at excitedly, making Nayeon’s heart shatter and melt all at the same time.
 

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The storm has passed, 2yeon and their little bunny have reunited and the family just got bigger. As always feedback is appreciated so lemme what y'all thought. Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter