In the next hour, Nabi is holding Jini’s hand as she carries the latter’s bag over her shoulder on the other side. She sees her mother standing by the end of the staircase, giving her a disapproving look. She ignores that and focuses her gaze on her little sister as she takes steps down, careful so that she doesn’t fall.

Jini chirps and calls her mother as soon as she notices her. She runs towards Heenam as she is welcomed with open arms. Nabi looks away at the interaction. That is something she never had. She always had thought that her mother is not capable of such things. She never experienced it after all or at the very least, she doesn’t remember experiencing any of it. But seeing how she is with Jini now, she realises she’s wrong. Unlike the way she is with her little sister, Heenam would stay mad and cold towards Nabi for days whenever she did something that the former wouldn’t approve off. She wasn’t forgiving, but seeing how it is the opposite case with her sister, she couldn’t help but wonder if her mother really loved her. If even there was a one time, or even a second when she was loved by Heenam.

Nabi doesn’t realise that their moment is done until Jini held her hand. She gives her a sister a smile before looking at her mother with a rather stony face. She nods her head acknowledging her before they leave.

Changho is standing behind and gives the young lady a bob with his head with a reassured smile. Nabi feels like she is trusted by him and she is really grateful about that. “Jini’s spare child seat is already in your car. Just buckle her up safely and it’s all good.”

“Thank you, Sir.” She says politely.

“No worries.” He returns and his gaze lands at his daughter, reminding her. “You behave, my little princess, okay? Don’t give Nabi a hard time.”

“Yes. I won’t give sister a hard time.” Jini assures, much to make her father proud. “I’m a good girl.”

“Yes, Daddy trusts you.”

“Don’t bother picking up Jini and dropping her off here tomorrow. I’ll get her straight from kindie.” Heenam drops, directing towards her eldest daughter.

Not having a bit of energy to argue again, Nabi curtly nods her head and obeys that without any word. Then, she looks down at her sister with a sincere and bright smile, “Let’s go?”

“Yes!” Jini chirps.

The older sister laughs a little and they start heading out the door. The little girl waves her small hand to her parents and wishes them a good night excitedly.

“Sister? Where are we going?” Jini asks as her sister buckles her up securely in her baby seat.

“Hm, going to my place won’t be that fun. Instead, we are going to my best-friend’s house and we’ll play there. She and her friend are excited to see you.”

“Okay!” The little girl easily complies, not having any issue with that at all. She doesn’t care about anything else as she just wants to spend time with her older sister.

Along the drive from their mother’s neighbourhood to Kina’s, she decides to stop at a dessert parlour to buy herself, Jini, Kina and Baekhyun some treats. With that, Nabi buys her sister a cup of ice cream and a set of three cake pops to eat on her own. While waiting for her order to be processed, they sit at a table. She is watching the little girl eat her ice cream when the young one looks up with her big and doe eyes.

“Do you need anything?” The older sister asks.

Jini shakes her head. “Can… Can I ask a question?”

Seeing the hesitance and slight nervousness in the young girl’s countenance, Nabi nods her head.

“W-Why are you not staying with us?” She asks innocently. “Daddy said we are a family and I saw that family stay together. But,” she pauses and then continues, “why are you not staying with us? You’re a family.”

Not foreseeing to be asked a question as such so soon, Nabi is flustered, the same time she feels her heart clench painfully. She realises how sensitive and smart Jini is as a little girl. She’s only three years old and though it isn’t long until she turns four, she is asking question kids at her age won’t even bother asking. Nabi can only think that the broken relationship she has with their mother is so apparent that for a really young girl like her sister can notice. She realises that if this keeps up, sooner or later, she will see just really how wrecked the relationship she has with their mother. However, seeing how much Jini loves Heenam, how much she respects and sees her to be a good, caring and loving mother, Nabi doesn’t want to ruin that image. She wants to preserve that for her sister’s sake.

Pressing her lips together as she takes a deep breath, she looks at the young girl and holds her hand. She attempts to explain, “That’s because Nabi is a big girl already. So, she is living on her own now.”

“But Chaehee’s older sister still stays with her. She’s a big girl too. Like you!” Jini points out.

Nabi finds herself helpless. She doesn’t know Chaehee or her older sister, but whoever they maybe, the former must be Jini’s friend. But that’s the least of her problems now. The only thing she’s worrying about is to answer the question: How? How does she explain to her sister that unlike her friend’s family, theirs isn’t the same? How can she explain that living with them is so suffocating despite its large area? How can she explain that unlike Heenam is with her, she was never the same with Nabi? How can she explain that she doesn’t belong in the family Jini considers herself to belong in?

“Jini… some things are just different for people. Maybe, when you’re a little older, you will understand.” She tries to explain once again but seeing how her countenance falls into disappointment, comes a strong urge to Nabi in changing that. “Why?” She smiles, catching the gaze of her sister. “Do you like seeing me often?”

The girl nods with a hum. “I like seeing you all the time.” She states. “Do you like seeing me too?”

Nabi isn’t lying when she bobs her head with a smile. She really does. “Then, how about this, we set a day that will be just for the two of us? We’ll play and do things. How does that sound to you?”

With a thumbs up, Jini grins, her countenance happy once again. “Okay!”

Sealing the deal, like how Nabi seals promises with her late father, she presses the pad of her thumb with the little one. “It’s a deal.”

Parking by the kerb, Kina and Baekhyun are standing by the gate of the former’s place, excited to see their friend’s little sister. Nabi gets out of the car with a small smile and helps the little one to get out as well. She then turns her around, bending down behind her.

“Jini, I want you to meet my friend, Kina.” She introduces. “And her friend, Baekhyun. They’re good people.”

Kina, whose excitement has been evident, bends over to meet the young girl’s eyes. “Hello.” She greets while Baekhyun settles with a wave of the hand at the moment.

“Hi.” The young girls squeaks and then turns to hide her face, feeling a bit shy. But it isn’t long when she glances back again and looks at the other lady who is still wearing a friendly smile.

It is when Jini holds her hand out for a high-five that the three adults know she feels acquainted with her. They both give their high-five to the little girl before Baekhyun tries to offer in holding her hand. Thankfully, the girl takes it with her free hand and as they walk inside, she looks back to her older sister who is gives a reassuring look.

When they are inside, Nabi turns to her friend. “Hey, thank you.”

“What for?” Kina plays like she doesn’t know what she’s thanking her for because to her, there is nothing to thank her for.

“You know what…”

Chuckling, she says, “No problem. Baekhyun and I will love her company. But I’m hoping there are cake pops for me too.”

Nabi laughs. “No, but I bought a cake and tubs of ice cream.”

Kina gasps, “Should we order pizza? Does Jini like pizza?” Nabi doesn’t even have enough time to answer when her friend speaks again. “I should go and ask her.” She decides, heading over to grab the box of cake and the bag of ice cream tubs before turning around to walk to the young girl. “Oh and by the way, you two are sleeping over. And I’m not taking a no for an answer.”

Nabi, left with no choice, chuckles as she nods her head. She then takes Jini’s bag and heads inside where the three are.

Jini is settled and absolutely enjoying everyone’s company, p