Author's Note:

Okay so folks, just to let you guys know, i'm going to start to wrap up this story soon. I can't believe we're at this point in the story but yes, it is nearing the end. We have about 4 maybe 5 chapters left.

With that in mind, I apologize that this story is going to get, not really angsty, but not the fluffiest either. Bear with me, though. We'll get to that happy ending.

Eunbi has had her fair share of feeling anxious in her life. She was a singer, after all, it was daunting to perform on stage, regardless of how big or small the crowd is. Although, she could probably pinpoint the three most anxiety inducing events that has ever happened throughout her life. And they were, in this particular order, 1. Adopting Wonyoung, 2. Her first debut stage, and 3. Her wedding with Sakura.

Each occasion had very different and particular reasons on why it made Eunbi anxious. And she thinks nothing in her life going forward could top any of these events. Though, today, she might be proven wrong.

She was trembling.

It was the morning of the actual court trial, the one that would decide whether Eunbi gets to keep custody of Wonyoung, or if she’s going to start making visitation arrangements for when Wonyoung moves to Japan with Sakura. Eunbi didn’t think family court could ever be more unnerving than other legal workings, but it is.

Eunbi was still at home trying to have breakfast which Chaeyeon had prepared for her. Trying being the operative word. Because at the moment she could only pick at her food with the fork she was holding, flipping and pushing the egg rolls mindlessly on her plate. Meanwhile, the kimchi stew was left untouched at the side.

“You need to eat, Bi.”

Eunbi looks up to see her fiancee’s concerned face. Any other time, she would tease Chaeyeon, how her worrying turned her eyebrows into a unibrow. But today, she physically couldn’t joke around. “Sorry, Chae. I know you wanted to make me feel better by making my favorites, but I just don’t have the appetite.” She really felt guilty about not eating the food that Chaeyeon prepared for her, but she just can’t help it.

Thankfully, Chaeyeon had been understanding, as she always is. “That’s alright, I’ll just save this for later.” The teacher takes the uneaten food away from Eunbi. “Eat that banana, though. You need to have something in your stomach.”

Eunbi nods her head like an obedient child and reaches for the banana that was sitting inside the fruit bowl in front of her. Even with the small bites she took, it still didn’t sit right in her stomach. But she wanted to heed Chaeyeon’s caring words, so she kept eating.

It didn’t take long for Eunbi to finish that one banana. And right after she discarded the banana peel into the bin, the singer was ready to leave. She collected her bag and looked to her fiancee. “I have to go,” she says to Chaeyeon. “Hitomi wants to go through some things at her office before we head to court.”

Chaeyeon walks Eunbi to the foyer and stood by the front door. “Goodluck, Bi.”

“Thank you,” Eunbi shows her gratitude by placing a kiss on Chaeyeon’s cheek. “Remember, Sakura’s gonna come by in a bit to drop off Wonyoung.”

“Yep, I remember.”

Eunbi was about to leave but Chaeyeon pulls her back by the hand. The teacher reaches over to wrap Eunbi in a tight hug, hoping to reassure the singer. Chaeyeon knew she couldn’t do much for Eunbi in this situation, but she wanted to at least try.

Their hug lasted for only a few seconds, but Eunbi felt the (bad kind of) butterflies in her stomach start to settle down.

Chaeyeon releases Eunbi and bids her farewell, “I’ll see you later.” And she watches Eunbi get into her car and drove away.

As the teacher walked back into the kitchen to clean up, she was met with a feeling of dread. She wishes she could give Eunbi some more comfort, reassure her that she won’t lose her daughter. But Chaeyeon couldn’t have. She didn’t know how the custody agreement would go, and Chaeyeon didn’t want to give Eunbi any false promises, especially when she doesn’t have any control over the matter.

No matter how much she wishes she does.

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Five minutes.

Sakura was late to drop off Wonyoung by five minutes.

Okay, maybe five minutes shouldn’t mean anything. After all, it could just be the traffic. Or maybe Wonyoung misplaced her favorite plushie and had to look around for it. All were very probable things that could have happened to delay their arrival.

In any case, Sakura had to rush to court too, so she can’t afford being late. This was how Chaeyeon tried to assure herself.

But she has a gut feeling about this. And it doesn’t feel good.

Her gut feeling was proven correct when just three minutes later, she receives a frantic phone call from Sakura. “Wait, wait up, stop! I need you to start from the beginning, and talk slow.”

Sakura didn’t sound any less frantic than before, but at least now she was speaking clearly. “She wanted a snack and then—I didn’t know it has shrimp in it. And I can’t find her EpiPen…” Chaeyeon feels her heart drop when she hears Wonyoung murmuring and crying in the background. Sakura stopped talking directly at the phone to talk to her daughter, “It’s okay, Wonyoung, you’re gonna be fine.”

Chaeyeon could only imagine the worst happening on the other end.

“H-hello? Chaeyeon, are you still there?”

“Yeah, I am. Have you called 911?” Chaeyeon tries hard to speak calmly. She’s seen this happen before with her students, and she knows that parents panic when other people panic. Chaeyeon didn’t want to give Sakura any reason to be anything but calm.

“I did! But they’re not here yet—Don’t try to talk, baby. Just look at me, okay? Just look at me, Wonyoung. Mama’s here. It’s gonna be okay.”

Chaeyeon visibly winces at the thought of Wonyoung in pain and how scared she must be right now. “Sakura, you have to be calm. Is she laying on her back?”

“No.”

“Get her t