Since we are hitting the point in the story where the children will be entering I can finally bust out the little future bits dedicated to each child. Obviously Jisoo is the first of kids the group ushers into the world so this is Jisoo's introduction! 

 

———————/////——————/////——————/////—————

 

“Is she up?” Seulgi leaned over the bed eyeing her ten year old and shook her head. 

 

“I’m not sure babe. Her eyes are open but they look closed at the same time”. Irene stood bedside Seulgi, ducking her head low. She stared intently at Jisoo’s face and was startled when Jisoo’s eyes shot open and she yelled.  

 

“KAPOW!”

 

“Oh my god!” Irene yelled, clutching her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart as Jisoo cackled wildly on the hospital bed. 

 

“Ooohh! Yipee kiye aye! I gotcha!” Irene rest a hand on her laughing daughter chest. 

 

“Jisoo baby, inside voices.” 

 

“Oh. Am I being loud?” Jisoo asked, voice lowering to a whisper. “I’m sorry mommy”, Jisoo said, barely above a whisper. 

 

“Honey. You don’t need to be that qui-KABOOM!”

 

Seulgi jumped this time, “Jisoo! Lower your voice!” Jisoo looked up at her mother startled. 

 

“Mommy? Is that you?” Seulgi nodded, pressing a finger to her lips. 

 

“Yes baby. But we’ve gotta use our indoor voices.”

 

“But why?”

 

“Because we’re indoor baby.”

 

“Why are we indoor?”

 

“Because you had an accident at school.”

 

“AN ACCIDENT!” Irene quickly shot a hand out to muffle Jisoo. “MOMMA NO! I’ll be good. Don’t do this! Momma I can’t breathe!” Irene glared. 

 

“Then how are you talking?”

 

Jisoo began to laugh again, feet kicking wildly as she tearfully giggled. “Mommy.”

 

“Yes baby.”

 

“No not you mommy. My other mommy.” Seulgi chuckled. 

 

“Yes Jisoo?”

 

“No. No. My other mommy.”

 

Irene shot Seulgi a look, “baby. You only have us.” Jisoo chuckled and grinned before looking at Irene. 

 

“Nu-Uh. That y young thang outside mah mommy. Tap. Tap. Tap dat !” Jisoo said, swatting the air as if she were in a music video. Irene’s mouth dropped open in shock. 

 

“Kang Jisoo! We do not talk like that in this family!” Irene admonished, all the whole Jisoo continues slapping the air. 

 

“Mommy.” Irene sighed. 

 

“Yes Jisoo.”

 

“Why is the sky blue?”

 

“I’m not sure honey.”

 

“Pfft! You’re so stupid.” Jisoo said, before screaming in pain when Irene flicked her forehead. “Hey! That’s abuse! You abuser! I’m telling my mom on you!”

 

“I am your mom. And you watch your tone.”

 

Jisoo glared at her and then attempted to sit up on the hospital bed. She had words to say with this imposter pretending to be her mom. “Now you listen here!” Jisoo yelled, body half hanging off the hospital bed. 

 

Sensing her wife becoming fed up Seulgi stood, laying Jisoo back onto the bed she began scratching Jisoo’s scalp. “Hey little buddy. Why don’t we just try to relax huh? How do you feel?”

 

Jisoo’s eyes flickered all around Seulgi’s face, unsure what to focus on. “You have tiny eyes.” Jisoo whispered, leaning forward to rub noses with Seulgi. 

 

Seulgi chuckled, “You have tiny eyes too.”

 

Jisoo went cross eyed. “Oh !”

 

“Whoa hey! Language young lady.”

 

“What. What did I do?”

 

“We don’t use curse words in this family baby.” 

 

Jisoo’s mouth opened in a gasp before she slapped her forehead with her good hand. “Oh man! Such a potty mouth. Oh man! I’m high!” Jisoo yelled, once again trying to sit up. 

 

“Jisoo stop”, Seulgi demanded, looking into Jisoo’s cloudy eyes. “Hey, enough. You can’t keep moving around you’ll hurt yourself.”

 

“Mommy. Where’s my mommy?”

 

“I’m literally standing right in front of you Jisoo.” Jisoo held a hand out and rubbed it up and down Seulgi’s face, “hey gentle”. Jisoo paid no mind, slapping her hand against Seulgi’s face before finally shoving her finger into her mother's mouth. “Hey!” Seulgi chokes, backing up to safety. 

 

Once again, Jisoo cackled loudly. “KABLOOWEE!” She yelled, before howling like a wolf. Irene jumped up, years of being raised with etiquette making her brain short circuit at the behavior of her child. Irene was about to smother Jisoo when the nurse came in. 

 

“Hello there, you’re up!” Jisoo’s eyes went cross before focusing on her nurses ies. “How are you feeling?” Jisoo grinned before holding her hand out in a high five. The nurse smiled and high fived Jisoo. She was taken by surprise when the ten year old threaded their fingers together and pulled her down. 

 

“You have very large bazzingas”. Seulgi bit her lip to not laugh as Irene began twitching next to her. 

 

“Oh my god. I am so sorry. She doesn’t talk like this at home.” Irene began rapidly explaining before she slapped Jisoo’s leg. “Jisoo you say sorry right now to the kind nurse”. 

 

Jisoo pouted, “I do sincerely apologize.” Jisoo said, “you have very large estes” Seulgi slapped a hand over her forehead. 

 

“I am so sorry”, the nurse waved a hand and laughed. 

 

“Don’t worry. This is very common. I have heard it all.” The nurse looked down at Jisoo who was giggling to herself. “Why are you laughing sweetie?”

 

“Your name”, Jisoo answered, pointing at the pink name tag on the nurses scrub shirt. 

 

“It’s actually my nickname. Everyone calls me Boa. Like a boa constrictor.”

 

“Like the snake?” The nurse nodded, checking Jisoo’s vitals. “Or”.

 

“Or?”

 

“Or. Boa. Like. Big. Oh. ! BOOMSHAKALAKA!”

 

————/////———/////————/////————/////——/////——

 

Joy looked like she might pass out from sheer excitement, if I wasn’t so damned happy I might be scared that she would randomly twitch and drive us into oncoming traffic or something. “Hon, calm down”. I said, laughing lightly at Joy’s wife eyes. 

 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m trying. I really, really am. I’m just so damn excited, holy crap. Irene is pregnant babe. Like. With child. A human is currently growing in her belly. Oh man. I’m nervous now. She does not have child bearing hips. Have you seen the hips on that woman? Oh man tiny hips. Tiny. Tiny hips.” I giggled, god she is so cute. Why are you so cute?

 

I leaned forward, resting a hand on Joy’s cheeks. “Your cheeks must be burning with how wide you’re smiling.”

 

“She’s pregnant Wendy. Oh man. I’m going to be pregnant one day too.”

 

I nodded, “yep. Do you think your hips are prepared?” 

 

Joy stopped at the red light and smirked at me, “girl. These hips don’t lie.” 

 

We pulled up to the apartment complex in Manhattan in record time, I wasn’t even fully out the car before Joy scooped me up in her arms and began an all out sprint across the street and to the building. “Babe!” I laughed. “Put me down!”

 

“No can do señorita Shon, you have tiny legs and it’ll slow us down. I shall carry you my love!” Screw it, I wrapped my arms around Joy’s neck and let her have her way. She’s excited. The entire trip to the apartment Joy talked about anything and everything. From hips. To whether a baby makes a pop sound when it comes out. To how quick Irene’s would go back to being small. “Babe. Wait. I have a question.”

 

“What’s your question?”

 

“Don’t get mad though. But like. Is Irene tight? Or is it like all Asians are.” I looked at Joy as she bit her lip and smiled awkwardly at me. 

 

“Honey. You do know that you yourself are Asian right? Also, you do realize we’ve had and I am also Asian right?”

 

“Yeah but. Like. Have you seen Irene? She’s so tiny baby”. I rolled my eyes and Joy tilted forward so I could knock on the door. 

 

Seulgi opened the door, bright smile on her face right before her brow raised in confusion. “Why is she carrying you?” 

 

I shrugged. “She says I have tiny legs.”

 

————/////———/////———/////————/////————/////———

 

Joy kept her head on Irene’s stomach and refused to move, not even when I offered to give her a shoulder massage. She nearly followed Irene to the bathroom when she tried to go. “So. You guys got a name down or anything?” Seulgi smiled from her place on the floor in front of Irene. 

 

“Irene said she’s thinking either Dahyun or Jisoo”. Joy sat up. 

 

“Korean names?” Irene nodded, “but. You live here. Why would you name them something hard to pronounce?”

 

“Because my child will still be Korean no matter where they are from. Personally I don’t find American names all that nice. I want something from home. Especially if we go back.”

 

“You guys are thinking about going back?” I asked. 

 

“I mean, it gets tiring constantly having to fill out my work visa.” Irene complained. 

 

“Wait. You guys don’t have your green cards?” Irene shook her head.

 

“Seulgi got an immigration visa when she was here and then got her green card. So Seulgi is a resident she can do whatever she wants. Wendy has dual citizenship because she was born in Minnesota before they all moved to Canada. I’m just on a work visa that I have to keep renewing. It’s why Seulgi and I haven’t gotten married.” Joy opened in understanding before pushing Irene back down to rest on her belly. 

 

With a finger she poked Irene’s belly. “There’s a baby in there”. Seulgi chuckled. 

 

“Yeah but you can’t hear anything because they’re like a peanut right now, so I’m not sure why you’re doing that” Seulgi laughed. Joy nuzzled deeper. 

 

“Sh. Don’t ruin it”, ``Joy whined. This is so damn cute. 

 

———/////———/////———/////———/////———/////———/////——

 

I closed the door quietly to the spare room where Joy slept soundly. I walked to the kitchen where Irene was putting food away, “hey. Why don’t you head off to bed. I can do this. '' I said, throwing an arm around Irene. 

 

Irene chuckled and kissed my cheek, “it’s almost like you never moved out huh”.

 

“Somethings never change. Go on. Head to bed. I got this.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Absolutely. Go ahead.” Irene smiled, pressed a kiss to my cheek and walked to the balcony where I watched her hug Seulgi. They shared a sweet kiss and I looked away before they end up having on the balcony. I set about putting things away, we used to do this when I still lived here. Seulgi just watched though, too clumsy. We lost all our mugs in one night because of Seulgi. 

 

I looked at all the photo magnets on the fridge, smiling faces through the years staring back at me. Will it always be like this? Will I always look at the fridge and see smiling faces? Will we always be together? I traced our faces on a particular magnet. Katy had Joy in a headlock, Irene was glaring at them while Seulgi smiled brightly at the camera, completely oblivious to what was happening next to her. Irene had an arm around my shoulder, pulling me away from the chaos. 

 

This is my family. 

 

I sighed happily and put the leftover rice in the refrigerator, I stretched my arms over my head and sighed at the released tension in my arms and back. I started heading to the spare room when I smelled cigarettes. 

 

Who in the world is smoking? 

 

I walked to the living room where the balcony door was still open I stepped out to find Seulgi leaning over the railing, cigarette nestled between her lips. 

 

“Hey, are you smoking?” I asked, stepping out on the balcony. 

 

Seulgi jumped, cigarette falling from her lips and over the side. She watched it fall. “Um, well I was.”

 

“Why? I thought you stopped that forever ago?” I asked, resting my hand on the small of Seulgi’s back. 

 

“I did. I did. I just. I don’t know, it’s stupid.” I frowned at Seulgi who looked down at her slipper clad feet. 

 

“It’s not stupid if it’s bothering you. What’s up?”

 

“I’m scared”, Seulgi whispered. 

 

“Scared? Of what?”

 

“What if, what if I lose Irene? What if I can’t protect them? Wendy, this world. God it’s so ed up. The things I see. I’m so scared of what it’ll do to my child. When that madman shot up that bank. He took my best friend Wendy. Durrel is gone, his wife is all by herself with the baby.”

 

“Don’t you guys help out?” Seulgi nodded frustratedly. 

 

“Yeah. But. I don’t want someone else raising my child. I don’t want someone else helping my women. It’s why I’m here.” Seulgi turned back to leaning on the railing, her breath coming out in white clouds. “They say it takes a village. But I don’t want it to. I don’t want them to ever need to rely on anyone but me.”

 

“But Seul, you’re one person. You can’t be her teacher, her doctor, her god and mother honey. You’re her mom and her greatest protector. That’s all you need to be. The world is ed up, yes. But this world is also as beautiful as we can make it. It’s not all bad.” Seulgi turned to me. 

 

“If I were ever to die, I need you to be there for them.” I pinched my thigh at the sudden onslaught of tears. Oh my god, seulgi dying? I swallowed harshly. 

 

“Joy and I will always be here. But nothing is going to happen to you. You’re safe and you’re smart.”

 

“Yeah, but this world is unpredictable. Durrel was smart and safe.”

 

“That, That was”, where am I going with this? I shut my mouth and stepped closer to Seulgi. I threaded my arms around Seulgi’s waist and rest my head on her beating heart as she turned to hug me close. “Please don’t talk like this,'' I sobbed. 

 

“I love you so much. You know that right? I love you and Joy and Katy. I love your mom and your dad. I love you all, so very much”. I bit my lip, hugging Seulgi tighter. 

 

“This sounds like a goodbye.”

 

Seulgi chuckled. “It isn’t. It’s a reminder is all. I’m scared, really, really scared. But God gave me a gift and I intend to love it and cherish it. This world is unpredictable though, so I want to remind you. Just like I remind Irene every night. That if the day comes where I’m no longer breathing”.

 

“Seulgi”.

 

“Sh, listen to me. If the day ever comes where I’m no longer here, I want you to know that I did my best. That I love you. That you and Irene are the best things that ever happened to me. That just when I thought my life couldn’t get any better we found Joy and Katy and together we made this beautiful family. I want you to know that I’m happy.” 

 

By this point I was openly sobbing in Seulgi’s strong arms. Dear God, please always protect her. “I love you so much Seulgi”. 

 

Seulgi smiled against my cheek, “I love you too. Hey, don’t cry”. Seulgi smiled as she wiped my tears, I glared at her. 

 

“Easy for you to say, you’re the one making me cry.” I whined, wiping my face with the back of my hand shirt sleeve. 

 

“We’re going to name the baby Jisoo”. Seulgi said, wiping my chin. 

 

“I thought you guys weren’t certain on that or Dahyun.”

 

Seulgi chuckled, “Irene chose Jisoo. I said Dahyun. She thinks I’m dumb, but I know she’s decided on Jisoo. It’s fine. It has sentimental value to her.”

 

“It does?” I asked confused. 

 

“Mhm”.

 

“Was that like a grand parents name?” 

 

“No. It’s a reminder of Joy.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“The Ji is for Joy. But Joysoo was too obvious. And the soo is for Sooyoung. Meaning, Sooyoung is no longer Sooyoung but Irene found her in Joy. They’re the same person, but not. That’s what the name means for Irene. It’s funny isn’t it. How a month ago they were just friends and Irene was bullying Joy and today. Somehow without ever talking about it, they’re as close as family. Hugging and cuddling. Did you see how happy Irene looked?” I smiled. 

 

“Yeah I noticed. But you know, they’ve always been family. Even before the recent news.”

 

Seulgi shrugged. “Yeah I guess.” Seulgi sighed and smiled at me. “This is beautiful. I’m excited. I’m terribly scared but some of the most beautiful things started out as scary things. Just look at roller coasters.”

 

I snorted, “You would say that you dork. Tomorrow, Joy and I have news about the wedding.”

 

Seulgi grinned and I truly looked at her. Her smiling eyes, her upturned lips and chubby cheeks. She looked so happy and beautiful in the city lights. Always stay smiling Seul. 

 

—————/////———/////—————/////———/////————/////———

 

(Sometime in the future) 

 

Jisoo’s knuckles were white with the grip on the wheel, she could feel it. The burn on the side of her head from Jennie. She slowly turned her head and caught sight of the death glare, her head snapped forward again. “Jisoo. Kang. I’m going to kill you.” Jennie said between gritted teeth. 

 

“ppoong?” Jisoo squeaked. She flinched when Jennie lifted a hand to most likely end her life. Jisoo sighed in relief when the officer walked up to the door. With a nervous grin Jisoo rolled the window down. “Hello there officer!” 

 

The officer shined his light into the car, he fought the smile on his face. The passenger looked pissed. “Hello there ladies. I noticed you going pretty fast back there young lady.”

 

Jisoo’s eyes bulged as she tried to speak through the pain of Jennie pinching the side of her thigh. “Oh. I’m so sorry. We were Uh. Um. Drag racing!” Jennie gasped and slapped Jisoo. 

 

“Are you serious!” 

 

“Drag racing?”

 

“Don’t listen to her officer. She speaks nonsense when she’s scared!”

 

“Yes mister officer sir. We were racing!” Jisoo yelled, nerves hitting her hard. 

 

“In a minivan?”

 

Jisoo clutched the wheel tight and turn to the officer with a grim smile. “We don’t win often.”

 

——

 

“Seriously? Racing?” Jisoo rubbed her sore thigh. 

 

“What! I panicked!”

 

“Nobody races in a minivan Jisoo. Jesus. Dude if I’m late getting home and I get grounded I’m going to skin you alive.” 

 

Jisoo gasped and clutched her chest, “Dude! Why are you so violent?” Jennie rolled her eyes and looked at her phone before sighing frustrated and throwing her head back. 

 

“She still hasn’t texted me.”

 

Jisoo to the highway and then glanced over at her cousin. “Who?”

 

“Lisa. Duh. Who else?”

 

“Do you guys have like a thing or something?”

 

“No. Keep your eyes on the road Vin Diesel.” Jisoo grinned 

 

“Ppoong?”

 

————/////————/////————/////————/////———/////

 

Seulgi sat on the counter watching Irene cook, “can I put them in yet?” Seulgi asked, hands slightly shaking where she held the green peppers and onions. Irene shook her head, Seulgi groaned. “Now?”

 

“Not yet baby”. I laughed from my place in between Joy’s legs. “When is Katy getting here?” Irene asked. 

 

“She told Joy she was ten minutes away. They’re in Eric's car.”

 

“And why do we need her here for this?”

 

“Because we’re one big family, and we can’t discuss the wedding without the whole family here”.

 

“Eric is not——now?” Irene shot a glare at Seulgi who backed down and pouted. “Like I was saying. Eric is not family.” 

 

“He is now. Katy really likes him.”

 

“She just met him”.

 

“Irene, be nice.” Seulgi smiled brightly, holding up her bowl of ingredients. 

 

Irene smiled softly at the display, “let the meat brown and then you can babe.”

 

“Can I put the eggs in too?” Seulgi asked, eyes filled with hope as she lifted the other bowl of beat eggs. Irene nodded and leaned up to press a kiss to Seulgi’s lips.

 

 I grinned up at Joy, “aren’t they cute?”

 

“Were cuter.” A knock echoed into the apartment. “That was quick,'' Joy said before kissing my forehead and getting up to answer the door. 

 

Katy came flying in already telling a story, Eric smiled at everyone. That poor guy, his hair is beautiful. Jesus what does he put in it? “Hey Eric”, I waved. 

 

“So I told her, no . I will slap you. Poof! be gone!” Katy began pulling her jacket off, throwing it blindly at Joy before kicking her shoes off and across the room. 

 

“Really!” Irene yelled annoyed. 

 

“And guess what! She was still there!” Katy yelled, her other shoe thudding loudly against a wall. “It's ridiculous!” Irene glared as Katy pulled her dirty socks off and tossed them somewhere. I looked at Eric. 

 

“Has she been like this all morning?” Eric nodded, eyes trained to Katy who was making all types of mess. “Damn. You’re hooked”, I whispered as Eric smiled brightly at Katy who had finally calmed down and fell backwards into Joy’s waiting arms. 

 

“Well, you’ve had quite the morning.” Joy said. 

 

“Girl, you’re telling me. These Mc. Donald workers don’t know man. I will but a Long Island beat down on these es. Don’t with me!”

 

“Can I put the onions in?” Seulgi asked, eyes laser focused on the pan. 

 

“Huh? Oh yeah. Go ahead.” Irene pulled a chair and sat down. “Can you tell us now? Now that everyone is here?” I looked up at Joy who now had Katy on her back in a piggyback ride. 

 

“Wanna tell them?” 

 

Joy smiled at me and nodded. Goodness she is beautiful. I’m going to love her forever. “Nah, you can tell them amor.” I grinned. 

 

“Well, guys…”

 

————/////————/////————/////—————/////———/////———

(Sometime in the future)

 

Jisoo sighed and hoisted herself up onto the counter and eyed her mother. “What’re you doing?”

 

Irene glanced up at her 14 year old, “what does it look like?” Irene asked, turning the pancake. 

 

“Looks like you’re cooking.”

 

“Great detective skills my love.”

 

“Is it done?” Irene nodded, pointing at a plate next to Jisoo. 

 

“Pass me that”. Jisoo did as asked and watched as her mother placed the pancake on top of the heap on the plate. 

 

“Can I put the batter for the next one?”

 

“You have to butter it first.”

 

“Can I butter it?”

 

“Go ahead.” Irene steppes back as Jisoo jumped down and scooped out some butter, “is this enough?” Irene nodded. Jisoo dropped it into the pan and watched in amazement as the butter melted and fizzled. “Move the pan around so you get butter everywhere.”

 

Irene ruffles Jisoo’s hair and walked to the door where Lalisa Manoban stood holding up a skateboard. “Hey Mrs. Kang!” 

 

“Hey Lisa. What are you doing here?”

 

“Um, is it cool if I hang with Jisoo? I wanted to show her a cool trick.” Irene eyes the board. 

 

“Sure. Come in. She’s in the kitchen.”

 

“Sweet!” Lisa cheered, kicking off her sneakers and heading in. Jisoo came around the corner, hands on her head while she screamed. 

 

“MOMMY!”

 

Irene ran from the front door to the kitchen, “what. What!”

 

“IT'S ON FIRE!” 

 

“What!” Irene ran to the stove where the pan that was once calmly making pancakes was now on fire. “Oh my kitchen!” Irene yelled, “go get your mother!”

 

“GAH! FIRE! MOMMY!” Seulgi nearly fell down the steps as she ran. 

 

“What is going on?”

 

Lisa looked calmly between the smoke in the kitchen, Jisoo’s panicking and her mom who was running to a fire extinguisher. “What happened?” Seulgi asked as she nudged Irene over and let the foam coat the stove. 

 

Irene groaned, “my kitchen” she whined. 

 

“Oh man!” Jisoo yelled, for some reason under the table. Lisa blinked. 

 

Never a dull moment in the Kang house. 

 

——

Jisoo grinned up at Lisa who kicked the board up and into her arms. “I think I figured out why you keep coming here so early. You want to see my cousin!” Jisoo pointed a finger and giggled, “oh man you have a crush on my cousin. Holy . Dude. Don’t even try it. She will kill you. She’s tough.” 

 

Lisa rolled her eyes and sat next to Jisoo on her skateboard. “How can she be so hard with those cheeks? They’re perfectly round. You ever notice that?”

 

Jisoo nodded, “yes. I have noticed. I grew up with her. But she is tough. Don’t let those eyes and cheeks deceive you. Besides. Her parents don’t let her date.”

 

“How old is she?”

 

“We’re the same age. I’m six months older.” 

 

“So she just turned fourteen?” Jisoo nodded. “It’s only a two year difference. It wouldn’t be bad if we got together.”

 

“Dude. Don’t. Not only will Jennie kill you, but so will my aunt Joy. They’re tough. Don’t do it.” 

 

“I mean. If your aunt never finds out”.

 

“Nope! Get that out of your head Manoban!” Lisa groaned, “hey look. It’s Chae.”

 

Up ahead Chaeyoung was on her bike, “she’s annoying”. Jisoo said, watching Chaeyoung pop a wheelie. 

 

“I think she’s cute. Like a little power puff girl.”

 

“Why do you think that?” Jisoo asked incredulously. 

 

“She’s got a little mushroom top, and! Have you heard her lisp?”

 

Jisoo rolled her eyes, “yes Lisa. I have heard her lisp. We’re related.” 

 

“But like. Related. Related? Like blood?”

 

“Unfortunately” Jisoo grumbled. 

 

“Same mom?”

 

“We have the same dad”. Lisa nodded in understanding. 

 

“Why do you hate her so much?” Jisoo shrugged. 

 

“I don’t hate her. I hate how she gets away with everything. I’m gonna throw a stick at her.” 

 

Lisa watched as Jisoo bent down to pick up a log. “That. Is not a stick” Lisa whispered to herself. 

 

————/////———/////————/////————/////————/////——

 

“Are you guys sure this is how you want to do it? What about your mom?” Katy asked, I wanted to pinch her cheeks with how bright she was smiling. 

 

“Yep. I’m going to talk to my mom tomorrow. It’s about time I put my foot down. This is the beginning of the rest of my life. And you guys are family. So. Let’s do this.”

 

Irene hugged me before hugging Joy. “Well we’ve only got five months. That’s a lot of planning to do in five months. And you want to start the process of having a kid now?” Joy nodded and lifted Irene up who in turn let out the most high pitched scream I’ve heard in a long time. 

 

“Well. If there’s one thing I know about us. It’s that we can get done.” Katy said, leaning against Eric. 

 

“Joy and I have a cake testing coming up soon.”

 

“I can take Wendy and the bridesmaids for dresses next week.” Irene said. 

 

“I’ve already got an appointment for Joy’s side” Katy said. 

 

“We should all take a trip to Pattaya soon” Seulgi said. “For location scouting. I’ll see if I can find flights and get time off.” 

 

Joy grinned at everyone, still holding Irene bridal style. “This is gonna be the greatest five months ever!” 

 

————/////———/////———/////———/////———/////———/////

(Sometime in the future)

Jisoo lay on the grass with Chaeyoung’s head on her stomach. “Your head is heavy”. Jisoo complained quietly. 

 

“Well you hit me, so rub my head to make it better”. Jisoo rolled her eyes but did as asked. 

 

The sun was setting and Jisoo squinted as darkness began to envelop her backyard. “Hey guys”, Jennie called climbing over the fence to Jisoo’s backyard. 

 

“Hey”. Chaeyoung called as Jennie unstrapped the heels on her feet. 

 

“You look fancy”, Jisoo said. Jennie nodded, sitting down on the grass. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Chaeyoung’s forehead and then did the same with Jisoo. 

 

“Yeah dinner date with Lisa. What happened here?” Jennie asked, finally noticing the closeness between her cousins. 

 

“Jisoo hit me with her dirt bike.” Chaeyoung Answered calmly. Jennie’s mouth dropped and Jisoo waved her hand frantically. 

 

“It was a mistake. Honest. She was helping me, she was holding up the garage door and I accidentally pulled on the throttle and it hit her.” Jennie leaned forward, eyeing her cousin. 

 

“Are you okay? Did you go to the doctor?”

 

“Nah. I’m fine. The garage gate hitting my head hurt more than the bike.”  

 

“Jennie?” Jisoo and Chaeyoung looked up and smiled at the red head. 

 

“Hey Rosie” Jennie waved. 

 

Rosie grinned and just like her sister climbed over the fence and walked barefoot to everyone on the grass. “I didn’t hear you come back”. Rosie said, “hey baby” she called when she spotted Chaeyoung laying on Jisoo. 

 

“Hey babe”, Jisoo bit her lip to ignore the ache in her chest. Rosie sat beside Chaeyoung and kissed her cheek. “What happened?”

 

“Jisoo hit her with her bike and then a garage door fell on her.”

 

“What!”

 

Jisoo glared at Jennie. “Really?” Jennie grinned and shrugged. 

 

“Why did you hit her?” Rosie asked, now fussing over Chaeyoung. 

 

“I didn’t mean to. She was helping me. I pulled the throttle on accident. It hit her. I’ve been rubbing her head for the past hour. I even fed her.”

 

“GUYS!” Everyone jumped as Dahyun came sprinting over with a foam sword. “Whoa. Hey Chae. What happened to you?” 

 

“Your sister tried to kill me” Chaeyoung answered, sitting up. 

 

“I did not!” Jisoo groaned. 

 

“Well anyway!” Dahyun said, pulling Chaeyoung up. “Look!”

 

Chaeyoung took the foam sword and eyed it. “I don’t get it.”

 

“It’s a claymore Chae. Like the anime.” Chaeyoung’s mouth dropped open. 

 

“No way!” She turned to Rosie with the sword. “Babe! Look!” Jisoo rolled her eyes and leaned on Jennie’s shoulder. 

 

“They are such children.” Jisoo grumbled. “Say, why don’t you dump Lisa. Let’s get together”. 

 

Jennie chuckled and patted Jisoo’s thigh, “give it time. If it’s meant to be it’ll be.” Jisoo sighed and glanced over to Rosie who was laughing and running from Chaeyoung. 

 

“She looks happy.” Jisoo whispered sadly. 

 

“Yeah she does.”

 

“How do I compete with that?”

 

“You don’t. We’re 20 Jisoo, we don’t compete. We just live life. Above everything man. We’re family.” Dahyun turned to her sister and grinned. 

 

“Jisoo! Come play with us!” 

 

“Just live life Ji” Jennie stood up, pulling Jisoo up. 

 

“Jennie save me!” Rosie yelled as she was cornered by Chaeyoung. Jennie laughed and turned to Jisoo. 

 

“I love you cuzzo” Jisoo rolled her eyes and smiled. 

 

“I love you too. Now come on. Let’s go play with these children.”