Byulyi groaned as she woke up. The smell of chicken soup greeted her and lured her to the kitchen. “Good morning.”

“Good morning. I see you are still a fan of my Appa’s plum wine. You drank it until the last drop.” Yongsun was amused when she came down this morning and saw a familiar view of a drunken Byulyi. Whenever her Appa made any homemade wine, it was Byulyi who drank every last bit of it. 

“I always love Appa’s wine. It will never change.” Byulyi took a glass of water and drank it. She looked at Yongsun from head to toe. “Are you going somewhere? It’s still…” She looked at the clock. “It’s still 8 am, why are you dressing up?”

“Habit. I’m still a high school teacher, Byul.” Yongsun poured hot coffee into Byulyi's cup.

“Wait, are you gonna work?” Byulyi looked outside and it was still snowing a little.

Yongsun smiled. “No. It’s winter break already.”

Byulyi nodded. “Where is Minhyuk? Is he not up?”

Yongsun glanced at the clock. “I give him an additional 15 minutes to sleep.”

Byulyi nodded. “Well, I’m gonna freshen up as well. I don’t want him to smell any alcohol in me. Can I borrow your clothes?” 

“I prepared it already. It’s on the shelf in the bathroom. I also washed your shirt and hung your jacket from last night. The jacket needs to be dry cleaned.” Yongsun opened the lid of the pot to check the soup.

Byulyi smiled. This was a very familiar view of their relaxing day when they were girlfriends. She woke up from writing music, usually drunk and moody, and Yongsun took care of everything in their studio apartment. Out of habit, she came closer and kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”

Yongsun blinked and tried to steady her heart. “Go wash. You’re smelly.”

Byulyi smiled. Her hand had rested on Yongsun’s waist when she kissed her. As she walked away, she ghosted her fingers on Yongsun’s arm and could feel the omega’s skin shivered. She didn’t say anything and just closed the bathroom door. 

“Pull yourself together, Yongsun. You’re just being a nice host. Nothing more.” Yongsun convinced herself. To be honest, she was acting out of habit as well.

“Eomma…” Minhyuk energetically greeted his mother. “Oh, someone is in the bathroom?”

“Uh-huhm. Moonbyul-ssi stayed the night. It was snowing heavily.” Yongsun turned and kissed her son. “If you need to use the bathroom, you can use mine.”

“It’s okay. I’ll wait for Moonbyul-nim to finish.” Minhyuk waited in the corridor. Suddenly, the bathroom door opened. “Oh, good morning Moonbyul-nim.” He bowed politely.

Byulyi crouched down and hugged the boy. “Good morning, Minhyukie.” She looked at the boy lovingly. “Hey, stop calling me with such a formal name.” 

Minhyuk tilted his head. “Uhm, so what should I call you?”

Byulyi glanced at Yongsun. “Uhm… how about Byul.”

“B-byul? Is it okay?” Minhyuk looked at his mother asking for guidance for what he should do.

Byulyi gently made Minhyuk look back at her. “It’s okay.”

Minhyuk smiled. “Okay, Byul.”

“Good boy. Now, go use the bathroom.” Byulyi stood up and naturally helped Yongsun in the kitchen.

Not long after that, everybody sat in the dining room and enjoyed the late breakfast.

“Oh, Eomma, are you hurt?” Minhyuk was terrified.

“Huh? No, why?” Yongsun was confused.

“What happened to your neck?” Minhyuk pointed to a spot on the crook of her Eomma’s neck that was covered by the collar. When her Eomma moved earlier, the collar shifted and he could see the red spot.

Byulyi looked at the area that Minhyuk pointed to and made an inaudible gasp. She lost herself and a big hickey on Yongsun’s scent gland last night.

Yongsun glared at the alpha and moved her collar so it covered the mark. “It’s just a mild allergy, dear. You don’t have to worry.”

“Huhm, the color is scary just like when I fell from the bike.” Minhyuk tried to peek again but his Eomma had covered the mark better.

“Don’t worry. I’m fine.” Yongsun smiled but sent a murderous look to Byulyi.

Byulyi averted her eyes to the window and saw the snow wasn’t so bad and suddenly had an idea to brighten up the day. “Minhyukie, after helping your mother with the dishes, why don’t we go outside and  make a snowman?”

Minhyuk’s face immediately lifted up. “Eomma, can we?”

Yongsun smiled. “Of course you can. Don’t worry about the dishes, I’ll take care of them. Go play outside.”

“Yeay!!! Thank you, Eomma!” Minhyuk ran to his room to get his warm attire.

“You should wear something warm as well, Byul. Come, follow me.” Yongsun led Byulyi inside her room and to her closet.

Byulyi looked at the clothes on the rack and on the shelf. A wave of nostalgia bombarded her. Yongsun was a disciplined and neat freak. She arranged her clothes based on types and colors. After they broke up, Byulyi adopted her way to arrange her attire. She wore Yongsun’s sweater, thick pants, gloves and a beanie. “So, how do I look?”

Yongsun smiled and put a scarf around the alpha’s neck. “Cute as always.”

Byulyi pouted. “Yongsun! I’m not cute!”

“Of course, you’re not.” Yongsun giggled and opened her door. Minhyuk was already waiting with the widest grin.

“Are you ready young man?” Byulyi reached out her hand.

“Let’s go!” Minhyuk dragged his idol downstairs then outside.

Yongsun descended and continued her chores. She couldn’t see them from the kitchen but she trusted Byulyi to take care of her son.

—

“Byul…” Minhyuk gently called the woman in front him.

“Huh?” Byulyi was focused on shaping the snow into a perfect sphere.

“Thank you.” Minhyuk helped by tapping the snow.

Byulyi stopped. “For what?”

“Coming to my birthday party and making Eomma smile.” The alpha boy grinned.

“Well we share the same birthday. It is only efficient to spend it together, right? As for your Eomma, I believe she smiles a lot.” Byulyi continued working on the snow.

“Well… not at night.”

Byulyi giggled. “At night she would be asleep. Why would she smile?”

“Eomma cries at night. But not last night.” Minhyuk answered truthfully.

Byulyi froze. “Does she? Why?”

Minhyuk shrugged. “She said she usually feels sad at night.”

“Oh, maybe she just had a bad day.” Byulyi patted Minhyuk’s shoulder.

“No, I think she is thinking about my sire.” Minhyuk started to make smaller snowballs.

 “Your sire? Do you know that person?” Byulyi was tense. What if she wasn’t Minhyuk’s sire?

“Nope. Eomma doesn’t even have her photo.” Minhyuk was focused on his task.

“Her?”

“Yeah. Eomma said that my sire is an alpha female. I hope she’s as beautiful as you.” Minhyuk grinned.

Byulyi smiled warmly. “Do you want to meet her?”

“I do. But I’m afraid. What if Eomma is upset about that? She cries at night because of my sire. They probably don’t like each other.” Minhyuk jabbed some hard snow to make it easier to mold.

“Uhm, or probably they had a fight a long time ago when they had you. So, they may feel awkward to meet each other again.” Byulyi’s heart was constricted. This wasn’t an easy talk. Especially when she didn’t know for sure about Minhyuk’s history.

“Why didn’t they make up with each other?” Minhyuk decided to pay more attention towards the older woman.

“Uhm, do you have a best friend, Minhyuk?”

“Yeah. An omega boy. His name is Seo Eunkwang. We’ve been friends since kindergarten.” Minhyuk smiled widely.

“Have you ever fought with him?” 

“Yeah, a lot actually. He could be very annoying.” Minhyuk jabbed the snow again when his mind remembered their fights.

Byulyi giggled.” Well, What did you guys do when you were mad at each other?”

“Uhm we shouted at each other and didn’t talk for quite a while. But I always come over after a few days. Eomma said that I will miss him if I keep my distance.” 

“And do you? Miss him when you guys don’t talk?”

Minhyuk blushed. “A lot. But it would be too embarrassing if I come around right after. Eomma said it is foolish.”

“Huhm, maybe your sire is just like you. She is probably too embarrassed to come to your Eomma and says she misses her. That’s why she keeps her distance.” Byulyi hoped that these words would ease Mnhyuk’s mind.

The alpha boy thought for a moment. “Then she’s a very stupid alpha, isn’t she? Who would be able to stay missing someone for a very long time? She should’ve just come over.” 

Byulyi looked up so her tears wouldn’t fall. , this talk brought so many feelings while she didn’t even know for sure if Minhyuk was hers.

“Minhyuk-ah! What are you doing there?!”

“Oh, Aunty Yonghee!!” Minhyuk dropped his shovel and ran towards his aunty.

“Hi, big boy!” Yonghee hugged and kissed her nephew. “Oh, you’re still here, Byul?”

“Yes, Eonnie.” Byulyi smiled awkwardly.

Yonghee nodded. “Hey, why are you not ready?” She looked at her nephew whose clothes were wet because of the snow.

“Huh? Ready?” Minhyuk blinked.

“Yaaa! We have a movie date today, did you forget?” Yonghee faked a pout.

“AAAA!!!! Wait for a second Aunty!!! Please don’t cancel!! I’m gonna be right back!” Minhyk quickly ran towards the house.

Yonghee didn’t bother to look at Byulyi and just went inside. 

Byulyi sighed. They used to be very close but she could understand her cold behavior. If she was her, she would probably do worse. She arranged the balls into a perfect snowman and smiled proudly. She was about to reenter the house when Yonghee and Minhyuk came out.

“Byul, I’m going out with Aunty Yonghee. Please don’t go before I come back. Would you?” Minhyuk pleaded.

“Of course. I’ll wait for you to come back. Go enjoy the movie!” Byulyi gave him a thumbs up.

Yongsun and Byulyi waved them goodbye and entered the house. Byulyi removed her outer and joined Yongsun in the living room.

“Here, I made you some hot chocolate.” Yongsun gave Byulyi a full mug.

“Wow, thank you.” Byulyi took the mug and sipped the sweet drink.

“The snowman is cute.” Yongsun looked outside.

“Thank you. Do you remember that we used to make one in our old apartment complex?” Byulyi giggled.

Yongsun laughed. “Yeah. It was a good time.”

“It was.” Byulyi fidgeted. Now would be the perfect time for a more serious conversation since they were alone. “Yong, can we talk?”

Yongsun turned to face the alpha. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

“I miss you.” Byulyi blurted out before she chickened up.

Yongsun didn’t answer for a while. She put her mug on the coffee table and looked at the alpha. “Thank you. I used to miss you a lot but now, I kinda accept that we will never meet again. So, I stopped missing you.”

Okay, that was painful but Byulyi understood. She smiled. “I came yesterday to see how you are doing and to be honest I don’t have any other intention. I just want to meet you. But…”

“But?”

“It’s so hard for me not to think of Minhyuk as my son.” 

Yongsun was visibly stiff. “He’s not.”

“Then tell me who’s his sire?”

Yongsun bit her lower lip. She exasperatedly sighed. “Why do you have to know? And even if you were his sire, then so what? what would you do?”

“Then I want to be present for him! If I am his sire, I want him to know me and I want to know him! You perfectly know how much I value family, Yong!” Byulyi was starting to boil up.

This was the day Yongsun dreaded most. She couldn’t make up her mind whether or not to tell Byulyi the truth. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her mind and heart shouted different answers.

Byulyi sighed. “Yong… If I were Minhyuk's sire, how many moments have I missed? The moments when you were pregnant. The first time seeing him through the USG. Your first craving. His birth. His first laugh. His first step. His first word. His fever. His nightmare. His favorite food. His first full song. What else do you want me to miss, Yong? Don’t you think I have lost enough moments? Do you still want to rob more from me?” Tears welled up in her eyes as she stressed every precious thing that she had been missing.

Yongsun bawled and covered her face as she kept crying hard. She didn’t refuse when Byulyi hugged and kissed her crown.

“Please… tell me the truth.” Byulyi showered Yongsun’s face with kisses.

“Okay.” Yongsun retracted a little and looked into Byulyi’s azure eyes. “A month after we broke up, I did a medical check-up for the job in Malaysia. That was when I was informed that I was pregnant. I didn’t even know before. I panicked because after you le