STILL  not wanting to leave her bed, Irene complained with a loud groan as she rolled to lie on the other side. Her arm instinctively reached for someone that was supposed to be beside her that time but her arm landed straight to the bed. She opened one eye first to confirm and frowned right away. 

Irene then laid to her back before taking a good stretch, her right leg getting some air as it escaped from her velvety sheets. She then looked by the floor and grabbed whatever she could wear. When she’s finally on her feet and her sight already adjusted, she just couldn’t help but to shake her head at the sight of their room. 

“What a wild night…” She breathed out. It’s her day off but it seems like she must do some unavoidable chores for today. Despite the mess, Irene chose to ignore all of it and prepared herself to go outside. When she faced the mirror, her shoulders just dropped with her hand automatically going by her neck. 

“I was just away for two weeks…” Irene sighed as she looked at the masterpiece left on her neck down to her collar bone. There were more in the body but she couldn’t help but blush at the sight of it. She fixed herself before finally stepping outside. 

Irene looked at the living room from the second floor but it was empty. Even her dog, Bambi, wasn’t there. With a light frown, she jogged downstairs, the oversized shirt that she was wearing flowing freely in the air. 

She then checked the kitchen. Again, her babies were not around. 

“Did they go for a walk?” Irene asked herself before consulting the time with the huge grandfather’s clock she has in her living room. “It would be so hot to go for a walk this time though…”

Irene quickly went to boil some water before deciding to visit her plants on her porch only to be surprised to see the baby that she was searching for having a good time with another woman. Irene froze on the spot, blood left her face as her jaw dropped. 

Bambi, who was sitting on the lap of the other woman, jumped away after seeing her. The little dog immediately greeted his original mom. Her other baby and the other lady just looked at her for a while before going back to their business. 

“Good morning, Joohyun-ah.” The other woman greeted her before taking a sip of her tea but her eyes were scanning Irene from head to toe then back to head again. “I wonder if there's a clothing shortage in your house. Seriously, are you going out with nothing but a t-shirt on?”

“O-Omma!” Irene had to step backwards because of shock. “W-When—”

“Have you forgotten? I told you weeks ago that I would be visiting.” The woman gave her a bombastic side eye. “Don’t tell me you really forgot about it?”

“I-I-It’s not like that—”

Irene’s sentence was cut short when her mother let out a disappointed sigh. The woman then turned to Irene’s girlfriend and gave her a sweet smile. Irene’s eyes widened even more after seeing how her mother treats her girlfriend more like her child than her. 

“I can’t believe it’s only Seulgi who remembered my visit.” The woman then reached out to Seulgi to give her light taps on the cheek. The said girl was currently drawing a portrait of Irene’s mother on her iPad. 

Seulgi turned to Irene to flash her a mischievous smile. “I didn’t wake you up, baby. I believe you really needed that sleep.”

Irene’s blood went back to her face in full force when Seulgi winked at her before her lips. Irene’s mother snorted at Seulgi’s boldness and at how her daughter reacted. She just loves seeing Irene like that. 

“I mean…” Seulgi shrugged her shoulders before looking back to her iPad screen. “You were away for two weeks, I guess… you must be really tired.”

“Someone’s away for two weeks and left the wolf with no food at all?” The woman continued to daughter. “I understand the wolf if she had to attack her master right away.”

“Omma!” Irene shouted. “I really hate you two!” 

The girl rushed back inside, slamming the door shut. Seulgi and Irene’s mother, Hyunmi, started laughing while little Bambi looked rather confused on why his mommy didn’t greet him back. 

Irene ran towards her room to change into her own clothes. She couldn’t believe that this actually happened. Her mother who treated her coldly after coming out and ending her engagement actually ended up being very close to her girlfriend. Not just that, she really thought that her mother would be saying something about her being in a relationship with someone who has quite a past like Kang Seulgi but Hyunmi is really supportive to their relationship. 

They clicked right away after meeting each other. Irene was really worried about introducing Seulgi to them, especially with Seulgi having one of the bad, if not worst, experiences someone could have with their parents. 

She knew her mum so well too. She witnessed how many suitors with great backgrounds were turned down by her mother. Even her ex-fiance went into a very meticulous checking before he was approved of her. Irene already expected that Hyunmi would be disapproving of Seulgi.

But yeah, it turned out to be the meeting that she never expected to happen. Hyunmi was so welcoming of Seulgi, even the latter was shocked at how she was treated like family right away. It was a rather weird experience for Seulgi.

Her mother would even visit them from time to time to spend time with them. Something that Hyunmi never even did in the past. When Irene talked with her mother about it, the woman just smiled at her and patted her head. 

“Seulgi already experienced a lot of heartache from her parents, I would be inhuman to hurt her even more after everything that happened. Also, I realised that I’ve been focusing on the wrong side of my parenting. I really want to make up to you as well. You’re old enough to decide for yourself. I just want to support you in everything you want to do.”

She could still remember how much she cried that time while being hugged by her mother for the first time in forever. It was like a magical moment for her. 

Seulgi is such a blessing to her. It’s not just she’s having the best relationship she could ever wish for but having her also bridged her back to her parents. She is really thankful for it. 

She earned two people who love to but it is worth it.

After finally covering all her love bites, Irene went out and found the two back in the living room. Bambi tried to earn her attention again and this time, the little dog succeeded and even boasted about it to Seulgi.

Irene chuckled at the cuteness of her babies. Her mother just smiled before quickly proceeding to .

“Joohyun-ah, is your house infested with bugs?” 

Irene turned to her mum with a curious frown. “What do you mean, Omma? My house is certainly free from any sort of bugs.”

“Really?” Hyunmi turned to Seulgi for a moment before looking back at her daughter. “Then what are those bugs who bit Seulgi by the neck? I thought there was a serious infestation here!”

Seulgi couldn’t help it anymore and laughed while Irene turned into a ripe tomato.

“C-Can you stop teasing me, Omma? For the love of Bambi!” Irene then turned to Seulgi. “And you! Stop laughing! Don’t you have any shame? You’re really flaunting your neck like that!?”

“Come on, baby~” Seulgi leaned forward. “It’s too hot to cover my neck. There’s no way I would just let my hair down. Also, this is the proof of how much we enjoyed—”

“STOP! Please not in front of Omma!”

Irene marched towards her kitchen, leaving the two on their own again. Seulgi soon excused herself and followed Irene to the kitchen. Hyunmi could only shake her head as she sighed. 

“I am so envious of them right now. If only my husband was more expressive like them.”

IRENE was surprised when