--

Sakura stares at her daughter, Nako, who was busy coloring her book. She crossed her arms and leaned her body at the bay of the door.

"Having fun?"

Nako looked over her shoulder. Her smile grew wider at the sight of her mother.

“Mama! Late again!”

Sakura forced a grin as she walked to her daughter. She put her coat next to Nako’s table before she crouched down to her daughter's level.

“I know, I’m sorry. Do you want ice cream on our way home?”

Nako nodded her head vigorously before she put the coloring books and fetched her bag. Sakura stood up and walked to her daughter’s teacher.

“I’m so sorry for being late again, Yuri.”

Yuri smiles at the older woman and pats a chair in front of her.

“I know you’re busy, unnie. It’s okay, really.”

Sakura sighed and combed her hair with her fingers as she closed her eyes, feeling guilty.

“It’s not okay, Yul. You’re gonna take a leave soon for the marriage preparation. I don’t think the other teacher would understand this.”

Yuri rolled her eyes.

“Unnie, everyone here loves Nako. I swear they're gonna snatch my place here just to be Nako’s teacher. Really, don’t worry about it.”

Sakura rubbed her face. Yuri could see how stressed Sakura was with this. She put her pen down, and gave the young mother all her attention.

“I’ve been wondering about this, have you introduced Nako to Eunbi unnie?”

Yuri watched Sakura’s lips tightened.

“They haven’t met?”

Sakura avoids Yuri’s piercing gaze.

“Hold on, don’t tell me she doesn’t know?”

Sakura grunts and lifts her head, smiling apologetically at the younger girl who stares at her in disbelief.

“I can’t believe you-”

“She’s busy, okay? And..”

Yuri crossed her arms in front of her chest, waiting for Sakura to talk.

“And?”

Sakura sighed. She lowered her gaze to her laps, playing with her fingers.

“She’s scared of kids.”

Yuri shakes her head before she turns her head, staring at Nako who was skipping her way to them.

“Unnie, listen. Maybe you should talk with Eunbi unnie? Who knows maybe she would be able to take care of Nako too in the future, right?”

--

“Mama, you listen??”

Sakura snapped from her thoughts before she glanced down at Nako, who was already in her bed. Nako pouted when she realized Sakura hadn't been listening to her.

“Mama, bad!”

Nako turns her back on Sakura, leaving Sakura panicked.

“Sorry, sorry! Nako? Please, I’m so sorry..”

Sakura could hear Nako sighed before she looked over her tiny shoulder. Sakura smiles at her, feeling sorry for not paying attention.

“I know it was rude of me for not listening to you, and I’m sorry.”

Nako nodded before she played with the hem of her blanket.

“Nako didn’t mind if you’re late to pick me up, mama.”

Sakura smiled softly before she caressed her daughter’s hair.

“No, no. I can’t keep doing that to you, Nako. I won’t be late again, I promised. Okay?”

Nako grinned and hugged her mama. Sakura smiles as she hears her yawn.

"Ok, time to bed. Good night, kid."

Sakura planted a good night kiss on her forehead before she patted Nako's back softly. After she makes sure Nako is asleep, Sakura makes her way outside before she leaves a tiny gap from Nako's bedroom door.

Sakura took her phone out from her back pocket before she plopped herself down on the sofa. She dropped her head to rest, before she lifted her phone, scrolling through her contacts before dialing a number that she knew by heart. Sakura placed her phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

Sakura smiles at the sound from the other line.

"Hi, princess. Did I wake you up?"

Sakura heard a shuffle from the other line.

“You’re not. I was waiting for your call.”

Sakura put her phone between her ear and shoulder before she went to her wardrobe, searching for her pyjamas.

“You were? Why is that?”

Sakura took her phone and put it on loudspeaker before she changed her clothes.

“I just miss you.”

Sakura smiles and throws her used clothes to the laundry bin. She then walked to her bed and lay down.

“I miss you too. Anyway, can we.. talk? Tomorrow, maybe?”

“Was this something important?”

Sakura bit her lips. Was it important? Yes. Will this make Eunbi run from her life? Yes.

“Uh.. yeah. Actually, yes. This is kinda important and I just can’t.. wait to talk about this with you.”

Sakura waited for Eunbi to speak as she didn't hear anything from the other line.

“... Eun?”

“Sorry, yeah. Sure. Lunch time is good for you?”

Sakura sighed inwardly before she smiled.

“Yeah. Uh.. we better get some sleep. And, Eun?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

Sakura heard a sigh.

“I love you too, baby.”

--

Eunbi stare dumbfoundedly when she arrived at the restaurant that Sakura told her to go. She was actually worried, but also excited as it’s been a week since the last time she met the younger girl. There’s no way you can get pregnant and have this kid in a span of a week, right? Eunbi carefully walked to the table, hoping for Sakura to put down the menu and greet her. Instead, a girl with big eyes turns her head and stares at her. Eunbi and the little girl had a staring contest before they heard Sakura’s voice from behind the menu.

“Mac and cheese sounds good for you, Nako?”

The little girl, who apparently called Nako, turned her head to Sakura.

“Yes, mama. And ice cream for dessert.”

Mama? Eunbi feels like she is about to faint. Sakura finally put down her menu and stared annoyedly at Nako, before she caught a familiar woman behind Nako. Her smile softened.

“You’re here.”

Eunbi nodded, feeling a gaze at her, but she ignored it. She walked to Sakura’s side before she gave her a kiss on her head. Nako beat Eunbi before she could open .

“Mama! No kiss from a stranger!”

Sakura’s eyes widened, as she felt Eunbi’s grip on her shoulder tightened. She took Eunbi’s hand and led her to take a seat beside Sakura.

“No, honey. She’s not a stranger. This is Eunbi, she’s my.. Girlfriend.”

Eunbi felt her heart fluttered by Sakura’s words, but immediately felt nervous because of the kid’s stare.

“Mama no girlfriend. Nako don’t like her.”

Sakura’s eyes widened.

“Nako!”

Sakura turned her head slowly to her right, feeling incredibly nervous for her girlfriend. But Eunbi looks.. Fine? Calm, maybe? She gulped when Eunbi finally turned her head, staring at her.

“And may I know who this is?”

Instead of Sakura, it was Nako who answered the question.

“My name is Miyawaki Nako, four years old. And I don’t like you.”

Eunbi smirked at Nako’s direction.

“Yeah? I don’t like you too.”

Sakura feels like fainting.

…

After the distraseous lunch with Nako keeps talking about her days and refuses to eat if Sakura doesn't feed her and Eunbi keeps feeding her lunch and talks about her day, they are now on their way to the parking lot. Both Eunbi and Nako have completely ignored each other’s presence while taking Sakura’s attention from each other. Nako was in Sakura’s arms when they were heading to the unfamiliar car.

“Mama, that’s not our car.”

Sakura sighed.

“It’s Eunbi’s car. She’s gonna get going now. We have to say goodbye.”

Nako crossed her arms.

“She's a big girl! She doesn’t need bye bye!”

Sakura grunts when Nako tells her that. Eunbi stopped in her tracks before she turned her body and gave them a forced smile.

“Yes, Kkura. I’m a big girl, no need to take me to the care. You don't even care to tell me about your daughter.”

Sakura paled when she heard her daughter gasping.

“But Nako is mama’s daughter!”

Eunbi scoffed and unlocked her car before she slammed the door right in front of Sakura’s face.

“Eun-”

“Keep your explanation, Kkura. I need time.”

Sakura watched Eunbi’s car leave the parking spot. She heard Nako exhale.

“Bad girl.”

Sakura sighed before she put Nako down and crouched down to her eye-level.

“That’s not nice, Nako.”

Nako crossed her arms and glared at her mama.

“But you didn’t tell her I’m your daughter!”

Sakura rubbed her forehead, suddenly feeling tired.

“I know it was my fault, but I have my reasons baby. Adults.. Reasons. Please, don’t be like that to her again, okay?”

Nako shakes her head and starts walking away from her mama. Sakura stares at her dumbfoundedly and catches up with her.

“This is bad..”

--

Sakura watched the couple in front of her laughing their asses off. It’s been a week since the.. Events and Eunbi still refused to talk to her. Nako too, sometimes ignores her whenever she talks about Eunbi.

“Happy for my misery?”

Yuril wiped the tears that pooled at the corner of her eyes, while Yena, her fiance, tried to catch her breath.

“I’m sorry, unnie. But this is too funny.”

Yena nodded as she gulped down a glass of water.

“Damn, I never thought Eunbi unnie would be disliked by Nako that much. And to think the feelings are mutual-”

Yena snickers. Sakura rolled her eyes before she rested both her elbows on the table and ruffled her own hair.

“I’m so screwed, you know.”

Yuri patted her head.

“At least we knew they like the same thing.”

Sakura lifts her head and stares at Yuri, together with Yena.

“What do you mean?”

Yuri pointed at Sakura. Both Yena and Sakura look at each other before turning their attention back to Yuri.

“Me?”

Yuri nodded and took a sip from her bubble gum shakes.

“Yeah, you. They both like you. Why don’t we use you, as something to make them bond?”

Yena crossed her arms.

“For example?”

Yuri shrugged her shoulders, before she stared at Sakura from behind her glass.

“You tell me, unnie. What do you want to do with both of them?”

…

Eunbi