Slice of Life (1/1)

Dahyun had always thought of herself a fairly happy person, all things in her life being considered. Life wasn’t always perfect, but she never imagined that there could be a greater happiness in the world than performing on stage and going through life with her eight adopted sisters.  Then out of the absolute darkest, most devastating time in her life, the brightest most beautiful thing came forth.  Haeun.  Dahyun loved that little girl with every fiber of her being. She would move heaven and earth to see those brown eyes—her own eyes in miniature form—squeeze shut when a gummy, toothless grin stretched across her little face.  She didn’t have to do much to make her smile though. Haeun was a fairly content baby most of the time. She was still a baby though, and she had her moments where she was fussy—usually when she was hungry or tired—or clingy, upset unless she was being cuddled by someone—which was no surprise to Dahyun—but thankfully she had eight aunties who were head-over-heels in love with her, and more than willing to help take care of her.  Dahyun never expected how incredibly special it would be to see her sisters taking care of her daughter, but watching them spending time, playing, and helping raise Haeun was a special piece of heaven that she wouldn’t trade for anything. Their relationships with the girl were all so incredibly different, and Dahyun loved to watch as their relationships evolved as Haeun grew.  Nayeon was always great with kids, so it didn’t really surprise Dahyun that her oldest sister had been a natural when it came to taking care of Haeun.  (The girl had been all of three months old when Nayeon took it upon herself to teach the girl how to blow a kiss. Obviously the girl was much too young to understand it, but that didn’t stop Nayeon from taking credit when the girl brought her tiny hand to her lips.  “She did it! Did you see that? Tell me someone saw that.” Nayeon had exclaimed, her sudden excitement causing the baby to cry. “Oh no, I’m sorry aga,” she cooed as she picked the girl up and snuggled her close. “Nayeon-imo was just excited.”  Dahyun walked into the room, instinctively drawn to Haeun’s tiny cries. “What’s wrong?”  “I startled her,” Nayeon pouted apologetically as she swayed back and forth, trying to calm the tiny bundle in her arms. “I got too excited and it scared her.” Dahyun crossed the room to stand beside Nayeon. She ran a comforting hand across Haeun’s cheek, gently shushing her cries.  “Nayeon-imo is loud sometimes, but she’s mostly harmless,” Dahyun said, softly. “So what was so exciting that you made her cry?”  Proud of herself, Nayeon smiled. “I totally got her to blow a kiss.”) Nayeon loved every second that she was able to spend with the girl, even if that simply meant that she was the person who tried to convince the very stubborn one-year-old to eat her mashed zucchini.  “Come on dubs,” Nayeon pleaded, “I told your eomma that I would get you to eat, now don’t make a liar out of me.”  Haeun turned her head forcefully, causing zucchini to go all over herself, her high-chair, and of course, Nayeon. Nayeon frowned, her lips jutting out in an exaggerated pout as she wiped her face off, causing her one-year-old audience to burst out in laughter.  “Well I wasn’t trying to be funny, but I’m glad it amused you,” Nayeon smiled.  “I think she just likes your aegyo, unnie,” Dahyun chuckled, standing in the doorway.  “How long have you been watching this?” Nayeon asked, taking a damp cloth and wiping the food from the dark wisps of hair that covered Haeun’s head.  “Long enough,” Dahyun laughed.  “Well I’m glad that I could be amusing to the two of you,” Nayeon smiled.  “Of course. We both love our Nayeon-imo. Isn’t that right, aga?” Dahyun walked over and picked the girl up out of her high chair.  “Nay-mo!” The girl exclaimed, clapping her chubby hands together.  “See ‘Naymo’, you are still the best, even if you can’t convince her to like zucchini.”  “Next time I’m just going to do what Sana does and sneak her a piece of chocolate whenever she eats her food.” Nayeon grinned mischievously.  “Bribing my child with chocolate…” Dahyun furrowed her brow in mock disapproval, “Respect.” … Jeongyeon was a motherly type in the group from the beginning, even before there was anyone to mother. After Hauen was born, she was the one who was always willing to get up at three in the morning, just to rock the little girl who was desperate for attention.  Dahyun had lost count of the times she had found Jeongyeon sitting in the nursery, holding the girl against her chest, softly singing her lullabies and keeping her content until it was time for Dahyun to nurse the girl and put her back to sleep.  (“You know you are the cutest baby in the whole world, don’t you?” Jeongyeon had said, rocking the month old baby in her arms. “I don’t know what the nine of us would do without you.”  Jeongyeon looked over to see Dahyun fast asleep on the couch, her glasses still on her face, her hair disheveled, the sleeve of her shirt covered in spit up stains. Somehow, Jeongyeon still determined that she’d never seen Dahyun happier. “Your eomma is the greatest, too,” Jeongyeon whispered, “She was so brave for bringing you into this world, and she’s doing an awesome job being your eomma...But don’t tell her I said that, okay? I don’t want her thinking her unnie has gone soft, so that secret stays between us. Deal?”  Haeun stretched and yawned in response.  Jeongyeon smiled, reaching out a finger and letting Haeun reflexively grab on with her tiny hand. Jeongyeon had moved her finger up and down, simulating the world's tiniest handshake.  “Deal.”) Now, as the girl was getting older, Jeongyeon was able to spend more meaningful time with her as they bonded over a love for one thing.  Building blocks.  Jeongyeon held her own Legos dear—and wouldn’t dream of letting Haeun potentially choke by putting them in her mouth—but she happily helped the one-year-old stack the toddler appropriate building blocks on top of each other, only to perform her now famous Godzilla routine.  Haeun’s laughter was infectious, her amused and excited chuckles filling the nursery as Jeongyeon purposely knocked over the tower of blocks.  “Jeongjira,” She exclaimed, walking stiff legged through the pile of blocks. “Jeongjira hungry,” She picked the girl up from the floor and unleashed a flurry of raspberries to Haeun’s exposed stomach. “Wait, are you playing Godzilla or zombie?” Momo asked, watching intently from across the room as Jeongyeon played with Haeun.  “She doesn’t know the difference, so I guess both?” Jeongyeon smiled, gently tossing the girl up in the air, another eruption of giggles escaping the tiny girl’s body.  “Alright, count me in then,” Momo sighed, and then growled, walking stiff-legged through the blocks in the floor, deciding to join in on the fun.… Momo was a softy. She had been so nervous around Haeun from the beginning—being somewhat skittish after the girl’s rocky and sudden arrival into the world—but once she was comfortable with her, there was no separating the two.  Momo’s favorite time with Haeun was always “dance practice.” Momo knew the girl was much too young to retain any of what the two of them did together, but she cherished every moment.  (Months earlier, Dahyun had spent her day tirelessly tending to the needs of her very angry daughter, who was currently going through her first growth spurt. "Can I close my eyes here for just like a second?" Dahyun asked, sitting on the couch, running a hand through her dark locks of hair. She looked to Haeun, who was currently sleeping in her portable bassinet. "I just can't go on without a quick power nap." "Of course," Jeongyeon handed Dahyun a light blanket, "You sleep when she sleeps, right?"  Dahyun was all of three minutes into her power nap when Haeun began stirring awake.  Momo crossed the living room, hearing the tiny whines and grunts of the baby, and picked the girl up without hesitating, walking with her to another room in the condominium in hopes that Dahyun wouldn't wake up.  "Hey there," Momo looks down to the tiny girl in her arms. "You are having a hard time aren't you, aga?"  Momo walked across the room, and turned Pandora on on her laptop, gently singing along to the music while rocking the baby back and forth. Dahyun wakes up about 15 minutes later, and walks into the room to find Momo, swaying back and forth, slow dancing to the quiet music that filled the nursery. Haeun was curled up in a tiny bundle, asleep in Momo's arms. Her tiny face was scrunched up against the Momo's chest, her little pink lips puckered into a pout.  "What are you doing?" Dahyun whispered, wiping the sleep from her eyes.  "Shh," Momo's eyes didn't leave the tiny bundle laying on her chest. "We're dancing. Someone fell asleep during our slow dance." Dahyun smiled, leaning on the doorframe.  "You know it's a miracle you got her to sleep at all. She's been so fussy today."  "I know," Momo nodded, running her finger over the thin, dark feathers of hair on top of Haeun's head. "Dancing always makes me cheer up when I'm not feeling well, so I figured she'd be the same."  Haeun stirred against Momo's chest, rubbing her little face with her chubby fingers.  "Want me to try and put her down?" Dahyun asked, offering to relieve Momo of babysitting duty. Momo shook her head, "I think we'll just stay here and keep dancing. Just until she wakes up. If that's okay." "Yeah, of course," Dahyun replied. "I'm gonna go grab something to snack on. Let me know if you need me."  Momo lost track of time after that, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep in the rocking chair in the corner.  Dahyun walked in two hours later—when it was time for Haeun to nurse again—and couldn't help but smile at the sight of her daughter and her older sister, both snoring softly, mouths agape. She took Haeun from Momo's arms, and the older girl stirred slightly, not opening her eyes.  Dahyun bent over and placed a quick peck on Momo's cheek.  "Thanks for taking care of her, Momo-unnie."  "Haeunie'sagoodbaby." Momo smiled and nodded, still mostly asleep, "She's my new favorite dance partner.") Haeun was now thirteen months old, and more than happy to waddle around the practice room while Momo practiced her own dancing. The little girl bounced up and down to the music, giggling to herself as she tried to emulate her auntie.  “Daebak,” Momo exclaimed, running over and sitting on the floor in front of the girl. “You can be lead dancer now. So talented.” Momo clapped and cheered, which caused Haeun to only bounce to the music with more passion. When the music ended, the girl looked around the room confused, and then immediately sad, the corners of her mouth forming a tiny pout as she began to cry.  “Hang on,” Momo stood up and ran to the computer to play another song.  The girls face lit up when one of the group’s songs played through the speakers. “Eomma!” She exclaimed, recognizing her mother's voice instantly.  Momo smiled, endlessly amused by her niece.  These moments in the practice room were some of her favorite for sure.… Sana was the most affectionate member of the group from the very beginning. She was especially close to Dahyun, and by extension, she was now very close to Hauen.  (“Are you okay?” Sana had asked upon her first time seeing Dahyun since Haeun had been born three hours earlier. Her first priority was checking on Dahyun, even before she had a chance to meet her niece.  “I’m good,” Dahyun smiled. She looked happy, but obviously exhausted. “I’m very sore, and I’m tired, but if she’s okay, I’m okay.” Dahyun looked down lovingly at the little pink bundle in her arms, “You ready to hold your niece?” Dahyun asked, looking to Sana. “Can I?” Sana asked, walking slowly to Dahyun’s bedside.  “Of course, unnie,” Dahyun repositioned the girl, carefully handing Hauen to Sana. “Watch her head, and hold her close to your chest.” Dahyun had coached, a total natural eomma.  “She’s so small,” Sana looked at Haeun’s little face, the girl’s big brown eyes blinking open at the sound of her voice. She knew those eyes instantly, and her heart instantly melted. She was already emotional, so she couldn’t help but cry. “She looks just like you, Dahyunie. She's just perfect.”  Dahyun wiped her own eyes, overcome with emotion for the millionth time that day.  “You made this,” Sana whispered in awe. “You made this little person. She’s...incredible.”  “It’s crazy right?” Dahyun smiled. “Just a few hours ago we were laying in your bed, counting her little kicks, and now she’s really here. It doesn’t seem real yet.”  “Daebak,” Sana breathed. “I love her so much.”)  Haeun was now fourteen months old, and in a very clingy stage. Sana didn’t mind though, as she was always willing to give her baby niece extra cuddles and affection.  Currently, the girl was nuzzled up against the nape of Sana’s neck, snoring softly as she was rocked back and forth.  “Did she fall asleep?” Dahyun asked, walking into the room.  Sana nodded, smiling with pride at her accomplishment in taming the fussy baby.  “She didn’t take the bottle though,” Sana said apologetically. “She just kept knocking it out of my hand.” “Stubborn girl,” Dahyun laughed. Her original intentions of weaning the girl after her first birthday were proving to be difficult as she absolutely refused to be bottle fed. “These days will pass soon enough I suppose.”  “She’s out like a light though,” Sana replied, “Watch this.” Sana lifted the girl’s tiny hand from her shoulder and giggled softly as it fell limply back to its original position. "She's dead to the world."  Dahyun smiled, walking over to place a kiss on both Haeun and Sana's heads.  "You want me to take her or are you good?"  "I'm good. She's so cuddly, I couldn't possibly put her down." Sana said, turning her head to kiss Haeun's cheek the best she could at the angle she was in.  "She's a snuggler.” Dahyun said as she walked towards the door, “Clingy. Just like her Sana-oba."  "You like it and you know it." Sana teased.  Dahyun rolled her eyes, smiling. "Oh be quiet before you wake up my kid."… Jihyo was the leader of the group, so being a natural at taking care of the other members had came easily to her. In the early days after the attack, it had been Jihyo who Dahyun had confided in. In the beginning of Dahyun’s pregnancy, it had been Jihyo who was always looking out for her, making sure she had eaten enough and helping manage her morning sickness.  When Haeun had finally been born, Jihyo had kept her focus on Dahyun, making sure that the younger member was eating, sleeping, and taking care of her own health first and foremost.  (“You need to take care of yourself too,” Jihyo had reminded Dahyun, watching as the younger girl sat zombielike rocking the four-day-old baby. “You can’t take care of her if you aren’t taking care of yourself.” “I know, I know,” Dahyun had mumbled, her voice hiding none of her exhaustion. “Have you even slept since you’ve been home from the hospital?” Jihyo furrowed her brow in concern.  Dahyun looked side-to-side, as if she was going to find a better answer somewhere in the room. “I’ve dozed off when she sleeps, but she has to nurse like every hour, and if I fall asleep, I’m going to sleep like the dead, and I’m afraid I won’t wake up to feed her and she’ll be hungry, and not even a week in and I’m going to have her taken away for negligence or worse and—”  Jihyo had placed a finger to Dahyun’s lips, stopping her in her spiral of irrationality.  “Give her to me.” Jihyo held out her hands, ready to receive the tiny pink bundle in her arms.  “Unnie, I—” “No. No arguing. I’m pulling rank here. Give me the baby, and go and take a nap in your own bed. The second she gets fussy I will come and wake you up. Go.”  Dahyun had relented, obeying the orders of her older sister, and the second her head hit the pillow, she was grateful that she had listened.)  Haeun was now a very rambunctious fourteen-month-old, her chubby little legs taking her as far and as fast as they could as Jihyo walked with the girl down the halls of the recording studio. When she couldn’t go as fast as she wanted without falling down, the girl proceeded to crawl full speed, making her way down the long corridor.  “Haeun-ah,” Jihyo reached down and picked the girl up from the ground, smiling as the girl frowned at her. “Don’t give me that look. Come on, let’s go and see if eomma and Chaeng-imo are done recording yet.”  Jihyo walked with the girl into the production room, watching through the glass as Chaeyoung and Dahyun finished up their recording session.  “Eomma! Chae-mo!” The girl exclaimed, nearly throwing herself out of Jihyo’s grasp as she lunged forward towards the soundproof glass.  Dahyun caught a glimpse of Haeun and a wide grin crossed her face as she waved from inside of the recording booth.  “Eomma!”  “Eomma will be done in a minute kiddo,” Jihyo smiled, sitting down on the studio couch with the girl in her lap. “Let’s wait here and watch them until she gets done. They’ll be done soon.” “Eomma soon?” The girl turned her head inquisitively, the curious scrunch in her brow an instant reminder of just how much she looked like Dahyun.  “Yeah aga, soon.” Content for the moment, the girl watched carefully as Dahyun finished recording.  The second that the door to the recording booth opened, the girl wiggled out of Jihyo’s arms and ran to Dahyun, the tiny girl nearly knocking her mother to the ground in the process.  “There’s eomma’s girl!” Dahyun wrapped her arms around Haeun, covering every inch of the girls chubby cheeks with kisses. “I missed you so much.”  As the two of them embraced, Jihyo honestly wasn’t sure if it was Haeun or Dahyun who was more happy to be reunited. … Mina was a natural with Haeun, much like Nayeon. However, where Nayeon was the fun, loud, and playful auntie, Mina was always there for the calm, quiet moments—she was the one most likely to volunteer to give the girl a bath or put her down for a nap—but she still had one vice that instantly brought out the more playful side of her.  Video games.  (Dahyun had been nearly eight months pregnant, miserable in the summer heat—though she'd never admit it—when she had waddled into the dorm to see Mina, sprawled out on the couch, excitedly playing one of her fighting games on the Playstation. "Mind if I watch? I’m so bored, and the unnies won’t let me do anything." Dahyun asked, pulling Mina out of her zone of concentration.  Mina didn't hesitate, she simply got into the floor, opening up a spot for Dahyun.  "I don't need the whole couch, Mina-unnie," Dahyun smiled, carefully lowering herself onto the couch, "I'm not that huge."  Mina smiled shyly. "I just thought it'd be more comfortable."  "Unnie, I'm eight months pregnant. Nothing is comfortable," Dahyun laughed. "Now get back up here." Mina obliged, getting comfortable on the couch as she gently laid her head on Dahyun's bump. She played multiple rounds of the game, hot on a winning streak until her focus was broken by a small kick to her head. "Hey now," Mina laughed, turning to face Dahyun’s bump. "You're supposed to be rooting for Mina-Oba. Traitor."  "Sorry unnie," Dahyun chuckled. "I think she just wants a turn. Maybe when she's born you can teach her to play with you."  Mina smiled at the thought.) "And now I'm going to glide here and...boom! Shrine finished." Mina smiled proudly, balancing the fourteen-month-old in her lap as her hands were busy controlling the Nintendo Switch.  "Horsey!" Haeun exclaimed, tapping her sticky little fingers on the screen.  "Okay, okay," Mina laughed. "Let's go see the horses." While Mina preferred actually playing the game, the toddler in her lap was more interested in the various wildlife in the kingdom of Hyrule.  "You two are just adorable, you know that right?" Sana said, watching the scene unfold from the other end of the living room.  Mina smiled. As unexpected as this entire situation was—being an aunt this early in her life—she was truly grateful to have someone in the house who was just as excited about video games as she was.  Even if the girl only cared about the animals. … Chaeyoung was a constant in Dahyun’s life. Through everything that she had gone through—and now as she was raising her daughter—Chaeyoung had stayed the same, fun-loving, shoulder-to-cry-on sister that Dahyun was eternally grateful for.  (It had only been a few days since Dahyun had found out about her pregnancy. She was beyond tired, but unable to sleep. Her mind was racing with a million thoughts and worries—some of which had been put to rest at the previous day’s doctor’s appointment—so she continued to stare into space, hoping that the hypnotic turn of the ceiling fan would eventually lull her to sleep.  Chaeyoung curled up against Dahyun in the bed, linking their fingers together. “How are you feeling?” She asked.  “Exhausted. Nauseous. Bloated,” Dahyun deadpanned, “So I’m good I guess.”  Chaeyoung rolled her eyes, “That’s not quite what I was asking, unnie. Are you okay?” She repeated the question, knowing full well that Dahyun had been avoiding answering it the first time. Dahyun bit her lip, “I just feel so alone. I mean I guess I’m not ever alone anymore,” She gently put a hand on her still flat stomach. “I can’t describe it though. I just feel...alone, Chaengie.” She repeated herself.  “You aren’t alone. I’m here,” Chaeyoung’s dimple showed as she grinned, leaning her head against Dahyun’s. “And I’m not going anywhere, so you’re stuck with me for life.”  “I’m okay with that,” Dahyun smiled, her vision blurring as tears welled up in her eyes. “Stupid pregnancy hormones.” She laughed bitterly.  “Hey, those stupid hormones are making sure I have a healthy, adorable niece or nephew growing in there,” Chaeyoung chuckled.  “I guess you’re right,” Dahyun sighed. “Some of this just doesn’t feel real yet. But then I look at this,” She pulls out the ultrasound photo that is still in her pocket, “And it’s like nothing else in this world is real except for this.”  Chaeyoung nodded, understanding the best she could.  A silence sat between them for a moment, before Dahyun speaks again.  “Would you have kept it? If it was you?”  Chaeyoung was thrown off balance by the question, but she answered as best she could. “I don’t think what I would have done really matters, Dah. I don’t know if I could do what you are doing though.”  “Do you think I made the right choice? Keeping the baby?”  “Can you imagine the alternative? If you had made another choice.”  Dahyun shook her head, her lips pursed in a hard line. “I really tried to. I feel like I shouldn’t want to keep it...but I just do...and I’m afraid everyone is going to treat me differently because I’m having a baby, or because of why I’m having a baby for that matter. I just feel like everything is going to change between all of us.”  “No,” Chaeyoung replied. “You’re still you, and that’s all that matters. We’ll always be family, no matter what we go through.”  Chaeyoung smiled again, and suddenly Dahyun didn’t feel so alone.) Chaeyoung was there for every worry, every question, even when she didn’t have a solution or answer, she stayed the same. Sometimes just having her around made things seem easier, and for that Dahyun was grateful.  Chaeyoung couldn't believe how quickly time was passing. It seemed like just yesterday that Dahyun was bringing Haeun into the world.

(“I still can’t believe this is happening,” Chaeyoung said, sitting on the hospital bed beside Dahyun. It had been almost nine hours since Dahyun had gone into labor. The other seven members had stepped out to get something to eat, and Chaeyoung had volunteered to stay with Dahyun and keep her company. “She’s really going to be here.”  Dahyun smiled weakly, her face hiding none of her anxiety.  “Are you okay?” Chaeyoung asked, linking her fingers with Dahyun’s.  “I don’t know if I can do it, Chaengie,” Dahyun replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “What if I’m not good at being an eomma? What if I don’t love her enough? What if she doesn’t want me? I thought I could do this, but what if I was wrong? What if I screw everything up?”  “Of course you can do this, unnie,” Chaeyoung replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Dahyun’s ear. “She loves you already. You know how much she moves around when you talk to her, and how excited she gets when you play with her. The fact that you are worried about all of this means that you love her more than enough. And there is no way on Earth that you’ll be a bad eomma.”  “How can you know that I—” Dahyun’s breath hitched as her question was cut off by a sudden wave of pain when another contraction hit.  “Shh, deep breaths unnie, you’re doing great,” Chaeyoung coached as she let Dahyun squeeze her hand for support. “This one’s almost over, just keep breathing.” When the contraction was over, Dahyun sighed, anxiously looking at the heart rate monitor beside her bed.  “And to answer your question,” Chaeyoung stated, “I know you are going to be an amazing eomma, because you already are an amazing eomma. Haeun-ah is a lucky baby.” Dahyun froze. “How did you know I picked a name? I hadn’t told anyone yet.”  “Unnie, we live in the same room and we share a bed most nights,” Chaeyoung smiled, running a hand through her hair. “You talk to her in your sleep.”) Chaeyoung was pulled from her thoughts by a tiny voice coming through the baby monitor.  "Eomma?"  Chaeyoung sighed, rolling over and checking the clock.  It was barely a quarter past six. Haeun almost never was awake this early, so Dahyun was still dead asleep in the bed beside Chaeyoung.  Chaeyoung got up, crossed the hall and walked into the fourteen-month-old’s nursery.  "Eomma?" The girl whined, rubbing her sleepy eyes.  "No, it's Chaengie-imo." Chaeyoung whispered, walking to pick the girl up from her crib.  "Chae-mo." The girl cooed, sleepily nuzzling up against Chaeyoung's neck. Chaeyoung changed Haeun's diaper and dressed her for the day before walking back to the bedroom with the girl in her arms.  "Eomma!" Haeun shouted excitedly, her tiny voice gaining volume. "Shh, Dubs, eomma is still sleeping," Chaeyoung whispered. "Let's be quiet and you can come snuggle with Chaengie-imo and eomma."  Chaeyoung walked over and sat on the bed, placing Haeun between herself and Dahyun. "Eomma," Haeun curled up against Dahyun's chest, placing a chubby hand on Dahyun's cheek. "Haeunie," Chaeyoung chuckled, whispering. "I said we have to be quiet. You're just eomma's baby aren't you?" "’Morning baby girl," Dahyun grinned, not opening her eyes. "What time is it Chae?"  "Six thirty," Chaeyoung replied. "I tried to keep her quiet but she just wanted her eomma."  "That's okay," Dahyun opened her eyes, wrapping her arms around the fourteen-month-old. "Thanks for getting her, Chaeyoung-imo."  "Chae-mo!" The girl cooed her auntie’s name, happily copying her mother, and in that moment, Chaeyoung was pretty sure that there wasn't a better sound in the world. … The journey to becoming an aunt had been the most difficult for Tzuyu. Tzuyu was the youngest of the group, and everything that had happened to Dahyun had truly hit her the hardest. Once she finally opened up to Dahyun about her feelings of responsibility for everything that had happened, she was finally able to start healing.  (“Tzu, come here,” Dahyun chuckled, as Tzuyu carefully slid into the bed beside of her, the much taller girl making herself as small as she could. “I’m still me okay? You aren’t going to hurt me, or her. Now come cuddle me like you normally would.”  Tzuyu smiled shyly, bringing herself closer.  “Unnie,” Tzuyu spoke up, the tension finally absent from her posture. “Do you think it would be okay if I talked to her?” She asked, timidly nodding towards Dahyun’s bump.  “I think she’d like that,” Dahyun smiled, running a hand along the curve of her abdomen, feeling the precious movements beneath her fingers. “She usually falls asleep whenever Sana-unnie talks to her, but she gets crazy hyper for Momo-unnie and Nayeon-unnie.”  “I just want her to know who I am,” Tzuyu said, a hint of sadness in her voice. She couldn’t help but feel guilty at the thought that the baby was already familiar with the other members’ voices, but not her own. “She knows you, Tzu,” Dahyun smiled, “and she loves you already.”)  Tzuyu had been surprised at just how attached she was to Haeun. It was like as soon as she came to terms with the reality of Dahyun’s situation—and as soon as she had accepted that what happened wasn’t her fault—a switch had flipped inside of her, and where guilt had kept her at a distance, it was now what kept her close.  (Tzuyu had been in the room when Haeun was born—watching awestruck as her sister brought this tiny perfect little life into the world—but she had been among the last of the members to hold the girl. When she finally did get a chance to hold the tiny girl, she instantly fell in love, unable to look away at the girl’s perfect porcelain features.  “She’s pretty great, isn’t she?” Dahyun asked, proud.  “She’s amazing, unnie,” Tzuyu replied, looking at the girl in her arms. She ran a finger across the tiny bridge of Haeun’s nose. The girl’s lips began to quiver, suckling instinctively in her sleep, accentuating a feature that Tzuyu couldn’t help but notice.  A feature that Haeun did not get from her mother.  Dimples.  Tzuyu felt a pang of guilt rise in her chest as a memory of him crossed her mind.  The charming bastard had flashed those same dimples a number of times on their first meeting. Tzuyu couldn’t help but feel sick as she remembered his face.  “She has dimples,” Tzuyu said, her quiet voice barely audible. “I know,” Dahyun smiled, “I noticed the first time I nursed her. They’re adorable.”  “Doesn’t it...bother you?” Tzuyu asked, not asking the question truly on her mind.  Dahyun understood what Tzuyu was asking though—”doesn’t it remind you of him?”  “No, it doesn’t,” Dahyun smiled. "I like to think she gets them from her Tzuyu-imo."  Tzuyu smiled sadly, honored and sad at the same time.  Haeun began stirring in Tzuyu's arms and she brought her over to Dahyun.  Dahyun took the girl and her she immediately calmed, comforted by the presence of her mother.  Tzuyu sat beside of Dahyun in the hospital bed, her eyes still focused on Haeun. "Tzu, I don't think about him. Not when I see her." Dahyun looked at the tiny girl curled up in her arms. "When I look at her I remember the first time I saw her and I think of the first time I heard her little heartbeat. I remember the first time I felt her kick, and the first time she kicked hard enough that you girls could feel it too,” Dahyun ran a finger across Haeun’s cheek, “I see her chubby little dubu cheeks and those beautiful brown eyes, and I remember that I made this perfect little human and I'm lucky enough to be her eomma. When I see her little dimples it reminds me of you and Chaengie, and it makes me glad that she's going to grow up being so loved by all of her aunties. Tzu, I see a lot of things when I look at her little face, but he isn't one of them. Not ever.”)  Tzuyu couldn’t help but remember how calm and quiet that the girl had been in those first days, in contrast to what she was in this current moment, as Tzuyu chased her around the dorm. Of course, if she wanted to, she could easily catch up to Haeun, but seeing the fourteen-month-old happily waddle around the dorm, convinced she was escaping, was worth the exhaustion.  After a few minutes of chasing the girl around, Tzuyu finally caught up to her, scooping her up in her arms, attacking her tiny, chubby cheeks with a flurry of kisses.  “Joowee,” Haeun laughed, her tiny hands grabbing Tzuyu’s face.  “That’s Chewy-imo to you, Dubs,” Tzuyu smiled, and Haeun immediately poked her fingers into Tzuyu’s dimples. Tzuyu shook her head, playfully escaping the girl’s grasp. Tzuyu moved the girl to her hip, freeing her other hand to poke Haeun’s dimpled cheeks.  “Haeunie has dimples too,” Tzuyu smiled, kissing the girls cheeks. “Just like Chewy-imo.”  “Joowee?” Haeun held a hand to her own cheek.  Tzuyu’s smile widened. “Yeah aga, like Chewy.”  Later that night, Haeun was fast asleep in Tzuyu’s arms, having happily been rocked to sleep after Dahyun had nursed her for the night.  “You’re really great with her, you know that right?” Dahyun whispered, sitting on the floor in front of the rocking chair.  “She’s exhausting,” Tzuyu stated matter-of-factly, “but she’s worth the trouble.”  “She is,” Dahyun smiled, nodding her head in agreement. “I’m just glad I have you guys to help with her. I don’t know what we would do without you.”  “You would be fine, I'm sure,” Tzuyu smiles, “You’re a great eomma, even without our help.”  Dahyun knows Tzuyu is probably right. She probably would be able to still be an amazing mom to Haeun without the help of her 8 sisters. She could take care of her all on her own if she had to, but that was something she never wanted to imagine.  Dahyun, her sisters and her daughter were truly the definition of a perfect 10, and Dahyun wouldn’t change a single thing about their crazy life.  With the nine of them by her side, the future seemed brighter than it had in a very long time.