Bloom (1/1)

Its a sunny day, no clouds. The sky is as blue as the sea and the breeze that barely moves the trees is refreshing under the soft morning sun“Ah~ its been so long since we took a walk together, Jihyo-chan. I missed this”It’s been a week since things finally started to settleSana has an arm linked around Jihyo’s while they stroll around the park. People cordially greet them: employees, kids, young students and adults. Jihyo has everyone smiling in a daze while Sana robs them of lovesick sighs, flying high into the sky and getting lost with the birds“Is been a while” Jihyo covers her eyes with the back of her hand, filtering the sun rays “But I know what your plan is all about…you want me here so Momo can have Mina all for herself”Sana giggle is evil, like a kid that’s been mischievous but Jihyo can’t get angry at her. If it were anyone else, the alpha would probably kick their ass but its Sana…and that’s a lot of extra points to her immunity“I’m glad you found out!” says the omega, no shame in her tone “I know you and I know Momo too. You two would be punching each other before reaching an agreement”The alpha shrugs. That day, she woke up with a swollen cheek and a brutal headache but everything was completely worth it. She’ll do it all over if that means punching Momo again…it was an old promise to herself but Sana doesn’t have to know that“Besides…those two need some time alone to talk about their own stuff”They reach a bench under the shade of a tree. The park is suddenly lonely but it makes sense, everyone is either at school or at work so they have plenty of room and privacy to talk. They sit beside each other, Sana smiling as she rests her head on Jihyo’s shoulder“You think you can visit us once in a while?”Sana’s question leaves Jihyo arching an eyebrow“Where? In your house?”“No. At Osaka”“You’re leaving Tainano?”Sana nods softly. She links hands with Jihyo and plays with the silver ring around the alpha’s ring finger, carefully engraved with two letters: M.M and beautifully polished. Even under the shade of the tree, Sana can see the value of the small jewelry“I got a letter in the mail this morning…they accepted me as a caretaker in the Osaka orphanage. Momo says we should live there so I’m closer to my parents and to my job”More than being happy, Sana sounds disappointed. Jihyo quickly realizes with this wonderful talent she has to read whatever people are feeling“You don’t wanna go”“Is not that” Sana shakes her head “I think its unfair for Chaeyoung. Momo is leaving just when she finally met her but I don’t even know what’s going on in that alpha head…she always keeps the problems to herself”Jihyo gets it and she softly squeezes Sana hand to show her support“I won’t get angry if Momo visits Chaeyoungie every day and I know Mina would love to see our baby happy…Momo deserves to re-take all that time she lost with her daughter”The sound of birds chirping and cars going by it’s the only sound among them. Their thoughts are too loud to have another conversation about the problems that make them worried“Are you going back to your country? I don’t mean right now but…some time in the future” Sana lifts her gaze, curious and she finds Jihyo looking at a worker hanging a rock n’roll concert poster on a wall. Some famous singer will give a show in a few days“I don’t think so. My head has a price and besides…I know things aren’t that good over there these days. They’re still at war, fighting for territories and all that”Sana sighs. Is easy to hear her heart break“It’s like we can’t never live without war…when will they realize that all those territories could never replace the lives they take?”“I only hope Chaeyoung can live in a world totally different to ours. I want her to be free…Tzuyu too”“Tzuyu?”“Oh I forgot to tell you…Mina is pregnant”The omega puts both hands against her own mouth, covering her surprise before loudly squealing and hugging Jihyo with her arms tight around her shoulders. In a brief instant, Jihyo can see a small bandage on Sana neck and a healing teeth mark. People passing by throw them a weird look or a smile, nothing in between“Jihyo-chan! I’m so happy for you! You know what that means?”Even when she’s overwhelmed by all the love Sana gives her, its something normal for them and Jihyo can’t contain her smile“No”“You’re getting old!”“Sana, please. I’m 25…and you’re a year older!”“But I look younger than my age! You know what happened the other day while I visited the hospital? They wouldn’t let me in! The guard thought I was a minor”“Yeah, well…he was talking about your mental age”“Yah!”A loud laugh from the alpha makes Sana pout and eventually smile. It’s a bit nostalgic how much they have changed through the years, the things they said and done transformed them into the persons they’re today. Totally differentJihyo isn’t the same naïve girl that sailed on a boat escaping her mistakes and Sana isn’t the same innocent girl that believed in the good of all people, thinking the whole world was sunshine and rainbows“I could never pay the things you’ve done for me, Sana. You found me a new name and a place to live…you even helped Nayeon and Jeongyeon”Sana shrugged and dismissed Jihyo concerns with a single flick of her hand“You pay me later. Its enough with seeing you happy with your family”“Of course not! I promise I’ll pay! Tell you what…what if we go to a bar? I know Mina won’t get angry if we have a drink or two”With a gentle smile, Sana shook her head“Why not?” Jihyo was almost offended. Out of all the people she loved to have a drink with, Sana was her favorite. Nayeon and Jeongyeon had no limit and more than once they end up randomly fighting a stranger and leaving without paying. The alpha needed a little change “I’ll pay! Don’t worry about that”“If I tell you a secret…you promise to keep it?”“A secret?”Sana leaned towards Jihyo, near her ear and mumbled something that made the alpha open her eyes wide like plates before smiling“I’m pregnant too, Jihyo-chan”“Really?!”“Shh!” The omega insisted, putting her index finger against her lips “I don’t want Momo to find out until we reach Osaka. It’s a surprise just for her”Reality falls over Jihyo just like a bucket of ice cold water. Biting her lips to not start sobbing, she hugs Sana softly but firmly. Oh how she wished every hug was enough to tell all the emotions she’s feeling right now“I’m so happy for you, Sana. So, so happy…please call me often”“Of course I will…I would never leave my lovely Jihyo-chan”Mina hates to say it but Nayeon was totally right: once Chaeyoung learned how to talk, losing all her shyness just so she could talk to Jihyo, there’s no way to stop herNow her daughter talks about everything: her favorite color, her beloved stuffed tiger, how she loved to play in the backyard and under the cherry tree, she even talked about her recently found love for the strawberries. Mina loved every second of it even on the days where she got tired of listening to same story over and overA soft knock breaks Mina train of thought while she tries to build a wood mobile for Tzuyu like the one Chaeyoung has on her own crib. Chaeyoung run towards the door, probably thinking its Jihyo, and Mina follows her closeBehind the door, however, is Momo. Mina is intrigued to find out why she is wearing formal clothes and why, even with all those expensive fabrics, she still can't get rid of her favorite baseball hat. There’s a bandage over her nose, probably because its still broken. She carries a small cardboard box in her hands but immediately leaves it near the door when she notices Chaeyoung running towards her"Hi!" Chaeyoung greets enthusiastically as she raises her hands for Momo to take her in her arms "Let's play!""Wow" Momo looks surprised by Chaeyoung's sudden outburst of energy "When did you learn to talk so much, princess? I’m proud of you!"Mina laughs softly, ready to show off how quickly her daughter learns"I think she knows how to be cute and uses that in her favor"Momo just nods, happy at the sight of Chaeyoung talking non-stop as she hugs her with arms around her neck and tells Momo that she’s wearing her favorite hair clip, just like her alpha mother taught her a week agoIt has to be a dream, the way all the pieces fit together so well and the domesticity of the scene is perfectMomo tells Chaeyoung to go play for a moment as she talks to her mother. Chaeyoung immediately obeys like the good girl she is and gets lost in the corridors of the house singing her favorite song at the top of her lungs"What’s the occasion?" Mina asks while looking at the alpha from head to toe. She uses a lighter, friendlier tone of voice, remembering Momo is more than ‘Chaeyoung mother’ she’s also her best friend and compass, one of the most important people in her life. "I've never seen you in formal clothes before""You like it?" Momo smiles sideways and twirls around so Mina can see her from all angles "Sana bought it for me a few days ago"“Well it seems that Sana knows what suits you best. You look really good!” Mina chooses to continue bothering her friend (‘cause there’s a warm feeling in her chest every time she does) and taps her on the bandage over her nose. Momo immediately whimpers and closes her eyes after the sudden rush of pain "This looks very good too!""Ha ha so fucking funny" The alpha frowns and holds her nose "I don't understand how Jihyo is so small and hits like a train... The day after I couldn’t even breathe because my nose was so swollen!"Mina laughs. So much that she holds her sides"I swear it! It was the size of a ball and I had to put a bag of ice before breakfast ‘cause I couldn’t eat!"Although the misery of the alpha isn’t exactly the most comical of tales, especially when Mina remembers the reason why she got that punch in the first place, the omega can only feel joy. This is precisely what she wants for the rest of her days and it scares her a bit how obvious it is."If it makes you feel better, Jihyo complained about a really bad headache and her cheek was swollen"Momo's confident smile tells Mina that her pride is still the most important thing in the end."Awesome. That's enough for me"Mina feels butterflies in her stomach when she realizes the way Momo is looking at her: lovely, with as much pride as if she had just hit Jihyo square in the face, with the same innocence as that afternoon at the lake when they were kids. This is where Mina realizes how much Momo has changed. Perhaps it’s because years have gone by since the last time she saw her, perhaps it’s because now Mina sees her with different eyes and the strange feeling in her chest is so foreign that she can’t even name it"I never had time to tell you" Momo reaches her hand towards Mina and hides a lock of her hair behind her ear before stroking her cheek with the tip of her fingers "You’re such a beautiful woman"Mina doesn't know what to say. It feels like cheating… to let her heart beat as fast as when Jihyo hugs her tight and they dance in the living room to an imaginary tune and she twirls her around like a ballerina, reliving her dull childhood dream. The omega is carried away by the warmth on her cheek, she closes her eyes to always remember that contact. She hates that so many things that were buried suddenly come to lifeIt’s so difficult, to speak and understand these feelings. It’s even more difficult to put them into words. Mina believes her introversion helps her understand others but not herself and she wishes she had the same talent as Jihyo to read any situation and help anyone“That hair and makeup look good on you. You look like a high-class woman and you know what’s the best? Your house is the largest in the neighborhood. Yuk- no…Chaeyoung is gonna be proud to bring her friends here"There’s a lump in her throat but Mina still talks"I have a garden but I don’t have a driver to take me everywhere I want or a Buick parked out there and my clothes aren’t really expensive" Mina says with a watery smile "I think that’s what I’m missing"Momo nods slowly, her brown eyes that Mina has seen so many times in Chaeyoung's are filled with sadness but are still full with love"There’s so many things that aren’t the way we wanted them, Mina"A fraction of reality. That’s the shadow looming among the bright colors of childhood that color them both“I'm going to move to Osaka with Sana. They gave her a government job there and I want her to be close to her parents. It’s quite dangerous to travel back and forth every day""So you're gonna leave..." Mina says in a sigh "Again"Momo grabs her by the shoulders, a firm but non-hurtful grip. Exactly the way she loves her“I understand my mistakes and all the things I did wrong. I can't stay here and pretend that everything is okay when I lied so much and hurt so many people. The best thing I can do is to keep a distance between us""Why does it have to be so much?" Mina goes back to her soft, shy voice "Don't you want to see Chaeyoung?"“Of course I do, but I don't want to mess everything up. Mina… Chaeyoung is Jihyo's daughter, I realized that the other day when I saw them playing. It made me jealous but know I know I can’t be selfish""But she needs you too!"“Chaeyoung needs me? Or do you need me?"Mina wished the words didn't hurt so much. If she could be killed with a question, Mina would’ve died a second time"Hey, listen to me" Momo tilted her head upwards until their gazes met again "Chaeyoung is still really young. Maybe when she's older she can choose who she wants to call 'mom' but for now it's better for Jihyo to take that role. I promise that I’ll visit her every weekend and I’ll put the army salary to her name for whatever she needs but no matter what, I know that I’ll never be able to replace the bond between her and Jihyo"At last, Mina realizes what it’s the strange feeling in her chestThat idea of soul mates crosses her mind like a shooting star“I love you too, Mina. I love you so much but…fate put us here. We love someone else now and we must follow our heart. You’ll be my first love forever until the day I die…no one will take that spot away from you”Mina hugs Momo tight with arms circled around her neck, standing on her tiptoes so she can reach her. The alpha peach scent has been replaced by an apple one and on her neck there’s a bonding mark that’s covered by the collar of her shirt"I have promises to keep to Sana and if now I have the opportunity to do things right... I would love for you to be there for me" Momo buries her nose, ignoring the pain that crosses her face, in Mina's hair."I want to be in the front row at that wedding"The alpha's laugh is what keeps Mina from crying at that brief moment"Of course you will…I have to say goodbye to Chaeyoung too""Chaeyoungie!" Mina raises her voice and the girl immediately leaves her room with excited little steps that create an echo around the houseMomo gets down on her knees, looking into her daughter eyes and combing her hair a couple of times like she’s trying to remember every single detail of her baby face. Then she puts her most prized possession on top of Chaeyoung’s head: the baseball hat"No matter what your mother tells you remember that your team is Osaka, okay?" Chaeyoung nods happily and Momo smiles before kissing her forehead "That’s my good girl"The alpha is about to leave when she points to the cardboard box that she left near the door"I didn’t forget about that by the way. It’s a gift for you that I know you’ll love. Just keep it away from that idiot alpha named Jihyo”Mina punches Momo lightly in the shoulder. Chaeyoung is already trying to fit the hat on her head even when it’s a little too big for her"Momo, wait" The omega brings her hands up to her own neck and undoes the necklace with the flower pendant to put it on Momo's outstretched palm. "I don't have something to give you but if you're going to make promises to Sana, I think the best thing is that you do it with this"Worn by time, the necklace has lost a bit of its shine. The alpha giggles before smirking the more she looks at it and vivid memories of a certain day at a dock come rushing by. Momo still grips it tightly between her fingers and keeps it well in her pocketGiving her one last hug, Mina finally lets Momo go"See you soon, Mina""Take care, Momo. Call me when you’re in Osaka"Momo nods and leaves. Mina closes the front door gently and takes the cardboard box to see what the gift her best friend gave her is aboutAnd if she held back her tears the whole time she talked to Momo, now she can't stop them“I think that’s the last one for now”Sana looks at Momo dusting off her hands after dropping a heavy cardboard box on the corner of their new house. After long hours of traveling by train the only thing they want to do is rest but Sana still feels happy at the thought of their new future“Thank you for that, Momoring”“Nah, don’t mention it…I know I had to do it anyways”Momo sits on the ground. The place is completely empty except for a small mattress in the corner and a coffee table near it. They have electricity and water and that’s pretty much it.This is definitely a brand new startSana reaches into her pockets and pulls a sheet of paper“Momoring?”“Yeah?”“Remember I told you I had an appointment with the doctor yesterday?”The alpha is about to lay down with her hands behind her head when she suddenly sits back up, eyes full of worry“Is there something wrong?”“I think its better if you read it”Sana gives her the paper. Momo reads it with furrowed brows and she takes her sweet, sweet time in every single word but it seems like she just can’t understand“Is it in English?”The omega giggles and shakes her head“No, silly. Read it well”Momo keeps reading. Again and againAnd she finally stops. The sheet falls from her hands and she’s back on her feet at the speed of light, hands on Sana’s shoulders“You’re pregnant?! Really?! You’re not lying, right?!”Sana barely holds back a laugh. There’s tears in the corner of her eyes“Of course not!”“Holy fuck, Sana! You’re pregnant!”Momo jumps in the air before wrapping her arms around the omega in a tight hug. Hard enough to make her feel safe but not too much to suffocate. Just like the way she loves herThis time, Sana can’t contain her tears and they freely fall down her rosy cheeks“Oh no…why are you crying, sunshine?”Momo cups her face between her hands and puts their foreheads together, thumbs caressing her cheeks. Sana just shakes her head and kisses the tip of Momo nose“It’s nothing, Momoring…I’m just so happy”“Chaeyoungie…you better not wear that hat when you’re near me, buddy. It makes me green with rage"Chaeyoung laughs out loud every time Jihyo makes a feigned disgust when she shows her mother her new hat for the umpteenth time that day. Mina works carefully in the garden although it’s already late for it. Jeongyeon just set up a lamp in the back of the house so now it’s enough to light most of the garden that Mina loves so much"You think the truck can handle the trip to Osaka?" Jihyo sits on the ground, next to Mina, Chaeyoung watches closely as her mother works "Sana told me that she wanted us to visit her often from now on""Well... Jeongyeon has a Cadillac" Mina is deeply focused on her work, she shakes off the sweat of her forehead before ruffling Chaeyoung hair and giving her a smile“And pay for the gasoline that monster burns? No way, love""Jihyo…your truck is ten years old. I don't think it's as good as the Cadillac""Hey, don't be mean to the old truck, okay? You know I’m not going to get rid of it until the day it loses its tires and blows up"Mina just sighs, rolling her eyes. Incredulous of what she hears but deep down totally amused by the answer“Momo called about half an hour ago. They say they’re good…she was so happy" Jihyo lets out a laugh “You know why? They’re having a baby too”The omega gently smiles“Chaeyoungie now has more friends to play with, huh?”“Of course! By the way…what are you doing, love?”Just as Jihyo says those words, Mina follows“Done! Now we can finally show our gift”"Wow!" Jihyo laughs out loud, she picks up Chaeyoung and sits her on her lap “I can finally meet them! Do you see that, Chaeyoungie? It’s an amaryllis. Mommy's favorite flower"Caressing the petals of the little flower, Mina smiles satisfied“It’s beautiful, mommy!” Chaeyoung says with a smile and it seems those are words that Jihyo is whispering in her ear “Just like you!”"Aww thank you, baby. It’s the most beautiful of them all"Jihyo kisses the side of Mina’s head. The omega leans towards her alpha touch as she enjoys her newly found peaceAnd just like that, Mina blooms***A/N: Just one more chapter left guys. Thank you so, so, soooo much for all the love this story is getting I could've never expected this. You guys are great!