Synopsis: A random pairing of teammates of a women's volleyball team happens to be too close all of a sudden.
Warnings: STRICTLY FICTIONAL - MINORS DNI 🔞. Read at your own risk, curse unfiltered words, slight innacuracy of real places (I did my best to research okay?), inaccurate personality of characters, mention of body parts, romantic tension.
Masterlist of Works
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Being a part of a program where the whole country, mostly the fellow schoolmates and alumni highly expects of the team, it's not a life you would ideally trade for. It is not a walk in the park but this will all pay off, long term-wise. The routine consists of seeing the team most of the day; the only time you don't, would be when you're in class or when it's time to hit the hay.
This day was different, for someone spending years with, she finally broke the ice with a short casual message.
🐷: Is your room vacant? Can I crash for a while? I just needed to review for an important exam.
Sana stared at it for a while.
She wasn't really close with Dahyun-ie among the teammates, she may be the source of joy of everyone for her effortless humor but when it's just the girls, she'd rather keep to herself.
🐹: Sure. Are you alright if I'm playing music? It helps me with studying.
🐷: Yeah, Jeongyeon-ie & Nayeon-ie made our room a tiny podcast space with all the loud chatter, not that it's bad. Just wrong timing for my situation haha.
She heard a faint knock, Dahyunie opened the door with a smile - the one that fans swoon over.
"Hey." She came in with a bunch of books, papers, and a pouch in one arm. Sana nodded.
Dahyun sat on Sana's spot of the table. It was a bit empty since she prefers to study on her spot of the bunk bed anyway.
"Are you ready for the final list of lineup tomorrow?" She added, giving her a concerned look.
In response, Sana gave her an assuring smile.
"I can pray all I want but the results won't be up to me. Only hoping for the best, while expecting for the worst." She replied, Dahyun nodded with the valid point.
Others would bring pressure to the situation, Sana prefers to leave it up to God. That's just how she handle things that bring her worry or stress, she leaves it for 'destiny' to fix rather than waste her energy for factors she can't control.
🦄: Team Dinner, guys! Sponsors bought us food as a treat.
It's the Team Captain, Jihyo-eonnie. She never misses reminding the team about the little things.
"Welp. I just got here. Come on, don't starve yourself. Let's wait for them at the lobby... Is it okay if I leave my stuff here? I don't think my room is ideal for a nice study environment haha." Dahyun stood up and leaned by the doorstep, waiting for Sana to get ready for dinner. She nodded and stuck her thumbs up.
The team was complete, the lobby of the dormitory is the usual assembly spot - time to walk to the common dining venue where the coaches were waiting. Sana felt her stomach a little upset, weak as if she lost her appetite. This would be her second meal of the day, she skipped snack time in the afternoon. To her surprise, Dahyun has been observing her from the table parallel to theirs. Her eyes showed worry, the one that begs to ask the question if someone's alright.
"Sana, are you okay?" One of the female coaches approached over, she forced a smile while the food is being distributed and served. The bellyache got worse, she felt like belching out anytime.
Dahyun's eyes barely left the area, checking up on her often. This was the most interaction she made with her since both of them started as young recruits years ago.
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Today is the day everyone finds out if they're worth staying in the team or not. They'd be thankful enough they offered these kids free education, a roof over their head, 5 meals a day, and a nice allowance every month they can send partially to their family. Of course, contributing to a player's confidence would be the part that they get to play often but coming from a humble upbringing, they're considering the practicality of their situation too.
The training began with the usual routine; 3-man play as the cherry on top, perhaps the final deciding factor of the coaches to put on that list. The little group consisted of Mina, Sana, and Chaeyoung. Dahyun-ie was with Jihyo, and Nayeon. Coach JYP, took over the floor and tossed the ball carelessly when the three of them least expected it. Chae received, Mina took the set with the flick of her wrist, Sana leaned back for a smash. The ball almost went out of circle, Chae aimed for a pancake.
"Ball is alive, keep going!" JYP raised his voice to warn the group. Mina adjusted her sets, you went easy with the hits this time to keep the ball control within the area of scope. The counting is alphabetized, currently their streak is at letter S.
T.
U.
V.
W.
X.
Y.
Z! The coaches and teammates cheered early.
Out of excitement, Sana directed the hit to Coach Koo. He managed to catch the ball without any sweat.
Dahyun-ie walked their way for a hi-five. She gave a wink afterwards, Sana felt weirded out how her body responded to it. Warm flushes on both sides of her cheeks were felt.
Was it embarrassing or rather flattering?
The training wrapped up, the girls are all gathered in one spot of the bleachers while the team staff stood alongside Coach JYP.
Tension wrapped around Sana like a blanket, just cold and unsettling. A warm ambience disrupted the noise, it came from Dahyun's hands that gripped on hers. Her smile felt safe and assuring, perhaps that's really what every loves about her. Not the shallow charm brought by those curves on her lips but the positive energy it radiates.
"As you all know, our captain is remains to be Jihyo. The batch 322 being our core will be a part of this list. That makes 4 people out of 23. When your name is called, please stay along with your seniors on one side..." Coach JYP explained.
Sana's hand unconsciously clenched, Dahyun-ie smirked while rubbing it to comfort her.
"Son Chaeyoung... Myoui Mina... Kim Dahyun..." Coach continued calling names.
Dahyun nodded and mouthed, "fighting." Then headed to the rest of the lineup.
"... Minatozaki Sana... Chou Tzuyu... That's all of them? Yep." Coach flipping between the pages on the clip board he held and glanced at the group.
Sana couldn't help but stare dead into Dahyun's eyes while she gave her the widest smile from afar. Was that her name? For the lineup? She made it?
"Uy, Sana. Get up! You don't want it? I can add someone else." Coach snapped her back to reality. She shook your head and got up as fast as she can.
"I made it? I made it!" Her voice shaking, tears settled on the corners of her eyes and dropped eventually.
All the lethargy, the weight of the world, and negative thoughts left her system. She opened her arms for a tight hug, just exactly what she needed. This time, the world around her spun slower like it's just the two of them who can understand the amount of joy this day brought.
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Someone knocked by the door and opened by itself, it was Dahyunie wearing nice clothes... at this time of the night.
"Let's go out! I'm meeting some friends to come hang." She sat on the edge of Sana's bed.
"Doesn't that count as disobeying dorm rules?" Sana asking with worry on her tone. Dahyun shook her head.
"Normally they start implementing the closed door rules a week after the lineup or a week after the holidays." She explained, giving assurance to her new friend. Sana was hesitating but eventually got up to take a chance if she sees clothes that deemed fit for the moment.
"Where are we going anyway? And who else will be there? What's the plan? Curfew is in 2 hours." She replied.
"We're just partying at a schoolmate's condominium that's a fan of the team. Momo will be with us, we can stay the night at her place then we can come back here when dorms open at 5am. It's the weekend anyway so no morning training tomorrow." Dahyun really has a way with her words all the time, it doesn't help that her charm adds up to it. Sana found the perfect pieces of clothing to go for and closed her cabinet doors to get changed.
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They passed by Momo's place to drop the bags of essentials they need for staying the night. The party was a cab ride away from university premises. It was a penthouse, hues of lights in blue, purple, and green were projected all around. The hired DJ played a mix of house music and greatest hits on shuffle - setting the mood for the occasion. The atmosphere was intimidating at first, the girls parted ways for the meantime to make more friends. Sana found her type of crowd, the chill ones that were pretty much dragged by their friends to join in as well. From afar, was Dahyun checking up on her every once in a while to see if she's alright - after all, she felt that the responsibility of bringing Sana over to an unfamiliar place away from the dormitory would fall on her.
Eventually, the group of the party host would roam around to give shots with random people. They went over to Sana's clique, with much worry in her eyes, Dahyun scooted inbetween the busy crowd to reach her but it was too late. Behind one of the group members, she found her innocent teammate taking shots straight from the bottle of an amber-colored drink and took the slice of lemon right away. The people celebrated, her lips parted in awe and a bit of a proud moment to see her let loose. The uptight, obedient, and a bright spot kind of a student-athlete that she is, finally showing a side of her that she rarely shows because she never had the chance to.
After a few rounds of shots and free flowing drinks by the open bar, Sana's low tolerance for such beverages began to show up. The hot flushes all over her body, the loud beating she can hear from her head and felt from her chest have been bothersome so she decided to slow down and seat on a fluffy velvet couch.
"When was the last time you went to the toilet? Here drink this. The cheat is to start hydrating until it leaves your system." Dahyun sat beside her with a water bottle on hand.
"I might vomit any time soon." Sana hesitated but deep down, she liked the idea of being taken care of and grabbed the bottle to drink anyway.
"Drink this from time to time, not in one go. If you have to take a leak, do it. It's the best way of releasing it out of your body. You'll sober up in no time." Some partygoers checking up on Sana too, Dahyun crossed her forearms signaling the people that they're not drinking anymore. Sana got up in a rush to the toilet and came back. "Come, let's stay by the balcony. You might need fresh air, it reeks of unflavoreed vapor here." She added. Judging from the way Sana walked, she's almost sobered up.
The sound of the busy roads of the city beneath the tower can be heard, the breathtaking 360 view of the city lights is something this property's owner have taken for granted. Leaves of the outdoor plants rustling from the cold winds passing by, it makes a huge difference from staying indoors where the chaos lives on for god knows when - after all, it's the college culture of Happy T, also known as the Happy Thursdays.
Dahyun lent her jacket to warm up but Sana unexpectedly turned around for a warm embrace instead.
"Thank you." She uttered while her arms are still wrapped around. Dahyun paused, she can feel her heart beating twice per second, worried that Sana might feel it too.
"Nah. It's my fault. I invited you along against your will." She replied, while patting her teammate's back to comfort her.
"No. Maybe I needed this. Thank you for tagging me along and taking care of me." She finally backed up while both arms are till attached from one another.
Their eyes did the talking, it was reaching for something bittersweet yet so beautiful to share a memory such as this one. Dahyun's eyes welled up, hidden behind a painful smile.
"You know we can't, right?" Unsure if the proper words came out but that was everything she was able to say. Sana nodded back, tears falling from one side of her cheek, pulled her for another hug.
"We can still express it in ways they deem safe. Just know you will always have a special place in my heart, Dahyun-ie. I will forever cherish these moments we shared together. But I don't want to lose you as a friend." Her hand grabbing the side of Dahyun's head sticking it close to hers. The two girls were sobbing from a night that was supposed to be a full on fun from a casual rager. "I love you. Platonically... for now." She added as she let out a chuckle out of nowhere. Now it's both of them grabbing each other's faces from both sides.
"I love you too. Platonically... for now." They shared a few laughs and sealed the night with another warm embrace.
It was a feeling that can be both painful yet so wonderful, an act of sacrifice to prioritize their dreams and practicality of life over the thought of finally being happy and proud of the love they created. Perhaps the time wasn't on their side for now, they believed that if it's true love, then it will be worth waiting for.
↳ age regression (i’m not against age regression but this blog isn’t the place for that), male!reader, actual incest, piss, scat, vomit, blood/knifeplay, r4pe, underage idols, g!p reader, age play (NO)
← previous part﹒• part 3 of be as one
pairings: nayeon x jeongyeon, momo x mina, sana x jihyo
genre: fluff
warnings/tags: au, unnie line as mothers, school meal club as kids, twice reunion, stablished relationships, found family, domestic fluff, past angst
w/c: 11,2k
a/n: we're back with my favorite family
“Are you nervous?” Momo asks while making breakfast.
More than a year ago, Dahyun received her small digital piano for Christmas, and since then she’s been going to a music academy three times a week.
It just happened naturally. Mina isn’t the type of mother who meticulously plans her daughter’s future or expects brilliant achievements to show off in front of other parents. She had been on the other end of that type of expectation and always knew that wasn’t what she wanted for her daughter. Nor was it an option to do so. A few years ago, thinking that Dahyun could take piano lessons wasn’t realistic, at least not without Sana’s help. Now, everything is different. She’s no longer a young, single mother with no one but her busy friend to rely on, doing the impossible to work and care for her daughter.
She found a new family, married a wonderful woman, and together they’ve built a life and a home. She has financial stability and, for quite some time now, hasn’t been struggling trying to balance work and parenting.
And although the passing of time and maturity have shaped her vision of motherhood, it’s never been a priority to turn her daughter into a trophy to show off. Her only concern is to take care of Dahyun, protect her, and make her happy. And the piano makes her happy.
Since she was a baby, Mina had used a colorful keyboard to teach her numbers, colors, and animals. It accompanied her through her early years, followed by a toy keyboard that made sounds of many different instruments. Even then, Dahyun played around creating little melodies, pressing the keys that sounded best together. So giving her a more professional piano was simply the next natural step, just like enrolling her in lessons. At first, it would only be a couple of times a month, but soon she started going three times a week.
Dahyun is really good, and not just because her mothers, who are obviously biased, say so. Mina, with several years of ballet behind her, has enough musical knowledge to recognize talent, and from the very beginning she noticed that her daughter had something special. Her suspicions were confirmed shortly after, when the teacher decided to move her to a more advanced group.
This path is the one that leads Dahyun to become the youngest student to perform a solo during the academy’s summer recital.
“A little… yeah” Dahyun replies, distractedly watching her mom cook.
Mina laughs softly at hearing the conversation and seeing how her daughter can’t keep up the act for long, especially when it comes to Momo. No one understands it better than her. Momo has always had this calming presence that invites you to open up without asking, although many times she doesn’t know how to react to the information she receives.
It’s the first time she admits to being somewhat worried. Since receiving the news about the recital a few months ago, her mothers had noticed how, after coming home from piano lessons, she would sit in front of her keyboard and practice until it was time for dinne – or until she was told it was too late to keep making noise.
It had also become a routine to practice on days when she didn’t have lessons. On one occasion, Momo told her that she had found Dahyun placing the fish themed clock they gifted her in front of the keyboard to keep track of practice time.
But it wasn’t until this moment, a week before, that she said out loud that she was nervous.
This was something new for both of them. Used to seeing Dahyun always playful, like a little ray of sunshine who brightened up everyone around her with her laughter and jokes, now they saw her as more reserved, more serious, and increasingly perfectionist when it came to school or music.
They didn’t feel it was a bad thing. But Mina noticed that sometimes, she could get overwhelmed. Not only because they weren’t used to seeing it in her, but because it forced them to face the reality that their daughter was growing up and with that she would start having new concerns and experiences.
Being Dahyun the oldest of the girls meant that there were stages in which Mina and Momo had to navigate alone, without any examples to follow. But it was no longer like before, when Mina felt she was walking blindly in motherhood with Sana helping as much as the impossible schedules and distance allowed her.
Now she has Momo by her side, not just as support but as a mother for their daughter, and also Nayeon and Jeongyeon with Chaeyoung, who accompany her as well, sharing experiences and feeling understood so many times. In the same way, they had all thrown themselves into being there for Jihyo and Sana ever since they made the decision to adopt.
In fact, it was both of them who now advised Jihyo and Sana with Tzuyu, and even Momo was the one who most often gave them guidance, since she had experienced motherhood in a similar way: overnight, raising a girl who was already several years old.
“You’ve practiced a lot, sweetheart. I’m sure you’ll do really well” Mina chimes in.
“But sometimes I make mistakes, and I don’t want to make a mistake in front of everyone” she replies.
“That can happen” Momo says suddenly, surprising both of them as she sets the plates on the table.
Both look up at the same time, and Mina feels the urge to speak before Momo continues, but she holds back.
“You might make mistakes, and it’s okay” she continues now more softly, focusing more on her daughter than on the food. “You’re learning. If you already knew everything, you wouldn’t be taking lessons.”
Mina loves her wife, but at times like this, she wishes Momo would understand that sometimes you don't have to be so rational or so honest. She's right, of course she is. That's a possibility, and she knows it, but Dahyun is already worrying about it, that’s what she’s afraid of. So maybe all she needs is a little encouragement.
From Dahyun's expression, it's clear that she hasn't managed to calm her down. And Momo seems to notice it too.
“What I mean is... it's your first time playing in front of so many people” she tries to explain. “Do you remember how many times we made cookies until they turned out like the ones from that bakery in Japan?”
Dahyun nods, still unsure.
“We tried about twelve recipes. Every time they didn’t turn out, we learned something new. More butter, less sugar, more chocolate… At first they weren’t perfect, but we learned with each attempt. And in the end, remember? They were even tastier than the originals.”
She pauses to start eating, leaving the two of them watching attentively, and then smiles tenderly.
“So if you miss a note, we do the same as with the cookies. We add the rest of the ingredients and keep going until the end, and we'll know that next time we have to pay more attention to that missing part” she concludes, reassuring Dahyun, but also Mina.
Now she seems calmer, but her mother can tell that she’s still a bit overwhelmed by what’s coming in a few days.
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A month ago Dahyun handed them the invitations to her piano recital.
They had already heard her play during a visit to Mina and Momo’s house, but discovering that their niece was a little piano prodigy was a surprise. Of course they would be there for her first recital. Besides, after Mina had to explain the girl’s unusual family situation to her teacher to get enough invitations, they didn’t really have much choice.
Dahyun had asked them to bring Ryujin and Yuna, she adores them, and she wanted the whole family to be ther. However, since they were just a year and a few months old, taking them to a recital that promised to be long didn’t seem like the best idea. That night they would stay with the grandparents, who would bring them to the theater later so Dahyun could see them.
Although Jeongyeon’s parents never complain about spending time with their granddaughters, and they often offer to look after them so that Nayeon and Jeongyeon can have a break or a date night, this time convincing them wasn’t easy. They didn’t want to miss Dahyun’s recital either. Just like they do with Tzuyu, they treat her as another granddaughter. And for her, they are the closest thing she has to grandparents, whether because some live far away or because others were simply never there.
After Dahyun and Tzuyu’s birthdays, the recital had become the most anticipated date of the month. Jeongyeon had been getting the last details ready for a week, and that’s when they realized Chaeyoung didn’t have anything appropriate to wear.
Her closet was full of cartoon t-shirts, overalls, skirts and dresses, but nothing even a little bit formal. Not even the dress she wore to Momo and Mina’s wedding fitted her anymore. She’s small, and she doesn’t really look like it, but she’s grown a lot since then.
“Jeongie, we have to go shopping. Chaeyoung has nothing to wear to the recital.” Nayeon says, coming out of the girls’ room.
In the living room, Jeongyeon is playing with Yuna and Ryujin, stacking wooden blocks, while Chaeyoung shows up behind Nayeon with a slightly serious face, which brings a small smile to her momma. Her eldest daughter has been trying on clothes for a while, and even though fashion and choosing her outfits seems like something she likes – even giving her mothers advice sometimes – she doesn’t look very happy about having to go shopping now to keep trying on clothes.
“Doesn’t she have a dress she can wear?” Jeongyeon asks.
“The ones she has are very casual or for winter, I think we can find her something a bit more formal that she can wear more often. She’s growing a lot.”
When she hears those last words, Chaeyoung can’t help but smile proudly and crosses her arms with attitude.
“Mom is right, I’m very tall. This year I'm not the shortestin my class” she says, shrugging her shoulders with a smugness that makes her mothers laugh.
Just like Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung has the habit of acting tough when it comes to compliments or displays of affection. But the truth is that things like being told she’s grown, that her drawings are good or that her clothes are cool boost her ego easily. And she’s pretty transparent when that happens.
If that was the case, they would have to go shopping this weekend, since they were only a week away from the concert.
In a little over an hour, they’re all ready to leave.
Nayeon helped Chaeyoung with her shower and getting dressed, while Jeongyeon was in charge of packing the twins’ backpack with everything they needed. Sunscreen, a change of clothes for each of them, animal cookies and water. She also added a pack of cookies and an extra bottle for Chaeyoung, no matter how much she insisted she didn’t need cookies like her sisters.. Jeongyeon knows that snacks are a must to keep spirits up when it comes to going shopping with children anywhere that isn’t the toy shop.
The twins, unaware of the clothes drama, celebrate the idea of going out for a walk with laughter and uncoordinated clapping while Jeongyeon settles them into the stroller.
“Are we all going?” Nayeon asks at the door, putting on her shoes and throwing
“Of course. Some fresh air will be good for Ryujin and Yuna” Jeongyeon says. She never misses the chance to turn anything into a family outing, even if she later ends up complaining about being tired.
Chaeyoung shows up wearing a red cap backwards, a t-shirt with a printed strawberry, jeans and a small matching crossbody bag where she always carries a notebook and some crayons. She didn’t seem very excited at first, but having an excuse to wear her new t-shirt looked like a good incentive, even if the plan is to go shopping.
Nayeon smiles when she notices the cap Chaeyoung added to the outfit they picked out together a little while ago, then looks at Jeongyeon. They both love having such a creative daughter who enjoys trying out her own unique styles.
“You’ll see, we’ll find something that looks beautiful on you” Nayeon says, giving her a soft pat on the head as they walk out the door.
“And comfortable” Jeongyeon adds, raising an eyebrow.
Chaeyoung doesn’t answer. She just shrugs, then goes out holding onto the stroller with one hand and to Nayeon with the other.
When they get to the store, Nayeon takes them straight to the kids’ section where the dresses are. Just like Jeongyeon – and now their daughter– she has a taste for fashion. They like dressing well and being comfortable, with a more casual yet stylish taste. Although unlike the other two, Nayeon doesn’t mind sacrificing a bit of comfort for a good look.
With three daughters, Nayeon already knows that comfort always wins when it comes to children. She knows exactly what she’s looking for, and it doesn’t take her long to find it. In just a few minutes, she manages to get the right size of a simple but elegant dress that could work for a family day out or a more special occasion like the recital.
The dress is red, with short sleeves, perfect for this weather. It has a lovely lace collar and pockets, which is always a plus. With one of the pairs of shoes she already has at home, her strawberry socks and some ribbons, she’ll look adorable.. She might even be able to match her sisters, since their hair is now long enough for them to wear buns.
When she goes back to where Jeongyeon is, she looks pleased, probably because it didn’t take long, which means they’ll be able to do something more fun with the girls than just looking at dresses. And deep down Nayeon feels the same relief, shopping with kids is less fun and much more tiring.
“Chaeyoung, sweetheart, let’s go to the fitting room” she says, taking the little girl’s hand while she’s distracted looking at accessories.
She turns around to follow her mom, but then she sees what she’s holding and freezes on the spot.
“I don’t want to wear a dress, Mom” she says, confident but with a soft tone, like she’s afraid she might be saying something wrong.
Nayeon doesn’t mind the answer, but something in Chaeyoung’s tone, that mix of firmness and insecurity, tightens in her chest for a second. Not because her daughter doesn’t want the dress, but because she’s growing up, and she’s starting to know what she wants… and what she doesn’t.
“Oh, you don’t like it?” she asks. “You’ve got a similar one at home, but we can look for something you like more, okay?” Nayeon offers with a smile.
Chaeyoung nods and takes her hand again, this time so they can choose something together.
Once again, Nayeon heads toward the dresses, looking for something that fits her style better. Maybe the strip of lace at the hem of the skirt was too much. Even if it’s her favorite color, maybe something brighter or with a fun pattern would catch her eye more.
That doesn’t seem to be the case. Seeing that Chaeyoung isn’t showing much interest, she starts thinking a skirt or something else might be a better option, but that doesn’t excite her either. Perhaps, she’s like her in that way. She likes to dress nicely and melts a little when Jeongyeon tells her she looks beautiful, but dressing up for formal events isn’t exactly her cup of tea. She’d rather have a cute outfit for a family day out at the park with the girls than for a movie premiere.
“It doesn’t have to be a dress if you don’t want one” she adds. “But maybe just something a little bit nicer, you know? Because it’s a recital, and it’s a really special day for Dahyun. She’s probably had to get something new too.”
Chaeyoung doesn’t give her answer. She just keeps sneaking glances at the clothes while her mom shows her options that don’t quite convince her. Jeongyeon, who up until now has seemed more focused on keeping Yuna from chasing every sparkly accessory in the store and making sure Ryujin doesn’t tip over the stroller, walks over to them, curious.
“Have you seen anything you like?” she asks Chaeyoung directly, without taking her eyes off the twins playing at their feet.
Even though most of her attention has been on the twins ever since they escaped from the stroller, she hadn’t taken her eyes off Chaeyoung, who’s been looking around the whole store, including the boys’ section.
Chaeyoung shrugs before looking up at her.
“Yes. Before… when you were looking, Mom” she says, talking to Nayeon. “I was looking around and I saw something I want to wear.”
Jeongyeon picks Yuna up and watches her closely, now curious since she hasn’t mentioned it before.
“And what did you like?” she ask, encouraging her to continue.
Chaeyoung goes quiet for a moment. Then she points toward the back of the store.
“I saw a tie… like yours, Momma. And also some pants” she says, looking at Jeongyeon. Still a bit shy but with determination in her tone.
Nayeon opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out. She looks at Jeongyeon, who simply nods, like she completely understands what their daughter is saying, even the things she can’t quite put into words.
“Okay, let’s take a look then” Jeongyeon says, just like that, starting to push the stroller in that direction.
Nayeon stays where she is for a second, then smiles softly. She hadn’t expected that, but it doesn’t really surprise her either. Chaeyoung has always been sure of what she likes and what she doesn’t. And even though a part of her wanted to see her with little ribbons in her hair and some cute dress with embroidery or lace details, the idea of seeing her daughter dressed like a tiny version of Jeongyeon makes her even happier.
“Come on, Chaengie. I want to see that tie” she says happily, taking her hand.
As soon as she sees it, Nayeon recognizes it right away and a smile instantly appears on her face, one that she shares with Jeongyeon. The tie is navy blue with thin red diagonal lines and a subtle white border. Her daughter is right, it’s just like Jeongyeon’s. What she doesn’t know is that this was the first tie Jeongyeon ever owned, and that Nayeon gave it to her for the first birthday they spent together.
In that moment, Nayeon doesn’t just see how her daughter is growing up and making her own choices – even if those choices come in the shape of a tie or the way she wears her cap – she also sees little bits of herself and her wife in Chaeyoung. Realizing they might actually be doing things right fills her heart and makes her feel proud of Jeongyeon, who she can’t help but lean over to kiss.
“I love it. Now show us those pants.”
After that, it doesn’t take long for the three of them to put together an outfit with the tie, a pair of short tailored pants, and a slightly loose white shirt, just like the ones Jeongyeon has been wearing lately.
Chaeyoung starts trying on the clothes and, for the first time all afternoon, she looks at herself in the mirror without making a face of boredom or disappointment. This time she has a huge smile.
Then she takes the tie in both hands, and Jeongyeon crouches down to help her put it on. Even though Nayeon has learned how to tie it after all these years, this time she just watches, while Ryujin and Yuna look at them like they somehow know something special is happening.
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The apartment smells like food. Today Momo managed to leave the restaurant early, leaving Sakura in charge of closing up. She got home a little while ago and, still wearing her uniform from the waist down, she’s in the kitchen serving the freshly cooked dinner.
“Dubu, dinner’s ready” Momo says, raising her voice a little so she can be heard over the piano.
There's no answer.
Not the first, or the second time Momo calls her.
In the living room, Mina is setting the table and glances at Momo with a slightly furrowed brow. She’s not annoyed, just confused. She knows she’s very lucky, and has always tried to teach her kid good manners. Dahyun has always been a very polite and well-behaved girl, so it’s rare to have to call her more than once, especially when it’s for dinner.
“Dahyunnie” Mina calls again. “Dinner is ready.”
But she still doesn’t come out or reply.
That’s when Mina notices she’s been playing the same part of the song over and over again for a while. So she signals to Momo to give her a moment and heads to Dahyun’s room.
When she carefully pokes her head into the room, she sees Dahyun sitting at her piano, playing the same notes very still, her lips pressed together and her brow slightly furrowed. She looks frustrated, and the way she hits the keys, too hard and too stiff, gives her away.
“Sweetheart, take a break and let’s go eat” she says, placing a hand on her shoulder and kissing the top of her head.
“Not yet. I need to get this part right” she replies, eyes still fixed on the piano.
Mina stays quiet for a moment, then decides to sit down on the floor beside her. At first, Dahyun looks at her, not really understanding, until her mother signals for her to play again. She tries once more but hits the wrong key almost at the end.
She can see how focused her daughter is, but the tension is obvious, the kind she doesn’t really remember seeing before. Dahyun’s jaw is clenched and her little fists are closed in her lap.
“I can’t do it” she sighs, exhausted.
So Mina moves a little closer and gently takes her small hands in hers.
“It’s not working right now, probably because you’ve done it so many times in a row and that can confuse you a little” she says softly. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Mom and I have heard you practicing every day and we know you can play the whole song without making mistakes most of the time.”
Dahyun finally looks at her. She doesn’t cry, but her eyes look a bit bigger, as if she’s trying hard to hold back tears.
“I don’t want to make a mistake, Mommy. I’m scared. You, and Mom, Aunt Sana, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu and all the aunties are going to see me.”
Mina listens to her and her heart sinks a little when she sees how overwhelmed her daughter is. She already knew Dahyun was nervous and even stressed, but she didn’t imagine it was this bad. Now she feels guilty.
She isn’t sure if Momo or she herself might have said something during this time that put this pressure on Dahyun. Or if it’s her fault because of her bad habit of keeping everything inside, something she can already see in her daughter too. She usually doesn’t share her problems until they’re really big, until they reach a point where she can’t ignore or hide them anymore.
She wishes Dahyun would talk to her, but she’s afraid of that, for one reason or another, her daughter might feel like she can’t. But how is she going to teach her to share her problems if she herself doesn’t know how to do it?
Maybe this is the moment to be a little more vulnerable with her daughter. Now that her daughter is older, and now that she has proved to herself over these years that she’s more than capable as a mother, she can start being abit more honest about her bad days, while still being the person Dahyun looks to for guidance, safety, and comfort.
She might not find another chance like this, so she decides to bring down her walls and show her emotions.
“Dahyunnie… sweetheart… We’re all going to be there to see you because it’s an important moment and we want to be with you. I’ve heard how you’ve been improving and how good you sound all the time. But if it doesn’t turn out perfect, it’s okay. We’re all going to be proud of you no matter what happens. Do you know why?” she asks.
“Because you love me?” the kid replies.
Mina can’t help but laugh and nod.
“That too, but being on the stage is only the end. It’s just a few minutes. And those minutes have a lot of work behind them” she begins to explain. “Before you even get up on stage you’ve gone to lots of classes, you’ve practiced a lot at home, your teacher chose you to perform, and lastly, standing up there in front of so many people takes a lot of courage. And I know you have it.”
Dahyuns listens carefully and, as she does, her expression slowly relaxes. At the same time, she reaches for one of her mother’s hands. Their hands find each other, and Mina interlocks her fingers with her daughter’s. After a few seconds of silence, she gives her hand a small, affectionate squeeze. She looks at those two little hands holding hers, and no matter how much her daughter grows, they always seem small and warm to her, very different from her own, always cold, with long, thin fingers.
She tries to remember if her father’s hands were like that. She wonders if, among the features the two of them share and the gestures or expressions her daughter has picked up from Momo over the years, there’s still some trace of him, or of her mother. It’s not something she thinks about a lot, but every now and then she can’t help remembering him when she thinks back on her ballet years, the same way she thinks about her family, especially her mother.
Then she takes a deep breath without looking up from their hands.
“I’ve already told you I did ballet. I did it for many years, and I started when I was about your age.”
The kid nods, calmer now. She keeps her eyes on her mother, really focused on what she’s saying, eyes wide and listening to her story.
“I was a bit like you. I got really nervous, and whenever I had a performance or a recital, I practiced a lot. If I didn't get a step right, I’d repeat it over and over, I’d stay extra hours in the dance academy and then I’d keep practicing again at home. I did it so many times that I ended up mixing up the steps, and it was even worse. I got really frustrated, sometimes I wanted to cry… or I ended up with my feet covered in blisters” Mina continues, gently stroking the backs of her daughter’s hands with her thumbs.
“And why did you do it if it hurt you?” Dahyun asks, confused, like there’s something she’s missing. She’s always thought her mother liked ballet. She’s still too young to understand what her mother isn’t saying.
Mina smiles, but there’s sadness in it.
“Because I wanted my mother to be happy. I saw her smile when I did the dance right, and I wanted her to be happy all the time. When I made a mistake she got upset… and I didn’t want that.”
She stops for a moment. She can feel Dahyun watching her in silence, and she’s sure her daughter understands what she actually means, because Dahyun is very smart. Even so, she tries to choose her words carefully and think about how deep the conversation should get, since she wants to teach her daughter that talking about our feelings is okay, without putting a weight on her shoulders that isn’t hers to carry.
“I started getting more and more nervous. I practiced even more, and then I was tired at school, tired when I went out with my friends… and then I didn’t like going to class anymore. I didn’t even like being on stage. Instead of enjoying the music or having fun, all I could think about were the steps, about whether someone would notice a mistake, about whether my mother would correct me afterwards. And that’s when I really started dancing badly.”
“And what happened, mommy? Did your mother get mad at you?” Dahyun asks, surprised and also a little worried.
Mina shakes her head. Maybe she’ll tell that part of the story when she’s older, but now it doesn’t feel like the right time.
“No, sweetie” she says, brushing her cheek softly with her hand. “Something happened and it helped me a lot.”
She pauses, remembering that day, and that’s when a real ans honest smile appears on her face.
“One day, one of my teachers found me alone in a practice room. I had a performance coming up, so I was practicing the same step over and over again because it just wouldn’t come out right… just like you’re doing now. She made me stop, and then she told me something really important” she says quietly, with a little smile, sparking her daughter’s curiosity. “A secret.”
Dahyun’s eyes open wide.
“What secret?” she asks.
“She told me that the only ones who really see the mistakes are us, because we’re the only ones who know every step we’re supposed to do… every key we’re supposed to play, and we’ve done it so many times that it’s all stored in our brains. But the audience doesn’t know the choreography and they don’t have the music sheet either. They’re just going to see a dance or listen to music. And if you make a tiny mistake, they won’t even notice.”
Dahyun opens her mouth, surprised by the revelation.
“When performing on stage, being perfect doesn’t matter. What matters is what we feel. It’s like mom’s cookies. Sometimes we don’t follow the recipe exactly and we put in more chocolate chips, but they’re still delicious, right? Well, with music it’s the same. If you’re too busy counting the steps or worrying about getting everything right, then you forget the most important part, which is having fun.”
She listens closely without even blinking.
“And my teacher was right. Because when I stopped worrying so much and started enjoying it… things got better. I didn’t always danced perfectly, but I always did it with a smile. I was happy, and it showed.”
Mina lowers her gaze to their intertwined hands.
“I don’t want that to happen to you, Dahyunnie. I don’t want you to stop enjoying playing the piano, because when I see you play, I see you happy, and I want the piano to make you happy, not sad. So I promise you that no matter what happens, we’ll all be there, and what will make us happiest is seeing you smile. That’s what matters most.”
Dahyun stays quiet. Then she snuggles a little closer to her mother and lets out a long sigh. She doesn’t say anything else, but Mina can feel her body relax, the tension in her hands slowly fading away.
They both enjoy each other’s warmth without saying a word until Mina is the one who breaks the silence.
“Let’s go have dinner. I promise that if you let the piano rest, tomorrow you’ll play even better” the mother whispers, smiling into her hair.
She nods. This time, she listens. And together, hand in hand, they leave the room and head to the table.
There, in the kitchen, they find Momo reheating the food.
The older woman barely caught any of the conversation, since they had both been very quiet, even more than usual. But the bits she managed to make out made her feel incredibly proud of both. Other wife, for being able to share something she rarely talks about and barely even mentions with her, and of her daughter, for growing up so well.
She hopes that next time, Dahyun won’t fall into those same old habits that Mina is slowly learning to get rid off and that she’s starting to pick up , and that she’ll learn to ask for help and talk about what worries her or makes her feel bad.
Momo watches them approach with their hands still intertwined, and when her daughter climbs onto her chair, she gently rubs her back without saying a word. There’s no need.
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Sana comes back in from the balcony, still holding her phone. Her expression is much calmer than when she took the call and now she’s even smiling, like she usually does. When she walks into the living room, she turns the screen around to show Jihyo and Tzuyu Dahyun’s face on the screen, who greets them with an enthusiastic wave.
They hadn’t noticed it before, but the little girl’s face had also changed throughout the call, and now she’s wearing a smile that matches her cheerful energy.
“Good night, Tzuyu! See you tomorrow. Good night, Aunt Jihyo!” she says with a wide grin.
“Good night, Dahyunnie” the two of them answer at the same time from the couch.
She walks over with the phone and looks for Mina, who takes it and also says goodbye to everyone, not without first thanking Sana with a soft, relieved smile..
After exchanging a few more words with her friend and sending greetings to Momo, Sana is the one who hangs up and goes back to the couch. She settles against Jihyo, who starts gently stroking her hair as soon as she has her in her arms. Meanwhile, on the other end of the couch, Tzuyu is playing with Kaya and Butter, the newest members of the family.
“Is everything okay with Dahyun?” Jihyo asks, half curious and half worried.
“Yes” Sana replies after a few seconds. “It looks like she was overwhelmed about the recital. Mina talked to her, but you know how she is… she seems more and more reserved, just like her mother. It’s hard to get them to talk.”
Jihyo nods. She doesn’t need any more explanation, and she knows her wife doesn’t usually go into detail when she has conversations with Dahyun or with Mina either, since both of them are very private with their feelings. Sana is the exception.
For years, it was just the three of them. Sana was just as much a part of that small family as Momo is now. She had been there since the moment Dahyun was born, and ever since then they’ve always had a special connection. The little girl trusts her like she would her own mother, but with Sana it feels different.
And even though Mina and Sana have been living separate lives for a long time now and have built their own families, there are still days like this. Days when Sana gets an unexpected call or message because one of them needs her. They know that with her, they still have a safe place. Somewhere to come back to no matter what. A family.
Sometimes Sana picks Dahyun up, buys her a chocolate and waits for her to talk about what’s wrong or what’s been worrying her, as if she didn’t already know from Mina. Now that Dahyun has Momo and Sana has Tzuyu, it doesn’t happen as often anymore and has become something more occasional. Lately, a video call is enough so that the problems, if they don’t disappear, at least feel smaller.
Jihyo understands the bond between the three of them well, it’s not much different from the friendship she shares with Nayeon and Jeongyeon. The thing is, they’re all the type to keep things to themselves, so their way of working through issues usually involves a day at the jjimjilbang or trying some new random sport with Jeongyeon.
Luckily for her, when it comes to their kids, they tend to handle things well among themselves. As much as she spoils and adores her nieces, Jihyo mostly sticks to babysitting duties. It helps that Chaeyoung is the most open and expressive child she has ever met, which means the biggest challenge Jihyo faces – as Chae’s aunt, and now as Tzuyu’s mother – is answering all kinds of questions at any moment. Thankfully, that’s something she usually manages quite well, or at least she likes to think so.
The one she has actually had to deal with lately is Momo. After several attempts, their conversations ended up turning into quiet, sometimes awkward gym sessions, so these emotional matters have been left to Sana and Nayeon. With Jeongyeon it’s more or less the same, except instead of the gym it happens around the kitchen.
Their daughter, adored by everyone for being the youngest right before the twins were born, has been in their lives for almost as long as the babies have. Tzuyu is still learning to trust her own mothers, so for now they’re the ones handling these kinds of things. That said, Jeongyeon has a complete soft spot for her. And even though their daughter pretends otherwise, it seems like she has a soft spot for her Aunt Jeongyeon too.
Another difficulty Tzuyu faces, besides trusting people, is doing two things at once. So as soon as she heard Dahyun’s name coming from her mama, she stopped petting the dogs to focus on what they were saying.
Since then, she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about her friend, because she doesn’t understand why Dahyun is so nervous since she seemed so happy about the recital. Nevertheless, she wants to do something about it.
The next day, while Jihyo is in the kitchen and Sana has just come out of the shower, they both hear hurried footsteps, drawers opening and closing, something falling to the floor followed by some groans and sighs. The two mothers exchange looks, and Sana is the one who speaks.
“What is she doing?” she asks, more to herself than to Jihyo.
Jihyo just shrugs, just as confused as her wife, since their daughter has been like this practically since Sana got into the shower.
The two of them follow her with their eyes. They watch how she appears again, carrying sheets of paper, colored pencils and stickers. She’s so focused she doesn’t seem to notice they’re watching her. She goes back into her room, comes out again with more materials, and repeats the trip several times. She looks very busy.
“Are you looking for something, Tzuyu?” Jihyo finally asks. “Do you have homework to do?”
She nods at first, then shakes her head.
“It’s not homework” she replies very seriously, like she’s defending herself from a serious accusation.
“So what are you doing, sweetie?” Sana adds, pointing at the colors and the glitter she’s now holding in her hands. “Are you going to draw?”
Tzuyu is a very responsible and independent child, which is wonderful, but she has the habit of always doing things on her own. Even when something is difficult, she tries to find a way to solve it by herself before asking for help. It’s a hard habit to break, and her mothers know it. That’s why, whenever they can, they gently remind her that she doesn’t have to do everything alone, that they’re there for whatever she needs.
“I don’t know” Tzuyu admits, shrugging, confusing her mothers.
“What do you mean, Tzu?” Sana asks. “Then what do you need all those things?”
Tzuyu looks at the things in her hands and then at her mother, but it takes her a few seconds to answer.
“I want to make a surprise for Dahyun… so she can be happy again” she explains.
Jihyo smiles, touched by her daughter’s admission. “Because she’s nervous about the recital?”
Tzuyu nods. “Yesterday mommy said so” she says, referring to what Sana had told her the night before, after the call. “I don’t want her to be sad.”
“Dahyun isn’t sad, sweetie, she’s just nervous. It’s normal to feel nervous because it’s an important day” Sana explains, not trying to discourage her, but to reassure her.
The idea was as good as it was adorable. Maybe what Dahyun needed, on top of hearing the adults around her give advice, was encouragement from her best friends.
"Even so, it's really sweet that you want to do something to cheer her up. What did you have in mind?"
"I don't know. I just want to do something that makes her feel better. The other day she told me that every time she thinks about it she gets a stomachache and I don't want that to happen to her" Tzuyu finishes explaining.
Jihyo strokes her hair gently.
"You could make her a card or a letter. With a drawing and some nice words to encourage her before the performance, or to congratulate her after the performance."
"A card?" she asks. "Like the ones mama and I made for your birthday?"
"Exactly" Sana replies, nodding, touched by the connection her daughter has made.
For every one of Jihyo's birthdays, Sana has written her a card or a letter since the day they met. Over the last two years, Tzuyu has also started leaving her mark on that tradition. She makes the drawings that decorate the card herself and adds a few words with her mother's help, along with her signature. The concept, of course, wasn't new to her, but the many uses a card could have beyond her mothers' birthdays certainly was.
Tzuyu likes the idea, so they sit down together to work on it.
They start by choosing the color of the cardboard they'll use, a task that seems simple enough since Dahyun doesn't have a favorite color. She says she likes all colors, and ever since she learned at school that white light is the result of mixing all colors together, whenever someone asks she says white. It's not a bad choice, and it's certainly a clever answer, but for a card for a girl her age it might be a bit minimalist. After some thought, Tzuyu ends up choosing light blue and, using a white crayon, draws clouds all over it. Dahyun loves looking at the sky and finding shapes in the clouds.
To this sky-like background, Tzuyu adds some other drawings, stickers and glitter, leaving a space in the center for her message.
To: Dahyun
Hwaiting unnie!
You are going to do great and we will clap a lot.
From: Tzuyu
The girl shows the final result to her mothers, who smile and give their approval. None of the three of them have a particular interest in art, beyond Sana's love for fashion and Jihyo's for music, but they're not bad at it either, and it seems their daughter takes after them in that. The truth is none of that matters, because this simple, pretty card, far from perfect as it may be, is a true work of art in her mothers' eyes.
"It's perfect" says Jihyo.
"I love it" Sana adds with a smile. "Besides the card, we could get her some flowers, like I used to do with Mina when she did ballet."
"Ballet?" Jihyo asks, surprised.
"Flowers?" Tzuyu asks, confused.
Seeing them, Sana can't help but laugh. They have exactly the same expression with their eyes wide open, brows slightly furrowed and mouths half open.
"Yes, Mina did ballet for many years, since she was very little. And once we became friends, I always brought her a bouquet when she had recitals. When we moved here together, I always made time to go watch her… once I almost lost my job!" she recalls, laughing nervously, while the other two listen closely.
Sana knows it's not that wild a story, but it's something Mina never talks about, and by extension neither does she. No one would ever guess her friend had dedicated herself to it for over a decade. For Jihyo it was the first time she'd heard anything about it, while her daughter's surprise came from an entirely different reason, so she continued more calmly.
"It’s a tradition, Tzuyu. People give flowers on special occasions. Especially to musicians, dancers, actors… when they have a performance, a premiere or a recital. It's a way of saying 'you did so well', of showing gratitude and also another way to tell someone you love them. That's why mama and I give each other flowers sometimes."
Tzuyu stays quiet for a few seconds, lowering her gaze to the card she's still holding in her hands.
"Dahyun likes flowers…" she murmurs. "And Chaeyoung too. At the park they always look at them and sometimes they pick them" she explains to her mothers.
Then she lifts her head with a sudden idea. In that moment her eyes light up, just like Sana's do when she gets excited. Jihyo smiles seeing it.
"Can we also get her chocolate? It's her favorite thing. I think that will make her really, really happy" Tzuyu asks.
Sana and Jihyo look at each other, melting. Seeing that affection between their children, just like the one they share themselves, always gets to them.
"Of course" Jihyo replies. "Flowers, chocolate and a card. Dahyun is going to be so happy."
While they listen to their daughter excitedly plan which chocolate would be best, Sana feels a small warm knot in her chest.
She remembers perfectly the last bouquet she handed Mina after one of her performances, not knowing it would be the last. The next time she brought flowers was a small bouquet she got from the hospital shop, while Mina was still in bed, exhausted and beautiful, with a newborn Dahyun in her arms.
Now it would be Dahyun who would receive flowers. Flowers from her mothers, her aunts and also from her best friends. Her own daughter would hand flowers to Mina's daughter, something she never imagined possible and that, somehow, is now part of their everyday life, their family.
─────────
The day of the recital comes sooner than expected and nerves are running high.
Mina prepared everything the night before, but she keeps checking over and over that Dahyun has everything ready, from her water bottle to the last detail of her performance outfit. Once she's done she calms down, or at least manages to hide her worry better than her wife. Momo thinks only she can tell how nervous she is, when really it's pretty obvious. Mina hasn't missed the fact that she's been snacking all day. Not unusual for her, but it always gets worse when she's stressed or nervous, like today.
However, in these past few weeks her daughter, though quiet and focused, has seemed to keep her calm. That talk with Mina clearly did something.
Today is her day and she looks radiant. Her hair is tied back with a bow, following Mina's advice so it won't fall in her face while she plays, wearing the dress Momo picked out for her and the same shoes she wore to her mothers' wedding. After the recent growth spurt she's had, they're a bit tight. They'll probably need to get her new shoes for her next recital.
When they arrive there are already a few families waiting at the entrance of the auditorium, and it's clear that, unlike Dahyun, many of the other kids are older. That makes her look smaller than she is, but it also makes her stand out. And maybe it's her mothers biased opinion, but she's also the cutest kid there. They can't help looking at her with pride.
Mina and Momo walk her to the auditorium door where students and teachers are meant to gather. The hallway leading up to it is full of families with that same mix of excitement and nerves, though there are a few who watch the others with a certain air of superiority, something completely baffling to Momo and that Mina, unfortunately, recognizes straight away.
That throws Momo off a little, but she quickly turns all her attention to a smiling Dahyun. Mina smooths out the folds of her dress while reminding her to stay calm and breathe before she starts. Momo takes care of fixing the bow before crouching down, eyes shining, more excited than the girl herself.
"We'll be there when you come out, good luck sweetheart!" she tells her.
Dahyun nods and gives them both a hug before heading in with some of her classmates.
Both mothers stand at the door for a few seconds watching her, until she disappears behind the stage. Then they take a deep breath, link their fingers, and head back to the auditorium entrance, where they're meeting the rest of the family.
The entrance slowly fills with excited voices, words of encouragement and hurried footsteps. The others don't take long to show up and a quick round of hellos begins, hugs for the little girls and everyone asking how Dahyun is doing, before catching up on the week, work, the kids and a bit of gossip, until it's time to go in and get to their seats.
Jeongyeon sets Chaeyoung down in her seat and takes the bouquet the girl has been holding, which is almost bigger than herself. She carefully rests it on her own lap so it won't get in the way and, under her daughter's serious stare, she has no choice but to explain herself.
"This way you can see Dahyun better" she tells her.
That seems to convince her and she nods right away. She settles into her seat and looks straight ahead, fixing her eyes on the piano on the stage. When she realizes there's nobody there yet, she starts looking around, taking in everything happening, with that curiosity that's always with her.
On the other side, Jihyo does the same with the bouquet Tzuyu is carrying and hands it to Sana, careful not to get her trousers dirty. But the card stays in the little girl's hands, pressed against her chest as she smooths out the wrinkles in the paper.
"What's that?" Chaeyoung asks, pointing at the paper Tzuyu is holding so carefully.
"It's a card for Dahyun. Mama and mommy helped me" she answers, showing it to her.
"It's really pretty, Tzuyu" she says with a big smile.
Then she turns to her mothers and whispers something to them. Nayeon nods and pulls a sheet of paper from her bag. Chaeyoung looks back at Tzuyu and shows her the paper her mom gave her.
"I made her a drawing" she says, excited. "Look. This is Dahyun playing the piano. She has a bow. And here are you and me. And Kookeu, Boo, Bobby, Butter and Kaya. All clapping."
Tzuyu looks at it for a few seconds, like she's taking in every word, and ends up nodding, impressed.
"It's so pretty, Chaeyoung! She's going to love it, but dogs don't clap" she adds, laughing.
Chaeyoung looks even prouder hearing that and quickly joins in laughing at the thought of Kookeu clapping. Without noticing, their hands find each other and stay linked over the armrests, each holding their gift for Dahyun in their free hand.
Mina and Momo watch them from their seats, smiling wide.
"Dahyun is going to love them…" Mina murmurs.
"So much" Momo adds, not taking her eyes off the girls.
Nayeon overhears the conversation and smiles too, happy to see how well they’re all growing up, surrounded by so much love.
Between them they take up almost an entire row of seats. They're all there for one reason: Dahyun. Not just to hear the piece she's worked so hard to prepare, but to be there for her, support her and cheer for her, for her and her mothers too.
Mina can't help getting emotional seeing herself surrounded by her friends, who feel like sisters to her, and by all their daughters, who she loves like her own nieces. All together, just like any other family there.
It's one of those moments where she remembers how alone she used to feel at her ballet performances, even when her parents were there. But now she also gets to celebrate that her daughter is going to experience something very different. She'll be surrounded by wonderful people that shes lucky enough to call family.
It’s when she feels Momo's hand wrap around hers that she comes back to the present. She's no longer that nervous little girl, waiting for approval but getting corrections and scolding instead. Now she's a woman with her wife by her side, waiting to watch her daughter perform so she can give her the biggest hug when it's over. Slowly, she comes back to this exact moment, in this auditorium.
A little while later the lights begin to dim and only the light over the stage remains. In the center, the piano gleams under the spotlight. In front of it there’s a bench that, unlike the ones they’ve seen, has a small black step next to it, almost invisible, waiting for the younger children.
As it gets darker, the whispers continue until a woman appears on stage. Many recognize her straight away as Kim Minnie, the piano teacher. She gives a brief introduction and announces the first performance. Some of the kids play the violin or other string instruments, others play the flute or the clarinet and a few play piano. Sometimes they're joined by a teacher playing an instrument or conducting the group. There are solo performances, duets, quartets and even small bands. Each one lasts just a few minutes, giving everyone their moment.
The performances follow one after another, until it’s finally time for the one they've all been waiting for.
"And now, Myoui Dahyun on piano, the youngest student of the evening" the teacher announces.
When they hear the name, Mina feels her heart stop for a second, while Momo straightens up immediately. A few seats away, the little ones, who after a while had started fidgeting and getting distracted, go still and turn their eyes back to the stage.
Seconds later, Dahyun appears from the side of the stage.
Her dress shimmers softly under the lights, and the bow in her hair sways with every step. She stops in front of the piano and gives a small bow, a little unsure, looking at the audience. With the stage lights she can barely make out the faces in the crowd, but she manages to spot her aunts, her friends and her mothers, and doesn't hesitate to give them a little wave with a small smile. The gesture gives away that it's her first performance, and it melts everyone watching. All eight of them wave back, and then she sits down.
Her feet don't quite reach the floor, so they rest on the small step. She places her hands on the keys… and breathes.
Mina recognizes that instantly. It's the same thing she used to do before going on stage, and what she told Dahyun to do before she started.
Momo swallows. She smiles at the same time her eyes fill with tears.
Meanwhile, following Momo's instructions, Jihyo films it on the video camera she gave her a few minutes earlier, so she could enjoy her daughter's performance without worrying about anything else.
The first notes of a soft melody start playing. Dahyun is focused, following the rhythm with small nods of her head, very serious at first, but little by little her expression relaxes and, while keeping the right posture, her shoulders stop being tense. Her small hands move across the keys with more confidence as the piece goes on. Much more than she had just a week ago.
There's a small stumble on one note, almost impossible to catch. Her expression shifts for a second, but she doesn't stop.
Mina smiles to herself.
She understood.
She then feels a hold in her hand. Momo squeezes it gently, it seems she noticed too. When Mina looks at her, she sees tears already running down her cheeks. Momo wipes them away quickly, slightly embarrassed, but she can't hold them back.
Mina squeezes her hand back. She doesn't say a word, instead she brings her hand to her lips and places a kiss on the back of it and another on the ring.
Momo isn't the only one crying. Sana already has a tissue in her hand and Jeongyeon is blinking fast, in an attemp of holding her tears. Tzuyu keeps her eyes fixed on Dahyun, as if the piano doesn't exist, eyes wide open, afraid to miss anything. Chaeyoung, on the other hand, leans forward a little, mouth slightly open, completely amazed. Every now and then their still-linked hands squeeze together with excitement.
The music goes on without any more stumbles beyond a small change in tempo here and there. And if there are any mistakes, they're probably only noticeable to the teacher. For everyone else, like in all the performances before, what they hear is the music of a little girl who has practiced a lot, but most importantly, who is enjoying the moment.
And when the final note comes, she holds it for a few seconds before lifting her hands from the piano, just as a professional would.
The applause breaks out suddenly and echoes throughout the auditorium. Loud, long, and warm.
Chaeyoung and Tzuyu join in a few seconds after everyone else, applauding happily, so caught up in watching their friend that they almost missed it. Jihyo smiles so wide her eyes shine as she keeps filming everyone's reactions, especially Momo's. Sana brings a hand to her chest, as she wipes her tears away without ruining her makeup. Nayeon and Jeongyeon share a quick look, proud, then turn their attention back to the stage.
Momo stopped trying to hide it a while ago, clapping while the tears fall freely. Mina keeps clapping too, but she can't take her eyes off her wife and then, her daughter.
Dahyun climbs down from the bench and looks to one side, following her teacher's instructions. She walks to the center of the stage, takes one last bow, says thank you and gives a thumbs up to her mother.
When she leaves the stage, the performances continue for about twenty more minutes, until the recital comes to an end. For the last time in the, Ms. Kim steps back on stage to congratulate the participants, thank all the parents, families and guests, and explain how the exit will be organized so the kids can reunite with their families, who are eager to celebrate with them.
After the teacher’s intervention, the lights come back on.The murmur returns to the auditorium and parents start getting up to see their kids backstage, as they've been told. The rest of the audience makes their way to the exit.
Mina and Momo are one of the first ones leaving to meet their daughter. The hallway is full of kids and teenagers still buzzing with nerves and excitement, some with their instruments still out of their cases, others looking around the place for their families. The youngest ones wait with their teachers. Dahyun is one of them, standing still until her teacher spots them and points in her mothers’s direction.
The small girl runs off with her bow slightly crooked, her hair a little messy and her cheeks flushed.
Before they can say anything, Dahyun throws herself into their arms and the three of them hold on tight.
"You were incredible, sweetheart" Mina whispers into her hair before kissing her forehead.
"I'm so proud of you" Momo adds, her voice still a little shaky.
As she speaks, she hands her the bouquet they'd prepared for her. Dahyun takes it carefully, looking at the flowers with a mix of wonder and confusion, not quite sure what to do with them or why she's holding them.
"After a great performance, artists get flowers" Mina explains warmly, unable to stop smiling.
Hearing that, the girl smiles so wide her eyes almost disappear, until she suddenly seems to remember something.
"Mommy, Mom! Ms. Kim wants to talk to both of you" she says quickly, gently pulling Mina's hand to lead them.
The teacher is waiting for them a few meters away, watching her students with a proud smile. When Mina and Momo approach, she bows to them and they both return the gesture.
“I wanted to tell you that Dahyun did really well tonight” she says calmly. “She’s still very young and just starting out, I know. But she has something special. What she did today isn’t easy at all.”
She pauses briefly before continuing. Momo and Mina listen closely, a little surprised, having thought they'd only been seeing her through the eyes of her mothers.
"I think you've been able to see that she's at the same level as some of her older classmates. If she keeps enjoying piano the way she does, and holds on to that eagerness to learn, I really think she could have a bright future. No rush. No pressure. But I'd like you to keep it in mind when the time comes."
Mina nods her head slightly in acknowledgement. .
"Thank you so much, Minnie. That means a lot to us."
"Of course" Momo adds, with pride she makes no effort to hide. "She's an artist just like her mother."
Mina blushes instantly and the teacher laughs softly. She congratulates Dahyun once again before saying goodbye.
"Say hi to Sana and Jihyo for me… and from Miyeon" she says before stepping away.
When the teacher leaves, Dahyun takes her mommy’s hand and passes the bouquet to her mom, so they can hold hands as well. The three of them walk down the hallway together, talking about the performance and congratulating her over and over, going over how well she played and how hard she's been practicing.
Making their way through the crowd of families, they reach the exit. Outside the air is a little warmer than inside, summer is already here, adding to the cheerful atmosphere around them, especially with the younger kids already buzzing about summer break. The air is full of laughter, conversations and photos.
They've barely stepped outside when they hear a familiar voice.
"There they are" Sana calls out to the others, who are waiting outside.
The girls can't wait for them to make their way to them and hurry over as fast as their bouquets allow, having taken them from their mothers' hands. Tzuyu walks with purpose, hugging her card against her chest, with Chaeyoung by her side. When they reach Dahyun they show her the flowers and give her their handmade gifts first.
"This is for you" she says, a little nervous.
Dahyun takes the card and reads Tzuyu's words of encouragement out loud, written in small, neat handwriting with little drawings all around. Even though the performance is already over, the words bring a smile to her face and turn her cheeks red.
Chaeyoung waits patiently, listening to her friend read. You can definitely tell she's older because she reads so much better. Once she's done, she wastes no time handing her a slightly crumpled sheet of paper.
"And I made you a drawing. Here you are playing the piano. And here we are. And the dogs too" she explains very seriously, though she laughs right after, making the other two laugh with her.
Her mothers go over to say hello to Jeongyeon's parents, who have brought the twins asleep in the stroller, now being watched over by Nayeon and Jeongyeon, who aren't used to being without their girls except when they're at daycare. Both of them thank them for coming, and Jeongyeon's parents say they're sorry they couldn't watch the performance live, though Jeongyeon filmed it on her phone as they'd asked.
“She looked radiant.”
“A true performer.”
Then Tzuyu remembers something and looks at Sana, who hands her a small wrapped bag.
"And this is chocolate" she adds, looking straight at her. "Your favorite."
Dahyun looks at them one by one, unable to process it all just yet, and then hugs both girls at once. She holds on tight, not saying anything for a few seconds, until she murmurs a quiet "Thank you."
After that, it’s finally Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Sana, and Jihyo’s turn to shower Dahyun with affection, words of love, and congratulations. The little girl laughs and savors the moment, loving the warmth from her aunties.
Just then, Jeongyeon's parents join them as well. Her mother is holding a small, carefully wrapped package.
"This is for you, Dahyun" she says with a warm smile. "It's a little gift from the twins."
The girl takes it with wide eyes and gives an awkward but sincere bow, the first thing that comes to mind. Inside she finds two hair ties with small teddy bears.
"Thank you, grandma and grandpa!" she replies excitedly, running to show them to her mothers.
Everyone talks and smiles as they make their way to the cars. The noise seems to wake Ryujin and Yuna, who open their eyes and sit up, looking around curiously and smiling, caught up in the joyful atmosphere.
The scene fills Momo's chest with warmth as she sees her daughter surrounded by such special people who love her so much. She watches Mina walk arm in arm with Sana, laughing, and quietly reaches for her camera to snap a few photos of a moment she wants to treasure forever.
Sana and Mina talking, Jihyo with Yuna in her arms, Jeongyeon walking with the girls while carrying the bouquets, Nayeon in the middle of her in laws hand in hand with Ryujin, taking clumsy but fast steps,and of course, Dahyun with her hands full of cards and chocolate.
She knows how much this means to her wife, and she's grateful to see her like this and to be part of the family Mina gave her when she came into her life. She didn't just give her a daughter, but also friends she thinks of as family and who treat her the same way. She knows she can count on them just as she would her sister or her parents back in Japan. She completed Mina's family, but this family gave her a reason to stay in Korea, a purpose and a life she never could have imagined.
As if she could feel she was thinking about her, Mina turns around and they share a smile, and seeing the camera in her hands, she poses with Sana.
Sana leans in slightly toward Mina.
"Did you see Minnie? Miyeon told me you're her favorite parents, she says you're adorable" she says quietly, with a knowing smile.
Mina nods with a small smile, still a little overwhelmed by everything, but grateful.
"They're biased."
"Maybe, but there's one thing she's not wrong about, and that's that you make the most adorable family. I'm so proud of Dahyun, but I'm proud of you too, Minari" Sana concludes.
And there, surrounded by flowers, chocolate, colorful drawings and hugs, they celebrate Dahyun's first recital before heading out to dinner together. The whole family.
“ Jihyo ! hurry ! We found it ! “ A clumsy girl runs into the tent, her outfit is dirtied with dust and dirt
“ What is it Sana ? Did they find it yet ? “ A woman is still on her seat, her desk is filled with notes and excavation tools
“ Yes !! Come on hurry ! Jason and Trini are waiting for us over there ! “ Sana quickly runs out of the tent, with Jihyo is following
The two women are running as quick as possible to the excavation site, where a group of archaeologists is standing around a sandy pit, inside there’s a large remain of a dinosaur as parts of its skeletal structures are emerging out through the thickness o sand and rock layers.
“ Hey Jihyo, come take a look, it’s all here !“ A man with muscular build are climbing out of the pit and heads towards Jihyo and Sana.
“ Yes !! I knew the coordination was right ! See I told ya ! You owe me a beer big time Jason ! “ Jihyo is hitting Jason’s biceps as a tease
“ yeh yeh I lost the best I get it haha, come on, Trini is still over there, I think she’s identifying it ! “ Jason then guides Sana & Jihyo towards the digging pit
“ Heyyyyy Trini how it’s going ! What do we have here ? “ Jihyo enters the sandy pit, her hands are touching the dinosaur’s bones
“ Yo Jihyo ! Look, this one seems to be …. None other than Tyrannosaurus Rex, this big boy right here seems to be covered during a flood, poor guy, his entire skeleton is deep within these layers of thick grounds so we .. might have to take a few more days to fully recover him out, you think we can tell Dr. Grant about it ? “ Trini is still using her digging tools to removing some of the dirt surrounding the skeleton.
“ You know Dr.Grant, he’ll be here as soon as possible and he’ll dive right in, but yeh I can tell him, hopefully it won’t too much of a hassle, but Dr. Sattler is gonna pass by tomorrow too right ? “ Jihyo is asking while still touching the bones
“ Exactly, hey Billy, you think we can scan how further this guy is within these rocks ? We might have to count the time to fully getting him out though “ Trini is asking her friend Billy the technician
“ Oh yeh, so …. With our time and schedules, probably we might have to take around 2 days, not counting that some of these layers could be thicker than we think but I count 2 days, I’ll call for more tools and helps “ Billy is making his calls
“ Guess it’s another great find ! SO am I standing near its head ? Seems like it right ? “ Jihyo is still fascinating with the bones
“ I think that’s part of its jaw, that was the first part to be seen “ Jason is climbing down as well
“ And we also have its vertebrae right here, gonna be deep longer down there “ Trini is pointing around the sandy pit
“ Cool, ok, I’ll help you out, come on Sana we have no time to waste ! “ Jihyo is wearing her gloves and start digging
“ On it ! “ Sana joins as well
The diggings continue until pass evening time, as the archaeologists are taking their dinners at the camp site
“ Soooooo how did you know this location Ji ? “ Jason is asking while crunching on his food
“ I found the migration route, that’s it ! But I find it kinda strange also “ Jihyo replies while taking her food
“ Strange ? What’s so strange about it, we’ve been doing this for a while no ? “ Sana is asking
“ Because normally you don’t find a dinosaur bone in this area, it’s really odd this one is here, you … remember the other 4 we found ? they were in odd places too “ Jihyo replies back while showing on her tablet and notes
“ Yeh what did we have again, a mammoth, a saber-toothed tiger, pterodactyl and triceratops, so those 4 were in places they … scientifically shouldn’t be, and for some weird reason they were also being covered in the same manner as this Rexy dude “ Trini answers
“ Fully agree with Jihyo on that though, I read so many books about it and a bookworm like me still find them in exceptionally odd places, and odd timings too “ Billy joins in
“ Isn’t that the charm ? We find our dinosaurs in different circumstances, new ones keep poping up everyday, it’s cool ! “ Jihyo winks while finishing her food
“ Always sooo positive Ji, man, I wish Zack and Kimberly are here too, I guess Dr.Grant really needs some hands back at his site as well “ Jason adds in
“ Oh yeh, aren’t they helping a new guy as well ? What’s his name .. Tommy ? “ Jihyo asks
“ Yeh that dude, Kimberly is swooned by his charm haha, the guy sure knows how to impress her “ Trini jokes
“ That’s funny, anw, I finished my food, gonna head back to my corner and write down some notes, guess I’ll see you guys tomorrow ? “ Jihyo stands up
“ See ya Ji, have fun with those boring notes lol “ Jason teases
“ Thank youuu Jasonnnnn !!” Jihyo teases back and walk back to her tent
The night is coming, as the rest of the crew is sleeping, only Jihyo is still up with her desk
“ Ok, only a few more notes and I can hit the bed”
Suddenly, she hears something
In the middle of the quiet night, she hears, a voice
“ Jihyo..Park Jihyo”
“ Huh ? What’s that ? “ Jihyo looks around, but nothing there
“ Come to the digging site, quickly, there isn’t much time”
The voice continues, it seems to come from outside
“ What the … who’s there ??? “ Jihyo steps outside, holding her flashlights
“ Hurry Jihyo, it’s waiting for you over there “
The voice is still going, but… it seems like only Jihyo can hear it
“ No one seems to hear, what’s going on ?” Jihyo keeps on walking, following the sound, as it seems to come from the digging site
“ Come closer to the site, please hurry “
Jihyo runs fast towards the site, she sees a strange phenomenon
The t-rex bone is glowing red as Jihyo gets closer
“ GRRRRRRRRRRRRR..GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…GRRRRRR”
It seems like… it’s calling to her
“ What … is going on… “ Jihyo, in her courage, climbs down to the sandy pit
“ It’s calling for you Jihyo” The voice explains
Jihyo is still confusing
“ Who are you again ? Who’s talking to me ?? “
“ I will reveal myself to you soon, right now, the power is waiting for you, you have been chosen “ The voice keeps talking to Jihyo’ ears
“ What are you saying ?? What power ?? “ Jihyo keeps asking
“ You have been chosen, by the Tyrannosaurus Rex, for your courage and leadership, you are the Red Ranger of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers “ The voice gives Jihyo a shocking info
“ What ? What is … Power Rangers ??? “ Jihyo is still approaching the T-rex skeleton
“ A fighting force against evil, Jihyo, and evil is coming, very soon to this world. You have the only power to protect it, now, take the Power Coin, it is waiting for you “ The voice guides Jihyo towards the T-rex’s head, where a golden coin, embed inside the T-rex teeth, is blinking towards Jihyo’s eyes as she walks towards it.
“ This.. this is a Power Coin ?? Agh ” Jihyo takes the coin as an energy source surges through her body
“ Jihyo, please listen carefully, an evil army will look for this Power Coin soon, I have to go now, I will contact you back. May the Power be with you, Red Ranger” The voice stops
“ Hey, wait, what is going on ??? what evil army ??” Jihyo tries to ask again to no avail
Jihyo then returns to her camp site, as Sana and Trini are looking for her
“ Jihyo ! That was you ? I heard some noises ? “ Sana asks while still holding her pillow
“ Yehhh Ji , where are you going, it’s late ! “ Trini asks as well
“ Oh.. sorry, I was… just needing a night walk that’s all, sorry for the noises, I thought I saw some … animals” Jihyo is lying
“ Jeez, come on Ji , let’s heading back, we’ll need you tomorrow, let’s hit the bed “ Trini is walking back to her tent
“ Yeh.. g9 Jihyo, see you tomorrow !” Sana yawns
“ G9 guys” Jihyo walks back to her tent, as she prepares for her bedtime, but things are still occurring in her head
“ What… just happened ? Power rangers ?? And what is this … Power Coin ? “ Jihyo is lying on her bed, hand is still holding the Power Coin, then slowly drifting to her sleep
The next morning
The digging site is back to business again, as the archaeologists and their teams are working hard to retrieve the skeleton.
“ Alright team ! We’re gonna do our best to hit the goal today, let’s do our best to dig his upper body !” Jihyo commands her team
“ Roger that ! “ The team is heading to the sandy pit
The team is working hard for the day, as Jihyo and the rest of the crew are tirelessly doing their tasks ahead.
Suddenly
“CRACKKKKKK !!!!”
A crushing sound startle everyone
From the sky, a group of grey humanoid creatures drops down, their hideous looks scare the entire crew
‘ WHAT ???? WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS ????” Sana screams
“ Jason ! Look out ! “ Trini warns
One of the creature attacks Jason, hurling him down to the ground
“Agh! Get off me ! “ Jason struggles
The rest of the grey creatures are attacking the remaining of the crew, crashing the site and tools
“ Heyyy that’s my laptop ! Aghh !” Billy is screaming while being hurt
A golden armor creature, with a face looking like a gorilla, appears, with a pair of wings and a long sword on his hand, threatening the crew
“ I AM GOLDAR ! I COME HERE TO RETRIEVE THE POWER COIN ! GIVE IT TO ME ! “ The golden armored monster gives his orders as he attacks with his sword
“ What the ?? What Power coin ???? We’re just archaelogists not gold digging ??? “ Trini replies in shock
“Power coin ? that thing… I got from last night ??” Jihyo thinks in her head, then, in a brave moment she throws a rock at Goldar
“ Hey you flying monkey ! You big dumb bully! Come and get your silly coin! “ Jihyo throws another rock at Bones
“ PUTTY PATROLS ! GET THAT HUMAN !!!! “ Goldar orders the grey army towards Jihyo, as she keeps distracting them
“ Jihyo !!! Run !!!! What are you doing ???” Trini screams
“ Don’t worry about me !! Come on you ugly jerks! Come get me ! “ Jihyo runs as fast as she can away from the digging site
She runs further and further, using the jeep to drive away as fast as possible
“ I can’t let them have that thing” Jihyo drives in full speed
But the grey army - the Putties are catching up to her, knock her jeep off
“ Aghh !!!” Jihyo is falling out of the jeep, her body is rolling on the sandy road
“Jihyo.. use the Power Coin, it’s time for you to fight back “ The voice is talking to Jihyo again
Jihyo is crawling on the road, doing her best to stand up to her feet. Suddenly, the Power Coin inside her pockets are heating up, as a belt buckle appears on her waist band, with the coin resides inside.
“ Jihyo, let’s morph, no time to waste, take the Power Morpher in your belt, and say, IT’S MORPHIN TIME !” The voice rushes
Jihyo, still unsure what to do, following the voice’s instructions
“Ok, here goes nothing… IT’S MORPHIN TIME !!” Jihyo shouts and raises the Power Morpher in front of her, as its open.
“ TYRANNOSAURUS !” Jihyo does her call
A red holographic light covers her entire body, and in a quick matter, Jihyo is now transformed into the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, with a red bodysuit and a tyranno-inspired helmet.
“ What… what is this thing ???? “ Jihyo is touching her helmet
“ Jihyo, you are now the Red Ranger, fight back those Putties, your friends are in danger. The T-Rex coin and suit will guide you how to fight, let’s go ! “ The voice rushes Jihyo again
Jihyo, as the Red Ranger, gathers her courage and runs towards the Putties. She fights her way into the group of putties without much effort, using her skills to clear them off
BAM
WHACK
BOOM
POW
“ Hayyyyahhh !!” Jihyo punches and kicks the Putties to the ground, one by one they explode into mud
“ Woa, I can’t believe I can do that ! This is awesome !” Jihyo surprises at her power
“ Jihyo, use the Blade Blaster in your pocket, it will make quick work of these guys” The voice guides
“ Blade Blaster ? Oh cool !! “ Jihyo pulls out the Blaster and shoot towards the Putties, as they explode as well.
PEW PEW
BOOOOOOMMMM
Some of her shots are accidentally hitting the surroundings, forcing her to stop
“ Oops… hope no one gonna ask me about this “ Jihyo puts the Blaster back
“ Jihyo, Goldar is about to destroy the place, hurry back to your friends” The voice tells her
“ But… it’s kinda far… and the jeep is busted “
“ Call the Battle Bike, it will help you there” The voice guides her again
“ Battle Bike ! Let’s go ! “ Jihyo summons the Battle Bike through her Power Morpher, a red motorcycle then appears right in front of her.
“ Woaaaaa, sick !! “ Jihyo jumps on the Bike, then rushes straight back to the digging site
VROOOOOMMMM
Back at the digging sit
“ YOU HUMANS ARE NO MATCH FOR ME !!! GIMME THE POWER COINS !!!!!! EMPRESS RITA WILL BE PLEASE !!! “Goldar is wrecking at the site
“ Hey !!! Back off from my friends you ugly monkey !! “
Jihyo, riding on the Battle Bike, rushes towards Goldar and hit him, making him flies up a few feet away
“ What the ???? Who are you ?????? “ Jason asks in shock
“ I am Red Ranger, I’m here to rescue you , go on, run, I will deal with the monsters ! “ Red Ranger Jihyo is commanding the civillians
“ Did… did you see our friend Jihyo ???? “ Sana asks
“ She is safe ! Now go ! “ Red Ranger Jihyo rushes them
From afar, Goldar is flying down to the ground, full of angers
“ YOU FOOL ! YOU’RE NO MATCH FOR ME !! PUTTY PATROLS !!! GET THAT ONE !!!! “Goldar commands the Putties as they charge towards Jihyo
Jihyo rushes into battle again, using her fighting skills and Blade Blaster to beat the Putties again, which angers Bones
BOOM
POW
POW
WHACK
“Hayyyyaaaaaa !!!!! Take this you weirdos ! “ Jihyo is fearlessly fighting back with her newfound power
The Putties are being defeated, but Goldar is still standing, which he furiously blasts energy beams towards Jihyo
“ I’LL DESTROY YOU !!! “
Goldar is swinging his sword, making Jihyo has to dodge his moves, but her inexperience proven to be a disadvantage, as Goldar is able to knock her off her feet in a few moves
“ Aghh ! “ Jihyo is being hit with Goldar’s sword, as she’s rolling on the floor in pain
“ ouch, that hurts … He’s way more powerful than the other creeps ..” Jihyo is holding her body in pain
“ Jihyo, use the Power Sword, you can fight back at him with it “ The voice guides Jihyo again
Jihyo stands up and shouts
“ POWER SWORD ! “ In her hands, a long sword then appears
Jihyo and Goldar engages in battle once again
CLANG
BAAAANGGG
WHACKKKK
Their swords are clashing onto each other
Goldar uses all his raw power to fight back, while Jihyo is courageously countering his moves one by one. Both are being hit by their words, red fiery sparks are bursting through their slashes, but none are backing down
WHACCCCKKKK
CLANGGGGG
“ ONE LUCKY HIT !!! YOU’LL NEVER DEFEAT ME RED RANGER !!! “ Goldar is roaring
CLANGGGGGG
POWWWWWW
“ Dream on Goldar ! take this ! “ Jihyo in a swift move, use her leg and gives Goldar a roundhouse kick, making him fall thanks to the surprising move
“ TILL THE END, RED RANGER !!! “ Goldar is blasting lightning bolts from his sword, charging it with power and rushes straight towards Jihyo
“ Bring it on !! Hayyyyaaaaaa !!!!! “
Jihyo charges up her Power Sword, she rushes as quick as possible, blocking Goldar’s strikes
BOOOMMMM
BAMMMMMM
BROOOOMMMMMMMM
BOOOOMMMMM
Jihyo is fearlessly dodging his attacks, then she jumps straight onto the air with a high jump.
“HAYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!”
Jihyo swings down her Power Sword, slashing down through Goldar’s armors, breaking his defense
“HAYYYAAAAAAA !!!”
Jihyo swings her swords again in a diagonal swing, knocking Goldar’s swords off his hand, and then, with a powerful finish move, she slashes her sword through his abdomen, defeating Goldar
“AGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! “ Goldar screams
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM
BOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Explosions are sounding loud from Jihyo’s final move
Goldar is defeated, he kneels down onto the ground
“ RED RANGER … YOU MIGHT WIN TODAY !!... BUT GOLDAR AND HIS EMPRESS WILL BE BACK !!!! MARK MY WORDS !!!!!!!” Goldar is teleporting away
“ hey ! wait !! “ Jihyo is chasing him but no use
“ Gotta check on the others “ Jihyo rushes back to the camp site
“ Everyone, you’re ok ??” Jihyo, still in her Red ranger’s suit
“ Yes… thank you… but… wait a minute, that voice, it sounds familiar …” Jason is guessing
“ JIHYO ?? IS THAT YOU ???? “ Sana spots
“ Wait… how do you know ??? “ Jihyo, demorphs into her normal human form
“ OMG I know you for years, how can I not telling who you are ??? Even that running stance !! But.. how ???? “ Sana is still in shock
“Well, long story … but it started with last night, after we discovered the T-rex …” Jihyo retells her story, as the archaeologists are surrounding her
A few days later
At Angel’s Grove Museum
“Ok, I guess I’m finally done for the day… let’s go home “ Jihyo is cleaning up her stuffs, then closing the door
Once she walks towards her car, a portal suddenly appears
“ Good evening Jihyo” Inside a portal, a man in a mute green jacket, walks out in front of Jihyo
“ Who ??? Who are you ?? “ Jihyo is reaching to her Power Morpher
“ Jihyo, I need your help, the Morphin Grid is in high alert , come with me and I’ll explain to you “ The man explains
“ But… how can I trust you ? “ Jihyo asks again
“ I think this will convince you “ The man pulls out his Morpher, a Golden one similar to Jihyo
“ SO … you’re… a Power Ranger ???? “ Jihyo surprises
“ I will explain to you along the way, now come, we have no time to waste, your world and many worlds connecting to the Morphin Grid will face an unimaginable force of evil, and we will need helps as much as we can. Hurry, we will start our journey to find the other RED RANGERS “ The man then opens the portal with his Morpher
“ Ok, I guess I’ll trust you then, let’s go, IT’S MORPHIN TIME ! “ Jihyo morphs into her Red Ranger’s suit, jumps into the portal with the man, as they’re heading towards an unknown location.
hi guys. i saw twice in charlotte a week and a half ago and had to write a whole oneshot about it bc jeongyeon took that damn jacket off <3 you can find it up here! keep the tags in mind bc there’s absolutely somno, lmao. here’s the summary:
