Chapter 142

The moment the front door closed behind Jennie Kim and Lisa, silence filled the house for exactly three seconds.

Then-

“MAMA FORGOT TO KISS MY LEFT CHEEK GOODNIGHT!”

Three-year-old Ruby gasped dramatically from the middle of the living room like she had just witnessed a national tragedy.

Across from her, Rosé nearly dropped the popcorn bowl while Jisoo burst into laughter on the couch.

“She kissed both your cheeks five times,” Jisoo reminded her.

Ruby placed tiny hands on her hips. “But not after Mama said bye-bye.”

Rosé blinked slowly. “Oh. So this is what Lisa meant when she said Ruby inherited the family drama.”

Before leaving for their two-night business trip, Jennie had given approximately forty-seven instructions.

“Ruby likes her milk warm but not too warm.”

“She sleeps hugging a blanket and at least one person.”

“If she asks for dinosaur nuggets at midnight, don’t encourage her.”

“Don’t let her watch scary cartoons.”

Lisa, meanwhile, had hugged Ruby so tightly the little girl squeaked.

“Mama’s gonna miss her Baby Mandu sooo much.”

Ruby had cried.

Lisa had cried harder.

Jennie had recorded both of them while laughing.

Now the tiny “Baby Mandu” sat bundled in a fluffy strawberry blanket between her aunties, pouting at the television like the world had betrayed her.

Rosé gently poked her cheek. “You know what? Since you’re staying with us…”

Ruby’s eyes widened suspiciously.

“We can have a sleepover party.”

“…With snacks?”

“Yes.”

“…And cartoons?”

“Yes.”

“…And face masks?”

Jisoo nodded seriously. “The cucumber kind.”

Ruby gasped. “I LOVE CUCUMBERS ON FACE.”

Within thirty minutes, the living room looked like a tiny pink tornado had exploded.

Blankets everywhere.

Stuffed animals everywhere.

Tiny socks somehow hanging from a lamp.

Ruby sat proudly between Rosé and Jisoo with cucumber slices over her eyes while sipping banana milk through a straw.

“I’m spa baby,” she announced.

Rosé almost cried from cuteness.

Jisoo secretly took seventeen photos.

Then came bedtime.

Which was apparently the hardest mission on earth.

Ruby laid in the middle of the guest bed, clutching a plush dumpling toy.

“I miss Mommy…”

Rosé instantly softened. “Aww…”

“And Mama.”

Jisoo rubbed her tiny back gently. “They’ll come home soon, sweetheart.”

Ruby sniffled dramatically. “Mama probably crying right now.”

Honestly?

Probably true.

Right on cue, Rosé’s phone buzzed.

A video call.

Lisa’s contact picture flashed across the screen with seventeen heart emojis.

Rosé answered.

Immediately, Lisa’s voice exploded through the phone.

“RUBYYYYYY!”

Ruby sat up so fast her cucumber slices flew off.

“MAMA!”

Lisa appeared on screen clinging to Jennie’s shoulder inside a hotel room.

And yes-

Lisa looked emotional already.

“I miss my fluffy Baby Mandu!”

Ruby pointed accusingly. “You cried?”

Jennie snorted beside her wife. “She cried at the airport. Then during check-in. Then because Ruby’s tiny sock was in her pocket.”

Lisa defended herself instantly. “IT SMELLED LIKE BABY!”

Ruby nodded seriously. “Okay valid.”

Jisoo wheezed into a pillow.

Jennie smiled softly at her daughter. “Did you behave for Auntie Rosie and Auntie Jisoo?”

Ruby thought very hard.

“…Maybe.”

“That means no,” Rosé whispered.

Ruby ignored her.

“We had spa,” Ruby explained proudly. “And popcorn. And Auntie Chu accidentally screamed during cartoon.”

“It was a jump scare!” Jisoo protested.

“It was Peppa Pig,” Rosé reminded her.

Jennie laughed so hard she leaned into Lisa.

Ruby stared at them through the screen before suddenly asking-

“Mommy… Mama… do you miss me more than snacks?”

Lisa gasped. “WAY more than snacks.”

Jennie nodded. “Even more than dumplings.”

Ruby looked satisfied. “Okay.”

A few minutes later, sleepiness finally began winning against chaos.

Ruby’s voice became softer.

“Mama…”

“Yes, baby?”

“When you come home… can we cuddle all day?”

Lisa melted instantly. “Of course we can.”

“And Mommy carry me?”

Jennie smiled warmly. “Always.”

Ruby yawned.

Then quietly whispered-

“Love you biggest in whole galaxy.”

The room fell soft for a second.

Even Rosé and Jisoo went emotional.

Jennie’s eyes visibly softened on screen while Lisa looked seconds away from sobbing again.

“We love you bigger than the universe,” Jennie said gently.

Ruby gave one sleepy nod.

Then two seconds later-

She was fully asleep.

Tiny mouth open.

Still hugging the dumpling plushie.

Rosé carefully lowered the phone volume while Jisoo tucked the blanket around Ruby.

On screen, Lisa stared at her sleeping daughter with watery eyes.

“She’s so tiny…”

Jennie kissed Lisa’s temple softly. “Our tiny dramatic dumpling.”

Back in the guest room, Ruby mumbled in her sleep.

“…Mommy… no cucumbers on Peppa Pig…”

Rosé covered her mouth to stop laughing.

Jisoo nearly fell off the bed silently wheezing.

And somewhere in a hotel room far away, Lisa proudly declared-

“That’s my daughter.”