Chapter 148

Ruby was five years old when the question finally came.

A very dangerous question.

A question that made both Jennie Kim and Lalisa Manobal freeze in the middle of dinner.

“Mama,” Ruby asked innocently while swinging her little legs on the chair, cheeks stuffed with rice. “How was I made?”

Silence.

Jennie slowly lowered her spoon.

Lisa choked on water.

Ruby blinked. “Why you coughing?”

Jennie stared at her wife. Lisa stared back like she was being sent to war.

“Babe,” Lisa whispered dramatically, “it’s your turn.”

“My turn?!” Jennie whisper-yelled. “You’re the one who said we should always answer honestly!”

“Yes but I didn’t think she’d ask at FIVE!”

Ruby tilted her head. “Why you whispering?”

Both immediately smiled too brightly.

“No reason, Baby Mandu,” Jennie said quickly.

Ruby narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Teacher said babies come from love.”

Lisa nodded carefully. “That part is true.”

Ruby gasped loudly. “SO I WAS MADE BECAUSE YOU TWO ARE OBSESSEDDD WITH EACH OTHER?”

Jennie burst out laughing.

Lisa proudly pointed at herself. “Correct.”

“But how?” Ruby insisted.

Jennie and Lisa exchanged another look.

This was harder than business meetings.

Harder than interviews.

Harder than world tours.

Finally Jennie pulled Ruby onto her lap, smoothing her fluffy hair back gently.

“Well…” Jennie started softly, “Mama and Mommy loved each other very, very much.”

Lisa nodded seriously beside them. “Like… disgusting levels of love.”

Jennie snorted.

“And we wished really hard for a baby,” Lisa continued. “A tiny baby we could cuddle, spoil, and love forever.”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “And then poof? I appeared?”

“I wish it was that easy,” Jennie muttered.

Lisa laughed before continuing carefully. “A doctor helped Mama and Mommy make you. Mommy carried you in her tummy for many months.”

Ruby immediately placed both tiny hands on Jennie’s stomach dramatically.

“I USED TO LIVE IN THERE?!”

Jennie smiled warmly. “Yep.”

Ruby looked horrified and amazed at the same time.

“It’s so small!”

Lisa cackled loudly while Jennie gasped in fake offense.

“Excuse you?!” Jennie said. “I carried your giant fluffy self for nine months!”

Ruby grabbed Jennie’s cheeks instantly. “Sorry Mommy. Your tummy very beautiful.”

“That’s right,” Lisa nodded wisely. “Save yourself.”

Ruby then looked thoughtful.

“So… the doctor helped make me because you both wanted me?”

Jennie kissed her forehead gently. “More than anything.”

Lisa wrapped both arms around them from behind. “Before you were born, we already loved you.”

Ruby melted instantly into Jennie’s chest, becoming clingy like always whenever emotions got too big for her tiny heart.

“So I’m made from love…”

“And drama,” Jennie added.

“And cuddles,” Lisa said.

“And dumplings,” Jennie teased.

Ruby giggled loudly. “That’s why I’m Baby Mandu!”

“The fluffiest one,” Lisa agreed proudly.

Ruby suddenly gasped again.

“WAIT.” She looked at Jennie suspiciously. “Did Mommy eat too many dumplings and I appeared?”

Lisa fell off the chair laughing.

Jennie covered her face in embarrassment while Ruby looked completely serious.

“No, baby,” Jennie sighed between laughs.

Ruby nodded thoughtfully anyway. “I still think dumplings involved somehow.”

Lisa wiped tears from laughing too hard. “Honestly? Maybe.”

That night Ruby refused to sleep in her own room because apparently learning she used to live inside Jennie made her “miss Mommy’s tummy house.”

So now Jennie was stuck lying in bed with a tiny clingy dumpling sprawled across her chest while Lisa hugged both of them dramatically.

Ruby sleepily mumbled, “Mama… Mommy…”

“Hm?” they answered together softly.

“I’m happy you made me.”

Jennie immediately got emotional.

Lisa looked ready to cry too.

Jennie kissed Ruby’s forehead carefully. “We’re happy too, Baby Mandu.”

Lisa squeezed them tighter. “Best thing we ever made.”