Chapter 152

Ruby was running.

Not normal running.

Not “walking carefully inside the house because Mommy mopped the floor” running.

No.

This was full-speed tiny-human zoomies.

“Mama look! Mochi is chasing meeeeee!” Ruby squealed, her fluffy socks sliding across the living room while their corgi barked excitedly behind her.

From the kitchen, Jennie immediately pointed a warning finger. “Ruby Kim Manoban, slow down before you-“

THUD.

“…ow.”

A tiny pause.

Then Ruby froze dramatically in the middle of the living room.

Lisa looked up from the couch. “What happened to my dumpling?”

Ruby slowly turned around with the most betrayed expression ever seen on a five-year-old.

“My…” her lip trembled.

Jennie already started laughing because she knew that face.

“My PINKY TOEEEEEE-!!”

And there it was.

The apocalypse.

Ruby collapsed onto the carpet like a fallen soldier, clutching her tiny right foot with both hands.

“MOMMYYYYYYYY!!”

Lisa nearly choked laughing. “Baby, did you bump the sofa?”

Ruby looked at her Mama with pure devastation.

“It ATTACKED me!!”

Jennie walked over quickly, trying so hard not to smile. “Lemme see, fluff mandu.”

Ruby instantly reached up like a tragic princess needing rescue. “Carry me… I’m dying…”

“You’re dying?” Lisa repeated dramatically.

Ruby nodded weakly. “Tell Mochi… I loved him…”

Mochi barked and licked her face.

“That’s your goodbye?” Lisa laughed harder.

Jennie scooped Ruby into her arms and sat on the couch while the tiny girl sniffled loudly against her chest.

“My poor baby,” Jennie cooed softly, kissing Ruby’s forehead. “The scary sofa bullied your toe?”

Ruby nodded aggressively while tears rolled down her cheeks.

Lisa grabbed the tiny foot carefully. “Emergency inspection,” she announced seriously.

Ruby gasped. “Be careful Mama… it’s broken…”

“It’s broken?” Lisa asked.

“Yes…”

Lisa examined the toe dramatically.

“…I diagnose this as…” Lisa squinted. “Tiny Baby Drama Disease.”

Ruby gasped in betrayal. “MAMAAA!”

Jennie burst out laughing into Ruby’s hair while the little girl pouted with watery eyes.

“It hurts!” Ruby whined.

“I know it hurts, baby,” Jennie soothed, rubbing her back gently. “Toe bumps are mean.”

Ruby buried her face into Jennie’s neck. “I can still feel the betrayal…”

Lisa completely lost it.

“Mama stop laughing at the patient,” Jennie scolded through her own giggles.

“I’m trying!” Lisa wheezed. “But she’s acting like she survived war!”

Ruby sniffled louder on purpose after hearing that.

“Nobody understands my suffering…”

“Oh no,” Lisa said dramatically, immediately kneeling in front of her daughter. “Forgive me, Princess Toe-Toe.”

Ruby peeked at her suspiciously.

Lisa grabbed a fluffy blanket from the couch and wrapped Ruby up like a burrito. “There. For emotional support.”

Jennie added kisses all over Ruby’s cheeks. “Better?”

“…a little.”

Lisa disappeared for a moment before returning with Ruby’s favorite strawberry milk and gummy bears.

Ruby’s eyes widened.

“For me?”

“For the bravest survivor of Sofa Incident 2026,” Lisa nodded solemnly.

Ruby accepted them with shaky little hands. “Thank you…”

Jennie smiled softly at her dramatic dumpling. “Can you still walk?”

Ruby immediately leaned harder into Jennie. “No…”

Lisa raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“My legs stopped working after the accident.”

“The toe accident?”

“Yes.”

“Mhm.”

Jennie kissed the top of Ruby’s head again. “Looks like Mommy has to carry her baby forever then.”

Ruby instantly perked up. “Forever?”

“Forever.”

Lisa crossed her arms. “Convenient timing for your legs to stop working.”

Ruby ignored her completely and sipped her strawberry milk while sniffling dramatically every few seconds for extra sympathy.

Ten minutes later…

“Mochi race you!!”

Ruby suddenly sprinted across the living room again.

Lisa pointed immediately. “OH? THE LEGS WORK NOW?”

Ruby froze mid-run.

“…miracle.”

Jennie fell sideways laughing while Lisa chased after their giggling little dumpling around the couch.

And from that day onward, the family never called it “when Ruby bumped her toe.”

No.

It became known as:

“The Great Pinky Toe Tragedy.”