The Tiger King (Chaelisa)

31| Test

Moments after her daughter returned home, Rosé was chasing Ella around the apartment, both of them giggling and laughing. Rosé hadn't even bothered with telling Ella to put her shoes away neatly or take off her uniform—she was in a surprisingly playful mood and immediately after welcoming Ella home with a kiss, she started tickling her daughter, which started the madcap chase. Bori fled into Ella's room to avoid the annoyingly loud humans disturbing her nap.

"I'm gonna catch you!" Rosé called, red hair streaming behind her as she skidded to a halt in front of Ella's bedroom.

Ella squealed as she jumped on to her bed with her mother following close behind, eyes glittering.

"Aha! The tickle monster sees its prey and it's very hungry!" Rosé declared before she pounced on the girl burrowing underneath the blankets. "Gotcha!"

 Ella came up screaming and thrashing. "No no mommy I can't I can't—"

"I'm not mommy I'm the tickle monster! Rawwr!" Rosé replied as she scrambled to trap Ella and tickle her armpits. "After I tickle you I'm gonna gobble you all up OM NOM NOM!" she added pretending to munch on Ella's shoulder.

After some more squealing and laughter, Rosé finally relented and sat back, grinning at her daughter who was red in the face trying to catch her breath.

"That was fun. We should do it more often," Ella giggled. "Can we do it again?"

"Sure you're not getting too old for me huh? I thought that's what you said last time?" Rosé winked. "You said you're too old to be playing tickle monster with me?"

"Never! Not me! Nuh-uh!" Ella protested. "We can go at it again and do it all night long!"

Rosé laughed. "And who's gonna cook? Bori?"

"Well yeah. Maybe she will cook if we pretend to not see. I think she can. In Ratatouille, they said anyone can cook. If a rat can, why not a cat?" Ella confided in a whisper. 

They both glanced at the cat who quietly washing her face in the corner on Ella's beanbag before Rosé snorted.

"Well, I'd rather much not have cat hair in my food tonight, so I'm in charge of the cooking, okay?" She leaned down and kissed Ella's forehead, humming contentedly as she made her way out of the room.

"Mommy?"

"Yes baby?"

"Did Lisa unnie come over today?"

Rosé stopped and looked at her daughter curiously. "No. Why do you ask?"

Ella shrugged. "It's that day when you're quiet today, but you're laughing and smiling a lot."

"Don't I usually smile and laugh a lot when you're here?" Rosé humoured her.

Ella looked thoughtful. "It feels...different? We never played on days like this. But you're smiling like when Lisa unnie was here, or at the Vault. So I thought maybe she came here to cheer you up?"

Rosé blinked, shaking herself. "N-no she didn't come at all."

But that didn't mean she wasn't thinking of the blonde—she didn't quite know when they would be seeing each other again, Jennie had still been a little unsure. Not to mention Lisa had that match later on today. She had spent all day during and in between classes wondering and reminiscing on the moments they shared together, her heart warming at the memories that also quirked her lips into a smile.

"I...I'm just in a good mood before I go out today, I guess. The fact you were right on time is bonus too, baby," Rosé added smiling fondly, "I'm glad you didn't linger on the street too much."