The Stray Cat

Chapter 10: Pure

"Hey, there." Chaeyeon greeted while Sakura smiled at the red-head who loudly slid the hospital room's door open. She was still huffing while her hands rested on her knees as she tries to catch her breath. The girl had literally just ran as if some kind of monstrosity was chasing after her.

"H-hello. Sakura-unnie. H-how are y-you feeling?"

"You should try stabilizing yourself first before speaking." Her cousin cackled at her, back still facing Chaewon ever since the younger arrived earlier. "You could've come here in the morning. The sun hasn't even risen yet. I can't believe the guard let you in here."

Chaewon gently put down the basket of fruit she had prepared. It was supposed to be for tomorrow afternoon but she ended up bringing it to the hospital in the middle of the night. She received Chaeyeon's call about Sakura giving birth a few hours earlier than intended so she sprang on her feet despite being completely burnt out from work just to run to the hospital as soon as possible.

"Have you forgotten who my fiance is and the fact that I'm a Kim? Of course, they'll let me in." Chaewon rolled her eyes then smirked. "Anyways, where's my Baby Bunny?"

"You already have a nickname for her when you haven't even seen her yet?" Chaeyeon was laughing at her cousin heartily, grinning ear to ear and unable to hide her overflowing happiness.

It's quite obvious that it's not only Sakura and her who are really excited about the baby. Chaewon has been on alert ever since the start of the week, continuously asking her cousin if her niece is finally out as if she's also Baby Wonyoung's mother. She was constantly over the edge. Even Minjoo started laughing at her fiance because she was way too excited to have a new family but it's something her close friends expected so they were not really so surprised. Although she was showing indifference at first, everyone knew what she really thinks especially Chaeyeon, Eunbi, and Minjoo. They knew how ecstatic she is.

"Of course, I'm sure she's gonna be as cute as me."

"You mean as pretty as her mom?" Chaeyeon grinned and look at her lover.

Sakura wasn't able to stop the slightest tinge of pink on her cheeks from showing and a quiet laugh from escaping from her throat.

"Stop teasing me, Chaeyeon. Oh, and Chaewon, thank you for visiting. I'm doing fine." Sakura gave her a weak smile, fatigue still evident on her face. It was then when Chaewon finally noticed a bag of blood dangling on one of the IV poles beside the hospital bed. Suddenly, the younger's face warped in worry.

Chaeyeon followed her cousin's line of sight and smiled. "She's fine, Chaewon. She just lost a lot of blood during her delivery but there're no other complications. Wonyoung is completely healthy. Look."

The older girl turned to show her a small baby in her arms sleeping peacefully. Her face still puffy and skin reddish but everyone would be able to tell that the baby is definitely going to be a beauty when she grows up.

...when she grows up.

Chaewon's tears started falling down from her eyes one by one as she shakily took small steps towards her cousin and niece.

"You sure are acting as if you're the mother here. You're too emotional." Chaeyeon wryly smiled at her.

"W-well, of course. I'm just so happy for you."

You're really not alone anymore, unnie. You now have a family, something that was once taken away from us.

"She's a new family for us. I've been waiting for years to have an addition to our family after those bastards took my mother away from me. I never thought we'll be blessed with another one so you have no idea how happy I truly feel right now." Chaewon was growling at her first words but her face immediately softened when she hesitatingly touched the baby's delicate hands wrapped in a white mitten. "I swear to protect our family whatever the cost. That includes you, Sakura-unnie, Eunbi-unnie, those five stupid dorks, Minjoo, my parents, and now, Baby Wonyoung."