the door opened to the soft hum of afternoon light spilling into the apartment, and minnie stood there with baby james nestled securely in her arms. there were faint shadows under her eyes, but her smile was genuine, gentler than it had been in weeks. she shifted the baby’s weight against her shoulder, his small hand curled loosely near her collarbone, and stepped aside to let jihyo in.
“come in, it’s been forever,” she said, voice low but warm. the faint scent of baby lotion and jasmine tea lingered in the air, a quiet comfort woven through the soft disarray of new motherhood, blankets folded on the couch, a half-empty bottle on the table. minnie adjusted james’s blanket, brushing a thumb across his cheek before glancing back at her friend.
“do you want to sit? we can catch up before he decides to start his next performance,” she added, the corner of her mouth twitching into a tired but affectionate grin. she guided jihyo toward the couch, careful with each movement, the air around her humming with that fragile balance of exhaustion and tenderness. | @jihyovely