Ch.232IF? Side Story: How Did Our Mothers Meet?

It’s enjoyable to watch children grow up.

If, just if, I looked a bit older, I might have been a little scared. Wondering what would happen after these kids grow up, after I’ve grown old.

The world doesn’t run perfectly. Economic problems or various other issues can arise. If I’m really unlucky, there could be a traffic accident or illness.

Well, actually, traffic accidents or illnesses might not be such big problems in this world. As long as it’s not instant death, there are ways to save and heal people.

Thinking about it again, economic problems can be set aside to some extent. All of my wives and I, well… though we’re too old to be called magical “girls,” we still work in related fields and earn decent money. Together, we’ve saved up quite a bit.

Plus, though it’s still sensitive to bring up, there’s considerable inheritance to receive in various ways.

Even if Earth were facing imminent destruction, as long as it doesn’t happen overnight, there are other options. Earth isn’t the only habitable planet in this world, and if urgent, we could build colonies and relocate. Pang Pang’s company is already building several research colonies, and there are quite a few companies of similar or slightly lesser scale in the galaxy.

Moreover, my wives and I have barely aged since college, perhaps due to magic’s influence. Though magical methods to significantly reduce aging have been researched, our case is considered unusual even in academic circles.

Life will eventually end, of course.

Anyway.

When I consider everything, my worries might seem excessive, but watching my daughters and myself age is both joyful and somewhat concerning.

“Mom.”

Jiyun sat on my lap and looked up at me.

The TV program must not have been very interesting.

The way she tilted her head to look at me seemed quite flexible. Well, elementary school children are usually quite flexible.

“Yes?”

I answered lazily while stroking her hair, and Jiyun spoke.

Jiyun’s hair resembles Hayun’s. Pink hair.

It seems the relationship between dominant and recessive genes is quite complex in this world. They say when a blonde and someone with black hair have a child, the child is much more likely to have black hair, but what about pink hair?

Her hair is pink, but her personality seems to resemble mine a bit more than Hayun’s.

…

Hmm, or not? Come to think of it, I don’t think I ever had such a bright personality. Perhaps the child grew up cheerful thanks to her home environment. Thinking about it that way makes me happy.

Her pink eyes sparkled as she looked up at me.

“How did you and the other moms meet?”

That was something I hadn’t expected.

“Uh…”

How should I explain this?

Actually, explaining my relationship with “Hayun” isn’t that difficult. The two of us, well, despite various things happening in between, could be said to have liked each other since childhood.

Jihye would be fine too, since we grew up together. Ju-a could also be said to have met as colleagues in some sense.

But somehow, explaining it that way seems too simplistic.

“Good question.”

While I was briefly lost in thought, the sofa cushion next to me sank down.

I turned to see Ju-a sitting there.

“Mom!”

Right. To Jiyun, we’re all “Mom.” Interestingly, we all turn around whenever we hear “Mom!” But somehow, we can generally tell which mom the children are calling. It’s like the tone is different.

Growing up in a house with only moms, the children seem to have developed their own system.

It’s a very subtle distinction, more about the atmosphere than anything explicitly stated.

“How did we meet, I wonder?”

“Come on, you know the story, obviously.”

“Hearing it from my partner’s lips feels completely different. I want to hear when exactly you fell for me.”

Well…

If we’re being precise, weren’t you the one who fell first?

But if I said that now, I’d probably have to satisfy her in a different way tonight.

Ju-a smiled while stroking Jiyun’s hair. Is Eunha sleeping in her room right now?

“…”

I racked my brain. When did I fall for Ju-a?

Certainly, it wasn’t love at first sight. At the point when Ju-a started liking me, I couldn’t understand why she had fallen for me.

But slowly, as time passed, I came to like Ju-a too. Enough to want to make her happy.

“I liked your hair.”

I said, staring blankly at Ju-a.

Ju-a’s hand, which had been stroking Jiyun’s hair, stopped.

“At first, I think I liked touching your hair.”

After begging me to tell her, Ju-a blushed at my words and withdrew her hand from Jiyun’s head.

“What else? What else?”

Jiyun asked excitedly.

“And, well. I also liked that you never gave up.”

That’s right.

She fell for me. Even when I showed a somewhat lukewarm response, Ju-a never gave up on me.

“You’d blush but still come sit next to me, telling me you liked me. Honestly, it’s not easy to resist someone who confesses with a face like that.”

“…”

Ju-a bowed her head deeply, but since she always tied her hair in a ponytail, her ears were clearly visible.

With Ju-a’s naturally pale skin, the redness of her ears was very noticeable.

“Hmm, is that so?”

I jumped at those words and looked up.

“Mom!”

Standing there was Jihye.

She was holding the hands of Eunhye and Yeji. Both children are two years younger than Jiyun and Eunha. They started elementary school last year and were always full of energy.

Though today they had been sleeping until just now.

“What about me? How did you fall for me? Hmm?”

“Yeah, how did you fall for Mom?”

Why has she suddenly become so curious?

I hugged Jiyun tightly for no particular reason. Jiyun giggled.

“We’ve been together for a long time.”

When you have many wives, you need to treat them all fairly. That’s the responsibility. Above all, if I didn’t love them all equally, I wouldn’t have married them.

“As we spent time together, I slowly noticed all the lovable things about you, one by one.”

“…Really?”

Jihye’s face turned slightly red.

Then she sat down at my feet with the children.

With the two children on her lap, Jihye boasted, “See, Mom says she’s been in love with Mom since way back!”

“Jihye, you know me too well.”

I said, hugging Jiyun tightly while leaning back on the sofa. Slowly stroking her hair calmed my mind.

Soft, warm, and gently moving with each breath. Jiyun particularly loved being in my arms. I enjoyed holding Jiyun too.

“You know what to do when I’m depressed, you know what I like. You know what I dislike too. And you accommodate all that. Even though my personality was so bad when I was young.”

“Mom had a bad personality?”

“Yes. Mom was totally bad.”

“No, add the word ‘personality’ when you say that.”

I responded incredulously to Jihye’s comment.

Well, adding “personality” doesn’t really make it a better statement anyway.

“What about me?”

“Mom!”

This was already the third “Mom!”

Eunha, Jiyun’s twin, loves children. She absolutely adored her younger siblings. She’s probably with Jia and Jueun right now.

Are they lying down sleeping together? With her calm and relaxed personality, she sometimes seemed like the most mature one.

Hayun plopped down in the empty space beside me and linked her arm with mine.

“What about me?”

Hayun’s personality had become somewhat sly after marriage. No, this is probably her honest self. I liked this side of her too.

The image of Hayun who had found her confidence.

“…A flower.”

“Huh?”

“You were like a beautiful flower. One that I hoped no one would pluck.”

“…”

At my honest sentiment, Hayun immediately closed her mouth. Seeing her face turn red reminded me of those younger days, which was a bit amusing.

“A flower?”

“Yes.”

When Jiyun asked, I answered languidly.

Ah, I was beyond relaxed—I was getting sleepy. I might even fall asleep holding Jiyun like this.

But I should finish my answer.

“But she was much stronger than I expected. The whole time I was watching from the side, that flower never wilted and stood firmly.”

“…”

“And as I kept watching, I became envious.”

That’s right.

I had thought I wanted to win.

“But later, I realized. That flower also thought of me as a flower.”

And so, I was happy.

Thinking about it, I was always in a flower garden. Because I was a flower too.

I realized that a bit late—but still, I was happy.

Even now, I was surrounded by beautiful flowers.

“Mmm, I see.”

Jiyun’s voice had become a bit drowsy too.

I could feel the sensation of bodies leaning against me from both sides and at my legs.

I liked that.

The fact that we could lean on each other. I just liked it.