Imperfectly Perfect [Chaelisa]

fifty three

"Hey, Rosie?" Lisa picks up a VHS tape as she digs through the drawer for Chaeyoung's copy of The Lion King. "What's this?"

Chaeyoung glances at her, but doesn't move from under her blanket. "I don't- it's a home movie, I think. All of our home movies are on VHS, so it's probably that."

Lisa looks at the tape like she's won a million dollars. "Does that mean that this tape holds footage of baby you? Because if so... fuck The Lion King. We're watching this."

Chaeyoung blinks in surprise. "But I don't want to watch home movies."

"Too bad," Lisa laughs as Chaeyoung shifts on the couch and Hank jumps off her, smiling when the puppy runs over to her. "Look, Hank agrees with me. We should watch home movies. There's more in here. I can't believe you didn't let me watch these before."

"But..." Chaeyoung frowns and sits up, stretching a little and pulling her blanket up to her chin. "I don't want to. I want to watch The Lion King."

"We watch that like, every day," Lisa points out, thanking whatever powerful force she can think of that Chaeyoung's DVD player has a built in VHS slot. She puts the tape in, picks Hank up, and walks back over to her girlfriend, getting under the blanket with her and sitting Hank on top of them. "We're watching this. But I'll give you tummy rubs the whole way through if that's a good enough compromise."

After a moment's silence, Chaeyoung nods. "Alright then. We can watch the VHS."

As it starts up, Lisa tries and fails to hold back her aw when it cuts to Chaeyoung - who looks to be around three or four - cuddling with Nala. "Oh my god. You were the cutest."

"I- thank you?" Chaeyoung frowns and bites down on her bottom lip. "I don't think that- I wasn't that cute."

Lisa rolls her eyes in response, watching as Mason angles the camera towards Chaeyoung and says, "Chaeyoung, say hi! This is going to be a little film you can look back on when you're older!"

Little Chaeyoung stares up at the camera for a moment, sending her dad a disinterested look before turning back to the TV, which is naturally playing The Lion King.

Lisa snorts with laughter. "Wow, Rosie. You're so cooperative."

"I was- I was busy." Chaeyoung defends herself, biting down on her bottom lip. "I was trying to watch my favourite movie and my dad was annoying me."

Apparently, Mason isn't letting little Chaeyoung get away that easily. "Chaeyoung, I'm not leaving until you say hello to you in the future. Don't you want to look back on happy memories when you're a big girl?"

Chaeyoung looks back at her dad again and frowns, mumbling something that Lisa doesn't pick up on. Mason doesn't seem to either, because the camera ends up at eye level with Chaeyoung, showing that her dad has crouched down next to her. "What was that? Did you say hello?"

Little Chaeyoung shifts on the couch and her hands reach out to grab the camera. Mason laughs. "No, Chaeyoung, you can't grab at that. This is very expensive, it's not for little kids."

After a few more attempts to take the camera, Chaeyoung stops and fiddles with Nala's ears. She stares up at her dad again, before clapping her hands three times and giggling, then turning back to The Lion King again.

"Say hi, Chaeyoung," Mason persists, "you're not getting away with being all quiet. We know you can talk now, kiddo. Just say hi."

Chaeyoung looks up at her dad with a frown and pats her legs with her palms. After a few moments of silence, Chaeyoung finally speaks. "Hakuna matata!"

Lisa grabs the remote and pauses the tape, letting out a small squeal. The words had come out more like 'kuna tata' and there's no way in hell that anyone could think that's not adorable. "Oh my god, Chaeyoung. You were so cute!"