Sasaeng

Lilla Flickan Canny

Canny continued to glance at the picture on Chittip's phone, her curiosity growing. The woman in the photo, with her doe eyes and bright smile, looked so much like her, yet there was no way she could be the same person as the one on the other side of the screen—her "mom." She was just a stranger, but the resemblance was undeniable.

"Who is she, Grandma?" Canny asked innocently, pointing to the screen.

Chittip hesitated for a moment, trying to hide the soft smile that tugged at her lips. "That's just someone who looks a lot like you," she said, brushing it off quickly, as if to avoid revealing too much. "Don't worry about it, sweetie. It's a long story."

But Canny wasn't so easily deterred. Her bright, inquisitive mind was always seeking answers, and now that something had caught her attention, she wasn't going to let it go that easily.

"What's her name?" Canny pressed, her eyes still locked on the picture.

Chittip, realizing she couldn't keep dodging the question forever, sighed and set her phone down on the table between them. "Her name is Lisa."

Canny's brow furrowed as she took in the information. "Lisa," she repeated softly, as though testing the name on her tongue. "But... why does she look so much like me?"

Chittip's heart swelled with emotion, a mixture of love for her granddaughter and an ache at the unspoken truth. She knew the day would come when Canny would begin to piece things together, but she wasn't sure if they were ready to tell her everything just yet.

"You're very special, Canny," Chittip said after a long pause, her voice gentle. "You have two mothers who love you very much. I know it can be confusing at times, but you are loved, and that's the most important thing."

Canny blinked, still unsure of the connection, but Chittip's words reassured her, if only a little. She smiled back at her grandmother, feeling the comfort of her embrace, even if the mystery of the woman in the picture lingered.

Meanwhile, at school, Canny had been dealing with another wave of teasing. A few girls had whispered behind her back, calling her a freak for having "two moms." She'd overheard them during lunch, the cruel words cutting through her like a sharp knife.

But just as usual, Ahyeon, the girl who always seemed to notice when Canny needed help, came to her rescue.

"Hey, don't listen to them," Ahyeon said with a stern voice, her eyes narrowing at the girls who were gossiping. "You're not a freak, Canny. They're just jealous because you're special."

Canny blinked, a little startled by Ahyeon's protective stance. She had always thought of Ahyeon as someone who was just kind to her, but there was something different in the way she spoke now.

"Thanks, Ahyeon," Canny muttered, her usual shyness creeping in. "But it's hard sometimes. I just want to fit in."

Ahyeon gave her a soft smile, shaking her head. "You don't need to fit in, Canny. You're already perfect just the way you are."

As Canny turned her attention back to the girls, she felt a little lighter. Ahyeon's words always made her feel like she wasn't alone, like someone cared.

Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Canny sat by the window with a journal in her lap. She scribbled furiously, filling the pages with dreams and questions for the mothers she had yet to meet.

"Dear Moms," she wrote. "I hope you're proud of me. I've been brave, just like in the stories. I can't wait for the day we're finally together."

Canny looked up at the stars, her heart full of hope. She didn't know when that day would come, but she knew it was on its way.

She couldn't wait to meet her "two mothers" one day—she was sure they'd be just as amazing as everyone said.

One day, as Canny rummaged through a box of old magazines in her grandmother Chaerin's attic, she came across a glossy photo spread of a striking woman on the cover. The title read, Jennie Kim: The Star Who Shines Brightest.

"Grandma, look at this!" Canny called out, holding up the magazine.

Chaerin entered the room and felt her heart swell as she saw the image. "What do you think of her?" Ruby asked, her voice carefully neutral.

"She's so cool!" Canny exclaimed, flipping through the pages. "And really pretty. She looks kind of familiar, though."

Chaerin smiled, her eyes softening. "You've got good taste, sweetie."

Canny continued to admire the photos, unaware that the woman on the cover was her mother. "I bet she's really nice, too."

Chaerin's heart ached with a mix of pride and sadness. "Yes," she whispered, more to herself than to Canny. "She's everything you think she is."

Later that night, Chaeri  shared the moment with Chittip. "She doesn't know yet, but she adores Jennie," Ruby said, her eyes misting. "When the time comes, it'll be such a beautiful reunion."

Chittip nodded, her own heart full. "It will be worth the wait."

As the days passed, Canny's curiosity only grew. She began to notice more subtle connections—like how some of her grandmother's friends looked at her with a certain softness in their eyes or how they sometimes mentioned how much she resembled "someone" they knew. But she didn't understand it yet. For now, she was content to believe in the mystery and hold on to the excitement of one day meeting her two mothers.