bubblegum princess

chapter sixty one

⭒˚‧ ︵‿⭒ཐིཋྀ ཐིཋྀ⭒‿︵ ‧˚⭒
welcome to the final show;
COUNTED DAYS !
⭒˚‧ ︵‿⭒ཐིཋྀ ཐིཋྀ⭒‿︵ ‧˚⭒

𝞋𝞎

"Channaro! You both do your best!" Sakura exclaimed, her voice brimming with energy as she waved the twins off at the door.

Seiren and Sarada exchanged a glance, their expressions a mixture of amusement and mild exasperation. Adjusting her headband, Seiren muttered under her breath, "She's so excited." Sarada smirked and glanced back at their mother. "You're unusually cheerful this morning, Mama," she teased with a knowing look.

Seiren added with a mischievous glint in her eye, "Probably because Papa's going to be around for a while." Her giggle broke the silence, and Sakura's face immediately flushed pink.

"W-What are you saying?!" Sakura stammered, her hands flying around in flustered motions as she tried to brush off their teasing. But the heat rising to her cheeks betrayed her.

Sarada raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with playful sarcasm. "We know you too well, Mama." Her words hit their mark, and Sakura froze momentarily, blinking as her daughters' teasing caught her off guard.

Suddenly, Seiren gasped, her expression shifting from playful to panic in an instant. "Oh no! I forgot the application form in my room!" she blurted, turning on her heel as if to sprint back.

Sarada sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Really, Seiren?" she said, exasperation clear in her voice.

Seiren looked back over her shoulder, her tone urgent. "You go ahead! I'll catch up."

After a moment of hesitation, Sarada nodded, her gaze softening. "Fine, but don't take too long." With a smile aimed at Sakura, she jogged off, her dark hair bouncing lightly with each step. "I'm off!" she called out.

Sakura's gaze lingered on Sarada until she disappeared from view. The moment grew quiet, and Seiren's shoulders sagged. Her playful demeanor had vanished, replaced by a troubled expression.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked gently, her eyes narrowing slightly in concern as she stepped closer to her youngest daughter.

Seiren hesitated, biting her lip before whispering, "What if it happens again, Mama?" Her voice wavered, the vulnerability in her tone stark against the earlier playfulness.

Sakura crouched down, leveling their gaze. "What do you mean, sweetheart?"

Seiren avoided her eyes, staring at the floor instead. Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "The vomiting... the nausea. Everything." Her words were barely audible, as if speaking them aloud might make them real again. "I don't want them to know, Mama. I don't want to be a burden."

Sakura's heart clenched, the weight of her daughter's words striking deep. She reached out, cupping Seiren's cheek in one hand while the other rested firmly on her shoulder. Her touch was gentle, but her eyes radiated a fierce determination. "Listen to me," Sakura said softly, her voice steady. "You're not a burden, Seiren. You're my daughter, and I'll do everything I can to help you."

Seiren's lips quivered, and she nodded slightly, though doubt lingered in her eyes.

Sakura smiled, brushing a stray strand of pink hair from Seiren's face. "You've been recovering so well. After the exams, we'll visit Ai, alright? You've got this."

Though Sakura's words were strong, her thoughts betrayed her. The idea of sending Seiren away for rehabilitation filled her with dread. She knew how much it would hurt Sarada, who had fought so hard to keep her twin close. But more than anything, she wanted Seiren to be well.