The next morning, at exactly 7:00 AM, Alina stood outside her tiny apartnt with her suitcase packed and zipped.
She double-checked her bag, certificates, Id, her favorite books, an old sweater from her mom, and a sealed envelope with a pressed flower inside.
All of it fit into one suitcase.
Her whole life, stuffed into a single bag.
She had already mailed her landlord about moving out the night before. And now, standing in front of him with keys in hand, she tried to offer a polite smile.
The man didn’t return it.
His face was as cold and rigid as always. He snatched the keys from her fingers without a word, not even a "thank you."
Alina didn’t flinch.
She was used to it by now.
The rent had gone up again last month. And the month before that. By now, it was almost thirty percent more than what she originally signed for. She could barely keep up.
Even if she were rejected from the kindergarten later... she wasn’t coming back here.
"Goodbye," she whispered to no one in particular, placing a hand on the doorfra once more before turning away.
She loaded her suitcase into the backseat of her old car and slid into the driver’s seat.
This ti, as she started the engine and pulled onto the road, the forest ahead didn’t look as haunting.
The trees swayed gently with morning wind. Sunlight filtered through the mist like golden ribbons dancing across the ground.
Alina felt a small smile form on her lips. She humd quietly, tapping the steering wheel in rhythm as she drove through the winding forest road toward Little Fang Academy.
-`♡´-
It was Sunday...no classes!
As she pulled through the familiar gate, it opened automatically, she didn’t find it wierd. Just tech doing its thing, she figured. Sensors, probably.
She parked the car and stepped out, letting the morning air hit her face like a soft kiss.
Then, pulling out her phone, she unlocked it and typed a ssage with careful fingers:
[ Alina: Mama, I got a job. It’s beautiful here. I’ll tell you everything soon. I love you ♡.]
She hit send, even though she knew her mother wouldn’t reply.
Her mother was sleeping most of the ti now... drifting in and out.
Brain cancer had made even blinking painful. So days, she couldn’t speak. So nights, she whispered Alina’s na in her sleep, even while unconscious.
Still, she fought. Her mother was a warrior wrapped in soft skin.
And Aunty Lyla..her mom’s younger sister was the reason Alina could still breathe. A nurse at the hospital, Lyla had stepped in like a second mother, caring for her sister with quiet strength.
Lyla was gentle, patient, and warm. She didn’t ask for anything in return, just held Alina when she cried and helped her with bills whenever things got too tight.
"You just keep going, sweetheart. That’s enough," she always said, brushing Alina’s hair behind her ear like her mother used to.
Alina stared at the phone screen, waiting.
No reply.
But she smiled anyway.
"She’ll know. Sohow, she’ll know I’m okay."
With that, Alina turned toward the school building.
Her trial hadn’t even begun.
But her heart already felt just a little lighter.
"Hey..."
Alina looked up to see the sa dark-haired female staff mber from before. The woman walked toward her without pause and handed her a small silver key.
"Here are your keys," she said flatly and just as quickly, turned around and walked away without waiting for a reply.
Alina blinked.
"Okay then..." she muttered under her breath, hugging the key close to her chest.
She made her way toward the small building tucked behind the kindergarten, her new ho. The place the woman had shown her during the tour now felt more real. More permanent.
She slipped the key into the lock, turned it with a quiet click, and pushed the door open.
A soft hush of air welcod her.
Dragging her suitcase in behind her, Alina stepped fully inside and took her ti looking around.
The interior was simple, but every detail felt... thoughtful.
To her left was a small, convenient kitchen with pastel blue cabinets and brass handles. A shiny kettle sat on the stove as if soone had already placed it there just for her. The countertops were clean and smooth, and above them hung neatly labeled spice jars.
The living room was cozy—wooden flooring, a plush sofa with embroidered pillows, and a low table beside a surprisingly modern-looking TV. Soft curtains frad the windows, swaying gently with the breeze.
There were two bedrooms—one small guest room with light furniture, and another larger master bedroom with a wide bed covered in soft, cream-colored sheets and a thick quilt.
She ran her hand across the fabric.
The bed felt like a cloud.
Soft. Inviting. Like it was made to hold soone who had never rested properly before.
At the back of the room, a sliding glass door led out into a tiny private garden.
There, wildflowers blood in quiet corners, and a small stone bench sat beneath a tree with silver-tinted leaves that shimred in the sunlight.
Alina stood still for a mont.
She could hear birds.
She could feel warmth.
And for the first ti in what felt like forever...
She wasn’t in survival mode.
She was just... breathing.
The rest of the day passed quietly.
Alina spent hours unpacking her suitcase, folding her clothes neatly into the wardrobe, placing her few books on the shelf beside her bed, and arranging her mother’s photo on the nightstand..right where she could see it every morning.
She dusted every corner, wiped the windows, fluffed the pillows, and even rearranged the sofa cushions until the place felt like hers.
It was the first ti in so long that she had space to herself... not rented, not borrowed, not shared. Just hers.
By late afternoon, her stomach let out a loud protest.
"Ughhh..." she groaned, placing a hand over her belly. "Alright, alright—I hear you."
She wandered into the kitchen, expecting it to be empty...maybe a lonely salt packet, if she was lucky.
But as she opened the fridge...
Her eyes widened.
"What the—"
It was completely stocked.
Fresh fruits, vegetables wrapped in paper, perfectly labeled containers of rice and pasta, milk in a glass bottle sealed with a wax stamp, and even a tiny jar of honey.
The shelves were so neatly arranged it looked like a magical maid had done it all just five minutes ago.
The pantry, too stacked with flour, tea tins, spices, and jars.
Alina stood there in awe.
"What kind of kindergarten... feeds their teachers like royalty?"
She smiled. Warmth blood in her chest.
"Okay. I officially love this place."
She rolled up her sleeves and got to work, humming as she chopped vegetables.
The stove flickered to life with a soft whisper, and soon, her little kitchen was filled with the scent of sizzling garlic and warm soup.
She ate quietly at the small table by the window, watching the sun slowly sink behind the trees of Blackleaf Forest.
[ A/N : Hey! I hope you’re enjoying Cuties so far! The next Chapter is going to introduce so adorable babies—I’m so excited... ahaha! ]
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