“Here, catch it, Jiwoong!”

The little young boy quickly ran to catch the ball to the other side. He jumped a little then his arms spread wide ready to take the ball in his hands.

“Good catch!” He heard her cheers and clapping her hand. 

“Ugh, Aunt Tae, can we play football instead? I’m bored with this small ball.” He threw his small baseball glove and the ball to the ground. 

“I’m up for it, little man.” She picked up the football they’d abandoned before then held it high to do her shot. “You ready?”

“Yeah.” Jiwoong shouted back. 

The ball was thrown up in the air but lightly and the boy successfully caught it and brought it to his chest. 

“Wow, you’re good.” The adult complimented. 

“Pop taught me.” He smiled proudly. 

“I’m sure you’ll be a football star in high school. Wish that I’d have one of my own too.” The boy looked up to her unsure. “Yeah, you don’t quite catch that, do you? Let’s leave it like that. But I’ll sure be proud of you.”

“Uhm thank you?” He said smiling shylyof her words. He then threw back the ball to her. “By the way, Aunt Tae, where were mom and pop going this morning?”

“Oh, they were going to a doctor. Your mom needs a check up for the baby.” She told him while both of them kept throwing back and forth the ball.

“Am I going to have a little sister or little brother?” He innocently asked her.

“I don’t know, we’ll know after today’s check up. They’re going to do an ultrasound.” Curious so she asked. “What are you hoping for then?” 

“I’m hoping that mom will give me a little sister.” The boy answered truthfully, his eyes twinkled.

“If you have a little sister then you can’t play ball with her anymore, she will play doll more, you know.”

“I know, but I can teach her to play football and baseball. Girls can play too.”

“Kids, come eat.” The feminine voice across the park called for them.

“Okay, Jiwoong, Aunt Jessie is calling for us now.” She strode towards him holding the ball he had thrown in her arm. “Let’s rest for a bit first, yeah?” She gave him back the ball then ruffled his hair.

When they reached across the park, there was a blond-haired woman sitting under the tree on the blanket with varian of spread. Jiwoong immediately sat down and about to grab the sandwich that was prepared by the woman but only to be gently gripped by the wrist to prevent him further. “Use wet tissue to wipe your hands first, Jiwoong.” The woman instructed him in a gentle tone.

“Sorry, Aunt Jess.” 

“That’s alright, Jiwoong.” His Aunt Tae told her taking the bag of wet tissue from him to wipe her hands too. The older woman planted a loving kiss upon the blond-haired woman’s cheek emitting a shy giggle from her.

As the three of them sitting there enjoying their meals, the blond-haired woman broke the silence. “Your sister called, Tae. She informed me, both her and Hyoyeon will come to pick Jiwoong up.”

The oldest woman turned giving her a glance. “So what’s the good news?” 

“Baby girl.”

“Mom and pop are giving me a little sister?” Fortunately, the little boy has been listening to their conversation as he asked with a very hopeful tone which didn’t go unnoticed in his gleeful eyes. 

“Yes, Jiwoong. A little baby sister. Aren’t you happy, little man?” Jessie ruffled his hair.

“Very. I was telling Aunt Tae about having a little sister.” His eyes lit up when he told them about how fortunate he was to have her mother bearing a little sister. He goes on and on with his idea of teaching her sister of many things. Although so with the chatter of the little boy, Jessie didn’t fail to notice how Tae just nodded her head once in a while to let Jiwoong know that she was indeed listening to his unending ramble. 

“Jiwoong!” 

A voice in distant called had them ly to realize the parents of the little boy has came to fetch him. 

Standing as he crossed the park, the two older women followed suit. 

“Pop, Mom!!” 

“Ah, are you being a good boy?” His pop picked him up in her arms then he got a small peck on the cheek by his mother.

“Yes I am. I am, right, Aunt Tae?” Jiwoong turned to his mother’s sister.

“He is, Hyo. Don’t worry, Jiwoong isn’t a handful kid.” Tae messed the boy’s hair who was grinning in her sister-in-law’s arms.

“Thank you, Sis.” The youngest of the four adults spoke as she embraced Tae in a side hug.

“Anything for my Juhyun.” Tae returned the hug to her sister which quickly earned a wide smile from Juhyun who was now leaning her head on her sister’s shoulder.

“So how is the baby?”

“She is strong and has been kicking me non-stop, Jessie.” 

The blond-haired went to rub the bulging belly of Tae’s sister. “Oh my God, she’s quite a kicker.” She squalled in delightful tone. 

Juhyun chuckled at her expression. Looking up, she watched how her sister has a matching pair of eyes that contained a longing look. She squeezed the back of Tae’s hand, the older girl looked down masking her desire of having a baby with a sad smile. 

“Mommy, I’m going to have a little sister!” Jiwoong rubbed his mother’s belly with so much adoration in his eyes. The smile still lingered as he leaned his head on it.

“Are you happy, baby?”

“Of course I am. I’ll teach her play football and soccer and baseball and basket ball and-..” His pop stopped his grumbling by ruffling his hair. 

“Okay, okay, your sister should play doll more, she is a girl, Jiwoong..” Hyoyeon chirped while the other adults just laughed at the boy antic. 

“I’ll teach her no matter what.” He said selfishly quite content with the thought of having a baby sister.

Tae and Jessie could only chuckled at their nephew’s stubbornness. But nevertheless Juhyun still saw the sad smile adorned her sister’s face.

The older pair has been expecting for a year but yet there were still no luck.They have been married for almost two years though. Juhyun and Hyoyeon were married when Juhyun was only twenty and Hyoyeon was twenty two. Hyoyeon and her sister were colleagues and both were very closed to each other. Until one day Hyoyeon dropped the bombshell to Tae about how she and Tae’s sister were secretly dating for two years. 

Not long after the revelation, Hyoyeon has surprisingly proposed to Juhyun and received amount of blessing from the parents. In their three months marriage, that was the time Tae has started dating Jessie and at the same time the young pair were blessed with a little boy who was now seven years old.

Tae and Jessie were dating for more than five years before Tae finally has asked Jessie’s hand for marriage. The American girl with no doubt accepted the proposal immediately. Jessie always knew Tae has a soft spot for kids, especially Jiwoong, the charming little boy who was so active and bright for his age. 

This seven years which Jessie has been through with Tae, She knew how Tae yearned for a little boy of her own. She sometimes noticed how Tae was spoiling her sister’s kid too much. Jessie was never having a problem with it, instead she wished to give what Tae desires soon.

Tae always told her about how her father wished for a son to be his pride, but instead of a son her parents were gifted with two daughters. However the love her father gave them was never a little less, especially to Tae. She was her father golden child, his pride, but her father never once forgot to tell them both were his glory. 

***

“Babe, you go first, take the shopping bags into the car. I just remember that I have to grab something.” Jessie rushed back in to the market after seeing no rejection from Tae who was obediently carrying the bags to their parking car. After Hyoyeon and Juhyun had left the park, Tae and Jessie decided to make a shopping trip for their necessities.

Jessie went through the personal care area then stopped right in front of a particular shelving. 

“Which one should I buy?”

Fingers grabbed two pack of different products before she briskly walked to the cashier. The cashier girl smile knowingly at her when Jessie handed her the items. Paying for the items, she muttered a quick thanks before slipped the small pack of items inside her back pocket of her jeans. 

She exited from the mini market and ran a little to Tae who was waiting patiently on the driver seat. Hoping in, fastened her seatbelt she caught curious eyes watching her intensely. 

“What did you forget?” 

“Nothing, just something woman needs but the market has no supplies for it anymore.”

“Pads?” 

“Yeah, pads. The new particular one, I saw the commercial on TV the other day. Thinking of trying the new product but unfortunately, yeah as you can see.” 

Tae nodded understandingly as she the engine has Jessie to release a relief sigh. That was close.

***

Pulling out her hand, the excitement inside her exploded when she saw the two line appeared on the test kit as she sat there on the toilet bowl one hand cuppin