CHAPTER ONE;

"You called out on work again. Did you?" My aunt asked me while she brought a boiling hot pot of tofu kimchi placing it on the center of the table. I sat on the opposite side of her as she took her seat. I nodded 'yes'. The table was filled with four side dishes, rice and two main dishes. She picked up her chopsticks as she starts to dig in. "Why? It's been the second time you've called out. Is there something you're not telling your step-mom and I?"

I placed my spoon that was not half way filled of rice down, I swallowed hard. Crap! I cursed. My ears suddenly turned red. I think she knows. Covering my mouth with my palm, I gagged. The smell of kimchi was just too overpowering, in which makes me feel so queasy. I was very careful of holding in the urge of wanting to throw up, but day by day it was getting harder to. I can no longer deny it anymore. The gushing of hot boiling blood build up from my chest to my face. I could barely rise my head up. The thought of staring at my aunt in the eye, gives me chills.

How far along are you?

Both my aunty and I turned at the voice where the front door was at. There, my step-mother standing there. The bags of fresh vegetables fell out of her hands, as she stomped over to us, to me. I couldn't tell if she was upset or not. The expression wiped fast off her face.

I didn't answer her. I just sat there with my head down. Tears streaming down my peachy pink cheeks.

I'm sorry. I lied to you.

"What? I can't hear you! Speak up!" She yanked my arm, and I stood up biting hard on my lips. The sound of her angry voice pierced my ears. I just want to run in my room and hibernate. Thinking that all of this is just a bad dream. I silently sobbed as she slapped my face. The burning sensation lingered.

My aunt pulled me to the side, as she tried stopping her sister from striking at me once again, "Don't hit the poor child! She is scared out of her wits! Please, stay calm. She's with child. Hitting her doesn't cut the problem, just talk!" She pleaded.

"Get out of my way, sister! This is not for you to in our problem! You! Let's go!" Before I could clearly put on my shoes, step mother had dragged me down to the narrow concrete of where boats are being parked at. I pulled back trying to yank my arm from her firm grasp. "There is no way you're keep that thing! I'm not letting you until we get to the hospital!"

I looked over my shoulders as my face was drenched in my own tears, waiting for my aunt to come and recuse me.

"Where are you taking her?! Sera you better not get on that boat!" She cried. Running towards us waving her hand in the air for step-mother to stop whatever she's doing.

As she had gotten on the boat, I pulled my arm away and broke free from her. Again, my aunt caught my arm and pulled me behind her with her arms around me as I hid behind her sobbing. My hands clutching onto her gray thin knitted sweater.

Step mother was beyond furious as she stepped out of the boat. Her clothes were out of place, and her hair messy as the gray strands of hair hugged her slim, tiny face.

"The fact that you hid this from us, understand why I hit you." She spoke before she took off leaving my aunt and I standing there. Fishermen and local by-passers had seen of what step mother had caused. It was painfully embarrassing..once we returned back inside the small home, my aunt led me to the back table where the kitchen was. I sat down while pouring myself a glass of water.

"What are you craving for? I'll make it for you, hm.?"

She had already had her apron on. With her back facing mine, the sound of the cutting board lightly thud, as she began to cut up some meat and veggies.

"Aunty why aren't you upset at me? Why are you so--"

"No child in this world is unfortunate. They are a blessing..just be grateful that you are able to conceive, unlike me. The one reason why I didn't settle down was because I couldn't. No matter how difficult life can be, protect that child of yours..you just don't know when you're going to lose your child."

My hands tightly grasped onto the cup of water in front of me, putting myself in her shoes, how it would be like and feel like to be single for the rest of your life. It pained me just the thought of it. She continued some more of her talking, as she started to cook. I watched every movement she made in kitchen, my aunt was someone special to me. I started at the door that was by the stove, step mother's room. She had decided to lock herself in her room until she's satisfied. I remember she did that to herself when my father ran away leaving a huge debt behind, months later to find that he had passed away, mother locked herself in for almost three days.

She didn't budged. She didn't bother to eat, or drink. She often took her anger out at me when she's stressed. It had taken her longer than I expected, she recovered from my father's death eventually. She never stopped working. She'd come home at 2 in the morning on most nights. In the help of my aunt, her sister, life was easier to have my aunt around in the house. It was an distressed time for step mom.

After my dinner, I headed down to the hall and into my room. I stared at my sonogram photo of my on growing fetus. It's about 2.54cm (1 inch) long, weighs about 9.45g (1/3 ounce), and a third of baby is now made up of its head.

"Honey Sera. Why aren't you asleep yet.." My aunt invited herself in my room, and sat beside me on the bed. She placed the tray on the nightstand with a hot cup of raspberry-lemon herbal tea in her hand. I didn't want it. "Sera..." My name fell out of her lips as she whispered grabbing my left hand and placed it in hers. Gently with her thumb she rubbed it against my hand. "Where's the father of your child? Does he know you're pregnant?"

The room was silent as night welcomed itself in.

"The father of my child refused to see me." I spoken softly.

"Who is he?" I swallowed in hard, as if I was forcing myself to swallow something I didn't want to. The back of my hair stood. Goosebumps ran all over my body.

"He doesn't know." I broke down as I truthfully told my aunt. She pulled me into her arms and held me tightly against her chest. "I slept with him without knowing who he was, we were both not ourselves that night. It just happened. I thought I can do this alone, but I don't think I do it alone. I--I'm so scared." I continued to weep.

"I know you're scared. You're not alone in this, okay. You have me and your step-mother on this. Whatever happened earlier, your step-mother didn't mean it. She's stressed that's all. She didn't know how to handled it, that's why she behaved the way she did. I already talked her." The palm of her hand caressed smoothly as she rocked me back and forth easing me to stop crying. "Then, the father of your child doesn't deserve to know the truth. He refused to see you, that's all on him. "

"What's his name, Sera?" She asked once again, now breaking the ice. I pulled away from her embrace and leaned onto my bed frame bring my knees close to me.

Zhang Yixing.

"He's the son of the mayor of Seoul. GM of the a well-known construction enterprise, and is now a CEO of a luxury hotel."

You know what?"

"What?"

"From now on you can gag all you want over at the dinner table." We both smiled and chuckled. "I'm happy you're back here with us. Thank you, Jesus for bringing such a little miracle along with you back to home." She smiled brightly wiping away my tears as then, she gently touched my flat stomach.

You are truly a blessing. You're not even here yet, you're so loved.

I had just finished my shift at a local super market, the sun was getting ready set. Once I clocked out, I made my way out of the staff's break-room and snatched the smartphone out of my pocket. I happily smiled. A little of me died inside...it was a text from Kim Junmyeon.

Fr: Fiance Junmyeon

82-xx-xxxx

I just landed in Incheon. I'm on my way to a business meeting. I will see you tonight. Don't stay up and wait for me. I love you! Miss you so much!!!

I slipped the smartphone back into the pocket of my light jacket, and grabbed a cart to shop to restock the fridge. It was passed seven once I was done cooking. Cooking Junmyeon's favorite meal. To kill some time, I decided to tidy up the kitchen and the house, then the bedroom. I had changed out of the old clothes, and changed into his t-shirt and some tights. A few minutes passed, he had called and said that he was on his way. I quickly set up the dinner table, and allowed myself to sit on the sofa flipping through some channels.

Finding myself walking through a dark tunnel, at the end of the tunnel was a light...a wave of fog rushed over before me as a person, a man dressed in all white stood just inches away from me. It was Junmyeon. He was perfectly dressed in a suit, with his hair brushed back and up. He smiled so handsomely...opening his arms wide, he ushered me into his arms. He held me so tightly, being in his embrace was cold. It was strange.

I grabbed his hand and led him on going with me in the tunnel, he halt and he just stared at me with such pitiful eyes, "Sera. I cannot go with you in there."

"What? Why can't you? I've been waiting for you, let's go home." I frown wanting to complain why he isn't going any further.

"I can't be with you. I have to go back." He stated as he walked away backwards. Step by step, he was getting away...reaching my hand out I cried. As if he was being pulled away from me, I felt his hand holding onto mine. "I don't want to leave you, but I have to." Then, in a moment he let go.

Opening my eyes, only a white ceiling welcomed me until a loud knock came from the front door of our shared apartment. Peeling myself off the sofa, wiping off the beams of sweat on my forehead, my hands trembled to make it to the door knob. Finally, my hands turned the door knob and opened it. The lighting of thunder clapped loudly as I was greeted by my aunt. The face expression of hers, I knew something was wrong. The gut feeling I had this morning, was starting to kick in. The pit of my stomach started to twist.

"Why are you here, aunty?"

There was no answer.

She finally broke down and fell onto her knees, I kneel down to her level and threw my hands on her shoulders. "You're scaring me..." I got her up and was going to lead her inside of the apartment, but she gripped onto my shirt.

"Junmyeon. He..he. " She began to stuttered as she was trying to finish what she wanted while trying to catch her breath.

"He's fine, right? He's not seriously injured is he?"

She grabbed my hands, and held it tightly, "Listen to what I'm about to tell you."

"Stop scaring me like that, Aunty! Just tell me." I cried desperate for an answer.

Junmyeon didn't make it.

It was that dream again. It's been six months since the death of Junmyeon...it's still lingers. Throwing my blanket off as I jumped out of the bed, retrieving to the bathroom. But the sound of a baby crying had me at a halt. I whimpered of wanting to get some more sleep. I went out of the master bedroom, and into the room beside mine. The baby was hysterically crying it's head off. I quickly made its bottle and brought him into my arms. He stopped crying once I had picked him up. His large brown eyes were widely opened. He cooed and smiled. Despite the time being five in the morning, I still managed to giggle at a time life this. I couldn't help it, but to give him a soft kiss on his tiny nose.

Settling myself in an armchair that was sitting beside his crib, with him in my arms, I brought up his bottle and placed it carefully in his mouth. His tiny fingers firmly grasped onto mine. After successfully putting him back to sleep, I only had twenty minutes of my time to get ready and head out for work. I dreaded, but for the sake of this child, I must do whatever it takes to care for this child. Before heading out, I had kissed him bye.

Just when I was going out the house, aunty was shouting out my name from Andy's room. I ran Perhaps, this baby is dream too?back inside of the house, "Don't forget your lunch on the table, Sera!"

Perhaps, this baby was a dream also?

A mass of rain and thunder began once I nearly got out of my car. Thankfully I was already at work at the parking lot. Once I got inside of the work building, I clocked in and went to my assign assembly line.

It was soon when lunch break for most of the workers, as announced we were able to take a break early. As I grabbed my lunch, and head down to the cafeteria, I sat beside these two young workers and listened to them as they gossiped away. Every day they seem to talk about the same stuff, but today's topic was becoming an interesting one.

"Did you know, I heard Mr. Oh talking about having a young business man over to sign a contact with his company? Since that guy owns a huge construction company, he can greatly increase our profits. But that's only if he buys half of our deals!" The girl with a squeaky voice whispered to only for the other girl to hear.

"I've heard that the CEO of that company owns two branches! One in here in Korea, and another in China. Last week, when I was here for overtime, I've got a glimpse of him." The second girl stated. Holding her spoon to her chest, she happily giggled, and she added, "I've never seen a man as handsome as him! Awe!"

Awaken by the low humming of his smartphone, Yixing groaned tossing himself on over on the other side of the king size bed. He leaned over and lightly crushing onto the woman sleeping peacefully beside him, he snatched the smartphone that laid onto the nightstand. It was his alarm.

He had not gone home once again.