Week 20 check-up had been pulled early for the couple. Since their doctor, Dr. Min will be gone for the next couple of weeks, she had a honeymoon trip with her husband to celebrate their 15^th wedding anniversary. Eunjung felt like it would be better to pull it early than having to switch doctors for the week and explain everything all over again. So that day they leave together from Eunjung’s apartment, Hongbin wearing a borrowed shirt, Eunjung’s brother’s.

This time around it’ quite different, Dr. Min was actually in the room from the beginning instead of just the nurse doing the ultrasound. When the image of Red Bean was clear on the monitor, and the familiar heart thumping feeling filled Hongbin’s chest and butterflied wrestle within his stomach and his legs shook a little by the hospital bed, Dr. Min asked. “Do you guys want to know the of the baby? Its 20 weeks, so it’s very clear now. Both of you had never asked, most couple always ask first how soon they can know the of the baby.”

Hongbin and Eunjung looked at each other. “I guess I never really took the time to think about it. I sort of just go go go, and things my brothers and I have bought until now are gender neutral. If not a little boy-ish.” Hongbin admitted.

“A little boyish? How?”

“Right you haven’t been to my place, recently my room had been filled with miniature size sneakers. Red Bean already have a few pair of sneakers that matches mine and the members.”

“That is adorable.” Said their doctor. “So do you want to find out? I mean if you know you can start preparing for names and how you are going to decorate the nursery, or toys.”

“I don’t think I would be comfortable with raising Red Bean very much gender specific with all gender coded colors and toys.” Eunjung said as she looked at Hongbin, realizing that Hongbin would be the one to make majority of those decision for the both of them.

“I do agree. Seriously raising Red Bean as any gender have not came to me at all. I think it would be nice just to concentrate of raising a good kid. But Eunjung-ah, being able to prepare for a name would be nice.”

“Well, personally I don’t mind either.”

“You know what, let’s be surprised. Let’s not know.”

“Alright then, if you choose not to know. Then the ultra sound is done. Everything looks good. The baby’s proportion is going well.”

“That’s good to hear. Dr. Min-ssi, I want to ask something about Eunjung.” Hongbin quipped up, making true of his promise yesterday to ask about how long she can stay on her feet. “You know that Eujung spends most of her days in the lab right, she is on her feet a lot. And her back had been hurting. Can you tell her not to spend so much time being up and about?”

“Hey, you promised only to ask how long I can work on my feet, not to ask her to stop me from working on my feet!” Eunjung lightly swatted his arm.

“Ahhahaha... It’s okay Miss Choi, it’s common for the father to be overprotective and worry a little too much. But I don’t think it’s a problem at this stage of the pregnancy. You might as well squeeze out as much activity you can do now, before the bump gets too big and uncomfortable.” With this statement Eunjung turned to Hongbin and stuck her tongue out to him. “But, I would suggest you don’t do it for a continuous amount of time. Like for every 45 minutes you spend standing up, take a seat for 10. And you feel any sort of pain, then lay down. But make sure you are not flat on your back, use some pillow to prop up one side of your hip. So you are not pressing down on your spine and any major blood vessels.”

Hongbin was helping Eunjung get off the examination bed, so that they can sit in front of the doctor’s table. That was when Dr. Min dropped the bomb on them. “Same goes so when you are having . Starting from now on, avoid having with Miss Choi flat on her back, watch any weight that is pressing one her spine and the bump.” The young pair was so quick to turn their heads to look at their doctor, risking a severe whiplash, face dumbfounded and flabbergasted. “The both of you are still on it right?”

“uuhh…. Ummm” Both of them were awkwardly looking at the walls, anywhere but any other human face.

“It’s safe to have all though out the pregnancy, though it might be a little uncomfortable in the later weeks. As the baby is already pressing down on the , thus penetration might feel weird.”

“Um... Dr. Min we are not exactly…. Together…”

“I mean both of you do not have to, it’s an option. But then again why not. And I don’t say that you need to be together to enjoy . Both of you are adults anyway. And Miss Choi, trust me when I say that during pregnancy is one of the more pleasurable experience due to the hormones changing and your reproductive organs more sensitive than usual.” Dr Min made the suggestion so lightly and off-handedly. It made Hongbin felt like an awkward middle scholar kid, given -ed for the first time. He was so awkward that his foot got caught on the leg of the chair and made a lot of noise. As if the burning feeling on his face was not enough to pile on his embarrassment.

Eunjung was not in a much better state, her blush was quite obviously high on her cheeks. She was scratching the inside of her wrist with the other hand, a nervous habit Hongbin had noticed she carries. “It does not have to be penetrative, but it does help with the tension and the self-esteem. I know this is true because it did help me on my first pregnancy, when the bump was starting to get obvious and I felt as big as a whale, not at all attractive. Having the intimacy can help with how you are feeling.”

At this point, it seems like Dr. Min was having way too much fun teasing the awkward young pair, they were 25 year olds, but they seemed to appear 15 in this conversation. Puttering around trying to avoid the subject of being ually active, ually active with each other. Although obviously futile, since they are at a doctor’s office in an appointment about their child, obviously had happened before. At this point Hongbin can no longer tell which one is more uncomfortable, discussing his own ual life, the doctor hinting that the two of them should shack up, or the prospect of having with HIS BABY in the womb, possibility that his can actually touch the baby.

After what seemed like endless teasing from their doctor, she moved on to actual baby news and update. Informing them the growth of the fetus and what to expect in the coming weeks then scheduling their next appointment.

That day Hongbin part with Eunjung with an awkward kiss on the cheek and half an embrace, before rushing off to get to the office and record for their upcoming album. Trying to avoid talking about what just happened.

When Hongbin walked into the recording studio Jaehwan and Taekwoon was already getting ready to leave for their show. With a quick back patting half hug he said goodbye to his brothers. The only ones left in the studio is a tired and stressed looking Wonshik, trying to find comfort in his furry son plopped on his lap, and their baby Sanghyuk.

“How’s the recording going?” he asked Woshik. Hongbin knows for sure that his friend have yet to leave their chair since VIXX settled in the studio that morning, and he will only move to his own purple lit studio before working himself half to death all over again. This round of recording is not the final recording, this is just the demo they record to get the feel of their tract list, so this round goes faster than their actual recording, they can record a few songs in a day. Before the producers touch up on the song a little more, working with the vocals before deciding if it fits their overall concept.

Usually it does not take a lot of toll on Hongbin, but it sure does takes its toll on Wonshik. Since Wonshik is very much involved in their production, going as far as writing, directing and producing a few of their songs. So the tries to force his brother to take a short break. Get his mind off of things. Hyuk being there did help with keeping things silly and fluid.

Ever since his graduation earlier that month, Hyuk had been having a lot more time to himself. So he has been branching out here and there. Hongbin also see this as a chance to catch up with the youngest member of their circus.

“the recording itself is fine, but it’s just that the more I listen to it, and now with actual vocals other than my own voice tuned a few keys higher. It doesn’t feel right. It’s turning out differently from what I imagined it to be.”

“How so?”

“It’s a little too soft, the feel of the song is not that BOOM as I want it to. You know, with N-hyung singing it, and his timbre. And I’m sure when your voice got added in, it will get even softer. You have that very ballad-y vocals.”

“Let me listen to it.”

“I don’t think it matter, because you can’t hear the version in my head. It will sound just fine, as it is. But it just doesn’t feel, right. You know?” Wonshik moved from the mixing table and slam his body on the couch with Eungdongie on his arms. Seriously the pup is getting too large to be carried around like a baby.

“Speaking of right. I got a question to ask.”

“What is it hyung-ie?” quipped Hyuk from his place on the floor, in front of the low table.

“What do you think about having while she is pregnant?”

“Ewwww….” Said Wonshik. “Ew, that’s just. Urgh maaan. Really?! Are you seriously considering it?” his hands reach out to cover Eongdongie’s ears, as if to protect his precious baby from hearing the conversation.

“Well, we haven’t. I don’t know if we would. But today we were at the doctor right. And she was poking us about whether or not we are still doing the down and dirty. I swear to upon the name of the Game Masters, that old lady made me so uncomfortable. She went on about how amazing it would feel and how it would be good for Eunjung and her stress level”

“Your doctor was actually suggesting you still have while she was pregnant? Doesn’t it gets creepy, like how close your will be to the baby?” Wonshik said. His hands trying to make an air drawing about how close his would be to his Red Bean.

“I KNOW RIGHT. IT’S SO WEIRD.”

“But why do you ask though? Did Eunjung said anything about wanting to do it? Has she said anything about wanting to do it WITH YOU?” Wonshik pointed out.

To be honest, Hongbin have not thought about it that way. He was only asking their opinion if Eunjung ever brought it up, so that he can be at least prepared what to say to her if she ever does, the ever prepared man. But he never thought about Eunjung possibly laying with another man while she is still carrying Red Bean. He sort of just think that while she was pregnant, she would remain single or with him –however that may look like with the state of their relationship and what had happened the night before.

Now that Wonshik brought it up, Hongbin found that he is not comfortable with the idea of any being that close to Red Bean. He has problem with rationalizing his own let alone another man’s. But then again was it his decision to make? Because it is still Eunjung’s body, from the very start they agreed that she had full reign over her decisions and what she wants to do with her life.

In the long pause when Hongbin was dancing with his own thoughts, Wonshik’s attention had already drifted to the million and one things he is currently balancing in his plate.

“What difference does it make anyway? It’s not like she can get pregnant again if you her while a baby is already in there. At least this time around, no lives will get ruined.” Their youngest member broke the silence. As he got up, gathered his coat and backpack before leaving the room without any more words.

His words cracks like a whip in Hongbin’s mind. The bitterness in his voice, the crude words their maknae choose, and the accusation that was heavily intertwined in the short sentence. Hongbin looked down to his hands.

There goes his chance to catch up with the younger man.