As soon as Chun arrived at Hebe’s place; he limply jumped off from his car and examined the dim lit house. He noticed that there are no lights on, so how is it that Ella’s going to Hebe for a visit? He asked himself and thought of wherever Ella might’ve gone right at the moment. He didn’t continue on, he didn’t ring the doorbell, he didn’t do further action for he knew exactly and quickly that she just lied to him, but why? Why is the only appropriate starting as a question for him right at this moment why? He needs purposes; he needs explanation and reasons from her once he gets back at her.

!@#$%^&*

Currently, she sat at the nearby park, waiting for the sunset. But she knew she was running out of time. She told him that it would only take her a while, so she hurriedly stood up straight from her seat and paced towards the hospital across from where she is.

It gave him an idea that she was at the nearby park and so she was. As he drove to the park, he saw her staring at the ground as if problematic by something or wasn’t showed up by someone she reserved the day for.

A little while later, he watched her stand up, walking towards the hospital across. It took him a minute or so to finally realize where she really is going as he sat comfortably reclined on his back in his car. He followed her silently, leaving no trails behind and leaving no clues as to possible things she might discover as to him knowing that she just went for a check up or looked up the hospital.

He didn’t have an idea why. Numerous questions ran through his mind such as her having a secret disease or something far more badly. But instead of thinking for so long, he parked his car behind the bushes, preventing it to be seen by her if ever. He hurriedly checked the lobby for further signs of her and entered when he saw none. He went to the front desk, pushing the glass doors aside, “By any chance, do you know where Ms. Ella Chen is reserved at for?” He asked, with a pleading look.

“Wait a minute, sir,” The lady at the front desk countered. “I’ll just check the record, please stand by at the moment.”

!@#$%^&*

The doctor eyed the scrambling plus nervous-looking WOMAN who sat right in front of him. He kept glancing knowing looks at her, as if thinking that he knew her and she knew him. It’s just that, he thought that she haven’t thought about it and certainly wouldn’t want to just yet.

“I swear you look damn familiar to me!” Ella started a conversation.

“Why…” He paused and looked down at his record sheet. “Miss Chen, do you talk to your gynecologist like that?”

“I’m sorry,” Ella looked down, feeling a bit sorry as to how she just acted right in front of her doctor. “But I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“I understand, must be the mood swings,” The doctor stood up. “We’ll start the operation a few minutes from now.”

“Why not now?” Ella asked.

“Because we need the father of your child,” Calvin clarified.

“No, no, no,” Ella nervously gulped. “He’s not around. And wait, what made you think that I really am pregnant?" Ella asked in confusion.”

"It's that it's pretty much obvious, that's all." The doctor explained. "I don't need to even examine you just to know your current situation. Just looking at you, you seem so tense and all that... you know, my instincts and hunches are always correct. Besides, I can hear discreet palpitations."

With that said, Ella just kept quiet. She didn't have to argue, not now. She definitely knew very well anyway that it won’t do her any good.

"But if you really don't want the father of your child to come, it's okay." The doctor heaved out a deep sigh. "For now, I need some of your urine samples. You'll need to go to the comfort room for now and maybe do the test yourself?"

"What!?" Ella looked bewildered. "How can I possibly do the test myself and how will I know if I am—pre"

"Relax, I'm just joking." The doctor laughed. "Now, come one." And with that, they did the test.

As careful and discreet as possible, little did they know that through the transparent glass doors, Chun eyed Ella walk through the door inside a clinic that had an ‘examination on going’ sign on top. After that, knowing that she was quite fine, he patiently waited inside his car. In deep thought, he thought that it was best to wait for her. Regardless of the consequences if ever she’ll get mad at him.

!@#$%^&*

After a few minutes of waiting, she finally exited the hospital—looking very devastated. She definitely looked as if she’s carrying the burden of the world.

Flashback...

"Congratulations, Ms. Chen... you’re a month and two weeks pregnant."

End of flashback

That thought alone, sent tears streaming down her face. She didn't know why she felt so much mixed emotions upon having to find out that she was pregnant. Shouldn't she be happy that it is his, Chun's? But why does she feel this way? Why does she feel empty? Did their promise 5 years ago of building a family changed already?

And what more surprising news to her is to find out that Calvin aka the doctor is her long lost brother.

Flashback…

"Ella, I never want to say this to you, but I'm Calvin, your long lost brother." Calvin smiled his most famous sunshine smile and kissed his sister's cheek. "But I don't have any intentions on coming back and reuniting with the Chen's."

She was surprised, really. She didn’t know if that revelation should send her smiling. She missed Calvin as well, but she doesn’t know if they still have that connection they used to have.

“I figured in the first place that it’s you, perhaps,” She suppressed a smile and hugged her brother for a little while and broke free immediately when she realized what time it already is, “But what made you a gynecologist?”

“Boredom with life,” Calvin explained. “Oh yeah, since you still have my contact number… you better keep in touch.” He smirked, “You have to tell me sooner or later who the father of your child is or else I’ll report you to the Chen’s.”

“Wu Chun,” She replied in hesitation and shut his mouth up immediately upon hearing that who got Ella pregnant is her boyfriend of 5 years ago.

“Didn’t you break up like 5 years ago?” Calvin, with his eyes shot out wide asked in confusion.

“You never know what may happen in 5 years, Cal.” Ella sighed. “Anyhow, I’ll go now, if nothing’s up.”

“Bye,” With that, she left.

End of flashback

He was in so much deep thought to notice that she’s already exited the hospital. He still didn’t have any clue as to why Ella Chen, her fiancée was appointed to a doctor named Calvin Chen. The nurse didn’t really tell him directly why and what doctor this Calvin was, but he badly wanted to know.

He, all of a sudden, stared at the farthest part on the road and noticed a fragile-looking woman about to cross the street. She had short-cropped silky black hair and a long face. That was also the time he realized that it was her. He asked himself why he didn’t notice it, but nonetheless, he followed her to a path called ‘home’. Their same old sad home as for now…

“Chun,” Ella murmured upon hearing the front door creak open. “Where’d you gone to?”

“I was just out exploring the streets and I saw you…” Chun replied. “Seriously Elle, we need to talk and straighten things out.”

"We don't need to talk about anything, hun," Ella sighed and sat down on the couch with a pillow almost choking her as she dug her head on it, "I told you that I'd tell you when the right time comes."

"But when's the right time?" Devastated, Chun asked. "You told me a couple of days ago that I was the reason why we broke up years ago and now I'm trying to make up for it," He sighed in deep thought. "Now, how do you think would I make up for it when you don't even want me to know what the problem is? I mean, yeah, when's the right time? And are you really sure that you would be the one to tell me? I think, I just think that the explanation then again would come from another person."

"I don't know," Ella replied and started to cry silently on the pillow stuck to her face. "Why am I crying?" She asked herself and hiccupped.

"Are you okay?" Chun, obviously worried sat beside Ella and rubbed her back gently and continuously.

"Okay, fine." Ella surrendered and pushed the pillow of her face. "I'll tell you my situation." Ella smirked and swiped the tears at the corner of her eyes. "But really, it's kind of hard for me to say without any particular reason. You know, I've always wanted this 5 years ago between us, but today's just kind of different compared to the past." And then she took a long and deep sigh before saying, "Chun, I'm pr--"

And then the doorbell rang, preventing Ella’s confession to push through as Chun stood up and got the door open. Only to find out that no one’s around.

“Some people playing pranks,” Chun irritably sighed in exasperation.

Ella smirked upon hearing that what just distracted her was nothing, but people playing pranks, “I need some sleep.”

“Watch your steps,” Chun warned. And with that, Ella paced up the steps going to their bedroom.

On the other hand, a man in disguise smirked and confirmed to himself, “So this is where they live.” And then he left, with his hands on his pocket.

Just that distraction, Ella wasn’t able to confess to Chun that she’s pregnant. Just that distraction, lowered her self esteem in confessing so.

--

The following days, Chun started observing how Ella acts or in short, her daily habits. He’s observed that she daily takes her time early in the morning just to nauseate whatever she’s eaten from the day before. He observed that she got more self conscious and irritated about her own surroundings. He has this long list of those. From the time she gets headaches and sudden mood swings. Actually, it doesn’t take a genius to know what those are symptoms of. Some, just by looking at a woman who usually acts like that may conclude that she’s pregnant, but Chun’s different, because he haven’t really got that in mind. Although, I can say that he’s starting to get the idea of it.

And then of course, the love triangle between Mike, Hebe, and Arron grew very strong every minute. The two leading males in the relationship, in every second, grew very fond of Hebe. Making it very hard for the two best friends to let go and surrender the victim, Hebe.

Same goes for Calvin and Ella’s daily meetings. Every week, the bond between the siblings strengthened. That it seems as if they’re back to their usual doings, back to the time wherein they used to.

“Hey, does your husband know about us meeting secretly?” Calvin asked. “I mean, if I were him, I’d suspect myself as someone you’re seeing secretly. You know, two-timing at its best.”

“Nah, he wouldn’t suspect that, I suppose,” Ella paid little attention to what Calvin had to say as she flipped through the pages of his, Calvin’s daily calendar, “Besides, I’m just doing my rather weekly check-up to check on my condition.”

“Then, wouldn’t he be wondering why you go to the hospital often?” Calvin asked and sighed upon his sister’s divided attention towards him and the calendar, “And just for your information, it isn’t proper for an impregnated woman to be having check-up’s every week.”

“Right…” she paused. And that,” Ella paused and looked up at Calvin seriously, as if she’s just realized something she should’ve realized even from before, “Well…” she paused again in deep thought, searching for the right words to say, “He’s been asking me numerous questions about that and I keep on insisting that I’d tell him at the right time. He keeps on insisting these days that I have this deadly disease I haven’t told him about.”

“So you mean he doesn’t know that you’re pregnant yet?” Calvin asked in pure bewilderment. “Ella,” he yelled her name, almost resounding all throughout the hospital, “I swear, that without your consent, whether you like it or not, I’m going to tell him the real thing.”

She dropped the calendar that she, for a millisecond rested on her lap before having the urge of having a jaw dropped expression upon hearing what her brother just had to say out loud.

“And I swear, that if you’d say that to him without my consent, I’d attempt suicide or maybe…,” she pushed aside the chair she was sitting on and stood up from her seat, with half her conscience wondering and thinking about whether she was saying the right words out from , “I’d put the baby’s life on the line.”

Calvin didn’t have the right words to retort back at Ella. He was, all of a sudden, tongue-tied about what his sister just had to say in pure perseverance as if she’s really willing to do whatever she just said just if he, Calvin, would really attempt on saying to Chun the truth about her condition.

“I know where you live, Jia Hua,” Calvin bit his lower lip and called Ella by her Chinese name because he wanted her to know that he is dead serious about the situation, “I could easily just watch out for whatever further step you have in mind. By the way, before you leave as I can see that you’re starting to curse me inside that brain of yours, I’m the mysterious door beller (as if there’s a word) who didn’t show up in front of the doorstep upon hearing the front door creak opened by Chun. Really now, even if you may be the mother of that child, you may still end up in jail.”

Ella just glared at him and spat out a tongue immaturely, “You don’t have to explain all those things to me step by step, because it ain’t funny.”

“Who said that I’m making you laugh?” Calvin furrowed his eyebrows at her and looked at his sister in confusion.

“You back-off, gay headed gynecologist!” Ella yelled, ignoring what Calvin had just stated and immediately slammed the door shut out from his little clinic.

--

On the other hand, after days of not seeing each other, preventing days not to be able to seriously have a confrontation, Arron and Mike finally dragged down the ‘why did you donate blood to me when you knew that you just had to check out the hospital a few days before my own bloody murder case…?’conversation to today.

Arron had to calm himself down even before starting a conversation. He was sure hesitant and very oblivious to what Mike just did. He donated blood to him when he knew that he just had to check out from the hospital a few days before his own bloody murder case. It may sound a bit immature, to be honest. I mean, why’s it such a big deal to Arron, anyway? It’s not as if Mike died, but it seems as if he has something more in mind rather than the thought I have in mine.

“Mike, you know we’re best friends,” Arron started, “It’s quite hard to become aware of the things around you. I mean, as your fellow buddy, I don’t want anything bad happening to you and I don’t want myself to owe something to you!”

“Right,” Mike stubbornly nodded in approval, “And maybe, if it’s concerning Hebe that you’re talking about…” he paused, “Well, I won’t take any salaries or any interests from what you owe to me. Arron, it was just the damn blood donation, nothing’s wrong with that.”

“And what made the conversation related to Hebe?” Arron asked with pure intent as to knowing what Mike’s answer would be.

“It’s pretty much that we both like the same girl,” Mike stated the obvious. “I mean, isn’t it that obvious!?” he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “And the thing about you not owing anything to me very well concerns her in the sense that you wouldn’t just to give her up to me because you owe me something.”

“Now, we’re really off-topic here, Mike,” Arron stood up from his seat, horns almost popping out from the top of his head.

“Yeah, just when I thought that this will be a conversation wherein you’d thank me for having my blood donated to you, it sure is way very off-topic now.” Mike turned around, ready to exit the almost intense room that in any time soon, it’s as if the room would be fun filled with chaos if the conversation continues. “But then, Arron, you must bear in mind that I’m just stating the obvious.”

“You started it!” Arron yelled.

“And as soon as possible, I’d want to get off this conversation and finally exit the room,” And with that, Mike exited the room, leaving Arron in anger about what just occurred.

--

Back to Chun and Ella’s current state…

Ella flung the front door open, her whole being fuming in anger. She just couldn’t express how much it was to take just hearing Calvin’s threat. Maybe this was the effect of the mood swings taking its toll on an impregnated woman, but she couldn’t care less as she angrily stomped her foot as she paced the steps towards the soft couch in the living room.

On the other hand, upon hearing the hard slam of the front door, Chun tousled his hair and forced himself to jump off from bed from the hard session of deep thinking.

In the nick of time, he stood in front of Ella who was cursing and sulking all by herself in the living room couch. He pulled her up for an embrace, soothed and comforted her by doing what best he can do. He wrapped his arms securely around the small of her waist, as she did the same and wrapped her arms around his neck, not wanting to let go. Her head fit perfectly the crook of his neck as she shared silently with him the sorrow she felt right at the moment. She may be feeling guilt just because she hasn’t told him the truth he needed to know, but right at this moment in time, only he could soothe and lighten her fears and the burden she felt.