A/N: Long author's note below. Not necessary to read, but would be appreciated :3

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Of all the symptoms that Kyungsoo has gone through, the ones that had the teen frequenting the lavatory were without a doubt the worst.

A frustrated sigh escaped the sixteen year old’s lips as he casually strolled out of the restroom. Briefly halting in his tracks, Kyungsoo pressed his right hand against his lower abdomen with a small amount of pressure. A week and four days had passed since his unfortunate visit to the emergency room; and though his anxiety had diminished to a reasonable level, the horrid symptoms that accompanied pregnancy were still rampant.  

In the mornings, bouts of nausea would hit Kyungsoo with uncomfortable vigor. At the beginning, the sickness was bearable; strong, but weak enough for the teen to rush to the bathroom at a moment’s notice. However, with the teen soon entering his eighth week of pregnancy, the nausea only intensified. So much so, that Kyungsoo was left with no other choice but to place a bucket adjacent to his bed; for when the nausea simply could not hold back.

The nights, on the other hand, found Kyungsoo restless and unable to secure sleep. It was nearly impossible for the sixteen year old to successfully find a comfortable spot to lay in. But worse than that, were the frequent restroom breaks. Even without the prerequisite of consuming liquid, Kyungsoo constantly felt the need to pee. And because doing so in the bucket was very unhygienic, the teen had no other choice but to make the passage to the lavatory.

Groggily, Kyungsoo made his way down the staircase whilst fumbling with his school tie. Due to his previous incidents and absences, the Junior found himself with several assignments and homework to complete. Had this been eight weeks ago, he wouldn’t have minded. However, with all the issues he was being plagued with, Kyungsoo was in no mood to do anything other than stay in bed. He was impatiently awaiting the arrival of the weekend; which, it being Friday, started right after school.

“Ah, Kyungsoo-ssi. Good morning.”

Said boy halted his movements, the unexpected voice catching him off guard. Turning towards the kitchen, the physical structure of an elder man caught his sight. The figure was comfortably seated at the dining table; a newspaper smoothed across his legs. A small smile played on the elder’s lips, one that made him seem younger than his actual age of thirty-five. Kyungsoo recognized him almost instantly.

“Good morning, Jungwoo-nim.” Kyungsoo returned the smile as he reached for a nearby stack of plates. After filling his plate with food, the sixteen year old took a seat near the other. “And no need to add ‘ssi’ after my name. You have been dating my mom for the past seven months. I don’t think that makes us acquaintances.”

Jungwoo chuckled at the teen’s words before forking another piece of meat. “Alright, alright. Then, please, just use ‘ahjussi’ instead of ‘nim.’ It’s too formal.”

Kyungsoo nodded with a small laugh, and proceeded to eat his breakfast. Both males ate in a calming silence; with neither in a rush to finish their meal. Despite the fact that his mom has been dating Jungwoo for seven, close to eight, months already, Kyungsoo didn’t know as much as he would’ve liked about the elder man. Apart from his age, and the fact that he made his mother genuinely happy, all Kyungsoo knew of was the man’s occupation. Jungwoo was a regional manager of KFB Seoul Bank, a local bank. Not the highest paying job, but a high paying job nonetheless. He had met Kyungsoo’s mom when she decided to close her bank account. Her bank at the time, KFB Financial Bank, was acquired and merged with Seoul Bank. His mother was sincerely unhappy about the merger, and visited the branch in person to have her account deactivated.

Needless to say, she kept her account open.

Yet, even without Kyungsoo knowing a vast amount about his mother’s boyfriend, Jungwoo was an all-around gentleman. He was respectful towards the both of them, and was extremely enthusiastic when Kyungsoo had first met him. The few men his mom had dated previously always broke it off upon discovering that she had a son. And not a three or four year old child. But a sixteen year old son. Meaning she was seventeen when Kyungsoo was born, and therefore indecent, loose and promiscuous. Of course, none of those adjectives were remotely true.

Jungwoo, however, did not see Kyungsoo as a hindrance. He treated the younger with kindness, and even found himself joking with the other at times. The elder man had even complimented the teen’s mom; telling her that she was truly a magnificent women to have been able to raise her son despite it all. That he did not need a women as pure as a crisp, blank page, but that a women with such valor and spirit was what he needed. Very clichéd, in Kyungsoo opinion, but was a win in his book nevertheless.

“Finally found the file I was looking for,” a voice shared, slippers scuffing against the carpet floor behind them. “I thought for sure I had lost it. Oh, Kyung-ah, you’re awake. Good morning.”

Kyungsoo shifted his head to the right just as a pair of lips collided with his cheek. The teen couldn’t help but smile before finishing the last bit of his morning rice. “Good morning, ma.”

His mother mirrored his facial expression, grabbing his now empty plate before moving to give her boyfriend a short peck on the lips. Grabbing his bare plate as well, the petite women headed towards the sink. “Is Baekhyun-ah coming over this afternoon? Jongin-ah?”

“Baekhyun’s hanging out with Chanyeol. Something about his boyfriend feeling neglected,” Kyungsoo relayed with a light roll of his eyes and a chuckle. “And Jongin is trying out for the school’s new soccer team after school.”

The petite woman nodded in understanding, wiping her hands with a nearby rag. Making her way to the table once more, she placed her hand on Jungwoo’s shoulder. “Ready to go, hon?”

Jungwoo nodded, rising from his seat before pushing it in. “Wait for me in the car? I’ll be right out in a second.”

Kyungsoo’s mom shook her head in agreement; pressing her lips against her son’s right temple before uttering a ‘see you later.’ Kyungsoo voiced out a reply and watched as his mom slipped on her miniscule heels and departed the house. Facing the table again, the teen caught sight of Jungwoo digging in the pockets hidden inside his blazer. Kyungsoo watched the man in confusion, not sure what the elder man was looking for. The Junior parted his lips, ready to ask the other if he had lost something. However, before he could do so, Jungwoo retracted his hand from his blazer, a gift card holder in his grasp.

With an expression of triumph, Jungwoo handed the item to Kyungsoo. “Siyeon told me you haven’t been feeling well these past few days. I thought this might help cheer you up.”

Kyungsoo politely grabbed the gift card holder, inspecting its surface before glancing up at the figure in front of him. At a loss for words, and still a bit confused at the turn of events, the sixteen year old expressed, “Thank you ahjussi. You didn’t have to get me anything. It’s just a nasty stomach bug.”

“Nonsense. The best cure for such a stomach bug is a healthy and stress-free host,” said Jungwoo, placing his hand on top of the other’s head in a non-domineering way. “Please accept it, it’s the least I can do.”

Biting the inside of his cheek, Kyungsoo hesitated to answer. However, a reassuring nod from the other put his mind at ease. Letting out a slight sigh, the teen expressed his thanks. “I’ll use it well.”

The man responded with a warm smile. After wishing the other good luck with school, Jungwoo at last made his way towards the front door. Hand on the door, the elder paused in thought, before glancing over his shoulder to the form behind him. Yet he said nothing, and his form soon disappeared behind the door. The house was left in silence, with only the clock’s arrows tic-toc-ing in the distance.

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow and focused his attention back on the object in his hand. Flipping the gift card holder, the teen’s eyes were met with the sight of Jungwoo’s precise handwriting. Holding the item closer to his view, the note read: ‘According to Siyeon, this is your favorite. Who else knows what you like better than your own mother? Hopefully this lightens your mood.’ The corners of Kyungsoo’s lips couldn’t help but twitch upward. He knew that Jungwoo was trying his best to get to know him, and was glad he was making an effort to do so.

Opening the gift card holder, Kyungsoo noticed another note inscribed inside the top flap. The note said: ‘Before you jump to conclusions, your mom didn’t tell me.’ Kyungsoo’s eyebrows furrowed as he stared at the writing in confusion. What did Jungwoo mean by that? Had he not previously mentioned that his mom had told him? Confused, the Junior opened the bottom flap; a fifty dollar gift card to his favorite frozen yogurt shop. All other thoughts fled Kyungsoo’s mind as he beamed at the card—due to the events of the past eight weeks, the young male hadn’t had the chance to make a stop by the local frozen

With his spirits gradually lifting, Kyungsoo started making a mental list of when to go and who to bring along. He was so lost in his thoughts that his hand went limp, causing the gift card holder to fall to the ground. Snapping back into reality, the teen crouched down to pick up the item. However, instead of one, there were two cards on the ground. Raising an eyebrow, Kyungsoo reached for the other card for a closer look. Yet, as quickly as it was picked up, it was let go. The Junior stared at the gift card with wide eyes; shock flowing through his body. In his view was a two hundred dollar gift store to the downtown department store.

Specifically, the infants and toddlers section.

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Jongin extended his arms behind his head, exhaling in content as he felt his muscles loosening. After completing a few side reaches, the young teen strolled across the gymnasium; raising the wet cloth originally wrapped over his shoulders up to his forehead in an attempt to swab at his sweat. Jongin plopped down on a nearby bench, the platform emitting a creak once the other’s form collided with it surface. Letting out an exhausting sigh, the teen closed his eyes and dipped his head.

To everyone else, the school day had flew by like a breeze, and two and a half hours later, so had soccer tryouts. To Jongin, however, time was lapsing a bit too slow for his liking. Not that the young male was having an unsatisfactory day—his exams were fairly easy and soccer tryouts had, in his opinion, been a success. What had him on edge, however, was his boyfriend’s distracted and fidgety demeanor. Since the start of the school day, Kyungsoo had appeared fairly anxious, but also extremely vague and evasive in his reasoning as to why.

Of course, due to the pregnancy, Kyungsoo had taken to acting quite dissimilar. But this time was different; he wasn’t merely anxious, he was nervous—dazed even. But then again, so was Jongin. It had been over a week since he discovered that Kyungsoo was pregnant. That he himself was going to be a father. Though Jongin said that he would, will, take responsibility, because he wanted to, he was still scared. Not so much of the possible backlash from others, but more so of his own ability to be a father. Would he be a good father? A bad one? Could he even capable of being one?

When Jongin said that having a child was the last on his to-do list. He meant it. Here he was, a sixteen, soon to be seventeen in a matter of months, year old with no concrete vision of his future. What college would he go to? What would he study? What would his occupation be? Such inquires constantly seized his mind. And with a future child now thrown into the mix, his future plans went from vague to completely nonexistent.

Did Kyungsoo feel the same? In Jongin’s stance, his boyfriend was one of the smartest and well-prepared teen he knew. He knew what college he wanted to go to—Yonsei University. He knew what he wanted to study—communicative disorders. He knew what his occupation he wanted to pursue—speech pathology; the career path Kyungsoo decided on after becoming friends with Sehun. But what he didn’t know, or better yet, what he hadn’t planned, was having a child. Getting pregnant and giving birth to one. Naturally, if their relationship were to last past college—which Jongin sincerely hoped it would—the subject matter of adoption would have been discussed.

Adoption

Truth be told, such a topic had been squirming around Jongin’s mind as of late. Not of the adoption of a child, but of the adoption of his own child. Obviously, that did not mean that the teen didn’t want the child; and it wasn’t as if he were incapable of loving the child. If anything, it was for the benefit of their unborn that the teen had begun to think of adoption. Sure, he and Kyungsoo would be able to handle remaining seven months of the pregnancy, especially with Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo’s mom—and apparently now her boyfriend—there to help. But what about after?

Maybe Jongin was overthinking it; maybe his nerves were taking a toll on him. To be quite frank, the Junior was still terrified. He was as terrified as any person finding out, for the first time, that they were going to be a parent. So was it his nerves talking? Though he had been feeling fearful as of late, would he still feel the same as the months went by? What if he grew attached to the idea of keeping and raising the child? And what about Kyungsoo? Would he ever think about going through the adoption process? Without a doubt, if Kyungsoo was opposed to the idea, Jongin would respect his wishes and would raise the child by his boyfriend’s side—there was no question about it. It wasn’t a decision one could make on their own. 

Still, the topic called for at least some consideration. Chanyeol and Baekhyun would want to go to college; and whether that was in Seoul or someplace else was entirely up to them. Jongin would simply find it burdensome to simply leave their child with Kyungsoo’s mother to watch when it’s their responsibility. And, even if he hadn’t told them yet, his parents were certainly out of the question. So wouldn’t adoption be one of their best options? Jongin thought so, but he still had his doubts. Only time would tell.

Before the teen could continue his train of thought, his cellphone’s notification tone chimed in his pocket. Plunging his right hand into the miniscule space, Jongin clasped his hand over the object and retracted it. It was a message from none other than Kyungsoo.

                Hey… how was soccer tryouts?

Jongin read the text, a small gradually creeping onto his face. He was happy to know that, even with his strange behavior today, that he hadn’t forgotten about him. Moving his fingers onto his keyboard, he typed his response.

Tryouts were good. Luhan hyung was given back his position as captain (which is good since I hated the last one) How was your day? You seemed a bit… tense
 

The teen waited patiently for the other’s response. Would he answer? And if so, would Kyungsoo do so honestly? Not that Jongin dubbed his boyfriend as an out-right liar. But the elder Junior did have a habit of being broad when answering unwanted questions. Jongin had nothing to worry about however, because an excruciating three minutes later a message came.
 

My mom’s boyfriend found out. You know… about me being pregnant. Said that my mom didn’t tell him. But then how would he know? Not that I’m worried about him knowing, and he didn’t seem disgusted… and gave me a gift card, but how…

Jongin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion; not fully grasping what he was just told. Kyungsoo’s mom’s boyfriend, who he had yet to meet, was able to figure out on his own that Kyungsoo was with child. Without even being told. But how? Even that puzzled the young teen. But what confused him more was the man’s reaction. He wasn’t disgusted? He was nonchalant about it and gave Kyungsoo a gift card? The only person who had been the calmest when finding out was Baekhyun—and even he thought the whole concept of the pregnancy was odd. And no one else knew it was even remotely possible for a man to give birth. Heck, Jongin was still in disbelief over the whole thing. So what was up with this man?

Not sure of how to reply, Jongin responded with the only logical explanation he could conjure.
 

Maybe he’s a doctor? From what you told me, your doctor seemed pretty… knowledgeable? About the whole male pregnancy thing

Kyungsoo replied, and at a faster rate than the last message.
 

He’s a manager at a bank... I trust my mom, and know that she wouldn’t tell anyone with asking me first. But what puzzles me the most is that he seemed fine with it. He wasn’t even grossed out! And no questions asked either! It’s just… how? Why??

The recipient simply sighed, wishing he knew the answer to the other’s question. He had to admit that the whole thing seemed a bit peculiar. Not in a disturbing ‘he was having basic symptoms yet you single-handedly figured out that he was pregnant, you creep’ sort of way, but in a puzzling ‘you found out that your girlfriend’s son, a male, was pregnant and you react as if it were an everyday occurrence’ type of way. Of course, similar to Kyungsoo, any reaction was welcomed so long as it wasn’t malicious. He knew that he and Kyungsoo should just accept the positive without further question, but the reaction itself was a big question.

Massaging his left temple, Jongin sent a simple text to the other, telling him to try not to think about it too much, and that the only way to get an answer is to ‘ask your mom’s boyfriend directly whenever you see him again.’ The last thing Jongin wanted was for his boyfriend to get to anxious and thus trigger an anxiety attack. But knowing Kyungsoo, he would put too much thought into it regardless; a stubborn trait his mother said he got from her.

Over the past week, Kyungsoo had been informing him about everything his doctor had told him; from the inter explanation to the possible anxiety attack induced miscarriages. It was a lot for Jongin to take in, but that’s what came with taking responsibility. For having a child for that matter. As one would expect, he was still at a loss about everything—not even the notebook he used to write the information down was doing a good job. But if Jongin had faith in anything, it was in his relationship with Kyungsoo. And he knew that if they communicated and worked together, things would work out and turn out well in the long run. Even if things were still a bit strange and hard to come to terms with.

Exhaling, Jongin dug into his string bag for his water bottle. Whilst uncapping the container, the Junior closed his eyes; taking a sip of water before ultimately taking a few gulps. It was close to seven in the evening, signifying that the teen would soon have to depart the school and make the trip home.

“You mind sharing some of that?” a slighted accented voice called out.

Jongin jumped in his posture, the voice startling him. With nightfall slowly approaching, the young teen was not expecting anyone else to be in the school, let alone the gymnasium. The only tryouts that occurred were for soccer, and even still all those who tried out left immediately after. Looking to his left, Jongin saw a tall form gradually making its way towards. Upon recognizing the figure, the teen nodded; wiping any excess water off his lips.

Extending his arm out, Jongin offered his water bottle. “Have some.”

The other male grabbed the bottle, muttering a quick ‘thanks’ before taking a few big gulps. “Damn, I needed that,” the voice shared, crushing the now empty bottle in his grasp before taking a seat next to the younger male.

“Basketball?” asked Jongin, having just noticed the loose t-shirt and shorts the other was wearing.

The other let out a ‘hm’ in response, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand before crossing his arms and leaning back. Clenching his eyes shut, the taller male deeply inhaled and exhaled, a strained expression adorning his face. Jongin observed the other; not in any way that warranted interpretation, but simply observed.

The Junior hadn’t spoken with the other for about two weeks. Not that there were any ill feelings between them—in fact, Jongin was beginning to consider him one of his closest friends aside from Chanyeol. They hung out frequently, both with and without Chanyeol; especially after his apparent fall-out with Tao. But after the youngest found out about Kyungsoo pregnancy, there was hardly any room left for ‘hanging out.’ He was too busy swimming in his own thoughts and spending time with Kyungsoo—more so than before—to deal with anything else.

Nonetheless, the evident change in demeanor of his friend was enough to make him regret unintentionally distancing himself. While Jongin was used to the other’s stony-faced appearance, this was at another level. When it came to his friends, the teen thought of them as an antithesis of one another. Chanyeol was naturally playful, but always knew when it was time to buckle down and take things seriously. The other, however, was serious by default, with his mischievously clownish side making an appearance every so often. But this was different; he wasn’t simply serious, he was distant and grim.

Sighing, Jongin turned to his friend with a concerned expression. “You alright, Kris hyung?”

Said male opened his eyes at the question, but remained unresponsive. Kris let his brain process his friend’s question; did he look alright? He was about to say as much, yet held back. Kris wasn’t alright; if anything, he was the farthest from it. Yet that gave him no right to take it out on someone else, especially on someone he considered a friend. He had already hurt one; the last thing he wanted was to disappoint another.

Kris merely shrugged, his eyes staring blankly at the desolate space in front of him. The teen was never the type to tell others his problems. Not that he didn’t trust people; trust wasn’t the issue at all. He simply disliked others in his personal life. Granted, Chanyeol knew pretty much everything there was to know about him, seeing how they were childhood friends and still kept in touch after Kris moved to Canada. But even that wasn’t much—because what he was going through at that moment: the emotions, the distress; Chanyeol knew nothing of it. Again, it wasn’t about trust. It was simply Kris’s affair, and he wanted it to remain as such. 

Yet, Kris couldn’t help but have this ache; this inkling to let it out. To let everything he had been feeling the past two weeks, what he had been feeling since he returned to Korea almost two months ago. Why he returned in the first place.  

“You know…” Jongin begin, attempting to get the other to at least say something. He had never seen Kris act the way he was, and it was alarming. “I know you like to keep to yourself but… I’m a good listener.”

But Kris didn’t want a listener. All he ever had in life were listeners. And he knew a lot of good ones: Chanyeol was a good listener, Jongin was a—self-proclaimed—good listener. He was pretty sure all of his friends and acquaintances were good listeners. Kris wanted an empathizer; someone who would understand him and connect with what he had gone through. Not in a romantic way, but as a friend. A friend who understood. Someone who could shed some light and actually give sound advice besides to typically useless ‘everything is going to be okay.’

… Or was it? Was that what he really wanted? What he really needed? Or was that just a cover-up for what he truly desired?

“I don’t need a listener, Jongin,” the Chinese Junior exclaimed, the words leaving his mouth without explicitly meaning to. He was never good with people prying.

Jongin sighed, switching his posture so that he was sitting upright. “So you don’t need a listener. Then maybe… you simply need a friend? I may not exactly be the bes—”

“Would you ever make a decision without Kyungsoo knowing?”

The youngest froze; the other’s question momentarily stunning him. He turned his head left to stare at the taller teen, bewildered by the seemingly abrupt interrogation. Jongin pondered the query to the best of his ability. There were several decisions—especially in the past two months—that the younger Junior found himself making. Of course, none of those decisions really needed Kyungsoo’s approval: deciding to confront the latter’s feelings for him, and choosing to take responsibility as the father of their unborn child being examples of a few. Those decisions were made entirely on Jongin’s own accord.

That’s not to say that there would never be any decisions he would make with his boyfriend’s knowledge and consent. One, for certain, was the matter of adoption that the teen was earlier contemplating. A commitment of such caliber, without a doubt, demanded the authorization of the both of them. It could not simply be just Jongin’s decision or just Kyungsoo’s. That wouldn’t be ethical to either of them—they were a couple and topics of the like had to be discussed and decided upon as such. And if never of them were capable of reaching a mutual conclusion, they’d simply have to keep deliberating about it until they could.

So no; no he wouldn’t. And the younger teen admitted as much.

“If Kyungsoo hyung needs to know about the decision before I make it, then no,” Jongin responded honestly, his facial features still conveying confusion.

Kris scrutinized the reply, his poker-face gradually deteriorating. The Chinese teen bit the inside of his cheek, a habit the other had rarely seen him commit, before finally turning to face his friend. Taking a deep breath, Kris steadily interrogated, “What if it were about… giving up a child?”

… What?

If Jongin had be stunned in shock before, he was absolutely petrified. Kris knew. He had to know. But how? How could he have possibly known? Jongin knew that Kyungsoo hadn’t told him. And it couldn’t have been any of the other’s that knew; they would’ve told Kyungsoo, and now that Jongin knew, would’ve told him as well. And if what his boyfriend told him about Suho were to be taken at face-value, then the eldest wouldn’t have even dared to inform anyone else. Either he overheard, or plainly came to the conclusion all on his own—similarly to Kyungsoo’s mom’s boyfriend.

So was that why Kris was so distressed? Because Kyungsoo was pregnant and he wasn’t told? Or because Kyungsoo was pregnant? That didn’t make sense; Jongin simply couldn’t fathom Kris getting so worked up over such a matter. But then again, would he? He and Jongin may be close friends, but not even the closest of friends know everything about each other. Naturally, one would not infer that to be true by the Chinese teen’s first question; yet be that as it may the second question hit too close to home base. It was just too coincidental for Kris ask him that. He had to know.

“You… you know?” Jongin exclaimed, eyes wide in bewilderment.

Kris appeared perplexed by the other’s baffled reaction. Raising an eyebrow, he cautiously probed, “Know what?”

Jongin parted his lips, his next set of words swiftly escaping. “That Kyungsoo hyung is… you know, pregnant?”

A heavy reticence engulfed both males. It was as though time had abruptly stopped, with neither male making any attempt to reinstate it.  Jongin stared piercingly at the other; scrutinizing his friend’s face for a reaction. And not just any reaction, but for the reaction Jongin expected—a knowing face with a hint of judgement in the Chinese teen’s eyes. Maybe the other would sneer; or, if he were to go the Suho route, conjure a series of insulting remarks about the circumstance. Again, Jongin never perceived Kris as the type to act in such a manner. But if there was one thing Jongin learned so far with respect to the whole affair, was that you never really knew a friend until they show you thier true colors. And at that very moment, Kris was going to show his; whether it be in the form of anger or disgust.

… Except he didn’t.

Kris merely stared at the other, metaphorically jaw-slacked. Multiple expressions danced across his face until two ultimately dominated the rest—shock and confusion. The Chinese Junior furrowed his eyebrows; scrunching up his nose, not in repulsion, but just as though he were trying to decode the meaning of the other’s words but failing to find a logical conclusion. Kris opened his mouth as if to speak before immediately closing it. He was sure his hearing was failing him. Had Jongin just imparted with him that Kyungsoo was pregnant? Kyungsoo, who Kris knew for sure was male, was pregnant? And since he’s Jongin’s boyfriend, that the latter was the father?

The tall male parted his lips once more; this time, however, in an attempt to get the other to shed some light on the newly revealed piece of information. “Did you just say that Kyungsoo is… pregnant? As in, ‘he currently has another human being growing inside of him’ type of pregnant?”

His words made Jongin furrow his eyebrows confoundedly. ‘Are there other types of pregnancy?’ was the younger’s first thought, before another of higher importance predominated. His expression soon turned into one strikingly similar to a fish out of water. “Wait… you didn’t know?”

“Was I supposed to? I knew he was sick; vomiting and all, but…” Kris pulled a muddled expression, raising his right eyebrow. “He’s really pregnant?”

At the other’s stiff nod, Kris crossed his arms. With a tilt of his head, and a mind-blown countenance, he uttered a simple, “Huh.”

Though Kris was Chinese, and raised in Korea for a good part of his childhood, his thoughts, ideals, and mannerisms were still highly influenced by his several years of residence in North America. That being so, the concept of a male becoming pregnant was not new to him. Not to say that the notion was a common occurrence in his former country of dwelling—in fact, there were only three cases ever reported, all of them in the United States.

So was Kris shocked? To a reasonable extent. Although Kris was somewhat well-informed about the possibility of a male becoming pregnant, it was the first time someone he personally knew was one of the rare few. More so than anything, the Chinese teen was a bit intrigued; fascinated that such genetics were also possible in Asian territories. He always chalked it up to Americans and their weirdly advanced technological abilities. But with this new revelation, he knew that was nowhere near true.  

Jongin frantically blinked at the other’s question, as if doing so would cause his friend’s reaction make some amount of sense. “What do you mean ‘huh’? I just told you that my boyfriend is pregnant. Why are you acting so nonchalant?”

Kris solely raised an eyebrow; how else was he supposed to react? Sad? To Kris, the conception of a child, whether it be from a female or male, was a joyous occasion and being sad was unacceptable. Angry? There was nothing for the teen to be angry about. Sure, since he considered Jongin one of his friends, he would have wished to have been informed sooner. But then again, there could have been various factors as to why he wasn’t, so being angry was absurd.

How about disgusted? While being a pregnant male was extremely uncommon, with Kyungsoo being the first Korean—Asian—person Kris had ever heard of being so, there was nothing remotely wrong or revolting about it. Yes, it defied the laws of nearly every type of science Kris was taught in his entire life, but that wasn’t off-putting in any sense of the word. He felt no need to be anything remotely close to disgusted.

“Should I not be?” inquired Kris, a bit unsure of how to respond. “Is there some sort of guide book on how I should react to this or something?”

The younger teen opened and closed his mouth, taken aback by the other’s reply. Why was he so perplexed at his friend’s reaction? Was it because he was anticipating something else—something worse? Although Baekhyun and Chanyeol had taken it pretty well, there were reactions like Suho’s that illustrated the brute end of the backlash. As much as Jongin would’ve liked for all reactions to be composed, he knew that was far-fetched. There would soon be a time where the positives become negative, and he believed that such a switch would occur with Kris, given his earlier demeanor.

But it didn’t, much to Jongin’s luck.

“What brought this up anyways?” interrogated the taller male. He was not a fan of changing subjects mid-discussion, but the conversation was not going in the direction he was expecting it to. “I mean, congratulations and everything, I guess. And I would’ve liked to have known sooner, but th—”

“So you really didn’t know?” Jongin asked, not anticipating the turn of events. That was the whole reason why he had brought it up; he had truly believed Kris knew.

Kris, however, shook his head in agreement. “Uh… no? I know a bit about male pregnancy, but that doesn’t mean I go around labelling every guy who is vomiting, sleeping in, and having cramps pregnant. If that were so, then we’d all have been pregnant at some point in our lives.”

Jongin wasn’t sure whether he wanted to laugh, snort, or cry at the revelation. He chose to do neither, and instead placed his head in his hands. Groaning, the teen exclaimed, “I’m sorry. I just assumed tha—”

“You should know better than to assume,” shared Kris, uncrossing his arms with a miniscule smirk playing on his lips. “When you assume, you make an out of ‘u’ and ‘me.'"

The other scoffed at his friend; humor would never be his forte. Slouching a bit in his posture, the younger Junior voiced, “You make an out of yourself perfectly fine, you don’t need me for that.”

The retort was meant as a joke, but the falter in Kris’s expression showed him that it wasn’t taken as such. Kris let out a bitter chuckle. “I guess you’re right.”

Displeased with the other’s change in attitude, Jongin wasted no time in trying to get to the root of it all. “It was a joke, hyung. Seriously, what has you so worked up? You looked upset, asked if I would ever decide on something without Kyungsoo hyung knowing, then asked what if it were about giving up a child. Seeing how he’s pregnant, I assu—thought, you knew and were hinting at it. But now that I know you weren’t, what gives?”

Kris took a deep breath before promptly exhaling. He fiddled with the hem of his shirt—another habit that was very uncharacteristic of him—and let out a grunt of frustration. Staring once again at the space in his view, he started, “I’ve been… looking for someone.”

“Looking for… someone?” Jongin reiterated, processing the other’s words. “Does this have anything to do with Tao hyung and his cat?”

“Chanyeol told you that, didn’t he? Freaking .” The Chinese teen grumbled in annoyance. “And no, it doesn’t. Well… not directly; it just gave me a bit more motivation to find this person. It’s just… they gave... something up and I want to know why.”

His friend shrugged, not really understanding what the problem was. “Then why don’t you just go and find them? I mean, Tao hyung’s cat ran away in Seoul, yet you found him at—where was it, Incheon? If you’d go to such lengths to find a friend’s cat then, assuming—yes assume—that this person is special to you, then you should have no problems finding them as well.”

Bemused, Kris scoffed. “I did not find his cat in Incheon. And besides, this person… they don’t want to be found. Especially by me.”

“But you would have wouldn’t you?” pressed Jongin, trying with utmost effort to get Kris thinking in the right direction. “The cat could’ve ended up in Incheon. Or in Pohang. Or even in Mokpo. And you still would’ve searched for it, right?”

He was right, as much as Kris would hate to admit. It wouldn’t have mattered where Tao’s cat had ended up; he still would’ve done all he could to retrieve it. But that’s because Tao was his friend, and Kris would go through many hurdles for the people he cared about. Yet, was that the real reason? Had it been Chanyeol who lost his cat, or Jongin; would Kris have gone through all the trouble just to find it? Perhaps to an extent, and then if he couldn’t he’d call it quits. But with Tao, the situation was different—Kris was the cause of the cat’s disappearance. It was only proper from him to go so far, was it not?

At least, that’s what Kris liked to believe.

Truth be told, he did have quite some feelings for the younger exchange student. Nothing severe, and Kris would’ve dubbed it a petty infatuation if not for the fact that the feelings still lingered. When those emotions had surfaced, Kris had no idea. Maybe it was when he had held Tao in his arms that one time while playing basketball. Maybe it was sometime after that. Whenever it was, it didn’t matter to Kris; the feelings were there and would remain. So yes, friendship wasn’t the sole reason why Kris traveled to Gimpo, not Incheon, to search for the other’s cat. But his attraction for Tao had nothing to do with his current dilemma, and the tall male wanted to keep it that way.

Kris sighed, attempting to reel his mind back to the situation at hand. “But finding a cat isn’t the same as finding a human who doesn’t want to be found.”

 “I’m pretty sure the cat didn’t want to be found either,” Jongin countered. “What I’m trying to say is, it doesn’t matter where this person is. If you are determined to find this person, you will—whether they want you to or not."

When Kris remained silent, the other spoke up. “I’ll be honest, I’m not the best at giving advice; especially when it comes to things like this. But if there’s anyone who can help, at least a little, it would be Minseok hyung.”

The Chinese teen glanced at Jongin with his eyebrows furrowed. “Minseok-ssi? He’s the Senior studying culinary correct? How could he possibly help?”

To be quite frank, Kris wasn’t very close to Minseok. Not that he disliked the other or anything, but their paths rarely crossed. Kris took general classes as a Junior, and Minseok, being a Senior, dedicated most of his time outside of school working at the café. Both teens had spoken on occasion; typically when Kris would stop by the café, or on the rare days when Minseok would eat lunch with them at their table. But even though they shared the same friends, Kris wasn’t sure how comfortable he’d feel with sharing his affairs with the elder male.

Jongin bit his bottom lip; pondering his response over and over in his head before ultimately voicing it out. “That… that isn’t something I can tell you myself. But if what I heard is correct, he’s your best bet at helping you. He… He’s kind of… experienced when it comes to finding people who refuse to be found. I don’t think he’s actually ever found them, but…”

“I understand. I’ll take that into consideration,” Kris pronounced. He knew that the other was trying to give him as much information as he could without saying too much. It should him just how great of a friend Jongin truly was. “Also… thanks. Your secret is safe with me.”

The younger teen, who had risen from his seat was in the process of stretching, paused. Within seconds, his expression warmed and a smile crept onto his face. “Thanks hyung. And yours with me.”

Kris grinned as he rose, pressing his palms on his lower back before leaning back. Though his thoughts were still plagued by his predicament, he would be lying if he said his thoughts weren’t the least bit clearer. Kris was never one to share his problems with anyone; but this time it appeared that doing so was beneficial. Not that he would make a habit out of it—his troubles were his and his alone. But, if necessary, we wouldn’t completely abandon the idea of getting a friend’s opinion. Or, as will probably occur, an acquaintance’s.

So in the end, Kris was wrong; he didn’t need an empathizer. All he needed was a listener, a friend… and perhaps a secret as well.

Collecting his belongings, Jongin turn towards the other. “I’ll see you in school, alright?”

The elder teen nodded, expressing his farewells. He watched the other head towards the gymnasium’s exit before glancing down at his digital watch. Although he presented with a new lead on his situation, there was still someone he absolutely had to contact. Before Kris could even think about tackling another issue, he had to clear up the one he had failed to. He owed it not only to the other person involved, but to himself as well. However, with it nearing seven fifty in the evening, Kris wasn’t sure if doing so would be in his best interest.

Pulling his cellphone out of the safety of his pocket, Kris maneuvered his way into his contacts list. The teen proceeded to scroll down until he was faced with the desired name. Upon reaching it, however, he halted. Was this really a good idea? The last time he approached this person, they coldly shunned him away. Which, in truth, really hurt Kris more than it should have. But then again, it felt as though everything the other did towards Kris affected him to a high degree.

Exhaling, Kris pressed the contact; ignoring the steadily increasing beating of his heart whilst he typed up a text message.

Hey Tao-yah, it’s Kris. We need to talk. Meet me at our regular place Monday after school?
 

He stared at the phone for the next two minutes, waiting for reply. In all honesty, he wasn’t surprised. It was only natural for Tao to still be upset with him over the whole cat incident. Why Tao was so angry was a mystery to him. But it didn’t matter so long as he got the other to speak to him again. Kris wasn’t used to it—used to having feelings of such intensity for someone else. Granted, he had only met the other two months ago; but that was more than enough time for Kris to build his attraction. However, with everything that had occurred, Kris knew better than anyone that the attraction would never be mutual.

Dejectedly, he moved to place his cellphone back in his pocket. Yet before he could do so, two buzzes emitted from the device. Almost immediately, Kris unlocked his phone and read the reply. It was short and curt—characteristically Tao.
 

Hi hyung. I’d like to talk as well. Monday is good. See you then.
 

Kris took a deep breath in relief; a talk between the two was long overdue. Scrolling further, the tall male literally felt his heart skip a beat. The second message was a plain text, with nothing but words. But it was the words themselves and the language they were written in that warmed his heart. The text was in Mandarin Chinese and it read:
 

I… I missed talking to you, Kris. Have a great weekend, and see you Monday :)

Kris didn’t bother biting back his smile.

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A/N: I'm exhausted everyone. EX.HAUS.TED

I'm pretty sure all of you are have been wondering why I've been missing for a little over a year. To sum it up nicely: college. College was very hectic for me this pass year. I worked, was involved in a whole bunch of clubs, and it really took up my time. I also graduated (yay! Community college ftw!), but will be going to a four-year university for another two years, so yeah. I apologize for the lateness, but life is life and I can't change that. Hopefully you guys understand ^^

To be honest, I started writing this back in December, but never got around to finishing it. It took me a whole week to finish this. A WEEK, filled with a 12 pm wake up - 3 am sleep schedule. Hence, why I am exhausted. But I really wanted to get this out for you guys.

This chapter is not my favorite (I feel like I say that a lot), but is extremely ciritcal to the plot. Jungwoo is very important character, as you guys will see in the coming chapters. But he isn't a bad guy or anything, and I'm sure you guys will love him ♥ Kris found out! *le gasp* But his reaction is chill and positive :) I picture Kris, especially in this story, as very open-minded due to where he spent the most of his life. So the news isn't that big of a deal to him. Kris's dilemma will play a big role as well (and as hinted, more of Minseok will be revealed). And do I sense a Taoris reconcilation coming soon? ;)

I know many of you feel as though the story is moving very slowly, but the story will start to pick up after the next two chapters. Trust me. The events will start to spread out and the story will begin to flow nicely! Everything connects together somehow, you'll see. I already have the next chapter outlined and ready to go (so intense!). Depending on the feedback I get—as in, depending on if people are still reading and commenting on this story—you can expect the next chapter up by the end of next week. 

For those of you still subscribed and still commenting (urging me to update, haha) thank you so so so much! I say this alot, but you guys are my main motivation. Thank you for sticking with me throughout the clifhangers and lack of updates. I know this chapter isn't enough to make up for the long absences I put you guys through, but I worked very hard on it. Hopefully you guys enjoyed it, and thank you for being so understanding and the best readers/commenters/subscribers/friends I could ever ask for ♥