Sooyoung woke up to the gentle rays of sunshine and warming her cheeks. It almost felt like Cuba, she thought, yet everything was so different. In a wave of hope, she slid her leg to the other side of the bed, hoping to feel Kyuhyun’s hairy leg against hers, but she just felt the cold sheets. She opened her eyes, with a light glimmer of hope, maybe he had just left for work early, but all hopes left her body when she opened her eyes. His part of the bed was made. It looked just as untouched as the last five other mornings. She pushed herself up and sat on the edge of the bed, contemplating her situation. It had almost been a week since she last saw him and two since she felt some kind of warmth coming out of him. Basically, everything had gone downhill since their return from Cuba. Sooyoung felt a light fluttering in her belly and it, trying to appease her unborn child, a child who was already craving for its father’s attention. Sooyoung looked at the alarm clock and got up. She had to get ready. It was her last day filming Midnight TV Entertainment. After that, she would disappear and go into hiding, until they figures a way to announce the news to the world. Her physical state didn’t permit her to be in public anymore, without creating rumours. She barely knew how she would manage to hide her growing abdomen that same day. She brushed off the idea, with the thought of a warm breakfast. Food made her happy, if only she could just concentrate on food she thought. Once downstairs and in the kitchen, she grabbed her phone to check her messages, only one and it was from Kyuhyun. She slid on the round icon and opened the short message: We are going to practice until late tonight. Don’t wait for me. I’ll sleep at the dorm. I’ll se you tomorrow. That’s it? she wondered, no I love you or I miss you? Nothing. Sooyoung looked at the time the text was sent: 1:12AM, of course, she hadn’t heard the phone ring. She was already asleep at that time. Food and sleep had been here only pass times, in her new house. She had almost given up on love.

   *         *          *

Travys Kim looked at Sooyoung get settled in the makeup chair, a few meters away from his. He offered her a warm smile when she waved to greet him. He still couldn’t believe she was married, Choi Sooyoung, the girl he had dreamed of from the very moment they meet. He had made up so many different scenarios in his head on how to ask her out, but it seemed someone was faster and asked her to marry her and she said yes.

“Doesn’t Sooyoung look beautiful?” asked his makeup artist, who caught him looking at her.

“Yeah, she does,” he answered, looking straight in the mirror, pretending not to care anymore.

“I bet you she is pregnant,” went on the makeup artist.

“What,” exclaimed Travys, looking back at Sooyoung, who was chatting happily with her makeup artist.

“Yeah, just look at her. She looks exhausted, but look at how her skin is glowing,” she said, applying the finishing touches to his makeup.

“You really think so,” he asked. It was bad enough knowing that the girl he loved was happily married, but also pregnant. No that was too much for him to process.

“Of course not,” she replied, giggling. “It’s only been two weeks since she’s been back. It’s just the inner fangirl in me talking. I mean I can’t believe she got married! And to Cho Kyuhyun, on top of that! Can you believe it? Have you seen his thighs? Don’t get me wrong, he also has a great personality, a bit cold at first, but he warms up! I talked to him at the wedding. Wasn’t Sooyoung gorgeous? They dress fitted perfectly! And the ring! Did you see that rock he got her? More like a mountain! Ah she is such a lucky girl!”

“Hara,” interrupted Travys.

“Yeah?”

“Are you done? I’m late.”

“Yeah. Go. I’ve been done for a while now.”

Travys thanked her and left to join his team for another filming session, trying once again to hide his love for Sooyoung.

*         *          *

That evening, Sooyoung’s manager dropped her off in front of her house, after what seemed to her like a never-ending filming session. She walked to the front door as fast as her tired body could bring her, while all along she got closer to a pitch back home. Another night alone, she thought. So what, she was going to go threw the pregnancy alone, before Kyuhyun came into the picture and proposed. So, so what if Kyuhyun wasn’t home, she was doomed to be alone. She looked again at the home, as she slide her key in the lock and opened the door. The truth was, that it brought pain to her whole body to see the house lifeless. From the moment Kyuhyun proposed she had dared to hope. Hope that they could form a family, a somewhat normal family, but by being absent Kyuhyun had robbed her of those hopes and dreams. She desired that attention that men in American movies gave to their pregnant wives. Maybe she should become a Sims, they seemed to always be happy. A vibrating noise, coming from her purse, interrupted her aspirations of becoming a Sims. Sooyoung took her phone and looked at the incoming message: Late night again. I’ll be at the dorm tonight. See you tomorrow.

“See you tomorrow, see you tomorrow,” grumbled Sooyoung. “You’ve been saying that for six days now Cho. Whatever I don’t need you. I don’t need a man,” shouted Sooyoung, throwing her phone on the couch. She looked at her phone bounce off the couch and fall on the floor. Like every time she threw her phone and watched it fall, Sooyoung had a chill go down her spine.

“Well I hope it’s not broken, then I’ll be really pissed off,” she grumbled, stomping her way to her bedroom.

*         *          *

Dark. The room was dark. Is that what the babies felt like in the womb? Babies. Kyuhyun reached for his second or third bottle of Soju, or was it rum? He couldn’t remember, but the feeling of the alcohol going down his throat felt good and that was all that mattered. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. He looked pathetic he thought. He ran his hand threw his hair and he felt it, the cold sensation of his wedding band against his forehead. What had he done? He was married, with a kid on the way. How could he have ended up where he was? He suddenly felt some light shinning into the practice room. Was he dead? Had God come for him? He looked up and saw a bunch of trainees looking at him.

“What do you want,” he asked, in harsh tone.

“Can we use to room,” asked one of the boys.

“No. Can’t you see I’m here? What are you? Or should I say who are you? Are you another group who wants to take our place? Are you all that eager to see Super Junior die? Yeah we might be old, and some of us might be married. But marriage is just a thing, right? It doesn’t mean that because I am married my life is over. Marriage is fun, right? No, what I feel is pity for you guys ‘cause you ain’t married. You don’t know the joys of being married…like…like buying a fridge! Do you know how much thought goes into buying a fridge with someone? Do you?” shouted Kyuhyun, with a slurred voice.  

“No, Sir,” replied another boy.

“Sir? Hey! Don’t Sir me. I’m not old, I am just mature and…”

“Cho Kyuhyun, that’s enough,” ordered a voice, fully opening the door.

“Ah Dude. Shut the door, the light is hurting my eyes and head,” protested Kyuhyun, shielding his eyes with his forearm.   

“I will,” the man turned towards the boys and said “I want all of you out and if a word comes out of any of your mouths about this incident, you are all out of the company, no matter who said it. Understood?” The boys all nodded and left in an instant. The man then closed the door and made his way to Kyuhyun, who was sitting next to his bottles.

“Who are you, Man?” he asked. “Are you God? Because you look pretty Asian, I always thought God was white. Or maybe it’s a conspiracy! Dude, we should look into it.”

“I am not God, but thank you for the compliment. I am your boss. Lee Sooman,” he said, sitting on a chair next to him.

“Oh, that’s awkward,” replied Kyuhyun, with a light chuckle.

“It is. How much have you had?”

“I don’t know Man…Sir. A few,” answered Kyuhyun, looking at his bottles.

“Why are you here?”

“Because I work here. Why are you here?”

“I also work here, Kyuhyun,” replied Lee Sooman, feeling like he was talking to a child rather than a grown up and married man.

“Right,” answered Kyuhyun, playing with his ring.

“Why are you here, Kyuhyun?” repeated his boss.

“Because, I am practicing,” he said, getting up and trying to dance to their new choreography.

“No, you are not. You should be in bed, like your other members, because tomorrow you are leaving for China. Remember?”

“Yeah, I do,” snapped, Kyuhyun, sitting one the floor again.

“Why aren’t you home, Kyuhyun?” insisted the elder man.

“Because…”Kyuhyun went silent after that word. He felt his nose tickle and tears forming in his eyes. “Because, I love her.”

“Who do you love?”

“Sooyoung, but…”

“But?”

“But she doesn’t love me back,” he said, reaching for another drink, which was quickly denied to him.

“How come?”

“Because, she only loves the baby now and I don’t know she weirds me out. It’s the only think she talks about. She spends her day rubbing her belly. Man, do you know how freaky that thing is? I mean, it’s just growing and . How do I know there isn’t an alien growing in there or like a Zerg?”

“Because you’ve seen the ultrasound,” reasoned his boss.

“Dude, I mean Sir, you’re smart,” answered Kyuhyun in admiration.

“So you are not home, because you are jealous of your baby, is that it? No, it’s not that. Your wife weirds you out? How come? Do you have any idea what happened to her today?”

“I don’t know. Today is Wednesday, so I guess today was Wednesday for her too,” reasoned Kyuhyun, like he was answering a simple mathematical equation.  Lee Sooman looked at his protégée in wonder.

“Are you really that dumb or is it the alcohol? Today we her last day MCing her show. Today we her last public appearance. Do you know what tomorrow will be like for her?”

“Thursday?”

“No, you little rascal! Tomorrow she’ll spend the first of many days alone, at home, because she is growing your kid inside her womb. And what about you? You’ll be out in public, like nothing happened, because you get to keep a flat stomach.” Lee Soman’s revelation had a sudden sobering effect on him and he realized how fast time had passed and how out of touch he had been with the one person he loved.

“I’ve ed up, haven’t I?”

“Yes you have. When was the last time you slept in you bed?”

“I don’t know, a week ago? Today is my sixth night out,” he answered, ruffling his own hair.

“Where have you slept?”

“The last five nights at the dorm, but…”

“But?”

“But, I spent the first night at Victoria’s…and I tried to kiss her, but she pushed me away,” he murmured feeling more and more ashamed of his behaviour

“Cho Kyuhyun, you little punk,” Lee Sooman, said, as he got out up from his chair and slapped the back of Kyuhyun’s head. “You know, if it weren’t for the fact that I know your mother, I would call you a son of a or a bastard, but I know her and have a lot of respect for her, so I won’t. Why did you do that? Why?” he asked grabbing his left hand, showing him his wedding ring. “This is your wedding ring. This is a promise of love and fidelity to your wife, Choi Sooyoung, not Victoria, or some other girl. Why did you do this?”

“Because I am scared,” he answered, trying to get up and free himself from the older man’s grip. “I am not good enough for her, for our baby. It will give her an excuse to leave. I’ll be the bad one in the relationship and she’ll be free. Those Soowon rumours should be true. Siwon would be a far better husband and father than me.”

“So you go out and try to kiss your ex lover? You chose the easy way out, while she chose you, not Siwon, nor the easy way out. Stop being a Disney princess and get over yourself.”

“A Disney princess?”

“If there is one thing I learned as a father, it’s that in all those Disney movies there is at least one scene where the princess is crying and right now you are crying. So yes, you’re being a Disney princess right now. So come on, I’ll drive you to the dorm. You are in no state to drive or to go back to Sooyoung like this,” he said, wrapping his arm around Kyuhyun’s waist and letting Kyuhyun’s’ arm rest on his shoulder.

“I love her,” mumbled Kyuhyun.

“I know you do. I know you love her, Cinderella.”

“Did you just call me Cinderella?”

“Yeah I did. Now let’s go,” he said, before closing the practice room’s door, behind them.

Sooyoung woke up the next morning, with no hope of seeing Kyuhyun next to her. She looked over to his side, to find the familiar sight of an empty bed. She grimaced, annoyed at herself for daring to hope and got up. As soon as she was up, she felt a pang of pain go threw her entire body. Sooyoung sat down on the bed surprised. It was probably hunger she thought. The night before she was so angry with Kyuhyun that she completely forgot to eat supper.  Sooyoung ran to the kitchen, had a quick bite to eat, which was followed by a long shower. She smirked at the thought of Kyuhyun complaining about the water bill but felt no pity for him. She was just compensating for the ones he hadn’t taken at home. After her shower, Sooyoung put on her yoga pants and tank top or the only outfit in her wardrobe that still fitted her. She put up her hair in a ponytail and decided that she would take advantage of her first day off to clean the house. She started off her cleaning quest by changing the bed sheets. The long legged idol was too engrossed in her task to notice the red stain she had left the on the sheets the night before. She went on, room by room, cleaning everything and forgetting about the world around her. Sooyoung was brought back to reality when she heard the doorbell ring, at around one in the afternoon. She ran downstairs with the hopes that maybe it was Kyuhyun. It was only when she was almost in front of the glass door that she realized the tight and revealing attire she was wearing. She opened the door, letting only her head be seen, while skilfully hiding her abdomen with the rest of her body, in case it wasn’t him.

“Travys,” she said, with her most welcoming smile, trying to hide both her disappointment and surprise. “What are you doing here?”

“The producers told me you were sick and that you wouldn’t be coming in. I just came by to check on you. Can I come in?” he asked.

“Yeah sure,” she answered, thinking quickly on a way to hide her body. “Just come in, but first I need to find a sweater, it’s pretty cold here,” she improvised, opening the door wide and quickly turning around to face the closet.

“Thanks,” he said, coming in and taking his shoes off.

“No worries, she said, looking into the closet for an large piece of clothing. If luck had abandoned her for the last few days, it had found its way back to her and helped her find one of Kyuhyun’s sweaters. Sooyoung quickly put on the sweater and turned around to face Travys. “Here, I’ll take your coat,” she offered, taking away his coat.

“That looks like a pretty big sweater,” teased Travys, trying to make some small talk. “Is that Kyuhyun’s?”

“Yes, you know it’s a couple thing to share clothes,” she explained, trying to sound as casual as possible.

“Does he wear your jeans then?”

“Yes!” she exclaimed, happy to have something to talk about, but quickly realised he wasn’t being serious.  “I mean, no! They…they are a bit too tight for him…especially in the thigh and waist and leg area…Please have a seat,” she said leading him to the living room.

“So how are you Sooyoung?” he asked, sitting on a sofa in front of the one she chose to sit on.  

“Pretty good thanks…I….” Sooyoung stopped, when she saw Travys arch his eyebrow. She suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be on sick leave. “I mean bad…very bad,” she stuttered herself into the lie. “…Uh, you know it’s my time of the month…and I have some cysts growing on my ovaries and it really hurts. They think they might have to operate.”

“I see. That’s why you looked bloated yesterday?”

“Yes! That’s exactly why,” exclaimed Sooyoung, trying to save herself from the hole she had dug herself in. “The abdomen becomes big and bloated and round. It’s really disgusting when you think about it,” she said nodding her way around her lie. Travys looked at Sooyoung and couldn’t decide if she was lying or if she was just flat out embarrassed by her situation. He concluded that she was probably flat out embarrassed at discussing such personal matters, matters that were probably reserved for her husband, Kyuhyun.

“Do you want lunch,” asked Sooyoung, eager to change the subject. “I haven’t had anything since this morning and I am starving!”

“Yeah sure. What ever you make for yourself, I’ll have the same.”

“Great! I’ll call you when it’s ready. Make yourself at home,” she said, before running away to the kitchen. Travys looked at her run away and wondered. Her way of running was different, like she was heavier or just in pain. It was probably just the pain he thought, while grabbing Kyuhyun and Sooyoung’s wedding album. He looked at the prewedding pictures, while Sooyoung made a fuss in the kitchen. Travys had to admit that they did look beautiful together. Both Sooyoung and Kyuhyun had what look to be the same hair shade and were both beautifully dressed in each picture. He was struck at how much they looked in love. He smiled, if she was happy, so should he. His smile faded away when he heard the sound of a crashing pot and Sooyoung grunting.

“Sooyoung, are you okay?” he asked, getting up to bring back a pot that had made its way into the entranceway. “Sooyoung, are you okay,” he repeated, when he saw Sooyoung folded in two, clutching her stomach, as he walked into the kitchen. “Are your cyst hurting you,” he asked,” crouching next to her, bringing a hand closer to her.

“Yeah, don’t worry. The doctor said this kind of pain was normal,” mumbled Sooyoung, trying to understand what was happening to her.

“Sooyoung…I think you should go change your pad or tampon,” said Travys with a blush. “You have blood on your legs.”

“What,” exclaimed Sooyoung, looking down at her legs, which had red streaks of blood on them. “Oh my God, this can’t be happening. This can’t be happening to me,” she repeated, tears falling down her cheeks.

“It’s okay, Sooyoung,” chuckled Travys, trying to comfort her. “I had a girlfriend who always forgot to change her pad and it would overflow and stain her pants. It’s okay, it happens don’t worry.”

“No it doesn’t,” she grunted out, feeling a second wave of pain shake her body. “It’s not normal,” she said, choking back a sob. “I can’t lose it. I already lost Kyuhyun, I can’t lose it also.”

“Sooyoung, what are you talking about?” asked Travys, trying to make sense of what was happening. “You haven’t lost Kyuhyun. What are you losing?”

“Our baby. I am losing our baby,” she breathed out.

“What?” he exclaimed.

“I’m pregnant Travys. I’m sixteen weeks pregnant and I am losing my baby,” she said between two sobs and a third wave of pain. It suddenly all made sense to Travys as he looked down at the wreck that was Sooyoung. The makeup artist was right Sooyoung was pregnant. It all fell into place, the sudden wedding announcement, followed by the quick and private wedding, the radiant skin, and her growing belly. It wasn’t cyst she had it was a baby.

“I’ll take you to the hospital,” he said, getting up and looking for her purse.

“Where is Kyuhyun,” asked Sooyoung, suddenly feeling disoriented because of the pain.

“I don’t know Sooyoung. All I know is that you need medical help. Let’s go,” he said picking her up in his arms.

“No,” she said, trying to push herself away from him. “I’ll stain your car with my blood, with my babies blood.”

“Do you think I care about your blood, Sooyoung? Your life is more important right now. If you are not doing it for you, do it for your baby,” he said, before taking her into his car.

Kyuhyun was sitting at the airport, staring at the carpet, waiting for his flight to depart. He wondered how it would be like to be a carpet. Carpets had it easy, he thought, they just had to be there. No one had any expectations out of a carpet.

“Don’t tell me you’re now thinking of becoming a carpet. Only five minutes ago it was the x-ray machine,” sighed Henry, who was sitting next to him and looking at him like he was a stray dog.

“Don’t judge,” said Kyuhyun, avoiding eye contact.  

“Did you at least send her flowers?” Henry finally asked.

“No,” grumbled Kyuhyun, sending the Canadian next to him scoffing.

“I’ve tried to understand you Koreans, but I can’t. Especially when it comes to love. You know, there is this add in the subway, in Toronto, for the yellow pages, and it’s exactly for you. It says something like, so you screwed up again, well here is a database of 452 florists in the GTA…”

“Henry,” interrupted Kyuhyun.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t care about the adds in Toronto.”

“You should, man. You could learn from the Torontonian yellow pages. By the way, are you going to answer your phone, it’s like the sixth time it rings in like half an hour.”

“I don’t know the number,” Kyuhyun flatly replied. “You pick it up if you’re so eager to know who it is.” Henry rolled his eyes and took the phone from his fellow band member.

“Cho Kyuhyun’s secretary, how may I help you toady?”

“Can I speak to Kyuhyun?” asked a man’s voice.

“Nope. How do I know you are not a crazy fan? He’s married, although he did screw up this time, but still sorry, no can’t do. Better luck next time.”

“I know he screwed up. Let me talk to him,” insisted the man.

“Man you are a good stalker,” exclaimed Henry, impressed at the information sassaeng fans could gather.

“I am not a stalker. I am Travys Kim, let met talk to him.”

“Mmm, don’t know. Sorry man.”

“Look, it’s about Sooyoung. She’s in the hospital, let me talk to the dad.” Henry’s smile became a frown when he heard those last words.

“Oh dude, it looks serious. You might want to take this one,” he said handing the phone over to Kyuhyun. Kyuhyun took his phone and looked at it like it was his first time seeing it.

“Who is it,” he finally asked.

“I don’t know,” replied Henry with a shrug, looking over at the other members who looked just as intrigued.

“Hello,” answered an annoyed Kyuhyun.

“Cho Kyuhyun?” asked the man.

“The one and only, “ he replied.

“It’s Travys Kim, Sooyoung’s co-worker. Look, we are at the hospital…and I think your wife and baby’s life are in danger. You might want to come here as soon as possible.” Kyuhyun’s world suddenly froze when he heard the news. For a moment, he was alone. The noises of the airport had disappeared, his heart skipped several beats and his lungs had forgotten to breath in fresh air. Kyuhyun was processing the information.

“Are you still there,” insisted Travys.

“Yeah I am,” answered Kyuhyun, shaking his head trying to bring himself back to reality, trying to shake off the news and wake himself up.

“We’re at the Gangnam Severance Hospital Be here as soon as possible. She already thinks you left her.”

“I’ll be there as there as soon as I can,” he replied before hanging up.

“Where do you think you are going?” asked his manager.

“Sooyoung…hospital,” were the only words Kyuhyun could offer as an explanation. His manager looked at him gravely, assessing the situation.

“Go, quickly. Take a taxi, you’ll be downtown in less than an hour,” he ordered. “We’ll figure what to do without you.” Kyuhyun mumbled a thank you, gave one last look at s before running towards the exit door, where he hailed a taxi. Kyuhyun had done the trip from the airport to downtown Seoul hundreds of times and they always flashed by in a second, yet this one felt as long as a flight to the other side of the ocean. He tried to urge the driver to go faster but he categorically refused to go faster. After an excruciating ride, the driver dropped him off at the front door of the hospital. Disoriented, nervous, and helpless Kyuhyun looked for an information desk.

“Excuse me,” he said, looking up to the young receptionist. “I am looking for my wife, I believe she was admitted here, not too long ago.”

“I know where she is,” said a man, pulling Kyuhyun away.

“Who are you?” grunted Kyuhyun, trying to free his arm for the man’s grip.

“Travys,” he answered, pulling him into an elevator, where he let go of his arm.

“That was uncalled for,” Kyuhyun groaned, rubbing his arm.

“Tell that to your wife and dead kid,” retorted Travys, getting off the elevator, hands in his pockets. The pain in Kyuhyun’s’ arm was suddenly gone and he felt a surge of anger take over his body. As soon as he was out of the elevator, he grabbed Travys by to collar and pushed him against the nearest wall. Travys at first surprised managed to keep his calm and smirked.

“You’re just a coward, Cho.”

“Who told you my child was gone,” spitted out Kyuhyun. “Who?” he repeated, raising his voice and looking straight into his opponent’s eyes.

“Nobody, but judging by the trail of blood Sooyoung left all over my car, I wouldn’t be surprised.” Kyuhyun didn’t register what was being told to him, anger and fear were taking over his body and it would only come out of him in the form of violence.

“What were you doing with her?”

“What you weren’t, Cho. I was checking up on her, making sure she was okay. You call yourself a husband and a father, but you are nothing of that,” snickered Travys, trying to free himself for Kyuhyun’s strong grip. “If you truly love someone, you don’t go into hiding.”

“What are you insinuating? Do you love her?” asked Kyuhyun boldly. The two men starred at each other with defiance. Even if Kyuhyun had the upper hand physically, he feared Travys was winning psychologically.

“I do,” answered Travys, looking for a sign of reaction from Kyuhyun. The revelation came to Kyuhyun like a kick in the guts, but he didn’t let Travys see it. Instead, he strengthened his grip on Travys’ collar.

“You stay away from my family. Understood? I don’t want you near Sooyoung or our kid.”

“What family? You lost it all,” Travys sneered. “And when this is over, Sooyoung will be mine.” No longer capable of containing his anger, Kyuhyun put his fist in the air, to deliver the one punch that would make his opponent shut up, but before he could produce the punch, a delicate hand grabbed on to his arm and stopped him. 

“Kyuhyun, that’s enough,” ordered Seohyun. 

“Seohyun? What are you doing here?” he asked, looking over at her, confusion written all over his face. When Seohyun was sure that Kyuhyun wouldn’t hit anyone, she took her hand off him and answered.

“I came looking for you. He told us he went down to get you, but the two of you never came back. Now I know why. Come on, let’s go,” she said, pulling him by the arm gently.

“So what is this?” smirked Travys. “Is this with who you have spent your last six nights? This Seokyu thing is real after all, isn’t it? Why are you so greedy Cho? Why keep a wife and a mistress?” Kyuhyun bit his lip in anger, trying his best not to deliver the undelivered punch.   Seohyun straighten her back, trying to get back her dignity.

“No he hasn’t,” she said getting closer to Travys. “My boyfriend has confirmed that he has spent the last six nights at the dorm. Now, don’t make me regret not letting him punch you.” Seohyun gave him on last angry look and walked away, pulling Kyuhyun with her.

“ Why did you lie for me?”

“I don’t know,” answered Seohyun. “Because I don’t like him and the way he is getting between you and Sooyoung. And I don’t want you getting into trouble at a time like this.”

“Is it that bad?” asked Kyuhyun, feeling the adrenaline leave his body and make place to fatigue and despair.

“I don’t know,” sighed Seohyun, walking faster. “She won’t talk and the doctors refuse to say anything until you know.”

“Know what,” breathed out Kyuhyun, feeling like he was drowning and gasping for air.

“I don’t know,” she answered one last time, stopping in front of a bedroom. “She’s in there. Sunny and Taeyeon are with her. We were the only ones who could free ourselves to come over here.”

“Thank you, Seo,” he said, giving her one last glance before going in.

“Just take care of her. I mean them,” she said, correcting herself. If there still was a them, thought Kyuhyun going into the room. When he got in, he found Sunny and Taeyeon inside, just like Seohyun had told him. The two girls looked up at him as he made his way to Sooyoung’s bed. She was pale and was looking towards the window. Her face was emotionless, but her eyes were swollen. She had been crying and so had the other two girls. Taeyeon passed next to him, without offering him a single look, but Sunny did and it was one full of anger and sadness.

“You do anything to hurt her and I will grind your body until no one can recognize you. And don’t worry I’ll find a grinder big enough to put you in alive.” Kyuhyun bit his lip for a second time that afternoon and watched the usually cheerful Sunny exit the room. He then turned his gaze back to Sooyoung, who was no longer staring at the window, but at him.

“How are you?” was the only thing that he managed to say, after a long moment of silence. Sooyoung turned her head towards the window again and didn’t answer. Silence had taken over the room. Kyuhyun awkwardly took the seat that Taeyeon was sitting on moments ago, on the left side of Sooyoung.

“How are you?” he repeated, with a stutter, anticipating the worst.

“Like you care,” she mumbled, still staring at the skyline of Seoul.

“Please, Baby. I do, I do care about you. About our baby,” pressed Kyuhyun, still trying to meet her gaze. Kyuhyun reached for her left hand and took it into his hands, trying to provide some comfort to Sooyoung, but he was the one in need of comfort when he felt her ring finger .

“Sooyoung. Why aren’t you wearing you wedding rings?” he asked, his voice trembling.

“They felt heavy,” she flatly answered. “They’re on the night table.” Kyuhyun looked over at the night table and found both the solitaire and the wedding band laying on it.  He took them gently in his fingers and looked at them. On the inside of the solitaire was engraved the first syllable of his name, Kyu, and on the band, the date of their wedding. A sad smile appeared on his face, after he took off his wedding band and read in it young and their wedding date also. When Kyuhyun looked up, after placing his wedding band back on, he finally met Sooyoung’s gaze. He carefully took her rings between his fingers and tried to slide them back in onto her finger, but she quickly closed her hand into a fist.

“Please, Sooyoung,” pleaded Kyuhyun “I’ve messed up. I screwed up. I am so sorry. I got scared. I got scared that I wouldn’t be able to be a good dad, a good husband. Clearly I was right, but please give me a second chance. Please tell me our baby is okay.” Sooyoung kept looking at him and offered him a single tear as an answer.

“Oh God,” breathed out Kyuhyun, finally allowing his tears to fall freely. Less than twelve hours before he had made the resolution to be a good dad and now it was of no use. He heard about the pains of losing a child, but he never thought he’d get so attached to it so fast. It only seemed like moments ago he learned Sooyoung was pregnant and now it was all gone. His family was gone, his future was gone and he now felt empty. He rested his head and hand on Sooyoung’s belly to bade farewell to the child he’d never get to know. He was finally being punished for his actions. Kyuhyun was in the midst of a prayer when he felt a fluttering movement under his hand. His eyes widened at the sudden sensation he was feeling.

“Sooyoung, what happened? How is that possible? It’s moving,” he said stuttering, staying in the same position to make sure he wasn’t imagining it.

“Of course it’s moving. It’s been moving for the past week,” she answered, flicking his head.

“You mean, it’s not dead?” asked Kyuhyun, looking up at her.

“It almost died, but it didn’t,” explained Sooyoung and then frowned. “Who told you it was dead?”

“Nothing, no one. I just assumed it, since you weren’t talking,” said Kyuhyun, deciding to spare her his encounter with Travys.

“Well it almost did die and that’s because of you and that’s why I didn’t really want to talk to you. I still don’t want to,” she exclaimed.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“Sorry is not enough Kyuhyun,” she retorted. “Don’t you know that the last two weeks have been for me? Do you even know what yesterday was for me?”

“Wednesday?” answered Kyuhyun, trying to crack a joke, but only won an outraged look from Sooyoung.

“Sorry…that was an inside joke with myself,” he mumbled, looking away.

“And with me,” interrupted Lee Sooman. “Cinderella, I need to talk to you,” he said pulling him away. “Seohyun, stay with Sooyoung.” Sooyoung looked at her husband being pulled away and offered an inquisitive look at Seohyun, who shook her head apologetically.

“I don’t know. I am sorry,” she murmured, taking a seat on Sooyoung’s right side. “Is my niece or nephew okay?”

“Yes, don’t worry. I am too good of a mother to lose it,” she teased, trying to make her maknae smile.

“Eonnie?”

“Yes, Seo?”

“I am sorry about the Seokyu rumours. I know the hurts you,” she mumbled, resting her forehead on the edge of the bed.

“Hey! Joohyun-ah, don’t say that.”

“I have to. I know we all say that we are all like sisters, but you really feel like one. I never had an older sister to look up to, to please, to laugh with. I know you have Soojin, but I feel like you’re really family and I would hate myself if my older sister would be upset because of me.” Sooyoung took Seohyun’s hand in hers and pressed it tightly.

“You also feel like real family Seo Joohyun.”

While Sooyoung was spending time bonding with Seohyun, Kyuhyun was pinned against a wall, with his boss holding him by the collar.

“Is this how you were holding him?” he asked.

“Yeah,” grunted Kyuhyun, trying to free himself.

“Cho Kyuhyun, when I told you yesterday to stop crying, I did no mean that you should become a thug. Why did you do it?”

“He said he loved her,” said Kyuhyun, defending himself, still feeling bitter after his confrontation with Travys. 

“And you tried to kiss Victoria. I think you and Sooyoung are maybe even now, with Sooyoung still winning. So why don’t you go and apologize to him, because for all we know that love might have saved your wife and baby’s life.”

“Apologize to him? No way,” scoffed Kyuhyun, who had too much pride in him.

“Look Kyuhyun, I have no idea how you impregnated Sooyoung, because you need to grow a pair and stop acting like a five year old kid. Now go,” he said, releasing him. Kyuhyun didn’t wait a second to run away from the older man’s grip and found refuge in Sooyoung’s bedroom, where she and Seohyun were in what looked like an important discussion.

“Sooyoung Eonnie and I found a way for you to make up for your absence,” announced Seohyun proudly.

“Really? What?” asked Kyuhyun.   

“Wear that y cowboy outfit you had for the No Other promotion and dance a few songs for me in it,” declared Sooyoung.

“When?”

“By the end of the day?” suggested Seohyun.

“But, that gives me only a few hours,” retorted Kyuhyun, trying to figure out where that custom had gone and if the company still had it. “Seo, you’ll help, right?”

“Sorry brother, I need to get back to the studio. Eonnie, I’ll call you later,” said Seohyun, while leaving the room. Kyuhyun looked at Sooyoung in the hopes that she would change her mind.

“Better hurry up, cowboy.”

“Can’t I just strip?”

“You may if you want to, but after my dances,” replied Sooyoung, enjoying every second of her torturing the evil maknae.   

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A/N: Happy New Year my lovelies! I wish you all the best in this new year! Anyways, here is your update~ As always, thank you to all the new and old subscribers! Hope you liked it! Dx