GA IN 

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2019.

“I have something to tell you,” I say, voice but a nervous squeak, “Something I should have told you before.”

Kwon slithers up to me in bed, snuggling right up to me. Freshly showered, he smells really good. Really, really good. I his hair. Of course I know what he wants. I want it too. I wonder why am I even destroying the mood. The probability of this actually mattering is so negligible—almost laughable. In the off chance that it does however…

“I’m listening.” I wonder if his voice will still be this loving after I drop my bomb.

“Can you promise not to storm out of the room first?” Apprehensive. As much as I know Kwonnie, I don’t know how he’s going to react to this.

“Have I ever stormed on you before?” Kwonnie chuckles at the notion that he seems to believe is silly. I’m not so sure.

“Promise me.”

“Okay, I promise.” We hook pinkies. Kwon smiles reassuringly.

I swallow, “I should have told you before. I didn’t though. Part of me thinks that this is insignificant and shouldn’t matter. The other part is scared. Scared that you’ll be angry with me because I should have told you a long time ago. I should have told you when you proposed. But I couldn’t. ‘Cause I wanted you to marry me regardless. I was selfish.” I can’t let him slip away just like that. Ever since I got together with him, I’ve always dreamt of being his wife, having children and living happily ever after. I don’t know—can’t—live without him anymore.

Kwonnie wraps me in his arms, pulling me close to him, “I would have married you regardless, Ga In-ah. No matter what.”

“Really?”

“Of course! How can you even think otherwise?” He’s hurt. 

“Okay, I am a Thalassemia minor. There, I said it. Now you know. You can forget that I ever said, since you probably don’t know what Thalassemia is in the first place.” I grunt, relieved and satisfied. Now I’m free to want Kwonnie. I want Kwonnie. Now. I meet his lips hungrily. And touch him all over his chest, uncaring if it’s making me look desperate. I am desperate.

Ever so gently, he pulls away. I whimper, disappointed, “I know what it is.”

“How?” I’m puzzled. No one ever knows what Thalassemia is. That’s just how rare it is.

“Don’t storm out on me,” Kwonnie’s eyes are imploring. That would be way too much of a coincidence. No. Please, no.

 “I have it too,” so soft I nearly don’t hear it.

“What?” No.

Kwonnie visibly steels himself, “I am a minor.”

“You’re kidding me right?” Seriously, what are the chances? It in itself is rare enough. That Kwonnie also has it?

Please no, “I wish I was.”

“Damn.”

Intensely uncomfortable silence.

“Ga In-ah,” I look straight into his eyes, “I’m very sorry. I really am. I should have told you beforehand. But I didn’t. It didn’t even cross my mind, since it’s supposed to be inconsequential.”

“Supposed to be,” I mumble, appalled at our luck.

“I want you to be mine anyway.”

“Even when it comes down to this?” Kwonnie’s the one who loves children. He’s the one who really really wants children. He’s the one who fawns unendingly over everyone else’s babies.

“Even if I had known, it wouldn’t change anything.”

My hand drifts to caress his face, “You know what this means right?”

“Yes,” Kwonnie squeaks as he gathers me in his arms and hugs me. That’s all I need to know. I allow myself to relax in his embrace.

I need to sleep it off. This is all too much to take in. Never have I imagined spending my first night with Kwonnie like that. It is fortunate that for some reason, Kwonnie hadn’t bothered actually planning a ho