Baby Steps: Chapter One

Setting: California, USA , August 1998

It was a beautiful morning in sunny California. With the birds chirping, and the sun shining brightly, this was one of the perfect mornings to stay in bed and cuddle.

“Good morning baby!” a young, beautiful lady by the name of Tiffany Hwang jumped on the bed, nearly crushing the bones of her boyfriend, Choi Siwon.

“Wake up! Wake up! We’re going to graduate today!” Tiffany continued jumping on his bed, repeating the same words over and over again. Groaning at the sight of his girlfriend disturbing his girlfriend early in the morning, waking him up from his sleep, he pulled the sheets over his head, and clutched his pillow tighter.

“Tiffbabe, it’s a Friday morning for Pete’s sake, why do I have to get out of bed so early? Graduation’s at six in the evening…” he complained like a five-year old. Tiffany stopped jumping and sat on the bed, next to her prince.. charming?

“Wonnie-ah. Come here.” Tiffany ran her fingers through his jet-black hair. Siwon got up from his fixed position and layed on Tiffany’s lap as his pillow. As usual, he slept with only his boxers on, which Tiffany found attractive.

“Good morning Choi Sleepy.” Tiffany chuckled and gave him a peck on the lips.

“We were supposed to spend the day together, babe. But it doesn’t look like we’re getting anywhere today, if, you know, you spend all day here.” Tiffany teased and slapped his chest.

“Ow, babe! That hurts, alright? I don’t want to wake up yet, can’t we just spend all day cuddling here?” Siwon whined.

“Yah, we’re going to graduate tonight, I want to do something special because it’s our last day as students there, Siwon.”

- - -

A Month Later, September 1998

Tiffany stumbled out of bed and made her way to the restroom. She’s been feeling strange the whole week already, and her period was late. As she shut the door, vomiting noises were heard from inside.

After all that, Tiffany remembered something, she had her first that night, and immediately bolted to the cabinet and dug out a PT.

The results came out as positive.

She’s pregnant.

With Siwon’s baby.

Tiffany sat on the edge of the bathtub, tears flowing out of her eyes. She didn’t know what to do. She made plans to return home to Korea with Siwon and finally get married. But she’s pregnant. What will her parents say? What will his parents say? What will he say? How will she explain this?

The questions kept flooding her mind, and the tears kept flowing uncontrollably out of her eyes.

“Siwon has the right to know about you, he’s your father..” Tiffany wiped her tears away and smiled at the life forming inside her belly.

She disposed the PT and exited the restroom. She sat on her bed, with her hands clutching her phone. She has to tell Siwon about it, whether she likes it or not, because it was a huge situation, and she can’t handle the situation herself. Pushing the negative thoughts aside, Tiffany dialed Siwon’s number with trembling hands, a weak heart, and tears ready to burst out any second.

“Hi baby, why are you—”

“Siwon, I’m pregnant.” Tiffany’s heartbeat was faster than usual. There was silence. Nobody dared to speak a single word.

“I-I found out this morning..” Tiffany broke the silence between them.

“Are you sure that’s mine, Tiffany?” Siwon asked, in panic.

“So are you saying I had my first time with someone else?! Siwon, it’s yours. Face the truth. You’re not the one who has to carry this baby for nine months.” Tiffany reasoned.

“N-no, of course not, but Tiffany, we can’t keep the baby. We have to get rid of it before it grows older.”

“We are not getting rid of our baby. Whether you like it or not, you intoxicated me with you, and now, there’s a life inside of me, Siwon. We are keeping this baby. Your baby. My baby. Our baby.”

“We can’t keep the baby, Tiffany. You should get an abortion.” Siwon reprimanded. He was not ready to be a father, and he knows that it’ll stop the both of them from reaching their goals and dreams.

“Siwon! I am not going to abort our baby, okay?! How dare you say that about someone, especially if it’s your own child! You haven’t even given him or her a chance in life yet, and you want me to abort our child. Don’t ever say that again!” Tiffany’s tears broke loose as she yelled at Siwon over the phone.

“Tiffany.. I-I didn’t mean it that way, I.. I don’t know what to do.” Siwon felt guilty of what he said.

“Siwon.. please.. I need you.. our baby needs you..” Tiffany pleaded over the phone.

“Tiffany, move in with me. W-we can stay here until our baby is born. But we can’t let anyone know, okay?”

“T-then what about our baby..?”

“We’ll find a way. Trust me on this.”

- - -

Lee Donghae was an orphan since age 10. He lost his parents due to a traumatic car accident, but that didn’t bring him down. He inherited his father’s company, and is one of the top ten wealthiest business owners in America.

Siwon and Donghae met when they were enrolled into the same high school together. They were the only Korean-American boys in the class, and clicked like that. Since then, Siwon and Donghae we’re like brothers from another mother.

They both vowed to each other that they’ll be best bros for life, and that they’ll both help each other no matter what situation they were, even if it was tough.

“Hae.” Siwon met up with Donghae to tell him about their child.

“Hey bro. Long time no see. How’s it with Tiffany?”

“I.. got her pregnant, hyung. I don’t know what to do.”

“YOU WHAT?!” Donghae spit out his coffee and slammed the table at the café.

- - -

In May of the year 1999, a baby girl named Soojin was born into the world. She was around six pounds, and was welcomed by a whole bunch of her parents’ friends.

“Oppa, she’s our baby girl..” Tiffany shed tears of joy as she held baby Soojin in her arms for the first time. Siwon sat on the bed and held Tiffany and their newborn baby, Soojin in his arms. This was the start of a new life, and Siwon knew in his heart that he was now yet ready to become a father.

“She’s beautiful, Tiffany.” Siwon pushed the thought aside and cherished the sight his family.

- - -

Three weeks after Soojin was born, Siwon thought it’d be a good time to return to Korea, and live there permanently.

“Tiffany, we can’t bring Soojin to Korea with us.”

“What?! Why not?!”

“Because mom and dad will freak.”

“Siwon, I’m not putting Soojin into the foster care system. I don’t want to make our child do that, and grow up.. without her biological parents. We have to bring her with us. What other plan do you have?” Tiffany asked.

“We let her stay with Donghae. I promise you, we’ll visit every Christmas and on her birthday. Every single year, okay? So we won’t miss out on her childhood, okay? I know this is hard for you. It’s hard for me too.” Siwon’s eyes were getting teary, but he gave Tiffany a tight hug to reassure her that everything’s okay.

“We’ll tell them when it’s the right time, Tiffany. Don’t worry, baby.” Siwon spoke again.

- - -

June 1999

“I told you we should’ve brought Soojin here with us! What if we don’t tell mom and dad? What if Soojin isn’t okay? What if something happens to her?!” Tiffany blew up as soon as they got into their car.

“Tiffany, listen to me, okay? Jess and Hae have it under control, nothing’s going to happen to her!”

“Siwon, we should’ve brought her here with us. She’s our child, for God’s sake, why are we hiding the fact that we have a child from our own parents?! I mean, I don’t understand completely why you would leave our child across the globe for our friends to take care of!” Tiffany yelled again.

“Tiffany, you don’t understand, I have reasons for what I did!” Siwon was angry and stepped on the pedal faster.

BOOM.

- - -

May 2005, California, USA

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Soojin, happy birthday to you!!” everyone sang to Soojin at her 6^th birthday party.

“Soojinnie, make a wish!” Donghae shouted over the loud noise at the party. Like every year, Soojin clasped her hands together, and wished for the same thing she wished for.

“I wish I can meet Mommy.”

Soojin blew out the candles and smiled for all the pictures that people were taking. As the birthday girl, she was supposed to receive a slice of cake first, but being the polite young girl she was, she handed it out to others before she was eating.

“What’s wrong, baby?” Donghae came into the house to get some more napkins, but he saw Soojin sitting alone on the dinner table.

“Daddy Donghae, where’s my Mommy?” the six year old asked with red eyes.

“You’ll get to meet your mom soon, okay? Now, don’t worry about that, okay baby? Go and have fun, after all, you’ll only be 6 years old for a year? Okay?” Donghae ushered Soojin outside to have fun with her friends.

He went into the kitchen and took out a photo book. He looked through it, looking at the happy family, Siwon, Tiffany, and Soojin.

“Hi baby, what’s wrong?” Jessica, Donghae’s lovely girlfriend came from behind and back-hugged him. Jessica was informed about Siwon and Tiffany, since she had also been their friends way back.

“Thinking about them again?” Jessica asked. She, too was hurt, along with Donghae, that Siwon can’t accept the fact that he has a child.

“Soojin asked when she’ll meet her mom again. I swear, she asked that question about a million times already. I’m getting worried, Sicababe.”

“I know, Hae oppa. It’s tough on all of them. But Steph doesn’t even know she has a child anymore.”

“I’m so sorry, Jessi.”

“We’ll get through this, okay? And we’ll do anything for them, right?” Jessica hugged him, and he returned the favor.

“Can you go watch the kids? I have to bring out extra napkins, hun.” Donghae whispered to Jessica.

“Haha, you’re funny. Okay baby. See you out there.” Jessica kissed him on the lips and walked into the yard.

Donghae took out his cellphone and dialed Siwon’s number.

“Siwon, when will you tell Tiffany and your parents? It’s been six years, how much longer are you going to wait?” Donghae asked.

“Hyung. I’m not ready..”

“You have to tell them soon.”

FLASHBACK, June 1999

The car from the opposite direction slammed directly into Siwon’s car. The two of them were knocked unconscious, and one of them was hurt badly. A bystander dialed 911, and soon, ambulances and fire trucks raced in from all directions.

Siwon woke up on a hospital bed, with only cuts, scratches, and bruises, nothing serious.

“Mr. Choi?” the doctor walked in with a clipboard.

“Yes, that’s me. Please tell me where Tiffany Hwang is, she’s my, she’s my girlfriend!” Siwon panicked.

“If you wish.”

The duo walked down the halls of the hospital, until that arrived at Tiffany’s room.

“I’m sorry to inform you, Mr. Choi, but Ms. Hwang has severe amnesia right now. We have done tests on her, and she is fine, but the accident caused her to lose her memory. Please do not pressure her and let her rest well. Also, do not mention things from the past, like memories that would be hard for her to remember. That is all. She may be release tomorrow morning.” The doctor informed Siwon on Tiffany’s state and walked away.

- - -

Five Years Later, January 2003

Since the accident, Siwon has been carefully looking over Tiffany and helping her relive her memories. He took her to the Griffith Observatory on their fourth anniversary as a couple, and proposed to her when the sun rose.

“Will you marry me, Tiffany Hwang?”

In mid-July, they were wedded legally as husband and wife, but Tiffany, still, was not aware that she has a daughter.

- - -

A/N: And that, ladies and gentlemen, brings you to the end of chapter one. (: