“Why am I not pregnant yet?” I threw the negative pregnancy test on the ground three weeks later. It was the day before Jimin’s twenty-sixth birthday and I had hoped to surprise him with a positive pregnancy test. “My gynecologist said everything was fine and I’m excessively fertile. So, why aren’t I pregnant?”

“I don’t know, sunshine.” Sul said over the phone. “Sometimes the second baby is harder. Have you guys been having on the right days?”

I sighed. “Jimin is so busy. We have , but it’s not like I use an app on my phone to figure out the precise moment. Plus, with Haru around, it’s hard to get a moment alone.”

Sul murmured in sympathy. “I understand. When Daniel and I were trying to have Seol Ri, we could never get Jack-Jack out of our hair. We had to hire a babysitter and sneak off to a hotel like we were having an affair or something. It was kind of fun and exciting, actually.”

I laughed. “Your babies are so cute. You think Jackson and Haru could get married?”

“Ha. I don’t think my sweet baby boy could handle the sass of baby sunshine. Maybe your next baby will be precious like Jimin. They can get married.”

“It’s a deal. I’m gonna hold you to it, Sul.” I giggled.

“Lemme know when you get pregnant!” Sul said before hanging up.

I groaned and put my phone back in my pocket. “Am I ever gonna get pregnant?”

“What’d you say, baby?” Jimin suddenly appeared in front of me.

“Nothing. I was on the phone.” I smiled up at him. He grinned back and kissed me. I melted into this kiss, twining my fingers through his hair. He hummed contentedly and pulled back to rest his forehead against mine.

“I love you.” Jimin bit his lip and stared down at me.

“It’s your birthday tomorrow.” I whispered, looking up into his eyes.

“I know. You gonna break up with me again?”

I smacked his shoulder. “Jimin! That was five years ago. Let it go.”

He grinned. “Nah, it’s fun. I get to hold it over your head every year and you get me the best presents. What’s my present this year?”

I sighed sadly. “I don’t have anything picked out yet. I had thought of something, but it didn’t work out.”

“What was it?” Jimin’s curiosity was piqued.

“I can’t tell you. Maybe I’ll use it for another occasion.”

“Little devil.” He smiled down at me affectionately. “You better get a move on. My birthday’s in four hours.”

“Your first present can be me!” I grinned at him.

He snorted. “You little freak.”

We spent the cuddled up on the couch, Yukon on the floor. He snuffled at me occasionally, so I patted his head and scratched underneath his chin.

“What should we watch?” Jimin asked, lazily carding his fingers through my hair.

“You pick. I don’t care. I just want to snuggle.”

“You know, you’re much sweeter after becoming a mother.”

“All those baby hormones ed me up. I’m too nurturing now.” I laughed.

Jimin turned his head and whispered in my ear, soft lips caressing my earlobe. “You’re perfect. You’ve always been perfect.”

“You think so?” I closed my eyes as he kissed my temple. He hummed against my skin.

“I’ve always thought so. From the moment I laid eyes on you.”

“I thought the sheen would have worn off after three years of marriage.”

“Your sheen could never wear off.” Jimin murmured. He ceased kissing me and slung an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s watch Teen Titans Go!”

“Yes!” I cried, very pleased with this choice. “This show is so ing cute.”

“I’m sad Haru doesn’t like it. It would make her half an hour of television much more bearable.”

Jimin an episode and we watched, throwing in our own commentary.

“Robin is so annoying sometimes.” I grumbled.

“Who’s your favorite?” Jimin asked.

“Beast Boy!” I cried excitedly. “I love how he says ‘Mama’ all the time.”

“Yeah, he’s cute. I like Raven.”

“Really? I thought you’d be more of a Starfire fan.”

“Raven’s crabby and evil on the outside but sweet and totally head over heels for Beast Boy on the inside. Just like you.” He pulled my cheek.

“Boy, you’re not Beast Boy.”

“I call you mama.”

“I am a mama."

"And I’m charming and a little hyper.”

“You don’t live in a room full of hot garbage.” I laughed.

“And you’re not half demon.” Jimin tickled me. “Well, maybe you are.”

I shrieked. “Jimin! Don’t tickle me!”

“Hey, mama. Don’t be too loud or you’ll wake up Haru.” Jimin straddled me and tickled relentlessly.

“Don’t! ing tickle me!” I thought about kneeing him in the crotch, but I didn’t want to endanger the chances of getting any future children out of him.

“I love you. Love you, love you, love you.” Jimin pecked my cheeks as he tickled me.

“ing…hate you.” I panted. He finally let up. I caught my breath as he kissed all over my face.

“Mmm, I love you baby girl.” He sighed.

“Why are you always tickling me?” I pinched his cheeks. “Why must you torture me?”

“Because your giggle is just too cute.” Jimin smiled winningly.

I took his hands and intertwined his fingers with mine. “Your baby hands are too lethal.”

“I don’t have baby hands.” He whined. “They’re just small.”

“Baby hands.” I teased. “Baby, baby hands.”

“Hey.” Jimin narrowed his eyes at me. “These hands have done a lot of good things for you. I don’t hear you complaining about them when we’re in bed.”

I gasped and he took the opportunity to kiss me.

“You’re a freak.” I murmured affectionately when he pulled away.

“Yeah. Yeah, you made me this way. All your freakish tendencies rubbed off on me.” Jimin took my face in his baby hands. “Wanna make out?”

I batted my eyelashes coquettishly at him. “Nah. I wanna wrestle.”

“Wrestle?”

“Yeah. Whoever loses has to get Haru in the morning.”

Jimin shook his head. “It’s my birthday tomorrow morning. I fully expect scrambled eggs for breakfast.”

“I already bought you breakfast from Panera. It’s in the fridge.”

“Oh, wow, baby. You’re really going all out.”

I tapped his nose. “Of course. Only the best for you.”

Jimin beamed. “Alright. So…loser has to clean the bathroom.”

“Again? That’s always your punishment.”

“I really hate cleaning the bathroom.” He wrinkled his nose. “It reminds me of that time we filmed American Hustle Life and I had to clean it with Namjoon. Very unpleasant memories. He wouldn’t shut up.”

“He never shuts up.” I laughed. “Alright, loser has to get Haru dressed in the morning for a week.”

Jimin groaned and dropped his head onto my shoulder. “I can’t do that. I can barely survive doing it on an every other day basis. She just screams in your ear so loudly. ‘No, Daddy, no! I don’t want to get dwessed. Noooo!’”

“I don’t even know how her voice can reach such a high decibel.” I added ruefully.

“I’m not gonna lose, baby girl. Look forward to that six a.m. screeching and hair-pulling.”

“Don’t think I’m gonna let you win just because it’s your birthday in two hours.” I cracked my knuckles and pushed Jimin flat on his back on the couch.

“I’m bigger than you and stronger than you. This is a piece of cake.” Jimin smirked below me. He easily overpowered me and caught both my wrists in his hand.

“That’s cheating!” I struggled underneath him, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

“It isn’t.” Jimin stuck his tongue out at me. I reached up and bit it. “Ouch! Baby, what the are you doing?”

“Not cheating.” I smiled at him.

“There’s no biting in wrestling.” Jimin let go of my wrists and patted his tongue. “My tongue really hurts.”

“Good.” I shoved him off of me and sat in his lap. “Does this mean I win?”

“Let’s foot wrestle instead.” He scowled at me.

We both laid down on our back on the couch, lining our feet up against each other’s.

“Remember, if you stop touching either of my feet at any time, you lose.” Jimin reminded me.

“I know how to foot wrestle.” I snapped.

Jimin unexpectedly pushed against my feet. We engaged in a battle of strength. I started to get tired, but I had the advantage. Jimin had sweaty feet; he’d soon slip and slide and I’d be the victor.

“Agh!” His foot slipped and smacked me in the nose. “Jimin! That was on purpose!”

He sat up immediately and pulled my hands away from my nose so he could inspect it. “No, no. It was an accident, I swear, baby. Is your nose okay?”

“No, it’s not, you big lug.” I glared at him.

Jimin placed a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose.

“Now is it better?”

“I’m not Haru. Kissing my boo-boos isn’t going to make me feel better.”

“What about if I kiss your mouth instead?” Jimin cocked his head and smiled.

“Don’t be cheeky.” I pushed him away. I stood and started to walk away.

“Where are you going?” Jimin called after me.

“Shut up! You’re going to wake up Haru!” I hissed. “And I’m washing my face. I’ve got your dirty feet sweat on my nose.”

He followed after me and sat on the toilet while I pinned up my bangs.

“You know, I don’t even know what you look like without bangs. You’ve had them all the time I’ve known you.” Jimin regarded me thoughtfully.

“I look ugly without bangs. They make my face look cute. Without them I just look like an unfashionable old lady. Even when I was younger.”

“I find that hard to believe.” He blew his nose into a piece of toilet paper. I yelped as he bumped into me on the way to the trashcan.

“Augh, Jimin. Seriously, our bathroom is too small for you to be lumbering around like a grizzly bear.”

“Shh.” He waved me off. “What’s this in the trash?” He held up the negative pregnancy test for me to see.

I was silent for a moment. Jimin met my eyes, but I turned back to the sink.

“Exactly what it looks like.”’

I heard him drop it back into the trash and then his strong arms wrapped around my waist. He rested his chin on my shoulder.

“Don’t be sad.” Jimin whispered, kissing my cheek. “Hmm? Don’t be so sad.”

I sniffled, annoyed that he could see right through me. I’d bewildered him for so much of our relationship, but now Jimin knew me like the back of his hand.

“We just started trying. I certainly didn’t expect you to get pregnant right away.”

“I did with Haru.” I whispered. Jimin met my eyes in the mirror.

“What are you worried about?”

“That all my eggs have shriveled up and we’ll never have another baby.” I swiped the back of my hand across my eyes. “And I wanted to surprise you for your birthday.”

“Surprise me for Christmas.” Jimin suggested, kissing down my neck. “Or New Year’s. Or Lunar New Year. Or any holiday. Baby, this kind of thing could turn even the most regular day into a holiday. Don’t put pressure on yourself.”

“Okay.” I shrugged him off and continued with washing my face, trying to get a hold of my feelings. Jimin sat back down on the toilet and ran his hand down my thigh.

“Any time that this baby comes will be the perfect time. Plus, it’s not just you making a baby, it’s me, too. So don’t stress. We’re in this together, okay?”

I dried my face on the towel he handed me. “Okay.”

“I love you.” Jimin whispered tenderly.

“I love you, too.” I whispered back.

Jimin held my hand as we lay in bed. He liked falling asleep like this. I didn’t particularly care for it all of the time, because my hands would sweat, but it was nice tonight.

“Happy birthday, my beautiful boy.” I whispered, kissing his cheek.

“Thanks.” He mumbled, mostly asleep.

“I love you.”

“Me, too.” His eyes fluttered open for a brief second.

I watched him sleep, feeling very lucky that he was mine.