Disclaimer: I don’t own DotS.

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Week 4: Breaking the news.

“Ah, chuwo.”

Mo Yeon grabs a hold of Si Jin’s hand and scuttles closer to him, shivering slightly as the cold breeze coming from the sea manages to pass through the many layers of the thick clothing she is wearing. Spring in Jeju-do is lovely with its fields of newly blossoming flowers, but at night, especially at Hyeopjae beach where Mo Yeon and Si Jin are staying for their honeymoon, the air can get a little bit too chilly for it to be within the comfortable range. Si Jin looks at their joined hands and brings them to his mouth, blowing warm air into Mo Yeon’s palm before enclosing it within his hands, hoping it can provide some sort of insulation to her freezing hands. “Is it working?”

Mo Yeon nods slowly, burying her face into Si Jin’s arm as the man takes their hands into the pocket of his black coat. “Oh. It’s warm now.”

Si Jin chuckles at his wife, his heart doing somersaults at the fact that he is finally able to call her as one, and tightens his grip on her hand. “Dang-yeonhaji. It’s because my heart is warm, don’t you know that?”

Mo Yeon blinks. “My hand is now warm because your heart is warm? How does that make any sense? It should be due to heat transfer and conduction—“

Si Jin cuts her off by shaking his head. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, this yeoja. Must you always be so logical? Don’t you have any romantic bone in your body?” He pokes her forehead, grinning when he sees her scowling (so cute, his mind whispers) at him, “It’s because you hold my heart in the palm of your hands. And since my heart is warm, of course your hand will be warm too.”

Mo Yeon huffs, although inside she is secretly squealing at Si Jin’s words. “Tch. My nampyeon is so smooth. How am I supposed to know that you are not secretly a playboy?”

Si Jin nods. “Well, I am your playboy.”

Mo Yeon rolls her eyes. “A playboy is not suited to become a—“

Mo Yeon bites down on her tongue, stopping herself from finishing her sentence, and berates at her own carelessness for almost spilling the beans. Not good. She tends to unconsciously blab about what’s on her mind when she is flustered. She glances nervously at her still-smiling husband, who is oblivious to the internal conflict brewing within her. But well…it’s about time. Should I tell him…about that?

The crunching of their boots against the white sand fills in the silence for a few minutes before Mo Yeon tugs at Si Jin’s coat and clears . “Geuge…you know…”

Si Jin raises his brow. “What is it?”

“Ehm, you know how I fainted at the hospital not too long ago?” Mo Yeon smiles sheepishly, avoiding eye contact with Si Jin whose brows immediately furrow and smile disappears within the second she mentions the incident, “Actually…about that…”

“What is it? Are you sick again? Do you feel faint, right now?” Si Jin suddenly stops in his track and Mo Yeon almost stumbles if not for Si Jin who is now holding her arms gently and looking down at her with a worried expression plastered on his face. His stomach is churning uncomfortably as he recalls how Dr. Chi Hoon had called him two weeks ago, right after his inauguration as a lieutenant colonel, and told him that his wife-to-be had fainted after operating on a patient. He ignored the stunned looks his subordinates gave him when he ran out of the army base, complete in his army attire, and rushed through the crazy traffic with a speed that should have cost him more than just one speeding ticket. “Do you want to go back to the hotel?”

Mo Yeon shakes her head and continues to walk ahead of Si Jin, with him trailing behind her, looking like a confused and worried puppy. “Ani…it’s not that…” She suddenly pauses in her steps and turns around to face Si Jin, her hands moving to reach the zip of her purse and she rummages through the content for a few seconds before stopping and taking out a piece of photograph. Mo Yeon sneaks a glimpse at Si Jin who still looks clueless as to what she is doing, and is even more bewildered when Mo Yeon shoves the picture into his chest with a small, “Aish, meolla!” and proceeds to run away from him.

Si Jin knits his brows together and looks down at the small piece of paper in his hand. “What…is this? A black and white picture…with dots…and uhh, very artistic?” He looks up, seeing Mo Yeon’s figure a great distance away from him, and shouts at her, “What do you want me to say—“

In less than a heartbeat, Si Jin stops and inhales sharply when he suddenly (finally) realizes what the photograph currently in his grasp exactly means. Or well, represents. Yes, his heart is pounding so hardly against his ribcage beyond what is considered normal and healthy. Yes, his hands are now sweaty and his stomach is churning in all different directions that, Si Jin has to admit, makes him feel squeamish. But still, Si Jin cannot deny the feeling—the exhilaration, the astonishment, the trepidation, that happiness and joy all mixed into one package—that washes over his being like a tsunami and has him smiling from ear-to-ear (he can feel his muscles stretch so much that it hurts) as he takes another look at the photograph. An ultrasound picture…of a fetus. Of their baby. He continues grinning and looks at Mo Yeon who is pacing back and forth with her hands placed on both of her cheeks, looking so panicked and flustered that he can’t help but laugh. How cute.

He starts running to her place, not minding the harsh wind that blows against his face, because at that moment Si Jin feels though as if he has everything in the palm of his hands, as if he has just gained a pair of wings and he can take on just about anyone and anything in this world that would dare to challenge him. But it is also at that moment that Mo Yeon chooses to accidentally trip on a piece of branch near her foot, causing the woman to lose her footing and yelp. Si Jin swears he can feel his heart plummeting down the instant he sees her falling and he pumps his legs to move faster, scared out of his wits that he won’t be able to catch her in time. But Mo Yeon uses her other foot as a maneuver and pivots around it, enabling her to regain her balance, and Si Jin sighs in relief. Seriously, she is the only woman that can make him feeling so ecstatic to dead worried in a matter of seconds.

When he arrives to where she is, Si Jin—still panting heavily and trying hard to catch his breath—grabs both of her arms, turning the woman around as he inspects her from head to toe. “Gwaenchanayo? Your legs—are they okay? Did you sprain yourself? Are you hurt? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? The baby—is the baby okay—?“

Mo Yeon takes Si Jin’s hands within hers and shakes her head, interrupting him before he can bombard her with further questions. “Nan gwaenchana. And the baby too.” She bites her lips and peers nervously at him. “Are you…are you happy? About this? I know I’ve told you before that I want to have nine children but do you think it’s still too early—?”

This time, it’s Si Jin's turn to cut Mo Yeon before she can finish her sentence. He circles his arms around her waist, hoisting her in his embrace, and twirls her around, laughing like a child on Christmas as he watches the flabbergasted expression on Mo Yeon’s face. “I am going to be an appa! And you’re going to be an eomma! We’re going to have a baby!”

His answer can’t be any clearer and Mo Yeon blushes as the people around them giggle at their antics. Aish, how embarrassing. Mo Yeon ducks her head and whispers into his ear, her hands slapping his shoulders, “Ya! Put me down. People are staring at us.”

Si Jin’s smile only stretches wider as he singsongs. “Nooo waaaay,” he then turns towards the people watching them and waves his arm proudly as he states, “Yeoreobun. I am going to be an appa!”

The crowd cheers and claps in excitement while Mo Yeon can only cover her face in embarrassment at Si Jin’s obvious delight (while it’s cute and all…she can’t stand the people hooting at them) and moans, “Such a pabo!”

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Week 6: Morning sickness.

Si Jin stirs from his slumber and slowly blinks his eyes open when he hears the creaking of the bed and sees the light of the bathroom being . He dazedly notes at the empty space next to him, her warmth still palpable on the bed sheet, and glances at the clock on the night table. 6:00 AM. Closing his eyes again, Si Jin is about to go back to sleep, thinking that it’s just his wife concluding her business with mother nature, when he suddenly hears her vomiting and crying weakly for his name.

In less than a second, Si Jin is out of the bed and is now racing towards the bathroom. He finds her crouching in front of the toilet bowl, her hands clutching at the seat, and immediately helps to hold her hair back and rubs the back of her neck, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. His own heart clenches painfully as he watches her continue to spill her insides, frustrated at his own helplessness to ease her suffering. Once Si Jin senses Mo Yeon’s nausea starts to subside, he grabs some paper towel to help clean , flushes the toilet, and proceeds to sweep her into his arms, carrying her back to their room and placing her gently on the bed. He rushes to the kitchen and returns with a glass of warm water, which she gratefully accepts.

“Ugh, my stomach still feels funny,” Mo Yeon croaks out and looks at Si Jin apologetically. “I woke you up, didn’t I? Mianhaeyo, even though you went to bed pretty late last night.”

Si Jin pats her back. “Aniya, gwaenchana. How can I stay in bed when I see my wife suffering so badly?”

Mo Yeon sighs. “This is my first time vomiting from morning sickness. It’s either because I’m too tired these days, or I’m the type that’s likely to experience severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.” She pauses and says dryly. “Well, considering my luck, I would say the latter.”

“Do you have work today?” Si Jin tucks a loose hair behind her ear; worry still etched onto his face. “Maybe you should rest for a few days. I will call the hospital later.”

Mo Yeon shakes her head. “Ah, andwae. There is that heart bypass surgery I must do this afternoon.” She then pushes the blanket off her body, her feet already touching the floor, but before she can even take another step, Si Jin scoops her back into the warmth confinement of their bed and wraps her around with a thick comforter.

“Where are you going? If you need something, I will bring it to you.” Si Jin frets. “And I really think it’s a bad idea for you to go to work today. Your face is so pale. Can’t you ask some other doctor to do the surgery?”

Mo Yeon blows at her bangs and stares at Si Jin exasperatedly. “I am pregnant. Not disabled.” She gestures at her appearance. “And what are you trying to do? Turning me into a mummy? Help me take off the blanket, it’s hot.”

“But—“

Mo Yeon casts him a withering glare and Si Jin can only clamp his mouth shut and sulks dejectedly. She chuckles at the way he looks so reluctant unwrapping her and decides to placate him by reaching out to circle her arms around his neck, pulling him closer towards her. She pats his back like a mother consoling her child and says, “Mianhaeyo. I will tell Dr. Song to take care some of my surgeries for today. But I will go back to work tomorrow because those patients need me. The ER needs me.” She tightens her grip on his back. “I promise to take things easy from now on. I won’t take the night shift anymore. And I will eventually take a break from work as soon as I feel like I’m unable to perform my duties to the best of my capabilities.” She pulls back and smiles gently at him. “Ahrasseo?”

Si Jin sighs and mutters under his breath, knowing that he no longer has any say in the matter. “Ahrasseoyo. But you’re still staying in bed the whole day today.” He gives her a stern look. “I will personally make sure of that.”

Mo Yeon grins. “Ahrasseoyo, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. Roger that.”

She laughs inwardly. Such an overprotective buffoon her husband is.

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Week 8: Cravings.

“Yoo Si Jin-ssi.”

“…”

“Si Jin-ah.”

“…”

“Si Jin-ah, wake up.”

Said man sleepily mumbles back. “Hmm?”

Mo Yeon bites her lips and whispers into his ears. “I want to eat tteokbokki.”

“…What?”

“I am hungry,” Mo Yeon repeats impatiently and takes his hand, placing it over her stomach, which finds the perfect timing to rumble loudly in agreement, “I want to eat tteokbokki.”

Si Jin groans into his pillow. “What time is it right now?”

Mo Yeon smiles sheepishly. “…Three in the morning?”

Si Jin turns to look at her. “You want to eat…” He resists the urge to cry out loud. “…tteokbokki at three in the morning?”

Mo Yeon looks down guiltily. “Mianhaeyo. But…I can’t sleep when my stomach keeps on grumbling every five minutes.”

Si Jin scrunches his eyes shut. “None of the restaurants that serve tteokbokki is open at around this time.”

“Except for the night market,” Mo Yeon adds on quickly, “we can go there, right?”

Si Jin really, really feels like crying. “…You want to go the night market, jigeum? But the nearest is at Hongdae and it will take us at least thirty minutes, even by car.”

“Geunde…nan…I really want to eat tteokbokki. Our baby—your baby also really wants to eat tteokbokki right now.”

Si Jin steals a glance at Mo Yeon from the corner of his eyes. He sees her eyes start to water and her lower lip is now trembling—two very obvious, and very dangerous, telltale signs that she is going to cry—and Si Jin knows from the stories he heard from his father (as well as Dae Young and Sergeant Choi) that an unhappy wife equals to an equally unhappy—if not more unhappy—husband. Besides, whatever annoyance or resolve that Si Jin has inside of him immediately crumbles to the ground the moment he sees her eyes glistening; because Si Jin has promised to himself on the day they said their vows to each other at the altar, that he is never going to make her cry again, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

So what can a man do besides giving in to their pregnant wife’s request, never mind the fact that it is currently three in the morning, or the fact that it is minus ten degrees Celsius outside, and of course, let’s not forget the fact that he barely has any sleep in the last few days. Because when fighting against Mo Yeon, Si Jin knows he has no chance of winning. So getting off of their warm bad, still half-asleep and mind half-functioning, Si Jin walks to the closet to grab his coat and absentmindedly reminds Mo Yeon to do the same.

If only he can look at the satisfied smirk plastered on her face right now.

“Gaja,” Si Jin sighs tiredly.

Mo Yeon grins and hooks her arm with Si Jin’s.

Being pregnant never tastes any sweeter than this.

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Week 16: Hormones and couple fights.

“Are they fighting…again?”

Lee Chi Hoon puts his tray of food down on the cafeteria table and shifts his gaze towards his sunbae and her husband who are fighting over something in front of the receptionist area. It’s not exactly a rare occasion these days, for the ‘blockbuster couple’—as his sunbae had dubbed it herself a few years ago—to be engaged in a heated argument over something trivial. Last time Chi Hoon asked Mo Yeon, the latter said they were fighting over toothpaste. A toothpaste. Apparently Lieutenant Colonel Yoo found an article online saying that certain brands of toothpaste, which includes the one that Mo Yeon sunbae has been using, can potentially induce cancer to its users. Chi Hoon as well as Mo Yeon know from a medical point of view how ridiculous and how highly improbable it sounds, but Si Jin, even with his qualifications of having graduated at the top of his class from West Point, doesn’t seem to think so and otherwise chose to eliminate all the toothpaste from their house, resulting in Mo Yeon coming to work one day with what she had said, “A nasty, pregnant-woman’s morning breath.”

“So…what are they fighting over now?”

“You take your guess,” Dr. Pyo Ji Soo snorts into her drink, “I’d have to say this is the most ridiculous one yet.”

Chi Hoon scratches his head and turns to look at Dr. Song who is calmly eating his sandwich. “I don’t know…it can’t be that bad, can it?”

“They’re fighting over an ice cream this time,” Nurse Ja Ae intercepts, glancing at her superior and shaking her head internally, “Lieutenant Colonel Yoo caught her almost finishing a tub ice cream by herself last night. You know it’s never too good both for the mother and the baby to eat that much amount of ice cream in such a short amount of time.”

“And yet she is our hospital’s star doctor,” Ji Soo snickers, “that poor girl, must be hard having to deal with all the cravings and changes in hormones.”

“Oh, Sergeant Kim, over here!” The maknae nurse, Choi Min Ji, waves her arm over after spotting two familiar figures dressed in the typical green soldier uniform looking blindly around the cafeteria of Haesung Hospital for a seat, “You can join us, if you want.”

Gi Beom and Sergeant Gong Cheol Ho, otherwise known by his sign call as Harry Potter, simultaneously sigh in relief and hurriedly strut over to the ER team’s table, putting down their food in a subdued manner and still hesitant to raise their heads due to the amount of staring directed at them, no thanks to the conspicuous uniform they are wearing. “Geunde, what are the two of you doing here right now? Are you here for a check-up? But I thought the army has their own clinic back at the base?”

Gi Beom clears his throat and looks at Nurse Choi bashfully. “Well, no. We are actually here for Lieutenant Colonel Yoo. There’s some army…matter that requires his immediate attention.”

Sergeant Gong nods. “But as you all can see, the lieutenant colonel is currently…busy talking with Dr. Kang. Besides, the matter isn’t that urgent…well, at least not as urgent as the argument they are having right now…” He trails off the last bit in a small voice, shivering unconsciously at the memory of his superior officer’s wife’s fierce glare and commanding aura when he and Gi Beom tried to approach them half an hour ago. 

“Hmm, in my opinion…” Dr. Song suddenly begins, his eyebrows wiggling suggestively, “Don’t you think Lieutenant Colonel Yoo is…a little too whipped?”

Both Gi Beom and Sergeant Gong nod enthusiastically in agreement, having known what their lieutenant colonel is like in front of Dr. Kang. “Masumida! The both of us think so too!”

Dr. Pyo clicks her tongue and leans forward, clasping both her hands underneath her chin. “You guys…you don’t know anything about Kang Mo Yeon. That girl is crazy. She has an x-ray picture of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo from back when they first met, saved as her lock screen.” She then continues in a low voice. “And I’ve caught her staring at it with this foolish expression on her face—Dr. Song, don’t tell her that—in the CT room during our breaks. Four times.”

Sergeant Gong wags his finger. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. But that doesn’t compare to Lieutenant Colonel Yoo’s crazy obsession with Dr. Kang. Do you remember Dr. Kang’s confession that got broadcasted to the whole army base back in Urk? Well, apparently he managed to get a hold of that voice recording by blackmailing the captain of Bravo Team. His son is an IT genius, you see.”

“And what’s worse,” Gi Beom sighs, “I once overheard Lt. Colonel Yoo’s alarm because we were in the same tent during that guerilla mission in South Sudan. Do you know what his alarm is?” The maknae soldier cringes at the memory. “It’s Dr. Kang’s—very drunken—voice, saying how much she loves our lieutenant colonel.”

“Omo, how erse,” Nurse Ja Ae shakes her head, suddenly seeing the previously capable and very gentleman Lt. Colonel Yoo in a different light, “and here I thought Dr. Kang’s sleep talking his name every single night is bad enough. I didn’t think the lieutenant colonel is that kind of person…”

Dr. Song smirks and nudges the nurse. “You don’t want to know what sort of things go through a man’s mind…”

Ja Ae glares at her choding colleague. “Aish. It’s just you, you shameless byuntae.”

“Geundeyo,” Chi Hoon whispers conspiratorially, hiding the movement of his mouth with his hand, “Do you know that I have once caught Mo Yeon sunbae stalking Lieutenant Colonel Yoo and Lieutenant Yoon with a stethoscope? I thought she was playing some sort of game so I followed her. Turns out…” Chi Hoon shakes his head.

“Ey, that’s weak,” Gi Beom folds his hands in front of his chest, “Dr. Kang’s stalking pales in comparison to what our lieutenant colonel did.”

Sergeant Gong raises his brows, interested in hearing more. “What? What did he do?”

“I heard this from Sergeant Major Seo,” Gi Beom mutters in a quiet voice, “But apparently…Lt. Colonel Yoo once used a rifle to stalk Dr. Kang!”

“He used a what?”

“What!”

“Seriously?”

Gi Beom nods and continues heatedly. “I know right. And you know how a rifle has a scope attached to it?” He sees all heads on the table move up and down. “Well he used that scope to zoom in on Dr.