§§§§§

Seona was standing in the head of department’s office when Sehun got in. He didn’t understand what was going on or why he had to be called in.

“I’m sorry it was my mistake,” Seona apologized.

“I won’t blame you for the missing files,” the head of department turned to him, “I know you’re busy, but you should better supervise everyone under you. We can’t have documents going missing every week. Luckily they weren’t confidential papers.”

“I apologize,” Sehun nodded his head in understanding.

“You two are dismissed,” the head of department said. Looking at Sehun he assured, “Take your time coming in. Good luck with the doctor.”

The moment the door closed Seona eagerly followed him down the hallway, “Why are you going to the doctor? Is something wrong?” She touched his arm then reached up to feel his forehead.

Moving away Sehun asked, “Seona, what’d you do with those papers?”

Suddenly turning innocent, she explained, “I must have left them in my cabinet somewhere. I can look for them later. I’m sorry I got you in trouble, but I didn’t know you were going to the doctor’s. Are you sick? Or are you hurting somewhere?”

“I’m fine.”

“Then…why?” she pestered.

Sehun didn’t want to talk about Namjoo’s pregnancy to anyone at work but family. Their private life was theirs…and it was special to him. Having outsiders prying into his every move was irritating. And Seona was an outsider to his and Namjoo’s marriage.

“Is it Namjoo?” Seona guessed. She sounded bitter when she said, “You must be worried a lot.”

“You should go back to work.”

“Do you like thinking about someone else when you’re with me?” Seona asked, as if he was the one in the wrong. Maybe she was right. He had cheated on her, but right now he was also married to someone else. The guilt blurred everything so much that it was hard to think at times. There was one thing that was top priority at this moment and that was heading to the hospital where Namjoo was alone. She had been edgy this morning and he could see the anxiety quivering in her eyes as she assured him she could go alone. Knowing that told him that he couldn’t leave her. He wanted to be there with her and know what the doctor told her. He wanted to know if Namjoo was healthy and what else he needed to do to keep her happy.

“I have to go,” Sehun told then turned away to start toward the elevator.

It took him nearly 20 minutes to reach the hospital then another 5 to find a parking space. Checking his watch, he rushed into the large hospital, ran around until he got lost and had to stop a doctor for directions to the OB/GYN. The look of relief on Namjoo’s face when he finally made it made him want to run up and hug her. Then they were in and nearly 10 minutes later he was seeing his baby for the first time. A little embryo ready to grow stronger and bigger, its heart beating loudly. It was a fascinating thing to see although he couldn’t understand where to see the tiny fingers and toes he was more than happy.

Namjoo was nearly seven weeks pregnant, which meant he’d gotten her pregnant before they even got married. The fact made him grew shy when they walked out.

“When did she say we have to come back?” he asked as they reached the front doors.

“In a month,” Namjoo replied staring down at the ultrasound. “Is everything ok at work?”

Glancing at her made his heart palpitate a little faster. “It’s nothing. Everything’s fine.”

“I drove my car, so you don’t have to worry about taking me back,” Namjoo explained.

“I’ll drive you,” he insisted.

“And what?” she asked amused. “Leave my car here?”

“Then what do you want to do?”

“Just go to work,” Namjoo urged.

“But we were going to eat,” he reminded. He didn’t want to go to work yet. The lingering bliss after seeing his baby for the first time still floated through him. Everything felt unreal. Sehun feared that if they separated here he’d wake up to find this all a dream.

“We can still have dinner together,” she stated.

“No, lets get something to eat,” he insisted. Placing a hand against her belly he teased, “Our baby’s mommy should get something good in there.”

Laughing, Namjoo pushed his hand away. Jolly, he took her hand and led her into the parking lot toward his car.

“Lets go to a buffet, you can get all you can eat there,” Sehun suggested unlocking the car door.

“Whatever you want,” Namjoo grinned.

§§§§§

“Oh my god!” Yunyeong squealed when Namjoo showed her the ultrasound. “Look at him! So tiny and adorable!”

“Him?” Namjoo repeated amused.

“I’m just saying,” her friend shrugged. “Should I call it a her then?”

Scoffing, Namjoo leaned forward at the table. “Sehun was really happy this morning. It makes me so glad.”

Snorting, Yunyeong made a face. “Look at you. How are you so easily smitten by him? Aren’t you weirded out? You two grew up together and now you’re having a baby together.”

“No,” Namjoo proudly declared. “I feel like this baby will keep us together for a long time. I’m so happy this happened, you know.”

“Hey now,” Yunyeong held her palm out teasingly, “don’t go all emotional on me right now. You know I don’t mean it.”

It was true. Namjoo felt like she had been blessed with this baby for a reason. She could feel it deep in her soul that they would be together for a long time to come. And because she loved Sehun too much she couldn’t bear a life without him.

“What?” Yunyeong asked upon her expression. “Did Sehun do something to make you unhappy?”

“Of course not,” Namjoo said. “He never does anything wrong.”

But that night, Sehun was late for dinner.

§§§§§

An unexpected complaint had come in via phone call. Sehun had spent nearly 45 minutes on the phone which had pushed him to stay after work hours. Majority of the workers were gone. Yet, he was still here with Seona who had been the main source of the issue. He had promised Namjoo he’d be home early. Plans had been to spend the evening with her and relax while watching one of her favorite dramas. They would have cooked together. Sehun had looked forward to it.

“I brought you dinner,” Seona opened his office door and walked in with a paper bag and soda. “You’ve been here so long because of me I feel so terrible.”

“Lets finish this up so we can go home,” Sehun said from his desk.

“At least eat first,” Seona urged. Pulling a chair up to his desk she took the pen and papers away from him. Replacing them with the food she took out of the bag she said, “You should never skip a meal. It’s unhealthy for your body.”

Sehun withheld a sigh. He didn’t want to look mean or impatient.

“Eat up,” Seona cheerily urged sitting down. When he finally took the burger she exclaimed, “Doesn’t this feel like old times when we used to eat on campus together, just the two of us? Oh, you’re graduating this coming winter. How are you going to juggle work and school? You’re not…going to quit, are you?”

Sehun gave her a glance. He couldn’t quit. He needed to support Namjoo and their baby. It wasn’t right to make Namjoo work alone or rely on their parents when they’d become independent. He wanted to be a good, reliable father.

Eyes lowering, Seona said softly, “I hope you’re not. I’m always afraid I’ll never see you again. It was ok before, but I get so scared now always afraid that you’ll go somewhere without telling me.” Looking at him she laughed, “I sound foolish, right? But still, I wonder what you would have said if you never got married. We’d be living together right now, wouldn’t we?”

She had hoped for much he suddenly realized. Daring to suggest moving in together and always being patient and supportive of him. Compared to any girl he’d crushed on; she was among the coolest. Beautiful Seona who had caught his eyes without doing anything. Like a dream he had met her again at university. It had felt like it was meant to be then.

Out of the blue, Sehun recalled the bliss hidden in his godforsaken memories. How happy he’d been when she agreed to become his. The first lover who had given him the treasured experience of heart flutters.

“I’m not,” he quietly said, “quitting.”

Her eyes brightened. “Really? You’ll still be here? We can still see each other?”

Sehun hadn’t actually meant it that way, but he couldn’t shake his head. In the first place, he had felt inclined to let her know he wasn’t going anywhere. Why was his heart wavering when the ring on his finger was still in sight?

“I’m so happy,” she smiled that beautiful smile he used to own.

§§§§§

Namjoo’s head shot up when she heard the door open. It was midnight. She’d fallen asleep at the kitchen table while waiting for Sehun.

Getting up she walked out of the kitchen to greet him. He was just heading past the living room with jacket in hand when she caught up to him. “You’re home?”

He looked surprised to see her. “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I was waiting,” Namjoo said with a hopeful expression. “Are you hungry? I’ll warm up something for you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I had something to eat.”

Disappointed, Namjoo gripped her hands and smiled. “All right then. You must be tired. Why don’t you go shower? I’ll be up soon.”

Namjoo watched Sehun go up the stairs before heading back to the kitchen to peer at the dishes that had been waiting for him. He would have been happy to see his favorites, even though she’d eaten a portion of them. Namjoo had been eagerly waiting to see him happy. Shrugging her feelings off she quickly packed the food and put them away. What did it matter? Sehun could still eat them in the morning.

When Sehun joined her in bed she moved near him yearning to be close. He sounded deep asleep when she put her arm around him. It must have been a tiring day for him. It was a bit lonely when Sehun didn’t hold her back, but she was still content because she had him with her.

The next night, Sehun also returned late. She sat for a long time with food steaming in front of her at the kitchen table waiting.

§§§§§

Indigestion. The pain had written itself all over Seona’s face. She had spent the last two hours after work squirming from the pain before Sehun finally got her out to his car. Then they were down the road and 20 minutes later at the pharmacist. Now with some medicine in hand the pain had eased away.

“You should have eaten something with that,” Sehun said.

“It’s ok. I feel all better thanks to you,” Seona smiled.

It was evening. The sun was setting low. The sky a shade of dark green and a hue of blue. They were walking along the sidewalk back to where he’d left his car. Seona was walking extremely slow and he had to keep her pace, afraid if he hurried her she might be in pain again.

“Hold on,” he said when they passed a restaurant. “Let me get something for you to snack on.”

“You don’t have to…”

“Just wait here,” he insisted then turned to head into the restaurant. He was out 15 minutes later with a bag in hand. Taking out a freshly cooked chicken on the stick he gave it to her, “Eat this.”

Grinning happily, she took the offered food and ate it. “It’s so delicious.”

Seeing her in a good mood relieved him.

“Can we just stay out like this today?” Seona asked. “Just for today?”

The tiny smile on his face started to fade. He wasn’t sure. He didn’t know…

“I don’t want,” she began pitifully, “to go home alone. It’s lonely and I’m all by myself.”

She touched his arm reigniting memories of their past dates. He had often liked it when she gave him affection. Unable to do anything, he glanced down at her fragile hand.

“Sehun,” she began but someone screamed out his name cutting her off. Turning around he caught sight of the bus pulling away from the curb. A figure hidden by the setting sun headed their way.

“Oh Sehun!” the voice screamed again. When she neared Sehun quickly pulled his arm out from Seona’s grasp.

“Yunyeong,” he greeted suddenly more conscious of Seona beside him.

Panting, Yunyeong glanced from him to the other woman. Eyes on him she said, “I thought you were with Namjoo.” Glancing at Seona again she warily looked at him. “Lets talk.”

Moving down the sidewalk Yunyeong, with arms crossed, observed him. “Who is she?”

“A co-worker.”

Narrowing her eyes, Yunyeong reminded, “Hey, do you take me for stupid? Maybe I don’t know you as well as Namjoo, but I’ve known you since high school and being longtime friends, I can tell when you’re lying.” With a stricter tone, “Who is she?”

“Do you really have to…”

“Damn right I have to,” Yunyeong grounded her voice without holding back her anger. “You little twit, you think I’ll sit back when Namjoo’s my best friend? She’s your ing wife, damn you, and you’re out here this late enjoying a date with some other woman?”

“She’s not some other woman,” Sehun clarified then stopped himself. He’d just sounded like he was defending Seona from being insulted, and that made him look even worse. Flustered, he tried, “Seona wasn’t feeling well, so I took her to the pharmacy for some medicine. That’s all.”

“Liar,” Yunyeong name-called. “Looking so cozy with her holding onto you. You don’t call this a date, cheater? So you have a wife on the side and also an ex-girlfriend. You’re trying to make both women happy, aren’t you? Doesn’t that make you feel great?”

“Hey,” Sehun grew angry, “don’t you think you’re going overboard?”

“Ask yourself that,” Yunyeong spat then mumbled to herself, “I was wondering why I ended up taking the bus today, so there’s a reason for everything that happens.” Scoffing bitterly, she warned, “Don’t let me see that ex of yours. Next time I catch you two, I’m going to talk right to her face and put her in her place.” Huffing a heated breath, she hissed, “Do you know what a man who tries to make every woman happy is called?” she waited a beat then finished, “An .”

Stepping back, Yunyeong made sure to shoot Seona a glare before turning to head off in the opposite direction. Sehun stared after her perplexed. He knew Yunyeong cared about Namjoo. Next to him, Namjoo probably trusted her the most.

“Who is she?” Seona wondered when Sehun returned.

“A school friend,” Sehun explained. Worried that Yunyeong might say something to Namjoo he urged, “Lets go back. It’s late.”

When he returned home three hours later Namjoo rose from the couch where she’d been watching TV. Smiling warmly, she asked, “You’re home? Have you eaten?”

Although he’d eaten with Seona he still lied, “No.”

Looking excited she quickly offered, “I’ll warm up something for you.” As Namjoo walked away relief fluctuated through him. If she was this way it meant Yunyeong hadn’t opened about this evening.

§§§§§

Yunyeong was in her office early the next morning pacing around with arms crossed. “Why are you here only now?”

The smile on her face distorted confused but she was still in a good mood. “What are you talking about?”

Looking around Yunyeong quickly pulled her into the office and closed the door. “Are you ok?”

Namjoo pushed Yunyeong’s hands scurrying over her body away, “What’s wrong with you today? You’re being weird.” Putting her purse down Namjoo walked over to her desk. A second later Yunyeong took the papers in her hand away. Namjoo abruptly turned surprised.

“I’m asking you this because I’m worried,” Yunyeong spoke in a hushed manner. Placing hands on Namjoo’s shoulders the friend shifted her to face her. “You’re my best friend and know that I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”

“Uh…ok,” Namjoo broke into a confused smile. “So…”

“What time did Sehun come home?”

Her mind blanked. Namjoo suddenly grew anxious. “Why?”

“Namjoo,” Yunyeong continued, “I saw him. He was with someone yesterday.”

***If this is a game board, Sehun is taking the wrong moves. Even worse because Namjoo's friend has caught him. Shame on him for letting past feelings grow over him. I rooted for Yunyeong to tell him off. Now, Namjoo's starting to experience the loneliness of their marriage. If you notice, she often holds Sehun when they sleep but he doesn't do the same. It's still somewhat of a one-sided affair for Namjoo :(