Sehun was in bed and dozing off when she returned late that night. After changing into her pajamas Namjoo sat at the edge of the bed watching him. She still wanted to believe that this marriage was blissful. That Sehun had a reason to marry her. They were having a baby after all. It had to mean something, didn’t it? Weren’t they very happy in the present?

Moving under the blanket Namjoo edged closer to Sehun. He was still here at least. That ring around his finger and he was still her entitled husband. Wrapping an arm around him she buried her head against his shoulder.

“What did the doctor say?” Sehun asked the next morning.

“Everything’s good,” Namjoo replied.

“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“It’s not too bad,” Namjoo smiled. “I might start to have weird cravings though.”

“I’ll get you anything you want.”

“A lump of coal,” Namjoo joked.

Sehun scoffed at her.

“I’ll be home early today,” Sehun said, “so don’t cook anything. I’ll make something good for you.”

“If you say so.”

“I say so,” he smiled. Walking over he gave her a kiss and glanced into her eyes before bidding, “I’ll see you later.”

Like any other day, any other time Namjoo’s heart skipped a beat. It was the first time he ever kissed her in the morning to say goodbye. That was all she thought about on her way to work. Good moods followed that evening because Sehun did make it home early for once. He cooked something delicious for her and they slept well.

§§§§§

Sehun hadn’t realized it. Namjoo’s belly had grown a little bigger over the several days. She was really reaching her fourth month of pregnancy. It was all happening so fast.

That Saturday when she’d gone out with her mother shopping Sehun paced the house. Namjoo’s birthday was coming up that Wednesday. He didn’t know what to get her. Maybe they could just spend time together decorating the extra rooms for guests. That seemed like a good thought until he went looking at the rooms to find that the second one already seemed occupied.

Pushing the door open all the way he stared at the crib Namjoo had left halfway completed. There was a drawer with tiny infant slippers atop, a super soft blanket roll, adorable teddy bears, and some cheery clothes for newborns lying about. In the corner sat a box with a floor bed for the baby Namjoo planned to put in their room. The walls had been plastered with tiny decorations all single-handedly done.

Namjoo had done all this by herself…without telling him anything.

Why?

A splurge of disappointment hit him head on. Did she want to do everything by herself without including him? Wasn’t he the father of the baby? She should have said something.

When Namjoo walked in through the door with her mother he stared at her, watching her obliviousness.

“Sorry we took so long, Sehun,” her mother apologized. “There was just so much to get. Oh, I bought some herbal medicine for you to keep you energized. Have you been working hard these days?”

“No, not much,” he politely answered.

“I won’t be long so don’t mind me,” she said pulling out oriental foods from the bags on the counter. “Your father’s waiting for me at home, so I’ll hurry along.” Turning to Namjoo she instructed, “Don’t forget to wash these well before cooking them.”

“I know,” Namjoo replied.

After walking her mother out Sehun went back to the kitchen and looked around at half the stuff still on the counter. “Why’d you two buy so much? There’s only two of us here.”

“You know mom,” Namjoo said eating some of the fruit she was cutting up. “She gets out of hand when we go to the marketplace.”

Taking a piece of the watermelon from her he grabbed her hand to wheel her around. “Come here.”

“What?” Namjoo asked confused. When they started up the stairs she asked, “What’s wrong?”

Pushing the door open he pulled her up beside him, “What’s this?”

Skimming her eyes over the baby stuff she had prepared she turned to look at him. “Oh right, I forgot all about it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked interrogatively. “You even put that up by yourself.” He a finger toward the half-built crib.

“It wasn’t that hard,” Namjoo shrugged.

“Namjoo,” he scolded. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

She looked at him then away guiltily. “It’s nothing.”

“You started up a room for our baby without telling me. That’s what’s wrong,” he pointed out upset. Running his eyes over her he said, “Look at you. You’re pregnant. The baby’s growing. You shouldn’t be working so hard.”

“Oh please, it’s nothing. Why are you making a big deal out of it?” Namjoo asked completely baffling him. “It’s not like you’re equipped to carry the baby.”

“Namjoo,” he scolded again. Sighing, he said, “Don’t do it again. Ok?”

“All right.”

“Lets do it together next time,” he said. “I want to do something too.”

The way Namjoo looked up at him shot guilt through him. He couldn’t yell at her, couldn’t even get angry with her. He knew too, deep down, that he was partially at fault.

“Lets put the rest of the crib together after we eat,” he suggested. Taking her hand, he led her back downstairs.

§§§§§

Very soon, just like that Sehun was caught up with work again. It wasn’t like she could keep him from going in. This job was a part of Sehun’s growing pride. Namjoo could never find it in herself to take that from him. If he liked the job, she would respect his decision. The pure fact that Seona was there was haunting, and she didn’t understand why Seona had to keep haunting her.

Namjoo had to ask herself if she was afraid of Seona or if she was afraid of Sehun? If it was him, she would be a bad wife. That was why she tried with her very all to trust in him. Yet, all the times recently had been Seona, Seona, Seona. How could she not be filled with this unhealthy doubt?

Her birthday was coming up. Sehun hadn’t said a thing to her. What if it had slipped his mind like her OB/GYN appointment? Was she not an important part of his life?

“I’m afraid all these sweets are going to be bad for your little one,” Yunyeong said sitting back down with a tray of donuts, a slice of cheesecake, and some chocolate on the side.

“You said it’s your treat today, so I won’t hold back,” Namjoo reminded greedily taking a donut.

“Have you planned anything for your birthday?” Yunyeong wondered.

“I don’t know. Maybe something will come up eventually.”

“That darn Sehun hasn’t planned anything?” Yunyeong asked heatedly.

“He’s been busy…”

“Why is he always busy?” Yunyeong interjected.

“Hey, come on,” Namjoo tried to calm the friend down.

“He’s just more unlikeable these days,” Yunyeong explained upset. “Ever since you started liking that jerk,” catching Namjoo’s eyes she said, “sorry, Sehun, he’s just a little more detestable than when we were in high school.”

“You don’t have to be so mean to him,” Namjoo told.

“And you don’t have to be so nice,” Yunyeong raised her brow contradictorily. “Have you told him it’s a girl?”

Looking down at the donut in her hand Namjoo admitted, “I’ve been forgetting.”

“Why?” Yunyeong asked. “I know my sister forgot a lot of things when she was pregnant, but it should have popped up in your head every now and then when you’re together.”

“I don’t know,” Namjoo confessed. “I just haven’t told him.” She glanced out the window at the busybodies outside then looked at her friend, seeking for help. “Am I childish? I think I’m not telling him because I’m still upset he didn’t make it to the appointment. I didn’t show him the ultrasound either.”

Reaching over Yunyeong patted her shoulder, “It’s ok, Namjoo. It’s ok. Have you asked him why he didn’t come?”

Recalling hearing Seona’s voice caused an ache in her heart. She didn’t want to make Sehun sound like a bad man in front of Yunyeong who had already seen them together. Causing more problems for Sehun wasn’t her intention. She only wished well for him.

“Not yet,” Namjoo lied.

“You should,” Yunyeong pressed. “You need to talk to him, especially about that girl. If not, I will.”

“Please,” Namjoo laughed to thwart off the pending threat. Catching the determination in her friend’s face Namjoo let the short moment of effort die. Pressing her lips together she pleaded, “Don’t.” waiting a second she added, “They work together, so there’s no helping it.”

Gasping, Yunyeong exclaimed, “What?!”

“Yunyeong,” Namjoo begged, “please. Lets not do anything. Sehun needs this job.”

Huffing an irritated sigh, Yunyeong tilted her head back to exhale deplored. Looking at Namjoo she said, “If I were you, I would have told that off long ago.”

Breaking into a laugh Namjoo handed her a piece of chocolate, “Chew out that bitterness.”

Arriving home that late afternoon Namjoo did some cleaning. Heading into their bedroom to gather the laundry she paused by their drawer and peered at the framed picture of them on their wedding day. Running a hand over Sehun’s smiley face she thought that all she needed in this lifetime was his sincerity.

She anxiously waited the next few days for Sehun to say something about her birthday. He didn’t. On Wednesday Yunyeong and her sister threw her a small birthday party at work, surprising her with a cake. When she arrived home she thought Sehun might return early with something for her. Unlike the past, where birthdays were planned for her, she assumed he would be up to something since this was their first year as a married couple and celebrating birthdays together.

She waited moving from the kitchen to the living room, glancing out the window every now and then. She was ready to jump in joy, show him how ecstatic she was. Then the sun finally went down and stars came out. The streets grew quiet and empty like the house. The excitement she had been experiencing slowly dissipated by the hour. Anxiety turning to worry.

For a long time, she sat on the couch staring at the phone on her lap. In the end, she finally found the courage to call. The phone rang once, twice, and thrice. Then she was sent to voicemail.

“Where are you?” Namjoo asked unable to help but let the sadness soar through. “Can you come home? I’m waiting for you.”

After hanging up, Namjoo covered her face and bent forward to bury it against her knees.

§§§§§

He had done it intentionally. It was the big surprise for Namjoo’s birthday. Sehun had thought about going all out but then decided in the end, that something small would touch Namjoo’s heart like no other. Leaving work a bit early, he went shopping for some flowers then a cake thinking about how her eyes would pop when he saw the gift – a collage of their recreated wedding picture created with the millions of pictures they’d taken throughout their lives. Simple Namjoo would adore it, might even replace their wedding picture with it.

Sehun would have made it home in time if not for the strange phone call he’d gotten. It was from a concerned elderly woman who lived across from Seona. She hadn’t been at work lately and he assumed she was resting and recovering from her cold.

“I feel so sorry for her,” the old lady sympathized over the phone, “she lives all alone. I’ve been bringing her porridge the last few days. I’m not sure if this is an illness anymore. She kept calling for you, and I’m so sorry to bother you, but I saw you were listed as an emergency contact. Will you be able to come?”

He hesitated, but this was Seona. And she was alone. Just for a bit, he promised himself, and out of good will. He’d go see how she was then leave.

The elder woman who’d spoken to him over the phone opened the door when he arrived. She was a small woman with graying hair. Her expression sketched with concern for Seona like she was her own daughter.

“I made some porridge and left it on the stove. If she has an appetite, heat it up and give it to her,” the woman instructed. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

With no question about who exactly Sehun was to Seona the woman brushed past. The door closed and Sehun was left staring at the space halfheartedly decorated in front of him. When he’d first been here he hadn’t dared walk in any further than from the doorstep. This evening, he didn’t have a choice.

The walls were a creamy white. The place sophisticated and uncared for. Magazines lie spilled over the floor, the TV now layered with dust, and the window curtains closed as if Seona never wanted to see the light of day. Dishes has been washed thanks to the elderly woman and it seemed as if it was only the kitchen she’d been in. Finding the bedroom was of no difficulty. The door had been left wide open and he spotted Seona lying under the blanket. A tissue box sat beside her on the bed. She slowly rose when she saw him then quickly sat up. Her eyes appeared swollen and her nose red.

“Sehun?” she called out.

Pressing lips together he didn’t dare go further than from the doorway. It didn’t feel right. He nearly budged forward when Seona got out of bed and lost her balance from her weak legs. Managing to hold back a sigh he forced himself into her bedroom to help her up.

“Stay in bed,” he said pulling her to her feet.

Wrapping hands around his arms she pressed her head against his chest. “I missed you.” Refusing to let go she hugged him, “Why are you only here now? I was waiting for you.”

“Seona,” he tried to gently fight her off, “Seona, let go.”

When he finally got her to release him he stepped back, “Stay here. I’ll get you some food and medicine.”

Heading back out he shrugged his jacket off draping it over the chair in the kitchen. Going through the cupboards he found a bowl and then some medicine. Returning he handed them to Seona and watched her take a few bites before looking up at him.

“Why aren’t you sitting?” she asked. “You doing this…makes us seem like two strangers.”

Feeling like a villain, Sehun sat down with a gap between them. After a few more bites Seona set the bowl aside.

“What are you doing?” Sehun asked. “You need to finish that and take your medicine.”

“Seeing you makes me feel better,” Seona told.

“Seona…” he started but she leaned forward cutting him off with a kiss. Shocked by the unexpected move Sehun her back roughly and rose to his feet. More interrogatively, “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Pulling herself back up with hair flung over her face Seona remained silent then sniffed a few tears. “You used to like it.”

He turned away frustrated. Pressing a hand against his face and trying with an effort not to get mad with her, he deeply inhaled. “I’m married.”

“What difference does that make?” she asked. “You’re still Sehun. My Sehun.” Turning to look at him with a broken heart on her face she declared, “I still want you.”

He listened to her cry miserably and thought about how she was the consequence of his actions. Was this some form of punishment?

“Will you sleep with me?” Seona stared up at him with her tear streaked face. “I won’t bother you again. I promise.”

***Who wants to start lining up to slap Seona? This isn't her worst yet. You'll see her lowest next chapter and also, prepare some tissues maybe cause I might do a double update and it's gonna be a tragedy