Seung Jo went straight to Ha Ni's room. He was told that Ha Ni's condition was getting better and her blood pressure was returning to normal. The doctor told him that the anesthesia is about to wear off and that she'd wake up in a few hours. She would be experiencing some pain because of giving birth so Seung Jo better be at her side to help her move.

 

As he was walking in the hallways, he was greeted by his fellow doctors.

 

"Dr. Baek! I've heard the great news! Congratulations!"

 

"What the name of your child Dr. Baek? I'm happy for you and Nurse Oh!"

 

"Our youngest doctor is now a father! Amazing!"

 

Seung Jo said his gratitude to his collegues. It's funny how the news quickly spread in the hospital when Ha Ni gave birth just hours ago.

 

Room 686, he read. This is Oh Ha Ni's room. He wondered if his wife was already up but he saw Ha Ni sleeping when he entered the room. He found a little note on the bedside table. It was from mother.

 

"Seung Jo,

I have already fetched Eun Jo and we were here earlier. Your father was here too but he had to leave early. Since Ha Ni is still sleeping, young brother and I decided to go out to eat for a while. If you're already in this room and Ha Ni wakes up, please take care of her for a while. I'll bring meals and some fruits for both of you.

Mom

PS Congratulations, my son!"

 

Seung Jo smiled a little. Well, he had to thank mother for what she had done. If it wasn't for her, Ha Ni wouldn't be brought to the hospital safely and immediately.

 

Seung Jo looked around the room for a while. On the table near the window, there were a lot of gifts for Ha Ni. There were balloons, flowers, pastries and even baby items.

 

Baby items... I have to get used to these, Seung Jo thought. As young as he is, he had to accept that he already have a child, a beautiful daughter named Seung Ha. He may be a genius but fatherhood was something new to him. He only saw mother and father take care of Eun Jo before but Seung Jo was still young back then and he was busy with his elementary studies.

 

"S-Seung Jo? Is that you?" a weak voice said. Seung Jo turned. His wife has woken up after hours of unconsciousness. She was trying to get up but she was too tired and weak.

 

Seung Jo came to her side and held her shoulders to support her. "Fool. You've just given birth and you already want to move?" Seung Jo . He helped her to sit but he was supporting her in case she loses her balance. Finally, you're awake, Seung Jo thought.

 

Ha Ni said nothing. She remained silent and did not look at Seung Jo. This bothered him. "Oh Ha Ni, is something bothering you? Does it hurt somewhere? Tell me."

 

Ha Ni's face just tells it all. She never fails to show what's she's feeling through her expressions. She's an open book that just spills the story all over the reader. Seung Jo never fails to be amazed by this ability of Oh Ha Ni. This is something he has a hard time to do.

 

"No. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine, really. I-it's just that... That..." Ha Ni replied.

 

"It's just that what?"

 

"Seung Jo ah... I've just given birth. I-I'm now a mother."

 

Seung Jo was speechless. He looked at Ha Ni. At that time he realized how significant then events in the past few hours. And then suddenly he hugged her, placing her head near his chin. He could not find the right thing to say at the moment. She always surprises him with her answers. Most of the time, she says something so simple and sometimes stupid but Seung Jo has always given thought on what she says.

 

"Seung Jo..."

 

"That makes me a father now too," he finally managed to say. "Being a father at 22. This is absurd... But I am happy."

 

"It was really painful. The hours of labor and all that. But I was thankful you were there. You were holding my hand. And-"

 

Seung Jo hugged her more tightly and kissed her forehead. There were a lot of times when Seung Jo wasn't there for Ha Ni when she was hurt or lonely. Ha Ni needed him the most during childbirth, he could not afford to leave her alone in pain inside the labor room. And now, no words can tell how joyous he was as he was bad in expressing his emotions in words may they be happy or sad.

 

Ha Ni smiled. "I can't believe it Seung Jo. Before I just wanted to be with you always so I followed you around everywhere. I thought my dream of marrying you was impossible because I thought you'd never like me."

 

"But I married you. And now we have a child." Seung Jo pushed her from his body to look at her face. "Oh Ha Ni, really, you talk too much."

 

Seung Jo leaned forward towards Ha Ni's face. He pressed his lips against Ha Ni's. If there's one thing that Seung Jo could surprise Ha Ni with, it's his kiss. Ha Ni is always caught off guard whenever Seung Jo kisses her especially during their first kiss in the karaoke bar during the night of their graduation. Who would have known that this kiss, which was meant as a prank by Seung Jo, would actually light the spark in his heart? He had never forgetten the feel of her soft lips since then. And Seung Jo surprised her again by confessing his love in the rain. Without any warning, Seung Jo kissed her and told her never to like another guy. Seung Jo may not be great at expressing his feelings but he manages to tell it all through his passionate kisses. And he does kiss Ha Ni first before she does.

 

It was gentle but sweet. It was careful but full of passion. Feeling Ha Ni's lips pressed against his was one of the best feelings for him. His kiss just says everything that he could not say.

 

He pulled away and looked straight to Ha Ni's eyes. "Ha Ni..." There's something that he needed to say but was too shy to do so.

 

"Hmmm?"

 

"Thank you."

 

Ha Ni looked puzzled. "For what?"

 

Seung Jo smirked. Ha Ni, isn't it obvious? You're too slow, he thought. "Ha Ni, thank you for staying strong. I knew you could do it. I knew you could overcome the pain even if you were so stubborn and kept on saying you couldn't."

 

Ha Ni was speechless. "Seung Jo, I... Well..."

 

"Would you like to see Seung Ha now?" he suddenly asked.

 

"Who?" Ha Ni replied. She was confused.

 

"You were unconscious already and the nurse needed to know what our baby's name was. I didn't know what to answer so I named her myself. You didn't tell me what you'd name our child so I named her... Seung Ha." Seung Jo explained. However, he did not look at Ha Ni while talking. It's as if there's something more to what he said.

 

"Seung Jo, you named our child Seung Ha?" Ha Ni asked.

 

Seung Jo just nodded. Deep inside, he knew that he shouldn't have named their child without Ha Ni knowing. Actually, Seung Jo never really thought of baby names. He left the thinking to Mother and Oh Ha Ni. They browsed through books and searched the internet for baby names. Ha Ni asked Seung Jo for his ideas about names but he just shook his head and told her that any good name would be okay. He knew that Ha Ni had ideas and she told him nonstop about these beautiful baby names but Seung Jo paid no attention.

 

"Well if you don't like it, you could just change it. Anyway, her name's not officially registered yet," Seung Jo said coolly.

 

"Is the name Seung Ha taken from your name and my name?"

 

"Yes," Seung Jo said without any emotion from his voice.

 

"Then I like it," Oh Ha Ni said cheerfully.

 

Seung Jo raised an eyebrow. "You really don't have to lie."

 

"Oh but I do! It's perfect! Really," Ha Ni conviced Seung Jo. "Now please can I see Seung Ha?"

 

Seung Jo walked towards the wall to a speaker phone and pressed a button. "This is the nurse station. What can we do for you?" said a voice from the end of the line."

 

"This is Dr. Baek. I'm requesting that you bring baby Baek Seung Ha from the nursery to room 686." said Seung Jo.

 

"Yes, of course. Please wait for about 15 minutes as we prepare some things for the baby."

 

Minutes passed and Seung Jo could see a peculiar expression from Ha Ni's face. "What's with the expression on your face?" he asked.

 

"Seung Jo... I'm kind of nervous," she replied.

 

He realized that he, too, was feeling uneasy. It wasn't the first time that he would see their baby but he remembered how his blood froze earlier that morning when he saw Ha Ni surrounded with blood. He knew that the baby is coming and he was really nervous.

 

"Fool. It's not like the baby would hurt you," Seung Jo said.

 

Then there was a knock at the door after what it seemed the longest 15 minutes in their lives. A woman dressed in white who was obviously a nurse entered the room. She was smiling a holding a sleeping baby wrapped in a pink cloth.

 

"Dr. Baek, congratulations! Yah, Oh Ha Ni, good job!" it's a close friend of Ha Ni from the Nurse Station. "Here she is. Your daughter."

 

She walked towards the speechless, teary-eyed Oh Ha Ni. Ha Ni extended her arm and felt the weight of her child as the nurse gives the baby to her.

 

"Dr. Baek, Nurse Oh, please call the nurse station if you need anything. I'll be attending to my duties now. Again, congratulations!" And the nurse went outside the room.

 

It was silent for a few seconds. This was making Seung Jo uncomfortable. Then suddenly he heard sobs.

 

"Oh Ha Ni? Why are you crying? If you feel something painful you should say something."

 

"S-seung Jo... She's beautiful." Oh Ha Ni said teary-eyed but with a smile on her face. She changed her position for Seung Jo to see their baby.

 

She is. She really is beautiful, he thought. He could see the baby's face more clearly for she's been cleaned by the nurse. She got Ha Ni's flat forehead and eyes but one could easily tell that Seung Ha got her father's lips.

 

Seung Jo placed his right arm around Ha Ni's shoulders and she lead on him. Seung Jo could feel Ha Ni's warmth and he's just thankful that Ha Ni was now well after giving birth. They both looked at the baby for a few minutes without saying anything.

 

Then suddenly there was a knock on the door. It opened and Mother and Eun Jo came in.

 

"Oh my goodness! Is that my grandchild? Oh my!" Mother exclaimed. She quickly handed the plastic bags containing the food that she brought and came to Ha Ni's side. "She is so adorable! Yah Ha Ni! Seung Jo! You made a very beautiful baby!"

 

Both were embarrassed. But they knew Mother would be like that. Ha Ni gave Seung Ha to Mother so she could carry the baby.

 

"Hyung! Oh Ha Ni! Congratulations! Here Mother brought some food for you two," Eun Jo said and gave them to Oh Ha Ni and Baek Seung Jo.

 

The couple ate their lunch and watch as Mother and Eun Jo admired the sleeping Seung Ha. Mother's excitement could not be contained as she told Ha Ni and Seung Jo how happy she was that she's going to take care of a baby girl for the first time. She also said that she's going to shop some more baby clothes for Seung Ha. Hours passed and it was time for Eun Jo to go home.

 

"Hyung, I need to go home. I still have school tomorrow but I will visit again. Bye hyung! Ha Ni!" said Eun Jo.

 

"I'll come back tomorrow again my dear!" Mother said to Seung Ha as she handed her to Oh Ha Ni. "I'll take Eun Jo home and come back tomorrow. There's still enough food for your dinner. Bye for now!"

 

Seung Jo and Ha Ni said farewell and they were alone again.

 

"Ha Ni it's time for the baby to return to the nursery." Seung Jo said.

 

"Oh but could she stay a little more?" Ha Ni asked.

 

"Ha Ni don't be hard-headed. It's bad for the baby."

 

Seung Jo walked towards the speaker phone and pressed the same button. "Please return baby Baek Seung Ha to the nursery. This is room 686."

 

A few minutes later the same nurse got the baby from Ha Ni. "Don't worry Ha Ni," said the nurse. "I'll take care of your baby. Maybe tomorrow afternoon you can walk and visit the baby yourself in the nursery!" said the nurse.

 

Ha Ni just smiled although it could be seen that she's a bit sad that Seung Ha will be in the nursery for the time being. The nurse, with the baby, got out of the room.

 

"Tomorrow, I'll personally go to the nursery and take her to you," said Seung Jo.

 

"Really?" asked Ha Ni. Her faced suddenly lit up. " Oh really you will? You will? You really will? Thank you! Thank you Seung Jo!" She smiled and this made Seung Jo feel good inside.

 

"I said yes. Ha Ni, you're so talkative. Sleep for now okay? You are still weak. I'll be sleeping here too. I see mother also prepared my clothes." Oh mother. Bless her.

 

Ha Ni laid on the bed and Seung Jo sat beside her bed. He could see Ha Ni's eyes became heavy and slowly closed to sleep. He was Ha Ni while watching her sleep.

 

It's been a long day for him too and he realized that he was tired. He decided to rest for he was too weary to eat dinner anymore. He changed his clothes and pulled a chair near to Ha Ni's bed and sat down.

 

Seung Jo looked at Ha Ni's face and smiled. Ha Ni, you really are pretty. Thank you for staying strong, he thought. He Ha Ni's hair and his face came closer to Ha Ni's. He placed a kiss on sleeping Ha Ni's lips.

 

"I love you Ha Ni. I really do."

 

And he held Ha Ni's hand and finally fell asleep.

 

 

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yey! i've finished copy pasting the chapters.. hurray or my industriousness.. (i can't believe how lazy i am to post the 5 chapters).. then there's school again tomorrow after my instant 5-day vacation

thanks for reading Cherry Chime's story.. her other story is a one shot so i guess i'll just post it in the one shot collection.. here's the link to this story in case you want to read it in the original site and drop your comments for her:

THE BABY'S HERE