Track 168 | NOTHING'S GONNA HURT YOU BABY by Cigarettes After

Evening of

Rara spent the entire morning and afternoon tidying up her flat. She vacuumed, mopped the floors, wiped the desks clean. She put some of her stuff in boxes, and left out what she would still be needing tomorrow. Her entire day was a riot of clanking and thumping of heavy books and the likes.

She was on her desk going through her Polaroid photos. Trips to the forest, scuba diving, experiments, role plays...one moment, time was moving at a turtle’s pace, and the next thing she knew, she was in her toga, about to receive her diploma. But she didn’t wallow in nostalgia too much; Aejung was going to drop by tonight. Lost in reminiscing, her phone suddenly rang, disrupting her moment of nostalgia. It must be Aejung, she thought. When she was about to grab her phone to see who texted her, there was a knock on the door.

She stood up, choosing to see who was at her door. She was about to enclose her hand around the doorknob when her superhuman senses told her to halt. She shut her eyes tightly in frustration before turning around, and just as she thought, she wasn’t alone anymore.

“Didn’t I tell you to text me beforehand if you were coming?” Rara asked Baekhyun in exasperation.

“Yeah, I did.” He replied innocently. “It’s just that I texted you the exact moment I arrived.”

The text message. It was him. Rara looked past behind him and saw the screen doors to her balcony open. The bastard actually sneaked in. He had a duffel bag hanging on his shoulder; he probably planned to stay the night.

“You can’t be here, Baekhyun.” Rara said decisively. “Aejung’s probably at the door right now.”

“But I just got here—”

“Go through the guard and I’ll come and get you.” Rara ordered. “We’ll go from there.”

“Can’t you tell her I was already here hours ag—”

“Rara, it’s me.” Aejung called out from outside.

Rara glared at Baekhyun and mouthed, Out. Now.

He inwardly groaned and went back to the balcony, closing the screen door.

When the coast was clear, Rara opened the door. She flashed her friend a bright smile but it immediately faltered as her eyes landed on something—or someone—in her arms.

“Aejung...” Rara was at loss for words; Aejung wasn’t bloated or didn’t look like she gained some weight during their graduation. Their graduation photos were lying on her study table; they could be the proof. Why was there a baby boy, who had her nose and her full lips, in her arms? “...Is...is he...yours...?”

“Yeah.” Aejung said sympathetically. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Oh my god...I...I don’t know what to say...” Still in disbelief, Rara tried to muster a reply. They just reunited a few days ago. It didn’t cross her mind that her friend was actually pregnant. “It didn’t occur to me you were pregnant...but anyway, come in.”

Aejung recounted her story; she was pregnant in December last year. She was about five months pregnant when they graduated and nobody noticed, because she was keen on wearing the baggiest clothing. She even chose the largest size of graduation robes. After graduating, she fled from the scene—the vacation she mentioned...Rara thought. She just gave birth last August. That meant that this baby boy, Kibum, was more or less a month old by now. Kibum was awake, lying on Rara’s bed peacefully; Rara and Aejung were sitting at the bean bags positioned close to the side of the bed, to keep a close eye on Kibum, though one-month-old babies could barely execute movements.

It didn’t take Rara long enough to figure out who’s the father—the reason why she had to replace Aejung as Persephone, and had to drag Baekhyun in to be Hades, is because Aejung’s ex, Woohyuk, got her pregnant, and he probably broke up with her because of the baby.

Before Rara could say something, there was a knock on the door.

Baekhyun.

“Aejung, that’s Baekhyun at the door. You don’t mind if he keeps us company, do you?” Rara asked. “He was supposed to come earlier to help me get some of my stuff out since I’m moving out but he arrived a little late because he ran some errands.” She said, coming up with the best excuse she could.

“Sure, why not? He’s your boyfriend.” Aejung replied with a wink. “But he’s not gonna judge me, is he?” She asked in a joking manner, but underneath that was a little bit of fear and tension she developed from how people can be so judgemental about young girls getting pregnant—especially if it’s an accident.

Probably not, because he knocked me up, too. “Nah, he’s not like that.” Rara dismissed as she stood up, and went over to the door.

When Rara opened the door, Baekhyun flashed her a smile. His joyful expression was suddenly followed by confusion as he asked in a low tone, “Why are there three heartbeats in this vicinity? Is someone else with Aejung?”

Rara just discreetly grinned and said, “Come, see.”

As they walked to Rara’s bedroom, Baekhyun greeted Aejung. “Hi, Aejung. Nice seeing you agai—wait...” His eyes locked in the tiny baby at the center of Rara’s bed. “Is that a baby?” He asked in a surprised tone. He looked at Rara and raised an eyebrow. “Is your apartment, like, a secret nursery or something?” His question earned a light slap to the temple from Rara. “You know too damn well I don’t like kids, Baekhyun.” She said with a raised eyebrow, but her expression told him that what she said was the truth but yet, I let you give me the power to bear children because I love you that much. Getting the memo, he smiled at her while rubbing his temple. He turned back to Aejung and asked, “I didn’t know you were a mom.”

“Frankly, I didn’t expect to be one too, Baekhyun.”

While Aejung told her story to Baekhyun, Rara looked at Kibum who was awake. He was still so young and so small. He did nothing more than move his arms and legs in the same direction. Rara was glad that Aejung’s parents had helped her through the pregnancy and were supporting her and Kibum. She was also glad that Aejung only had one to deal with—Rara dealt with two. And while Bomi didn’t count as a pain in the because she catered to blood and didn’t sleep, she needed attention as much as Rin did.

When Aejung mentioned to Baekhyun that Vee and Doyoung knew and that she chose not to tell Rara, Rara immediately turned up and remembered to ask her why the hell it was kept from her. “Did you think I was going to spread it around or something?” Rara asked in a strained voice.

“No, of course not!” Aejung said defensively. “I didn’t tell you because you’re too emotional.” She chuckled. “And if I told you that Woohyuk broke up with me because he knocked me up, your would've beaten him to shreds.”

”She would have burnt him to crisp.” Baekhyun commented. While it was probably a metaphor to Aejung, it was literal to both him and Rara.

“Damn right I would!” Rara added furiously. “You should’ve told me! If that coward is covered in bruises and wounds, I’m sure it would have comforted you!”

Aejung cackled at her words. “You and your temper!”

A laugh erupted from Baekhyun as well, and Rara looked at him, like he understood a joke that flew right over her head. He looked at her straight in the eye with a canny smile. “You and your temper.” Baekhyun was no alien to her temper, and Rara understood that. He chuckled as he received a snub from Rara.

“No, really, Aejung. I can’t force Woohyuk to get back with you but the least he could’ve done was to be there for you all throughout the nine months. You didn’t get pregnant on your own.” She told Aejung seriously, as tears began to well up in Aejung’s eyes. Rara was aggressive; a big block of madness. But in times of calamity, she was a fluff ball. A big caring fluff ball. “I would’ve fought really hard for you, you know?”

While Aejung was absorbing Rara’s words, she caught Baekhyun looking at Rara while she spoke words of comfort to her. And in the words of Jordan Baker from The Great Gatsby: “He looked at her the way all girls want to be looked at.” He looked at her intensely with awe, affection, and just pure admiration. Like if he could just take Rara in his arms and embrace her, run his fingers on her cheeks, he would’ve done it.

Baekhyun noticed that Aejung was looking at him with a thrilled expression, and he smiled in return. It was then Aejung knew that he genuinely loved her dear friend, and that Rara was in good hands. Rara then discerned their silent interaction and asked, “What are you guys were smiling about?”

Aejung immediately wiped the tears that were about to fall and said, “Rara, he’s a keeper.”

“Huh? Who?” Rara asked in a puzzled tone. She pointed her thumb at Baekhyun. “Baek?”

“No, Kibum.” Aejung said with a straight face. “Of course I meant Baekhyun, you idiot.”

“Oh.” Rara chuckled. “I know he’s a keeper. He wouldn’t have left me like your of an ex-boyfriend.”

For a fraction of a second, Baekhyun’s eyes widened. She shouldn’t have said the last sentence to Aejung. It lowkey implied that if he got Rara pregnant, he wouldn’t have left her. That was actual