*Disclaimer: I have never birthed a child, nor do I know anyone who has birthed a child. This is just based on what I've seen of TV*

Byul was in full on panic mode. To the point WheeIn had to step in and take charge. She assured them that they didn’t have to speed their way to the hospital, not until YongSun started having contractions. They ended the party early anyway. WheeIn helped YongSun changed into different clothing, who also looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack. Byul tried her best to look as calm as possible for YongSun but she didn’t think she was pulling it off well.

HyeJin took care of saying goodbye to the guests. By the time they came back out into the living room, HyeJin was lounging on the couch rocking YooRa gently in her arms. She looked up at them so calmly, but Byul remembered when WheeIn first went into labour, HyeJin was more over the top than Byul was acting now. Though she was glad for her friend’s experience, it was making her feel a lot better about this. “I should take YooRa to your mother’s WheeIn.” She said getting up from the couch.

WheeIn nodded but YongSun panicked a bit. “She can’t come with us?” She looked so sad.

WheeIn squeezed her shoulder. “I am sorry Unnie, they aren’t going to let her stay with you, and besides we don’t know how long this is going to take. HyeJin will get her when it is all done.” YongSun nodded but still held her arms out for the sleeping baby.

HyeJin passed her over, taking the free moment to hug WheeIn and give her a kiss goodbye. YongSun snuggled her close and gave her a kiss on her head. Careful not to wake her, she passed her over to WheeIn for a quick goodbye. WheeIn gave her back to HyeJin and then started helping them collect their stuff for the hospital. Twenty minutes later, when YongSun’s first contractions came, they headed for hospital.

YongSun sat on a hospital bed. Newly dressed in a hospital gown. To their surprise, when they arrived YongSun’s contractions were coming more frequently and she was dilated enough to be admitted into a room. WheeIn was in the corner on her phone, probably texting her wife. Byul was standing in front of YongSun’s bed, snapping random pictures with her phone, she wished she had brought her camera but YongSun forbid her from having it. “Byul-Ah.” She said through clenched teeth. “If you don’t put that phone away I am going to shove it so far up your…”

“Unnie!” WheeIn interjected. “She is just excited.” She looked at Byul. “Though it is annoying Byul so put it away and comfort your wife.” She scolded.

Byul did as she was told and put her phone away. She walked over to YongSun and started rubbing her back, not sure if she was helping at all. YongSun in a large breath of air, another contraction hitting. “How is everything going in here?” Their doctor popped his head in the door.

“Just dandy.” YongSun hissed.

He came over, Byul stepped back to give him room but held on to YongSun’s hand, who was squeezing it so hard that Byul was convinced she was going to break it. He checked her charts, looked at some machines, Byul really didn’t know what because she was not a doctor, and because the pain her hand was taking all of her attention. “Well Mrs. Kim, it seems like you are ready to push.” He said it with a smile but Byul was sure YongSun was glaring at him. “Why don’t we get you ready?” The doctor helped YongSun lay back down. He left momentarily to go get the nurses that were going to bring her down to the delivery room.

YongSun looked up at Byul, eyes wide with fright. “Byul-Ah, I’m scared.”

Byul squeezed her hand, leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry I will be here the whole time.” She wiped a bead of sweat off of her forehead.

“I’ll be here waiting for you to get back.” WheeIn said encouragingly, she wasn’t allowed in the delivery room with them.

Byul nodded. “And very soon you will be able to hold our daughter.” She kissed the YongSun’s hand.

YongSun looked at her, still looking scared. “Don’t let go.” She said it more like a question than a statement.

Byul smoothed more of her hair. “Never.”

The nurses came in and started wheeling YongSun down to the delivery room. Byul holding her hand the entire way.

Byul for once was glad she didn’t have her camera in her hands. There are only so many things one can experience from behind a lense, filter affecting the memory of it. It was messy, more painful for YongSun than it was for Byul’s hand. She stood next to her wife through the three hours, encouraging her the entire way, and getting cursed out for it. That part Byul wished she had a recording of, YongSun almost never cursed, so it was so funny when she did.

Finally, the doctor placed a baby in YongSun’s arms. She was smaller than Byul thought she was going to be, so breakable. YongSun was crying again, but then again so was Byul. She even managed to snap a picture of YongSun holding their daughter for the very first time. It wasn’t long before the nurses were reaching for the baby again. YongSun looked like she want to fight them but she didn’t have the energy. “Where are they taking her?” She sounded so heartbroken.

Byul her hair in an attempt to comfort her. “They have to clean her off baby, don’t worry she will be back.” But YongSun wasn’t done either, apparently she had to push out the placenta as well, which just made Byul want to vomit all over the floor but like a good wife she still held YongSun’s hand.

YongSun looked completely exhausted but she refused to go to sleep without holding the baby one more time. They brought her back to her room, all cleaned up now, eyes fighting the fatigue the whole way. A nurse met them back in their room. No WheeIn in sight. Byul helped YongSun back into a sitting position, half sitting on the bed with her so she could rest against her. The nurse brought the baby over, swaddled in pink, YongSun was going to like that. She gently lay her down in YongSun’s arms, Byul’s arms wrapped around her so she could hold YongSun while she held the baby. YongSun choked on a sob. Byul rubbed her arms and kissed the top of her head. The baby was asleep but as soon as she was placed in YongSun’s arms, her eyes began to open slowly. Byul could only see YongSun’s wide smile, knowing her own face was mirroring the same look. YongSun carefully lifted her closer so she could press her against her chest, weakly giving her a kiss. Byul handed her phone over to the nurse and asked her to take a few pictures for her, not wanting to leave YongSun’s side.

YongSun was hypnotised by their daughter, but so was Byul, her clear brown eyes looking up at them. “Do you know what you are going to name her?” The nursed asked them when she finished taking the pictures.

YongSun’s eyelids kept dropping, she was trying very hard to be awake, more relaxed now that she was holding the baby. “SaeByeog, Moon SaeByeog.” She snuggled her closer.

The nurse smiled, Byul was sure she was use to hearing very odd names. It might not be a shock to her that they decided to name their baby after the sunrise. They had a few other name choices, YongSun liked the symbolism of both of their names having something to do with the sky. HaNeul was greatly considered. Byul threw out WolGwang but YongSun refused to have her daughter be named Moon Moon. YongSun said since they were using Byul’s family name that they name her TaeYang, so it wa a mix of both of them. However, they settled on SaeByeog because it was one of the two times a day both the moon and the sun were bright in the sky. That and HwangHon didn’t sounds as right.

“Unnie,” Byul whispered into YongSun’s ear. “I think it is time to get some rest.” YongSun started furiously shaking her head. Byul kissed her on the cheek. “You’re tired baby, you need to get some sleep.” YongSun leaned her head back on Byul’s shoulder. “I will watch over her, don’t worry.” YongSun nodded, eyes already starting to close. Byul gently took the baby from YongSun, extremely nervous at first. She held YooRa the day she was born but this was somehow different, this was her’s. Byul felt both fear and pride in her heart as she held the baby, now sitting next to YongSun so she could see them as her eyes fluttered shut. Eventually her breaths became even, she was asleep.

Byul got more nervous when SaeByeog started to whimper, as if she could tell the more unfit mother was holding her. “She can sense you’re nervous.” The nurse smiled at her. “Most first time parents are, don’t worry.”

She whimpered again, YongSun started stirring at the sound. Byul quickly rocked the baby as gently as she could, trying to sooth her before she woke up YongSun. “Does it get easier?” She asked the nurse. She couldn’t help but feel she was doing something wrong, like she was going to fail.

“Here is the secret. No one knows what they are doing.” She came over to Byul. “Every baby is different, even if you’ve had three of them, it never gets easier, there is always the fear.” She fixed the blanket around the baby for Byul. “You will eventually get the hang of it, just don’t doubt yourself, and trust your partner.” Byul looked over at her now sleeping wife. If anyone was capable it was YongSun.

“Thank you.” Byul said to the nurse. She leaned in and kissed the top of her daughter’s head. She must have held her forever, just admiring the beautiful thing she helped create.

WheeIn rejoined her not long after YongSun went to bed. The nurse had to take SaeByeog back to the nursery, she had to do a check up with her, Byul grateful she made sure YongSun was sleeping when she did. WheeIn snapped a few pictures of Byul holding the baby before she even realized she had come back in to the room. WheeIn go to hold her as well before the nurse took her away.

Now they sit in the chairs in the room, Byul’s chair as close to YongSun as she could get without waking her with their voices. “HyeJin is going to be here in the next hour or so.” WheeIn was trying to keep her voice low. Neither of them wanted YongSun to wake up, especially if the baby wasn’t here. “Sorry I wasn’t here when you got back, I was trying to update HyeJin, and sing YooRa to sleep over the phone.”

Byul smiled at that, WheeIn was whipped by her daughter, Byul wondered if she would be the same. “That is fine, I think YongSun was too tired to notice. She was so focused on seeing the baby.”

WheeIn nodded. “I remember that feeling. You’re so tired but you waited like ten months to hold her. YooRa was so tiny.” She smiled in remembrance. “I was so afraid I was going to break her.”

Byul nodded. “I am so afraid I am going to do something wrong.”

WheeIn laughed. “I still feel that way. I don’t know if that ever goes away.” She scratched her head. “You are suddenly responsible for this human’s life, it is scary.”

Byul sighed. “I just don’t want to let either of them down.”

WheeIn shook her head, but she looked like she understood. “You will be an amazing mom Unnie, you and YongSun are amazing with YooRa.” She wouldn’t go as far as to say amazing but Byul tried to use babysitting YooRa as practice. Byul let out a big yawn, it was almost midnight. “Unnie, you should get some sleep.”

Byul shook her head. “I don’t want to sleep until the baby gets back, in case YongSun wakes up before that.” She rubbed her eyes. “I do want to go get a coffee though, do you mind staying with her and I’ll grab you one.” WheeIn nodded and switched to the chair Byul was in, turning it so she was next to YongSun. “I’ll try not to be too long.”

Byul wondered after she left if there even was somewhere to get coffee at midnight. She supposed somewhere had to, this was a hospital after all, especially in the maternity ward. She walked the halls, hoping to find a coffee machine or something. She saw a small crowd of men down a hallway. Curious, she walked down to see what was going on. They were all standing in front of the window of the nursery. Byul immediately found SaeByeog among the new baby faces. She slowly took out her phone and snapped a few pictures. “Which one is yours?” The man closest to her asked with a smile. She panicked a bit, clearly she didn’t look like a woman who had just had a baby.

She nervously moved her hair out of her face. “That one.” She pointed to her daughter.

He laughed, face lighting up. “Must be your first, you look like I did when we had our first.” Byul tried not to make eye contact with him. “I think I saw you come in with your wife, the pretty brunette.”

Byul looked at him now for real. Still smiling, so happy, maybe it was the new baby mood. “Which one is yours?” She asked voice still wavering a bit at her uncertainty. He pointed to a baby swaddled in blue. “He is cute,” She took out one of her business cards. “For your kindness, come visit me if you wish. I’ll do his photos for free.”

He took the card but shook his head. “I can’t let you do it for free.”

Byul shrugged. “I’ve met a lot of people who would have saw me and cursed me out, and cursed out my wife and now child.” She smiled sadly. “You don’t know how much your kindness is appreciated. Makes me have hope for the future.” She smiled for real now. “I would like to see you again, and your son. Take me up on my offer if you wish but I will understand if you don’t.”

He bowed a bit. “Thank you.” She put the card in his pocket.

Byul smiled. “I best get back before my wife wakes up.” She shoved her hands in her pockets. “May I ask your name?”

“Lee TaeYang.” Byul almost laughed. “What about yours?”

Byul bowed and held out her hand to him. “Moon ByulYi.”

He shook her hand. “I hope to be seeing you soon Moon ByulYi ssi.”

“Looking forward to it Lee TaeYang ssi.”

Byul took one more look at her daughter and continued her adventure for coffee. Smile plastered on her face now, heart filled with hope for the future, and the future of her family.

Byul woke up in her chair. She must have fallen asleep after all. She sat up in a panic and looked around. YongSun was sitting up in bed, baby in her arms, feeding her. Byul smiled at the sight, tempted to reach for her phone again but she didn’t. Byul fell asleep not long after they brought the baby back in the room, sitting in between YongSun's bed and the tiny clear box they put the baby in.

Byul got up and kissed YongSun’s lips slowly, she still looked very tired. She kissed the baby on the head as well. “I suppose that means I have to share these now.” She said dragging a finger lazily across the the baby wasn’t drinking from.

YongSun slapped her hand away. “Byul-Ah it is not the time for that.”

Byul laughed sinisterly and kissed her again, a bit deeper this time. When she pulled away YongSun was breathless, and glaring at her. Byul sat back down in her chair, she wondered how much time YongSun needed to heal before they could sleep together. She figured with a new baby they weren’t going to get a lot of opportunities. “I don’t know if I am going to want to share you.” She said quite seductively.

YongSun rolled her eyes. “Get use to it.” Byul laughed.

There was a knock at the door. WheeIn, HyeJin and YooRa were standing in the doorway. Byul could see YongSun try her best not to jump up out of excitement. “Are we interrupting?” HyeJin said with a sly look between them.

“No.” YongSun said removing SaeByeog from her chest, turning her to burp her. “You’re saving me from Byul.”

WheeIn laughed, she carried YooRa, sitting down in one of the vacant chairs, HyeJin standing behind her. “I didn’t know seeing YongSun as a mother was going to be so hot.” Byul said only kind of jokingly.

HyeJin shook her head but she was smiling. “Are you going to let us hold her Unnie?” She said looking eager.

YongSun made a face, like she didn’t want to let go of her child. “Remember when Unnie almost ripped YooRa out of my hands when she was born.” WheeIn said with a look. “You would have thought she gave birth to her, not me.”

YongSun looked a bit ashamed. “Fine you can hold her.” She gently passed her off to HyeJin, now having a second to fix her gown, even if Byul was enjoying her view. “But I want to hold YooRa.” She pouted.

WheeIn rolled her eyes and handed her over. YongSun momentarily distracted. Byul took out her camera, WheeIn snuck home and got it for her. She started snapping pictures of everyone. After the baby was passed between their friends, they let YongSun hold them both, so Byul could capture their first meeting on camera. “They are going to be as close as sisters.” HyeJin said at the sight.

“Perhaps more than sisters.” WheeIn said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

Byul rolled her eyes. “Let’s not start that now. Only time will tell.” She wondered if straight parents did that with their children, wished they’d get married to their best friend's kid.

YongSun looked up at Byul and smiled directly into the camera. Byul was more of a 'candid was better' photographer but this was a picture she couldn’t miss. When the nurse came to do her rounds Byul asked her to take a picture of all of them together. One big happy family.

Byul didn’t know how she was going to narrow down the five hundred pictures she took down to only a few. In the first few days of SaeByeog’s life Byul had managed to almost fill her entire SD card, and that wasn’t even including the one’s she had on her phone.

They finally left the hospital. Byul behind the wheel, YongSun in the back seat next to SaeByeog’s car seat, feeling a bit scared about her first car ride. Byul looked at her wife in the rear view mirror, she was smiling brightly at their daughter, humming a song to her as she slept. Byul was wrong all those months ago, this was the happiest she had ever felt, so happy she could break into a thousand pieces.

They put SaeByeog down in her crib, in her princess outfit, YongSun demanded she wear out of the hospital. Byul wondered how many days she was going to have to fight with YongSun over how often SaeByeog would be wearing it. They both stood above the crib, looking at the tiny human they made together. YongSun had her arms wrapped around Byul’s waist, head rested on her shoulder. Byul wrapped her arms around YongSun as well, resting her head atop of YongSun’s. “Isn’t she perfect?” YongSun sighed.

Byul kissed her head. “She shines like the morning sky she was named after.”

YongSun smacked her stomach. “Cheesy.” But she heard the smile in her voice.

There was a relaxed aura in the room, so peaceful Byul was convinced she could fall asleep right now just standing up. She started running her fingers through YongSun’s hair. “I am glad we did this.” She whispered. A year ago Byul could have never seen herself in this position. She would have never imagined being a mother. But here she was, mother of a beautiful little girl who was sleeping below her. Arms around the woman she loved more than anything in the world. It was like a fantasy, a dream, one she never wanted to wake up from.

“I am glad we did this too.” YongSun snuggled her head in a bit more so she was closer to Byul’s neck.

Byul slowly walked them back to their own bedroom, turning off the light in the nursery as they left. She settled YongSun into her side of the bed. the baby monitor and then climbed into her side of the bed. As soon as she got into bed YongSun moved so they were entwined once again, her head on Byul’s chest. SaeByeog’s quiet breaths coming from the speaker, casting the relaxing aura around them. Byul breathed in the scent of her wife’s strawberry lotion as her eyes began to flutter. Sleep finally taking her over. With her family now whole, Byul felt unafraid and at peace.

That it is! ... for now. I do plan on maybe continuing or doing a sort of spin off eventually. But as of now I have two other storied going and School work is going to start to take over my life so I am not going to push it. 

Thank you for all those who read this and I hope you enjoyed it. 

P.S SaeByeog means Dawn as per Google translate I keep misspelling it. I really did want to name her Aurora but I was trying to keep with the traditional Korean naming. What would you have named the MoonSun baby? And if I do, do a spin off what would you like to see happen?