“Thanks for coming over today Sehun,” Yuta closed his sister’s bedroom door behind him and made sure that a soft click resounded before he walked Sehun to the living room. “I didn’t think she’d fall sick so suddenly.”

Sehun pretty much used to drop by the palace’s kitchen every second Saturday of the month late at night to make sweet candies with Yuta. But ever since she received a house as a gift from Luhan, Yuta came by whenever he was free instead. This week however was a bit different. It has been quite some time since they physically met to discuss their teaching materials. And because Sehun was due in about three weeks, Yuta needed to make sure that he could fully take over both languages. Otherwise, attending tutorial classes would be all for naught if their mandarin were to go back to square one.

Realising that she’s never gone to his house, Sehun offered to cook up congee for Yuta’s younger sibling when she heard that she was ill. Well, it was also for all the times he’s sacrificed to accommodate her situation. As the days passed, Sehun’s gotten easily lethargic. With her frequent check-ups, it was only understandable that she could only give attention to her classes and nothing more.

Yuta got her a glass of cold water as she settled herself down onto the beige couch. It was the middle of winter and he couldn’t help but notice how the brunette seemed to be sweating buckets. Silently, he adjusted the temperature of the heater, but he doubted that it was because of the room’s atmosphere. It was already chilly to begin with.

“Sehun, are you okay?” Yuta started as she placed the glass down onto the coffee table, Her complexion seemed paler, and her lips a light purple. His brows furrowed when her face contorted uncomfortably in pain. “Sehun…?”

“Yeah…” Sehun breathed, forcing a smile. She didn’t understand why she was perspiring, but there were cold beads slowly forming on her arms.

Without warning, Sehun hissed and let out a deep gasp when she felt a sharp pain at the side of her lower stomach.

“Sehun?” Yuta didn’t waste another second as he rushed up to her side. Hissing in pain himself when Sehun’s iron-grip secured itself around his arm, Yuta tried to remain calm as he tried to find the source of her discomfort. But before he could ask, his eyes caught sight of her drenched pink bottoms. And it was a scene quite familiar to him, he saw his mother experience this just before his sister was born.

“Sehun… you’re due.” Yuta locked his eyes with hers, but the brunette didn’t seem to comprehend as her brows frowned in agony when she blinked her tears away.

“Sehun, you’re in labour.” He tried again, but this time, he fished out his phone and was about to call the ambulance when Sehun stopped him.

“Sehun!”

“No… way… That’s… not possible…” She exasperatedly argued in between uneven breaths. “I have three weeks left—”

She groaned out in pain when she felt another wave of agonising contraction in her stomach. She could’ve ripped Yuta’s arm off if she was any stronger. She breathed out messily and threw her head back against the couch as she felt dry. Yuta clasped their hands together and proceeded to call the ambulance.

“Sehun, listen to me.” He softly whispered, “Whenever it hurts, squeeze on my hand okay? I’ll count the contractions for you, so don’t hold back.”

Yuta swallowed nervously as he edged close to Sehun’s side. The ambulance shouldn’t take too long since there was a hospital nearby, but Yuta wasn’t even sure if the nearest hospital was the one Sehun frequented. His mind went blank as he glanced at the wall clock when Sehun squeezed tight on his hand.

Sehun didn’t look too good either.

It was probably better for her to scream the pain out but even Yuta knew that screaming would make things worse, especially if she were to move about in the process. Sehun’s attended a few pre-labour sessions and she’s probably learned that moving too much increases her pains instead.

Sehun squeezed onto his palm again and Yuta looked back to the clock.

3 minutes?

“Sehun, was that by accident?”

It was a horrible question to ask, but counting the gaps between her contractions were important. He didn’t want to misinform the doctor once they’ve reached the hospital. But then the brunette swallowed what felt like a prickly lump in , mustering enough strength to shake her head.

Yuta shifted in an attempt to give her more space as she adjusted her position, her back now resting properly on the couch. How could her contractions be 3 minutes apart so soon? She clenched his palm once more and Yuta’s heart was beating faster by the minute. 8 minutes’ passed and the ambulance was still not here yet. But to both of their relief, vigorous knocks rapped against Yuta’s front door. Assuring Sehun that he’ll be gone temporarily to open the door, Yuta scurried to the door as he let in 3 paramedics with a stretcher. Slowly but swiftly bringing her up to the stretcher, Yuta followed the paramedics suit as they rushed back into the ambulance.

“Name please.”

Yuta wiped his forehead before answering almost hoarsely, “Sehun.”

The paramedic briefly glanced at Yuta as a sign of acknowledgement before fixing an oxygen mask onto Sehun’s nose and mouth. Yuta made sure to re-clasp their palms to continue to keep track of the contractions’ intervals when the paramedic continued to speak to Sehun.

“Okay Miss Sehun, I need you to breathe in deep as slowly as you can— and exhale.” The paramedic instructed with a calming voice, but Sehun’s eyes were losing focus as their lids become heavier through each passing second. “Miss Sehun, please don’t go to sleep. We need you to keep your eyes open.”

The paramedic pressed her fingers against Sehun’s neck as she took note of her pulse, “Is this her first pregnancy?”

Yuta nodded without a second a spare, “Her contractions are currently 3 minutes apart?”

The paramedic frowned, “Why did you take so long to contact us?”

But when the look on Yuta shook his head twice and plastered a simultaneously worried and anxious face, the paramedic knew that there was some sort of abnormality; but with Sehun or the baby, she couldn’t be certain.

“Miss Sehun,” The paramedic shifted her attention to Sehun who was losing consciousness already. “Miss Sehun, we need you awake. Please don’t go to sleep.”

It didn’t make sense to pass out with this immense pain. Considering and understanding how a certain level of pain could make a person go unconscious, the pain Sehun’s facing was far too great to cause her to feel faint. All of her senses, every artery and every vein, should’ve been more than awakened. The pain would’ve been too drastic for her body to shut down just yet. Especially when contractions are not that far apart from each other.

Unless her endurance to pain is higher than normal.

“K— Ka—”

The paramedic brought her ear closer to Sehun’s lips as she attempted to listen to the brunette better.

“Please… call...” Sehun didn’t manage to finish herself when the ambulance doors burst open, cueing the paramedics to immediately push the stretcher out.

“It’s okay, we’re here.” The paramedic called out for the nurses by the door before turning to Yuta, “Please be with the patient, I’ll register her.”

The paramedic walked away as she proceeded to register Sehun at the counter. Yuta watched as Sehun was rolled away into the delivery suite, but he couldn’t move his feet. It was as if he was plastered to the ground.

A 3-minute interval meant that the baby was going to come out soon, but Sehun mentioned that she was 3 weeks early.

“Sir, are you the patient’s husband?”

Yuta’s mouth dropped, of course! How could he forget about calling Kai!

“N—No, her husband… I’ll give him a call.”

∞

“Five years?” the Prime Minister repeated what Luhan said, “That’s too soon Your Majesty.”

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