- The Small Bear -

Baekhyun gazed at Soomi with worry and disapproval swirling through his eyes. “I don’t like it when you lie to me,” he said sternly. “Tell me why you’ve been crying.”

She rubbed over her eyes with the back of her hand and looked down defeatedly. It was too soon—she wasn’t ready to tell him yet. She had barely wrapped her head around the fact that she was pregnant. How could she tell him in her confused state?

“I’ve just been a bit overwhelmed… by… everything,” she muttered quietly. “A lot has happened and… I needed to… let it out.”

Sitting next to her on the bed, he took her hands in his, holding them gently. “I see. Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“Not right now,” she replied repellently. Maybe later, maybe tomorrow, or the day after. She couldn’t do this now.

“Then I’ll wait,” he sighed. It was obvious that he didn’t like this, but he didn’t urge her to answer him when she wasn’t ready to.

“I know something that could cheer you up,” he said suddenly and got up. “Please follow me,” he added and took her hand, expecting her to get up too. She was still reluctant but complied and left the bed. Smoothing her dress, she walked hand in hand with him, leaving their chambers.

They went downstairs to a floor below and crossed the hallway, entering the music hall. She hadn’t been here in a while, but it looked the same as in her memories. Nothing had changed at all.

Wide windows lined up opposite the door and allowed sunlight to fall in. The marble floor was polished, as was the surface of the black grand piano in the middle of the room. It stood alone in the large hall and instantly drew her attention. Soomi caught on to what he was planning and followed him to the piano. She was looking forward to hearing him play, but her anxiety dimmed her happiness.

The burden that now weighed on her couldn’t be ignored. It had taken over her thoughts and no matter how hard she tried to push them away, it didn’t work. She glanced down at her stomach, and back up right in Baekhyun’s face. He had stopped walking and she had almost run into him.

Arching an eyebrow, he asked, “Are you okay? You seem distracted.”

“I’m fine,” she said, giving a tense smile that didn’t convince him. He frowned as he sat down in front of the piano, leaving space for her. She took a seat next to him.

“You know, Soomi,” he began, looking down at the keys with a concentrated expression. “It’s rather obvious that you aren’t well and I’d feel better if you talked to me about it. You’ve listened to my worries countless times before and always let me lean on you when I needed it. I would like to do the same for you, but if I don’t know what the problem is, then I’m powerless.”

His fingers came to rest on the piano keys, unmoving. Silence spread through the room. Nervousness made Soomi’s hands clammy and fidgety. She gulped and gazed at her stomach again, conflictedly biting down on her lower lip.

He wanted to help but unknowingly aggravated her dilemma. A war raged in her mind. She was fighting herself on this matter, and so far, neither side was winning. Part of her wanted to tell him about the pregnancy and just get it over with. The other part was scared of his reaction, terrified of the outcome. And not only that. She was afraid for the baby, afraid to die.

The words that fell from were spoken in a hurry and hard to understand. “T-Thank you. I appreciate it, but I can’t talk about it right now,” she stuttered.

He frowned but quickly forced a smile on his lips despite his disappointment. “I understand,” he said. “Then maybe I can make you feel better with a song.”

She remained silent and watched him pressing a few keys, creating a melody that reverberated through the grand hall. He had chosen an upbeat song that sounded cheerful and uplifting. Soomi liked it, liked how at ease it made her feel. The anxiety within her didn’t waver, but she was distracted from it momentarily as she listened. It was fascinating to her that he was able to weave the most beautiful patterns of music with just a few movements of his hands. He made it look effortless as his fingers danced over the keys, but she knew how difficult it was to master this skill.

A faint smile bloomed on her lips. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the song he played and getting lost in it. If someone had asked her to visualize it, she would choose a flower field in spring, the sun shining down on it. The feeling of joy his music evoked in her was indescribable—she cherished it.

As the song ended, he leaned back and glanced at her, seeing the shy smile she displayed. He let out a breath, somewhat relieved that he had managed to make her smile. However, he furrowed his brows when he noticed something. She was holding her stomach as if she was in pain.

“Do you have a stomachache?” he asked.

She tensed up within a split-second. Her back became straight as a board and she looked at him with wide, spooked eyes. “No, I don’t,” she answered much too quickly. “I… I really liked your song.”

“Don’t change the topic,” he sighed. “Soomi, you’ve been acting strangely today, and it worries me. Are you still feeling ill? I could have the doctor come by again,” he said seriously, taking her hands in his.

She lowered her head to glance at their linked hands. It was time to tell him, she knew, but she was struggling to find words. Something of such great magnitude couldn’t just be blurted out on a whim. She needed to think this through… but she was so nervous and scared, she just couldn’t come up with a single coherent thought. This was the first time that she had ever been in this situation. Now, more than ever, she wished to have someone she could ask for advice.

Her heart palpitated in her chest as she raised her head to look at Baekhyun. It wasn’t fair to him to keep this a secret, especially not since he was worried. He needed to know. This concerned him as much as it concerned her. If she kept it to herself, she wouldn’t do them any favors. He’d been very supportive of her so far and she hoped that it would be no different this time.

Soomi gathered all of her courage and took a deep breath, clenching her hands into fists. She had to do it now.

“Baekhyun, there’s a reason why I have been feeling a bit weird lately, but it’s not what you think. I’m not ill at all,” she spoke softly, her lashes fluttering nervously. Her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest. She met his eyes, and then she finally said it. “I’m pregnant. You’re going to be a father.”

Her words were followed by an unusually emotional reaction. His eyes widened considerably and his features revealed his surprise. Speechlessly, he gazed at her. His brown eyes became glossy as a smile blossomed on his lips. It brightened up his entire face. His worry forgotten, he beamed at her, radiating joy.

“Soomi,” he whispered, hugging her unexpectedly and cradling her head to his chest. “Is that really true?”

Relieved about his positive reaction, she embraced him. “Yes, it is.”

She was so glad to see him smiling that tears welled up in her eyes. The pressure that had built up until now dissipated. Soomi felt as light as a cloud floating in the sky. She couldn’t have hoped for a better response from him.

“I… I don’t know what to say,” he breathed, his soft words barely audible. “Thank you. This is… the most beautiful gift I have ever received.”

He loosened his embrace and cupped her face with his hands, softly caressing her cheeks as he gazed at her with warm eyes. Her heart swelled with warmth and affection. “I love you, my Queen,” he smiled, “I love you.”

Locking their lips, he kissed her adoringly. She could feel his happiness, his lips moving against hers. He was more enthusiastic and upbeat than normal. She would compare his behavior to that of a child on Christmas eve. It was endearing, and it made her fall for him even more.

When the kiss ended, she noticed that he was glowing like a star in the night sky. If she had known that her pregnancy would make him this happy, then she wouldn’t have hesitated to tell him. In hindsight, she wondered why she had been so afraid. Wasn’t he always there to support her? He was.

“I love you too,” she whispered, leaning into him. He put one arm around her shoulders and fondly gazed down at her.

“Do you think it will be a boy or a girl?” he asked breathlessly. His eyes were b with excitement, warm and glossy. He couldn’t sit still, tapping his feet and fidgeting around.

“Wouldn’t a little prince be cute?”

“What about a little princess?” he replied.

“I wouldn’t mind that either,” she giggled.

“As long as they have your pretty gray eyes.”

She blushed. “Um… maybe they’ll have your shiny blond hair,” she said. Hesitating, she gazed at him. “So… you are really fine with this?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? This is such a wonderful gift,” he answered. “Why would you ask that? Are you worried?”

“Frankly, yes,” she whispered. “I’m scared that something else might happen, and I might lose the baby.”

Understanding why she would th