Junmyeon felt a warm embrace enveloping him like embers in the darkness of the room. The distinct scent of cinnamon filled the air, as if it were spreading over him like freshly baked bagels. But he wasn't complaining. It only made the comfort greater, and it overwhelmed all his senses.

The teacher closed his eyes again and let the tranquility wash over him as he breathed in the comforting cinnamon aroma.

It was the first time he had been like this with someone. None of his previous boyfriends had ever simply held him in the way Kai did; they just slept beside him as if it were nothing special. This was different. Kai didn't have high expectations, nor did he force anything ual—instead, he continued with their usual exchange of caresses, which gave Junmyeon's broken heart a glimmer of hope.

He felt happy there, for the first time in a long time. Ever since he broke up with his ex-boyfriend, he had been reflecting on his actions. He made no effort to engage in flirtations or to go on a date with anyone else. He was afraid. Fear seemed to be the only thing surrounding his mind. But now, in Kai's arms, it was as if he was finally breathing again.

Not that all his insecurities had vanished, but the thread of hope seemed ready to ignite once more. Kai was so different from anyone who had ever been in his life that it was practically impossible not to feel hopeful about this relationship. The truth was that his broken heart needed some respite, and Junmyeon felt like he had finally found it in Kim Kai's arms.

Looking at the warm body lying beside him in the dark room, he could see Kai. His warm body appeared awake but lazy. He touched Junmyeon gently and softly, as if he were something fragile. Junmyeon tried to find his face in the darkness and noticed that Kai's eyes were still closed, but his lips adorned a satisfied smile.

"I see you looking at me, Junmyeon," Kai finally said, opening his eyes to meet his gaze.

Junmyeon smiled. He hadn't expected him to say that so deliberately.

"You're so unfair. You look like a prince in the morning too," Kai chuckled lightly, moving closer to him.

"I'm no prince, my angel. I'm more like a great admirer of a literary professor." Those whispered words in the morning would make any heart race in the chest. And it didn't turn out any different for him.

He felt like he could smile just by looking at Kai there, whispering his poems in his ear as he always did. Kai smiled again as he approached, leaving a warm kiss close to his lips. It wasn't sensual, quite the opposite. It was as if he wanted to assure himself that Junmyeon was still there with him. Junmyeon's heart warmed.

"Good morning, Junmyeon," the brunette whispered, touching his face.

His warm brown eyes locked onto his, always with a small smile at the corner of his lips.

"Good morning," Kim replied, not quite sure how to react to the moment in the present.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked, still gazing deeply into his eyes.

"Yes," Junmyeon began to feel a bit intimidated.

Perhaps it was silly, but since he wasn't used to people being so close in his life, it was normal for him not to know what to do in situations like this. He usually didn't know how to react in situations that involved a lot of intimacy. It was a flaw he had acquired after years of hardship and disinterest from others. But Kai seemed different, as he wasn't content with just a few words.

"Are you hungry?" Kai asked, this time holding his hand as he always did.

Junmyeon looked down at their hands, feeling how familiar it was. No matter how much time had passed since that first night they stayed together just for the sake of it, it felt like every time Kai tried to get close without any reservations, he was never afraid of falling in love, and Junmyeon envied him greatly for that.

"I'm not sure if I'm hungry," he said, looking back at the brunette.

He was about to say something else but ended up staying quiet. Kai smiled. He seemed to have noticed his discomfort, as he tightened his grip on Junmyeon's hand.

"I need to get you something. I usually have breakfast at that café where we met the other day..." He said, as a suggestion.

"Oh..." Again, Junmyeon didn't know what to say.

"I can bring something for you. What do you think?" The professor was surprised.

"Are you going to get it for me?"

"Of course. Whatever you want. If you don't want to be alone, we can go together." There was no way he would let the guy fetch coffee for him as if he were a freeloader.

"I think it would be better if we went together, so I don't bother you." Kai smiled broadly this time, pulling his hand away from his.

He rested his fingers gently on Junmyeon's face, pulling him closer. He could feel the warmth of his breath so close to his, still smelling like cinnamon.

"I would never mind, Junmyeon." He said, sealing their lips together for a few seconds.

Junmyeon was taken aback.

"What do you do on Saturdays?" Kai changed the subject, surprising the professor.

He seemed so casual, as if they had known each other for a long time. Maybe it felt that way for him. The professor still wasn't quite sure how to respond to the guy's advances.

"I... uh..." He said, trying to find the words amidst the unexpected moment.

"What? Do you have plans?" Kim paused.

This was a moment of decision. He could tell the truth and say that he hadn't been with anyone for a good three years. Or he could lie and hide all his pathetic life and baggage of insecurities. He decided to do what he never expected himself to do:

"I... I write. I'm working on a book." He said, silencing himself in the same moment.

He didn't know why, but he felt like that was way more intimate than anything else he could have said in that moment. Kai seemed to perceive that too, as he smiled differently this time. It seemed warmer.

"Really?" He asked, curious about the information.

"Yes." Junmyeon confirmed.

Now he couldn't go back. He had to stand firm and admit to himself that he was in a slightly more advanced stage of writing than he expected. Writing had been taking over his senses for some time, and he just needed to admit to himself that it was what he wanted to pursue, that it was where he found himself. Finally, he had taken that step, and it felt liberating—and slightly out of control too...

"Can I read it?" Kai asked, his curiosity shining in his eyes.

"I haven't finished it yet."

"But I want to read it anyway." Junmyeon laughed.

"Why?" He really wanted to know.

It wasn't as if it were something really interesting for a potential—I guess he could call him that—lover to hear. I mean, how many of his boyfriends had actually been interested in what he did? None that he could remember. Without exception.

"I'm sure it's fascinating, and I want to be the first one to tell you that."

Of course, Kim Kai wouldn't just say something he never dreamed of hearing about himself; he would go even further. He made sure to say things that touched him deeply.

Junmyeon looked at him carefully, trying to find any indication that he might be lying. Any hint that it was just another cheap pickup line, like so many others he had received in life, but he found nothing.

"The first one?" He said, slightly embarrassed now that he realized he was serious.

"The first one, Junmyeon. Your number one fan." Junmyeon laughed.

"It's a sad book. I don't know if you'll like it." Kai paused, reaching out to touch his hands.

"I like poems, Junmyeon. I like you too. I don't know how it wouldn't interest me." The professor was astonished.

Kai was watching his eyes, never breaking the contact. He smiled before whispering:

"You've changed."

"What?"

"Your expression... you look more relaxed. I'm glad to see that in you. When I first met you, you were very different from what I see now." What was that supposed to mean?

"Ah... I... I feel good today."

"Really?" Kim simply nodded in agreement, not sure why he needed confirmation.

Kai smiled, moving closer and laying his head on Junmyeon's chest. His warm eyes were attentive to any reaction the professor had, making him feel slightly intimidated.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Junmyeon said, playfully lightening the mood that had settled between them.

Kai laughed heartily for the first time, creating a deep dimple in his eyes.

It was beautiful to see. He was beautiful to see. Especially there, saying the things he said with such certainty.

"Just a curious person..." he said, still smiling. "You've already got a title for the book?" Junmyeon smiled at his interest.

"I have several, actually. I divide them by chapters, and each one means something in German." Kai raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Um, that's complex."

"I think it seems more complex than it really is." The brunette twisted his lips as if he were thinking.

"Maybe..." he said, turning his gaze back to himself. "Or maybe you just don't want to accept that you can do something that complex."

"I don't know."

"You do, Junmyeon. Look at how complex we've become in just a few minutes." The professor laughed, stretching out to touch Kai's face.

The first touch made the other guy smile. His fingers traced his face like a painting. He never grew tired of saying how beautiful he was.

Kai closed his eyes amidst the caresses. He kissed the palm of Junmyeon's hand and settled into his embrace. It was the first time they had such intense contact, which felt strange. He didn't understand why being close to him felt more natural than with other people. Maybe it was because the guy was so open, or maybe it was just meant to be. He didn't know. But if he had to wait to see it happen, he was sure it would be worth it.

Junmyeon's phone suddenly started ringing, the sound breaking the calmness around them. Kai grumbled, opening his eyes. The teacher stretched, trying to find the phone amidst the mess they had made before falling asleep. It was lying on the bed, under the sheet.

Junmyeon frowned at the number lit up on the screen. This wasn't good.

"Who is it?" The brunette asked.

Junmyeon answered the call, looking at the guy in front of him. There was no better way to handle this, so he decided to answer right away:

"Sehun?" He whispered, as if softening the blow of Kai's face turning into a sea of sadness.

There couldn't have been a worse timing for this to happen.

There were stacks and stacks of baby books on Sehun's back as he entered the next store of interest: The Baby World. His goal was to gather as much information as possible before the baby's arrival—affectionately calling his plan "Cluster Project, Part 1." He wasn't great with names, but this would be the most important project of his life, so the name didn't matter much; what mattered was the origin of the official plan. That had to be perfect.

The cluster project was becoming exhausting as preparing for the baby's arrival demanded effort he wasn't accustomed to. From seeking baby manuals to the Test Phase—like now—everything required a lot of mental energy. He didn't want Irene to think he couldn't handle everything, so he did what he knew best: he formulated a research project. He thought of an inclusive name without social stigmas, as he had discussed with Baekhyun earlier. So he decided to stick with that name until the Cluster was born and assumed its social role in society (he just didn't know how many months it took for babies to understand all of this).

That's why he was so confused about the colors he should buy for the baby.

Blue? Pink? Or yellow?

Should he choose based on the socially imposed gender? Or should he go with Baekhyun's advice and imagine that the Cluster wouldn't like social roles? Maybe black would be the best option: easy to wash, no dirt or dust that could accumulate mites. But then there would be the problem of the heat that lack of light would bring. He was already in a crisis and had only reached the phase of buying supplies.

"Sir, can I help you?" Sehun was startled, looking down.

A woman of about 25 years old was looking at him strangely. It might have been because of his overly large backpack or the amount of stuff he was carrying in his arms like an exceptional researcher. But Sehun didn't mind. He was just extremely relieved to have her there to help him.

"Yes, please!" The girl smiled with a peculiar expression.

"First child?"

"Actually, that's the problem." Sehun paused. "How do I know if a baby won't hate living under a social role?"

A silence fell upon the conversation, and the woman seemed frozen. She stared at him as if she hadn't heard what he had just said.

"I'm sorry?"

She seemed genuinely confused...

"You know... boy... girl... blue and pink... I don't want anything like that. But the absence of colors will emit more heat, which could be bad for a newborn."

It was as if he had summoned some kind of evil force because the look she gave him was one of pure disbelief. The woman placed her hand over her chest as if she had been offended.

"You want everything colorless? But... it's a baby."

"Technically... it's still in the cluster stage."

"Cluster?"

"When cells are still undergoing meiosis." In case she didn't understand basic biology, Sehun added, "They multiply until they form tissue, first the cluster, then the formation of the gastrula." The woman seemed astonished, not knowing how to respond.

Didn't she understand basic biology? He had learned all of this in a day of research for the Cluster Project. He knew they studied this in school, so he thought she would understand. Apparently, he was mistaken.

"I'll call the manager to talk to you, sir." Sehun frowned in confusion.

Before he could ask anything, the employee had already fled the scene. Not knowing what to do, he just went to the section he was eager to see: the one with industrialized baby food.

Approaching the aisle, he felt like a hero exploring an unknown forest, like Link in Legend Of Zelda. The difference was that he didn't have any spirits to guide him by pressing a button—he had to do it all on his own. So he took a deep breath, adjusted the heavy backpack of books on his back, and immersed himself in the world of mushy foods.

The first thing he saw was shelves—many, many shelves. He couldn't understand why the shelves were filled with a variety of different jars of non-solid food. Not that it wasn't solid, but the mushy food seemed useless. It was just paste. Eventually, they would all taste the same at some point. It only confused him to choose the right jar, one that the Cluster would like.

It seemed like corporate companies were competing to offer him the best non-solid product, with a vast array of choices among brands. But Sehun didn't want to choose; he just wanted to pick the right jar without doubts or fears. That was proving to be quite difficult at the moment, considering the various flavors: from the saltiest to the sweetest— including porridges, which they considered bittersweet. He couldn't understand how chicken porridge could be placed next to grape jelly; it seemed like a very bad combination of tastes. Although Baekhyun once told him that cheese wasn't a salty food in France.

Maybe the world of gastronomy was just weird in itself.

Sehun sighed, nervously pulling one item or another from the shelf without really knowing what to do. Maybe he should buy them all. Or perhaps only the savory ones, and another day, he would come back to try the sweet ones. Or, even better, maybe he should buy one of each popular flavor among newborn humans and then decide which one was the best for later.

Or maybe he should call someone.

He took out his phone.

Should he ask Irene? It would be safer, right? But he also wanted to prove to himself that he could choose the best food for his baby. He couldn't spend the rest of his life as a clueless father, asking for help in every corner. Well, at least not from the corners he was familiar with.

He didn't hesitate for another minute to dial the number that had once been familiar in his contacts. He was really hoping he would answer. Very much. In fact, Sehun felt he needed to talk to someone more than anything he could do for this project. For the first time in his life, he was completely lost.

Finally, the phone rang after 5 beeps.

"Sehun?"

The voice on the other end was a little low, almost a whisper, which made the programmer think he might be interrupting something. He immediately felt guilty for acting out of desperation.

"Junmyeon... can you talk? If not, it's okay. I'll hang up." he said, cautiously.

"No, no. Just give me... a moment."

He heard some rustling on the other end, and maybe... a latch opening? He wasn't good at acoustic deductions. Sehun waited until the line made some noise again.

"Ready. You can talk." The voice was normal now, but still a bit hoarse.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern. "Your voice sounds a little different."

"Aah... um... no, no. I... I'm fine." The other guy furrowed his brow.

"Are you sure? If I called at a bad time, I can call back later."

"No, no, no. It's okay, you can talk." Sehun paused.

It was pretty obvious that he couldn't talk, but he wouldn't insist more than he already had. If he was waiting on the other side of the line, the least he could do was quickly explain his situation.

"I... actually have something to ask you."

"Yes?" The programmer sighed, nervously running his hands through his hair.

"How do you know what they will like? I mean, there are thousands of them: chicken with corn, apple, grape, turkey with vegetables and rice, meat with pumpkin, red fruits, yogurt and... wow. Even kimchi? That can't be true."

It took a moment for the other guy to respond on the line. That's when Oh realized he was lost. Not even Junmyeon knew about this baby food thing?

"Sehun... what are you talking about?"

"I just... I don't understand. Why so many flavors? Why so many different categories? Color, texture, taste, smell... all of this confuses me. I don't know which one a baby would like."

"What... are you buying baby food?"

"Oh. So that's what it's called?"

"Yes..."

"Well, then yes. I'm buying one of them. Maybe three, actually. I don't know, actually."

"Listen." Junmyeon spoke softly. "What's going on?"

"I'm going to be a father, Junmyeon." A silence fell over the line. "I'm freaking out, and I don't know what to do. Is that bad?" A lump formed in the back of his throat.

He didn't want to be that person. He didn't want to freak out and panic about everything that was happening and the possibilities of what could happen. He just wanted to find himself again, prove to himself that he wouldn't fail, and that he didn't need to keep depending on others.

Even though he was precisely doing that right now.

"Where are you?" Junmyeon asked, concerned.

"In a baby store." Silence again.

It took a few seconds before he responded.

"Sehun... maybe you should come back home. I think maybe you're not doing so well."

"No, I'm fine. It's just that... I don't know. I'm wondering if it would be too bad if I sat down here on this suspicious floor and had an anxiety crisis—yeah. Maybe I'm not okay."

"Oh my God, Sehun... take a deep breath." The programmer breathed.

"Junmyeon... I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do. You're an amazing teacher, you understand kids." The teacher fell silent.

All these silences gave Sehun chills. It felt like it was just confirming that everything was falling apart.

"Kids over four years old, yes, I understand. Now... babies? I get why you're freaking out. They're scary."

"Junmyeon, you're not helping!" The other sighed.

"I don't know what to tell you, Sehun. Maybe you should leave there and take a walk somewhere outdoors."

"Like a park?" Silence again.

"Maybe you should stay there. Do you want me to call someone?" Sehun sighed.

"No, I just... I don't know. I thought I wanted this before, you know? But then I started reading all these manuals, and I realized I know absolutely nothing about babies. Statistics indicate that I'll fail the Dad test."

"Sehun... try to calm down." Junmyeon said, using his understanding teacher voice. "When did you find out about this?"

"Irene took a test. It was positive."

"Oh..." Silence again.

"I know what you're thinking. It's crazy. Not long ago, we were arguing about the whole wedding thing, and now we're having a baby. It's like the world is playing with us."

"Well... you two are deeply in love... aren't you?" Sehun denied it, even though it was useless since Junmyeon couldn't see.

"That's not the point, Jun. The thing is, Irene and I... we can barely support ourselves. Irene was supposed to start college this year, and suddenly she has a baby to take care of."

"She can still start, it's not the end. You just... need to take turns."

"Do you think so? I don't want her to be overwhelmed." Junmyeon chuckled softly.

"Well, she will be. I mean, overwhelmed like a watermelon." Sehun smiled.

"Watermelon... that's a better name than Cluster."

"You're going to call your baby Cluster?"

"Maybe Watermelon is better." Junmyeon laughed, finding it amusing.

Another voice was present in the background of the conversation but quickly muffled. Sehun couldn't hear anything other than muffled voices now.

"Junmyeon?" Sehun asked, not getting a response.

A few seconds later, he felt like Junmyeon had come back to the line.

"Sehun?"

"Yes?"

"Oh... I thought I had hung up. Uh... I'm sorry for..."

He seemed lost in his own speech. "I-I needed to talk... to someone." The programmer remained quiet for a few seconds.

"I understand." Sehun paused. "Listen, it's okay. You can hang up if you need to. You've already helped me a lot, Jun." Silence once again filled the line.

Sehun wasn't sure if he was being cautious in talking to him, or if the problem was that he had called at a bad time. So he decided to dismiss him in both cases. After all, his problem was something only he could resolve.

"I'm sorry, Sehun. I'll call you later, okay?" The programmer nodded, even though it was useless.

He kept forgetting that phones didn't have cameras.

"Okay."

"And... about the baby food? You should just pick a more traditional flavor, like assorted fruits. I don't think the baby would complain." That left him dumbfounded.

He looked at the shelf and saw that it really seemed like the best option, as there were hardly any jars of that flavor left.

"Is that a thing? Wow! You're a genius, Junmyeon!" The teacher laughed.

"See you later, Sehun. I'll call you later."

"Goodbye. And thank you." Silence once again filled the line before Junmyeon hung up.

Now it was just him, the shelves, and a little less anxiety in his chest. Maybe he should really go to a park. If he could run for about seven kilometers, it might solve his confusion, and he could calmly look at the statistics. Nothing would collapse, right? I mean... he could still work for some faction if everything went wrong. Or he could become a hacker.

No, Watermelon couldn't have a father in jail.

Maybe he should just take some of these mushy foods and freak out as much as he could before real problems showed up. Yeah, he should do that.

Sehun decided to pick up five jars of each of those fruit pastes and moved on. The store, in general, was quite empty, so there were few people in line. As he waited, his eyes moved to another place.

It was a standee called "I Arrived!" There were diapers, towels, blankets, and tiny colorful socks, all for very small babies. Among all the items there—which made Sehun feel something strange—the little sock with rainbow-colored stripes and a plush yellow star on top touched his heart the most; it reminded him of Irene. His Irene who was passionate about the galaxy and fought for love and justice.

He approached, picking up the little sock in his hand. It looked so tiny in his palm that he thought: how could such a small being have such an impact on people's lives? It was minuscule. And soft. And with colorful lines forming a cute smile on the star. Sehun imagined a little foot in it, which could easily be replaced by his two middle fingers. The hole in the sock barely fit his fingers, so small was the space.

Suddenly, he felt like everything made sense. He had just discovered a new universe there, in that little, colorful sock. He had finally found his answer.

The sock was like a paradox where size didn't seem real. It was smaller than his own size, but it was also bigger for the size of his feelings for her. Just the image of the smiling star made a smile bloom on his face.

It seemed like the star was happy that he had figured himself out.

And Sehun really was.

He picked up the piece of clothing and took it to the cashier. The little sock would have a home from today on. As he walked back to the line, Sehun looked at it as if it were the most surprising thing in the world, and maybe it was. At least for now, Sehun just wanted to keep holding the sock for some time until he felt his strength return. Which, curiously, was working.

As soon as it was his turn to check out, the cashier smiled.

"Good morning, sir." Sehun simply nodded in agreement, as he was still feeling emotional.

The girl started scanning all the baby foods with a beep of the barcode, displaying a smile on her face.

"I remember when I came here for the first time, and I ate several of these just to test the taste." The programmer remained silent.

"Alright..."

"It's not worth it. There's a reason they're called baby foods, you know." No, Sehun didn't know.

But it was too late for that now.

"Are you expecting a baby, sir?" Sehun nodded in agreement.

"Boy or girl?" He thought about it.

He looked at the sock again, remembering what he had agreed with Baekhyun before. The color of the layette and all the Agglomeration-related issues before it even existed. None of that mattered because his baby was the only thing that mattered in the world now. Nothing compared to the size of it in his life.

"Does it matter?" He whispered, more as a reflection.

The girl seemed to smile even broader at his statement.

"No, of course not." She said, looking at the sock still in his hand. "Are you taking the sock?" Sehun looked at the small object again.

Even if Irene didn't like it, he wanted that sock. Maybe he was acting like a crazy person by putting so much faith in a small, insignificant plush star, but that's how he felt. Closer to infinity when surrounded by stars.

"Yes." He finally said. "I'll take it."