I was confused when I woke up the next morning and realized that I was alone. I’d been hoping that Panda would change his mind during the night and join me, but that was obviously not the case. With a sigh, I got up and started getting ready to face my boss before the others got up.

            Even though this was supposed to be a surprise visit, when I arrived on the seventh floor, President Yang was waiting for me.

            “How did you-?”

            “How did I know you would be here?” he finished for me. “I talked to your mother as well Leah. In fact, I’ve had several conversations with her. She’s an intelligent woman.”

            “You’ve been calling my mom?” I asked, surprised.

            “I am a parent too. I would want to be in touch with the person responsible for my child, especially in a foreign country. I just extended that courtesy to your mother.”

            “Oh.”

            “We didn’t meet this morning to discuss your mother though, did we?”

            “No ahjussi. I came to ask for your help. Isn’t there anything you can do? Can’t I get a job here or something?”

            “You could, but would that really solve everything?”

            “It would give me a reason to stay.”

            “What about Seung Hyun?”

            I sighed. “I love him to death but I can’t just stay here for love. If I’m not doing anything, I should go back home and get my degree.”

            “And you would deny him the pleasure of raising his child? You would do it alone at home?”

            “I wouldn’t be alone at home. I’d have help. And if he wanted to come see us, I would never say no to that.”

            “What if you find someone else when you go back?”

            Why is he being so difficult? “There isn’t anyone else for me,” I said truthfully. “Besides, it’s not like SeungRi and I are married anyway. Even if I did somehow manage to fall for someone else, that’s still SeungRi’s kid. I can’t deny my kid his or her father.”

            “You’ve been thinking about this a lot haven’t you?”

            “Every waking moment ahjussi,” I admitted.

            “A little bit of stress is okay. A lot of stress will kill you,” he said. I now understood how it felt to be JiYong and I vowed to take it easy on him from now on. “I have everything under control, so don’t you worry about it anymore.”

            “Yes ahjussi,” What is he up to?

            “You know how fond I am of my boys. Tell me, how is Seung Hyun doing since we last talked?”

            “He’s been acting strange-distant and too serious. I don’t really know what’s going on with him, but he’s not the same.”

            “That kid….Aish. Listen, Leah, you recall that Seung Hyun and I had a talk the other day. Don’t worry yourself over him. He’s trying to get his thoughts together. I know it doesn’t excuse his behavior, but he’s trying to mature a long way in a short amount of time.”

            “I don’t want him to grow up. I just want my Panda back.” I knew I was being childish, and borderline disrespectful, but I was frustrated.

            “I understand how you are feeling, but trust me. It will be alright.”

            I took that as my cue to leave so I did. Papa YG had been trying to reassure me but I think I was more stress than before. The fact that he talked to my mother on a regular basis was also thoroughly creeping me out. I got back home and made myself some breakfast. When I turned to go in the living room with my plate, I saw Youngbae sitting at the table.

            “That smells good,” he said as I sat down in front of him

            “Why the tone of surprise? You act like I’ve never cooked around here before.”

            “You always cook what we ask for. I don’t think I’ve seen you cook since…I don’t even remember. Either Dakota or SeungRi cooks, or we go out.”

            “Hmmm…I guess so.” I shrugged. “So what are you up to oppa?”

            “I’m going over some choreography with the Kwon twins later.”

            “Can I go? I haven’t seen Young Deuk and Young Don in forever.”

            “Would that be okay? I mean, are you sure SeungRi wouldn’t mind?”

            “I wouldn’t mind what?” SeungRi asked, coming in the kitchen. I threw a glare at him. No matter how many times I told them all about asking and answering questions before they were in the room, they still did it. I think they do it just to annoy me now.

            “I was thinking about going with Youngbae when he meets up with Young Deuk and Young Don.” I turned to Youngbae. “I can go if I want to. SeungRi doesn’t tell me what to do.”

            “I’ll remember that later,” he said under his breath.

            “Don’t show out in front of Youngbae,” I warned. “I will embarrass you in front of him.”

            “Leah, please don’t go. I’ll watch any of your nerd movies with you if you stay home with me.”

            “What’s gotten into you Panda? You’re acting all possessive and weird.”

            Youngbae crept out the room in response to the sudden tension in the room and I really couldn’t blame him.

            “I’m not acting weird,” Panda replied, looking away from me.

            “Yes you are. You haven’t been the same since you had that talk with President Yang. Why won’t you talk to me? Tell me what’s going on.”

            “I can’t. I’m still trying to figure it out for myself,” he told me.

            I sighed in frustration and went to the sink to wash my dishes. “I really wish you would get it together. These mood swings are really messing with me. I’m the pregnant one. I’m the one who should be dealing with crazy hormones, not you.”

            I continued grumbling into the sink, tears coming to my eyes from aggravation. I heard SeungRi get up and then I was spun around. He was kissing me before I could recognize what was happening.

            “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be this way, but I promise, I’m going to get it all worked out soon, okay? Just trust me.”

            “Of course I trust you Panda.”

            “Good,” he said. “By the way, you look really hot being all mad and housewife-ish.”

            “Really? Stop acting weird like that,” I said giggling. “ert…”

            “Is it my fault that I love you so much?”

            He kissed me again and it made me feel a lot better, but the feeling didn’t last very long.

            “What did I tell you about that? Public areas are not for you two to make out in!”

            “JiYong! You always come in at the most inconvenient time,” I complained.

            “Hyung! Can’t you go away for five more minutes?” Panda asked.

            “She’s already knocked up, there’s nothing else you can do to her SeungRi. It’s too early in the morning for me to have to deal with you two and your ‘affection.’ Please, just please with the lovey-dovey .”

            “Okay for one, don’t ever, ever say ‘please, just please’ again in your life. I know where you got that from and that is not a guy thing to say. And secondly, why are you so grumpy? There is no reason for you to be so unhappy this early in the day.”

            “Just leave him alone Leah. He’ll be fine once he gets something to eat.”

            We left JiYong in the kitchen and went for a walk. Somehow, we ended up at the bus stop where we kept going to escape before. We sat down, and a thought came to me.

            “You know, I don’t think a bus has ever come through here.”

            Panda laughed. “I think you’re right.”

            We sat on the bench and watched people pass by. It was kind of nice to be out and just enjoying the day. An older woman with three kids walked passed. The oldest boy looked about 8 or 9 and he was making sure the younger two held hands before they all crossed the street.

            “Three is a good number, don’t you think?”

            “I’m not having three kids, SeungRi. You do know that women can die in childbirth, right?”

            “But I really like kids. Please? Give me three Leah.”

            “Give you three? This one is lucky!” I scoffed. “Talkin’ about give him three kids,” I murmured to myself. “We’re not married! I’m not just popping out kids for you!”

            “If I’d known you were going to react like that, I would have just said two,” he said grinning.

            “Two is possible,” I said.

            “SO, will you give me two kids Leah?”

            “What part of, I’m not giving you anymore kids for free do you not understand?” I snapped.

            “What part of, I’m trying to propose to you don’t you understand?”

            I opened my mouth to say something smart but it took a moment. “A proposal without a ring? Hmph! I already told you that I can’t acknowledge that.”

            “Must you be so difficult?” I watched Panda get down on one knee in front of me. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a ruby and diamond ring. “Leah McDaniel, will you marry me?”

            I nodded the way they do in those stupid girly movies that I hated to watch. I let him put the ring on me and then he sat back next to me on the bench. There were so many emotions going through me at the same time that it felt like there was some kind of electric current right underneath my skin. Most importantly though, I felt happier than I had been recently, which was saying something since I’d been off my meds since I’d found out I was expecting.

            “President Yang told me that I needed to man up about the situation and do whatever it took to keep you in my life. That crazy old man has this idea that we should be together. Anyways, this is why I’ve been acting so strange lately. I’ve been trying to figure out how I wanted this to play out without being overly corny.”

            “You dork,” I said, smiling as I leaned against him. “You have no idea how much you worried me with your weirdness! But I can’t say that I don’t appreciate it. Although I do like corny, this works too. This is kind of our spot.”

            “I know some of your other spots too…”

            “Okay, stop with that! What is with you today?”

            “Every time I look at you I am amazed by how much I love you. And I can’t help that the fact that you are carrying my child makes me anxious to try for the next one.”

            “You’re crazy,” I said getting up and walking away. “You are absolutely out of your mind. This one isn’t here yet, and you’re already planning more. Let’s try this conversation again in like three years.”

            “Believe me, I’ll be waiting for it.”

            We walked back to the hostel, both in a really good mood. We decided not to tell anyone and see if they could pick up on anything, especially Youngbae who was being more observant now since he hadn’t caught on to my pregnancy in the first place. Also, I loved her to death, but I didn’t want to be bombarded with Kota trying to plan my wedding. She was worse than some of those people on TV when it came to anything bridal. I don’t know how many times she planned, and re-planned her wedding when we would watch Say Yes to the Dress back home.

            “Is anybody home?” I called through the house.

            “I’m still here,” JiYong called from upstairs, “so don’t come up here with your foolishness.”

            “Oppa!” I said when I reached the top of the stairs. “Oppa, I really wish you wouldn’t talk about my relationship like that.”

            “What else am I supposed to call it?”

            “You don’t have to comment at all,” I said with an attitude.

            “Calm down maknae, I don’t mean it like that,” JiYong defended. “What do you think we should do tonight?”

            “We should all play truth or dare,” SeungRi suggested.

            “Truth or dare? We aren’t teenage girls at a sleepover Panda,” JiYong said.

            “Oh believe me, it’ll be….interesting.”