Flip and turn; the only movements she had been doing on bed all night. Why couldn’t she sleep? It wasn’t like anything’s troubling her at all. She never had such a restless night before so why now? Groaning to herself, she sat up and scratched the back of her head. Her eyelids didn’t even feel heavy nor did she even feel tired. She glanced at her digital wall-clock to see that it was two in the morning already. This wasn’t good. She needed sleep; especially in this kind of state.

Brrr.

She rubbed her stomach after feeling it softly growl. Hungry; she was getting hungry. No wonder she couldn’t sleep! Grabbing her bathrobe that was just near her bed, she wrapped it around her body to keep her warm as she carefully stepped out of her bedroom; careful not to wake her mother.

Chewing on her lower lip, she walked down the stairs as quietly as she could. But as soon as she was near the kitchen, she realized that the light was on. Could it be a burglar? Taking a deep breath, she slowly stepped inside to see her mother seated on the dinning chair while browsing through her laptop.

“Mom?” She called softly, a bit surprised that her mother was still awake. “What are you doing up so early? You have work tomorrow.”

“Oh, Chaerin, dear…” Her mother smiled tiredly at her. “It’s nothing… It’s just that…” Chaerin didn’t bother to listen to the rest of her mother’s words as she peeked at what website she was checking out.

“…we’re moving?”

“It’s only for the best, dear.” Her mother quickly came up in her own defense. “After you finish this year of high school, I just think we should… avoid those nasty neighbours of ours and live our lives peacefully.” Chaerin sighed at the mention of their ill-mannered neighbours who did nothing but spat out cruel words at her for getting pregnant at such a young age.

Chaerin never really liked them anyway so she didn’t pay much attention to them. But it’s her mother she was worried about. Her mother is quite sensitive when it comes to harsh words which probably explain why she immediately wanted to move out as soon as possible.

“But what about Jiyong?” She asked with knitted brows. Of course, she couldn’t possibly leave the boy who promised to be by her side and support her and their baby!

“I know.” Her mother nodded in acknowledgement. “If it is okay with you… can you just please explain our situation to him? And then ask him if he wants to come with us. I don’t want your baby growing up in such a neighbourhood, you know…” Chaerin sighed and nodded her head, understanding her mother’s desperation of leaving.

“All right…” She forced herself to smile. “I’ll… ask him if he wants to go with us.”

Her mother smiled back before returning her focus back on the website; quickly telling her about the friendly neighbourhoods she had just spotted. But Chaerin was only paying half-attention. She was thinking of Jiyong and was wondering if he was willing to leave with her. Pursing her lips, she glanced down at her stomach and gently ran her hand over it; feeling the small bulge that proved that their baby was alive and well.

The thought that this baby was hers and Jiyong’s made her smile despite all the hardships she had been facing lately. She remembered how Jiyong defended her when the girls at their class (the same girls who tried befriending her after discovering she was Jiyong’s girlfriend) started throwing trash at her and leaving such nasty messages on her desk; saying that she purposely got herself pregnant so that Jiyong could stay with her forever. She had never seen Jiyong so angry before; the way he snapped at those girls… it wasn’t like him.

But because of that, Chaerin knew she and the baby meant the world to him.

Smiling to herself, she could already imagine the two of them raising the child together. Jiyong would definitely make a good father. He might be awkward at first but Chaerin knew he will get the hang of it.

But moving away would also mean leaving their friends.

Dara, Bom and Seungri…

After hearing the news about the baby, her three friends were nothing but kind and supportive to her. Bom was angry at Jiyong at first (hitting him with her books) but now, she just couldn’t stop herself from buying clothes for the baby without even knowing what gender it is; which is probably why she mostly bought soft green-coloured clothes.

Of course, Seungri was also supportive. He had researched about the things Chaerin should and shouldn’t eat and made a chart about it. Visiting their home, he posted those three copies of the chart on the fridge, in her room and on the front door. Chaerin removed the one on the front door because it was too embarrassing; she didn’t even know why Seungri chose the front door but he just did.

Dara… There was something in her reaction that Chaerin wasn’t sure of. Just like everyone, she looked surprised. But while the other two got mad and bickered at Jiyong, Dara remained silent which was unusual of her. Chaerin didn’t even miss the obviously-meaningful glances she and Jiyong usually exchange whenever they’re together but Chaerin knew that now wasn’t the right time to be jealous. After a few days, Dara also became quite supportive by reminding her through text messages that she should take her vitamins. She would also sometimes visit her if Jiyong was too busy to check up on her.

All her friends who were nothing but supportive to her… Is she really willing to leave them?

Chaerin pursed her lips at the thought of it. She doesn’t even know anymore. Will she even be a good mother? How can she be when she, herself, doesn’t even know what’s best for the baby? Stay and let the baby grow in their nasty neighbourhood? Or leave and will never get to meet their friends who had supported them no matter what?

Life is getting quite tougher for Lee Chaerin.