“Wonnie…..door….bell…..” Kyuhyun mumbles sleepily and dropped back to sleep again.

Siwon roused just long enough to hear the doorbell chimed again. With a grumpy grunt, he climbed out of bed to answer it, not even bothering to put on a pair of pants. He figures that whoever has the gall to wake him up so early shall face the embarrassment of seeing him clad in nothing but a pair of briefs.

“Good morning son!”

“Mom! Dad!” Siwon exclaimed aloud in surprise. It is his turn to be embarrassed.

Mr Choi enters the house carrying a small ice box while Mrs Choi followed behind with a few bags of her own.

“Gimme a minute!” Siwon said hurrying back into his room to throw on some clothes. He came out to find his parents pottering in the kitchen putting things away.

“Where’s Kyuhyun?” Mrs Choi asks casually.

“He’s still asleep, mom.” Siwon replied. “Should I ~”

“No, no, let him rest. He needs all the sleep he can get.” Mrs Choi replied and began preparing coffee.

“You looked like you had a rough night, son.”

“Yes, well……Kyu wasn’t exactly in a good mood……we fought….well….he fought….I just kept quiet…..we didn’t managed to fall asleep till 3am.”

“That’s the pregnancy hormones talking. Don’t get upset, son.” Mrs Choi said knowledgably.

“I know. I won’t. Kyu was feeling very hot and that made him all grumpy and agitated and nothing feels right for him.”

“I would fix air conditioning in every room. Kyuhyun will be complaining about being hot and bothered till the baby is born.” Mr Choi advised wisely.

“Good idea, dad. I’ll see to it later today.”

“Let me fixed breakfast then! I’ll make something nice for Kyuhyun.” Mrs Choi offers. “Is he still having morning sickness?”

“Yes, and early evening sickness too.” Siwon grimaced.

“Poor thing, this pregnancy is very trying for him.” Mrs Choi sighed as she rummaged the fridge.

Compared to the previous one, Kyuhyun really is having a tough time this round. Siwon mused silently.

“What do you have in the ice box, dad?’ Siwon asks curiously.

“I caught something when I went fishing yesterday. Thought maybe your mom can fix something up for my son in law.”

“Wonnie? Where are you?” Kyuhyun’s voice floated in.

“In the kitchen, babe!” Siwon replied as he turned to go to him.

“Do we have visitors?” Kyuhyun could be heard asking.

“Mom and Dad are here to visit.” Siwon replied.

“Oh! I’m not properly dressed!” Kyuhyun exclaimed as he went back to their room to clean up. Mr and Mrs Choi exchanged amused looks.

The next time Kyuhyun appeared before his in-laws, he is properly dressed and paying his respects to them.

“Here honey, have a glass of milk while I get breakfast ready.” Mrs Choi said with an indulgent smile.

“Thank you, mom….” Kyuhyun smiled back awkwardly, clearly not used to being served by someone older than him.

“As I was saying,” Mr Choi said all puffed up with pride as he opens the mini ice box to reveal the octopus nestling within.

“I hope you are looking forward to stir fried octopus with chilli!”

Kyuhyun caught a whiff, turned green and dashed into the bathroom where he threw his guts out. Siwon ran in after him to offer his help and comfort.

“Oh dear….” Mrs Choi mutters worriedly while Mr Choi went pale with guilt.

A visibly shaken Kyuhyun emerged from the bathroom after a long while, Siwon holding onto him like a considerate and caring husband that he is.

“I’m so sorry, Kyuhyun. I forgot that you will be put off by the fishy odour.” Mr Choi apologised.

“It’s ok, dad. The morning sickness is due anyway.” Kyuhyun managed a weak smile for the elderly man.

“You will like it after it’s cooked.” Mrs Choi said with an understanding smile.

“Mom makes a mean dish of stir-fried octopus with chilli. You will like it.” Siwon adds hurriedly. Kyuhyun could only nod and smile, pretty sure he won’t like it because currently he has no appetite to speak of. Boy, is he looking forward to the second trimester when his nausea stops and his appetite returns.

Siwon’s mother is really a great cook. Kyuhyun found himself finishing three servings of egg benedict and plain toast.

Siwon did the cleaning up alone while Kyuhyun enjoys his daily serving of ice cream under the watchful eyes of his in laws.

“Kyuhyun honey, you are too thin! It’s not safe for the baby if the mother is too weak to carry him.” Mrs Choi exclaimed after scrutinizing her son in law thoughtfully for a while.

Ut-oh….Kyuhyun thought as he put the last spoon of chocolate ice cream into his mouth. A quick glance at Siwon from the corner of his eye tells him that he will not be on his side this time round. Siwon is feigning total concentration on wiping the sink dry, Kyuhyun will have to go to this battle alone.

Kyuhyun smiled sheepishly at his frowning mother in law.

“That’s it! We’ll go to a Chinese doctor this afternoon and have some herbs prescribed for you to strengthen you up.”
Kyuhyun did a mental eye roll, keeping the smile on his face as fresh as ever. He thought he detected a chuckle of glee from Siwon who is now very diligently polishing the stove.

 

That night….

Siwon came out of the bathroom after his bath. Kyuhyun is already in his pajamas, bathed and under the covers.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Siwon said when he saw how deep in thoughts Kyuhyun is in.

“Wonnie?"

“Yes, babe?” Siwon replied while carefully patting his cologne onto his neck. It is a new habit he acquired because Kyuhyun said the smell of his cologne mixed with his natural body musk kept the night time nausea at bay.

That’s why Kyuhyun has become very clingy while sleeping now, not like Siwon is complaining. He loved to hold his wife tightly in his arms whilst being asleep.

He completes his bedtime rituals and turned off the lights before climbing into bed. Kyuhyun scoots upclose instantly. Siwon opened his arm to accommodate the smaller man clinging to his chest as they lay down on the pillows.

“What were you thinking about just now?” Siwon asks curiously.

“Your mom…..and dad……are they expecting….a……baby boy?” Kyuhyun chokes as he felt tears his eyes.

“What? No! Why do you think so, baby?” Siwon frowned in surprise.

“Your mom referred to our baby as ‘him’ this morning.”Kyuhyun murmured dully. Siwon’s forehead creased into another worried frown.

“Listen babe.” Siwon couldn’t bear seeing his loved one upset. Bringing his hand under the curve of his chin, he gently lifts Kyuhyun’s face up towards him. Those beautiful orbs are filled with tremendous sadness.

“No matter if the baby is a boy or a girl, the one I will worry about the most is you.”

“….” Kyuhyun bit on his puffy lower lip.

“And it doesn’t matter if we are going to have a son or a daughter, I will love him or her just as much because we made them together.”

“Wonnie….” The tears finally fell and Siwon dipped his head to kiss the droplets away.

 

“Come on, baby, you need another scarf around your neck!” Siwon coaxed as he chased his pregnant wife around the house.

Said pregnant wife is dashing from the bedroom to the study and back to the bedroom trying to gather all the documents he need for his meeting in an hour’s time.

“Where is it!!!!!!?” Kyuhyun shouted out loud in exasperation. He has dug through stacks of paper, swatting away Siwon’s concern hands and ignoring his desperate pleas.

“That’s it!” Siwon bellowed after being swatted at for the 15th time. So forceful was his shout that Kyuhyun jumped and stopped what he’s doing to look at him.

“I knew letting you go back to work is a really bad idea!” Siwon scolds. “You are quitting as of today, you hear me? I will compensate your boss if I have to but you stay at home from now on!”

“You don’t own me!” Kyuhyun bristled and he up the volume of his voice too. Turning to face his irate husband full on, he dares the man to continue with that tone of voice.

“I own half of what is inside you right now!” Siwon retorted angrily.

“And I am carrying it so I get the last say!” Kyuhyun lashed back unyieldingly.

“I have 50% say in whatever you do!” Siwon continues undaunted.

“And I have the right to reject whatever you say if I don’t like it!” Kyuhyun replied with a triumphant of his eyebrow.

“You are being unreasonable!”

“Oh? So now I am unreasonable!?” Kyuhyun shrieked hysterically, face gradually turning red.

“All I wanted was the best for you and our baby!” Siwon yelled. “But you have to make it twice as hard!”

“You can’t expect me to give up everything just because we are expecting a baby!”

“Why not?! There are priorities here and you are not the top one at the moment!”

“I’m not?” Kyuhyun stopped shouting suddenly. Wide opened eyes stared unforgivingly at Siwon.

“NO!” Siwon has not yet realised the consequence of what he said and is pushing on with his anger.

Kyuhyun remained stoic as he stared miserably at his husband. Siwon seeing no further reaction from him assumed happily that he won the argument. Just as he was about to pat himself on the back for a job well done, he saw Kyuhyun turned deadly pale and start to sway on his feet.

“Baby!” He cried in a panic as he threw himself forward to catch hold of him as he crumpled unconscious towards the floor. “Baby! Baby! What’s wrong! Wake up! Wake up please!”

Kyuhyun opened his eyes but no matter how hard he tries he could not focus.

“Baby? Baby? What’s wrong?” Siwon is almost in tears with fear.

“Di-dizzy….” Kyuhyun mumbles before he closed his eyes and sag against Siwon’s arms.