“And we call this room ‘The Gym’.”

Sean and Yun Hee chuckled to themselves while Amina stared in awe at the massive open space before her.  They were touring the Beautiful Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Mapo-gu and determining where the fundraiser event would be held next summer.  Large blue mats anchored the center of the sunlit room, while various exercise stations lined the interior walls.  In one corner, walkers were set up – the height of their beams barely at adult knee level.  On the other side, treadmills specifically scaled to fit a young child stood at attention just waiting to be used.  Through the floor to ceiling windows, Amina could see a shallow pool still currently in construction – the area specifically roped off for aquatic therapy.  She shook her head softly, mesmerized by the wonder of it all.

“This is amazing,” Amina reverently sighed.

Youngbae grinned and looked away.  It was the fourth time he’d heard his wife exclaim those praising words.  Yes, he knew.  She was absolutely smitten with the facility.  There was a burning glow in her eyes and her entire face lit up with every room they passed.  Amina was so engrossed with all the details of the hospital, at times he wondered if she was even aware that other people were in the room with her.

It pleased him to see her so enthralled.

“Neh,” Dr. Woo agreed, smiling warmly.  He was an elderly, robust man and a voluntary Board Member for the Purme Foundation.  Certified in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, he was on loan this afternoon from the Samsung Medical Center.  “Once the room is finished, we will be able to accommodate all children and youth suffering from various types of impairments and diseases.  Some of the patients will require one visit.  Others – a lifetime of visits.  But whichever the case, we hope to use every resource to its maximum potential.”

Amina nodded intently.  “And the staffing?”

The man clasped his hands behind his back and frowned.  “Well, that’s one area we are concerned about.  There are not too many specialists in the field of pediatric rehabilitation.  But the need is great.”

Concern caused Amina’s eyebrows to knit together.  She listened carefully as Dr. Woo spouted statistics on the growing need for more outpouring support in his field of study.  They strolled slowly ahead of the others, quietly conversing back and forth.

Feeling bemused, Youngbae lingered behind and watched from afar.  He couldn’t help but stare at the mother of his unborn child.  It wasn’t the understated appeal of her simple cropped slacks and heels or the gentle swell of her stomach that was evident behind her demure blouse that fixated him.  Nor was it the healthy shine of her dark sable hair that tumbled in soft waves down her back that held his gaze.  She just looked radiant – with her studious expression and serious brown eyes.  There was just something y about her.  A girl with brains.

She turned him on.

“Are you sure you don’t have anything to do today?”

Youngbae glanced over and intercepted Yun Hee’s laughing gaze.  He flushed, embarrassed to be caught openly staring once again.  “I’m pretty sure, noona.”  Youngbae brought out his phone, feigning ignorance.  “You can check my schedule if you’d like,” he innocently continued, holding out the device.  His lips curved up knowingly when Yun Hee rebuffed his offer with a quick shake of her head.

“I just find it terribly convenient that your schedule is clear while everyone else is back at the building running through the final script for Shanghai.”

Youngbae grinned sheepishly at Sean and Yun Hee’s expectant gazes.  Finding no way out, he self-consciously rubbed his lower jaw with the back of his open fist.  “I took a personal day.”

Their eyes widened.

“But don’t tell my wife that!” Youngbae quickly implored, worry lining his eyes.  He swiftly peered down the hall, checking to see if Amina overheard their conversation.  But she was too far away, now enamored by some state-of-the-art LCD monitor the doctor was showing off.  Youngbae narrowed his eyes slightly when the man stepped a bit too close for his liking.  He glanced back at his sunbaes.  “She’d kill me if she found out.”

“As she should!” Yun Hee chastised, smacking Youngbae playfully on the arm.  “You are headlining the show this weekend for the first time and will be singing two new songs off your album.  There will be new props, wardrobe changes…”

Youngbae his lips and took in a deep breath, feeling anxious all of a sudden.

“… and who knows!  They may decide to make a last minute change today if they discover a glitch in the schedule-“

“Noona,” Youngbae cut in.

Yun Hee trailed off, still ajar.

“You’ve been working for hyung too long.”  Youngbae boyishly grinned and jumped out of her reach.

Sean chuckled.

“Don’t say I didn’t tell you so,” Yun Hee warned, wagging a finger.  They continued walking sedately down the empty corridors, their footsteps softly tap-tapping on the tiled floors.

“I’ll get the final schedule from manager hyung this afternoon and look it over on the plane,” Youngbae assured, tossing the little nuisance away.  It was true – he was about to perform in less than 48-hours, but he didn’t want to think about it right now.  Not when he had more important matters to attend to.

Like his wife.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Amina turned around – a bright smile on her face.  She eagerly beckoned Youngbae forward with a wave of her hand.  He could see the quiet excitement in her features and in the tense way she held her posture.  “The cardiology ward is located on the next floor,” Amina announced.  Her eyes flickered shyly over his.  “D-Did you… Did you want to go check it out with me?” she breathlessly finished.

He’d be a fool to not see how eager she was.  Youngbae smiled, his eyes creasing into small crescents.  “Yeah, I’d love to go,” he drawled.

Amina’s eyebrows shimmied up and down while she double checked his response in her mind.  “O-okay,” she replied, as if in disbelief.  She bobbed her head and blinked at her good fortune, smiling widely.  “We’ll meet you in the ballroom,” she said to Yun Hee before bowing formally to Dr. Woo.  “Kamsahamnida.”

The elderly man smiled and bowed in return.

Confused, Youngbae politely bowed to everyone before following his wife inside the elevator.  He watched as she lifted Dr. Woo’s identification badge and swiped it across the security pad before punching in the floor.

“He gave you his keycard?” Youngbae broodingly asked, although he could see the answer for himself.  He couldn’t explain why but the knowledge left him a bit offended.

“Ah…”  Amina stared at the card in her hand briefly.  “Neh.”  She looked up and looked into Youngbae’s guarded gaze.  “How else were we getting upstairs?”  The elevator dinged and the doors opened.  Without a sparing glance, Amina walked into the empty hall.

“He just gave it to you.  Just like that?”  Youngbae asked once again.

Amina glanced up and down the long hallway, deciding which way to head first.  She blinked rapidly in succession before answering in reply.  “Neh, he gave me his card.  Just like that.”  The disgruntled look on Youngbae’s face finally drew her attention.  “Mwuh?” Amina challenged wide-eyed, throwing a hand on her hip.  “Do I look dangerous?”

More than you know.

Youngbae swallowed hard.  “No.”  He shook his head, backtracking.  “I just… I just find it odd that he would give up his security badge so easily.  And practically to a stranger too.”  He furrowed his brows hard and began following after Amina as she trekked off to the right.

Amina smiled whimsically as she peered into the empty hospital rooms they walked past.

“I think he likes you.”

“MWUH?!”  Amina whipped around, her face scrunched up and on the verge of laughter.  Her lips curved into an open smile, the whites of her teeth flashing.  “He’s practically old enough to be my father.”  A hint of nostalgia hit her all at once, causing the light in Amina’s eyes to dim as she quickly corrected herself.  “My father’s friend.  Besides… It’s pretty obvious that I’m pregnant.”

Youngbae twisted his lips to the side and dubiously shook his head.  “All that means is that you’re fertile and capable of bearing his future children.”

Her lips parted.

“You’re crazy,” Amina grinned, her eyes darting quickly over Youngbae’s face.  He had to be joking! There was no possible way that he was remotely jealous of the old man.  No way!  She watched as Youngbae closed the distance between them and reached for her left hand.

He stared at it for the longest time.

“We should get you a ring.”

Amina glanced down at her empty ring finger, the smile on her face quickly fading away.  The symbolic gesture had lost its appeal to her long ago.  There were just too many bad memories and not enough happy moments to make up for it all.  At least not yet.  Even now, as she stared, the thought of wearing a ring made her feel indifferent.  She hated to be so blasé about such a traditionally significant token of love but that was her take on marriage life so far.  She had seen it with her parents.  And she had seen it with her own.  It would take more than a ring to hold two people together.  But if it meant something to him… if it was a step towards solidifying their relationship then she would wear one.  She could compromise.

She smiled and looked into his eyes.

“Get me a van first.”

A van.

Youngbae groaned as Amina tucked her arm inside his elbow and led him down the hall.  All thoughts of territorial possession flew out the window as last night’s conversation came to the front.  A van.  He shook his head at himself.  There was no way he was driving a van.

No way.

[Flashback]

He death-gripped the damp towel in his hand.

Amina looked up from the sheaf of papers in her lap, the nearby lamp casting a soft golden hue on her skin.  “Finished?” she asked.  Placing the reports down, Amina swung her legs out of bed.  The white baby doll gown billowed around the tops of her thighs as she made her way over.  She inched her way past Youngbae, the soapy scent from his skin tingling her nose.  “Go ahead and pick a movie.”

Youngbae nodded curtly as his wife swept past him and walked inside the bathroom.  As soon as she shut the door, he let out an anxious sigh. 

What the hell?

Why weren’t they camping out in the living room?  It was exactly where he expected her to be – just like the last time.  Not comfortably ensconced in bed dressed in a nightgown that showed off… everything!  It made him shy and nervous.

It made him forget himself.

Tonight, he was fully prepared to engage his wife in some serious deep conversation about their separation.  After all, it had been nearly a month since the incident.  At the rate they were going, they would be forever hanging in limbo and he’d still be sleeping at the dorm when their baby arrived. 

He just wanted to know where they stood.  He wanted to know if the momentum he was feeling was real or imagined.  If they were progressing or falling apart.  He wanted to know how she was doing.  Whether she needed more time or if she was close to figuring it all out.  Her heartbroken confession hours ago only served to confuse him even more.  He couldn’t tell if she was regretting her actions of the past… or if she was letting go of their future.

It scared him.

Taking a deep breath, Youngbae turned towards the iMac desktop that rested on a low desk area opposite the foot of the bed.  He scanned through the various online options and selected a sci-fi action movie – hoping the genre was to her liking.  He didn’t think he could deal with anything heavily dramatic at the moment and a chick-flick was definitely out of the question.  Walking over to his side of the bed, Youngbae flopped in – belly first.  His body immediately relaxed against the mattress and comforter.  He sighed and closed his eyes, inhaling the bedroom air.

Her scent.

He could smell her citrusy-vanilla scent on the pillow next to him.  Leaning over, Youngbae buried his face in Amina’s pillow – squeezing and engulfing the fluffy rectangle like a doll.  It just felt too good to be back home… too good to be back together once again.  He wanted to roll around and around in bed like a little kid, but instead he closed his eyes and forced his muscles to relax – forced himself to bask in the goodness of it all.  How many nights had he dreamt of this very moment?  How many times had he wished for this very night to occur?  Was this even real?  Could this even be happening?  His heart felt so full… Felt like it could burst.

He s