Iseul’s POV

My due date was near, I was nervous and that resulted into me becoming the definition of cranky. Doojoon had moved into the apartment with me two weeks ago because he was afraid I would go into labour anytime, and because of that, he had to endure all my nonsense. Having to move around with this huge tummy was tiring and it added to my frustration.

I turned to the door when I heard it open. Doojoon strolled in tiredly.

“I’m so tired.” He sighed as he kicked off his shoes.

I glared at him.

“What?” He asked, looking surprise.

“Tired? Then how about me? You think carrying another human being in my belly for nine months is not more tiring than you dancing for five hours?” I asked.

“I… I… Alright, I’m sorry.” He said.

I groaned when my back hurt the moment I tried standing up.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, heading towards me.

“My back is aching.” I said.

“Lean over, I’ll massage your back.” He said.

“Go and shower! You smell terrible!” I pushed him away.

“But I…” He said, looking hurt.

After he left to shower, I sat on the couch, caressing my gigantic belly. I winced when the baby kicked me hard.

“I know, I know. I will apologize to him, alright?” I said.

I am trying to control my temper but it seems like I am not trying hard enough. I end up hurting him each time.

“Omo!” He jumped when he saw me standing outside the toilet.

“Hi~” I flashed him a bright smile.

“Erm… hi?” He said, the towel draped over his wet hair.

“Have you eaten?” I asked.

He shook his head.

“What do you want to eat then? Shall we order? Or do you want me to cook?” I asked.

“Huh?” He looked at me.

“Aren’t you hungry? I’m hungry! I can cook you something. What would you like? Miso soup with rice? How about that?” I asked.

“Erm.. any.. anything.” He muttered.

“Okay! I’ll go prepare then. Go dry your hair before you catch a cold. You can take a nap or something. I’ll wake you up when food is ready!” I said.

He nodded and went off to blow-dry his hair.

I prepared the ingredients and left the soup to boil while he sat on the couch, flipping through a magazine.

“Are you even reading?” I asked as I sat down next to him.

“No.” He chuckled, tossing the magazine aside.

“It’s boring anyway.” I said.

“How’s princess today?” He asked, touching my belly.

“Quite active.” I said.

“Hyperactive princess.” He said, poking my stomach.

“What are you doing?” I asked when he knelt down in front of me.

“Your feet are swollen.” He said, lifting my foot onto his lap as he massaged it.

“You… you don’t have to do this.” I said.

“Don’t be shy.” He smiled as he continued to massage me.

I looked at him. He did not have to do this. He did not have to take care of me and the baby like that.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked, not looking up.

“Doo, you don’t have to do this.” I said.

“I said, don’t be shy.” He said.

“I mean, taking care of me, of the baby. You don’t have to.” I said.

“I said I would take responsibility, didn’t I?” He said.

“But it’s not your responsibility to take.” I said.

“But I want to.” He said.

“Why are you ruining your life? Why are you sticking to a single mom? You deserve more than this.” I said.

“Don’t tell me what I deserve or don’t deserve, okay? And, what do you mean by ruining my life? I am doing this willingly. I don’t see it as ruining my life.” He said.

I pulled my leg away from him.

“I don’t love you the same way you love me, Doo!” I said.

He stared at me as if I just slapped him across his face, and then he got up and walked back to the room. I buried my face in my palms when I heard the door slam shut. I am sorry, Doo, but I do not wish to keep hurting you.

Doojoon’s POV

“I don’t love you the same way you love me, Doo!” Her words kept replaying in my head.

I pulled out my hearing aid and threw it aside, as if it would help shut the voice out from my head.

Why did she have to be so straightforward? I was okay living in the delusion that she would one day love me the same way I love her. Why did she have to dash my hopes like that? My only hope, she had to destroy it. You are so evil, Iseul ah. You are so mean.

I must have fallen asleep because I opened my eyes when I heard a faint sound of my name being called. Was it Iseul yelling for me? I stood up and had to hold onto the wall for support as my head spun and my good ear rang loudly. What is happening? It took me awhile before the ringing subsided and the spinning in my head stopped.

“DOODOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” I could hear her yelling clearly now.

I had no time to think for myself. I rushed out to find Iseul sitting on the floor, holding onto her belly, crying out in pain.

“What’s going on!?” I ran to her aid.

“Baby… baby…” She panted.

I saw that the floor was wet. Did her water break already?

“How long!?” I asked.

“I… I don’t know!!!” She screamed.

I took a glance at the clock. Judging from the time, it must have been about two hours. Why did she not call me the moment she felt pain?

“Okay, okay! One second!” I said as I sprinted back into the room to grab the bag we prepared beforehand.

I helped her up, letting her put her entire weight onto me as I literally dragged her to the car.

“You’ll be fine. You’ll be fine.” I assured her as I drove. She was crying and screaming. She must be in a lot of pain.

Thankfully, there was not much cars at this point of time. I dashed pass red lights and was speeding.

“IT ING HURTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!” She cried out.

“Bite me, bite me!” I offered her my arm.

She did not show me mercy as she sank her teeth into my arm. I bit down on my jaw, enduring the pain as I continued to drive.

“We’re here, we’re here!” I announced when we arrived at the hospital.

I randomly parked the car before running to her side. I tried to help her up but she seemed like she was in so much pain she could not even stand up.

“I don’t think… the baby can wait!” She groaned.

“WHAT!?” My eyes widened.

 “What do I do!? What do I do!?” I asked worriedly.

She grabbed my head and almost twisted my neck as she screamed in pain. Her cries must have alerted the nurses because they ran over, and then assured us that everything would be okay and went back in to get a doctor.

“AHH !!!” She cursed, pulling onto my hair.

“I want to help you but you have to let go of me!” I yelled.

She let go of my head, but did not let go of my hair. I let her pull my hair and abuse my face while my hands prepared for the arrival of the baby girl. I was not going to risk letting the baby arrive with a thud on the ground.

She was a screaming and crying mess. Everyone was looking but that was the least of my concern. I screamed as well when she grabbed my head and literally twisted my neck. I could hear the crack and then my neck seemed to be stuck in that position. But everything did not seem to matter anymore when I felt a soft, moving being land nicely into my hands, wailing loudly.

“You did it! You did it!” I exclaimed to Iseul who looked like she ran ten miles. The crowd was clapping and cheering for her.

I took off my shirt and wrapped the little thing up. I held her close to my chest as she cried.

“Hush, hush, princess. Welcome to the world.” I smiled, tears flowing down my cheeks.

“Look at her. So energetic and loud, like you.” I showed Iseul her baby.

She smiled but was obviously tired.

“Don’t cry~” Iseul said as she wiped off the tears from my cheek weakly.

“I just…” I could not seem to stop crying. I had no idea why.

The doctors came and were surprised she had already given birth. They took her in and did the necessary procedures. While waiting outside, I called the boys to let them know. They were so excited they wanted to come now, but I stopped them. It was only then I started feeling the cold and the sore in my neck. I was still topless and my neck hurt very much.

“How is she?” I asked the moment the gynae walked out.

“Which she?” She asked, teasing me.

“Both.” I said.

“The mother is asleep, the baby is very healthy.” She smiled.

“Thank you.” I smiled.

“You should get something to cover yourself.” She said.

“Huh? Oh. Sorry.” I covered my chest with my arms.

“I’ll get the nurse to get you a blanket. You can go see your wife now.” She said.

“Wife? She… she’s not.” I mumbled.

“Oh. I.. I’m sorry.” She apologized.

“No worries.” I smiled.

I went to where Iseul was. She was sleeping so soundly. I sat down next to her, watching her sleep. She tossed a little then opened her eyes slowly.

“Did I wake you up?” I asked.

She shook her head, but frowned.

“Where’s your shirt? Did I rip it?” She asked tiredly.

“Rip it? You? No! Hahaha! I took it off to cover princess just now.” I smiled at her cuteness.

“Cover up.” She said, wanting to hand me her blanket.

“No, no, no. You cover up. I’ll get a blanket later. Don’t worry.” I said.

She nodded.

“How’s baby?” She asked.

“Very healthy. How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Drowsy.” She said.

“Then sleep.” I smiled, covering the blanket properly over her.

“Get your neck checked… I remember twisting it… just now..” She mumbled before drifting off into sleep.

True enough, she sprained my neck.  As reluctant as I was, the doctor insisted on putting me on a neck brace. I decided that I would just keep the brace there for a couple of days and then throw it away.

While Iseul was asleep, the nurse pushed the baby into the room.

“Hey, princess.” I said softly to her.

Her eyes were opened and she was looking at me.

“You’re so cute.” I said, caressing her cheek with my finger.

“What happened to your neck?” A voice asked, startling me.

Iseul had woken up and was looking at me with wide eyes.

“It’s nothing. The doctor is being too paranoid and insist on me wearing this. It’s just a little sprain.” I said, removing the brace.

“Put it back on. I’m sure he asked you to put it on for a reason.” She said.

“But I…” I tried to protest, but her frown stopped me.

“I’m sorry. I keep hurting you.” She said.

“It’s nothing.” I said as I carried the baby girl and handed her to Iseul.

“She’s so small.” Iseul smiled.

“Why didn’t you call me the moment you felt pain?” I asked.

“I did. I was yelling for you.” She said.

“Oh.” I mumbled, recalling what happened just now. What exactly is happening to me?

“Are you okay?” She asked, shaking my arm.

“Huh? Huh? Yea.” I smiled.

“You sure?” She asked.

I nodded.

“Don’t move your neck.” She frowned.

“It wouldn’t break.” I laughed.

“Tsk~” She stuck out her tongue at me.

“Have you thought of a name for her?” I asked her.

She shook her head.

“Name her.” She said.

“ME!?” I exclaimed in shock.

“Relax! Don’t hurt yourself further!” She said.

“I mean.. me? Why me? Something so important.” I said, unable to believe my ears.

“Exactly because it’s important.” She said.

I bit my lower lip, thinking hard.

“Eun.” I said.

“Eun?” She asked.

“Yea. Eun.” I said.

“Just one word? Why?” She asked.

“Eun means grace. I wish she would grow up with grace, just like her mother.” I said.

Iseul smiled and turned to the baby.

“Eun ah~ Welcome to the family.” She said as she planted a soft kiss on the baby’s forehead.

Eun ah, as much as I wish you would be Yoon Eun instead of just Eun, I promise I will love and protect you as Yoon Eun. 

***
Iseul: I don’t love you the same way you love me, Doo!

Doo thinking over Iseul's words

Iseul: Name her.