This stupid sunlight is blinding me, even in my sleep.  I really need to start remembering to lower and shut the blinds before I go to sleep.  Though, it’s hard when I sit and stare, sighing longingly for my boyfriend every night before I go to sleep.

          I sighed and got out of bed, stretching all my sore muscles before going to take a shower.  I came out after about twenty minutes of standing under warm water, dressed in clothes I wore at home when I was just in the mood to relax.  I walked into the kitchen and found the same person I found there every morning.

          “Morning Tae baby.”  I pecked the top of his head.

          “Morning Umma.  You sleep well?”

          “Mm…”  was what I said.  What it meant was, “Well enough, at least.”

          “Umma, you should get more sleep.  You’re pregnant.”

          “I’m fine, Taemin.”  I sat down after taking my medicine.

          He set his hand on mine.  “Are you ok Umma?  You don’t look well.”

          “Neh.  I’m fine.”

          Tae stood up and leaned down, hugging me tightly.  “Umma, you know it’s bad to keep it in.”

          I sighed and wrapped my arms around him, his hair like a mother would do.  “I know it, Tae.  But, I can’t risk letting it out right now.  Even if it is only you and me.  I’ll be alright.”

          “Umma, I’m going to do it.”  He pulled back and picked his phone off the counter.

          “Tae don’t.  Just don’t.”  I looked away from him, the tears already being drawn forth.

          “Umma…”  He sighed when he picked up his phone and took the call that came in.

          “Hello?

          “Hey.  What are you doing?

          “No, I’m at Umma’s.  Do you need something?

          “I’ll be home soon.  Can you wait about ten minutes?

          “Ok.  I love you, too.  Bye.”  He walked over to me and pulled me onto my feet, enveloping me in a hug.  “It’ll be ok.”

          I sniffled and dried my eyes.  “Go home Tae.  I’ll talk to you later.”  I gave him a good squeeze.

          He kissed my cheek.  “I love you, Umma.”

          “I love you, too, son.”

          Taemin smiled and touched my belly.  “Oppa loves you, too.”  He gave my swelled belly a soft, little pat.

          I smiled a little.  “Your sister loves you very much, Tae.”

          He smiled wider.  “Keep her safe, Umma.  I’ll come see you later.”

          “Don’t.  Stay with your girlfriend.  Hyuna needs you more anyways.”

          “We’ll both come.  Don’t think it’ll burden us.  Hyuna loves you, too.”  He kissed my cheek again.

          I walked him to the door, waving goodbye.  After Tae drove off, I went back to doing what I always did when I was alone.  I got back into bed, and I watched movies until I fell asleep.

 

          Weeks progressed and I was thirty-four weeks pregnant before I knew it.  Taemin was gone with Minho for some two week trip, so he made Hyuna stay with me.

          We were in the living room, watching the Korean drama To The Beautiful You.  Even though Hyuna and I both watched it, we were watching it again since we had nothing else to do.  Hyuna and Tae’s son, Taehyun, was napping in Hyuna’s lap while my daughter wouldn’t quit moving around crazily.

          I set my hand on my belly.  “Yah, what is it baby girl?  Are you restless because it’s not Appa or Oppa on tv?”  I took a drink out of the cup I’d brought into the living room with me.  When the water reached the baby, she calmed down.

          Hyuna got up and turned the tv off, holding Taehyun in one arm still.  “Have you picked a name for her, yet, Umma?”

          “Not yet, no.  I haven’t been able to think of a good one.”  I looked over at my phone and picked it up when it rang.  “Hello?”

          “Noona~ what are you doing?”

          “Hi Kwonnie.  Nothing, I’m in the living room with Hyuna and Taehyun.  Why?”

          “Don’t forget that you have a doctor’s appointment in a couple hours.”

          “How could I forget pabo?  You’ve called me everyday for the past week reminding me.”

          “Well are you ready yet?”

          “Of course I’m ready.”

          “Ok, which one of them told you?”

          “Told me what?”  I asked “innocently.”

          “Which one of the guys told you that I was coming to get you early?”

          I grinned.  “You did.”

          “But I never,” he cut himself off.  “Damn it Noona…”

          I giggled.  “Kwonnie, I love you.”

          He made his usual frustrated noise.  “I love you, too.”

          “How far are you from getting here?”  I rubbed my belly softly, holding the phone with my free hand.

          “Not too far,” he cleared his throat.  “I’ll see you when I get there Noona.”

          “Ok.  Bye Jo Kwon.”

          “Bye.”

          I put my phone down beside me on the arm of the couch.  “Jo Kwon is coming to pick me up right now.”

          “It’s so early, Umma.”

          I stood up.  “Yeah, I know.  He’s taking me out for lunch.”

          Taehyun stirred in Hyuna’s arms, and he stared up at his mother.  “U-Umma!”

          She smiled and kissed his cheek.  “Look at you.  You are so smart.”

          I smiled, too.  “He’s gotten so big.”

          “He really has.”  Hyuna held him on her hip and bounced up and down softly.  “Don’t worry about us while you’re gone, Umma.  We will be fine.  Just make sure you and my sister-in-law are ok.”  She grinned a little.

          I smiled.  “I will.”  I looked behind me when there was a knock on the door.  I picked up my purse and phone and went to the front door.  I opened it.  “Hi Kwonnie.”  I kissed his cheek.

          He embraced me.  “Hi Noona.  How you feeling?”

          “Fine.”  I stepped back and slipped my shoes on, slipping my phone into my purse.  “Ready to go?”

          “I should be asking you that.  Let’s go.”  He called out.  “Bye Hyuna, bye Taehyun!”

          “Take care of my Umma, Jo Kwon!  Taemin will kill you if anything happens to her!”

          “She and the baby will be fine!  We’ll be back in a couple hours.”  Jo Kwon shut the door behind himself and opened the passenger side for me.  “My lady,” he gestured for me to get in.

          I rolled my eyes and sat in the seat, buckling up.  I took my phone out and put it in my jacket pocket so I could get to it if I needed it.

          Jo Kwon got in the car and drove me to a cute little restaurant near the hospital.

          “This reminds me of when we filmed We Got Married,” he said as he sipped on his drink.

          I smiled.  “Me too.”  I took my phone out when it rang.  “Hang on, it’s Tae.”  I slid my finger across to answer the call.  “Hello?”

          “Hey Umma, how you feeling?”

          “I’m fine, Tae.  How’s the trip?”

          “It’s alright.  Minho hyung is fast asleep right now though.  Where’s Hyuna and Taehyun at?”

          “They’re still at my house.  I’m out with Jo Kwon having lunch right now before we go to my doctor’s appointment.”

          “Oh ok.  I’ll let you go then Umma.  I love you!”

          I smiled.  “I love you, too, baby boy.  I’ll call and tell you if anything new is discovered.”

          “Ok!  Bye Umma.”

          “Bye Tae.”  I put my phone up and picked up my cup so I could drink.

          “He’s really worried about you.”

          I sighed and looked up at Jo Kwon.  “I know he is.”

          He set his hand on mine.  “I worry about you, too.”

          I smiled a little.  “You shouldn’t.”

          “But I still do, Noona.”

          I squeezed his hand and set my hands on my lap when the food arrived.  “We’ll be fine.”

          “If you say so…”

          We ate lunch and walked around a few minutes since we had a little while to spare.

          “You want to go shopping after we go see the doctor?”  Jo Kwon swung our hands back and forth.

          “We can if the doctor doesn’t say it’s bad for me to be out.  I could have the baby anytime now, Kwonnie.”

          “It won’t be safe for another few weeks though, Noona.”

          “Neh, I know.”

          He kissed my cheek.  “I’ll be there if you’d like me to be.”

          “We’ll see sweetheart.  I may want no one to be there.  Well, maybe Hyuna.  She’s been through it already with Taehyun.”

          “He’s such a big baby.”

          “Not really.  He’s growing steadily like he should be.  He’s just a little chubby.  But most babies are when they’re that old.”

          He opened the door to the car for me again and shut it after I was settled in the seat.  “Little hard to get down, Mama?”  Jo Kwon shut the door.

          “Shut up Kwonnie.”  I pulled my shirt down and buckled my seat belt.

          He chuckled and kissed my cheek, hugging me childishly.  “Noona~ I love you.”

          “I love you, too, Jo Kwon.”  I ruffled his hair.

          “Noona!”  He straightened his hair before starting the car and driving, a pout spread out on his face.

          “Oh don’t be pouty.  You know I do that everytime, Kwonnie.”

          “Yeah, I know.”

          The doctor’s appointment went fine.  I was scheduled to come the same time the next week since I was getting closer to having the baby.  Jo Kwon and I were walking along the streets, doing some window shopping afterwards.

          “You want to go see Haemi?”  Jo Kwon asked.

          “We can.  Maybe she’ll see something in your future that’s good.”

          “Maybe.  Come on.”

          We went to a mutual friend of ours and saw no one was in the little shop of hers.

          Jo Kwon and I went to the back and sat down.

          Haemi came into the room and sat at the table in front of us.  “Hi Jo Kwon Oppa, hi Ga-In Unnie.  What are you two doing here?”

          “See if anything is happening Haemi.”  Jo Kwon put his hands on the table, palms up.

          “Alright, let me see.”  She smoothed his hands out flat before examining them thoroughly.  “I don’t see any change in what I told you last time.  Unnie, shall I do yours?  Or do you want me to look into the ball?”

          “Use the ball.  My hands look terrible.”

          She smiled and looked into the large crystal ball, locking eyes with everything within.  She gasped at what she saw.  “Unnie, something very good will happen soon.  Within two to three weeks, your future will be changed so very drastically.  It’s nothing troublesome, though.  The ball is being stubborn and won’t show what exactly.”

          I felt the baby kick and let out a breath.

          Jo Kwon looked at me.  “You ok?”

          “Yeah, she just kicked hard.”

          Haemi got up and set her hand on my belly.  “She moves a lot still, doesn’t she Unnie?”

          I nodded.  “I think she’s ready to be out of there.”

          “It’ll be soon enough Unnie.  Have you thought of a name for her yet?”

          I shook my head.  “Not yet.”  I grabbed the black shopping bag between Jo Kwon and me, handing it to Haemi.  “Happy birthday, by the way.  Jo Kwon’s is the black box, mine is the white.”

          She smiled and hugged me, kissing both my cheeks.  “Thanks Unnie.”  She set the bag down and went to Jo Kwon.  “Thanks Oppa.”

          He hugged her back.  “You’re welcome.”  Jo Kwon stood up.  “Should we get going Noona?  It’s almost time for you to get to bed.”

          “Whatever.”  I stood up and hugged Haemi once more.  “We’ll see you soon.”

          “I’ll see you soon for sure.”  She hugged me back.  “Now, get out of here and go rest.”

          I smiled.  “Bye my sweet dongsaeng.”  I took Jo Kwon’s hand again and swung our hands as we walked along the sidewalk to get to the car.  “What’ll you think it’s going to be Kwonnie?”

          “I think she’s telling you that you need to pick out a name for the baby.”

          “Maybe so.”  I hugged his waist.  “I love you Jo Kwon.”

          He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed my forehead.  “I love you, too, Noona.”

          “I have a few ideas.”

          “Like?”

          “Haneul is the first one.”

          “That’s pretty.  Is she going to be a Son?”

          I shook my head.  “She’s a Kim by blood, so she’ll be a Kim.”

          “Kim Haneul, I like the sound of it.”

          “I like Na Hyun better though.”  I got into the car once again.

          He patted my belly.  “You have some time to decide Noona.”

          “I know.”  I pulled my phone out and answered the call.  “Hello?”

          “Son Ga-In, where are you?!”  It was JeA Unnie.

          “Unnie, I’m out with Jo Kwon.  I had a doctor’s appointment today.”

          “Oh…sorry for getting onto you…”

          I smiled.  “It’s ok Unnie.  I understand.  You were worried about me.”

          “How is our niece doing?”

          I giggled.  “She’s fine, and so am I.  What about my Unnies?  Are you all ok, too?”

          “We’re fine.  Miryo and Narsha both have dates.”

          “With whom tonight?”

          “Who else?”

          “V.I. and D. Lite,” we said simultaneously.

          “Well they can have them.  I don’t think I’ll be dating anytime soon.”  I rubbed my belly softly.

          JeA sighed.  “Me either.  I’ve got to keep rule in our group somehow.”

          “I know Unnie.”

          “Well, I just wanted to know where you were.  I called your house and Hyuna said you were gone, so I had to check.  Get some rest baby maknae.”

          “Neh Unnie, I will.”

          “Night sweetie.”

          “Night Unnie.”  I put the phone up.  “Why did she say night?”

          “Maybe she was going to bed.”  Jo Kwon rubbed the back of his neck.

          “Maybe so.”  I stretched.  “Are you staying over tonight or not?”

          “Only if you want me to.  I’ll have to go get some clothes, though.”  He stopped at a red light and looked at the back seat.  “Never mind, my bag is back there.”  He grabbed my hand.  “You want me to stay Noona?”

          “Only if you want to, Kwonnie.”  I let myself out of the car once he’d parked in front of my house and grabbed the bags behind my seat.  I brought them into the house and put them upstairs in my bedroom, along with my purse and coat.  I kept my phone in my pocket and went back downstairs.  “You’re staying Kwonnie?”

          “I don’t have anything else to do tonight.  That’s what kept me from giving you a definite yes.”

          For the rest of the night, Jo Kwon and I watched movies in the living room.  About an hour after we’d gotten to my house, Hyuna joined us since she’d laid Taehyun down for the night.  We all made dinner together later that night and ate in the dining room.

          I went into my bedroom at ten thirty and let Jo Kwon sleep in my bed with me like I always had.

 

          After that night, I didn’t do much.  I mostly slept so I could have energy when I wasn’t asleep.  JeA Unnie took me to the doctor for my 35^th week appointment and Jo Kwon took me for the 36^th.  I was two days away from my 37^th week when I got contractions.

          I was lying in my bed at home and the first contraction hit me when I had just woken up.  I waited for it to pass, breathing slowly through it.  I got out of bed and sighed, rubbing my belly.  “I guess you’re finally ready, huh baby girl?”

          There was a knock on my door.

          “Come in.”

          “Umma, you ok?”  Hyuna stuck her head in.

          “Go back to bed hon.  I’ll be fine.”

          She came over to me and set her hand on my belly.  “Are you getting contractions?”

          “I just got one.  Don’t worry.  Go back to bed Hyuna.”

          “Do you want me to get Jo Kwon on your phone?”

          “No, it’ll be ok sweetheart.  I’m fine.”

          She frowned.  “You sure?”

          I nodded.  “Go lie back down.  It’s your day off, after all.”

          “Ok.  Come get me if you need me Umma.”

          “I will sweetheart.”  I watched her leave the room and sighed, picking up my phone, dialing my first speed dial number.

          “Hey Noona.  What’s up?”

          “You sound very awake.”

          “It’s after ten AM, of course I’m awake.”

          “Can you come over?”

          “What’s up?”

          “It might be time, Kwonnie.”

          “Are you really close?”

          “Take your time.  It’ll still be a while.  I’ve just started contracting.  The doctor told me to come in when I did, though.”

          “Ok.  I’ll be there in a few minutes.  Just rest until I get there.”

          “I’ll be in the living room.”  I picked up my purse and the hospital bag and walked downstairs, sitting on the couch and propping my feet up while I waited.

          Jo Kwon came in about twenty minutes later.  “Noona, you ok?”

          I put a hand up, telling him to stop.  “I’m having a contraction.”

          He helped me up after it stopped.  “Come on.  Let’s go see what the doctor says.”  He carried the hospital bag and my purse as well, setting the bag in the back and my purse in the front with me.

          I took my phone out and called Taemin while Jo Kwon drove.

          “Hello?”

          “Hey Tae.”

          “Oh, hey Umma.  What’s going on?”

          “Don’t be worried when you get home, and I’m not there.”

          “Umma, what’s wrong?”

          “Nothing’s wrong Tae.  I think I’m just going to be in the hospital for a couple of days.”

          “Is it time?”

          “I think it is, Tae.”

          “Right now?!”

          “No sweetheart, not right now.  Jo Kwon is driving me to the hospital so we can see if I’ll be admitted.  I was starting to dilate at my last checkup.”

          “I’ll be back soon.  We’re on the road finally, at least.”

          “That’s good.  Tell Minho I said to drive safely.”

          “I will.  Bye Umma.  I love you.”

          “I love you, too, Tae.”  I put my phone back up and sighed.

          “Are you ok?”

          “Yeah…I was just thinking of how I imagined Key should be here, too…”

          Jo Kwon took my hand and squeezed it softly.  “I’ll be here for you if you want me to be, Noona.”

          I smiled.  “Thanks honey.”

          The doctor did end up admitting me into the labor and delivery room.  I sent Taemin and Hyuna both a text of where I was, telling Hyuna to stay home with Taehyun and not to worry.

          I managed to talk Jo Kwon into going home so I could have some alone time.  I didn’t stay alone for long, though.

          There was a short knock on the door.

          “Umma?”

          I looked up.  “Hey Tae,” I smiled.

          He came to me and squeezed me.  “How do you feel?”

          “I’m fine.  It’s just a little painful.”

          He looked down at me.  “Do you need anything before I go home and put all my stuff in the house really fast?”

          “No, I’ll be fine.  You should stay home.”

          “No, it’s fine.  I’ll be back soon Umma.”  He kissed my cheek.  “Just text me if something changes.”

          “I will, Tae.”  I dug the headphones out of my purse and listened to music so it could calm my nerves down.  I put them up before Tae came back and laid on my side, rubbing my belly.  “I wish he was here…”

          It was at 3:05 PM when I gave birth to my daughter.  They sent me to Recovery and brought her in.  The nurse set her in my arms and left to go check on another patient.

          A knock on the door came about twenty minutes later.

          “Umma, you have a visitor here to see you.”

          “Tell whoever it is to go away.  I don’t want to see anyone.”  I held the baby in one arm, watching her sleep peacefully.

          “I think you’ll want this one.”  He stepped back and let someone into the room.

          I was suddenly enveloped in a crushing hug.  I didn’t realize who it was until he spoke.

          “My baby…”

          I started to cry and kissed him, hugging him close with my free arm.  “Is it really you?”

          He pulled back and smiled at me.  “It’s really me.”

          I hugged him again, his hair.  I looked at Tae, smiling through my tears.  “You did it.”

          He smiled at me from the door.  “I had to do something.”

          I looked at my boyfriend.  “You’ve been gone for so long.  You’ve missed everything.”

          “I know, I’m sorry.”  He kissed me, then looked down to see our baby.  He smiled and had tears coming to his eyes.  “Oh…our baby is so beautiful.”

          I smiled.  “Isn’t she just?  Do you want to hold her?”

          Key wiped his eyes, sniffling a little bit.  “Why wouldn’t I want to hold my own daughter?”

          I moved over so he could sit down and set our daughter in Key’s arms.

          She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

          He smiled and her cheek.  “Hey little girl.  It’s your birthday today.”

          She cooed at him, holding her little arm out.

          Key smiled.  “Do you recognize your Appa?  Hmm?”

          I smiled, too, leaning my head against him.  “Usually babies don’t recognize their father’s voice until they’re about a week old.  She seems to know who you are though.”  I adjusted the baby’s hat on her head.  “I always listened to music while I carried her.”

          He wrapped his free arm around me, kissing the top of my head.  “Have you picked out a name for her?”

          “Not one that I liked enough.”

          “It may sound cliché, but why don’t we call her Angel?”

          “Kim Angel…”  I smiled and kissed him.  “I love it.”

          “Kim?  Are you sure?”

          “She’s a Kim no matter what.  I would never take away her surname birthright away.”

          He smiled and kissed me.  “God, I missed you so much.”

          I smiled and touched his face.  “I missed you, too.”

          Taemin came in and sat at the edge of the bed.  “Can I hold her?”

          Key pouted, but set our baby in Tae’s arms.

          “Wow…look at how cute you are, dongsaeng.”

          I leaned my head against Key, letting out a breath.

          “You alright baby?”  He my cheek softly.  “Or are you just relieved that I’m here?”

          I looked up at my boyfriend.  “I’m relieved that you’re really here.  I thought you would never get to see your daughter.”

          “That’s crazy talk.  Would you have really given up so easily?”

          “I wouldn’t give up.  I just couldn’t focus on finding you since I’d have Angel to look after.”

          “Well you don’t have to worry.  Because of Tae, I’m back for you baby.”

          I smiled, looking at our “son.”  “All because of our angel of a son Taemin.”

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A sequel is in the works for this, but it might take a little while. ><