"FORGIVENESS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY. AT TIME, IT FEELS MORE PAINFUL THAN THE WOUND WE SUFFERED, TO FORGIVE THE ONE THAT INFLICTED IT. AND YET, THERE IS NO PEACE WITHOUT FORGIVENESS." - Marianne Williamson

HYUKJAE POV

Today marks my third day of awakening and I can’t really put into words how happy I am. The past two days were nothing but a miracle me and my family never knew possible. The morning after I open my eyes, the annoying ventilator was removed with a precaution that I was not to speak for the first eight hours. The next contraption they removed was my nasogastric tube. I was in liquid diet for 12 hours until Dr. Song ordered it to be soft and now I’m on diet as tolerated. Last night my catheter was removed and the only contraption I have now is the drip. All of us were happy with our daily dose of good news and hopefully the next good news will be about my discharge.

The early morning sunlight streaming through the curtain of the hospital room bathed Donghae in an amazing beautiful golden hue. We’ve been sleeping in my bed since they removed the ventilator, with Dr. Song’s permission of course, and it was such an amazing sight to wake up to every day. Reaching for his phone that’s chirping on top of the bedside table, I learn that it’s just passed seven in the morning so I let Donghae sleep some more.

The first thing I asked Donghae after I gained my ability to speak was about Siwon. I know I shouldn’t have asked it but I asked it anyway. He told me he died when I was still in the ICU and that we wouldn’t have any problems because the Choi family chose not to say anything after the official announcement they made. I was more than relieved knowing that we will no longer deal with him and his crazy antics anymore but at the same time I was saddened with him dying at such a young age. He and Rachel could’ve gotten married if it wasn’t for that accident.

I, on the other hand, haven’t told him about the dream I had before waking up. I smile at the memory of the adorable twins. The shifting movement beside me made me gaze at Donghae’s fluttering eyes as he started waking up. A soft smile spread slowly across my face as he looked at me sleepily.

“Good morning, baby.” I breathe, running my thumb down the side of his face.

“Morning, love. Feeling better?”

Nodding my head, I crossed the gap between us to claim his lips. After the kiss, Donghae contentedly wrapped his arms around me from behind, lazily nuzzling the back of my neck.

“You have filming today?” I asked.

“Yeah, second to the last day. Waeyo? You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone, babe?” Donghae being extra clingy in the morning, buries his face in my hair, inhaling deeply, as his hand wanders up and down to massage my tummy.

“Yes,” I paused as Donghae placed a kiss on my exposed shoulder. “It feels weird, baby because I was fine with you working long hours before but now I wanted you to be with me every second.”

Donghae makes me turn and slowly allows me to craw atop of him. He let out grunts at the added weight but says nothing.

“I have something to say, love.”

Tucking my face against my lover’s throat, I naughtily at his Adam’s apple, purposely rubbing my against his belly.

“I’m listening, Donghae-ah.”

“When you’re still unconscious, Dr. Song found out something about you.”

“Oh?”

“I don’t know how will you take this but… uhmm… babe, you’re pregnant with our child.”

I almost lose my balance if it weren’t for Donghae’s arms circling around my waist. The morning I have vanished when my lover’s words sinks in.

“Really?” I asked, bemused.

“Yes babe,” Donghae answered with a radiant smile.

“Oh my God!” the memories I had with the twins came back like a fast forwarded movie. “Daehan and Haru weren’t dreams after all. I don’t know how they call it, a premonition? Delusion perhaps?”

“What are you talking about? Who are Daehan and Haru?”

I look down at my lover with new found happiness. “In my dream I met Daehan and Haru. They are twins. They are so cute and lovable kids, baby but their daddy wasn’t home most of the time and their mama left them. They were so sad and alone. But you know what, Haru, the most adorable little angel I’ve ever seen, showed me a photo of us and they start claiming that you are their daddy and I’m their mama. Weird right, baby? But after knowing that I’m pregnant, I guess I met them in my dreams for nothing. Yours and Daehan’s eyes are identical. He really does resemble you when you were a kid.”

“So you’re saying is we are having twins? We should ask Dr. Song for a thorough assessment then.”

“I’m not sure though.” I unconsciously lift my left hand to gently pat my flat tummy. “But even if we are not having twins, I’d be more than happy to give birth to our first born. I couldn’t ask for more, baby. But…”

“But…”

“Let’s try to make a twin okay? Maybe after two years?”

Grinning, Donghae pulls me down for a heated kiss. “How many kids my baby wants to have?”

“Five.”

“Five it is.”

-----*****-----

Once the medication nurse is done giving me my due meds, Donghae and I proceeded finishing our breakfast and after which he escorted me inside the bathroom for my morning bath.

“Baby?” I called him up as he starts scrubbing my back gently.

“Hmm?”

“Can I still finish my studies now that I’m pregnant?” I asked, unconsciously popping the bubbles around me. “I’m in my last semester already. You think if my tummy gets a little bigger it’ll freak out the students?”

“You can wear my clothes to hide your baby bump, babe and let your sense of fashion do its magic. As for the students let them freak out. I don’t care what they say as long as they don’t hurt you.”

“But mom said the first trimester is the most crucial part of pregnancy and she also worries about me exposing to a lot of stress.”

“You want to drop out from university?”

“If it’s for our baby’s sake then by all means, yes. I can still finish it after giving birth. You and our baby are my priorities now.”

“Alright, if that’s what you want then you have my 100% support.”

“Thank you, Hae. I love you.”

“I love you too, babe.”

Rinsing my now cleaned body, Donghae let me out of the tub and circles a towel around my waist. He let me sit in a shower chair as he reach for another towel to dry my hair, all the while keeping the drip higher than my waist to prevent any backflow.

“I talked with Dr. Song over the phone yesterday afternoon and he said once your lab result shows that there’s no more swelling or infection of some sort, we can go home by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Really? Oh thank heavens! As much as I love Hannah and the other nurses here, I can’t wait to go home and sleep in our own bed.”

“Believe me I’m more than excited to have you back in our bed, babe.”

“You naughty fish! Remember what he said the day he removed the ventilator... no making out. Kisses and cuddles are okay but more than that, it’s a no no for the time being.”

“Oh please… don’t remind me.”

Once he’s done putting me in new set of clothes and my hair is dry enough, he grabs me by the arm as we headed for the door. He brought me back to bed, giving the top of my hair a lingering kiss.

“I’ll just take a quick shower so we can walk outside.”

“You have filming today.”

“Don’t worry about it okay?” he smiles. “I’ll always have time for you.”

A minute or two after Donghae went back to the bathroom; I comfortably put a hand atop my tummy, feeling giddy with the mere thought of having a life growing inside of me.

“Baby-ah, can you hear me? Its mama, are you well inside me? Daddy and I are excited to see you.” I whispered. “You chose to come to us… really… you could’ve chosen anyone else to be your parents but you chose us. Thank you, baby-ah. You made both daddy and I happy.”

-----*****-----

DONGHAE POV

Three weeks later…

“Send me a copy of the presentation we’ll be using for the convention next week. No… yes, I’ll be the one presenting it. Yes, send it to me the moment