“Opening five!” The nurse shouted.

Weird. Shinhye was no longer feels any pain when the nurse ed five fingers into her to check how wide the openings of her now. The pain probably has been replaced with a sense of tremendous heartburn pain in her stomach. She squeezed her husband’s palm harder everytime the pain was coming. Then rest when the pain is gone. Sadly, she must feel the pain every five minutes, and yeah it’s killing her slowly.

“You can do it baby, don’t give up” Yonghwa kept encouraging her though he himself felt scare and limp.

If only the one who lying on the bed wasn’t his wife, he would definitely run away and dissapear. No, he hates to see blood. He hates screams. He even ever ran away, leaving his eomma when Soojung got an accident years ago. BUT, this time he wouldn’t do that. Never. Seeing his beloved wife risked her life for their own child, somehow creating strength in him. He knows, he will never give up easily. He will fight together with her. No matter what.

“Stop pushing, maam. It only makes your is getting ripped wide” The nurse scolded her.

“I don’t care!!” Shinhye yelled desperately, “It happens by itself, I didn’t want it” She yelled between her sobs.

Then the nurse came closer to her and patted her shoulder. “Listen to me Mrs. Jung, I know it hurts, but you should ignore it and take a deep breath when it comes. Now please follow me to breathe regularly” She led Shinhye to inhale a deep breath and then exhaled through the mouth, repeatedly and regularly, so slowly making her a little more calm.

“Good, do it everytime you feel hurt, okay?” The nurse smiled warmly to her. Shinhye could only nodded.

“Thank you nurse” Yonghwa thanked her before she left them alone. “You wanna eat something? Or drinking chocolate milk maybe?” He offered. He knew all she needs is only eating something to regain her energy.

Shinhye slowly nodded, “Umh, strawberry would be better” She replied.

“Okay, I’ll ask Soojung to come here while I’m away” then he stood and grabbed his cell phone which he put on the side table. “I won’t be long, I promise” Yonghwa kissed her forehead so deep before leaving her alone.

Seoul International Hospital, 4 am

As the time goes by, a sense of heartburn that she felt didn’t subside, even worse. Her stomach as if twisting like hell and forcing her to lift her legs and straining unconciously to release the pain. Feels like she wants to give up.

She almost give up, especially when she saw the other patient went away from that room one by one. They chose to do a caesarean section to deliver the baby. Well at least it is the most convenient way, quick and surely painless. It’s only takes about 15 to 20 minutes to wait for the doctor took the baby from the mother’s belly and then sew back her stomach. Quick, simple and painless. Three key words that make women today choose to give birth by caesarean rather than a conventional way. Because she doesn’t need to feel pain and screaming like crazy, as she is now.

But it didn’t apply to Shinhye. Since the beginning, she was determined to give birth normally. She was briefly tempted by pleasures which offered by the operating method or another methods. But for her, there’s a deeper impression when a woman can give birth normally. That method requires cooperation between the mother and also baby, together fight tooth and nail to risk their lives to keep alive, not only between a doctor and a baby. Shinhye believes that the way she passes will result in a stronger bond between herself and her baby. It is a payment which is priceless for all the efforts and tremendous pain that she experienced.

“She already at the openings nine, doc” Shinhye stopped screaming when she realized the nurse talked to a doctor. He must be Jaehyun – she thought in mind. Then they stepped inside the room and came closer to Shinhye.

“Jaehyun-ah..please save my baby” She pleaded with tears plastered on her sweaty face when  Jaehyun was standing next to her and checking some files which given by a nurse.

He put down the notes and bowed to face Shinhye directly, “Don’t worry Shin-ah, I’ll do my best to save both of you. Let’s fight together!” his words indeed simple, but sounds convincing and managed to evoke her spirit. “You two fighting!” He fist his palm to give spirit to the couple. Suddenly both Shinhye and Yonghwa felt confident and warm at the same time.

“Nurse, please attach a drip hose and oxygen for her” He demanded as he turned to the bottom of her. He checked the opening of hers after put the handgloves and mask on while a nurse attached an oxygen wire into Shinhye’s nose and injected her palm to attach a drip hose. Again, Shinhye didn’t feel pain anymore. It replaced by the pain of her stomach.

Yonghwa remained in his position next to her, letting his palm to be squeezed by her. He didn’t care if she managed to leave some scars on his hands, as long as he can help her and do something to her.

“Give me the probe, I’ll check the amniotic sac” Jaehyun commanded to his nurses.

The room suddenly turns into more tense and frightening. Some nurses gathered to help Jaehyun. They are busy doing any act which he commanded such as checking her pulse, to take her temperature, setting up the equipments until preparing the incubator to put the baby when he’s born.

Meanwhile, Shinhye instinctively kept screaming and pushing when the pain continued pierced her endlessly, as if didn’t give her time to rest.

“Arrghhh!!!” She screamed desperately while continued squeezing Yonghwa’s palm.

Sweat began to wet her body. Her hair are messed, some of them even ran over her face, making the nurse to repeatedly wipe her sweat.

Chaos.

Shinhye was very messy and miserable. But what she was doing is far from a word of pathetic. No, she was great and amazing. Her spirit to fight the pain is very staggering. Jung Shinhye truly a tough woman.

“Oh no. The amniotic fluid are reduced a lot. We should immediately remove the baby, so that he doesn’t poisoned” Jaehyun said to the nurse.

Bad. Yonghwa and Shinhye felt something bad happened to her.

“But the openings is still at the nine stage, doc. What if we induce her?” one of the nurse suggested with worried tone.

“No! We should wait for a while. I’m sure the opening will be fully open soon. Induction would only aggravate her condition and also the baby” Jaehyun insisted to wait. He then sat next to Shinhye and supporting her. “C’mon Shin, you can do it!”

“I can’t Jae!! It’s too much hurt, arrgghh!!”

Yonghwa already cried when he saw her condition is getting worse. He also felt so much hurt to see her misery while he can’t do anything to help her.

“What should  we do now, Jaehyun-ah?” Yonghwa almost give up. He suddenly lost his strengthness. He didn’t able to see her pain. That was killing him as well.

Jaehyun heaved sigh. “I would give her 10 minutes to wait if there’s a change in her birth canal”

“If not?” Yonghwa challanged him

“I’m  sorry Yonghwa-ssi, I think she should have surgery before the baby poisoning inside”

“NO!! I won’t!! Please Jae, I want to deliver the baby normally. I don’t want surgery” Shinhye cried even louder.

She has been trying so hard to pave the birth way despite having to force her body to withstand the extraordinary pain, and of course she wasn’t willing to be giving up on the operating table when her birth canal  is  almost fully open. No, it would be so unfair for her.

“Shin-ah, darling, listen to me” Yonghwa caressed her messy hair lovingly, “If it indeed the best way, you have to accept it, dear. Don’t be so stubborn. I don’t want to risk your lives, I just want you guys okay” He added.

Shinhye didn’t answer him. She knew, from deep inside her heart she belives that she can do it. She only needs more time and efforts to make it happen.

“Arrgghhhhhh!!!” Again, she was straining as she catched her breath.

Jaehyun moved  to the bottom of her to check about the progress.

Nothing.

He still has to wait.

5 minutes passed.

-

Still no progress, while Shinhye started to feel tired.

-

10 minutes passed.

Once again, the doctor checked her birth canal, and surprisingly it already fully open perfectly.

“Daebak! You made it Shin-ah. Okay Yonghwa-ssi, you want documenting the process? I only allow one person to do it. Decides now!” He demanded.

Without think twice, Yonghwa ran outside and found Shinhye’s parents sat together with Minhyuk and Soojung. “Minhyuk-ah, please help me to record the process. Shinhye will give birth very soon” Yonghwa then dragged his dongsaeng to get inside.

He deliberately chose Minhyuk because he doesn’t have the heart to make the elders frightened. And Soojung? Oh please streak her out from the list because she couldn’t stand to see blood, and of course choosing her will make the situation worsen. While in fact, Minhyuk actually is not different from her. Yonghwa just didn’t know it, ckckck.

On the other side, Kang Minhyuk didn’t have any choice but to grant his  wish. He actually felt very scare. He could feel beads of sweat began to wet his forehead once he stepped inside the room and found Shinhye was screaming like crazy. Oh no, wrong choice, yong!

“Here, take my phone and stand behind the doctor to record the process” Yonghwa instructed him as he handed a cell phone to him. “Minhyuk-ah, do it your best” He pleaded as he tapped Minhyuk’s shoulder, leaving him with face pale and sweaty.

The younger man gulped nervously. He took a step forward and stand behind Jaehyun. He lifted the phone and started recording.

“Okay Shin, Now it's time to push mightily and keep breathing normally” Jaehyun shouted to guide her. “I’m going to count to three and push. Okay? one. Two. Three. PUSSHH!!”

And at the same time, Shinhye was straining mightily. “ARGGHHHH!!!”. She tried her best to push while squeezing Yonghwa’s palm.

“Breathe!!” Jaehyun warned.

Shinhye did it repeatedly. Straining and breathe. Trying so hard to adjust her breath between unbearable pain.

20 minutes passed

The baby doesn’t show any sign will be born while Shinhye was almost exhausted. Messed up. She looks very chaotic and miserable. Her body was wet with sweat. Her hair disheveled. The drip hose and oxygen apart without even she realized. Yonghwa didn’t have the heart to see her suffering.

Meanwhile Ahn Jaehyun seemed give up. He walked towards Yonghwa and sighed. “We must do surgery to remove your baby, Yonghwa-ssi. Her amniotic fluid is running low and would be very risky to your baby’s health” he said sadly.

“NOO!! Don’t do that, Jae. Give me one more chance. I’m sure I can do it. Pleasee” Shinhye cried out loud when she heard that shocking statement from the doctor.

“Shin-ah, listen to me. I know you want to give birth normally so bad. But I can’t risk both of you. I promise I won’t forgive my self if something bad happened with you two” Yonghwa tried to convience his stubborn wife while he himself actually felt so confuse and tired.

He turned to Jaehyun and decided “Run its operations. I entrust to you of the best” He said confidentally.

Jaehyun nodded. “Alright, nurse go prepare the operating room!” He instructed all nurses to get ready for the next surgery. “...and you please sign here” He handed a paper of surgery approval letter to Yonghwa.

Without any doubt, he signed it and let the doctor left them alone to prepare all things. Shinhye kept crying sadly, between her unbearable pain and al