Shereen’s pov

I swiftly dragged my feet to walk ahead of him once we stepped out of the car. The view before me was no doubt fascinating and breathtaking but I was barely able to set my focus on it, let alone glory the beautiful white sand and the calm ocean with its glimmering surface beaming in the sunlight. Nothing was wrong with the warm weather and panorama. In fact it was perfect. It was my current mood that was ruining everything.

“You know…we might as well go back, sleep in the hotel and do nothing rather than stay here but not enjoy this for even a single bit.” I turned my head abruptly, not really sure when exactly he caught up with my pace. Indifferent look plastered on his face but there was a slight glint of sign that showed he was actually annoyed. The problem was I was supposed to be the one annoyed.

I sighed. “How do you know I’m not enjoying this? It will be such a waste to right away leave this place.” Call me childish for being worked up with such a trivial matter but I swore I had quite a plausible reason. I wouldn’t be like this if he didn’t say something that hit my pride as a girl, well woman, since I had carried a new status as a married grown-up.

“Who do you think you’re trying to fool?” We had finally reached the seashore the moment he let out a scoff. I stared at him, waiting for him to proceed. “I don’t call myself a boyfriend of yours for three years without taking note of when you are actually telling the truth and when you’re not.”

I puckered my lips, feeling somewhat irritated by his confident yet right remark. He was true, he always noticed how my act and behavior started to get unusual when I was pissed off and he never failed to make me surrender and told him what exactly my problem was. Now that he eventually turned to face me, I could look deep into his brown eyes. They were staring at me intensely, waiting for my next respond but all I did was began to waver under that signature strong gaze of him. I cleared my throat and looked away. “Okay you’re right. I’m not in the mood to enjoy this. Whose fault do you think it is?” I snapped, gazing distantly into the horizon.

I could see his jaw dropped in disbelief from the corner of my eyes before he raised his voice “You mean mine? What did I even do wrong?”

“You really don’t know?” I replied him with the same shocked expression on my face.

“Well let’s just get this clear because we’re not flying all the way here just to have a fight, not especially when we’re just on our second day of being a newlywed.” He crossed his arm, his tone demanding for my explanation so I did give one. “What’s with you blurting my size ever so casually in front if the sales lady? Don’t you know it’s embarrassing?”

He blinked several times and I was dying to know what’s going on in his mind during that momentary silence before he finally broke it “What’s wrong with that? I’m just helping you to choose it faster so we can leave and spend more time here. Don’t tell me you’re mad about that because I seriously don’t understand your point.” So that was why he didn’t respond right away? Didn’t he get what I meant?

“But it sounds as if you’re saying that I have small….ah.. I don’t know. That’s embarrassing. I know I’m not that pretty and attractive but you don’t have to say it out loud in front of others.” I exploded, not able to bring myself to say it out loud. At the end, all I did was just looking down on my feet, starting to think whether I was overreacting.

“Shereen, look at me..”

The moment those words escaped his mouth, I knew he was directing the conversation into a serious talk because everytime he said so, it ended up that way so hesitantly I lifted my head up, yet still not looking at him in his eyes. A moment later, I could feel his finger on my chin, bringing it up as he searched for eye contact.

“I’m sorry.” His voice was low and I was slightly taken aback because I didn’t really expect an apology coming from him. “I didn’t mean it that way.”

I stared at him, not saying anything to signal him to continue on his words but instead, he sighed “You’re so silly, you know that?”

What was that? I had just softened up from his unexpected apology and he insulted me right away? I took a deep breath, ready to confront but I was cut off.

“Couldn’t you see for yourself that everything you do to me had so much effect on me? Last night, this morning, when else… basically everytime we make out. Do you even notice how you make me react? And if you’re not attractive explain to me, why those people keep staring at you.”

I flushed from his bluntness, somewhat embarrassed because believe me his voice was loud and enough for other visitors to stop their tracks and turned to check out what’s happening between the pair. I cocked my head towards the direction he was shooting daggers to and I saw three boys, probably in their mid twenties scrutinizing me from head to toe. The moment they caught me looking at them, they turned away and pretended to be occupied with their volleyball games.

“Sehun, lower your voice.” I hissed and turned around to face him, slightly bowing at the ‘audience’, expressing my apology for the little commotion we had caused.

“Explain to me.”

“What?”

“Why they are staring at you.” He blurted, his features showing profound displeasure.

“I don’t know.” I snapped. I didn’t even pay attention to my surroundings when I argued with him so why the hell did he direct me such an inquiry?

“Tchhh.. my idiot.” He ruffled my hair. I was going to complain but his stupid y smirk got the best out of me, making me forget whatever protests I was about to attack him with and as it was contagious, his lighthearted chuckle caused an influence on me, making me laugh along with him.

With that, half of our day was spent at the beach, swimming in the refreshing ocean water, sunbathing under the clear blue sky, enjoying every single moment with each other’s company. We left right after the sun set. Squeezing as many to-be-visited places as possible into our plan, we made it to ennoji temple and umeda sky building which eventually marked the end of our honeymoon trip. A short trip indeed, but I was nothing but content and I was definitely aware of where this kind of feeling came from. As cheesy as it might sound, I didn’t care where we were. Because as long as I knew he stayed by my side, there was nothing more I would have asked for and the words he told me right before I drifted to sweet dreamland were something I would always cherish and never forgot in my entire life.

“Babe..” His low voice called me in such a gentle tone, his strong pair of arms wrapped protectively around my body as he rested his chin on top of my head.

“Hmm?” My lids were closed and I snuggled closer into his firm chest, intending to cuddle just like that until I eventually dozed off.

“Promise me you’ll never look down on yourself.” I stayed silent as my mind processed the randomness of his words and the moment it flashed back and associated with what happened during the day, I fully grasped what he was trying to say. “Believe me you’re smarter, prettier, and more amazing than you think are.”

Who wouldn’t be flattered receiving that kind of comment from someone they loved but I was too busy absorbing his words, letting them sank in my brain system because they sounded unbelievably sincere. Sehun was all silent after he uttered the compliment. From the way he fidgeted, I knew he was rather embarrassed finding himself saying out loud the kind of sentence that he might somehow be worried to turn out cheesy for the listener but trust me I didn’t think so, at all. For me, it was a soothing whisper that he addressed to me in an ever so gentle and soft tone of his, the one that never failed to cause my heart to race folds faster. I pulled away slightly, attempting to lift my head up and looked at him but his embrace on me tightened, drawing me closer before I could even witness his expression.

“Stay still. Don’t say anything.”

Silently, I chuckled. See? I was right. That cute little was embarrassed.

“Why are you so sure?” I brought back the topic, trying to dig in more information about his reasons behind that sweet little sentence.

“You don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that…”

“I know that this is just a start for everything and we still have a lot of things awaiting us ahead, probably some wouldn’t be pleasant ones but … I promise to try my best to be a good husband and father for our future kids. So, one day when our kids are all grown up and have their own family, let’s come here again. Because by then, I’ll prove you how much you’ve changed me into a better man.”

That night, I slept with a smile spread across my face and safely wrapped in his warm embrace. That moment, I couldn’t ask for more. That’s why I let myself drift to dreamland, his presence allowing me to enter a sound deep slumber.

End of shereen’s pov

                                                            ***

The first week of the couple’s marriage life had passed and now both were entering the beginning of their second week which also reminded shereen that she had only a few days left until the first day of her final exam.

“Sehun, seriously let me concentrate okay?” Shereen let her gaze fell distant into the city view outside as she stood in front of the window with a thick textbook on her right hand, trying to recite the important lines that she had just memorized when she got distracted for the umpteenth time of the morning ever since sehun woke up.

“But you’ve been up for the entire night. Shouldn’t you get some rest?” His childish side showed up when he lifted his slightly puckered lips that had been resting on her shoulder for a while, his forehead creased as he looked at her with a mixture of worry and disapproval.

Shereen’s attempt to act all strict and serious as well as her pretence to look not affected at all vanished in no time when her eyes caught his current whiny expression. A lighthearted chuckle escaped her lips and she turned around to face him. “I’ll get some rest later okay? Just a few more lines.” Stretching out an arm to his cheek, she flashed him a sweet smile, hoping that the male would buy it.

“You’ve been saying that for million times..”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Okay, three times. You’re going to do well. Don’t stress yourself out to much.” His right hand grip on her waist tightened while his other free hand moved to free the book she had been holding for hours. In a matter of second, it was tossed aside with a loud thud before it finally landed on the desk. Shereen blinked, his captivating eyes mesmerized her as he circled his arm around her waist, pulling her body towards his to closen their body gap. Something inside her urged her to go with the flow but it was when she felt his hot breath hitting her earlobe that shereen finally regained her sense. “Sehun I’m gonna fail my exam if you keep doing this to me.”

“You’re that worried about failing? Shall I tutor you?” Shereen should have known that by ‘tutoring’ the male meant something else because even before she could confront he had already begun trailing feathery kisses around the sensitive skin on her neck, causing her eyelids to droop out of reflex from the overwhelming sensation.

“Sehun..” Both hands grabbing his, she attempted to pull away.

“Lesson 1…” Sehun wasn’t even bothered about the warning she was trying to give because by the time he announced about giving the first lesson, his lips had already claimed hers, leading the action to a passionate session. His strong arms still tightly wrapped around her waist and shereen didn’t even know that she had been pushed against the wall until her back hit the cold hard surface. It was startling, but not really painful because his right hand supported her, ensuring that she didn’t hit the surface hard. Their lips molded perfectly, his tounge making wonders inside her oral cavity and shereen couldn’t help but to elicit a moan as his expert tounge wandered along her cavern, literally leaving her breathless and her own attempt to respond forgotten.

Shereen was still busy catching her breath after they pulled away but when her eyes caught the signature playful smirk which always played across his pink lips everytime he , she had to admit that despite his cheekiness he looked as stunning as ever. “How’s lesson 1? Understandable?”

“Do you know that by deciding to tutor me you’re going to be late for work?” She raised an eyebrow at him, locking their gazes after side eyeing the clock.

“It’s perfectly fine when your father’s the chairman of the place you’re working at.” He blurted, his smug grin emphasized his point.

“Oh sehun!” She clicked her tounge, jokingly sending him a disapproving glare.

“Alright alright, just joking. Try to not miss me….” His head tilted to give her cheek a peck. “Be prepared for lesson 2 tonight.” Biting his lower lip, he sent her a seductive wink.

Shereen didn’t even have time to respond when he turned his back on her, swiftly made his way to the bathroom and closed the door with a loud bam.

So all she did was shaking her head at his playful act, softly muttering “Idiot.”

                                                                        ***

It was a quarter to twelve when shereen shot up from her seat and threw all the items she needed into her bag, getting ready for her afternoon class before a knock was heard.

“Ms. shereen..”

“Yes ahjumma, come in.”

The door was swung open, revealing a familiar lady that she had grown close ever since she started visiting sehun’s house, back then when they were still high schoolers.

“Lunch is ready. Omo!!” Witnessing papers and books scattered all around the desk, the elder approached the mess, carefully helping to arrange the items neatly. “You’re working really hard lately. You shouldn’t stress yourself out.”

“I know, that’s what sehun told me too.” Not wanting to worry the elder, Shereen returned the female an assuring smile before her focus shifted back to checking on the things that she didn’t want to leave behind but a moment later a shot of pain on her lower abdomen stopped whatever she was doing.

“He must be worried about you. You should… Omo what’s wrong?” The lady rushed to her side, worry and concern plastered all over her face as she watched the younger fell to sit on the bed, her hand forming a fist to clutch the fabric around her stomach.

“I don’t know…it’s..painful ahjumma.” Shereen didn’t know what to do at the moment she felt the pain intensified.

“Should we go to hospital?”

The elder didn’t even need a confirmation when she saw shereen hissed in pain, biting her lower lip hard as a desperate attempt to deal with the unbearable pain.

“I-I’ll ask the driver to get the car ready.”

                                                                        ***

“Ahjumma, what happens?”

“Young master…”

“Where’s shereen?” Sehun had been rushing all the way to the hospital. The moment she got the call, informing him that his wife was admitted, he couldn’t help but to wonder why that happened all of a sudden when she clearly was alright the morning they interacted. That’s why when he finally found the elder, all he needed was a clear explanation of the situation.

“Ms. Shereen’s inside.” Her head cocked towards the direction of a room, her expression still showing deep worry. “I don’t know what’s wrong since the doctor hasn’t finished examining her but seems like it’s an abdominal pain.”

“A cramp?”

“I don’t know but she seemed to be really in pain.”

“Shereen gets cramp mostly when she’s on her periods but it never goes to the extent she has to be admitted to a hospital.” He scrunched his eyebrows together, the worry he had been feeling intensified.

“I’m worried. She seemed to be really in pain just now.” The elder wasn’t less worried either when she fidgeted with her fingers, inwardly praying that the younger would be alright.

Just then, the door was swung open, revealing the assigned nurse “ Excuse me, is any one of you her family?”

“I’m her husband.” Sehun snapped, his demanding tone anticipated for an explanation.

“Sir could you please come in? The doctor would like to talk to you.”

Sehun didn’t like to assume something which he definitely wouldn’t wish happening but the nurse’s sympathetic tone somewhat led that kind of thought to emerge. Entering the white painted space, his eyes caught her lying on the hospital bed. She was conscious, which was a relief. It’s her attempt to flash an assuring smile despite her pale face that ached his heart.

“Sehun..” One of her arms stretched out to reach his hand, her expression apologetic that he had to make it all the way there despite his busy work time.

Holding her hand firmly in his, sehun’s free hand wandered to her head, the dark lock underneath his fingertips ever so gently “You ok?”

It was an inquiry voiced out of worry that she responded with a nod. She wasn’t really fine because despite the lessening pain, she could still feel a slight sting of suffering in her lower abdomen.

“So you are her family?” A male voice broke their little moment and it was when his worried gaze averted to the friendly-looking middle aged man in his white coat.

“I’m her husband.”

“How should I address you?”

“My name’s oh sehun.” Right away, he introduced himself, stretching an arm to offer a handshake.

“Ahhh Mr. Oh. No wonder I feel like I’ve seen you before.” It was a brief introduction talk before the elder decided to shift the focus on his patient’s condition, his expression slightly changing into a concerned one. “Hmm.. there’s something I’d like you both to know.”

Sehun’s gaze fell back to shereen, feeling how her grip on his hand tightened and her hand turned cold and sweaty from her nervosity. Gently, he squeezed her hand tighter, letting her be aware of his presence, ensuring her that everything would be fine.

“What is it?” Sehun’s tone was firm despite the curious feeling that somehow he didn’t like, because whatever the elder was going to utter next, it gave out a gloomy vibe.

“Well…Ms shereen suffers from endometriosis.”

For shereen, it was an unfamiliar medical term which she even had no slightest idea of how it affected her condition but judging from the elder’s expression, she got a bad feeling that it was somewhat a serious threat. As for Sehun, he didn’t even realize that he had been holding his breath ever since it was announced. He was very sure he had heard it somewhere before and from what he knew it was absolutely the case which would make shereen feel terribly guilty and sad.

“I-is it dangerous?” It was shereen’s cracked voice that broke the temporary silence. Mustering up her courage, she managed to bring herself to finally question the meaning behind the unfamiliar term.

“Well, I’d say that it may lead to several unwanted cases. Endometriosis is basically painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus (endometrial implant). Well it may reduce fertility, causing a difficulty to get pregnant but don’t worry. There’s still a possibility though. I have prescribed a painkiller. By the way, do you usually have painful periods?” Fixing his glasses, he raised his head and shifted his focus from the x ray film to her, expecting for her answer to confirm his thought.

“Yes I do.”

“You should’ve done a check up about that before it gets unbearable like it does today but don’t worry. Hopefully everything’s will be alright.”

“Is there any cure for it?” This time sehun’s question brought fear to both himself and shereen.

There was a pause when the doctor pondered, air through his teeth, he eventually responded “ There is no certain cure but hormone therapy and surgery will help but as in Ms. Shereen’s case… I think we’ll try the hormone therapy to reduce and eliminate the pain.”

“Is there still a possibility for me to get pregnant?” Shereen didn’t waste any more time to go to the thing she wanted to know the most. Screw all the definition and related explanation. There was a way more important matter she had to make sure of.

“Although it’s kind of difficult, yes there is. We all hope for the best. As long as you follow the treatment routinely, we can still expect for a good outcome.”

“Doctor Choi, you have a surgery scheduled in ten minutes.” The nurse’s voice interrupted their talk. With that, the elder excused himself to perform another duty “Well, the nurse will hand you the prescription I’ve written for you and help you schedule for another appointment. Ms shereen, you can go back home and please take a lot of rest so that the recovery process will be faster. Don’t worry, I’ll try my best and I believe you can go through this.” Thanking the doctor’s care, sehun bowed slightly, slightly smiling at the elder that managed to pat his shoulder before making his way out of the room.

Then, there were just two of them. Sehun didn’t even need any words to know what’s going on in shereen’s mind. Her blank look had said it all as she drifted into a deep thought.

Sorry that I take too long to update. Believe me, I’m trying my best to update as soon as possible but somehow just manage to post it today. Hope you enjoy the chapter :) Thanks for your patience.