Epilogue I - Baekhyun & Aerin

“Hi, Baby.”

Baekhyun leaned down and dropped a kiss on his wife’s temple. She blinked her eyes open and let out a weak smile. Her head was still pounding, and she only let out a soft whine when she tried to greet him back. She was lying down on their bed. Her face was so pale, and Baekhyun couldn’t help but getting more worried as soon as he saw her. “You okay, Sweetheart?” The man asked as he fixed himself to sit on the edge of the bed and put his palm on her forehead, trying to check her temperature.

“I’m okay. I just need some more sleep I guess.” Aerin answered weakly.

Baekhyun immediately rushed back home when his wife’s secretary called him, saying that the CEO fainted after attending the conference earlier. When he asked her if she brought his wife to the hospital, the secretary told him that they were already at home. Aerin only told the secretary that she felt better and there was no need to get to the hospital. The hotel where the conference was being held was closer to their home so Aerin deemed it was better for her to just go back.

“Shall we pay a visit to the doctor? You’ve been feeling unwell these past days, right?”

The girl only shook her head. “And I know it was because the conference made me so busy these past days. I’m just going to sleep it away. Don’t worry, okay?”

Baekhyun only heaved a sigh because he knew his wife could be so stubborn sometimes. And he didn’t want to argue with her right now as she clearly needed some rest. “Alright then. I’ll ask Aunt Lim to prepare something light and warm for dinner. I need to check some things for a bit, so I’ll be in the study room. Call me if you need anything, hm?” The man placed another soft peck on her forehead before leaving her to take care of the work he left earlier.

“Yes, Hyung. I’m already home, and she’s sleeping right now.”

“Okay. I was talking to one of the doctors from the conference, and he told me that she fainted after the last session. He said it was probably fatigue, but she only requested to be brought home.”

“Yeah, she was really busy these past days because of the conference. I asked her to get checked, but you know how stubborn she is sometimes, right?” Baekhyun said, earning a small laugh from the other line.

“You’re right. But I think you should ask her again this time. I mean, that was exactly what happened to Soo Jung too when we conceived Iseul.”

Baekhyun smiled sadly. “I know. But I don’t want her to break down again if this was not because of that.” He could hear the older sighed before muttering that he indeed agreed with him. “But I will try to talk to her slowly later.”

“Let me know if you need any help, okay? I’m wishing all the best for both of you. Tell her Iseul misses her.”

The call was cut after some greetings exchanged between the in laws. Baekhyun put all his weight, leaning back on the chair before heaving a long sigh. He was supposed to go for a business trip tomorrow, and he really didn’t want to leave if his wife’s condition wasn’t getting better. But of course, it wasn’t easy to reschedule this because it involved other important people from other companies.

The merger between the Kim and Byun corp. was mentioned as the most successful merger in the last five years. The biggest hospital chain merged with the influential pharmacy company through the marriage between the Kim’s daughter and the Byun’s son. And everyone in the industry expected a lot from this new union. Baekhyun had a pile of expectation placed on his shoulder, and he couldn’t help but felt overwhelmed sometimes because of this. The business trip he had to go to tomorrow was one of their critical part of the new expansion they were doing, and Baekhyun felt so screwed right now.

Baekhyun came inside their room and heard the water was running. The man was about to sit on the bed when he heard his wife throwing up in the bathroom. He slowly tried to push the door open to check if it was locked, and thankfully it didn’t. Baekhyun found the girl was planting her face on the toilet bowl, sitting lifelessly on the floor. He kneeled behind her, gently caressing her back as he parted her hair to the back so that it wouldn’t get dirty.

“Pass me the tissue, please.” She asked with a weak voice and wiped the tears on the corner of her eye.

“We’re going to the hospital, come on.” Baekhyun said as he gently pulled her up and helped her wash up on the sink.

“No. I’m okay.”

“Babe, you’re clearly not okay.”

“I still have the prescribed medicine from the last time. And if I didn’t get better tomorrow, I promise I’m going to the hospital.” She said, half pleading as she carefully lied back down on the bed. And of course, Baekhyun just couldn’t refuse those pair of puppy eyes.

“Alright, fine. Do you want to eat now?”

The girl shook her head because she really didn’t have any appetite right now. “I wanna cuddle.” Aerin said, shyly playing with his pinkie.

Her husband only chuckled as a response. His eyes were shining with too much affections for the girl. The man gently ruffled the girl’s hair, trying to coax the girl to eat. “At least eat a small portion of dinner. You’ll get to cuddle all you want after eating, hm?”

She grinned widely. Who would refuse an offer for cuddle, though? Certainly not Aerin.

“C’mere.” Aerin mumbled to her husband, patting the side of the bed as he just finished talking to someone from the company on the phone after they ate their dinner.

Baekhyun climbed up the bed and lied down beside his wife. He gently pulled her closer, placing his arm under her head so she could use it as a pillow. The girl snuggled close to the warmth radiating from his chest. It really was the best medicine for her whenever she felt unwell.

The man patted her back and sometimes dropping soft kisses on top of her head. “Jongin hyung called me earlier. He heard about you fainting from Doctor Lee.”

“Yeah. He was the one checking me after I fainted.” She answered, closing her eyes as she circled her hands around her husband’s waist. “What did he say?”

“He was just worried, and he told me to let you know that Iseul misses you.”

“I miss Iseul too. It’s been a while not seeing her.”

“Shall we visit them after you get better?” Aerin only nodded as an answer.

“Babe,”

“Hm?”

“Do you want to try to get checked again?” Baekhyun carefully asked as he slowly ran his hand up and down caressing her arm.

“No.”

“Babe—”

Aerin let out a loud sigh. “I’m tired, okay? I don’t want to get my hopes up only to know that it was just a false alarm. I was only exhausted because I know I’ve been working too hard these past days.” She tiredly said, pulling away and showing her frown to the man.

“Alright, alright.” The man pulled her close again, not wanting to ruin the mood with their arguments. “I’m sorry Baby. But please do consider if the doctor asked you, okay?”

The girl didn’t answer him, only letting out a sigh as she planted her face on the juncture of her husband’s neck. Baekhyun fully understood why his wife was acting this way. They had been married for four years, and now currently on their fifth year. After their wedding, she didn’t delay on pursuing a master’s degree while at the same time taking the wheel of the hospital as the CEO. And with the merger with the Byun’s, of course Baekhyun became even busier too. They had a healthy life as a married couple, but both of them agreed to postpone any pregnancy. At least until she finished her master’s degree because she wanted to focus.

And after Aerin completed her degree, there were many times that they thought they finally conceived. But most of the times it only turned out to be a stomach bug, or fatigue. Aerin became really sensitive, especially when people asked her about why they were delaying on having child. She was fine at first, managed to answer people’s question with a smile on her face although it kind of hurt inside. But as time went by, it got a little too much that she started to blame herself.

The peak was some months ago when she suddenly had the need to throw up in the morning. She was aware of how she hadn’t gotten her period that time. With a small hopeful heart, Aerin took some pregnancy tests, only to find another single strip as results. She broke down then. And Baekhyun was only able to hug her tightly while gently caressing her back, whispering on her ear, promising that the angel they were waiting would come to them when it’s time.

“Hey Baby, feel better?” Baekhyun mumbled softly as he felt her stirred in her sleep, slowly blinking her eyes before staring back at him with her sleepy eyes. The man reached her forehead to check her temperature. She had no fever, but she still looked pale.

The girl only closed her eyes and hummed. Aerin didn’t feel better honestly, but she knew her husband would make a fuss for her to go to the hospital if she told him. His flight for the business trip was around midday, and she knew he should start to get ready now. Aerin felt bad because she didn’t help him to pack last night, even asked him to spend his time to cuddle when he could be packing.

“I feel better, don’t worry.”

The man frowned, kind of not believing her. “But you still look pale.” Baekhyun stated worriedly.

The girl chuckled softly. “I will still go to the doctor, Sir, if that makes you happy.” She said teasingly. “Did you prepare all your need for the business trip?”

“Yeah, I did it while you were sleeping.” Baekhyun tucked the strands of hair behind her ear. “I really don’t want to go, though.” The man pouted, earning a small laugh from the girl.

“But you really have to go, though, Mr. Byun.” She laughed as he heaved a long sigh. “I’ll be fine. You’ll be back in three days, right?” Baekhyun nodded. “Then go get yourself ready, your flight is in four hours Baekhyun.” She said, half scolding because Baekhyun clearly showed that he didn’t want to move from the bed.

“Give me a kiss and I’ll go to get ready.”

“No.”

“Then I’m staying.”

“Baekhyun.” She hissed.

The man swiftly leaned closer to her before stealing a soft peck from her lips. He grinned as he pulled away, jumping up from the bed to prepare himself. His wife only shook her head at his childish-but-not-so-surprising antics.

The thing that she really hated when Baekhyun had to go for a business trip was she had to be alone at their home. Sure, there were helpers who took care of the house, so she practically was not staying alone at home. But it just still felt lonely to her. She got used to having Baekhyun around every time, being the first person she saw when she opened her eyes in the morning, being the only person who would hug her back to sleep every time she had a nightmare or when she couldn’t sleep.

Well, it wasn’t like it’s the first time her husband left for business trip, but she didn’t even understand why she turned to be so emotional like this? The wife suddenly cried earlier as soon as Baekhyun greeted her goodbye. It took him around fifteen minutes to calm her down. The man even still looked at her worriedly as he climbed into the car, not really want to go but he knew he had to. Baekhyun insisted her to stay home because he didn’t want her to get tired.

The first person she called after Baekhyun told her he’s going to board soon was Soo Jung. Aerin wanted to sleepover at their home, like usual—yes, Jongin’s family live at their old house. Aerin lived together with them before she moved out after she got married with Baekhyun.

“Yeah, I will come later in the evening probably. I don’t feel so good, I really need to listen to Baekhyun and go to the hospital.”

“Aerin, why don’t you try to check with the test pack?” The girl felt her heart fell and frowned at the words, but before she could reply, Soo Jung already said some other words which honestly, sounded kind of convincing to her. “I’m not forcing you, okay, just please listen to me, as a wife who has been through this, and a sister who loves you. We never know until we try all the probabilities. I am no doctor, but all the symptoms you told me, the extreme mood switching, I just… I don’t know, I feel like this time it’s going to be good news.” Soo Jung tried to talk softly because she knew how affected the younger was with this kind of conversation. “If you don’t want to try at home, let’s try when you’re here, hm? I’ll be by your side. You won’t go through this alone, you know that right?”

“Alright, Unnie. I’ll think about it.”

Soo Jung smiled, knowing how soft her sister in law was. “Okay. We’ll wait for yo