"Soo."
"Hmm?" Kyungsoo looked up at me from his phone, his wide eyes staring expectantly at me over his glasses. We were alone in the dorm, the others all out seeing a movie or something.
"What do you want the baby to be? A boy or a girl?" He pursed his lips and thought for a moment before finally setting his phone down to answer.
"It doesn't matter. I'll love it no matter what."
"I know that, Kyungsoo. Just..what would you prefer? Like, if you got to decide." I urged.
He sighed, a slight smile forming on his heart-shaped lips. "A girl." He answered after a moment. He stood up and walked toward me. "I want her to look just like you." He kissed my forehead and placed a hand on my swelling belly. He hummed a little bit, and I suddenly felt a sort of movement under his hand. Kyungsoo smiled widely, and a slight chuckle escaped from his lips. "She's moving. That must mean I'm right."
He glanced up at me. "What do you want the baby to be?"
I shrugged. "I hadn't thought about it." I lied. In truth, I had thought about it plenty of times and finally decided I wanted a boy; one that shared Kyungsoo's doe-like eyes and plump lips. "We could go see if you're right today." I murmured. "We have an appointment to find out the gender."
Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows and frowned. "I can't come today." He stated apologetically. "I'm busy." Busy?
"But you don't have a schedule." I had checked it the night before, and he was free.
"It's something I have to do on my own time." I felt frustration build. What father wouldn't want to be there to find out what gender their child was? He avoided my gaze. "I thought we wanted it to be a surprise, anyway?"
"Still, I'd like you to be there-"
"I'm sorry, jagiya." He glanced down at his watch. "I'm already late." He cast one more glance in my direction before walking out the door. "Call Ireum and have her take you. I love you, and I'll make it up to you." He called after noticing my frown. Kyungsoo waved and shut the door, leaving me alone in the empty dorm.
"Yeah, I love you too," I muttered bitterly.
—
"I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you like that," Ireum whispered to me. We were sitting in the waiting room of the doctor's, and at the moment, her daughter was trying to find a way to fit on my lap.
"But he did," I whispered back and turned my attention to Aerri, who had turned to look at her mother.
"Eomma, why don't I have a little brother or sister yet?" She furrowed her eyebrows and patiently waited for her mom's answer.
Ireum sighed and looked her daughter in her eye. "Because Eomma isn't ready for another baby yet."
Aerri pursed her pink lips and sighed. "But Yeol oppa said I was gonna get one soon." I snorted, glanced at Ireum and smirked. She lifted her daughter into her lap.
"Think about it this way," she started, "do you want a little brother or sister you'd have to share Yeol oppa's kisses and warm hugs with?" Aerri thought for a moment and shook her head, her long black hair tossing at the motion. "I didn't think so. Just think of unnie's baby as your little brother or sister, for now, arasoo?" Aerri turned and smiled brightly at me, her smile the same one I saw on Baek from time to time.
"Arasoo." I smiled back at her and was about to say something when the secretary called my name. She eyed Ireum and I as we walked up and offered a slight smile.
