ASTHERIEN'S POV :-
I thought it would be easy.
It's clearly not.
I was in the bathroom, having just thrown up, one hand resting against the sink as I tried to catch my breath.
All this tiredness was getting to me.
It had been three weeks, and the constant headaches were exhausting. I splashed some cold water onto my face and wiped it away with a towel before finally stepping out.
Then I saw the mirror.
I stopped in front of the full-length mirror and slowly placed a hand over my stomach.
Nothing.
There wasn't even a visible bump yet.
It was strange to think that there was actually a little life growing inside me when there was barely anything to see.
I tilted my head, looking at myself.
I wonder what I'll look like with a big bump...
The thought made me giggle quietly.
A hand suddenly came from behind me and rested gently over my stomach.
I startled slightly before turning around.
There he was.
His other hand settled against my back, and without thinking, I placed mine against his chest.
"Aren't you going to the office today?" I asked.
"Maybe in the afternoon?" he said with a small smile.
I frowned.
"You can't do that. I'll call Mom, or Akki. They can come here. You shouldn't miss your important meetings."
I lightly pressed my palm against his chest, trying to make my point.
"That's not more important than you."
He smiled and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.
"But-"
"No." He cut me off gently. "Let's have breakfast."
Before I could argue again, he bent down and picked me up.
"Wait-!"
I instinctively wrapped my arms around his shoulders as he carried me toward the sofa.
My cheeks were burning before I even realized it.
He carefully placed me on the sofa and sat beside me, pulling a plate of porridge toward me.
Then he stopped.
His eyes narrowed playfully as he looked at my face.
"Are you blushing?"
"N-no!" I immediately looked away. "Why would I?"
He almost smirked.
"Over three years of marriage, and you're still blushing like we're in high school?"
High school?
The moment the thought crossed my mind, a sharp pain suddenly shot through my head.
I froze.
Then-
A flash.
"I like you."
I saw myself handing someone a keychain.
Everything was blurry.
A voice.
"Let's stay together."
And then-
Nothing.
I blinked rapidly and snapped back to reality.
My hand went instinctively to my temple.
What... was that?
It was too blurry. I couldn't make sense of anything.
"What happened?"
His voice pulled me back.
There was genuine worry in his eyes.
"N-nothing." I forced a small smile. "Let's just eat."
I picked up the spoon, but the image wouldn't leave my mind.
Why was it coming back?
I didn't need to remember the past.
Everything was going so well lately.
But one thing kept bothering me.
That person in the memory...
It didn't look like Kai.
I frowned slightly before pushing the thought away.
Ugh. Let's just focus on breakfast.
I didn't want to remember it.
Not now.
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After breakfast, he insisted on doing the dishes himself.
I sat nearby, watching him move around the kitchen as he tackled the rest of the housework.
There was something strangely comforting about watching him like this.
I loved how much he cared for me.
And sometimes, I wondered...
If it's a girl, would he treat her like a princess?
A tiny smile appeared on my face.
He's going to be a dad.
I still couldn't believe it.
The boy I loved...
Since high school?
I paused.
Yeah.
It was him.
The person I had loved since high school.
I brushed the strange thought away before it could return.
Now, he's going to be a father.
The father of my child.
My smile grew as I watched him standing in the kitchen, his hair already messy as he searched for something.
He could apparently handle everything-
except finding a pan.
I shook my head.
"It's in the corner one!" I called out.
"Yeah, I could've found it myself!" he shouted back from the kitchen. "You just rest!"
I laughed softly.
He really wouldn't ask for help.
I made my way back to my room, but the moment my head touched the pillow, exhaustion took over.
I fell asleep almost instantly.
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KAIZA'S POV
I wonder if it's a girl or a boy?
I couldn't focus on anything else.
My thoughts kept circling back to her.
To the baby.
I continued cleaning, moving dishes around almost automatically, but my mind wasn't really there anymore.
A baby.
Our baby.
I still couldn't fully believe it.
Soon, there would be a tiny person running around this house.
Someone who might have her eyes.
Maybe my smile.
Maybe her stubbornness.
God help me if they inherit that.
A quiet laugh escaped me.
Would the baby like music?
Would they be quiet or troublesome?
Would they call me Dad and make me lose my mind every five minutes?
I smiled to myself at the thought.
For so much of my life, I'd spent my time worrying about everything that could go wrong.
But now, for the first time, I found myself thinking about everything that could go right.
A family.
Our family.
I never imagined my life would turn out this way.
How did everything change so suddenly?
How did I end up here?
With her.
With our child.
With a home that finally felt like home.
Maybe this was enough.
More than enough.
I looked toward the bedroom where she had disappeared only moments ago.
She was sleeping now.
I smiled faintly.
This is all I need.
I don't need anything else anymore.