The Heart Of Life

Chapter 1

Two weeks before leaving for Switzerland, Se-ri finds herself sick. She's claimed over by an unexpected wave of nausea every morning, and attributes it to a stomach bug, or the stress she's undergoing for the new store launch, or even the lack of sleep and regular meals she's been skipping sometimes, unbeknownst to Jeong-hyuk.

Se-ri tries hard to hide her discomfort through her video calls with Jeong-hyuk, but it doesn't escape his observant eyes. "Are you okay? You look pale," he cocks a brow. His bed hair is sticking out at odd ends, the filtered sunlight through the curtains intensifying the glow of his tender eyes and Se-ri misses the way his silky hair feels on her fingers.

"I'm fine," putting on her best face, she waves his worries away. "Just a little tired that's all," wondering how he can see the colour of her face through the phone screen.

He doesn't seem convinced because he leans closer towards the screen with a scrutinising gaze, until only half of his face is visible and it makes her laugh. "Even if you say you're fine, I still worry about you every day," he tells her, a tight knot in between his thick brows.

"I'm fine Ri Jeong-hyuk -ssi. Don't worry about me, you'll see me in a few days!" She feels slightly guilty for lying to him, but she's confident the symptoms will subside in the next few days.

It doesn't.

The episode of nausea extends throughout the day, mostly triggered by something she sees or smells. One morning, she oversleeps despite heading to bed early the day before, almost missing an important meeting, which doesn't ever happen. It's like her body is working against her, despite her best efforts to eat well and sleep well.

Feeling fine for the day, she packs for Switzerland. Rummaging through her clothes in the walk-in closet, she notices an untouched pack of sanitary pads. Only then she senses something is amiss, that she's missed her monthly flow, too busy to notice. Connecting the dots - the morning sickness, the unexplained fatigue, and the loss of appetite, it dawns on her. The three positive pregnancy test kits, hastily bought, further confirms her suspicions.

Se-ri stands against the basin, face shining with unbridled joy, thinking how ecstatic Jeong-hyuk would be. They've been trying, for a few months, after the wedding rings had made their way to their fingers, and exchanging vows at a beautiful church at Interlaken.

...

The flight had been bearable. But as she steps out from the airport into the scorching summer heat, linking hands with Jeong-hyuk, she can feel the sharp twist in her gut. She breathes through it, and is relieved when the moment passes.

Though, by the time they reach the house, Se-ri's running to the washroom, hunching over the toilet bowl, hurling her stomach's contents. Jeong-hyuk dashes after her, concern bubbling over his chest. Hovering over her, he helps to pull her hair back, his other hand gently massaging the space between her shoulder blades. When Se-ri is done retching, she collapses on a heap on the floor. The tiled floor is cold against her clammy skin, but the warmth of his palm grounding her back is soothing and comforting.

"We're going to the hospital," he says with such ferocity that something warm settles in her chest as he scoops her up. She misses his voice, hearing it like this. He sounds different on the phone, distance stripping it away from everything that he really is - the deep notes, the smile in between his words.

"No, I'm fine. Really. I just need to rest," she assures him, laying her palm on his chest.

"This is not fine," he mutters, and Se-ri thinks he's about to explode with worry judging by the popping vein visible on his temple.

"I'm okay. I just need to lie down," she stubbornly insists.

Jeong-hyuk huffs, eyes boring into hers. He listens to her and carries her to the living room, and places her on the couch gently, as if handling precious cargo. He leaves the living room and comes back with a warm cup of water and a fleece blanket. As he wraps her with the blanket, Se-ri takes the cup of water from him and sips it, washing down the bitter taste in her mouth and Jeong-hyuk perches at the edge of the couch, carefully eyeing her.