"Ye Jin...?" Ye Jin looked at the source of the voice calling her name loudly, "Oh my... Is it really you?" Ye Jin's could feel her blood evaporated upwards instantly, making her face turned red when she realized that a group of her school friends had caught her doing monthly shopping while pregnant.
"Omooo... You really dropped out of school because you were pregnant?" Hwa Yeon asked while looking at her appearance from top to bottom, "Hyun Sook said you were seriously ill, but everyone was talking about you since the ruckus in front of the school that time. It turned out that our guesses was right..." the classmate slurred without realizing that Ye Jin was looking very uncomfortable.
"So which of the two boys fighting is responsible...?" asked Man Ji bluntly. Beside him, Hwa Yeon was whispering to Cheon Ji while pointing at Ye Jin's belly.
Ye Jin lowered her head to hold back the tears that almost fell from embarrassment. Her family had tried hard to cover up her condition from the school but in the end it was herself who took the risk making her pregnancy being exposed. Only because she was unable to refuse Hyun Bin's invitation to go shopping together.
"Come on, you haven't left the house for months, come with me just for a while to see the world outside, it should be fine right?" that was her boyfriend's argument at the time. And look at him now, stuck among the noisiest group in her school in the vegetable aisle while Hyun Bin looks for some produce in the meat aisle. Ye Jin still felt nauseous at the smell of raw meat and fish so they decided to part ways for a while.
"You are not married yet?" Man Ji looked at her pityingly, "Aigoooo.. Your stomach is already that big and no one wants to be responsible for marrying you?" the three classmates were now shaking their heads in mock pity.
"What a shame, remember when your brother said that he has a crush on Ye Jin, Cheon Ji?" Hwa Yeon patted the shoulder of the friend next to her.
Cheon Ji nodded in agreement, "But I'm not sure he still feels the same now with Ye Jin's condition like this..."
An arm suddenly hugged Ye Jin's waist, "Whose feelings are still the same?" Hyun Bin appeared carrying a trolley, looking down at Ye Jin's friends curiously.
Ye Jin's three classmates were flabbergasted at Hyun Bin's sudden appearance. "C- Cheon Ji's brother" Hwa Yeon elbowed her friend in the ribs who only responded with a short nod.
Hyun Bin put one hand in his pocket now, "Cheon Ji's older brother has feelings for Ye Jin?" he asked as he tightened his grip on Ye Jin's waist with his other hand.
"Please tell your brother, or any other boy who likes our Ye Jin, soon Ye Jin will marry and have baby with me." Hyun Bin smiled sarcastically looking at the faces of Ye Jin's school friends one by one.
"We love each other and are very happy waiting for our baby to be born in the near future. Maybe Ye Jin will send wedding invitations after our child is born," Hyun Bin smiled at Ye Jin who was still looking down glumly. "Right now we can't get married because it's so hard to find a wedding dress that fits her." Hyun Bin continued while stroking Ye Jin's bulging stomach with pride.
Ye Jin's three schoolmates looked at each other in bewilderment before hastily bidding farewell. Ye Jin sighed heavily, feeling certain that they were ecstatic at having new gossip material.
Hyun Bin quickly wiped the smile off his face. Both of his hands held Ye Jin's shoulders, trying to look at the face of his lover who was still looking down. "Sorry you had to face them alone" he whispered seriously.
Ye Jin's tears fell uncontrollably at Hyun Bin's words. She felt grateful because her lover could understand what she was feeling now.
"I know that sooner or later everyone will find out about my condition, but I will never be ready to face their judgmental views..." Ye Jin rubbed her eyes harshly, trying to force her body to stop reacting melancholy just because of an accidental encounter with her school friends
"Hey... It's okay... Don't blame yourself, your reaction is very human..." Hyun Bin whispered trying to calm her down.
Ye Jin forced a smile, "Did you get the meat you were looking for? Can we go home now?" Ye Jin asked impatiently.
Hyun Bin nodded in understanding, holding his lover's hand towards the nearest cashier.
They walked hand in hand to the bus stop now, "If eomma didn't delay our wedding, you wouldn't have to face people's gossip like that..." Hyun Bin chuckled in annoyance.
"They will still talk about our young age, oppa..." Ye Jin explained patiently.
"Haisssh! Those people will always find topics to talk about."
Ye Jin nodded sadly.
"But the good thing is, you don't have to worry about being the main topic of school gossip for too long, because there will always be new gossip that is more exciting, beating the old gossip." Hyun Bin tries to take the positive side of the gossiping habits of the people around them.
"I can't wait to give birth, so we can get married soon and then move on with life without thinking how people will talk about us..." Ye Jin looked dreamily.
"Be patient dear, only 3-4 months left we can live together without worrying about what people say anymore." Hyun Bin pinched Ye Jin's nose in exasperation.
"Come on, smile, I'm taking you out for shopping so you don't feel bored at home..." Hyun Bin pleaded.
Ye Jin forced a smile, not wanting her lover to catch up with her deteriorating mood swings.
"I think I know what can cheer you up now," Hyun Bin smiled showing his dimples, "My eomma is out of town tomorrow morning and won't be back until tomorrow, how about we continue 'tidying up my room' which was interrupted the other day?"
Ye Jin bit her lip remembering the things they did the last time were at Hyun Bin's house. She was trying hard to suppress her sudden enthusiasm, but it seemed that the pregnancy hormones made her unable to stop imagining doing dirty things with Hyun Bin.
"Since you didn't say anything, I'll take that as an agreement." Hyun Bin contentedly concluded.
"But you are sure that your mother will not appear suddenly like that time, right?" Ye Jin asked doubtfully.
"I'm pretty sure, because this morning eomma called to say that she was still stuck at work." Hyun Bin replied reassuringly.
If that's the case, it looks like dropping by for a bit won't be a problem right, Ye Jin thought excitedly. Her mood got brighten up at the thought of being able to make out with Hyun Bin again without any disturbances.
***
"Eomma actually asked me to join her this morning." Hyun Bin whispered while placing his ear on Ye Jin's tummy. The baby was kicking and moving cutely. "But I don't want to spend the weekend without seeing you."
Ye Jin stroked Hyun Bin's head gently, his eyes looking up at the ceiling, "Then how did aunty react?"
Hyun Bin kissed his lover's belly gently before replying, "Of course eomma was a bit angry, but what can she do? She was far out of town, stuck in her job, so she can't drag me there herself."
"I'm happy to be with oppa like this, but if oppa gets into trouble with aunt, I can't help but feeling worried.."
Hyun Bin raised his head to look at Ye Jin's pretty face, "Don't worry, I never disobeyed my mother's orders to help her on weekdays." Hyun Bin's hand slipped under the blanket, touched his lover's soft chest and pulled her into a hug, "I deserve a break and enjoy time off with my future wife..."
Ye Jin smiled warmly, "I'm just worried that auntie will change her mind about our wedding plans"
"Eomma has no reason to prevent us from getting married, my test scores are good, I'm ready for the graduation exam, and I also come to help her in the office or in the field." Hyun Bin inhaled the soothing scent of Ye Jin's hair, "I'll be furious if after all my hard work, we're still not allowed to get married. Mom has to tie my feet and hands to prevent me from seeing you!"
Ye Jin looked up at her boyfriend's worried face, "Don't make things worse... Looks like auntie still hates me, oppa..."
Hyun Bin smiled down, looking at the girl lying on his chest, kissed her lips deeply before saying, "She will like you after we give her a cute grandson"
"And what if after this child is born she still hates me?" Ye Jin asked still worried.
"We'll give her a baby girl, maybe that's what she actually want," Hyun Bin joked.
Ye Jin glared and pinched her lover's arm, "I'm serious, oppa.. After all, you think being pregnant is easy? My back hurts every time I wake up..." Ye Jin rubbed her hips with a frown.
"Aigooo... Poor baby..." Hyun Bin caressed Ye Jin's hips from under the blanket, "Want me to get rid of the aches...?" he asked, raising his eyebrows teasingly.
Ye Jin covered her face between amusement and embarrassment, "Oppa will only make my body sore even more..."
Hyun Bin grabbed Ye Jin's hands, held them above the girl's head and looked at her in the eyes. "And do you mind...?" he asked seriously.
Ye Jin's cheeks turned red as she answered with a no. And the answer was apparently quite satisfying for his lover who immediately pin her down and kissed her face and neck passionately.