"Unnie, I think I'm gonna need to take a break..."
IU looked up from her work station, smiling and nodding at me.
"Sure, Jihyo. Take your time..." she said, before pursing her lips, "You know what? Yeorobun! Let us all take a break! Go out and get some fresh air for a while! We've all been cooped up here for hours, haven't we?"
"You're right. Let's take a break. We'll continue at... Six?" Hyolyn proposed, looking at the clock.
"Sounds like a plan," IU smiled. "Yeorobun! We'll take a two hour break! Have some rest!"
Her announcement was met with joyful cheers from all members of the IPG's Spy Team and GUN's Doseogwan present, making IU chuckle. Yuqi leapt to her feet, twisting her torso rigorously left and right, making loud cracking sounds. Tsuki grimaced next to her.
"Unnie! You'll injure your back one day!" she scolded the (G)-Idle member. Yuqi laughed.
"Nah... Been doin' this since I was a kid. Never had any problem!" she deflected, before eyeing Moon Sua's girlfriend mischievously, "Ya, do you want me to help you?"
"H–Help me what?" asked Tsuki, sounding apprehensive.
"Reset your spine! You know Uri Appa taught me how to do chiropractic since I was three years old!" Yuqi said, and somehow she sounded convincing, but Tsuki shook her head violently.
"N–No thank you! I'm good! I... I–I don't wanna die yet!" she refused.
"Aay... You won't die! I'm a pro! Come here, Tsuki-ya!" Yuqi insisted.
Yuqi started advancing on her fellow Star of Star Girls member, while Tsuki squealed and started running away in fear, Yuqi tailing her closely behind, making IU's suite in the Care Center erupted in laughter and cheers. I laughed with the others, but I resumed my walk out, and as soon as I reached the foyer, I quickened my steps.
I reached the corridor, and I set off running towards the toilet by the end of the hallway. There was a luxurious and spacious bathroom inside IU's suite, but... I couldn't use it. Not because it was broken or anything, but because I didn't want the others to hear, to know and be concerned... Because I myself still wasn't sure.
The closer I got towards the toilet, the faster I ran, because I felt the familiar feeling building up within me, threatening to escape. I reached one of the cubicles and entered it, making sure I locked the door securely, before kneeling in front of the toilet bowl. With that, I took a deep breath, and I let go.
I vomited.
I threw up violently, retching, gagging, and bawling. It felt like I was vomiting every last bits of everything I ate and drink from breakfast in the morning to the lunch I had with Minsoo at Yeouido after church before heading to the Care Center, even though I had already vomited the moment I said goodbye to my boyfriend after he dropped me here a few hours ago.
"F–Fuck..." I panted, trying to catch my breath, "F–F–F–Fuck... Fuck... Th–This is... Fucking horrib–BLEERGHHH..."
Another wave of vomit exited my mouth, projecting into the toilet bowl violently. I clutched my abdomen. Everything felt bad now. Everything felt painful. My stomach felt like it was twisting and turning, doing its best to torture me. This was... I had never felt like this before!
Once the vomit stopped, I slumped onto the floor weakly, my hand wiped off the beads of cold sweat drenching my forehead. I panted, gasped, coughed, feeling like shit. I buried my face on my palms to calm myself, and my mind started thinking.
There could only be two explanations to this situation I was currently in. Reason number one, I might have had food poisoning. I tried remembering what I had for dinner last night, but honestly it was nothing out of the ordinary. I had kimchi jjigae, haemul pajeon, and makgeolli with Jeongyeon and Sana last night. Could it be that one of the food was bad?
But... Today wasn't the first time I vomited like this. Sure, today was probably the worst, but this whole week I had been throwing up every once in a while, and the interval got shorter and shorter. I vomited once on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, three times on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and today it became worse.
Surely it couldn't be the food I ate last night. Neither Sana nor Jeongyeon reported being sick today, and I knew at least Sana would bombard the Twice group chat with her complaints if she was unwell.
That meant... What was more possible was reason number two... But...
"... Really?" I muttered to myself.
Slowly, I lifted my face, letting my hands fall down to my lap. My right hand gently traced my abs. Was this real? And more importantly... Was I ready? But... Was I really...
"... B–Blerggh!!! BLERGH!!!"
I jerked up. A similar sound could be heard from the cubicle adjacent to the one I was currently in. This was the female restroom, and this was the Care Center. Only IPG and GUN members had access to this area, unlike the Clinic of Light which was located in the other building connected to the Care Center, which was open to other idols outside of the two secret organizations. Wait. Who was that?
As always, I tried to come up with a logical explanation. This toilet was located in B6, and only four VVIP suites were here. BoA's Presidential Suite housed Karina, still recovering after her surgery. The other presidential suite housed PSY, who was on his road to recovery. The third suite was IU's, and for the past few days ever since the incident on Wednesday, it had turned into a makeshift HQ for IPG and GUN spy and hacker teams. The fourth suite was empty.
So, it was likely that the person throwing up in the next cubicle was one of my fellow spies or hackers, either from IPG or GUN. Hold on. Gowon brought some bread from Hyunjin's Aeong's Café earlier today, and most of us ate it. I have nothing against Hyunjin, and I always find her baked goods super tasty, but... Could it be that some of them had gone bad?? If that was the case, then it explains why someone else is throwing up in the next cubicle. Maybe I do have food poisoning after all!
I decided to pick myself up and flushed the toilet. I exited my cubicle, and at the same moment, the person stepped out of the cubicle next to mine. It was indeed a fellow idol, a fellow spy, a fellow IPG member even. My eyes widened when I saw her, but she was straight up gasping.
"Jihyo?!"
"R–Rosie? W–What are you doing here?"
Blackpink Rosé huffed as she folded her arms and leaned against the wall by the sink.
"Morning sickness..." she said, before glancing at her watch, "Although it's not exactly morning, is it? It's 4pm. Curious isn't it? Why do they call it 'morning sickness' if you're sick throughout the day?"
She chuckled calmly, drawing breath sharply and repeatedly as she turned towards the mirror and washed her hands. I stood there silently, staring at her, not fully comprehending her words. Wait... Was she saying that...
"J–Jamkkanman... Y–You're... You're pregnant?" I asked. Rosé smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. The test pack returned positive earlier this week, then I went and got myself checked with Yoojin-gyosunim, and she confirmed it. Oh, and before you ask: it's Yeoni's," she grinned.
"M–MWO?" I yelled. Rosé laughed.
"I'm six weeks pregnant, Yeoni's child. Fuck... Now all of his women are pregnant, that sick bastard... Although I gotta blame Lisa for dragging me into this situation, I think," she said calmly, drying her hands.
"L–Lisa? H–Huh?" I stammered, still shocked. Rosé laughed again and faced me.
"Remember after the wedding, Jisoo-unnie, Jennie-unnie and Irene-unnie went with Yeoni to Jeju-do for their honeymoon, right?" she asked. I nodded slowly.
"Y–Yeah?" I replied.
"Yeah. That was during aespa's Kwangya mission to steal the president's log from the Kwangya server room. Do you remember Sana gave us an hour break before the mission, and she told us to invite our partners to have sex with us in the HQ's dorm?" she continued, before grinning, "You spent the hour with Minsoo."
I nodded. Of course I remembered. Rosé nodded and continued.
"Geuraeseo... That day I went to my quarters alone, and I video-called Lisa because I felt lonely. Turns out she followed them to Jeju-do, and... Well, long story short, she had Yeoni breed her that night... With Jisoo and Irene's consent, of course," she explained.
"W–W–WHAT?" I exclaimed. Rosé cackled.
"I know, right? But... Well, I realized if Lisa got pregnant too, I would be the only one left, so... I decided to head down to Jeju-do the next day, and... Well... Seems like Yeoni's successful," she said, patting her belly.
I felt like my brain was fried. Holy shit. Holy shit, so... Yeoni bred all five of his women? Jisoo was eight months pregnant, Irene was six months pregnant, Jennie was 12 weeks pregnant, and now Rosé was pregnant too? Hang on...
"S–So... So Lisa's pregnant as well?" I asked. Rosé nodded.
"Yep. You can even already see a little bulge on her belly, you know! Maybe she's carrying twins, like Jisoo-unnie," she shrugged, but then she smiled at me, "Ya, what about you, Jihyo? How far along are you? When did you find out?"
I choked on my saliva and coughed violently.
"M–M–Mwo? W–Why... Why would you say that?" I asked panickedly. Rosé raised her eyebrow.
"Eh? But... You were throwing up! It's morning sickness too, right?" she asked innocently.
"I–I... I don't know! I–I thought... I thought it was food poisoning!" I answered quickly.
Rosé studied my face for a moment.
"How many times have you vomited today?" she asked.
"F–Five times... I think," I replied, before insisting, "Food poisoning... Right?"
"Did you miss your period this month?" she continued, not minding my answer.
"E–Eh? I... I–I didn't check," I stammered, genuinely forgetting.
"Is today the first time you threw up multiple times in a day?" she asked.
"N–No... This entire week I've been vomiting," I mumbled, starting to feel like I was being interrogated, "Rosie, it's alright. I think it's just food poisoning. Maybe the bread that Gowon brought..."
"Could be..." Rosé cut me off, "But..."
She reached to grab my arm gently.
"Why don't we go and have you checked? We're at the right place after all! The Clinic of Light is just next door!" she said.
I bit my lips. Should I?
"B–But..." I tried to protest, but Rosé was already pulling my hand to walk with her.
"It's better to know for sure, Jihyo-ya," she told me. "Come. I'll accompany you!"
"W–Wait! Rosie!"
She ignored my protests, pulling me out of the restroom with a firm grip on my hand. Together, we walked through the corridor, ascending the stairs towards the B4 lobby that connected the still-under-construction IPG Care Center with the Clinic of Light.
"Does Minsoo know?" Rosé asked as we walked.
I pursed my lips. Minsoo knew I was throwing up, especially today, because I threw up before we went to the church today, but that sweet boy only thought that I was feeling under the weather. He told me to have some rest, even suggested that maybe we should skip church today, but I said I was fine. Before he dropped me here earlier, he again told me that maybe I shouldn't join the Spy Team meeting today, but again, I stubbornly refused, so he reluctantly let me go.
He knew there was something wrong with me, but I knew that wasn't Rosé's question. She was asking if Minsoo knew that I was probably pregnant, and I knew for sure that my boyfriend didn't have any suspicion.
"No, I don't think so," I replied with a sigh.
"He's not suspicious when his girlfriend's been unwell for a week?" Rosé asked. I chuckled slightly.
"Nah. You know him..." I grinned, and Rosé nodded in understanding.
"Yeah. You're right," she chuckled.
We arrived at the walkway, but instead of crossing it, Rosé guided me towards the lift lobby. Without a plan of my own, I followed her lead. Inside the lift, she pressed the button for the rooftop. I knew it would be a long ascent from B4 to the top of Ewha Woman's Hospital, underneath which the Care Center and the Clinic of Light were discreetly located, so I leaned against the wall. Rosé mirrored my stance, offering a comforting smile.
"You're scared, aren't you, Jihyo?" she asked candidly.
"S–Scared? About what?" I asked. Rosé chuckled gently.
"About being pregnant..." she replied, "... Is it true?"
I bit my lips. Was I? I couldn't tell for sure. To be honest, there was no reason for me to be scared. It wasn't like I was sleeping around. If I was indeed pregnant, then it would definitely be Minsoo's. I knew he'd be happy to hear the news, and I knew he would be an amazing father to our child. But... Was I ready to be a mother?
I knew I had been somewhat of a mother-figure to my members in Twice, but being a real mother was an entirely different thing, wasn't it? Was I ready for it? What would Eomma and Appa say? What would Ha-eum say? I haven't even had the chance to introduce Minsoo to them! I had only been in a relationship with him for four months. Was I ready to take our relationship to the next step?
"It's just..." I finally answered, "... It's... Too sudden... If I'm indeed pregnant."
"You didn't plan it, did you?" Rosé asked. I shook my head.
"No... We're... We've only been together for four months, Minsoo and I," I replied.
"I see..." she mumbled. "But... Do you love him?"
I looked at Rosé. I knew I only had one answer to that.
"Of course! I've never loved a man like I love Minsoo," I answered confidently.
"And do you think he loves you as well?" she continued. Somehow, this question brought a smile to my face.
"I think so..." I said, before correcting myself, "I know so. I know he loves me."
"Then what are you afraid of?" Rosé smiled, "It's not like your relationship is a secret as well. ONCEs knew that you two are a thing. It's normal if you get pregnant after a while, right?"
She had a valid point. Why was I afraid? Was I afraid? Not waiting for an answer, Rosé continued.
"It's not like you're the first one in Twice as well... Tzuyu and Chaeyoung are pregnant, and it's public knowledge. If anything, it's Tzuyu who has the right to be afraid. Chuyoung-oppa passed away, and the official statement from JYPE is that she's pregnant with her non-celebrity boyfriend, right?" she said in an assuring tone. I nodded.
"Yeah... Although... She's with Son Jeonghoon now, I think... Chaeng's namdongsaeng..." I muttered.
"Jinjja?" Rosé gasped. I chuckled sofly.
"Ne... They met in Japan during Chaeng's wedding last week, and... Well they've been inseparable ever since," I replied.
"Good for her..." Rosé mused, "... So now the public will think that it's Jeonghoon's child?"
"Once they're ready to go public, I guess..." I nodded, "You're right. Good for her..."
"Still, Jihyo... What makes you afraid?" she pressed. "Is it just because it's too soon?"
I looked at her. To be honest, I didn't know. I sighed and looked away, formulating my words.
"I don't know, Rosie..." I breathed, "... It's just... One, it feels too soon, and two... I'm... I'm Twice's leader. There's... I guess there's just more burden on my side."
Rosé chuckled and nodded, and somehow I knew she understood me. The lift finally reached the rooftop, and as the door slid open, Rosé stepped out.
"Come on, Jihyo-ya. I have something to show you. I think it'll help you with your feelings," she gently said.
Not knowing what to respond, I followed her out of the lift. As soon as I stepped out, the spring air of Seoul filled my lungs, and for reasons unknown to me, my heart started to feel lighter and clearer. I looked around, taking in the breathtaking view from the top of the hospital building. Beyond the beautiful Seoul skyline, I saw the sun, on its way to set for the day.
A smile crept up on my face. Seoul was indeed beautiful at this time of the day, wasn't it? Maybe all I needed was some fresh air. I found myself drawn towards the metal railings, mesmerized by the beauty of late afternoon Seoul, but then I heard Rosé calling me again.
"Jihyo! This way!" Rosé beckoned.
I turned around, and I found her standing at the entrance of the glass dome, a few steps away from where I was standing. I took a deep breath and picked up my steps, running a little to join her. She reached out her hand, bringing me through the automatic door into the glass dome. When we entered, I found a sight I never expected to see.
There were at least ten people in the glass dome. Ten pregnant women, to be precise. They were all wearing exercise outfits, each of them sitting on an exercise ball, doing some kind of stretching exercise. I immediately recognized the two sitting at the back of the group, and I couldn't stop myself from gasping.
"Chaeng? Tzu?"
Chaeyoung and Tzuyu whipped around, and their eyes widened as they saw me.
"Jihyo-unnie?" gasped Chaeyoung.
"W–What are you doing here?" asked Tzuyu.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked in return.
Our conversation made the others stop what they were doing and turned around. My eyes widened as I recognized the others as well. These were not just any pregnant mothers! These were pregnant idols... These were my friends!
"G–Guys? U–Unnie-deul?" I gasped.
SNSD Taeyeon and Yoona, The Shin ladies Jo Haseul and Im Yeojin, Kwon Eunbi and Kim Minju, as well as Jisoo, Irene, Jennie, and Lisa stopped what they were doing. Their eyes widened, and they all smiled brightly when they saw Rosé and I. At the far end of the room, Professor Lee Yoojin, the owner of Clinic of Light and CEO of the IPG Care Center stood up, smiling kindly as she welcomed us.
"Annyeong, Rosie! I thought you said you're skipping today's class! And... Annyeong, Jihyo! What brings you here?" the professor asked.
"I–I uh... I..." I stammered, pointing frantically at Rosé, "She... Rosie brought me here!"
"Geuraeyo?" Professor Yoojin smiled, raising her eyebrows at Rosé. The Aussie girl chuckled.
"Jihyo here has got some questions in her mind, so I just thought I'd introduce her to our weekly class, Gyosunim!" she answered.
"Ah... Algaesseo. Yeorobun, let's take a short break!" the professor said.
Slowly all the idols started standing up from their exercise balls, hands cradling their baby bumps of different sizes. They approached us, led by Professor Yoojin. Chaeyoung and Tzuyu reached to hug my arms, while the others gathered around as Professor Yoojin reached Rosé and I, and the professor folded her arms as she looked straight at me.
"So... What are your questions, Jihyo-ya?" she asked.
I shot Rosé a sharp glance, and she giggled mischievously as she joined her Blackpink sisters. I didn't actually have a specific question in mind. When she urged me to follow her, I thought we were heading towards Professor Yoojin's office for a pregnancy check, but instead she brought me here, to this... What is this place?
"It's alright, Jihyo. Don't be shy," said Jisoo, reaching to grab my hands.
"Right. I–uh... First of all, what... What is happening here, I guess...?" I decided to ask.
"Oh, I can answer that!" Eunbi chuckled, "Yoojin-gyosunim has been holding this maternity yoga class for all pregnant idols every Sunday afternoon for quite a while now!"
"Maternity... Yoga?" I asked.
"Mm. Almost all pregnant idols join this class. I still remember coming here with Seungyeon-unnie and the other Soshis when they were pregnant," grinned Taeyeon.
"Geurae, geurae... We came here with Yves last time around, right, Yeojin-ie?" Haseul smiled at her daughter, who nodded rapidly.
"Ne!" the petite mother of two responded.
"Kkura-unnie came here too when she was carrying Subin last year," added Minju.
"Kkura? You mean... Miyawaki Sakura? Le Sserafim?" I asked, feeling surprised.
"Eung!" Minju and Eunbi nodded in unison.
"B–But... She's not in IPG or GUN, is she?" I protested.
I heard Yoona chuckling from Taeyeon's side.
"Jihyo-ssi, I'm not IPG either..." the sweet SNSD member said.
"So are we," chuckled Tzuyu, pointing at Chaeyoung, who giggled.
"What's IPG? What's GUN?" asked Yeojin innocently. Haseul rolled her eyes.
"Ya... It's the secret organizations Heejin, Hyunjin, Hyeju, and Gowon are in! The ones that have been protecting us all these years!" she said.
"Aah! Mianhae-yo... I keep forgetting!" her daughter giggled.
"I heard Jinsoul and Kim Lip are joining too, right?" Haseul asked.
"Mm. They joined GUN's Yeonseubsil," smiled Irene.
"The point is, not all of us are IPG and GUN, Jihyo-ya..." smiled Eunbi, whom I remembered was also not a member, even though her husband was literally BoA's lieutenant. "And yet, we're here!"
"A–Ah... You're right..." I nodded, feeling flustered.
"This class is a Clinic of Light program, so it's open for all pregnant idols," explained Professor Yoojin, before turning towards Rosé. "Which... Brings me to my own question; why did you bring Jihyo here, Rosie?"
Everyone turned towards Rosé, who was resting her head on Jennie's shoulder. Rosé opened her mouth to answer, but Jennie was quicker.
"Lemme guess: Park Jihyo is pregnant!" she pointed. Gasps all around followed.
"JINJJA?" Chaeyoung screamed.
"O–Omo... Is this true, Unnie? You're carrying Minsoo-oppa's child?" Tzuyu gasped.
"Jamkkanman! It doesn't have to be Minsoo, right? Which of the Twice boyfriends have managed to breed you, Park Jihyo? Surely all of them have tasted your milk, right?" Lisa interjected obscenely.
"LALISA MANOBAN!" screamed Jisoo, Jennie, and Rosé.
Lisa cackled maniacally, all the while trying to dodge the slaps directed towards her head from her members. Professor Yoojin and the others giggled, while I stood there blinking my eyes rapidly, my cheeks blushing as red as tomatoes, not expecting such an obscene comment.
"But in all seriousness, Jihyo-ya... Is it true? Are you expecting?" Professor Yoojin asked kindly. "Is that why you brought her here, Rosie?"
"Let her answer for herself," Rosé smiled, nodding in my direction.
Now everyone turned to look at me. Shit. Their eyes were all sparkling, as if they all expected me to confirm their theory. I bit my lips, and absentmindedly, my hand crept up towards my abdomen. That was the likeliest explanation, but...
"I..." I stammered, but then I took a deep breath and answered, "I don't know, really, Gyosunim. I... It's just that this week I've been throwing up violently, and it's getting more and more frequent lately, and..."
"Did you miss your period?" interjected Taeyeon.
"I–I... I don't know, Unnie. I haven't been keeping track lately. Too busy with everything going on," I answered honestly.
"It's confirmed! Jihyo is pregnant!" Eunbi cheered.
"Ya! She said she didn't know yet!" scolded Minju. Eunbi chuckled and nodded.
"I know, I know... Joking," she grinned, "Continue, Jihyo!"
A chuckle escaped my lips. Strangely, being surrounded by my fellow idols provided the reassurance I needed to open up. In their presence, I felt a sense of genuine acceptance and understanding. Here, I believed I could be honest and true to myself, without fear of judgment. These idols, these mothers, seemed like the ones who could truly comprehend my feelings. I straightened myself and looked straight at the professor.
"I... To be honest I haven't checked. I don't even have a testpack ready at home. But... I met Rosie in the restroom when I threw up just now, and... She suggested that I should get myself checked... Since we're here anyway," I explained at length.
Professor Yoojin nodded. I felt a couple of squeezes on my arms, coming from Tzuyu and Chaeyoung. I turned to look at them, and I found them smiling and nodding encouragingly at me. I smiled to express my gratitude, but then I looked back at the professor again.
"Well... We'd have to go to my clinic if we want to check you, but my class ends in thirty minutes. If I remember correctly, you, Rosé, and the IPG and GUN spies are having a meeting jigeum?" Professor Yoojin asked. Rosé and I nodded.
"Yeah, but IU-unnie and Hyolyn-unnie gave us a two hour break," I said.
"Some of us have been there the entire day," added Rosé. The professor nodded.
"Algaesseo. That means we have time. Do you want to go out and meet me in my clinic after the class is done, Jihyo-ya?" she asked.
I was about to nod, but then I felt Chaeyoung tugging my arm.
"Unnie! Why don't you join us while you wait? Rosé-unnie was supposed to be here anyway, so she won't miss her class!" she proposed excitedly.
"E–Eh? B–But... But I don't even know if I'm pregnant or not! I... I shouldn't be here, should I?" I protested. Tzuyu clasped my shoulder.
"Gwaenchanha, Unnie. I don't think anyone would mind you joining us. Right?" she asked the class. Everyone nodded, smiling wide at me.
"That's a great plan, Son Chaeyoung!" Rosé cheered, trading high fives with Chaeyoung.
"Of course, Park Chaeyoung!" the Baby Beast grinned.
"Your sisters are right. What do you say, Jihyo? Will you join the remainder of this class?" Professor Yoojin asked.
I thought for a moment. Should I?
"Just join us, Jihyo-ya," smiled Irene warmly. "It'll be fun."
"Come! You two can sit near Haseul and I!" said Jisoo.
Without waiting for my reply, Jisoo walked over and grabbed my wrist, and Haseul did the same. The two mothers dragged me towards the empty yoga mats near them, while the others returned to their places, and Rosé came back with two exercise balls for the both of us. Left with no choice, I sat on the ball, taking deep breaths as I focused on the professor, who had returned to the front of the class.
"Right. Let's continue our class," she declared, before looking directly at me, "Jihyo-ya, all you need to do is relax. Take deep breaths... And forget about all your worries and concerns for a while. Bring your focus to the moment. Can you do that for me?"
I nodded. Professor Yoojin smiled, and she closed her eyes. I stole a glance at Jisoo and Rosé, who were sitting on my side. They too were closing their eyes. I decided to follow their example.
"Alright... Yeorobun... Let us all take a deep breath together. Inhale..." Professor Yoojin's soothing voice resonated.
I took a deep breath.
"... And exhale..." she instructed.
I let out a slow exhale.
"That's good... Let's do it again. Calmly inhale..." the professor continued.
I inhaled.
"... And exhale..." she repeated.
I exhaled, feeling an unexpected sense of tranquility enveloping my heart. Strangely, I became more attuned to my surroundings–the gentle trickling of water from a nearby pond, leaves rustling in the soft breeze, the rhythmic breathing of my fellow idols. I could even faintly hear the steady beating of my own heart. Professor Yoojin continued her session.
"Now... With this state of mind... Reach out calmly to your bellies..." her voice but a whisper.
I couldn't resist taking a peek. To my right, Rosé was rubbing her belly, which was still as flat as usual. To my left, Jisoo lovingly cradled her eight-month baby bump, a serene smile gracing her angelic face. On her left, I could see Haseul doing the same, peacefully rubbing her very large baby bump. Hang on. She was really close to her due date, wasn't she? Anyway... I decided to follow their example. Slowly, I reached up, placing my palms on my belly.
"Breathe calmly... Keep your focus in the moment... It's time to forge a connection with your children," Professor Yoojin gently guided.
It felt odd, to be honest. I didn't even know if I was pregnant, unlike everyone else in this glass dome. All I could feel were my firm abs and smooth skin. Nonetheless, I followed the professor's instructions, focusing on the moment–listening to the leaves, the water... The heartbeats.
Then it hit me.
My eyes snapped open, my hand trembled on my abs.
There was another heartbeat.
It wasn't my heartbeat, but it was pulsing within me. Professor Yoojin's eyes met mine, a knowing smile on her face. She nodded silently, understanding me. Tears welled up in my eyes, my heart thumped with a different kind of emotion–pure joy. The professor's smile widened, and she quietly mouthed 'chukhae' in my direction. Overwhelmed, I couldn't respond. My lips were trembling, my tears starting to fall.
The others still had their eyes closed, unaware of my sudden realization, but just as the professor knew, I too understood.
I'm going to be a mother.
* * *
"Are you telling him tonight?"
Tzuyu turned to look at me, expecting an answer, and on the driver's seat, Son Jeonghoon did the same. They both looked curious. I chuckled and rested my back on the car seat, fiddling with the ultrasound picture in my hands.
"I guess..." I answered. "There's no point in hiding it from him, right? It's his child after all..."
"Damn... I wonder how Minsoo-hyung would react," Jeonghoon chuckled. I laughed.
"Well... Only one way to find out, right?" I smiled, reaching for the door handle. Tzuyu nodded and gave me a warm smile.
"I think he'll be happy," she said kindly, "Have a good night, Unnie!"
"Good night, Tzu. Ya, thanks for the lift, Jeonghoon-ie!" I said.
"Don't mention it, Noona!" Jeonghoon gave me a thumbs up.
I smiled, pocketed my ultrasound picture, and hopped off Jeonghoon's car, walking towards my apartment building, but just as I reached the walkway, I felt compelled to tell Jeonghoon something, so I stopped and turned myself around.
"Ya, it's late. Drive safely, Jeonghoon-ah! Bring your girlfriend safely home!" I implored.
"Nee!" Jeonghoon smiled.
"Don't worry, Unnie. Jeonghoon-ie is a great driver!" Tzuyu replied, eyeing Jeonghoon lovingly.
A grin formed on my face.
"Oh... So it's confirmed, then?" I teased.
Both Tzuyu and Jeonghoon grew red in an instant.
"M–M–Mwo? W–What's confirmed?" Jeonghoon stammered.
"D–Don't listen to her, Jeonghoon-ie! Just drive! Palli! Ga!" Tzuyu panickedly exclaimed, tapping Jeonghoon's arm repeatedly.
"O–Oh... R–Right! Annyeonghigaseyo, Noona!" he fumbled, and he quickly drove off.
I cackled loudly. These two were simply so adorable! Tzuyu might not want to admit it yet, but everyone could see that she was in love with Jeonghoon, and her feelings were clearly reciprocated. That, and... Didn't the two spend a night together back in Japan? Did Tzuyu really expect us to not tease her after that? She was getting more and more daring with Jeonghoon too, going out without disguises in these past couple of weeks with him. It was only a matter of time before ONCE or the media caught sight of those two, and then they'd have no choice but to confirm their relationship.
Whatever it was, and no matter how long Tzuyu intended to keep her relationship with Jeonghoon a secret, I was genuinely happy for them, as did my Twice sisters. After everything she'd been through, Tzuyu deserved all the love in the world, and I knew Son Jeonghoon was just the right man to love and care for our maknae.
Sighing and smiling, I turned around, resuming my walk towards the apartment. I greeted the security guards and receptionist and made my way towards the lift lobby, taking the lift up to the twelfth floor, where my unit with Minsoo was located. As I walked out of the lift, I keyed in my passcode on the door panel, and I entered.
"Mommy? Is that you?" I heard Minsoo's voice as soon as I entered.
"Nee! I'm home!" I replied cheerfully.
"Welcome back! I'm in the kitchen!" my boyfriend exclaimed.
Kitchen? It was almost midnight, wasn't it? What was he doing in the kitchen at this hour? I decided to head down to the kitchen to find my boyfriend. When I entered the kitchen, I found him stooping over a pot on the stove, and a pleasant aroma immediately filled my senses. Minsoo looked up, and he smiled at me.
"Hi, Mommy! I made samgyetang for you! Thought you might be hungry after a long day with the spies, so I made this!" he told me cheerfully.
Gosh... Han Minsoo. He was just so thoughtful, wasn't he? I sighed and rushed over, wrapping him in a tight back hug. My boyfriend chuckled, and he placed his palms on my forearms that were wrapping around his waist, while I snuggled my face onto his shoulder from behind.
"Gomawo, Minchu..." I whispered. I felt him smiling.
"Don't mention it, Honey... You were feeling under the weather this entire week, right? I think this will help you feel more energized," he told me.
I giggled. I knew he meant well by cooking samgyetang for me, but now that I knew for sure the reason why I felt sick this entire week, I didn't think I would need his ginseng chicken soup. I had to tell him. I released my embrace, and I gently turned him around to face me.
"Minchu... I think... I don't really need your samgyetang," I told him. Minsoo raised his eyebrows.
"O–Oh? You don't feel like eating samgyetang?" he asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice. I grinned.
"No, no. I'd love to eat samgyetang with you. It's just... I don't think I'll need it to cure my sickness," I told him.
"Oh, thank God! You're feeling better already, aren't you, Mommy?" Minsoo smiled.
I nodded, and laughter escaped my mouth. My heart was brimming with joy, and I couldn't wait to share this joy with the man I loved the most.
"I'm feeling a hundred times better. No... A thousand! A million times!" I told him. Minsoo laughed with me, although I knew he didn't understand yet.
"That's a relief..." he smiled, but then he asked, "Although... I'm curious. What made you feel better suddenly, Jihyo-ya? What happened in the Care Center? Did you guys hit a breakthrough?"
I shook my head. For some reason I wanted to kiss him so badly, so I did. I pecked his lips, and I stared into his kind eyes. Gosh... Why did Minsoo become more and more like Jeongyeon's real brother? He even had the same kindness in his eyes now!
"Nope. Still doing the usual stuff, monitoring Fin Leung and Vivi's movement," I said.
"Geuraeyo? Hmm... Then... Did you meet someone in particular?" he tried again.
"I did," I grinned, "I met a lot of people, in fact!"
"Aay... Don't tell me it's the spies..." his lips went flat, thinking that I was joking with him, but I laughed and shook my head.
"No, no. I was telling the truth! Other than the spies from IPG and GUN, I also met Taeyeon-unnie, Jisoo-unnie, Jennie-unnie, Lisa, Irene-unnie, Kim Minju, Eunbi-unnie, Haseul and Yeojin... Even Yoona-sunbaenim from SNSD!" I told him.
"Woah... That's a lot of people!" Minsoo laughed, unsuspecting. I grinned wider.
"I also met Lee Yoojin-gyosunim," I told him.
"Of course. It's her workplace afterall..." he chuckled, still unsuspecting.
A giggle left my mouth. Minsoo... What a pure soul.
"Minchu-ya... I met Yoojin-gyosunim," I repeated. Minsoo nodded.
"Uh-huh. You were at the Care Center, right? I'm sure you met..."
His eyes widened. He understood. Finally he understood. His lips slowly parted, his mouth gaping wider and wider, making me laugh. Gently, I grabbed his hands, and placed them on top of my belly.
"J–Jihyo..." he stammered, "... I–Is it... A–Are you... A–A–Are you...?"
I nodded. Tears started welling up in his eyes, and for some reason, I felt mine were starting to get wet too. I reached into my pocket, and I slipped the ultrasound picture into his hands.
"I am..." I whispered. "... We are."
I grasped his trembling hands, and I lifted it up, showing him the ultrasound picture. A small gasp escaped his mouth, tears flowing freely down his cheeks now. He gazed at the picture as if gazing at a treasure chest.
"Six weeks, Minchu..." I told him with a smile, "... I guess... I'm a real mommy now..."
"Oh... O–Oh god... J–Jihyo..." he sobbed.
"Are you... Are you happy, Minchu-ya?" I asked, tears dripping from my eyes, "... We're... W–We're going to be parents!"
"Oh, Jihyo..." he wept, "I've... I've never been happier!"
Minsoo lunged forward, planting his lips onto mine. I chuckled, but I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer, kissing him even deeper. As our lips tenderly engulfed each other, I felt all of my doubts dissolving, all of my fears disappearing.
As our kisses shifted from tender to passionate, as our hands started caressing each other's bodies, a new emotion filled my heart, replacing the fear and doubt I had earlier today. I realized that those fear and doubt came from my sense of responsibility as Twice's leader. I would be the third pregnant Twice member, and that meant in our next comeback promotion in the summer, Twice would promote with three pregnant members. Our bellies would be too large to hide by then, even I would be showing. I was afraid of what ONCEs and K-Pop fans in general would say regarding our group. I was afraid that JYP-oppa would cancel our comeback, I was afraid that he would deem us unfit to promote.
Yet, after meeting Professor Yoojin and connecting with the other pregnant idols, and even more so after meeting my boyfriend and manager tonight, after seeing their response, I knew I had nothing to fear. JYP-oppa knew about Chaeyoung and Tzuyu's pregnancy, and his response was that of a proud father excited to meet his grandchildren. He didn't cancel our comeback when he knew about their pregnancies, why would he cancel it when he knew about mine?
Whether there was a comeback or not, I understood that right now, worrying about my idol career was secondary. I was going to be a mother, I was going to have a child, and I had Chaeyoung and Tzuyu, who would be with me every step of the way. The three of us would support each other, love each other, encourage each other, not just as fellow Twice members, but as fellow mothers-to-be. I knew I wasn't alone. I was never alone.
I had my other Twice sisters too. I knew, without a doubt, that their hearts would swell with happiness, and they'd stand by me, shielding and supporting me throughout my journey into motherhood and beyond. I had Professor Yoojin and the other pregnant idols as well, and I knew we would share a special bond as we moved into the next stage of our lives as women.
Above all, I had Han Minsoo, the love of my life, the one who held my heart the father of my child. In his love, I found certainty and assurance, even before I knew that I was carrying his child. In our four months together, I learned one thing: Minsoo was not just the one... He was the only one.
As Minsoo and I slipped to the kitchen floor, as we started undressing each other, as Minsoo buried his face on my tits and drank ravenously from my nipples, I knew that I was ready to step into motherhood. With him by my side, I knew I could confidently, safely, and proudly say...
I'm going to be a mother.