* * *

“Lee Taeshin, did you know?”

“…Yeah.”

“Really? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“It’s no big deal. Don’t worry.”

After all the suffering from the fishy smell, he says it’s no big deal. I was dumbfounded. And to think I’m the one who’s pregnant, but this fool is the one with morning sickness—it made me laugh.

So, when I was crying over not being able to eat cheese, he was struggling with fish? Imagining how he must have felt when he realized he had morning sickness made me laugh even harder.

“Hey, Haeju’s dad, are you eating well?”

“…Sunwoo.”

I patted Taeshin’s shoulder, teasing him. His embarrassed expression was too funny, and I rubbed my belly while telling Haeju that Dad was having morning sickness too, making Mom laugh.

“Don’t tease Taeshin, he’s having a hard time. Sunwoo, when’s Haeju’s next hospital appointment?”

“Haeju’s hospital? Why?”

“Go with your mom. I need to check how you’re doing too.”

“I’m fine.”

Even though the hospital said everything was fine, Mom insisted I go.

“And you should file your marriage registration soon.”

“Huh?”

“With the baby coming soon, where will you register the name? You can have the wedding later, but you should register first. Taeshin, you make sure to take care of it since he might forget.”

“Yes.”

Taeshin and I filing our marriage registration? Already? I was eating the new pancake when my eyes met Taeshin’s. He smiled warmly, making my heart race. This guy, always charming me.

But wait, marriage registration? That means Taeshin and I will be a real couple? Oh my, we’ll be calling each other honey? Imagining us as a married couple made me feel strange and tingly.

Lost in thought, I shivered, and Mom asked if I was done eating. Still not full, I quickly stopped daydreaming and protested, handing her my empty plate. Haeju must be growing a lot.

---

Suddenly, Taeshin called me honey, saying we were now a married couple. Then he told me to call him honey too. Feeling embarrassed and strange, I couldn’t do it, but he kept saying “honey” until I finally did.

“…Sunwoo.”

“Yes, honey…”

“Sunwoo?”

“…Yes?”

I opened my eyes and saw Taeshin looking down at me, confused but neatly dressed. Dazed, I looked up at him as he gently tapped my cheek.

“Were you dreaming?”

“Yes.”

“Time to wake up. We’re going to the hospital with our moms, remember?”

“Yes.”

Still half-asleep, I mumbled as Taeshin gently touched me. It was a dream. I thought I heard Taeshin calling me honey, so I wiped my face with my hand.

Today was the day to visit the hospital to see Haeju. It had been a month since the last visit. Mom and Taeshin’s mother decided to accompany me.

When we arrived at the hospital, Taeshin’s mother was already there. Only Taeshin and I went into the ultrasound room, while Mom and his mother watched Haeju on the screen in the examination room.

“Oh my, baby, stay still. Let’s see your face.”

“Seems like he’s going to be diligent like Sunwoo.”

“Oh my, that’s quite a scary thought. Oh, did you see that, mother-in-law? The nose is just like Taeshin’s!”

“I think the ears look like Sunwoo’s… Oh, look at those fingers moving.”

“Oh my, those tiny hands and feet! Oh dear, did the baby stretch his legs? Did he stretch them to show his grandma?”

The doctor showed us various parts of Haeju, saying that he’s grown so much we’ll have to look at him part by part from now on.

Excitement erupted in the examination room. Mom clapped her hands in joy, and Taeshin’s mother couldn’t stop exclaiming, making the doctor smile, which made me feel a bit embarrassed.

Anyway, the doctor said Haeju was growing well and that I was healthy, which relieved Mom and Taeshin’s mother.

After finishing the ultrasound and additional tests, we came out to the waiting room where Mom and Taeshin’s mother were looking at Haeju’s pictures, smiling broadly.

“See, I told you I’m fine. Haeju is growing well too.”

“If you could be less clumsy, we wouldn’t worry so much. It’s a relief both of you are healthy.”

As I boasted, Mom gave me a sidelong glance and put Haeju’s picture in her handbag.

“Sunwoo, you went through a lot with the tests. Thank you for letting us see Haeju’s face.”

“It’s nothing! Isn’t Haeju beautiful?”

“Yes, very beautiful. Taeshin, take good care of Sunwoo, and you both get some rest.”

“Mom’s going to work, so Sunwoo, don’t take any detours and rest well at home.”

I shook my head at Mom’s insistence to go straight home.

“We’re going to register our marriage right away.”

“Today?”

“Sunwoo, are you sure? You must be tired from the tests.”

“I’m fine. We just need to register the marriage.”

Since we’d be traveling by car, all I had to do was register our marriage. As I confidently answered, Taeshin’s mother, who was worried about me, smiled softly.

“I’ve always said it would be wonderful if Sunwoo’s parents and Sunwoo and Taeshin got married. It feels like a dream that it’s actually happening.”

“Really?”

Surprised by Taeshin’s mother’s confession, I looked at Mom, who pretended not to know anything.

“Mom, did you really talk about that with her?”

“Quiet. You two were supposed to be together, but you couldn’t wait and caused trouble! I’m only letting it slide because of Taeshin, got it?”

“What? You should have told me earlier. I was worried about how to tell you Taeshin, who’s like a son to you, is the father.”

Feeling wronged by the past months of worry about revealing my pregnancy and Taeshin being the father, I grumbled, and Mom gave me a sharp look.

But with Haeju in my belly, I didn’t have to worry about getting hit. As I grinned, Mom shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Go on inside!”

“Take care!”

We waved goodbye to Mom and Taeshin’s mother in front of the hospital. Taeshin’s mother left first, and Mom, who had just put away Haeju’s ultrasound pictures, took them out again and smiled.

She had been so opposed when I first told her about the pregnancy, but now her face lit up while looking at Haeju’s pictures.

If she was going to be this happy, she should have congratulated me when she first found out. Seeing Mom so happy made me secretly pleased.

“Please love Haeju.”

“Haeju is lovely! You’re the problem, you rascal.”

Mom snapped back and stared at me intently. Feeling awkward under her gaze filled with mixed emotions, I scratched my head, and Mom waved her hand silently before leaving.

“Did you bring your ID?”

“Yeah! Here. What about you?”

After sending off Mom, I handed my ID to Taeshin and received his. The photo on his student ID, taken in his school uniform, showed his handsome face. I glanced at Taeshin sitting next to me, nodding in approval.

If we register our marriage, Taeshin and I will be… ugh, I’d rather call him “you” or “dummy.” Remembering last night’s dream, I tried to imagine calling Taeshin by a different name, shaking my head at the thought.

Calling him “honey” or “darling” felt strange and made my skin crawl.

“What?”

“Nothing? It’s nothing.”

I was sneaking a glance at Taeshin when our eyes met. I quickly turned my head to look ahead, hearing a small chuckle.

He still calls me Sunwoo, so I’ll never tell him. Taeshin is probably only thinking about signing the marriage certificate.

I must keep my mouth shut. If he found out about those names and called me them even jokingly, it would be unbearable. It really would be!

Resolutely deciding never to let Taeshin know about those names, we headed to the district office.

As we followed the preparations we’d made, the marriage registration was done quicker than expected.

I wanted to get a marriage certificate to confirm it, but they said it would take a few days, so we went back home.

“It doesn’t feel real that we registered our marriage.”

“They said it takes a few days to process the paperwork.”

“Yeah. I’m curious to see our names as spouses on the marriage certificate.”

Lying on the bed, Taeshin rubbed my belly and laughed at my disappointment. After various additional tests, I felt tired and my stomach ached a bit.

Leaning on Taeshin as he gently stroked my belly with his warm pheromones, I wiggled my toes, feeling drowsy.

“There is a way to feel it right now.”

“Hmm?”

“There’s a faster way to realize we registered our marriage than waiting for the marriage certificate.”

“What is it?”

Even though the paperwork wasn’t processed yet, how could I feel it? As Taeshin curiously stroked my belly, he looked at me.

With a honey-sweet, ticklish gaze, I wiggled my fingers, glanced sideways, and met his eyes again.

He smiled slightly, seeing me fumble with my lips, and spoke.

“Sweetheart, darling.”

“Huh?”

As I swallowed my breath, startled by Taeshin’s soft, gentle, and calm voice and the unfamiliar term of endearment, Taeshin smiled more broadly and continued to call me “honey,” “my dear.”

“Stop it!”

“Why? We’re married now.”

“Even so, just stop!”

I shivered and shook my head violently at the tickling sensation that swept over my entire body.

I pushed away Taeshin’s chest as he whispered close to me, horrified, but this fool just kept calling me “honey” and tilted his head in confusion.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? You kept calling me ‘honey’ even while dreaming of Sunwoo.”

“What, what? Me? When did I ever?”

“Even today, you kept saying ‘Taeshin, honey, my dear.'”

“Uwaaah! No way! That was a mistake! I had a weird dream!”

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