Kyrah knew something was wrong the moment Seojun walked into her office with a folder in his hand and that look on his face.
It was the same look he wore whenever he had already made up his mind about something.
She leaned back in her chair.
"What?"
Seojun placed the folder on her desk.
"We need to talk about your schedule."
Kyrah stared at him.
"My schedule?"
"Yes."
"What's wrong with my schedule?"
"Nothing is wrong with it."
"Then why are we talking about it?"
Seojun pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down.
"You've been working longer hours than you should."
"I've been working normally."
"You worked until eight yesterday."
"I was working."
"You've also been coming in early."
"Because I have a project to run."
Seojun sighed.
"Kyrah."
She narrowed her eyes.
"I know that tone."
"What tone?"
"The tone you use when you're about to tell me something I don't want to hear."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"You know me well."
"Unfortunately."
He opened the folder.
"I think it's time we start discussing your maternity leave."
Kyrah's expression changed immediately.
"I don't need to leave yet."
"I didn't say you needed to."
"You're thinking it."
"I'm thinking about your health."
She folded her arms.
"I'm pregnant, Seojun. I'm not incapable."
"I know."
"HANEUL HOME is my project."
"I know."
"Everything is finally running smoothly. The launch was successful, the team is working well, and we're preparing the next phase. I don't want to disappear now."
Seojun listened without interrupting.
When she finished, he leaned forward slightly.
"You built a team, Kyrah."
She looked at him.
"Trust them."
She didn't answer.
"Leadership doesn't mean doing everything personally," he continued. "You don't have to be physically present for every decision just to prove that you're still the person in charge."
Kyrah looked down at the folder.
"I just don't want anyone thinking I'm stepping away because I can't handle it."
"Nobody who has watched you work could think that."
His voice was gentle.
"You've already proven yourself."
She swallowed.
Seojun closed the folder.
"This isn't me asking you to stop being Kyrah."
He smiled.
"It's me asking you to give yourself permission to be Kyrah and someone's mother."
Her eyes softened.
"I'll think about it."
"That is all I'm asking."
He stood.
"And for the record, I'm not going to let you work until eight again."
She laughed.
"Who made you my boss?"
"I am your boss."
"Unfortunately."
He laughed as he walked toward the door.
"Go home on time today."
"Yes, sir."
He stopped.
"Don't call me sir."
"Then stop acting like my father."
He laughed and left.
Kyrah smiled after him.
---
Two days later, Kyrah arrived at the office and immediately noticed something sitting on the chair beside her desk.
A large box.
She frowned.
"What is this?"
Flora looked up from her computer.
"It arrived this morning."
"Who sent it?"
Flora shook her head sideways clueless as ever.
Kyrah stared.
"No."
She walked over to the box.
There was no company label.
Only her name.
She opened it.
Her mouth fell open.
Inside were baby essentials.
Not random things.
Everything had been carefully selected.
A soft baby blanket.
Several newborn onesies.
Burp cloths.
Baby towels.
A small diaper bag.
Bottles.
A baby thermometer.
A soft night-light.
A little white sound machine.
And at the very bottom was a neatly organized list.
Baby Registry — Things You May Need
Kyrah stared at it.
She picked up the list.
It was divided into categories.
Sleeping.
Bathing.
Feeding.
Clothing.
Health.
Travel.
This could only be Seojun she smiled.
Then looked back at the box.
Flora slowly stood.
"Oh."
Kyrah turned.
"who did this?" It's so thoughtful.
Flora smiled.
I know right?
Kyrah picked up one of the tiny onesies.
It was impossibly small.
She held it against her stomach.
Flora's expression softened.
"He really thought about everything."
Kyrah walked straight to the elevator got off at the 65th floor and headed straight toward Seojun's office.
She knocked.
"Come in."
She opened the door.
Seojun looked up from his laptop.
He immediately saw the look on her face.
"You got it."
Kyrah stared at him.
"You bought all of that?"
"I wasn't sure what you already had."
"You made a whole registry?"
"I made a list." NO! "You even separated everything."
"I thought it would make things easier."
Kyrah smiled.
"You didn't have to do this."
"I know."
She looked at him.
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
He leaned back in his chair.
"I just thought you shouldn't have to figure everything out at the last minute."
Kyrah looked at him for a long moment.
Then she smiled.
"Thank you."
Seojun smiled back.
"You're welcome."
She started walking out.
Then stopped.
"Seojun?"
"Yes?"
"The baby blanket is really cute."
"I know."
She laughed.
"You're ridiculous."
"I've been told."
---
That afternoon, Seojun accompanied Kyrah to her routine prenatal appointment.
It wasn't the first time he'd gone with her.
But it had been several weeks since the last one.
Kyrah had insisted he didn't have to come.
"You're busy."
"I'll manage."
"You have meetings."
"They can wait."
"Seojun."
"Kyrah."
She sighed.
"Fine."
The appointment went normally at first.
The nurse checked her blood pressure and asked a few routine questions.
"How have you been feeling?"
"Fine."
The nurse smiled.
"Any unusual pain?"
"No."
"Nausea?"
"Not much anymore."
"Good."
Seojun sat beside her, listening carefully.
Then came the ultrasound.
Kyrah lay back as the nurse prepared the equipment.
Seojun moved his chair closer.
The screen came alive.
And there he was.
Peppa.
Except he wasn't the tiny shape Seojun remembered from the last time.
He was bigger.
Much bigger.
The nurse adjusted the monitor.
"Let's have a look."
Kyrah watched the screen.
Seojun didn't blink.
The nurse pointed.
"There is his head."
Seojun's eyes widened.
Kyrah smiled.
"That's his head?"
"Yes."
The nurse moved the monitor slightly.
"And there's his little arm."
Kyrah laughed softly.
Seojun's lips parted.
"That's his hand?"
"Yes."
He leaned closer.
His eyes were already becoming wet.
Kyrah glanced at him.
"Seojun?"
"I'm fine."
"You're crying."
"No, I'm not."
A tear rolled down his cheek.
Kyrah laughed.
"You are."
He wiped it away quickly.
"I think it's just…"
He couldn't finish.
The nurse continued measuring.
"Look how much he's grown since your last visit."
Seojun stared at the screen.
Something inside him broke open.
The little baby on the monitor was no longer just an idea.
He was real.
Growing.
Moving.
Almost ready to enter the world.
Seojun covered his mouth.
Another tear fell.
Then another.
Kyrah looked at him, completely amused and touched at the same time.
"You're really emotional."
"I know."
The nurse looked between them.
Then she smiled.
"Miss…"
She paused.
"Your husband is more emotional than you are."
Kyrah burst out laughing.
Seojun immediately looked embarrassed.
"He's not my husband."
The nurse looked surprised.
"Oh."
Kyrah was still laughing.
Seojun wiped his face.
"I apologize."
The nurse smiled.
"You don't have to apologize. It's sweet."
Kyrah looked at Seojun.
His eyes were still fixed on the screen.
She couldn't help smiling.
The nurse pointed again.
"He's moving."
Seojun's entire face changed.
"He's moving?"
"Yes."
He leaned even closer.
"Can you see that?"
Kyrah laughed.
"Seojun, you're going to fall into the monitor."
The nurse laughed too.
"He's definitely excited."
Seojun shook his head, trying to compose himself.
"I just…"
He looked at Kyrah.
"He's so much bigger."
Kyrah's smile softened.
"I know."
"I didn't realize how fast he was growing."
Neither did she.
The nurse continued the examination.
Everything looked fine.
Peppa was growing well.
Kyrah felt relieved.
But when she looked at Seojun, she saw something different.
He was staring at the screen with tears still gathered in his eyes.
And she understood.
This wasn't pity.
It wasn't obligation.
He was genuinely moved by the sight of her baby.
Her baby.
A baby who wasn't his.
And yet he was looking at Peppa as though he already mattered to him.
Kyrah's heart tightened.
---
On the way home, Seojun was unusually silent.
Kyrah glanced at him from the passenger seat.
"You okay?"
"Yes."
"You're thinking about Peppa."
"Yes."
She smiled.
"You cried a lot."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
"I was emotional."
"That is another word for crying."
He laughed.
"I just wasn't prepared."
"For what?"
"To see how big he has gotten."
Kyrah looked out the window.
"He'll be here soon."
Seojun's hands tightened slightly around the steering wheel.
"Soon."
Neither spoke for a moment.
Then Kyrah smiled.
"You know, you don't have to be this involved."
Seojun glanced at her.
"I know."
She looked at him.
"Then why are you?"
He thought about it.
"Because I want to be."
Her heart skipped.
He didn't say anything more.
He didn't need to.
---
That night, Kyrah stood in front of her bedroom mirror.
She lifted her shirt slightly.
Her stomach was unmistakably round now.
She placed both hands over it.
"Peppa…"
The baby moved.
She smiled.
Then her smile slowly faded.
Soon.
The word kept repeating in her mind.
Soon.
She looked at the calendar.
There weren't as many weeks left as there used to be.
She thought about her work.
Her apartment.
Her baby.
Her future.
Everything was moving forward whether she was ready or not.
Kyrah realized that she really was running out of time.
Peppa wasn't some distant future anymore.
He was coming.
And soon, she would hold him in her arms.
She placed a hand over her stomach again.
"I think we're going to be okay."
A small movement answered her.
Kyrah smiled through the tears gathering in her eyes.
Maybe they would.
And somewhere across the city, Seojun was probably still thinking about the tiny boy he had seen on that screen.
The boy who wasn't his.
But somehow…
was already becoming part of his heart.