My phone vibrated.
I looked at the screen.
Mother
Internally, the answer arrived instantly.
Danger.
"…Why did you freeze," Ha-rin asked.
"I have reached a conclusion," I said.
"…Which is?"
"This situation has escalated."
The phone rang again.
I answered.
"Mother."
"SEO-JUN," she said, breathless. "I'M COMING OVER."
"…Tomorrow," I said.
"No. Now."
Ha-rin's eyes widened.
"…Now?"
"Yes," my mother continued. "Your father sounded strange. You sounded strange. Something is wrong."
"That is speculation," I replied.
"I'LL BE THERE IN AN HOUR."
The call ended.
Silence filled the apartment.
Ha-rin slowly turned toward me.
"…An hour."
"Yes."
"…Your mother."
"Yes."
"…Coming here."
"Yes."
She inhaled.
"…Oh hell nah."
I nodded once. "That is an appropriate reaction."
She stood up abruptly.
"What do we do?"
"We do nothing unusual," I said. "We clean and behave normally."
"That's impossible."
"It is necessary."
She grabbed my sleeve.
"…She already suspects."
"Yes."
"…She's going to say it out loud."
"Yes."
"…She's going to touch my stomach."
"That is likely."
Her face flushed.
"I AM NOT READY FOR THIS."
"You will sit," I said calmly.
She froze.
"You will breathe," I continued. "Stress worsens nausea."
She clenched her jaw.
"…I hate that you're right."
My father cleared his throat.
"I'll distract her."
"That will not work," I said.
"I'll be subtle."
"You are incapable of subtlety."
He sighed. "Fair."
Ha-rin looked at me.
"…If she finds out everything?"
"She will," I replied.
She stared.
"…Then what's the plan."
I thought for three seconds.
"We contain it."
"…How."
"She stays," I said.
Her eyes widened.
"…Here?"
"Yes."
"…Living with us?"
"Yes."
She stared at me like I had committed a crime.
"…You're insane."
"I am practical."
She looked away, cheeks red.
"…If she stays, you handle her."
"Yes."
"…All of her."
"Yes."
She nodded once.
"…Fine."
Then she jabbed my chest lightly.
"But if she posts one photo—"
"She will not."
"…If she calls this baby something embarrassing—"
"That risk exists."
She groaned and buried her face in a pillow.
The doorbell rang.
Everyone froze.
My father smiled nervously.
"That was fast."
I straightened my posture.
"Remember," I said calmly, "we are normal."
Ha-rin looked at me, eyes wide.
"…I hate this."
I opened the door.