Eight months after Minjeong came back from Khurasan.

Jimin had set up a Christmas tree in the living room of their apartment with the help of her wife. After a few final touches, the actress halted back, gasping in awe at her own handiwork. "Well, this is pretty."

Minjeong just shook her head lightly, hugging her wife from the back, facing the same Christmas tree they'd set together. "You are prettier, baby."

"Insulting a Christmas tree is a sin, Minjeong," Jimin frowns, slowly turning around to face her wife. Nevertheless, Minjeong still hugged her close, staring into Jimin's eyes full of love. "Who said so?"

Jimin innocently pointed to herself. "Yu Jimin said so. She's a pretty awesome person, you know?"

The soldier just gasped playfully at Jimin's words, never letting Jimin go. "This Yu Jimin is an awesome person, I see," she nods her head before fixing her gaze back on her wife, nuzzling their nose together playfully. "Is there anything you wanted to do today?"

Realizing their whole situation again, Jimin's playful frown fell, exchanged with a sad expression instead. She hugged her wife so tight, didn't even try to let it go. "Cuddles," Jimin's voice came out low and a bit raspy. "I wanted to cuddle with you for the whole night."

Minjeong was taken aback at the sudden mood shift, but after almost a year of knowing her wife, she knew just much that Jimin wasn't yet, used to this.  "Sure. Cuddle for the whole night it is," Minjeong hugged back, tighter.

The soldier would leave for Khurasan again tomorrow.

It wasn't as bad as it was before, Jimin knew. Minjeong had told her about it. The militants had been wiped out completely, and thankfully this time, the soldiers only needed to stay in the other country for a week. Then, she'll be back again in Jimin's embrace as usual.

But, only god knows how much sending her wife off is now the actress's biggest fear. Let it be Khurasan again, the name of a country that left a big, traumatic experience for Jimin.

"Do you really need to go?" Jimin asked between their hugs. Her head planted deep between the crook of Minjeong's neck. Her voice slowly cracked, and Minjeong knew that her wife would soon start to cry from how much her body trembled in fear.

Minjeong slowly reached out one hand, caressing the back of Jimin's head assuringly. "It won't be like last time, baby. I promise you, it will be fine."

"B-but..." Jimin slowly pulled out from the hug, revealing her face, already soaked with her own tears. Her eyes shut painfully in distraught, her breath hitches. She can't help it. Let it be another country, not Khurasan again. "But, last time... you promised and—"

"Baby, hey. Look at me," Minjeong hushed her wife, wiping the tears on Jimin's cheeks with her thumbs. "I promised, and I came back, right?"

"Y-yeah... but—"

"No more tears," Minjeong continued to hush her wife, wiping the tears on Jimin's cheeks with her thumbs. "It's okay, baby. I'll be fine, so no more tears, okay?"

Minjeong was right thought. She knows that she will be fine in Khurasan later, and there is a lot of reason that she is so sure about it, and she had told Jimin earlier why this isn't a dangerous trip at all.

First, sure, it is in Khurasan. But this wasn't a war mission. It's an aid mission, partnered with ten countries. So, there would be about more than one hundred soldiers there. Two, although the dangerous part of Khurasan was in the north, this time, the mission was in the south, and the  Southern part of Khurasan was known to be the most peaceful part of the country. Third, it's just a week aid mission, with no guns or militants involved.

It is assuringly, safe. The probability of any militant attacks was 0.01%.

Jimin had nothing to worry about, to be honest. But, Khurasan sure brought traumatic memories for her.

"B-but... Christmas was in three days. I want to s-spend our first Christmas together—"

"I know, baby. I know," there's nothing Minjeong could do about that. Duty is a duty, and Minjeong had vowed herself to her job. To the country. To the world. Sure, she vowed to her wife too, and the soldier was feeling utterly guilty to leave her wife alone on their first Christmas together. To be honest, Minjeong wants to stay. But, she can't.

Apologetic, Minjeong slowly kissed her wife's temple gently. "I'm sorry, Jimin. I wish I could stay with you as well."

Jimin didn't say anything after that, slowly leading the soldier to their shared bedroom to cuddle all night long. Jimin knew she had no choice. She needs to face this, together with Minjeong.

The soldier keeps assuring her wife to sleep, kissing her temple a few more times while she pats the back of Jimin's body between lullabies.

Then, the next day, Minjeong left. Gladly, not like the first time, Jimin had confessed to her all day long.

"Come back home, to me, to us."

"I love you."

*****

One day before Christmas.

No. Exactly two hours before Christmas.

Jimin just finished her schedule for the day. She had another movie shooting since morning, and she was really tired right now. All she could think inside her head was three things; the tteokbokki stall in front of her apartment, her comfy bed at home, and her wife in Khurasan.

The actress burst herself with winter's music as she drove through the night back home. Despite her wife's absence, Jimin knew she needed to enjoy tonight, at least. She should be happy tonight, that's what Minjeong wanted her to do as well.

Singing along to the 'Jingle Bell Rock' song, Jimin was surprised when a group of birds flew right in front of her car, sending the actress hitting her brake instantly as she screamed. Her tyres screech between slippery snow, head slightly bumped to the steering wheel as she held them tight.

"Oh my god."

The car ended up off-road a bit, but thankfully nothing serious happened. Still, Jimin was in shock after what just happened. Jingle Bell Rock is still playing in the background as the actress curses once more. "Oh my god."

Hands a bit shaky now, the actress makes sure to be more careful on the road, driving about only thirty kilometres per hour before she arrives at her apartment a few minutes later. She set her foot off her KIA Sportage with wobbly feet, only to be greeted by the old woman at the tteokbokki stall usually Jimin met most of her days off work.

"Oh my god, Jimin. Are you okay?" the old woman asked, putting away the ladle she was holding aside before she held the actress by the arm. Jimin just gently shook her head while her eyes stuck onto the snowy ground, body bending forward, definitely still in the aftereffect from earlier.

"I'm fine. Just had a small acc—" the actress's words stopped when she felt like puking, turning ber head away from the old woman immediately, only to make her even more worried. "Gosh, Jimin. You are definitely not fine. Should I take you to the doctor?"

Holding the disgusted feeling inside her twisting stomach, Jimin shook her head once more, furrowing her brows deeper. "No, ma'am. Maybe I just need some rest. Thank you for your offer."

"I'll take you up until your apartment," the old woman said before she turned her head over. "Bomin! Look after the stall for a moment. Mom going to take this poor woman up for a bit!"

*****

Sleep didn't come easy for Jimin. As much as she wasn't as shaking as she was before, the puking came once or twice more. Ten minutes left before Christmas, and Jimin had enough twirling around on the bed, getting her ass off the comfy mattress before she headed straight to the kitchen.

She had made herself a hot chocolate before tired feet made diligent steps towards the Christmas tree in the living room.

She set herself on the floor as she pulled the knitted throw off from her couch, covering her body that slowly getting colder. A mug of hot chocolate in her hands as she blew the steam with a gentle blow, the actress slowly sipped a few of them down her throat before she smiled satisfyingly.

Her eyes then went stuck onto a picture hanging on the Christmas tree.

Her picture with Minjeong.

Her eyes started to get a little red and teary. A small, sad smile, flashed on her face as she said between her trembling lips. "Merry Christmas..."

She can't wait for her wife to come back.

*****

Minjeong would come home tomorrow, Jimin knew. She didn't feel worried much about it since the ROKA had called her a few hours earlier that all the soldiers involved were on their way back home.

Which means, Minjeong is fine and alive.

But, strangely, Jimin still feels nauseous about two or three times a day. She tried to reason with herself whether she still had the after-effects from a few days earlier, or because of something else. Her legs are not wobbly any longer, which only means one thing left in her thoughts.

Movie shooting ended earlier today for the actress, around five in the evening, and Jimin is glad she had the chance to visit that specific clinic right after, just to make sure her assumption might be right, or wrong.

"When was the last time you had your period, Mrs. Yu?"

"I am not sure. Probably, over a month?"

"Feeling tired or nauseous lately?"

Jimin nods her head, agreeing. "I think I am tired every day, but maybe just from work and stuff. I didn't think much about it. But, I am feeling nauseous lately, yes."

The doctor nods back in return as she flips through some papers. "So, the record here shows that you had your insemination exactly one month ago, Mrs Yu. Are you aware of the fact that you might be in this situation?"

The actress gulps once as her eyes tremble anxiously. "I am, but... I don't want to put so much hope on it. So, I'm just here to make sure..."

Seeing how nervous the actress had become, the doctor chuckled as she pulled out a small box from the drawer under her table. "Take this, and you can come back to me once the result is out."

Jimin just silently nodded her head before she took the small box from the doctor with trembling fingers. A small smile formed on the actress's lips as she read the writing on them.

Pregnancy test kit.

"Thank you. I'll be back soon."

*****

Minjeong had landed in South Korea today, and as soon as she got her phone back in her possession, she had texted her wife not to pick her up, saying that she could go back home on her own knowing that Jimin's schedule for the day was pack until almost midnight.

Defeated, Jimin just agreed with the idea despite being extremely eager for the news she was about to tell the soldier later.

The soldier got home by taxi that night, got a warm shower, cleaned the house all over, cooking instant noodles for two (Jimin requested her in advance) before three hours later, the password to the front door punched open. Jimin stepped into the apartment with a big smile, seeing her soldier wife was there, smiling so wide at her from the living room.

"Hi, Jimin," is all Minjeong needed to say before Jimin tossed her shoes off, running towards her wife in happy tears, hugging her so tightly, digging her face between Minjeong's neck.

"I miss you so much," Jimim chuckled between her smiles. Minjeong couldn't hold her smile as well, hugging Jimin as much as the actress did. "I miss you so much too, baby. How are you? Tell me everything that happened this one week."

"Give me a kiss first," the actress slightly pulled away from her wife's neck with a pout. "I want you to kiss me, hurry."

The soldier rolled her eyes playfully as she chuckled. "Fine-fine," she cups both of Jimin's cheeks before planting a few second kiss on her lips with a lovely smile. "Now, tell me about your day."

"I had good and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

Hearing the word 'bad' makes the soldier frown slightly between their hug. "I guess... the bad one first?"

Despite being 'bad news', Jimin was telling them with a smile, still hugging Minjeong so tight. "I almost had a car accident a few days ago—"

"You what?" this time Minjeong was the one to pull away from the hug with a worried expression. Her hands came back up, cupping Jimin's face. "Are you okay? You didn't get hurt, did you? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine. Just a small crack on my windshield from hitting some birds. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine."

"Thank god. That scared me..." the soldier finally could sigh in relief before her eyes got fixed on Jimin again. "So, what's the good news?"

Jimin just smiled at the soldier for a moment to build some tension between her wife's curiosity. Her eyes start to smile as well, along with the mole under her lips. Minjeong's weaknesses. "Baby, what's the good news?" Minjeong slightly tilted her head to the side in confusion.

Jimin keeps smiling nonetheless, showing all teeth between chuckles, teasing the soldier even more. "Aw, come on..." Minjeong gave up, now that her hands on Jimin's waist started to lose.

Only then did the actress slowly, but clearly say it right next to the soldier's left ear like a tiny whisper, "I'm three weeks."

But, Minjeong is too innocent, pulling her head away from her wife with furrowing eyebrows. "What three weeks?"

When Jimin's eyes and lips started to smile once more, she repeated her words for the second time. More clearly, she said, "I am three weeks pregnant."

"Holy—" This time the reaction from the soldier is extraordinary. "You are not kidding, right? You are not... right? Tell me this is not a dream..." Eyes wide open, but when Minjeong sees that Jimin's playful eyes just now started to change into a teary one, her lips start to tremble between her smile, and that's when Minjeong is more than sure.

Jimin didn't lie to her.

"I-it's... real?" Minjeong eyes got teary instantly as she watched her wife start to cry. "Oh my god, Jimin," the soldier gently caressed her thumbs onto the actress's cheeks once before pulling her into a tight hug. One hand caressing the back of Jimin's head. "Oh my god... Jimin..."

Jimin didn't say anything, crying between the crook of Minjeong's neck as the soldier repeated her words once more. "Oh my god..." she gasped for air, still stroking the back of Jimin's head in full of love. "I love you so much. I love you so damn much, Jimin."

Jimin was the one who pulled away from the hug, kissing her wife not once, not twice. About five or six times on her lips between their happy tears, before the last one end up longer, more passionate, more love pouring on them. "Thank you for making me feel so loved. Thank you, Minjeong. Thank you—"

Minjeong shuts her up once more with another kiss, more searing, more demanding. Under their Christmas tree, they did. Wishing forevermore, they swore. To love, to commit, to be for one another.

Together.

"Minjeong, w-we—" Jimin struggled between the kiss as Minjeong pulled her deeper once more. Nevertheless, Jimin tried to put on a fight, pushing her wife away stronger. "W-we need to stop," Jimin gasped between heavy breaths, catching for air from their intimate kiss.

The soldier's eyes still stuck onto the actress's lips, just a mere inches apart from one another as her voice came out like a desperate whisper. "Why should we?"

"Our noodles..." Jimin paused her word once. "Our noodles... are getting soggy."

The soldier's eyes went wide open for a moment before the two women laughed at their own silliness. "Right. It's getting soggy. I'm sorry I ruined the noodles."

Jimin just gently shook her head between her tiny laughs. Her arms still clinging onto Minjeong's body sweetly. "It's fine. Merry Christmas, Minjeong."

"Merry Christmas, Jimin."

"I love you," they said in unison.