I woke up with a strange ache in my body—a dull heaviness that felt different from usual. My muscles protested as I stretched, a wince pulling at my lips. Turning to the other side, I instinctively reached for Taehyung's side of the bed, but as had become routine in the past few weeks, it was empty.

A frown etched across my face. The cold sheets where he should have been were a silent reminder of the distance that had been creeping between us. Ever since that night, when I had pushed us both into something he wasn't ready for, Taehyung had been avoiding me. He wasn't cruel or cold—he still spoke to me, still kissed me goodnight—but his presence felt... muted.

I swallowed the knot of guilt that tightened in my throat. I knew I'd crossed a line, but I told myself it was necessary. Once I conceived, everything would go back to normal. We'd have our happiness, and the distance would disappear. I clung to that belief, brushing away the pang in my chest.

Knowing it was the weekend, I guessed Taehyung had gone out for his usual morning run. Stretching carefully, I swung my legs out of bed and padded to the bathroom to freshen up.

After brushing my teeth and splashing cold water on my face, I made my way to the kitchen. The moment I opened the fridge door, a wave of nausea hit me like a brick wall. The odd mingling of food smells—eggs, leftover curry, and fruits—triggered a visceral reaction. I clamped a hand over my mouth and stumbled to the sink, my stomach lurching.

But nothing came out. Strange! What's up with me today.

My breathing was shallow as I stood over the sink, dampening my face with cool water to ease the discomfort. Turning around, I caught sight of the calendar hanging on the wall. A flicker of something—hope? Fear?—ignited in my chest. Slowly, I slowly walked toward it, carefully taking a step at a time, my chest tightening. As I got close, my eyes scanning the dates. Could it be..

I counted, my fingers trembling slightly.

"I'm late," my inner voice whispered.

My heart began to pound. "Oh my god," I murmured aloud, barely able to contain myself. "I'm freaking one week late."

A surge of adrenaline shot through me. I almost jumped in place, but the reality of the moment rooted me. Without wasting another second, I rushed into the bathroom. The drawer held an embarrassing number of pregnancy test kits—each one a symbol of my failed attempts. Grabbing one, I unwrapped it quickly and followed the instructions with practiced precision.

Once I was done, I capped the strip and set it on the counter, the seconds dragging like hours. My hands clasped together as I whispered a silent prayer.

It was then that I heard footsteps approaching. The door opened, and Taehyung stepped inside, fresh from his run. His skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat, his chest rising and falling with gentle pants as he caught his breath. A towel was slung casually over his shoulder, and his hair clung to his forehead in damp strands.

His eyes flickered down to the counter, landing on the test strip. They widened slightly before snapping back to meet mine.

"Jo?" he asked, his voice cautious, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.

I swallowed hard, my palms clammy. "I'm late," I said nervously, my words rushing out. "And... I think I have the symptoms."

His brows lifted in surprise, and for a fleeting moment, I saw it—a spark of hope in his eyes. He didn't say anything, just stepped closer to stand beside me. Together, we stared at the test strip lying on the counter, the silence thick with anticipation.

The wait felt eternal. My heart raced so loudly I was sure Taehyung could hear it. My breath caught in my throat as I clenched my hands together tightly.

But then, the result began to appear.

A single line.

Negative.

The air seemed to be sucked out of the room. I stared at the strip, my chest tightening painfully. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill over.

Taehyung let out a soft exhale, the hope in his eyes dimming as he ran a hand through his hair. "Jo..." he started, his voice tender but filled with disappointment.

I couldn't respond. My throat was tight, and the ache in my chest spread like wildfire.

He reached out, placing a hand gently on my back. "Hey," he said softly, his voice almost a whisper. "Lets check another one later. Okay? It's just one test."

I nodded faintly, but the words felt hollow. The hope I'd allowed myself to feel, however brief, had been crushed.

Taehyung pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. His embrace was warm, comforting, but it couldn't fully chase away the sting of yet another failure.

"I love you," he murmured against my hair. "No matter what."

I clung to him, burying my face in his chest as silent tears slipped down my cheeks. We stood there, wrapped in each other, trying to hold on to the fraying edges of our shared hope.

-----<>-----

Jo sat on the edge of the bed, her shoulders tense, her hands gripping the hem of her shirt as though it anchored her to reality. Her words came in quick, breathless bursts. "I know something is different, Tae. I can feel it," she said, her voice trembling with a mix of desperation and hope. "The nausea, the ache—it's not normal. I just know it."

I stood a few feet away, my back leaning against the wall, watching her unravel. My heart ached at the sight of her. Her usual confident composure had been replaced by this fragile, frantic energy, and I didn't know how to respond. Every word she spoke felt like a plea, but I didn't have the answers she needed.

Jo's fingers rubbed over her temples as though trying to steady her racing thoughts. "I'm telling you, something is happening. This isn't like the other times," she said again, more to herself than to me. Her voice cracked at the end, and I could see the tears welling in her eyes.

I swallowed hard, my own throat tightening. This was taking a toll on her—on us—and I hated feeling so helpless. She didn't seem like the Jo I once knew, the woman who could tackle anything with grace and resilience. Now, she was consumed by this dream of ours, this hope for a family that was becoming more of a nightmare with each passing month.

And yet, I couldn't blame her. I understood her pain, her longing, her desperation. It was my dream too, but I couldn't let myself fall apart because if I did, she would shatter completely. That thought terrified me.

I exhaled shakily and took a tentative step forward. "Maybe," I said carefully, "maybe we should call the doctor and get some advice? Just to be sure."

Jo's head shot up, her eyes lighting up with a flicker of hope. "You think so?" she asked, her voice tinged with both excitement and fear.

I nodded, trying to force a reassuring smile. "It can't hurt to hear what they have to say."

Without wasting another second, Jo scrambled to her feet, rushing to the bedside table to grab her phone. Her hands trembled as she unlocked it, fumbling with the screen before finally dialing the number.

She paced the room as the phone rang, her foot tapping nervously against the hardwood floor. She bit the corner of her lip, a habit she had when she was anxious.

After what felt like an eternity, someone picked up on the other end. Jo immediately launched into an explanation, her words spilling out in a hurried stream. "Hi, this is Jo. I'm... I'm a week late, and I've been feeling nauseous, and I just took a test, but it was negative. But I swear, I feel like something is different this time. Could it still be...?"

I watched her, my arms crossed over my chest, my heart pounding as I tried to decipher the conversation from her side. She stopped speaking, her face tense as she listened to the doctor's response. I noticed how her brow furrowed slightly, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Then, her voice softened. "Yes, my husband is here," she said before handing me the phone.

I hesitated for a moment before taking it. "Hello, this is Taehyung," I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

"Mr. Kim," the doctor began, her tone calm but serious. "Listen, it's possible—though very unlikely—that Jo could be pregnant. However, given her emotional state and the medications she's been taking, there's a chance that what she's experiencing are symptoms of her cycle starting or even psychosomatic reactions driven by her deep longing for this."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. "You mean... it's all in her hea-?" I asked turning away from my wife for cover, unable to get the words out.

The doctor sighed softly. "It's possible. Her mind could be willing her body to react this way. It happens more often than you'd think in situations like this. But I don't want you to say anything to her yet. Let her be. If her period comes, bring her in for a visit. For now, just support her."

"Understood," I replied, my voice strained. I thanked her before hanging up and handing the phone back to Jo, who was watching me intently.

"Well?" she asked, her eyes wide with expectation.

I forced a gentle smile. "She said we should just wait a little longer. Let's not stress about it right now."

Jo hesitated but nodded, sitting back on the bed. I walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you lie down for a bit? I'll make you some honey tea," I suggested.

She smiled faintly, exhaustion evident in her features. "Okay," she murmured, leaning back against the pillows.

As I left the room, my chest felt tight, like I was being strangled by the weight of everything. This dream of ours was supposed to bring us closer, but it was slowly tearing us apart. I'm losing my baby.

I stood in the kitchen, staring blankly at the kettle as it boiled, my hands gripping the counter to steady myself. I couldn't break—not now, not when Jo needed me to hold everything together. But deep down, I felt like I was suffocating, trapped in a nightmare I couldn't escape.

I just wanted this to end.