Seoha’s POV

"You’re going to be mad if I tell you, very mad" I say, taking a slow sip of my drink.

My omega best friend makes a face of disgust.

"Is he friends with your grade A asshole?" Minjae asks curiously and I shake my head slowly, I don’t think they know each other.

I hope they don’t...

"No, he’s not" I say and Minjae cocks an eyebrow.

"Yah, Shin Seoha, I’m doing my best to keep you alive, you’re a human, not a deer, stop freezing in the face of danger" he says and I lift my shoulders in embarrassment.

"Yes, yes, I’m not going to do silly things again" I mutter and he nods.

"Anyways, do you want to go with me? I have a doctor’s appointment soon" my best friend says and I sit up straight with worry.

"Minnie-ya, are you okay?" I ask and he waves me off.

"I’m okay, of course I’m okay, I just need to do the regular tests and all, my pup is still too young but I might be able to check the gender today" he says.

He’s pretending to not be excited, but I see the way his lips are quivering.

"I’m so happy for you, Minnie" I say with a smile even though I feel jealous of him.

I want a pup too, I’ve always wanted one, I have always wanted to love someone the way my mom loved me.

"Can we go to the hospital now?" Minjae asks and I nod.

"Okay, but first, I need one more of these doughnuts" Minjae says and I already know what he wants.

"No"

"Please?"

"No"

"Aw, come on, it’s just for you to go there and get it" he says with a pout and I make a fist, pretending to punch him.

"Go get it yourself" I say and he sighs loudly, dropping his shoulders for dramatic effect.

People around us are starting to smile at our bickering, saying that we look cute.

"Do you know that I’m pregnant right now?" he asks and I groan, "you can’t use that card on me forever, Minjae-ssi"

"You never know" he snickers and I get up, raising the fake fist at him in a playful punch.

"I’ll be back" I say before making my way to the counter where Hanbin is attending to someone else.

"Uh...Hanbin-ssi" I whisper when the customer is gone and he looks up.

The man doesn’t smile; the most his lips do are to lift at the corner in an attempt to smile, like he’s just learning to do it.

"I would like to buy the doughnuts..." my voice trails off as he passed a box of doughnuts to me.

"I paid already" he says and I blink, holding the box in my hands in confusion.

"No, I’ll pay for it" I say, reaching for the cash in my pocket, the ones I got from Minjae before we left home.

"Seoha, let me pay" he says firmly and I look over my shoulder at Minjae, he’s waiting for me.

I bow at him in greeting, "thank you, sir" I say.

"You can call me hyung" Hanbin says and I bow again, "thank you, hyung" I mutter, feeling even more embarrassed as I return to Minjae.

"Yah, what took you so long?" he whines as he takes the box from me, "you got a take away pack?"

"Hanbin-ssi paid for it" I say and sit in my chair.

"Wow, that’s so nice, I don’t think I have appetite for it right now, let’s go home" he says, getting up and stretching.

"You made me go all the way over there" I murmur in complaint, annoyed at the unnecessary interaction with Hanbin-ssi.

I don’t trust him yet and something about him feels oddly suspicious.

"Let’s go, let’s go, hold my doughnuts for me" Minjae says and hands it back to me.

I sigh but don’t argue, I just take the box and we leave the cafe hand in hand.

"Are you nervous?" I ask Minjae in the taxi we got and he nods.

It’s a small gesture, but it shows the crack he has managed to hide from me for so long.

Minjae is always bright and full of life, but he gets even brighter when he is struggling.

This is what makes me worry about him.

"Don’t be nervous, everything is going to be okay" I say and he smiles at me.

"I really don’t want to do this alone" Minjae confesses, dropping his head on my shoulder.

"And you won’t, I’ll be there" I say softly.

"You can’t satisfy my pregnancy craving" he whispers and I kiss the top of his head.

"I’ll buy anything you want, I’ll work hard"

"Not that craving" Minjae says and I frown, genuinely puzzled, and when he licks his bottom lip, I push him away gently.

"You’re crazy" I say and we both laugh as the taxi slows to a stop in front of the hospital.

I hold Minjae tighter, already hating the place without even stepping in yet, and he notices it.

"You can sit outside if you want" he says and I shake my head, I won’t leave him halfway, not after he has spent his day trying to be there for me.

"It’s okay, let’s go" I give him a grin.

I space out as I follow him through the procedure, still holding his arm tightly, and waiting next to him when we have to wait.

"Are you sure you don’t want to step out, Seo-ya?" he asks quietly.

"No, I’m okay" I whisper back and he looks me over with concern in his eyes.

"Son Minjae?" a nurse calls and Minjae raises his hand in response.

"Come in please" she says with a warm smile and we go into the room.

I stand next to the small bed as Minjae follows the instruction to lay down and pull his shirt up, I can’t take my eyes off his face.

For an omega who is alone, he looks calm, collected and like he has accepted his fate...something I can never do.

My omega and I are consciously fighting, open the bond, keep the bond shut.. missing our alpha.

"Let’s see here...ohh, that’s your baby" the nurse coos and Minjae’s eyes well up with tears.

The room is filled with a soft scent of happy omega pheromones, mine and his as we look at the dark blob on this screen, the new life forming.

"It’s so small" he says and laughs to hide that he’s crying, but I hold his hand.

"My baby is really small, I should stop hanging out with you, Shin" Minjae says and the nurse laughs at his joke while I roll my eyes.

"Shut up" I say playful.

"We can’t tell the gender yet, your pup is really good at hiding" the woman says and takes her hands and the device off Minjae’s stomach.

"What about you? Do you want to get your scan done?" she asks me and I blink in confusion.

"I’m not pregnant" I say and her expression morphs into surprise.

"Oh, I’m sorry, I assumed...I’m sorry" she says in a rush.

"It’s okay" I say while blushing, bowing in sync with her to ease her awkwardness.

When we are done at the hospital, I can’t help but feel my stomach, wondering what it’ll be like when I’m pregnant.

Will Taesan stay? Or will he walk out? He did say he didn’t want Sooin in his diary, but he kept her.

"Hurry, let’s get a taxi and go home, I’m craving my couch now, and oh, a new show is premiering" Minjae starts to ramble beside me.

He feels genuinely brighter than before.

Like he’s not trying to mask any cracks or fear now, he has crossed one of the bridges and he is at peace with himself.

"What show is it?" I ask and he presses his lips together.

"I can’t say it"

"Why not?"

"Well...Sky High is in it and for some reason, you don’t like Jaemin anymore" he says carefully.

"Jaemin is Taesan’s lover" I say bluntly.

"What?"

"Or was, he was Taesan’s lover, and Sooin’s mom" I whisper the last part.

"No way..."

"It doesn’t matter anyways" I lie, it matters.

"Wow, this is the craziest thing I’ve heard all day" Minjae says in disbelief.

We get a taxi and change topics as we start to talk about rearranging Minjae’s apartment or moving out together.

"It will be a permanent sleepover!" my best friend exclaims.

After the taxi comes to a stop in front of Minjae’s apartment, we get out of it still talking about economically wise strategies to raise a baby.

"Wait a minute, isn’t that hunk’s car?" Minjae asks, pointing at the sleek car parked.

"Junho?" I ask, but before I can say anything else, Minjae is storming into the building.

"Minjae!" I call, running after him in panic.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Minjae yells at Junho who is leaning against the wall in the hallway.

"Hello" the beta greets and Minjae folds his arms, stopping Junho from directly addressing me.

"Why are you here? Haven’t you guys hurt him enough?" Minjae growls at him, releasing distressing pheromones, and I hold his shoulders to calm him.

"I’m here because you asked me to return Seoha’s things" he says and my heart drops.

Oh.

Taesan really sent my things back...I guess we are really over.