Twenty five year old Bae Hyun-sung, a rising young actor in the vibrant world of Korean entertainment, seems to have everything going for him-talent, charm. But his carefully structured life is thrown into disarray during a routine checkup, when he...
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In the quiet of his apartment, Hyun-sung tried to enjoy the final weeks of his pregnancy as much as possible. He had cleared his schedule and was focusing on resting, wanting to conserve every ounce of energy for when Mi-young decided to make her grand entrance. The last thing he needed was unnecessary stress.
But stress was exactly what arrived on his doorstep one cold morning, following yet another bout of morning sickness. It was strange, even at this late stage, to still experience the nausea. He had just finished rinsing his mouth when he heard the doorbell ring.
Wiping his face with a towel, he walked over to the door, his mind racing with who it could be.
When he opened the door, he froze. Standing on the other side was the last person he expected to see.
"Omma?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
There, in the doorway, stood his mother, her expression caught between hesitation and something that looked like regret. It had been several weeks since he had told his parents about his pregnancy, and the memory of their reaction still stung. They had not taken the news well at all. His father had been furious, unable to comprehend how his son—a young, successful actor—could be carrying a child. His mother had been quieter but no less disappointed, and they had left that evening without so much as a goodbye.
Yet here she was.
"Hyun-sung," his mother breathed, her eyes wide as they dropped to his belly. "You've... grown."
He stepped aside, feeling the weight of the moment settle heavily in his chest. "Come in."
She hesitated for a second before stepping inside. The warmth of the apartment wrapped around them, but the tension between them was cold, almost palpable. Hyun-sung motioned for her to sit, but she remained standing, her gaze never leaving his rounded stomach.
"I'm sorry," she said finally, her voice cracking. "I've been... I've been thinking about you every day since that night. I know we didn't handle things well—your father especially. But I need you to know, I'm sorry."
Hyun-sung crossed his arms over his chest, uncertain. "And Appa?"
His mother looked away, the guilt evident in her eyes. "He's... He's stubborn, you know that. But I'm trying. I've been talking to him, explaining things, helping him understand that this is something we need to accept. That this is our grandchild."
His chest tightened at her words. It was the first time she had acknowledged his pregnancy in such a way—as something real, something personal.
"And you?" he asked, his voice softer now, but still laced with caution. "Do you accept it?"
His mother looked back at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I've been a fool, Hyun-sung. I was so shocked, so... I don't know. Maybe afraid. I didn't know what to think, what to feel. But I've realized that none of that matters. You're my son. I love you. And this—" she glanced at his belly again, her hand half-raising as though she wanted to touch it but was too afraid to ask "—this is my grandchild."
For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of her words hanging in the air between them. Hyun-sung felt a lump in his throat. He had wanted this, hoped for this. But he never imagined it would feel so overwhelming when it finally happened.
His mother's voice broke the silence. "Are you having a boy or a girl?"
A small smile tugged at the corners of Hyun-sung's mouth. Slowly, he guided her hand to his belly, placing it gently on the firm curve of his abdomen. "A girl," he said, his voice filled with pride. "Her name is Mi-young."
His mother's breath hitched, and for the first time, a genuine smile spread across her face. "Mi-young... that's beautiful."
As if on cue, Mi-young gave a strong kick right under where his mother's hand rested. His mother gasped, her eyes widening in awe. "Did she just—?"
Hyun-sung laughed softly, his heart swelling with emotion. "Yeah, she's strong. Always lets me know she's there."
Tears spilled down his mother's cheeks as she pressed her palm more firmly against his belly, feeling for more of Mi-young's movements. "I can't believe I almost missed this," she whispered. "I'm so sorry, Hyun-sung. I want to be part of her life, of your life. I don't know what I was thinking, but I can't lose you. I can't lose her."
Hyun-sung felt his own eyes sting with tears, but he blinked them away, his heart softening with each word. "It hurt when you and Appa left that night," he admitted quietly. "I didn't know if you'd come around, if you'd even want to meet her."
His mother's grip on his belly tightened slightly, as if holding onto him and Mi-young both. "I will. I do. I promise you, I'll work on your father, but even if he doesn't come around... I'll be here. I want to be here."
Hyun-sung looked at her, really looked at her, and saw the sincerity in her eyes. For the first time since the news of his pregnancy had shattered his family's peace, he allowed himself to believe that things might be okay.
"Thank you, Omma," he said softly. "That means a lot."
His mother smiled through her tears, her hand still resting on his belly as Mi-young shifted again. "I'm going to be the best grandmother she could ever hope for. You'll see."
As they sat together, the quiet of the room filled with the gentle rhythm of Mi-young's movements, Hyun-sung felt a sense of peace wash over him. His journey into parenthood had been anything but easy, but in this moment—with his mother beside him, her hand on his belly, and Mi-young kicking away—he realised that maybe, just maybe, things were finally falling into place.
~
Hyun-sung watched her carefully, his heart torn between wanting to forgive her and the lingering pain of their rejection. "Why now?" he asked quietly. "It's been weeks, omma."
She bit her lip, her eyes filled with sorrow. "Because I was scared," she admitted. "Scared of what this meant for you, for your future, for us. Your father and I, we had a certain idea of what your life should look like, and this... this didn't fit that. But then I realized that none of that matters. What matters is that you're happy. And..." Her gaze softened as she glanced at his belly again. "And that you're bringing my grandchild into the world."
Hyun-sung's heart ached at her words. He had always hoped for their support, but hearing it now, after all the time that had passed, felt almost surreal. "I wanted you to be part of this," he said, his voice soft, "but when you both reacted like that, I wasn't sure if you would ever come around."
"I'm sorry," his mother whispered again, her tears falling freely now. "I'm so, so sorry for how we reacted."
Hyun-sung swallowed the lump in his throat, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He had longed for this—this moment of reconciliation, this chance to rebuild the bridge that had been broken between them. And now, as his mother sat beside him, her hand on his belly, her eyes filled with hope, he felt a glimmer of the family he had feared he might lose forever.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion with a bright smile on his face. "For being here. For wanting to be part of her life."
His mother smiled through her tears, her hand resting protectively on his bump. "Of course, my son. I'll be here, always."
