Always By Your Side || MinChan Romance

10.

Ten

For Chan, the idea of a baby did complicate things, but not in the overwhelming, negative way one might expect. In fact, part of him was relieved. He could only imagine how disastrous it would have been if this had happened with Johan. His soon-to-be ex-husband was calculating—Johan would've undoubtedly used their child as leverage in the divorce, demanding more money, more control. And even beyond that, Johan had never wanted children. He didn't like the idea of having them, often brushing it off with comments about how kids were too much of a distraction from his career. His coldness towards the idea had always bothered Chan deep down.

But with Minho? It was different. Chan found himself feeling... grateful. Minho was the last person he would've expected this to happen with, but now that it had, he couldn't bring himself to regret it. Minho wasn't Johan. He wasn't manipulative or calculating. He was kind, steady, and had been by Chan's side for years without asking for anything in return. There was a softness to the thought of raising a child with someone like Minho.

The situation was messy, yes, and the timing wasn't ideal, but there was a warmth Chan felt about it that he hadn't expected.

One thing Chan knew with absolute certainty was that he would protect Minho and their unborn child, no matter what. This situation was messy, and his life felt like it was in chaos, but Minho and the baby were innocent in all of this. He couldn't let them get pulled into the ugliness of his divorce, the manipulations and demands that Johan had already started throwing his way.

The thought of Johan even knowing about Minho and the baby made Chan's stomach twist in knots. He wouldn't let it happen. Minho didn't deserve to be dragged through the mud like that, and the baby certainly didn't deserve to become another pawn in Johan's games.

Chan's protective instincts roared to life with a fierceness he hadn't expected. This was his family now, and he'd do whatever it took to shield them from the mess he was entangled in. Even if it meant fighting harder in court, even if it meant distancing himself from the public eye for a while. Whatever it took, he would make sure they were safe.

"Chan, Mr. Kim is on line one," Minho said as he came in, stopping short when Chan simply just looked at him. "Did you hear me?"

Chan blinked, snapping back to reality, feeling a little embarrassed that he'd been caught staring. Minho stood there with his usual poised professionalism, though Chan could still see faint signs of fatigue in his eyes. It was back to business as usual, yet Chan couldn't shake the fact that this man—this incredible, resilient, and selfless man—was carrying his child.

He cleared his throat, trying to focus. "Uh, yeah, thanks, Minho," he mumbled, glancing at his desk as if trying to regain his composure. But his mind was still racing, caught between the present moment and the growing awareness of just how much Minho meant to him.

When he looked up again, Minho was watching him curiously. "Did you... need something?" Minho asked, his tone gentle but laced with concern.

Chan shook his head, offering a smile. "No, I'm good. Just... thinking." He picked up the phone, preparing to deal with the call, but as he glanced at Minho one more time, he felt a surge of protectiveness and something deeper—a warmth that spread through his chest.

There was so much he wanted to say, but for now, he let it pass. They had time. For now, he just needed to keep them safe.

The rest of the day passed in a steady rhythm, meetings, phone calls, and emails blending into the usual hum of work. Chan found himself grateful for the normalcy, the routine that kept his mind grounded. After the whirlwind of emotions and revelations, he wasn't sure he could handle any more surprises right now. He needed the familiarity, the structure.