The Heart Of Life

Chapter 3

Jeong-hyuk's been doing some reading. Okay, maybe some is an understatement, considering there are stacks of books about pregnancy and babies collected at one corner of the bookshelf. He reads about how hormones can be a strain on pregnant women, but besides the morning sickness that has plagued her, she hasn't transformed into a far more intimidating person than she really is, she hasn't raised her voice at him, but she seems to be getting far more emotional than usual.

It takes her by surprise, that the coffee aroma she once loves becomes the most revolting smell when she's pregnant. It all started when Jeong-hyuk decides to surprise her with a new variant of coffee beans and just a whiff of it from the stairway is enough to knock the air out from her lungs, there's a sharp twist in her stomach, and then she feels like she's spiralling into a black hole.

Feeling like her legs are about to give way, she leans against the handrail, and slumps onto the steps. Closing her eyes, she tries to breath through it, counting from one to ten, but she knows it won't stop because the offending scent is still lingering in the air.

"Ri Jeong-hyuk -ssi," she calls out. It's loud enough for him to hear in the kitchen and he's by her side in a jiffy. Worry crosses his features when he sees her burying her face with her knees drawn up to her chest.

"What's wrong?" Crouching next to her at eye level, he tries to take a peek at her.

"Everything," she's on the verge of crying. No matter how hard she's trying, she can't seem to get rid of the annoying lump at the back of her throat. Jeong-hyuk gives her a moment, looking at her warily while rubbing her back in small comforting circles.

She hates this. Hates that she feels weak and vulnerable. Hates that she's struggling to understand the surge of heightened emotions she's been experiencing for the past two weeks.

"Peanut doesn't like coffee," she blurts, and then she's sobbing, and Jeong-hyuk's heart breaks. Se-ri doesn't know why she's crying over such a small matter, but it's unbelievable that their child which she fiercely loves is robbing her of the one thing she can't live without.

Just last week, the scent of his cologne had sent her running to the washroom, and he had to send his clothes to the laundry service, had to run himself under the shower multiple times to ensure the scent had completely disappeared.

"Ah, okay," she hears him breathe out a sigh of relief, and the tension in her recedes. It's one of the things she loves about him - not making a big deal out of everything. "It's okay, I'll just throw it away," he's about to get up to rid of the coffee but she stops him.

"No—it's fine, I think—I can just—drink it without smelling it," looking up at him with tears clinging to her eyelashes, she tells him the most ridiculous thing that he's going to hear for the day.

"And how are you going to do that?" he frowns.

"I'll just—pinch my nose?" she smiles weakly. She's desperate.

And then he's throwing his head back with a full on laughter. "Yoon Se-ri, you're ridiculous," he snorts, but stops when she leans against his shoulder, fisting her hands on his shirt, and he knows she's hit by another wave of nausea. Holding her tight, he hums in her ear, "I'll be right back," - his humming oddly settling on her stomach, though, the coffee has got to go.

When he comes back, she's leaning against the handrail for support, eyes shut, and she only stirs when she feels the tender touch of his palm on her face.

"Breakfast in bed?"

"Sounds great," she winces.

And now, in her second trimester, Jeong-hyuk catches her breaking down into tears over some sappy adult diapers advertisement on the television when he returns from a quick toilet break.