Cursed Fate

Chapter 79- it hurts

(Y/N) POV:

It's one of those days.

My back aches- jolts of pain that shoot up my spine, I learn that my feet can't fit into one of my favourite pair of sneakers because they've swollen so much, I can't see my feet because of my belly, I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster ride of emotions- but one that keeps on going downhill and I've already spent the good half of the morning hugging the toilet bowl as if it's my raft saving me from the nauseous tilting motion of the world being swept out from under my feet.

Nothing seems to appeal to me- all the aromas of Jinnie oppa's and Yoongi oppa's efforts in cooking just making my stomach churn and I eye the coffee with a grimace- the scent failing to soothe me and instead makes my noise wrinkle at the taste.

I'm running late and just as I'm about to pull a pair of shoes out, back twinging in pain as I bend, Joonie oppa somehow manages to send the entire shoe-rack crashing to the ground- not only creating a jumble of shoes to rest at my feet but also ends up blocking my way to the door.

The laughter and exuberance of Tae, Minnie and Kookie is usually an inviting sound, coaxes a smile of my own out no matter what's happening or what time of day it is, but now just adds to the way my head throbs with pain- a headache building behind my temple. I rub furiously at my head as if it'll dislodge the pain but a grimace slips out and even Hobi oppa's calm soothing energy he rushes to placate me with doesn't help with its usual effectiveness- it just pushes my frustrations aside for the moment. But it does allow him to pluck a pair of shoes from the pile and help slip onto my feet, his hands gently guiding them in and tying the laces.

And when I finally manage to get out of the house Joonie calling an apology over my retreating back, Jinnie oppa appears at my side and offers to drive me to work- having taken a glance at the time and realised I was going to be late.

I slide gratefully into the passenger seat, Jinnie oppa courteously fixing my seatbelt and making sure it's not tight over my belly before we set off.

The drive however allows me to cool down. The soft calm presence of Jinnie oppa allowing my body to react to his, bond being soothed by the waves of positive emotions he pushes out. And when he stops me to press a long sweet kiss to my mouth, I melt under his touch- not minding at all that my meeting has probably already started.

I'm still dazed and love-struck as I step into the elevator, mouth tingling with the phantom weight of Jinnie oppa's plump lips, feeling as if they're still pressed together and it's with a smile on my face that I press the button to get to the highest floor.

And I think maybe it's not one of those days after all.

But when I step out and walk past a few men dressed in dark formal attire, my ears catch onto the tail-end of their conversation, mutterings about the meeting and how they think it'll be an easy win for them, that they'll be able to drown out anything the CEO of a webtoon company has to say.

And just like that, my anger begins to bubble, simmering away low in my gut. And those same men do a double-take when I stand up later and introduce myself, shock clear in their eyes. And when their eyes fall onto my rounded stomach, over which one of my hands are settled protectively, disdain colours their features- and it makes me bristle.

Not only did they assume the CEO would be a man but it's also clear that they don't believe a pregnant woman should be leading this meeting. So it's with blatant disrespect that they start muttering audibly between themselves as I speak, biting back my annoyance and irritation, throwing meaningless questions and snide remarks into the conversation when it steers to the Q&A aspect and eyes which clearly are challenging and misjudging as they linger over my stomach before making their way to my face.