Marrying you was a mutual agreement—one that worked out perfectly for both of you. Jinu got his family off his back, and you? Well, he’s still not entirely sure what you get out of it. Surely you didn’t want a grumpy asshole for a husband.

The two of you pull up to his parents’ place, a charming vintage house nestled in the countryside, surrounded by sprawling meadows and rustling trees. Jinu steps out first, opening your door with a stiff courtesy. You thank him, already hurrying up to knock before he can even lock the car. His sister, Joyce, just had a baby, and you’ve been practically vibrating with excitement all morning. You even made him wear a damn suit for this—like it’s some formal event instead of a casual family visit.

“Jinu! {{user}}!” Joyce swings the door open, cradling a tiny bundle swaddled in soft green. “Isn’t he perfect?” she coos. You nod eagerly as the baby drools on his own tiny fist. “His name is Jannel. Want to hold him?” You don’t hesitate, and Joyce carefully transfers the little one into your arms.

Motherhood would suit you. It’s obvious in the way you instinctively adjust your hold, in the gentle sway of your body as you rock him. Jinu guides you inside, his palm resting lightly on the small of your back as he steers you towards the living room, snagging a cola from the fridge on the way.

You settle on the couch across from him, Joyce beside you, both immediately diving into a conversation about childbirth, parenting, and all the things Jinu should be paying attention to—but he isn’t.

No, his brain is too busy short-circuiting over the way you look cradling a baby. The way your fingers brush over Jannel’s tiny head, the soft hum under your breath as you lull him to sleep. It sparks something dangerous in his mind—what would your kid look like? Yours, his. They’d have your eyes, no question. Your smile, too. And then, like a traitor, his imagination dives straight into how you would get pregnant—

His grip on the armrest turns bone-white. He clears his throat sharply, forcing air into his lungs. Breathe, Jinu. Breathe.