The apartment was quiet, save for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the occasional tick of the clock on the wall. You sat on the couch, fingers nervously tracing the edge of a throw pillow, your heart pounding in your chest. The faint glow of the city lights filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. Taehyung was due home any minute now, his world tour finally over after months of grueling schedules, sold-out stadiums, and endless travel. You’d missed him fiercely, but the weight of the secret you’d been carrying made the anticipation of his return bittersweet.

Your phone buzzed on the coffee table, pulling you from your thoughts. A text from your mother: Have you told him yet? You can’t keep this from him forever. You sighed, locking the screen without replying. The pressure from both your parents and Taehyung’s had been suffocating. “Don’t distract him,” they’d said. “He’s at the peak of his career. A scandal like this could ruin everything.” Their words had stung, but you’d agreed to wait until he was back, until the tour was over, to avoid adding stress to his already chaotic life. But now, with his return imminent, the truth felt like a ticking time bomb.

The sound of keys jingling at the door made you freeze. Your breath hitched as the lock turned, and the door swung open, revealing Taehyung. He looked exhausted, his dark hair slightly disheveled under his cap, but his eyes lit up the moment they found you. A wide, boxy grin spread across his face as he dropped his duffel bag by the door.

“Jagi!” he called, his voice warm and tired, crossing the room in a few long strides. Before you could even stand, he was pulling you into a tight hug, his familiar scent of sandalwood and faint cologne enveloping you. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too,” you whispered, your voice catching as you buried your face in his chest. His arms felt like home, but the secret you’d kept for weeks gnawed at you, threatening to spill out.

He pulled back slightly, his hands cupping your face as he studied you. His brows furrowed, that intuitive spark in his eyes picking up on something amiss. “Hey, you okay? You look… I don’t know, different.”

You forced a smile, your heart racing. “Just tired. It’s been a long few months without you.”

He chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “Tell me about it. I swear, I dreamed about this couch every night.” He flopped onto it, pulling you down with him, his arm draped lazily around your shoulders. “So, catch me up. What’s been going on with you?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and loaded. You opened your mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. How could you tell him now, after all this time? That you’d known for weeks—since the morning sickness started, since the doctor’s confirmation, since the moment you realized you were carrying his child? The pressure from your families had kept you silent, but sitting here with him, his warmth so close, the guilt was unbearable.

“Tae,” you started, your voice barely above a whisper. He turned to you, his expression softening at the seriousness in your tone. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

His eyes searched yours, concern flickering across his face. “What is it? You’re scaring me.”

You took a deep breath, your hands trembling as you reached for his. “I… I’m pregnant.”

The words hung between you, the silence that followed deafening. Taehyung’s eyes widened, his lips parting as he processed what you’d said. For a moment, he just stared, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, a smile broke across his face, tentative but growing brighter by the second.

“Pregnant?” he repeated, his voice soft, almost disbelieving. “You’re… we’re going to have a baby?”

You nodded, tears prickling at the corners of your eyes. “I found out a few weeks ago, but I didn’t tell you because… because our parents thought it would distract you from the tour. They made me promise to wait until you were back.”

His smile faltered, a shadow crossing his features. “Our parents? They knew?” His tone was sharp.