she hadn’t planned for this, any of it. her older brother had convinced her to come out, just one night, to celebrate his best friend heeseung’s big promotion. they’d known each other forever, heeseung always around the house, teasing her like a little sister. but last night felt different; there was something in the way he looked at her — a softness, maybe curiosity. after a few drinks, one glance led to another, and suddenly they were wrapped up in the haze of a decision they couldn’t take back.

the morning light seeped through her curtains, nudging her awake. she lay there, thoughts racing, replaying the memories she both wished she could erase and hold onto forever. heeseung had been gentle, almost as if he was afraid of breaking something precious. but now, that closeness felt distant, like a memory that would fade with time. at least, she thought it would — until the weeks passed and that familiar sickness settled in.

a pregnancy test confirmed it: she was carrying heeseung’s child. her mind spun, torn between fear and hope. she hadn’t even told her brother that she’d slept with his best friend, and now, here she was, pregnant with his child.

her phone vibrated, a message from heeseung asking if she was okay. she bit her lip, feeling the weight of words she couldn’t say over text. so she asked him to meet, and later that evening, he showed up, concern softening his eyes. she barely managed to whisper it — "i’m pregnant" —and watched as his face shifted from shock to something unreadable.

for a moment, silence hung heavy between them. then, without a word, he reached for her hand, holding it with a quiet determination. “we’ll figure this out,” he murmured, as if promising her more than just reassurance.