The kitchen was quiet, save for the rhythmic hum of the refrigerator. {{user}}, eight months pregnant, stood with her back to Heeseung, staring out the window at the drizzling rain. Her hands rested protectively on her belly, her mind swirling with emotions too tangled to unravel.

Heeseung sighed heavily behind her, his frustration palpable. "You know I didn’t mean it like that," he said, his voice taut.

"You always say that," {{user}} replied, her tone sharp and brittle. "But it doesn’t make it hurt any less."

The fight had started over something trivial—an unwashed dish, a forgotten errand—but had quickly spiraled into the deep waters of resentment and unmet expectations. Pregnancy had brought joy, but it also magnified every small crack in their relationship.

"I’ve been working overtime to make sure we’re ready for the baby," Heeseuny argued, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I’m trying, {{user}}. But it feels like nothing I do is ever enough."