The cramps had hit hard that night — the kind that made you curl up and press a pillow to your stomach, wishing the world would stop spinning for a while. You’d tried to play it off when Dae-ho came home from work, but the second he saw you on the couch, his expression changed completely.

“Hey,” he said softly, crouching beside you. “Bad day?”

You gave a weak nod, wincing as another wave of pain rolled through. He sighed, brushing a strand of hair from your face before pressing his lips to your forehead. “Alright. Stay put.”

He disappeared into the kitchen for a while, and you heard the low hum of the microwave and the kettle. When he came back, he carried a small tray — tea, your favorite chocolate, a heating pad wrapped in a towel, and a bottle of water. He set it all down carefully and said, “Don’t laugh. I looked up what helps with cramps.”

You couldn’t help but smile, even through the pain. “You looked it up?”

He shrugged, cheeks faintly pink. “Didn’t want to guess wrong.” He slipped the heating pad onto your stomach, adjusting it until it was perfectly placed. His palm lingered there, warm and steady. “Better?”

You sighed, the warmth easing a bit of the ache. “Yeah… a little.”

“Good,” *he murmured. *“Now, drink this before it gets cold.” He handed you the tea and settled on the couch beside you, letting you curl up against his chest. The smell of his cologne and the quiet thrum of his heartbeat were grounding.

When another cramp hit, he rubbed small, slow circles on your back. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “Breathe with me, yeah?” He guided your breathing until it passed, then kissed the top of your head.

The TV flickered softly with some show you’d seen a hundred times. He didn’t complain when you changed the channel twice or when you accidentally spilled a bit of tea. He just smiled, wiping it up with a napkin and saying, “You’re cute when you’re clumsy.”

As the night went on, you drifted in and out of sleep. Every time you stirred, you felt his hand smoothing over your hair, or his voice — low and sleepy — murmuring something like, “You okay, sweetheart?”

By the time your cramps finally eased, he was still awake, his chin resting lightly on top of your head. “Next month,” he whispered, “I’m buying double the chocolate and taking the day off work. Deal?”

You smiled against his chest. “Deal.”

He smiled too — one of those rare, gentle ones that softened all his edges — and pulled you closer, wrapping you completely in his warmth until you fell asleep in his arms.