[m] part 3. hansol's dilemma | chwe hansol
Author: bratzkoo Pairing: chwe hansol x female! oc Genre: smut, fluff, angst Rating: R18 Word count: 6.1k~ Warnings/note: sex as pregnancy craving, childhood bedroom sex (???), car sex. Hansol is a pick me dude sometimes, like a himbo except he's smart. i cried writing this, it's posting this vs never posting it because i want to edit it 10928348390x 4th installment of say the name series summary: after a one night stand during mingyu's wedding, hansol found himself trying to navigate co-parenting with Alexys, his baby mama.
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Four weeks after the ultrasound
It had started as a practical arrangement.
Alexys needed someone to carry things. Hansol had offered. It was purely logical.
That's what he told himself, anyway, as he pushed the cart through the supermarket behind her while she studied the back of a prenatal vitamin bottle with the intensity of someone defusing a bomb.
"This one has more DHA," she said, not looking up.
"Is that good?"
"For brain development, yes. But this other one has more folate." She held both up side by side. "Why can't they just make one that has everything?"
"Because then you'd only have to buy one bottle and they'd make less money."
She looked at him. "That's genuinely cynical."
"That's genuinely true."
She put both bottles in the cart anyway. "I'll ask the doctor which one to prioritize at the next appointment."
"Or," Hansol said, "you take one in the morning and one at night and cover all your bases."
A pause. She looked at him again, differently this time. "That's actually smart."
"I have my moments."
She smiled — small, almost surprised, like she hadn't quite expected to enjoy his company today — and turned back to the shelves.
Hansol pushed the cart forward and said nothing. He was getting used to these small victories. The moments when she'd lower her guard just slightly, and he'd catch a glimpse of something warmer underneath all the careful, controlled practicality she'd built around herself since finding out she was pregnant.
They moved through the aisles slowly. She paused at the crackers — for the nausea, still — and at the ginger tea, and at a display of baby food that technically they didn't need for another six months, but which she stood in front of for a long moment anyway.
"We don't need that yet," Hansol pointed out.
"I know."
She didn't move.
He stood beside her, looking at the tiny jars. Pureed peas. Mashed sweet potato. Apple and pear.
"She'll have opinions," Alexys said quietly. "About what she likes and doesn't like. And we won't know any of them yet. We'll have to learn them."
"That's the fun part."
"What if we get it wrong?"
"We'll try something else. She'll tell us." He paused. "Loudly, probably. At 2 AM."
Alexys laughed — a real one, unexpected, startled out of her — and the sound hit Hansol somewhere in the chest.
Oh, he thought, with a calm clarity that was almost alarming. I'm in trouble.
He had been for a while, if he was being honest. He just hadn't let himself look at it directly until now, standing in the baby food aisle of a supermarket on a Tuesday evening with a woman he'd known for less than three months.
She was already moving on toward the checkout.
Hansol followed, pushing the cart, and didn't say anything at all.
A day after, Hansol invited Alexys to dinner at Mingyu and Ela’s.
“They want to meet you properly,” he explained. “Not drunk at a wedding. Actually meet you.”
“As the woman having your baby?”
“As the woman I’m co-parenting with. And…” He hesitated. “As someone important to me.”
Alexys looked surprised. “Important?”
“We’re having a baby together. That makes you important. Obviously.”
“Right. Obviously.”
But something in his expression suggested he meant more than that.
At Mingyu and Ela’s apartment, Wonwoo and Anna were already there, along with Seungcheol and Keannah.
“Alexys!” Ela hugged her immediately. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. The nausea’s finally easing up.”
“Second trimester perks,” Anna said, smiling. “I’m Anna, by the way, we met at the wedding briefly. I’m Wonwoo’s girlfriend.”
“And I’m Keannah. Seungcheol’s wife. We met briefly at the wedding as well.”
“Right, you’re a nurse too.”
“Pediatrics. If you have any questions about baby stuff, I’m happy to help.”
Mingyu appeared with drinks—wine for everyone else, sparkling water for Alexys.
“So,” he said, grinning. “Hansol. A dad. Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Shut up,” Hansol muttered, his arm going protectively around Alexys’s shoulders.
“I think it’s sweet,” Ela said. “You two are handling this really maturely. I was planning to murder Hansol if he ever hurt Alexys.” Hansol grinned.
“We’re trying,” Alexys said. “It’s still surreal.”
“When are you due?” Keannah asked.
“March ninth. I’m fourteen weeks now.”
“Are you finding out the gender?”
“We haven’t decided yet.” Alexys glanced at Hansol. “What do you think?”
“I kind of want to be surprised,” he admitted. “But if you want to know, we can find out.”
“Let’s be surprised. It’ll be more exciting.”
Their friends exchanged knowing looks.
“What?” Hansol demanded.
“Nothing,” Mingyu said innocently. “Just… you two seem very in sync for people who barely know each other.”
“We’ve been spending a lot of time together.”
“Clearly.”
After dinner, Ela pulled Alexys aside while the guys were in the living room.
“How are you really doing?” she asked. “Not just physically. Emotionally.”
“Honestly? Better than I expected. Hansol’s been amazing. Supportive, present, genuinely trying.”
“And how do you feel about him?”
“I don’t know. We’re not dating. We’re just… co-parenting.”
“Alexys. The man looks at you like you hung the moon.”
“He looks at me like I’m carrying his baby. It’s different.”
“Is it? Because from where I’m standing, there’s something there. Something more than just parenting partnership.”
Alexys bit her lip. “Even if there is, it’s complicated. We’re having a baby together. What if we try dating and it doesn’t work out? Then we’re stuck co-parenting while heartbroken.”
“Or,” Ela said gently, “you try dating and it does work out. And you build something real. For you, for him, and for your baby.”
“That’s terrifying.”
“The best things usually are.”
In the living room, Mingyu was giving Hansol a similar talk.
“So when are you going to actually ask her out?” he said.
“Ask who out?”
“Alexys. Don’t play dumb.”
“We’re not—it’s complicated.”
“It’s only complicated if you make it complicated.”
“We’re having a baby together, Mingyu. That’s literally the definition of complicated.”
“You like her. She clearly likes you. You’re already building a life together. Why not make it official?”
“Because what if it doesn’t work out? Then we’re co-parenting while broken up. That’s worse for the baby.”
“Or,” Wonwoo interjected, “you’re building resentment by not being honest about your feelings. That’s worse for everyone.”
Hansol looked at Alexys across the room, laughing at something Keannah said, her hand unconsciously resting on her small bump.
Beautiful. She was so beautiful.
And terrifying.
And carrying his child.
“I don’t know how to do this,” he admitted.
“None of us do,” Seungcheol said. “But you figure it out as you go. Trust me, I almost let Keannah slip away because I was scared. Don’t make my mistake.”
“So what do I do?”
“Tell her how you feel,” Mingyu said. “Take the risk. The worst she can say is no.”
“The worst she can say is no and then we have to co-parent awkwardly for the rest of our lives.” Mingyu, Wonwoo, and Seungcheol stared at Hansol for awhile before deciding not say anything. Just as dessert was being served, the doorbell rang.
“That’s probably Jia and Joshua,” Ela said, standing up. “They texted that they were running late.”
She opened the door to reveal Jia, very visibly seven months pregnant, with Joshua hovering protectively behind her.
“Sorry we’re late!” Jia said, waddling in. “Someone—” she glared at Joshua, “—insisted we couldn’t leave until he’d packed twenty five different snacks for a dinner at someone else’s house.”
“You’re eating for two,” Joshua defended. “What if Ela didn’t have the right cravings food?”
“Ela has an entire refrigerator of food.”
“But what if—”
“Guys,” Mingyu interrupted, laughing. “Come in. Sit down before Jia’s feet explode.”
Jia gratefully sank into a chair, and that’s when she noticed Alexys.
“Oh my god, ALEXYS!” She looked at the small bump, then at Hansol, then back at Alexys. “You’re PREGNANT?!”
“Surprise?” Alexys said weakly.
“When? How? Wait—” Jia’s eyes widened. “The wedding. Oh my GOD, the wedding!”
“Jia,” Ela warned.
“You two disappeared at the same time and I thought—but then I figured I was imagining—but you actually—” She started laughing. “This is amazing. We’re pregnancy buddies!”
Alexys couldn’t help but smile. “I’m only fourteen weeks. You’re way ahead of me.”
“Seven months,” Jia confirmed, rubbing her belly. “This little girl is going to be a soccer player. She kicks constantly.”
“Girl?” Keannah asked. “You found out?”
“Yeah. Joshua couldn’t handle the suspense.” Jia looked at Alexys and Hansol. “What about you two?”
“We’re waiting,” Hansol said, his hand finding Alexys’s under the table. “Want to be surprised.”
Joshua noticed the gesture and grinned. “So you two are together then?”
“We’re—” Hansol started.
“Co-parenting,” Alexys finished.
“Right. Co-parenting.” Joshua exchanged looks with Mingyu. “Very convincing.” The following week after the dinner
He was there the first time Hansol came to pick Alexys up for her fifteen-week appointment.
Hansol had knocked, was waiting in the hallway, and the door across from Alexys's opened. The man who stepped out was — objectively, irritatingly — very good-looking. Tall, with long dark hair pushed back from his face, wearing a loose grey sweater and carrying a paper bag that smelled like fresh bread.
"Oh," the man said, noticing Hansol. Then he smiled. Easy, unhurried, warm. "You must be Hansol."
Hansol blinked. "Yeah. How did you—"
"Alexys mentioned you." He shifted the bread bag to his other arm and extended a hand. "Jeonghan. I live across the hall."
"Right." Hansol shook it. "Hey."
The door opened and Alexys appeared, already reaching for her jacket. "Sorry, I couldn't find my—" She saw Jeonghan and relaxed. "Oh, you're back! How was Busan?"
"Wet. My mother fed me enough to last until March." He held up the foodie bag. "She sent you this. The Dongnae Pajeon you liked."
"She did not—" Alexys pressed a hand to her heart. "Tell her I love her."
"She already loves you more than she loves me, which is honestly a little hurtful." He passed her the bag with a grin. "How are you feeling? Better than last week?"
"Much better. The ginger tea is helping."
Hansol stood very still.
Last week. Ginger tea. He hadn't known she'd had a bad week. She hadn't told him. But she'd told her neighbor, apparently. The very good-looking neighbor who brought her Dongnae Pajeon from his mother in Busan and asked how she was feeling like it was a habit.
"Good," Jeonghan said, and his eyes briefly moved to Hansol with something that might have been mild amusement. "Appointment today?"
"Fifteen weeks," Alexys confirmed, pulling on her jacket. "Routine checkup."
"Good luck. Text me if you need anything." He lifted a hand at Hansol — a perfectly friendly, uncomplicated wave — and disappeared back into his apartment.
The door clicked shut.
Alexys turned to Hansol. "Ready?"
"Who is that?"
"Jeonghan? I just said, he lives across the hall." She frowned at his expression. "What?"
"Nothing." He picked up her bag from inside the door where she'd left it. "How long has he lived there?"
"About a year before me. He helped me move in. Why?"
"No reason."
She studied him for a moment. He kept his expression neutral.
"Okay," she said slowly, and let it go.
Hansol let it go too.
He was fine. He was totally fine.
He noticed more after that. He didn't mean to. It just happened.
The way Jeonghan's door would sometimes open when Hansol was arriving or leaving, just to check in. Need anything from the store, Alexys? I'm heading out. The way she'd smile at him with zero of the careful guardedness she still sometimes aimed at Hansol. The easy comfort of two people who'd built something quietly over time — familiarity, trust, the small vocabulary of neighbors who actually liked each other.
He was never anything but friendly to Hansol. Perfectly, genuinely, annoyingly friendly.
Which somehow made it worse.
It was easier to be irritated with someone who was trying to shut you out. Jeonghan wasn't doing that. He'd ask Hansol questions and actually listen to the answers. He'd hold the elevator. Once, when Hansol was struggling to carry a flatpack shelf up to Alexys's apartment — a shelf for the baby's room, something he'd offered to build — Jeonghan had appeared from nowhere and taken the other end without being asked.
"Where's it going?" he'd asked.
"Second bedroom. Nursery."
"I know where the nursery is." He said it without any particular edge, just fact. I've been here, too. "I helped her paint it."
Hansol had no response to that.
He built the shelf. Jeonghan had somewhere to be and said his goodbyes. And Hansol sat on the floor of the half-finished nursery afterward with a screwdriver and stared at the wall and tried to locate exactly what it was that was eating at him.
It wasn't distrust. Alexys was not a person who'd let something blurry sit undefined — he understood that about her already. If there were something between her and Jeonghan, it wouldn't be a secret and it would have already been addressed.
It was something else. Something smaller and more embarrassing.
He's been here. For the painting, for the bad weeks, for the bread from Busan. For the slow accumulation of daily life that Hansol had shown up to in the middle, heart-first, trying to catch up.
He was jealous of the time.
He didn't say any of this out loud.
Two weeks later - Hansol’s apartment
Hansol had invited Alexys over to discuss nursery plans. They’d been looking at cribs online, debating colors (Alexys wanted soft yellow, Hansol thought mint green was more versatile), when suddenly Alexys went quiet.
“You okay?” he asked.
She was staring at him. Really staring. Her eyes had gone dark, pupils dilated, and she was biting her lower lip.
“Alexys?”
“I need—” She shifted closer on the couch. “I need you.”
“Need me to what? Get you something? Water? A snack?”
“No. I need you.” Her hand slid up his thigh. “Now.”
Hansol’s brain immediately short-circuited. Words. What were words? His mouth opened but nothing came out. His entire nervous system was currently occupied with the feeling of her hand on his thigh and the way she was looking at him like—like—
“What?” he finally managed, eloquent as ever.
“The baby books said this might happen. Second trimester hormones. Increased libido.” She moved to straddle him. “I’ve been thinking about you all day. About that night on the villa. About your hands, your mouth, the way you—”
“Alexys, wait—” He grabbed her hips, trying to maintain control even as his body responded enthusiastically. Every single thought in his head scattered like dropped marbles. Wait. Focus. What was I—oh god she’s warm—no, focus—say something coherent— “We can’t just—we should talk about this—”
“I don’t want to talk.” She kissed his neck. “I want you inside me.”
Hansol made a sound that was definitely not dignified. His grip tightened on her hips involuntarily. Okay. Words. Form words. Be responsible. You can do this. Except she just—oh my god—no no no, focus—
“This is the hormones talking,” he said, though it came out strangled.
“I don’t care. Please, Hansol. I’m going crazy. I can’t stop thinking about you touching me.”
Don’t think about touching her. Too late. Already thinking about it. Abort. ABORT.
Every ounce of his self-control was being tested. She was warm and soft in his lap, her bump pressing against him, her lips on his neck, and he wanted—
God, he wanted.
His brain was currently playing a highlight reel of that night on the beach on loop while simultaneously trying to remember how to form sentences and also screaming at him to do something, anything, but his hands seemed to have forgotten how to function beyond just gripping her hips like a lifeline.
But this wasn’t right. They weren’t together. This was pregnancy hormones, not actual desire for him.
“Alexys.” He somehow found the willpower to gently move her off his lap, immediately missing the contact. His hands were shaking. His entire body was shaking. Stupid noble decision. Why am I like this. “I can’t. Not like this.”
She looked at him with wounded eyes. “You don’t want me?”
“I—what? No! I mean yes! I mean—” Breathe. String words together like a functional human. “I want you so much I can barely think straight.” Understatement of the century. “But not because hormones are making you need physical contact. When we do this again—if we do this again—I want it to be because you actually want me. Not because your body is flooded with pregnancy hormones.”
Alexys’s eyes filled with tears—another hormone symptom. “I do want you.”
“You want relief. That’s different.” Keep talking. Sound reasonable. Don’t look at her lips. Too late.
“You’re rejecting me.”
“I’m not—Alexys, please don’t cry—” Panic mode activated. Why is she crying. What do I do. Say something better.
“I’m huge and hormonal and you don’t want me—”
“You’re beautiful and I want you desperately and this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done—” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, needed something to do with them that wasn’t touching her. “I’m trying to be respectful here.”
She wiped her eyes. “What if I said I’ve been thinking about you even before the hormones? What if I said that night on the beach wasn’t just drunken sex for me? That I’ve been replaying it for months?”
Hansol’s breath caught. His brain stuttered to a complete halt. “Have you?”
“Yes. And now I’m pregnant with your baby and you’re being so perfect and supportive and all I can think about is getting you naked.”
Oh god oh god oh god— “Alexys…”
She stood up, swaying slightly. “I should go. I’m sorry. This is embarrassing.”
“Don’t go.” He stood too, catching her hand before his brain could catch up with his mouth. “Stay. We can watch a movie or something. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
“That’s not what I want.”
Me neither, his brain supplied helpfully. “I know. But it’s what you need. Trust me.”
She looked at him for a long moment, then sighed. “Fine. But if I spontaneously combust from sexual frustration, it’s your fault.”
“I’ll take that risk.” While also spontaneously combusting. Together.
The next day
Alexys: I’m sorry about yesterday. The hormones are making me crazy.
Hansol: Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault.
Alexys: Still. I basically threw myself at you.
Hansol: And I wanted to catch you. But I want to do this right.
Alexys: Do what right?
Hansol: Us. If there’s going to be an us.
Alexys: Is there going to be an us?
Hansol: I’d like there to be. When you’re ready. When it’s not just hormones.
Alexys: What if it’s not just hormones? What if I genuinely want you?
Hansol: Then we’ll talk about it. After the hormone surge passes.
Alexys: You have incredible self-control.
Hansol: You have no idea how much this is killing me.
Alexys: Good. Suffer with me.
Hansol: 😂😂😂
Alexys: But seriously. Thank you. For being respectful.
Hansol: Always.
One week later - Alexys’s apartment
The cravings hadn’t stopped.
If anything, they’d gotten worse.
Alexys found herself staring at Hansol constantly. During their childbirth class (which was mortifying—she’d spent the entire session imagining him naked instead of listening to breathing techniques), at lunch, during their evening walks.
The man was walking temptation.
And he knew it.
She caught him watching her too. The way his eyes darkened when she licked her lips. How his hands clenched when she stretched and her shirt rode up. The tension was suffocating.
They were having dinner at her place—something that had become routine—when Alexys decided enough was enough.
She was eighteen weeks pregnant, hormonal beyond reason, and sitting across from the most attractive man she’d ever met who also happened to be the father of her child.
And he wanted her too. She could see it in every look, every careful touch, every time he stopped himself from kissing her.
“Hansol,” she said, setting down her fork.
“Yeah?”
“I’m not going to spontaneously stop wanting you. The hormones last the entire pregnancy.”
“I know.”
“And you’re not going to suddenly become less attractive to me.”
“Okay?”
“So this self-control thing you’re doing? It’s admirable. Really. But it’s also driving me insane.”
He swallowed hard. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I want you. Not because of hormones—though they’re definitely not helping. But because I like you. I like spending time with you. I like how you make me laugh, how you rub my feet when they hurt, how you’ve been to every appointment and read all the baby books.” She stood up, walking around the table to him. “I like you, Hansol Chwe. A lot. And I want you.”
“Alexys—” His voice cracked slightly.
She straddled him in the chair, and this time she didn’t stop. She kissed him, deep and demanding, pouring weeks of frustration into it.
For a moment he froze. Then his control snapped.
His hands gripped her hips, pulling her closer, kissing her back with equal desperation. “Are you sure?” he managed between kisses, his voice rough. “Really sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
“Thank god.”
He stood, lifting her with him, and carried her to the bedroom.
“I’ve been thinking about this,” he admitted, laying her on the bed. His hands were trembling again. “Every night. Imagining touching you, tasting you, making you fall apart.”
“Then stop imagining and do it.”
He did.
Slowly, reverently, he undressed her, his hands shaking slightly as he revealed her changing body. Every button took twice as long because his fingers kept fumbling and his brain was currently offline, replaced entirely by want and need and oh my god this is actually happening.
“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed, his hand on her small bump. “Both of you.”
“Hansol—”
“I mean it. You’re gorgeous. Pregnancy makes you glow.”
“That’s sweat. I’m always hot now.”
He laughed and kissed her stomach. “Still gorgeous.”
Then his mouth moved lower, and Alexys stopped thinking altogether.
He took his time, learning her body all over again—different now, more sensitive, responsive in new ways. Every touch was deliberate, every kiss purposeful, even though his hands kept shaking and his brain kept short-circuiting every time she made a sound.
“Please,” she finally begged. “I need you inside me.”
His brain completely blanked. Just static. Pure static. “Patience,” he somehow managed to say.
“I’ve been patient for weeks!”
“And I’m making it worth the wait.” If I can remember how anything works. Focus. You’ve got this. Except she just—oh god—
He wasn’t lying.
By the time he finally entered her—careful, gentle, watching her face for any discomfort—Alexys was already trembling.
“Okay?” he asked, staying still, which took every ounce of concentration he possessed.
“More than okay. Move. Please move.”
He did, setting a slow, deep rhythm that had both of them gasping.
“I’ve thought about this,” he admitted, his forehead pressed to hers. Words were happening. He was proud of that. “Since that night on the beach. The way you felt, the sounds you made. I wanted to do it again sober. Wanted to remember every detail.”
“Are you remembering now?”
“Every second.” His hand slid between them. Multitasking. Who knew I could multitask. “Let me make you come. Want to feel you.”
“Hansol—oh god—”
“That’s it. Let go for me.”
She did, crying out his name, and he followed moments later with a groan, his entire nervous system lighting up like fireworks.
Afterward, they lay together, catching their breath. Hansol’s brain was slowly coming back online, thoughts returning one by one.
“So,” Hansol said eventually. “Does this mean we’re together? Like, actually together?”
Alexys laughed. “I think having sex while I’m pregnant with your baby implies we’re together, yes.”
“I wanted to make sure. Didn’t want to assume.”
She turned to face him. “I like you, Hansol. This isn’t just about the baby or hormones. I genuinely want to be with you.”
“I like you too. Have for a while now. Was just waiting for the right moment to say it.”
“After weeks of sexual tension?”
“I have excellent timing.”
“You really don’t.”
He kissed her, smiling. “But you love it anyway.”
“I might.”
“Might?”
“Okay, I do. But don’t let it go to your head.”
“Too late.”
Two weeks later - Twenty-week anatomy scan
They arrived at the clinic hand in hand, officially together for two weeks now and still in the honeymoon phase of constantly touching each other.
At the check-in desk, the receptionist smiled at them. “Name?”
“Alexys Park,” Alexys said. “I have a twenty-week anatomy scan.”
“Perfect. And you are?” She looked at Hansol.
“Oh, I’m the boyfriend. Hansol Chwe.”
The word tumbled out before he could stop it.
Boyfriend.
He’d said boyfriend.
Alexys turned to stare at him, eyes wide.
The receptionist didn’t notice the tension. “Great! Just have a seat and we’ll call you in a few minutes.”
They sat down, and Alexys immediately whispered, “Boyfriend?”
“I—that just came out. I wasn’t thinking. We haven’t talked about labels and I shouldn’t have assumed—”
“Hansol.”
“I’m sorry if that was too much too fast—”
“Hansol.”
“What?”
“I like it. Boyfriend. It sounds good.”
His eyes widened. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. Though it’s a little weird calling you my boyfriend when I’m pregnant with your baby.”
“What would you prefer? Baby daddy? Father of my child? The guy I’m sleeping with?”
She laughed. “Boyfriend works. Even if we’re doing this whole thing backward.”
“We’re good at backward.” He took her hand. “So… girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend,” she confirmed, smiling.
Then the reality of the appointment hit her. “God, what if something’s wrong? What if the scan shows—”
“It won’t.”
“You can’t know that.”
“You’re right. But I’m choosing optimism. And whatever happens, we face it together. As boyfriend and girlfriend. Okay?”
“Okay.”
The scan was perfect.
The baby was healthy, growing right on track, all organs developing properly.
“Do you want to know the sex?” the technician asked.
Alexys and Hansol looked at each other.
“We said we wanted to be surprised,” Alexys said.
“But that was before…” Hansol trailed off.
“Before what?”
“Before this felt real. Before we were together.” He squeezed her hand. “I kind of want to know now. So we can plan. Decorate. Use the right pronouns.”
Alexys thought about it. “Okay. Let’s find out.”
The technician smiled. “Congratulations. You’re having a girl.”
A girl.
They were having a daughter.
Alexys burst into tears—hormones and emotion overwhelming her all at once.
“A girl,” she sobbed. “We’re having a girl and what if I’m a terrible mother? What if I don’t know what to do? What if she hates me?”
“Hey, hey.” Hansol pulled her into his arms, not caring that the technician was still in the room. “You’re going to be an amazing mother. And she’s going to love you.”
“You don’t know that!”
“I do. Because you’re already an amazing person. Caring, strong, brave. Our daughter is so lucky to have you.”
“What if I mess her up?”
“Then we’ll mess her up together. And love her through it.” He wiped her tears. “We’re a team, remember? You and me. Partners. In parenting and in life.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
She cried harder, and the technician quietly left them alone.
“I’m sorry,” Alexys hiccupped. “The hormones make me so emotional. Everything feels so big and overwhelming.”
“That’s okay. Cry as much as you need. I’m here.”
“You’re too perfect. It’s annoying.”
He laughed. “I’m really not. I’m terrified too. But we’ll figure it out.”
“A daughter.”
“A daughter,” he repeated, smiling. “Our little girl.”
Three weeks later - Twenty-three weeks pregnant
“Are you sure about this?” Alexys asked as they drove to Hansol’s parents’ house. “It’s so soon.”
“My mom’s been bugging me for weeks to bring you. And we can’t hide the pregnancy forever.”
“What if they hate me?”
“They won’t hate you.”
“What if they think I’m trapping you with a baby?”
“Alexys, we’re adults who made a choice together. They’ll understand that.” He reached over, squeezing her hand. “And even if they don’t, it doesn’t matter. You and our daughter are my priority now.”
“Still. Meeting the parents is scary.”
“You’ve got this. And I’ve got you.”
Hansol’s mother opened the door before they could knock, her face lighting up.
“Hansol! And you must be Alexys!” She pulled Alexys into a hug before she could respond. “I’m so happy to finally meet you! Come in, come in!”
Inside, Hansol’s father stood up from the couch, smiling warmly. “Welcome.”
They settled in the living room, and Hansol’s mother immediately zeroed in on Alexys’s bump.
“You’re pregnant!” she exclaimed. “Hansol didn’t mention—how far along?”
“Mom—” Hansol started.
“Twenty-three weeks,” Alexys said, her hand automatically going to her stomach. “We’re having a girl.”
His mother’s eyes filled with tears. “A granddaughter. Oh, this is wonderful!”
Hansol’s father looked at them seriously. “You two are together? In a relationship?”
“Yes,” Hansol said firmly, taking Alexys’s hand. “We are.”
“And you’re happy?”
“Very happy.”
His father’s stern expression broke into a smile. “Then congratulations. Both of you.”
“You’re not upset?” Alexys asked tentatively. “That we’re not married? That we barely know each other?”
“Are you planning to get married?” his mother asked.
Hansol and Alexys looked at each other. They hadn’t discussed that.
“Eventually,” Hansol said. “When it’s right. We want to build a solid foundation first.”
“Then that’s all that matters,” his father said. “You’re being responsible. Taking care of each other and the baby. That’s what’s important.”
Alexys felt tears prick her eyes—hormones again. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
“Of course, dear! Now, let me show you pictures of Hansol as a baby so you can see what your daughter might look like…”
Later, upstairs
His mother had insisted on showing Alexys his childhood bedroom, which was embarrassing but Alexys seemed charmed by the old posters and books.
“This is cute,” she said, looking at a photo of teenage Hansol. “You were adorable.”
“Was?”
“Still are.” She sat on his old bed. “Your parents are amazing. I was so worried they’d judge me.”
“They’re not judgmental people. They just want me to be happy.” He sat beside her. “And you make me happy.”
“Yeah?”
“Very much yeah.”
She kissed him, soft and sweet, and Hansol responded, his hand cupping her face.
The kiss deepened, and suddenly Alexys was pulling him closer, her hands working on his belt.
“Alexys,” he managed between kisses, his brain immediately going fuzzy. Wait. Parents. Downstairs. Think. Use your brain. Oh god her hands— “My parents are downstairs—”
“I don’t care. I want you. Now.”
Malfunction. Complete system malfunction. “The hormones again?”
“Hormones and the fact that you look really hot in your parents’ house and I have a weird fantasy about this.”
His brain tripped over itself trying to process that. “About what?”
“Sex in your childhood bedroom. Don’t ask me why. Pregnancy brain.”
He groaned. Don’t think about it. Too late. Already thinking about it. Why is thinking so hard right now? “You’re going to kill me.”
“Please?” She was already working his pants down. “Quick and quiet. They’ll never know.”
Quick and quiet. I can do quick and quiet. Probably. Maybe. Oh god— “This is such a bad idea.”
“The best bad idea.”
He gave in, because apparently his self-control only extended so far, and his brain had completely abandoned ship the moment she touched his belt.
They tried to be quiet—really tried. But Alexys was responsive and vocal and it was incredibly hot, and Hansol forgot to care about discretion, forgot about everything except her and the feeling of her around him and the little sounds she was making and—
Until footsteps sounded in the hallway.
They froze, half-dressed, eyes wide. Hansol’s brain came slamming back online in a panic.
A knock. “Hansol? I brought snacks—”
“Just a minute!” Hansol called, scrambling to pull his pants up, his hands shaking, his brain screaming ABORT ABORT ABORT while trying to remember how zippers worked.
Alexys was trying not to laugh, shoving her underwear under a pillow.
They made themselves presentable in record time, and Hansol opened the door to find his mother holding a plate of cut fruit, her expression carefully neutral.
“Snacks,” she said pleasantly. “In case you two were… hungry.”
“Thank you, Mom,” Hansol said, his face burning, his brain still not fully functional.
“Of course. Take your time.” She set the plate down and left, and Hansol could swear he saw her hiding a smile.
He closed the door and turned to find Alexys dying of silent laughter.
“Your mom definitely knows,” she wheezed.
“Oh my god.”
“She brought fruit! Cut fruit! That’s such a mom move!”
“I’m never going to live this down.”
“At least she likes me?”
“She gave you fruit after catching us having sex. I think she more than likes you.”
Chapter 12: Car Trouble
On the drive home
They’d made it exactly twenty minutes before Alexys’s hand started wandering.
“We are not doing this again,” Hansol said, trying to focus on the road. Eyes forward. Watch the road. Ignore her hand. Impossible.
“Why not? The car is private.”
“It’s moving. I’m driving.”
“Pull over.”
Don’t pull over. Be responsible. You can do this. Except— “Alexys—”
“Please? I can’t help it. The hormones are insane today and you look really good and I keep thinking about earlier—”
His brain completely stuttered. The car swerved slightly. Focus. Road. Driving. You’re operating a vehicle. This is important. But also she’s—no. Road. ROAD. “Oh god.” He pulled into a rest stop, parking in a dark corner. “Five minutes.”
“That’s all I need.”
She climbed into his lap, and he adjusted the seat back to accommodate her bump, his hands moving on autopilot while his brain tried to remember what day it was.
“This is insane,” he muttered even as his hands found her hips.
“Blame biology.”
They kissed desperately, hands everywhere, and Hansol was just starting to forget why this was a bad idea when Alexys gasped.
Not in a good way.
“Ow—”
His brain snapped back to attention. “What’s wrong?”
“Cramp. Stomach cramp.” She shifted off his lap, her hand on her belly.
Panic flooded through him, every thought crystallizing into sharp focus. “Is it the baby? Are you okay? Should we go to the hospital?”
“I don’t know—it just—ow—”
“Okay, okay. Deep breaths. We’re going to the hospital. Now.”
He drove faster than strictly legal, one hand on the wheel, the other holding Alexys’s as she breathed through the cramping, his brain now hyper-focused and terrified.
“It’s probably nothing,” she said, though she sounded scared. “Just round ligament pain or something.”
“We’re checking anyway. I’m not taking chances.”
Emergency Room - 11 PM
The doctor examined Alexys thoroughly, did an ultrasound, monitored the baby’s heartbeat.
“Everything looks fine,” she said finally. “Baby’s heartbeat is strong, no signs of preterm labor. You likely just pulled a muscle or experienced round ligament pain. Very common in second trimester, especially with… physical activity.”
She looked pointedly at their disheveled appearance.
Hansol wanted to die of embarrassment.
“So the baby’s okay?” Alexys asked.
“Perfectly fine. But I’d recommend taking it easy for the next few days. Gentle activity only.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
In the car - heading home for real this time
“No more car sex,” Hansol said.
“Agreed.”
“Or childhood bedroom sex.”
“That one’s debatable.”
“Alexys.”
“Fine, fine. Home sex only. Boring, responsible, pregnancy-safe home sex.”
“I can work with that.” He squeezed her hand. “You scared me tonight.”
“I scared myself. When the cramp hit, all I could think was—what if something’s wrong? What if I hurt the baby?”
“But you didn’t. She’s fine. You’re both fine.”
“This time. But Hansol, I’m so reckless. What kind of mother risks her baby for sex in a car?”
“Hey.” He pulled into her apartment complex and turned to face her. “You’re going to be an amazing mother. One scare doesn’t define you. And I’m the one who agreed to the car thing, remember? We’re learning together.”
“Together?”
“Always together.”
She leaned across the console to kiss him. “I love you.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Hansol’s eyes widened. His brain completely blanked again.
“I mean—I didn’t mean to just blurt that out—the hormones make me say things—”
“I love you too.” Did I just say that? I just said that. Oh god I said that out loud.
She stopped mid-ramble. “What?”
“I love you, Alexys Park. Have for a while now. Was just waiting for the right moment.”
“After a pregnancy scare in the ER?”
“Apparently that’s my right moment.”
She laughed through sudden tears. “We’re so backward.”
“The best kind of backward.” He kissed her again. “I love you. You, our daughter, all of it. This crazy, unexpected, perfect life we’re building.”
“I love you too. So much.”
