3.2

Wonwoo and Areum sat side by side in the living room, their hands tightly clasped together. Their parents sat across from them, oblivious the life-changing news they were about to hear. Areum's mother had just finished pouring tea, while Wonwoo's father chatted about their graduation party from the night before.

Areum's heart pounded so loudly she was sure the entire room could hear it. She glanced at Wonwoo, who gave her a reassuring squeeze. They had talked about this all night—how to say it, how to handle their parents' reactions—but now that the moment was here, her throat felt dry.

"Mom, dad..." Areum's voice wavered slightly. "There's something we need to tell you."

Her father, who had been mid-sip of his tea, lowered his cup and looked at her curiously. Wonwoo's mother raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?" Her mother asked.

Wonwoo took a deep breath and decided to take the lead. "Areum and I... we're having a baby."

Silence.

The room felt like it had frozen in time. The ticking of the clock on the wall was suddenly deafening. Areum watched as her mother's expression shifted from surprise, to confusion, while her father's jaw tensed. Wonwoo's parents exchanged glances, their reactions unreadable.

Then, Areum's mother let out a breathless laugh—one that sounded more like disbelief than amusement. "A baby?" She echoed. "Wait, you're joking, right?"

Areum shook her head. "No, mom. I'm really pregnant."

Wonwoo's father leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "How far along are you?"

"Almost two months," Areum admitted.

Her father exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face. "You're both just kids. You just graduated! Do you understand how much responsibility this is?" And then he pointed at Wonwoo. "And you. Didn't we tell you to keep your hands to yourself?"

"I'm sorry." Wonwoo lowered his head. "But we do know how much responsibility this is. We know this wasn't planned, but we're ready to take responsibility. We're not running away from this."

Areum's mother pressed a hand to her forehead, looking overwhelmed. "How do you expect to raise a child when you haven't even started your adult lives yet? Do you even have a plan?"

"We're working on one," Areum said quickly. "We know it's not going to be easy, but we love each other, and we love this baby. We'll figure it out."

Wonwoo's mother, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. Her voice was softer than the others. "Are you scared?" She asked, looking directly at Areum.

Areum swallowed hard. "Terrified."

Her mother's expression softened. "At least you're honest about it."

Wonwoo's father sighed. "Look, I won't lie. This is a shock. This isn't the life we imagined for you so soon. But what's done is done."

Areum's father crossed his arms. "And how are you planning to support a child? Do you even have jobs lined up?"

Wonwoo nodded. "I've been looking. I'll do whatever it takes to take care of Areum and the baby."

Areum's mother shook her head. "This is a lot to take in."

Areum felt tears sting her eyes. "I know we disappointed you, but please... please don't hate us."

Her father's expression softened at that, and after a long pause, he let out a sigh. "We could never hate you, Areum. You're our daughter."

Areum's mother finally reached across the table and took her daughter's hand. "We're just worried. We want the best for you."

Wonwoo's mother nodded. "This won't be easy, but if you two are serious about this, we'll support you."

Relief flooded through Areum, and she let out a shaky breath. Wonwoo squeezed her hand, his own eyes glistening.

"We'll do our best," he promised.

Areum's father sighed again, then finally gave them a small, tired smile. "You'd better."

And just like that, their biggest fear—losing their families' support—melted away.

A few days after telling their parents, Wonwoo and Areum knew they had to tell their friends. They decided to meet at the park. When they arrived, their group of friends were already there, sipping on iced coffees.

"There they are!" Mingyu grinned, waving them over. "Took you two long enough."

"We were starting to think you ditched us," Seungkwan added, raising an eyebrow. "What's up?"

Wonwoo and Areum exchanged a glance before taking their seats. Areum's hands were already clammy.

"We actually have something important to tell you guys," Wonwoo said, his voice steady, but Areum could feel the tension in his grip under the table.

Jun leaned in, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Wait, you're not moving away, are you?"

"Or joining a cult?" Vernon deadpanned.

Seungkwan gasped. "Oh no, you're moving! You can't, we made a promise! We're going to college together!"

Areum let out a nervous laugh. "No, no. It's none of that!" She took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

Silence.

That seemed to be everyone's reaction.

Vernon blinked. Mingyu's mouth actually fell open. Seungkwan choked on his coffee. Jun's eyes widened.

"Wait, what?" Mingyu finally spoke, his voice slightly higher than usual.

"Like... a baby?" Seungkwan sputtered. "A real, human baby?"

Areum nodded. "Yeah."

"Wow." Vernon ran a hand through his hair. "That's... big news."

"No kidding," Jun muttered. "I don't even know what to say."

Mingyu groaned, rubbing his temples. "Dude, Wonwoo. What happens to the whole 'I'm gonna focus on my career first' plan?"

"I didn't exactly plan for this to happen," Wonwoo said. "But it did, and we're stepping up."

"Damn." Seungkwan exhaled, still looking stunned. "This is insane. We were literally just celebrating graduation, and now you're telling us you're going to be parents?"

"Trust me, no one's more shocked than us," Areum admitted.

Jun shrugged. "Well, I mean... if anyone can handle something this wild, it's you two."

Areum blinked. "You think so?"

He nodded. "Look, we've seen you guys go through everything together. If you say you're serious about this, then I believe you'll figure it out."

Vernon, who had been quiet, suddenly nodded. "Same. It's a lot, but you guys have always had each other's backs. And you've got ours too."

Seungkwan groaned dramatically. "Ugh, now I feel bad for freaking out. You know I love you guys, right?"

Mingyu sighed, rubbing his face before looking up. "Yeah, it's a shock... but I know you two can handle it."

Areum's chest loosened with relief. She hadn't even realized how much she needed their support until now. "Thank you, guys. Really."

Mingyu huffed. "Whatever. But just so you know, I'm not babysitting until the baby's old enough to not puke on me."

Seungkwan gasped. "Oh my God, I'm going to be an amazing uncle!"

Vernon smirked. "Not if I take the title first."

Jun raised an eyebrow. "Please! I was supportive first. Clearly, I'm the best uncle."

Areum laughed, warmth filling her heart. She turned to Wonwoo, her heart still racing, but this time, it wasn't out of fear. It was relief. Their parents knew. Their friends knew. And despite the initial shock, no one had turned their backs on them. They weren't alone.

Wonwoo was already looking at her, a smile tugging at his lips, his dark eyes full of something that made Areum's breath catch. Without thinking, she leaned in, and he met her halfway.

The kiss was soft, unhurried, just a quiet moment of reassurance between them. His hand found her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin, and Areum melted into him, feeling the weight of everything they had been holding in finally start to lift.

When they pulled away, Wonwoo rested his forehead against hers, their breaths mingling. "We're really doing this," he murmured.

Areum nodded, a small, determined smile on her lips. "Yeah, we are."

Behind them, their friends groaned in exaggerated disgust.

"Okay, lovebirds, we get it," Seungkwan whined. "No need to rub it in."

"Yeah, seriously," Mingyu added. "Let's not make it weird."

Areum laughed, leaning her head against Wonwoo's shoulder as he let out a quiet chuckle.

"Guess we should start preparing for all of this," Wonwoo said after a moment, his voice softer, meant just for her.

Areum exhaled, but this time, there was no fear in it. "Yeah. But at least we won't have to do it alone."

Wonwoo squeezed her hand. "Never."

And as their friends continued to bicker over who would be the best uncle, Areum closed her eyes just for a moment, letting herself believe, that no matter what came next, they were going to be okay.

She was about to start a new life with her best friend, the love of her life. She knew everything was going to be okay.