Ye Jun

I threw the pillow at Si Woo’s head the second the words finished leaving his mouth. It hit him square in the chest and bounced onto the floor. "Whore around? Are you fucking kidding me right now?" I yelled, one hand on my bump and the other pointing at him like I could stab him with my finger. "Funny how you never complained when my mouth was full of your dick every other night, Si Woo. You’d grab my hair and tell me I was the best you ever had and now suddenly I’m some slut who got knocked up by the whole neighborhood? Fuck you. Fuck you so much."

My voice cracked halfway through and tears started spilling even though I was still pissed enough to want to hit him with something heavier. The baby kicked hard like he didn’t like the yelling and I rubbed the spot automatically, breathing fast. "Don’t you dare come near us. I swear if you take one step closer I’ll scream this building down."

Si Woo stood there with his hands up, face all twisted. "Ye Jun, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just angry and shit came out wrong. You know I didn’t actually think..."

"Wrong?" I cut him off and laughed even though nothing was funny. "You basically called me a walking cum dumpster and now you’re backpedaling because you see my face? Too late, asshole. I let you be the only one who ever fucked me raw. The only one. And this is what I get? After my ass is wrecked and my back kills me every day and I can’t even sleep without your kid using my ribs as a punching bag?"

I grabbed another pillow and hugged it to my chest instead of throwing it this time because my lower back twinged when I twisted too fast. Tears kept coming and I wiped them away angry. "You’re such a piece of shit. A jealous insecure piece of shit who can’t handle that I had a life before you decided to ruin my body."

He stepped closer anyway and I backed up until my legs hit the bed. "I’m sorry, okay? I’m really sorry. But you’ve been pushing and pushing all day, bringing up the doctor, acting like you need dick so bad you’d take anyone’s, and I just snapped. Doesn’t mean I actually believe the baby isn’t mine."

"Oh so now it’s my fault?" I snapped back, voice getting louder again. "I’m the pregnant one leaking and sore and stuck on stupid pelvic rest because you couldn’t control yourself yesterday and somehow I’m the one who needs to watch what I say? You’re unbelievable. Get out of my face before I really lose it."

We went back and forth like that for what felt like forever, me yelling and him trying to talk over me, both of us interrupting each other every two seconds. I called him every name I could think of idiot, dickhead, selfish prick, useless baby daddy and he kept saying sorry but then adding little excuses that just made me madder. The baby kept moving around like the arguing stressed him out and that only made my chest hurt worse.

Finally I couldn’t take being in the same room anymore. I pushed past him, wincing the whole way because my hips felt like they were splitting, and dragged the small duffel bag out from under the bed. "That’s it. I’m leaving for the night. I can’t look at you right now."

Si Woo followed me around the room. "You’re not leaving. You’re pregnant and it’s late and the doctor said take it easy."

I ignored him and started shoving clothes into the bag. It took forever because every time I bent down my belly got in the way and my back screamed at me. "Ow, fuck. This is your fault too. Everything’s your fault. Look at me, I can’t even pack a bag without wanting to cry because my body is broken thanks to you." I threw in some socks and then a hoodie that barely fit over my bump anymore. "I’m going somewhere I don’t have to listen to you question if this baby is yours after I gave you everything."

"You’re overreacting," he said, but his voice sounded less sure now. He tried to take the bag from me and I yanked it back so hard I almost lost balance.

"Overreacting? You doubled down, Si Woo. You said it and then you basically said it again with all that ’you used to whore around’ bullshit. I’m done. I’m leaving and maybe I’ll stay with someone who doesn’t think I’m disgusting now that I’m knocked up."

My phone lit up on the nightstand right then and started ringing. I grabbed it fast, not even checking who it was because anything was better than continuing this fight. Sunoo’s name flashed on the screen. I answered without thinking, still breathing hard from yelling. "What?"

Sunoo’s voice came through, sounding awkward but determined. "Hey, Ye Jun. I know we’re not exactly close and I don’t really like you that much, Look, Ohm is leaving. He’s going back to Thailand for good next week and he’s been talking about you a lot. You two were best friends before all this mess. I think it would be good if you guys bonded one last time before he goes. Can you meet up tomorrow? Just the three of us or whatever."

I wiped my face with the back of my hand and glanced at Si Woo who was already staring at me like he knew something was up. "Yeah. Yeah, I’ll go. Tell me the time and place."

Si Woo stepped closer, eyes narrowed. "Who is that? Who are you talking to?"

I turned away from him and kept talking to Sunoo. "Just send me the details. I’ll be there. I need to get out of here anyway."

Sunoo kept going like he didn’t hear the chaos in my voice. "Cool. He really misses the old friendship and I’m doing this for him even if I think you’re dramatic as hell. Tomorrow at that café near the station, okay? Afternoon."

"Perfect," I said, already feeling some kind of satisfaction because I knew this would piss Si Woo off more. "See you then."

The second I hung up Si Woo was right in my face. "You’re not going anywhere. Especially not to meet some ex or whatever that was. I heard enough. Ohm? That guy? No fucking way."

I shoved the phone into my bag and zipped it up, even though it took me three tries because my hands were shaking. "Watch me. I’m going. Sunoo said Ohm is leaving for Thailand and they want one last meet-up because we used to be best friends. And right now that sounds a hell of a lot better than staying here with you."

Si Woo ran his hand through his hair and let out this frustrated groan. "Ye Jun, you can’t be serious. After everything we just fought about you’re going to run off to meet some old flame or best friend or whoever while you’re carrying my kid? I said I was sorry. I didn’t mean the whore thing. I was just mad because you keep pushing my buttons about the doctor and sex and all that."

"Pushing your buttons?" I laughed again, sharp and mean, even as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. "You accused me of sleeping around so much the baby might not be yours and now you’re mad that I want to see an old friend before he leaves the country? Typical. You get to say whatever hurtful shit you want but I can’t even leave the house. I’m going, Si Woo. I’m packing this bag, I’m walking out that door, and I’m meeting them tomorrow whether you like it or not."

He tried to block the doorway but I pushed past him, bag slung over my shoulder even though it made my back hurt like hell. "Move. I mean it. I need air and I need to be around people who don’t make me feel like trash right now."

"You’re not leaving this apartment tonight," he said, voice rising again. "It’s not safe and you’re too worked up and the baby...."

"Don’t you dare bring the baby into this after what you said!" I yelled, turning on him so fast I had to grab the wall for balance. My free hand stayed on my bump the whole time, rubbing it like I could calm both of us down. "This baby is mine and yours and you don’t get to question that and then act like the protective dad two seconds later. I’m leaving. End of story."

I made it halfway to the front door, bag dragging a little because my arm was tired, when another text from Sunoo came through with the exact time and place. I read it out loud just to be petty. "Tomorrow, two o’clock. See? It’s happening. You can sit here alone and think about what you said or you can keep yelling but I’m still going."

Si Woo grabbed my wrist, not hard but enough to stop me. "Ye Jun, please. I’m sorry. I know the baby is mine. I was an idiot. Don’t do this just to get back at me." I freed my hand and turned just to realize I was already falling down the stairs.