"Hai!" Chunhua came running to his side, slightly breathless and with eyes that sparkled like stars. "Good news!"
Hai choked on the juice he was drinking and stared. "Already?"
But we were doing it protected all this time, he wondered.
"I have topped the exams in my year!"
"Oooohhh!!" Hai waved his hand, feeling stupid. "So it's the exams."
"What were you assuming?" She blinked, confused.
He smiled and tugged her wrist, pulling her in his arms. "I was thinking that first of all, congratulations. My Chunhua is the smartest and the bestest!"
Chunhua was too embarrassed to accept the compliments.
"And second of all," he lifted her chin next, catching her lips where escape was impossible. "I think we should also celebrate this…"
The way his tone dropped a decibel huskier shivered a sweet tingle within her.
"I-I will give you a treat for sure!"
His brow arched. "Do you know the kind of treat I want?"
Her cheeks flushed. "Not-not that…!"
He pouted, drawing circles over the nape of her neck. "I had been patiently waiting for your exams to get over, you know~ Didn't want to distract you too much with my sexy handsomeness~"
Her brow twitched.
"So we should celebrate your ace in the exams while I also get the reward of my patience~"
"We…" she cleared her throat, "We shouldn't be-"
"Have done it too many times now, so 'before marriage' reason became invalid ages ago."
"You…!" She tried to look stern despite her shyness taking over. "W-we shouldn't be too reckless…Those kinds of accidents…" she bit her lip, too embarrassed to say it out loud, "could happen you know…"
Yeah, that's the accident I am exactly planning here, my dear.
"Don't worry. I," Hai kissed the back of her knuckle, "will take full responsibility."
—
"Hai!"
Hai's mother slapped a bunch of envelopes on the table just like before. "How come none of your meetings with the women go forward?"
He yawned. "What should I do? We are not compatible, that's all."
She gritted her teeth. "Compatible…Who are you fooling! I am your mother! You are rejecting them on purpose, aren't you!"
He gasped. "Reject? How dare I, especially after your hunger strike? I am meeting them very respectfully and responsibly," he nodded. "But alas, they don't like me."
"Don't like you? Don't like Liu Hai? Who in the world is that idiot! I am sure you are definitely pulling some strings behind!"
"How rude. First, you are forcing me to meet them, which I am, being a good son, but now you want to force an outcome too?" He pouted, then chuckled a moment later. "Outcome will only be what I desire, Ma."
When his phone buzzed and he read the message flashing before him, he immediately jumped to his feet and grabbed his coat.
"Bro, where are you going?"
"Out."
Her gaze darkened. "Thank you for clarifying that. I was so stupid in not understanding it."
"Come back, Hai! We are still not done talking!"
"Yes, Ma. We are done talking. At least for today," he smiled.
"Where are you going so late in the night!" She fumed at being ignored.
Pulling the coat through his arms, he smiled. "To see the outcome that I desired for."
—
A mist of cold air escaped through his lips as Hai walked through. With his hands in his pockets, he scanned the place and then spotted Chunhua seated on the same bench before the crepe shop. Another puff of misty air let loose and he slowed his pace this time. He didn't call her out but simply took his seat beside her.
"It's quite late in the evening. But it's a beautiful night, so I understand why you would want to take a fresh walk~"
There was no response.
Hai glanced at her side, watching her lowered head with a lip she was biting down with all her strength, clasping her hands that trembled uncontrollably. He took off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.
"I don't want you to fall sick," he slightly pouted. "It's cold out here."
It was when a tear plopped down on her hands that Hai stretched his arm around her back and pulled her against his chest.
"What is making my Goddess cry? Like I said before, a Goddess should make other people cry, you know."
"...I don't know…" her voice could barely be audible even in that tiny space between them, "wh-what to do…"
"That's why your super handsome boyfriend is here~ We will figure it out, whatever it is."
With her wet lashes blinking against the mistiness, she whispered, "I am..pregnant."
Hai felt worse. And utterly guilty. Not because of the news. He had expected it. But Chunhua hadn't. He couldn't imagine the blow it would have dropped upon her the moment she realized it. He wished he could have warned her about it. But that was the whole point. Yes, he thoroughly considered himself as a ruthless bastard for doing this. But between Chunhua and a mother who remained stubborn with a stupid hunger strike and emotional blackmail, Hai knew the only way to turn things around was to slap back with his own emotional blackmail.
Hai squeezed her shoulders and pecked on top of her head. "You are scared, aren't you?"
Chunhua looked, her face pale with fear. "I.. don't know what to do. H-How will I be a mother? I don't know anything about it…" a fresh wave of tears spilled out.
"I don't know anything about being a father either. Didn't I say? We will figure it out together," he smiled.
Before she could say something more, he pressed a finger on her lips. "Your dream won't go anywhere, Chunhua. You want to become an architect. You will become an architect. I will make sure of it, whether a child exists or not. I know you very well. I know you are thinking about your future, your dreams and also about our child altogether. But it will be alright. You won't compromise on anything. This is Liu Hai's promise."
