There had been a brief moment when Ji-min regained consciousness.

He had shown no signs of response for so long that the sudden call from the hospital had come as a complete shock.

Ji-an had dared to hope—maybe he was getting better.

But while she was down with a cold and couldn’t visit for a few days, Ji-min’s condition took a sudden turn for the worse.

In the end, Ji-an never got the chance to speak with him again.

Back then, her relationship with Se-hyeon hadn’t been at its best, so she wasn’t even sure if they would’ve gone together.

She had deliberately stayed away, afraid she might pass her illness on to him.

She never imagined that would be the last chance.

Those few days—just a handful of moments—were something she could never stop regretting.

Still, she found some small comfort in the fact that she was able to talk to him, however briefly, during that fleeting window of time.

Just thinking about her brother left her chest aching.

‘What was so urgent… that he had to leave first?’

Ji-an turned her gaze toward the window, brushing away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

Her precious little brother.

She could almost still hear him laughing, calling out, “Noona!” and running into her arms.

But that image dissolved as tears finally spilled over, ones she had fought to hold back.

Still, it had been a long time since she visited, and Ji-an didn’t want to cry in front of him.

She took a deep breath, willing herself to stay composed.

She’d share the news—that he was going to be an uncle—and talk about happy things with a smile, just like she used to.

She steadied her heart as best she could.

***

But the resolve not to cry quickly shattered.

More than ever before, Ji-an wept openly, her sobs echoing painfully.

Maybe it was because Se-hyeon was by her side.
Maybe it was the pregnancy.
Whatever the reason, her longing was unbearable that day, and the tears wouldn’t stop.

It took Se-hyeon a long time to calm her, and even then, her eyes remained glassy with fresh tears.

“Hoo…”

Even after getting back in the car, Ji-an couldn’t stop trembling.

Se-hyeon watched her with quiet worry, afraid she might collapse from how hard she had cried.

“He would’ve been so happy to know he was going to be an uncle…”

Her voice cracked at the end of her sentence, soaked in emotion.

Ji-min had always loved babies.

He would often play with the toddler next door, lighting up at the sight of any baby who passed by—always smiling, always gentle.

Maybe that’s why the tears kept coming.

“You need to stop crying. If you keep this up, you’ll really collapse.”
Se-hyeon spoke gently as he comforted her, his tone steady but concerned. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying so much. As he reached over to wipe her tears with his hand, he then pressed a handkerchief into her palm.

They hadn’t even pulled out of the parking lot yet. Se-hyeon simply sat there beside her, patiently soothing her.

“It’s almost lunchtime! Let’s go and get something nice to eat. You need a change of pace.”

Ji-an gave a small nod. Once he was sure she’d calmed down a bit, Se-hyeon started the car and gently stepped on the accelerator.

His eyes, as he drove, were shadowed with thought.

“Noona loves kimchi stew the most.”
“Kimchi stew?”
“Yeah. Our dad used to make it… It’s his recipe.”

It was on the fourth day of visiting the hospital where Ji-min had been admitted that the boy had finally started to open up.

Not by much—maybe just thirty minutes of conversation—but it had felt meaningful.

“You’re supposed to put in a lot of meat. I don’t really know what it tasted like myself, but noona talked about it so much that I remember.”

Even saying a few sentences had seemed like an effort. Ji-min often had to pause, catching his breath, but still took the time to tell Se-hyeon things.

Most of what he said was filled with affection for his sister.

“Did Yoo Ji-an… ever date anyone?”

The question slipped out without Se-hyeon meaning to. It wasn’t planned—just something he blurted in the middle of their conversation.
He immediately regretted asking. He wasn’t sure why he had, and felt a little ridiculous. But deep down, he’d genuinely wanted to know.

“Noona? She was super popular, but she never dated anyone. Things were hard financially… I don’t think she even had time to think about dating.”

He wasn’t sure if that was something to be relieved about. The life she’d lived, filled with hardships, made his chest ache—but knowing she hadn’t loved anyone else before, that felt like a quiet kind of comfort.

“There were guys who followed her home, guys who gave her gifts. That started back in middle school.”
“I see.”

The more he heard, the more unsettled he became—but Se-hyeon didn’t let it show.

Unaware of how he was feeling, Ji-min continued to speak, until his expression slowly darkened.

“Se-hyeon… if, just if…”

Ji-min hesitated, then looked directly at Se-hyeon with a faint smile.

“If something ever happens to me… please take care of noona. Really take care of her.”

Had he already sensed what was coming?

Ji-min asked him that more than once, each time with quiet desperation. Saying his sister had lived such a hard life. That she deserved better.

Apparently, Ji-min hadn’t told Ji-an about their conversations—not even over the phone.

So Ji-an still didn’t know that Se-hyeon had visited him.

As those memories returned, Se-hyeon’s expression grew darker, his gaze sinking into silence.

From the early days of her pregnancy, Ji-an had been eating quite a lot of candy.

During her bouts of morning sickness, she clung to sour lemon candies, and after that phase passed, she went through one kind after another—endlessly.

And so, the baby’s nickname naturally became Candy.

They say the food you crave during pregnancy is usually what the baby wants. Watching Ji-an nibble at her sweets like a little child, Se-hyeon couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“…Why are you laughing?”
Ji-an looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“No reason. You’re just… really cute.”

“….”
At the word cute, Ji-an bit her lower lip and blushed again.

Things had gotten much better between them, but moments like this—awkward and sweet—still made her feel shy.

“It’s strange, though. I feel like I’ve seen this before.”
“Seen what?”
“I don’t know. It just feels oddly familiar somehow.”

Se-hyeon narrowed his eyes, tilting his head slightly.

“You look just like a squirrel holding an acorn.”
“Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing. I mean it—it’s adorable.”

Even as they bantered, Ji-an couldn’t resist the sweet taste on her tongue any longer. She bit into the candy at last, the loud crunch echoing—
Crack, crack.

The sound was a bit much, but she pressed her lips together, completely focused on her candy.

That’s when it happened.

“…?”

Ji-an suddenly froze.

Her already large eyes widened even more, and her lips parted slightly in shock.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Se-hyeon moved closer, alarmed.

Ji-an, still dazed, slowly brought a hand to her lower belly.

He quickly sat beside her, anxiety rising at her sudden reaction.

“It moved.”
“What did?”

No way…

Before he could ask more, Ji-an grabbed his hand and gently placed it on her belly.

“I’m sure of it. The baby moved.”

It was the first time she’d ever felt it, so she wasn’t entirely certain—but the sensation had been unmistakable.

As she furrowed her brows and tilted her head, trying to process the strange yet precious moment, Se-hyeon couldn’t help himself.

Overwhelmed by her beauty and the tenderness of it all—he leaned in and captured her lips in a deep, lingering kiss.

“Why all of a sudden…?”

Ji-an blinked up at him, her wide eyes questioning the unexpected kiss.

“I can’t help it anymore.”

Without another word, Se-hyeon swept her into his arms.

Ji-an gasped, startled to find herself suddenly cradled against his chest.

Se-hyeon moved quickly, striding toward the bathroom with firm steps.

“No! I said I’m not taking a bath with you!”

Realizing where he was headed, Ji-an kicked her feet in protest, but the more she squirmed, the faster he walked.

“Tell Candy to keep moving in there. Daddy’s got something else to take care of with Mommy right now.”

“Oh, you’re unbelievable.”

She muttered, narrowing her eyes in exasperation—but Se-hyeon just laughed, completely unfazed.

“I didn’t even finish my candy.”

“Then you keep eating. I’ve got something else I want to taste.”

And with that, he captured her lips again.

Her earlier complaints faded into silence, lost in the sweetness of his kiss—sweeter than any candy.

Ji-an let out a soft breath, her arms slowly winding around his neck.

Just then, that fluttering sensation returned in her lower belly—tiny bubbles rising, like a soft whisper of life stirring within her.

It was as if the baby was reminding them both of its presence, as if joining in their moment.

The weight she’d carried all day—the heaviness in her heart—melted away, replaced by the warmth of Se-hyeon’s tenderness.

As she leaned into his kiss, her lips curled softly at the corners.

***Epilogue – The End***