“No way. ….I was just a bit surprised. I thought you liked kids because you’re so fond of Angelina.”

“Do I like kids?”

Aiden’s expression turned blank again. Even that dumbfounded face was so lovely that it didn’t match the mood.

I slowly stood up. Even in his daze, Aiden naturally helped me.

I lightly kissed his cheek. I wanted to kiss him on the lips, but practical reasons held me back. It was just too early in the morning, the lips feel a little….

I snuggled into Aiden’s embrace.

It was too much of a scene for the middle of the day in bed, but who cared.

This was a sort of protective stance. I was preparing for the conversation to come, fearing that he might push me away.

Please don’t.

The conversation I was about to have could seem like an excuse to delay talking about marriage, but it was also my sincere feeling.

If Aiden were to push me away now, I’d be helplessly adrift.

Marriage isn’t just about the feeling of ‘liking’ someone. It requires a mutual understanding of practical realities, among which the issue of children is important.

With that thought, I burrowed deeper into his embrace, and after hesitating for a moment, Aiden wrapped his arms around my back.

The tension in my neck eased under his comforting touch.

I buried my face in Aiden’s chest and spoke.

“I do like kids. But… I’m not confident I could raise them well.”

Aiden didn’t respond, as if waiting for more.

His hand moved from my back to gently stroke my head.

His touch felt so good, it made me smile inappropriately for the atmosphere.

“The truth is… I’ve been a bit unstable, haven’t I? I worry if I could be a good parent if I had a child. If I have a child, I’d want to make them truly happy. Can I do that? Can I be a perfect parent? That scares me.”

Aiden remained silent again.

As I had nothing further to add, silence filled the room.

Had silence ever been this scary while I was with Aiden?

Driven by anxiety, I clung tightly to his waist. Soon, the comforting gesture of stroking my hair mechanically stopped.

My heart felt as if it would stop.

‘Don’t leave me, please don’t leave me.’

Despite initiating the conversation and appearing resolved, tears welled up unexpectedly.

How could I go on if you weren’t in my future?

A vague selfishness welled up with the tears.

Just as I thought I couldn’t hold it in and break into a loud crying, Aiden took hold of my shoulders and gently pushed me away from his embrace.

Startled by the sudden loss of his warmth, I could only blink in surprise.

I knew I should look up at him, but I felt unable.

I stared instead at the spot on his chest where my face had just been resting. I slowly raised my eyes like a child bracing for a punishment.

Aiden was…. smiling.

Revealing his white teeth, his smile did not seem forced.

Confused, I faced him directly. Had there been anything laughable in my last remark?

No, it was funny…. I suppose… but not to the extent of such gleeful laughter. I had hoped for a smile, but not the broad grin that greeted me.

As if sensing my thoughts, Aiden, his eyes curved in amusement, drew me closer and then…

Kiss.

He effortlessly crossed the barrier of reality that I had hesitated over.

His lips had lightly touched mine, and my lips, dumbly parted, forgot to close.

* * *

Aiden deepened his smile at the sight of Selena who still kept her lips open.

Selena looked mesmerized then snapped back to reality, and stammered out a question.

“Why… why are you laughing?”

Selena’s question came from confusion. Aiden found even that lovely and chuckled again.

He gently brushed the hair from Selena’s forehead.

“It’s fascinating.”

“What….is?”

“How it seemed like I couldn’t think of anything else.”

As Selena tried to make sense of his cryptic words, a frown formed on her forehead. It was the truth. The wrinkles might as well have been screaming, ‘I can’t understand what you’re saying.’

Aiden softly smoothed the creases between Selena’s brows.

‘Frowning will give her a headache.’

It was instead of the nagging he often made. Understanding his gesture, Selena relaxed her forehead.

Yet, the flicker of doubt didn’t fade from her blue eyes.

“Even if I imagine a future without children, just having you by my side makes everything feel perfect. Did you know that?”

“What?”

“The fact that you were sincerely dreaming of a future with me felt so overwhelming that it made everything else seem alright.”

As Aiden continued, Selena’s mouth slowly fell open. Her blank face was adorable, and he gently rubbed his forehead against hers.

“Your cautious voice, your careful face, your careful gestures—all of it is so lovely that I couldn’t help but think, what does anything else matter?”

Their noses touched. Their breath mingled. Their eyes met.

“All I could think of was how much I love you.”

Selena’s chin quivered slightly. Tears seemed to fall.

The response to her earnest morning confession felt too light yet also heavily emotional.

Yet, Selena held back her tears.

This emotional reply was purely that—emotional—and she was afraid that if she let rationality lead later, she might regret this moment.

She wanted to check it once more.

A response that went beyond feelings.

As Selena pulled back, a question rose in Aiden’s eyes.

“…It might be that way now. But later, you might want children. Think about it seriously again. If we get married, will it really be okay if we don’t have kids?”

The question was delivered in a serious tone. Aiden’s expression hardened to match the conversation. The smile he had from moments before changed.

Pulling away slightly as Selena had done, he straightened his posture.

His closed lips seemed unlikely to open. Looking at the distancing Aiden, Selena’s gaze drifted downward. She felt as if this moment stretched into eternity.

What had started as an excuse for potentially delaying marriage this year seemed to have taken on a significance greater than the fears of a 23 year-old.

Time passed….

However this conversation would have needed to happen at some point.

‘Yes…Let’s just think of it as taking the hits early… although, perhaps a bit too early.’

“Actually…”

Selena’s eyes, initially fixated on the blanket, slowly shifted toward Aiden’s face. Aiden still had a serious look.

‘Ah… I’m so thirsty.’

Selena swallowed as the unresolved thirst burned even more.

“Actually, I’m not sure I can raise a child well either.”

“…Huh?”

“I don’t really know what parental love is supposed to feel like. I’ve never received it, so the thought of giving it is frightening.”

Aiden shared his confession calmly, then discreetly glanced at Selena.

Surprised, Selena looked at him and then began to fidget with the back of his hand.

For some reason, it felt like the right thing to do.

The pleasant touch made Aiden smile, and he leaned in to rest his head against Selena’s neck. His breath warmed her skin, causing Selena’s shoulder to shiver slightly.

“My father was an alcoholic, and I never knew my mother. After he died, I was sent to an orphanage, but I couldn’t bear the inhumane conditions and ended up on the streets. There wasn’t a single place that wasn’t cold.”

“I’ve never heard this before…”

Indeed, it was her first time hearing this. While Selena had guessed his family background was not ordinary, given she had brought in a child begging on the streets….

This was her first time hearing such detailed personal history

Selena murmured softly, and Aiden nodded.

“I wish I could tell you only good things, but they aren’t pleasant stories. Anyway… it was you who took me off the streets.”

“And I’m the one who mistreated you again.”

“Haha.”

Aiden awkwardly dodged the question with a laugh.

He wanted to only share good things and not blame the bad.

Understanding Aiden’s heart, Selena couldn’t help but hug him tighter. His breath on her neck felt even warmer than before.

“The first and only person I’ve truly loved turned out to be you. My entire notion of love ended up being the Miss. Because of that, I don’t really know what parental love is, or if I can give it… All I know about love is you.”

“We’re both… kind of foolish, aren’t we?”

“Yes, foolish. But that’s why we match so well, isn’t it? In a world where there’s so much to learn and experience, we can step forward together. We can share both our fears and joys.”

Selena’s eyes widened momentarily before resettling.

Aiden was such an odd person.

He often overthought trivial things, yet when it came to his own dilemmas, he could casually provide solutions.

Selena let go of Aiden and playfully tapped his shoulder.

It was almost like a summons, and as Aiden looked at her, Selena grinned and cupped his face with both hands.

“Let’s brush our teeth…. It looks like we need to share a big kiss.”

They left the bedroom late in the morning.

__