They got home just before noon. Her mom went straight to the kitchen to tell the housekeeper the news, and a loud squeal of joy came from inside. Her dad went upstairs to change. He came back down a moment later with his phone in his hand and wandered into the living room, pretending to look for something. Seo-yeon could hear him on a call, saying in a quiet voice, "A boy and a girl. Yes. Both."
She smiled and sat on the sofa with the envelope of ultrasound photos in her lap. She looked at them for a long time.
After a while, she stood up.
"Mom, I'm going out for a bit."
Her mom appeared at the kitchen door with a ladle in her hand. "Where to? You just came back."
"I want to get a book at the bookstore. A pregnancy book. I want to read about the next few months."
"We can order it online."
"I want to pick it myself. It's only ten minutes away. I need some air."
"Then take Mr. Cha."
"Mom, it's a ten-minute walk. The doctor said walking is good for me."
Her mom narrowed her eyes. "Walk slowly. Don't carry heavy bags. Call me if you feel tired."
"I will."
"And be back before lunch."
"I will, Mom."
---
The bookstore was on a quiet corner near the park, a two-story place with a green awning and a bell on the door. Seo-yeon had loved it since she was a teenager. She went to the health section on the second floor and ran her finger along the shelf until she found what she wanted. What to Expect When You're Expecting Twins.
She sat down on a small stool and flipped through it. Then she found a second one about the first year of a baby's life, and a third about naming. She forgot about the time. When she looked at her watch, it was already past one.
Mom is going to kill me.
She bought all three books, paid at the counter, and thanked the clerk. The bag was heavier than she expected, so she held it against her stomach with both arms.
Outside, the sun was warm. She started walking toward the crosswalk, thinking about the doctor's voice, a girl and a boy, and the two heartbeats like two drummers. She was smiling to herself. She stepped off the curb without looking.
"Watch out!"
A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back hard.
A car sped past, so close that the wind from it lifted her hair. Its horn blared. Seo-yeon stumbled backward and fell against someone, and the bag of books slipped from her arms and landed on the pavement.
For a few seconds, she couldn't breathe.
She turned around. A woman in her late fifties was holding her by the arm. She wore a soft beige coat and a silk scarf, and her gray-streaked hair was pinned neatly at the back of her head. She had a gentle, round face and kind dark eyes that were wide with fright.
Seo-yeon's breath caught for a different reason.
She knew that face. Every ASTRA fan did. It was the same face that had appeared on a travel variety show years ago, fussing over her son's packing and slipping homemade side dishes into his suitcase. Fans had made videos of her, and one of them had millions of views. They called her Mama Min.
It's Yoongi's mother.
"Are you all right?" the woman asked. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm... I'm fine," Seo-yeon said, her heart racing. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see the light."
"The light was red! He ran it! Oh, my goodness." The woman pressed a hand to her chest. "Are you sure you're not hurt? Does anything hurt? Your stomach?"
Seo-yeon's hands flew to her bump. She waited a moment, and there was a small flutter against her palm.
"I'm okay," she whispered. "We're okay."
"Thank God." The woman let out a long breath and bent down to pick up the bag. "You must sit down. Your face is white. Come, there's a café right here."
"I don't want to trouble you..."
"It's no trouble. I couldn't walk away knowing you almost got hit by a car." She smiled. "Come with me. Slowly."
Seo-yeon let herself be led across the street, her legs not quite steady.
---
The café was small and quiet, with wooden tables and yellow lamps. The woman helped her into a seat by the window and ordered a glass of warm water and a pot of barley tea. Then she sat across from her and folded her hands on the table.
"Are you better now?"
"Yes. Thank you so much." Seo-yeon wrapped both hands around the glass. She couldn't stop staring. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there."
"It's a good thing I was standing at the corner." The woman shook her head. "These drivers have no patience these days. And you shouldn't be rushing in your condition."
"I'm Han Seo-yeon," Seo-yeon said. Then, before she could stop herself, she added, "And I know who you are."
The woman blinked. Then she laughed, a soft, surprised laugh. "Ah. You recognize me."
"You're Yoongi's mother. Mrs. Min." Seo-yeon's cheeks turned pink. "I've seen you on that travel show. Everyone has."
"Everyone has," Mrs. Min agreed, smiling. "I can't even buy vegetables at the market without someone asking for a photo. My son's fault." She patted Seo-yeon's hand. "Are you a fan?"
"Since 2013," Seo-yeon said. "Since the very beginning."
"Oh, then you're one of the old ones." Mrs. Min's eyes lit up. "Those are the ones who stood outside in the cold when they were nobody. I always remember them. Thank you for loving him all these years."
Seo-yeon's throat tightened. She looked down at her cup so Mrs. Min wouldn't see her face.
If only you knew.
"Please, call me auntie," Mrs. Min said. "I'm too young for 'Mrs. Min.'"
"Okay, auntie."
"Now drink. It's good for the nerves."
Seo-yeon took a sip. It was warm and a little smoky, and it settled her stomach, but nothing could settle her heart.
---
They talked for a while. Mrs. Min noticed the books in the bag and asked about the pregnancy, and Seo-yeon told her about the flutters and the housekeeper's knitting. She kept her answers short and careful. Mrs. Min told her about her own pregnancy, about how she had craved fresh persimmons in the middle of summer and her husband had driven three hours to find one.
"Twins?" Mrs. Min asked, looking at the cover of the book.
"A boy and a girl. I found out this morning."
"Oh, congratulations!" Her whole face lit up. "A boy and a girl. That's a blessing. How far along are you?"
"Almost four months."
"Four months, and carrying two. You must be careful. Don't go out alone too much. Is your husband at home?"
Seo-yeon's eyes dropped to the table.
"No," she said quietly. "It's just me. My parents are helping."
Mrs. Min paused. She saw the look on her face and didn't ask any more about it.
"Then you're lucky to have your parents," she said gently. "That's the most important thing."
"They're wonderful. They've been taking such good care of me."
"Good." Mrs. Min poured more tea into her cup. "You know, my son has been in a strange mood lately. He's always been quiet, but now he's quieter. He stares at the ceiling. He doesn't eat properly." She shook her head with a fond, worried smile. "He thinks I haven't noticed, but a mother knows. I think he's thinking about someone."
Seo-yeon's hand went still on the cup.
"Someone?"
"I can't prove it. He won't tell me. He's like that." Mrs. Min laughed. "I keep telling him, if there's someone, bring her home. I'm not getting any younger, and I want grandchildren. Even one. He just says, 'Mom, stop.'"
Seo-yeon felt tears rising and blinked fast.
Grandchildren.
She looked down at her bump, and then at the woman across the table, who was smiling at her so warmly. Mrs. Min had no idea that she had just saved her own grandchildren, a boy and a girl, from a speeding car.
"Are you all right, dear?" Mrs. Min asked. "You look pale again."
"I'm fine," Seo-yeon said, wiping the corner of her eye. "It's just... the tea is very good."
"Then have more."
She poured another cup, and Seo-yeon held it in both hands, the steam rising against her face. She wanted to tell her. The words were right there, pressing against her teeth. Auntie, they're his. They're Yoongi's.
She swallowed them down.