10 More Minutes, Daddy Will Be There!

Park So-Hoon gently rubbed his large belly. Inside, two little lives were waiting for their time to be born. His pregnancy had now entered its final trimester, making every movement feel like carrying the weight of the world. At 43 years old, this pregnancy was far more exhausting than when he carried his first son, Jisung.

His husband, Jihoon, had to work in Japan since the second month of the pregnancy, leaving So-Hoon to take care of the house and Jisung alone. Despite the loneliness, he endured.

But this morning felt heavier than usual.

He woke up gasping for breath, cold sweat dampening his temples. His back ached, his belly felt stiff, and there was a stabbing pressure in his lower body. This wasn’t the first time he had felt contractions, but these babies were supposed to have two more weeks before their due date.

So-Hoon took a deep breath, then caressed his swollen belly. "Just hold on a little longer, sweetheart..." he whispered, trying to reassure himself more than his unborn children.

Slowly, he tried to get up. However, his large belly made it difficult to sit up straight. He could only lean back for a moment before finally managing to get out of bed. His legs felt weak, and every step sent painful pressure through his pelvis.

Still, he walked to Jisung’s room.

The child was still curled up in bed, breathing peacefully. So-Hoon smiled faintly, stroking Jisung’s hair before whispering, “Jisung, sweetheart… it's morning.”

Jisung blinked before smiling brightly. "Good morning, Daddy!"

With patience, So-Hoon helped Jisung get ready for school. Even though his body felt exhausted, he still went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. However, standing for too long only added to the burden on his belly. The pressure below grew stronger, and the pain in his back worsened.

As he sat at the dining table, another contraction came—this time, sharper.

So-Hoon bit his lip, stifling a groan.

“Daddy, are you hurt?” Jisung looked at him with innocent eyes.

So-Hoon quickly shook his head. “No, sweetheart. Daddy is just a little tired.”

He had to hide his abdominal pain from his son.

***

By noon, the pain had become unbearable. As he was about to walk to the bathroom—

Splash!

Warm liquid gushed between his legs, soaking the floor. So-Hoon froze for a moment, his heart pounding.

His water had broken.

He tried to move, but the next contraction hit so hard that his knees buckled. His hand clutched onto the cupboard beside him, his body slowly sinking to the floor. His breathing became ragged, his entire body trembling.

There was no time left.

So-Hoon stifled a groan, his trembling hands fumbling to remove his pants. He had been through this when giving birth to Jisung, but this time, he was alone.

With great difficulty, he lay on his left side, lifting one leg slightly to make space. His body instinctively began pushing, and an excruciating pain spread through him.

His first baby was almost out.

But at that moment—

Ring! Ring!

His phone rang on the table.

So-Hoon tried to ignore it, but the ringing persisted, drilling into his ears. With shaking hands, he reached for it and, without checking who was calling, answered the call.

“Daddy, did you forget to pick me up?”

Jisung’s voice came from the other end.

So-Hoon glanced at the clock on his phone. He was already late to pick up his son.

But there was nothing he could do.

The baby’s head was already in the birth canal, and he knew this baby couldn't wait any longer.

So-Hoon bit his lip, enduring the unbearable pain before whispering, “J-just… t-ten more minutes… nghh… Daddy will be there.”

End.