"Kookie, can you help me with my shoe?"

Jimin is 9 months pregnant. He has difficulty moving around, especially when his stomach is too big. This prevents Jimin from easily doing a lot of things. He can't move freely, bend, or stand for too long.

"Jimin, I'm drinking. Can you see?"

Jungkook just arrived home from his job. He works as a fishmonger. Jungkook and Jimin do not live in luxury; his salary is just enough for both of them. Now, while waiting for the arrival of new people in their lives, Jungkook works hard. Morning, evening, and night, he tries to earn more. He strives to bring happiness to his small family. They live a simple life, but they are happy.

Jimin scoffed at his husband's answer.

"You're not a little boy anymore; you can tie your own shoelaces, right? Why did you ask me? Aish, Jimin..."

Jimin did not know why Jungkook's words hurt him so much. He knew his husband was tired; Jungkook did not mean what he had just said.

Slowly, Jimin took a seat on the soft sofa behind him. His sob caught Jungkook's attention.

"Are you crying? Why... why did you cry?"

Jungkook waited no longer as he rushed towards his husband. The sobs became louder, and that made Jungkook turn to panic.

"Why are you crying? Okay, okay, let me help you."

"No, no. It's okay."

Jimin tried to hide his face, forbidding Jungkook from seeing him cry. It is not a big deal, really—just shoelaces. He can do it. It's not difficult; he just needs to sit comfortably, lift his leg, and tie his shoes. Easy, right?

"I'll tie it."

"No need."

"It's okay; let me do it for you."

Jimin pushed Jungkook's hand away as he tried to grab his leg.

"It's okay. I don't need your help."

"Are you sulking?"

Jimin shook his head, telling him that he was not, but his eyes betrayed him; he was crying.

"Why do you have to sulk? You are always sulking. Aish, this is all our baby's fault. He has to be born quickly so you can relax. No mood swings, no rambling, no nagging. No sudden outbursts. And most importantly, you will get back your sexy body, not this big one. God, how beautiful life can be."

"What??"

Jimin lifts his head, unable to believe what he hears.

"What?"

"Relax? Do you think I'm not doing anything in this house? Mood swings? Nagging? Really? Are you hearing yourself? Did you realize what your mouth just said?"

"W-why? Did I say the wrong thing?"

Jungkook didn't realize that what he was saying was hurting his husband's heart. He was just telling the truth. Since Jimin became pregnant, his behavior has changed. Jimin is quick to get angry, so for him, if their child is born, their lives will return to normal.

"You think giving birth is that easy? My body figure changes completely. Every day, while carrying our child, I feel like all the bones in my body have been broken and reconnected. My back hurts every single day. I can't even move 10 steps easily without needing to take a breath.

Jimin expresses everything he wants to say. He never whines; he never asks for sympathy, as he knows his husband is tired. He doesn't want to disturb Jungkook, who needs enough rest after working the whole day.

"I-i..."

"Imagine how I move every day in the kitchen just to prepare your meals. Imagine how much my back hurts when I wash all of your clothes by hand. Imagine how I mop the floor every week, even though I can't move like my normal self," Jimin utters with tears in his eyes. Jungkook, feeling numb, doesn't know what to say.

"Do you think that after our child is born, I can relax? Can I be the old Jimin? Who will give our child milk late at night? Who will change our child's diaper? Who will make sure our child sleeps comfortably? Do you think taking care of a child is easy?"

"I didn't say that."

"You said I'm big? Fat?"

"I didn't mean..."

This time, Jungkook's joke is too much for Jimin.

"I'm pregnant with your child! Do you think it's fun for me? I'm tired! I don't want to do anything. I want to stay in my bed, lying down and resting my body."

"I'm... I'm sorry. I-I’ll take you to the bed."

"God, your words."

Jimin is still angry. How dare Jungkook blame him for his fat body? How dare Jungkook blame his moodiness for affecting his mood?

Jungkook knelt in front of his angry husband. His hands held Jimin's hands.

"I feel lonely and scared every time you go out to work. But you look happy every time you leave the house. Do you know how tired I am of cleaning the house and lifting your dirty clothes to the bathroom?"

"Jimin..."

"My hands and feet are swollen, my back hurts, and I can't bend over. I can't. Because of that, I can't tie my shoelaces."

Jungkook stared at his husband's face, which hadn't stopped crying since earlier.

"Do you know how I feel? Do you feel how I feel?"

"I'm sorry..." Jungkook said genuinely, asking for forgiveness. He knows his fault. "I'll tie your shoes, okay?"

"No need. Just go. I don't want to see you. Go."

Jimin pushed Jungkook's hand, and even though he had difficulty standing up, he managed to do so.

"Jimin, don't be like this."

"Go! I can't stand to see you here. Go, leave me alone!"

This time, Jimin threw everything he could grab at his husband.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Go! Go away! You love staying out more than staying in this house, right? So go! Go to your friend and spend your precious time with them!"

Jimin is yelling, and for sure, their neighbor hears him. Lucky for Jungkook, at least he has a friend at work, while Jimin has no one—no one to share his problems with, no one to share all his difficulties. After getting married, he lost contact with most of his friends.

"Okay, okay. I will go."

"Go!"

Jungkook leaves feeling angry. He says sorry; why does Jimin still want to fight with him? But Jungkook stops when he hears his husband's painful crying. His eyes brim with tears as he hears Jimin moaning and calling his name. He decides to stay, standing outside and listening to every word his husband utters.

"Kookie, don't you love me anymore? I know you do this for me and our child, but I need you. I need you to ask me how my day was. I need you to ask me if I'm in pain or not. I need your encouraging words. Just say, "Baby, you're doing good. You do great. You are strong." Is it hard? I need you to just lay beside me and hug me every time I close my eyes. I just need you by my side. I'm not asking you to buy me things; I just need you. I need my Kookie."

Jungkook steps inside with a thousand feelings of guilt. He should spend time with his husband and help Jimin with housework. Jimin suffers from many things that even Jungkook wouldn't accept if God gave him a chance to feel what Jimin feels. Yes, he's tired of working until nightfall, but he still has time for himself to enjoy and have fun with his friends. But his husband? Staying at home all day, waiting for him. Just one simple request—asking him to tie his shoelaces—makes them fight.

"Baby, I'm sorry."

Jimin was startled when a hand softly grabbed his. He opened his eyes and saw his husband crying in front of him.

"Kookie, I'm sorry."

Jimin also felt bad about his sudden outburst. He didn't know why he had acted like this. They were both tired, and they both faced different difficulties.

"Hey, no, no. It's not your fault. It's mine. I should be more understanding. Forgive me, please."

Jimin nodded his head. He smiled when his husband caressed his cheeks.

"Let's go. We can eat outside. There's no need to cook. I will treat you to anything that you want."

"Kookie..."

"Don't worry, I have money."

Jungkook tied Jimin's shoelaces and helped his husband stand up. He held Jimin in his arms, kissing his husband's forehead softly.

"I'm lucky to have you as my husband."

"Thank you for everything you did for us," Jimin said while rubbing his belly.

The End