It was after Kira George's third trip to the bathroom, trying to vomit but failing, that she realized she might be pregnant.
The rolling sensation in her stomach grew worse, and she went to the water dispenser to rinse her mouth with warm water, slowly suppressing the intense nausea.
When she sat down at her desk, she was still thinking about what she had eaten today, but everything was the same as usual, nothing cold or spicy… rather, her usually punctual period was now a week late.
Orion George had been talking about wanting a child recently. Kira slowly moved her hand to her abdomen and, after doing the calculations, felt more certain that she might be pregnant.
Kira felt somewhat conflicted. Although they were the right age to have a child, and Orion's company had stabilized over the years, and her own research job wasn't too demanding, she hadn't started taking folic acid in advance. Orion's recent social engagements likely involved drinking. If she was really pregnant, it was a bit sudden for her.
That evening, she bought a pregnancy test. Sure enough, it showed two lines in the morning. After considering it, she took a day off work to go to the hospital for a blood test and ultrasound, confirming the pregnancy.
The doctor, upon hearing about the severity and frequency of her morning sickness, advised her, "Your reaction is a bit strong. While there's nothing major, you should still be careful."
Orion returned from his business trip the next day, and that was when Kira told him about the pregnancy. This man, who was already 28 and becoming increasingly mature, happily spun Kira around several times. His excitement made his words come out jumbled, and he insisted on taking her out for a celebratory dinner.
Kira chuckled, amused. Before she could respond, she saw him smack his forehead in regret. "Suddenly, I'm worried that restaurant food isn't very hygienic. Never mind, I'll cook for you instead."
So, Orion, without changing his clothes, insisted on taking Kira to the supermarket to pick out ingredients. On the way, sitting in the passenger seat of Orion's car, Kira suddenly understood as she looked at her abdomen, realizing that they shared a life.
Connected by blood, a product of their union.
It was a wonderful feeling, Kira thought. She had felt unprepared just two days ago, but today she was starting to feel joy.
"Today's sunshine is quite nice."
Orion said with a smile as he helped Kira out of the car.
She paused, feeling as though she had heard those words before. The non-blinding sunlight shone on Orion's face, and Kira was momentarily transported back to their first conversation.
"Today's sunshine is quite nice."
A clear yet slightly lazy male voice came from the direction of the rear left seat.
The first class on Thursday morning for Class 3, Grade 2 was supposed to be PE, but she had taken a day off because of a sprained ankle. The empty classroom contained only the two of them.
She had just finished the second major question on the exam paper, having gotten one multiple-choice question wrong. She was looking for the reason when she heard someone speaking.
Kira paused, turning to look at him.
It was early spring, and he was sitting by the window. The morning light at around 8 or 9 AM was not blinding, shining through the dense ivy of the adjacent building and onto his face. In the neighboring classroom, students were reading texts with rhythm and intonation. A breeze stirred the silver curtains beside him and the strands of hair on his forehead.
She vaguely remembered the boy's name, which seemed to be Orion.
Out of politeness, she smiled at him and replied, "Yes."
The boy looked as if he had just woken up, with creases from his uniform sleeve on the right side of his face. He squinted his already small eyes and gave Kira a smile that revealed dimples.
