By Zephyria 
“You’re suggesting we have a gender reveal party?”
Koi, taken aback by Ariel’s sudden proposal, asked, and she nodded, continuing.
“Of course, we should, shouldn’t we? You weren’t thinking of not having one, were you?”
“Ah, no.”
Koi answered honestly, feeling embarrassed.
“I just hadn’t even thought about it… I’m busy with the wedding preparations too.”
“Still, you have to do it. You can’t skip events like this.”
Ariel pointed out sternly.
“Did you hear from the doctor whether it’s a girl or a boy?”
“Uh, no.”
He naturally thought it would be best to find out after the birth, but hearing about the party made it tempting. Seeing Koi’s cheeks quickly flush, Ariel said in an even more excited voice.
“My sisters are coming from the West anyway, so it would be great to have a gender reveal party together, right? I know you’re busy with wedding preparations, but opportunities like this don’t come often.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Sarah chimed in from the side.
“I’ve been to a few of my friends’ parties, and they were a lot of fun. It’s even better when everyone celebrates together.”
Everyone together.
It was a phrase Koi loved so much. As Ariel said, it’s rare for all the friends from the West to gather. When else would he get a chance to do something like that?
“I should do it.”
He muttered to himself, and Ariel immediately pulled out her phone.
“I’ll let the sisters know. Leave the party preparations to us.”
After sending a message to the group chat, she asked.
“Is it okay to send the invitations by message? You should make the list, and if you send it to me, I’ll create and send the invitations right away.”
“Th, thank you.”
He felt dizzy from her incredible energy. Koi, who had been thinking that there wouldn’t be that many guests, soon opened his mouth.
“Including the sisters and Bill, all the friends from the West… um, could Sarah come too? It’s okay if she’s busy…”
He mustered the courage to suggest to his new friend, and she nodded with a bright face.
“Of course, I’ll go. Thank you for inviting me, Koi.”
“Then let’s invite one more person.”
Ariel, who had saved the list on her phone, smiled sweetly.
“Look forward to it, I’m a pro at parties.”
Koi nodded, feeling dazed. And he was given the order to ‘get a memo from the doctor with the baby’s gender on it.’
“Welcome, Ash!”
Koi, who greeted him happily as soon as he got off work, opened his arms wide and hugged him tightly. Ashley, who carelessly threw his briefcase on the floor and hugged Koi back, smiled, his face softening.
“Did anything happen today?”
“Ah, I met Al.”
Koi, holding his waist and looking up at him, continued smoothly.
“Al suggested we have a baby gender party, so I decided to do it. Is that okay?”
“A baby gender party?”
Ashley repeated Koi’s words. Koi nodded, saying yes, and then suddenly frowned.
“You don’t already know, do you? Did you hear from the doctor?”
“No.”
Ashley simply denied it.
“I don’t know either. I didn’t hear it.”
In fact, he hadn’t even thought about asking. All Ashley cared about was whether Koi’s health was okay. And a party on top of that. The only party he was thinking about was the one they would have alone after the wedding reception.
“Isn’t it almost time to go to the hospital?”
At Ashley’s question, Koi answered yes.
“It’s the day after tomorrow, the appointment date. If you’re busy, I can go alone…”
“I’ve cleared it.”
Ashley, who had checked his schedule in the meantime, said as he put his phone back in his pants pocket.
“I’ve decided to take that day off, so don’t worry. Let’s go to the hospital together.”
“Uh… okay.”
Koi nodded belatedly and then opened his mouth, feeling embarrassed.
“I can go alone… you don’t have to deliberately make time every time when you’re busy.”
“Why? It’s my business too.”
Ashley asked, frowning. Koi was happy and reassured by his reaction. He must be aware that half of the baby in his belly is his responsibility, right? Imagining how much he would cherish the baby when it came into the world made him smile involuntarily.
“Al said she’d take care of preparing the party, so she just told me to find out what the gender is.”
“…Is that so?”
That was all Ashley’s reaction was. A sullen expression seemed to flash across his face for a moment, but soon he asked with a smiling face as if nothing had happened.
“Is that all that happened today?”
“Uh…”
Should I talk about the thing about space too?
Koi hesitated for a moment but soon gave up on the idea. Not yet. Thinking of his own good timing, he smiled.
“That’s all.”
By the time Ashley finished showering and changed his clothes, he received a call that dinner was ready. The two ate dinner amicably and then went to bed. Koi fell into a very comfortable and deep sleep that night without even dreaming.
“The baby is growing well. Very good.”
After finishing the examination, the doctor said the first words with a bright expression. Koi, who had been nervously waiting for the consultation, immediately brightened up and unknowingly turned to Ashley, who was sitting next to him. But Ashley didn’t smile at all and instead frowned and asked.
“How is Koi’s condition? Is there anything wrong?”
Koi’s gaze, which had quickly become dejected at the serious reaction, turned to her, and the doctor answered nonchalantly.
“Not at all. She’s very healthy.”
The doctor added to Koi with a smiling face.
“Was there any reason to worry?”
“She’s been overdoing it lately.”
It was Ashley who answered. He continued in a blunt tone.
“Wouldn’t it be better to reduce her workload a bit? Since she’s pregnant.”
“Do you have a lot of work?”
The doctor asked Koi again.
“Ah, a little.”
Koi scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.
“Well, it’s physical labor. I don’t think I’m overdoing it, but Ash is very worried…”
He glanced at Ashley, but he didn’t react much. The doctor also looked at him and then refocused his gaze on Koi.
“Um. There’s nothing special. Very healthy, both the baby and Koi.”
“That’s a relief.”
Koi, who was stroking his chest, belatedly thought of something else.
“Um, I was wondering if you could write down… I want to have a baby gender party.”
He was embarrassed, but he had to ask. He wanted to do everything he could for the baby. When he asked with anticipation, the doctor readily nodded.
“Oh, of course. How are you planning to reveal the gender?”
She smiled playfully, took out a memo pad, wrote something down, and then found an envelope and put the memo in it. Koi gratefully accepted the envelope and replied.
“My friends have decided to throw a party for me. They’re coming from the West too, um, for the wedding as well.”
He was embarrassed and couldn’t speak well. Seeing Koi’s face flushed red and not knowing what to do, the doctor said with a warm smile on his face.
“That kind of pleasant stress is very welcome. Enjoy it, Koi. It’s once in a lifetime.”
“Uh…”
Koi paused at those words. At the unexpected reaction, the doctor blinked, and he hesitated and carefully opened his mouth.
“Um… so, does that mean… I won’t be able to get pregnant again in the future?”
“Oh, no, that’s not what I meant.”
The doctor shook her head, seemingly flustered, and then burst into laughter.
“Once in a lifetime refers to the wedding. Of course, you can have more babies, as many as you want.”
“As many as I want?”
Koi soon asked, his eyes sparkling.
“Um, so how many more can I have?”
At those words, Ashley frowned.
“You’re going to have more?”
“Huh? Uh…”
Koi hesitated and answered.
“The more kids, the better, right?”
“How many do you want, Koi?”
The doctor asked with a smile. Her face was full of playfulness, but Ashley wasn’t in the mood for jokes. He thought one child was enough, so Koi’s idea wasn’t very welcome. But he couldn’t refuse when Koi wanted it so much.
Two or three would be fine…
Just as he was thinking that, Koi answered with a face full of anticipation.
“Twelve!”
At that moment, Ashley Miller’s mind froze completely for the first time in his life.