A/N: Without further adieu, here's installment # 19.

Love Conquers All Ways

Chapter 19

"Pregnant?" Joong Hee asked incredulously. "You're pregnant?"

"Yes!"

"You're . . . we're having a baby. We're having a baby!"

"Yes, Joong Hee-shi. We're having a baby!"

They could no longer contain their excitement as they hugged and kissed in sheer ecstasy. Then, in a moment of cute naiveté, he recoiled as if he wasn't supposed to embrace her anymore.

"Wait. I'm not . . . I'm not hurting the baby, am I?" he asked.

"No, silly! It will be at least a few more weeks before that's possible" she said with a laugh.

"Whew! That's good." As if to emphasize the point, he spoke over Mi Young's belly.

"Baby. This is your dad. I want you to know that I'm going to take even better care of your mom from now on. Daddy knows that Mommy really needs me!"

"What am I going to do with you?" she still found his behavior quite amusing.

"Love me like you always do!" he smiled back.

She playfully landed a light slap to his cheek. After another kiss, they pondered what they needed to do next.

"We should let my family know. They'll be thrilled." Mi Young mused.

"We should also let Director Choi know also" Joong Hee replied.

"No! Joong Hee-shi. Don't tell him. Don't let the agency know yet!" she had a sudden nervousness in her voice.

"Why not?"

"I'm just thinking about Yoo Joo. I'm not sure you realize just how bad Gabi treated her when she was pregnant. Now, I'm not suggesting that Mark One is as bad as Gabi. But, it's not like they offer comprehensive maternal leave either. Once they find out, they're bound to start treating me differently" she said whimsically.

"Well, you're right. I didn't know that they treated Ms. Kim quite that bad. But, Mi Young-ah. I actually think Director Choi is different. I really feel he'll understand if we tell him. Besides, it's not like you can hide it from them forever" he said.

"Can you at least not tell them right now? Besides, I want to enjoy this feeling before I start experiencing all the symptoms"

Seeing her face and how much thought she gave to her request, he nodded his head in acquiescence. She then promptly laid her head on his chest, and they spent their anniversary enjoying their newfound blessing along with another fine dinner.

As expected, Mi Young's family was ecstatic about the news. Over the next few months, they took turns making visits in an attempt to make Mi Young feel as comfortable as possible. Indeed, there would be no shortage of love for the soon to be newborn.

As far as work was concerned, the show maintained the # 1 ranking in its time slot. It's as though viewers were slowly forgetting that Joong Hee once made his name as an idol turned actor. They really enjoyed his stature as TV host. KBN and Mark One also enjoyed going along for the ride.

Meanwhile, Mi Young continued to do her job dutifully. However, she was certainly not immune to normal pregnancy issues. On more than one occasion, she displayed the classic symptoms of morning sickness, crankiness, and strange food cravings. It didn't take long for her colleagues to put two and two together. So, one day, she and Joong Hee found themselves in Director Choi's office. He felt blindsided by the news.

"Mi Young. Tell me the truth. How many months along are you?"

"I'm about 6 months along, Director Choi." she said with embarrassment.

"So, you've known about this for at least a few months now, and you didn't tell me?" It wasn't so much anger as disappointment in his voice.

"I'm sorry! The reason I didn't tell you was because I was afraid that you and the rest of our colleagues would start treating me differently, and I didn't want to add that burden. Joong Hee-shi wanted to tell you from the beginning, but I stopped him. So, please forgive me Director Choi! I didn't mean to mislead you at all. Please!"

He looked at the two of them with a tinge of disappointment but mostly understanding.

"Well, as long as you can handle your work, then I'll let you continue on. But, the closer you are to your due date, then I'm not going to let you work. You need to take care of yourself and your baby. Understand?" Director Choi said.

"Yes."

"Good. So, for now, let's get back to work!" With that, Mi Young and Joong Hee continued to work as best they could.

As her due date neared, the excitement level rose exponentially for both of them. They even experienced one false alarm as they rushed to the hospital only to realize that they were still a little too early. Joong Hee had gotten plenty of training on what to do when the big day arrived.

It's quite a scene when a couple rushes off to a hospital because a baby is on its way. Joong Hee managed to drive to the hospital entrance in record time as they eventually rushed their way to the delivery room. Even though he thought he was mentally prepared, the reality was that he was truly unprepared for what was to come.

The fact that her delivery was painful comes as no surprise to anyone. However, this delivery felt different somehow. Despite no obvious outward signs, Joong Hee sensed that something wasn't quite right. Soon, Mi Young kept screaming in pain. But, instead of the usual reassuring instructions, the doctor and nurses were suddenly yelling in a panicked tone. Eventually, the doctor had to tell Joong Hee to temporarily leave the room. Despite his initial protests, he was escorted out of the room.

His head was spinning in confusion and worry. The long delay outside the delivery room only served to heighten his fears. After a few more minutes, the doctor finally stepped outside to speak with him.

"What's wrong, doctor? Is Mi Young-ah Ok? How about the baby?"

"Your wife had some problems initially, but she's all right now. She's resting"

"That's a relief. What about the baby? Is the baby Ok?"

At first, the doctor couldn't speak. Joong Hee suddenly didn't like the vibes he was getting.

"Is the baby Ok, doctor?" he asked again.

"I . . . I'm sorry. The baby didn't make it. We did everything we could to save, but we couldn't. I'm so . . . so sorry! But, you can see your wife now." With that, the doctor made his way back into the room.

Joong Hee suddenly felt his legs give way under him. He couldn't process what he just heard. On the one hand, he felt relieved that Mi Young was physically Ok. But, his heart ached at the thought of not being able to see his baby . . . ever, to say nothing of the simultaneous pain she'd be feeling. It's through this lens that he slowly got back on his feet and trod dazedly into the room.

As he approached the bed, he could see her forlorn face. Upon seeing him, the tears started falling from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Joong Hee-shi. I'm so sorry!"

"Don't apologize, sweetie. Of course it's not your fault. You have no reason to be sorry!"

"Joong Hee-shi!" They spent the next few minutes holding each other and sharing tears of sorrow.

When she received her discharge from the hospital, they left feeling quite somber. They made their way to the car and all the way back home without saying a word. As they approached the couch, Joong Hee didn't know what to do or say next. So, he tried to hold her. But, she wasn't so easily consoled. He attempted a second time, only for Mi Young to escape his grasp a second time.

"Mi Young-ah. Is there anything you need right now? Just tell me" he pleaded.

"I . . . I just want to be left alone for a while. That's all." Although he felt sad at her words, he could certainly understand how awful she'd be feeling at that moment. So, he gingerly rubbed her arm and told her that he'd go for a brief walk but that he'd be back. With that, he went out to get some fresh air.

As he went outside, he knew that his in-laws needed to know what happened. Although he really didn't want to be the bearer of such awful news, he realized that he had no alternative. With a huge sigh, he called his father and mother-in-law to tell them. Despite their shock and sadness, they also wanted to make sure that he was Ok. He told them he was hanging in there as best he could. Soon, they spread the word to the rest of the family. After some more minutes alone with his thoughts, he made his way back home.

As he entered his apartment, he could see Mi Young's expression grow icy towards him.

"You called my parents?! You told them without letting me know?! Why would you do that?!" she exclaimed.

"Mi Young-ah. Please calm down. They're supposed to know what happened"

"I just can't believe that you told them. I'm the one that's supposed to do that! What were you thinking?!"

"I'm really sorry, sweetie. I do understand that you're upset too because of what happened. I'm not even pretending that my pain can be worse than yours because it's not. But, I'm still hurting too."

"You know what! Just go. Do something. Anything. I really don't want to see you right now!"

"But, Mi Young-ah!"

"Now!" Despite his shock at her current state, he decided it would be best to leave the situation.

He pondered where he should go. He thought about visiting his in-laws but that would only accentuate the current problems at home. It only took a few moments to decide on his next destination. After a relatively short drive, he found himself at the "Light of the World" church. After all, Pastor Yoo said that he and Mi Young were welcome there any time.

"Hello, Joong Hee. This is a surprise! Please come in!" Pastor Yoo said.

"It's great to see you again, Pastor!" Soon, they entered his office. As soon as they got seated, they continued their conversation.

"So, Joong Hee. What brings you here today?" Pastor Yoo asked.

"I really need your help, Pastor! I'm in a bad way, and I don't know what to do!"

"Ok. Why don't you tell me what's going on. From the beginning."

Pastor Yoo patiently listened as Joong Hee told him of his circumstances in excruciatingly painful detail. Once he finished, it was all the Pastor could do to offer comfort to his guest.

"Joong Hee. I'm so, so sorry for your loss. I'm also so sorry for Mi Young as well. I can't imagine how the two of you must be feeling right now!"

"I can understand Mi Young-ah being upset. But, doesn't she know that I'm only trying to be of help?"

"Yes, she does. I can assure you of that, Joong Hee. But, at the moment, you're wise to give her some space. But, you're also doing the right thing in offering her comfort however you can"

"I don't mean to sound rude or anything, Pastor. But, I can't help but wonder something."

"What's that?"

"Is God mad at us? Is God mad at me about something? Is He punishing me for past sins through my wife's miscarriage? Why am I going through this?"

The Pastor calmly and steadily offered his response. "Only God knows why this happened. But, if you're asking for my view, I don't believe that this tragedy is God's way of punishing you. Sadly, miscarriages happen all the time. Just because we don't understand why something happened doesn't mean that there's no reason. It just means we can't know why"

"But, I do believe that if it's His will, then you and Mi Young will have a child someday. So, I would encourage the two of you to try again when the time feels right. But, for right now, just be there for here. In the meantime, I'll pray for the both of you." He offered a prayer for them to have a child if it's meant to be and for their hearts to begin the healing process soon. After spending some more time discussing the matter, Joong Hee took his leave. The Pastor also encouraged Mi Young to see him when she felt better. Joong Hee thanked him for his help, kind words, and prayer.

As he got home, he wasn't sure if his wife's countenance improved at all. Thankfully for him, he received a much more positive response than before. As soon as he got inside, Mi Young went running towards him and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Joong Hee-shi. I'm so sorry for being so mean to you before! I didn't mean it! I was just so upset! Please forgive me!"

"Don't apologize, sweetie! You've been through so much. I need to do a better job of comforting you."

"You're always a comfort to me. That's why I love you so."

"Does this mean you're starting to feel better?"

"A little. It will take time"

"That's fine. Take all the time you need. I'm here, Ok?"

"Thank you, Joong Hee-shi. Thank you!"

As they continued to hold each other tight, their love served as a reminder that every storm, no matter how fierce, eventually comes to an end. The rainbow that inevitably follows acts as a perfect symbol for their enduring love. Somehow, someway, they'd weather this storm together because love truly rules the day.

A/N: As usual, any and all reviews are welcome!