At one month pregnant, you may not experience many — or any — symptoms. A missed period is the biggest sign. However, period-like symptoms like cramping, bloating, and even spotting can occur. Mood swings and fatigue are commons signs as well.

Source: Pampers

The number you have dialed-

A beep interrupted the voice, signaling the end of the call. Megumi sighed as she moved her thumb away from where a red button had been just a second ago.

"What made you think that he was going to answer this time?" She mumbled to herself as she switched the screen to her messaging app and clicked a familiar name. Her last few texts were still unanswered. She could not tell if they had even been read thanks to the kind of app that she had.

Honestly, that was a small blessing. She knew how much worse she would feel if she saw that he read her messages and chose not to reply.

It wasn't like she tried to contact Soma every day or frequently. They never did that, as they both knew that they both had busy lives. They would catch up every few days or so, though. Even with a quick message or a picture update.

And they always gave each other a farewell.

That's what bothered Megumi that first day. Even with how scatterbrained Soma can be, he rarely left without saying some form of goodbye. At first, she thought that he was going to be late for his train, and he would say something later on in the day. But when night fell and she still had heard nothing from him, she shot him a text asking if he got to his destination alright.

No response.

Megumi was a patient person. However, she did send him another text a week later. And then called him a couple times. She only left one voicemail, though.

No response.

Another few days went by. She tried texting him again.

No response.

At that point, Megumi had started to become worried. Soma had never gone this long without contacting her. Had something happened to him? Is that why he had left in such a rush that day? He was getting quite famous in the culinary world, after all, and some people can be crazy with famous people.

What eventually eased her worries was a video posted online at just the right time. Apparently, someone had caught Soma in Norway, where he was competing in a contest. Or had been, as the reporter had interviewed him then. Soma had won third place overall in that event, and the video focused on him and the first and second place. Megumi later on watched the competition and had texted him her congratulations.

No response.

And then Ryo had said something about Soma's placement in that competition.

Soma had taken only three hours to reply to that.

Megumi watched as the chat went off after his reply. And how promptly he answered as well. That's when the thought that she had continuously pushed away finally took over her mind.

Soma was ignoring her.

Honestly, Megumi did not know exactly how she felt when the realization hit her. She didn't even remember feeling anything at all the rest of that day. She only gained feeling when she woke up the next morning.

And was it really worth it to have those feelings back? A whirlwind of sadness and anger and pain? To be flipping back and forth between regrets and wishes? To be such in a point of desperation that she had picked up the phone once again even though she knew that her call would be unanswered?

She placed the phone face down on her bed before hugging her knees.

I should have never revealed my feelings. If I hadn't, Soma and I would still be normal. I ruined our friendship because I wanted more. Why did I do that? Why?

A faint chime broke through her thoughts. Her arm shot out automatically, her brain already changing its track in expectation. But when her eyes saw that it wasn't the name she had been trying to contact, whatever energy she had briefly gained left her in disappointment and anger

"It's not her fault." Megumi sighed to dispel said anger. Then she opened up the message.

I can't wait to see your cute face tomorrow! Be at Kirinoya at 6:30!

Megumi's eyes widened at the text. She had totally forgotten everything else these past few weeks. When she had asked Hinako for a couple days off to go to Ryoko's event, the brunette had ended up giving her a little more than a couple of weeks off.

"You work so hard, Megumi!" Hinako had told her when she tried to refuse the extra time. "You need to take a long break every once in a while." And Megumi knew how stubborn the woman could be, especially after marrying Shinomiya and becoming a mother. So she reluctantly accepted the time off.

And now, with all that had happened, Megumi was glad that it had happened that way.

But did she really have the mindset to go back to work? Could she ask for a few more days off? Was it too late to do that?

The bluenette shook the thoughts away. No. She already took too much time off. And it would help her mental state. Hopefully. It should distract her for a few hours, at least.

Megumi texted an affirmation before taking advantage of the surge of determination to start preparing for tomorrow.

"Megumi, here's Table 7's order."

"Ah, thank you, Nene." Megumi bowed slightly to her former classmate before picking up the tray. It was exactly what she was going to ask for when she came back here. She pushed through the cloth partition that separated the kitchen from the restaurant and made her way to the table the order was intended for.

"Here you go. Sorry for the wait." She told the family of 3. A mother, father, and a young daughter.

"That's quite alright." The father said. "Thank you."

"Thank you!" The daughter echoed, and Megumi had to smile at the effort as she noticed that the pronunciation was not the best.

"You're very welcome." Megumi replied to her, which caused a giggle to erupt from the girl.

The family ended up being the last ones to be served that afternoon, as Kirinoya closed soon after. They were also the last to leave, and as the parents were apologizing for that the girl spoke up again.

"Mommy said that you're really pretty." She told Megumi. "I think you are pretty, too."

"Aw…thank you." Megumi looked away in embarrassment.

"What do you use?" The girl asked, clearly repeating what her mom had said because the woman tried to shush her. After another round of apologies, the family left.

"Such a cute girl." Hinako grinned as she watched the family through the window. "I hope my kids will be as cute as her."

"Don't you mean 'handsome'?" Nene looked up from wiping a table. It was only the three women there at the moment. The other workers had gone home after cleaning up in the kitchen.

"They can be both!" Hinako sang.

Megumi chuckled as she grabbed the broom to sweep the floors. Hinako had two sons, Kousuke and Riki. When she had been pregnant with the first one about 4 years ago, Hinako had asked both Megumi and Nene to help out during and after her first was born. And after about a year and a half back on the job, Hinako had to end up leaving for her second. When she came back, she decided to not be here as frequently as she used to be because she wanted to spend more time with her young children. It was a good idea, especially since Shinomiya frequently travelled between Japan and France.

And even though they were originally here for temporary help and it had been a couple years since the last child, neither Megumi nor Nene never left the Kirinoya for long. They both were comfortable here and the restaurant focused on their specialties. And neither of them really wanted fame, anyways. Just places to do their craft.

"Speaking of cute," Hinako's voice sounded closer. Megumi instinctively looked up and felt a soft hand on her cheek. "It's been around a week since you came back and I feel like the lines on your face have gotten deeper. Are you sure you don't need any more time off?"

"No no, I'm fine!" Megumi squeaked. "I just have had a hard time sleeping lately."

"Why?" Hinako asked. "You know you can talk to me or Nene about anything." Megumi's eyes flickered over to the other woman still cleaning tables. Her rose-colored eyes were not on them but Megumi knew that her ears were.

The bluenette wondered if she should tell them the main reason. After all, she heard that talking about emotions helped.

Except for that one time a few weeks ago.

Well, she and Soma didn't really talk.

Ultimately, Megumi shook her head.

"Um…I've been kept up with horrible cramps." Megumi smiled sheepishly as she gestured around her lower abdomen. It wasn't a lie. Whatever sleep she had been getting the last two nights had been interrupted by pain there. She assumed it was because of her period starting to show up. It was a little late and there was more pain than usual, but Megumi guessed it was because of losing her virginity. "But I've been taking pain medication so that helps."

"Cramps aren't fun." Hinako let go of Megumi's face. "We can never escape them."

"I thought they go away with pregnancy and birth control?" Nene asked.

"Only the lucky few with birth control. And whoever said that about pregnancy was clearly lying." Hinako replied bitterly. The brunette shook her head as if trying to get unpleasant memories out of her head before she gazed at Megumi again. Megumi could tell that Hinako knew that wasn't the only reason, but she didn't push it.

"Just remember that we are here to talk if anything else comes up." She said instead.

"Thank you." Megumi smiled again, but she could tell it wasn't a convincing one by the way the other two stared at her with concerned gazes. She looked down and tried to push down the guilt she felt.

This is all my fault.