Signal

The vacation in Jeju Island is like a beautiful memory softened by light, treasured deep in my heart. Back in Seoul, life seemed to quickly reset, filled again with a busy schedule. G-Dragon entered a period of rest after the tour, but not a real break; instead, he buried himself in his studio, organizing tour inspiration and starting to work on the initial draft of his new album. Su You, on the other hand, took on a new project for the think tank, which was still high-intensity, high-demand mental work.

Life proceeded smoothly, like a clockwork mechanism, but in those unnoticed gaps, subtle changes were quietly taking place in Su You's life. However, neither of them, immersed in their work, had pieced these fragmented signals together.

Signal 1: Sudden fatigue

Su You has always been an energetic person. Even if she works overtime until late at night, she can still get up on time the next day, looking radiant. But recently, she has noticed that she has changed.

One afternoon, the think tank held a lengthy international video conference. Halfway through, as Su You listened to the accented English presentation on the other end of the screen, her eyelids began to droop uncontrollably. She tried to concentrate, but a deep, bone-deep fatigue overwhelmed her, as if all her strength had been drained. She had to excuse herself, citing network issues, to temporarily turn off her camera, lean back in her chair, and press her temples hard.

"Maybe it's just a rebound after all the stress I was under recently," she told herself. When she got home that night, she curled up on the sofa and fell asleep before 10 p.m., not even noticing when Kwon Ji-yong returned. Seeing her sleeping so soundly, Kwon Ji-yong assumed she was just tired from work, gently covered her with a blanket, and didn't think much of it.

Signal Two: Becoming a Discerning Palate

G-Dragon noticed that Su You's recent reactions to food have been a bit strange.

He rarely cooks, but he meticulously recreated the seafood hot pot he had in Jeju Island, eagerly awaiting her feedback. Su You took a bite, her brow furrowing almost imperceptibly, before she smiled and said, "It's delicious." But Kwon Ji-yong still caught that moment of hesitation in her eyes.

"What's wrong? Doesn't it taste right?"

"No, it's fine." Su You shook her head, took a few more bites, but her pace slowed down noticeably.

Later, he noticed that she had quietly moved aside the shrimp and mussels he had specially put in, which she used to love. Moreover, she had been drinking coffee much less often lately, sometimes not touching a cup all day, and instead showing interest in refreshing fruit juice and warm milk.

"Have your tastes changed?" G-Dragon asked casually.

"Maybe, it's getting hot, I'd like to eat something lighter," Su You replied naturally. Both of them attributed it to seasonal changes or normal fluctuations in personal preferences.

Signal Three: Subtle Ripples in Emotions

Su You has always been known for her emotional stability and rationality. But recently, her emotions seem to have become somewhat...sensitive.

One evening, the two watched a heartwarming romantic movie together. At the end of the movie, the male and female protagonists finally reunited after going through many hardships. In just a simple hug scene, Su You's tears unexpectedly rolled down her cheeks, startling even herself.

G-Dragon was even more surprised and quickly put his arm around her: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" In his opinion, the tear-jerking effect of this movie was really limited.

Su You herself felt confused, wiping away her tears while smiling sheepishly: "I don't know, I just suddenly... felt a little touched."

On another occasion, G-Dragon was two hours late getting home because of work at his studio, and his phone had run out of battery, so he couldn't let him know beforehand. When he entered the house apologetically, he found Su You sitting in the dark living room with the lights off. He turned on the lights and saw that her eyes were a little red. Although she immediately explained that it was because her eyes were tired from looking at documents, G-Dragon still vaguely sensed that it was more than just fatigue.

He apologized, and she quickly expressed her understanding and recovered her composure just as quickly. This little incident, in the midst of a busy life, was like a pebble thrown into a lake; the ripples spread out and quickly disappeared.

Signal Four: Ignored Body Signals

Some more private changes are also taking place.

Su You noticed some tenderness in her breasts, which she assumed was a normal premenstrual reaction. Although it seemed more pronounced than usual this time, she didn't investigate further. She even checked her calendar and discovered that her period seemed to be a few days late.

"I've been under a lot of pressure lately, and my sleep schedule has been irregular, so I guess my endocrine system is out of balance," she thought to herself, adding that she planned to see a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to regulate her body once this project was finished.

Occasionally, she would feel a slight wave of nausea when she woke up in the morning, but it usually subsided after drinking some warm water and eating a slice of toast, without developing into vomiting. "It's probably just an upset stomach," she diagnosed herself.

All these signals—unusual fatigue, changed tastes, heightened mood, minor physical discomfort—are too common, too easily attributed to work stress, irregular sleep patterns, or general sub-health. They are scattered throughout the everyday, failing to form a clear, alarming pattern.

Daily routine

Life continues on its original trajectory.

G-Dragon worked tirelessly in his studio, racking his brains for the melody of his new album. Su You, on the other hand, spoke eloquently in the think tank's conference room, constructing an analytical framework with data and logic. They still had dinner together, sharing their day's experiences; they still went to art exhibitions on weekends, or simply stayed home enjoying undisturbed tranquility.

Sometimes, G-Dragon would look at Su You and notice that she seemed to have lost some weight, with a hint of weariness occasionally appearing in her eyes. He would tell her to eat more and get some rest. Su You would also complain that he spent too much time in the studio and worry about his cervical spine.

They cared for and supported each other, being each other's closest partners. However, after their "preparing for pregnancy" plan was clearly put on hold, their attention was focused on their current careers and self-adjustment, and neither of them actively turned their thoughts to that possibility.

Until one weekend morning.

After Su You got up, that familiar feeling of nausea returned, and it was more pronounced than before. She rushed into the bathroom, gagged a few times, but nothing came up, though she felt extremely uncomfortable.

Kwon Ji-yong was startled awake by the noise and came over, patting her back worriedly: "What's wrong? Is your stomach still upset? Should we go to the hospital?"

Su You rinsed her mouth, looked at her pale face in the mirror, and then at Quan Zhilong beside her who looked anxious. A thought that they had ignored for too long suddenly illuminated her mind like a lightning bolt in the darkness.

She thought about her delayed period, the inexplicable fatigue and mood swings, her changed tastes, and the nausea she felt at that moment…

Her hand unconsciously and gently touched her lower abdomen.

In the mirror, her gaze shifted from confusion to bewilderment, and then to a faint, incredulous glimmer.

As G-Dragon watched her movements and the changes in her eyes, he was first puzzled, and then, as if struck by lightning, he froze on the spot, his eyes slowly widening.

A completely new atmosphere, a mixture of shock, bewilderment, and a certain immense anticipation, began to silently permeate the air.