“Unfortunately, this is impossible. I can’t find my partner.”
He felt like he was getting a headache and as he pressed his temple, he heard a sigh. He then heard a sad voice over the speaker lamenting that ‘my son couldn’t get married’.
“You don’t even care about the fact that I had an accident?”
[What’s wrong with that? I live alone and I haven’t met my son, who works in a big company until he is in his thirties, so if I make an excuse for you getting married like this, your mother will be comfortable.]
She, who lost her husband and raised her son hard, wasn’t truly independent when Cho-seung was about to enter college. As Cho-seung grew older, she thought he wanted to be comfortable on his own, but his son didn’t want to get married.
Start a family or whatever. If she had to be completely independent, he didn’t have to worry about how to live and didn’t look into her, but Cho-seung didn’t even know what she was thinking and only told her that he would live with filial piety for a long time.
[Don’t use me as an excuse and say you won’t get married. Did you ask what I thought? Being married is filial piety, filial piety.]
Be independent. Get yourselves out of my family relationship certificate, please. (내 가족관계증명서에서 나가려무나, 제발, excuse me, mom?)
At the harsh words, Cho-seung only blinked his eyes. He didn’t know she was thinking like this. She didn’t usually talk about getting married. Contrary to her behaviour, it seemed that she was worried inside.
[Anyway, find them. What are you doing with the money you saved up? You’ve made a mistake, so take responsibility. I never raised you as an irresponsible child.]
Take responsibility for anything you’ve done. That was the only thing she emphasized, no matter what he did or what kind of life he lived, she let Cho-seung do whatever he wanted.
“Don’t worry. I’m still looking.”
He eased her worries with a smile at the satisfactory answer.
After finishing the call, Cho-seung checked his watch and realized that his appointment time was approaching and he hurriedly left his house.
* * *
The day he had to go to the hospital.
Ha-hyun, who muttered while looking at the calendar, got out of bed first. It was also a job to get out of bed on purpose because perhaps it was bought as a family bed.
Ha-hyun, who had given up on washing his face with less than an hour left for his appointment, only finished washing his face and brushing his teeth and changed clothes.
“It seems that it’s not bad fit.” (떡은 안 진 것 같기도 하고, I don’t think this is the right translation)
He turned his head to confirm that he was in good condition while reflecting the crown of his head in the mirror, stood still, and then walked back to the dressing room. It was fine, but he felt like he had to wear a hat as he could get oily after spending time in the hospital.
Black sweatshirt and black hat.
He wondered if it was too dark, but he wanted to do something about it, so he adjusted his appearance and took a few steps to go outside.
“Is it a little hot?”
It was already mid-May, so the time to get hotter was approaching. Still, the spring energy was still lingering, so he looked up at the warm sunlight and headed towards the car parked.
To be honest, Ha-hyun was bothered by the doctor’s recommendation to come for a checkup once a week.
But he only nodded at the persuasion that it was also for his health. Although he was bothered, he never said that he wouldn’t go, but the doctor breathed a sigh of relief at Ha-hyun’s reaction.
Ha-hyun parked his car in the hospital parking lot and only after arriving in front of the elevator did he realize that he had left his wallet in the car and clicked his tongue.
“Why did you leave your wallet behind?”
If he had left his cell phone behind, he wouldn’t have had to go back, but he had to because it was his wallet.
Ha-hyun, who took a deep breath and dragged his toes across the parking lot, this time checked that he had all his belongings and got off.
“Time’s running out.”
He had to hurry up.
His pace, which had only been slow, got faster after checking his watch. He was getting close to his appointment time and he couldn’t make it even if he wanted to.
Ha-hyun, who walked in a hurry to enter the lobby, smelled the enchanting scent on the tip of his nose and stiffened his body.
This scent, this pheromone is—
“…Kang Cho-seung?”
Right. It must have been that person’s pheromone.
A refreshing and clean pine scent as if you were walking in the middle of the forest. The pheromone, which had been floating in the air as if it had been waiting for him, approached and surrounded him.
Ha-hyun, who had been blinking languidly as he was so drunk with the pheromone he had felt for a long time, released the pheromone without realizing it.
It wasn’t a very strong pheromone because he was a recessive, but it was such a cold and overflowing scent that anyone in the same room could feel.
It was a pheromone reminiscent of flowers swaying in the fresh wind under the blue sky. The scent of flowers flowing in the wind was as fragrant as it caught the footsteps of a busy passerby.
Like a butterfly attracted to flowers, Cho-seung, who moved as if possessed like he was at the hotel lobby where he first met Ha-hyun, opened his eyes wide when he found Ha-hyun, who was standing near the entrance with a relaxed face.
“Found…”
Mumbling stupidly, he came to his senses and took a cautious and careful step as if approaching a stray cat.
While Cho-seung slowly approached, Ha-hyun, who was drunk on pheromone, came to his senses and moved on with his stopped steps. He didn’t really want to find his partner.
It was the voice of urgency that caught Ha-hyun’s footsteps, who was trying to go his own way.
Ha-hyun, who felt the calluses holding him and raised his gaze, sighed inwardly as he saw Cho-seung whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.
Right. The person who spent the night together with him in the hotel looked like this. A face that fit his taste perfectly.
Ha-hyun, who met Cho-seung with a calm attitude without showing any signs of surprise even though he was suddenly caught, widened his eyes, looking at the emotions contained within. Relief, surprise, and worry?
“Long time no see.”
“Yes. How have you been?”
When Ha-hyun greeted first, Cho-seung responded reflexively.
At the same time, he felt that the pheromone, which had been fluctuating until now, immediately subsided when it met the opponent in front of him and he was bewildered inside. Although the doctor said the best option would be to spend time with the pregnant partner, he didn’t think it would work this well.
“Um, yes. I’ve been well.”
In response to Cho-seung’s thoughtless words, Ha-hyun tilted his head slightly and slowly opened his mouth. It was vague to say that he had a good time, but he didn’t have any major problems, so he had been well.
“Pregnant.”
“Yes?”
“You’re pregnant.”
Cho-seung cut off the front and back and then spat out at once. It was because he was out of mind, but he reflected on it for a moment because he thought it was rude.
“I’m sorry.”
Cho-seung, who softly apologized to Ha-hyun, who had a puzzled face and closed his big eyes, calmly picked up his breath.
On the other hand, Ha-hyun was complicated by Cho-seung’s assertive words. He wondered how he knew, but he quickly accepted it. If he had something wrong with his body as if something had happened to him, it wasn’t strange to know that he was pregnant.
“It’s not a topic worth talking about here. If you have time, would you like to go to a cafe with me?”
“That doesn’t seem to be the case. It’s time for an appointment.”
At Cho-seung’s words, Ha-hyun frowned, confirming the time he had forgotten. Seeing his impatient appearance, he slowly released the wrist he was holding on to.
“I think it will be fine if we go together. What do you think?”
Ah.
One for the belly with a bean and one for Cho-seung. Ha-hyun, who alternated his gaze, nodded his head. It didn’t matter anyway since he seemed to know. Still, he had to ask just in case.
“Do you know where I’m going?”
“Isn’t that gynaecology?”
There was the Omega Center in it, but there was nothing wrong with it, so Ha-hyun nodded his head.
Cho-seung let out an inexplicable sigh and naturally wrapped his arm around Ha-hyun’s shoulder and moved on. Ha-hyun looked at his hand on his shoulder and raised his gaze to see the calm Cho-seung, but he didn’t shake off his hand.
“Is this a regular check-up?”
“Yes. I come once a week. Today is the third.”
“When did you know?”
“It’s the 8th week, so… I’m sorry. I can’t remember properly.”
While trying to recall the exact date, Cho-seung quietly counted the time and realized that there was no need to do so.
“10 weeks? No, it’s the 11th week?”
“It’s 10 weeks. Because last week was 9th week.”
“I see… Do you have any pain?”
Ha-hyun tilted his head slightly at the conversation that followed naturally. Cho-seung, who was walking, paying attention to Ha-hyun’s steps, stopped for a moment at the suddenly interrupted sound of words.
“Hurt? Where are you hurt? Stomach?”
“I’m not hurt… No, that’s not it. Is it okay to have a baby?”
Cho-seung, who frowned at Ha-hyun’s words, pulled him gently so as not to bump into the person behind him, and chose his words for a moment. The order of the conversation was reversed due to the treatment time, so it was understandable that Ha-hyun had such a question.
“First of all, it’s safe to say that Ha-hyun has the right to decide. After all, you’re affected more than I’m in this problem.”
Both during pregnancy and after childbirth.
In the end, it was Ha-hyun who was carrying a child for nearly ten months and was taking the risk after giving birth. So, he could say what he was thinking, but it wasn’t a matter of what he was saying.
He was responsible for whatever choice he made and was willing to help, but this and that were different matters.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Shall we talk about the rest after the treatment is over?”
Ha-hyun, who blinked his eyes and looked up at Cho-seung, slowly nodded his head.