By Zephyria Calm down.
Yu-jin took a deep breath, repeating the words he had repeated countless times. He had bought five tests at once, just in case. Because there could always be errors.
But unfortunately, the results of all the tests were the same. Without a single error.
“Ugh…”
Seeing the clear two lines on the last test, Yu-jin closed his eyes with a groan. His heart was pounding and his mouth was dry. How could this happen? Hadn’t they said he couldn’t get pregnant again? Winston said so too, that the doctor had told him that. But how? Why?
Stunned by the shock, Yu-jin belatedly came to his senses and hurriedly gathered the tests, wrapped them in tissue paper, and hid them with the other trash. After checking several times to make sure he had thrown them away properly, he returned to his room, but his anxious heart did not calm down.
What should he do? What should he do now?
He felt resentful that this always happened to him, but now was not the time to dwell on that.
First, he should go to the hospital and check again…
But his mind was already accepting it as a fait accompli. If so, he had to decide what to do.
He couldn’t have the baby.
But he couldn’t get rid of it either. Maybe this was his last chance. He was told that he would never be able to have children again after Angela, but this happened, it was a miracle. Besides, he had a decent income this time. He could raise the child much more comfortably than he did with Angela. His mind was already leaning in one direction. He carefully stroked his stomach and recalled an unpleasant fact.
What about Winston?
He should keep it a secret, of course.
The answer came immediately. Either way, they didn’t have much time left. In fact, if Yu-jin could confirm that he was pregnant, he could break up right now. But because that was impossible, he was just waiting for the year specified in the will to pass. Winston was saying that it was because Yu-jin needed to rest, but…
Once again, Yu-jin was in a dilemma. If he told Winston he was pregnant now and had it confirmed at the hospital, he could immediately proceed with legal proceedings and it would all be over. He would also receive a generous inheritance.
But Yu-jin no longer needed that money. He could earn it on his own, and the money he had collected from royalties was already considerable. Grant told him it was just the beginning. Even with the money he had earned so far, he could live quite comfortably until Angela went to college if he saved, and more was coming in, it was almost ecstatic just to hear about it.
Besides, he didn’t know how Winston would react if he found out he was pregnant. In Angela’s case, he said he wouldn’t exercise his rights, but this child was different. Above all, there was the will.
“My head hurts…”
Yu-jin muttered to himself and covered his head. He couldn’t help but groan and lay down on the bed. He couldn’t even take painkillers carelessly now. Had he eaten anything bad for the baby in the meantime…?
As he worriedly thought about it, he fell asleep.
* * *
Harold was glaring at Yu-jin with an angry face. Yu-jin watched in fear as his nostrils flared, his face turned red, and his whole body trembled.
“How dare you, how dare you…”
He was suffocating from the pheromones pouring out of his body. Seeing Yu-jin collapse in place, unable to run away, Harold became even more enraged.
“How dare you betray me, you…”
With a shout, he began throwing things around. The sound of pottery breaking was followed by the sound of something hitting and falling. Yu-jin covered his head with both hands, screamed, and repeatedly said he was sorry. He was so terrified that he couldn’t think of anything. He just cried, hoping that Winston would save him.
“Yu-jin, Father!”
Winston finally opened the door and ran in, hugging Yu-jin. Winston quickly wrapped his arms around Yu-jin, who leaned on him with relief and joy, and headed straight for the door. Harold shouted after them as they ran away.
“I’ll curse you, I’ll never forgive you two until you die! I’ll make you pay for betraying me and sleeping together for the rest of your lives…!”
Would the gates of hell be this terrifying if they opened? Yu-jin closed his eyes tightly in fear and was dragged down the long hallway by Winston. Harold’s curse was chasing after them. Forever and ever.
* * *
“…Yu-jin, Yu-jin!”
Yu-jin’s consciousness was awakened by the sound of his name being called repeatedly. He shook his body, repeating the words.
“Yu-jin, wake up. Come on, open your eyes.”
Yu-jin trembled slightly at the continued urging and barely opened his eyes. He fluttered his eyelids several times, but couldn’t focus properly. When his blurry vision finally cleared, he saw Winston’s face.
“…Winnie?”
Winston sighed deeply at the hoarse whisper and suddenly hugged Yu-jin.
“Yes, it’s me. Thank God, you’re back.”
He couldn’t understand what he was saying. Yu-jin raised his hand to push him away, but hesitated and put it down. The faint, sweet scent was surprisingly calming.
It must be because he was carrying Winston’s child.
This must be the child’s feelings. There was no reason for Yu-jin to feel safe with him. Even as he thought that, he didn’t mind the feeling of his still-pounding heart gradually regaining its peace, so he stayed still.
Winston held Yu-jin like that for a while, and then opened his mouth after he had calmed down to some extent.
“What happened? What kind of dream did you have?”
“…Huh?”
Winston continued as Yu-jin asked, still dazed.
“You kept crying and begging for forgiveness. You had a bad dream, didn’t you?”
“Ah…”
Yu-jin, who finally understood, let out a sigh mixed with a low exclamation. After a moment of silence, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
“I had a dream about Harold.”
The body of Winston, who was touching him, flinched for a moment. After a while, he took his body away and looked at Yu-jin’s face with a bewildered expression.
“What dream?”
What was he asking with what intention? Yu-jin was curious, but he didn’t bother to ask and answered.
“When we first confessed to Harold…”
Yu-jin trembled again at the vividly revived dream. It was not a dream. It was a reality that had clearly happened in the past. Winston’s brow furrowed and then he reached out his hand again. He was clearly trying to hug Yu-jin, but this time he didn’t just let it go. He subtly stepped back and avoided his hand, and Winston immediately lowered his hand, realizing the meaning. An awkward silence fell. He seemed to be looking for something to say for a moment before he spoke first.
“I’d never seen Father so angry before. I was even scared, so it’s no wonder you were so terrified.”
Yu-jin avoided his gaze and whispered in a quiet tone.
“From Harold’s point of view, it’s like you stole me.”
He continued in a quiet voice.
“The reason he didn’t hold me until the end was because I couldn’t smell pheromones. When I grew up a little more and could smell the scent, then… he was going to.”
Yu-jin, who couldn’t bring himself to say the word and mumbled, nodded, saying, “Yes.”
“Like waiting for the fruit to ripen.”
Thinking that, he shuddered again. Yu-jin shrugged and hurriedly rubbed his arm. Seeing that, Winston immediately said.
“It’s okay now, Father is dead.”
“I know.”
Yu-jin replied briefly. But at that time, his eyes and voice would follow Yu-jin until he died. Just like now.
At the time, Yu-jin was alone while Winston was away for a while, and he ran into Harold. Harold had come to meet them in person after hearing that they had arrived, but it was a big mistake. Yu-jin, who smelled the same scent as Winston and turned his head in delight, was startled to see Harold standing there. Harold, who had been patient until then, immediately noticed something was wrong with his hardened reaction.
“Why are you doing that?”
His docile Omega was looking at him in such a flustered way. As the scent of pheromones he had inadvertently released became stronger, Yu-jin immediately reacted. Harold realized the moment he saw him flustered and looking around with a reddened face. The fruit he had been waiting for so long had ripened and gone into another man’s mouth in the blink of an eye.