227 – TIO Side Story 4

* * *

Click. The physician reached back and closed the door.

Standing with his back to the door outside the room, the physician let out a long, silent sigh. He wiped away the cold sweat that had beaded on his forehead. Secretary Park was standing beside him.

The physician couldn’t keep up with Han Seung-jae’s mood swings today at all. No, he couldn’t predict a single thing. One moment he had that overbearing, piercing gaze, and the next, that intensity seemed to subside when he spoke with Seo Yi-kyung.

“You are impressive.”

At the physician’s self-deprecating remark, Secretary Park turned toward him. To the physician, Secretary Park, who served Han Seung-jae by his side, felt particularly extraordinary today.

Secretary Park said,

“He is just in a bad mood today, so please don’t take it to heart.”

“Am I the kind of person to do that?”

The physician forced a broad smile. He squared his shoulders to appear composed, but despite the closed door, the pressure emanating from inside the room kept making his spine tingle and making him shrink back.

If any problem were to occur regarding Seo Yi-kyung’s well-being, it was clear [unauthorized copy]visit visit our siteour sitewm: unauthorized copy -->as day that all responsibility would be shifted to the physician.

In other words, whether the physician’s future would be honorable or turn treacherous now depended entirely on Seo Yi-kyung.

* * *

Inside the room.

Han Seung-jae leaned back comfortably in the chair.

“Did something happen that I’m unaware of?”

Han Seung-jae was still receiving reports on Seo Yi-kyung’s daily routine. Therefore, the phrase “something I’m unaware of” was very significant.

But there was a reason Han Seung-jae felt this way. In the morning, only Seo Yi-kyung’s lips had been deeply colored, but now, he felt as though both cheeks had a more reddish glow than usual. However, looking at the patient gown Seo Yi-kyung was wearing, he wondered if it was just because of the clothes.

“I felt okay when I came out, as if I were just going for a walk to get some fresh air.”

Seo Yi-kyung murmured, parting his lips. Han Seung-jae, who had been looking at the patient gown, raised his eyes.

“I think it’s because I’m nervous now that I’m actually at the hospital.”

Seo Yi-kyung was overcome by the illusion that his overall unauthorized [visit our site]copybody temperature was rising. When undergoing a few tests, his heart pounded so hard that he felt overwhelmed and even embarrassed.

He was surrounded by the excitement of being able to meet the baby soon, but suddenly, feelings of fear and dread would alternate and fill his chest. Feeling that Han Seung-jae might have read this, he felt a wave of embarrassment that made his cheeks flush slightly.

“Ah.”

Han Seung-jae let out a light sound in his throat.

Step. Butler Do approached their side.

“I will set out the tea.”

“Very well.”

At Butler Do’s words, Han Seung-jae looked toward him. Butler Do skillfully set up a table by the bed where Seo Yi-kyung was sitting and placed a teapot and two teacups on it. Meanwhile, Han Seung-jae took off his suit jacket.

After filling the two cups, Butler Do took the suit jacket Han Seung-jae handed him, hung it up, and left the room.

Clink. Han Seung-jae lifted the teacup to his lips. A platinum pin sat on his neat tie, and long shadows formed along the buttons of his vest.

After savoring the tea once, he suddenly spoke to Seo Yi-kyung, who was merely fidgeting with his teacup with a face full of worry.

“There is nothing to worry about.”

Seo Yi-kyung’s gaze slid over. He looked at Han Seung-jae with clear eyes.

Soon, Seo Yi-kyung’s pupils wavered anxiously. He didn’t expect comfort from Han Seung-jae. Was he the kind of person to comfort someone…

Han Seung-jae had been relentless in everything he did. Thus, he might not understand this nervousness. Since he had never had his will broken, he probably didn’t know what fear felt like.

But Seo Yi-kyung was different. His days had been a series of hardships, and there were many times when it was burdensome just to protect something, let alone gain something.

Han Seung-jae set the teacup down on the table and continued.

“Han Ji-woon won’t be such a weak child.”

Seo Yi-kyung blinked at the unexpected words. It wasn’t a comforting sentiment, nor was it a tender tone, yet Han Seung-jae’s words precisely calmed Seo Yi-kyung’s anxiety in an instant.

Seo Yi-kyung lifted his teacup and parted his lips slightly. Just before drinking the tea, he slowly rolled the name Han Ji-woon over his tongue.

Han Ji-woon was the name the two of them had decided on in the study. Since they knew it was a boy, deciding on a name had been straightforward.

A few days ago.

Knock, knock. Butler Do knocked on the [[unauthorized copy]style="font-size:0;color:transparent;display:inline;">unauthorized copystyle="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">unauthorized copy]study door and stepped aside. Seo Yi-kyung, who was behind him, stepped inside.

It was around the time when the sequence of events—finishing dinner and drinking tea—was becoming a daily routine.

—The baby’s name?

Seo Yi-kyung set the teacup he was holding down on the saucer. Thanks to Han Seung-jae standing up to offer him a chair, he pulled the wheeled chair closer with a drrrk sound.

—We should decide on a name to call them once they are born.

—That’s true, but……

Seo Yi-kyung trailed off.

—Do you have any names in mind?

Seo Yi-kyung had come up with a prenatal nickname on his own, and Han Seung-jae hadn’t interfered regardless of what he called the baby. But the baby’s actual name was different.

Han Seung-jae placed a piece of paper in front of Seo Yi-kyung. Then, a pen was added on top of it.

Seo Yi-kyung accepted it, but no name came to mind immediately. He knew it was a boy, but he didn’t know if the child would be an Omega or an Alpha. And above all, he felt that Han Seung-jae’s intentions would be more important.

That was because of Han Seung-jae’s family situation. He couldn’t help but keep Han Yechan, the father, in mind. He had thought [stolen content]on Read BL Novelswm: stolen content -->that the man and Han Seung-jae would decide the name arbitrarily.

‘To think he would ask me something like this.’

Seo Yi-kyung stared down at the blank paper, deep in thought. Then, rolling his eyes, he set the pen tip on the white page. Since the child could be an Alpha or an Omega, he wanted a name that was easy to call yet modest…

The two continued their conversation, going back and forth.

Han Seung-jae took the paper, leaned against the desk, and scanned it while drinking tea.

Drrrk. It was when Seo Yi-kyung pushed his chair back and leaned his back into it. He stared at the trash can at his feet. More accurately, an envelope inside it caught his eye. It had the logo of the Myeongjun Financial Group on it, but it had been ruthlessly discarded.

‘Did he throw it away by mistake?’

But Han Seung-jae wasn’t the kind of person to make such a mistake. It was more likely that he had thrown it away intentionally.

Clatter. Han Seung-jae set down his teacup and straightened his body from the desk. Then, he suddenly followed where Seo Yi-kyung was looking.

Even though Seo Yi-kyung hadn’t asked, Han Seung-jae spoke as if he could see into his mind.

—I didn’t like a single name on that list.

That envelope was something Secretary Park had received from Chief Secretary Kang, and it contained suggested names for the child. Upon checking it, Han Seung-jae unauthorized visit our sitecopyhad immediately visit our sitefrowned. Had the man gone senile? He couldn’t even distinguish when to step in and when to stay out. To even send names he had personally picked… He had thrown it into the trash can without mercy.

—I like this one.

Han Seung-jae placed the paper he was holding in front of Seo Yi-kyung so he could see it clearly. His long fingertips tapped a specific part.

Just as Seo Yi-kyung’s gaze shifted, a low, resonant voice reached his ears.

—Han Ji-woon.

Seo Yi-kyung looked up hesitantly.

In the process of exchanging names for the child with Han Seung-jae, Han Seung-jae had chosen the name that Seo Yi-kyung had scribbled small in the corner.

* * *

“……!”

Seo Yi-kyung withdrew his fingers, which had been fidgeting with the teacup. He watched as Han Seung-jae shifted his legs and rose from his seat.

‘Is he leaving already?’

After dinner, Han Seung-jae usually went up to the study. Then, after a short while, Seo Yi-kyung would bring in tea, [unauthorized unauthorized copy[visit our site]copy]share a conversation, and then return to his room.

That had been their routine lately. But this was a hospital. Even if Han Seung-jae returned home now, Seo Yi-kyung could not follow. If he had known, perhaps he should have accepted the offer to go out for dinner earlier.

Even if Han Seung-jae left, Butler Do would remain in the room. So it wasn’t as if he would be alone. And since it was time to give birth, he understood perfectly well in his head that the hospital was a better choice than home.

But his heart felt differently. From the moment Han Seung-jae entered the room, Seo Yi-kyung felt the anxiety in a corner of his chest fade, replaced by a heavy sense of stability. If Han Seung-jae left now, he would spend another night alone, filled with worry.