By Zephyria 
After returning from his family home, Jeong-min started exercising again. He registered at a gym and started PT, beginning a full-scale health management routine. He also started studying again, slowly preparing for his return as a doctor.
When he mentioned he planned to return around next year, his parents were overjoyed and offered to help him open his own clinic. However, Jeong-min liked his sister-in-law’s clinic and preferred collaborating with other doctors over opening a practice alone, so he said he intended to return to that clinic if his sister-in-law would accept him.
And as he left his family home, Jeong-min recalled how Yeong-min had repeatedly emphasized, ‘Be careful of Kim Ju-hwan.’
‘We’re both Alphas anyway, what could possibly happen?’
When Jeong-min had spoken nonchalantly, Yeong-min had replied with a very serious face.
‘Hey, don’t you know that Alphas have been getting pregnant lately?’
Jeong-min had teased him, surprised that someone who seemed completely uninterested in how society was evolving would be interested in such a thing, and had brushed it off as a joke. But inwardly, he had been surprised. It felt as if he had been reminded of a fact he had forgotten… Thanks to Yeong-min, he thought about it once more.
“Ah.”
After finishing his workout and showering, Jeong-min flinched at a pulling sensation in his lower abdomen while changing clothes.
“That’s strange.”
Jeong-min frowned, gently rubbing his stomach. Since the day he had talked with Yeong-min on the terrace, his stomach had occasionally begun to ache unpleasantly. If it were a sharp pain, he would go to the hospital, but it wasn’t that; it was more of a dull, gloomy ache… It wasn’t severe enough to warrant a hospital visit, but it was, quite literally, awkwardly painful. Since he had a hospital appointment in two days anyway, he could mention these symptoms then, but seeing the pain become more frequent, he wondered if there was a problem with his intestines.
Or perhaps he had eaten too much because his appetite had improved recently. He thought that maybe his stomach was startled because he had started eating small meals frequently after resuming exercise, and he stroked his belly. Once the pain vanished, Jeong-min finished changing and left the gym.
Right on cue, he received a message from Kim Ju-hwan.
─ Are you done exercising?
“I just stepped out.”
─ Come quickly. I’m at the house.
“What? At this hour?”
Jeong-min quickly checked his watch. 5 PM. It seemed a bit early for an office worker, let alone the President of a company, to be off work.
─ Didn’t you say earlier that you wanted the savory pancakes they sell at Gwangjang Market?
“So?”
Ah, wait, surely.
“Don’t tell me… you bought them?”
─ Just hurry up and come.
Before exercising, he had spoken with Kim Ju-hwan briefly and casually remarked, ‘Oh, that looks delicious,’ after seeing pancakes on TV. It seemed he had remembered that and bought them.
“Hey, what the… how can you take it so seriously when I just mentioned it in passing?”
I’m not pregnant or anything—Jeong-min started to say, but then thought that was going too far and stopped himself.
“Wait. I’m coming now.”
He couldn’t even say anything because it was scary. Jeong-min hung up and sighed. Then, he checked his phone messenger once more. In fact, a message from Yu Shin-woo had arrived earlier. He had been postponing reading it because he didn’t feel confident enough to face it, but he figured he should check it now.
[Jeong-min, it’s been a long time. I hope you’re doing well. And that you’re healthy.]
[I feel like the very act of telling you this is something that’s very wrong.]
[We used to be able to share various things more comfortably. I shouldn’t have done that to you that day. At the time, my rut was starting, so I think I completely lost my reason. The joy of finally being able to hold you was too great to control. I’m truly sorry. I was so sorry to you that I wanted to contact you as soon as possible, but I was too afraid to do so until now. Please call me pathetic. You must be very disappointed in me, right? But even so, I’d like to meet you once and talk.]
[Jeong-min, please contact me.]
After reading the entire message, Jeong-min sat in the small park in front of his house and thought. He had to meet Shin-woo at least once. He needed to redefine their relationship. He couldn’t tell what Shin-woo was thinking… but he would find out once they met.
“You’re late.”
A long, large shadow covered Jeong-min’s body. Looking up, he saw Kim Ju-hwan standing there with a face full of dissatisfaction. He had already changed his clothes and was wearing comfortable training gear. At this point, it was a waste of breath to ask how he knew he was there.
“Where did you get those training clothes? I don’t think they’re mine.”
“I probably have more of my clothes at your house than you have of yours, Sunbae.”
“Wow, you’re really shameless.”
“As usual.”
Kim Ju-hwan plopped down beside him.
“Why are you out here moping instead of coming inside?”
“Try speaking more nicely.”
“Hmm, then… is something bothering you?”
Kim Ju-hwan leaned in slightly and asked with a terrifyingly sweet tone while looking at Jeong-min. He really was disgustingly handsome. Perhaps that’s why making eye contact felt a bit difficult. Jeong-min cleared his throat and looked forward.
“Tomorrow is the day I have to go to the hospital.”
“Right.”
“It seems my brother is being discharged tomorrow, so I’m planning to meet him briefly at the hospital.”
“Aha.”
Kim Ju-hwan straightened his posture and looked forward with Jeong-min.
“And? What are you going to do when you meet?”
“I’m going to… tell him let’s stop now. Since it seems I won’t be able to become an Omega. Let’s stop.”
As Jeong-min finished speaking, Kim Ju-hwan took a deep breath. It felt as if there were many meanings embedded in that breath, but Jeong-min didn’t ask.
“…So you’ve really given up on becoming an Omega?”
“It’s funny to call it giving up. It’s not like I didn’t try. It’s just that it’s not happening.”
“That’s true. You really put in a lot of effort, Sunbae. I can vouch for that.”
“Thank you. Very much.”
“Then… you don’t need the drug anymore?”
“Um, I guess that’s how it is?”
“Then I….”
“Hmm?”
“No, I don’t think this is something to talk about right now. Especially not in this outfit.”
Kim Ju-hwan sprang up from his seat.
“Let’s talk tomorrow.”
“About what, exactly?”
“Let’s go. The food you bought will get cold.”
Seeing him change the subject, Jeong-min figured he didn’t want to talk about it now, so he didn’t push further.
✽✽✽
“Ugh….”
Jeong-min groaned, clutching his aching stomach. He had felt a slight pain since dawn, and by morning, the intervals between the pains were getting shorter. Fortunately, it wasn’t to the point where he couldn’t walk, and since he had to go to the hospital anyway, Jeong-min calmly prepared to leave without making a fuss.
After sending Kim Ju-hwan home last night, he had sat alone to organize his thoughts before calling Shin-woo. He told him they should meet at the hospital tomorrow, and Shin-woo had readily agreed.
But if the pain in his stomach continued like this, it felt like today’s conversation was doomed… still, there was no point in dragging things out…. Hoping the pain would stop, Jeong-min called a taxi to the hospital instead of driving himself for once.
He sent a short reply to a message from Kim Ju-hwan saying he was on his way to the hospital, and then curled up in the taxi.
“Sir, are you alright?”
The taxi driver asked cautiously, sounding concerned.
“Ah… yes…. Please hurry. I beg you.”
He didn’t want to make such a request if possible, but the pain in his stomach was becoming too frequent. Fortunately, the roads were clear, and he arrived at the hospital quickly. However, he couldn’t open the car door. The pulling sensation in his abdomen was too intense.
Seeing Jeong-min’s face turn pale, the taxi driver got out of the driver’s seat, opened the rear door, and repeatedly asked if he was okay. Jeong-min couldn’t answer. He felt his body growing cold. Cold sweat had already soaked his entire body.
Jeong-min barely managed to tell the driver the name of his attending physician before losing consciousness.
✽✽✽
“Jeong-min, Jeong-min.”
It was Shin-woo hyung’s voice. A voice that was always pleasant to hear. He felt an indescribable joy whenever that voice called his name. That was why he wanted to enjoy that joy for the rest of his life if possible. And he wanted to share it with him. He thought he would be able to….
“Jeong-min.”
“…Shin-woo hyung….”
Jeong-min responded to Shin-woo’s voice calling him as always. He slowly opened his eyes. Yu Shin-woo was looking at him with eyes full of worry.
“Hyung….”
“Are you awake?”
Awake? What happened? Jeong-min looked around. He was in a hospital room. Ah, right, he had been in a taxi on the way to the hospital and his stomach hurt….
“Did I collapse?”
“Yes, you collapsed in the taxi. Do you remember up to that point?”
“Yeah… how much time has passed?”
“Not long. About an hour.”
“Ah….”
“Wait here, I’ll call the doctor.”
Jeong-min sighed and closed his eyes. He didn’t feel any pain in his stomach now. What was it? A side effect of the drug? Since he hadn’t had any significant side effects for a while, it wouldn’t be surprising if something new appeared, but the location of the pain was strangely unsettling.
“Doctor Shin.”
Soon, Doctor Kim rushed in and checked Jeong-min’s condition.
“My stomach kept hurting. Sometimes it was a stabbing pain, other times a heavy ache… but the pain was especially severe today….”
At Jeong-min’s words, Doctor Kim placed a hand on her forehead and let out a deep sigh.
“During that rut….”
“Yes.”
“…Did you knot?”
That was strange. Doctor Kim had never asked for such specific details before…. While questioning it, Jeong-min knew better than anyone that nothing should be hidden from a doctor, so he answered seriously.
“Yes, I did.”
“Sigh… we did blood work last time. The test results came back. To be honest, I couldn’t believe it when I saw them. I was planning to draw blood again when you arrived today… but it doesn’t seem like a testing error.”
She held out a tablet containing the test results to Jeong-min. Jeong-min read it calmly, line by line from the top, and soon stopped at one particular part.
It was pregnancy.