By Zephyria 
“I don’t know which one is correct.”
Seo Yi-kyung frowned. He looked down at the tester in his left hand, which showed a single line. Then he looked down at his right hand. He wished he had one more.
Jin Seon-yu had bought him two testers. Should he go out and buy more?
Butler Do wasn’t feeling well, and Yi-kyung didn’t feel like asking him for a favor, fearing it might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. Going to the hospital would be clearer, but going without Han Seung-jae knowing was no easy task. What should he do?
Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t make a decision readily. He stepped out of the bathroom and paced around the room.
‘It can’t be! There’s no way.’
However, anxiety surged in a corner of his heart. He had never even imagined it until Jin Seon-yu showed him the baby clothes. A child. Such a thing could not happen, nor could it possibly exist. He had never heard of such a thing in the original story.
But how many times had he slept with Han Seung-jae? Seo Yi-kyung raised one hand and gripped his hair. The terrace, the bed. As Yi-kyung scanned his surroundings, his expression grew increasingly devastated. They had been pressed together violently in various places, and they had coupled even inside a bathtub filled with cold water. It was so frequent that it was almost strange if nothing happened; it was beyond counting.
Still, it was too early to conclude anything.
* * *
The next day, Seo Yi-kyung couldn’t concentrate at all while painting in the painting studio.
“Yi-kyung, I can’t come tomorrow.”
Only when Jin Seon-yu called him did Seo Yi-kyung’s hand touch the canvas.
“Really?”
“I’m going for a health checkup.”
“A checkup?”
Seo Yi-kyung barely painted. He didn’t even notice the paint seeping into his sleeve. It was only natural, as his mind was entirely filled with thoughts of the testers—one line and two lines. Because of this, he had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep properly. It wasn’t easy to ignore.
“Did you check yesterday?”
Jin Seon-yu asked while wiping his brush. Seo Yi-kyung answered as if he had only just remembered.
“No, not yet. I was so tired in the evening that I fell asleep early.”
“Then do you want to go with me tomorrow for the checkup and find out? I’ll make a reservation for you too.”
“…….”
Seo Yi-kyung set the brush down on the work table. Jin Seon-yu took it and wiped it clean.
“Those testers can be wrong, you know.”
A part of Jin Seon-yu’s words pierced his ears. Seo Yi-kyung asked softly.
“Can they… be wrong?”
Jin Seon-yu was preoccupied with wiping the brush.
“Of course. How could something like that be accurate?”
Jin Seon-yu whipped his head around. His large eyes sparkled.
“It’s clearer to go and check in person.”
For some reason, it was hard to avoid Jin Seon-yu’s eyes, which were full of anticipation. Seo Yi-kyung held his head as a sudden headache flared. The paint on his fingertips smeared onto his forehead. Jin Seon-yu pulled out a tissue and gently wiped Yi-kyung’s forehead.
“Alright. What time is your exam tomorrow?”
“10 AM. Does that work for you? I’ll text you the hospital’s location.”
Seo Yi-kyung nodded and organized his thoughts. Since Han Seung-jae would be at work by 10, leaving the house wouldn’t be an issue.
The problem was…
Jin Seon-yu left without eating anything, saying he had to fast for the checkup. Seo Yi-kyung sat on the first-floor sofa. Butler Do set down a teacup and went inside. It was likely because it was almost time for Han Seung-jae to arrive.
How long had he sat there, emptying his teacup? The busy footsteps of the helpers began to spread.
Seo Yi-kyung slowly stood up from the sofa. Han Seung-jae, walking from the entrance, stopped in his tracks.
“You’re coming out to greet me often these days.”
Seo Yi-kyung’s lips parted.
“Butler Do isn’t feeling well.”
Han Seung-jae’s gaze fixed on Seo Yi-kyung’s face.
“Don’t stay with him. He’s frail; it would be a disaster if he caught a cold. Or just tell him to be hospitalized.”
Seo Yi-kyung hesitated on how to bring up the words lodged in his throat. Han Seung-jae seemed poised to pass him by as if he had said all he needed to. Looking up at him as if to hold him back, Yi-kyung spoke slowly.
“What about dinner?”
This wasn’t a suitable place to stand and talk. In fact, the probability of being rejected was high. He judged it better to cautiously gauge Han Seung-jae’s intentions over dinner.
“…….”
Han Seung-jae’s eyebrows shifted minutely.
“I told them to have it ready.”
Seo Yi-kyung’s fingertips pointed toward the air. Han Seung-jae’s change vanished instantly. The voice that leaked out was monotonous.
“Eat first. Don’t starve yourself.”
“Ah.”
Seo Yi-kyung spoke while watching Han Seung-jae’s profile as he walked away. However, the remaining words didn’t come out. He simply watched Han Seung-jae enter the dressing room.
“Sigh—”
Seo Yi-kyung, now in the kitchen, let out a deep sigh. The chef, who was placing food on the table, looked flustered.
“Is something wrong? If you don’t like the menu, shall I prepare something else?”
Seo Yi-kyung shook his head.
“No. I’ll enjoy it.”
However, sitting alone at the table, Seo Yi-kyung’s mouth felt dry. He picked up the water glass beside him and repeatedly moistened his parched throat. Seo Yi-kyung picked up his chopsticks. None of the food in front of him appealed to him. Perhaps because he had drunk so much water, he wasn’t even hungry anymore.
Clack. Seo Yi-kyung set down the chopsticks. If both testers had been one line, he wouldn’t have had to worry like this.
He stood up and prepared the tea Han Seung-jae would drink.
Coming out into the living room, Seo Yi-kyung stopped a passing helper and held out the tray.
“Could you take this to the study for me?”
“Yes.”
He could have taken it himself, but he didn’t want to create a situation where Butler Do was reprimanded for the staff working too hard. Wasn’t he someone who had already returned after going through a distressing time at the main house? Once was enough.
The helper pressed the elevator button. She seemed to assume that since Seo Yi-kyung was there, he would naturally ride it with her.
Seo Yi-kyung slowly entered the elevator. Just the closing of the doors made his cheeks flush. It was hard to even look at the helper’s reflection in the door. The things he had done with Han Seung-jae in this spot flickered before his eyes. Kissing, and pushing him into the corner with obsessive intensity.
Ding. As the clear sound rang out, Seo Yi-kyung hurried out. He had never felt the time it took to go up to the second floor feel as long as it did today.
He approached the study and knocked. No answer came, but Seo Yi-kyung gripped the handle and opened the door slowly.
“Who told you to come in?”
Han Seung-jae, who had been admiring a cherry blossom landscape painting hanging on the wall, turned his head. The helper beside Seo Yi-kyung flinched. Holding the tray, she couldn’t bring herself to step forward. However, Seo Yi-kyung walked forward with forced composure, not avoiding Han Seung-jae’s eyes.
A corner of his heart pounded. But since Han Seung-jae didn’t say anything further, he approached the desk.
Seo Yi-kyung looked away from the documents on the desk and pointed to one side.
“Please put it here.”
The helper carefully set down the tray while glancing at Han Seung-jae. However, Han Seung-jae’s gaze remained fixed in one place. He was staring at Seo Yi-kyung’s face.
“Thank you.”
Seo Yi-kyung gave her a smile. Han Seung-jae’s gaze, which had been watching even that, slid toward the teapot. Beside it were two teacups. Han Seung-jae reached out his long arm.
With the clicking sound of the door, the helper left, and silence fell over the study. As if to break that silence, Han Seung-jae tilted the teapot and filled the cups.
Seo Yi-kyung’s Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily. Having filled the cups, Han Seung-jae looked up. His cold eyes were deep. It was a difficult meeting. Han Seung-jae had returned late the previous day as well. Thus, Seo Yi-kyung told himself internally that he had to speak now.
“Listen.”
Seo Yi-kyung slowly picked up his teacup. Han Seung-jae reached out and caressed Seo Yi-kyung’s cheek, where the scars had now faded, with his fingertips.
“Did you come here just to have a leisurely tea with me?”
Seo Yi-kyung’s cheek twitched. Han Seung-jae couldn’t have missed it, but he didn’t remove his hand as he asked.
“Or is there something you want to say?”
Seo Yi-kyung looked up. Over Han Seung-jae’s shoulder, the cherry blossom landscape painting on the wall came into view. Just a moment ago, Han Seung-jae had definitely been looking at that painting.
He had thought Han Seung-jae would never accept it, but was that not the case? However, when Seo Yi-kyung had shown him the painting, Han Seung-jae’s eyes had been devoid of much emotion, so he had no choice but to think so. Yet, in the elevator, Han Seung-jae had looked as if he had been waiting for Seo Yi-kyung to ask him to accept it.
However, Seo Yi-kyung set aside his thoughts about the painting. He revealed the reason he had come here.
“Tomorrow.”
Han Seung-jae’s hand was still rubbing the area around his cheek. He only lowered his eyes to look into Seo Yi-kyung. It was as if he was listening.
“I’d like to go to the hospital.”
Before Han Seung-jae could ask, Seo Yi-kyung spoke first. If Han Seung-jae started asking questions, Seo Yi-kyung would have no choice but to lie.
“Butler Do seems to be in very poor health, so I want to go with him.”
“Tell him to go alone.”
Han Seung-jae spoke curtly, as if it wasn’t even worth listening to further, and withdrew the fingers that had been touching his cheek. Even so, Seo Yi-kyung still felt a chilly sensation, as if Han Seung-jae’s fingers were still touching his cheek.
Han Seung-jae slid his long fingers down and picked up the poured teacup.
“Have you thought about whether you want to receive payment for the painting?”
Han Seung-jae’s elegant fingertips flicked upward, and he brought the teacup to his lips.
“Not yet……”
Seo Yi-kyung trailed off. Then, watching Han Seung-jae savor the tea, he spoke again.
“More importantly, Butler Do has suffered a lot in the meantime. That’s why I’m worried and want to go to the hospital with him.”
The two testers flickered before Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes. One line and two lines. Since he didn’t know which one was correct, he couldn’t be honest with Han Seung-jae right now. Just because there was a possibility didn’t mean it was certain.
Han Seung-jae was a man who preferred things that were clear and visible. It was blindingly obvious how he would react.
There was no way he would be happy.