By Zephyria “What did you say?”
“These are typical symptoms of Beastman pregnancy toxemia. The name is similar to human pregnancy toxemia, but the manifestation is quite different.”
Cutting off the doctor who was about to launch into professional jargon, Tae-jun asked for the conclusion first.
“So, is Yumin okay? Is it serious?”
The doctor did not answer immediately. After a brief pause, he carefully replied to Tae-jun.
“As things stand, both the mother and the fetus are in danger. In the worst-case scenario, we may have to choose between one of them.”
“What do I do… What about our babies?”
Upon returning home, Yumin sobbed uncontrollably. His tears would not stop. Tae-jun sat by the head of the bed, trying to comfort the weeping Yumin for hours.
“Yumin, please think of yourself first. Think of your health before the children.”
“I told you no! I’m going to give birth!”
Yumin snapped.
According to the doctor, it was possible to maintain the pregnancy. However, the problem lay in reaching the final stages of childbirth. Yumin’s body would collapse just from carrying the babies, and there was a high probability he wouldn’t overcome the great hurdle of childbirth. Simply put, he would have to face childbirth with the resolve to die.
“We can have another child. Give up now and,”
“No! How can I give up? They’re inside me… sob, they’re right here….”
Yumin clutched his belly and lowered his head. Tears streamed down his temples, soaking the pillow.
Tae-jun let out a deep sigh. He understood Yumin’s feelings of attachment to the twins who had already settled in his womb. Even for a short period, carrying them and feeling their presence every moment would create a bond. Tae-jun himself felt affection for the twins, so Yumin must feel it even more.
However, to Tae-jun, Yumin’s life was the most precious thing. He would rather die with Yumin than live in a world without him. He swallowed the words, knowing they were not what the suffering Yumin needed to hear.
“…Go Yumin. I’ll say it again. I will save you.”
“I absolutely cannot agree. I will tell the doctor that the fetus comes first. Don’t try any tricks.”
“Ha….”
Tae-jun’s chest felt heavy at Yumin’s sharp retort. How could he persuade the stubborn Yumin?
Yumin grew thinner day by day. He forced himself to eat, not wanting to give Tae-jun any reason to criticize him, but he couldn’t digest it well. The babies seemed to be drawing nutrients from Yumin’s body, growing rapidly day by day. Tae-jun found the sight unbearable and intended to drag Yumin to the hospital at the slightest opportunity. Of course, Yumin’s spirit was strong, making it difficult.
One day, as they were in a tense standoff, Yumin mentioned he wanted to eat peaches. Tae-jun met with the household chef and brought back several kilograms of prepared peaches. He hurried home before the beautifully sliced fruit could spoil, only to find Yumin asleep, face down on the desk in the master bedroom. A small notebook lay on the desk.
“What’s this?”
As he approached, Tae-jun saw that Yumin had scribbled something. Reading the words, Tae-jun’s heart sank.
If I die, please raise the babies well. Don’t remarry.
If you meet another Beastman and marry them, I will be sad even in heaven.
Will the babies be boys or girls? Since they’re fraternal, they might be a boy and a girl.
It’s a shame I won’t get to see them. I’m so sad… I wanted to live happily with you all.
It was Yumin’s diary. Tae-jun’s heart shattered. He had been swallowing his sorrow and fear alone. Tae-jun felt an unbearable pity for Yumin. Tears welled up, wetting Tae-jun’s eyes. Born as a strong tiger, he had never felt so weak before.
Tae-jun headed to his family home. Opening a small door attached to his room, he entered a narrow corridor. Passing through the secret-feeling passage, he entered a spacious room with a high ceiling. It was a shrine dedicated to the Tiger God, dimly lit by candles and filled with the scent of incense.
On the wall opposite hung a scroll painting of a tiger. It symbolized the ancestral god, the Tiger God, whom the Beom family had long revered.
Tae-jun knelt and closed his eyes tightly. Then, with a devout heart, he began to pray.
‘Our Tiger God, please protect the descendants of our family. Please protect the body carrying those children as well. We cannot choose between just one of them.’
Tae-jun’s wish was to save Yumin, but that alone was not enough. For Yumin to be truly happy, his wish to give birth must also be fulfilled. If it was something beyond the limits of modern medicine, he had to pray to a transcendent being.
‘I will bear anything. You may inflict great pain upon me. Please, just let Yumin and the children be healthy… I beg you.’
He prayed earnestly, again and again, clinging to his plea for several hours.
Did the prayers offered to the heavens reach the Tiger God?
The very next morning, Yumin’s condition had improved beyond recognition. His energy levels were up, he ate well, and he could move around lightly.
“My condition suddenly improved. Shall we go to the hospital?”
Yumin and Tae-jun headed straight to the hospital. They sought out the doctor who had diagnosed Yumin with pregnancy toxemia a few days prior. After a few tests, the doctor spoke with surprise.
“It’s a miracle. The symptoms have vanished as if washed away.”
“Excuse me? Doctor, please explain in detail.”
“How could this happen… We’ll need to investigate the cause further, but the tests show his condition is normal. He can give birth healthily.”
“So, my Yumin won’t die?”
“Of course not. He’s so healthy it’s almost a problem.”
“Ah… Thank you, thank you.”
Tae-jun bowed his head repeatedly in relief. Then, he tightly embraced Yumin, who had tears welling up in his eyes.
“You were scared. It’s okay now.”
“Sob… Tae-jun, I was so scared. Scared I would die and leave you…”
Yumin wept aloud. Then he laughed. He would be able to live long with Tae-jun and the babies. Now, there was nothing Yumin feared.
The household seemed to have found peace. However, not long after, strange things began to happen.
Tae-jun was bewildered by an event he had never experienced before. Sitting at the dining table to eat his usual rare steak, Tae-jun gagged at the smell of blood.
“Ugh!”
Was the food spoiled? No. The smell was too repulsive. He forced himself to cut a piece and swallow it, but it wouldn’t go down his throat. It wasn’t spoiled, yet he detected a strange smell, and even if he managed to get it into his mouth, he would chew a few bites and spit it out.
At first, he didn’t think much of it. He had always been blessed with a healthy constitution, so he assumed it was a temporary symptom. He figured he must be tired from taking care of Yumin’s health, so his digestion might have temporarily weakened.
However, the symptoms did not improve even after taking medication. In fact, they worsened with each passing day.
“Tae-jun…”
“Why?”
“Why have you lost so much weight?”
“Have I? I didn’t realize… Hmm, I suppose so.”
Yumin noticed Tae-jun’s change and was quite taken aback. His facial features had always been sharp, but now he had lost an excessive amount of weight. His eyes even looked hollow. What was this, like a tiger starving for days?
Tae-jun hadn’t mentioned his condition, not wanting Yumin to worry. However, the visible changes could not be hidden. In reality, Tae-jun had not been able to eat properly for several days.
“This is not good. Let’s go to the hospital right away.”
“Why go to the hospital for something like this? More importantly, hurry and get ready. It’s your regular check-up day.”
Today was Yumin’s obstetrics and gynecology appointment. Although there had been no particular issues since his recent illness, he was still getting regular check-ups just in case.
Yumin, with a displeased look, quickly put on his clothes. Tae-jun’s condition seemed far from good. Still, she was annoyed that he insisted on not going to the hospital.
“While I’m at the hospital, you can get a check-up too, okay?”
“I told you I’m fine. Gag!”
“See, you’re feeling sick again. It’s indigestion, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
After bickering, Yumin and Tae-jun got into the car together. In the car, the argument continued between Tae-jun, who insisted on not getting examined, and Yumin, who was determined to make him get examined.
“Ah, really! You’re so stubborn! Just listen to me!”
“I told you I’m fine.”
“What part of this is fine! Do you know how many times you’ve gagged on the way here?”
“Enough, let’s get your check-up first, okay?”
“If you don’t get examined, I won’t get my check-up today either!”
Yumin played his trump card. Tae-jun finally surrendered.
“Fine, fine. I’ll get examined, won’t I!”
Yumin pouted. Tae-jun knew he was resolute and stubborn, but his personality was of no help in situations like this.
Before seeing an internal medicine specialist, they decided to examine Yumin first. To the doctor’s question about how he had been, Yumin answered in detail. He naturally brought up Tae-jun’s symptoms. At this, the doctor’s eyes flickered.
“…When did this start?”
“It’s been a while. About fifteen days. Why do you ask?”
The doctor quickly made a diagnosis.
“Morning sickness.”
“What? I’m fine.”
“Not you, your spouse.”
“…Are you talking about me?”
Tae-jun was quite taken aback. Morning sickness for someone who wasn’t pregnant? He wondered if this doctor was a quack. However, the doctor continued calmly.
“Yes. Occasionally, we see cases like this. The one who isn’t pregnant experiences morning sickness on behalf of the other.”
“That’s impossible! What morning sickness…!”
“An experienced doctor can sometimes diagnose just by looking at a patient’s face. If you don’t believe me, let’s do a blood test. For Beastmen, morning sickness can be diagnosed by analyzing the components in their blood.”
“Yes, I will.”
Tae-jun’s stubbornness was not easily swayed. Putting aside the absurd claim that the husband experiences morning sickness, how could the doctor diagnose it just by looking at his face? He intended to have everything tested, blood included. If this doctor was a quack, he thought, he couldn’t entrust Yumin to him any longer.
However, the test results were clear.
“As you can see from these numbers, it is definitely morning sickness,” the doctor said in a firm tone. A look of frustration, rarely seen on Tae-jun’s face, flashed across it.
“What is the cause?”
“There’s a folk belief that it’s a form of sympathetic illness due to excessive love, but… it’s more of a pheromone issue. The pheromone glands get disrupted by the influence of the pregnant spouse. It’s a symptom that Beastmen occasionally experience.”
“Are you saying it’s because of me?”
“In a way, yes.”
The doctor stated it bluntly, without emotion. Yumin, left speechless, pursed his lips. Tae-jun also remained silent.
“I will prescribe medication. It should help alleviate the symptoms.”
“Yes……”
“Try eating this.”
“Ugh, no. It smells weird.”
“Do you know you haven’t eaten for almost a full day?”
“I know. But I don’t want to eat it.”
Tae-jun found it difficult to swallow food. Even after taking the medicine, the symptoms hadn’t subsided; they had worsened. Now, even the smell made him want to vomit.
Tae-jun was convinced the doctor was a quack, but seeing Yumin’s worried eyes, he knew he had to do something.
As he forced down the soup that smelled foul, Yumin’s gaze followed him. Pretending to be unfazed, Tae-jun finished the soup and smiled at Yumin.
“…It’s delicious.”
“Really? That’s a relief!”
For the first time in a while, Yumin’s face lit up. Seeing that expression, Tae-jun thought, what did it matter if the soup tasted like soap or pond water, as long as he could see Yumin smile? He felt he could endure this much.
Whether the medicine’s effects kicked in late or he naturally healed over time, Tae-jun’s condition gradually improved over several days. Yumin, who had felt a pang of guilt, was relieved. While Tae-jun’s gaunt, sharp facial features had a certain sexiness, his usual appearance was better.
Yumin, half-lying on Tae-jun’s lap while he sat on the sofa, mumbled to himself.
“I feel stifled.”
“Are your clothes uncomfortable? Shall I loosen them?”
“No, it’s not that. I feel stifled just staying at home.”
“Hmm, is that so?”
“Yes. My condition is fine now. Can’t I go out?”
“Well…”
Tae-jun answered vaguely. During their last hospital visit, Yumin had received a diagnosis of good health. Still, Tae-jun couldn’t easily let his guard down. Yumin had collapsed several times in early pregnancy and had gone through a major crisis once. Even if he was fine now, he didn’t know when something might happen again.
However, he couldn’t entirely dismiss Yumin’s feelings. While Tae-jun only went out for necessary errands or when Yumin needed something, Yumin was different. He was essentially confined to the house all day. It was understandable that he felt stifled.
What would be a way to relieve Yumin’s restlessness while also reassuring Tae-jun? Tae-jun, lost in thought for a moment, spoke to Yumin.
“How about this? Going to Gangwon-do.”
“Gangwon-do?”
Yumin’s eyes sparkled, and he sat up abruptly.
“Where in Gangwon-do?”
“Not the place we went last time. We have a family villa there.”
“That sounds wonderful!”
Yumin, clinging to Tae-jun’s neck, rejoiced like a child. Tae-jun wondered if he should have taken him out sooner, seeing how happy he was.
On the day of their trip to Gangwon-do, the weather was incredibly beautiful. As if to mock the rain that had fallen for days, the sky was clear and the breeze was refreshing.
Yumin was excited all morning. He even prepared a lunchbox with his rather poor skills.
“…What is this?”
“Rabbit-shaped inarizushi. How is it?”
It was a dish name he had never heard before. Something that was neither inari nor sushi. But Tae-jun diligently managed his expression.
“It’s just like a rabbit. So cute.”
“Right?”
“Yes. It looks delicious.”
“I made a lot.”
As he said that, Yumin revealed a bowl the size of a washbasin. Tae-jun felt a momentary dizziness but, unable to dampen his spirits, forced a smile.
“…Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. I want to go quickly.”
While worrying about how he would eat it all, Tae-jun couldn’t help but chuckle at Yumin’s delighted expression.
As they drove on the highway, leaving Seoul behind, Yumin hummed a song. The lyrics and melody were off-key, but it was clear he was genuinely happy.
They stopped briefly at a rest stop, bought drinks, and got back in the car.
“Are you that happy?”
“Yes, I’m really happy. Is this what they call a prenatal education trip?”
“If you think about it, it is.”
“The babies seem to like it too.”
“Really? How would you know?”
“Want to feel?”
Tae-jun carefully reached out and gently touched Yumin’s belly. He felt a very small, light thump. A moment later, another thump! Yumin’s belly moved again. It seemed the two babies had taken turns kicking. Tae-jun’s mouth fell open in amazement.
“Is this… fetal movement?”
“Amazing, right? I felt it for the first time this morning too.”
Tae-jun had always known that precious lives resided within Yumin’s womb. But for the first time that day, as he felt the reality of those lives, an indescribable emotion welled up in his chest.