By Zephyria 
Eun-soo and Do-kwon were sitting in a traditional Korean restaurant they visited often. Since Do-kwon had made a reservation a few days prior, the dishes were laid out one after another as soon as they sat down.
As a final touch, a staff member placed a steaming hot sinseollo (royal hot pot) in the center. As she bowed and turned to leave, Do-kwon stopped her and asked for a pair of wooden chopsticks. They were for Eun-soo. After all, traditional Korean metal cutlery was heavy.
Thanks to consistent treatment, Eun-soo’s wrist had improved significantly. He wasn’t healthy enough to work a part-time job loading and unloading delivery boxes, but he had no trouble with daily activities. Despite this, Do-kwon always asked for wooden chopsticks whenever they came to a restaurant. Sometimes, he even carried them in his inner pocket.
Wooden chopsticks coming out of a suit jacket worth millions of won. When Eun-soo first saw that, he had laughed so hard he hit the floor.
The staff member kindly brought the wooden chopsticks. Do-kwon split them in half and placed them in front of Eun-soo. Then, he took Eun-soo’s side plate and lifted the sinseollo pot, picking out the ingredients Eun-soo liked.
“Eat.”
“Thank you.”
Slowly lifting his utensils, Eun-soo tasted the broth. He took a large spoonful of the stone-pot rice containing mushrooms and chestnuts. Then, he picked up any side dish in front of him and put it in his mouth.
But for some reason… he had no appetite. He hadn’t eaten properly since last night. Strangely, the grains of rice sliding down his throat felt like plastic. Eun-soo intentionally chewed the food slowly and thoroughly. He felt as if he would get indigestion if he just swallowed it.
The meal continued in silence. One might have expected comments on the taste of the food, talk of daily life, or perhaps work, but both Do-kwon and Eun-soo remained silent.
Then, as Eun-soo reached for the grilled abalone placed in one corner, he happened to glance at Do-kwon. But.
“……Mr. Do-kwon?”
“…….”
“Mr. Do-kwon, why are you crying?”
Do-kwon was crying. Eun-soo’s eyes widened. With his head bowed low, Do-kwon let tears drip down. He had been crying so quietly that Eun-soo hadn’t noticed at all. Startled, Eun-soo set down his utensils and moved his seat closer to Do-kwon.
“Why are you crying, Mr. Do-kwon?”
“Eun-soo…”
Do-kwon looked at Eun-soo with bloodshot eyes. A thick tear rolled down his smooth cheek. Eun-soo reached out and gently wiped it away. Do-kwon wrapped his hand around Eun-soo’s and buried his cheek in the soft palm.
“It’s because I’m just so happy, so happy….”
“…….”
“Thank you. Thank you, Eun-soo.”
Do-kwon repeated his gratitude, shedding more tears. Whether he was truly crying from joy, his eyes were completely drenched, yet the corners of his mouth were curved upward in a smile.
Staring at that bizarre expression, Eun-soo let out a faint sigh. Then, he shuffled over on his knees and leaned into Do-kwon’s embrace. As if he had been waiting, Do-kwon hugged Eun-soo tightly.
Eun-soo had done it to comfort him, but for some reason, Do-kwon buried his face in Eun-soo’s shoulder and cried even harder. Eun-soo gently stroked Do-kwon’s broad back.
Eun-soo could guess why Do-kwon was crying—the reason he was so happy. It was because their destination before coming to the restaurant had been the OB-GYN. It was the same clinic they had visited frequently before.
They had gone for a pregnancy test, and the doctor, wearing rimless glasses, had said in a flat tone:
‘Congratulations. You are three weeks pregnant.’
It was a calm, short sentence, but the impact was immense. The breath of both Do-kwon and Eun-soo, sitting opposite each other, stopped abruptly. Their eyes went wide, and their lips parted.
It was because it was something they had expected, yet simultaneously something they hadn’t.
In a daze, the two listened to various precautions. The doctor mentioned that since Eun-soo had suffered a miscarriage before, he had to be careful, and that this time, he shouldn’t even think about touching pheromone suppressants.
The two left the clinic holding hands tightly. Afterward, throughout the drive to the traditional Korean restaurant in Do-kwon’s car, neither dared to speak. They were simply, quietly, moved by the miracle. They imagined a future where they would be three, and smiled thinking of the tiny hands they would hold ten months from now.
But for Do-kwon, it seemed this wasn’t something that could end with mere emotion. He was crying even while eating.
For a while after that, Do-kwon repeatedly said he was so happy, thanked him, and promised he would do his best, in no particular order. Eun-soo smiled silently and patted Do-kwon’s back.
Do-kwon finally stopped crying around the time the food had cooled to a lukewarm temperature. Eun-soo chuckled softly. A man crying because he’s so happy and moved that they’re having a baby. Isn’t that just too cute?
He had been this happy when their Bomi was born, too. The memory made him sad for a moment, but he quickly shook it off.
“Sorry. You… have to eat… your meal.”
Do-kwon spoke, catching his breath which was still distorted from sobbing. Eun-soo giggled and wiped the corners of Do-kwon’s eyes.
“It’s okay. I can start eating now.”
After wiping away the last tear clinging to the tip of Do-kwon’s chin, Eun-soo stood up to return to his seat opposite. But Do-kwon suddenly grabbed his wrist.
“Eat here.”
“Here?”
“Yes. Next to me. I don’t want to be apart from you.”
Do-kwon pulled a cushion that had been sitting a distance away and placed it next to himself.
“Well, it’s only across the table, so there’s no need to—”
As Eun-soo spoke hesitantly, Do-kwon gripped his thigh and the back of his knee and pulled him down. As Eun-soo’s body tilted, a long arm wrapped around his waist and carefully seated him in the spot next to him. Eun-soo’s body floated for a moment before landing. The entire sequence of movements was incredibly smooth. It was almost like riding a swing.
Eun-soo blinked with a blank expression.
Seriously… his strength… really… just… how… can a person’s strength… be this…
Do-kwon’s strength was surprising every time he experienced it. It was surprising how he could flip him over with one hand in bed like a pancake on a griddle, but it was appalling whenever he used such strength so casually in daily life.
Sometimes he wondered if it was a mistake to let Do-kwon work at a company. He should have been sent to the Olympics. He probably would have served his country brilliantly. That’s what he thought.
While Eun-soo was spacing out, Do-kwon brought over Eun-soo’s utensils from the other side of the table. Then he called the server and asked them to reheat the soups. After that, he carefully removed the bones from a crisply grilled hairtail and placed a thick piece of flesh on top of Eun-soo’s rice bowl.
“Eat up. You didn’t even eat breakfast this morning.”
“Ah… yes…”
Still unable to shake off his surprise, Eun-soo slowly lifted his spoon. The salty and chewy fish was delicious. Hunger finally hit him. He had been so happy and excited by the news of the pregnancy that he had barely eaten, but now his appetite surged. It seemed that while comforting Do-kwon, he had settled his own heart as well.
By the time Eun-soo had chewed and swallowed his rice, Do-kwon placed some sweet braised abalone on his side plate. Eun-soo’s eyes sparkled at the plump abalone, and he quickly popped it into his mouth. His cheekbones naturally rose at the characteristic crunchy texture of the abalone.
Do-kwon watched Eun-soo with a satisfied smile. Then, he shifted his hips to move the cushion he was sitting on a bit closer to Eun-soo. They were so close that their forearms brushed against each other every time they moved their utensils.
Eun-soo noticed the transparent attempt at flirting but didn’t say anything. He just found it cute. A husband fidgeting just to sit closer to him. A husband who thinks sitting opposite is too far and pulls him next to him. Isn’t he just precious?
By the time Eun-soo had finished the abalone and the beef pancakes, the braised short ribs, sea urchin seaweed soup, and royal hot pot arrived piping hot. The server paused for a moment at the sight of Eun-soo and Do-kwon practically glued together, but soon placed the food down with an indifferent face and left.
“You have to eat well.”
Do-kwon brought the bowl of braised short ribs and placed it in front of Eun-soo. Eun-soo nodded and picked up a thick piece of rib.
“Yes, of course. You don’t have to worry about that. I’m really good at eating.”
At those confident words, Do-kwon let out a hearty laugh. As if to prove it, Eun-soo popped a large piece of rib into his mouth. His soft cheeks puffed out roundly. Unable to resist, Do-kwon showered those cheeks with little kisses.
While Do-kwon was paying, Eun-soo got a cocoa from the vending machine at the restaurant entrance. The thick, sweet scent of cocoa was intoxicating. But after about two sips, half the paper cup was empty.
Eun-soo let out a small groan and stared at the vending machine with a serious face. One wasn’t enough. Two wouldn’t be enough either. But if he got three, he wouldn’t have enough hands to hold them. It was awkward to just stand there and drink them all.
While agonizing over this, he finished the cup. Just as Eun-soo was pursing his lips in regret, Do-kwon approached, putting his wallet in his inner pocket.
“Do you want more cocoa?”
Eun-soo nodded. Do-kwon looked around the area.
“Is there a cafe nearby…?”
“No, this. I want to drink this. This one.”
Eun-soo pointed at the vending machine and repeated ‘this’ three times. It had to be this cocoa. This cocoa that cost 300 won a cup. This cheap cocoa that tasted like powdered milk and was slightly tart yet sweet.
At that, Do-kwon’s expression became as serious as Eun-soo’s. He knew well that Eun-soo wouldn’t be satisfied with just one small paper cup. After a moment of thought, Do-kwon dispensed another cocoa from the machine and handed it to Eun-soo.
“Wait a moment.”
Saying so, Do-kwon strode away with his long legs. Eun-soo sat perched on a small plastic chair next to the vending machine, sipping the new cocoa Do-kwon had gotten him.
Do-kwon reappeared in less than three minutes. In his hand was a long coffee cup of the kind used in cafes. It was white, clean, and brand new.
Eun-soo narrowed his eyes. He tilted his head, wondering where he had gotten that, when Do-kwon spoke while putting coins into the vending machine.
“There was a small cafe next door.”
“Did you… buy it? An empty cup?”
“I couldn’t just ask for a cup, so I bought a coffee and told them I didn’t want the coffee.”
“Huh? That works?”
“Why wouldn’t it? Any coffee, largest size, without the coffee.”
After a moment of silence, Eun-soo burst into laughter. Regardless of whether Eun-soo laughed, Do-kwon dispensed the cocoa and poured it into the large cup.
Eun-soo laughed so hard he was practically stomping his feet. He couldn’t stop laughing imagining Do-kwon entering the cafe with a serious face and ordering, ‘Any coffee, largest size, but please give me just the cup without the coffee,’ and the expression of the employee listening to him.
After laughing for a while, Eun-soo wiped away a stray tear and asked.
“And the cafe just sold you the cup without saying anything?”
“No. They asked why I needed it.”
“And?”
“I told them my pregnant husband wants to drink a lot of vending machine cocoa. Then they just gave it to me. They’re a kind person.”
Do-kwon frowned slightly as he recalled the short-haired female owner. He had thought he’d be lucky if they didn’t treat him like a crazy person, but she was a wonderful person who had handed him the cup with a bright smile.
With a faint smile, Eun-soo stood beside Do-kwon. Do-kwon was just pouring the third cocoa from the machine into the cup. He handed the heavy cup to Eun-soo, who took it with both hands.
A warm heat filled his palms. It was a temperature that contained Do-kwon’s heart and the kind owner’s consideration. Eun-soo looked up at Do-kwon with a wide grin. Do-kwon, who had gone all the way to a cafe to find an empty cup just because he said he wanted cocoa, was excessively lovely.
“Should I give you a kiss?”
Eun-soo asked.
“Yes.”
Do-kwon agreed instantly and thrust his head forward. Eun-soo giggled and stood on his tiptoes. Then he pressed his lips to Do-kwon’s with a ‘chu’ and pulled away. Knowing that Do-kwon was the type to feel one wasn’t enough, he gave him four kisses—chu, chu, chu, chu. Do-kwon grinned widely, his mouth stretching to the sides.
The two held hands and headed toward Do-kwon’s car in the parking lot. Do-kwon helped Eun-soo into the passenger seat and meticulously fastened his seatbelt before getting into the driver’s seat.
“Let’s stop by the department store before going home,” Do-kwon said as he started the car.
“Why?” Eun-soo asked, sipping his cocoa.
“To buy vitamins and supplements, and some fruit.”
At those words, Eun-soo let out a groan. Supplements, folic acid, probiotics… He knew they were necessary, but the thought of taking them made him sigh. Things that have no taste but just fill you up with water. Pills that are annoyingly thick and don’t go down easily.
Eun-soo’s face stiffened as if he had swallowed some dry dust. Seeing that face, Do-kwon quickly added.
“If you’re tired, I can go alone…”
“No. Let’s go together. If you go alone, you’ll buy them by the box again, you.”
He would probably buy every single pill the employee recommended. And not just one or two bottles, but by the box. He would surely clear out the entire store. Eun-soo shuddered thinking of the pills stacked up to the ceiling.
Do-kwon tilted his head at Eun-soo’s words. He seemed completely unable to understand why buying them by the box was a problem.
“Still, it’s better than running out while taking them…”
Eun-soo glared. Do-kwon quickly shut his mouth.
The Seoul roads on a weekend afternoon were moderately congested. They would drive smoothly and then come to a sudden halt. Every time that happened, Do-kwon held Eun-soo’s hand. He would gently stroke the back of his hand with his thumb or kiss the sparkling wedding ring.
Eun-soo smiled, his eyes curving, at the ticklish skinship. Then Do-kwon smiled along with him. Then suddenly, Eun-soo’s eyebrows twitched.
“I should contact your mother and father, too.”
“I’ll call them later.”
“No. I want to do it.”
Eun-soo lit up Do-kwon’s phone, which was on the phone holder. He found Myeong-hui’s number and pressed the call button. A monotonous ringing sound followed—ring, ring—until it suddenly clicked, and Myeong-hui’s voice was heard.
-Yes, is this Do-kwon?
“Mother, it’s Eun-soo.”
-Oh, yes, hello, Eun-soo. What’s the occasion?
“I’ve been to the OB-GYN.”
-Oh… you have?
Myeong-hui’s voice, which had been high, dropped instantly. She was likely worried that Eun-soo might be disappointed by a negative result. Before she could continue worrying, Eun-soo quickly delivered the good news.
“I’m pregnant. Three weeks.”
-…….
Silence flowed through the receiver. Eun-soo bit his lip at the unexpectedly quiet reaction, but then a short scream erupted like a spark. Do-kwon and Eun-soo burst into laughter simultaneously.
Myeong-hui continued her uncharacteristic fussing for a long time. After a few seconds, another familiar voice appeared. It was Ki-ho.
-What is it? Who is it?
-It’s Eun-soo. Eun-soo is pregnant.
-Oh my! Oh my!
Another fussing voice was added. Myeong-hui and Ki-ho were overjoyed, alternating between congratulations and expressions of gratitude. Eun-soo briefly asked how they were and continued the conversation by telling them he was currently heading to the department store with Do-kwon to buy supplements.
Do-kwon’s car entered the department store parking lot. Just as Eun-soo was about to end the call, Myeong-hui called out to him tentatively.
-Um… Eun-soo.
“Yes, Mother.”
-Well… I’ve… bought a house.
“What? A house?”
-Yes. A good house came up, so I bought one to give to you when you got pregnant. You have to buy those things in advance. If you try to find one later, there are none. Houses in good neighborhoods don’t go on the market often.
“…….”
-The house you’re living in now has stairs, and yes, it’s not great for raising a child. When you’re full-term, won’t climbing stairs be difficult? It’s dangerous, too.
“Ah…”
-It’s in Yeoksam-dong; it’s close to the company, it’s spacious with a yard, and since it’s a residential area, the neighborhood is quiet. I haven’t done the interior yet. I thought it wouldn’t be right for me to touch your newlyweds’ home. I thought it would be much more sophisticated if you, Eun-soo, saw it and chose yourself.
“…….”
-How about… taking a look when you have time?
Myeong-hui was polite yet devoted. It was a proposal filled entirely with consideration and love. After blinking a few times, Eun-soo’s lips curled up into a grin.
“I’d love to. I’ll visit you around next week. Thank you, Mother.”
There was no reason to refuse. There was no way the discerning Myeong-hui would have picked just any house. It would likely be a perfect place for raising a child. Moreover, a house with a yard in Yeoksam-dong would probably cost well over ten billion won. He should welcome it with open arms.
At Eun-soo’s positive response, Myeong-hui ended the call, sounding delighted. Meanwhile, the car stopped in the parking lot. As Do-kwon turned off the engine, Eun-soo spoke while unbuckling his seatbelt.
“Wow, we hit the lottery. And like five times in a row.”
Do-kwon burst into a loud laugh.
Do-kwon and Eun-soo practically cleaned out the department store. They went to buy supplements and fruit, but isn’t it true that life doesn’t go according to plan? Besides, buying only those would have been too cold.
So, they swept up everything they wanted to eat from the food hall.
They bought a whole red velvet cake, and since there was a famous éclair shop, they bought all the remaining stock. Some for themselves and some to bring to the team members at the company—as a way of flattering them to look kindly upon him, since he’d be causing various inconveniences in the future. They also bought fried tofu rice balls, handmade dumplings, a pack of salad topped with ricotta cheese, and high-end nuts that Do-kwon liked.
Returning home, Eun-soo ran to the ‘Bomi Tree,’ watered it, and informed it that a younger sibling was coming. Afterward, he diligently ate through the food they had bought. Perhaps because he had heard he was pregnant, he could eat more than usual.
As always, Do-kwon sat beside him with a satisfied face, attending to Eun-soo’s meal. Afterward, he didn’t forget to push the supplements toward him. Eun-soo admirably swallowed them down without a fuss.
After cleaning up, the two showered, changed into pajamas, and met again. Eun-soo, rummaging through the pantry, headed to the living room sofa with a large bag of nachos tucked under his arm. Do-kwon followed him with salsa and cheese sauce.
The two lay almost flat on the sofa and watched TV. Weekend variety shows are all bustling and noisy. That didn’t feel bad at all.
Eun-soo occasionally let out a chuckle as he munched on nacho chips. Do-kwon hugged Eun-soo from behind and slid his hand inside his top. He slowly stroked the still-flat belly. Just thinking about how it would gradually swell made him so happy that saliva pooled between his molars.
And so, Eun-soo watched TV, and Do-kwon watched the future. It was a moderately relaxed and happy time, perfectly suited for a weekend night.
Around eleven o’clock, the two stood side by side in the bedroom bathroom, brushing their teeth. Then, they lay down in bed.
Do-kwon slid his arm behind Eun-soo’s head, volunteering himself as a pillow. Eun-soo clung tightly to Do-kwon’s side, gently stroking his prominently defined abs with his fingertips.
It was while Do-kwon was softly stroking Eun-soo’s shoulder and forearm, waiting for him to fall asleep. Suddenly, Eun-soo peeked up and looked at Do-kwon.
“Do-kwon-ssi.”
“Yeah. What is it?”
“Tomorrow, I want…”
“Yeah.”
“Jajangmyeon.”
At those words, Do-kwon chuckled. He had wondered what Eun-soo was thinking about so intently while staring into space; it seemed he had been pondering tomorrow’s menu. Then again, nothing was more important than eating. Especially for someone who was pregnant.
Do-kwon pressed a quick kiss to Eun-soo’s forehead. He felt a flutter of excitement thinking that tomorrow, he would get to watch Eun-soo’s cheeks puff out as he chewed for a long time.
“Okay, let’s have jajangmyeon, and jjamppong, and fried rice, and tangsuyuk too.”
“Yeah, yeah, and cream shrimp…”
“Right, cream shrimp too.”
Do-kwon gave Eun-soo a tight squeeze before letting go. Then, he pondered with a seriously focused expression. Which restaurant had the best jajangmyeon? Which one did Eun-soo like? As he continued to worry, furrowing his brow, Eun-soo tugged firmly on his collar. Do-kwon looked down at Eun-soo. Suddenly, Eun-soo smiled, his eyes curving into crescents.
“I’m happy.”
At the sudden remark, Do-kwon’s eyebrows arched upward.
“…Huh?”
“I said I’m happy. Right now. I’m so happy.”
Do-kwon shut his mouth tight. Blinking rapidly, he tilted his head slightly to the side.
“…Because we’re having jajangmyeon tomorrow?”
No matter how much he thought about it, that was the only reason Eun-soo would suddenly become happy. He was certain the answer was correct. But Eun-soo giggled.
“No. I mean I’m happy in this moment, being with you, Do-kwon-ssi.”
“Ah…”
“It’s languid, and peaceful. I think tomorrow will be fun, and the future will be even more fun. I suddenly just became incredibly happy.”
Eun-soo opened his arms and hugged Do-kwon’s neck with all his might. Do-kwon let out a small laugh and hugged Eun-soo back.
“Thank you for being happy, Eun-soo.”
He whispered into Eun-soo’s ear.
“Thank you for making me happy, Do-kwon-ssi.”
Eun-soo whispered back, pressing a kiss to Do-kwon’s cheek. Locking eyes, the two smiled like children.
After that, Eun-soo babbled about various things until he eventually drifted off to sleep. He must have been exhausted after tossing and turning for several nights since booking the OB-GYN appointment.
Do-kwon had also lost sleep for a few days, but for some reason, he didn’t want to sleep. Lying on his side with his arm propping up his head, he gazed quietly at Eun-soo.
He would gently brush away the hair covering Eun-soo’s forehead, smile secretly while watching his lips occasionally mumble, give him very discreet kisses, and then, suddenly feeling afraid, count Eun-soo’s fingers.
By the time he snapped back to his senses, it was already dawn. Time vanished in chunks whenever he looked at Eun-soo.
As he touched the corners of Eun-soo’s eyes, he slowly recounted the events of the day. He had a child, he got a kiss from Eun-soo, and on top of that, he heard that Eun-soo was happy thanks to him.
It felt so good. So fulfilling.
Even if he spent the next few nights wide awake, or starved without eating a thing, he felt as though his body and mind were refreshed—as if he had slept deeply, taken a high-quality rest, and eaten his fill.
Eun-soo was truly remarkable and wondrous. It was amazing how he defied natural logic and made the impossible possible. Do-kwon wondered if he could start a religion if he put his mind to it.
What should it be called? The Church of Yoo Eun-soo. The Eun-soo Cult. Thinking this, Do-kwon laughed quietly. Then, he buried his nose in Eun-soo’s hair and inhaled his pheromones deeply.
It felt as if he had arrived in heaven; his body felt as though it were floating.
* * *
Eun-soo began experiencing morning sickness from the fifth week of pregnancy. No matter what food was offered, he would often turn his head side to side, his face pale.
Because of this, not only Eun-soo but even Do-kwon became quite gaunt. The hospital told them to find foods he could actually eat, but Eun-soo acted as if even breathing was an ordeal. Consequently, Do-kwon spent all day scouring the world’s cuisines, agonizing over whether Eun-soo could eat this or not.
Myeong-hui and Ki-ho were equally worried. Myeong-hui, who had been searching for and delivering various foods from all over, asked Do-kwon, who looked grave, “He used to eat naengmyeon and galbi well in the past. Have you tried feeding him those?”
That evening, Do-kwon took Eun-soo to a naengmyeon restaurant after work. For the first time in nearly two weeks, Eun-soo polished off a whole bowl. Do-kwon almost cheered out loud in the restaurant. Eun-soo, who had been surviving day by day on lemon candies, ice cream, and mangoes, also ate with gusto.
Do-kwon began exploring foods Eun-soo could eat, centering around naengmyeon. Cold and sour things. He made a list of foods that used a lot of vinegar or cho-gochujang and fed them to Eun-soo one by one. Bibim-naengmyeon, bibim-myeon, vinegar-dressed salads, mul-kimchi, baek-kimchi, and so on.
Most were successful. If he mixed rice into a sour soup, Eun-soo ate that well too. Since most of the food was cold, Do-kwon intentionally made him drink warm tea after meals.
After spending a few frantic weeks like that, the morning sickness finally ended. He passed the most dangerous early stage of pregnancy and entered the stable second trimester.
Eun-soo’s lower belly began to swell.
Once Eun-soo’s pregnancy reached a stage where it was visible to the eye, Do-kwon’s fussiness expanded to the heavens. To give a few brief examples: it was while Eun-soo was having lunch with his team members at the company cafeteria.
The lunch menu consisted of lamb chops, yukgaejang filled with abalone and beef, multigrain rice, and various side dishes, followed by croissants filled with cream cheese and strawberry tarts for dessert.
It was a menu that felt almost too lavish to eat for free at a company cafeteria. While all the employees were eating excitedly, only the atmosphere of the design team was strange.
The six members of the design team were eating at seats by the window. The reason there were six instead of four was that they had hired two more newcomers about a month ago. One might think two people weren’t a big deal, but adding two people to a team of four was a huge change.
As the company grew and the benefits expanded, they did get busier, but a shortage of manpower wasn’t the primary reason for the hiring. The biggest reason was that Eun-soo was pregnant.
During the early stages of pregnancy, Do-kwon had asked if they shouldn’t hire more people for the design team. He likely found it very disagreeable to see a pregnant Eun-soo working busily.
After thinking for a moment, Eun-soo had agreed. Between the final stages of pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare, he would be away from the company for a long time. It would be too much for the remaining three to handle all the work. Even when he returned, it might be difficult to immerse himself in work as before. He didn’t want to be overwhelmed by work while raising a child, but he didn’t want to quit working either.
It was pure greed.
But what could he do? He wanted to be good at his job and good at parenting. So, even though he knew exactly what Do-kwon was thinking, he accepted. Thus, the design team became six people. After that, his workload actually decreased.
As Eun-soo sipped the savory yukgaejang broth, the team members, including Seo-young, wore serious expressions. The two newcomers’ eyes rolled around in sync. As always, it was Seo-young who took the lead.
“Is it just me, or has the company cafeteria menu become incredible since Team Leader Yoo got pregnant…?”
“Right? It was already a great place, but now it’s hotel-grade.”
Another team member agreed. Eun-soo’s spoon stopped abruptly. He looked up with an ambiguous smile.
“…It’s probably not just your imagination.”
He knew that Do-kwon’s influence and touch were heavily present in ‘The First Season.’ It was the company Do-kwon created, so it was only natural. Seeing how he filled the breakroom this way and that, Eun-soo figured Do-kwon would naturally manage the cafeteria too.
He was a man who considered it his mission to make sure Eun-soo ate well. How could it be otherwise? Moreover, since he was pregnant, Do-kwon might even be receiving weekly reports on the menu.
‘Since he’s pregnant, be careful with raw food. Nothing too spicy. Plenty of protein. Always include a salad, don’t forget.’ It was obvious he had given such orders.
It wasn’t a bad thing. Thanks to Do-kwon’s fussiness, all the employees were eating filling meals. It wasn’t as if he was asking them to pay. It wasn’t as if he was embezzling company funds. It was just tiny amounts leaving Do-kwon’s bank account, which was full of zeros.
Clearly, it wasn’t something Eun-soo needed to feel sorry about.
Having reached that conclusion, Eun-soo twisted his stiff shoulders to loosen them. Then he resumed his meal. However, the team members’ discussion did not end.
“Well, isn’t it great for us? Thanks to this, we get to eat food like this every day. I’m telling you, I skip breakfast just so I can eat two bowls. I’m almost at the point where I want to come to the office on weekends.”
“I know. I guess this is why people make rich friends.”
“Oh, Team Leader Yoo is more than just a rich friend.”
“Team Leader Yoo, please, stay at this company for a long, long time.”
At those words, Eun-soo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He wondered if they were subtly mocking him, but they weren’t the type of people to have such intentions.
Since he became pregnant, they would gently suggest he take rests when he seemed sleepy, go to dessert cafes instead of bars for company dinners, ask for his opinion first when setting the heater temperature, and handle simple tasks on their own without him having to say a word.
Eun-soo finished his meal with a bright smile.
Afterward, he worked hard. His heart felt heavy thinking about taking maternity leave and then childcare leave. This was despite the company being incredibly generous and lenient regarding childbirth and childcare.
Around four in the afternoon, just as his eyes were becoming dry from staring at the monitor, a familiar delivery driver appeared with a cart. Today, the cart was full of boxes.
Entering the office, the driver naturally looked toward Eun-soo. Eun-soo let out a sigh and approached the driver, giving a polite nod. The driver smiled and nodded back.
“Today… too?”
Eun-soo asked tentatively. It was a question with many omitted words. Yet, the delivery driver nodded.
“Yes. Today as well.”
As Eun-soo turned around with slumped shoulders, he locked eyes with dozens of employees. Sparkling eyes—eyes craving sweetness in the languid afternoon—were staring at him.
Eun-soo smiled awkwardly and helped the driver set down the boxes. Immediately, the employees swarmed forward to grab them.
“Why is a pregnant woman carrying things like this? Just stay still.”
“No, well, it’s not even heavy…”
“Still, please stay still. Your husband probably sends these to make sure Team Leader Yoo doesn’t lift heavy things, right? To make sure we don’t give you tedious tasks and that we’re considerate?”
The employees, who had gently pushed Eun-soo aside, moved the various boxes into the main meeting room. Rubbing his face and sighing once more, Eun-soo sent the delivery driver on his way. The driver pressed a receipt into Eun-soo’s hand and left with the chilling words, “See you again soon.”
Eun-soo headed to the meeting room. The neatly arranged boxes were waiting for him.
Eun-soo opened the boxes one by one. As the beautifully wrapped boxes opened, the contents were revealed. From desserts like egg tarts, apple crumble pies, financiers, mille-feuille, and palmiers, to all sorts of things like injeolmi, chapssaltteok, cream tteok, honey tteok, and garaetteok, everything was luxuriously laid out.
The employees gasped in hushed admiration. Eun-soo wrinkled his nose. Seeing an exceptionally large amount of food today made his chest feel tight. Then, pretending everything was normal, he told the employees to dig in.
Eun-soo picked up a yellow cheese-flavored financier and put it in his mouth.
Every other day at this time, Do-kwon would buy and send a mountain of desserts like this. After the morning sickness ended and Eun-soo started eating in earnest, he had mentioned in passing, “Lately, I feel hungry the moment I turn around,” and Do-kwon seemed to have taken it literally.
So, while he wanted to provide snacks, he couldn’t call Eun-soo out separately every time, nor could he send a single cake while the employees were all there, so he bought them in bulk for everyone to share.
Thanks to this, a “tea time” had been established in the office. It was a free period of about twenty to thirty minutes where they could rest while eating delicious things, chat, or continue working if they were busy.
It wasn’t bad, but as someone who didn’t particularly enjoy being the center of attention, Eun-soo wasn’t entirely pleased. Of course, he tended to eat the sent food very deliciously, in large quantities, and well. In truth, around this time, his mouth felt bored, and he did think that it would be nice to eat something.
“Team Leader Yoo, we’ll enjoy this!”
“Thanks to Team Leader Yoo, our palates are having a feast lately.”
“I like the snacks that come at this time more than lunch.”
The employees expressed their gratitude to Eun-soo. Eun-soo smiled softly. He was just glad that everyone seemed to be eating well.
Eun-soo popped a large cream tteok whole into his mouth. The soft rice cake and sweet cream filling that filled his mouth were fantastic. With a twitch of his eyebrows, he lifted the box to check the brand. So he could buy it again next time.
But a question suddenly occurred to him. How did Do-kwon know about these shops? He was originally someone with no interest in desserts, and he didn’t know any places other than the ones Eun-soo had told him about. Eun-soo worried if Do-kwon was spending all day searching for famous restaurants instead of working at the company.
With a serious face, Eun-soo picked up another piece of tteok. As he chewed and memorized the brand name in his head, the team members sitting huddled around him chattered.
“But today feels strangely different.”
“Right? Something is different.”
“Is it because there’s more quantity and a wider variety?”
“No, the CEO usually sends menus from one shop. Today feels like he bought every single food item from the basement food court of a department store, doesn’t it?”
“Are we sure the CEO sent this?”
Seo-young asked. Eun-soo nodded and quickly chewed and swallowed the tteok. Then he examined the receipt the delivery driver had left.
“Yes. The driver said it came from Seong-jin. There’s no one else who would send this but Do-kwon-ssi…”
As he looked at the receipt containing the sender’s and recipient’s information, Eun-soo froze.
“Ah…”
Myeong-hui’s name was written as the sender. Eun-soo coughed. Then, Seo-young poked her head in.
“It wasn’t the CEO, was it?”
“…No. It wasn’t Do-kwon-ssi; his mother sent it.”
“Wow, daebak. By ‘mother,’ you mean the Chairwoman?”
“Chairwoman Seo of the Seong-jin Group?”
“Whoa… As expected…”
The team members marveled. Eun-soo laughed like an old man. Then again, Myeong-hui’s fussiness was no less than Do-kwon’s. When he was at Seong-jin, he would run into her every time he took the elevator, so she would call him over frequently to feed him this and that.
Recently, she had made several phone calls filled with worry, asking if he was eating well, if he was gaining plenty of weight, and saying that eating five meals a day wouldn’t be enough. In the end, it seemed she couldn’t resist and sent food herself.
Eun-soo thought that he should call Myeong-hui to thank her after work, or perhaps contact her to have dinner together. Just then, one of the team members asked him a question. It was a team member who had two children and had been married for eight years.
“By the way, Team Leader Yoo. Do you still call your husband with ‘-ssi’ attached?”
“Uh, ah, yes.”
“Isn’t it uncomfortable? It feels like there’s some distance.”
“Ah… is that so?”
“What does the CEO call you, Team Leader Yoo?”
“He just calls me ‘Eun-soo-ya’.”
“Then why don’t you call him something more concise too? Once you have a child, you really start fighting like dogs, you know?”
“Like… like dogs?”
“Yes. You can’t sleep, you’re tired, the childcare falls on one person, and as your nerves get frayed, there are so many things to fight about. But if that person speaks informally and I use formal language? I feel like I’ve lost before the fight even starts.”
“Ah…”
“Well, even if you’re not fighting, once you reach the age where you grow old together, you’re family, friends, and partners. If you keep calling them ‘-ssi’ and using formal language, it feels distant.”
Eun-soo let out a soft hum, a moan vibrating in his throat. Now that he thought about it, that seemed right. It would probably feel strange to keep calling him “Mr. Do-kwon” as they got older. Even if Do-kwon and he didn’t mind, it might not look very harmonious to others.
As for fighting… well. He didn’t think that would happen. Do-kwon was the type of person who would immediately bow his head and apologize even if Eun-soo got annoyed over something completely nonsensical.
But then again, you never know…
Eun-soo snapped a Palmié in half and popped it into his mouth.
The assorted gopchang sizzled on the grill. Eun-soo gazed at the grill, where all sorts of offal were clustered together, with loving eyes. As his head tilted unconsciously, Do-kwon gently pushed Eun-soo’s forehead back.
“The grease will splatter.”
“Mm.”
“Eat this first.”
“Okay.”
Do-kwon pushed the pot noodles that had just come out in front of Eun-soo. The noodles in the heavily dented nickel-silver pot looked quite unappealing, but since Eun-soo said he wanted them, there was nothing to be done. In truth, Do-kwon wasn’t particularly fond of the gopchang, which was a mess of grease and fat, but he couldn’t stop Eun-soo, who insisted on eating a chunk of chicken breast from a convenience store first to get some protein.
Eun-soo took a sip of the pot noodle broth. He then nodded, furrowing his brow in satisfaction. Do-kwon let out a short laugh. Seeing Eun-soo happy instantly smoothed over his twisted mood. He really was hopeless.
By the time Eun-soo had nearly finished the noodles, the gopchang had grilled to a perfect crisp. Do-kwon picked out the well-cooked pieces and placed them in front of Eun-soo. Eun-soo dipped one into the seasoning sauce and popped it into his mouth. Soon, happiness filled his clear face.
Do-kwon chuckled and moved the daechang and heart to Eun-soo’s side plate.
“It’s a shame you can’t drink.”
“It’s okay. I can just eat more gopchang.”
Eun-soo shrugged and continued eating. Occasionally, he picked at the chives, scooped up plenty of steamed eggs, and sipped the remaining broth from the pot noodles. The perceptive Do-kwon ordered another serving of pot noodles. Eun-soo gave a beaming smile and leaned his head briefly against Do-kwon’s forearm before pulling away.
Do-kwon let out a sound between a laugh and a sigh. He was worried sick that Eun-soo would follow anyone who simply gave him food.
When the grill was half empty, Eun-soo let out a short exclamation.
“Mr. Do-kwon.”
“Yeah.”
“We’re very busy today.”
“Why?”
“Because we have a lot to do.”
“…To do? Is there work left? At this hour? Are you still short-handed?”
Do-kwon’s face immediately turned serious. Eun-soo shook his head. After chewing and swallowing a piece of daechang, he continued.
“I think it’s time to decide on a prenatal nickname.”
“Ah… a nickname.”
Do-kwon’s eyebrows, which had been arching upward, softened. He let out a hum in his throat. A nickname. A prenatal nickname. While he was thinking seriously, Eun-soo chattered on.
“I don’t want an uncreative nickname like calling the second one ‘Summer’ just because the first was ‘Bom.’ It’ll feel like we have to give birth to ‘Autumn’ and ‘Winter’ to complete the four seasons.”
At those words, Do-kwon let out a chuckle. He agreed with Eun-soo’s sentiment. Bomi’s nickname had been chosen because the weather was lovely and the flowers in full bloom were beautiful at the time. Summer, Autumn, and the like were seasons that held no interest for Do-kwon.
He had no intention of giving such a half-hearted nickname to their precious second child. As Do-kwon rolled his eyes, wondering what would be good, he noticed Eun-soo pondering the name with his lips pressed tight. Then, suddenly, he remembered the things Eun-soo had said when they were naming Bomi.
“No daechang. No makchang either.”
“What?”
“No pot noodles, either.”
“…What’s not allowed?”
Eun-soo tilted his head. Was he telling him to stop eating? But he had already eaten a lot. And Do-kwon was the one who ordered another pot of noodles. Now? As Eun-soo blinked his large eyes, Do-kwon lightly stroked his hair and spoke.
“I’m talking about the nickname.”
“Pfft… who would name a baby something like that… Ah…”
Eun-soo, who had been laughing faintly, suddenly froze. A fragmentary memory from long ago had surfaced. It had been at a gopchang restaurant back then, too. A beautiful spring day. While they were agonizing over Bomi’s nickname, Eun-soo had stammered to Do-kwon, who wanted to go to a naming center.
‘Uh… I just… well… I was thinking of something like… sea cucumber…’
‘…Sea cucumber? Sea cucumber? You mean the sea creature?’
‘Yes. When I saw the ultrasound earlier, it looked exactly like a sea cucumber.’
‘…’
‘Is it bad? Or… daechang? Is daechang too plump? It was really tiny. Maybe gopchang would be better?’
Recalling the short conversation, Eun-soo rubbed his face with his hands. He finally understood what Do-kwon was worried about. Eun-soo gulped down some cold water.
“Not something like that. Let’s pick something… normal.”
“Hmm… I’ll have to think about it.”
“I wonder what there is…”
He didn’t want anything too special, but he didn’t want something common either. Eun-soo narrowed his eyes. Then, suddenly, a yellow, plump, soft, and sweet fruit popped into his mind.
“How about Mango? Mango.”
“…Mango? Why? You ate so much of it during your morning sickness, aren’t you sick of it?”
“Why would I be sick of it? It was delicious. The mangoes you cut for me are so tasty.”
“…”
“And the pronunciation is cute.”
“Man-gooo.” Eun-soo elongated the word. He pronounced it as ‘mango’ in English, and then enunciated it clearly as ‘mang, go.’ Then, he pulled Do-kwon’s hand and placed it over his lower abdomen. Through the rustling shirt, Do-kwon could feel Eun-soo’s rounded, swollen belly.
“And right now, the bump is exactly the size of a mango.”
“…When it gets bigger, are you going to change it to Melon, and then to Watermelon?”
“Geez, I’m just saying.”
“Hmm…”
“Maybe it’s because I vividly remember when you split a mango seed in half to give it to me. Strangely, whenever I see a mango, I feel drawn to it. It feels familiar and warm. So let’s go with Mango. Mango.”
Do-kwon chuckled. Mango. It didn’t seem bad. As Eun-soo said, the ‘ng’ sound lingering on the tongue was cute. While Do-kwon repeated ‘Mango’ in his head, Eun-soo pulled his chair closer and clung to his side.
“There’s something else to do.”
“Another thing? What?”
“This time, we’re going to decide on your name.”
“…Change my name too?”
Do-kwon’s eyes widened. Eun-soo giggled at the look of sheer surprise on his face.
“No, I was thinking of changing how I address you.”
“How you address me?”
“Yes. Calling you ‘Mr. Do-kwon’ feels strangely distant.”
“…Does it?”
“Of course it does. It’s no different from when we were dating in the office. We’re married now. I thought it would be nice to call you something more intimate, like family.”
“Like family, intimate…”
Do-kwon stroked his chin. Then, he picked up a handful of golden-brown gopchang and placed them on Eun-soo’s plate. He called the staff to order two servings of fried rice for the now-empty grill.
He had to move on to another menu quickly before Eun-soo asked for more gopchang. He couldn’t let him eat any more of these lumps of grease. If Eun-soo felt it wasn’t enough, he could buy him a smoothie on the way home and give him various snacks once they arrived.
Eun-soo popped two pieces of gopchang into his mouth at once. After chewing thoroughly, his lips parted again.
“I’ve thought of a few options. Listen carefully and pick one.”
“Okay.”
“Option 1: Jagiya (Honey/Darling).”
“Cough…”
Do-kwon coughed, despite not having eaten anything. It was because the address was completely unexpected. ‘Jagiya.’ Such a ticklish and lovely term. To think those words would come out of Eun-soo’s mouth. He had to doubt his ears. In truth, he wanted to hear it one more time using that as an excuse.
While Do-kwon looked as if he’d been hit over the head, Eun-soo listed the examples, holding up two, then three fingers.
“Option 2: Yeobo (Honey/Dear). Option 3: Do-kwon Hyung.”
“…”
“Option 4: Mango’s Dad. No, actually, that’s a bit weird. I’m Mango’s dad too. So Option 4 is cancelled.”
Despite pouring out such embarrassing words, Eun-soo seemed completely devoid of shame. Ironically, the outer edges of Do-kwon’s ears turned bright red. As Do-kwon rubbed his burning ears with his palms, Eun-soo thrust his pretty face forward.
“Are they all bad?”
“No, no… I like them all. I like them all, but…”
“But?”
“Yeah, I like them all so much that it’s hard to decide…”
Do-kwon blinked rapidly. In truth, the one that rang clearest in his ears was obviously Option 1. But if he chose that… he felt like he wouldn’t be able to function in his daily life.
Even now, in the middle of work, in the middle of sleep, or in the middle of a meal, his body twisted with the desire to hear Eun-soo’s voice. If Eun-soo called him ‘jagiya,’ he felt he would quit everything and just stick to Eun-soo’s side. He’d probably just wag his tail like a dog desperately waiting for its owner until he was called.
It was a difficult decision. Truly, a difficult decision.
While Do-kwon struggled with his dilemma, the fried rice arrived. Eun-soo, wielding his spoon combatively, continued his meal with gusto. By the time half the fried rice had vanished, Do-kwon gave his answer.
“I think ‘Hyung’ would be good.”
The expression on his face as he said it was almost like he had lost his country. Seeing that Do-kwon didn’t seem particularly happy, Eun-soo put down his spoon. Did he just refer to ‘Mr. Do-kwon’? Did he not like changing it now? While he was worrying, Do-kwon suddenly gripped the back of Eun-soo’s hand.
“And…”
“And?”
“Occasionally… if you call me ‘jagiya’… yeah, I think that wouldn’t be bad either…”
At those words, Eun-soo crinkled his nose. He wanted to be called ‘Hyung,’ but occasionally ‘jagiya.’ It was a very strange conclusion. Eun-soo, frowning slightly, asked back.
“…Occasionally?”
“Yeah. Occasionally, but often… maybe once or twice a week, no, maybe once a day…”
Do-kwon stammered and corrected himself. Eun-soo stared at him intently. Then, the corners of his lips curled up into a smirk. He had seen right through Do-kwon’s inner thoughts. Tilting his head, Eun-soo opened his eyes wide and looked up at Do-kwon with a gaze full of aegyo.
“If that’s the case, why don’t we just unify it as ‘jagiya,’ jagiya?”
“Ah… no, no, I can’t, I can’t…”
Do-kwon covered his face with his large hands. The face glimpsed between his fingers was entirely red. Eun-soo laughed, patting his own thigh.
Goodness, to blush just at the term ‘jagi.’ They weren’t a couple who had just started dating. They had dated for over five years and were even married. To be this shy over a simple ‘jagiya.’
Eun-soo gently kneaded Do-kwon’s earlobe.
“Ah, Mr. Do-kwon is so cute today.””
“You’re cute too.”
“No, today Do-kwon is cuter.””
Eun-soo declared firmly. Do-kwon didn’t bother to argue. Cooling down his flushed face was the priority.
“Fine. I’ll call you ‘Hyung,’ and I’ll say ‘jagiya’ once a day.”
At Eun-soo’s words, which sounded like he was granting a favor, Do-kwon nodded. Then, he belatedly began attending to Eun-soo’s meal. He poured water, lowered the heat, and refilled the side dishes that had run out. His actions were strangely flustered. It was because the heat he hadn’t yet recovered from was still coloring his cheekbones.
Eun-soo laughed softly and gently rubbed Do-kwon’s cheekbone with his thumb. If they weren’t in public, he would have given him a deep kiss. It was a shame.
As the meal was coming to an end, Eun-soo asked casually. As if it were no big deal, as if it didn’t matter if he didn’t agree.
“Um… can I… drop the honorifics too?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, can I speak informally?”
“Ah, yeah. Of course.”
“…What, that was way too easy.”
“Why would it be hard?”
Do-kwon replied nonchalantly. Feeling somewhat deflated, Eun-soo pouted.
He didn’t agree that the person using honorifics was lower in the relationship. If they were to divide the upper hand between him and Do-kwon right now, he was definitely on top.
However, he wanted a deeper relationship with Do-kwon. As his teammate had said today, the title ‘Mr. Do-kwon’ and the honorifics didn’t feel like family at all. This was the person he had to spend the rest of his life with. He wanted to be closer. Though he wondered how much his heart would actually change just by shortening his speech.
Then again, who knows. Maybe he’d feel more comfortable and like Do-kwon even more. Maybe he could rely on him for everything, just like when he lived with his mother and father.
Fidgeting with his fingers, Eun-soo spoke cautiously.
“Then, uh, I’ll drop them slowly. Do-kwon… Hyung.”
“…Yeah.”
Do-kwon answered a beat late. He had chosen ‘Hyung’ as the second-best option after ‘jagiya,’ but hearing Eun-soo call him ‘Hyung’ was actually quite nice. The way his lips dropped and rose during the pronunciation, and the way he shyly averted his gaze while calling him.
Do-kwon smiled at Eun-soo. Eun-soo’s eyes curved as he smiled back. He already felt as if their relationship had become closer than before.
* * *
Eun-soo lay down in bed first. Do-kwon, who had turned up the heating and tidied up in preparation for the cold autumn night, climbed into bed a moment later. Eun-soo, who had been fiddling with his phone, reached out toward Do-kwon. Do-kwon habitually pulled Eun-soo into his arms.
The two of them spent a moment feeling each other’s warmth and breath. Then, Eun-soo suddenly flipped up his top. His slightly swollen belly, white and soft, was revealed. Startled, Do-kwon quickly pulled the clothes back down.
“It’s cold.”
“Eh, it’s not cold at all.”
Eun-soo lifted his clothes again. He placed Do-kwon’s hand on his belly and covered it with his own.
“Now that we’ve decided on a nickname, shouldn’t we introduce ourselves formally?”
“Ah…”
“I’ll go first.”
Eun-soo stretched his neck. He licked his dry lips, cleared his throat, and called out to Mango in a voice that was beyond tender, a voice overflowing with love.
“Hello, Mango.”
Having said that, Eun-soo giggled. He felt inexplicably shy and embarrassed. His ribs tickled and his heart felt warm. It was a strange feeling. Shrugging his shoulders, Eun-soo looked at Do-kwon.
Realizing it was his turn, Do-kwon cleared his throat like Eun-soo. Then, in a low, calm, and sweet voice, he called to Mango.
“…Hello, Mango.”
Do-kwon’s hand gently stroked Eun-soo’s belly. The warmth and softness felt through his palm, the rounded volume—a surge of emotion hit him. My child. Our child. Do-kwon buried his forehead in Eun-soo’s shoulder. Eun-soo gently brushed back Do-kwon’s hair. He also gave him little kisses on his temples.
The two of them held their breath, focusing on the faint presence of Mango. Eun-soo leaned against Do-kwon’s chest and murmured.
“Should we listen to prenatal music or play English conversations and things like that?”
“Why bother? It’ll just be noisy. If it’s our child, they’ll do fine on their own.”
“Well… I can’t say you’re wrong. They say intelligence is genetic. You know my mom was an English Literature professor, right?”
“I know. I also know your father was a semiconductor researcher.”
“My parents, your parents, you, and I—we all did well in school, so our baby will do well too.”
“Of course. Is there anything they couldn’t do?”
Do-kwon nodded in immediate agreement. At that, Eun-soo burst into laughter. Their conversation was so ridiculous. If anyone else heard them, they’d probably click their tongues and say they were acting crazy.
After laughing for a while, Eun-soo rubbed his aching mouth and spoke.
“Ah… actually, it’s okay if they’re not good at studying or anything, I just hope they’re born healthy.”
“…Me too. It’s okay if they can’t study. We can provide everything for them.”
“Right. We can provide everything. Please, please, just be born healthy…”
With a serious face, Eun-soo stroked his belly as if praying. Do-kwon’s expression hardened in sympathy. After pondering something, he suddenly lowered his body. He whispered to Eun-soo’s bulging belly.
“Mango. You just have to be born healthy. If you do, you can have anything. Your dad is someone who can give you anything. So make sure you’re born healthy. If you’re not born healthy, I’ll only leave you half the inheritance.”
After saying that, he pressed his lips to the belly with a ‘muah’ and pulled away. Eun-soo let out a hollow laugh.
“What is this? It sounds like a threat.”
“It is a threat.”
At Do-kwon’s affirmation, Eun-soo shook his head as if he couldn’t believe him. Do-kwon tidied Eun-soo’s clothes and pulled him down. Sliding across the duvet, Eun-soo settled into Do-kwon’s embrace. Accustomed to being swayed by Do-kwon, he continued to chatter with an indifferent expression.
“I need to visit the house in Yeoksam-dong this weekend. I heard the wallpapering is finished.”
“Isn’t it dangerous?”
“What’s dangerous about a house where the wallpapering is already done?”
“Still… there will be paint smells and things like that.”
“You’ve kept telling me it’s dangerous and wouldn’t let me go, so I haven’t seen it once. There’s a limit to seeing it only through photos. I’ll wear a mask. I need to see with my own eyes if the construction went well.”
“…….”
“And let’s go to the furniture store. We need to order things like the dining table and sofa in advance. While we’re at it, I want to get a consultation for Mango’s room interior.”
The corners of Do-kwon’s eyebrows twitched. He was simply displeased with the idea of Eun-soo going to a place filled with rolling dust and pungent smells. Sick building syndrome doesn’t happen for no reason; there’s a cause for everything. And yet, he insisted on going while pregnant.
As Do-kwon frowned, Eun-soo continued listing the next set of plans.
“My father said he would introduce us to someone for the garden maintenance. When should we meet them? It would probably be better to handle everything at once over the weekend, right? I want the grass to be a soft variety. So it’s okay if Mango falls. For the backyard, let’s just lay down cork material. You know, like those squishy floors in daycare playgrounds.”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
Do-kwon nodded slowly. Garden or not, his mind was filled only with worry for Eun-soo’s health. He decided he should call a cleaning company before the weekend. He recalled there were specialized companies that ventilated indoor air after construction; he should contact them too.
Eun-soo continued talking about various things for quite a while after that. Moving wasn’t an easy task. Since he had never raised a child, there were countless things to worry about.
After a few minutes, Eun-soo’s eyelids began to feel heavy. His speech slowed, and his breaths grew longer. He would close his eyes and then snap them open to speak, and his yawning was both cute and pitiful.
Do-kwon covered Eun-soo’s eyelids with his palm.
“Go to sleep now. You have to go to work tomorrow.”
“But still……”
“The garden, the backyard, Mango’s room, the living room, the dining room. I remembered it all. I’ll look into it, so just sleep for now.”
“…….”
Eun-soo shut his mouth tight. Then, he began to wriggle and burrow into Do-kwon’s embrace. Do-kwon slowly patted his back. The strength gradually left Eun-soo’s body. His breathing became deeper. It seemed he would fall asleep within minutes. Do-kwon held his own breath and waited for him to drift off, but Eun-soo called out to him with his eyes closed.
“Do-kwon hyung.”
“Yeah.”
“Honey.”
“……Yeah.”
“Good night.”
“You too, Eun-soo. Good night.”
And good night to Mango, too, Do-kwon whispered softly. At those words, Eun-soo let out a faint laugh.
Eun-soo fell asleep with a smile on his lips. Watching him, Do-kwon was also able to fall asleep with a smile.
Today was another happy day because Eun-soo was with him.