Be My Baby - Vol.1 Chapter 1 Part 5
[Get home safely. Thank you for today, and I’m sorry again.]
This is strange, this shouldn’t be happening…
Leaning back in his chair, staring at his phone after the abruptly ended contact following that message, Eungyo began to meticulously examine the current strange situation.
He had told him he could call, and he sent a message, but there had been no contact after that.
For two days.
That dimwit with absolutely no patience shouldn’t be like this… Had he finally gained some great enlightenment after last month’s incident? But he still seemed as thoughtless as ever…
By now, that tactless guy should have been calling incessantly, and he should have been the one nagging him to take it easy, but it was too quiet.
Did he really think he had no more business with him now that he had gotten the sperm?
Judging by how he couldn’t take his eyes off him even while being cautious when they met two days ago, that didn’t seem to be the case…
He wavered for a moment, thinking about sending a message asking why there had been no contact, but since two days had already passed, he couldn’t send a message now.
No, to be honest, it hurt his pride.
If only one more message came, he would pretend to give in and reply.
“Why isn’t it coming…”
As he anxiously tapped on the desk, staring at his phone, there was a knock on the door.
“Come in.”
At this hour, it would be either Yeonsu or his secretary anyway, so Eungyo kept staring at his phone without even looking in that direction. Meanwhile, the secretary who had entered spoke politely.
“Dr. Lee Seonwoo has arrived at Cafe Mila.”
Cafe Mila was the name of the large cafe located right across the street, which had been the dimwit’s hideout until last month. Surprised by the news that Seonwoo had started appearing again after exactly one month, as if old habits die hard, Eungyo looked up and asked.
“…When?”
“As always, he came in as soon as it opened around 7 AM and has been dozing… I mean, sitting there continuously.”
At this welcome news, Eungyo desperately tried to suppress the corners of his mouth that were trying to turn up, and muttered nonchalantly.
“…It’s been a while.”
Well, of course. As if you wouldn’t come. Satisfied that his prediction hadn’t been wrong, Eungyo was about to speak when the secretary calmly continued as always.
“And today’s schedule will proceed as planned. It’s almost time for your store inspection.”
Eungyo silently stared at the secretary who had come into the office to report this meaningless schedule that had been set a month ago. It was literally a meaningless report, but Eungyo knew well what it implied.
Having joined the company as a new employee in the same year and worked together for 10 years, the secretary had somehow ended up sitting at the top of his head. Believing that he would handle everything well, Eungyo didn’t doubt him.
He was someone who understood perfectly no matter how vaguely things were said.
“Alright.”
“Then, I’ll prepare soon.”
After confirming that the secretary had left the office as always after finishing the main point, Eungyo opened the first drawer of his desk the moment the door closed and took out a telescope.
Then he approached the full-length window behind his desk, holding the small telescope, and looked down.
Adjusting the magnification and angle of the military-grade long-distance telescope that could clearly see up to a 5-kilometer radius, the face of the dimwit sitting by the window on the first floor came into clear focus. To be precise, he wasn’t sitting, but sleeping.
The moment he confirmed that face, sitting right by the window, or rather, sleeping deeply with his face on the table, Eungyo let out a deep sigh without realizing it.
It was one thing for him to come to work at dawn to stalk in his own way, but if he was going to stalk, he should do it properly. How should one interpret coming without even a disguise, let alone a hat or mask, and just showing his face everywhere?
Did he even know that this cafe had already been featured multiple times in magazines as well as social media as Dr. Lee Seonwoo’s regular cafe?
No, before that, in his case, he never went to the ground floor except when getting in a car, so why was he there in that cafe on the first floor, supposedly to see him?
The fact that he had realized Seonwoo was stalking there was ultimately because his brother had noticed and told him. Dr. Lee Seonwoo was waiting at the cafe to see you, he had said. When he went to check, thinking “no way,” Seonwoo was so absorbed in reading a book that he didn’t even notice him passing by.
“How can someone be so lacking even in their lacking?”
At that time, seeing the guy so absorbed in his book, he had asked the manager how long he had been there like that. The answer was that by the time he had noticed, Seonwoo had already been coming regularly every two weeks, arriving when the cafe opened and staying all day like that.
The manager had welcomed it, saying he had eaten all the drinks and desserts in the cafe by type, but Eungyo still couldn’t understand why he was stalking there.
As he was seriously pondering what to do with this dimwit, a large RV vehicle stopped right in front of the window, blocking his view.
“What? Move.”
Annoyed at the large vehicle body that perfectly blocked the window right in front, he pressed the button on the right side of the telescope, and with a click, a photo was taken. They must have been prepared to be reported for parking in a no-parking zone.
As he was about to upload the photo to his computer and report it to the police station, exercising his dutiful reporting spirit, the intercom rang first.
“Director, it’s time to depart for the store inspection. Since we’re moving on foot today, we need to leave a bit earlier.”
Five minutes by car, twenty minutes on foot.
It was a bit far to walk to the large store including the service center, but when the weather was nice like these days, walking wasn’t bad.
Satisfied with his secretary’s impeccable judgment as always, Eungyo put down the telescope and turned around, pressing the intercom button with a pleased expression.
“Alright.”
“That sleepyhead…”
Approaching the cafe with only his secretaries under the pretext of checking the nearby store, Eungyo gritted his teeth as he saw Seonwoo boldly sleeping by the window.
He had come at the crack of dawn, devoured a whole mango mousse cake, an avocado sandwich, and a BLT sandwich before starting to sleep, and he was still sleeping.
Lying on the table by the window, using a cushion provided by the manager as a pillow, and even covered with a blanket, he was sleeping in earnest. Eungyo deliberately walked slowly past him, but as expected, the dimwit was too deeply asleep to notice.
Didn’t he come and sit in front of the company at dawn just to see my face? If he’s going to sleep without seeing me, why is he even here? As he was looking in that direction with an accusing gaze, his quick-witted secretary quickly spoke up.
“We still have some time. Would you like to have a coffee?”
“…Alright.”
At the secretary’s suggestion, Eungyo entered the cafe as if reluctant, deliberately passing near Seonwoo’s table towards the counter. But even as he passed right in front of him, Seonwoo still didn’t budge.
Clicking his tongue at the sight of him sleeping so soundly in someone else’s shop, to the point where he wondered how he could sleep so deeply, Eungyo sat down at a seat inside the counter and casually took out his phone, looking back towards the window.
At that moment, the dimwit twitched.
Wondering if he was dreaming, Eungyo stared at him as he twitched his body as if having a seizure. This time, he moved his shoulder more forcefully. Thinking the movement looked a bit precarious, suddenly there was a thud, and Seonwoo fell to the floor.
Instinctively about to call out “Dimwit!” and reach out his hand, Eungyo hesitated. The guy who had fallen to the floor looked around with a dazed expression and blinked a couple of times. Then he soon scratched his head vigorously, stood up abruptly, covered himself with the blanket, sat on the chair, and slumped over the table.
And he went back to sleep.
As if nothing had happened.
Very peacefully.
“Huh…”
“Director?”
As he received the cup brought by the secretary and looked back towards the window, the sleeping rice cake was already happily wandering in dreamland with a very content face. If he was going to be like this, why did he come all the way here? He could have slept comfortably at home.
He really couldn’t understand him at all. As he was quietly watching in that direction, the secretary, who had been constantly checking the time, carefully spoke up.
“Director, it’s time for us to leave.”
“…Now?”
“It’s 12 o’clock.”
Although they had left with plenty of time to spare, they needed to hurry due to the delay at the cafe. At the secretary’s urging that they couldn’t dawdle any longer, Eungyo reluctantly stood up.
“…Alright.”
After all, the schedule had to be kept.
He stood up from his seat and deliberately crossed the store slowly, but that guy didn’t budge at all.
His heart was clearly that of a boy experiencing his first love, wanting to see the person he had a crush on even by chance, but his appearance was that of a nuisance sleeping in someone else’s cafe from opening time.
Although he had made up his mind to show his face nearby for once, he no longer felt the need to be lenient towards the behavior of the detestable dimwit who was sleeping, so he quickened his pace.
You really made a big mistake today. If I leave now, I’m never coming back this way again. So, it’s your bad luck.
No, to be precise, it’s your lack of willpower.
Muttering to himself that the guy still needed more trials, he opened the door mercilessly and went out. And just as he was about to leave the front of the store…
“Director?”
He had tried to pass by the front of the cafe, but strangely, his feet wouldn’t move.
Feeling somehow regretful and disappointed, and just not feeling good, he stopped in front of the cafe and took out his phone. Then, looking at the rice cake sleeping right by the window, he found that guy’s number and pressed the call button.
Along with the dial tone, a vibration sound rang inside the cafe, but as expected, the rice cake didn’t budge at all. Not only did he not wake up, he even flipped his phone over as if the continuous ringing was annoying, all while keeping his eyes closed.
“That…”
Barely resisting the urge to go back into the cafe and grab him by the collar to shake him, Eungyo pressed the call button again. However, since the phone had already been flipped over, it seemed not to ring at all.
What is this guy really trying to do with me? If he came to see me, he should be waiting with his eyes sparkling, not sleeping here?
Once again, it seemed like the intermittent anger management issues that had been occurring until two days ago were flaring up, and he started to feel his insides boiling. Without realizing it, overcome by surging irritation and anger, he hit the cafe’s front window with his right arm, causing a loud noise.
“Director!”
At the dull noise that resonated loudly due to the reinforced glass, the rice cake who had been stuck to the table right in front suddenly opened his eyes wide. Then, as he looked around as if wondering if a war had broken out somewhere, Eungyo kindly tapped on the glass to indicate it was him. The guy, still covered with a blanket, turned to look and jumped up in surprise.
He catches on pretty quickly. Clicking his tongue at the dull guy’s reaction, Eungyo extended his right index finger upwards and then beckoned for him to come out quickly. In an instant, the guy quickly threw off the blanket, grabbed his bag, and came running out.
Clicking his tongue at the sight of his messy hair from sleeping with the blanket over his head, Eungyo was soon greeted by the guy who had run up, bowing deeply.
“Hello?”
“Not at all, hello. What are you doing here?”
Pretending as if he hadn’t known at all and had just discovered him by chance, Eungyo asked. The rice cake with messy hair seemed to suddenly remember his purpose and quickly rummaged through his bag, pulling out an envelope.
“This is for the car wash fee. Since you didn’t tell me the amount, I looked up estimates online.”
“If it’s not enough, I’ll bring more.”
Eungyo accepted the envelope that was being politely handed over with both hands, since the guy had brought it up himself first, and put it in his inner jacket pocket. Then he expressed his fundamental doubt.
“If you had business, why didn’t you come to the office? Why are you here?”
Asked why he was hanging around here when he could have just come up to the office if he had business, Seonwoo seemed to be taken aback for a moment and swallowed hard. Then, as he quickly rolled his eyes, Eungyo realized.
This guy came to give the money, but out of habit, he went into the cafe.
Although it was ridiculous, it was also very much like Lee Seonwoo, so Eungyo let out a long sigh and changed the direction of the conversation.
“Are you working today?”
“It’s my day off.”
“I see.”
At the expected answer, Eungyo looked Seonwoo up and down while the secretary standing beside him carefully spoke up.
“Director. We need to leave now.”
The secretary tapped his wristwatch with his right hand, indicating that they only had 10 minutes left. At that gesture indicating they could no longer delay, Eungyo looked down at Seonwoo for a moment before turning around.
“Well then, let’s talk as we walk. You come along too.”
Since it was a distance that could be covered in 10 minutes if they walked quickly, Eungyo started walking and nodded, and Seonwoo immediately followed behind.
“Can I come along too?”
“We’re going to a medical equipment specialty store. There are new products too, so you should come and see.”
The world’s top genetic engineer and a medical equipment store – it’s an excessively well-matched combination. So at the casual invitation to come along, the excited dimwit properly adjusted his large backpack and followed.
Glancing back at him, Eungyo was about to say something but then closed his mouth.
If he had worked at an overseas or general company research institute, he would have earned at least a multi-billion won annual salary, but wearing a shabby T-shirt, a shirt, jeans, and carrying a backpack, he looked exactly like a poor college student.
Who would believe that such a guy was supporting the country? Judging by his appearance alone, he looked like a college student preparing for the civil service exam… Thinking that this guy was truly a mystery the more he knew about him, Eungyo moved his steps and suddenly asked something that came to mind.
“Why didn’t you call?”
“…Pardon?”
“I told you that you could call.”
When asked indirectly why there had been no contact for two days, the dimwit hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Well… You said I could call, but I was told that if I called too often, you’d change your number.”
“…I said that? That I’d change my number?”
“Yes.”
For a moment, Eungyo let out a laugh of disbelief. If I was going to change my number, I would have done it long ago. Why would I bother changing it now after putting up with that harassment for 10 years?
“Who said that? That I would change my number.”
“Seyoon did.”
“Jeon Seyoon?”
“Yes.”
At the somewhat familiar name, Eungyo, who had been checking his data, didn’t take long to remember the owner of that name.
He remembered hearing about a neat-looking person with wire-rimmed glasses, the epitome of a humanities major, who was a high school classmate of the dimwit and the youngest, and acted as this dimwit’s legal counsel.
Come to think of it, he had heard that he had been playing the role of the dimwit’s guardian since high school… Recalling that, he didn’t feel very good.
“Since when did that guy become my spokesperson?”
“…That’s true?”
As Seonwoo readily agreed that they weren’t even that close, Eungyo flicked Seonwoo’s forehead.
“If you’re curious about such things, ask me. Don’t listen to what other people say.”
“…Then, can I really call you?”
“I told you to do it.”
“Can I call every two, no, every three days?”
Seeming to think that once a day was too much and even every two days was a bit frequent, Seonwoo suggested every three days. Eungyo replied in an unusually gentle tone.
“Sure. But I can’t guarantee I’ll answer every time. I might be in a meeting or an important appointment.”
Although there was no chance this zombie-like guy would be hurt if a call wasn’t answered once, Eungyo added the condition just in case. The round rice cake smiled brightly.
“It’s okay if you don’t answer all of them. I’m just happy to be able to call.”
At that face smiling brightly, seemingly genuinely happy without any ulterior motive, Eungyo asked again with a slightly puzzled expression.
“…What is?”
“Huh?”
“What’s good about just calling?”
“I like waiting, thinking that you might answer.”
His smiling face was unmistakably that of a puppy, and his words were undoubtedly those of a boy. It was the sentiment of a child, literally innocent to a fault, experiencing first love.
Although it was a bit frivolous, Eungyo fell silent at the emotion that came at him so innocently and honestly.
Even though this lacking guy had done this many times before, this time it felt too strange. With an odd feeling, he reached out and patted the messy hair. The dimwit flinched a little but then smiled happily again.
That smile made his heart tickle.
And he felt like he wanted to touch this guy a bit more.
“Wow, that’s amazing. Does that immediately analyze genetic information?”
“It’s for quick testing. Used for paternity tests or identity verification.”
“Wow, science has really advanced a lot.”
Standing in the nation’s largest store with incredibly expensive medical equipment on display, Seonwoo kept exclaiming in admiration as he looked around.
In the store of Genitech, which held a 24% market share in the global medical and scientific equipment field, newly released products and bestsellers were displayed throughout.
Seeing Seonwoo continuously looking around at the products and checking catalogs, seemingly fascinated because they were related to his field of expertise, Eungyo smiled naturally for the first time in nearly a month.
“It’s a bit funny to hear you say that.”
“Pardon?”
“Most of the equipment here was made because of you. The device that reads genetic information to create artificial retinas, the equipment that regenerates organs, the device that makes artificial blood – you created the base for all of them.”
“Ah… I’m seeing the machines for the first time. I only do research.”
“Thanks to you releasing all your research findings for free, technology has been advancing rapidly.”
Companies in the pharmaceutical, medical, and scientific equipment industries were busy making money, screaming with joy at the freely available materials, without even having to consider whether to buy them or not. But the very person who developed and discovered this amazing technology was standing there looking like a poor college student.
In this quite ironic situation, Eungyo stared at Seonwoo, but Seonwoo wasn’t interested in Eungyo’s gaze. He just looked up at the huge comprehensive blood information device, exclaiming “Wow” in amazement and answering mindlessly.
“My parents said it’s not right to make money from sick people. But does this machine figure out everything just from blood?”
At Seonwoo’s question as he read the product description attached to the machine, Eungyo explained the exact nature of the machine.
“It’s a basic quick check machine. With just one drop of blood, it can detect inflammation, disease, overall health status, and even the presence and rough location of parasites. It can even diagnose early-stage cancer. Because it detects even the tiniest substances in the blood. We’ve increased the precision to that level.”
“Ah, so this is what that was. The thing Eunsoo was bragging about making.”
“It was the first project that kid led. He must be proud of it since he made it while getting scolded by me multiple times. Want to try it?”
“…Pardon?”
“You said your appetite has increased and you keep eating lately, right? Try checking. It’s faster and simpler than a full-body scan.”
It took exactly 3 minutes from inserting a fingertip into the machine, which automatically drew blood and analyzed it, to getting the final results. Moreover, it was quite accurate, so when Eungyo confidently recommended it, Seonwoo nodded obediently.
“That’s good. My brother and Seyoon were telling me to check if I had parasites anyway.”
“…Parasites?”
“Because I’ve been eating so much lately.”
“…Right, you have been eating a lot.”
Perhaps because of that, his face, which already resembled a rice cake, seemed even more chewy. Eungyo stared down at him curiously. Under that gaze, which seemed to be observing an incredible glutton, Seonwoo rubbed his cheeks, seemingly embarrassed.
He had been asking for sperm so casually that Eungyo thought he didn’t know what shame was, but it seemed he did know how to feel embarrassed, to some extent. Although his sense of what should be embarrassing was quite off.
“Well, go ahead and try it. It’s unlikely, but just in case.”
Parasites in this day and age seemed absurd, but Seonwoo was an unpredictable guy. So Eungyo nodded, telling him to go ahead, and Seonwoo carefully inserted his right index finger into the machine.
A moment later, he flinched as if it stung, then slowly withdrew his hand and wiped the tip of his finger with an alcohol swab that was nearby.
“It’s quite fast, isn’t it?”
“We put the most effort into that aspect. It will mainly be used in places like nursing homes or care facilities that need daily quick health checks, so speed and accuracy are important.”
While listening to the explanation that it was a machine for quick and cheap health checks, a voice announced, “Results have been printed.” Along with that, Seonwoo quickly grabbed the paper coming out from inside the machine and rapidly read through the blood test results.
“Blood sugar normal, inflammation possibility of laryngitis 18.5%, rhinitis possibility 26.4%.”
“You have inflammation?”
“I’ve always had rhinitis, and the laryngitis is probably because I didn’t fully treat my cold last time.”
Seonwoo explained that most people don’t complete their treatment once the symptoms subside, leaving slight traces of inflammation. Eungyo moved closer to Seonwoo’s side and started scanning the results sheet with his eyes.
“Possibility of parasites and virus infection is zero, cancer possibility also zero, kidney and liver functions all normal… but…pregnancy possibility… 92.4%?”
At that unexpected figure, Seonwoo burst out laughing, finding it amusing.
“What’s this? This machine is saying the same thing as Seyoon.”
Laughing heartily and saying how could a man be pregnant, Seonwoo suddenly stopped laughing. Then he immediately became serious, and Eungyo turned around and asked in a low voice.
“Who’s in charge of managing this machine?”
At Eungyo’s question, the staff members lingering around stiffened and stood at attention. In the atmosphere that had frozen in an instant, the secretary who had been waiting at a distance quickly approached.
“What’s the matter?”
“Who’s the staff member in charge of checking and managing this machine? It was 92% accurate during testing, so how did this result come out?”
“Is there a problem?”
At the secretary’s question, who hadn’t yet grasped the situation, Eungyo handed him the test results that Seonwoo had been holding. Reading the results sheet he had received due to the serious reaction, the secretary immediately realized what Eungyo was about to say.
“I’ll find the staff member and check immediately.”
“Start by checking the sterilization status and management of the blood collection needle. There might be blood left from the previous person tested.”
“That shouldn’t be the case. I just checked all the morning data, and none of the visitors received a pregnancy diagnosis. It’s not a contamination issue.”
“Then how did this figure come out? This dimwit being pregnant?”
“It could be a program error. I’ll instruct to check all visitor lists and diagnosis contents.”
“Don’t say you’ll do it, call all the responsible staff and related technical teams right now. I want to check directly in front of me.”
“Yes, sir.”
The previously cheerful atmosphere of the showroom froze in an instant.
It was a major error to give a pregnancy diagnosis to a man, of all things. In this emergency situation, the secretary quickly took out his phone and ran off, while Eungyo nervously ran his fingers through his hair.
Meanwhile, Seonwoo, who had been standing quietly by his side, tugged at Eungyo’s clothes with a pale face.
“Excuse me…”
“What?”
“Um, I think I’ll be going now.”
Seeing Seonwoo’s pale face, Eungyo seemed to realize something and softened his tone.
“There’s a professional technical team, so it will be resolved quickly. Wait just a moment. You should see the results before you go.”
Thinking he had gotten angry in front of the kid again, Eungyo spoke in the lowest voice possible, as if coaxing him, but Seonwoo stubbornly shook his head.
“No. I just remembered something very urgent, very very urgent.”
“Yes. I think I left a sample out and just came here. I think I need to go back to the lab now.”
“Sample?”
“Yes. It’s an organ sample. Anyway… it’s important.”
“Well, if that’s the case, it can’t be helped.”
“Thank you for today. I enjoyed the tour. Well then, goodbye.”
Seonwoo bowed deeply as if a fire had fallen on his foot, and then left the exhibition hall at an almost running pace.
Thinking that the guy who usually runs 100 meters in 28 seconds, no, 27.82 seconds, was surprisingly fast today, Eungyo was about to look in that direction when the arrival of the staff member who had been called diverted his attention. Then, as always, he began to berate the employees.
Completely unaware of the absurd future that was about to unfold.
