Be My Baby - Vol.2 Chapter 4 Part 1
What’s needed to avoid imminent danger in life is not knowledge, money, or power, but quick wits and reflexes – this was what Seonwoo was feeling most acutely right now.
If you lack quick wits, you should at least be tight-lipped, but thanks to his personality of not only lacking quick wits but also blurting out his dialect when flustered, Seonwoo was now facing the greatest crisis of his life.
On the fifth night in Daegwallyeong, when Eungyo suddenly came and he realized something was off while talking to him, Eungyo had already figured it out too.
If he had been just a little quicker on the uptake, he might have noticed something and changed the subject when the topic of women kept coming up, but he was too dull and lacked quick wits.
Of course, he had prepared various plans for this situation, but none of his plans A, B, C, or D accounted for this scenario.
That’s why this disaster had occurred.
Quick reflexes are very important.
“Haah…”
Since he had confessed everything with his own mouth just an hour ago, now was the time to completely change direction on all the plans he had made.
Thinking he would absolutely not be found out, he had already calculated the dates and set a surgery date, prepared all kinds of equipment, and even started picking baby names, but now he was facing separation before even getting to name the baby.
“Haah…”
As Seonwoo kept sighing while sitting in the passenger seat pressed against the window, Eungyo, who had parked the car in the apartment’s car elevator, glanced sideways at him in the automatically moving elevator.
“Why are you sighing so much?”
“…I’m sorry…”
With those words, the elevator doors opened and the car came to a stop in the glass-fronted parking lot.
After parking and turning off the engine, Eungyo unfastened his seatbelt first and spoke in an indifferent tone.
“Get out.”
“…Okay.”
Answering in an almost dying voice, Seonwoo also slowly got out of the passenger seat of the car.
Unable to say a word because of his guilty conscience, he entered the house, and Eungyo walked straight across the spacious living room towards the bedroom.
Seeing his nonchalant back as he walked away, Seonwoo hesitated in the middle of the living room, not knowing what to do. Just as Eungyo was about to enter the bedroom, he stopped and turned around.
“Come in.”
“…”
“It’s past midnight. We should rest.”
“I, I can sleep here… No, I’ll just go to my brother’s place.”
“You’re not going a step outside until I decide what to do with you. Obediently come in. I’m not heartless enough to make a pregnant person sleep in the living room.”
At Eungyo’s gruff words as he took off his jacket and entered the bedroom, Seonwoo finally followed him into the bedroom with his head bowed low.
Then he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The layout of the bedroom and the bed visible in the distance, which had been etched strongly in his memory from crawling on the floor unable to walk properly just a month ago, made Seonwoo quickly bow his head as Eungyo, who had taken off his jacket, headed towards the dressing room connected to the bedroom.
Thanks to that, Seonwoo was left alone in the room and looked around restlessly.
The king-size low bed, the fluttering white curtains, and even the carpet on the floor whose pattern he remembered because he had stared at it for so long that day.
As he stood there looking around at the scene that reminded him of the most embarrassing, outrageous, and memorable night of his 27 years of life, Eungyo, who had come out after taking off his jacket and vest, asked curiously.
“What are you doing?”
“…”
“I’ll shower and come out, so sleep first. Or are you hungry again?”
At that question that made Seonwoo think this person now saw him completely as a glutton, he slowly shook his head.
“No. I’m not hungry.”
Though he was actually quite hungry as it was approaching his late-night snack time, he answered softly like that out of consideration. Eungyo turned around again.
“Then sleep.”
“…Where?”
At that question asked just in case, Eungyo frowned slightly and answered.
“Do you sleep on the floor instead of in bed?”
“I can sleep on the floor…”
As Seonwoo muttered softly, unable to bring himself to go to that bed full of unpleasant memories, Eungyo frowned as if displeased.
“You want me to make my child sleep on the floor?”
“…”
“Hurry up and sleep. Don’t just stand there dozing off again.”
“Okay…”
Though he answered like that, he couldn’t bring himself to go to the bed and stood there hesitating, glancing at it. Eungyo, who was about to head to the bathroom, clicked his tongue and approached him.
“You’re usually so dull, why are you being considerate now?”
Unable to say that he still had a conscience no matter how dull he was, Seonwoo stood there fiddling with his clasped hands. Eungyo came up behind him, grabbed the back of his neck, and dragged him to the bed.
As he was pulled along and the bed got closer and closer, Seonwoo squeezed his eyes shut at the unnecessarily vivid memories.
Seeing that behavior of not even wanting to look because it was too big to cover, Eungyo pushed Seonwoo onto the bed with a thud and gave a final warning.
“Sleep quietly. Don’t even think about running away.”
At those words, Seonwoo suddenly realized “Ah, that option was available” and opened his eyes wide. Eungyo smiled faintly as if he had read that thought.
“The security system is already activated. You know that if you move even a little, everything will be recorded by motion detection sensors, right?”
At those words saying not to even dream of escaping, Seonwoo slumped his shoulders.
Meanwhile, Eungyo walked away again and disappeared into the bathroom.
Seonwoo, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed hesitating what to do, glanced behind him at the bed.
Seeing the bed’s appearance exactly the same as a month ago, he turned his head and slowly scooted his bottom around to the opposite side of the bed.
Then he settled in a spot facing only the wall and glanced back briefly before quickly fixing his gaze forward again.
He had come in because hyung told him to, but Seonwoo was skeptical about whether he could really sleep here tonight.
Though it was late and drowsiness was starting to come over him, he still didn’t think he could sleep in this room, this bed.
Above all, he thought he would stay up all night with his heart pounding because hyung was next to him… but unfortunately, he was not such a sensitive person.
No, he was a much duller and more insensitive person than he had imagined himself to be.
“Well… you sure can sleep.”
At that voice right by his ear the moment he groggily woke from sleep, Seonwoo tried to lift his heavy eyelids but his eyes wouldn’t open properly.
Feeling too sleepy to do anything but lie there dazed in a half-asleep state, a warm, large hand brushed through his hair.
“Seeing how slow you are to open your eyes, I guess you’re not hungry. Keep sleeping.”
That gentle voice sounded unusually pleasant, making Seonwoo smile brightly. A soft laugh could be heard from right above him.
At that pleasant laugh, Seonwoo smiled happily and finally opened his eyes to see the face of the man right above him.
Wearing a simple navy suit with his hair neatly combed back, he was someone Seonwoo liked very, very much.
Yes, someone he liked so, so much.
Someone he liked so much that he had acted outrageously…
“…Ahhh!”
As memories of last night suddenly flashed through his mind like a montage, Seonwoo swallowed a scream and abruptly sat up. Eungyo gently pushed down on his shoulder.
“Keep sleeping.”
“Uh…”
“The housekeeper will come to make meals. If you’re hungry, get up and eat, then stay in bed quietly. And during that time, think hard about how you can make me not sue you.”
At those words delivered with a bright smile and gentle tone, Seonwoo nodded reflexively. Eungyo patted his head and slowly got up from his seat.
“Then I’ll see you in the evening. I’ll call, so keep your phone on.”
Seonwoo silently nodded again at his instructions. Having said all he needed to say, Eungyo walked away.
As soon as his footsteps leaving the room faded completely, Seonwoo sprang up from the bed and searched for his phone.
“My phone… mine. Where is it?”
As he looked around wondering where he had put his phone yesterday, he spotted the outer clothes hanging on a small chair in the room.
The moment he saw that, he rolled off the bed and ran over to first take out the phone from the outer clothes.
Then he turned on the phone that had been off for the past five, no, six days, and finally let out a sigh of relief.
After waiting for a moment, messages came pouring in like crazy.
Overwhelmed by the constant beeping sounds, he hurriedly threw the phone onto the table, and after a while the frantically ringing phone finally went quiet.
Wondering if it was finally over, he peeked at the phone with just his head out, when suddenly the phone started ringing.
Startled by that sound, he took a step back, then looked at the phone screen again to see the word ‘Seyoon’ displayed.
At that impeccable timing, he quickly picked up the phone again and pressed the call button.
As expected, Seyoon’s usual indifferent voice came through.
“Are you alive?”
His voice lost strength at that unkind tone that seemed to know the situation somewhat.
“I’m still alive for now.”
“Congratulations. How long has it been since Eungyo hyung didn’t bury you in some corner of the Daegwallyeong pasture?”
“…That’s true…”
Since that was correct, Seonwoo obediently nodded his head. Seyoon let out a short sigh and asked Seonwoo.
“Aren’t you going to ask why I called?”
“Well, if Eungyo hyung heard from our hyung and found out, he probably told you everything too.”
“Huh, you’re quite sharp in these ways.”
But why are you so lacking in other ways, Seyoon muttered softly. As Seonwoo paced around the room, he suddenly seemed to remember something and asked:
“By the way, what exactly did my hyung tell Eungyo hyung?”
“Just the facts. That you had an accident and got someone pregnant, and that you ran away to Daegwallyeong because you couldn’t handle it. Common sense would dictate he thought you had an accident with a woman and she got pregnant… Anyway, Eungyo hyung rushed to you, and given your personality, you probably spilled everything as soon as you saw him, so it probably didn’t take 10 minutes for Eungyo hyung to know the truth.”
Seonwoo exclaimed in admiration at Seyoon’s explanation, which was accurate down to the timing.
“Wow, you’re amazing. It took exactly 10 minutes.”
“…That’s not something to be proud of. So, did he agree to sign the consent form?”
“No.”
“…So what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know.”
Seonwoo quickly retorted that if he knew, he wouldn’t be in this situation. Seyoon sighed softly as if to say “figures.”
“Didn’t Eungyo hyung say anything? About the baby, or custody issues?”
“He said he’ll raise it.”
“…He will?”
“Yeah.”
“Then give him the baby.”
“But I want to raise it myself.”
“Do whatever hyung wants. And prepare another consent form to get signed.”
“But…”
“This isn’t the time for you to be stubborn. You can have another baby later if you want.”
“What if hyung won’t give me his sperm?”
“Have any baby. And honestly, if you put yourself in his shoes, would you want to give it to yourself?”
“No…”
“Next time, have a baby with mutual agreement if the other person is okay with it.”
“But I want to raise hyung’s baby. I was surprised at first, but if it’s hyung’s baby, I could raise it beautifully…”
In truth, it was a child he had desperately wanted.
Though it came at an unimaginable moment and he was too busy wracking his brains to be happy about it at first, it was a child he had yearned for desperately over the past 10 years.
He had followed Eungyo hyung around persistently, causing trouble and begging for sperm whenever he drank, desperately wanting to have a child somehow. He didn’t want to give up this child that had been conceived miraculously.
Knowing this well, Seyoon sighed in frustration.
“You really are hopeless, utterly hopeless.”
“So…”
“By the way, where are you now? Still in Daegwallyeong?”
“No.”
“Then at your brother’s place?”
“No, at Eungyo hyung’s place.”
“…Why there?”
“Hyung said I have to stay here until he decides what to do with me.”
At those words, Seyoon was silent for a moment.
Then after a while, he muttered softly.
“That’s… a bit strange…”
“What is?”
“Come to think of it, it was a bit strange yesterday too…”
As Seyoon mumbled to himself, Seonwoo just blinked his eyes. Then Seyoon seemed to organize his thoughts on his own.
“Never mind. Well, that’s for you to deal with. As long as you’re alive, that’s fine. Good luck then. Don’t die.”
“Uh…?”
“Oh, and as a bonus, don’t drag me and Seonjung hyung into this anymore. Handle your own affairs. I’m hanging up now.”
After just confirming he was alive, his friend hung up abruptly, leaving Seonwoo staring blankly at his phone.
“What am I supposed to do…”
All that was left after the call with his unkind friend who gave no tips and just told him to handle it himself was a sense of emptiness.
Feeling somewhat deflated, Seonwoo slumped his shoulders, when suddenly he felt hungry.
Thinking his heart must be empty so his stomach felt hungry, he looked around but since he could see the whole bedroom, there was nothing to eat in sight.
He thought about going to the kitchen, but that wasn’t easy either because of the security system that would start recording as soon as he moved.
Realizing he had no choice but to wait until the housekeeper came, Seonwoo sat in the chair and stared blankly into space.
Then he muttered softly.
“Ah, I’m hungry…”
***
