Be My Baby - Vol.3 Chapter 8 Part 3
The 3D image moved rapidly under dim lighting.
Though the new product operating like a real device in 3D demonstrated performance and durability exceeding targets, Eungyo’s expression as he watched was quite displeased.
It was fine that he frantically wrapped up work even cutting into lunch time to resume the morning’s halted meeting. Since it was work that had to be done anyway and delaying would only complicate things, proceeding quickly with the meeting was fine, but having his phone confiscated by Yeonsoo right before the meeting irked Eungyo.
When he demanded to know why Yeonsoo was confiscating his phone and if he wanted to test his rank, Yeonsoo’s attitude was stubborn with Eunhyeok backing him up.
Saying he was preemptively blocking him from staring at his phone and spouting nonsense during the meeting again, Yeonsoo took away the phone and handed it to Eunhyeok, firmly stating there would be no more distractions before continuing his duties earnestly.
Though quite unpleasant and frustrating, since he had clearly made mistakes, he couldn’t demand his phone back.
Still… wondering why that guy was managing even his phone, Eungyo watched Yeonsoo earnestly presenting up front when Yeonsoo finally finished his presentation and looked this way with a brazen face.
“If anyone has questions or areas needing improvement, please speak up.”
Looking at Yeonsoo standing confidently as if it couldn’t be more perfect, Eungyo briefly reviewed the presentation materials and slowly nodded.
“Good work. Since it seems better than the original plan, let’s proceed as is. However, since it’s a product requiring significant manual work, the planning team should analyze the unit cost and expected sales volume more precisely before starting production. Then, this concludes the meeting.”
After wrapping up the meeting quite perfunctorily with a very insincere attitude, Eungyo stood and quickly left the meeting room.
Then he urgently went not to his office but his hyung’s office and held out his hand.
“Phone.”
“…What’s the rush?”
“I find having my privacy invaded quite unpleasant.”
“Well who told you to run out during meetings to stalk Lee Seonwoo?”
Though Eunhyeok had never once nagged his brother since they were like friends despite being siblings, he couldn’t let this one slide.
As Eunhyeok handed over the phone with harsh words about his brother losing his mind all day, Eungyo had nothing to say and quietly accepted the phone.
Then standing in front of the desk checking his phone, he frowned.
“…What is this about?”
[A sick chairman wants to see me so I’m going briefly.]
[I’m at ‘Hwayeon’.]
At the completely incomprehensible message contents, Eungyo showed the messages to Eunhyeok with a frown, and Eunhyeok also tilted his head as if not understanding.
“What sick chairman? He went to Hwayeon to see a sick chairman? What’s Hwayeon?”
“Hwayeon is… a Korean set menu restaurant near the apartment…”
Though not a fancy Korean building with a luxurious garden, it was famous for its clean and good taste using only natural ingredients, with rows of earthenware jars on the rooftop for making their own fermented sauces.
“Then I guess the sick chairman is meeting him at Hwayeon.”
“But why is this kid meeting a sick chairman?”
“Since he’s the world’s best in organ regeneration and artificial organs, there are lots of chairmen who come seeking favors even for illnesses that would heal just by taking medicine. From what I heard from Eunsoo, he gets so many such requests that he only takes on very unique and rare cases.”
Eungyo had certainly heard such things too.
He’d vaguely heard that people fly in from all over the world making requests, but he won’t take cases unless they’re very unique, and even then requires approval from the National Genetic Engineering Center, so many people come there pleading.
“Why do they keep bothering him like he’s some doctor?”
“Though not a doctor, he’s better than most doctors in organ regeneration. Doctors may only do surgery, but ultimately Lee Seonwoo has the highest skills in regenerating organs. You know that famous case – the conjoined twins sharing malformed heart and liver. Everyone thought they would die since they were conjoined with a malformed heart, but he split the malformed heart in two and even regenerated both into normal forms for successful separation surgery. And in just three months, even though the children were young with small hearts.”
That, Eungyo remembered clearly.
Even when the world’s best doctors and scientists all shook their heads saying it was absolutely impossible, Seonwoo smiled saying “I want to try, let me try,” and ultimately succeeded.
When taking on that case, Eungyo still remembered Seonwoo’s brightly smiling face saying “What’s impossible in Korea?” when a reporter asked during a live broadcast if it wasn’t too risky and could have big repercussions if it failed.
Right, that’s why Lee Seonwoo is called a monster.
Nothing is impossible for the human Lee Seonwoo.
“Troublesome kid. Should be moderately talented, not excessively.”
Though he wished he would just quit everything and stay at home, being so talented made that impossible.
Still worried just in case, Eungyo took out his phone and dialed Seonwoo’s number.
Then waited a moment for it to ring.
***
As he entered the building with a large sign reading ‘Hwayeon’, Seonwoo sent a message to Eungyo and slowly walked inside following the men who had brought him.
Wondering what case it would be this time, he obediently entered the room the man guided him to where an elderly gentleman was already seated.
He had a solid build with a very fierce expression, and was a short man.
As Seonwoo quietly stood by the door at that unfamiliar face, the man glanced this way with sharp eyes and gestured with his chin.
“Sit.”
At that gruff, somewhat rough and low voice, Seonwoo looked at him with a slightly troubled face.
It was a large group room with floor seating.
As he hesitated since it was a bit difficult to sit on the floor in his current state, the man spoke again.
“Didn’t you hear me say sit?”
At that voice that seemed to have a sharp temper, Seonwoo hesitated briefly but finally decided to sit.
Though uncomfortable, since there was no choice in the situation, he sat where the man indicated and looked at him.
Then without wasting time, he got straight to the point.
“I’m quite busy, so what is this about?”
“…You look a lot like your father.”
At those words, Seonwoo briefly wondered what he meant before remembering his own father was also a famous genetic engineer and smiled with a nod.
“Yes, I hear that often.”
Though he smiled brightly recalling how he was called his father’s decalcomania being similar not just in appearance but personality too, the man frowned as if quite displeased.
“Such an unpleasant face.”
“…Pardon?”
“Well, no need for unnecessary long talk. Here.”
The man roughly tossed an envelope forward.
At that envelope thrown before him like trash, Seonwoo tilted his head.
“What is this?”
“Check for yourself.”
At those words, he reached out to check inside the envelope and blinked his eyes still not understanding.
“It’s money?”
“Yes, money.”
“But why… ah… surgery fees?”
The man’s eyes twitched at those words.
Though he looked quite displeased, Seonwoo lightly ignored that expression and pushed back the envelope.
“I’m sorry, but I’m busy so I’m not taking outside work. I’m in a situation where I can’t work.”
As Seonwoo politely expressed his intention to decline since he was on leave due to pregnancy and outside work wasn’t appropriate, the man’s voice rose.
“What nonsense about outside work?”
“Didn’t you come to request surgery?”
“Why would I get surgery? Even if I did need surgery, I’d never get it from Lee family’s spawn!”
At the man’s agitated response seeming quite angry, Seonwoo looked down at the envelope again puzzled.
Then after seeming to think about something, he slightly frowned.
“Then… perhaps a bribe?”
When Seonwoo seriously asked that wondering if they wanted patent rights for some drug exclusively or secretly wanted some other research done, the man slammed the table with a bang.
“Why would I bribe you?”
“Then… campaign funds?”
When he asked that wondering if perhaps some association chairman was running for assembly or president, the man’s face grew even fiercer.
Though unfamiliar, that expression seemed very familiar from somewhere and Seonwoo tried to recall where he’d seen that face.
It definitely seemed familiar but where, he was carefully thinking when the man spoke first.
“Even not understanding what’s said is just like your father.”
“Ah… you know my father well?”
Since only very close people would know such things, Seonwoo looked at him with curiosity and the man shuddered in disgust.
“Who knows your father well?”
“Then?”
“I just happened to see him a few times.”
After saying that, the man gulped down water from the glass in front of him as if trying to swallow his anger.
Then after a moment, he continued speaking with a somewhat calmer face.
“Right, no need for unnecessary words between us. Think of that as compensation money. That amount should be enough to live on.”
Come to think of it, that way of speaking was very familiar too, Seonwoo recalled.
At that tone he’d heard often somewhere, as Seonwoo stared intently at the man as if observing, the man spoke in a low voice.
“Even the rudeness is exactly the same. A carbon copy of your father.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. But you seem very familiar… are you perhaps someone famous? A veteran actor?”
As Seonwoo tilted his head wondering just who this was, the man looked at Seonwoo with a shocked face.
“You, you don’t know who I am?”
“No. I don’t know.”
“Hah…”
As Seonwoo stared blankly at the man clearly having no idea who he was no matter how he looked, the man laughed as if dumbfounded.
“How can you be so exactly alike…”
“Pardon?”
“Well, fine. Since you don’t know who I am, I’ll tell you directly. Right now, get away from my son.”
Even at those words said thinking that should be enough to understand, Seonwoo still couldn’t figure out who he was.
How could he know when he only used nouns like chairman and son?
Just as he was thinking it would be nice if he’d use proper nouns, his phone rang.
At that sound, Seonwoo immediately took out his phone and seeing the display, suddenly smiled brightly and turned to the man.
“This is a call I must take. Just a moment please.”
With crescent eyes and raised corners of his mouth, Seonwoo hurriedly pressed the call button and answered happily.
“Yes.”
“Where are you?”
“Hwayeon. Didn’t you see my message?”
“I saw it but… what’s this about a sick chairman?”
“Ah… well, suddenly men came saying a chairman was sick and wanted to meet, but he keeps saying strange things. He gave me money and told me to stay away from his son… um… oh?”
Suddenly something crossed his mind.
The proper nouns hidden behind those strange nouns became very clear.
At the same time, very familiar morning dramas flashed through his mind.
Though he didn’t like television, every morning drama his mother watched while cursing in his childhood always had scenes like this.
“By any chance… is your son’s name Kang Eungyo…”
Just wondering maybe, as he cautiously asked that, the answer came before the question was even finished.
“Kang Eungyo is indeed my second son’s name.”
Even at those words asking if he now knew who he was, Seonwoo still couldn’t readily accept it.
Unable to establish their blood relationship in his mind thinking how could they look so completely different despite being father and son, he asked Eungyo this time:
“Um… right now there’s a chairman claiming to be your second son in front of me…”
Just as he was about to switch to video to ask if this person was really his father, Eungyo’s voice rang out faster:
“You stay right there!”
At that voice raised high as if angry, followed by the call cutting off, Seonwoo looked back and forth between his phone and the man sitting in front with a dazed face.
But no matter how much he looked and looked again, they looked nothing alike.
“Wow… you look really different.”
Though he occasionally saw the eldest Eunhyeok and third son Eunho too, this man showed none of the facial features or characteristics unique to that family’s brothers.
Even with pre-correction plastic surgery, certain aspects should show blood relation to one side… but this case was extreme.
Completely, perfectly different.
No similarity at all in facial features, build, or voice.
Even total strangers usually have some similar aspects if you look, but this person had none.
How could they look so completely different, Seonwoo wondered with wide eyes when the man spoke through gritted teeth:
“The rudeness, you’re exactly like your father. Staring at people’s faces and saying only things people hate, just the same.”
“Ah… I’m sorry.”
Realizing he had indeed been rude, Seonwoo quickly bowed his head in apology and the man shook his head and changed the subject.
“Now that you know who I am, conversation should be easier? Get away from my son immediately.”
At that stubborn voice seemingly revealing his own obstinacy, Seonwoo fell into thought for a moment.
Though he roughly understood what kind of situation this was from dramas, it wasn’t easy to readily accept.
So, he asked:
“…Why?”
At Seonwoo’s short but intense question that left one speechless, the man let out a scoffing laugh.
“Ill-mannered brat! What do you mean why? Eungyo is someone who should marry normally and have children. Yet how dare a male who can’t even have children cling to him trying to ruin his life?”
But even at that answer, Seonwoo still had a puzzled face.
Though it was true he had clung on and legally couldn’t register marriage, there was a discrepancy in saying he couldn’t have children, so he slightly raised his right hand.
“Um, I have one question about this… is the issue marriage, or children?”
When Seonwoo asked seriously as if this was a very important matter, the man clicked his tongue.
“What difference does knowing make?”
Of course, it makes a big difference, Seonwoo nodded.
“It does matter. Though I can’t marry, I will have a child.”
“If you’re thinking of using a surrogate mother for artificial insemination, don’t even dream of it. You’ll get hit with lawsuits en masse.”
At the man’s answer considering Seonwoo’s profession, Seonwoo suddenly smiled brightly.
Having already signed the consent form and finished the agreement, he was no longer afraid even of “lawsuits.”
“You don’t need to worry about that. I’m already pregnant.”
“So…”
At the quite jarring and mismatched flow of conversation, the man suddenly stopped speaking.
Then stared at Seonwoo.
“…Wait, what are you saying? What do you mean pregnant?”
“I have a baby.”
“What baby? Whose child?”
“Eungyo-hyung’s baby.”
“Where?”
“Here.”
Seonwoo unhesitatingly pointed to his own belly.
At that answer saying the baby was right here, not somewhere else, the man presumed to be Eungyo’s father let out a scoffing laugh.
“How can a man get pregnant?”
“The circumstances and process are a bit complicated but… anyway, the conclusion is pregnancy.”
Though Seonwoo smiled ever so innocently as if saying “ding dong dang,” the man’s expression was even worse than before.
As the man’s face gradually hardened looking quite disturbed, while Seonwoo still smiled brightly failing to read the mood, the man let out a low roar.
“Are you looking down on me thinking I’m ignorant in this field? Did you inherit that from your father too?”
“No way.”
As Seonwoo waved his hands with a smiling face saying he wouldn’t lie about such things, the man’s voice suddenly rose to the point of breaking:
“I’ve led Genetech for 40 years! Even if I’m ignorant, do you think I don’t know the uterus can’t be regenerated or artificial wombs can’t be made?”
“Yes, that’s why I made it.”
“…What?”
“I made it. Me.”
Just as Seonwoo proudly answered pointing at himself that none other than he had made that difficult, challenging, supposedly impossible uterus, the door burst open with a bang.
At that loud sound that could have torn off the door, Seonwoo turned around to see two men in suits entering.
Seeing Eungyo among the two men who looked very similar and were clearly brothers, Seonwoo smiled brightly, and Eungyo quickly sat beside Seonwoo.
Then aggressively asked the man sitting in front:
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Can’t you tell?”
“No, I can’t. What are you doing?”
Along with those words, Eungyo’s expression grew incredibly rigid.
Not because he truly didn’t know, but demanding his father answer directly.
And the man also understood his son’s meaning well.
As if saying who would be scared by talking like that, the man spoke nonchalantly:
“Heard you’d set up house with a male, so I came to sort it out.”
“What business is that of yours, Father?”
“Of course it’s my business. How can I sit quietly when my son is living with none other than Lee Woohyun’s son?”
“And what will you do if you don’t sit quietly?”
“Make you break up with that brat immediately.”
“No. I won’t break up.”
“You will whether you want to or not. It absolutely cannot happen while there’s still breath in my eyes.”
“You should be careful saying such things. There’s someone who would really put dirt in your eyes.”
As Eungyo turned to look at Seonwoo saying “this guy right here,” Seonwoo avoided his gaze guiltily.
At that face that seemed to have actually considered it somewhat, Eungyo looked forward again and the man made a dumbfounded face as if having somewhat grasped the situation.
“…Right, that brat was Lee Woohyun’s son.”
“Yes, he is. So give up, Father.”
When Eungyo advised him to give up winning against this son of the man who had made his already slightly twisted personality extremely nasty, the man slammed the table again with a bang.
“That’s exactly why it can’t happen! Don’t you think your way of rebelling against me is too petty? Living with a male of all things, and Lee Woohyun’s son at that! What kind of filial impiety is this? Plus what’s this brat saying? That he’s pregnant? How dare you treat people like fools!”
“He is pregnant.”
“So that’s why-!”
The man who was about to say how dare you spout such nonsense suddenly stopped speaking.
Then looked at Eungyo again with a shocked face.
Though nonsense from Lee Woohyun’s son wouldn’t be surprising, he knew his own son would never speak such nonsense, so this time he looked at his son with genuine shock and Eunhyeok who had quietly entered and stood behind answered instead:
“He is indeed pregnant.”
When even Eunhyeok nodded confirming it was definitely true, the man looked with a bewildered face at his first son, second son, and Lee Woohyun’s son blinking his eyes beside that second son.
Then muttered in a voice completely different from before, as if lost:
“Just what nonsense is all this?”
“He had relations with me a month ago, and because this kid has an artificial uterus inside him, he got pregnant. The baby will be born in 8 weeks.”
Though it will need an incubator, Eungyo added calmly explaining, and the man’s previously dazed face turned ashen.
His face gradually turned blue as if realizing from the atmosphere that this was absolutely not a joke, and Eungyo spoke again:
“For that reason, I won’t marry. The one I’ll live with for life is this kid and I don’t want to live with anyone else.”
At Eungyo’s declaration that though he detested anything loud, bothersome, awkward or annoying, he would abandon that pickiness only for this kid, the man’s lips began trembling.
At that face seeming extremely angry and wronged, Eungyo continued:
“Wasn’t Father’s goal just to make us participate in marriage hell anyway? Though we can’t legally marry, we’re in a de facto marriage so you’ve achieved half your goal. Furthermore, the naturally born child you wanted will be born, and I will raise that child. I’ll thoroughly experience both marriage hell tour and parenting hell, so isn’t this satisfactory enough?”
Having seemingly read his father’s mind, Eungyo stared silently at his father after answering precisely that though they couldn’t marry, you’ve half won, and Eunhyeok who had been standing behind quickly went around the table to his father’s side.
“Stop, Father. It’s already over anyway.”
Though Eunhyeok tried to persuade his father to give up since the situation was settled and a baby was even on the way, the man still wouldn’t bend his stubbornness until the end.
“Over according to who? I absolutely cannot accept this!”
“Father, why are you being so unseemly?”
“Who’s unseemly? Do you think this makes any sense? Does it make sense for my son to live with Lee Woohyun’s son?”
“What’s nonsensical about a man having a baby too?”
This situation itself was so abnormal and nonsensical that a 38-year grudge was nothing in comparison – that was Eunhyeok’s thought.
And Eungyo completely agreed with that.
“I think you understand well enough by now. Then we’ll be going. And…”
Looking at the envelope placed in front, Eungyo picked it up and put it inside his jacket.
“I’ll take this envelope as congratulatory money for your first grandchild.”
Watching Eungyo neatly pocket the envelope that he would have thrown back any other time out of spite, Eunhyeok cried out as if dumbfounded:
“Hey! How can you take that?”
“Since it seems you have money to spare, I should accept it. Let’s go, Lee Seonwoo.”
As if having no more business here, Eungyo stood first and reached out his hand to Seonwoo, who smiled brightly and took it.
At the sight of them getting up and walking away, the man who had been quietly watching the two suddenly roared:
“Where are you going! Get back here you brats! Ah, my neck! My neck!”
Hearing that shouting from the room, Seonwoo looked back with slight concern.
“His blood pressure seems to have risen.”
“His blood pressure is normal. Plus he’s troublesomely healthy. He’s just pretending.”
Saying it was purely for show while walking with large angry strides, Eungyo suddenly stopped in front of the parking lot.
Then sighed looking at the beauty leaning model-like against a large sedan.
Today wearing a neat black dress with her hair up in an elegant lady’s style, Eungyo clicked his tongue looking at her:
“As expected, it’s Mother.”
Seonwoo looked back and forth in surprise between Eungyo calling “Mother” and the beauty standing in front who looked early 30s at worst, late 20s at best.
Then realizing the woman in front was Eunsoo’s mother he had seen a few times in high school, he bowed his head in greeting.
“Hello?”
“Yes. Seonwoo is still the same.”
“Yes. But auntie… you look even younger.”
“Well, let’s say it’s the power of modern science.”
As Seonwoo was thinking it was really amazing looking younger than her sons, Eungyo hid Seonwoo behind his back and snapped harshly at her:
“You agreed to keep quiet.”
“Ah… your father was so insistent. But… I hadn’t thought about pregnancy either? Should say congratulations? Congratulations, son. And Seonwoo too.”
After shrugging her shoulders as if finally relieved, she looked carefully at Eungyo and Seonwoo before smirking.
It was a real smirk, that.
“So, will you marry?”
“Legally, we can’t marry.”
“Then we should change the law.”
“…How long would that take?”
“Soon. Don’t underestimate my lobbying skills. I’ll pour money into changing the law for you.”
At that look of excitement with sparkling eyes while smiling elegantly, Eungyo clicked his tongue seeming to see right through his mother’s intentions.
“Go see Father. He’s grabbing his neck again.”
“Let him grab it or not. Well then, I’m going. See you later too, Seonwoo. No, you’re my daughter-in-law now? I’ll dote on you well, daughter-in-law.”
At her quite scattered farewell, Seonwoo just bowed his head for now.
“Thank you.”
“Yes. Oh, how sweet. Well then, I’m off.”
After those final words, she got into the back seat of the car and closed the door, and the car immediately left the parking lot.
As Eungyo shook his head at that willful behavior, Seonwoo standing beside murmured quietly:
“As expected, you look really alike.”
As Seonwoo marveled that he had felt it in high school but they grew more alike with age, Eungyo suddenly stated:
“Because that’s how the genes were arranged.”
“But… do you know?”
“What?”
“Just now, the sick chairman… he really resembles your way of speaking, hyung. His angry expression too.”
As Seonwoo smiled with crescent eyes saying he had been unsure until just now but seeing him shout at the end they really looked alike, Eungyo frowned in displeasure.
“I look like Father?”
“Yes. Like this.”
At Seonwoo smiling with crescent eyes saying his expressions and voice when angry or shouting were exactly the same, Eungyo was at a loss for words.
He had never thought about it until now, but come to think of it, it seemed true.
He wasn’t very aware of what expression he made when angry or how he usually spoke, but it seemed so.
At the sudden self-loathing that washed over him, Eungyo pressed his forehead as Seonwoo smiled brightly beside him.
“But… is it true?”
“What?”
“Will you really live with me for life?”
As if pleased by those words he had just heard, Seonwoo asked again to confirm and Eungyo asked back in a slightly lowered voice:
“You still don’t know after seeing that consent form?”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Ah, I’m so happy.”
Seonwoo smiled ever so brightly as if nothing could make him happier.
At that face looking truly blissful beyond compare, Eungyo stroked Seonwoo’s hair.
After rubbing his messy hair a few times, he lowered his hand to grab those soft cheeks and massage them before suddenly stopping.
Then grabbed Seonwoo’s arm again.
“Let’s go home.”
“Huh? Isn’t it still work hours?”
“It’s fine. A more urgent matter came up.”
“Urgent matter?”
As Seonwoo asked that while being dragged to the car by Eungyo, Eungyo suddenly stopped walking.
Then bent down and kissed him.
In the bright parking lot with many people passing by, he unhesitatingly sucked slightly on Seonwoo’s lips before pulling away and whispering in his ear:
“This kind of matter.”
This time understanding perfectly what he meant just from that voice without missing a beat, Seonwoo smiled slightly shyly.
“That’s really nice too.”
The first thing the two did upon returning home was jump into bed.
Since they had overdone it in the early morning, they didn’t penetrate but came several times rubbing their bodies together before both collapsed onto the bed.
Meanwhile, Eungyo’s phone rang five times and Seonwoo’s twice, but finding it annoying they just turned off the power and were leisurely enjoying the afterglow for once.
Naked on the bed, Eungyo held Seonwoo in his arms while continuously kissing his cheeks, sucking on that skin and even giving it light bites.
At that plump yet firm and soft jelly-like sensation, Eungyo bared his teeth again and suddenly spoke as if remembering:
“You, don’t lose your chubby cheeks even after having the baby.”
“Why?”
“Because they’re cute.”
As he licked with his tongue as if delicious those cheeks that were originally quite chubby but had grown even chubbier during pregnancy, Seonwoo laughed as if ticklish.
At that laughing sound, Eungyo rubbed his cheeks again then kissed Seonwoo’s shoulder while slipping his hand down to caress his inner thighs.
Seonwoo let out a low moan at that touch.
At that reaction more sensitive than expected as always, Eungyo whispered softly:
“I was your first, right?”
Slipping in that question that had bothered him all day taking this chance, Seonwoo turned to look at Eungyo with dazed eyes.
“What?”
“This kind of thing.”
As he stroked up Seonwoo’s perineum with the hand that had been caressing his thighs, Seonwoo suddenly clenched his legs together and nodded.
“Yes.”
“Right? I thought so. That’s a relief.”
Feeling relieved, Eungyo kissed his cheek again and Seonwoo blinked his eyes twice before asking back:
“But what about you?”
“Hm?”
“Was I your first too?”
At that sudden counterattack, Eungyo clamped his mouth shut.
Having nothing to say about that, he stayed silent as Seonwoo looked at him with round eyes.
At those eyes asking for a quick answer, Eungyo hesitated before answering:
“No, not my first…”
At that somewhat quieted voice, Seonwoo slowly nodded.
“Ah, I see.”
Though his words seemed understanding, Seonwoo’s expression instantly turned gloomy.
Eungyo had an “oops” moment.
It felt like he had shot himself in the foot.
That face instantly deflating like a hurt puppy mercilessly stabbed at Eungyo’s conscience.
Feeling like he had made quite a big mistake, Eungyo fidgeted anxiously while stroking Seonwoo’s hair.
Then started trying to soothe him:
“Want something to eat?”
“…Not hungry yet.”
“What do you want? I’ll do anything.”
Though he had thought looking pathetic begging your lover in bed was the most shameful thing in the world, he was doing exactly that now.
But rather than feeling ashamed or anything, his priority was making this kid smile again.
As Eungyo earnestly tried to comfort Seonwoo, he slowly turned to look at Eungyo and spoke quietly:
“Then…”
“Then?”
“Will you… register us as cohabitants?”
“Register as cohabitants?”
“Yes. As responsible cohabitants… Ah, if it’s troublesome, simple cohabitants is fine too…”
At those suddenly raised words, Eungyo erased the bewilderment from his face and showed a gentle smile.
Wondering what he was thinking about, it seems he had cohabitant registration in mind.
That was very good.
That was actually something this side needed to ask.
“I’ll do it. Tomorrow’s the weekend so I’ll do it first thing Monday.”
As Eungyo promised to rush to the administrative center as soon as it opened in the morning to apply first, the corners of Seonwoo’s lips rose uncontrollably.
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“Wow… just like Seyoon said.”
“Seyoon? Jeon Seyoon?”
“I called earlier and asked how to apply. Then he said you would do it, even give me an electronic chip.”
“Electronic chip?”
“Yes. He said not to let you put anything in my ear. Even if you give me a watch or ring, there will be electronic chips inside.”
At Seonwoo’s innocent smile saying his hearing was still good while lacking any ulterior motives, Eungyo’s ears perked up.
He hadn’t thought that far… but electronic chips sounded very good.
That guy was unexpectedly smart.
Thinking he should have rings made tomorrow right away, Eungyo smiled gently and kissed Seonwoo’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry about that guy’s nonsense.”
“I’m not worried.”
As Seonwoo coolly said he didn’t mind since he originally never listened to others anyway, Eungyo seemed pleased with that answer and kissed his cheek before starting to stroke his lower abdomen.
“How’s the baby?”
“Fine.”
At those words saying the baby was growing very healthily, Eungyo let out a small sigh.
“Looks like there will be another uproar when this kid is born.”
“Ah… that, the sick- I mean, your father?”
“He’s not someone who gives up easily.”
Things had exploded faster than expected.
Though it would have exploded eventually anyway, he had planned to cleanly resolve it by going with the baby after birth, but it exploded in an awkward situation thanks to Mother.
Thanks to that he’ll have to endure Father’s threatening calls until the baby comes, but now that he knows about Seonwoo’s pregnancy, Father won’t be able to act recklessly.
After all, he was someone with extraordinary obsession over his own flesh and blood.
“That obsession is the problem…”
Just as Eungyo was thinking that obsession wasn’t affection but rather close to dictatorship, developing into anger at his sons who didn’t listen or rebelled, Seonwoo quietly asked:
“Are you worried?”
“I’m used to it so I don’t care, but… are you okay?”
Wondering if this kid might be scared given his father’s unusual temperament and fierce expression, Eungyo cautiously asked and Seonwoo smiled brightly.
“I’m fine. Your father seems like an interesting person.”
“…Interesting?”
“Yes.”
“Not scary?”
“Not at all.”
Right, come to think of it, this kid was someone who feared nothing in the world.
Having grown up receiving only love, he never even thought others might dislike him, and indeed was loved wherever he went.
Even friends and hyungs who claimed to hate dealing with him end up listening to whatever this kid says.
And he himself was the worst among them.
He had probably contributed to this kid’s spoiled personality too.
Because even while getting angry and being harsh, he would always regret it afterward and end up forgiving him.
“Really a troublemaker…”
From the moment they first met he kept making people dumbfounded, then kept following persistently while bringing only shame and making impossible confessions.
Yet strangely, he wasn’t hateful.
Even causing so many incidents and disappearing randomly to wander in strange places making problems bigger, he was still lovable.
Looking down at the squirming creature in his arms, Eungyo wondered how to handle this troublesome yet lovable being.
Though many things had happened and mountains of problems remained to be solved… they felt easily dismissed with the thought that somehow it would work out.
Having caught the most important one, the rest didn’t matter.
Since it was all expected anyway, solutions would be found somehow.
What mattered now was that this kid was by his side and would stay forever.
And with this kid, he could easily defeat even Father.
Just enjoy it as is now.
Then it felt like nothing else really mattered.
Whether Lee Seonwoo’s reckless optimism had rubbed off or not, strangely his heart felt only at peace.
-End-
