Ch 68

“The numbers are steadily rising, so there doesn’t seem to be anything to worry about. Let’s decide on discharge after reviewing the ultrasound results. Honestly, I’d prefer to keep you here a little longer, but… if I do, I feel like something even more chaotic will happen.”

“Yes, yes, that’s right. I completely agree with you, doctor.”

“Who am I to say anything when people keep bringing in outside food every mealtime, coming and going as they please, and turning a shared hospital room into this mess? This is chaos, pure chaos.”

“I didn’t even realize it, but when I stepped out after losing sight of Ideun for a moment, there were people in suits standing in the hallway. There’s no one out to harm him, so why the bodyguards? Ah! Or maybe they’re worried he’ll run away? But what now? He has zero intention of running away anymore. I didn’t even realize it, but our Ahjussi is quite peculiar, isn’t he?”

Ji-an, who had been nodding fervently at Rowoon’s words, suddenly pressed his lips together as he watched him pick up and check the tumblers lined up on the table one by one. Each tumbler had a sticker on it.

Lemon tea, green tangerine tea, rooibos tea, barley tea, raspberry leaf tea, an ion drink, freshly squeezed orange juice, peppermint tea, milk with honey…

These were all tumblers that Secretary Lee had brought over in bulk. Seeing this… maybe eccentricity runs in the Choi family.

“Is there anything else wrong?”

“…Seo Ji-an, the nurse will come to get you when it’s time for your ultrasound, so make sure to get it done properly. Let’s meet again in the afternoon. And if that guy bothers or tires you out—here, show him this and kick him out. As long as you stick to this, there won’t be any issues.”

Though Ideun stood beside him, Rowoon didn’t even look his way. He simply placed a sign in Ji-an’s hand, with “Absolute Rest” written in bold red letters. As he turned to leave, he looked back and added, “Make sure to use that sign!”

Ji-an, who met Rowoon’s gaze as he was shoved out by Ideun, nodded his head vigorously.

He was the only person in this hospital who could stop Ideun from causing more trouble and the one who understood Ji-an’s current feelings best.

Something round appeared on the black screen—was that supposed to be a baby snake? Even when he lay unfamiliar on the bed in the ultrasound room, gel slathered on his stomach, Ji-an remained unresponsive, merely blinking at the doctor’s explanation.

So that round thing was a baby snake? It was still too early, around five to six weeks, to be certain, but the doctor explained that the yolk sac was beginning to form in the gestational sac. Despite hearing that, Ji-an stared blankly at the monitor.

His hormone levels had steadily increased in blood tests, and it was settling in well. But for a more accurate confirmation, they would have to check again in about two weeks. With that, the ultrasound probe was lifted from his stomach.

“Is this really a baby?”

“Next time you come in, you’ll be able to hear the heartbeat. And at that point, we’ll go over details like the expected due date and necessary care in depth.”

“Is there anything I should do now?”

At Ideun’s abrupt question, Ji-an shut his mouth. Oh, right. Ahjussi was here too.

“Just don’t overexert yourself, eat well, sleep well, and rest properly. Live as usual. Some people start experiencing morning sickness around this time, but if you haven’t yet, it might be a good idea to eat lots of good food while you can. Oh… have you noticed the baby’s pheromones?”

“Huh?”

“…Yes.”

Pheromones? What pheromones? Unlike himself, who was bewildered by the doctor’s words, Ideun was calmly conversing with the doctor. A deep grass scent? Ji-an had definitely smelled a strong grassy scent before. Was this tiny baby really his child? Was that dream truly a premonition?

The black snake that had appeared twice during his hardest moments was one thing, but he suddenly recalled the fresh, pleasant grassy scent that had always accompanied it.

“The traits will only be clear around the mid-term stage. If the baby is an Alpha, it might be a bit more challenging since their traits would differ from the mother’s, so make sure to regulate the pheromones well.”

Though Ideun asked a few more questions, the doctor had nothing else to add for now. As Ji-an left the consultation room, an ultrasound photo was placed in his hands.

“So… can I go home now? But which home are we going to?”

Still staring at the ultrasound photo as he walked down the hospital corridor, Ji-an looked up at Ideun, who was subtly supporting him by the waist, and asked the most pressing question on his mind.

It was obvious he couldn’t go back to his old, rundown studio apartment. That left only Ideun’s place. This situation suddenly struck him as ridiculous, making him chuckle at his own foolish question.

Their relationship had been tangled from the start, and even now, it was far from conventional. They weren’t married, yet there was already a baby, and they were practically living together.

In just over a month, he had slept in more places than he could count—the hospital, Ideun’s apartment, a hotel, his grandmother’s house in Donghae, and even a country home. He’d lost track of how many times his sleeping location had changed.

Wherever his head landed was his bed, and wherever his eyes opened was where he woke up.

There was no such thing as “my clothes” or “your clothes”; he just wore whatever fit at the moment. And mealtimes were simply whenever he ate.

“Where do you want to go?”

“…The house where Bobo is.”

Bobo had become part of their family because Ji-an had brought him in, but it felt like Ideun had taken care of him for more than half the time. Poor Bobo must have been stressed too, constantly moving from place to place and dealing with different people coming and going all the time.

“Let’s check out with Rowoon and then decide exactly where to go.”

“Everything really was a mess, huh.”

Ji-an mumbled softly to himself, moved by how Ideun always accommodated him and prioritized his comfort. Every time some big or small issue occurred around him, Ideun silently found the best solution and handled it without showing any sign of frustration.

“Are you overthinking again?”

“How can a person live without thinking?”

“If you must think, just think about me.”

As if determined not to let Ji-an get lost in thought, Ideun cut in, leaving Ji-an speechless. Then, as if realizing how absurd that sounded, Ji-an pushed him lightly.

“Wow. You’re unbelievably shameless.”

“…Given the situation, being shameless is the only option.”

Ideun shrugged nonchalantly, and Ji-an pressed his lips together. Who was supposed to be shameless here?

In the end, one thing was clear—they both had to be shameless right now.

“But, Ahjussi, when did you find out I was pregnant?”

“…Donghae?”

“What? You could smell the grass scent even back then? Is that why Grandma in Donghae…?”

Ji-an quickly raised his wrist to his nose and sniffed, but he couldn’t detect anything. No, wait. Since he was always around Ideun, all he could smell was a faint musky scent.

Wait, was musk supposed to be sweet? No, that wasn’t right. It was similar to Ideun’s musk, but something about it felt different. Ji-an leaned in toward Ideun and sniffed.

Ideun’s scent was distinctly heavier. Ji-an immediately sniffed his own wrist again, inhaling deeply. But before he knew it, Ideun had tightened the arm around his waist, effortlessly pulling him in.

Smooch.

He tilted his head slightly in the opposite direction, unfamiliar with the touch on his head but now accustomed to the kisses Ideun frequently gave.

“It’s not there right now.”

“Does that even matter?”

As his answer was followed by a moist sensation on his cheek, Ji-an, who had been laughing, suddenly froze. Then, flapping his hands in a panic, he quickly pushed Ideun away from his side.

This was exactly the problem with this man. They weren’t even alone, and yet, he was acting like this while walking down the hospital corridor.

“Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

Embarrassment and shame. Unlike Ideun, Ji-an knew how to feel mortified. He shook off Ideun’s grip and strode ahead. Though, he was caught again in just five steps.

***

Past midnight.

As Ideun stepped into the quiet space beyond the sliding doors, he slightly bowed his head in a show of respect. The person before him was the one who had taken Secretary Baek, whom Ideun had temporarily left at the club to handle a more urgent matter. It was also a meeting he could no longer delay, as Ji-an had made a request.

Until they decided on a permanent residence after marriage, he and Ji-an had opted to stay in a countryside home. It was the place that best aligned with Rowoon’s advice—ensuring security, controlled temperature and humidity, and absolute rest until Ji-an fully recovered.

Since he had waited for Ji-an to fall asleep before coming here, he had no intention of staying long.

“……Is Ji-an doing well?”

The moment he sat down, the first thing asked was about Ji-an’s well-being, causing a crooked smirk to form on his lips.

“You speak Ji-an’s name so easily. He may be naturally kind and bright enough to overlook things, but do you really believe that what happened can be compensated with money or food?”

“Of course not. Not at all. But right now, that’s all I can do….”

“You’re not just doing this to ease your own conscience, are you? There’s no need for pointless formalities. Let’s get straight to the point. Where did you take Secretary Baek?”

“I took care of it myself since it was my mess to clean up.”

“I didn’t want him to die an easy death. I wanted him to suffer, to be utterly miserable….”

“Ideun.”

Ideun, who had been speaking through clenched teeth, stopped at the gentle voice calling his name. “Choi Ideun.” The voice that called him again wasn’t the one he had always known.

“I’m sorry. This old woman is to blame for everything. It’s my fault, so I don’t want you to carry this burden. These hands are already soiled beyond redemption—what difference does one more dip into the filth make? I’ll bear all the sins. I’ll take everything with me, so you and Ji-an… just be happy. That’s all I need.”

Dressed immaculately in her usual hanbok, she sat straight-backed on the cushion, but her weak voice lodged itself deep in his chest. Sorry? At fault? Had he ever heard such words from that old woman’s mouth before? She had always been a formidable woman, bold and fearless.

She had commanded people with just a few words, never needing to raise her voice. Yet now, as he looked at her genuinely remorseful expression and the dullness in her eyes, the rage he had harbored toward her suddenly lost all strength.

“What are you sorry for? What did you do wrong? Do you expect me to thank you for killing Secretary Baek?”

“……I failed to see properly. I trusted the wrong person. I didn’t even realize my own child had died like that, nor did I know what my grandchild had gone through.”

“…….”

“They went through all that suffering together, even had a child of her own… what parent could keep turning a blind eye? I wanted to bring you both back to Korea so you could live comfortably. I thought it was just an accident caused by careless driving when I heard about the crash on the way to the airport. And then, I found out that you were the only one who survived.”

As the story of that day spilled from Eunsook’s lips, Ideun lowered his head. Until he had been brought to her and graduated elementary school, he had lived quite well under her care. He never lacked for anything. She had been busy, but she never missed a single event at his daycare, kindergarten, or school.

Before he entered middle school, she had suggested he study abroad, and he hadn’t refused. It was Secretary Baek who had looked after him during his time overseas. Since he was fluent in English, he had taken care of all the administrative tasks and had even acted as his guardian when needed.

His life abroad hadn’t been particularly difficult or overwhelming. Not until he entered university and saw the files Secretary Baek had been looking at. He had been sorting through old documents, and under normal circumstances, Ideun would have ignored them. But since they were already open, he took a glance.

And there, he saw his mother’s name. He discovered that the so-called “accidental crash due to careless driving” had, in fact, been orchestrated. He confronted Secretary Baek for the truth and learned about the conflict between his parents and Eunsook, which had existed since the beginning of their marriage.

And according to Secretary Baek, the moment Eunsook found out about his birth, she had chosen to raise him instead of his “burdensome” parents.

Why did he believe all of that?

‘D**n it. Your brat should have died that day too. If the police had been just a little later! It’s all mine! It was supposed to be mine!’

Tied to a chair, Secretary Baek had screamed with raw hatred. If he had played a role in his parents’ deaths… if the thing he had claimed as “his” was the wealth and power of this household…

“Are you saying that all of this was a misunderstanding? That Secretary Baek, that b**t**d, was behind everything?”

If it hadn’t been for those desperate words Secretary Baek had spat, Ideun would have denied every single thing Eunsook was saying now. But as those words meshed with what she had revealed, the tangled pieces of truth were finally beginning to surface.