M 204

Side Story 3 Episode 6

==========

Ki Tae-jeong prepared fruit first. He thought that if Sehwa ate something sour, it would stimulate saliva production in his mouth and make him feel better, so he planned to present Sehwa with sweet and sour fruit first. Sehwa originally enjoyed eating fruit anyway. However, General Oh Seon-ran, whom he encountered in the hospital lobby, stroked his chin as if displeased with the pack of strawberries in Ki Tae-jeong’s hand.

‘Usually, don’t you buy pregnant people tangerines or oranges first? Besides, strawberries these days aren’t even sweet….’

Displeasure towards Ki Tae-jeong was packed into every wrinkle of his frowning face. Ki Tae-jeong didn’t want to argue with General Oh Seon-ran if he could help it, but when he heard him mutter that he, who had tormented Sehwa like catching a rat when Hae-rim was conceived, wouldn’t know anything, Ki Tae-jeong also became emotional and protested.

‘If he eats something with a lot of acid like tangerines or apples on an empty stomach, he’ll get sick.’

‘Shouldn’t you at least get the baby to swallow something?’

‘Do you think everyone craves tangerines when they’re pregnant?’

‘Then what, did Sehwa say he doesn’t like tangerines? Did you receive a revelation in a dream to buy strawberries? Why strawberries of all things, and out of season.’

Uh…. Ki Tae-jeong, who was trying to ignore General Oh Seon-ran’s cold face, suddenly realized something and unconsciously covered his mouth with one hand.

Wait a minute. Dream…?

Could it be that the dream of picking strawberries he had before going to the amusement park back then… was a so-called prenatal dream?

‘If you really want to feed him strawberries, you should buy tangerines, grapes, and everything else, but anyway, a rich guy like you is so stingy-.’

‘I… I did have a dream.’

‘What?’

General Oh Seon-ran, who sharply glared with a look that said, “What nonsense is this guy talking about,” pursed his lips for a long time with a strange expression when Ki Tae-jeong said he had a dream of picking strawberries a while ago.

‘…You picked incredibly beautiful strawberries in your dream?’

‘Yes.’

‘And those strawberries were crying and laughing like babies.’

‘…Yes, that’s right.’

‘Heh….’

Ki Tae-jeong stared blankly at the strawberry pack in his hand. Of course, these strawberries weren’t as perfect as the ones he saw in his dream, but looking at them, it felt like the voice of the beautiful strawberry, no, the baby, laughing gleefully every time he touched the green stem, was vividly revived.

‘Heh… strawberries. Then is it a daughter this time?’

‘A daughter?’

‘Why, isn’t there a saying that if strawberries appear in a prenatal dream, it’s a daughter?’

It was common for children of the same gender to be born when same-sex couples had children. It wasn’t a genetically proven fact, but among men, there was a high probability of having a son, and among women, a daughter. So, he had never expected a second child to be a daughter from the beginning, but… still. What if a daughter who looked exactly like Lee Sehwa was born?

‘I’m already worried about Hae-rim, who resembles Sehwa, but if it’s even a daughter… I’ll have to pay special attention to security.’

‘Well, I like a son who resembles Sehwa too.’

‘Ah, did anyone say they didn’t like it? I’m just saying, just saying.’

Ki Tae-jeong and Oh Seon-ran headed to the hospital room where Sehwa was hospitalized, not even bothering to hide their rising smiles. They had such a prenatal dream, so maybe he could eat at least a little strawberries, such unfounded positivity bloomed between the two doting men.

‘I’m… sorry….’

‘What are you sorry for.’

‘It’s not strawberry season these days…, sniff….’

‘Rest first. I’ll clean this up and ventilate the room a bit.’

‘Yes, I’m sor…, ugh…!’

However, the result was utterly disastrous. Sehwa teared up, saying that the smell of the water on the fruit was too fishy and he couldn’t even touch it, apologizing for the trouble despite their efforts to get it for him.

After the strawberry failure, they brought peeled grape seeds and even tried tangerines that didn’t even need to be washed in water, but all failed.

After a series of failures, they prepared candy with a hopeful, no, desperate heart. They knew that lemon-flavored candy worked well for pregnant people. However, Sehwa’s blood sugar levels were precarious due to the shock, so they tried to postpone sugary foods until the very end, but now there was no other way. It was fortunate if he could eat even a lump of sugar, if he could just chew and swallow it.

‘How is it. Is it somewhat edible?’

‘Umm, yes, for now.’

‘That’s a relief.’

Ki Tae-jeong was filled with anticipation when he saw Sehwa moving his lips while sucking on the candy at first, but soon he made a tearful face and shook his head briefly, saying he couldn’t eat anymore.

‘I think it’s because it’s sour… it makes the stomach acid come up more.’

‘Really? Let’s take it away, this too.’

‘Yes… well, it was okay at first, but as I ate it… it’s like the nauseous feeling I get the day after drinking a lot of alcohol hasn’t gone away….’

‘Not enough to give you painkillers or sedatives?’

‘Not that, but….’

‘That’s enough.’

Ki Tae-jeong carefully sealed the case so that the sweet smell wouldn’t leak out and rummaged through the ingredient list on the back. He said it was okay the moment he put the candy in his mouth, so he should try something a little less sour than that, and something that had been touched by human hands as little as possible. It could be a reaction to certain ingredients commonly used in manufactured goods. Ah, if that’s the case, should I just make it myself? It’s not like baking a cake, making candy doesn’t seem that difficult….

‘Um, Lieutenant General.’

Sehwa’s delicate voice, trembling slightly, awakened Ki Tae-jeong’s thoughts.

‘Huh? Do you need anything?’

‘No, I’m sorry….’

Sehwa, who was clutching the sheet tightly and only moving his lips, trailed off again, saying he was sorry. His slender neck, which was exposed for a long time as he dropped his head, was just pitiful.

‘Lee Sehwa.’

‘…….’

‘Sehwa.’

‘…….’

‘Honey?’

‘…….’

‘Darling, won’t you look at your husband’s face?’

Ki Tae-jeong couldn’t help but smile slightly when he saw Sehwa, who only raised his eyes slowly. It was because he had the same face as Hae-rim, who had been holding back tears a while ago, saying he missed his little dad, as if they were stamped from the same mold. The lips pressed tightly into an S shape, the walnut-like wrinkles gathered on his chin, and the shimmering moisture filling his round eyes, which looked even bigger because he had lost weight…. He knew it was the word Sehwa hated the most, but at this rate, he didn’t know who the baby was.

‘What are you so sorry for. It’s a natural thing.’

‘…….’

‘I should have taken care of you like this when you were pregnant with Hae-rim.’

‘…Well, back then….’

‘What, back then I was the worst son of a bitch.’

A lot. As Ki Tae-jeong smiled, Sehwa scoffed and shrugged as if he was dumbfounded.

‘Lieutenant General, really….’

‘Oh, why. Really love you?’

As if to say not to bother, Sehwa only let out a long sigh through his nose. His eyes, which had been shimmering like sunlight, were filled with a gentle and warm energy. Facing those softly folded eyes, which were neither painful nor sad like any other day, Ki Tae-jeong deliberately acted cheesy to hide his welling emotions.

‘Huh? Honey.’

‘Yeees, I love…, cough, I love you.’

‘How much?’

‘Lieutenant Generaaal.’

‘How much do you love me. Huh?’

Lee Sehwa’s tongue, which had been as red as fruit flesh, still hadn’t regained its color. His mouth, which had been as soft and moist as jelly, was still parched. However, unlike before, he could talk a little and show his usual playful side, so he was now convinced that this person wouldn’t leave him. Ki Tae-jeong gradually relaxed and laughed loudly as before, and shared silly whispers with Sehwa.

He hadn’t been able to tell Sehwa all this time, but in fact, Ki Tae-jeong had been very scared. The medical staff said that his wife was experiencing very difficult morning sickness, but it wasn’t the worst situation, so he shouldn’t worry too much, but he was constantly afraid and tormented that he might lose this person. To the extent that even suffering from morning sickness together couldn’t offset this worry.

Of course, he had no intention of letting Sehwa die from something like morning sickness. If the worst came to worst, the one he had to save was unconditionally Lee Sehwa. How could he do probability calculations when it came to this person?

Despite his unwavering conviction, seeing him so exhausted, he was overcome with useless anxiety, wondering if Lee Sehwa would suddenly stop breathing. If Sehwa hadn’t been so sensitive to smells, he would have come to check his breathing by putting his finger under his nose from time to time.

He didn’t even want to say cheesy things like you’re the only thing I’m afraid of, even though I’m fine with defying gravity, or that you’re my only weakness…. He didn’t even have the luxury to do that. From some point on, Ki Tae-jeong had come to hope that Lee Sehwa would just live, rather than love him.