PIA 47
by Sorai“I’ll do my best.”
To Jeong Hee-seo, who persisted until the end, Ji-an ended the call by repeatedly saying that he understood.
The phone in his hand felt warm. Even though he hadn’t discussed much with Jeong Hee-seo during the call, time seemed to have flown by. Plugging the heated phone into the charger, Ji-an absentmindedly scratched his ear.
Something felt odd. It felt as if they were in a relationship.
Meeting for lunch, eating the food he cooked, and talking on the phone before going to bed to say how long it had been since they parted… Wasn’t this all what his brother did with Jeong Han-joo?
Ji-an jumped into bed and kicked the blanket hard. Apart from the discomfort of these unfamiliar actions and the uncertainty of his fate a year later, the biggest problem was that he didn’t dislike Jeong Hee-seo.
‘I get anxious when I don’t see you.’
The already attractive low-pitched voice received with the additional enhancement over the phone, became even more sweet and sticky. It made Ji-an break into a sweat with every laugh. He couldn’t help but smile…
“Ugh… Sh1t…Why does it keep coming up when my mind is already overstimulated? Why do you keep feeding me this information?”
Ji-an twisted the blanket while clutching at his head. It seemed like it was going to be a long night.
* * *
The next morning. Ji-an’s premonition unfortunately came true.
The voice echoing in his ears in his dream felt as if Jeong Hee-seo was lying behind him. Startled awake, he found his underwear damp.
“What kind of dream is so vivid?”
Even if wet dream was one of the many symptoms of pregnancy that Omegas experienced, it still filled him with self-loathing to the point of embarrassment. It felt as if his own subconscious had slapped him with guilt.
A feeling of guilt that was difficult to explain followed Ji-an around while taking a morning shower, eating, and even when he was drinking herbal medicine. In the end, Ji-an’s mother, Yoon Ok-hee, stopped him as he was leaving the house. She was so worried about her son’s facial expression.
“Where are you going in such a hurry? Are you meeting that person today too?”
Yoon Ok-hee consciously lowered her voice when she said ‘that person.’ She was aware that her mother-in-law, Kang Boon-nam, felt uncomfortable after meeting Jeong Hee-seo.
“Oh, Heeseo hyung, I’ll see him at lunch. I have another appointment in the morning.”
Ji-an discreetly chuckled as he noticed Kang Boon-nam, who was in the living room, grumbling and making her way to the room.
“What other appointment?”
“A hospital appointment.”
“Oh, really? Already another check-up? It’s been so long since Mom gave birth to you that I’ve forgotten how it was.”
“I go there often because I’m in the early stage, and I also have some questions, so I’m going for a check-up.”
“Isn’t General Manager Jeong going with you?”
Although she said she supported Ji-an’s choice, his mother was also concerned. The idea of him going to the hospital alone quickly cast a shadow of worry on her forehead.
“Uh, no, just for today. Just for today.”
Ji-an intentionally spoke with an exaggeratedly bright face as if it was no big deal.
“It’s nothing special at the hospital. I’ll consult a doctor briefly, then meet Hee-seo hyung and come back after lunch.”
“Would you like Mom to go with you?”
“Oh, no, no.”
“Ji-an, Mom…”
Yoon Ok-hee took a step closer and hugged Ji-an tightly. Ji-an stiffened awkwardly in the unexpected hug. He couldn’t help but feel that she was sighing deeply, as if she had a lot to say.
After holding Ji-an like that for a while, she patted his back and let go.
“Drive safely, call driver Kim and ride with him. Don’t take taxis.”
“Yes, Mom. Don’t worry.”
Leaving behind Yoon Ok-hee’s troubled eyes, which seemed to require more determination than anything else, Ji-an headed out.
Today’s destination was not the hospital where Jeong Hee-seo’s acquaintance worked but the hospital where Ji-an had previously undergone a check-up. Contrary to his mother’s thoughts, the car driven by the person who called him “Young Master” was more uncomfortable than expected.
Part of it was because his mind was already tangled with thoughts of what to ask at the hospital, and last night’s topic brought up by Jeong Hee-seo during our phone call added to the complexity.
What does it mean for him to suggest visiting the company? What could he be thinking?
It was truly an unpredictable development. Last night, he couldn’t enjoy the bubble bath properly because he continuously called out the voice while soaking in the bathtub. But whenever he needed the voice, it never seemed to appear.
In Jeong Hee-seo’s company, there were also Jeong Han-joo and Seo Ji-hyuk. However, Ji-an was uneasy because he had no idea what direction the story was going to take by bringing him there.
In addition, Ji-an started to get confused about whether this was in a drama or the reality he used to live in. Maybe what Ji-an thought was his original life was a dream and this was reality.
“Ouch…”
Ji-an pinched his cheek hard before quickly letting go as he caught eyes with the driver Kim through the rearview mirror. Feeling awkward, he swiftly rolled down the window, letting in the cool breeze that tickled his bangs.
Ji-an wished this sweet and fluttery routine could continue without any incidents. Faced with supernatural phenomena, all I could wish for was the maintenance of this mundane life.
Then, hopefully, safely giving birth to the baby before fulfilling the promised year, and then quietly going back to his world would be good.
“…”
Was that really a good thing?
His heart ached at the question that suddenly occurred to him. Ji-an rubbed his chest like a person having trouble digesting food and closed the window again. He buried the question deep in his mind, thinking that he could think of the answer later.
The baby in his stomach, as seen through the ultrasound, was still there. It had only been a few days, so it was bound to be the same. Whether it was him or her, the little one was still tiny, but the heartbeat was still loud.
The doctor maintained a businesslike expression even after seeing Ji-an for the first time in a long time. ‘Why did you go to a different hospital? Did you like it there? Did I not do well enough?’ Ji-an, who had been delusional about whether such a question would be asked, listened to the doctor obediently and finally brought up the question he really wanted to ask.
“Doctor, I… I have a really, really difficult question to ask. I hope you can answer it without bias.”
The doctor raised his glasses as if to say he would listen to any strange question and pulled up the corners of his mouth.
“There’s no way bias would come into it. Whatever makes you feel comfortable is best, so go ahead and ask.”
“Well, you see, Doctor…”
Ji-an had a clear idea of what he wanted to ask, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it and tightly closed his eyes.
“The thing is… There’s, uh, a… baby daddy, you know. The Alpha. Yes… Him. Whenever I see him, I just… feel so… strange, and it’s becoming hot. What should I do about this, Doctor?”
“Oh, your sexual desire might be stronger than usual.”
The doctor did not change his expression and answered as if nothing had happened. Thanks to him, Ji-an felt a bit relieved.
He knew it. He had three books which were about pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare books at home. Since every book mentioned Alpha’s pheromones and abnormal sexual desires, Ji-an knew that this was not a strange consultation outside of the normal scope.
However, Ji-an was a lively young man in his twenties who had never really dated, let alone married. In the first place, he wasn’t even the type of person who belonged in an Omega obstetrics and gynecology clinic in the first place.
‘I want to have sex, Doctor. But the truth is, I have no experience with it. Oh, well, except for getting pregnant, that is.’ This was what Ji-an wanted to ask.
Imaginary sex. A body craving sex learned from imagination and videos. It was like a child who had never tasted chocolate longing for it out of curiosity.
Since he couldn’t ask that question, Ji-an took the next best option.
“Due to my circumstances… I can’t go down that route, so is there any other way besides dealing with the Alpha? For example, like a medication that suppresses such desires. If there’s something like that which doesn’t bring up such thoughts, I would like to be prescribed it.”
“If the desire is strong enough to require medication, it’s best to address it naturally. Besides, there is no such medicine in the first place.”
“…”
As Ji-an sat there with an expression that seemed to question why he had come here if it could have been resolved, the doctor added with a perplexed smile,
“In fact, pheromones play such a big role in Omega pregnancy that we even recommend it. As I said, there is no medicine that solves such a problem. So, unless there’s a change in circumstances, there’s no solution other than enduring it.”
“Ah… Then, um, will not giving in to it cause any problems for the baby?”
“There’s a saying that exposure to pheromones during pregnancy can enhance the baby’s intelligence. For example, through prenatal music…”
The doctor wrinkled his nose and smiled playfully.
“But none of that’s scientifically proven. So, you don’t have to worry about that aspect. It’s just the omega who suffers. As you know, stress is the worst.”
The doctor drove the final wedge into Ji-an, who was so shocked by what he heard that he turned around and left helplessly.
“Even if you have medication, you are already taking a lot of it. It is best to resolve the issue in a natural way with the Alpha.”
“Yes… thank you.”
As he left the treatment room, Ji-an pursed his lips in frustration.
