Side Story 2 – New Home, New Family (Part 3)

After returning from the honeymoon, Hee-tae took Soo-yeon to a new neighborhood she had never seen before.

She had heard that he had bought a new house for them but hadn’t been able to visit due to ongoing construction. He had also wanted to keep it a surprise for her.

The car headed toward a quiet residential area in an affluent neighborhood and arrived in front of a garage. The sensor recognized the registered vehicle and automatically opened the gate. Hee-tae got out of the car and spoke as he went inside.

“Soo-yeon, your husband may not have a sense of aesthetics, but he’s good at making money, so if you don’t like it, you can fix everything.”

“Why are you already making excuses before I even see it?”

Soo-yeon laughed at Hee-tae, who was rarely making excuses.

However, she froze at the sight that greeted her when he opened the door. The inside of the house, with its sophisticated yet modern atmosphere, welcomed her. The cozy design reminded her of her studio. It was so beautiful that it was hard to believe it was the work of Hee-tae, who once gave her a large pine bonsai as a gift.

“I hired a professional to make it feel like your studio. This is the art studio.”

Hee-tae said, opening the door to an annex and speaking to Soo-yeon.

He had never had much interest in interior design. He always thought a house just needed a roof to keep out the rain and a place to lie down.

But since this was the house he would live in with Soo-yeon, he wanted to follow her taste and renovated it to resemble her studio. He, who had lived only valuing things for their worth, couldn’t tell if it was pretty or not.

But he could tell that Soo-yeon’s face, sparkling with admiration, was beautiful.

“I didn’t make this to keep you from going out like a pervert. I just wanted you to have a place to paint as soon as you wake up or to have a hobby space.”

For some reason, Hee-tae’s tongue grew longer than usual. He worried that the studio, resembling her workspace, might seem like he was trying to confine her.

He didn’t mind if she didn’t use it. He just wanted to create her personal space where she could even read books. If a day came when she got so angry at him, it would be better to have a place inside the house to sleep with a blanket rather than declaring and leaving the house.

“I’m still clueless about your field, Soo-yeon, so I just left it to a professional. What else should I do…”

Soo-yeon quietly hugged Hee-tae, who was continuing his explanation.

Sometimes, she felt her heart swell uncontrollably, like a balloon about to burst, from the affection he showed her. This was one of those times. She was so happy that he had decorated the space entirely to her taste, bringing her to a place that he wasn’t even sure about.

Hee-tae whispered in her ear with a voice filled with laughter.

“Soo-yeon, do you like it?”

“I love it. I love it so much…”

Soo-yeon’s voice choked up at the end of her sentence. She always felt anxious when receiving more affection than she could return.

But with Hee-tae, who was happy just to give, she no longer felt the need to reciprocate. She just thought that if a day came when she had to choose for him, she would gladly do so.

Feeling emotional, she slowly pulled away from his embrace and spoke again.

“Hee-tae, ugh, ah…”

In the midst of this touching moment as newlyweds, she felt nauseous.

Lately, Soo-yeon had been feeling this way often. Thanks to Hee-tae, who always made sure she ate, she no longer felt nauseous on an empty stomach. Yet, she frequently felt queasy as if her condition had worsened again.

“Could it be…”

Hee-tae supported Soo-yeon, who was gagging with her hand over her mouth, and spoke cautiously. When their eyes met, Soo-yeon had a feeling she knew what he was going to say.

“Soo-yeon, did you know you missed your period this time?”

Soo-yeon blinked slowly at the reminder of her missed period, something she had forgotten.

No way. 

She knew she shouldn’t get her hopes up too soon, but she couldn’t help but think of pregnancy.

Seeing her frozen, forgetting even her nausea, Hee-tae pulled her cheek closer and kissed her forehead.

“Whether it’s pregnancy or not, we just need to check if you’re healthy. What’s there to be afraid of?”

“I’m scared because I’m already hoping. I’m afraid of being disappointed.”

“With a young husband who’s always horny, what are you worried about? Should I never let you sleep?”

Soo-yeon finally let out a weak laugh at Hee-tae’s light-hearted attempt to comfort her.

She knew there was nothing to fear. As he said, they could still have a wonderful life together, and a harmonious family didn’t necessarily require a child.

Feeling somewhat relieved, she headed to the hospital.

“You’re five weeks along.”

And the doctor delivered surprising news.

The doctor’s instructions about precautions during the early stages barely registered with Soo-yeon. Her gaze unconsciously fell to her belly.

She had thought having a child might be an unattainable dream, like a fox looking up at grapes. She told herself not to be greedy and to focus on the present since she might not be able to have one.

But the joy that tingled at her fingertips made her slowly turn to face Hee-tae.

“Ha…”

Hee-tae, his face flushed from top to bottom, barely managed to exhale. He felt like his heart was going to burst. Struggling to breathe as if someone were choking him, he finally let out a smile.

Having gone from a life scraping by to one where he ruled over others and even coveted Soo-yeon, he thought he couldn’t ask for more. He felt incredibly lucky to be with Soo-yeon, whom he couldn’t have dared to covet in his miserable situation.

But hearing the news that they were expecting a child made with their blood, he hugged Soo-yeon tightly.

“It sounds like my heart is going to burst.”

Soo-yeon, hearing his heart pounding loudly in her ears, spoke in a voice filled with tears. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time.

She shed tears and took a deep breath as Hee-tae whispered to her.

“I’ve been living such a tough life. What if the baby is hurt?”

“Shut up…”

“I’m in big trouble. I need to relearn Korean before the baby starts saying ‘fuck.'”

Soo-yeon hugged him tightly, listening to his words.

Everything felt good. Just because he couldn’t use refined and cultured words didn’t mean he wasn’t a kind person. The baby would likely learn Hee-tae’s kindness, just as Soo-yeon had gained a kind family because of him.

Their life together was different from how she had lived before, but it was always happy. A new, noisy life was approaching.

<Side Story Complete>