Side Story (Part 5)

Seo-hye had painted a total of seven pieces.

There was even a large painting that took up an entire wall, and she wondered where he intended to keep all of them.

Seo-hye asked what he planned to do with the paintings.

“But it’s not just one or two paintings; storing them might be difficult.”

“One will be hung in Mother’s hospital room. Another in Father’s room.”

Seo-hye chuckled softly and replied gently.

“If it’s for mom and father, I don’t mind at all. What about the rest?”

“One will be in my office.”

Her heart fluttered.

Having her painting in the place where her beloved spent half the day felt like it was saying she was precious to him.

“I’ll hang it in my office and look at it whenever I miss you, Seo-hye. That way, my desire to leave work might calm down a bit.”

Seo-hye laughed, saying he was incorrigible.

“Then what about the rest?”

“I’ll hang one in the space we’ll give to our child.”

“….”

“One in the child’s room, and when the child gets a bit older, they’ll need a play area. I’ll create a playground at home and hang one there too. Then, when I give the child a villa as a gift, I can hang one there.”

“What about the last one?”

“When our child becomes a college student and wants to be independent, I’ll get them a house and hang it there.”

“Isn’t the child’s opinion important?”

“Of course it is. But would they dislike it? It’s a painting by you! They’re the first paintings to be released into the world under your name.”

Seo-hye’s heart warmed, feeling like Do-jin was saying that anything from her would be loved by anyone.

“Do-jin.”

“Yes?”

“Speaking of which…”

Seo-hye slowly stroked Do-jin’s chest with narrowed eyes.

“Isn’t it time for us to start planning?”

The two had postponed plans for children, focusing on enjoying their newlywed life and preparing for the exhibition, ensuring thorough contraception.

Now that the first exhibition had been successfully completed and all the paintings had been sold to her beloved, there was no need to delay their plans for a child any longer.

Seo-hye looked at the silent Do-jin and tilted her head once more.

“Are you still…not ready, Do-jin?”

Suddenly, Do-jin picked up Seo-hye.

She let out a small scream as he held her tightly and walked over to lock the door.

As soon as she heard the click, Seo-hye asked with slightly fearful eyes.

“Are we doing it here?”

“Does the place matter? Secretary Yoo said that to make a baby, you shouldn’t worry about ovulation or timing, just try anytime, anywhere. So there’s no room to be picky about the place.”

He had already approached the sofa and gently set her down.

Then, slowly climbing over her, he pulled off his tie.

“When did you even ask Secretary Yoo about things like that?! And I’ve been sweating and running around all day, shouldn’t we go home and shower first—”

“You smell sweet. It’s fine.”

“Pervert, hmph.”

Seo-hye squirmed, turning her head side to side to avoid his lips.

“Do you know how much effort I’ve put in for this day, Seo-hye?”

Seo-hye straightened her head and looked directly up at Do-jin.

“I’ve been taking every supplement that’s supposed to be good for pregnancy.”

“…What? You never told me that…”

“Of course not. I didn’t want to pressure you, and I was just preparing so we could have a child whenever we wanted.”

Seo-hye found his thoughtfulness endearing, and she couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea of someone who wouldn’t even touch health supplements taking every pill available.

“You’re laughing?”

“…I’m happy, I’m happy, Do-jin. So, what exactly have you been taking? But usually, isn’t that something women do?”

“I thought so too, but they say it’s good for men to prepare as well. I’ve been taking everything from vitamins good for sperm to supplements that boost energy.”

“….”

“But now that we need to get serious about it, I’m thinking of going to the place Secretary Yoo recommended.”

“The place Secretary Yoo recommended?”

“Secretary Yoo has a regular oriental medicine clinic where he got herbal medicine when preparing for pregnancy—”

At his words, Seo-hye couldn’t hold back her laughter.

In the end, Do-jin wasn’t any different from ordinary people when it came to preparing for pregnancy.

Do-jin frowned as Seo-hye kept laughing, but his hands were busy undoing all the buttons on her blouse.

As Seo-hye sensitively reacted to his lips and hands, a sudden thought made her ask.

“Do-jin, uh, so even when you went to company dinners recently, you didn’t drink at all…?”

“….”

“Ah… Is that why you came back without drinking, ha, and you’ve been going to exercise every morning and evening…!”

Do-jin replied with a heavy breath.

“Exactly. I was preparing so we could be ready anytime.”

With the burden of contraception lifted, the climax and pleasure they experienced were longer than ever before.

***

Do-jin demolished Hyo-young’s house in Okcheon and bought the surrounding land to build a villa for Seo-hye.

Initially, when he said he would build a villa for her, she wasn’t particularly moved, but surprisingly, the construction period was short, and before she knew it, she heard the news of its completion.

Do-jin was supposed to leave the company around four o’clock and take Seo-hye to Okcheon to see the villa.

There was still plenty of time before four o’clock, so after lunch, Seo-hye took a quick nap at home and woke up startled.

There were less than thirty minutes left until four.

She rushed into the bathroom to wash up.

However, throughout the shower, she kept feeling drowsy and her body felt heavy.

Come to think of it, this wasn’t the first time.

While working on the paintings to be displayed at the Seonghan Hotel event early next year, she had been feeling unusually tired.

Have I been overexerting myself lately? Or am I coming down with a cold?

“I’m so tired…”

Muttering softly, Seo-hye turned off the faucet and tried to head out, but she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed on the spot.

***

When she opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling.

Judging by the smell of disinfectant, it seemed to be a hospital.

“You’re awake?”

She turned her gaze toward the voice and found herself locking eyes with her husband, who was looking at her.

“Do-jin?”

He gently caressed her cheek with a somewhat complex expression on his face.

“Did I… faint?”

“Yeah, you scared me. What if it was a day I didn’t leave work early? We’ll have to call in some help at home for a while. If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll assign Assistant. Kim, who worked with you during the exhibition.”

Seo-hye tried to sit up.

“No, Do-jin—”

“Stay lying down.”

At his firm voice, Seo-hye lay back down.

“Have you not been taking your folic acid and iron supplements properly?”

“Ah… just while I was painting. Lately, I’ve been feeling nauseous, and I kept meaning to go to the hospital to change them, but I just couldn’t find the time…”

As Seo-hye mumbled her excuses, she suddenly remembered something and slowly looked up at him.

“Do-jin.”

“What?”

Just then, the door to the hospital room opened, and a person in a doctor’s coat entered.

“Ma’am, you shouldn’t overexert yourself. You’re six weeks pregnant. Make sure to take your folic acid regularly. Also, your blood test results show low hemoglobin levels. Be sure to take your iron supplements as well.”

Seo-hye quickly turned her gaze to Do-jin.

She was in disbelief, her heart pounding wildly.

“…Do-jin?”

He, who had been looking at her with a rather serious expression, smiled.

That smile gave her more assurance than the doctor’s words.

As her vision blurred, she couldn’t help but laugh.

Not realizing when the doctor left, they looked at each other for a long time, and Do-jin broke the silence first.

“I always have, but.”

His voice settled gently in Seo-hye’s heart.

“I’m going to love you even more earnestly.”

He kissed her reddened nose and embraced her.

In his arms, which had never once grown cold, she felt the presence of the new life inside her.

Along with the realization that the warmth and happiness she had felt so far had doubled.

• Cozy Trap, Epilogue End –