Side Story 2.4

– Vitamin D and probiotics. If you tell the babysitter, she will take care of it. The probiotics need to be refrigerated, so check carefully.

“You really don’t need to send me things every time. You’re already busy with the pharmacy, and it’s such a hassle” 

On the other end of the call, Jieun responded with a slightly sulky tone.  

– Leeseo, what’s the point of me being a pharmacist aunt if I don’t take care of my nephew’s medicine? It’s not even a big deal, so don’t hurt my pride and just accept it without any fuss.  

“Then you could’ve just sent something for Doyoon. Why did you pack so much?”  

Leeseo laughed helplessly as she looked into the package she had just received. The large box contained not only items for Doyoon but also adult vitamins and a variety of supplements. Anyone looking at it might think someone in the household was overly concerned about their health.  

Even though she diligently consumed them every day, new packages would arrive before she could finish the bottles. Supplements were never in short supply. She even shared some with the babysitter and other staff members, making Jieun’s presence as a pharmacist well-known throughout the household.  

– I just filled the box because there was space left. If I sent only a few items rattling around, wouldn’t it look too empty?  

“You could’ve just used a smaller box.”  

– Leeseo. 

Suddenly, Jieun’s voice lowered, and she asked suspiciously.  

– You are taking everything I send you, right? After giving birth, the first year is the most critical time for a woman’s health. You need to eat a variety of nutritious foods, and while I’m sure your husband is taking good care of you, don’t skip your supplements, okay?  

Leeseo sighed and shook her head as if she had heard this lecture too many times before, laughing quietly so Jieun wouldn’t hear. Ever since Leeseo had given birth, Jieun’s nagging had noticeably increased.  

Even though her mother had passed away, having someone like Jieun by her side felt comforting and warm. When Jieun heard about Leeseo’s childbirth, she had immediately left her pharmacy in the care of her staff and rushed to Seoul.  

Leeseo, exhausted and asleep after the delivery, woke up to find Jieun crying. The scene was so strange that Leeseo, still groggy, ended up comforting Jieun instead.  

When Jieun heard that Doyoon, who weighed 3.8 kg, was born healthy and ranked among the top percentile of newborns in the hospital, she burst into tears again.  

She empathized so deeply, wondering how a frail woman like Leeseo could have given birth to such a large baby, that she even glared daggers at Taegyeom, who was quietly sitting in the corner.  

Her logic was that it must have been his fault for passing on his large frame and making things difficult for Leeseo. Taegyeom, oddly, seemed to agree, wearing a grim expression.  

Feeling guilty for her harsh words, Jieun later began sending boxes filled with men’s supplements, claiming they were for Taegyeom. Of course, Taegyeom wasn’t the type to religiously take supplements, so the bottles piled up on the shelves. Yoo Jinwoo would often come by and gleefully take them away, a fact that remained a harmless secret.  

“I’m taking them regularly. Thanks to your nagging, I feel healthier now than I did before giving birth.”  

– What nonsense! Even if you feel fine, your body won’t fully recover for at least a year. 

Sensing that Jieun’s lecture was about to continue, Leeseo quickly changed the subject.  

“How’s Suji doing?”  

– She’s doing well. She’s starting to prepare for the pharmacist exam, so I told her to take a break from the pharmacy. But she still comes by on weekends to chat.  

“Before she gets too busy with studying, why don’t you both come visit? I’ll make lots of delicious food and wait for you.”  

Just as they were wrapping up their call, the doorbell rang. Checking the video feed on the wall pad, Leeseo ended the call and got up.  

Not long after, Han Miso entered through the front door, her arms full of flowers and a fruit basket.  

“You didn’t have to bring all this. It must’ve been heavy…”  

Surprised, Leeseo reached out to take the items, but Miso shook her head and walked in easily.  

“It wasn’t heavy at all. I’ll just set it over there.”  

“Thank you. I’m sorry for inviting you over when it would’ve been easier to meet outside. I’m still not used to being apart from the baby…”  

“I’m actually happier to be invited to your home! Let me wash my hands first.”  

As Miso headed to the bathroom, the ring on her left ring finger sparkled—a matching engagement ring with Yoo Jinwoo.  

Leeseo had noticed the subtle tension between the two for some time, likely due to their professional relationship as superior and subordinate. She had even witnessed Jinwoo’s unrequited feelings a few times, albeit unintentionally.  

While she refrained from meddling in others’ relationships, she was fond of both Miso and Jinwoo, so the news of their engagement brought her joy. As soon as Miso accepted him, Jinwoo had proposed, and Leeseo and Taegyeom learned about their engagement before even hearing they were dating.  

Since Miso’s family and relatives all lived in Korea, the couple decided to hold their wedding in Korea this coming fall. Despite frequent trips back and forth, preparing for a wedding in a foreign country where they didn’t live was challenging.  

Having received much help from Miso in her role as a secretary, Leeseo wanted to return the favor, which was why she had invited her over.  

Over a warm meal in the dining room, they shared stories about how their relationship began, the house they were searching for in the U.S., and the challenges of wedding preparations. Time flew by as they chatted.  

During their conversation, Miso occasionally glanced at her phone to check messages. Even when Leeseo assured her it was fine to respond, Miso politely declined. Then, in the middle of their discussion, Miso’s phone buzzed repeatedly.  

Without even checking the caller ID, Miso let out a long sigh.  

“Go ahead and answer. I don’t mind.”

“No, it’s… It’s the Director—no, Jinwoo.”  

“Why aren’t you answering if it’s Jinwoo?”  

“Well… we had a bit of an argument yesterday.”  

“Really? About what?”  

When Leeseo looked surprised, Miso drank a large gulp of water, seemingly still upset.  

“Since I live in the U.S., I don’t get to see my friends often. So when I come to Korea, I try to meet them as much as possible. But yesterday, he kept coming up with excuses to stop me from going out.”  

“Oh my, how childish.”  

Given what she knew of Jinwoo, it wasn’t entirely surprising.  

“Right? He’s old enough and has a respectable position, so why does he act so immature?”  

Miso scrunched her nose in frustration and continued.  

“Anyway, I ended up meeting my friends, but one of them is married to a guy we knew from college. So naturally, there was a man in the group. Jinwoo made such a big deal out of it, asking if I was meeting another man.”  

Miso shuddered slightly, as if recalling Jinwoo’s interrogation.  

“I mean, we’re not even married yet, and he’s already acting like this. It felt like he was being overly possessive, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to hurt his feelings.”  

Miso slammed her water glass down and turned to Leeseo.  

“Am I overreacting? Isn’t he being a bit much?”  

Suddenly, as the focus shifted to her, Leeseo gave an awkward smile. Her standards for relationships were entirely shaped by Kwon Taegyeom, so she wasn’t confident that they aligned with what was considered normal.  

If anything, they were more extreme rather than less. It was hard to consider them within the bounds of normalcy.  

‘Why didn’t you answer my call?’  

‘I was busy. I was meeting friends.’  

‘You have friends?’  

‘Am I not allowed to have friends?’  

‘It’s not that you can’t. I just wished you didn’t.’  

This was the kind of man who could utter such a cruel wish in the sweetest tone.  

‘Are your friends men? What did you do?’  

His possessiveness dripped from his words, yet he said them with such a calm and nonchalant demeanor that it was overwhelming to figure out where to even begin addressing it.  

‘…Are you interrogating me?’  

‘It’s not an interrogation. It’s interest.’  

Even when he uttered such trivial wordplay, the smile lingering on his lips was so beautiful and captivating that her desire to question him would dissolve like grains of sand slipping through her fingers.  

By the time she regained her senses, she found herself swept up in Kwon Taegyeom’s pace once again, leaving her feeling as though she were under some strange spell.  

Leeseo averted Miso’s gaze and thought to herself, ‘Can separation anxiety spread between friends…?’  

Unable to voice her thoughts to the bride-to-be, she merely gave her an awkward smile. Miso, oblivious to everything, looked puzzled but smiled back, her lips curling into a bashful grin.