Chapter 5.1

Yoon-jae opened her eyes. The room was silent except for the faint sound of a humidifier running. She rolled her eyes slightly to the side.

“You slept so well, you might as well have stayed asleep forever.”

A man who had been sitting with his arms crossed uncrossed them and lightly swung his arms. Suddenly, she regained her senses. Yoon-jae tried to sit up but let out a small groan. The IV needle attached to her arm hindered her movement.

“…Is this a hospital?”

“Where else would it be?”

The man’s tone was curt. Suddenly, her throat felt dry. Yoon-jae licked her parched lips with her tongue. Her throat was so dry it felt like it was cracking.

Baek-geon abruptly stood up and headed toward the table. He opened a water bottle and poured some into a paper cup before bringing it over.

“Drink.”

Yoon-jae looked at him with a bewildered expression. But Baek-geon, unfazed, adjusted the bed’s headrest and brought the cup to her lips.

“Drink slowly. If you choke on water, there’s no medicine for that.”

Was he being sincere? 

Yoon-jae, feeling quite flustered, took a few sips of water.

After confirming that she had finished drinking, Baek-geon silently took the paper cup away. Not only had he brought her water, but he had also helped her drink it. Yoon-jae’s heart began to race uncontrollably.

Why is he acting like this?

Had the world changed overnight while I was asleep? Or had something so serious happened that it changed his mind?

Suddenly, memories of the previous night came rushing back, and Yoon-jae, with a startled expression, reached for her lower abdomen.

“There’s nothing wrong, so don’t jump to conclusions.”

Baek-geon spoke in a low voice as he pulled out his phone. A moment later, nurses entered the room with a wheelchair.

“We’ll perform an ultrasound, review the results, and then proceed with the discharge process.”

One of the nurses kindly explained the procedure as she helped Yoon-jae up, but Baek-geon stepped in. With an indifferent expression, he carefully lifted her and gently placed her in the wheelchair.

Caught off guard, Yoon-jae’s face turned a deep shade of red. She couldn’t seem to regain her composure.

Overnight, Baek-geon’s behavior had completely flipped the world upside down. It was incomprehensible, something she couldn’t have predicted.

Feeling dazed, Yoon-jae sat in the wheelchair, waiting to be moved. Baek-geon, watching her, suddenly stood up and followed behind.

Is he just going to leave like this?

Yoon-jae couldn’t even muster the courage to ask where he was going. She felt uneasy, worried that he might abandon her and leave her behind.

However, contrary to her fears, Baek-geon calmly followed behind her. His composed demeanor was so natural that the nurse at the entrance of the ultrasound room casually asked, 

“Will the father be joining us?”

Baek-geon’s eyes narrowed slightly at the question. He listened intently to the nurse’s explanation with a serious expression.

“It’s good for couples to come in together to hear the baby’s heartbeat and check its health. The professor also recommends it.”

“Alright, let’s go in.”

Baek-geon responded immediately, watching as the nurse pushed the wheelchair into the examination room. Then, he followed them inside.

The one who was truly surprised was Yoon-jae. Swallowing nervously, she looked frightened.

“Don’t be nervous, Ma’am. You’ll need to get onto the bed, so take your time and stand up slowly.”

Before the nurse could finish speaking, Baek-geon scooped her up without hesitation. Yoon-jae, her face filled with anxiety, carefully lay down on the bed.

Baek-geon, having helped her lie down, stood behind her, watching. Shortly after, the professor entered, applied gel to her abdomen, and began moving the ultrasound probe.

“You can see it here, right? The implantation looks fine. The amniotic fluid is normal, and the condition has stabilized compared to yesterday. The bleeding has stopped, but we’ll administer an injection to prevent a miscarriage. You’ll need to remain on strict bed rest for about a month. Now, let’s listen to the heartbeat.”

As the doctor activated the device, a rhythmic thumping sound grew louder. Yoon-jae held her breath, listening to the strong, steady heartbeat of the small life within her.

“Can you hear it clearly?” 

The doctor asked, smiling. It was a moment that defied words. The sound was a desperate declaration of life, a tiny but powerful rhythm proving its existence.

Tears welled up in Yoon-jae’s eyes. The life she had once thought distant and unreachable was now undeniable. The realization that her child was alive, breathing, and growing inside her filled her heart with emotion.

Instinctively, she reached out her hand. Baek-geon, who had been staring intently at the ultrasound screen, took her hand. His cool, large hand enveloped her feverish one, and Yoon-jae trembled with indescribable emotion.

When the examination ended, Baek-geon immediately began the discharge process. Butler Song and the other subordinates, who had been waiting outside, surrounded them protectively as if escorting precious cargo.

Carrying Yoon-jae as if she were a fragile porcelain doll, Baek-geon moved carefully and slowly. Yoon-jae wanted to tell him not to overdo it, but the unfamiliarity of his actions left her feeling uneasy.

Yet, the man carried her without hesitation. Even in the car, he growled lowly, warning the driver to be cautious, making the nervous chauffeur visibly tense.

As soon as they arrived home, Baek-geon carefully carried Yoon-jae into his bedroom. Placing her on the neatly made bed, he spoke in a detached tone.

“You’ll have to stay in bed for at least a month. Even if it gets boring, endure it.”

Baek-geon picked up the remote control and adjusted the motion bed’s backrest. Now sitting at a comfortable angle, Yoon-jae glanced at him nervously.

“Is it… okay for me to stay here?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

His blunt response made her heart sink. But it was better than being told to leave immediately. Yoon-jae hesitated, her breathing shallow, before speaking again.

“Can I ask why you’re being so kind?”

She feared he might get angry, but she couldn’t stop herself from asking. Lowering her gaze, she braced herself for a scolding.

“You sure have a lot of questions.”

Baek-geon replied nonchalantly before disappearing into the bathroom. When he returned, he gestured toward her.

“Take your clothes off so you can wash up.”

“Pardon?”

He was going to bathe me? 

She couldn’t believe her ears, but Baek-geon’s follow-up confirmed his sincerity.

“Do you not want to bathe? Or are you too tired? Should I take them off for you?”

At his firm tone, Yoon-jae hurriedly undressed. Her frail body was exposed, and Baek-geon clicked his tongue.

Despite her thin frame, her chest was full and rounded. Though her belly was still slim, it appeared subtly rounded.

Baek-geon felt his mouth go dry. He wanted to grab her chest and bite into it. Forcing his desires aside, he maintained a stoic expression as he lifted her into his arms.

The bathroom was larger than the cafeteria lodging. Baek-geon placed her in the pre-filled tub and rolled up his sleeves.

The warm water, fragrant and filled with rich bubbles, enveloped her. Baek-geon picked up a shower puff and began gently scrubbing her arms.

“I-I can do it myself.”

Was my flushed face due to the steamy bathroom air? 

Yoon-jae tried to take the shower puff, but she couldn’t overpower him.

As the puff brushed over her chest, a strange sensation arose. Yoon-jae bit her lip lightly.

When it reached her thighs, she tensed up completely. But Baek-geon remained calm, scrubbing the insides of her legs and thighs without hesitation.

Once her body was clean, he leaned her head back and applied shampoo. His large hands massaged her scalp, sending waves of relief through her.

Without realizing it, Yoon-jae surrendered herself to his care, her body relaxing completely. She felt as if she were floating in midair.

After thoroughly rinsing her, Baek-geon wrapped her in a large bathrobe and carried her out.

Wrapped snugly in a soft towel and robe, Yoon-jae blinked in surprise. Before she knew it, she was back in bed.

Baek-geon, apparently determined, brought a hairdryer and comb to dry her hair. Her neatly arranged hair gleamed with a healthy shine.

“I told Butler Song to pick out some clothes. Either he’ll buy them or bring a personal shopper.”

“A… shopper?”

Confused, she asked, and Baek-geon’s eyes curved slightly.

“They’re people who take care of annoying tasks for you. Of course, it costs money.”

Before he could finish his half-joking remark, the intercom buzzed. Baek-geon answered briefly before hanging up.

“The shoppers are here, so pick something out.”

A moment later, the double doors of the bedroom swung open. Long portable clothing racks were rolled in, and two shoppers entered with Butler Song, bowing politely.

To Yoon-jae, this was like stepping into another world. Lying in bed and shopping while being waited on—it was something she had never experienced before. She couldn’t wrap her head around it.

Her body still felt stiff and heavy, and now, having to shop on top of that made her feel like her soul was leaving her body. In the end, she raised her hands in surrender and asked Butler Song for help.

“I don’t know what to choose. I can’t tell what’s what…”

At her words, Butler Song gestured to the shoppers. Smiling brightly, they began selecting clothes and other necessities for her.