SIDE STORY 9

Spring has returned again. On a day in May when the red roses were in full bloom, Dojun looked at the photo Seoyeon had sent. The photo floating in the messenger app was no illusion. Gazing at the distinct black and white photo, Dojun thought.

I didn’t expect to receive this photo.

They had stopped using contraception since last spring, but a year had passed and she hadn’t gotten pregnant. It’s not that he disliked it. In fact, he liked it. The feeling of skin directly touching skin without any foreign object was tinglingly exhilarating.

It wasn’t the only good thing about it. There was the condomless s*x and the afterglow that followed. Using pregnancy as an excuse, Dojun lingered on Seoyeon’s body for a long time.

And so the ending inevitably led back to the beginning, which was good – he could catch Seoyeon trying to escape and tell her he wanted a child. At those words, Seoyeon would embrace him again.

That’s why he held her a lot. Unconstrained by time and place, he opened Seoyeon’s body. The result of indulging in pleasure, intoxicated by Seoyeon’s intimate embrace for a year, was this.

The bean.

On the white background was a black bean, and within it, a small white bean. Dojun knew exactly what it was. The day two lines appeared on the pregnancy test, he had thoroughly read the “Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth” from start to finish. He had to know everything that would happen to Seoyeon during pregnancy and childbirth, even though he didn’t want the child.

The white is the ut*rus, the black bean is the embryo, and the tiny white bean inside is the heart. At 6 weeks, the baby only has the yolk sac and the heart, without limbs yet. Dojun pressed the play button on the video underneath the photo.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

The heart was beating vigorously. This bean was his collaboration with Seoyeon. The rapid heartbeat resonated in Dojun’s ear. Surprisingly, a small shiver ran through him. At that moment, another line appeared in the messenger app.

[Give the baby a nickname. Dad has to pick it.]

As usual, asking for the difficult things. 

Dojun let out a groan, rubbed his head, then picked up his phone. It was time to find a name consultant.

* * *

At dawn, Dojun woke up groggily. Seoyeon, who had been sleeping curled up in his arms, was sitting in the darkness, leaning against the headboard, with a dazed expression on her face, as if dreaming.

“What are you doing?”

Dojun asked as he sat up. She looked at him with a still hazy face.

“I had a dream.”

“What dream?”

“Like a pregnancy dream.”

Seoyeon spoke as if still lingering in the dream. Dojun laid Seoyeon back down and embraced her.

“Go back to sleep.”

As Dojun stroked her back, Seoyeon comfortably nestled her head and said,

“I was so upset that I never had a pregnancy dream. But I finally had one.”

Pregnancy dreams can occur before, during, and even multiple times during pregnancy. And the dream Seoyeon had could have been an artificial “pregnancy dream” created by her strong desire to have one. But Dojun asked casually,

“What was the dream?”

“Well, you see…”

Seoyeon lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes sparkled in the darkness. Her languid voice began to tickle Dojun’s heart.

“A huge bird flew in. It took me and spread its iridescent wings. As the huge wings flapped, the mountains and fields grew faint in the distance. As it flew, I saw the sea.”

Nestled in her husband’s arms in the deep of night, Seoyeon continued.

“The big bird landed me on the sandy beach. I picked up a big shell on the sand, and when I opened it, there was a real fist-sized pearl inside. The light was so dazzling that I hugged it close to my chest. Then I woke up from the dream.”

Listening to the fairytale-like story, Dojun chuckled. The huge bird was likely a stork and the blue sea was probably Gangneung. The pearl in the shell was the pearl ring he had recently gifted her. Seoyeon had creatively woven their history into a dream.

But if Seoyeon believed it was a pregnancy dream, then it was a pregnancy dream.

“See. I told you storks are meant to be ridden.”

At Dojun’s words, Seoyeon laughed. 

“Now go back to sleep.”

Dojun kissed the corner of his wife’s eye and said. 

“Okay.” 

Seoyeon closed her eyes. The round moon had risen high in the deep of night.

***

Ugh.

Seoyeon grabbed the sink as the rising bile burned her throat. Even though she had no pregnancy symptoms up until the day she confirmed the pregnancy and heard the first heartbeat, the morning sickness started after her hospital visit. Morning sickness, which usually goes away by the third trimester, hadn’t let up until now, ten days before her due date.

The acidic reflux rose in her churning stomach. If she could just vomit cleanly, it would be better, but with little food in her, there was nothing to come up. She just dry-heaved, and with great difficulty, rinsed her mouth with cold water, then collapsed weakly on the floor.

“Hey, are you okay? I mean, how can you still have morning sickness this late in the pregnancy?”

Danmi, who had gone upstairs to look around the house, hurried back down and said. Seoyeon waved her hand to indicate she was fine. At least it was good that this was happening when Dojun wasn’t around. If he had been here, he probably would have forced her to lie down.

“I know, I thought it would stop after a few months, but it’s so stubborn. Though I’m hungry again now.”

Seoyeon wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and laughed wearily. It had been a month since she last saw her friend. Knowing it would be difficult to meet up freely after the baby was born, Seoyeon had invited Danmi over to the house.

“How many days are left now?”

“10 days.”

Seoyeon said as she placed the bread Danmi had bought on a plate. Just talking made her out of breath.

“That’s great. Look at this spacious yard. It’ll be good for raising a child. I see why your husband insisted on moving.”

“It’s too spacious, my feet hurt.”

At Seoyeon’s words, Danmi rolled her eyes and retorted, asking if she was complaining that the place was too nice which others should envy.

Sitting across the table from Danmi, Seoyeon smiled and placed her hand on her belly.

When Seoyeon was 7 months pregnant, Dojun handed her a folder. Opening it, there were several photographs of houses. Most were detached houses, and there was even a penthouse. Underneath the full-view photos were the square footage, floor plans, and locations.

‘Pick one.’

Seoyeon had said the current place was fine as it was, but Dojun was adamant. He didn’t like the idea of setting up a honeymoon home in his old house. With a baby on the way, he insisted they shouldn’t stay there forever.

“How are you and Daewon doing?”

Seoyeon asked as she picked up the soft, fluffy bread. This was the only thing she could eat along with orange juice when the morning sickness was severe, so Danmi had bought several packs.

“So-so.”

These days, Danmi was dating the CEO of a webtoon platform. It was more like a one-sided pursuit by the man than an actual relationship, but seeing them go on dates and make progress, it seemed Danmi’s heart wasn’t completely uninterested.

“He keeps contacting me and saying this and that, so it’s annoying, but also kinda cute. Hey, what are you doing, putting the bread on your belly?”

When Seoyeon placed the bread she was eating on her swollen belly, Danmi exclaimed in alarm. Seoyeon let out a loud laugh.

“It’s more comfortable this way. I think I can even put a cup here.”

“Hey, don’t do that.”

“I’m serious. Like this. Ah…”

As Seoyeon demonstrated, placing the mug handle on her belly, she suddenly groaned and bent over.

“What, what’s wrong? Is it your belly?”

“Ah, Danmi. I, Dojun. I, phone…”

Seoyeon spoke in fragments, searching for her phone.

“But there’s still 10 days left. Is it hurting a lot?”

As Danmi hastily handed her the phone, Seoyeon felt something burst, and a warm liquid started flowing down her thighs.

It’s okay. It’s just my water breaking. It’s fine.

Seoyeon reassured herself as she grabbed the phone. The dial tone rang twice before Dojun answered.

“Dojun. My water broke. I’m having contractions.”

Dojun on the other end said he would be right there. 

Just wait a moment, everything will be okay. 

Seoyeon nodded. She also told the anxious Danmi that it was alright. With Dojun here, everything would be fine.

* * *

It was a very difficult labor. Seoyeon’s water broke early, and she didn’t even get an epidural. The contractions were getting stronger but as a first-time mother, her cervix was dilating slowly, and the baby was taking a long time to descend. The baby was slow to come out, and Dojun had to watch Seoyeon suffer.

The agonizing hours passed. Dojun went through regrets that they shouldn’t have had a child in the first place, vowed never to have a second, and then shuddered at his helplessness to ease Seoyeon’s pain.

Seoyeon, her face streaked with tears, let out a long, agonizing moan, and the baby’s powerful cries rang out. Dojun couldn’t find the words to tell the exhausted Seoyeon that she did well, that she endured it. He could only gently caress her face with trembling hands.

“What, you should be looking at the baby first.”

Seoyeon said weakly with a smile. Dojun, his eyes reddened, didn’t avert his gaze from her as he spoke.

“To me, you’re more important.”

How will this baby deal with the love of a man who has no interest in him? 

The baby, wrapped in a blanket, was placed in Seoyeon’s arms. Hwang Juwon, the name of the baby boy that resembles Dojun.

“I’m telling you clearly, there won’t be a second.”

Dojun’s hand trembled as he brushed back Seoyeon’s sweat-soaked hair.

“Ma’am, we’ll do the postpartum care now. The baby will be taken to the neonatal intensive care unit for a full checkup. Guardian, please wait outside for a moment.”

The baby who had been cradled in Seoyeon’s arms was handed over to the nurse. Dojun said he would step out for a bit and gently wipe the corners of Seoyeon’s eyes.

“Dojun.”

Seoyeon called out to her husband who was about to leave. There was something she had to say now. The hospital room was bustling, her appearance was a mess, and she was on the verge of exhaustion, but Seoyeon knew there might never be a moment as complete as this.

“What is it?”

Turning back to her, Seoyeon spoke. Somehow embarrassed, awkwardly shy, her heart too full at times to say the words she had begged Dojun to hear in bed.

“I love you.”

Dojun came to an abrupt halt. He bit his lip, averted his gaze, then finally looked at Seoyeon and said,

“Me too.”

I love you. So, so much.

Seoyeon nodded in understanding. Her love smiled tenderly at her. 

It was the first day Seoyeon and Dojun became parents.

< THE END >