Chapter 3

“Yulia, I have no one but you.”

Resti grasped her hand and pressed his lips firmly against the back of it. Although his lips left shortly after, the skin, still warm from his touch, burned.

“Yulia, you like me, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

“No matter what kind of person I am?”

What did he mean by “what kind of person”? 

Yulia slightly parted her lips.

“…As long as you’re not a criminal, it’s fine.”

At her words, he gave a small smile. The heavy atmosphere, which had been almost suffocating, lightened in an instant.

“There’s a place I want to take you tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“There’s something I want to tell you.”

Resti smiled softly as he kissed the back of her hand, where traces of warmth still lingered.

“Have you finished eating?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You know why.”

“I don’t! I really don’t!”

Yulia struggled, but without blinking an eye, he lifted her into his arms. The bedroom door shut once again.

From beyond the tightly closed door, faint moans escaped.

***

When Yulia opened her eyes, the spot next to her was empty. She found a note left in Resti’s place, and as she unfolded the paper with a small smile, she began to read.

「You were sleeping so peacefully that I didn’t want to wake you. I’ll come to pick you up at 4. Just thinking about it makes me miss you already.  

– Always thinking of you, Resti -」

“Always thinking of me.” 

She murmured. The conversation they had the previous night came to mind, and her face turned bright red. Didn’t he once say that the Yulia in his mind was always unclothed?

“Idiot.”

Pouting, she let out a bashful laugh and buried her face in her knees. It was already lunchtime. Normally, she wouldn’t have slept in so late, but it was all because of Resti’s relentless persistence until dawn.

Stretching her arms wide, Yulia flopped back onto the bed.

“So tired…”

Mumbling, she rolled around the bed several times before finally getting up. After letting out a big yawn, she managed to wash up and put on her clothes. 

Since she had to eat lunch alone anyway, she thought about keeping it simple with bread and soup. On her way to the bakery, she ran into her neighbor.

“Hello. Good morning—no, I mean, good afternoon.”

“Just woke up?”

“Haha, yeah… I accidentally overslept.”

After making her excuse, she felt a little embarrassed. The neighbor must have seen Resti come over last night. Surely, she could guess what had happened. Yulia pressed her flushed cheeks with the back of her hand, awkwardly smiling.

Her neighbor’s gaze lingered on her. 

Why was she staring? Could she have heard… sounds from last night? 

The thought made Yulia’s face burn even more, and she quickly bowed her head.

“Well, I’ll be going now…”

“Yulia!”

“Yes?”

“You…”

The neighbor took a step closer, hesitating as if she had something to say. Tilting her head curiously, Yulia waited. Then, the neighbor leaned in and whispered cautiously into her ear.

“Are you… pregnant?”

“What?”

Pregnant? What was she talking about? 

Yulia’s eyes widened in shock, and the neighbor quickly waved her hands.

“If not, then never mind.”

“Well, um…”

Yulia started to deny it but stopped herself. Since meeting Resti, her days had been filled with chaotic intimacy. Both of them often lost themselves in passion, and they hadn’t taken any precautions. If she were pregnant, it wouldn’t be surprising.

‘Wait a minute. When was my last period?’

She hadn’t given it much thought before. But as she tried to recall, her lips moved soundlessly. Since meeting Resti, she hadn’t had her period even once. It dawned on her now that she’d never told him, “I can’t tonight—it’s that time of the month.” He was always so focused on lifting her skirts that she hadn’t even realized.

Looking at her neighbor with trembling eyes, Yulia asked softly, 

“H-how did you know?”

“You just seemed like it. You’ve gotten a bit rounder overall.”

The neighbor’s plump hands gently touched her shoulder and cheek.

“I’ve had several children myself, you know. It’s hard to miss. But… is it true?”

“I-I think so.”

She had no way to confirm it, but the absence of her period was evidence enough. And honestly, with how frequently they were intimate, it would be stranger if she weren’t pregnant.

In disbelief, Yulia placed a hand over her stomach.

“You don’t seem to have noticed any other symptoms, though. Judging by your reaction, you’re surprised.”

“What symptoms?”

“Morning sickness, for one.”

“I haven’t had any…”

“Well, that’s lucky. Morning sickness is really tough to deal with.”

“I see…”

The neighbor’s words barely registered. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the child growing inside her.

“Still, you should confirm it. It’s better to be sure, don’t you think?”

“Will the doctor know right away if I’m pregnant?”

“Not immediately after conception, but if it’s been two months, they’ll definitely be able to tell.”

“I-I need to see the doctor!”

The thought of buying bread had long vanished. Hastily saying goodbye, Yulia rushed to the only doctor in town. She was so anxious that she flung the door open without knocking, startling the middle-aged woman inside.

“Yulia, have you forgotten how to knock?”

“Oh…! I’m sorry!”

As she tried to retreat, the doctor chuckled and gestured for her to come in.

“It’s fine. Luckily, I don’t have any patients right now.”

“Thank you!”

“What’s the matter? You seem unusually energetic. I can’t imagine you’re here because you’re unwell.”

Trying to calm her racing heart, Yulia sat down.

“I-I think I might be pregnant!”

“You…”

The doctor frowned but said nothing as she observed Yulia’s flushed cheeks.

“Give me your hand.”

Could it really be true? 

Her heart pounded. 

If I was pregnant, what would I do? Should I tell Resti over dinner? Didn’t he mention he had something to tell me today?

Recalling their conversation from the previous night, Yulia’s thoughts spiraled.

‘Could it be… a proposal?’

It seemed plausible. She remembered the serious expression on his face. 

If we got married, what would our life be like? 

While she was lost in her daydreams, the doctor, who had been holding her wrist, let out a short sigh.

“You’re pregnant.”

“Really?”

“Yes, but this isn’t something to celebrate just yet, Yulia.”

“What? Why not?”

“Whose child is it? Resti’s?”

“Of course!”

Who else could it be? 

Yulia nodded, her face flushed.

“Has Resti proposed to you? There are many men who run away when a child is involved, Yulia. This isn’t something to be blindly happy about.”

“Resti isn’t like that!”

“Did he say he’d marry you?”

“Well, not yet, but he might say it today!”

“…Sigh.”

“He said there’s something he wants to tell me. We’re meeting tonight. Don’t you think it might be a proposal?”

The doctor stared at her excited face for a long moment before closing her eyes tightly and opening them again.

“Yulia, how much do you really know about Resti?”

“About Resti? I know him better than anyone. He’s so kind, and he loves me deeply. Plus…”

“What about his family? Do you know where he’s from? Anything about his past? Why he came here? He’s just a man who appeared out of nowhere. Aside from his name, what do you know about him? Are you even sure that’s his real name?”

Yulia blinked slowly.

“If Resti suddenly disappears, you’ll be left alone with the child. He’s the kind of man who could vanish without a trace, Yulia.”

“Resti isn’t like that!”

“No one thinks the man they’re with is like that.”

“It’s true! You know Resti too!”

“All I know about him is his name and face.”

“But you’ve seen him all this time.”

“Seeing someone doesn’t mean knowing them. Yulia, you don’t know what kind of person he really is.”

“I do know.”

“What if Resti turns out to be a noble? Remember how well-dressed he was when you first met him? And how he acts like he’s never worked a day in his life? And then…”