For a Hungry Omega – Side Story 16

“Was it a dream about eating watermelon?”

“How did you know?”

Haon asked, surprised. He was taken aback because he hadn’t mentioned the dream yet, but Inho had guessed it right away.

“You told me in your sleep,” Inho replied.

“Oh.”

Inho considered stopping the bike to see Haon’s expression, nodding in acknowledgment. He enjoyed seeing Haon’s exaggerated reactions to even the smallest things; it was one of life’s simple pleasures.

“There was a watermelon, but I didn’t get to eat it. I hid it so we could eat it together when you came,” Haon explained proudly, his voice filled with delight as he recalled the vivid dream.

“An enormous watermelon grew in our yard.”

“How big was it?” Inho asked.

“It was really big. Too big to hug.”

Haon stretched his arms wide, describing the watermelon from his dream in more detail. It had a vibrant green background with glossy black stripes, and it seemed to glow with an otherworldly light, making it look extraordinarily precious.

“And then?”

Inho, who was usually more reserved, eagerly urged Haon to continue. Haon, excitedly describing how big and beautiful the watermelon was, continued his story with enthusiasm.

“I was admiring it when suddenly, a crowd of strangers rushed towards the gate. They weren’t from our village; they were unfamiliar faces trying to take the watermelon.”

Haon quickly locked the gate and lifted the heavy watermelon. Surprisingly, the watermelon seemed to cling to him, making it easy to carry inside.

“I thought it would be too heavy to lift, but it stuck to me.”

He waited inside, holding the watermelon, as the sweet scent filled the air. He resisted the temptation to eat it, listening to the loud banging and commotion at the gate.

He wasn’t afraid, even though it seemed like the gate might open at any moment. Instead, he felt a strange confidence, thinking, “Come and get it if you dare.” He was sure he could protect the watermelon, though he didn’t know where this courage came from.

“And I knew you would come and chase them all away.”

True to his belief, Inho appeared at the gate soon after. The moment he arrived, the noise stopped, and the strangers vanished, just as Haon had imagined.

Haon, still holding the heavy watermelon, waddled over to Inho. Inho opened his arms wide, welcoming Haon.

“I said, ‘Let’s eat it quickly,’ but you shook your head.”

Haon rolled his eyes, trying to remember what Inho had said in the dream. Unfortunately, his memory grew hazy at this point. He vaguely recalled some tender words, but the details escaped him.

He seemed to have said something affectionate. Although Haon couldn’t remember Inho’s exact words, the bright smile and the emotions from that moment remained vivid.

“Anyway, we didn’t get to eat it. It looked so delicious,” Haon said, smacking his lips. Just as he was about to finish his story, the bike came to a sudden halt with a screech. Inho had abruptly hit the brakes.

Haon widened his eyes, wondering if a deer had crossed their path. However, the narrow road was empty except for them. He looked around but saw no obstacle that would require such an abrupt stop.

“Inho?” Haon called out, puzzled. Inho gripped and released the handlebars repeatedly, deep in thought, and didn’t respond immediately.

Why the sudden stop?

“Haon,” Inho finally spoke before Haon’s worry could deepen. He turned around with his usual bright smile.

“How about we walk from here?” he suggested.

He dismounted the bike and steadied the handlebars. As Haon moved to get off as well, Inho suddenly grabbed his waist and shook his head.

“You stay seated. The watermelon is heavy,” Inho said.

It seemed he didn’t intend for them to walk together. Haon agreed and held the watermelon more securely. Inho pushed the bike, looking intently at Haon, who smiled back at him.

“Haon, lately—” Inho’s peculiar behavior continued. He started to speak but then closed his mouth, looking at the watermelon Haon was holding, and said, “Never mind.” This was quite unlike him.

“Just tell me,” Haon urged, poking Inho’s arm. He sensed that Inho had something to say but was holding back.

‘What could it be? Was my dream strange? Or did something happen at the community center?’

“Have you been feeling okay lately?” Inho finally asked, taking slow, deliberate steps. Haon nodded confidently, thinking Inho must already know the answer.

“I ate two bowls of rice yesterday,” Haon reminded him.

In fact, Haon had been eating well every day, finishing every grain of rice and even having dessert. He had been sleeping more, which helped him gain weight and improved his complexion. Apart from occasional mood swings, his health was excellent.

Plus, his libido had increased… probably because he was eating well and had more energy. His heat cycles had also become much longer; he couldn’t even remember the last one. Haon was getting healthier by the day.

“Do I look sick?” Haon asked.

“No, it’s not that—” Inho hesitated again. Haon quickly grabbed his wrist and leaned in, making Inho smile as he met Haon’s gaze. Seeing Inho’s expression, Haon felt reassured that it wasn’t anything serious.

“What is it? Tell me quickly. I’m not good at picking up hints,” Haon urged.

“I tend to be a bit slow on the uptake.”

Haon narrowed his eyes and smiled wider as Inho agreed. It was a fact he couldn’t deny, having admitted it himself.

Everyone in the village knew that Haon was a bit dull and oblivious. He rarely picked up on others’ feelings unless they were explicitly stated. He also noticed physical changes in himself quite late.

Even now, Haon couldn’t figure out why Inho was hesitating to speak. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with a satisfactory answer.

“The watermelon dream,” Inho said.

“Yes,” Haon replied, his eyes asking, “What about it?” He waited silently for Inho to continue, having thought of the dream as merely interesting and peculiar until now.

“It’s a common dream theme for pregnancy cravings,” Inho explained.

A faint gulping sound echoed as both Haon and Inho swallowed hard.

“You’ve been sleeping more and eating more lately, so I just wondered,” Inho said, pausing briefly. He lightly rubbed the back of his neck, watching Haon’s dazed expression. He gently stroked Haon’s cheek, which had filled out, signaling him not to worry too much. Haon grabbed Inho’s hand as it touched his cheek.

“Inho, let’s go home,” Haon said urgently.

“What?”

“Quickly,” Haon insisted.

Inho, as if entranced, immediately got on the bike and pedaled faster. They didn’t exchange a word until they reached home, sharing only the sound of their racing hearts.

As soon as they arrived, Haon opened the wardrobe. Inho, who had parked the bike, stood in the yard, watching Haon rummage through the blankets.

“Why did you…?” Inho began, but Haon cut him off by pulling out something he had hidden in the blankets. Inho looked shocked and bewildered.

“Why do you have this?” Inho asked.

Haon had pulled out a pregnancy test kit—not just one, but an entire box. Inho wondered how long Haon had been keeping it.

“Inho… don’t be mad, okay? You promise?” Haon asked, hesitating as he approached Inho. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his hand holding the crumpled box trembled with tension.

“Of course,” Inho reassured him, covering Haon’s tense hand with his own. He kept his gaze steady and calm, ready to listen to whatever Haon had to say without judgment. It was the least he could do.

“Last year… before we moved to the countryside,” Haon began, recalling the day he went to hear the test results from Hyo-jeong. He had asked Inho for understanding and met with Hyo-jeong alone to discuss the results.

“She said… there’s a small chance I could get pregnant,” Haon revealed.

Inho’s pulse quickened further, matching Haon’s. As Haon’s pheromone levels stabilized, his bodily functions, which had been incomplete as an omega, were gradually returning to normal. However, throughout the diagnosis, Haon couldn’t bring himself to smile.

“Take your time and keep trying. It might be difficult now, but both you and Inho are still young,” Hyo-jeong had said, trying to put on a brave face, though her smile seemed forced. The chances of pregnancy were slim, and Haon was a recessive omega, prone to illness and weak constitution. Even if a miracle occurred and he became pregnant, his body might not handle it well. The likelihood of miscarriage was high, and the disappointment seemed too great to bear.

“Please keep this a secret from Inho,” Haon had requested. He decided to keep his tiny hope to himself, choosing to bear any disappointment alone.

“I planned to tell you later, once I got healthier and stronger,” Haon explained. He had intended to try in earnest, with Hyo-jeong’s support, when the time was right. Haon had been secretly researching success stories of infertility treatments and pregnancies in recessive omegas, preparing himself mentally.

“I’m sorry for keeping it from you,” Haon apologized. But even if he could go back in time, he wouldn’t have told Inho. He didn’t regret his decision, which made him feel even more guilty.

Inho silently stroked Haon’s hand and opened the box. Inside the lightweight package, there should have been multiple pregnancy tests, but only one remained.

“I kept trying…” Haon trailed off, his voice filled with uncertainty. Each negative result had been a crushing blow, and he had shed a few tears when he couldn’t bring himself to use the last test, hiding it deep in the wardrobe.

“You did all these tests alone?” Inho asked softly, leaning in to look at Haon closely. Haon’s face was pale, his eyelashes fluttering as tears welled up in his reddened eyes. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but Inho didn’t want to hear an apology; he felt he should be the one apologizing.

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice sooner. I should have known,” Inho said.

“How could you have… known…” Haon choked out, tears finally spilling over. Inho’s sincere apology made it impossible for him to hold back his emotions.

“It might be negative again… Inho, don’t get your hopes up…” Haon sobbed, leaning into Inho’s embrace. Inho’s arms wrapped around him tightly, and Haon’s tears flowed even more freely.

“It doesn’t matter. As long as you’re okay, I’m happy,” Inho reassured him.

Inho gently comforted Haon, their gazes locked together. He wiped away Haon’s tears with both hands and whispered softly, a smile on his face.

“We’ll do everything together.”

They would hope and be disappointed together, get hurt and stumble, but remain strong.

“We won’t crumble. Don’t worry about anything,” Inho reassured him.

His tender words stopped Haon’s tears and brought a smile back to his face. Inho’s confident promise reassured Haon.

“Understood?” Inho asked.

“Yes,” Haon replied.

“Promise?” Inho said.

Instead of linking pinkies, Haon pressed his lips firmly to Inho’s. Inho returned the kiss, their hands and breaths conveying all the love in their hearts, overflowing and intense.

“I love you,” they both said at the same time, their faces mirroring each other’s smiles.

Haon didn’t notice, but they were standing in the exact same spot as in his dream, with a large watermelon between them.

The End.

Author: Levia