This isn’t the direction to the hospital.
Eunho urgently turned to Yi-beom.
His expressionless face was revealed between the passing streetlights. It was as indifferent as the day they first met. Watching Yi-beom stare straight ahead as if he were a completely different person, Eunho called out softly.
“Ahjussi.”
“……”
“This isn’t the way to the hospital… is it?”
“I know.”
Yi-beom answered in a voice colder than ever before.
“You’re not sick either.”
At that moment, Eunho felt dizzy down to his toes. As if blood were draining somewhere inside him, his head spun and his heart pounded.
Does Ahjussi know my plan? If he does, since when? Then why did we even come this far? And the hospital— His thoughts tangled chaotically. Gripping the seatbelt tightly, Eunho opened his mouth without realizing.
“N-no.”
“No?”
As if his stomach truly hurt, Eunho wrapped both arms around his lower abdomen. Even while thinking he shouldn’t lie anymore, his mouth kept moving.
“It really hurt earlier… b-but now it’s gotten better…”
“So since it got better, it’s not a lie?”
At the blatant sarcasm, Eunho froze stiff. Just then the light turned red, and Yi-beom slammed on the brakes. Eunho’s body swayed limply.
“Jung Eunho.”
In an instant, Yi-beom grabbed him by the collar.
“You fucking keep scheming in that head of yours?”
“……”
When their eyes met—those bright yellow irises—no words came out. He needed to say something, some excuse, but his mind felt completely blank.
As Yi-beom tightened his grip, pressure closed around his throat. Startled, Eunho let out a small groan.
“I told you several times to cut it out. So why the fuck don’t you listen?”
“……”
“What’s the reason you have to meet that damn water deer to act this nasty, huh?”
Yi-beom tilted his head slightly. The angle looked as though he might kiss him at any moment, yet there was not a trace of desire in him.
It was killing intent.
It had been a long time since Yi-beom felt his blood run backward like this, and he no longer bothered to hide himself. The cruel side that crushed others beneath him—the true face Eunho never saw. The frigid aura pouring off him made Eunho tremble violently.
In an instant, tears welled up in his round eyes. When he blinked, they spilled down his cheeks.
“A-Ahjussi…”
At that small voice, the strength drained from Yi-beom’s hand.
“I’m scared…”
Only then did Yi-beom seem to come to his senses and step back from him. Cough. Eunho clutched his collar and coughed painfully.
Through his blurred vision, he saw Yi-beom leaning against the steering wheel. The side of his face was twisted in pain.
“Or are you sick of me?”
“……”
“If you’ve started liking some other bastard, just say it now.”
Eunho’s heart dropped. How could he even think that? The ears that had been peeking out for a while trembled faintly.
If their positions were reversed, he would never doubt Yi-beom’s heart. Another person? Just in case the baby could somehow hear, Eunho tightened the arms wrapped around his stomach.
You’re the one saying only cruel things, Ahjussi.
Afraid tears would fall again, Eunho bit his lip.
This wasn’t the time to cry. No matter when Yi-beom found out, the important thing was meeting Chanwoo before the appointment time. Hardening his gaze, Eunho spoke.
“……Hng, let’s go to the hospital.”
“We’re not going.”
At that moment, the traffic light changed. Raking a hand roughly through his hair, Yi-beom answered.
“We’re going to an island. Somewhere no one else is. Just us.”
Green light washed over their faces—the traffic signal. At the same time, a light flashed through Eunho’s mind. The air inside the car tightened.
This is my only chance.
The instant that instinct brushed past him, Eunho unlocked the car door.
As the car started forward, he flung himself outside. Without even looking back, he hurried between the vehicles. Cars behind blared their horns as they sped past him, but Eunho didn’t stop running.
“Jung Eunho!”
Yi-beom’s voice struck like lightning. I can’t get caught now! Clutching his stomach with one arm, Eunho ran forward like mad.
Fortunately, it was a busy intersection. Not exactly a downtown area, but there were plenty of studio apartments nearby, and quite a few pedestrians passing through. Gasping for breath, Eunho scanned his surroundings.
A man who had just stepped out of a taxi entered his field of vision. Dashing over, Eunho grabbed the door just as the man was about to close it.
“Huff, huff. I-I’ll take it.”
He quickly slid into the taxi and called out his destination.
“Central Park, hng.”
“Oh dear, looks like you’re really late for an appointment,” the driver joked.
Even at the driver’s attempt to reassure him, Eunho didn’t take his eyes off the window. It felt like Yi-beom would wrench the door open at any second. He clutched the handle tightly.
“Faster, please. Please…!”
Startled by his urgency, the taxi pulled away. Through the window, the road where Yi-beom had been grew distant. Perhaps another light had turned red; cars were packed tightly at the intersection.
“……”
Then, between the cars, he saw someone standing tall.
It was Yi-beom.
After spotting the taxi, he turned his body. Since he knew the destination, he would head straight to Central Park. Leaning back into the seat, Eunho exhaled roughly.
I need to meet Chanwoo as fast as possible.
Get examined by that doctor, and then leave somewhere Ahjussi can’t find…
Then I’ll be able to meet the baby safely.
The image of Yi-beom’s pained face wouldn’t leave his mind. No. Once I safely give birth to the baby, it won’t be too late to beg for forgiveness. Muttering softly, Eunho tried to comfort himself.
***
Before he knew it, they had reached the entrance of Central Park where he was supposed to meet Chanwoo. The moment Chanwoo spotted Eunho, whom he had been waiting for so anxiously, he ran to the taxi.
“Hey! Why are you so late—”
Chanwoo trailed off the moment he saw Eunho.
“You… what’s wrong with you? Are you sick?”
He looked completely drained of color, like someone who was ill. On top of that, who knew what had happened over the past few days—his face was more gaunt than when Chanwoo had seen him at the house. Catching the swaying Eunho, Chanwoo asked,
“Have you been sick all week? You look terrible…”
“We have to, have to go quickly.”
Growing frantic, Eunho gripped Chanwoo’s arm tightly.
“Ahjussi… he knows we’re meeting here.”
“What?”
“He’s chasing, chasing us. Hng.”
At the words that Yi-beom was coming, Chanwoo immediately supported Eunho. Then he began running at full speed toward the car he had parked.
Click. The moment the backseat door opened, someone pulled Eunho inside. When he lifted his head, he saw Sobin wearing a stethoscope.
“Lie down over here!”
He guided Eunho onto the seat that had already been reclined, then even fastened the seatbelt for him.
“Hold tight!”
The car lurched violently as it started. He’d heard Chanwoo had failed his driving test four times—sure enough, the car sped like a mad water deer. Amid the shaking vehicle, Sobin greeted Eunho with a glance.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes…”
“That’s not the face of someone who’s been well, ma’am.”
At the word ma’am—as in pregnant woman—Eunho flinched, and Sobin let out a small laugh.
“At this rate, it feels like we’re some kind of ambulance.”
Though it was far too fast for an ambulance. Glancing at Chanwoo, who was pressing the accelerator while completely ignoring traffic lights, Sobin muttered under his breath.
Eunho, who had been clutching his stomach, grabbed Sobin’s leg.
“Um…”
At the touch, Sobin turned his head.
“Will the baby be safe? W-we’ve been running a lot…”
“It’s fine. The baby isn’t that weak.”
Still, let’s go to the hospital and do an ultrasound, he added. Eunho’s expression lightened considerably. Right—if I just check that the baby’s healthy and give birth safely…
“You’re planning to have the baby?”
Sobin frowned slightly as he counted dates on his fingers.
“I told you that you’d have to decide within a month.”
“I’ll have it.”
Eunho nodded.
“Even if it’s a tiger?”
“Whether it’s a tiger or a rabbit. It doesn’t matter.”
To Eunho now, the species didn’t matter. What mattered more was that it was Yi-beom’s child—their child.
“I’ll give birth safely. I won’t die.”
Daddy will protect you. Eunho stroked his lower abdomen and whispered. Sobin watched him with a strange look in his eyes.
At that moment, a sedan that had overtaken them suddenly cut across their path. The screech of tires scraping the road filled the air as Chanwoo jerked the steering wheel sharply the other way.
“Wh-what the hell?”
That crazy bastard—! As Chanwoo hurriedly shifted into reverse and checked behind them—
A black car that had arrived unnoticed now blocked the rear completely.
Buildings lined both sides; there was nowhere else to go. With their escape route fully sealed, Chanwoo cried out and grabbed his hair.
“This is insane…!”
Like the red dot of a sniper’s scope, the headlights of every car were trained on theirs. From between those lights, Yi-beom stepped out of his car as if gliding.
His steps were slow, almost leisurely, as though he were out for a stroll.
Not in the front seat. After confirming Chanwoo, he moved toward the back as if he had no business there. Then he bent gracefully at the waist and knocked on the window.
“Get out.”
