His stomach churned. The more he smelled the beer, the dizzier his head became. The wave of nausea made Eunho press a hand to his chest.
“What’s wrong?”
Yi-beom quickly snatched the beer from Eunho’s hand and asked urgently.
“Are you sick?”
“N-no, ugh.”
“Jung Eunho.”
He had never felt this kind of nausea before. It wasn’t like when he’d had enteritis or indigestion. It felt completely different. When the wind carried the scent of beer toward him again, another gag rose in his throat.
“Th-the beer… ugh.”
Only after Yi-beom put the beer back into the bag and went to throw it away did the nausea finally subside. Thumping his tight chest, Eunho lowered his head.
What’s wrong with me?
It wasn’t even a strongly scented food—just beer. The kind he’d occasionally drink while watching a movie, or after bathing together with Yi-beom.
Eunho blinked rapidly. The fact that beer could suddenly smell so revolting it turned his stomach was shocking even to him. When Yi-beom returned after throwing it away, Eunho looked up at him with a pale face.
“Get up.”
Yi-beom gently gripped Eunho’s arm.
“Let’s go to the hospital.”
“Right now?”
“Yeah. You need to.”
Yi-beom was just as startled by the sudden gagging. As he looked down at Eunho’s bloodless face, his expression hardened.
No matter how diligently he fed him healthy food, Eunho had always been physically weak. Because he’d spent his childhood being passed from one relative’s house to another, he hadn’t been properly fed growing up. The effects lingered—whenever he overexerted himself even a little, Eunho would fall ill.
A pale, soft child.
That had been Yi-beom’s first impression of him. Even now, not much had changed. Looking him over, Yi-beom spoke through clenched teeth.
“I’ll contact Dr. Hwang. Let’s go.”
“No, no.”
Bracing himself with all his strength, Eunho shook his head. He couldn’t let their date be ruined like this. Their movie theater date had already been a disaster, and the “love lunchbox” had failed too—he couldn’t let their walk end in failure as well.
He placed his hand over Yi-beom’s, which was gripping his arm, and gently removed it.
“I think it’s just indigestion from what I ate at lunch.”
“Don’t lie. Let’s go.”
“It’s true! I kept sneaking bites while making the rice balls… I didn’t chew properly because I was concentrating.”
“What?”
“No, I mean, I was attaching the ti-tiger eyes…”
Interlacing their fingers, Eunho offered his excuse. It felt distinctly different from indigestion, but he wanted this date not to fall apart even more.
It’s probably nothing. I just felt nauseous all of a sudden. Forcing himself to brush off the earlier wave of sickness, Eunho swung their joined hands.
“I think walking a little would help.”
Yi-beom’s gaze lingered on him, as if trying to determine whether he was lying or telling the truth. After staring for a long moment, he sighed.
“You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Yes.”
“Your stomach doesn’t hurt? You won’t need medicine?”
He was the one who had gagged, yet somehow Yi-beom looked more like the patient. When Eunho let out a small laugh, Yi-beom’s expression twisted.
“You’re laughing?”
Now his face didn’t look like a patient’s—it looked like someone who might create one. Eunho hurriedly shook his head.
“N-no. I’m f-fine…”
At this rate, Ahjussi’s going to scold me! Eunho quickly changed the subject.
“Let’s walk faster, Ahjussi.”
“Why? Is someone chasing us?”
“N-no, that’s not it.”
After hesitating, Eunho started walking toward the park. Without even turning his head toward Yi-beom, he muttered quietly,
“We have to at least become the kind of couple that holds hands before we can hurry and do the next thing…”
It was embarrassing. Each word he forced out felt strangely ticklish, and he bit down on his lip. Between his light pink strands of hair, his ears burned red. His steps toward the walking path quickened.
The sky was dark. Streetlights erected here and there brightly illuminated the path. Bugs fluttered around the lights, drawn in by the glow.
To Yi-beom, Eunho was light. A light that illuminated his path, like those streetlamps. Knowing how cute that shy expression was, how warm those fidgeting hands felt, Yi-beom couldn’t let him go.
Before they reached the pool of streetlight, Yi-beom tugged Eunho’s hand. The small body was pulled against him.
“Ahjussi?”
“……”
Instead of answering, Yi-beom’s hand came up to cup his cheek. Just as Eunho was about to ask again, Yi-beom bent slightly at the waist.
Smack—with a soft sound, his lips touched and parted.
“Now that I think about it.”
The corner of Yi-beom’s lips curved upward.
“We’re already the kind of couple that kisses.”
Ah. Gasping, Eunho quickly averted his gaze. At this rate, they wouldn’t just be the kind of couple that kissed—he might start wanting something deeper, more intimate.
“N-no…”
A chuckle rang out. This time Yi-beom took the lead, guiding Eunho forward. As he followed, Eunho thought that at this rate, his carefully made plans might crumble much faster than expected.
Ahjussi isn’t a tiger—he’s more like a fox. Eunho resolved to make sure to tell Chanwoo that.
***
After that, his condition still didn’t return to normal.
The nausea was gone, but instead he developed insane cravings. He desperately wanted apples, lettuce, carrots—vegetables that a rabbit would usually eat.
It wasn’t just a mild craving. Eunho would bolt upright in his sleep thinking about carrots. Smooth, glossy orange carrots. If you took a bite, juice would seep out, the texture crisp and refreshing… Once his thoughts reached that point, he couldn’t endure it. Eventually, whether it was dawn or the middle of the night, he’d get up and rummage through the refrigerator.
When he lost himself in eating, sleep would overtake him. As if someone had shot him with a tranquilizer gun, his eyelids would grow heavy and all the strength would drain from his body. Because of that, these days—aside from packing lunchboxes and visiting Yi-beom’s company—he spent most of his time asleep.
Maybe I’ve turned into a bear instead of a rabbit.
Yawning, Eunho thought of a sleeping bear character from an animation he’d watched as a child.
If I’d woken up just a little later today, I might not even have been able to see him off.
He wanted to make breakfast for him, ask if he’d slept well, give him a kiss—but it wasn’t easy. Blinking sleepily, Eunho leaned against the front door.
Yi-beom, already dressed to leave, lifted his head. When he saw Eunho wrapped up in a blanket like a cocoon, he let out an unconscious laugh.
“You look like a rabbit.”
“…It’s not ‘like.’ I am.”
His mumbling voice was thick with drowsiness.
“Talking back, huh?”
When Yi-beom extended a hand, Eunho leaned his head against it. With his free fingers, Yi-beom poked his mochi-like cheek. Thanks to being diligently fed, his cheeks had filled out plumply.
“Don’t bring a lunchbox today.”
“…Why?”
Unable to fight the wave of sleep, Eunho barely managed to open one eye.
“Don’t you like it…? Is it not tasty…?”
“No.”
“Then… haam. Should I pack something other than rice balls…?”
When no answer came, Eunho opened both eyes sluggishly.
“Ahjussi…?”
He looked like he was deliberately acting cute. This is driving me crazy. Quietly slipping off his shoes, Yi-beom wrapped his arms around Eunho.
“Ah!”
What the fuck, why do I even have to go to work? Muttering something that would make Jinwon wail if he heard it, Yi-beom strode quickly toward the bedroom. The cocoon in his arms was warm.
“Ah-Ahjussi!”
“Be quiet. At this rate, I might not make it to work.”
If he followed his heart, he’d hold warm Jung Eunho and take a nap together. He’d offer his arm as a pillow and then watch Eunho wake up crying, whining that his arm might be broken.
If it weren’t for this fucking mess of work.
As he laid Eunho down on the bed, Yi-beom swallowed a groan. Lately, the government’s movements had been unsettling. Though things were being kept quiet, clashes between carnivores and herbivores had been occurring frequently, and rumors circulated that the government was planning various countermeasures. Jinwon hadn’t even been able to return home for days, busy lobbying here and there to gather information.
“Are they really that bad… the rice balls?”
Looking up at him with round, clustered eyes, Eunho asked. If Yi-beom said yes, he looked ready to bury his face in the blanket and cry. Letting out a short laugh, Yi-beom answered,
“You look tired.”
Tucking the blanket up under his chin, Yi-beom said,
“Stay home and rest. You’re sleepy.”
“I’m fully awake.”
“Now you’re lying whenever you feel like it.”
As if punishing him, he pressed a quick kiss to his lips, and Eunho smiled brightly.
“I shouldn’t have spoiled you so much.”
He kissed his baby-pink cheek. Jung Eunho’s distinctive scent brushed past his nose, and Yi-beom’s eyes darkened. It was a soft, powdery smell—like the scent from a blanket a baby had slept in.
“If you get bored, call the water deer or something.”
“Chanwoo?”
“Yeah, Park Chanwoo.”
“It’s Kim Chanwoo…”
Barely tearing himself away from Eunho’s warmth, Yi-beom checked the time. It was almost the hour when Jinwon would call to rush him.
“Rest at home.”
As sleep overtook him again, Eunho blinked heavily. The way he strained to keep his eyes open was annoyingly adorable. I should get out before I bite those cheeks. Cursing inwardly, Yi-beom left the bedroom.
The moment the sound of the door lock clicking shut echoed, Eunho drifted back into dreamland.
PREGNANT