102
It was evening, with the sun setting, when Soo-cheol and Seon-rok returned home after Yeon Ji-ho had a brief consultation with the doctor who visited his hospital room.
Yeon Ji-ho, who had been constantly holding his phone except when talking to the doctor and seeing off Seon-rok and Soo-cheol, suddenly turned his head to look out the window. Perhaps because the hospital wasn’t too far from the countryside village, he could see an old train passing by in the distance.
“Ah.”
Only then did Yeon Ji-ho realize that he had been keeping Set occupied for too long. He didn’t know how they were able to communicate via phone, but he had been so happy to have even one means of communicating with Set that he had forgotten. Unlike himself, who had nothing particular to do due to his heavy body, Set was busy.
“Set, it’s time for dinner”
“Talk to you again when you get back, go eat” 7:12 PM
In truth, he didn’t want to let him go.
He knew it was selfish, but that’s how he felt. Yeon Ji-ho’s anxious feelings were somewhat relieved whenever he received messages from Set, and if he could, he wanted to throw a childish tantrum and tell Set to just keep holding onto the phone.
How much battery was left on the phone, was this miracle-like conversation just a brief coincidence allowed by God, would they never be able to talk again if it ended like this?
No, would they even be able to meet again in the future?
All of these worries and anxieties made him feel nauseous at times. After sending Set a message to go eat dinner, Yeon Ji-ho hurriedly picked up the plastic bag Seon-rok had left and dry heaved.
“Ugh… Urgh.”
Sometimes, he wondered if this was due to his weak mind rather than morning sickness. That’s why he had often tried to eat, forcing himself to lift the spoon to his mouth and suppress the urge to retch, thinking he’d just endure for today. In the end, it was all in vain.
As he was covering his mouth with the plastic bag and taking deep breaths, the screen he had left on moved. A reply had come from Set.
“Set: I ate” 7:18 PM
Seeing this reply, Yeon Ji-ho laughed softly without realizing it, causing the plastic bag at his mouth to flutter violently. In just three or four hours since starting to communicate via phone, Set had begun to use the phone keyboard quite skillfully. Not only had typos decreased, but he had also become faster at typing short messages.
Seeing this reminded Yeon Ji-ho of Set who used to learn anything quickly while staying at his house. Set, who never forgot cleaning, laundry, or cooking once taught, existed just as he was on the other side of this small screen.
“It’s only been 6 minutes.”
Muttering to himself, Yeon Ji-ho picked up the phone and diligently tapped the screen again. The message bubbles rose at a speed incomparable to Set’s.
“Did you really eat?”
“I’m going to check with Chronos” 7:19 PM
Apophis seemed likely to lie as he followed Set’s words so well, so he thought the elder Chronos might be better. As Yeon Ji-ho carefully recalled the beasts of Gorgon, he sent messages without pause.
“Are the others doing well too?”
“Isquis…” 7:20 PM
The last image he had seen of Isquis suddenly flashed through his mind. Worry crept across Yeon Ji-ho’s face.
“Set: Alive” 7:21 PM
“Ah, that’s a relief.”
Yeon Ji-ho let out a sigh of relief upon receiving Set’s reply. But he was curious not only about Isquis but also about the well-being of everyone else, including Shango. Forgetting completely that it was dinner time, Yeon Ji-ho continued to ask about the welfare of the beasts one after another.
It had only been a little over a month since he last saw them, but there was so much he wanted to ask. Yeon Ji-ho’s questions only stopped when Set, who had been quietly answering, squeezed in a question of his own.
“Set: Ji-ho” 7:36 PM
“Set: Where are you sick?” 7:37 PM
Didn’t he ask this earlier too? Thinking that Set must be as worried as himself, Yeon Ji-ho was about to smile and answer when another message arrived from Set first.
“Set: Child”
“Set: You’re having a child” 7:38 PM
At those words, Yeon Ji-ho’s heart sank. Set already knew what he had meant to say but couldn’t bring himself to. Taking a deep breath, Yeon Ji-ho asked Set.
“Did you hear from Apophis?” 7:38 PM
The answer wasn’t important. In fact, among the beasts of Gorgon, only Apophis knew about Yeon Ji-ho’s pregnancy. Without waiting for Set’s reply, Yeon Ji-ho unconsciously bit his lower lip and sent a message.
“The baby is healthy :)” 7:39 PM
“I will definitely protect it”
“So you don’t need to worry” 7:40 PM
Yeon Ji-ho resolved once more. He wouldn’t show Set any worrisome appearances. If Set, who couldn’t come here right away, saw his weak self, how much would he worry about the child?
So, in a way, Yeon Ji-ho was grateful for the reality that they couldn’t have phone or video calls. Because if he had seen his appearance, he would have been very sad.
However, an unexpected reply came from Set.
“Set: No Ji-ho” 7:41 PM
“Set: Ji-ho”
“Set: Are you healthy Ji-ho? Where are you sick?” 7:42 PM
Despite Yeon Ji-ho’s efforts to compose himself, tears burst forth as soon as he saw Set’s message worrying about him. His nose tingled and his fingertips trembled with a numb sensation as if someone was tightly squeezing his heart.
“Set: The child is important too”
“Set: But” 7:43 PM
“Hng…”
“Set: Not as much as Ji-ho” 7:44 PM
“Why are you doing this to me?”
Yeon Ji-ho only spoke words he couldn’t bring himself to send as messages. The tears he had been holding back finally burst, making it impossible for him to touch the phone, so he had to put it down on the bed cover. Wiping the tip of his chin with his sleeve, Yeon Ji-ho unconsciously resented Set.
“Why, why, why…”
Why do you keep making me love you?
When Yeon Ji-ho found out he was pregnant, he had no particular thoughts. It was as if his mind had turned completely blank.
The thought that came belatedly was, it’s Set’s and my child. So I should raise it diligently. That was all.
Then he parted with Set, and as the situation gradually worsened, pain sometimes came to the point where he would wake up suddenly while sleeping. Each time, Yeon Ji-ho would hate the child tormenting him, but then he would comfort himself, saying not to do that. Don’t hate the innocent child.
At some point, he began living not for himself but for the child – waking up, eating, going to the hospital. Yeon Ji-ho was gradually becoming tired from the sense of responsibility that he had to protect the child alone without Set. Clearly, that was the case, but…
“Set: Don’t be sick Ji-ho”
“Set: You can’t be sick” 7:48 PM
Not for the child’s sake, but simply because you can’t be sick. Saying that you, Yeon Ji-ho, are precious.
“Set: Ji-ho?” 7:49 PM
His deep affection made Yeon Ji-ho’s heart tremble. Gasping for breath, Yeon Ji-ho wiped his nose and hurriedly tapped the screen.
“Of course” 7:50 PM
“I’m healthy”
“You’re the one who shouldn’t get sick, Set” 7:51 PM
Afraid that his crying might be heard outside the hospital room, Yeon Ji-ho didn’t cry out loud but took deep breaths, gradually drying his tears. His trembling lips still held sadness he couldn’t yet shake off, but it was okay. As long as he could continue to communicate with Set like this.
It was when Yeon Ji-ho had put down his phone for a moment. Turning his head to the side, he could see that the IV bag he had been receiving since the doctor’s visit was almost empty. Just as he was about to press the nurse call button after watching the last drop fall, there was a knock.
Knock knock.
He thought it was naturally the nurse coming because it was time for the IV to be finished. Yeon Ji-ho hurriedly rubbed his eyes to erase any signs of crying and spoke.
“Come in.”
Druk…
As the sliding door opened silently, Yeon Ji-ho raised his head to look towards the door. And the moment he faced the owner of the knock, his expression began to harden.
“Hello, Ji-ho.”
There stood a man dressed in an expensive suit. The man, who had brought a huge bouquet of flowers in his arms, entered the hospital room with steady steps in his dress shoes.
“I heard there’s a culture of giving flowers to sick people here too?”
“…”
“That’s the same as where I came from.”
The neatly tailored suit, the well-groomed hair, and the strong scent of perfume that filled the room as soon as he entered.
Hadad, who had perfectly assimilated into the modern world, was standing there. To the point where no one would dare guess that this man had come from a fantasy novel.
