#92
“From now on, I won’t leave you alone.”
Eunsol would probably have loved Hyun-oh just the same even if he had been a penniless beggar without a single possession.
What Eunsol wanted wasn’t the wealth and glory that most people in the world desire, but a spouse who loved him and a child born from their love.
It was Hyun-oh’s fault that he had turned such a person into a withering plant trapped in a space without a single point of light.
Even after regaining consciousness, Eunsol was uncomfortable around Hyun-oh. Though he didn’t push him away like a child meeting a stranger, he experienced so much stress that his body showed adverse reactions.
Eunsol still couldn’t speak properly. Hyun-oh vaguely guessed that the day Eunsol called his name again in that beautiful voice would be the moment he completely opened his heart to him.
“Sweet dreams.”
Hyun-oh bent down and buried his lips in the soft hair. Eunsol had let down his guard and nestled in his arms.
He couldn’t miss this hard-won opportunity. He silently repeated to himself that from now on, he would not act like a fool but would express his feelings to Eunsol just as they were.
***
“…”
The scene before his eyes was both familiar and unfamiliar. Eunsol blinked slowly, absorbing Hyun-oh’s pheromones that had pooled on the bed.
The blue scent was strong not only from the bedding but also from his own body. When he gently buried his head in the sheets, he felt comfortable.
Returning to their nest with Hyun-oh rather than staying in the hospital definitely seemed to relax his tense muscles.
‘…Is he working?’
Eunsol glanced at the clock on the bedside table. Having slept so deeply without dreaming, it was already 9 AM.
Although he had been sleeping more since becoming pregnant, considering he had gone to bed early yesterday, he had slept soundly for well over twelve hours without waking.
Hyun-oh had clearly said he would work from home until Eunsol was better.
He reached out and touched the sheets. Judging by the lack of warmth, quite some time had passed since Hyun-oh had left the bed.
Eunsol got up from the bed, discovered the cardigan that had slipped down his shoulders, and smiled slightly.
He gathered up the cardigan and buried his nose in it. The pheromones that seeped into every cell of his body with each breath were so pleasant that the intensity of the smile on his lips deepened even more.
Then suddenly he felt hungry. Fortunately, Eunsol’s morning sickness had disappeared after he regained consciousness.
Although his shrunken stomach still struggled to accept food, it was rare for him to be unable to eat due to nausea from food smells.
Eunsol entered the bathroom with the cardigan draped over his shoulders. Like someone who had just returned from a brief outing, traces of Eunsol still remained in the bathroom.
A light blush spread over Eunsol’s fingertips as he touched the toothbrush placed next to Hyun-oh’s.
***
Entering the kitchen while patting his damp face with a towel, Eunsol stopped in surprise.
A large figure that seemed quite incongruous with the kitchen space stood in front of the counter.
Though he wasn’t wearing an apron, his muscular arms were clearly visible under the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
“Ah, you’re awake.”
Feeling the gaze staring at his back, Hyun-oh turned his head. Seeing Eunsol frozen with a towel in hand, color returned to his previously pale complexion.
“I was about to come and call you when everything was ready. Sit here.”
It wasn’t a meal he had prepared himself. Early in the morning, a domestic helper had come in and made plenty of food suitable for a pregnant person.
Hyun-oh was heating up soup and cooking marinated bulgogi on the frying pan.
Eunsol carefully sat in the chair that Hyun-oh pulled out. Although he had never lacked manners, his current actions were imbued with affection for Eunsol.
The towel in his hand became even more crumpled. He had come out to check what food might be in the refrigerator, only to unexpectedly encounter Hyun-oh.
His expectation that Hyun-oh would be in the study at this hour, busy with work, had been completely off the mark.
“Just need to cook the bulgogi a little more.”
Hyun-oh laid a table mat in front of Eunsol and placed a bowl modestly filled with an appropriate amount of rice. Next, he placed a steaming bowl of soup beside it.
Eunsol wiggled his toes inside his slippers. With each blink of his eyes, more dishes appeared on the table.
Finally, with the addition of the bulgogi in a pristine white dish, a feast was instantly completed.
“Take your time eating.”
The sound of a water glass meeting the table rang softly. Eunsol bowed his head toward Hyun-oh with gratitude, then looked across the table in confusion.
There was only one person’s meal on the table. Considering his usual work pattern, it was an awkward time for either breakfast or lunch, so perhaps Hyun-oh had already eaten.
But now that he was about to eat alone, he suddenly felt his appetite dropping.
“Well, I’ll…”
Hyun-oh, who was about to turn away after wishing Eunsol a good meal, lowered his gaze. Eunsol was holding one of Hyun-oh’s pinkies, fidgeting nervously.
“Do you have something you want to say?”
Hyun-oh knelt on one knee in front of Eunsol. The eye level of Eunsol, who had been looking up at him, lowered.
After opening and closing his lips several times, Eunsol found it difficult to speak and only checked Hyun-oh’s reaction. Unfortunately, he had left his phone in the bedroom, making it difficult to communicate by message.
“Write it here. Like this.”
It was Hyun-oh who solved Eunsol’s difficulty. He opened his palm wide and brought Eunsol’s index finger to it.
After drawing a circle, Eunsol’s fingertip shrank back.
With Hyun-oh looking at him reassuringly, Eunsol unfolded his curled fingertip and carefully spelled out the letters.
‘I want to eat together’
What Eunsol wrote was a request to have a meal together. Hyun-oh’s expression showed brief consideration.
Even now, he was feeling nauseous from the food smells wafting from the table.
While he had prepared Eunsol’s meal with care, he had settled for a simple protein shake for his own breakfast.
That was because Hyun-oh currently felt queasy just from smelling food.
But he couldn’t refuse the request that Eunsol had bravely made. Even now, as Hyun-oh’s silence lengthened, Eunsol was worrying his lip as if he had done something wrong.
“…Just wait a moment.”
If only there was someone who could have a meal with Eunsol in his place. But now, in this spacious house, there were only the two of them.
Right now, it was really important for Eunsol to eat properly, and Hyun-oh was concerned that he might lose his appetite because of him.
Hyun-oh hurriedly filled a bowl with rice and soup, then sat across from Eunsol. Eunsol had pushed the side dish plates to the middle between Hyun-oh and himself and was waiting for him.
“Now, let’s eat.”
When Hyun-oh picked up his spoon and spoke, only then did Eunsol try the soup first. The milky bone broth soothed his empty stomach.
Eunsol detected something strange around the time he had emptied about half of his rice bowl.
Though he wasn’t eating quickly himself and was slowly emptying his rice bowl, Hyun-oh’s rice bowl showed almost no change from the beginning.
Moreover, it seemed he hadn’t even touched the soup and side dishes. The side dishes had diminished only by the amount Eunsol had eaten.
‘Maybe it doesn’t suit his taste? But it’s delicious.’
Eunsol wasn’t the type to seek out food that satisfied his taste buds, but he still felt happiness when enjoying delicious food.
Yet Hyun-oh showed no such signs. Nor was he the type to have so little appetite that he would pick at his food as if counting grains of rice. When he had a meal, he could easily eat three or four times what Eunsol did, as if it were a necessary duty to maintain his large height and build.
It would be more accurate to say that Hyun-oh wasn’t picky about food but rather uninterested in gastronomy itself.
“I’m not feeling well. Don’t worry about me.”
Noticing that the movement of Eunsol’s utensils had stopped, Hyun-oh spoke as if making an excuse.
However, despite Hyun-oh’s words, Eunsol couldn’t hide his worried expression. Hyun-oh finally put aside his churning stomach and scooped up a large spoonful of rice into his mouth.
He then ate the soup as if forcing it down. Only after picking up and eating a little of each side dish did Eunsol resume his meal.
Though he was full, he chewed thoroughly for the sake of his body and his lucky one.
“Now go to the living room and rest.”
After finishing the meal, Eunsol tried to get up with the nearly empty dishes. But Hyun-oh quickly took the dishes from Eunsol’s hands and pushed him toward the living room.
“This will be done soon. You should be comfortable.”
Though he tried to stand his ground by subtly applying pressure with his feet, it wasn’t easy to refuse Hyun-oh’s repeated urging.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
