Side Story 9
“Why is it taking so long?”
Kang Ye-ryeong had also arrived outside the operating room where Eunsol had been taken. As an hour passed beyond the expected time Eunsol should have emerged from surgery, Ye-ryeong chewed on her lips anxiously.
The lipstick that had neatly adorned her lips had long since disappeared.
Ye-ryeong glanced at Hyun-oh, who stood motionless. Unlike herself, who couldn’t stay in one place and kept pacing in front of the operating room, Hyun-oh was so still that one might wonder if he was even breathing.
His darkened eyes remained fixed on the sign indicating that surgery was in progress. He only moved when looking at the wristwatch on his left hand.
“And we can’t even go into the operating room.”
They would have to wait until the surgery was over and the medical staff came out. There was no way to know what was happening inside.
‘…Eunsol.’
Though he appeared calm on the outside, Hyun-oh’s fists were already covered with red marks. This was because he had been constantly clenching his fingertips with such force that blood would have formed if his nails hadn’t been trimmed short.
Having nearly lost Eunsol before his eyes once before, this time of simply waiting brought a terrible sense of helplessness to Hyun-oh.
It felt as if he had returned to his childhood, when he couldn’t do anything with his own strength.
When the minute hand on his wristwatch had traced another circle, Hyun-oh could no longer endure and walked up to the operating room door.
“You’re not going to…”
Fearing Hyun-oh might break down the door, Ye-ryeong approached his side. Kim Myungjun and Song Do-ye, who had been waiting as well, tensed up in alarm.
“He’ll be fine. Eunsol.”
A large hand with blue veins prominently visible was placed on the translucent glass door. Though he was speaking to Ye-ryeong, it was as good as talking to himself.
Eunsol had to be alright. Hyun-oh firmly believed that he would cross this threshold in good health along with the baby.
Desperately holding back the weakness threatening to overwhelm him, he feared that if he wavered, something ominous might truly happen to Eunsol.
*Swoosh*
“Oh, my.”
Perhaps Hyun-oh’s wishes had reached their destination. Finally, the firmly closed door opened. The attending physician in surgical attire was startled to see the towering Hyun-oh and paused mid-step.
All eyes of those standing guard outside the operating room focused on the physician’s lips.
Swallowing dryly under the immense pressure, the doctor delivered the news that the patient’s guardian most wanted to hear.
“There’s no need to worry. Both the patient and the baby are safe.”
“Thank you. Thank you.”
“Madam!”
The moment the physician finished speaking, Ye-ryeong collapsed to the floor. Myungjun hurriedly grabbed her arms to support her.
As Ye-ryeong rose with Myungjun’s assistance, Eunsol emerged from the operating room wearing an oxygen respirator.
Hyun-oh quickly approached Eunsol. His pale complexion momentarily made it impossible to breathe.
“There was a critical moment when we couldn’t stop the bleeding, but the patient endured well.”
That was why the surgery had taken longer than expected. Perhaps as a trace of the fierce battle, the attending physician looked several years older than before entering the operating room.
“Waaah!”
Following behind, the baby wrapped in cloth also emerged. A powerful cry echoed throughout the corridor.
Hyun-oh’s gaze, which had been fixed on Eunsol, moved to the reddish little being.
Despite the wrinkled skin, seeing the round nostrils immediately made him think the baby resembled Eunsol.
In truth, Hyun-oh hadn’t had great expectations for the baby. He had only thought to accept it as his child since it was born of his seed through Eunsol’s womb.
There were even moments when he felt resentment toward the baby for causing Eunsol to suffer so much.
But when he felt traces of Eunsol in this tiny life form, an indescribable sensation welled up from deep within his heart.
“It’s a son. Hands and feet are all normal. Would you like to hold him?”
“…Yes.”
Following the nurse’s guidance, Hyun-oh carefully took the baby in his arms. Strangely, the baby who had been crying so loudly his Adam’s apple was visible, gradually stopped crying when Hyun-oh held him.
“My. That’s quite unusual.”
A faint smile spread across Hyun-oh’s stiff lips. Ye-ryeong, who had regained her composure, raised her phone to record a video of the scene.
“The new baby will be happy to see this.”
He would have wanted to see the baby first more than anyone. Since Eunsol was currently unconscious, she wanted to show him like this at least.
“Now we’ll move the baby to the newborn nursery and the patient to the recovery room.”
After this brief but intense meeting, Eunsol and Lucky were moved to different locations.
After handing the baby back to the nurse, Hyun-oh naturally headed toward Eunsol.
He bent down and pressed his lips to Eunsol’s pale forehead. The faint scent of Eunsol’s pheromones calmed his anxiously beating heart, which had seemed ready to stop at any moment.
“Thank you.”
He felt grateful and full of love for Eunsol who had endured such a difficult time. Though he had believed Eunsol would come out safely, the slim possibility of something going wrong had forced him to desperately cling to positive thoughts like grasping at straws on the edge of a cliff.
He wanted to meet Eunsol’s gaze when he regained consciousness, to cover those sweet lips with his own and share his affection.
* * *
“Ugh…”
Eunsol gradually regained consciousness. For a moment, he felt strangely empty. The heavy pressure that had been weighing down on his belly was gone.
Even before opening his eyes, anxiety washed over him. His last memory was of the doctor telling him to count from 1 to 10, and the blurry operating room lights that were fading away.
He had no way of knowing if Lucky had come out safely. As he tried to move, wiggling his fingertips, a gentle warmth took hold of his hand.
“I’m here. And Lucky is safe too.”
Though his vision hadn’t returned yet, the voice ringing in his ears was clear. Tears welled up at the voice that conveyed what he most wanted to know.
Hyun-oh, still holding Eunsol’s hand with one hand, reached out with the other to wipe away his tears.
Fortunately, Eunsol’s prognosis was good, and he was quickly moved from the recovery room to a VIP ward. The oxygen respirator, which had been distressing to look at, had been removed, so his pouting lips were clearly visible.
Rising from his seat, Hyun-oh rubbed Eunsol’s lips with his thumb. The breath escaping between his slightly parted lips held a faint warmth.
As if continuing the fantasy he’d had when seeing Eunsol come out of the operating room, he bent down.
“Mmm…”
Eunsol naturally parted his lips to welcome Hyun-oh’s tongue. Pleasure tingled as the fleshy parts rubbed against each other.
The mood was elevated by Hyun-oh’s pheromones, which seeped into the saliva and flowed heavily.
It felt as if he had finally entrusted himself to a nest that would embrace him warmly. He loved how Hyun-oh treated him with such care.
His body felt like it was melting under Hyun-oh’s touch as he continually stroked his hair and caressed his soft earlobes as if to say he had done well.
“Haa, ha…”
When Eunsol’s breathing became rough, Hyun-oh slowly pulled back. Eunsol’s lips, now glistening with saliva, were more swollen than before he regained consciousness.
“Tell me if it hurts.”
Though painkillers were being administered, he was worried. He keenly observed Eunsol’s complexion, concerned that the surgical site might be painful.
“I’m fine. Just a little stiff.”
Eunsol shook his head with a faint smile. He couldn’t express how relieved he was to find Hyun-oh by his side as soon as he opened his eyes.
“What about our baby? Who does he look like?”
As the lingering sensation of the kiss faded and reality set in, curiosity about Lucky blossomed.
“You.”
“Really?”
Eunsol’s eyes widened at the news that Lucky resembled him. He felt slightly disappointed.
Of course, he would love the baby more than anything in the world regardless of who he resembled, but he had hoped the baby would take after Hyun-oh.
“Especially the nose and eyes look very much like yours.”
While Eunsol was unconscious, Hyun-oh had gone to the nursery and seen Lucky through the glass window several times.
Ye-ryeong had been with him each time, and he realized then that it wasn’t just his eyes that saw Lucky’s resemblance to Eunsol.
‘Look. Isn’t our grandson the spitting image of our new son? I’m so relieved.’
Despite Hyun-oh being her biological son, Ye-ryeong seemed to genuinely believe this. And Hyun-oh felt the same way.
If the baby had resembled him more than Eunsol, it might have taken longer for him to feel such tender emotions while looking at the baby.
“I’m happier that he resembles you.”
Hyun-oh had only ever felt loving affection toward one person in his life—Eunsol. It was only natural that he would also love a child who was the spitting image of his beloved.
“I want to see Lucky too…”
After hearing Hyun-oh’s words, Eunsol couldn’t bear the desire to see Lucky. So much so that he wanted to rush to the newborn nursery in an instant if his body had been in better condition.
“Wait just a moment.”
A large hand caressed his soft cheek as if to say not to worry. Hyun-oh took out his phone and tapped the screen with his thumb.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
