* * *
It was inevitable that the topic revolved around Cha Yoonjae, but there was no one else to ask.
“He’s currently under investigation and in custody. No matter where you go in Korea, that’s all anyone is talking about. There are even rumors that Chairman Ki collapsed from the shock. Saying the world has been turned upside down wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”
Junhee listened silently, his gaze lowered.
With the involvement of the massive corporation Taesan, Kang Haesung’s K Group, and even Cha Haetsal’s children, public interest was bound to explode.
“On top of that, Taeryu’s older brother, who had been missing, suddenly appeared and handed over previously undisclosed evidence. The exact nature of the evidence hasn’t been revealed in an official statement, but speculation suggests it strongly supports the prosecution’s case.”
Kim Daeheon stared blankly into space before turning his head toward the sunlight filtering through the curtains.
“…To be honest, I still can’t believe it. Was he really the person I loved? Why didn’t I realize it sooner? Did I only see the parts of him I wanted to see because I liked him?”
Junhee quietly watched as a single beam of light fell across Daeheon’s forehead.
His eyes were scrunched up, as if from the brightness—or perhaps from pain.
It was the face of someone on the verge of tears.
“…You can cry if you want.”
“No. A man doesn’t cry in front of others.”
Junhee had already seen him cry multiple times, but out of consideration for Daeheon’s pride, he decided to pretend otherwise.
“And, Junhee… You may already know this, but just in case, I need to tell you something.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
Junhee, seated on the edge of the bed, nodded.
“It’s about your blood test results…”
Daeheon’s voice dropped as he moistened his dry lips.
Compared to when he was talking about Taeryu’s condition, he seemed even more hesitant, which made Junhee nervous.
“What is it? Don’t tell me I have some rare disease or something…”
“No, no. Well, technically, it is a rare case, but…”
“Just tell me. The more you hesitate, the more anxious I get.”
“A-Alright. I’ll get straight to the point. Yoo Junhee… you’re pregnant.”
“…What?”
“You’re pregnant.”
“…Excuse me?”
“So you really didn’t know. But since the early stages of pregnancy are crucial, there are some important things you need to be aware of. First, you should avoid standing for long periods or lifting heavy objects. It’s also best to refrain from excessive physical activity, alcohol, and smoking. And any medication should be taken only after consulting a doctor…”
Junhee, who had been staring at him in a daze, abruptly cut him off.
“Wait, wait. I—what did you just say? Are you sure there isn’t some mistake?”
“I couldn’t believe it either, so I ran multiple tests. It’s confirmed—you’re definitely pregnant. Additionally, your physiology has changed. It’s extremely rare, but not entirely unheard of. In fact, there has been increasing research on similar cases abroad… J-Junhee!”
Daeheon rushed forward just in time to catch Junhee before he collapsed.
A wave of dizziness hit him, making his head spin.
Daeheon, still in shock himself, helped Junhee back onto the bed.
“T-That… That can’t be possible. Absolutely not…”
“Junhee, have you experienced any symptoms? Increased drowsiness, loss of appetite, nausea… Or maybe you’ve been feeling especially fatigued or had abdominal pain?”
Junhee couldn’t answer.
Now that he thought about it, he had been sleeping a lot.
He’d also been feeling nauseous, had little appetite, and his back ached—but he’d never thought much of it.
Wasn’t that just normal? Things anyone could experience?
Daeheon, noticing how pale Junhee had gone, carefully asked,
“You don’t have to answer, but… is the other parent who I think it is?”
“…Does it matter?”
“I understand you’re in shock, but yes, it matters a great deal. If it is who I think, then there’s no issue.”
“…What do you mean?”
“If it’s not, then it becomes a very big issue.”
“……”
“We really can’t have someone getting beaten to death in this hospital.”
Junhee’s lips parted slightly as he looked at Daeheon.
His expression was deadly serious—no trace of humor at all.
Creak—
The hospital room door opened with an eerie sound.
This VIP ward had only two rooms—the one Junhee was in, and the other…
“Junhee, you can come in.”
“…Alright.”
After much hesitation, Junhee finally followed Daeheon into Ki Taeryu’s hospital room.
Though he had yet to regain consciousness, the surgery and emergency treatments had all been completed, so visitors were allowed.
Junhee dragged his IV pole closer to the bed, his eyes falling to the half-filled blood bag before hesitantly looking at Taeryu’s face.
His split lip, the bruises, the swollen cheekbones—despite it all, his striking features remained.
Junhee’s gaze slowly traced every inch of his face. Without thinking, he reached out.
“He’s a guy with nothing going for him except his face, and now even that’s a mess, huh?”
Junhee quickly pulled his fingers back.
“…Yeah.”
“Though honestly, his face has looked like this before.”
“What?”
“He got into a fight with some gangsters once and came to me looking just like this. Maybe he wanted to get beaten up. Should I pay them a visit myself?”
Junhee glanced at Daeheon.
“Haha, I’m kidding.”
It didn’t sound like a joke. But all Junhee could do was hope that Daeheon would recover from the shock of Yoonjae’s betrayal.
Right now, he wasn’t in the mood to humor Daeheon’s jokes.
“Ahem. Well… Are you going to stay here a bit longer? I’ve been called away, so I need to head out.”
After telling Junhee to call him if anything happened, Daeheon left.
It seemed like he wanted to give Junhee some quiet time to think.
Only after the door clicked shut did Junhee finally reach out toward Taeryu’s sleeping face.
Dark eyebrows, long eyes.
A straight nose, a cold cheek.
Had he lost weight? His jawline was sharper, his lips firmly shut in their usual composed manner.
Cautiously, Junhee’s fingertips brushed against his skin.
“…When you said you’d take responsibility, this isn’t what you meant, is it?”
If not for the massive cover-up murder case, this would have been the dumbest accident to ever make the news.
“I never expected you to fall over a railing just to avoid a kiss.”
So wake up.
Junhee’s breath, his words, settled onto Taeryu’s pale cheek.
As he inhaled deeply, taking in Taeryu’s familiar scent, a strange shiver ran through him.
A warmth spread low in his stomach.
Just as he was about to pull away—
“…!”
A hand pressed down on the back of his head, forcing his face into Taeryu’s neck.
Soon, a deep, husky voice pierced Junhee’s ears.
“If I ever found you again, I was planning to break at least one of your bones.”
“……”
“But look at me—I’m the one who’s completely shattered. Is this my punishment?”
Just moments ago, there had been a certain mood between them, but now, Junhee’s skin prickled with unease.
So much so that even the relief of knowing he was awake had been completely overshadowed.
“But don’t do that again. I thought I was going to lose my mind.”
“……Honestly, I still want to run away.”
With yet another burden too heavy to bear alone, Junhee felt an overwhelming urge to just leave everything behind.
“What?”
The grip around Junhee tightened.
“……If it were before, I would have.”
“Yeah. But not now, right?”
Just five minutes ago, Junhee’s biggest fear had been that Ki Taeryu might never wake up.
But the moment that fear was put to rest, another crisis arose.
‘……How do I even say this?’
I’m pregnant?
Your child is inside me?
Your sperm is basically a super sperm?
And then what?
Do I ask him to take responsibility?
But even that felt like a reckless decision.
Feelings aside, responsibility as a parent was an entirely different matter.
How was he supposed to explain this to his company?
To himself?
He hadn’t even decided if he would keep the baby.
He wasn’t sure if he could even be a good parent.
The thoughts spiraled endlessly, one after another, with no end in sight.
Junhee let out a sigh-laced murmur.
“Why do people’s worries never seem to end?”
“That’s just life. Who do you know that doesn’t have worries?”
“You seem like you don’t have any.”
As the grip on him loosened slightly, Junhee lifted his head and met Ki Taeryu’s gaze.
Eyes that seemed to pull him in from the depths.
A gaze so sharp and all-consuming that it felt like it would drown him.
Cold and deep as the ocean—yet bound to sink him completely.
“Take a guess. What do you think my biggest worry is?”
“……”
If nothing else, Junhee was sure of one thing.
That gaze was anything but pure.
“I’m worried about when I’ll recover enough to fuck you all night again.”
A hand slid down his waist, tracing his spine before gliding further down to his tailbone.
“You’re insane……”
Junhee sat up straight, looking down at him like he was some kind of beast.
‘This bastard is supposed to be a father?’
Unbelievable.
“Junhee, your eyes are screaming that you want to run away.”
“Yes. I want to run away. Right now.”
“If you go, take me with you.”
“That wouldn’t be running away, now would it?”
“You have no idea how much of an idiot I became because of you, do you? But apparently, turning someone into a fool is what love is.”
“What the hell… Who told you that kind of bullshit?”
“There’s someone. Another fool just like me.”
“……”
Somehow, Junhee had a pretty good idea who that fool was.
Because how many people in the world had the power to shake not only his life but also Ki Taeryu’s to the core?
“So, take responsibility.”
“How the hell does that even make sense? Cut the bullshit.”
Who was he to talk about responsibility?
Junhee let out a deep sigh, genuinely worried about the bleak future ahead of him.
This might just be the biggest dilemma of his life.
“Well then, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?”
A large hand pulled him in.
As he helplessly collapsed into Ki Taeryu’s embrace, the scent of antiseptic mixed with an intoxicating sweetness filled his nose.
It was so overwhelmingly sweet that he felt like gagging. Almost as if his brain would melt from it.
“……I won’t tell you. Not right now.”
That I’m carrying your child.
That our compatibility rate was 99%.
That I like you—far more than I expected, and far more than you think.
Whether Ki Taeryu knew what was on his mind or not, he simply laughed, like a wicked villain, as he gently stroked Junhee’s back.
Junhee let his trembling eyelids fall shut, deciding to set aside his worries for now.
Just for this moment, he wanted nothing more than to simply feel him.
* * *
