Chapter 39
by GideonHyewan lowered her head, a blush creeping up her neck. When she glanced at Yundo, he was sitting as still as a statue, his expression frozen. Yundo always went expressionless whenever they visited his family home, but today he was taking it to an extreme. It was so awkward that Hyewan couldn’t help but nudge him in the ribs, silently pleading for him to say something.
“We’ve said what we came to say, so we’ll be going now. Hyewan, let’s go.”
No, that’s not what I meant!
“Yundo,” she started.
He ignored her, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet.
“It’s late, so we’ll be leaving now.”
“Very well.”
As they left the room, Hyewan fumed under her breath. “Do you have to act like you’re so angry at Grandmother? Why are you being like this when we came to share good news?”
“I’m always like this.”
“Always like what? Stop dodging the question and tell me the truth. Are you hiding something from me?”
“I don’t know.”
Changing the subject, he walked into the living room, where Yun-woo shyly held out a bouquet of flowers.
“Congratulations, Sister-in-law.”
“Oh, Yun-woo! Thank you so much!”
Seeing Hyewan’s touched expression as she received the flowers, Madam Park tugged on Yundo’s arm.
“Why did you come? You could have just called.”
Madam Park, aware of Chairwoman Kang Ok-seon’s intentions, was anxious. Yet she couldn’t tell Yundo the truth, so she found a trivial excuse to scold him.
“You shouldn’t be traveling around in early pregnancy.”
“I had to come at least once.”
“What did the doctor say?”
“The baby is in a good position, and the heartbeat sounds strong,” Hyewan said.
Everything is fine, so why is she still trying to find something to complain about? Yundo thought. This was a cause for celebration, a once-in-a-lifetime blessing.
“That’s wonderful. Truly, congratulations.”
Madam Park finally offered her sincere congratulations. The moment brought a sharp pang of longing for her late husband.
“Your father would have been so happy. He would have been walking on eggshells around you and Hyewan, trying to figure out how to take the baby fishing.”
“You’re right,” Yundo agreed, his expression softening at the thought of his father.
His father had been a gentle man, taking after his kind grandfather rather than Chairwoman Kang Ok-seon. He would have showered his grandchildren with unconditional love. Today, Yundo missed him more than ever.
The next day, Hyewan and Yundo visited Min-suk to share the news. They arrived unannounced, catching her completely off guard.
“What brings you two here at this hour? Oh, and Son-in-law Cha is here too?”
“We just wanted to see you, Mother,” Yundo replied with his usual easy charm.
“Come sit over here,” Min-suk said, gesturing to the seats.
Hyewan and Yundo took their places. From the kitchen, Gyeong-ae called out a greeting. Hyewan exchanged a glance with Yundo before reaching into her bag and pulling out the ultrasound photo.
“What’s this? Oh my god! Wan! Are you pregnant?”
“Pregnant?”
Gyeong-ae, who had been stir-frying anchovies in the kitchen, came rushing out, still clutching her rice paddle.
“We found out yesterday. It’s six weeks.”
“Oh, heavens! What wonderful news!”
Min-suk was so overcome with emotion she couldn’t speak. In her place, Gyeong-ae danced a little jig of joy.
Min-suk wept tears of happiness. It was already a blessing enough that her daughter, whom she had raised alone as a single mother after being kicked out of her own home for having a shaman for a mother, had found such a decent husband. Now, to be pregnant too… she couldn’t imagine anything more joyful.
It felt as if all the hardships and sorrow of the past years were being washed away in an instant.
“Mom, listen to the baby’s heartbeat.”
Min-suk and Gyeong-ae listened to the heartbeat over and over again. No matter how many times they heard it, it still felt like a miracle.
“Once the morning sickness starts, you won’t be able to come here. I had terrible morning sickness when I was pregnant with you, too.”
“Don’t even get me started,” Gyeong-ae said, shaking her head as she recalled the time. “I thought you were going to die back then.”
Yundo’s expression turned grave.
“Was it really that bad?”
“It was. But I heard they have medicine for morning sickness these days.”
“The daughter of the dried seafood shop at the intersection said she took it and felt much better, didn’t she?”
Hyewan nodded at Min-suk and Gyeong-ae’s words.
“Yes, they do.”
Min-suk continued to fret over Hyewan.
“I hope you only go through it as much as everyone else does. They say daughters inherit their mother’s constitution, so I’m worried. You need to take care of yourself too, Hyewan. Eat as much as you can while you still can.”
“She’s always been a picky eater, so I’m already worried,” Yundo said, his mind already racing with a mountain of concerns.
“Just be careful. Even if you don’t want to eat, do it for the baby. Understand?”
“I understand, Mom. Don’t worry.”
“Mother, you can trust me.”
“Of course, I’ve always trusted our Son-in-law Cha.”
The tiny, six-week-old baby-to-be had already brought so much joy to so many people.
Of everyone who heard the news of Hyewan’s pregnancy, Bora had the most enthusiastic reaction. After a series of gasps and shrieks, she finally burst into tears. To an outsider, it would have looked like Bora—not Hyewan—had finally conceived after a long struggle with infertility.
“Huuuh… Hyewan! Oh my god, I’m so happy!”
“You’re such a drama queen,” Hyewan scolded, though she hugged Bora tightly.
“If you keep this up, you’re going to faint.”
“I’m going to be an aunt! I have to be this excited. I’m an only child, so I thought I’d never have a niece or nephew in my entire life!”
Bora sniffled and made a solemn vow.
“I’m throwing the gender reveal party!”
“The gender reveal? No, the doctor tells you right away during the ultrasound.”
“Ugh, you idiot! That’s why you have to tell the doctor not to tell you and just write it on a slip of paper. Then you give it to me, and I’ll handle everything!”
“Is that how it works?”
“Ugh, you’re so hopeless!”
Unable to hit a pregnant woman, Bora beat her own chest in frustration.
“I don’t know if Yundo will go for it, though. I can’t stop him when it comes to the baby.”
“Tell him we’ll film it and show it to the baby after they’re born. Tell him, ‘Imagine how happy the baby will be to see this!’ He’ll agree on the spot, trust me.”
Bora’s prediction was spot on. Yundo was even more excited than she was, insisting it would be a precious video memory for the baby.
Min-suk’s worst fears became a reality. Hyewan had fallen into the depths of morning sickness hell.
She’d been fine for the first few days after finding out she was pregnant, but by the end of her seventh week, she was vomiting even after drinking plain water. She’d tried the maximum dose of anti-nausea medication, but it made no difference whether she took it or not, so she’d given up on it entirely.
By her ninth week, there was no sign of improvement.
Hyewan began her day hunched over the toilet. But since she hadn’t eaten, there was nothing to bring up. That was the worst part. As she stumbled out of the bathroom, Yundo, who had been pacing outside the door, let his worry pour out.
“What are we going to do? It’s like this every day. Are you dizzy?”
“Not that much.”
“Let’s just admit you to the hospital, okay?”
“They said as long as I can still walk, I’m fine. I can hold out longer.”
“Who the hell says something so ignorant? Have they ever been pregnant?”
“My mom said so.”
Yundo immediately changed his tune, not missing a beat. “Your mother is always right.”
Hyewan shot him a glare. “Then why are you still acting like this? Aren’t you going to get dressed?”
“I’m going to work this afternoon.”
“Why? Because of me?”
“Yeah.”
“Hurry up and get dressed.”
Hyewan turned him around. If he was already acting like this at nine weeks, she wondered how she’d survive the remaining thirty-one.
“I already told Chief Lee I’d be in late.”
“Then just go in early and surprise him. I’m sure he’ll love that.”
“I’m doing this for you. I’m too anxious to leave you alone.”
She knew. That was exactly why Hyewan wanted him to go to work on time. She didn’t want people saying he’d gotten lazy after marrying her.
“You don’t have to worry. I’m meeting Bora today.”
“Bora?”
“Yeah, she said she’s free today and wants to meet.”
Yundo clicked his tongue.
“If you’d told me sooner, I could have booked a nice restaurant. Want me to try now?”
“No, we’re going shopping. I heard there’s a kit to make a baby’s first outfit by hand, so I want to buy that. If we get hungry, we can just grab something simple.”
“Then take this.”
Yundo pulled a card from his wallet.
“You don’t have to give me your card. You already gave me the allowance.”
“Hyewan, shopping is meant to be done with your husband’s card.”
“How do you know that?”
“Instinct.”
Hyewan shot him a glare at his smooth-talking nonsense but took the card anyway. It wasn’t hard to please a man who was practically itching to spend money on her and Haetsal.
“I’ll put it to good use.”
“I should message Bora.”
What’s he talking about all of a sudden? Hyewan stared at him, her eyes widening in confusion. He just shrugged.
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