As I got closer to the Executive Director’s office, my heart also pounded. I had no idea why he was calling me. He’s not going to bring up canceling the contract, is he? Mom already had the graft surgery and entered regeneration treatment for other parts, so if there’s a problem with the contract, the one in a predicament would be me.
No, that can’t be. There’s no way. A household that needs a baby more than anyone wouldn’t break the contract. Besides, I’ve already successfully gotten pregnant and it’s been 5 weeks…. If they were going to do that, they wouldn’t have started in the first place.
Then what could it be? Even thinking about it alone won’t give me an answer, but my head was complicated so I couldn’t help having these thoughts.
While having such random thoughts on the way, I realized that the air here was somehow special. Starting from the corridor heading to the Executive Director’s office after getting off the elevator, the entire floor was fresh and refreshing. The air was very clean, as if only this place was a different world. Also, fitting with this place, all the secretaries had neat and tidy appearances.
I also saw people occasionally coming and going wearing masks and gloves. So the story I heard at the Chairman’s office was true. The story about rules like wearing masks and gloves when facing or talking with the Executive Director, and the prohibition against washing only bangs, was true.
But everyone’s amazing. How do they all accommodate that fastidiousness? Is this why secretaries are different? I looked around the place with wide eyes like someone who had directly seen a legendary world.
“Now, please put these on and follow me inside. You must never take them off inside.”
“Ah, yes.”
I received the mask and gloves the secretary handed me and looked at them for a moment. I’m strangely nervous. Setting aside whether he’s a germaphobe or what, anyway, he’s the biological father of this baby in my belly created by combining with my genes. That fact felt very strange. Following the secretary’s guidance, I carefully put on the mask and gloves and entered the office.
Finally, the door opened and I saw some figure sitting facing forward. Is that person the Executive Director? His presence was tremendous. As soon as I entered the office, he captured my gaze so much that I couldn’t see anything else.
A man with a tall height and a solid, sleek body was staring at me while wearing a subtly lustrous black suit. There’s someone who suits jet-black formal wear this well…. The sight of him sitting with his long legs elegantly crossed, chin resting on his hand while looking at me, looked like a black panther vibrating with wildness.
A beautiful forehead revealed thanks to neatly swept-up hair. His nose bridge was the highest and most prominent I’d ever seen. The nose line going down from his forehead was distinct enough to draw admiration, and his prominent T-zone had bold lines like a Westerner’s. He had a truly handsome face that would make you lose your senses at first glance.
But he looks familiar somehow? Where have I seen him? There’s no way I wouldn’t remember such a handsome person…. But I didn’t have time to wrestle with something I can’t remember right now. I had no leisure to think of other things in front of the Executive Director looking at me with cold eyes.
Toward me, who was staring at him blankly, he extended his hand and invited me to sit. Coming to my senses at his elegant hand gesture, I carefully approached and sat in the direction the Executive Director’s hand indicated. The position of the long sofa I sat on had a slightly different arrangement from other offices.
It was impressive how far apart it was from the sofa where the Executive Director was sitting, with a wide gap. As I sat down, he uncrossed his legs and adjusted his posture. But how can someone keep staring at a person like that? The gaze fixed on me was so unwavering that it was embarrassing.
“Welcome. Even without introducing myself, you must have guessed who I am.”
His low resonating voice tickles my ears. I bowed my head slightly in greeting, then answered his question.
“Yes, hello. I knew because I heard the Executive Director was waiting for me.”
“Sorry for calling you suddenly. It must have been inconvenient, but thank you for coming.”
Unlike his words, he looked neither sorry nor grateful, but I answered “yes” for now.
“Since we’re both busy, let’s get straight to the point. The reason I called Baek Eunwoo-ssi today is….”
Cha Juheon trailed off for a moment, then stared at my stomach. His sharp eyes, which had been looking at my lower abdomen with a strange expression, turned back to me.
“Because Baek Eunwoo-ssi is not properly fulfilling the contract conditions.”
“…What?”
I’m not properly fulfilling the contract conditions? This is nothing if not an out-of-the-blue statement. I have no idea what problem he’s talking about. As soon as I decided on surrogacy and things proceeded, I acted exactly as written in the contract without error.
I moved my residence too, and I also ate exactly what the Chairman’s office secretary sent. I had my health meticulously checked by the attending physician who visits once a week and took notes on everything he told me and followed it exactly. Like this, I’m protecting the baby with responsibility without going against the conditions.
But what exactly? When I demanded an answer with a face that really didn’t know, he slowly opened his mouth.
“Why are you still working?”
“Working?”
At the unexpected question, I asked back in a stupid voice. In the slightly tense, cold atmosphere, the Executive Director crossed his arms and stared at me.
“Yes. I’m asking why you continue to work and run around carrying heavy things. I remember it’s written in the contract that you should quit work immediately for the fetus’s stability once pregnancy is successful?”
“…Ah, for that part, I explained the circumstances to the Chairman and obtained permission.”
“What did you get permission for? He couldn’t have permitted you to run around carrying heavy boxes during early pregnancy, the period when miscarriages are most common?”
Thanks to the Executive Director’s attitude of speaking as if he knew all my actions, I could remember him. *I thought I’d seen him somewhere—*he was the person I almost bumped into while running with a material box a few days ago. Back then his hairstyle was different and I was too busy so I just passed by, but who knew this would happen.
“…It sounds like an excuse, but I wasn’t carrying heavy things. That box I was holding then only had vegetables inside. I don’t usually run like that either. Rather, my working hours have decreased a lot now….”
“What’s important is that Baek Eunwoo-ssi continues to work, differently from what’s written in the contract. Didn’t you hear to rest until 12 weeks?”
The Executive Director, who cut off my words at once, brought up the facts written in the contract again this time. Well, strictly speaking, his words aren’t wrong, but since I’d already received permission from the Chairman, I felt a bit wronged. It’s not like I acted on my own.…
“B-but Executive Director. I also had my circumstances and couldn’t help it. If I quit suddenly, the place where I work would be in trouble due to lack of hands. So the Chairman also readily….”
“Should I have to consider such circumstances? And the child’s biological father is me, not the Chairman.”
I felt offended by his action of letting out a short laugh as if sneering. It was exactly a laugh with the meaning of “so what?” Ah, but he really cuts off words. Setting aside the germaphobia, he’s a really cold and rigid person.
“Baek Eunwoo-ssi. I don’t want to know other people’s personal circumstances. Children are important to me. To me, that child is just that one child. But if a miscarriage happens because of that, wouldn’t it be awkward for both of us? Early pregnancy, especially for male omegas, miscarriages are more frequent than for women. That’s why I specifically asked for special care and put it in the contract.”
Right. Well, those words are correct. The Executive Director’s attitude was cold and chilly, but there was nothing wrong with his words. Working at the café—should I have found another way instead of being swayed by emotion?
“Of course, I also know I should be grateful that you’re even giving birth with Baek Eunwoo-ssi’s genes. I also know you accepted work that’s not easy. So we paid quite a lot of money appropriately for that. We also accommodated all the detailed matters to Baek Eunwoo-ssi. You wouldn’t be unaware that it’s unprecedented treatment incomparable to other surrogates.”
“I’m well aware.”
I answered in a small voice, feeling unnecessarily intimidated. It’s partly because he makes me unable to say anything with his perfectly correct words, but there was also fear because someone in the Executive Director’s position, nine years older than me, was being so overbearing.
“I know you’ve accommodated me. But please understand the circumstances a bit. I won’t drag it out too long. As soon as someone is found, I’ll just do the handover and quit immediately.”
People have things like good faith and morality, and I want to keep that.
“Don’t worry about miscarriage. Even if it weren’t a contract, I also naturally have responsibility, so I’ll protect the baby well. I’ll do good prenatal care and talk to the baby a lot and take good care of it.”
I raised my voice a bit more while gently rubbing my lower abdomen to reassure him.
“You don’t need to try to do more. You just need to do as written in the contract.”
“…It’s not trying to do more, but first of all, the baby is growing in my belly, and they say it’s good for the baby to hear mom or dad’s voice normally.”
Hearing my words, the Executive Director narrowed his eyes and tilted his head as if something was strange.
“Dad? That child isn’t Baek Eunwoo-ssi’s child. You’re just carrying the baby as a surrogate after signing a contract, so please be careful not to cross the line emotionally.”
…What, how am I crossing the line emotionally? I’m just saying that’s the case. Really a strange personality? Even if it’s surrogacy, it’s not like there’s a parasite in my belly—a life is growing, so isn’t it natural to cherish it?
“Don’t worry. I won’t be greedy for the baby. I’m well aware of what the situation is.”
I threw the words somewhat bluntly because his attitude was so absurd. But this time too, he didn’t seem to care about my attitude or tone.
“You never know about people’s affairs. Whether you’ll unnecessarily grow attached and change your mind. Baek Eunwoo-ssi also said you’d absolutely never contract at first, then eventually changed your mind and went back on your word. Because there’s such a thing as ‘what if.’ Anyway, it’s only been 5 weeks, so please take care. And.”
I waited with an uncomfortable feeling to see what he’d say next. But strangely, the Executive Director didn’t readily open his mouth. Not only did he close his mouth, but he stopped talking and just looked at me with an indecipherable expression.
“…Can you take off your mask for a moment? I can’t hear you well because of the mask.”
?
And the next words were a request to take off my mask without any context.
