‘Lee Soohyun-ssi, it’s dangerous anymore. The baby is too small compared to the weeks. As expected, pheromones are the biggest problem. Injections don’t seem to be enough.’
‘Then what should I do?’
Soohyun, who had visited the hospital for a regular checkup, heard a story like a bolt from the blue. The story was that although the baby was still growing well, it was smaller than other babies. Since Soohyun’s pheromones were hardly coming out, Soohyun was barely maintaining the pregnancy by receiving injections, but pheromones were a necessary condition for maintaining an omega male’s pregnancy.
‘Since Lee Soohyun-ssi’s pheromones aren’t coming out… you really need to sufficiently receive your partner’s, or at least another alpha’s pheromones. If it continues like this…’
‘If it continues like this…?’
At Soohyun’s terribly trembling voice, the doctor avoided his gaze and continued speaking.
‘It won’t be good. We can’t help you with this part either. Lee Soohyun-ssi needs to find a way.’
‘I understand.’
Soohyun’s steps leaving the hospital were heavy. It was a baby he hadn’t even given a nickname to, fearing he might lose the child in vain like 8 years ago. Since it was a baby that came like a miracle, he only wanted to give birth to it healthily, but as expected, his inadequate body was the problem. If his pheromones had at least come out well, he would have somehow raised and given birth to it alone… Soohyun’s complexion darkened.
‘Pheromones… what should I do?’
After holding his cell phone and agonizing for a whole day, Soohyun called Chaeho. Because the only alpha he knew and could trust was that child. It wasn’t something he could ask a stranger. Although he was pregnant, Soohyun was still beautiful, and because he was an omega, there were those who made advances toward him even in this place.
While lost in various thoughts, his cell phone rang. Confirming Chaeho’s message that he had arrived at the facility entrance, Soohyun got up. Since entry was restricted except for admitted people, Soohyun had to go outside.
“Soohyun-hyung.”
“Chaeho-ya.”
Chaeho’s face when they met at the entrance was gaunt, so Soohyun reflexively reached out his hand and stroked his cheek. Chaeho, who had become much more mature with all the baby fat that had remained completely gone, just seemed pitiful.
“I contacted you too late. I’m sorry.”
“No, hyung. I’m so happy just to meet you again like this.”
Watching Chaeho smile brightly like a child, Soohyun could also smile for the first time in a long while. For two months, he had been quite desperate to survive alone, so Soohyun couldn’t properly remember when he had laughed comfortably. Chaeho silently held Soohyun’s hand, then his gaze lingered on the facility’s sign.
“But hyung, here is… where? Why are you in a place like this?”
“That’s…”
The place where Soohyun was staying had the name ‘Hope Independence Center.’ Since it was a name one couldn’t imagine was a facility for single fathers or single mothers, Chaeho didn’t seem to know well why Soohyun was here. This was also partly because Soohyun hadn’t explained in detail. But it wasn’t a story to casually reveal in front of the facility, so he grabbed Chaeho’s sleeve.
“You can’t go inside… I’d like to talk somewhere else.”
“Huh? Oh…”
Chaeho followed him while caring about Soohyun’s appearance wearing a loose shirt. Hope Independence Center was in a somewhat secluded place, so there was nowhere nearby to go inside and talk. Eventually, the two decided to talk inside Chaeho’s car.
“Chaeho, you… didn’t take care of yourself well. Your face is a mess.”
“I don’t think I’m the one to say that. Your face is the one that’s…”
Inside Chaeho’s car parked under the streetlight, the two faced each other and began talking. Soohyun told him about what happened before coming here along with the stories from that time in a calm tone, and a long sigh flowed from Chaeho’s mouth as he listened silently.
“Hyung, you said you have a favor…”
“That’s…”
Chaeho was frustrated with Soohyun who didn’t open his mouth easily even though there was clearly a more important story. Soohyun turned his head to stare at Chaeho’s face, then bowed his head deeply and murmured in a small voice that could barely be heard.
“…I did.”
“Hm? Hyung, I can’t hear what you said.”
“I got… pregn… Chaeho-ya.”
“Huh?”
Soohyun’s voice was still small. Chaeho leaned his body and listened carefully to his voice.
“I’m pregnant, Chaeho-ya.”
He must have heard wrong. Chaeho knew to some extent about not only Soohyun’s mental state but also his physical condition. He had pushed him away because he had a body that couldn’t get pregnant. Soohyun continued speaking without being able to face Chaeho.
“I somehow held on until 5 months. I got injections. Because my pheromones don’t come out. But they said the baby isn’t growing. So I need to at least receive alpha pheromones…”
“Wait, wait hyung. Just a moment.”
Chaeho’s clasped hands trembled. The fact that the hyung he met after two months was pregnant, and already 5 months along, was too unrealistic.
“Chaeho-ya…”
“Hy, hyung. Are you, really pregnant?”
Soohyun’s head shook lightly up and down. Tears that somehow burst out flowed down his cheeks and wet Chaeho’s hands. It was Soohyun who had desperately turned away from the fear that he might not be able to protect the baby. The feelings he had pressed down tightly because he couldn’t confide his worries to anyone were flowing out all at once.
“I’m sorry… even though I know I shouldn’t do this to you… you’re the only person I can ask…”
“Hyung, then the baby is surely… surely…”
“…It’s Seojun-ssi’s baby.”
Soohyun wiped his tears with the back of his hand. After being involved with Seojun, Soohyun had never been with anyone else even once, and except for the first time, they had done it without contraception when making love with Seojun, so it was definitely his baby. Watching Chaeho’s face become colored with shock, Soohyun bowed his head again.
Because he knew it was a terrible thing to do to him who spoke of love to him. Because he hated himself for having no choice but to make this choice even while knowing.
“Hyung, did you contact Choi Seojun? Does that bastard know you’re pregnant?”
Soohyun was silent. Instead, strength naturally went into the fingers that grabbed the edge of Chaeho’s shirt.
“I called… once. Only once though.”
“R, really?”
Chaeho recalled the content of the talk show he saw before departure. Recalling the face that lightly said he was unlucky about the matter with Soohyun, he became angry.
“Then you talked. What did he say?”
“That’s…”
Soohyun had to hesitate again. Every story he confessed to the child like a younger brother he met after two months was nothing but shabby.
“I think he blocked me. It wouldn’t connect.”
“Crazy…”
Chaeho examined Soohyun’s face again. Dark spots had appeared on the face that was white and pretty, and the plump cheeks were gaunt. Imagining the belly that must have started to protrude under the loose t-shirt, he felt stuffy as if a stone had been placed on one side of his chest.
“Any, anyway, I had no intention of receiving help from that person. I didn’t think I could get pregnant either… But I really want to give birth to the baby, Chaeho-ya.”
“Hyung, why… why… why do you go that far?”
Chaeho couldn’t even dare to imagine Soohyun giving birth to and raising a baby alone. Moreover, he wasn’t sound in body or mind, and was a lonely person without even family to take care of him.
“Because it’s a child who will become my family for the first time. I want to give birth healthily. Chaeho-ya.”
“Hyung…”
Soohyun always thirsted for ‘family.’ The reason he hurried marriage with Jeongwon was also because he wanted someone to become family. Together with a baby who shared blood with him. Chaeho, knowing Soohyun’s such wish, couldn’t say anything more. Barely swallowing the rising sob, he opened his mouth again.
“What… should I do?”
“Thank you, really… really thank you.”
Soohyun bowed his head toward Chaeho.
