I've Been Possessed, But What If I Get Pregnant First? - C76
#76
“Oh no, is it lunchtime already?”
“Lunchtime has long passed. It’s past 4 o’clock.”
It felt like I was only gone briefly but it’s already past 4? Looking at the clock on the wall, just as the man said, it was well past 4 o’clock. Seeing the man sigh deeply with a pale complexion, I felt apologetic.
“I’m sorry for making you worry. I just went for a short walk…”
“I debated a lot about whether I should contact your hyung. Please be sure to let me know in advance next time.”
“Yes, sir…”
I almost got scolded by Kwon Taebeom again. Hmm… but that means it’s almost dinner time, right?
“You said Taebeom is working late today, right?”
“Yes, I was informed he’ll be a bit late.”
“I’m not hungry yet, but I want to pack a lunchbox and surprise Taebeom at work!”
It was one of the 100 things I wanted to do if I got a boyfriend. As my eyes sparkled, the man asked with a worried face:
“You’re still having morning sickness, aren’t you? I think the smells might be difficult for you.”
“I can wear 2 masks and do it. And the smells are more manageable than I thought, as long as it doesn’t enter my mouth.”
Truly, up until a few weeks ago, just smelling it made my stomach upset, but these days as I’m entering a more stable period, it’s fine as long as it doesn’t enter my mouth.
“Then I’ll prepare. What menu should we make?”
“Hehe. For a lunchbox, it has to be kimbap!”
“Understood. Please go up and get ready, then come down.”
“Okay!”
Expressing my gratitude to the man, I skipped up the stairs to the 2nd floor. Wanting to look cool, I entered my dressing room that Kwon Taebeom made for me and opened the closet. It was full of clothes I hadn’t even removed the tags from yet. Among them, I took out a refreshing sky blue knit sweater and paired it with wide pants.
“I think my belly is starting to show now. They say it’s all my fat up until 4 months though.”
I couldn’t eat well because of morning sickness, so I don’t know why my belly is sticking out like this. Thankfully I mainly bought stretchy elastic waistband pants, otherwise I wouldn’t have any clothes that fit.
After snapping the stretched out pants, I washed my hands cleanly and came down to the living room. Entering the kitchen, colorful kimbap ingredients were neatly laid out.
“But does Taebeom like kimbap?”
“Sir doesn’t express himself well usually. I only know he eats everything without being picky.”
He doesn’t express himself well? Indeed, when I first saw him, with his expressionless face, perfect looks and body, it felt like interacting with a robot. But these days, he frequently expresses that he loves me and that I’m handsome, so I couldn’t relate to him not expressing himself well.
If I told this to the man right now, he’d probably scold me for being silly. Nodding my head awkwardly, I told the man ‘I hope Taebeom likes it.’
***
“Why does mine keep bursting at the seams?”
Unlike the kimbap the man made, mine had the side bursting open. Looking at the tattered kimbap with a dejected face, I let out a sigh.
“But it’s still a kimbap full of your sincerity, so he’ll like it.”
Unable to quite say it’s fine, the man comforted me.
“But this seems too severe… I’m thinking we should just pack the ones you made.”
“There’s still plenty of time and ingredients left, so let’s try a bit more.”
Since we prepared enough for Kwon Taebeom’s employees too, there were still a lot of ingredients left. Whew… In the end, I put on gloves with renewed determination and picked up the kim seaweed. I spread an appropriate amount of rice widely on the seaweed, then placed pickled radish and rolled egg. Then I layered carrot, ham, burdock, and spinach in order before wetting the end of the seaweed with rice paste.
“Phew… I’ll get it right this time!”
At first, the kimbap became fat and burst because I put in too many things, but as time passed, it started to take shape properly. It looked the best out of all the ones I’ve made so far.
“You did a great job making it pretty.”
“Wow…”
“I’ll slice it since the knife is dangerous.”
Finally, I completed a kimbap that didn’t burst at the seams with my own hands. Carefully handing it to the man in case it bursts, I stepped back.
“How is it?”
“It looks delicious!”
“Then I’ll pack Sir’s lunchbox with the kimbap you made.”
The man carefully packed the kimbap into the lunchbox. I was already anticipating what Kwon Taebeom’s reaction would be upon seeing this. My heart fluttered even though I wasn’t going on a trip, just visiting his company.
“It’s all done.”
“Wow. Thank you, sir.”
“I’ll finish packing the portion for the employees and put it on the dining table.”
“Okay!”
These days, Kwon Taebeom has a lot of work, so Junseok has also become busy accordingly. That’s why usually Tae-sik helps me instead of Junseok. They said I can go alone since public transportation is well established and there are taxis, but Kwon Taebeom flatly refused as if he heard nonsense.
Now I’m used to someone following me wherever I go, and because Kwon Taebeom once grabbed me and earnestly said “I haven’t caught all those bastards yet,” I quietly obeyed his words.
“I’ll contact Mr. Tae-sik, so please wash your hands first and come out.”
“Yes, thank you sir!”
Even though I wore gloves, oil got on them making my palms slippery. After thoroughly washing my sticky hands, I came outside and Tae-sik was already waiting for me in the living room.
“Let’s go, sister-in-law.”
“Okay!”
I followed the man, who was holding the lunchboxes in both hands in my stead, down to the parking lot. As I was about to get into the backseat, I felt that same gaze I felt last time through the slightly open front gate.
“Sir, wait a moment.”
I brushed it off the first time, but if I feel the exact same thing twice, I shouldn’t just let it go. I grabbed the man who was opening the driver’s seat door and said I need to go out for a bit.
“It’s dangerous. Please stay in the car, sister-in-law. I’ll go check and come back.”
“Okay. Then I’ll leave it to you.”
As the man said, I obediently waited in the car. After some time passed, the man who returned assured me.
“I think it was a stray cat. There was no one around, so you don’t have to worry too much.”
“A stray cat?”
“Yes. There was a very small kitten behind the utility pole.”
“Ah, I see. I’m sorry for troubling you for nothing.”
“No, not at all. It’s something that needs to be done of course. Then I’ll start driving now.”
Thank goodness it was a stray cat. I wonder if I felt it sensitively without realizing because I’ve developed a habit of observing others these days. Now that I was reassured, I leaned against the seat and looked out the window. Summer really seems to be approaching now. Even though it’s past 5 o’clock, the sun was still high up. I tightly hugged the lunchbox held in my arms.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Can I go up alone?”
At my words, the man only responded with a small smile. As I thought, I can’t. I quietly acknowledged it and trailed behind Tae-sik.
“How may I help you?”
“Please connect me to Chief Secretary Park Junseok.”
“Who should I say is asking?”
“Please tell him it’s someone from the main house.”
“Yes, one moment please.”
The employee sitting at the desk connected the call, then soon handed the phone to the man.
“Hyung, it’s me Tae-sik. Right now I’m downstairs with bro… no, with Yuwon.”
Tae-sik, who was talking to Junseok, lowered his voice and asked to keep it a secret from hyungnim. The man hung up and gave me a small nod. “Sir is working in his office. You can go up now.”
The employee who took back the phone quickly stood up from their seat and guided us to the elevator. We rode the executives-only elevator and went straight up to the 17th floor where Kwon Taebeom’s office was located.
“Sister-in-law, you’re here.”
As soon as the elevator doors opened, Junseok quietly greeted me.
“Yes, Taebeom hasn’t had dinner yet, right?”
“No, not yet.”
“That’s a relief. Ah, I packed plenty so the employees can eat too.”
At my words, Tae-sik handed the lunchboxes he was holding to Junseok.
“Oh my, you didn’t have to for us…”
“Of course, the chef helped so the taste should be good.”
I added, in case he was worried. Junseok replied with a small laugh that he’ll enjoy it.
“Then please eat well, I’ll just have dinner with Taebeom and go back soon.”
“Yes, please go in.”
After exchanging glances with the employees, I grabbed the office doorknob with a trembling heart.
Knock knock-
When I knocked, Kwon Taebeom’s business-like voice was heard. At the firm voice, I felt nervous for the first time in a while. I slowly opened the door and stepped inside.
“What’s the mat-“
“Ta-da!”
I ran up to Kwon Taebeom who asked while keeping his eyes fixed on documents and shouted loudly.
“Yuwon?”
I held out the lunchbox in front of him who looked puzzled.
“Executive Director Kwon, your dinner delivery has arrived!”
“What brings you here?”
With a voice that sounded remarkably brighter, he laughed and accepted the lunchbox bag from my hand.
“Come here for now.”
Then he sat me down on the sofa. Kwon Taebeom’s office, which I was visiting for the first time, was very neat.
‘So this is where he works.’
I thought the son of a major company’s chairman and an executive director would work in an extremely spacious and luxurious room, but it was more modest than I expected. It felt like it only had the bare essentials. Still, the items here and there felt like Kwon Taebeom, making me smile without realizing it.