I've Been Possessed, But What If I Get Pregnant First? - C78
#78
Shrugging my shoulders with a ‘what can you do’ feeling, I left the bathroom. Getting on the elevator right away, other people also crowded into the elevator, maybe because 0 period was approaching. But I-jun wasn’t among them either. Feeling dejected thinking he may have quit, I got off the elevator with a sullen face.
“Ah, hello…”
Making eye contact with the academy director I was seeing after a long time, I felt so embarrassed I could die.
“Come on in, student Yuwon. Long time no see.”
As I hung my head like I was a criminal, the director grabbed my hand with a warm face and spoke overflowing with support.
“Let’s work hard together with our academy starting from today! It’s still May so there’s plenty of possibilities!”
“Th- thank you. I’ll really work hard.”
I felt energized just from the director’s enthusiastic voice. When I firmly nodded while holding the director’s hand, he handed me a memo.
“It has the progress covered in each subject up to yesterday. For 1st period Korean, you can start from page 242 of the CSAT workbook.”
“Ah…”
For a moment, I let out a sigh at the thought of having to catch up on the lessons covered first.
“Yes, thank you.”
Not only Korean, but also English, math, electives… The curriculum was already about half way through.
“Then let’s go fighting today too!”
“Fi- fighting…”
Leaving the director’s cheers behind, I headed to the lecture room with heavy steps.
“Ah, I should have asked if I-jun is still attending.”
Seeing I-jun’s seat that he always came to early empty, it seemed he really did quit after all. It was such a shame.
My sleep amount that increased so much after getting pregnant made me doze off during class. Thinking I shouldn’t do this when I already study less time than others, I went to the back from 2nd period and took the class standing at a tall desk.
“Oh, my legs…”
During break time, I sat on a chair and rubbed my aching legs. I had blood circulation issues while pregnant, so my legs would swell just from standing or walking a little.
Sigh… nothing is ever easy.
Still, it felt rewarding thinking of Ho-ppang who I could feel growing rapidly. I made plans to go get a prenatal checkup together with Kwon Taebeom after academy today. Today was the day to get the fetal abnormality test I reserved last week, and most of all, find out Ho-ppang’s gender, so I was especially nervous.
As soon as I finished class and left the academy with difficulty, Kwon Taebeom was waiting for me.
“Give me your bag.”
Kwon Taebeom who took the bag slung it over his shoulder. The sight of the cute chick keychain jingling still made me laugh.
“How was studying again after a long time today? Was it manageable?”
“No, I was sleepy I could d- gasp, no I mean it was hard.”
I quickly changed my words at Kwon Taebeom who especially disliked the expression ‘I could die’.
“It’s still a time when you need a lot of sleep. So-“
“But it was nice studying together with people again after a long time. It made me competitive too.”
I cut him off in case he told me to get tutoring and spewed countless reasons why it was good to attend academy. Only after he nodded that he understood could I disclose my true feelings.
“Phew… I think I’m a little nervous.”
Today was finally the day I could find out Ho-ppang’s gender. On top of that, the fetal abnormality test results from last week were coming out together, so my nervousness doubled.
“Our Ho-ppang will have no issues, right?”
“Of course. And according to research, for children born between an omega and dominant alpha, over 98% are born normal.”
Kwon Taebeom cited numerous research results and addressed all the parts I was worried about. His professional words made my anxious heart calm down.
“There’s still time left, want to eat something before going?”
“Chocolate milk.”
“…Chocolate again?”
Kwon Taebeom frowned one eyebrow with a troubled face and rubbed my soft cheek.
“You see, please listen to what I’m saying. Ah, let’s get in the car first.”
As the appointment time approached, I got in the car for now.
“Nngh…”
No matter how much strength I used, the seat belt wouldn’t click in properly. As I kept grunting because of one belt, Kwon Taebeom directly fastened the seat belt for me.
“Still a baby, can’t even do this.”
“Ahem, ahem.”
I urgently fake coughed and turned my head at the sight of Mr. Junseok looking at us through the rearview mirror from the driver’s seat.
“Ah right, about the chocolate milk…”
“That’s too sweet so no.”
“It’s not that I want to eat it…”
Kwon Taebeom looked at me with suspicious eyes as it wasn’t just a day or two of me begging to eat it using Ho-ppang as an excuse. I protested feeling wronged at his narrowed eyes.
“Tsk… They said if you drink chocolate milk during the ultrasound, it comes out clearer!”
Even after I explained like that, he still seemed to not believe me. In the end, I showed Kwon Taebeom the blog post I searched earlier.
“See? They said if you eat something sweet, the baby wakes up and moves actively. What if Ho-ppang is shy today when we’re checking the gender and doesn’t spread their legs.”
“…Fine. But just this once.”
“Yes, of course.”
I already felt the delusion of sweet chocolate scent filling my mouth. Soon, Mr. Junseok who bought chocolate milk with a blue raccoon picture from the convenience store stuck in a straw and held it out to me.
“Thank you for the meal.”
Leaning against the gently moving car, I eagerly slurped the chocolate milk. The chocolate milk I drank thanks to Ho-ppang tasted especially sweeter.
***
“What should we do about the dresses we bought?”
I spoke, recalling Ho-ppang’s closet that was packed full without any room. I did purchase a variety since there’s no need to dress them in blue for a boy or pink for a girl, but dresses for girls seemed too much for Ho-ppang after all.
“We can donate them. Or just put them on Ho-ppang anyway.”
“Should we? I think it would be cute to put a dress on when they’re young and don’t know anything.”
I giggled softly imagining Ho-ppang wearing a dress.
“Ah… that would be so cute.”
I turned the photo attached to the maternity notebook this way and that. They say you can tell the gender if you look closely at the position the baby is lying, but I still couldn’t tell at all even after finding out Ho-ppang is a boy. Anyway, after scanning the photos of Ho-ppang growing well, I neatly folded the maternity notebook and opened the bag. And then…
Thud.
A pack of cigarettes fell from the bag to the floor. For a moment, an awkward atmosphere flowed. As I raised my head glancing around, Kwon Taebeom was staring at the cigarette pack with icy eyes.
“……”
“Su- surprise…?!”
Tsk… I didn’t hide this on purpose and I’m not the one smoking it either, so why is this coming out at this timing? I wasn’t bothered at all but I grew nervous at Kwon Taebeom’s reaction. My joints seemed to creak especially today.
“Taebeom…? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“It’s not it, right?”
No, this person! What is he saying when Ho-ppang is listening right now. As I snorted loudly, he picked up the cigarette pack with the plastic wrap still intact and spoke.
“Don’t tell me you bought this to give to me?”
“Yes. Ah, you see, I just had to go to the convenience store and thought of you Taebeom. This is the cigarette you smoke, right?”
I quickly looked at him with a face begging for praise. Then Kwon Taebeom spoke with a dumbfounded look.
“I quit smoking ages ago though.”
“Huh? Really?”
“I have two kids now, of course I should quit.”
I just thought he didn’t smoke in front of me but naturally smoked elsewhere.
“What do you mean two kids…! But I smelled cigarette smoke on you Taebeom!”
Maybe because even faint scents are easy to detect, I occasionally smelled cigarette odor from Kwon Taebeom’s body or hair.
“Then you can just throw this away Taebeom.”
Thinking I must have been mistaken, I turned my head and rummaged through the messy inside of the bag since I opened it anyway.
***
Late at night, after checking that Yuwon was asleep, Taebeom who came to the living room immediately called Junseok.
“Is everyone gathered?”
-Yes, hyungnim.
“I’m coming now.”
After finishing the brief call, Taebeom who hung up crumpled the cigarette pack in his hand with an icy face. Heading to the fitness room in the annex, Taebeom walked toward the men gathered with tense faces.
“I’ll keep it short. Smokers, step forward.”
At Taebeom’s words, the majority of men took a step forward. Taebeom’s eyes turned fiercely cold watching that sight. They say smokers have a poor sense of smell for cigarettes, and he had been overlooking this part all this time. Smelling the scent coming from the men, a faint cigarette smell could be detected just as Yuwon said.
“Yuwon… no, you all probably know well that my husband is pregnant.”
The men bit their lips hard with an ‘oh shoot’ expression at those words.
“But. I found cigarettes in Yuwon’s bag today.”
The men who were standing with their heads down all raised their heads with a start at Taebeom’s words.
“He said he bought them to give to me. How did this happen.”
“Wh- why…”
Anyone working under Taebeom could know that he quit smoking. They could sometimes smell an intensely sharp peppermint scent whenever they passed by Taebeom, and it was something everyone was aware of because Junseok informed them.
“He thought I still smoked because I smelled like cigarettes.”
The men inhaled deeply with a shocked face at those words. They all wanted to hide the cigarettes in their clothes right away.
“My husband is pregnant. Therefore, I order everyone to quit smoking. If you can’t, feel free to leave this house immediately.”
Taebeom slowly warned the men. Then everyone hurriedly took out the cigarettes they had in their pockets and put them in the plastic bag Junseok held out. After that day when cigarette packs piled up in the large plastic bag, a no smoking trend began at the Uneondong residence.
***