I've Been Possessed, But What If I Get Pregnant First? - C96
#96
I opened my eyes wide in surprise. Isn’t it too early for him to come?
Looking at the clock, he had indeed come an hour earlier than usual. I immediately lowered my rolled-up pants and greeted him.
“You came early today?”
“What are you two doing?”
“Huh…? Oh, it’s muscle- Ow!”
Just as I was flustered by his hardened face, he suddenly lifted me up. My body trembled at the firm hand pulling me. After easily lifting me, he looked down at the coach still crouched on the floor and said,
“He can’t exercise today.”
“Hyung, wait a minute! Huh?”
Leaving only those words, he carried me in his arms and left the boxing gym. As I wriggled my legs asking to be put down while still in his arms, he gently patted my bottom.
“Kid, let’s go quietly.”
“No, I can walk…!”
“Shh.”
Even without looking in a mirror, I could clearly see my state. I must look like a burning sweet potato. Seeing no sign of him putting me down, I quietly buried my face in his chest and squeezed my eyes shut. It was so, so embarrassing, but also so, so nice. Sometimes being sick like this… didn’t seem so bad.
He then seated me in the passenger seat. As he fastened my seatbelt himself, I could smell his faint body scent. It was always a pleasant scent. Does he wear cologne? I unknowingly took a deep breath.
“But where are we going…?”
“To eat.”
Usually we walked to a restaurant near the boxing gym, but this was the first time riding in his car. As I looked around curiously at the uniquely designed car interior, he chuckled.
The place we arrived at after driving on unusually empty roads was a high-end Japanese restaurant. Just the atmosphere alone made it seem incredibly expensive… As I looked up at him with a hesitant face, he pulled me inside.
“Welcome, Director-“
“Yes. Please show us to a room.”
The server seemed about to say something, but he cut them off. Anyway, following the server’s guidance, we went through a hallway and entered a room.
Being alone with him in an empty room made me even more nervous. Avoiding his gaze, I looked around the room and asked needlessly,
“But isn’t this place really expensive…?”
“Is it?”
Seeing him unfazed by coming to such a high-end Japanese restaurant, just like with the car he was driving earlier, he seemed a bit different. Is his family well-off…?
While I was having such useless thoughts, the food arrived. From sashimi to sushi, fried dishes to udon, the table was filled with food, making me wonder if someone else was joining us besides him and me.
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you for the food…”
However, as time passed, no one else came. That meant he and I had to eat all of this by ourselves. Although hyung had a good build and was tall, he wasn’t the type to eat tremendously more than expected. There were even many times when I ate more than him.
When will we finish all this…? Looking at the food even sprinkled with gold flakes, it must be expensive, so we couldn’t leave any. I took a deep breath, prepared to even undo my belt, and moved my chopsticks busily.
While it wasn’t to the point of undoing my belt, my stomach became very full from eating much more than usual. Still, we finished everything including the plum tea served as dessert before going outside. I thought we’d go straight home after dinner, but he said to me,
“Shall we go see a movie?”
“A movie…?”
“If you don’t want to, we can just go.”
“No! I want to go!”
I was glad to be able to stay with him longer. Looking at the time, we still had plenty. I apologized but sent grandmother a message saying I’d be a bit late.
I thought we were going to a movie theater, but once again my expectation was off. He headed to a drive-in theater.
The drive-in theater I was visiting for the first time was fascinating. Sitting in the passenger seat looking out the window, a movie was playing on a large screen. As I stared curiously at the sound coming from the car speakers, he placed popcorn in my lap.
After the advertisements ended, the movie properly began. I swallowed hard in the quieted surroundings. Watching a movie just the two of us in a small space made his expressions and breathing more noticeable.
My head kept turning from the screen to the driver’s seat where he was. Without realizing it, my gaze kept going towards him. It was a movie I was seeing after a very long time, a movie everyone praised as fun, but I couldn’t focus at all.
He himself was more movie-like to me than the actual movie, and this moment of being with him was more fun than anything else. I ate popcorn while sneaking glances at him focusing on the movie. It was amazing how I could still eat after having so much food earlier.
“Is it not interesting?”
“Huh? No. It’s, it’s interesting…”
Did I stare too obviously? I was startled when he suddenly turned his head. My heart was pounding. I felt like he would figure everything out. I lowered my head and put popcorn in my mouth.
“Ah.”
“You seemed to be enjoying it, so I was curious how delicious it was.”
Our hands touched. It was just our hands touching, but why did it keep… My ears were so hot. I quickly handed him the popcorn and said,
“Ah… Have some more.”
He smiled gently and reached out to wipe my mouth. I flinched. My body stiffened again. His fingers gently brushed past my lips as he wiped.
“You really are still a baby. Eating with food all over your face. When will you grow up, kiddo.”
In the end, the movie finished without me being able to focus. After staring at the screen showing the long list of cast names, I turned my head with a regretful face. He started the car and said to me,
“Let’s go now. Your grandmother will be worried.”
“Okay…”
I was disappointed that we were already going home, but it was time to part ways. Today felt like I had gone on a date with him. He probably didn’t think of it that way, but I did. It was a happy day like a dream. It felt like I would remember it for a long time, for my whole life. I rubbed my lips where his fingers had touched and smiled softly.
On the way home, I turned away from him and only looked out the window. If I looked at him, my face would surely turn red. I drew a small heart on the foggy window. It was all I could express to the fullest.
Someday, I hope the day comes when I can fully convey these feelings to him. Pressing down on my pounding heart, I looked forward to January 1st, which was still far away.
***
‘Welcome! I’ll show you to your seat!’
‘Enjoy your meal!’
‘Thank you, come again!’
Although he hadn’t visited the restaurant many times, the image of the young boy greeting customers with a bright face remained vividly in Taebeom’s memory. Even on quite irritating days, seeing the boy’s energetic appearance would often improve his mood.
Maybe that’s why. When he found the boy crying on the street with a crumpled face, Taebeom couldn’t help but be concerned about the young boy.
“Boss, are you going to work out today too?”
“Yeah.”
“You seem to be going often these days.”
Is that so? Well, seeing Yuwon’s face like a puppy eagerly waiting just for him, it seemed he was making time to go even when he didn’t have any. Taebeom smiled slightly and wiped the blood stains on his hand.
“What are you looking at?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just that I think it’s the first time I’ve seen you smile, boss.”
Taebeom raised his hand at Junseok, who was looking at him with a curious expression. Touching his lips, he realized his mouth corners had turned up. Realizing he was smiling, Taebeom awkwardly rubbed his mouth.
“He’s the grandson of that restaurant’s grandmother, right? The younger brother you’ve been meeting often lately.”
Taebeom looked at Junseok with a face cleared of any smile at his continued words. Junseok was usually perceptive, but was it that obvious? He suddenly felt like he’d been hit on the head.
“It’s unusual, you caring about someone else.”
“It’s nothing.”
Taebeom racked his brain to find a suitable word for his relationship with Yuwon. But unable to find an exact expression, he ultimately came back to where he started after going in circles.
“He’s like a younger brother.”
Yes, he just liked seeing how the boy followed him well and tried to live earnestly. Taebeom briefly defined his relationship with Yuwon.
Zing-
Taebeom’s face contorted in an instant at the word “Chairman” filling his phone screen. He loosened his tie with an annoyed face and turned off the power. Only then did Taebeom’s deeply furrowed brow slowly return to its original shape as the phone finally fell silent.
“Kwon Taebeom!”
The door opened without warning less than 10 minutes later.
Recently, Taebeom had completely stepped away from field work and was formally receiving successor training. However, still not used to the fountain pen in his hand, Taebeom twirled it between his fingers. He was reading through the progress of a newly launched project while flipping through documents when he looked up at the sudden commotion.
“Kwon Taebeom, you bastard!”
Chairman Kwon, with a very angry face, strode towards Taebeom. His chest heaving up and down as he breathed out looked like an enraged bull. Still quite fit. Taebeom thought to himself as he put down the fountain pen.