I've Been Possessed, But What If I Get Pregnant First? - Side Story 11

Side Story 11

“I’ll pick you up when it’s time to finish.”

“The mock exam ends early today.”

Today was the last mock exam before taking the actual college entrance exam. Even though it was a private exam, my heart was pounding at the thought that the next test would be the real entrance exam. Sitting in the passenger seat eating a sandwich, I held a cheat sheet densely filled with notes in one hand.

“That’s great, let’s have dinner with Yubum before going home.”

“Sounds good, Yubum is totally upset with me.”

I recalled Yubum’s sulky face from not being able to play with him much due to exam prep. As expected, I felt sorry for not being able to pay much attention to Yubum while preparing for the exam. I wanted to finish the entrance exam quickly and be with my child.

Before getting out of the car, hyung carefully adjusted my clothes and wrapped a scarf around my exposed neck. The scarf, deeply infused with hyung’s pheromone scent, was the one he usually wore. The tension eased as his pheromone scent deeply filled my lungs.

“Hyung, I’m off.”

“Okay, take care.”

Thanks to the scarf hyung wrapped around me, I felt like he was with me. With a bright smile at this pleasant illusion, I walked into the academy.

***

After soothing Yuwon who had been bustling about since morning, I sent him off to the academy. Taebeom smiled slightly as he watched Yuwon’s retreating figure enter the building, sniffing at the scarf he had wrapped around him.

After staring at the building Yuwon had disappeared into for a while, Taebeom lowered his head at the vibration of his phone alerting him. Picking up the anticipated call, Taebeom spoke in a voice completely different from when he addressed Yuwon:

“What about Kim Sangchul?”

– We’re taking him to the Ganghwa factory now.

“I’ll see you there.”

After hanging up, Taebeom drove onto the highway. Time was tight to resolve everything before 5 pm. Taebeom’s face was frozen cold as he sped towards Incheon.

Arriving in Ganghwa in no time, Taebeom entered a familiar building. As soon as he opened the door, a fishy smell stung his nose.

“Hyungnim.”

Myunghoon approached Taebeom, standing in for Junseok who was looking after Yubum at the main house. Taebeom sat in the chair provided and looked at Sangchul tied to the chair opposite, still in the state he was released from prison that morning.

Sangchul’s face and body were covered in large and small wounds, already beaten by Taebeom’s subordinates. Sangchul lifted his head with a bloody smile, pulling up his torn lip corners. When his eyes met Taebeom’s, he burst out laughing like a madman.

Even at this sight, Taebeom looked down at him with a calm face. Rather, Taebeom’s subordinates next to him clenched their fists, waiting only for the boss’s orders. However, Taebeom opened his mouth in a level voice facing Kim Sangchul:

“You know why you’re here.”

Taebeom spoke to end the long, bitter relationship. This should have ended 7 years ago. Meeting his turbid eyes, he was reminded of Yuwon that day. If he had known that letting Kim Sangchul go that day would cause such trouble, he would have used any means necessary.

“Cha Yuwon…”

“Shut up. You have no right to speak his name.”

Taebeom’s face, which had been calmly looking down at him, froze coldly. He felt uncontrollable anger at Yuwon’s name coming from that filthy mouth. Nevertheless, Sangchul twisted his lips in a smile.

“Was Cha Yuwon’s suicide attempt really just because of me?”

Seeing Taebeom’s hardened face, Sangchul continued speaking with a confident expression, as if he had expected this. He had merely told Cha Yuwon facts he didn’t know. Originally, Cha Yuwon had been abandoned by Kwon Taebeom. He was just trying to take him in.

“I may have revealed the truth, but you’re the one who abandoned him.”

Sangchul always felt unfair about this. Why couldn’t he have Yuwon? What was different between him and Kwon Taebeom that he couldn’t have Cha Yuwon? With anger built up over a long time bursting out, Sangchul glared at Taebeom with bloodshot eyes.

“True. I’m partly to blame for Yuwon’s suffering. But that doesn’t absolve you of your crimes. Thinking of the time Yuwon wasted because of trash like you, even killing you cleanly doesn’t feel satisfying enough.”

“You, you…!”

Sangchul jerked his body as if about to pounce on Taebeom. Taebeom then spoke, looking down at him with his characteristic cold eyes:

“Do you know about imprinting?”

Even Sangchul, who had lived as a beta, knew the meaning of imprinting. At the word “imprinting” from Taebeom’s mouth, Sangchul strained his bloodshot eyes. Blood vessels burst and his face twisted hideously.

“So I’ll have to live the rest of my life by his side, atoning for my sins against Yuwon.”

“Why, why! Why not me!”

“Because I’m the one Cha Yuwon chose. That’s the only difference between you and me.”

Taebeom rose from his seat, leaving behind Kim Sangchul shouting as if wronged enough to bring down the factory. Just before leaving, he nodded his head and a machine filled with cement began to whir.

“Clean up. Make sure I never see him again.”

Yuwon will gradually forget Kim Sangchul, thinking he’ll rot in prison for life. And I will atone for my sins by Yuwon’s side for the rest of my life.

Even if asked why only I can be by his side, as Sangchul said, it couldn’t be helped. I was terribly selfish when it came to Yuwon. If it’s with Yuwon, even selfish love was my share.

“Aaaaargh!!!”

As Sangchul’s voice gradually quieted, the bitter 7-year relationship finally came to a complete end.

***

“Sister-in-law, ID! Your ID!”

“Aah, yes yes!”

Finally, the day of Yuwon’s college entrance exam that the Uneondong family had been waiting for dawned. Taebeom, who had been quietly watching Yuwon and his subordinates bustling about since morning, rubbed his forehead with a tired face. He seemed to have seen the same scene last evening, but it felt like the same scene was repeating, perhaps due to his mood.

“Daaad-!”

“Hm? You want me to take this too?”

Yubum, held in the arms of the newly hired childcare helper since Yuwon started preparing for the exam, held out his favorite stuffed toy. It was his second most cherished item after the tiger character blanket, but seeing everyone giving Yuwon things to take, he seemed to feel urgent in his own way.

“Yubumi’s, lending it!”

“Really? Thank you.”

I hugged the tiger doll Yubum handed over and kissed the child’s cheek. Knowing how much he treasured it since Yubum carried it around every day, I couldn’t refuse the child’s kindness seeing Yubum’s face flushed red with his chest puffed up. Yuwon stroked Yubum’s head while tightly hugging the doll in one hand.

“You need to take the lunchbox too!”

“Ah, right!”

“Your hands will be cold, so put it in your bag to carry.”

The chef stopped Yuwon from trying to carry the doll in one hand and the lunchbox dangling in the other, and neatly packed the items into the bag. Across from him, Junseok was busy following him around checking the checklist. Taebeom sat on the living room sofa watching them, then got up when he saw the clock pass 20 minutes.

“If you’ve packed everything, we should go now.”

Yuwon, who was drinking liquid cheongshimhwan, swallowed what was in his mouth and turned to look at Taebeom. Seeing Yuwon’s face looking upset as if surprised the time had passed so quickly, Taebeom took Yuwon’s hand, interlacing their fingers, and carried the bag for him.

Finally, before leaving the house, Yuwon followed Taebeom who took a deep breath after receiving everyone’s encouragement.

“Want to stay a little longer?”

“No, I’ll go in early and study a bit more.”

Taebeom parked the car in front of the test site and looked at Yuwon biting his dry lips with a tense face. He knew best, and everyone knew, how hard Yuwon had worked all this time. It would be nice if the results were as good as his efforts so far, but it was okay even if not. Taebeom carefully wrapped Yuwon’s hand wearing a ring identical to his own.

“You’ve done well so far, so take the test with a calm mind.”

“…What if I mess up the exam after everyone helped me so much? What if I can’t get into university because of that…”

“Father will lay down grass for you. I’ll build the building.”

The tension eased at the casual reply with a playful smile. Yuwon unknowingly burst out laughing. Taebeom tidied Yuwon’s slightly disheveled hair and lowered his head.

*Kiss*

“It’s true, so don’t worry and do well. I’ll be waiting until it’s over.”

Yuwon felt sorry that Taebeom would wait until it was over, but somehow felt that having hyung there would make him feel at ease. Hugging tightly the tiger doll in his arms, Yuwon raised the corners of his mouth at the faint baby scent.

“Okay, I’m really feeling energized now! I’ll do well and come back.”

Yuwon and Taebeom got out of the car together after Yuwon clenched his fist in determination. The weather was very cold even though it was only November, as if the saying about the “college exam cold wave” wasn’t for nothing. Although Yuwon was bundled up, Taebeom adjusted his clothes once more before finally embracing him.

“Take care.”

“Yes…”

Taebeom stood in front of the school gate for a long time, watching Yuwon’s retreating figure. Only when he could no longer sense Yuwon’s pheromone scent did Taebeom return to the car and close his eyes. He recalled ‘that day’. ‘That day’ came to mind.