I've Been Possessed, But What If I Get Pregnant First? - Side Story 13

Side Story 13

“I’m sorry, but could you please buy me an antacid from that convenience store?”

“…What?”

“I-I’m sorry. But my stomach doesn’t feel well…”

Junseok bowed his head low, avoiding Taebeom’s gaze. At the same time, he didn’t miss clutching his lower abdomen. The car behind them started honking at the suddenly stopped vehicle. It was the black foreign car Changshik had bought with great determination recently. Though the horn sound was softer and more careful than usual, Taebeom, dazed from medication, got out of the car without noticing anything.

“Hoo…”

A chilly wind was blowing by now. Taebeom entered the convenience store with a tired face, brushing back his hair.

“Welcome!”

“……”

Taebeom’s steps froze as he headed straight for the over-the-counter medicine section. It was a voice he had never forgotten for even a moment. Taebeom slowly turned his head to look at the man, no, Yuwon standing at the counter.

“…Are you looking for something?”

Taebeom held his breath at the sight of Yuwon blinking his big eyes with the same kind and gentle face as always. His eyes meeting Yuwon’s heated up. Taebeom unknowingly gritted his teeth before averting his gaze first.

“It’s alright…”

“Okay, please let me know if you need any help!”

“Thank you.”

Only after Yuwon turned his gaze away did Taebeom look at him. Taebeom’s hands clenched as he watched Yuwon organizing items.

He had thought this would happen if he ever met Yuwon. That he would see Yuwon unaffected by seeing him. So he had resolved that if he encountered Yuwon who had lost his memories, he too would pass by nonchalantly, just be a passerby – but without realizing it, he was hurt.

“Have a nice day!”

It hurt so much in a corner of his heart to see Yuwon treating him with just a friendly face and easily turning away. While he still loved Yuwon enough to make his heart boil, seeing Yuwon not remember him was painfully bitter.

In the end, Taebeom left the convenience store without buying anything and quietly got in the car, letting out a breath. Seeing Taebeom’s face, Junseok started the car and headed home without a word. It was a night where the rain falling drop by drop as they drove along the road reflected Taebeom’s heart.

However, that night, Taebeom drove to the convenience store himself. Parking the car at the edge of the road in view of the store, he took in the sight of Yuwon working until late dawn. He found it admirable how Yuwon worked with a bright smile while dealing with numerous customers and studied in between.

“I’m glad he looks bright…”

Indeed, a bright face suited Yuwon well. The sad, lifeless look from back then didn’t suit him. Taebeom took in Yuwon’s appearance until the red sun slowly rose in the sky. Even this time was too precious to him now.

After that day, Taebeom occasionally – in fact, almost daily – visited the convenience store where Yuwon worked. At first, he just wanted to see if Yuwon was doing well, to see his face a little more, to check if he was sick in the chilly weather. But now it had become almost a daily routine for Taebeom. He parked in the lot he had purchased and watched Yuwon while buried in his seat.

“I’m not a stalker…”

For the first time in a long while, a smile colored Taebeom’s lips. Looking back at himself, it was truly ridiculous. Saying he would forget, let go, yet coming here every time to secretly watch. Quickly erasing his smile, he closed his eyes.

“Just until today… I’ll only watch until today.”

Muttering to himself as if making a promise, he focused on Yuwon again. How long had he been just watching him without eating, when a suspicious person caught Taebeom’s eye.

The somehow familiar tattoo design also contributed to irritating his nerves. As the man who entered the convenience store grabbed Yuwon’s wrist, Taebeom’s eyes sank coldly.

Turning his head, Taebeom looked for something to cover his face. And his eyes fell on a mask he didn’t even remember having. Though it was a mask with a ridiculous appearance to anyone, there was no time to hesitate.

Immediately putting on the mask and heading to the convenience store, Taebeom approached Yuwon with a surprised face and the man holding his wrist.

“Let go.”

“What’s with this tiger?”

“Three.”

Though Yuwon seemed flustered, fortunately he didn’t recognize Taebeom. He turned his head back to the man.

“One.”

“Ugh!! Ah, it hurts, aaack, it hurts!”

The man’s thick wrist twisted severely and dropped the knife he was holding with a thud. Taebeom kicked the knife far away so as not to startle Yuwon.

“Call the police.”

“Ah, y-yes…! Thank you.”

Yuwon bowed his head with wide round eyes and pressed the button under the desk to call the police. Taebeom lightly struck the neck of the man who was screaming in pain to quietly subdue him and handed him over to the police who arrived belatedly.

“Shall we go together?”

“Yes.”

“This student-“

“I think it’s enough if just I go.”

Taebeom told the police, looking at Yuwon standing there with a tired face. The police officer looked down at the business card Taebeom handed over, nodded his head with a slightly surprised face, and pushed the man into the police car.

“Um… Thank you. If it weren’t for you, mister, something terrible could have happened.”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, um…”

Taebeom looked up at Yuwon who was handing him a grape juice with a hesitant face. His face blushing to the ears as if embarrassed was just as Taebeom remembered. Though Yuwon had lost his memories, his appearance hadn’t changed. Taebeom took the grape juice Yuwon offered and gently patted his hair.

“I’ll drink it well, kiddo.”

***

“I contacted headquarters and arranged to transfer only the ownership, keeping the store owner and all part-time workers as is.”

“Raise the part-timers’ hourly wage.”

“Understood.”

“Good work.”

Junseok was initially surprised by Taebeom’s sudden acquisition of the convenience store, but after learning the inside story belatedly, he quietly assisted him. At first, when Taebeom said he wanted to acquire a convenience store, Junseok thought he was planning a convenience store business, but Yuwon was at the end of it.

As Taebeom said, they gave the part-timers a generous hourly wage and supported Yuwon’s tuition under the name of a scholarship. After a moment’s hesitation on whether to act like he knew or not, Junseok opened his mouth.

“Um, hyungnim. I heard today is the high school equivalency exam.”

Of course, the subject was omitted. But both Junseok and Taebeom knew that person was Yuwon. Remembering Taebeom leaving the mansion alone late last night, Junseok handed him a small piece of paper.

“If you go now, it should be just ending. I thought you might be curious how he did.”

Taebeom looked at the memo with the school where Yuwon was taking the exam written on it, then quickly put on his jacket and left the office. Heading to the middle school written on the note Junseok gave him, Taebeom looked at the raindrops falling one by one. It was a sudden shower not in today’s weather forecast.

Stopping the car near the school, Taebeom spotted Yuwon standing under a small tent, sheltering from the pouring rain. With a sigh, Taebeom opened the glove box and took out a hot pack.

As he got out of the car, the rain that had been falling lightly like a passing fox rain was now pouring in heavy streams. Seeing it didn’t look like it would stop easily, he took a deep breath and headed towards Yuwon.

“Umbrella.”

“…Pardon?”

“Take it. I have one.”

Taebeom handed the hot pack to Yuwon who was shivering slightly from the cold and forcibly put the umbrella in his hand. Though he felt Yuwon’s gaze on him, Taebeom turned away without stopping.

“…Good job, Yuwon.”

Taebeom’s footsteps were lonely as he uttered words that wouldn’t be heard over the rain. He ran his hand through his rain-soaked hair and ran his tongue over his bitter mouth. How nice would it have been if he wasn’t leaving Yuwon alone, but taking him in the passenger seat and having dinner he liked? How nice would it have been if he could say to him, not as a monologue, that he did well and let’s go home?

Taebeom slowly closed his eyes as he looked at that place filled with regret. If only he could, he felt he could give up everything he had. Even while knowing it was ultimately his own greed.

As the sky darkened, Yuwon appeared among the students leaving through the school gates one by one. Coming to his senses at the sight, Taebeom smiled slightly at the happy reality different from back then.

Small raindrops formed on Yuwon’s coat in the suddenly starting rain. Rushing to him, Taebeom put the umbrella over Yuwon and wiped his wet cheeks.

“Good job, Yuwon.”

“I’m completely done now.”

“Think you did well?”

“A little? Hehe… But I’m not sure.”

Unlike the memory from that day, Taebeom felt the lump deep in his heart melt at Yuwon’s smile with blushing cheeks. Taebeom tightly held Yuwon’s hand and kissed him.

“Let’s go, to our home.”

Taebeom was grateful and cherished every day he spent with Yuwon. Yuwon, who burst into laughter from a sense of liberation with a face not knowing what was going on, looked brighter than ever.

Taebeom vowed once again to protect this smile forever.