DASH-Chapter 157
When Jiheon woke up this morning, Jaekyoung was already in the chair next to the bed. Feeling a bit confused since what he had seen yesterday just before falling asleep was still unfolding in front of him, Jiheon proceeded to ask him.
“Hey, did you get any sleep...?”
Jaekyoung just gestured towards the sofa in the corner of the hospital room. It seemed that he had slept there.
This hospital room didn’t have a proper bed for a guardian, just a long sofa that could fit four people. Of course the sofa was meant to be used as a bed too, but it was too narrow for a 194 cm tall athlete weighing 85 kg to use. So Jiheon suggested Jaekyoung go to a nearby motel, but this guy insisted on using the sofa and spent the night there.
“Wasn’t it uncomfortable? Your back doesn’t hurt?”
Jiheon asked, still sounding a bit sleepy.
“It was alright, surprisingly comfy.”
Jaekyoung said something no one would believe, then got up, fetched water from the purifier, and handed it to Jiheon.
“Thanks.”
Jiheon took a sip, and the cold water reminded him of the wound in his mouth. It slightly stung again. Because of this, the remaining drowsiness completely disappeared and he came to his senses.
“But when did you wake up?”
Jiheon asked, taking another sip.
“About three hours ago.”
Checking the time on his phone, Jiheon saw it was already nine in the morning. He fell asleep around eleven the previous night. Until then, Jaekyoung was sitting on the chair and only holding his cell phone, but still, no matter what time he went to sleep, he seemed to always wake up at 6 o’clock.
“What did you do so early?”
“I grabbed breakfast at the hospital cafeteria.”
“And?”
“And I, just, well... I watched over you.”
His face seemed to be saying, “What else could there be?” Jaekyoung wasn’t just saying; he had actually been sitting there for two hours, just staring at Jiheon while he slept. Jiheon only started feeling embarrassed about it later.
“No, seriously, what the hell is that...? Why were you just sitting there watching?”
Feeling embarrassed, Jiheon covered his swollen face with one hand, but Jaekyoung grabbed it.
“Don’t, it’ll hurt. Stop touching it.”
He gently placed Jiheon’s hand on his thigh.
“Even when you were asleep, you kept trying to turn to your left side.”
“Really? Maybe because I sleep on my left side at home?”
“I guess so. I turned your head the other way, but you kept turning left again.”
It was only then that Jiheon figured out why Jaekyoung had been watching him for two hours and burst into laughter.
“Oh, that’s why you were watching me? Trying to stop me from lying on my left side?”
He couldn’t stop laughing imagining Jaekyoung sitting there, carefully turning his head every time he turned left.
“Hey, what a surprise. You did good, really.”
The thought was so cute and lovely that Jiheon smiled and patted Jaekyoung’s head. Jaekyoung asked in a blunt tone, “What is?” Normally, he’d act proud, even if it was a joke, but seeing him not smile and making an upset face like that made Jiheon think he got angry while sitting there watching.
Just as expected.
“Does it still hurt?”
Jaekyoung still sounded concerned.
“It’s okay. The swelling went down a lot overnight.”
When Jiheon said, “Thanks to you,” Jaekyoung’s face softened a bit. He leaned back in his chair, looking at Jiheon quietly. As soon as Jiheon finished the water, Jaekyoung took the cup and asked:
“More water?”
“No, it’s okay. I’ve had enough.”
When Jiheon declined, Jaekyoung placed the empty cup in the sink and returned. Sitting back down, he gazed at Jiheon for a moment before speaking.
“Hyung.”
“Yeah?”
“......You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
Jiheon’s eyes widened at the unexpected comment.
“What?”
“No, it’s just... I thought it was a dream last night.”
Jaekyoung muttered, as if he still couldn’t believe it.
“Hey, the baby’s gonna be sad.”
Jiheon pretended to look even sadder.
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Jaekyoung waved his hand urgently.
“It’s not because I don’t like it, it’s because I really like it. Please don’t misunderstand.”
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“Say that to the baby.”
“Oh, that’s a bit....”
Jaekyoung suddenly avoided eye contact. Jiheon was puzzled by his openly embarrassed reaction. He chuckled and asked:
“What? Why are you shy?”
“Huh? Well, the baby hasn’t seen my face yet. Isn’t that obvious?”
Jaekyoung said confidently.
“It usually takes me forever to get close to someone. You knew the baby before me and have been together even now, but I only found out about the baby yesterday. I’m happy... really happy, but honestly, I don’t know how to handle it yet.”
In short, he was overjoyed to the point where it didn’t feel real, and he felt so nervous and shy that he couldn’t find the right words to say.
Well, even Jiheon felt a bit embarrassed talking to the baby. He pretended not to know for seven weeks, with the excuse that the baby hadn’t developed ears yet. It wasn’t until the 8th week that he finally spoke to it. Jiheon totally understood Jaekyoung’s feelings, but.......
“Don’t act like a stranger. You’re the one who brought this little one too.”
Jaekyoung looked genuinely surprised at Jiheon’s words. Then he mumbled:
“Oh, I see... we suddenly feel closer now.”
“Right? Give it a name. It’ll make you feel even closer.”
Jiheon suggested, picking up a pillow and sitting with his back supported. When Jiheon ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) asked if Jaekyoung had thought of any names, Jaekyoung said no, looking serious.
“I’ve been thinking all night, but I can’t come up with anything.”
Jiheon found it quite unexpected. Considering Jaekyoung’s personality, he didn’t need to overthink it. He could just blurt out any name that came to mind and say, “Let’s go with this.”
“Why are you overthinking it? It just needs to be strong until the end, so pick something like Geunseong, Kkeunkkeun, Chaltteok, or something.” [1] [2] [3]
Every time Jiheon threw out a name, Jaekyoung’s face showed shock, fear, and disbelief. He looked at Jiheon with an expression of disbelief and then stammered.
“Hyung, how could you... no, I mean, even if it’s not the baby’s real name later, how could you just name it like that?”
“I thought you’re supposed to come up with a name like this.”
“No, I’m going to come up with something pretty.”
Jaekyoung said seriously.
“I don’t want to be saying stuff like, ‘Kkeunkkeun-ah, this is Dad.’ Or, ‘Jilcheok-ah [4], you gotta stick with your father all day today, okay?’ I really don’t want to say that.”
“Hey, it’s not Jilcheok, it’s Chaltteok. Why are you throwing in a name that’s not even on the list?”
When Jiheon asked him not to randomly change the name, Jaekyoung frowned.
“Anyway, give me a little time, hyung. It’s the name we’ll be using for the baby for ten months, so I want to think it through.”
‘...Seeing him fuss over just the baby’s fetal name, he’ll probably take better care of the child than I will. As expected, is it right to leave parenting to Jaekyoung? Probably. Yeah, I’m sure it is.’
Jiheon reached his own conclusion and opened the tray on the bed.
“Alright, let’s think more about the fetal name later. Can you grab me some of the breakfast from the fridge now?”
“Oh, do you want to eat now?”
Jaekyoung opened the fridge and took out the yogurt, chicken salad, and juice he had bought yesterday. Jaekyoung opened the yogurt bottle and gave Jiheon a spoon. This time, Jaekyoung picked up the salad pack and frowned while trying to open it.
“It looks like all the salad greens have wilted.”
“What do you mean it’s already wilted? I just bought it last night.”
Jiheon brushed it off, but Jaekyoung shook his head.
“Don’t eat it, hyung. I’ll get you a new one.”
“Hey, it’s fine. Just give it to me.”
Jiheon smiled and grabbed Jaekyoung’s arm. When he tried to take the salad pack, Jaekyoung hid it in his arms.
“No. I heard wilted veggies could have some kind of decaying bacteria.”
“Oh, don’t talk nonsense. What do you do when you always eat wilted lettuce at McDonald’s?”
Jaekyoung jumped in with a response like he’d been waiting for it.
“Do you think you and I are the same? Huh? Are you and I the same?”
He spoke so loudly that it echoed through the hospital room. Anyone who saw him might think he’d been holding onto that one sentence for twenty years.
“Hey, how did you hold back all this time just to say that?”
“I know, right? Ah, now I feel alive.”
Jaekyoung said he felt refreshed inside and handed back the salad pack he’d been hiding. Jiheon laughed in bewilderment and chuckled again when he saw the salad pack Jaekyoung gave him.
“What the... the veggies haven’t wilted at all.”
“What do you mean? The cabbage is all dead.”
Jaekyoung clicked his tongue, saying Jiheon shouldn’t have bought the salad in advance.
“Hyung, this is what you eat for breakfast. Since I wake up earlier than you, I’ll buy it for you before heading to training.”
He declared it like giving notice, but it seemed like he wouldn’t listen even if Jiheon objected. Well, even yesterday, when Jiheon asked him to buy yogurt and salad from the convenience store, Jaekyoung took a taxi to a salad restaurant fifteen minutes away and brought back homemade yogurt and salad in a glass bottle.
‘I should never tell him what I want to eat, even as a joke. This guy might actually go to the mountain area to get it.’
Jiheon repeated this promise as he enjoyed the salad and yogurt. Jaekyoung, quietly watching next to him, said:
“Hyung, you don’t have severe morning sickness, do you?”
“I don’t. I only feel a bit nauseous on an empty stomach. But I’m fine when I’m not hungry.”
When he mentioned he wasn’t particularly bothered by food smells, Jaekyoung sighed in relief.
“Is there anything you want to eat?”
“No.”
Jiheon answered quickly.
“No, not just what you want to eat right now. Are there any foods that you crave regularly?”
“I don’t know, protein? Meat?”
“What meat... You’ve always liked it, hyung.”
“Yeah. I guess the baby takes after me when it comes to appetite.”
As if he’d been waiting for that answer, Jaekyoung added:
“That’s not it, hyung. What you crave during morning sickness doesn’t really reflect the baby’s appetite. It’s more about what the pregnant person’s body is telling them they need.”
Given his calm explanation, it seemed like Jaekyoung had done some research the previous night. Jiheon was worried he might have been hunting for a contract killer all night, but luckily, that wasn’t the case.
“What do you want for lunch?”
Jiheon needed to buy a meal since he hadn’t applied for one during the hospitalization process.
“Do you want me to grab you some meat, hyung?”
“No, I can’t handle things that need a lot of chewing with my mouth like this right now.”
After saying it, Jiheon realized he had made a slip of the tongue. As expected, Jaekyoung’s face twisted again.
“Hyung. While we’re at it, I want to talk about what happened yesterday.”
Jaekyoung spoke in a heavily subdued voice. Jiheon was nervous that he might bring up contract killing again, but thankfully, he didn’t. Instead, he said something more serious.
“I don’t think it was a coincidence that the vice chairman was there at the time.”
