MM 162
“Our little princess Kiwi is here. Not the fruit you eat, but our real baby. So don’t worry.”
“Ah…”
“What kind of dream is that? Alright, our little princess. Want to show Daddy your face?”
With extreme care, Yu-young’s mother approached slowly, holding the baby. As she did, Yu-young’s heart began to race wildly.
It was the first time seeing the baby’s face after carrying it for ten months. Before Yu-young’s heart could calm, his mother knelt slowly and showed him the baby’s face.
Thud.
The moment he saw the baby’s face for the first time, Yu-young’s heart was thrown down to its lowest point, then shot back up to its highest.
“…Ah.”
The only sound that came out from his frozen throat was that. Staring blankly, Yu-young gazed at the baby for a long time.
The baby’s face was much smaller than he had imagined. It was so small that it seemed like it would fit in a large hand if it were to make a fist.
Yet, within that small face, all the features were perfectly arranged. Soft eyebrows, tightly closed eyes, a cute little nose, and lips so tiny it seemed nothing could fit in them. It was amazing that such a small and delicate thing was a human being.
He still couldn’t tell who the baby looked like. In some ways, it seemed to resemble himself, and in other ways, it looked like Do-won.
‘It’s small. …So cute… This is the baby that me and Do-won made.’
While Yu-young stared silently at the baby, everyone in the room held their breath, careful not to disturb the first meeting between Yu-young and the baby. For a long time, Yu-young blinked in a daze as these thoughts passed through his mind.
“…Hello.”
Finally, his first greeting to the baby.
“Nice to meet you, Kiwi. …I’m Yu-young, your dad.”
At that moment, tears welled up. He didn’t know why. Suddenly, something hot surged inside him, and before he could be surprised or ask why, the tears flowed down his cheeks.
But there was no sadness, anxiety, or any other negative emotions—rather, the more the tears flowed, the more warmth and overwhelming emotion filled the empty space.
“She’s beautiful, our Kiwi.”
Do-won, who had come close to his side, gently wiped away Yu-young’s tears. Yu-young leaned his head into his hand and smiled as if in a dream.
“Yes… she’s really beautiful.”
“She’s made by you. You raised her… you gave birth to our baby.”
A gentle kiss softly landed on Yu-young’s head a few times. Then, Do-won softly embraced Yu-young’s head.
“You’ve worked hard. Yu-young, really, you’ve worked so hard…”
Do-won’s voice trembled slightly. Yu-young could feel the rhythmic heartbeat of the man holding him, the promise that he would make them happy now being fulfilled.
Whether his eyes were open or closed, he was happy. When his eyes were closed, the sound of his loved one’s heartbeat resonated clearly in his ears, and when his eyes opened, he saw the faces of those who loved him. And then, the small new world he had just met. It felt so surreal, it was almost like a dream—and yet, he was happy.
“You did well. Yu-young.”
“Father!”
A deep voice came from behind. It was Do-won’s father. The presence and authority of his father, standing in the room, was still as overwhelming as it had been when Yu-young had first met him. However, what was different now was that the gaze that met him was filled with infinite affection.
Do-won’s father carefully approached the bed and gently took Yu-young’s hand. It was a warm, caring hand.
“You really… worked so hard. You’ve worked so hard…”
The soft voice whispered as Do-won’s father slowly stroked Yu-young’s hand. Yu-young smiled shyly. Just then, a dry cough came from him. At the same time, the sharp, stabbing pain in his abdomen felt like a hot knife cutting into him.
“Ugh…”
“Yu-young!”
Shocked, Do-won rushed over to him, but faster than that, Do-won’s father pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He carefully took Yu-young’s hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was clear that he was uneasy, almost like a parent watching over a child at the edge of a river. Do-won, having never seen his father act like this, was understandably shocked.
“Thank you… Father-in-law. Honey, can I have a sip of water now? Is it okay to drink it?”
“Yeah, honey. It’s fine in small amounts.”
Yu-young made a soft sound as he drank the water through the straw and smiled, feeling much more refreshed.
‘Come to think of it, my mother-in-law… she probably didn’t come, right?’
Given their relationship, it was probably to be expected. Still, a small bitter feeling lingered in the corner of his heart.
Then, there was a knock, followed by a sound of a door opening. Everyone’s gaze turned toward the door. When it opened, everyone’s eyes widened in surprise.
It was Do-won’s mother. She placed a huge fruit basket that the servant had brought into the room, bowed, and then left. She walked slowly into the room, wearing a somewhat stiff expression. Seeing even Do-won’s father looking surprised, it seemed like her visit wasn’t prearranged.
“Oh, Madam! Welcome. You came after all.”
“Welcome.”
Yu-young’s parents, wide-eyed, were the first to greet her. Do-won’s mother answered briefly with a “Yes” and remained as she usually was. Yu-young swallowed nervously and respectfully greeted her, saying, “Mother, you’ve arrived.”
Without responding, she walked over and came closer to Yu-young. Then, she spoke her first words.
“Congratulations.”
Her cold tone made everyone hesitate to speak, and silence fell. Do-won, who was standing nearby, raised an eyebrow slightly but chose to stay silent. At that moment, Yu-young spoke up.
“Thank you, Mother.”
“….”
“I was hoping you’d come… I’m really happy.”
Then he smiled mischievously, like a playful child. This time, unlike before, he was genuinely sincere. He wasn’t thinking about how to get back at the other person.
Today, for Yu-young, was the happiest day in the world. He didn’t know if she had come with the intention of genuinely congratulating him or if it was a strategic move to improve her relationship with Do-won’s father, but either way, Yu-young was just thankful she made it to this moment. He didn’t want to think of her coming with hidden motives or bitterness.
A short silence passed. Mrs. Lee, who had looked surprised for a moment, spoke again.
“Take care of your health. If not, it’ll be hard later.”
“Yes, I will, Mother.”
Yu-young smiled brightly again. Mrs. Lee, who had been looking down at him with warmth in her eyes, quickly turned her head away. However, that was enough to break the cold atmosphere. Meanwhile, Yu-young’s mother, who was still smiling gently, approached and showed the baby’s face.
“Madam, look at this. Her face… she really looks like both Do-won and Yu-young, equally.”
Do-won’s mother was gazing at the baby’s face with tender eyes, and beside her, Yu-young’s mother was playfully chatting with her. The fathers were engaging in warm conversation, and Do-won was still beside Yu-young, holding his hand. In Yu-young’s arms, Kiwi was peacefully sleeping.
‘This is happiness…’
A smile naturally spread across Yu-young’s face.
At that moment, Yu-young’s phone, vibrating in Do-won’s arms, was pulled out. The screen showed [Kim Ju-yeon Assistant]. Yu-young reached out eagerly to answer the call.
“Ah, Ju-yeon.”
-Yu-young! Is today the day? Did everything go well with the delivery? You must’ve had a tough time!
“Yeah, you remembered?”
-Of course! Between us, how could I forget?
Ju-yeon’s excited voice came through the phone, full of joy. Just as Yu-young was about to thank her, Ju-yeon spoke again.
-Yu-young! Actually… I’m at the hospital. If you’re okay with it, can I visit? Can I see you now?
“Eh?!”
The exclamation slipped out of him. He had told Ju-yeon the date of the birth earlier, but he hadn’t shared the hospital details. How did she know to come here?
Not to mention, both sets of parents were in the room, and one of them was Ju-yeon’s boss. Also, the baby’s father was the team leader. If Ju-yeon knew that, she might faint. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Yu-young was about to politely decline when he saw Do-won silently signaling him with his lips. Yu-young nodded and held his hand up to stop the call.
“I told Ju-yeon and Yoon-seok the hospital. They already know about us.”
“Really?!”
“Yeah. If you’re feeling well enough, how about letting her see your face? But don’t overdo it.”
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