JD 104

It seemed Muheon had a point. If he could build up more stamina, they’d be able to enjoy their time together longer. Just this morning, Hakyung had seen the look of disappointment in Muheon’s eyes after he’d conked out first.

Silently agreeing with his husband’s suggestion, Hakyung offered his wrist. He didn’t forget to hint that he’d like a tonic packed with stamina-boosting ingredients.

“Alright then, I’ll check your pulse.”

The doctor’s voice had a slight tremble to it. Understandably so—this was the husband of the person he served, and the request had come from Muheon himself. The pressure was immense.

Even the tiniest misdiagnosis could earn him a one-way trip to the depths of the West Sea for the rest of his days.

In over 40 years of running a clinic, he’d never been this nervous. Forcing himself to ignore Muheon’s piercing gaze, the doctor gently pressed his fingers to the inside of Hakyung’s wrist.

Just like on the surface, the flow of energy (qi) was strong and smooth. There were no blockages, and everything was moving as it should. Honestly, Hakyung didn’t seem to need a stamina tonic at all.

He was about to consider how to still prescribe something when he suddenly sensed something… off. Something unfamiliar.

The doctor tilted his head and pressed down a little more. What had started as a routine exam now carried a strange, heavy weight.

As the seconds passed, the doctor’s face grew visibly darker. The change in his expression made everyone tense—Hakyung, who had handed over his wrist with a bright smile; Muheon, who stood behind him with his hands on his shoulders; even Hajo, who was still getting acupuncture at his temples.

“Um… is something wrong with my body?”

Unable to stand the silence any longer, Hakyung asked first. Better to know sooner than later. If there was something wrong, they could deal with it. But he still found himself clutching Muheon’s hand for reassurance.

The doctor didn’t answer right away. Then, with clear hesitation, he asked,

“I-I mean no disrespect, but… Mr. Hakyung, you are male, correct?”

“…What?”

Stunned, Hakyung stared at him blankly. Sure, people had often told him he was cute—but no one had ever mistaken him for a woman.

You could ask a thousand people on the street, and not one would say Kang Hakyung looked female.

The doctor, realizing how absurd he sounded, turned red with embarrassment—but he wore a determined expression. He had to say it.

“Mr.?Hakyung’s pulse is very strong. The qi flows freely, and there are no signs of blockage. You were clearly born with a very healthy body.”

“Right? I never got sick much as a kid.”

Even when catching shrimp in the river in the middle of winter, or when his younger siblings all came down with the flu, Hakyung had never so much as sniffled.

The only time he’d felt physically weak was during sex with Muheon. But that was happening nearly every day now, so it made sense he’d want to build his stamina. Nothing had actually felt wrong.

The doctor seemed to agree—Hakyung was indeed healthy. So why was he still looking so unsettled? Hakyung waited nervously for him to continue.

“However… in your pulse, I sensed something unusual. Something that typically isn’t found in men.”

“What is it?”

Muheon, never one for roundabout talk, cut straight to the point. Listening to the doctor dance around the issue was exhausting.

Flustered, the doctor cleared his throat several times before finally stating it plainly:

“I can feel a very faint, but distinct pulse… the kind associated with someone who can carry a child.”

Silence blanketed the examination room again.

Hakyung, Muheon, and Hajo all opened their mouths to speak, but no sound came out. Their expressions looked like they were in a black-and-white silent film—mouths moving, but no words.

“I—this is the first time I’ve ever encountered something like this. But I assure you, it’s not a misreading. It’s clear enough that I can’t be mistaken.”

“Wait… just stop. Quiet.”

“Y-Yes, of course!”

Muheon rubbed his temple like he had a headache. Hakyung’s head was spinning too.

According to that doctor, his body had the potential to bear children. But that didn’t make any sense.

“B-But before we got married, I had an abdominal CT scan… even an ultrasound. No one said anything like this!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! If it were true, I’m sure the hospital would have told me!”

Flustered, Hakyung tried to explain, while the doctor began to look just as confused.

Could he have discovered a new type of pulse? But that couldn’t be right. In all the centuries of accumulated knowledge in traditional medicine, finding a completely undocumented case seemed near impossible.

“I’m sure it’s not a mistake…”

The doctor ended up having Hakyung lie on the exam bed, checking various points over and over.

And no matter how many times he repeated the exam—he kept arriving at the same conclusion.

As time passed, worry began to weigh visibly on Hakyung’s face. Both Muheon and Hajo shared his frustration and helplessness.

After one last check, the doctor finally turned to Muheon and said,

“Regardless of what I sense, it’s best if you see for yourself. I suggest getting a full examination at Jaedan Hospital.”

“Alright. That’s probably the best course. For now, just prepare the tonic for Hajo.”

The doctor nodded, agreeing readily, and asked them to share the results once they had them. If his reading turned out to be accurate, he promised to formulate a prescription tailored to Hakyung’s condition. Hakyung could only nod, reluctantly.

Unable to return home, the mood in the car as they headed to the hospital was as gloomy as the overcast sky. Hakyung stared out the window in silence before asking hesitantly,

“He’s not a quack… right?”

“No. He’s a renowned doctor. Not just in the West Sea—he’s respected all over.”

“I see…”

Hakyung nodded half-heartedly and turned back toward the window. Seeing the slump in his river dolphin’s posture, Muheon reached over to gently stroke his cheek.

The cool touch helped ease the heat rising in his face, and Hakyung rubbed his cheek against Muheon’s palm, trying to calm himself. But the racing of his heart didn’t slow.

The tests Muheon requested were carried out swiftly. While they were at it, Muheon suggested they just run a full-body scan, and Hakyung agreed without protest.

“Hyung, this isn’t going to hurt, right?”

“No, it’s just tests. It won’t hurt.”

“Still… You’re really okay, right?”

Hajo stuck to Hakyung’s side like glue, calling out for him every chance he got. Muheon, watching this unfold, was sorely tempted to call Park Geowong to take the kid back to the countryside.

But seeing that Hakyung didn’t exactly seem to mind his brother’s clinginess, Muheon swallowed his complaints. Holding back made his temper simmer.

While Hakyung was in the exam room, Muheon leaned against the wall, thinking. Something that hadn’t existed before marriage. Something people often associated with the fruits of love. Combining those two ideas left one very suspicious possibility.

Could it really be that effective…?

He toyed with the ring Hakyung had entrusted to him during the tests. The pink gemstone, just like Hakyung himself, shimmered under the light.

A few hours later, Hakyung’s complexion had noticeably paled after undergoing more intensive tests than he’d expected.

Clicking his tongue in sympathy, Muheon took him and Hajo to a nearby ginseng chicken soup restaurant.

Though Hakyung had no appetite due to his churning nerves, the sight of that rich, milky broth cradling a plump chicken made his mouth water. Judging by the loud gulps beside him, Hajo was no different.

Thanks to Muheon’s generosity, the river dolphin brothers each got their own chicken to devour. It helped ease the tension while they waited for the results.

Eventually, all that was left to do was hear the verdict.

Feeling like the delicious chicken soup was crawling back up his throat, Hakyung sat stiffly beside Muheon. The doctor, who now found himself seated across from a VIP among VIPs, looked just as nauseated.

Having received a request that defied all medical logic—and now tasked with delivering those baffling results—he felt like the room was spinning.

Suppressing yet another sigh, the doctor brought up several scans on his monitor. He’d even included past results from a previous checkup as comparison.

“This isn’t something modern medicine can explain… I’m not quite sure how to put this.”

The moment the doctor began to speak, his expression grim, Hakyung knew—the impossible suspicion he’d been holding at bay was about to become reality.