PO 58

Han Jaehee looked at Han Jaegang who suddenly appeared in front of her with a gaze that showed she could not believe it.

“Hey. How did you know to come here?

“Where is Woojeong?”

She had been stunned daze after moving Woojeong, who collapsed in the middle of the night, to the hospital that she had even called in Secretary Kim. On top of that, Han Jaegang, whom she had not even thought about, appeared and spoke to her, and she could only be even more startled. She could not even answer properly and only pointed toward the bed with the curtain drawn.

Han Jaegang walked toward the bed, and he held the edge of the curtain and asked.

“What happened?”

“He suddenly grabbed his stomach and collapsed. They said they will tell us the test results soon….”

Han Jaegang pulled the curtain open and went inside. Woojeong was lying on the bed with a pale face. He seemed to be asleep, but his breathing was rough.

Han Jaegang’s gaze, while carefully looking at Woojeong, stopped at the arm that wrapped around his stomach. He stared at that sight for a long time with feelings too complicated to put into words, and he swallowed dryly.

“…….”

His already white face was pale like paper. He carefully reached out and pushed back the damp hair soaked with cold sweat when the emergency room doctor came to the bed.

“Are you Lee Woojeong’s guardians?”

“Yes, doctor. We are the guardians.”

“When the patient came to the hospital, he had abdominal pain and a high fever. We suspected appendicitis, so we ran tests, but fortunately, it was not appendicitis. However, did you know that the patient is pregnant?”

“What?”

“Oh. You did not know? You did not mention it during registration, so I wondered.”

“We knew. How is he now?”

Han Jaegang stepped forward and answered in Han Jaehee’s place, who was startled by the unexpected words. The doctor looked at the chart and continued the explanation.

“As you know, male omegas have a high risk of problems during early pregnancy. His fever is high, so the specialist will be here soon to examine him.”

“Is there some problem?”

“He complained of severe abdominal pain, so we should check the fetus’s condition. There is a possibility of miscarriage.”

At the doctor’s words, Han Jaehee raised her voice in shock.

“Miscarriage?”

“It is only that there is a possibility, so do not be too shocked. But it does not seem to be temporary pain. He must have been in severe pain all this time, so I do not know why he only came now.”

“Then what do we do now?”

“The specialist will examine him and run a few more tests. For now, we already gave him antipyretics, and we prescribed pain relief and stabilizing injections. He seems to be asleep due to the medication, so just let him rest. Ah, and….” The doctor, who was explaining while looking at the chart, lifted his head and looked at the two.

“For the patient right now, it is most important that he receives enough pheromones from his partner. I do not know which one of you is the partner, but it is best if you stay beside him if possible.”

After the doctor left, Han Jaegang pushed the curtain aside again and went in. He carefully held Woojeong’s limp hand placed on the bed. His hand was cold because the fever had not gone down yet.

His frail figure lying powerless on the narrow emergency bed worried him, but seeing Woojeong directly with his own eyes made him feel relieved.

It was such a relief that Woojeong left Snow Reflection Residence and sought out Han Jaehee without wandering in some unfamiliar place. Just imagining that something like this might have happened while he was alone somewhere else made him dizzy.

“How did it come to the emergency room?”

“We were talking together in the garden when Woojeong suddenly collapsed. His body was burning, and he did not respond even when I called, so I was so shocked.”

Han Jaehee explained the process of coming to the emergency room late at night, and she sighed several times. She also showed an apologetic face, saying she did not know he was that sick.

“He does not know how to show when he is sick.”

It was understandable when thinking about Woojeong’s childhood. Even if he said he was sick, there was no one who carefully looked after him, so he must have gradually gotten used to enduring it alone.

What kind of thoughts did he have as he endured all that time…. Han Jaegang only hoped that while trying to endure the hard times, Woojeong did not try to erase him from his heart.

“How did you know we were here?”

“Did you think I would not know?”

“……Well. With your personality, there is no way you would just sit back. Come talk with me for a moment.”

Han Jaegang could not even touch Woojeong’s face properly because he was afraid that Woojeong might wake up, and he quietly followed behind Han Jaehee. She moved the wheelchair straight outside the emergency room and looked back at him. With a severe face she asked she scolded him.

“Did you already know that Woojeong is carrying a child?”

“………I only guessed.”

Madam Kwak, who had hesitated while saying she had something to tell him, said that she had seen a pregnancy test kit box while cleaning the house.

<There were several boxes so I looked, but the contents were gone. That means they were all used. But who else in this house besides Woojeong would use a pregnancy test kit. When I thought about it, Woojeong has not been eating well lately. He would collapse and sleep at any time. When I was pregnant, I was exactly like that. So I thought I would soon hear good news.>

But when the two argued and Woojeong finally left the house, Madam Kwak said she felt she could not just stay still, and she earnestly asked him again and again to confirm it.

“You only guessed? He did not even tell you? No, does Woojeong himself know?”

“He must have known. He could not say it to me.”

Han Jaehee was flustered and could not continue her words. When she came home she felt that Woojeong’s face looked very worn, but she only guessed that it was because he was struggling over things with Han Jaegang. When he could not eat properly and suffered she thought it was stress and gave medicine even to someone pregnant.

“How could I be so dull? How could I look at that face and not even once think that….”

There were clearly situations where she could have suspected pregnancy. It would have been good if she had asked properly when she thought it was strange. Han Jaehee reproached herself for not watching Woojeong carefully.

“Even I who live together did not know. It is not your fault, noona.”

Han Jaegang’s calm words came out in such a low voice that the end cracked. Han Jaehee sensed something strange in his voice and carefully looked at him.

“Why is your face like that again? Were you sick?”

“……No.”

The way he stood quietly reminded her of when Woojeong first arrived at her house. His haggard and thin figure was like someone who had just risen after being seriously ill.

Han Jaehee suddenly recalled the fact that although he knew Woojeong was here, Han Jaegang had not once contacted during that time. If he could not come right away, then at least he should have contacted her and asked about him.

“Tell me honestly. Something happened to you, right?”

“It is nothing for you to worry about.”

“Say it before I call Secretary Joo and ask.”

When she threatened him by bringing up the secretary, Han Jaegang finally admitted calmly that he had been hospitalized for a heart problem.

If Han Jaegang spoke like that, it could really mean he had been between life and death. Listening to her complain that he still never once contacted even so, he absentmindedly took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

But then he realized he was in a hospital, and he crushed the pack and threw it into the trash bin.

“But what about that matter? Woojeong seemed to know all about things related to your illness too. Is that why he left the house?”

“…..Yes. My body was giving me trouble, so I called Kim Junghyun to the house. I thought Woojeong was asleep, but it seems he happened to overhear and found out then. It was my fault for not handling it. Later I saw that he had even checked all the documents and CCTV I kept in my room.”

“He must have been shocked and angry. How could you be so careless?! How could you let Woojeong find out something like that?!”

There is nothing more painful than realizing that the person you trusted was actually deceiving you. For Woojeong, who had only Han Jaegang to rely on now, it must have felt like the world was collapsing.

“So, did you at least make an excuse? Did you at least explain the situation properly?”

Han Jaegang slowly shook his head. Han Jaehee could tell there had been a serious conflict between the two.

Han Jaegang stared vacantly into the air and opened his mouth. It was a voice drained of strength.

“……Noona. Woojeong liked the Snow Reflection Residence as much as I did. That is why we decided to fix the first floor and live there.”

“I know. I heard it from Woojeong then.”

“I held onto Woojeong who was stubbornly trying to leave and told him I would leave instead so he should stay. Then he asked me why this place wasn’t his home, and in that moment I had no words to answer.”

He confessed his heart as he let out a sigh.

Han Jaehee had never regretted leaving her younger brother alone as much as now. She thought he had grown up fine, but Han Jaegang seemed to have become an emotional fool.

Han Jaegang, who had been so clumsy at honestly accepting his own feelings and conveying them to the other person, almost foolishly let go of the precious being who had stayed beside him like a miracle.

“Why did you have no answer? You idiot. You should have begged, saying this is your home so where are you going. You should have bowed down and begged, saying everything is your fault. You just let him go? Did I not tell you before? Look properly into your own heart first.”

“…….”

“I have experienced it, and Woojeong is much more mature than you. He is like an adult. What are you? If Woojeong gave you that much opportunity, you should have opened your eyes wide and seized it. Only after losing the person in front of you are you coming to your senses now?”

While Han Jaehee scolded him in distress, he only listened and slowly lifted his head.

“……Yes. I have come to my senses now.”

Han Jaegang kept a calm attitude even when he saw Woojeong unconscious. Even when the doctor told of miscarriage risk, he did not waver emotionally and he asked first about a solution.

Han Jaehee still thought that Han Jaegang was showing such lukewarm behavior because he did not really know his own heart toward Woojeong. But the moment her eyes met his, she realized that he was suppressing his emotions to the utmost inside.

He, who looked at Han Jaehee with clear and resolute eyes like always, turned his gaze toward the emergency room where Woojeong was and added one more line.

“Thank you for taking care of Woojeong in my place. He is my person, so now I must take care of him.”

•••

“Fortunately the baby is healthy. The problem lies with the patient. Since the partner is a dominant alpha, you know well, but there is a high possibility that the baby in the womb will also be born with dominant alpha traits. In this case the effect on mother during pregnancy is enormous. And since the patient is a male omega, more caution is needed.”

“Then what should we do? He even collapsed suddenly.”

“During the period when the fetus is stabilizing, pheromone supply is especially important. But the patient has not been in that condition all this time, so the morning sickness symptoms would have been severe, and the abdominal pain would also have been considerable. In such a case he must first recover his strength by absolute rest and by receiving sufficient pheromones.”

Han Jaegang released his pheromones as much as possible inside the narrow space with the curtain drawn, just as the doctor advised.

At the words that Woojeong and the baby in the womb must have suffered greatly from not receiving his pheromones, he could not hide his distressed heart.

Woojeong, lying on the narrow bed, was sleeping off a debt of rest. Han Jaegang, who had been keeping by his side the whole time, pulled a chair and sat by the bed. Only then could he look closely at Woojeong’s face.

His pallid face looked even thinner over the past few days. Perhaps because his body had weakened, even though the fever had almost gone down the cold sweat did not stop. Han Jaegang took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat gathered on Woojeong’s forehead.

“When he wakes up, he can be discharged first.”

Han Jaehee, who had met the doctor, delivered the news. Han Jaegang, without taking his eyes off Woojeong, called her.

“Noona.”

“Why?”

“Can Woojeong stay at your house for just a few more days. Let him rest comfortably for now. They said he must have absolute rest, and he might have a hard time if he sees me.”

“That is not hard. But what about the pheromones? The doctor said so. Woojeong will struggle less if you are nearby.”

Han Jaegang placed his hand on Woojeong’s pallid cheek and gently stroked it. There was now no reason to just watch Woojeong suffer.

“I will be beside him.”