PO 62

The next morning, Han Jaegang finished getting ready for work, but instead of leaving the room, he approached the bed. He looked down at Woojeong, who was buried deep under the covers, fast asleep, and he gently kissed his cheek.

He had never once found going to work bothersome before. Even though he had already taken vacation days and rested for several days, for some reason, the commute to work did not feel right. The thought of leaving Woojeong alone weighed heavily on his heart.

He thought it would be better to at least say a quick goodbye before leaving than for Woojeong to wake up and realize he was gone.

“Woojeong.”

He gently stroked his cheek as he called his name, and Woojeong slowly opened his eyes.

“I’m going to work.”

Han Jaegang lightly covered the corners of Woojeong’s still sleepy eyes, and he reminded him once more of his afternoon schedule.

“You haven’t forgotten your checkup appointment at 4 PM, right? I’ll send the car on time, so meet me at the center.”

“…Yeah. Have a good day.”

Though he said goodbye, Woojeong held Han Jaegang’s hand tightly, refusing to let go. Gently stroking the back of his hand, Han Jaegang slipped his hand free and turned away reluctantly.

Han Jaegang had scheduled Woojeong’s checkup at the Hansae Medical Center Pheromone Center. Since he had rested and regained some composure, it was necessary to accurately assess Woojeong and the baby’s condition.

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“Sorry. I’m a little late.”

Han Jaegang arrived at the center just before Woojeong was about to meet the obstetrician to confirm the baby’s condition after the basic checkup. Han Jaegang took Woojeong’s hand and entered the specialist’s examination room together.

“It’ll be okay.”

Noticing Woojeong’s anxiety, Han Jaegang patted his back reassuringly. After reviewing the chart, the doctor suggested they look at the ultrasound first and guided them inside.

In the dimly lit ultrasound room, Woojeong lay on the bed and he took shallow breaths to ease his tension. As the doctor applied gel to his belly and moved the device, the baby’s image appeared on the screen. Woojeong and Han Jaegang watched the same screen as the doctor, but it was difficult to immediately discern what they were seeing.

“…How does it look?”

Han Jaegang asked cautiously. The doctor answered with his eyes fixed on the screen.

“Fortunately, the baby is well positioned. There are no particular abnormalities to report. Shall we listen to the heartbeat?”

The doctor moved the device, fixed it in place, and pressed a button. Soon, a clear heartbeat filled the room.

Startled by the rhythm, which seemed excessively fast for a human heartbeat, Han Jaegang asked,

“Is this… really the baby’s heartbeat?”

The doctor smiled kindly and nodded.

“Yes. That is the baby’s heartbeat. It beats at nearly twice the speed of an adult’s, so it might sound unusual to you. Your baby’s heart is beating very vigorously.”

Hearing that the baby was perfectly fine and the heartbeat was normal, Han Jaegang let out a sigh of relief. Woojeong, who had been watching him, unable to take his eyes off the ultrasound screen and swallowing dryly, felt a lump in his throat.

After the doctor carefully checked a few readings and left the examination room first, Woojeong got up from the chair with Han Jaegang’s support. Woojeong came out of the examination room and sat down in the chair opposite the doctor. After glancing at the monitor for a moment, the doctor looked back and forth between the two and smiled brightly.

“You look very worried, but you can relax now. The baby is perfectly healthy.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s settled in well and stable, and your physical condition, Mr. Woojeong, has also improved. If things continue like this, there shouldn’t be any particular cause for concern.”

Han Jaegang still seemed uneasy and he asked the doctor again.

“I have a pheromone disorder. Because of that, I have heart issues… Could the baby develop the same problem?”

“Yes. I was informed about that. First, we’ve confirmed the fetus is dominant alpha. However, the issue you mentioned is currently impossible to predict. As you know, even if it’s inherited, symptoms typically appear gradually as the child grows.”

Woojeong firmly grasped Han Jaegang’s hand at his quiet sigh. After a moment of visible disappointment, Han Jaegang met Woojeong’s gaze and he lifted the corners of his mouth to say it was okay.

“It could grow up perfectly healthy without any problems, right?”

“Of course. Absolutely. Most grow up without issues and live disease free lives. Treatment methods have advanced significantly compared to the past, so there’s no need to worry just yet.”

“Yes, thank you.”

This time, Woojeong took the lead in saying goodbye and stood up. Knowing how Han Jaegang must be feeling, Woojeong hoped he would not start worrying prematurely.

“They say the baby is healthy.”

“Mhm.”

“That’s a relief. I was so worried, but now I feel a bit calmer.” Woojeong embraced Han Jaegang, who was still standing tense. Han Jaegang nodded and returned the embrace.

After finishing the examination, the two moved to Kim Junghyun’s office. As they opened the door and entered, Kim Junghyun, who had been waiting, rose from his seat and greeted them.

“Welcome. Did you have a good examination?”

After exchanging a few brief words with Han Jaegang, Kim Junghyun cleared his throat and turned to Woojeong, bowing deeply at the waist.

“I apologize, Mr. Woojeong. As a doctor, I have a duty to treat every patient equally. Yet, because you are an acquaintance, I prioritized the Executive Director. Furthermore, it was clearly my fault to disclose part of your medical records to the executive without your permission. Even if I were sued, I would have no defense. I am truly sorry.”

Having apologized earnestly, Kim Junghyun could not bring himself to lift his head. Slightly flustered by the sudden words, Woojeong looked up at Han Jaegang.

“As you might guess, it was me who had you treated by Kim Junghyun back then. I was also the one who forced him to hand over those test records. I threatened to stop treatment. So, in truth, it’s all my fault.” Han Jaegang calmly explained the situation at the time, making it clear it was not Kim Junghyun’s fault. That morning, when he overheard Kim Junghyun and Joo Youngmo’s conversation, he had been in unbearable pain and distress. But now, knowing the full context of that situation, he could understand.

Given the patient’s critical condition, as the attending physician, he must have felt compelled to find any possible solution. Thinking of it as an attempt to save Han Jaegang, it was not entirely incomprehensible.

“I’m fine. You don’t need to apologize.”

“Thank you so much for understanding. Once again, I sincerely apologize.”

“Then, in return…”

“Yes?”

“Please tell me properly about the Executive Director’s condition.”

Woojeong asked Han Jaegang to step out for a moment, leaving him alone in the room with Kim Junghyun. Han Jaegang, who never complained about being sick, refused to give a proper explanation of his condition no matter how much he was asked. But Woojeong needed to know his true state.

“I only heard that the Executive Director has heart problems. I don’t know any details. Please tell me what condition his body is in right now.”

“The Executive Director was born with a congenital heart condition. The reason is…” Kim Junghyun seemed to hesitate for a moment, but seeing Han Jaegang voluntarily step aside, he seemed to decide it was okay to speak.

He calmly explained how Han Jaegang’s pheromone congestion had worsened over time and what his current condition was. He calmly explained how Han Jaegang’s pheromone congestion had progressively worsened and what his current condition was.

Woojeong’s heart dropped upon learning Han Jaegang’s condition was far more serious than anticipated. Furthermore, hearing that he had truly faced death while separated from him left him speechless with shock.

Despite his body being in such a state, he had visited him every day and stayed up all night. Without ever mentioning where it hurt…

“Pheromone disorders, as the name suggests, are greatly affected by others’ pheromones. That’s why continuous exposure to your pheromones, Mr. Woojeong, improved the Executive Director’s condition.”

“…But back then, even though he was constantly with me, his condition worsened. Why do you think that happened?”

“In my opinion, it was likely because Mr. Woojeong’s pheromones changed slightly due to his pregnancy. There’s a possibility he perceived them as someone else’s pheromones. Fortunately, the Executive’s condition is now stable again, just like before. He must have adapted to Mr. Woojeong’s changed pheromones.”

“Then what about other treatment methods? What if something like this happens again?”

“Actually, there is one method. But he absolutely refuses to consider it.”

“What is it?”

“It involves extracting a specific component from Mr. Woojeong’s blood to create a medication. It sounds simple, but it’s actually a process requiring significant time and effort.”

Hearing there was a treatment method, Woojeong moved closer to Kim Junghyun.

“I can do it right away. Please let me do it.”

“Even if you want to, it’s impossible right now. You’re pregnant, so you can’t take medication. Even if we proceed, it would have to wait until after you give birth…”

Woojeong listened intently to Kim Junghyun’s explanation without blinking once.

After finishing his consultation with Kim Junghyun and stepping outside, Woojeong looked for Han Jaegang. Spotting him standing by the window at the end of the hallway, he tiptoed closer, muffling his footsteps.

When he suddenly pulled him into a hug from behind, he felt Han Jaegang flinch in surprise. Burying his face in his back, he murmured softly.

“Don’t get hurt.”

“Doctors always start with the worst case scenario. Don’t worry too much.” Han Jaegang said flatly, stroking Woojeong’s hand.

“I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt. I promise.”

Woojeong desperately wanted to cure his illness somehow. The thought that he could be the answer gave him strength.