PBWY - Extra 2

Tap tap tap. The planning team members busily worked their hands without a moment of distraction. 

Click, click went the mice, phones rang here and there, and fingers slid rapidly over keyboards. There was none of the usual chatter with chairs leaned back, nor the casual gathering in the pantry for small talk. 

The work hours passed in deathly silence. And the reason for that was… 

“Manager Jung, is the revised draft ready yet?” 

At the large work table newly placed by the window, Jung-hoon called out to Yeon-hee quietly. 

“Yes, Team Leader. I’ll print it out and bring it right over.” 

Yeon-hee responded loudly and immediately stood up, heading toward the compact printer next to employee Kim Sang-hyo. But before her hips had even fully left the chair, Jung-hoon’s voice rang out first. 

“Stay there! I’ll go!” 

Jung-hoon sprang up from his seat and quickly stopped Yeon-hee. The man who was always so relaxed and composed now briskly walked over to take her place in front of the printer. Leaning casually against the printer desk, he looked like a model who had just stepped out of a magazine. But Yeon-hee could only sigh softly at the sight. 

”I appreciate it, but does he really have to go this far...?” 

The team members, pretending not to notice Jung-hoon’s actions, were silently screaming in their minds: 

”He’s overdoing it... He’s really overdoing it!” 

The reason for the eerie silence in the planning team area was because of this very “over-the-top” man. Originally, he should have been sitting elegantly inside his private team leader’s office, but suddenly, he had moved his seat outside. 

Jung-hoon claimed it was a ”rearrangement to promote better communication between the team leader and employees,” but anyone—even a passing dog—could tell that wasn’t the real reason. It was all because of Yeon-hee’s pregnancy. His excuse? To keep a close eye on her. 

When he first learned about Yeon-hee’s pregnancy, Jung-hoon spent the entire day looking out the window of his team leader’s office more than a hundred times. He wanted to check on her condition—whether she was uncomfortable or if she was feeling okay. The curtains over the window connecting his office to the workspace never seemed to close. Despite having an expensive coffee machine in his office, he would still come out under the pretext of going to the pantry, just to peek around the planning team. 

The team members were, frankly, extremely uncomfortable. It felt like a royal inspection. Having the highest-ranking superior constantly hovering around made everyone nervous—it was only natural. 

Yeon-hee herself didn’t feel any discomfort due to her pregnancy, but rather, she became uncomfortable because of Jung-hoon’s behavior. 

There was no end to his fussing. Whenever she tried to do something, he would suddenly appear out of nowhere to do it for her. If she even stood up to get a drink, a bottle of water would magically appear in front of her. At some point, Team Leader Min Jung-hoon had essentially become Manager Jung Yeon-hee’s personal assistant. 

They had repeatedly emphasized in the company that work and personal matters should be kept separate. But this? This was way too personal. Seriously, where else would you find a team leader running around like a devoted servant because one of their subordinates was pregnant? 

Yeon-hee had no intention of taking maternity leave or quitting her job for childcare. Jung-hoon respected her decision, even declaring that if she wished, he would personally take parental leave to handle childcare entirely himself. He assured her she didn’t need to worry about a thing. 

That part was fine. She appreciated it. But as the situation continued like this... 

”If I quit, wouldn’t the team be more comfortable...?” 

She even started to think that way. 

Watching Jung-hoon neatly organizing the printed papers at the printer, Yeon-hee sighed inwardly. She thought to herself that she absolutely had to push him back into the team leader’s office. That was the only way to ensure long-term harmony in the workplace. 

### 

“Jung-hoon, how about moving back into the team leader’s office?” 

Yeon-hee, lounging lengthwise on the sofa, asked the question. The change of Jung-hoon’s seat from the team leader’s office to the outer area was uncomfortable for everyone—except Jung-hoon himself. 

Jung-hoon, who had been playing with Yeon-hee’s pale toes, shook his head firmly. 

“If I go back in there, I won’t be able to see you. I’ll feel uneasy.” 

“What’s there to feel uneasy about? All I do is commute in your car and work in the office. Lately, I haven’t been stressed at all.” 

Yeon-hee almost said, ”Your behavior is what’s making me uneasy,” but she managed to hold her tongue. She knew his actions stemmed purely from concern, and she didn’t want to hurt his feelings with an honest but harsh remark. 

Stubbornly silent, Jung-hoon continued massaging Yeon-hee’s feet, working on the swelling caused by her pregnancy.

“Why are you touching my feet like that? It’s dirty.” 

“I just washed them, didn’t I?” 

“Still...” 

Yeon-hee tried to pull her foot away from his lap, but Jung-hoon grabbed it again and held it firmly. 

“The book said good blood circulation is important.” 

“...” 

“It also mentioned that swelling can be a problem, so we need to take care of it.” 

“...Alright.” 

Yeon-hee turned her gaze toward the table. A mountain of pregnancy and parenting books was piled up—books that Jung-hoon had purchased himself. She wondered if he actually read all of them. It was almost pitiful yet endearing how he was obsessing over parenting books like a high school student cramming for exams. 

Fine. If he wants to do this, I’ll let him. 

Yeon-hee raised her eyes to look at her husband again. His handsome face was focused intently on her foot. She felt a warm affection and couldn’t help but smile softly, though she instinctively curled her toes when his fingers pressed down firmly. 

“It tickles!” 

Seemingly pleased by her giggling voice, Jung-hoon playfully tickled the arch of her foot again. Yeon-hee pulled her foot off his knee and said, 

“The doctor also said light movement is better.” 

“That’s right.” 

“So stop following me around at work. You won’t even let me get water by myself. What am I supposed to do with a team leader like you?” 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Jung-hoon replied firmly, 

“Is it wrong for a team leader to take care of his wife?” 

“It’s not because of that. Honestly, it’s uncomfortable for me.” 

“...” 

Jung-hoon’s expression subtly darkened, looking slightly dejected. 

Oh no, thought Yeon-hee. Did I hurt his feelings? She quickly added, trying to soften her words: 

“I’m not saying I dislike what you’re doing! Think about it. You’re my superior, right? How can employees feel comfortable when their boss is constantly hovering around?” 

“Why not? I wouldn’t mind working in the same room as my uncle. I don’t think it would bother me at all.” 

“...” 

His “uncle” referred to none other than the chairman of the group company. For a brief moment, Yeon-hee imagined Jung-hoon working in the same room as the chairman. Yes, Jung-hoon would definitely act as if nothing were unusual, while the chairman would likely fume internally, wishing he’d just leave. 

The mere thought amused her, and she chuckled softly before catching herself. Right now, she was making an important proposal for the sake of the entire team. 

“Do you want me to feel stressed?” 

“No.” 

“If you keep coming out here to take care of me, honestly, I appreciate it. My body feels comfortable. But mentally... it’s stressful. And if I get stressed, it could affect our baby too. Is that okay?” 

“...” 

Jung-hoon didn’t respond. Unable to refute her logic, he simply narrowed his eyes slightly, looking dissatisfied. 

Almost there! Yeon-hee smiled faintly, seeing through his stubbornness. 

“You don’t have to take care of me that much. I’ll manage on my own. Trust me, okay?” 

“...” 

“You know me. If my body gets too tired, I’ll quit my job instead of forcing myself to work.” 

“...Even so.” 

Yeon-hee waved her hand at him insistently. Jung-hoon obediently leaned forward, carefully bracing himself on his arms so as not to press down on her. 

Yeon-hee gently patted his cheek, which was now hovering close to hers. 

“My husband is capable and wealthy. I don’t plan on pushing myself to the point of exhaustion for work.” 

“...” 

“If it gets too hard, I’ll know when to stop. Our baby comes first, so I’ll always consider our child in everything I do. So please, don’t worry so much.”

At those words, Jung-hoon’s expression crumpled. Shaking his head, he gently nibbled on Yeon-hee’s fingers, which had been caressing his face. 

“You’re wrong.” 

“Huh?” 

“If you prioritize the baby above everything else, that’s not right. Your priority should always be you, Yeon-hee. Do you understand?” 

Stunned by his unexpected statement, Yeon-hee could only part her lips in silence. His voice, firm and resolute, pierced through again. 

“The baby is important, but what’s even more important is you, Yeon-hee. Never forget that.” 

“...Alright.” 

Only after Yeon-hee nodded did Jung-hoon finally relax, breaking into a relieved smile. Carefully lowering his face, he pressed a soft kiss to the corner of her eye. His low, murmured voice spread gently like a warm breeze. 

“I understand what you’re saying, Yeon-hee. If that’s really what you want, I’ll do as you wish.” 

Yeon-hee’s eyes widened as she asked again, incredulous. 

“Really? You’ll go back into the team leader’s office? Thank you so much!” 

“...” 

Jung-hoon paused, watching her overly enthusiastic reaction. Something seemed to displease him slightly, as he narrowed his eyes before exhaling deeply and shaking his head. 

“...You seem way too happy about sending me away. It’s making me feel a little sour…” 

His grumbling voice carried a playful tone. Yeon-hee giggled softly and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. The warmth of his body and the comfort of his embrace enveloped her. Her loving husband, who ultimately gave in to her wishes. 

Soon, Jung-hoon shifted to sit beside her and carefully pulled her into his arms. Their two bodies overlapped gently on the spacious sofa. His large hand reached out to stroke Yeon-hee’s lower abdomen, lightly massaging the slightly rounded belly with the utmost care, as if handling a precious treasure. 

Each time his warm touch brushed against her skin, Yeon-hee felt a quiet wave of happiness spreading through her. 

“Yeon-hee.” 

“Mmm...?” 

“My Yeon-hee… our baby…” 

His deep, velvety voice coiled sweetly around her ear. It was as if he hadn’t called her name to hear her response but simply to whisper it for himself. His voice was brimming with pure happiness. 

Yeon-hee rested her head on his arm and closed her eyes. Perhaps it was the comfort of his broad embrace, but drowsiness began to wash over her. They say pregnancy makes you sleepier, and lately, just being held by Jung-hoon made her body feel languid and relaxed. 

A soft kiss landed on her ear. With that final sensation, Yeon-hee surrendered herself to slumber. 

“Thank you for staying by my side.” 

“...” 

“I love you, Yeon-hee.” 

His faint, soothing voice wrapped around her like a gentle cocoon. In her half-dreaming state, Yeon-hee smiled faintly, nodding her head as her lips curled upward. 

### 

“Our Seoyoon is so amazing! Oh, how adorable! Oh, so cute!” 

Junjae’s voice echoed across the green grass. Holding Seoyoon’s favorite stuffed rabbit, he trailed behind the toddling baby, fussing and cheering her on with exaggerated excitement. 

“Oh my! She stepped over the pebble so well! How can our Seoyoon be so smart?” 

Watching the baby step over a tiny pebble no bigger than a fingernail, Junjae exclaimed in awe once again. The baby, seemingly delighted by his enthusiastic reactions, turned around and laughed brightly. Junjae erupted into another round of admiration. 

“Who could she have taken after to be this adorable?” 

And at that moment, a man who bore an uncanny resemblance to the child sat on the grass, holding Yeon-hee’s hand. 

Yeon-hee leaned her head against Jung-hoon’s shoulder. In the distance, she watched her daughter walking earnestly on her short legs, with Junjae trailing behind her like a devoted shadow. 

Murmuring to herself, Yeon-hee muttered: 

“Is that really such a big deal...?”

“It’s impressive, right? She stepped over the pebble.” 

Jung-hoon, too, agreed wholeheartedly with Junjae’s assessment. Yeon-hee tilted her head and let it slide. 

”...Did our Seoyoon really just step over a pebble, or was it some monumental life hurdle...?” 

But she didn’t bother to argue. She knew how blindly affectionate Jung-hoon was toward their daughter, so she let it go. 

It had almost been a year since their child was born. Born relatively small at 2.8 kilograms, the baby had grown rapidly and was now big enough to take clumsy but independent steps. 

Yeon-hee and Jung-hoon were visiting Junjae’s art gallery on this weekend. The place had a spacious lawn and plenty of sights to enjoy, so they had been coming here every weekend recently. 

At first, Junjae had been overly cautious, fretting that the baby might get hurt and barely daring to hold her. But after spending time with her every week, he had transformed into an excellent babysitter, becoming as skilled as any parent. Whenever the baby so much as twitched a finger, he’d exclaim, “Look at this! Our Seoyoon can move her fingers so well!” 

Seoyoon bore an uncanny resemblance to Jung-hoon. She seemed like a feminine version of him, inheriting only his best features. Her nose was strikingly high, and her eyes sparkled vividly. 

If you placed the two side by side without explanation, people would instantly declare, “Father and daughter, no doubt!” within seconds. 

The only feature Seoyoon inherited from Yeon-hee was her gentle demeanor. While Jung-hoon’s appearance could come off as cold and aloof, Seoyoon had Yeon-hee’s softness. The way her eyes curved gently when she smiled and the slight upward tilt of her lips were particularly reminiscent of Yeon-hee. 

Still, Yeon-hee didn’t mind that Seoyoon resembled Jung-hoon so much. After all, it was a good thing to look like her handsome husband. 

If only there had been photos of Jung-hoon’s childhood to compare with Seoyoon’s current appearance. Unfortunately, not a single photo of Jung-hoon’s youth existed. His childhood had been consumed by mental abuse, leaving no room for such luxuries as taking pictures. 

The fact that he didn’t have even one childhood photo broke Yeon-hee’s heart. Imagining the pain and hardships he must have endured made her cry uncontrollably the moment she learned about his past. 

”Why are you crying? I may not have any photos of myself, but we can take plenty of pictures of our child, who looks just like me.” 

Instead of being upset, Jung-hoon had comforted her so tenderly that her tears kept falling in droplets, unable to stop. 

She had thought her own childhood was difficult, but only recently did she realize how much worse Jung-hoon’s had been. Compared to his suffering, her painful past of being discriminated against by her brother felt insignificant. 

That’s when she finally understood why Jung-hoon always whispered, “Thank you for being by my side.” She realized the depth of his words when he looked at Seoyoon and said, “I’m so happy to have a family that loves me.” 

Jung-hoon must have always been lonely. He had endured a barren, desolate life, deprived of even a single drop of genuine love. That’s why his current happiness meant so much to him—it was precious and deeply cherished. 

After learning about his past, Yeon-hee’s feelings for him grew even more profound and tender. She adored the smiles he gave Seoyoon and the loving way he treated her. Just as she had become the meaning of his life, Jung-hoon had become her everything. Her family—truly, her entire world—consisted only of Seoyoon and Jung-hoon. 

Once, her mother had called. She explained that the restaurant business led by Yeon-hee’s older brother, Yeon-jun, had failed, and after struggling to support him, they had gone bankrupt. They had even moved into a smaller house. Over the phone, her mother shed crocodile tears. 

Since Jung-hoon hadn’t invited them, they hadn’t attended the secret wedding. Now, her mother insisted it was time to reconnect. 

Her mother’s intentions were painfully transparent, making Yeon-hee want to cry even more. Money. Of course, it was always about money. Her mother had never given her love, only ever demanded from her. 

The memory of her one-sided, painful relationship with her mother resurfaced, and that night, Yeon-hee couldn’t sleep. 

The calls kept coming afterward. It seemed her mother had found out about Seoyoon’s birth. Her persistence grew, eventually guilt-tripping Yeon-hee. 

”Even if I’m your mother-in-law, shouldn’t I at least see my grandchild’s face? Forcing a break in blood ties brings punishment! How can there be such unfilial children in this world?!” 

Hearing those words, Yeon-hee agonized. She didn’t want to see her mother again, not for anything. But what about Seoyoon? Wouldn’t the child want to meet her grandmother and grandfather someday? Could she justify cutting off this part of her daughter’s bloodline so unilaterally? These thoughts weighed heavily on her mind.

Without a biological grandfather or grandmother, if she were also to lose her maternal grandmother... 

While Yeon-hee was lost in deep thought, it was Jung-hoon who firmly cut off her mother. 

”If you had contacted us to sincerely apologize, I might have reconsidered. But to threaten us like this… it’s regrettable. My patience for Yeon-hee’s sake ends here. If you contact us even once more, I won’t stand idly by. Anyone who has hurt Yeon-hee can never be part of my family. My daughter will never have a grandmother for the rest of her life.” 

Only when Jung-hoon decisively shut down her mother could Yeon-hee finally breathe properly again. 

She had often felt as though her throat was being squeezed, weighed down by a shadow she could never fully shake off. But now that Jung-hoon had coldly severed that tie, she felt as light as if she could soar into the sky. 

Yes. My family is Jung-hoon. Only Jung-hoon and Seoyoon. 

Repeating this to herself, Yeon-hee secretly laughed and cried at the same time—laughing with relief, crying from overwhelming happiness. 

From afar, the baby’s bright laughter rang out. Every time Junjae tossed the stuffed rabbit into the air and caught it, the child would kick her legs and laugh. Ten times, twenty times—it never seemed to tire her. 

“My baby, but she’s really so cute.” 

Yeon-hee whispered softly to herself. Jung-hoon, looking down at her profile, pressed a kiss to her cheek. 

“To me, my wife is even cuter.” 

“What are you saying all of a sudden?” 

Yeon-hee muttered awkwardly, her cheeks slightly flushed. Another soft kiss landed on her murmuring lips. Unconsciously, a giggle escaped her, and she lowered her head, smiling. 

Whether during pregnancy or after childbirth, Jung-hoon hadn’t changed. If anything, their bond felt stronger than ever. 

From afar, the child’s shrill voice called out. 

“Dad! Mom!” 

It was a call for both of them. As soon as they heard it, the two sprang up from their seats and happily walked over. 

The child toddled toward Jung-hoon, who stood with his arms wide open, and naturally nestled into his embrace. Above Jung-hoon’s head, cradling the child tightly, stretched the blue sky. Kissing the baby’s soft cheek, Jung-hoon gently asked, 

“Did you have fun playing with Uncle?” 

“Dada, Dada love!” 

“Mm. You love Daddy?” 

“Chee! Look, Mama!” 

“Yes, there goes a bird flying away.” 

How did he understand her babbling so perfectly? Jung-hoon conversed naturally with his young daughter. Yeon-hee chuckled softly and approached them. The baby, snug in her father’s arms, squirmed and reached out her hands toward her mother. 

“Mommy! Ma!” 

Instead of handing the baby over, Jung-hoon pulled Yeon-hee close while still holding the child. Seoyoon, feeling a bit cramped, wiggled her fingers and tugged at Yeon-hee’s hair, bursting into giggles. Their laughter echoed softly between them. 

“What should I do? I’m so happy.” 

Yeon-hee whispered, as if talking to herself. 

They say too much happiness brings tears—it must be true. Suddenly overwhelmed, she felt tears welling up in her eyes. 

Feeling the warmth of Jung-hoon’s kiss on her eyelids, Yeon-hee smiled quietly. 

It was an afternoon filled with nothing but warmth—the three of them together, snug and content. 

-The End-