SELA - 74

“Doctor, are you alright?”

The person standing in front of her was none other than Seo-won. It was the first time they had seen each other since their meeting where she had drawn a line.

“Oh, hello. Long time no see. Where are you going?”

“No, I’m on my way back from somewhere. What about you, Doctor?”

“Me too. On my way back.”

“Then, if you don’t have plans, would you like to have tea with me?”

Sa-hee was lost in thought for a moment. Her mind was already complicated with thoughts of the pregnancy, and she wanted to be alone to think. However, it was equally awkward to ignore Seo-won’s request, who was looking at her with sparkling eyes after a long time.

“Sure. Shall we go into that cafe over there?”

“Okay.”

Seo-won, having received her agreement, led Sa-hee to the cafe with a happy face. After finding a seat, the two ordered a cup of coffee and a juice each. Seo-won, after drinking some water, brushed his hair back and looked around once. Then he looked at Sa-hee and smiled. It was a refreshing smile as always.

“Actually, I have something to tell you. If I hadn’t met you today, I would have contacted you separately.”

“What is it you want to say?”

Baby, pregnancy, Ji-hyuk, happy, scared, what should I do... Sa-hee’s head was in a mess with all sorts of thoughts, but she diligently pushed them aside and focused on Seo-won.

“I’m going abroad soon as an exchange student.”

“Oh? Suddenly?”

“Yes. A good opportunity came up. Actually, I was debating a lot about whether to go or not.”

“It’s a good opportunity as you said, why are you hesitating? It will be very helpful when you come back.”

“Are you really asking because you don’t know? It’s because of you, Doctor. I hesitated because of you.”

Seo-won said that and then smiled again with a smile as bright as the sun. He was innocent and straightforward as always. It was Sa-hee who was at a loss for words.

“But I’m still going to go. I’ll become a more wonderful person and definitely win you over, Doctor.”

“......”

“When I come back, I hope you’ll see me as a man then.”

“Here are your drinks.”

Just then, the server approached and placed their ordered coffee and juice in front of them. Sa-hee took a sip of her orange juice, gathering her thoughts on what to say.

“I think I played it too fair, like an idiot. If I liked you, I should have just gone for it relentlessly. But I hesitated about whether there was even a chance, and ended up getting a big slap in the face.”

“Seo-won-ah.”

“Yes.”

“Doctor, um... I might be married by then.”

Seo-won crunched down on the ice in his mouth.

“And more than that... actually, I’m not sure if it’s right for me to even say this to you, but I thought it would be worse to give you false hope. That’s my judgment.”

“What... what do you mean?”

Seo-won frowned, looking genuinely uneasy. He placed the dewy glass he was holding on the table, his eyes fixed intently on Sa-hee.

“I’m on my way back from the hospital right now.”

“Are you sick somewhere?”

“It’s not that. Actually... I’m pregnant.”

“......”

Haha, Seo-won laughed. Yes, he laughed, Seo-won did.

He didn’t quite manage to continue speaking, just opening and closing his lips repeatedly, running a hand through his hair nervously.

“I didn’t think it was right to keep making you worry. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say you’re sorry. What did you even do to me, Doctor? It was all me being happy and running around on my own.”

“Are you angry?”

“Yes. At myself.”

Seo-won covered his face with both hands and groaned, “Aah.”

“If only I had found you a little earlier, Doctor. If only I had met you and confessed a little earlier. If only I had been a little more courageous, if only...!”

Sa-hee silently watched Seo-won. The way he gulped down his iced coffee showed how much he was burning inside.

“Seo-won-ah.”

“......”

“There’s one thing I can definitely promise you. That I’ll always be a good teacher and an older sister to you.”

“......”

“And if I may say so, you will definitely meet a very good person. Someone much prettier and more wonderful. You won’t even remember me then.”

Seo-won’s eyes reddened as he looked at Sa-hee. He somehow looked a little fierce.

“Don’t say things like that.”

At Seo-won’s firm voice, Sa-hee smiled slightly. She was grateful and found it cute, his conviction that his current feelings were everything. Sa-hee got up from her seat, picking up her bag. Seo-won’s gaze followed her.

“You can contact me anytime. But I’ll only receive it as your teacher, your older sister, me.”

“Are you really going to leave like this?”

“I’m sure you’ll do well, but study hard and come back. I’ll always be cheering for you in my heart.”

“Doctor. Sa-hee Doctor.”

Sa-hee didn’t look back anymore. Holding his hand and patting him here wouldn’t help him cut her out of his heart in the end.

Leaving the cafe, Sa-hee started walking in the direction her heart led her, feeling somewhat bitter. She planned to walk for a while and then take a taxi home.

[Where are you]

The message that arrived just then made Sa-hee stop and smile. It was Ji-hyuk.

Sa-hee, who was typing a reply, ‘Outside. I’ll be going in soon,’ erased the entire sentence. Then she tapped her fingers and wrote a short reply.

[Come home early]

[Okay, I got it]

It was an irrelevant answer, but the reply came immediately. She found it endearing that he answered so straightforwardly without even questioning.

How would he react if she told him about the pregnancy? Would he be happy? Or...? She felt a thrill and a little bit of fear at the same time.

[You listen so well, you’re pretty]

[Woof woof]

Woof woof? Sa-hee burst into laughter at the sudden barking sound. He sometimes said with his impassive face, “Don’t you know I’m your puppy?” but this was the first time he had replied like this. Sa-hee replied to him again with a face full of smiles.

[I have a puppy present for you]

[I’m looking forward to it]

[You’ll definitely like it]

[Will you suck me off?]

This lecher. He always ends up like this even when things are going well. Sa-hee shook her head and put her phone in her bag.

She saw a taxi approaching in the distance. Sa-hee reached out her hand to hail the taxi. The car slowly decelerated and stopped in front of Sa-hee.

“Cheongdam-dong, please.”

Sa-hee, having gotten into the taxi, told the driver her destination and turned her gaze to the window. The setting sun cast its light, and the lights of the shops turning on one by one flickered like starlight. Sa-hee looked at the beautiful scenery and placed her hand on her belly. Now it was really two, not one. She couldn’t believe it.

“Let’s go together, to where Dad is.”

Sa-hee whispered softly and took a deep breath with a smile. It was really time to go home now.

________________________________________

Ji-hyuk, who had come home from work and entered the living room, sensed something was off. The house was dark, with no lights on, and unusually quiet. The silent house, with no sign of anyone, made him wonder if Sa-hee had come home yet. She had clearly contacted him earlier to say she had arrived.

“Sa-hee-yah.”

Ji-hyuk’s voice echoed in the living room. But that was it; there was no particular reply. Ji-hyuk took off his jacket and casually draped it over the sofa as he moved.

The only lights in the house were the light from the city nightscape coming through the large window, the entrance light that automatically turned on at night, and the hallway lights. Ji-hyuk didn’t turn on any other lights and used these lights as guides to look around the house.

First, he thoroughly checked the bedroom, kitchen, dining room, dressing room, guest room, and fitness room. Sa-hee was nowhere to be found.

Next was the bathroom. Because he had bad memories associated with the bathroom itself, he felt the back of his neck stiffen even as he opened the door, but thankfully, no one was inside. He let out a sigh of relief, brushed his hair back, and returned to the living room.

The only places left to check were his study and the room next to it. Ji-hyuk first opened his study. As expected, Sa-hee wasn’t there. Ji-hyuk immediately came back out and opened the door to the next room without hesitation. And there.

“Ji-hyuk-ssi.”

Like magic, Sa-hee was there.

Sa-hee, wearing a white dress, had lit dozens of candles all over the place. She had been sitting on a chair at a table in front of the large window at the far end of the room, and she stood up when she saw him.

“All this...”

“I was waiting for you. Come here quickly.”

Ji-hyuk, his tension easing, unbuttoned his cuffs and strode towards Sa-hee. On the table covered with a white cloth, there were wine, melon prosciutto, cheese, crackers, and other foods that she seemed to have prepared.

“Sit down.”

Ji-hyuk seemed slightly bewildered but obediently sat down in the chair as Sa-hee told him to. Sa-hee smiled as she poured wine into his glass.

“Were you surprised that the house was dark? I wanted to surprise you.”

“If I get surprised twice, I might die.”

“Actually, I thought you’d come to this room first. You’re coming here last?”

“I’m the type to turn things upside down as I see them.”

“Ah.”

Sa-hee smiled as if she understood. As she raised her glass, he also raised his and clinked it against hers. The sound of clink rang out pleasantly. Sa-hee only touched her lips to the glass and then put it down.

“Is today a special day?”

“No, just because. Does it have to be a special day?”

“That’s strange.”

“What is?”

“You have a look on your face like you have something to say.”

He chuckled and drained the remaining wine in his glass. His eyes, however, remained fixed on Sa-hee. Meeting his gaze, Sa-hee raised her eyebrows as if she had been caught.

“I met Seo-won today.”

“Who?”

“My student, Lee Seo-won.”

“Why that punk?”

“Just coincidentally. He said he had something to say, so we had tea together.”

“Looks like you have a lot of time. Wasting it on useless things.”

“Don’t talk like that.”

“You’re the one who always takes his side whenever his name comes up.”

He raised one eyebrow and refilled his own glass. He seemed sulky over something trivial.

“He said he’s going abroad soon as an exchange student.”

“He’s doing something commendable for once.”

Sa-hee glared at Ji-hyuk. Ji-hyuk shrugged and took a sip of his wine.

“So. Is your heart so broken that you even set up this drinking table?”

“Are you being sarcastic?”

“If that’s the real reason, I’m going to flip it over right now. Do you want to tell me the truth?”