episode_0099

“[Oppa!]”

As the warmth that I felt in my hand began to fade, a voice of a young child echoed in the depths of my memory.

Eunhye… no, Byul, leaned her small and delicate body against my arm, looking up at me.

As soon as Byul noticed my gaze, tears welled up in her dewy eyes, shimmering like morning dew.

“[Oppa! I brought ice cream! Let’s eat together!]”

The memory that came to mind was from our time together, a childhood memory when we didn’t even understand the word “farewell.”

In the empty house where only the two of us were left alone because our mother was absent, Eunhye once brought ice cream for us to share.

She wanted to eat her favorite chocolate ice cream with me for the pure reason that she wanted to share it with me.

“[Oppa! If we count to one, two, and pull, we’ll split it, right? One, two!]”

It was a time when we didn’t have the ability to share at once.

We grabbed onto different ends of the ice cream stick to split it, but it never divided evenly. Eunhye, who always ended up with a smaller portion and cried, I always switched our portions and ate.

“Hehe, thank you, Oppa! I like you the most in the world!”

Eunhye, with a chocolate-covered mouth, happily showed me, and her image overlapped with Byul’s.

Yes, you always stayed the same as you were back then.

Even if you were born again, Eunhye wouldn’t change. She would remain as a family, loving and relying on me in her pure form.

“Goodbye, my sister, Joo Eunhye.”

The last farewell to my sister slipped out of my mouth.

As Eunhye’s blurry figure faded away, she disappeared without a word of farewell.

“I’m sorry, but this time, I’ll just forgive you.”

There will be another chance.

As Eunhye said, she probably didn’t have much time left in reality to stay. Even if she wanted to talk a little more, she couldn’t. It’s a bit disappointing, but it doesn’t matter much. Soon, Eunhye’s empty seat will be filled again.

But this time, not as a sister, but as my child.

“Honey, are you okay!? Are you hurt anywhere!?”

As I held the place where Eunhye, or rather, Byul, was nestled, my husband entered the room and our eyes met.

Naturally, my husband ran to my side and quickly, with a face that seemed like he might cry at any moment, expressed his anxious voice.

“I-I’m fine! I’m fine, so calm down!”

It’s unfair to have a face like an abandoned puppy at a time like this when the lingering feeling hasn’t disappeared yet. If you have such a face, you have to say you’re fine even if you’re not, because it weakens your heart.

“Oh, thank goodness! I’m really relieved…!”

As my husband shook his chin rapidly, as if shaking off worries, he relaxed his expression as if he was relieved.

My husband breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, my husband’s tension eased, and his body moved towards me. Before I knew it, his arms were wrapped around me, holding my shoulders tightly.

“I was scared. The doctor said you only lost consciousness. There’s nothing wrong with your body or the baby, but you wouldn’t wake up…”

“My dear husband, I was so scared that I fainted again… It’s okay now, so stop crying! Men don’t cry over things like this.”

Trying to comfort my husband who was choked up, it seems like he still can’t calm down.

I caused him a lot of worry.

Well, now that I’m a pregnant woman with a child, it would be strange not to worry.

I was wrong.

If it were anyone else and not my husband, they would have worried and cared even more.

Eunhye… no, Byul, are you watching?

The person who loves you this much, who cherishes you, is your father.

It may not be ideal for someone as mediocre as me to become a mother, but if this person is your father, you will surely be happy.

I learned happiness and love through this person.

Although it’s my first time as a parent, I’ll do my best with Dad.

This time, let’s be happy together as three… Let’s be happy.

“Eunhye- no, Eunhye, are you okay!?”

“Sister!!!”

Suddenly, a scream was heard, and when I turned to the source of the sound, Junseok and Minjeong were standing at the door of the hospital room that my husband had opened and entered. Why are the two of them together?

“Sister-in-law, my wife has just regained consciousness, so please don’t approach her recklessly.”

His statement, which abruptly stopped the crying, had an imposing tone that sounded like a warning not to disturb their precious time together.

Junseok and Minjeong looked embarrassed and puzzled.

Finally, Minjeong, who had been glaring at my husband, spoke with a scrunched-up face.

“Oh, you’re holding onto my sister so she can’t even breathe… You shameless human.”

“I’m just checking to see if my wife is okay as her husband, doing what needs to be done.”

“You talk so arrogantly. And didn’t I tell you not to call me sister-in-law, you thief’s child!!!”

Sparks seemed to fly between my husband and Minjeong.

He used to be intimidated by Minjeong before, but now, there was a sense of unwavering strength in Minjeong.

To come out so strongly against Minjeong, who I can’t even beat… This man has a way of making people’s hearts race.

“Hey, hey… calm down. You shouldn’t cause a commotion in the hospital.”

“I’m trying to look calm right now- sigh… Fine. I’ll endure it because I’m in front of my sister.”

Junseok intervened to stop Minjeong from confronting my husband, who was scowling.

It must have been hard for Junseok to watch this situation unfold.

I want to applaud Junseok for having the courage to step in during such a situation.

“Well, I’m fine now, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

“How can I not worry when my sister has fainted again?!”

Looking back, this kind of thing has happened more than once.

Moreover, this time, she fainted while pregnant and was brought to the hospital, so who wouldn’t worry…

Having gotten used to my husband, who can’t stand a little pain, this situation didn’t seem like a big deal.

“But why did you two come together?”

The fact that the two of them, who had no connection, came in together, and the fact that Junseok, who had been trying to stop Minjeong earlier, was now treating her with some familiarity, was strange.

Do they know each other?

“Oh, that’s… well…”

“I decided to be like a brother to this man, just like my sister.”

While Junseok was stumbling over his words, Minjeong confidently placed her hand on his shoulder to respond.

“W-what?”

“Why, there’s nothing strange about it. If this man has decided to be my sister’s brother, then in front of my sister, I’m also saying that he’s my brother.”

I was stunned by Minjeong’s bold statement.

No, honestly, it’s good for people related to me to get along well, but to be so easily intertwined like this?

This is strange!

I suffered so much to become Junseok’s brother, and Minjeong is doing it so easily!!

“Anyway, that’s how it is now. Sister, remember that. Right, brother?”

“Ah… Yeah… That’s right.”

Although Junseok looked a bit withdrawn, judging from the atmosphere, it seemed like he was under some kind of pressure and reluctantly decided to treat Minjeong as his younger sister.

Minjeong, you were really a scary kid.

Star, scared? That person is going to be your aunt.

Minjeong used to be your sibling.

She may be a bit rough around the edges, but she’s good to your mom.

This mom believes that Minjeong will be a good aunt to our Star.

But it seems like she doesn’t get along with Dad, so it might be good to know that in advance.

“Anyway, it’s a relief that you’ve come to your senses. Eunseok… he’s in a good place, so you don’t have to worry.”

It’s really all over now. Well, it’s truly the end now.

Now the past is all over.

Star, that person is your uncle Han Junseok.

He’s this mom’s brother, a person she really wanted to introduce to you.

Despite being a bit clumsy, he’s a kind person who treats everyone equally.

This mom trusted and relied on him when she was young, so surely he’ll be a pillar of support for you too, Star.

“Eunhye! Are you okay!?”

Wow, someone else has come again.

Oh, Star, that person is your grandfather…

“Olke! I heard you collapsed, but you’re okay, right!?”

The person coming in making a fuss is your aunt…

“Eunhye!!!”

Um, that person over there is your royal grandfather!

“Where’s my daughter-in-law!? I heard she was hospitalized here!”

The person outside is probably going to be your grandmother…

“Doctor, is Eunhye okay?! It’s not a serious illness, right!?”

The person who came in with the doctor is your great-grandmother…

Oh, come on!!

Please, can you all come in one at a time?! My head is spinning!

“Stop! The patient needs to rest! Please, only the husband can stay, everyone else needs to leave the room!”

The family members, looking dissatisfied with the doctor’s instructions, left the room.

Phew~ Finally, it’s a bit quiet now.

Thank you sincerely, Doctor.