episode_0158

After a relatively uneventful day compared to what I had worried about, the day of reckoning arrived once again.

I woke up earlier than usual to ensure I wouldn’t be late for our appointment, and as soon as the sun set, I stepped out of the front door, bidding farewell to my parents.

“…I have a busy schedule, so I’ll be off now, Mother. If I have time, I’ll come visit again soon.”

“Aren’t you leaving too early? Have dinner before you go, if you’re hungry, you won’t have the strength to argue.”

“Mother, um… I mean, Madam said she’ll provide it… Hehe, I’ll graciously accept her offer.”

“Fine, just be careful since you’re my precious daughter… Oh, and once this is over, ask about the date for the formal meeting, got it?”

“Oh, um… Th-the time has already passed? I-I’m going to be late! I really have to go now! Jaehyuk? Let’s go quickly!”

Hearing the word “formal meeting” made me feel embarrassed for no reason, so I grabbed Jaehyuk’s hand and fled outside the house.

Mother is really annoying, talking about a formal meeting when I haven’t even received a proposal yet.

“Phew…”

Feeling the cool autumn breeze, the gradually subsiding excitement and nervousness.

But the strange and fluttering thoughts that come to mind don’t seem to stop, filling my mind with worries about the impending fateful moment.

After a while of silence, Jaehyuk finally spoke up, poking my cheek.

“Are you in pain? Why do you look so unhappy?”

“Uh, huh? I-I’m fine! I’m just worried about meeting Madam… Somehow, I feel more nervous today than last week, haha…”

“I told you yesterday, there’s no need to be nervous at all, right? Even if she scolds me, she won’t scold you. And you know, last week…”

“Well, from my perspective, it seems like she’s going to scold me for things that didn’t happen last week.”

The fact that Madam didn’t say anything and just let it go was probably due to the slim possibility that I might actually be pregnant.

After scolding me so much, it turns out I wasn’t really pregnant, how embarrassed and sorry she must have felt?

Despite her outwardly emotional appearance, Madam is actually a very cautious person.

So, contrary to Jaehyuk’s confident assertion, she probably waited while suppressing her anger. Until the fact that I was pregnant was confirmed.

“Sigh…”

Seeing my parents ready to explode with excitement, how can I not be nervous?

Still looking at the future prince charming, who knows nothing about his own mother, with a pitiful look, I sighed deeply and spoke.

“By the way, it’s definitely a bit overwhelming, as Mother said.”

“What is?”

“The practical aspects. Why do people try to live alone, and why do they not want to have children even after getting married.”

Driven by that naive and dangerous desire to completely possess the person you love, I acted without thinking, but…

After becoming pregnant and becoming more aware of reality, the more I collect information, the more I feel…

“It feels like I’ve done something slightly out of my control.”

I have no regrets about speeding things up. But fear keeps creeping in.

After always showing a lack in my abilities, will I be able to raise the lovely child in my womb well?

In the process of parenting, will I be able to continue my relationship with my beloved partner?

…If, despite all my efforts, I can’t have either of them, or worse, if I can’t have any of them at all…

Can I really continue living in this world?

Thud. Thud.

“…Huh?”

Before I knew it, tears started to form and fall, one drop at a time.

Feeling embarrassed and ashamed of the tears that came out without my control, I hurriedly tried to wipe away the wetness on my face.

But unfortunately, I couldn’t achieve that goal.

Before I could even raise my hand, Jaehyuk had already enveloped me in his warm embrace.

“Sob…!”

As the warmth surrounded me, the tears that were about to stop started flowing like a waterfall once again.

It was strange.

I should be happy and joyful, feeling calm and comfortable as usual.

So why, in a situation where the tears should stop naturally, why couldn’t I stop them and instead they became uncontrollable?

Embarrassing.

I didn’t want to show this weak side to Jaehyuk.

I wanted to stop crying immediately and show a graceful and composed appearance as always.

But, I needed to…

“Why are you crying so sadly, you foolish vampire.”

With a playful remark filled with mischief, the tears burst out once again.

…It’s unfair to say such things in this situation, but whether it’s now or in the past, he’s still cowardly and mischievous.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

“Hey, wait a minute. If you’re going to hit me, at least control your strength… Argh! Time, I might really die at this rate!”

As I pounded his chest like a tree, Jaehyuk begged for mercy, screaming for me to spare him.

After hearing his cries, my emotions slightly calmed down, and I was finally able to stop the tears.

Really, what a shameful sight.

I feel like turning into a bat and hiding in a mouse hole.

…It’s all because of pregnancy hormones, causing emotional fluctuations and making me cry at the slightest provocation!

As my rationality slowly returned, a rush of embarrassment followed.

Being embraced in the wide and warm arms of my loved one was nice, but I felt so sorry and embarrassed for crying and sniffing uncontrollably.

Taking advantage of Jaehyuk’s moment of suffering, I cautiously slipped out of his embrace. And with a heavy sense of guilt, I asked for his forgiveness.

“…Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“If you’re embarrassed twice, I’ll catch one person for you.”

“I said I’m sorry…”

“Alright, it’s not like you broke any bones. Oh, if you used about half of that strength you just hit me with, it would have been just right.”

“If you keep teasing me, I’ll go meet your parents with this face.”

“Well, that would be quite awkward.”

As I threatened with a twisted face, Jaehyuk awkwardly wiped away the tears with a tissue he pulled out of nowhere.

Sometimes he really acts like a fool. Is that all it takes? You need to wash your face properly to make sure it’s gone for good.

“Phew!”

Seeing him trying to cover the sky with his palm in a cute way, I couldn’t help but laugh.

While I appreciated his gesture of wiping away the tears, it made me feel even more uncomfortable.

Taking the tissue from Jaehyuk, I started to wipe away the tear marks myself.

“Phew, I feel a bit better now. But when we arrive at the terminal, I’ll take a quick trip to the restroom. I think I need to wash my face.”

…

After feeling somewhat refreshed, I threw away the used tissue in the trash and turned my head towards Jaehyuk.

For some reason, I noticed Jaehyuk making a face like a beagle who had his snack confiscated.

…Surely he’s not pouting because he couldn’t wipe his face properly, right? Even if he’s petty, he wouldn’t go that far.

Raising my eyebrows in question, Jaehyuk took a deep breath and slowly opened his mouth.

The mocking words that came out of his annoying mouth were.

“Crybaby.”

“…Shut up.”

It was a cheesy provocation that cooled down the hot love.

If only he hadn’t said those words, it would have been perfect.

…Sincerely.

—–

“Who are you calling a crybaby! If it was someone else, I wouldn’t mind, but at least you don’t have the right to call me a crybaby!”

“If not a crybaby, then what should I call you? And why don’t I have the right?”

“When you were in high school, you cried for days after breaking up with that girl! Even as a freshman, you came drunk and cried again while reminiscing about that incident!”

“…Let’s stop here for now. We’re in front of the house.”

“Huh? Already? Geez, that was fast…”

Avoiding the provocations of a beloved partner is not an option but a given.

Moving lightly as if back in high school, I suddenly found myself in front of Jaehyuk’s house before I knew it.

…What a shame, I was just about to mount and pounce mercilessly.

Unfortunately, it’s time for an alliance now.

Putting my regrets aside, I cautiously pressed the doorbell, preparing myself mentally.

Ding – Dong♪

A clear sound resonated through the bustling street, amidst various noises.

After a brief moment of waiting, the distinctive, nervous voice of a middle-aged woman began to flow from the speaker.

[Who is it?]

“Um… it’s me, Jiwoo, ma’am.”

[…Come in quickly.]

Click! Thud.

A brief conversation that lasted about 3 seconds.

Through the keen senses of a vampire, I could glean one certain piece of information from that conversation.

…But it wasn’t particularly helpful information.

Because.

“Just from hearing your voice… ma’am, it seems like you’re furious right now, aren’t you?”

“It was to be expected, wasn’t it? No need to act surprised.”

“That’s true.”

Unless you’re an utter fool, anyone could easily predict such information.

With that, there was no need to consider any other possibilities, yes.

Erasing Plan Z from my mind, I cautiously opened the front door.

As the mother came out to greet us, she suddenly furrowed her brows.

“Sae… I mean, Jiwoo? Did you cry?”

Why is she suddenly like this, the question came before I could even think.

In the midst of my confusion and stammering, the mother’s thunderous words continued.

“Did Jaehyuk cry?”

Misunderstandings and misconceptions usually rear their ugly heads in two cases.

The first is when there is an extreme lack of time for communication.

And the second is when the other party simply refuses to listen.

Coincidentally, both of these applied in the current situation, and the result was.

“…Clear this up, honey.”

“Wait, Mom? Hold on, this is really a misunderstanding… Dad? Can you please put down that hammer… Aaah!!!”

What can I say, a chaotic scene began to unfold before my eyes.