Ch.280280. Awaiting the Encounter

[This is from Seoul National University Hospital’s obstetrics department delivery room. Hwa Nabi’s labor has just started. I’m calling because there’s no guardian present!]

“…Ah.”

My mind went blank the moment I heard labor had started. The heavens sure are cruel. Of all times, her labor had to begin during the brief moment I stepped away.

I wanted to be right by her side from the beginning of labor until the end of delivery, but truly… the saying that you can’t predict even a moment ahead seems exactly right. Who could have known labor would suddenly start, like this heavy downpour falling now?

If I could have known in advance, I would have dropped everything, assignments and all, to be by her side. With these regrets, I burst through the door. This is no time to be taking it easy. I can hear the details on my way to the hospital.

I finished putting on my shoes properly and held my phone to my right ear. Then I spoke briefly.

“Is it, false labor? Or real labor?”

False labor refers to irregular pain that comes briefly before actual delivery begins, while real labor signals the true start of childbirth. The difference between the two is like comparing warm-up exercises to the actual event, which is why I asked just in case.

Given that the hospital called directly, it must obviously be real labor, but you never know with these things.

[The contractions are getting closer together, so it seems like real labor. Guardian, how long will it take you to get to the hospital?]

But contrary to my hopes, the nurse confirmed with certainty that it was real labor. I already had no time to waste, but now I had one more reason to hurry.

“Rush hour is over, so I should be there in fifteen minutes. Please let Nabi know that too.”

[Understood. Guardian, please don’t forget to bring your visitor pass when you come!]

“Yes. I’m leaving now.”

I hung up. While pressing the elevator button, I checked the visitor pass hanging around my neck so I wouldn’t lose it. It was still there.

—Ding.

The elevator doors slid open. As I stepped inside, I took a careful deep breath.

As I slowly exhaled, I clenched and unclenched my hands, noticing my palms were soaked with sweat. No matter how much I tried to act calm, I couldn’t hide my nervousness.

And I’m just the one watching from the side. Hwa Nabi, who’s actually going through it, must be even more anxious. I want to hurry there, hold her hand, and whisper that everything will be okay, but the elevator seems painfully slow today.

After what felt subjectively like ten hours, no, ten days, but was actually just 10 seconds, the elevator arrived at the underground parking lot. I got into my car parked near the stairs and started the engine.

“…Phew.”

It’s finally time to go meet Ua.

*

The rain poured mercilessly the entire drive. It was coming down so heavily that I wondered if a hole had opened up in the sky.

I thought it would stop quickly since it was just a shower, but the raindrops seemed to get thicker as time passed. I wondered if it might turn into hail. Though there was no scientific basis for this guess, I needed these trivial thoughts to keep my hands from shaking with nervousness.

“Sigh…”

Just as I let out what must have been my umpteenth sigh, the door to the family delivery room opened. Standing at the door were a doctor and a nurse.

As soon as our eyes met, I jumped up from my seat and approached them.

“Doctor, how is she? Is everything okay?”

“Yes. The fetal movement test showed nothing unusual. We’ll just keep monitoring the contraction intervals and wait for the cervix to dilate. You can come in now as the guardian. I’ll explain the details while we check on the mother.”

“Ah, yes. I understand. Thank you.”

I followed the doctor into the family delivery room. After just a few steps, I could see Hwa Nabi. Her face looked a bit more gaunt than this morning, staring at me intently, perhaps from the pain of real labor.

I hadn’t been away for long, but thinking about her being alone during that time made my heart ache. Suppressing my emotions, I approached her slowly.

“Nabi. Are you feeling okay?”

“Mmm, I get pain every five minutes that lasts for about two to three minutes… but I’m okay right now.”

“Ah… really?”

That means she’ll be in pain again soon. I wish I could take the pain for her, but since I can’t, I held her hand instead.

As I sat down in what seemed like a chair prepared just for me, the doctor began speaking as if they’d been waiting for this moment.

“As I already explained to the mother, her cervix is currently dilated about 3.5 centimeters. We need at least 4 centimeters to administer the epidural, so we’ll do that when the time comes. There are no other concerning signs, and the water hasn’t broken yet, so we’ll continue monitoring and give antibiotics when it does.”

“When will the delivery begin?”

It was Hwa Nabi who asked, not me. However, the doctor looked at my face instead of hers while adjusting their glasses.

“The cervix needs to dilate to ten centimeters before entering the expulsion phase. Until then, it’s important to relax and stay comfortable. This is where the husband needs to reassure his wife so the cervix can dilate faster and complete delivery sooner.”

I understand why they looked at me while explaining. In essence, only I can help Hwa Nabi relax, so my role is crucial. I nodded to show I understood.

“Yes. I understand.”

“Good. If you need anything, press the bell next to the bed to call a nurse. Husband, could you come outside with me for a moment?”

“What? Ah, yes.”

What’s this about? Is there something they need to tell me that Hwa Nabi shouldn’t hear? Though puzzled, I let go of her hand and stood up. She looked up at me with anxious eyes. To reassure her, I gently stroked her head and whispered.

“I’ll be right back, just wait a moment. Okay?”

“Okay, but come back quickly?”

Her tone was so full of reluctance that I didn’t want to leave. But since it was the attending doctor asking to speak with me, I couldn’t refuse. With heavy steps, I followed the doctor out.

-Creak, thud.

The delivery room door closed, and the doctor removed their mask. They appeared at least twenty years older than me.

“Sir, you don’t need to be so tense. I didn’t call you out because something serious happened, but because I have something to tell you privately, away from your wife.”

The doctor, with wrinkles around their eyes, quietly joked, apparently noticing my tension.

Finally feeling a bit more relaxed, I responded with a lighter heart.

“Ah, yes. Please speak freely.”

“Yes. First, let me ask, this is the first child for both you and your wife, correct?”

“Yes. That’s right. Ua is our first child.”

“That’s why I’m telling you this. With first births, labor typically lasts at least ten hours, sometimes up to fifteen hours. During this process, the mother becomes exhausted as her energy is depleted.”

“Ah… yes. I suppose so.”

I’ve heard that the pain of real labor feels like someone stabbing your insides with an awl. Enduring such pain for over ten hours would naturally exhaust anyone.

“So, for the mother to safely complete delivery, the husband needs to be supportive. Hold her hand, whisper encouraging words, things like that. You might think these are small gestures, but that one word or action can provide tremendous strength. Much more than you might imagine.”

“You’re saying I should encourage her from the side.”

“Simply put, yes. And also, some husbands feel awkward giving verbal encouragement, but just firmly holding her hand is enough in those cases. What matters is that the mother has someone to rely on. Of course, staying by her side for half a day or all day will be tiring for you too, but…”

“No, I understand. I’ll do that.”

I cut him off reflexively. As the doctor said, the one suffering most would be Hwa Nabi herself. All I have to do is sit beside her—how hard could that be? It would be ridiculous for me to complain about being tired.

The doctor, whose words I had interrupted, stared at me. I thought they might be upset about being cut off, but their expression suggested otherwise. How should I put it—they seemed impressed rather than offended.

“Good, I like your spirited response. How’s your father doing?”

Suddenly, the doctor put their hands in their pockets and smiled warmly while switching to informal speech. The sudden casual tone caught me off guard, but from what followed, I immediately understood.

This person wasn’t being inappropriately familiar without reason. They must be an acquaintance or friend of my father, or someone with a similar relationship.

Once I realized this, I instinctively bowed my head.

“He’s fine. Quite busy these days, but nothing serious. He’s very healthy.”

I greeted them with the utmost respect I could muster. In response, the doctor—or rather, my father’s presumed acquaintance—looked at me with a pleased expression.

“The last time I saw you and your father together was what, three years ago? You looked like a child then, but now you’re all grown up, married, and having a baby at our hospital. My, how time flies.”

So my guess was right. They extended their hand as if for a handshake, which I promptly accepted.

“As I just mentioned, since this is her first birth, she’s going to struggle a lot. But never show irritation or impatience. Don’t even let it show, otherwise you’ll be hearing about it during every argument for the rest of your marriage. That’s how much I…”

I thought it was just passing advice, but their voice grew increasingly emphatic as they continued. I began to suspect they were speaking from personal experience.

“…Doctor?”

The nurse, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke in a cold voice. My father’s acquaintance—the doctor—glanced in that direction before looking back at me.

‘See what I mean?’

The doctor communicated with just their eyes, shaking their head. At that moment, I realized.

Ah, this is definitely from personal experience.