Ch.9292. Everything Happens Suddenly

“By the way, Siwoo. Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“What if… what if I got pregnant?”

“…..”

I nearly spat out my food as I sat right next to her, eating a late breakfast in the hotel room.

After dropping this bombshell out of nowhere, Hwa Nabi patted her waist gently and stared at me intently, as if telling me to look at her.

Seeing her meaningful expression, I nervously gulped and answered carefully.

“…What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden? Didn’t you say it was a safe day?”

I had only said those crazy things in the bathroom because I believed her.

Looking back, I wonder if I was temporarily insane… but that’s probably not the important issue right now.

To my question, Hwa Nabi blushed slightly and answered.

“Well… yes, but you never know what might happen, right? There’s still a possibility, however small. That’s why I added the ‘what if.'”

“Hmm….”

Well… she’s not wrong. Mathematically speaking, even events with 0% probability can still happen.

More precisely, defining something as having 0% probability doesn’t mean it absolutely cannot happen, but that’s beside the point, right?

I gulped and fell into thought for a moment.

“Well, hypothetically.”

What would I do if she suddenly got pregnant?

…That’s something I’ve already concluded long ago. With that thought, I answered without hesitation.

“Well, then.”

“Then…?”

“I’d go meet your parents, get down on my knees and say… ‘Father-in-law, please give me your daughter!'”

You know, that scene that commonly appears in morning dramas. A man who made a mistake goes to the woman’s parents, bows, and asks for permission to marry.

Of course, in reality, I’d probably get slapped immediately, but what else could I do? That’s the only way to make things right, even if it’s late.

“W-what? No, don’t joke around…!”

Though her words were sharp, her face turned red, and she buried her head against my arm, shaking it vigorously, suggesting she didn’t entirely dislike the idea.

“Huh? I wasn’t joking. I was being serious.”

But at that moment, Hwa Nabi suddenly tapped my shoulder. There was no strength in her hand, so it didn’t hurt, but I was a bit dumbfounded.

Ah, maybe she didn’t like my line? Well, this isn’t some old drama. “Please give me your daughter” is quite a clichéd line.

“Hmm, I guess the line was a bit lacking? People probably don’t talk like that these days.”

“Siwoo… that’s not the issue here?”

“That’s not the issue…?”

Hwa Nabi’s cheeks were flushed pink. Her eyes seemed to be scolding me but also secretly expectant, so I modified my answer.

“Then, do your parents have any favorite foods or fruits?”

“What…? Um… my dad likes pears, and my mom likes grapefruit… wait, why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

Pears and grapefruit. I committed those two fruits firmly to memory. As I gently fixed Hwa Nabi’s bangs, I muttered.

“Why? I’ll need to bring gifts when I visit your family home. I’d be considered rude if I didn’t.”

“W-what? Family home?”

“Yes, family home. …Oh, was that too difficult? To explain more simply, it means the house where your parents currently reside…”

“No…! Siwoo, do you think I’m asking because I don’t know what the word means?!”

I swallowed the words “Wasn’t that why?” and glanced at Hwa Nabi’s expression. Seeing how red her face had become, this didn’t seem like the time for jokes.

“Okay, what I just said was a joke… but why are you suddenly getting angry? Did you not like my answer?”

“No…! That’s not it. Ugh… Siwoo, are you pretending to be clueless on purpose to tease me? Right?”

I had given my answer after serious consideration, but Hwa Nabi seemed to think I was joking.

“…I’m not.”

What would be the point of pretending to be clueless about this? I stared at Hwa Nabi, genuinely confused. She turned her head sharply to meet my eyes.

Then, as if trying to discern my true intentions, she stared intensely at me from a very close distance….

“Ughh…!”

Her cheeks flushed, and she twisted her body even more vigorously.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah…! Huff, never mind. Siwoo is strangely clueless about these things… so I guess you’re being sincere.”

I was about to reply, “Of course I’m being sincere, why would I lie?”

But then, Hwa Nabi gently leaned against me.

She rested her head on my shoulder.

“…”

Sensing the suddenly subdued mood and the strange flow of air, I glanced around cautiously.

Hwa Nabi seemed a bit tense, clenching and unclenching her delicate hands a few times before slowly speaking.

“Um… you just said you’d visit my parents soon, right?”

…Did I say that? To be honest, I don’t remember clearly.

The reason is probably the warmth transmitted from her body pressed against mine.

“…And?”

“Then… then.”

“Yes?”

“…Will you propose to me too?”

Hwa Nabi seemed embarrassed by her own words, quickly turning her head away as soon as she sensed me looking at her, staring at some random spot instead.

As I gazed at her, I gently reached out and intertwined my fingers with hers.

“…”

A proposal… huh.

I had vaguely thought I should formally do it someday, but now that she’s brought it up, I can’t just ignore it.

I carefully caressed the back of her hand with my thumb and asked lightly.

“Where would you like me to do it?”

“…Do people usually ask that so directly?”

I could feel Hwa Nabi’s slight disbelief through our joined hands, but I waited patiently.

She thought for a while, gently tickling the back of my hand as I had done to her, then suddenly said.

“If I tell you, will you actually consider my opinion?”

“Well, as long as you’re not asking me to bring down the stars from the sky, it should be possible.”

“What? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime proposal. You can’t even do something that difficult?”

“If you wait about 15 more years, it might be possible.”

Since Hwa Nabi asked playfully, I responded in an equally playful tone.

She seemed to find it amusing, raising the corners of her mouth in a pretty smile.

“Fifteen years is too long. Can’t you shorten it to about 10 years?”

“With 10 years, stars are out, but the moon might be possible.”

“The moon isn’t as romantic as stars! And what would I even do with it?”

“You’re talking as if stars have any practical use?”

After this nonsensical exchange, we looked at each other and laughed simultaneously, as if on cue.

“Hwa Nabi, why are you laughing?”

“Heh, what about you, Siwoo?”

“Hmm, just that… it’s a bit funny to be having this conversation?”

“Really? What a coincidence, I feel the same way.”

As we leaned against each other, holding hands and laughing… just as our laughter was gradually subsiding.

Suddenly, Hwa Nabi squeezed my hand and whispered quietly.

“…Siwoo, to be honest, I lied to you about something.”

“A lie? What do you—”

Just as I was about to ask, Hwa Nabi gently pulled my arm and embraced it, as if linking arms, holding it tightly against herself.

“…Ten years is too long too.”

“…Then?”

I could feel her body, half-embracing me, tense up.

“Actually, if it were up to me…”

I found myself holding my breath, waiting for her next words.

But no matter how long I waited, she remained silent.

I slightly turned my head, which had been facing forward, to look at Hwa Nabi.

“…”

Slightly moist eyes, trembling lips. Her gaze desperately yearning for something.

Taking in all these details, I…

…somehow, I seemed to understand.

“…I got it.”

So, I spoke without hesitation.

“…W-what? Got what?”

Hwa Nabi looked at me with a startled expression. Without further explanation, I stood up. She, who had been holding my arm, naturally stood up too.

Finding herself suddenly standing in an awkward position, she just blinked her large eyes. She clearly seemed bewildered, but there was no time for explanations.

“Hwa Nabi, let’s go.”

I extended my hand to Hwa Nabi, who had already released my arm. Though confused, she reflexively grabbed my hand.

“Uh, where to?”

I intertwined our fingers firmly, and found myself grinning as I said:

“Somewhere nice.”

“…W-what?”

Hwa Nabi’s face turned bright red.