episode_0059

I quickly headed to the mart.

All the sweet potatoes were sold out, creating a dire situation.

It was absurd to try buying sweet potatoes at this hour in the early morning. There was no way they’d be available.

Unlike in the morning, hardly any stores were open.

After searching for a while, I couldn’t find any.

There seemed to be no way to find them.

As I pondered with my head in my hands, “Ah… Grandma!”

I remembered from my childhood visits that my grandma’s house had a sweet potato field.

I wasn’t sure if they would still be there, but decided to give it a shot.

So, I stepped on the accelerator and headed to my grandma’s place.

Already in a messed-up situation, it started raining.

There might not even be sweet potatoes in the field, but I went with the determination to find some.

Of course, Grandma’s house was dark.

I ventured a bit further into the sweet potato field, grabbed a hoe near the ground, and started digging the soil.

It was almost like a miracle; there were a few sweet potatoes.

I was about to take them when I realized, in a different light, I was essentially stealing.

Feeling terribly sorry, I promised to make it right later! Sorry, Grandma!!

**

Returning home, the sun was rising.

After staying up all night, I entered the house contemplating my actions.

Inside, Jiwon was already asleep.

I washed the sweet potatoes, steamed them, and placed them on the dining table.

I changed clothes immediately and prepared for work.

While heading to work, a message beeped.

Jiwon’s text expressed gratitude with a single heart emoji.

Grateful… It felt good despite not having done anything significant…

With these thoughts, I went to work, explained the incident at Grandma’s house over the weekend, and brought gifts.

Grandma patted my back, appreciating what I did.

Days passed by.

Jiwon’s belly was noticeably growing, preferring to lie down with a laptop rather than exercise.

Well, Jiwon rarely did much even before.

Nothing seemed to have changed at all.

Thinking enviously of their worry-free life, I thought, “Living without worries must be nice…”

“Hey, Jihoo!”

Sometimes Jiwon called me, saying, “I feel something kicking in my stomach.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know, feels like someone’s kicking inside.”

With those words, my hopes of our child becoming a soccer player vanished.

“We don’t seem to have the genes for sports, so let’s give up.”

Jiwon suggested sending our child to a piano academy once they’re born.

“Artistic talent… Do we have that?”

“Genetically speaking, it doesn’t seem likely.”

“Is that so?”

Concluding that we lack artistic genes, Jiwon gave up on the piano as well.

“I don’t know… If our child expresses a desire for something after being born, let’s support them wholeheartedly.”

Agreeing with Jiwon’s words, I touched their belly.

Suddenly, I felt a kick in Jiwon’s belly.

“Oh, the kid keeps kicking.”

“You really need to watch your language.”

Cursing during prenatal care might lead our future children astray.

After a while of touching Jiwon’s belly, they suddenly looked at me and said, “Pork trotters! I want garlic pork trotters!”

Anyway! There’s nothing we won’t eat!

In the end, we went out to buy pork trotters.

Together, we enjoyed garlic pork trotters.

Truly, when you see someone craving something so much…

From now on, it seems like our kids are going to be really successful.

**

A year passed since that moment when Ji-won’s body changed.

Ji-won’s ID card changed, and even the first digit of the resident registration number changed.

Honestly, I didn’t think this would happen, but Ji-won officially became a woman.

Confirming the change in Ji-won’s first digit, we immediately processed the marriage registration.

After submitting the marriage registration… the first thing we did was have a wedding.

“I never thought this would proceed so quickly.”

I had thought that weddings usually require a lot of money and time.

I never expected it to happen so fast due to the influence of our parents.

In the bride’s waiting room, Ji-won stood alone.

There were no friends… but still, I stood by Ji-won’s side and spoke.

Since I was the only one who contacted her after she became a woman.

While conversing with Ji-won, who was alone in the bride’s waiting room…

“I didn’t know I would get married.”

“I wonder if this is okay?”

Ji-won looked at her swollen belly and said.

“We won’t take pictures with my belly sticking out, right?”

She seemed concerned about it.

I thought she might be worrying about something unnecessary, but it was something to consider.

“It’s okay. So don’t worry too much.”

I reassured Ji-won.

She nodded in understanding.

Then we heard the host say, “The groom, please come out.”

“Come out quickly,” I said, patting Ji-won’s head.

As we entered the venue, many people were looking at me.

And as Hyung Jae-sung watched over the event.

“Hey, you, you pay double the taxes.”

Hyung Jae-sung told me to pay double the taxes.

It’s already tough these days, it feels like it’s going to be twice as hard.. sigh..

As I spoke and came out, taking the bride’s perspective, I saw Ji-won.

Earlier, I didn’t understand well, but Ji-won in her wedding dress…

Looked incredibly beautiful.

Approaching me, Ji-won asked how she looked.

“Wow… You look stunning!”

“Hey! Watch your language.”

Upon that, Ji-won covered my mouth.

The ceremony proceeded as such.

When it was time for the final kiss, I looked at Ji-won.

As I kissed her, she said, “I can’t… kiss.”

Ji-won hugged me and said, “You’ll be dead soon when we get home.”

At Ji-won’s sudden remark, I nodded.

Will I die if we don’t kiss…

**

After the wedding, evening arrived.

Feeling tired, Ji-won lay down in bed.

Telling Ji-won to rest, I planned to have a beer in the kitchen.

If I drink just this, I’ll have to stop drinking from now on, so I thought I shouldn’t drink anymore.

How did it come to this?

One day, along with Ji-won’s words and the word “marriage.”

Seeing Ji-won, who seemed unlikely to return to her original self… I spent everyday life with her.

After a brief hesitation, I confessed to Ji-won…

And now, we’re even married.

Things are going to get really complicated, but at least we took some good photos today.

Thinking that there’s nothing wrong, I checked if Ji-won was sleeping well.

Ji-won seemed uncomfortable, moving around continuously.

Is something bothering her?

Amidst my worries, I put down the beer I was about to drink and asked Ji-won where it hurts.

“I don’t know… I feel a bit of pain in my stomach.”

She said, continuing to touch her stomach, her expression gradually darkening.

Then Ji-won rushed to the bathroom.

Assuring myself that everything would be fine, I poured out all the beer I had planned to drink.

I shouldn’t get drunk at a time like this.

So, I was thinking of preparing the car keys in advance and changing into different clothes before rushing to the emergency room after throwing away the beer.

“Ah… Jihoo, I’m fine,” Jiwon said confidently.

At first, I felt a bit relieved by those words, but upon further consideration, I also felt a bit uneasy.

Jiwon always insists she’s fine even when she’s in pain. Is she really enduring this alone again this time? That thought crossed my mind.

After waiting for Ji-won for a while, I finally asked her if she was truly okay.

“Um… yeah, I think I’m probably fine,” Ji-won’s uncertain response made my heart sink once more.

Why does ‘probably’ come into play there? Why ‘probably’?

In that anxious state, I continued waiting for Ji-won until she suddenly said, “Jihoo… I think I’m screwed.”

“You’re bleeding, aren’t you?”

“No, this is not the time for jokes,” she replied cautiously as she tried to come out of the bathroom.

“Jihoo, can you… give me a towel?” she asked.

“Why? Did you pee yourself…”

Approaching Ji-won, I noticed something trickling down between her legs as she stood there.

What on earth is that? I wondered.

“Jihoo… I think I’m in serious trouble,” Ji-won said with a grave expression, looking at me.

Realizing from her expression that this was no joke, I listened to what Ji-won had to say.

“Jihoo… I think… my amniotic sac just ruptured.”