Do Ha did not seem like someone who had relied on an oxygen respirator for two whole months. Of course, all the muscles in his body had atrophied from the lack of activity during that time, and the wounds and aftereffects from the accident remained.

Even with such a body, he showed a frightening recovery rate by doing rehabilitation exercises day and night. Even before his wounds had fully healed, he was carrying out the rehabilitation program to the point of overexertion, causing worry not only for Hae Yeon but also for Do Hee and Joo Ah.

“Do Ha, please think about your body for once.”

Hae Yeon repeated the same words every day because she did not know why Do Ha was pushing himself to this extent. Although he felt sorry for the worried Hae Yeon, Do Ha had no other choice.

The management state of CH MICE, where the CEO had been absent for two months, was a mess. The company that had shown a formidable growth trend and had been on a winning streak in the MICE industry was almost entirely built by him directly.

Even if it had grown rapidly in a short period of time, CH MICE still lacked talent and foundation.

After receiving the documents handed over by Secretary Kim, Do Ha savored the joy that his wife and fetus were safe for only a brief moment. He had no time to rest in order to bring the fallen company back on track.

In particular, the failure of the Pyeongtaek City Consortium deal was a painful mistake. It was only natural for Mayor Cho’s side to react that way, as he had suddenly gone into a state of disappearance before the contract was even finalized.

Above all, the biggest reason lay elsewhere.

– Even if you were unconscious due to a traffic accident, the contract you made with me is not invalidated.

Those were the first words Chairman Yoon said when he visited Do Ha who had regained consciousness. Due to the traffic accident, Hae Yeon had completely escaped Chairman Yoon’s eyes. In order to protect Hae Yeon somehow, Do Ha had to solve the scattered problems immediately.

So, he had no choice but to start working with a body that could not even walk properly.

“Do Ha, if you keep working like this, you’ll…”

Hae Yeon couldn’t finish her sentence. She was worried because her husband, who had escaped the intensive care unit, was only wrestling with his laptop and phone. And that too, on the bed.

Putting down the report he was skimming through, Do Ha stretched out his arms towards Hae Yeon, who was looking at him with a face full of concern. Hae Yeon blinked her brown eyes at the puzzling gesture.

“Come here.”

Since waking up from the coma, Do Ha frequently called Hae Yeon as if looking for a puppy. Using the excuse of being a patient.

“Just wait until my legs are fully healed. I won’t let you say ‘come here’ then.”

“Oh no. I want to walk, but this is nice too. I need to hug our Donggeul too.”

Do Ha was originally a person who often joked and played mischievous tricks, but only with his wife. There were times when Hae Yeon really missed these small everyday moments.

They were forcibly deprived of the happiness of everyday life for a full two months, so Hae Yeon was happy with the conversation they were having now.

“Don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying, am I a baby?”

“Yeah, since we have Donggeul now, you’re not a baby anymore, Hae Yeon.”

Joking again, Do Ha buried his face in Hae Yeon’s arms as she came close. Now that he couldn’t move his body freely, it became the opposite of Do Ha always hugging his wife.

“I’m sorry. For not waking up sooner.”

It’s because I was sleep deprived. Do Ha joked again. Hae Yeon, who knew that he was trying to make his wife’s heart ache less in any way possible, lifted the corners of her mouth while hiding her sad feelings.

* * *

“Do Ha!”

Hae Yeon shouted urgently. It happened one dawn.

Hae Yeon, who was sleeping on the spare bed, woke up feeling a chill. Although the hospital room temperature was always at an appropriate level, she suddenly felt a cool sensation, and as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw him collapsed on the floor while looking for Do Ha.

It was because of the excessive rehabilitation exercises. There was a recommended amount of exercise advised by the doctor, but Do Ha had exercised excessively for a quick recovery and discharge, so the feared incident had occurred.

Even though she told him to take it slow, to do only as much as the doctor instructed, and jokingly said she would support him, the situation had inevitably turned out this way.

Fortunately, it was discovered early and emergency measures were taken. Hae Yeon was able to leave the single room only after seeing Do Ha asleep. Seeing the intensive care unit sign in the distance, Hae Yeon felt nauseous and vomited while holding onto the wall.

“Madam!”

A passing nurse discovered Hae Yeon and held her. The moment she said she was fine and tried to get up, her legs gave out and she almost sat down.

As the tension was released all at once, she foolishly burst into tears. The image of Do Ha collapsing in the hospital room overlapped with the image of him being thrown onto the asphalt during the traffic accident, overwhelming her.

She had endured well on days like today, but as soon as he was safe, the aftershock came belatedly.

“It’s o-okay, you can go.”

After barely pulling herself together, Hae Yeon left the room to consult with Dr. Moon. As expected, what Dr. Moon said was the same as what she had anticipated. He must take absolute rest, and overexertion does not lead to faster recovery.

While listening carefully to Dr. Moon’s words, Hae Yeon was pondering how to persuade Do Ha.

“That goes for you too, Madam.”

“Pardon?”

Hae Yeon blinked her eyes because they were clearly talking about Do Ha.

“You need to take care of yourself too. Not the child in your belly, but yourself.

That is also the way for the child.” With Dr. Moon’s advice, Hae Yeon left the consultation room with an awkward smile. The doctor’s advice was appreciated, but it was not easy to follow. In a situation like this, it was difficult to take care of herself.

Thinking about this and that, Hae Yeon returned to the special room where Do Ha had been hospitalized all along, and she thought she had seen it wrong. The person looking out the window from inside the spacious room was Do Ha. Being a VIP room, the outside garden of the hospital could be clearly seen through the full window, providing a good view.

“Do Ha!”

Hae Yeon’s eyes widened as if they would pop out. He was clearly the person who had collapsed just a moment ago. Worried that something might go wrong at this rate, Hae Yeon’s vision turned white. As Hae Yeon hit his back weakly with her hand, Do Ha spoke nonchalantly.

“They say I need to rest. I can only rest if you’re next to me, so do that for me.”

At the absurd words, Hae Yeon rolled her eyes. But why did she feel like crying? Wrinkling her nose bridge, she held back her tears well, but the tip of her nose turned red.

“Hurry. I’m going to get sick again.”

He was really incorrigible. As the room was spacious and the bed was large, befitting a special room, it felt embarrassing and awkward to lie down together on the bed that was sufficient for two people.

Actually, even though they had spent every night together in the hospital room for a long time, it was still like this. Hae Yeon lay on her side with her back to Do Ha and hurriedly lowered her gaze. A large hand touched her cheek, which had turned red at some point.

“I told you to stay still, but you’re really staying still?”

After the traffic accident, Do Ha’s jokes had noticeably increased. Even though she knew it was for her sake, she couldn’t laugh when she was supposed to, and Hae Yeon couldn’t grasp the sudden rush of anxiety.

What if this happiness was only for a very short moment?

If the misfortune that had made Do Ha collapse returned again.

Suddenly, the sound of the clock ticking in the hospital room seemed enormously loud. To Hae Yeon, it felt like a judge’s gavel to deliver a sentence, and it was frightening.

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

The moment Do Ha turned his body to lie down and hug her while speaking, Hae Yeon tightly closed her eyes at the distinct surgical scar visible on his side. The arm around her shoulder was the same.

At the time of the accident, Do Ha’s skin was scraped and torn against the asphalt, leaving indelible scar marks.

In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that Do Ha’s entire body was covered in wounds.

Especially his legs. The legs, which now had iron cores embedded in various places instead of healthy bones, would never be able to run properly or engage in intense exercise again. Just thinking about it made her heart feel like it was being torn apart, and Hae Yeon’s hand automatically went to her chest.

“You’re crying again.”

As she cried frequently, as if her tear ducts had broken down since the accident, Do Ha reached out his arm and lifted Hae Yeon’s head to make her look at him.

“It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault.”

Hae Yeon felt an indescribable complex of emotions. Her mind was in turmoil, but she tried to calm her heart, remembering that Do Ha had collapsed today. She never wanted to hear the words that he had gone wrong again.

Then was it because of that?

This anxiety. How should she deal with this ominous feeling that had no basis?

Anxious. Rather, there were only days to be grateful for. Do Ha, who had returned to her like this and was regaining his health, and the baby who was growing beautifully. There was absolutely no problem, but she didn’t know why she was so afraid.

“…Thank you.”

After barely spitting it out, Hae Yeon met his eyes. Just a brief exchange of glances was enough to fill her heart with emotions and make it ripple.

If Hae Yeon’s light brown eyes were rippling to suppress fear and vague terror, Do Ha’s black eyes were rippling with pity and compassion for his wife.

Do Ha leaned in and gently wrapped his arms around her waist. As he lowered his head, Hae Yeon closed her eyes without realizing it. The touch that caressed her cheek became hot, and Hae Yeon realized that her own heart was even hotter.

He kissed her carefully, as if kissing something infinitely precious. The lips that had lightly stayed and rubbed against hers slowly parted.

“Haa.”

Hae Yeon, who had parted her moistened lips, exhaled lightly. Just this small gesture was enough to bring stability and make her close her eyes languidly.

The feeling of something tapping the front of her belly. Hae Yeon was a little surprised, but she stayed still because she was embarrassed and startled. Then, a clear signal was felt again.

“Ah…”

“Are you okay?”

Do Ha raised his head, resting it on his right hand, and looked at her, worried that she had suddenly let out a sigh. She had to answer, but Hae Yeon was in a daze due to the mysterious experience she had just had.

“Hae Yeon?”

“My belly…”

“What’s wrong with your belly? Does it hurt somewhere?”

Do Ha finally sat up and put his hand on Hae Yeon’s belly. Hae Yeon placed her hand on top of his.

“Just wait a moment.”

“Wait…you say?”

Hae Yeon nodded to Do Ha, who asked in a dazed manner. Then, the baby kicked again.

Thump.

Do Ha’s eyes gradually widened as he felt the small vibration that shook his palm.

“Could this be…”

“Yes, Do Ha. Our baby is saying hello…”

Hae Yeon, who still answered with a dumbfounded face, raised her upper body and leaned against the bed headboard next to Do Ha. Hae Yeon looked down at her now bulging abdomen.

The baby, who had not caused any particular morning sickness or even a single tantrum so as not to tire the mother who had to endure alone, revealed its presence for the first time.

During those long 60 days when Do Ha was in a coma, the reason Hae Yeon was able to endure was not only the vague belief and conviction that he would wake up and recover.

‘If it weren’t for you…’

If it weren’t for this baby, perhaps she wouldn’t have been able to make it alone. Hae Yeon was relying on everything she had on the baby who should have only relied on its mother and grown.

Did the baby know that? The baby who comfortably allowed her to be unaware of herself, even though it was her first pregnancy.

This small body had provided a very large resting place for its mother.

“Is this really a fetal movement…?”

As if he couldn’t believe it either, Do Ha stroked Hae Yeon’s belly several times. The faint kicking left ripples not only for Hae Yeon but also for Do Ha.

The man, known for being blunt to everyone except his wife, disappeared somewhere, and a clumsy and inexperienced father-to-be acted as if he were possessed, touching her belly and being gentle.

“Do Ha, let’s quickly choose a name for our baby.”

It was something she had deliberately postponed to do together when Do Ha woke up.

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

While listening to his answer, Hae Yeon made up her mind firmly. She had not yet overcome the trauma and shock. She was still scared and afraid from time to time that Do Ha would disappear, that this happiness she had found again would crumble.

‘That’s not true.’

Hae Yeon shook her head. She was not alone anymore. Do Ha, who had returned again, and the baby who had been with her all along. As long as she had these two, there was nothing more to fear or to be in pain about.