Eun Soo went into the bedroom.
Hyuk Joo was nowhere to be seen. Judging by the absence of water sounds from the bathroom, he seemed to have gone to the study.
Eun Soo walked into the bathroom and filled the tub with water.
As she stared at the cool stream of water spewing out, she rose from the edge of the tub and began to undress one piece of clothing at a time.
Standing in front of the mirror, Eun Soo let out a long sigh as she looked at her face.
“What a mess.”
Her face was swollen and blotchy, probably from crying.
It was fortunate that she hadn’t shown this side to Hyuk Joo.
After blinking her red eyes a few times, she started to remove her makeup with cleansing oil.
As she washed her face cleanly with lukewarm water, the traces of tears on her face faded.
After a quick shower, Eun Soo got into the bathtub.
Was it because she had been tense all day?
The warmth of the water that enveloped her body felt particularly soothing.
As steam rose like a water mist, she lay back in the tub, her body barely surfacing to reveal her face.
The gentle sound of the water moving around her submerged ears soon fell silent.
The silence continued as if the world had come to a halt.
In the soft touch of the water enveloping her body, Eun Soo closed her eyes tightly and submerged her face completely under the water.
It was comforting.
The water was so cozy that she wanted to fall deep asleep right there.
She held her breath.
It was bearable.
She enjoyed the quiet, as if she were alone in the world. But the pleasant silence did not last long.
“Eun Soo?”
At the sound of Hyuk Joo’s voice calling her, Eun Soo quickly got up.
“Cough, cough.”
She coughed heavily, struggling for breath after accidentally swallowing some water when she got up in a hurry.
“What are you doing?”
Hyuk Joo’s voice, asking if she thought she was drowning, sounded unusual.
Eun Soo wiped her wet face with her palm and put on her usual nonchalant expression.
“I was practicing my breath control.”
“Breath control?”
“…I was thinking of learning to swim.”
Eun Soo quickly made her excuse.
“How much longer are you going to be?”
“I’m about to get out now.”
“Get out quickly. We have something to discuss.”
“…Okay.”
As Eun Soo nodded, Hyuk Joo left the bathroom as it was.
At the sound of the door closing, Eun Soo bit her lower and upper lips hard.
What could this discussion be about?
And why would he come all the way here at this hour?
Eun Soo’s heart started to pound hard, making a thumping sound, as she didn’t understand why.
Tiny droplets of water were hanging at the end of her hastily dried hair.
Moisture shone on her shoulder where her wet hair touched, but Eun Soo didn’t even notice it.
It was because of the unusual expression on Hyuk Joo’s face, who was sitting in front of her.
His lips were tightly sealed, as if he had something to say.
If it weren’t for his eyebrows twitching weakly every now and then, it would seem as though he had become completely still, as no faint breath was heard from his lips.
Eun Soo lowered her gaze to the table and waited for Hyuk Joo to speak.
“Eun Soo.”
Finally, Hyuk Joo, who had maintained a long silence, called Eun Soo’s name.
Eun Soo lifted her head and looked at his face.
Hyuk Joo, slightly grimacing, spoke in a low voice.
“Let’s go to the hospital together.”
“The hospital?”
Eun Soo opened her eyes wide and asked at Hyuk Joo’s somewhat unexpected words.
Eun Soo’s heart sank just at the mention of the hospital.
“Do you want to have a baby?”
“Ah…”
Eun Soo sighed softly and slowly nodded.
She was the one who had first declared that she wanted a child, that she desperately wished for it.
However, that was a statement she had blurted out in defiance against Hyuk Joo, who had brought up that woman’s story.
Of course, the reason for wanting a child from a pure heart was far greater.
And during the days when she had momentarily forgotten about that woman’s existence, she had deluded herself into thinking that Hyuk Joo was gradually opening up to her. How wonderful would it be if a child were born amidst that?
If that happened, their marital relationship would become stronger.
But now…
What if a child was born between her and Hyuk Joo?
Eun Soo sneered inwardly.
How would Hyuk Joo look at a child born from a woman he didn’t love?
He would probably treat the child with the same indifference he treated her.
At such a thought, Eun Soo felt pitiful for the child that would be born between her and Hyuk Joo.
“Um, Mr. Hyuk Joo.”
“Speak.”
“Would it be okay to postpone having a child if it’s alright with you, Mr. Hyuk Joo?”
“For a bit?”
Hyuk Joo’s smooth forehead slightly furrowed.
It seemed to be because of the vague expression ‘a bit’. Eun Soo specified the time.
“Until next year.”
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
Eun Soo was flustered at Hyuk Joo asking for a reason.
She thought that if she suggested postponing having a child, he would simply agree like he would with other things, saying, ‘Eun Soo, do as you wish’.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
