Sharp, slit eyes stared at Seoyoon.

Kanghyun, who had narrowed his forehead, soon nodded slowly without blinking. It was natural that he wanted to spend time together after meeting his parents, whom he had been worried about all along.

While considering Seoyoon’s perspective and granting permission for her overnight stay, Kanghyun felt a slightly bitter feeling, making his throat warm.

“Do as you wish. I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow.”

In his own way, Kanghyun, who calmly accommodated her wishes, embraced Seoyoon.

Kanghyun kissed Seoyoon’s face here and there, held her small hand, and gently tapped his cheek with her lips before taking a step back.

“I have urgent business, so I’ll leave now,” he conveyed without entering the house, and Kanghyun, who turned his body without the need to go inside, moved towards the elevator.

Although he pretended to be composed, his legs felt heavy as he walked away.

He was worried about how to spend the time without Seoyoon.

“Oppa.”

Observing his somewhat strange back for a moment, Seoyoon stepped forward and grabbed Kanghyun’s arm.

“It was just a joke. I’ll stay for another 30 minutes.”

“If it’s because of me, you don’t need to worry. I’ll handle it myself.”

“It was really just a joke. I remembered when you pestered me to go home when we came here before. I’m sorry.”

Seoyoon, who scolded herself for playing an unnecessary prank in an attempt to show a changed appearance, quickly apologized to Kanghyun.

“Fortunately.”

Kanghyun’s tightly closed lips turned into a delicate crescent moon.

Seoyoon, who stood in front of him with her arms folded, not angry but rather enjoying Kanghyun’s reaction, lightly pinched his cheek.

“Our Oppa has become a truly cute hedgehog.”

Kanghyun bowed his waist to let Seoyoon comfortably touch him.

“So don’t tease me. There are almost no thorns left now.”

“There must still be some.”

“Only the thorns that I can’t properly set up without your permission.”

“Don’t pretend to be weak. Can you wait for 30 minutes?”

While watching Kanghyun nod his head like a good kid, Seoyoon laughed, pressed the unchanged password, and opened the door lock.

???? ???? ????

Wearing a nightgown provided by the hotel, Seoyoon brought aromatherapy oil and climbed onto the bed.

Opening the oil cap with a sports motif, she dropped a droplet onto the pillow where Kanghyun lay and adjusted the ambient light of the stand to darken it.

For Kanghyun’s comfortable sleeping space, Seoyoon was investing effort in things like scents that help deep sleep, white noise, regular exercise, and dietary habits.

Kanghyun finished his preparations and looked at Seoyoon, who carefully massaged his hands.

She said it was due to insomnia caused by anxiety that she might disappear.

She needed to see and touch her anytime, anywhere to gain stability, so the anxiety did not subside even during sleep.

Kanghyun, recalling the words of the chief physician he had met a few days ago with Seoyoon, furrowed his brow.
Having experienced a major accident and multiple threats to her life, Seoyoon felt pathetic as she lay still, unable to recover, while Kanghyun, instead of taking care of her, was still struggling with his own troubles.

“Close your eyes, Oppa. Don’t think of anything else.”

“The sight is ridiculous.”

“I’ve been alone for five years. In that situation, anyone would have struggled. I tried to abandon you again when you became weak.”

Seoyoon lay down, supporting her arm, and gently caressed Kanghyun’s face.

The eyes, softly drooping under the neatly falling bangs, felt unusually gentle, making the tip of the nose tingle.

“Yuna.”

“Yes?”

“It’s about the baby.”

To say or not to say, Kanghyun hesitated for a moment before awkwardly bringing out words that wouldn’t stick to his lips.

The image of Seoyoon getting pregnant and giving birth did not come to his mind at all.

Since he never had the memory of seeing a newborn baby, it was challenging to include anything related to Seoyoon and himself.

If Seoyoon wanted, he would eventually make an effort to listen, but what worried him the most was…

“What if the baby looks like me?”

The fact that the child born from Seoyoon’s womb might have the same issues as him troubled him.

The thought that a child born with his temperament would consume and grow up, much like how his mother, who clashed with the cold eyes of her unfeeling son, eventually succumbed to death, made it difficult for him to breathe.

“It would be nice if the baby resembled you. Handsome, smart, and tall!”

Responding to Kanghyun, who brought up the topic of the baby first, Seoyoon unfolded his praise.

“The first daughter resembles the father, and the first son resembles the mother. Regardless of gender, they will be truly beautiful.”

Seoyoon’s eyes sparkled as she imagined an unborn child.

Creating a peaceful family and living happily had been a long-standing dream she had harbored since childhood.

Although it shattered into pieces after Kanghyun declared marriage to another woman, in that dream, Kanghyun was always an affectionate husband and father.