Chapter 157: Huh? (4)

 

A month had passed since we returned from our trip to Jeju Island.

 

In the past month, I took the second part of the CPA exam.

 

There were quite a few questions that confused me, so it felt like hoping to pass was a stretch.

 

Meanwhile, Eun-ha spent her days working as usual, but recently, her health hadn’t been great.

 

“Eun-ha, is it the same today?”

 

“Yeah… I still feel a bit sluggish and heavy.”

 

Eun-ha was leaning against the headboard, resting.

 

At first, I thought it was just a temporary slump, but it had been going on for days now.

 

“Should we skip visiting your parents today and go to the hospital instead?”

 

“Hmm… no, it’s not like I’m in serious pain. Let’s have lunch with my parents first, and then we can go to the hospital.”

 

We had planned to have lunch today with Eun-ha’s parents at a Korean restaurant.

 

It was one of the rare days her parents were free, and they had even invited me to join.

 

It wasn’t an invitation we could easily decline, but still…

 

“Don’t worry too much. I’m really okay! Other than feeling a bit off, I’m fine~”

 

“But didn’t you say you felt nauseous a few days ago? Is that better now?”

 

“Hmm… yeah, I think it’s okay. Let’s just have lunch with my parents first. We can go to the hospital afterward.”

 

“Alright, let’s do that.”

 

In the end, Eun-ha dragged her heavy body to the bathroom.

 

After washing up, she quickly changed and we headed to the restaurant.

 

While waiting on a bench outside the restaurant, I saw Eun-ha’s parents and her older brother, Eunwoo Hyung, approaching.

 

I quickly stood up and bowed to greet them.

 

“Hello.”

 

“You’re here early~? There’s still some time before our reservation.”

 

“I wanted to see Mom and Dad, so I came quickly~”

 

Eun-ha greeted her parents with an affectionate smile.

 

“Ah, I missed you too, my dear. How have you been, Han-gyeol?”

 

“I’ve been doing well. How about you both?”

 

“Oh, we’ve been great!”

 

Eun-ha’s mother replied with a bright smile.

 

Her father, standing beside her, also asked how I’d been doing.

 

“You two still look like you’re doing well. Everything good between you?”

 

“Yes, we’ve been well.”

 

“That’s good to hear.”

 

After exchanging greetings, Eunwoo Hyung gave me a warm welcome.

 

“Han-gyeol, how was your military service?”

 

“I completed it well. How about you, Hyung? All good?”

 

“Oh, me? I’m preparing for job applications now that I’ve graduated. Life’s manageable so far.”

 

“I wish you the best with that.”

 

It seemed like everyone was doing well.

 

“Alright, let’s head inside. This place serves good Korean food.”

 

“Sure, let’s go in.”

 

“Okay~”

 

Inside the reserved room, we ordered a simple course meal.

 

While waiting for the food to arrive, we shared stories.

 

“So, the new semester is starting soon, right? Han-gyeol, are you returning for your second semester as a freshman?”

 

“Yes, I’m planning to graduate as soon as possible and start working, especially since Eun-ha is graduating soon too.”

 

“Eun-ha said she only has one last semester left, right?”

 

“Yeah. I took a lot of summer and winter courses while Han-gyeol was in the military, so I can graduate early.”

 

“You kids seem so mature and capable. It’s really admirable.”

 

Eun-ha and I both felt a bit shy at her mother’s compliment.

 

“You two have been together since high school, so it’s been four years now?”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

“It feels like just yesterday when I first saw you two together. Time flies~”

 

“Actually, if you think about it, I’m the reason these two got together,” Eunwoo Hyung chimed in.

 

Eun-ha and I tilted our heads in confusion.

 

“What do you mean, oppa? How did you bring us together?”

 

“If I hadn’t asked Han-gyeol to help me assemble my computer, would he have ever come to our house?”

 

“Oh, now that you mention it, that’s true. I’m always grateful for that.”

 

“See? Even Han-gyeol admits it.”

 

“Well, I think we would’ve ended up together no matter what. Right, Han-gyeol?”

 

Eun-ha looked up at me with a bright smile.

 

“Yeah, that’s true too.”

 

“See? Han-gyeol agrees with me!”

 

“Alright, you win this one, little sister.”

 

Eun-ha seemed especially cheerful, likely because it had been a while since she’d seen her family.

 

Soon, the server entered the room and placed abalone porridge in front of us as an appetizer.

 

As the lid was lifted, a savory aroma filled the room.

 

And at that moment—

 

“Ugh—!”

 

Eun-ha clapped her hand over her mouth and rushed out of the room.

 

Everyone in the room froze, staring after her in shock.

 

Then, all eyes turned to me, as if waiting for me to explain the mysterious situation.

 

Though I couldn’t say for sure, it felt like we were all thinking the same thing.

 

“Could it be… you two…?!”

 

“I’ll go check on her—!”

 

I quickly got up and followed Eun-ha out.

 

****

 

The Meal Was Postponed.

 

The lunch meeting was canceled, and we decided to visit the hospital with Eun-ha before contacting her parents later in the evening.

 

After a simple check-up, we entered the consultation room together, where the OB-GYN doctor calmly spoke.

 

“Congratulations. You’re pregnant. Five weeks along.”

 

I had a suspicion, but hearing it confirmed still felt surreal.

 

If I were to describe my feelings before hearing this news, I’d say I was honestly a bit scared.

 

I had just been discharged from the military, and I had less to my name now than before.

 

Graduating from college was still far off, and financial independence seemed out of reach for the moment.

 

I was overjoyed that Eun-ha and I were having a baby, but a part of me wondered if I could truly be a good husband and father.

 

Rather than pure happiness, my initial reaction to this sudden pregnancy was worry.

 

“Here is the ultrasound photo. At five weeks, you can’t hear the heartbeat yet, but that small round spot is the gestational sac.”

 

I carefully reached out for the ultrasound photo that the doctor handed over.

 

As I slowly lifted it to eye level, the image of our baby came into focus.

 

It was my first time seeing an ultrasound photo, and there it was—a tiny, round gestational sac nestled in Eun-ha’s womb.

 

It was so small yet so vivid.

 

This was our baby, mine and Eun-ha’s.

 

The moment I saw it, all the doubts I had vanished.

 

The worries that had weighed on me disappeared, replaced by an indescribable emotion.

 

My eyes welled up with tears as waves of emotion washed over me.

 

In my past, I had thought countless times about the meaning of life.

 

Was it simply accepting the life you were given and living it out?

 

Was it merely enduring repetitive days until they ended in monotony?

 

I had often wondered what I should pursue, what I should call happiness.

 

But here, in this moment, those thoughts never crossed my mind.

 

In this place, my daily life, my choices, and my actions all had meaning, culminating in this very moment.

 

“Eun-ha…”

 

I could hear the tremble in my voice.

 

Eun-ha looked at me, her eyes widening in surprise.

 

“Han-gyeol…? Why are you crying?!”

 

I wasn’t sure why I was crying.

 

I couldn’t even remember the last time I had cried, but now, tears wouldn’t stop flowing.

 

Eun-ha, half-smiling and half-confused, gently wiped my tears away.

 

What filled my heart was a mix of overwhelming happiness and a newfound sense of responsibility.

 

“I’ll… I’ll make sure you’re happy…”

 

I held Eun-ha’s hand tightly as she wiped my tears.

 

Though surprised at first, she quickly smiled her usual warm smile and nodded.

 

“Okay!”

 

As I locked eyes with Eun-ha, a discreet cough broke the moment.

 

“Ahem—!”

 

Startled, both Eun-ha and I turned to look at the doctor again.

 

The doctor proceeded to explain the precautions and next steps before we left the hospital.

 

Holding my hand tightly as we walked, Eun-ha looked up at me and spoke.

 

“Han-gyeol, I was a little scared at first.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I mean, of course, I’m thrilled to be having a baby with you! But the thought of a child growing inside me… it made me nervous and worried. It was a little scary.”

 

Eun-ha continued, her voice soft.

 

“But the moment I saw you, I realized I didn’t need to worry. It’s my first time seeing you cry, you know.”

 

“Cough… Sorry. I wanted to be dependable, but I got overwhelmed…”

 

“No, no! That’s not what I meant.”

 

Eun-ha quickly shook her head.

 

Then, she gently placed her hand on my cheek.

 

“Han-gyeol, you’re such a strong person, but with me and now our baby, you’re so tender and vulnerable. It made me realize how mature and reliable you are. I’m truly happy to be having your baby. Thank you. Thank you for giving me such a wonderful blessing. I feel like meeting you was the best luck of my life. Han-gyeol, let’s have a group hug—just the three of us! Come here!”

 

Eun-ha confessed her love with a bright smile and opened her arms wide.

 

Seeing her beaming at me, I slowly stepped forward and embraced her tightly.

 

“Meeting you was the best luck of my life too, Eun-ha.”

 

“Hehe, this feels so nice.”

 

“Yeah, it really does.”

 

“Han-gyeol, thank you for coming into my life. I love you so much.”

 

“I love you too. Thank you for being with me.”

 

The meaning of my life is here, in this moment, with them.

 

“Eun-ha, I’ll make sure you’re always happy.”

 

“And I’ll make sure you’re happy too, Han-gyeol!”

--- The End OF The Chapter --

 

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