A child who looks like me

In the warm spring, it was a perfect season for children to play.

The child who had started elementary school gradually adjusted to the new life. From the moment they woke up in the morning until they fell asleep at night, they played continuously, yet they were also learning within that play.

For Ji-heon, this was his first spring with the child. He packed for the child’s first picnic, planted trees with the child, admired the cherry blossoms that filled their apartment complex, and before he knew it, May was fast approaching.

It was time to welcome a new family member.

Next to Jeong-o and Ji-heon’s bedroom, a baby room had been created. The main contributors to decorating the baby room were Ye-na and Young-mi.

Young-mi visited Jeong-o’s house every week to help Ye-na decorate the baby room. Naturally, the room was filled with Ye-na’s preferences. Ye-na would make requests, and Young-mi would bring them to life.

Since learning to knit at Christmas, Young-mi’s skills had grown significantly. Ye-na’s requests had become increasingly challenging, pushing Young-mi to improve naturally. Under the demands of her strict teacher, Ye-na, Young-mi began making clothes for various dolls and eventually started crafting dolls herself.

“Grandma, you said you’d make a small rabbit doll since Sim-kung is smaller than Ye-na. What if the Ye-na doll and Sim-kung doll are the same size?”

“I can only make them this size for now.”

“If you try, you can do it.”

“Okay. I guess I need to try harder. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. You can do well from now on. Let’s make it again soon.”

“Do you want me to make this again?”

“Since you made a mistake, you have to do it again.”

Jeong-o, overhearing their conversation from a distance, couldn’t help but smile. No one would know that Ye-na’s words sounded just like those of Ji-heon, the director of Max Planning, when he spoke to his employees.

Young-mi, oblivious to this fact, didn’t complain even when Ye-na nagged her. She merely admired how well her granddaughter spoke.

In any case, she felt proud to be able to decorate her grandchild’s room with the things she made. Being active kept her healthy. Jeong-o was the one who had been taking care of Young-mi’s health, both in the past and now.

With the quilt, mobile, and dolls made by Grandma, along with many gifts from acquaintances, the baby room soon became colorful. Ye-na eagerly anticipated the arrival of her baby sibling, visiting the room every day to see her preferences reflected in it.

As the due date approached, and despite the baby being larger than average, Jeong-o didn’t worry much.

Unlike with her first child, many people around her were taking care of things, and they adjusted to her condition, which gave her strength. Most importantly, she felt reassured by the fact that her husband was there.

On the other hand, Ji-heon had become a bit sensitive. His sensitivity arose from trying to take good care of Jeong-o.

“Why do your hands look pale? Isn’t that a sign of labor starting?”

“Labor? Not yet.”

“Still, I’m worried. Should I skip work today?”

“You have to go. You’re the department head.”

“What if you suddenly go into labor? I’ll have to take you to the hospital.”

“Then you can just rush to the hospital. I can get there on my own. Mom is here, so it’s okay.”

“But your mom has to take care of Ye-na.”

“Are you just trying to avoid going to work?”

Jeong-o hit the nail on the head.

At Jeong-o’s question, Ji-heon looked at her quietly, like a gentle baby animal, without denying it.

Since Jeong-o had taken maternity leave at the end of April, there was no point for Ji-heon to continue working. The person he needed to protect was at home, not at the office, so Ji-heon’s thoughts were consumed by home all day.

“Go to work quickly. Since I’m not there, you have to work hard for both of us.”

“Sigh… I don’t want to go.”

Ji-heon let out a deep sigh, not hiding his feelings at all.

“Sim-kung, don’t be a troublemaker and stay still. Daddy will finish work quickly and come back soon.”

“Don’t say you’ll do it roughly!”

As Ji-heon jokingly spoke to Jeong-o’s belly, she snapped back. The child found his dad’s jokes amusing and kicked his mother’s belly a few times. Ji-heon could see the belly jiggling from the strength of the kicks.

With her husband reluctant to go to work and sending the child off to school, the house finally felt quiet. Jeong-o spent a peaceful time sitting next to Guk-soon in the living room.

Watching Jeong-o’s belly move subtly, Guk-soon said, “I wonder which little troublemaker is about to come out, giving Mom no time to rest.”

“It’s just hiccups.”

Jeong-o confidently answered, feeling the baby’s rhythmic movements. While it was hard to feel them when moving around, she could clearly sense the baby’s kicks while sitting still.

“Today, the hiccups are lasting a bit longer, which is concerning. Sim-kung, stop the hiccups now.”

Jeong-o said this with her head bent down toward the baby. At that moment, she felt a sudden sensation inside her.

“Ah…”

“What’s wrong?”

Jeong-o’s pale face answered Guk-soon’s question instead.

Guk-soon quickly prepared Jeong-o and called Ji-heon.

“Yes, Mother.”

“Hey, Jeong-seobang, I think I need to go to the hospital. My water seems to have broken.”

“Where are you now?”

“I’m about to take a taxi to the hospital.”

“I’ll be there right away. It’ll take 10 minutes.”

Ji-heon truly arrived home in less than 10 minutes, surprising Jeong-o.

“How did you get here in 9 minutes? Did you skip work?”

“…”

“Why can’t you speak? Did you really not go to work?”

“I went. I stopped by the office, went to a meeting, and came straight back. These days, I schedule meetings around here.”

You scheduled a meeting nearby?

Despite her panic, Jeong-o sighed in disbelief.

Anyway, thanks to her husband, who prioritized her above everything else, Jeong-o quickly arrived at the hospital.

After changing clothes and undergoing various tests in the family delivery room, afternoon had already arrived, and the contractions gradually grew stronger.

Though the contractions continued, the baby hadn’t descended at all, making it seem like it would take a long time. Jeong-o curled up and lay down, sniffling.

“I’m scared…”

Ji-heon comforted Jeong-o, who was feeling frightened. He, too, felt inexplicably anxious and couldn’t remember the encouraging words he had prepared, but he steeled himself. He needed to be a supportive husband for his wife.

“It’s okay. You’ll be fine.”

“I’m scared I won’t have the strength because I’m hungry…”

“…Huh?”

“I should have eaten more before coming…”

Ji-heon felt a bit relieved by Jeong-o’s regretful complaint.

“Sim-kung, you have to come out today. You can’t come out tomorrow…”

Even in her weakened state, Jeong-o continued to mutter.

“If you’re going to come out tomorrow, it’s better to wait until the day after tomorrow…”

“You can’t wait until the day after tomorrow. Prolonged labor is dangerous. You need to come out by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

A nurse who had come to check on Jeong-o replied to her mutterings. Jeong-o shook her head at the nurse’s advice.

“No, I can’t come out tomorrow morning…”

“…”

“Sim-kung, just come out quickly today, please… Tomorrow is Parents’ Day…”

Hehe.

At that moment, a small laugh escaped Ji-heon, and he hurriedly covered his mouth. His wife was so cute and lovely, trying to take care of things even while in pain. But he thought that if he revealed his true feelings, he might receive double the reproach, so he maintained a serious expression.

There was no time to laugh. The contractions became closer together, and Jeong-o’s grip on Ji-heon’s hand tightened.

Jeong-o’s short nails left deep marks and bruises on Ji-heon’s hand. But neither Ji-heon nor Jeong-o could feel it.

“Hah, hah…”

Jeong-o’s breathing grew increasingly labored. Ji-heon stayed by her side, breathing with her according to the breathing techniques he had learned.

Now the intensity of the contractions was easily reaching 100. Watching his wife tremble and groan, Ji-heon felt tears welling up in his eyes. He felt a deep sense of guilt thinking about how his wife had suffered like this seven years ago when he couldn’t be there.

Still, they managed to reduce the pain with an epidural, although it ultimately became useless in the end.

Time flew by in a daze, and soon the baby began to descend, and the cervix opened. The Avengers team came in, transforming the bed into a delivery bed, and then the doctor arrived, and the process sped up.

Seeing Jeong-o in such pain, Ji-heon felt a surge of confusion as well. He wanted to rush over to wipe Jeong-o’s face and hold her hand, but the husband wasn’t much needed in the delivery process.

While the Avengers team supported Jeong-o in pushing, Ji-heon stood quietly at the back, only feeling anxious.

“Mom, please give me strength. If you don’t push now, the baby will be in danger.”

The baby will be in danger?

Jeong-o, who had seemed to faint momentarily from exertion, opened her eyes wide as if she had taken a stamina-boosting potion at the doctor’s advice. She pushed with renewed vigor.

“I can see the head. Let’s push a little more. One, two!”

Everyone put in their strength in rhythm with the doctor’s call. And then…

“The baby is here! It’s a boy!”

A baby, with stiff arms and legs stretched out, came into the world.

At first, the baby didn’t cry right away. It wasn’t until the nurses massaged the baby’s limbs and the doctor used a tool to help the baby breathe that the sound of the baby’s cries filled the delivery room.

Ji-heon, standing a step away in a daze, awkwardly walked over when the nurse called him to cut the baby’s umbilical cord. After that, while the doctor took care of the post-delivery procedures and the nurses washed the baby, Ji-heon wiped the forehead of Jeong-o, who was blinking in exhaustion.

It felt like something was caught in his throat; he had trouble speaking.

“You did a great job.”

“Even you’re crying, oppa.”

Jeong-o, gazing quietly, smiled weakly. Ji-heon didn’t even realize tears were streaming down his face. After quickly wiping away his tears, a nurse came over, cradling the baby. The baby cried loudly, turning bright red.

“It’s 4.0 kg.”

…So that’s why Jeong-o had such a hard time…

The baby seemed chubby and fluffy, but Ji-heon wasn’t mistaken; the baby was much larger than expected.

May 7, 10 PM. A healthy baby weighing 4.0 kg is born!

Ji-heon gently held the baby, whose face resembled his own, as he felt an odd familiarity. The dark hair on the bright red forehead made him smile through his tears.

A child who looks like me.

A thrill started in his chest and shook his entire body.

The moment he fell in love. The moment he couldn’t help but fall in love.

“Sim-kung, hello. It’s Daddy.”

From the moment he first met Jeong-o eight years ago to this moment, through countless days of separation and reunion until they became a family, it felt like all those days rushed by behind the baby.

And so, another fate had arrived.

As if remembering the voice heard in his mother’s womb, the baby stopped crying in his father’s arms.