Love Born of Pity Chapter 128

The fetal nicknames that had been fluttering about in Do Yeonjae’s mind were all erased, and only the two characters “Dodo” remained, vividly imprinted. It was a cute nickname, pretty to call, and even prettier when Kwon Jiho said it. His hand reached out toward his reddening cheeks before he had even realized it.

“No matter what other nickname I might have come up with, it wouldn’t have been as good as Dodo.”

“…The ones you mentioned are cute, too. And they have good meanings.”

“Yeah, but I don’t like them. I like Dodo best.”

Do Yeonjae stroked his soft skin and called out, “Dodo,” in a vocal tone. His gaze remained fixed on his convex, rounded belly. It was a satisfying result. To think that Kwon Jiho had named it while thinking only of him—more than anything else, he felt like boasting about the meaning of this nickname to everyone, everywhere.

“Then, are we done with naming the fetus?”

“Yes, our baby’s nickname is Dodo.”

“I’ll have to tell the Mister. He was curious anyway, and he looked disappointed when I said I hadn’t picked one out yet. He said he would embroider it on a handkerchief and baby socks for me.”

Now that he was actually going to tell someone, his heart changed in an instant. For a moment, Do Yeonjae was seized by the greed of wanting to be the only one who knew, but that was an absurd thought. Let’s be patient. Yes, let’s tell them. Hiding his true feelings, he replied lightly and stroked his eyes. They were still red, still a little swollen.

“These things go away quickly. You don’t have to worry too much.”

Seeing that his furrowed expression wouldn’t smooth out, Kwon Jiho carefully added:

“Really… I’m okay.”

“It’s because I’m not okay. Not even a little bit.”

His mood rose and fell like a roller coaster. Even when he was just enjoying the moment with Kwon Jiho, his past actions toward someone so gentle and kind as Kwon Jiho would suddenly come to mind. Those countless days back then when he didn’t know how to cherish him and treated him recklessly.

He had only just realized his feelings, so why did his red-rimmed eyes feel so poignant and pitiful? There had been times when he had made him cry all night because he thought it was pretty, but now, just seeing Kwon Jiho cry made his heart feel as if it had dropped through the floor.

“It’s strange.”

“…Yes?”

“Is it normal to feel like I want to erase my past self? I just want to go find him and… kill him.”

Deep regret was imbued in the words spoken with a sigh. Kwon Jiho felt the emotions that had been hardened in a very secluded corner of his heart melting away bit by bit. Whenever he saw Do Yeonjae suddenly look back on his actions and feel regret, he felt his past wounds slowly blurring.

“Maybe we are here now because we had those moments, aren’t we…?”

“…”

“There are things you can only know after you’ve gone through them. Things you only face after you’ve passed through them. Think of it as that kind of thing. It’s not completely okay, but it’s a comfort to think that even if I forget one day, it’s a memory that you won’t be able to forget easily.”

Kwon Jiho rested his face against the hand that held his cheek. Do Yeonjae instinctively twisted his eyes shut. Was it really okay? Was it okay with just that much? It was truly a huge stroke of luck for him that Kwon Jiho was so kind it was frustrating.

“Mr. Director?”

“…I’m worried about your heart.”

“Yes?”

“You keep saying, ‘It’s okay, it’s okay,’ but there will surely come a moment when it’s not okay. What should I do then… I can’t let you go now. I can’t break up. Even if you want to.”

At the sudden seriousness of the atmosphere, Kwon Jiho let out a short, soft breath.

“That kind of worry… actually, I don’t feel it. I am… young compared to you, and because I don’t know much, I really thought about it… a lot.”

Kwon Jiho continued after carefully choosing his words.

“The reason I can move forward without dwelling on the past is definitely because of you, but even bigger than that is the fact that I have so many people on my side now. If I get upset because of you, there are at least three people who will scold you, so I think I’ll continue to be okay, won’t I?”

“…”

“The baby who will be born might be on my side, too. Then I will be even more, more okay.”

“…I am on your side, too.”

Kwon Jiho smiled a little at the calmly rung voice. It was funny to think that he was “taking sides” with Do Yeonjae, something he hadn’t even done when he was a child. On the other hand, he wondered if it was really okay that his parents and grandfather were taking such good care of him and worrying about him. But, he decided not to think about it too deeply. For now, he wanted to fully receive their affection.

“Don’t get angry in the future.”

“I won’t.”

“And I don’t like it when you grab me too hard anywhere, either.”

“I won’t do that.”

“…And ignoring me, too…”

At the words added after a moment of hesitation, Do Yeonjae’s eyes widened. It was the widest he had ever seen them. He seemed quite shocked.

“Do I, ignore you?”

“…It’s something that is basically ingrained in you, Mr. Director. Like that thing where you say, ‘Do you really think you’d know if I told you?’”

“I will never do that.”

“Then that’s enough.”

Kwon Jiho firmed his expression as if he had made a decision. He pulled down the hand that was stroking his cheek, held it tightly, and carefully opened his mouth.

“I want to… stay with you forever.”

It was the permission he had finally received. He had thought it might take longer. He had thought that even after the baby was born, he might not be able to decide easily. No matter how much Kwon Jiho liked his parents and grandfather, marriage was a different matter. He had worried that because his sins were so great, they might remain in a neither-here-nor-there relationship for the rest of their lives.

Do Yeonjae let his head drop. He held the hand that was wiggling on his thigh and pulled it up. He pressed his lips firmly against his fingertips and closed his eyes. At this very moment, he truly understood what it felt like to be so happy he could fly. He learned for the first time that the body trembles when joy becomes uncontrollable.

“I feel like it would be shameless if I were too happy.”

“…”

“Thank you.”

He had barely grasped an opportunity he thought he might have missed. Do Yeonjae vowed that he would never repeat the same mistakes he had made now.

“I will never do anything to hurt your heart again. That kind of stupid behavior… I will never do it again.”

“…”

“I will treat you well for the rest of my life.”

He swore, as was his grandfather’s habit of speech, that since he was a precious child, he would treat him preciously. With a slight pull, the light-bodied Kwon Jiho was pulled toward him. Do Yeonjae hugged his warm body and buried his face in the nape of his neck.

Where and how should they hold the wedding? It’s cold outside, so outdoors won’t work. How many guests should they invite? Would Europe be better for their honeymoon? Or the United States? A resort like the Maldives would be nice, too. A place cut off from the outside world would also be good. A place where he could just be with Kwon Jiho, just the two of them, all the time. The scenery he had secretly imagined came flooding in haphazardly.

“But I… don’t want to have a wedding.”

At Kwon Jiho’s answer, Do Yeonjae wiped the thoughts that had filled his head until just a moment ago completely white.

“That’s fine. You don’t have to.”

“…The marriage registration.”

“Let’s do that right away.”

Please. At the desperate plea, Kwon Jiho nodded.

“And… I want to meet Mr. Kang Gyumin, too. There was something he helped me with, and I couldn’t thank him properly. Since I left the island so suddenly, we lost contact, so he’s probably worried.”

“All right. I’ll get in touch with him.”

“I want to meet him without you, Mr. Director.”

“…Let me at least drop you off.”

Do Yeonjae yielded his stubbornness in matters where he had to compromise appropriately. In fact, he was planning to grant whatever it was that Kwon Jiho wanted to do.

“Are you not hungry?”

“I ate a lot and slept earlier, so…”

“About the house, do you want to keep staying here? Or are you okay with leaving now? The house where the three of us will live.”

“…I’m okay with leaving.”

He hugged him tightly again, having pulled his body away slightly. His heart raced as if it would pop out at Kwon Jiho’s answer that he wanted to live with just him.

“I’ve finished all the interior work, so you just have to move in.”

“…”

“It’s not far from the obstetrician we visit. Your piano academy is close by, too.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Kwon Jiho remember what he had completely forgotten. Because he hadn’t been able to leave suddenly, he hadn’t even been able to say a proper goodbye to the children.

“Actually, I had planned to bring only the piano in the hall to the house and dispose of everything else. But I kept operating it because I thought you would… dislike it if I organized it on my own.”

“…”

“The children haven’t decreased or increased in number. They are still waiting for only you. Those little things are quite loyal.”

At the word “loyalty,” Kwon Jiho smiled. He missed them. He wanted to hear the children’s cute and lovely chattering voices.

“Can I go back to the academy?”

“If that is what you want.”

“Then… I’ll go.”

The tip of his nose turned red. Do Yeonjae, who was patting the back of Kwon Jiho, whose eyes were dampened as if he were about to cry any moment, comforted him by saying that since it would be the weekend from tomorrow, they should go starting next week.

“But… the wedding. I think grandfather and the Mister… will be disappointed.”

“It doesn’t matter. You said you didn’t want one.”

“…They will be sad, though.”

“Even if they are sad, it can’t be helped. If they insist on being stubborn about that issue, they won’t be able to see you or the baby.”

Kwon Jiho shook his head at the firm and heartless reply.

“I don’t want that. I want the baby to… receive love from the family equally. That’s why I want him to be a child who shows he has been loved a lot. Please make sure to solve that problem, Mr. Director. So that they don’t feel sad.”

At the firm voice coming from a gentle face, Do Yeonjae groaned lowly and nodded. He had no choice but to change his answer and promise he would convince them somehow. When he said he would raise the child to be one who showed he was loved, how could he not listen to his words?