Love Born of Pity Chapter 57

“Why, why are you doing this? Why? Does it hurt? Are you feeling pain?”

“Ah, no. No… no. It doesn’t hurt. I came to get eye drops, eye drops.”

“Mr. Jiho, your face is pale. Are you alright?”

“I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.”

Kwon Jiho pulled his head back from where he’d been leaning forward for the examination and shifted his body as if to get up.

“Come back if you’re uncomfortable. You finished all your supplements, right? How do you feel after taking them?”

“…I feel fine after taking them.”

“You said you had frequent nosebleeds back then. Do you still get them often?”

“No, it’s just my eyes. My ears are fine now, too.”

Kwon Jiho answered a few questions and stood up awkwardly, glancing behind him. It seemed like the examination was over, but he hadn’t been told he could leave. Choi Suhyeok kept Kwon Jiho in the examination room a little longer while writing a prescription, and then finally indicated the end of the appointment by telling him to come back once more during the week.

After paying, he left the prescription at the pharmacy and went outside the building, looking for a gynecology sign. It felt too late, was it okay? Would it be alright if he took the pill now? He squinted in his half-blurred vision to check the tiny letters, but since there wasn’t a gynecologist who saw male omegas, he trudged back towards the pharmacy.

“Ah, Mr. Kwon Jiho? You’re just in time. Your medication is ready.”

“Um… do you happen to have birth control pills for omegas?”

“Birth control pills? There are some you can take without a prescription, but… I don’t recommend them. Omegas need to take individually prescribed pills for them to be effective. They also prevent side effects. The ones sold in pharmacies are mostly for betas.”

“Ah…”

“But you need to take them right away, right?”

The pharmacist took out a light purple box and handed it to Kwon Jiho.

“Then… take one pill every day, at the same time. Since this is for betas, even if you take this, contraception isn’t 100% guaranteed, so it’s best to use a condom during intercourse. There’s an instruction manual inside, so please read it carefully. Side effects may include nausea and swelling.”

The pharmacist, who had briefly written down the dosage instructions, continued explaining while pointing at the medicine box.

“Of course, those symptoms will disappear if you stop taking them. It’s best to visit a gynecologist as soon as possible and get a prescription.”

“And… are there any gynecologists near here?”

“There aren’t any nearby, you have to go out and go one more block. It must be quite inconvenient for you to go to the hospital, since many general gynecologists don’t see male omegas.”

“Indeed…”

The pharmacist smiled understandingly and took the cash Kwon Jiho offered, completing the transaction. He put the medicine in a bag and kindly wished him a speedy recovery.

As soon as he returned to the academy, Kwon Jiho put in his eye drops and swallowed the supplement and birth control pill together. He checked the time, remembering he had to take them at the same time every day, and wiped his water-stained lips.

He carefully put the medicine in his bag, and after waiting a bit, the children arrived one by one. He gave the boisterous children cool drinks and snacks, chatted with them briefly, and then sent them into the practice rooms.

Kwon Jiho unconsciously checked the clock. Today was also Hyunwoo’s lesson day. He had scheduled the lessons so that Hyunwoo would have minimal contact with the other children, but recently, as the number of academies Hyunwoo attended increased, their schedules overlapped awkwardly.

“I don’t think it’s disturbingly loud at this level.”

Kwon Jiho tilted his head, listening to the children’s clumsy playing on the keyboards. The room was filled with the sounds of cute children’s songs. It was a performance that naturally warmed his heart, but Hyunwoo had been increasingly irritated by the noise. Last week, he had slammed the wall, making Eunsol cry twice out of fear.

“Should I tell him to change academies…”

While he was pondering, the door opened roughly.

“Ah, Hyunwoo, you’re here?”

“What time do those kids come…? They’re so bad, why does he even let them come?”

Hyunwoo ran his hand through his hair irritably and glared at the practice room where the children were.

“Hyunwoo, can we talk in the counseling room for a moment?”

“I have to go straight to English academy after this. I’ll be late.”

“It’ll just take a moment. Just give me a minute.”

Kwon Jiho opened the door to the counseling room and gestured to Hyunwoo. The boy roughly dropped his bag on the floor and perched on a chair.

“Is something going on these days?”

“No, nothing.”

“That’s good to hear, but I was worried because you’ve seemed sensitive lately. The other children are scared, too.”

“…”

“So, I was thinking, if it’s difficult to change your academy schedule, how about taking a break from piano for a while?”

At the carefully posed question, Hyunwoo’s eyes widened for a moment. Startled, the boy cursed, but then pulled out a tissue and covered Kwon Jiho’s face. At the urgent expression and the lukewarm liquid flowing down his philtrum, Kwon Jiho lowered his head. He covered his nose with the tissue Hyunwoo had given him and laughed, embarrassed.

“…Ah, blood. I’m okay. Thank you.”

“Oh my god. Why did your nose suddenly start bleeding like that?”

“I know, right? But thanks to you quickly getting me a tissue, it didn’t get on my clothes. That’s a relief.”

Kwon Jiho took his hand away from his nose, repeatedly checking to see if the bleeding had stopped. Hyunwoo waited patiently. Then, as if his thoughts had settled somewhat, he opened his mouth.

“Teacher.”

“Yes, Hyunwoo.”

“I think I’m going to quit piano altogether.”

“Can I ask why you’re thinking that way?”

Kwon Jiho asked, throwing the blood-soaked tissue in the trash and wiping the bloodstains on his palm with a wet wipe. Hyunwoo mumbled his reply, his voice less sharp than before.

“I feel like I’m clinging to it even though I don’t have the talent.”

“I think it’s a little early to judge whether you have talent or not at your age, Hyunwoo. I believe talent is also partly a matter of effort. You haven’t been putting in that kind of effort playing the piano.”

“…My dad also says, ‘Why piano? Just study.’ He sent me to play as a hobby, but now he’s furious that I’m taking it seriously. I didn’t intend to be serious either, but I keep getting greedy. Even though I know I’m just a little better than those who haven’t learned, I want to do it. I definitely didn’t before… but piano is my livelihood.”

Kwon Jiho sighed at the melancholic tone in his voice. Hesitantly, he reached out and patted Hyunwoo’s shoulder.

“Even though arts admissions are early, there’s still time, Hyunwoo. Let’s think about it slowly. You’re still young, and you might find something you like even more than piano.”

“Do you think there is something like that?”

“…I can’t guarantee it, but it’s good to keep your options open, right?”

Kwon Jiho gently stroked Hyunwoo’s drooping hair and then tapped the back of his own hand, which was resting neatly on his thigh.

“So that’s why you’ve been feeling down lately. It must have been… tough for you.”

“I’m sorry, I’ve… made things uncomfortable because of me.”

“I won’t say it’s okay. The other children were really scared.”

“You seem nice, Teacher, but when I talk to you, it doesn’t seem like it.”

Hyunwoo bowed his head, his expression much lighter. He stood up and slung the bag he had tossed on the floor over his shoulder.

“I’ll practice. I think I’ll be okay. I won’t do that again, I’ll apologize to the others too. Is it okay if I share ice cream with them?”

“Uh… yeah, do that. Don’t you want a cold drink?”

“No. I’ll be back.”

As soon as Hyunwoo left, Kwon Jiho’s body slumped. He was relieved that the adolescent had responded to the conversation without being overly aggressive. He hadn’t realized Hyunwoo was so passionate about piano that he was worried about his career path.

Kwon Jiho rested his head sideways on the table and stared at his hand. His broken finger was quite alright except when it rained or the weather was bad, but he couldn’t move it as freely as before.

I had talent and I worked hard, but was I just unlucky?

His fingers, tapping on the desk instead of the keyboard, froze at the sudden tingling sensation that spread through them. He gave a hollow laugh, and then, noticing the blood that had seeped in and dried between his fingernails, Kwon Jiho touched his philtrum. He hadn’t had a nosebleed in the morning, so why suddenly…? Was this really from exhaustion?

“Teacher!”

“Ah, yes. Just a moment…!”

Kwon Jiho sprang to his feet, rounded the table, and banged his thigh again, his face contorting in pain. He groaned, holding his thigh, and then rubbed his forehead, which was now damp with a cold sweat. He had bruises from his shins to his thighs. He bumped into things so often that even Do Yeonjae had started asking why he was always bruised. He was trying to be careful.

“Ugh…”

Kwon Jiho resolved to be more mindful and left the counseling room.

After giving individual lessons to each student, he shared the ice cream Hyunwoo had bought. Hyunwoo apologized to the children for being harsh to them for the past few days. He even gave Eunsol, who had cried twice, a big hug.

He was absentmindedly watching the endearing scene, a smile naturally spreading across his face, when he turned his head at the sound of someone tapping on the window. The children, their ears seemingly perked up at the small sound, all turned their eyes towards the outside as well.