Love Born of Pity Chapter 96

From rice to bread and noodles, the table, laid out in an even spread, was filled with so much delicious-looking food that it was hard to decide what to eat first. When Kwon Jiho hesitated to reach out, Do Yeonjae decided to give him some space.

“Eat comfortably.”

In a state where he had no idea why he was feeling so nauseous, Do Yeonjae gathered the work he had spread out in the living room and headed to his study.

The sound of a door opening and closing was heard. Kwon Jiho finally moved his hesitant hand cautiously. The first dish his chopsticks touched was mul-naengmyeon, and he gradually started putting food with more stimulating smells and tastes into his mouth. He could even eat the steak, which was cut into appropriately sized pieces. It was different from a few days ago, when he would retch at just the smell of meat’s characteristic gamey odor.

Creamy cream pasta and spicy braised seafood, sweet and savory galbi-jjim and pungent jellyfish salad, japchae, tteokbokki and jjolmyeon, naengmyeon, fried foods and tonkatsu. The food on the table was not harmonious at all, but every single one of them entered his mouth at least once.

Kwon Jiho was moved by the feeling of fullness he hadn’t felt in he didn’t know how long. As soon as a dish was emptied, it was refilled. Even the lemonade he drank occasionally to wet his throat was perfect.

The hands moving over the food gradually slowed and then finally stopped. The utensils were placed on the table. One of the people who had been busy in the kitchen approached and confirmed if he was finished eating. When Kwon Jiho nodded, they smiled gently and began to clean up.

Around that time, Do Yeonjae came out. He checked Kwon Jiho and the table once each, then didn’t come any closer. Standing in the middle of the living room with his hand covering his eyes, he looked as if he was contemplating something.

Since there were no more words telling him to eat, Kwon Jiho got up from his seat and headed for the bedroom. He was thinking of brushing his teeth. He would also wash his face one more time, and organize in his head what he would say during his call with Kwon Heeyeon so he wouldn’t stutter or ramble.

“Why.”

“Ah… I’ll just brush my teeth and come right back.”

As soon as Kwon Jiho entered the bedroom and closed the door, Do Yeonjae opened all the windows in the house. It was for the purpose of getting rid of the food smell lingering in the air, even if just a little. He turned on the air purifier and stood there with his mouth and nose covered, and it was in that moment that he heaved at the sickeningly strong smell of meat.

“Ugh…!”

Kwon Jiho, who had finished brushing his teeth, witnessed this as he was coming out of the bedroom and, looking startled, quickly approached. He helped Do Yeonjae to the sofa so he could sit down and then busily crossed the living room. After taking a bottle of cold water from the refrigerator, he opened it and handed it to Do Yeonjae as soon as he sat down. Do Yeonjae emptied the entire bottle in one go.

“…Are you okay?”

“It’s nothing.”

“What did you eat? Should I look for some digestive medicine?”

Do Yeonjae frowned again and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. At his faint mumble to not worry, Kwon Jiho shut his mouth. It seemed something was definitely wrong, but since he wouldn’t tell him, there was no way of knowing.

“I’m just airing the place out, I’ll close them soon. Even if it’s cold, just bear with it for a bit.”

Do Yeonjae said as he unfolded a blanket on the sofa and covered Kwon Jiho with it. The small face was filled with worry. He really was, unbelievably, kind.

“…Ah, it’s okay. I’m not cold.”

“I’m only going to open them for about 10 minutes and then close them.”

Do Yeonjae, with clear signs of exhaustion, leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. He had no idea why he was acting like this. He had subconsciously thought that it would be better if he had morning sickness instead of Kwon Jiho, but there was no way that could actually happen, right? Did I develop a digestive problem?

But the way his stomach turned just from smelling food or imagining eating it was just like Kwon Jiho’s morning sickness. The only thing better was that he could drink water without any problem.

Dark circles had formed under Do Yeonjae’s ghastly pale eyes. The pale face, completely devoid of energy, made Kwon Jiho feel pity for him for the first time.

“…Are you okay?”

Do Yeonjae, who opened his eyes at Kwon Jiho’s quiet question, gave a slight shake of his head. His voice, as he mumbled that he wasn’t well, was filled with a hoarseness.

Do Yeonjae discovered pity in Kwon Jiho’s eyes as he looked at him. As they say, turn a crisis into an opportunity. He didn’t know if that was the right expression for this situation, but it was certainly an opportunity to stimulate Kwon Jiho’s sympathy. A chance to naturally receive Kwon Jiho’s touch.

“Is there anything I can do to help…”

“Just hold my hand.”

“…Pardon?”

“There’s nothing you can do to help, just hold my hand.”

A long, large hand stretched out right in front of Kwon Jiho’s nose. Kwon Jiho, who had been staring blankly at the hand wavering in the air, seemed to hesitate for a moment before gently taking hold of his fingertips.

“This… doesn’t seem like it will be of any use.”

“Ha.”

Useless, my ass. He felt like the indigestion was completely clearing up. Do Yeonjae didn’t answer and pulled Kwon Jiho’s hand. He spread the loosely held fingers, laced his own through them, held on tight, and pressed his lips to the back of the hand. With the warm body temperature and the subtle, sweet scent of his skin, he felt like he could live again.

He felt like asking him to take off the clothes he was wearing, too. He thought that if he buried his nose in a place that smelled of Kwon Jiho, the nauseous symptoms would be alleviated, even if just a little. But he barely held back, afraid that Kwon Jiho would take it as a suggestion for sex again.

The hand that had been held for a long time was only released after the entire house had become chilly. At a single cough from Kwon Jiho, Do Yeonjae shot up, re-draped the blanket that had slipped down, and closed the wide-open windows.

“What else do you want to eat?”

“…I don’t want to eat anything. I want to talk to Heeyeon now.”

Do Yeonjae sighed in resignation, thinking the time had come to keep his word. Although reluctant, he nodded his head.

“If you want, I can let you meet her.”

“If I behave well… you’ll let me meet her, right?”

Just like now, he had to listen to his command to eat in order to talk to Kwon Heeyeon. He didn’t know what other commands he would have to obey to meet her in person. Perhaps this time, he would demand sexual intercourse. Well, what’s the big deal? They’d had sex countless times; a few more times wouldn’t change anything.

“I really don’t know why I have to waste my emotions with you over this kind of crap, for no reason.”

“…”

“If you don’t eat, how are you going to raise that thing in your belly?”

“…What does me eating have to do with… the baby?”

You’re just going to get rid of it when the time comes anyway, Kwon Jiho mumbled softly.

“Hah…”

Do Yeonjae had intended to tell him that he didn’t have to abort the baby after soothing his feelings a little. He had also planned to honestly confess that he wasn’t marrying Kang Gyumin. But… fuck, would such a moment ever come? Just when the atmosphere seemed to be getting a little better, it would quickly turn sour, and just when it seemed to be easing up, it would turn sour again.

“First, talk to Kwon Heeyeon. She’s doing better than you, anyway.”

“…”

“I’m at the point where I’m curious if she’s really your sister. She’s peacefully enjoying everything she can, but you’re… I really don’t know what the problem is.”

Kwon Jiho silently listened to Do Yeonjae’s complaints, which naturally criticized him. He just realized that people really don’t change easily.

Do Yeonjae took out his phone and called someone. He asked to speak to Kwon Heeyeon. So my sister is also in a state of having nothing, just like me. He felt sorry that she was going through things she didn’t have to because of him.

“Here, take it.”

Do Yeonjae handed the phone over with the speakerphone mode on. Glancing at him cautiously, Kwon Jiho reached out his hand and took the phone.

—Oppa? Hello? Can you hear me? Oppa!

At the voice full of irritation, Do Yeonjae’s face crumpled as much as it could. Kwon Jiho bit his lip hard before slowly opening his mouth.

“Yeah, Heeyeon-ah.”

—What is all this? I can’t even take a single step out of this hotel! Oppa! Did you fight with that Mister? At first, someone who said he was your friend, at another hotel… No, never mind that. Anyway, I’m going crazy from the frustration! Hurry up and make up with him!

Thankfully, Kwon Heeyeon’s voice didn’t sound bad.

“I’m sorry… Are you okay? Is everything alright?”

—Alright? Ah, I can’t get in touch with our uncle. Have you been in contact with him by any chance? I’m worried something might have happened to him. And please tell that Mister to give me my phone back. It’s so inconvenient I’m going crazy, seriously.

And that’s what you call family. Do Yeonjae clicked his tongue at Kwon Heeyeon’s attitude, who didn’t even ask about her own brother’s well-being. Isn’t she worried? The situation they were in was not normal, so it would have been natural to ask her brother if he was okay at least once, but how could she be so consistently rude?

“…Yeah, I’ll talk to him.”

—Tell him to either give me my phone or let me out, one of the two. It’s so frustrating. I can’t even meet my friends. What on earth are you going around doing that… it’s affecting even me? Anyway, sort it out quickly and contact me.

Kwon Jiho mumbled his reply. Kwon Heeyeon let out a few sighs and, as if she had nothing more to say, ended the call first. He stared at the disconnected call with a dazed expression, then tightly shut his slightly parted mouth.

Do Yeonjae, feeling Kwon Jiho’s sense of emptiness completely, tapped the table. At the sound, which seemed to be calling him, Kwon Jiho’s gaze slowly turned toward him.

“I told you she was doing fine. At least, better than you.”