Underpainting Chapter 11.1 - Highlight (1)

“I can walk just fine.”

At Incheon International Airport Terminal 2, Dawon wore a sullen expression as he was about to depart. This was because he had been placed in a pre-requested wheelchair as soon as they arrived at the airport. Pushing the wheelchair, Taehan responded softly,

“Of course you can. But I borrowed this just in case, so you can rest a little more. Remember? It’s a fourteen-hour flight to New York.”

“I know. But Mr. Park said it’ll be a really comfortable flight, so there won’t be a problem. Right, Mr. Park?”

Dawon turned his head to ask, and Mr. Park, who was walking alongside them pulling a luggage cart, quickly nodded. Taehan gave a small smile, finding Dawon cute as he playfully glared at him, as if saying “See?”

“Right. It’ll be even more comfortable than the hotel we stayed at. Just understand that I’m being overly cautious again. It’s not like this is the first time, right?”

At Taehan’s teasing words, Dawon let out a playful sigh. In truth, there wasn’t a single exaggeration in Taehan’s words. During the past month of preparing for their departure, Taehan had been excessively fussy.

He obsessively checked if the room was too cold, too hot, too dry, or too humid; if there was anything uncomfortable or harmful among the prepared food; and if the clothes and bedding were comfortable and soft. This, at least, could be understood as consideration for a pregnant person.

The two times Dawon had gone out, Taehan, anxious like a dog waiting for its owner, had wanted to be informed every moment of where Dawon was and what he was doing until he returned. This, too, was somewhat understandable.

However, even Dawon found it unsightly how Taehan became extremely anxious whenever he was out of sight, even for a moment in their small house, frantically searching as if he was about to turn the place upside down.

Several times a day, even waking up in the middle of the night, Taehan would check on Dawon’s face, caress his hands and feet, and reaffirm that Dawon was by his side.

This had been going on for a month, and by the time of their departure, even the ever-faithful Gwangwoo had shaken his head in exasperation at Taehan’s fussing. Now, Dawon was the only one who tolerated Taehan’s excessive care.

“…Well, it can’t be helped.”

Dawon muttered coyly, reaching a hand up to his shoulder to fiddle with Taehan’s hand on the wheelchair handle. Whenever Taehan fussed, Dawon would indifferently offer his face and hands to him.

‘So kind,’ Taehan thought. Every time Dawon’s warmth touched him, every time their eyes met, Taehan felt relieved, as if a shattered sky had been restored. And he was incredibly grateful to Dawon for allowing him to feel this sense of relief.

Taehan still didn’t know the exact reason why Dawon had decided to stay by his side, or what feelings Dawon harbored for him. After hearing Taehan’s heartfelt confession, Dawon had only replied that he would stay, and after that, the conversation hadn’t continued because Dawon had suddenly realized he was pregnant and panicked.

He wanted to ask how Dawon felt about him, but he couldn’t bring himself to broach the subject directly. He was well aware that his pathetic behavior put people off, and he didn’t think he could handle the disappointment if he received a cold response.

All Taehan could do was be as good to Dawon as possible, hoping that Dawon’s heart would open someday, or perhaps that it was already open.

“Ha… It’s the last day I have to watch you two like this. Thankfully.”

In any case, the two men holding hands over the wheelchair looked like an affectionate couple to others. Mr. Park, who had grown tired of Taehan long before Gwangwoo, expressed his disgust openly.

As one of the few people who knew about Taehan’s survival and Dawon’s pregnancy, Mr. Park had helped Taehan and Dawon with their secluded life for the past month, along with Gwangwoo.

While arrangements for new identities and a new home had been completed long ago, the reason it took a month until their departure was because Dawon needed time to prepare for going back out into the world.

He needed to recover his weakened physical strength, learn English to live in New York, and, most importantly, acquire the common sense and rules of society that he had missed out on during his long period of isolation.

Dawon had learned bits and pieces of common sense from Mr. Park, who came to examine him, and sometimes went out with him near their hideout to practice handling everyday tasks.

“You need tickets to enter the check-in lounge. From here, the airline staff will assist you. So, I’ll say goodbye now.”

Mr. Park had taken charge of seeing them off on their departure day. Gwangwoo, who was under investigation, was watching from afar in case there were any prying eyes, and Mr. Park personally pulled the luggage-laden cart to the lounge entrance. He seemed more regretful than bothered.

Of course, his regret wasn’t directed at Taehan. The reason Mr. Park had helped with tasks completely unrelated to his profession for so long was entirely due to his compassion for Dawon. He seemed to have grown more attached to Dawon while teaching him many things at the hideout.

He had felt sorry for Dawon from the first time he saw him. He had even seemed anxious, wanting to tell Dawon that he was an omega.

The fact that he was attached to Dawon was unpleasant for Taehan. He had no choice but to rely on Mr. Park’s help due to the secrecy surrounding their departure, and he was grateful, but sometimes Taehan wanted to send him far away.

“Well then, have a safe trip. I’ll wait here until takeoff, just in case there are any problems. And, Mr. Dawon…”

After giving Taehan a dry, formal farewell, Mr. Park knelt in front of Dawon’s wheelchair and began an effusive goodbye.

He went on and on with sweet nothings, telling him not to be nervous, that it would be a comfortable flight, and that he could contact him anytime if he felt anxious or unwell in New York.

Taehan watched for a while, reminding himself that he had no right to be jealous, but when Mr. Park finally clasped Dawon’s hand tightly, he couldn’t stand it any longer and intervened.

“Mr. Park. Are you planning to do remote consultations, considering the time difference? You know we’ve already arranged for a doctor in New York, don’t you? Don’t worry too much.”

“Still, delicate care is needed during pregnancy. Communication with local medical staff might not be smooth…”

“Of course, I’ve designated someone who speaks Korean. And Dawon is learning English surprisingly fast. Besides, it’s not like we’ll never see each other again.”

“But, isn’t it worrying that a naive young man is going all the way to the other side of the world?”

Lately, Mr. Park had been treating Taehan as if he were a scoundrel who had taken advantage of a naive young man. He seemed to have thought so from the time Taehan first brought Dawon, but now he seemed to have no intention of hiding it. It wasn’t entirely inaccurate, so it was hard to refute.

Now, there was a clear look of disapproval in his eyes as he looked at Taehan. Even Taehan’s disguise—a plain white t-shirt and clear-lensed glasses instead of his usual suit—seemed to irritate him.

“Mr. Park, I’m not a naive young man. I remember everything you taught me.”

Just as a tense standoff was about to begin, Dawon interjected with a cheerful remark. Mr. Park’s hardened gaze, fixed on Taehan, instantly softened and turned back to Dawon.

“You’re right. Mr. Dawon, you’ll do well. Be sure to contact me if anything happens. No, even if nothing happens.”

“I will. Thank you, Mr. Park.”

Dawon had charmed everyone around him countless times with that polite phrase, delivered with a slight crinkle of his eyes. Where had he learned that skill? Both Mr. Park and even Gwangwoo, watching from a distance, looked touched.

Every time this happened, Taehan had to suppress the perverse thought that he should have hidden Dawon away where no one could see him. Taehan gave a cursory nod to Mr. Park and Gwangwoo and hurried into the check-in lounge.

The airline staff checked their appearances, passports, and the passenger list, their expressions tense. Two first-class passengers with US passports, but Korean names and appearances. One of them a pregnant male omega in a wheelchair. It was a complicated and sensitive situation.

Even as she politely greeted them and guided them to their seats, the flight attendant seemed to be debating whether to conduct the check-in process in Korean or English.

“Thank you for using our airline. Let me help you with the, um, check―in, p, process….”

She eventually started speaking in English, as befitted their nationality, but perhaps due to her fluster, she began to stumble over the lines she must have repeated thousands of times. Dawon replied calmly,

“Korean is more comfortable for me.”

“Oh, is that so? I apologize. Mr. Kim Taehan, Mr. Kim Dawon, you are traveling to New York JFK, correct?”

At his words, the flight attendant’s expression relaxed considerably as she continued with the explanation. Dawon interacted with her naturally, as if he were truly an American-born ‘Kim Dawon.’

Despite his desire to monopolize Dawon, Taehan couldn’t deny the satisfaction of seeing him navigate the world. Dawon, who used to be flustered just by sitting and eating with others, could now interact normally with strangers.

He had thought Dawon’s lack of social experience would be a barrier, but because everything was essentially a new experience for him, he never seemed flustered even in unfamiliar situations.

Taehan had expected him to learn quickly, but Dawon was adapting even more smoothly than he had anticipated. His expression and speech were so calm that everything he did seemed skillful and elegant, and it wasn’t just Taehan’s affection talking.

Even now, Dawon was waiting for the check-in process to finish, requesting a drink from the flight attendant and eating the chocolate she brought him as if he’d been in and out of premium check-in lounges countless times. Taehan smiled proudly and asked,

“Kid. You’re doing great. Is anything uncomfortable?”

“No. Well, hmm… Actually, that is a bit…”

At that moment, all the lounge staff gathered to move their mountain of luggage from the cart. Dawon mumbled, looking extremely embarrassed,

“Everyone said so. Isn’t it too much luggage?”

“Don’t worry. Someone will be there to take us straight home when we arrive.”

“That’s not the problem. All that luggage is mine. It looks like you’ve bought a lot of things for that house already, is there any reason to bring so much from here?”

As Dawon said, their new house in New York was already furnished with furniture, necessities, Dawon’s clothes, and art supplies. According to their original plan, their luggage from Korea should have been much lighter.

He had intended to buy only a few necessary items while they were in hiding, but before he knew it, their luggage had exploded in just a month.

He’d bought a few things, thinking Dawon didn’t have any summer clothes to wear right away or art supplies to use, and the prepared suitcase filled up, so he bought a new one. And since there was space left, he bought a few more, no, quite a lot more, of Dawon’s clothes.

In the end, even after adding as much checked baggage as possible, they were still overweight, and Taehan had to dispose of most of his suits. He didn’t need cumbersome suits anymore since he was starting a new life, but he couldn’t avoid Mr. Park and Gwangwoo nagging him about it.

‘But they were all necessary purchases. They were good clothes, and they all suited him so well.’

Seeing Dawon wearing the clothes he bought or concentrating on painting with the brushes and paints he bought, Taehan couldn’t resist the urge to buy him anything good, anything that suited him and that he could use.

He’d thought he’d experienced everything life had to offer, but this was the first time he’d prepared something for someone he loved, the first time he’d built a life with someone. It seemed Taehan also needed to adjust to this new world.

“We’re going far away, so everyone probably brings about this much luggage, right? It’s normal.”

When Taehan feigned innocence, Dawon tilted his head, lost in thought.

“…Normal? Bringing this many clothes?”

“Of course, everyone has about this much in their closet.”

At the blatant lie, Dawon narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment longer before sullenly nodding and resuming eating his chocolate. Taehan couldn’t tell if he’d genuinely been fooled or was just playing along.

Contrary to his worries, both check-in and immigration went very smoothly and quickly. This was thanks to the perfect forged passports and documents that Gwangwoo had prepared. Both Taehan, who was used to deception, and Dawon passed through immigration without a hitch.

Moreover, at every stage, staff members rushed to assist Dawon, which sped up the process. He was relieved they hadn’t been questioned or stopped as he’d feared, but one concern remained.

“I’ll assist you with the wheelchair.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

“Oh, okay. Then this way, please use the elevator.”

After declining the staff member’s offer to push the wheelchair, Taehan looked down at the crown of Dawon’s head. The perceptive Dawon would quickly realize that people were treating him differently.

There wouldn’t be anyone who would look down on or insult Dawon like before—Taehan would make sure of it—but the special treatment itself might make the sensitive Dawon uncomfortable.

Every time he saw Dawon’s injured leg, Taehan felt as if his heart were being pricked by thorns. Despite Dawon’s reassurances, he hadn’t given up hope and had repeatedly asked Mr. Park if there was a way to heal his leg.

Unfortunately, after several tests, the answer was that it was impossible to return it to its pre-injury state. Mr. Park had said that consistent rehabilitation exercises would improve his gait, but rest was necessary during pregnancy, so it wasn’t something they could do immediately.

‘There’s no need to rush. Dawon is still young, and I’ll be watching over him from now on. If we think of it as gradually improving…’

He tried to calm himself, but even during the short trip from immigration to the first-class lounge in the duty-free area, countless glances were directed at Dawon.

He had borrowed the wheelchair so Dawon wouldn’t be uncomfortable, but it seemed to attract more attention. Putting him in shorts because he’d been feeling hot lately was also a mistake. Dawon’s legs were fully exposed beneath the knee-length shorts.

Anyone with a keen eye could see at a glance that his right leg was thinner. That subtle imbalance was strangely eye-catching.

Even aside from that, Dawon’s legs were beautiful. His calves were pale, straight, and slender, and with his improved complexion lately, his knees and ankles, where the bones protruded, had a rosy hue, like blooming flowers.

‘Well, maybe they’re not looking because of the wheelchair, but just because he’s eye-catching.’

On second thought, it wasn’t the wheelchair or the uneven thickness of his legs that was the problem. Dawon was inherently beautiful. He’d simply been untouched by the world, secluded and almost captive. Had he been out in the world, everyone would have coveted him.

Moreover, Dawon had become even more beautiful after a month of resting comfortably and eating well. His languid, alluring eyes, his plump lips, and his slightly fuller cheeks were picture-perfect and lovely.

He’d dressed such a beautiful young man in carefully chosen new clothes, shorts that revealed his legs, and presented him to the world. It was only natural that attention would be drawn to him. Anxious, Taehan hurried his steps, almost running.

‘Is it the first time they’ve seen a beautiful person? I wish they’d stop staring.’

It was embarrassing to admit, but while Taehan was incredibly pleased to see Dawon adapting to the world, he was also tormented. Honestly, he didn’t want anyone to look at Dawon, let alone talk to him.

Initially, the first place Taehan had considered for their escape was a remote island nation where no one would find them. However, he couldn’t bear to isolate Dawon from the world again after he’d already lived a life of seclusion, so he chose a large city where they could hide in plain sight.

Dawon deserved to have the ordinary life that everyone else took for granted. Therefore, Taehan needed to suppress his petty jealousy.

Taehan entered the lounge as quickly as possible and headed to the pre-booked private room. As he helped Dawon out of the wheelchair and onto the plush sofa, he saw the young man’s downcast expression, and his heart sank.

Had Dawon noticed all the stares? Was he hurt by them? Taehan smoothed down Dawon’s clothes and whispered softly,

“Maybe I shouldn’t have dressed you in such pretty clothes, Kid. Everyone was looking at you.”

He’d tried to hide his jealousy and speak lightly, but the corners of Dawon’s eyes tilted up even more coyly.

“That’s not it, mister. Are you that clueless?”

Flustered by the accusatory question, Taehan wondered what to say to comfort Dawon, or if he should go back out and confront the people who had stared at him. But then Dawon, with a serious expression, said something completely unexpected.

“You think people were looking at me? They were looking at you.”

“…What?”

At the unexpected words, Taehan raised an eyebrow and asked back. Dawon pouted his lips but gazed steadily at Taehan.

“What do you mean?”

“So, Kid. What…”

“You look so good in suits, I thought you’d look awkward in other clothes. But…”

Dawon scrutinized Taehan with an intense gaze. He observed his hair, now falling naturally over his forehead, the thin metal-framed glasses, the well-fitting white t-shirt that slightly stretched across his chest and shoulders, the toned, muscular arms visible beneath the short sleeves. He seemed to be deconstructing and reconstructing Taehan’s form, as if analyzing him as a series of points, lines, and planes, various geometric shapes.

“I don’t know. Maybe you should have just worn a jacket like usual.”

At the irritated tone, Taehan briefly entertained the hope that Dawon, like him, was jealous of others looking at him.

‘Could it be? He’s also…’

Taehan’s heart pounded. He wondered if he could ask if Dawon was jealous, but decided it would be too awkward to bring it up directly. He needed to calm down and wait.

It seemed too pushy to interrogate Dawon about his feelings when he was about to leave for a foreign country. In any case, Taehan needed to be as considerate of Dawon as possible.

“Would that be better? I was thinking of changing my style a bit, in case I run into someone who recognizes me.”

At Taehan’s stiff, matter-of-fact reply, Dawon’s gaze sharpened with even more irritation.

“What about the glasses? Are you going to keep wearing them?”

“When I go out, probably?”

“Hmm, not when you go out, but rather at home… Or not? It might be a bit much to look at… Ah, wait a minute.”

Muttering incomprehensible words to himself, Dawon suddenly placed both hands on his belly and curled up. Startled, Taehan rushed to him and knelt before the sofa.

“Kid. What’s wrong? Does your stomach hurt? Or your back?”

“No, no. Just… I’m hungry.”

Dawon replied, looking both uncomfortable and embarrassed. As his pregnancy progressed into a more stable stage, he experienced sudden bouts of intense hunger. Taehan quickly grabbed the menu from the table and spread it out on Dawon’s lap.

“That makes sense. A lot has happened. Here, you can order anything from the menu, and they’ll bring it to you. Would you like a steak?”

“Yes. Is this pasta? I want this too. Oh, they have doenjang jjigae.”

“Order everything you want. Do you need anything else?”

Taehan asked warmly, but Dawon, suddenly embarrassed, offered an excuse.

“It’s not like I’m doing this just because I want to eat. Mr. Park said so. Whatever I crave now is all…”

“Yes, it means the baby wants to eat.”

Although it wasn’t much different from the way he addressed Dawon, whenever he spoke about the baby in his belly, Taehan was overcome with an indescribable feeling.

A tiny, invisible something was adding irreversible weight to his life. The old Taehan would have found such a feeling unpleasant, but now his feelings were closer to excitement than discomfort or fear.

Dawon seemed to feel similarly, glancing down at his lower abdomen with sparkling eyes. Of course, Dawon hadn’t always been like this.

On the first day he’d learned about his pregnancy, he’d bombarded Taehan with bewildered questions, as if he couldn’t believe it.

〈Me?〉

〈Yes, kid.〉

〈No, that can’t be… Are you sure?〉

〈….〉

〈Can’t we ask Mr. Park again?〉

Perhaps it was a natural reaction, considering he was still getting used to being an omega. Despite his bewilderment, he hadn’t said whether he would or wouldn’t have the baby for several days.

He just stood in front of the mirror, examining his body from all angles, occasionally tapping his belly, seemingly trying to adjust to the situation in his own way. He’d also ask out of the blue, “I’m so hot right now. Is it because of the pregnancy?”, “Come to think of it, I had no appetite at that hotel! Was it because of the pregnancy?”

It was endearing, but Taehan was also worried. He’d wondered if Dawon was forcing himself to accept it because he didn’t know he had the option of not having the baby, if he should explain it properly.

However, those worries vanished after the day Mr. Park brought an ultrasound machine to their hideout at Dawon’s request. Pointing to a spot on the black and grey mottled screen, Mr. Park had said,

〈Look here. See the small, round, bright spot on top of this dark area? That’s the baby.〉

He wasn’t sure if the image quality was poor because it was a portable machine, or if that was just how ultrasound images looked, but it was hard to make anything out. If Mr. Park hadn’t pointed it out, he wouldn’t have been able to identify the fetus.

〈Its heart is beating healthily. Can you hear the sound?〉

The heartbeat emanating from the speaker, however, was incredibly clear and strong. Thump. Thump. As if startled by the sound, Dawon’s eyes widened, and he looked at Taehan. After a long moment of trembling lips, as if overwhelmed, he’d said,

〈It’s alive. Isn’t it? It’s alive…〉

And then Dawon had started to cry. Not knowing the meaning of those tears, Taehan could only comfort Dawon as he held him close. Dawon’s tears finally subsided as he drifted off to sleep.

As Taehan gazed at Dawon lying in bed with his swollen eyes closed, Dawon suddenly spoke, his lips moving without opening his eyes.

〈You know, mister.〉

〈Yes, Dawon?〉

Taehan’s heart pounded, unsure what Dawon would say. After a brief pause, the words that came were even more painful than Taehan had imagined.

“When I left that hotel… I was actually going to kill myself. I wanted to go somewhere where no one could see me, and just disappear.”

A feeling like someone was carving out his heart with a knife made Taehan gasp. He couldn’t make a sound of pain, though. He was the one who had hurt Dawon so deeply, he didn’t have the right to show his own suffering.

Unable to find words of comfort, Taehan simply reached out a trembling hand and held Dawon tightly. After a moment, catching his breath, Dawon continued.

“Not now. You know, now… I want to live.”

“…”

“I want to live well. I want to be a good person.”

How could such a small person speak such resolute words? A mixture of awe and endless pity brought tears to Taehan’s eyes.

He couldn’t fathom what it meant for Dawon, who had just stepped into the world after spending so long alone in the dark, to now carry a life he had to protect. He couldn’t comprehend the immense courage it took to readily overcome such a daunting situation.

“…Aren’t you going to eat, mister?”

While Taehan was lost in memories, Dawon, who had been diligently eating with his cheeks puffed out, asked as if he had just remembered something.

Since the day Taehan heard the baby’s heartbeat, Dawon had been eating several times more diligently and making an effort to do anything that was good for his body and mind.

It wasn’t quite “prenatal care,” but it seemed he felt guilty about having refused food, contemplated suicide, and even attempted to kill someone during his pregnancy, so he was trying to make up for it in any small way he could.

“I’m eating well too, honey. Eat slowly.”

Since it was all Taehan’s fault that Dawon had those dark thoughts, every single one of Dawon’s actions seemed cute and pitiful. All Taehan could do was attend to him, constantly attuned to Dawon’s condition.

“What do you like? Should I get you something else? Was the abalone porridge alright?”

Taehan asked enthusiastically. He had been very sorry that he couldn’t personally buy food and clothes for Dawon due to his restricted status as a fugitive.

“No, one bowl is enough. It was tasty, but… not quite the same.”

Even after finishing the specially ordered abalone porridge, Dawon looked unsatisfied. Although he’d had a good appetite recently, he was particularly focused on “porridge.” He had ordered almost every item on the menu of the porridge restaurant near their hideout.

He couldn’t forget the taste of the porridge the lady who took care of him in Chinatown had made, and it was heartbreaking that he was disappointed every time, saying it wasn’t the same. Taehan wiped Dawon’s mouth with a tissue.

“I see… I should have contacted her somehow, even just to ask.”

“No. You said it could be dangerous. It’s better to contact her again when the situation changes.”

Upon hearing that someone had helped Dawon when he was almost in grave danger, Taehan immediately tried to find out who she was, but the situation wasn’t favorable.

It was problematic that Taehan was officially dead and couldn’t act rashly, and that his organization had been at odds with that organization for a long time. But especially now, the timing wasn’t right.

After Seo Gihyuk’s arrest, Chairman Seo Changgyun, who had reversed his retirement and returned to the forefront of the organization, was literally struggling to save his son. With public opinion demanding a life sentence, even the death penalty, it was understandable that he was desperate.

At first, he tried to gather help from his connections in politics and business, but people with social standing and common sense wouldn’t easily get involved in such a thing. Judging that it was impossible to save his son through legitimate means, Chairman Seo even tried to arrange a prison break with the help of another organization that had its people inside the prison.

Even to gangsters, the plan seemed unrealistic, so all the properly functioning organizations refused Chairman Seo’s proposal. Rumors spread among swindlers and thugs that “Chairman Seo had gone mad and was throwing money around.”

Among the groups that expressed willingness to cooperate, the only one of any significant size was the Chinese organization in Dawon’s area. Naturally, they were probably clinging to him to extort money, but rumor had it that Chairman Seo was treating them, a group he had once considered insignificant, as if they were his only saviors.

Since that organization would be outwardly cooperating with Chairman Seo for the time being, contacting the lady now was too dangerous. After hearing the explanation, Dawon looked a little disappointed but quickly accepted the situation. He only had one request.

“I know exactly where that house is. If I know the address, I can send mail, right? I can send it without showing who it’s from, can’t I? Right?”

For a few days before leaving the hideout, Dawon diligently worked on a painting. It was a scene of a flower field with surging crimson waves. When Taehan asked what it depicted, Dawon playfully replied that it was a secret and asked him to send the painting to the house where he had stayed.

“You sent that painting, right?”

“Of course. I even confirmed that it arrived.”

“Then it’s okay. Even if I can’t see her right now, she’ll know I’m safe just by looking at that painting.”

Looking at Dawon’s affectionate gaze, Taehan felt grateful to the unknown benefactor. At the same time, he felt somewhat uneasy that there was someone deeply embedded in Dawon’s heart, someone he didn’t know. It was a petty, shameless jealousy.

‘Stop it. Stop thinking useless thoughts. Now’s not the time to make that face.’

Taehan tried to control his emotions. Being hasty would only ruin things. Just having Dawon by his side, being able to sit across from him and watch him eat so prettily, was in itself something Taehan was incredibly grateful for and relieved about.

He had been prepared for Dawon to refuse to stay with him. He was ready to accept being ignored and treated coldly. Thankfully, Dawon had agreed to stay by his side.

Everything was going better than expected. Not only was Dawon staying by his side, he didn’t mind Taehan’s excessive clinginess, slept peacefully in his arms at night, and sometimes even gazed at him with warm, gentle eyes.

‘No, I have to stop these thoughts too. I can’t be grinning foolishly at a time like this.’

Even though he knew this wasn’t the right time for such thoughts, Taehan kept getting distracted by the thought, “Does Dawon perhaps feel the same way about me?”

Since it was better to keep busy at times like this, Taehan called a lounge staff member to clear their table after Dawon finished eating and checked if the preparations for takeoff were proceeding as scheduled. Since there was still some time left before boarding, he brought dessert for Dawon.

Dawon was always pretty when eating, but the way his eyes sparkled with delight when he ate chocolate or chocolate-flavored desserts was truly angelic. Taehan couldn’t hide his loving gaze as he watched Dawon enjoy his dessert.

Under that intense gaze, after finishing almost all of the cake, Dawon poked at the cherry on top with his fork and spoke.

“But, mister, when are you going to tell me?”

Taehan, whose mind was full of petty, pathetic, and shameless thoughts he couldn’t share with Dawon, felt his heart drop at the question.

“Huh…? Tell you what?”

To his barely managed, composed question, Dawon replied with an even more shocking one.

“When are you going to tell me that we’re married?”

Taehan’s face and mind went blank simultaneously. It sounded absurd, but it was a question that perfectly hit the mark. Their new identities, Korean-American Kim Taehan and Kim Dawon, were legally married in the United States, according to the paperwork.

“H-How…”

“How did I know? I peeked at the documents when you were checking them at the officetel. It said ‘Marriage License,’ didn’t it?”

He had been careless because it was around the time Dawon had just started learning English. He hadn’t dreamed that Dawon would read the document, let alone pretend he hadn’t.

“Ah, that, the document. The document, you see. The people who prepared it said it would be advantageous for administrative matters, and since we’re having a baby, it would be better that way. It sounded reasonable to me, haha. There wasn’t any other meaning…”

The words he stammered out were a poor excuse, and a lie at that. Was there really no other meaning? Even if Dawon didn’t know, wasn’t there a sense of satisfaction that there was now a connection between them, a sense of relief that Dawon would find it harder to leave him now that they were officially connected?

While Taehan was sweating, unsure of what he was saying, Dawon, who had cleanly finished the cherry on the cake, calmly asked,

“Why are you so flustered?”

“Well, I didn’t tell you and just decided it like that, so…”

“I’m okay with it.”

Even more taken aback by the firm reply, Taehan carefully asked again,

“Okay…?”

“Yes. I like being married to you, mister. I asked Mr. Park, and he said people who love each other usually get married. We love each other, right? So there’s no problem.”

Pleased with the cheerful response, Taehan felt a surge of joy that they were now officially married, even if only on paper, with mutual consent. Lost in that joy, he almost missed the more significant meaning behind Dawon’s words. Then, belatedly, a sense of unease struck him.

“Honey, wait. What did you just say…?”

Just then, a knock echoed, and the door to the lounge’s private room opened.

“Excuse me, Mr. Kim Taehan, Mr. Kim Dawon. Boarding will begin soon as preparations for takeoff are complete. We’ll assist you with a wheelchair.”

Taehan was about to ask them to wait, but Dawon quickly got up from the sofa.

“The wheelchair is fine. I can walk well.”

And with that, he waddled off adorably after the flight attendant, leaving Taehan speechless. He could only stare blankly at Dawon’s retreating figure, bewildered as to why he would confess his love one minute before boarding a plane.

“Honey, you just…”

“Welcome aboard, sir. We’re delighted to have you with us today.”

As soon as they were seated, Taehan tried to bring up the topic again, but a smiling flight attendant approached, offering pre-takeoff welcome drinks. She poured champagne for Taehan and non-alcoholic champagne for Dawon.

He wished she would leave them alone, but the flight attendant continued with an overly friendly and detailed explanation of the in-flight facilities and amenities. Dawon listened attentively like a model student and then watched the in-flight safety demonstration with equal concentration.

Taehan was parched with the need to confirm whether he had heard correctly, whether he and Dawon were truly “in love.” Finally, after a long wait, he got a chance and immediately began,

“Hey, honey.”

“Sir, our plane will be taking off shortly. Please fasten your seatbelt.”

However, before he could even start properly, the flight attendant returned. After they settled in, takeoff commenced. As the plane began to taxi, Dawon, his cheeks flushed, started looking around.

“Oh, the window is a little far.”

Dawon said with a hint of disappointment, staring intently at the small window some distance away. Taehan wanted to talk, but he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt what seemed like a wondrous experience for Dawon.

“I guess so. We should have taken the window seat.”

“No, this is good. There’s only one seat over there. We should sit together.”

Dawon, his gaze fixed on the window, reached across the armrest and took Taehan’s hand. At that moment, the plane, speeding down the runway, began to ascend.

As their bodies tilted slightly back, the scenery outside the window shrunk, and the weight of gravity became palpable. Dawon seemed completely absorbed in the novel sensation of flight. Just as Taehan found this adorable, Dawon suddenly flinched and placed a hand on his belly.

“What’s wrong? Honey, are you hurting?”

Taehan asked in alarm, but Dawon, seemingly forgetting to answer for a moment, looked down at his lower abdomen with wide eyes. As Taehan’s brow furrowed with worry, Dawon took Taehan’s hand and placed it on his belly.

“Mister, can you feel it?”

Dawon’s physique was so slender that his stomach was flat, showing no sign of pregnancy unless pointed out. Taehan was about to say he felt nothing but the usual warm, slightly firm touch.

“Huh…?”

Suddenly, a ticklish sensation on his palm startled him. A faint vibration, like bubbling bubbles, emanated from around Dawon’s navel.

“Just now. Did you feel it?”

“Yes. This is…”

Taehan and Dawon looked at each other. It was the first time they had physically felt the presence of their baby, which they had only encountered through a heartbeat and a blurry ultrasound image.

Unable to speak, Taehan’s lips parted as another sensation was transmitted through his palm. A tap, from inside, against Dawon’s stomach, as if the baby was giving Taehan a high five.

Complex emotions washed over Taehan. Awe and fear of the unknown mingled with a sense of responsibility for the new life and anxiety about the future.

“Amazing.”

Then, Dawon whispered, smiling. At that smile, filled with pure joy, Taehan finally realized what he should feel first and foremost in this moment: happiness and anticipation.

Taehan lifted Dawon’s hand and brought it to his lips. Pressing a kiss against the pale back of his hand, Taehan poured out his overflowing heart.

“Incredible. You’re truly an incredible person. You said it before, right? That you wanted to be a good person. But you’re already more than good enough.”

“…”

“So, honey, live as you want now. Do whatever your heart desires. I’ll be the good person.”

I’ll do well. I’ll protect you. Taehan whispered with his eyes, holding Dawon’s hand tighter.

He had never held anything so beautiful and precious in his life. He had never wanted to protect something so desperately. That alone made him incredibly fortunate.

The only person he loved, who loved him back. Their intertwined fingers deepened their connection. Tears welled up in Dawon’s smiling eyes. It was a moment of complete, unadulterated joy.