Miracle for Us Chapter 7
Title: Miracle For Us Chapter 7
Characters: Yesung, Siwon, Zhoumi, Jaejoong, etc
Pairing: YeWon
Genre: Mpreg!AU, Fluff
Rating: PG-15
Warning: Heavy Mpreg.
Disclaimer: Fiction. I only own the plot and the story.
Previous: One ★ Two ★ Three ★ Four ★ Five ★ Six
“Your husband is exhausted and partly dehydrated, Mr Choi,” said dr Ackles in English. The American doctor puts in his stethoscope he just used to examine Yesung’s weak condition to his black bag.
Hearing the doctor, the pregnant man opens his eyes slowly. His face is still really pale and cold sweats are drenching his yukata. He bits his white lips, tilting his head and trying to catch a glimpse of his husband’s face, but Siwon pats his shoulder lightly from beside his head to indicate that he must not move much.
Siwon gets up to talk outside the room with the doctor, leaving his husband lying on the futon in the bedroom. Yesung can’t hear what they are talking about for some moments because he feels so weak, sleepy and exhausted that he can’t concentrate catching their conversation. But when the foreign doctor bids his goodbye and Siwon thanks him with his shaky voice, Yesung can hear them.
His husband enters the bedroom a few seconds later. Siwon quickly kneels beside him.
“Sungie, you will have to stay here with Mrs Sakurada when I go to the drugstore. I have to be hurry,” Siwon seems like he’s confused for a second. “Meanwhile you must drink a lot of water, wait here I will bring you some,” hastily Siwon gets up, walking fast out of the room. He comes back about a minute later, carrying two bottles of mineral water in his hands. Then a woman wearing a baby blue kimono follows him entering the room. She’s the inn’s owner.
“Honey, please sit down. I’ll help you,” Mrs Sakurada says in English. She assists the pregnant man to get up and sit down on the futon with almost no difficulty.
Yesung’s head is spinning in an instant, but he keeps it to himself, carefully enduring it in front of Siwon. The said man also kneels beside him, preparing pillows for him to lean on to.
“Thank you, Mrs Sakurada,” Siwon says genuinely. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help, now I have to go to the drug store, please take care of my husband while I’m gone.”
“It’s okay Mr Choi, it’s my obligation as the inn’s owner to help my customers on everything they need me to,” the middle aged woman says, bowing her head a bit.
Siwon bolts out of the room leaving his husband in the care of a stranger. Yesung smiles weakly to the inn’s owner and she smiles back to him comfortingly.
“You gave us sushi today, Mr Kim, but why are you sick now? Pregnant man must not get exhausted,” she says softly in English, with no hint of judgement in her tone.
Yesung can’t really catch her meaning. He can only understand sushi, sick, and pregnant. He’s not actually good with foreign language, even English, so he nods and smiles in embarrassment.
“Tired, I don’t sleep,” he manages to say. Actually he wants to correct her that the dish he gave her was not sushi, but he doesn’t have the energy.
The woman smiles in understanding upon hearing Yesung’s short words. Many Korean people she had met are really bad at English and she doesn’t know why. She reaches for a bottle of the mineral water and opens it for Yesung.
“Drink now,” she holds the bottle carefully for Yesung to drink, and the pregnant man slowly drinks about half of the water. “Ah, good,” Mrs Sakurada smiles, satisfied of Yesung’s effort.
“Thank you,” Yesung nods at her a little then leans on his pillows.
“Water is so important, moreover, you are pregnant now,” the Japanese woman says slowly so that Yesung can catch her words. “Babies are weak. Sometimes we forget about it when we are pregnant. We forget that we are not as strong as we used to be, our baby needs more care than us.”
This time Yesung is ready to hear English words.
“I forgot drinking,” Yesung tells her. “Too happy in Japan.”
That’s true. Beside he didn’t get to rest a bit since their flight from Seoul this morning, Yesung also doesn’t remember drinking anything, except a glass of iced lemon tea during dinner. He was too absorbed in the nice kitchen of the cottage, making kimbap, to feel the heat of Japan in summer, that’s why he didn’t even realize he’s thirsty or tired.
Mrs Sakurada nods in understanding, her expression changes to get more serious. “Dehydration in pregnancy can be serious, honey. My daughter almost lost her baby in a premature labor because she neglected drinking water because of work.”
If it’s possible, Yesung’s pale face is getting paler hearing what the inn’s owner say. It’s so scary! What if something’s not right is going on within him too because of that?
“Ah, I didn’t mean to scare you Mr Kim,” Mrs Sakurada sees the worry on the pregnant man’s face and feels sorry. “But I hope you will be more careful, okay? Get enough rest, water, and nutrition. Really important,” she continues.
“I under-stand,” Yesung nods slightly. He swears to himself to never let this kind of thing happen again. Poor Baby, he can’t imagine if he lost his Baby!
“I’m sorry I nag, I just got so traumatized by my daughter’s experience. I don’t want that bad thing happen to other people,” Mrs Sakurada strikes the pregnant man’s upper arm.
“It’s okay,” Yesung says in a weaker voice. “Thank you Mrs Sakurada.”
He’s sleepy now, but thankfully he’s not dizzy anymore. He starts to close his eyes.
“Oh, you’re sleepy?” the Japanese woman sees his droopy eyes. “Wait for your medicine, honey. I believe your husband will come soon, the drugstore is just five minutes away by bike,” she advices him.
Yesung opens his eyes, thinking that this woman might be right, so he tries hard to stay awake.
“So let’s chat, you won’t be able to sleep if I converse with you, right?” Mrs Sakurada giggles to herself. “So tell me about your day, Mr Kim?”
“Call me Yesung, please, Mrs Sakurada,” Yesung mumbles, fighting his sleepiness. “Mr Kim so formal.”
“Oh, okay, Yesung-san,” the inn’s owner complies. “So where did you go this afternoon?”
“Ueno Park,” Yesung answers. “We watch… artists?” Yesung hesitated since he doesn’t know the exact term for the performers he watched.
“Oh, that’s exciting!” Mrs Sakurada exclaims excitedly. “Who were they?”
“Uhm…” Yesung pauses. It’s hard to think when you’re exhausted and sleepy. Moreover to talk in English. “Sumo, clown, and balloon…” he counts with his tiny fingers. “And Elvis,” he quickly adds.
Mrs Sakurada wants to ask something more but then Siwon’s footsteps are heard from their room. A second later the tall man enters the room with a plastic bag in his hand. His breaths labored and Yesung feels so guilty for all Siwon’s troubles. It’s midnight already.
“Baby how is it now, better?” Siwon hurries to Yesung’s side, looking at the cat-like eyes in deep concern.
Yesung smiles to assures him, and answers, “I’m fine, Siwonnie.”
But instead of being relieved, Siwon’s face is getting darker hearing his husband’s answer. “You are always like this. Saying you’re fine, but you are not fine!” he bursts out. He turns his head away, getting himself busy in opening the plastic bag.
Yesung’s startled. Beside him, he sees Mrs Sakurada also flinches in her seat hearing Siwon’s harsh tone even though she doesn’t get a thing about the meaning.
The pregnant man hangs his head low, he really didn’t expect Siwon will be this angry at him. He tries to fight the embarrassing tears and says nothing. He knows he deserves Siwon’s wrath.
Then he feels a hand caresses his, but when he lifts his head up expectantly, it’s Mrs Sakurada’s touch, not Siwon’s. With a motherly smile, she shakes her head. Yesung gets what she means. She knows that Siwon’s not mad at him, just overly panic and concerned about his health.
Yesung looks at his husband, who is now getting some energy drinks, a pack of pill that surely is Yesung’s medicine, a blue water bottle with Mickey Mouse paint on it, and some power bars out of the plastic bag. All the way looking solemn.
“I think I better go, now, Mr Choi,” Mrs Sakurada says a few second after, disturbing the uncomfortable silence. “I forgot that I left my grandson alone at home. He must be worry now, it’s already late.” She gets up from her sitting position.
Siwon looks like he’s just snapped out from his silent reverie, but responsively smiles to the lady as if he just didn’t snap at his husband in front of her.
“Thank you so much for your help, Mrs Sakurada. I don’t know what will happen if you’re not here, or if the man who rents the next cottage is not a doctor. I would get more freaked out than this,” Siwon implies with an apologetic smile while walks her outside the bedroom.
“You’re welcome, Mr Choi. I’m glad I can help,” Yesung can hear her. “I hope your husband will get better soon.”
Yesung absentmindedly plays with his fingers when Siwon returns to the room.
“Don’t,” he says when he sees Yesung opens his mouth to apologize. “Don’t apologize. We’re both at fault,” the taller man says rather coldly.
“No, you’re not…” Yesung says weakly, watching Siwon preparing his pill for him.
“You became like this after… you know,” Siwon flushes red, avoiding his husband’s tearful eyes. “You were fine before.”
“No, it was my fault I didn’t rest and drink at all today,” Yesung tries to reach out for his husband’s hands. “I was too careless of Baby today.”
Siwon acts as if he didn’t hear or see anything from his pregnant husband.
“Now drink this, it’s Zofran for pregnancy’s dehydration. After that you have to sleep,” Siwon brings the water bottle and gives Yesung a pill. The pregnant man obediently inserts the pill into his mouth and Siwon helps him with the water.
“Thank you, Wonnie.”
There are many things left to say, but Yesung doesn’t have the energy to fight now. He lowers himself to lean on his back on the futon and closes his eyes. He hears Siwon goes out the room and with a single tear runs down his face, he tries to sleep.
Meanwhile on the back terrace of the cottage, Siwon sits by himself with a tin of cold soda in his hand. Soon, without the presence of air conditioner, he opens his yukata in half, drenches in sweat. Still, the summer breeze calms him down after a few minutes and the attorney enjoys the festive sounds of cicadas around him.
Needless to say that he’s regretting how he snapped to Yesung, moreover, in front of the hostess. His husband is sick and somehow he made his condition worse and made him cry. Apparently, Yesung blames himself for being careless, but the fault actually lies on Siwon.
He knows how focused his husband is in doing something, he’s a workaholic. It’s Siwon’s obligation to make sure he got enough rest instead of making kimbap all day after their flight. And didn’t it cross his mind to make sure Yesung gets enough nutrition today? He even forgot to check if Yesung got to drink his pregnancy milk tonight. Walking in the summer heat, Siwon didn’t even bought Yesung water.
On top of that, Siwon made his tired husband get intimate with him tonight. Knowing Yesung, even though he’s exhausted, he could never let Siwon down. Yesung never backed out on him. Siwon feels worse because of this. If he didn’t do things to Yesung, he wouldn’t be this sick.
And that the petite man said that he’s fine! Siwon could see how white his lips and how red his eyes are and he said he’s fine, with a smile. Siwon knows Yesung never meant to lie, he just didn’t want to burden him. But he just hates it every time Yesung takes his health easily and pretends to be strong in front of him. I’m his husband, damn it. He will never be a burden for me!
Siwon drinks a huge gulp of his soda. He never drinks beer anymore because Yesung hates it ever since he’s pregnant. Unbeknownst to him, a smile creeps to his face upon remembering how Yesung pouted cutely and stomped his feet to the ground, asking him to threw away all the beer tins and bottles they got on their refrigerator at home.
Why didn’t he pout and stomped his feet just now when he’s tired and I still asked him for sex?
Suddenly his cell phone beeps loudly. Afraid to wake Yesung up, quickly the tall man grabs the gadget, turns the ringtone off and gasps upon seeing the reminder of his husband’s birthday. It’s August 24th, 2013 already. Without him realizing, the day had already changed. His baby is officially 26 today.
He didn’t mean to forget it, in fact to celebrate Yesung’s birthday in an extra special way was the reason they both got here in the first place. Just… recent events made his husband’s birthday flew out his mind.
He’s supposed to hug the naked petite man in his arms, humming happy birthday in his ears and kiss him softly. And after that he’s going to give his husband the birthday present that is being kept on his backpack, Yesung will squeal happily then they’ll make out some more after some series of mind blowing blowjobs.
But the reality, he’s outside, blaming himself while his sweet, beautiful pregnant husband is sick. Making the birthday man feels sad by snapping at him in front of a stranger, leaving him to sleep alone.
He hurries to open the slides door and gets into the room where his beloved petite man, who is carrying his baby inside him, is sleeping. Yesung didn’t even able to shut the light off. He’s lying there, asleep, his blanket had been kicked away because it’s hot. His face looks so terrible with tears stains.
Siwon notices with a pang in his heart that the pregnant man seems like trying to hug himself, arms crossed on his chest with his little fingers clutching tightly on his shoulders. It’s breaking Siwon’s heart. His husband surely misses his embrace this time of the night, like the way they always do.
Without making any noise Siwon turns the lights off. He lays down beside his husband in one futon. Thankfully their two futons still lay beside each other so he won’t suffocate Yesung. Carefully he lays there, face is facing his husband, throwing an arm over his two arms on his chest just to make Yesung feels the embrace he needs.
“Happy birthday, my darling,” Siwon whispers to the petite man’s cheek.
“Wonn-ie?” a weak whisper is heard.
“Shh, go back to sleep, baby,” Siwon whispers back.
“Engh,” Yesung moans lightly but turns around to face Siwon’s face. His eyes don’t even flutter a bit. The petite man hugs Siwon’s waist, burying his face on his husband’s shoulder.
He’s too deeply into sleep, and moves only by habit. By the instinct that he needs his husband’s embrace to be able to sleep.
It’s always where Siwon belongs.
***
Siwon’s awake to the feeling of Yesung’s lips on his right cheek. His eyes flutter and his husband’s hazy face is in front of him, welcoming him with a cheeky smile.
“Good morning, my husband,” Yesung softly says while caressing Siwon’s fringe.
Realization comes to Siwon’s mind, about the unnecessary fight last night and his husband’s health.
“Baby,” Siwon quickly attaches the back of his palm onto Yesung’s forehead. He sighs when he feels the petite man is no longer having a fever. “Are you okay?” he asks, can’t help but sounds worry.
Yesung nods. “Thanks to your warmth,” he gets a hold on Siwon’s palm and brings it to his own cheek, trying to cop a feel of the warm hand.
“Hum, about last night,” Siwon starts, trying not to get lost into the feelings of Yesung’s soft skin.
“You were worried, I understand,” Yesung cuts him. “Let’s not talk about it.”
“I apologize,” Siwon finally gives up, he lets the tips of his fingers touching the cheeks of the pregnant man. “About scolding you. I didn’t mean to say it that way.”
Yesung directs Siwon’s hand, under his own smaller palm, to his lips. Touching each of the lanky fingers with his lips. Siwon closes his eyes and brings his head closer to Yesung’s face.
“It’s okay, I’m thankful you’re still beside me. We don’t need to talk about it anymore.”
“But,” Siwon insists, looking into his husband’s eyes. “I feel so guilty of making you cry. It was my fault and I got angry at you.”
Yesung doesn’t say anything, he just sits down abruptly, leaving Siwon grunts in the involuntary lost of warmth.
“I already cooked breakfast for us,” Yesung says monotonously, not even looking back at his husband who is still laying on the futon. “Let’s eat,” and then he gets up, walking out the room.
Siwon still feel that this issue is unfinished, however, since Yesung didn’t even accept his apology and brushed it off instead.
He walks to the kitchen, stands behind his husband, who is standing in front of the stove, preparing some fried eggs and sausages.
“Baby, what time did you wake up? You’re still need to rest, please don’t do this anymore,” Siwon says in concern, looking at Yesung’s back, clad in pink apron.
“About an hour ago, I just fried all the things I can find in the refrigerator, Wonnie. It’s not tiring, okay?” Yesung says with finality in his tone.
Siwon is about to talk back when the door bell is ringing.
“Who will visit us this time of day?” Siwon glances at the clock, “8 a.m, it’s still too early,” he says but goes to the door nevertheless.
The doctor who helped him last night, dr Ackles, stands on the door with a woman, apparently his wife.
“Mr Choi,” the American doctor smiles and nods at him. “We just come over to check for your husband, is his condition better now?”
Siwon brings the couple in, since they are about to have a breakfast afterall.
Little did he remember about Yesung’s obsession with salt at the moment, to dine with not only one, but two strangers.
“Honey, it’s dr Ackles with his wife, who helped you last night,” Siwon calls after let the couple sits in the dining area beside the kitchen. “He wants to check on your condition.”
“Oh? Hmm then I have to fried some more,” Yesung answers. “You, converse with them, practice your English,” Yesung kicked Siwon out of the kitchen.
Siwon smiles hearing what his husband just said. He doesn’t know why Yesung seemed excited to ‘practicing English’ nowadays. Will his Baby love to speak in English in the future? He goes to the dining room with light footsteps and smiley face.
About ten minutes later, the two couples are sitting around the traditional dining table. After doing a little check up on Yesung, dr Ackles, or what he insists them to call him, Jensen, introduces his wife Danneel.
Jensen is very handsome, with a chiseled face and dark hair. While his wife Danneel is a brunette with a very nice smile. They really seem like a good couple and nice people. siwon really is thankful that they stay in the cottage next to his so that he didn’t need to go so far to find a doctor last night.
“We don’t have much in the refrigerator, since we plan to eat outside all the time,” Siwon says in English, smiling apologetically when they are about to eat.
“Sorry about we just crashing here,” Danneel stares at Yesung, who seems shy.
“It’s okay, we are really thankful for Jensen last night,” Siwon answers again.
So they start to eat. Siwon can feel that his husband is a bit uncomfortable eating with 2 foreigners for the first time, since he keeps silent and glancing at the couple with flushed face. Like a simpleton (Siwon grins to himself hearing it in his mind) Yesung watches how the American couple eats his dish.
But something is happening with Jensen, right after he put some scrambled eggs into his mouth, he coughs uncontrollably.
“Jensen, what happened?” his wife says in worry, hurrying to give his husband a glass of water.
Jensen keeps coughing and tears flow down his eyes uncontrollably.
Right on his position, Siwon freezes. Is it… the salty food?
“Are you okay?” Yesung rushes to Jensen’s side with a paper napkin in his hand, which Jensen gratefully use to wipe his mouth.
“Oh, oh,” Jensen tries to control his throat after drinking the water from his wife. “I’m fine. It’s just, the egg is too salty,” then he coughs again.
“What?” Danneel says curiously insert a piece of her scrambled egg into her mouth.
Yesung just sits there with confusion beside the coughing man. His eyes go wide.
Siwon knows it’s almost too late to save his husband from the bitter truth but it’s too late, since Danneel closes his eyes abruptly, grabbing her glass to gulp so much water.
“Dan-danneel?” Yesung calls her uncertainly.
“Yes, it’s so… salty,” Danneel says, looking at Yesung as if blaming him for the overly-salty dish.
“But I tried it, it’s not salty,” Yesung shakes his head, embarrassed for being accused.
“Baby, perhaps you just putting in too much salt,” Siwon tries to save the situation.
Yesung walks back to his seat, tasting a piece of egg from his plate. “It’s not salty,” he mumbles, looking at Danneel.
“Really? Try mine,” Danneel says, her face stiffens.
Yesung hesitantly picks some of Danneel’s dish using his own fork.
“How?” the doctor’s wife asks curiously.
“No,” Yesung says, his brows are furrowing.
Jensen and Siwon looks at each other’s eyes. Siwon knows Jensen is kind of feeling bad for his wife’s behavior, in forcing Yesung to acknowledge the saltiness.
“Danneel, come on,” he whispers obviously to his wife’s ear.
“It’s not salty. Do you joke?” Yesung says with his broken English, confused.
Siwon finds it enough. “Sungie, baby, we… we need to talk,” he grabs the petite man’s hand and directs him outside the room.
“Baby.”
“Huh, what is it, Wonnie?”
“It’s because you are pregnant,” Siwon feels blank, so he rambles on. “It’s salty, your food, because you are pregnant.”
“What do you mean?” Yesung starts to get suspicious.
Siwon sighs. It’s just out of control, he really doesn’t want Yesung to know it this way.
“Since you’re pregnant… you love salt so much,” Siwon stutters.
“Oh,” an understanding flashes on Yesung’s face. “Do you mean I always cook like this?”
Siwon avoids his husband’s eyes, seems to afraid to break that delicate heart of his lover.
“Since when? Siwon? Why did you never tell me?”
Siwon contemplates in his mind to give the correct answer, or, the answer which might hurt his husband the least.
“I…” the lawyer stutters. Seriously, he’s a brilliant business attorney in law and now he couldn’t even lie to his pregnant husband, stuttering, even.
“I can’t believe you,” Yesung coldly spits.
And when Siwon lifts his head, his husband has just disappeared from his sight.
“Yesung?”
***
TBC
Characters: Yesung, Siwon, Zhoumi, Jaejoong, etc
Pairing: YeWon
Genre: Mpreg!AU, Fluff
Rating: PG-15
Warning: Heavy Mpreg.
Disclaimer: Fiction. I only own the plot and the story.
Previous: One ★ Two ★ Three ★ Four ★ Five ★ Six
“Your husband is exhausted and partly dehydrated, Mr Choi,” said dr Ackles in English. The American doctor puts in his stethoscope he just used to examine Yesung’s weak condition to his black bag.
Hearing the doctor, the pregnant man opens his eyes slowly. His face is still really pale and cold sweats are drenching his yukata. He bits his white lips, tilting his head and trying to catch a glimpse of his husband’s face, but Siwon pats his shoulder lightly from beside his head to indicate that he must not move much.
Siwon gets up to talk outside the room with the doctor, leaving his husband lying on the futon in the bedroom. Yesung can’t hear what they are talking about for some moments because he feels so weak, sleepy and exhausted that he can’t concentrate catching their conversation. But when the foreign doctor bids his goodbye and Siwon thanks him with his shaky voice, Yesung can hear them.
His husband enters the bedroom a few seconds later. Siwon quickly kneels beside him.
“Sungie, you will have to stay here with Mrs Sakurada when I go to the drugstore. I have to be hurry,” Siwon seems like he’s confused for a second. “Meanwhile you must drink a lot of water, wait here I will bring you some,” hastily Siwon gets up, walking fast out of the room. He comes back about a minute later, carrying two bottles of mineral water in his hands. Then a woman wearing a baby blue kimono follows him entering the room. She’s the inn’s owner.
“Honey, please sit down. I’ll help you,” Mrs Sakurada says in English. She assists the pregnant man to get up and sit down on the futon with almost no difficulty.
Yesung’s head is spinning in an instant, but he keeps it to himself, carefully enduring it in front of Siwon. The said man also kneels beside him, preparing pillows for him to lean on to.
“Thank you, Mrs Sakurada,” Siwon says genuinely. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help, now I have to go to the drug store, please take care of my husband while I’m gone.”
“It’s okay Mr Choi, it’s my obligation as the inn’s owner to help my customers on everything they need me to,” the middle aged woman says, bowing her head a bit.
Siwon bolts out of the room leaving his husband in the care of a stranger. Yesung smiles weakly to the inn’s owner and she smiles back to him comfortingly.
“You gave us sushi today, Mr Kim, but why are you sick now? Pregnant man must not get exhausted,” she says softly in English, with no hint of judgement in her tone.
Yesung can’t really catch her meaning. He can only understand sushi, sick, and pregnant. He’s not actually good with foreign language, even English, so he nods and smiles in embarrassment.
“Tired, I don’t sleep,” he manages to say. Actually he wants to correct her that the dish he gave her was not sushi, but he doesn’t have the energy.
The woman smiles in understanding upon hearing Yesung’s short words. Many Korean people she had met are really bad at English and she doesn’t know why. She reaches for a bottle of the mineral water and opens it for Yesung.
“Drink now,” she holds the bottle carefully for Yesung to drink, and the pregnant man slowly drinks about half of the water. “Ah, good,” Mrs Sakurada smiles, satisfied of Yesung’s effort.
“Thank you,” Yesung nods at her a little then leans on his pillows.
“Water is so important, moreover, you are pregnant now,” the Japanese woman says slowly so that Yesung can catch her words. “Babies are weak. Sometimes we forget about it when we are pregnant. We forget that we are not as strong as we used to be, our baby needs more care than us.”
This time Yesung is ready to hear English words.
“I forgot drinking,” Yesung tells her. “Too happy in Japan.”
That’s true. Beside he didn’t get to rest a bit since their flight from Seoul this morning, Yesung also doesn’t remember drinking anything, except a glass of iced lemon tea during dinner. He was too absorbed in the nice kitchen of the cottage, making kimbap, to feel the heat of Japan in summer, that’s why he didn’t even realize he’s thirsty or tired.
Mrs Sakurada nods in understanding, her expression changes to get more serious. “Dehydration in pregnancy can be serious, honey. My daughter almost lost her baby in a premature labor because she neglected drinking water because of work.”
If it’s possible, Yesung’s pale face is getting paler hearing what the inn’s owner say. It’s so scary! What if something’s not right is going on within him too because of that?
“Ah, I didn’t mean to scare you Mr Kim,” Mrs Sakurada sees the worry on the pregnant man’s face and feels sorry. “But I hope you will be more careful, okay? Get enough rest, water, and nutrition. Really important,” she continues.
“I under-stand,” Yesung nods slightly. He swears to himself to never let this kind of thing happen again. Poor Baby, he can’t imagine if he lost his Baby!
“I’m sorry I nag, I just got so traumatized by my daughter’s experience. I don’t want that bad thing happen to other people,” Mrs Sakurada strikes the pregnant man’s upper arm.
“It’s okay,” Yesung says in a weaker voice. “Thank you Mrs Sakurada.”
He’s sleepy now, but thankfully he’s not dizzy anymore. He starts to close his eyes.
“Oh, you’re sleepy?” the Japanese woman sees his droopy eyes. “Wait for your medicine, honey. I believe your husband will come soon, the drugstore is just five minutes away by bike,” she advices him.
Yesung opens his eyes, thinking that this woman might be right, so he tries hard to stay awake.
“So let’s chat, you won’t be able to sleep if I converse with you, right?” Mrs Sakurada giggles to herself. “So tell me about your day, Mr Kim?”
“Call me Yesung, please, Mrs Sakurada,” Yesung mumbles, fighting his sleepiness. “Mr Kim so formal.”
“Oh, okay, Yesung-san,” the inn’s owner complies. “So where did you go this afternoon?”
“Ueno Park,” Yesung answers. “We watch… artists?” Yesung hesitated since he doesn’t know the exact term for the performers he watched.
“Oh, that’s exciting!” Mrs Sakurada exclaims excitedly. “Who were they?”
“Uhm…” Yesung pauses. It’s hard to think when you’re exhausted and sleepy. Moreover to talk in English. “Sumo, clown, and balloon…” he counts with his tiny fingers. “And Elvis,” he quickly adds.
Mrs Sakurada wants to ask something more but then Siwon’s footsteps are heard from their room. A second later the tall man enters the room with a plastic bag in his hand. His breaths labored and Yesung feels so guilty for all Siwon’s troubles. It’s midnight already.
“Baby how is it now, better?” Siwon hurries to Yesung’s side, looking at the cat-like eyes in deep concern.
Yesung smiles to assures him, and answers, “I’m fine, Siwonnie.”
But instead of being relieved, Siwon’s face is getting darker hearing his husband’s answer. “You are always like this. Saying you’re fine, but you are not fine!” he bursts out. He turns his head away, getting himself busy in opening the plastic bag.
Yesung’s startled. Beside him, he sees Mrs Sakurada also flinches in her seat hearing Siwon’s harsh tone even though she doesn’t get a thing about the meaning.
The pregnant man hangs his head low, he really didn’t expect Siwon will be this angry at him. He tries to fight the embarrassing tears and says nothing. He knows he deserves Siwon’s wrath.
Then he feels a hand caresses his, but when he lifts his head up expectantly, it’s Mrs Sakurada’s touch, not Siwon’s. With a motherly smile, she shakes her head. Yesung gets what she means. She knows that Siwon’s not mad at him, just overly panic and concerned about his health.
Yesung looks at his husband, who is now getting some energy drinks, a pack of pill that surely is Yesung’s medicine, a blue water bottle with Mickey Mouse paint on it, and some power bars out of the plastic bag. All the way looking solemn.
“I think I better go, now, Mr Choi,” Mrs Sakurada says a few second after, disturbing the uncomfortable silence. “I forgot that I left my grandson alone at home. He must be worry now, it’s already late.” She gets up from her sitting position.
Siwon looks like he’s just snapped out from his silent reverie, but responsively smiles to the lady as if he just didn’t snap at his husband in front of her.
“Thank you so much for your help, Mrs Sakurada. I don’t know what will happen if you’re not here, or if the man who rents the next cottage is not a doctor. I would get more freaked out than this,” Siwon implies with an apologetic smile while walks her outside the bedroom.
“You’re welcome, Mr Choi. I’m glad I can help,” Yesung can hear her. “I hope your husband will get better soon.”
Yesung absentmindedly plays with his fingers when Siwon returns to the room.
“Don’t,” he says when he sees Yesung opens his mouth to apologize. “Don’t apologize. We’re both at fault,” the taller man says rather coldly.
“No, you’re not…” Yesung says weakly, watching Siwon preparing his pill for him.
“You became like this after… you know,” Siwon flushes red, avoiding his husband’s tearful eyes. “You were fine before.”
“No, it was my fault I didn’t rest and drink at all today,” Yesung tries to reach out for his husband’s hands. “I was too careless of Baby today.”
Siwon acts as if he didn’t hear or see anything from his pregnant husband.
“Now drink this, it’s Zofran for pregnancy’s dehydration. After that you have to sleep,” Siwon brings the water bottle and gives Yesung a pill. The pregnant man obediently inserts the pill into his mouth and Siwon helps him with the water.
“Thank you, Wonnie.”
There are many things left to say, but Yesung doesn’t have the energy to fight now. He lowers himself to lean on his back on the futon and closes his eyes. He hears Siwon goes out the room and with a single tear runs down his face, he tries to sleep.
Meanwhile on the back terrace of the cottage, Siwon sits by himself with a tin of cold soda in his hand. Soon, without the presence of air conditioner, he opens his yukata in half, drenches in sweat. Still, the summer breeze calms him down after a few minutes and the attorney enjoys the festive sounds of cicadas around him.
Needless to say that he’s regretting how he snapped to Yesung, moreover, in front of the hostess. His husband is sick and somehow he made his condition worse and made him cry. Apparently, Yesung blames himself for being careless, but the fault actually lies on Siwon.
He knows how focused his husband is in doing something, he’s a workaholic. It’s Siwon’s obligation to make sure he got enough rest instead of making kimbap all day after their flight. And didn’t it cross his mind to make sure Yesung gets enough nutrition today? He even forgot to check if Yesung got to drink his pregnancy milk tonight. Walking in the summer heat, Siwon didn’t even bought Yesung water.
On top of that, Siwon made his tired husband get intimate with him tonight. Knowing Yesung, even though he’s exhausted, he could never let Siwon down. Yesung never backed out on him. Siwon feels worse because of this. If he didn’t do things to Yesung, he wouldn’t be this sick.
And that the petite man said that he’s fine! Siwon could see how white his lips and how red his eyes are and he said he’s fine, with a smile. Siwon knows Yesung never meant to lie, he just didn’t want to burden him. But he just hates it every time Yesung takes his health easily and pretends to be strong in front of him. I’m his husband, damn it. He will never be a burden for me!
Siwon drinks a huge gulp of his soda. He never drinks beer anymore because Yesung hates it ever since he’s pregnant. Unbeknownst to him, a smile creeps to his face upon remembering how Yesung pouted cutely and stomped his feet to the ground, asking him to threw away all the beer tins and bottles they got on their refrigerator at home.
Why didn’t he pout and stomped his feet just now when he’s tired and I still asked him for sex?
Suddenly his cell phone beeps loudly. Afraid to wake Yesung up, quickly the tall man grabs the gadget, turns the ringtone off and gasps upon seeing the reminder of his husband’s birthday. It’s August 24th, 2013 already. Without him realizing, the day had already changed. His baby is officially 26 today.
He didn’t mean to forget it, in fact to celebrate Yesung’s birthday in an extra special way was the reason they both got here in the first place. Just… recent events made his husband’s birthday flew out his mind.
He’s supposed to hug the naked petite man in his arms, humming happy birthday in his ears and kiss him softly. And after that he’s going to give his husband the birthday present that is being kept on his backpack, Yesung will squeal happily then they’ll make out some more after some series of mind blowing blowjobs.
But the reality, he’s outside, blaming himself while his sweet, beautiful pregnant husband is sick. Making the birthday man feels sad by snapping at him in front of a stranger, leaving him to sleep alone.
He hurries to open the slides door and gets into the room where his beloved petite man, who is carrying his baby inside him, is sleeping. Yesung didn’t even able to shut the light off. He’s lying there, asleep, his blanket had been kicked away because it’s hot. His face looks so terrible with tears stains.
Siwon notices with a pang in his heart that the pregnant man seems like trying to hug himself, arms crossed on his chest with his little fingers clutching tightly on his shoulders. It’s breaking Siwon’s heart. His husband surely misses his embrace this time of the night, like the way they always do.
Without making any noise Siwon turns the lights off. He lays down beside his husband in one futon. Thankfully their two futons still lay beside each other so he won’t suffocate Yesung. Carefully he lays there, face is facing his husband, throwing an arm over his two arms on his chest just to make Yesung feels the embrace he needs.
“Happy birthday, my darling,” Siwon whispers to the petite man’s cheek.
“Wonn-ie?” a weak whisper is heard.
“Shh, go back to sleep, baby,” Siwon whispers back.
“Engh,” Yesung moans lightly but turns around to face Siwon’s face. His eyes don’t even flutter a bit. The petite man hugs Siwon’s waist, burying his face on his husband’s shoulder.
He’s too deeply into sleep, and moves only by habit. By the instinct that he needs his husband’s embrace to be able to sleep.
It’s always where Siwon belongs.
***
Siwon’s awake to the feeling of Yesung’s lips on his right cheek. His eyes flutter and his husband’s hazy face is in front of him, welcoming him with a cheeky smile.
“Good morning, my husband,” Yesung softly says while caressing Siwon’s fringe.
Realization comes to Siwon’s mind, about the unnecessary fight last night and his husband’s health.
“Baby,” Siwon quickly attaches the back of his palm onto Yesung’s forehead. He sighs when he feels the petite man is no longer having a fever. “Are you okay?” he asks, can’t help but sounds worry.
Yesung nods. “Thanks to your warmth,” he gets a hold on Siwon’s palm and brings it to his own cheek, trying to cop a feel of the warm hand.
“Hum, about last night,” Siwon starts, trying not to get lost into the feelings of Yesung’s soft skin.
“You were worried, I understand,” Yesung cuts him. “Let’s not talk about it.”
“I apologize,” Siwon finally gives up, he lets the tips of his fingers touching the cheeks of the pregnant man. “About scolding you. I didn’t mean to say it that way.”
Yesung directs Siwon’s hand, under his own smaller palm, to his lips. Touching each of the lanky fingers with his lips. Siwon closes his eyes and brings his head closer to Yesung’s face.
“It’s okay, I’m thankful you’re still beside me. We don’t need to talk about it anymore.”
“But,” Siwon insists, looking into his husband’s eyes. “I feel so guilty of making you cry. It was my fault and I got angry at you.”
Yesung doesn’t say anything, he just sits down abruptly, leaving Siwon grunts in the involuntary lost of warmth.
“I already cooked breakfast for us,” Yesung says monotonously, not even looking back at his husband who is still laying on the futon. “Let’s eat,” and then he gets up, walking out the room.
Siwon still feel that this issue is unfinished, however, since Yesung didn’t even accept his apology and brushed it off instead.
He walks to the kitchen, stands behind his husband, who is standing in front of the stove, preparing some fried eggs and sausages.
“Baby, what time did you wake up? You’re still need to rest, please don’t do this anymore,” Siwon says in concern, looking at Yesung’s back, clad in pink apron.
“About an hour ago, I just fried all the things I can find in the refrigerator, Wonnie. It’s not tiring, okay?” Yesung says with finality in his tone.
Siwon is about to talk back when the door bell is ringing.
“Who will visit us this time of day?” Siwon glances at the clock, “8 a.m, it’s still too early,” he says but goes to the door nevertheless.
The doctor who helped him last night, dr Ackles, stands on the door with a woman, apparently his wife.
“Mr Choi,” the American doctor smiles and nods at him. “We just come over to check for your husband, is his condition better now?”
Siwon brings the couple in, since they are about to have a breakfast afterall.
Little did he remember about Yesung’s obsession with salt at the moment, to dine with not only one, but two strangers.
“Honey, it’s dr Ackles with his wife, who helped you last night,” Siwon calls after let the couple sits in the dining area beside the kitchen. “He wants to check on your condition.”
“Oh? Hmm then I have to fried some more,” Yesung answers. “You, converse with them, practice your English,” Yesung kicked Siwon out of the kitchen.
Siwon smiles hearing what his husband just said. He doesn’t know why Yesung seemed excited to ‘practicing English’ nowadays. Will his Baby love to speak in English in the future? He goes to the dining room with light footsteps and smiley face.
About ten minutes later, the two couples are sitting around the traditional dining table. After doing a little check up on Yesung, dr Ackles, or what he insists them to call him, Jensen, introduces his wife Danneel.
Jensen is very handsome, with a chiseled face and dark hair. While his wife Danneel is a brunette with a very nice smile. They really seem like a good couple and nice people. siwon really is thankful that they stay in the cottage next to his so that he didn’t need to go so far to find a doctor last night.
“We don’t have much in the refrigerator, since we plan to eat outside all the time,” Siwon says in English, smiling apologetically when they are about to eat.
“Sorry about we just crashing here,” Danneel stares at Yesung, who seems shy.
“It’s okay, we are really thankful for Jensen last night,” Siwon answers again.
So they start to eat. Siwon can feel that his husband is a bit uncomfortable eating with 2 foreigners for the first time, since he keeps silent and glancing at the couple with flushed face. Like a simpleton (Siwon grins to himself hearing it in his mind) Yesung watches how the American couple eats his dish.
But something is happening with Jensen, right after he put some scrambled eggs into his mouth, he coughs uncontrollably.
“Jensen, what happened?” his wife says in worry, hurrying to give his husband a glass of water.
Jensen keeps coughing and tears flow down his eyes uncontrollably.
Right on his position, Siwon freezes. Is it… the salty food?
“Are you okay?” Yesung rushes to Jensen’s side with a paper napkin in his hand, which Jensen gratefully use to wipe his mouth.
“Oh, oh,” Jensen tries to control his throat after drinking the water from his wife. “I’m fine. It’s just, the egg is too salty,” then he coughs again.
“What?” Danneel says curiously insert a piece of her scrambled egg into her mouth.
Yesung just sits there with confusion beside the coughing man. His eyes go wide.
Siwon knows it’s almost too late to save his husband from the bitter truth but it’s too late, since Danneel closes his eyes abruptly, grabbing her glass to gulp so much water.
“Dan-danneel?” Yesung calls her uncertainly.
“Yes, it’s so… salty,” Danneel says, looking at Yesung as if blaming him for the overly-salty dish.
“But I tried it, it’s not salty,” Yesung shakes his head, embarrassed for being accused.
“Baby, perhaps you just putting in too much salt,” Siwon tries to save the situation.
Yesung walks back to his seat, tasting a piece of egg from his plate. “It’s not salty,” he mumbles, looking at Danneel.
“Really? Try mine,” Danneel says, her face stiffens.
Yesung hesitantly picks some of Danneel’s dish using his own fork.
“How?” the doctor’s wife asks curiously.
“No,” Yesung says, his brows are furrowing.
Jensen and Siwon looks at each other’s eyes. Siwon knows Jensen is kind of feeling bad for his wife’s behavior, in forcing Yesung to acknowledge the saltiness.
“Danneel, come on,” he whispers obviously to his wife’s ear.
“It’s not salty. Do you joke?” Yesung says with his broken English, confused.
Siwon finds it enough. “Sungie, baby, we… we need to talk,” he grabs the petite man’s hand and directs him outside the room.
“Baby.”
“Huh, what is it, Wonnie?”
“It’s because you are pregnant,” Siwon feels blank, so he rambles on. “It’s salty, your food, because you are pregnant.”
“What do you mean?” Yesung starts to get suspicious.
Siwon sighs. It’s just out of control, he really doesn’t want Yesung to know it this way.
“Since you’re pregnant… you love salt so much,” Siwon stutters.
“Oh,” an understanding flashes on Yesung’s face. “Do you mean I always cook like this?”
Siwon avoids his husband’s eyes, seems to afraid to break that delicate heart of his lover.
“Since when? Siwon? Why did you never tell me?”
Siwon contemplates in his mind to give the correct answer, or, the answer which might hurt his husband the least.
“I…” the lawyer stutters. Seriously, he’s a brilliant business attorney in law and now he couldn’t even lie to his pregnant husband, stuttering, even.
“I can’t believe you,” Yesung coldly spits.
And when Siwon lifts his head, his husband has just disappeared from his sight.
“Yesung?”
***
TBC