[Morning/8:30am]
Haneul walked downstairs slowly.
As he reached the dining area, he saw Haru already sitting at the table with Taekyun.
Haru was eating her breakfast quietly.
Today was her day off from school, yet she had woken up early.
Bora noticed Haneul first.
"Oh, you're up.
Should I bring your breakfast?"
Haneul looked at her and nodded.
"Yes."
Bora gave a small nod and went toward the kitchen.
Haneul walked over and sat beside Haru.
He gave her a soft smile.
"Good morning"
Haru immediately brightened a little seeing him.
"Moning"
Then Haneul lifted his gaze toward Taekyun.
Taekyun was sitting across from them, his eyes lowered slightly as he held his coffee cup.
He didn't look at Haneul.
Haneul smiled softly look down.
A quiet moment passed.
Then Taekyun placed the cup back on the table and stood up.
Haneul watched him.
"Are you going somewhere?"
Taekyun looked at him briefly and nodded.
"Yes. To the office."
His tone was calm, but distant.
Haneul nodded slowly.
He stood up from his chair and walked toward him.
Before he could get closer, a servant stepped forward and helped Taekyun with his coat.
Haneul paused for a second.
Still, he spoke,
"Taekyun…. should we"
Before he could finish, Taekyun's phone rang.
Taekyun glanced at him then the screen and answered.
"Yes."
His expression turned serious.
"Okay. I'll be there soon."
He ended the call.
Haneul's fingers slowly tightened around his sleeve.
He looked at Taekyun quietly.
Taekyun turned toward him.
"You wanted to say something?"
Haru looked between them, her small eyes moving from her father to Haneul.
Even she could feel something was different.
At that moment, Bora returned with Haneul's breakfast and placed it on the table.
Haneul hesitated.
"It's nothing."
He forced a small smile.
"Just.... have a nice day."
Taekyun looked at him for a moment.
He could clearly tell that Haneul had wanted to say something.
But he also knew he wouldn't be able to force it out of him.
So he simply gave a small nod.
Then he turned his gaze toward Bora.
"I'll be back for dinner."
Bora nodded respectfully.
"Yes, sir.
Should we prepare something specific?"
Taekyun adjusted his sleeve slightly.
"I'll let you know."
"Yes, sir."
Without saying anything more, Taekyun turned and walked out.
Outside Taekyun stood there for a moment.
Even without looking, he could feel it.
Haneul's pheromones from earlier.
they didn't feel calm like before.
They felt disturbed.
Like something was weighing down on him.
Inside,
Haneul slowly lowered his gaze.
His fingers tightened slightly around his sleeve again.
He had wanted to say something.
But in the end he said nothing again.
Bora walked toward Haneul, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Is everything okay?"
She had noticed it clearly.
Haneul had been standing there without moving ever since Taekyun left.
Haneul turned to her and forced a small nod.
"Yes, I'm.… I'm"
His words suddenly broke.
A sharp twist hit his lower belly again.
His breath caught.
Bora immediately stepped closer.
"What's wrong?"
But before she could ask anything more, Haneul turned away quickly.
"I'm fine,"
he said in a low voice and started walking.
Bora followed him, worry evident on her face.
"Haneul"
Halfway up the stairs, Haneul suddenly stopped.
He turned back.
"Bora…. I'm a bit sleepy.
I'll sleep for a while."
His voice was soft, almost unsteady.
"Please look after Haru."
Bora hesitated.
She didn't look convinced.
"Are you sure?"
Haneul nodded quickly.
"Yes."
Without waiting for more questions, he turned and walked upstairs.
Downstairs, Haru quietly placed her spoon back onto her plate.
She didn't say anything.
But her eyes followed Haneul until he disappeared.
Haneul reached his room and went straight into the bathroom.
The moment he closed the door, his composure broke.
He looked down.
The stain was there again.
This time, clearer.
His hands trembled slightly.
Slowly, he lowered himself down, sitting on the floor near the door.
His back rested against it.
Tears gathered in his eyes.
He pressed his hand over his lower belly.
"Don't"
His voice shook.
"Don't leave me"
Tears slipped down his cheeks.
"I didn't thought that it'll be you."
His fingers pressed tighter.
"But can you not leave please"
His shoulders trembled slightly as he sat there, alone.
(Last Night)
"Taekyun.… where are you going?"
Haneul's voice came out soft and breathless.
Taekyun turned back.
He was standing a few steps ahead, right in the middle of a long bridge.
The evening sky behind him was painted in warm shades of orange and gold.
He smiled at Haneul.
Then he started walking away again.
Haneul lowered his gaze slightly.
His hand moved to his belly.
It was big.
Round and heavy.
He could feel the weight of it clearly.
A small smile formed on his lips as he looked back at Taekyun.
Taekyun extended his hand toward him.
"Haneul…. come."
Haneul looked at him and smiled.
The entire bridge was empty.
No cars.
No people.
Just the two of them.
The silence felt peaceful.
The sunset was too beautiful.
Haneul started walking toward him.
He wanted to run.
But he couldn't.
His body felt heavy.
His steps were slow as he held his belly carefully and moved forward.
Taekyun stood there, waiting.
Still smiling.
That smile made Haneul's heart beat faster.
Step by step, he moved closer.
In the middle of the bridge, there was a bench.
It felt strange.
Why would there be a bench here?
But Haneul didn't question it.
He kept walking.
When he finally reached Taekyun, he placed his hand in his.
Taekyun held it gently.
Then guided him to sit on the bench.
"It's beautiful, right?"
Taekyun said softly.
Haneul looked ahead.
The sunset stretched endlessly across the sky.
"It is"
he whispered.
He leaned his head against Taekyun's shoulder.
For a moment, everything felt perfect.
Calm,safe and warm.
Then, something felt wrong.
Haneul lifted his head slightly.
His breath stopped.
It wasn't Taekyun anymore.
Someone else was sitting beside him.
"Hyung?"
His voice trembled.
It was Jiwon.
His brother.
Jiwon smiled at him.
"Haneul."
Haneul's eyes widened.
"What.… what is this?"
He looked around in panic.
"Where is Taekyun?
He was just here"
He stood up quickly from the bench.
The place that had felt so peaceful just moments ago suddenly felt wrong.
Cold, empty and unfamiliar.
The bridge looked the same.
But now it felt suffocating.
"Haneul-ah"
A voice called from behind.
Haneul froze.
He slowly turned around.
"Umma?"
His mother stood there.
Smiling softly.
Haneul's heart began to pound.
This isn't real.
He knew it.
This was a dream.
But it felt too real.
"Can't you come back?"
she asked gently.
Haneul's expression filled with fear.
"Umma.… no…. please"
She walked toward him.
Slowly.
Then she placed her hand on his belly.
"Haneul…. you'll lose it."
His heart nearly stopped.
"Umma, don't say that…. it hurts"
His voice broke.
She pulled him into her arms.
The warm sunset behind them disappeared.
The sky suddenly turned dark.
Clouds gathered like a storm was about to break.
"Umma.… I'm scared"
His voice trembled.
She kissed his forehead softly.
"My pretty son don't be scared.
Umma is here."
Then she whispered,
"But come back
can't you?"
Haneul shook his head immediately, tears falling.
"I... want to umma but,
I… I can't… I can't leave them"
His voice cracked.
"I love him"
His mother smiled faintly.
"Is he that good to you?"
Haneul nodded, crying.
"Yes"
Suddenly
A loud sound tore through the air.
A sharp screech.
A scream.
Before Haneul could react, a car rushed forward and hit him.
His body was thrown off the bridge.
Everything blurred.
For a moment, he saw his mother still standing there.
The car passed right through her
Like she wasn't even human.
Like she was just a soul.
Then,
Darkness.
Water.
Haneul's eyes opened.
He was underwater.
He couldn't breathe.
He couldn't move.
Around him, the water slowly turned red.
Blood.
More and more of it spread around him.
He felt himself sinking deeper.
Then,he saw it.
A small figure.
A child.
Wrapped in white cloth.
Floating in the water.
Haneul's eyes widened in horror.
The child came from him.
His body,his belly
It felt like it had opened.
But he couldn't move.
He couldn't stop it.
He could only watch.
The small body floated in front of him.
Then suddenly
It broke apart.
Disappearing into light.
A bright, blinding white light.
Haneul tried to scream.
But no sound came out.
The light gathered.
Condensed.
And then,
A small, glowing white star appeared.
It slowly sank into the dark water.
Shining too brightly.
It hurt his eyes.
Tears streamed down his face.
"No.... no, come back
Don't leave me."
He shut his eyes tightly.
Haneul suddenly woke up.
His breath was uneven.
Tears were already falling from his eyes.
It was a dream.
Again.
But this time,
He understood.
All this time
It was never about Haru.
It was about his own child.
The one growing inside him.
His heartbeat raced uncontrollably.
Tears kept falling.
He wanted to go to Taekyun.
He wanted to tell him everything.
But he couldn't move.
His body felt too weak.
Too heavy.
He stayed there on the bed.
Crying silently.
The night passed like that.
Until, around five in the morning
He finally fell asleep.
[Back]
Since the morning, Haneul had been planning to tell Taekyun everything.
He wanted to say it.
About the dream.
About the fear growing inside his heart.
But deep down, he knew Taekyun wouldn't be in the right mood.
Not after what happened at the restaurant.
He still remembered it clearly.
The way he had pushed him.
At that time, he hadn't meant to.
He didn't even understand why he did it.
It wasn't intentional.
But the guilt still remained.
And now, with everything happening, Haneul felt even more unsure about bringing it up.
He kept the words inside his heart again.
[Meanwhile, at the office]
Taekyun entered the building.
Employees immediately stood and bowed respectfully as he walked past.
"Good morning, sir."
But he barely noticed them.
His mind was somewhere else.
He kept walking forward in silence, his expression calm but distant.
The events from last night.
The strange heaviness he felt.
And the way Haneul looked this morning.
All of it kept replaying in his thoughts.
Without speaking to anyone, he walked straight toward the meeting room.
His steps were steady.
But his mind wasn't.
Taekyun knew something was wrong with Haneul.
He could feel it since the morning.
The way Haneul avoided finishing his sentence.
The way he smiled even when his eyes looked heavy.
The way his pheromones felt different.
He just wanted to finish everything quickly.
So he could return home.
Back to Haneul.
The thought made his chest tighten.
Then another realization hit him.
Haneul was pregnant.
Mood swings were normal.
Emotional shifts were normal.
Maybe he had misunderstood him earlier.
The thought made him feel worse.
Especially the way he had ignored him in the morning.
He hadn't meant to hurt him.
But he realized now that his silence might have made things harder for Haneul.
A small wave of frustration passed through him.
Not at Haneul.
At himself.
He wanted to leave everything and go back immediately.
But he couldn't.
Today was important.
A major meeting had been scheduled.
Directors from overseas were present.
The discussion was about the ongoing issue concerning Omega and Alpha-type medicine regulations.
The topic required full attention.
It wasn't something he could postpone.
Taekyun entered the meeting room with a composed expression.
The long table was already filled with senior directors.
As he took his seat, his face became professional again.
Calm and controlled.
But inside, his thoughts kept drifting back home.
Back to Haneul.
He exhaled quietly.
Just finish this.
Then go back.
That was the only thing on his mind now.