Childhood Friend Who Sees the Future Utters Nonsense

173 – Side Story – Unspeakable Suffering

After finding out that we had not one, but two precious beings, another three months had passed, and Yuna’s belly had started to bulge out so much that anyone could see it.

In fact, it had been a while since Yuna’s belly had started to stick out, but at the time, only the lower belly area was sticking out a little, so no one other than her and me really noticed.

But now, when we go somewhere together, people can tell right away that I’m pregnant because my body has swelled up, and I feel even more keenly that I’m a mother.

Especially recently, I had an opportunity to realize that fact.

Thump.

“Honey, do you feel it? The kids are kicking it.”

That is none other than the fact that Seol-ah and Seol-ha have begun to move in earnest.

According to Yuna, there was already a fetal movement, but it was so weak that she could barely feel it. However, as the children grew, she was able to feel it vaguely.

If I put my ear to the stomach like this, I can feel a slight vibration along with a rumbling feeling inside. Every time that happens, I feel a strange sense of joy and a sense of pride that the children are doing well.

“Does it feel really good? You feel strong.

“Who are these kids? Of course they’d be so strong.”

He said playfully to Yuna, who was straining her neck with a somewhat timid expression.

“You’ve become a lot more arrogant lately?”

“You deserve to be arrogant! Who do you think I am?”

“Well, I admit it.”

I nodded with a bitter smile, thinking that it was an undeniable fact.

From the plan to have twins to even the plan to have a boy and a girl, everything went smoothly, so it’s hard not to be arrogant.

Even now, I can still clearly see my wife’s face, her shoulders reaching up to the sky the whole way home after finding out Seol-ah and Seol-ha’s gender through an ultrasound about two weeks ago.

At this point, isn’t it almost like everything you say comes true? Hearing people around me calling me a goddess makes me wonder if I’ve really become a goddess and gained powers.

“Ah, for some reason I feel like eating pomegranate… .”

While we were having a cozy time together as a couple before going to bed, Yuna blurted out something that made my ears perk up like a rabbit.

That’s understandable, since Yuna’s appetite actually decreased a lot after she became pregnant. It goes without saying that she had to eat only one bowl of rice, even though she used to be able to finish two bowls with ease.

According to the advice my boss gave me in passing before, pregnant women are said to spit out what they want to eat dozens of times a day from morning to night, but Yuna is the complete opposite.

Maybe that’s why I was so happy that I finally had something to eat that Yuna was craving, so I sat up in bed and asked.

“Pomegranate? That’s a big deal. Should I buy some now?”

“Okay, okay. What time is it? There’s probably no supermarket open.”

Perhaps because she didn’t want to make me suffer late at night, Yuna shook her head and showed me the clock on her phone screen. It was definitely quite late, but it was still too early to give up.

“There are places that are open late. I’ll go and look around a few places.”

“It’s okay, you can eat it tomorrow… More than anything, I don’t want you to suffer unnecessarily because of me.”

“What’s the big deal? It’ll be over in no time if you just drive around anyway.”

I packed my clothes with the intention of going straight away before Yuna’s mind changed. It was warm even at night now, so I thought I could just put on a cardigan and go out.

Besides, it’s not just Yuna that’s being fed, but Seol-ah and Seol-ha too, so what? It’s worth enduring the little inconvenience, that’s all.

“Oh, is there anything else you want to eat besides pomegranates? I’ll buy some while I’m back.”

These days, delivery services are so well-established that you can order delivery for most foods, but just in case, I decided to ask before leaving the room.

“Ugh… .”

Then, Yuna, who was leaning against the back of the bed and pulling the blanket up to her knees, quietly buried her face between her knees and answered while slightly raising her head and looking in this direction.

“Then… the snack bar we went to together a while ago.”

“If it’s a snack bar… . Oh, you mean that one that’s open late?”

It was a snack shop where I was able to see Yuna eating deliciously after a long time, so I immediately remembered it.

Yuna nodded, wondering if she got the answer right, and added a cautious explanation in a tone of voice while drawing a circle on the blanket.

“Yeah, actually, delivery isn’t available there. Sorry, but could you please pick it up for me?”

“I told you, there’s no need to be sorry. Anyway, what’s your order, ma’am?”

As if he was worried about making me suffer late at night for no reason, he responded to Yuna, who was mumbling in a hoarse voice the whole time, in an exaggeratedly theatrical tone.

Yuna, who kept giggling at her uncharacteristic behavior, made a V sign and indicated the number 2, then spoke in a slightly brighter voice.

“Two servings of tteokbokki. One for you and one for me.”

“It’s just right.”

After receiving the order, I left the bedroom with a satisfied face.

I ended up wandering the streets late at night, which wasn’t part of my plan, but I didn’t feel bothered at all.

Perhaps this is one of the signs that he has become a father. I cautiously guess so.

***

The next morning, after eating all the tteokbokki and washing it down with pomegranate.

“Sister, brother-in-law! We’re here!”

The first floor entrance became noisy from a fairly early hour. It was due to the visit of none other than Yuna’s family.

Originally, we had planned to visit you on our side, but there were a lot of things going on in the meantime, and since Yuna’s belly started to really grow, we were hesitant about going anywhere.

The meeting that I thought would just end up being a fluke suddenly came true yesterday, and in addition to my father-in-law and mother-in-law, my sister-in-law, Han Yu-jin, also came.

By the way, did that guy eat the train ashtray since morning? He’s still noisy.

“Please give me your luggage, mother-in-law.”

“Thank you, son-in-law.”

I left Han Yu-jin to move the luggage on her own, and I quickly ran to get my mother-in-law’s luggage first. Since my father-in-law was nowhere to be seen, he must have been bringing other luggage or doing other things outside.

I guess I should bring this and then quickly go out.

“What, Mom’s here already? Where’s Dad?”

While I was busily moving my luggage to the kitchen, Yuna also came out of the bedroom on the second floor and appeared on the stairs. It was hard to believe that it was a greeting with her mother whom she had not seen for a long time, but it was so dry.

Well, I generally react that way to my mom too. In a way, it’s quite realistic.

“Your father went to the supermarket for a bit to buy something. He’ll be back later.”

“I see… Did you eat breakfast?”

“I didn’t eat because I wanted to come and eat. What about you and Mr. Park?”

“I just woke up. What are you going to do? I should eat soon.”

Yuna, who came down the stairs with a slow pace, didn’t even talk to her younger sister whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, but instead came over to me and buried her head in my chest.

Fortunately, the luggage had already been moved, so I was able to pat Yuna’s head and hug her back. It seems like she’s become more mischievous since she got pregnant.

“Do you have ingredients to cook at home?”

“Yeah, I bought all the ingredients the day before yesterday. Siyoon is making me some ravioli….”

“What is that?”

“It’s like Italian dumplings. I tried them for the first time and they were delicious.”

At Yuna’s words, the other two women looked at me and let out a soft ‘Oh…’ exclamation. Somehow, their gazes were extremely burdensome.

“As expected, there is no husband like Siyoon.”

“Ahh! I want a boyfriend who is good at cooking too!”

What the heck, is this a new type of shameful operation? It’s clearly a compliment, but rather than being happy, my face is blushing. What kind of comedy is this, starting from the morning breeze?

Anyway, the important thing is that both my father-in-law and my mother-in-law came without eating. I think it would be right for me to step up here, even if it’s a little lacking.

“Mother-in-law, if it’s okay with you, should I prepare the meal?”

“Is that okay? It would be a hassle to make enough for five people.”

“It’s okay. I also treat guests who come here occasionally.”

It’s not something to brag about, but since I got married, I’ve been stuck at home even more, so the only thing that’s improved is my housekeeping skills, including my cooking skills.

Although I may not be confident that I can satisfy my mother-in-law’s taste, as the saying goes, sincerity is more important than taste. If you treat her with the utmost sincerity, she will definitely be happy.

It’s so early in the morning that it might be a bit burdensome, but why don’t you prepare something you don’t normally eat?

“Please sit with the kids. You can prepare everything yourself.”

So I sat my mother-in-law down at the bar with a clear view of the kitchen and headed inside. I thought I could have a nice chat with my daughter while I was getting ready.

“Are you having a hard time these days? Are you eating well?”

“Yeah, it’s not really that hard. I just don’t have much of an appetite….”

I cut the green onions while eavesdropping on the occasional conversation. My mother-in-law seems a bit indifferent, but she is a warm person no matter what, so I guess she is especially worried about her daughter.

By the way, somehow Yuna’s tone of voice sounds like she’s having a hard time. I should stop digging for a moment and listen to her story. Is there something she’s worried about that she can’t tell me?

“It’s harder than that not being able to have a relationship with Siyoon. I’ve been having a hard time controlling myself lately.”

“… … .”

No, let’s stop here.

Even if she is a wife, she definitely has privacy.

While I was chopping green onions on the cutting board again, trying hard to keep my ears shut, I was struck by the conversation going on behind me that I couldn’t understand, or rather, that I shouldn’t have understood.

Anyway, I’ve definitely learned one thing from this.

That is, the moment Seol-ah and Seol-ha were born, they were unable to sleep for a while.

Oh, shit.