No copying.
Bonus 4
⚠️ The portion is unprecedentedly large ⚠️
:: Childbirth
1 month
Exactly a week later, I went to the OB/GYN with my brother. It was the first day I'd hear the baby's heartbeat, and I'd also be able to confirm the baby's gender. I was incredibly nervous, constantly taking deep breaths. I felt like if I didn't do this, my heart would burst before I even heard the baby's heartbeat.
"Do you like sons or daughters?"
"I am a daughter who resembles the female protagonist."
"I'm a son who resembles my older brother."
I'd expected it, but it was as expected. They say every couple wants a child of the opposite sex who resembles them when they conceive, and that applies to us too. My brother, with a look of absolute bewilderment, grumbled, "Hyunjin already looks like him, so what else do we need?"
I never wanted my child to be born looking like me. I'd be happy if my husband had the same handsome eyes, nose, and mouth, and the same slender figure. But my brother keeps daydreaming, saying how cute a daughter would be if she resembled Kim Yeo-ju. He keeps saying how wonderful it would be if she could just walk around holding hands with Yeo-ju and little Yeo-ju. As I was vehemently opposing the idea and bickering, the nurse called my name and, with a trembling heart, I entered the examination room.
"Okay, now the child's heart
You will hear a sound."
"··· yes."
Holding hands with my brother, our brief fight earlier seemed insignificant, as we lay down to listen to the baby's heartbeat. After a moment, the heartbeat we'd been waiting for finally came, pounding, pounding. My brother collapsed to the ground, and I found myself shedding tears. The doctor praised us, saying the fetus was in excellent health.
"I was wondering if there might be a problem
I was anxious... but I'm relieved."
"There can't be a problem, my husband
"You are so sincere."
Thinking about how much care my brother has put into his care over the past week, even the baby in my womb, still barely visible, would be startled. Yet, what else is there to worry about? I'm confident that no one can surpass my love for my child.
Next, it was finally time to find out the baby's gender. After the test, my brother and I held hands tightly and waited for the doctor's answer. He muttered, "Please, a girl," and I, "Please, a boy." We placed our opposite hands on the table and agreed to hold up the arm of the person whose gender the doctor wanted. The doctor smiled faintly and then raised my arm.
"Mom win!"
"Wow, really? Is that your son?!"
"ah······."
My brother sighed briefly and rubbed my stomach bitterly. He said it was a bit disappointing, but he was our child, so what could be wrong with it? Still, he seemed to want to resemble me, so he rested his chin on his hand and stroked my face.
"It is said that a son should resemble his father.
No, I look like my mom too."
"··· With such a harmless expression on his face
"It's a bit annoying to say that, honey."
The doctor, watching us bickering, advised us that rather than continuing to call them vaguely, it might be better to decide on a fetal name first. Why hadn't I thought of that? As soon as we left the examination room, we both found ourselves lost in thought. When I asked my brother about Yeojin and Hyunjin's names, he said Yeojin's was Taeyang, and Hyunjin's was Boreum. Taeyang is a combination of the sun and the moon, and Boreum is a combination of the full moon and the moon.
"Then the third one is a star...?
If you change the star to a nickname... "
"Star... shooting star... shooting star..."
"··· A shooting star is better than a shooting star
Wouldn't it be cuter?"
My brother nodded in agreement. "Yes, Byulddongi." It was a pretty decent name for something given on the spot. I'll do my best to keep Byulddongi healthy so he can grow up to be even more wonderful.
5 months
"The low-pitched voice is good for prenatal education
"It was more helpful."
"··· Star Shooting, your father's voice
"It's too high, so that won't work."
"Prenatal education for the young master
"Shall I connect the call?"
"Our Star Shooting is already a dad
"I'm intoxicated by your voice~?"
Right, Star Shooting Star! Isn't Daddy the best? And so, I'm already five months pregnant. Luckily, my eating habits haven't changed much, so my appetite has increased. Morning sickness was a bit worse in the beginning, but now it's only occasionally, so there haven't been any problems. (It's no secret that the hospital told me to lose some weight because I gained weight.)
The problem was sleep. I tried to go to work as much as I could, but the sleepiness was unimaginable, and I spent all my time except for mealtimes and prenatal care, sleeping. So, I had no choice but to temporarily stop working. The only thing I really wanted was rainbow rice cakes. I'd never been a fan of rice cakes, but I couldn't figure out why I was craving them so much. Rainbow rice cakes were the most popular, and I often ate them instead of my regular meals.
"Mom, is there a baby here?"
"Yeah. Hyunjin's younger brother is my dad.
"I'm listening to a fairy tale and taking a nap."
"···Why doesn't Hyunjin read fairy tales?"
From the day Hyunjin heard the news of her pregnancy, her jealousy had grown significantly. It was understandable. As the youngest in the family, her mom and dad, who had always been more accepting of her tantrums and melted her heart with a single act of aegyo, now refused to let her off the hook, insisting she was the "big brother" and that she shouldn't act like that. Whenever Hyunjin was upset about Byulddongi, Yeojin would always show up.
"Yeojin is Hyunjin
"Are you reading a fairy tale?"
"Stardust likes red cloaks,
Hyunjin likes The Boy Who Cried Wolf."
"Even mom and dad don't know
"I know that girl, Yeojin..."
Every time this happened, I felt so sorry for the kids. But given the circumstances, I couldn't help it because the one who needed more attention was the baby in my stomach. Yeojin was always calm. She played with Hyunjin silently, unbecoming of her age, and it was Yeojin who took responsibility.
"The boy told the villagers that the wolf
I lied and said I showed up."
"······."
"The residents were very angry, and the boy
He laughed out loud and ran away."
When did our daughter grow so much? We were reading a book and doing some prenatal education for the baby inside her belly, with everyone's hands on her. Then, suddenly, her belly began to wiggle. Everyone was startled by the movement and immediately removed their hands.
And they all shouted in unison. The shooting star moved!!! It was fetal movement. Yeojin wasn't that surprised, perhaps because she'd already experienced it once with Hyunjin, but Hyunjin seemed quite shocked. What is fetal movement? Why did Mommy's stomach move? At that, my brother placed Hyunjin's hand on my stomach again and spoke.
"Starry Night, I am healthy,
And gave a signal."
"··· Shino?"
"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm healthy.
"Don't say that~"
Hyunjin listened to her brother's words, her face filled with curiosity, and she put her ear to his stomach. Then she carefully patted him. "You, Byulddong-i, you have to be healthy like your older brother!"
8 months
As my stomach grew, so did my sensitivity. Everything made me scream, and my sensitivity grew, leading to more tears. Perhaps that's why I naturally took my anger out on my brother, and it's been over a month since we last kissed.
"Brother... our Byulddongi will be later
I think I'll become an athlete... "
"huh?"
"Move without stopping...
Is being a marathon runner your dream...?
"··· It's cold, cover yourself with a blanket."
This was what my brother said when he woke up at 4 a.m. after a good night's sleep. Honestly, Byulddong-i's movements were really intense. He's so active, I wonder how much he'll run around after birth. I couldn't even sleep soundly, so it was hard to fall into a deep sleep. Every time I woke up, my brother would wake up with me to check on me, and every time, I felt a mixture of gratitude and regret.
January, a month known for its bitterly cold weather, marked the beginning of my late twenties, turning twenty-seven. My brother, as if age were just a number, remained unchanged. I wondered how he could look in his early thirties. As he patted me back to sleep, I grabbed his cheek and kissed him. Perhaps because it had been so long, my brother's eyes widened in surprise.
"A little darker..."
"no."
"huh···."
I'm sorry, but it couldn't be helped. I wanted to kiss you, or whatever, but every time I did, Byulddong-i would kick his feet and move around.
"I have one favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"Starry Night gave birth and it took 5 months to settle down
After a while, we went to the kids' parents' house for a while.
"Send it and we'll do it together all day."
"One day is too short, two days."
"Really... worse than me, Kim Yeo-ju."
Although it was a casual conversation, the meaning was clear to both of us, so we kissed again and drifted off to sleep. It's almost March, two months from now, and we'll meet Byulddongi, so let's just hold on a little longer.
D-DAY
My water broke.
My stomach was hurting like crazy, and my vision was blurry. I grabbed the maternity bag I'd packed three weeks ago, hurriedly got into the car, and slammed on the accelerator, heading for the hospital. My stomach hurt on and off every few minutes, but I still had time to rest and catch my breath.
"Why are you crying, oppa... Don't cry."
"What if something goes wrong?
Honey, I'm so scared...
My biggest worry wasn't my body, but my brother. Of course, Byulddong-i was the priority. Arriving at the hospital, I immediately went into the delivery room I'd reserved. As I slowly caught my breath, Yeojin, her face streaked with tears, grabbed my hand tightly. I couldn't even begin to imagine how anxious she must be right now.
"Mom... Mom..."
"··· It's okay. Mom, it'll be okay."
"You can't die... Sob, Mom..."
I reassured Yeojin that everything would be okay. Nothing would happen, and the day would come when they could safely see the shooting star. But I guess I can't help feeling uneasy. My ex-wife passed away when Hyunjin was born, so this time, the fear would be even greater. I rested my head on my brother's hand, which caressed my face.
After a few hours, the unbearable pains began. I quickly called a nurse, and as the doctor came in, the curtain separating the bed was drawn. My brother and the children waited outside the curtain. I pushed as the doctor instructed, and after a few dozen minutes, my brother drew the curtain and came inside.
"You can do it, just a little bit..."
Let's try a little harder."
"Oppa... I'm so, ugh, huh..."
"The last one is the mother who gave birth without touching the machine.
I'm only going to do it with force, so when the pain comes, breathe
Take a deep breath, close your mouth,
I'll give you a lot of strength!"
For fear of startling Byulddongi, I pressed hard without making a sound. And after giving it my final push, the doctor's words of thanks filled my mind. "It's over, it's over." I breathed a deep sigh of relief, finally catching my breath.
"Guardian, please come and cut the umbilical cord."
"yes yes."
And soon after my brother cut the umbilical cord, Byulddong was carried into my arms. Hearing Byulddong's first cry, "Bwaaaaa," tears quickly streamed down my cheeks. Yeojin and Hyeonjin were soon left with their parents, who arrived at the hospital, so I wasn't there, but I hoped they'd meet again in good health. I gathered what little strength I had left and called out with all my might. "Byulddong, we've finally met..."
"The baby gave birth to a baby... We
Yeoju is also a baby, but Byulddongi is even more of a baby... "
"Brother, stop crying...
What else cries more than me?"
"I don't know, tears keep coming out...
"You're so pretty, our Star Shooting Star."
At around 3:13 AM on March 5th, Byulddongi, or rather Kim Wonjin 1, was born.
So I was transferred to a hospital room, and after recovering a bit, I went to a postpartum care center. I don't usually eat seafood, but I've been eating nothing but seaweed soup for a month, and I'm told I have to eat it for a few more months. I crave food, but even after I recovered, I couldn't do anything because I had to breastfeed, which made it even sadder... But it was okay because Wonjin was by my side.
"Brother, I'm discharged from the hospital and breastfeeding
"Once we're done, we'll have a drink first."
"huh?"
"And you at least a month
"I won't let you drink alcohol for a while."
"··· No, why, me too, you
That's why I quit drinking."
What I really wanted right now was nothing but alcohol. Beer, specifically. After almost a year of eating only bland food, I felt like I'd become a true monk. Meanwhile, my brother went to see his classmates, got so drunk he ended up at a postpartum care center, and was quarantined for three days, preventing Byulddong from being around him. And then he quit drinking?! I snapped at him, but he quickly made excuses, saying he was just bragging to his friends about his safe departure.
"He, and Yeojin is my younger sibling
"He bragged at school that he was born."
"Are you changing the subject now?"
"No, that's not it
That's just how it is~"
It's already April, about a month later, but Yeojin started elementary school on March 2nd, three days before Wonjin was born. It was her first time at elementary school, and I felt bad for not being able to pay much attention to her because I was busy preparing for her graduation. Nevertheless, she adapted well to school and bragged to her friends, which made me incredibly proud.
Suddenly, the hospital room door opened, and Kim Taehyung and Dayoung came in. They looked around the room, exclaiming, "It's nice to have a single room." The facilities were nice, but my husband was so noisy...
"Wow, the shooting star is so cute...
But you look exactly like your sister-in-law."
"It's not a shooting star anymore, it's Wonjin.
But then am I cute too?"
"Wouldn't it be cute?"
As Kim Taehyung said, Wonjin and I were like bungeoppang. He resembled half of what my brother and I each wanted, so the competition (?) ended up being a draw. Then, Kim Taehyung slyly put his arm around Dayoung's shoulder and asked her what kind of son she had. And as expected, Dayoung slapped Kim Taehyung, telling him not to talk nonsense. He must be really handsome.
"Kim Seok-jin, this time, it's really your hands
Raise it yourself, and don't lose your mind."
"··· This is very much for my brother
"Speak informally as if you were eating rice."
"Be good to your sister-in-law. Please help me this time.
"Because even if you do, I won't help you."
My brother pretended not to listen, but nodded sincerely. He knew it couldn't happen again, and he cherished those around him so much. Of course, I would protect Yeojin, Hyunjin, and Wonjin, while also never letting myself or my brother go. We stared at each other in silence. Then, Kim Taehyung and Dayoung, having read the mood, quietly left the hospital room.
"My lady, then, now..."
"··· Yeah, I'm ready."
"Let's eat seaweed soup."
······ Ah.
Of course, not everything will go smoothly.
behind
8 years ago.
Yeoju, whose father's business was failing, was struggling financially. She had been living comfortably, so she had a generous allowance, but when that was cut off, she had no choice but to secretly work part-time at a rice cake shop as a high school senior.
Yeoju's work hours were from 6 p.m. to midnight. Since it was a short-term job, she secretly chopped up some palm trees and came home, which earned her a scolding from her teacher, but she had no choice. Since she was working late and didn't have many customers, she studied whenever she had a spare moment. The alarm went off, signaling her closing time. Just as she was about to lock the door with the key her boss had left behind, a man ran up from afar and grabbed Yeoju's arm.
"Is this place closed too...?"
"Huh? Yes, just now..."
The man gasped for breath, as if he'd run from afar. Then, upon hearing the door shut, he let out a long sigh and repeatedly washed his face with his hands. The woman, reassuring him that it wouldn't be a problem anyway, opened the door again and let the man in.
"Excuse me, is there any rainbow rice cake..."
"If you look to the right, it's there."
"Oh, I see... I'll pay."
"Yes, it's five thousand won."
The man's expression brightened as he discovered the "rainbow rice cake." As he absentmindedly paid his bill, his attire caught his eye. Even though it was still winter, he was bare-faced, his nose and ears red, and he looked incredibly cold. He was smiling so brightly, it felt odd, but I asked him if he was having any luck.
"My wife recently
"I'm pregnant."
"Oh really? Congratulations."
"Thank you. That's why my wife made the rainbow rice cake.
I came to buy it because I wanted to eat it, but it's late
It's time for all the local rice cake shops to close.
It was closed. Thanks to that, I was able to survive."
So that's why. The man kept snickering, as if just thinking about it made him happy. It's a girl, though she's only a month old. Just looking at her, he could tell how happy she was. The woman picked up the manggae-tteok (rice cake) next to her and offered it to the man.
"Take this too,
I'll just give it to you."
"Yes? No, it's okay...!"
"I'm just saying that because I want to give it to you.
Take it, it's something to celebrate."
The man reluctantly accepted the manggae-tteok from the woman who refused repeatedly, but never gave up. She even expressed gratitude for his acceptance, but the man waved her off. The reason he gave her the rice cake for free was because he had a strangely good feeling about it.
He wanted that girl and this man to be happy. He wanted them to be free from pain, just happy. With that, the man opened the door, grabbed the bag of rice cakes, and went outside. He turned his head, smiled at the woman, and said.
"Thank you again.
Study hard, student."
"Yes, be careful on your way home at night."
The door slammed shut, and the man walked away. Feeling like she'd done something good, the woman smiled, just like the man had. She'd had to pay for the rice cake out of her own pocket, but she didn't regret it at all. Then, as the first snow piled up, she thought of the man and muttered quietly.
"It's purple..."
There are spoilers in this episode, so look carefully!
This is how Single Kim Yeon ends ㅠㅠ There are some side stories I wanted to write, but I had to leave them out due to length! I will either explain them in Neble or mention them in the final summary post 😊 I think that many people got to know me thanks to Single Kim Yeon, and I was able to receive so much love. Well, I will see you in the final summary post that will be uploaded soon, and see you in Season 2 of Dating with Single Daddy Kim Seokjin, which will be serialized between October and November! Thank you for loving 'Dating with Single Daddy Kim Seokjin' so far!