Hauen sat on the toilet seat, eyes fixed on the pregnancy test in her trembling hands, waiting, hoping, to see those two pink lines appear.But it didn't.
She sighed softly and set it aside, reaching for another one.And another.Three tests later, still the same result. Negative.
Her shoulders dropped as she came out of the bathroom, disappointment heavy in her chest. She had wanted this to be over, to finally bring the news everyone was waiting for. To stop feeling like a task someone needed to complete.
By evening, the house had fallen silent again. Suho wasn't home yet. She didn't even know why, but her heart kept glancing toward the clock, waiting for the sound of his footsteps, his voice, something that said he was home.
It was past eight when Suho finally arrived.Hauen's eyes lit up the moment she saw him walk in.
He glanced at her and gave a small smile."How was your day? You're late today?" she asked casually, her voice soft but welcoming.
"Ahh… actually, I took Yerin out on a date," he said, smiling lightly.
Hauen's lips curved into a polite smile, but somewhere deep down she felt that unfamiliar ache. "Oh, that's nice," she said, forcing warmth into her tone.
He nodded, returning her smile before heading straight to his room.
After dinner, Suho came to the living room. He seemed more relaxed tonight, less tense than usual. Their bond had grown into something quieter, more comfortable.
Hauen was sitting on the couch with a bottle of soju in her hand.
"Already prepared?" he asked with a faint smile.
She looked up at him. He looked calm… even happy. "Hmm… I tested this morning. Still no positive," she said with a small, disappointed smile.
He let out a soft breath. "Don't worry. We'll get one soon."
She nodded and held out the bottle. "Here?"
He looked at it and smiled. "Thanks." Then his eyes landed on the other bottle she was sipping from.
"You're drinking tonight?"
She chuckled softly. "Yeah… let's not do it today."
He frowned a little. "You okay? Is everything fine?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, her tone gentle. "Just… Let's take a break for a day. We'll try again tomorrow?"
He studied her for a second, then gave a quiet nod. "Alright."
"Let's have a drink then?" she asked, holding up her bottle.
He smiled and lifted his own. "Cheers."
They both took a sip, the quiet hum of the city filling the silence between them.
After a moment, Suho glanced at her. "Tell me about your life."
She blinked, surprised. "Why? Don't you already know about my background?"
He chuckled softly. "I do. But that's all business talk. I don't really know you. I only know about your family, your company, and met your brother during the contract discussion, that's it."
She looked at him, a little taken aback by his honesty. "Apart from this, there is nothing special about my life," she said with a small shrug. "Last year I finished my master's in business administration. I was helping out with the family business… and then you came along with the contract, and here I am."
Her tone was light, but there was a faint trace of irony in her smile, like she was still wrapping her head around the strange twist her life had taken.
He looked at her, brows raised. "That's it?"
She nodded casually.
He leaned back, studying her. "No relationships? Boyfriend?"
She pressed her lips together, then shook her head. "Nope."
"Not a single one?"
Again, she shook her head.
He blinked, almost disbelieving. "Are you serious?"
She smiled faintly. "Why?"
"I mean, look at you." His tone softened, teasing but sincere. "You're smart, beautiful… It's hard to believe you've never been with anyone. Especially in this generation."
She exhaled softly, eyes dropping to her bottle. "Hmm… maybe. But I'm kind of old-fashioned. I believe in being a one-man woman. Or, you know… loving only once, forever."
That made him still. His gaze lingered on her longer than usual. "One-man woman?" he repeated quietly.
She nodded with a small smile. "Yeah. I think once you give your heart to someone, it shouldn't have to wander again."
He looked at her curiously. "And after this?"
She gave a faint, almost wistful smile. "I used to be, like that," she said softly, eyes on the glass in her hand. "But not anymore. Life gave me the biggest twist in the last two months. Our business suddenly went down, and then you came along. I had to save my family… so.." she lifted the bottle and took another sip, her voice turning lighter, almost self-mocking, "...here I am."
He went quiet for a moment, the clink of glass the only sound between them. He wasn't sure what to say, so he spoke honestly. "I was… in search of a woman who could give me a child," he admitted. "Then I found out about your family's business, and the losses. So I looked into your background, and it seemed like your family was stable, respected. That's why I reached out to your brother."
She nodded slowly, absorbing his words without bitterness. "So that's how it happened."
"Yeah," he said quietly, looking down at his drink.
She looked at him quietly for a moment before speaking, her tone soft but steady."We were doing great, you know," she said, eyes fixed on the glass in her hand. "My father worked so hard to build that small empire… but one mistake, just one mistake of my brother's, and everything came crashing down."
Suho went silent, watching her expression soften into something bittersweet."I'm sorry," he said after a long pause. "If I've taken advantage of your weakness in any way."
She lifted her gaze to him and gave a small, warm smile. "Don't be. In fact, you saved my father by supporting the business. I'm grateful for that. And…" she hesitated, but her tone stayed gentle, "I'll give you whatever you want, so that you can build your future with Yerin."
He stared at her for a moment, then smiled faintly, almost tired, but sincere."Thank you," he said simply.
She smiled back.
And just like that, the tension melted between them. The night grew quieter, softer. They talked more freely, about their families, their childhood, little stories that didn't matter but somehow made the distance fade. Between shared laughter and the warmth of the drink, the air that once felt heavy turned almost… peaceful.
Bora sat on her bed, phone pressed to her ear. The voice on the other side was calm, yet carried an unspoken authority.
"Is she… drinking the energy drink every day?"
"Yes," Bora replied promptly, a twinge of unease in her tone.
"Good. Make sure she doesn't miss a single day. And… be careful," the voice warned, leaving a chill behind with the words.
"Okay," Bora whispered, her fingers tightening around the phone as the call ended abruptly.
She stared at the blank screen, heart pounding. Something about that call didn't feel ordinary.