March Novel (Completed) - Chapter 131

“…I’m sorry.”

“……”

“You seemed startled, so I helped.”

The scene before his eyes broke into jagged pieces, like a roughly cut cross-section. Sehwa managed to move his frozen body.

The eye level looking up was familiar, but the face slowly entering his vision… was someone he was seeing for the first time today. The voice, which apologized briefly and then quickly moved away, was also unfamiliar. But…

Sehwa just parted his lips, a feeling he couldn’t explain. What was it? That moment when he was embraced from behind, that feeling, was so familiar. The sensation of the firm body against his back, the height and length of the extended arm, the body heat brushing past his ear… Such trivial things, it was as if…

It was as if… it reminded him of someone.

“Hey, over there…!”

He hadn’t called out that loudly, but the man somehow understood and immediately stopped. His docile demeanor, as if ready to obey orders, felt strangely alien. He was dressed like the soldiers outside, and his height was similar, but… why? Why did only this person seem so different?

“Well, that is, over there…”

He had called him to a halt unconsciously, but he couldn’t seem to open his mouth. Of course. Even he thought it was an absurd conjecture.

That person… seemed to be Gi Taejeong.

The man reeked of disinfectant, as if he belonged to the hospital. A quick glance showed his fingertips were all cracked and a complete mess. Skin often gets damaged like that when you handle alcohol swabs frequently. The hands of the guys who harvested organs in the House basement looked exactly like that.

Gi Taejeong’s hands weren’t like that. Even though they were full of calluses, his fingertips weren’t chapped white like that. No, it wasn’t just his hands that were different. His face, his voice, even his skin color were different, so why…?

“…No, thank… you.”

When he mumbled a bland greeting, the man also gave a slight nod. That was the end of it. The man’s steps heading outside were filled with caution. Unlike Gi Taejeong, who was disciplined yet exuded an air of ease, this man seemed rigidly disciplined.

The sound of footsteps quickly ceased, but he didn’t hear the door lock disengage. He had been told that someone would be guarding inside the protective ward for a while, so it seemed this person was in charge.

Sehwa, unable to control his gnawing unease, rubbed his chest aimlessly.

Gi Taejeong liked to hold him from behind. He did it when they were deep in intimate acts, when they were just sleeping, and even after everything had gone wrong. When he crammed Sehwa into his arms, he acted as if everything had never happened.

His body, which had inevitably grown accustomed to Gi Taejeong’s weight and volume, told him that this person must be Gi Taejeong, but the man’s appearance and body odor were completely different, leaving him confused.

Sehwa unconsciously cast his gaze outside the bedroom, then his shoulders trembled slightly. What was he thinking right now? Of course, it wasn’t Gi Taejeong. Why would he be here, that person…?

“They say he’s doing well, having become a higher-ranking person…”

Gi Taejeong… had sent him away immediately after the trial. When he had repeatedly asked him to keep his promises, he seemed to ignore him, but then suddenly, without a word, he ended it.

He arbitrarily put on him something that looked exactly like the baby shoes he had once brought, saying that if only he disappeared, nothing would happen to him and Haerim, so he should rest assured. He reassured him that if he went to General Oh Seonran, it would be impossible to even attempt to take the child to a laboratory, and that such humiliation would never happen again.

And then he said he was sorry. It was a long overdue apology, finally uttered only after things had reached such a state.

Memories he had put far away to recover his body suddenly resurfaced. As if waiting for this moment, all the fragments of his heart—the good, the painful, the sad—that were intertwined with Gi Taejeong meticulously surrounded Sehwa.

Sehwa’s hand, resting on the cradle railing, tightened. It was difficult to overcome the uncontrollable pain that spread through him. Still, the reason he didn’t collapse shamefully was Haerim, visible before his eyes. The baby twitched her nose but still kept her eyes closed obediently.

Yes, this wasn’t the time to be thinking of Gi Taejeong. They said that no matter how good the program, a slight carelessness could lead to a major accident. He had to keep his wits about him and watch the baby.

There was a lot to do when the sitter arrived. He had to get tested to see if his formula-mixing skills, which he had diligently practiced, were correct, and he had to learn how to swaddle and put on cute, ray-shaped baby clothes, and change diapers, and…

Sehwa closed his eyes deeply and opened them, taking a heavy breath. His throat burned as if he had eaten something too spicy, and it hurt just to swallow.

He thought he was forgetting smoothly, but it seemed he still had a long way to go.

Gi Taejeong cleared his throat, trying to hide his shallow breaths. He had an all-air force officer meeting that morning, which was why he could only visit the hospital now. He carefully stood next to the shoe rack, pressing down on his neck, wondering if the hastily applied special makeup looked awkward. It was Gi Taejeong’s designated spot, disguised as security personnel.

It had been a week since he started coming to see Sehwa and the baby whenever he had free time. He knew this would happen. The hesitation was only at first. He was afraid of how Sehwa would look at him if he was caught, yet he couldn’t stop himself from coming here.

The sweet and savory smell of formula, the scent of bedding and clothes imbued with sunlight, filled the protective ward. Cute, unidentifiable songs played from various corners, and occasionally Sehwa would laugh aloud. It was exactly like the scene he had vaguely imagined when Sehwa would whisper “Sprout” to the baby in his belly on his bed.

He had expected Sehwa to stay cooped up in the bedroom, but Sehwa was busy learning various parenting tips from the experts who frequently visited. Even with a live-in sitter, he diligently moved around, saying that a father should know the basics.

Because of that, Gi Taejeong also learned how to take care of a baby over his shoulder. The angle for feeding formula, the timing for patting the baby’s back to soothe it, how to swaddle… Even though he knew he wouldn’t even be given the chance to hold the baby in his arms, watching Sehwa and the baby all day long made him naturally familiar with it.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry…”

He was looking around with eyes full of lingering regret when Sehwa, who was inside, suddenly poked his head out and called him.

“You’re not busy, are you?”

Did he… call me, just now? As he awkwardly entered the bedroom, Sehwa, with an embarrassed look, asked if he could watch the baby for a moment.

“I’m trying to move something to the living room, and I’m worried the baby might be startled if there’s a loud noise…”

“I will move it.”

“Oh, no. I wasn’t asking for that…”

“Wouldn’t it be better for the guardian to watch and soothe the baby immediately? Just in case the baby cries.”

“Ah,” Sehwa said, turning slightly. As if inviting him further inside.

“Then… I’m sorry, but I’d like to ask for your help. It’s a bouncer, and I’m trying to move it.”

It wasn’t a difficult task. A bouncer for a baby, not even an adult bed, could be lifted with one hand. As he moved it to a spot with adequate sunlight, Sehwa followed immediately, holding the baby.

“Is this position good for you?”

“Ah, yes. Thank you. I thought it wouldn’t be good to keep her in one place. She’s still young and doesn’t know anything, but… I thought it might lift her spirits…”

Perhaps embarrassed that he had suddenly asked for help after being reserved all along, Sehwa added various explanations. Although his tone was cautious and stiff, it reminded him of his old habit of chattering, almost making him laugh unconsciously.

Now that he thought about it, he walked well and spoke naturally. Even if the pace was a bit slow, he didn’t seem very uncomfortable anymore.

After observing for a few days, Sehwa ate well and exercised regularly. Perhaps thanks to that, his face also looked much better. His cheeks were plump and fair, and there was a very faint, almost floral, blush to his complexion.

He also attended counseling sessions and didn’t neglect his check-ups. He seemed to be contemplating what to do and where to live after discharge. But then, when he looked at the baby, he smiled happily. Sehwa was living diligently. He was moving forward with all his might, just as he had when he loved him. Every day he was beautiful and lovely.

While feeling relieved… Gi Taejeong somehow wanted to die every time Sehwa whispered something to the baby and laughed. He wanted to run to him right now and cling to him. There were times when a faint furrow would appear between Sehwa’s eyebrows as he furtively glanced at him, and when his puzzled gaze lingered on his face and hands, he wanted to confess everything, saying, “Yes, it’s me, Gi Taejeong.” But…

Gi Taejeong picked at a hangnail on his cracked fingertip and composed himself. Pretending to put his hands behind his back, he wiped the dripping blood on his clothes.

Sehwa, the baby, and General Oh Seonran all seemed fine. Hadn’t everyone become happier once he curbed his selfish desires? Then that was enough.

There was no one to blame. It was solely his fault. He thought he would never see them again, so he should be grateful for just being able to linger here like this.

“Ah, it’s too dark like this.”

Sehwa repeatedly half-closed and then opened the blackout curtains over the opaque drape curtains. He scurried to the controller, then wandered near the window again… He moved busily around the living room like a squirrel hanging from a mobile. He seemed to be deeply considering whether the direct sunlight would be bad for the baby.

Following Sehwa’s movements, a few stray hairs fluttered like sprouts. His round head looked just like an apple. Gi Taejeong secretly clenched his fists, enduring the excessive cuteness.

Is his expression okay right now? He was carefully paying attention to everything from his tone of voice to his gait, but he wasn’t sure if he was doing well. Disguise was usually one of his strengths, but perhaps because he was facing an opponent he could never defeat, everything felt inadequate. And in his haste, his preparations were actually shoddier than usual…

Strangely, Sehwa would suddenly turn to him at unexpected moments, as if he had noticed something. Then he would open and close his mouth for a long time, as if about to say something, but then stop. While he was anxious about what seemed so suspicious, he was also a little happy that Sehwa hadn’t completely erased him yet.

“Hello.”

At the knock on the protective ward’s door, Gi Taejeong straightened his back. Crazy bastard. Even in this situation, he was thinking how happy he was that Sehwa hadn’t completely shaken him off.

“The sitter went to eat, right?”

“Ah, yes… What’s going on?”

“They asked me to watch for a moment, so I stopped by. The guardian seemed very worried.”

Two doctors in gowns and three nurses entered with friendly smiles. Was the guardian General Oh Seonran? Gi Taejeong glanced at his wristwatch. Although it was a civilian model, inferior in performance to an officer’s, messages from headquarters usually came immediately… but no alarm appeared.

Gi Taejeong narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the faces of the people who had entered. First, he sent an emergency call to General Oh Seonran’s side. Although medical staff frequently came and went due to Sehwa’s health issues, such a large number of people had never arrived unannounced.

It was better to be safe than sorry. Although they verified visitors’ identities in several stages and conducted various checks outside, scanners couldn’t filter everything. Hadn’t a cheap spray once temporarily paralyzed the 1st-star checkpoint?

“How’s your condition?”

“Oh, not bad. I slept well too…”

“That’s good.”

As he calmly observed the hands and feet of the outsiders, Gi Taejeong’s eyes suddenly widened as if struck by lightning.

“Hmm… the numerical change doesn’t seem significant…”

The pen held by the doctor standing right next to Sehwa, specifically the small emblem on its clip, was very familiar. It was the symbol of Gyeonghan Pharmaceuticals’ scholarship foundation, the company run by Lieutenant Colonel Kim.

“Lee Sehwa!”

The soldier, who had been polite until now, suddenly changed and called out his name, and very urgently at that, making Sehwa’s eyes widen.