The Pregnancy Test
Min Tae-yeon was stunned by two things. First, that Hyun-seo had remembered her missed period so clearly, even though she had forgotten it herself. Second, that he had bought a pregnancy test kit and insisted they use it, something she never imagined he would do.
The words “What if the baby comes?” carried far more negativity than she had intended. And even as she felt that bitter sting of disappointment, it left her wondering what it truly meant.
Of course she didn’t want a child. They weren’t even dating. It was laughable that after living together for a year—raising a child together and sharing a bed—they still weren’t even in a relationship. So naturally, they shouldn’t have a child. Yet a strange discomfort lingered in one corner of her heart.
“So?”“TAE-YEON asked, her voice cold as she looked up at him.“What?”“TAE-YEON’s question only made Hyun-seo turn it back on her. His face clearly asked, Of course we have to do the test, right?”“IF it turns out to be pregnancy, what happens then?”“AT that, Hyun-seo pressed his lips tight, looking a little flustered.“You don’t know that pregnancy termination is illegal, do you?”“SHE deliberately used a provocative word, hoping for any reaction at all. But Choi Hyun-seo said nothing. If only he had jumped up and denied it outright, she would have been far better off…
By saying nothing, he had once again confirmed he did not want a child. It felt like a hole had been punched straight through her chest. A nail had been hammered in deep, leaving a large gap through which cold air was now seeping in.
How infuriating. She knew he hadn’t done anything wrong, yet a strange sense of betrayal still hit her.“Shut up.”“HE said firmly, and only then did Hyun-seo open his mouth.“You don’t want to take the test?”“YES, I don’t. Why are we doing this? If the baby comes, there’s nothing we can do, but if not, it will come in a few days. I never had such strict rules about my period.”“I NEVER paid much attention to my cycle.”“THAT’s regular enough. You always bled within one or two days of the expected date.”“HE was terrifying. Tae-yeon had never imagined this man was so sensitive about her period. She remembered his disappointed expression during her periods. Sometimes, when he came close and she couldn’t even step near him because of her cycle, he had asked why she bled so often… even though she knew it happened only once a month.“IT wasn’t just that he stopped there. He remembered the exact days, calculated around them. This man!That was why her rebellion flared even hotter.“I’m not taking the test.”“THEN don’t. I have no intention of forcing you. But isn’t it better to try?”“I’M done.”“SHE thought he would leave right away, but Choi Hyun-seo took one more step toward her.“If you’re not bleeding today, we can stay together.”“W-WHAT…?”“BEFORE she could finish, he pulled her waist tightly against his without hesitation. Tae-yeon, dazed, accepted his kiss. His hands roamed her body, clearly ashamed of her reaction. His tongue delved deep, and his fingers brushed the most intimate places.“TAE-YEON’s body stiffened. Choi Hyun-seo kept touching her without the slightest arousal. At this point, was there really no turning back? Tae-yeon, stiff and rigid, finally pulled her lips away and asked in despair.“Can you stop here?”“HE removed his hand from inside her panties at her reaction. The sudden loss of life in her eyes startled Hyun-seo. In the past, this woman would have soaked his fingers the moment he brushed her clothes and touched her tender skin, making him burn with desire. No matter where he pressed or rubbed, she would let out cat-like moans. But none of that reaction came now.“FROM the cold woman in his arms, Hyun-seo felt an overwhelming sense of rejection. It was as if an icy wall had been placed between them.“WASN’T it supposed to be this way? You said you loved me. Min Tae-yeon.“HOW to define this situation in one word… fear. Yes, fear.“CHANGING his tone calmly, Hyun-seo asked.“Min Director, what’s the problem?”“J-JUST don’t ask anymore. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to say anything.”“THE last words trailed off, and Tae-yeon’s voice broke into a sob.“LET’s divorce.”“WHAT?”“SHE must have misheard. Divorce. It wasn’t in the contract. Divorce. Not just locking the door, but actually living separately.“WE had always lived together as naturally as if it were something we had done before.”“DIVORCE. It’s not even divorce, is it? What on earth is this crazy idea?”“A RE you saying divorce just because you wanted a pregnancy test?”“YES. It’s not going to end with just a test. If pregnant, we’d have to terminate, right? Tell me properly.”“H-HE’s sharp, Tae-yeon’s words cut through him like he was reporting a major decision to his staff.“I HAVE nothing to say about something that hasn’t happened yet. The only thing clear is that I don’t want any child other than Yoon-woo.”“I know. I know. The child born to a woman who loved him so desperately. But Yoon-woo is MY child. Until the day I die. Even after I die, he’s still MY child. My son. I will fulfill the role of his mother properly. But Mr. Choi Hyun-seo, that’s not the case. We should divorce. I don’t think it can go on like this.”“SHE had never heard such a soaked voice before. Min Tae-yeon had always pretended not to cry even when she did. But now she was so broken that she couldn’t even fake the tears, and with a sob, she was telling him to divorce.“H-E said nothing. After a moment, the sound of soft sobbing came. Tae-yeon, with her back turned, was crying. But Hyun-seo couldn’t approach. He wanted to wrap her in his arms, to hold her. But if he did, it would mean he was accepting her feelings.“I DON’T love you, remember?” Tae-yeon’s words came back so clearly that Hyun-seo stood there unmoving and spoke.“THAT conversation will come later. It doesn’t seem right to talk about it now.”“DIVORCE. Yun-woo is still young, so I will raise him as his mother. Come see him anytime you want. Right now, I need to raise him. Hic….”“H-E was about to leave, but stopped abruptly. He couldn’t just turn his back on the crying Tae-yeon. Turning again, Hyun-seo walked over and gently stroked her shoulder.“THERE’s no need to rush. Think slowly. I….”“W-HAT should he say next? Hyun-seo felt his fingers that had been stroking her stiffen. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to hold her, but he couldn’t.“S-O many contradictory and absurd thoughts and emotions swirled around him. He could not let Min Tae-yeon fall into this trap and forget his brother while raising Yoon-woo on the path his brother had taken.“I F Min Tae-yeon had a second child, was there any law that said she couldn’t become a witch like Oh Jin-hee?”“E-VEN now, seeing this man who was so wildly swayed by Min Tae-yeon, he feared that like the chairman, he might be buried in his wife’s arms and not care for Yoon-woo. Was blood the reason? He was the bad man who inherited the blood of the chairman and Oh Jin-hee.“H-E gently pushed Tae-yeon’s shoulder with his stiff hand and turned without a word. Tae-yeon, hearing the door close, covered her face with both hands.“N-O more. I can’t do this anymore. Even if you say it’s fine, it’s not. Now that divorce has been mentioned, the next step is that Choi Hyun-seo will keep pressuring me.“I F he brings up the contract clauses and says it’s absolutely impossible, I have to ask about the penalty fee. I couldn’t even think of paying that. I can’t afford it. So even though I said divorce, not a formal one, can divorce even be possible?“I COULDN’T choose either way, yet I couldn’t hide my feelings, and here I was, pounding with love, and it felt so foolish.“T-WO years, I thought I could live through it. I should have never had sex from the beginning. I had convinced myself it was only about pleasure, but I couldn’t. In the end, what I wanted wasn’t his body, but his heart, his attention, his gaze.“E-VEN though I foolishly told myself it was fine, I couldn’t even deceive him. Tae-yeon couldn’t fall asleep. She cried. Tears poured endlessly.