Good Night, Brother! - Chapter 9.2

Eunhyun typed away at an Excel sheet, inputting data and setting formulas. He let out a subtle sigh, careful not to draw attention to himself. He recalled how Yi Hyeon once joked about the illegality of comprehensive wage systems. Back then, Eunhyun had dismissed it, telling him not to make such remarks. But now, he felt like tying a red headband around his head and starting a revolution.

Just then, Eunsua leaned back in her chair and called out to him. “Eunhyun, the pizza’s here. Let’s eat before continuing.”

“Okay,” he replied.

The employees working late gathered in a room originally designed for meetings to share the pizza. Watching everyone eat together despite their busyness made Eunhyun ponder the meaning of life again. Sitting down with Eunsua, he, as the youngest in the group, opened the pizza box and poured cola into paper cups for his colleagues.

Luckily, the pizza in front of him was his favorite—bulgogi pizza. Just as he reached for a slice, the jar of pickles caught his attention. While he liked pizza, he was never fond of pickles. Yet, for some reason, the tangy smell of the pickles suddenly seemed irresistible.

Instead of pizza, Eunhyun picked up a fork and began eating the pickles. The crunch of the cucumber and the tangy sourness spread across his palate, surprising him. He hadn’t realized pickles could taste this good. As he reached for his third pickle without touching the pizza, Eunsua, puzzled, asked, “Eunhyun, what’s going on? Didn’t you say you didn’t like pickles?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I did. But suddenly, they just look so appetizing,” he replied.

“Really?” Eunsua furrowed her brows slightly.

Eunhyun finished another pickle before finally taking a slice of pizza. On a good day, he could eat up to three slices, but today the pizza didn’t appeal to him as much. Instead, he polished off the remaining pickles and even drank the tangy brine straight from the jar. Watching this, Eunsua’s round eyes narrowed.

A few days later, during lunch, Eunhyun found himself in a serious dilemma. Should he have a proper lunch and rest to prepare for an evening of overtime, or just grab something quick and leave early? It was a dilemma he figured would haunt him for the rest of his life.

While he was glaring at his monitor, mechanically typing, Eunsua tapped his shoulder lightly. “Eunhyun, let’s take a break and eat lunch first.”

“…Okay.”

So, another full night of overtime it is.

Eunhyun followed Eunsua and the rest of the team to the cafeteria, grabbing a tray and getting in line. As the staff served rice and side dishes, a hot bowl of soybean sprout soup was placed on his tray. The steam rose, carrying the distinct smell of the soup to his nose. Suddenly, his stomach churned, and he felt a wave of nausea.

“Ugh!”

“Oh my! Eunhyun, are you okay?”

“I… I don’t know. Maybe I’m just not feeling well,” he said weakly.

Unable to take even a sip of the soup, Eunhyun left it untouched.

While the others chatted idly over their meals, Eunsua silently observed Eunhyun with a thoughtful, serious expression.

“That has to be it…” she muttered under her breath.

After lunch, as they waited for the elevator, Eunhyun stood with the others, ready to return to their desks. Just as the elevator doors opened, Eunsua took a step back.

“Eunsua, aren’t you getting in?” one of the team members asked.

“I need to talk to Eunhyun. You all go ahead,” she replied, tugging Eunhyun’s sleeve.

“Talk? To me? About what?” he asked, confused, as she led him away from the elevator.

Eunsua brought him to the café in the lobby. Even after getting their drinks, she danced around the subject, avoiding getting to the point. Growing frustrated, Eunhyun finally asked directly. “Eunsua, you said you needed to talk to me. What is it?”

At his straightforward question, she hesitated, looking conflicted. With an uncharacteristic sigh, she finally spoke.

“Well, Eunhyun, this is just my concern, but… please don’t take this the wrong way.”

“Okay… what is it?”

“Eunhyun, you’re not married yet, so this might be a little awkward to say… but, could you be… pregnant?”

Eunhyun froze, stunned by the bombshell question. It was one of the most unexpected things he’d ever heard in his life.

“W-What?”

“Well, the way you reacted to the soybean sprout soup today, and how you’ve been eating pickles recently—even the juice! You’ve mentioned before that your brother, who’s also an Omega, experienced the same thing when he was pregnant.”

Speechless, Eunhyun stared at her, blinking slowly.

“Maybe it’s worth checking, you know? Just to be sure,” she added casually.

Eunhyun mumbled a weak agreement, unsure of what else to say.

That evening, as he passed the brightly lit pharmacy near the subway station, he found himself hesitating. Could it be true? Should he confirm it? After a moment of indecision, he stepped inside and purchased a set of Omega-specific pregnancy tests.

Once home, Eunhyun was relieved to find Yi Hyeon wasn’t back yet. It saved him from having to explain the pharmacy bag.

In the quiet of his room, Eunhyun opened the box, took out the tests, and carefully read the instructions. With trembling hands, he prepared to follow them exactly.

Eunhyun waited anxiously in the bathroom, the five minutes feeling as if they stretched into hours.

“This can’t be happening…”

All three pregnancy tests displayed two clear red lines.

“…Ha.”

Support