I’m Pregnant with My Friend’s Child - Chapter 2.3

Thanks to his relentless effort, their financial situation gradually improved, but the entire responsibility of raising their rambunctious twins fell on Ha Jin.

When her husband came home, he was too exhausted to help. He didn’t change a single diaper, often too busy trying to catch up on sleep. And while Ha Jin knew how hard he was working, she couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the burden.

When Lee Jin visited, just a short time in the house was enough to leave her feeling drained. If she helped clean up one mess from one twin, the other had already made another. The house was in constant chaos. The boys ran wild no matter how much discipline Ha Jin tried to instill. One time, a neighbor even came to complain about the noise, leaving Ha Jin feeling guilty as she apologized.

Her once confident and assertive sister slowly became someone else. The bright and self-assured girl had turned into someone who struggled over every penny, growing more and more overwhelmed by her circumstances.

In just a few years, Ha Jin had transformed into someone unrecognizable. Despite being only a year older than Lee Jin, Ha Jin seemed like a different person, surviving day by day in the chaos of motherhood.

Yet, even in the midst of her own struggles, Ha Jin would always give Lee Jin some pocket money, telling her to live happily and cheering her on.

Seeing the toll that motherhood had taken on her sister had left Lee Jin deeply affected. Ha Jin, who had once been the most capable and intelligent person she knew, had lost her youth to marriage and children. She loved her kids but couldn’t allow herself to resent them, no matter how much they had taken from her. Every time Lee Jin saw her sister crying while cleaning up after her boys, it broke her heart.

If Ha Jin hadn’t married so young, she could have lived a brilliant, fulfilling life. But her 20s had been swallowed up by the struggles of raising children. Although Lee Jin understood her brother-in-law’s exhaustion, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of resentment.

“Sure, he’s tired too, but how could he never change a single diaper?”

“Did she have these kids all by herself?”

“She was sick and still cried while cleaning up after the boys because she couldn’t ask for help.”

Watching her sister’s tears had instilled in Lee Jin a deep fear of marriage and motherhood, and she vowed not to let her life be consumed in the same way.

“My brother-in-law is awful, men are awful, and marriage is the worst. I’ll never go through that.”

Lee Jin finally realized the walls she had built around herself. For a month now, Woo Jae had been enduring what must have felt like endless waiting and uncertainty. How painful must it be for him?

She, too, hoped her hesitations would lead to a hopeful future rather than just endless worry. But with promotion, studying abroad, long-distance relationships, and so many challenges lined up ahead, she wasn’t sure how to decide on their relationship.

“Why do you like me?” she finally asked the question that had felt almost taboo for the past month.

“You’re fun.”

“Huh?”

She had expected him to say something like “You’re beautiful” or
“You’re sexy.” So why did “fun” make her feel so deflated?

“You’re funny when you tell obvious lies, and it’s amusing watching you get flustered when you try to explain yourself.”

“If you like funny things so much, why don’t you date a comedian?” she muttered, pouting slightly.

“You’re fun to take care of. You need a lot of attention, so it’s never boring.”

“Who needs attention? I’m perfectly self-sufficient!” she protested, but as she thought about it, she realized he had spent the whole day running errands for her—picking up her shoes in the morning, getting her medicine at lunch, and escorting her home by car in the evening.

You really had a long day today, Cha Woo Jae.

As Woo Jae parked the car, he leaned over and unbuckled her seatbelt for her.

“That’s why I like you. You wouldn’t make it without me.”

“What are you saying? Where did that confidence come from?” she asked, giving him an incredulous look as he stepped out of the car, walked around, and opened the passenger door for her.

Lee Jin stared at him, utterly confused.

“Why are you opening the door? Aren’t you leaving?”

“Come upstairs with me.”

“Are you out of your mind? I haven’t even given you an answer. I’m not feeling well, and my head’s a mess. Why would I…”

“I’ll change your door lock password.”

“What?” Lee Jin blinked, caught off guard by his casual offer.

“You’re going to pass out from exhaustion anyway. If I let you go up alone, I won’t be able to sleep, worrying about you.”

“Thanks…” she murmured, feeling touched. She hadn’t realized Woo Jae had such a thoughtful side.

Truthfully, she was completely drained and just wanted to collapse into bed. Changing the door lock password was the last thing she had the energy for.

“I’ll make it something difficult, so if you forget, just call me,” Woo Jae added, his calm tone hiding a deeper intention.

Lee Jin couldn’t help but laugh. “Who said I’d ask you? I’ll just write the password next to the door where it’s easy to see.”

“It doesn’t sound like a joke, considering you’ve written down your online banking password in your diary before,” he teased.
“Ever heard of the Queen of Notes?” she retorted.

“It’s not that; it’s more like you’re an elite woman with a major security flaw,” he smirked.

“Always so smug, aren’t you?”

“Does it bother you?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s just say you need me around.”

Despite her complaints, Lee Jin had to admit she enjoyed being around him. Bickering with Woo Jae made even the smallest things fun, and moments that would otherwise be silent seemed to fill with laughter.

They entered her quiet, dim apartment, and Lee Jin fumbled in the dark until she found the switch.

“Is the sensor broken?”

“Yeah, I’ve been too busy to call someone to fix it.”

“You really do need a lot of attention, huh?”

“What?”

“Everything about you needs fixing,” Woo Jae chuckled.

“I never asked you to fix anything!”

“It’s late tonight. I’ll come by this weekend and take care of it.”

“No need.”

“I’ll change the password and quietly head out. Don’t worry.”
He knelt down by the door, quietly working on the password. He didn’t even ask for a coffee or linger like usual. He just quietly did what needed to be done.

As he worked, Lee Jin’s heart raced. She was half worried he might suddenly revert to his bolder self, but he remained calm, almost as if nothing had ever happened between them.

She slipped into her bedroom, sitting on the bed, her mind swirling with everything she had been trying to push away all day. The thought gnawing at her resurfaced. She needed to confirm it. Once Woo Jae left, she’d go to the convenience store and buy a pregnancy test.

Click.

The sound of the door locking echoed through the apartment as
Woo Jae left without saying goodbye.

He didn’t even say goodbye.

Feeling like a thief, Lee Jin grabbed her wallet and hurried out. Her heart raced faster with every floor the elevator descended.

It’s probably nothing, she told herself, but the combination of her late period, nausea, and heavy fatigue filled her with dread.

She needed to confirm she wasn’t pregnant, to see it with her own eyes so she could stop worrying.

At the convenience store, she bought two pregnancy tests and quickly returned to her apartment. But when she reached the door, she froze.

Woo Jae was still there, standing outside her door.
Startled, Lee Jin quickly hid the black plastic bag behind her back.

“Where did you go?” he asked.

“Oh, just… to the convenience store.”

“For what?”

“You don’t need to know.”

“What did you buy?”

Woo Jae’s persistent questioning made her panic.

“Uh, pads.”

It was a weak lie, but thankfully, Woo Jae seemed to accept it without pressing further.

“You didn’t go home?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.
“I brought you some porridge.”

He punched in the new door code, and as the numbers entered the system, Lee Jin’s eyes widened.

“Cha Woo Jae, how am I supposed to remember this random string of numbers? It’s impossible!”

“Just call me if you forget.”

“I’ll have to call you every day at this rate.”

“And I wouldn’t mind that.”

She laughed, but her thoughts drifted back to the pregnancy test, and her smile faded.

“You should go, Woo Jae. You must be tired.”

“I’ll leave after I see you eat. I know you’ll skip it and just sleep otherwise.”

“I really want to shower…”

“Go ahead. I’ll set the porridge on the table.”

Too tired to argue, Lee Jin grabbed her pajamas and the pregnancy tests, heading into the bathroom. Her heart pounded in her chest.

It doesn’t matter if Woo Jae is here. I just need to take the test and confirm it. I can’t be pregnant. There’s no way. Once I know, I can finally put this day behind me.

She took a quick shower, the hot water washing away the day’s weariness, but no matter how much she scrubbed, the fatigue remained.

Dressed in her pajamas, Lee Jin finally held the pregnancy test in her hands. Wrapping her damp hair in a towel, she read the instructions and took the test, waiting for the results.
Moments later, her eyes widened.

This can’t be happening.

Her legs gave way, and she sank to the floor.
Two bold lines appeared on the test.

She hadn’t even used the second one yet, but her stomach churned.

“Gah…” She gagged, clinging to the toilet. Woo Jae must have heard her retching because he knocked on the door.
“Lee Jin, are you okay?”

“I’m fine… ugh…” she replied, her voice strained between dry heaves.

“I’m coming in.”

Panicked, she hastily shoved the pregnancy test into her clothes and clutched the toilet again as Woo Jae entered the bathroom.
He gently rubbed her back, his touch comforting but sending her into deeper turmoil.

“Lee Jin, you need to go to the hospital. This isn’t normal.”

Suddenly, tears began to pour down her face. Her chest tightened, and she couldn’t stop the sobs from escaping.

“Lee Jin, come here,” Woo Jae said, startled, as he tried to lift her up, but she pushed him away.

“No, Woo Jae, please… I just want to be alone.”

“You need to see a doctor. Don’t you realize how sick you are?”
“No, it’s not that… It’s just… I’m just feeling down because of period pain… Please, just go.”

Ignoring her protests, Woo Jae picked her up gently, cradling her as she cried into his shoulder.

Promotion, studying abroad, success…

Everything she had promised herself about not letting marriage or children stand in the way of her dreams was slipping away. And now, she had to consider the possibility of carrying Woo Jae’s child.

“If I hadn’t gotten married, do you think my life would have turned out like this?”

“But what can I do? It’s not the kids’ fault…”

“As long as I’m the only one who sacrifices, our family can be happy…”

“Lee Jin, don’t get married. Don’t have kids. Just live for yourself. Do everything you want to do. I want to see you happy, at least.”

It broke Lee Jin’s heart to think that what should be a joyful, blessed new life felt like nothing more than an obstacle as she was just starting to build her career.

Even though it was just a tiny cluster of cells, the mere knowledge of its existence made her feel guilty and overwhelmed.
And then there was Woo Jae, who had no idea. He was genuinely worried about her, believing her excuses, as if her pain were his own—completely unaware that she was carrying his child.
Everything was falling apart. Whether she chose to have the baby or not, things with Woo Jae would never be the same.

If she decided not to keep it, she knew she couldn’t face him with such a heavy secret between them. And if she did keep it, they could no longer just be friends.

Why did you come to me? she thought, addressing the life growing inside her. Why did you, of all people, take root in someone as unprepared as me?

I’m not ready to raise you, and I don’t have the strength to let you go. Why did you come to someone who can’t properly welcome you?

As her tears soaked the pillow, Woo Jae silently sat by her, gently rubbing her back in comfort.

She didn’t want to feel anger. She didn’t want to resent the tiny life that had only just begun to form.

“Ugh, ugh…” The sobs tore from her throat, and she couldn’t hold them back any longer.

She was angry—at Woo Jae, at that night, but mostly at herself for allowing it to happen.

How could I have been so careless? she berated herself for thinking that using protection would be enough. She had seen what her sister went through. If this had been anyone else’s child, maybe the decision would be easier. But it was Woo Jae’s, and that made it so much more complicated. How could she resent him when he had always been there for her?

You were supposed to stop me from being foolish. You’ve always been the one to guide me back, the one who stood by me when I was struggling. You were my rock, my steady light.

Woo Jae… what are we going to do? It’s unbelievable that there’s a baby… between us.

The word pregnant didn’t feel real. After witnessing her sister’s struggles, how could she have been so reckless? She had only just started her career, and now… A baby?

She couldn’t keep it. But if she let the baby go, she knew that Woo Jae would be gone from her life too.

If she told him, he’d likely leave the choice up to her. But how could she ever face him again if she made that decision? Even if she didn’t tell him, the secret would always loom between them.
“Please, just go, Woo Jae… just go,” she sobbed into the pillow, her voice trembling with grief.

Tears streamed down her face as she buried herself deeper into the pillow. Woo Jae, without saying a word, stayed beside her, silently comforting her through the long, difficult night, never leaving her side.