I’m Pregnant with My Friend’s Child - Chapter 3.2

Lee Jin quickly lifted her glass. Thankfully, Woo Jae had already filled it with water earlier, so she drank it down in one go, making it look like she was drinking alcohol before offering her empty glass back to the CEO.

“You’ve got a strong spirit. Knowing how to handle your liquor is a valuable skill for a lawyer, too,” he said with a grin.

The comment made Lee Jin slightly uneasy, but she managed to keep her composure as the CEO filled her glass again. The sight of the alcohol swirling inside suddenly felt intimidating.

“I heard you majored in English literature?” the CEO asked.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Perfect. Mastering English opens a lot of doors for a lawyer. Let’s think about sending you to our New York office in the future to prepare for the Bar Exam.”

“Thank you, sir! I’ll work hard,” Lee Jin said, standing up to bow. Her heart pounded. The suggestion of preparing for the New York Bar Exam implied the possibility of a future promotion to partner level—an incredible opportunity.

“Now, let’s drink.”

CEO Hwang filled Lee Jin’s glass to the brim again. As Woo Jae subtly stepped in to pour into the CEO’s glass, Lee Jin switched her water-filled glass for the new one. Her heart raced, but it seemed the CEO hadn’t noticed. They clinked glasses, and she took a large gulp, pretending it was soju while drinking the water.

Seeing the possibility of Lee Jin’s promotion, Woo Jae’s previously shadowed expression brightened. He likely believed that if she secured the promotion, there’d be a higher chance of them being together.

“Let me pour for you, sir. Why don’t you sit with us?” Woo Jae suggested.

“Oh, sounds good. Let’s catch up,” CEO Hwang replied.

Fortunately, before the CEO could settle down next to Lee Jin, Woo Jae smoothly guided him to another table. Lee Jin exhaled in relief, her eyes following Woo Jae.

Don’t push yourself too hard. You can head home early.

A message from Woo Jae popped up on her phone. Despite not having had any alcohol, Lee Jin felt dizzy.

She looked around the room, observing the others slowly losing themselves to the festivities, and quietly excused herself, pretending to head to the restroom.

As she left, she found herself instinctively rubbing her belly as though she were already protecting the tiny life inside her. The action caught her off guard, and she let out a small, humorless laugh.

Tonight could have turned out far worse if it weren’t for Woo Jae.

It was as if he knew she was pregnant, shielding her from the alcohol and raw food like he was already aware of her secret.
If she decided to terminate the pregnancy and eventually go to the New York office, it would naturally create distance between her and Woo Jae. There’d be no need for a forced goodbye—they would just drift apart.

Perhaps one day, far in the future, they could become friends again. But that was probably wishful thinking. They would likely grow apart, as close friends sometimes do without reason.

Despite the looming offer of a permanent position at Taejung, she didn’t feel like she had gained the world. If anything, it felt like she had lost everything.

Tomorrow afternoon, I’ll stop by to fix the door sensor. Looks like the CEO has taken a liking to you. I’m even more excited about it. Take a taxi home if your feet hurt, and if you forget the door lock code, just call me.

Woo Jae, you’re something else…

How am I supposed to live without you?

*
After a sleepless night, Lee Jin spent her Saturday morning catching up on the work that had piled up.

Even though it was the weekend, the office was still buzzing with junior lawyers handling their never-ending paperwork, making it feel just like a regular weekday.

She could squeeze in some time to visit the OB-GYN today, but emotionally, she wasn’t ready for that yet.

Lee Jin gently laid her sleeping body flat and pulled the blanket over her. As she softly stroked her tear-streaked face, her chest tightened with an indescribable pain.
He couldn’t quite grasp the full meaning behind her tears, but one thing was clear—her excuse about menstrual cramps was just a lie.

It was Woo Jae who had convinced her to quit her stable job at the public company and enter law school. After she lost her chance at permanent employment to the chairman’s nephew and got transferred to a remote location, he had encouraged her to leave that “awful place” and handed her study guides for the law school entrance exam.

Although she had hesitated at first, she eventually took his advice and studied hard. Just as he had predicted, she passed the exam and became a lawyer after tireless effort.

Though he had always been there to guide her as a friend, Woo Jae couldn’t truly share her sorrow, and it frustrated him. Watching her hold everything inside, not knowing what troubled her, and seeing her cry herself to sleep—it all pained him. But as a mere friend, his role was limited.

And that’s why he gave in to his desires. He’d hoped that maybe, by crossing that line, he could be closer to her.
When he held her, it felt like he’d gained the entire world. But even for someone as confident as Woo Jae, fear began to creep in. What if she never saw him as a friend again? That thought alone made it hard to breathe.

Every day, every night, his thoughts were consumed by her. He knew she wasn’t looking for a serious relationship, yet he had still pushed her—motivated by selfish desires.

He would rather stay by her side as a friend, even if it meant watching her with someone else, than lose her entirely. The thought of not having her in his life at all was unbearable.

“I love you, Lee Jin,” he whispered, but only after stepping outside, knowing she couldn’t hear him.

It was the confession he repeated to himself countless times each day, always spoken too late, always unheard.

“Love you… Lee Jin.”

*

The next morning, Lee Jin tried a second pregnancy test, hoping for a different result. But again, the two lines appeared.
Her mind raced as she searched the internet for terms like “condom failure” and “contraceptive failure rates.” Seeing how surprisingly high the odds were, she realized just how careless she’d been.

The overwhelming reality of the situation weighed heavily on her. She slumped to the floor, crying for nearly half an hour before shutting off her blaring alarm and dragging herself to the bathroom.

The worst part? There wouldn’t be any time to process this. Her schedule was packed, leaving no room for even a quick trip to the OB-GYN.

Even though modern pregnancy tests were fairly accurate, she knew she needed to make a decision soon—whether to keep the baby or not—before it was too late.

But how could she make that choice when she didn’t even have time to breathe?

And so, for now, she shoved everything aside and focused on work. She tried to quiet her thoughts and tackle the endless pile of legal documents.

She took a bite of the porridge Woo Jae had left for her, but her stomach turned almost instantly. Determined to not let his kindness go to waste, she forced herself to finish half a bowl before promptly throwing it all up.

As she stepped out of her apartment, she couldn’t help but notice Woo Jae’s presence everywhere—from the shoes he had helped her pick to the door lock he had recently reset. Even the simplest things reminded her of him.

With her mood swinging wildly, she headed to the office, hoping to lose herself in her work.

*

By evening, she was nearly done with her workload when she was suddenly called for a team dinner to celebrate winning a major case.

As much as she wanted to decline, the dinner was a prime opportunity to network, especially with the company CEO rumored to make an appearance.

When they arrived at the restaurant, a large tuna was being carved up right before her eyes. Normally, she would’ve been excited for sashimi, but today the sight made her queasy.
Seeing the raw fish reminded her of everything she’d read about pregnancy and how raw food wasn’t safe. Though she hadn’t made any decisions yet, just the thought of eating the tuna made her feel sick.

She scanned the room for the CEO, but only saw a small group of colleagues around her supervisor, Attorney Kang. After waiting anxiously for a while, Lee Jin’s heart skipped a beat when she saw Woo Jae walk in.

He greeted her boss, then made his way over to her. Woo Jae, always watchful, took the seat right next to her. When her colleague offered her a drink, Woo Jae quickly stepped in and drank it for her, then ordered soup instead of the raw tuna.
Lee Jin couldn’t help but wonder—did he know? It was almost like he could sense something, the way he subtly shielded her from the alcohol and raw fish. She felt both grateful and uneasy.
Despite all this, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth, especially when the CEO finally arrived and praised her work.

When Woo Jae wasn’t looking, she swapped out her glass for one filled with water and took the shot without anyone noticing. It seemed to work—she had impressed the CEO without giving anything away.

As the dinner went on, Woo Jae’s small gestures of protection felt almost overwhelming. It was like he already knew she was carrying his child, though she had said nothing.

If she went ahead and had the abortion, maybe she could take the offer to go to the New York office. Maybe that way, they could drift apart naturally, without needing to force a break.

It seemed like the easiest way out. But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter what she chose, their friendship would never be the same again.

And that thought crushed her.

How could she live in a world without Woo Jae?

Especially after the CEO’s encouragement to prepare for studying abroad, Lee Jin felt even more unsettled.

There was no real reason not to terminate the pregnancy. She had always been against marriage and had never planned for a child. The baby’s father didn’t even know about the pregnancy yet, and it was obvious that having a baby would severely hinder her career.

All she had to do was end the pregnancy, and everything would go back to normal. But for some reason, that clear and simple decision didn’t sit right with her.

Lee Jin had never once dreamed of having a child, but the fact that the father was Cha Woo-jae made her hesitate.

Now, with the perfect excuses of full-time employment and studying abroad, she had the justification she needed. Deep down, she had already decided that once she ended the pregnancy, she would leave for the U.S. and naturally distance herself from Woo-jae. But even though it was supposed to be a simple decision, it felt like the hardest thing in the world.

Are you done with work?

She checked her phone after sending off her research findings to the assigned contact. Woo-jae had texted her 30 minutes ago.

Just finished.

Meet me in the lobby.

Woo-jae’s reply came almost immediately.

Lee Jin glanced at the clock and realized she had finished her work a little earlier than expected. She tidied up her desk and stood up.

Though it was past noon, she could still make it to the hospital if she hurried. But she didn’t want to hurry.

Like a student procrastinating on an important assignment, finding any excuse to avoid getting started, she found herself delaying her hospital visit as much as possible.

It felt like opening Pandora’s box. The moment she went, everything would be decided—the termination of the pregnancy and the inevitable end of her relationship with Woo-jae.

As she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Woo-jae waiting for her. Despite her emotional turmoil, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his flawless figure.

“Did you drink late last night?” she asked.

“Until 2 a.m.”

Woo-jae looked completely fine, not at all like someone who had been drinking until the early hours. As usual, he was immaculate in his suit, effortlessly drawing the attention of passersby.
He wasn’t someone who drank heavily, but it was unusual for him to stay out drinking until 2 a.m.

“I was drinking whiskey with the CEO,” he added.

“You?”

Lee Jin looked at him in surprise.