Reasonable Loss - 20

“Then you won’t get hurt, and it will be easier for me to adjust as your lover and as the father of the baby inside you, right?”

Eunsu slowly blinked his eyes. Dokwon was saying he would do his best, but somehow the feeling wasn’t entirely good. It felt just like drafting a contract for work. However, there was no other way. The method Dokwon was suggesting now was the most realistic one.

Eunsu set down his spoon and straightened his back. Then he looked straight at Dokwon. In the unusual atmosphere, Dokwon also squared his shoulders.

“Then there’s something I want to do.”

Eunsu said.

“Yes.”

Dokwon answered flatly. A faint tension tickled his solar plexus. He couldn’t guess at all what Eunsu would ask for. It was when he clenched his fist with the hand hidden under the table. Eunsu’s lips moved.

“After we eat.”

“Yes.”

“Let’s drink coffee too.”

Huh? Dokwon let out a foolish exclamation that didn’t suit him. What to do? Coffee? Dokwon stared at Eunsu, forgetting even to blink his eyes. Eunsu still had eyes full of determination. Just looking at his expression, you might think he was asking for half the fortune.

“……Just that?”

“Yes. Just that.”

Eunsu nodded firmly. Dokwon let out a chuckle. He’d felt it before, but he really was an unpredictable omega. At this point, he wondered if that’s why he had loved him.

“Alright.”

Dokwon agreed readily. Eunsu, who smiled at that, scooped up a big spoonful of fish flesh and brought it to his mouth.

The salty, chewy flesh was extremely delicious.

The sun past noon shone brightly on the world. The sunlight on these early spring days was warm. It didn’t sting or feel unpleasant even when it tapped the skin.

Eunsu ordered yuja tea at the cafe, and Dokwon added a shot to his Americano. The two took out their coffee to go. The reason was simple. Because Eunsu wanted it that way.

Eunsu and Dokwon slowly walked along a common street in Seoul. That too was what Eunsu wanted. Dokwon had agreed, thinking it would be at most ten minutes. But it passed thirty minutes easily. Dokwon, who had been granting Eunsu’s requests without much talk, finally couldn’t hold back and spoke.

“You’re pregnant, is it okay to walk like this?”

“It’s not running, it’s just a walk, so it’s fine.”

“Still, wouldn’t it be better to do something a bit more…… productive?”

“Productive?”

Eunsu hummed exaggeratedly as if pondering. Dokwon stood steadfastly, waiting for him to come up with some ‘productive’ idea.

Well…… buying something good for prenatal care, or shopping for items needed by pregnant women, or going to eat a dessert much more nutritious than yuja tea—there were plenty.

Eunsu looked at Dokwon, who was giving off an atmosphere of I’m really in a bad mood right now, and lifted the corner of his mouth into a sly smile. Dokwon, facing that smile, unknowingly stepped back one pace. It wasn’t a good feeling.

And sure enough. Eunsu suddenly reached out his hand. Wondering if he was about to slap his cheek, Dokwon widened his eyes, but his hand was caught.

And,

“……”

That was it.

Dokwon quietly looked down at the joined hands. Clearly Eunsu had grabbed his hand, but because of the huge difference in hand sizes, it looked exactly like he had grabbed Eunsu’s hand.

Eunsu’s hand was small and warm. He didn’t know if it was naturally that high in body temperature or because he had been holding the hot yuja tea. And it was soft. It didn’t seem particularly chubby, but how could it be so squishy and tender? It was amazing.

As Dokwon couldn’t tear his eyes away from the entangled hands, Eunsu poked his face into his view.

“Productive thing.”

He grinned widely, his eyes curving.

“……”

At the sudden smile, Dokwon choked on his breath.

Eunsu’s smile was like an unexpected bombardment. So Dokwon had to collapse in a heap without any preparation.

The smile full of sunlight was dazzling. Yet he couldn’t even blink.

Just then, a gust of wind made Eunsu’s bangs flutter. A faint shampoo scent and sweet pheromone aroma wafted thickly. The moment he inhaled it through his nose, his ribcage contracted sharply.

It felt like someone was gripping his heart tightly. His solar plexus felt stuffy and achy. But that wasn’t bad. Rather, he wished his heart would squeeze a little more. If asked what kind of stupid talk that was, he had nothing to say. Right now, Dokwon was the epitome of an clueless idiot.

As Dokwon stood there dazed and lost in thought, Eunsu stepped forward briskly. Worry rippled in the clear corners of his eyes.

“Are you hurting by any chance?”

“Yes?”

“I mean, does your head hurt?”

“……No.”

Dokwon answered in a somewhat listless voice.

“Then good.”

Eunsu smiled brightly and pulled Dokwon’s hand along. Fortunately, Dokwon followed without any complaints or dissatisfaction.

Excitement welled up in Eunsu’s cheeks.

Actually, this was the purpose—to hold hands with Dokwon—so he had suggested walking, but it had been hard to find an opening.

They had done everything physical without holding back. As instinct-driven alpha and omega, they had rubbed their bodies lewdly and messily on the bed.

But why did even this simple skinship make his face hot? Maybe because it had been a long time since he held it.

Eunsu’s throat was parched, but he pretended as if nothing was wrong, focusing ahead as he walked. Dokwon also walked, staring only at the round back of Eunsu’s head.

It was a nice day.

* * *

Eunsu arranged to meet Dokwon according to his schedule. Dokwon was busy filling the four-year gap, and Eunsu just had to live through similar days like a hamster on a wheel.

Actually, even if something came up for Eunsu, the decision on their meetings had to be with Dokwon since he had to prepare.

The two met quite steadily. At first, they met twice a week, then three times, and now four times.

They ate meals together, drank tea, shopped, and did all the usual things for dates. There weren’t any particularly memorable conversations, but because Eunsu consistently held Dokwon’s hand during those meetings, now Dokwon sometimes held his first.

And Dokwon, who used to notify the meeting place in advance like when he reserved the Korean restaurant, at some point started saying,

[What are you doing after work tomorrow?]

[Let’s eat dinner together.]

And then next,

[Let’s meet today.]

[I’ll go to your company.]

And lately,

[Company lobby.]

Eunsu was pleased with that change. It seemed like he was gradually returning to the old Dokwon.

See, whether his brain is broken or not, he loves me, he thought smugly to himself. In the end, the doctor’s words that love is also done by the brain seemed like nonsense, and he giggled at the feeling of having beaten those annoying doctors.

6 p.m. It was time to leave work. Eunsu, who had finished his tasks long ago, jumped up. Then he quickly greeted his team members and went down to the lobby. Precisely, to the emergency stairs in the corner of the lobby.

Pushing open the heavy iron door revealed a familiar back. Broad shoulders, wide back, the graceful line subtly revealed from the shoulder blades to the waist. And even the pheromones filling the fairly spacious emergency exit.

It was Dokwon.

Even though Dokwon had come all the way to the company, he had to hide like this. Of course, wandering around wasn’t the problem, but officially, he was still recovering from the accident. Moreover, if anyone found out Dokwon was strange, it would be a big deal.

So when Eunsu suggested meeting a bit away from the company, he didn’t like that. When asked why, he said it just felt off. Being stubborn about weird things was the same as before or now.

Thanks to that, lately the two were meeting in hiding like a famous celebrity couple.

“I’m here.”

Eunsu lightly snatched Dokwon’s hand.

“You’re here?”

Dokwon looked down at Yoo Eunsu, who had a smile that was barely there. As Eunsu met his eyes for a moment and then let go of his hand, Dokwon’s shoulders twitched. It was when he moved his lips to say something.

“What shall we do today?”

Eunsu asked while buttoning the jacket he hadn’t fully fastened because he came out in a hurry.

“……What Yoo Eunsu wants to do.”

Dokwon, who lightly licked his lower lip, helped Eunsu fasten his buttons.

Eunsu, familiar with such touches from Dokwon, let out a hum from his throat. Then he recalled what his team members had said at lunch today. A new series of the famous hero movie had opened. It was a series that Eunsu and Dokwon had been following.

“Hmm…… Shall we eat dinner and go see a movie? Masked Man 3 opened.”

“3? Not 2?”

“……”

At the unexpected reaction, Eunsu let out a short sigh of ah. Four years ago, 2 hadn’t come out yet. He had forgotten even that.

Eunsu wrinkled the bridge of his nose. Then watching the movie was out, and as always, they would eat, have tea, and part ways.

“Then just……”

“We can watch it together.”

“Yes?”

“Come to my house and watch it together. Then tomorrow we can go see the next one.”

Dokwon, who had buttoned all of Eunsu’s coat, gripped his hand. Eunsu scratched his cheek with an ambiguous expression.

“……Dokwon’s house?”

“Why? Don’t you like it?”

“No…… I don’t dislike it……. But what if you get sick again.”

Eunsu was worried. He had been thinking if they weren’t meeting too often lately. Twice a week is good, he had said. But they were meeting four days a week……. It was fine for him, but he was quite worried if Dokwon might have a seizure.