DASH-Chapter 140

Jiheon desperately came up with an excuse and swiftly moved his fingers. He calculated based on the date of conception and discovered that the expected due date was October 5th. It was a bit of luck that it wasn’t in September, but whether it was early October or not didn’t make much difference.

‘Anyway, I’ll be in full term by August.’

Jiheon stared at his cell phone with a serious expression.

This year’s Olympics would be held from early to mid-August in Brisbane, Australia. A direct flight would take ten hours, but even that was only operated by one domestic airline, with just one flight per day. Jiheon also searched for the airline’s policy for pregnant passengers in the meantime. He felt relieved when he found out that after 32 weeks, all he needed was a doctor’s note to board, not from 36 weeks, and in some cases, one could fly after writing a pledge.

‘Thank goodness. I can still go to Australia for the Olympics.’

Sweeping his chest in relief, Jiheon suddenly realized what he was doing and roughly set down his cell phone.

‘What the hell am I doing? I haven’t even decided to give birth.’

He clicked his tongue and ran his hand over his face. Despite vowing not to think about it until next week’s checkup, he found himself contemplating and worrying whenever he had the chance. He was annoyed at himself for feeling relieved when he finally did a search. He didn’t like his unresponsive nature, and the situation itself was very frustrating and painful.

‘Why am I stressing over this? Why?’

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He still couldn’t believe it, so he buried his face in his palm and clicked his tongue.

“Oppa, what’s wrong? What happened? What were you just looking at?”

His sister looked concerned seeing Jiheon abruptly taking out his cell phone and looking for something, but then tossing it in frustration. Jisoo glanced at Jiheon’s cell phone screen on the table and immediately said in confusion:

“Oh, what’s that? Why are you searching for things like pregnancy travel policies?”

Jisoo looked bewildered and added:

“Why? Your athlete’s spouse is pregnant? Wait, does your agency have to handle all this too?”

“It’s not like that.......”

Jiheon muttered, still with his face in his palm. Then he quickly sat up straight.

“Never mind. Let’s just eat.”

Jiheon raised his chopsticks loudly. But when he tried to eat something, he had no appetite at all. Honestly, he couldn’t even see what was on the table. Halfheartedly, he took only the radish under the sashimi, eventually putting down his chopsticks and placing his hand on his forehead.

“Oppa, seriously, what’s wrong with you? What’s going on?”

Jisoo mumbled with her mouth full, cheeks about to burst from chewing. She probably would have swallowed everything before asking questions, but it seemed like she was genuinely concerned. Jiheon called her in a low voice, still with his hand on his forehead.

“Jisoo-ya.”

“Hmm?”

“...No, never mind.”

Jiheon lowered his head again. Jisoo quickly swallowed the wrap in her mouth as if she couldn’t stand it and shouted:

“Oh, what is it?! Seriously, what’s going on? Spit it out.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Jiheon sighed. He was so desperate to confide in someone and seek advice, but his mouth wouldn’t cooperate. Of course, he’d rather talk to his family than others, but parts of him hesitated because it was family. He wanted to avoid explaining the situation directly as much as possible but couldn’t think of what to say.

“Oh, come on, just say it. I’m dying of frustration.”

Jisoo couldn’t take it any longer and popped another piece of sashimi into her mouth. Jiheon, watching his sister munch on her sashimi and diligently cracking a quail egg, immediately rested one of his elbows on the table and said:

“Do you think people still have a bad perception of shotgun marriages these days?”

“Hey, seriously? In today’s world?”

Jisoo frowned, questioning if things were still the same. She was about to bite into her peeled quail egg but suddenly halted.

“No way, oppa, you’re not talking about your athlete, but yourself, right?”

‘No, I’m talking about my athlete. My athlete made an accident this time.’

Jiheon was definitely going to say that (because technically, it wasn’t a lie). Then, he planned to ask her, “As far as I know, my athlete is in that situation, so what advice would people around you give in this situation?”

However, Jisoo immediately asked if it was about Jiheon, making it difficult for him to deny. At a time like this, what was the point of trying to hide it as someone else’s business when it was already like this? He wondered if, by telling his family about this, she would give him advice more seriously than if he told her it was someone else’s business.

Above all, it was annoying to beat around the bush. Normally, he was good at making up, packaging, and embellishing words to make it sound plausible, but he didn’t have the energy for it now. Maybe because he was mentally exhausted that he felt like his brain wasn’t working properly right now.

So, he just didn’t give an answer, and Jisoo, taking it as a confirmation, muttered with a quail egg in her mouth:

“What’s going on...?”

She was talking to herself, but suddenly her brows furrowed. She quickly swallowed the quail egg and said:

“Wait a minute, did this happen because YOU had an accident? You were planning on getting married, having a child, and everything, but the order just changed?”

Jiheon didn’t answer this time either. However, Jisoo, sensing ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) that the answer was correct from the heavy silence and painful expression, spoke in an instantly cold voice.

“You don’t even use birth control?”

“Hey, I do.”

Jiheon was taken aback by his sister’s straightforward reprimand and quickly straightened his posture.

“I do everything I can.”

“But how can you suddenly have a child?”

“That is... something that can happen.”

Jiheon said with a sigh.

Jisoo’s eyes had now become cold. She didn’t say anything, but it was clear that she thought Jiheon was lying.

“Oh my god.”

Jisoo muttered in shock and poured a full glass of soju. Downing it in one go, she deliberately slammed the glass down and fired off a series of questions.

“Were you planning to marry them from the start? Or are you going to do it reluctantly because of the baby? Wait, more importantly, they’re your lover, right?”

“Of course. They’re my lover, really.”

Jiheon answered repeatedly, providing more details than necessary in response to his sister’s brutal reaction, which was beyond his expectations.

“And they already said they wanted us to get married. But when I heard that, I just said we could think about it later and take our time slowly.”

“Why are you taking your time?”

“I’m just not ready for marriage yet, and my lover is a bit young.”

Jisoo’s expression twisted at Jiheon’s last words.

“How young are they?”

“Twenty-one..., no, they’re twenty-two now.”

“What? So they’re still a student?”

At that moment, Jisoo’s voice got louder.

“You’re marrying a kid who hasn’t even graduated from college? Someone six years younger than you?”

Jisoo stared at her brother, questioning what the hell he was doing. Even though the issue was different, hearing his situation from someone else’s perspective really... made Jiheon feel like he was someone without a plan, leaving him utterly speechless.

Still, Jiheon felt the need to correct the misinformation, so he spoke with a complicated tone.

“No, they’re not a student. Definitely not.”

“So they go to work?”

“That’s not it either.”

“.......”

Jisoo’s eyes grew even colder. She refilled her glass, looking like she had a lot to say but was holding back. Then, she downed it in one go and said:

“No, it doesn’t matter if they’re a student or an office worker. Whoever you’re dating is your choice. But why aren’t you doing what you’re supposed to do?”

Jisoo spoke as if she couldn’t comprehend.

“And you’re dating such a young kid.”

Then, Jisoo fiercely grabbed the bottle and poured herself another drink.

“Hey, cut it out with the drinking.”

Jiheon, concerned, tried to intervene, but Jisoo paid no heed. She downed her glass with a scowl, and when she set down the empty glass, her expression shifted to one of sadness and disappointment.

“I really thought you wouldn’t pull something like this. Not just because you’re my brother, but because I know your personality. I thought you wouldn’t do something so irresponsible and thoughtless.”

Jiheon didn’t know how to respond, so he just wiped his face with his hand. Meanwhile, Jisoo continued:

“I’m sorry for saying this. I understand you’re going through a lot too, but I’m really shocked right now. Above all, I don’t get why you’re so anxious and worried about this situation. I thought you’d marry them and take responsibility as soon as you found out they were pregnant. I figured, even if you were momentarily confused and flustered, you’d calm down your shocked lover and marry them without making a fuss. That’s the kind of person I thought my brother was.”

Listening to her as if he were a criminal, Jiheon suddenly noticed discrepancies in his sister’s assumptions and raised his head to clarify.

“Oh, wait, Jisoo-ya, wait a minute. The one who’s pregnant is not my lover.”

“What?”

Jisoo became extremely upset, demanding an explanation for Jiheon’s apparent betrayal.

“No, you said you’re having a child, but then you said the one who’s pregnant isn’t your lover—”

Jisoo abruptly fell silent.

Recognizing the slow change in his sister’s expression, Jiheon finally felt assured. Jisoo had been under the impression that her brother was grappling with the responsibility of impregnating someone—a 22-year-old person, six years younger than him, neither attending school nor going to work. Even when his lover suggested marriage, Jiheon pretended not to hear it, not properly using birth control, and now they were expecting a child. Naturally, Jisoo would be furious and critical of Jiheon for his apparent irresponsibility.

“Oh my gosh, what have I done? Sorry, I’m really sorry!”

Jisoo exclaimed, her face flushed red, realizing her huge misunderstanding belatedly.

“Aaaaah! I get it. Oppa... yeah, of course, it’s possible for you too.”

Jisoo continued to ramble, her face still bright red.

Jiheon was labeled as a Beta until he turned eighteen. Even after being corrected to an Omega later, his appearance stayed the same, and Jisoo seemed to have forgotten about it.

“Oh no, what should I do? I’m really sorry, oppa. I thought you meant your girlfriend or boyfriend was pregnant.”

Jisoo felt so apologetic that Jiheon felt a bit awkward and said, “No, well, it’s understandable.”

He wasn’t particularly angry or anything. In fact, he felt relieved to know the real reason why his sister criticized him and treated him like someone she couldn’t deal with.

Moreover, Jisoo had seen Jiheon’s past lovers a few times before. Jisoo also went to college in Seoul, so they met more often when they were students than they did now, but she happened to run into Jiheon’s lover in passing or on their way. She probably made assumptions based on their appearances, including their physique, and could have misunderstood that way. There were even two girlfriends among them.

“Oh, right. Of course. There’s no way my brother would do that.”

Jisoo praised Jiheon as much as possible while expressing regret for getting too worked up. Then, realizing the gravity of the situation, she immediately looked down and said.

“I mean, I get it. Are you considering keeping the baby, then? Are you going to give birth and get married?”

“Who knows... I have no idea about that either.”

Jiheon spoke honestly.

“I just found out today. I came straight here from the hospital.”

“Ah, that’s why you seemed so out of it.”

Jisoo nodded vigorously, as if she finally grasped the situation.

Just then, Jiheon’s cell phone on the table rang loudly, and he quickly picked it up, sensing an ominous premonition.

As expected, it was Kwon Jaekyoung. Jiheon pondered for a moment, but as soon as he pressed the call button, he spoke.

“I’m outside right now. I’ll talk to you later.”

He hung up right away, but the call came back in less than 5 seconds. This time it was even a video call. Jiheon considered turning it off, but then he figured Jaekyoung would skip training and rush to Korea, so he had no choice but to pick up his cell phone again. Since Jisoo was looking at the screen, he held his phone close to his nose, covered half of the speaker with his finger to barely hear Jaekyoung’s voice, and pressed the accept button.

｢Hyung, why did you hang up?｣

Jaekyoung spoke as soon as the call connected.

“Hey, I’m outside.”

｢Why are you outside? Where are you, and who are you with? Did you go to the hospital?｣

“Yeah. I’m with my dongsaeng right now, so let’s talk later at home.”

Jiheon ended the video call after saying that. As soon as he could put his cell phone down, another call came. Jiheon thought he couldn’t help it, so he turned off his phone. When the cell phone finally quieted down and he put it under the table, Jisoo, who had been watching in silence, spoke.

“Was that your boyfriend?”

Jiheon didn’t answer. His sister, who quickly realized Jiheon’s positive silence, let out an inexplicable laugh.

“Ha....”

Jisoo immediately poured soju into her glass.

“How old is he again? Twenty-two?”

“Yeah.......”

“Four years younger than me.”

Jisoo muttered to herself, took a gulp of soju, and then slammed the glass down more forcefully than ever before, calling him in a serious voice.

“Oppa. Just don’t get married.”