The new year had co, and the due date for delivery was approaching quickly.
Since the 30th week of pregnancy, we had moved out of the house near the university and were staying at Eun-ha’s family ho.
With Eunwoo Hyung and Hyun-joo Noona frequently visiting, Eun-ha was never left alone.
Thanks to the help of her family, the preparations for childbirth were proceeding smoothly.
With the delivery due next week, we planned to be admitted to the hospital as soon as the ti ca.
The doctor advised that, for a first-ti birth, it would be better for the husband to stay close by to ease the mother’s anxiety.
Although I was currently in the middle of my tax accountant internship, I was fortunate to be training at a tax firm run by a family acquaintance, who kindly accommodated my situation.
At first, I was treated a bit like a parachute hire... but well, that’s in the past now.
These days, they’ve been saying I should definitely join the firm after my internship ends.
While nothing is confird yet, the suggested salary they casually ntioned was enticing enough that I might just continue working there.
As the due date drew near, Eun-ha beca even more mindful of her health.
She carefully chose easily digestible als and took light walks around the house.
It seed like her way of calming her fears about childbirth.
Because of this, I hardly left her side, helping her more than usual.
“Sweetheart, ah~.”
“Ah~.”
Feeding her at with vegetables, Eun-ha smiled happily as she ate.
Watching her chew thoroughly and swallow made her look incredibly lovely.
“When you feed , it tastes even better.”
“That’s a relief! Want so more?”
“Mm-hmm, just one more bite.”
To avoid putting too much strain on her stomach, we split her als into smaller portions.
“Got it. Here, ah~.”
“Thanks, I’ll enjoy this~.”
After her small al, Eun-ha and I sat together on the couch, chatting away.
Though I was trying to ease her worries, I wasn’t sure if my efforts were entirely getting through.
Still, I resolved to do my best for her.
“Honey.”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Hehe, I love it when you call sweetheart.”
“Sweetheart, sweetheart, sweetheart.”
“Yes! Honey!”
Eun-ha answered with a bright smile.
“Do you prefer when I call you by your na or ‘sweetheart’?”
“That’s a tough question. I like both, but if I had to choose…”
“Mm-hmm, if you had to?”
“I like it when you call sweetheart.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well, anyone can call by my na, but only you call sweetheart.”
“Got it. I’ll call you sweetheart more often.”
“Thanks~ But honey…”
“Yes?”
“Suddenly, I feel like eating pineapple.”
“I’ll get it for you~.”
Since Eun-ha got pregnant, she had been craving fruit often.
Sotis, even in the middle of the night, she’d ask for fruit, so I made sure to stock the fridge with a variety: apples, strawberries, peaches, Shine Muscat grapes, waterlon, pineapple—you na it. ℞ἈƝỔＢЁS
Thanks to online delivery, everything arrived within half a day.
“Keeping the fridge stocked with fruit is so convenient and efficient!”
“Anything else you feel like eating?”
“Nope, just a little pineapple will do.”
Heading to the kitchen, I grabbed a pineapple, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and brought it back to her.
Eun-ha took a bite and smiled blissfully.
“Is it good?”
“Mm-hmm. It tastes even better because you prepared it.”
“There’s plenty, so let know if you want more.”
“This is enough~.”
After finishing the pineapple, Eun-ha leaned back against the couch.
“I’ll massage your legs and feet. Stretch them out.”
As she was in the final month of pregnancy, Eun-ha’s feet and legs had beco slightly swollen.
Since massages were said to help, I did it for her whenever I had the chance.
“They’re okay for now~.”
“I just want to do it~.”
“Hehe, then I won’t refuse~.”
As I massaged her legs and feet, Eun-ha happily called my na.
“Han-gyeol.”
“Yes?”
“Nothing, I just wanted to call your na. It’s been a while.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s kind of amazing. At first, it was Han-gyeol, then Gyeol, and now even Honey. It makes so happy.”
“I’ll make you even happier.”
“I don’t know if it’s possible to be happier than this. I’m so happy it feels unreal.”
“That’s high praise~.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too~.”
We gazed at each other lovingly, locking eyes.
“We should do the sa for Haet.”
“Of course~.”
Gently, I patted Eun-ha’s belly and spoke.
“Haet, Daddy loves you~.”
“Mommy loves you too, Haet~.”
****
On the third day of Eun-ha’s hospital stay, her labor pains began in the early morning hours, and she was promptly taken to the delivery room.
I waited anxiously outside the delivery room with my father-in-law, mother-in-law, and Eunwoo Hyung, praying for the safe delivery to conclude.
Although I had been told that labor for a first child could take longer than expected, my anxiety grew with each passing mont.
Unable to do anything but wait silently, I couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt.
The thought of Eun-ha enduring unimaginable pain broke my heart.
Hours passed as I paced in front of the delivery room until finally, the door opened, and a nurse stepped out.
“Your baby will be born soon. Could the husband co in now?”
“Yes…! Of course!”
I hurried into the delivery room. Following the nurse’s instructions, I washed my hands and donned a blue sterile gown.
Once I had put on the sterilized gloves, I entered the delivery room with my heart pounding.
The mont I stepped inside, the room was filled with the sound of a baby’s cry.
“-Waaah! Waaah!-”
The robust cries of our baby rang out, and tears instantly welled up in my eyes.
Through my blurred vision, I saw my wife, exhausted but smiling as she locked eyes with .
“Sweetheart…! Haet is here…!”
“Yes…! You’ve worked so hard… You’ve done so, so well…!”
Eun-ha and I let our tears flow freely, engraving this mont in our hearts forever.
With the help of the nurse, I cut the umbilical cord. After a quick check-up and cleaning, our baby, Haet, was gently placed in Eun-ha’s arms.
Holding our precious, healthy, and beautiful baby, Eun-ha smiled with pure joy.
“Hello, Haet… Say hi to Daddy too, okay?”
“Hi, Haet. I’m Daddy… I’m… your Daddy…!”
Our tiny, beautiful, and precious daughter.
The living, breathing result of our love, she was everything we had dread of and more.
After Haet was taken to the nursery and Eun-ha completed a brief examination, she was moved to her hospital room.
I quickly stepped out of the delivery room to inform the waiting family.
By then, my parents had also arrived, and everyone stood up abruptly as I appeared.
“She’s healthy… She’s here…! And Eun-ha is healthy too…!”
At my words, the adults let out a collective sigh of relief.
My mother-in-law, her legs giving out from the tension, collapsed onto a chair.
“Thank goodness…!”
“You both worked so hard…!”
“Yes… Thank you all…! Truly, thank you…!”
The journey to bring our baby into the world had been a long one.
It was only thanks to the help and support of so many that we had made it this far.
I felt nothing but overwhelming gratitude and joy.
****
The first day after the delivery passed by in such a blur that I could hardly rember anything.
I massaged Eun-ha’s abdon in the hospital room and helped her regain her strength.
I only rembered holding her hand tightly as she finally fell asleep after receiving iron supplents and fluids in the early morning hours.
The next morning, during visiting hours, the whole family gathered and headed to the nursery to see Haet.
“There’s Haet…!”
The nurse in the nursery brought Haet close to the glass window for us to see.
Eun-ha and the family all lit up with radiant smiles as they looked at her.
“Honey, Haet’s nose looks just like yours!”
“Oh my, you’re right. And doesn’t her mouth resemble Eun-ha’s?”
“Wow…! This is my niece?!”
“Shh…! She’s sleeping, so speak softly!”
Seeing Haet sleeping peacefully made my eyes well up with tears again.
My heart swelled with pride and gratitude as I saw how healthy she was.
“Oh dear, the baby’s daddy is crying again~.”
“I’m sorry… She’s just so beautiful. Our Haet… She’s so beautiful.”
“Oh, stop crying already~.”
“Right, honey~ We should only show Haet our smiles.”
After the brief visiting ti ended, the family returned ho.
Eun-ha planned to enter a postpartum care center in a few days, and I inford my workplace that our baby had been born healthy and well.
My colleagues sent congratulatory ssages, celebrating with us.
“Honey…!”
“Yes, sweetheart. Do you need anything?”
“Hehe, I just called for you. At first, I was a bit scared of giving birth, but now that Haet is here, I’m so happy.”
“Yes, you’ve been through so much. It must’ve been so hard for you.”
At my words, Eun-ha placed her hand on my cheek and spoke.
“Thinking about you helped endure it.”
“Thank you…! For saying that.”
I clasped her hand in mine, holding it gently yet firmly.
“Honey.”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. More than anything in the world. I love you as much as I love Eun-ha.”
“Let’s live happily together, the three of us, from now on.”
In response to Eun-ha’s words, I answered with conviction.
“Yes! I’ll make us happy! You and Haet! Because now, I’m a dad!”
-- The End OF The Chapter --
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