After receiving the pregnancy diagnosis, we immediately returned to Older Sister Seo-ha’s house.
As we opened the door and stepped inside, my mother-in-law, who had been anxiously asking, “What happened?” with a worried expression, suddenly burst into cheers upon seeing us smiling silently.
Even my father-in-law, who was usually calm and quiet, wore a bright smile, so you can imagine how delighted they both were.
“I’m sorry, Father-in-law. I didn’t mean to imply…”
Once we sat down facing each other on the sofa, I bowed my head and offered my apologies.
Of course, it’s a congratulatory matter, but since this situation might have startled them, I thought it best to show some courtesy by bowing my head first.
“Don’t bow your head. Both my wife and I were actually waiting for this to happen,” he replied.
“But isn’t it too sudden?” I asked.
“Of course it is sudden. But sometimes, unexpected news can bring even greater joy,” he said, nodding with a gentle smile as if he didn’t mind it at all.
He just was keen on seeing our healthy grandchild soon.
“Right, Mr. Kang. Plus, since this has something to do with me as well, you don’t need to feel sorry,” he added.
“Excuse me? What do you mean by that…?”
Just then, my mother-in-law returned to the living room with a bowl of fruit and casually dropped a bombshell that had my eyes wide open.
She said the pregnancy was her fault—what did that even mean?
“Actually, the day before you went on a trip with Seo-ha, I contacted him separately to tell him to make sure to seal the deal,” she said.
“…Excuse me?”
As I attempted to take a peach my older sister offered with a fork, the unexpected backstory made me freeze like a statue.
So, that meant…?
“…Older Sister?”
“Hehe, you caught me!”
Finally realizing why she had been so proactive that day, I turned my gaze away, only to see Seo-ha sticking her tongue out at me.
So, she had planned it all out?!
“It was actually the fertile period that day,” she explained.
“Wait a minute. Older Sister, you said it would be fine to do it inside, right…”
In my shock, I forgot that I was in front of my in-laws and openly questioned what had happened that day.
My older sister tilted her head with a mischievous look and replied,
“I said you could do it inside, but I never said it was a safe day.”
“……”
She had just casually admitted to playing around with words.
So from the very beginning, I had fallen right into her cunning trap.
Oh my, when would I ever experience such a happy moment after being caught in someone’s scheme like this?
“Anyway, Mr. Kang,” she said.
“Yes, Father-in-law,” I replied.
As I was feeling the sting of realization, my father-in-law cleared his throat and spoke again.
“Isn’t it about time we set a date for the wedding? You’ll need to inform your in-laws as well.”
“Oh, yes. I actually planned to discuss it with my parents today. But since you are always busy, I was wondering how to set a date…”
Right now, he was speaking to me normally, but in reality, he was the head of a massive company considered the top in the industry.
If we were to set a meeting date, it would have to align with his schedule. I was trying to ask him about this when he interjected.
“Hmm, I’m fine anytime. Just pick a date that works for you and let me know.”
“A-are you really okay with that?”
I was taken aback as he so casually handed over the scheduling.
Seriously, is it really okay? I heard he just got back from a busy trip to America a few days ago.
“What could be more important than meeting your in-laws? Even if the president called, I’d prioritize this, so don’t worry,” he assured me.
“……”
Somehow I had a feeling that if the president called, he’d still try to attend our meeting, and while I was thankful, I was also at a loss for how to react.
I felt sorry for the president, whom I had never even met.
“Oh, and do you have any specific ideas for the wedding? If not, we can handle the preparations from our side.”
“No, not yet. I haven’t discussed it with Older Sister either,” I responded, shaking my head.
I had just learned about the pregnancy today; there was no way I had planned out the wedding yet. We might have casually mentioned it a few times.
“I also don’t have any particular desire for a grand wedding, Mother. Just a small gathering with friends would be enough. But…”
“But?”
As I hesitated, wondering if she had any preferences for the wedding, my older sister, who had been stealing glances at me, finally spoke up with a shy smile, expressing just one wish.
“I just want a beautiful wedding dress. Just for that day, I want to be seen as the most beautiful woman in the world in Uju’s eyes.”
“Ah…”
That was sweet and heartwarming from a guy’s perspective, revealing just how much this person cherishes me, and I couldn’t help but let out a quiet gasp.
With those words, Older Sister gently held my hand. I held her hand tightly as if I would never let go, and resumed the conversation with my in-laws.
*
That evening, my sister’s older brother, who was my soon-to-be brother-in-law, returned home after work and heard the news.
Preparing myself for a potential slap after hearing that I had gotten his precious sister pregnant before marriage, I was surprised by his simple reaction.
He firmly placed his hands on both my shoulders and seriously met my eyes.
“Brother-in-law, you know there’s no return policy on this, right? Please take good care of her.”
With just that one casual remark, he proved that Seo-ha is indeed his precious sister.
Then he said that from now on, my life would be full of hardships, and if I faced any difficulties, I could talk to him before joining the peaceful dinner gathering.
I could tell he must have really wanted a nephew, as once he had a few drinks, he would boast, “I’m finally getting a nephew!” to everyone in the neighborhood.
It seemed he didn’t have much desire to get married himself, which was quite curious.
“Uju, shouldn’t we call your mom soon?”
“I was just about to do that.”
After finishing the dinner and simple drinking gathering, I stepped out to the balcony with Older Sister following behind.
As the drunkenness began to fade, I took out my phone determined to contact my mom.
My love~♬
I dialed the number, and my mom’s favorite traditional trot melody played as a ringtone until it paused, and a familiar voice finally came through.
– Why are you calling at this hour?
“Oh, Mom. Someone might think I’m a heartless son who doesn’t call you at all.”
– A son who hasn’t called in a week talking big words, huh.
“Cough.”
Wow, has it really been that long since I talked to Mom? Time has flown by so quickly lately; I must’ve missed it. Though that’s just a feeble excuse.
– So why did you call? I doubt you called just to hear my voice.
As expected, my mother’s sharp intuition struck me. Scary, scary.
While listening to my mom’s piercing remarks, I gathered my thoughts, glancing at Older Sister, who smiled softly and nodded, as if to say it’s okay, and finally opened my mouth.
“Uh, yeah. Actually, I went with Older Sister Seo-ha to obstetrics and gynecology today, and they said she’s 5 weeks pregnant.”
– …What?
As I tried to convey today’s events with the most casual tone possible, my mom’s response was a bit delayed.
Feeling the chilly vibe even through the phone, I hesitated for a moment but tried to gather my thoughts to continue.
“So, um, what I mean is Older Sister Seo-ha is pregnant…”
– You crazy son of a gun!
Ah, I knew it would go down like this.
Though it wasn’t on speaker, my mom’s furious shout reverberated loudly, almost making me pull the phone away. I thought my eardrums would burst.
– Oh dear, you foolish son…! What made you get that young girl pregnant…!
“Ah, no, Mom. Just listen to me! It’s not like I intended to do that…”
– Shut your mouth!? What do you have to explain for something you messed up!?
That’s not an excuse; it’s a fact, Mother.
My mother’s reaction suggested she wouldn’t even consider listening to what I had to say, and while I was racking my brain over what to do, I noticed Older Sister signaling at me with a smile to hand her the phone.
“Mom, I’m sorry, but Older Sister wants to talk to you for a moment. You two can chat.”
– What? Is Seo-ha there with you?
“Um, uh…”
Thinking it was my last resort, I passed the phone over to her.
Then, Switching to speaker mode, Older Sister greeted my mom softly and tried to calm her down.
“Sorry, I know this is sudden and surprising news.”
– Ah, it’s not that. My daughter-in-law. But pregnant, really…?
“Yes, I started feeling morning sickness and found out today that I’m 5 weeks along.”
– Really? Oh dear, I’m sorry. It’s my son’s poor education that caused this…
It seems my mom still thinks I incorrectly handled lower body matters and got this poor older sister pregnant.
Of course, it’s half true, so I can’t deny it.
“It’s okay. On the contrary, we’re happy. Father and Mother are very pleased as well.”
– Uh, really? They were happy?
“Yes, they said it’s just a matter of setting a wedding date now. That’s why I’m bringing this up. When would be convenient to schedule the meeting?”
– A meeting? Yes, yes. We need to set a date.
Hearing that my mother seemed shaken by Older Sister’s barrage of information made me slightly worry.
Let’s see, with pregnancy, wedding planning, and setting a meeting date all happening at once, it was no wonder my mother looked a bit dazed.
– Then let me talk with the father first; I’ll get back to you later, okay? Just give me a moment; I’m a bit busy right now…
“Of course, Mother. Please let us know when it’s convenient for you. Also, there’s one thing my father asked me to mention.”
– Huh? What else is there?
“Yes, actually, after the wedding, it might be better for you two to come live with us. Since you’ll need to get some household items anyway, my father wanted to know if you’d be okay with that… What do you think, Mother?”
– Um…
Oh, Older Sister… maybe we should pause there for today.
Somehow, I sensed my mom was getting ready to be completely overwhelmed.
Seeing the conversation show no sign of ending, I began to feel sympathy pangs for her, trying to intervene, but it was no use.
Sorry, Mom. Although you seem a bit overwhelmed, please hang in there just a little longer.
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