I quickly made my way to the university hospital as instructed by my father-in-law while driving the car.
As soon as we arrived, a mid-fifties male doctor who seemed to be stationed at the hospital came out of the emergency room, accompanied by several nurses, to greet us.
“Chairman!”
“Yes, I’m here.”
The person who recognized my father-in-law was none other than the director of the hospital. It seemed my father-in-law had contacted the hospital on the way, informing them about my older sister’s labor pains.
“I’m sorry for calling you in the middle of the night. It seems our daughter suddenly started having contractions even though it’s not time for delivery yet. Can you see her right away?”
“Yes, please don’t worry. Nurse Park, quickly go summon Team Leader Kwon.”
“Yes!”
While the female nurse rushed off somewhere, my sister was taken to the bed in the emergency room. Naturally, we accompanied her.
“Ugh…! Honey, where is this…?”
Perhaps too caught up in the pain, she didn’t even realize she was in the hospital until she opened her eyes, covered in cold sweat, after arriving in the private room.
Since my father-in-law and mother-in-law were talking with the hospital director outside, I was the only one by her side. I thought I should be a source of strength, so I tightly held my sister’s hand.
“It’s the hospital. The doctor will be here soon, so don’t worry.”
“Ugh, I’m sorry… for worrying you suddenly….”
They say the pain just before childbirth is unimaginable, but does that mean my sister is worried about the people around her even while experiencing it? If that’s how she is, then that’s just so her.
“You said it yourself. From now on, we should never say sorry to each other.”
“Heh, you’re right… I forgot.”
“See? You look so pretty when you smile.”
I wiped the sweat off my sister’s face, which was forcing a smile to reassure me, with a tissue and lightly kissed her forehead.
I couldn’t show my anxiousness. At this moment, the most frightened and terrified person in the world was none other than my wife, who was right in front of me.
I might not be able to provide strength, but I definitely shouldn’t add to her fears.
“This little one is making you suffer even before she comes out. I might just have to scold her once she’s here.”
“That newborn…? Hehe, what a mean dad.”
“What are you going to do about it? If you didn’t want to make mom suffer, you should’ve come out sooner.”
“Oh come on….”
I made some terrible jokes to try and ease the atmosphere, desperately trying to lighten the mood.
It seemed her contractions were a bit less intense than earlier, but occasionally she let out painful moans, making it clear she was really just holding on.
If only this pain could be halved—though I knew that was a meaningless wish, I held her hand tightly and desperately prayed to the gods I had never prayed to in my life.
“Excuse me, husband! I’m sorry, but can we talk for a moment….”
“Yes.”
At that moment, a hurried unfamiliar female doctor came towards me, calling me over—not the hospital director I had seen earlier.
My father-in-law and mother-in-law had also returned inside, and so the four of us began discussing my sister’s condition next to her bed.
“I’m Team Leader Kwon, who will be in charge of Ryu Seo-ha’s delivery. To get straight to the point, we need to proceed with the delivery procedure immediately.”
“Is it serious?”
“It seems the mother has been in labor for quite a while. We’ll start intravenous therapy right away and transfer her to the operating room.”
Getting my sister here didn’t take that long, which means I’ve probably been sleeping soundly while she was suffering through her contractions.
I almost blurted out an expletive but held back, nodding instead.
Now is not the time to be caught up in personal emotions.
“Will the family be able to stay by her side during the delivery?”
“Of course, that’s possible. Will you be staying with her?”
“Yes, for now….”
I nodded, having thought so from the start, but my mother-in-law shook her head, placing her hands over mine.
“Mr. Kang, maybe it’s best if you wait with us outside? I’ve given birth to two kids myself, and I know the delivery process isn’t something to show to others. Seo-ha won’t want to show that to you either.”
It seemed my mother-in-law, unlike my sister, had experience from having given birth twice, sharing her advice based on that.
“Yeah, honey… I’m fine, so please wait outside.”
Then, my sister, who had been quietly listening, nodded, revealing that she didn’t want me to see the delivery process either.
Of course, I had no intention of forcing her into something she didn’t want. But if that’s just because she’s embarrassed to show me her state, I wanted to shake my head.
I already knew; some people describe the process of childbirth in ways that make it hard to watch with open eyes.
But that’s not enough to suppress my desire to be there for her.
“Honey, let’s be honest. If you really don’t mind me not being by your side, I’ll gladly wait outside. But if it’s because you don’t want to show me your embarrassed self… don’t think like that.”
“…….”
“I’m not embarrassed by any of your sides. So, if you’re okay with it, let me be by your side until Joo-ha arrives. At least as a father, I want to keep an eye on the moment she comes out.”
Did my sincerity get through to her?
I wasn’t sure how effective my words had been, but it felt like my sister’s eyes misted up for an instant as she listened.
“I’m sorry, honey. Truth is, I wanted you to be with me… I lied.”
Then, placing her hand over mine, she shyly confessed her true feelings.
I couldn’t help but smile, shaking my head back. After all, I was as much a conspirator in this as she was.
“It’s fine. The truth is I lied too.”
“What lie?”
“Even if you said you were fine, waiting outside was never part of my plan. I intended to stay by your side all along.”
Once I confessed that as well, a bright smile appeared on my sister’s face, which had been covered in sweat.
“Yeah, I knew. I figured you’d be like that.”
As expected, my wife seemed to have seen through my intentions from the beginning.
We held hands for a while, feeling warmth together, before we finally made our way to the operating room.
From this point on, it wasn’t just my sister’s fight; it was ours.
*
Once we were moved to the delivery room, I lost track of time.
“Ugh…!”
“Mother, take a deep breath in and out!”
Since coming here, my sister had been continuously groaning in pain, engaged in a fight that could last who knows how long.
The white cloth surrounding the operating table had long since soaked red, almost black, from the excessive bleeding despite the intravenous drip put in place for it. I could do nothing but hold my sister’s hand by her side.
“Honey, hang in there…! Just a little more, just a bit more!”
“Haah, haah…! Ugh…!”
I was able to encourage her at times and facilitate the doctor’s and nurses’ instructions a little louder.
How intense must the labor pains be for her to keep holding on for several hours? My sister was gripping my hand without even showing signs of weakening.
It felt as if she was desperately trying to hold onto a lifeline at the bottom of a deep pit, and my heart ached for her.
“Sister, please. Just a little bit more strength.”
“Her head is out! Mother, it’s almost over! Please hang in there!”
“Honey, did you hear? Joo-ha is coming soon. So just one last push, just one more time. Please.”
“Ah, okay…!?”
Just before we moved to the delivery room, I could barely see the tip of Joo-ha’s head. Now, her entire head finally emerged into the world, and I squeezed my sister’s hand tightly, encouraging her.
Really, just a little more. Soon, this lonely struggle will be over, and we’ll be able to welcome Joo-ha together, smiling.
“Waaah!”
And finally, with a loud cry, a wrinkled, red newborn appeared in this world.
“Your daughter has arrived safely! You both did wonderfully!”
“Ah….”
The following words from the excited nurse made my body feel a sudden rush of weakness, and for a moment, I nearly staggered.
It was finally over.
Joo-ha has finally been born.
Our achievement, our first child we had been waiting for so long.
“Honey, you did so well. It’s all over now. So please rest.”
“Uh… what about Joo-ha? Is she healthy?”
“Yes, she’s very healthy.”
“Heh…. Thank goodness. I was so worried because she came out too early….”
I felt the same. It was definitely much earlier than the expected delivery date.
But contrary to everyone’s worries, it seemed Joo-ha appeared in very good health, just as the doctor said. After all the trouble she caused mom, this was only what a daughter should do.
“Husband, would you like to hold your daughter?”
“Ah, yes. But….”
Even though the doctor was offering Joo-ha to me, I thought my wife should hold our daughter first.
So, I handed our daughter over to my sister, and seeing them lying together, I smiled with relief.
“She’s so cute…. Our Joo-ha. She looks so much like her dad.”
“Isn’t it a bit early to say that?”
“Heh, but I can see it!”
“Really? Looks like mom has a good eye for these things.”
Gazing at my wife smiling blissfully, as if she had everything in the world, I gently stroked her hair.
I felt grateful. For this woman coming into my life.
I felt happy. For this woman being my partner.
I felt proud. For our achievement finally being born into this world.
It was beautiful.
Even though she didn’t want to show her unfiltered self, to me, even her sweaty, disheveled hair and exhausted look was more beautiful than anything in the world.
And now, I had two of those beautiful gems in my life.
Above all, that fact felt overwhelmingly beautiful.
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