Chapter 9: Noodle Nights and Mortifying Moments

Slurp—
I woke up late at night and shamelessly ate dinner.
Thankfully, morning sickness didn’t hit as hard as yesterday.
‘This chicken kalguksu is tasty.’
I woke up at 10 p.m.
This dish hit the spot, and Jaehyuk dashed out to get it after one word.
By 10:40 p.m., he was back.
I was in the middle of a satisfying meal, but there was an obstacle.
…Is calling it an obstacle too crude?
Father, Lady Han, and Eunju all turned their eyes from the TV to me.
“Unnie, is it good?”
“Yeju, you okay?”
“Ahem, you should eat a lot at times like this.”
Their stares made me want to eat fast, but they scolded me for rushing.
Eat too slow, and they asked if I’d lost my appetite.
‘This is dizzying.’
I sent Jaehyuk an SOS look, but blood’s thicker than water, right?
He threw the same scolding my way.
“Have some fruit too.”
Even a fruit attack after the meal.
It felt like visiting Grandma’s house.
Eating more is good, but… this body’s stomach is too small.
“I’m gonna burst…”
“Oh, Yeju, look at this.”
Lady Han touched my wrist gently.
Her eyes were full of concern.
“If you want to be healthier, a bit more weight would help… can’t you try?”
“I’ll try.”
I forced the fruit down.
Push past your limits, Kim Yeju.

“My stomach’s gonna explode.”
I rubbed my full belly while climbing the stairs.
Jaehyuk followed, carrying—what’s it called, a tray?
Anyway, he was carefully holding a plate of the fruit I loved.
‘That spy. Definitely a spy.’
If we’re married, shouldn’t you care about my stomach bursting?
This time, I didn’t come to the room to sleep.
My eyes landed on two laptops neatly placed on the desk.
“Let’s play a game.”
“Yeju, shouldn’t you sleep?”
I pointed at my belly.
“My kid wants to game.”
“Don’t sell the kid.”
“…Shut up and sit. Start the game. Duo time.”
In League of Legends, my rank was Gold.
Barely scraped there by grinding games.
Jaehyuk was Gold too, so I thought a quick match would be fun.
“Huh?”
I rubbed my eyes with both hands.
Are my eyes broken?
This is my nickname, my account, right?
Why’s it Diamond?
“…You did a lot in a year, but gaming like a no-lifer was real. You played a ton.”
…My talent, huh? Even if it’s Diamond from over a thousand games.
Did my hidden talent bloom in those two years?
“Hey, why’re you Diamond too!”
“I played with you sometimes.”
“You barely played!”
“I carried every time we duoed.”
“No way…”
“I kept winning, you went win-loss-win-loss-loss-loss-win, so we’re close.”
“Ugh…”
I sent Jaehyuk an invite and queued up.
My body must’ve changed a lot physically.
My mechanics are insane now.
But the game’s core hasn’t changed.
Top laners raging after feeding, mid blaming jungle, jungle diving headfirst.
“This game’s winnable.”
Then a chat popped up.
–[Mid: Yo, bot, why aren’t you rotating?]
Despite MIA pings, mid dove and died, then challenged me.
–[Mid: What’re you doing gaming at this hour?]
…Hmm, what should I say?
I tapped the keyboard and typed a reply.
–[ADC: I’m a mom of two… sorry.]
–[ADC: Trying to play with my kids… it’s tough.]
I stopped my character, typing like a hunt-and-peck newbie.
The chat froze like it got tased, then mid responded.
–[Mid: Oh, that happens. Let’s play hard. We can win.]
–[Jungle: True. ADC’s doing great. Let’s go, team.]
That’s right, kids.
This is how you game.
But a mom hitting Diamond to play with her kids?
They’d be begging to duo.
“You keep selling the kids like that, you good?”
Jaehyuk gave me a weird look.
It’s not a lie—I’m a mom-to-be of two bunny-like kids, right?
The game flipped fast, and we won.
Master promo as a bonus.
‘Can’t resist this.’
Five more games, then sleep?
Before my fingers moved, Jaehyuk lifted me from my chair.
“Hey, why!”
“You won’t sleep early, and tomorrow you’ll crash again.”
“One day’s fine!”
“You lived like that for a month while pregnant. Up all night, sleeping all day.”
“…”
“You only wake up when I get home.”
Nothing to say.
That sounds like my life balance is totally shot.
“Mom and Dad are here too. Mom’ll wake you up in the morning. You’ll be groaning, and I’m worried.”
“…”
How does he worry so openly, his eyes screaming it?
Or is it my rose-colored glasses?
Jaehyuk set me on the bed.
The soft blanket felt nice under my legs.
Click.
Jaehyuk turned off the light and came beside me.
He didn’t cover himself first, wrapping the blanket tightly around me.
Like tying me up so I couldn’t move.
“Why’re you doing this?”
“I love everything about you, but your sleep-talking…”
“What! I barely sleep-talk!”
“It’s bad.”
This firm Jaehyuk is new.
Sleep-talking… really?
I don’t even shift positions in my sleep.
Doubting but deciding ‘no way,’ I fell asleep.

Rustle—
Jaehyuk woke, feeling the blanket slide off his neck.
His left arm felt like it had hot packs strapped to it.
Turning left, he saw Yeju clinging to his arm.
Her legs were tangled with his.
“Ugh…”
Her occasional noises and constant squirming made Jaehyuk barely move his arms.
[3:24]
Still three hours and thirty-six minutes until he had to wake up.
“Mmm…”
Yeju, head near his chest, mumbled.
“Hehe, Jaehyuk…”
A soft breath came from her small mouth.
Jaehyuk looked away and squeezed his eyes shut.
“…I’m gonna lose it. Seriously.”
Even before she lost her memory, Yeju sleep-talked like this.
Back then, there were happy times, but this? Endless torture with no happy times in sight.
Unable to do anything, Jaehyuk closed his eyes, waiting for sleep.
Thud.
But Yeju’s legs fully wrapped around him.
“…Haa, phew.”
Looks like he’d stay up all night.

Man, I slept great.
Feeling this refreshed means I slept well.
When I opened my eyes, something felt off.
I should see the beautiful ceiling, but why’s Jaehyuk’s shirt in view?
My leg… stopped just short of a risky spot.
‘My sleep-talking’s that bad?’
Gotta move before Jaehyuk notices.
Then lie straight and protest I don’t sleep-talk.
“Hey.”
As I sneakily pulled the blanket to turn over, a voice.
I lay still, pretending to sleep.
“You said you don’t sleep-talk much.”
He saw me open my eyes.
“Sorry.”
“…”
“But it’s nice, right? Someone like me clinging to you should feel good.”
“Yeah, sure it’s nice.”
His sarcastic tone.
My ears caught it perfectly.
I turned, fully giving up, and locked eyes with Jaehyuk.
I tried hard to ignore how cute his messy hair looked through my rose-colored glasses.
“…”
“…”
“You glaring at me?”
“You were a guy too. You get this feeling.”
“How would a forever-single guy know? Are we the same?”
I knelt on the bed, staring down at him.
“You… use up that much in two weeks. Beast.”
“If we’re talking that, you take it all. Ever think about my feelings?”
“You complaining?”
“…No.”
“Ugh, if you’re mad, just say it.”
“Forget it.”
Jaehyuk tried to get up.
Seeing him, I gave up completely.
Grab—
“Huh?”
I clung to him, climbing on top.
I brushed my bangs back and said.
His face below me was full of panic.
“I told you yesterday.”
“…Hey, wait…”
“Close our eyes and do it! Think I can’t?”
“Hey, stop! Stooop!”
“Stop what? No red light now. Like you said, my head’s a mess, but my body’s honest!”
I gripped his shirt, and then a weird sound.
Creak—
An uneasy noise.
Like when my parents opened my door as a kid, a creepy feeling crawled up my spine.
Jaehyuk turned his head away.
I creaked my neck to look back.
Long black hair, kind eyes, a face that could rival K-pop idols—my Mother, Lady Han, peeked through the door.
Seeing us, she said.
“Oh my.”
She paused, looking thoughtful.
What’s our position right now?
A tiny me on top of Jaehyuk, gripping his shirt.
Before closing the door, Mother said.
“Kids, a third or fourth would be nice… but shouldn’t you focus on the first two? Uh… be careful.”
Click.
The door shut.
My head, exploding moments ago, went ice-cold.
I shrank, slid off Jaehyuk, and buried my face in the pillow.
“…Don’t talk to me.”
“…”
“I’m not leaving this room. I can’t!!!”
Yelling into the pillow was the best I could do.