Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 84:

Side Story (10)

It was a perfect spring day. Lee Joon’s expression hardened the moment he received Chief Kwon’s report during a meeting.

“When did they leave?”

“About an hour ago.” Kwon replied, checking his watch.

“And you’re only telling me now?”

“They didn’t want to worry you, so they completed the admission process before contacting us.”

Sigh

“Alright, understood.”

With a serious expression, Lee Joon nodded and stood up. His sudden movement caught the attention of the presenter, who was in the middle of delivering the first-quarter performance report. The presenter’s eyes widened in surprise, and the other executives glanced at him curiously.

“Oh, please continue. Something urgent has come up.”

Lee Joon said, quickly excusing himself before striding out of the meeting room.

“Chief Kwon, what’s going on?”

Jin Gi-ho, the executive director of Geumyoung Electronics, called out, stopping Kwon as he followed Lee Joon out.

Kwon smiled softly and explained the situation, putting Jin at ease.

“Ma’am has gone into labor.” Chief Kwon explained.

***

When Lee Joon arrived at the hospital room, Eunchae was already struggling with the increasing pain, softly groaning with each contraction.

“Eunchae!” he called out, rushing to her side.

“Lee Joon…”

She whispered, her eyes welling up with tears as she saw him enter, breathless from running in.

“You made it?”

“Yes, Mother.”

Lee Joon responded, giving a quick nod before turning all his attention to Eunchae. He gently grasped her hand, feeling the tension as she endured the labor pains.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… I’m still okay.”

Eunchae replied with a faint smile, though beads of sweat dotted her forehead. She didn’t look okay at all, and Lee Joon’s heart ached, fearing something might go wrong with her.

“Let’s do a C-section. It’ll hurt less.”

“Lee Joon…” Eunchae murmured.

“Oh, no, no, Lee Joon, don’t do that.” Mrs. Hwang interjected. “Natural childbirth is better for the mother, and she’ll recover faster.”

“But…”

“I get it, I do. My heart’s burning up too. Do you think it’s easy for me to see my child in pain giving birth to her baby? It’s tearing me up inside.” Mrs. Hwang said, acknowledging his feelings while trying to soothe him.

“But what can we do? This is how all mothers go through it. Let’s wait a little longer. If it becomes too much, I’ll personally ask the doctor for a C-section, okay?”

“Yes… Mother,”

Lee Joon reluctantly nodded, his heart heavy as he wiped the sweat from Eunchae’s forehead, watching her struggle to catch her breath.

‘How strange human nature is,’ he thought. When Hope was their lifeline, something to hold on to, Lee Joon had only felt gratitude and love for the baby. But now, seeing Eunchae in so much pain, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of resentment toward the child causing it.

‘I’m not fit to be a father.’

He silently berated himself, praying that Eunchae’s suffering wouldn’t worsen. But unfortunately, his prayers went unanswered. The pain only grew more intense with time.

“Aaah!”

“Eunchae!”

Lee Joon’s face turned pale as he called her name, helpless.

“Mother! Please tell them to do the surgery. Convince her! She’s going to die like this!”

In the end, Lee Joon clung to Mrs. Hwang, pleading with her. From the way things looked, something could go wrong, but Eunchae had refused surgery. Fear gripped his heart, shrinking it with every passing moment.

However, Mrs. Hwang’s response only left Lee Joon more stunned.

“It’s still too early. Her cervix isn’t even halfway dilated yet.”

“So… she has to endure this longer?”

“Yep,”

Sigh…

Lee Joon felt a wave of despair wash over him. How much longer would they have to wait?

Finally, in a state of helplessness, Lee Joon placed his hand gently on Eunchae’s belly and, almost pleadingly, whispered, “Hope, your dad is begging you. Please stop hurting your mom and come out already, okay?”

His desperate action left both Mrs. Hwang and Eunchae shocked.

“Lee Joon… what are you doing?”

Eunchae asked, her voice laced with both surprise and a hint of amusement at his desperation, despite her pain.

“I feel like I’ll lose my mind if I don’t do something. What have I done to you?”

Lee Joon muttered, his face pale with guilt. At that moment, he resolved: Hope would be their only child. He couldn’t bear to put Eunchae through this again. No more children—this was it.

“Lee Joon, I’m okay. Please… don’t torture yourself over this, alright?”

Eunchae reassured him, her voice soft but strained.

“Eunchae…”

Lee Joon looked at her, feeling a deeper wave of self-blame wash over him. Here she was, in unimaginable pain, and yet she was the one trying to comfort him. He felt embarrassed for not being strong, for letting his fear show so openly when he should have been her rock.

“Okay, I’ll calm down… and wait.” he finally said, forcing himself to regain composure.

Eunchae, struggling for breath, managed a weak smile in response, though her lips were cracked and bleeding from the intensity of the labor. The sight broke Lee Joon’s heart all over again, bringing tears to his eyes.

Time dragged on, yet Hope still showed no signs of moving down. Eunchae’s strength was draining, leaving her utterly exhausted, barely able to make a sound. Her energy was fading fast, and Lee Joon’s anxiety grew with each passing minute.

Finally, the doctor made a decision.

“We’ll monitor for about an hour more. If there’s no progress, we’ll proceed with a C-section.”

“Yes, doctor.”

Lee Joon responded, feeling a wave of relief. He was on the verge of losing his mind from the sheer helplessness of watching Eunchae suffer. He just needed time to pass quickly.

Then, out of nowhere, they received good news. Eunchae’s cervix had suddenly dilated.

“Mrs. Yoon Eunchae.” the doctor called out solemnly.

“Yes?”

Eunchae responded weakly, licking her dry, cracked lips, hoping to hear the words she had been waiting for.

“Shall we go meet your baby now?”

A sob broke from Eunchae’s throat, tears streaming down her face as she nodded.

“Yes… yes, doctor.”

The mention of the impending birth overwhelmed Eunchae with emotion. Lee Joon, his legs turning to jelly, nearly collapsed with relief.

“Will you be joining your wife?” the doctor asked, addressing Lee Joon.

“Of course.”

Lee Joon nodded resolutely, and together with Eunchae, he headed to the delivery room to meet their son, Hope.

***

“Seo-yul, peek-a-boo!”

“Grandpa’s here, my little Seo-yul.”

Tae Sung-yeol and Tae Moo-jin beamed as they looked at Seo-yul, who had just turned 100 days old. The baby, who was the perfect blend of both Eunchae and Lee Joon, was nothing short of an angel in their eyes.

“Let me hold him for a bit.”

Tae Moo-jin said with a contented smile, gently cradling Seo-yul in his arms.

Since it had been decided that the maternal side of the family would care for Seo-yul until his first birthday, the paternal grandparents visited occasionally, taking every chance they had to see the precious little one. Today was one of those cherished moments.

“He’s the spitting image of you when you were little, no doubt he’s Lee Joon’s son.” Tae Moo-jin remarked, grinning as he cradled Seo-yul.

“Right, Father?”

Tae Sung-yeol chimed in, nodding in agreement as he looked at Seo-yul, his eyes sparkling with pride as he admired the baby’s bright, lively eyes.

Just then, Lee Joon entered the room with Eunchae, having just returned from work.

“Father, Grandpa, I’m home.”

“Oh, come in, come in.”

Tae Moo-jin and Tae Sung-yeol greeted him warmly.

“Father, I heard you left work early today. You came to see Seo-yul, didn’t you?”

Lee Joon asked with a smile, already knowing the answer.

“Of course.” Tae Sung-yeol laughed. “I couldn’t focus at the office with our little Seo-yul on my mind. And your grandpa here wanted to see him too, so we came together.”

“And you think I don’t feel the same way? Yet, I still managed to finish my work and come home.”

Lee Joon responded with a playful remark as he gently took Seo-yul from Tae Moo-jin’s arms, cradling his son with care.

“Seo-yul, Daddy’s home. Did you have fun with Mommy today?” he asked softly, looking at the baby.

“He sure did! I’ll answer for him. Hoho!”

Tae Moo-jin chimed in with a hearty laugh. Although Seo-yul wasn’t his first great-grandchild, there was something about the baby that made him feel an especially strong bond. Seo-yul had brought a renewed sense of joy into his life, even making him want to live longer just to be with him.

“He’s been playing so well with both Grandpa and Father today. He smiles the moment he sees them, and doesn’t even cry around new faces.” Eunchae added, smiling warmly.

“He must have gotten that easygoing personality from you, Eunchae.”

Lee Joon said with a laugh, noting how his son seemed to share the same warmth and charm as his mother.

“It’s a relief.”

Eunchae said, laughing as she observed how genuinely relieved Tae Moo-jin and Tae Seong-yeol seemed at Lee Joon’s comment. Their sincere reactions made Lee Joon feel a bit awkward, and he pursed his lips, while Eunchae couldn’t help but smile at the situation.

“Please stay for dinner, Grandpa, and Father.”

“Oh no, no need for that. We’ll head home and eat there.”

Tae Moo-jin quickly declined, not wanting to impose on their in-laws. Tae Sung-yeol nodded in agreement, adding.

“We’ve stayed long enough. We don’t want to be a burden to your parents.”

“Not at all. If you both leave without having dinner, my parents will be disappointed.”

“When Seo-yul gets a little bigger, we’ll come visit you. So for today, please stay for dinner.”

With both Eunchae and Lee Joon’s gentle persuasion, the elders finally relented and agreed to have dinner together.

“Please, have a seat, in-laws.”

Yoon Jung-ik and Mrs. Hwang invited them, motioning toward the dining table.

“Pleeease sit…” little Seo-yul babbled, unintentionally mimicking the adults.

Laughing softly at the baby’s timing, Tae Moo-jin and Tae Sung-yeol took their seats at the table.

“You really didn’t have to prepare so much.”

Tae Moo-jin commented, impressed by the generous food, as he offered his thanks to Mrs. Hwang

“We’re grateful you could join us.”

Mrs. Hwang responded warmly, ensuring the atmosphere was comfortable and welcoming for the whole family.

“Thank you for the meal, in-laws.”

Tae Moo-jin said, bowing his head slightly.

“I’ll enjoy the meal as well.”

Tae Sung-yeol added, offering a warm smile.

Mrs. Hwang, feeling a bit shy at their gratitude, responded modestly with a soft laugh.

“Oh, it’s nothing special, really. There’s just a variety of dishes, but the taste is quite simple. Please enjoy.”

“Thank you.”

As the adults dined, Seo-yul, playing contentedly in the nanny’s care, remained calm and cheerful, not fussing or crying—a perfect addition to the serene atmosphere of the evening.

***

After a warm and cheerful dinner, Tae Moo-jin and Tae Sung-yeol headed home, leaving Lee Joon with the chance to finally have some alone time with Seo-yul.

“Son, were you good for Mommy today? Did you sleep well without causing any trouble?”

Lee Joon asked softly, his voice tender as he watched Seo-yul curiously follow the movements of the mobile above him, occasionally making little round shapes with his lips.

Lee Joon couldn’t help but marvel at how such a small, precious life could exist. The more he looked at his son, the more he felt an overwhelming sense of wonder and love.

Unable to resist, Lee Joon extended his pinky finger toward Seo-yul, enchanted by his son’s tiny, delicate hands. To his delight, Seo-yul grabbed onto his finger with a surprisingly firm grip, the gesture sending a wave of warmth straight to Lee Joon’s heart.

“Little rascal.”

Lee Joon laughed, amused by his son’s reflexive grip on his finger. He sat there for a moment longer, simply watching Seo-yul.

“Is Seo-yul asleep?”

Eunchae asked, approaching with a milk bottle in hand.

“No, he’s still playing.”

Lee Joon replied with a soft laugh. He couldn’t resist showing off their son’s adorable behavior.

“Look at this, he’s holding onto my finger and watching my phone.”

“Oh my, that’s so cute.”

Eunchae said with a bright smile as she looked at Seo-yul. His every move melted her heart.

“I think it’s time to feed and put him to sleep.” Eunchae said.

“Yeah”

Lee Joon agreed, preparing to hand over Seo-yul. But when he tried to move, Seo-yul didn’t release his finger.

“Huh?”

Lee Joon raised an eyebrow, looking down at Seo-yul, who stubbornly kept his grip. As soon as their eyes met, Seo-yul flashed a big, innocent smile, as if to say, ‘Dad, where are you going?’

Lee Joon couldn’t help but laugh, his heart swelling with love.

“Looks like he doesn’t want me to go.”

“This little guy, no way.”

Lee Joon muttered, feeling an odd sense of foreboding. No matter how gently he tried to free his finger, Seo-yul wouldn’t let go. Somehow, the baby’s grip was surprisingly strong, and all he did was smile.

“Oh my, what are we going to do?”

Eunchae laughed, finding the situation both fascinating and adorable as Seo-yul stubbornly held onto his dad’s finger. She couldn’t stop smiling at how cute their son was.

“What else can I do? I’ll just hold him and feed him like this.”

While Lee Joon fed their son, Eunchae, touched by the sweet father-son moment, captured the scene on her camera.

“Click!”

Another happy moment of their family life was saved as a memory, a snapshot of a day that would be cherished for years.