Oliver. The boy was quite well-behaved.
Jeong Taeui liked children. Whenever he met kids, whether visiting friends' or acquaintances'
houses or accidentally encountering them at a playground while on a walk, Jeong Taeui
always enjoyed playing with them. Watching children laugh, cry, play, and even argue
brought him joy.
Despite this, Jeong Taeui had never thought about wanting to have a child of his own. But
now, thinking about it seriously, he thought it would be great to have one or two or three
children. However, it wasn't something he wanted so much that he felt he had to have it.
Moreover, it had now become an unrealistic notion.
Nevertheless, seeing those adorable children together made Jeong Taeui feel happy and
content.
Above all, if there was a child who looked exactly like him, it would be truly adorable.
"It must be nice."
Jeong Taeui unconsciously stared at Richard's face and muttered. Richard smiled and spoke
like a true father - "Yes, it is. He's a good and healthy child. Even though we are divorced
now, I am always grateful to my ex-wife....… Come to think of it, you aren't married yet, are
you?"
Jeong Taeui suddenly felt the urge to hiccup. He rubbed his chest and replied - "Yes…" - then
sneaked a glance at Ilay, who was behind Richard.
Noticing his gaze, Ilay raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, a vague smile appeared on his lips. It
was clearly a mocking smile directed at him.
Ha? He dared to mock him. Jeong Taeui could only swallow his anger silently.
Although Jeong Taeui knew he had entered a situation where he would never experience
marriage again, he still felt angry when Ilay openly ridiculed him.
"The person behind you isn't married either, right?"
When Jeong Taeui asked this roundabout question, Richard widened his eyes in surprise, as if
he hadn't expected it. Then he turned to look at Ilay with a slightly puzzled expression.
"Oh, he has a lover."
"..... Oh, really?"
Jeong Taeui almost blurted out - "Really??" - but he managed to hold back. Then he turned
his gaze to Ilay with a look of disbelief. Although Ilay was not someone easily affected byothers' looks, he now frowned with a face that seemed to ask, 'Why are you looking at me
like that?'
Ilay had a lover.
For a moment, Jeong Taeui couldn't help but wonder if there was someone like that at home.
He wondered how someone who stayed home except for going out for work could suddenly
have a lover. Right. A lover. If he got married to his lover, what would happen to him? For a
second, Jeong Taeui seriously thought about planning his future and what he would do with
his life.
Ilay had been staring down at Jeong Taeui while Taeui was lost in thought, suddenly
narrowed his eyes when he saw Taeui's head nodding alone. After three seconds of staring at
Jeong Taeui's strange expression, he seemed to understand something.
Jeong Taeui saw Ilay open his mouth to say something.
Ah. Wait. Don't say it. No need to say it. I don't want to hear it either.
"I don't know if we are lovers or not, but since we are living together, you don't need to worry
about my marriage."
Ilay looked at him and spoke. Jeong Taeui quickly tried to stop him, but his desperate gaze
toward Ilay was in vain.
Those words coldly echoed from Ilay's lips.
Suddenly, Jeong Taeui wanted to jump up from the bench and run away like a storm, but he
wasn't a storm, so he could only sit still.
"Ah… y...yes. That's something to be congratulated for."
Jeong Taeui muttered as he lowered his head. He wasn't sure if this was truly something to
congratulate his lover on. Then, Jeong Taeui felt as though he had saved someone by
sacrificing his body. But along with that initial pride, his mood quickly became empty.
Richard, who seemed unaware of the strange silence, smiled and continued the topic of
children enthusiastically.
"I was very worried because my son is the youngest among the candidates for succession this
time, but fortunately, he seems to get along well with the other children. He has always been
very sociable, but I am relieved."
Indeed, he seemed to be a very kind and warm-hearted father. Jeong Taeui felt he could
understand a parent's pride in their child.
After all, to parents, their children were always the best. And for a well-behaved and
intelligent child, that was even better.
But then Jeong Taeui shook his head as he suddenly thought of Christoph.Because he was so beautiful and intelligent, he must have been a proud son to his parents - or
at least a son who made his parents proud when he was young - though his personality made
him somewhat doubtful of that. But if Christoph had children in the future, they would surely
be unbearably adorable.
Even so.
Even so, he always seemed lonely.
Always expressionless, everything around him seemed empty and boring.
"....If he had children…."
Would it be different? Thinking about that, a vague feeling of anticipation and unease
emerged in his mind.
However, Jeong Taeui did not think that would happen. He felt that the difference lay
somewhere deeper, though he wasn't sure where or how.
Jeong Taeui quietly looked down at his feet.
"Do you want to have children?"
Then, suddenly, a low voice came from not far away.
Jeong Taeui was lost in thought for a moment, suddenly became alert and looked up.
A few steps ahead, Ilay was silently looking down at him.
Jeong Taeui quickly waved his hand, saying no. He had been thinking about Christoph for a
while and it seemed his thoughts had wandered far away.
"No, I don't dislike children but -"
"Although everyone has different perspectives, I still want to advise you to consider it."
Richard interjected. He looked very happy thinking about his son, with a smile on his face.
"And you, surely you don't think about it either, do you?"
After asking Ilay, Richard emphasized a bit with a curious face. It seemed even he couldn't
imagine Ilay becoming a father.
Yes, I couldn't imagine it either. Jeong Taeui thought as he glanced at Ilay.
He shook his head and replied - "No."
"I've never thought about it, so I don't have any preference for it."
"Hmm. Does the person living with you think the same? If you have different views on
children, it will be difficult."While Richard was talking to Ilay, Jeong Taeui felt extremely emotional.
He wondered when he had ever seen Ilay talk normally to someone like this.
Based on what he knew about Ilay, most of his conversations with others were either about
work issues or political and social matters. Those were always bleak and dry conversations.
However, this conversation connected to everyday life made him feel so fresh and interested
that he was almost moved to tears.
So, for a moment, Jeong Taeui did not realize that Ilay's gaze was sweeping across his face
after hearing Richard's question.
"About having children... Well, even if the person wants it, it's not possible..."
"Haha, in that case, why not adopt a child from someone else? Among my friends, there are
some who have done that."
"Adopt a child from someone else? ... I don't like that."
Ilay slowly said.
Only then did Jeong Taeui gradually understand the conversation's content.
Oh my. What?
Jeong Taeui thought that if there was no special relationship binding them, whether they got
married or had children wouldn't matter. Talking about marriage, if it was necessary, they
could go to a country that allows same-sex marriage - although the thought of Ilay marrying
someone made him feel incredibly uncomfortable - but wanting children from the start was
impossible unless they decided to adopt.
And in reality, even though Jeong Taeui liked children, he didn't necessarily have to have one
of his own.
'Anyway, it's good.' - Jeong Taeui scratched his head upon hearing Ilay's answer, but he
decided to swallow those words because it seemed ridiculous to say them out loud.
"Instead of finding someone else to have a child with, I'd rather…"
Ilay deliberately dragged out the last word without finishing the sentence and then immersed
himself in thought. His gaze, hovering in midair, once again fell on Jeong Taeui's face. Jeong
Taeui unconsciously rubbed his arm, which had suddenly turned cold.
"I don't know how long it will take, but it's better to try until the child is born."
Ilay concluded seriously. The moment Jeong Taeui heard those words, he froze in place.
Try what?No matter how much they tried, having a child was impossible!
Suddenly, Jeong Taeui imagined a horrifying scenario where this man cornered him and said
they should try until they had a child.
For a moment, he turned pale.
"No, but—first, those things should be discussed with the other person. Who knows, maybe
the other person doesn't want children."
Jeong Taeui hurriedly interjected into their conversation.
Richard seemed slightly confused as he listened to Jeong Taeui, who had been silent but then
suddenly joined in enthusiastically, but he quickly nodded in agreement. Ilay stared at him
and then smiled with a vague, satisfied expression.
Jeong Taeui stroked his heart, which was pounding with anxiety and fear, and nodded
repeatedly to Richard: 'Yes, indeed.'
Richard looked at Jeong Taeui with a puzzled expression and then turned to Ilay and said,
"But I'm surprised to hear you're living with someone. I never thought you would find such a
person."
"Coincidentally, neither did I."
"Come to think of it, I forgot to mention the other day we met. Introduce them to me next
time."
"Sure."
While listening to their conversation, which sounded like real friends, Jeong Taeui somehow
felt as if needles were growing on the seat under him. More than anything, the worry about
when a scary topic might arise made him finally unable to bear it anymore. He slowly stood
up.
"Then I'll take my leave now... Please send my regards to your lovely son."
"Ah, sure. I'll tell him. Oh, come to think of it, I might have asked this a few times already.
Your name is…?"
Only after hearing Richard's words did Jeong Taeui remember that he had never properly
introduced himself to Richard or told him his name. Though they had talked a few times, he
didn't recall ever introducing himself properly.
"Dad!"
Ah, yes, this is why he couldn't say anything. Whenever he tried to say his name, he always
got interrupted like this.