Emergency Blind Date - Chapter 98
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Side Story Episode 2
Kang Hyeok decided to read books instead of active ball games and brought Jeong Min over to sit on his lap.
“Daddy will read you a book. Listen carefully.”
“Dada, dada.”
When he opened the picture book, Jeong Min pointed with his cute little finger and kept calling him daddy.
The theory that everything is daddy.
After reading five or six picture books, thinking this was no ordinary task either, he switched to puzzle toys that were good for fine motor development.
Bang, bang.
When pieces didn’t fit properly, he’d try to force them, but when he occasionally got it right, he’d laugh as if he owned the world.
Chuckling at that giggling face, he looked around, pondering what to play with next.
“Mmph. Ngh.”
Just then, Jeong Min struggled to get up from his spot and grabbed Kang Hyeok’s arm, starting to strain.
“Are you pooping?”
“Mm, mm.”
Kang Hyeok bent down and brought his nose close to Jeong Min’s bottom.
At the fragrant smell hitting his nostrils, Kang Hyeok pressed one hand to his forehead.
“All done?”
He nodded and smiled bashfully.
“Little pooper.”
When Kang Hyeok said this teasingly, Jeong Min, who had been looking at him with the most refreshed face in the world, slapped Kang Hyeok’s cheek as if telling him not to say such things.
Though they were small, chubby hands, it hurt quite a bit.
He remembered Eun Hyeok once making a fuss about getting hit in the face by Jeong Min while sleeping on the living room sofa.
He had thought how much could such a little kid’s hits hurt, but experiencing it himself, it was no joke.
Slap slap.
“Okay, you’re not a little pooper.”
“Yeah, bwother.”
“Should we go change your diaper now?”
“Yeah.”
Even while going to the baby’s room and being thoroughly wiped with wet wipes and having his diaper changed, Jeong Min never stayed still.
Every time he wiggled his small, chubby legs and squirmed his bottom this way and that, Kang Hyeok’s hands became busy.
Sweat beaded on his forehead and dizziness washed over him.
“Food, mama.”
After changing the diaper and returning to the living room, Jeong Min pointed toward the kitchen, looking for food.
How long had it been since he had formula…
It had been over an hour though.
Well, after pooping that much, he was bound to be hungry.
Kang Hyeok opened the refrigerator door, thinking of the baby food Goh Ah-reum had prepared.
Containers of baby food that just needed to be heated in the microwave were neatly arranged inside.
Kang Hyeok sat Jeong Min in the baby high chair and heated the baby food.
Meanwhile, he put on the baby bib and prepared the spoon for eating.
Kang Hyeok, who belatedly discovered the coffee he had set down earlier, thought he should drink it to regain his strength and gulped down the cold coffee in one go.
Da-som must have done this kind of work every time without complaining once about how hard it was.
Kang Hyeok brought the well-heated baby food and sat facing Jeong Min.
The colorful baby food bowl and silicone spoon.
Kang Hyeok carefully scooped up some baby food and brought it to Jeong Min’s mouth.
“Ah.”
Jeong Min opened his small mouth and ate it.
The way he chewed and swallowed was cute.
“Ah ah, mama.”
After swallowing, he flapped his arms asking for more quickly and banged on the table.
This time he scooped up plenty and put it in his mouth.
It was dripping down his mouth – what a mess.
“Ah, ah ah.”
Since you’re already spilling it, just feed yourself.
Kang Hyeok put the spoon in Jeong Min’s hand.
Then excited Jeong Min started waving the spoon around.
Half spilled, half into his mouth.
Whether he liked having a dad who let him make a mess to his heart’s content, Jeong Min showed his rice grain-like teeth and smiled brightly.
Kang Hyeok quietly smiled as he watched.
Right, kids are supposed to grow up messy.
Baby food had also splattered on his white t-shirt and gray sweatpants.
Jeong Min’s small, fair face looked like he had washed it with baby food – it was a complete mess.
“Come on, let’s go take a bath before mommy sees and faints.”
Jeong Min, who loved baths, kicked his feet at the mention of a bath, asking to be taken out of the chair quickly.
Kang Hyeok picked up Jeong Min and left the kitchen, going up to the 2nd floor.
The 2nd floor bathroom seemed better for filling the bathtub with water and playing together.
“We have to be quiet so we don’t wake mommy.”
“Mama! Mama.”
As if he knew mommy was on the 2nd floor, Jeong Min kept pointing upstairs and calling for mommy, making Kang Hyeok smile with affection.
Splash splash.
He adjusted the water temperature and got into the bathtub with Jeong Min.
When they were submerged up to their chests, Jeong Min flailed his small arms and legs and clung to him.
The soft skin clinging to Kang Hyeok’s firm body was ticklish.
He washed his face and hair with baby bath bubbles and gently scrubbed his body.
Looking at this living being who completely entrusted himself to his large hands, infinite responsibility and indescribable love stirred within him.
“Should we play with the tube now?”
Kang Hyeok brought the baby tube that Da-som had left in the bathroom and sat Jeong Min in it.
With his arms and legs free, he splashed in the water and chased after the yellow rubber duck toy.
Though it wasn’t even 10 AM yet, feeling the fatigue and satisfaction of having seen a hundred patients, Kang Hyeok dove underwater in the bathtub.
A chubby little foot, not even half a span long, tapped Kang Hyeok’s forehead, telling him to come up quickly.
“Peekaboo.”
“Hehehehehe.”
The child’s laughter echoed throughout the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Da-som stood in front of the bathroom door and quietly captured photos of the two.
Though the bathroom floor was completely covered in bubbles and water, she couldn’t just pass by this precious scene that would quickly pass if not captured now.
“Da-som.”
“Mama, mama!”
The two soaking wet people simultaneously looked at Da-som and waved their hands.
Their hair parted 2 to 8 looked exactly the same too.
As if to show they were indeed father and son, they were like two peas in a pod.
Enchanted by the peaceful scene of soft morning sunlight embracing Kang Hyeok and Jeong Min’s faces, Da-som also put down her phone and ran over.
“Da-som, be careful.”
“Hehehehehe! Mama, mama.”
Bright smiles bloomed on everyone’s faces.
***
“Professor Tae, wasn’t yesterday your day off?”
On the way to the restaurant for lunch later than usual, Seong-ho looked at Kang Hyeok’s complexion with curiosity.
“That’s right.”
“Then why does your face look like that?”
“What’s wrong with my face.”
“Don’t you look in the mirror? Anyone would think you pulled an all-nighter on duty.”
“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and go. There won’t be any seats left in the cafeteria.”
“Tell me honestly. What did you do yesterday?”
What did he do?
Jeong Min saw it all.
Feeding, washing, putting to sleep, playing, then feeding again. An endless cycle.
They said Jeong Min was easier to handle than other kids, but taking care of a 10-month-old all day was by no means an easy task.
If he, who was like an Energizer bunny, felt a fatigue he’d never experienced even after pulling two all-nighters in the Emergency Room, that said it all.
All mothers in this world are great.
“Hey, what’s the point of you being more passionate than me, a newlywed?”
Passionate…
Kang Hyeok gritted his teeth.
His ambitious plan to put Jeong Min to sleep at night and spend passionate time with Da-som never even got executed—he just collapsed and fell asleep.
When he opened his eyes, it was morning.
What did Da-som say when she saw Kang Hyeok apologizing?
“I understand everything. It can happen when you’re tired.”
“No, Da-som. That’s not it…”
“You wouldn’t wake up even when I tried to wake you, right? Still, I understand everything. Should I ask Mother to prepare some herbal medicine for you?”
He who boasted iron stamina had been defeated by childcare.
“Do something about those dark circles. What will our Nurse Im say when she sees you?”
“…If it doesn’t work out, maybe go see the Urology Department.”
“Me? Why me? I’m not that bad!”
Seong-ho, who flared up, glared at Kang Hyeok, his friend who was perfect in everything.
It seemed he was still passionately making love with his rabbit-like wife, so he resolved that he, being in the height of his honeymoon period, should also step up his game.
Burning with such motivation, Seong-ho arrived at the underground cafeteria and stood in line with Kang Hyeok among the bustling crowd to receive their meal trays.
“Should we have eaten outside instead?”
Seong-ho looked around with his tray in hand, searching for an empty seat.
“There’s a seat over there.”
Sharp-eyed Kang Hyeok spotted an empty table and strode over to that spot.
Long legs and quick actions.
He was the same way when treating patients.
Everything was swift and efficient, his emergency treatment so quick and accurate that patients never backed up.
A guy who has everything.
Even though he’s married, women who like him line up.
Over there in the distance, their colleague Choi Eun-ju, who had spotted Kang Hyeok with hawk-like eyes, was running over.
“Mind if I join you?”
What good news is she hoping to hear by doing that?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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