In My Arms (Hometown Cha Cha Cha fanfiction)

Chapter 37: Seaweed Soup

Hye Jin's POV

"So when will you be able to know the gender of the baby?" Mi seon asks eagerly over the counter. I'm back in the dental clinic.

"Mmm, after eighteen weeks." I say.

"AH! I'M SO EXCITED!" Mi seon says excitedly.

"Hye Jin ah," Mi seon drops back to a serious voice. "I'm sorry. I really am." Mi seon says apologetically.

"About what?" I ask her.

"For asking you to come with me that day. I'm sorry that you had to go through that because of me." Mi seon says, referring to the fire.

"Mi seon ah," I say reassuringly. "You've apologised more than a thousand times already." I laugh. "Please don't apologise, it's not your fault." I say.

Mi seon bites her lip.

"But don't you find it weird?" She asks me.

"Hm? What do you mean?" I ask.

"The call we got, telling us to go to the other building, wasn't from my agent. It was someone else." Mi seon says with a pained look on her face.

"Hm, that is strange..." I say and rub my chin. "Did you ask your agent whether they know the number?" I ask Mi seon.

"I asked my agent and even got Eun chul to run the number through the system. It turned out to be the number from a public phone." Mi seon sighs.

"I'm getting chills." I shudder slightly. "But anyway," I start, hoping to change the subject. The thought of the fire sends chills down my spine and I'd prefer not to entertain any thought pertaining to it. "I need to clear out all these old files." I gesture to the boxes lying on the floor.

"Do you need help?" Mi seon asks me.

"Could you help me grab those garbage bag?" I ask Mi seon as I bend down to lift the boxes.

"Deliver-" I hear Du Sik's voice as the doors of the clinic open. "HYE JIN AH!" Du Sik exclaims. He drops the bag in his hand and runs over to me. He takes the box of files from my hands.

"Be careful! You don't want to hurt yourself!" He exclaims and his hand immediately flutters over my stomach briefly. Already, a small bump is starting to show. I look at it with wonder.

"Hello Chief Hong." Mi seon greets.

"Hello Mi seon!" Du sik waves. "Help me watch Hye Jin and make sure she doesn't lift any heavy things, please." He asks her. Mi seon laughs.

"Wah, what a loving husband." Mi seon says and gives him a big thumbs up.

"What's that?" I ask Du sik, pointing at the bag he dropped on the floor when he burst into the clinic.

"AH! My soup!" Du sik yelps as he picks the bag up from the floor. "Jiang!" He says excitedly as he takes the flask out from the bag along with several lunch box containers.

"Seaweed soup. It has a lot of nutrients. Make sure you finish it." Du sik says. "And then this is... konggusku... soondubu jjigae..." Du sik says as he pulls food out and leaves a buffet on the table.

"Wow..." I say as I look at the huge spread before me. "Did you make all this?" I gasp in disbelief. Du sik smiles and nods, looking very pleased with himself.

"This is amazing. I-" I don't get to continue to finish my sentence before an irksome fishy smell hits me. It's like a punch to the nose and my senses grow funny. I gag suddenly and race off to the toilet.
"Hye Jin!" I hear Du sik gasp as he follows after me.

I bend over on the toilet and feel my gut twist and turn in a violent manner. Du sik comes up behind me and holds my hair away from my face.

"Are you okay?" He asks with worry twisted into his features as he hands me tissue. I nod.

"I think it's morning sickness..." I sigh. Du sik rubs my back gently. He helps me up and gets a mug of warm water for me.

"Don't overexert yourself." He whispers as he continues to rub my back. I smile gratefully at him.

"Aigoo, your husband is so thoughtful." Mi seon winks at me after Du sik has left.

"He is, I almost feel bad." I smile shyly. Mi seon smiles at me.

"Ah, I just remembered there's a neighbourhood meeting tonight." Mi seon says suddenly. "Should I tell them you're not well to come?" Mi seon asks.

"No, I'm okay. Really." I reassure Mi seon. "It was just morning sickness."

~

Du Sik's POV

"Alright! So today the agenda of our discussion is-" Young guk says in a very enthusiastic voice when Hye Jin and Mi seon appear.

"Oh! Dr Yoon, Ms Pyo! Come in, come in. We were just getting started!" Young guk says.

"Hello! Hello!" The greetings are exchanged between everyone as Hye Jin takes her seat next to me and Mi Seon next to Eun chul.

"Here." I whisper to her as I push the cushion next to her for Hye Jin to sit on.

"Thank you." Hye Jin says.

"As I was saying, today we are here to discuss an upcoming, exciting event in Gongjin!" Young guk announces proudly and waits for a round of applause. When the applause doesn't come, he coughs awkwardly and continues. "Last year, we had a sing-off. This year we will be having a dance competition!" Young guk says and claps his hands together.

"Yah, why are you all just staring at me like that!" Young guk complains. "Can I have some applause please!" He demands and everyone claps politely.

"Aish, what a half hearted applause." Young guk sighs. "Ah! Did I mention that this year's dance-off will have a cash prize of a thousand dollars!" Young guk exclaims and finally gets the response he was waiting for as everyone claps excitedly.

"Wah! A dance-off?" Nam suk says excitedly. "Maybe I should go! I'll definitely win the money this time!" She says.
"Just make sure you don't lift your arms." Hwa Jeong says, referring to the time Nam suk lifted her arms on television without realising that her arms were sweating profusely.

"Yah!" Nam suk exclaims as she slaps Hwa Jeong's shoulder.
"Ah! That hurts!" Hwa Jeong says and rubs her shoulder. Nam suk laughs and ignores the comment as she turns her attention to Hye Jin.

"How about Dr Yoon and Chief Hong perform a dance like last year, eh?" She winks. "You two were pretty good up there!" She says.

Hye Jin and I burst into laughter,

"We'd rather give others a chance at winning." I joke.

"Really? What do you think, huh? Dr Yoon?" Nam suk asks and executes her usual gestures of slapping people's shoulders. Her hand comes down hard on Hye Jin's shoulder and I can hear the tight piack sound.

"Yah!" I exclaim and jump up, placing myself between Nam suk and Hye Jin.

"Chief Hong? What's wrong?" Nam suk asks, looking confused.

"You can't slap Chief Hong's wife. Aigoo, he's so protective over Dr Yoon." Hwa Jeong laughs with amusement.

I feel myself blush slightly. I gesture to Hye Jin to shift over so that I sit between Hye Jin and Nam suk. I smile at Nam suk.

"Aigoo Chief Hong, I didn't know you were such a helicopter husband." Nam suk laughs.

"I'm not a helicopter husband. I just," I cough. "I just like sitting in this spot..." I say shyly.

Everyone bursts out in laughter.

"Aigoo, I think Chief Hong will soon become Dr Yoon's body guard." Young guk says.

"Why? I think it's sweet." Chun jae says.

Amongst the animated chatter across the table, Hye Jin slips her hand into mine and smiles sweetly at me.