BL REBIRTH: You Were Mine (MPREG)

Chapter 20

UNEDITED

Chapter 20

"I am engaged to Man Sung-ho," Na-ri finally revealed. Kim Jae-soo's brow furrowed, puzzled but not yet alarmed. Na-ri looked at him, his eyes betraying the worry he'd been harboring.

And then the bombshell: "Man Sung-ho is Baek Ji Hu's best friend."

Kim Jae-soo felt like he was trapped within a frigid ice cave, a paralyzing sensation gripping his every thought. His emotional turmoil left him at a loss for words, rendering him unable to articulate the intensity of his feelings. Desperate for respite, he shut his eyes and attempted to ease into the embrace of the couch, seeking solace from the overwhelming distress.

For a moment, Kim Jae-soo stayed quiet while Na-ri stared at him worriedly. He knew his best friend was doing everything to avoid Baek Ji Hu like a plague right after his rejection. Na-ri noticed Jae-soo's fear whenever Ji Hu's name was mentioned, a fear that spoke volumes about the depth of his emotional scars.

Jae-soo remembered hearing that Man Sung-ho had indeed married Na-ri, but he hadn't been able to witness the event himself. His attendance at such social functions had been restricted following an incident where his cousin had poured red wine on his white suit, humiliating him in front of others when Baek Ji Hu wasn't present. At that time, Jae-soo and Ji Hu had already obtained their marriage certificate, bypassing a wedding ceremony due to the Choi family's insistence. They argued that a wedding would be disgraceful, given Jae-soo's out-of-wedlock pregnancy and visible baby bump.

The memory of Baek Ji Hu's maternal grandfather's birthday celebration surfaced vividly in Jae-soo's mind. Grandfather Kang had just turned eighty and expressed a strong desire to meet the ger his sensible grandson had married and who had given him his first great-grandchild. Unaware of the circumstances surrounding the marriage and the conception, Grandfather Kang believed in the union's propriety.

After the introduction with Grandfather Kang in his study, Ji Hu had instructed Jae-soo to return to the hall and wait for him, explaining that he had something to discuss privately with his maternal grandfather. Jae-soo, feeling both relieved and apprehensive, made his way back to the hall. His mind wandered as he walked, his hand subconsciously rubbing his little four-month-old baby bump. He found a quiet, secluded spot in the hall to sit down. The party continued around him, but the noise faded into a background hum as he closed his eyes, feeling a wave of sleepiness wash over him.

He didn't know when he dozed off, but he was jolted awake by the shock of cold white milk wine being dumped on his head. He gasped, his eyes snapping open to see the smirking face of his step-sister, Su Jin, who placed her empty palm on her lips in a mock gesture of surprise, as if to say, 'Oops, my bad.'

Kim Jae-soo felt his eyes water as his chest tightened. Everyone around him laughed and whispered among themselves, their words piercing through his foggy mind like daggers.

"Greedy little bastard," someone sneered. "Deceived Baek Ji Hu into marrying him."

His head felt heavy, but he forced himself to stand. His vision blurred with tears, and he ran out of the hall, out of the manor, and into the night. Lucky enough to flag down a taxi, he clutched the money Ji Hu had given him earlier after they collected their wedding certificate, his heart pounding with a mix of humiliation and despair.

As the car drove on, Kim Jae-soo started feeling sharp pains in his abdomen, causing him to groan softly. His heart, which had just begun to calm down, started to beat faster in fear. He knew that his impulsive actions had put his baby in danger. He quickly instructed the driver to take him to the nearest hospital to ensure that nothing had happened to his baby.

After the check-up, the doctor informed him that he was lucky his baby wasn't affected enough to cause a miscarriage. However, he needed to avoid strenuous situations, as he and his baby might not survive if it happened again. Relieved yet still shaken, Jae-soo thanked the doctor and went home, collapsing into his bed, still in his stained white clothes.

As he lay there, his thoughts raced. He remembered how he had run off without telling Baek Ji Hu, who had indeed been searching for him. Pushing those thoughts aside, he tried to recall if Man Sung-ho had taken good care of Na-ri. He knew that even Man Sung-ho had to care for the most beloved ger of the An family, which came from old money and was one of the big families in the Empire. Seeing that his worry was for nothing, Jae-soo sighed and finally opened his eyes to look at his concerned best friend.

He wasn't going to be selfish, and there was nothing he could do about Na-ri's arranged marriage. All he could do was accept that he would also have to find another way to avoid Baek Ji Hu.

"There is nothing wrong," Kim Jae-soo said, prompting Na-ri to release a relieved breath.

"I just need to be informed whenever Man Sung-ho might want to meet you," Jae-soo added, believing that with this information, he could easily avoid them because interacting with one of them meant interacting with all.

"Yes! I promise," Na-ri responded, his spirits lifting. Jae-soo knew that the rich tended to brag about their worthy marriage partners. The Man family ranked as the second wealthiest family, followed closely by the Chen family. The Shen and An families shared the fourth place, with the Baek Clan being the richest among them. However, the Baek Clan ultimately claimed the top spot in terms of combined wealth.

As they engaged in conversation and laughter, the previously solemn atmosphere vanished. They proceeded with their daily routine, as it was still 11 a.m. By 1 p.m., Kim Jae-soo decided to revisit the café to apply for a job, hoping to make some money and keep himself busy, away from his dark thoughts. That little café was where he had made some of the softest memories with the café owner and his son, who were like a second family to him, making life less painful.

"I could drop you off, Jae Jae," Na-ri offered, not wanting to stay at home all day without his friend and being bored.

"No, thank you, Na-ri," Kim Jae-soo smiled as he ruffled his friend's hair, then picked up his cross bag and left their apartment. He still felt guilty relying on Na-ri, but at the same time, he wasn't going to be foolish like in his last life. As he reached the lobby of the apartment building, he caught sight of an all-too-familiar figure of another person he wanted to avoid at all costs.

Choi Min-jun.

Hey lovelies I hope you find this chapter interesting, I am trying to update once a week please bear with me and enjoy your day 💓