Arrange Marriage

CHAP 25

When Wonwoo announced he had to go on a week-long business trip abroad, Mingyu immediately froze mid-bite during breakfast. His eyes widened, and his bottom lip jutted out like a child being denied dessert.

“You’re... leaving me?” Mingyu’s voice was soft but accusatory, his hand unconsciously cradling his belly.

“It’s just for a few days,” Wonwoo tried to explain, setting his coffee down. “It’s an important meeting, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

Mingyu’s lips quivered as he muttered, “You’re abandoning me... and your baby.”

Wonwoo sighed, knowing where this was going.

The Five Stages of Mingyu’s “Grief” began immediately.

Denial:
“No, you’re not going. I’ll hide your passport. Problem solved!” Mingyu declared confidently, rummaging through the drawer where he thought Wonwoo kept it.

“Mingyu, that’s the kitchen drawer with the takeout menus,” Wonwoo pointed out, amused.

Mingyu glared at him. “Don’t underestimate me, Jeon Wonwoo.”

Anger:
“Who needs this stupid business trip anyway? What’s more important—me and your unborn child or some boring meeting?” Mingyu ranted, stomping around the living room.

Wonwoo stayed silent, knowing better than to argue with a hormonal Mingyu.

Bargaining:
“What if I come with you?” Mingyu offered, batting his lashes. “I’ll be quiet and won’t bother you at all.”

“You’re seven months pregnant, Mingyu,” Wonwoo replied. “It’s not safe for you to travel.”

Mingyu pouted. “Then let me call the meeting off for you. I’ll tell them you have a pregnant husband who needs cuddles.”

Depression:
“I’m going to be all alone,” Mingyu sulked on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. “What if I get cravings and no one’s here to bring me my spicy tteokbokki? What if the baby kicks and I don’t have anyone to share it with?”

Wonwoo sat beside him, pulling him into his arms. “I’ll call you every hour, and I’ve already told the staff to take extra care of you. You won’t be alone.”

Mingyu sniffled dramatically. “It’s not the same.”

Acceptance (Sort of):
By the morning of Wonwoo’s departure, Mingyu had resigned himself to his fate. But when the time came for Wonwoo to leave, Mingyu clung to him like a koala, his face buried in Wonwoo’s chest.

“You’re so mean for leaving me,” Mingyu cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. “I hate you.”

“I love you too,” Wonwoo murmured, his own voice heavy with emotion as he held Mingyu close. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

Reluctantly, Mingyu let him go, waving miserably from the doorway as Wonwoo’s car disappeared down the driveway.

True to his word, Wonwoo called every hour, asking about Mingyu’s meals, naps, and moods. Mingyu answered every call with dramatic sighs and exaggerated complaints.

“You’re mean,” Mingyu said for the hundredth time during one call. “You left your pregnant husband alone to suffer.”

“You’re being well taken care of, Gyu,” Wonwoo replied patiently.

“It’s not the same,” Mingyu huffed. “You’re supposed to rub my back when I have cramps and hold me when the baby kicks. Now I have to suffer alone, thanks to you.”

Wonwoo chuckled softly, though his heart ached hearing Mingyu’s sulky voice.

One night, after an especially grueling day of meetings, Wonwoo fell into a restless sleep. His dreams were dark and vivid—Mingyu alone, calling out for him, hurt and scared. He saw their baby, too, slipping away from his grasp as he tried to reach them.

Wonwoo jolted awake, his heart pounding and his breaths shallow. He couldn’t shake the lingering fear, the crushing weight of losing Mingyu and their child. Without a second thought, he booked the earliest flight home.

Mingyu was lounging on the couch in his favorite pajamas when he heard the front door open. He glanced at the clock, confused. Wonwoo wasn’t supposed to be back for another two days.

“Wonwoo?” he called, sitting up slowly.

Before he could process what was happening, Wonwoo was there, rushing into the living room and sweeping him into a tight embrace.

“Wonwoo, what—” Mingyu started, but the words died in his throat when he felt Wonwoo shaking.

“I dreamed I lost you,” Wonwoo whispered, his voice breaking. “You and the baby. I—I couldn’t—”

Mingyu froze for a moment before wrapping his arms around Wonwoo, his own eyes welling up with tears. “Hey, we’re okay. We’re right here, Wonwoo.”

“I couldn’t stay away,” Wonwoo admitted, burying his face in Mingyu’s shoulder. “I needed to see you, to hold you.”

Mingyu’s mood swings kicked in full force, and he began crying too, his tears soaking into Wonwoo’s shirt. “You idiot! You scared me, barging in like this!”

“I’m sorry,” Wonwoo murmured, holding him tighter. “But I’m not leaving again. Not until after the baby is born.”

Through his tears, Mingyu managed a small smile. “Good. Because I need you here to rub my back and fetch my snacks.”

Wonwoo laughed softly, his heart finally steadying as he held his world in his arms. “Anything you need, Gyu. Anything.”