25. A Sample Taste of Life

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Poster by ishipdaragon

(how adorbs is this poster?)

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The air was thick, and the silence in the room was deafening. Eyes roamed freely to one another looking for a hint of any reactions. Ever since they all have met that night, no one had spoken a word just yet. All that were present in the room were waiting for that one person to speak.

"Can I have more wine please?" her nervous voice echoed.

On cue, Mrs. Kwon ordered her butler to serve the girl.

"Nurse Yoo," she finally spoke making everyone in the table sigh. "I know this is all so sudden, but please enlighten everyone in the room," she looked at Jiyong, and then at Dara before returning her serious gaze back at the nurse. "About the documents we all have. It seems like we're having some trouble understanding all this."

"Oh Mrs. Kwon it's all plain and simple," the nurse laughed. "It's what is in the document is the answer you all need. I mean what kind of proof do you all want?"

"Nurse Yoo," Dara spoke this time earning everyone's attention. "How positive are you that this is Jiyong's child I'm carrying?"

"I know I'm a bit clumsy," Nurse Yoo admitted. "But really when it comes to the procedure, I'm a lot more aware of my surroundings. And like I said, let me repeat myself again okay...? What I do in the room is also being watched by the doctor. Obviously when I did the prep stuff, whoever doctor that was with us, which happened to be Dr. Kang would check it. He'll look at everything I have done from the first step to the last."

"Then why is the donor on my prep document different from the final papers?" she asked making the nurse bite her lips. "I mean shouldn't I expect the donor I have in my prep profile to be the same on the final papers?"

"There are many possibilities for something like that to happen," she chuckled nervously which didn't ease the tension on each people in the room.

"What possibilities?" Bom spoke. "How? You only had one job, Nurse Yoo. I mean one job!"

"Hey now!" the nurse frowned. "Look, I know what you all think of me...I'm clumsy and all that. People fear me whenever I enter the operating room. I get it. I'm the unwanted nurse!"

"It's not that," Jiyong shook his head hoping to make the nurse feel a bit better. "It's just that this is an important matter to us here. Like you said there could have been possibilities. But can you enlighten us what those possibilities are?"

"Let me ask all of you this question," Nurse Yoo looked at each people present in the table. "Does it even matter... be honest especially you two," she looked at Jiyong and Dara intently. "Does it even matter whether this child is really a Kwon? Didn't you, Jiyong start loving this child when you were so clueless about who its real father? You embraced this child even when its not yours or so we all thought. Does it make any difference if in the end hey it's not your child at all? Does it?"

"She has a point," Bom mumbled understanding Yoo's point.

"Look, for me, I'm just happy that this child you two will have has a loving family," Nurse Yoo went on. "I just don't know why all of you are making a big fuss over its real father. If in the end you all want to know if this is a Kwon, DNA test will be there to prove it. But let me remind all of you, you all embraced this child even without you guys knowing its possible identity in the beginning. Can't you all just give that to the child?"

"And plus, have a little faith in me," she smirked. "I may be clumsy, but you all never know I can be an angel sent from heaven. Now if you all could excuse me, I would rather enjoy the night by going home and getting some sleep."

When the nurse excused herself, Dara stood up and followed the nurse.

"Nurse Yoo!" she called. Nurse Yoo stopped from her track and turned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to doubt you on your job. I didn't mean to judge you that way."

"It's alright, I get it all the time," she laughed.

"That's sad, but really I'm sorry," she replied making the nurse nod.

"Just have faith in the child okay? Jiyong's or not just give the baby what it truly deserves and that's a family," Nurse Yoo smiled. "Good luck and I'll see you all soon."

"Thanks," Dara nodded.

Once the nurse left, Jiyong quickly attended the girl.

"I guess we didn't get the answer we needed," he whispered making the girl disagree.

"We did," Dara turned and smiled.

"Oh really? And what is that?" Jiyong smiled back.

"It's ours," she happily murmured. "Little Pomegranate is all yours."

"It will always be mine," he nodded. "Look Dara, if you would have just told me you were on the daddy hunt, I would have been there for you."

"No," Dara shook her head. "No...it wasn't the right thing to do in the first place. I mean I went to the bank for one reason and that's to have baby only. Bom unnie even reminded me how absurd of an idea that was. But I remembered everything, how this all started."

"What do you mean?" he looked at her curious.

"I wanted a child alone, you can say I had a man hater attached in me during those days," she laughed softly. "I remember telling myself, that I shouldn't need to depend on anyone, I mean I had to raise myself that way after my parent's death. So I went to the bank carrying this mission. I said no guy would ever be needed in this. But damn did that bite me back in the ten times harder."

"Did it?" Jiyong smirked.

"Oh sure it did," Dara shook her head. "Experiencing morning sickness, and all the other goodies this pregnancy comes with, hell I was ready to breakdown. But then, a persistent guy who I randomly met in the bar, who may I remind you had this biggest ego ever had pursued me. And there I felt all the things I have never experienced in my life. I was taken care of like I have never been all my life. He might have freaked out when he found out about me being pregnant in the beginning, but hell he made it all up after."

"And with all his TLC he had given me, I happened to enjoy the pregnancy more  and more and sharing that with someone," Dara looked at Jiyong and sincerely smiled. "Was overwhelming in a good way. And the wall, I had built so hard suddenly collapsed giving me a tinge of hope in all male species."

"Hey!" Jiyong chuckled.

"Look Jiyong, I know I've hurt you when you found out I was looking for its father," she started. "I didn't do it on purpose to hurt you. I just wanted to have an idea of how my... our baby's father will be like. But that mission...it all went to nothing knowing in the end of it all, I have you. You...willing to be its father just made me happier. And come to think of it, I just wasted wandering around for its father when all along my baby boy's father is right in front of me."

"You believe that its mine?" he asked stunned.

"I could feel it deep down," Dara smiled. "I think he agrees too."

"He does? How so?" Jiyong was rather amused at Dara's sudden happy face.

"He just kicked," she murmured excited.

"What? No way! Dara shut the front door!" Jiyong exclaimed. He quickly knelt down on one knee and placed both hands on Dara's belly. He then brought his ear closer to her belly and listened. "Hey buddy are you listening to our adult conversation?" he teased making Dara giggle. "Shouldn't you be sleeping in there?"

"Omo!" Dara's eyes widen feeling a light kick inside her.

"Holy smoke! Dara he kicked me!" Jiyong chuckled. "Hey now, behave in there and don't give omma a hard time."

"Keep talking to him Ji," Dara encouranged the guy.

"Be a good boy okay? Omma and Appa can't wait to meet you," he looked up and met Dara's teary eyes. "Just hang on tere a little bit more, it's not time yet. Soon you'll be with us and we'll take good care of you and love you unconditionally. And remember, I'll always be your father, part of me or not, you'll always be my son. You got that?"

Both smiled, as they both felt a strong kick. And when he looked at Dara, he saw her tears slowly falling down her cheeks.

"I love you so much Kwon Jiyong," Dara lovingly murmured.

"And I love you more than anything in this world Park Sandara," Jiyong was back on his feet facing her fully. "You and our baby boy are my only happiness."

"And so is mine too," Dara grinned.

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Next Day....

Dara sighed as she stared intently at the open fridge. It's been passed lunch time and she still hasn't come up with anything to eat. She's hungry, yet nothing had struck her on what to cook.

"Are you okay?" Jiyong walked towards her. "Is the fridge empty already?"

"No, it's full," Dara answered.

"Then what's wrong? Do you want anything from the store?" he asked.

"No, we have everything stocked up, I just..." she stuttered. "Don't know what to cook."

"How about I cook for you?" Jiyong said earning a smile on Dara's face.

"Would you?" Dara exclaimed.

"Of course!" he laughed. "All you have to do is ask babe. Now what shall I make?"

"Surprise me!" Dara beamed. "I didn't know what to make, so I'll leave it all to you."

Before they could move from their spot, Jiyong's door bell rung. Both looked at each other surprised.

"Are you meeting someone today?" Jiyong asked.

"No," Dara looked confused. Both walked directly to the monitor near the door and saw Bom fidgeting outside their door. "Why is unnie here?"

"We'll find out," he said. Both walked directly towards the door and met the girl. But their eyes had suddenly zoomed in towards the little girl beside her.

"Good you two are home!" Bom sighed in relief.

"What's wrong unnie?" Dara kept her gaze at the familiar little girl.

"My sister decided to drop Sarang in front of my door this morning," Bom said not making any sense to the two. "And she didn't give me enough time to explain how I can't baby sit Sarang today. But she quickly fled since she's on duty at the hospital. Anyway, I need the two of you to watch Sarang for a few hours. No more than five hours at least."

"Unnie you'll let strangers baby sit Sarang?" Dara asked.

"Oh come on Dara, you've baby sat her before," her friend explained. "And plus you have Jiyong here. Take it as a good practice for your future brat coming."

"Noona," Jiyong glared.

"Look guys, it'll be great in my parts and for you two if you baby sit her," Bom explained. "I won't be out too long, I just have an important client to meet and she's been bugging me about looking at her place to get some ideas. You know redecorating her place and such. Anyway, she offered me this huge deal, and I really need to get this started. And it's Saturday, I haven't gotten my breakfast nor lunch and I am running late, so please do me this one favor and baby sit her just for five hours max."

"You guys don't have any plans right?" Bom cared to ask making the couple look at each other.

"I guess it won't hurt," Dara uttered making the guy shrug.

"I don't mind either," he said.

"Then great!" their friend chirped happily. "Don't worry guys, I'll repay the two of you!"

"Anything?" Dara asked earning a nod from the friend.

"Thank you guys!" Bom hugged the two quickly. "Sarang-ah, you behave okay? And remember keep the claws in! Please!"

"Neh!" the little girl smiled like an angel.

"She shouldn't be a pain really," Bom said making the couple nervous all of sudden. "But you know where to reach me if something comes up. I'll be there right away. You guys don't know how big of a deal this is to me! So thank you!"

"Go on unnie, we got this," Dara extended her hand towards the little girl which the girl happily took. And once Bom saw the two's connection, she quickly nodded at the two and left.

"Come on Sarang," Dara called. "Uncle Jiyong is just about to make lunch for us."

"Was I?" Jiyong teased earning a faint smack on the arm from Dara.

Once Dara had settled Sarang on the stool that the kitchen bar had, she left the two for her to finish the said laundry. Jiyong started chopping and slicing the food while the little girl di