Bom had no choice but to call Bae after two days. She told him to come in Seoul and meet her.

 

 

 

 

“I’m glad you called. I've trying to reach you. I've been calling you at your home and your office, but you wouldn’t pick up and talk to me. I'm guessing that you also got a new number.” He said. “And…why didn’t you let me go to your house first, Bom?” he continued while staring at her.

 

 

 

 

Bom looked away from him. She feels different whenever his stares would land at her. It makes her feel sweaty and somehow uncomfortable most especially now that something is going on between her and him.

 

 

 

 

“What do you expect me to do after what had happened? Try to act nice with you? Our friendship was ruined by that…” She didn’t continue what she was about to say and instead she just sipped her coffee.

 

 

 

 

 

“I-I just want to say sorry to you if….if it’s really my fault. I don’t want to blame all of this on you, but as far as I can remember, I tried stopping you from getting drunk. And when you got drunk, you kept on saying that you’ll take revenge on Seung hyun and then, you kissed me first and….” Youngbae stopped and looked away.

 

 

 

 

She wanted to throw the spoon she’s holding in her hands to him. “How dare you! So you’re saying that I’m….” she stopped talking. Bom thought maybe it was all true, that she was really the one who initiated it. But she was really drunk, hardcore drunk. Aissht…stupid head of hers! Why can’t sheremember anything?!

 

 

 

 

“That was not what I meant, Bom. If you didn’t like what happened, you know I didn’t like it either. I guess this is all my fault and I really am ashamed to your parents. They trusted me, but look what I have done to you. But believe me, Bom, I didn’t mean for that to happen. I was just…”

 

 

 

 

 

“What?” she asked.

 

 

 

“N-nothing.”

 

 

 

 

Her tears threatening to fall, started to cloud her eyes, but she didn’t want to cry right now, not in front of him. “Anyway," Bom shrugged  away the sad feeling growing inside of her again, trying to sound okay in front of Youngbae. "There’s really no use talking about that now. It already happend. I have something far more important to tell you that's why I called you to meet me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“About what?” Youngbae asked her, his brows knitted in confusion.

 

 

 

 

Bom hesitated for a while. What if Youngbae would not want this child? That he won't marry her? What about her parents? Thoughts clouded her mind, pulling her out of reality,

 

 

 

"Bom..." Youngbae called out to her, trying to get her attention back. "Bom-ah."

 

 

 

Bom shook her head then looked at him. “I-Im…" She startted, stuttering. Now or never, Bom.  "I’m pregnant, Bae.”

 

 

 

 

Bom saw his the shock mixed with confusion painted on his face. Her heart drummed louder against her chest. Now what, Bom? You should've known that this will come. She mentally smacked herself for being stupid.

 

 

 

 

“H-ha? You’re what? Bom, you're....”

 

 

 

 

“This is because of what you did…what we did…”

 

 

 

 

 

She cannot continue what she was going to say. Maybe it’s not entirely Bae’s fault that they had come to this point. All these years of being in this friendship with Youngbae, Bom never felt him took advantage of her ever. Maybe he’s right that she’s the one who initiated. Maybe he just did it because he was really drunk that night.

 

 

 

 

 

“We both know that we don’t want all of these to happen but it’s here now, and it came with a huge consequence.” Bom saw the paleness and shock vanished in his face. She did not know what she saw in his eyes but it was something different. She shrugged it off because  she didn’t want to interpret it as amazement or something of like that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“W-what do we do now? I'm read to take full responsibility, Bom” Youngbae said, the sincerity in his voice pricked Bom's heart suddenly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Appa and Omma knew everything. My whole family knew about it, about everything that had happen.” She said in an almost whisper.

 

 

 

 

 

He looked at her, anticipation painted on his face. “And what did they say?”
 

 

 

 

 

“They want us to get married.”

 

 

 

 

Youngbae's  mouth formed into an 'O' and his eyes grew big. Bom did not know why but she suddenly felt hurt when she saw his reaction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Look, I didn’t want that. It was all of my family’s decision; they didn’t even give me a choice nor an option.” She hurriedly tried to reason out to protect herself more from getting hurt. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a long silence from Youngbae, he spoke. “I'll full responsibilty to you and to our child.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“If it’s my choice, I really don’t want to marry you. Maybe things were better if I didn’t blurt out everything to them. I thought they would understand.” She bitterly stated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Youngbae's jaw dropped in shock, agitation suddenly rose up in him. “What do you mean? You planned to raise my child, our child, without my name and without me knowing?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She shook her head. “It’s not like that. It’s just that I don’t expect to get married this way, you know? Do you get what I’m trying to say?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His jaw tightened. “So you're saying that we have to get married only for the sake of the child you’re carrying?”

 

 

 

 

 

“Then what other reason is there for us to get married? That’s the only reason, I guess. We both know we aren’t together and we're not lovers. We are friends but definitely not attracted to each other. If you can think of a way to get out of this situation, then please tell me. I know this will be hard for you as well. I mean, you have your life, maybe you even have a girlfriend or something then all of this just have to happen, right?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took him so long to finally speak up. “I think your family is just doing the right thing. Because for me, I don’t want my child to grow up without a father.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You mean its okay for you to marry me only because you got me pregnant? What about your feelings? Your girlfriend? Your life? We’re talking about a lifetime commitment here, Bae.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Having a child is already a lifetime commitment for me and I’m all for that. I know you’re so appalled with the idea of getting married to me, but maybe we can work our way around it, you know.”

 

 

 

 

 

His words got her thinking. “Right. Maybe we can just get married and divorce after a few years...What do you think?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

His forehead creased and his eyebrows met. It seems like he’s really thinking too much about this situation. He exhaled and stared at her intently. Bom felt that sudden different feeling again when he stares at her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Okay." Youngbae agreed. "But I’m positive that out parents would most likely want us to have a big wedding.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Wait, just like that? What about your girlfriend?” she repeated. It seems to her that he is avoiding to answer that question .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Girlfriend? I have none.” He finally admitted. “It was an easy decision because you are carrying my child. What’s important to me now is to give my name to my child.” Youngbae explained without even blinking. He wants this child and he wants his child to know him, to grown up with him.
.
 

 

 

 

 

She swallowed hard and thought that everything is really not a joke anymore. Things are really serious. It seems like she doesn’t know what’s going on in his mind anymore. And the spark in his eyes confuses her. Maybe he’s really happy that he’s finally having a child.

 

 

 

 

 

“I just want to clear things up; this is only a temporary thing. We are going to separate eventually. I just want to make Haraboji and Appa happy.

 

 

 

 

 

“I won’t oppose to what you want. So, I think I have to talk to your parents as soon as possible and I have to tell my parents as well.”

 

 

 

 

 

“How would you say it to your parents? I’m afraid they’ll be so shocked.”

 

 

 

 

“I know they’ll be surprised, but I’m sure they’re going to be happy. I will tell them what happened.”

 

 

 

 

“We are friends, what would they think?”

 

 

 

 

His face became serious. “They have been telling me ever since to court you, do you know that? The moment they know we’re getting married and having a child, I’m sure they’ll be the happiest people in the world.”

 

 

 

 

Her heart skipped a beat. She doesn’t know why but it gave shivers down to her body. “W-why didn’t you tell me that before?”

 

 

 

 

He was looking straight in her eyes. “Because I thought you would only think that I’m just making up stories. You had been very vocal in saying that I’m not the type of guy you want. And that’s what I have been telling them. And…I also told them that I cannot court you because... you’re not my type either. We’re different. You want an this fast lane, city life and I want a peaceful life there in the rural.”

 

 

 

 

 

“I guess we really live in different kind of worlds.” Bom said, shrugging at the differences. He's right, they are total opposite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“But now, there’s this one thing that binds us." Youngbae looked at her stomach and felt his heart skip a beat. "We are having a baby.” His eyes sparkled as he smiled. Bom looked at her and tried to ignore what he just said. She shouldn't feel at ease that he's accepting everything happily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Anyway, we have so much to talk about our wedding. I just want to make it clear that," She paused and looked at him. "Our marriage will only be in papers. No more, no less."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Youngbae stared back at her and nodded his head. If that's what she wants, then he'll try to want it too. After all, they were bestfriends before all of these things happened.. "Sure, Bom. Only in papers."