Chapter Text
One line. The one line stared back at her mockingly as Eunjae’s heart sank. She bit her lips as she felt them start to quiver and with shaking hands she threw the stick away.
Woojin was coming home anytime soon and she didn’t want to burden him with another emotional outburst. But the hollowness she felt on her chest betrayed her and before she realized it, tears had already brimmed on her eyes and she broke out muffled sobs. Just for five minutes , she’ll let herself cry for five minutes. And then when her time was up, she washed her face and applied some tint on her cheeks and lips hoping that she didn’t look as pale.
“Hey Beautiful.” Woojin kissed her forehead upon arriving home.
“I missed you, my love.” Eunjae greeted him with a smile on her face, but she didn’t feel beautiful, especially now.
Woojin noticed that her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. He cradled her face in both of his hands and traced the bags under her eyes. He always felt uneasy when his Eunjae was feeling down. As the guy who’s loved her for twelve years now and still counting, he wanted to be the one to fight off whatever was making her upset. But also as the guy who’s known her for more than twelve years, he knew she’d rather just want him to be by her side.
“Please tell me what’s wrong, Eunjae.” He whispered, tucking a loose strand behind her ear.
Eunjae felt a new batch of tears coming and Woojin immediately pulled her into a hug, placing his hand on her head guiding it to his shoulder. In return, Eunjae clutched on the sides of his shirt as she let out harder sobs now that Woojin was there. Woojin rocked her side to side until she finally calmed down.
“I feel like I’m not good enough for you, Woojin.” She whispered back to him in quivering lips.
Woojin felt his heart break at that comment. He wanted Eunjae to face him, but she clutched on him tighter, not ready to look at him. How could she think that when meeting her again here in Doldam and having the chance to fall in love with her and marry her had been the best things in his life by far?
“I’m scared Woojin. We’ve been trying so hard, and I can’t get us pregnant.” She sniffed.
He couldn’t even imagine how hard it must’ve been for Eunjae. After getting married the previous year, they both were excited to have a family of their own. Him most especially. He always told her how he wanted them to have lots of babies and how excited he was to spoil his own family.
However things weren’t as easy for them. The expansion of the Doldam Trauma Center had not been the most ideal for Eunjae’s health and she suffered from two miscarriages. It had been difficult especially for Eunjae who had wanted to fulfill their family dreams and at the same time still excel in her professional work. All the while, Kim Sabu and the whole of Doldam staff had been very supportive of them. But it was disappointing Woojin that Eunjae feared the most.
“Eunjae, you know that I love you no matter what right?” Woojin whispered to her ear, not knowing what else to say. Because what else was there to say when really it was Eunjae’s happiness that concerned him the most. If having a baby was going to put her in too much pressure, he didn’t want her to go through anymore of this. They could wait. They could even adopt. They could live with plenty of pets. It truly didn’t matter to him, as long as he gets to spend the rest of his life with Eunjae.
“You don’t understand, Woojin!” she cried out frustrated. “I know you love me but I want to have a baby with you! I want your baby in me! I want to give you kids!”
Woojin held her tight as she cried and cried again until she fell asleep in his arms. He carried her to bed, brushing her hair.
“Please don’t cry because of that anymore Eunjae. I only want you to be happy with me.” He whispered to her ear as he held her tight.
///
*Two years ago*
It was no secret that Woojin liked Eunjae. Kim Sabu had first noticed Woojin’s fondness for Eunjae since that day he observed them during the diaphragm tear operation in Goesan Hospital. Nurse Oh had sensed it when they were quarrelling in front of the prime minister on their first day at Doldam. Dr Bae knew it right away with Woojin’s not so subtle glances and how he always looked out for Eunjae. Heck, even Dr. Park knew it and used it as a hold on him when he tried to let Woojin drop the case about a patient’s removed gallbladder.
So when they finally became official as a couple, it was no surprise amongst the Doldam staff. And of course, it was only natural that Dr. Jung Insoo would purposely tease and rile up Woojin about it, including calling in them to the ER to purposely interrupt their coffee breaks.
But not today. Woojin was able to duck out of Dr. Jung’s silly pranks and grab a coffee for him and Eunjae who had been waiting for him by the lake. These twenty minute coffee breaks was something that Woojin looked forward to daily as catching his girlfriend at work became more difficult as they both began to be busier.
Some days Eunjae would chattily tell her about her day while he listened to her rambling. Other days Eunjae would just hug him for the duration of their 20-minute coffee break, saying that all she needed was his warmth to get her through the rest of her shift. And then there would also be days like this, when just sitting beside Eunjae already made him the happiest.
It was also no secret that he couldn’t wait to marry her, as he had pestered Dr. Bae, Dr. Jung, and Nurse Euntak on ideas on how to propose to Eunjae. He played with her hands, his thumb grazing over her ring finger.
“Ya, I felt that!” Eunjae smiled at him cheekily.
“Huh, what are you talking about?” Woojin said playing dumb as he continued to caress her hands.
Eunjae kept smiling up at him.
“Pretend that you didn’t know about that.” He playfully flicked her nose as she wouldn’t stop looking at him, her eyes bright.
She pecked his lips in response.
“Just so you know I can’t wait to marry you too, Woojin.” she whispered like it was their secret.
And Woojin captured her lips and kissed her breathless until their break ended.
///
A thunderstorm poured heavily the next day. Knowing that it was going to be a long night Woojin sought out his wife to have dinner with her. But Eunjae had been purposely avoiding him throughout the day, still embarrassed from her emotional outburst the night before. Another bus accident had happened and Woojin was called to get ready to scrub in. Just as Woojin left the changing room, Eunjae entered and they both paused. The tension eerily familiar as to what it felt like during their first weeks in Doldam.
His eyes traced her features, assessing her mood. It hurt him that Eunjae wasn’t the one initiating the conversation this time.
“Take care, okay?” He walked across and kissed her forehead.
“Hmm.” Eunjae replied.
He sensed that Eunjae wasn’t going to warm up to him anytime soon, so he made a move to leave.
“Woojin.” Eunjae called after him. “Take care too, hmm?” She gave him a tiny smile.
“Mhm.” Woojin nodded, smiling back. ‘ She’ll be okay soon. ’ Woojin thought.