Married For Now

Chapter 291: PROJECTION

HUH?Cho Euntak turned his head in the direction of the door when he heard a loud commotion outside.

He could hear yelling, and that voice...

"Baek Jeho?"

Cho Euntak tried to get up, but his parents stopped him. "It’s okay, Eomma, Appa. I don’t feel dizzy anymore when I get up."

His parents were reacting that way because he would often stagger whenever he tried to get up before.

To be honest, his legs still felt a bit weak.

But he was worried about Baek Jeho, so he was putting on a brave act.

"Alright, but let us escort you."

Then his mother and father both offered their arms to Cho Euntak, making him chuckle.

They still treat me like a child.

Having said that, he still clung to his parents like a toddler learning to walk for the first time.

Even Dr. Seong Kyungmin accompanied them.

And, as soon as they opened the door...

"How dare you use Cho Euntak for your little experiment?! Do you have a death wish?! I’m seriously going to kill you!"

Cho Euntak was shocked.

This was the first time he saw Baek Jeho this angry.

Baek Jeho’s face was red with anger, and the veins on his forehead and neck were popping.

If it weren’t for his mother-in-law holding Baek Jeho back— literally— then no doubt Baek Jeho would have strangled Kim Minjae already.

Yes, Uncle Jaedong was standing in front of Kim Minjae protectively.

But seeing how angry Baek Jeho was, if he truly wanted to hurt Kim Minjae, then not even Uncle Jaedong could protect that person.

To be honest, it was obvious that Baek Jeho was only letting his mother stop him.

He probably doesn’t want to hurt Mother-in-law.

"Baek Jeho, what is this behavior?!" Uncle Jaedong yelled just as angrily as Baek Jeho did. And, like Baek Jeho, Uncle Jaedong’s face was already red. His veins were also popping. "Have you lost your mind?!"

"You’re the one who lost your mind, Baek Jaedong!" Baek Jeho’s mother yelled back at her ex-husband. "Don’t you dare curse at my son!"

Aigoo.

Both Baek Jeho and his father were releasing stinky pheromones— proof that the two were truly angry. It was a miracle that the father-and-son duo hadn’t gone after each other’s throat yet.

Everyone is yelling, except the culprit himself.

It was infuriating to see Kim Minaje calm when everything was his fault.

"Did you mess with my stabilizers because you wanted to see if an Alpha could really turn into an Omega, Kim Minjae-ssi?"

Cho Euntak asked that question in a cold, and slightly loud voice because he was afraid that his voice would be drown out by all the yelling.

I don’t like raising my voice, but I wanted to be heard.

Thankfully, his voice reached Kim Minjae, who looked at him with a blank look on his face.

At that moment, everyone’s attention was focused on Cho Euntak.

Now I’m shy.

Baek Jeho immediately walked towards Cho Euntak, his face calm now as if he wasn’t just yelling with so much anger a moment ago. "Euntak-ah, is it alright for you to be getting up already?"

"No, not yet. But how can I rest comfortably when people are yelling outside my room?"

Cho Euntak didn’t mean to be sarcastic, but he couldn’t help it.

Fortunately, Baek Jeho and his parents were decent enough to look guilty.

Except for Kim Minjae, of course.

Argh.

Kim Minjae-ssi’s nonchalance is really pissing me off now...

"I’m sorry, Euntak-ah. I’ll take care of things here," Baek Jeho said. "So, go back to your room and rest."

"No," Cho Euntak said firmly, and then he looked at Kim Minjae. "I want to talk to Kim Minjae-ssi in private— just the two of us."

***

OF COURSE, everyone was against Cho Euntak talking to Kim Minjae in private.

But he insisted.

He won in the end, but he had to compromise with Baek Jeho, his parents, and his future mother-in-law.

First, Cho Euntak and Kim Minjae would talk in his room.

Second, Baek Jeho and Uncle Jaedong would stand guard outside (while his parents and mother-in-law decided to talk by themselves in the café across from the hospital).

Third, his conversation with Kim Minjae would be recorded.

"You look pretty calm, Kim Minjae-ssi," Cho Euntak said while sitting across from that person. "You agreed to have our conversation recorded. So, this recording is actually admissible in court."

Well, probably.

Cho Euntak wasn’t sure because their law regarding the use of a recording as evidence in the court was pretty tricky.

But he wanted to scare Kim Minjae.

It failed, though.

"I know," Kim Minjae said bluntly as if he didn’t really care. "But even without recording our conversation, I have no intention of denying that I messed with your stabilizers. Admitting to what I did would give me a lighter sentence, after all."

Tsk.

"So, you’re really admitting it? That you replaced my stabilizers with whatever that thing was that could turn me into an Omega?"

"Yes. I didn’t have the courage to try it myself, so I thought I should watch how the pills would affect you first."

"You jerk..."

Cho Euntak wanted to curse, but he wasn’t used to cursing, so he could only clench his hands tight and grind his teeth in anger.

"I thought I was doing you a favor, Euntak-ssi."

"What are you saying?"

"You and Baek Jeho are the same age. Even if you’re not thinking about marriage or having kids yet, I assure that the topic would come up in the future."

"Baek Jeho and I have already talked about it— we’re both okay with being child-free."

Kim Minjae smirked bitterly. "I assure you, Euntak-ssi. Baek Jeho will surely change his mind in the near future— just like his father."

"Is Uncle Jaedong pressuring you to have a child?"

"He’s not saying it directly, but I can tell what he wants."

Cho Euntak only scoffed.

I don’t understand Uncle Jaedong. He already has a perfect son, so why does he want another child with his new partner, knowing that Kim Minjae-ssi is an Alpha? If he knew he’d want another son, then he should have talked to Kim Minjae-ssi about it at the beginning of their relationship.

"Actually, I also want a child with Jaedong-ssi."

"There are other ways to have a child, you know? Adoption exists. It’s in the gray area regarding our law, but surrogacy is also an option. Both you and Uncle Jaedong are an Alpha, though. So, I guess you should decide whose sperm to use."

"I want to have a biological child with Jaedong-ssi— a baby that’s both from us."

"Then you should just wish to be reborn as a male Omega or a woman, and meet Uncle Jaedong in your next life."

Kim Minjae just laughed, but it was a hollow one. "Euntak-ssi, are you sure you don’t want to become an Omega?"

"I almost died, Kim Minjae-ssi. Are you really asking me that?"

"Don’t exaggerate. You didn’t almost die. The severe stomach pain that you experienced was actually a sign that the medicine was working."

"Yes, because that damned medicine was creating a womb in my body when it shouldn’t be possible!"

Ah, dammit.

Cho Euntak didn’t want to raise his voice, but he was really getting angry now.

And because he yelled...

"Euntak-ah, is everything alright?"

"Yes, Jeho-ya. I’m still fine, so just stay there," Cho Euntak said, and then he glared at Kim Minjae. "Some of the strongest people I know and respect are Omegas, but that doesn’t make me want to become one. Even if Baek Jeho and I change our minds in the future about having a child, then we won’t resolve it the way you tried. We would probably consider adoption."

"It’s not the same as having a biological child."

"For you, maybe," Cho Euntak snapped. "But I’m not you, Kim Minjae-ssi. Our similarities end with us being Alphas, so please stop projecting onto me."

Kim Minjae flinched.

Ah, I hit the bull’s eye.

That was what Kim Minjae was doing— projecting.

"Don’t attribute your own insecurities onto me, Kim Minjae-ssi," Cho Euntak said. "I won’t say that being an Alpha is a blessing because I don’t want to glorify Alphas. But I’m content with who and what I am. Plus, I’ve long accepted that I can’t have a biological child with Baek Jeho. As long as we’re fine with it, who are you to do me a "favor?""

Finally, Kim Minjae shut his mouth.

I thought he was still gonna talk back.

It looked like Kim Minjae was somehow flustered after Cho Euntak made him realize that he was projecting.

Quite heavily, actually.

"Plus, you keep saying that you wanted a biological child, and yet you were too afraid to take the medicines yourself. What, you don’t want to give up being an Alpha?" Cho Euntak couldn’t stop being sarcastic. And he believed he had the right to do that. "If you don’t have the guts to change your body and give birth to your biological child, then break up with Uncle Jaedong and find yourself an Omega. Or a woman. Anyone who could give you the baby you want so bad."

"Shut up."

"You know, I’m really not a fan of badmouthing other people, but you make it easy for me, Kim Minjae-ssi. I hate how you’re so unapologetic about everything. You’re so unfazed, as if you didn’t almost kill someone because of your selfishness. But maybe I should have expected that from someone who had the audacity to be a mistress—"

"I told you to shut your mouth, you insolent brat!"

Kim Minjae’s calm façade finally slipped when the prick got up from his seat and grabbed Cho Euntak by the collar.

The chair that Kim Minjae was sitting on made a screeching sound when he abruptly stood up. It was loud enough for the person outside to hear since the room wasn’t soundproof. No wonder the door suddenly burst open.

Oh, no.

As soon as Baek Jeho saw Kim Minjae grabbing Cho Euntak, his face turned murderous.

Uncle Jaedong was following Baek Jeho behind, but Baek Jeho was faster.

Jeho isn’t yelling, but he looks scarier now than he did earlier.

Without saying a word, Baek Jeho pulled Kim Minjae’s hand away from Cho Euntak. And then Baek Jeho punched Kim Minjae in the face.

"Baek Jeho!"

Uncle Jaedong grabbed Baek Jeho’s shoulder to stop him from punching Kim Minjae, who was already on the floor, again.

To be honest, Cho Euntak didn’t know what to do.

Thankfully...

"Baek Jeho-ssi, Baek Jaedong-ssi, please get out of here— you’re stressing out my patient."

Whew.

Cho Euntak was relieved to see Dr. Seong Kyungmin— a strong Alpha capable of stopping both Baek Jeho and Uncle Jaedong.

Thank goodness.

***

"CONGRATULATIONS, Euntak-ssi— your pheromones are all back to normal."

Cho Euntak was relieved to hear that.

He was alone when he got the good news, though.

His mother was busy with the trial to make sure that Kim Minjae would be punished accordingly, while his father had to go back to work.

Unfortunately, we’re not that rich, so my father has to work hard to provide for us.

Baek Jeho was there, but his boyfriend was outside the room.

Dr. Seong banned him from entering my room after what happened last time.

"Thank you, Dr. Seong," Cho Euntak said sincerely. "For everything."

"You don’t have to thank me for doing my job," Dr. Seong Kyungmin said, smiling while shaking his head. "You may get discharged now. The hospital bills have been taken care of, too."

It was his mother-in-law who paid the bills.

His parents didn’t want his mother-in-law to pay for the bills, but his mother-in-law insisted because she felt guilty, even though she had nothing to be guilty about. So, in the end, his parents agreed and let his mother-in-law take care of everything.

Uncle Jaedong also offered to pay the bills and some additional monetary compensation, but he strongly rejected it.

I don’t want anything to do with either Uncle Jaedong or Kim Minjae-ssi.

Anyway, Cho Euntak wanted to forget about all of it for now.

He had more important stuff to do.

Stuff that could have already happened, if not for Kim Minjae’s meddling.

"Dr. Seong, I have a question."

"What is it, Euntak-ssi?"

Cho Euntak’s face turned red, but he still gathered his courage to ask: "Dr. Seong, is it safe for me to have s-sex now?"

***

Please ADD to your LIBRARY to be notified when an update is posted. Thank you! :>