The Price of Reckless Indulgence
…………… That dreadfully awkward four-way summit I'd been desperately avoiding—the most uncomfortable gathering on earth—had finally begun.
The venue was the living room of a rundown villa with a one-million-won deposit and three-hundred-thousand-won monthly rent. A low table sat in the center, dividing the front lines. I was perched there in full alert mode, while Yeom Hana lounged with her legs crossed, staring down the two women across from her. There was no way she felt any fondness for Han Sol—not after Sol had ripped the door off Hana's basement studio three months ago and lunged straight for her gut. For Hana, the fact that she wasn't exploding in rage and telling them to get lost was already a massive show of restraint.
On the flip side, Lee Jin-ah and Han Sol sat there as casually as if it were their own master bedroom. Even the glances they exchanged while scanning the room oozed leisure. They radiated the confidence of holding unbeatable cards.
Anyway, we couldn't spend the whole day playing this staring game. I decided to open my mouth first. Seizing the initiative with a question was the smart play.
"Cut to the chase—let me ask."
I fixed my gaze on Lee Jin-ah. She set down her glass and met my eyes.
"Why didn't you do it? The exposé you threatened."
"Exposé?"
It was the one thing I was most curious about—and the least able to comprehend.
"You blackmailed me. Said if I didn't get an abortion, you'd falsely accuse me of statutory rape through coercion. You threatened to blast it everywhere—internet, SNS, cable news, the works. But I searched, and nothing came up."
"Ah."
Lee Jin-ah, who'd listened quietly to my question, let out a scoffing chuckle, as if it were absurd. Then she lowered her long lashes and sighed softly.
"……Even if I did that, Sunbae wouldn't come back, would he?"
"Then why—"
"Revenge only works if you expect something to change afterward, right? But would posting that bring Sunbae back? Would it make me feel better? No. We'd both just end up ruined."
"Hmm."
It was an answer so far out of left field. I'd assumed she hadn't followed through because it'd backfire on her too, splashing her with mud. Once the exposé hit, she'd face her own hassles—media inquiries, cyber investigations, rumors spreading among her circle. So I'd figured she wanted revenge but held back for practical reasons.
But……she didn't because it would've been pointless?
"Sunbae, I don't hate you enough to want you dead. I wanted us to stay together. As long as no other woman stole you away."
A bitter smile crossed Lee Jin-ah's face, carrying a hint of resignation—or more precisely, a cold conclusion. She'd swallowed her rage and betrayal, then made a rational choice. True to her sharp mind, she'd picked logic over emotion.
"Then……."
I swallowed dryly and pressed on.
"Then why'd you come all the way here? To beg me to come back?"
"Finally asking the right question."
Lee Jin-ah smiled faintly. Then she stood abruptly. Her hands moved to unbutton her coat.
The navy cashmere coat slipped off smoothly, revealing the white knit shirt beneath.
Why's she taking off her clothes all of a sudden?
The question flashed through my mind for an instant—until my eyes locked on her abdomen, protruding under the knit.
Round. The curve swelled unmistakably beneath the shirt.
"……You gained weight?"
"As if!"
She glared at my idiotic question.
Yeah, no way. No one was more obsessive about self-care than Lee Jin-ah. She wouldn't balloon like that. And if her belly was this big, her face would've puffed up like a full moon too.
"Then what the hell—"
"You're clueless to the end. Or are you playing dumb?"
"……."
"What do you think this is? Your baby, Sunbae."
"……Wh-what……?"
Time froze. My brain froze.
"What'd you say?"
"I'm pregnant. Your kid's in here."
Lee Jin-ah stroked her belly.
"Probably from that week before you ghosted everyone. I'm at ten weeks now."
Ten weeks. The week before I fled Seoul. A few days before I confessed Yeom Hana's pregnancy to her. I'd definitely slept with her then.
No doubt.
"……."
Speechless.
Impossible.
I wanted to think that, but honestly, it added up perfectly. I'd never used a condom with Yeom Hana or Lee Jin-ah. Both claimed to take morning-after pills, and I'd trusted them like I did Hana—didn't want to overthink it. Easier that way.
No excuses. Even if I had ten mouths, nothing to say. I felt like utter trash just admitting it to myself, but facts were facts.
"Th-that's a lie……right?"
I barely squeezed out the words.
"Wouldn't it be nice if it was?"
Lee Jin-ah replied flatly.
"No, but……."
"Want to see the test results? Ultrasound pics too."
"……No need."
I waved her off. She didn't seem like she was lying. And what reason would she have to fabricate this?
Which meant……it was real.
Lee Jin-ah was pregnant too.
With my kid.
"Ugh……."
My mind went blank, burning white.
What the hell do I do now? I'd ditched my job and everything to come here, and now double pregnancy?
As I clutched my head and groaned, Yeom Hana nudged my shoulder.
"Jeez, ajusshi. Your sperm's insanely tough. I seriously didn't see this coming."
"Hey!"
"What can ya do? Water's spilled."
Yeom Hana chuckled wryly.
Two at once. One my live-in girlfriend, the other my ex-coworker and ex. My brain couldn't keep up—like running a cutting-edge game on a 750ti GPU.
How the fuck do I fix this? Can it even be fixed?
If some guy burst in with a camera yelling "hidden cam prank," that'd be perfect. But life never handed Han Kang handouts like that.
I sat there dazed when Han Sol—who'd been silently spectating Lee Jin-ah's bombshell—finally spoke.
"……First off, I'm sorry. Hana-ssi."
Hana's eyes widened at the sudden callout.
"Outta nowhere!? For what?"
"Last time. When I broke into your place……and went for your stomach."
Her tone was matter-of-fact. But the content was anything but light. Attempted murder targeting the fetus. Any normal pregnant woman would've trembled and unleashed a tirade.
But not Yeom Hana. The unflappable girl froze for a split second, then grinned sheepishly.
"Oh, that? Water under the bridge. I hit you way more anyway."
"………."
"Honestly, I thought I'd knocked a few teeth loose. Glad you're all intact. Wait, you didn't get implants, did you?"
Cool verging on icy. Fitting for her self-proclaimed "never loses a street fight" vibe.
Han Sol clenched her molars through Hana's slightly mocking reply, then nodded stiffly.
"Yeah. Now that I'm becoming a mom too, I get it. How insane that was."
If Lee Jin-ah came to reveal her pregnancy, then Sol was here to apologize. That was……a good sign. Sol had done something horrific, but better late than never—she was reflecting on it. After all the chaos, she'd grown up well. My pride and joy of a daughter—
……Wait.
What'd she just say at the end? Becoming a mom?
Before I could parse the ominous words, Han Sol turned to me.
"And Dad."
"Y-yeah?"
Han Sol stood. Her hands undid the buttons on her beige wool coat.
"……Same here."
The thick coat parted. Beneath was a clingy thin dress—and below that, a round curve identical to Lee Jin-ah's. Maybe even more pronounced on her slimmer frame.
"I'm ten weeks too."
"………."
"………"
"………."
Lee Jin-ah's news had overclocked my brain white-hot. This? It hurled my soul straight out of my body.
Three. All three pregnant?
"Wh-wha……."
My jaw dropped slack. Eyes bulged. Hands flailed in the air. Dream or reality? No clue.
Then, giggling erupted right beside me.
"Holy shit, jackpot."
Yeom Hana. She fished out her phone, tapped around searching for something.
"Ajusshi, freeze like that. Don't move. Lemme see……ah, here."
She shoved the screen in my face.
"Look, total match. Sync rate 100%."
It was Munch's famous painting. The skeletal-faced man pressing hands to cheeks in a scream.
"Your face right now. We gotta preserve this."
Her cackles filled the cramped living room.
Click. Flash popped.
"You!!"
"What? Show the kids later. 'This is how your dad looked when he found out you were coming.'"
Kids. Plural.
I numbly scanned the room. Four of us here.
Me. Yeom Hana. Lee Jin-ah. Han Sol.
Make that seven. One in Hana's belly. One in Jin-ah's. One in Sol's.
Four adults, three fetuses crammed in this tiny rural shack.
And the culprit? Me.
……We're fucked.
For real.
……………
"……Phew."
Hana's laughter faded, and I calmed a bit. Reality's calculator started ticking in my head. Three kids—diapers, formula, strollers, vaccines. Everything times three. Three million won a month? Not even close. The nest egg I'd scraped together? Three years tops.
Reading my dirt-paling face, Lee Jin-ah snapped me out of it.
"Sunbae."
"Huh……?"
"You weren't planning to stay here forever, right?"
"Wh-why?"
"Your face says you've crunched the numbers. Hauling fish crates here? No future."
"………."
"And the kids' education? I have zero intention of raising mine in a dump like this."
Han Sol nodded quietly.
"Agreed. I hate seeing Dad suffer too."
"Mm……."
Finally, Yeom Hana crossed her arms and eyed the room.
"Truth is, Seoul would be better if we could swing it."
"Even you, Yeom Hana."
"Hey, I said anywhere with you is fine—never said rural beats Seoul. Think about it. I only tagged along 'cause you were too scared of your daughter and girlfriend to stay."
"……."
Fair point. For city-bred Yeom Hana, scraping by in poverty here couldn't have been fun—no busking, no peers, no friends. Welcoming a Seoul return with open arms made sense.
Unanimous. Everyone but me agreed to head back.
"Settled. Let's go."
Lee Jin-ah and Han Sol stood.
"……Now? Right this second?"
"Wanna crash here another night? Cuddle up with three pregnant ladies?"
"No, that's……."
"Brought the van anyway—plenty of room for four. Pack whatever."
"Sweet! Thought it wasn't much, but the luggage adds up."
With their decree, my short, intense fugitive life on the south coast curtained down pathetically. Back to Seoul. With Lee Jin-ah, Han Sol, Yeom Hana. And three babies.