Homecoming and the Baby Bump

Son. Shouldn't you be at the academy right now?

Putting aside Cheong-yeon's stalker business, I spent the day as originally planned. Paid off my tab at the gisaeng house, registered my guns at the magistrate's office, and even bought a souvenir for Eori at the market. The next day, I set off bright and early.

There was a bit of a hiccup on the way.

Thud! "Get lost, you fucking bitch!" Bang! Bang!

But I handled it without any real trouble and made it back to my hometown.

"...!"

The moment Chaekho Village came into view, my heart started pounding. I hurried toward the village, leading my horse.

While I was away in Jeonju, Eori had chosen to stay with my mother rather than live alone. Eager to see her as soon as possible, I headed straight for my family home.

"Heeheehee!"

As I drew near my mother's house, Eori's bright, innocent laughter rang out. Clutching my racing heart, I quietly led the horse closer.

Peeking over the fence into the inner courtyard, I saw a raised platform had been set up there while I was gone.

"Is that so? Did your husband really do that?"

"Of course. It's true. My hands were shaking so much when I saw it."

"Madam, you truly are remarkable."

"...".

Eori, my mother, and the Geum-ok and Eun-ok sisters were all sitting on the platform, peeling persimmons. They were prepping to make dried persimmons, it seemed.

I couldn't bring myself to call out loud; I just watched the heartwarming scene in silence. Especially Eori—I couldn't take my eyes off her.

Eori had grown even more beautiful since I'd left for Jeonju. Her chocolate-dark skin gleamed with a healthy sheen, her large, sparkling eyes twinkled like stars in the night sky, and her cute smile revealed full red lips tinged with a subtle allure.

"Heeheehee, hm?"

Eori, who had been giggling at my mother's words, suddenly looked my way. She spotted me right away, didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even blink, raised her hand—and swung it.

She hurled the fruit knife clutched in her grip.

"Wah, shit?!"

I ducked as the knife flew at me. From beyond the fence came the clatter of the blade hitting the wall and Eori's shout, full of misunderstanding.

"Thief!"

"Why the hell am I a thief?!"

I didn't want to go through that mess from last time again. I stood up and showed my face over the fence.

"It's me! Me! Your husband, Kim Si-jin!"

"Thief, hm?"

"Your son?"

"Madam?"

"M-Ma'am?"

...Why were they all acting like that?

Eori, my mother, and the Geum-ok and Eun-ok sisters all stared in shock. At the same time, they were all winding up to throw knives my way.

"M-Mom! It's me! Me! Geum-ok! Eun-ok! It's me! Put the knives down!"

Worried they'd actually throw them, I raised both hands—not just my face—and approached. Passing through the gate into the courtyard, Eori hurried down from the platform.

"Oof, ugh."

Her movements as she gripped her waist to dismount looked awkward somehow. Before I could figure out why, Eori came rushing over barefoot, not even bothering with her shoes.

"Husband!"

"Eori!"

For this moment, I dropped the reins and ran to her. I swept her into a wide embrace.

"Eori! I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, husband!"

Due to our height difference, my face ended up buried in her chest, but her warm embrace felt like it washed away all the hardships from Jeonju. And the sensation pressing against my stomach.

"E-Eori. What's this in here? What's going on?"

I loosened my arms and stroked her belly. Beneath the loose hanbok, I felt a soft, rounded swell.

That must've been why she'd gripped her waist getting down from the platform.

"Heeheehee."

With a playful smile, Eori placed both hands on her hips and struck a proud pose, revealing what was inside.

"What else would it be? It's your baby, little Sung-i!"

"For real?! Our little Sung-i's in there?! When did our Sung-i grow this big? When?!"

Realizing her swollen belly held our Sung-i, my heart swelled with emotion.

"Our little Sung-i. You listened to Mommy while Daddy was away, didn't you? Look how big you've gotten! Have you, our Sung-i?"

I wanted to hug Eori—who'd been raising our child alone—with all my might, but I couldn't do it recklessly now, which left me a bit ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠frustrated.

"Oh my. Son. All your eyes can see is Eori?"

Only after stroking the bump a few more times did I hear my mother's voice. She was already standing beside me with the Geum-ok and Eun-ok sisters.

I turned to her. "Mom. I missed you."

"Just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠words?"

"I bought you a hairpin in Jeonju."

"Hohohoho. You didn't have to come empty-handed. Or did you?"

My mother, delighted at the mention of the hairpin, suddenly hardened her expression. Instead of joy, she pointed at me with her finger, asking the most important question.

"Son. Shouldn't you be at the academy right now?"

Eori and the Geum-ok and Eun-ok sisters finally realized, staring at me in horror. I waved it off to them like it was no big deal.

"I caused a little incident at the academy."

"Did they kick you out?"

"No! Why would the academy kick out someone like me! A talent like me!"

For the record, that wasn't short for "human disaster."

"I just took a week off. Until yesterday, technically."

"Huh?"

Geum-ok furrowed her brow, not understanding. Instead, her younger sister Eun-ok asked.

"M-Ma'am. How... you caused trouble, but they told you to take a break?"

"...Good question?"

Suspension was supposed to be punishment, but why tell me not to study while everyone else was? It wasn't even that hard of studying anyway.

"How have my Geum-ok and Eun-ok been?"

Dodging a clear answer, I took turns petting the sisters' heads. They seemed pleased at the childish treatment, blushing faintly as they smiled.

"Hehe. Good."

"Y-Yes, ma'am. We've been listening well."

"Good girls. My Geum-ok and Eun-ok."

We were only three and six years apart in age—why were they so damn cute?

I petted their heads again, then went to my horse, which I'd momentarily forgotten. I uncovered the cloth draped over the saddle and revealed the souvenir.

"Kyaa!"

My mother screamed at the sight of the item on the saddle. And she had good reason.

A massive leopard the size of a big dog lay sprawled dead across it.

This was the trouble on the way home. Good thing the 10-Shot Revolver King Munjong had gifted me was easy to carry everywhere. If I'd left the guns in Jeonju, I'd have been seriously hurt.

"Oh, this?"

Forgetting how I'd emptied both guns and even drawn my sword, I puffed up proudly and patted the leopard.

"Caught it on the way 'cause I was bored."

Everyone stared at me like I was a monster. Even Eori.

"N-No! Truth is, I nearly got killed! Without the guns, I'd be dead! See?!"

I pulled out the two 10-Shot Revolvers from my bosom and showed them off. Still loaded, I couldn't hand them over carelessly and tucked them back away.

"Son. What the heck is that?"

"Were those just now... matchlocks, husband?"

"Ma'am. Did you kill the leopard with those?"

"M-Matchlocks that... short... even exist?"

Everyone was dying to know what had gone down during my month in Jeonju.

"And, husband."

Including all the crap I'd pulled there.

"I heard you caused a scene at the gisaeng house too."

"Oh, that. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Eori."

Eori stared at me with hollow eyes. My mother and the Geum-ok and Eun-ok sisters switched to glaring too.

But I still had my trump card.

"Eori. Hold on."

I beckoned her closer to whisper. She leaned in, and I spilled the secret I'd been keeping.

"I didn't wanna go, but it was a royal decree. No choice."

"Husband. Between husband and wife, no lies—"

"No, it's true. Totally true. Got it last time in Hanyang. It was a secret mission, so I couldn't even tell you."

"...".

"For real."

No matter how wild I got, I wasn't the type to lie about a royal decree. Eori knew that, but she didn't drop her suspicious look.

"Was the commotion for that reason too?"

"Oh, that? The guy treated me like a dog, so I just played the part."

"Haa, so like you, husband."

Why sigh? With my wife buying the story first, my mother and the sisters had no ground to complain.

"However."

Or so I thought.

"I'm also curious what was going through your head to join a bandit hunt."

Mountains beyond mountains—barely escaped one crisis, and the next came without pause.

"Oh, th-that? They asked for help, so I had no choice—oh! Right!"

Sensing they wouldn't let it go easily, I quickly changed the subject.

"I-I'm gonna take Chorong to the stable real quick! And leave this leopard here too, I guess. Is Father-in-law home right now?"

Good thing I'd rushed to see Eori first, skipping the hassle. Thanks to that hassle, I could escape this spot—

"Wow! A leopard this time?!"

—or so I thought.

Village folk had gathered out front, probably hearing Eori's thief shout.

"Forget being a military officer—why not be a hunter instead?"

"Leave the skinning to Eori's uncle, right? I'll go get him!"

"I'll take the horse to the stable!"

Without waiting for my reply, they swarmed into the yard. Shouldering the leopard carcass, unloading the saddlebags, leading the horse away—it took less than three minutes. Felt like watching ants dismantle something.

"Husband?"

Eori approached me as I stared at the now-empty yard, save for my luggage. Not just her—my mother looked unsettled too.

Sure, I got an earful of nagging, but nothing beat the comfort of home. Especially when heading back to Jeonju meant getting dragged into ghost nonsense right away.