Contract Marriage 18+ [A Hopekook Fanfiction] ✓

7.2🥀

Soobin was unable to join her for the amniocentesis, Chaebin had a medical check up and naturally that took priority. So Hobie found herself waiting alone, a nervous wreck even though she knew that the odds of anything going wrong were slim. She fidgeted, flipped through magazines, chatted with other women in various stages of pregnancy but through it all she just wished that Jeon was there with her. The other women were all accompanied by their partners or friends and Hobie had never felt so achingly alone before. She was so deeply buried in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the person sitting down next to her until her husband's deep voice rumbled in her ear.

"Why is your cell phone off? I've been trying to reach you all morning," she jumped in fright before blinking up at him stupidly, not quite sure how he came to be there. He grinned down into her confused face and Hobie found herself responding helplessly to the open warmth of that smile, rewarding him with a blinding one of her own.

"What are you doing here?" She asked breathlessly and he shrugged.

"When I couldn't reach you, I tried Soobin and when she told me that she was at the clinic with Chaebin, I realised that you were probably here all alone and thought you might need some moral support," he explained casually.

"B.but what about your work?"

"It'll keep..."

"You didn't have to come, I was okay on my own," she felt obligated to protest.

"Hobie, you visibly paled every time the mention of this appointment came up. It's obvious that you find the thought of this procedure daunting. I couldn't let you face it on your own," so much for thinking she had kept her fear and reservations well hidden from him. He seemed able to read her like an open book.

"I'm not really scared," she said with more bravado than conviction and he determinedly bit back the smile that was curling up the sides of his mouth.

"You might not be but I am terrified, hobie," he shuddered slightly.

"Needles... big needles especially, are not my thing." She could tell by the way he paled at the thought that he was entirely sincere. She stared into his eyes for the longest time, getting lost in the melting chocolate depths before shaking herself slightly.

"Thank you for coming, Jeon," she finally whispered. "I was a bit intimidated by the thought of this procedure." The confession cost a lot but she was rewarded by the warm, intimate smile he directed at her.

"It'll be fine," he assured quietly, unexpectedly linking his fingers with hers. "You'll see." Even though there was no logical reason for it, her reservations melted like ice under the hot sun and she smiled gratefully.

In the end, Hobie sailed through the procedure, after some initial discomfort she was fine, it was Jeon who had difficulty with proceedings. Apparently he hadn't been lying when he said he didn't like big needles and when he saw the 7.5 centimetre needle he swayed enough for a nurse to hurriedly bring a stool over for him to sit on; he had thanked her but manfully chose to stand instead. That macho display of coolness lasted only long enough for them to insert the needle into her abdomen when he paled dramatically and practically collapsed onto the provided stool, keeping his eyes determinedly away from the needle and on Hobie's amused face.

"Once, when I was ten," she started talking to distract him. "I fell out of a tree..." that certainly caught his attention.

"What were you doing up a tree?" He sounded unflatteringly sceptical. "You don't strike me as the tomboy type."
"I wasn't... but there was this poor little kitten stuck up there and I was a complete sucker for animals," she shrugged, wincing slightly when the needle pinched more, his hand tightened around hers, while the doctor cheerfully informed them that it was "nearly over".

"So what happened?" He asked softly.

"Well, Soobin was with me and she was desperately trying to reason with me but I wouldn't listen," she shook her head. "Sometimes I can be a bit stubborn." He snorted at that.

"No! Really?" She tilted her chin up and chose to ignore his sarcasm.

"Just as I was leaning out and reaching for that stupid cat, he hissed at me, scratched my hand and climbed back down," she felt the pinching sensation gradually decrease as the needle was withdrawn from her abdomen. "But the cat had scared me and I lost my balance before tumbling out of the tree."

"What happened after that?" He seemed riveted even though the doctor was stepping away from the table.

"I broke my arm and I've disliked cats since that day," she confessed sheepishly. He chuckled before unexpectedly leaning over her and dropping a quick kiss on her forehead. "I don't know why I just told you that story... you just looked in need of distraction."

"And how," he acknowledged shakily. "I'm still feeling a little queasy after seeing that needle..." he swallowed and paled again. "I don't know how you could do that without anaesthetic?"

The doctor had offered her a shot to numb the area but one huge needle was bad enough, Hobie hadn't been enamoured with the thought of having to deal with two.

"It was a little uncomfortable," she admitted as the nurse helped her sit up. "But not too bad."

After dressing she and Jeon anxiously faced her obstetrician across the wide expanse of his desk.

"Right... that went very well, Mr and Mrs Oh god..." Doctor Choi beamed over his desk at them. "Both you and your baby came through it with flying colours. Right... so no heavy lifting, no sex and no flying for the next couple of days. Try to relax and not overtax yourself. You may experience some cramping for a day or two, that's normal... but if the cramping carries on for too long or is too severe, if it's accompanied by spotting or bleeding, come in immediately." Both Jeon and Hobie paled at that dire warning and Hobie blindly and unthinkingly sought out his hand with hers.

"We should have your results in a couple of weeks," the older man continued cheerfully. "We'll contact you when they arrive."

"Do you think I'm at risk for another miscarriage?" Hobie suddenly asked and the doctor looked surprised by her question.

"Not at all..." he shook his head vehemently.

"But the last time..." she began shakily.
"...was just one of those tragic things that sometimes happen in life. You're healthy, your baby looks healthy, there's no reason you shouldn't carry to term and deliver a perfect baby. Now onto happier topics; would you like to know your baby's sex?

"You could tell?" Hobie asked with a smile.

"The image was as clear as a bell today," he nodded indulgently.

"No," Jeon suddenly shook his head. "I'd rather not know."

"But Jeon..." she turned to him in surprise but he refused to meet her eyes. "Why don't you want to know?"

"It makes no difference..." nothing he could have said would have hurt her more and she immediately retreated back behind her shell, withdrawing her hand from his. Of course it didn't make a difference, if it was a boy he would leave without getting to know the child and if it was a girl he would be stuck in his unwanted marriage for even longer. He groaned when he saw her expression and immediately grabbed up her hand again. "I really didn't mean it the way you obviously think I did, Hobie."

"It's okay," she informed the doctor, who looked heartily uncomfortable to be witnessing their dispute. "I don't have to know." Not when she was one hundred per cent certain that it was a boy anyway. The doctor nodded and cleared his throat.

"Very well then, my lips are sealed," he nodded, trying to maintain his jovial manner, even though he was still uncomfortable. Jeon said nothing, keeping his eyes on Hobie's determinedly averted face. The doctor added a few more of his usual cautions that she not overtax herself before he dismissed them with a hearty goodbye.

"Just let me explain," Jeon said the moment they were outside the clinic