BL REBIRTH: You Were Mine (MPREG)

Chapter 18

UNEDITED

Chapter 18

PRESENT

Kim Jae-soo's return to the bustling city of Seoul from his visit to Busan, the Seoul Empire, was marked by a golden sunset casting a warm, orange glow across the sky, signaling the onset of dusk. The city's atmosphere, though starkly different from his hometown, enveloped him in a vibrant energy that awakened his senses. Amidst the urban cacophony, he clung tightly to his bags and hastened out of the train station.

Once outside, the grandeur of the sunset sky compelled Jae-soo to pause and gaze upward. Hues of orange and pink blended into a mesmerizing display, like a painting in motion. Despite the constant fluctuations, he felt a deep sense of tranquility, knowing he had overcome another day.

Jae-soo bravely embraced the unknown in the Seoul Empire, yearning for peace each day.

Ring! Ring!!

Jae-soo's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a call from the exuberant An Na-ri, who announced his proximity to the bus stop to pick up Jae-soo.

"Don't worry, my dear Jae-soo; your knight in shining armor is on the way," An Na-ri declared, experimenting with a deep voice, a gesture Jae-soo found amusing. After a soft chuckle, Jae-soo agreed with a gentle, "Hmn."

Seated at the bus stop just beyond the train station, Jae-soo's thoughts wandered to his son and husband. He couldn't help but wonder about their well-being after his death. He hoped that his husband, Ji Hu, would safeguard their son until he could defend himself from the lurking dangers. It had become apparent that Ji Hu might have ended up marrying his cousin, Choi Su Jin, a union seemingly destined from the beginning.

Jae-soo fretted about the possibility of Su Jin harming their son while Ji Hu was away on business trips. What-ifs danced around his mind as he was lost in thought.

A gentle, feminine voice snapped him out of his worries. To his left, a woman in her late fifties, well-kept but dressed in the attire of a street sweeper, lay sprawled on the ground. She had fallen when someone, in a rush, had callously knocked her down without offering assistance. In the Seoul Empire, public workers were often subjected to a common slogan: "Worship the Strong and Kick the Weak."

Observing this, Jae-soo felt a surge of protective instinct. If that had been his mother, he would have set aside his own safety to fight for her. With determination, he stepped forward and helped the woman to her feet. Upon closer inspection, he noted her surprising beauty given her age. A faded cinnabar rose-shaped mark marked her forehead, and her short, grey hair was disheveled from the fall.

"Thank you, my dear," she said, her soft voice reminiscent of his late grandmother's, expressing gratitude.

"No problem, ma'am," Jae-soo replied. He helped her up and offered her a seat on the bench. After she sat, he collected her brush and a large orange waste basket she had dropped.

She stared at him softly, but he didn't seem to notice as he took a seat beside her. After less than a minute, her stomach rumbled audibly. Embarrassed, she tried to hide it, but Jae-soo just found her endearing, like his grandmother.

He looked at the small white bag his mother had given him, containing fish cakes and fried chicken. He offered her the fish cakes, which she didn't refuse. Instead, she told him to wait a second and, from seemingly nowhere, produced a pink bag and a bottle of water. She washed her hands elegantly and dried them with a soft-looking hand towel.

Kim Jae-soo stared blankly at her in wonder as she performed these actions. She then picked out a fish cake from the bag he had offered. Her eyes brightened as she ate it happily, deciding to ignore the oddity of the situation. He too picked up a fish cake and began to eat.