Hero’s Child C29

Chapter 29

“Nel.”

The black beast that had been sprinting after Uichan stopped mid-stride at the sound of his name and trotted back, pressing its head against Yeo Taehwon’s hand. The man’s rough palm brushed over Nel’s head in a slow stroke. Golden eyes blinked up at him, as if to ask why aren’t we chasing him?

Taehwon didn’t answer. His gaze stayed fixed on the park’s entrance, his expression unreadable. He raised the hand that had touched Uichan’s lips.

“It’s fine to give him some time,” he murmured. “After today… he’ll be mine.”

A red tongue slipped out, lapping slowly over the fingertips that had brushed Uichan’s mouth.

Uichan didn’t even remember how he’d escaped. Everything after that was a blur of running—just running, without thought or direction. His lungs burned, his breath hitched with panic, but he kept telling himself it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.

By the time he reached his apartment, his hands were trembling. He slipped inside, brushing past Park Rion, who was fiddling with some equipment, and locked himself in the bathroom.

“Uichan? Uichan! You’re hurt—there’s blood on the floor!”

Thud, thud—the bathroom door rattled under Rion’s frantic pounding. Uichan stammered something about tripping, throwing out a clumsy excuse. When Rion finally gave up and stepped away, Uichan tore off his clothes and checked his wounds. His burned leg and hand were swollen and red, angry welts forming where La Épée’s restraint had scorched him.

“The first-aid kit… ha, it’s in the living room.”

Should he go get it? But outside waited Rion, whose curiosity was boundless and whose worry came loud. The moment he saw the burns, he’d panic. ‘Uichan! What happened? Who did this? You’re going to kill me from stress!’

Uichan shook his head fiercely. He’d just endure until Rion fell asleep. He could handle pain. Tomorrow, he’d go to the hospital early—get checked, and while he was there, see how the babies were doing.

Resolved, he reached for the showerhead. But suddenly, the world tilted.

Clang!

“Hh—ah… ugh!”

Like a dam breaking, pain surged through him—deep, twisting, unbearable. The showerhead hit the tiles with a sharp metallic ring, and his body collapsed, hitting the floor with a wet slap.

Outside, Rion’s voice rose in panic.

“Uichan! What happened? Hey, I’m coming in, okay? I’m coming in!”

The lock rattled violently. Rion twisted the handle, then cursed under his breath and grabbed his tools. Moments later, the door gave way with a crack.

Steam filled the room. Rion’s face went pale as he saw Uichan sprawled on the wet tiles, trembling under the cascade of water. His arms were wrapped around his abdomen, shaking uncontrollably.

“Uichan! You—your leg! You’re bleeding!”

But Uichan wasn’t clutching his leg. His hands were pressed over his stomach.

“It’s your stomach? You’re in pain there?” Rion’s voice wavered. “What do I do—what do I do?”

He knelt, hauling Uichan up by the shoulders. The man’s face was white as paper, his lips quivering.

“M-my stomach… we… need to go to the hospital…”

“Hospital—right, okay! I’ll take you!”

Rion’s eyes darted to Uichan’s bare, soaked body and then away, cheeks flushing even in panic. He shut off the water and crouched in front of him.

“Come on. Get on my back.”

He slipped Uichan’s arm around his shoulder and lifted him, half-dressed and barely conscious. His words tumbled out in a rush.

“Clothes, ID, hospital… yeah, we need a hospital.”

After hastily drying and dressing him, Rion carried Uichan out of the apartment.

“Which hospital? Emergency room?”

The night was ink-black. Rion’s eyes darted around, searching for light, for a sign. Uichan groaned something that sounded like a hospital name, and Rion ran toward the edge of the city.

Would the hospital even be open at this hour?

The doubt vanished when he saw the red cross glowing above the building. A 24-hour private emergency clinic.

He ran through the entrance, shouting, “There’s a patient! My friend—he’s hurt! Please, help!”

Startled eyes turned toward him. A nurse rushed over and guided them to a bed behind the curtain. Clipboard in hand, she began asking questions.

“What seems to be the problem?”

“He—he’s got burns on his leg and hand, but now he’s saying his stomach hurts. I don’t know what to do!”

Rion pleaded, clasping his hands together. The nurse leaned in to assess Uichan, who was curled up and barely breathing. His lips parted weakly.

“C-call… an obstetrician.”

“…An obstetrician? Are you—are you a male carrier?”

“Y… yes.”

“As it happens, one of our specialists is on duty tonight. Hold on.”

The nurse darted out, made a quick call at the desk, then hurried back to say the doctor was on his way.

Silence settled behind the curtain. Rion stared blankly at his friend, his mouth hanging open.

“…O-obstetrician…?”

At first he thought he’d misheard. But when no one corrected it, realization struck—and he nearly fell over.

“Pregnant?! Uichan—you’re pregnant? A male carrier?! That’s—no, that’s impossible!”

While Rion tore at his hair in disbelief, Uichan prayed that the pain meant nothing serious. The curtain swayed open with a rush, and a man in a white coat stepped inside.

Through blurred vision, Uichan recognized him immediately—it was Dr. Oh Juhyuk, the physician who had first told him about his pregnancy.

“Mr. Ha, can you describe your symptoms? Where does it hurt, exactly? Please be as detailed as possible.”

“D-doctor, no, you’ve got it wrong,” Rion babbled, clutching the edge of Juhyuk’s coat. “There’s no way he’s pregnant! He doesn’t even like people! He was just showering and suddenly collapsed! Could it be a head injury or something?”

The doctor’s face darkened as he examined Uichan. But when he recognized him, his eyes widened.

“Ha Uichan?”

“You know him?” Rion asked, startled.

Pushing his glasses up, Dr. Oh immediately supported Uichan’s shoulder, easing him upright. Sweat drenched his face. The doctor’s expression grew grim as his gaze fell to Uichan’s abdomen.

“Let’s get an ultrasound—right now. Prepare a room.”

“Please, doctor, hurry! My friend’s dying!” Rion cried.

Uichan tried to steady his fading consciousness. The lights blurred above him; the curtain fluttered in his peripheral vision. He shut his eyes tightly against the glare of the fluorescent bulbs, curling up and clutching his stomach.

Please… please let them be safe.

Maybe it was from overexertion. Maybe from not eating properly. He should have rested. Instead, he’d been scaling rooftops, fighting, bleeding. Maybe the babies were trying to tell him it wasn’t safe here.

Guilt and fear pierced his chest.

He gritted his teeth as Rion wiped his damp cheek, murmuring soft reassurances. The hospital bed rattled beneath him as they rushed him down the corridor.

Had he passed out for a moment? He couldn’t remember. The last thing he recalled was the blur of light and noise fading to white.

When Uichan opened his eyes again, his surroundings had changed completely.

Luminous motes drifted around him like floating petals. Beneath his feet, the rustle of grass. A field—endless and green, with wind rippling through wildflowers like waves.

The air was clean and still, carrying a sacred kind of stillness.

He walked slowly, almost weightlessly, until something ahead caught his eye—a pale shimmer, like mist.

As he neared, he saw them.

Two white tiger cubs, rolling and nipping at each other in playful combat. They bared their tiny teeth, scrunching their noses, their growls high and fierce like miniature predators.

Worried they might hurt each other, Uichan reached out and separated them. And then—something miraculous happened.

The cubs looked up at him with wide, glistening eyes—round, innocent, full of trust. Like children looking up at their mother.

Their small heads pressed eagerly against his hand. Then, as if some deep sorrow had cracked open inside them, they began to cry.

Tiny, pitiful sounds—
as tears welled in their eyes, large and heavy, sliding down their fur in trembling drops.