“Ah, I’m sorry. My stomach suddenly felt off.”
Returning to the VIP suite, Yoo Sia gave an embarrassed smile and sat down.
“But Grandfather, why are you sweating so much?”
“…Huh?”
Chairman Yoo Jin-gap’s face had turned beet-red.
“Are you hot? Shall I ask them to turn on the air conditioner?”
“No, it’s not that…”
He tried to quell the images racing through his mind, but the suspicion he’d formed would not fade.
Especially given that Sia had warned her family—“Mess with me and I’ll go for a premarital pregnancy!”—he dared not ask directly.
He tried a gentle approach. “It can’t be…right?”
“Huh?”
Sia looked puzzled at the vague question.
“What do you mean?”
“Ah, never mind…”
Chairman Yoo shook his head. “There’s no way it could be…”
“You’re so clueless, Grandfather.”
Sia giggled and snuggled against his side, wrapping her arm around his and turning her gaze back to the field. Though her sweetness drew a fond smile to his lips, his unease would not lift.
An hour passed. Through three innings, the HR Phœnix led 1–0.
But Sia’s expression remained troubled. She’d barely touched any of the feast laid out before her. After mulling it over, she spoke hesitantly.
“Grandfather, I’m sorry, but I think I need to go home early.”
“Why, my dear? Is something urgent?”
“I don’t feel well.”
Her nausea from earlier still hadn’t subsided.
“All right, let’s go.”
“No, Grandfather. You must stay for the last game of the season.”
“But…”
“I’ll be fine on my own. I came alone in the first place.”
“Very well. I’ll have Driver Park see you home.”
“Really, I’m okay. I’m living like a regular office worker these days.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. I’ll head out now. Please don’t follow.”
She waved and slipped out of the VIP suite.
Chairman Yoo watched her retreating figure with a wistful gaze, then turned back to the game.
Time passed, and soon it was the bottom of the ninth. He sat in a daze, unable to focus on the game since Sia left—her earlier vomiting haunted his thoughts.
‘I came to watch baseball, so stop these thoughts,’ he chided himself and refocused.
In this de facto last-place decider, the Phœnix still led 1–0. Hits came, but none became runs. Now, two outs in the bottom of the ninth, runner on first, the Heroes’ batter stepped up.
“Just get this out.”
The count was ideal: two strikes, one ball. A strikeout or a fly ball, and the game—and ninth place—were secured.
‘No longer cellar-dwellers…!’
But then—crack!—a crisp crack echoed through the stadium. The announcer’s disappointed voice boomed:
“A two-run homer! That seals the standings: the Heroes finish ninth, the Phœnix tenth this season.”
“You idiot!”
Chairman Yoo leapt from his seat.
“Why throw a strike there? Why—whyyy?!”
His long-suppressed fury raged toward the pitcher.
“Chief Choi! Fire that son of a—release him now!”
Two hours earlier.
After slipping out early, Yoo Sia had been walking along, still queasy, when suddenly—her stomach felt fine.
Like a ghost, her nausea vanished the moment she left the VIP box.
Moreover…rumble…her untouched food from earlier called to her.
‘I really wasn’t faking…so what gives?’
Returning to her grandfather’s side seemed awkward now—and the thought of going back made her uneasy.
So she messaged:
[Ms. Yoo: Assistant Manager Son, I just left Grandfather’s suite!]
[Ms. Yoo: Where are you sitting?]
[Son Jin-seong: Funny you ask—I was thinking it’s awkward watching alone, maybe we should head home.]
[Ms. Yoo: Then shall we watch on TV at home? Or we could watch a movie.]
[Son Jin-seong: That sounds better. How about a comedy on Netflix with dinner?]
[Ms. Yoo: Great!]
A smile spread across Sia’s face—she already felt relief.
Watching today’s game, she realized: ‘Baseball really is a fun sport.’
Even after years away, it got her heart racing, drew her in.
In the past, I dreamed of playing pro again—fans in my jersey, rewriting my walk-up song, holding a championship trophy…
But now, ‘I don’t want to be a player anymore.’
I no longer longed to be on the field. Watching from the stands was enough. I was happy with my current life—working in an office, building a sweet family.
“So please, no more talk about me playing again.”
Since I’d tendered my resignation to HR, Sia often suggested alternatives—like chasing the old dream—but now I’d drawn a firm line.
“Okay, I’m sorry.”
Sia nodded understandingly.
“If there’s anything else you want to try, let me know—I’ll help.”
“Thanks.”
Just knowing I had a girlfriend who’d support me meant the world.
“Shall we eat?”
“Yes!”
We ordered nak-gop-sae: plump octopus, hanwoo beef tripe, and shelled shrimp mixed in spicy aged kimchi.
“Want a beer?”
“No thanks—no appetite for alcohol tonight.”
“Then I’ll have cola too.”
“You can drink if you want.”
“Nah, I like cola.”
We finished our meal. About thirty minutes later…
Huff…
Sia’s heavy breathing caught my ear. I looked over—her face was pale.
“Sia, are you hurt?”
“My stomach hurts. Maybe I ate something bad with Grandfather…”
“Want me to pat your back?”
“No, I’ll go alone.”
“Call me if you need help.”
“I will.”
She rushed to the restroom, gagging—but didn’t actually vomit.
When she returned, her stomach seemed a bit better; she rinsed her mouth and rejoined me.
“This has been going on for days.”
“Just today?”
“No, for over a week. Usually it’s just mornings or before bed, but today’s been especially bad.”
“…”
Wait. This wasn’t just routine nausea.
“Sia…”
“Yes?”
She cocked her head, then her eyes widened.
It’d been a month since we started dating, and we’d never slept together—except that one drunken night before we officially began.
I replayed that night in my mind: ‘I definitely…’ My memories were hazy from the alcohol.
Sia also looked stunned.
“Now that I think about it, the timing…”
“Huh?”
“I think I might be late.”
We stared at each other, disbelieving.
“…Oh no.”
Silence stretched between us.
“Assistant Manager Son, don’t worry—maybe it’s just delayed.”
Sia forced a smile.
“Women’s cycles can be irregular, especially when you’re unwell.”
“If only that were the case…”
Given everything that’d happened, it felt like more than worry.
I paused, then fetched my coat.
“Sit tight. I’ll get a kit from the convenience store.”
“Okay, what kind?”
“They sell them everywhere now. I’ll be right back.”
About an hour later, I returned. We took the first test…then a second and a third, just to be sure.
Three results, three lines. Three lines. Three lines!
“…So,” I placed my hand on her belly, “inside here…”
I could not finish the sentence.
Pregnancy. It was unmistakably—pregnancy.