Chapter Text
A few weeks back, Hyunsu began feeling unwell. Though he kept quiet, the truth was evident—he was vomiting five times daily. Oddly, Hyunsu, with his monsterization, shouldn't have fallen ill.
Ignoring it initially, he hoped the nausea and sickness would pass, but it persisted. A glance in the mirror one day revealed an unexpected weight gain, baffling him as there wasn't sufficient food in the apartment to cause such a change. His cheeks had gained the smallest amount of fat.
Hyunsu ended up pulling his shirt up. He wanted to see how much weight he had actually gained. He was puzzled to see that his stomach was still slightly concaved. This wasn’t what caught his attention though.
Staring at his slightly bloated lower abdomen, he felt frozen. Placing his hand on the swell, Hyunsu felt how taut the bump was.
Hyunsu will admit, he did end up having sex with Eunhyeok. But it was just that. Sex. It meant nothing. They had been blowing off steam. Eunhyeok had been stressed dealing with all the survivors and Hyunsu had been stressed with constantly putting his life on the line.
Why did his brain immediately go to the thought of pregnancy, he didn’t know, but he knew he had to check. Just to ease the mind-consuming thought.
Hyunsu, driven by a sudden surge of anxiety and uncertainty, quietly slipped into the small convenience store within the apartment building where all the essential supplies were stored. Determined to confirm or dispel his growing suspicions, he hastily grabbed a few pregnancy tests before making a swift retreat to the bathroom.
Reading the instructions meticulously, Hyunsu navigated through the process, his heart pounding in his chest. Three minutes later, he anxiously examined all three sticks laid out before him. The verdict sent a shockwave through him—two of the three tests displayed positive results.
Staring down at the pink sticks in disbelief, Hyunsu felt a surreal mix of emotions. The two red lines on each of the sticks seemed to mock him, serving as an undeniable confirmation of a reality he had never envisioned, especially given the circumstances. His hand instinctively found its way to his stomach, as if to connect with the life-altering revelation.
The weight of the situation sank in as he attempted to stifle his sobs with one hand on his stomach and the other over his mouth, caught in the unexpected intersection of vulnerability and responsibility.
The weight gain, the vomiting, and everything else had to have been part of the side effects of the pregnancy. Even if it was just a fling, he still had unprotected sex with Eunhyeok. That act alone may result in the creation of a half-monster half-human baby.
This was all unreal and quite frankly impossible, but then again, so was the monster apocalypse. But here they were.
Hyunsu stood there, zoned out. He didn't know what to do. Should he tell someone or keep it a secret? Hyunsu shouldn't even be able to get pregnant. He was a man. Men didn't get pregnant.
Hyunsu clenched the hand that was gripping his stomach. Taking a deep breath, Hyunsu's hands dropped to his sides, a single pink stick hanging loosely in his grip.
Suddenly, Yeongsu’s voice interrupted his contemplation with urgent knocks on the bathroom door. “Hyung, are you done in there? I have to pee.” Startled, Hyunsu swiftly disposed of the evidence, crushing the sticks with his shoe, and flushing the remnants down the toilet. All traces were erased.
Hyunsu was glad that he was able to flush away the evidence. With his suspicion being confirmed about his state, he could not reveal the secret to anyone. If he did, the others would most likely try to kill him and his unborn child. He wasn’t sure whether or not his child would also have the monster cells just like his body. All he could do now was worry about his unborn child's safety.
Hyunsu, masking his turmoil, walked to the sink, quickly washed his hands, and unlocked the door for Yeongsu. Putting on a soft smile, he ruffled the young boy’s hair, maintaining a facade for the child he regarded almost like a son. "Sorry, Yeongsu-ah. It's all yours." Concealing his internal struggles, Hyunsu wanted to project strength and normalcy, not allowing any suspicions to arise among those around him.
Ever since Hyunsu had saved the brother and sister duo, they had been attached to him at the hip. Hyunsu would protect and treat them as if they were his own despite being only 18.
Hyunsu wanted to stay strong for the little boy and girl. Despite his worries, he wanted to be a good figure to look up to for the pair. They were at a young age where they would absorb everything they saw, so he wanted to be aware of what they were being shown.
Hyunsu was positive that the two were heavily traumatized, but he had to try to let them keep their innocence. If only for a little while longer.
But now he was scared. He wanted to protect the kids and make sure they received the love they deserved, but he was now pregnant. He didn't know if he could protect the kids. At least not like how he wanted to.
But, no. He couldn’t think like that. He would protect the kids and the unborn child with all that he had. Even if that wasn’t very much.
Hyunsu was determined to protect his unborn child and the children with all his might. He wouldn’t let his circumstances get to him enough to where he’d abandon them. He had to be the strong one and not let his worries overcome him.
He could not allow the others to suspect a single thing. He had to have full control over the situation.
The weight of his secret added a layer of complexity to his already challenging existence, leaving him to navigate the uncertainties that lay ahead.
He hoped that what was going on with his body wasn’t going to be too obvious. At least not so soon. He had to figure something out before his business was aired to everyone. He was sure when that happened, everything would go to hell.