Chapter 141: CO-PARENTING NIGHTMARE
"UWAAAH..."
Garam flinched when Gunwoo suddenly burst into tears. "Baby, what’s wrong? Are you hurt? In pain?"
"No, but Gunwoo doesn’t like it when Dad and Daddy fight," Gunwoo said in a cracked voice. It seemed like their son was doing his best not to cry. "Daddy doesn’t smell good right now. The scent is making Gunwoo’s nose hurt..."
Ah.
Song Sihyuk was a bit upset, so the Alpha was releasing some stinky pheromones.
It wasn’t that bad, but Gunwoo still picked it up.
I knew it— my baby can really smell pheromones.
"Our son is only four years old, right?" Song Sihyuk, that quick-witted bastard, asked with amusement in his voice. "Kids that age don’t manifest yet."
"Let’s talk about that later, Hyung," Garam said. He thought Gunwoo was still too young to hear that kind of conversation. "That’s something I need to discuss with you anyway."
"Alright," Song Sihyuk said, nodding. "Let’s talk later."
"But we’re going to eat ice cream later, right?" Gunwoo asked desperately. "I want ice cream, Dad, Daddy."
"Yes, baby," Garam said, smiling while gently squeezing Gunwoo’s chubby cheek. "We’ll get ice cream later."
Gunwoo smiled, relieved.
"You’re spoiling him too much," Song Sihyuk complained lightly. "We also need to discuss how you shouldn’t baby our son anymore, Lim Garam."
Whatever.
***
GARAM was relieved after hearing the doctor say that Gunwoo could be discharged from the hospital tomorrow.
The other tests that they ran on my son turned out negative.
They just wanted Gunwoo to stay there for one more night to see if the child’s body would react to the blood that he had just received from his Alpha father.
Fortunately, his son didn’t get a mild fever this time.
Our baby just fell asleep after watching cartoons.
"Lim Garam, are you hungry?" Song Sihyuk asked when the doctors left. "Should I ask them to bring food?"
Garam wanted to decline, but his stomach rumbled loudly.
"Yeah, you’re hungry," Song Sihyuk said bluntly. "What do you want to eat?"
"Cheesesteak, please. With lots of beef and cheese. And make it two since I’m quite famished."
Song Sihyuk at first, and then he chuckled. "I like how you know exactly what you want to eat."
Aigooya.
Garam remembered that Song Sihyuk had said that to him before.
Maybe I should stop acting like I’ve starved for weeks.
"And for your drinks?"
"Cider, please."
Garam only realized that he answered a little too quickly again when Song Sihyuk chuckled while shaking his head.
Tsk.
"You’re cute, Garam-ah," Song Sihyuk said while pulling out his phone from the inner pocket of his suit. "That’s probably why I didn’t mind having a baby with you."
Okay, that gave Garam quite the ick.
Why does Hyung still find me cute despite his memory loss?
***
IT’S SO good.
Garam immediately devoured the first cheesesteak, and he was now on his second one.
I’m glad I asked Hyung to order two sandwiches for me.
"For someone who’s petite, you have a huge appetite."
Garam ignored Song Sihyuk’s remark.
It’s your fault that I’m unable to develop a more muscular body.
The miracle pills that he had taken for years made his body slender. No matter how much he worked, he just wouldn’t grow bulging muscles, so he gave up and accepted his new body type.
What’s important is I’m healthy.
"Do you want my steak sandwich?" Song Sihyuk asked after Garam devoured half of his second cheesesteak, and then he sipped his coffee before speaking again. "I haven’t touched it yet."
Right.
Song Sihyuk ordered a steak sandwich and coffee for himself, but he hadn’t touched his food yet.
How can he grow that big when he’s a picky eater?
"No, thank you. I’m almost full," Garam declined politely, and then he changed the topic. "Hyung, I’m thinking of bringing Gunwoo to Dr. Seong."
Song Sihyuk knitted his eyebrows. "’Dr. Seong?’ Do you mean Seong Kyungmin?"
"Yes, Hyung. I’m talking about your friend."
"Are you close to him?"
"No."
"Then why do you want to bring our son to him?"
"Because Dr. Seong is the best in his field," Garam said bluntly. "Name a doctor who’s better than Dr. Seong when it comes to Alpha and Omega pheromones."
Seong Sihyuk just clicked his tongue.
The Alpha couldn’t say anything because Dr. Seong Kyungmin was the best in his field in the country, and one of the best all over the world.
That’s why Dr. Seong has many VVVIP clients.
"I’ll go with you when you bring Gunwoo to Seong Kyungmin."
"Did I say I was going alone?"
Song Sihyuk’s face beamed. "Oh. You were thinking of going to the hospital as a family?"
Why does this hyung look so happy?
It was annoying.
"I told you, didn’t I? We’re going to co-parent Gunwoo," Garam said carefully. "I’ll let you become a part of his life."
Song Sihyuk raised an eyebrow. "I hear a ’but.’"
"But stop threatening me with a lawsuit," Garam said sternly. He was being civil, obedient even, all because he wanted to make a deal with Song Sihyuk regarding that matter. "If you take me to court to get full custody of Gunwoo, I know that I won’t win against you. You’re an Alpha, and a chaebol, at that. So, let’s settle this co-parenting issue now."
"Fine. I won’t threaten to bring you to court for full custody over our son."
Garam gulped nervously. "I hear a ’but,’ Hyung."
"But Gunwoo will take my last name."
Oh.
"I understand why you thought I didn’t want my son. After all, my memories are so messed up that I even forgot you were pregnant when we divorced."
Ah, that lie.
Garam was relieved that Song Sihyuk believed that he had forgotten about his pregnancy because of his memory loss.
I hope he never doubts that lie.
That was why he didn’t want Song Sihyuk to meet Mija again.
I know I’m playing with fire here, but I just need to make sure Sihyuk Hyung won’t sue me to get Gunwoo’s full custody.
Because if that happened, Garam would surely lose the legal battle.
But letting Gunwoo use Sihyuk Hyung’s last name...
"I don’t think I’m asking for too much here," Song Sihyuk said when he noticed Garam’s hesitation. "Gunwoo isn’t an ordinary child. He’s not just my son— he’s also my heir. And he’s going to inherit SG Group someday. How can he do that when he doesn’t carry my family name?"
To be honest, Garam didn’t like that reasoning.
But I’ve always known how obsessed Sihyuk Hyung is about inheriting their company, so I wouldn’t say I’m surprised.
"You’re not going to lose your right as Gunwoo’s mother even after our son changes his last name to mine, Lim Garam."
That was the assurance Garam was waiting for.
But he couldn’t completely trust Song Sihyuk’s verbal promise alone, so...
"Fine. But let’s put it in a contract, Hyung," Garam said in a serious tone. "We don’t have the kind of relationship where we can trust each other’s words alone."
"Ouch. That’s pretty cold."
"Oh, please. You’re a business tycoon. You know verbal agreements are useless."
Song Sihyuk chuckled. "Alright. Write whatever conditions you want. I’ll call my lawyer to notarize the contract after we’re done negotiating the terms."
Whew.
"Alright, Hyung," Garam said while nodding. "Give me time to come up with the conditions I want."
***
"DAD, where’s Gunwoo’s ice cream?"
Garam smiled when Gunwoo asked for his ice cream as soon as he woke up.
My son doesn’t forget things easily.
"Your daddy got it for you," Garam said, pointing at Song Sihyuk, who was holding a tub of ice cream. "It’s your favorite vanilla ice cream."
Gunwoo cheered immediately. "Yey! I love vanilla ice cream!"
"Son, you better brush your teeth after—"
Garam gently elbowed Song Sihyuk’s side. "Later. Do the reminder late. Let my baby enjoy his ice cream first."
"I told you, Garam-ah. Our son is no longer a baby—"
One glare from Garam and Song Sihyuk already kept his mouth shut.
Song Sihyuk avoided Garam’s gaze and left his side to walk towards Gunwoo. "Son, here’s your ice cream."
Gunwoo’s face beamed. "Thank you, Daddy!"
Haaah.
Garam could only sigh and shake his head.
I feel like I’m raising two kids now.
***
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