Divorce Contract Extra 8

Extra 8

Resting his cheek gently against the hand cupping his face, Go Igyeol shifted only his gaze, looking up at Seo Dohyeon. Unsure how to soften the sudden heaviness in the air, Igyeol slowly lifted his head. Holding Dohyeon’s hand, he rose onto his toes and brushed a light kiss against his cheek.

The small, ticklish sound of the kiss softened Seo Dohyeon’s expression at once. Color returned to skin that had gone pale, and even the tips of his ears warmed with a faint red hue.

“He said… you can come visit again later, if you’d like.”

“……”

“I don’t really dislike you… so I don’t dislike Grandfather either.”

He meant: don’t be angry. If disliking Seo Jeongjae meant disliking Seo Dohyeon as well, then it was wrong; he was quietly telling Dohyeon that the logic didn’t hold.

“Please don’t be… too angry at Grandfather.”

“…When you say it like that, how could I possibly stay angry? I wouldn’t have the face to.”

“…Are you… angry with me?”

At the cautious, searching glance, Dohyeon shook his head. Anger, too, required a certain right — and he had long since learned he had none. How could he dare to be angry? Besides, it wasn’t Go Igyeol he was angry with.

“I’m trying to read the room, you know, but I guess I’m not doing a very good job.”

“……”

“It must not show at all. I’m actually panicking right now.”

He poked Igyeol’s cheek lightly with his index finger. The playful gesture loosened the tension, and Igyeol laughed softly. Dohyeon watched the gentle curve of his lips for a long moment before finally forcing himself to look away, drawing Igyeol into his arms.

The new house was full of light. Sun poured through the wide living-room windows, warming the space from noon onward. Outside, the yard held a slide, a swing, and a corner for sand play—so as soon as the weather warmed, Kwon Seunggyu took Seo Ihyeon out to play. All day, he gave the child sunlight and hands-on sensory play with everything he could gather.

Hearing the familiar details of the baby’s routine, largely unchanged from the day before, Igyeol pressed a kiss to Ihyeon’s cheek. Because of school, he left in the morning and only returned at dusk; perhaps for that reason, every moment with the child felt precious.

“You wouldn’t believe how curious he is. And since he’s been eating well lately, he’s gained quite a bit of weight. You can tell when you pick him up, right? He feels heavier.”

“Yes, he really has gotten heavier.”

“His cheeks and everything—he’s so plump and fair now. And he’s started making sounds that almost resemble real words. When you listen to him, it feels like he’ll start speaking sooner than most babies his age.”

Seunggyu’s bright tone sounded like a proud parent, and Igyeol found himself smiling along. Even the baby’s babbling felt miraculous—how adorable would he be once he could actually talk?

“Did you eat yet?”

“No, not yet. I was waiting until Dohyeon-ssi got home so we could eat together. What about you? You said Ihyeon didn’t nap again today? That must’ve been hard. Let me take him—please rest a little.”

“No, no. Taking care of him is literally my job. It’s not hard at all. He’s such an easy baby.”

“I just want to stay with him too. I missed him all day.”

Pressing another kiss onto the tiny, squirming palm, Igyeol smiled tenderly. Ihyeon, too, clung tightly to him, delighted to be reunited after their morning separation. Whenever Seunggyu tried to take him, his face scrunched like he might cry.

“You’re always giving me breaks…”

“You take such good care of him.”

“How should I ever thank you.”

“Please go rest for a bit.”

After some hesitation, Seunggyu finally slipped away into his room, leaving only Igyeol and the baby in the living room. Whatever Ihyeon had to say, he seemed determined to say it all at once, babbling nonstop. Igyeol listened intently, responding as though he understood: Really? I see. Is that so?

Hearing the warm responses, Ihyeon laughed in high, delighted bursts, his lips glistening with drool. Wiping his chin gently with his thumb, Igyeol lifted the child into his arms and stood.

“What should we do? Want to go outside?”

“Abbua! Bbaah!”

“Did you just say ‘appa’? Wow.”

“Bruh! Buu!”

Looking up at him with his head tilted back, Ihyeon’s little face was unbearably adorable. When he blinked up at Igyeol with half-open, smiling lips, Igyeol couldn’t help but cover his tiny face with kisses. Surprised but delighted, the baby giggled loudly.

Stepping outside, Igyeol walked across the stepping stones set in the fresh green grass, heading toward the play area arranged just for Ihyeon.

“A little bigger, and you’ll be able to ride this.”

“Buu, uu!”

“Mm, not yet. You’re still crawling. When you can walk, then you can play on it.”

As Ihyeon tried to wriggle out of his arms as if demanding to be put down, Igyeol redirected his attention toward the slide.

“Want to try zooming down?”

“Uu!”

“Or was it—shwoooosh?”

Making slide sounds dramatically with his mouth, Igyeol sat Ihyeon down and guided him gently downward. The child, sliding lightly, burst into laughter as he was scooped up mid-descent, spreading out his arms like he was flying. Whenever they were together, laughter never seemed to end.

“Should we do shwoooosh again? See how fast you go this time?”

“Kyah! Ah-oo!”

As Igyeol reached out to brace the excited, kicking baby, he suddenly felt someone behind him. Startled, he turned—only to be pulled immediately into an embrace.

“Seo Dohyeon-ssi?”

He barely managed to touch the arm around his waist before greeting him when Dohyeon pressed a trail of firm kisses along his temple and cheek.

“What are you doing out here.”

“I thought you’d be home soon. I was waiting with Ihyeon.”

Stopping the baby from climbing the slide, Dohyeon kissed Igyeol’s face again. He paid no mind to Ihyeon’s protest, too busy warming Igyeol’s chilled cheeks and lips with his hands.

“Wa—wait, just a moment—”

“How was school today.”

“Y-yes. Good. And—oh! Ihyeon— he’s slipping—!”

As if that were impossible, Dohyeon pressed a kiss to the shell of Igyeol’s ear before finally loosening his arms. He picked up the child, who had begun fussing impatiently, unable to slide with an adult blocking the way.

“Were you waiting for me?”

“Hiiing… bba…”

“You should say ‘appa.’”

“Hii… ab.”

With clumsy syllables, Ihyeon called to him. Dohyeon kissed the corner of the child’s eye and wrapped an arm around Igyeol as they began walking.

“‘Appa.’”

“Ab.”

“‘Appa.’”

“Pa.”

Tearing up slightly, Ihyeon buried his face against Dohyeon’s neck. His soft, murmured paah made Dohyeon gently stroke his curled back with a wide palm. He pressed a kiss to the baby’s hair, smiling softly.

“I think he’ll say ‘appa’ any day now. He almost said it earlier.”

“Have you eaten dinner?”

“Not yet. What about you?”

“I hurried so I could eat with you. Had to dodge Chief Yoon glaring at me like this.”

Imitating Yoon Jaeseon’s wide-eyed stare made Igyeol laugh. As soon as they stepped inside, Kwon Seunggyu—already waiting—came out to take the baby smoothly. Igyeol’s gaze followed Ihyeon as he dangled over Seunggyu’s shoulder.

“What are you staring at so longingly.”

Pulling him close, Dohyeon brushed a hand over the back of his head. Igyeol buried his nose in the faintly sweet scent of fabric softener clinging to Dohyeon’s neck.

“Nothing… I don’t know.”

“Nothing unusual happened today?”

“No. Today was just… normal.”

Dohyeon understood that just carried much more inside it—that the day had been condensed into that one word, and many small things were left unsaid.

“What about lunch.”

“You know… the friend I mentioned? The one I’ll probably be eating with often.”

“Who was that again.”

He pretended not to remember, though he clearly did. Younger by two years. An alpha. Igyeol couldn’t distinguish between recessive alphas and betas—perhaps because he was used to Dohyeon’s dominant-alpha pheromones—so he had assumed the boy was a beta, until Dohyeon caught the boy’s scent and corrected him.

“Ah… yes. We ate together.”

“Did you treat him to something nice?”

“…He said he wanted pizza, so… that.”

“Good. You could’ve brought other friends too.”

He knew full well that Igyeol was shy, not very social, and had had few close classmates even before marriage—yet he teased him anyway, jealousy simmering beneath the surface. The thought of that two-years-younger alpha attending class with Igyeol, walking beside him, choosing menus together, tugging on his sleeve—

Dohyeon’s expression hid that irritation poorly.

Flustered, Igyeol shook his head.

“There’s too much of an age gap. I can’t be close with them. They’re all so young. And apparently they don’t really like hanging out with students who returned from leave—they say it’s… um… old-fashioned.”

“You’re young too, though.”

“That’s because you’re older than me.”

“Oh, so you’re calling me old-fashioned too, is that it.”