The shock in Mark's low voice didn't make Alex's smile flinch. Au contraire, it seemingly made it happier as he cut through any possible doubt:
"Yes, now."
Holding back a defeated sigh, then failing and turning it into an exhale, Mark looked at the bedroom door, then requested:
"At least let me get some breakfast ready for Ga-yeong before I go."
Alex seemed to pause on the other side, as the extraneous sounds that had been coming along with his voice stopped for a moment, and he commented thoughtfully:
"Yeah, there is that."
Right after, he resumed what he was doing and spoke, the brightness back in his voice:
"We will be going for a day. She will need more than just breakfast. Just make it fast."
A smile illuminated Mark's face and he started moving to gain some precious additional time.
"Got it. Don't worry, I will start making the arrange–"
*Beep*
"–ments."
The sound of the call being cut made Mark reflexively move the phone away from his ear, before he exhaled the last syllable at the tip of his tongue, though for the only ears around to hear it, his own. A helpless but unsurprised smile spreading on his lips, he lowered the phone, the desire to sigh growing stronger in his chest.
After finally exhaling while shaking his head, he put the phone to the side. He took out some ingredients from the fridge and was wiping the water he had spilled on the counter when the door of the bedroom opened. He turned his head, and saw his wife on the doorstep, leaning against the frame while looking at him, one of her hands resting on her stomach as she looked at him, a part of her brown hair falling onto one side of her chest while the rest was left to caress her back.
Mark immediately smiled:
"You are awake. Did I disturb you?"
As he spoke, he finished wiping the counter and put the cloth away. Ga-yeong shook her head:
"You didn't wake me up. I came out on my own when I saw that you were not in bed anymore."
Mark's smile couldn't help but soften, and he took out two glasses.
"Was that Alex who called?"
He raised an eyebrow, then nodded, as he filled one glass with milk, before pouring some water into the second one and bringing them out of the kitchen.
"Yes, it was Alex. He asked me to prepare an impromptu trip for this morning, so I will have to be away for a while."
He glanced at Ga-yeong and put the glasses on the dining table before pulling a chair for her. While waiting for her to come over, he brought out bottles of pregnancy medicines and supplements which he put beside the glasses.
Ga-yeong smiled as she sat down:
"Will you be away for long?"
"No."
Mark shook his head before walking back into the kitchen to resume the preparations to cook the breakfast. He added:
"I think it will be just a day or two. Something must have annoyed him, so he wants to let out some steam."
Ga-yeong couldn't help but frown at those words, worry casting a shadow over her face as she spoke with her voice slightly muffled while taking her medicines:
"Then please, remember to take good care of him."
Putting the glass of water down after a swig, she turned to her husband, finding it necessary to add something more:
"And don't let him be too reckless."
Mark laughed:
"At least you know that I can't really prevent it."
Not hearing anything from the dining area across from him, he raised his head to see the pair of worried eyes fixed on him, like gentle needles prodding him. He paused, then shook his head before agreeing after a helpless exhale:
"I will try, but I can't make any promise."
Ga-yeong looked at her husband for a while longer, before relenting, as she indeed knew that asking for more would be asking for the moon.
"Just try your best."
Between letting go of the knife and turning on the induction plate, Mark held a hand over his heart and put on a hurt look twisted with untold grievances:
"Only Alex matters. I, your husband, and the father of your yet-to-be-born child, don't matter at all."
Ga-yeong smiled, and looked at him through the half-empty glass of milk. She shook her head at his childishness, and tried to make it up to him:
"Then be careful out there, Mark. And come back safe and sound."
Mark nodded, with a satisfied smile spreading on his face as he put the pan on the plate, his happiness almost turning into a glow around him. Ga-yeong watched with amusement deepening in her smile, then shook her head and finished her glass of milk.
Lively with the cheerfulness that seemed able to accompany him throughout the whole day, Mark happily moved around the kitchen. Unfortunately, he was not left to savor the joy for long. Ga-yeong walked over with the dirty glasses and froze his smile half-jokingly:
"But you are older and more mature than Alex, so remember to not let him go too far with his antics when you are away with him."
The sound of a heart breaking was almost audible, amidst the sound of frying. Had he been a statue, Mark felt that he would have cracked, and broken apart. He looked helplessly at his wife, then shook his head, accepting his place at last.
He, the husband, was indeed not important.
Ga-yeong laughed at his depressed look, then went around the counter to hug him and kiss him on the cheek. He gave a sidelong glance, then let his gaze soften and allowed a smile to come back on his face. However, he still chased her away after looking down at her stomach:
"You shouldn't be here. Go. Go sit in the living room. I will call you when it is ready."
Ga-yeong nodded, her smile cute, but didn't move, only looking at him with blinking eyes. He held her gaze for a moment, then turned away, unable to win.
"Alright, I promise, I will use my maturity to compensate for Alex's recklessness."
Ga-yeong immediately stopped blinking at him. She tiptoed to kiss him, before finally leaving the kitchen with light steps:
"Thank you."
Mark looked at her back, then shook his head for the nth time before the sun even finished coming out. Then another smile found its way onto his face, resigned, but indulgent and amused.
He, the husband, really was not important at all, indeed.