Share
MidReal Story
The Unconventional Hero
Scenario:In a world where men can get pregnant. Yi-jun is a 19 year old korean boy with a 5 year old son jiung. Yi-jun is 5 weeks pregnant and soon will have to get a c-section. Yi-jun is a single parent.
Create my version of this story
Yijun Lee
He is a 19yearold high school dropout living in a small Korean town. He is resourceful, determined, and protective. Yijun never planned to be a parent, but he deeply loves his son Jiung. After his mother's passing, he took on caring for Jiung, and they became an integral part of each other's lives. Despite societal challenges and his own financial struggles, Yijun vows to provide a stable home for Jiung.
Hyeyeon
She is Sanghoon's abusive partner from high school. She is manipulative, aggressive, and controlling. Hyeyeon has a history of physically harming Sanghoon and now prevents him from seeing other women. Despite their tumultuous relationship, she continues to hold onto Sanghoon due to unresolved feelings from their past. Her behavior towards Jiung is hostile when she encounters him, displaying her instability and possessive nature.
Jiung Lee
He is a 5yearold boy and Yijun's son. He is curious, adventurous, and affectionate. Jiung looks up to his father despite not knowing him well. He was conceived when Yijun was 14, and his biological mother left before he was born. Now, Jiung and Yijun share a deep bond, with Yijun ensuring Jiung's physical and emotional needs are met. Jiung looks up to any man that shows him attention, making him proud.
I was fourteen when I had my son.
I was nineteen when I found out I was pregnant.
I didn’t plan to be a parent, but I never planned to leave my child to an orphanage, either.
I didn’t know how to be a good parent, but I did my best with what I had.
My mother taught me well before she died, and I was as resourceful and determined as she was.
When I thought about having another baby, I wanted to have a big family—one with many brothers and sisters for Jiung.
I wanted him to have aunts, uncles, and cousins, but I didn’t think I would actually get pregnant again.
Not before I had a stable home and income for which I wouldn’t have to rely on others.
Not before I could provide for my family myself.
But life had other plans for me.
Sanghoon is my best friend.
He is also the only mechanic in our town.
When his shop is busy, he calls me to help him fix cars.
Sometimes he gives me spare parts from his old stock.
Sometimes we trade—cars for diapers.
Sometimes we just talk until early in the morning.
He knows about my pregnancy, but he doesn’t like to talk about it.
He teases me instead—about getting fat, about having cravings for strange foods, about having mood swings.
I sit on the floor in his garage, watching him work under a car he has lifted.
The smell of motor oil and gasoline fills the air.
I sort through a box of spare parts he gave me to take home.
My stomach churns, reminding me that there is a life growing inside me.
I hear the sound of metal hitting metal and look up.
Sanghoon slides out from under the car, grease streaking his face and clothes.
He tosses me a wrench.
"You’re getting slow," he says.
Before I can answer, the garage door slams open.
Hyeyeon storms in, her eyes wild with anger.
She sees Sanghoon first, then her gaze lands on me.
"You’re still hanging around here?" she spits.
Sanghoon stands quickly, positioning himself between us.
"Hyeyeon, calm down," he says.
But she is beyond reason.
She points at me, screaming threats and insults.
Sanghoon tries to grab her, but she pushes him away.
She lunges at me, and I scramble to my feet.
I hold up my hands, trying to protect myself.
But before she can reach me, Sanghoon grabs her and pulls her away.
He drags her out of the garage, still shouting insults at me.
I stand there, shaking with fear and anger.
I gather my things quickly, not wanting to cause any more trouble for Sanghoon.
I run home, tears streaming down my face.
When I get there, I find Mrs. Kim from next door watching Jiung for me.
She looks up as I enter.
"Is everything okay?" she asks, seeing the fear in my eyes.
I nod, not wanting to worry her.
"I’m fine," I say.
"Thank you for watching Jiung."
She looks at me uncertainly but leaves without asking more questions.
I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down.
I start preparing dinner for Jiung and me—chopping vegetables for soup and cooking rice on the stovetop. The kitchen fills with the smell of cooking food, and I try to focus on the task at hand.
But my hands are still shaking, and it takes all my concentration to keep from cutting myself with the knife.
Jiung sits at the table, watching me with curious eyes.
"What happened?" he asks after a while.
"Nothing," I say quickly.
"Just a little accident at work."
He nods but doesn’t look convinced.
After a few minutes of silence, he speaks up again.
"Are you okay?" he asks softly.
I turn to look at him, surprised by his concern.
"Yes," I say with a smile.
"I’m fine."
"I'm okay," I assure him, but the weight of my words feels heavier than ever.
I sit at the kitchen table helping Jiung with his homework.
He puts down his pencil and looks up at me.
His eyes are fixed on my stomach, which has grown noticeably over the past few months.
I have been trying to hide it under loose shirts, but it is getting harder to conceal.
"Teacher showed us a video about babies today," he says quietly.
I nod, continuing to check his math problems.
"They showed how doctors use big knives."
His voice trembles slightly as he speaks.
I stop writing and look at him.
His small hands are balled into fists on the table, and his eyes are filled with worry.
"I don't want them to cut you, Appa," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.
Tears well up in his eyes, and I reach out to comfort him.
I pull him close, whispering promises of safety and love, knowing that tomorrow I must find a way to make them true.
I hold him on my lap, his small body still trembling against my chest.
Taking a deep breath, I explain that doctors need to make a special opening to help the baby come out safely.
His eyes widen as I lift my shirt, revealing the scar hidden beneath.
"This is how you came to me," I tell him, letting his small finger trace the faded line.
He frowns, processing this information.
"Did it hurt?" he asks after a moment.
I hesitate before answering, knowing that honesty is crucial but also wanting to protect him from the harsh realities of the world.
"Yes," I admit finally, "but holding you afterward made everything worth it."
Jiung looks up at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of awe and concern.
"Will it hurt again when the new baby comes?" he asks softly.
I nod slowly, brushing a stray hair from his forehead.
"Yes, but I will be strong for you and the baby," I promise him.
"Will it hurt more because there are two babies?"
Jiung asks, his voice filled with worry.
"No, it won't hurt more," I reassure him.
"The doctor will make sure everything goes smoothly."
Jiung nods, seeming to accept my explanation.
After a moment of silence, he looks up at me with a curious expression.
"Can we read our favorite story now?" he asks, his voice filled with excitement.
I smile and nod, lifting him onto my lap.
We settle into our favorite spot on the bed, the storybook "The Three Little Pigs" open between us.
As we begin to read, Jiung points at the pictures, and I use my best voices for each character—the squeaky voice for the pigs and the growly voice for the wolf.
We laugh together as the wolf huffs and puffs, trying to blow down the pigs' houses.
But halfway through the story, Jiung stops me by placing his small hand on my belly.
He bends down close to my stomach and whispers, "Good night, baby. Don't give Appa too much pain."
His words catch me off guard, and I swallow hard.
I watch as he pats my belly twice before settling back against me.