IT'S OKAY

CHAPTER 28

The doctor was happy that he had finally accepted, and he suggested to have it as soon as possible. It was already after one in the morning, so we agreed to come back later in the day

I couldn't leave him all by himself, so I took him home in a taxi

He turned back to me when we reach the gate

"Thank you so much for today. Although I couldn't listen to you" Ji Sung said

I rose my eyebrows in confusion

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked

He blinked

"Aren't you going home?" he asked

"And leave you here?" I asked back

"What if you collapse on your way, or something? At least, I'll see you relax before going"

"And also, I don't think I can bear to see my mom right now. I feel like I might do something I'll likely regret" I added

"I'm fine, but let's go in. I don't want to be called to be police station" he teased

I hit him playfully on him shoulder

We were almost at his door, when I saw two figures

I gently nudges him, and pointed to his front door

"I think you have some visitors" I said

He looked, and signed

"Those visitors are my parents" he whispered back

"That's right" I said

I completely forgot they called

Their faces were not so pleasant when they saw us, Ji Sung's mom had a scowl on her face

"I'm here" Ji Sung announced

"Where have you been?" his father asked clearly not pleased

"And who is this? Is she, perhaps the human who answered your call?" she asked

The way she said the 'human' wasn't lost on me

I forced a smile

"This human's name is Choi Soo Joon. Nice to meet you" I said, bringing out my hand, although I was hundred percent sure she wouldn't take it

"Young people usually bow to their elders in the place" she said

"Is that so? I'm from America, you see" I said

I could clearly see her annoyance, but before she could say anything, Ji Sung cut her in

"Why are you here?" he asked

"Do we need a reason to be in our house?" his father asked, waiting for Ji Sung to talk back

"Let's just go in" he said

"Aren't you going home?"

I stopped walking and turned to her

"Not yet" I said

"At this time?" the dad asked

"We still have things to do?" Ji Sung answered instead of me

"At this time?" he repeated

"You're going to leave anyway" Ji Sung said, and entered immediately

"What do you mean by that?" the mom asked

He ignored her

"I'm talking to you young man. What do you mean by that?!"

He whipped to her

"Am I wrong?!! Aren't you going to leave? You leave for months, sometimes years, not caring about me. Your son, and only child. Then you come home, and start behaving like parents!!. Do you think that will make you parents? Do you really think that...?!!"

His dad punched him

"How dare you talk to your mother that way? How dare you talk to us that way?" he asked

He rose his hand to hit his again, but I stopped him

"What in the world do you think you're doing right now?!!" I shouted at him

Ji Sung held my hand, trying to stop me but I wasn't having it. I wasn't five anymore

"Young lady,..." he started, but I cut him off

"How could you hit him? How in the world could you hit him?!"

"He is my son and I'm his dad!!" he shouted

I laughed

"Are you sure about that?"

"What?..."

"Are you sure you're his dad?"

I brushed my hand down my hair

"Why are dad's so... so... I don't even know what to say. You say you're his dad, but you don't know what he's going through"

"Alex, it's okay" Ji Sung said

"No, it's not" I turned back to his dad, parents, "Do you know where he's coming from?"

They didn't answer

"Ji Sung, your son, is just coming from the hospital. Why? Because he's sick. Ji Sung's sick"

"What do you mean?" the mom asked

I looked up trying to blink away the tears, but it wasn't working

"He has Fabry disease" I said

They gasped

"What?" she asked

"While you were away working, thinking that it was all for him, your son was here, in pain, suffering. He was suffering, but couldn't have his parents to comfort him, to tell him it was going to be okay, to persuade him and tell the doctor to start treatment as soon as possible. You're his dad? Do you still think he's at fault? Then you hit him. How angry I was at myself. I had seen moments when he suddenly doubled over in pain, but didn't say anything. Do you know how scared I was? When I saw he fall of the stool and passed out. I called his name, but he didn't answer"

"Do you even know how scared and lonely he must have been. He was left alone. When he was in pain and needed someone with him, he was alone. Then, you come and hit him. How? How could you? How...?"

I wiped my tears away

"Let's go to your room" I told Ji Sung

As soon as I entered his room, I burst into tears

"Soo Joon-ah"

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me that you were in pain? How could you just keep it to yourself? I told you everything"

"I also told you..."

"You left out the important part!"

"It was manageable" he shrugged

I took a breathe

"I really want to hit you" I said

He stood a step back

"Would you?" he asked with a smile

"Usjima. Jjajeungna" don't smile. it's annoying

I wiped away the tears left

"Are you okay? Did the hit trigger anything?" I asked

"I have a pretty strong skull" he boasted

"Good for you" I said, sarcastically

"Sorry" he said

I just glared at him

"Geudae, what do you think they're doing?" by the way Ji Sung asked

"I don't know. Do you think they're crying?" I asked

"I don't know"

We looked at each other and smiled

Everything is going to be okay, I said to myself

For the two of us