The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 2

338 🩺 Yall, It's Official: He's In Boiz

Yeosang laughed as Wooyoung grabbed his and Hongjoong's wrists and physically dragged them down the corridor to their parent's door. He must have been so incredibly excited for their dinner that he couldn't wait. Or at least that was Yeosang's best guess.

Knock knock knock... Knockknockknockknockknock...

The door swung open to show their father, clearly amused with Wooyoung's eagerness. He was almost balled over as the blonde threw himself into his arms. 'Dadda bear!'

He laughed. 'Woo, son, you know I am getting older, and there will come a day when your enthusiastic hugs will crush me where I stand?'

Wooyoung pouted, stepping back sulkily. 'But today isn't that day, and there never will be.' There was a determination in his voice that Yeosang recognised from every other moment in time when sadder topics were brought up, even if very lightly...

Yeosang stepped up and wrapped an arm around his waist comfortingly. He dropped a peck against his head, before play-biting his ear, distracting him and making him suddenly cringe.

'Ewww, ya! Sang-ahh ya!'

Yeosang giggled to himself, satisfied with his work. Pushing his brother inside, he grabbed Hongjoong's wrist as he laughed and pulled him in as well. The moment they were all in the warmth of the new family home, Yeosang looked up to see Wooyoung hurrying into the kitchen to presumably find their mother, and it melted his heart.

'Evening boys,' his father said calmly, ruffling both their heads of hair. 'Did you feed Wooyoung a kilo of sugar? Or has he been drinking?'

Yeosang smirked, glancing at his Hyung.'Neither? I'd say maybe he's anxious... But I thought he had a really good day...'

Hongjoong nodded, agreeing. 'I think he's just excited we're all here,' he said gently, and the way it made Yeosang relax hearing him say it...

He gently slipped into his side for a hug.

'Come on you two kiddos. Let's go eat~'

Just like they were preschoolers all over again, naturally, both boys reacted exactly the same.

Their heads turned and their eyes widened innocently, nodding in synchronisation as they both replied...

'Okay~'

~~~

Wooyoung felt incredibly nervous, yet excited. He had been trying the entire dinner to find a way to put his emotions into words, and just spit it out, but like most times he ever wanted to say something of importance, he was finding it neigh on impossible to do so.

And so after the table had been cleared and the five of them were chatting idly, finishing off the bottle of wine, Wooyoung gave in, and decided to do things the easy way.

Glancing down, he pulled out his phone and navigated to his emails.

And finding the one he wanted, he took a deep breath, and suddenly just plonked his phone down in the middle of the table.

Everyone suddenly looked at him, confused, and slightly startled.

'Woo, honey, are you okay?' his mother asked.

Nervously playing with the diamond necklace around his neck, he nodded. 'I have news...'

He glanced at his Hyungs, and almost died the moment he saw sheer terror cross Yeosang's face, and a similar panic over Hongjoong's. Once again, he felt the raw guilt of his past choices bubbling up, seeing the toll it had taken upon his brothers who suffered that terror over hearing bad news once anew.

But as his mother gently reached out to pick up his phone, she glanced over the email...

And suddenly, tears filled her eyes. 'Wooyoung-ah, honey...'

Seeing his wife's tears, his father leaned over and took his phone, looking over it...

'Woo, honey,' his mother breathed, standing up and walking over to him to wrap her arms around him. 'Baby, I'm so proud of you.'

Wooyoung felt his heart erupt with happiness, and as he saw his father's face suddenly fill with raw pride, he didn't think he could feel any luckier to have them be proud of them.

But as Yeosang took his phone, and he and Hongjoong huddled around it, reading, he realised he'd been wrong.

He was far happier seeing his brothers' faces...

'Wooyoung,' Yeosang breathed. 'You got into tafe?'

As his mother gently let him go, he nodded through teary eyes.

And both his Hyung's seemed to let out breath they hadn't known they'd been holding. 'That's why you were so eager to come tonight,' Hongjoong breathed, smiling to himself with the realisation.

'I was nervous... Sorry,' he breathed.

'Wooyoung, don't be sorry,' Yeosang said, wiping at his eyes. 'Congratulations. It's your turn to explore and find something you love doing.'

Feeling incredibly relieved that he was supported, Wooyoung got up, gently hugging his mother and father, before going to his Hyungs. Tears spilling down his cheeks, he folded himself into their arms and let himself become overwhelmed by his emotions. For some reason, this moment reminded him of when he had first started school, just as a tiny young boy, when his family were still alive.

He remembered Hongjoong promising him that it would be okay, and that he would look out for him. And he remembered Yeosang - a nervous little boy trying to be brave for him -, telling him he wouldn't leave his side...

'You're going to have so much fun,' Hongjoong breathed. 'You'll love it.'

Wooyoung sniffed. '... It's... It's kind of scary,' he whispered, admitting the fear he'd felt from the moment he'd opened that email.

But just like all those years ago, Yeosang pulled him tighter against him and dug his cheek into his hair. 'I will help you~. I won't let you do it alone~.'

After all this time had passed, and lives had moved on, so much had stayed the same...

But amidst the constants, one thing had changed...

With time, the three had only grown closer.

~~~