PAPER HEARTS || JAKEHOON

DISCOMFORT

As Jake and Sunghoon lay cuddled together in the hospital bed, their peaceful moment was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Jake reluctantly untangled himself from Sunghoon's embrace and made his way to the door.

Opening it, Jake was surprised to find Doc Yeon standing there, accompanied by another person. Sunghoon's mother.

Sunghoon froze in place, his expression unreadable as he stared at his mother standing before him. Doc Yeon excused himself, leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Sunghoon's voice was cold, his eyes betraying a mix of anger and hurt as he confronted his mother.

"Aren't you supposed to be in Switzerland?" Sunghoon's tone was accusatory, his words laced with resentment as he questioned his mother's sudden appearance.

His mother's eyes brimmed with tears as she rushed forward, enveloping Sunghoon in a tight embrace. But Sunghoon remained rigid, his body tense with apprehension as he refused to reciprocate the gesture.

"I came home for you, my baby boy. I missed you so much," his mother murmured, her voice trembling with emotion as she held onto Sunghoon desperately.

Sunghoon's gaze remained fixed on Jake, his expression guarded as he struggled to process his mother's words. Jake watched the exchange with a mixture of concern and empathy, his heart aching for his boyfriend's pain.

"How are you?" Sunghoon's mother asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.

But Sunghoon's response was laced with bitterness, his words cutting through the air like a knife as he confronted his mother with his pent-up emotions.

"Who goes home just because they heard their son is dying already?" Sunghoon's words hung heavy in the air, his pain and frustration palpable as he laid bare his deepest wounds.

His mother recoiled, shock written across her face as she struggled to comprehend the depth of Sunghoon's anguish.

"Dying? What are you saying? I was so worried about you, so I came back," she protested, her voice trembling with disbelief.

"Why not come back when I needed you the most?" Sunghoon's voice cracked with emotion, his words filled with a raw intensity that left Jake and his mother stunned into silence.

"I was suffering alone back then. I needed you the most. You refused to come back because you said your work is important. So if I die, your work is still your top priority?" Sunghoon's voice was tinged with bitterness, his eyes burning with unshed tears as he confronted his mother with the harsh truth of their fractured relationship.

Jake watched the exchange with a heavy heart, his own emotions swirling as he struggled to find the right words to comfort his friend.

"Of course you're my priority, Sunghoon. The important thing is that I am here now, isn't it?" Sunghoon's mother pleaded, reaching out to him in a desperate attempt to bridge the chasm that had formed between them.

But Sunghoon remained unmoved, his resolve unyielding as he turned away from his mother and stormed out of the room, his heart heavy with unresolved pain.

Jake hesitated for a moment, torn between following Sunghoon and staying with his mother. But in the end, he knew where his loyalty lay.

"I'll talk to him, Mrs. Park," Jake said softly, offering her a reassuring smile before stepping out of the room in search of Sunghoon, determined to offer his friend the comfort and support he so desperately needed.