The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 5

865 🩺 A Brother's Love

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Sincerely,
Eve ♡

~~~

Late at night, just a dim glow creeping down the hall past the doorway, Wooyoung sat in his parents' place on the little single bed in the spare room, staring down at a photo frame in his hands. It was a photograph of his family, before they'd died—an afternoon that had become the last memory he had of them all still alive together.

He couldn't recall whether it had been Italy or France or some other country he'd once dreamt of going to, but no longer wished to ever step foot in, but he distinctly remembered his parents getting home incredibly early from the airport just as the sun rose. They'd picked him up from his grandparent's place, and they had all gone for a picnic in the park, despite the grass being frosted over.

It was his last happy memory he had of them all together.

Feeling his eyes stinging, as tears welled over his lashes, they spilled down his cheeks, and tracing his fingertips over their smiling faces in the photo, he reached up to swipe his tears away. He'd always felt bad for crying over their photos, but he couldn't help it. The pain... It was something of a monster he couldn't control. It was consuming and determined to swallow him whole, and with it, his whole body grew heavy, while his heart felt raw.

Winter was coming, and once again, it was the time of year, for the anniversary of his family's death to come around. It felt almost spiteful, that all over again, the world would bring him such crushing, agonising pain. First would come his parents, and then not months later, both of his grandparents—the only family he'd had left—and when the winter passed, the cool air would bring with it a sense of rawness that came with grief... The aftermath of loosing everyone a little boy had loved.

'Mama,' he whispered, more tears spilling over his lashes, hot and painful, as deep sorrow welled up inside of him. He felt empty. Hollow. Like there was nothing left of him anymore.

He hadn't meant to stare for so long at their faces—knew that if he did, he would risk spiralling. However their smiles... The kind eyes and loving embraces of a boy he barely remembered being...

He'd not been able to help himself, and just like that, he'd broken. Broken, all over agai—

'Woo?'

Sniffing abruptly with the guilt of being caught, he dropped the photo into his lap as he quickly swiped at his eyes, looking up through the near-darkness to see his brother at the door—a halo of golden light spilling in from behind him, painting him as the angel he'd always believed him to be.

Immediately, as those eyes scanned over him, Yeosang's face filled with understanding and concern. 'Woo,' he breathed, far more tender, and as he swept inside, he sat down beside him, ushering him back until they could both lean against the wall.

'Sang,' he choked, and as he did, his brother put his arm around him, and unable to hold back, he buried himself into his chest, squeezing his eyes closed as tears began to stream.