Rivalry Rewritten: Enmity to Intimacy ( Volume: 2)

Thirty Two

It was currently 11am. Wooyoung decided that instead of sitting back and hatching a plan without implementing it would be useless. He picked up Jiwoo and took his car, driving towards Choi Residence.

He decided not to tell San about it since he knew San wouldn't let him go. It was easier for Wooyoung to leave since San was at work. Wooyoung drove as his mind was occupied by thoughts of last night. The way Mr Choi slapped San, the way San's heart shattered at his father's slap, it all was so overwhelming and Wooyoung felt as if he might cry. But he decided to hold it in until later.

Wooyoung parked the car in front of the Choi residence, his heart heavy with apprehension. He glanced back at Jiwoo, who was peacefully sleeping in her car seat, and took a deep breath. He knew this conversation with his mother wouldn't be easy, but it was necessary.

As he walked up to the door, memories of his teenage years flooded his mind. This was his home, the place where he had spent good teenage times , but it felt different now. He knocked on the door, and it swung open almost immediately. His mother, her eyes red and swollen from crying, pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Oh, Wooyoung," she sobbed, clutching him as if he might disappear. "I was so worried about you and San. I couldn't sleep all night."

Wooyoung held her, feeling the weight of her worry. "Mom, I'm okay. We're okay. We just need to talk."

She nodded, wiping her tears as she led him inside. They settled in the living room, Jiwoo still asleep in her carrier. Wooyoung’s mother glanced at Jiwoo and then back at her son, her eyes filled with concern.

"Wooyoung, you have to understand," she began, her voice trembling. "You and San are stepbrothers. Your relationship... it's not possible."

Wooyoung took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation. "Mom, I love San. I’ve loved him for a long time, and that’s not going to change. We can’t just ignore our feelings because society says it’s wrong."

His mother shook her head, her expression pained. "But it is wrong, Wooyoung. You're family. It's unnatural and... and people will never accept it."

Wooyoung's frustration bubbled to the surface. "I don’t care what people think! San and I love each other. We've tried to deny it, to move on, but we can't. Our love is real, Mom."

"But you're brothers," she insisted, her voice rising. "You've known him since you were eighteen. How can you even think about being together like that?"

"We may be related , but we aren’t related by blood," Wooyoung argued. "I didn’t see him as a brother. We were always friends, and it grew into something more."

His mother’s eyes filled with tears again. "It doesn't matter, Wooyoung. It's still wrong. Think about what this will do to our family. To Jiwoo. How will she understand any of this?"

Wooyoung’s resolve wavered for a moment as he glanced at Jiwoo. But then he shook his head, determined. "Jiwoo will understand that her father loves someone deeply and purely. That’s what matters. Love is love, Mom. It doesn’t fit into neat little boxes."

She sighed, wiping her eyes. "You don’t understand the consequences, Wooyoung. The world is cruel. People are cruel. They will never accept this."

"Then we’ll face it together," Wooyoung said firmly. "San and I have already been through so much. We can handle this. What we can’t handle is pretending to be something we’re not, just to please others."

His mother looked at him, her expression a mix of sorrow and helplessness. "I just want you to be happy, Wooyoung. But I don't see how this will bring you happiness."