The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 5

876 🩺 Like Mother, Like Son

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PLEASE REPORT THIS UNDER COPYRIGHT, and do not support thieves. It breaks my heart.

Sincerely,
Eve ♡

~~~

The crunch of gravel underneath his feet was louder than Hongjoong had expected as he stepped out of the car. Birds chirped in trees above head, and child's laughter rang from somewhere not too far away.

Two and a half hours from home, finally, he had braved leaving the city behind to return to the countryside, to the orphanage his mother had grown up in.

But he was not alone this time.

A comforting hand smoothed over the small of his back, and he was engulfed with the scent of Seonghwa's cologne.

Swallowing, he turned to his husband and leant his forehead into his chest for a moment—just a moment to pull himself together. He found one of Seonghwa's hands with his own and entwined their fingers together, and with it, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

'Are you still sure?' Seonghwa asked gently, rubbing the bottom of his spine gently and squeezing his hand.

'Yes...' He was sure. But was he ready?...

'Joong, talk to me,' Seonghwa urged, smoothing his hand all the way up his spine, until he buried his fingers in his hair and gently drew his forehead off his chest. 'You don't have to do this if you're not ready.'

Swallowing, he shook his head. 'I do have to,' he said, feeling responsibility weigh down on him. It was already long overdue. 'I owe it to Naeun.'

But it wasn't until the moments after his voice had rung between them, that he realised, he wasn't sure if he'd meant his daughter, or his mother.

He supposed it was probably both.

'Hwa, we, owe it to her,' he said, nodding as a fresh resolve melted over him. 'Our daughter, Hwa,' he whispered. 'When the time comes, she has a right to know where she came from. To know about her mother.'

'I know,' Seonghwa said gently, reaching up to cup his jaw. 'But there's still time. Not even a year after your mom... Joong— You can take more time.'

Time away from this place...

Time away from the non-memories he didn't even have of his mother, here, in this very church, from before he'd even been born.

Behind them, the sound of huge wooden doors creaking open sounded, and as they turned, a nun stool there—her old features somehow filled with both peace, and regret, all at once.

'I'm okay,' he whispered, squeezing Seonghwa's hand, before he turned and walked up the pebble drive, stepping back into the orphanage, all over again.

~~~

Seated at the very same round glass garden table he'd sat at months ago, Hongjoong needed Seonghwa's hand on his back more than anything, but he couldn't help but feel guilty, for where they were... 'Are—... Are you sure its okay for us to be here together like this...?'