BELOVED BY THE TWINS

CHAPTER 5

"BELOVED BY THE TWINS"
by: Dark Flame Master

Shin hurried down the hallway of the hospital after the twins had left. He went straight to his mom’s room with excitement bubbling up inside him. The door creaked as he opened it and his heart was pounding with anticipation.

“Mom... I’m here,” Shin said with a wide grin on his face.

His mother who had been resting in bed turned to look at him. She was startled not just because he was supposed to be at school but also because of how unusually happy he seemed. It had been a long time since she had seen him with such a bright expression.

“Shin? Aren’t you supposed to be at school today?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shin’s smile faltered for a moment but he quickly recovered deciding to tell a little white lie. “We don’t have classes today,” he said, shrugging nonchalantly. “Anyway, Mom, I’ve made a big decision. I’m going to move out of our apartment."

His mom’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected to hear something like that.

“Why would you do that?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. “You’re still so young. What’s going on?”

Shin could feel the weight of her worry but he was determined to explain it in a way that would ease her mind. He smiled trying to show her how serious he was. “I found a job,” he said happily. “And they’ve given me a place to stay. I can earn a lot, and maybe by the time you’re discharged, I can find a better house for us. Something nice, something comfortable.”

His mother’s face softened but the worry didn’t leave her entirely. “Just make sure it’s not anything illegal, Shin,” she said, half-joking but her voice carried an undertone of concern. “And... you don’t have to rush with the house. I don’t know when I’ll be discharged. It might take longer than you think.”

Shin’s heart sank a little at her words. He hated hearing her talk like that as though she wasn’t sure she would recover.

“Mom, don’t say things like that,” he said quietly, his voice filled with both worry and affection.

His mother sighed and tried to change the subject, sensing the heaviness of the moment. “What’s this job of yours anyway? You already have too many jobs as it is.”

Shin hesitated. He didn’t know how to tell her the whole truth. He bit his lip, glancing at the floor for a second before speaking. “Uh... I quit my other jobs,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “And my new job... it’s just cleaning houses. It's nothing too complicated.”

The afternoon rolled around quickly and soon Ruka and Luca came by to visit. As they entered the room, Ruka greeted Shin’s mom with a casual, “Hi!”

His mom’s eyes lit up with amusement as she looked at Ruka. She gently tapped Shin on the shoulder with a playful smile spreading across her face. “He’s good-looking,” she teased, making Shin blush.

“Um... hello,” Luca said, stepping out from behind Ruka. He was quieter but just as polite, his eyes warm as he looked at Shin’s mother.

“Oh, you’re twins!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise. “This hospital seems to be full of good-looking doctors and nurses these days,” she chuckled, clearly in a good mood.

Shin, utterly embarrassed by his mom’s comment, groaned. “Mom...” he mumbled under his breath, feeling his face heat up.

Ruka, unfazed by the teasing sat down next to Shin’s mom. “We’re not doctors yet” he clarified with a smile. “We’re just interns here for a short time.”