A garden for two | heehoon

love doesn't need words

Hours later, the hospital waiting room was nearly empty, the soft hum of the air conditioning and the occasional beep from distant monitors the only sounds filling the quiet space.

Heeseung sat in one of the stiff chairs, hands clasped together tightly, his foot tapping nervously against the tile floor.

Across from him sat Sunghoon’s parents, their faces etched with fatigue.

Sunghoon’s father, Mr. Park, had been talking with the doctors, discussing his son’s condition in hushed tones.

Heeseung could see the tension in the man’s jaw, the way his eyes narrowed as he listened, his concern palpable.

Finally, Mr. Park came back and turned to Heeseung, his gaze sharp and calculating.

“So..”
He began.
“You’ve been working all this time, saving money, son. You say you’ve bought a house?”

Heeseung nodded, swallowing hard as he sat up straighter.
“Yes, sir.. I wanted to make sure that when the time came, I’d be ready for Sunghoon..”

Mr. Park folded his arms across his chest, leaning back in his chair with a skeptical frown.
“And you think that’s enough? Just having a house and some money saved up? Sunghoon’s still young, Heeseung. He’s barely out of school. What makes you think he’s ready for that kind of life?”

Heeseung opened his mouth, but the words stuck in his throat.

He knew Mr. Park was right, at least about Sunghoon’s age.

He was young, still with his whole future ahead of him, but the thought of leaving him again, of not being there when Sunghoon needed him most, made Heeseung’s chest tighten painfully.

“I know he’s young..”
Heeseung said carefully, his voice soft but determined.
“But Sunghoon’s been through a lot. He’s strong, and he knows what he wants. I’m not asking for anything rash or immediate. I just want to be there for him..”

Mr. Park’s expression didn’t soften. He shook his head, leaning forward as his brows furrowed.
“You’re asking me to let my son leave with you. You really think I’m just going to hand him over?”

Heeseung’s heart sank.
He knew this wouldn’t be easy.

Mr. Park had every right to be protective of Sunghoon, especially after the distance and hurt that had grown between them.

“I’m not asking you to hand him over.”
Heeseung said.
“I’m asking you to trust me. I know I’ve made mistakes, and I know I hurt him by leaving. But I’m here now. I want to be part of his life again. I won’t leave him again.”

Before Mr. Park could respond, Sunghoon’s mother, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up.

Her voice was gentle, but there was a firmness to it that caught both men’s attention.

“Maybe Heeseung has a point.”
She said softly, her eyes flicking between her husband and Heeseung. “Sunghoon’s been so distant from us for a long time. He hasn’t been happy, and we both know it. If Heeseung is offering him a chance, maybe we should consider it.”

Mr. Park shot her a look, his frown deepening.
“You can’t be serious.. He’s too young. He’s not ready to be living on his own with-”

“Heeseung isn’t just anyone.” Sunghoon’s mother interrupted, her gaze steady.
“He’s older, more mature, right? Maybe he’s exactly what Sunghoon needs.. He can take care of him.”

Mr. Park’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t immediately respond.

The silence stretched for a moment, thick with tension.