Autumn is a second spring

104. Punch

No one had expected Boun to punch Ohm. Not even Boun himself. But the moment the words left Ohm's mouth—his quiet yet firm declaration that he wanted to cut ties with Ann and Seth—something inside Boun snapped. His fist flew before he could stop himself, colliding with Ohm's face. The impact sent a sharp crack through the air, and the force of the blow made Ohm stagger back a step.

 It was just a while ago that the doctor told them that Ohm could be discharged from the hospital. Boun was so happy that he stepped out of the ward to make phone calls to everyone in the family. But when he came back, Ohm was nowhere to be seen. Given how there were a few fainting spells that happened due to the blood clots in Ohm's brain, the doctor had strictly advised not to let Ohm wander around alone. 

Boun started panicking and  had started looking around for Ohm. Ann and Seth who arrived at the hospital too joined in to look for Ohm. They went to Linlalin, Atom and Poom, to see if Ohm had went to them. But none of them had seen Ohm the whole day. 

Kao and Earth who arrived later on too joined the search. It was at the end that they found Ohm talking to Fluke. Boun had been relieved that Ohm was alright. But overhearing their conversation made him angry. 

"Ohm, what the hell is wrong with you?" Boun's voice trembled with fury, his chest heaving as he glared at his brother. "How could you even think of something like that? Mae and Aa Seth have been nothing but the best parents anyone could ask for! And you—you just want to throw them away like they mean nothing?"

Hearing how Ohm say that he wants to cut ties with Ann and Seth just like that made his blood boil. It just felt so unfair. Ann and Seth were the kind of parents whom he longed to have but Ohm was throwing away his parent-son relationship just like that was making him mad.

 Ann and Seth had been most supportive parents in their family. They had always given Ohm the right to choose what he wanted to do, something neither Boun nor Kao got from their parents. Yet, instead of being thankful to have such parents, Ohm wanted to cut ties with them. 

Ohm touched his split lip, wiping away the blood with the back of his hand. He didn't retaliate, didn't even flinch, just looked at Boun with that same frustratingly calm, unreadable expression.

Boun wasn't done. He lunged forward again, his rage boiling over, but before his fist could reach Ohm a second time, Fluke stepped in between them. With a swift and firm motion, Fluke grabbed Boun's wrist and shoved him back.

"Stop it, Phi" Fluke said coldly.

Boun turned his fiery gaze onto Fluke, his hands shaking with adrenaline. "Stay out of this, Fluke! This is none of your business. This is a family matter."

Fluke didn't so much as blink. "I don't care. If you try to hit him again, I will have security drag you out for attacking one of my patients."

Boun's nostrils flared. He wanted to scream at Fluke, shove him out of the way, but the steel in Fluke's eyes stopped him. His anger was burning white-hot, but he knew Fluke wasn't bluffing. His fingers curled into a tight fist as he took a shaky breath, blinking back the tears of frustration threatening to spill.

Behind them, Seth had pulled Ann close, shielding her as she sobbed against his chest. She shook her head repeatedly, whispering through her tears, "My boys... My boys are fighting... They have never fought like this before..."

The two boys had always had each others' back since they were kids. Other than their occasional arguments, they have never gotten into a physical fight before.

Ohm stood motionless, letting Boun's words settle between them. He had expected this. He had known Boun would explode upon hearing his decision. And yet, seeing the raw hurt in his brother's eyes still twisted something deep inside him. But his decision was final. He had made up his mind.

Kao and Earth rushed to Boun's side, each grabbing one of his arms to hold him back. Boun struggled, his muscles tense as he fought against their grip. "Tell me why, Ohm! Give me one damn good reason why you are doing this!" he demanded.

Ohm remained silent.

Boun shook his head in disbelief. "You are so selfish. You are so cruel," he spat. "They have done nothing but love you, and this is how you repay them?"

Ohm's fingers twitched slightly at his sides, but he still didn't speak. The silence only fueled Boun's rage.

Fluke, his voice sharp yet calm, turned to the three people who had entered the room with Ann and Seth—Linlalin, her younger brother Atom, and Poom. "This is a private matter. You should go back to work."

The three exchanged glances, understanding that they had no place in this fight. Without a word, they slipped out of the room, leaving the family to settle their turmoil.

Now, it was just Ohm and Boun, staring at each other with years of shared history between them. The once-unshakable bond between them felt fragile, splintered by the weight of Ohm's decision.

Ann's sobs filled the silence. Seth rubbed her back, his expression a mixture of sadness and helplessness. "Ohm," he said softly, his voice heavy with exhaustion, "please, just talk to us."

Ohm finally broke his silence. His voice was quiet but firm. "There is nothing to talk about."

Boun's lips parted, as if he wanted to argue, but he saw it in Ohm's eyes—this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. Ohm had thought this through. He had already let go of them.

The realization shattered something inside Boun. His arms went slack in Kao and Earth's grip, his shoulders sagging as the fire inside him burned out, leaving behind only ash.

"Ohm," Ann whispered, taking a shaky step forward. "Please, son... Don't do this."

Ohm closed his eyes for a moment, as if trying to gather himself. When he opened them, his gaze was steady. "I am sorry."

Boun clenched his jaw, his heart breaking. "You don't get to just say 'I am sorry' and walk away from us."

Ohm's eyes flickered with something unspoken, but he didn't respond.

Boun exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "You know what? Fine. Do whatever the hell you want." His voice wavered, but he forced himself to keep his head high. "If you want to throw us away, go ahead. But don't expect us to wait around for you when you realize what a mistake you are making."

Ohm's jaw tensed, but he still said nothing.

Boun turned on his heel, brushing past Fluke as he stormed out of the room.