Oppa (전정국)

~36~

Rushing into your mom's workplace, Jungkook placed a bag of food on the counter before peeking behind it to look for that familiar, short bob haircut he grew up with.

"Ah, Jungkook-ah! What brings you here?" Your mother asks, coming up and yanking the boy out of his trance.

Something about knowing that the woman in front of him, who called him pet names, wasn't his real mother made his stomach churn like crazy, but for the sake of not embarrassing themselves in a public workplace, he grabs her wrist and talks slowly and surely. "Let's discuss this in private, Eomma," he gritted the last part.

They both walked to a picnic bench that was roughly a block away, bag of food in hand. Jungkook started to take out the disposable silverware and Tupperware containers filled with knife-cut noodles, which were your mom's favourite.

"Thank you for bringing me lunch, honey, but why do you look so upset?" She asks out of concern.

"It's because I am upset," he says before leaning in closer and emphasizing the next two words. "Mrs. Yoon."

She immediately looked up into Jungkook's piercing eyes that bore into every corner of her soul, burning with anger. "J-Jung—"

"Save it," he snapped. "Why didn't you tell me I was adopted?"

Your mother got up, but she was pushed down by the strong hand of her adoptive son.

"W-We took you in when y-you were an i-infant. I-I saw a crazy m-man leave you o-out on the streets to d-die," she began weeping like there was no tomorrow. "I d-didn't want to t-tell you how horrible your real parents w-were and just raise y-you like a normal child."

Jungkook bit his lip, recalling when his real mother told him how his real father yanked him out of her grasp and left him out for adoption. "What do you know about my real parents?" He asks, a harsh chill resonating through his voice.

"I-I only saw that man and made assumptions," she brushed a couple of tears away. "Why do you want to know this? Was I not a good mother to you all these years?"

"No it's not that." Jungkook immediately softens, realising how grateful he was to have people who cared for him so much in his life. He was just mad at his real father for not letting him bind with his real mother, but he soon realised that if it wasn't for him, he wouldn't have met you. "I met with my real mother three months ago, and we've been talking since."

"H-How can I be so sure that she won't hurt you, too?"

"She told me everything. You're right—my father was a crazy man, and he took me away from her. She went to numerous orphanages and couldn't find me."

"Oh, honey. This is a lot for me to take in as well, but is there something you're willing to gain out of this?"

"Yes. I'm in love with your daughter."

"Like, r-romantically?" She stutters.

"Yes, romantically. We've been dating in secret for the past few months."

"S-Secret?"

"Yes," the brunette rolled his eyes. "Now, I came to ask you a favour actually."

"W-What favour?" Your mom was still shocked. The boy she's seen as her son all his life was dating her real child, after all.

"Is there a way I can change my name back?"

"Jungkook-ah, I'm not against your relationship, but sadly, in Korea, adoptions cannot be reversed."

The boy looks down at his hands, tears threatening to spill as he can almost see his dreams of being with you forever wither away from him.

"However, when you become an adult, you will have the right to change your name back. Till then, there's nothing you can do."

Two more years, he thought to himself. Two more years of hiding.

At this point, he could see nothing but pitch black in the tunnel he set up for himself, but he convinced himself that in order to be with you and see the light, he'd have to walk through every step in the dark for the next two years.

"Do I have your blessing, E-Eomma?" he stammered, unsure of what to call her.

"Of course, honey."