Belated Bloom - Lay (EXOxLay)

The Flip-Side II

+ Healing (Continued) +

The year following that incident was a strange one, Jongin presented as a beta and was kept at the hospital for over a month. Besides his forced presentation (sometimes brought upon by exposure to large doses of omega or beta scent, especially those of intense emotion, once the presentee has reached a viable age to present. Sadly, it is more painful than a natural presentation, that is why it is labeled a 'forced' presentation) he had also injured his back when he fell. Jongin had been in a wheel chair for the following month and then released from the hospital under a strict rehabilitation regimen.

Yixing had his hands full though, dealing with the new Chinese omega, Tao and Kyungsoo, an ungendered vocalist who's somehow a horrible dancer. Tao was also a bit poor at dancing but he was good at tricking and flips from years of Wushu training it would seem. But the week after Jongin was released from the hospital Yixing landed himself in the hospital.

His back had finally given out and he had been found on the studio floor by a frantic Sehun. After being rushed to the hospital they recommended surgical correction and rehabilitation. His mother (who had arrived the next day) had been very skeptical and worried, her baby Yixing had been through surgery in the past to remove his tonsils and she had almost lost her baby then. He had nearly bled out because of a blood clotting disorder, causing complications.

But this surgery, a major spinal surgery, she just couldn't believe that it would be safe and after notifying the company they agreed the risk might be too high. The doctors decided to bring in a specialist with specific skills to figure out a way for Yixing to be rehabilitated without surgery and to continue as an idol. His mother had been angry when he decided to continue with SM but deep down he thinks she understood the shame he would feel if he were to quit.

During their conversations at the hospital, she discussed all kinds of things, how his father was doing, what the neighbors were up to, and they discussed his life in Korea. She always worried over him being in South Korea all by himself, which usually led to their usual discussion about his presentation- but this time Yixing was more sensitive because of his awkward and shameful meeting with the CEO on the same subject.

"Mother. I know that it's..." he struggled to find the right word, "unusual for someone my age to be ungendered - but there are some cases, right?"

"That's my point!" she replied," It is very uncommon sweetheart and the only known cases of people over 20 remaining ungendered are 'Nons'."

He was quick to correct her "But that's a very rare thing mom, only like 3 cases are living examples."

"Your right, and the evidence isn't conclusive- I know. But they do say long lines of purebred genders are present in those cases......and I've thought about it baobei, I even did quite a bit of research on your fathers side just to make sure- but both our lines are surprisingly beta filled- i haden't realized how much so... only one omega on my side and an alpha and omega on your dad's side." The information shocked Yixing into silence, so his mother continued.

"That's over 200 years of records...and I'm just worried that.... maybe...possibly" She couldn't bring herself to even say it to his face, "be prepared for that scenario?...What would you do here in South Korea? It's a frowned upon condition here; their gender hierarchy is almost as strict as their age hierarchy. Luckily no Korean has yet to suffer it in modern times but I don't want you to be...to be dragged through the gutter by this horrible system." his mother gathered his hands into hers and pressed them tightly together.

"Please Yixing, just come home-"

'Ah, so that's why she's making a fuss, she's trying to scare me into going home now.' Outraged Yixing tore his hands away from here and turned over in his hospital bed, back facing his mother.