The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 1

152 🩺 Confided In

Hongjoong hung up the phone, returning to his stack of paper. Laying on his stomach on the floor, he put aside his mobile.

'Everything okay?' Seonghwa asked, glancing up from his laptop, his furious typing paused in a way that created a massive silence in the room.

'Yeah Woo was wondering where I was. He get's quite anxious when he doesn't know where we are or if we're okay.'

Seonghwa nodded. 'I noticed that a bit in the hospital... D-did something happen... to make him extra worried...?'

Hongjoong sighed, nodding. 'Yeah, San might have told you. I heard Wooyoung telling him about it the other night.' Turning over to lay on his back, Hongjoong gazed up at the ceiling. 'When he was younger, he lost his whole family, and it shook him up quite a bit. The Kang family were his godparents.'

'Oh... I see...'

'He's okay. He's a good boy and had a good upbringing. It was just tough for him.'

Looking over his eyebrows, he glanced at Seonghwa who was frowning a little. 'You look like you have a question. Ask,' he laughed. 'It's fine.'

Seonghwa bit into his lip a little, as he thought. 'San mentioned you were all really close when you grew up...'

Hongjoong smiled. 'I sometimes feel like the second adopted child into their family,' he chuckled, sighing at the fond memories. 'Mrs. Kang is like a mother figure to me. I spent so much time at their house on play dates, sometimes I'd sleep over for a week.'

'What about your actual mother though? Didn't you want to spend time with her?'

Hongjoong nodded. 'I did. But my actual mother, as you put it, wasn't too keen on having a child. She was a bit more interested in living. I don't really blame her to be honest.'

'H-How old was she when she had you?'

'Twenty-three.'

Seonghwa's eyes widened. 'Your father?'

Hongjoong shrugged. 'Never met him. Not particularly keen on looking for him or meeting him. Never really bothered me.' He yawned, unfased and equally unbothered. 'Do you mind if I make some more coffee?'

Seonghwa shook his head. 'It's fine, go ahead~...' He unsurely went back to typing, before he suddenly stopped again and snapped the lid shut. 'Hyung. Are you sure it's okay to tell me this stuff?'

Having walked to the kitchen, Hongjoong put the water on to boil before turning to face him. 'Yeah? Why wouldn't it be okay?'

'Well I mean... Isn't it a bit... sensitive?... Personal...?'

Hongjoong shrugged. 'About Woo?'

'W-well... I meant you...'

Hongjoong laughed. 'Nono it's fine. I've been on this planet twenty six years. I'm totally fine with it,' he chuckled. I've been living with Sang and Woo for like, seven years or something now.'

'Oh... Oh... That's a long time.'

'Sure is.' As the water boiled, he poured it into his cup. 'Want one?'

Seonghwa nodded. 'Thanks...'

'No problem~.' Coming back to sit down, he passed Seonghwa his mug.

'What's your mother doing now?' Seonghwa asked, sipping the coffee.

Hongjoong sighed. 'Well she's certainly not partying that's for sure.'

'Oh?'

Hongjoong nodded, glancing down. 'A year and a bit ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and six months ago a scan picked up that it had metastasised...'

Seonghwa immediately clamped his mouth shut and gave him the most apologetic look he could manage.

And Hongjoong gave him a small smile. 'It's okay. You didn't know, don't feel bad~.' Sitting down on the couch, he put his mug down and picked up Seonghwa's laptop. Opening it, he put in the password he'd put in every time the computer had timed out throughout the day, and glanced over their work. 'We're like, halfway through the discussion. How do you feel about plowing through it and having it all finished by seven tomorrow?'

Seonghwa stared at him for a moment, before exhaling a soft laugh. 'You know you can go home, right? I'm not forcing you to stay.'

Hongjoong rolled his eyes before giving him a smile. 'Maybe I like it here?' he said, enjoying to no end the shocked expression that crossed the boy's face.

'E-even after I just upset you...?'

Hongjoong rolled his eyes once again. 'You're so precious. Yes. But you didn't upset me, Seonghwa. I'm okay, I promise~.'

He nodded slowly. 'I-if you're sure...'

Hongjoong smiled. 'I'm sure~. Let's get this done~.'

And Seonghwa nodded. 'Okay...'

~~~