The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 2

225 🩺 Opening Up

'Okay. That's okay. Then what is it, Woo?'

Watching as his brother bit his lip nervously, still picking at his sleeves, Yeosang held his breath, waiting...

'It- it's to do with the club...'

Almost as though the second hand paused on the clock, Yeosang felt a sour taste rise within him. Suddenly extremely worried for what he was about to hear, he forced himself to shove the panic away, for his brother's sake. He couldn't let him see the hurt he felt, especially since it would only make him pull away...

'Mmm? What about the club?'

Sneaking a peek at Yeosang's face, Wooyoung seemed a little braver, having seen his lack of reaction, and words started flowing. 'I have been thinking about it a lot, a-and I... I want to show you something...'

Yeosang frowned a little, but nodded anyway, hesitantly letting go of him and watching as he nervously stepped back; walking to his wardrobe. Opening the doors, Yeosang couldn't understand what was going on. What was in his wardrobe that was creating so much anxiety within his brother...?

Swiping his clothes aside, Wooyoung took a deep breath, staring down into the bottom of the wardrobe. However after a quiet little wishing of good luck to himself, he reached in and picked up what Yeosang suddenly saw was a timber box; and not one he'd seen before.

He watched as Wooyoung walked over to the bed, sitting down beside him and holding it in his hands with a certain gentle tenderness that had Yeosang wondering what meaning it held to him. Having clearly hidden it away from sight, it was obviously something he didn't feel comfortable sharing with him, or Joong...

'Hyung-ah... D-do you maybe want to... open it...?'

Glancing at his brother, Yeosang took a quiet breath, scanning his scared face. 'If you want me to...'

Seeing him nod, Yeosang put gentle hands on the clasp to the box, careful to treat it with as much tenderness as Wooyoung was. He waited a few moments, giving him one last chance to change his mind, but when he just nodded, giving him a small, tiny smile, Yeosang clicked the clasp open, and opened the lid...

He didn't know what he'd expected to find. Maybe photos? Money? Hell, he had no idea. But out of any guess he could have made, clothes wouldn't be among them. He almost wanted to roll his eyes at himself for the lengths his mind had jumped to... Funny that, how clothes, were being kept in a wardrobe.

Feeling himself relax entirely, Yeosang let out a relieved breath. But as he did, he felt Wooyoung stiffen beside him, and for a moment, he couldn't understand why...

And that was when it dawned on him.

The club...

Glancing down into the box again, the first thing he noticed were the fish nets, stuffed into the corner of the box. It was from there that he noticed that the entire narrow strip down the side was ordered with various lace and pantyhose. Beside it looked to be a small selection of tops, followed by shorts and even skirts, and the other edge held jewellery and belly chains and inserts for high heels...

'Sang-ah... I... umm...'

Yeosang glanced up at his brother, and the moment he saw how worried he looked, Yeosang felt sick. Wooyoung was picking at his own fingernails now, a habit he'd had since he was just a boy, and he was sure if he kept at it, they would start to bleed...

Immediately closing the box and putting it aside, Yeosang crossed his legs on the bed and turned to face him, putting a hand on his back, and another on his arm.