✓pluviophile • hwang hyunjin

s i x t e e n

the next morning he woke up with swollen eyes and his parents inside the room. he was a bit surprised but remembering the unconscious girl he ignored both of them and changed his outfits into the one that his mother brought for him.

"good morning, mister, miss and hyunjin. i want to do a check up on chaewon. would you mind staying outside for a while? we also provide a cafeteria downstairs for breakfast." the doctor politely said and they obeyed. the door behind him closed, and hyunjin just stood there with his head hung low.

he did not want to leave.

"honey, we decided to take a dna test today," his mother said softly. if it was not about chaewon's current condition, he would have ignored his parents. the boy just nodded and followed them to make the dna test.

throughout the test hyunjin looked so soulless. the fact that he might not be their real son and about chaewon ate him up. just then, when the examiner told them the results would come out soon, his mother suggested breakfast. hyunjin noticed his father was quiet all the time but he just shrugged. and as he expected, they were quiet during the whole meal until his mother spoke up.

"that's the friend you told me?"

he was startled a bit but nodded anyways, "i know you'd get mad for sneaking out late at nights but-"

"you sneaked out at night?" that was the first time he heard his father's voice that day.

he was afraid but nodded nevertheless, "i really cannot do anything, do i? hearing both of you arguing every day like i'm not at home and don't even think about how badly it affects me, then why don't i just leave for awhile?"

he did not believe he just said that, but he wanted to voice out his feelings as a child, as a growing teenager. he wanted his parents to care for him even when he's almost reaching his adult years.

both adults felt silent. his mother sent him an apologetic look while his father continued eating. hyunjin sighed silently and quickly finished his food. "i want to stay here, if you guys let me."

"of course, honey. we'll just return to our work and i already told the teachers about your absence."

"thanks mom," he pushed the chair under the table. "i'll get going now. drive safely."

he left the room, leaving the two alone.

the woman sighed, "when will the results get out?"

"in a few hours maybe," he muttered.

she nodded, "let's just wait here. i really don't believe you're trusting that guy more than me."

"is it my fault now?"

"i'm not here to continue the arguing, please. you shouldn't assume things just like that without credible proof," she massaged her temples after putting down the cutlers. "also, i think you're controlling hyunjin too much, do you realise that?"

the man groaned and faced her, "i just don't want him to go out and bump into that guy, you know? what if anything happens to him because he claims hyunjin as his?"

"he's grown up!"

"yes, but when we hide this thing from him he wouldn't know anything about that guy!"

both of them groaned, leaning their back on the chairs. lucky for them there was no customers at that moment, only the workers. even so, they probably were working and paid no attention to them.

"admit it, we're both at fault."

"i will, when the results are out."

"ugh why are you so childish? can't leave that behavior eh?"

the man shrugged, "why'd you date and marry me then."

"you're so annoying, i swear."

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