The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 2

305 🩺 Gifted

Wooyoung giggled, leaning back into the soft booth seat and into San's side. Warm and incredibly happy, he had spent most of the lunch thinking about how lucky he felt that his parents had moved back, and that he had San by his side, to bring on days just like this one.

He felt incredibly moved by the way that San had relaxed. It had taken a good half hour, but finally, he wasn't as jittery and nervous as before, and it felt like a blessing.

'Wooyoung honey, close your eyes.'

He looked up to see his mother gazing at him, waiting.

'Oh? Why?' he asked, frowning.

She laughed lightly, smiling. 'Just close your eyes, darling. And hold out your hands.'

'Hmm?' Confused, he felt San let go of the hand he was holding so he could extend his hands.

And closing his eyes, he gasped as he felt a small box placed in his palms. 'What's this?' he asked, not opening his eyes until he was told he could.

He heard San exhale contentedly beside him, and his mother laugh lightly. 'Open up, darling. Have a look...'

Very slowly, Wooyoung let his eyes blink open.

And as they did, his eyes fell upon a small, plain brown box, only a couple centimetres tall, but many wide. 'Momma...' he said softly, delicately bringing the box closer to him.

'Open it~' she urged, and Wooyoung looked up to see her smiling brightly at him.

Swallowing back his confusion, Wooyoung very gently opened the lid to the box...

And he gasped.

'Mom... your necklace...'

He stared up at his mother to find her smiling warmly across the table at him, her eyes sparkling with love. 'Wooyoung, darling. I want you to have it.'

Wooyoung's eyes filled instantly with tears. Snapping the lid shut on the box, he pushed it back towards her. 'No, I can't. That is your family heirloom.'

But she shook her head, refusing to take it back. 'I know that honey. And you are my son. I want you to have it.'

Tears spilling down his cheeks, he swiped at them with his sweater sleeves pulled over his hands; despite San immediately offering him a napkin. He shook his head with conviction. 'No Yeosang is your so-'

'Wooyoung,' she said sternly, making a shiver run down his back. 'You are both my sons, and I love you both, so much that I often fear I cannot manage.'

She shuffled closer around the booth until she sat beside him, pulling him into her arms. 'Wooyoung-ah, I may not have given birth to you, but I held you in my arms when you were just an infant. I changed your nappies, and I helped you learn to walk, and when I took you in and vowed to become your mother, I already loved you like my own.'

Reaching around his shoulders to the box in front of him, she opened the lid and took the little diamond necklace from the cushion. 'The chain has been broken for many years because Yeosang as a baby used to grab at it and tear it off my neck,' she said, chuckling a little to herself.

And Wooyoung couldn't help choking on his tears with a smile, remembering faintly exactly that.

'I had it mended, but many links had to be taken out... I hope it fits...'

Wooyoung swallowed nervously as he felt his mom hanging the diamond around his neck, and clasping it behind him.

And as she held him at an arm's length to admire him, Wooyoung's chest ached as he saw tears form in her eyes. 'Look at my baby. San-ah, doesn't he look beautiful?'

Biting his lip, he glanced at San beside him, who seemed like he was having trouble keeping his jaw closed. 'Woo...' he breathed, staring at him like there was not another thing in the world other than him.

Wooyoung giggled shyly, putting a hand in San's and swiping at his tears.

Glancing back at his mother, he saw her wipe at her eyes with a napkin. 'Darling, you're all grown up... You've become your own person, and I'm so proud of you.'

Wooyoung felt his cheeks blush as she leant forward and pressed a kiss into his cheek. Suddenly, extremely emotional, he felt the need to try and make himself feel worthy of her love. And there was only one thing that came to mind...

'Momma... Joong Hyung is helping me find a therapist...'

He watched as his mother's eyes widened, overflowing with emotion.

And it made Wooyoung's unsureness dissipate instantly. Suddenly, he wished he'd already started therapy, just to see her eyes when he told her...

But just when he'd thought she would say something, she leant in and corralled him into her arms, pulling him tightly against her.

'Momma... I'm going to get better...' he whispered, melding into her comforting arms.

And he felt her squeeze him even tighter.

'My baby... You're the strongest person I know, and as much as I would like to say I raised you to be like that, Woo, you were born a fighter. You can, and will, achieve anything you want. I know you can.' She ran her hand over his back, before pressing a kiss into his cheek. 'I'm your mother, and mother's know everything. Don't they, San?'

Wooyoung giggled, choking on his tears as he looked to see his boyfriend smiling warmly at them, nodding. 'They sure do.'

And Wooyoung's heart melted. 'I love you mom...' he whispered. 'Thank you... for letting me be your son... And letting me into your family...'

She brushed his hair back, cooing as he kissed him on the forehead. 'Thank you, for letting me be your mom. I love you, Woo.'

~~~