[M] Chapter 22 (1/1)

He found himself feeling more like an inconvenience over the next passing days, too. Like when he woke up late on Saturday and lazed around in bed, only to be interrupted by Mrs. Son, who had walked into his bedroom and started hanging up some new clothes in his part of Haneul’s wardrobe that she had obviously just washed. He had automatically started to feel bad and sat up.“Oh, no, Mrs. Son, you really don’t have to do that! I’ll wash-“ he had protested, making to get up.“Don’t be silly sweetie, you’re family.” She had replied kindly.Or the time when he had cleared the dining table after dinner one night and had started to wash up, when Narsha came in and nudged him out of the way, taking the cloth from his hands and starting to do it herself.“Narsha, please, you spent all day cooking extra for me.. the least I can do is do the dishes-““Cooking extra was no problem! You’re family.” She had tried to reassure him, smiling. “Now budge over, I have a specific way of doing this.” He had sighed and mooched off upstairs, feeling useless.Then there was Monday when Dongwoon had planned to take Haneul, Taecyeon and Gikwang on the train to a nearby city for a day trip. He had recently got a job helping Doctor Yang at her clinic and had worked tirelessly for weeks to save up for the trip, as he wanted to do something for his family without borrowing money from his parents. Of course, what Seungho didn’t know was that when Dongwoon realised he didn’t have enough to take him too, he worked overtime each day to earn more money.“Enjoy your trip!” Seungho had said happily.“You’re coming too, babo!” Dongwoon teased, laughing as if it was obvious. Seungho’s eyes had never been as wide as they were in that moment.“But this was a family trip!”“Yes, and you’re family. I’m not leaving you behind, so get your ass out there.”“B-but-“ the teenager tried, flustered.“No buts, unless it’s your butt and it’s outside.” Dongwoon quipped. Seungho could have cried in frustration. When he had got home that night, after what had been admittedly a very fun day, Seungho decided that enough was enough. He was sick of being the reason this extremely close-knit family kept putting themselves out. He couldn’t feel guilty any longer, so just before he fell asleep, he promised himself he would sort this out somehow. The only person he could think of asking for help was Doctor Yang, as he had formed a close relationship with her from all the visits and check-ups. She was always there to help him out and so he decided she was his best bet.He headed off to the clinic on his own the next day, having told everyone he was just going for a walk to get some space- which wasn’t a total lie. It was midday and a Tuesday, so Seungho knew for sure that Doctor Yang would be available. He took a deep breath before opening the glass door to the infirmary, taking a seat in the waiting room as the sign instructed. He played with his thumbs and licked his lips repeatedly, a habit he had developed over the years in the orphanage.Doctor Yang walked into the waiting room ten minutes later, holding a box of some newly-delivered medicine and frowning upon seeing the teenager.“Seungho? Is everything ok?” she fussed, immediately putting the box down and sitting next to him.“Sort of..” he mumbled glumly.“Please don’t tell me you’re sick again! Where is Gikwanggie? Why are you on your own?”“I’m not sick this time..” the doctor breathed a sigh of the utmost relief. “Gikwang hyung and the others don’t know I’m here.” She took his hand in hers and looked directly at him.“So, what’s the matter, sweetie?” she asked softly.“I don’t think I can live there for much longer. They’re perfectly kind and they’ve been amazing to me, but that’s kind of the problem. I feel like I’m a burden there. They do too much for me and tread around me like I’m glass. I’m better now and I want to help out, but they won’t let me do anything at all. I feel so useless..” he explained, feeling exasperated. The doctor nodded slowly, taking it in. She looked thoughtful for a moment, but shook her head, smiling sadly. “What is it?” Seungho asked, catching her strange action.“I just thought- nevermind. Do go on.” She urged.“It’s just.. I’m so used to working and doing things for other people that this treatment is making me feel so lost. I’ve never really felt like a child, even when I was one, but now I’m feeling like I’m even younger than Haneul. Not to mention that I’m missing the children from the orphanage like crazy.”“I understand. Mrs. Son has been my friend since I can remember and I know all too well how overbearingly kind that family can be. Even just visiting every day for a month, like I’ve just done, feels suffocating because they really do just want to help out in every way possible.” Doctor Yang chuckled fondly. “They are such a sweet family, don’t get me wrong, but I guess they don’t realise just how uncomfortable that actually feels.” Seungho nodded in agreement.“Exactly.. I’m so grateful they took me in and I appreciate everything they’re doing, but I can’t stand it any longer.. I don’t know what to do to make them see..” his expression was the epitome of miserable.“It’s such a tricky situation.. You don’t want to hurt them by being direct, but then again at the same time you don’t want to live your life feeling uncomfortable because you’re being smothered. I’m not too sure which outcome is worse.” The woman mused, feeling very sorry for the teenager.“Yeah..” Seungho sighed. After a short pause, he looked up at her. “What were you going to say before?” he asked. Doctor Yang shifted anxiously on her seat.“It.. it doesn’t matter.” She tried to avoid. Seungho looked at her insistently.“No, it does. If there’s anything that could make this situation better.. please, I’m begging. You know I don’t ever beg. Please?” he looked so pitiful that the woman really couldn’t deny him. She took a deep breath and smiled.“Well.. I was just thinking- stupid thought, really- that because my husband and I can’t.. we can’t have children, you see, that you could maybe come and live with us… but of course it’s too fast and you don’t even know my husband-““Yes!” Seungho blurted out excitedly. Doctor Yang looked up at him, her face shocked.“Huh?”“Yes! Yes, I want you to adopt me. I really do. You’ve looked after me so well while I’ve been sick and I feel like you understand me, rather than treat me like I’m going to break at any second. I never knew my eomma, but whenever I imagine what she would be like, I just picture you. Nobody’s ever been there for me in a motherly way before Narsha and Mrs. Son, but they baby me too much. I couldn’t think of anything more right than living with you.” Seungho explained, sounding desperate. Doctor Yang pulled him into an affectionate hug, tears in her eyes.“You would really like that?” she mumbled into his shoulder. He nodded. “I feel exactly the same. I would be so proud to be your mother, and ever since I saw you so sick and helpless last month, I’ve felt a connection to you like I just want to keep you safe. You’re an amazing boy, you know that? I’ve never met someone so strong.”“So you’ll really adopt me? I can really live with you?” The teenager asked, feeling a little dazed. He had never expected such an amazing turn of events when he had decided to talk to the woman.“Well, I’d love to say that it could just work out straight away, but of course there will probably be a lot of paperwork to do and I’ll need to consult my husband and the Sons first… However, I daresay we’ll have it properly sorted and be able to get you settled in by next week. I really, really want this.. and I wasn’t even expecting you to agree!” she enthused, unable to stop smiling. Seungho grinned excitedly and gave her a last quick hug.“Do you think we could both talk to your husband? I want to meet him, too.” He pushed, excitement completely replacing his patience.“Why not? In fact-“ the doctor stood up and pulled her uniform jacket off, hanging it up on a peg in the waiting room. She gestured for Seungho to wait a second and popped her head round the clinic door. “Byunghee? Do you think you could stand in for me today and take charge of this place? I have something rather important to sort out at home.” The male doctor nodded and smiled.“Of course! I hope whatever you need to sort out goes well. I’ll try not to burn the building down while you’re gone.” He joked, waving. Doctor Yang stuck her tongue out at him and waved back, before grabbing her everyday coat and returning to Seungho.“Are you going somewhere?” he asked, confused.“We both are. To see my husband. We have to get the ball rolling sometime!” she explained, holding out her hand to help him up. He grinned and bounced to his feet. Meanwhile, at the orphanage, Yubin picked up the mail out of the mailbox and was exceedingly excited and surprised to see her name written on the front of a small parcel. She made her way back inside the institution and pushed Seunghyun’s bills under his office door like he always requested. She slipped past Hyuna and Sojin, who were slacking off from their job of washing the children’s clothes to chat about pointless things to each other, and gently ripped open the parcel. The first thing she noticed was the small note stuck to the back of the actual letter.“’To Yubin,’” she read out in a whisper. “’I’m very sorry to have gotten your hopes up, but this letter is actually for the children. Could you kindly pass this onto Yoseob, Junhyung or Hyunseung? Yours, sincerely, Seungho.’” She sighed a little, disappointed that the mail wasn’t for her. However, she smiled when she read the note again, because she had been very fond of Seungho and it was a huge relief to know that not only he was alive, but that he was well enough to write.The young woman ran into the work room, scanning what seemed like hundreds of children’s faces to locate one of the three boys listed. Eventually she spotted the two huge doe eyes and small pouty mouth that could only belong to Hyunseung. She rushed over to him, ducking down and trying to blend in with the children so she didn’t get caught. Hyunseung smiled when he saw her.“Yubin? Why are you here?”  he asked, eyes wide.“I have a parcel for you and the others.” She whispered back, thrusting the package into his arms. “I think it’s from Seungho and the Gikwang you all talk about.” Hyunseung’s face brightened. Just as he had begun to lose faith in his hyungs all over again, here was proof that Gikwang hadn’t forgotten about them after all. He cradled the parcel.“Thankyou, noona!” he exclaimed, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Yubin nodded and ruffled his hair before running off again, terrified of being punished.When it was finally time to go to bed, Hyunseung grabbed Yoseob and Junhyung by the arms and pulled them into their room, brandishing the parcel. Yoseob gasped and Junhyung smiled shyly, pleased that his opinions of Gikwang had been right. The three of them sat down in a circle on their mats, waiting for the other children from their dorm to come in, too. Changsun, Cheondoong and Cheolyong appeared within minutes and each looked equally as surprised as the first three to find out that Gikwang had written to them.“Open it! Open it!” Yoseob demanded impatiently, nudging his best friend to get him to hurry up. Hyunseung batted him away and ripped open what was left of the parcel after Yubin had opened it. He held the small bag of sweets in one shaking hand and the letter in the other.“We even get sweets? Wah, Kiki hyung is definitely forgiven.” Cheolyong said, making a grab for the sweets. Hyunseung flicked him on the nose and held the sweets out of his reach.“Letter first, greedy.” He scolded, turning his nose up at his childish dongsaeng. Cheolyong sat obediently back in his place, Cheondoong resting his head on his shoulder out of habit.“Who here reads the best?” Yoseob asked, looking around. None of the children had really had much practice reading. Hyunseung smiled at Junhyung.“Junhyung, you’re probably the cleverest here, even though you’re the youngest. Why don’t you read it?” he urged gently, knowing how shy the younger boy was. Junhyung flushed and nodded at his pretty hyung.“O-ok..” he stuttered, taking the paper from Hyunseung. He cleared his throat and began to read. “’To my family, that I most certainly haven’t forgotten about, I wanted to write you a letter and keep you updated about what’s been happening. You all know that writing isn’t my strong point, so bear with me. First and happiest of all, Seungho is completely better! He’s been looked after by the very best doctors in the area and is now perfectly fine again, with no signs of any further infections. He’s missing you all so much, just like I am.’” The children cheered, Yoseob tackling Hyunseung to the floor and hugging him tight, tears of joy leaking from his glittering puppy-dog eyes.“Go on, Jun! I want to hear the rest!” Changsun whined.“’Leading on from this amazing recovery, both Seungho and I have been working on ways to make your lives better. We have some plans as to how we are going to get rid of Seunghyun, and we are working as quickly as we can to make it happen! There isn’t a single second I don’t think about how you’re all doing in there. This time, I’m acting on it. I love you all to pieces and I want you to stay strong for just a while longer until we can make things better for you. You’re all brilliant, fantastic young people and I can’t wait to see you all soon. Forever sorry, all my love, your Kiki hyung.’” Junhyung finished, wiping the happy tears from his eyes and smiling.“It’s really happening..” Hyunseung said from underneath his ever-excitable best friend. Yoseob squished Hyunseung’s cheeks together and nodded cheerfully, suddenly full of energy without even starting on the sweets.“I always knew we could count on Kiki hyung.” Junhyung whispered, clutching the letter.