scene nine: meeting the in-laws

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Let's dance the night away!

It was mid January as Chan hummed the popular song, which Felix played nonstop. He would never admit it to his kpop crazed cousin, but the song had grown on him. 

He was going up to visit Jeongin in the same hospital elevator that smelled of talcum powder and rubbing alcohol. 

When on the correct floor, he got off and walked excitedly toward Jeongin's hospital room with long strides, but stopped when he heard talking from inside the room, which had the door slightly ajar. 

Confused, Chan stopped in his tracks as he did not recognize this voice. 

Peering quietly through the small crack between the door and the wall, Chan saw Jeongin sitting in his hospital bed with his usual sunny disposition, but there was a woman of average height with short black hair and black purse slung over her shoulder standing in front of the younger boy with her back facing Chan. 

Chan debated walking in or waiting, but his internal battle was interrupted by Jeongin's warm voice echoing off the blank walls of the hospital room.

"So, I talked to the doctor at my latest check up," Chan heard Jeongin say. "He said I'm doing better, but I should still be careful. They are preparing for another inspection to see if they should go through with the operation."

"Okay," Chan heard the woman finally speak, her voice void of any emotion. "Anything else?"

"The doctor also said that I can have a day to go outside next week since my condition is getting better, but I have to wear the portable monitors," Jeongin replied, his excitement obvious. 

Chan too felt excited at Jeongin's reply since the doctor gave the boy permission to leave the hospital for one day. 

After being cooped up in that hospital for years in the same room, the prospect of going outside into the city of Busan was incredibly exciting.

However, the woman didn't seem to agree.

"Really, Jeongin?" The woman asked in disbelief. "Do you know how inconvenient this is for us? Your father and I work tirelessly to keep you alive and you expect us to just go along with whatever you want?"

His mother. 

This woman was his mother. 

Chan shook his head in disgust at her comment. How could she blame Jeongin for being sick and wanting to get out of the hospital? 

Any reasonable person would hate being confined to a room for years. 

To Jeongin, it was no longer a room; it was a prison.

"Well, I just thought that-," Jeongin tried to respond, but was instantly cut off by his mother.

"Jeongin, please," His mother sighed in frustration while rubbing her forehead to ease her distress and annoyance. 

"I really don't know what to say. Your father and I are busy with work, your older brother is still in the military, and your younger brother has cram school. None of us have time for something so trivial. 

"You have to start considering us too. We try to provide for you as well as we can."

"You're right, I'm sorry," Jeongin bowed his head, while twiddling with his fingers awkwardly.

Chan gritted his teeth. 

Perhaps they were working very hard to pay for Jeongin's hospital bills, but how dare his mother of all people make him feel guilty for something he can't control. 

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