EUNJI walked toward the discharge desk in the hospital lobby, with PD Song following beside her. Haneul was set to be discharged that afternoon, and she needed to sign a few papers. PD Song would be handling the payment, which she didn’t argue against. It was the least the program could do after everything that had happened.
She’d left her phone with Haneul so he could talk to his father and sister. It was lunchtime, so both of them would be free. They’d wanted to talk to him last night, but Haneul had been sound asleep, and she couldn’t bring herself to wake him. Not after everything he’d been through. She knew the contestants on Boys Odyssey weren’t allowed to use phones, but she didn’t care. Haneul deserved to speak to his family. PD Song’s expression had gone a little awkward when she handed her phone to Haneul, but ultimately, he didn’t say anything.
They reached the discharge desk, and Eunji stepped forward while PD Song hung back. The receptionist greeted them with a practiced smile and began pulling up Haneul’s information on her computer. Eunji listened as she explained each form, signing where she was told, reading through the lines quickly but carefully. Once the paperwork was done, the receptionist directed them to the cashier window for the payment. PD Song moved to handle it without a word, pulling out his card as he walked over. The whole process was quiet and efficient. Eunji appreciated that.
She turned to head back to Haneul’s room, only to find Jung Taeyang standing right in front of her. She raised an eyebrow at him. She’d assumed he would be using this time to stay with Haneul. So why was he here?
"Um, Auntie, can I talk to you for a moment?" Taeyang asked, his hands fidgeting at his sides. "Please?"
"Ah, I’ll go find one of our staff to get the van ready," Kyungho said, seizing the opportunity to excuse himself.
Eunji watched as the PD made his way toward the hospital entrance. Then she turned her attention back to Taeyang. "Let’s go to the back. I saw there’s a small outdoor patio area where people can sit."
Taeyang nodded and followed as Haneul’s mother led the way toward the back entrance of the hospital. He stayed close behind her, his steps a little quicker than usual as he tried to figure out how to start the conversation.
They stepped through the back door and onto a small patio. A few metal tables with umbrellas were scattered across the concrete floor, and some potted plants sat near the railing. The area was quiet, with only the hum of a nearby air conditioning unit breaking the silence. A couple of benches lined the walls, but no one else was around. Eunji chose a table near the corner and sat down. Taeyang took the seat across from her.
"What do you want to talk about?" Eunji asked, folding her hands on the table.
Taeyang closed his fists, then slowly opened them. He took a breath and steadied himself. "I know yesterday wasn’t easy for you, Auntie," he said softly. "To see me mark him, to see Haneul like that... I can’t imagine what that must’ve been like. I’m sorry you had to deal with that." He stopped and looked down at the table for a beat then back at her. "But I want you to know that I care about Haneul. More than I’ve ever cared about anyone. I’ll do everything I can to make sure nothing like this ever happens to him again. I know you don’t really know me yet, but I hope you can trust me on that."
Eunji raised an eyebrow at the way he kept calling her "auntie." It felt a little awkward at first, but the feeling faded quickly as she focused on the rest of what he was saying. His words caught her off guard. She hadn’t expected him to say any of this. The only thing missing was a declaration of undying love for her son. If he kept going, she wouldn’t be surprised if that came next.
She almost smiled. Ah, to be young and in love. But then again, she and her husband had been young and in love too, and look at them now, married with two teenage kids. Which meant there was a real chance Haneul and this kid could end up the same way. The thought wiped the almost smile off her face. She found herself narrowing her eyes at Taeyang instead.
"Haneul mentioned that you confessed to him," she said, her voice measured. "Do you think that’s a wise move, given that you’re both in the same competition? Technically, you’re rivals. What happens when one of you debut and the other doesn’t? Where does that leave your feelings?"
Taeyang clenched his fists, his nails pressing into his palms. He shouldn’t have been surprised she knew. It was obvious Haneul was close with his mother, unlike him and the woman who had given birth to him. That closeness was exactly why he was here, why he’d wanted to talk to her in the first place. He didn’t want someone important to Haneul to think badly of him. So he’d better answer her questions as honestly as he could.
"I don’t think of us as rivals. Because I believe we’re going to debut together. That’s not me being arrogant or delusional. It’s me believing in us. In our talent, our stage presence, everything we bring to the table. I can picture it so clearly, the two of us standing on that final stage together. And if, by some chance, the public suffers from mass psychosis and we don’t make it together, then I know we’d both still be happy for whoever does."
That would have sounded completely delusional if it weren’t for how sincere Taeyang was when he said it. But the way he spoke, with such quiet certainty, it sounded like he was just stating facts. And for some reason, Eunji found herself almost believing him.
"And as for my feelings?" Taeyang continued. "They’ll stay exactly where they’ve been from the start. With him. Whether we debut together or not, these feelings I have for him won’t go anywhere."
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