genie [ woosan ]

72

San remained silently on the couch, arms around Wooyoung who sat on his lap.

Wooyoung's mother paced back and forth in the living room in front of the pair, typing frantically on her smartphone.

San had made the decision to call the mother as soon as the pair had eaten and Wooyoung was stable. And thus, after an agonizing hour of waiting, the mother's car had almost swerved into the driveway, the woman hurrying into the house.

After greeting the kids like a typical worried mom, she had gone upstairs with San to be shown just exactly what had gone down in the house.

In the current moment she now plopped down in a chair across from the couch, closing her eyes and leaning back in order to clear her thoughts.

"It was definitely your father," the mother started, brushing her hair out of her face. "All he took was some prescription meds, some of his own papers, and a few baby photos of you," she sighed.

Wooyoung stiffened at the words.

"Why would he take my..." Wooyoung trailed off, a weird emotion between fear, guilt, and confusion brewing within him.

San quietly shushed him, gently nuzzling into the back of Wooyoung's neck as if to distract him from his thoughts with the touch.

Wooyoung's mom stared at the ceiling for a moment, the air tense. She seemed almost composed, as if she had reached a strong decision.

"I'm going to petition for divorce."

Her words felt heavier than lead. Both boys on the couch watched as she seemed to let out a breath, as if relieved by her own words.

"...Really?" Wooyoung mumbled eventually, his tone suggesting he didn't believe what he'd heard.

San glanced to the side awkwardly, feeling like he shouldn't be a part of this conversation.

"It's been coming for a long time. We're finally here," she stared, crossing her arms as she sank into her chair.

A silence filled the room, all of its occupants overwhelmed with questions and thoughts.

"I think we should go apartment hunting," she spoke after a moment. "I don't feel good about you being here alone while I'm gone."

"I can just bring him over?" Wooyoung mumbled, the implied 'him' being his boyfriend behind him.

The mother shook her head. "You can't rely on him always being there, honey. He has a life too," she kindly reminded, making subtle eye contact with San.

San only pursed his lips, not knowing how to respond to that.

"I can stay with him tonight though," Wooyoung argued, accompanied by a nod from San.

The woman reluctantly nodded, agreeing after a moment of thought. "Okay, as long as you're aware that won't work permanently," she said, tapping her fingers.

San played with the younger's fingers absentmindedly. "You want me to call my parents? They can pick us up," San offered quietly.

Wooyoung muttered a quiet 'yeah' before standing up, slowly making his way over to the living room door.

"Where you goin?" San questioned as he pulled out his phone to text his parents.