BELOVED BY THE TWINS

CHAPTER 5

"BELOVED BY THE TWINS"

by: Dark Flame Master

Shin hurried down the hallway of the hospital after the twins had left. He went straight to his mom’s room with excitement bubbling up inside him. The door creaked as he opened it and his heart was pounding with anticipation.

“Mom... I’m here,” Shin said with a wide grin on his face.

His mother who had been resting in bed turned to look at him. She was startled not just because he was supposed to be at school but also because of how unusually happy he seemed. It had been a long time since she had seen him with such a bright expression.

“Shin? Aren’t you supposed to be at school today?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Shin’s smile faltered for a moment but he quickly recovered deciding to tell a little white lie. “We don’t have classes today,” he said, shrugging nonchalantly. “Anyway, Mom, I’ve made a big decision. I’m going to move out of our apartment."

His mom’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected to hear something like that.

“Why would you do that?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. “You’re still so young. What’s going on?”

Shin could feel the weight of her worry but he was determined to explain it in a way that would ease her mind. He smiled trying to show her how serious he was. “I found a job,” he said happily. “And they’ve given me a place to stay. I can earn a lot, and maybe by the time you’re discharged, I can find a better house for us. Something nice, something comfortable.”

His mother’s face softened but the worry didn’t leave her entirely. “Just make sure it’s not anything illegal, Shin,” she said, half-joking but her voice carried an undertone of concern. “And... you don’t have to rush with the house. I don’t know when I’ll be discharged. It might take longer than you think.”

Shin’s heart sank a little at her words. He hated hearing her talk like that as though she wasn’t sure she would recover.

“Mom, don’t say things like that,” he said quietly, his voice filled with both worry and affection.

His mother sighed and tried to change the subject, sensing the heaviness of the moment. “What’s this job of yours anyway? You already have too many jobs as it is.”

Shin hesitated. He didn’t know how to tell her the whole truth. He bit his lip, glancing at the floor for a second before speaking. “Uh... I quit my other jobs,” he said, his voice almost a whisper. “And my new job... it’s just cleaning houses. It's nothing too complicated.”

The afternoon rolled around quickly and soon Ruka and Luca came by to visit. As they entered the room, Ruka greeted Shin’s mom with a casual, “Hi!”

His mom’s eyes lit up with amusement as she looked at Ruka. She gently tapped Shin on the shoulder with a playful smile spreading across her face. “He’s good-looking,” she teased, making Shin blush.

“Um... hello,” Luca said, stepping out from behind Ruka. He was quieter but just as polite, his eyes warm as he looked at Shin’s mother.

“Oh, you’re twins!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise. “This hospital seems to be full of good-looking doctors and nurses these days,” she chuckled, clearly in a good mood.

Shin, utterly embarrassed by his mom’s comment, groaned. “Mom...” he mumbled under his breath, feeling his face heat up.

Ruka, unfazed by the teasing sat down next to Shin’s mom. “We’re not doctors yet” he clarified with a smile. “We’re just interns here for a short time.”

Shin glanced up at Luca who was standing quietly behind Ruka and gave him a look that clearly said, "Can I tell her I’m living with you guys?"

Luca immediately understood the silent question and nodded subtly. Clearing his throat, he addressed Shin’s mom. “Ma’am, we were just wondering if it would be okay with you if Shin stayed with us for a while,” Luca said.

Shin quickly jumped in trying to explain the situation. “Mom, they’re the ones who offered me my new job,” he said, hoping she wouldn’t worry too much.

His mother looked at them processing the information. She was quiet for a moment before nodding. “Oh, is that so? Well, if that’s the case, then it’s fine with me,” she said. “Just take good care of him, okay?”

“We will,” Ruka said with a bright smile.

Feeling relieved that his mom had accepted the arrangement, Shin excused himself to go buy some snacks for everyone. He figured it would be a good way to give his mom and the twins some time to chat.

As soon as Shin was out of the room, his mom turned to the twins, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. “Isn’t Shin such a cute kid?” she asked them, her tone lighthearted.

Both Ruka and Luca chuckled softly. “Yeah, he really is,” they agreed in unison.

After a brief moment of laughter, Ruka’s expression grew a little more serious. He cleared his throat glancing at Luca who raised an eyebrow at him as if questioning what he was about to say.

“Ma’am,” Ruka started carefully, “can I ask you something? But please don’t get angry.”

Shin’s mom blinked, slightly taken aback. “Hmm? What is it?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Ruka hesitated for just a moment then blurted out, “Can we date your son?”

The room fell into an awkward silence. Shin’s mom’s eyes went wide with shock and she quickly glanced toward the door as if worried Shin might walk in at any moment. She covered her mouth with her hand, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I..I’m sorry, but did I hear that correctly?” she asked, barely able to believe what she had just heard.

“Yes, you did,” Luca said calmly, stepping in to clarify. “But we’ll only ask him when he turns 18. And if he says no, then we’ll respect his decision. We won’t force anything.”

Shin’s mom leaned back against her pillow still processing what they had just said. Part of her wanted to laugh thinking it might be a joke but when she saw how serious they looked she knew they were telling the truth. She remembered how happy Shin had been earlier that day.

“Just... just make sure to ask for his consent,” she said quietly. “And don’t make him cry. I know my son. He’s been through a lot. Also call me mom being called as ma'am is uncomfortable”

Ruka’s face lit up with excitement. “Yes!” he said enthusiastically but Luca quickly smacked him on the head reminding him to be more composed.

Shin’s mom couldn’t help but smile at their dynamic finding it a little amusing despite the seriousness of the situation.

A few minutes later, Shin returned with bags of snacks in hand. As he walked into the room he saw the twins and his mom laughing together. Confused, he tilted his head to the side.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

The twins and his mom exchanged a glance but didn’t explain. Instead, they just kept laughing leaving Shin even more confused.

Despite the strange atmosphere the afternoon passed peacefully with the four of them enjoying each other’s company. As the sun began to set, Shin sat by the window watching the sky turn shades of pink and orange. For the first time in a long while he felt like things were finally looking up.

Later that evening, after the twins had left and his mom had fallen asleep Shin sat alone in the hospital room, his mind racing with thoughts about the future. He glanced over at his mom her chest rising and falling steadily as she slept. He wanted to make her proud, to take care of her, and to live up to the trust she had placed in him.

But now, there was something else to think about something that involved the twins. He didn’t know what exactly had been said while he was gone but he could tell something had changed.

As he lay back in the chair staring at the ceiling Shin wondered what his life would be like moving forward. Would it be filled with laughter, like it had been that afternoon? Or were there still challenges ahead that he couldn’t yet see?

Only time would tell. But for now, he decided to hold onto the happiness he had felt today hoping that whatever came next he would be ready for it.