Chapter Text
"We'll talk outside," Shin said.
Tew clenches his fists so tightly that the veins in his hands become visible beneath his skin. First looks ready to argue, his expression still burning with anger and disbelief, but Shin continued before either of them could speak.
"... Because Sora is here."
The reminder immediately settle over them. It doesn't erase the anger. It doesn't answer the questions racing through their minds. But it is enough to stop them from causing another scene inside the room.
Shin turns toward Chingching.
"Please stay with Airy and Sora."
Chingching nods immediately. Her eyes briefly drift toward the hospital bed where Sora is still watching them with confusion written all over his face. The boy is trying to understand what is happening, but none of it make sense to him. Chingching give Shin another reassuring nod, silently promising that she will keep Sora distracted. Without saying anything else, Shin pushes the door open and steps outside. The others followed.
The moment the door closed behind them, the tension that had been barely contained finally exploded. Tew immediately grabs Saint by the collar of his shirt. The force of it nearly sent Saint stumbling backward again.
"Since when?" Tew demands. His voice echoed through the quiet hallway. The anger in his eyes hasn't faded even a little."How long have you known?"
Saint barely has time to steady himself before First step forward as well. Unlike Tew, his anger is quieter, but somehow that make it feel worse. His eyes were fixed entirely on Saint.
"Answer him."
Saint feel his stomach tighten. The dizziness from the blood donation hasn't completely disappear. His cheek stills hurt from Tew's punch. He can taste blood every time his tongue brush against the inside of his mouth. But none of that matters right now. Not when everyone is staring at him. Not when years of secrets are finally beginning to unravel. Not when there is nowhere left to hide.
Saint slowly raised his eyes.
"I only found out recently."
The answer only make Tew angrier.
"Recently?" he repeated.
"When?" First asks.
"Last night."
Tew stared at him in disbelief. First actually laughed. Not because he found anything funny. But because he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Last night?" he repeated. "You're kidding."
First steps closer.
"So what happened? Did you just suddenly remember that Shin existed?"
"First—"
"No." First cut Shin off immediately. His eyes never left Saint. "We want to hear it from him."
Saint can feel everyone's eyes on him. Even the nurses passing by slows down slightly, sensing the tension in the air. For years, he imagined what this moment will look like if he ever meet Shin's friends again. He never imagined it will be like this. He never imagined standing in a hospital hallway while trying to explain the biggest mistake of his life. Then he finally spoke his voice came out quieter this time.
"I didn't know," he says quietly.
Tew immediately scoffs. "You didn't knnow? What kind of bullshit excuse is that?"
"I didn't know Shin was pregnant. I didn't know he was carrying my child. If I knew..." His voice cracked. "If I knew, I would've stayed."
---
Inside the hospital room, the atmosphere remains tense even after the others leave.
The silence that follows feels strange. Just minutes ago, the room had been filled with raised voices, angry questions, and confusion. Now only the soft hum of the air conditioner and the steady beeping of the monitor remain. Airy slowly releases the breath she has been holding. Chingching moves closer to the bed, hoping her presence might distract Sora from everything that just happened. Unfortunately, Sora is far too observant for his own good. The little boy sits quietly against his pillow. His eyes remain fixed on the closed door as if he expects the adults to come back at any moment.
Airy notices immediately.
"Sora," she says gently. "Do you want me to peel another apple for you?"
Normally, that would have worked but Sora slowly shakes his head. A small crease forms between his brows. The expression reminds Airy so much of Shin whenever he is deep in thought.
"Auntie Airy?"
"Hm?"
Sora finally turns toward her.
"Why did Uncle Tew hit Uncle Saint?"
The question hits both women like a truck. For a second, neither of them knows how to answer. Because honestly? They don't know what answer a child is supposed to hear.
Airy forces a smile.
"The adults were just having a misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
"Yes. Sometimes adults argue too."
The explanation sounds weak even to her own ears. Sora stares at her for a moment but he doesn't look convinced. Airy silently prays that the conversation ends there but it doesn't. Because a few seconds later, Sora asks another question.
"Is Uncle Saint in trouble?"
This time, Chingching is the one who reacts.
"No."
"Then why was Uncle Tew and Uncle First angry?"
Chingching opens her mouth but then closes it again. Because how exactly are they supposed to explain years of secrets, heartbreak, and misunderstandings to a five-year-old child?
"Adults have complicated problems sometimes," Airy finally says.
Sora considers that answer but then asks, "Like taxes?"
Chingching bursts out laughing while Airy lets out an unexpected snort.
"Something like that," Airy says.
Sora nods slowly who apparently satisfied for exactly five seconds. Then another thought enters his head. His eyes drift toward the closed door again.
"Uncle Saint looked sad."
Which immediately make Airy and Chingching exchange glances because he isn't wrong. Sora lowers his gaze.
"When Uncle Tew hit him..." His small fingers tighten around the toy. "...he looked sad."
Neither woman knows what to say again. It's true that children often notice things adults miss. They notice emotions or expressions. Even the things hidden behind words. And Sora has always been that kind of child.
---
Tew stands there with his fists still clenched at his sides, his chest rising and falling heavily as he tries to control his anger. Years of watching their friend struggle alone continue to replay inside his head. He remembers the sleepless nights, the moments when Shin had no choice but to put Sora first, and the countless times he had silently carried responsibilities that should have never belonged to him alone. Looking at Saint now only brings all those memories rushing back.
"You expect us to just accept this?" Tew asks. His voice is no longer as loud as before, but the hurt behind it remains. "For five years, Shin did everything by himself. He raised Sora alone. He stayed up when Sora was sick. He worked, took care of him, and worried about him every single day. And now you suddenly appear and say he's your son too?"
Saint doesn't answer immediately.
The words settle heavily on his shoulders because none of them are wrong. Everything Tew says is true. Shin was there through every important moment of Sora's life while he knew nothing about any of it. There is no explanation he can give that will erase those missing years.
First folds his arms across his chest and lets out a bitter laugh. "You don't even know him," he says. "You don't know what food he likes. You don't know what cartoons he watches. You don't know what makes him cry or what makes him smile. You weren't there for any of it."
Saint lowers his eyes. He doesn't argue. He doesn't make excuses. He simply stands there and listens because every word they throw at him is something he has already said to himself a hundred times since learning the truth.
Tew shakes his head.
"You don't get to call yourself his father."
The sentence lands harder than the punch earlier.
For a brief moment, nobody says anything. Even First falls silent. Shin watches from where he stands, his heart tightening as he looks at Saint. Part of him expects Saint to fight back. To argue that Sora is his child too. To remind them that he never knew.
Instead, Saint slowly nods.
"I know. I know I wasn't there. I missed his first birthday. I missed his first day at school. I missed every time he got sick and every time he got scared. I missed five years of his life."
His voice trembles slightly as he speaks. Not because he wants sympathy, but because saying the words out loud finally makes the reality feel even more painful.
"When he calls me Uncle Saint, he smiles at me like I've always been around. He trusts me without even knowing who I am."
Saint swallows hard before finally looking back at them. There is no anger in his eyes. No pride. No attempt to defend himself. Only regret.
"I know I don't get to call myself his father," he says honestly. "But I want to be. I don't want to take anything away from Shin. I don't want to pretend those five years never happened. I know I can't get them back. But if there's still a chance... if there's still time... then I want to know him. I want to know what makes him laugh. I want to know his favorite food. I want to be there when he needs someone. I just want a chance."
Nobody knows what to say for a while. The anger that had been burning only moments ago slowly loses its intensity, leaving behind something far more complicated. Tew stands there with his jaw clenched, staring at the floor as he tries to process everything he has just heard. First remains quiet beside him, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. For years, they had believed they understood the entire story. They thought Saint had walked away. They thought he had chosen not to be part of Shin and Sora's lives. Now, suddenly, that certainty no longer feels as solid as before.
Saint leans back against the wall, exhaustion settling deeper into his body. The side of his face still throbs from Tew's punch, and the dizziness from donating blood has not completely disappeared. But compared to everything else, those things hardly matter. His thoughts remain fixed on the hospital room a few steps away. On the other side of that door is Sora. His son. Even now, the word still feels unfamiliar and overwhelming at the same time.
It is Shin who finally breaks the silence.
"You know already that you can see Sora, right?"
Everyone looks toward him.
Shin has been quiet for most of the conversation. He stands with his arms folded loosely across his chest, looking more exhausted than angry. The events of the past few days seem to have drained every bit of energy from him. For a moment, he simply stares at the closed hospital room door. It is obvious he is choosing his next words carefully.
"But... he still doesn't know you're his father."
The words immediately change the atmosphere. Because until now, they have all been focused on Saint learning the truth. They have been arguing about the past, about what happened five years ago, about who knew what and when. Yet somehow, none of them have stopped to think about the person at the center of all of this.
Sora.
The one person whose life will be affected the most.
Shin lets out a slow breath before running a hand through his hair.
"It's because I don't know how to tell him. I've been thinking about it ever since Saint found out. But every time I try to imagine that conversation, I don't know where to start. Sora's still young. He understands a lot more than people think, but he's still a kid. To him, Saint is Uncle Saint. That's all he's ever known.
"He'll probably ask a hundred questions." A faint smile appears on his face as he imagines it. "And honestly, I don't even know how to answer half of them. How do I explain why Saint wasn't there? How do I explain that the father he never knew about suddenly exists?"
Saint lowers his eyes.
Until this moment, he has been so consumed by his own emotions that he hasn't fully considered what this must feel like for Shin. For years, Shin has been everything to Sora. The only parent Sora has ever known. Now he is being forced to navigate something neither of them ever expected.
"I don't think you need to tell him right away." The voice comes from Saint. "He just got out of a transfusion. He's already dealing with enough right now. I don't want him to feel pressured into understanding everything immediately."
No one argues, because despite everything, they know he is right. Saint swallows before speaking again.
"When you decide to tell him... I want to be there. I don't know how he'll react. Maybe he'll be happy. Maybe he'll be confused. Maybe he'll be angry. Honestly, I don't know if he'll even want to call me his father."
The admission hurts to say out loud. Everyone can hear it but Saint continues anyway.
"I just don't want him hearing something this important without me there. If he's going to know the truth, then I want him to hear it from both of us."
Silence settles over them. This time, however, it feels different because the argument is no longer about the past. It is about the future. For the first time since Saint learned the truth, they are all staring at the same problem. Not whether Saint deserves a chance or Shin was right to keep the secret.
But how they are supposed to tell a little boy that the man he has been calling Uncle Saint is actually his father.
---
By the time they return to the hospital room, the conversation in the hallway has already ended. At least, for now. Nobody says much as they walk back inside. The tension from earlier has settled, but it hasn't disappeared completely. It lingers quietly between them, hidden beneath tired expressions and forced calm. Shin enters first, followed by Saint. Tew and First come in last, both unusually quiet. After everything that has been said outside, nobody seems eager to continue the conversation.
The moment the door opens, Sora looks up from his bed. His face immediately brightens when he sees them return. He has been waiting and curious about what took the adults so long. But as his eyes move from one person to another then the smile on his face slowly fades. Something feels different. The room suddenly feels awkward, and even though he doesn't understand why, he can tell something happened while they were gone.
Then his gaze lands on Saint.
Sora blinks once before leaning forward slightly. "Uncle Saint?" he calls. Saint immediately looks at him. "What happened to your mouth?"
The question makes the entire room freeze.
Saint instinctively touches the corner of his swollen lip. Across the room, Tew suddenly looks away. First lowers his head and stares very hard at the floor as if it has become the most interesting thing in the world. Airy closes her eyes for a brief second while Chingching quietly prays that somehow the conversation will move in a different direction.
Sora, unfortunately, has no intention of letting it go.
"It wasn't like that before," he points out honestly. His brows pull together as he studies Saint's face. "Does it hurt?" Before Saint can answer properly, another question follows. "Did you fall somewhere? Did you get sick too? Is that why you were outside for so long?"
Saint opens his mouth, only to realize he has absolutely no idea how to answer any of this.
"I'm fine," he says awkwardly.
Sora continues staring at him. His eyes move between Saint and Tew. Then back to Saint again. The silence around him only makes him more suspicious. His expression slowly changes.
"...Was it because of Uncle Tew?"
Tew's jaw tightens immediately. First looks like he might burst into laughter from pure discomfort. Airy presses her lips together while Shin rubs his forehead, already knowing exactly where this is heading. Sora notices all of their reactions.
"Oh." He points between them. "You were fighting."
"No," several voices answer at once.
The synchronized response only makes Sora look even less convinced.
"But why is Uncle Saint hurt?" he asks. "And why does Uncle Tew look angry? Did Uncle Saint make a mistake? Did Uncle Tew get mad? Are you still mad now? Are you not friends anymore?"
The questions come one after another so quickly that nobody can stop them.
Saint feels a headache beginning to form. Beside him, Shin is trying very hard not to laugh despite how exhausted he feels. Leave it to Sora to ask the exact questions nobody wants to answer. Finally, Saint clears his throat.
"I bumped into something."
The excuse leaves his mouth before he can think of anything better. For a second, nobody reacts. Then Airy quickly turns away toward the window. Chingching lowers her head. Even Tew has to bite the inside of his cheek. Because it is, without question, the worst lie Saint has ever told. Sora looks at him carefully. His eyes drift to the swollen lip again before returning to Saint's face. It is obvious that he is thinking very hard about whether that explanation makes sense.
After a few moments, he finally nods.
"Oh."
Saint silently sighs in relief.
Then Sora smiles.
"You should be more careful."
Saint blinks. The innocence in the boy's voice catches him completely off guard.
"If you keep bumping into things, you'll get hurt again," Sora continues seriously. "Papa always tells me to watch where I'm going. Maybe you should listen too."
For a moment, nobody says anything.
Something inside Saint's chest tightens unexpectedly. Of all the reactions he imagined receiving from Sora, concern was not one of them. The boy doesn't question him anymore. He doesn't accuse him of lying. He simply worries about him.
A small smile appears on Saint's face.
"Yeah," he says softly. "I'll be more careful."
Satisfied with the answer, Sora nods and smiles too. Around the room, the adults finally begin breathing normally.
"Ahem." Airy is the first to stand. "I think I'll get some water."
"I'll come with you," Chingching immediately says.
"Actually, me too," First adds a little too quickly.
Nobody believes any of them.
Within seconds, the three are already finding excuses to leave, desperate to escape the awkward atmosphere. Meanwhile, Sora simply returns to playing with his stuffed toy, completely unaware that he has just made every adult in the room uncomfortable. Watching him, Shin can only shake his head. Somehow, without even trying, his son always manages to ask the questions nobody else is brave enough to ask.