Chapter 28 - Meeting The Parents

"Subin!" Zeng called him.

The boy whirled around in search of the source of the sound and spotted his best friend's crush. He smiled widely, his cheeks dipped to show his dimples, "Hey, Zeng ge! You came!"

"Yeah," Zeng said upon reaching him, "Congratulations!"

"Thank you." The graduated trainee said. Zeng noticed how good he looked in the uniform, just like Yul had said. Now, he had a terrible urge to see Yul. How would he look in the fully uniform-clad form?

"Where's Yul?" He asked a bit too eagerly. Subin gave a mischievous teasing grin. "He's around the stage area. You can go and comfort that sad puppy. He's a bit bummed out, you know."

Zeng sighed with guilt. He tried his best to leave the hospital as early as he could. But at last, he got late.

Subin sensed the growing guilt. "Hey hey. Better late than never. So it's okay. He knows what your job means to you." He said.

Zeng pursed his lips, ''So . . . Yul said you are going back to Korea, right?"

"Yeah, gotta follow my dreams," Subin shrugged. "If things go well with you two, hopefully, we can meet again."

Zeng smiled and nodded, inviting him for a hug. Subin hugged him casually. "Have a safe journey," Zeng added, "All the best for your future." He patted the younger one's back.

"Yup and you, take care of my Yul for me," he requested, "He loves you way more than you think." He pulled back and Zeng gave a nod.

"Bye-bye," the cheery guy waved, giving a last goofy smile before walking in the direction of the main gate and thereby disappearing in the crowd. Zeng saw him. He was happy that Yul had such a nice person during his stay at the academy.

Zeng jogged to the area Subin had mentioned. Sure, Yul was there along with quite a number of girls surrounding him. While Subin was the most popular one because of his carefree, happy-go-lucky and kind attitude, Yul came in close second in popularity because of his mysterious and cool nature.

Zeng saw Yul as he shook his head, giving a polite smile and bow as he rejected their proposals. It occurred to him that he was the reason the pretty girls were getting rejected and that made him blush.

Upon focusing on the Yul, Zeng was awed at the sight of him in the uniform. Broad shoulders even more prominent, the emblem stitched on either of them. The perfectly tailored uniform hugged his tall frame, giving him a dominant imposition. Everything he was wearing looked like it was meant to be worn by him. He looked so perfect, or as Zeng thought, the uniform looked so amazing on him. It almost visualised how much Yul had worshipped this profession; how much he was meant for it.

As if sensing Zeng's presence, Yul looked to the right. His polite smile turned into a full-blown gummy smile as he excused himself from the group of girls.

He walked then ran to Zeng, engulfing him in a bone-crushing hug. "I almost thought you won't come." Yul held him even closer if that was possible.

"I had to come. Sorry for being late. You are not angry, are you?"

"Not anymore," Yul whispered in the crook of his neck.

"Um... Yul... there are people around-"

"They are busy crying, Zeng ge. So don't nag and just let me hug you."

Zeng chuckled at the boldness. Today was Yul's special day so Zeng would gladly accept whatever he said and so he hugged back and rubbed his broad back, "Congratulations, big boy."

Yul pulled away, his face curious. He adjusted his tie and straightened, "How do I look? Cool, right?"

Zeng shook his head, making Yul frown.

"You don't look cool. You look hot."

Heat instantly crept up Yul's cheeks and he blushed, something he rarely did and he was too habitual of receiving compliments.

He coughed to hide it. "You... didn't you say your schedule was tight?" He asked and then saw how haphazardly Zeng was dressed. He still managed to look good but this was definitely not his casual best; something put on in a rush.

Zeng clearly his throat then faked an exaggerated expression, "You know, I have no idea how this happened but coincidentally I asked to schedule a smaller surgery practice for me and coincidentally my supervisor had a meeting and coincidentally I called up another intern and begged him to let me exchange with his nightshift."

Yul smirked, "And let me guess, coincidently your feet brought you here."

"Absolutely!" Zeng smiled with the delight of a child and Yul couldn't help but pull him in a tight hug once again earning a giggle from him. How much more could he love this guy? This doe-eyed man really had his heart in the palms of his fragile hands. And he wasn't regretting laying his heart bare.

They kept holding each other for quite a while, forgetting everything and everyone around them.

"Yul-ah," A warm female voice called the younger person, making Zeng stiffen and push him away. Yul frowned before turning to the woman, "Yes mom?"

A much shorter woman and a man of Yul's height came into view, carrying some bags and a suitcase. Anyone could tell he was Yul's father by the striking resemblance. Same cold eyes and stone face at first glance, which gradually softened once they are more familiar.

Zeng didn't know his parents would be here. Of course, they will be here for their son's graduation, he thought and mentally facepalmed for the stupid thought.

Now he was scared. He wasn't prepared to face them. He wasn't ready to meet them, yet but he was thrown into this situation. What if they didn't like him? What if he messed this up? What should he say? What should he introduce himself as?

He didn't even get the time to think as the older couple reached near. "We should go-... Oh, is that a friend?" His mother asked.

Yul glanced at Zeng. He didn't like lying to his parents but before he could say anything that would give them away, Zeng spoke first.

"Yes, I am a friend. Dr Xiao Zeng. Nice to meet you both." He bowed.

"A doctor?" Mr Wang eyed him as if trying to recall something then smiled. "Oh, I remember now. Yul had mentioned it before that he had met a surgery intern. So you are the one."

Zeng glanced at Yul, thinking what this guy must have told his parents about him. He certainly wasn't ready to reveal whatever they had together, even without a label. Much to his relief, Yul's parents were not provided with the full picture.

And Zeng was somehow thankful for that. He was so nervous meeting Yul's parents, nervous and scared of how they would think of him. He wanted to hold Yul's hand. That had calmed him down many times before. But with his parents in front of them, that was out of options.

What should he do now?