“Donghae-yah...”

There was something about the way his mother— whom he hadn’t seen for the last two years—said his name. It was not the same feeling as the way she called him when he was still a mere clueless child. Instead of the tone of resentment and hostility he was so used to, this one did not hold any of that. This one was warmer, more accepting, and a tad bit loving.

He felt Hyukjae’s hand made its way against his but he was too shocked to at least appreciate the gesture. He tried to imagine what it was like before when he was still living in that huge mansion with no one but a number of butlers and a greater number of house maids. In the whole duration of his stay there as far as he could remember, his mother did not look this gentle and calm. He had known her as a cunning woman who did not give a damn to his own son. He had remembered her as someone who puts more premium to her elite friends than to the poor little Donghae.

But despite all of that, he still remembered himself respecting her. His mother is a very intelligent woman who is not easy to fall to any deceptions and treachery. Yet she fell to his father but it didn’t matter anymore. Donghae, in fact, looked up to her and considered her as a celebrity in her own kind. Aside from her in born beauty even in her mid-fifties, her brain has always been her asset. And that was what Donghae admired the most on his mother.

However, he could only feel a combination of negative feelings towards her right now. A scary mixture of anger, betrayal, disappointment, and anguish.

Still staring at the woman in front of her, Donghae was not going to deny that he felt a skip on his heart. He had badly wanted to run to her and embrace her just like how a son would embrace his mother after a long and tiring day. But he can’t.

“Son?”

It was a whisper from his mother yet it resonated loudly in his ears. Donghae knew at that moment that he would’ve ran away from there if it wasn’t for his boyfriend’s grip. Still with an unreadable expression, he turned to look at Hyukjae who nodded softly at him. The older gently removed his hand from him and briefly motioned for Mr. Kwon to follow him instead, giving Donghae and his mother some privacy and space to talk.

Before the two could enter the reserved section, Mr. Kwon offered him a warm smile.

“Please give us a chance, Donghae. And please hear your mother out.”

“What are you doing here?”

Donghae was the first to break the unbearable silence between him and his mother. They are now seated across from each other on one of the table for two inside the library. He could still hear faint voices from the reserved section obviously from his boyfriend and from the Chief Justice’s right-hand man.

“I’m sorry, son. I don’t know how and where to start but I’m sorry.”

His mother looked very dejected and Donghae knew better than to be fooled by her. When she tried to hold his hand, he immediately pulled away as if he had touched something hot and burning. The crestfallen look from his mother didn’t go unnoticed.

“I know I wasn’t the best mother to you and—”

“You were never a mother to me.”

“Donghae, I’m sorry. I’m terribly sorry for neglecting you but know that I love you, son.”

Donghae bitterly chuckled, “I don’t know if you or someone’s pulling a hidden camera on me right now, but yeah sure. You’re sorry, you love me, and all those s. Sure I can accept that. So, can you go now?”

“I...uh...am here to sign as one of the witnesses. Son, please at least let me do that for you.”

“You really wanted to get rid of me that bad? That’s why you want to complete the form?” A look of absolute astonishment flashed in his face. “You’re unbelievable!”

“Donghae, please...it’s very devastating for me to know that you wanted this but I know it will make you happy. Your father and I...we know we haven’t been good to you but we will support you if being away from us makes you happy.” The once elegant and sophisticated woman he grew to know surprised him when she kneeled ungraciously in front of him. Donghae masked his shock by instantly pulling the woman—his mother—to stand. Yes, he was angry but he wasn’t heartless. Having his mother kneeling for forgiveness was just too much for his fragile heart to handle.

With calculated movements, he grabbed the forgotten piece of paper which Hyukjae left on the table a few minutes ago. Donghae placed it rigidly in front of the now sobbing woman.

“Make it fast, I beg you. I know you can’t stand seeing me the same way I can’t stand being in the same place as you,” he said and he saw his mother shook his head in disapproval. “Do the both of us a favor and just sign and leave.”

His mother did as she was told. She neatly jotted down the name “Min Yoori” and signed beside it. He immediately looked away when she turned to look at him. He knew very well that one look from his mother’s apologetic and sincere face would break down the additional walls he built at that exact moment.

He motioned for Mr. Kwon who made his way towards them to assist his mother and go. Donghae did not wait for any of them to say something be it another apology or a bid of goodbye and he just let Hyukjae walk them outside.

The reason?

Because he knew another word from his mother and he would come running to her.

Cold-hearted bastard. Before he met Hyukjae and even shortly after that, he was known as the cold-hearted bastard. With heart as cold as an ice, glare as piercing as a dagger, and tongue as poisonous as a wild flower, he lived up to the name.

Donghae vowed to never go back to that side of hi