Krystal wiped the tears that spilled from her mother’s eyes while she was laughing. “Mom, I really think you have a barrel of tears in you!” She hugged her mom and kissed her hair before watching the woman gently dry her tears. Not long after that, she felt her mother’s hand on her arm.

“I’m just happy that you’ve finally taken your oath and I’m just really proud of you, dear.” Her mother pulled her closer to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Look how far you’ve come.”

Deep inside, Krystal really wanted to cry and all she can do is make fun of her mom to stop herself from doing so. “How far we’ve come, mom. Not just me. All of this won’t be possible because of you.” She squeezed her mom in a tight hug and no matter how old she gets, the feeling that she has when she spends time with her mom, especially when she’s in her embrace, will always be her favorite.

“Sometimes, I wish that time would stop,” her mother said as she cupped the new doctor’s face. The middle-aged woman laughed and swayed her daughter’s head side to side.

“Mom!” She removed her mother’s hands on her face while making a face. “Sometimes, I think I’m the adult.”

“Yeah, that’s why you look old. Let’s go, we might lose our reservation.”

“Don’t be mean!” The brand new doctor walked outside the auditorium while holding her mother’s hand and joking with her. Krystal and her mom have a tight bond. They’re often mistaken as sisters because they look alike and have the same taste in clothing. They’re each other’s best friend and as Krystal would say it, she doesn’t really have a choice because she’s an only child.

Minho was already getting annoyed because his mom kept taking pictures and she just wouldn’t stop. He knows that his mom loves taking pictures and couldn’t even leave the house without her monopod. “Mom, we have enough pictures of already! You’ve had those since I was a kid!”

His mother whacked his head because of his wittiness. “Let me have my way today, son. I’m just so happy that you’re finally doctor!”

“Son,” he heard his dad say. He looked at him when he felt his father tap his arm before putting an arm around his dad. The father and son were all smiles for a picture and Minho didn’t complain.

“You should have a selfie with your mom, too! Why aren’t you complaining when it’s your dad?”

“Because we already have tons of seflies, mom. Look at your pho-“

“Look here and smile!” His mom squealed as if nothing happened and forced his son for another selfie. Minho exchanged glances with his dad before half heartedly looking at his mom’s phone screen and smiling in a forced and tired manner.

“I think we better go instead of missing our reservation,” his dad said before wrapping his arm around his wife and telling her that it was time for her to keep her monopod and walk. Minho chuckled at his dad and walked beside his father, while his father wrapped an arm over his shoulder.

In the restaurant, the family of three arrived and an usher brought them to a small private room that was reserved under the head of the household’s name. Minho noticed that there were already glasses with water. “They probably went to the wrong function room,” he thought as there was no one there and they just arrived. His mom and dad were already choosing their seats and sat across the seats with the filled glasses. As his parents sat, they were already busy with their phones and Minho could only think of getting his phone as well.

“You guys just arrived?”

He heard a different voice, but he wasn’t unfamiliar with it. He looked at his parents and saw that they had a huge smile on their face as they greeted the woman who have just walked in. They stood up to greet her and he did the same. To his surprise, it was his dad’s colleague who became great friends with his mom and behind her was her daughter.

His parents congratulated the daughter from the other family, while he was congratulated by his dad’s colleague. The kids both said their thanks, while the parents exchanged congratulatory messages. The mother and daughter placed their plates on the table and asked the new doctors to stand side by side for a photo. They even chuckled at how their distance was awkward.

“Why don’t you go get your food. Krystal and I will wait for you before we start.” Mrs. Jung told the family of three with a smile.

Krystal was confused and wondered why they were here. They’re obviously celebrating the fact that their son has also taken his oath and is now, finally, a doctor just like her. She thought that the extra chairs were for her aunt, uncle, and their kid since they’re close with her and her mom, but to her surprise it wasn’t.

As Minho returned with his mom, both with plates in their hands, he was confused why they were in one venue. The two families are together in celebration. He thought that maybe his parents and his dad’s colleague thought of having a joint celebration because they both have small families and it would be nice to celebrate with a fellow doctor. He looked at Krystal as he placed his plate on the table and the girl looked up at him. They shared eye contact for a short while and smiled shyly- or rather awkwardly at each other before he took his seat. The mother’s were having a great time chatting and shortly after, Mr. Choi was back with a plate and sat with them.

“First of all, let me congratulate our two doctors, Dr. Jung and Dr. Choi. The sleepless nights were all worth it.” The two kids thanked Mr. Choi for his short congratulatory message before he started eating.

“We’re really proud with both of you for not giving up and striving hard to reach your goal,” Mrs. Jung added and again, the kids said their thanks.

“Let’s start eating now, especially our doctors. You gotta catch up on your meals! You can finally do that now.” Everyone laughed at Mrs. Choi’s remark and agreed. “Eat now because the bomb’s already ticking,” she thought.

As the two families ate, the parents were the ones who kept chatting, while the two new doctors were being teased (again) that they should talk to each other. They had a short exchange of remarks, but it wouldn’t last long. The two kids talked about what it was like during their pre-med years (since they had different courses) and how they found medical school and what their specialty would be.

As they were already having dessert, they overheard the parents murmuring and talking in low voices, almost in a huddle at the dinner table. They only looked at each other in confusion. Krystal’s eyebrows creased before raising them and Minho only shrugged, using telepathy to talk to each other. They’ve met a few times with simple exchange of hellos, but tonight was the “longest” conversation they had and they could already converse without using words.

“Kids,” Mrs. Choi said before taking a short pause to correct herself. “I meant doctors, sorry. You two are probably wondering why we had dinner together.”

“Is it because the restaurant’s full,” Krystal asked.

“Or was it because we both have small families and you guys decided that ‘hey, maybe it’s nice if we could meet,’” said Minho.

“Well, a bit close to both of your answers. However, yes, the restaurant’s full, but that’s not the reason why we’re in this one function room,” explained Mrs. Jung.

“Yes, we both have small families and decided that it’s best for us to meet today after the oath taking because we could celebrate you two today as new doctors,” said Mr. Choi.

“But we actually decided for the five of us to meet today to make it memorable. It’s not only your oath taking,” said Mrs. Choi with a smile. “Minho, remember when we were in Japan with the rest of your dad’s and aunt’s colleagues?”

“After high school graduation,” Minho asked his mom and she replied with a nod.

“I talked to my great friend over here that her daughter seemed the right one for you-“ Mrs. Choi looked at Mrs. Jung to let her continue.

“And I also said that you seemed the right one for my daughter,” Mrs. Jung added and Mrs. Choi only smiled at the memory.

“And how all of our colleagues liked the two of you together even if you haven’t met each other,” Mr. Choi said. 

“Oh God,” Krystal said under her breath. She already knew where this is going or at least she felt like she did.

“And you guys met at a mutual friend’s party and got teased by the celebrant and your classmates,” Mrs. Jung reminded them as she attended the party as well because it was a family friend’s.

“And you two graduated without even dating anyone, which we didn’t hope for, but of course we hoped that you two would get together in med school and be the perfect pair of future doctors until finally becoming one,” explained Mrs. Choi.

“So tonight, we’re breaking the news to you two that you are to marry each other.” Mr. Choi smiled as he broke the news and looked at their kids faces. Both had a stunned look as they heard the news. The adults only smiled at them and found it cute.

Krystal drank her water before wiping her lips and speaking to break the silence. “I’m gonna have to go use the bathroom.” She stood up and walked out the hall and made her way towards the exit of the restaurant.

“I’m gonna have to use the bathroom, too.” Minho stood up and walked towards the exit, walking until he settled on a bench at a park nearby. As he sighed loudly in disbelief, he saw a familiar figure seated on another bench. He stood and made his way towards the person and stopped in front of her. “Mind if I sit here?”

Her head was hanging low as she stared at her shoes. “Not at all.” Without looking up, she already knew who it was. She shifted her position and rested her elbow on the arm rest to let her chin rest on her palm.

Minho leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and hands clasped together while supporting his head. “So, we’re getting married huh?”

“Seems like it,” she said in a low voice. There a hint of shakiness in it as she spoke, but she didn’t notice because of the emotions that were rushing in. “Their years of teasing seemed to win.” 

He only nodded at his new fiancee’s statement. “Seems like it,” he said slowly. His dad and her mom’s colleagues were all rooting for them and teasing them. His classmates and friends teased them together during their mutual friend’s birthday and even pushed the two together before running to Mrs. Jung and watched the two smile as the middle-aged woman took their picture with a huge smile on her face, similar to the scene earlier. It was a total déjà vu for both.  “Seems like we aren’t just officially new doctors today.”

She sighed and nodded lazily. “We’re also, officially, newly engaged.”

Both were still in a state of disbelief. It was such a shock for the two that right after taking their oaths, they’ll suddenly be engaged. No one gave a warning, but they both know one thing; today, a new leaf was turned in their life and it’s not only a similar leaf in each of their lives, but it is also a new leaf in their life together.

Author's note: the first chapter's up :) tell me what you guys think in the chapter below and I hope you liked it :) and before I forget, I'll let you guys know a little secret- this is actually based on a true story ☺️