Joo-Won just stared at them, clearly failing at hiding his surprise, while Xander was still hiding behind his older brother and peeking at them.

Kyong looked at them, starting to feel a little uncomfortable. "So?"

Joo-Won quickly pulled himself together and got out of the way so Kyong could push the wheelchair.

After they entered, Kyong took a step back and attempted to go back to the hospital, but Joo-Won stopped him. "Why don't you stay too? We can talk."

Kyong first looked at the hand around his wrist, then at the boys. "I don't want to bother you. Hwan wanted to see you so I just did my job."

Xander finally took a step forward and held Kyong's hand, which was surprising to everyone including Xander himself. "Please Kyong. We need to talk."

Kyong just stayed still for a few seconds, hearing Xander calling his name made him realize how much he missed hearing his voice.

He sighed, then came inside and closed the door behind him without saying anything.

While Xander and Kyong were walking to the living room, they stopped at the door to look at what the other two are doing. Joo-Won stayed behind and pulled the brakes of the wheelchair. Because the wheels were wet, he didn't want to take it inside the living room and get beaten up by his mother. He looked at Hwan, then reached to carry him. Hwan backed his upper body away and stopped him, eyebrows knitted like always.

"I don't want my mom to get mad at me for making the carpets wet..." Joo-Won said before Hwan could ask. He slowly let his guard down and let Joo-Won carry him like a bride.

"Joo-Won who is at the door?" The brothers' mother, Jen, got out of the kitchen, a long shopping list in her hand, and looking for something from her bag. Then she lifted her head and stared at Joo-Won and Hwan in surprise since she was not expecting a scene like this at all. For some time, they all just stared at each other in intense awkwardness. Finally, Jen pulled herself together and nodded. "Uh... okay...?"

Kyong stepped forward and bowed. "Hello ma'am. Sorry to bother you at this hour. This is Hwan, a patient in the hospital who is also Joo-Won's friend." Hwan did a small head bow and Jen did the same with an awkward smile as well. "And I am-"

"Kyong, dear, of course I know who you are."

Kyong lifted his head in surprise. "You do?"

"Of course! I come to the hospital from time to time as well and the boys talked about you so many times!" She looked at Kyong and Joo-Won with a smile, but when she noticed Xander that was kinda hiding behind the door, her smile faded. "Honey? I didn't think you would be here too." She came in front of her son and smiled sadly at him, caressing his arm. He tried to smile back at her, which made his mother's eyes start to tear up. "Oh okay, I should go." She sniffed and quickly wiped her tears.

After her reaction, Kyong's face changed from cold to curious as he turned to look at Xander, who was hugging his own arms in silence.

Jen waved goodbye to them. "You boys have fun and don't wait for me to have dinner. There is enough for all of you!" After she got out, everyone went to the living room and sat on the couches.

Joo-Won carefully placed Hwan and sat beside him, and Xander and Kyong sat on the couch in front of them, leaving a big space between each other. Silence filled the room as Joo-Won was looking at the gap between them in sadness.

"What did you want to talk about Xander?" Kyong finally said and turned to him.

"I... uh..." Xander looked at his older brother like he was asking for help.

Joo-Won sighed and continued for him. "Look. We know you are mad because of what happened-"

Kyong blinked a few times and stopped him. "What? Of course I'm not mad." He was not mad at Xander for what happened that day. He knew there was something wrong with him that day and he could totally understand his reaction. In reality, he was extremely worried and concerned, but he was afraid that he did something wrong and Xander was getting annoyed and felt uncomfortable, so he didn't know what to do or how to act.

All three of them looked at him in confusion.

"But you are so cold since then and don't want to talk to Xander."

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I am mad. I know there was something wrong that day, I could understand that just by looking at you guys." Xander looked down to the floor and started to play with his sleeves as Kyong continued. "Of course I understood why he reacted that way."

"Then why..."

"I just don't want to make him uncomfortable and I hate feeling that somehow I do." He turned his head to Xander, his cold face was gone completely and a worried and sad one was present. "It didn't add up. I thought that I did something wrong. You have been avoiding me and I can see that. I just hate making people feel like this and I thought you didn't want me to be around you anymore, but I didn't know how to talk about it when you were not even looking at me properly. So I just thought 'why don't I make this easier for him' and just get away from you."

Xander came closer to him a little and pulled his legs to himself on the couch and hugged them. "Of course you didn't do anything wrong. I just... It was a horrible day for me and... If I talked then I would just start to cry again. And I didn't want you to run away from me when you learn the truth so I just thought it was a better choice. I'm sorry..."

Then Kyong came closer too, and the gap between them was finally closed.

Joo-Won smiled at the fact that they were finally talking about it. He couldn't help but look at Hwan from the corner of his eye, realizing he was watching them with a small smile as well. When he was just about to take his eyes off, Hwan felt the stares and slightly turned his head to him as well. They just stared for some time before Hwan broke the eye contact and turned to the two, leaving Joo-Won feeling bad all over again.

"You know you don't need to apologize. It is clear that it has been a hard time for you. But please know that if you ever think about telling me that truth you don't want me to know, I would never judge you."

"Never? Are you... sure?" When Xander lifted his head and looked at Kyong, who quickly nodded, Joo-Won couldn't help but feel alerted.

His posture straightened as he felt uncomfortable, he was trying his best not to mingle with his brother's life but he couldn't help it.

Just as he was about to open his mouth and ask him if he was sure to tell him, Hwan, who of course noticed what was about to happen when Joo-Won leaned forward a little and held his hand to prevent him from talking. Joo-Won closed his mouth and turned his head to the side in slight surprise. Hwan stared at him and slowly shook his head as no. Joo-Won sighed and rested his back, looking down at the floor in defeat. Hwan smiled and squeezed his hand a little, not taking his hand away which made Joo-Won smile without lifting his head.

"Okay..." Xander looked at Joo-Won to see if he approved it, but when he saw his head was down, he looked at Hwan in confusion. Hwan slightly nodded for him to continue. "Uh... The thing is... I... I got my... period... that day..." He somehow hold the urge to start crying when he said it out loud. He didn't know what else to say other than that because it was the truth.

Joo-Won lifted his head to see how Kyong was going to react.

"But you-... Oh..." Kyong finally understood what he was talking about, which made him feel dumb for trying to ask it. Then, sadness grew on his face, cannot even able to imagine how hard it must have been for him. "I am so sorry to hear that... It must be a lot to take. Are you better?"

His worried face made Xander feel a bit surprised, this was not what he was expecting. "I... guess? This was not the reaction I was expecting honestly. I thought you would... run away?"

Now it was Kyong's time to be surprised. "What? Why? Just because you are trans? Why would I do that, do I look like someone who would do something like that??"

Xander widened his eyes a bit and quickly shook his head. "No no! It's just... I saw it happen so much. I don't know what would happen and got scared. I don't want to lose you. I care about you."

Everyone looked at Xander with surprise, especially Kyong, who got all shy. He felt his ears burning like any time he was around Xander. "Y-you do?"

Xander shook his head vigorously. "Yes, I do."

Kyong smiled a bit and placed his hand on his head, gently caressing his hair. "You can't get rid of me that quick. Also, being born in the wrong body does not make you different than us. You are just a man like us, and nothing will change this."

Xander smiled in gratitude and hugged him tightly, burying his face in his shoulder. "Thank you..."

Joo-Won smiled at them, eyes starting to fill up a little. He turned his head to Hwan, who was looking at him as well while still not letting go of his hand. A warm tear streamed down his cheek, which Hwan reached and wiped in silence. But then, suddenly his smile faded as he remembered something. He slowly took his hand off from Joo-Won's and placed them on his lap before turning his head to the opposite side.

Joo-Won was left in confusion as he looked at his hand, then turned his head to the other side just like Hwan did.

Now, it was Xander and Kyong's turn to watch Joo-Won, who could not understand what just happened and looking at the wall with a confused frown, and Hwan, who was playing with his sleeves and looking at the floor with deep sadness on his face, in sadness.

_____________________________

Being born in the wrong body does not make you different than us.

I believe there is a widely known statement that is completely misunderstood about LGBTQ+ individuals, which is the thought of us thinking we are more special than cishets and need special treatment. Many people believe we don't want to be put in the same equation as cishest and want to have special rights (believe me, I saw it), which is actually the opposite of what we want.

We don't want to get special treatment. We don't want people to try being closer to us just because we are 'extraordinary' and 'different'. We don't want to be called 'oh how strong you are!' just because we are showing ourselves and comfortable with who we are. We don't want the need to have the unnecessary stress of coming out, we just want to be free with whoever we are whomever we love.

We just want to be just like you, but why don't you want to treat us equally?