3 Paths to Love

Chapter 15

At the dinner table, Taeyong watched Myungsuk eat a spoonful of plain rice, ignoring the rest of the side dishes as he usually did. He wasn't fidgeting or anxious. As if he was not holding onto a dire secret.

"Taeyong," Daehyun said.

Blinking, Taeyong looked up. "Yes?"

Daehyun eyed him for a moment. "Can you pass the sprouts?"

"I got it," Seunghyeon said, picking up the side dish and handing it across the table to Daehyun.

Everyone was acting normal. Even Myungsuk. Taeyong gripped his chopsticks, rolling them in his hands.

Myungsuk's eyes flicked up and met his. Startled by the contact, Myungsuk lowered his gaze. "Why're you staring at me, Hyung?"

"Are you going out tomorrow with Insoo?" Taeyong blurted out.

The room went quiet and Myungsuk stared at him. "How do you know?"

"Wait," Seunghyeon piped up. "You're going somewhere with Insoo?"

Setting his spoon down, Myungsuk tugged his sleeves, his eyes flicking to Daehyun.

"I think you're being too loud about this, Taeyong," Daehyun said, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not." Taeyong glared up at Daehyun. "I need to know where Myungsuk is going and if he has plans without us. I can't believe I had to find out from Insoo."

"You're not the sole person who needs to know," Daeyhun scolded. "As long as he tells one of us, it's fine."

Taeyong gaped at Daehyun before frowning. "You knew?" He whipped around to Myungsuk. "You told Daehyun, but not me?"

Myungsuk hung his head, clinging to Seunghyeon's arm. "I– uh..." he bit his lip and nodded his head.

"Hyung, calm down," Seunghyeon whispered.

Taeyong pressed his lips into a thin line. "Did he tell you too?"

Seunghyeon shook his head. "I had no clue."

"I was the only one he told," Daehyun said. "Myungsuk needed to learn how to make friends by himself."

"By himself and you," Taeyong snapped, crossing his arms.

"Taeyong." Daehyun softened his voice and rubbed his shoulder. "Myungsuk is 19. He deserves to have fun with friends without us around."

It wasn't about making friends. It was about being in the dark.

"I'm sorry, Hyung," Myungsuk sniffed, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. "I just– I wanted to try on my own. I'm sorry."

Taeyong's heart tightened and he placed his hand on his chest. Glancing at Daehyun and Seunghyeon, he sighed. "It's okay. Myungsuk. I'm not mad. I'm"– he paused–"shocked. That's all."

"Really?" Myungsuk peeked up, brushing away the last of his tears. "You're not mad?"

Taeyong nodded. "Yes. I mean, if you want to go that's fine. But I need you to be safe."

"Which won't be hard 'cause I'll be around," Seunghyeon jumped in. "How about I drop you and hang around campus," he added. "Hyung, can I borrow your car?"

"Yes. That's a good idea," Taeyong said and dared to relax a little. Though, when Daehyun squeezed his shoulder, he shot him a glare. This wasn't over.

Myungsuk nodded and sat up. "Okay. And, I'll try to be safe. I promise," he said and pushed his chair back, standing up. "Can I be excused?"

Sighing, Taeyong nodded. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Thanks," Myungsuk mumbled and left the kitchen.

"You made the right choice, Taeyong," Daehyun said.

Taeyong turned away from him, getting through the rest of the meal in silence.

Taeyong slipped through the door, carefully closing the door before making his way through the dark room to bed.

"How's Myungsuk?" Daehyun asked, shuffling to sit up in bed.

"He's good. I sat with him until he fell asleep," Taeyong said, sitting on his side of the bed.

"And how're you?"

"What do you think?" Taeyong snapped, whipping around to glare into the darkness.

There was a beat of silence. "We should be glad Myungsuk at least told me and didn't keep it to himself."

"But he should've told me. Or even Seunghyeon," Taeyong hung his head in his hands. "Doesn't he trust us?"

"Taeyong." Daehyun shifted closer until he wrapped his arms around him, kissing his nape. "Of course he trusts you. But he also knows you two. You're both a bit... overbearing."

"Overbearing?" Taeyong shifted to look behind him, making out the outline of his face. "So what?"

"So," Daehyun stretched. "You both would have swayed him to act and talk a certain way. And that wouldn't be his authentic self."

"No, we wouldn't–"

"He'd copy you unconsciously."

Turning away with a frown. Myungsuk had been masking by copying them his whole life, well before anyone knew that was what he was doing.

But how was Myungsuk so confident around Insoo. "Do you think he's told Insoo?"

"I don't know. But it's his choice."

Was it? If Insoo didn't know now, how would Insoo react when he finds out? No matter how nice he seemed, people can be unpredictable.

Daehyun wrapped his arms around Taeyong nuzzled his hair. Taeyong sighed, placing his hand on Daehyun's arms. "I'm hurt you kept this a secret."

"I know," he whispered. "And I'm sorry. But he asked me to."

Taeyong sucked in his breath. "Have you been keeping a lot of secrets from me?"

"No." Daehyun placed his hand under Taeyong's chin and turned him to face him. "Myungsuk was the one one to specifically tell me not to tell you."

That stung. But he'd go crazy if he tried to understand Myungsuk's train of thought.

Sighing, Taeyong turned around stared into Daehyun's eyes, the certainty in his gaze despite the darkness reached his heart. There were no secrets. Not between them.

Wrapping his arms around him, Taeyong leaned against his chest, taking a slow, shaky breath.

Daehyun kissed the top of his head and surrounded him with his arms and scent, soothing the irritable pang in Taeyong's chest.

"You're my only one, Taeyong. I'm sorry I hurt you."

Taeyong squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. "I know."