At The End of The Day

Part 3 (Final)

Taeyong let out a long sigh as he spotted Jaehyun sitting in their lounge, a bright smile plastered across his face as he looked intently at his phone. The way Jaehyun was engrossed in whatever was on the screen made Taeyong’s heart clench; it was as if he was in a different world, completely oblivious to Taeyong’s growing concern.

"You're looking all fine and healthy," Taeyong muttered, his irritation bubbling just below the surface. Jaehyun’s head snapped up, his smile faltering as he realized Taeyong was there.

"Taeyong?"

"I get that we all need our privacy, but could you at least let me know where you are? I can’t stop worrying!" Taeyong's voice rose, filled with frustration and concern, causing Jaehyun to gulp, his earlier cheer replaced by unease.

"Sorry, I—" Jaehyun stammered, running a hand through his hair, clearly taken aback by Taeyong's outburst. "I didn’t mean to make you worry. I’ve just been busy."

"Busy? You didn’t think to check in? It’s been a week!" Taeyong pressed, his heart racing with a mix of anger and fear. All he wanted was to know that Jaehyun was okay, to feel the familiar reassurance of their friendship. But instead, he felt like he was losing his best friend bit by bit.

Jaehyun pressed his lips into a thin line, scratching his head nervously as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"I—"

"Jaehyun, if you have a problem, just tell me. Don’t disappear on me like this. I didn’t become your best friend for nothing!" Taeyong's voice trembled with frustration. "I've been texting and calling you, but you just don’t reply. I couldn’t even make it to your unit because you left without saying anything. I’m not intruding on your privacy; I just want to know where you are. It’s your life, do what you want, but for once, just tell me! Your parents didn’t even know where you were. Who am I supposed to ask?"

As Taeyong spoke, he could see panic flickering in Jaehyun’s eyes. The younger man shifted closer, finally settling beside him.

"Hey," Jaehyun said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t mean to worry you. I just… needed some time."

Taeyong couldn’t help but vent his frustrations. Yes, maybe he was exaggerating, but how could he not worry? What if Jaehyun was going through something serious, something he felt he couldn’t share? The thought gnawed at him. What if he’d done something to push Jaehyun away, and now his best friend was suffering in silence?

Taeyong is behaving in this way because this is the first time it has happened between him and Jaehyun. The whole day is not getting through without Jaehyun's call or text.

When Jaehyun finally pulled him into a tight embrace, Taeyong couldn’t hold back his tears. The warmth he craved only intensified the longing gnawing at him.

"I'm sorry, Yong. I should have told you sooner. I'm okay, really. Just dealing with something important, something I promised to share," Jaehyun murmured against his ear.

It took what felt like forever for Taeyong to steady himself, and when he finally did, Jaehyun had the audacity to pat his head.

"Miss me?" Jaehyun teased, a smirk on his lips, prompting a fierce glare from Taeyong.

"Do you want me to knock some sense into you? What’s going on with you?"

"I can't say just yet, but I promise you’ll be the first to know."

"Are you sure?"

Jaehyun nodded, playfully pinching Taeyong's cheek. "I’m really okay, and I’m sorry for making you worry."