Step Lovers-JAEYONG

[25]

That night, Taeyong woke up in the middle of sleeping. He doesn't know why but the only thing he could think of is to go to the bathroom. So he lazily sat on his bed, rubbing his sleepy eyes, taking his time before he stood and walked like a zombie out his room.

He tried to grab some water too, looking at the clock in the process. It wasn't too late, it was just almost two in the morning now. The outside was still very dark and it was cold. Taeyong was just about to go back into his room but he caught the front door gently closing. He doesn't know if he didn't close the door and it was the wind or it was Jaehyun or something ghostly.

The boy went to check on the man's bedroom. The door was ajar so he opened it and saw that Jaehyun out of bed too. Taeyong figured he went out to take a breather, he guessed. Then the sudden urge to join Jaehyun came to him. He was being hesitant like how a very indecisive person would feel.

Taeyong kept on walking back and forth, trying to think if he should really be nosy about things. It's impossible not to get nosy when it's Jaehyun, for him. He just wants to know everything about him. He's warm but then gets really cold around them. Obviously, it's on purpose.

In the end, he decided to make an excuse that he couldn't sleep to join him.

The boy grabbed a jacket, wearing it, before he goes out of their cabin quietly. He looked around then saw Jaehyun laying on the grass and looking up at the sky, seemingly to enjoy his cigarette. Taeyong closed the door behind him before he walked towards the man. He did catch Jaehyun's attention when he stood beside him. The man immediately sat with the boy squatting.

"Mind if I join?" Taeyong asked.

Jaehyun cleared his throat and threw the cigarette, stepping on it. He nodded timidly and tried not to be close to him.

"I'm sorry," Jaehyun apologizing about the smoking.

The boy sat beside him and shook his head, "It's fine...Can't sleep?"

The man shrugged, "Yeah, unsurprisingly. You too?"

"Honestly? I saw you went out...and I wanted to join you. You seem really bothered since yesterday. I thought you want someone to talk to."

Jaehyun shook his head, "I'm fine being alone."

"Like in America?"

The man nodded, "Used to it."

Taeyong hugged his knees, thinking if he should ask questions. They're in a surprisingly comfortable state, atleast for him. Jaehyun's being somewhat open to him. The boy's so hesitant right now that it's being awkward.

"Since you're here, do you want to know why I can't sleep?" Jaehyun suddenly asked.

Taeyong looked at him, "Of course."

"I'm bothered."

"About what?"

The man looked back, "You. I'm bothered because of you."

The boy didn't know what to say but it's not surprising. He felt like Jaehyun still hates him for something he doesn't know about. There were no reasons and he just wants to straight up ask him to clear things between them.

"It's always been you. I came back here for my family's company and not you. I never wanted to see you. I hated you and I know that was obvious from the way I treated you for the first few weeks. Then now I have to deal work with you. I was angry, upset...and I blame you for it."

Taeyong furrowed his eyebrows from the words Jaehyun's telling him. Something's not connecting and he doesn't know the things that he's being accused on. The boy was taken aback.

"What...What did I do to you? What are you saying?"

Jaehyun felt confused, "What do you mean? You just straight up forgot about me."

"Forgot? Jae, I never did--"

"You had boyfriends right after I go! How will I be okay?!"

"What...Where the hell did you even hear that?! Who said those?!"

It should've been a quiet and peaceful conversation but it suddenly got into an argument and they tried to keep it down. They were whispering but screaming at the same time.

"Jae, I never had boyfriends! I even waited for you! I wrote letters for you, I even tried to reach to you. But I wasn't allowed to use gadgets, I was forbidden to, until I got into work. When I even tried to contact you, then your number changed. You don't even know what happened when you left! You didn't even thought about me, did you?!"

Jaehyun took a second before he messed up his hair, "Mom told me you had boyfriends. You even brought them into the house."

Taeyong stared right through Jaehyun's eyes, confused with the words he said. He couldn't almost believe it was his mother who told him those, "Believe me when I say this, please. I never had any boyfriends. Why would she tell you that? You think I could forget you? You told me to wait for you--"

Mom lied?

"But you didn't," the man uttered, "You're in a relationship right now, Taeyong."

"I just gave Doyoung a chance but that doesn't mean that I forgot about everything."

Jaehyun sighed, looking away. Taeyong felt his heart swelling. His hands held onto his jacket's clothing tightly. His cheeks turning pink and his eyes getting teary.

"I-I won't tell you any excuses about that but I just want to let you know that you never left my mind. Not a single day. As much as I don't want to make it look like your mother's a liar, but I did nothing else other than earning on whatever I have today. E-Even if you tried pushing me away, y-you're still going to be the most important person to me..."

The man looked back, meeting with those teary pair of stars. His expression softened when Taeyong smiled sweetly at him, like everything just disappeared and nothing really happened between them. Everything melted away.

Suddenly, Jaehyun just pulled Taeyong into a hug.

Taeyong was taken aback but immediately hug back, wrapping his arms around Jaehyun's neck with the man's arms around his waist. Their hug was tight, a very longing one, as the boy sniffled. The man buried his face against the crook of the boy's neck, his arms not letting go.

Hatred and sadness made them busy that they didn't realize how much they missed each other.

Jaehyun felt how much burden was lifted off his shoulders. His heart swelling and palpitating from how much joy he's been getting. All he wanted was Taeyong and now he's here. He felt comfort in his warmth.

It felt like home.

Then they pulled away. Joy was overflowing and it was obvious on their eyes. Their smiles were only for them. They were admiring each other and subtly looking at their lips. Although, they had to stop themselves from stepping over the line, from continuing. Jaehyun hesitated, not wanting to break any relationships. Taeyong was reminded that he still has someone waiting for him back at home.

Now, they assumed themselves as the bestfriends they initially were.