3 Paths to Love

Chapter 54

Taeyong's expected due date was a week away, yet, it wasn't the happy occasion he thought it would be. He glanced around the dinner table, where Daehyun's unoccupied chair stayed tucked and Seunghyeon poked at his rice. Which he preferred over Myungsuk staring at his phone screen, a duvet draped over his shoulders and his food untouched.

Two keychains swung from the corner of Myungsuk's phone, clinking against each other with the slightest movement. Taeyong took a deep breath and stretched his arm out. But his bump made it impossible to reach across the table.

Instead, he opted to stretch his foot out and jab Seunghyeon's shin under the table.

Seunghyeon jerked his head up and he furrowed his brows at him.

Taeyong sighed and flicked his eyes towards Myungsuk. He needed Seunghyeon's help. Protecting Myungsuk was half the job. Now, they had to help him get over Insoo.

Seunghyeon glanced at Myungsuk and gave a stiff nod. "Myungsuk," he called out gently.

No response. Myungsuk continued to refresh his screen.

"Myungsuk," Seunghyeon repeated and shook Myungsuk's shoulder.

Myungsuk flinched at the touch and whipped his head up. Seunghyeon pulled his head back as Myungsuk blinked at both of them.

"You haven't touched your food," Taeyong added, gesturing to the bowl of rice.

Myungsuk glanced down as if he noticed it now. Shaking his head, Myungsuk tightened the duvet around him. "Not hungry."

Taeyong and Seunghyeon shared a look. Taeyong shifted in his seat. "Do you want some cake then? We can eat it while we watch something. You can choose today," he suggested with a hopeful smile.

Seunghyeon nodded, his enthusiasm stilted. "We can binge some Galactica. Even if it's the old one. We don't mind."

Myungsuk scrunched up his face in contemplation and Taeyong held his breath as he stayed quiet. A few seconds later, Myungsuk held his phone up, sinking into his seat. "I'm waiting for Insoo to text me."

Like ice water dumped on his head, Taeyong stiffened. Seunghyeon stared at Taeyong, equally stunned. What exactly did Insoo tell Myungsuk? Did he break up with him properly? Or was it Myungsuk who couldn't... or wouldn't get it.

Gulping, Taeyong couldn't scrub the pity of his face as he offered Myungsuk a smile. "It's late now. Give your eyes a rest."

"No." Myungsuk clutched his phone to his chest. "I need to make sure he's okay. He's not being himself."

"Maybe he was and you just didn't see that side of him," Seunghyeon suggested.

Myungsuk shook his head. "That's impossible. I love him and he loves me. There's no way he'd..."Myungsuk knitted his brows together and bit down on his lip.

Taeyong's chest tightened. "Oh, Myungsuk." He sat up and held his hand out, offering Myungsuk to hold it halfway. "Sometimes, people break up, even if the other person doesn't want to."

Seunghyeon nodded. "And sometimes"–Seunghyeon took a deep breath–"people break up when nobody wants to."

Taeyong flicked his gaze to Seunghyeon and furrowed his brows as Myungsuk turned to him curiously. "That doesn't make sense," Myungsuk said.

"External factors," Seunghyeon said and shrugged, keeping his head down. "Sometimes someone makes it clear the relationship is wrong."

"Or," Taeyong started, cutting Seunghyeon off. "Sometimes one person isn't always good for the other."