Wheels Have Each Other

13. Fate

Nine days. 

That was how long Jeongguk took to show up at Taehyung's house to take him back home. 

He had texted Taehyung twice in the meantime, but Taehyung didn't bother to reply to him. Not after the way he threw his whole family out with not a word of explanation. 

What was he to that man? A passerby on the road who had stopped by to watch the drama? How could he just throw him and his family out like that with no explanation whatsoever? How did he think Taehyung would just go back to him when he showed up at their house? 

Hee asked the same question to Jeongguk when he finally decided to get out of his bedroom. 

"What do you see me as? A five-year-old kid with a lollipop in my mouth?! Well, flash news, I am not!! I'm not going to take your nonsense anymore. If you want me back, you need to change too-"

"I tried, Taehyung!" Jeongguk exclaimed desperately. He had let his husband go on and let his anger out for the past ten minutes, but he was growing more and more desperate now. It was clear that Taehyung was super-mad and super-hurt about the way Jeongguk had sent him back with his parents without a word. 

"THAT'S BULLSHIT!! YOU TRIED?! YOU TRIED?!" Taehyung yelled, his face turning red as he yanked his phone out to shove Jeongguk's messages at his face. 

"YOU CALL THIS TRYING?! I CALL THIS A HALF-ASS ATTEMPT AT REMINDING SOMEONE OF YOUR EXISTENCE!!" his face honestly looked like it was going to burst soon, and Jeongguk couldn't help but worry about that. 

"But-"

"LOOK AT THAT, YOU AS-" Taehyung cut himself off before he said something he would regret later, "JUST READ THAT!!" he slammed his phone at Jeongguk's chest and Jeongguk reluctantly grabbed the phone to read the two texts he had sent to Taehyung during the span of the previous nine days. 

Jeongguk hyung
Just know that I love you.
07:47 am, 26 Dec 2019.

Happy Birthday.
00:01 am, 30 Dec 2019.

He felt a little guilty, now that he was looking at the messages from Taehyung's point of view. He understood his anger a little. These texts were too dry for anyone's liking.

"Seriously, answer me this," Taehyung started, feeling a little glad that his parents had left the two of them alone in the living room to deal with their matter themselves. His sister was out with her friend as well. "You say you love me, right? Is this the kind of treatment you expect from someone who claims to love you? Am I nothing to you? We are husbands, for fucks sake!! If something's bothering you, you are supposed to share!! Not kick me and my family out and shut me out like that!! We are supposed to find a solution together!! Not fight like this!!" 

Jeongguk looked down and nodded. Taehyung was right, after all. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, "but let's go back home and sort it out, please. I'll try my be-"

"Woah, woah, wait, stop right there!! I'm not going anywhere with you, I thought I made that clear!! You can leave if that's what you came here for," Taehyung said and pointed to the door. He was sure his parents were listening to their conversation as well, and he felt a little happy that his mother didn't come out and ask him to stop. 

He knew they were mad too. They had to see him fume for nine long days, after all. They themselves had felt humiliated that night and not a day had passed without Hyungsik apologizing to Taehyung for suggesting Jeongguk to him just because the other was in love with his son. 

Taehyung dismissed the apology off every time, telling him that he had had a chance to call it off long back and that it was his mistake for still going for the alliance.