Jin's Mistake • KSJ

Seventeen

You stayed in your room for the next two weeks, seeing only Seungho, and the brief occasion that his mother visited. When she saw your face for the first time her eyes slightly widened but she carried on talking about some charity art auction as if she'd seen nothing at all.

Your mother sent your laptop and work files, but never showed up to check on you. You'd not mentioned anything to her about your encounter with Chinhae so you assumed your father had informed her.

The biggest change came when you realized Dongbin was no longer texting you back. He didn't reply to mundane hellos, questions about his day, or even serious questions about work you were entitled to know. Had your father told him it was time to distance himself from your mess?

"Yeobo?" Seungho walked out of the closet, carrying his suitcase and laid it on the luggage rack.

"What?" You groaned, heart sinking, while your bruises were faded, greenish yellow and could be covered, which you'd done for the first time today, you weren't ready to travel. You didn't even know if you were ready to return to work in person.

"I have to go to Taiwan with my cousin for the next week, and I think it would be a bad idea to take you." He met your eyes as he laid a pile of clothing onto the silk lining, t-shirts and socks, another pile on the bed.

"No! You can't leave me here with your father. Isn't that a worse idea?" Panic swept through your body and you tried counting to ten in your head, suddenly you needed to go on the trip.

"He doesn't want you to go and I think challenging him right now would be risky. Minjae-ah has promised to look after you." Seungho's tone seemed to imply he was trying to convince you he believed his own words.

"How will she do that?" You rolled your eyes crossing your arms over your chest.

"She said you'll go shopping and to dinner with friends, she'll keep you out of the house and occupied. Away from Appa essentially." He crossed to you and hugged you against his shoulder.

"She's said ten words to me since we were introduced."

"She's loyal to me like Dongbin was to you. Jaemin is leaving tomorrow to stay with Sungmo Han so Min will need entertaining just as much as you. Give her a chance, she's on our side, she can't stand Appa." You wrapped your arms around his narrow waist and tried to relax.

"Dongbin was loyal, even you recognize he's not anymore."

"What did I say about people on the trusted list?" He tilted your chin up to meet his serious eyes.

"Everyone but the two of us are semi trusted and that changes depending on the situation." You recited for him.

"Good girl, keep remembering that." Seungho kissed your forehead and for a second you had the urge to lean your head back a fraction more and kiss his lips.

What were you thinking? You must be tired and nervous to face his family alone. There was no reason to blur the lines of this friendship, certainly not so quickly.

"Let's go down to dinner, I leave in the morning and you need to show up and act as if everything is fine." He stepped from your arms placing the last few things in his suitcase, then tossing a stack of garment bags on top.

When you sat at the table thirty minutes later no one looked in your direction. The chairs were full tonight with his parents and sisters, leaving only the two remaining for you and Seungho. Everyone settled into the appetizer, spicy slices of vegetable with frosty white wine.

"Look who reappeared, I thought you returned Unnie to her family, Oppa, like Eomma returns dresses to the store." Min laughed wickedly swirling the wine in her glass, her laughter the only sound in the room that wasn't chewing noises.