𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 - 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐆

03 | I Stood There

"How are you?" I look up from the table at Jeongin. He sips his hot coffee and I inhale softly.

I put on a small smile, "I'm... managing"

The male in front of me stares at me as he puts his coffee down, I could see the thoughts roaming his head. Trying to find the words to make me feel better like he always did.

He would walk around the subject, not wanting to say something he would regret and end up hurting me. It felt like they all did that.

"I'm okay Jeongin" I add. Sitting back in my chair and he nods slowly. "You don't have to check up on me every chance you get, you should be spending time with Ellie"

"I do, but you're also my brother"

I look into his sharp eyes before looking away and out the window. Biting at my bottom lip and my gaze watches the people outside, in a hurry and always on the go.

"Sorry I didn't make it last night" I look back at him.

"It's fine, your not much of a drinker so you would've been bored"

"Still, I've realized I need to make more time for what's important instead of just work"

"Work is important, mom and dad are proud of you"

Jeongin frowns, "They're proud of you too"

I chuckle bitterly and nod, looking down at my now cold and abandoned coffee. "Yeah, so proud of the son that hardly talks to them" I mumble.

"They miss you, they always do" I sigh.

"I miss them," I said simply, not adding another after.

"Talk to them, and keep contact this time"

I shake my head, looking up at him "I can't, the last I talked to them was when I was with—" I stop, swallowing harshly "I just can't, not right now"

Silence filled the space between us. There was this question that filled the air around us. Why was I so detached from our parents?

"I-I should get back to the shop," I say, standing up and ending our little catch-up. Jeongin gets up and stands in front of me.

"Let's do this more often?" He asks, something in his eyes. Maybe it was hope—hope that I would agree and not push away.

I nod slowly "Okay, yeah"

Jeongin wraps his arms around me and I tense up, slowly wrapping my arms around him and patting his back lightly. He pulls away and I put my hand on his shoulder "Maybe next time you can Ellie, I haven't seen her in a while"

His smile grows and he nods "Yeah, that's a good idea"

-

I walk with my hands in my pockets, the cold air hitting my face. The sound of traffic beside me and people walking the same sidewalks as me, either in a hurry to get somewhere or exploring the city that was still so foreign to me.

I stop at the corner, waiting for the traffic to stop so I could cross. I was in the midst of a crowd, the streets were always so busy and you were always surrounded by people, no matter where you went.

I watched the green light and the nonstop traffic, my curious gaze scanning the crowd behind me and over the walking people.

There I stood, as the light turned red and the people that once waited with me to cross were now continuing their journey to where it was they were going. I stood there.

I stood there, not moving for a second. It wasn't long before I fully turned and let my feet lead me.

Was it him? No, it couldn't be. He wasn't here. My mind raced as I tried to catch up to the male that look oddly familiar. My steps became stretched and my pace picked up as did his. Watching him turn into an alleyway and I did the same.