Stalker||Jihan

Like an Open Book

Joshua felt like crap the next morning, it didn't help that chaos just seemed to happen around him every other day. Everything was perfectly fine until that man stepped into his life. Yoon Jeonghan was the epitome of the question "how mysterious could one be?" Though Joshua appreciated his enthusiasm as he stood in his kitchen at 3 AM making omelettes.

Joshua wanted to question his tactics but quite frankly he was too tipsy to interrogate the man at the moment and not sober enough to pass down free food. Well, it wasn't exactly free but at least he didn't have to do any of the cooking.

Joshua watched as Jeonghan fried the eggs and he contemplated asking the older man if he needed help but he seemed pretty focused as he flipped the eggs over with a spatula. Joshua winced as he couldn't remember the last time he had used that think, it might be ten years old at this point.

Jeonghan raised his eyebrows slightly, "Scrambled or fried?" He asked.

Joshua hiccuped, "Huh?" He replied dumbly. He still felt queasy and apparently his brain did too.

Jeonghan smirked, "Do you prefer scrambled or fried eggs?" He questioned.

"Well it's not like you can change it now. You've already fried them." Joshua added.

The latter just chuckled and nodded his head non-verbally agreeing.

Joshua glanced at the time displayed on the microwave. "Usually I wouldn't stay up this late but I don't have work tomorrow, since you know.." He didn't finish the sentence.

Jeonghan's face didn't twitch at all and he looked almost un-sympathetic. He turned the stove off and scraped the spatula against the pan watching the "omelette" hit the plate. Joshua wondered if he could truly call it an omelette if it wasn't beaten but he didn't ponder on it. He should be greatful that he was even getting free food, Jeonghan wasn't really considered to be the most generous especially at the office.

"Here we are." The latter said as he sat the plate down on the table and passed Joshua the silverware.

"Thank you, Mr Yoo-" Joshua paused and cleared his throat, "Jeonghan."

Jeonghan smiled, the smile not reaching his eyes.

"Want some juice?" He asked.

Joshua shook his head, "No thank you, juice usually makes me feel nauseous and I don't think it would be a good idea after drinking."

Joshua hoped he hadn't said anything stupid while still tipsy, he prayed he had at least had enough self control to make it past the evening. He wasn't usually a drinker but it seemed like for the past few days the title had been taken away from him and thrown back into his face. He was always a light weight so drinking wasn't his forte, but tonight was an exception.

Joshua hadn't put much thought into it when he invited Jeonghan in. It may have been pretty unprofessional to just let your boss march right in but Joshua wasn't in his best state, physically and mentally.

He ended up settling for water and he ate the eggs bit by bit. He realized pretty quickly that the eggs were too salty but didn't have the heart to tell Jeonghan that. He had water he could down the salt with if he really needed to.

Joshua cleared his throat trying to get rid of the tense atmosphere and make it a little more comfortable. "So..why eggs?" Joshua stuttered.

Jeonghan shrugged, "Cooking has never been my strong suit and I was taught how to make eggs as a kid a bit of a nostalgic throwback if you ask me."

The word "throwback" made Joshua cringe a little but he was in no position to call out the old man term and decided just to ignore it.

"Closest thing in the fridge also." Jeonghan added. Joshua frowned, that wasn't true. There was a whole ass pantry as soon as you walked into the kitchen. Maybe it was just truly the only thing the CEO knew how to cook.

Joshua was beginning to sober up and he apologized meekly for causing so much trouble and invited the older man to stay the night.

"I can't let you go back home this late, it's almost four in the morning." Joshua affirmed.

Jeonghan shook his head, "You don't have to do that, my house isn't far." Jeonghan argued.

Joshua still refused and insisted the older stay the night though, to be honest Joshua wasn't sure how much he wanted that right now. He was still grieving and he didn't want to burden the house guest by his moody spectrums.

Jeonghan studied Joshua's face for a bit and Joshua could feel his sharp eyes search his face, what did he didn't know. Maybe it was to see the emotion. Either way, Joshua knew he could be read like an open book. His mother always told him that even after he had grown into a young man, but perhaps that was just mother instinct.

Jeonghan sighed, "I can tell you're still upset. I'm truly sorry for what happened." Jeonghan tried to console him.

"It's not your fault." Joshua said sipping on the water from before.

Jeonghan didn't reply and instead just stared into his glossy eyes. Staring so intensely it was almost as if he was studying the irises.

He reached his hand out to touch the back of Joshua's neck and rubbed it gently. Tingles buzzed through Joshua's body and he cursed his heart for speeding up. Jeonghan was his boss, he wasn't supposed to feel this way.

Yet for some reason something was so dangerously alluring about him. He barely knew him yet it felt like Jeonghan knew everything about him.

"Maybe, you didn't truly know him." Jeonghan said. Startling Joshua out of his trance, his fast beating heart nearly stopping.

"Sorry?" Joshua questioned.

"Maybe you didn't know what kind of person Jiwoo truly was." The latter said. Sending goosebumps down Shua's spine.

And in that short second Joshua's comfort became unsettlement and he pulled away from Jeonghan as fast as a lightning strike.

"Excuse me?" Joshua muttered.

Joshua had known Jiwoo almost more than he knows himself. They were friends since childhood and suddenly the implied insult that Jeonghan had just exempted set something off inside of him.

Jeonghan was like a light switch when turned on he was able to make you feel comfortable and at home and bring you light but when turned off he was cold and dark, immediately stopping you from giving him the benefit of the doubt.

The worst part was he was impossible to read. You could see through Joshua like an open book but Jeonghan was like trying to read shakespeare while in grade school, nearly impossible.

Joshua hated it because they were so different but so alike and no matter what he found himself being led back to the same conclusion. All he wanted was to gain his attention but Jeonghan drew back as soon as he started to get close.

Now that Jeonghan was spitting malice with his words Joshua was uncomfortable all over again. His boss had a stoic expression that hardly ever changed but his tone was enough to make the atmosphere tense within a second. Maybe now Joshua understood why all of his coworkers were so afraid of the older man.

He made you feel like it was your fault, your bad, simply by changing the way he voiced his opinions.

But Joshua wouldn't stand down, he knew Jiwoo was a good person and for some reason he wouldn't let himself second guess that.

Jeonghan rubbed his temple, "Jisoo believe me when I say, if you knew what went through his head when he looked at you then you would absolutely never look at him the same again."

His tone was cold, his words colder.

Joshua struck back, "You did not know him."

Jeonghan silently stared at the floor.

"I think we're done here." Jeonghan picked up his plate and tossed it into the sink. Quickly turning the water on and scrubbing it maliciously.

It didn't take him long to gather his keys and wipe off his clothes before heading out.

"In time you'll understand what good I'm doing for you." Jeonghan muttered under his breath before slamming the door and walking out.

Joshua angrily turned back on his heel and walked into his room, falling on to the bed and sighing.

Chaos was the only thing that was new as that man had entered his life.