ASTRONOMY | SEUNGJIN

31 - Nostalgic

"He's the CEO," Taehyun whispers to Hyunjin, who is suddenly quiet. "I'm Kang Taehyun, his manager, but I'm assuming you already know that," Taehyun spoke. "This is Hwang Hyunjin, the artist. We've seen the presentation, and the contract is already signed. We'll look forward to working with you, Mr. Kim," he breaks the silence, offering the CEO a handshake.

The CEO shakes Taehyun's hand, looks at the person next to him, and too, offers a hand. "I'll look forward to working with you, Mr. Hwang," Seungmin says, looking into Hyunjin's eyes. The same eyes that pleaded for him- for them to stay, five years ago.

He always wondered how the older was doing now, I guess he got his answer.

"Likewise, Mr. Kim." Hyunjin looked at his hand and spoke, "We'll get going." He walked straight to the door, leaving Seungmin's hand hanging.

Taehyun bowed before following Hyunjin, who seemed in a hurry to get out of the building. "Yah! That was rude, you didn't shake his hand back," Taehyun said to the older.

"I didn't notice."

Didn't notice? He literally looked at it before sprinting away. Maybe he was just not used to things like this, yeah, for sure.

"You have a lot to explain, Jeongin."

As soon as they left, Seungmin immediately turned to Jeongin. He needed answers. "Hyung, I swear I didn't know," Jeongin defended, he was telling the truth after all.

Seungmin sat down. All he wanted was to see the artist, so he rushed to the company- only to be there and see his ex, who didn't seem happy to see him at all. I mean, was the handshake not enough proof?!

"Did he know I was the CEO? He must know, right?" Now questions were filling his head.

"He doesn't even know I work here, Hyung; only his manager does," Jeongin answers. Now he feels bad, though he wasn't really at fault for any of this. "You didn't know he was the artist Jeongin? He must've told you right?" That made sense, but no, Jeongin did not know... no one did.

"Hyung, believe me, I didn't know. None of us did." Us, was he referring to the friends he also left? Pathetic. It feels like everything is coming back to him.

"Is it possible to terminate the contract?" Seungmin asks, hoping to undo what was already done. "Only with mutual agreement. If he refuses, then we can't do anything about it." Mutual agreement? Would Hyunjin want to go on with this collaboration?

"Hyung I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Jeongin told Hyunjin everything. From the moment he and Seungmin met in Seoul to the time he started working with him.

They were having lunch, the lunch that Jeongin had declined earlier but soon texted Hyunjin, saying they needed to talk. "I'm not mad Innie, I understand. I really do." Hyunjin had to assure the younger. "We all have secrets to keep, don't we?"

Jeongin was glad Hyunjin was understanding despite him being friends with his ex for five years and hiding it from him.

"So you won't terminate the contract?" Jeongin asks. "Terminate? Why would I do that? Business is business, and I won't let the past affect me. It's been years, Innie. I've moved on, you know that." Hyunjin explains to the younger

"Is this necessary?" Seungmin asks the younger beside him in the car. "Hyung, you've flown to a whole other country for a business meeting in the past. Why is it suddenly unnecessary to go to Busan when the collaborator's studio is there?" Jeongin responds, keeping his calm as they still had an hour before they could arrive at Hyunjin's studio.

They needed to work on the designs soon, and in order to do that, they of course had to do it with the artist, who was, well... in Busan.

After a whole lot of sleeping and complaining, they finally arrived in Busan, the same place Seungmin left five years ago.

As soon as he stepped out of the car, he took a deep breath, smelling the familiar scent of the place. The scent of his childhood and teenage days, the scent of happiness with his mother, the familiar scent that surrounded them as they went on walks together in the past.

Nostalgic- that was what Seungmin was feeling right now.

They stood in front of an apartment door, but it was no cheap apartment. The building structure was well-built, and even the door looked expensive. Hyunjin really got his life together, huh?

The door soon opened, revealing Taehyun and... "A PUPPY!!" Jeongin exclaimed, immediately running to the dog, who was also running- away from him. "I see you've met Kkami." Hyunjin got out of his art room to meet the guest.

The four took a seat and briefly discussed the project. Seungmin's eyes have been wandering around the place since he arrived. The white walls, the pictures, the paintings, the books, it was all very... Hyunjin. He did not change one bit, except this time he was an adult with lots of money.

"So, should we get started? Follow us to his art studio." Taehyun led the way to the said art studio, which was just in another room in this huge apartment.

The studio was big. It was filled with canvas and paintings. There was an easel in the corner beside the glass window, assuming that's where Hyunjin paints.

"You guys get started with whatever, call me if you need me." Taehyun left the three in there, leaving them to do what they were supposed to do.

Jeongin brought out the clothes. From suits to gowns, they had everything. "Should we start with this?" Hyunjin asked Jeongin picking up one of the clothes, completely disregarding the fact that the designer, the CEO himself, was there in the room with them.

"Sure, hyung, start with anything you're comfortable with." The secretary answered.

Hyunjin then started painting on the clothes, gorgeous flowers with colorful petals in every stroke. Jeongin sat there, replying to emails while waiting. Seungmin, however, was hesitant whether he should instruct Hyunjin on where to paint or just let him be.

In all honesty, he was intimidated and maybe a tiny bit scared to speak to the older, and Hyunjin refusing to talk to him made it a lot worse.