[NCT] SEE YOU IN ANOTHER LIFE

JaeYong - 2085 [1]

"Jaehyun, have you looked over the files I gave you?"

Jaehyun battles his heavy head, pulling it from his desk to atop his neck, "Yeah yeah, I looked the other day." He forces his eyes open, squinting and rubbing them, before stretching back in his chair and yawning widely.

His boss watches with a screwed-up face before rolling his eyes, "Get some work done soon, Jae. They're coming in about," he peers down to his empty wrist, "ten minutes. You better be presentable."

"Wait," Jaehyun starts, lazily adjusting his tie, "who's coming?"

His boss unexpectedly throws a stack of papers at Jaehyun, catching him by surprise. "Read them." His boss struts out, slamming the door and cursing under his breath.

Curious and confused, Jaehyun lifts the papers from his chest and skims them over. His eyes quickly widen and, in a frenzy, he rushes out of the room.

"Sir!" Jaehyun calls to his boss from down the hall, "Mr Amato! Are we seriously going to Mount Etna?!"

Without turning Mr Amato says, "Massive project, Jae. I'm counting on you to-"

Their conversation is cut off by a call from the boss's phone, which he answers promptly. After a few seconds of small talk, Amato rushes to the office door before reappearing a minute later with a gaggle of people ready to discuss the Mount Etna project.

"So, I'll now discuss the main concepts of the expedition," starts Mr Amato in the board room. Inside the room sat five members from the firm in which Jaehyun resides and five from their sister firm. "We have been asked by the government to study Mount Etna while it's in its dormant state. As we know, from the 20th century to around 2050 Mount Etna was dubbed as the 'Most active volcano on the globe'. But, in the last 30 years, Mount Etna has yet to see an eruption, meaning the..."

After an hour the meeting is adjourned and the ten team members are well informed about the Mount Etna expedition project.

As Jaehyun performs his usual after-work walk to the train station, he spots one of the gentlemen from the project in the company carpark. The gentleman is from the other firm and, by the looks of it, struggling to get into his own car.

"You all good?" Asks Jaehyun, approaching the man.

The man turns and gives Jaehyun a small reassuring smile, "I'm sure it'll work soon, it's just," the gentleman struggles again, "these cars with their buttons and thumbprints and the automatic locking? God, they tire me out. This car is useless when the prints don't work."

"You're welcome to come get the train with me if you like, Mr...?"

"Lee," the gentleman holds his hand out, "You're Jaehyun? Mr Amato spoke his praises to me about you earlier. Threw in a couple insults too, mind you."

Jaehyun laughs and shakes hands with Mr Lee, "Yeah, that sounds like Amato."

Mr Lee turns back, continuing his attempts to open his car but to no avail. He throws his arms up in frustration and curses at the vehicle before pacing around. "Who would've guessed actually investing in one of these new cars like EVERYONE wanted me too would make my life MORE complicated, huh!?"

Jaehyun leans against the car and watches Mr Lee pace up and down. "Come get the train with me, Mr Lee. You can pick your car up tomorrow morning."

Mr Lee pauses and looks at Jaehyun. "But I live so far away..."

"Then stay at mine. We need to become acquainted if we're working on the project together, wouldn't you agree?"

Mr Lee debates it for a second, his eyebrows furrowing and his eyes darting around. He looks back towards Jaehyun noticing his curious stare and reassuring smile, before answering with a gentle nod of his head.

They chat on the way to the train station. They chat on the train. They chat on the way to Jaehyun's apartment. As Jaehyun opens the door, he turns to Mr Lee and asks a question.

"You not got a first name, Mr Lee? Considering we're well acquainted now."

Mr Lee raises an eyebrow, "Who said we're well acquainted?"

The two walk in. Jaehyun hangs his coat and takes Mr Lee's from him, "Me. I say we're well acquainted. You wouldn't talk my ears off on the way home if we weren't. And," Jaehyun signals to the room around him, "You wouldn't be in my apartment too."

Mr Lee looks at Jaehyun and ponders for a second, "You shouldn't be too informal with me, Jaehyun. I am the Project Leader, which means you have to call me by my surname."

Jaehyun brushes past Mr Lee and flops down on his sofa before signalling for him to join, "Well, we're not exactly working on the project now, are we?"

Mr Lee hesitantly joins Jaehyun on the sofa, "I suppose not..."

"So," Jaehyun begins, "your name?"

Mr Lee looks at Jaehyun for a second then around the room. "Your room is nicer than I imagined."

Jaehyun smirks. "Don't avoid the question, Mr Lee, what's your name?"

Mr Lee begins to stand up but Jaehyun puts his hand on his shoulder keeping him seated. Slowly, Mr Lee turns to Jaehyun, his round doe eyes scanning his face for a way out of the conversation - he can't see one. After a few moments pass, Mr Lee sighs.

"Taeyong," he responds, quickly turning his head from Jaehyun's gaze.

Jaehyun smiles and leans back into his couch, watching Taeyong dart his eyes around the room once more.

"I like that name," Jaehyun smiles. "I think we're gonna be good friends, Taeyong Lee."