And To Love In Return... (BOOK 2)

Unexpected Guest

"Now you be good, okay?" Hongjoong and Seonghwa took me to the airport like worried parents. If I was responsible for myself, they didn't think I'd actually show up for my flight. They're not wrong either.

"Yes, mom." I rolled my eyes, getting frustrated with Seonghwa. "I'll text you both when I get to Seoul."

"Good." Hongjoong said, engulfing me in a big hug. "It'll be okay, I promise. You're doing the right thing, believe me." Maybe to them, but not to me. The guilt is making me nauseous.

We said our final goodbyes and I went into JFK alone. But before I could get through security, I ran to the bathroom and vomited in a garbage can. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle a month without drugs and alcohol. Not because I'll go ballistic without it, but because I'm at the point where the withdrawals aren't worth the suffering.

Suffering.

That's exactly what I did for the entire duration of that flight. I couldn't sleep, in fact I was wide awake. My skin was crawling as if I had insects running around my insides. I also vomited about five times so that's a good sign.

"For fuck's sake." Wooyoung sighed the second he saw me and held me close to him, never wanting to let go. "You look like death."

"Missed you too." I smiled.

Even though Wooyoung and I haven't talked much in a while, it's felt like time hasn't passed.

I followed him to his new and rather expensive looking car. I felt too dirty to be within three feet of it and now I need to go inside it.

The drive was quiet but comfortable. I think we were both happy to be together again. I've never seen his shared apartment with San and if it's anything like this car, I know it'll be quite the sight.

"Okay." He parked the car in the driveway and turned to me. "Before we go inside, I have something to say." I expected nothing less from him. Wooyoung always has a speech ready to go. "I'm really happy you're here and I missed you like crazy."

"I missed you too."

"Okay, that's it." He smiled. I shocked by his few words, but then again, there's not much to say.

We both walked inside and I immediately tried to walk out the door.

"Choi San!" Wooyoung shouted, barricading the exit.

"What, I didn't know you guys would be back so fast!" San panicked.

"I was never here." Felix panicked and ran away somewhere in the apartment.

Felix.

Motherfucking Felix.

"Was this all some sort of ploy?" I shouted. I was furious. "You make me come all this way and you have my fucking ex in the damn house?"

"It's not what it looks like." Wooyoung said calmly.

"It looks like Felix in your fucking apartment! I don't know how you're going to justify that one, genius."

"Hyunjin, he lives here." San said.

"He what?" I screamed. "And you expect me to stay here with him in the other room? Are you both braindead?"

"I'm leaving, don't worry." Felix came back in the room with a bag on his back.

"No, you're not." Wooyoung said to him.

"Yes, he is." I couldn't even look at Felix. Not because of him, but because if I make eye contact, then he'll truly be able to see what I've done to myself.

"Wooyoung, he doesn't want me here so I'm going to leave. It's not that big a deal."

"What, did you think I wanted you here in the first place?" I laughed.

"You going to Lily's?" Wooyoung asked him.

"Who the fuck is Lily?"

I swear to god...

"My girlfriend." Felix sighed.

"Yup." I nodded. "Out." I pointed to the door.

San looked at Wooyoung with a burning rage. I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to know about 'Lily'.

"I wish you the best." Felix sighed, opening the front door.

"Yeah, go fuck yourself." I dismissed him.

"Hyunjin, stop!" Wooyoung shouted and forcefully dragged Felix back in the house. "I didn't think I had to fucking parent the both of you the second we walked in." He sat us both on the couch and stared at us disappointingly. "Hyunjin, he lives here because Minho is still missing and we've been helping Felix look for him."

"How long has he been here?"

"Almost a year and a half. You have no room to be angry when you've ghosted everyone back home."

I completely forgot about Minho's disappearance. Now I felt extremely guilty for my outburst.

"I'm sorry." I slightly turned towards Felix as I mumbled my apology.

"Appreciate it." He quietly replied.

"Hyunjin, look at me." Wooyoung said sternly. He rolled his eyes the second we made eye contact. "You really do look like shit."

"Thanks." I scoffed.

"What? Am I supposed to tell you how amazing you look when you resemble a corpse? I don't think so."

I could sense Felix's eyes on me, examining all the differences from the last time we saw each other in person. It's been a really long time.

"Can you stop looking at me?" I snapped, not looking in his direction. But he knew I was talking to him.

"Sorry." Felix mumbled.

Wooyoung groaned dramatically and took my hand, leading me off the couch and into my room. Fortunately they had two guest rooms so I didn't need to share with Felix.

"Alright, we're alone." Wooyoung took a deep breath. "Let it out, come on, tough guy." On cue, I immediately started to cry into his arms. "I'm sorry, I didn't know he'd still be here. I know you probably wanna kill me."

I shook my head. "Minho is what matters, I get it." He rubbed my back soothingly and sighed. "He's the last person I wanted seeing me like this." But I will admit, it started the process of a wake up call.

"So can you admit you have a problem now?" I nodded. "Okay." He pet the back of my head, but then wiped his hand on my shirt. "God damn it, when was the last time you washed your hair? It's all greasy."

"I don't remember." I embarrassingly admitted.

"It's okay, Jinnie. I'm going to take care of you." I felt like I hadn't heard that name in so long, it hurt my heart. "I'll always take care of you."

"I'm so sorry."

"Come on." He led me to the bathroom and turned on the shower for me. "I want you to take a nice shower and wash your damn hair. It's too long to keep unmaintained like that. I can dye it too if you want." My hair was a mess. My roots grew in so I'm back to my natural hair.

"Okay." I nodded.

He set down a towel for me on the sink and left the door wide open.

"Keep it open."

"Wooyoung." I whined.

"Hyunjin." He mocked. "You'll earn your privileges over time."

"Fine." I groaned.

I went into the shower and rolled my eyes once I realized he took out all the razors. The entire bathroom was childproof.

This was going to be a long month.