Affection's Facade

Unexpected detours

Tae-hyung's pov

The rhythmic shuffling of cardboard against the wooden floor sung in the background as I gently pushed open the door. Evening light filtered through the half-drawn blinds, casting a soft glow and creating patterns on the floor. The dust, swirled around like tiny dancers, as Jae-hoon was pacing near the window, phone held loosely in his hand, his silhouette outlined by the subtle gleam filtering through.

Interrupting the quiet, his voice surged, "I never asked you to do such a thing! How dare you embarrass me in that way!" From my position, the distant muffled apologies of his mother could be discerned. Pausing, he drew a deep breath and massaged his temples, clearly exasperated. With a final look at his phone, he ended the call.

Turning to face me, his eyes held a mix of regret and frustration. "I wasn't aware they'd..."

Cutting him off with a simple nod, I slid my hands deeper into my pockets, the fabric of my trousers rustling softly. "I thought it'd be best if you knew." I let my gaze wander over the room, the light reflecting in my eyes. "In the future we should ensure our families keep their distance unless it's something that's needed."

Jae-hoon nodded. "I regret what they did. It wasn't my doing."

My voice, even and calming, responded, "For what it's worth, I believe you."

His scoff echoed lightly, eyes darting across the bare room, perhaps searching for a forgotten memory or an unspoken word. "I met with So-yeon yesterday afternoon. She agreed to take—"

I shook my head, hands in my pockets. "I'm not too interested in her affairs as long as she's being punished. She's going to end up the same way, anyways."

With a sigh, I pointed around the room. "We've got everything in this room, I believe," I murmured.

He nodded in agreement. "Seems so."

His eyes then landed on a few remaining packed boxes, curiosity evident. "Did she ask you to handle her things?" He hesitated, "I could've..."

Interrupting swiftly, I added, "No need. I intend to surprise her."

A playful smirk crept onto his face, "Afraid I might woo my wife back?"

"Your ex-wife?" I corrected, a lighthearted chuckle escaping my lips.  "From me? That's cute. Your confidence is commendable." As I spoke, I casually walked over to the window, looking out momentarily before continuing, "Anyways I thought she should rest. The past few days have been... a bit lot."

His brow quirked upwards, humor evident. "I was trying to lighten things up here. You seemed almost defensive. As if you see me as a threat."

Allowing a beat to pass, I shot him an amused glance "If you were true competition, you'd still be together, no?"

He gave an exaggerated sigh, feigning hurt. "Ouch. Seems like someone lost their playful side."

"Everyone copes differently," I replied, offering a smirk. "Your go-to seems to be humor."

" You must be fun to joke with." He said as he clicked his tongue, shaking his head with a sardonic grin.

Rolling my eyes in playful exasperation, I began, "Never thought you were one for jokes. Either way," I nodded at the packed items, "I should head out."

Before my next step, the familiar ringtone from my phone halted me.

Recognizing the caller ID, I pulled the phone away after a brief exchange and pressed 'end call', not in the mood for prolonged conversations with my father at this moment. The metallic chime of the end call button seemed to resonate in the room.