The Aged | Gyuhao (Sequel to Youth)

- 26

| Chapter Twenty - Six — Jaywon |

Jungwon's sat in a café— With a coffee in one hand and his free one's fingertips pinching a button on his glasses. A greenish filter shines over his lenses, scanning the area.

Jungwon drops his arm to lay against the table, eyes zoning in on his target, "I may have found him." He says to himself mostly.

"Who?" A voice pitches through his ear. He almost flinches, entirely forgetting about the earpiece he had slipped inside the shell of his ear only moments ago.

"Carmine. It has to be a Carmine member." Jungwon whispers, squinting his eyes to examine the information shone through his glasses.

There's a pause.

"Wait,"

Jungwon's breath hitches, and he's leaning on the table to better examine the person across the room.

It's a man. It's a man with a blonde head of hair and he's laughing and talking with the cashier, the sleeve of his sweatshirt riding up as he begins to gather his change.

"A rose..." Jungwon blinks, leaning back in his seat.

Jungwon tugs his glasses off, tossing them on the table. He shakes his head.

No way.

"A rose." He looks up again, catching the sight of what seemed to a burnt rise engraved in the man's wrist. Jungwon swallows, pressing his earpiece, "Cardinal," He scoffs, lip twitching, "We got fucking Cardinal on our trail."

"Cardinal?"

Jungwon shrieks at the unexpected voice, his drink flying off the table to hit the floor. The cap pops open, his coffee coating the hardwood, just as his embarrassment and humiliation paints his face beet red.

"Shit." Jungwon pays the person no mind, falling to his knees after swiping a couple of napkins to clean up the mess.

The napkins clump together, useless and drenched within seconds. Jungwon moves to get more, only to hiss when he hits his head on the table like a clumsy idiot.

"Oh, hey—" The person's bending down to his aid, cupping the side of his head, "You okay?"

Jungwon lifts his eyes, widening them almost immediately after, "You."

Jay chuckles, "Me, yeah." He says, turning his attention back to Jungwon's situation, "How's your head? You didn't hit it too hard?"

Jungwon swallows, gently pushing Jay's hand away, "'M fine," He tells him, rising to his feet. There's luckily a trash can next to him, so he tosses the soggy napkins inside, "I'm so embarrassed right now."

Jay chuckles, smoothing out his clothing, "Don't be. It was cute."

Absurd. Absolutely absurd, "Um.." Jungwon doesn't really know what to say. So instead, he swipes his glasses off the table, sliding them in his pocket, "I should get going."

"Wait—" Jay grips his arm rather tightly. Jungwon feels a pinch of pain but doesn't say anything in fear of further embarrassing himself, "Don't go. Shall I buy you another drink?"

"I've had enough," Jungwon chuckles awkwardly, tugging his hand away, "I just gotta have the right amount of caffeine. Nothing more, nothing less. I get headaches."

"Oh yeah— No, yeah, sure." Jay smiles sheepishly. Jungwon watches with curious eyes how the man slips out what seemed to be a note of some sort, "Then just give me a call when I can." He shrugs, "You dropped your drink because of me, burned yourself because of me, and then hit your head because of me. I'd just like to apologize."

"That wasn't your fault, though." Jungwon frowns, "I'm okay, really."

Jay nods, "That's good, that's good." He sighs. He chuckles after a moment or two, "Let me buy you a coffee next time, yeah? If not, you can just hit me." He gestures to his face.

Jungwon laughs, "Thank you." He sighs, shrugging after a moment. His eyes rake down Jay's body, particularly taking an interest along the stretch of his collarbone.

His gaze lingers there for a moment.

Jay seems to catch on, snickering awkwardly as he tugs his jacket upwards to cover whatever ran along his skin, "I'll see you around?" He asks.

Jungwon nods, "Y-Yeah..."

Then, Jay leaves.

Jungwon immediately pulls out his phone, dialing a number so quickly his thumbs cramp. He brings it to his ear, hearing it ring.

Someone picks up in seconds.

"Hyung?"

"A rose." Jungwon breathes shakily, looking through the window, watching Jay depart towards what he can only assume is his car, "I've seen roses on 2 people today, Riki-yah. Burnt into their skin."

"What?" Riki's breath hitches.

Jungwon swallows.

"We're definitely being stalked."