BL REBIRTH: You Were Mine (MPREG)

Chapter 26

UNEDITED..

Chapter 26

Kim Jae-soo was finally able to get them to leave by insisting that he was going to work late and didn't want to hold them up any longer. Na-ri caught his signals and immediately pulled Man Sung-ho away from the café before he could protest.

Baek Ji-Hu looked at the "Staff Only" door that Kim Jae-soo had rushed into before slowly walking away behind the couple in front of him. Kim Jae-soo sighed in relief as he watched them from the soundless CCTV screen in his boss's office.

He walked out of the office and stared at the door blankly. His wrist had felt itchy for a long time, but because his mind was busy creating ways to avoid contact with Ji-Hu, he hadn't noticed.

As he stared at the glass door, he mindlessly started scratching at his scars under his sleeves. It stung, but he couldn't stop...

"Jae-soo... Jae-soo..." a hand touch snapped Kim Jae-soo out of his daze as he noticed Shin Young in front of him, looking worried.

With his mind back, his wrist stung, causing him to flinch and hide his hands behind his back.

"Are you okay?!" the older ger asked, pushing back the hair that blocked Kim Jae-soo's eyes. Kim Jae-soo swallowed the fear as he gave his boss a strained smile and nodded.

Shin Young's eyes narrowed with concern. "Are you sure? You've been acting a bit off today."

Kim Jae-soo nodded again, trying to steady his breath. "I'm fine, really. Just... a lot on my mind."

Shin Young sighed, not entirely convinced. "If you need to take a break or talk about anything, you know you can always come to me, right?"

"Thank you," Kim Jae-soo replied softly, appreciating the concern but not wanting to burden his boss with his personal issues.

"Alright," Shin Young said, patting him on the shoulder. "Take it easy, and if you need anything, just let me know."

Kim Jae-soo nodded once more and watched as Shin Young walked away.

Behind Kim Jae-soo, the silent Shin Ji-Su noticed the specks of blood on Jae-soo's nails and wrist. Sadness washed over him, but he felt powerless to do much. He quietly walked to his father's office, leaving the counter since the rush hour was over.

Shin Ji-Su picked up the first aid kit, carefully searching for a waterproof band-aid. He ensured everything Jae-soo might need was in the kit before placing it on the table.

After reassuring his boss Shin Young that he was okay, Jae-soo excused himself to the staff bathroom to wash his hands, ignoring the sting. When he entered the office, he noticed the first aid kit that hadn't been there before but decided not to dwell on it.

He carefully bandaged the two reopened old scars on his wrist, then sighed deeply, almost collapsing into the chair like a pancake dough. The adrenaline rush he felt while dealing with Ji-Hu and the others had prevented him from panicking, but now, back to his own thoughts, the weight of the encounter settled heavily on him.

What he noticed, though, was that he didn't feel hatred for Ji-Hu. Instead, he felt sadness and emptiness, emotions he was all too familiar with from his past life.

Outside the office, Shin Young looked at his son, who stood behind the counter. He signed his worry to Shin Ji-Su.

"Is he ok? I don't think he is," Shin Young signed. Shin Ji-Su shook his head and looked down at the cash register. Strangely, this didn't feel like the first time Shin Ji-Su had helped or worried about Kim Jae-soo.