In Another Life

Apartment + Flashback + Present Day Part 1

Following the music festival, Jooyeon and Jiseok went their separate ways. As Jooyeon made his way home, he couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness in his heart. Memories of Jungsu's words lingered in his mind, pushing him towards a decision that he knew deep down he wouldn't have made if he had been thinking clearly. After a brief period of time, Jooyeon arrived at the entrance of an apartment building. Jooyeon extended his hand towards the doorknob but paused momentarily to question his own certainty and readiness. He pondered whether he was truly prepared for what lay beyond that threshold. As he inhaled deeply and grasped the doorknob, he made the decision to enter the apartment. With each step he took towards the door, a flood of memories featuring Jungsu inundated his thoughts.

"Baby, what are you doing? I'm trying to cook!" Jooyeon said amidst laughter as Jungsu hugged him from behind.

"I just missed you, that's all," Jungsu said, placing his chin on Jooyeon's shoulder. Jooyeon pivoted on his heel and met his boyfriend's gaze, allowing Jungsu's hands to linger on his waist.

"Sweetheart, can't you see we're right here in the same room together?" Jooyeon questioned, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"And what? You are here in the kitchen, and I am in the living room. We're still not together." Jungsu whined and pouted, earning an incredulous chuckle from Jooyeon.

Jooyeon teased Jungsu, calling him strange. Jungsu's words were peculiar, yet they held a deep affection that Jooyeon couldn't resist. As he flashed his sweetest smile, a wave of adoration washed over Jooyeon, causing him to melt under the overwhelming charm and cuteness that radiated from him.

Jooyeon felt tears begin to well up in his eyes as he looked at the unit with a mixture of amusement and affection. "You never fail to amaze me with your silly and childish antics," he said with a smile, gently wiping away the tear that threatened to fall from his eye.

As Jooyeon stepped into the unit, he was filled with excitement, ready to embrace Jungsu with all his love. "I'm home, lov." Mid-sentence, he paused, his lips forming into a sweet smile as he was about to express his affection by planting a gentle kiss on Jungsu's rosy cheeks.

However, his anticipation quickly turned into surprise as Jungsu dodged his advances, moving away with a cold look in his eyes.

In a chilly and detached manner, Jungsu inquired about the delayed arrival of the person in question, "Why are you home just now?" asking why they had only just returned home at that moment.

"Babe, I messaged you earlier that Jiseok and I will be having a group study with our classmates," Jooyeon replied.

Jungsu took a leisurely sip of his refreshing canned beer, his gaze shifting away from Jooyeon. He felt the need to remind him, albeit with a tinge of frustration, "You know that I don't use phones during band rehearsals, right?" about his long-standing rule of refraining from using phones during band rehearsals. As the words left his lips, Jooyeon couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh, clearly worn out by the repetitive nature of this conversation.

Jooyeon wearily set his bag and books on the table before turning to Jungsu and questioning the importance of taking just a minute to check his inbox. "What's a minute of checking your inbox, Jungsu?"

Jungsu raised his voice, demanding to know why Jooyeon hadn't responded. "When I didn't reply, then you could've just called me!" However, Jooyeon had grown accustomed to this kind of behavior from him.

If he hadn't replied, he insisted; he expected him to have simply picked up the phone and called him instead. "For what? Minhwan always has your phone anyway. I'm sure it's him who picks it up, not you," Jooyeon said, his back turned to Jungsu.

"There! You said it! Minhwan? Here you go again? When will you stop being jealous of him?" Jungsu shouted.

This time, Jooyeon faced him and felt defeated. "No, Jungsu, I didn't mean that."

"No, Jooyeon! That's perfectly what you mean! That I'm cheating on your back with my friend!" Jungsu screamed at the top of his lungs.

Jooyeon's eyes began welling up with tears, an overwhelming sensation he couldn't quite comprehend. Perhaps it stemmed from the exhaustion of relentless studying, the constant struggle to decipher Jungsu's thoughts and intentions, or simply the weight of their entire relationship bearing down on him. The reasons behind his emotional state had become a blur, leaving him utterly bewildered and uncertain of what lay ahead.

"Jungsu, I simply request a small amount of your understanding. If you're upset because I didn't notify you, I apologize! However, it's not just me; you also arrive home late, but I never reacted in the same way."

"Oh, so let me get this straight: you're trying to blame me for everything now? "

Jooyeon tightly shut his eyes, desperately seeking solace for his frayed nerves. "Jungsu, that's not the point I'm trying to convey," he expressed with a flat, emotionless tone.

"No! No, Jooyeon, that's exactly what you're saying is my fault! If that's the case, let's break up!" Jungsu said, making Jooyeon surprised.

Jooyeon's voice quivered as he struggled to comprehend the words that were spoken. "Wh-what? What are you saying?" With a trembling hand, he brushed away the tear that had managed to slip from his eyes, his heart pounding frantically in his chest as he awaited an explanation.

Jungsu replied, expressing his exhaustion and suggesting that they should end their relationship.

Jooyeon was surprised and let his emotions flow. "How can you say that so easily? Do you think you're the only one tired here? I'm so tired too, Jungsu! I'm tired of all the crappy expectations I receive. I'm tired of these books. I'm tired of arguing with you! " Jooyeon's cheeks were stained with tears as he poured out his heart, expressing not only his exhaustion but also his unwavering commitment to their relationship.

Despite their arguments, he proclaimed his deep love for his partner, emphasizing that the thought of ending things had never crossed his mind because his love for him was too strong. He declared that he would rather endure the struggles and challenges in their relationship than ever consider a life without him.

Jooyeon discovered that he had ended up in a seated position on the cold, hard floor, utterly consumed by his overwhelming emotions, releasing his tears uncontrollably.

"Y-you promised me it wouldn't happen again. You said we would talk." He sobbed. "What happened to your words, Jungsu? Y-you told me you loved me." After finishing, Jooyeon hugged his knees, his cries echoing in the four corners of the room.

Jooyeon sobbed uncontrollably, his tears flowing like a torrential downpour. He bared his soul, revealing the depths of his heartbreak and the shattered pieces of his being that he had been trying to conceal for the past five months. Despite his attempts to mask his pain, it relentlessly haunted him, tormenting him as he lay awake night after night.

After spending hours trying to regain his composure, he finally felt calm enough to leave the apartment once more. As Jooyeon closed the door behind him, he couldn't help but ponder the possibility of returning to the same place in the future. However, he hoped that if he did, the pain he was feeling at that moment would have subsided.

Jooyeon had no idea that someone else had made an attempt to visit the apartment a few hours prior, ultimately deciding against entering.