Feel The Heartbeat | Yeonbin

Chapter 24 - Out of it

The last week or so had been, suffice to say, odd. Yeonjun wasn't sure exactly what was going on and he felt like he was missing out on something huge.

For one, Yeji was always quiet now. She had been spacing out more, flinching when he would call her name, and sometimes sighing several times in five minutes. He wondered if she and Ryujin had a fight because he heard her yelling at someone on the phone in the bathroom one day. A part of him was thrilled, but another part of him was concerned. Something that caught Yeonjun off-guard the most was how Yeji now frequently cuddled him at night in bed, clutching his arm like a lifeline. It wasn't even a remotely romantic move, but felt more like... Yeji was seeking comfort.

Meanwhile, Soobin was becoming a little... distant. Ever since Ryujin had asked him for a divorce, Soobin appeared to retreat into himself.

He rarely replied to Yeonjun's texts anymore and when he did, it was only to tell him that he was still at work. It seemed that Soobin never felt like going home, lately.

The state of two people he cared about worried Yeonjun, immensely, that he had stopped making plans on how to get Yeji to fall for him again and concentrated on trying to make them feel better.

He had been cooking for Yeji a bit more, making all of her favorites and putting them in lunchboxes for her to take to work. At some point, he had realized that he hadn't done that since the first year of their marriage.

He used to make her lunch boxes all the time but he got too busy soon after that he stopped. He hoped that he had made up for it.

But, right now, he was making lunch for Soobin and planned on taking it to his office. He figured since Soobin hadn't had his cooking in a while, he might have missed it.

Instead of the usual special dish, Yeonjun figured he would bring something different this time. So, he made stir-fried rice and bulgogi along with side dishes of kimchi, steamed eggplant, and pickled radishes. He packed it all up, bid goodbye to his staff, and drove to Soobin's office.

He made his way up to the CEO's floor and walked up to the secretary's desk. Taehyun looked up as he approached with a surprised look.

"Heyyyi!" he greeted with a beam. "I'm here to see your boss. Is he free?"

"O-Oh, he is... But... Um..." he hesitated, before saying, "He's not in the best mood."

Yeonjun expected that. "It's fine. Can you let him know I'm here?"

He nodded and made the call. Yeonjun was given the green light and he thanked Taehyun.

Soobin was hunched over his desk, typing on his laptop with quick precision, eyes focused on the screen, his mouth tight in concentration. He didn't even acknowledge Yeonjun as he entered. Yeonjun tried not to feel hurt by the lack of attention.

Instead, Yeonjun settled on the chair in front of the desk, patiently waiting with the bag of food on his lap.

Yeonjun, then, took that moment to observe the other man. At first, Soobin looked the same as ever, dressed in a professional suit, not a hair out of place, and even the look of intense concentration in his eyes.

However, upon closer inspection, there were dark circles under his eyes, his fingers shook as they tapped on the keys.

Choi Soobin wasn't himself, at all. And Yeonjun hated seeing him so out of it.

Finally, after what felt like hours of waiting for Soobin to acknowledge him, the CEO's typing finally slowed and then ceased. He looked up at Yeonjun and smiled, slightly.

"Hi," he greeted. "Sorry about that. I need to have this report done before a meeting with investors tomorrow and I kind of fell behind and... yeah."

Now, Yeonjun hadn't known Soobin for very long but definitely rushing a report like he was some kind of procrastinating college student was out of character for him.

"Are you okay, Soobin?" Yeonjun asked, softly in concern.

Just like that, Soobin's calm mask fell away and he fell back into his seat.

His fatigue was now clear as day as he squeezed the bridge of his nose, eyes shut tight.

"I... don't know," he replied before sighing. "I should have expected that from Ryujin. I... I mean... it's not like I really tried to woo her back to me...so, technically, it's all my fault and..."

"Don't give up!!" Yeonjun placed the bag of food on Soobin's desk as he got on his feet. His fists were clenched at his stomach. "You didn't sign anything, yet, right? So, there's hope! You can still get her back! Don't give up!"

But, Soobin only sighed again. "I don't know, Yeonjun..."

Yeonjun didn't like that defeated look in Soobin's face. He wanted so desperately to change that, bring back the old Soobin whose company he had come to enjoy.

"Are you doing anything on Saturday?"

Soobin shook his head.

Yeonjun smiled. "Then clear that day for me! I'm taking you out!"

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a/n: now that i think of it, i had this plot in my mind during covid, and its been four years already!! this is probably the book i haven't given up yet though it has taken so much time for me to update. the first chapter was literally published arnd April 2021 damnn

hope you guys like it tho!

have a sweet day/night cheesecakes! <3