Fortnight

Chapter - 13

Jaehyun feels shivers running up his body, and he groans, trying to adjust the blanket more properly around himself. He rolls over on what he thinks is his soft mattress, only to find nothing beneath him. He experiences a brief, disorienting moment of free fall before landing with a painful thud on the hard floor.

Groaning in pain, he fully wakes up, feeling the beginnings of a headache throbbing in his temples.

Rubbing his sore head, Jaehyun blinks open his eyes, looking around his surroundings in confusion. The familiar sight of his living room slowly comes into focus. He wonders aloud, "Why was I sleeping on the couch?" His voice is rough from sleep.

As he sits up, he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulls it out, squinting at the screen to see an unknown number calling. With a groggy, gravelly voice, he answers, "Hello?"

"Good morning, Mr. Park," the voice on the other end greets him politely. "I was wondering when you would be coming by to pick up your car."

Jaehyun frowns in confusion. "My car?" he echoes. Then, like a flash, memories from last night replay in his mind. He recalls having dinner with his friends, questioning Theo about Kwang, and then everything goes blank. The last thing he remembers is feeling overwhelmingly sleepy in Theo's car. "How did I get into my house? And why was I sleeping on the couch?" he wonders, his thoughts racing.

"Mr. Park?" the voice on the line interrupts his train of thought. "When can we expect you?"

Clearing his throat, Jaehyun responds, "I'll come by this evening."

"Thank you, Mr. Park. Have a good day," the caller says before hanging up.

Jaehyun drops his phone onto the couch, staring into the blankness for a few seconds as the realization of last night's events sinks in. Suddenly, he lets out a scream of embarrassment and starts hitting the sofa with his fists. "Stupid, you... stupid you!" he berates himself, his cheeks burning with mortification.

He can't believe he let himself get so drunk that Theo had to take care of him. "Did Theo really carry me inside and put me on the couch?" he mutters to himself, feeling a mix of gratitude and humiliation. The thought of facing Theo later today makes him groan again. "How am I going to look him in the eye after this? You are his boss for god sake, how childish can you be??"

Jaehyun sits on the floor, still reeling from his mortifying wake-up. As the reality of the situation sinks in, his thoughts shift to Ethan. "If Ethan hyung finds out about this, I'm going to get an earful," he mutters, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "He's going to give me such a long lecture."

As the most senior member, Jaehyun is supposed to set an example of responsibility and professionalism. Yet here he is, needing to be carried home by his junior. "I'm supposed to be the responsible one," Jaehyun groans. "And look at me now."

Jaehyun sighs deeply, rubbing his temples in an attempt to soothe his headache. His thoughts then shift to Theo. "How careless was I, getting drunk around Theo? What if I said something I shouldn't have?" Panic starts to set in as he tries to recall the details of the night.

"Did I say anything embarrassing?" he wonders aloud, his heart racing. "Oh God, please tell me I didn't say something stupid." He tries to replay the night in his mind, but everything after a certain point is just a blur.

Jaehyun's phone starts ringing again, and he yelps when he sees it's Theo calling. He quickly composes himself, taking a deep breath before picking up the call. "H-hello?" he says meekly.

"Hey, Jaehyun," Theo's warm voice greets him. "How are you feeling now?"

Jaehyun gulps and responds, "Uh, I'm okay, I guess. Apart from... well, I don't really remember much."