Of Fake Smiles and Broken Hearts

twenty eight

Kyungsoo's hand is trembling.

Jongin isn't a very observant person. Yet he couldn't help but notice the constant jolt of the older male's hand as they drive home. His fingers were thumbing the thin plastic and absentmindedly humming a tune while he looks out the window. If the younger didn't know any better, he'll probably see this as a normal thing. He might even smile at his hyung's behavior. But he knows everything now—or so he thinks. Maybe he wouldn't even notice this if it wasn't for the article that Baekhyun sent him. It was hard to completely let it sink in. What if this was all a dream? What if Baekhyun was just playing tricks on him?

"Hyung," Jongin licks his bottom lip, sparing a glance at Kyungsoo before turning his attention back to the road. The sun is almost up and everything looks beautiful. But no one could ever compare to Kyungsoo. Not even the stars, the night sky, and the sunrise—nothing looks more perfect than this man beside him. Yet the younger couldn't help but feel the slight twinge in his chest. It made perfect sense. He didn't know how precious he is; didn't know how wonderful he is because of his past. No matter how Jongin would try to tell, he wouldn't listen. He couldn't.

"What did you buy?" He asks slowly. The older male simply hummed before smiling against the window, twiddling his thumbs like a child.

Jongin didn't know if he should be alarmed or not.

"Something I wanted for so long." Kyungsoo answers. He refuses to look at him when he answered. The redhead looked so unusually happy, like an excited child looking forward to visit a new ice cream parlor that opened up today.

"What could you possibly want in a pharmacy?" Jongin chuckles nervously, adjusting his grip on the wheel.

Kyungsoo paused, open his mouth to speak and closes it again like a fish out of water. It happens twice and in the end, he bit the insides of his cheeks until it hurt. "Can we go to my parents' house? It's not that far from this area."

"I thought no one's there except your servants because they're travelling abroad? Do you want me to stay there for the night? Perhaps, I could call Baekhyun to accompany you—"

"I'll be fine." Kyungsoo says—and there's that smile again. "I just want to sleep in my old room again. You know, to reminisce in the past."

Jongin wanted to say no. He wanted to kiss him again and whisper in his ears that everything will be alright, to wrap his arms around him and never let go. The image of the school newspaper kept flashing at the back of his mind, like sirens blazing off into his head. Jongin hears Baekhyun's words as if he was right beside him.

His gaze falls upon Kyungsoo's lips stretched into a wide smile. His eyebrows were raised wonderfully; accenting his eyes and making it seem shinier. Kyungsoo's eyes never looked so black before, never looked so blank. It was like his dark orbs are sucking him into oblivion, like a dark pit. Jongin nods at him before turning on his signals as he turns to a narrow curve past the road where their house was. Kyungsoo makes a sound of approval at the back of his throat and leans his head back on the leather seat, watching a few cars pass by. The younger regrets giving into his request, feeling that something was bound to go wrong. But he couldn't help it. It was Kyungsoo and he was smiling. Seeing him happy blinded Jongin from the truth and now he couldn't see past it. It's not that kind of smile that you do because you're happy or elated. It's the kind of smile that you do when you're thinking about doing something that another wouldn't approve of.