Unexpectedly Yours"

Chapter 5: Faded

Jin stood in Namjoon's office, his heart heavy with disappointment. The weight of Namjoon's rejection felt unbearable, especially after the vulnerability of last night. The silence that followed their conversation was suffocating, and Jin knew he couldn't stay in this place of uncertainty and pain any longer.

Without saying another word, Jin turned and left the office, his steps heavy as he walked out of the building. The admiration from the staff, the curious glances, all of it faded into the background as his mind focused on one thing—he needed to find peace, to stabilize himself. And there was only one place he knew where he could find that: his mother's home.

By the time he reached the front door of his family's house, the familiar scent of home washed over him. His mother, a constant source of comfort in his life, opened the door with a warm smile, but her expression quickly changed when she saw the sadness in Jin's eyes.

"Jin, sweetheart, what's wrong?" she asked, immediately pulling him into a tight embrace.

Jin held onto her tightly, feeling the tears he had been holding back slowly rising. "Mom, I just... I needed to be here," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I'm so tired."

She led him inside, guiding him to the living room where everything felt familiar and safe. The comforting atmosphere of his mother's home, with its soft pastels and cozy furniture, made Jin feel like he could breathe again. His mother sat beside him, gently rubbing his back, waiting patiently for him to speak.

For a while, Jin stayed silent, trying to gather his thoughts. His mind was a swirl of emotions—confusion, anger, sadness. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. "No matter what I do, Namjoon keeps pushing me away. He's so... distant."

His mother listened quietly, her heart aching for her son. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked gently.

Jin nodded, his eyes downcast. "I've been trying so hard to connect with him. I cook for him, I take care of him, I even went to his office today to bring him lunch. But he doesn't seem to care. Last night..." Jin hesitated, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Last night, something happened. He was drunk, and he kissed me. It was... intense. But this morning, he acted like it was a mistake, like it meant nothing to him."

His mother sighed softly, taking Jin's hands in hers. "Oh, Jin. Sometimes, people don't know how to handle their feelings. Namjoon might be struggling with something, something he hasn't told you about. But that doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong."

"But it feels like I am," Jin admitted, his voice shaky. "I've been giving so much of myself, and it's like... like it doesn't matter. I don't want to keep feeling this way."

His mother cupped his face gently, making him look into her eyes. "You deserve someone who sees the effort you're putting in, someone who appreciates the love and care you give, Jin. But right now, maybe you need to take care of yourself. You can't keep pouring from an empty cup."

Jin nodded slowly, feeling her words sink in. Being here, in his mother's home, made him realize just how much he had been neglecting his own emotions in the pursuit of trying to fix things with Namjoon. For so long, he had been focused on making Namjoon happy, he forgot what it felt like to take care of himself.

"I just needed to be somewhere that felt... stable," Jin whispered. "Somewhere where I'm not walking on eggshells all the time."

"And you're always welcome here, my love," his mother reassured him. "Stay as long as you need to. Take some time for yourself. Namjoon will have to figure things out on his own for a while."

Jin sighed, leaning his head on his mother's shoulder. Maybe stepping back was what he needed—time to think, time to heal. He wasn't giving up on Namjoon, but he needed to find his own stability first. For now, being home with his mother was enough.