Homeless ➹ 2jae [✓]

- 30 -

Meanwhile, in Mokpo...

"Yes, of course... Goodnight, Mrs. Choi. Get home safe!"

Jinyoung pulled his ear away from the bedroom door and sat back at his computer. He was in the process of buying some two tickets back to Seoul to go back to school, and to bring Youngjae's mother with him. He stopped making much contact with her, himself, but his parents kept in touch with her from time to time. They always hoped she would reconnect with Youngjae, and here she was.

"Hey." Jinyoung looked toward the door to find his mother peeking in. "You buying your tickets?"

"Mhm." She walked in further and sat on the bed quietly.

"Jinyoung... I know you don't feel great around her—"

"Pf- ha," he snickered, implying his mother's understatement.

"—but please be civil. She really wants to make things better with Youngie. You understand that, don't you?" Jinyoung stayed silent and stared at the checkout page on the monitor. "A mother and her son, baby... Please don't ignore her."

"He doesn't like to be called 'Youngie' anymore, mom." Mrs. Park chuckled a breathy laugh.

"You don't like to call him Youngie sometimes?" she asked, a saddening smile on her face. "I guess I miss having you two around all the time."

Finally, Jinyoung cracked a smile and turned to the woman reminiscing to an easier time. "I'll be good to her. Don't worry about it, okay?" He placed his hand on top of his mother's, looking into her hopeful eyes.

"Okay..." she whispered, standing up from the bed. "Make sure she gets to her hotel safe, alright? And show her to Youngjae's apartment."

She walked out before Jinyoung could say, "Yeah... I will."

-:-:-:-

"Good morning, Mrs. Choi," Jinyoung smiled, holding his and her things.

"Good morning to you, too," she replied as they began to walk down the street. "Oh, let me take that." She took her bag from Jinyoung and rolled it along herself. "Your mom's sweet, isn't she?" Jinyoung smiled and nodded slightly, not sure how to act after not talking to this woman for a while.

"The train station shouldn't be far from here," he told her.

Soon, they arrived, and just in time to board before the crowd. Their seats were next to each other, so they could talk easily during the two-and-a-half hour trip. They only started making conversation a few minutes after the train began to move, and Jinyoung still didn't know how to talk to her somehow.

"How's, uh... How is Youngjae doing?"

"Hm? Oh..." Jinyoung thought about the time since moving to Seoul, reliving it all in a mere few seconds before responding, "He's... yeah, he's okay." His smile gave the woman more hope than if he had said those words dully, and her eyes reflected that.

"Does he... does he have a girlfriend or anything?"

"Ah..."

"No... Oh no, that's right..." Mrs. Choi rubbed her hands on her head, scolding herself for forgetting the whole reason she had to ask about her son in the first place. She shook it off and asked, "Well... is- is he dating?"

"Aha," Jinyoung chuckled a bit. "No, he isn't seeing anybody." They sat silently for a bit, listening to the train move along the tracks. "I think you're going to like whoever he does, though... He has good judgement."

"Mm," she nodded. "I know he does."

-:-:-:-

a/n: crying on the inside i'm rly emo over 2jae ok

:'(

also this gif is so precious wtf jinyoung please