Coffee

10. Cheater

Jackson led his coworker into his apartment  by the small of her back. He immediately smiled, smelling the wonderful meal his boyfriend had cooked up.

"I'm home!" He announces before meeting Yoongi.

"Yoongi, this is my coworker, Katlyn." Jackson said smiling.

Yoongi smiled politely. "Nice to meet you Katlyn. I hope you like seafood stew."

Katlyn nodded "It's only my favorite."

"Great because it looks like it's about ready to eat." Jackson said excitedly.

Yoongi nods and sits down as Jackson and Katlyn does the same.

"Thanks." Katlyn said as Jackson makes her plate.

Yoongi tried his best to not look jealous, he tried to keep a firm smile on his face the entire time, but he just couldn't. 

The way Jackson looked at Katlyn... it didn't help he had his eyes on her the entire time. Most of the time he was just staring, or even admiring her chest.

Yoongi choked on an oyster and excused himself. He couldn't stand it any longer.

He recognized that look Jackson gave Katlyn when he looked in her eyes. Jackson isn't a complicated guy, Yoongi didn't think Jackson would be able to look at anyone else like he did Yoongi.

Yoongi wiped away a tear as he came to the conclusion: Jackson doesn't only love him.
Actually, Yoongi wasn't even sure if Jackson loved him at all. He thought back to the last time Jackson looked at him like that.

Then he remembered. The day they got their arpartment. Jackson and Yoongi stared at their new, empty apartment hand and hand as Jackson said "Yoongi, we can finally start our lives together." And Yoongi looked at Jackson and he told him he loved him, Jackson said the same.

But there went "starting our lives together" Jackson just became distant to Yoongi, and never looked at him like that since.

Everything made sense in that moment of realization. Yoongi knew it wasn't going to work.

By now tears were streaming down his face as he tried to cope with his conclusion. Maybe he was wrong, hopefully. He didn't know what he would do if he lost Jackson. He'd only loved one person ever, and he was stable with Jackson.

Yoongi realized how much he needed Jackson, and how he'd never planned his life without him.

"Yoongi, get us the wine in the freezer would you?" Jackson called.

Yoongi dried his face and fetched the wine for the table.

By the time it was time to go, Jackson left with Katlyn then walked back into the house.

"I'm going to go drop Katlyn off real quick." He told Yoongi.

Yoongi nodded, staring at the ground feeling totally drained.

"Babe, you okay?"

Yoongi still stared at the ground. "I'm fine, will you be back quickly?"

Jackson nodded "she only lives three minutes away, I'll be back in a sec... and remember the talk we had at the coffee shop, I love you." He reassured him as he closed the door.

Yoongi scoffed "no you don't."

*

Yoongi sat on the sofa waiting, and waiting. After three hours he decided to torture himself no longer. Jackson was probably spending the night at Katlyn's.

He figured he had the right to be mad now. Jackson had lied to him and was keeping secrets; although he wasn't one hundred percent sure if those secrets were what he assumed they were.

Yoongi called Jackson's phone. He listened to the phone ringing until it hit his voicemail.
"Hey! This is Jackson Wang...as you probably already know. Well umm....sorry I couldn't answer the phone, I'm probably getting laid or whatever." The message ended with Jackson's childish laugh.

Yoongi tried his work phone. It rang until it hit another voice message "This is Jackson Wang speaking. Sorry I could not answer the phone, please try back later."

Yoongi threw his phone across the floor and went to Jackson's office. It was across their bedroom and Yoongi wasn't aloud in while Jackson was working but he gave himself permission. He was going to figure out what was keeping Jackson out all night.

He prayed that he was wrong, that his suspicions were just silly. But he had to be sure.

He went into Jackson's office and looked through his drawers.

They were full of papers and files, until he found a stack of cards.

Christmas cards, birthday cards, Valentine's Day cards. Valentine's Day cards.

There were two.

He stared at the decorative card and opened it dreading what was inside.

The other card was the one Yoongi had given him on that special day, but the one he had in his hands...he didn't know who gave that to Jackson until he read what was inside.

"Dear Jackson, Happy Valentines Day! We've only known each other for a few months now but I love you so much. You're an amazing guy; inside and out. You treat me like I'm your world and I think that's how I came to love you so much. Have a good day at work and can't wait for this evening. -Katlyn."

Yoongi breathed in sharply with a hand over his mouth. He remembered that day: he wanted to spend time with his boyfriend but Jackson was gone "performing."

He didn't know what to do at the moment. His head was throbbing; it felt as if something was trying to rip his head in half from the inside. He was angry, sad, surprised, overwhelmed. He wanted to scream, throw up, anything.

"How long?" He whispered to himself as if he could find the answer. "How long has he cheated on me?"

His head snapped up when he heard the office door creak open.

"What are you doing in my office Yoongi?"Jackson said with an irritated expression.

Yoongi stood up and threw the Valentine's Day cards at Jackson. "HOW LONG JACKSON?!"

He was crying angry tears. He wanted to stab Jackson in the heart like Jackson stabbed his.

Jackson looked confused but then took a look at the card. "I—

"And what took so long tonight?! Too busy getting laid to answer your phone?! You're screwing around behind my back! For how long?!!" Yoongi felt sick to his stomach. His voice already hoarse from yelling.

Jackson threw both of his hands up "Babe I'm sorry I just got...bored. But it doesn't mean I don't love you or anything!"

Yoongi stared at him in disbelief. He finally snapped out of it when Jackson reached to hug him. Yoongi slapped him hard against the side of his face, and pushed past him.

He quickly packed his belongings while Jackson repeated he was sorry.

He ignored Jackson, walked out of their apartment, and didn't look back. Not even once.