BLACK | jung jaehyun [on hold]

forty three

his mind was so littered, he could barely even pay attention as he filed through his father's documents.

jaehyun had come here to convince jeno to return but with the situation between jaemin and his brother still unsettled, what could he do?

he'd just have to stay here forever.

whether or not he graduates, jaehyun was already named to become the next ceo of his father's company.

the whole business was going to be looked over and taken care of by him.

but this was not what jaehyun wanted to do.

jaehyun wanted a simple life and did not wish for such a dream to occur.

he shifted his eyes up to glance at his hardworking brother, eyes scanning the papers in front of him diligently.

if anything, jeno deserves the position much more than he does.

jaehyun didn't think he was good enough to be the ceo.

but he's always been his father's favourite son and he didn't know why.

his father was always picking on jeno and telling the younger boy to do better.

both of the brothers didn't know why.

jeno's father was supposed to return two days ago but now entered through the door of his son's shared offices without a message beforehand.

"dad."

jaehyun spoke, both of the boys recognizing their father's return.

"you were supposed to come back yesterday. did something come up?"

mr. jeong only nodded and walked over to jeno's desk, a subtle expression of disappointment visible across his face.

"jeno, last night i had asked for you to prepare for the meeting that was supposed to happen an hour ago."

his father sternly spoke and jeno stood up, apologizing.

"i'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind."

"it must have slipped your mind?"

the ceo scoffed and crossed his arms.

jaehyun watched from his desk as his father continued to scold jeno.

"that was an important meeting, jeno. if you don't take this company seriously, do you think you'll be able to work here under jaehyun when i leave this company behind to him?"

jeno's lip quivered as he turned to glance at his older brother, who held a blank expression.

he was always first in line to receive things whatever it may be.

everything was always given to jaehyun.

everything.

"yes, i will. i'm sorry, da—father."

"actually, jeno had asked me to schedule the meeting. i had completely forgotten to."

jaehyun intruded in on the conversation, casually commenting.

not on jeno's behalf but on the fact that he didn't want to see his father break his brother down any further.

"my bad."

jaehyun cockily shrugged and his father rolled his eyes, looking at his oldest son.

all the amount of anger he had expressed before was quickly washed away as he focused his attention on jaehyun.

"well, don't let it happen again."

mr. jeong spoke and nodded sternly before turning to jeno.

he stood there for a minute, looking at the boy with an unidentifiable expression and walked out of the office, mumbling something along the lines of,

"'slipped my mind'.. what a half-asses excuse.."

jeno remained standing a while after his father's exit.

he stood there, biting his lip as if thinking of his wrong actions.

jaehyun watched as his younger brother tried his hardest not to let out a single tear.

it took everything in the boy to not break down right then and there in front of his older brother.

"you know you could cry, right? it's not like i'll care."

jaehyun said, breaking the silence between the two.

jeno sniffed and sat down in his chair, quickly returning to his work.

"why'd you do that?"

jaehyun quirked a brow.

"do what?"

"you know what you did. why'd you help me?"

jaehyun shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair.

"just wanted to seem like the cool older brother."

jeno let out a snicker and jaehyun chuckled.

"well, thanks anyway. otherwise, da—i mean father would've moved me down to work with the lunch ladies."

jaehyun blinked, suddenly curious about something.

"jeno, why don't you call him that? why is it always 'yes, father' or 'i understand, father'?"

jeno went silent for a minute before darting his eyes to his brother.

he sighed deeply.

"i don't want to talk about it."

his answer was cold and rather distant.

but jaehyun was one to keep pestering until he heard what the wanted to hear.

and so jeno finally cleared his throat and kept his eyes down to the papers while he revealed his secret.

"maybe like eight years ago, he had let something slip when he was scolding me for something i did. i don't remember what i did. i did a lot of reckless things back then."

"what did he let slip?"

jaehyun asked, even more interested than before.

jeno lifted his eyes to his brother before settling them to the documents again.

jaehyun couldn't believe the words that left his lips next.

"he's not my dad like he is yours, jaehyun. just don't say that i said anything to you."