Detached | Seungjin

Twenty-Nine

Hyunjin dropped the spoon as he suddenly heard the news. His eyed widened, heart starting to beat fast, and it was as if the world had stopped for him.

He immediately headed his way to the living room and saw Seungmin on his knees, holding the picture of them in his hand. 

Seungmin slowly looked up to him with his eyes watery, "H-Hyunjin, I remember everything..."

Hyunjin grabbed the remote from the couch and quickly shut off the television. He walked to Seungmin's direction and immediately engulfed him to a tight hug.

"It's gonna be okay, Seungmin."

A tear escaped Seungmin's eye, "Hyunjin... y-you're the father of Minji, right? It's been you all along... the same person I loved so much who left me five years ago." Seungmin muttered. "The pain— I still remember the pain you gave me back then..."

Hyunjin pulled away, wiping Seungmin's tears using both his thumbs. "Seungmin, calm down."

Seungmin shook his head, tears continuing to fall from his eyes. "Hyunjin— y-you're horrible..." 

Hyunjin could already feel a hard pang in his heart as Seungmin said those words. He didn't blame him though, what Seungmin went through was honestly tough, and Hyunjin admits that.

"Why did you leave, Hyunjin? Why? Where did I go wrong?"

"Seungmin, it's not your fault. You did nothing wrong."

Seungmin's tears won't stop. No matter how much Hyunjin tries to wipe them away, they just keep on falling from Seungmin's eyes. Seungmin rarely cries, but this time, he did. He cried too much, honestly. 

It's been five years since Seungmin last experienced the pain of his love of his life leaving him. But in those five years that passed, he never even remembered who the love of his life was. And now he does, and it had hurt him more than he expected.

"That friend of yours," He muttered, "she's your fiancée, isn't she?"

"Seungmin, let me explain."

Seungmin bits his lips before letting out a scoff, "Wow. Just— wow."

"Seungmin..."

"You've been tricking me all this time?"

"No, please don't say that."

Seungmin "huffed in disbelief. "So how longer do you plan on lying to me?"

"Seungmin, listen—"

"No, fuck you, Hyunjin! You knew all along everything about my amnesia and you didn't even care to tell me?! What, you're gonna make me fall in love again and leave?!"

"I was just waiting for the right time to tell you the truth."

"And when will that be? You're still engaged and you're probably just gonna go back to the States where you'll marry your fiancée! Why did you even bother coming back?!"

"Seungmin, please—"

"Just leave. That's what you're good at, right? Making me deeply fall in love with you only to leave me in the end."

"That's not true. I care about you and Minji."

"You— you care?" Seungmin scoffed, "If you really did care, you should've told me about the truth from the start."

"Seungmin, listen to me. I was planning to tell you everything, I just think—"

"You just think what? You think you need more time?" Seungmin questioned. "Well, congratulations. Because you're officially out of time. You heard the news yourself, right? You're getting married, Hwang Hyunjin."

"Seungmin, don't say that. I have always cared about you and Minji. After all— I'm still her... father..."

Seungmin clenched his fist, tears continuing to roll down his cheeks. "Hyunjin, the moment you detached yourself from me... Minji was no longer your daughter."

"Seungmin—"

"Leave, Hyunjin." Seungmin told him, but Hyunjin didn't move. Hyunjin got ahold of Seungmin's hand but Seungmin lets go immediately. "Please, I'm begging you. Just leave!"

As much as Hyunjin wanted to stay by Seungmin's side, he saw how Seungmin suffered just by having him beside him. And so... he decided to leave Seungmin alone.

* * * * *

In the end, Hyunjin just couldn't let everything end like that. He loved his family, he had grown closer to them, especially his daughter. 

And so there he stood, in front of the cafe door. His eyes were fixed on Seungmin, who was currently on a table with Jisung inside.

He took a deep breath before pushing the door and going inside. Seungmin immediately noticed, making him roll his eyes and close his books. He stood from his seat and walked pass Hyunjin, getting out of the cafe in no time.

But Hyunjin immediately ran after Seungmin, grabbing his hand as he reached outside to stop the latter from walking.

"Seungmin."

"What do you want?!"

"Let's talk please."

"There's literally nothing else we should be talking about, Hwang Hyunjin."

"Seungmin, please..."

Seungmin bits his lips as he clenched his fist, "Hyunjin, i-it's over..."

Hyunjin held his hand, shaking his head. "I refuse to believe that."

"You're getting married, Hyunjin. You've been long— engaged."

"Please trust me, I can fix this."

Seungmin shook his head, "I-I'm sorry, Hyunjin. I'm— tired. I'm tired of always understanding you. I'm tired of waiting for everything to be okay. I'm tire of always being— the second option..."

"Seungmin, that's not true."

A tear escaped Seungmin's eye again, "I'm sorry. I— I can't believe you anymore, Hyunjin." He told him, letting go of Hyunjin's hand and turning away from him.

But Hyunjin grabbed his hand again, "Seungmin."

"Hyunjin, let go. Just— leave already."

"One more chance."

Seungmin turned to him with a confused expression, "What?"

"I will leave if that's what you want. But please, just give me one more chance to spend time with my family."

"What do you mean?"

"I know I don't deserve to be called as Minji's father. But Seungmin, she's still my daughter..."

Seungmin looked away, "What's your point?"

"At least, give me a day to spend my last hours with my family."

"W-What?"

Hyunjin gives him a pleading look, "I love you, Seungmin. And Minji too. I love the both of you. I just can't— leave without being able to spend time with my family for the last time."

"Hyunjin..."

"Seungmin, just a day is all I ask. Just a day of us forgetting everything that came in between us. Just a day of— us acting like a happy, complete family..."

Seungmin felt soft as he looked into Hyunjin's eyes. Yes, he was still in pain. But by looking into the latter's eyes, he couldn't just bring himself to refuse.

"Okay. Just... one last time."

* * * * *

:')