end of the day | seongjoong

chapter sixty eight

"oh mom, you're here." jongho said, sounding surprised to see his mother cooking breakfast monday morning, "i thought you were leaving for the netherlands today."

"i was supposed to, but i took off this week. hongjoong is hurting really bad and i couldn't leave him alone. he hasn't slept properly all weekend and he refuses to go to school today, and i don't want to push him to see seonghwa if he doesn't feel ready to do so." jongho's mother spoke quietly as she made waffles for her and her children, not wanting to wake her sleeping son on the couch.

"oh ok." jongho took a seat at the kitchen table, "damn, he's really hurting isn't he?"

"yeah, i've never seen joongie this upset in my entire life. my heart is breaking for him." chinsun spoke, trying her best to hold back the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"i still can't believe seonghwa did this to him. i don't even understand why he did it; san is literally dating wooyoung, i didn't have a problem taking yeosang... i just don't get it." jongho shook his head as his mother brought over a waffle for him with whipped cream and strawberries on the side.

"i sadly don't have an answer for you, jongho. i guess image means more to seonghwa than it means to you and san." she shrugged her shoulders as she walked over to grab the coffee she had just finished brewing off the stove, pouring it into two cups for her and jongho to drink.

"he texted me multiple times this weekend asking me to get hongjoong to speak to him and whatnot, but every time i tried talking to joong this weekend, he told me to get away from him. i didn't want to overstep any boundaries so i let him be, but i want to help. i don't like seeing my baby brother upset." jongho said as he took a bite of his waffle.

"i definitely think you should talk to seonghwa about it, maybe try to figure out some sort of plan this week to fix everything. i know joongie is hurting, but i also know how much seonghwa means to him. he wouldn't be this upset if seonghwa meant nothing to him. i know he wants to answer seonghwa's calls and texts, but he's too hurt right now to do so. maybe if you guys come up with something good enough, hongjoong will talk to him again." jongho's mother suggested and jongho nodded his head in agreement.

"that's a great idea mom. i'll definitely talk to him today, maybe also ask wooyoung and yeosang what they think is best." jongho smiled widely as he spoke.

"perfect. and by the way, how are things with you and yeosang?" she asked, wanting to know all the details of her son's love life now that he likes someone who isn't a complete piece of shit.

"there's really nothing to speak about. yeosang likes me and i like him, that's it. i got his number and we texted a bit this weekend, but we only texted about hongjoong and seonghwa. i haven't even brought up us at the formal if i'm being honest." jongho said and his mother hit him lightly on the arm.

"don't be an idiot! talk to the boy about your relationship, not just your brother's. he's liked you for a long time and you know that, don't act like you're leading him on because i know you like him." she spoke firmly to her son, pointing a finger in his face.

"i'll talk to him, i promise!" jongho put his arms up in defense, "when everything else is situated..." he trailed off quietly.

"i heard that!" she laughed out loud.

"stop it mom! i don't know why, but he makes me so nervous. i guess he just means a lot to me, i really don't want to mess it up." jongho spoke honestly to his mother. she nodded her head, understanding her son's situation.

"i'm glad he means a lot to you, but don't lose this one. he's a keeper." chinsun stood up and gave jongho a kiss on the forehead, picking up her clean plate and empty coffee cup and putting it in the sink to wash later that day.

suddenly, the two of them heard little footsteps pitter patter from the living room into the kitchen. they turned their heads and saw a yawning hongjoong enter the room, eyes puffy and cheeks red from crying all night.

"hey baby boy, how are you feeling this morning?" hongjoong's mom smiled at him, walking over to give him a good morning kiss on the cheek.

"eh, i've been better." hongjoong replied dryly, taking a seat next to jongho at the table. he stared down at the table, no trace of a smile on his face.

"hey babe." jongho spoke to his brother, putting a hand out for the boy to grab onto. hongjoong looked over and saw jongho's hand, but decided against holding onto it.

"hi." he responded quietly.

"can you please talk to me? i want to help you." jongho spoke sweetly to his brother, not wanting to hurt him at all.

"i'm just not in the mood to t-talk, jongie." hongjoong choked out, holding back the tears that already wanted to flow out of his eyes.

"you know what, i'll give you your space. but i want you to know that i love you with all my heart, joongie. i'll always be here for you." jongho opened his arms for hongjoong to hug him. hongjoong decided to give in, hugging his brother tighter than he's ever hugged him before. he cried on jongho's shoulder, allowing his brother to rub circles on his back to calm him down.

"you're a great brother, jongho." chinsun walked over with hongjoong's breakfast in her hands, "i love you two so much."

"we love you too, mom." jongho smiled and stood up from his seat, "i'm going to get ready for school now. hongjoong, are you sure you don't want to go today?"

"yeah, i'm gonna stay home today, but thank you for asking." hongjoong thanked his brother as he took a bit of his waffle.

"ok babe. and mom, i'll definitely do what we talked about before at school today." jongho gave his mother a knowing look and she nodded her head, thankful that hongjoong didn't catch on to what they were talking about as jongho walked into his room.

my poor joongie... editing this over made me SAD.

i literally went to bed at 10 pm last night... i really am a grandma.

-vic