After Dusk || Im Changkyun

8. Was

Chapter Eight

"Should I stay longer? I can stay a bit longer. I doubt Suhyun would mind if I stayed the night too. Or you could stay with me? I'll lock you in my room since I have my own."
Taeyong gently wiped a tear off your cheek with the tip of his thumb. His other hand was still holding yours, as it had been the entire time.
"No, Yong. It's fine. Suhyun won't be back for a while so I'll have the house to myself. You should go home now. The guys are probably wondering where you went."
You hid your face in his arm. Your makeup was probably coming off onto his beautifully white shirt but he didn't mind. When it came to you, he never did.
"I don't want to leave you alone here, Y/N." His mom voice was coming out and that alone made you smile slightly. He always sounded like a naggy little Asian mom.
"I'll be fine."
He ran a hand through his pink hair, you couldn't sense the stress in his face and you immediately felt terrible.
This was the reason you didn't want to tell anyone.
You didn't want to pass on the stress of your situation to anyone else.
You could handle it yourself.
"Does your mom know about this?"
You shook your head slowly. You couldn't bring yourself to tell her. She had enough to worry about.
Taeyong sighed heavily before asking.
"Does Yuta know?"
Yuta.
More than your mom, you could never tell Yuta. Because Yuta would actually try to do something about it. He'd beat himself up if he realized how much he had missed, and how many things he'd let pass by under his nose. He would probably end up doing things that could ruin him, that he would regret for a long time.
And telling him that you'd kept a secret from him for so long, you couldn't break his heart like that.
You couldn't lose your most treasured friendship because you loved Yuta more than anything in this world.
And you couldn't bare to imagine your life without him.
"He deserves to know, Y/N. You have to tell him."
"I know I have to tell him." You cried, holding his shirt tighter, in hopes of trying not to have anymore tears fall.
"I've been meaning to tell him for years, but I can't bring myself to it. If it hurt so much to tell you, Taeyong. It's going to feel like a knife to the heart if I tell him."
He nodded solemnly. You could tell he was contemplating something in his head, but you couldn't tell what.
"There was just so much happening at once, and I didn't want to bother anyone. So I kept it to myself."
Taeyong pulled you off his arm, resting both hands on your shoulders and looking directly at you.
"You're not bothering anyone and I'm serious, Y/N. Everyone around you wants you be happy, healthy, and safe. Nothing else."
You bit your lower lip to prevent the tears from streaming down.
You really needed to hear that.
"Are you seriously sure that you don't want to do anything about this? This is really serious. I could help you file a laws-"
"Taeyong, no. It's over now. I don't want to make this a big deal."
"But this is a big deal." He muttered underneath his breath, but you heard him loud and clear. You clutched onto his shirt even tighter. It was moments like this where you never wanted to let go. He looked down at you. He knew what you meant.
"I'm not leaving just yet though." Taeyong said and you tilted your head in confusion.
"I'll make you some food before I do."
That made you smile. Taeyong's food never failed to make you feel better.
"My favorite?" You asked, your smile growing brighter. Taeyong broke out into a grin before ruffling your hair and pulling you into a tight hug. He rested his chin on the top of your head and gently rocked you around like a baby.
"Of course."

•—•

"We're screwed." Changkyun muttered over and over again while he paced around the door of the CEO's office. You stood beside it, anxiously tapping your foot as you leaned on the wall, your hands politely folded in front of you. You remembered getting the call from Jungwoo an hour ago. You were practicing your lines in the kitchen because you had a shoot tomorrow, and your phone started ringing, playing his line in Welcome To My Playground, because you'd thought his voice sounded nice in it so you decided to make that his ringtone. He had asked if you'd seen the article, and you being completely unaware of the situation, asked what he meant. He sent it to you. You watched in horror as you saw the clip of Changkyun running down the SM building, your head hiding in his chest and your arms wrapped tightly around his neck while Taeyong chased the both of you, screaming unrecognizable words. You'd received a call from Changkyun not long after, telling you that he was coming to pick you up. Not because he wanted to, but because he knew that it would take too long to get to the company without a car and calling Saera out of the blue didn't feel right. Unfortunately, Suhyun's house wasn't as close to the company as your old apartment, which you had completely moved out of with the help of Johnny and Lucas. The car ride was awkward. You both were silent for the most of the time, other than Changkyun's inaudible mumbling.
And that lead you to where you were now.
In front of the CEO's office.
"You two can come in now." You jumped at the sound of the calm voice of the CEO. The two of you respectfully bowed before walking into the room. You awkwardly slid yourself into a chair and Changkyun did the same in the chair beside you.
You'd never seen him like this and that made you worry.
He must be rough.
But he was smiling...
He still must be rough.
The CEO smoothened out his suit before taking a seat on his very comfortable looking chair. The gray in his hair was very prominent but the black stood out just as much.
He looked like the dad of a friend that everyone loved.
Except that wasn't the case here and your job could be on the line.
They obviously wouldn't get rid of Changkyun, too much of their income ran on him, but you could be scraped very easily. You didn't even get to finish the first five episodes of your drama. 
"Why do you look like you're about to get fired, Y/N?"
You snapped your head up to the CEO as soon as you heard your name. You didn't realize you were looking down. You were being disrespectful. You'd slap yourself in the face right now if you could.
"I'm not going to fire you." He chuckled heavily at the panic in your face. Your expression relaxed but you were still confused.
"I just need a quick explanation of what was going on in this video." He slid a tablet towards the both of you, playing the clip you'd seen not too long ago.
"The public is very curious."
You were about to open your mouth to try and explain yourself but Changkyun had beaten you to it.
"We were playing a giant game of tag with Taeyong hyung."
You eyed him from the side.
What on earth was he talking about?
"Y/N and Taeyong are childhood friends, and they decided to play a game of tag. Apparently they did it since they were kids. So when Taeyong found her, she panicked and decided to steal my car to escape. I wasn't aware of the situation but was still scared because Taeyong hyung looked intimidating. He gives off that vibe. When she fell, I panicked so I picked her up and continued running. That's all it really is. Taeyong ended up finding her at her house though."
The CEO nodded once he finished, laughing uncontrollably at the story. You awkwardly tried to laugh with him and Changkyun did the same.
Wait a second.
Why did he know that Taeyong ended up at your house?
Maybe it was just a coincidence.
Yeah, it was a coincidence.
The CEO wiped the tears that were beginning to form in his eyes away and calmed himself.
"I didn't believe a word you said but that's what I'll tell them."
"Sir-"
"Son, since when do you call me that?"
Changkyun hesitated for a second before signing.
"Uncle Hyuk, really?"
The CEO smiled tenderly at Changkyun.
"I won't pry, don't you worry. You can go now Changkyun."
But he snapped his head to you, his smile was still on his face.
"I'd like you to stay a couple of more minutes, Y/N. Is that okay?"
You gulped but still nodded. Now you were scared. You looked to Changkyun who was already out of his seat and at the door. He saluted off to you, a satisfied smirk on his face.
"You're on your own, Eggo."
And he was gone.
He was doing so well at not making you angry. You were pretty aggravated at that comment now.
"Excuse him, he never grew out of his moody teenager phase."
"I've noticed, sir."
You both shared a laugh for a short while before he started speaking again.
"I'd like to thank you for putting up with him. He can be a handful but he has a reason, though being so stubborn for so long has become too much."
He grabbed a mug from his desk and poured in some water, handing it to you. You tried to accept it as politely as possible, but you didn't know how to politely accept a cup. Should you point your pinky out?
Either way that's what you did.
You could tell that the CEO had noticed but had been courteous enough not to mention it.
"He's a sweet boy, he has been since he was little. It's in the genes."
He winked playfully and you were taken slightly off guard. Genes?
"I don't think I'm following."
The CEO took a sip from his mug and gently wiped the corners of his mouth. He was so proper, you didn't know how to react. It was as if he was a King, which he basically was. He was a CEO for gods sake.
"Changkyun is my nephew. My sister's son. It's a company secret though, so keep quiet." He joked while placing his finger at his lips.
"I'm kidding with you, but it basically is a company secret. Not many know."
You couldn't believe it. That annoying, stubborn, cold hearted person was the nephew of the nicest boss you'd ever had? There was no way.
"I've strayed from the point a little too long." He spun around in his chair, making you wonder if the CEO really was a child and an older man's body.
"Changkyun. You've definitely changed him, and I hope to see more of it."
You tilted your head to the side a bit. Everything about this conversation was so unbelievably confusing but this one topped it. You wanted to ask but the CEO waved you off.
"Head out now. You have a shoot tomorrow and you need to be in the best condition you can."
And so that's what you did.