Chapter 49

He had messed up, he knew he did. He didn’t understand why he always made the same mistakes, what always compelled him to pick up the phone when her name flashed across the screen, or go out to meet her when he had no business spending time with her. He knew that it would come back to bite him. He couldn’t afford to fall for her again, especially when someone else held his heart.

“Call me when you get home.”

It was the only thing Seunghyun had said to him in the last 8 hours. Jiyong had been home for the last 4 hours but he was scared of the conversation that awaited him. The conversation that would either strengthen his relationship, or break it apart. He knew that Seunghyun would find out about their meeting. The last time Kiko was involved in their relationship it nearly broke their relationship into crumbs that not even ant could eat. Jiyong had barely kept the man as his.

Jiyong held his breath as his phone vibrated on his couch. He was sitting in the dark, lights off, stereo playing love songs so low he could barely hear the rhythm of the music. Flipping the phone onto its back, his breath slowly left their lungs as 1 New Message flashed across his screen and Kikos name laid under it. He wouldn’t answer it, he hardly wanted to look at it. He would though. He needed to see what she had wanted before making the call that could potentially ruin his life. He read it.

Standing from his seat, Jiyong moved to grab his car keys and his jacket. He needed to speak to Seunghyun in person. He needed the ability to explain to Seunghyun why he was with Kiko without the threat of being hung up on and never spoken to again. If things turned sour, he needed to be able to see the tall man’s eyes as his lover for the last time.

Jiyong only hoped things turned out well.

****

15 Minute 36 Seconds

He had been standing outside his hyungs house for 15 minute and 36 seconds. He raised his hand to knock at least 100 times but each time his hand would drop back by his side and he would take a few steps back before returning into his original position and repeating the motion.  

Taking a deep breath and finally finding his resolve, he knew that this time he was going to knock. This was the time that his fist would connect with the door to let Seunghyun know that he was there. Jiyong’s heart thumped hard in his chest. He felt faint.

The door opened and Seunghyun stood,"I thought I'd help you out." The tall man leaned against the frame with an amused look on his face and his arms crossed against his chest. He had never looked so attractive in Jiyong’s eyes, his sleeves were rolled up and his slacks were black. It was Jiyongs favorite look though it was the only look the rapper wore these days.

“I told you to call me.”

Jiyong shuddered at the others voice and his fear quelled before returning full force. Seunghyun was calm for their current situation. Jiyong was scared. He lowered his eyes to the others feet and clenched his fists at his sides. “I’m sorry.”

Seunghyun tilted his head in confusion and raised a neatly shaped brow. “Sorry?”

The younger man flinched before folding his body in half in attempt to make his apology more sincere. “I’m sorry that I met Kiko. I promise she means nothing to me and she knows now that you mean everything to me. I told her about us, that’s why I met her. I told her that being friends with her would potentially ruin things with you and I can’t live without you in my life.”

“You met Kiko?”

Jiyong clenched his teeth before forcing his body to unfold and meet Seunghyuns gaze full on. The man looked as shocked as he sounded. “Yeah, isn’t that why you wanted me to call you?”

Seunghyun shook his head, standing up straight, before his eyes slightly narrowed. He was completely confused now and having a hard time grasping what Jiyong just spewed out. He wasn’t expecting it, he wasn’t expecting that Jiyong met with the girl that almost caused their relationship to end. “No, I was going to tell you to come over since the group wanted to watch movies together tonight. Their in the living room now.”

Realization hit Jiyong like a stack of elephants running into brick walls. He thought Seunghyun knew, he thought Seunghyun would be mad. He never thought that the man was clueless about their meeting.

“But, you met with her?”

Jiyong bit his bottom lip and took a deep breath to calm his breathing. That’s why the man was so calm when he first opened the door. “Yeah, to tell her that we couldn’t meet anymore.”

“Oh.”

Jiyong’s mouth dried at the tone of the others voice and he shook his head in disbelief. “You’re not mad?”

Seunghyun shook his head and leaned back against the frame. “No, you told me about the meet before I found out from someone else. I’m not mad.”

The smaller male let out a breath of relief and offered a small smile. His heart sped up for a different reason as his smile was returned with a dimpled grin. He knew he made the right choice in fighting for the man in front of him. He knew he had chosen the right person to have his heart.

“Ji, when did you get here?”

Youngbaes voice cut through the moment and Seunghyun turned to look behind him. “He just got here.”

Jiyong followed the man in. His heart calm and his smile real. As much as he had doubted it before the two were finally on the right track to strengthen their relationship to unbreakable bonds.  The message sitting in his phone, the one he would show Seunghyun later on that night after all of s fell asleep, would prove that.

***

“I thought about what we talked about and I finally have an answer. As much as I want to deny it I knew. I saw the way he always looked at you and most importantly the way you looked at him. I was selfish in hoping that you would ever give me that look, and I was selfish in hoping that I could make you happier than he did. As much as I hate to, I respect that you are willing to go this far for one man. He must really be special, especially since you once loved me. You must love him more. That’s why I’m going to follow your wishes. I won’t call to hang out and I won’t call in the middle of the night. I know you’re a one person man, your faithful. Be happy, be safe, and know that if he breaks your heart I have family in the military who know how to make people disappear.

-Kiko”