Look for the One with the Broken Smile

Pairing: Jisoo x Jeonghan 

(BGM: "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5)

Jisoo was typing away on his Macbook, finishing up the last few sentences on a recent summary of the company's profits, when a loud thud sounds at his front door. He ignores the noise, but flinches when the doorbell rings impatiently. Sighing, he places the laptop on the couch beside him and scurries over to the door. Unconciously he gapes at Jeonghan, who is standing at the entrance, huffing indignantly, arms crossed over his chest and a paper in his hand.

He shoves the sheet of paper in Jisoo's face and it inevitably has the sum of money Jisoo had sent to his bank account written all over it. "What the hell, Jisoo? What is this?" Jeonghan's shoulders are tensed in frustration, and the way his voice rises hints at the stress he is under.

"You needed help, Jeonghan, and that's what I tried to do—"

"I never asked for your help!" Jisoo knew Jeonghan would raise up his walls of pride and reject any offerings of consolence. Jeonghan was not only proud, but he hated being a burden to others. Obviously, he would mistake the support as troublesome and hide himself away, but Jisoo didn't want that anymore. Not for sweet Jeonghan who never did anything wrong.

So he did the first thing that surfaced in his mind. He pulled Jeonghan inside, shutting the auto-lock door, and held him snugly in his arms. Jeonghan made a strangled sound, immediately placing his palms on Jisoo's chest to push him away, but Jisoo shushed him and held him tighter, closer.

"Don't hide anymore, Jeonghan. It's nothing you should be ashamed or afraid of. I'm right here, and I'm willing to walk you through all the hardships, you know that. We can take baby steps if you'd like, but please let me help you. I labored through countless shifts to supply you with that money, and I don't want those hours to go to waste. Besides, we can work through this, I know we can because I have faith in you and me. Promise me you won't walk alone." Jisoo could feel his shirt growing damp as Jeonghan's tears soaked through the fabric, and tugged him impossibly closer.

A period of silence paused the time around them, and Jisoo rocked them side to side while whispering condolensces into Jeonghan's ear. A mantra of "it's okay" swirled in their heads, convincing them that perhaps everything would be alright. "Why did you do it?" Jeonghan whispered, sniffling his stuffy nose and rubbing at his swollen eyes. Without furthur elaboration, Jisoo already knew what he meant.

"Because I care," Jisoo said simply as he removed Jeonghan's hand from his eyes, scrunches up his nose and silently reprimending him. Jeonghan smiled sheepishly and looked away, far too embarrassed by their proximity to stutter out a proper thank you. A hand sticks out towards him, and Jeonghan raises his gaze to Jisoo, his soft smile, the wrinkles by his eyes (which Jeonghan calls smile crinkles), his kind eyes.

"You haven't had dinner yet, even at this hour, right? Let's go grab something to eat." Jeonghan blinks once, twice, before a grin spreads across his face and he takes Jisoo's hand. He wonders if Jisoo is some sort of telepathic when he brings out a box of pizza because Jeonghan had been craving it for the past couple days.

In their five years of friendship, Jeonghan decides to trust Jisoo wholeheartedly for the first time. 

This can be read in the same alternate universe as Chapter 5, and it can be read in a platonic or romantic way. I felt the need to expand on that (and another on the same au might be released in the future *wink wink*) because I really liked how it turned out. And I'm so sorry about that point of view change from Jisoo to Jeonghan halfway through; I would've rewritten it but I didn't know how I should while keeping the general details the same...

I hope it was somewhat enjoyable to read, though! Thanks for all the subscribes, upvotes and comments ♡

- Haneul