“Sehun.”

The said man smiled at Jongin.

The latter didn’t know whether things got a whole lot better or worse. It was good to finally see Seulgi again after all these years. But he didn’t know whether it was good or bad that he found her with Sehun. Especially after the history he has with the guy.

The child hugging onto Seulgi’s leg, as if he too sensed the palpable tension between the three adults around him stepped in front of his mother and spoke in what little vocabulary he has and posed in the same manner as Ironman does, with one hand outstretched.

Seulgi cooed and bent down to pick him up. “Yes my little superhero, this is my friend.” She said as she lowered the kid’s arm. “No need to scare him.” She offered Jongin a smile, the first time she ever did since bumping into him.

“Well… I’m sure we all have a lot to catch up on.” Sehun says in that friendly tone he always seemed to have. “Jongin, I must insist that you join us for dinner.” He said, gesturing to Seungwan right after, in a way of extending the invitation.

“Yes. Yes, we do. I think I’ll take you up on that offer.” Jongin’s tone was stern but he feels partly at ease that he might get some of his questions answered within the night. He’d be lucky to get a nap in if the night goes on without at least one of his questions being answered.

Seulgi, surprisingly, had no qualms about Jongin joining them for dinner. Sehun was after all her boss. He was free to invite whoever he wanted.

She offered Sehun his room keycard before turning. At the same time Seungwan did the same to Jongin before disappearing to the elevator with Seulgi.

Sehun and Jongin, on the other hand, gravitated towards the hotel’s lounge.

Room 707. That is where Seungwan had followed her friend to. She hugged Seulgi, fiercely in the elevator on their way up; to which the boy in Seulgi’s arms whined to. Apparently he doesn’t like sharing his mom to anyone.

But now Seungwan just feels like interrogating her friend.

“Start talking.” Was the first words out of Seungwan’s mouth after the door clicked shut. Seulgi put the kid down and took of his Ironman mask saying something about getting into new clothes. The boy nodded and ran off to rummage the bag his mom prepared for him.

Seungwan joined Seulgi on the edge of the bed.

“Look… Something happened at the night of the party, okay? I was stupid and for that I needed to get away.” Seulgi said. She was sighing too much, a sight very new to Seungwan and so she worried for her friend. She reached for Seulgi’s hand.

“And the kid?” The blonde haired girl glanced at the boy who was trying and failing to dress himself. Seulgi smiled seeing the same thing her friend was seeing.

“He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She said, but then quickly added, “Don’t get the wrong idea. He’s not Sehun’s. I’ve learned my lesson and our relationship is strictly superior and subordinate. Well if you discount the fact that he is Taeoh’s godfather.”

“And by learning your lesson, you obviously meant Jongin. Now I'm even more curious. What really happened that night?”

“Seungwan, you have to promise me not to say anything to him, okay? To Jongin.” The blonde nodded all too quickly.

“The night of the party, Jongin confronted me. I guess he noticed something was up. But he wouldn’t budge so… So I spilled everything. And well…” Seulgi has gotten visibly more hesitant with every word she’s saying. She doesn’t know how her friend would take the revelations. “Well… Jongin and I… We kinda… Something happened, okay.”

Seungwan gasped, hands squeezing Seulgi’s. “Don’t tell me...?” She says and Seulgi slowly nods.

“Taeoh… He’s the only good thing that came out of that. I didn’t find out until about a month or so after I left. But by then I couldn’t go back. I know it’s not fair keeping Taeoh hidden from him, but I couldn’t. I made a mistake that night by letting my guard down. I can’t ruin Jongin’s shot at happiness because of that.”

“I can’t say I don’t understand you, because I do. I’m a woman after all too. And I’ve fallen in love. Once, maybe.” Seulgi chuckled. She this part about Seungwan the most; her personality. In fact, she missed everyone. She’d played hide and seek with Jongin at the expense of her relationship with her friends so she was more than grateful to know that they’re still the same and that they don’t hate her for just disappearing on them. “But regarding Jongin’s happiness… I’m not sure if you call him that now. He’s been basically a lost puppy since you left.”

By then Taeoh had come asking for his mom’s help. Seulgi dressed him as she carried on with her conversation with Seungwan.

“I wish you would have told us sooner. About Taeoh, that is.” Seungwan said. “If Sehun’s his only godfather, I worry for the kid. Who’s going to take care of him when you have to be away? I would have been an awesome godmother too, you know.”

Seulgi sat beside her friend again with the boy on her lap.

“That’s why I bring him everywhere with me. Sehun has been immensely understanding of my situation.”

At that moment, Seungwan had become thankful for many things, but she was most thankful that her friend didn’t have as hard of a time as they all worried she had.

The two friends spent some more time catching up. Seungwan was even able to obligate and convince Seulgi that the others must know about it too. In return, they were all sworn to secrecy by Seulgi.

Sehun and Jongin sat side by side at the bar.

“How long has she been with you?” Jongin asked, his eyes not meeting Sehun’s. Instead, his gaze remained on the glass of scotch he had ordered. It was also the first time he’d spoken since they got to the lounge a little while ago. He figured now is as good a time as any to get his answers.

“Straight to the point, I see.” Sehun nodded. “She’s been working for me for 3 years now.”

“So basically, all this time?” Jongin’s hands fisted on the bar. “You haven’t changed one bit.” He said incredulously.

“Oh come on! We were kids back then. Surely you’ve moved on from that.”

“And what about now? Face it Sehun. You were a liar back then and you’re still a liar now.”

Sehun sighed.

“Look… I admit I was an for sleeping with your girlfriend, but that was back in senior high. We were young back then. As for Seulgi, I don’t recall her being the woman you’re engaged to.”

Jongin was not in the mood to put up with Sehun’s smartass comebacks at the moment, anyone who looked at the two of them could tell. He slammed his glass down on the bar, the liquid in it sloshing around. It was all he could do to keep from physically putting his hands on the taller man.

“Okay, look.” Sehun tried to pacify the other quickly. He turned slightly towards Jongin. “When you came to me looking for her and asking me to tell you if I ever see her or she ever comes looking for a job, I admit, she’s already been working for me by then. I couldn’t tell you simply because it wasn’t my secret to tell. If she didn’t want to be found, then that was her decision.”

Jongin sighed exasperatedly. He knew Sehun was right. But he can’t help but feel stupid because all this time, Seulgi had just been under his nose.

“I only know the details that Seulgi told me, and believe me, she didn’t say much. All I know is that she left your company because things got too complicated for her. I offered her a job in mine which she only accepted with the promise that I shall not divulge her whereabouts to anyone.”

“That sounds like her.” Jongin said.

“Yes. But you know, for a former employer, you sure act like you’re way more. I mean to be exhausting whatever you can just to look for her?” Sehun took a sip of his drink.

“We were friends, okay. I maybe, freaked out a little when she disappeared on me.”

“Sure. Because you’d react the exact same way if Yeol hyung, or Baek hyung, or even I disappeared on you too.” To that, Jongin couldn’t say anything. “Look. If you really need to clear things out with her, we can stay one more day after the conference. You could talk to her then.”

Jongin was grateful that despite fighting with Sehun years back, the other still considered him as a friend and that he was kind enough to offer him a chance to talk to Seulgi. But there was one more thing that greatly bothered him and before he realized it, he had already said the words in a tone that was audible enough to only Sehun.

“Is the kid yours?”

Sehun choked on his drink, almost spraying Jongin. Ever since they were kids, Jongin had a habit of saying the most surprising things at the precise moments like the one just now.

“As cute as the kid is, I’m nowhere near ready to father a child, man. I was there when she you know…” Jongin nodded getting the gist of what Sehun was trying to say. “But I’m only the kid’s godfather.”

Jongin couldn’t understand what he was feeling, or maybe he did but he was denying himself the truth. Nonetheless he feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulder after his conversation with his old friend.

By the time Jongin and Sehun had finished their glasses, they simultaneously got messages that their secretaries are now in the lobby.

Jongin was pleased to see that the kid no longer wore a mask. In fact, Seulgi had introduced him to Taeoh, who he found really adorable. The kid had whined and partially threw a fit when Jongin grabbed Seulgi’s hand; a gesture he himself couldn’t comprehend why he did. Taeoh being the smart baby that he is pawned himself off and asked Jongin to carry him just so he couldn’t get to Seulgi.

As they walked to the restaurant, Seulgi and Seungwan trailing several steps behind the two males, Jongin still carrying Taeoh while conversing with Sehun, Seulgi felt a nudge to her side. “What’s your plan?” Seungwan swung her head towards the father and son. “They’re bonding really well.”

Seulgi swallowed nervously. “I’ll admit, Taeoh has never warmed up easily to anyone. But there’s no plan. Am I supposed to just impose responsibilities and obligations to him all of a sudden just because we’re on speaking terms again?”

“Taeoh is HIS responsibility though. He’s the father.”

With the shake of her head Seulgi responded, “I’ll figure it out. Taeoh and I have been fine by ourselves all this time anyway.” Seulgi thinks she’s being selfish, depriving Taeoh of a father and depriving Jongin of his right to know his own son. But she’s only starting to heal and Taeoh is a big part of that process. She’s afraid that if she lets Jongin in their life again she’ll never be able to get over him. She just needs a little more time.

Unfortunately for Seulgi, her boss’ loyalty lies on Jongin. Sehun and Jongin had been friends since they were kids. They grew up similarly but has been estranged since their senior year in high school. The very incident that drove a wedge between Jongin and Sehun was the very reason Sehun wanted to make up to Jongin for. He knows it won’t be an easy task because even Jongin seems to be oblivious to his own feelings. But he’s ready to help him anyway.

Note:

This is still unedited. I'm probably gonna edit it once I finish the entire story. This was supposed to go up last night but I was too tired when I got home because there was this shady guy who sat beside me in the bus going home... I was so creeped out I had to get off the bus and take an alternative public transportation to get home and make sure he didn't follow me.