Chapter 26

Jeonghan woke up feeling feather touches on his face; his brows, his nose line and his lips. He didn’t dare move until he felt Seungcheol’s finger on his bottom lip, aiming to bite it.

But it moved back quickly, keeping him from success.

“I knew you were awake since you woke up, Jeong. I saw your lashes flutter.” He heard Seungcheol’s soft voice. Realizing his defeat, he opened his eyes to see the other’s big, expressive eyes; and right now, it’s really expressive. Being in bed ridded Seungcheol’s eyes of his usual defenses from the world, and Jeonghan had the honor of seeing it up close.

Jeonghan didn’t say anything and just watched Seungcheol’s eyes dart from one part of his face to another. It was extremely intimate, but he decided to keep the embarrassment at bay to watch his boyfriend’s unfiltered eyes. He only realized now that his head is resting on Seungcheol’s arm.

He can’t help but speak at that point on. “It’s way too much for me to handle anymore.” He thought with a blush.

“Yah, stop staring at me.” He complained half-heartedly, totally loving the attention but not wanting the other to know.

“I’m sorry.” He heard Seungcheol say softly. Even now, Jeonghan couldn’t take his eyes of the other’s and right now, they were filled with sadness and regret. It doesn’t feel like his apologizing for the staring. He thought to himself. He watched Seungcheol’s eyes search his own for response, and Jeonghan doesn’t know how to explain the knot building on his stomach.

“Yah, it’s nothing to apologize for.” Jeonghan dismissed the other’s apology, refusing to address first the reason Seungcheol was really apologizing for.

“I was jealous, and I still don’t know how much I still am of Jisoo.” He barely heard Seungcheol’s voice that was almost a whisper. Jeonghan’s eyes were still fixed on his boyfriend’s.

“Is my heart too slow for you? I told you it’s on its way to you, though.” He replied, not really wanting to spark an argument right after making up, but he felt like it was needed. He wasn’t able to watch Seungcheol’s reaction through his eyes because he was pulled into an embrace.

“I’m so-sorry, I-I can’t face you right now.” He heard Seungcheol’s voice breaking. “I won’t cry anymore, d-don’t worry, but I just can’t face you right now.”

“It’s oka-”

“No it’s not, Jeong. You know it.” He was cut off. “No it’s not slow, Jeong, you have to believe me. Just keep your pace.”

“Then what happened, Cheol?” He asked with insistence. He was feeling bad about the whole situation himself and he wanted to find the root of it all to finally move past this.

“I dunno, Jeong.” Seungcheol admitted. “I know this won’t explain what happened after its aftermath upon all of us, but I really don’t know.” He said as he buried himself on the crook of Jeonghan’s neck. “All I could think of was how Jisoo was way too involved in your life for my liking, like he’s the boyfriend and I’m the one looking in from the outside.” Jeonghan could feel the sob building up on Seungcheol and based on the wet feeling he now has on his neck, he assumes his boyfriend is starting to tear up as well.

He had an idea of Seungcheol’s jealousy of Jisoo, but Jeonghan didn’t realize that it was to this extent. It was his duty to make Seungcheol secured of his feelings for him; that’s the least he could to after asking him to wait for him, but he failed at that too.

“I’m not saying you’re a bad boyfriend, Jeong, don’t lose yourself to your dark thoughts again.” Seungcheol broke him out of his reverie. He already saw that? He asked himself. Choi Seungcheol was this aware and conscious of my feelings, and here I am making him feel alone. He thought darkly. He was surprised when he was pulled out of the embrace and he saw Seungcheol glaring at him with his big doe eyes.

“I told you to stop, didn’t I?” The older scolded him. Next thing he knew, the other kissed him. Admittedly, that it was too fast for his liking, but it did break him out of his dark thoughts.

“You’re not at fault here, Jeong. It’s just my insecurities.” Seungcheol insisted.

“But that’s just it, Cheol. We’re in this together so I’m at fault as well. I made you feel like an outsider and that’s on me.” He argued back, ready for a long discussion, but was shocked to see Seungcheol looking shy and flustered.

“So we’re in this together, huh?” He said, biting his lips. Jeonghan was trying his best not to get lost in the sight of his boyfriend.

“Stop! We need to talk about this, Cheol!” He persisted, shaking the other.

“You can say what you want, Jeong. I’m good now.” Seungcheol pulled him on top of him so now he was lying on his stomach on Seungcheol. Jeonghan’s arms were still around the other’s neck before so now Seungcheol’s head was resting on them. “I’ll try not to be insecure anymore, but I think you saying that we’re in this together would soothe my jealousy when I get jealous.” He said wrapping his arms around Jeonghan’s waist; a satisfied smile resting on his face.

Jeonghan couldn’t help but scoff playfully at Seungcheol’s words. “Are you going to be this easy, Choi Seungcheol, Son of Choi Industries?” He teased the boy under him, but Seungcheol only laid his head back and closed his eyes. How could you be this happy immediately? He thought.

“Yes, I will, Jeong. Yes. I. Will.” Seungcheol nodded. “I just need you to kiss me and we’d be perfect.” He said, looking directly at his eyes. Jeonghan felt like there was a challenge there somewhere.

So he reached down to meet the other’s lips.

And like Seungcheol said, it was perfect.

**********

Soojung was fuming. She is now on her way to school with red in her eyes. How dare that Jeonghan scum block her family business’ affairs? Who is he? She felt her phone vibrate a saw that she had an incoming call from her mother. She answered it with annoyance.

“What is it, Mom?” She said pointedly. She doesn’t have the patience to talk to anyone but Yoon Jeonghan right now.

“Soojung, dear, please come back home for the moment. You can skip school today and we’ll talk about what happened.” Her mother said soothingly.

“Oh no, mom!” She retorted. “This has gone way too much, we need action if we want to put that orphan behind our backs! Talking is way overdue.” She said.

“What will you do, dear?” Her mother asked her.

“We’ll see about that.” She said conclusively. By now she was at the universities gates and as soon as she stepped of her car, she saw Kim Mingyu together with that peasant that always seemed to be around Jeonghan. She marched her way to them.

“Yah Kim Mingyu!” She yelled, catching their attention.

“Look who woke up at the wrong side of the bed?” Mingyu smirked teasingly. “Calm down will ‘ya?” He asked.

“No time for that . Where’s Yoon Jeonghan?” She asked, cutting through any pleasantries. “Where is that orphan!” She yelled.

“Calm down, shorty, nobody is in a fight here.” He looked down on her humorously. “I know you can’t wait to cut throats with Han, but please don’t ruin my perfec