3
hangin' there
Office feels like the battle field for this whole month. For the whole month they rarely talking, except for important things and regular morning greet. They'll keep everything professional, but as much as they tried, there are tension and boundaries on their interaction. Especially when have meeting with Yifan.
He remember last week when finally he and Junmyeon settle down all the burden and tension between them. It was after work, when Jongdae prepare himself to go home.
"Jongdae, can you come to my office for a while?" the older asked and Jongdae just nodding. He knows this will happen, Junmyeon hates awkward and burden on his work place.
"Please have a seat," he pointing at his guest couch. Both of them sit on, take a furthest distance and face down. "About you and Yifan. Can you justﾅstay away ?" asked Junmyeon.
"Yifan is the one who should stop flirting with me and you. He starts the whole mess "
"I love Yifan. This is weird that I know he flirt with you, my best partner, and I still like him. Can you stay away from him?"
"I'm not the playboy here. Ask him to stop flirt with me"
"I can't. That's why I'm asking you instead"
"I won't stay away from you both. The one I like is Kim Junmyeon, not Wu Yifan. I hate when you enjoying his flirt, I hate when he flirt with me. I hate him playing with our heart. He is the one who should walk away from our life. Stay away from you and me so I can be at your side peacefully." He yelled at his boss.
Junmyeon is frozen. "You like me?"
"I'm sorry for yelling at you. But I will never let you fall for him. He is a jerk, he may flirt with me now. But he may flirt with other man or woman in the future. Can you facing that fact? Can you accept that? Can you hurting your own feeling even more? Think about it, sajangnim" then Jongdae walked away.
Junmyeon rub his face with his both hands. His head ached so much, ready to explode.
***
Jongdae's heavy steps and tired face every day makes Yixing start to worries. And today is the worst. "Jongdae ya, are you sick? You don't look fine. Take a rest for today."
"No hyung. I'm okay"
"Okay is not enough. It seems like you don't sleep at all at night for the whole week. Look at your face, you looked sick. Call your office and take a rest at home"
"I can't."
"I think you changed. You have this gloomy aura, and you don't wanna share your problem"
"Hyung, I can solve my own problem."
"Your problem wouldn't be solved if you get sick. Now call your office, tell them you need rest for two days and I'll be here to taking care of you. Okay"
Maybe Yixing is right. It's better for him to stay at home and stay away from the battle field for a while.
His eyes are too heavy and his headache is worse. He walking back to his room and lay on his warm bed. This feels heaven.
Yixing come to his room with breakfast and warm milk. "Eat and rest. I'll be at home for the day"
***
"Where's Jongdae?" the question slip from Yifan's mouth.
"Worries about him?" Junmyeon asked back coldly.
"It's up to me, I can worried about anyone I want" Yifan sit made himself comfortable by putting his long legs on the coffee table on Junmyeon office.
"If you I don't show up, would you worried about me too?"
"Maybe, if I in the mood"
"youre such a jerk" Junmyeon hissed. He is angry right now, but he doesn't know whether he angry at Yifan for being a jerk or angry because he is jealous
at Jongdae. "He is sick. He asking for home rest for two days" Junmyeon put his attention back to his work.
Yifan shifted his position into normal. "He is sick?"
Junmyeon doesn't answer again, so Yifan just left him alone with his work.
***
Yixing working at his sheet when he heard the door knocked. Who is that? He look at the clock on the wall, only 2 pm. Baekhyun won't come at this time, so he open the door with curiosity.
A tall guy standing in front of his apartment door, intimidating with his height and gaze. "Yes sir? Can I help you?"
"Is Jongdae live here?" The stranger asked.
"Yes"
"May I meet him?"
"I'm sorry, but may I know who are you first?"
"I'm his co worker. Ehem, his boss"
"Oh, okay. Please come in"
Yifan entered the simple apartment. This guy must be also stay here, he thinks. "I'm sorry for being rude. My name is Wu Yifan. I'm kind of Jongdae's boss"
"Zhang Yixing. You are Chinese?"
"Yes, but I grow up in Canada." Yifan explain. And Yixing just form an "O" shape.
"Please have a seat. Jongdae is sleeping. He looked too tired and needs rest. Do you want something to drink? Eh, we don't have any fancy beverage here.
Tea, coffee, juice, do you like milk?"
Yifan smiled, Jongdae has a very friendly and unique friend. "Coffee is fine, thank you"
Yifan looking around the apartment, it was a pretty spacious one with three bed rooms, small kitchen and one bathroom. It was homey and cozy.
Yixing sitted across him bring two cup of coffee.
"Yifan shii, I am worried about Jongdae. He stress at work. Is the company facing a big problem? Would you mind to tell me?"
Yifan keep silent for a while, thinking. Jongdae becomes unwell because of him. He made him stressed and suffered. It's what he wants, right? But why he
felt so guilty and regret all his acts now? He remember how Jongdae getting thinner these past days.
"Yifan shii?" Yixing calling him from his thought.
"Yes? Eh, I'm sorry, I'm just daydreaming." Yifan signed. "Can I see Jongdae?"
"He is still sleeping."
"It's okay. See him sleeping is fine. Let me see him. Can I?"
"What? Are you sure?"
"Please, I won't do anything bad", finally Yixing nodded.
They move to Jongdae's room. It just small room, but Jongdae arranges it pretty nicely and neat.
And in the bed Jongdae sleeping peacefully, a blanket covering his upper half, and one leg hanging over the bed. So this is how Jongdae sleep, Yifan smiled. It a nice thing to see the real Jongdae, YIfan only know him on his work place not his private life.
He take a chair from study desk, pull it near the bed and sit on it.
"Yixing shii, I'm sorry. But could you leave us on private? I want be here with him."
Yixing understand why Yifan being like this, it's pretty obvious that this Chinese man having crush on his friend. He hesitated for a while before finally leave them.
Yifan just staring at the sleeping form, he worried and sad at the same time. Jongdae getting thinner and looked sick. He may lose all his appetite and thinking too much. He feels sorry for Jongdae, he never knew that this gonna feel this bad. Maybe seeing someone you love in love with someone else is hurt, but seeing someone you love suffering seems worse.
"I'm sorry Jongdae. I really am" Yifan whispered, a tears start forming from the corner of his eyes. "I am a bad person, a bastard. Jongdae, will you ever forgive me?"
Yifan startled when Jongdae open his eyes slowly as if heard all his words. "Jongdae.."
The younger almost screaming because of shock when he realize Yifan is sitting near his bed. "What the hell, Yifan. What the ing are you doing here?!"
"I'm sorry, I don't intend to scare you. Really. I'm just worried. Junmyeon said that you are sick so I come here. I really doing nothing bad, I swear" Yifan panic too.
"Who let you come into my room? Yixing hyung?" Yifan nodded.
"Hell Yifan. Stop this. You stalking me"
"I just want to know your condition, I was worried, okay. I won't do anything bad to someone I love"
Jongdae scoffed "To someone you love?! You make me suffer, Yifan. How dare you say that words." Jongdae hit Yifan face with his pillow.
Yifan just silent, they stared at each other. His heart is in pain, Jongdae really angry at him.
"I'm sorry. I am really sorry Jongdae"
"Oh, you know the word 'sorry' too" Jongdae words full of sarcasm.
"I want to quit this stupid problem, but I guess Junmyeon won't let me slip that easy. He really fall for me, even I never return his feeling"
"That what you wish for. Congratulation for you."
"you are right, it's hurts. Seeing Junmyeon being fooled by me, seeing you hurting, realizing that I become a jerk, it's hurt me." Yifan signed.
"Consequences are hard. You know that"
"I am wrong. I want to fix this all. I mess up and I should fix it"
"Yifan, I wanna quit."
"What?"
"I want to quit from this problems. I'll quit from my job, from Junmyeon life and from your reach."
"What?"
"It's the best for me. I'll send my resign letter by the end of this week. I can't let this sorrow eat me alive. My life is more important, so I quit"
Yifan staring at him, "Yes, it may be better that see you suffering more than this. Leave this mess, Jongdae. Live your life peacefully and happily. I'm sorry. I hope I can survive without you." the blonde give him a weak smile.
The older stand up and prepare to leave, but he turn back. "Jongdae, may I asking one more last thing? After this I promise I won't disturb you anymore. One last thing? A goodbye present?"
"What that?"
"Can I kiss you? It's okay if you don't want to"
Jongdae is in doubt, but seeing how desperate, sad, and remorse in Yifan face, he is just nodded. Yifan is a man who love him, someone that think that
Jongdae is important. In some points, it's good to have someone who love you unconditionally and would do anything for you. As long as it's not in a bad way having someone who love you so much is good, but fate just play it's part.
Yifan's lips feel so warm against Jongdae's. It just a simple kissing, not a passionate or full of lust one. But it's the first time and the last time Jongdae
kissed by Yifan willingly. He closed his eyes and melting into the kiss, actually it tasted good. The kiss may last longer than it should, it's their last kiss anyway.
"I'm sorry for your pain" Yifan muttering between their kiss and then give his last light peck on Jongdae's lips.
He leaves without turning back.
Yixing knocked and comes into his room no longer after Yifan leave.
"He almost cries, is everything okay?"
"Yeah, the problem almost solved. I'm getting better now. Thanks hyung"
Jongdae feel his heart become lighter and happier. he may feel sad for a while, but this may lead him into new life, let the past stay behind.
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