{ Clandestine Dalliance: Fifth Chapter }

It wasn’t the pain that was developed. It’s the feeling that never left you when you wanted to get away.

Two months have flown ever so leisurely. Everyone was on the right track, so as Soojung. But Jongin on the other hand cannot even concentrate on the project that his father gave him and most likely would love to see him working on it already. It’s just the surreal feeling that invaded him and he can’t even focus on his work.

He would sometimes see Soojung during meet ups with his friends, including Sehun. He would see her feeling so comfortable like nothing has happened to her. She would talk casually with others, even with him. She didn’t even hesitate to look at him in the eye during that time when they accidentally bumped into each other. His lips felt numb. He can’t talk. He saw her being blooming that day than she usually is; Like he didn’t break her heart.

He felt happy but at the same time, he felt a bit disappointed and hurt. Why does she look so problem free? How can she be so tranquil after a rough break up? How can she look so dazzlingly calm when he is horribly broken on the other side?

Jongin wants his questions answered but it was left unanswered as she continued living her life while he kept on living on the page with so many painful and heart-rending memories.

It’s a Friday evening and Jongin decided to drink to relieve stress.

“Jongin, man, what’s up with you?” his friend, Chanyeol asked as he observed Jongin’s lost aura. Jongin looked at him directly, shooting his friend a confused look.

“What’s with me?” he questioned back, pointing his index finger towards his chest.

“You’ve been pretty weird lately.” Chanyeol said before taking a gulp from his beer. “You even asked me to accompany you to my club, when you usually invite Baekhyun or Sehun.”

“I- I’m just really stressed with the project and all.” Jongin answered in a frustrated manner and sighed deeply. He drank the last bits of his beer before grabbing another bottle. Chanyeol chuckled as he looked at Jongin. He may not be a an expert when it comes to mind reading but he can picture out that there is something bothering his friend.

“It’s your sixth bottle now Jongin. You sure you don’t want to stop?” Chanyeol asked, setting the empty bottle of beers to his side. He grabbed the bottle of beer from Jongin’s hold to refrain him from drinking more.

Jongin hissed and he tried to reach for the beer but the older one moved it far away from him. “Give it to me.” He uttered with a husky voice.

Chanyeol shook his head. The younger one rolled his eyes before calling out for the bartender to get him a can of beer. But Chanyeol interjected and told the bartender to stop giving Jongin beers or else he would fire him.

The bartender followed his boss’ command and went on with his work. Chanyeol exhaled deeply, gazing at Jongin who’s miserably staring at the can of beers in front of him. Chanyeol grew curious as to why Jongin si acting like this. Jongin is usually jolly, playful; not broken and horrible.

 “What happened to you?” Chanyeol asked again and Jongin groaned loudly that made other customers look at him. Chanyeol sighed before sending apologetic looks towards his disturbed customers.

Jongin shifted his position so that he can face Chanyeol. He smirked as he tapped his fingers on the marbled table. “You know Soojung right?” he said, and the older lad looked at him bewilderedly. He was baffled by his sudden interrogation of Sehun’s wife. Why she was brought up by Jongin.

“Of course, she’s Sehun’s wife. What’s with her?” Chanyeol questioned back and his forehead creased in confusion.

Jongin chuckled dryly. “We had a relationship.”

Chanyeol stared at him with suspicious eyes, his head’s tilting to the side as he tried to rethink the answer Jongin gave him. He can’t find any comprehensible answers because pure bafflement clouded his brain. He looked at Jongin and he saw him staring back at him.

“So, she is your ex,” he trailed off. “Right before Sehun?” he added, turning uncertain with his guess.

Chanyeol squinted his eyes after he heard his friend letting out a laugh. A painful laugh that is clear to his friend’s ear but not to anyone. “No.” Jongin responded shortly.

“What?” Chanyeol voiced out, earning a quick response from the younger male.

“We had constant and even made love.” Jongin answered, chortling at the very end as he reminisce the day he and Soojung made love. The day wherein he saw her broken state. With her puffy eyes and trembling lips. “She broke up with me when he knew that I’m dating Gayoung. How cool is that?” He continued, painting on a smug smile.

Chanyeol scoffed at his friend’s credent look. “What is so cool with betraying your best friend?” he shot.

“Everything,” Jongin replied.

Chanyeol shoots the tan skinned male a glare. He cannot believe it. He never thought his joy-filled friend can be so deceiving and dirty. He betrayed one of his best friends and he still have the guts to stay casual whenever they meet each other. Jongin is a without conscience in his sanity.

“You get to do sinful things.” Jongin said, his eyelid turned heavy as he felt sleepy due to the alcohol.

Chanyeol blinked briefly, he fished his phone out of his pocket. “I’m calling Gayoung to pick you up. You’re spitting words of gibberish.” He muttered, dialing Gayoung's number on his smartphone.

Jongin chuckled, leaning his back on his high chair.

Chanyeol heard a whisper from the other line and he knew Gayoung was out with her family as he heard Seulgi’s voice from the background.

Gayoung, can you pick Jongin up for me?

\ Why oppa? \

He’s drunk, and I can’t bring him home ‘cause I’ve somewhere else to go.

Truth be told, he just doesn’t want to face Jongin as of the moment. He’s disappointed in him that’s why he called his girlfriend to pick him up. A few seconds later h