To see the shine in those eyes again

Minseok is still standing with Kyungsoo in his arms, holding his son tighter, his eyes still on the man who is standing not too far from him. He wants to run to that man and hold him, maybe he would cry on his shoulder and say sorry. Jongin doesn’t move, his eyes also still on Minseok.

Two years, time changed Jongin so much, he no longer has that mischievous smile. His toned body shows how much he has been working out. The only thing Minseok remembers and it is still the same, Jongin’s sleepy eyes. Minseok misses those eyes so much, he wishes that he never left those eyes. But there is something missing, Jongin’s warm gaze. Those eyes just radiates coldness, Minseok can’t believe those eyes no longer has the familiar warmness he misses so much.

Kyungsoo is still crying with his head buries on Minseok’s shoulder. Minseok rubs the boy’s back, still trying to comfort him. Minseok realizes that Jongin’s eyes is focus on Kyungsoo now, he has that worry look. If only they were not in this awkward situation, Minseok would smile, he knows that Jongin always the soft spot for kids.

“Jong…”

Minseok can’t finish it. Jongin walks to his apartment door, enters the passcode and opens the door without saying anything. Minseok loses his voice and everything he has in his mind, he feels so dumb suddenly.

Jongin still doesn’t say a word, he takes his cellphone from the pocket of his hoodie, checking something and he just lets out a sigh as he puts it back. He stares at Minseok who is busy trying to stop Kyungsoo’s whimper. Minseok avoids Jongin’s eyes, too afraid that he might say or do something stupid. This awkward situation kills Minseok.

Jongin walks to Minseok’s suitcases, pulls them with the roller. Still in his silent mode, Jongin walks to the door with Minseok’s suitcases in his hand. It confuses Minseok, he expected angry Jongin or even worse he imagined that Jongin would slap him, but the current thing happen is the complete opposite. Minseok really wants to go down to his knees to ask Jongin’s forgiveness, but Jongin doesn’t say a word makes him feel the worst person in the world. How Jongin could does this, Minseok is sure that Jongin has the anger, the feeling of disgust and every worst thought about him.

“Jongin-ah…” Minseok finally braces his self to talk but his eyes still avoiding Jongin.

“It’s late. You better take rest first. Your son is tired” Jongin says in cold tone. It hits Minseok hard.

Minseok takes a deep breath. He looks up, Jongin is standing at the doorway – waiting for Minseok to come with him. Minseok can feel his tears pool, just with a blink the tears will flow down to his cheeks. He moves his right feet, his step feels so heavy.

God… Is this how you punish me?

***

The nightmare dressed like a daydream

Minseok can’t sleep.

He and Kyungsoo are in a bedroom that Jongin lead them to before. Minseok followed Jongin to his apartment, he didn’t dare to look around the apartment or even to say something. Jongin lead them to a bedroom, he the light so they could see everything in the room.

“Does he need water?” Jongin asked suddenly. He asked if Kyungsoo needed water, Minseok looked down to Kyungsoo whose head still buried in his shoulder.

“I think he’s sleeping” Minseok could feel Kyungsoo’s steady breath. Minseok knew that Kyungsoo stopped crying when they entered the apartement, probably he was drained and it already passed his bed time.

Jongin didn’t say anything after that, left Minseok with his guilty feeling. Minseok knew it, Jongin didn’t have intention to talk with him now, and today must be a shocking day for Jongin.

Minseok turns his body, facing the sleeping Kyungsoo, the boy is sleeping soundly with his innocent face. The Minseok from two years ago would never imagine that he would has a cutest son. And the Minseok from two years ago also would never imagine that he could do something very stupid and ended up being the most miserable person.

Two years ago, everything was so perfect. If only he didn’t meet him.

Minseok was twenty six, he had ‘the amazing life’. Even he just had Jongin as one and only family, but everything was perfect by its own way. Minseok was a painter. No, he was not that kind of painter who went to a high class collage, he was just a boy who graduated from high school and decided to start his career as a painter. The Kim’s family had ‘the gift’, the father was a famous pianist and the mother was a painter. The art blood inherited to the sons too, the eldest took after his mother and the youngest had the great move as a dancer. Things changed after the accident, the Kim brothers had to survive by them self. Minseok was just sixteen and Jongin was twelve.

Twenty six was the peak of Minseok’s career, the young painter made his name to the top list. He made it to famous exhibition in Asia and Europe.

There was an exhibition that really remarkable for him, a famous painting exhibition held in Beijing. It was Minseok’s first time to attend an exhibition in China. He was so excited. He prepared his best art works and presented them proudly. On the second day of the exhibition, his sponsor told him someone was interested on his work and he wanted to meet Minseok. Of course Minseok was happy, but it was the first time for him to meet someone who was interested on his work. His shy personality made him barely show up on public. This case is even worse for him, that person was a stranger and he was Chinese and Minseok couldn’t speak anything in Chinese.

They told him that the person was a CEO of a big company in Beijing. Minseok imagined the man was some fiftyish man who interested in art. The CEO sent him a dinner invitation, and sadly Minseok declined the invitation. Until the last day of exhibition, the CEO kept sending Minseok flower bucket and other dinner invitations.

Minseok returned to Seoul to attend Jongin’s recital. He told his brother his first experience in Beijing and not forgot about the CEO. Jongin laughed so hard, he made a joke that the fifty something CEO fell in love with Minseok.

Six months after the exhibition in Beijing, Minseok didn’t really remember about the CEO anymore. He was too focus for the charity auction that he was going to attend.

D day of the auction, Minseok was nervous. What if there was no one who interested with his work and he couldn’t make any fund. Minseok decided that he wouldn’t attend the auction, he would sit at home waiting for the news from Jongin who attended the auction for him.

Minseok knew that God loved him so much, Jongin called him and told him the good news, his painting sold with the highest price.

“But hyung, I have another good news for you” Jongin sang song, Minseok bet that his brother hid something crazy.

“Remember the CEO from Beijing?” Jongin asked as if Minseok could forget.

“Err… The one who wanted to meet me?”

“Yup! He is the one who bought you painting just now. And of course…” Jongin didn’t finish it to make his brother curious.

“Of course what?” Minseok could sense something fishy.

“Of course he wanted to meet you” Jongin laughed so hard just by imagining his brother’s surprised face. “And as your good brother, I said that you are going to meet him”

“WHAT?” Minseok screamed from the other side of the phone.

“Sounds like someone is excited” Jongin continued to tease Minseok. “Your date is on Friday” Jongin hung up the phone, leaving Minseok dumfounded.

Minseok never blamed Jongin for that crazy decision, somehow he was thankful. He was the one who made crazier decision and he regreted it – still regretting it actually.

***

Author's note :

I'm sorry... I promised the chapter 2 would be posted on last week :((

Things came up suddenly and I had to take care of them so I could spend my day off properly.

This chapter is kind of short, I cut some parts and decided to put them on the next chapter.

Thank you for reading! See you soon ^^v