Hi, happy new year everyone. I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. honestly, I've been busy lately and wasn't in the mood to write. well, until recently, i got some inspirations. I don't how it is but i hope it make up the days i left this fic un-updated haha. sorry again and happy new year.

By the end of the session, Jong In was all out of energy, looking like his life being out of him. His back already slumped on the couch, eyes staring up to the ceiling with a scattered mind. He thought talking things out with someone would make everything better. But he only feels his head heavy with bad memories.

He tilted his head down, looking straight to the counselor. She was scribbling something on her notebook, on her crossed legs. Jong In could see blue ink wrote nicely in a line on the white paper but he couldn’t make out the words.

Without looking up, she begins to talk. He think she was talking about how their session went, how she felt about jongin’’s confession and stuff. He doesn’t know for sure, he couldn’t hear her or the ticking clock or the cars drving by the street.

Jong In tries to focus on her,,joining back into their conversation. But his head had build some kind of imaginary sound-proof wall in his mind that block every sound in. He stops trying.

He keeps his eyes glued on her face,staring at her eyes and her moving lips.He should, at least, look like he’s paying attention to her.

His senses came back to him when he felt a warm hand rested on his knee. Dumbfounded, Jong In blinked his eyes, feeling a bit out of place. Wendy was leaning forward towards him, worried eyes looking into his confused ones.

Silence loomed over the room. Neither bother to start talking as both were emersed in their own thoughts. Wendy looks at the older one’s face, making sure he was okay. Jong In, just stay stiff in his place,not sure what to do. Sighing, Wendy leaned back to her couch.

“Let’s call it a day.” she patted the man’s knee. “You must be tired already.” Wendy offers a smile. It was small but it reached her eyes. Jong In nodded. He started to feel the sore muscles aching for sitting too long. He can’t wait to feel his soft sheet under him.

A few words exchanged before the bid their goodbye with a smile. Jong In was half way out the room when he felt something was slipped into his hand. Jong In turned to see Wendy stood behind him, retrieving her hand from his. Eyebrows raised, he opens his hand to see some candies.

“I got a lot in my bag, thought to give you some.” she smiles again. Jong In smiles back, thanking her for the candies. He chuckles when he heard the girl muttered a loud ‘Cheer up!” before the door closed.

Maybe some sweets can take his mind of Se Hun for awhile.

“Jong In!!” the loud slammed on the table broke his reverie. A bit lost, he blinked his eyes up to the person standing in front of him. The woman narrowed her eyes on Jong In, clearly pissed off about something Jong In didn’t pay attention on.

“Yah, did you just spaced out on me? Really now?” ah.. She’s mad about that, he thought, rubbing his nape. He didn’t noticed that he was zoning out while she was talking. He felt sorry for doing so.

“I’m sorry, Ji Yeon. I didn’t’ mean to do that.” Ji Yeon sighed, dropping herself on her seat with dissatifaction. Sure, it’s annoying when people don’t listen to you but doesn't matter. She’s too worried about Jong In to the point it annoys her.

Lately, Jong In seems to be a bit off. She oftern caught him spacing out at his desk during breaks between classes or magically disappeared into places where no one knows, except her. she found out about it while looking out for him, Ji Yeon had asked him a few times about that but he always brushed her away with ‘i’m fine’.

She doesn’t push it, afraid it might make Jong In uncomfortable but she can’t help the urge to in. He was her bestfriend, he always tell her everything despite being quiet and reserved most of the time.

She wonders, why is he being so secretive now?

Loud chatter burst thru the double door, filling the quiet lounge with abnoxious laugh and high pitch giggles. Tilting her head to the door, she rolls her eyes at the sight of the two women. It’s Cho In na and Ji Chae Won from the music department, the divas of the art department.

Ji Yeon doesn’t like them. Their presences just irks her. Others love her, the men especially, because of their beauty and hot bodies and being one of the youngest female staff (including Ji Yeon) made them got all of the attentions. 

Jong In, on the other hand, didn’t bother to look over his shoulder. He was busy thinking, again. Before his mind could wonder any futher, the sudden touches on his arm and shoulders brought him back to his body. What the hell? Tensing, he looks up, only to see those two above him, smiling so brightly to him.

“Ah, it’s you guys.” he said but the unwelcoming tone in his voice can’t be heard under the loud squeals. “Jong In shi, I was wondering where you were!” A short hair woman -In na said, patting the male’s arm quite hard, Jong In can’t helped to flinch.

“Yeah! We’ve looked all over for you. We were planning to ask you out for lunch with us.” another woman- Chae Won said. She was behind him, titling her body to the side to look at Jong In. Jong In doesn’t like it, she was too close to his face for his liking. Her hands were still gripping on Jong In’s shoulders, giving him a little massage.

He felt his shoulders burns under her touch. There’s a small nagging voice inside his head told him to tell her off, maybe that would stop all the flirting she and Inna darted on him. But that would just be rude. So, he just grabs her hands, much to Chae Won delight, and removed from his shoulders.

“Well, I’m sorry for that. Maybe we can eat another time.” He hopes there wouldn’t be any but this can do for now, to make them go away. The girls groaned loudly, disapproving the offer.

“Why can’t we have it now?” In na asked, tighten her grip on Jong In’s arm, much to Jong In’s annoyance. He couldn’t talk properly with the girls’ whining and pleading. It was giving him a headache.

A stern cough had stop the girls’ actions, giving all of their attention on the forgotten Ji Yeon, sitting across them and not looking any much pleased than Jong In is.

“Sorry to interupt but we were having lunch jus now and you guys are disturbing us and the others too.” She nudged her head to the other lecturers, eating their lunch but stop to watch the divas fighting over Jong In, a married man. Her eyes was cold on them, disliking the view in front of her. They looked around, only to see that the stern woman was right. The other lecturers had stop from eating, their eyes darted on them. It were filled with many emotions; annoyed, discomfort and disgust. The realization had their cheeks red with embarrassment, that made them want to run but they didn’t let it go that easily.

Chae Won clears her throats, to cover her embarrassment, and straighten herself up “We will keep your words, Jong In. Don’t forget about it.” In na nods, walking away with Chae won, out of the lounge.

There was an awkward silence floating in the air. That always came after the Divas made a racus. It was not a new thing to their eyes to see those two flirting shamelssly to Jong In, it was a routine by now. However, the others can’t get used to the scene whenever it happened. It just disturbing. A chuckle broke the silence, making people turned to face her.

“Jong In shi is too charming, that they couldn’t help themselves.” Mrs. Choi, a small chubby 40 year old lecturer muses. “Poor them.” this made the others smile. “I didn’t ask to be born this handsome, Mrs. Choi.” Jong In shrugged while people laughed or snickered at his sarcasm.

“ Come here then, let me cut that face of yours and replaced it with mine. It would be great to have those to flaunting over me, everyday.” Mr. Ko, a 45 year old man, cracking his knuckles as he stood from his seat, walking towards Jong In. Jong In had his hand held up, want to run away but the old man was faster, grounding him with a head lock. The old man starts to pinch his face, looking like his peeling the younger’s face off its skin. Jong In was laughing hard in the older one’s arm, feeling ticklish under the harsh touches.

“This is nice. It’s been awhile to see you laugh.” Mrs. Park said, staring at the two rascal wrestling with each other. They toned down their action at the statement, Jong In’s laughters turns into airy chuckles. “Really?” He removed himself from Mr. Ko, standing stiff. Suddenly, he felt exposed.

Mrs. Choi agreed to it immediately, busy munching her biscuts. “Yes, you always seems so gloomy lately. Is something troubling you?” He lets out a fake laugh, “I’m fine, though.” he cursed himself for saying that, it just give his feelings away. Both older women looks at him with concern upon hearing that. “So, there is. Tell us what is it about?”

Ji Yeon glanced to the-now-seated Jong In. She ,too, wanted to know the reason. “Is it about work” Mrs. Park continues, eyes looking closely on the younger. “or is it about the girls” Mrs. Choi urges, refering back to In na and Chae Won but Jong In didn’t say anything. He had his eyes trained on his lap. “Or is have some problem at home with Se Hun?”

Everyone knows about Jong In’s gay marriage, it was the first thing he said when he introduced himself to them 2 years ago. They were shocked and speechless, they know about gay people and LGBT stuff but they never encountered one in real life, so it was a bit surreal to them. They didn’t thought much about it, when Jong In was starting to fidget, and welcomes him into their department.

Later, they know Jong In’s husband was Se Hun, who was working as an architect and thats all. They haven’t get the chance to see him up front, except for Ji Yeon.

Mrs. Park and Mrs. Choi could see how Jong In’s body tense at the mention of Se Hun. They could only smile. “You get through it, whatever problem you’re having with him right now.” Mrs. Choi nodded in agreement. “It’s just a matter of time. My husband and I often argue when we were younger but it never lasted long, after a day of silent treatment, he’s come back apologizing with a chocolate cake in his hand.” She laughed as she reminiscing the memories of their silly quarrels over the years, making Jong In unconsciously smile.

“Maybe I’m not used to it cause we rarely argue.” true, Se Hun and him rarely have that kind of argument, he’s not sure if they ever had one. They usually argue in silence, not talking with each other for days until Se Hun in his good mood again. It’s suffocating when those moment came. It made Jong In clueless on what to do.

“It’s okay, the first 5 years of marriage is always the hardest, since you’re young, still adjusting living with each others’ attitude and all of that. We’ve been there before, right?” she motioned to Mrs. Choi , who nodded “But yeah, being married, you just end up loving each other again. That’s what made it bearable.” Mrs. Park said, looking at Jong In with an assurance smile. Jong In blinks his eyes, digesting her words.

He had heard about that once, about the first 5 years are the hardest but he never paid much attention since he was still single at that time. However, it does made him wonder after seeing some couple arguing in some dramas, how can they still be together even after shouting atop of their lungs? Or after being beaten to bits? He doesn’t get it.

But now he knows, it was the love they started off on the first place that kept the together even through thick and thin. The love which got stronger after all the ordeal they went through. Did they felt that strong emotion when started being friends? Did it grow after all of those shouting and yelling they had in the silent treatments? Or they never really felt that way for each other, mistaking a friendly love for something more. That explains their current situation perfectly. There was no love to save them from falling apart.

“Thank you for the advice.” Jong In said sincerely to them. It’s good to know about the first 5 years, he might use it in the near future, once he knows how.