⇋

Sehun certainly doesn’t expect to see Kai first thing the next morning as he steps foot onto the top floor of the building.

It’s awkward. Kai notices him and won’t move his gaze away. Sehun shifts uncomfortably. He has to walk past the other to get to his cubicle.

“Sehun―”

“W―What are you doing here?” Sehun stutters, cutting Kai off. He doesn’t really want to know what the other was going to say.

“Oh.” Kai’s expression darkens immediately. “Jongin called me here. Said he wanted to talk.”

“Jongin?” Sehun blinks, then feels a hand sliding around his back and settling onto his waist.

“That’s right, I called him here,” Jongin says, appearing behind Sehun and pulling the younger backward towards him almost possessively. “I wanted to tell you something.”

“Then speak,” Kai growls, eyes narrowing at the close proximity between the two.

“I just wanted to tell you that you can’t have it.”

“Huh?”

“You think that you can have everything,” Jongin elaborates. “You think you can disappear for five years and waltz back in here like it’s nothing. You think it’s all okay because everyone will defer to you. That father will grant your every wish, and you might be right. But let me tell you, even some things are out of his control.”

“What?” Kai leans forward threateningly, which prompts Sehun to lean back against Jongin’s chest, stuck between the two. Jongin’s grip only tightens on his waist.

“I have been running this company for over two years now. The employees here listen to me, not you. Not father. He might hold the biggest share in this company, but everything goes through me. I won’t let him mess with it. I won’t let him give this company to you. I’ve earned the right to this company and I won’t let you take it away.”

“Big words for someone who is only running this company because the CEO is letting him.”

“Father is the CEO, but he is not the only one with power,” Jongin tells him, gaze unfaltering. “You think the Board of Directors would approve of you? When I’ve been doing so well the past few years? While you were off doing frivolous things and escaping from your responsibilities? You might have father behind you, but I have the entire Board of Directors and every Shareholders behind my back. You want to play this power game? Then let’s play. I won’t let you win.”

Sehun looks back to see the resolved, almost chilling expression on Jongin’s face, and finds himself shivering. He’s always used to the kind, gentle Jongin that he had almost forgotten, as the President of a multi-million corporation, that Jongin can look like this too when it comes to handling business deals and problems.

“And that’s not the only thing you won’t win.”

Kai’s eyes narrow even further. “Yeah? What else are you so sure of?”

“This.” Jongin slides both arms around Sehun, linking his hands together at the front while his chin drops down onto Sehun’s left shoulder. “I know that you and Sehun have had some… history, in the past, but that’s just that. The past. I would appreciate if you don’t bother him again.”

“What I do with Sehun has nothing to do with you!”

“On the contrary, what you do with Sehun has everything to do with me, since he is my lover.” Sehun can feel Kai’s piercing eyes on him when Jongin continues, “Right, Sehun?”

He drops his head, which results in him staring at Jongin’s hands locked around his waist instead. “Yes, that’s right,” he says quietly.

“See? So you should―”

“Sehun, I’d like to speak to you alone,” Kai cuts in, ignoring his brother.

“Did you listen to a word I’ve said?” Jongin questions exasperatedly.

“I did, but there is something I’d like to speak to Sehun in private,” Kai answers, eyes still boring relentlessly into Sehun.

“I just told you―”

“President Jongin!” Minseok walks up to them then raises an eyebrow at the scene. “Umn, there is a call for you from Mr. Lee of Howang Enterprise…”

Jongin sighs, lets go of Sehun, and turns around. “Alright, I’ll go.”

“Wait, Jongin―” Sehun clinches onto the older’s sleeve searchingly. The man only gives a smile back.

“It’s alright, I trust you,” he says, squeezing the hand in reassurance before walking away with Minseok.

Leaving Sehun and Kai alone in the hallway.

Sehun fiddles with the hems of his shirt nervously. “S―So what did you want to talk about?”

Kai runs a hand through his hair, looking frustrated. “You shouldn’t go out with him.”

“What?”

“Look, I know you are mad at me, but that doesn’t mean you should go out with my brother in a fit of anger.”

Sehun purses his lips, frowning. “You think I’m only going out with Jongin as some sort of revenge against you? I’m not that petty.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I meant, Jongin isn’t good for you! You shouldn’t go out with him!”

“Jongin isn’t good for me? Then who is good for me? You certainly don't mean you, right?”

“Sehun! When did you become so scathing?”

Sehun flinches, in a deep breath. “A lot… has happened… in five years…” he whispers shakily, hiccupping. “I’ve been through a lot… after you left me… You don’t know anything… You don’t know anything, Kai!” You don’t know I’ve had to raise our child by myself all this time… You don’t know how it feels to have to tell Sowon that he doesn’t have two parents like his friends, but only me…

You don’t know that you have a son with me… Sehun wants to say.

His body is trembling, stuttering for breaths, and he has to stumble back to lean onto a desk nearby for balance.

“Sehun, please calm down. You’re going to hyperventilate again.” Kai moves towards him, but the younger only curls into himself more.

“Don’t touch me!” he screams, the sound harsh against the stillness of the hallway.

“Sehun, oh my god…” Kai is looking in distress, frozen in place while Sehun continues to clutch onto the desk to get ahold of himself.

“Sehun, I’m really sorry. I didn’t want this to happen… I was selfish… I was stupid… I shouldn’t have left you alone…” Kai says, voice so soft that Sehun almost couldn’t hear it, but he does, and that only makes it hurt more.

“Enough,” he tells the other, trying to calm down. “I told you, let’s put everything in the past and be cordial towards each other. I’m okay now―”

“But Sehun, I’m―”

“Kai?”

Both of them s