“Oh, Hakyeon-hyung!” Jaehwan called out from afar as soon as he caught glimpse of Hakyeon stepping out of his room.

Hakyeon tried giving him the widest smile he had but it never hid the exhaustion written all over his face. And Jaehwan whom now knew the story of Hakyeon’s past could not help but to be more observant. He saw the stress and the worries reflected on Hakyeon’s gaze and his forced smile.

“Are you okay now? Do you want something to eat?” Jaehwan tried asking, sounding as cheerful as he’d usually be. He hoped that would at least helped Hakyeon to ease himself.

Hakyeon nodded without words. He thought he’d saved Taekwoon from nagging him about having meals though he did not feel like eating at all. Hakyeon would eat. For the sake of Taekwoon and ultimately for the sake of his baby’s health. That was the most important thing for him.

However, as soon as Jaehwan left to prepare his late lunch, Hakyeon found himself thinking and worrying over what happened today all over again. All thoughts jumbling up in his mind, running wild, pressing hard in his head that it hurts him. Hakyeon felt his body ran cold and his goosebumps raising just as fast as how he felt bile rising up his throat, thinking of how humiliated he felt when Mrs Lee threw all those insulting and accusing words to him and just how embarrassed he was that Taekwoon was there to witness it. The sleep did no good other than just a little escape. Hakyeon shut his eyes tight, swallowing down his saliva and hand trying to massage his temple.

“Hakyeon-hyung…” Jaehwan called him softly. Hakyeon opened his eyes to see Jaehwan’s worried face close to him. He noticed that Jaehwan had prepared a feast on the table in front of him. It must be the lunch he’d prepared for Taekwoon and him earlier. “Are you okay…?”

Hakyeon felt guilty that he had Jaehwan to worry for him on top of feeding him meals everyday. “Yes I am!” Hakyeon said with a smile after clearing his throat, to get rid of the bitter taste in his mouth. “I feel fine, don’t worry..” He continued, taking up the chopstick despite his hand being a little shaky. “Ah. And I’m so sorry Jaehwanie… I didn’t get to properly greet Wonsik earlier..” Hakyeon made a little pout with his lips before taking a bite of his late lunch. All were going well. The words flew out of his mouth so smoothly and so clearly, despite how his stomach was twisting in a weird way and how his head was thumping so loudly. “I really am sorry… You should bring him again another time and I’ll make sure to greet him properly… If you allow me, I’d even let him taste my cooking, let me make up for what happen today,” Hakyeon continued on and on each time after he finished forcing down his food.

Jaehwan tried to smile even when he could not looked past of how troubled Hakyeon looked. “Sure… Sure, I should bring him next time and no Hakyeon-hyung… You can’t cook.” Jaehwan giggled. “You know Taekwoon-hyung will scold me later if I let you do the work...-” Jaehwan tried to keep the conversation going as cheerfully and as happily as he could, until Hakyeon suddenly lose his grip on the chopstick and was stifling down his coughs. He fetched a glass of water for Hakyeon and waited till he calmed down to hand him the water.

“I’m sorry Jaehwan… but can I rest in my room now…?” Hakyeon croaked after he gulped down the water, looking apologetically at Jaehwan. It was not that Jaehwan’s cooking was terrible but Hakyeon felt that if he took another bite he might end up vomiting over the dining table and caused more burden to Jaehwan. Sweats started to run down Hakyeon’s temple as he his dry, pale lips.

Jaehwan did not say any more words other than a curt nod before he was helping Hakyeon to stand. The older’s hand was icy cold and if Jaehwan was right, Hakyeon’s body was shaking slightly while he led him back to his room. Caused by the worries he felt for Hakyeon, Jaehwan braved himself to text his Young Master, for the first time in all the years he had been serving Taekwoon.

Taekwoon tapped his fingers a bit too loudly in the meeting room. ‘Hakyeon’s fine Hakyeon’s fine’ He told himself repeatedly while his other hand was gripping hard on his phone which he held below the table. After sneaking to read the message Jaehwan sent him, Taekwoon lose his focus in the meeting and was all fidgety in his seat. Right now the words uttered by the board member were nothing more than murmurs to his ears. Despite being only an intern at the company Taekwoon was allowed to sit and listen everytime there was a meeting as that was what his father specifically asked of him and no one dared to go against it.

Hence why he was there when Jaehwan’s message came in and unknowingly his finger-tapping became louder and faster with each minute passed.

“Jung Taekwoon!” Master Jung’s loud voice finally brought Taekwoon out of his ‘worrying-over-Hakyeon’ trance. “Do you have anything to say about today’s motion?” He continued, stern and serious once Taekwoon turned to him and, like an open book his father knew Taekwoon was not paying attention at all.

“What?” Taekwoon uttered out of surprise. “Wha.. N-No.. I mean no sir. I have nothing to say about today’s motion.” Taekwoon gulped and casted his gaze on the floor.

Master Jung dismissed the meeting not long after and Taekwoon could not felt more relieved than right then when it was announced the meeting was adjourned. However, before he was able to make a dash out of the meeting room, his father’s hand met his shoulder and was gripping on it. “Family’s dinner one week from today. Clear your plans and be home. I have things to discuss with you.” He said sternly. “And Taekwoon. Whatever that is troubling you today, I hope it get settles well and please. Don’t ever embarrass me in front of the board member again.”

Taekwoon mentally sighed and quickly left his father with a meek nod. Family dinner meant time for Master Jung to decide for the family. It meant big plans for the family. It meant meeting to have other family members to listen and abide by his father’s decision. But, more than anything, Taekwoon worried over Hakyeon’s well-being more than having to have a family dinner in a week’s time.

When Taekwoon arrived home, Jaehwan was already standing by the opened door, hands clasping and eyebrows creasing. “Hyung seemed to be in pain… and I don’t know what to do… H-He takes his own meds all this while and I’m scared if I were the one to give him meds it’ll be wrong and.. and He’ll get worse and and… I can’t call for the ambulance, you’ll be upset and I searched on the internet before it could be just stress or or… some pregnancy thingy, or something else… so I don’t know… And Taekwoon-hyung, I didn’t cook for him anything bad but I’m so sorryyy….I don’t know what to do, I just wait and gave him water but he kept shaking his head.. I..-”

“Jaehwan!” Taekwoon interrupted him in the middle of his fast-pace speech with words all jumbling up that, miraculously Taekwoon understood his concern perfectly. “I’m here now, you just go and get all Hakyeon-hyung’s meds okay?” He directed with his soft voice in order to keep Jaehwan calm.

Jaehwan heeded his words in no time and went running to the drawer where Hakyeon kept all his medications while Taekwoon jogged his way to Hakyeon’s room. He entered the room and found the latter lying in a foetal position, hands clutching his stomach. Hakyeon’s body was drenched in cold sweat and his pale lips were trembling as his eyes were tightly shut.

“Hakyeon-ah…” Taekwoon whispered as he carefully sat on the bed and immediately his hand were rubbing up and down Hakyeon’s back so softly and comfortingly. He used his other hand to brush away the sweaty bangs away from Hakyeon’s forehead and his heart broke into million pieces when Hakyeon finally met his eyes through his half lidded gaze.

“T-Taekwoon…”

“I’m here, I’m here..” Taekwoon replied softly as he wiped away Hakyeon’s sweats on his face.

Hakyeon took a deep breathe and tried to focus on Taekwoon’s familiar scent to calm his racing mind that was the source of the extreme headache he felt at the moment. “I-I’m… I’m fine… but it hurts a lot… I tried to sleep but I can’t… I just can’t…” Hakyeon stammered without telling the real reason he could not sleep,