Chapter 11

“Come in.” Jaehyun called as he went through a few x-ray scans, pointing to certain areas to Jeno and Jaemin as they took notes in record speed.

“Hey. Am I interrupting?” Taeyong peered into his office.

“No... no, just give me a sec. Come in.” Jaehyun continued explaining to the two before dismissing them quickly. “That should be all. The reports you two did look fine. I’ll go through them tonight. You guys can go have lunch.”

“Lunch?” They chorused in surprise.

“Lunch... yes. Go eat, my little apprentices.” He shooed them away with a firm but friendly smile. Taeyong hid his laugh by coughing into his arm.

“Thank you, Dr. Jaehyun.” They said before leaving the office door; for a moment, the simply stared at each other in confusion.

“Did he just call us little apprentices?” Jeno asked, Jaemin shrugged in response and they headed to the cafeteria.

“Subtle.” Taeyong put the food down on his table next to a neat pile (well, admittedly not enough for Taeyong’s standards) of files and papers on his desk.

“I tried my best. They’d never leave if I didn't freak them out a little bit.” Jaehyun went around to that side of his desk, trapping Taeyong’s body in between the table and himself.

“Don’t bully them. They’re such cute little things.” Taeyong pouted.

“You think they’re cute?” The doctor raised his eyebrows curiously.

“Are you jealous?”

“No.”

“I think you’re cute when you’re like this.”

“Like what?”

“Jealous.” Jaehyun frowned before leaning in to whisper against his ear.

“I’ve always wanted to do that dramatic thing in dramas where I push everything off my desk and take you right here and now... but...”

“There’s a ‘but’? This was just getting good.” He chuckled.

“But you’d probably clean the mess before y time could even commence. And I just sorted those files in order of priority. Sorry.” The doctor chuckled and kissed the bridge of his nose in a small gesture of apology.

“Make it up to me at home then.”

“What about I make it up to you now?” Jaehyun pulled at his belt loops. They meet in a kiss and it turned from soft to deep in a matter of seconds. The scraping of the door forced Jaehyun to pull away, caught off guard and flustered. “Would it kill you people to knock?” Jaehyun seethed but calmly flattened his shirt and hair when he realised it was just his so called friends.

“Would it kill all the doctors in this hospital to lock the doors?” Seulgi snapped back.

“Taeil and Doyoung never lock the door.” Irene said, a little bit traumatised and shivered at the memory. Taeil stood next to her, slightly blushing and shaking his head.

“Okay guys... Too much info.” Taeyong laughed.

“Jeno and Jaemin told us you were here and we wanted to see you...”

“And if you brought food.” Taeil added.

“I did.” Taeyong pointed to the plastic bag, making Seulgi and Irene sigh with relief.

“You don’t have class?” Taeil asked as he opened the Tupperware. They gathered around Jaehyun’s large desk, careful to move the paperwork aside.

“Not today. I just have another moot to prepare for but I’m meeting at the library after this.”

“Oh I see...”

“Irene noona, you look tired.” Taeyong said softly.

“No, she looks like an utter mess.” Seulgi corrected.

“Yeah... I know. I still don’t have a date for the gala.”

“It’s in two days. Your parents will freak.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. I haven’t even gotten a dress yet. I’m so swamped with work. I’m going to be grilled so bad by my parents!” Irene groaned.

“Why?” Taeyong asked.

“Because she’s old and still single.”

“There has to be a guy you can get on short notice.” Jaehyun said before taking a sip of his coffee.

“It’s Saturday tomorrow. People have plans by now.” Irene shook her head. But Taeyong said something that silenced the whole room.

“I don’t have plans.”

He looked to her and she was surprised by the suggestion. Jaehyun felt annoyed and he did not even try to hide it.

“No.” It is a big word but was short and snippy, proving again he was not going to share Taeyong. Fake boyfriend or not.

“I mean I don’t have plans if you need someone to help you out.”

“Taeyong.”

“I don’t mind, noona.” He ignored the elder again and Jaehyun frowned.

“I mind.” He cleared his throat.

“Are you seriously still going on with that jealousy charade?”

“It’s not a charade.” Jaehyun gritted his teeth.

“Clearly.” Taeil snickered behind his coffee making the other glare at him.

“It’s just a bit of acting. Irene noona obviously needs some help. And you don’t get to boss me around and tell me what I can and can’t do.”

“He’s not a patient, Dr. Jaehyun. He has a point.” Seulgi drawled with a smirk, purposely using the words ‘patient’and calling him Dr.

“Just because I agree to this doesn’t mean I like it.”

“Of course. Your level of petty jealousy isn’t exactly... discrete.” They go back to eating and the usual flow of banter continues fluidly. But Taeyong missed the looks Jaehyun sent his way; a mix of despondency and longing.

“You don’t have to do this, you know.” Jaehyun spoke loudly enough for him to hear from his bedroom.

“And you don’t have to be so worried. I choose you, remember?” There is lilt in his voice Jaehyun can hear clearly. He imagined Taeyong was buttoning his dress shirt in his bedroom, probably smiling crookedly into the mirror.

He was not jealous.

“Rrrrriiinggg.” The doorbell rang but Jaehyun didn’t feel like opening the damn door. It’s immature but he wants to keep Taeyong for himself. Like the selfish prick he was. All to himself.

“Answer the door.” Taeyong shouted from the next room and he grumbled as he unlocked the door.

When Jaehyun answered the door, he almost choked on his own spit. Irene was wrapped in a flowy black dress that was tucked and ruched to show off her curves yet retain the same elegant conservativeness air that she always had. Her lips were a glossy red and her wavy locks framed her face perfectly. Irene had always been pretty, even in scrubs, with mussed hair and sleeping in the doctor’s lounge. She had always been pretty.

But seeing her now in her full force of paragon-esque, unparalleled classical beauty; Jaehyun wanted to punch himself in the face for agreeing to this. He gulped nervously.

No. He was not jealous.

“You look too beautiful. Are you trying to seduce my-”

“Always a pleasure to see you too, Jae.” Irene rolled her eyes and for a moment her mediocrity comes through, if only momentarily.

“I thought you said you didn’t have a dress.”

“I didn’t. My cousin sent it to me from Italy.”

“My shoes are from Italy too...” He murmured under his breath, moving aside to let her inside.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Noona, do I look okay?” Taeyong emerged from his room wearing that suit that Jaehyun had bought for him. He still looked ridiculously handsome. And the jealousy hit him hard.

. Why did he agree to this?

“You look handsome and young and-”

“Totally able?” Jaehyun supplied and Taeyong blushed before hitting him on the chest.

“Tell your bed mate to calm the eff down.” Irene glared at Jaehyun.

“Jae.”

He stopped himself from running his fingers into his hair. He stopped himself from running his fingers through Taeyong’s hair. As tempting as it was he doesn’t want to further traumatise poor Irene who really was the victim here.

He was not jealous.

“You look perfect.” Irene complimented.

“As do you.”

“You guys better not elope!” Jaehyun grabbed his suit jacket and swung it around his shoulders dramatically.

“Yes, Romeo.” She rolled her eyes and hooked her arms around both of them.

“Animus revertendi.” He reminded her.

With intention to return.

“Have you been going through my law books again?” Taeyong laughed.

“No…”

“The phrase refers to animals and pets.”

“Do you want a collar? Can it be pink with rhinestones? Shall I let Irene hold your leash?”

“Please do your weird later, Jaehyun. I’m not here to witness your pet play.”

“Fine. Let’s get going.” He huffed, clearly not comfortable with the arrangements. Taeyong leaned in to his ear and whispered, his hot breath tickling Jaehyun’s neck.

“That was hot though.”

“Why do I feel like this is going to be worse than third wheeling Taeil and Doyoung?” Irene groaned.

“Sorry to disappoint but those two are on another level of obscenity.”

Jaehyun watched from afar as Irene introduced Taeyong to her parents. He smiled with practised ease and shook their hands firmly. They are dazzled, that much was obvious. Maybe it’s because Taeyong was dashingly debonair and unnaturally handsome. Or maybe because he had that demeanour that all law students apparently had; some kind of sophistication and a hell of a way with words.

He clenched his fingers around the stem of his flute whilst the champagne fizzled all the way to the top.

He was not jealous.

“Careful. You might break it.” Doyoung chuckled as he took a sip from his own flute.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t.” Taeil chipped in. He hated their smugness. It was palpable, radiating from their very pores.

“I hope you two get married and fight often.”

“Tsk tsk. That’s not very nice, Jaehyun.”

“Where’s Seulgi?”

“Where she always is at these type of parties, chatting up a rich guy.”

“Yah! I heard that, Kim Doyoung.” Seulgi appeared from behind Jaehyun with a martini in one hand and she pinched Doyoung’s side and he flinched and recoiled.

“Remember the time she accidentally hit on Gong Myung?”

“Oh please... Jaehyun’s guilty of that too.” She snapped back at Taeil.

“Guilty of what?” Taeyong asked, approaching them with Irene by his side. Jaehyun’s nostrils flared delicately.

“Guilty of-of-“

“Depriving us of your company.” Seulgi finished with a sly smile.

“Oh. Well I’m here now.” Taeyong looked around the hall, eyes shiny at the chandeliers and the expensive bottles of champagne and the almost aristocratic world of fancy people with even fancier clothes. Jaehyun had made it a game of guessing how many figures of zeros were in people’s Swiss bank accounts. And who was in love with who. And who was cheating on who. And who was ing who.

Irene came back looking more relieved than usual; she placed a hand on Taeyong’s shoulder and gave him a thankful smile.

“Tae. My dad wants to introduce you to some people.” Irene tugged at his hand.

“Should I be scared?”

“No, it means he likes you, Tae.”

“Right, of course. Excuse me.” They disappear into the crowd and Jaehyun was left feeling slightly jilted. He finished the wine in his glass and replaces it with another one from a server passing by.

“You hear that?” He brooded bitterly.

“What?” Doyoung replied to his moody question.

“She called him Tae. Tae.”

A roll of his eyes.

An empty flute later.

“Wow, is it the end of the world already?” Doyoung laughed.

“It must be for Jaehyun.”

Oh it certainly felt like it.

He was not jealous.

Mr and Mrs. Bae took turns introducing him to new people. Maybe it was a tactic. Maybe they wanted him to marry Irene. Or maybe they just liked him. Irene’s father clapped someone on the back with a familiar grin. And Taeyong snapped back into attention.

“It’s been so long, CEO Kim.” Irene’s father greeted a man with salt and pepper hair in a dark navy suit; the lines in his face are deep, reverent.

“Too long. I’ve been travelling a lot these days.”

“This is Lee Taeyong. He’s my daughter’s new suitor. Law student.”

“Ahh, like myself. Nice to meet you.” They shook hands and Taeyong can smell his heavy cologne and pomade.

“Nice to meet you too.”

“CEO Kim used to be a business attorney for all the big corporations in Seoul. Now he runs his own consultant law firm.”

“Wow.”

“What university are you studying at?”

“SNU.”

“Ah... My alma mater. Call me if you ever find yourself jobless after graduating, Taeyong. What do your parents do?”

“T-thank you. That’s very generous of you. They passed away when I was very young.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He patted Taeyong, just as a woman appeared behind Mr. Kim and Taeyong’s eyes widened into saucers and he stared. She wore a cream shift dress, with dangly diamond earrings hanging off her ears that probably were too heavy. Her lips were painted in dainty pink and she carried around a bag what he assumed to be very expensive judging from the lining.

“Darling.” The woman spoke softly and it made Taeyong shiver. He’s never heard it said that way. “There you are. I thought you were over with the Hong.”

“Taeyong, this is my wife.” She visibly froze at the name before whipping her head to look at him. Their eyes met and Taeyong wants to vomit.

She should be dead.

She tried to control her expression, but in the end she gave him a tight lipped smile, pained, tortured.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Madam.” He managed to choked the word out.

“Law student at my old school.” Mr Kim said, with an oblivious smile.

“Oh, I see...” She looked at him again and Taeyong felt like he had just been electrocuted; a tightening feeling in his chest, the unmistakable pain coming back to him- of being slapped.

“It was nice to meet you, Mr and Mrs Kim. I suddenly remembered that I promised something to Irene. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course.”

Taeyong escaped to one of the balconies. He wants to throw up. He wants to throw himself off the ing structure. But he clenched his fists until his knuckles turned smooth white. There is a shift and the sound of clicking heels and his breathing turned haggard. No. No. No.

“You’re studying law now. At SNU. Well I’ll be damned, you’ve grown up well.” Her voice has changed. But maybe he’s just used to the shouting, he forgot what she sounded like when she spoke softly and sweetly and sanely.

“You are damned. How well is subjective. And you’ve never really cared if I grew up well.” He gritted his teeth. This could turn out really really bad. He’s not suppose to assault rich women at fancy galas.

“Taeyong, I was young.” Her voice is too buttery, light. It grates his very being. He can’t look at her.

“Yeah... well. So was I.”

“I don’t regret leaving your father but you-”

“Of course you don’t. You’re wearing a Cartier watch worth more than my life and that handbag is a Birkin and I’m sure those shoes can cover my tuition fees... And what about that dress? It’s modest enough to give off the impression that you’re not some of a secretary he’s sleeping with.”

“I’m still your mother, Taeyong. Such cruel words-“

“Oh, you would know. You know his cruel words very very well.” He finally turned to face her. She was beautiful. His mother was beautiful. Genetics are superficial apparently.

“I didn’t want to leave you behind. I know it was wrong.”

“Lies. I don’t have much to say. Just that he’s dead so you can sleep more peacefully at night knowing he won’t come looking for you!”

“Wait. Taeyong!”

“I won’t tell your husband. Or is he really your husband? Wait no. Don’t answer that. I don’t even care. My mother died when I was twelve when she walked out of my life. Maybe you are the same woman. Maybe you are not. But I sure as hell hope you won’t sleep peacefully at night knowing you abandoned your own son. And if you do... I wish you a happy life, you cold hearted .” He spat back, trying to control his insurgent rage like the long screech of a kettle, the hot water b, overflowing.

“I’m your mother!” She tried to say with some semblance of dignity and old world grace.

“You forfeited that title when you left! And you left without a goodbye.” His throat is thick, his tears felt near and his voice was cracking. “So don’t think you can waltz back into my life and pretend to be my mother. I’ve never had one.”

“Irene noona, I’m sorry. I have to go. I’m- I think I’m sick.” He stumbled upon Irene and she immediately touched his cheek tenderly, worry painting her face so fast.

“You’re pale and you’re shaking.”

“I feel sick.”

“Oh dear.”

“I’m sorry. Please tell your parents. I just really- I have to get out. I can’t right now.” He can barely string a coherent sentence.

“It’s okay. Explain later.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Go.”

“What’s wrong?” Jaehyun struggled to keep up with Taeyong pulling him to the car. One minute Irene was explaining to him that the younger was sick then the next he is dragged away.

“We have to leave.”

“Why?”

“Just please get me out of here.”

“Why?”

“Please.”

It scared Jaehyun.

“Drive.”

“Where?” Jaehyun started the engine and his car purrs in response.

“Anywhere.” Taeyong almost begged. He does not argue and he drove into the night.

“I met someone.” Taeyong finally spoke to him fifteen minutes later and they are cruising by the river’s edge, there’s not a lot of traffic. He’s calmed down, breath falling into a more rhythmic lull.

“Who?”

Jaehyun doesn’t want to know the name that hurt him to this extent. Someone else. Oh this boy deserved better people in his life. He shoved the thought away. He loved Taeyong.

“My mother. I thought she was dead.” He finally admitted, letting go of the name like he was letting go of his breath. The streetlights flash as they past, and so does Taeyong’s eyes. All the heaviness. All the pain. He let himself shed a few tears, wiping them away with the edge of his sleeve.

“No... I wished she was dead.”

Author's note:

I'm sorry I've only edited like 50% of this. I've been very very busy deciding on how to continue my studies and I've finally came to the conclusion.So I was pretty wrecked to write.

So thank you for being patient.

In other news, I get to see NCT 127 tomorrow so I'm psyched for that !!!

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