“When I was young, younger than now, I was really into modelling. I still am, but I just don’t feel like braving enough to face the camera once again,” Jongin begins when they have settled on the sofa again. “Kyungsoo, my late husband, supported me the most. In fact, he was the one who introduced me to the whole modelling industry. Kyungsoo had a thing for cameras, and of clicking pictures of everything he considered beautiful—in his words, I swear—and he used to click mine more than of anything else or anyone else.”

“He gave the photos to someone he trusted from the industry, and from there, I started getting small contracts for modelling for small companies. I wasn’t a big name, yet, but I was one of the most talked names at that time. It was just the beginning.”

“At the age of twenty, I got my first break. I was still in college, Kyungsoo too, and it was a big deal for both of us. My parents were not exactly against it, but yes, they did advise me on one occasion or two about the ‘dark side’ this whole entertainment industry has. I didn’t really listen to them, even not to what Kyungsoo had to say. I was on cloud nine. I thought that that would be the start that I actually wanted ever since I was introduced to the beautiful world a camera holds behind its lens.”

“Because of me being such a selfish brat, we—Kyungsoo and me—used to get into a lot of fights. Verbal fights. Although Kyungsoo didn’t use to say much, I was the one who spoke the most, and I was the one who made him cry the most between us. I used to become very mean when we fought, and most of the times, I used to say the meanest and cruellest of things to him. The problem was, he always listened to everything I said. Every single time, in the end, he would tell me to think twice before choosing anything. For some reason or another, even those words used to sting me and annoy me. I used to think Kyungsoo was stupid and jealous of me. I used to cry in our bedroom; I didn’t talk to him for several days after our fights. He used to come to me every time, even though it wasn’t really his mistake.”

“He was a great lover, you know. The kind of lover who will always look after you no matter how mean and hurtful things you say to them. He really was in love with me, a lot, he was stupid. Really stupid.”

Jongin sighs with tears in his eyes. Sehun doesn’t know what he should say, so he decides to keep his mouth shut.

“One day, when we were normal and not fighting like usual, he told me something. A girl from our college was ually harassed for months, and after that, was sold off to some ion ring. It didn’t come to light until a few days later when her parents filed a missing complaint. She was never found; no one knew where she was, to whom she was sold, to which country she was sold in. The thing Kyungsoo wanted to tell me was that I needed to be careful. People these days cannot be trusted; you don’t even know what the same man with a kind smile would do to you if given chance.”

“I thought I understood what Kyungsoo meant to say. I even promised him that if I got some contract or anyone contacted me for modelling, I would tell him. I broke that simple promise, too. Exactly one month after my twentieth birthday, someone contacted me for modelling. I was ecstatic! You could imagine how happy I was at that moment. They said they were from an international company and were looking for Korean models. They said I fit well—I was pretty enough, tall enough, just everything that they needed in their model.”

“They, however, asked me to not tell about it to anyone. Not even the closest friend or boyfriend, family member. No one. They asked me to keep it a secret, so when the posters or ads would be released everyone would be surprised.”

“I was happy, I thought I would give everyone a big, nice surprise. I didn’t know I would be the one to get The surprise, in the end.”

“What happened?” Sehun asks, even though he has faint idea where the conversation is going to end.

Jongin sighs. Sehun notices the shake of the younger’s body. His hand and his fingers itch to hold the younger’s smaller one so that he could comfort him, because Jongin looks like he needs some. In the end, he doesn’t.

“They asked me to come to the photographer’s apartment. It had sounded fishy to me--and I am being honest--but not fishy enough to deny their request. So I agreed, and didn’t tell Kyungsoo about it or anyone else for that matter. It was only when I reached the said address that I realized that there were more people than the photographer said there would be. There were more than seven or eight people. They said they were some of the staffs, though, they didn’t look like them.”

“They were really big, and looked mean. I am sure I was the youngest among them. To make sure nothing bad happens, I messaged Kyungsoo the address, and asked him to come there if I didn’t contact him in one hour since then. It was alright in the start, they were shooting me and I was posing for the camera.”

“Then some time later, they gave me a glass of water saying I needed it after working so hard. I didn’t think much about it, and took it. They had put something in it; I knew there was something wrong when I started feeling this weird thing in my whole body. Before I knew they had already started what they had intended to do with me since the start.”

“Did he came? Your husband, I mean?”

“He did. Thankfully it was just a little over one hour, and since I hadn’t contacted him, he came running to the address. He was angry, probably at me because I hid something as big as that... but what was done was already done. He just needed to save me from them. I don’t exactly remember what happened after that. I was pretty much gone for some hours. Although I do remember the sting Kyung’s slap had brought to me.”

“Your husband had slapped you?” Sehun asks, shocked.

“Yeah,” Jongin answers, a little ashamed and hurt. “Look, Kyungsoo wasn’t that kind of partner who would hurt their lovers whenever they are angry. But what happened that day wasn’t anything normal, nor remotely close to okay. Kyungsoo had been angry, furious even—in fact, my family, friends, and everyone who knew me were—so he slapped me. He apologized for it later; he did. I forgave him because I loved him, and he-he saved my dignity and my self-respect. Sehun…” Jongin says, turning around to look at the elder.

“He used to apologize for it daily, till his last day with me. I forgave him the same day he apologized the first time. I forgot about it, but I cannot forget about that day. Kyungsoo had said that he didn’t want me to try modelling anymore, and I agreed; I did. I forgot about it, I moved on from it. My relationship with Kyungsoo strengthened after that.”

Here, Jongin turns around to stare back at the night sky. “We got really close after that. I believed him more than I did anyone else. I trusted him with my life. We were in love; I was in love with him, and I knew I wanted him till my last breath. We slept together for the first time on his birthday, and after that, we just made excuses and desperately started finding places and time to... to get intimate. It was addicting—the pleasure that Kyungsoo brought to me—and no matter what, I just couldn’t control my thoughts around him. I was new to it, Kyungsoo was, too...”

Jongin speaks some more about his intimate moments with his late husband—not in detail, of course—but nonetheless, Sehun tunes everything out until Jongin gets back on with his story.

“I got pregnant with his child right after finishing my graduation. We were really happy, but I don’t know what happened that I started missing the camera again. Before I knew, I had already contacted a private photographer. I hadn’t told Kyungsoo about it, I didn’t tell anyone about it. Then fate decided to teach me a lesson, and the same thing repeated. It was just my luck that I managed to run away before that photographer could... me. I didn’t tell anyone about that incident, not even Kyungsoo. Sehun…” Jongin stops and turns around to look at the elder.

“You are the first person I told about this to.”

Sehun keeps mum because truth be told, he doesn’t know what he should reply to that. He is happy? He is glad? He is proud that Jongin trusts him enough to share something as big as that? Something that he hasn't told his late husband about. Something that no one knows about except them. What is he feeling right at this moment? What is this bubbling feeling inside of him? What is he feeling at the sight of tears running down unfamiliar cheeks, and the hesitant and shy and worried eyes of the younger man?

Why does he feel like kissing Jongin, not like that… but just to reassure him that everything’s alright, and maybe if no one’s with him, then he is there for him, with him? Why he feels like pulling Jongin in a bone-crushing hug, and kiss him all over his head and face, and whisper that he wouldn’t let anything wrong happen to him, again?

Jongin, for some reason or two, looks tiny right in front of him. So, so tiny, and fragile. It feels like he’s baring his real self in front of him. Why is he baring his real self in front of him? What is Sehun to him? Why is telling him something that he hasn’t told anyone about?

Why? Why? Why?

Sehun is going insane.

“Then when I was pregnant with Jin—nine months pregnant—he left me! He left me alone. It felt like he was giving me a punishment for hiding such big thing from him. Was that a punishment for me? Is Kyungsoo punishing me? Is he looking at me now?—” Jongin stops and stands up all of a sudden to walk inside the small backyard. He doesn’t stop staring at the night sky full of stars. Jongin points his finger up and then chokes on his tears. “Is he looking at me now? Does he know everything? Does he know I cry for him? Does he know what I go through? What people talk about me, what they say behind my back? Does he know t-that Lee guy says mean things to me? Does he know people touch me, and me and say mean things to me?”

“Sehun, isn’t he hurting by hurting me? Is he happy now? I-is this how he’s showing his love to me?”

Sehun gulps and stands up. He hadn’t thought he would find himself in such a situation. Now that he’s here, with Jongin and in the same unexpected situation, he doesn’t understand what he should do anymore. Comfort a crying Jongin who, probably, wouldn’t listen to him? God, but he’s so bad at comforting anyone that he might burst a vein or two of his own neck in anger and disappointment at himself.

He hates these moments—the ones where people look so vulnerable when they’re with him--with a passion. Why didn’t he learn a thing or two about comforting people from his mother? He is just dying to comfort the same man who makes him feel things that were unknown to him until now... but how?

Would Jongin appreciate his hug? Would Jongin melt into his arms like he did that evening? Would he appreciate Sehun’s touch?

Before he knows he’s already standing in front of Jongin. Jongin, as if realizing his presence, looks away from the sky and at him. There are tears in his eyes and his cheeks. Sehun wants to wipe them away. So he does.

“Do you know,” Jongin begins between hiccups, “why I hate modelling?” Sehun asks him why, only because Jongin looks like he wants Sehun to show he’s listening. “Because it took everything that I loved away from me. It stole everything that I loved! It stole Kyungsoo away from me. If only I hadn’t hidden that incident from Kyungsoo, he wouldn’t have gotten angry. He wouldn’t have died—”

“That wasn’t your mistake, Jongin.”

“You’re not understanding! Sehun, why I had to lie to him? He told me to never go to that side again. I did though. Maybe he’s angry with me. What if he’s angry with me?” Jongin looks genuinely worried as if the death of his husband was all because of him. Maybe a curse had befallen on them, on him, and Jongin had been the cause of it. “What if it was actually me who—”

“Since when,” Sehun begins, cutting off the younger before he could blame himself again. “For how long have you been blaming yourself?” He asks; he wants to ask more: why do you blame yourself? Do you really think you killed your husband? For how long have you been blaming yourself for your husband’s death? For how long have you been torturing yourself? What are you hiding behind that bright charming smile of yours? Why no one can’t see you’re hurting? Why can’t anyone see the sadness behind those bright orbs? What are you Jongin?

“I am not blaming myself,” Jongin answers a few minutes late. By now his tears have dried, in fact, there are no tears in his eyes. All is left are regret, hurt, and longing for something (or rather someone) that’s long gone and should be long forgotten. Jongin passes him a look; something that he isn’t able to decipher. “This isn’t blaming as much as truth it is.”

“It’s not,” Sehun says, shaking his head when Jongin opens his mouth to deny him. “You’re blaming yourself for something you had no control over. You—Jongin, first listen to me—you’re not the one to decide a person’s fate. I don’t know what happened, how your husband died... but what I know and am sure about is that you didn’t do anything. It was in his fate to die that day.”

“You don’t know the feeling of losing someone,” is what Jongin comes with up.

Sehun sighs and bites the inside of his cheek. Feeling his temper rise, and so the annoyance bubbling inside of him, he takes a nice long breath. This is something that he never thought he would face—consoling someone who is guilt tripping themselves, and blaming themselves for something that isn’t in their hands. These type of people are vulnerable, and despite knowing that he shouldn’t speak anything that would hurt Jongin, especially when he’s in such state, he opens his mouth and, unsurprisingly, speaks crap,

“It just seems to me that you just want to torture not only yourself but everyone around you. You’re gullible; you probably believe what people have told you, like an idiot.” He doesn’t even know why he said what he said, he just... said.

Jongin looks taken aback for the first few seconds before new tears appear in his eyes. He doesn’t speak anything, and the silence from the younger’s side is torture for Sehun, painful too and keeps him on edge. He wants to hear something from that mouth, maybe a curse or something else; like Jongin telling him to off or calling him out for being mean and an insensitive . Surprisingly, he doesn’t say anything. Ever the benign human that he has been, he only smiles, but it’s strained and his posture now stiff in front of Sehun.

If he looked like he wanted to melt into the elder’s arms earlier, if given chance, now he looks like he wants nothing more than to run away from there. Away from his presence, from him.

“I thought you would understand me,” Jongin says, hiccupping between words. He doesn’t cry, stops himself from spilling tears in front of the elder as if worried that he might start mocking or laughing at him. “Oh, how wrong I was!” Jongin steps back, eyes shinier than before. “I am sorry, yeah; I forgot you’re nothing but a heartless, manipulative rich playboy.”

Oh wow.

Jongin jabs his finger on Sehun’s sturdy chest. “I am sorry,” he says, and now there are tears running down his cheeks. His tears shine in the gentle light of the moon, Sehun finds himself captivated by the man who he has hurt himself. “When you said you will listen to me…” he stops to take a few needful breaths. “When you said that, I thought you would understand. I am sorry.”

Sehun breaths heavily the next silence that surrounds them. “I-I…” he stops and takes in sight of Jongin’s statuesque beauty. When Jongin turns around to, probably, leave the place, he quickly curls a firm hand around Jongin’s arm to pull him close to his own frame. Apology sits on the edge of his mouth if only Jongin would allow him to apologize. “Stop moving, Jongin—” he stops, bites his lower lip in annoyance when the younger man, instead of following his words, thrash more. If possible, that is.

“Don’t touch me!—leave me, !”

Sehun’s hold on Jongin’s arms loosens a little. Did Jongin just repeat what he had said just a minute ago? “Did you just call me—”

“An deserves to know they’re an ! That’s what they always ask for.”

“You should not curse,” Sehun says after getting off the shock of being called twice; Jongin goes a little lax in his arms. “Speaking curses does not suit you.” Jongin replies with an annoyed and irritated “what the ?” Sehun cringes. “When you curse you actually sound cute.” Is what he provides. Jongin actually sounds cute when he curses; he sounds as if hasn’t used those words a lot, and every time is only tasting those words on his mouth. It’s cute; the way he thinks he would sound and look dangerous or angry enough for the other person to back off. Cute. Really cute.

“Y-you stay silent and leave me alone!” Then starts thrashing again. Sehun holds him for a beat or two in his arms, tight as if he doesn’t want to let go of his smaller, warmer body, before letting him go. Jongin stumbles away from him. His eyes are still teary; sadness is still visible on his face, in his posture, on everything Jongin. Sehun feels an unexplainable pain in his heart, that and this sudden squeeze on his heart when Jongin sniffs.

“Leave,” Jongin says and points to the door. “Leave, go back to your home. I don’t want to see you.”

“What? Go back home.” He repeats, dumbfounded to his bones.

“Yes, leave me alone. I-I don’t want you here.”

“It’s late,” he provides. Did Jongin really mean what he’s saying?

Jongin as if understanding what time it actually is, sighs heavily before taking a few deep breaths. There’s silence when Jongin’s stubbornly stares at the ground in silence before finally looking up at Sehun with a determined look. “When we were at Junmyeon’s hyung party, you didn’t believe me. You doubted me. I don’t feel bad about it; I never did. We don’t know each other much to know what we both are; you hear about me from someone else and make up your mind about me. I hear about you from someone else, and make up mind about you. Unfortunately, everything they say about you is always right.”

“I should have known better than giving it to you; I shouldn’t have forgotten about that day.” Jongin bitterly chuckles, but then with a shake of his head, straightens up and stares at Sehun square in the eyes. “I will let you live here for the night, but I honestly hope that you will leave my apartment tomorrow morning even before I wake up.”

With an insincere “good night” to Sehun, he walks inside the apartment and closes the door of his bedroom.

(Sehun, feeling very offended and something else that he couldn’t quite decipher, leaves Jongin’s apartment within the next five minutes. If Jongin hears the sound of the apartment door being opened and closed, and the sound of the engine of Sehun’s car, he doesn’t say anything, nor comes out to bid the man.)

“That’s the fourth bottle, .” Baekhyun screeches, trying (and failing) to snatch the precious bottle of wine from his best friend’s hold. “What are you—don’t finish my stock!”

“Let me drink and die tonight,” is what Sehun replies.

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. “Who broke your non-existent heart?”

“I have a heart, okay?” Sehun frowns, more offended at his best friend’s remark than anything else. “No one broke it, by the way,” he adds next.

“Then why are you behaving like this?”

“I honestly don’t know.” He stops and then as if remembering something, looks at his best friend. “I am offended and hurt. Very much.”

Baekhyun raises a curious brow. “Who offended you, dude? You hurt you?”

“Jongin,” he answers in a heartbeat.

Baekhyun takes his sweet time to reply. “Woah, what did he do—I mean he’s such a—”

“Such a what?” Sehun prompts. “Such a what?--He knows how to curse. God, how could I forget there’s no human in this world who’s purely innocent. He is twenty-six for God’s sake! Of course, he would know.”

“What actually happened? I mean you never told me you were going at Jongin’s place—” then jabbing his index finger on Sehun’s waist, he smirked. “What are you hiding from me, huh?”

Sehun passes him a confused look first before finally rolling his eyes. “There’s nothing going between him and me.” He shakes his head when Baekhyun opens his mouth to speak something again. “No really, he isn’t my type.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Baekhyun nods, obviously not believing what his best friend is saying. “Why were you there, though? What happened?”

“Nothing much—” he stops, then speaks a few seconds later, “actually a lot happened. Somehow we ended up in his veranda, and he started telling me why he doesn’t want to try modelling anymore.”

“He started telling himself?”

“No; I asked him to tell me about it.” Baekhyun looks curious, so Sehun speaks again. “He told me everything—most of the things—and it was all sad. Like a sad, sad story. Then he started blaming himself for his husband’s death, and at first, I thought it was actually really sad and tragic that he thought so... but then he started crying and started blaming himself more and more. After a point, I actually got annoyed.”

“You spoke ?” When Sehun nods, Baekhyun only throws his hands up in the air. “I don’t know why I am surprised anymore.”

“Hey! I never dealt with that kind of situation before—I didn’t know what to say,” he squawks, showing a punch to his best friend when he opens his mouth. “I didn’t mean to; I swear. I wanted to apologize too, but then he cursed at me and called me rich manipulative playboy.”

“Wow,” Baekhyun says.

“Exactly; that’s what I thought when I heard that. But anyway, he then asked me to leave his place. When I told him that it was late at night, and hence it would be unsafe to go back, he agreed to let me stay there until tomorrow morning. I-I felt like a homeless person. I mean, the way he said that I should leave even before he wakes up the next morning, made me feel like homeless. Worthless, too.”

“You know what?” Baekhyun begins. “You’re actually a haughty kind of man. You just want everyone to treat you with respect and this and that, and how about you treat them? Jongin told you so much about his life, and what did you give him back? Crappy words? Do you not wonder how much you have hurt him?”

“But he…” Sehun stops, sighing to himself. Baekhyun sometimes speaks things that actually make him feel bad. “I am sorry. I told you, it just came out of my mouth. I didn’t mean anything.”

“Have you ever thought how much courage he showed by telling you about his past? To be honest, you’re nothing to him.” Baekhyun stands up from the sofa before pacing around the room, the mood of the room suddenly gets down. Baekhyun acts like he isn’t playful anymore and his best friend needs to get back to his senses before he kicks him on his proud . “Yes, you’re nothing to him—don’t show me that face. For how long do you know each other again—two months, no. Less than two months. Yet, he told you so much, you know why?”

When Sehun shakes his head, Baekhyun only sighs. “He told you because he trusted you with his memories and past. He believed you. I don’t know if he does any more or not.”

Sehun sighs and places the bottle back on the nearby table, no more interested in it. “What should I do?” He asks after some time.

Baekhyun shrugs but comes with an answer nonetheless. “Pick up your phone, call him and apologize.”

“But—”

“Pick up your phone and apologize. If you do not want to do that, then let me go and sleep.”

“Oh no, wait,” Sehun says and picks up his phone. “I will call him—it’s not like I haven’t apologized to him before.”

“He has taught you how to apologize?”

“Yeah, kind of.” His fingers shake when he dials Jongin’s number, waits some more when Jongin doesn’t pick up. “He isn’t picking up.”

“He isn’t waiting for your call, idiot. Plus, it’s one in the morning; you can’t expect anyone to be awake at this time.”

“Then I should not call right?” Sehun laughs awkwardly, about to throw his phone away when Baekhyun gives him a warning glare.

“I think he is awake.” Baekhyun hums. “I mean after what you said and did, and it is only one hour since you left his place. I think he would be awake right now. He is just angry and hence isn’t picking up your call.” He points to the phone again. “Call him again.”

Sehun does, grimacing when he thinks that Jongin might scream at him for calling at such an hour. This time Jongin picks up his call.

“What? Who’s this?” Jongin’s voice comes muffled and drowsy as if he had been sleeping. “Hello?”

Sehun passes a glare to Baekhyun; Baekhyun only replies with a sheepish smile. “Jongin,” he begins, hearing the rustling from the other end. “It’s me, Sehun.”

There’s silence from the other side, almost as if Jongin is shocked that he called. “Why did you call?” He asks, sounding bitter.

Sehun takes a deep breath and walks toward the balcony. “I wanted to apologize,” he says. Jongin doesn’t reply. “Jongin I am sorry. I never meant to say what I said—you know what my mouth is right?” Jongin doesn’t reply again. “A Trashcan. My mouth is nothing but a trash can.” Baekhyun cackles behind him. Sehun doesn’t pay him any mind.

“Jongin. I am sorry, I honestly am—” Jongin hangs up the phone. Sehun stares down at his phone, shocked to his bones.

“What happened?” Baekhyun asks from behind him.

“Jongin hung up.”

Baekhyun full on snickers. “Dude, you know what that means in simple language?” Sehun asks him what. “ off,” he replies.

“Baekhyun.”

The next morning when Sehun arrives at the company, it’s relatively silent inside the building. Of course, the outside is worse than ever, especially after someone clicked Jongin’s and his picture when they were standing near his apartment. Of course, they had to file another rumour. Not like Sehun cares anymore; he has a lot of things in his head to worry about.

Like this: Jongin’s silent torture to him.

It’s not like it bothers him, either, but as much as he’d like to deny, he can’t help but admit that something has changed between the two. Jongin has made a place in his heart and no, Jongin isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Neither Sehun. There’s something that connects them to each other, and pulls them close; it’s Jongin to Sehun or Sehun to Jongin. Whatever.

So when he notices Jongin passing him a look through his peripheral vision, he couldn’t help himself when he turns around to stare back at his PA. Jongin as if worried about getting caught, quickly looks away and at the papers in his hands. It’s a futile attempt, Sehun thinks; Jongin has been caught in the act and not for the first time. The younger has been staring at him since the morning; when he came with his cup of coffee, he had stood in front of his boss’s desk for one long minute; when he passed him the papers he needed to sign, when he told him about his schedule, even during the meeting they had to attend.

Even right now. When he’s talking with a client.

“You have gotten yourself a new PA, Oh,” the man says.

“Yeah, the old one wasn’t working anymore.”

Jongin follows them as the two men walk ahead of him and towards his boss’s office.

“There are rumours, if I am not wrong; it concerns you, Kim and him. No?”

“Those are only rumours, Mr. Jung. There’s... nothing between the three of us. Jongin is my PA, and he has met Junmyeon a few times only. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“I don’t want to pry more but,” Mr. Jung says, stopping in front of Sehun’s office to look over his shoulder and at Jongin. “I have heard you two fighting over him.”

There’s silence for a few seconds where Sehun looks taken aback, and Jongin looks completely dumbfounded.

Sehun does not remember fighting with his friend. “I am sorry,” he begins, frowning. “We haven’t fought—what are you saying?”

“Rumours, as you call them.” The man shrugs. “Maybe another rumour, I am sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Sehun smiles a tight-lipped smile before stretching his arm toward the door to his office. “Shall we?”

“Wait a minute, Oh,” the man says, stepping away from Sehun and walking toward Jongin to stare at his shorter frame in what one might assume curiosity. “You two will make a beautiful pair,” the man says at last when he’s done with staring Jongin one whole minute.

(It’s only a miracle that despite the annoyance and anger bubbling inside of him, Sehun didn’t punch his client for staring at his PA for so long.)

Though what his client said brings out a flush over his cheeks; Jongin looks flustered as well, but he has the audacity to squeal when the man laughs. Sehun is sure their reaction probably gave Mr. Jung some wrong impression.

“I have a party today evening,” the man straightens up, before patting Sehun on his shoulder. “I hope you would come. With him.”

“Party?” Sehun says, and then, “why with him though?”

“Like I said you two will make a beautiful pair. Besides, you need a date for parties that I hold, Sehun. Don’t tell me you forgot such a big thing.”

“Oh no, of course not.” Sehun shakes his head.

Mr. Jung is one of the richest clients of them; the man has a small company of his own, but he pays extra mind to Sehun’s. The man has been helping the Oh Empire to grow ever since the elder Oh began the company on his own. Mr. Jung has a special part in their life when it comes to business (sometimes even seems like a family member); he buys the highest number of shares, helps to find them new talented people and much more.

Denying him and offending him are things that he wouldn’t do, even in his dreams.

“So, I hope you would come with him to my party.”

Sehun clears his throat and looks at Jongin. The younger avoids his gaze, purposefully. “Of course, we will come!” He says, laughing awkwardly.

“So since it’s already one in the afternoon,” the man stops to look down at the watch around his wrist. “Almost one. So let’s finish first then I will go to look over at what everyone is doing back at my home.”

“Sure.” Sehun nods and opens the door to let the man in. He turns around to look at Jongin. “Papers?” He asks, pointing to the papers in Jongin’s hands. Jongin almost pushes the papers in his face. “I hope it will not be a trouble for you, Jongin.”

“What?” Jongin asks, looking toward the other side.

“Going to the party with me. As my date, I mean.”

Jongin is silent for some moments before he finally gets the courage to open his mouth. “I want you to forget whatever happened last night.”

This time, it’s Sehun who’s silent. “You know I can't forget anything.”

“Why?” Jongin asks, turning around to look at him. “It’s probably useless for you; you should forget everything—”

“I won’t,” he cuts off. “Whether you like it or not.”

“Are you even serious?”

“Very much.” Sehun takes a few steps toward Jongin, hovers over him and makes sure the younger doesn’t move from his spot. “Do you hate me now?”

“Hate is a strong word, Mr. Oh,” Jongin replies, his voice wavers. “I do not hate you.”

“Then you probably like me.”

A sudden blush appears on Jongin’s cheeks; the sight of it surprises Sehun and flusters Jongin more. “I--what are you saying?”

“I know you like me.” He smiles, feeling the sudden fluttering in his heart and stomach. Everywhere around him. Even Jongin looks like a flower to him; smells like a flower to him. “I like how you look today; how you have decided to defy me.”

“I did not defy you,” Jongin denies, forgetting about Sehun’s hold around his wrist.

“You did,” Sehun smiles, suddenly feeling light. “You did not come in your suit today.” Jongin looks down and blushes red in embarrassment. “Wearing a shirt and skinny black jeans, Jongin, along with boots are not what is expected from PA of a CEO.”

“I was angry,” Jongin says. “And hurt,” he adds. “I wanted to piss you off today.” The latter confession almost brings out a loud laugh from Sehun.

He stops himself on time and sighs and leans a little down to look into the younger’s eyes. “I am sorry; I promise I did not mean anything I said. Jongin, I had never been in such a position before, and all of that suddenly just made me annoyed. I am sorry. I am sorry.”

Jongin bites his lower lip and then hums.

“Apology accepted?” Sehun asks, hopeful.

“Yeah,” Jongin answers, curling his toes because Sehun’s touch is bothering him. In a good way. “Let me go now—”

“You look lovely,” he says, more to tease the younger but he knows he is honest. Very much. Jongin is wearing such simple clothes, but nonetheless, he makes a lovely sight. “I have realized something.”

“What?”

Sehun shakes his head with a smile before loosening his hold on Jongin’s wrist. “Nothing.”

Jongin passes him a look; they both know he’s speaking a lie.

Sehun takes a few steps back when Mr. Jung asks him where he is. “Just a minute, Mr. Jung,” he shouts. “Have something to resolve here.”

“Okay, please take your time,” came a muffled reply.

“Would you kill me if I ask for something?” He asks to Jongin, suspiciously looking serious now.

Jongin frowns (pouts) at him. “What is it?’

Sehun laughs and takes a few steps back. “A kiss would be all I need.” When Jongin squeaks and shows him a fist, he quickly walks inside his office, laughing at the horrified (and adorably shocked) expression of his PA. Mr. Jung asks him why he’s laughing and why’s he suddenly smiling so much. He answers with a shake of his head and “nothing, Mr. Jung”.

He doesn’t know where they’re currently standing, but he definitely likes the way things are going between them (except, of course, a few bad moments).

hope y'all will read this, too.

to all those readers who prefer to stay silent (and in the background), i want to tell you that i spent three to four days in writing this chapter, despite being busy with my life outside AFF (studies, college, and some personal issues. health issues, too). every chapter. keep that in your mind. i am sorry, but the same thing that you finish reading under twenty minutes take me hours to write.

i don’t want to come out as an ‘’, but duh, you will understand what an author feels when you start writing your own fics.

i have deleted a few comments (a few very rude comments), it would be much better if instead of commenting and using abusive words here, you keep shut; leave my story, unsubscribe from every single story of mine, and never come back. I am honestly tired of blocking rude people of boorish nature.

if you can’t respect an author, can’t respect their hard work, then why the hell you just don’t leave them and their works behind and ing move on? don’t make yourself look like an no matter how big of an you are in your real life.

It’s simple for everyone: don’t like, don’t read. i follow this mantra, too, and i will definitely advise you to do the same. A story is going to be the way an author wants it to. you cannot change an author’s mind, especially not mine (unless you’re a manipulative ). i have tagged the story as sukai, too, warned you all about there being sukai, then is it so hard to understand that there are going to be sukai moments? look at the forward, read what’s written there, read the tag, read the warning given somewhere in the previous chapters about sukai.

Let the author be. as much as you like to think that authors don’t have feelings, i want to burst the tiny bubble of yours and remind you that we, authors, have ing feelings. we are humans, too. so before commenting anything assholish please make sure that you don’t break heart of the very person who puts so much effort in giving you a little relief (hopefully makes you smile, too) from the tough life we all live.

thank you for reading until here (i hope you did), and please think of authors sometimes too. just a little would be enough. don’t come out rude. be a little affable, and see the change around you. not kidding. really. think before typing rubbish.