The next morning, Sehun picks up Jongin and his son from their apartment, saying how the best option would be if they turned to the station together instead of leaving at different times. With another reason, seeing how much he had been desperate (and felt deprived) to get even a single sight of the younger. Whatever happened between them was unforeseen, sure Sehun was in one of his most vulnerable states last day, but whatever happened between them was just so natural that Sehun doesn’t fear acting normal with the younger. Nor coming face to face with Jongin, because it had been just natural and Jongin’s presence was nothing short of comforting.

 

The way they talked to each other; the way Jongin confessed about his fears and worries about his son and his family, struggled to form words, but even then, he didn’t stop speaking. He just needed a little push, and Sehun found out the layers and layers of vulnerability the younger had been hiding from him (and everyone else). From his side, too, of course; he had been nothing but a babbling mess and blurted out everything that came into his mind. Truth be told, he doesn’t even remember how much he’d said last night, the blissful feeling and the sudden longing that he got because of Jongin overruled everything else.

 

The only thing that his mind kept repeating is how everything felt good, and how the way they were confessing about their fears and worries and past only indicated that they were lovers.

 

Sehun doesn’t even know where the two of them stand; whether everything is as same as it had been the day Jongin had joined the company or they have just moved a little further. Towards something that he thought he wouldn’t feel again.

 

Whatever it is, Sehun definitely likes the way Jongin has slowly started fitting between every little crevice of his life. Jongin works like a cure for a disease Sehun didn’t even know he had been suffering from. What he knows is how having Jongin beside him has started giving him a newfound hope. A home that he had been running after all this time (since he was cheated).

 

The ride to the station is filled with silence, although it's not awkward. Jongin is smiling beside him, for whatever reason, and Sehun is smiling because Jongin is smiling, for whatever reason. Jongin’s smile is beautiful he notices, not for the first time. The only difference is the effect the pretty stretch of a pair of lips has on his heart.

 

Sehun believes it was all about a simple small conversation that turned Jongin from a potential one night stand (maybe a regular with how much addicting Jongin seems) to a potential something that Sehun doesn’t want to put a name on, yet.

 

“Would he get angry at me?”

 

“Who?”

 

“Mr. Do,” Jongin answers, walking a little behind the elder. “Wouldn’t he get angry on me?”

 

“Why would he get angry, Jongin?” Sehun asks and stops to turn to look at the younger. “Don’t worry,” he says, itching to wrap a hand around Jongin’s hand, because he seems worried. “Ah, that,” Sehun hums. “Don’t worry, I have talked to him, he understands it well.” Sehun nods at him before nodding at the station. “Let’s go?” Jongin replies with a small unsure nod.

 

“So are you ready?” Mr. Do asks when they reach the officer and Sehun introduces them again. “Don’t worry; I have been through this. I know how hard it is to stand against someone powerful, but believe me, Mr. Do, it’s worth every little struggle. Until you give them the punishment they deserve, they will keep molesting people of ‘lower value’ than them.” The officer nods at Jongin to speak up, urging Jongin with a reassuring and kind smile.

 

“I don’t remember much,” he says when Sehun nudges him a few minutes later to speak up. “Just a waiter came and…”

 

Sehun tunes out everything as he squints his eyes and thinks back to the evening. He tries to think back to every little thing that happened that night or at least, would help make this case strong against Lee. Nothing much comes into his mind; only that they had a conversation with Lee, he probably humiliated Lee in front of important people, and maybe to take revenge on Sehun, Lee tried to molest Jongin.

 

Sehun wouldn’t have understood the connection between him humiliating Lee and Lee trying to molest Jongin if not for the reminder that basically everyone in the party knew about the rumors of them dating (and Jongin cheating behind his back with Junmyeon). Plus, Mr. Jung had been adamant on telling everyone that Sehun and Jongin were actually dating. The best possible reason could be that Lee tried to harm Jongin thinking that it would harm Sehun indirectly, too.

 

Although Lee probably thought that they were dating (and hence Sehun was very much in love with Jongin) and molesting Jongin would be the (biggest and cruelest) best way to indirectly hurt Sehun, Sehun thinks even them not dating would have angered him to no end, keeping in mind how much Jongin has made a place in his life (and heart). If everything was in Sehun’s hands, he would definitely kick Lee’s before the Police Department could.

 

The nudging on his leg pulls him back from his thoughts, and he looks up to see the Officer nodding at Jongin with a worried look. It’s not until he turns to look at Jongin that he realizes the younger is crying, face now buried between his hands. Alarmed at such sight, Sehun quickly grabs Jongin’s hands and tries to gently pry them off Jongin’s face.

 

“Hey, what happened?” He asks as soon as Jongin drops his hands back in his lap. “It’s okay; you don’t have to worry. We will make sure to have him behind bars.”

 

“I-I just,” Jongin stops and bites his lower lip, tears clings to his long lashes. He looks beautiful to Sehun; with his eyes wide and teary, his nose and cheeks red, lips swollen with all the biting he did, crying he did for the past few minutes. He looks beautiful to Sehun; he almost hates himself for finding Jongin beautiful in such fragile state. “I never thought history would repeat itself.”

 

He thinks back to their conversation in Jongin’s verandah and realizes that yes, in fact, Jongin had been through molestation before, too. Not to add that he has always blamed himself (and the molesters) for the reason of his husband’s death. Sehun wonders what the younger is thinking; if he’s back to blaming himself for his late husband's death in a fatal accident or worse if he’s blaming himself for what happened at the party with him.

 

Sehun hopes neither of two is the case.

 

However, seeing Jongin shivering and trying to stop himself from crying his heart out in between all the people in the station, he thinks the younger is blaming himself. For what reason, Sehun really isn’t sure. He isn’t even sure if Jongin is thinking the same as him or if he’s crying because of an entirely different reason.

 

When Jongin clutches his hand in a desperate need of reassurance, Sehun realizes how much his heart desires to protect the being sitting right beside him. It’s a sudden thought, it comes out of nowhere, but it does knock him off his axis at the mere realization that his adoration towards the younger is increasing every second he’s spending in his presence.

 

Sehun wonders if it’s a good thing.

 

“It happened again,” Jongin says as if he’s realizing it now or at least is admitting now. “I-I thought I would never go through that and…”

 

“I didn’t let that happen, did I?” He asks and wipes the tears off slightly chubby cheeks with the pad of his thumb. From the corner of his eyes, he sees the officer excusing himself from there, Sehun appreciates it. “I came on time before he could harm you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

 

“Like Kyungsoo,” Jongin says, smiling a little when he looks down at his lap, tears still clinging to his eyes and cheeks. “Kyungsoo had said the same and he never let anything happen to me,” he begins a few minutes into the silence between them. “You promised it like him.”

 

The comparison was unforeseen; Sehun hadn’t expected Jongin to compare to him a man he loved (maybe still does). The comparison almost saddens a part of him; the other part, however, is delighted to be compared to a man who had captured Jongin’s heart. Sehun almost smiles, but then Jongin is looking at him, suddenly looking worried and afraid about something.

 

“You should stay away from me,” Jongin says, confusing Sehun. “Kyungsoo said the same and he-he died! I cannot, I don’t want to—”

 

“Jongin,” Sehun cuts the younger off, eyebrows furrowed in worry and thought as to why the younger even thought of something so absurd. “What are you even saying?”

 

“What if something happened to you, too? I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself, hyung—”

 

“Jongin,” Sehun says, deep voice warning Jongin to speak no further than what he has already said. “Don’t,” he adds.

 

Jongin bites his lower lip and looks away; when the younger flinches at his touch on his hand, Sehun realizes he has only silenced Jongin, not the monster lurking in his head. The thought worries him more than he’d like to admit, and he can’t deny that he’s feeling the sudden urge to grab the younger and pull him in a hug, and kiss away all his worries. Realizing that he couldn’t do anything here, he only asks Jongin to get up and with a nod passed to Mr. Do, walks out of the station with the younger in tow.

 

The ride to the building is silent, Sehun fills it up with the beautiful melody of some of the finest songs he has ever heard. From the corner of his eyes, he sees Jongin fiddling with his sleeves and tapping his shoe clad feet. When they reach the building and he parks his car in the parking lot, he starts a conversation he knows Jongin would like very much. Or at least hopes so.

 

“I remember you saying how much you like ballet,” he begins, the words instantly catch Jongin’s attention. “I have a friend who knows a renowned dance instructor. You remember Park Chanyeol?”

 

“He’s the dance instructor?”

 

Sehun laughs a little, relieved to see Jongin finally drifting from useless thoughts to a reasonable one. “Oh my God, no!” He shakes his head. “Chanyeol has two left feet—that dude cannot dance. Plus, I can’t even imagine him dancing ballet. He would look dumb.”

 

“Even I can’t,” Jongin hums. Chanyeol is buff, buffer than many men he has seen in his life (even more than Sehun), and remembering back to the day they first met, Jongin realizes that the elder had bumped into the walls of the building and stumbled a thousand times.

 

“But he knows someone who can train a ballet aspiring student. Since you're related to me, we can hire him for at least three days every week. You can learn and master the thing you're most passionate about!”

 

Jongin is silent for some moments, yet, Sehun notices the hopeful, excited glint in the younger's eyes. “Is that possible?” He asks, gentle as if he still couldn't be sure if he heard the same thing his boss said.

 

Sehun nods his head. “He has trained a lot of successful people—keeping in mind how much you like dancing, he would be happy to have you.” He nods his head twice. “Nothing is as precious to a teacher as much as a passionate student is. A passionate learner. As the passion brings you the greatest joy, it also brings the teacher greatest pride when they see you shining like a star. A young bright star.”

 

Sehun, Jongin thinks, has a way with words.

 

“I will contact Chanyeol in a few hours, when I will be sure that he’s free from his work, and talk about it. The idea is good, no?”

 

“It is,” Jongin replies with an enthusiastic nod. “Thank you, hyung.”

 

Now that he has made the younger smile, he feels positive all over.

 

“I haven't danced in years,” Jongin confesses when they reach the office. Sehun holds the door open for the younger with a nervous stretch of lips. “Thank you, hyung.”

 

“Since I know the reason, I won't pry.” He looks down at the watch around his wrist, frowning when he realizes it's past one in the morning already. Guess the case took hours. “What is my schedule?”

 

“Meeting,” Jongin starts; “but the meeting was attended by your father, sir.”

 

“Bye dad?” Sehun rubs a finger over his eyebrow. “He didn't inform me about it.”

 

Jongin shrugs, no one informed him such, too.

 

“What type of meeting was it? I mean, why the meeting was held? The reason.”

 

“It's not given here since it's been cleared. I-I can go and check.”

 

“Yes, yes, please—hey Jongin, please send these files to Baekhyun? He'd asked for these, I forgot to give him. I have sent him files, but I am not sure if he checked his computer, yet.” He quickly pulls a file from under the table and hands it to Jongin. Their fingers brush for a fraction of second, Sehun feels satisfaction bubbling inside of him. “I will wait.”

 

Jongin nods and quickly runs out of the office. Like a penguin, Sehun thinks with a small smile.

 

Jongin doesn't return for the next half an hour, even the next half an hour after that. One hour. Sehun has been waiting for the younger for over an hour now, yet, he has received no news from him. Now worried about the younger, he quickly shuffles out of his suit jacket, throws it over his chair and walks out of the office.

 

Finding Jongin is important; first, for him to know what else he has to look through, second, for his own sanity.

 

The commotion on the second floor catches his attention, but before he could and check it himself, one of the workers—a female—stands on his way, hence blocking him from walking further.

 

“Sir,” the woman greets with a deep bow. “You're here?”

 

“What is happening there?” Sehun asks instead. He looks over the woman's shoulder, but with no use. All he can see is workers looking down and at someone.

 

The girl visibly gulps. “Nothing sir. Seolhyun dropped her coffee on Irene, and you know how nasty girls can be, no? T-that's it, nothing else.”

 

“Still,” Sehun begins and looks down at her. “This is not a way to deal with it. Move aside. Let me go and check it myself.”

 

“Sir, but—”

 

“I said move aside.” Sehun roars in anger. The effect is instantaneous: the girl quickly steps away, and the crowd hovering over someone turn around to look at him, just to freeze on their spots. Going with their reactions, Sehun thinks he will be left with nothing but headache.

 

What is Baekhyun and everyone else doing? Is this what he has to look through, too? As if the responsibilities sitting on his shoulders weren't more than enough already.

 

He stalks to the group with heavy steps, making sure to let everyone know how angry and pissed off he is. “What is happening here?” He asks, brows ceased in anger.

 

No one answers, infuriating Sehun more. Before he could speak or ask something, a very familiar whimper catches his attention. There's barely hidden gasp from the crowd when Sehun shoves past a few employees to reach the familiar figure sitting on the floor in a corner of a cubicle.

 

Looking at Jongin's tears stained cheeks, busted lip and bleeding limped hand, he could feel his anger souring a new height. Getting up from where he had been kneeling in front of the younger, he catches everyone shivering in fear. Good thing, they are going to get for this.

 

“Call everyone here. Baekhyun, Siwon, Changmin and every ing head here. Now. Announce that a meeting shall be held in one hour—I want every board director there. Everyone. Let me end this for once and all.” He runs a hand through his hair, anger rising with every small whimper Jongin gives. “This is not the first time something like this has happened in the company. I am tired of looking through these silly things when I have already a lot on my head.”

 

“Why did this happen again? Who did this? Why did you do this?” When no one answers, he walks to a male employee who looks brave enough to stare into his eyes at a moment like this. “Bring me the CCTV record. As much as I care for you all, give everything to make your life better even in a busy working place like this, you all are forgetting your place. I need to fire the ones I think need to be fired right away.”

 

“Even you're forgetting who you are for a boy.” The male employee speaks, surprising Sehun.

 

“Excuse me?” He asks, disbelief coursing through his veins when he steps a little more ahead. “Come again.”

 

The man visibly gulps, but speaks nonetheless. “Since the day he came, you're forgetting your job as a CEO. You have been so much involved with a —”

 

“What did you call him?” Sehun asks, mostly as a warning for the man to not repeat what he just said, that most probably offended every fibre in his body.

 

“What he is,” the man answers, ready for a punch he so much deserves.

 

“Come again.”

 

“A widow who is nothing more than a .” The man waves his hands a little, voice sure. “He probably sleeps with every man of power. He even slept with your friend; who knows if he slept with someone else than Mr. Kim, your friend.”

 

There’s a stunned silence between them, even Jongin goes silent and cowers more in embarrassment. Sehun sighs to himself once, smiles in disbelief before punching the man hard enough to break his jaw. When the crowd share collective gasp, he passes them a warning glare; eyes hard and mouth set in a straight line.

 

“Do any of you have something to say?” He asks, unapologetic of what he just did. This sure is going to create fire in and around him; most probably his father and everyone would come after him. Not like he cares or something, he needs to teach everyone the basic decency. “Anyone? Anyone?” When everyone reply with a shake of their heads, Sehun shrugs and walks back to Jongin. Stretching a hand towards the younger, he asks him to take it. When Jongin does, he pulls him on his feet, grabs his hand and walks out of the office.

 

“Make sure to tell everyone I’ll be waiting for them in twenty minutes in the meeting room. I want CCTV footage, too.” Someone answers a loud “yes, sir” just before they disappear behind the elevator doors.

 

“Mothering s,” Sehun grumbles to himself, his eyes visibly darken and harden the moment his gaze lands on Jongin's face and hand. “Why do you have to go to them?”

 

“I didn't,” Jongin answers, whimpering at the pain and hurt that spreads across his limbs.

 

“Why did they do that—give me you hand. Come on.” He gently takes the younger's hand before quickly wrapping his handkerchief around the smaller hand. “I am not going to let this one down. If they haven't seen the cruel Oh Sehun, yet, they will now.”

 

“T-they didn't do anything,” Jongin defends, ever the gentle human that he has been.

 

“They didn't do anything you say, huh?” With a gentle of his thumb over the swell on Jongin's bottom lip, he sighs to himself, anger rising when Jongin whimpers at the contact. “What is this then?” He shows his thumb to the younger, there's blood on it.

 

Jongin lowers his head but doesn't speak any further. The ride to his office is silent, Jongin has long stopped crying and whimpering; Sehun guesses it’s just a futile attempt of the younger to make sure he doesn’t do anything to the people involved in this. He barely hides the snort bubbling in his throat; for someone of twenty-six, Jongin surely hasn’t learned to teach (and give) people what they ask for. He still doesn’t know what happened there, why someone did what they did to Jongin, but something inside him tells him that it’s all related to the recent rumors and the closeness between them.

 

Some of them must had been jealous, angry or livid for crossing the line and hurting someone inside the same building he was in.

 

“Do you know anyone of them?” He asks, walking with fast steps into his office.

 

“No,” Jongin replies, lies.

 

Sehun sighs to himself. “Oh, let me bring the first aid,” he says and quickly walks out of the office. He has one in the office, but where, he doesn’t remember. It has been time since he used it anyway.

 

“I will do it myself,” Jongin says when Sehun proceeds to wipe the blood on his lips with the cotton.

 

For some moments, he stays silent and lets the words sink in; when they finally do, he clears his throat and nods towards the kit. “Go.” His voice comes out sharp, as if hurt for being denied to help the younger in something that he really wanted to do. After a few minutes of silence between them, and Jongin’s pained hiss every other second, he stands up and straightens the lapels of his suit jacket. “I am going for the meeting. Stay here and do not talk to anyone.”

 

“Hyung, don’t do it.”

 

Sehun only stares at the younger for some seconds before running a hand through his hair. He clenches his jaw when he thinks back to the moment he’d found Jongin in the IT department not more than ten minutes ago. “Not like I will listen to you about this matter, anyway. Stay here.” With that being said, he quickly walks out of the office.

 

Jongin sighs to himself and hopes Sehun wouldn't do anything irrational; which of course, is a wishful thinking with how angry Sehun looked just now.

 

When Sehun comes back an hour later, Jongin has already known the outcome of the meeting held between the heads. So when the elder doesn't speak anything and only asks for the further schedule of the rest of the day, he quickly gets on his work of Assistant. He knows Sehun wouldn't appreciate anything at this moment.

 

The words, however, travel faster in the company. Before anyone could understand, more than twenty employees are already packing their bags and leaving for good. Jongin doesn't miss the stink eyes that they pass him when he's on his way to the pantry. Not really understanding what's happening around him, he restrains himself from asking Sehun or anyone else about the argument in the meeting room.

 

The elder has been cooped inside his office room with some of the representatives. According to the man's schedule, he has to attend an important interview soon. It’s mostly about the success of the company, and the recent commendable performances of the bands under the Oh Enterprise.

 

Jongin almost hates himself for not having enough knowledge about company and its works, though. He does not understand most of things happening in the company; the only things he knows (and is quite smart at) are already noticed by everyone in the company.

 

Since Sehun has asked him to leave the elder for some hours to come, he’d decided to follow the music playing on the other part of the building. The artists and trainees are being trained as per the requirement (and schedule), and the mere reminder that he used to dance to songs, pulls him close to the studios like a magnet.

 

Jongin knows he won’t regret peaking through the door to one studio when his body automatically catches the beats of the song. A smile appears on his eyes and he immediately catches many flaws in the idols moves; they are not following the choreographer well.

 

“Mr. Do,” someone calls. Jongin realizes the music has ended, he blushes to his ears before bowing at everyone.

 

“I apologize, I just came to see.”

 

“It’s okay; it’s nothing to worry about,” a man who Jongin assumes as the manager of the band says with a careless flick of his hand. “Would you like to join these young men?”

 

Ignoring the awed looks passed by nearly everyone at him, he shyly walks inside the room and stands in the middle when the group parts for him. Jongin doesn’t even know why they’re looking at him as if he were a piece of wonder. The manager introduces everyone to Jongin, and then Jongin to everyone.

 

“They have been practising for some hours, they still have to get a lot of things right,” the man says when he’s done introducing everyone to Jongin. The boys immediately look down in embarrassment.

 

Jongin shakes his head at the manager. “That’s okay; it always takes some time to get with the steps. I know because I used to dance, too. I know how difficult it is to follow some steps.”

 

“Were you a dancer?” The manager asks, Jongin replies with a shy nod. “Oh, why don’t you show us some of your skills? Everyone would want to have some entertainment.” Jongin understands the tone; the man believes that he would probably make a fool of himself while dancing and hence would become a laughing stock in everyone’s eyes.

 

He shakes his head, however, the hurt and anger doesn’t go unnoticed by many. Some of the idols look down in shame at what the manager meant, and some pass him reassuring looks. Jongin doesn’t need any of them. “I am fine, thank you.” He politely rejects.

 

“Are you sure you’re not afraid about embarrassing yourself here, Mr. Do?” The manager says, challenges, when Jongin turns to leave.

 

“I am not sure what you mean.” Jongin turns, now confused.

 

“Why don’t you show us some moves?”

 

It’s not until the man passes him a funny look (with a raised brow) that Jongin decides he has had enough. He asks for one of the boys to carry his tablet before he quickly shuffles out of his suit jacket. “Would you please hold it for some moments, please?” When the boy wordlessly does, he smiles at him, a real, bright smile that brings a flush to the young man’s cheeks. “Thank you.”

 

He turns to look at the manager who is still passing him amused look. “Sir, put whatever you like.”

 

The man shrugs and asks the boys to leave the space for Jongin to dance.

 

Jumping from Junsu’s ‘Tarantallegra’ to BAP’s ‘One Shot’, Monsta X’s ‘Stuck’, Infinite’s ‘The Eye’, and some other songs that Jongin has never heard before (but follows instinctively with his senses), the man tests Jongin.

 

When the music finally stops (after how many minutes, Jongin has no idea), he only hears loud sounds of praises being thrown at him. Now completely getting out of the reverie he had been just a few seconds ago, he quickly ducks his head low in shyness and avoids looking at everyone.

 

“Wow,” the choreographer begins when the manager refuses to speak anything with how stunned he is. “I thought the way you walked and moved was just—”

 

“I thought you were impersonating.” The manager waves his hands a little. “Like you wanted to be some star or dancer but couldn’t be, so you just go around and walk and move like that with an intention. As if you wanted to fraud—” he stops and apologizes. “You did better than many people I have met.”

 

“No, no, it’s not like that—”

 

“I mean you proved yourself graceful with all the walking and simple movements already, but the way you danced… I must say, I am very impressed with what I just witnessed.” The man nods to himself. “Why did you stop dancing? You’re good as you already are. If I were to say, I would go as far as to say any company would kneel and beg for you to sign up for them. You’re a precious talent. Why haven’t you given yourself a chance?”

 

Jongin gulps and shakes his head; he avoids looking at anyone in fear of tearing up instantly. “Dancing is just my passion; I never thought about it.”

 

“Then let the world know about your passion. Everyone needs to see the potential you have, Mr. Do. I apologize for acting rude earlier; I was just testing you. It’ll be a shame if I came out rude in doing so.” The man stops apologizing when Jongin says he’s not offended. “You’re still young; give yourself a chance. These kids—” he stops and points to the boys standing in the back, still amazed at what they witnessed. “These kids will learn from you. Besides, I noticed one thing.”

 

“What?” Jongin asks, thanking the boy who’d carried his tablet and jacket.

 

“Your personality takes a complete 180 degree change; it’s rare to see someone imersing so much in dancing and changing instantly as soon as they’re done proving their capability. Mr. Do, you really are something.”

 

Jongin shyly smiles and after thanking everyone (and blushing upto his ears with all the praises he gets from everyone, especially the boys), he walks out of the studio.

 

He doesn’t think he’s been this happy and satisfied in recent years. The smile adorning his lips and the pure happiness radiating off him suddenly brightens the monotone air inside the building. He's on cloud nine, and nothing can bring him down.

 

“Well,” someone begins and Jongin looks up immediately to find Sehun standing in the doorway. “You amaze me.”

 

“What?” He asks, puzzled.

 

The meeting had ended an hour ago—its more than eight in the evening now—and Sehun had excused himself to drop the men to the door. Jongin had nodded at the explanation and quickly locked himself inside the office to squeal in happiness in solitude. Seeing Sehun suddenly makes him nervous, and he wonders if he did something when the elder doesn't stop looking at him.

 

Sehun shakes his head and bites the inside of his cheek. “When is the interview?”

 

“In about an hour,” Jongin answers, watching as Sehun quickly walks inside a door before coming back to him.

 

“Don't you think I need to get ready this instant? We'll be late otherwise.”

 

“Uh, yes, sure.”

 

“Ah, Jongin, change your suit, too. I think at least one of the suits in my closet would fit on you. Ah, I should keep some of your sizes too.” Sehun points to his white shirt before tilting his head a little, an amused and knowing smile graces his lips. “Your shirt is wrinkled, what did you do?”

 

Jongin shakes his head and squeaks. “Of course, nothing! I don’t know how this happened.”

 

Sehun hums, but Jongin notices the fond look the elder passes him; he blushes more and quickly shuffles inside the closet behind one of the doors. Jongin comes with a blue suit for Sehun, a black shirt underneath it when Jongin points that it would look better. Sehun gives a hum of approval to him and then helps Jongin to choose a suit for himself. “Black compliments your pretty skin tone better than any other.” He explains when he presses a black suit in Jongin’s hands.

 

“Why do you have a choker in it, hyung?” He asks, picking one between his fingers. Sehun looks up from the black shirt he had been staring intensely at before shrugging.

 

“I’ve always wanted to see you in choker, hope you’ll fulfill my wish soon.”

 

“You’re weird.” Jongin grumbles, Sehun only laughs in response.

 

“Why are your lips so swollen,” the makeup artist points out for the nth time, gently applying primer on his face. Sehun groans and asks her to do her work silently when Jongin uncomfortably shifts on his chair.

 

“What am I going to do there?” Jongin asks, following Sehun to the car.

 

“You are just going to stand beside me.”

 

“I don’t think if assistants are needed in the first place.”

 

Sehun hums, “but I need my assistant beside me.” He confesses with a small smile.

 

The interview goes... well. Jongin doesn’t know much, however, keeping in mind how Sehun’s father had asked him to not appear beside his son during the interview; the media is not silent these days and they are in desperate need of a spicy news. Who knows what could happen in those two hours of interview, the older Mr. Oh would much rather have no other rumor going around his son (and Jongin).

 

“So I have heard that you’ve a son of five,” Mr. Oh says into a few minutes of silence between him and the younger. Jongin replies with a hesitant, shy nod. Though he has worked under Sehun for over two months now, he has never really talked to the elder’s father. It’s awkward between them. “He must be really cute then. What’s his name anyway?”

 

“Jin, Seokjin.”

 

“That’s a sweet name.” The man hums before nodding a little at the younger. “I have heard about the father—your husband, too. I apologize for the way some of the employees talk about it. Do they still point about it?”

 

“No, of course not, sir.”

 

“You’re really bad at lying,” the man says instead, laughing into his fist. “I don’t know if people could read you or not, but being father of a brat, I understand everyone really well. I know people won’t stop unless you bite back at them with an equally snarky remark, but they won’t stop even after that. It’s all about who’ll get the upper hand.”

 

“I have always thought kindness towards them would be the better option.”

 

“Then again,” Mr. Oh begins, “there's a limit to everything.”

 

“I cannot deny that, sir.”

 

“What do you think about my son?” The man asks into a few minutes of silence between them.

 

“W—I am sorry, I didn't quite understand that, sir.”

 

“Sehun—how do you think of him as a person? Not as a CEO or a businessman, but as a human.”

 

“H-he is a… gentleman, sir. Kind and very understanding. A little cold and rude at first, but he's a very sound person.”

 

The man smiles. “Good, good.” The man smiles as if he had never been this happy for his son before. “Sehun likes you, too. A lot.”

 

Jongin does not know what to reply to that, so he keeps mum and blushes under the steady gaze of the elder on him.

 

“I thought you would wait,” Sehun says, almost whines, as he drives to the familiar path to Jongin's apartment.

 

“What do you mean, hyung?”

 

Sehun shrugs and grabs his phone before placing it on the younger's lap. “This,” he says, pointing to the open gallery in his phone. “The video, watch it.”

 

A little confused at the odd behavior of the elder, he quickly does as the man asks him to. A surprised gasp escapes his lips when he realizes it's him—recorded while dancing to the various songs in the studio. “How did you get this?”

 

“Everyone works under me, you know.” He laughs a little. “Of course, this is something that you cannot not share.” Hesitantly, he brings a hand to Jongin's and gives it a small squeeze. “You amaze me, I still wonder why haven't I noticed your talent until now. I think you should debut soon—under me, of course.”

 

“You're too kind, hyung,” Jongin replies, blushing to his ears.

 

Sehun shakes his head. “You're just too amazing—simply out of reach of millions.”

 

Their relationship has gotten better, Sehun thinks, looking at the younger through the corner of his eyes, silently taking in the delighted expression of Jongin. Moreover he has finally seen a side of Jongin that Jongin had been hiding really well from everyone. It’s quite endearing though, he thinks, Jongin getting angry and offended when someone pointed a finger at his dancing skills, his passion. Shut their mouth up with the same passion.

 

“Have you met my father by any chance?”

 

“Yes, while you were giving interview. Why, what happened?”

 

“Nothing,” Sehun replies with a shake of his head, before parking the car in front of Jongin’s apartment. “He was saying some random things about you.”

 

“Like?” Jongin prompts, now curious.

 

“How you are different and all. Just those things, nothing else. Don’t worry. It’s late, go your son must be waiting for you.”

 

“Won’t you come in?”

 

“Nah, I am tired. See you tomorrow.”

 

“Alright. Good night.”

 

“Night.”

 

Walking inside his home with a hop in his steps, he catches sight of his son sulking while watching his favorite cartoon. He jumps next to his son on the couch, looking around himself curiously to search for Lucas.

 

“Hi, baby,” he greets, gently pulling the boy in his lap and kissing his little head in apology for neglecting him for so long. “What happened?” He asks, looking into the direction of the kitchen when he hears a noise. “Are you okay, Lucas—”

 

“That's not hyung.”

 

Jongin furrows his brows and turns around to look at his son. “Then who it is?”

 

“Me—I am sorry, I came without informing you. I just wanted to meet you and I thought coming here would be, yeah.”

 

“Junmyeon hyung, what—” He stands up immediately, watching as Junmyeon nervously fiddles with the rim of the glass he’s holding.

 

“I am sorry, I just wanted some water to drink and well…” he clears his throat and places the glass on the nearest table.

 

“Oh, hyung, then do. I am just surprised, that’s all.” He looks down at his son, “why didn’t you give uncle water to drink.”

 

“Uncle said I was too small to follow orders.”

 

“God, you just love being pampered. Nothing else. I am sorry about this, hyung.” Junmyeon shakes his head and says how’s he should be the one to apologize, before he apologizes.

 

“I have to go home, my family is coming to meet me in an hour. Can we talk a little, Jongin?”

 

Jongin looks down at his son once, watching the boy for a few seconds as he gets back on sulking and watching his cartoon. “Sure, hyung.” Junmyeon gives him a smile in return before waiting for him.

 

Standing with Junmyeon in silence, alone, is a little awkward for him now. It has nothing to be with the fact that they haven’t spend time for days, without anyone accompanying them, but the fact that the last time they’d met, they had kissed. Moments of vulnerability were shared between them; Jongin confessing about the troubles of his life and admitting the fact that he has been searching for someone to hold onto, Junmyeon confessing his honest feelings to the younger—that he has taken liking to Jongin and wants to get a chance to prove himself.

 

That and the fact that despite knowing the truth about the elder’s feelings, he used him in his own moments, without thinking twice of how he was playing with the elder.

 

Hoping that the elder won’t notice the awkward air around them (which is unavoidable, if he were to be honest), he looks at Junmyeon, only to find him already watching him. He blushes and looks away.

 

“Hi,” Junmyeon says, smiling when Jongin turns to look at him. “I have missed you,” he adds next.

 

“Hi, hyung.”

 

“You haven’t missed me?” The man asks, teases.

 

“I did, of course!” He replies with a barely hidden squeak.

 

“Um, Jongin, I—”

 

“I am sorry,” he says and looks away from the elder.

 

“Sorry? For what?”

 

“T-that day—I shouldn’t have kissed you. That was wrong of me.”

 

Junmyeon is silent for some moments, the silence so heavy that Jongin almost suffocates in it. If it wasn’t for the small touch on his arm, he would have already cried. “You didn’t like it?—Was I too foreword? I am sorry—”

 

“No, I just... I think I used you. Hyung, I don—”

 

“You don’t feel the same?” He asks; Jongin notices the heaviness in his voice, the giveaway that he may cry any moment. He doesn’t reply and lets his silence speak for itself. Junmyeon laughs a little and pulls his hand back. “I am sorry then,” the elder begins at last. “I forced you to kiss me.”

 

“You never did,” Jongin denies with a barely hidden gasp; there are tears threatening to fall out of his eyes, but he barely pays it any mind. Throat clogged at the reminder that he’s hurting another kind presence in his life, he reaches out for Junmyeon’s hand, the man lets him hold it. “Hyung, I never thought you would feel that way for me. It’s my fault—I-I didn’t mean to, and now I regret using you. Hyung, I am sorry.”

 

Junmyeon sighs and rubs a thumb over the back of Jongin's hand. “You did not use me, silly.” He reassures. “It's just so freaking hard to not fall for you!” He exclaims and stares at Jongin in raw emotions. The sight of it—and the teary eyes—breaks Jongin's heart. He hates himself. “I-I used to think that I could stop myself, you know. I used to think that it was not even possible to fall for someone who I don't spend even a single day with. Then you had to come and prove me wrong.”

 

“That day when I saw you for the first time—the day Sehun introduced you to us—I knew there was something different about you, something special. I hadn't known that I felt attracted to you at the first sight, at least not until I went home and thought the whole night about you. We met again and again, we talked, we shared numbers, we texted to each other so many times. I was stupid enough to think that you thought of me the same way.”

 

“Hyung—”

 

“The day I kissed you for the first time, Jongin, I wanted to propose you; ask you out and take a chance to see if it would work between us or not. I was stupid enough to not think that I should probably ask for your permission. All those stupid scandals happened, you suffered and heard so much ridiculous things because of me.”

 

“As if all of those were not enough, I thought I could come closer to you. I still tried like silly; tried to understand and see if there was any chance. Whatever happened at the party was unfortunate, I just couldn't stop myself for reaching out to you when I heard about it. I kissed you again. I thought that would be the start because you kissed back! Proved wrong again, huh.”

 

“Hyung,” Jongin says, reaching out to wipe the fallen tears on the elder's cheeks. Rubbing the thumb over the cheeks, he asks the elder to not avoid his gaze. “I am sorry, I never knew you felt so much for me. I am sorry.”

 

“I just,” Junmyeon says a few minutes later, “can I just get a hug? I need it real bad.”

 

Instead of replying verbally, Jongin quickly launches himself into the elder's awaiting arms, relishing in the familiar warmth of kindness and gentleness. Junmyeon laughs into his neck a little, Jongin doesn’t know what he should do in return. He sounds like he’s self deprecating, Jongin’s heart breaks a little.

 

“I will miss this,” the man says a few minutes later. “Can we hug after tonight—without any feelings, yes.” Jongin gives a small nod into the man’s neck. Junmyeon hums before pulling back a few seconds later. He clears his throat and looks away before Jongin could see the tears in his eyes. “Do you have someone in your mind?”

 

“Of course, no.”

 

“You liar.” Junmyeon teases, and pokes him on his cheek. Jongin playfully swats his hand away, feeling relieved now that the elder isn’t really sad (or isn’t showing that he is). “I always thought it would be hard for you to fall for someone again.” Jongin keeps mum.

 

“No, there’s really no one.” Junmyeon replies with a teasing hum; Jongin blushes in return.

 

At the small ping from his phone, he looks down at the device in his hands, taking in the notification of Sehun's messages. A smile appears on his lips when he scrolls through the app, reading the messages with a bubbling feeling inside of him.

 

i am sorry I haven't asked about your

 

wounds again

 

i just reached home and thought should check on you the first thing

 

are you okay?

 

do they hurt?

 

i haven't even looked properly at them, you were too stubborn to do everything yourself, I must remind you that

 

Jongin, i know you're reading the messages

 

REPLY NOW

 

please

 

There's a sigh beside him; he quickly puts his phone down and watches as Junmyeon looks away in time to stare at the night sky. “You were smiling—who was it?”

 

“Uh, n-no one.”

 

“Sehun right? I knew from the start, he would win you before I would or could, to be honest.”

 

Jongin bites his lower lip and restrains himself from asking what the elder meant with the whole 'win you over before I would or could’.

 

“I do not feel as sad as I thought I would feel at your rejection—guess, I was already ready for one, huh.”

 

“Hyung—”

 

“He is a little stupid though, need to tell you that, just in case you thought you're getting a well composed man. He is immature a lot, does and says even before thinking anything… but even then, he's a nice man.”

 

“I know,” he says, thinking back to the various moments where the elder had unintentionally said things that hurt him. “He is really stupid.”

 

“He is,” Junmyeon hums with a small laugh.

 

“He is very annoying, too,” he says next.

 

“Oh my, you’re really something.” The man nods a little to himself. “He is annoying.”

 

“Very annoying.”

 

“Yes, very annoying.”