CHAPTER 24

HE CRIED

“Tell Murayama that we’re not giving him another chance. He blew up the only chance he got and that’s it.” Jaehyun was fuming in anger. 

One stubborn CEO of a computer company was bugging them about his business proposal that had been rejected by Jaehyun for countless of times already. The said CEO kept on coming back and telling them the greatness of his proposal and the benefits that it will give to NCT, where in fact, the only one benefitting was his own company. 

“I don’t want to see his face inside this building again and anyone who will let him in will have to find another job.”

“Yes, boss.” Johnny sighed as he massaged his aching temple. 

A few weeks ago, Jaehyun was on high since he just got back from his honeymoon and the whole building felt the happy aura from their boss.

Every employee was so happy about the light mood and it continued for weeks until Mr. Seiji Murayama decided to show up with his proposal. He insisted the proposal to be reviewed and it was rejected for countless of times already because of the high budget it required.

“I’ve never seen someone so stubborn before,” Taeil said, feeling tired with all the conversations they had with the guy that only went in circles. “Why can’t he take no for an answer?”

“NUEST Inc. is offering the same deal with half the price Mr. Murayama is offering. As a matter of fact, Kim Jong Hyun-sshi is asking for an appointment so we can review the entire proposal,” Yuta said as he flipped his planner, looking for possible dates where he can accommodate the said person. 

Jaehyun beat him to it and said, “Schedule him tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Prepare the contract in case we approve the proposal, so that poor excuse of a scumbag Murayama will shut up.”

“Got it.”

“You can all go home,” Jaehyun then said in which the three other guys replied with a surprised, “Excuse me?”

Johnny, Yuta, and Taeil looked at each other and then to their watches and then back to each other once again. Yuta even cleared his ears and made Jaehyun repeat what he just said, in which he did with an eye roll.

“I said, you can all go home now.”

“But it’s just 3:00 pm, boss. Isn’t it too early?" Johnny reluctantly asked, thinking that Jaehyun was just playing a prank on them.

“Don’t ask, Johnny. Just go home.”

“Oh, did your lovely husband asked you to come home early? Damn, married life suits you.” Yuta teased and Jaehyun’s ears turned red. All three guys saw it and they chuckled at their boss. “Whipped,” Yuta smirked as he enjoyed seeing a fidgety Jaehyun in front of him.

“He didn’t call me, okay. I just want to come home early,” Jaehyun said in defense, but instead of heeding his command, the three guys took the opportunity to tease Jaehyun more. It wasn’t all the time that Jaehyun had this light mood even though just a while ago, he was cursing a stubborn CEO. The transition was quite amusing.

“So you could eat dinner early, snuggle on the couch and then have some y time.” Johnny teased while swaying his hips from left to right, earning a hearty laugh from Taeil and Yuta while Jaehyun’s ears turned redder.

“Okay, that’s it, everyone's working overtime. No one is going home until the contract is finished.” Jaehyun then said.

“Ten called me. Can’t keep him waiting. Gotta go.” Johnny immediately bolted out of the room followed by Yuta, while murmuring that he had to buy some groceries because he’s running low on meat.

Taeil also stood and waved his hand to his brother. “Mark’s waiting, bye.”

In a matter of minutes, Jaehyun was left alone in his office. He shook his head at the three's antics while he arranged all the documents on top of his table. Since he got married, he stopped bringing work at home and made it a point that all his attention and time were on his husband.

***

Yuta found a crying Winwin at his home and in an instant, they were on their way to meet the younger’s brother. 

Yuta swallowed hard. It took a couple of days before his bruises that Taeyong game him to heal completely and he was so sure that he was about to get a couple more. He unknowingly held his jaw, as if preparing it for the impending doom.

“Win, honey, are you really sure about this? I mean, of course, I want to meet your brother and tell him about us. I was the one who kept on insisting it in the first place, but not when you’re in a mess. We can’t face your brother with your red eyes. He’s going to think that I did something to you. Please, let’s go back now and we’ll plan on how to tell your brother without murdering me.” 

Yuta was nervous, to say the least. Meeting Winwin’s brothers was one thing and telling them that they were dating against their knowledge was another and a very dangerous one.  Yuta started to sweat while he held on the steering wheel too tightly than normal. Winwin just stared at the road. He finished crying but his eyes were still red.

“If… If Taeyong hyung won't agree with us dating, are you willing to fight for me? Are you willing to marry me?”

Winwin’s questions surprised Yuta that he all of a sudden, stopped the car in the middle of the road. Cars behind them honked at the sudden move so Yuta immediately parked the vehicle at the side of the road, not minding that he may get a parking ticket for what he did. Winwin surprised him so much that he was lost for words. His mind refused to function and think of proper sentences to answer the younger without messing his already confused mind even more.

It took a long time for Yuta to answer and Winwin took it negatively and broke his heart. Tears fell down on his face once again and broken sobs filled the car. He tried to open the door at his side but Yuta had locked it so his attempt to get out of the car failed.

“Open the door,” Winwin said in between sobs. “Open this damn door!”

“Win,” Yuta held Winwin’s hand when he tried to pushed the button on Yuta’s side that could open the door. The older stopped him just on time but Winwin fought harder and started to flail his arms with the intention of hurting Yuta.

“Open the door!”

“Win, stop it. What are you doing?”

“Why can’t you answer me? Why are we still together if you won't fight for me anyway. Did you ever think of marrying me? Taeyong hyung was right, you will never be serious about relationships. You just played with me and took advantage of my weakness!”

Yuta’s eyes widened at those words and anger immediately rose inside him. “When did I say that!” he yelled that shocked Winwin. It made the younger stopped hurting him and looked down, crying. 

“Don’t put words in my mouth! For goodness sake, I stopped playing around when I met you! How dare you assume that I won’t fight for you when I took your brother’s fists and risked my life so that I can be with you?” Yuta was so angry that Winwin’s crying had no effect on him anymore. He said what he had to say. 

“I told you to tell Taeyong the moment we started dating. I was ready to fight or you and take every blow he will give. I was ready to take all of them so I can still be with you afterward. I was ready, Win, but you told me it wasn’t the right time, yet."

Yuta wanted to yell even more for Winwin to understand but he stopped himself.

"I'm still willing, Win, nothing’s changed.”

There was a long silence afterward. No one said a word and all Yuta could hear were the faint sobs coming from Winwin. 

“I just don’t want us to see Taeyong when you are in a mess. I want to meet him when you are in your best so he can see that I can take care of you and nothing bad will happen to you under my care. Is that hard to understand? I am more than willing to marry you Winwin.” 

Yuta also looked down, his eyes getting red but he didn’t cry. He had to be strong, not for himself, but for Winwin.

“You’re right. I was a playboy. I jumped from one relationship to another because I don’t see my future with them, but you’re different. I knew from the start that being with you won’t be easy but I still took my chance. Isn’t that enough for you to trust me that I will fight for you, that we’re in this together?” He then unlocked all the doors of the car. Winwin heard it and looked at Yuta. 

“If you don’t believe me, you are free to go, Win. I won’t stop you. Just, just before you leave this car, know that I love you and nothing would change that.” Yuta then looked away, not wanting to see the younger walk out of his car and probably his life.

Winwin didn’t move, instead, he took Yuta’s hand and interlocked their fingers together.

“I’m sorry.”

He said sorry. He apologized. Yuta thought that the apology was for what Winwin said but the younger had deeper intentions when he said those words and Yuta was clueless.

***

Taeyong and Jaehyun were about to have their dinner when they heard the doorbell. Jaehyun volunteered to open it and he got the shock of his life when he saw Yuta and Winwin together, holding hands. He gave his friend a questioning glare and held Yuta’s arm tightly.

“What’s the meaning of this?” He whispered with a warning. He didn’t want his husband to hear them or to see two in that state.

“We want to talk to Taeyong-sshi.”

“No.”

“Jaehyun, who’s that?” The three heard Taeyong’s voice from the kitchen and when his husband failed to answer back, they saw him peeked his head from the wall.

Taeyong dropped the glass he was holding when he saw his brother with Yuta and they were holding hands. Pieces of broken glass scattered on the floor.

His strength suddenly left his body and he learned at the wall. Jaehyun instantly came to his side for support.

“Don’t touch my brother!” Taeyong pulled his hand from Jaehyun’s grip and tried to walk into Yuta, ready to claw his eyes out.  Winwin stepped forward and shielded his body over Yuta. 

“We need to talk, hyung.”

Taeyong saw that Winwin’s eyes were swollen and that gave him the strength to pulled himself from his husband’s grip successfully. He walked straight into Yuta and pushed Winwin away so he could throw a punch at the Japanese. 

His fist landed successfully on his jaw and Yuta fell on the floor, lips already bleeding. Taeyong was thinking the very same thoughts Yuta had earlier, that Yuta hurt Winwin.

“Yuta!” Winwin yelled and kneeled at his side to look at his boyfriend’s wound.

“Si Cheng, step away from that .”

“No!”

“ I said step away!”

Once again, Taeyong landed a punch on Yuta’s face. The strong impact made the Japanese head hit the wall. Yuta grimaced in pain. Winwin touched the back of his head that hit the wall and blood smeared his fingers.

“Hyung!” WInwin looked at his hyung, accusing.

Taeyong was about to throw another punch but Jaehyun stopped him just in time before he could reach the already bleeding guy.

“Why are you so concern with him?” Taeyong glared at Winwin, his heart was beating at an abnormal rate because of anger and his face was so read that Jaehyun worried that something might happen to him so he held him tight.

“Because he's my boyfriend and we’re planning to get married!” Winwin yelled and cried.

“W-what?” Taeyong’s jaw dropped and Jaehyun gasped at Winwin’s revelation.

“We’re dating, hyung. We started dating after you got married.” Winwin confessed as he cried on Yuta’s chest. 

It took Taeyong a long time to process what Winwin just said. No one talk within those moments. Taeyong wanted to cry and tell his brother to stop his stupid frank. It wasn’t a prank, though. Winwin was serious.

Suddenly, Taeyong world collapsed. His legs lost their strength and he slid on the floor, with Jaehyun still holding his arms.

“W-why?”

“Taeyong, I love Winwin and I won't hurt him in any way.” Yuta butted in, hoping to calm Taeyong down but it was a failure. Taeyong gave him a looked of betrayal and disgust. 

“You love him?” Taeyong gave a painful chuckle in the midst of his denial. “How can you love a child five years your junior with your reputation?”

“I am an adult!” Winwin said in defense but his hyung stopped him with a big, fat, “Shut up!”

Winwin cowered back. The two were expecting it to happen but they were never prepared for it.

“I’m not talking to you so shut up!” Taeyong panted. His heart felt so heavy and he wanted to cry but his tears were failing him. “Just because you turned into an adult, you think you can do anything you want to? You’re dating him behind my back and now you’re telling me that you’re an adult? Do you think a responsible adult would do that?”

“Hyung, I know you don’t like Yuta that’s why I didn’t tell you about it.”

“Because I have a reason why I don’t like this guy!”

“Hyung.”

“Is this the reason why you were so against pressing charges against him before, huh? You were against it because you like what he did?”

“I never told you to confront him!” Winwin yelled but Taeyong was unfazed. It wasn’t the first time Winwin yelled at him.

“You were in pain!”

“I was okay!”

“So, I have to apologize now for hurting your boyfriend before because of you apparently, liked what he did? You were underage, Si Cheng.” If looks could kill, Winwin surely died a few times with the kind of look Taeyong just gave him. It was more intense than the time he first confronted Yuta at the NCT Tower and Winwin started to be afraid.

“Not anymore.” Winwin stood his ground. He knew he was hurting his brother with every word what was coming out his mouth but he still continued. For everything to work, he needed to continue even if he had to hurt his brother, he had to so he did. 

“What?”

“We will get married and you can’t stop me anymore.”

“Si Cheng,” Taeyong knew that Winwin made up his mind and he was determined to do what Taeyong feared the most so he tried to beg him to stop. “Please, don’t do this. I won’t stop you from dating other guys, but not this guy, please.”

Winwin was determined. “No.”

“Si Cheng,” Taeyong pleaded but Winwin just shook his head. 

The younger apologized to his brother in his head. It wasn’t the right time for Taeyong to hear it, yet.

“Taeyong, I promised that I will take care of Winwin, you don’t have to worry about him.”

Taeyong chuckled once again. “Those were the exact same words Jaehyun told me before we got married and look what happened. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” 

Jaehyun’s heart skipped a beat at his husband’s words. He looked away, ashamed that he failed to keep his promise to Taeyong.

Taeyong then looked straight at Yuta’s eyes and said, 

“I hate you.”

***

That night, Taeyong didn’t eat his dinner. His appetite was lost after everything that happened. Same with Jaehyun who tried his best to make his husband talk to him. He even wanted Taeyong to be mad at him or vent all his anger on him so he could just get any reaction from his husband. Taeyong just sat on their bed and stared the TV that wasn’t even on. His mind was elsewhere. He didn’t even respond when Jaehyun held his hand and kiss the side of his head.

“Let’s go to sleep, love.”

Taeyong didn’t move. Jaehyun was prepared to be beside his husband in that state and if it meant that he had to lose some sleep then so be it.

“You told me Yuta won't touch Winwin while we’re gone.” 
Finally, Taeyong spoke without looking at Jaehyun’s eyes. “You promised me that he won't be able to come near Winwin.”

Jaehyun’s heart broke at the state of his husband. His eyes were bloodshot but no tears were coming out. 

“I know. I’m sorry I failed you. I didn’t know that they were seeing each other secretly.”

“Should I worry about Haechan, too?”

“No. Haechan hates Mark so even if my brother tries to come near him, Haechan will be the first one to walk away.”

“I wish Winwin is like Haechan.”

Jaehyun sighed and his husband’s hair. 

“Love, I know you are hurting right now and it pains me that I cannot do anything about it. I will talk to Yuta tomorrow but for now, you need to rest.”

“I want to see Winwin.” Taeyong looked at his husband with pleading eyes and Jaehyun almost gave in to them but it was already 1:00 and Winwin went with Yuta so it would be hard for them to see the younger.

“You will see him tomorrow, for now, let’s rest.”

Taeyong didn’t object when Jaehyun laid him down with him and used his husband’s arms as his pillow. 

They stayed that way for a moment and even if Taeyong’s eyes were closed, Jaehyun knew he wasn’t sleeping so he kissed his head and whispered, “You can cry if that will ease your heart. I’m here. I will always be here."

Jaehyun then pulled to his side and buried Taeyong’s face on his chest and whispered sweet nothings to lull him to sleep. But Taeyong didn’t sleep, Jaehyun heard faint and muffled sobs coming from his husband. Soon, his shirt was wet and Taeyong was hurtfully sobbing on his chest. It broke Jaehyun’s heart even more but he did nothing to stop his husband from crying. If it was the only way to ease his burden, then he was ready to hug until he’s done.

But Taeyong didn’t stop.

It was already bright outside and Taeyong was still crying. He really cried his heart out. It was already 9:00 in the morning when Taeyong finally tired himself and fell asleep into Jaehyun’s arms. Jaehyun called his office and told them that he won’t make it to their scheduled meeting with NUEST. His husband needed him more and he was going to be there for him.

For eight straight hours, Taeyong cried.

aejae22

*****************************************************************

Hi, I wasn't able to finish this chapter yesterday because ot was so hard to write.

I'm sure you will be pissed at me with this update but calm down, I'm just starting.

Please leave a comment.

One more chapter and then we will have a pull chapter on MarkHyuck/ MarkChan.