CHAPTER 25

IT FINALLY HAPPENED

“You can leave now, I’m going to be okay,” Taeyong reassured his husband but Jaehyun wasn’t having any of it. 
Jaehyun decided to stay at home with his still tearful husband. Taeyong fell asleep crying and woke up only to cry again when he remembered what happened the night before. His husband couldn’t do anything to stop him from crying. 

Haechan came with Kun and he heard what happened for the first time. The younger one also cried with his brother and Jaehyun was left with a sad Kun.  

Jaehyun had no choice but to babysit Kun while Haechan tried to comfort Taeyong. Haechan was hurt by what Winwin did and he felt betrayed, but with what was happening with Taeyong, he wiped his own tears to provide comfort for the older. He decided to put his feelings aside and cry later, Taeyong had lost Winwin and Haechan was the only one he had.

“No, I’m not going anywhere until you’re okay,” Jaehyun said as they watched Haechan and Kun play with Legos in their living room.

“I’m okay.” Taeyong hoarsely said. 

“I’ll be the judge on that. You didn’t even eat your breakfast. How can I leave you if you’re doing this?”

“I’m gonna be okay.”

Jaehyun sighed and hooked his arms over Taeyong’s shoulder. Taeyong automatically leaned to his chest, something that he already got used to.

“I know that Winwin is still young but I know Yuta will take care of him. I will personally murder him if he ever hurt your brother. Winwin is also my family so I will never spare the life of anyone who will try to hurt him, even if it’s my friend.”

Taeyong once again teared up when he heard Winwin’s name.  The younger didn’t come home last night, one reason why Taeyong wasn’t able to sleep.

“I promised my father that I will take care of them,” Taeyong managed to say in between sobs.

“You did.”

“I failed.”

“Shhh…” Jaehyun kissed his temple and hugged him tight why Taeyong cried his heart out on his chest.  “Winwin had his own mind. He decided for himself and you have nothing to do with it. You did your part well so don’t feel guilty that he ends up like this. It his choice.”

Guilt. It was only one of the things that Taeyong was feeling at the moment. He felt like a total failure and they were so many things that were coming through his head that all he could do was cry.  Winwin basically became the sacrificial lamb for choosing to get married to Jaehyun in order to save Haechan.  Taeyong believed that he could’ve stopped Yuta and his brother from being together if he didn’t choose to take Jaehyun’s offer, but that also meant that Haechan was going to be charged. He lost Winwin because he tried to save Haechan. It was a great dilemma and Taeyong’s head started to throb.

He wanted to blame Jaehyun. His mind was telling him to put all the blame on his husband for a cruel offer and a broken promise. Taeyong wanted to but there was something stopping him and he didn’t know where it was coming from. He wanted to get mad and hurt Jaehyun but he couldn’t and that was making him even more frustrated. 
He couldn’t blame anyone but himself.

Jaehyun ordered their lunch because Taeyong was still in a mess to cook. They ate in silence and it was only Kun who seemed to enjoy the scrumptious lunch in front of them. The child was clueless about what was happening. He just felt sad because his Taeyong and Haechan were crying without knowing the reason why. Jaehyun envied his innocence. 

***

Taeyong managed to fall asleep that afternoon as he patiently waited for Winwin to come back home. Winwin didn’t come back so Jaehyun decided to confront Yuta about what happened. it was a heated argument that if Johnny and Taeil didn’t come on time, Yuta was going to suffer a broken limb. Jaehyun was livid that even a big guy like Johnny had a hard time holding him back. Good thing Taeil was there to help him. Yuta, whose face was already covered with bruised even before he entered Jaehyun’s office, just quietly sat on the floor where he landed when Jaehyun’s fist landed on his gut.

“I told you to stay away from Winwin! You can ing touch anyone and I won’t give a damn, but not Winwin!” Jaehyun yelled and Johnny was glad that his office was soundproof or every employee on the floor would definitely hear them.

“You can hurt me until you’re satisfied but I won’t leave Winwin. He will have to be the first one to do that but I won’t.”

“You-!” Jaehyun was about to swing his arm once again when Taeil stopped him.

“Jae, let’s talk about this first, okay? We won’t solve anything if you will act like this. Calm down.” Taeil said.
Jaehyun pulled himself away from the two and looked at Taeil and said, “How can I calm down when this we call a friend is dating my husband’s underage brother and they are planning to get married?”

“He’s already legal for god sake!” Yuta tried to defend but Jaehyun beat him to it.

“Barely! You’re lucky Taeyong didn’t sue you for statutory before. You’re the mature one and what you did was ing immature. You knew better.”

“I love him!”

“Don’t give me that , Nakamoto. We all witnessed what you did to those you dated before. You just left them broken while you went on like nothing happened.”

Yuta stood and walked straight to Jaehyun, Johnny feared that Yuta will try to get back at their other friend but Yuta stopped in front of them. 

“Let me proved to you that this time, it’s real. I will prove to Taeyong that I won’t hurt Winwin and no one could touch him as long as I’m alive.”

Jaehyun smirked. “I’ll be watching you, you head. One wrong move and I won’t think twice about strangling you to death.

It was a wonder to Taeil that Jaehyun could throw curses like a sailor when they were at the office and be a loving and sweet husband to Taeyong at home. His brother really changed, especially when he’s with Taeyong.

They were still in the middle of an argument when Jaehyun’s personal phone rang. The three guys were surprised that he immediately picked it up. Something that Jaehyun would never do inside his office. Worry morphed into his face the moment he heard the person from the other line speak.

“Stay where you are, don’t move. I’m on my way.”

That was also his way of saying that they were finished and he left the office without saying anything to the three. 

***

One speeding ticket later, Jaehyun was finally home and he immediately looked for Taeyong and found him in the kitchen, nursing a knife cut on his finger. Jaehyun’s unexpected presence startled his husband, who wasn’t expecting him to really come home. It was just a small cut after all.

Jaehyun took his hand and saw that the small cut was still bleeding and to Taeyong’s surprised, Jaehyun put his bleeding finger into his mouth and the blood. 
Taeyong gasped, “Are you a vampire? Why did you do that?”

Jaehyun just shrugged and he led his husband to their dining table. He told him to sit and not move as he got up to get the medicine box somewhere.

Taeyong watched as his husband carefully wrapped his wounded finger with a clean gauge. He was still in his suit and it amused him to see him so focused on cleaning his wound.

“You didn’t have to leave work just for this. It’s only a small cut. I was just asking where did you put the medicine box so I could clean it myself,’ Taeyong told Jaehyun.
Jaehyun looked at his husband, eyes asking why he asked such a stupid question. 

“What do you want me to do? I didn’t hear anything after you said you were bleeding.”

There was a small tug on Taeyong’s heart but he disregarded it. He wasn’t used to being taken care of, so everything that Jaehyun did was still new to him.

“I’m okay now. You can go back to work.”

“No, just call Haechan and Kun. We will eat out for dinner.”
it was Jaehyun’s attempt to ease Taeyong’s mind even just for a while. It was still early so they still have time to visit the Gyeongbukgung Palace before dinner. It was unplanned but Jaehyun took the opportunity to take his family out.

Haechan and Kun enjoyed their small trip to the famous palace. The two couldn't stop hopping and jumping as they explore. It was the first time Kun went to that place because his Papa was so busy with his work and study.

it was a good thing that Taeil was able to join them as he went home early from work. Jaehyun raised his brow about his early leave but Taeil just shrugged his shoulder at his boss.

It was the first time he met the bubbly Kun and the two went along very well. Taeil took the role of a babysitter while Haechan got busy taking pictures of them.

Kun got extra excited as the Changing of Guards Ceremony started, but the little kid was having a hard time to watch the ceremony. The people in front of him were too tall that he couldn't see anything at all. Fortunately, his new uncle, Taeil, was there. His kind uncle lifted him up and allowed him to sit on his shoulder, and little Kun was more than delighted to witness the ceremony in the best place possible. Kun was so happy and thankful that uncle Taeil had broad and strong shoulders to carry him up.

Jaehyun, even a little annoyed that his hyung under timed, was thankful that he was able to join them because he had the time to talk to Taeyong. They were holding hands as they slowly walked into the large yard of the palace where former kings of Korea once walked.

"Are you enjoying?" Jaehyun asked and Taeyong nodded but the former knew it was a lie. 

The place was beautiful but Taeyong wasn't really there. He was physically present, but his mind was elsewhere. Jaehyun still failed to take his mind off the things that were bothering his husband.

They sat on a bench under a cherry blossom tree as they watched Taeil, Haechan, and Kun play around. They were having a good time and Taeyong was the complete opposite.

"What can I do to make you feel okay?"

Taeyong shook his head.

"I hate to see you like this, love. Tell me what can I do to make you feel better."

There was nothing Jaehyun could do to make him feel better. Taeyong wanted to tell him that, but he chose to remain quiet. He was thankful for Jaehyun's effort to cheer him up. He really went out of his way to make that trip possible, but it didn't really help him. The heaviness of his heart and his gloomy aura was still there. There was only one person capable of cheering him up again. 

Winwin.

***

The trip and the dinner our was the calm before the storm. 

TAeyong hadn't seen Winwin since he left. Sadness and worry were taking over his heart, and Jaehyun wasn't happy about it all. He already told Yuta about it, but his friend said that Winwin was still not ready.

 After a few days, Winwin and Yuta showed up to Jaehyun and Taeyong’s home, already married. 

Taeyong felt numb, and it was a great surprise that he didn’t shed a tear anymore. He was actually expecting it to happen, but not too soon. He still hoped for the best but expected the worst. The worst finally happened. One of his fears came to life and his body failed to give the reaction he was expecting. Maybe he had no more tears left to cry anymore, even if he wanted to cry so bad. So, he just stood in front of the newlywed couple with no reaction at all.

He was cold, but he didn’t try to hide his great disgust on Yuta. Winwin tried to talk to him, just the two of them, but Taeyong evaded and told him that he had nothing to talk about anymore. Winwin insisted and it turned into another heated argument.

“You’re already married. We have nothing to talk about anymore.”

“Hyung,” Winwin grabbed his brother’s arm. Pleading to hear him out. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? This is what you want, right? It’s too late for your sorry.  From now on, you are free from me and you can do anything you want without me nagging at all times.” Taeyong tried to pull his arm away from Winwin’s grasp and turned his back. Winwin was determined and grabbed it once again.

Winwin cried with his hyung's words. It wasn’t something he wants on his wedding day. “Hyung, someday you will understand why I did this. So, please don’t turn your back on me.”

Taeyong turned to face his crying brother. It was painful, too painful that Taeyong feared that he was going to say words that were going to put their already shaky relationship on the line.

“I never turned my back on you. It’s you who turned your back on me.”

Taeyong then left and Winwin cried even harder.

It was an awkward and silent dinner but the two couples managed to get through it. Before Yuta and Winwin left, Taeyong announced something that made Jaehyun choke on his tea. Winwin widened his eyes in disbelief, he wanted to protest, but with what he did, he knew he lost his right.

“I signed the Certificate of Mutual Agreement."

aejae22

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

hi, short update for everyone. 

I hope you liek this one.

Please dont forget to leave a comments.

We will see something good, soon. Just please be patient with all this gloomy updates.

Next chapter will be solely about Mark and Haechan.