CHAPTER 41

HOME

Yuta woke up with a wall extreme headache. He fell back onto his bed the moment he tried to stand. His body was too tired to even move and even lift a finger. He looked at his surroundings. He was home, and he got a whole day to rest before going back to the office. They had to prepare a small welcome party for the investors from Japan. Too bad his body betrayed him by deciding to get sick on the day he planned to take his husband out. Yuta cursed when he remembered the plan.

“,” he hissed as he closed his eyes shut in disappointment. He then heard a hissed as a reply.

“Good morning to you, too?” Winwin responded with a frown as he carefully laid down the tray with a bowl of steaming hot soup at their bedside table.

Yuta smelled the enticing aroma, and he swore he felt a lot better. The presence of Winwin and good food was all he needed to feel good.

“You cooked for me?” Yuta smiled goofily, ignoring the annoyed look Winwin was giving him. 

“Can you eat by yourself?” Winwin straightforwardly asked, and Yuta told him the truth. His presence might be a great help, but in reality, Yuta’s body was far from getting better.

“Can’t. I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck,” he said.

Winwin then sat on the bed and faced his husband and put the steaming bowl on top of a towel on his lap. He got a spoon and carefully took a spoonful of the soup. 

Yuta thought Winwin was going to feed him the steaming soup. It looked good, but scalding his tongue was something he didn’t want to experience especially in that state.

To his surprised, Winwin gently blew the soup, and the steam reached Yuta’s nose, clearing his breathing in the process. 

The younger then placed the spoon in front of Yuta’s mouth and looked at him, commanding to open his mouth without saying a word. Yuta happily obliged and boy he swore it was the best soup he ever tasted. Who knew Winwin can cook such masterpiece? But to be honest, because of his fever, it tasted awfully bitter. Who can blame Yuta, though? No one can blame even his current fever. Everything felt and tasted good when it came to Winwin.

“How do you feel?” Winwin asked while he wiped a stray drop of soup from Yuta’s chin with the back of his hand. He forgot to bring napkin so he used the best possible alternative.

“Better.” Yuta grinned sheepishly, and Winwin fought the urge to spill the soup on top of his head. The latter didn’t talk and just fed his husband quietly.

Winwin then placed his palm on Yuta’s forehead to check his temperature. He was still hot. He placed the empty bowl back at the tray and gently pushed Yuta back to the bed. The sick one quietly obliged, thankful to the attention he was getting. It was rare to see Winwin that way since they got married, so the Japanese were going to enjoy it until it lasted.

The younger stood up and took the empty dishes with him. Yuta thought that was the last time he was going to see his husband that day, but he was wrong. Winwin returned with a basin of water and a towel. Much to Yuta’s surprise and joy, his husband gave him a sponge bath. 

Without any words, Winwin carefully and gently wiped Yuta’s burning body with the towel, hoping to lower the temperature even just a bit. He was so focused on what he was doing that he didn’t notice the thankful and contented smile his husband was giving him. If getting sick was the only way for his husband to take care of him that way, then Yuta was more than willing to be sick for the rest of his life.

The cold sensation brought by the towel to his skin sent warmth to his heart, and he prayed for it to stay that way. 

Yuta prayed for Winwin to trust him with his heart and genuinely love him. That was his only wish.

Yuta fell asleep with a gentle smile on his lips, knowing that when he woke up, Winwin was going to be at his side.

***

Ten woke up early, but Johnny was earlier, beating him into cooking breakfast. He woke up to the sound of something sizzling on the pan and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. It made his stomach grumble, but Ten ignored his hunger and proceeded to the bathroom and took a bath. A pair of soft looking eyes stared at him the moment he went out of the bathroom.

“G-good morning,” Ten forced himself to sound cheerful as he gave his greeting and Johnny replied with a nod.  Ten’s lips curled into a small smile. At least Johnny acknowledged his presence, a first since their huge fight.

Ten then hurriedly got ready and was about to get out of the door when Johnny, who was standing beside the dining table, stopped him.

“I prepared breakfast,” he said, and Ten just looked at him, waiting for what he was going to say next.

Johnny slid his hand through his hair and took a deep breath, not really understanding why Ten was still standing at the doorway and not joining him for breakfast. He then realized that he had not invited him yet. Stupid him.

“Stay.” The voice was soft and almost begging.

Ten’s eyes widened at the word and at the tone used. As far as he knew, since they had that huge fight, Johnny never started a conversation with him, and his presence irked the hell out of the big guy. So it was a huge surprise that he was actually inviting him for breakfast- with him.

The smell of the food and coffee made his stomach growl, Ten swore he heard Johnny’s almost too quiet laughter because of it. His heart fluttered.

And so he decided to stay, and the two shared breakfast in a comfortable silence.

***

The sun went down and rose, and Jaehyun lost count on how many times it happened. All he knew was that he was still alone inside that hotel room, the room that was a silent witness of all the tears he had shed.

 He wanted his body to get used to it since it was going to be the atmosphere he was going to have when he decided to come home. 

He was back to square one. He was back to the life he used to have, alone and without direction. Jaehyun was already getting scared just thinking about it. His house won’t feel the same way again. For a moment he thought of selling it and getting a new place in a hope to have a peaceful mind while his heart was healing, but then all the memories he shared with Taeyong were there. He couldn’t just let other people have the place where he once felt happiness. 
Taeyong.

Once again, it was Taeyong who occupied his mind the moment his opened his eyes from a very short sleep he had after being wasted from all the alcohol he consumed. Come to think of it, Taeyong was also the last person he thought off. He never really left his mind.
 
Maybe he was getting crazy with all the loneliness he was feeling. For how long he was going to wallow in that state, Jaehyun had no idea.

Taeyong was the only cure for everything, and the only thing he would never have.

Sad.

With heavy feet, Jaehyun stood, and grab the phone to order another bottle of whiskey.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang and he immediately opened it thinking that it was his order. To his surprise, it was Taeil staring at him, judging his look.

Jaehyun was a mess, and it made Taeil frown.

Although surprised, it was not seen on his face. His swollen eyes and crestfallen expression hid all the emotion his mind wanted to convey. All it showed was pure despair and the lack of inspiration. His face was pallid. The usual healthy glow of his skin was nowhere to be found.
 
Jaehyun was soulless.

Taeil’s frown suddenly turned into worry.

“When was the last time you ate?” His eyes were roaming his brother’s body, shock with the amount of weight he lost in such a short amount of time. It was just over 48 hours and the change was drastic.  The older one couldn’t believe his eyes. Maybe Jaehyun skipped eating the moment they stepped in that country, and Taeil failed to notice.

Jaehyun turned his back on his brother who was at the door and walked his way on the bed, getting a bit irritated that his bottle of whiskey was taking too long to arrive.

“None of your business.” Clearly, Jaehyun was not happy with Taeil’s presence.

Taeil was not having any of it, though. Jaehyun’s tantrums were last on his list of things to bother.

Wanting to get straight to the point so he can come home to his family as soon as he can, Taeil went on and started immediately.

“Let’s go home. You’re coming home with me, and I’m not taking no for an answer.”

As expected, Jaehyun just scoffed at his hyung. His words were full of empty threats so he wasn’t scared at all.

“What made you think that I will come home with you?” He said while looking at the older like what he said was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard.

“Because you need to. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You are a total mess, and it’s not even three days yet since the last time I saw you.”

The mirror was not included on the things wanted to see, in fact, nothing was included except for one person.

Jaehyun looked like a mess and felt like one. His face was unshaven and his eyes were bloodshot. He couldn’t see his face, but he felt it. Taeil was right, he was a total wreck, but that wasn’t enough to convince him to go home.

“Go home. I’ll stay here,” Jaehyun said in a final tone at the same moment his order arrived.

The younger wasn’t able to lay his hands on the bottle because Taeil snatched it from the bell boy who quietly left. He uncapped the bottle and walked straight to the bathroom to throw the liquid down to the sink. Jaehyun protested and was angry with what his hyung did, but he’s just too weak to follow and stop him. Days of no proper food and water was taking its toll on him.

“You stop what you’re doing to yourself right now!” Taeil commanded angrily. 

 Back then, he was the one hearing those words from Jaehyun, when his life still had no direction. It changed when he was reunited with his family, so he was sure that the same thing would happen to his brother the moment he decided to come home with him. “You will come home with me whether you like it or not. I can’t let you waste your life away with what happened.”

Jaehyun once again scoffed before he retaliated, “Look who’s talking? You were a total mess as I am before!”

“I was, and I snapped out of it and you can do the same! You even helped me goddammit.”

“You found Doyoung, that’s why. I had nothing to do with it. We’re not the same. He accepted you and gave you a second chance while Taeyong hates me like…. like a plague.” Jaehyun started tearing up as his own words. He tried to stop them from falling as his vision blurred, but the attempt was unsuccessful, heavy tears came out, and he made no effort to wipe them off his face.

Taeil sighed heavily. His heart also ached for his brother so he was determined to bring him home. He was going to bring Jaehyun home even if he had to use force to do it.

“It’s not too late,” Taeil said as he stood up and held his brother’s shoulder for some support, something the latter used to give to him to keep his sanity before. “Start looking for your happiness once again.”

Jaehyun looked up, and the brothers’ eyes met. Taeil’s heart broke even more. Jaehyun was really broken and on the verge of beyond repair.

“Hyung, Taeyong is my happiness. I...I just lost him because I’m selfish. I lost him because I don’t deserve him and there’s no way for me to have him back because, with all the things that I did to him, there was no forgiveness waiting for me,” He said in between tears. It was too painful that his knees gave up and he fell on his knees on the carpeted floor of that hotel room. Taeil was there to catch him, and to give him the strength he needed that moment.

“Jaehyun, you deserve to be loved. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your actions may be wrong but your intentions were nothing but of pure love for Taeyong.” Taeil said as he gave his brother a hug. When was the last time Jaehyun was this broken? None, Jaehyun had always been the strong one. It was the first time Taeil saw that side of him.

“I forced him to marry me because I thought, I thought he was going to learn to love me, but it didn’t happen, hyung. He hates me and there’s no way for me to have him back.” The pain was unexplainable and Jaehyun almost couldn’t breathe with every word that came out of his mouth. “I love him even though I know that I mean nothing to him, he means everything to me.” The last sentence was a whisper, and yet Taeil heard it perfectly. He knew Jaehyun got it all wrong and the lack of proper talk led to two hearts breaking. He knew he needed to do something.

“You suffered enough, Jaehyun. You deserve happiness as much as I do,” Taeil said, and his time it was him to looked straight to Jaehyun’s teary eyes with great conviction and assurance. 

“I promise I’m going to give back your happiness.”

***

“Dude,” Lucas tapped Mark’s shoulder as he sat down on a chair beside his friend’s wheelchair. 

Mark ended the call he was making, and his attention went to his friend. They were on Lee’s rooftop home once again. It became their temporary home since all the chaos happened.

“Winwin hyung didn’t come to school today so I was not able to talk to him. Were you able to contact Taeyong hyung?”

Mark shook his head. He had been trying for countless times 
already, but none of his calls came through.

Lucas nodded his head in understanding. “I bought some food. I’ll just prepare it for you and Haechan. Yeri and Jungwoo will come here soon. They just have to go home to tell their parents that they’re going to stay the night here since it’s the weekends and exams are over.”

That became their routine. Either Lucas or Jungwoo would bring the food they shared every day and had a sleepover during the weekends. Lucas’ parents were on business trips most of the time so it was okay for Lucas to stay with them most of the time. Yeri and Jungwoo had to ask permission on the other hand. They knew Haechan since they were kids and they understood so they were both allowed.

Just like what Lucas said, Jungwoo and Yeri came after an hour, and they’re bringing bad news.

Yeri was in tears, disappointment was evident on her face. She couldn’t even talk so Jungwoo took the liberty to tell the others the bad news. Haechan was still inside the house, and he was out of hearing range.

“Examination week is over, and we only have a quarter left before the school year is over. The teachers said Haechan took a lot of absences already without a proper excuse. They’ve been trying to reach out for his guardian, but they couldn’t contact him, so they had no choice but to drop him from this school year.”

Lucas, being the most animated when it comes to his reactions yelled, shocking the three.

“No way, man! How could they do that? We already told them that Haechan’s situation and they still dropped him?”

Jungwoo rolled his eyes at the exaggerated reaction, but he still agreed with the tall guy. The three of them already told their adviser about the situation and still, Haechan was dropped.

“They said he missed a lot of lessons and exam already that it will be hard for him to catch up,” Yeri said in tears. It was evident that the girl fought for Haechan’s place in their school, but she was defeated.

Mark, on the other hand, remained quiet. All eyes were on him, wanting to hear what he was about to say.

“I guess Haechan and I both have to repeat a grade next year?”

Three sets of eyes widened at Mark’s statement.

“Dude, what do you mean?”

“I told the principal to drop me off this school year.”

“Are you kidding? Why would you do that?” Jungwoo asked, stunned at the sudden decision.

“They were about to. I missed a lot of lessons already like Haechan,  and the only thing that’s keeping them from dropping me is Jaehyun hyung.”

Yeri cried even more.

“We couldn’t do anything. We tried to explain, but they didn’t listen.”

That moment, Haechan called, and Yeri and Jungwoo immediately stood to tend to whatever his needs were.

“Why did you do that? The principal would always accept you back, and your reason is more than valid. You have every document to prove that you cannot attend school,” Lucas said as he sat down once again beside his friend.

Mark smiled, a genuine one. Despite the fact that nothing was going right, he considered being dropped from school a blessing. It gave him all the time in the world to focus on taking care of Haechan. He didn’t bother to hide that fact to Lucas.

Lucas shook his head and smiled. “How can you stay strong when you have every right to break down? It’s not your problem in the first place and yet, you owned it.”

Mark smiled back, a tired and yet determined one. “I can’t afford to break down now, Haechan needs me.”

“Is Haechan that special to you?”

Mark looked up the sky as he gently massaged his legs. They were not getting better because he missed a lot of his therapy sessions. They started to hurt a lot especially at night, but he knew that his physical pain was no match for Haechan’s pain. His legs could wait, Haechan was walking on thin ice.

“He’s worthy.

***

Taeil left Jaehyun in front of his door. How he managed to convince him to come home with him was beyond his knowledge. One thing Jaehyun knew was he was in Japan that morning, and the next moment, he was back in Korea. 

For the umpteenth time, Jaehyun took a very deep breath as he gathered his strength to open the door in front of him to come inside. It took him a good fifteen minutes to find the courage to touch the knob. His thoughts were so occupied of having an empty apartment that he didn’t realize that the door wasn’t locked.

It was dark inside. Of course, for all he knew, it was empty. He walked straight to the living room without turning the lights on. He got used to the darkness in the past few days.

The heater was on and yet he felt so cold standing alone in the living room. Every inch of that room reminded him of his former husband. If he felt worse in the living room, then what more in their bedroom? He decided not to come in that room until he's ready. That room held a lot of happy memories, and it was going to take time to forget them.

He’d been living alone for a long time before he got married and yet, he forgot how to live that way again. The loneliness he felt was unimaginable. He forgot how to live alone anymore. Jaehyun knew he was back to square one.

His thoughts took him far away that he didn’t realize that he was standing in the same spot for over twenty minutes. He regretted listening to his brother. Being in Japan was easier than to be in his one home alone. 

Another few minutes of deep thinking, Jaehyun was once again ready to leave the place and go anywhere. He was about to move when he heard a voice that made his whole world stop.

“What took you so long?”

aejae22

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Hi, it's finally here.

Sorry for the delay.

I started writing the next chapter so I could update on time.

With regards for the next book, it will have the same characters but it will take place in the future and i will add more new characters.

Can you try to guess who will be the new characters?

Thank you for waiting and if this chapter reached you standards, kindly click that upvote button and leave some comments.

Till next update.