Hell yeah I'm back :)))

ஐ〰ฺ･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･･:*:･✿ฺ ஐ〰･:*:･

"Careful"

His alarm goes off, and Jinyoung knows it's Monday again.

Why does it have to be Monday again? Jinyoung hates Mondays. Monday means waking up early at (he glances at the clock and reads) six freakin thirty in the morning because Monday also means there's school. School means classes. And today he has five. 

Rolling to his side on his bed, Jinyoung groaned. Ugh, Mondays. He stayed there, not moving for the next whole minute until he heard someone knocking on his door. Then he heard Hyunjin calling out to him telling him that breakfast is ready and that his mom and dad are waiting for him downstairs. With this, Jinyoung could only groan again. It's not like he's not hungry, because he is. But what's bothering him is the thought of having another awkward encounter with his dad.

"You decide on things too rashly. If you're being pickle-minded as you are now... how could I trust you to make big decisions where our company would lie?"

How could he forget what happened in their last family dinner? Jinyoung could still remember how those words slipped from his dad's mouth and how those authoritative eyes seem to judge him. Jinyoung hates the feeling he's getting just by thinking of it. Now, how can he go and eat breakfast with his dad? If only he could skip breakfast. Right. Why can he not?

Jinyoung was about to stand up from his bed when his bedroom door opened, revealing his mom. "Good morning, sweetie." His mom's sweet voice greeted him. She let herself inside and closed the door behind her. "Hyunjin said you were not answering."

Scratching his head, Jinyoung answered. "Yeah mom, well Hyunjin left before I could even answer. Anyway, I'll go take a shower now. Mark hyung said he's gonna pick me up in thirty minutes."

Okay. That's not true. Mark will pick him up, but that'll be in an hour. Anyway, he could text the older and ask him to pick him up earlier than planned.

"Are you not eating with us first?" His mom asked. "Me and your dad are waiting for you downstairs. Come on, Jinyoung?"

"But mom-"

"Please? It's not everyday that we get to eat together, sweetie." 

And how could he say no to that? With a sigh, Jinyoung just nodded. "Okay. I'll come down in a bit, mom." He said before turning around to fix his bed. But then he felt as his mom put her hands on his shoulders, squeezing them lightly, followed by the sound of his mom's voice.

"Try to understand where your dad is coming from, sweetie." Jinyoung tilted his head a bit to see his mom's face. She's looking at him with those soft and warm eyes. With another squeeze on his shoulders, she talked again. "Handling a big company like ours is not like taking a walk in the park. You need to see how hard he's trying to keep everything together. And as one of the heirs, being handpicked by your own grandfather... sweetie, you can't blame your dad for expecting so much from you."

Giving his pillow one last fluff, Jinyoung sat on his bed and is now facing his mom who is still casting him with the same look. He played with the hem of his night shirt and kept his eyes there, while speaking. "I am not blaming anyone here, mom. I'm not blaming dad. And I do understand everything since I am not a kid anymore." He blew out a heavy sigh before bringing up his face to meet with his mom's eyes. "But can I not wish for the same thing? Can dad not understand where I'm coming from too?"

"Sweetie-"

"I don't even want to start talking about how I feel like these things are being shoved down my throat. This huge responsibility you're talking about, mom. I'm not even going to talk about how I wasn't asked if I like to take it, If I do like to take on the responsibility dad and grandpa are handing me. I'm not even going to talk about the things I really want because to be honest, even I myself am not sure about those. What do I really want, mom? I couldn't even answer that question." 

Jinyoung felt his heart thumping inside his chest with every word he says. With every word he allows to slip from his mouth. It's not everyday that he gets to say these things. But getting the chance to say all these, somehow allows him to breathe more air and feel if not lighter, at least less heavy. 

Scratching the back of his head and ruffling his hair in the process, Jinyoung continued. "I know what I am bound to take on in the next coming years, mom. I won't even try to escape it. I will do as what dad and grandpa expects me to do. What I am just asking for, is a bit of time. Time to enjoy these things which I know I will have to let go once I set foot in our company. Can I not have that?"

It took a few seconds, with his mom just staring at him as if she's trying to digest everything which he has said. There's not clear and readable expression on her gentle face. Without saying a word yet, his mom sat beside him and took hold of his hand.

"Despite everything that me and your dad are lacking of, despite of the things we should but we tend to forget to do and say... please always bear in your mind that we love you. And someday... all of this will make sense."

Jinyoung remained staring at his mom, failing to understand her last words but before he could even ask or say anything, his mom already stood up, taking his hand as she does. "Come on, let's go downstairs together. The food I cooked are already getting cold."

Breakfast was as usual as it always was. His mom was taking lead in opening matters to discuss, mostly about the things she's been doing outside like her yoga class, and baking class as well. His mom has been actively taking different classes because she said she has so much time to spend.

The conversation then turned to Jinyoung talking about school. He was talking about the term paper him and Jackson has just started working on as part of their final requirement for this semester when his dad decided to join the conversation by asking about what his plan really is for his immersion. His dad even asked if Yugyeom could find a company better than their own. Holding back the urge of rolling his eyes, not wanting to be rude and impolite, Jinyoung settled on just nodding and saying yes, assuring that Yugyeom got his back, Besides, his cousin did say he'll give him an update one of these weekdays.

"It would be better if you consider what I told you before." His dad said, catching his and his mom's attention. "If you hate it that much to train in our own company, just go and train at the Im's."

"But dad-"

"Is is because you'd find it uncomfortable? Seeing Jaebum in a regular schedule?"

"No, dad."

"If only you treated him better. The guy was serious about you, Jinyoung. How could you take that for granted?"

Jinyoung can't explain the feeling he's getting hearing these from his dad. He wants to ask why his dad has a say on these things concerning his personal matters. He just can't will himself to accept how his dad is seeing this matter. That he has taken Jaebum and his feelings for granted. It's not like he intended for things to happen like this. It's not like he planned everything to end with him rejecting Jaebum only to be with Mark. But of course, he can't tell this to his dad.

"Dad, I already told you... I didn't mean for any of this to happen like it did. I just... I can't keep on leading Jaebum on when I already know that I don't feel the same way as him."

"Are you seeing someone else?"

His dad's question made him stop from moving his hands. Before he could even try to answer, the doorbell rang which Hyunjin rushed to attend to. And soon Mark was in the dining area, dressed in his uniform.

"Good morning, aunt and uncle." The older greeted before flashing him a smile. "Good morning, Jinyoung."

Jinyoung sure felt like relief washed through him when Mark arrived and joined them for breakfast. It drove the conversation away from him at least. But when they were about to leave for school and his dad was reading the newspaper in the living room, he called on them before they reached the door.

"Can I ask you something, Mark?" His dad started, getting his cousin's attention.

"Sure, uncle. what is it about?"

Jinyoung saw how his dad's eyes travelled from Mark to his eyes. "About my son." He almost froze at that, awaiting his dad's question. "Do you perhaps know if there is someone else hanging around him? At school, or somewhere else?"

He waited for Mark to glance at him but the older didn't and proceeded to answer his dad's question. "Not that I know of, uncle. It's only us... and, our cousins most of the times."

He watched as his dad nodded, casting him another look he can't read before looking back at Mark. "If it's not too much to ask, can you watch over Jinyoung and inform us if there is anyone who tries their chances on him?"

Mark kept his eyes on his dad as h