Chapter 19: Gone

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Jongin fiddled with his fingers, eyes kept low as the man sitting across from him mimicked his same exact silence and demeanor. It wasn't how he had imagined meeting up with Do Kyungsoo for the first time given his personal feelings months prior; in fact, it was more painfully awkward than he would've preferred. 

The latter's intentions for instigating a mid-day coffee meet up were still unknown and Jongin wasn't sure if he wanted to push the boundaries by asking. But after a few minutes of curt, dead-end talk about frivolous topics that seemed shallow and superficial, Kyungsoo's grip on the coffee cup between his tense hands tightened. 

"I hope you don't think I'm being intrusive by asking this, but..." Kyungsoo paused as if he second guessed himself, wondering about the ethics of his question. But it was a brief moment and he carried on, raising his head higher. The determination in his eyes said it all. "What's your relationship with Byun Baekhyun?"

Raising a brow, Jongin frowned. He didn't make a single move, only glancing up to meet the latter's interrogative eyes. An overwhelming sense of uncertainty loomed over him as the question repeated in his head; however, it was less about the stability of his relationship with Baekhyun and more towards the curiosity of what he considered to be appropriate to reveal. 

"We're friends." It was the truth, but not in its entirety.

Kyungsoo looked disappointed. His lips pursed as his frown deepened. Worried lines began to appear, though they were subtle and hardly noticeable. "I see..." he said, looking away for a second. "I assumed that he might've been your boyfriend."

The comment only made Jongin question the man's motives, but a part of him already knew. Do Kyungsoo had the look of a troubled, insecure individual. 

"No. He's not my type." He had said this excuse t