Myungsoo flew back to Korea. Wasted. Crying. Broken.

He went back to their house. His mother was surprised at his presence. Knowing from how he looks how things turned out, she rushed to him, holding him, crying with him.

“Son… it’s going to be okay. I promise.” She tried to comfort him as much as she can.

“No… it won’t ever be okay, mom. Sungjong’s going to be engaged. He’s…. “ he broke down.  She held Myungsoo the whole time letting him cry.

…

Sungyeol went home still regretting his move. He’s ruining Sungjong. The moment he heard the news that Sungjong was discharged the next day, he rushed to their house.

He quietly entered Sungjong’s room. He was in the window. Bed was arranged, there were food around the room left untouched. All Sungjong was doing was looking out the window, holding his phone that seems like brand new.

He knew Sungyeol’s inside. “They changed my phone number. They threw my old phone. They’ll be able to track all the people I’ll call or text even message in my SNS accounts. I’m trapped.” He said without glancing at Sungyeol.

He looked worse than when he was sick. Tissues were all over the floor and his swollen eyes made it obvious he was crying the whole time. He glanced at Sungyeol.

“Why are you torturing me?” his voice shook. “I thought you said you love me? Then why are you doing this to me?” he was pleading for an acceptable reason. But there isn’t any. All Sungyeol knows is that he’s helping with this plan because he loves Sungjong.

He was frozen in his place.  He was about to tear up so he quickly turned around and left.

He went back to their house. He slept the whole time. But every now and then, Sungjong’s face haunts him. He loves Sungjong but this isn’t right. And he knows it.

“Yeollie?” his dad called him out cutely. He opened the door and found Sungyeol sitting on the floor, resting his back on the edge of the bed.

“Why didn’t you come to the company?” his dad asked. He went closer and found Sungyeol crying.

“Sung… Sungyeol. What’s wrong?!” he said worried. He hugged Sungyeol. Sungyeol hugged him back, still crying in his arms. “It’s hurts dad. It hurts so bad.” he cried so much.

“Son… tell me what’s wrong.” He said comforting Sungyeol.

“I’m ruining Sungjong. I’m ruining him… he will never be happy by my side but I can’t let him go.” Sungyeol confessed. “I know Sungjong for a very long time, dad. He’s my best friend I fell madly in love with. But he’s in love with someone else.” He paused catching his breath, still in his worried father’s arms.

“Kim Myungsoo. They were supposed to be in a relationship, but Sungjong’s father stopped them for this company’s merging project. I took the opportunity to be in it. I’m bad dad. I’m a monster in Sungjong’s life.” He sobbed.

Mr. Lee laughed. Sungyeol looked at him with a confused face. “Oh. I’m sorry.” Mr. Lee cleared his throat. “I just… miss having you with me son.” He smiled and hugged Sungyeol tighter.

“You know what? I had the same problem years ago with your mom. We were okay at the start, but things get worse when the company got bigger. I had to go to Canada every now and then to check the business. Then suddenly… as I go home every weekend…. Your mom was getting cold.”

He was staring at the ceiling. “I found out, she fell in love with your best friend’s father. Who, I recently found out, was Myungsoo. It’s funny how I know a little thing about you, but cared for you more than your mom.” He laughed and Sungyeol smiled too in agreement.

“She told me she doesn’t want us to be together anymore. I didn’t give up easily. I kept her, held her in more. I even proposed to her again but I was turned down… in front of the huge crowd I got to help me in a restaurant. That was when I knew… I lost her.”

“She said it was her dream to be proposed in front of everyone because it means that the guy is proud of her… and her, turning it down that easily was the sign. I found out too that she was sneaking out every night for Mr. Kim. I get, I lost. It hurts so damn bad. But what can I do? It was my fault too.”

“I cared about the company more… but that’s because before the company, we were living in the streets, renting, getting kicked out for not having any money to pay the rent. I was making the both of you suffer and I can’t do that. But giving you a good life was an equivalent of losing you both. I chose it instead of making you suffer.”

He took another pause as he wiped his tears. “People hardly know me. You hardly know you have a father. You were so little…”

Sungyeol sat up straight and looked at his father. “You know what? I packed my things for Canada… and I packed yours too.” His father confessed which surprised Sungyeol.

“Then why aren’t I with you the whole time?”

“Your mother quickly took you and scared me by the law. I know if I take you, she’ll fight to have you back. I’m weak son. When it comes to your mother, I just can’t say no. I love her too much that I had to give her up. I was wrong that I gave up so easily… but she made her choice. And keeping her in means only making her suffer again.” He said.

“So… if I really love Sungjong… I have to make sacrifices.” Sungyeol got the lesson and his father nodded.

“Let me tell you something son. This deal happened because I found out you like Sungjong. I’ll do anything for you Sungyeol. I thought, maybe, you’ll get to know him more through this that’s why I agreed with the marriage. But you know him more than enough.”

He sat up straight too and tapped Sungyeol’s shoulder. “It’s your choice son. The company will run with or without their company. If we don’t agree on this, they will have no choice as well but to back out from the deal.”

“But… everything will be ruined. We will be ruined for everything.”

“No, we’re not gonna be ruined. Don’t make the same mistakes I made son. Don’t let the company eat you.” His father advised. “The decision lies on the future owner and CEO. It’s up to you on how you’ll run the company in the future. Depending on them, getting Sungjong, and hurting everyone around you?”

“Or handling everything on your own, making the best success you yourself will be proud of and maintain your friendship with Sungjong, not hurting and keeping him in your life. Not the way you want, but how it should be in the first place. You decide.” He smiled and stood up.

“Ahh. It’s nice to have this conversation with you son.” He smiled and wiped his tears. “Now get out! I’m hungry. Let’s eat.” He laughed.

Sungyeol responded with a forced smile.

“Sungyeol… do the right thing.” He thought to himself.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!