“REALLY? YOU HELPED BOSS?”

Taemin’s loud voice startled Jongin. The tanned boy watched as Taemin’s previously panic face turned relax.

“Ah, b-but how does it happened? I m-mean, the evidences haven’t even completed yet!”

Taemin brought his car to the corner of the street and stopped the car.

“Ah? Yoona’s boyfriend?”

Jongin turned around when he heard that.

Yoona’s boyfriend? The one who become Yoona’s wallpaper on the phone back then?

“Ah, so he collected it already? He’s fast. He’s indeed a great hacker.” Taemin sighed and laid his head on the seat.

Jongin leaned toward Taemin a little, hoping to catch a little information but sadly he didn’t.

“…Ah… I see… then what does boss say?”

There was a grumbling sound on the other line before Taemin sighed and averted his gaze downwards.

“...ah…so that’s it turned out…”

There was a silence for a good seconds before Taemin’s lips curled into a sweet, sweet smile.

“…thank you, Minho-ah…”

With that, Taemin ended the call and turned toward Jongin. “Let’s just go back to office, okay?”

“E-eh? What happened? I-is everything alright?”

“More than just alright,” Taemin smiled. “I see that Minho had really turned that Taecyeon down.”

“Really? Then the company is clear now?” Jongin asked with a sparkling eyes.

“Yes, boss is working on the rest.” Taemin smiled and sighed. He hugged his phone close to chest. “I know he would do it. That stupid doctor…”

Jongin caught a heart-warming expression on Taemin’s face and eventually smiled.

“Taemin-ah… you don’t like Minho-ssi in that way, do you?”

Taemin turned his head in surprise. “H-huh?”

“I mean-,” Jongin rose his shoulders. “You looked super close with Minho-ssi. That’s why.”

Taemin’s face burnt and he turned into a deep shade of red. He looked away from Jongin, clearing his throat and busied his hands with the wheel. “U-uh… W-what are you talking about, J-jongin-ah? Ahahahha. O-of course I’m close with him, because he’s m-my best friend!”

Jongin just smirked and let out an ‘oh’.

“Me and Minho are just f-friends! Okay? Got it?” Taemin once again reassured Jongin.

“Of course, I understand.” Jongin nodded without tearing off his mischievous smiled.

Taemin cleared his throat before started to step on his pedal.

Jongin stared at the street ahead of him, clearly realizing that Taemin was driving toward their office.

Is that a right thing to do? Jongin didn’t feel right, to suddenly pop in front of Kyungsoo after forcing the CEO to let our a bitter truth a night before.

“T-taemin-ah? I think… I will just comeback to the apartment…” Jongin whispered.

Taemin turned toward Jonginand put on a confused face for a split seconds before remembered about Jongin’s day off.

“A-ah… alright, I see. I will drive you back to the apartment.”

The two then drove back to Kyungsoo’s apartment.

“I will be leaving then.” Taemin said once they reached the drop off area of Kyungsoo’s apartment.

“Yes,” Jongin nodded as he opened the door of the car.

“Don’t forget to eat your breakfast.” Taemin smiled while waving his hand. “Bye!”

Jongin replied with a small smile and a wave too before finally turned back and entered the apartment.

While walking, Jongin’s head was full with Kyungsoo. The fact that Kyungsoo is not a real son of Do Minjoon really hit him hard too. He had been thinking about it since last night, and it even plopped out in his dream.

Jongin couldn’t believe it.

The tanned skin boy entered the apartment and closed the door. He leaned against the door and closed his eyes.

Kyungsoo…

The memories of Kyungsoo in the high-school hit him back like a truck. He remembered the first time he saw Kyungsoo, it was in the library.

Beautiful.

Kyungsoo had been beautiful since he was little. He had a milky white skin, dark ebony hair, and round innocent eyes.

Jongin remembered he immediately lost his interest on Kyungsoo once he heard the boy is the kids of Do Minjoon, the rich man in the town.
Kyungsoo wouldn’t even look at the poor thing like him twice, so he should stop dreaming.

Years passed, and Jongin had already known Kyungsoo’s real personality. He was an arrogant player, who looked easy on relationships. Kyungsoo could become somebody’s boyfriend for a week then on the next day he dumped them. Just like his diva-cousin, -Baekhyun-, Kyungsoo was just one of the average pretty kids out there. Wasting their parents’ money and felt as if they own the world.

Kyungsoo had always been arrogant, his face showed it all.

But his eyes, they didn’t.

Jongin remembered even after hearing and seeing Kyungsoo with a lot of lovers, Kyungsoo’s eyes always shone in innocence. Those dark orbs always reflect nothing but a pure kindness…and also loneliness.

Jongin opened his eyes again after making sure the image of Kyungsoo was fully plastered in his mind.

“A step son…”

Jongin whispered to himself. His feet slowly brought him toward the sofa, and he sat on it.

Is that why Kyungsoo decided to live alone? Away from Minho and his uncle?

Jongin looked around the apartment. The big luxurious apartment that looked lonely and dull.

Is that why he put down the family photo frame on his working desk?

Jongin’s eyes accidentally caught a photo of Kyungsoo hanging on the wall, with Baekhyun on his right. Kyungsoo hardly hang any photograph of him on this apartment. He only hung his photos with Baekhyun and Suzy. No photos with other friends, no photos with other families.

Jongin walked toward the photo hung on the wall. His hand reached out to touch the surface of the frame.

“It must be tough for you too…”

Jongin whispered. A tear rolled down from his eyes. He felt truly sorry toward Kyungsoo. Especially after remembering how many times he had mentioned Kyungsoo wouldn’t understand him since Kyungsoo had parents that love him.

Jongin, once again, was being a fool.

***

“How long are you going to stay in my house, boss?” Taemin groaned at Kyungsoo who was sitting on the sofa and watched movie.

Kyungsoo didn’t answer. He just silently munched on his potato chips, totally ignoring Taemin’s existence.

“Everything’s been cleared, right? Starwoods even had called to make a meeting regarding the renewal contract tomorrow. Why are you still here, acting like there still no hope for tomorrow?” Taemin tsked and walked to get himself a bottle of coke from the refrigerator.

Kyungsoo still didn’t reply.

Taemin glanced at the poker-faced CEO before walking toward him and sat beside him.

“Jongin is dead worried about you, you know?”

Kyungsoo stopped his munches when Jongin’s name was mentioned.

“You should see his expression when I send him back to the apartment this morning.” Taemin continued his story without tearing his eyes off Kyungsoo. “You really create a distance between you and him, boss. You suppose to talk something to him, I bet he’s feeling lonely now at your apartment.”

Kyungsoo everted his gaze down to the carpeted floor, before back to munching the chips.

Taemin waited for a reaction, and when he got none he just sighed.

“Alright, whatever.”

The almond-haired boy grabbed a handful of chips from Kyungsoo and stood up. He almost left to take a shower when Kyungsoo’s voice suddenly hit his ears.

“I… I don’t know how to meet him anymore…”

Taemin turned around when he caught a hint of hopelessness in Kyungsoo’s tone.

“I mean, I… I also don’t know why…” Kyungsoo sighed and ran his hand on his hair. “…but I’m so ashamed that he spotted me with the man on the club last time. He…he must think I’m disgusting, huh?”

Taemin felt his jaw dropped from his mouth.

…what?

What?

S-since when a player like Do Kyungsoo think about other people’s opinion on him? Usually he wouldn’t care to flirt with men and women in the open public, and he ever slept with Hyeri on the office!

Must think I’m disgusting, he said?

Taemin secretly bit the inside of his right cheek to make sure he’s not dreaming.

Like…what the hell, it’s Do Kyungsoo.

“…and also… now he had known I am not a real son of dad and mom…” Kyungsoo’s voice went an octave lower. “…I feel really embarrassed…”

Taemin needed a few seconds to register all Kyungsoo’s words into his mind before laughed. “Oh dear, boss… so you are afraid of Jongin?”

Kyungsoo rose his face and showed his best glare. “What? I am not afraid of him! I mean-, I am embarrassed because of what I’ve done in the club yesterday! A-and… I-, I’m also the one putting him a-away from me anyway...”