Lovesick // TOMORROW X TOGETHER [TaeBin / SooKai]

Chapter 24 - The spy is back with another mission

When Soobin was finished with his homework he had done in the school library, he headed outside to the schoolyard. After days of avoiding Taehyun and hanging out alone in the school library, he figured that he could also actually do his long overdue school stuff. Afterall he had to maintain his mediocre grades, otherwise his dad would make a fuss about how he managed to get worse at school than he already was.

But he got caught off guard when he saw Taehyun and his new lunch companions eating outside. Out of all the days they could have done that, they did it when Soobin wanted to sit somewhere else than the stuffy library. Soobin thought about slowly heading backwards to the stairs, sprinting them up and locking himself in the school library again.

He should have taken a look over the schoolyard before he got down the stairs, because now there was not much distance left between him and the group of people, who probably thought he was the most horrible boyfriend a person can have. Afterall, he didn't know how Taehyun explained to them Soobin's sudden absence next to him.

Soobin took a small step backwards and stared at Taehyun as he carefully figured out his next movement. Taehyun was talking to Jake, Nick and Jay who were worriedly speaking with him about something Soobin couldn't hear from where he was standing. But that quickly changed when Taehyun looked over to him and saw him trying to walk back to the stairs he came from.

Soobin had a shocked gaze plastered on his face with his eyes wide open as he got caught. Taehyun only looked at him with a calm gaze, not bothered at all to see him after several days like that. Soobin's heart skipped a beat when Taehyun lifted his hand and pointed at him. He didn't know what was going on and after all that time of avoiding Taehyun, he dared to point at Soobin like he was the next target for the popular's bad gossip.

The three in front of Taehyun followed Taehyun's pointed finger and were the next to notice Soobin's presence. Other than Taehyun, their faces showed a lot of concern. But not for Soobin, of course. If it weren't for the existing issue they had, they would have probably looked at Soobin in disgust.

After that, Soobin couldn't flee anymore as the three of them made their way towards him. He didn't know much about them, but he definitely knew that they weren't thugs. But why did he feel anxious then?

"We were looking for you." Jay spoke up and the three of them came to halt in front of Soobin. He had to shake away the shocked gaze on his face and tried to act as calm as possible. The last time they spoke with him, Taehyun was standing behind Soobin, but now he was alone with the "Top 3" of the school. Now he also realized that Taehyun didn't come along with them and stayed where he was.

"W-why...exactly?" The last word was only a whisper. Pull yourself together, Soobin thought.

"Didn't know if you noticed, but Yeonjun hasn't been to school for several days already." Jake explained with a firm, full voice.

He did notice. But it was the first time that he didn't do anything about it. It was one of the things he also tried to ignore, like the feelings for Kai. But unlike the feelings he couldn't hardly ignore, Yeonjun was one thing that was surprisingly easy to leave behind.

It wasn't like Soobin didn't care. He obviously cared a lot. But after Yeonjun yelled and cussed at him, threw things at him that hurt him to his core and made him feel like the times his dad yelled at him, he just couldn't get himself to get anywhere near Yeonjun anymore.

He finally did get Yeonjun's message. Soobin should leave him alone and he did. It didn't really solve any of Soobin's problems other than the cussing and maybe even a few more punches in the face. But all in all he kept a distance from him. And that was uncommonly simple to accomplish.

"What does that have to do with me?" Soobin asked a little too sharply.

"At first we didn't think much of it, but we wanted to know how he was doing, so we went to his house, but it turned out that he had told his mother he was sleeping over at Nick's house."

"He doesn't." Nick said flatly, making Soobin realize what they were trying to say.

"Do you maybe know where he could be?" Jay asked with a stern voice, but meant nicely. It surprised Soobin that Yeonjun's sister didn't do the same with him and told them Yeonjun's secret hideout. Perhaps she wasn't there at the moment the three of them were at Yeonjun's front door.

"I have a guess." Soobin started.

"I can give you the address if you want." The three of them looked at each other before fixing their gazes back at Soobin.

"We actually thought that it would be better if you would go to him." Jake pleaded.

"No, I don't think-" Soobin began and took a step backwards in defense. The last time he was at that place, he left there crying.

"I shouldn't be there. You are his friends. Not me. He would be in a better mood if he would see you three and not me."

"We doubt that." Jay stated.

"You were the one involved in the accident." Nick took the word.

"Of all the people you could understand him the most. We are just outsiders of what happened and what is happening with him right now. We are seriously worried to the point where we talked with his mom about all this. There is nothing we can do and you are the only person we can reach out to for help."

"I can't help you." Soobin said.

"You all saw how many times I've tried to reach out to him. Each time I either got punched in the face, pushed around or cussed out. When I tell you, it would be a lot less violent if just you three would go to him instead of me."

"Please." Jay now begged.

"You already know where he could be and we do not. You know more about the situation and his relationship with Beomgyu than we ever could. If there is one person who can bring him to his senses then it is you."

It astounded Soobin how they had so much faith in him, when in reality he was the one at fault for all of this even happening. But how would they know? It's not like Soobin would want to purposely make himself more enemies when he would explain that the car crash happened because of him in the first place. On top of that they clearly don't care how much pain he went through by getting Yeonjun to talk to him nicely. But maybe it is only a small sacrifice he has to make to free Yeonjun from this dark place he was stuck in. And for that, Soobin would actually take it in his stride.

"Okay." He gave in.

"I'm gonna do it."

The three looked a little relieved after Soobin accepted their request, but only as much as they could give when Yeonjun was still missing. So on top of the already existing burden of intense anxiety, there was now Yeonjun back on track, ready to take up another fight with Soobin, who only wanted to help.

"Thank you." Jake voiced sincerely. Soobin only nodded at that as the piling up problems really got into his senses.

He could only catch a glimpse of Taehyun standing a few feet behind the three of them. He had been staring at Soobin the whole time they were talking, but Soobin couldn't notice it because he was too busy with all the tense emotions he was getting when he thought about trying to bring Yeonjun back to school and maybe even get him to talk.

Soobin walked up the stairs without giving Taehyun another look.