[EN] All of Barcode (and Jeff's) first times in Korea

Chapter 16

Routine quickly engulfs Jeff once he returns to work. Not that he wasn't working a lot before, but the period he was away meant that so much was reorganized for his return that as soon as he sees his own schedule, Jeff wonders if he will have time to sleep.

Although he has very competent people on his team, he likes to be close to everything he is minimally involved with. This makes him have long days of meetings and immerse himself in productions that aren't even his own songs, but which he dedicates himself to as if they were, anyway.

Jeff's commitments only have the same importance in his thoughts as the one who sends him messages all day narrating his routine. Even though Jeff can only pay attention to it at night, it comforts him to feel his cell phone vibrate in his pocket and know it's Barcode.

The next day after their return, they made a video call late at night where Jeff told a little about how busy and tiring the next few days would be. The younger man's schedule was definitely more flexible, but they still wouldn't be seeing each other anytime soon.

Every night his thoughts still take Jeff back to their hotel room in Seoul. Missing Barcode so much is something new for him. Not that he hadn't felt it before, when they hadn't seen each other for a long time. The younger man has always been his comfort zone. With him around, Jeff always felt that everything was fine and he could forget about his worries, but this time it's completely different.

It's like his whole sensibleness was contaminated by Barcode when Jeff thinks of so many different ways to be irresponsible. How many times had he found himself awake in the middle of the night, wondering what excuses would be good enough to knock on his front door at that time. Or in ways of continuing to see each other on the sly. Or how Jeff just really want to be with him.

In the morning they finally meet at the production company, Jeff arrives earlier than ever. He is the first to take his seat in the conference room and updates his Twitter timeline several times while he waits. As the agreed time approaches, the seats are being taken by other people who arrive, but as if everyone knew that this is simply how it works, the chair next to him remains vacant.

Barcode's laughter fills his ears even though Jeff still can't see him. Barcode goes through the door accompanied by one more person from the team and greets everyone. Jeff feels his shoulders relax instantly, only then realizing how anxious he was. The younger man sits down next to him.

"P'Jeff."

His soft smile makes Jeff's heart skip a beat.

Jeff has to look away after a brief nod, or he doesn't know if he'd be able to hold back. He stifles a smile to himself at the thought that he looks like the teenager Barcode is actually supposed to act, but just can't help himself.

Barcode doesn't look at him either, but in the little he peeks, Jeff can see the same restrained smile dancing on his lips. To his surprise, he is the one who initiates a contact, when they get closer to check the schedules on the screen and Barcode discreetly curls his pinky finger in his hidden under the table. A subtle, minimal touch, but one that makes Jeff take a deep breath in through his nose.

It's a little hard to refocus after that and the meeting is long. Gradually they go back to the naturalness of being in each other's presence, even if the looks exchanged now are full of other meanings.

Once they are dismissed, Jeff watches almost everyone else in the room hurry to their next appointments. He slowly gets up and reaches his bag as he checks some messages on his cell phone. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees that Barcode is the last one left in the room, and completely on impulse, Jeff walks quickly to the door and closes it without making a sound.