A New Start || Seventeen

Chapter 68

Jeonghan stood in the middle of his room looking at the mess he had created around him.

He was supposed to be packing for the next part of the tour but so far had only succeeded in emptying his closet and some drawers onto his bed and floor.

He held onto the black t-shirt he had found in his drawer tightly. He hadn't worn it since the night Daena had when she stayed over at the dorm and as he had pulled it from the drawer he realised it still smelled like her.

It had been nearly a month since she called to tell him it was over. He had thrown himself into the tour full force in an attempt to distract himself from everything that had happened but in the moments of downtime he often found himself thinking of her.

It still hurt but he did his best to put it out of his mind. She had called a few times over the past few weeks but Jeonghan had chosen not to answer. He wasn't prepared to hear what she had to say. He knew from Joshua that she hadn't changed her mind so in his opinion there was nothing else to say.

He had however made sure he kept his previous phone number when he sorted a new phone to replace the one he had broken, just in case he changed his mind about taking her calls in the future.

He was still standing staring aimlessly at the piles of clothes when a knock on his door snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" He called.

"Are you okay? Don't forget we leave in an hour" came Hoshi's voice from the other side of the door.

Jeonghan frowned. He didn't know how he was going to finish packing in an hour.

"Jeonghan?" Hoshi called from the other side of the door.

Hoshi didn't wait for a response and opened the door and walked in.

"Did your closet explode?" Hoshi asked looking at the mess.

"I didn't know what to pack" Jeonghan shrugged.

Hoshi looked down at the t-shirt Jeonghan was holding. "How about that for a start?" He said gesturing at it.

Jeonghan quickly crossed the room and stuffed the t-shirt back into the drawer he had taken it from. "No, not that"

Hoshi looked at him confused. "Okay. I'll help"

Jeonghan just sat on his bed and let Hoshi take control of the packing. He knew he was in good hands. Hoshi wouldn't let him look terrible, he had relatively good taste.

He watched as Hoshi dashed around the room compiling outfits and packing them into the open suitcase that laid on the floor in the middle of the room.

"Hyung? You haven't packed any socks" Hoshi said suddenly.

Jeonghan blinked at him. "I haven't?"

"No. Where are they?" Hoshi asked.

"Top drawer" Jeonghan said pointing at his dresser.

Hoshi crossed the room and opened the drawer before rummaging through it.

Jeonghan watched as Hoshi froze.

He realised his mistake and jumped to his feet.

"Hoshi?" Jeonghan called quietly.

Hoshi slowly turned.

"What is this?" He asked looking down at the object in his hand.

Jeonghan followed his gaze and saw exactly what he hadn't wanted Hoshi to find.

In Hoshi's hand was an open ring box.

"Hyung?" Hoshi asked again looking up at Jeonghan.

Jeonghan sighed. There was no point lying he might as well tell the truth. "It's a ring"

"I know that. But why do you have it?" Hoshi asked.

Jeonghan walked up to Hoshi and took the box, closing it in the process.

"It's my grandmother's" Jeonghan explained as he sat back down.

Hoshi motioned for him to continue.

"You remember when I went home at Christmas?" Jeonghan asked.

Hoshi nodded.

"Well I told my parents about Daena. I wanted them to meet her" Jeonghan explained.

Hoshi walked over and sat on the bed beside Jeonghan.

Jeonghan continued. "I've never told my mom about a girl before. I think she knew I'd never been serious about anyone enough to tell her, let alone suggest bringing them home to meet her and my dad"

Jeonghan placed the box on his beside table.

"She listened to me talk for a while and then left the room suddenly. When she came back she was holding that box" Jeonghan gestured at the box he had just put down.

"She said it sounded like I might have found my person and if I wanted to I could have the ring her father gave to her mother" Jeonghan explained.

"Oh" Hoshi exclaimed.

"Oh exactly. I told her it was too soon to think about anything like that. We hadn't even been together a year. But she insisted I hang onto it for when the right time came. I couldn't exactly say no so I took it" Jeonghan said with a shrug.

"So you were planning to give it to Noona and ask her..." Hoshi started to ask but Jeonghan cut him off.

"No. No. Like I said it was far too soon. Maybe in the future. I don't know" Jeonghan frowned. He took a deep shaky breath. "I guess I don't need it anymore"

"Hyung. I..." Hoshi stopped, Jeonghan could tell he didn't really know what to say.

Jeonghan reached over and patted Hoshi on the shoulder. "It's fine. I'm fine. Next time I see my parents I'll give it back"

"Don't you think you should hold onto it, just in case?" Hoshi asked.

"I don't think so" Jeonghan replied sadly.

"Do you... maybe... Do you think you would have given it to her one day if things had worked out differently?" Hoshi asked suddenly.

Jeonghan sat quietly for a moment and thought. "Yes. I do" he finally replied.

Hoshi looked at him silently, his face turning sad.

"Don't. I don't want pity. It is what it is. She made her choice" Jeonghan said standing.

Hoshi didn't reply.

"I should finish packing" Jeonghan said, busying himself with rearranging his suitcase in an attempt to break the awkward atmosphere.

"Do you need help?" Hoshi asked.

"No I've got it. You should check on the others, it must be almost time to leave" Jeonghan said without looking up.

"Okay" Hoshi said and Jeonghan heard him make his way to the door.

"Hoshi" Jeonghan called after him.

"Yes" Hoshi said turning around, his hand on the door handle.

"Don't mention this to Joshua, please" Jeonghan asked pleading with his eyes.

"I won't" Hoshi said before he left the room.

As soon as the door closed Jeonghan walked over to his dresser and pulled the black t-shirt back out.

He held it silently for a moment before walking over to his bed and grabbing the box from his bedside table.

He looked at both the items in his hands before making a decision.

He quickly placed them both in his suitcase and closed the lid.