in which two souls are binded together with the red string of fate are then forced into a contract to be in a fake relationship where they're not supposed to fall in love but they do so anyways.
enhypen / park jongseong - jay
STARTED 220115
COMPLETE...
you come see me only when i ask first. when you kiss me, do you wish it were her?
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when jay stepped through the front door, the familiar scent of home wrapped around him like a warm embrace. it was different now. stronger, richer, because for the first time in two years, his mom was the one filling the house with it.
he set his bag down by the door, following the faint clatter of dishes into the kitchen. there she was, standing by the stove, stirring a pot with practiced ease. her frame was thinner than before, her hair shorter, but there was a glow to her skin, a life in her eyes that hadn't been there the last time she'd been home.
jay's stomach twisted. "mom, what are you doing?"
his mom turned, her lips curving into a soft smile. "cooking, obviously."
jay stepped closer, concern flickering across his face. "you shouldn't be pushing yourself too much. you just got back."
"i'm fine, jay," she assured him, though her movements were slower than he remembered. "besides, i missed doing this. hospital food was terrible."
jay let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "at least let me help."
she gave him a knowing look but stepped aside slightly, handing him a spoon. "fine. stir this while i get the vegetables."
he took over, stirring the pot as she moved carefully around the kitchen. he watched her out of the corner of his eye, still half-expecting her to collapse from exhaustion. but she didn't. she was here. she was home. and even though the worry never fully left his chest, the relief was stronger. for a while, they cooked in comfortable silence, until his mom broke it.
"so," she started casually, "what happened with that girl you were dating?"
jay froze for a split second, the spoon pausing mid-stir. he hadn't expected that. his mom had never met chaerin, not properly, at least. she had only heard about her in passing, when jay mentioned he had a girlfriend. between her treatments and hospital stays, there had never been time for more than that.
he exhaled through his nose. "we broke up."
his mom stilled, glancing at him, "oh," she paused. "when did that happen?
"months ago," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "before you came back."
she nodded slowly, returning to chopping vegetables. "are you okay?"
jay hesitated. he had asked himself that same question so many times. "yeah," he finally said. "i think i was just holding onto something that wasn't real anymore."
his mom hummed in understanding. "that happens. sometimes, we love the idea of a person more than the person themselves."
jay's fingers twitched. because wasn't that what had happened? he had convinced himself that chaerin was everything he wanted, everything he should want. but once he stepped back, once he saw her without the filter of his feelings, he realized she wasn't the person he had built up in his mind.
