HYUN [ JJK ]

42

"Hoseok?"

Jaehwa blinked again yet the one who was standing across her was still the orange haired guy, not Jeongguk as usual. Clutching the strap of her bag, she took a step backward, inching away from the doorstep to lower her head politely.

Jaehwa didn't know Hoseok that well—the first time they met, they didn't talk much but she could tell he wasn't a cold guy like Jeongguk based on the way he talked to her. Then they stumbled upon each other at the library once, and that was the moment she confirmed that Hoseok was indeed different from Jeongguk. A loud guy who never seemed to forget smiling, his heart was as warmed as his smile, knew how to make Jaehwa feel comfortable despite them being not associated with one another. She had always thought that it was irony how Jeongguk could befriend Hoseok—because Jeongguk was a cold as the winter, while Hoseok was the bright days on spring. But that thought was changed when she got to know Jeongguk closer, when she was a step closer to him that he didn't hesitate to open up to her.

Jeongguk looked tough, but he was very fragile at heart.

"Come in." Hoseok stepped back as a gesture for Jaehwa to enter Jeongguk's apartment, throwing her a small smile when she nodded lightly.

"Where- where is Jeongguk? Is he fine?" Jaehwa couldn't help but bombarding Hoseok with questions, not even bothering to sit down on the couch, no even letting Hoseok to lead her to the living room. Her curiosity was starting to kill her that she didn't think she could keep it to herself anymore. She had been dying to know and wondering if everything went well last night, even decided to switch off her phone so that she wouldn't be too obvious about being dead worried of Jeongguk though the urge to call him was overwhelming.

Hoseok threw his gaze out the balcony before plopping down onto the couch, leaning forward to prop his elbows on his kneecaps afterwards. Jaehwa had no idea if she was overwhelmed by her emotion or Hoseok was acting weird at the moment—there was no spark of happiness in his eyes, no hint of faint smile tugged on his lips. Hoseok seemed off, to the point he didn't even bother to get rid of the awkwardness from dominating the air.

That was so not him, Jaehwa thought.

Fingers fiddling with her handbag, Jaehwa sat on the other couch, trying to search for Hoseok's eyes but ended up looking away at the end. She saw how his pupils wavered in a way she couldn't figure out, portraying emotions that she couldn't easily pinpoint what they were. At times like this, she wished Yerin was there to help her, making the atmosphere less gloomy with her nosy and shameless sides.

"Hoseok? Where's Jeongguk?" Jaehwa tried again, almost choked on thin air when the guy suddenly jerked his head to her direction.

"He went out." Hoseok stated, his voice was monotone as he looked away again. "Why are you here by the way?"

Jaehwa looked down at her lap, the gears of her mind were working hard to look for answers. She knew exactly why she came to Jeongguk's apartment, but she was scared if the reason wasn't too compromising that Hoseok would start assuming things. After all, Hoseok didn't know anything that happened between her and Jeongguk all these while, didn't know how terrified Jeongguk was when Hyun was in the hospital, didn't know how that event brought them closer. Hoseok wasn't there when they hugged, wasn't there when they shopped groceries together, wasn't there when they went out with Hyun.

In Hoseok's eyes, Kim Jaehwa was just an outsider and a babysitter. Nothing close to a friend.

Inhaling deeply, Jaehwa forced out a smile, gritting her teeth before she spoke up. "Jeongguk told me that he's returning Hyun to his father last night. I came to know if he's doing... fine?" Jaehwa trailed off, hated how her voice sounded so high-pitch that she thought she would throw up then and there. "I mean, he was a father. It's a common sense for a father to miss his son, right? Hoseok?"

Hoseok scoffed upon hearing what she said, his tongue poking the inner side of his cheek before he turned his head to Jaehwa's direction. She didn't know if her eyes were playing tricks on her or he was indeed giving her a mocking stare, as if everything she said just now was nothing but a humorous joke that the scoff gradually turned into a stream of breathless chuckles. Confused, Jaehwa shifted her position on the couch, glancing at Hoseok for a split second before looking down at her lap again.

"You're a literature major, right? Which one do you like the most? Joke or plot twist?" Hoseok leaned his back against the couch, raising an eyebrow as he waited for Jaehwa to respond. "Or... both?"

Everything was ridiculous, every bit of their conversation was ridiculous that Jaehwa wondered if Hoseok was drunk at the moment. The answer to where Jeongguk is obviously had nothing to do with her major. "Plot twist, maybe?" She mumbled, wetting her lower lip.

"Alright then. Here's the plot twist." Jaehwa shut her eyes close when Hoseok suddenly inched closer to the couch she sat on, the faint smell of his manly perfume was starting to suffocate her. "Hyun is in the bedroom now. He's sleeping."

Jaehwa's eyes widened, as if they would leave the sockets anytime soon. Hyun was sleeping in the bedroom? Didn't Jeongguk say he would return Hyun to Jimin last night?

And if Hyun was still here, why did Jeongguk go out? Wasn't he the one who said he wanted to treasure every moment with the little boy?

"Jaehwa, Jeongguk is in deep shit. A really messed up, deep shit." Hoseok muttered, causing Jaehwa's stomach to shrink in fear, could feel chills running down her spine when the octave of his voice dropped immediately. "Jeongguk and I just got into a fight. I know that you're close with Jeongguk but let's not being on anyone's side for now. Let's think about this rationally. Can you?"

Jaehwa nodded. "What- what is it?" Her heart thumped against her chest harder as time went by, scared yet couldn't wait to know what shit Hoseok meant just now.

"Jimin disappeared. He changed his phone number. I plan to report it to the officers but you know how Jimin is, right? That guy isn't a fool, he probably has thousand men to cover his ass. Tch. The power of money is just unbelievable... and disgusting."

Lips agape, Jaehwa stared at Hoseok, her eyes begging for him to tell her that everything was a joke. But looking at the bright side, Jimin disappearing meant Jeongguk still could look after Hyun. Wasn't that what Jeongguk wished for all these while?

"Then why did you fight with Jeongguk? I mean... I mean... Jeongguk always said that he wants to keep Hyun forever. I- I don't see any problem here. I'm sorry-"

"Jimin isn't a fool, and I think he's trying to frame Jeongguk now." Jaehwa accidentally let out a small gasp. "Jeongguk hates this part the most, but I decided to tell you this because I believe you can think rationally, unlike Jeongguk. I heard Jimin came to the hospital when Hyun was warded?"

"Y- yes. He did." Jaehwa stammered. "But how does that relate to all of these? And... framing? What did you mean by that-"

"Hyun's birth certificate... is gone." Jaehwa's eyes widened for the nth time, everything coming to her at once were too much that she couldn't help but to let her jaw hang open. "Jeongguk said he brought the documents to the hospital. Is that true?"

"Y- yes. He brought the whole bag, just in case the hospital needed anything but-" Jaehwa paused, didn't know how to put the words together. "But Jimin- I went to the toilet for a while when Jimin visited Hyun but-"

"Ah that bastard." Hoseok laughed in disbelief, throwing his head back before standing up. Nodding his head, a satisfied smile then tugged on his lips, as if he finally succeeded to put the pieces of the puzzle together. "He must've taken it from the bag."

"And...?" Jaehwa smiled nervously, half confused half shaken by the current situation. "I'm sorry but- I don't understand how that worsen the situation-"

"Jimin can play victim. He can go to the officers and tell them that Jeongguk kidnapped his child." Hoseok smirked in disgust, his intense glare showed the amount of hatred he had for Jimin. "And what can Jeongguk do? Nothing. If he still decides to keep Hyun with him, I'm afraid if Jimin would start another game. A game that Jimin sure would win."

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a/n:
this book went from soft then emo then intense lmaooo

hmm what's next?