coup d'etat ➸ hyunin

xxiii

nothing hurt yang jeongin more than to see the look of absolute sadness when he told hyunjin that he was moving. the look on the older's face said it all, from the way his eyebrows shot up, how his eyes widened in surprise, how his lips formed an 'o' shape and the way his whole body screamed for answers.

jeongin forced himself to look away, not bearing to see the thief like this. it tugged his heartstrings, it made him want to say sike- tell him that's its all just a joke and that he was gonna stay here, with him.

but he can't, he knew that he can't run away from this forever- that he can't just disappear and make him question why.

it was good that they get this out of the way now. but it's easier said than done.

jeongin sighed as he set the box down and walked out of the apartment, he motioned for hyunjin to follow him.

he didn't know what to do, he felt a whirlwind of emotions right now, on one hand, he felt betrayed. betrayed in a way that this could be one convoluted scheme by the duo to get him to be vulnerable so that they could strike (as woojin had predicted)- betrayed that his heart was just an instrument in their whole orchestra to ensure that the same dark melody lived on.

but then again, something inside him was making him see that maybe this is just a hoax. that what he's been told is nothing or that they've changed and they actually wanted to live a normal life. he wanted to believe that hyunjin was not who they made out to be and that he's just doing what he could to survive.

he realized they were at the park now, he stared at the trees, not daring to speak. he couldn't trust his mouth right now with his newfound knowledge threatening to spill out.

"baby?"

jeongin flinched. hyunjin broke the silence and he let him, he forced himself to look at him.

he was surprised at what he saw.

hwang hyunjin, for the very first time, looked vulnerable.

his emotions were splayed across his face, like paint on a canvass- on full display for the whole world to see.

"y-you're joking about moving right?" hyunjin asked softly as jeongin's mouth turned into a thin line, refusing to speak.

"please tell me this is just a joke. y-you can't leave. we just got here a-and there's so much for us to do."

"we haven't done much e-exploring and there's s-so much stuff to do."

jeongin turned away, he realized he could not stomach this kind of view.

it was sickening.

then again, it's the price he had to pay to ensure the lives and the future of the many.

a friendship for the future of his people.

sounds like a fairtrade.

"do you really want to leave me?" hyunjin asked, desperation and hurt evident in his tone.

'no.'

"i- i have to." jeongin replied weakly, "i'm sorry but i have t-"

"why do you have to?" hyunjin asked as he ran his fingers through his hair, "why do you have to run away? y-you can't do this to me!"

'don't break yang. don't.'

"i thought we were friends! i- i thought you and i were okay? i- i thought-"

"you talk too much." jeongin snapped, he glared at the flustered thief who stepped back a bit, he didn't really expect that.

"what?"