Why do I always run?
"We'll be breaking ground on construction in just a few short weeks," Taehyung explains, standing at the front of the long conference room, motioning to the projector screen, where the blueprints for the center are being shown. Jeongguk sits at the very end of the table, keeping an eye on the other investors, gauging their reactions.
At least, that's what he tells himself. If he looks at Taehyung, all he's going to think about is last night, their conversation, the sex. He's too tired for this. He wants to regret the things he'd said when they talked. Taehyung probably thought he was a mess. Jeongguk is, in truth, a mess, but he'd rather not have anyone know. He'd looked weak, and Taehyung probably pitied him. Maybe Taehyung realized it was a mistake. A mistake to let Jeongguk in.
But Taehyung had asked him to stay. He couldn't have regretted it if he'd asked me to stay, right? The thought of sleeping in the same bed as Taehyung-- waking up next to him-- terrifies him beyond belief. If Taehyung didn't regret the invitation right after sex, he sure would when he woke up in the morning.
"We're going to be tearing down the entire west wing and rebuilding, up to hospital standards, as Dr. Jeon had advised."
Jeongguk, as a general rule, didn't stick around after sex. It was safer to stay detached, and his partners never really wanted anything besides that anyways. Sleeping together seemed too intimate. And fear stabs hot in his stomach when he realizes how badly he'd wanted that with Taehyung in that moment. But he was weak. And he ran. Why do I always run?
He could tell Taehyung was upset, and god he hated that. He hated seeing Taehyung upset, knowing he made the man with the sunshine smile sad. He hated it when he was angry at Taehyung, he hates it now when he... He doesn't know how he feels right now. He doesn't know how he feels about Taehyung, but he's definitely afraid.
Jeongguk kissed him, like an idiot. He didn't want Taehyung to be sad. But he knows he couldn't be what Taehyung probably wanted. What does Taehyung want from me? Either way, they'd kissed, and Taehyung had seemed happier after that. He couldn't have regretted it that much, right?
"We will be keeping certain portions of the east wing intact, mostly to preserve the history and certain areas of... sentimental value," Taehyung continues. Jeongguk remembers Taehyung mentioning that Namjoon's bedroom and office were in the east wing, and he wanted to keep that untouched, as a sort of memorial. "The rest will be transformed into family accommodations and an art center for the patients."
"The construction will take approximately two months, then we'll be clearing up all the legal details, and be set to open in the spring," Taehyung finishes, the pride very obvious in his voice.
Jeongguk can't help but feel lighter, knowing Taehyung was satisfied. Jeongguk himself couldn't believe that in the last three months, everything was coming together so quickly. Despite the fact that they didn't get along, they had been able to put all that aside to work efficiently on the cardiac center.
"Any concerns?" Taehyung prompts, and answers questions patiently, before wrapping up the meeting. Taehyung beams at Jeongguk from across the room as the investors file out and Jeongguk shoots back what he can only hope is a smile in return, but it probably looks like a grimace.
He needs to get back to the hospital, since he'd only taken a few hours to go to this meeting, and he needs to start making his rounds again in half an hour. He wonders if he can make a break for it, so he can avoid Taehyung, but as soon as the last person has left the conference room, Taehyung makes a beeline for him, and Jeongguk holds back the urge to groan.
