Filter (Kim Namjoon X Readers)

Chapter 31

10 months later

Handshake after handshake. Namjoon's mouth was tired from all the smiling he had to do but the meeting was long from over. He had expected this with becoming more and more involved with his father's company and learning about the inner-working of the business world. It was overwhelming, but he had essentially prepared for it all of his life. To have his father's approval and for him be showed off to the world made everything worth it, his wish since he was a child was to have full acceptance from his father. And he only had one person to thank for it, but he tried his best to not think about it.

The rest of senior year went by without any other trouble. The boys eventually came out to him and confessed they went behind his back to reveal the whole truth to you. As he expected, you were firm with your answer and he respected that choice. In fact, he was glad that it was that way because he believed you deserved better, and better meant being with someone that's not him. To say he's okay would be a complete lie, he hadn't felt okay since the day you left the music room. It was the first time you had told him you loved him and most likely the last.

After the nightclub incident, he noticed that you avoided him more than usual. You did your best to blend into the background but it was pointless because he would always be able to find you. You took a part of him after all and for the rest of his life, he would never be fully complete. That's a fact that he has to live with forever. When graduation came, he was glad but regretful at the same time. He should have said something to you then and you guys could have started over but the threats would follow even in college. With a broken heart, he left to study in the States instead while you attended a private and prestigious university in Seoul. He tried his best to get his mind off of you by reverting back to his old days and surrounded himself with girls, but nothing worked. They could have been goddesses, but Namjoon couldn't bring himself to care for any of them because they weren't you.

His father concluded the speech, marking the end of the meeting. He had flown over to the States to visit Namjoon and to ask him to attend an international conference together. Namjoon, who had finished all of his projects early, agreed. After the meeting has wrapped up, the two of them decided to head out for dinner.

"I know it's silly, but I miss Korean food." his father expressed.

"You just want to go there because you know the ahjummas will give you extra meat." Namjoon remarked.

"Busted," his father laughed. As Namjoon had guessed, the ahjummas at the restaurant were captivated by his father. It happens anytime he visits and every time, he would have to turn them down by saying he has a wife at home.

"How is she, by the way?"

"She's good," his father answered. "She's been busy ever since running the daycare, but she's happy to have something to do." The project with your father's hospital continued and they have expanded to build a daycare, to which Namjoon's stepmother is in charge of. "She wants you to come home for Christmas though."

Namjoon sighed, "I don't know, I don't think that's a good idea. And besides, it's my first year here, I think I should stay for the holiday."

"Is that the real reason, or are you still running away?"

Namjoon looked away, covering his face slightly but his father saw through everything. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Because you're never going to and it's not healthy to bottle everything up. I still don't know what went wrong, you loved her, didn't you?"

"People break up all the time, what's the big deal?"

His father frowned and hit Namjoon's head with a spoon. "The big deal is that I've neer seen you in love and the only time that I have, you just give it up without a reason. I know you still love her, and you're still miserable."

"I am not," Namjoon retorted, his lips coming together for a pout. His father laughed softly.

"Son, I know how you're feeling," he lamented. "I know you broke up with her for her safety and you blame yourself because you couldn't protect her in the first place. I felt that way when your mother passed away and I still hate myself everyday for making her feel like she's not enough for me."

Namjoon placed a hand on his father out of comfort. "It's been long enough and I know eomma wouldn't want you to feel sad about it anymore. She forgives you."

"Thank you," the other man smiled. "Your situation is a little different, but what it all boils down to is that you're scared this world will hurt her and you might not be there to save her every time. But Y/N is a strong girl, she doesn't always need your protection, she just needs to be assured that you will stay with her even when the tides have turned."

"Even if I want to get her back, I don't think she's particularly fond of me right now."

"Well, she wasn't in the beginning but you changed her mind, right? You can do it again. I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I made with your mother and let the opportunity slip away."

Namjoon sat back, exhaling. Outside, snow fell like flower petals. It's winter in Korea too, and he hopes that you're dressed warmly. What he really wishes for is to wrap his arms around you. His father was right, you don't need him to shelter you and he can no longer stand the distance between you two. He needs you back. He picked up the phone to dial your number, which never left his phone even though he told himself to delete it many times, but it rang instead.

"Hey hyung, what's-"

"Check the news right now!" Yoongi yelled. Namjoon didn't question his hyung. Judging by the intensity of his voice, it was something serious. His father requested one of the ahjummas to turn the TV on and Namjoon's phone slipped from his hand, shattering on the ground like his heart.

"This just in, youngest son of Sky's Airline is engaged to the granddaughter of the President's former aid. The wedding date has yet to be set, but we are happy for the couple. Congratulations."