I Like Me Better [JaeYong]

Six

[ Trigger Warning! Extreme Toxic Relationship is mentioned, please skip to the bolded sentences 5 paragraphs after this one if you are uncomfortable. There will be a quick summary so you don't miss much :3 ]

Taeyong's disappearance after that night was hard for him to explain in words. When he tries to open up to his co-workers at his dance studio, he chokes and hesitates, not wanting to explain, but also not knowing how to.

Just like Jaehyun's past relationship with Jungwoo, Taeyong's ex-lover Nakamoto Yuta was toxic like no other. Taeyong actually almost sold his life away with a wedding ring and "I do"s in Japan, but left the country during the ceremony. He yelled "I object!" and ran out of the wedding hall, not being able to picture his life as Yuta's partner forever.

Yuta was manipulative, controlling to the maximum level. He loved having everything perfect, including Taeyong. He felt as if he couldn't even breathe around Yuta, that he'd get punished for not being flawless. Taeyong wouldn't be able to live like that, he had to run away as soon as he could.

Yuta's manipulation skill kept the older by his side like a brainless dog, not being able to control himself. Behind the cute Instagram posts and #CoupleGoals, Taeyong had thought all relationships were like the one he had. Since Yuta was Taeyong's first lover, he didn't know what to expect, so he let Yuta take his freedom.

Taeyong hated it, wanting to leave Yuta after only a week of being together, he had enough of the "love" the younger gave him. But the younger convinced him otherwise, making Taeyong waste three years of his life.

[ Trigger warning ended! Thank you for skipping! I'm sorry for writing that, it was necessary to the plot line, but that chunk of writing just explains how horrible of a fiancé Yuta was to Taeyong. Don't worry! He left the relationship right before the wedding and here we are now :) ]

That's just the tip of the iceberg as to why Taeyong had vanished off the face of the Earth, though he actually hasn't. He's been living with extreme caution since he's met Jaehyun, only leaving his home to go to his dance studio. The less out in public the older is the lower the chance he has for encountering the younger again.

Taeyong's fear does play a part of his disappearing act, though he can't help it but feel guilty anyways. Passing the bar on his way to work everyday doesn't help his never ending guilt either, but he doesn't know another route to the studio.

Jaehyun is starting to feel guilty, too, blaming himself and his actions for making the older run away. He's been living more outside of his apartment, always on a walk around the city to try and spot the older. But, of course, Jaehyun has had no luck finding the missing boy.

"Johnny..." Jaehyun whines extremely loud over the phone, causing the older to bring his phone away from his ear, "Where could he be...?"

"Jaehyun," Johnny sternly says the younger's name, praying his words don't go through one ear and out the other, "You've been asking me this at least seven times a day, I don't know where he is. Maybe he's just incredibly busy and doesn't have the time to go to the bar every night."

Johnny finishes saying his point and the other line stays silent, indicating to the older that the younger has something to confess. He sighs in disappointment, ready to ask questions he already knows the answers to.

"You have been going to the bar every night to try and see if he was there, right?" The other line continues to stay silent, causing the older to sigh again.

"Okay, you said "Maybe he's just incredibly busy and doesn't have time" so maybe I'm busy, too-"

"You're the one who wants to see him all the time, so I'd assume you'd sacrifice your time to find him!" Johnny cuts him off, his blood boils because of his best friend's actions.

"Okay, I'm sorry! Maybe he doesn't want to see me like how I want to see him!" Jaehyun yells back, his anger came out due to Johnny's burst of outrage. He digs himself a grave with what he said, though he doesn't realize it right away.

"Maybe-" Jaehyun flat out ends the call, so done with the older being right. He throws his phone against the bedroom wall, not wanting to talk to anyone else. He dives into his bed, ready to just end the day even though it's only six in the afternoon.

"Maybe he doesn't want to see me. What if I ruined his life? What if he hates me now?" Jaehyun covers his eyes with his forearms, his shoulders shake as hot tears of devastation flow from his eyes.