You Should Leave, Baby → ZUWOON

chapter three

monday.

Juho doesn't want to be on vacation anymore.

The brunette across the room from him, Seokwoo, who's bent over the bags on the floor to put the groceries away, is the sole reason that the older has come to this conclusion. But he doesn't know that. No, Seokwoo had no idea how much Juho really despised him.

"Baby, you've been so distant lately."
"I'm sorry, Jjuongie, I've just had a lot of work..."

He clenches his fists at the memory, frowning. Sanghyuk looks up at him from where he's sitting, at the table with Youngbin, hands still poised around his game system protectively. "Hey, Ju, what's up?"

Juho shakes his head, blue strands of hair flying out from the hat they're stuck under. "It's nothing."

Sanghyuk leaves the game with Youngbin, who sets it on the table and pulls out his phone as Sanghyuk stands to go to Juho. The two head upstairs, Sanghyuk grabbing the younger's hand and leading him to his and Youngbin's bedroom.

Juho tries to clear his mind when the two arrive in the room. Sanghyuk kicks the door shut. They sit on the edge of the bed. "Is it him again?"

It takes Juho no time to respond. "Of course it's him again!" He spits, standing up abruptly. He begins pacing, ripping off his hat to drop it to the floor. "Every single fucking time I look at Seokwoo I see him!"

Sanghyuk widens his eyes, lifting up his hands. "Calm down."

"How the fuck," Juho snarls, spinning on his heel to confront the blonde, "am I supposed to calm down, when all I see is him leaving?"

He held out his hands, grabbing onto Juho's. "You know me, baby."
Juho grimaced, shaking. "I don't think I do," he whispered, voice cracking along every word. He tried to pull away, but the other held him there firmly.

Sitting forward, Sanghyuk tries to reach for his friend's hand. Juho rips it away. "Juho, I know you're hurt, but-"
"-Hurt? I'm not fucking hurt!" Juho brings his hands up, rubbing aggressively at his eyes. "I'm fucking," he sniffles, "pissed. I'm angry. I hate him."

Juho felt a pair of arms wrap around him tightly. The attention, though he'd craved it for months, suffocated him. "I can't do this anymore."
He spun Juho around to face him, gaze hardening. "What are you talking about?"
"I know what you've been doing-!"

Sanghyuk grabs Juho the moment his knees buckle, pulling him back to hold him against himself. "It's alright," he murmurs, letting the younger bury his face into his shoulder. "It'll be okay."

"It won't be," Juho grabs Sanghyuk's shirt, balling it up in his fists. He isn't crying, he wouldn't in front of Sanghyuk. He'd cried to the older too many times before, and he promised he wouldn't again. "It won't be."

The blonde clicks his tongue, leaning back so Juho can get more comfortable in his arms. "It will be. It's just going to take some time."

"I miss him."

They're quiet for a moment, and Juho slowly breaks their contact, sliding off of the bed. Sanghyuk frowns, moving forward to grab his hand, caressing Juho's knuckle with his thumb. "I know," he mutters before letting his hand drop.

Juho nods, steeling himself before making his way to the door. He knew Seokwoo was playing with him. That he must have heard about Juho, somehow, through small talk on a set, maybe. But he knew. There was an odd familiarity there when they'd first met.

It disgusts him. Was he just gathering information on him to give back to his ex? Juho's hands shake at the theory. It's late in the day, and he decides to sleep for a while to take his mind off of things. Walking to his room, he groans when he notices the brunette sitting on the edge of his bed, phone tucked safely in his hand.