A Way To Your Heart - Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Hoseok took a deep breath as he rung the doorbell. He pressed his lips together with an expression that screams 'please let me get out of this' when Yoonji waved her hand with a big smile, welcoming him after she finally opened the door.
He thought Yoonji was drunk the previous day and that's why she blurted out so many weird things. He thought she might forget what she did the next day. And even if she remember it, she would act a little bit awkward around him.
That's what he thought.
But guess he can never predict her.
He was right about her being drunk to be honest. She was actually drunk. For real. Because that's what she told him by herself when they met this morning that she was drunk the previous day.
He thought everything's gonna be back to normal. But yeah, yet again, that's what he thought.
Because she has been calling him her boyfriend since morning and he's struggling not to let the other staffs in the company hear her, or else her jokes might cause a big chaos in the company if anyone ever know about it.
And now, he had to go to her house after she asked him for a meal together. He could've just decline her if not for her blackmailing him to tell everyone about their incident with his dog in the beach.
She really has her own way to make impossible for people to disagree her for whatever she wishes.
"What took you so long to come here? I've been waiting for you. I'm already hungry," she smiled as she led him inside the house.
He was a bit relaxed since no one from the company can see them together, at least here, but that relaxation didn't last long when he was greeted by Mr. Min, Yoonji's father, their company's business partner, in the living room.
Wow Hoseok. Which type of hell did you just step in?
He instantly bowed at him when he walked towards him but Mr. Min just continued tapping his shoulder with a big smile on his face.
"Secretary Jung, it's nice to see you again like this." Mr. Min smiled when Hoseok returned his greeting with another bow. "When was the last time we met? Jeon was also with you at that time, right?"
"Oh, yes. He was with us the last time," Hoseok answered politely as they took their seats together on the couch after Mr. Min gestured him to sit on one of them.
"So, how is work? How is it working with my daughter? Is she troubling you in anything?"
"No. No. She doesn't," Hoseok just shook his head, but his smile was hiding all the embarrassing moments he had with her, and of course along with the troubles she caused him too.
But he can't say it in front of her own father, can he?
They talked about some random things as they all sat together in the dining room for the meal. It's quite unusual to just go and eat in other people's house, specially with someone who isn't even close enough to do such things, and it's not even for a business meeting either. But thanks to Mr. Min for making the atmosphere less awkward by starting small conversations all the time about anything random.
They were almost done with the meal and the room was getting a bit eased but-
"Secretary Jung, I already liked you when we first met. But I never thought there would come a day when I'll call you son-in-law. Hahaha! But I like it."
"Huh?" Hoseok almost choked on his food when Mr. Min spoke, while Yoonji helped him by passing the glass of water with her lip pressed together to suppress her laugh.
"Easy, easy. You don't have to feel shy about it. She told me everything after you brought her back home yesterday. Both of you are adults who knows your own responsibilities very well and are compatible for each other. I get that it's already time for both of you to find someone for your lives. So, I don't mind your relationship at all. And since I'm Yoonji's father, you can call me father-in-law from today. Even 'Dad' is fine. Hahaha! Dad sounds more good."
Dumbfounded. Yeah, this might be the word to express what Hoseok was feeling at the moment.
On the previous day, he suddenly had a girlfriend without him knowing. And now, he has a father-in-law out of nowhere?
What's going on?
Is he not him?
How come he has no idea about his relations with other people of his own life?
"I know you're a good person and I know you're someone I can put my trust on for my daughter. I can already tell you're not the kind of person to break my daughter's heart," Mr. Min smiled as he put a piece of meat on Hoseok's plate.
Hoseok bowed a bit when he noticed the older's gesture with a low 'thank you', and just quietly sat there without saying anything.
He's confused about everything that's happening, but he could still see the trust Mr. Min has for him as he speak, and he couldn't even dare to say anything against it.
"I spoiled her a bit too much since she's the youngest. So she can be a brat sometimes," Mr. Min laughed when his daughter rolled her eyes at him at his words, and then turning towards Hoseok, "but I'm glad you're my daughter's boyfriend. I don't think someone else would be able to handle her."
"I don't think I would be able to handle her either."
He wanted to say it out loud but didn't. He chose to just sit there in silence.
Yoonji stuffed a big piece of meat inside her mouth so her father won't see her laughing at the way how helpless Hoseok looked at the moment.
She was walking behind Hoseok, following him till the gate of her house after they were done with their meal together.
"Then... I'll get going. Thank you for the meal Yoonji-ssi," Hoseok bowed at her but before he opened the door of his car,
"Hoseok-ssi, am I annoying?"
He heard her saying with a lower voice than she usually speaks- it's different and quite unexpected. And when he turned back, he saw her in a not so warm clothes, shivering a bit in the cold wind. And the expression she made when she asked it, it didn't look like the ones she usually made while teasing him- instead, a glimpse of sadness and dejection shading her eyes.
He sighed as walked back towards her, taking off his coat and gently putting it over her shoulder. "You should wear something warm if you're gonna go out. It's getting colder nowadays." He said while fixing his coat on her.
"Hoseok-ssi, do you watch dramas?"
"Huh?"
Yoonji chuckled at the way Hoseok tilted his head at her question.
"Because just now, what you did looks like one of those scenes from dramas, y'know?"
Hoseok paused for a while but ended up laughing when he finally get it, "I just... you could get sick if you don't wear warm clothes."
"Aren't you the one who needs warm clothes right now? I'll be going inside after you leave but you still have to drive for long in the cold again."
"I guess you're right."
He nodded and they just chuckled together at that. But he still let her wear it anyway.
"Hoseok-ssi, I'm... I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable in any way today," Yoonji started after a few seconds of silence. She thought it was needed to be said. "I only told my dad that I'm interested in you when I told him I invited you for a meal but... he started saying all those things to you. I'm really sorry if I made you feel-"
"Yoonji-ssi, I think you're such a cool person."
"Huh?" Yoonji tilted her head when Hoseok interrupted her with the most unexpected word.
Did he just said she's cool? Or was it cold instead of cool? Did she hear it wrong?
Hoseok smiled, and with sigh, "yeah, I think you're so cool, Yoonji-ssi. I'm a man, but I have so many insecurities about myself, about my life. I don't really have the confidence to go up to a girl I like to even talk, forget about confessing my feelings. I do care about the people dear to me, but I can't even dare to reach out to them. I still have the fear of not being able to give my all to them. But you, a woman, are so brave enough to let your feelings out. You can easily express what you feel without any fear. You're straightforward but you're confident about yourself, about what you're capable of. So rather than annoying, I think you're such a cool and brave person."
Yoonji just stared at the male in front of him. She know she has always been straightforward and confident about herself all her life. And about letting her feelings out, she was always the one to go and straight up confess to whoever she likes, she's always the one to start a conversation if she find someone interesting.
She's confident but all she used to get was only rejections, got told she's too bold to be a girl. So she expected a similar reaction from him as well, she's used to it. She thought, maybe, she annoyed him unnecessarily. That's why she apologized, because she didn't want him to dislike her for something stupid she did. She thought, if she do, maybe they could at least be friends.
But to the contrary, Hoseok called her brave and cool for the same reason, which was a bit surprising yet something sweet that could make her happier.
Only few people who knows her better are the only one to say something like that about her personality. But Hoseok, he sees her differently eventhough he doesn't really know much about her. Instead of what people usually see about her, he saw the brave side of her.
And she has never felt so appreciated about herself by someone like right now.
"Then why don't we just date already?" She took a step closer, staring at him but chuckled when the male looked away from her gaze.
She knew she shouldn't do something like this but she did anyway.
"But Yoonji-ssi, I feel like I'm not good enough for you. I-"
"Isn't it already fine if I feel like you're good enough for me?"
"Huh?"
"Yeah. I mean, as you said earlier, you're scared that you won't be able to give your all to the other person, right? But isn't it already fine if the other person is satisfied even with the smallest amount of the love and time you're able to give them?" Yoonji took another step closer towards Hoseok, eyes still staring at him.
But this time, he isn't looking away like before.
"Jung Hoseok-ssi, can you give yourself a chance? Or... give me a chance to let you get over your fear, I'll help you to understand that you don't always have to give your all to satisfy the other person. And I'll help you to realize that even a slight love from you is enough to make the other person happy. Will you?"
Hoseok stared at her eyes. They were clear and glowing under the lamp by the sides of the gate. And she looked beautiful with her hair waving gently along with the cold wind.
He always thought of her as a confident, intelligent, smart and cool person- someone superior to him. And that maybe the reason he always wanted to show himself as someone as confident as she is, as cool as she is in front of her. But he felt ashamed when he couldn't make it and made a fool out of himself instead.
"I'll take the chance even if you refuse to give me, so you don't have to say anything. I'm going to be your girlfriend either way anyway." Yoonji shrugged her shoulders when she didn't get any response from Hoseok.
And he could only laugh at her confidence.
She really has her own way for everything.
"Why did you even bother to ask in the first place if you're going to do whatever you like anyway?"
"I was just taking your consent, okay?"
And he couldn't help but laugh at her answer. He really won't be able to handle her.
"Hoseok-ssi, do you wanna know a secret?"
"What secret?"
"Actually, I thought you're handsome when I first saw you."
Hoseok blankly blinked his eyes at that, she really caught him off guard. "Yoonji-ssi, are you trying to flatter me?" He tried to pay no heed to the compliment, but he sure felt his face burning up for some reason.
"No, I really thought. And that day, I also thought you must be a kind person when you lent your hand out to help me get up."
"Huh? Me?"
Hoseok paused, he suddenly remembered how Jungkook told him he met her before, and now she's saying the same thing again. But he still couldn't remember when exactly they met before they had lunch together with Mr. Min-
Wait.
Lending hand? To help her get up? Then... is she-
"You don't remember?" Yoonji tilted her head when she noticed the other frowning his forehead while trying to recall, "You were with Jungkook that day. I bumped into Jungkook and fell on floor but Jungkook literally left me and you helped me get up from the ground. You still don't remember?" She helped him out by telling the story herself.
Yeah. He just remembered. Finally.
But seriously? That was her? Maybe he couldn't remember it was her because he never thought it would be her since he didn't pay much attention to the girl he helped.
"Y-yeah. I just remembered. I'm sorry I didn't know it was you."
And Yoonji smiled at how Hoseok scratched the back of neck with the blush on his cheek.
"At least you know now."
"Yeah."
"Hoseok-ssi, you're cute."
"Please don't start."
And Yoonji just bursted out into laughter while Hoseok tried to hide his flustered smile by looking away.
While sharing a few small talks with Yoonji's silly teasings that made Hoseok blush his face red, Hoseok's phone vibrated from his pocket.
But just when he picked up the call, his eyes went wide and Yoonji gave him a questioning look as she wait for the call to end.
"Yoonji-ssi, I'm so sorry but I need to go to the company. Right now."
‐‐‐
Taehyung took off his overcoat before throwing himself on his bed lazily. They're back, he's back to their home but Jungkook left for the company right after they came out from the airport. He didn't even come to home with him.
He texted Jungkook asking if he already reached the company but still got no reply.
Is the condition that bad in the company?
He doesn't really know what happened, Jungkook only told him about having some problem in the company.
He don't know how big of a problem it is that they had to come back right away but he's worried for Jungkook. The whole journey back home was tiring since Jungkook kept stressing out over the problem and he didn't even know how to comfort him other than giving him a warm hug and saying everything will be okay, he couldn't even help him in anything.
He just lied down on the bed, he's tired but he couldn't sleep. He didn't want to call Jungkook to ask either, he's afraid he might disturb him, but he's worried remembering how stressed out Jungkook was the whole time since he got the news.
He sprung up to sit straight when his phone finally rang after an hour.
"Taehyung, can you eat alone today? I don't think I can come back. I guess I have to stay here for tonight."
It was from Jungkook, Taehyung wanted to ask if everything is alright but he could already tell from how worn out and exhausted Jungkook's voice sounded.
"Yeah. I can. Don't worry about me. But what about you? Have you eaten anything?"
"Not yet. Don't worry. I'll eat later."
"It's late. Eat something first. I know you're tired."
"Yeah. I will. And you too. Don't skip your meal. I'll hang up now. Goodnight."
Taehyung sighed as the call hung up. He just let himself lie on the bed blankly for another half an hour and finally got up to eat something. But he just sat there in the dining room- he got no appetite. He's worried thinking if Jungkook has eaten or not.
With another long sigh as he glanced through the room, it felt so empty without Jungkook around.
Taehyung has no idea when did he start to get used to Jungkook's presence so much that his absence is starting to affect him.
He never thought Jungkook's absence wasn't going to be only for that day.
He never thought the same emptiness was gonna continue for over a week.
But it did.
It did even after three weeks passed since they came back from Japan.
They don't get to spend more time together like they used to.
Jungkook is still busy in the company, he barely have time to come back to eat with Taehyung like he used to. They don't get to be with each other even on weekends.
But Taehyung doesn't mind it. He understand him. He know Jungkook would be tired, so he doesn't complain when he goes to bed just after returning home. He let him rest and sleep when he comes back.
He doesn't mind all of these but there's always this empty feeling in him. He has been indulging himself into his own works, tried to go out alone to some places to make himself ignore the gloomy feeling in the house with Jungkook's absence.
That's how he ended up sitting on a bench now, in a park, with his camera on his hand and scrolling through the pictures he took a while ago.
It was then when he noticed something different about his picture of now and before. His pictures, somehow, they don't have the same cheerful vibes they used to have anymore, but has this kind of melancholic emotions contrastingly shading over those colorful pictures.
Is he sad? So sad that it's even showing on his pictures? Yeah, it would be a lie if he say he isn't.
But over that sadness, there's this guilt trapping him to an endless gloominess- a guilt of him being the reason why Jungkook has to go through all these.
If he didn't let Jungkook come along with him all the way to Japan, he would've been in the company and none of these would've happened.
If not for him, Jungkook would've gotten more time for himself and more time to rest.
If not for him, Jungkook wouldn't leave his work so important to him just to go with him.
If not for him, no, if Jungkook didn't meet him, if he didn't ask Jungkook for help, if they didn't get married, if he didn't fall in love with him, if they kept themselves just stick to their deal, if they divorced like they planned~
He know he's overthinking, but he can't stop with all these thoughts constantly pricking him for the past few days.
He felt so guilty for so many reasons.
He couldn't watch Jungkook looking so tired and drained out everytime he returned home, he couldn't bare to watch him stressed out and exhausted everyday.
And it hurts. It hurts so much to see him like that and the only way to lessen the pain in his heart and the guilt in his mind was to blame himself for everything.
His train of thoughts were interpreted by a call. It was from Jungkook's mother. So he took a deep breath and cleared his throat before answering. He didn't want her to worry about him since he knew she's quick to catch when someone is down.
"Good evening, Mom."
"Oh Taehyung-ah, where are you right now? I'm in front of your house but no one is here."
Taehyung straightened his back at that, "Oh? I'm sorry Mom, I'm in a nearby park right now. I'll be right back. I won't take long, it's just about 10mins."
He quickly grabbed his stuffs and ran to his car to drive back home eventhough Mrs. Jeon told him he can take his time and she can wait. He didn't want her to wait long for him.
Soon when he reached, he was welcomed with a tight hug from her before they get inside the house.
"Is Jungkook still in his company?" Mrs. Jeon asked as she sat down the couch, her hand tapping the couch to gesture Taehyung to sit beside her.
"Uh, yeah," Taehyung nodded as he sat down while Mrs. Jeon sighed at the answer.
"At what time does he come back home these days? Is he even eating well?"
"Very late. Umm... he sometimes skips his meal too if I don't call him to remind him."
Mrs. Jeon let out another sigh, "he's always like this. He always takes his work over his health." She closed her eyes with a deep breath before she take Taehyung's hand, "what about you? Are you okay? It must be hard for you too to see him like this."
But Taehyung just hung his head down, holding her hand tightly.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry? For what dear?" Her voice sounded concerned when she heard the apology.
"Just... I... I just... It's my fault that he's going through all this. I can't help him in anything to make it better either. I can't take care of him as you asked me to. I still remember you told me how he has changed after meeting me but I ended up making him–"
"Taehyung-ah, look at me," Mrs. Jeon cut him off as she made him lift his head to look at her, "look, this is not your fault, alright? And don't ever think that you can't help him in anything. You've helped him enough by staying by his side, by being there for him, by making him happy, by loving him... and y'know what, I could be at ease when something like this happen to him because I know you'll be there him, because I know there will be someone to worry about him other than me. And I want to thank you for that. There's nothing for you to apologize. Ok?"
Taehyung nodded as she wrapped her arm around him, giving him gentle pats to assure him to realize that he's not at the fault.
"I'm happy you came to my son's life. I just want you guys to be happy together always," she loosen her arms to look at Taehyung, "you'll be always there for him, right?"
Taehyung smiled as he nodded, eyes a bit teary from her words.
"Oh yes, I heard you're into photography and travelling. You even went to Japan with my son. Did you enjoy?"
Taehyung paused at that before nodding with a faint smile, "Uh... yeah. I did."
He knew she's trying to change the subject by asking about this but talking about his work reminds him of him taking Jungkook along with him instead— which of course isn't helping him since all the things happening till now came back to his mind like a moving train.
"Hmm... that's great. I'm happy you're doing something you like. How is it going?"
And that again reminded Taehyung of the mail he recieved four days back— a mail from New York for offering him a job as a professional travel photographer in their company.
Back during the first month of his marriage, he once sent a mail with his photographs he took to the company. He thought if he happen to get appointed he would just go along with their deal and go there to work some time, then start his own studio after, then maybe open a traveling vlog channel of his own, and if he's lucky and good enough to make it possible he dreamed of opening his own photo art gallery. It was his plan.
He thought he couldn't make it since he didn't get any response from the company for over two months but he did, now. He can now go there to work, a work that can fulfill both of his dreams— travelling and photography.
Everything he wanted is coming to it's place as it was planned.
He should he happy right? Of course he's happy, but again, he's not.
He couldn't bring himself to even tell Jungkook about this. In fact, he didn't know how to tell him when he's going through all of that because of him? How can he leave him for US when Jungkook is having a hard time here? He wants to go, obviously, it was his dream, but he don't wanna leave Jungkook either, he just can't.
"Yeah. It's going pretty well."
That's what he answered but he didn't thought he was being obvious to Mrs. Jeon that he's hiding something until she gave him a concerned look.
But before she could ask anything, Taehyung got up to open the door after getting a call from Jimin saying that he's in front of the door.
Jimin greeted Mrs. Jeon with a bow.
"Oh I'm glad you're here, Jimin. You both can enjoy together. It's getting late so I should get going."
"You could've stay so we can have dinner together Mom," Taehyung smiled as he walked her to the door.
"No. It's fine. If I stay here for dinner, your dad will get jealous that I got to eat with you and not him," she winked and that made Taehyung smile. "I'll come with him later. We'll all eat together with him and Jungkook."
Taehyung smiled with a nod but Mrs. Jeon held his hand before she get into her car, "Taehyung-ah, if there's anything you wanna share, you can just do it. I'll always be here to listen. Ok?"
Taehyung knew exactly what she's talking about, so he just nodded with a smile as he watched her car driving away.
"What was that? Are you having any problems?" Jimin asked just when Taehyung turned.
"What do you mean?" Taehyung tried to just walk away but Jimin stopped him.
"There is something going on. Right?"
There it goes. He can't hide anything from Jimin, can he?
He haven't told anyone about his job, not even his parents nor Jimin because he know they'll encourage him to go for it. Of course he would love it if they do, that's what he've always wanted them to do, but he's scared, scared that this might make him have to leave Jungkook.
But Jimin's concerned questions were his last straw, he just wanted to let it out, it has been frustrating him for four days already anyway. So with a faint smile, he finally told him about the job.
"What?! Really? That's such a great news. You finally made it!! Congratulations Taehyungie!" Jimin excitedly gave him a hug but he furrowed his eyebrows after seeing Taehyung's faint smile.
"What's wrong? You're not happy?"
"No. I'm... I'm happy. But... working there means I have to leave Korea. And I don't want to leave Jungkook. So... I'm just—"
"Wait, Taehyung, you don't have to think too much. It's not like you're gonna leave Korea forever. And you working there doesn't mean you guys are gonna get separated."
Yeah. He knows it too. It's not like a mere distance are gonna separate them. But he wanted to be there for Jungkook, beside him, comforting him when he's going through.
"Jimin, I... I don't know. I just... with everything that has been happening to Jungkook lately, part of it is also my fault, and I don't wanna leave him all by himself here. I just wanted to be there for him at least."
"So you mean you're gonna give up your dream? Don't tell me you're just gonna give it up so easily after all the things you did for your dream."
Well, it hurt when Jimin put it like that. He never want to give up either, but he felt like now is not the right time to go for it.
Jimin sighed when he didn't get any response from his best friend, "Taehyung, listen, I'm sorry I suggested this stupid plan for you to get a fake boyfriend and for giving you stupid ideas of your marriage deals with Jungkook."
Taehyung tried to say something when Jimin appolized suddenly but got cut off as Jimin continued.
"And I also know what's going on with Jungkook and his company. But just try to think, yeah? You had to fake your boyfriend and fake your wedding eventhough you didn't want to be in a relationship with anyone in the first place. And for what? For you to go after your dreams, for you to finally get your freedom, for you to do what you always wished for. I know you get to do all that now too and I also know only this will never be enough for you. If you give up when you finally made it to work your dream job just because you don't want to leave Jungkook, don't you think he'll blame himself for being the reason why you couldn't work? He agreed to the deals because he wanted to help you go after your dream. Do you think he'll be happy if you give up?"
Taehyung just sat in silence. Yeah, Jimin was right. He shouldn't give up. But there is always this guilt trapping him on a thought that it would be wrong to go and be happy on his own when Jungkook is suffering.
"You haven't told Jungkook about this, have you?" Jimin let out a sighed when Taehyung shook his head. "You should at least tell him. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear this news. But I'm also sure he'll be very sad if you give up. Just tell him."
Taehyung nodded and Jimin gave him a warm hug before he got up.
"I came here to see you since I got something to tell you. But nevermind. You've had it enough with your problems. I don't wanna put mine again."
"What is it? You can tell me, y'know?" Taehyung frowned but Jimin just smiled.
"Forget it. It's not that important. I'll tell you later," Jimin tried to ignore but ended up sighing when Taehyung kept staring at him. "Well, it's about Yoongi hyung and me."
Jimin chuckled when he saw Taehyung widening his eyes at the mention of Yoongi's name, "no need to get excited. We're not really dating yet but... we talked about it and I think... maybe we might actually date in no time? I don't know. It's just that... I don't think I'll be able to say no to him. So..."
Taehyung smiled as he gave Jimin a hug, "I'm so happy for you."
"We're not dating yet so please stop."
Taehyung chuckled as he looked at Jimin getting shy as he let go of him, "but I already know you will. So congratulations in advance."
Jimin just shook his head, trying to hide his smile before changing the subject.
"It's late. When will Jungkook come back?"
"Well..." Taehyung checked the time, "it's almost time. He'll be back."
"Alright then. I should get going."
"You can stay here until he comes back tho?" Taehyung said as he got up to follow his friend.
Jimin paused to turned back and put his hands on Taehyung's shoulder, "no, I should go so you can have some time for yourself to gather your courage to talk to him when he comes back."
Taehyung nodded with a faint smile when Jimin gave him a hug before walking away.
And Taehyung was left alone in the empty house again.