TIME ─ JAEYONG

024⸰

unlike usual framed pictures these ones weren't filled with family members but of taeil and his friends. taeyong spotted jae in most of them, his bright dimpled smile shined the brightest.

"i'll leave you two to get settled. i have to go to a meeting but i'll be back later. jae you know where everything is at. if you leave make sure to lock the door. and i swear–"

"yeah yeah mom, i got it." jaehyun gently pushed taeil out the room.

"alright bye kids. don't make a mess!" he shouted before leaving out the front door. jae let out a puff of air as he looked over the room. it was about the same size as his old bedroom but the bed was definitely smaller.

"i know you had problems with wanting to share a bed last time so i can make a makeshift bed on the floor."

"i'm not having you sleep on the floor. we can just keep a pillow in between us. besides, we can use this as a way of getting closer to each other."

jae agreed to the idea and for the remainder of that afternoon they set up all their clothes and items into the provided dressers and closet. it was nearly eight at night and there was still no sign of taeil so taeyong took the initiative to start cooking dinner.

he made a simple bibimbap meal while jaehyun handled getting all five side dishes ready. they set aside a bowl for taeil and took to the kitchen table where they ate in silence until the day dawned upon taeyong.

"jaehyun! tomorrow is saturday. i was supposed to go and find doyoung."

"we still can. i planned on reminding you before bed. i couldn't forget the promise i made you."

taeyong smiled appreciably. "thanks for that."

"it's nothing." he took a spoonful of rice to his mouth. "by the way, what do you plan on doing when you see him?"

"i want to buy him out a hotel room, kinda like you did to me. i'll pay it off for a year, including the food and i'll take him clothes shopping so he can look presentable and after that, we'll go job hunting. what do you think?"

jaehyun didn't think it was possible to fall more in love with taeyong but he just proved himself wrong. taeyong's heart was pure, purer than jae's. he had saved the right person.

"i think that's amazing." he answered. "doyoung will be so happy."

"i hope so." with full stomachs the two cleaned up their mess and made their way into the room where they took turns showering and getting dressed. while taeyong was finishing up in the bathroom he heard the front door creak open and slam shut.

he peeked his head out the bathroom door. taeil came stumbling in with another person towering over him. taeyong couldn't identify the taller person due to the dark lightning. "we have to be quiet." taeil giggled.

"they should be asleep by now." taeyong gasped inaudibly. his hand shot up to cover his agape mouth. "i want to hear you moan under me as i pound into you."

taeil groaned at the others words. "fine. come on." taeyong ducked back into the bathroom.

"holy shit," he muttered. he quickly shut the lights off to the bathroom and tiptoed to his room. he rushed inside, closing the door as quietly as he could.

when jaehyun looked up from his phone confused as to why taeyong seemed so shaken up he jumped onto the bed, pressing his hand firmly up against jae's mouth.

"shh, don't talk." he whispered. "taeil just came home with johnny."

"and?" jae pushed taeyong's hand away. "wait..." realization sank in. "why is johnny here?"

"they're about to have sex. taeil talked about how they have to be quiet and johnny said some pretty vulgar things that i don't plan on repeating."

"gross!" jaehyun scrunched his face up in disgust. "i didn't know they were together. what the hell? i feel betrayed. i couldn't see the signs... i'm angry now. i should go stop them."

jae went to stand up but taeyong pulled him back down giving him a crazy look. "you must be crazy. don't do that. the best thing we could do is go to sleep and pray we don't wake up to them making noise."

jae scoffed. "our first night here and we're already experiencing nasty things." he slammed a pillow in between their bodies. "good night taeyong."

"uh, good night jae. sleep well."

...

back at the jung residence, jaehyun's father angrily crumpled the letter after he and his wife read it. "that no good sack of shit!" his mother screeched.

his father stormed out their room followed by his mother. the pair met with the surveillance crew at the bottom of the stairs. the workers kept their heads hung low, in fear of meeting eyes with their angered employers.

"where the fuck did my son go?"

"we–we don't know sir. he wasn't spotted on our patrol." one confessed, his voice usually firm coming off shaky.

"you all were given one simple task! if no one can find my son..." he clenched his fist. "you all know what happens."

the workers dropped to their knees. "we're sorry sir. we'll find him just please, spare us." they begged desperately. the fear seeping from their words.

"honey wait." his wife latched onto his arm. "we know how much of a pussy our son is. let's wait and see how long it takes him to come crying home. he can't make it out in the real world. when he realizes this we can use this to our advantage."

jaehyun's dad pondered the thought. he wanted to know the whereabouts of his son this very moment but waiting for him to come running back thinking they would accept him with open arms didn't seem like a bad idea either.

"fine. he has a week. if he doesn't return by then we'll send out workers to find him and bring him back. and his little friend taeyong, i wonder if he's returned home."

"we never got to ask him where he lived."

"that is if he actually has a home." his eyes turned darker as he pulled out his phone, hitting a contact he kept on speed dial. "get kun or hansol on the line. they should have enough information on lee taeyong by now."