The Prince's Stableman | Taejin

Chapter 27 - Vex

"Thank you!" Seokjin heartily bids good bye to the old man he always purchases grains and stock from. He was on his way back to the castle and to the stables from the market. He had the day to himself but he could not get V out of his mind. He passed by a bakery and bought extra bread with strawberry jam in them and lemon tarts to share with V the next day.

He arrived at the stable and put away all the supplies he had purchased and made his way to the cottage. When he opened the door he was surprised to see Namjoon hunched over their small dining table, his head buried in his arms. Seokjin thought he was asleep so he stealthily tried to walk pass him on the way to his room when he heard Namjoon sniff. He looked back at the alpha and walked back to him, concerned.

"Joon? Are you okay?" Seokjin asks, placing his hand on Namjoon's shoulder.

"I-I'm okay hyung. Go ahead, rest." Namjoon answers without bringing his head up, still hidden in his arms. His voice was hoarse. Seokjin pulled up the chair next to Namjoon and sat beside him.

"Did something happen?" Seokjin asks. Possibly, if he could just smell Namjoon just like a normal alpha or omega, he could tell that Namjoon was upset. But even without that, it was pretty obvious anyway.

"Yeah, go hyung." Namjoon sniffed again, sounding like he choked on his words. He still wasn't looking up at him.

"Then why are you crying?" Seokjin asks leaning a little closer trying to peek at Namjoon's face, rubbing his shoulders.

Namjoon burst out in tears. He was crying in his arms unwilling to face his ex. Seokjin felt bad for him crying like that and he didn't know what was wrong. He felt so worried. Namjoon slowly faced him and Seokjin felt so sorry seeing Namjoon's puffy red eyes and red nose. The tabletop he was hunched over on was wet with tears as more tears were flowing from his eyes. It seemed like he was crying there for hours from the time he spent in the market.

"I-I'm so s-sorry, hyung. I-it hurts. It h-hurts s-so b-bad." Namjoon says, coughing a little on his words as he was having difficulties breathing as he cried. He was wiping his tears with his arm. Seokjin was speechless. Why is Namjoon sorry? Seeing Namjoon so broken in front of him made him feel so sympathetic. He brought Namjoon into his arms and let him bask in his pheromones while rubbing and patting his back.

Namjoon was shaking but Seokjin felt that he calmed down some. He felt Namjoon bring his nose behind his ear and breathed him in. Soon enough, Namjoon stopped crying and rested his head on Seokjin's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry I had you go through that." He murmured onto Seokjin's shoulder. Seokjin was still confused with what was happening with Namjoon. Was he referring to their relationship?

"Go through what?" Seokjin asks.

"The cheating.. the lies.. I was so stupid. I didn't know it could hurt this much." Namjoon says as he pulled back looking at his hands.

Seokjin doesn't know what to say. Was Namjoon being cheated on as well? He didn't know how to talk to Namjoon with this topic because it felt off. Should he be the one consoling Namjoon with how broken he is feeling right now? When he was the reason that he felt the exact same way years before? It felt strange for Seokjin in a way but he still saw Namjoon as his friend and that was more important now compared to the bitterness from the past.

"Are you sure he's cheating on you? Seokjin asks, looking at Namjoon.

"He has been cold to me for a while now and.. I haven't seen him in the past week. I just feel like he's seeing someone else." Namjoon lowly says trying to avoid Seokjin's gaze.