"Smile cause it suits you more."
3 MONTHS LATER
"Happy Birthday Bimbo!", he maundered, capturing her as she struggled to breathe in his bone crushing hug.
But it felt good.
It made her feel loved.
"I-I can't b-breathe", she spoke with a broken breath, hitting his back with her tiny punches. He teared apart, looking down, scratching his nape. Her lips curved into a small smile which fluttered his heart.
"Thank you Jeonghan", he sighed, swirling around and stopped, his hands resting on his hips, the hair falling partially on his eyes. The black T shirt complimented his physique well. The blue jeans was a perfect pair. He had dyed his hair back to black, making him look prettier.
"Not like this, treat me", he pinched the bridge of her nose. She gasped hard, placing her hand on her chest dramatically. "Mr. handsome, I don't earn so much.. You are the rich one here so you should treat me-"
"Your cafe will be okay for me", he dropped his body lazily on the couch, munching the packet of honey butter chips. She rolled her eyes, flopping next to him, "Seriously? It's my first day at the cafe today as a waiter. You are talking as if I own it?!"
"So should I buy one for you?", he wiggled his brows making her feel annoyed.
"When will you stop with this flirting Jeonghan?", she questioned.
"The moment you start calling me Hani."
~
She dusted off her hands and untied the apron. Her long, partially dried hair rested against her hips. The blue floral top and white mom jeans looked decent on her. She jogged up to her room and stood before the mirror. She smiled at her reflection, putting on a light makeup and walked back down stairs tinting her lips pink.
"You look pretty bimbo", she snapped back to reality as Jeonghan sat in front of her, fetching out his phone.
You make me feel pretty.
The door had a knock. She fixed her dress, combed her hair with fingers and minced towards the door.
"Happy birthday sweetheart", the young man cooed in her ears, pulling her in his embrace, the moment the she opened the door. The eyes shone brightly as she rested her head over his chest, "Thank you so much. I missed you." He rustled, patting her back and grazed his fingers down her beautiful brown hair, "I missed you too."
The two males greeted each other with a smile as they came back in the living room. She drew their attention towards her, "I'll arrange the breakfast while you two can chat."
"Lord, I feel so hungry", she smiled seeing both of them rubbing their knives against their fork, the plates shining with an extravagant breakfast.
"Hoseok hyung", with a stuffed mouth he called out to him, looking adorable.
"Did you bring...her... a present?", he thrusted another bite of Kimchi, his jaws moved perfectly in sync. The room was filled with the aroma. She had cooked their favorite. The other two looked up from their plates as Jeonghan chewed the food deliciously, making sounds, wiggling his brows, enjoying every tint.
"I don't have a death wish Jeonghan", Hoseok shook his head in disappointment. She sighed heavily. Early morning and she was being annoyed by them. She poked her inner cheeks, hitting Hoseok's long legs under the table, "Jung Hoseok better eat the food before I make you deprived of it."
"Y/N-ah this is for you", Hoseok looked at her a beautiful smile. The purple wrapper, with a cute pink bow on the top. She took it in utter confusion, eyes wandering in between Jeonghan and Hoseok.
"This wan't necesssary-", Hoseok cut her off, sitting beside her on the couch.
"It is. This is very much necessary Y/N. This is the present for staying so strong. This is the present for trying to become better."
Her long lashes fluttered, her grip on the gift was gentle. She stared at him with her blue eyes, laced with confusion as he broke into a small smile, "Won't you open it?"
She shook her head, quickly looking down at the gift. She moistened the lips, tucked her hair behind the ears and unwrapped the gift.
Her eyes squinted, forehead creased, and lips formed a small unnoticeable pout.
A mirror?
He gifted her a mirror?
"Look at your face in it sweetheart", he spoke again, seeing her frown. She looked so fluff.
"Eh?", she sounded so cute that both of the males burst into a big laugh.
"Just do what I say Y/N", he spoke again, getting back to his senses. And she did.
"Now smile." Her lips curled into a smile.
"Do you look at that? That's my gift for you. I want you to keep smiling like this forever Y/N, no matter how rough the day gets. I know how hard these few years had been for you, but you didn't give up. This is why you deserve to smile alot sweetheart."
She got too emotional to let him go without a hug. That's it. She crashed herself in his embrace, crushing the fabric of his shirt, snuggling deeper in his chest, "This-This is the best gift Hoseok. Thank y-you so much."
~
JUNGKOOK'S POV
He rolled over the king sized bed, stretching his legs, pushing himself out of the white sheets. He yawned, rubbing his eyes cutely. The morning hair and the drool on the corner of his lips made him look adorable and tiny. He jumped out of the bed, dragging himself towards the window. The sunlight blinded him for a millisecond as he pulled the curtains away and pouted, "Good morning Jungkookie~"
Grabbing a few shirts from the closet he ruffled his hair and threw them across the bed, "Which one should I wear?" His eyes twinkled as he picked up a plain blue cotton shirt and smiled hazily.
He pulled off his T shirt, the buff body was an amazing sight. He looked like a full course meal after he once again started to work out. He wrapped the towel around his neck and shrugged his shoulders, plunged into the bathroom and gaped at his reflection in the mirror. He smirked, roaming his fingers all across his abs and planted the toothpaste on his red toothbrush. The brush rubbed against his teeth as he started to doze off.
The cold water splashed against his milky white skin, sending chills down his spine. He wanted to feel better. The past few months were way rough than he had thought. He had lost himself more in these months than he did in the last 3 years. He tried to find a comfort in the shower but his mind felt more drained out.
"It's gonna be a long day", he husked with quivering lips.
He slapped various portions of his exposed skin, with closed eyes, rubbing the soap and inhaling the scent. He took hold of the wall, standing still under the running water, the head hung low and the water dripping down the forehead to the toned abs.
He gulped the lump, the adam's apple moved perfectly. He sighed, feeling the heart heavy, "It feels weird."
With the towel wrapped around his waist, he stood near the edge of the bed, rubbing another towel against the wet hair strands, drying them partially.
He picked up his phone from the night stand, pressing it between the ear and shoulder, waiting for the call to be lifted.
"Hello? Mrs. Hwang?", he spoke while wearing his pants and took a seat on the edge of the bed. The lips lifted up into a small smile, "Dad!", the young boy exclaimed over the phone making him chuckle silently. He licked his chapped lips and pushed back his bangs, "My baby, how are you?"
"I miss you", he could sense him pouting and laughed a little, "Seriously Subin? We had spent your holidays together for the entire last week."
Suddenly silence crept in over the call. His heart skipped a beat, a lump formed in his throat. An uneasiness clouded his mind.
"I miss mom", the voice over the other end came as a low whisper.
Tears started brimming the eyes of both of them. The world had been colorless for a long time now. When will his sufferings get over?
Everyday he tried to become better than what he was yesterday. But it was hard. Hard to move ahead happily when there was no color in his life.
"I...I miss her too", he replied, in a tiny and tired voice. He could feel his heart palpitating.
"D-don't hate me Subin for w-what I-I did", the back of his eyes burnt and finally the tears trickled down the face. His son was way mature than him, he knew that well. Never did he complain about anything to his dad.
"I can never hate you daddy. I love you alot", he nodded his head, gripping the satin sheets tightly, "Don't cry daddy. Subin doesn't like tears in your eyes."
The call ended, leaving him all by himself again.
A small sob escaped his rosy lips. He dropped his body on the bed, staring at the ceiling, more tears threatening to fall.
He fixed his tie and sneaked at his reflection, smiling as if nothing happened.
But it mattered.
Everything, every moment and every heartbeat reminded him of her. The room which preserved precious laughter was silent today... now was reserving silent sobs, lots of tears and uncountable heartbreaks, hurt and pain.
The smile, the shimmer and the words 'I am fine' all are a lie when deep inside the broken heart you know you are dying.
I feel so lonely even in the crowd of so many people.
He combed his hair, sleeking them back nicely. His perfume spread across the room. He licked his lips, fixed his piercings and pulled over his grey overcoat. He stood before the mirror and winked at himself, "I look handsome duh~"
He halted, eyes fixated at the calendar. The breeze blew across the room, even if the sun was up today, the air had the chills in it. Days had turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into a whole year but.. the moment never came. She never came. He coughed slightly forcing himself to stand in front of the huge photo frame. The lips tightened. His heart beats dropped low. Even her picture shows the hate she has for him. That's what he thought.
"Happy Birthday Honey", he purred.
Only he knew how much courage he had to gather just to stand in front of this photo, without crying. His soul felt numb, every limb felt weak. He dropped himself on his knees, eyes not breaking the contact with her picture. A tear rolled down his cheek, followed by uncountable other. He traced his fingers over the moisten cheeks and looked at the liquid with confusion, "W-What am I crying for? Why am I even crying dude?"
And gradually he ended up sobbing miserably, whimpering and shaking.
There was no one to wipe the tears, no one to calm the crying man and no one to sense his pain. With passing time he had learnt a lot, even learnt to fake a good life. The presence he yearned for was his only cure.
He was regretting but there was no forgiveness.. There was no forgiver.
He broke the promises he did to himself not only once but twice. That's what made him cry more.
He couldn't make the two people he wanted, proud.
"You both.. You both must be regretting meeting me now", he gawked in the space. The tears had stopped, leaving him with tear stained cheeks and burning eyes. His state was so vulnerable to look at.
His silent scars were deeper than any wound but there was no one to heal them.
One was away forever and one was close yet too far.