"We'll finally get to meet the CEO." Seungcheol laughed, "I heard that he shows minimal social appearance?"
"Yeah you're right." Hoshi answered as him, Joshua, Seungcheol, Jun, Minghao, Seokmin, Vernon, Wonwoo and Woozi were seated in the meeting room of Serenity HQ.
"He and Mingyu will be here in 5 minutes, they just entered the building." Joshua informed as he got notified on his tablet, "Actually he had to attend some personal sessions."
"It's alright." Jun assured, "Plus they aren't even late."
Soon enough, the click sounds of submitting the password on the door were heard after which it creaked open.
And instead of a professional greeting from the Rose Quartz team, their bodies went numb as if they had witnessed a ghost.
And it was probably true. Ain't no way, this was possible.
The Serenity team ignored their gawk eyes as the CEO went on to introduce himself, "Good Afternoon, I'm Yoon Jeonghan, currently in charge of Serenity Hyperbotics."
Silence. Pure silence. Not even a single reply was heard after which a loud thud echoed.
Seokmin was on the ground, unconscious.
"Oh my god." Seungkwan was the first to react as the former's team mates refused to move even by an inch.
Everyone averted their attention to the unconscious man and an emergency medic was called almost immediately.
"We'll postpone the meeting, please take care of him first." Jeonghan suggested as everyone followed Seokmin being carried by the medic. He was settled in a private room as the Rose Quartz team trailed in.
In reality, all of them needed medical help. They had received the most unexpected gift, you can't expect them to stay sane.
"Mingyu, arrange everything for them to get back to the hotel as soon as possible." Jeonghan instructed, "Seungkwan and Hoshi, don't leave them alone here, they may need help. Joshua and Dino, accompany me to wrap up today's work."
Rose Quartz was clearly listening to each and every single word that escaped through the CEO's mouth but not even a single one was something they wanted to hear.
Why was Jeonghan acting as if he didn't know them?
"And Mr. Choi." Jeonghan addressed Seungcheol, "We'll reschedule the meeting whenever he'll be fine. Joshua will give you my personal contact number, you can call me whenever you need any help."
Seungcheol was holding back his tears. His emotions were overflowing and he couldn't answer with even a 'yes' or 'thankyou'. Woozi patted his back after which Seungcheol finally gained his senses, "Thankyou Mr. Yoon and sorry for the inconvenience."
"No it's fine." Jeonghan chuckled, "Is it alright if I visit you at the hotel later on? To check on Mr. Seokmin?"
"Yeah sure." Jun replied after which Jeonghan left along with Dino.
Seungcheol stared at the disappearing figure of Jeonghan. He waited for him to turn back and embrace him tightly. He was probably pranking them, right? RIGHT? He wanted to tell him how those six years were the most miserable ones for him.
Don't go tonight
Stay here one more time
Remind me what it's like
But nothing like that happened. Jeonghan never turned back and Seungcheol never got the chance to embrace him. Ridiculous.
And let's fall in love, one more time
I need you now by my side
With the help of Mingyu, Seungkwan and Hoshi, the Rose Quartz team safely reached the hotel assigned to them. The three of them stayed with them for a while but they couldn't talk.
"I think they're worried for Seokmin hyung." Seungkwan whispered.
"Of course, he was all fine but fainted abruptly." Hoshi nodded with concern.
"It's evening already, we should give them some privacy." Mingyu acknowledged, "We've to come back here in a while anyways."
"You're right." Hoshi approved.
"Okay, Seungcheol hyung." Seungkwan approached the older, "We'll leave now. And yeah, we'll come back in a couple of hours."
"Sure." Seungcheol managed to voice out after which the trio left.
Three hours passed without anyone speaking a single word. Words were a distant thing, no one even budged from their position while Seokmin remained unconscious but this time, due to the medication.
It was when Seungcheol's phone rang but he didn't realise.
"Hyung, your phone." Woozi nudged him.
"Y-yeah." Seungcheol flinched as he picked up the call, "Hello Joshua."
"Yeah Seungcheol, is everything alright there? We are coming to visit you."
"Yeah alright."
"Take care."
"Thanks." He hung up the call.
The room was silent again. Everyone's brain was malfunctioning. They couldn't understand or believe what they had just encountered.
Yoon Jeonghan? What was he doing here? Didn't he-? No way!
It was when Seokmin's cries were heard which also marked that he was awake.
Vernon and Minghao were the first to surround him, "Calm down Seokmin."
"Jeonghan hyung-" Seokmin mumbled within his sobs.
And that was it. That one name broke everyone's patience as all of them broke down into tears.
"He's alive." Seungcheol gulped the lump in his throat as he wiped his tears.
It tears me up when you turn me down
I'm begging please, just stick around.
Woozi stepped forward to embrace the older, "Hyung he's alive! He didn't leave us at all!"
Wonwoo was next to join the hug, "Jeonghan hyung is still here for us!"
Jun gathered everybody as all seven of them were in each other's embrace, "Why are we crying? This is an occasion of happiness! We've got our hyung back."
"But-" Seungcheol broke the hug, "Why did he remain unfazed? Why didn't he jump over us to embrace us tightly? Why didn't he recognise us?"
He slipped down on the ground, "All this time, I was oblivious that he's alive. And when we met, this is how it turned out? He doesn't know me? He didn't recognise me? Why?"
"Hyung-"
"What's wrong in my love?" Seungcheol broke down, "What did I fail to do? Commitment? Loyalty? Care? Patience? Persistence? WHAT? Why can't I just get him back? WHY?!!"
I'm sorry, don't leave me, I want you here with me
I know that your love is gone
I can't breathe, I'm so weak, I know this isn't easy.
He couldn't hold himself back anymore. For six years, he was told that he would never get to see Jeonghan again in his life. But he re-appeared in his life way too abruptly. And what was the outcome? Turned out, Jeonghan treated him like a stranger.
"Hyung, please, you didn't fail anywhere." Woozi consoled the older.
"I think, a lot has happened which we don't know about." Wonwoo suggested.
"Yeah, we need to talk. We need to know about the actual truth." Jun added, "We've been in the dark for six freaking years."
"Say no more." Minghao remarked, "This is the end of our misery."
"Exactly!" Woozi declared, "Let's go. Let's not waste any more time."
But before they could debate further, they heard the sound of the doorbell.
"I'll open the door." Vernon volunteered. When he looked through the monitor, he saw Mingyu and Joshua.
He quickly opened the door to welcome the duo.
"Uh hello." Vernon awkwardly stated as everyone in the room fixed their postures. Joshua and Mingyu exchanged greetings with all of them as they stepped in.
While walking towards Seokmin, Mingyu tripped against the table which eventually struck Wonwoo's left foot. He stumbled and was going to fall when Mingyu held him by his waist, "I'm so sorry."
"It's alright." Wonwoo nodded hesitantly as both of them parted away.
Vernon and Jun snorted but instantly made a poker face as if nothing had happened.
"He's a bit clumsy." Joshua clarified.
"But I myself make it right too." Mingyu whined.
"Wonwoo hyung understands." Minghao suppressed a grin after earning a glare from the said male.
"How are you Seokmin?" Joshua handed him a bouquet. As far as he knew, Seokmin was a cheerful person so watching him being sick was heart breaking for him. It just didn't sit right with his everyday personality.
"Thanks hyung, I'm fine." Seokmin chuckled, trying his best to hide his actual emotions. He wasn't fine, no one was.
"Jeonghan hyung, Hoshi hyung, Seungkwan and Dino will be here soon." Mingyu stated, "They were worried for Seokmin too."
Jeonghan.
"Can I ask you both something?" Seungcheol decided to initiate the conversation over Jeonghan with his present friends first. Of course they must know a major part of truth if not the whole.
But before he could speak, Mingyu got a call, "Excuse me."
He picked up the call and only a one-liner conversation was enough to drive him crazy.
"Hyung, we've to go, fast." Mingyu approached Joshua.
"What happened?"
"Seungkwan told me that Jeonghan hyung is admitted to the hospital." Mingyu worriedly informed.
"WHAT?!" Seungcheol and Woozi yelled in unison, gaining everyone's attention.
"Sorry, the abrupt news shocked us, what happened?" Woozi explained.
"We'll have to leave." Joshua understood the situation. He very well knew why Jeonghan was taken to the hospital, "Don't worry guys, he'll be fine. And Seokmin, take care."
"But what happened?" Wonwoo asked again.
"It's a personal matter hyung." Mingyu bowed slightly, "Don't worry much, he's genuinely alright. And we're sorry, I don't think anyone would be able to visit you tonight."
Joshua and Mingyu rushed out of the room in a hurry. Seungcheol tried to follow them but Jun halted him, "Don't go hyung, we can't fall into the radar of their doubts before knowing everything."
"We're definitely oblivious of a lot of things." Seungcheol muttered, "I don't understand what is even happening. Are we going crazy or something?"
"I think we all know what has happened, we just cannot accept it." Minghao inhaled a deep breath, "Something has happened, due to which he doesn't remember us."
"No! Please don't say that." Seokmin felt the bitterness of those words.
"But that's the truth." Woozi was dejected, "Maybe because of the accident?"
"Didn't dad say that the police couldn't find any body around the car?" Wonwoo reminded.
"Exactly. Now everything makes sense." Jun concluded, "Everyone made wrong assumptions specially the officers."
"We need to figure everything out really soon." Woozi scoffed.
"I think it's better to talk to his friends first." Seungcheol suggested as everybody nodded.
Meanwhile Joshua and Mingyu rushed to the desired floor within the hospital. They were instantly met with Hoshi, Seungkwan and Dino.
"What happened? Is he alright?" Mingyu asked.
"The doctor said he's stable now but we can't meet him yet." Dino informed, "It was a panic attack."
"Again?" Joshua was concerned, "I think we should call Jihyo too."
"We already did, she's on her way." Hoshi stated.
"How did this even happen?" Mingyu stepped forward, "Did someone say anything to him? What triggered him so suddenly?"
"No hyung, it just happened abruptly." Seungkwan explained, "We came back from office, he went to his room all fine. But when Hoshi hyung went to call him, he saw him struggling after which he collapsed."
"But there must be a reason behind it?" Joshua mumbled.
"There is." Another voice echoed as everyone turned towards the head doctor, Min Yoongi along with Jihyo who had arrived a few minutes ago.
"Doctor, how is he?" Hoshi rushed towards them followed by everyone.
"He's alright but this one was pretty severe." Yoongi paused, "Did he meet someone who had the ability to play with his mind over his past?"
"We don't think so." Mingyu replied.
"Well, then he must have tried to recall something but failed miserably." Jihyo looked down, "I really expected that he would have recalled something but he didn't."
"Can we meet him?" Dino asked slowly.
"You can." Yoongi allowed, "Mr. Hong and Mr. Kim, you're the ones who generally discuss his reports with us right? Come to my cabin first."
The two nodded after which the doctors left.
"Is something wrong?" Seungkwan muttered, "They looked worried."
"It's alright, you both should go." Hoshi referred to Joshua and Mingyu, "We'll see Jeonghan hyung."
"Yeah sure." Joshua nodded as he left with Mingyu while the other three stepped into Jeonghan's room with cheerful faces to boost him up.
A/n : Important: Okay guys hear me out, I've two plans for this book. Should I focus on mainly Jeongcheol and keep it short like 32-35 chapters or include the other ships thoroughly and make it 45-47 chapters?
Vote, comment and share to boost up my enthusiasm!! And Happy Carat Day y'all💎💎
Y'all, if you're enjoying my work, checkout my other books on my profile too!
Anyways, take care everyone!
-Jeonghanneyonghaseyo