Taekwoon exited the passenger seat as Hakyeon runs and gave him the tightest hug he ever felt.
"Wooniee! Glad you finally came!"
"I missed you, Hakyeon." Taekwoon gladly returns the hug.
It's been straight six months when they last seen each other and Taekwoon had to cancel some of Hakyeon's invitations because of his work. Being an architect makes him busy due to piled up pending projects, and when he switched companies because of an incident, he became even more busy. But tonight is an exception.
Tonight is Hakyeon's 30th birthday and so he made sure to attend this event since Hakyeon playfully threatened to disown him if he ditched him.
Hakyeon then noticed someone walked out from the driver's seat and eyed Taekwoon for who this person is. The guy walks beside Taekwoon and bows at Hakyeon before giving a small smile.
"Ah, this is Sanghyuk. He's my new officemate. Hyuk, this is Hakyeon, my friend."
"Nice to meet you." Sanghyuk said as he flashed another smile.
"Nice to meet you. Let's go inside." Hakyeon smiled back.
"Uh, I actually just dropped him off."
"Come on. Join us as well. You are welcome too. Come!"
" Yes, join us so you can meet the old people in my life."
Hakyeon turns his back and entered his house as Taekwoon pulled Hyuk's arm and followed Hakyeon inside.
"JUNG TAEKWOON!!" Jaehwan screamed once he saw him. He runs towards him with his open arms and as Taekwoon was about to hug him, Jaehwan runs past him and hugs Sanghyuk instead.
"Ah, really!"
"Get of off him, Jaehwan." Hakyeon slaps his butt.
"Oh, sorry. I thought you're Taekwoon." Sanghyuk laughs.
"Taekwoon hyung! How are you?" Gongchan welcomes him with a hug as well which he returns. Taekwoon greeted their other friends who are present in the house as well.
"Taewoon-ah, this is Wonshik. My date." Wonshik gave a soft smile and a simple Hi.
"Hi. Nice to meet you." Jaehwan pointed at Sanghyuk with his lips. Taekwoon then grabs his arm.
"This is Sanghyuk. My new officemate. Then this is Gongchan, Wonshik, and Jaehwan."
"Hongbin's here!" Gongchan shouted.
"What.." Taekwoon looked at Hakyeon.
"Taekwoon, I'm so sorry. I didn't know." He looks at Sanghyuk apologetically. Taekwoon looked at Sanghyuk as if asking for help. "Sanghyuk-ah.."
Fortunately, when they became close friends, they both talked about their past. The people that line up in their past that they are trying to forget, the pain they had experienced. Sanghyuk helped him to move on. He guided him.
"It's okay, Taekwoon. Everything will be fine." Sanghyuk assured him and squeeze his hand.
"Uh, Taekwoon. Sanghyuk. Please take a seat."
"This is a fight we're waiting to happen." Jaehwan whispered.
"Hongbin won't do that. Just relax. I know him." Gongchan answered back.
"Hongbin!" the rest greeted him as he walked beside Hakyeon.
"Hi. I hope I'm not late." he smiled.
"Of course not." Hakyeon greeted him with a hug. His eyes shifted to Taekwoon and a small smile appeared on his face.
"Taekwoon." the man looked at his direction and gave small forced smile. Taekwoon blinks and looked at Sanghyuk.
"Uh, Bin this is Hyuk. My new officemate. Hyuk, meet Hongbin." Taekwoon said softly while avoiding Hongbin's gaze. Hongbin looked at Sanghyuk with a hurt emotions that are written in his eyes. He can't believe he was seeing someone else already. He felt betrayed. He felt cheated on.
Sanghyuk stood up and offered a hand. "Hi, I am Sanghyuk." Hongbin looked at Taekwoon with dissapointment. While Hongbin is still in the process of moving on, Taekwoon already did. Just two months ago when they called off their relationship, but Taekwoon already have someone else.
"Hi! Sorry I am late!" Wongeun entered the house while holding a cake. "Happy Birthday, Hakyeon-ah." He noticed the tension in the place when he spotted Hongbin and Taekwoon.
"Ah, let's eat. Thank you so much, Wongeun." Hakyeon took the cake and placed in the middle of the table. Everyone settled on their seats. When Hongbin tries to sit across Sanghyuk, Wongeun immediately sat on it and caused him to sit at the end.
"Uh, for you, Hakyeon." Taekwoon handed a small bag with different kinds of scented candles he made. Hakyeon thanked him happily and placed it on the table behind him.
While everyone's chatting and catching up, Hongbin carefully placed a leg part on the plate, followed by a pepperoni pizza that cut into small pieces just to Taekwoon's liking, and a small portion of pesto on the vacant space with lots of parmesan cheese on top.
"Here, Taekwoon." Hongbin lifted the plate and trying to hand it over to Taekwoon when Jaehwan grabs the side and placed it on his area.
"Oh! Thank you, Hongbin. Very nice of you."
"Should I open some gifts?" Hakyeon cheerfully asked, trying to ease the awkwardness.
"Open mine first, hyung!" Jaehwan shouted and people seem to be busy again, pushing the previous moment in the back of their minds.
"No, I will check Taekwoon's first." Jaehwan sat back down with his signature pout while Wonshik comforts him as he laughs. Hakyeon carefully took out the candles one by one as he smells them. Giggling with every candle Taekwoon made.
"Thank you so much for this, Woonie. No wonder your candles are a hit. Totally love this citrus candle."
"No problem." Taekwoon smiled.
"If they were really a hit," the house is once again silent and everyone turns their head to Hongbin.
"then why did you switch back to become an architect?"
"Why? Is it bad?" Taekwoon asked back. He was getting impatient towards Hongbin who keeps on doing something to be noticed by Taekwoon. And he is so sick of it. He loves Hongbin. He still do. But love is never enough to stay in a toxic relationship.
"Actually, bro-" Sanghyuk tries to defend him when Hongbin spoke again.
"I'm not saying it's bad, but I thought it's not your dream job anymore. You already changed your mind, right?" Taekwoon gritting his teeth, trying not to cause a scene in front of his friends. Sanghyuk taps Taekwoon's thigh and he immediately relaxes at the sudden comfort.
"Is he your boyfriend?" Hongbin switching his eyes between Taekwoon and Sanghyuk. Taekwoon take a deep breath and roams his eyes around the room to calm himself.
"Uh... do you guys know that Hakyeon also got promoted in his job?" Wongeun interrupted the moment.
"Wow! Congrats!" everyone once again switched their attention to the new topic as they constantly congratulating and praising Hakyeon who can only smiles and laughs now.
"In that case, we should congratulate Taekwoon too. For finally found a replacement for me." He raised his glass and click his glass with Wongeun.
"Cheers!" He once again insisted but nobody's moving. Hongbin released a heavy breath and stood up. He reached out his hand towards Sanghyuk.
"Not so nice to meet you."
"Please, Hongbin." Jaehwan grabs his shoulders trying to drag him out. "Let's go outside now, Bin." He shrugs Jaehwan's hand from him and continue reaching out his hand.
"You don't want to shake my hand?"
"Let's go outside first, Hongbin. Please." Jaehwan keeps on dragging him still. "Let's talk about this outside."
"Fuck off!" Hongbin finally pushed Jaehwan. "Hongbin!"
"Taekwoon, don't you know the three-month rule? Every person who is in love and has broken up knows that rule. You have to wait at least three months. Three months before you enter a relationship." Hongbin glares at both Sanghyuk and Taekwoon. "Don't you know that?!"
"Hongin! Please." Hakyeon stood up and went to hold Taekwoon's shoulders.
"I still have 1 week, Taekwoon. 1 fucking more week. Why are you such in a rush to replace me, huh?!"
"That's enough, Hongbin."
Taekwoon only looks down, hiding away his tears from Hongbin. The person he still and only loves. The person he have always dreamt to see first thing in the morning. The person he cherished more than anyone else. But also the person who hurt him. The person who chose his career. The person who broke his promise.
Jaehwan and Gongchan are still struggling to drag Hongbin away from them. "Hongbin, please stop now." Sanghyuk stood up, pleading Hongbin to calm down.
"You might look tough, but you can't bring me down!"
"Go home, Hongbin! Just go home!" Taekwoon stood before Sanghyuk.
"I did everything I could. I have to pursue my career for our future. For the both of us. I want you to be proud of me. For what I do! You are so heartless, Taekwoon!" Taekwoon stand tall but the tears keeps on flowing. His heart aches. He is hurt to see Hongbin like this.
"Answer me! I'm begging you, Taekwoon! Answer me!"
"That's enough, Hongbin!" Hongbin looks at Hakyeon who is already glaring at him, neck getting red from the anger building up.
Hongbin looks at Taekwoon again. His eyes soften. He is gasping for air. His tears drop one by one.
"Taekwoon, I love you so much and it hurts. It hurts so much." He cries hard but still mainting to speak clearly. He placed his hand on his heart, clenching on the fabric. "It hurts so much, Taekwoon." He took a deep breath and gave Taekwoon a last loving yet defeated look before turning his back from them, leaving the place.
Taekwoon slowly sat down as he cries his heart out. He loves Hongbin very much and he didn't know he caused him so much pain from leaving him. He cried like a baby and couldn't care no more. He hurt the persom who would only love him with all his heart.
I lost him. He's now all gone.
----
Ugh. Still some unfinished stories but too busy to continue 😭😭 only pushed muself since I'll be missing our Taekwoonie so much :(