Chapter Text
Openly Gay K-pop star Yoon Jeonghan announces engagement to supermodel Chae Hyung-won and takes indefinite Hiatus
By Kim Jaeyoung
12/17/2023 21:24 KST
Yoon Jeonghan, 28, known as one of South Korea’s very few openly-gay kpop idols, was spotted earlier this week flaunting a new, shiny ring on his left-hand while leaving a sushi restaurant with his long-term boyfriend and supermodel Chae Hyungwon, 29.
Suspicions of an engagement had been confirmed by Yoon’s agency, PLEDIS Entertainment, the following day on a WeVerse announcement: “We are pleased to welcome the engagement of Yoon Jeonghan and his partner Chae Hyungwon. The two have continued to love and encourage each other throughout the years despite their very busy schedules. They have made the remarkable decision to be fully committed to each other for the rest of their lives.”
PLEDIS also encouraged fans to “show their continued support” to both stars. While many of Yoon’s fans, known as ‘’Jjongjjongies’, were thrilled that the couple were finally tying the knot, some fans were a bit disappointed by the announcement. One fan shared their thoughts on Twitter: “@hannieluv17: I wish this wasn’t true! I am so so sad, how can I continue like this? I want it to be a joke!”
Despite the broken-hearts of some fans, the couple are set to have a private reception overseas once Yoon has returned from his current hiatus that was announced just days after his engagement. After the successful release of his last single “Imperfect Love”, his agency stated that Yoon will be taking a pro-longed break from schedules so he can “recover his health and focus on his upcoming projects.”
Meanwhile, Chae is set to model for Givenchy’s Fall & Winter 2024 collection. The fashion show is set to be held in Greece in late December. It has not been confirmed if Yoon will also be in attendance.
The couple was first seen together in 2020 at a fashion show-
Jeonghan grunted in frustration when he saw yet another text message from Joshua pop up at the top of his screen, distracting him from finishing the article. ‘Answer me, you asshole!’ the text read. He knows his manager has been trying to get in touch with him all day out of worry, but he can’t help but be a bit of a dick when he’s literally about to go confront his husband whom he hasn’t spoken to in over five years.
Yes. THE Yoon Jeonghan is already married to someone that’s isn’t his current fiancé.
To be honest, all of this was definitely not how Jeonghan had planned it out to be. He was supposed to have been a divorced man many moons ago. But of course, the universe loves to make his life a lot more harder than he would like. If only his husband EX-husband wasn’t so god damn stubborn, Jeonghan wouldn’t have to be sitting in a taxi driving 5 hours back to his hometown, Hadong.
To make a very long story short, let’s just say Jeonghan was once a hopelessly-in love teen who thought he wanted to settle down at a very early age and live the average ‘white-picket fence on a big farm’ lifestyle. Luckily for him, one day he kind of snapped out of the fantasy he had created in his head and realized he wanted more for himself. Sure, it made him a bit of a selfish man. He had to break a few hearts along the way, including his own. But at the end of the day, it was his life to live and no one else’s.
However, Jeonghan had a bad habit of avoiding chores for as long as possible, and this chore was the one he procrastinated on the longest. Not wanting to make the mess bigger than it already was at the time when their wounds were still so fresh, he had left before his (ex)husband could finalize signing their divorce papers. He never thought that it would later come to bite him in the ass.
Yet here he is.
After looking through the many texts Joshua had left him, he looks up from his phone and peers out the window. He sees the all-too familiar miles of empty land and plant-filled crops occasionally accompanied by a small heard of cows. The unpleasantly sharp smell of manure hits him hard, and he tries to resist the urge to gag in disgust. Yup, that’s the smell of his hometown.
The taxi driver must sense his distress as he makes eye contact with him through the rear view mirror, “Don’t worry,” the old man chuckles, “we are about five minutes away. The smell will go away once we pass all the cattle.”
I know. Jeonghan wants to retort, but instead he smiles his best with his eyes as he adjusts his face mask. Jeonghan wasn’t much of a talker on road-trips, and luckily his taxi driver respected that, so of course the old man wasn’t aware that Jeonghan was already familiar with the route into town.
They remain silent the rest of the way. Jeonghan chooses to scroll through more articles of his engagement as a means to distract himself from the nerves that sit in the pit of his stomach the closer they get. It unfortunately doesn’t aid as much of a distraction as he would like it to be. And with the smell of manure still lingering, he really feels like he might vomit the second the car stops right in front of his and Seungcheol’s house (well, former house).
“That was one hell of a car ride, but happy you stuck through it!” The taxi driver smiles at him again, this time turning to actually face him behind his seat, “do you need any help carrying anything?”
“No, no. I’m alright. I just have this small duffel bag with me. I really appreciate ypu taking the time to drive me here.” Jeonghan says as he looks around to make sure he’s gathered all of his belongings.
The taxi driver smiles, “Alright then, it’s been a pleasure. Mr….”
“Han,” Jeonghan answers, holding his hand out for the man to shake.
“Mr. Han. I’m Mr. Kong Hyun Soo. Much pleasure to meet you.” The man shakes his hand.
“Likewise.” Jeonghan finally gets out of the taxi, handing the man his fare.
As the old man looks at the money in his hands, he seems to be suddenly startled by the amount Jeonghan gave him.
“Mr. Han, this is far more than what was-“
“Don’t worry about it. I really appreciate you driving me this far. Take care.” Jeonghan waves, now fully out of the vehicle.
Before the old man can refute any further, Jeonghan shuts the car door and reluctantly faces the entrance to his former home. With all the courage he can gather, he adjusts the duffel bag on his shoulder once more before making his way to the gate.
'Choi' he sees imprinted in Hangul on the gate. He doesn’t miss the faded ‘Yoon’ that’s stained on the stone wall just underneath.
With all the courage he can muster up, he finally opens the gate and steps foot onto the property. It’s such a strange feeling being there after so many years. A part of him feels so familiar standing there, aware of all the asymmetrical cracks on the concrete, the vanilla painted exterior of the house, the small stones that are still neatly placed in the front yard when Jeonghan had the grand idea to build a small pond (a project he never got to finish). And at the same time, being there feels so foreign to him, so distant, as if he’s time traveled to a previous life that was light years away.
He looks around more as he approaches the front of the house. He sees that Seungcheol seems to have gotten rid of the patches of grass that used to sit in their the front yard, now replaced with a gravel walkway. Small lights now guide the pathway that leads up to the entrance of the house. He also seems to have planted more trees to the perimeter of the house, something Jeonghan always suggested but never got around to doing.
After a languorous stroll through the front yard, he finally makes it to the front door. He takes one final deep breath before he slowly raises his hand to knock on the ivy-painted wood. Just as he’s about to, he suddenly stops when he realizes that none of the lights inside the house are turned on.
He sets his duffel back down on the porch to look around the perimeter. None of the windows on the side of the house are on either. He backs away from the house to see the second story, and those lights aren’t on either. He walks to the side of the house where the driveway is, and as he suspected, there is no vehicle in sight.
“Shit.” He curses at himself, placing a hand on his hip while he runs the other through his long hair.
Any feeling of not wanting to see his (ex)husband is now replaced with the feeling of urgency to see him. He’s less nervous now that he knows Seungcheol isn’t home, but he’s more determined than ever to find him so he can place an end to this all.
Releasing a frustrated sigh, he marches back up to the front porch again and bangs loudly on the front door.
“Ya! Seungcheol-ah! You better be home, dammit! I didn’t come all this way for you to not be home!” He yells, knowing he won't get an answer.
He stops banging when he hears unfamiliar barking approaching from the other side of the door.
Before he realizes what’s happening, there’s suddenly a small, fluffy white dog wearing a cherry clip barking angrily at him, as if it’s telling him to get off the property. Wondering how the dog was able to come outside, he just now spots the small doggy door below him. Fighting with a small dog was definitely not a part of his mission today.
“Hey, hey it’s okay! Shhh, calm down, puppy. I’m your friend, right? Chin-gu. Say Chin-gu.” He tries to calm the dog down, but to his luck, it doesn’t help one bit.
“Hey! No! Stop that!” He yells in panic when the dog begins to chomp and tug at his custom YSL boots.
“Stop it! Play fetch! Paw! Turn around! Um…” he recites any form of command his tired brain can come up with. “Sit! Do you want a treat?”
At the word ‘treat’, the dog suddenly stops and wags its tail happily at Jeonghan’s sudden command.
“Okay, so you like treats? Treat…where can I find a treat?” He says to himself, looking around the porch to find something, anything.
He spots his duffel bag and a light bulb goes off in his head. He rummages around his bag and finds an unopened pack of chicken breast Joshua had given him before he left.
“Ah-ha!” He shouts, turning his attention back to the dog who is patiently waiting for him, sitting like a good pup. The idea of Seungcheol excitedly training his furry friend pops up in his mind, and he does his best to ignore it and focus on the task at hand.
“Okay, puppy. Since you have been good, here is your treat,” Jeonghan crouches down to the dog, cutting a small piece of chicken breast to feed it.
“Good job! See, I’m a friend.” He smiles as the dog now allows him to pet its soft fur while it munches on its treat.
His hand comes in contact with the dog’s collar that was hidden beneath its fluffy fur. He finds the tag and reads its name.
“Kku-ma.” He reads aloud, and the dog looks up at him once she’s finished her treat, wagging her tail expectantly at him.
“Ah, I see. So your name is Kkuma. Kkuma…” the name sounds all-too familiar rolling off his tongue when suddenly a memory he forgot he had resurfaces in his head.
“When we get our first puppy, we should name her Kkuma.” Seungcheol smiled at him as he hugged Jeonghan from behind who was busy stirring in the spices to their ramyeon.
“Oh, really? Why Kkuma?” Jeonghan smiled back even though his husband couldn’t see his face.
“Just cause,” Seungcheol grins into his shoulder, “I’ve always thought it was a cute name. And a cute puppy should have a cute name, right?”
Jeonghan just laughs in response as he continues to stir the noodles.
Jeonghan blinks out of his trance, looking down to see Kkuma has now somehow gotten a hold of the rest of the chicken breast that Jeonghan was sure he still had in his hand. He throws the chicken breast wrapper back in his bag, not caring if the chicken juices getting all over his stuff. He hurriedly tugs his duffle bag over his shoulder and stomps back towards the gate.
The longer he stays here, the crazier he feels like he’s becoming. He needs to find Seungcheol and get these damn papers signed. Fast.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeonghan had completely forgotten that he was still a ways away from town. When he and Seungcheol first bought the house, they bought it with the intention of being on the outskirts of town as a means to slightly distance themselves from relatives. By car, the trip into town was only about ten minutes. But by foot, it was a rough forty-five minute walk. Add being extremely tired and hungry from a five-hour roadtrip, going on four hours of sleep, a chicken breast now gone, and some very uncomfortable boots that are definitely not made to be walked in for long periods of time, the walk is basically hell.
After what feels like eternity, he finally sees the old, tattered sign he used to pass by every single day. ‘Welcome to Hadong’ the sign reads. The sun is just beginning to set behind the forest-filled mountains, coloring the sky in hues of orange, pink, and blue. It’s a chilly night, and the thin Givenchy sweater Hyungwon had gifted him for their anniversary fails to keep him warm. He had been so distracted by the journey here that he had forgotten how cold it gets around this time of year.
Unsure of where Seungcheol could be at this hour, Jeonghan decides his best bet is to go to the only place in town they used to frequent together. He hopes to find the only other person who knew Seungcheol just as well as he once did.
Jeonghan reaches the entrance to the small café that’s located just a couple blocks into town. As he opens the door, an influx of nostalgia hits him like a ton of bricks. He notices the collection of donated books still scattered throughout the shop, the collection seemingly to have grown much larger since he last visited. The smell of freshly roasted coffee beans lingers in the air, paired well with the warm, cozy lighting that illuminates the small shop. He sees that the worn down green couch sat in the far left of the shop is still there, except the small coffee table that used to sit in front of it is now replaced with a newer, modern one. There are more succulents throughout the shop as well. Not much has changed, but yet so much has, and Jeonghan once again feels like a foreigner in his hometown.
“Hello, welcome in! How can I help you this even-oh.” He hears that bright, cheery, familiar voice stop. Jeonghan slowly removes his face mask, running a nervous hand through his hair. He's performed in front of hundreds, if not thousands, of people before. But this is by far more nerve-wracking. Jeonghan feels like he might just cry from it all.
“Hi, Seokmin,” Jeonghan stands there and waves awkwardly at his friend (well, former friend?), subconsciously clinging his duffel bag tighter to his body.
Seokmin stops what he’s doing and flings the moist towelette that’s in his hands over his shoulder. Slowly, without saying anything or breaking eye contact, Seokmin makes his way around the counter to stand right in front of Jeonghan. Jeonghan takes a quick glance around the shop, thankful that there are no other customers lingering around. Otherwise, the whole interaction between them may come across very strange to an onlooker.
“Listen, I’m so sor-“ Jeonghan begins to apologize for no particular reason, but he’s suddenly cut off when Seokmin envelopes him into a bone-crushing hug.
“I’m so glad you’re here.” Seokmin nearly whispers and Jeonghan’s heart practically breaks.
Seokmin was always known for being the happiest guy around town. If someone was ever upset about something, one simple smile from Seokmin could brighten their day. He was always the life of the party, making everyone laugh from his outstandingly hilarious sense of humor. He and Jeonghan were known to be the chaotic duo of their friend group, with Jeonghan always instigating and Seokmin always going along with whatever Jeonghan was scheming. He was the light that brought warmth to this cold small town. So to hear Seokmin’s voice so sad just now, Jeonghan may have already shed a tear or two.
Jeonghan doesn’t know when, but at some point he had dropped his duffel bag to the floor and was hugging Seokmin back just as tightly, if not tighter. Who knew that leaving his best friend since elementary school without saying a final goodbye would cause this much hurt? (The answer is he definitely knew, but was never brave enough to reach out again).
After some time, the two finally pull back from each other but still don’t let go, both men’s cheeks stained with tears.
“Wow, Hyung. Look at you! You look great,” Seokmin smiles that lovingly, infamous smile of his. Jeonghan didn’t realize how much he missed that smile. He still looks the same as before, just bolder. He's definitely put on some more muscle if how strong his hug was anything to go by. Other than that, Seokmin was still Seokmin.
“But also, why do you smell like chicken?” Seokmin looks questioningly at him, causing Jeonghan to snort loudly. There he is, the Seokmin he knows.
“It’s a long story.” Jeonghan manages to croak out between his sniffles.
“Here, come in. Have a seat! You must be freezing only wearing that! Let me make you something warm, I was just getting ready to close for the night.” Seokmin guides Jeonghan to sit at the bar of the cafe, carrying his duffel bag for him.
“Oh, you don’t have to do tha-“
“Hyung, I insist,” Seokmin places a warm hand on his cold one.
Jeonghan reluctantly obliges, knowing Seokmin will still do as he pleases despite his protests. He now feels a bit more at ease knowing that Seokmin has openly welcomed him back after so many years.
“So,” Seokmin begins as he works behind the counter, “may I ask what the Yoon Jeonghan is suddenly doing here after so many years?”
Jeonghan knows Seokmin is only teasing, but hearing the last bit aloud stabs a sharp pang of guilt in his chest. He knows it’s been a long time, and him appearing out of nowhere acting like everything is okay when so many wounds have yet to be healed makes him look like a total privileged snob. He doesn’t expect everyone to be as welcoming as Seokmin, doesn’t expect any royalty treatment. But given the circumstances, it might appear that way to some.
Seokmin must notice Jeonghan’s internal battle when he speaks up again, “Hey, Hyung. I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I’m genuinely curious though. Is it because of Seungcheol?”
Jeonghan takes a deep breath and nods, “Yeah, it is. I hate that I’m only here because of that. But with everything that’s going on in my life now, it’s time I put an end to this.”
Seokmin hums in response as he places the warm latte in front of Jeonghan, and begins making Jeonghan a grilled sandwich.
“How long are you here for?” Seokmin asks as he cuts some tomato.
Jeonghan sighs after he takes a sip from his latte, immediately feeling much warmer, “l was only supposed to come for the day. But when I went to Seungcheol’s place, he wasn’t there.”
Seokmin stops what he was doing and practically whips around to face Jeonghan, “You went directly to Seungcheol’s!?”
Jeonghan blinks at him, slightly shocked by Seokmin’s reaction, “Well, yeah. I had no other choice. My lawyer has tried to contact him several times over the years to finalize the divorce, but we never heard back from him. And now that I’m engaged, I decided it was best to come in person.”
“I'll be honest, you have some guts showing up here so suddenly. Once Seungcheol finds out you're here he's gonna-Wait. Woah. Hold on, you’re engaged?!” Seokmin looks at him like he’s got two heads.
Like he's gonna what? Jeonghan wants to ask but doesn't.
Instead, Jeonghan smiles shyly, slowly holding up his ring finger for Seokmin to see. Of course, he’s very much aware that not everyone in the world keeps up with his life, especially his old comrades. But it feels weirdly satisfying that there are still people out there who have no clue what he’s up to. For once, he feels like he’s not constantly being watched all the time.
“Yeah. We’ve been together for about three years now. He proposed on our third anniversary.” Jeonghan says as he fidgets with the ring on his hand.
“Wow. That’s such big news. Congratulations, Hyung! I wish the best for you both.” Seokmin smiles again as he turns back to the grill.
Seokmin’s words sound genuine, no trace of sarcasm or spite behind them. But Jeonghan can’t shake off the uncomfortable feeling. It doesn’t feel like a friend wishing a friend for a happy and healthy marriage; it lacked the excitement that comes from such big news. Like when you congratulate a coworker on a promotion. You’re happy for them, but there’s no sentiment behind the empty words. You congratulate them because you have to, not because you care. It’s the nicer thing to do.
Jeonghan just smiles as he sips his latte. Seokmin finishes making the grilled sandwich, placing the small plate in front of him, and begins to clean up.
“I hope you like it. It’s nothing fancy, but you always enjoyed my grilled ham and cheese sandwich!” Seokmin winks at him as he wipes down the counter.
Jeonghan thanks him quietly and nearly drools at the plate in front of him. Seokmin always made the best comfort food (Mingyu being the second best). After school during their winter breaks, Seokmin would always run home and make a lunch box full of Jeonghan’s and Seungcheol’s favorite meals, knowing damn well the two could not cook if their life depended on it. He was always making sure they were well fed, so much that Seokmin’s eomma began to complain about how much she was having to spend on groceries.
“Woah! Hey, are you alright?! I could make something else if that’s not what you wanted.” Seokmin rushes over to Jeonghan again.
Jeonghan blinks out of his daze, not realizing that he had let a few tears escape his eyes. Maybe he really is going crazy.
“No! No, I’m okay,” Jeonghan sniffs, wiping his nose with the sleeve of his sweater, “I’m fine, really. I just didn’t realize how hungry I was, and I’m just super tired. Don’t worry.”
Seokmin still seems unconvinced, but accepts Jeonghan’s answer. Jeonghan takes the first bite of his sandwich, doing his best not to inhale it all in one bite.
“Speaking of tired, where do you plan on staying for the night?” Seokmin asks, now leaning on the counter to face Jeonghan.
Jeonghan pauses to swallow his bite before answering, “I’m not sure. No one besides my manager and, well, now you know that I’m here. I’m not trying to stay long, and I don’t want to cause a commotion with my family. So I’ll probably just stay at an inn or something until Seungcheol gets back. Which I wanted to ask, do you happen to know where he is?”
“I see,” Seokmin nods, taking in Jeonghan’s predicament, “as much as I would like to offer you a place to stay, I really can’t. My sister and her family are staying with me for the holidays, so my place is a bit full right now.”
Jeonghan stops eating, shocked at the news, “Wait, Seoyun’s family?!”
Seokmin grins proudly and nods, “Yup, she has two little ones now, Haeun and Harin. They’re twins and her husband is from Busan. They met when she was in university, and now she lives over there with him. But they come to visit during holidays and stuff like that.”
That nostalgic feeling comes back again. Jeonghan recalls the little, witty Lee Seoyun. Just like her older brother, she was full of smiles and energy. Jeonghan always enjoyed teasing her about her height, always asking if she’d ever grow more. And now, while she may still be as short as she was back then, she’s grown to become a wife and a mother, living on her own.
“And to answer your question,” Seokmin interrupts his thoughts, “Seongcheol goes to work on weekdays. He travels a lot for work, so he always comes back really late. Sometimes, he even spends the night wherever he goes, so he doesn’t come back until around five or six in the morning.”
This is the first Jeonghan has heard of this. He just assumed that Seungcheol still worked with his dad and their family’s farming business. Seungcheol had always been so defensive when Jeonghan had suggested that he work somewhere that was geared more towards Seungcheol’s personal interests. Every time Jeonghan brought up the conversation, the night would always end with them fighting; Seungcheol spewing how selfishly Jeonghan thinks and Jeonghan biting back by calling him a coward. So he’s shocked, to say the least.
“Do you know where he goes?” Jeonghan asks, more curious than he should be. This is your supposed-to-be ex-husband here! His mind warns him.
Seokmin shakes his head, “Nope, no one really knows. I’ve asked a few times, but he always says the same things. He says sometimes he goes to Daegu, sometimes Busan, even Seoul. I’m not sure what it is exactly he does either, but I do know that he’s constantly on his phone talking to someone about work all the time. Always talking about deadlines and what not.”
“But what about his father’s farm? He was always so sure that he was going to work there for the rest of his life.”
Seokmin’s demeanor seems to suddenly change, appearing a bit sad, “Yeah, that was the plan. But Mr. Choi got really sick a few years ago.”
Jeonghan’s stomach drops. No, not Mr. Choi-
“Don’t worry though!” Seokmin waves his hands as if to wipe out Jeonghan’s worries, “Mr. Choi is still alive and well. But even before he got sick, his business wasn’t doing so great. A lot of his employees left, both to retire and work in the city. It was only him and Seungcheol for a while. But Seungcheol was determined to keep his father’s business afloat, so he left to look for a job in the city as well. Like I said, I don’t know what he does, but he’s making enough to keep his father’s business going and manage it on the weekends. As long as it’s not illegal, ya know?”
Jeonghan laughs at the joke. But his mind focuses on Seungcheol and his mysterious job. There’s so many unanswered questions he has: why does he travel a lot? Who is he constantly talking to on the phone? Where does he stay so often? Who does he stay with? Is he dating anyo-
No. He will not allow his mind to ponder into Seungcheol’s personal life. Jeonghan chose to leave. It was his choice. He could care less about his personal affairs.
“So does Mr. Choi not work at all anymore?” Jeonghan asks instead, his best attempt at something not so Seungcheol-centered.
“Well, aren’t you full of questions tonight,” Seokmin wiggles his brows, “don’t worry. I have answers. No, he’s been retired for a while now. Seungcheol had found out he was sick just a bit before you left-“
Seokmin stops the second he realizes his mistake. The instant pain of guilt bubbles up in his chest for what feels like the hundredth time today. During that time, he and Seungcheol had been fighting so much, they would often go to bed in separate rooms. Why didn’t Seungcheol tell him about his father’s condition? Had Jeonghan really been that selfish of a lover that Seungcheol didn’t want to seek comfort from him? Why couldn’t he have just left sooner? Maybe the pain he felt from all the damage he caused wouldn’t be as strong as it is now.
But what’s done is done, the past is in the past. He’s glad that Seungcheol’s father appears to be doing well, and same for Seungcheol. He may despise his former lover for refusing to divorce him, but he would never wish him misfortune. He’s a villain in this story, not a monster.
“Jeonghan-Hyung. I know Seungcheol never said anything, but none of this is your fault-"
“No! No, don’t worry about it. I really do appreciate you though, taking the time to tell me all this. I know you’re probably still close with Seungcheol and all, but thank you for letting me in here in the first place.” What Jeonghan does next is extremely out of character for him, but he needs to show his full gratitude in some way. He really is thankful for Seokmin, despite everything that’s happened.
Jeonghan gets up from his seat and takes a few steps away from the counter so that he stands in full view for Seokmin. He then completely lowers his body to the ground, bowing in full, proper form. His long hair shields his face as he lowers his head.
“Hey! Hey, hey! No, no, no, no, stop that! I will have none of that here!” Seokmin practically leaps himself over the counter, rushing to pull Jeonghan up from the wooden floors.
Seokmin yanks Jeonghan back to his feet, ridding his pants from any dust on the ground.
“Are you crazy!? What makes you think you can come into my shop and do all that?!” Seokmin half-heartedly jokes, both his hands now bracing Jeonghan’s shoulders, holding the older man in place.
Jeonghan giggles and rolls his eyes. Yup, some things never change and Seokmin is one of them. Seokmin is a genuine and pure soul, he’s nice because it’s in his nature. That’s why he hated when people bow to him, feeling as though he was indebted to them. “I’m just being nice, I’m not a god” he used to say. Only Lee Seokmin could say such things.
“Sorry, I had to. You’ve just been so nice to me and I don’t understand why. I left without saying anything, and I haven’t said a word to you since then. You should have been kicking me out of your shop the second I came in.” Jeonghan tries to make his heavy words sound lighthearted and playful, but fails.
Seokmin pulls him in for a tender hug, “Hey, regardless of what's happened, you’ll always be my best friend. I’ll always leave the door open for you, Jeonghan-Hyung.”
Jeonghan rapidly blinks away his tears again before they can spill. They pull away to face each other again, “Also, it’s not me you have a problem with.” Seokmin continues, “It’s Seungcheol. And I’m not one to pick and choose sides. Yes, I will be honest and say what you did wasn’t the nicest, but that doesn’t change the fact that deep down, I know you still care about everyone here, including him.”
Jeonghan just offers a small smile in response. He doesn’t want to agree that he still cares for Seungcheol, but he can’t deny it either.
Jeonghan is the first to let go of Seokmin this time, going to gather his belongings.
“I should get going,” Jeonghan says as he puts his bag back on his shoulder.
“Oh! Before you go, take this!” Seokmin rushes over to the coat rack located in the front of the shop. Jeonghan doesn’t have time to protest because Seokmin is already placing a large black coat over his shoulders.
“It’s going to be a cold night. Make sure you stay warm. And don’t forget to eat! Here, let me pack you something really quick.” Seokmin turns to go put his apron on again.
“No! It’s okay, I’m fine. Really. You’ve done enough for me already.”
Seokmin stops in his tracks and just sighs in defeat, “Alright then, if you’re sure. Hey, before you leave town, make sure to stop by one last time before you go.”
Jeonghan hugs Seokmin one last time, not wanting to let go.
“I promise.” He whispers.
“You promise, promise?” Seokmin raises a questioning brow.
Jeonghan smiles and nods, pinching Seokmin’s cheek, “I promise, promise, Seokminnie.”
And after one long, final hug, Seokmin sends Jeonghan on his merry way.
Seokmin wasn’t lying when he said tonight was going to be cold. But even with wearing the thick coat Seokmin gave him, Jeonghan is sure his balls are now completely frozen.
He manages to hurry to the nearby Inn that’s located just around the corner from Seokmin’s cafe.
“A room for one please.” He asks the receptionist when he enters the lobby. She smiles and nods as she checks him in.
He plops down onto the bed the second he enters his room. The bed is a lot more uncomfortable than he’s used to, but he doesn’t care one bit. The day had been exhausting both physically and mentally. He hasn’t even finished what he came here to do, but after his encounter with Seokmin, he feels like there has been a lot of weight lifted from his shoulders. He’s thankful for his childhood best friend to have welcomed him back with such open arms. And after learning more about what Seungcheol has been up to the past five years, he feels a strange sense of relief.
Seungcheol was doing well without him.
It’s what Jeonghan had wanted after all. He had left because it was always Seungcheol&Jeonghan. Jeonghan&Seungcheol. Two young kids who had been inseparable since the day they met. The thought of being tied to someone the rest of his life overwhelmed him enough. And after realizing that, he decided that he needed to figure out who he was first. He needed to get out of this town, determine his own dreams, configure his own thoughts and desires. And in doing so, he wanted Seungcheol to do the same.
He manages to check his phone once more, deciding that now would be best to give Joshua a call back.
“Yoon Jeonghan,” Joshua answers after one ring, “where the fuck have you been?! And why have you been ignoring me?!”
Jeonghan flinches as his manager yells at him through the speaker, “I’m sorry. But I could barely get service in the car ride here. And I’ve just been busy all day. I really didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I know you’re going through some tough shit right now, but one simple text back can do me wonders. I almost drove out there myself to look for you.” Joshua grumbles. Jeonghan can practically hear his pout.
Jeonghan rolls his eyes. He loves his manager dearly, but he tends to be a bit dramatic. He would get along really well with Seokmin.
“I’m calling you now. So you can go to bed.” Jeonghan snickers, running a hand through his hair.
“So?” Joshua begins, “Were you able to get him to sign the papers?”
Jeonghan sighs disappointedly, “No. I didn’t even have a chance to face him today. He wasn’t at ou-his house, then I ran into an old friend who told me he was out of town for the day. I’m going to have to stay the night.”
Joshua releases a frustrated sigh as well, “That bastard. If he continues to give you a hard time I swear I’ll-“
Jeonghan laughs tiredly. Joshua is usually a calm guy, but he’s one of the only people who’s known about Jeonghan’s secret since the very beginning. Not even Hyungwon knows. And being Jeonghan’s manager and all, Joshua is just trying to protect Jeonghan and his career at all costs.
“Don’t worry, Joshuji, I’ve got it under control. I’ll just go try again tomorrow.”
“If you say so,” Joshua says, not sounding very convinced, “if you need me to, I can send the company’s legal team-“
“No!” Jeonghan panics, “definitely not necessary. This will be all done soon. We are not getting the company involved.” He definitely does not need more people knowing about all of this, even if they are under company disclosure.
“Alright then. Well, we need you back here soon. I know you’re technically on hiatus, but there’s still a lot to be done for the next comeback. Woozi and Beojji sent over the demo tracks, and Soonyoung is already working on the cheoreography. I’ll send everything over once Soonyoung is done.”
Of course, even when Jeonghan is on a ‘break’, there’s still more work to be done. He did only take this hiatus so he can come here to confront Seungcheol. But he was just starting to enjoy not focusing on work 24/7. Maybe he and Hyungwon can take an actual vacation once he returns.
Shit. Hyungwon. Jeonghan was so preoccupied he forgot to text him back as well.
“Okay, thanks Shua. I have to get going now, I wanted to give Hyungwon a call.”
“I’ll let you go, then. And let me know if you need me to go down there. I’ll tie him up myself if I have to-“
“I’m fine, really! I’ll be back in no time.” Jeonghan reassures.
“Okay then, don’t stay up too late now. Night, Hannie.”
Jeonghan smiles at the nickname, “Night, Joshuji.”
Once he hangs up the call, Jeonghan checks his phone again to see he has two unopened messages from Hyungwon.
From: My Wonnie 💖🐸
Hey, babe. I just landed in Greece. 12:45 pm
The food here is insane! I should definitely take you here for our honeymoon. 4:30 pm
Rather than texting back, Jeonghan calls him instead. Unfortunately, it goes straight to voicemail. Jeonghan doesn’t think much of it, since Hyungwon is probably busy.
To: My Wonnie 💖🐸
Hi, my love. That sounds like a lot of fun! We should totally check it out. 9:42 pm
Miss you like crazy xx 9:43 pm
With that, Jeonghan puts his phone on the charger and snuggles back into bed, not bothering to wash up. He’s had a long day, so he’ll just do it in the morning.
He shuts his eyes and immediately falls asleep, his last thoughts being of Seungcheol, his dog, and his mysterious job in the city.