Chapter 2 (The Mistaken Assumption)

Junkyu woke up earlier than usual. The strain in his eyes due to crying till late night finally took action and gave him a bad headache, disturbing his first love- sleep. Junkyu blinked several times to adjust with the irritating light falling on his eyelids.

And then he saw the unfamiliar room. He wasn't in his own shaded room, specifically designed to protect the morning slumber of him, unlike the Park household's room where he was currently staying. He looked beside him and saw Jihoon sleeping with his cheeks squished on the pillow, eyes half open.

'He's cute when he's asleep.' Junkyu chuckled. Suddenly the memories from last night clouded his brain.

'Let's pretend to be roommates... you're not even my type... someone like Mashiho... this marriage is based on business purpose...'

Jihoon's words kept ringing in his ears making him extremely sad all over again. What hurt him even more that Jihoon seemed to be perfectly fine while his heart was breaking.

Junkyu stood up, ignoring the constant hammering inside his head. He stumbled a bit while walking towards the washroom. Cursing his clumsy self, Junkyu took the toothbrush and put some toothpaste on it.

He looked at his own reflection in the mirror.

'Why am I not small and cute? Why do I have to be such a big and clumsy person? If I were Jihoon's type, maybe he wouldn't have abandoned me like this?' Junkyu thought to himself.

His heart ached and he heavily sighed. He finished his routine and came outside in a pink sweat shirt and some silver trousers. He was looking comfortable and casual.

His stomach growled; he was really hungry. He looked at Jihoon and saw him sleeping till then. He slowly walked towards Jihoon and started calling him gently.

"Jihoon ah," Junkyu softly called, "wake up, Jihoon ah."

Jihoon moved a little in his place, mumbling incoherent words that somehow meant, "5 more minutes..."

"Jihoon ah, aren't you gonna have breakfast?" Junkyu maintained his soft tone, but added a little poking on his cheeks. Jihoon opened his eyes at that. It took him moments to recognize Junkyu.

"Junkyu, what do you want?" He spoke in his hoarse morning voice.

"I'm hungry. I'm waiting for you to go and have breakfast." Junkyu slowly spoke. Jihoon crossed his brows together in irritation. "Why are you waiting for me? Just get down and ask someone for meal." Jihoon's tone was slightly rude, as he was disturbed because Junkyu woke him up. Junkyu slightly flinched.

"Won't we have to eat together?" He asked again.

"What are you? Five? Just go and stop disturbing me!" Jihoon turned his back towards Junkyu, pulling his blanket over him again, trying to get back to his sleep. Junkyu, hurt by the way Jihoon just talked, turned back and left the room.

He walked downstairs. He saw two or three maids cleaning the house. As he came down, he saw Jihoon's younger brother in the living room.

"Hi, Jeongwoo." Junkyu greeted him. Jihoon's brother named Jeongwoo turned his head towards Junkyu and immediately smiled.

"Hi, hyung!" He waved enthusiastically. Junkyu sat down beside him.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Junkyu asked, trying to make small talk.

"Yes, I did! How about you?" Jeongwoo asked back, then he remembered Junkyu just spent his first night with his husband, he probably didn't sleep for long.

"I slept well," Junkyu said, smiling. Jeongwoo awkwardly nodded.

"Umm... aren't you hungry?" Jeongwoo asked. Junkyu nodded in affirmation.

"Let's go eat then. I also haven't eaten!" Jeongwoo said, "Oh! But are you gonna wait for hyung?"

"He told me to have my meal," Junkyu sadly said, Jeongwoo did catch the sudden change of Junkyu's tone, but decided to ignore it.

"Oh, okay then! I'll accompany you." Jeongwoo said as he woke up and brought Junkyu to the dining table. They had their meal talking about their preferences and knowing each other a bit better. Junkyu liked Jeongwoo's bubbly and cheerful aura. He also liked how Jeongwoo treated him with care and respect unlike anyone else in the household. As for Jeongwoo, he liked Junkyu's kind and polite nature. He really liked talking to Junkyu as Junkyu seemed pretty understanding and wise.

"I'll be in my room, hyung, if you need me!" Jeongwoo spoke as he went away. Junkyu waved him bye and headed for Jihoon's room again.

He entered inside and saw the bed empty. Someone already arranged the bed. While searching for Jihoon, Junkyu heard sound of water from the washroom.

'He's woken up.' Junkyu thought.

Junkyu sat on a chair while going through his phone. He heard the sound of clicking the door and looked up. Jihoon came out of the washroom in pastel sweatshirt and purple trousers.

"Good morning." Junkyu cautiously greeted. Jihoon glanced at him.

"You ruined my sleep a while ago, and now greeting me 'good' morning!" he glared at Junkyu. Junkyu felt nervous."I'm sorry. I didn't know that you have breakfast separately. In our house, we used to eat together." Junkyu reasoned. Jihoon rolled his eyes, "Keep it in mind, then. Don't ruin my sleep ever again, I hate it."

Junkyu didn't know, after last night's events, he could feel worse; but how Jihoon said he hated Junkyu's action made Junkyu's heart ache too much.

"Okay." He said in a small voice. Jihoon left the room in a short while.

'If I knew, I never would have married him.' Junkyu thought. He was such a kind person! So, anyone treating him harshly really hurt him.

Junkyu took out his laptop and decided to study for a while, since he had nothing else to do. But he wasn't being able to concentrate. He wanted to let out his pent-up emotion, but he didn't want to disclose anything to anyone yet.His eyes went to his luggage, where a pretty notebook was peeking through his other books. He pulled it out.

"Memories of happiness" was written on the cover of the notebook. Junkyu bitterly chuckled at that, as if pitying his own ruined luck.

He opened the notebook and got lost in writing what he was feeling for last few hours.

"Are you writing your diary?" Jihoon's words made Junkyu lift his head up and look at him.

"Oh, yes." Junkyu replied. Jihoon smiled at him.

"I'm really sorry for being so rude a while ago. I really don't like people calling me up without any reason." Jihoon spoke. Junkyu felt slightly better at Jihoon's apology. So, he flashed a smile at Jihoon.

'Wow, he looks pretty when he smiles.' Jihoon thought.

"Okay, you can get back to your work." Jihoon said. He plopped down on the bed and took out his phone. Junkyu watched him getting lost in his own world.

After writing for another few minutes, Junkyu became bored. He glanced at Jihoon who was smiling while watching random videos.

"Jihoon, are you busy?" Junkyu asked. Jihoon asked with the ghost of his previous laughter plastered on his face, "Why?"

"Nothing, let's do something together, I'm feeling bored." Junkyu said.

"What would you do if you were home now?" Jihoon asked.

"Probably playing games or talking to my friends and family?" Junkyu replied.

"So? Go and do that, why are you asking me?" Jihoon said in a serious tone, "Don't bother me with your little problems, Junkyu. I'm not your boyfriend."

'But you're my husband.' Junkyu thought. He didn't say it out loud though, it was already hard listening to Jihoon disregarding him every time.

"You told me to act like roommates, but you're acting like I don't even exist." Junkyu complained, yet his voice was soft and slow. Jihoon sat straight on the bed at that.

"Junkyu, listen, I don't know how you like to be treated. But I am not someone who knows how to pamper big babies like you." He sternly said, "stop bombarding me with your wishes and problems, I already have a lot up my sleeves!" He ended a bit louder. Junkyu visibly trembled at that. His vision immediately became blurry. In fear of crying in front of Jihoon, Junkyu left the room in a flash. Jihoon felt a bit guilty snapping like that. But he wanted to make his point clear to Junkyu.

Junkyu sat on the couch in the living room alone, wiping the stray tears on his face. He was asking himself what he did to deserve all these. He never imagined his dream-life would turn upside down and cause him so much pain. He remembered his noona, his parents, his friends. Everyone treated him so well that he wasn't able to handle his 'husband's rudeness.

'I'm glad that instead of you, I married this guy, noona. It would break my heart if I had known you would be feeling the way I am feeling now.' Junkyu thought while wiping away his tears.

"Junkyu hyung?" Jeongwoo's voice broke Junkyu from his trench. Junkyu immediately wiped his cheeks and pretended to smile.

"Were you... crying?" Jeongwoo asked, crouching near Junkyu.

"No, I wasn't." Junkyu hastily said, but his voice was quivering and the tears were still dripping down his eyes.

"Of course! you are still crying!" Jeongwoo exclaimed, "what's wrong, hyung?" he sincerely asked.

"I- I... I miss my family." Junkyu partially lied. However, Jeongwoo couldn't detect the lie.

"Are you here because you didn't want Jihoonie hyung to know?" Jeongwoo asked. Junkyu nodded. He didn't like lying, but he had no other way left.

"Don't cry, hyung! I am a part of your family too now, right?" Jeongwoo said, his voice was soft and soothing which made Junkyu cry harder, because someone did care for him.

Jeongwoo rubbed Junkyu's back for a while as he calmed down. When the tears stopped flowing, Jeongwoo spoke, "You like playing games, right? Let's play some rounds together!" Jeongwoo proposed. Junkyu grinned widely at that.

"Let's do so!"

The two boys played several rounds, filling the room with laughter. The sound of their laughter echoed and brought Jihoon along who just observed the interaction between his brother and 'husband' quietly from behind. And he was quite bothered watching the two getting along so well. He assumed that the reason was because he was concerned for his brother.

But was it really the case?

*****

I swear if Jihoon doesn't stop hurting kyu-😭😭