Puzzle Pieces

Late in the afternoon, you find yourself returning once again to Jinyoung's apartment.

Yoongi left for work right after breakfast, mentioning a situation at the company that he needed to deal with personally. You hadn't been able to pay much attention to what he shared with you properly when he distracted you with a quick—yet undeniably soft—kiss on your cheeks when he said goodbye this morning. Although you did recall the texts and phone call which had led him distraught in the morning and simply connected that incident to his urgency to get to work.

You didn't waste much time to dwell on his business, however, as you also didn't wait too long before leaving to do your own business.

The first thing you did was request Yoongi's driver take you back to your old loft apartment the moment you were able to leave home. You spent the entire morning packing up the last of your belongings, while taking the time to say your last goodbye to the place that had become your home for the past few years. After dropping by the management to arrange the apartment's sale, you called for a rented car to start moving the things that you wouldn't be able to take with you to Yoongi's penthouse to the only place you knew would be safe.

Straight to this place. To your late former fiancee's apartment.

Ever since the talk you had with Jinhee at your engagement ball, you have made up your mind to turn this place into your hidden sanctuary. This place had already held its own secrets, after all. Surrounded by traces that Jinyoung had left behind. The silent witnesses to the things that had been kept a secret from you and of whispers left unspoken.

You had expected that you would at least find something the moment you came back to this place.

Answers.

Clues.

Anything other than the memories created in this place which are slowly becoming distorted as you continue searching for the truth.

In the meantime, this place is slowly turning into your safe haven. A place where you can keep your own secrets, where you can find freedom to finish your personal work and research, away from others' prying eyes.

Away from the people who have yet to earn your trust.

Jinyoung's study room has slowly been turning into a space more pleasant to work in ever since the day you began moving your things in. Changes have been made in some places, with your added touch to modify the cold, monochrome look that Jinyoung had given to this place so you can feel more comfortable settling in.

Just so you can stay here without being haunted by his shadows.

The study room has also become the place where you keep your files and old trinkets. Everything related to your search for answers. You have also set up a new computer on the working desk which would allow you to work here whenever you need to, setting them together with Jinyoung's old computer which was left behind. Even if you hadn't been able to find much when you tried to access his files.

The soft hum of a sullen tune echoes against the walls while you are doing your work, coming from Jinyoung's old speakers that are still set up in the next room. The sound replaces the silence that often feels unbearable whenever you are spending your time here, all alone, and it's keeping you company now as you sift and filter through the boxes that you have around you. Still, it doesn't help quiet down the memory that comes pushing to the surface as the music flows through the space around you.

The one memory that has always plagued your mind for a long time.

You sit back behind the desk and close your eyes, as you recall the day Jinyoung invited you to show off those fancy speakers the first time he brought them home.

"It looks expensive."

"Well, that's because it is," Jinyoung chuckled. "I just bought the whole set today. Aren't they perfect?" He stood in front of his newly bought sound system with a look of pride and joy. You couldn't help but smile when you saw the look on his face. And you couldn't help but share his joy when he pulled you against him.

"Wow, that's a first. I don't remember the last time you treated yourself like this," you teased him. "Is it a special day? Did my father give you a huge bonus or something?"

Jinyoung kept his eyes on his new plaything, but you didn't miss the way his gaze slightly changed at the mention of a 'bonus' and how his lips twitched to a sly grin. It was subtle, and the expression was gone too soon when he turned to you with his signature warm smile.

Grabbing you by the waist, he took your attention away from the blasting speakers as he held you close to his chest. "Let's just say that this was a big day. One that calls for a celebration."

The excitement you saw coming out of him was so adorable and refreshing that you had to laugh. You wanted to ask him to tell you more about it. He never shared much about his work unless it was something that you were directly involved in. But he was quick to silence your question with a kiss, the same way he always did whenever he wanted to distract you from your thoughts.

Gritting your teeth, you pull apart the top of the cardboard box in your hands until it opens with a loud pop. The sound clears your head from the flashing memories that keep clawing their way back to the surface no matter how much you try to bury them.

You have no idea why, but it seems like the moment you are made to question Jinyoung's truth, you keep being forced to sift through your old memories, looking for any clues which you may have missed during all those private moments you shared with Jinyoung. Snapping the box open, you look through its content, not too surprised to find yet another assortment of files to filter through.

You shake your head as you carefully start pulling each and every content out of the box. When you first arrived at this apartment, you weren't entirely pleased to see it cleaned so thoroughly. You almost felt discouraged when you saw that most of Jinyoung's personal belongings got taken away—except for the clothes, accessories, and shoes kept in his closet, and some of his belongings that were either bought or obtained during the time he spent with you or the things you gifted especially for him.

At first, you couldn't really blame his family for being so thorough about it. You had initially thought that perhaps they simply didn't want to leave you with an empty apartment filled with Jinyoung's old mess loitering around. That was until the moment you stepped into his study room, finding that not only was the room cleaned, just like the others, but even his computer was scraped clean from his digital files that would have been able to help you with your research.

You didn't want to suspect anything. Yet you were also losing hope of finding anything that may tell you more about him. That all changed the day you accidentally found the compartment hidden inside his walk-in closet and the safe deposit box that you have yet to find a way to open.

The box that you are currently riffling through is just one of the many boxes found inside that peculiar compartment.

Most of these boxes you have found so far contain folders and folders of files, printed paperworks and drawing plans of the projects that Jinyoung was once responsible for as a team leader under your father's orders. Some of these files seem old, though some appear new, with clean folders and dates that are more recent.

This box, however, contains a couple of thick yellow folders that you aren't familiar with. Curious to know more, you pull one folder out of the box and lay its content all over the desk. You see papers filled with distinctive numbers and charts, with names that you have never heard of before. Skimming through the pages, you make a mental note to contact Jinyoung's former team members at the company, figuring that they might be a part of whatever project this was that he seemed to have worked on before you joined the company.

You pull out another folder just when you decide that you have enough digging for the day, only to find a bundle of papers that immediately catches your eye.

The papers are a set of contract certificates, involving a transfer of a business ownership and permit which reads—

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT

Name of permitted business: SS NOVELTIES

Skimming through the pages, you try to find any information that may tell you more about what this contract is about. Your father's company is mentioned as one of the parties involved, yet the signature posted on the pages belongs to Jinyoung, as is the name listed as the person in charge of the ownership transfer.

You try to read more, although you quickly find that you're not too well versed in the specifics listed in the contract to understand anything that is mentioned here. And it's hard to find out more when everything else seems to be left unclear.

There is no date listed anywhere in the form; both the spaces for the anticipated date of transfer and the date of the signing have been left void.

There is also no information for the second party involved, as the name and address are crossed out with a thick black marker, before an additional note is typed in right at the end of the form, which claims that the information is 'CONFIDENTIAL'.

"What is this?" you wonder loudly as you sift through the pages, trying to find more information about the agreement by reading the rest of the forms attached to the contract, only to find nothing that would be sufficient to tell you more.

Just as you are about to reach into the box to see if there is something else you missed, your cell phone begins to ring. Startled, you drop the papers on the desk and take a peek at the screen. Upon seeing the caller's name, you quickly put everything back in order before slipping the folders and all of their contents back into the box, as if he would be able to see what you are doing as you answer his call.

"Hello?"

"Hey there, beautiful," Yoongi's deep voice comes through the speaker like a warm blanket, helping you feel at ease for a moment, before he suddenly asks, "Is everything okay? Your voice sounds drained."

Laughing softly, you try to find an excuse. "I'm quite exhausted, actually. But everything's fine. I've been busy cleaning and unpacking my stuff. I told you that I was going to my old place to arrange the sale and pick up the rest of my things today."

"Ah, that's right. Yongguk mentioned something about driving you to your old apartment earlier," Yoongi muses, mentioning the name of the driver who has been assigned to assist you and take you all over the city whenever you need to go out without Yoongi around. "I was wondering what's been keeping you busy. I haven't heard from you all morning since I got to work, and it's almost past lunchtime."

Your eyes grow wide as you look down at your watch and realise how much time has passed. "Oh, right, I forgot," you groan into the phone when you remember that you are supposed to be meeting Yoongi for lunch. A promise you made to him during breakfast this morning when he suggested a repeat from breakfast by spending time together during his lunch break. "I'm sorry, I lost track of time, and—"

The sound of Yoongi's deep chuckle interrupts you. "You shouldn't be apologising for something like this. I'm actually glad that you can find a way to keep yourself busy and get some things done while you still have the free time. It beats being bored at home, doesn't it?"

The fact that Yoongi can read you so well makes you smile. "You're right, I did manage to get a lot of things done today." You let out a sigh as you look around at the mess that you've created for the past couple of hours you've been here. "I didn't expect to have so many things to filter through. I'm still looking through the boxes I got with me to try and reorganise my stuff, picking up which ones to keep—" You steal a glance at the boxes filled with your research before continuing, "And which ones to donate."

"Ah—have you taken them back to the penthouse? Maybe I can help you a little once I'm back home," he offers, and you immediately grow tense.

"Uh, no, not really." You take a look around the room, still undecided about letting Yoongi know that you have kept this place without his knowledge. "I sent some with your driver back to the penthouse and took the rest that aren't important enough to keep back to my parent's mansion. I'd hate to hoard your beautiful home with my old things." Your bottom lip sinks under your teeth once you are done talking. You didn't expect to feel bad for lying to Yoongi, no matter how important it is to keep such a secret from him.

At least, for now.

Only because you know that you still cannot fully trust him just yet.

Yoongi makes a humming sound as he listens. "Are you still busy, then?"

"Kind of," you answer as you rise from your seat to get away from your mess. "But I think I can manage to continue another day. How's work? Are you free now?"

Yoongi lets out a deep sigh. "That's actually the reason why I'm calling you. I don't think I'll be able to make it to see you for lunch. I'm sorry for not being able to keep my promise when I was the one who insisted—" He pauses for a moment. "I was worried that you'd be expecting me. But it's a relief to know that you're safe at your parents' home, at least."

Warning bells fill your head at the way he speaks. "Is there a problem at work?"

You can almost imagine him nodding tiredly when you hear the sound of his tired hum. "The meeting that I told you about this morning is getting drawn out. There are some urgent problems with the company to discuss, and with new clients coming in, it's crucial for us to deal with this before the new year comes and profit reports are being sent out."

Another sigh is heard, followed by the sound of his chair creaking as if he is leaning back in his seat, putting all of his weight onto it. You can almost picture him sitting in his office, pinching the bridge of his nose the same way he did this morning.

"I haven't cancelled our reservations yet, and I know that they're open to receiving you even if you're late, so you should still go and enjoy your time. Maybe it'll help you relax a little after the long morning you've had."

You let out a scoff. "As if my morning could be any longer than yours?"

A soft chuckle vibrates through the phone. "You're the one who's supposed to be on break right now." He comes to another brief pause before asking, "Would it be all right for you to go there alone? I hate to cancel our lunch date and make you feel like I've abandoned you, but I also don't want you to skip meals because of me."

You bite your lips as you hold back from screaming at him, asking him to stop showing such kindness when you are keeping so many secrets from him. To stop him from showing how much he cares about you unlike anyone else ever could.

Drawing a deep breath instead, you bury the bitterness you feel brewing inside you and force yourself to hide any emotion threatening to come out. "I'll be fine if you decide to cancel it anyway. But if you insist, then I'll go and enjoy lunch by myself if that makes you feel better."

Yoongi chuckles deeply on the phone, sounding relieved. "Yes, it will certainly make me feel better knowing that you're making use of it. I'll make it up tonight if I can get away from work earlier than usual. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a lovely idea," you answer, unable to hold back the sigh coming out of your lips when his insistent on keeping his promise brings some uninvited warmth in your chest. "I'll see you tonight, then?"

Yoongi agrees and apologises one last time about cancelling the lunch date. He also promises one last time that he'll make it up to you as soon as he finds the chance to.

And then Yoongi ends the call, leaving you in the peculiar moment of silence that you have always experienced whenever you are alone in this place. For a moment, you consider taking Yoongi's offer to return to the restaurant where he made his reservations earlier and enjoy your fancy lunch.

But with your mind still reeling over your recent findings, and feeling like there is something that Yoongi is keeping from you, you shake away the idea of going to the restaurant to have a solo lunch date and cancelling it instead, and welcome a new idea that suddenly comes to mind.

Gathering your purse and cell phone, you carefully leave the study room, closing the door behind you with a new determination while you call for an Uber driver to come pick you up.

Something inside you seems to be telling you that perhaps the next missing piece of the puzzle that you have been so delicately putting up together can be found right where Yoongi is, and you are determined to find it today.