101 missed calls

87 unread text messages

"What's going on?"

San came walking through the door to the kitchen, carrying two plates of well arranged and mouth-watering breakfast, but Yeosang was too distressed to even feel hungry in that moment.

Groaning loudly, rubbing his fingers against his temples, Yeosang shot a glare towards his phone on the table, which had been buzzing non-stop that morning. On the laptop in front of him, was one of the endless articles that had already surfaced after the news of his divorce from Seonghwa came out.

His phone buzzed again, and whether it was his parents calling for the twentieth time, or some annoying tabloid journalist, wasn't a bother he cared to even check out. Instead, he simply turned the laptop towards San, who was looking at him with curious eyes.

"Upper-class prince falls from grace..." San mumbled, snapping his lips shut as he realized too late what he was reading out loud. When Yeosang made a simple nod towards the screen, San understood the hint and continued, although with a lower voice. "Kang Yeosang, 26, divorces popular politician Park Seonghwa, putting an end to one of Korea's most beloved power couples. Leaving the penthouse apartment in Gangnam, Kang has instead settled down in a smaller home near Chungmuro station, showing he definitely got the short end of the stick."

"How do these vultures already know where I live?" Yeosang hissed, "And this apartment isn't small either! They make it sound like I didn't come from a good family as well! Did everyone forget my father owns one of the biggest companies in all of Korea?"

"Well, I definitely don't think your father forgot..." With a grimace, San nodded towards Yeosang's phone, where the screen lit up again with the saved number under the name "father".

"He's going to kill me..." Yeosang whined, diving his fingers through his hair to tug it with rough and aggressive movements.

While raising a brow, San sat down at the opposite side of the dining table, slowly closing the laptop. He sucked both of his lips in, and sat for a while without saying anything - although it was clear that he wanted to.

"You didn't tell your parents yet?" he then finally asked, carefully and even reaching his hand out across the table.

"No..." When their hands had found each other, Yeosang shook his head with a sigh.

He knew he should have told his parents about the divorce, right after signing the papers a few days ago, but he didn't know how to. His father especially had always looked down upon him, viewing him as someone who was weak, and who could only make a name for himself by being married to someone more powerful.

To tell him would probably be the scariest thing Yeosang ever had to do, and he knew his mother wouldn't take it well either. Despite the constant praise from her side, complimenting Yeosang's face from an early age, he also remembered all the times she had reminded him that beauty didn't last - and apparently he wasn't more than just a pretty face in her eyes.

"Yeosang..."

A gentle squeeze, and San's soft voice made Yeosang realize he had turned completely silent, and with a rather gloomy look on his face. A light shake of his head, and he looked at San, who was sending him a wry smile.

"I'll call my parents," he then said. "Later."

♡

A few days later, Yeosang had still yet to actually take the confrontation with his parents. To see things from the bright side, some kpop star had been involved in a dating scandal, which meant that Yeosang's name was fading from the tabloid headlines.

San was at work, and Yeosang was home alone, staring with empty eyes at his laptop. He was halfway through an online test about which job would fit him, but got stuck thinking too much about every single question. He knew he could easily live off his trust fond, given that his father wouldn't take it from him now, but that wasn't what he wanted.

Something had happened to Yeosang, something he never thought would happen. He wanted to make it on his own, to create or be a part of something he could be proud of - just like San and his restaurant.

The sound of the doorbell caused him to flinch on his seat, jerking his head towards the hallway while wondering who it could be. He wasn't expecting anyone that day, and he curiously made his way through the apartment. The doorman didn't let just anyone through the lobby, so at least it wouldn't be some nosy journalist.

His curiosity disappeared only a few seconds later, and so did the remaining small part of his decently good mood.

"Seonghwa..."

"You forgot this at the old apartment," Seonghwa said, handing a small bag over to Yeosang. "I don't know if any of it is important to you, but I wouldn't just throw it out."

"Thank you."

The two of them hadn't seen each other since that night in Bali. Everything had went through their individual lawyers, or email, and Yeosang had very much preferred it that way.

"Why did you let the news about our divorce out so soon?" Yeosang asked, unable to hold the question back.

"I didn't... I mean... Not to anyone who would have any interest it exposing me like that, without my consent," the older said, and from the look on his face and the tone in his voice, he came off as sincere.

Yeosang pursed his lips together, swinging the bag in his hand. He wanted to ask Seonghwa who he had told it to then, but he already had an idea - and it wasn't anything Yeosang had any particular interest in digging into.

"I wish you the best, Yeosang," Seonghwa then said, but just as Yeosang was about to wish his ex-husband the same, Seonghwa said something that made him wonder if the new relationship with San wasn't much of a secret either anymore. "I hope you'll be happy this time. Just remember, everyone has their secrets."

Yeosang pursed his lips together, swinging the bag in his hand. In the end, he didn't really care that much, the news of their divorce would have come out one way or another. As a short moment of silence spread between them, Yeosang stared at his ex-husband's face. Something had definitely changed, as if Seonghwa's entire aura was different, and somehow it made Yeosang happy to see.

"Anyway, I... I sincerely apologize for everything I put you through, and I wish you the best, Yeosang," Seonghwa then said, "and thank you for those words you told me the last time we spoke. You were right, and I hope you'll be happy as well."

"I am. Thank you, Seonghwa."

The two of them made a polite bow towards each other, before Seonghwa nodded with a gentle smile. When the door closed between them, Yeosang exhaled slowly, and it felt wonderful. Everything was finally as it was supposed to be, and he was relieved that the part of his life with Seonghwa had not only ended, but would be left behind with no bad feelings.

While walking back into the living room, chewing lightly on his bottom lip, Yeosang found his phone from his pocket and dialed his father's number. It was now or never.

"Kang Yeosang!" his father's voice roared from the other end of the call, the second he picked up. "Why have you ignored both your mother and I? I expect an explanation to all of the chaos you've chosen to tarnish our family name with!"

"Father," Yeosang said sternly, straightening his posture on the chair to remind himself that it was time to put in foot down - once and for all. "I have waited with contacting you, until I felt ready to talk, you should respect that. As you already know, Seonghwa and I got divorced, it was mutual and we are both happier this way."

Yeosang rolled his eyes, holding his phone with a bit of distance away from his ear, when his father was bursting into a rage-fit. While waiting for his father to finish, Yeosang began scrolling around on the internet. He looked up his own name, and the endless rows of photos and articles about him, made him gain the last confidence he needed. He could make it on his own, he had finally realized that now, and with adrenaline rushing through him, he tightened his grip around the phone and let his father know exactly how he felt.

"Listen, I hear what you're saying, but frankly I don't care," he abruptly cut his father off. "Seonghwa and I were never happy together, we were never a perfect match, people simply chose to see what they wanted to see. I have worked hard to prove myself to you my entire life, I got top grades all throughout high-school and college, and I stayed in a loveless marriage to fit into the image of me that you and mom wanted. But I am done, and I don't care if you cut me off. You can do whatever you want to, because I am going to do whatever I want from now on."

A strange silence came from the other end. Yeosang had never dared to talk back to his father, he had always sat awkwardly at the dinner table at his childhood home, talking whatever scolding he was given, without uttering a word. But Yeosang had had enough, and he was done with other people deciding who he was.

"If you wish to keep in touch, you are welcome to reach out to me. But I am going to hang up now. Have a nice day." Yeosang hung up as soon as the last word left his mouth, and suddenly his hands felt clammy and his body was shaking. He threw the phone onto the table and leaned back on the chair, while his heart was beating rapidly in his chest.

It took a few minutes for his heart to calm down, but when it did, Yeosang felt so proud of himself. Filled with a newfound energy, he got up and waltzed into the kitchen. His first thought was to cook dinner for San, but when remembering how it went the last time, the idea was soon discarded. Instead he went into the walk-in closet to get changed - it was a night for celebration.

♡

San came home late from work that day, having a closing shift at the restaurant, but he brought food with him, which he quickly heated up in the kitchen. Yeosang was sitting by the counter, watching him with an endearing smile.

Secrets or not, San was the perfect man, and Yeosang told himself he couldn't care less about any secrets. But suddenly Yeosang remembered something San had told him a while back, and his curiosity got the best of him.

"That thing with your father... What happened? Were you really the one to-?" he carefully asked, drawing small circles with his fingertip against the counter top.

"I was," San simply responded with a small shrug of his left shoulder.

"Why? I mean, he deserved to go to jail for what he did, but... He's your father."

The wooden spoon San had been stirring around the pot with, was tapped against the edge before it was left on the counter. San then turned towards Yeosang, looking more serious than ever before.

"He deserved worse than that. I never had a good relationship with him. He was abusive towards my mother, which resulted in her going in and out of therapy and rehab. I hate him, he ruined our family."

Yeosang sat quietly on the chair at the end of the counter, lips pulled into a thin line of regret that he had asked such a question.

"So," the younger then said, returning to preparing the late dinner. "When a FBI agent suddenly contacted me, with suspicion of my father's business, I didn't even hesitate. Not only did he ruin my mother's life, but also many others' with his embezzlement. People feel sorry for us, because we lost all of our fortune, but I see it as a good thing. He has no money, nor friends left with money to bail him out. He'll be away for a very long time, and I hope he rots in jail like he deserves. For now I only worry about my mother, and pray she will be okay again some day. She was in a really bad state when they took him away, even in denial of all the things he had done."

"San..." Yeosang got up from his seat, and stepped towards the younger with hesitant steps. Gently, he put his arms around San from behind, placing his chin on top of the younger's shoulder. "Sorry that I asked, it's none of my business."

"It's okay," San hummed back. "We're dating now, we should know everything about each other. No dark secrets, or anything like that, right?."

San nuzzled his face against Yeosang's, causing a smile to appear on both of their faces, and Yeosang gave him a small squeeze around his waist.

"We're dating now?" he teasingly asked. It wasn't that Yeosang hadn't thought about it himself, but it hadn't even been two weeks since they found each other again, and although they had already said I love you, he still felt uncertain about many things.

"Aren't we?"

"We are."

♡

"Thanks for a wonderful time!" Minho was slinging his long silk scarf around his neck, as they walked out of the restaurant that had been the setting of the night's event.

A fun dinner time, with a couple of drinks, invited by Minho but with a surprise Yeosang would rather have been without.

"Yes, thank you all so much!" Stepping outside as the last person out of the six that had met up, was Hongjoong - and the night had felt like it went on forever, with him sitting across the table.

Just like with Seonghwa, Yeosang hadn't had any contact with Hongjoong since their trip, but Yeosang should have known it would be impossible to avoid each other, when they were part of the same upperclass society.

Yeosang had made sure to keep a fair distance to Hongjoong the entire night, but of course responding and nodding politely whenever he was talked to. But there was something about the other that somehow made Yeosang feel very uncomfortable - and it wasn't only the reminder of the last conversation they had had.

There was no way in hell that Hongjoong hadn't heard the news of the divorce, but whatever had happened in the Hwang residence after that, was unknown to Yeosang.

Right until he and Hongjoong were the last two, waiting for their cars to pick them up.

"Giving up the sweet life, to fool around with Choi San?" It was mocking and condescending, when Hongjoong broke the awkward silence between them, and he made sure to emphasize San's name, even adding a roll of his eyes when he said it out loud.

"How do you-"

"And to cure your curiosity," Hongjoong said with a glare thrown over his shoulder, as his car arrived, "Hyunjin has filed for divorce. So I'd watch my back if I were you, Kang."

Hongjoong got into his car, and a few seconds later he had driven off. Yeosang stood by the side of the road, staring blankly into the air around him. A strange, but uncomfortable feeling was spreading inside his stomach, as he remember what Hongjoong had told him back in Bali.

The feeling kept stirring around inside of him, as his driver took him through the city. Yeosang told him to go to San's place, as it was closer and although the two of them didn't have plans to meet up for the night, Yeosang definitely needed to see him.

San wasn't home yet because of work, but Yeosang had the spare key, and when he closed the door behind him, he slowly fell to his knees on the floor. Why did everything have to be so difficult for him? He couldn't help but think that maybe he didn't deserve to be happy, as whenever he was close to feeling so, it was taken away from him.

As he sat on the floor, tapping his fingers against his thighs, Yeosang wondered what Hongjoong could even be capable of - but he already knew that people with money could do almost anything they wanted to - or if he even would? Maybe, he was simply bitter for the moment being, but he would get over it eventually? Or was that only wishful thinking?

Then, Yeosang thought about contacting Seonghwa, hoping that the older somehow could help him, maybe get Hyunjin to do whatever to make Hongjoong calm down again. But that was definitely on the more desperate end of choices.

"Oh!" Yeosang flinched, when a loud knock made the door he was leaning against shake against his back.

He quickly got up, and too bewildered to even think about the late hour, he opened up. A man was standing outside, well-dressed but with a very serious and cold look on his face.

"Hello? Can I help you?" Yeosang asked, with a small frown.

"I'm looking for Choi San. Is he home?"

Yeosang bit his lower lip, not quite sure what to say or do. San's name was on the door, so to lie and say that he didn't live there would only make Yeosang look stupid. He didn't know this man, but maybe San did, and then it wouldn't be that bad?

"Not right now," Yeosang responded, and the stranger made a simple nod.

No, stranger wasn't quite correct. Yeosang was certain, he had seen that man before, but he couldn't remember when or where.

"Excuse me, sir," he called out, as the man was about to turn around and leave. "Who can I say is asking for him?"

The man looked back at Yeosang, with a look in his eyes that made sudden shivers stream down Yeosang's back. With his left foot raising slowly, about to even take a step backwards, Yeosang held onto the doorframe, as a smirk spread across the elderly man's face.

"His father."

♡

[ END OF PART TWO ]

♡