The new year began, but life remained largely unchanged for everyone. The same work routines and lifestyles continued, with the only noticeable difference being the increasing burden and exhaustion that came with their demanding jobs.
Hoshi was preoccupied with preparations for the world tour, while Woozi was busy composing two new albums for separate groups set to make their comebacks within the next few months.
Yuta, meanwhile, was focused on marketing and PR for their new collection, which had launched successfully thanks to the team's hard work and the fame of their global ambassador.
After a long and grueling year, Mark, the CEO of D&R, announced a week-long break for all employees to recharge and return to work with renewed energy.
With this small vacation, people were making the most of their time off, spending it in various ways to relax and unwind.
Some were traveling, others were indulging in hobbies, and many were simply enjoying the rare opportunity to rest and rejuvenate.
The break was a welcome respite, and everyone was looking forward to returning to work refreshed and revitalized.
As the week-long break began, people were spending their time in different ways. Jayb was spending quality time with his family, while S.Coups and Jaehyun were catching up with friends.
Jeonghan, on the other hand, was indulging in his favorite pastime—scrolling through his phone while lying in bed.
Minghao had resumed his meditation routine, finding solace in the practice. Yuta, meanwhile, was busy finalizing his new home, traveling around Seoul to check out potential options with his broker.
After rejecting several options, Yuta was about to give up hope, but the broker persisted. Upon visiting the second-last option, Yuta decided to buy the house, knowing it fit his preferences to some extent.
The broker was overjoyed, and the deal was finalized within days. Yuta shifted to his new home, making the most of his vacation.
As Yuta waited for the elevator, he gave instructions to his colleague over the phone. "Send me the data of past two weeks' market performance of Busan and Daegu, keep a close check on our international market performance, and send me the report of Japanese market performance by evening."
Just as he was about to respond to the data his team had sent, he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Well, hello to you too," Jeonghan said with an evil smile, startling Yuta. Out of all the department heads, Jeonghan and Jayb were the only ones who genuinely interacted with Yuta, while others maintained a distance due to his reserved nature.
Yuta turned to face Jeonghan, slightly taken aback but not surprised, given their friendly dynamic.
"You startled me," Yuta said, turning back to his phone.
Jeonghan chuckled and peeked over Yuta's shoulder to see what he was looking at, nothing but work, as usual.
"The sales collection has gone down even more in Jeju and Busan compared to last time," Jeonghan informed Yuta, examining the data alongside him.
Yuta put his phone away and turned to face Jeonghan.
"That's the second time our collection has performed poorly in Busan, and I haven't been able to find the reason. Our collection and marketing were top-notch, yet the stock profit is the lowest there."
Jeonghan suggested, "Guess we'll have to travel to Busan and talk to locals because if it's happening again and again, then for sure we're lacking somewhere in our planning."
Yuta considered it for a moment before saying, "Let's wait for another week and examine the data that's yet to come. If there's no change, then we'll discuss what to do next."
Jeonghan nodded in agreement, and as they waited for the elevator, he commented, "We can't seem to catch a break from problems, can we?" Yuta replied, "That's how our job is, so we can't."
After a moment of silence, Jeonghan asked, "How was your one-week holiday?"
Yuta replied, "It was good. I bought a new house, so three days went into shifting my things. Apart from that, everything was fine."
Jeonghan's eyes widened in surprise. "You bought a house and you're telling me this now? You should've told me earlier; I would've come to your place for a party."
Yuta knew he was in trouble and agreed with a hum, knowing how persistent Jeonghan could be.
"Well, after work, we can go to our favorite restaurant for my treat, only if you don't mind, of course," Jeonghan said to Yuta, a bit hesitant.
Yuta nodded in agreement.
"Where have you bought your new house? Give me your address, I'll come to visit," Jeonghan said, quickly taking out his phone to note and save the address.
Yuta provided the address: "SGN Road, Street 17, Neoteen Residency."
To his surprise, Jeonghan's expression turned into one of pure astonishment once again. "You live there?" Jeonghan asked, his voice filled with excitement.
"Yeah, why?" Yuta replied, curious about Jeonghan's reaction.
Jeonghan's eyes widened further. "My goodness, most of my friends live in that residency too. Me and Coups really do visit there a lot. God, Yuta, I hope you're up for chaos now."
Jeonghan's words hinted at the possibility of frequent, unannounced visits from him and others, leaving Yuta to wonder what he had gotten himself into.
[]
"Has Han hyung gone mad or what out of happiness?" Renjun said to Taeyong while scrolling through their group chat, where Jeonghan was hyper-texting about a colleague who had shifted to their residency.
"What happened?" Taeyong asked, glancing at Renjun before focusing on preparing coffee for a customer.
Renjun replied, "He's going hyper over the fact that one of his colleagues is now part of our residency."
Renjun put his phone away, clearly unimpressed by the older members' excitement. Haechan, Jungwoo, Ten, Mingyu, Joshua, and Seungkwan were all gossiping with Jeonghan about the new guy like fangirls.
"Our residency?" Taeyong asked, looking at Renjun, who nodded. Taeyong turned to another staff member to place an order before turning back to Renjun.
"I think he's talking about the guy who shifted into the home next to mine," Taeyong said, and Renjun nodded while helping with orders.
"Then have you met your new neighbor?" Renjun asked.
Taeyong replied, "Not yet, our timing doesn't match at all. I don't even know his name or what he looks like."
Renjun thought for a moment before saying, "Han hyung mentioned the name 'Yuta' in the text, that's the only useful thing he said."
Taeyong's eyebrows twitched slightly as he tried to place the name, but he couldn't quite remember. Shrugging it off, he decided not to dwell on it, knowing he'd meet his neighbor eventually.
[]
"It's been 2 months since you paid the last installment of the money you have owned to us Taeyong. When are you going to pay the next installment? You still have to pay us 4 more installments"
Taeyong took a deep breath before answering back to the money owner's debt collector who was calling Taeyong from last week threatening him to pay their money back that he have borrowed one and half year ago when his mother was hospitalized and he didn't had money to pay hospital bills.
"I'll pay it soon hyung, just give me one more month"
"You are saying the same thing from past 2 months, do you think we are stupid to always fall into the trap of your words?!"
The person from the another side of the call shouted in full rage causing Taeyong to panic for a second not because of the sound of thread but because of the sudden shouting.
"I'll pay the installment by the end of the month, trust me, just be patient for some more days, I'll pay definitely" Taeyong said in his usual calm voice and heared silent from the other side for a good moment before the male speak up again.
"If you didn't paid the installment by the end of the month, then be ready to face the consequences of lying, Lee Taeyong" the man said and hung up not waiting for Taeyong's reply.
Standing in the elevator alone Taeyong sighed heavily leaning back on the wall of elevator rubbing his forehead in exhaustion, his work, his life everything was currently facing a wave of problems from here and there but Taeyong don't know how to run away from problems.
And even among all this choas he is optimistic that he'll sort everything out by time, his this positive approach towards life is the main reason why he has been able to go through so many tough things in life but always rise up from it with a smile on.
Leaned back on the wall with his eyes closed Taeyong opened his eyes when the elevator stopped on the 5th floor with the sound of 'ding', regaining himself Taeyong move out of the elevator and made his way to his house, looking up from his grocery bag.
Taeyong saw the delivery boy was standing at the door of his neighbour or should say new neighbour who Taeyong haven't met yet.
Pausing on his way Taeyong decided to take a look of his new neighbour who was the hot topic of discussion on his friends group chat in the afternoon, and within 2-3 second the door opened and for a minute.
Taeyong wasn't able to recognise the person's face who was somehow looking familiar to him, making his way to his house.
Taeyong caught a proper look of the male's face who was busy saying something to the delivery boy and then it clicked him.
He was the same guy whom hoshi had helper few months ago and then things became clear for Taeyong and he realised he is Yuta, the one Jeonghan was talking about, not being able to hold himself back from approaching the Japanese male.
Taeyong waited for the delivery boy to left before he go to meet his new neighbour and once the delivery boy moved away Taeyong didn't wasted a moment and quickly made his way to the main door of yuta's house standing right in front of him catching yuta off guard.
Realising that he startled the male infront of him Taeyong passed an apologetic smile before starting to speak.
"Hii" said Taeyong in a formal greeting manner and yuta after a second of pause mimic his gesture doing the same, unlike Taeyong who had took his time to remember Yuta was the same person who hoshi and helped.
yuta recognised Taeyong as soon as he stepped in front of him all thanks to his sharp memory.
He was not startled by the fact that Taeyong literally jumped in front of his site out of blue he got panicked thinking about what the male was doing here?
And if he is here then the other guy would be here too perhaps and yuta is in no position to face that other guy who he had forgotten about months ago.
But seeing Taeyong in front of him all the memories from the hospital came rushing down flashing in front of his eyes.
"I think you didn't remember me?" Taeyong said snapping yuta out of his thoughts and the male quickly shook his head in no "no ofcourse not, i remember you helping me out at the hospital few months back" yuta replied and Taeyong smiled.
"Well it was not me it was my friend who did everything" said Taeyong to which yuta hummed looking down at his hand.
"It's surprising to see you here, what's more surprising is the fact that we are neighbours now" taeyong said and yuta looked up with an 'O' expression of course his guess about Taeyong being his neighbour was proven right.
"Last time when we met i didn't get to introduce myself to you, I am Lee Taeyong, your new neighbour" Taeyong said pulling his hand out of handshake as looking at Yuta taeyong have a guess that they might be around of same age so they don't have to be all too formal with each other.
"Nakamato Yuta" yuta introduced himself shaking Taeyong's hand politely and after a second they both pulled their hand back and fall silent, realising how awkward this is getting Taeyong decided to end this small talk session here and went to his house which was right in front of yuta's apartment.
Feeling a sigh of relief yuta closed the door behind his back and went to the living room, placing the food of the glass table yuta sat on the couch processing everything that happened right now.
And the more he thinks about it the more he prey that Taeyong's friend who was there with him back then shall not be living here in the same residence as if would be too awkward for yuta to interact with him, considering whatever happened in the past.
"I hope that guy never came to know about me again" yuta said to himself even though he knows it's nearly impossible and Taeyong has met him already.
"Should I tell hosh about yuta now or no?" Taeyong thought when he took his seat at the dining table and after a minute of thinking an evil teasing smile formed on his lips.
"Nah, not now, let them meet each other by themselves, it would be more fun" taeyong said and suddenly he is feeling like the superior boss as he basically has puzzled all the pieces together from the past to present.
Now all he need is to just wait till hoshi came back from the world tour which is going to take many more months after then the real fun will begin.
And Taeyong can't wait for the story to reveal further between how hoshi and yuta will act once coming face to face with each other out of nowhere.
To be continued....