Journey's End (Chapter 1)
Title: Journey’s End
Pairings: Yunjae as a main, but there will also be: JaeChun, HoMin, Minsu and maybe some Yoosu.
Rating: PG to NC-17
Genre: Adventure, angst, romance, drama
WARNINGS: This story will contain adult themes such as SEX between TWO MEN as well as violence, gore and nonconsensual sex (rape).
A/N: All dialog in italics is in Korean.
=--------------------------------------=
The air around the dock is alive with excitement, voices pitched in a battle to out yell each other. Children cling closely to the skirts of their mothers, ducking their heads whenever the burly sailors would lumber past with heavy burdens thrown over their shoulders.
The smell of fish and saltwater clung in the air, along with the smell of sweaty bodies pressed close together.
The docks were teaming with life, people jostling and pushing in order to reach the boarding area for their boat.
Families stood in clusters, wives clinging to their husbands, eyes glistening from their withheld tears. It’s a tender moment for some as families are forced to separate from each other. For others, it is a joyous affair, with children bouncing excitedly as the wait to board the boat and begin their adventure with mom and dad.
However, for two people it is neither a joyous or sad affair.
“When will you be back?” The question is lackluster at best.
“A month.” The male’s response is much the same.
“Did you remember your ticket?” There is only slight interest and worry in her question now.
“That’s the third time you’ve asked.” He snaps softly, voice hardly lifting above the cacophony of noise.
“Is it so terrible that I want to make sure you’re prepared? Is it so terrible that I happen to care?”
A sigh. “Can we please not start this, Camilla?”
“Oh of course, how can I forget that we only talk on your terms? I’m so sorry, it must have slipped my mind.” Her tone is bitter now, delicate brow furrowing in a glare.
“Has it ever occurred to you that I don’t talk because of you?” He snaps right back, hands tightening around the handle of his heavy luggage.
“I’ll tell the children you said goodbye.” Her response is clipped, eyes glistening with moister that he can only see for a second before she turns and swiftly makes her way through the crowd.
“Damn it.” He growls under his breath, eyes narrowing as he watches her stride away.
He pulls in a deep breath. The summer air doesn’t seem so oppressive anymore.
He readjusts his grip on his luggage before he turns and begins to pick his way along the dock, heading towards the boat dubbed Ocean Majesty. That was the boat that would take him to business in Germany.
Business. Always business.
He stops a few feet away from the boarding plank. His guts twists unpleasantly as he lets out a soft sigh and turns to look back into the busy crowd. He’s disappointed. But really, what had he expected?
“Can I take your luggage, Sir?” A man questions as he moves forward. He’s dressed smartly in garb that identifies him as a crew member from the Ocean Majesty.
“Thank you.” He lets his luggage rest on the ground, taking a slight step back in order to allow the younger male to hoist the bags up. “I’m in cabin 315.” He adds quickly, earning himself an appreciative smile from the boy.
“Thank you very much, Sir.” He scampers off easily after that, lithe body trekking up the long plank without a problem.
He feels lost for a moment, shoulders lifting as he sighs and turns in a complete circle. It feels like there’s something else he needs to do. Something he’s forgetting.
He reaches inside of his white jacket. The boat ticket is there.
He lingers for a moment longer, as if he’s waiting for something. He just feels this reluctant pull to stay on dry ground.
He glances down at his slightly muddied shoes. Well maybe not dry ground.
“You can board now, Sir..” An attendant informs him, stepping into his line of vision.
“Ah, yes, thank you.” He gives a smile that feels more like a grimace. He must look quite the idiot, standing on the docks in the middle of a bustling crowd.
“Right, boarding.” He sighs and glances around one last time, as if searching for that one thing that will settle his fraying nerves.
Nothing.
He turns and begins to make his way up the long stretch of wood that connects the boat to the land. He never had liked traveling by boat. The ocean was too large and too dangerous to be trusted.
“Ticket please.” Another attendant extends his hand, face pulled into a taut smile. It looks almost like his face has been stuck that way.
“Of course.” He nods his head and reaches into his jacket, removing the rectangular ticket. He places it in the mans hand, not really paying attention as the man punches a hole through the paper and hands it back along with the key to his cabin.
“Enjoy your trip, Mr. Jung.” He says the last name in a heavy American accent. That is to be expected. There were very few Americans who could pronounce his name perfectly when reading it off of paper.
“Thank you very much.” He inclines his head slightly as he reclaims his ticket and steps onto the deck of the ship.
The atmosphere on the boat is much more calm than the bustling attitude down the dock.
He turns to look over the railing, his gaze caught by the sight of a father lifting his daughter, her cries of delight buried underneath the noise.
His turns away, heart aching.
He wanders aimlessly for a ten minutes or so, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He’s leaning against the railing as the ship inches out of port and begins to trek towards the open ocean.
He looks out into the seemingly endless expanse of water, fluffy clouds mirrored in the gently swaying surface. So innocent and beautiful looking. He doesn’t trust it.
He doesn’t know how long he stands there, watching the water lap against the boat in a lazy manner. He doesn’t really care. Apathy has become one of his constant companions.
He turns his head slightly as a couple strolls by, clasping each other’s hands whilst they whisper sweet-nothings to each other. If they were lucky, that high from their love would last them months. But it isn’t going to last forever. Yunho knows that for a fact. He had been that idiot that had blundered blindly through “love”. Where had it left him?
Yunho shakes his head slightly and pushes himself away from the railing, shoes clicking against the wooden deck as he makes his way towards his cabin. It’s early in the afternoon, but he’s already fatigued from the stress of the day. He can feel the dull ache at the back of his head threatening to spread forward. He contemplates taking a nap upon reaching his cabin.
He’s set on going to his cabin; however, when he passes the bar, he can’t help but stop for a quick drink. He just tells himself that he’s drinking to relax his nerves. Yes, that’s obviously it.
The atmosphere in the bar is slightly hazy--as many bars seem to be--with rich greens and wood stained a dark brown and shined to the highest degree. It’s classy, but on a subdued note. Relaxing.
The room is empty save for the bartender and a man who is downing a large glass of frothy beer.
Yunho asses his surroundings for a moment before he strides over to the bar, placing three seats between himself and the other man.
“Could I have a beer?” He questions the bartender, forearms resting against the wooden bar.
“Of course, Sir.”
“Actually, make it a shot of vodka. Two shots.”
The bartender raises his brow subtly before he nods his head and responds with the traditional “of course, Sir”.
“Getting started a bit early, aren’t you?” The man further down the bar questions. He’s slender with shaggy hair hanging around his ears. He’s of Asian decent, his features childlike under his curtain of hair.
“I might say the same to you.” Yunho responds easily, turning his head in order to eye the man’s half-empty glass.
“I hate sailing. Only way I can get through it is to relax my nerves.” Small fingers pull the glass closer, a smile tilting the man’s lips upwards in a smile that appears as more of a grimace.
“What about you? You looking to forget most of the voyage?” Brown eyes flicker towards the two shots of vodka resting on the bar.
“My reason is much the same.” Yunho doesn’t really feel the desire to talk to the man any longer, his head already aching from the subtle rocking of the boat as it drifts across the ocean. He just wants to have his drinks that then get some much needed sleep.
“Nothing wrong with that. My name’s Junsu. Junsu Kim.” The man extends his hand with a good-natured smile, leaning off of his seat slightly in order to close the distance between himself and Yunho.
“Ah, I figured you were Korean. I’m Jung Yunho.” He adds the last part as he leans in and gives the other man’s hand a firm shake. Over the years, he’s perfected the ability to sound interested in a conversation, even though he’s dying to be left alone. At least that was something his marriage gave him.
“Do you speak Korean?” The man asks in Korean, a smile on his face as the words roll smoothly off his tongue.
“Yeah.” Yunho responds in English before he reaches out and brings the first glass of alcohol to his lips. The moment the liquid hit’s the back of his throat, he’s fighting back the urge to cough. The burn is as delicious as it is annoying. It’s perfect.
He scrunches his eyes for a moment, letting out a long breath as he lets the effects die down slightly.
“Do you not like speaking it?” The question is in Korean again, the other man seeming highly persistent in his desire to get Yunho to speak Korean.
“It’s just been awhile.” Yunho finally responds in Korean, his voice slightly hoarse from the shot of vodka.
“What made you stop speaking Korean?” He really was quite persistent.
“Circumstances.” Yunho responds as he reaches out and quickly downs his second shot. The second burns his raw throat even more, a light cough escaping from his throat as soon as he swallows the liquid.
“It’s a beautiful language.”
“To each his own.” He fights the urge to roll his eyes. Seriously, some people just can’t take a hint.
“Check please.” He calls to the bartender, tapping his fingertips against the bar-top.
“Leaving so soon?” Junsu’s face draws into something dangerously close to a pout.
“Yeah. I wanted to get some rest in before dinner tonight.” Yunho throws out the first excuse that he thinks of. He really did want to retire to his cabin now. The alcohol had given him a warm feeling, a kind of lethargic and sated feeling. He is all too ready for a nap.
“Here you are, Sir.” The bartender passes Yunho the check, his face pulled into a kind of half-smirk, as if that’s the best he can do in terms of a smile.
“Thank you.” Yunho mutters as he reaches into his wallet and withdraws the few bills he needs. He pushes them across the top and stands from his chair. “Keep the change.” He adds before turning to offer Junsu and slight inclination of his head.
“It was nice meeting you.” Yunho bows and offers his goodbye in Korean. He finds himself giving a half-amused look when Junsu’s shoots him a beaming smile.
“You’re not rusty at all.” He waves his small hands in a sort of dismissive manner, as if that simple motion would be enough to dispel Yunho’s supposed doubt about the Korean language.
“Right.” Yunho sighs, finally letting his eyes roll as he turns away from the other male and makes his way out of the bar.
Warm, dewy air kisses his skin as he makes his way out of the bar, only standing to intensify his lethargic state. He just wanted to get a few hours of sleep.
Feeling thoroughly exhausted, Yunho continues his way towards cabin, hands pressed deep into his pockets.
He rounds a corner, only to find himself faced with a dead end and the suprising sight of two men wrapped in a passionate embrace.
He takes a slight step back, thoroughly shocked by the sight he’s come across.
“Is your cabin too private for you?” He inquires in a voice edged with disgust. He can just make out the sound of the hungry kisses and he’s receiving quite the show by watching the shorter male harshly groping whatever flesh he comes across.
The two quickly separate, faces flushed and eyes averted form Yunho’s stormy gaze.
The taller of the two fixes the jacket that signifies him as one of the crew. He has a fairly lanky frame, hair slightly long and curly. He seems to have a constant smirk stuck on his face.
“Yes, the cabin is too private.” He quips with a slight arch of his brow.
“Don’t cause trouble, Yoochun.” The smaller male growls in Korean, his hand resting lightly on the cocky one’s shoulder.
Yunho is momentarily caught off guard, his eyes drawn to the striking features of the second male. Had he not heard the other male’s deep tone, he would have questioned the gender of the ethereal beauty. A black fringe of hair sweeps over his right eye, covering over the chocolate-brown pupil. He was highly slender in build; however, his arms were home to sleek and well defined muscles.
“Relax, Jaejoong. I’m not gonna get us in trouble. This idiot just needs to get knocked off his high horse.” The one called Yoochun turns his head slightly to address his lover in Korean.
Yunho snorts softly at Yoochun’s words, his eyebrows arching as he crosses his arms over his torso and address the man with a mouth too big for his own good.
“As a crew member of this ship, I don’t think it’s really your responsibility to ‘knock me off my high horse’.” He enjoys the startled looks that he receives from both men, especially the blush that tinges Yoochun’s cheeks.
“You speak Korean?” The question comes from the male that Yoochun had called Jaejoong. He pushes himself off the wall, straightening his jacket as he tosses his head to the side to move the hair out of his face.
“Yeah.” Yunho responds simply. He finds himself so easily trapped within the other male’s gaze. It’s a reminder of why he got married.
“Come on, Jaejoong.” Yoochun growls softly, reaching back to grab at the lithe male’s hand. He keeps a harsh glare pinned on Yunho the entire time. “Maybe it would be a good idea to go to your cabin. We don’t need a voyeur watching us.
“Your name’s Yoochun, right?” Yunho growls, stepping into the path of the shorter male. “I’ll make sure to remember that.” He adds darkly as he holds Yoochun’s gaze with ease.
“You’d do well to remember it.” Yoochun fires back before he side-steps and stalks past Yunho, Jaejoong following close behind him.
Before they round the corner, Yunho turns to get one last look at the beautiful male, his heart skipping a beat when he finds those large eyes looking back at him.
“Jaejoong.” He mutters under his breath. He would be sure to remember that name.
----
It takes him a few more minutes, but he does manage to reach his cabin. His headache is growing worse, his entire head seeming to throb with every shift of his body or blink of his eyes.
He nearly stumbles into the room decorated in light wood and warm beiges. He takes a few moments to kick of his shoes before he falls onto the small bed, a groan escaping his lips.
Within a few minutes of laying his head upon the pillow, Yunho finds himself drifting off to sleep.
Unfortunately, his sleep is not a peaceful one. He’s plagued with images of big, enchanting eyes and low, possessive voices; of a child-like face and an obstinate voice that refuses to speak to him in English. It’s not necessarily a nightmare, but it’s one that leaves him frustrated and confused.
When he wakes up, he’s covered a cool sweat, his hands clenched to the point of leaving indentations on his palm.
He sits up on his bed, pulling the palm of his hand down his face as if that will help to rid him of the remaining tendrils of his dream.
He pulls at his pocket watch and checks the time. By his watch, he still has time to make his an appearance in the dining hall for dinner.
He takes a moment to refresh his appearance by dawning a new jacket and brushing his chestnut hair back into place. He splashes his face with cool water before dabbing on a bit of cologne. Overall, he strikes a very handsome figure.
When he leaves his cabin, he’s surprised to find the sun sitting low on the horizon, dangerous clouds of grey blotting out the bit of light that is left in the sky.
The air has lost it’s humid touch, a salty wind brushing over Yunho’s skin as he makes his way towards the dining hall.
The boat groans low as the ocean begins to kick up small, white-caped waves. The ship rocking more than it had during the beginning of the trip.
“Can’t trust the ocean.” Yunho mutters, voice carried away by the wind that engulfs his body, blowing his jacket back as if the wind wanted to carry it away.
He pulls the article of clothing closer around his body as he hangs a left and makes his way into a hall protected from the wind. After making his way down a flight of steps, he greeting by the sight pf a few passengers lingering in chairs that dot the lounge area. Most of them are nicely dressed, identifying them as Yunho’s dinner mates for the evening.
He makes his way past the lounge area and passes through two thick oak doors. The wood is polished to such a degree that he can nearly see his reflection in the gleaming wood.
As soon as he pushes the doors open, he’s greeted by the murmur of voices and the ethereal chords of a violin and piano floating through the hall.
The dining hall is decked in warm gold and rich reds. The majority of the lighting comes from massive chandeliers hanging from the gold colored ceiling. The whole room bespeaks gander and opulent wealth.
Yunho feels at home. Even if he’s not the most social butterfly, he knows how to function in public occasions. He’s sure of himself in these kinds of situations.
He’s greeted by a crew member his bows slightly, smile plastered across his young face.
“My I have your room number, Sir?” He questions in a cordial voice, all respect and false smiles.
“315.” Yunho responds simply, letting his gaze flicker about the room abuzz with conversation.
“Ah yes, right this way, Sir.” The man offers another slight bow before turning and beginning to make his way through the puzzle of round tables and moving bodies. Despite the increase rock of the boat, his footing is sure and steady.
Yunho follows after the man with a bit more difficulty. He finds himself grabbing the backs of peoples’ chairs on more than one occasion. He’s beginning to experience the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that comes with the growing pitch of the boat.
“How bad is t approaching storm?” Yunho questions the crew member, just catching the way the younger male’s expression tightens at the question.
“Nothing too bad, Sir. Please enjoy your dinner.” He gestures to a table that holds two elderly couples. He seems in quite the rush to get away from Yunho’s probing stare.
“Is there any way to go around it?“ He questions as he sinks into his plush seat.
“Don’t worry, Sir, we have a very capable captain and crew working on the Ocean Majesty.” The waiter quickly assures Yunho before he places a menu on the table and quickly bows himself out.
He’s gone before Yunho can even begin to formulate his response.
“Hello there, Dear.” One of the elderly woman greats him, her old eyes alive with an interested light.
Yunho offers her a beaming smile, keeping back a sigh when he realizes that these will be the people he shares dinner with every night. Eating at the bar was beginning to sound much more appealing.
“Here you are. Please enjoy your dinner, Gentlemen.” Two figures occupy the chairs next to Yunho’s. One of the men strikes Yunho was unfamiliar with a sharp jaw-line and full lips. He manages to give an air of complete boredom, even though he’s simply sitting there, giving his friend a polite stare.
The second male, however, is the one that catches Yunho’s attention. It’s the same one from earlier. That Jaejoong fellow.
As if the bored looking male can sense Yunho’s gaze, he turns his attention away from Jaejoong and arches his eyebrows smoothly in a look of sardonic amusement. “Did your mother forget to inform you that staring is impolite?”
“I imagine she informed me about staring as much as your mother informed you about respecting your elders.”
Despite Yunho’s cutting words, the other male’s lips pull upwards in a slightly amused smile. He shifts to face Yunho. “And what makes you think that I’m younger than you?” He furrows his brow for a moment as he posses the question, that amused light still lingering in his dark pupil.
“It’s hard to hide the naivety of youth.” Yunho responds in an offhanded manner before he turns his gaze away and picks up his menu. He can’t quite squelch that feeling of triumph that burns low in his gut.
“I’m twenty-three. How old must you be, Grandpa?” The youth folds his arms over his chest, brow arching as he’s met with the side view of Yunho’s face.
“Twenty-nine. I have six years on you, Boy.” He doesn’t even bother to lower his menu as he responds.
“Those six years must not have been good to you.”
“Changmin, you’re embarrassing me.” The ethereal voice pulls Yunho’s attention, his eyes flickering towards the gaze of the beauty he’d met earlier that day. Something within those eyes suggests a sort of hidden rebellion, as if his clam and beautiful appearance is nothing but a façade concocted to fool the idiots of the world.
“Right.” Changmin chuckles lightly, his tone is obviously disbelieving.
“You’re Jaejoong, is that correct?” Yunho questions, leaning forward slightly in order to look past Changmin’s lanky form.
The beauty doesn’t meet his gaze, but keeps his eyes trained on his unfolded menu. “How does it concern you?”
There it is, that sharp edge of rebellion, as if he doesn’t want to give Yunho the pleasure of being right.
“Has if ever been wrong to introduce myself to someone?” Yunho questions with an amused smirk, waiting for those eyes to greet him in a mutual stare.
“Only if the person’s not interested in the introduction.” He retorts smoothly as he folds his menu and turns feisty eyes on Yunho. “Go back to choosing your dinner and don’t concern yourself with me, old man.” He’s so blunt and Yunho can’t help but smile at the youthful pigheadedness of his response.
“Fair enough.” He shrugs his shoulders as he leans back in his chair, his lips still drawn into a smile. He already knows the males name, so despite a small hit to his pride, Yunho has lost nothing from the conversation.
The Changmin boy had been opening his mouth to say something when the boat pitched to the left dangerously, a loud cracking sound following soon after.
Many people go tumbling from their chairs, yell of shock soon filling the once peaceful hall.
A crack of thunder startles many people and it isn’t long before multiple children have broken out in fearful sobbing.
There’s faint yelling from above deck, accompanied by the sound of feet pounding against the wood.
There’s a moment of silence before the alarm bell rings.
Abandon ship.
A stunned silence sits over the crowd before a hysterical cry breaks out and a surge of people begin to rush towards the exit.
Within a split-second, a lovely evening has dissolved into complete and utter chaos. Screams and cries of terror have replaced the sound of the violin and piano.
Yunho’s dumped backwards in his chair, nearly finding himself trampled by the horde of stampeding people. Someone steps on his hand and he lets out a shocked yell, jerking backwards, only to hit his head against the edge of the table. He’s left disoriented for a moment, eyes glazed over from the pain.
He just catches sight of Jaejoong and Changmin making their way into the panicked crowd.
By the time he’s picked himself up off the floor, he’s the only one left at the table. Even the elderly couples had left him to fend for himself.
He takes a step forward and nearly falls over when the boat pitches dangerously. He watches as many people lose their footing, bodies falling and rolling across the dining room floor.
Yunho reaches down and quickly snatches a woman off the floor before she’s tossed against one of the tables.
She only takes the time to give him a look bordering on hysterical before she goes running back into the crowd, desperately trying to reach the double doors.
Yunho begins to elbow his way through the crowd, body aching from the hits he’s taking from all around. All order had fled the room the moment the bell had sounded. It is now every man, woman, and child for themselves.
He feels like he’s on the verge of suffocating by the time he reaches the staircase. He manages to make his way up and onto the deck without much problem. However, what he finds above deck makes his stomach churn dangerously.
The ocean looks black and a heavy sheet of rain is falling from the sky in stinging blasts. The screams of terror grow louder as people are met with the face of natures furry.
The boat pitches. Shoes slide against slick wood. People go tumbling towards the railing of the boat, cries carried away by the wind.
Yunho watches with horror as a man is so easily dumped over the side of the boat, a woman’s agonized scream letting him know that the man had not been alone on his voyage.
He panics slightly when he sees a sheet of water moving towards the boat. He’s never seen a wave so big before.
The boat is lifted by the wall of water, things seeming to hang suspended for a moment before a legion of water rains down on the passengers.
Yunho lets out a cry of shock as he’s drenched to the bone and thrown off balance by the dangerous tipping of the boat.
As if he’s reliving the scene from moments before, he finds himself sliding down the deck, hands madly grabbing for something that will stop his downward motion.
He grunts harshly when he makes contact with the railing, gravity seeming to shut down as he easily flies into the air and tips over the metal railing.
He contorts in mid-air, reaching back to grasp at the metal railing. He’s given a false hope when he feels his fingers curl around the cold metal. Maybe he’ll be able to get back on.
Wrong.
As soon as his body begins it’s downward fall, his fingers lose their grip and just like that, he’s falling into the raging black monster beneath him.
=-----------------------------------=
A/N: Oh my gosh! Cliffhanger on the first chapter. I am such a bad person. Oh well, I guess you guys will just have to deal with it.
Erm, so yeah, this is it. My latest venture. It is the first time I’ve ever tried to write a vampire story, so do stick with me through the rather odd plot for my story. Believe me…it’s weird.
Aside from that, I would like to inform everyone that updates may be a little slow since I’m also planning to co-write another vampire story with someone and I’ve got school, so things may get a bit rough at times. Just stick with me and I’ll try to keep you guys well updated.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Journey’s End!
Pairings: Yunjae as a main, but there will also be: JaeChun, HoMin, Minsu and maybe some Yoosu.
Rating: PG to NC-17
Genre: Adventure, angst, romance, drama
WARNINGS: This story will contain adult themes such as SEX between TWO MEN as well as violence, gore and nonconsensual sex (rape).
A/N: All dialog in italics is in Korean.
=--------------------------------------=
The air around the dock is alive with excitement, voices pitched in a battle to out yell each other. Children cling closely to the skirts of their mothers, ducking their heads whenever the burly sailors would lumber past with heavy burdens thrown over their shoulders.
The smell of fish and saltwater clung in the air, along with the smell of sweaty bodies pressed close together.
The docks were teaming with life, people jostling and pushing in order to reach the boarding area for their boat.
Families stood in clusters, wives clinging to their husbands, eyes glistening from their withheld tears. It’s a tender moment for some as families are forced to separate from each other. For others, it is a joyous affair, with children bouncing excitedly as the wait to board the boat and begin their adventure with mom and dad.
However, for two people it is neither a joyous or sad affair.
“When will you be back?” The question is lackluster at best.
“A month.” The male’s response is much the same.
“Did you remember your ticket?” There is only slight interest and worry in her question now.
“That’s the third time you’ve asked.” He snaps softly, voice hardly lifting above the cacophony of noise.
“Is it so terrible that I want to make sure you’re prepared? Is it so terrible that I happen to care?”
A sigh. “Can we please not start this, Camilla?”
“Oh of course, how can I forget that we only talk on your terms? I’m so sorry, it must have slipped my mind.” Her tone is bitter now, delicate brow furrowing in a glare.
“Has it ever occurred to you that I don’t talk because of you?” He snaps right back, hands tightening around the handle of his heavy luggage.
“I’ll tell the children you said goodbye.” Her response is clipped, eyes glistening with moister that he can only see for a second before she turns and swiftly makes her way through the crowd.
“Damn it.” He growls under his breath, eyes narrowing as he watches her stride away.
He pulls in a deep breath. The summer air doesn’t seem so oppressive anymore.
He readjusts his grip on his luggage before he turns and begins to pick his way along the dock, heading towards the boat dubbed Ocean Majesty. That was the boat that would take him to business in Germany.
Business. Always business.
He stops a few feet away from the boarding plank. His guts twists unpleasantly as he lets out a soft sigh and turns to look back into the busy crowd. He’s disappointed. But really, what had he expected?
“Can I take your luggage, Sir?” A man questions as he moves forward. He’s dressed smartly in garb that identifies him as a crew member from the Ocean Majesty.
“Thank you.” He lets his luggage rest on the ground, taking a slight step back in order to allow the younger male to hoist the bags up. “I’m in cabin 315.” He adds quickly, earning himself an appreciative smile from the boy.
“Thank you very much, Sir.” He scampers off easily after that, lithe body trekking up the long plank without a problem.
He feels lost for a moment, shoulders lifting as he sighs and turns in a complete circle. It feels like there’s something else he needs to do. Something he’s forgetting.
He reaches inside of his white jacket. The boat ticket is there.
He lingers for a moment longer, as if he’s waiting for something. He just feels this reluctant pull to stay on dry ground.
He glances down at his slightly muddied shoes. Well maybe not dry ground.
“You can board now, Sir..” An attendant informs him, stepping into his line of vision.
“Ah, yes, thank you.” He gives a smile that feels more like a grimace. He must look quite the idiot, standing on the docks in the middle of a bustling crowd.
“Right, boarding.” He sighs and glances around one last time, as if searching for that one thing that will settle his fraying nerves.
Nothing.
He turns and begins to make his way up the long stretch of wood that connects the boat to the land. He never had liked traveling by boat. The ocean was too large and too dangerous to be trusted.
“Ticket please.” Another attendant extends his hand, face pulled into a taut smile. It looks almost like his face has been stuck that way.
“Of course.” He nods his head and reaches into his jacket, removing the rectangular ticket. He places it in the mans hand, not really paying attention as the man punches a hole through the paper and hands it back along with the key to his cabin.
“Enjoy your trip, Mr. Jung.” He says the last name in a heavy American accent. That is to be expected. There were very few Americans who could pronounce his name perfectly when reading it off of paper.
“Thank you very much.” He inclines his head slightly as he reclaims his ticket and steps onto the deck of the ship.
The atmosphere on the boat is much more calm than the bustling attitude down the dock.
He turns to look over the railing, his gaze caught by the sight of a father lifting his daughter, her cries of delight buried underneath the noise.
His turns away, heart aching.
He wanders aimlessly for a ten minutes or so, hands shoved deep in his pockets. He’s leaning against the railing as the ship inches out of port and begins to trek towards the open ocean.
He looks out into the seemingly endless expanse of water, fluffy clouds mirrored in the gently swaying surface. So innocent and beautiful looking. He doesn’t trust it.
He doesn’t know how long he stands there, watching the water lap against the boat in a lazy manner. He doesn’t really care. Apathy has become one of his constant companions.
He turns his head slightly as a couple strolls by, clasping each other’s hands whilst they whisper sweet-nothings to each other. If they were lucky, that high from their love would last them months. But it isn’t going to last forever. Yunho knows that for a fact. He had been that idiot that had blundered blindly through “love”. Where had it left him?
Yunho shakes his head slightly and pushes himself away from the railing, shoes clicking against the wooden deck as he makes his way towards his cabin. It’s early in the afternoon, but he’s already fatigued from the stress of the day. He can feel the dull ache at the back of his head threatening to spread forward. He contemplates taking a nap upon reaching his cabin.
He’s set on going to his cabin; however, when he passes the bar, he can’t help but stop for a quick drink. He just tells himself that he’s drinking to relax his nerves. Yes, that’s obviously it.
The atmosphere in the bar is slightly hazy--as many bars seem to be--with rich greens and wood stained a dark brown and shined to the highest degree. It’s classy, but on a subdued note. Relaxing.
The room is empty save for the bartender and a man who is downing a large glass of frothy beer.
Yunho asses his surroundings for a moment before he strides over to the bar, placing three seats between himself and the other man.
“Could I have a beer?” He questions the bartender, forearms resting against the wooden bar.
“Of course, Sir.”
“Actually, make it a shot of vodka. Two shots.”
The bartender raises his brow subtly before he nods his head and responds with the traditional “of course, Sir”.
“Getting started a bit early, aren’t you?” The man further down the bar questions. He’s slender with shaggy hair hanging around his ears. He’s of Asian decent, his features childlike under his curtain of hair.
“I might say the same to you.” Yunho responds easily, turning his head in order to eye the man’s half-empty glass.
“I hate sailing. Only way I can get through it is to relax my nerves.” Small fingers pull the glass closer, a smile tilting the man’s lips upwards in a smile that appears as more of a grimace.
“What about you? You looking to forget most of the voyage?” Brown eyes flicker towards the two shots of vodka resting on the bar.
“My reason is much the same.” Yunho doesn’t really feel the desire to talk to the man any longer, his head already aching from the subtle rocking of the boat as it drifts across the ocean. He just wants to have his drinks that then get some much needed sleep.
“Nothing wrong with that. My name’s Junsu. Junsu Kim.” The man extends his hand with a good-natured smile, leaning off of his seat slightly in order to close the distance between himself and Yunho.
“Ah, I figured you were Korean. I’m Jung Yunho.” He adds the last part as he leans in and gives the other man’s hand a firm shake. Over the years, he’s perfected the ability to sound interested in a conversation, even though he’s dying to be left alone. At least that was something his marriage gave him.
“Do you speak Korean?” The man asks in Korean, a smile on his face as the words roll smoothly off his tongue.
“Yeah.” Yunho responds in English before he reaches out and brings the first glass of alcohol to his lips. The moment the liquid hit’s the back of his throat, he’s fighting back the urge to cough. The burn is as delicious as it is annoying. It’s perfect.
He scrunches his eyes for a moment, letting out a long breath as he lets the effects die down slightly.
“Do you not like speaking it?” The question is in Korean again, the other man seeming highly persistent in his desire to get Yunho to speak Korean.
“It’s just been awhile.” Yunho finally responds in Korean, his voice slightly hoarse from the shot of vodka.
“What made you stop speaking Korean?” He really was quite persistent.
“Circumstances.” Yunho responds as he reaches out and quickly downs his second shot. The second burns his raw throat even more, a light cough escaping from his throat as soon as he swallows the liquid.
“It’s a beautiful language.”
“To each his own.” He fights the urge to roll his eyes. Seriously, some people just can’t take a hint.
“Check please.” He calls to the bartender, tapping his fingertips against the bar-top.
“Leaving so soon?” Junsu’s face draws into something dangerously close to a pout.
“Yeah. I wanted to get some rest in before dinner tonight.” Yunho throws out the first excuse that he thinks of. He really did want to retire to his cabin now. The alcohol had given him a warm feeling, a kind of lethargic and sated feeling. He is all too ready for a nap.
“Here you are, Sir.” The bartender passes Yunho the check, his face pulled into a kind of half-smirk, as if that’s the best he can do in terms of a smile.
“Thank you.” Yunho mutters as he reaches into his wallet and withdraws the few bills he needs. He pushes them across the top and stands from his chair. “Keep the change.” He adds before turning to offer Junsu and slight inclination of his head.
“It was nice meeting you.” Yunho bows and offers his goodbye in Korean. He finds himself giving a half-amused look when Junsu’s shoots him a beaming smile.
“You’re not rusty at all.” He waves his small hands in a sort of dismissive manner, as if that simple motion would be enough to dispel Yunho’s supposed doubt about the Korean language.
“Right.” Yunho sighs, finally letting his eyes roll as he turns away from the other male and makes his way out of the bar.
Warm, dewy air kisses his skin as he makes his way out of the bar, only standing to intensify his lethargic state. He just wanted to get a few hours of sleep.
Feeling thoroughly exhausted, Yunho continues his way towards cabin, hands pressed deep into his pockets.
He rounds a corner, only to find himself faced with a dead end and the suprising sight of two men wrapped in a passionate embrace.
He takes a slight step back, thoroughly shocked by the sight he’s come across.
“Is your cabin too private for you?” He inquires in a voice edged with disgust. He can just make out the sound of the hungry kisses and he’s receiving quite the show by watching the shorter male harshly groping whatever flesh he comes across.
The two quickly separate, faces flushed and eyes averted form Yunho’s stormy gaze.
The taller of the two fixes the jacket that signifies him as one of the crew. He has a fairly lanky frame, hair slightly long and curly. He seems to have a constant smirk stuck on his face.
“Yes, the cabin is too private.” He quips with a slight arch of his brow.
“Don’t cause trouble, Yoochun.” The smaller male growls in Korean, his hand resting lightly on the cocky one’s shoulder.
Yunho is momentarily caught off guard, his eyes drawn to the striking features of the second male. Had he not heard the other male’s deep tone, he would have questioned the gender of the ethereal beauty. A black fringe of hair sweeps over his right eye, covering over the chocolate-brown pupil. He was highly slender in build; however, his arms were home to sleek and well defined muscles.
“Relax, Jaejoong. I’m not gonna get us in trouble. This idiot just needs to get knocked off his high horse.” The one called Yoochun turns his head slightly to address his lover in Korean.
Yunho snorts softly at Yoochun’s words, his eyebrows arching as he crosses his arms over his torso and address the man with a mouth too big for his own good.
“As a crew member of this ship, I don’t think it’s really your responsibility to ‘knock me off my high horse’.” He enjoys the startled looks that he receives from both men, especially the blush that tinges Yoochun’s cheeks.
“You speak Korean?” The question comes from the male that Yoochun had called Jaejoong. He pushes himself off the wall, straightening his jacket as he tosses his head to the side to move the hair out of his face.
“Yeah.” Yunho responds simply. He finds himself so easily trapped within the other male’s gaze. It’s a reminder of why he got married.
“Come on, Jaejoong.” Yoochun growls softly, reaching back to grab at the lithe male’s hand. He keeps a harsh glare pinned on Yunho the entire time. “Maybe it would be a good idea to go to your cabin. We don’t need a voyeur watching us.
“Your name’s Yoochun, right?” Yunho growls, stepping into the path of the shorter male. “I’ll make sure to remember that.” He adds darkly as he holds Yoochun’s gaze with ease.
“You’d do well to remember it.” Yoochun fires back before he side-steps and stalks past Yunho, Jaejoong following close behind him.
Before they round the corner, Yunho turns to get one last look at the beautiful male, his heart skipping a beat when he finds those large eyes looking back at him.
“Jaejoong.” He mutters under his breath. He would be sure to remember that name.
----
It takes him a few more minutes, but he does manage to reach his cabin. His headache is growing worse, his entire head seeming to throb with every shift of his body or blink of his eyes.
He nearly stumbles into the room decorated in light wood and warm beiges. He takes a few moments to kick of his shoes before he falls onto the small bed, a groan escaping his lips.
Within a few minutes of laying his head upon the pillow, Yunho finds himself drifting off to sleep.
Unfortunately, his sleep is not a peaceful one. He’s plagued with images of big, enchanting eyes and low, possessive voices; of a child-like face and an obstinate voice that refuses to speak to him in English. It’s not necessarily a nightmare, but it’s one that leaves him frustrated and confused.
When he wakes up, he’s covered a cool sweat, his hands clenched to the point of leaving indentations on his palm.
He sits up on his bed, pulling the palm of his hand down his face as if that will help to rid him of the remaining tendrils of his dream.
He pulls at his pocket watch and checks the time. By his watch, he still has time to make his an appearance in the dining hall for dinner.
He takes a moment to refresh his appearance by dawning a new jacket and brushing his chestnut hair back into place. He splashes his face with cool water before dabbing on a bit of cologne. Overall, he strikes a very handsome figure.
When he leaves his cabin, he’s surprised to find the sun sitting low on the horizon, dangerous clouds of grey blotting out the bit of light that is left in the sky.
The air has lost it’s humid touch, a salty wind brushing over Yunho’s skin as he makes his way towards the dining hall.
The boat groans low as the ocean begins to kick up small, white-caped waves. The ship rocking more than it had during the beginning of the trip.
“Can’t trust the ocean.” Yunho mutters, voice carried away by the wind that engulfs his body, blowing his jacket back as if the wind wanted to carry it away.
He pulls the article of clothing closer around his body as he hangs a left and makes his way into a hall protected from the wind. After making his way down a flight of steps, he greeting by the sight pf a few passengers lingering in chairs that dot the lounge area. Most of them are nicely dressed, identifying them as Yunho’s dinner mates for the evening.
He makes his way past the lounge area and passes through two thick oak doors. The wood is polished to such a degree that he can nearly see his reflection in the gleaming wood.
As soon as he pushes the doors open, he’s greeted by the murmur of voices and the ethereal chords of a violin and piano floating through the hall.
The dining hall is decked in warm gold and rich reds. The majority of the lighting comes from massive chandeliers hanging from the gold colored ceiling. The whole room bespeaks gander and opulent wealth.
Yunho feels at home. Even if he’s not the most social butterfly, he knows how to function in public occasions. He’s sure of himself in these kinds of situations.
He’s greeted by a crew member his bows slightly, smile plastered across his young face.
“My I have your room number, Sir?” He questions in a cordial voice, all respect and false smiles.
“315.” Yunho responds simply, letting his gaze flicker about the room abuzz with conversation.
“Ah yes, right this way, Sir.” The man offers another slight bow before turning and beginning to make his way through the puzzle of round tables and moving bodies. Despite the increase rock of the boat, his footing is sure and steady.
Yunho follows after the man with a bit more difficulty. He finds himself grabbing the backs of peoples’ chairs on more than one occasion. He’s beginning to experience the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that comes with the growing pitch of the boat.
“How bad is t approaching storm?” Yunho questions the crew member, just catching the way the younger male’s expression tightens at the question.
“Nothing too bad, Sir. Please enjoy your dinner.” He gestures to a table that holds two elderly couples. He seems in quite the rush to get away from Yunho’s probing stare.
“Is there any way to go around it?“ He questions as he sinks into his plush seat.
“Don’t worry, Sir, we have a very capable captain and crew working on the Ocean Majesty.” The waiter quickly assures Yunho before he places a menu on the table and quickly bows himself out.
He’s gone before Yunho can even begin to formulate his response.
“Hello there, Dear.” One of the elderly woman greats him, her old eyes alive with an interested light.
Yunho offers her a beaming smile, keeping back a sigh when he realizes that these will be the people he shares dinner with every night. Eating at the bar was beginning to sound much more appealing.
“Here you are. Please enjoy your dinner, Gentlemen.” Two figures occupy the chairs next to Yunho’s. One of the men strikes Yunho was unfamiliar with a sharp jaw-line and full lips. He manages to give an air of complete boredom, even though he’s simply sitting there, giving his friend a polite stare.
The second male, however, is the one that catches Yunho’s attention. It’s the same one from earlier. That Jaejoong fellow.
As if the bored looking male can sense Yunho’s gaze, he turns his attention away from Jaejoong and arches his eyebrows smoothly in a look of sardonic amusement. “Did your mother forget to inform you that staring is impolite?”
“I imagine she informed me about staring as much as your mother informed you about respecting your elders.”
Despite Yunho’s cutting words, the other male’s lips pull upwards in a slightly amused smile. He shifts to face Yunho. “And what makes you think that I’m younger than you?” He furrows his brow for a moment as he posses the question, that amused light still lingering in his dark pupil.
“It’s hard to hide the naivety of youth.” Yunho responds in an offhanded manner before he turns his gaze away and picks up his menu. He can’t quite squelch that feeling of triumph that burns low in his gut.
“I’m twenty-three. How old must you be, Grandpa?” The youth folds his arms over his chest, brow arching as he’s met with the side view of Yunho’s face.
“Twenty-nine. I have six years on you, Boy.” He doesn’t even bother to lower his menu as he responds.
“Those six years must not have been good to you.”
“Changmin, you’re embarrassing me.” The ethereal voice pulls Yunho’s attention, his eyes flickering towards the gaze of the beauty he’d met earlier that day. Something within those eyes suggests a sort of hidden rebellion, as if his clam and beautiful appearance is nothing but a façade concocted to fool the idiots of the world.
“Right.” Changmin chuckles lightly, his tone is obviously disbelieving.
“You’re Jaejoong, is that correct?” Yunho questions, leaning forward slightly in order to look past Changmin’s lanky form.
The beauty doesn’t meet his gaze, but keeps his eyes trained on his unfolded menu. “How does it concern you?”
There it is, that sharp edge of rebellion, as if he doesn’t want to give Yunho the pleasure of being right.
“Has if ever been wrong to introduce myself to someone?” Yunho questions with an amused smirk, waiting for those eyes to greet him in a mutual stare.
“Only if the person’s not interested in the introduction.” He retorts smoothly as he folds his menu and turns feisty eyes on Yunho. “Go back to choosing your dinner and don’t concern yourself with me, old man.” He’s so blunt and Yunho can’t help but smile at the youthful pigheadedness of his response.
“Fair enough.” He shrugs his shoulders as he leans back in his chair, his lips still drawn into a smile. He already knows the males name, so despite a small hit to his pride, Yunho has lost nothing from the conversation.
The Changmin boy had been opening his mouth to say something when the boat pitched to the left dangerously, a loud cracking sound following soon after.
Many people go tumbling from their chairs, yell of shock soon filling the once peaceful hall.
A crack of thunder startles many people and it isn’t long before multiple children have broken out in fearful sobbing.
There’s faint yelling from above deck, accompanied by the sound of feet pounding against the wood.
There’s a moment of silence before the alarm bell rings.
Abandon ship.
A stunned silence sits over the crowd before a hysterical cry breaks out and a surge of people begin to rush towards the exit.
Within a split-second, a lovely evening has dissolved into complete and utter chaos. Screams and cries of terror have replaced the sound of the violin and piano.
Yunho’s dumped backwards in his chair, nearly finding himself trampled by the horde of stampeding people. Someone steps on his hand and he lets out a shocked yell, jerking backwards, only to hit his head against the edge of the table. He’s left disoriented for a moment, eyes glazed over from the pain.
He just catches sight of Jaejoong and Changmin making their way into the panicked crowd.
By the time he’s picked himself up off the floor, he’s the only one left at the table. Even the elderly couples had left him to fend for himself.
He takes a step forward and nearly falls over when the boat pitches dangerously. He watches as many people lose their footing, bodies falling and rolling across the dining room floor.
Yunho reaches down and quickly snatches a woman off the floor before she’s tossed against one of the tables.
She only takes the time to give him a look bordering on hysterical before she goes running back into the crowd, desperately trying to reach the double doors.
Yunho begins to elbow his way through the crowd, body aching from the hits he’s taking from all around. All order had fled the room the moment the bell had sounded. It is now every man, woman, and child for themselves.
He feels like he’s on the verge of suffocating by the time he reaches the staircase. He manages to make his way up and onto the deck without much problem. However, what he finds above deck makes his stomach churn dangerously.
The ocean looks black and a heavy sheet of rain is falling from the sky in stinging blasts. The screams of terror grow louder as people are met with the face of natures furry.
The boat pitches. Shoes slide against slick wood. People go tumbling towards the railing of the boat, cries carried away by the wind.
Yunho watches with horror as a man is so easily dumped over the side of the boat, a woman’s agonized scream letting him know that the man had not been alone on his voyage.
He panics slightly when he sees a sheet of water moving towards the boat. He’s never seen a wave so big before.
The boat is lifted by the wall of water, things seeming to hang suspended for a moment before a legion of water rains down on the passengers.
Yunho lets out a cry of shock as he’s drenched to the bone and thrown off balance by the dangerous tipping of the boat.
As if he’s reliving the scene from moments before, he finds himself sliding down the deck, hands madly grabbing for something that will stop his downward motion.
He grunts harshly when he makes contact with the railing, gravity seeming to shut down as he easily flies into the air and tips over the metal railing.
He contorts in mid-air, reaching back to grasp at the metal railing. He’s given a false hope when he feels his fingers curl around the cold metal. Maybe he’ll be able to get back on.
Wrong.
As soon as his body begins it’s downward fall, his fingers lose their grip and just like that, he’s falling into the raging black monster beneath him.
=-----------------------------------=
A/N: Oh my gosh! Cliffhanger on the first chapter. I am such a bad person. Oh well, I guess you guys will just have to deal with it.
Erm, so yeah, this is it. My latest venture. It is the first time I’ve ever tried to write a vampire story, so do stick with me through the rather odd plot for my story. Believe me…it’s weird.
Aside from that, I would like to inform everyone that updates may be a little slow since I’m also planning to co-write another vampire story with someone and I’ve got school, so things may get a bit rough at times. Just stick with me and I’ll try to keep you guys well updated.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Journey’s End!