[FIC] The Marriage Proposal- Just Not the Way You Think It Is Chapter 4
FANFIC INFORMATION:
TITLE: The Marriage Proposal- Just Not the Way You Think It Is
AUTHOR: blake_maclaren
Beta: iamroanne thanks a ton! you're absolutely heaven-sent! hehe
DATE STARTED: December 26, 2010
PAIRING: YunJae (main), slight YooSu, MinBum and KangTeuk
TYPE: Multi-Chapter; Short Story
GENRES: Romance, Smut for later chapters
RATING: PG-13, Rated for some later chapters (not really sure! Keke)
SUMMARY: A marriage proposal by any other name is still a proposal- but not when it’s your egotistical boss doing the asking! Kim Jaejoong was working as a typist and over-all assistant to Jung Yunho’s secretaries when his boss saw him and popped him the marriage question-though it may be through sheer desperation. But will a holiday spent surrounded by snow-covered hills be enough for Jae to learn that miracles really do come in the most unexpected packages?
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Loosely based on the short novel, “Just Curious” by Jude Deveraux. (First time writing a fic! Hehe please don’t be too harsh with me! ^^ Comments are welcome, especially if it offers me help! Haha kamsa~)
Four
“Kim Jaejoong? You are Kim Jaejoong, aren’t you??” Yunho asked, making Jaejoong smile and thinking that the three hours at Heechul’s, with his head covered in oil, his face covered in mud, then another three hours at home trying everything in his closet had been worth it. Ah, the look on Jung Yunho’s face. The Kim Jaejoong before with his shoulder-length split-ends and pale-looking aura had now been transformed into a black-haired beauty who looked more like a fashion model than a typist.
Now on the plane, Jaejoong settled back in the wide seat, sipping his glass of orange juice. Beside him, Jung Yunho already had his nose buried in the papers from his briefcase. Yunho told him earlier that he had to work on the trip, but several times Yunho glanced at him. All in all, he found all those looks quite gratifying. Still, he was growing bored by the minute. “Anything I can do to help?” he asked, nodding in the direction of the papers.
Yunho smiled at Jaejoong, in a way men do when they think a woman is pretty but had somehow managed to be born without a brain. “If I have an extra laptop, you could type for me, but actually no, I have nothing for you to do. Just some decisions I have to make.”
“Like what?” Jaejoong urged.
“Nothing, just plain old buying and selling.”
Sensing that Yunho would like it better if he kept quiet, Jaejoong looked out the window and contented himself with watching the other cars as they made their way to the airport. It wasn’t until the plane was cruising on the runway that Yunho decided to talk to him again. “When you were working in the company, what other things have you looked into?”
Jaejoong knew that Yunho was half humoring him and the other half actually wanted to listen to him, so, “I’m only interested in the local places.”
“Such as?”
“The local department store.”
“That place is a downtown eyesore. I already have an excellent buyer.” Leaning back into his seat, Yunho looked at Jaejoong in speculation. “First, who would YOU sell it to?” When Jaejoong didn’t answer, Yunho gave an indulgent smile. “Come on, are you chickening out? If you plan to be my business partner, don’t stop telling me how to improve my business after doing it once.
“All right,” Jaejoong said defiantly. “I won’t sell it; instead I’d turn it into a store that sells baby paraphernalia.” At that, he turned to look at the other and found him smiling in amusement. “What? Baby paraphernalia, you know things for the baby.”
“I know what baby paraphernalia are. I just didn’t expect you to say that. You have a baby complex or something?”
“NO!” Jaejoong shook his head frantically.
Yunho just smirked. “If you say so. Continue.”
“I’ve read that somewhere in England there’s a store that sells all things for babies: maternity wear for the moms, walkers, strollers, safety belts. Name it, they have it. In our locale, you have to go to different stores to buy different items, and when you’re 8 months pregnant and having a three-year-old child in tow; it’s not easy store-hopping buying everything you need for the baby. I know I only got this through my sisters’ experiences but I would think it’s wonderful for the pregnant mother to be able to buy everything she needs in one particular place.”
Yunho looked at Jaejoong intently. “You’ve really thought about it, haven’t you?” He then took a piece of paper and a pen from his briefcase and handed it over to Jaejoong. “Here Write all your ideas about the department store and maybe, we can talk about it sometime.”
Jaejoong used all his strength to keep himself from smiling but it looks like it’s no use. He had a feeling it’s not always that the formidable Jung Yunho asked others for their opinions. But now he was asking his! “Aye, aye Sir!” Jaejoong mockingly said as he started to write but at the corner of his eyes, he can see a smile playing about in the corners of Jung Yunho’s lips.
If Jaejoong thought he would get any sort of warmth from Yunho during the whole plane ride, he was sadly mistaken. It was either Yunho had his nose buried in papers or he was talking to someone about something on the telephone. He ate with one hand, papers on the other.
“Honestly, you’d think I was travelling with a wooden statue,” Jaejoong mentally whined. He then looked at his watch. “Two more hours, huh? Hello, Silence~”
Upon arriving at the airport, Yunho left it up to Jaejoong to take their baggage while he took care of the rental car. Instead of using the money Yunho gave him to pay for the porter, Jaejoong used his own money instead. Using his own money, Jaejoong thanked the porter and tried to look around for Yunho.
Yunho found him instead. Rental car keys in hand, Yunho led him outside to the crisp, cold air to the car.
The warmth inside the car almost made the scene intimate. Feeling slightly awkward, Jaejoong tried to start a topic for conversation. “If I’m to pretend to be your fiancé, shouldn’t I know something about you?”
“What do you want to know?” he asked in a way that made Jaejoong look at him in irritation. SO much for partnership.
“Nothing really. I’m sure that knowing that you’re rich is enough for anyone.”
Jaejoong had expected the remark to make Yunho laugh or reply sarcastically, but there was no reaction. Yunho just kept on looking straight down the road, brows creased in concentration. For the rest of the ride, Jaejoong didn’t bother speaking. He finally decided that if anyone asks why he agreed to be Yunho’s fiancé, he’d say, “Money.”
Minutes later, a house came into view and it was a place which made Jaejoong remember his childhood Christmases spent at home with his parents and sisters. The moment the car was spotted, what seemed to be a herd of people descended on them, opening the door and pulling Jaejoong out. They introduced themselves and one very good looking man grabbed him and kissed him soundly on the lips.
“Yah!” Yunho shouted. He then pulled Jaejoong by the waist and hauled him close to his side. “He’s mine.”
Jaejoong can only look at them with mouth agape.
“I’m Yoochun,” the man who kissed him introduced himself. “The other half of the soon-to-be-married couple. Didn’t Yunho tell you about me?”
Jaejoong wasn’t able to think of his reply properly. “Yunho never talks to me unless he wants something,” he blurted out. Then his eyes widened and he can only look to the ground and blush. These people were Yunho’s friends, what must they think of him now?
To Jaejoong surprise, one man burst out laughing, and it sounded so musical like he was really having fun with Jaejoong’s outburst. “Yunho, at last you’ve found someone who knows the true you.” He then put an arm around Jaejoong’ shoulders and hugged him real tight. “Nice to meet you. It’s Jaejoong right? I’m Junsu, Chunnie’s fiancé.”
With all of them laughing, they slowly led Jaejoong into the house. They led him past through heavenly rooms with western fireplaces in them until they came to a halt in front of a wide white door. Yoochun opened it. “He’s all yours.” Junsu laughed his dolphin laugh again, and then pushed Jaejoong inside while closing the door behind him.
Yunho was already in the room, their suitcases placed on the luggage racks, and there was only one bed.
“There must be a mistake,” Jaejoong said.
Yunho frowned down on the bed. “I’ve already tried to rectify this, but it’s impossible. The house is full. Every bed, cot and couch is already assigned. Look, “he continued when he saw Jaejoong’s look of apparent distrust,” if you’re afraid I’m going to jump on you in the middle of the night, I can always see if a hotel room can be found for you.”
Yunho acting like that always rubbed Jaejoong the wrong way. “Never mind. At least with a full house I can always be heard if I scream.”
Yunho gave him a half-smile before starting to unbutton his shirt. “I need to take a shower. The wedding rehearsal’s in an hour.” He then looked at Jaejoong as if expecting him to act like some heroine in a Regency romance novel who would flee at the mere thought of a man undressing.
But Jaejoong wasn’t going to let himself be intimidated. “Please don’t steam up the mirror.” He then turned away as if sharing a room with a complete stranger was of no consequence.
Chuckling, Yunho went into the bathroom, leaving the door ajar for the steam to escape.
With Yunho out of sight, Jaejoong let himself relax. As soon as he heard the shower running, he started to unpack the suitcases. It wasn’t until he was finished that he realized that out of habit, he unpacked Yunho’s suitcases too. As he put Yunho’s shoes in the closet next to his, he remembered Hyunjoong because it was such a long time since someone else’s shoes had been next to his. The thought almost made him burst to tears.
When he turned, Yunho was already there, big body encased in a robe with droplets of water still dancing in his hair, down to his neck. “I didn’t mean to unpack your suitcases, but… uh, habit I guess,” Jaejoong managed to say before hurriedly escaping to the bathroom and firmly closing the door behind him.
Jaejoong took as long as he dared in the bathroom, and he was very pleased to see that Yunho was already gone when he went out. Hurriedly getting dressed, he left the bedroom then ran down the stairs to join the rest of the wedding party who were piling up into cars to go to the church rehearsal.
All the way to the church, Jaejoong’s annoyance for Yunho build-up. If he was his fiancé, shouldn’t the other show some consideration? The only thing Yunho did was to drop him off at the front door and expect him to find his way among strangers. It’s no wonder many refused to marry him. They were obviously people of sense and intelligence.
The church rehearsal went well. That was until the end when Yunho was to be the first to start down the aisle. He was supposed to walk to the center, offer his arm to Jaejoong, then walk out with him together. Maybe he wasn’t listening or something but whatever his excuse, Jaejoong almost lost his patience when Yunho walked down the center and proceeded to walk down the aisle without him.
It was too much. “You know how Yunho is,” Jaejoong started, ”he thinks he can partner himself.”
Everyone inside the church burst into laughter and Yunho, turning, saw his mistake. With a show of gallantry, he returned, bowed and offered his arm to Jaejoong.
The rehearsal dinner was loud. At first, Jaejoong looked at is food and listened but didn’t participate in the conversations of these people who knew each other so well. Yunho sat beside him, and he was quiet too. Every once in a while, Jaejoong glanced at him and thought Yunho was looking at him too, but the other turned away quickly Jaejoong wasn’t so sure.
“Jaejoong,” Junsu asked, and the whole table went quiet. “Where is your engagement ring?”
Jaejoong didn’t hesitate before he spoke. “Yunho had bought all the store had so we’re still waiting for a new shipment of diamonds. He buys them every now and then you know.”
The diner nearly exploded with laughter, and even Yunho laughed as Yoochun patted him at the back.
“I think you ought to keep this one Yunho,” Yoochun said. “He’s a living proof that your taste has significantly improved!”
For the rest of the meal, Jaejoong wasn’t allowed to keep his silence. He was asked about his family, their business, and when they learned he was working as a typist for Yunho, they asked him how it was to be working for Jung Yunho.
“Lonely,” Jaejoong replied. “He doesn’t really need us except to type a letter once in a while.”
Throughout all this, Yunho ate his dinner is silence but Jaejoong can feel his eyes on him and even when Yoochun leaned forward to whisper something to Yunho, the latter’s eyes didn’t leave his face.
It wasn’t until they were alone in “their” room that Jaejoong thought maybe he had gone too far. “About today…” he began as Yunho walked past him out of the bathroom, “maybe I shouldn’t have-“
“Going to chicken out on me now?” Yunho asked, making Jaejoong blush because his face was very close to his.
In all honesty, Jung Yunho may have the most beautiful pair of chocolate orbs Jaejoong has ever seen and that mole above his lip was just too gorgeous to resist. “No, of course not.”
“Good. Now what did you do with my sweatpants?”
“Isn’t it a bit late for sports?”
“Unless you want me sleeping naked that’s probably your only alternative.”
“Third drawer left.” Jaejoong retorted as he scurried into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he emerged clothed in a childishly cute pink pair of jammies. Yunho was already in bed, and there was a long bolster pillow down the center of the bed. Slipping into the vacant side, Jaejoong asked, “Where did you get this?”
“Stole it.”
“So I guess some unfortunate soul is sleeping on a couch without a pillow.”
“Want me to take it back? You can sleep snuggled up with me or better yet-‘
“Good night,” Jaejoong said firmly, then turned on his side away from the other, but he was smiling as he fell asleep.
Jaejoong awoke to the sight of a gorgeous man wearing only a thick white towel around his waist, standing before the bathroom mirror shaving. In those few minutes before he awoke fully and remembered where he was, he had a vision of the same man walking towards him, giving him a kiss and tossing the towel aside to join him on the bed….
“Want to share that thought?” Yunho asked suddenly, not turning his head but looking directly at Jaejoong through the mirror.
Turning away so Yunho couldn’t see his red face, Jaejoong rolled out of bed, grabbed a robe and moved to the closet, out of the other’s line of vision.
“What do you have planned for today?” Yunho asked, coming out of the bathroom, still wearing only that white towel.
Jaejoong flung open a closet door so he couldn’t see all that glistening muscle. Does Yunho work out every day? He must have, to keep his body looking like that. And was that warm honey his natural skin color? “Shopping,” he mumbled.
“Shopping? As in Christmas shopping?” Yunho asked as he moved around the door to the closet’s other side.
“I, ah,” Jaejoong was at a loss for words, studiously looking at all his clothes but seeing nothing. “Yes, as in Christmas shopping. And a wedding gift for Chun and Su.” He took a deep breath. He had to take a hold of himself! Turning, he faced Yunho, looking directly at his eyes and using all his willpower not to move her his eyes lower. “Tomorrow is Christmas and if I’m to spend it with these people, I can’t very well turn up empty-handed. Do you know of any good shopping malls around here?”
“Yunjae’s Corner,” Yunho said quickly. “One of the best I’ve ever been. I need to buy gifts too, so I’m going with you.”
“No!” Jaejoong protested, then tried to recover himself. “ It’s just that I can concentrate better if I’m buying alone.” Though he said it, Jaejoong knew it was a big lie.
“And how will you know who to buy for? Even how many kids are here? I assume you want to buy for the kids.’
“Write down all I need to know and I’ll get it myself.” Jaejoong did not want to spend the rest of his day with this man, and it was getting hard for him to keep his eyes out of the muscles of Yunho’s chest.
“I don’t have a pencil,” Yunho said, smiling. “It’s all in my head.”
Jaejoong almost smiled back at him. “You can dictate it to me. Besides, wouldn’t you rather stay here and play football with your friends?”
“I am a fat, out-of-shape desk jockey and if I play football with my friends they’d cream me.”
At that, Jaejoong did laugh, for there was no person who was less out of shape than he was.
Without waiting for a reply, Yunho grabbed a terry cloth robe form the closet, put it on, then kissed Jaejoong on the cheek. “Pick out some clothes for me, please?” The request was accompanied by uber-cute puppy eyes. ‘I have some calls to make. I’ll be back for you in thirty minutes.”
Before Jaejoong could protest, he was out the room, the door closing behind him. However, by the time her mind completed the thought of complaining, he had draped a pair of dark wool trousers, an Italian shirt, and a heavenly sweater across the bed. Shaking his head in disgust at himself, Jaejoong went into the bathroom.
An hour later, after a quick breakfast, he and Yunho were walking towards the rental car, and on the grounds were Yoochun, Junsu and the others playing football. Yoochun called out to Yunho, asking him to play with them.
“Jaejoong’s forcing me to go shopping with him!” Yunho yelled back.
“Ha! Like I’d need someone to go shopping with me, right? Truth is, he’s afraid to stay here and play ‘coz you might hurt him!”
Ignoring the laughter of the others, Yunho shouted, “What do you want us to get you for a wedding gift?”
“From you, Yunho?” Junsu called. “An Audi. But from Jae, we’ll take anything he offers.”
Feeling flattered of the open friendship, Jaejoong smiled brilliantly at them, and smiled even more when he noticed that Yunho was frowning.
By the time they arrived at the mall, Jaejoong was in a very good mood.
“Where do we begin?” he asked as soon as they entered the mall. Looking up at him, he saw that characteristic shrug that meant he was in charge. “Elephant time,” he muttered.
“I beg your pardon,” Yunho said stiffly.
“It’s what I’d like to call that attitude of yours where you would refuse to participate in deciding what to buy anyone, but that you’ll carry anything I handed you. You know, just like an elephant
For a moment, Yunho seemed to consider this, then he slowly lifted his right arm, clenched his fist and made his biceps bulge through the material of his sweater. “I can carry anything you can pack on to me.”
Jaejoong laughed. “We’ll see about that. By the way, if you said ‘we’ are gonna give the gifts, who’s gonna pay for all these?”
“Me?” Yunho replied mockingly, as if he’d always paid for all the things Jaejoong bought.
“Perfect,” Jaejoong said happily. “My choice, your money.”
“Just give me a kiss now and then. I know I’ll feel better.”
Jaejoong could only laugh.
Three hours later, Jaejoong was exhausted but totally exhilarated. He’d completely underestimated how it was like to shop with a typical guy like Yunho. He never wanted to take time to consider which of anything was better. “This one,” he’d say, or, “What does it matter?” When it came to suggestions, he can never get past the music store. Twice Jaejoong had Yunho sit on benches, surrounded by shopping bags, while he went into stores and purchased sets of soaps and lotions, fruits, shirts and cheese baskets. The funny thing was, he almost couldn’t get Yunho out of the toy stores, where the latter bought 3-D puzzles of the world landmarks. They visited all nine toy stores and made purchases from each one, so many that Jaejoong thought they’d bought more toys than there were children.
“Does lunch come with this trip?” Yunho asked after they’d visited the last toy store the mall has to offer.
“Are you sure you want to eat? I think there was a toy car left in that last store. Want us to go back and buy it?”
“Food, Jaejoong!” he growled, leading the way to a cozy café, where they placed their orders and found a place where Yunho could put all the shopping bags because he wouldn’t allow Jaejoong to carry even one.
“You’re a good elephant,” Jaejoong complimented as soon as they sat down.
In the middle of their meal, Yunho asked, “ About that plan you have for the department store, what are your financials? And don’t tell me you haven’t worked it out yet, because I know you already did.”
“Well, I’ve done a bit of number crunching.”
“When we get back home, you can put them on my desk and then I’ll-“ Yunho broke off because Jaejoong reached inside his bag and removed a computer disc. Taking it, Yunho looked down and frowned, “When were you going to present me with this?”
Jaejoong stilled. He knew what the other meant. He thought this was the real reason why he agreed to this weekend. Narrowing his eyes, Jaejoong snatched the disc out of his hands. “That was never my intention, thank you very much. I can handle this on my own. I wasn’t planning to use it as bait to get to you.”
Angrily, Jaejoong stood up and grabbed his coat. “Excuse me but I think all this is a mistake. I better leave now.”
Yunho caught his arm and pulled him back down. “I’m sorry. I apologize. Really, I do.”
“Would you please let go of my hand?”
“No, because you’ll run.”
“Then I’ll scream.”
“No, you won’t. That just isn’t you, Jae.”
Hearing Yunho call him by the nickname Hyunjoong called him brought tears to his eyes.
Mistaking that the tears in Jaejoong’s eyes was because of him, Yunho’s hand moved so that his fingers were intertwined with Jaejoong’s, and the latter made no attempt to pull away as Yunho’s hand held his, providing him with the comfort he so needed.
“Look, I know what you think of me, but it isn’t true.” Pausing a moment, Yunho looked down at their hands still intertwined. “All those prenuptial agreements were just to see if my fiancé would sign.”
Jaejoong looked at him in disbelief.
“Honest. If any of them had signed I’d have torn it up immediately. But all I heard was, ‘Daddy doesn’t want me to sign,” or, “My lawyer advises me not to sign.’ All I wanted was to be sure that it was me they wanted, not my family’s wealth.”
“Rather a hateful trick, wasn’t it?”
“Not as hateful as marrying me for money. And what if we had kids?”
Inspite of himself, Jaejoong can feel himself curling his fingers around Yunho’s. “And what about Yoojin?”
"Yoojin was different,” Yunho said softly, then pulled his hand away.
As Jaejoong opened his mouth to ask another question, Yunho interrupted him. “Ready?” and he abruptly stood up to pick the shopping bags.
A/N: *bows head 90 degrees* really sorry for the sloooowww update. there's been a massive amount of schoolwork for me lately. XD don't know if you're still interested but I tried my best to finish typing this update. hehe thanks for all those who commented and read. XD
TITLE: The Marriage Proposal- Just Not the Way You Think It Is
AUTHOR: blake_maclaren
Beta: iamroanne thanks a ton! you're absolutely heaven-sent! hehe
DATE STARTED: December 26, 2010
PAIRING: YunJae (main), slight YooSu, MinBum and KangTeuk
TYPE: Multi-Chapter; Short Story
GENRES: Romance, Smut for later chapters
RATING: PG-13, Rated for some later chapters (not really sure! Keke)
SUMMARY: A marriage proposal by any other name is still a proposal- but not when it’s your egotistical boss doing the asking! Kim Jaejoong was working as a typist and over-all assistant to Jung Yunho’s secretaries when his boss saw him and popped him the marriage question-though it may be through sheer desperation. But will a holiday spent surrounded by snow-covered hills be enough for Jae to learn that miracles really do come in the most unexpected packages?
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Loosely based on the short novel, “Just Curious” by Jude Deveraux. (First time writing a fic! Hehe please don’t be too harsh with me! ^^ Comments are welcome, especially if it offers me help! Haha kamsa~)
Four
“Kim Jaejoong? You are Kim Jaejoong, aren’t you??” Yunho asked, making Jaejoong smile and thinking that the three hours at Heechul’s, with his head covered in oil, his face covered in mud, then another three hours at home trying everything in his closet had been worth it. Ah, the look on Jung Yunho’s face. The Kim Jaejoong before with his shoulder-length split-ends and pale-looking aura had now been transformed into a black-haired beauty who looked more like a fashion model than a typist.
Now on the plane, Jaejoong settled back in the wide seat, sipping his glass of orange juice. Beside him, Jung Yunho already had his nose buried in the papers from his briefcase. Yunho told him earlier that he had to work on the trip, but several times Yunho glanced at him. All in all, he found all those looks quite gratifying. Still, he was growing bored by the minute. “Anything I can do to help?” he asked, nodding in the direction of the papers.
Yunho smiled at Jaejoong, in a way men do when they think a woman is pretty but had somehow managed to be born without a brain. “If I have an extra laptop, you could type for me, but actually no, I have nothing for you to do. Just some decisions I have to make.”
“Like what?” Jaejoong urged.
“Nothing, just plain old buying and selling.”
Sensing that Yunho would like it better if he kept quiet, Jaejoong looked out the window and contented himself with watching the other cars as they made their way to the airport. It wasn’t until the plane was cruising on the runway that Yunho decided to talk to him again. “When you were working in the company, what other things have you looked into?”
Jaejoong knew that Yunho was half humoring him and the other half actually wanted to listen to him, so, “I’m only interested in the local places.”
“Such as?”
“The local department store.”
“That place is a downtown eyesore. I already have an excellent buyer.” Leaning back into his seat, Yunho looked at Jaejoong in speculation. “First, who would YOU sell it to?” When Jaejoong didn’t answer, Yunho gave an indulgent smile. “Come on, are you chickening out? If you plan to be my business partner, don’t stop telling me how to improve my business after doing it once.
“All right,” Jaejoong said defiantly. “I won’t sell it; instead I’d turn it into a store that sells baby paraphernalia.” At that, he turned to look at the other and found him smiling in amusement. “What? Baby paraphernalia, you know things for the baby.”
“I know what baby paraphernalia are. I just didn’t expect you to say that. You have a baby complex or something?”
“NO!” Jaejoong shook his head frantically.
Yunho just smirked. “If you say so. Continue.”
“I’ve read that somewhere in England there’s a store that sells all things for babies: maternity wear for the moms, walkers, strollers, safety belts. Name it, they have it. In our locale, you have to go to different stores to buy different items, and when you’re 8 months pregnant and having a three-year-old child in tow; it’s not easy store-hopping buying everything you need for the baby. I know I only got this through my sisters’ experiences but I would think it’s wonderful for the pregnant mother to be able to buy everything she needs in one particular place.”
Yunho looked at Jaejoong intently. “You’ve really thought about it, haven’t you?” He then took a piece of paper and a pen from his briefcase and handed it over to Jaejoong. “Here Write all your ideas about the department store and maybe, we can talk about it sometime.”
Jaejoong used all his strength to keep himself from smiling but it looks like it’s no use. He had a feeling it’s not always that the formidable Jung Yunho asked others for their opinions. But now he was asking his! “Aye, aye Sir!” Jaejoong mockingly said as he started to write but at the corner of his eyes, he can see a smile playing about in the corners of Jung Yunho’s lips.
If Jaejoong thought he would get any sort of warmth from Yunho during the whole plane ride, he was sadly mistaken. It was either Yunho had his nose buried in papers or he was talking to someone about something on the telephone. He ate with one hand, papers on the other.
“Honestly, you’d think I was travelling with a wooden statue,” Jaejoong mentally whined. He then looked at his watch. “Two more hours, huh? Hello, Silence~”
Upon arriving at the airport, Yunho left it up to Jaejoong to take their baggage while he took care of the rental car. Instead of using the money Yunho gave him to pay for the porter, Jaejoong used his own money instead. Using his own money, Jaejoong thanked the porter and tried to look around for Yunho.
Yunho found him instead. Rental car keys in hand, Yunho led him outside to the crisp, cold air to the car.
The warmth inside the car almost made the scene intimate. Feeling slightly awkward, Jaejoong tried to start a topic for conversation. “If I’m to pretend to be your fiancé, shouldn’t I know something about you?”
“What do you want to know?” he asked in a way that made Jaejoong look at him in irritation. SO much for partnership.
“Nothing really. I’m sure that knowing that you’re rich is enough for anyone.”
Jaejoong had expected the remark to make Yunho laugh or reply sarcastically, but there was no reaction. Yunho just kept on looking straight down the road, brows creased in concentration. For the rest of the ride, Jaejoong didn’t bother speaking. He finally decided that if anyone asks why he agreed to be Yunho’s fiancé, he’d say, “Money.”
Minutes later, a house came into view and it was a place which made Jaejoong remember his childhood Christmases spent at home with his parents and sisters. The moment the car was spotted, what seemed to be a herd of people descended on them, opening the door and pulling Jaejoong out. They introduced themselves and one very good looking man grabbed him and kissed him soundly on the lips.
“Yah!” Yunho shouted. He then pulled Jaejoong by the waist and hauled him close to his side. “He’s mine.”
Jaejoong can only look at them with mouth agape.
“I’m Yoochun,” the man who kissed him introduced himself. “The other half of the soon-to-be-married couple. Didn’t Yunho tell you about me?”
Jaejoong wasn’t able to think of his reply properly. “Yunho never talks to me unless he wants something,” he blurted out. Then his eyes widened and he can only look to the ground and blush. These people were Yunho’s friends, what must they think of him now?
To Jaejoong surprise, one man burst out laughing, and it sounded so musical like he was really having fun with Jaejoong’s outburst. “Yunho, at last you’ve found someone who knows the true you.” He then put an arm around Jaejoong’ shoulders and hugged him real tight. “Nice to meet you. It’s Jaejoong right? I’m Junsu, Chunnie’s fiancé.”
With all of them laughing, they slowly led Jaejoong into the house. They led him past through heavenly rooms with western fireplaces in them until they came to a halt in front of a wide white door. Yoochun opened it. “He’s all yours.” Junsu laughed his dolphin laugh again, and then pushed Jaejoong inside while closing the door behind him.
Yunho was already in the room, their suitcases placed on the luggage racks, and there was only one bed.
“There must be a mistake,” Jaejoong said.
Yunho frowned down on the bed. “I’ve already tried to rectify this, but it’s impossible. The house is full. Every bed, cot and couch is already assigned. Look, “he continued when he saw Jaejoong’s look of apparent distrust,” if you’re afraid I’m going to jump on you in the middle of the night, I can always see if a hotel room can be found for you.”
Yunho acting like that always rubbed Jaejoong the wrong way. “Never mind. At least with a full house I can always be heard if I scream.”
Yunho gave him a half-smile before starting to unbutton his shirt. “I need to take a shower. The wedding rehearsal’s in an hour.” He then looked at Jaejoong as if expecting him to act like some heroine in a Regency romance novel who would flee at the mere thought of a man undressing.
But Jaejoong wasn’t going to let himself be intimidated. “Please don’t steam up the mirror.” He then turned away as if sharing a room with a complete stranger was of no consequence.
Chuckling, Yunho went into the bathroom, leaving the door ajar for the steam to escape.
With Yunho out of sight, Jaejoong let himself relax. As soon as he heard the shower running, he started to unpack the suitcases. It wasn’t until he was finished that he realized that out of habit, he unpacked Yunho’s suitcases too. As he put Yunho’s shoes in the closet next to his, he remembered Hyunjoong because it was such a long time since someone else’s shoes had been next to his. The thought almost made him burst to tears.
When he turned, Yunho was already there, big body encased in a robe with droplets of water still dancing in his hair, down to his neck. “I didn’t mean to unpack your suitcases, but… uh, habit I guess,” Jaejoong managed to say before hurriedly escaping to the bathroom and firmly closing the door behind him.
Jaejoong took as long as he dared in the bathroom, and he was very pleased to see that Yunho was already gone when he went out. Hurriedly getting dressed, he left the bedroom then ran down the stairs to join the rest of the wedding party who were piling up into cars to go to the church rehearsal.
All the way to the church, Jaejoong’s annoyance for Yunho build-up. If he was his fiancé, shouldn’t the other show some consideration? The only thing Yunho did was to drop him off at the front door and expect him to find his way among strangers. It’s no wonder many refused to marry him. They were obviously people of sense and intelligence.
The church rehearsal went well. That was until the end when Yunho was to be the first to start down the aisle. He was supposed to walk to the center, offer his arm to Jaejoong, then walk out with him together. Maybe he wasn’t listening or something but whatever his excuse, Jaejoong almost lost his patience when Yunho walked down the center and proceeded to walk down the aisle without him.
It was too much. “You know how Yunho is,” Jaejoong started, ”he thinks he can partner himself.”
Everyone inside the church burst into laughter and Yunho, turning, saw his mistake. With a show of gallantry, he returned, bowed and offered his arm to Jaejoong.
The rehearsal dinner was loud. At first, Jaejoong looked at is food and listened but didn’t participate in the conversations of these people who knew each other so well. Yunho sat beside him, and he was quiet too. Every once in a while, Jaejoong glanced at him and thought Yunho was looking at him too, but the other turned away quickly Jaejoong wasn’t so sure.
“Jaejoong,” Junsu asked, and the whole table went quiet. “Where is your engagement ring?”
Jaejoong didn’t hesitate before he spoke. “Yunho had bought all the store had so we’re still waiting for a new shipment of diamonds. He buys them every now and then you know.”
The diner nearly exploded with laughter, and even Yunho laughed as Yoochun patted him at the back.
“I think you ought to keep this one Yunho,” Yoochun said. “He’s a living proof that your taste has significantly improved!”
For the rest of the meal, Jaejoong wasn’t allowed to keep his silence. He was asked about his family, their business, and when they learned he was working as a typist for Yunho, they asked him how it was to be working for Jung Yunho.
“Lonely,” Jaejoong replied. “He doesn’t really need us except to type a letter once in a while.”
Throughout all this, Yunho ate his dinner is silence but Jaejoong can feel his eyes on him and even when Yoochun leaned forward to whisper something to Yunho, the latter’s eyes didn’t leave his face.
It wasn’t until they were alone in “their” room that Jaejoong thought maybe he had gone too far. “About today…” he began as Yunho walked past him out of the bathroom, “maybe I shouldn’t have-“
“Going to chicken out on me now?” Yunho asked, making Jaejoong blush because his face was very close to his.
In all honesty, Jung Yunho may have the most beautiful pair of chocolate orbs Jaejoong has ever seen and that mole above his lip was just too gorgeous to resist. “No, of course not.”
“Good. Now what did you do with my sweatpants?”
“Isn’t it a bit late for sports?”
“Unless you want me sleeping naked that’s probably your only alternative.”
“Third drawer left.” Jaejoong retorted as he scurried into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he emerged clothed in a childishly cute pink pair of jammies. Yunho was already in bed, and there was a long bolster pillow down the center of the bed. Slipping into the vacant side, Jaejoong asked, “Where did you get this?”
“Stole it.”
“So I guess some unfortunate soul is sleeping on a couch without a pillow.”
“Want me to take it back? You can sleep snuggled up with me or better yet-‘
“Good night,” Jaejoong said firmly, then turned on his side away from the other, but he was smiling as he fell asleep.
Jaejoong awoke to the sight of a gorgeous man wearing only a thick white towel around his waist, standing before the bathroom mirror shaving. In those few minutes before he awoke fully and remembered where he was, he had a vision of the same man walking towards him, giving him a kiss and tossing the towel aside to join him on the bed….
“Want to share that thought?” Yunho asked suddenly, not turning his head but looking directly at Jaejoong through the mirror.
Turning away so Yunho couldn’t see his red face, Jaejoong rolled out of bed, grabbed a robe and moved to the closet, out of the other’s line of vision.
“What do you have planned for today?” Yunho asked, coming out of the bathroom, still wearing only that white towel.
Jaejoong flung open a closet door so he couldn’t see all that glistening muscle. Does Yunho work out every day? He must have, to keep his body looking like that. And was that warm honey his natural skin color? “Shopping,” he mumbled.
“Shopping? As in Christmas shopping?” Yunho asked as he moved around the door to the closet’s other side.
“I, ah,” Jaejoong was at a loss for words, studiously looking at all his clothes but seeing nothing. “Yes, as in Christmas shopping. And a wedding gift for Chun and Su.” He took a deep breath. He had to take a hold of himself! Turning, he faced Yunho, looking directly at his eyes and using all his willpower not to move her his eyes lower. “Tomorrow is Christmas and if I’m to spend it with these people, I can’t very well turn up empty-handed. Do you know of any good shopping malls around here?”
“Yunjae’s Corner,” Yunho said quickly. “One of the best I’ve ever been. I need to buy gifts too, so I’m going with you.”
“No!” Jaejoong protested, then tried to recover himself. “ It’s just that I can concentrate better if I’m buying alone.” Though he said it, Jaejoong knew it was a big lie.
“And how will you know who to buy for? Even how many kids are here? I assume you want to buy for the kids.’
“Write down all I need to know and I’ll get it myself.” Jaejoong did not want to spend the rest of his day with this man, and it was getting hard for him to keep his eyes out of the muscles of Yunho’s chest.
“I don’t have a pencil,” Yunho said, smiling. “It’s all in my head.”
Jaejoong almost smiled back at him. “You can dictate it to me. Besides, wouldn’t you rather stay here and play football with your friends?”
“I am a fat, out-of-shape desk jockey and if I play football with my friends they’d cream me.”
At that, Jaejoong did laugh, for there was no person who was less out of shape than he was.
Without waiting for a reply, Yunho grabbed a terry cloth robe form the closet, put it on, then kissed Jaejoong on the cheek. “Pick out some clothes for me, please?” The request was accompanied by uber-cute puppy eyes. ‘I have some calls to make. I’ll be back for you in thirty minutes.”
Before Jaejoong could protest, he was out the room, the door closing behind him. However, by the time her mind completed the thought of complaining, he had draped a pair of dark wool trousers, an Italian shirt, and a heavenly sweater across the bed. Shaking his head in disgust at himself, Jaejoong went into the bathroom.
An hour later, after a quick breakfast, he and Yunho were walking towards the rental car, and on the grounds were Yoochun, Junsu and the others playing football. Yoochun called out to Yunho, asking him to play with them.
“Jaejoong’s forcing me to go shopping with him!” Yunho yelled back.
“Ha! Like I’d need someone to go shopping with me, right? Truth is, he’s afraid to stay here and play ‘coz you might hurt him!”
Ignoring the laughter of the others, Yunho shouted, “What do you want us to get you for a wedding gift?”
“From you, Yunho?” Junsu called. “An Audi. But from Jae, we’ll take anything he offers.”
Feeling flattered of the open friendship, Jaejoong smiled brilliantly at them, and smiled even more when he noticed that Yunho was frowning.
By the time they arrived at the mall, Jaejoong was in a very good mood.
“Where do we begin?” he asked as soon as they entered the mall. Looking up at him, he saw that characteristic shrug that meant he was in charge. “Elephant time,” he muttered.
“I beg your pardon,” Yunho said stiffly.
“It’s what I’d like to call that attitude of yours where you would refuse to participate in deciding what to buy anyone, but that you’ll carry anything I handed you. You know, just like an elephant
For a moment, Yunho seemed to consider this, then he slowly lifted his right arm, clenched his fist and made his biceps bulge through the material of his sweater. “I can carry anything you can pack on to me.”
Jaejoong laughed. “We’ll see about that. By the way, if you said ‘we’ are gonna give the gifts, who’s gonna pay for all these?”
“Me?” Yunho replied mockingly, as if he’d always paid for all the things Jaejoong bought.
“Perfect,” Jaejoong said happily. “My choice, your money.”
“Just give me a kiss now and then. I know I’ll feel better.”
Jaejoong could only laugh.
Three hours later, Jaejoong was exhausted but totally exhilarated. He’d completely underestimated how it was like to shop with a typical guy like Yunho. He never wanted to take time to consider which of anything was better. “This one,” he’d say, or, “What does it matter?” When it came to suggestions, he can never get past the music store. Twice Jaejoong had Yunho sit on benches, surrounded by shopping bags, while he went into stores and purchased sets of soaps and lotions, fruits, shirts and cheese baskets. The funny thing was, he almost couldn’t get Yunho out of the toy stores, where the latter bought 3-D puzzles of the world landmarks. They visited all nine toy stores and made purchases from each one, so many that Jaejoong thought they’d bought more toys than there were children.
“Does lunch come with this trip?” Yunho asked after they’d visited the last toy store the mall has to offer.
“Are you sure you want to eat? I think there was a toy car left in that last store. Want us to go back and buy it?”
“Food, Jaejoong!” he growled, leading the way to a cozy café, where they placed their orders and found a place where Yunho could put all the shopping bags because he wouldn’t allow Jaejoong to carry even one.
“You’re a good elephant,” Jaejoong complimented as soon as they sat down.
In the middle of their meal, Yunho asked, “ About that plan you have for the department store, what are your financials? And don’t tell me you haven’t worked it out yet, because I know you already did.”
“Well, I’ve done a bit of number crunching.”
“When we get back home, you can put them on my desk and then I’ll-“ Yunho broke off because Jaejoong reached inside his bag and removed a computer disc. Taking it, Yunho looked down and frowned, “When were you going to present me with this?”
Jaejoong stilled. He knew what the other meant. He thought this was the real reason why he agreed to this weekend. Narrowing his eyes, Jaejoong snatched the disc out of his hands. “That was never my intention, thank you very much. I can handle this on my own. I wasn’t planning to use it as bait to get to you.”
Angrily, Jaejoong stood up and grabbed his coat. “Excuse me but I think all this is a mistake. I better leave now.”
Yunho caught his arm and pulled him back down. “I’m sorry. I apologize. Really, I do.”
“Would you please let go of my hand?”
“No, because you’ll run.”
“Then I’ll scream.”
“No, you won’t. That just isn’t you, Jae.”
Hearing Yunho call him by the nickname Hyunjoong called him brought tears to his eyes.
Mistaking that the tears in Jaejoong’s eyes was because of him, Yunho’s hand moved so that his fingers were intertwined with Jaejoong’s, and the latter made no attempt to pull away as Yunho’s hand held his, providing him with the comfort he so needed.
“Look, I know what you think of me, but it isn’t true.” Pausing a moment, Yunho looked down at their hands still intertwined. “All those prenuptial agreements were just to see if my fiancé would sign.”
Jaejoong looked at him in disbelief.
“Honest. If any of them had signed I’d have torn it up immediately. But all I heard was, ‘Daddy doesn’t want me to sign,” or, “My lawyer advises me not to sign.’ All I wanted was to be sure that it was me they wanted, not my family’s wealth.”
“Rather a hateful trick, wasn’t it?”
“Not as hateful as marrying me for money. And what if we had kids?”
Inspite of himself, Jaejoong can feel himself curling his fingers around Yunho’s. “And what about Yoojin?”
"Yoojin was different,” Yunho said softly, then pulled his hand away.
As Jaejoong opened his mouth to ask another question, Yunho interrupted him. “Ready?” and he abruptly stood up to pick the shopping bags.
A/N: *bows head 90 degrees* really sorry for the sloooowww update. there's been a massive amount of schoolwork for me lately. XD don't know if you're still interested but I tried my best to finish typing this update. hehe thanks for all those who commented and read. XD