As Red Eyes Stare Through The Night [4][YunJae]
Title: As Red Eyes Stare Through The Night
Pairing/Characters: YunJae, Yoochun, Changmin, Junsu
Rating: R
Warning: Character deaths (just minors..; do I need to warn for already dead characters?), Violence
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except of the story idea.
Summary: Jaejoong was torn out of his own quiet world when he saw someone else take away a life for the first time. That was the start. Now, as he kills people for a living, he finds out more about his past than he had ever wanted.
AN: This chapter is a little too long, I think, but I wanted to include the last part :D
Also, if you like to, please tell me what questions you have now after this chapter. I'm afraid I forget to clear up some secrets - or important plot - in the end, so therefore it would be nice if you could tell me questions about what you wonder and dont know yet. like: 'Why is Yunho alive?' or 'What happened back then?' Everything you can think about helps me. Of course, you don't need to do it, but it would be nice and you would help me a lot. This story is kinda difficult for me. So thanks to everyone :)
Jaejoong had been wrong. A three hour drive and his shoulder was killing him. He had to stop and take a break. And that was when the black-winged kite found him. "Are you going back? Yoochun is probably waiting already."
"Yunho said, I shouldn't give the box to anyone," Jaejoong said thoughtfully. "Yunho is alive. I still don't get it into my head. I didn't want to believe it back then, but now, I know who I met. It was him!"
"But you also know that he was lying, right? Yoochun's phone showed that he was talking to Yunho and Yunho denied it."
"I know," Jaejoong said, a sigh escaping his lips.
"It probably wasn't the only time he had lied to you," the bird said, his white head stretching towards the sky.
"Definitely not the first either," agreed Jaejoong miserably.
As the kite saw the change in Jaejoong's mood, he took a few swings with his wings and landed on his shoulder for comfort. Jaejoong was thankful. The kite really helped him to not feel so lonely.
"What does the box mean though?" Jaejoong asked absentmindedly, trying his best to change the subject.
"Who knows? More than suspicious. That map, that ammunition."
"Maybe," Jaejoong looked around to make sure no one else was here with them to listen in. "Maybe, it's a conspiracy. The Shim's had it. Perhaps Yoochun wanted me to get it to prevent them from killing someone in the Blue House. Maybe they had planned on killing the president. Even Yunho said I should keep the box safe, right?"
"You still trust him?"
"I-" Jaejoong hesitated. No, of course, he didn't. But Yunho must have had a reason for telling him so, right?
"But what do you want to do now?" the kite asked him. Jaejoong had no answer to that.
-----
He was happy to finally be home again.
It looked like rain outside as Jaejoong's phone vibrated, announcing an incoming call. Jaejoong pulled it out of his pocket and answered. "Hello?"
"It's me, Junsu. Hey, you back?" He was Jaejoong's closest friend ever since he started working there.
"Yeah, packing my stuff. I'm almost on my way to the company," said Jaejoong as he opened the red box. He took the contents out and stashed them under his bed into a small bag. He went to get some ammunition from his own supply and put it inside, after wearing a pair of gloves. Next, he folded an old map of Japan from one of his visits there, and tried his best to make it all look as if it had been stored there for years.
"To meet up with Yoochun?" the voice from his phone asked.
"Exactly. Gonna bring in something and report back." Jaejoong closed the box and locked it, hiding the key in the small bag as well.
"How are you by the way?" Junsu asked.
Jaejoong removed the gloves and put it on a table, before retrieving his short black coat. "Fine. And you? How's work?" He locked the front door, after taking the box, and left.
The wind was cold as it blew through Jaejoong's hair. The sun was hidden behind gray clouds.
"Me, too. Yoochun is stressing about something for the last week. He looks exhausted and worn. I wonder what's going on," said Junsu. His voice sounded tired as well.
"Really? Maybe it's nothing. Don't worry," Jaejoong offered, encouraging.
Junsu wasn't convinced, Jaejoong wasn't convinced either, but they ignored it. "Want to come over tonight? Have some drinks," Junsu asked to change the subject.
"Sure. I have to hang up now, though. Let's say 9 tonight. See you," Jaejoong said before hanging up. He had reached the company now and directly went to Yoochun's office.
"Who's there?" Yoochun's voice came from behind the door.
"It's me, Jaejoong."
"Come in, then." Jaejoong opened the door and entered the room. "Finally. So where's the box?"
"Here," Jaejoong handed it over immediately.
Yoochun tried to open it, but didn't succeed. "It's locked," he realized with a critical look first at the box, then directed at Jaejoong.
"But it's the same box on the photo. When you shake it a little, you can hear that something's inside. Probably ammo, I think," Jaejoong lied, and he thought he did a decent job at that. Suddenly, his phone started vibrating in his pocket. Jaejoong couldn't answered it right now, though. He would check when he left the office.
"So you haven't found any key?" Yoochun asked, his eyebrows raised.
"No." Jaejoong stood tall and strong, making himself appear more truthful and sure with what he said. Yoochun's critical stare was piercing through him, trying to take him apart, to find out if he was telling the truth, but Jaejoong had to have been good at lying for quite some time. Neither his face nor his eyes or his body language betrayed him.
"Well, we get it open anyway. Thank you." Yoochun put it aside with those words. "How's your shoulder?"
"It's healing," Jaejoong answered. If one didn't know he was injuried, one wouldn't expect from the way he moved. He tried hard not to show that it distracted him slightly and that he couldn't move it freely.
"Okay, get some rest then," said Yoochun with a nod and dismissed him.
Jaejoong left the office and made his way towards the elevator as someone called his name.
"Yes?" Jaejoong turned around.
"Oh, you're here. That's good. I tried calling you just now. Follow me into my office," his boss said. Jaejoong had no choice but to obey. He wondered what was up, but probably just the usual, although he remembered that he knew something his boss didn't. It made Jaejoong feel good, actually, more powerful and secretive. He liked it.
His boss gestured towards a chair while sitting behind his own desk. After getting more comfortable, he started, "I have another mission. You had two weeks off now after all."
So he really didn't know about Jaejoong's last mission, now he knew for sure. He wondered why Yoochun had kept it a secret though.
"Here are some documents on it. This young man needs to be taken off his high horse. I want him dead as soon as possible. We followed and tracked his every movement for the last three years. You met him once at that time, remember?"
Yes, Jaejoong did remember all too well. He had met him as the man had killed an innocent being.
"We know he will attend a meeting in Busan," his boss continued. "You have to do it while he is there. It's difficult because of all the security, but someone broke into his mansion a few days ago and killed a lot of people including his own mother. The security there will be ten times worse now, so Busan is our best go at it. We need to act quickly and I know you look forward to finally having your revenge for your friend's death."
Jaejoong nodded, not showing a smile or any emotion at all, keeping it strictly professional. "Understood."
"Good, you can leave now."
-----
"You've already been assigned to a new mission? You haven't even been here for two days," Junsu exclaimed as Jaejoong took another sip of his soju.
"Yeah, it sucks, I guess," muttered the other one.
"Damn, maybe I should talk to Yoochun about it. He could speak to the boss," Junsu suggested, but Jaejoong shook his head.
"I looked forward to this mission for years, you know? Something's come up and we can't wait any longer. The boss needs me to do it now. He wouldn't let me rest." Jaejoong looked down at his drink before gulping it down in one go. "But now, I have some doubts," Jaejoong admitted after some silence.
"So it's a personal mission," Junsu concluded with a nod and took a gulp of his own drink.
"Yeah, it is," said Jaejoong, his voice becoming smaller, quieter. He had trouble deciding if he wanted to do it or not. Of course, it was just a job to be done, but usually, he had no doubts about it. He just followed his boss' orders, but this time, he should kill Shim Changmin. He had wanted to do this for so long, the urge always having been under his skin, tickling in his fingers, but now, everything had changed. Yunho was alive. Changmin had tried to kill him, but hadn't succeeded and afterwards, his family had taken care of Yunho. Was that still a good enough reason to end his life? He didn't even know if it was the truth, but if it was, then what? "I shouldn't talk to you about it," he eventually concluded, more to himself than Junsu, trying to turn off his own feelings about it. No, he didn't even want to think about it right now. He needed time to let it sink in and organize his thoughts, so Jaejoong took another another sip to drown them.
-----
"What shall I do? I shouldn't be feeling this nervous, this..wrong," Jaejoong muttered under his breath as he paced up and down next to his harley. He was at a rest stop. Luckily, not many people were around.
The black-winged kite settled down on his motorcycle, his eyes staring into Jaejoong's. Usually, Jaejoong wasn't moved by the red orbs, but today it made him feel as if the bird could directly look into his soul and to be honest, it scared him, thus he looked away. "Get a grip! You finally get your chance. Even if Yunho didn't die, Changmin did enough. He didn't only take him away from you, he killed a lot of innocent people, as well. Do you think he should get away with that?"
Jaejoong turned to meet the bird's eyes. They stared, not moving for quite some time, before Jaejoong eventually decided. "You're right. A lot of people had to suffer and die because of him. It's just a job and my time is running out, before Changmin will be surrounded by too many security guards."
With that, he sat on his harley, started the engine and headed for Busan.
-----
"There he is," the kite whispered as he settled down on Jaejoong's shoulder. "He is there with him, Jae. And six guards."
Jaejoong swallowed. He was leaning against the wall of a building, surrounded by enough people not to make him look suspicious as he watched the group pass by on the other site of the street and enter a big hotel.
Jaejoong turned away and quickly disappeared down the street and into an isolated alley way. "My best chance will be when he is in his room. There, the guards won't watch his every move," he said quietly as he took up a spot from where he could observe the hotel more closely. "His room will probably be on a higher floor. It'll be difficult to get there. Can you check the roof for me?"
The kite agreed readily before taking off. Jaejoong continued to watch the building for some time. It was just early in the morning, Changmin would be leaving the hotel again in a few hours and for that Jaejoong was waiting.
The kite eventually returned. "Nothing up there. I doubt you can get from there to his room," he informed.
-----
Jaejoong saw Changmin and four guards leave the hotel. It wasn't what he had hoped for, but it was better than nothing. He had to go and check the inside out now to form a plan.
"I hope for you that you don't run into any of the others," the kite muttered, but Jaejoong was not only careful, but had a black beanie pulled as far into his forehead as possible. The rest of his bangs covered his eyes. The coat made him look formal enough, so that the hotel receptionist wouldn't wonder about him. He looked like some high-class famous guest. "I won't," he replied lazily, his head already taking every last little detail in that he might need for his mission as he approached the hotel entrance.
As expected, there were too many people and he blended right in. No one cared for him as he headed for the front desk, an idea popping into his mind. Actually, if Yunho was still here, it would be perfect. "Excuse me, ma'am, Jung Yunho expects me for an urgent meeting. I'm a little late and hadn't time to look up his room number. I directly came from another important meeting, so could you help me out, please?" he asked, flashing his most charming smile.
"I'm not allowed to give out that kind of information, but I could call his room, if you like, sir," she offered with a smile of her own. Good enough, Jaejoong thought, and agreed. "That would be too kind. Thank you very much." What are you doing?! was ringing in his head, but he pushed that thought away. It was perfect like this. He had to try.
The young woman dialed the number and waited. "I need your name, sir," she whispered while listening for a voice on the other line.
Jaejoong's mind acted quickly. It would be risky, but he had no better idea. "It's Park Yoochun." If Yunho had been lying and he and Yoochun had been talking, it meant that they stayed in contact. Maybe Yunho would think that Yoochun appearing out of the blue wasn't so strange and invited him in.
"Hello, mister Jung, sir. Mister Park Yoochun is here to see you about the urgent meeting," the woman said as Yunho obviously had picked up the phone. "Yes, I send him up immediately. Thank you, bye, sir." She set the phone aside and faced Jaejoong once more. "His room number is 831, that's the eigth floor. You can take that elevator there, sir." She pointed towards it and Jaejoong thanked her again before making his way towards that one. He pressed the button for the seventh floor though. If Yunho really thought, Yoochun was here to see him, he might be waiting in the hallway for him to arrive. Jaejoong couldn't risk it, so he left the elevator one floor earlier and took the stairs. As he got to the eigth floor, he looked around the corner. No one was there. Changmin's room probably was next to Yunho's.
Actually, Jaejoong was just here to check the inside out, but a plan formed in his head. He had the chance to take Changmin out today. Now that he was so close to his room already, he didn't know if he could make it there once again. Not when Yunho found out, that he had been tricked. Jaejoong had to act on it now. Luckily, he was prepared for anything. With a swift look to his side, he realized that he was close to Yunho's room. Still, no one seemed to come out of any room. Yunho was waiting inside for Yoochun to knock.
So Jaejoong strode further down the hallway until he reached the door. He listened. Someone was indeed inside. He could only hope that the other two guards weren't with him. Or that Yunho already knew that Yoochun couldn't be there right now. That would probably mean Jaejoong's own death.
He knocked, before he could tell himself how stupid this was. He wasn't prepared. He had no real plan that he had gone through in his head from a safe distance. There were so many things that could go wrong. This wasn't his safest option by far. But maybe, maybe that didn't matter right now.
Jaejoong heard how the door was unlocked. He had his knife in his left hand which wasn't fully usable, but he needed his right one to push the door open and get a good grip on the other one. As soon as the door went open, Jaejoong jumped in and pushed Yunho around, doing just as he had planned. His right arm wrapped around Yunho's throat and his left hovered over the skin there.
Yunho gasped in surprise, as Jaejoong kicked the door shut. "Don't scream or you're dead," he warned and Yunho obeyed.
Jaejoong quickly took in the room. Yunho had been alone without any of the guards left. Now he could tie Yunho up - or kill him - and hopefully find a key card of Changmin's room, which probably was next door. Otherwise, he would just wait here until his victim returned. He would come to Yunho's room at one time or another and that was his chance.
The room looked nice, Jaejoong had to admit. The furniture seemed expensive and the light-brown walls gave off a cozy feeling. The black-winged kite passed outside the window and Jaejoong was momentarily distracted, wondering how it had found him so quickly. He hadn't anticipated Yunho's struggle then, though. Jaejoong's shoulder stopped him from getting Yunho under control as he violently pushed the arm with the knife away. Jaejoong hissed as he tried to secure the grip with his right hand instead, but Yunho, having the advantage of two uninjuried arms, was able to free himself.
"You dirty liar," were his first words while taking out his own knife.
"I could say the fucking same of you!" Jaejoong grinded out but his face was twisted in pain, his right hand pressed carefully to his shoulder. It obviously wasn't as healed as he had thought. To his surprise, Yunho didn't call his guards, or attack him. He put his knife down, his face showing some kind of emotion. Concern? Jaejoong didn't know and he surely didn't feel the same.
"Are you hurt?"
Jaejoong didn't answer.
"Jae, what are you doing here anyway?" Jaejoong felt the other one's eyes stare into him. Was this the reason why he went in here in the first place? Maybe he just wanted to see Yunho and talk to him. Maybe he wanted him to explain, so that Jaejoong could decide if it was right to kill Changmin or not, so that he could finally lose his doubts. "What happened after Changmin shot you? Why has there been a furneral?"
"Because..," Yunho hesitated, a sigh slipping from his lips. "It was safer if everyone thought I was dead."
"But why? Safe from what?"
"I can't tell you that."
"And why did you never try to contact me at least? I cried for you at your grave. I cried a lot, why couldn't you tell me you were fucking alive, damn it?" Jaejoong's voice rose at the end from distress. Anger was covering his deep hurt, which only grew by every passing minute he spend with Yunho. Damn, the other one made him fall apart. He had to get a grip on himself quickly.
"It was too dangerous. You would have been used against me. You would have been killed," Yunho admitted slowly, as if he wasn't sure if he should tell Jaejoong that or not.
"We had nothing to do with each other anymore before you were shot and supposedly killed," Jaejoong muttered coldly. His eyes were piercing into Yunho's.
"You know just as well as I do that it's not true. Even though we broke up, I still cared for you deeply, and you cared for me, too," Yunho said. No one moved. Yunho didn't dare take a step closer to Jaejoong who was like a wounded cat, still dangerous to approach.
"I don't understand. From whom are you running, Yunho?" Jaejoong's voice was unexpectedly soft and sad.
"Please, Jaejoong, why are you here? I still don't want them to know about us," Yunho whispered, just standing there with his beautiful eyes staring back into Jaejoong's. And Jaejoong's heart melted. He hated the man in front of him. He hated him so much for making him feel like this, still.
"I didn't plan on coming to you," Jaejoong admitted. "I just..need to know if Changmin helped you. If he was there for you."
"Changmin's my best friend. We grew close over the last three years. I couldn't show myself in public for most of the time after all. He and his family helped me so much, I'm very grateful to them," Yunho reluctantly told him.
"Why did he shoot you then?"
"Because he deemed me to be someone else. I don't hold any grudge against him for that."
"So I see," Jaejoong mumbled. No, deep inside, he was so happy that Yunho was alive. He couldn't take away Changmin.
"Jaejoong, what's with your arm? Just sit down, I won't do anything, I promise," Yunho said and after considering the offer for a few seconds, Jaejoong sank down on the bed. He put his knife away and pulled his jacket and shirt off far enough to look at the wound. The bandage had turned red. Fucking stupid wound was open again. Now, Yunho knew, he was injuried anyway. If he wanted to kill him, he could do it anyway, so Jaejoong could just as well tell him. "I was shot in the shoulder. It doesn't seem to heal as good as I had hoped."
"I have a first-aid kit in here somewhere. Do you need anything?" Yunho asked with worry on his face, making him look strange, unfamilar.
"I- Yeah, a new bandage would be nice and some ointment," Jaejoong said as he started to undress his upper half while Yunho started to look for the first-aid kit. He barely even felt the pain though. A different fire was burning inside him.
Jaejoong removed the bandage which was now soaked in blood at that one spot and tried to clear his wound a little, pressing the clean part of the clothing to stop the bleeding.
Yunho returned with the kit and handed Jaejoong the ointment who immediately started to put it on his injury. Yunho watched him closely, but didn't say anything or dare lay a hand on Jaejoong who now started to wrap it all up with a new bandage. As he looked up, Yunho met him with a small smile.
"Thanks," Jaejoong said slowly. It felt awkward, sitting here, half of his body undressed, with Yunho of all people. Jaejoong couldn't help but be bothered by the warmth in his cheeks. He just hoped, Yunho didn't notice. "I probably should leave now."
"You can stay a little longer if you want to," Yunho quickly suggested. Jaejoong desperately wanted to say yes. After all, he had missed him way too much as well, but he knew he should go. He had to think up a believable reason why he couldn't complete this mission. "No."
"Okay." Yunho looked more upset than Jaejoong had expected and it hurt his own heart as well.
"Do you think we can stay in touch now that I know you are alive anyway?" Jaejoong tentatively asked, but as soon as those words had left his lips, he wanted to jump out the window.
"I can give you my number if you want, but I'm afraid they'll try to track my calls," Yunho told him sadly.
"You still can't tell me who 'they' are?" Jaejoong asked again, but just as before, Yunho refused.
"Wait, there might be a way. If you want, we can meet again. Here." Yunho scribbled down an address, his handwriting still just as messy as it was three years ago. "We can meet there. I'll stay at that hotel from the 13th till the 17th."
"I will see what I can do," Jaejoong said, not sure if he should meet Yunho again, although his heart more than wanted to.
"I hope you come," Yunho said as he squeezed Jaejoong's right shoulder as the other man stood up. "Goodbye," he said before leaving the room.
Pairing/Characters: YunJae, Yoochun, Changmin, Junsu
Rating: R
Warning: Character deaths (just minors..; do I need to warn for already dead characters?), Violence
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except of the story idea.
Summary: Jaejoong was torn out of his own quiet world when he saw someone else take away a life for the first time. That was the start. Now, as he kills people for a living, he finds out more about his past than he had ever wanted.
AN: This chapter is a little too long, I think, but I wanted to include the last part :D
Also, if you like to, please tell me what questions you have now after this chapter. I'm afraid I forget to clear up some secrets - or important plot - in the end, so therefore it would be nice if you could tell me questions about what you wonder and dont know yet. like: 'Why is Yunho alive?' or 'What happened back then?' Everything you can think about helps me. Of course, you don't need to do it, but it would be nice and you would help me a lot. This story is kinda difficult for me. So thanks to everyone :)
Jaejoong had been wrong. A three hour drive and his shoulder was killing him. He had to stop and take a break. And that was when the black-winged kite found him. "Are you going back? Yoochun is probably waiting already."
"Yunho said, I shouldn't give the box to anyone," Jaejoong said thoughtfully. "Yunho is alive. I still don't get it into my head. I didn't want to believe it back then, but now, I know who I met. It was him!"
"But you also know that he was lying, right? Yoochun's phone showed that he was talking to Yunho and Yunho denied it."
"I know," Jaejoong said, a sigh escaping his lips.
"It probably wasn't the only time he had lied to you," the bird said, his white head stretching towards the sky.
"Definitely not the first either," agreed Jaejoong miserably.
As the kite saw the change in Jaejoong's mood, he took a few swings with his wings and landed on his shoulder for comfort. Jaejoong was thankful. The kite really helped him to not feel so lonely.
"What does the box mean though?" Jaejoong asked absentmindedly, trying his best to change the subject.
"Who knows? More than suspicious. That map, that ammunition."
"Maybe," Jaejoong looked around to make sure no one else was here with them to listen in. "Maybe, it's a conspiracy. The Shim's had it. Perhaps Yoochun wanted me to get it to prevent them from killing someone in the Blue House. Maybe they had planned on killing the president. Even Yunho said I should keep the box safe, right?"
"You still trust him?"
"I-" Jaejoong hesitated. No, of course, he didn't. But Yunho must have had a reason for telling him so, right?
"But what do you want to do now?" the kite asked him. Jaejoong had no answer to that.
-----
He was happy to finally be home again.
It looked like rain outside as Jaejoong's phone vibrated, announcing an incoming call. Jaejoong pulled it out of his pocket and answered. "Hello?"
"It's me, Junsu. Hey, you back?" He was Jaejoong's closest friend ever since he started working there.
"Yeah, packing my stuff. I'm almost on my way to the company," said Jaejoong as he opened the red box. He took the contents out and stashed them under his bed into a small bag. He went to get some ammunition from his own supply and put it inside, after wearing a pair of gloves. Next, he folded an old map of Japan from one of his visits there, and tried his best to make it all look as if it had been stored there for years.
"To meet up with Yoochun?" the voice from his phone asked.
"Exactly. Gonna bring in something and report back." Jaejoong closed the box and locked it, hiding the key in the small bag as well.
"How are you by the way?" Junsu asked.
Jaejoong removed the gloves and put it on a table, before retrieving his short black coat. "Fine. And you? How's work?" He locked the front door, after taking the box, and left.
The wind was cold as it blew through Jaejoong's hair. The sun was hidden behind gray clouds.
"Me, too. Yoochun is stressing about something for the last week. He looks exhausted and worn. I wonder what's going on," said Junsu. His voice sounded tired as well.
"Really? Maybe it's nothing. Don't worry," Jaejoong offered, encouraging.
Junsu wasn't convinced, Jaejoong wasn't convinced either, but they ignored it. "Want to come over tonight? Have some drinks," Junsu asked to change the subject.
"Sure. I have to hang up now, though. Let's say 9 tonight. See you," Jaejoong said before hanging up. He had reached the company now and directly went to Yoochun's office.
"Who's there?" Yoochun's voice came from behind the door.
"It's me, Jaejoong."
"Come in, then." Jaejoong opened the door and entered the room. "Finally. So where's the box?"
"Here," Jaejoong handed it over immediately.
Yoochun tried to open it, but didn't succeed. "It's locked," he realized with a critical look first at the box, then directed at Jaejoong.
"But it's the same box on the photo. When you shake it a little, you can hear that something's inside. Probably ammo, I think," Jaejoong lied, and he thought he did a decent job at that. Suddenly, his phone started vibrating in his pocket. Jaejoong couldn't answered it right now, though. He would check when he left the office.
"So you haven't found any key?" Yoochun asked, his eyebrows raised.
"No." Jaejoong stood tall and strong, making himself appear more truthful and sure with what he said. Yoochun's critical stare was piercing through him, trying to take him apart, to find out if he was telling the truth, but Jaejoong had to have been good at lying for quite some time. Neither his face nor his eyes or his body language betrayed him.
"Well, we get it open anyway. Thank you." Yoochun put it aside with those words. "How's your shoulder?"
"It's healing," Jaejoong answered. If one didn't know he was injuried, one wouldn't expect from the way he moved. He tried hard not to show that it distracted him slightly and that he couldn't move it freely.
"Okay, get some rest then," said Yoochun with a nod and dismissed him.
Jaejoong left the office and made his way towards the elevator as someone called his name.
"Yes?" Jaejoong turned around.
"Oh, you're here. That's good. I tried calling you just now. Follow me into my office," his boss said. Jaejoong had no choice but to obey. He wondered what was up, but probably just the usual, although he remembered that he knew something his boss didn't. It made Jaejoong feel good, actually, more powerful and secretive. He liked it.
His boss gestured towards a chair while sitting behind his own desk. After getting more comfortable, he started, "I have another mission. You had two weeks off now after all."
So he really didn't know about Jaejoong's last mission, now he knew for sure. He wondered why Yoochun had kept it a secret though.
"Here are some documents on it. This young man needs to be taken off his high horse. I want him dead as soon as possible. We followed and tracked his every movement for the last three years. You met him once at that time, remember?"
Yes, Jaejoong did remember all too well. He had met him as the man had killed an innocent being.
"We know he will attend a meeting in Busan," his boss continued. "You have to do it while he is there. It's difficult because of all the security, but someone broke into his mansion a few days ago and killed a lot of people including his own mother. The security there will be ten times worse now, so Busan is our best go at it. We need to act quickly and I know you look forward to finally having your revenge for your friend's death."
Jaejoong nodded, not showing a smile or any emotion at all, keeping it strictly professional. "Understood."
"Good, you can leave now."
-----
"You've already been assigned to a new mission? You haven't even been here for two days," Junsu exclaimed as Jaejoong took another sip of his soju.
"Yeah, it sucks, I guess," muttered the other one.
"Damn, maybe I should talk to Yoochun about it. He could speak to the boss," Junsu suggested, but Jaejoong shook his head.
"I looked forward to this mission for years, you know? Something's come up and we can't wait any longer. The boss needs me to do it now. He wouldn't let me rest." Jaejoong looked down at his drink before gulping it down in one go. "But now, I have some doubts," Jaejoong admitted after some silence.
"So it's a personal mission," Junsu concluded with a nod and took a gulp of his own drink.
"Yeah, it is," said Jaejoong, his voice becoming smaller, quieter. He had trouble deciding if he wanted to do it or not. Of course, it was just a job to be done, but usually, he had no doubts about it. He just followed his boss' orders, but this time, he should kill Shim Changmin. He had wanted to do this for so long, the urge always having been under his skin, tickling in his fingers, but now, everything had changed. Yunho was alive. Changmin had tried to kill him, but hadn't succeeded and afterwards, his family had taken care of Yunho. Was that still a good enough reason to end his life? He didn't even know if it was the truth, but if it was, then what? "I shouldn't talk to you about it," he eventually concluded, more to himself than Junsu, trying to turn off his own feelings about it. No, he didn't even want to think about it right now. He needed time to let it sink in and organize his thoughts, so Jaejoong took another another sip to drown them.
-----
"What shall I do? I shouldn't be feeling this nervous, this..wrong," Jaejoong muttered under his breath as he paced up and down next to his harley. He was at a rest stop. Luckily, not many people were around.
The black-winged kite settled down on his motorcycle, his eyes staring into Jaejoong's. Usually, Jaejoong wasn't moved by the red orbs, but today it made him feel as if the bird could directly look into his soul and to be honest, it scared him, thus he looked away. "Get a grip! You finally get your chance. Even if Yunho didn't die, Changmin did enough. He didn't only take him away from you, he killed a lot of innocent people, as well. Do you think he should get away with that?"
Jaejoong turned to meet the bird's eyes. They stared, not moving for quite some time, before Jaejoong eventually decided. "You're right. A lot of people had to suffer and die because of him. It's just a job and my time is running out, before Changmin will be surrounded by too many security guards."
With that, he sat on his harley, started the engine and headed for Busan.
-----
"There he is," the kite whispered as he settled down on Jaejoong's shoulder. "He is there with him, Jae. And six guards."
Jaejoong swallowed. He was leaning against the wall of a building, surrounded by enough people not to make him look suspicious as he watched the group pass by on the other site of the street and enter a big hotel.
Jaejoong turned away and quickly disappeared down the street and into an isolated alley way. "My best chance will be when he is in his room. There, the guards won't watch his every move," he said quietly as he took up a spot from where he could observe the hotel more closely. "His room will probably be on a higher floor. It'll be difficult to get there. Can you check the roof for me?"
The kite agreed readily before taking off. Jaejoong continued to watch the building for some time. It was just early in the morning, Changmin would be leaving the hotel again in a few hours and for that Jaejoong was waiting.
The kite eventually returned. "Nothing up there. I doubt you can get from there to his room," he informed.
-----
Jaejoong saw Changmin and four guards leave the hotel. It wasn't what he had hoped for, but it was better than nothing. He had to go and check the inside out now to form a plan.
"I hope for you that you don't run into any of the others," the kite muttered, but Jaejoong was not only careful, but had a black beanie pulled as far into his forehead as possible. The rest of his bangs covered his eyes. The coat made him look formal enough, so that the hotel receptionist wouldn't wonder about him. He looked like some high-class famous guest. "I won't," he replied lazily, his head already taking every last little detail in that he might need for his mission as he approached the hotel entrance.
As expected, there were too many people and he blended right in. No one cared for him as he headed for the front desk, an idea popping into his mind. Actually, if Yunho was still here, it would be perfect. "Excuse me, ma'am, Jung Yunho expects me for an urgent meeting. I'm a little late and hadn't time to look up his room number. I directly came from another important meeting, so could you help me out, please?" he asked, flashing his most charming smile.
"I'm not allowed to give out that kind of information, but I could call his room, if you like, sir," she offered with a smile of her own. Good enough, Jaejoong thought, and agreed. "That would be too kind. Thank you very much." What are you doing?! was ringing in his head, but he pushed that thought away. It was perfect like this. He had to try.
The young woman dialed the number and waited. "I need your name, sir," she whispered while listening for a voice on the other line.
Jaejoong's mind acted quickly. It would be risky, but he had no better idea. "It's Park Yoochun." If Yunho had been lying and he and Yoochun had been talking, it meant that they stayed in contact. Maybe Yunho would think that Yoochun appearing out of the blue wasn't so strange and invited him in.
"Hello, mister Jung, sir. Mister Park Yoochun is here to see you about the urgent meeting," the woman said as Yunho obviously had picked up the phone. "Yes, I send him up immediately. Thank you, bye, sir." She set the phone aside and faced Jaejoong once more. "His room number is 831, that's the eigth floor. You can take that elevator there, sir." She pointed towards it and Jaejoong thanked her again before making his way towards that one. He pressed the button for the seventh floor though. If Yunho really thought, Yoochun was here to see him, he might be waiting in the hallway for him to arrive. Jaejoong couldn't risk it, so he left the elevator one floor earlier and took the stairs. As he got to the eigth floor, he looked around the corner. No one was there. Changmin's room probably was next to Yunho's.
Actually, Jaejoong was just here to check the inside out, but a plan formed in his head. He had the chance to take Changmin out today. Now that he was so close to his room already, he didn't know if he could make it there once again. Not when Yunho found out, that he had been tricked. Jaejoong had to act on it now. Luckily, he was prepared for anything. With a swift look to his side, he realized that he was close to Yunho's room. Still, no one seemed to come out of any room. Yunho was waiting inside for Yoochun to knock.
So Jaejoong strode further down the hallway until he reached the door. He listened. Someone was indeed inside. He could only hope that the other two guards weren't with him. Or that Yunho already knew that Yoochun couldn't be there right now. That would probably mean Jaejoong's own death.
He knocked, before he could tell himself how stupid this was. He wasn't prepared. He had no real plan that he had gone through in his head from a safe distance. There were so many things that could go wrong. This wasn't his safest option by far. But maybe, maybe that didn't matter right now.
Jaejoong heard how the door was unlocked. He had his knife in his left hand which wasn't fully usable, but he needed his right one to push the door open and get a good grip on the other one. As soon as the door went open, Jaejoong jumped in and pushed Yunho around, doing just as he had planned. His right arm wrapped around Yunho's throat and his left hovered over the skin there.
Yunho gasped in surprise, as Jaejoong kicked the door shut. "Don't scream or you're dead," he warned and Yunho obeyed.
Jaejoong quickly took in the room. Yunho had been alone without any of the guards left. Now he could tie Yunho up - or kill him - and hopefully find a key card of Changmin's room, which probably was next door. Otherwise, he would just wait here until his victim returned. He would come to Yunho's room at one time or another and that was his chance.
The room looked nice, Jaejoong had to admit. The furniture seemed expensive and the light-brown walls gave off a cozy feeling. The black-winged kite passed outside the window and Jaejoong was momentarily distracted, wondering how it had found him so quickly. He hadn't anticipated Yunho's struggle then, though. Jaejoong's shoulder stopped him from getting Yunho under control as he violently pushed the arm with the knife away. Jaejoong hissed as he tried to secure the grip with his right hand instead, but Yunho, having the advantage of two uninjuried arms, was able to free himself.
"You dirty liar," were his first words while taking out his own knife.
"I could say the fucking same of you!" Jaejoong grinded out but his face was twisted in pain, his right hand pressed carefully to his shoulder. It obviously wasn't as healed as he had thought. To his surprise, Yunho didn't call his guards, or attack him. He put his knife down, his face showing some kind of emotion. Concern? Jaejoong didn't know and he surely didn't feel the same.
"Are you hurt?"
Jaejoong didn't answer.
"Jae, what are you doing here anyway?" Jaejoong felt the other one's eyes stare into him. Was this the reason why he went in here in the first place? Maybe he just wanted to see Yunho and talk to him. Maybe he wanted him to explain, so that Jaejoong could decide if it was right to kill Changmin or not, so that he could finally lose his doubts. "What happened after Changmin shot you? Why has there been a furneral?"
"Because..," Yunho hesitated, a sigh slipping from his lips. "It was safer if everyone thought I was dead."
"But why? Safe from what?"
"I can't tell you that."
"And why did you never try to contact me at least? I cried for you at your grave. I cried a lot, why couldn't you tell me you were fucking alive, damn it?" Jaejoong's voice rose at the end from distress. Anger was covering his deep hurt, which only grew by every passing minute he spend with Yunho. Damn, the other one made him fall apart. He had to get a grip on himself quickly.
"It was too dangerous. You would have been used against me. You would have been killed," Yunho admitted slowly, as if he wasn't sure if he should tell Jaejoong that or not.
"We had nothing to do with each other anymore before you were shot and supposedly killed," Jaejoong muttered coldly. His eyes were piercing into Yunho's.
"You know just as well as I do that it's not true. Even though we broke up, I still cared for you deeply, and you cared for me, too," Yunho said. No one moved. Yunho didn't dare take a step closer to Jaejoong who was like a wounded cat, still dangerous to approach.
"I don't understand. From whom are you running, Yunho?" Jaejoong's voice was unexpectedly soft and sad.
"Please, Jaejoong, why are you here? I still don't want them to know about us," Yunho whispered, just standing there with his beautiful eyes staring back into Jaejoong's. And Jaejoong's heart melted. He hated the man in front of him. He hated him so much for making him feel like this, still.
"I didn't plan on coming to you," Jaejoong admitted. "I just..need to know if Changmin helped you. If he was there for you."
"Changmin's my best friend. We grew close over the last three years. I couldn't show myself in public for most of the time after all. He and his family helped me so much, I'm very grateful to them," Yunho reluctantly told him.
"Why did he shoot you then?"
"Because he deemed me to be someone else. I don't hold any grudge against him for that."
"So I see," Jaejoong mumbled. No, deep inside, he was so happy that Yunho was alive. He couldn't take away Changmin.
"Jaejoong, what's with your arm? Just sit down, I won't do anything, I promise," Yunho said and after considering the offer for a few seconds, Jaejoong sank down on the bed. He put his knife away and pulled his jacket and shirt off far enough to look at the wound. The bandage had turned red. Fucking stupid wound was open again. Now, Yunho knew, he was injuried anyway. If he wanted to kill him, he could do it anyway, so Jaejoong could just as well tell him. "I was shot in the shoulder. It doesn't seem to heal as good as I had hoped."
"I have a first-aid kit in here somewhere. Do you need anything?" Yunho asked with worry on his face, making him look strange, unfamilar.
"I- Yeah, a new bandage would be nice and some ointment," Jaejoong said as he started to undress his upper half while Yunho started to look for the first-aid kit. He barely even felt the pain though. A different fire was burning inside him.
Jaejoong removed the bandage which was now soaked in blood at that one spot and tried to clear his wound a little, pressing the clean part of the clothing to stop the bleeding.
Yunho returned with the kit and handed Jaejoong the ointment who immediately started to put it on his injury. Yunho watched him closely, but didn't say anything or dare lay a hand on Jaejoong who now started to wrap it all up with a new bandage. As he looked up, Yunho met him with a small smile.
"Thanks," Jaejoong said slowly. It felt awkward, sitting here, half of his body undressed, with Yunho of all people. Jaejoong couldn't help but be bothered by the warmth in his cheeks. He just hoped, Yunho didn't notice. "I probably should leave now."
"You can stay a little longer if you want to," Yunho quickly suggested. Jaejoong desperately wanted to say yes. After all, he had missed him way too much as well, but he knew he should go. He had to think up a believable reason why he couldn't complete this mission. "No."
"Okay." Yunho looked more upset than Jaejoong had expected and it hurt his own heart as well.
"Do you think we can stay in touch now that I know you are alive anyway?" Jaejoong tentatively asked, but as soon as those words had left his lips, he wanted to jump out the window.
"I can give you my number if you want, but I'm afraid they'll try to track my calls," Yunho told him sadly.
"You still can't tell me who 'they' are?" Jaejoong asked again, but just as before, Yunho refused.
"Wait, there might be a way. If you want, we can meet again. Here." Yunho scribbled down an address, his handwriting still just as messy as it was three years ago. "We can meet there. I'll stay at that hotel from the 13th till the 17th."
"I will see what I can do," Jaejoong said, not sure if he should meet Yunho again, although his heart more than wanted to.
"I hope you come," Yunho said as he squeezed Jaejoong's right shoulder as the other man stood up. "Goodbye," he said before leaving the room.