[twoshot] Prelude and Toccata {part 2}
credits go to seonhee from tumblr
Title: Prelude and Toccata [2/2]
Author: choi_minju
Warning: How do I put this...? Fangirl imagination mode gone wild when writing this.
Rated: PG-15...or 16....no actual smut description basically.
Disclaimer: Why must we all add this part? Is this the reality you want? Aish, no one owns SHINee - deal with it! ...except for SM Entertainment. -____- Also, Prelude and Toccata is composed by George Crumb and popularized by Dennis Alexander. (At least from what I checked up on.) The last picture (fanart) is credited to taemarshmallow.
Summary: Based on the gif above - Kim Jonghyun moved with his family to a place in Incheon, South Korea. Beside their new house lies an abandoned mansion dated from 1946, when it was first built, to 1966, when the mansion no longer had an owner and was thus abandoned. Jonghyun breaks in there one day to find the melodic piano that's been playing since he and his family moved beside there.
Pairings: JongHo, or rather HoHyun, TaeSica
Jonghyun was puzzled. In a dilemma. And was definitely spazzing about the ghostly feeling over his lips that night.
He blushed as he remembered again what happened last night once he woke up. He had already woken up to Minho's piano playing from next door an hour ago and sighed, staying in bed. He glanced at his iPod on the desk beside his bed. Silently getting up, he moved over to his desk and started composing music based on..... well, he wasn't really sure what he was basing it on.
Before he knew it, another hour had passed and Jonghyun had written one whole page of music. He let out a deep breath and started reading the lyrics he wrote with the melody.
I've been waiting
The warm springtime comes
Smiling as bright as the sun
I think of you
You wake me up from my cozy sleep because
the weather outside is good, saying we should
go out
Even during those long hot summer days, you
stuck by my side
When beads of sweat formed on my forehead
I remember how you wiped it all off for me
.... "I'll wait for you......" Jonghyun mumbled under his breath and smiled.
These lyrics were perfect to describe how he feels about Minho.
Wait, huh?
Jonghyun shook his head and glanced at his window, which was a bad move because that was where you can see one of the rooms inside the house.
What was worse was that he spotted Minho moving around a bit until he walked outside his balcony. He watched the tall man sigh deeply and look up.....only to stare back at Jonghyun.
"Jonghyun hyung?" Jonghyun cursed inwardly for moving his bed near his own small balcony. Nevertheless he smiled and gestured Minho to come over.
Minho shook his head, making the other man frown, mouthing "Why?"
"I'm a spirit. Spirits can't move past where they feel is their safe area. This is my safe zone." Minho sadly mouthed back and looked down. "I tried getting out of the premises once....didn't work. One step and I felt like being pulled away. I don't want to leave..."
Before Jonghyun knew it, he got up from his seat and went out of his small balcony. He then noticed that if they get a long ladder and attach it to each balcony floor, the level would be equal and he'd have an easier way to go back and forth from his house to the mansion. He looked up and smiled at Minho.
"Then don't leave."
Minho's eyes widened and he stared at Jonghyun. Jonghyun then started singing the lyrics he wrote to add to the song he gave Minho to play on.
Last night in my dreams , you drew close to me
Your whispered words , your hair that brushed against my face
He really sounds beautiful, Minho thought to himself. In all my years of living and life after death, I've never heard of such profound vocals......
When I woke up from my dream , it was all too clear
That your presence was nothing but a dream ,The tears in my eyes told me
That's when Minho realized Jonghyun was singing... to him. Those lyrics are about him....
You can’t, you can’t, don’t leave like this
Please just one more time, one more time, hold me in your arms again
The next time I close my eyes to meet you,Hold me as I stay still in that spot
".......Jonghyun hyung....."
Jonghyun was gazing at him the whole time he was singing. He stopped and smiled shyly at him in silence. Minho mirrored his actions.
That's when Minho realized he has to stay away from Jonghyun.
"Is this you?" Jonghyun asked as he held up an old picture frame in Minho's room, which was coincidentally the room with the huge balcony parallel to his.
Oh, if only I had a ladder, he thought to himself amusingly.
Minho smiled gently and nodded.
"You know, you really are a goodlooking guy. You could be a model during these times."
"I tend to do more well on the sportive side."
"Oh really?" Jonghyun grinned. Minho nodded again, with fire in his eyes. "I'm more of a competitive person, if you could describe my personality." he briefly explained proudly.
Jonghyun chuckled and continued to clean the room. Minho didn't want him to, but Jonghyun insisted on cleaning at least one place in the house, so he let him do his room.
Minho watched with amusement at Jonghyun, who cleaned the last remaining particles of dust and finished his work of cleaning.
He scanned his old bedroom - the place didn't even look old anymore, just slightly vintage to Minho's liking. The only thing that stood out was Jonghyun, who wore a beige shirt that spelled "MASH" in English and light grey washed out jeans with shiny buckled boots.
"Isn't it weird for you?" Minho suddenly asked. "You know, to love something that's not there?"
Jonghyun, who was smiling the whole time, frowned right away and turned around to find Minho floating above the bed. He smiled at him wearily. "You accepted to being my boyfriend for 3 weeks now and you're barely asking me this?" He looked very amused now and leaned against the bookcase.
Minho sighed. "Be honest, hyung."
"First of all," Jonghyun started. "You're older than me. Wayyyy older. Second, well, sure.... this relationship may not have turned out as I wanted it to be, mainly because I can't hold you or kiss you in a full physical manner." Minho stared solemnly on the floor.
Jonghyun noticed this and sighed, reaching out tilt Minho's chin up to look at him. Unfortunately, that idea failed as his hand passed through Minho's body but succeeded in getting the spirit's attention. "Yeah, hyung?"
Jonghyun looked to him with pity. "It's really a shame that I can't hold you, sleep with you, feel you even though it's the slightest touch..... but I can love you. And I do, so badly."
Minho looked up at the night sky and sighed deeply on his balcony. He had been watching Jonghyun since the latter climbed over the high gates and went into his house. He also watched him when he went into his room, walking in a tired state of mind, and slowly got ready for bed. He wanted to hold the sexy young man in his arms and never let go (he thought of this when he saw Jonghyun change his clothes into cute dinosaur pajamas).
He let out another sigh and out of nowhere, a shooting star shot down from the sky. Minho's hopes raised up all the way to the sky and smiled brightly.
If he really wishes hard and believes it, his wish may come true.
He shut is eyes tightly and clasped his hands together in a prayer stance. He started wishing carefully, and right after he wished, the star disappeared.
".....I love you, Kim Jonghyun. Thank you for curing me from my loneliness. Now I will cure yours soon...."
"Mmmm~ hyung, this food is delicious! OW!" Jonghyun pouted and rubbed his head, turning around to look up at a fuming Jessica.
"Yah! Kim Jonghyun! That food was for Taecie~ not for YOU!" she bellowed. Jonghyun apologized and reclined back in his seat, scooting over a bit so she could sit directly across from her boyfriend.
Taecyeon chuckled. "Relax, babe. I let Jonghyun eat because he worked hard today at the cafe for the children's theme. He deserves to eat."
Jonghyun beamed at him. "Thank you~"
Jessica rolled her eyes and chuckled, too. "Actually, you're really good with kids, Jonghyun-sshi. From the way I see it, you'll be a great future husband and father!" Taecyeon nodded in agreement and scarfed down half his meal.
Jonghyun smiled wearily. "Noona, I'm....I'm gay. I can't have children." Taecyeon choked a bit on his food, to which Jessica gasped and rescued her boyfriend. "T-thanks, babe."
"No problem. Now on to you - Jonghyun-sshi, who would've thought you're attracted to men?!" she exclaimed, very amused with the fact that she always sees a crowd of female customers every time she visits the cafe - and it's not even for Taecyeon, which she was very happy for Jonghyun about.
"......well, yeah, I am." Jonghyun nibbled on his food. He knew he couldn't tell anyone about his relationship with Minho, because the latter is basically a ghost who no one can see except for him. People would find him crazy.
" - Jonghyun? Did you hear me?" Jonghyun perked up at Taecyeon, causing the latter to sigh. "Aish, you puppy-breed-dinosaur! You didn't hear a word I said, huh?!" He cutely shook his head and pouted. "Ahhh! Don't give me that - fine! I'll repeat, damn your cuteness." Jonghyun blushed at that, causing Jessica to squeal and pinch his cheeks.
"So anyways, you could always adopt if you want a child or two to take care of and raise. You just need a supporting job and a partner to help you take care of the baby or babies. But the man you choose HAS to have a supporting job as well." Taecyeon advised him.
Before the three could discuss further, a businessman walked into the cafe. Jessica looked up and gasped, recognizing him.
"Oh my God! That man is Lee Soo Man! He owns SM Entertainment!" she hissed to Taecyeon and Jonghyun.
Jonghyun blinked and started pondering on the name. "Lee Soo Man..... his name is similar to my boss, the guy who gives me decent high pay for my songs...." he thought aloud.
"That's because I am your boss."
The young people at the table screamed while Lee Soo Man remained stoic. Jessica quickly scrambled to sit beside her boyfriend and hold him closely.
Jonghyun looked up at his boss, smiling nervously and scratching his head.
A long moment later, Mr. Lee's face softened and he let out a light chuckle. "I honestly didn't think my best songwriter worked at a cafe as a waiter, nonetheless in a tiger jumpsuit of some sort. Are they pajamas?" Jonghyun blushed deeply, causing the man to laugh louder.
"Hehe~ I came over here to look for you, Mr. Kim. I hear your voice is quite amazing other than your compositions."
Jonghyun quickly ran home and told his family two things:
1. He got a job as a singer and he'll be able to commute from Incheon to Seoul. Along with being a songwriter, he can earn extra money for his parents and his sister.
2. He came out to them and confessed that he's gay, which wasn't a problem for his boss when he told him.
His family was very supportive on both accounts. However, his parents demanded him to get married if he finds someone he loves and to adopt children right away after the wedding. Jonghyun was so happy that he decided to climb over the high gates of the mansion next door and ran inside. He managed to enter the front door nowadays because Minho gave him the key to the mansion and put a leather string through the hole of it so it would be a key necklace. Still wearing his tiger work pajamas, he ran up the spiral staircase and bursted into the music room.
The room was empty and silent.
Maybe he's asleep.....but what spirit would sleep anyway?
He checked all over the house and there was still no apparitions of any kind or any trace of a ghost anywhere. It was just Jonghyun and the house.
He panicked and ran into the last room he didn't check, which was Minho's room. He immediately started tearing up.
The bedroom was clean and it looked used, because this was mostly where he hangs out with Minho nowadays to prevent the latter from playing Prelude and Toccata.
Now he missed the annoying old tune.
He took another scan with his eyes around the room and outside the balcony, but there was no trace of Minho.
The only proof that he met the spirit was the lantern on the desk, full of paper stars that he made with Minho. (He was very glad that Minho is able to touch certain small things such as paper, small pieces of string, and the piano.) He slowly walked over to the paper star filled lantern and took a good look at the scattered papers on the table around it.
It spelled in Korean "I love you".
He cried so hard that night and woke up the next morning in the same room, and still no Minho.
"Kim Jonghyun, next week you will be in a photo shoot today with one of our best models from England. He's fluent in English AND Korean, so this'll be good for us publicity-wise." The manager reported to the singer as he read off the update on his phone from the company. Jonghyun smiled and nodded from the backseat of his manager's car.
Ever since Minho vanished, Jonghyun dyed his hair back to brown and started working extra hard in Seoul, which made him only stay in Incheon with his family every other day. His parents understood, since Songdam does the same thing with her modeling career.
"Hyung, could you please put the phone down? You're driving!" Jonghyun complained.
His manager sighed and tossed the phone on the passenger seat. He was driving him back to Incheon because.... well, Jonghyun doesn't really quite know.
He turned to his manager. "Hyung, why am I here in my hometown? Am I having the day off today and tomorrow?"
"You're having the whole week off until the photo shoot. After all, I trust you will be helping your neighbor unpack?" His manager grinned and parked right in front of Jonghyun's house. "The model you'll be working with moved in next door to you, isn't that great?"
So many emotions went through Jonghyun's mind right now. Someone's moving next door? But.... the only house beside mine is....THE MANSION! THE MANSION GOT SOLD?! What if the person throws away the piano, music sheets, and even the star lantern?! No, no, NO! Too many memories in that place! No one can move in without my key! He touched his key necklace, the only object he treasures so much and still wears to this day.
"So, the model's name is - YAH WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" Jonghyun cut him off without hearing the model's name and ran out of the car. At the moment, his father was outside their front lawn, playing Frisbee with Roo. He looked up and saw his son running towards the mansion.
"Jonghyun?"
The said man was about to climb over the gates when he noticed the gate being opened for the first time. He panicked even more and ran towards the front of the house, which was locked. He quickly fished out his key necklace, and since he didn't want to remove it from his neck, he bent down and unlocked the door with the key. Right when he entered the house, a familiar tune came on.
".......Prelude and Toccata....." he whispered to himself. He smiled at the fond memories of listening to it and ran up the spiral staircase, ignoring the stacks of boxes and suitcases. He curiously peeked through the open door of the music room and gasped.
There was Minho, his hair grew just slightly into short locks, playing the piano in a regular outfit of the current trend.
Jonghyun fainted right there.
When Jonghyun slowly woke up from his unconscious state, he was in his room tucked into bed.
Confused, he looked around the room and his eyes widened at the maximum of people in his room.
Boy, did he feel really loved.
Even Roo barked and jumped onto Jonghyun's bed, curling up against him and resting there. He smiled and silently petted his sister's puppy.
Key frowned and snapped at him. "Yah! Jjong! You're not supposed to be smiling at this moment! You had a fever from stress, stupid!" He hit the back of his head with a spatula. Jonghyun shrieked and rubbed his head, pouting.
"Yeah, why didn't you request for a break? You know you well deserved it, Jonghyun-sshi." Jonghyun's manager lightly scolded him and yet smacked his head with a rolled up newspaper.
Jonghyun's parents couldn't help but laugh as Songdam and the rest of Jonghyun's friends (Taecyeon & Jessica) whacked him on the head with any given object within their reach.
"Yah! Are you people trying to put me to sleep?!" Jonghyun yelled at them. Everyone snickered at his expense and he pouted even more.
"......ahem."
All eyes turned towards the tall man holding a bowl on a tray. He smiled and walked over to a very shocked Jonghyun, carefully placing the tray on his lap.
He backed away and bowed.
"Hello, nice to meet you, neighbor. My name is Choi Minho and I am a model who moved next door from England. My ancestors had lived in that mansion for some time, and it was somehow in my possession of ownership. So, I decided to move here to work." he introduced himself.
Jonghyun still couldn't believe the luck he was brought to. How could someone have the same name as his ex-lover, who died years ago?
Moreover, the man before him looks exactly like the spirit who used to live next door.
If anything, the Minho now looks so much more hot, given the right modern outfit attire.
His mind left his thoughts once he remembered something. "You play the piano?" he asked out of nowhere. Suddenly his father slapped him on the head. "Son! I didn't raise you to be rude! Introduce yourself and be a good puppy."
Jonghyun blushed in embarrassment and whined at his father. "Appa~!"
"Actually," his mother then started talking, "I believe I gave birth to a dinosaur....a cute one, though."
"Omma~~~!"
Key laughed aloud and clutched his stomach. "Omo~! I just realized Jjong is 22 years old, and this guy - " He pointed at Minho, who looked at him with an unreadable expression. " - is probably younger than him! And he's STILL shorter than a younger guy!" Jonghyun glared at him and growled.
"Kim. Ki. Bum." It was Key's turn to glare at Jonghyun. "Yah! I told you never to call me by that name!"
Jonghyun pouted and whined. "Why does Key get to be so informal with me?! I'm older than him!"
Before anyone could answer or laugh, a loud eruption of laughter filled the room. Everyone again turned to Minho.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA~! Cute~" he commented, wiping a tear from his eye as he smiled at the blushing dinopuppy tucked in his bed with a tray on his lap, also accompanied with what looked like porridge in the bowl.
A ringing was in the air and Minho answered his phone. "Hello? .......yes......I understand......I'll see you next week then. Bye."
He hung up and smiled at everyone in the room. "I have to go and unpack now, sorry."
Minho turned to Jonghyun. "Well then, I'll see you later, Kim Jonghyun. I'll be sure to keep the lantern in my new bedroom." He waved and left.
Confused as hell, everyone then turned to an equally confused Jonghyun.
"Jonghyun-sshi, what was Minho-sshi talking about?" Jessica asked in wonder.
Taecyeon stared at the empty doorway. "What I'm wondering is how on Earth he knew Jonghyun's full name without it being mentioned in the conversation...." he mumbled. Apparently Key heard him and rolled his eyes. "Well, duh! Jjong is a solo singer in South Korea! He should be famous!" he retorted.
Jonghyun's manager shook his head. "Minho's mind is only in soccer and modeling. Other than being educated and learning Korean, I was told he knew nothing of anything outside of Europe, nor the name of who he will be working with for next week. Although, it was indeed odd to see and hear Minho play so professionally over the piano."
A second later, Roo farted, causing everyone to groan and flee from Jonghyun's bedroom. Having been used to the puppy's smells, Jonghyun smiled gratefully at Roo and gave him his porridge to lick away. It wasn't until Roo was halfway done with the bowl that a certain melody started playing again.
Jonghyun's smile grew ten times brighter that day.
Choi Minho was back.
Then Jonghyun frowned deeply.
If Choi Minho is back, then he's got a lot of explaining to do.
"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"
Minho looked up at Jonghyun as he closed the closet door and held a really long ladder. He tilted his head in shock and confusion. "Excuse me?"
Jonghyun ran towards him and kept punching his abdomen. Minho couldn't help but crack a grin at the smaller yet older man who had muscles, but not as strong as his. The punches barely bruised his body. He held the other's wrists with his free hand.
"Jonghyun hyung? What's wrong?" he asked worryingly once he noticed Jonghyun crying.
"Why did you leave me?! I even wrote a song telling you not to leave, and you did!" he wailed, sniffling on Minho's shirt.
"......wait, how did you get in the mansion?"
"You prick, I still have the key, see?!" Jonghyun backed off and took out the key necklace hiding underneath his shirt as he wore it. Minho took a good look at him and cringed. Jonghyun was beyond pissed and angry.
Jonghyun was..... upset, lonely, and happy - wait, why happy?
Nonetheless, Minho pulled him in a hug with his free arm. "Stupid little puppy, I love you, which is why I left. I wished upon a falling star that I would be human and be given a second chance at life. Next thing I knew, I was in a hospital in England, supposedly waking up from a short-term coma."
He let go and ruffled Jonghyun's hair. "I'm in my great, great nephew's body. Although he was young, he lived his life with content and passed on to the afterlife. His parents named him after me, fortunately, so I didn't have much to adjust to except for the lifestyle choices such as typical attire and social customs." He looked him straight in the eyes. "I hope you'll forgive me, hyung?"
Jonghyun suddenly poured out a river from his tears, which gave Minho a surprise attack.
"What's wrong?! Was it something I said?!"
Jonghyun pulled him in by the collar and kissed him hastily on the lips. Minho was shocked for split second before softening up and kissed back, holding Jonghyun by the waist with his free arm, his other arm holding onto the long ladder.
The elder noticed the ladder and reluctantly pulled away from the best kiss he ever had. "Why do you have a ladder?" he quietly asked.
Minho glanced at the ladder, then back at Jonghyun and grinned. "It's for our balconies. I noticed how perfectly aligned it was from your balcony to mine, and I remembered the exact height of this sturdy ladder. If we glue each end of the ladder to each balcony floor, we'll be able to travel easier and faster from one place to another." He smirked. "Besides, I want to be able to sleep with you in your bed and hold you close." he whispered.
Jonghyun blushed and slapped Minho on the chest. "You pervert. Where did you learn such vulgarity?"
"From my hyungs back in England who were foreign exchange students in a university I used to attend in; soccer freaks." Minho briefly explained before pulling him in for another kiss.
The singer pulled away once again and bit his lip cutely. His gaze towards Minho was totally different, however.
"We can do that later. My whole family's at home right now, so I'd rather we'd try sleeping on your bed." He winked and pulled him to the spiral staircase. Not wanting to pass up the chance of touching his boyfriend, Minho quickly laid the ladder beside the wall and followed him like a puppy.
The next morning, Jonghyun slowly woke up in Minho's room. Events from last night replayed in his mind and he smiled tiredly at the memory. Once he sat up, however, he yelped and rubbed his sore lower back.
"He didn't even fuck me from behind and it still hurts...... that monstrous jerk doesn't know prep...." he muttered and blushed.
Minho walked into the room wearing only sweatpants and chuckled. "I see you're awake now. Your family was wondering where you were and I told them you stayed here for the night. Somehow I think they got the hint why...." he explained to Jonghyun.
Said man groaned in embarrassment and hid underneath the covers. Minho chuckled and continued on. "I woke up really early and saw that you were sleeping, so I managed to fix the ladder-on-both-balconies-plan. If you want to avoid bumping into your family, then you can travel over here back and forth."
Jonghyun peeked from under the covers and smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you, Minho."
"No problem. Anything for my boyfriend." With that, Jonghyun blushed even more. Minho grinned and slowly got underneath the covers with him, drawing closer from behind. Jonghyun yelped as he felt something poke in his ass and glared at Minho.
"Yah, what are you doing to my ass?!"
Minho looked directly into his eyes and smiled gently. "Prepping you. At least that's what I read in a magazine somewhere back in England. You're supposed to prep your lover if you want your partner to get used to your size."
Jonghyun blushed even deeper and hid his entire body under the covers, back facing Minho. Minho continued to do what he was doing slowly, making Jonghyun moan a bit.
"H-how do you talk so pervertedly while being so serious about it?" Jonghyun stammered. Minho pressed closer and replied in a huskily whisper, "Because I love you."
And out of nowhere, he slipped an antique silver ring on Jonghyun's left ring finger. Jonghyun gasped and noticed Minho's left hand with the same ring.
He turned around to find Minho smiling at him warmly.
"I love you, too, Minho."
Jonghyun wasn't able to return home until when his father decided to take his son back after hearing one loud moan from the mansion to the house, with the intention of teasing his son and bonding with his future son-in-law, as far as he could see it. A week later at the photo shoot, Jonghyun's manager noticed the old antique rings on both Minho & Jonghyun's hands, as well as the fact that Jonghyun was still limping a bit when he walks.