Coffee Sweet
Title: Coffee Sweet
Length: Chaptered
Pairing: Jaeho/Yunjae, Yoosu
Rating: PG? PG-13?
Genre: Fluff, Lemon?, Humor (Not...)
Summary: Jaejoong and Yunho get ready to walk down the aisle, whilst Yoochun and Junsu prepare to welcome their baby girls into the world.
Chapter 1: Ginger Bread Man's Vitality ; Chapter 2: Bae SeulGi ; Chapter 3: Kama Sutra; Chapter 4: Kinky Hyungs; Chapter 5: Chocolate Proposal ; Chapter 6: Het, Yuck! ; Chapter 7: Famine and Cancer ; Chapter 8: Dolphins, Ducks, and Butts ; Chapter 9: Baby Bash ; Chapter 10: Chicken Shit! ; Chapter 11: Deja Vu ; Chapter 12: Sunshine ; Chapter 13: Superman ; Chapter 14: Brock and Amy ; Chapter 15: Wishing Star
A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOOCHUN!!!!!!! This was suppose to be cut into two parts but I decided to stop where I did. I'm sure you will all agree that it was a good place stop. XDXD I will try to catch up on replying to reviews. But since I already put up the new chapter, I doubt I'd have much to say so please don't get offended if I just reply with a really nice away art <3
Jaejoong slammed on the accelerator as he decided to test fate once more. He zoomed through the streets of Seoul, narrowly missing the oncoming traffic. He ran all the red lights and paid no mind to any stop signs. His apprehension fueled his innate impulsiveness, his heart beating wildly against his rib cage. It was physically hurting him and it took all the strength he could muster to keep driving in the right lane. The helpless, clueless feeling seized him and he was anxious to reach his destination.
Yoochun had been too hysterical over the phone and Jaejoong could barely make out what he was rattling on about. Thankfully, he caught the words ‘hospital’, ‘Junsu’, and ‘Oh, God.’ He called Changmin right after, hoping for a better explanation but the younger man had been vaguer and more rattled than Yoochun.
“Changmin, what’s going? Which hospital?” Jaejoong had quickly asked, not bothering with a greeting.
“…Hey, hyung,” The voice was so soft that Jaejoong had to press the ear piece further into his lobe.
“What the…Changmin, answer the question!”
“I…Junsu…He’s in the hospital.”
“Yes, yes, I know that. What happened? Why is he in the hospital? Which hospital is he in?”
“We’re at the…uhm…the General,”
The call had ended there; Jaejoong’s patience for the two men that were still in shock was wearing thin. The hospital Changmin had mentioned was on the opposite side of the city and Jaejoong knew it would take a miracle to get there before anything else major happened.
The mid-afternoon sun was positively glaring, causing Jaejoong to shield his eyes as he guessed his way to the hospital entrance. The cement pavement felt like quick sand, each step he took so burdened with worry. His temerity from the drive over left him completely, leaving only trepidation in his big brown orbs. The soft ding of the automated sliding glass doors resounded in his head as he made his way to the lone desk at the lobby where a grouchy man in uniform sat stiffly. At any other time, Jaejoong would pause to admire the posh couches adjacent to the gift shop with little trinkets and presents.
Tapping lightly on the counter, the officer tilted his head up and narrowed his eyes at Jaejoong’s flushed face. The former singer knew that look well. The man was linking his features to something more familiar but the rumpled state he was in prevented any clear distinction. After a few seconds more of creepy ogling, Jaejoong cleared his throat. His actions dawning on him, the officer bowed his head in apology and subconsciously covered the name tag pinned to his breast pocket.
“Uhm, patient?” The stout officer turned to the computer, randomly pressing on his keyboard to take the screen saver away.
“Park Junsu,” Jaejoong piped up, leaning forward to take a peek at the glaring monitor.
“Right,” The man reached in the alcove beneath the counter for a marker and scribbled digits on a sticky pad, handing the note to Jaejoong. “Here’s the room number and floor.”
“Thank you,” He gave a hurried reply, practically snatching the piece of paper and agitatedly bouncing on the spot.
As if guided by an invisible force, he found the correct floor with ease and only took one wrong turn that lead to a little chapel. He quickly spotted the nurses’ station across the hallway as soon as the elevator doors opened. Just as he was half-running, half-walking to the desk, he heard an ear-splitting scream behind one of the closed doors.
“YOOCHUNNIE!”
Jaejoong immediately halted, instantly recognizing the dolphin shriek. He traced his steps and pushed open the door where the yelling had originated. He was not altogether surprised to see Junsu writhing in pain on the bed, clad in the atrocious hospital gown. The three men in the room did not notice his presence, all too busy with a pregnant man wailing. Jaejoong wondered how long they had been at this and felt guilty at not having been there for his dongsaengs. He paused only for a second to watch as Yoochun and Changmin stood at Junsu’s side, holding the sweaty hands and whispering sweet, encouraging nonsense.
“Junsu!” Jaejoong shouted, rushing over to the bed that creaked slightly at Junsu’s wriggling form.
“Hyung!” Instantaneous yells came from the three men.
Jaejoong stood like a superhero coming to save their day at the edge of the bed. He clutched Junsu’s feet and began to massage the swollen soles. “What did the doctor say? Is he actually having contractions?”
Yoochun spoke up over the bursts of yelps from Junsu. “Yeah, he is and the doctor told him to keep it in. The asshole doesn’t want to perform a C-section too early.”
“What?! But he looks like he’s in labor already!” Jaejoong answered, outraged.
“No, not yet,” Changmin shook his head, and Jaejoong sensed the guilt radiating from the taller man. “The contractions are just really more painful for men because of obvious reasons.”
“I’m still just 32 weeks, hyung,” Junsu said, a bit winded. “My babies…they’ll be premature…”
“You! No talking!” Jaejoong hushed the wheezing man. Turning to the two other men standing, he barked, “Have either of you gotten a hold of Yunnie?”
Both of them shook their heads. Jaejoong had assumed on the way here that Yunho, just like him, was rushing to the hospital. Changmin added, “I called him while Yoochun called you but he wasn’t picking up. We’ve been trying for the past hour to get a hold of him but so far, we’ve had no luck. We called so many times that we don’t even have any batteries left.”
Jaejoong nodded, biting his lower lip. He reached into his pocket to retrieve his cell phone but to his dismay, he had no service. “Damn! No signal!” He debated in his head whether or not he should leave Junsu to go find signal in the hospital but the responsibility he felt towards the younger men pulled him to stay. He handed the phone to Changmin who took it bewilderedly. “Here’s my phone. Go get some sort of signal and if they’ll let you, try to call from the nurses’ station.”
Changmin nodded, obediently rushing out the door after a hurried wish of luck to his expecting friend. Once the door was shut, Yoochun turned to Jaejoong, who had taken over Changmin’s place, “Did you just say Yunnie?”
“Khh…later,”
~*~
Changmin wandered aimlessly in the white hallways of the hospital, beginning to get accustomed to the alcoholic stench. He took the same wrong turn as Jaejoong had earlier and ended up in front of mahogany doors with a cross hanging dangerously on a hook. He went inside for solitude and because of the fact that openly using phones in the hallways was frowned upon. Fortunately, there were no ceremonies being held inside and he could make all the noise he wanted.
“Yunho! Please call me when you get this message!” Changmin pleaded into the device for the tenth time since leaving the confines of Junsu’s private room.
He punched in the key labeled 3, Jaejoong’s favorite number and thus Yunho’s speed dial, and clicked the call button again. His job was to get a hold of Yunho and he would not fail. On the other hand, Changmin was just grateful to be out of the room. The guilt of causing all this mayhem was eating him up inside, especially since Junsu made him swear not to tell Yoochun, Jaejoong, or even Yunho what exactly happened. He no longer had that option of honesty, the truth setting him free. He wondered how many more fumbles he would make before they took him out of the game completely. Great, Changmin thought, football references.
The pregnant man had been fine one minute, and the next he was screaming bloody murder about the girls. Changmin had had his back turned as they had been both busy trying to contact the board members. After the first three who were said to be unavailable due to some sort of meeting that night, Junsu and Changmin decided to split up the list of names and numbers. Their efforts were futile, unfortunately, for they got none of the members on hold. At his wit’s end, Junsu began screaming incoherently at one of the secretaries and Changmin found no reason not to just follow his hyung’s example and he too began shouting at the poor girl on the other end of the line.
In all the excitement, the girls were kicking at his womb and it wasn’t long before Junsu lost his temper with them too. Shouting at the secretary, shouting at the twins, and eventually shouting at Changmin, it came as no surprise to either of them when Junsu began to moan and groan as the contractions hit. After getting over the initial shock, Changmin began bombarding Junsu with questions just like how he saw Yoochun once do it but without the calming exterior. It resulted in Junsu hitting him on the head and telling him to be put on the couch. Yoochun came down when the contractions became more painful and the screams and death threats became uglier.
“Hey…”
“This is Changmin, hyung! We--”
“…Not here right now. You know what to do.”
Changmin clicked the redial button once again.
The automated response greeted him.
“Hyung! Come on, answer!”
Click.
“Hey.”
“Hyung! Pick up the--”
“Jae?” Yunho’s confused voice came from the other end.
“Oh my God! You actually answered!” Changmin said proudly.
“Uhm, yeah, I’m sort of busy…”
“Wait, hyung! It’s Junsu! We’re at the hospital!”
“Say what?!”
“He was going into labor and we had to--”
“What the hell happened?! Is he okay? Are the babies?”
“Fine for now but you need to come here, hyung!”
“I…I will try to be there as soon as possible.”
Changmin groaned, hanging up on the man promptly after the vague promise of “I’ll try…”
“Would you like some help?” A voice asked him from behind.
Startled, Changmin immediately turned around and jumped back at the sight of the young priest clad in black pants with the matching dark polo shirt buttoned up all the way, a white collar tight around the neck. The man simply grinned, clearly amused. Changmin smiled awkwardly back, feeling like the little fat kid who got caught with his hand down the cookie jar. He waved his hand nervously around, referring to the interior of the quaint chapel, “This is pretty.”
The musty moldings and scratched benches were anything but pretty. The room was illuminated by poor lighting and a single circular stained glass window atop the big cross situated behind the altar. A lone potter plant off to a corner decorated the dingy chapel. The low ceiling only made the place gloomier and Changmin could not help but feel bad that barely any funds are going to the maintenance of the chapel.
“Thank you.” The priest bowed slightly, his hands meeting at the center as if he was about ready to pray. “Are you here to pray for a loved one that’s currently in this hospital?”
“Uh,” Changmin struggled to form a coherent thought in front of a man of God. “I came here…to find out the schedule.”
“Of the next mass? Well…” The preacher took out a pamphlet from his pocket, as if he waits all day to be asked and carries the listed schedule everywhere just in case. “On Sundays, it is at four in the afternoon and nine every morning of every day.”
“Oh, uh,” Changmin felt trapped, unsure whether to commit to attending a mass. “You see, my friend is going to give birth and I don’t think he’d be allowed to go down all the way here but we’ll try to make it some other time.”
“No worries, son. The hospital is prepared for that since, of course, most of its patients are bedridden. This chapel is always being televised,” he pointed to the camera on the ceiling directed at the altar. “On channel six of every television set in every room.”
“Oh, that’s neat…” Changmin whistled, impressed.
“Ah, it is. I also offer to hold mass privately for certain patients who request one in their rooms. Would your friend like that?” The priest asked kindly, his eyes sparkling with sincerity that Changmin no longer encountered in his life.
“Uhm,” Changmin bit his bottom lip, seriously considering the offer. “I’ll ask them.”
The priest nodded understandingly and made the sign of the cross in the space between them. Changmin nodded gratefully for the blessing and made a quick promise of coming to one of the masses. He doubted he would but it was the thought that counted. He genuflected before he left, sending a quick, silent plea to the heavens above to keep the girls safe. Deep in thought, he made his way back to Junsu’s room.
~*~
Jaejoong was completely furious. His knuckles were practically white as he gripped on the metal railings of the hospital bed. He felt his temper boil as Junsu’s mother continued ranting on and on about how Junsu’s current predicament was all Yoochun’s fault that the babies’ having to be born prematurely was caused by his failure to support Junsu properly. He almost regretted letting the woman in, even after Junsu had already been sent to surgery. In Changmin’s absence, hell had broken loose. The babies could no longer hold out. They had had no choice but to rush Junsu into the operating table and proceed with the C-section.
Minutes after, Junsu’s mother had come barging in the room, looking frantically for her son. As soon as she spotted Yoochun sitting at the edge of the bed, she began chastising him for doing this to her precious baby boy. Ignoring the fact that he had his face buried in his hands, she yelled at him and let him have it. Jaejoong had been in the bathroom when it began but soon came out when he heard all the noise.
“Oh, I should have known this would happen!” A woman in a pale blue suit bemoaned. “I can’t believe you let this happen! I knew you wouldn’t be able to take care of my son like he needed to be taken care of! I don’t know what he ever saw in you! He should have been with a real man who would have known how to look after him properly! Jung Yunho would have never let it get to this, you know! Junsu should have ended up with him and--”
At the mention of his lover, Jaejoong could no longer restrain himself and butted in. “Hey! Look, this was no one’s fault! Please, stop talking to your son like this!”
“My son?!” Her face distorted in disgust. “My son happens to by lying on a surgical bed, helpless and alone, with a bunch of doctors and nurses crowding around him because this man failed to do his job! This failure is not my son!”
Jaejoong glanced at Yoochun who still had his face buried in his palms, as if blocking out all the negative comments. He turned his gaze back at the livid woman who continued ranting on to the unmoving man on the bed. “He became your son the moment they got married. It’s about time you realize how wonderful he is before Junsu realizes how horrible you are!”
Just then, Changmin walked in the room, completely bewildered by all the screaming. The three faces turned to him expectantly and he only stared back at them. His eyes fell on the empty bed and he gestured wordlessly to the space that Junsu no longer occupied. Jaejoong spoke up softly, “No choice…he had to give birth. Did you get a hold of Yunnie?”
“Uhm, yeah,” Changmin answered distractedly, disturbed at the new piece of information. “Wait, why isn’t Yoochun with him?”
“No need. Junsu chose full anesthesia. He’s asleep and Yoochun would just be in the way of the doctors.” Jaejoong nodded slightly in Yoochun’s direction as if pointing out how big a wreck the man already was.
“Is h-he going to be okay?” Changmin felt tears well up inside him, the sensation too unfamiliar that it scared him.
“Yes.” Yoochun answered, resolution shining brightly in his teary eyes.
“How can you say that?!” Junsu’s mom huffed angrily, throwing her hands in the air. “I’ll wait outside.”
When no one bothered to reply, she stormed out of the room. Changmin turned to Jaejoong, a brow raised in confusion. Jaejoong sighed tiredly before answering, “She’s been screaming at Yoochun about how this is all his fault. The gall in that woman! I wanted to beat the crap out of her face! And you!” He pointed an accusing finger to Yoochun. “You just sat there and took it! You’ve been the perfect husband, the perfect father throughout this entire ordeal and you just let her rip your balls off as if you were the one to blame for all of this!”
Yoochun looked down on the ground and kept his head low and his shoulders slumped, already admitting defeat. “She was right…I don’t know how and I don’t know why…but I did let this happen.”
“That’s stupid!” Jaejoong exclaimed impatiently. “Junsu’s a man and he’s carrying twins!”
“Then I should have done more to prevent this!” Yoochun yelled back, his voice choked up. “It was my shortcomings that led to this! I didn’t do enough…I shouldn’t have…I don’t know…he was my responsibility and she’s right! I failed. I failed my husband. I failed my girls. I failed in protecting the only family I’ll ever have!”
“You’re being melodramatic! You didn’t fail anyone! If anyone failed, it would be me and Yunho! Our stupid argument caused Junsu to worry and stress over us! We completely lost sight as to how many people would be affected by our silly breakup.” Jaejoong walked over to the bed and sat next to Yoochun, draping a comforting arm over the shorter man’s shoulders. “Junsu’s mother…was just ranting. She’s worried about her son just like we’re all worried about Junsu. She didn’t know what she was talking about. Trust me.”
Changmin had remained silent thus far, letting the scene play out. He watched in silence as Yoochun leaned into Jaejoong’s embrace. Screw his promise, Changmin thought. Yoochun and Jaejoong were now blaming each other for something he had caused by himself. It was time to grow a pair and take the heat that should have been directed all to him in the first place.
“I did it, hyung.” Changmin mumbled. Both men looked up to him as he approached the bed.
“Did you say something, Changminah?” Jaejoong asked.
Changmin cleared his throat and raised his voice. “I…told him about my company,” he heard the deep intake of breath from both men but he continued on. “And while he was calling the board members…he started contracting and then-AHH!”
“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Yoochun yelled out like a war cry.
Whatever words Changmin had left to say was muffled by Yoochun’s fist hitting his face, right on the jaw bone. Changmin stumbled backwards but was steadied by Yoochun’s hand grabbing him by the collar to land another punch. Jaejoong was stunned at the sudden reaction, shocked to his core as he saw Yoochun practically fly to lunge at the taller man. As the disgruntled husband was about to smash Changmin’s face for the third time, Jaejoong shook himself out of his revere.
“Yoochun! Get off of him!” Jaejoong pulled at Yoochun’s shoulders, utterly surprised at the sudden strength in the shorter man. His efforts were in vain as Yoochun continued to land brutal blows on Changmin’s face. Jaejoong gasped in horror as the familiar crimson began staining Yoochun’s fist, Changmin’s cheek marred with a deep cut that Yoochun targeted relentlessly. “Fuck, Yoochun! STOP!”
“N-No!” Yoochun’s croaked out, tears spilling from all of their cheeks. He continued on punching, just as Jaejoong kept on attempting to pull him off. The blows became weaker and came slower, Yoochun’s arms beginning to weaken. Changmin’s face was dirtied with blood and tears, his body limp as he played a willing participant to Yoochun’s rage.
“Chunnie!! He’s your brother!” Jaejoong was crying out now, frantically pulling at Yoochun’s arm. In a desperate attempt, he punched Yoochun hard on the arm. It worked. Yoochun shrieked in pain and he automatically let go of the younger man as his hand flew to the injured area.
Changmin fell like a dead weight on the floor. He was neither sobbing nor nursing his wounds but he curled into the fetal position and cried quietly. Jaejoong rushed to him, ignoring Yoochun’s angry claims of injustice. He knew Changmin deserved the beating to a certain point but the extent that Yoochun’s rage went to was gruesome. Jaejoong pulled Changmin up by the shoulder and helped him up onto the bed.
“Make space, Yoochun!” Jaejoong ordered furiously. “He is your brother and now he’s hurt! Make some fucking space!”
Reluctantly, Yoochun hopped off the bed and went into the bathroom. Jaejoong rolled his eyes and wiped away the tears pouring down Changmin’s face. They heard the faucet being put at full blast, providing some sort of semblance of privacy for Yoochun. Jaejoong and Changmin shared a look, both assuming that Yoochun had gone in there to cry in peace.
“He hates me…” Changmin muttered with his eyes casted down.
Jaejoong tilted his head up with a finger on his chin. “Look at me,” Changmin met his eyes. “He doesn’t hate you.”
Changmin turned his head to display the gradual swelling of his left cheek. Jaejoong chuckled despite himself. “Okay…maybe a little,”
Changmin sighed audibly, his shoulders slumping further down. “It seems like everything I do is wrong. I’m starting to think I was the reason why you and Yunho broke up. Or why there’s world hunger. Or pollution, or global warming, or AIDS…”
“But why’d you do it Changminah? I’m guessing you already knew that we knew about the company but why’d you tell Junsu?” Jaejoong asked softly, stroking his dongsaeng’s hair gently.
“I didn’t know it was going to get to this point, hyung. And I wanted to tell all of you but Junsu made me swear not to because he knew how Yoochun would react.” Changmin groaned. “I guess I should have listened to that.”
Jaejoong smiled sadly at him. Before he could respond, they heard the water running from the bathroom come to a halt. A shirtless Yoochun stepped out of it, a damp cloth clutched tightly in his hand, properly wrung. Wordlessly, he walked over to the pair on the bed and pressed the wet shirt against Changmin’s bruised face. The younger man flinched when the cloth touched his skin, raising his arms defensively over his body for any more surprise attacks.
Turning to Jaejoong, Yoochun said coolly, “Can you give us a minute, hyung? We need to talk.”
Jaejoong raised a doubtful brow. “Talk as in with words or talk as in your fist hitting another part of his body?”
Yoochun glared at Changmin before answering, “I haven’t decided yet,”
“Uh,” Jaejoong looked uneasily at the two of them. He knew Changmin could easily hurt Yoochun a great deal more but he also knew that Changmin was the guilty party and that he would do the honorable thing and act as Yoochun’s punching bag. “Promise me you’ll choose the first one and then I’ll leave.”
Yoochun gave him a small nod and that was enough.
~*~
Jaejoong paced in front of the vending machine, no real intention of buying any of the unhealthy snacks. His thoughts were too scattered, his mind in complete disarray. It’s been exactly twenty-two minutes since Junsu had been rushed to the operating room but he felt ten years older. The unresolved drama with Yunho who he still had had no luck in contacting, Junsu’s premature birth scare, Yoochun and Changmin’s fight, and Junsu’s mother who had managed to corner him as soon as he had stepped out of the room. She had reprimanded his behavior of defending Yoochun and not caring about Junsu. Without replying, he just walked away from her and headed straight for the cafeteria where he ended up in front of the vending machines.
A part of him wanted to crumble with all this pressure of suddenly being the leader, of suddenly being responsible of holding the peace between the members. He felt out of place in this new territory. He was never meant to be the grounded one, never the one to calm everyone down and worry about everything while maintaining a calm and collected outlook. This was all Yunho’s job but in the former leader’s absence, it somehow fell on his shoulders. Jaejoong checked his phone again, as if he there was a slight chance that he had missed a text or call within the minute since he last checked it.
“Excuse me, sir, are you going to buy something?” A man clad in dark blue scrubs asked him politely, a ready won in his hand. Jaejoong scoffed rudely at him for disturbing his thoughts. He walked away without another word, leaving the nurse appalled by the diva attitude.
As he left the machines to continue loitering at some other random part of the hospital, his cell phone finally rang, the device vibrating in his hand. Eagerly, he answered it without bothering to check the id. “Hello?”
“Jaejoong-shii?” A gnarled voice came from the other end.
“Uhm, yes,” Jaejoong answered, bewildered by the caller’s identity. “Who is this?”
“This is (UnimportantKoreanName) and I work for the Reverend. I just wanted to confirm your cancellation for tomorrow’s wedding ceremony.”
“Oh,” Jaejoong was speechless.
“So that’s a yes? Thank you.”
“Uh-” Beep.
Before Jaejoong could react properly, his phone rang for a second time. Numbly, he pressed the answer button and gave a distracted greeting.
“Hyung! Junsu’s out of surgery! Get up here!” Changmin exclaimed cheerfully.
The former call pushed quickly to the back of his mind, Jaejoong made his way back up to his family.
~*~
“Shhh!”
Jaejoong was immediately shushed as soon as he stepped into the room by Changmin. Jaejoong gave him a questioning look and the younger man pointed to the sedated angel lying on the bed. At seeing Junsu, Jaejoong tiptoed to the medicated man’s bedside.
“Where’s his mom and Yoochun?” Jaejoong asked quietly, running his fingers through Junsu’s messy strands.
Changmin smiled, or at least tried to. The purple beauty he was bravely sporting contorted his features, distorting his once handsome face. “I told them I’d stay here with Junsu so that they could go visit the girls at the nursery. They’re still being cleaned and have a bunch of wires and tubes in them but Yoochun was so agitated to do something that I thought he was going to punch me again.”
Jaejoong smiled tiredly. “Well, what did happen? Were you guys able to talk it out? Is everything good now?”
“Well, when you left…” Changmin chuckled softly, reliving the minutes before.
“Why, Changminah?” Yoochun asked as soon as the door shut. He was completely torn at that moment between the urge to strangle the man in front of him and the concern for his dongsaeng’s wounds. “Why did you tell him even when you knew we were already helping?”
Changmin had no answer for him, only a broken plea for forgiveness. “Hyung, I’m so sorry. Please…those girls are my nieces that I put in danger. Please don’t accuse me of not caring about them.”
“I know that, Changminah. That’s why I also know that nothing I could ever do or say can hurt or affect you more than your own guilt.” Yoochun rubbed at the smudges of blood with the damp cloth in his hand. “Make it up to us, one way or another.”
Changmin nodded, returning a sudden embrace.
“That’s good to hear…” The relief Jaejoong had hoped for at hearing the words never came, his heart now worried about the lengths Changmin would go to prove himself. “Why don’t you join them at the nursery and I’ll stay here with Junsu? It’s going to take awhile before he’ll regain consciousness and be able to talk without it being too painful. I don’t mind sitting here for now.”
“Are you sure?” Changmin asked, though already making his way out of the room.
“Yes, yes,” Jaejoong shooed him away. “Go see your nieces!”
“Thanks, hyung!”
Shaking his head at Changmin, Jaejoong turned his gaze to the exhausted heroic man. Junsu was beautiful, glowing in an ethereal light that surrounded him like a visible aura. Tiny beads of perspiration glistened along the hairline and Jaejoong swiped some away with a gentle touch of his thumb. He continued to run his wet thumb across Junsu’s face, tracing circular patterns around the drooping lids and down to the aristocratic features, the high cheekbones and well-defined jaw.
Remnants of a tired smile lingered on Junsu’s lips as if the man had known his babies came out safely in his deep slumber. Jaejoong could not resist. He bent his head down low, brushing their lips together and softly whispering against the chapped petals, “I’m so proud of you, Junsu~ah…”
He stayed at an awkward angel, resting his forehead against Junsu’s own sweaty forehead. Jaejoong sought out Junsu’s hand which lay limp at his side. Enclosing the cold and clammy fingers within his palm, Jaejoong continued to stroke Junsu’s hair with his other hand. He parted his lips and blew softly, hot breath fanning out on Junsu as his pathetic attempt to give his energy and strength to the man who truly deserved it.
A spark of jealousy ignited at the pit of his stomach. In all the years he had spent alongside Junsu, he always harbored a deep seeded resentment for the other man’s talents. Jaejoong had believed wholeheartedly that Dong Bang Shin Ki’s sudden rise to fame had been ninety percent due to the young man. And now, Junsu had given him another reason to indulge in the deadly sin of envy by being everything Jaejoong was not. Brave, bold, and loyal to the man he loved.
“Oh, Su~ah,” Jaejoong murmured, an array of emotions swirling inside of him. “I don’t know how you did it…You willingly chose to keep it all inside. Who were you doing it for, kid? Changmin? Yoochun? Certainly not for yourself…”
A lone teardrop escaped Jaejoong’s long lashes, trickling down the side of his face. “Is that what I’m trying to do now, Su? I’m trying to keep it all inside because you all need me to be sane? If that’s so, then I’ve got bad news for you, dongsaeng.” Jaejoong released Junsu’s hand as his flew to his face to wipe the evidence of his weakness. “I don’t think I have much left in me…”
“Aish!” Jaejoong hissed as more acid tears prickled his eyes. “He still hasn’t called Su~ah! And here I am, playing leader and so fucking inept at it. I couldn’t calm and comfort your mother like Yunho used to do. I couldn’t stop your husband from beating our little brother up into a bloody pulp. Yunho would have never let it get that far. And I’m just tired, Junsu…I j-just want to…” His voice broke.
He was in over his head if he thought he could keep this selfless act up. The moment he actually welcomed the long due confrontation with Yunho, the rug was pulled right from under him. All this time, he had sought after excuses and distractions, anything to keep his mind off of losing the only man he had ever loved and the only man he ever could. Was fate so cruel as to let all this dawn on him just when it was too late?
“Oh, God…” Jaejoong whimpered, biting the insides of his cheek and wounding the sensitive lining. He wanted to crawl inside a tiny cave and wallow in his sorrow. He wanted to throw a fit, a childish tantrum that was no longer appropriate for a man his age. He wanted…to complain all about life’s woes to his best friend, to Yunho, the man who had been with him through all the ups and downs.
Memories of stolen nights in each other’s arms resurfaced in Jaejoong’s tormented mind. Even before their love had blossomed, even back in their trainee days where they struggled to nurture their budding friendship, they had already begun to seek comfort in each other after a particularly grueling day in the dance studio or after strenuous vocal practices that they pushed through with no sleep and poor nourishment under their belts. And even in the pinnacle of their careers, even after they had conquered the world with their studio perfected voices and choreographed dances; it was in each other that they found solace in to keep going for the others members.
Jaejoong imagined vividly the way Yunho would unabashedly step into his personal space and be whatever he needed Yunho to be at that moment in time. He shuddered visibly as he remembered Yunho’s distinct scent, muscle ointment with a dab of aftershave, invading his nostrils and polluting his personal atmosphere. He could practically feel the calloused hands encircling his petite waste and the strong toned arms encasing him in a cocoon of safety, gently pulling him closer to the hard chest and sculpted abdomen. Jaejoong remembered the instinctive tilt of his head to rest lightly on the hollow of Yunho’s neck and the plump red lips grazing the edge of his lobe as Yunho questions him.
“Jae, are you okay?”
“Yunho!” Jaejoong jumped, turned, and almost fell back on the bed where Junsu was resting but Yunho quickly balanced him, pulling him into a protective embrace.
Great waves of relief washed over Jaejoong, alongside confusion and embarrassment. He clung to Yunho’s shirt, gripping on the hems partly to maintain his balance and partly in fear of Yunho being a mere production of his desperate imagination.
But Yunho was no illusion. The former leader had rushed to the hospital as soon as the deals with the board members had been set, the papers signed and the money exchanged. His whole body stiffened in worry, his chest tightening painfully as he saw Jaejoong lamenting over Junsu’s body. He had acted on instinct and had taken the man into his arms where he belonged.
“Jae, it’s going to be okay,” Yunho soothed, tightening his hold on the smaller frame. He felt his shirt dampen as Jaejoong’s face was buried in his chest. Noting the finger’s grabbing a fistful of his shirt, he added as jokingly as he could, “No worries, Jaejoongie… I’m not going anywhere.”
No hint of amusement in his voice, Jaejoong tugged his lover closer and murmured against Yunho’s pecks, “I know you won’t because I won’t let you…never again.”
( Chapter 17: Dodo Birds )
Length: Chaptered
Pairing: Jaeho/Yunjae, Yoosu
Rating: PG? PG-13?
Genre: Fluff, Lemon?, Humor (Not...)
Summary: Jaejoong and Yunho get ready to walk down the aisle, whilst Yoochun and Junsu prepare to welcome their baby girls into the world.
Chapter 1: Ginger Bread Man's Vitality ; Chapter 2: Bae SeulGi ; Chapter 3: Kama Sutra; Chapter 4: Kinky Hyungs; Chapter 5: Chocolate Proposal ; Chapter 6: Het, Yuck! ; Chapter 7: Famine and Cancer ; Chapter 8: Dolphins, Ducks, and Butts ; Chapter 9: Baby Bash ; Chapter 10: Chicken Shit! ; Chapter 11: Deja Vu ; Chapter 12: Sunshine ; Chapter 13: Superman ; Chapter 14: Brock and Amy ; Chapter 15: Wishing Star
A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOOCHUN!!!!!!! This was suppose to be cut into two parts but I decided to stop where I did. I'm sure you will all agree that it was a good place stop. XDXD I will try to catch up on replying to reviews. But since I already put up the new chapter, I doubt I'd have much to say so please don't get offended if I just reply with a really nice away art <3
Jaejoong slammed on the accelerator as he decided to test fate once more. He zoomed through the streets of Seoul, narrowly missing the oncoming traffic. He ran all the red lights and paid no mind to any stop signs. His apprehension fueled his innate impulsiveness, his heart beating wildly against his rib cage. It was physically hurting him and it took all the strength he could muster to keep driving in the right lane. The helpless, clueless feeling seized him and he was anxious to reach his destination.
Yoochun had been too hysterical over the phone and Jaejoong could barely make out what he was rattling on about. Thankfully, he caught the words ‘hospital’, ‘Junsu’, and ‘Oh, God.’ He called Changmin right after, hoping for a better explanation but the younger man had been vaguer and more rattled than Yoochun.
“Changmin, what’s going? Which hospital?” Jaejoong had quickly asked, not bothering with a greeting.
“…Hey, hyung,” The voice was so soft that Jaejoong had to press the ear piece further into his lobe.
“What the…Changmin, answer the question!”
“I…Junsu…He’s in the hospital.”
“Yes, yes, I know that. What happened? Why is he in the hospital? Which hospital is he in?”
“We’re at the…uhm…the General,”
The call had ended there; Jaejoong’s patience for the two men that were still in shock was wearing thin. The hospital Changmin had mentioned was on the opposite side of the city and Jaejoong knew it would take a miracle to get there before anything else major happened.
The mid-afternoon sun was positively glaring, causing Jaejoong to shield his eyes as he guessed his way to the hospital entrance. The cement pavement felt like quick sand, each step he took so burdened with worry. His temerity from the drive over left him completely, leaving only trepidation in his big brown orbs. The soft ding of the automated sliding glass doors resounded in his head as he made his way to the lone desk at the lobby where a grouchy man in uniform sat stiffly. At any other time, Jaejoong would pause to admire the posh couches adjacent to the gift shop with little trinkets and presents.
Tapping lightly on the counter, the officer tilted his head up and narrowed his eyes at Jaejoong’s flushed face. The former singer knew that look well. The man was linking his features to something more familiar but the rumpled state he was in prevented any clear distinction. After a few seconds more of creepy ogling, Jaejoong cleared his throat. His actions dawning on him, the officer bowed his head in apology and subconsciously covered the name tag pinned to his breast pocket.
“Uhm, patient?” The stout officer turned to the computer, randomly pressing on his keyboard to take the screen saver away.
“Park Junsu,” Jaejoong piped up, leaning forward to take a peek at the glaring monitor.
“Right,” The man reached in the alcove beneath the counter for a marker and scribbled digits on a sticky pad, handing the note to Jaejoong. “Here’s the room number and floor.”
“Thank you,” He gave a hurried reply, practically snatching the piece of paper and agitatedly bouncing on the spot.
As if guided by an invisible force, he found the correct floor with ease and only took one wrong turn that lead to a little chapel. He quickly spotted the nurses’ station across the hallway as soon as the elevator doors opened. Just as he was half-running, half-walking to the desk, he heard an ear-splitting scream behind one of the closed doors.
“YOOCHUNNIE!”
Jaejoong immediately halted, instantly recognizing the dolphin shriek. He traced his steps and pushed open the door where the yelling had originated. He was not altogether surprised to see Junsu writhing in pain on the bed, clad in the atrocious hospital gown. The three men in the room did not notice his presence, all too busy with a pregnant man wailing. Jaejoong wondered how long they had been at this and felt guilty at not having been there for his dongsaengs. He paused only for a second to watch as Yoochun and Changmin stood at Junsu’s side, holding the sweaty hands and whispering sweet, encouraging nonsense.
“Junsu!” Jaejoong shouted, rushing over to the bed that creaked slightly at Junsu’s wriggling form.
“Hyung!” Instantaneous yells came from the three men.
Jaejoong stood like a superhero coming to save their day at the edge of the bed. He clutched Junsu’s feet and began to massage the swollen soles. “What did the doctor say? Is he actually having contractions?”
Yoochun spoke up over the bursts of yelps from Junsu. “Yeah, he is and the doctor told him to keep it in. The asshole doesn’t want to perform a C-section too early.”
“What?! But he looks like he’s in labor already!” Jaejoong answered, outraged.
“No, not yet,” Changmin shook his head, and Jaejoong sensed the guilt radiating from the taller man. “The contractions are just really more painful for men because of obvious reasons.”
“I’m still just 32 weeks, hyung,” Junsu said, a bit winded. “My babies…they’ll be premature…”
“You! No talking!” Jaejoong hushed the wheezing man. Turning to the two other men standing, he barked, “Have either of you gotten a hold of Yunnie?”
Both of them shook their heads. Jaejoong had assumed on the way here that Yunho, just like him, was rushing to the hospital. Changmin added, “I called him while Yoochun called you but he wasn’t picking up. We’ve been trying for the past hour to get a hold of him but so far, we’ve had no luck. We called so many times that we don’t even have any batteries left.”
Jaejoong nodded, biting his lower lip. He reached into his pocket to retrieve his cell phone but to his dismay, he had no service. “Damn! No signal!” He debated in his head whether or not he should leave Junsu to go find signal in the hospital but the responsibility he felt towards the younger men pulled him to stay. He handed the phone to Changmin who took it bewilderedly. “Here’s my phone. Go get some sort of signal and if they’ll let you, try to call from the nurses’ station.”
Changmin nodded, obediently rushing out the door after a hurried wish of luck to his expecting friend. Once the door was shut, Yoochun turned to Jaejoong, who had taken over Changmin’s place, “Did you just say Yunnie?”
“Khh…later,”
~*~
Changmin wandered aimlessly in the white hallways of the hospital, beginning to get accustomed to the alcoholic stench. He took the same wrong turn as Jaejoong had earlier and ended up in front of mahogany doors with a cross hanging dangerously on a hook. He went inside for solitude and because of the fact that openly using phones in the hallways was frowned upon. Fortunately, there were no ceremonies being held inside and he could make all the noise he wanted.
“Yunho! Please call me when you get this message!” Changmin pleaded into the device for the tenth time since leaving the confines of Junsu’s private room.
He punched in the key labeled 3, Jaejoong’s favorite number and thus Yunho’s speed dial, and clicked the call button again. His job was to get a hold of Yunho and he would not fail. On the other hand, Changmin was just grateful to be out of the room. The guilt of causing all this mayhem was eating him up inside, especially since Junsu made him swear not to tell Yoochun, Jaejoong, or even Yunho what exactly happened. He no longer had that option of honesty, the truth setting him free. He wondered how many more fumbles he would make before they took him out of the game completely. Great, Changmin thought, football references.
The pregnant man had been fine one minute, and the next he was screaming bloody murder about the girls. Changmin had had his back turned as they had been both busy trying to contact the board members. After the first three who were said to be unavailable due to some sort of meeting that night, Junsu and Changmin decided to split up the list of names and numbers. Their efforts were futile, unfortunately, for they got none of the members on hold. At his wit’s end, Junsu began screaming incoherently at one of the secretaries and Changmin found no reason not to just follow his hyung’s example and he too began shouting at the poor girl on the other end of the line.
In all the excitement, the girls were kicking at his womb and it wasn’t long before Junsu lost his temper with them too. Shouting at the secretary, shouting at the twins, and eventually shouting at Changmin, it came as no surprise to either of them when Junsu began to moan and groan as the contractions hit. After getting over the initial shock, Changmin began bombarding Junsu with questions just like how he saw Yoochun once do it but without the calming exterior. It resulted in Junsu hitting him on the head and telling him to be put on the couch. Yoochun came down when the contractions became more painful and the screams and death threats became uglier.
“Hey…”
“This is Changmin, hyung! We--”
“…Not here right now. You know what to do.”
Changmin clicked the redial button once again.
The automated response greeted him.
“Hyung! Come on, answer!”
Click.
“Hey.”
“Hyung! Pick up the--”
“Jae?” Yunho’s confused voice came from the other end.
“Oh my God! You actually answered!” Changmin said proudly.
“Uhm, yeah, I’m sort of busy…”
“Wait, hyung! It’s Junsu! We’re at the hospital!”
“Say what?!”
“He was going into labor and we had to--”
“What the hell happened?! Is he okay? Are the babies?”
“Fine for now but you need to come here, hyung!”
“I…I will try to be there as soon as possible.”
Changmin groaned, hanging up on the man promptly after the vague promise of “I’ll try…”
“Would you like some help?” A voice asked him from behind.
Startled, Changmin immediately turned around and jumped back at the sight of the young priest clad in black pants with the matching dark polo shirt buttoned up all the way, a white collar tight around the neck. The man simply grinned, clearly amused. Changmin smiled awkwardly back, feeling like the little fat kid who got caught with his hand down the cookie jar. He waved his hand nervously around, referring to the interior of the quaint chapel, “This is pretty.”
The musty moldings and scratched benches were anything but pretty. The room was illuminated by poor lighting and a single circular stained glass window atop the big cross situated behind the altar. A lone potter plant off to a corner decorated the dingy chapel. The low ceiling only made the place gloomier and Changmin could not help but feel bad that barely any funds are going to the maintenance of the chapel.
“Thank you.” The priest bowed slightly, his hands meeting at the center as if he was about ready to pray. “Are you here to pray for a loved one that’s currently in this hospital?”
“Uh,” Changmin struggled to form a coherent thought in front of a man of God. “I came here…to find out the schedule.”
“Of the next mass? Well…” The preacher took out a pamphlet from his pocket, as if he waits all day to be asked and carries the listed schedule everywhere just in case. “On Sundays, it is at four in the afternoon and nine every morning of every day.”
“Oh, uh,” Changmin felt trapped, unsure whether to commit to attending a mass. “You see, my friend is going to give birth and I don’t think he’d be allowed to go down all the way here but we’ll try to make it some other time.”
“No worries, son. The hospital is prepared for that since, of course, most of its patients are bedridden. This chapel is always being televised,” he pointed to the camera on the ceiling directed at the altar. “On channel six of every television set in every room.”
“Oh, that’s neat…” Changmin whistled, impressed.
“Ah, it is. I also offer to hold mass privately for certain patients who request one in their rooms. Would your friend like that?” The priest asked kindly, his eyes sparkling with sincerity that Changmin no longer encountered in his life.
“Uhm,” Changmin bit his bottom lip, seriously considering the offer. “I’ll ask them.”
The priest nodded understandingly and made the sign of the cross in the space between them. Changmin nodded gratefully for the blessing and made a quick promise of coming to one of the masses. He doubted he would but it was the thought that counted. He genuflected before he left, sending a quick, silent plea to the heavens above to keep the girls safe. Deep in thought, he made his way back to Junsu’s room.
~*~
Jaejoong was completely furious. His knuckles were practically white as he gripped on the metal railings of the hospital bed. He felt his temper boil as Junsu’s mother continued ranting on and on about how Junsu’s current predicament was all Yoochun’s fault that the babies’ having to be born prematurely was caused by his failure to support Junsu properly. He almost regretted letting the woman in, even after Junsu had already been sent to surgery. In Changmin’s absence, hell had broken loose. The babies could no longer hold out. They had had no choice but to rush Junsu into the operating table and proceed with the C-section.
Minutes after, Junsu’s mother had come barging in the room, looking frantically for her son. As soon as she spotted Yoochun sitting at the edge of the bed, she began chastising him for doing this to her precious baby boy. Ignoring the fact that he had his face buried in his hands, she yelled at him and let him have it. Jaejoong had been in the bathroom when it began but soon came out when he heard all the noise.
“Oh, I should have known this would happen!” A woman in a pale blue suit bemoaned. “I can’t believe you let this happen! I knew you wouldn’t be able to take care of my son like he needed to be taken care of! I don’t know what he ever saw in you! He should have been with a real man who would have known how to look after him properly! Jung Yunho would have never let it get to this, you know! Junsu should have ended up with him and--”
At the mention of his lover, Jaejoong could no longer restrain himself and butted in. “Hey! Look, this was no one’s fault! Please, stop talking to your son like this!”
“My son?!” Her face distorted in disgust. “My son happens to by lying on a surgical bed, helpless and alone, with a bunch of doctors and nurses crowding around him because this man failed to do his job! This failure is not my son!”
Jaejoong glanced at Yoochun who still had his face buried in his palms, as if blocking out all the negative comments. He turned his gaze back at the livid woman who continued ranting on to the unmoving man on the bed. “He became your son the moment they got married. It’s about time you realize how wonderful he is before Junsu realizes how horrible you are!”
Just then, Changmin walked in the room, completely bewildered by all the screaming. The three faces turned to him expectantly and he only stared back at them. His eyes fell on the empty bed and he gestured wordlessly to the space that Junsu no longer occupied. Jaejoong spoke up softly, “No choice…he had to give birth. Did you get a hold of Yunnie?”
“Uhm, yeah,” Changmin answered distractedly, disturbed at the new piece of information. “Wait, why isn’t Yoochun with him?”
“No need. Junsu chose full anesthesia. He’s asleep and Yoochun would just be in the way of the doctors.” Jaejoong nodded slightly in Yoochun’s direction as if pointing out how big a wreck the man already was.
“Is h-he going to be okay?” Changmin felt tears well up inside him, the sensation too unfamiliar that it scared him.
“Yes.” Yoochun answered, resolution shining brightly in his teary eyes.
“How can you say that?!” Junsu’s mom huffed angrily, throwing her hands in the air. “I’ll wait outside.”
When no one bothered to reply, she stormed out of the room. Changmin turned to Jaejoong, a brow raised in confusion. Jaejoong sighed tiredly before answering, “She’s been screaming at Yoochun about how this is all his fault. The gall in that woman! I wanted to beat the crap out of her face! And you!” He pointed an accusing finger to Yoochun. “You just sat there and took it! You’ve been the perfect husband, the perfect father throughout this entire ordeal and you just let her rip your balls off as if you were the one to blame for all of this!”
Yoochun looked down on the ground and kept his head low and his shoulders slumped, already admitting defeat. “She was right…I don’t know how and I don’t know why…but I did let this happen.”
“That’s stupid!” Jaejoong exclaimed impatiently. “Junsu’s a man and he’s carrying twins!”
“Then I should have done more to prevent this!” Yoochun yelled back, his voice choked up. “It was my shortcomings that led to this! I didn’t do enough…I shouldn’t have…I don’t know…he was my responsibility and she’s right! I failed. I failed my husband. I failed my girls. I failed in protecting the only family I’ll ever have!”
“You’re being melodramatic! You didn’t fail anyone! If anyone failed, it would be me and Yunho! Our stupid argument caused Junsu to worry and stress over us! We completely lost sight as to how many people would be affected by our silly breakup.” Jaejoong walked over to the bed and sat next to Yoochun, draping a comforting arm over the shorter man’s shoulders. “Junsu’s mother…was just ranting. She’s worried about her son just like we’re all worried about Junsu. She didn’t know what she was talking about. Trust me.”
Changmin had remained silent thus far, letting the scene play out. He watched in silence as Yoochun leaned into Jaejoong’s embrace. Screw his promise, Changmin thought. Yoochun and Jaejoong were now blaming each other for something he had caused by himself. It was time to grow a pair and take the heat that should have been directed all to him in the first place.
“I did it, hyung.” Changmin mumbled. Both men looked up to him as he approached the bed.
“Did you say something, Changminah?” Jaejoong asked.
Changmin cleared his throat and raised his voice. “I…told him about my company,” he heard the deep intake of breath from both men but he continued on. “And while he was calling the board members…he started contracting and then-AHH!”
“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Yoochun yelled out like a war cry.
Whatever words Changmin had left to say was muffled by Yoochun’s fist hitting his face, right on the jaw bone. Changmin stumbled backwards but was steadied by Yoochun’s hand grabbing him by the collar to land another punch. Jaejoong was stunned at the sudden reaction, shocked to his core as he saw Yoochun practically fly to lunge at the taller man. As the disgruntled husband was about to smash Changmin’s face for the third time, Jaejoong shook himself out of his revere.
“Yoochun! Get off of him!” Jaejoong pulled at Yoochun’s shoulders, utterly surprised at the sudden strength in the shorter man. His efforts were in vain as Yoochun continued to land brutal blows on Changmin’s face. Jaejoong gasped in horror as the familiar crimson began staining Yoochun’s fist, Changmin’s cheek marred with a deep cut that Yoochun targeted relentlessly. “Fuck, Yoochun! STOP!”
“N-No!” Yoochun’s croaked out, tears spilling from all of their cheeks. He continued on punching, just as Jaejoong kept on attempting to pull him off. The blows became weaker and came slower, Yoochun’s arms beginning to weaken. Changmin’s face was dirtied with blood and tears, his body limp as he played a willing participant to Yoochun’s rage.
“Chunnie!! He’s your brother!” Jaejoong was crying out now, frantically pulling at Yoochun’s arm. In a desperate attempt, he punched Yoochun hard on the arm. It worked. Yoochun shrieked in pain and he automatically let go of the younger man as his hand flew to the injured area.
Changmin fell like a dead weight on the floor. He was neither sobbing nor nursing his wounds but he curled into the fetal position and cried quietly. Jaejoong rushed to him, ignoring Yoochun’s angry claims of injustice. He knew Changmin deserved the beating to a certain point but the extent that Yoochun’s rage went to was gruesome. Jaejoong pulled Changmin up by the shoulder and helped him up onto the bed.
“Make space, Yoochun!” Jaejoong ordered furiously. “He is your brother and now he’s hurt! Make some fucking space!”
Reluctantly, Yoochun hopped off the bed and went into the bathroom. Jaejoong rolled his eyes and wiped away the tears pouring down Changmin’s face. They heard the faucet being put at full blast, providing some sort of semblance of privacy for Yoochun. Jaejoong and Changmin shared a look, both assuming that Yoochun had gone in there to cry in peace.
“He hates me…” Changmin muttered with his eyes casted down.
Jaejoong tilted his head up with a finger on his chin. “Look at me,” Changmin met his eyes. “He doesn’t hate you.”
Changmin turned his head to display the gradual swelling of his left cheek. Jaejoong chuckled despite himself. “Okay…maybe a little,”
Changmin sighed audibly, his shoulders slumping further down. “It seems like everything I do is wrong. I’m starting to think I was the reason why you and Yunho broke up. Or why there’s world hunger. Or pollution, or global warming, or AIDS…”
“But why’d you do it Changminah? I’m guessing you already knew that we knew about the company but why’d you tell Junsu?” Jaejoong asked softly, stroking his dongsaeng’s hair gently.
“I didn’t know it was going to get to this point, hyung. And I wanted to tell all of you but Junsu made me swear not to because he knew how Yoochun would react.” Changmin groaned. “I guess I should have listened to that.”
Jaejoong smiled sadly at him. Before he could respond, they heard the water running from the bathroom come to a halt. A shirtless Yoochun stepped out of it, a damp cloth clutched tightly in his hand, properly wrung. Wordlessly, he walked over to the pair on the bed and pressed the wet shirt against Changmin’s bruised face. The younger man flinched when the cloth touched his skin, raising his arms defensively over his body for any more surprise attacks.
Turning to Jaejoong, Yoochun said coolly, “Can you give us a minute, hyung? We need to talk.”
Jaejoong raised a doubtful brow. “Talk as in with words or talk as in your fist hitting another part of his body?”
Yoochun glared at Changmin before answering, “I haven’t decided yet,”
“Uh,” Jaejoong looked uneasily at the two of them. He knew Changmin could easily hurt Yoochun a great deal more but he also knew that Changmin was the guilty party and that he would do the honorable thing and act as Yoochun’s punching bag. “Promise me you’ll choose the first one and then I’ll leave.”
Yoochun gave him a small nod and that was enough.
~*~
Jaejoong paced in front of the vending machine, no real intention of buying any of the unhealthy snacks. His thoughts were too scattered, his mind in complete disarray. It’s been exactly twenty-two minutes since Junsu had been rushed to the operating room but he felt ten years older. The unresolved drama with Yunho who he still had had no luck in contacting, Junsu’s premature birth scare, Yoochun and Changmin’s fight, and Junsu’s mother who had managed to corner him as soon as he had stepped out of the room. She had reprimanded his behavior of defending Yoochun and not caring about Junsu. Without replying, he just walked away from her and headed straight for the cafeteria where he ended up in front of the vending machines.
A part of him wanted to crumble with all this pressure of suddenly being the leader, of suddenly being responsible of holding the peace between the members. He felt out of place in this new territory. He was never meant to be the grounded one, never the one to calm everyone down and worry about everything while maintaining a calm and collected outlook. This was all Yunho’s job but in the former leader’s absence, it somehow fell on his shoulders. Jaejoong checked his phone again, as if he there was a slight chance that he had missed a text or call within the minute since he last checked it.
“Excuse me, sir, are you going to buy something?” A man clad in dark blue scrubs asked him politely, a ready won in his hand. Jaejoong scoffed rudely at him for disturbing his thoughts. He walked away without another word, leaving the nurse appalled by the diva attitude.
As he left the machines to continue loitering at some other random part of the hospital, his cell phone finally rang, the device vibrating in his hand. Eagerly, he answered it without bothering to check the id. “Hello?”
“Jaejoong-shii?” A gnarled voice came from the other end.
“Uhm, yes,” Jaejoong answered, bewildered by the caller’s identity. “Who is this?”
“This is (UnimportantKoreanName) and I work for the Reverend. I just wanted to confirm your cancellation for tomorrow’s wedding ceremony.”
“Oh,” Jaejoong was speechless.
“So that’s a yes? Thank you.”
“Uh-” Beep.
Before Jaejoong could react properly, his phone rang for a second time. Numbly, he pressed the answer button and gave a distracted greeting.
“Hyung! Junsu’s out of surgery! Get up here!” Changmin exclaimed cheerfully.
The former call pushed quickly to the back of his mind, Jaejoong made his way back up to his family.
~*~
“Shhh!”
Jaejoong was immediately shushed as soon as he stepped into the room by Changmin. Jaejoong gave him a questioning look and the younger man pointed to the sedated angel lying on the bed. At seeing Junsu, Jaejoong tiptoed to the medicated man’s bedside.
“Where’s his mom and Yoochun?” Jaejoong asked quietly, running his fingers through Junsu’s messy strands.
Changmin smiled, or at least tried to. The purple beauty he was bravely sporting contorted his features, distorting his once handsome face. “I told them I’d stay here with Junsu so that they could go visit the girls at the nursery. They’re still being cleaned and have a bunch of wires and tubes in them but Yoochun was so agitated to do something that I thought he was going to punch me again.”
Jaejoong smiled tiredly. “Well, what did happen? Were you guys able to talk it out? Is everything good now?”
“Well, when you left…” Changmin chuckled softly, reliving the minutes before.
“Why, Changminah?” Yoochun asked as soon as the door shut. He was completely torn at that moment between the urge to strangle the man in front of him and the concern for his dongsaeng’s wounds. “Why did you tell him even when you knew we were already helping?”
Changmin had no answer for him, only a broken plea for forgiveness. “Hyung, I’m so sorry. Please…those girls are my nieces that I put in danger. Please don’t accuse me of not caring about them.”
“I know that, Changminah. That’s why I also know that nothing I could ever do or say can hurt or affect you more than your own guilt.” Yoochun rubbed at the smudges of blood with the damp cloth in his hand. “Make it up to us, one way or another.”
Changmin nodded, returning a sudden embrace.
“That’s good to hear…” The relief Jaejoong had hoped for at hearing the words never came, his heart now worried about the lengths Changmin would go to prove himself. “Why don’t you join them at the nursery and I’ll stay here with Junsu? It’s going to take awhile before he’ll regain consciousness and be able to talk without it being too painful. I don’t mind sitting here for now.”
“Are you sure?” Changmin asked, though already making his way out of the room.
“Yes, yes,” Jaejoong shooed him away. “Go see your nieces!”
“Thanks, hyung!”
Shaking his head at Changmin, Jaejoong turned his gaze to the exhausted heroic man. Junsu was beautiful, glowing in an ethereal light that surrounded him like a visible aura. Tiny beads of perspiration glistened along the hairline and Jaejoong swiped some away with a gentle touch of his thumb. He continued to run his wet thumb across Junsu’s face, tracing circular patterns around the drooping lids and down to the aristocratic features, the high cheekbones and well-defined jaw.
Remnants of a tired smile lingered on Junsu’s lips as if the man had known his babies came out safely in his deep slumber. Jaejoong could not resist. He bent his head down low, brushing their lips together and softly whispering against the chapped petals, “I’m so proud of you, Junsu~ah…”
He stayed at an awkward angel, resting his forehead against Junsu’s own sweaty forehead. Jaejoong sought out Junsu’s hand which lay limp at his side. Enclosing the cold and clammy fingers within his palm, Jaejoong continued to stroke Junsu’s hair with his other hand. He parted his lips and blew softly, hot breath fanning out on Junsu as his pathetic attempt to give his energy and strength to the man who truly deserved it.
A spark of jealousy ignited at the pit of his stomach. In all the years he had spent alongside Junsu, he always harbored a deep seeded resentment for the other man’s talents. Jaejoong had believed wholeheartedly that Dong Bang Shin Ki’s sudden rise to fame had been ninety percent due to the young man. And now, Junsu had given him another reason to indulge in the deadly sin of envy by being everything Jaejoong was not. Brave, bold, and loyal to the man he loved.
“Oh, Su~ah,” Jaejoong murmured, an array of emotions swirling inside of him. “I don’t know how you did it…You willingly chose to keep it all inside. Who were you doing it for, kid? Changmin? Yoochun? Certainly not for yourself…”
A lone teardrop escaped Jaejoong’s long lashes, trickling down the side of his face. “Is that what I’m trying to do now, Su? I’m trying to keep it all inside because you all need me to be sane? If that’s so, then I’ve got bad news for you, dongsaeng.” Jaejoong released Junsu’s hand as his flew to his face to wipe the evidence of his weakness. “I don’t think I have much left in me…”
“Aish!” Jaejoong hissed as more acid tears prickled his eyes. “He still hasn’t called Su~ah! And here I am, playing leader and so fucking inept at it. I couldn’t calm and comfort your mother like Yunho used to do. I couldn’t stop your husband from beating our little brother up into a bloody pulp. Yunho would have never let it get that far. And I’m just tired, Junsu…I j-just want to…” His voice broke.
He was in over his head if he thought he could keep this selfless act up. The moment he actually welcomed the long due confrontation with Yunho, the rug was pulled right from under him. All this time, he had sought after excuses and distractions, anything to keep his mind off of losing the only man he had ever loved and the only man he ever could. Was fate so cruel as to let all this dawn on him just when it was too late?
“Oh, God…” Jaejoong whimpered, biting the insides of his cheek and wounding the sensitive lining. He wanted to crawl inside a tiny cave and wallow in his sorrow. He wanted to throw a fit, a childish tantrum that was no longer appropriate for a man his age. He wanted…to complain all about life’s woes to his best friend, to Yunho, the man who had been with him through all the ups and downs.
Memories of stolen nights in each other’s arms resurfaced in Jaejoong’s tormented mind. Even before their love had blossomed, even back in their trainee days where they struggled to nurture their budding friendship, they had already begun to seek comfort in each other after a particularly grueling day in the dance studio or after strenuous vocal practices that they pushed through with no sleep and poor nourishment under their belts. And even in the pinnacle of their careers, even after they had conquered the world with their studio perfected voices and choreographed dances; it was in each other that they found solace in to keep going for the others members.
Jaejoong imagined vividly the way Yunho would unabashedly step into his personal space and be whatever he needed Yunho to be at that moment in time. He shuddered visibly as he remembered Yunho’s distinct scent, muscle ointment with a dab of aftershave, invading his nostrils and polluting his personal atmosphere. He could practically feel the calloused hands encircling his petite waste and the strong toned arms encasing him in a cocoon of safety, gently pulling him closer to the hard chest and sculpted abdomen. Jaejoong remembered the instinctive tilt of his head to rest lightly on the hollow of Yunho’s neck and the plump red lips grazing the edge of his lobe as Yunho questions him.
“Jae, are you okay?”
“Yunho!” Jaejoong jumped, turned, and almost fell back on the bed where Junsu was resting but Yunho quickly balanced him, pulling him into a protective embrace.
Great waves of relief washed over Jaejoong, alongside confusion and embarrassment. He clung to Yunho’s shirt, gripping on the hems partly to maintain his balance and partly in fear of Yunho being a mere production of his desperate imagination.
But Yunho was no illusion. The former leader had rushed to the hospital as soon as the deals with the board members had been set, the papers signed and the money exchanged. His whole body stiffened in worry, his chest tightening painfully as he saw Jaejoong lamenting over Junsu’s body. He had acted on instinct and had taken the man into his arms where he belonged.
“Jae, it’s going to be okay,” Yunho soothed, tightening his hold on the smaller frame. He felt his shirt dampen as Jaejoong’s face was buried in his chest. Noting the finger’s grabbing a fistful of his shirt, he added as jokingly as he could, “No worries, Jaejoongie… I’m not going anywhere.”
No hint of amusement in his voice, Jaejoong tugged his lover closer and murmured against Yunho’s pecks, “I know you won’t because I won’t let you…never again.”
( Chapter 17: Dodo Birds )