Blue Tumbler
Title: Blue Tumbler
Length: Chaptered
Author: DaiichiSan
Pairing: YooSu, YunJae (Both are Main Pairing, got that?)
Rating: R, (Rare Smut Scenes will be Invisible)
Genre: Romance, Drama, Humor, Angst, Romance
Warning: Mpreg
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I swear.
Summary: Babies and more pregnant men. Then more drama. Then more happy endings. Sequel to Coffee Sweet but can be read seperately.
( Chapter 1: There You'll Be )
( Chapter 2: Getting There )
Author's Notes: I'm really really really really really sorry for taking more than two weeks to update. With that being said, I'm sure you've all been too busy to read anyways, what with the most amazing comeback on earth.
I'm dedicating this to lahmacun
Chapter 3: Almost There [to the actual plot]
Standing against the kitchen counter, Junsu was as still as the night air. He leaned slightly on the marble tiles, thoughts a million miles away. Jiyoung and Jooyoun were both fast asleep, the babies dead tired from a fun filled day with their uncles. Junsu himself was also beat from having spent the day with Jaejoong and Changmin, but oddly enough, he was not sleepy. He was just very aware of how tired he was.
Ding! The kitchen appliance rang and Junsu walked to it in a trance.
He distractedly stuck his bare hand into the microwave to grab the hot plate. He hissed at the burning touch and shoved his finger into his mouth. He nursed the injury with his tongue, cooling the hurt flesh with his saliva. Smarter the second time, he grabbed a balled up washcloth on the counter and proceeded to fish out the plate of food. In an attempt to make it look more presentable and appetizing, Junsu randomly placed a sprig of parsley on the side. He has noticed the herb once or twice before when Jaejoong prepared meals for them, but it never seemed to stay in its spot. Hungry boys never seemed to notice it.
He placed the dinner plate on the tray, all ready and decorated. With a tall glass of Iced Tea and a pair of chopsticks on the side, Junsu pondered what was missing. He took the centerpiece, a single red rose in a slim vase, from the dining table and placed it on the corner of the tray. He took a slight step back to study his masterpiece, and then shrugged. Hungry boys never notice anyways. Junsu picked it up and quickly made his journey to the music studio. His pace was fast and steady. Careful was he to not spill the dinner.
His hands full, Junsu shouted as soon as he was in front of the door. “Chunnie! Open the door, please!”
Junsu heard a few rustling sounds, a bang at the piano keys, and a squeak he deduced may have come from one of the twins’ toys-they have been accidentally making their way everywhere. It took a minute or two before the door was opened and Junsu got a look at his weary husband. Yoochun’s eyes were bloodshot and his clothes reeked of a fishy smell. The bags under his lids worsened, and Junsu gasped as he noticed the paleness of his husband’s lips.
Honestly, he had not seen Yoochun for the past three days. Though they lived under one roof, they never seemed to be under it at the same time. When Junsu was home with the kids, Yoochun had been in meetings. When Yoochun was working in the studio, Junsu had taken the kids someplace else to lessen the distraction.
“Su~ah,” Yoochun’s cracked, as if he had spent too long without using his vocal chords. When trying to listen for the perfect melody, he had no need to speak. He was stunned for some reason, forehead creased in wonderment at the sight of his husband standing before him.
Junsu tilted his head and smiled shyly at the heady gaze boring into him.
“Yoochunnie,” Junsu said softly. “You look horrible. You haven’t been taking care of yourself, have you? Well, here. I brought you some dinner. I thought you might be hungry.”
Yoochun immediately looked down at the beautifully prepared tray being nudged at him. He took it off of Junsu’s hands and carried it to the little desk near the piano, placing it atop the pile of paper of discarded lyrics. Sniffing at the food, Yoochun raised his eyebrow and turned around, “Homemade beef stew? You cooked for me, babe?”
Junsu looked away and mumbled, “Maybe…”
“Su~u…” Yoochun threatened teasingly.
Junsu pouted and dipped his pinky in the soup, licking it off before answering, “Jaejoong told me to take some home for you. He made it tonight for the girls, and he knew you would want some. But mind you, I’m the one who put it on a plate. I’m the one who prepared all of this,” he motioned to the tray, “I’m also the who microwaved it… with love.”
“With love?” Yoochun chuckled, amusement showing in his weary eyes. He swiftly grabbed Junsu’s hand in his, softly pulling the other man into the cave of his arms. “That’s my favorite kind of dinner.”
Junsu crooned in his husband’s lean embrace. He gave a winded laugh as he pressed his face against the crook of Yoochun’s neck, effectively tickling the slightly taller man. Yoochun’s giggle rang in his ears and served as incentive for him to trail kisses on the smooth expanse of neck. Although the room and the clothes that Yoochun wore smelled, the man himself smelled heavenly to Junsu’s nose.
“Ahh…Junsu, babe…” Yoochun murmured. “You feel…so nice.”
Holding on tightly to Yoochun’s waist, Junsu pulled back his head to look pointedly at his husband. “If I feel so nice, maybe you should be feeling me more often, ne?”
Instead of replying, Yoochun smacked their lips together, clumsily and playfully. No more than a second after, Junsu was playing along. They shared angel kisses, soft and light, with no intention of taking anything further. Their hands remained at each other’s waists, fingers gripping at the cloth of their shirts and making no attempt to undress the other. After days of broken notes and unfinished melodies, the studio finally echoed of love as the two men laughed breathlessly and kissed gently.
Yoochun began to take a few steps backward, and silenced Junsu with his tongue as the younger man wanted to question him. They moved tentatively, still giggling and nipping tenderly at each other’s necks. Hitting his mark, Yoochun stopped as he collided with the chair and plopped down on the leather seat, pulling Junsu to his lap. It was an awkward position at first, but Junsu adjusted his sitting and was soon enough being straddled by his lover.
“Sarang hae…” Junsu whispered, his tongue swirling teasingly at the tip of Yoochun’s ear.
“I love you, baby,” Yoochun replied in crisp English, loud and forceful.
Time flew too quickly for Junsu’s liking as they spent the next hour cuddled closely on the chair, saying sweet nothings as they made up for the lack of kisses and hugs during the past few days. Eventually they moved on to Yoochun’s dinner, Junsu staying to feed his husband the food he had microwaved with love. He stayed sitting on Yoochun’s lap, held in place by the strong arms that protected him from falling.
“So, how was the dinner with them?” Yoochun asked casually as he finished chewing.
“Well, they missed you. And I’m not entirely sure they understood the fact that you had work to do. They wanted to know what you were working on but for some reason, I didn’t think you would have wanted me to tell them. So I just said that there was no specific artist in mind.” Junsu shrugged, picking at the plate with his fork. “Did I make the right call? Have you told them about Seulgi?”
Yoochun sighed, instinctively pulling Junsu closer. “Not yet…I don’t think they’d understand just yet that I’m not doing this for her. And I mean, I’m not even technically on good terms with her. Our relationship with her ended quickly and we all just got Yunho’s point of view of it. But even if Yunho swears that she’s a great person and that misunderstandings was the main root of last year’s drama, she was still sullied in our eyes, especially after the divorce that got settled a few months ago. The guy wiped her out completely and--”
“-Wait,” Junsu interrupted. “So if you’re not doing this for her personally, then why are you doing it?”
“Oh…well,” Yoochun paused. “It’d be nice if I had my own claim to fame, you know,”
Junsu scrunched his face in bewilderment. “What’s that supposed to mean, Chunnie?”
Yoochun sighed. “It means that I think writing this whole album, maybe even doing a duet with her, could really do wonders for my career. My career without Dong Band Shin Ki, you know?”
“No, I don’t know. What are you trying to say?” Junsu pressed his palm on Yoochun’s chest, pushing away slightly to get a better look at his husband’s face.
Hesitantly, Yoochun started his explanation in a whisper. “I’m not trying to sound ungrateful to the band…I mean, it’s the reason for all the good things in my life right now. The band brought me to you, my love, my family…and it gave me this incredible financial security for my future and for our kids’ future…”
“Buuut…?”
“Buut…we’re not a band anymore and I just…think it’s about time I become something based on my own merits. Look at the rest of you guys. All of you have made a name for yourself after we disbanded, not make something of yourself because of the name. You and Changmin are responsible for some of the biggest idols right now and even after that whole drama last year, YSEntertainment is still regarded as one of the top music agencies. And Yunho, well, leader-shii is actually more known for his work on movies nowadays. Jaejoong’s the same. You all proved you were more than Dong Bang Shin Ki…But not me. Not yet, at least.”
Junsu parted his lips, struggling for the right response. He wanted to be comforting without sounding belittling. He did not want to lie either, but for the most part, Yoochun had said the truth. Dramatics aside, the other four really had surpassed the days when they would be referred to as the former singers. Even if Yoochun had written songs for many artists, none had been hits. They were good, but even if Junsu had to admit that Yoochun had written his best material during their days as a band.
“Chunnie…” Junsu murmured.
He ran his fingers through Yoochun’s silk hair caressingly. He brought his palm to cup the other’s cheek, brushing his thumb lightly on the leaden eye bags. Yoochun understood how Junsu could be at a loss for words and appreciated the silent recognition, absent of pity or consoling lies. He leaned into the gentle touch, sighing audibly.
“How’s the song going, then?” Junsu asked tentatively.
Yoochun merely grumbled in response.
“That bad?” Junsu cooed. “Well, maybe it’s because you’ve got all of these thoughts clouding you every time you even sit down by the piano. You’ve put this gigantic pressure on yourself whenever your pen touches the paper and it’s scaring off your muse. You know better than I that when you’re writing a song for the sake of a hit, it’s not going to work. You can’t be thinking of the record sales, Chunnie. You need to relax…”
“Mmm…” Yoochun took another bite as Junsu resumed feeding him. “’aybe you’re ‘ight, babe. What do you propose I do to get my muse back?”
“Hmm…” Junsu pursed his lips, his hand pausing from scooping up another bite to feed to Yoochun. “I think you need a day off from this kind of schedule. Like a family day out or something… the kids, especially Jiyoung who really misses her appa.”
“Aish…I miss them so much too…” Yoochun admitted. “The only time I really spend with them is when they’re asleep. I just hold them and rock them…”
Junsu’s eyes glistened at the image. He had mysteriously been getting more sleep lately and now he knew why. It was Yoochun who would come to the babies in the middle of the night when they were screaming their heads off. Without being there, Yoochun was still there, and Junsu could not help himself but swoop down and steal a kiss.
Caught off guard, Yoochun chortled as a pair of lips attacked him. Against Junsu’s lips, he said, “A family day sounds nice…how about we do it this weekend? I think I may have been looking at all the wrong places for inspiration when it was just right here in my house…”
~**~
Jaejoong blew a strand of hair away from his face, clearing his view of Yunho getting ready for work as he lazed about in bed. He was as nude as the day he was born, his belly protruding proudly on the sheets that barely covered him. He felt hot, scorching in fact, that he had decided to forgo any sleeping attire for the rest of his pregnancy. Unless, that is, Changmin and he were going to have a sleepover, a common occurrence when Yunho had to be away.
“Don’t pick that tie, Yunnie,” Jaejoong scolded as he saw Yunho eyeing an atrocious yellow-striped tie. Yunho immediately grabbed the one next to it, trusting his husband’s taste explicitly.
“Good choice. The navy blue is really going to great with that blazer,” Jaejoong motioned with his lips to the suit draped over the desk chair.
“Choose the other pair of shoes,” Jaejoong instructed quickly for he knew that Yunho could not recognize the difference between the two very similar leather shoes.
Yunho continued bustling around in their master bedroom as Jaejoong continued to watch and give out orders. It used to be that they would both be getting ready for work, with Jaejoong still directing Yunho’s clothing, and eat breakfast together. But due to the baby and Jaejoong’s obvious bump, only one of them had a job to go to. They had agreed that it would not be wise for Jaejoong’s career to be on television during the pregnancy. As open-minded as their country had become to gay marriages and male pregnancies, it would still turn off a great deal of viewers. Thus, all the television shows that Jaejoong had been under contract with had all consented to give him as much time off as he wanted.
Somewhere deep inside, Jaejoong missed having a sense of purpose for each day and accomplishing his goal every night at the end of filming. Now, it’s different. All he basically did all day was clean and watch television, fervently trying to keep current with the news and the gossip. He had to be ready with a myriad of jokes as soon as he got back, so even if he was on break, he knew he could not slack off with his knowledge on the current pop happenings. With all that being said, Jaejoong was still bored at home. Even Changmin worked at home and Jaejoong was often left without a playmate. The younger man would often ask Jaejoong to go away so he could work via internet.
“Yunho!” Jaejoong suddenly blurted out.
Yunho looked up from tying his shoelaces. “Yes, Boo?”
Jaejoong scooted to the edge of the bed where Yunho sat. Pulling his knees up to his chest, Jaejoong asked with a pout, “Take me out. It’s boring here at home. Take me out, Yunnie.”
Yunho looked befuddled for a moment before replying, “Where do you want to go, Jaejoongie?”
Jaejoong hugged his legs and began to rock back and forth as he thought up his answer carefully. “I think…we should go out on a simple date. Like with a dinner and a movie or something because I don’t want grand, Yunnie. I just want you…and to get out of this house.”
Instantly amused at the request, Yunho dropped a soft kiss on Jaejoong’s forehead as he sat up. “How about I take you out for a whole day, Joongie? Not just a dinner and a movie but still simple. A picnic for lunch or something, and then maybe we can go shopping after. Just you and me, Boo.”
Jaejoong pouted, letting go of his legs and grabbing Yunho by the navy blue tie, “Promise?”
“I swear on everything, Joongie…” Yunho reassured his expecting husband.
“Even me?” Jaejoong questioned teasingly.
Yunho nodded solemnly. “Even me…”
Jaejoong slapped him on the arm for getting out of that trap with clever wording and earned another kiss planted on his forehead. Yunho continued to shower Jaejoong with wet, sloppy kisses before his eye caught the time on his wristwatch.
“I’ve gotta go to work, Jaejoongie,” Yunho said, quickly smacking their lips together and dropping a kiss on Jaejoong’s belly. He gave two hurried goodbyes and was swiftly out the door before Jaejoong could even react. It was hard for Jaejoong to understand why Yunho was always so concerned about being prompt. He did not need to be. He was the boss.
Jaejoong snatched his iPhone from the bedside table and texted Yunho and Daeshim a short good luck for another day at work. Only to Yunho, Jaejoong added that he wanted his date to be this coming weekend. A few seconds after, he got a heart as a reply.
~**~
The room felt congested with its red blood walls and black carpeting increasing the sense of entrapment. The air conditioning did not seem to circulate well in the conference room and it left parts off it hot and others cold. Poor ventilation was all Yunho could think of as he sat at the head of the table, Daeshim by his side and the other seats occupied by a rising seven a cappella dance group, their manager, and two other executives.
The reason for the meeting had been the upcoming contract for the group, Celsius. They were being dubbed by magazines and news correspondents as the biggest thing since Dong Bang Shin Ki. Though YSEntertainment purposely never agreed to the comparison, they never denied it either. They wittingly left it to the tabloids to make the claims, and up to this day, Yunho still was not entirely sure how big they were planning to make the boys.
The unresolved issue was if Celsius was ready to break into the Japanese scene. Thus far, the group has only made Korean songs and English versions of their hit songs. The next step, if they were to crossover to Japan, was to begin making Japanese versions of their covers. The group members remained quiet throughout the discussion, letting their manager and the two board members discuss the pros and cons of such a move.
“I don’t think they should do it,” Yunho piped up out of nowhere, interrupting the manager. “I don’t they’re ready. I think they should make another Korean album before we even consider this again. They’re not ready.”
The manager looked aghast, his hopes seriously set on the boys expanding their fame. “But Yunho-shii, they’re about to begin recording for their third album. Dong Bang Shin Ki was more than ready to take over the Japanese scene at this point. They are committed young men whose popularity is soaring. Surely you know a good marketing strategy when it’s this obvious. Everyone is expecting them to follow in your footsteps, and the next logical step would be for them to go to Japan.”
Yunho leaned on his chair and crossed his arms. A stern look graced his face as he replied, “There were a lot of things that Dong Bang was forced into doing because the people who signed our checks thought we were ready. These seven young men started earlier than we did. The oldest,” Yunho nodded to the group’s lead singer, “is two years younger than Jaejoong was when we began promoting in Japan. And the youngest is still 14, about to be 15.”****
“Japan is not going to cut them any slack just because of their age. They will most likely be treated with less respect because of it. They started out way too early in my opinion but I was not here to do anything about that then. But I am here now. Age does matter and I personally think that these boys are too young. So I’m sorry, but as for now, the only thing I want them worrying about is their third album.”
The manager and the executives all looked crestfallen at Yunho’s ruling. Yunho did, however, noticed the slight relief on the bandleader’s face. With that, he knew he had made the right decision for the group, however ill-advised his decision may have been.
“Wait, look,” Daeshim spoke up, drawing all eyes on him. “Both the suggestions agree that these boys are eventually going to Japan. Correct?”
Every head nodded.
“But what you disagree on is the when. Correct?”
Daeshim smiled at the same response. “Then why not start them on their Japanese lessons already? I’m not saying that they should do promotions or start recording a Japanese album but I think they should start on the things that gave Dong Bang Shin Ki a great deal of trouble. Back then, Dong Bang had around four months to learn the language and while on promotion, they had to get used to the culture. While they’re doing their third album, why not slowly prepare Celsius for a road that we all agree they will eventually take?”
Daeshim turned to face the group, meeting them each at the eyes. “Now, guys… how exactly do you want to go about this? You’ve all heard about the level of patience and endurance that all of you have to have to succeed overseas. Are you at all ready to deal with that much pressure on your shoulders?”
The members glanced at each other, looking for the right response. Their leader checked the each member’s face before mumbling his reply, “Not yet…not right now…”
“Well, then that’s settled.” Yunho beamed at Daeshim and then to singers. “We’ll start the lessons and begin sending you guys on vacations to Japan without cameras. We’ll make this process slow and deliberate. No sudden fame overnight for you seven. You guys are going to last for a very long time, so we’re going to be careful about each step we take. Are we all in agreement?”
The manager and the two executives nodded reluctantly and bowed hurriedly to Yunho before scampering out of the room. The members of Celsius all hugged Yunho and awkwardly patted Daeshim. They were grateful and Yunho knew that. Their loyalty to YSEntertainment would be of great importance when they begin their career in the Japanese music industry.
Soon enough, Yunho and Daeshim were left alone in the room. They both simultaneously plopped down on their chairs and released a relieved exhale. The meeting had be an unusual one due the fact that the singers were actually against their manager. They would usually be against higher management, finding more trust in their manager who was more often with them and acted as a surrogate parent. It was a nice change from having to argue with both the manager and the divas.
“Ahhh…I’m really loving this day,” Yunho exclaimed dreamily.
Daeshim chuckled. “And why’s that Yunho-shii?”
Yunho leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. “Well, for starters, that was the easiest meeting I have had in the longest time. I should thank you for that. If you hadn’t said something to appease their manager and the execs, it might have dragged on.”
“And what else? What’s another reason for that gigantic 1000 watts smile of yours?”
“I, Jung Yunho, have a date.” Yunho proudly stated. “My gorgeous husband is still not tired of me and actually wants to still spend a whole day with me.”
“Hmm…” Daeshim crossed his arms across his chest. “Are you sure Jaejoong hyung’s not just bored at home?”
“Ah, hush,” Yunho chided. “It’s this Saturday and I am taking the whole weekend off. Maybe even Monday so you’re in charge until then.”
“A whole weekend?” Daeshim whistled, impressed. “Sounds real nice. Where are you going to take them?”
“Them?”
“Uhm…Jaejoong and Changmin?” Daeshim answered.
“No, no…It’s a date date. It’s just going to be me and Jaejoongie…”
“Oh…so Changmin is going to be all alone?”
Yunho recoiled and sat up straight. “Oh…right. Well, I’m sure he won’t mind. He’ll probably like the fact that Jae and I are going to be out of the house. He loves his alone time and he’ll probably love a whole weekend of it.”
Daeshim rolled his eyed and turned away. He wanted to say that there was difference between wanting to be alone and knowing that your presence is not wanted. Daeshim guessed it was more of the latter for Changmin and for some reason, that thought left a heaviness in his chest for the rest of the day.
~***~
iFly!
**** okay...correct my mistakes on their timeline. I've completely confused myself.
***** Just remembered to mention that yes, the name Celsius is a mock of the name of the Taiwanese band, Faranheit.
Length: Chaptered
Author: DaiichiSan
Pairing: YooSu, YunJae (Both are Main Pairing, got that?)
Rating: R, (Rare Smut Scenes will be Invisible)
Genre: Romance, Drama, Humor, Angst, Romance
Warning: Mpreg
Disclaimer: I don't own them. I swear.
Summary: Babies and more pregnant men. Then more drama. Then more happy endings. Sequel to Coffee Sweet but can be read seperately.
( Chapter 1: There You'll Be )
( Chapter 2: Getting There )
Author's Notes: I'm really really really really really sorry for taking more than two weeks to update. With that being said, I'm sure you've all been too busy to read anyways, what with the most amazing comeback on earth.
I'm dedicating this to lahmacun
Chapter 3: Almost There [to the actual plot]
Standing against the kitchen counter, Junsu was as still as the night air. He leaned slightly on the marble tiles, thoughts a million miles away. Jiyoung and Jooyoun were both fast asleep, the babies dead tired from a fun filled day with their uncles. Junsu himself was also beat from having spent the day with Jaejoong and Changmin, but oddly enough, he was not sleepy. He was just very aware of how tired he was.
Ding! The kitchen appliance rang and Junsu walked to it in a trance.
He distractedly stuck his bare hand into the microwave to grab the hot plate. He hissed at the burning touch and shoved his finger into his mouth. He nursed the injury with his tongue, cooling the hurt flesh with his saliva. Smarter the second time, he grabbed a balled up washcloth on the counter and proceeded to fish out the plate of food. In an attempt to make it look more presentable and appetizing, Junsu randomly placed a sprig of parsley on the side. He has noticed the herb once or twice before when Jaejoong prepared meals for them, but it never seemed to stay in its spot. Hungry boys never seemed to notice it.
He placed the dinner plate on the tray, all ready and decorated. With a tall glass of Iced Tea and a pair of chopsticks on the side, Junsu pondered what was missing. He took the centerpiece, a single red rose in a slim vase, from the dining table and placed it on the corner of the tray. He took a slight step back to study his masterpiece, and then shrugged. Hungry boys never notice anyways. Junsu picked it up and quickly made his journey to the music studio. His pace was fast and steady. Careful was he to not spill the dinner.
His hands full, Junsu shouted as soon as he was in front of the door. “Chunnie! Open the door, please!”
Junsu heard a few rustling sounds, a bang at the piano keys, and a squeak he deduced may have come from one of the twins’ toys-they have been accidentally making their way everywhere. It took a minute or two before the door was opened and Junsu got a look at his weary husband. Yoochun’s eyes were bloodshot and his clothes reeked of a fishy smell. The bags under his lids worsened, and Junsu gasped as he noticed the paleness of his husband’s lips.
Honestly, he had not seen Yoochun for the past three days. Though they lived under one roof, they never seemed to be under it at the same time. When Junsu was home with the kids, Yoochun had been in meetings. When Yoochun was working in the studio, Junsu had taken the kids someplace else to lessen the distraction.
“Su~ah,” Yoochun’s cracked, as if he had spent too long without using his vocal chords. When trying to listen for the perfect melody, he had no need to speak. He was stunned for some reason, forehead creased in wonderment at the sight of his husband standing before him.
Junsu tilted his head and smiled shyly at the heady gaze boring into him.
“Yoochunnie,” Junsu said softly. “You look horrible. You haven’t been taking care of yourself, have you? Well, here. I brought you some dinner. I thought you might be hungry.”
Yoochun immediately looked down at the beautifully prepared tray being nudged at him. He took it off of Junsu’s hands and carried it to the little desk near the piano, placing it atop the pile of paper of discarded lyrics. Sniffing at the food, Yoochun raised his eyebrow and turned around, “Homemade beef stew? You cooked for me, babe?”
Junsu looked away and mumbled, “Maybe…”
“Su~u…” Yoochun threatened teasingly.
Junsu pouted and dipped his pinky in the soup, licking it off before answering, “Jaejoong told me to take some home for you. He made it tonight for the girls, and he knew you would want some. But mind you, I’m the one who put it on a plate. I’m the one who prepared all of this,” he motioned to the tray, “I’m also the who microwaved it… with love.”
“With love?” Yoochun chuckled, amusement showing in his weary eyes. He swiftly grabbed Junsu’s hand in his, softly pulling the other man into the cave of his arms. “That’s my favorite kind of dinner.”
Junsu crooned in his husband’s lean embrace. He gave a winded laugh as he pressed his face against the crook of Yoochun’s neck, effectively tickling the slightly taller man. Yoochun’s giggle rang in his ears and served as incentive for him to trail kisses on the smooth expanse of neck. Although the room and the clothes that Yoochun wore smelled, the man himself smelled heavenly to Junsu’s nose.
“Ahh…Junsu, babe…” Yoochun murmured. “You feel…so nice.”
Holding on tightly to Yoochun’s waist, Junsu pulled back his head to look pointedly at his husband. “If I feel so nice, maybe you should be feeling me more often, ne?”
Instead of replying, Yoochun smacked their lips together, clumsily and playfully. No more than a second after, Junsu was playing along. They shared angel kisses, soft and light, with no intention of taking anything further. Their hands remained at each other’s waists, fingers gripping at the cloth of their shirts and making no attempt to undress the other. After days of broken notes and unfinished melodies, the studio finally echoed of love as the two men laughed breathlessly and kissed gently.
Yoochun began to take a few steps backward, and silenced Junsu with his tongue as the younger man wanted to question him. They moved tentatively, still giggling and nipping tenderly at each other’s necks. Hitting his mark, Yoochun stopped as he collided with the chair and plopped down on the leather seat, pulling Junsu to his lap. It was an awkward position at first, but Junsu adjusted his sitting and was soon enough being straddled by his lover.
“Sarang hae…” Junsu whispered, his tongue swirling teasingly at the tip of Yoochun’s ear.
“I love you, baby,” Yoochun replied in crisp English, loud and forceful.
Time flew too quickly for Junsu’s liking as they spent the next hour cuddled closely on the chair, saying sweet nothings as they made up for the lack of kisses and hugs during the past few days. Eventually they moved on to Yoochun’s dinner, Junsu staying to feed his husband the food he had microwaved with love. He stayed sitting on Yoochun’s lap, held in place by the strong arms that protected him from falling.
“So, how was the dinner with them?” Yoochun asked casually as he finished chewing.
“Well, they missed you. And I’m not entirely sure they understood the fact that you had work to do. They wanted to know what you were working on but for some reason, I didn’t think you would have wanted me to tell them. So I just said that there was no specific artist in mind.” Junsu shrugged, picking at the plate with his fork. “Did I make the right call? Have you told them about Seulgi?”
Yoochun sighed, instinctively pulling Junsu closer. “Not yet…I don’t think they’d understand just yet that I’m not doing this for her. And I mean, I’m not even technically on good terms with her. Our relationship with her ended quickly and we all just got Yunho’s point of view of it. But even if Yunho swears that she’s a great person and that misunderstandings was the main root of last year’s drama, she was still sullied in our eyes, especially after the divorce that got settled a few months ago. The guy wiped her out completely and--”
“-Wait,” Junsu interrupted. “So if you’re not doing this for her personally, then why are you doing it?”
“Oh…well,” Yoochun paused. “It’d be nice if I had my own claim to fame, you know,”
Junsu scrunched his face in bewilderment. “What’s that supposed to mean, Chunnie?”
Yoochun sighed. “It means that I think writing this whole album, maybe even doing a duet with her, could really do wonders for my career. My career without Dong Band Shin Ki, you know?”
“No, I don’t know. What are you trying to say?” Junsu pressed his palm on Yoochun’s chest, pushing away slightly to get a better look at his husband’s face.
Hesitantly, Yoochun started his explanation in a whisper. “I’m not trying to sound ungrateful to the band…I mean, it’s the reason for all the good things in my life right now. The band brought me to you, my love, my family…and it gave me this incredible financial security for my future and for our kids’ future…”
“Buuut…?”
“Buut…we’re not a band anymore and I just…think it’s about time I become something based on my own merits. Look at the rest of you guys. All of you have made a name for yourself after we disbanded, not make something of yourself because of the name. You and Changmin are responsible for some of the biggest idols right now and even after that whole drama last year, YSEntertainment is still regarded as one of the top music agencies. And Yunho, well, leader-shii is actually more known for his work on movies nowadays. Jaejoong’s the same. You all proved you were more than Dong Bang Shin Ki…But not me. Not yet, at least.”
Junsu parted his lips, struggling for the right response. He wanted to be comforting without sounding belittling. He did not want to lie either, but for the most part, Yoochun had said the truth. Dramatics aside, the other four really had surpassed the days when they would be referred to as the former singers. Even if Yoochun had written songs for many artists, none had been hits. They were good, but even if Junsu had to admit that Yoochun had written his best material during their days as a band.
“Chunnie…” Junsu murmured.
He ran his fingers through Yoochun’s silk hair caressingly. He brought his palm to cup the other’s cheek, brushing his thumb lightly on the leaden eye bags. Yoochun understood how Junsu could be at a loss for words and appreciated the silent recognition, absent of pity or consoling lies. He leaned into the gentle touch, sighing audibly.
“How’s the song going, then?” Junsu asked tentatively.
Yoochun merely grumbled in response.
“That bad?” Junsu cooed. “Well, maybe it’s because you’ve got all of these thoughts clouding you every time you even sit down by the piano. You’ve put this gigantic pressure on yourself whenever your pen touches the paper and it’s scaring off your muse. You know better than I that when you’re writing a song for the sake of a hit, it’s not going to work. You can’t be thinking of the record sales, Chunnie. You need to relax…”
“Mmm…” Yoochun took another bite as Junsu resumed feeding him. “’aybe you’re ‘ight, babe. What do you propose I do to get my muse back?”
“Hmm…” Junsu pursed his lips, his hand pausing from scooping up another bite to feed to Yoochun. “I think you need a day off from this kind of schedule. Like a family day out or something… the kids, especially Jiyoung who really misses her appa.”
“Aish…I miss them so much too…” Yoochun admitted. “The only time I really spend with them is when they’re asleep. I just hold them and rock them…”
Junsu’s eyes glistened at the image. He had mysteriously been getting more sleep lately and now he knew why. It was Yoochun who would come to the babies in the middle of the night when they were screaming their heads off. Without being there, Yoochun was still there, and Junsu could not help himself but swoop down and steal a kiss.
Caught off guard, Yoochun chortled as a pair of lips attacked him. Against Junsu’s lips, he said, “A family day sounds nice…how about we do it this weekend? I think I may have been looking at all the wrong places for inspiration when it was just right here in my house…”
~**~
Jaejoong blew a strand of hair away from his face, clearing his view of Yunho getting ready for work as he lazed about in bed. He was as nude as the day he was born, his belly protruding proudly on the sheets that barely covered him. He felt hot, scorching in fact, that he had decided to forgo any sleeping attire for the rest of his pregnancy. Unless, that is, Changmin and he were going to have a sleepover, a common occurrence when Yunho had to be away.
“Don’t pick that tie, Yunnie,” Jaejoong scolded as he saw Yunho eyeing an atrocious yellow-striped tie. Yunho immediately grabbed the one next to it, trusting his husband’s taste explicitly.
“Good choice. The navy blue is really going to great with that blazer,” Jaejoong motioned with his lips to the suit draped over the desk chair.
“Choose the other pair of shoes,” Jaejoong instructed quickly for he knew that Yunho could not recognize the difference between the two very similar leather shoes.
Yunho continued bustling around in their master bedroom as Jaejoong continued to watch and give out orders. It used to be that they would both be getting ready for work, with Jaejoong still directing Yunho’s clothing, and eat breakfast together. But due to the baby and Jaejoong’s obvious bump, only one of them had a job to go to. They had agreed that it would not be wise for Jaejoong’s career to be on television during the pregnancy. As open-minded as their country had become to gay marriages and male pregnancies, it would still turn off a great deal of viewers. Thus, all the television shows that Jaejoong had been under contract with had all consented to give him as much time off as he wanted.
Somewhere deep inside, Jaejoong missed having a sense of purpose for each day and accomplishing his goal every night at the end of filming. Now, it’s different. All he basically did all day was clean and watch television, fervently trying to keep current with the news and the gossip. He had to be ready with a myriad of jokes as soon as he got back, so even if he was on break, he knew he could not slack off with his knowledge on the current pop happenings. With all that being said, Jaejoong was still bored at home. Even Changmin worked at home and Jaejoong was often left without a playmate. The younger man would often ask Jaejoong to go away so he could work via internet.
“Yunho!” Jaejoong suddenly blurted out.
Yunho looked up from tying his shoelaces. “Yes, Boo?”
Jaejoong scooted to the edge of the bed where Yunho sat. Pulling his knees up to his chest, Jaejoong asked with a pout, “Take me out. It’s boring here at home. Take me out, Yunnie.”
Yunho looked befuddled for a moment before replying, “Where do you want to go, Jaejoongie?”
Jaejoong hugged his legs and began to rock back and forth as he thought up his answer carefully. “I think…we should go out on a simple date. Like with a dinner and a movie or something because I don’t want grand, Yunnie. I just want you…and to get out of this house.”
Instantly amused at the request, Yunho dropped a soft kiss on Jaejoong’s forehead as he sat up. “How about I take you out for a whole day, Joongie? Not just a dinner and a movie but still simple. A picnic for lunch or something, and then maybe we can go shopping after. Just you and me, Boo.”
Jaejoong pouted, letting go of his legs and grabbing Yunho by the navy blue tie, “Promise?”
“I swear on everything, Joongie…” Yunho reassured his expecting husband.
“Even me?” Jaejoong questioned teasingly.
Yunho nodded solemnly. “Even me…”
Jaejoong slapped him on the arm for getting out of that trap with clever wording and earned another kiss planted on his forehead. Yunho continued to shower Jaejoong with wet, sloppy kisses before his eye caught the time on his wristwatch.
“I’ve gotta go to work, Jaejoongie,” Yunho said, quickly smacking their lips together and dropping a kiss on Jaejoong’s belly. He gave two hurried goodbyes and was swiftly out the door before Jaejoong could even react. It was hard for Jaejoong to understand why Yunho was always so concerned about being prompt. He did not need to be. He was the boss.
Jaejoong snatched his iPhone from the bedside table and texted Yunho and Daeshim a short good luck for another day at work. Only to Yunho, Jaejoong added that he wanted his date to be this coming weekend. A few seconds after, he got a heart as a reply.
~**~
The room felt congested with its red blood walls and black carpeting increasing the sense of entrapment. The air conditioning did not seem to circulate well in the conference room and it left parts off it hot and others cold. Poor ventilation was all Yunho could think of as he sat at the head of the table, Daeshim by his side and the other seats occupied by a rising seven a cappella dance group, their manager, and two other executives.
The reason for the meeting had been the upcoming contract for the group, Celsius. They were being dubbed by magazines and news correspondents as the biggest thing since Dong Bang Shin Ki. Though YSEntertainment purposely never agreed to the comparison, they never denied it either. They wittingly left it to the tabloids to make the claims, and up to this day, Yunho still was not entirely sure how big they were planning to make the boys.
The unresolved issue was if Celsius was ready to break into the Japanese scene. Thus far, the group has only made Korean songs and English versions of their hit songs. The next step, if they were to crossover to Japan, was to begin making Japanese versions of their covers. The group members remained quiet throughout the discussion, letting their manager and the two board members discuss the pros and cons of such a move.
“I don’t think they should do it,” Yunho piped up out of nowhere, interrupting the manager. “I don’t they’re ready. I think they should make another Korean album before we even consider this again. They’re not ready.”
The manager looked aghast, his hopes seriously set on the boys expanding their fame. “But Yunho-shii, they’re about to begin recording for their third album. Dong Bang Shin Ki was more than ready to take over the Japanese scene at this point. They are committed young men whose popularity is soaring. Surely you know a good marketing strategy when it’s this obvious. Everyone is expecting them to follow in your footsteps, and the next logical step would be for them to go to Japan.”
Yunho leaned on his chair and crossed his arms. A stern look graced his face as he replied, “There were a lot of things that Dong Bang was forced into doing because the people who signed our checks thought we were ready. These seven young men started earlier than we did. The oldest,” Yunho nodded to the group’s lead singer, “is two years younger than Jaejoong was when we began promoting in Japan. And the youngest is still 14, about to be 15.”****
“Japan is not going to cut them any slack just because of their age. They will most likely be treated with less respect because of it. They started out way too early in my opinion but I was not here to do anything about that then. But I am here now. Age does matter and I personally think that these boys are too young. So I’m sorry, but as for now, the only thing I want them worrying about is their third album.”
The manager and the executives all looked crestfallen at Yunho’s ruling. Yunho did, however, noticed the slight relief on the bandleader’s face. With that, he knew he had made the right decision for the group, however ill-advised his decision may have been.
“Wait, look,” Daeshim spoke up, drawing all eyes on him. “Both the suggestions agree that these boys are eventually going to Japan. Correct?”
Every head nodded.
“But what you disagree on is the when. Correct?”
Daeshim smiled at the same response. “Then why not start them on their Japanese lessons already? I’m not saying that they should do promotions or start recording a Japanese album but I think they should start on the things that gave Dong Bang Shin Ki a great deal of trouble. Back then, Dong Bang had around four months to learn the language and while on promotion, they had to get used to the culture. While they’re doing their third album, why not slowly prepare Celsius for a road that we all agree they will eventually take?”
Daeshim turned to face the group, meeting them each at the eyes. “Now, guys… how exactly do you want to go about this? You’ve all heard about the level of patience and endurance that all of you have to have to succeed overseas. Are you at all ready to deal with that much pressure on your shoulders?”
The members glanced at each other, looking for the right response. Their leader checked the each member’s face before mumbling his reply, “Not yet…not right now…”
“Well, then that’s settled.” Yunho beamed at Daeshim and then to singers. “We’ll start the lessons and begin sending you guys on vacations to Japan without cameras. We’ll make this process slow and deliberate. No sudden fame overnight for you seven. You guys are going to last for a very long time, so we’re going to be careful about each step we take. Are we all in agreement?”
The manager and the two executives nodded reluctantly and bowed hurriedly to Yunho before scampering out of the room. The members of Celsius all hugged Yunho and awkwardly patted Daeshim. They were grateful and Yunho knew that. Their loyalty to YSEntertainment would be of great importance when they begin their career in the Japanese music industry.
Soon enough, Yunho and Daeshim were left alone in the room. They both simultaneously plopped down on their chairs and released a relieved exhale. The meeting had be an unusual one due the fact that the singers were actually against their manager. They would usually be against higher management, finding more trust in their manager who was more often with them and acted as a surrogate parent. It was a nice change from having to argue with both the manager and the divas.
“Ahhh…I’m really loving this day,” Yunho exclaimed dreamily.
Daeshim chuckled. “And why’s that Yunho-shii?”
Yunho leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. “Well, for starters, that was the easiest meeting I have had in the longest time. I should thank you for that. If you hadn’t said something to appease their manager and the execs, it might have dragged on.”
“And what else? What’s another reason for that gigantic 1000 watts smile of yours?”
“I, Jung Yunho, have a date.” Yunho proudly stated. “My gorgeous husband is still not tired of me and actually wants to still spend a whole day with me.”
“Hmm…” Daeshim crossed his arms across his chest. “Are you sure Jaejoong hyung’s not just bored at home?”
“Ah, hush,” Yunho chided. “It’s this Saturday and I am taking the whole weekend off. Maybe even Monday so you’re in charge until then.”
“A whole weekend?” Daeshim whistled, impressed. “Sounds real nice. Where are you going to take them?”
“Them?”
“Uhm…Jaejoong and Changmin?” Daeshim answered.
“No, no…It’s a date date. It’s just going to be me and Jaejoongie…”
“Oh…so Changmin is going to be all alone?”
Yunho recoiled and sat up straight. “Oh…right. Well, I’m sure he won’t mind. He’ll probably like the fact that Jae and I are going to be out of the house. He loves his alone time and he’ll probably love a whole weekend of it.”
Daeshim rolled his eyed and turned away. He wanted to say that there was difference between wanting to be alone and knowing that your presence is not wanted. Daeshim guessed it was more of the latter for Changmin and for some reason, that thought left a heaviness in his chest for the rest of the day.
~***~
iFly!
**** okay...correct my mistakes on their timeline. I've completely confused myself.
***** Just remembered to mention that yes, the name Celsius is a mock of the name of the Taiwanese band, Faranheit.