Meant For Someone Else - Chapter Twelve
Title: Meant For Someone Else
Parings: MOSTLY YooSu, but there are other pairings I’m obsessed about.
Genre: angst, romance
Rating: This chapter...PG
Summary: Kim Corporation and Park Enterprises are two of the most powerful businesses in South Korea. What happens when the heir to one empire gets married to the daughter of the other? Worse yet--what happens when the groom doesn't fall in love with the bride...but with her BROTHER?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Yoochun was restless. The digital clock above the door of his office moved slowly, the battery powered numbers refusing to change any faster. It was odd how he’d actually finished something in the hours before noon, not even leaving the confines of his designated space to flirt with Mi Young, his secretary, or even twitched in the slightest to go and bother Changmin which, he had to admit was becoming so regular an occurrence that it should be curbed.
However, now that he’d done enough to be considered productive (by his standards anyway) Yoochun found himself genuinely bored. Park Enterprises was run by a well-trained staff, handpicked by Jaejoong and himself. There was a routine to the way things were done, everything working like a well-oiled cog in a machine, and at some level, he was grateful that the company was running so smoothly, but he couldn’t help but wish there was a glitch. Something he could fix, or look over without the certainty that it was being handled well. He’d probably be asking for trouble, wishing for something like that, but he couldn’t help it nonetheless.
Yoochun knew that he should enjoy these last few days of normalcy within the company, for the transfers were commencing next week, and the whole ordeal was sure to be chaotic. Even now, the news of the exchange was being received by his employees with varying differences in opinion. Some were happy for the change while others wallowed in discontent. What was the point? Many asked, and it was times like these that Yoochun often asked the same question.
Even Jaejoong questioned his proposal, and the older man understood him better than he did himself. But how could he explain to someone-or anyone, actually-who was already supposed to know just how much he needed to do this? That there was this burning desire for Kim Junsu? To have him as unaided and vulnerable as Yoochun had felt for most of his life? It was a strange feeling, even to himself, but it was there. The prospect of looking over Kim Junsu’s shoulders and nitpicking every move, every word, every decision…was some kind of potent drug that called to him from the dark recesses of his mind.
He didn’t know why either, which would have posed as a problem for most other people. Except Yoochun wasn’t like most other people, because if he was, he and Jaejoong would never have gotten along. They were both a little lacking, that little something to make them complete, whole, and good…that last bit of sanity they didn’t have. It was pushed away, torn up, crumpled, and spit on by years of trying to be something they weren’t, living up to names and legacies they didn’t give a damn about.
Once, it had been nothing but the two of them. They were young, fresh, barely legal, and still in school. There was music, and laughter, and honesty. Yoochun couldn’t remember the last time he had been fully honest, telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed because he thought something was genuinely funny. He hadn’t even touched his piano in months, years maybe (it had been so long he couldn’t remember), and there was a time his hands were practically glued to the keys. Then they grew up, weren’t as young, tainted now, and successful in the eyes of society. But they’d lost more than just innocence when Reality had come a-knocking.
Jaejoong had lost his family, and then gained some in the bundle of joy that was Ji Yool. Yoochun mostly just lost himself, and never really gained much back. When was the last time he’d had an honest-to-God conversation with a woman without having ulterior motives? When was the last time he’d sat down for drinks with another man as friends rather than potential business partners?
The fact that he couldn’t answer these things, simple questions that should have had simple answers, unnerved him. It pulled at the brittle control he’d acquired over the years, honed by his father’s constant berating and his mother’s quiet pleas.
But Kim Junsu…now there was someone ripe for the picking. The man seemed to be nothing but sun and smiles. Even if he’d been relatively sullen and unsociable in the few times they’d met, there was no mistaking the happy aura that surrounded him, not to mention that the laugh lines on his face didn’t lie.
Yoochun could just imagine his life. Kim Junsu had probably been the perfect son. Straight A’s, class president, and star athlete. The one who dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and proud of it. Someone who never went against his parents’ wishes and did all he could to please them.
It was infuriating, really. That much perfection, no one really deserved it.
Break you first. Break you, then fix you-but in the way the way that I like and not like how you were before, Yoochun smiled grimly. There was something to be said about sadistic tendencies. He didn’t think he had it in him, but there was just something about Kim Junsu. Something he couldn’t quite explain. It nearly bordered on obsession, the way Yoochun thought about the man. He just had to find something there-something to cut him with and rub the wound raw with salt. The more perfect something seemed, the bigger the flaw that had to hide. And Yoochun was sure-just so sure-that there was something to hide.
It was impulse, that’s right. He’d blame it on that. Impulse and maybe more of his sanity slipping through his fingers. But of course that was a poor reason for why his fingers reached for the phone, why he pressed his secretary’s line and asked her oh-so-nicely to connect him to Kim Corporation’s executive office.
It took only a few minutes-minutes that took too long in his opinion-and soon he was being redirected to the head office.
“Mr. Park,” the man on the other line said without preamble. “You rang?”
“Hello to you too, Junsu-sshi,” Yoochun couldn’t seem to keep the smile from making its way on his face. The other’s nearly hostile tone made him strangely giddy. “I was wondering if you would be able to join me this afternoon. There are some things concerning the transfers that I would like to discuss with you.”
“We can discuss them now.”
“It is preferable if we could discuss these matters in person.”
There was a sigh, and a wearied one at that. Yoochun couldn’t help but wonder what had caused it and-was it possible that he was adding to it? “Yoochun-sshi. I’m sure you’re aware of the many things needed to be done when running a company. You seem to have mass amounts of free time, but not all of us do.”
“It was a yes or no question, Junsu-sshi.” Yoochun held his breath, wondering if his course of action was too direct, scaring off his prey instead of luring it in. He needn’t have worried though, because he knew the game and played it well. And because moments later, after a short silence, he got the answer he wanted.
“Yes.”
--
They met late in the afternoon, at a sedate café frequented more by dawdling elderly and students with time to spare than successful businessmen with companies to run. It overlooked a small section of the Han river, the partially setting sun a brilliant backdrop to the rushing waters.
Unfortunately, Yoochun was running late, with Jaejoong being difficult and Changmin asking too many questions. When he reached Kim Junsu, it was to find the young man taking a booth in the corner, a window seat and eyes glued to the sight of the setting sun.
Yoochun slipped into his seat across from the other man as quietly as possible, oddly disinclined to remove him from his reverie. Yoochun had to admit: the view was pretty spectacular. In his younger days, the café had been a favorite haunt. The atmosphere was perfect for music making, not to mention it allowed for good self-reflection when one felt like it.
“You’re late Mr. Park…” Yoochun’s eyes darted from the window to his companion. He’d been so far silent, and they’d been sitting there together for nearly ten minutes. The quiet murmur held more disapproval than yelling ever could. But it didn’t hold the usual hostility that permeated the man’s voice when talking to Yoochun, and Yoochun was involuntary relieved.
“Yes, I’m very sorry for the delay. I don’t seem to have as much ‘free time’ as either of us thought.” He finally looked at him and Yoochun was nearly bowled over by the frank gaze. The other man was trying to decide whether Yoochun was joking, and Yoochun was suddenly embarrassed that he had tried.
He nodded once and then returned his gaze to the window. “What did you want to discuss?”
“How about we speak less formally?” Yoochun suggested, knowing it was off topic but scrambling for something-anything-until his brain could come up with a suitable excuse. It had been impulse. They had nothing to discuss. But he couldn’t very well say that, now could he? No, he couldn’t. The other man would just get up and leave without a word, maybe an exasperated sigh and a withering glare, but then he’d leave all the same and Yoochun was slowly beginning to find that that was simply unacceptable. “We’re fairly the same age. I’m what-a few months older? But in the same year. We should address each other as friends.”
“I can hardly call us friends.” The words were cold and spoken to a pane of glass, but Yoochun spied a tiny quirk of the lips and figured it was okay to press on.
“Do you normally prolong yes or no questions with single sentenced answers?”
“Do you insist on asking questions you won’t get the suitable answers to?”
“Do you usually answer questions with a question?”
Ah, and there it was. The thing he found, but hadn’t been aware he’d been looking for. It was much more than a twitch of facial muscles, and definitely more than the quirk of the lips he’d gotten earlier and there it was. A lifting of the corners, and a hint of straight, pearly white teeth.
“Why did you call me out…Yoochun.” The name felt funny coming from Junsu’s mouth, the syllables seemingly odd and foreign, even if it was in his mother tongue.
Yoochun couldn’t help but smile, his given name coming from that mouth a surprising triumph mingled with pleasure. He’d been expecting ‘Mickey,’ but got ‘Yoochun’ instead, and he couldn’t quite complain.
“Nothing life threatening, Junsu.” Was it him, or was that a blush working its way across Kim Junsu’s cheeks? “I just thought you’d like to know how things are going on my side. I’m also interested in how your company received the news of the proposal.”
So maybe there was a point in meeting him, Junsu thought. Yoochun seemed genuinely interested in the goings-on of their temporary liaison, not like the nonsense he first suspected when the other man had called. “There’s some dissent, of course. Not everyone wants to be moved around. But most are willing and cooperation is the most we can hope for.”
“I agree,” Yoochun nodded. “Cooperation is important. But…with the exception of Jaejooong hyung, most of my people are enthusiastic.” There was a question in Junsu’s eyes, a curious light. Yoochun found himself answering, even if the query wasn’t voiced. “He has some significant responsibilities that take priority above all else, and me transferring him overlaps with them, so he’s not too happy with me at the moment.”
Junsu was about to comment when a server came bearing mugs of coffee and a few pastries. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said. “I took the liberty of ordering a few things while I was waiting. But I didn’t know what you liked, so I settled for coffee instead.”
“No,” Yoochun smiled. “Coffee’s perfect.”
Silence ensued, each of them sampling the mini confections laid before them. It had been a long time since Yoochun had indulged in these treats, so he took extra care to savor every bite. His companion however, seemed to differ in opinion. Yoochun watched as Junsu quickly ate large portions of his cake and downed mouthfuls of-scalding, he was sure because his was the same-coffee. He might have gaped a little, surprised at the speed, and maybe a little entranced with the pink tip of a lurking tongue, darting out first before the rest of the cake was put into his mouth.
“Um, do you…have to be somewhere?” Junsu looked up, fork mid-stab in what was left of the baked sweets. He shook his head.
“No.”
“Is there a reason why you’re in such a hurry?” Did he want to escape my presence so badly?
“No.”
Yoochun lifted an eyebrow. “One of your single-sentenced answers would be appropriate right now.”
“But it was a yes or no question.”
Yoochun’s eyebrows climbed higher. “And you’re going to listen to me just like that?”
It could have been an awkward moment. It could have. Except Junsu couldn’t suppress a chuckle that threatened to become laughter. “How do you want me to answer? Yes or no, or single sentences?”
The older man couldn’t help a smile of his own, surprised by the way an actual smile transformed his companion’s face. He hadn’t been wrong about the laugh lines (they never did lie) and he couldn’t help but regret taxing the younger man in their previous meetings. Being on the wrong side of Kim Junsu obscured the man’s winning smile-a feature Yoochun couldn’t help but regret not seeing.
“Answer however you like,” Yoochun replied. “Only, one question: truce?”
“What?” Junsu couldn’t quite understand the sudden turn in their conversation. He hadn’t even answered the last question.
“I mean , can we be friends now. Or, at least friendly?” he added, just so he wasn’t being too forward. There had been too much animosity between them to ignore so quickly. “We’re going to be working together…and you and Hye Bin…”
Maybe it had been the wrong thing to say. Silence began to pack between them, Junsu’s eyes unable to rest on one thing too long and Yoochun’s face oddly heating. Right. You never talked while at a table about some things: business, politics, and apparently, mentioning your sister’s arranged marriage should be included on the list.
“Junsu-sshi,” he began, but Junsu cut him off with a wave of his hand.
“No. It’s all right. Friends.” Junsu said. “We can be friends.”
“Friends.” Yoochun sampled the word on his tongue and decided he liked it. It held a nice ring to it. “I’d ask you to shake hands, but that feels too much like a business deal than an agreement of friendship.”
Junsu just smiled, and continued to finish his dessert. Yoochun didn’t really understand why his eyes lingered on that mouth, whether it be the tiny speck of colored icing on one corner or other, unacceptable reasons, Yoochun never wanted to find out.
The rest of time was spent mostly silent, with a comment on electronics here and there and a question about hotels every now and then. By the time the sun had fully set, leaving the river a large, black mass shining from what little light glowed from the moon, the cakes were long gone and the coffee mugs refilled multiple times. Junsu noticed the time first, mumbling something about Hye Bin and getting home late, not that Yoochun paid much attention.
He was too busy fighting an internal battle, confusion as to why he was feeling reluctant to let the other man leave and angry that he felt that way at all. At the counter, Yoochun insisted on paying since he’d been the one to call Junsu out. Junsu let him after a bit of resistance and they went their separate ways.
It was only when he’d gotten home, after a drive spent remembering every detail of their encounter that Yoochun began to have a niggling worry that his obsession with Kim Junsu was becoming more than just an obsession.
--
“Changmin-ah, your couch is horrible.”
Changmin looked away from his computer with an odd sense of déjà vu. “Why does everyone think my couch sucks?”
“Because it does,” Jaejoong said, giving up on making himself comfortable on an uncomfortable couch. “It’s uncomfortable.”
“Doesn’t matter if it’s comfortable or not,” Changmin replied, going back to his work. “No one ever sits on it anyway.”
“Maybe because it’s so uncomfortable.”
Changmin sighed. “I will not have this conversation again.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Changmin shook his head. “What are you doing here anyway hyung? Aren’t you supposed to be busy with the transfers next week.”
“Yeah,” Jaejoong answered. “But I’m currently on strike.”
Well that was interesting. Changmin didn’t see how lazing about on his (uncomfortable) couch was considered going ‘on strike.’ “What for?”
“Stupid Yoochun,” the elder said, tone full of heat. “I’m one of the people he’s transferring. It means I have to extend my hours.”
“Ahh, then Ji Yool…”
“Yeah,” Jaejoong murmured. “I might have to get a nanny. I’m going to be gone a lot.” Changmin didn’t know what to say to that, Jaejoong’s voice filled with a sullenness he couldn’t quite relate to, so he chose not to answer at all. “Ah, by the way, Changmin-ah.” He looked up, expression expectant. “The reason I’m here is because I wanted to tell you about the upcoming Family Day at Ji Yool’s school. Do you want to come?”
“Of course I do. Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he added. “When is it?”
“It’s still a long way off. About a month from now,” Jaejoong said. “I’ve already told Yoochun and the bastard says he’ll think about it. If he dares to miss it, I’m going to castrate him.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you,” Changmin smiled. Jaejoong stood, wary of the time and preparing to depart. He still had a number of things to do before he could leave and he didn’t like to bring his work home. He’d better hurry if he wanted to finish it.
Jaejoong walked to the door, reluctant to leave just yet. He enjoyed Changmin’s company, probably more than he should. He felt protective towards the other man, numerous incidents in the past bringing them closer together. It helped, of course, that Ji Yool adored the younger man and Jaejoong could see the little bits and pieces of Changmin in his little girl. Her voracious appetite-both for food and for knowledge-her quick wit and sometimes, when her temper showed, an even quicker (not to mention sharper) tongue.
“Changmin,” he called out from the doorway, one foot out of the room.
“Yes, hyung?”
“Thank you.”
He left, leaving a bewildered Changmin to deconstruct his words (and their possible meanings).
A/N: okay, so here’s the next chapter =]] I wrote this chapter one way, was completely dissatisfied with it, remembered I promised YooSu to FINALLY be in it, struggled mentally, then TRASHED the first half. Which was, unfortunately, the bulk of the chapter. I’m so weird, its kinda sad. Still, I’m much happier with the way this chapter turned out, but I can only hope that it didn’t seem too rushed, or move too quickly.
As always, comments are <3
Thank you for reading!!
Parings: MOSTLY YooSu, but there are other pairings I’m obsessed about.
Genre: angst, romance
Rating: This chapter...PG
Summary: Kim Corporation and Park Enterprises are two of the most powerful businesses in South Korea. What happens when the heir to one empire gets married to the daughter of the other? Worse yet--what happens when the groom doesn't fall in love with the bride...but with her BROTHER?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Yoochun was restless. The digital clock above the door of his office moved slowly, the battery powered numbers refusing to change any faster. It was odd how he’d actually finished something in the hours before noon, not even leaving the confines of his designated space to flirt with Mi Young, his secretary, or even twitched in the slightest to go and bother Changmin which, he had to admit was becoming so regular an occurrence that it should be curbed.
However, now that he’d done enough to be considered productive (by his standards anyway) Yoochun found himself genuinely bored. Park Enterprises was run by a well-trained staff, handpicked by Jaejoong and himself. There was a routine to the way things were done, everything working like a well-oiled cog in a machine, and at some level, he was grateful that the company was running so smoothly, but he couldn’t help but wish there was a glitch. Something he could fix, or look over without the certainty that it was being handled well. He’d probably be asking for trouble, wishing for something like that, but he couldn’t help it nonetheless.
Yoochun knew that he should enjoy these last few days of normalcy within the company, for the transfers were commencing next week, and the whole ordeal was sure to be chaotic. Even now, the news of the exchange was being received by his employees with varying differences in opinion. Some were happy for the change while others wallowed in discontent. What was the point? Many asked, and it was times like these that Yoochun often asked the same question.
Even Jaejoong questioned his proposal, and the older man understood him better than he did himself. But how could he explain to someone-or anyone, actually-who was already supposed to know just how much he needed to do this? That there was this burning desire for Kim Junsu? To have him as unaided and vulnerable as Yoochun had felt for most of his life? It was a strange feeling, even to himself, but it was there. The prospect of looking over Kim Junsu’s shoulders and nitpicking every move, every word, every decision…was some kind of potent drug that called to him from the dark recesses of his mind.
He didn’t know why either, which would have posed as a problem for most other people. Except Yoochun wasn’t like most other people, because if he was, he and Jaejoong would never have gotten along. They were both a little lacking, that little something to make them complete, whole, and good…that last bit of sanity they didn’t have. It was pushed away, torn up, crumpled, and spit on by years of trying to be something they weren’t, living up to names and legacies they didn’t give a damn about.
Once, it had been nothing but the two of them. They were young, fresh, barely legal, and still in school. There was music, and laughter, and honesty. Yoochun couldn’t remember the last time he had been fully honest, telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed because he thought something was genuinely funny. He hadn’t even touched his piano in months, years maybe (it had been so long he couldn’t remember), and there was a time his hands were practically glued to the keys. Then they grew up, weren’t as young, tainted now, and successful in the eyes of society. But they’d lost more than just innocence when Reality had come a-knocking.
Jaejoong had lost his family, and then gained some in the bundle of joy that was Ji Yool. Yoochun mostly just lost himself, and never really gained much back. When was the last time he’d had an honest-to-God conversation with a woman without having ulterior motives? When was the last time he’d sat down for drinks with another man as friends rather than potential business partners?
The fact that he couldn’t answer these things, simple questions that should have had simple answers, unnerved him. It pulled at the brittle control he’d acquired over the years, honed by his father’s constant berating and his mother’s quiet pleas.
But Kim Junsu…now there was someone ripe for the picking. The man seemed to be nothing but sun and smiles. Even if he’d been relatively sullen and unsociable in the few times they’d met, there was no mistaking the happy aura that surrounded him, not to mention that the laugh lines on his face didn’t lie.
Yoochun could just imagine his life. Kim Junsu had probably been the perfect son. Straight A’s, class president, and star athlete. The one who dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and proud of it. Someone who never went against his parents’ wishes and did all he could to please them.
It was infuriating, really. That much perfection, no one really deserved it.
Break you first. Break you, then fix you-but in the way the way that I like and not like how you were before, Yoochun smiled grimly. There was something to be said about sadistic tendencies. He didn’t think he had it in him, but there was just something about Kim Junsu. Something he couldn’t quite explain. It nearly bordered on obsession, the way Yoochun thought about the man. He just had to find something there-something to cut him with and rub the wound raw with salt. The more perfect something seemed, the bigger the flaw that had to hide. And Yoochun was sure-just so sure-that there was something to hide.
It was impulse, that’s right. He’d blame it on that. Impulse and maybe more of his sanity slipping through his fingers. But of course that was a poor reason for why his fingers reached for the phone, why he pressed his secretary’s line and asked her oh-so-nicely to connect him to Kim Corporation’s executive office.
It took only a few minutes-minutes that took too long in his opinion-and soon he was being redirected to the head office.
“Mr. Park,” the man on the other line said without preamble. “You rang?”
“Hello to you too, Junsu-sshi,” Yoochun couldn’t seem to keep the smile from making its way on his face. The other’s nearly hostile tone made him strangely giddy. “I was wondering if you would be able to join me this afternoon. There are some things concerning the transfers that I would like to discuss with you.”
“We can discuss them now.”
“It is preferable if we could discuss these matters in person.”
There was a sigh, and a wearied one at that. Yoochun couldn’t help but wonder what had caused it and-was it possible that he was adding to it? “Yoochun-sshi. I’m sure you’re aware of the many things needed to be done when running a company. You seem to have mass amounts of free time, but not all of us do.”
“It was a yes or no question, Junsu-sshi.” Yoochun held his breath, wondering if his course of action was too direct, scaring off his prey instead of luring it in. He needn’t have worried though, because he knew the game and played it well. And because moments later, after a short silence, he got the answer he wanted.
“Yes.”
--
They met late in the afternoon, at a sedate café frequented more by dawdling elderly and students with time to spare than successful businessmen with companies to run. It overlooked a small section of the Han river, the partially setting sun a brilliant backdrop to the rushing waters.
Unfortunately, Yoochun was running late, with Jaejoong being difficult and Changmin asking too many questions. When he reached Kim Junsu, it was to find the young man taking a booth in the corner, a window seat and eyes glued to the sight of the setting sun.
Yoochun slipped into his seat across from the other man as quietly as possible, oddly disinclined to remove him from his reverie. Yoochun had to admit: the view was pretty spectacular. In his younger days, the café had been a favorite haunt. The atmosphere was perfect for music making, not to mention it allowed for good self-reflection when one felt like it.
“You’re late Mr. Park…” Yoochun’s eyes darted from the window to his companion. He’d been so far silent, and they’d been sitting there together for nearly ten minutes. The quiet murmur held more disapproval than yelling ever could. But it didn’t hold the usual hostility that permeated the man’s voice when talking to Yoochun, and Yoochun was involuntary relieved.
“Yes, I’m very sorry for the delay. I don’t seem to have as much ‘free time’ as either of us thought.” He finally looked at him and Yoochun was nearly bowled over by the frank gaze. The other man was trying to decide whether Yoochun was joking, and Yoochun was suddenly embarrassed that he had tried.
He nodded once and then returned his gaze to the window. “What did you want to discuss?”
“How about we speak less formally?” Yoochun suggested, knowing it was off topic but scrambling for something-anything-until his brain could come up with a suitable excuse. It had been impulse. They had nothing to discuss. But he couldn’t very well say that, now could he? No, he couldn’t. The other man would just get up and leave without a word, maybe an exasperated sigh and a withering glare, but then he’d leave all the same and Yoochun was slowly beginning to find that that was simply unacceptable. “We’re fairly the same age. I’m what-a few months older? But in the same year. We should address each other as friends.”
“I can hardly call us friends.” The words were cold and spoken to a pane of glass, but Yoochun spied a tiny quirk of the lips and figured it was okay to press on.
“Do you normally prolong yes or no questions with single sentenced answers?”
“Do you insist on asking questions you won’t get the suitable answers to?”
“Do you usually answer questions with a question?”
Ah, and there it was. The thing he found, but hadn’t been aware he’d been looking for. It was much more than a twitch of facial muscles, and definitely more than the quirk of the lips he’d gotten earlier and there it was. A lifting of the corners, and a hint of straight, pearly white teeth.
“Why did you call me out…Yoochun.” The name felt funny coming from Junsu’s mouth, the syllables seemingly odd and foreign, even if it was in his mother tongue.
Yoochun couldn’t help but smile, his given name coming from that mouth a surprising triumph mingled with pleasure. He’d been expecting ‘Mickey,’ but got ‘Yoochun’ instead, and he couldn’t quite complain.
“Nothing life threatening, Junsu.” Was it him, or was that a blush working its way across Kim Junsu’s cheeks? “I just thought you’d like to know how things are going on my side. I’m also interested in how your company received the news of the proposal.”
So maybe there was a point in meeting him, Junsu thought. Yoochun seemed genuinely interested in the goings-on of their temporary liaison, not like the nonsense he first suspected when the other man had called. “There’s some dissent, of course. Not everyone wants to be moved around. But most are willing and cooperation is the most we can hope for.”
“I agree,” Yoochun nodded. “Cooperation is important. But…with the exception of Jaejooong hyung, most of my people are enthusiastic.” There was a question in Junsu’s eyes, a curious light. Yoochun found himself answering, even if the query wasn’t voiced. “He has some significant responsibilities that take priority above all else, and me transferring him overlaps with them, so he’s not too happy with me at the moment.”
Junsu was about to comment when a server came bearing mugs of coffee and a few pastries. “I hope you don’t mind,” he said. “I took the liberty of ordering a few things while I was waiting. But I didn’t know what you liked, so I settled for coffee instead.”
“No,” Yoochun smiled. “Coffee’s perfect.”
Silence ensued, each of them sampling the mini confections laid before them. It had been a long time since Yoochun had indulged in these treats, so he took extra care to savor every bite. His companion however, seemed to differ in opinion. Yoochun watched as Junsu quickly ate large portions of his cake and downed mouthfuls of-scalding, he was sure because his was the same-coffee. He might have gaped a little, surprised at the speed, and maybe a little entranced with the pink tip of a lurking tongue, darting out first before the rest of the cake was put into his mouth.
“Um, do you…have to be somewhere?” Junsu looked up, fork mid-stab in what was left of the baked sweets. He shook his head.
“No.”
“Is there a reason why you’re in such a hurry?” Did he want to escape my presence so badly?
“No.”
Yoochun lifted an eyebrow. “One of your single-sentenced answers would be appropriate right now.”
“But it was a yes or no question.”
Yoochun’s eyebrows climbed higher. “And you’re going to listen to me just like that?”
It could have been an awkward moment. It could have. Except Junsu couldn’t suppress a chuckle that threatened to become laughter. “How do you want me to answer? Yes or no, or single sentences?”
The older man couldn’t help a smile of his own, surprised by the way an actual smile transformed his companion’s face. He hadn’t been wrong about the laugh lines (they never did lie) and he couldn’t help but regret taxing the younger man in their previous meetings. Being on the wrong side of Kim Junsu obscured the man’s winning smile-a feature Yoochun couldn’t help but regret not seeing.
“Answer however you like,” Yoochun replied. “Only, one question: truce?”
“What?” Junsu couldn’t quite understand the sudden turn in their conversation. He hadn’t even answered the last question.
“I mean , can we be friends now. Or, at least friendly?” he added, just so he wasn’t being too forward. There had been too much animosity between them to ignore so quickly. “We’re going to be working together…and you and Hye Bin…”
Maybe it had been the wrong thing to say. Silence began to pack between them, Junsu’s eyes unable to rest on one thing too long and Yoochun’s face oddly heating. Right. You never talked while at a table about some things: business, politics, and apparently, mentioning your sister’s arranged marriage should be included on the list.
“Junsu-sshi,” he began, but Junsu cut him off with a wave of his hand.
“No. It’s all right. Friends.” Junsu said. “We can be friends.”
“Friends.” Yoochun sampled the word on his tongue and decided he liked it. It held a nice ring to it. “I’d ask you to shake hands, but that feels too much like a business deal than an agreement of friendship.”
Junsu just smiled, and continued to finish his dessert. Yoochun didn’t really understand why his eyes lingered on that mouth, whether it be the tiny speck of colored icing on one corner or other, unacceptable reasons, Yoochun never wanted to find out.
The rest of time was spent mostly silent, with a comment on electronics here and there and a question about hotels every now and then. By the time the sun had fully set, leaving the river a large, black mass shining from what little light glowed from the moon, the cakes were long gone and the coffee mugs refilled multiple times. Junsu noticed the time first, mumbling something about Hye Bin and getting home late, not that Yoochun paid much attention.
He was too busy fighting an internal battle, confusion as to why he was feeling reluctant to let the other man leave and angry that he felt that way at all. At the counter, Yoochun insisted on paying since he’d been the one to call Junsu out. Junsu let him after a bit of resistance and they went their separate ways.
It was only when he’d gotten home, after a drive spent remembering every detail of their encounter that Yoochun began to have a niggling worry that his obsession with Kim Junsu was becoming more than just an obsession.
--
“Changmin-ah, your couch is horrible.”
Changmin looked away from his computer with an odd sense of déjà vu. “Why does everyone think my couch sucks?”
“Because it does,” Jaejoong said, giving up on making himself comfortable on an uncomfortable couch. “It’s uncomfortable.”
“Doesn’t matter if it’s comfortable or not,” Changmin replied, going back to his work. “No one ever sits on it anyway.”
“Maybe because it’s so uncomfortable.”
Changmin sighed. “I will not have this conversation again.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Changmin shook his head. “What are you doing here anyway hyung? Aren’t you supposed to be busy with the transfers next week.”
“Yeah,” Jaejoong answered. “But I’m currently on strike.”
Well that was interesting. Changmin didn’t see how lazing about on his (uncomfortable) couch was considered going ‘on strike.’ “What for?”
“Stupid Yoochun,” the elder said, tone full of heat. “I’m one of the people he’s transferring. It means I have to extend my hours.”
“Ahh, then Ji Yool…”
“Yeah,” Jaejoong murmured. “I might have to get a nanny. I’m going to be gone a lot.” Changmin didn’t know what to say to that, Jaejoong’s voice filled with a sullenness he couldn’t quite relate to, so he chose not to answer at all. “Ah, by the way, Changmin-ah.” He looked up, expression expectant. “The reason I’m here is because I wanted to tell you about the upcoming Family Day at Ji Yool’s school. Do you want to come?”
“Of course I do. Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he added. “When is it?”
“It’s still a long way off. About a month from now,” Jaejoong said. “I’ve already told Yoochun and the bastard says he’ll think about it. If he dares to miss it, I’m going to castrate him.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you,” Changmin smiled. Jaejoong stood, wary of the time and preparing to depart. He still had a number of things to do before he could leave and he didn’t like to bring his work home. He’d better hurry if he wanted to finish it.
Jaejoong walked to the door, reluctant to leave just yet. He enjoyed Changmin’s company, probably more than he should. He felt protective towards the other man, numerous incidents in the past bringing them closer together. It helped, of course, that Ji Yool adored the younger man and Jaejoong could see the little bits and pieces of Changmin in his little girl. Her voracious appetite-both for food and for knowledge-her quick wit and sometimes, when her temper showed, an even quicker (not to mention sharper) tongue.
“Changmin,” he called out from the doorway, one foot out of the room.
“Yes, hyung?”
“Thank you.”
He left, leaving a bewildered Changmin to deconstruct his words (and their possible meanings).
A/N: okay, so here’s the next chapter =]] I wrote this chapter one way, was completely dissatisfied with it, remembered I promised YooSu to FINALLY be in it, struggled mentally, then TRASHED the first half. Which was, unfortunately, the bulk of the chapter. I’m so weird, its kinda sad. Still, I’m much happier with the way this chapter turned out, but I can only hope that it didn’t seem too rushed, or move too quickly.
As always, comments are <3
Thank you for reading!!