Boundless - Stage II - The Summoner of Jujak
Title: Boundless
Pairing(s): YooSu (main); HyukSu, YunJae, KiMin, others
Genre: AU, fantasy, angst, romance
Length: Chaptered (on-going)
Rating: PG13 - NC17 (this chapter: swearing and violence)
Summary: Kim Junsu was just an ordinary student whose dream to become a singer had to be put on hold due to complications. But when he and his best friend Hyukjae are pulled in the Universe of the Four Gods, he has the chance to make all his dreams come true. The question is…will he? Based on the series Fushigi Yuugi by Yuu Watase. (Sorry, I suck at summaries!)
Forewords + Trailer | Stage I
Boundless - Stage II - “The Summoner of Jujak”
Unlike the two slave traders that were allowed to run off injured earlier, there was no mercy for the four in the secluded alleyway. They lay broken and bleeding at Yoochun’s feet, probably half-dead-and he’ll leave them there, to die if the Gods saw fit, just as they were most likely to do with the boy cowering behind him after they had their ‘fun’. The mere thought angered him, and Yoochun found himself growling, threatening to cause the recently disappeared character on his forehead to remerge again. A whimper brought him back to his senses, and the ponytail-wearing teen turned around to face the wide-eyed male staring back at him.
Thinking the boy was afraid of him now, too, Yoochun sighed and grabbed the abandoned uniform jacket, approaching its owner slowly. “Hey, I thought it’d be you. You’re not with your friend this time? It’s dangerous to be around here by yourself. Can you…stand?”
Junsu had launched himself at his savior in the middle of the other’s sentence, his shoulders shaking as he cried, unable to hold back his tears anymore. “I…I was scared…I was so scared…” he whispered between sobs, clutching onto the brunette’s shirt tightly.
Yoochun was surprised at first, since he thought the kid was scared of him, but as he felt his shirt become wet, his eyes softened. Closing his coffee brown orbs, he gingerly wrapped his arms around the shorter male, running a hand through the black locks. “It’s okay…everything’s okay now,” Yoochun said soothingly. “I took care of those guys.”
As Junsu pulled away to look at the men who had tried to rape him for assurance that they were really down for the count, Yoochun found himself staring before he caught himself and took a step away. What was he doing, and what was with the strange boy before him? He was half a day behind on making money now because of a connection he seemed to have with a guy he’d never seen before. It’s just a coincidence, Micky. That’s all, he told himself. Shaking his head, Yoochun cleared his throat and crossed his arms.
“So…you were looking for me?” the Shinshi Baedal native asked.
Returning his gaze to his savior, Junsu nodded, putting on his jacket. “Oh, yeah, I wanted to see you…Do you know where Hyukkie is?”
Yoochun frowned. “Hyukkie?”
“Lee Hyukjae, the boy who was with me. You kidnapped him and brought him here, didn’t you? Where is he?” Junsu crossed his own arms and stepped closer to the man.
Holding his hands up in defense, Yoochun took another step back. “Whoa, you got the wrong person, kid. The last time I saw this Hyukkie person, he was with you. Whatever happened between there and here is not my problem. If that’s all, I’m off.” Turning around, the brunette stuffed his hands in his pockets and began walking away, wondering why he felt disappointed about the reason why the boy sought him out and apprehensive about leaving the other alone.
The ebony-haired teen blinked, watching the other take a few steps away before running after him. “Wait!” Junsu tackled his savior to the ground and climbed up onto his back so that he couldn’t get away. “That’s not the only reason! I…wanted to thank you, too. You saved me twice now. I feel like I owe you. And…” And I don’t want to be alone. He paused, looking down at the back of head of the man he sat on. “Can’t you help me find Hyukkie?” Junsu wasn’t sure what it was that made him believe his rescuer, but he felt the other’s sincerity.
Yoochun shifted under the weight on top of him, but it wasn’t because the person that was sitting on him was heavy (though he was sure half of the boy’s weight was on his butt). No, bad Yoochun, don’t follow that train of thought… he told himself as Junsu scrambled off to kneel beside him, apologizing profusely. Yoochun chuckled inwardly as the student next to him looked down embarrassed, probably thinking he was fat, and wanted to do nothing more than to ruffle the other’s hair and reassure him. What is this boy doing to me?
“Thank me? You’re still broke, aren’t you?” the money-lover asked harshly-being mean and rude was the only defense Yoochun knew.
Junsu nodded silently, carefully lifting his eyes to meet the older boy’s gaze in case he set the other off again. Well, technically, he wasn’t broke before, but after paying the old man for the ride and then the bread, whatever money he had left now wouldn’t have been enough for two rescues.
Sighing, the brunette male got to his feet, dusting himself off. “Look, don’t worry about it. But I can’t help you with your friend. Do you know how huge Shinshi Baedal is? That will take time, and time equals money. I have other work to do. Find someone else, okay?”
But I don’t know anyone else. Junsu got to his feet and hurriedly followed after his savior, wondering again why money was such a big deal for the taller male, but he wouldn’t pry, not yet. It would probably irritate him, which wouldn’t help Junsu’s cause, and he wanted the other to trust him enough to tell him himself. “If I help you in your work, it’d be okay, right?”
Yoochun was silent as he led the way back to the crowded streets, trying to rack his brains for a way to get rid of the kid as tried to ignore the puppy dog looks directed towards him. He couldn’t work with the guy hanging around him the way he was.
Then, in the distance, horns sounded, and Yoochun smirked as an idea finally came to him.
“If you’re that determined…” he started, nodding in the direction of the cleared path as the crowd divided to make room for what was coming, “The fancy procession over there is for the emperor. The one in the center in the gaudiest carriage is the emperor of the Southern District of Shinshi Baedal.”
Junsu watched the parade-like march as the large group passed by, his mouth hanging open. From the horses to the flags to the carriage, everything was beautiful.
The brunette man resisted the urge to tease the other that bugs would fly straight into his mouth if he left it open like that. “If you could fetch a couple of gems from the emperor’s crown, I’d be rolling in money. I wouldn’t have to worry about work for a while, and all your debts would be cleared.” Yoochun sighed dramatically. “But since that’s impossible, I’ll just be leaving now…”
A hand grabbed on to Yoochun’s sleeve before he could get away and pulled him back. Junsu’s mouth was closed now, but determined eyes were still set on the caravan in the middle of the procession. “Is the emperor nice?”
Yoochun blinked, staring at the black-haired boy. He didn’t like where the question was going. “Well, I haven’t heard anything bad about him…”
Junsu let go of the other’s sleeve and began to push through the crowd. “Then I’ll be back with the gems!”
“Okay! Wait, what?” Yoochun tried to reach out and pull the boy back, but he was already too far. You thought I was serious?!
The fifteen-year-old looked back at him and smiled brilliantly. “If I get them, you’ll take me with you, right?” With that, Junsu made his way through the rest of the crowd, and when he found an opening between horses, ran through to the carriage carrying the emperor. The guards upon the horses surrounding the carriage shared the same stunned expression as Yoochun, watching the strange boy in horrified awe.
“Hey, Your Highness! The emperor’s in there, right?” Junsu yelled up at the carriage as he ran hard to move alongside it-this was really going to test all the running training he did for soccer. From the shadows casted by the veils that were around the top edges of the carriage, he could tell the person inside had looked in his direction.
“Who are you?” questioned the emperor, the voice manly and commanding despite the confusion laced in the words.
Wow, he sounds young, the running boy mused before he waved the question away with his hand, laughing nervously. “Oh, me? I’m nobody, but I have a favor to ask of you!” Junsu looked away shyly, closing his eyes and preparing his puppy dog look. “Could you spare me a couple of gems from your crown? You see, someone saved my life and I have to pay him back!”
That gullible idiot! Yoochun cursed in his head before he began pushing through the crowd towards Junsu. Maybe he could plead insanity on the boy’s behalf and save them from being beheaded.
“You’re rich, aren’t you?” Junsu continued, completely oblivious of the improper etiquette he was displaying. “So what’s a few ge-” As he moved his head back towards the carriage to reveal his puppy dog look, Junsu missed seeing the rock ahead of him. Tripping over it caused him to break his sentence and flail his arms for balance His hands grabbed onto the decorative tapestry on the carriage, but it, as luck would have it, wasn’t strong enough to withstand the pull of gravity that Junsu began to experience as he fell backwards.
The ripping sound of the tapestry seemed to awake the guards who had been transfixed by Junsu-though it wasn’t entirely their fault, since Junsu did have that affect on people. “Your rudeness to His Highness is unforgivable!” one of them yelled. “Kill him!”
Junsu’s chocolate brown eyes widened as he watched the guards turned their horses in his direction, galloping with swords raised, ready to strike him dead before he even hit the ground. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for impact, just as a couple of smoke bombs were thrown in his vicinity. When he heard coughing instead of screaming and wind blowing through his hair instead of dirt, Junsu reopened his eyes and gasped as he found himself in the arms of his thrice rescuer.
Yoochun breathed a sigh of relief when his smokescreen gave him the extra few seconds he needed to reach the student. Scooping the boy in his arms, the ponytail-wearing male looked down at the person in his arms as he landed in a smoke-free area several feet in front of the now halted procession. As dark brown eyes looked up into his own, Yoochun felt anger replace his worry. “Pabo! I don’t believe it! Are you some kind of moron? Are you trying to get killed?”
“You saved me again?”
It wasn’t so much a question than a statement, and the complete change of subject and the innocence held in the words stopped Yoochun in the middle of his rant.
“Thank you…but that means I have to give you three gems, now,”
What was this feeling? Yoochun didn’t know how to describe it. He could sense the other’s earnestly and he felt like he was drowning. The boy in his arms had such faith in his words, in him, that he’d blindly put himself in danger to fulfill an impossible task, just for him and his sake, without even questioning why… It took years for that sort of relationship to be built, and the brunette himself would even admit that he wouldn’t do that for some of his family, and this guy, for a complete stranger…
Yoochun felt his heart swell and he smiled.
“My name’s Park Yoochun. People usually call me Micky, but…I want you to call me Yoochun.”
Junsu swallowed at the intensity of his savior’s gaze. “K-Kim Junsu,” he answered to the silent prompt for his own name.
The taller male’s smile brightened even more, if it was possible. “Well, Junsu, you got guts, so I’ll take you under my wing for a while.”
“Really?” The soccer fanatic found himself perking up until a thought made him deflate slightly. “But…”
As if reading his thoughts, Yoochun’s features softened and he closed his eyes as he pulled Junsu closer to him. “Don’t worry. I’ll take my payment now.”
And then he kissed Junsu.
Granted, it was on the forehead, but Junsu couldn’t help but feel his face heat up-something about it felt so intimate. That, and it was his first kiss ever-his relatives always opted to squish his cheeks together than kiss them.
“…Did you forget I take kisses, too?” his savior said in a low, raspy voice that sent shivers up and done his spine.
Their moment was interrupted as the smoke cleared and the guards caught sight of them. “There they are! You’ll pay for that, you bastards!” Thrown off their horses due to the blast, they charged at them on foot, only to be stopped this time by a blinding red light emitting from Junsu. It was a force so strong it blew their hair back, and Yoochun had to squint just to look at the boy he still held in his arms. Junsu could see the other’s bewildered expression through his hand, his hand that was now translucent-he was disappearing.
“You…” Yoochun breathed out, and Junsu didn’t want to know what was unsaid, thinking it was probably ‘monster’ or ‘freak’ or some other similar variation.
“Get His Highness’ caravan out of here!” One guards from the front yelled backwards. “Hurry!”
“Wait,” the emperor ordered before they could move him too far. “What is all this commotion?”
The guards stationed at either side of the emperor’s carriage looked at each other-they couldn’t very well lie. “It’s the strange, rude boy from before, Your Majesty. He’s disappearing into the red light.”
All the noise around Junsu disappeared along with his body, and the black-haired teen looked around as the red light gave way to the image of the restricted room in the library where he was when he was transported the first time.
I’m returning home, Junsu realized, and he wasn’t sure if he should feel elated or disappointed.
“The boy was surrounded by the red light and vanished…”
That’s Hyukkie’s voice! And indeed, sitting upon the floor holding the Universe of the Four Gods in a tight grip was his best friend. Junsu felt relief wash over him; relief that Hyukjae had made it back ahead of him, safe and sound; relief that his trust in Yoochun was not misplaced, unlike that man who had tried to rape him.
And at the thought of his savior, Junsu understood why he wasn’t as happy as he should be about coming home. He wanted to tell the other that he wasn’t a monster. He wanted to help him raise money, since he already paid for it already. He wanted to learn more about him.
He just wanted to be with him.
As if sensing his will, the vermillion bird that he had seen earlier flew between him and Hyukjae, and Junsu felt himself being pulled back, further away from his world. He felt a large red feather land on his forehead before it and the space between worlds vanished, leaving him back in Yoochun’s arms.
Startled, Yoochun placed Junsu on his feet before taking a step back, and though he wasn’t going to run away, the shorter male had grabbed onto his sleeves before he could move any further. “What…are you?” he whispered before he could stop himself, and regretted it when he saw the hurt flash through Junsu’s eyes. It was ironic he’d even asked, since it wasn’t as if he was normal himself.
“Guards,” the emperor called the attention of the men around him. “Detain the two of them at once.”
Junsu, who had opened his mouth to say something back, had been unable to find the words. It hurt more than he thought it would, more painful than the looks of his fans faces in his dreams.
Before he could answer and Yoochun could take it back, the sounds of sharp spears being pointed in their direction interrupted. Instinctively, Yoochun pulled Junsu towards him, and Junsu, despite everything, felt safe in his arms.
& & &
“Junsu, why didn’t you come back?”
Hyukjae stood before him, facing forward so that all he saw was his back; his outline was full of sharp edges. There was an icy hardness to his best friend’s voice that gave him the dreadful sense of foreboding.
“We were supposed to debut together. Are you abandoning our promise…abandoning me?” the dark brunette male continued, but as his head turned back towards him, the face distorted and it was his mother looking back at him.
“Didn’t you say you were going to fulfill your dream for the both of us?” She sounded so disappointed, and he stepped back as if he was physically pushed. He hated it when he let someone down, and his mom had been so supportive when he told her he wanted to do it for her since she had to give up her own dream when he and hyung were born.
“Junsu…you know umma’s going to separate us if you don’t make it, don’t you?” The voice came from behind him, and he turned to see Junho, his fraternal twin brother, older by only a few minutes. “She’d want you to focus on your studies, and we’ll be sent to separate high schools. Don’t you want us to stay together?”
By now, tears were welling up in his eyes. “Hyung, umma, Hyukkie…please don’t be disappointed with me! I’ll become a singer, for all of us! You’ll see! Please…”
“Oi…are you okay?”
The transition from dream to consciousness was less abrupt, but still shocking, than when Hyukjae had awoken him in the library, and Junsu wasn’t sure of it was the person or the method that made the difference. When he opened his eyes, he could see the worried and annoyed expression on Yoochun’s face as the other loomed over him, but when the brunette male noticed he was fully awake now, the concern took a backseat.
“Yoochun…?” he asked, sitting up as the said male scoffed and pulled away to sit properly himself.
“You are so unbelievable,” Yoochun muttered, settling a hard gaze upon the black-haired teenager. “I thought you might’ve hit your head when we got thrown in here, but the next second you’re snoring and drooling all over the place. I’ve never known anyone who can just snooze the day away while they’re locked up in the palace dungeon.” He omitted the part where he heard the younger boy’s pleading and saw the uneasy tossing and turning he did while asleep. Yoochun was still worried, but his pride and annoyance at both Junsu and himself wouldn’t allow him to admit that.
Unconsciously, Junsu wiped his mouth with the back of his hand but came up empty in the drool department. He scowled as he listened to the taller male go on and on about him negatively, and wondered how he could have ever thought Yoochun was actually worried about him. The guy was going to give him whiplash the way he was nice one moment and mean the next. Junsu bent his knees and brought it towards his chest, wrapping his arms around them before looking away from the person who made him so confused. “What do you care? I thought I was a monster to you,” he replied bitterly.
Guilt flooded Yoochun’s face before he could stop it. “Junsu…I’m sorry I asked you that. But you have to admit it’s pretty strange. What was with that light you were giving off? Where did you disappear to?”
He has a point, Junsu thought, pouting. But what was he supposed to tell him? ‘I’m from another world, and I was sucked into some book I found in the library.’ Like anyone would believe that. He’d think I’m crazy for sure. But the thought reminded him of something. “Hyukkie.”
“Huh? That boy you were with?”
Junsu nodded. “He made it back home safely. But…I’m still here.” It wasn’t as if he regretted wanting to stay, if that was the reason why he wasn’t able to return, but he couldn’t stay in this world forever, either-he had promises to keep. His dreams were a constant reminder of that. The problem was, he didn’t know how to make that red light appear again, which seemed to be his only key-it appeared both times he was transported.
“…I’ll find some way to get you back. Don’t worry,” Yoochun told him with such an air of finality and certainty that it caused the soccer fanatic to look up at him.
“Really?”
“Well, I was already paid for it.”
Junsu felt a finger poke his forehead where the brunette had kissed him and he quickly bowed his head down to hide his blush. “Pervert,” he muttered, but he didn’t really mean it.
Going by the smirk he could feel Yoochun having upon his lips, Junsu knew the other knew he didn’t mean it, too.
& & &
“Your Highness, those boys must be put to death!”
The emperor, sitting proper upon his throne, listened as his two advisers voiced their concerns on their newly detained captives.
“Especially that bizarre younger male! I heard he emitted a strange light and vanished before reappearing again. He might be a demon! Your Majesty, give the order-”
He understood where they were coming from, but-“One moment, please,” he interrupted, and the two advisors froze. “That boy was dressed in foreign clothing. Do you not think that there might be something more to this?”
The two middle-aged men looked taken aback and highly doubtful, having never thought of another reason than their own. “B-but…” He knew what they must have been thinking of him-that he was young, naive, probably afraid to be the cause of someone’s death.
However, he was neither stupid and was more ruthless than they would ever want to know.
“I have cause to wonder,” he continued before the other two could come up with a flimsy excuse, “that that boy may be the young boy of legend…the Summoner of Jujak.”
There was a pause before there was an exclamation of, “The Summoner of Jujak?!”
& & &
I’m so thirsty! Junsu complained inwardly. He and Yoochun had begun thinking of ways to escape, but soon after they retreated into their minds for ways out, his thirst had hit him. The black-haired teen had put it off until now, but he was sure he would die soon without some water. We need to get out of here and find water ASAP! Do I have anything that could help…?
Junsu stuck his hands into his pants pockets, and, upon remembering what he saw when he had emptied his pockets out earlier, pulled out a couple of sticks of gum. Remembering the trouble he and Hyukjae had gotten into when they chewed it during class, he quickly unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth.
Hearing the rustling of the wrappers and the loud chewing that followed soon after, the long guard standing nearby approached the bars. “Oi, what did you just stick in your mouth? Out with it right now!” the guard ordered.
Perfect, Junsu smirked inwardly. “What, this?” he asked innocently before he began blowing a large bubble from his gum.
The guard, as well as Yoochun, yelled out in surprise and backed away from the soccer fanatic as he approached the bars of the cell. “W-what the hell is that? Stay away from me!” the guard screamed, waving around his spear in defense. When the sharp tip made contact with the bubble, it popped, and the resulting sound seemed too much for the man who was not accustomed to modern invention of the bubble gum. As if he had a heart attack, the guard passed out, fainting right in reach through the bars.
Yoochun, who was more curious than scared of the mysterious substance, quickly recovered from the sound and capitalized on the chance to rid the unconscious guard of the keys to their cell. “These should do the trick! That was great thinking, Junsu!”
“Really? Thanks!” Junsu smiled back at him, and with the stealth of ninjas (or so he liked to think), they entered one of the many grand hallways of the palace.
“So, um, Junsu, about that stuff you were chewing…” Yoochun whispered as they tiptoed around, obviously aware that talking was the last thing they should be doing but apparently having a topic he couldn’t put off. “Do you have any more?”
“Huh?” Junsu brilliantly replied, so caught up in his search for something to drink that he didn’t fully grasp what Yoochun was talking about. “You mean gum? Sure.” He pulled out the remaining pack of gum from his pocket and caught how the brunette seemed to have stars in his eyes the moment he saw it. It didn’t take a genius to know what he wanted. “Here, you can have it,” he said, handing the rest of it over.
Yoochun all but died when it was placed in his hand. “A-a-are you sure I can have it? This is too good to be true!” The shorted boy laughed at him, a unique laugh that was all Junsu’s, and he found himself thinking if he could bottle that, he’d want to keep it all to himself.
“It’s just gum, Yoochun. Give it a try.”
“What? No way!” Yoochun yelled, appalled by the suggestion. “I can’t just eat something this precious! Do you know how much Won I could get for this?!”
Junsu opened his mouth to point out that gum wasn’t eaten, it was chewed, but sighed and decided that it was pointless. Just then, they heard footsteps coming from around the corner, and after bumping into each other in an attempt to flee, they entered the closest room and closed the door. It would’ve been pitch black inside if not for the faint glowing of something behind them. When he turned around to see what it was, he gasped at the sight.
It was a large statue of the bird he saw that started everything.
Slowly, Junsu approached the shrine for the bird. “Yoochun, what’s this bird?”
Pulling away from the door, where he stood to hear if the footsteps had passed, Yoochun walked up towards him, looking up at the statue. “That’s Jujak.”
“Jujak?” It sounds familiar…wasn’t Hyukkie reading something about that before we were sucked into the book?
“It’s one of Shinshi Baedal’s guardian gods. There’s one for the North, South, East and West-Hyeon-Mu, Jujak, Cheong-Ryong and Baek-Ho. I heard that a long time ago, the whole land used to worship them equally, but since we’ve been divided into districts now, we each have our own. Jujak is the god who...”
Yoochun’s words died away as Junsu’s brain caught the smell of food, and where there was food, there would be drinks. With the other too caught up in his history lesson to notice, Junsu followed his nose, leaving the room for another.
“…But that’s not important. We’ve got to get out of here before we’re caught-” By the time Yoochun had turned around, Junsu was nowhere to be seen. Aish! Where did that magnet for trouble boy go?! “Junsu! Yah! Wait till I get my hands on you!”
& & &
Unsurprisingly, Junsu ended up at a kitchen. The cooks all had his back towards him, though he didn’t know why they were still cooking-the trays on the table before him was full of food already. His eyes bypassed the food and landed on a large jug of water. Quickly, as was the way he did many things, the black-haired teen chugged the drink and ran off before he could get caught, wiping his mouth of water that escaped in his hurriedness.
“Ah~! I feel so much better now! Water seems so much purer in ancient times. Now we can leave, Yoo-” Junsu stopped and gasped when he realized he had left his savior behind. He looked around frantically, finding himself outside now in a large open courtyard. “W-which way did I come from? Everything looks the same! Aaaah, Yoochun’s going to kill me!”
Someone laughed, and Junsu turned to see a long-haired young man walking up towards him. He was wiping his hands clean on the cloth he was holding, and Junsu could see a stable down the path the man came from. He probably works here looking after the horses, Junsu thought, taking in what looked like commoner clothes. There was an air about him that didn’t seem so common, though. He blinked when he saw the other pointing in another direction, confused.
“You’re lost, right?” The man said with a disarming smile. “The gate’s over there.”
Why are the men here so pretty?! “T-thank you,” he said, slowly turning and making his way in the direction he pointed out, though he’d have to turn around once the other was out of sight so he could find Yoochun.
“You’re that boy they captured yesterday, right? The one who was rude to His Highness?”
Junsu had only taken a couple steps before those words rooted him to the spot. He laughed nervously, turning his upper body around to wave his hand at the man. “What do you mean? I’m just a middle school student passing through! Thanks again for the help!”
“Don’t worry. I’m on your side. I told you the way out, didn’t I?” The man called after him as he took a few more steps away. “I won’t call the guards after you. So please, relax.”
“R-really?” This time, Junsu fully turned around and closed the distance between them as the stable boy hoped up on one of the fancy banisters to take a seat. Maybe he could help me find Yoochun.
& & &
Yoochun, meanwhile, had managed to make it outside, too. However, instead of running into someone who could, or would, help, he crossed paths with some guards. Cursing, he backtracked, and hoped that he could lure the guards away so that Junsu could escape.
& & &
“You need to find your friend?” the stable boy asked once Junsu was standing in front of him.
“He wouldn’t have gotten into this whole mess if it wasn’t for me,” Junsu explained as he kicked the dirt at his feet dejectedly. “If I don’t get him out, I’ll never be able to go back to my world…”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “‘Your’ world? Are you saying you’re not from this world and came from another?”
Junsu found himself saying ‘yes’ before he realized and he gasped as he brought his hands up to cover his mouth, albeit a little late. Oh, no! I bet he’ll think I’m crazy and hand me right over to the guards.
“That’s incredible!” The other man exclaimed, and Junsu looked at him as if he was the freak. “You don’t see that every day. It’s truly amazing!” As if he could sense Junsu’s doubt, the commoner jumped off the banister and stepped closer to the fellow black-haired male, raising a hand to gently cup the side of Junsu’s face. “Relax. My name is Yunho, though I’m usually called something else.”
Junsu thought the other name was probably ‘stable boy’ or something mean like that. Royalty were never nice to their workers, right? “Kim Junsu, but you can just call me Junsu.”
Yunho smiled at him. “I’m glad to make your acquaintance, Junsu.”
The fifteen-year-old blushed, noticing the hand was still upon his cheek, but before Yunho could ask what was wrong they heard voices coming their way. Without a word, Yunho pulled him into some nearby bushes as guards surrounding a tied-up Yoochun came into view.
“Talk! Where’s the other boy?” One of the guards demanded as they came to a stop, fisting Yoochun’s hair so the brunette was forced to look up at him.
“Beats me!” Yoochun replied defiantly, turning his head away as much as he was allowed to. “I can’t tell you what I don’t know! Maybe he got away while you guys were chasing me.”
As the guard lifted a hand to punch the smirk off Yoochun’s face, Junsu emerged from his hiding spot before Yunho could stop him. “Yoochun!”
“Junsu!” said man said, utterly shocked the other boy was still here, let alone right there in front of him. “Stay back, you idiot!” he yelled when Junsu ran closer to him. “Why didn’t you leave?!”
“I can’t just leave you!” Junsu replied before he tried to avoid the extra guards that left Yoochun to capture him.
The glowing ‘demon’ character on Yoochun’s forehead appeared as he watched Junsu struggle to escape the hands that held him. Without realizing or caring how it happened, he broke free from his bondage and attacked all the guards in his sight, standing in front of Junsu protectively. “If you bastards lay a finger on him, I’ll kill you,” he growled, feeling Junsu’s hands clutch onto his back as the guards staggered to their feet.
“Enough!” a strong, hard voice commanded, and Junsu turned to see Yunho gracefully exit the bushes and approach the two groups at a standoff. “You are not permitted to touch those two without my direct order!”
“Your Majesty!” the guards uttered before they were on their knees.
Yoochun’s eyes widened, in as much disbelief as Junsu seemed to be. “Really?” he couldn’t help but ask, as he’d never seen the emperor in person before, and when Yunho nodded, he quickly got to his knees as well. He didn’t need to be told twice.
Junsu, however, was not as easily swayed. “Yunho’s the emperor? The stable boy?”
“He’s not the stable boy,” Yoochun hissed, trying to grab at him so that he would bow as well. The boy really was trying to get himself killed. “He’s the emperor! Don’t speak of him so familiarly!”
Allowing himself to be pulled to his knees, Junsu continued to look at the man he recently befriend, still skeptical. However…maybe that was the other name Yunho was talking about.
& & &
“Forgive me, Junsu. I did not mean to trick you.”
They were back inside the palace now. Junsu and Yoochun, along with a whole array of people in the audience, kneeled before the steps that led up the Yunho, who sat upon his chair dressed in his proper, emperor clothing. Apparently, Yunho loved animals and was visiting the horses in the stable, donning commoner attire as to not ruin his proper clothing. Junsu figured it made sense, and wondered if that was the reason why his mother was always angry when he played soccer in his school uniform.
“I hid my identity when we crossed paths because I wanted to learn of your intentions,” Yunho continued, and Junsu noted how his speech and mannerisms had changed as well. He felt almost sorry for the emperor-despite all the perks, it seemed he liked being a normal person. He was still young, after all. “At the very least, we have disproved my advisor’s assertion that you are a demon.” Yunho pointedly glanced as his advisors, who cleared their throats, embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Junsu smiled when he realized where this must be going. “So then…?”
The emperor nodded, returning the smile. “No, we will not harm you.”
Yoochun and Junsu released a sigh of relief and looked at each other, completely thrilled.
“However, I do have a request. Will you save our empire, Summoner of Jujak?”
Confused, Junsu looked around, but found that the emperor’s audience was looking at him.
“I am referring to you, Junsu,” Yunho said, confirming the stares. “There is an ancient legend in our land. At the time when the empire falls into disorder and is on the verge of collapse, a young boy would appear from another world seeking the power of Jujak. The moment he possesses the power, he will lead the empire to glory. The legend, the Summoner of Jujak, has finally arrived. He sits before us all now.”
Yoochun looked up at him, unsure of what to think. He knew Junsu wasn’t your typical guy, and Yunho’s speech filled in a lot of the holes he couldn’t figure out about the younger male.
Junsu could feel his heart beating so hard he was afraid it would jump right through his rib cage and beat on the floor in front of him. “You…you have the wrong guy!” he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “I’m just a normal middle school student cramming for exams! I landed in your world by mistake!”
“Then you would not like the power of Jujak?” Yunho pressed, unwilling to believe he was wrong or let his Summoner go when he needed him the most. “Have you no wishes?”
Wishes? Junsu thought back all the way to the beginning. ‘This is a story of a young boy who single-handedly gathered the Seven Stars of Jujak and gained the power to make all his dreams come true. The story itself is an incantation, and whomever reads it gains the main character’s power to have their wishes granted.’ That was what Hyukkie read. Does that mean I’m the main character now?
“So this God Jujak has the power to grant any wish?” he said aloud, voicing his thoughts. “Appa’s pizzeria can become successful! Junho-hyung can be a baseball player without ever being injured and Hyukkie won’t have to wear lifts! Umma will let me get a dog I’d name Xiahki, I could go to those places that have coconut trees, and I won’t ever have to study for another test again! Take that, math questions!”
What in the world is he blabbering about? Yoochun thought. No matter what world he was in, Yoochun was sure Junsu could be considered odd.
“But most of all…” Junsu brought a hand to his throat, thinking of his voice. “I can sing again…”
Yunho chuckled, intertwining his hands together as he watched Junsu rant. The boy was much too modest-others would’ve wished for world domination or the like. “Well? You can have the entire world if you so wish it.”
Junsu looked up at the emperor and nodded, raising a determined fist in the air. “I’ll do it! I’ll be your Summoner of Jujak! I’ve been waiting my entire life for this!” he yelled, unaware of how true his words really were.
The emperor’s gaze softened before it reverted back to the commanding leader he needed to be. “Everyone, stand back! This young man will obtain the power of Jujak. The Summoner of Jujak, the one who will protect us all, stands before you!”
There were gasps and murmurs, and by the time Junsu had turned around everyone on the floor was at their feet. Even behind them, out in the courtyard that led up to the emperor’s building, there were rows of people bowing before him. What was even more shocking was the Yoochun was bowing at him. The emperor he could understand, but him? He wanted to be equal with Yoochun, not someone he had to be with and protect.
“Thank you, your eminence, Summoner of Jujak,” the entire body of people said in unison.
Junsu rubbed the back of his head nervously, bowing slightly back, slowly realizing that maybe he took on a task a little too big.
He really hoped he didn’t disappoint the entire empire.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Whee, another chapter! Are the chapters too long? I always seem to go on and on ^^; Anywhoo, I don’t have any else to say, so I hope everyone enjoys the new chapter! Once again, it’s not beta’d, so please excuse any mistakes you find!
Pairing(s): YooSu (main); HyukSu, YunJae, KiMin, others
Genre: AU, fantasy, angst, romance
Length: Chaptered (on-going)
Rating: PG13 - NC17 (this chapter: swearing and violence)
Summary: Kim Junsu was just an ordinary student whose dream to become a singer had to be put on hold due to complications. But when he and his best friend Hyukjae are pulled in the Universe of the Four Gods, he has the chance to make all his dreams come true. The question is…will he? Based on the series Fushigi Yuugi by Yuu Watase. (Sorry, I suck at summaries!)
Forewords + Trailer | Stage I
Boundless - Stage II - “The Summoner of Jujak”
Unlike the two slave traders that were allowed to run off injured earlier, there was no mercy for the four in the secluded alleyway. They lay broken and bleeding at Yoochun’s feet, probably half-dead-and he’ll leave them there, to die if the Gods saw fit, just as they were most likely to do with the boy cowering behind him after they had their ‘fun’. The mere thought angered him, and Yoochun found himself growling, threatening to cause the recently disappeared character on his forehead to remerge again. A whimper brought him back to his senses, and the ponytail-wearing teen turned around to face the wide-eyed male staring back at him.
Thinking the boy was afraid of him now, too, Yoochun sighed and grabbed the abandoned uniform jacket, approaching its owner slowly. “Hey, I thought it’d be you. You’re not with your friend this time? It’s dangerous to be around here by yourself. Can you…stand?”
Junsu had launched himself at his savior in the middle of the other’s sentence, his shoulders shaking as he cried, unable to hold back his tears anymore. “I…I was scared…I was so scared…” he whispered between sobs, clutching onto the brunette’s shirt tightly.
Yoochun was surprised at first, since he thought the kid was scared of him, but as he felt his shirt become wet, his eyes softened. Closing his coffee brown orbs, he gingerly wrapped his arms around the shorter male, running a hand through the black locks. “It’s okay…everything’s okay now,” Yoochun said soothingly. “I took care of those guys.”
As Junsu pulled away to look at the men who had tried to rape him for assurance that they were really down for the count, Yoochun found himself staring before he caught himself and took a step away. What was he doing, and what was with the strange boy before him? He was half a day behind on making money now because of a connection he seemed to have with a guy he’d never seen before. It’s just a coincidence, Micky. That’s all, he told himself. Shaking his head, Yoochun cleared his throat and crossed his arms.
“So…you were looking for me?” the Shinshi Baedal native asked.
Returning his gaze to his savior, Junsu nodded, putting on his jacket. “Oh, yeah, I wanted to see you…Do you know where Hyukkie is?”
Yoochun frowned. “Hyukkie?”
“Lee Hyukjae, the boy who was with me. You kidnapped him and brought him here, didn’t you? Where is he?” Junsu crossed his own arms and stepped closer to the man.
Holding his hands up in defense, Yoochun took another step back. “Whoa, you got the wrong person, kid. The last time I saw this Hyukkie person, he was with you. Whatever happened between there and here is not my problem. If that’s all, I’m off.” Turning around, the brunette stuffed his hands in his pockets and began walking away, wondering why he felt disappointed about the reason why the boy sought him out and apprehensive about leaving the other alone.
The ebony-haired teen blinked, watching the other take a few steps away before running after him. “Wait!” Junsu tackled his savior to the ground and climbed up onto his back so that he couldn’t get away. “That’s not the only reason! I…wanted to thank you, too. You saved me twice now. I feel like I owe you. And…” And I don’t want to be alone. He paused, looking down at the back of head of the man he sat on. “Can’t you help me find Hyukkie?” Junsu wasn’t sure what it was that made him believe his rescuer, but he felt the other’s sincerity.
Yoochun shifted under the weight on top of him, but it wasn’t because the person that was sitting on him was heavy (though he was sure half of the boy’s weight was on his butt). No, bad Yoochun, don’t follow that train of thought… he told himself as Junsu scrambled off to kneel beside him, apologizing profusely. Yoochun chuckled inwardly as the student next to him looked down embarrassed, probably thinking he was fat, and wanted to do nothing more than to ruffle the other’s hair and reassure him. What is this boy doing to me?
“Thank me? You’re still broke, aren’t you?” the money-lover asked harshly-being mean and rude was the only defense Yoochun knew.
Junsu nodded silently, carefully lifting his eyes to meet the older boy’s gaze in case he set the other off again. Well, technically, he wasn’t broke before, but after paying the old man for the ride and then the bread, whatever money he had left now wouldn’t have been enough for two rescues.
Sighing, the brunette male got to his feet, dusting himself off. “Look, don’t worry about it. But I can’t help you with your friend. Do you know how huge Shinshi Baedal is? That will take time, and time equals money. I have other work to do. Find someone else, okay?”
But I don’t know anyone else. Junsu got to his feet and hurriedly followed after his savior, wondering again why money was such a big deal for the taller male, but he wouldn’t pry, not yet. It would probably irritate him, which wouldn’t help Junsu’s cause, and he wanted the other to trust him enough to tell him himself. “If I help you in your work, it’d be okay, right?”
Yoochun was silent as he led the way back to the crowded streets, trying to rack his brains for a way to get rid of the kid as tried to ignore the puppy dog looks directed towards him. He couldn’t work with the guy hanging around him the way he was.
Then, in the distance, horns sounded, and Yoochun smirked as an idea finally came to him.
“If you’re that determined…” he started, nodding in the direction of the cleared path as the crowd divided to make room for what was coming, “The fancy procession over there is for the emperor. The one in the center in the gaudiest carriage is the emperor of the Southern District of Shinshi Baedal.”
Junsu watched the parade-like march as the large group passed by, his mouth hanging open. From the horses to the flags to the carriage, everything was beautiful.
The brunette man resisted the urge to tease the other that bugs would fly straight into his mouth if he left it open like that. “If you could fetch a couple of gems from the emperor’s crown, I’d be rolling in money. I wouldn’t have to worry about work for a while, and all your debts would be cleared.” Yoochun sighed dramatically. “But since that’s impossible, I’ll just be leaving now…”
A hand grabbed on to Yoochun’s sleeve before he could get away and pulled him back. Junsu’s mouth was closed now, but determined eyes were still set on the caravan in the middle of the procession. “Is the emperor nice?”
Yoochun blinked, staring at the black-haired boy. He didn’t like where the question was going. “Well, I haven’t heard anything bad about him…”
Junsu let go of the other’s sleeve and began to push through the crowd. “Then I’ll be back with the gems!”
“Okay! Wait, what?” Yoochun tried to reach out and pull the boy back, but he was already too far. You thought I was serious?!
The fifteen-year-old looked back at him and smiled brilliantly. “If I get them, you’ll take me with you, right?” With that, Junsu made his way through the rest of the crowd, and when he found an opening between horses, ran through to the carriage carrying the emperor. The guards upon the horses surrounding the carriage shared the same stunned expression as Yoochun, watching the strange boy in horrified awe.
“Hey, Your Highness! The emperor’s in there, right?” Junsu yelled up at the carriage as he ran hard to move alongside it-this was really going to test all the running training he did for soccer. From the shadows casted by the veils that were around the top edges of the carriage, he could tell the person inside had looked in his direction.
“Who are you?” questioned the emperor, the voice manly and commanding despite the confusion laced in the words.
Wow, he sounds young, the running boy mused before he waved the question away with his hand, laughing nervously. “Oh, me? I’m nobody, but I have a favor to ask of you!” Junsu looked away shyly, closing his eyes and preparing his puppy dog look. “Could you spare me a couple of gems from your crown? You see, someone saved my life and I have to pay him back!”
That gullible idiot! Yoochun cursed in his head before he began pushing through the crowd towards Junsu. Maybe he could plead insanity on the boy’s behalf and save them from being beheaded.
“You’re rich, aren’t you?” Junsu continued, completely oblivious of the improper etiquette he was displaying. “So what’s a few ge-” As he moved his head back towards the carriage to reveal his puppy dog look, Junsu missed seeing the rock ahead of him. Tripping over it caused him to break his sentence and flail his arms for balance His hands grabbed onto the decorative tapestry on the carriage, but it, as luck would have it, wasn’t strong enough to withstand the pull of gravity that Junsu began to experience as he fell backwards.
The ripping sound of the tapestry seemed to awake the guards who had been transfixed by Junsu-though it wasn’t entirely their fault, since Junsu did have that affect on people. “Your rudeness to His Highness is unforgivable!” one of them yelled. “Kill him!”
Junsu’s chocolate brown eyes widened as he watched the guards turned their horses in his direction, galloping with swords raised, ready to strike him dead before he even hit the ground. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for impact, just as a couple of smoke bombs were thrown in his vicinity. When he heard coughing instead of screaming and wind blowing through his hair instead of dirt, Junsu reopened his eyes and gasped as he found himself in the arms of his thrice rescuer.
Yoochun breathed a sigh of relief when his smokescreen gave him the extra few seconds he needed to reach the student. Scooping the boy in his arms, the ponytail-wearing male looked down at the person in his arms as he landed in a smoke-free area several feet in front of the now halted procession. As dark brown eyes looked up into his own, Yoochun felt anger replace his worry. “Pabo! I don’t believe it! Are you some kind of moron? Are you trying to get killed?”
“You saved me again?”
It wasn’t so much a question than a statement, and the complete change of subject and the innocence held in the words stopped Yoochun in the middle of his rant.
“Thank you…but that means I have to give you three gems, now,”
What was this feeling? Yoochun didn’t know how to describe it. He could sense the other’s earnestly and he felt like he was drowning. The boy in his arms had such faith in his words, in him, that he’d blindly put himself in danger to fulfill an impossible task, just for him and his sake, without even questioning why… It took years for that sort of relationship to be built, and the brunette himself would even admit that he wouldn’t do that for some of his family, and this guy, for a complete stranger…
Yoochun felt his heart swell and he smiled.
“My name’s Park Yoochun. People usually call me Micky, but…I want you to call me Yoochun.”
Junsu swallowed at the intensity of his savior’s gaze. “K-Kim Junsu,” he answered to the silent prompt for his own name.
The taller male’s smile brightened even more, if it was possible. “Well, Junsu, you got guts, so I’ll take you under my wing for a while.”
“Really?” The soccer fanatic found himself perking up until a thought made him deflate slightly. “But…”
As if reading his thoughts, Yoochun’s features softened and he closed his eyes as he pulled Junsu closer to him. “Don’t worry. I’ll take my payment now.”
And then he kissed Junsu.
Granted, it was on the forehead, but Junsu couldn’t help but feel his face heat up-something about it felt so intimate. That, and it was his first kiss ever-his relatives always opted to squish his cheeks together than kiss them.
“…Did you forget I take kisses, too?” his savior said in a low, raspy voice that sent shivers up and done his spine.
Their moment was interrupted as the smoke cleared and the guards caught sight of them. “There they are! You’ll pay for that, you bastards!” Thrown off their horses due to the blast, they charged at them on foot, only to be stopped this time by a blinding red light emitting from Junsu. It was a force so strong it blew their hair back, and Yoochun had to squint just to look at the boy he still held in his arms. Junsu could see the other’s bewildered expression through his hand, his hand that was now translucent-he was disappearing.
“You…” Yoochun breathed out, and Junsu didn’t want to know what was unsaid, thinking it was probably ‘monster’ or ‘freak’ or some other similar variation.
“Get His Highness’ caravan out of here!” One guards from the front yelled backwards. “Hurry!”
“Wait,” the emperor ordered before they could move him too far. “What is all this commotion?”
The guards stationed at either side of the emperor’s carriage looked at each other-they couldn’t very well lie. “It’s the strange, rude boy from before, Your Majesty. He’s disappearing into the red light.”
All the noise around Junsu disappeared along with his body, and the black-haired teen looked around as the red light gave way to the image of the restricted room in the library where he was when he was transported the first time.
I’m returning home, Junsu realized, and he wasn’t sure if he should feel elated or disappointed.
“The boy was surrounded by the red light and vanished…”
That’s Hyukkie’s voice! And indeed, sitting upon the floor holding the Universe of the Four Gods in a tight grip was his best friend. Junsu felt relief wash over him; relief that Hyukjae had made it back ahead of him, safe and sound; relief that his trust in Yoochun was not misplaced, unlike that man who had tried to rape him.
And at the thought of his savior, Junsu understood why he wasn’t as happy as he should be about coming home. He wanted to tell the other that he wasn’t a monster. He wanted to help him raise money, since he already paid for it already. He wanted to learn more about him.
He just wanted to be with him.
As if sensing his will, the vermillion bird that he had seen earlier flew between him and Hyukjae, and Junsu felt himself being pulled back, further away from his world. He felt a large red feather land on his forehead before it and the space between worlds vanished, leaving him back in Yoochun’s arms.
Startled, Yoochun placed Junsu on his feet before taking a step back, and though he wasn’t going to run away, the shorter male had grabbed onto his sleeves before he could move any further. “What…are you?” he whispered before he could stop himself, and regretted it when he saw the hurt flash through Junsu’s eyes. It was ironic he’d even asked, since it wasn’t as if he was normal himself.
“Guards,” the emperor called the attention of the men around him. “Detain the two of them at once.”
Junsu, who had opened his mouth to say something back, had been unable to find the words. It hurt more than he thought it would, more painful than the looks of his fans faces in his dreams.
Before he could answer and Yoochun could take it back, the sounds of sharp spears being pointed in their direction interrupted. Instinctively, Yoochun pulled Junsu towards him, and Junsu, despite everything, felt safe in his arms.
& & &
“Junsu, why didn’t you come back?”
Hyukjae stood before him, facing forward so that all he saw was his back; his outline was full of sharp edges. There was an icy hardness to his best friend’s voice that gave him the dreadful sense of foreboding.
“We were supposed to debut together. Are you abandoning our promise…abandoning me?” the dark brunette male continued, but as his head turned back towards him, the face distorted and it was his mother looking back at him.
“Didn’t you say you were going to fulfill your dream for the both of us?” She sounded so disappointed, and he stepped back as if he was physically pushed. He hated it when he let someone down, and his mom had been so supportive when he told her he wanted to do it for her since she had to give up her own dream when he and hyung were born.
“Junsu…you know umma’s going to separate us if you don’t make it, don’t you?” The voice came from behind him, and he turned to see Junho, his fraternal twin brother, older by only a few minutes. “She’d want you to focus on your studies, and we’ll be sent to separate high schools. Don’t you want us to stay together?”
By now, tears were welling up in his eyes. “Hyung, umma, Hyukkie…please don’t be disappointed with me! I’ll become a singer, for all of us! You’ll see! Please…”
“Oi…are you okay?”
The transition from dream to consciousness was less abrupt, but still shocking, than when Hyukjae had awoken him in the library, and Junsu wasn’t sure of it was the person or the method that made the difference. When he opened his eyes, he could see the worried and annoyed expression on Yoochun’s face as the other loomed over him, but when the brunette male noticed he was fully awake now, the concern took a backseat.
“Yoochun…?” he asked, sitting up as the said male scoffed and pulled away to sit properly himself.
“You are so unbelievable,” Yoochun muttered, settling a hard gaze upon the black-haired teenager. “I thought you might’ve hit your head when we got thrown in here, but the next second you’re snoring and drooling all over the place. I’ve never known anyone who can just snooze the day away while they’re locked up in the palace dungeon.” He omitted the part where he heard the younger boy’s pleading and saw the uneasy tossing and turning he did while asleep. Yoochun was still worried, but his pride and annoyance at both Junsu and himself wouldn’t allow him to admit that.
Unconsciously, Junsu wiped his mouth with the back of his hand but came up empty in the drool department. He scowled as he listened to the taller male go on and on about him negatively, and wondered how he could have ever thought Yoochun was actually worried about him. The guy was going to give him whiplash the way he was nice one moment and mean the next. Junsu bent his knees and brought it towards his chest, wrapping his arms around them before looking away from the person who made him so confused. “What do you care? I thought I was a monster to you,” he replied bitterly.
Guilt flooded Yoochun’s face before he could stop it. “Junsu…I’m sorry I asked you that. But you have to admit it’s pretty strange. What was with that light you were giving off? Where did you disappear to?”
He has a point, Junsu thought, pouting. But what was he supposed to tell him? ‘I’m from another world, and I was sucked into some book I found in the library.’ Like anyone would believe that. He’d think I’m crazy for sure. But the thought reminded him of something. “Hyukkie.”
“Huh? That boy you were with?”
Junsu nodded. “He made it back home safely. But…I’m still here.” It wasn’t as if he regretted wanting to stay, if that was the reason why he wasn’t able to return, but he couldn’t stay in this world forever, either-he had promises to keep. His dreams were a constant reminder of that. The problem was, he didn’t know how to make that red light appear again, which seemed to be his only key-it appeared both times he was transported.
“…I’ll find some way to get you back. Don’t worry,” Yoochun told him with such an air of finality and certainty that it caused the soccer fanatic to look up at him.
“Really?”
“Well, I was already paid for it.”
Junsu felt a finger poke his forehead where the brunette had kissed him and he quickly bowed his head down to hide his blush. “Pervert,” he muttered, but he didn’t really mean it.
Going by the smirk he could feel Yoochun having upon his lips, Junsu knew the other knew he didn’t mean it, too.
& & &
“Your Highness, those boys must be put to death!”
The emperor, sitting proper upon his throne, listened as his two advisers voiced their concerns on their newly detained captives.
“Especially that bizarre younger male! I heard he emitted a strange light and vanished before reappearing again. He might be a demon! Your Majesty, give the order-”
He understood where they were coming from, but-“One moment, please,” he interrupted, and the two advisors froze. “That boy was dressed in foreign clothing. Do you not think that there might be something more to this?”
The two middle-aged men looked taken aback and highly doubtful, having never thought of another reason than their own. “B-but…” He knew what they must have been thinking of him-that he was young, naive, probably afraid to be the cause of someone’s death.
However, he was neither stupid and was more ruthless than they would ever want to know.
“I have cause to wonder,” he continued before the other two could come up with a flimsy excuse, “that that boy may be the young boy of legend…the Summoner of Jujak.”
There was a pause before there was an exclamation of, “The Summoner of Jujak?!”
& & &
I’m so thirsty! Junsu complained inwardly. He and Yoochun had begun thinking of ways to escape, but soon after they retreated into their minds for ways out, his thirst had hit him. The black-haired teen had put it off until now, but he was sure he would die soon without some water. We need to get out of here and find water ASAP! Do I have anything that could help…?
Junsu stuck his hands into his pants pockets, and, upon remembering what he saw when he had emptied his pockets out earlier, pulled out a couple of sticks of gum. Remembering the trouble he and Hyukjae had gotten into when they chewed it during class, he quickly unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth.
Hearing the rustling of the wrappers and the loud chewing that followed soon after, the long guard standing nearby approached the bars. “Oi, what did you just stick in your mouth? Out with it right now!” the guard ordered.
Perfect, Junsu smirked inwardly. “What, this?” he asked innocently before he began blowing a large bubble from his gum.
The guard, as well as Yoochun, yelled out in surprise and backed away from the soccer fanatic as he approached the bars of the cell. “W-what the hell is that? Stay away from me!” the guard screamed, waving around his spear in defense. When the sharp tip made contact with the bubble, it popped, and the resulting sound seemed too much for the man who was not accustomed to modern invention of the bubble gum. As if he had a heart attack, the guard passed out, fainting right in reach through the bars.
Yoochun, who was more curious than scared of the mysterious substance, quickly recovered from the sound and capitalized on the chance to rid the unconscious guard of the keys to their cell. “These should do the trick! That was great thinking, Junsu!”
“Really? Thanks!” Junsu smiled back at him, and with the stealth of ninjas (or so he liked to think), they entered one of the many grand hallways of the palace.
“So, um, Junsu, about that stuff you were chewing…” Yoochun whispered as they tiptoed around, obviously aware that talking was the last thing they should be doing but apparently having a topic he couldn’t put off. “Do you have any more?”
“Huh?” Junsu brilliantly replied, so caught up in his search for something to drink that he didn’t fully grasp what Yoochun was talking about. “You mean gum? Sure.” He pulled out the remaining pack of gum from his pocket and caught how the brunette seemed to have stars in his eyes the moment he saw it. It didn’t take a genius to know what he wanted. “Here, you can have it,” he said, handing the rest of it over.
Yoochun all but died when it was placed in his hand. “A-a-are you sure I can have it? This is too good to be true!” The shorted boy laughed at him, a unique laugh that was all Junsu’s, and he found himself thinking if he could bottle that, he’d want to keep it all to himself.
“It’s just gum, Yoochun. Give it a try.”
“What? No way!” Yoochun yelled, appalled by the suggestion. “I can’t just eat something this precious! Do you know how much Won I could get for this?!”
Junsu opened his mouth to point out that gum wasn’t eaten, it was chewed, but sighed and decided that it was pointless. Just then, they heard footsteps coming from around the corner, and after bumping into each other in an attempt to flee, they entered the closest room and closed the door. It would’ve been pitch black inside if not for the faint glowing of something behind them. When he turned around to see what it was, he gasped at the sight.
It was a large statue of the bird he saw that started everything.
Slowly, Junsu approached the shrine for the bird. “Yoochun, what’s this bird?”
Pulling away from the door, where he stood to hear if the footsteps had passed, Yoochun walked up towards him, looking up at the statue. “That’s Jujak.”
“Jujak?” It sounds familiar…wasn’t Hyukkie reading something about that before we were sucked into the book?
“It’s one of Shinshi Baedal’s guardian gods. There’s one for the North, South, East and West-Hyeon-Mu, Jujak, Cheong-Ryong and Baek-Ho. I heard that a long time ago, the whole land used to worship them equally, but since we’ve been divided into districts now, we each have our own. Jujak is the god who...”
Yoochun’s words died away as Junsu’s brain caught the smell of food, and where there was food, there would be drinks. With the other too caught up in his history lesson to notice, Junsu followed his nose, leaving the room for another.
“…But that’s not important. We’ve got to get out of here before we’re caught-” By the time Yoochun had turned around, Junsu was nowhere to be seen. Aish! Where did that magnet for trouble boy go?! “Junsu! Yah! Wait till I get my hands on you!”
& & &
Unsurprisingly, Junsu ended up at a kitchen. The cooks all had his back towards him, though he didn’t know why they were still cooking-the trays on the table before him was full of food already. His eyes bypassed the food and landed on a large jug of water. Quickly, as was the way he did many things, the black-haired teen chugged the drink and ran off before he could get caught, wiping his mouth of water that escaped in his hurriedness.
“Ah~! I feel so much better now! Water seems so much purer in ancient times. Now we can leave, Yoo-” Junsu stopped and gasped when he realized he had left his savior behind. He looked around frantically, finding himself outside now in a large open courtyard. “W-which way did I come from? Everything looks the same! Aaaah, Yoochun’s going to kill me!”
Someone laughed, and Junsu turned to see a long-haired young man walking up towards him. He was wiping his hands clean on the cloth he was holding, and Junsu could see a stable down the path the man came from. He probably works here looking after the horses, Junsu thought, taking in what looked like commoner clothes. There was an air about him that didn’t seem so common, though. He blinked when he saw the other pointing in another direction, confused.
“You’re lost, right?” The man said with a disarming smile. “The gate’s over there.”
Why are the men here so pretty?! “T-thank you,” he said, slowly turning and making his way in the direction he pointed out, though he’d have to turn around once the other was out of sight so he could find Yoochun.
“You’re that boy they captured yesterday, right? The one who was rude to His Highness?”
Junsu had only taken a couple steps before those words rooted him to the spot. He laughed nervously, turning his upper body around to wave his hand at the man. “What do you mean? I’m just a middle school student passing through! Thanks again for the help!”
“Don’t worry. I’m on your side. I told you the way out, didn’t I?” The man called after him as he took a few more steps away. “I won’t call the guards after you. So please, relax.”
“R-really?” This time, Junsu fully turned around and closed the distance between them as the stable boy hoped up on one of the fancy banisters to take a seat. Maybe he could help me find Yoochun.
& & &
Yoochun, meanwhile, had managed to make it outside, too. However, instead of running into someone who could, or would, help, he crossed paths with some guards. Cursing, he backtracked, and hoped that he could lure the guards away so that Junsu could escape.
& & &
“You need to find your friend?” the stable boy asked once Junsu was standing in front of him.
“He wouldn’t have gotten into this whole mess if it wasn’t for me,” Junsu explained as he kicked the dirt at his feet dejectedly. “If I don’t get him out, I’ll never be able to go back to my world…”
The man’s eyes narrowed. “‘Your’ world? Are you saying you’re not from this world and came from another?”
Junsu found himself saying ‘yes’ before he realized and he gasped as he brought his hands up to cover his mouth, albeit a little late. Oh, no! I bet he’ll think I’m crazy and hand me right over to the guards.
“That’s incredible!” The other man exclaimed, and Junsu looked at him as if he was the freak. “You don’t see that every day. It’s truly amazing!” As if he could sense Junsu’s doubt, the commoner jumped off the banister and stepped closer to the fellow black-haired male, raising a hand to gently cup the side of Junsu’s face. “Relax. My name is Yunho, though I’m usually called something else.”
Junsu thought the other name was probably ‘stable boy’ or something mean like that. Royalty were never nice to their workers, right? “Kim Junsu, but you can just call me Junsu.”
Yunho smiled at him. “I’m glad to make your acquaintance, Junsu.”
The fifteen-year-old blushed, noticing the hand was still upon his cheek, but before Yunho could ask what was wrong they heard voices coming their way. Without a word, Yunho pulled him into some nearby bushes as guards surrounding a tied-up Yoochun came into view.
“Talk! Where’s the other boy?” One of the guards demanded as they came to a stop, fisting Yoochun’s hair so the brunette was forced to look up at him.
“Beats me!” Yoochun replied defiantly, turning his head away as much as he was allowed to. “I can’t tell you what I don’t know! Maybe he got away while you guys were chasing me.”
As the guard lifted a hand to punch the smirk off Yoochun’s face, Junsu emerged from his hiding spot before Yunho could stop him. “Yoochun!”
“Junsu!” said man said, utterly shocked the other boy was still here, let alone right there in front of him. “Stay back, you idiot!” he yelled when Junsu ran closer to him. “Why didn’t you leave?!”
“I can’t just leave you!” Junsu replied before he tried to avoid the extra guards that left Yoochun to capture him.
The glowing ‘demon’ character on Yoochun’s forehead appeared as he watched Junsu struggle to escape the hands that held him. Without realizing or caring how it happened, he broke free from his bondage and attacked all the guards in his sight, standing in front of Junsu protectively. “If you bastards lay a finger on him, I’ll kill you,” he growled, feeling Junsu’s hands clutch onto his back as the guards staggered to their feet.
“Enough!” a strong, hard voice commanded, and Junsu turned to see Yunho gracefully exit the bushes and approach the two groups at a standoff. “You are not permitted to touch those two without my direct order!”
“Your Majesty!” the guards uttered before they were on their knees.
Yoochun’s eyes widened, in as much disbelief as Junsu seemed to be. “Really?” he couldn’t help but ask, as he’d never seen the emperor in person before, and when Yunho nodded, he quickly got to his knees as well. He didn’t need to be told twice.
Junsu, however, was not as easily swayed. “Yunho’s the emperor? The stable boy?”
“He’s not the stable boy,” Yoochun hissed, trying to grab at him so that he would bow as well. The boy really was trying to get himself killed. “He’s the emperor! Don’t speak of him so familiarly!”
Allowing himself to be pulled to his knees, Junsu continued to look at the man he recently befriend, still skeptical. However…maybe that was the other name Yunho was talking about.
& & &
“Forgive me, Junsu. I did not mean to trick you.”
They were back inside the palace now. Junsu and Yoochun, along with a whole array of people in the audience, kneeled before the steps that led up the Yunho, who sat upon his chair dressed in his proper, emperor clothing. Apparently, Yunho loved animals and was visiting the horses in the stable, donning commoner attire as to not ruin his proper clothing. Junsu figured it made sense, and wondered if that was the reason why his mother was always angry when he played soccer in his school uniform.
“I hid my identity when we crossed paths because I wanted to learn of your intentions,” Yunho continued, and Junsu noted how his speech and mannerisms had changed as well. He felt almost sorry for the emperor-despite all the perks, it seemed he liked being a normal person. He was still young, after all. “At the very least, we have disproved my advisor’s assertion that you are a demon.” Yunho pointedly glanced as his advisors, who cleared their throats, embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Junsu smiled when he realized where this must be going. “So then…?”
The emperor nodded, returning the smile. “No, we will not harm you.”
Yoochun and Junsu released a sigh of relief and looked at each other, completely thrilled.
“However, I do have a request. Will you save our empire, Summoner of Jujak?”
Confused, Junsu looked around, but found that the emperor’s audience was looking at him.
“I am referring to you, Junsu,” Yunho said, confirming the stares. “There is an ancient legend in our land. At the time when the empire falls into disorder and is on the verge of collapse, a young boy would appear from another world seeking the power of Jujak. The moment he possesses the power, he will lead the empire to glory. The legend, the Summoner of Jujak, has finally arrived. He sits before us all now.”
Yoochun looked up at him, unsure of what to think. He knew Junsu wasn’t your typical guy, and Yunho’s speech filled in a lot of the holes he couldn’t figure out about the younger male.
Junsu could feel his heart beating so hard he was afraid it would jump right through his rib cage and beat on the floor in front of him. “You…you have the wrong guy!” he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. “I’m just a normal middle school student cramming for exams! I landed in your world by mistake!”
“Then you would not like the power of Jujak?” Yunho pressed, unwilling to believe he was wrong or let his Summoner go when he needed him the most. “Have you no wishes?”
Wishes? Junsu thought back all the way to the beginning. ‘This is a story of a young boy who single-handedly gathered the Seven Stars of Jujak and gained the power to make all his dreams come true. The story itself is an incantation, and whomever reads it gains the main character’s power to have their wishes granted.’ That was what Hyukkie read. Does that mean I’m the main character now?
“So this God Jujak has the power to grant any wish?” he said aloud, voicing his thoughts. “Appa’s pizzeria can become successful! Junho-hyung can be a baseball player without ever being injured and Hyukkie won’t have to wear lifts! Umma will let me get a dog I’d name Xiahki, I could go to those places that have coconut trees, and I won’t ever have to study for another test again! Take that, math questions!”
What in the world is he blabbering about? Yoochun thought. No matter what world he was in, Yoochun was sure Junsu could be considered odd.
“But most of all…” Junsu brought a hand to his throat, thinking of his voice. “I can sing again…”
Yunho chuckled, intertwining his hands together as he watched Junsu rant. The boy was much too modest-others would’ve wished for world domination or the like. “Well? You can have the entire world if you so wish it.”
Junsu looked up at the emperor and nodded, raising a determined fist in the air. “I’ll do it! I’ll be your Summoner of Jujak! I’ve been waiting my entire life for this!” he yelled, unaware of how true his words really were.
The emperor’s gaze softened before it reverted back to the commanding leader he needed to be. “Everyone, stand back! This young man will obtain the power of Jujak. The Summoner of Jujak, the one who will protect us all, stands before you!”
There were gasps and murmurs, and by the time Junsu had turned around everyone on the floor was at their feet. Even behind them, out in the courtyard that led up to the emperor’s building, there were rows of people bowing before him. What was even more shocking was the Yoochun was bowing at him. The emperor he could understand, but him? He wanted to be equal with Yoochun, not someone he had to be with and protect.
“Thank you, your eminence, Summoner of Jujak,” the entire body of people said in unison.
Junsu rubbed the back of his head nervously, bowing slightly back, slowly realizing that maybe he took on a task a little too big.
He really hoped he didn’t disappoint the entire empire.
~ ~ ~
A/N: Whee, another chapter! Are the chapters too long? I always seem to go on and on ^^; Anywhoo, I don’t have any else to say, so I hope everyone enjoys the new chapter! Once again, it’s not beta’d, so please excuse any mistakes you find!