[CHAPTERED] Boomerang's (CH. 13)
Title: Boomerang's
Rating: G-PG13-R-NC17
Pairing: YunJae
Summary: What if fate wasn’t a red string, but a boomerang instead? Yunho's first memory of being in love was when he was 7 years old. Meeting Kim JaeJoong was the start of a nearly 20 year long love that spanned many separations. After being unexpectedly ripped apart at 7, they meet again 10 years later as soccer players on opposing high school teams. On a tragic night, they are pulled a part once again only to find each other 11 years later as adults working at the same hospital. This time, their new complication resides in JaeJoong's memories; or the lack there of. The complications don't stop there. Yunho's fiancé, Song Hyun Gi, is less than pleased to have Yunho's first love back in his life and will stop at will stop at nothing to keep them a part. Will the boomerang return a 4th time, or will the distance finally become too far?
CHAPTER 13 - Tug
The rhythmic sound of shoes hitting the pavement echoed loudly in the empty park. Besides the occasional mother with her child in a stroller or an older couple taking a walk, the only other people there was Yunho and Hyun Gi. Yunho watched Hyun Gi who was leading far up ahead. He hadn’t lessened his pace since they started 30 minutes ago.
The cold morning air was enough to steal your breath, but it felt good and Yunho relished these early morning runs with Hyun Gi when no one else was up and it was quiet. It also gave him time to think which he found himself needing more and more of these days.
"Can't keep up, old man?" Hyun Gi asked, glancing back over his shoulder. Yunho responded to his fiancé’s taunt by picking up his pace. He ended up a long side Hyun Gi in just a few quick strides.
"I don't know who you're calling old, cradle robber.” Yunho retorted making Hyun Gi laugh as he finally slowed to a stop. They bent over trying to catch their breath.
“Three years older is hardly robbing the cradle.” Hyun Gi responded, rolling his eyes. Yunho shrugged.
“Whatever you say, babe.” He finished with a stretch and finally stood up straight. “Is it going to be another late night for you?” Yunho asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Hyun Gi nodded.
“I’d say so. We’re going to trial tomorrow and the judge is known for being a stickler. If you manage to get done before me, go ahead and grab dinner without me.” Hyun Gi stretched his arms over his head and shook them out. Yunho mimicked Hyun Gi's stetches as he tried to keep the conversation as normal as possible. He really needed to talk to Hyun Gi about JaeJoong as well as his own rising anxiety about getting married. He knew that if he didn't do it soon, things were bound to get more complicated before getting better
“Even if it ends up being super late, do you think we could have dinner anyway? I can wait for you.” If he put this off, he’d lose his nerve and end up in a bigger conflict with himself than he already was, and he couldn’t afford any more cluttered thoughts. Hyun Gi smiled, clearly not noticing the urgency in Yunho’s tone.
“Well in that case I’ll do my best to finish as soon as possible.” He winked at Yunho. “Can’t leave my handsome fiancé hanging, now can I?” Yunho chuckled trying his best to hush the swelling buzz of nerves.
....
Yunho closed his eyes and leaned back in his desk chair still dressed in his scrubs from surgery. His stomach flipped and causing a wave of nausea to wash over him. An emergency bypass on a woman, a mom of three, headed south when Yunho found that her heart was covered in tiny tumors. He managed to remove two of them before she began to bleed out. She went into shock and couldn’t be revived.
It wasn’t often that he lost a patient, but emergencies could be sometimes be tricky. It didn’t make him feel any less terrible though. He looked down at his watch. It was almost 9 and he hadn’t finished his charts of eaten dinner. Not that he was hungry at the moment, anyway. He leaned forward in his chair and rested his face in his hands.
The entire day had been a shit show and this had been an appropriate final act. The only thing that might make the day salvageable would be talking to Hyun Gi tonight. The goal was to tell him everything about JaeJoong and what he was to Yunho. He was also going to take the opportunity to propose that they slow down on planning the wedding which would probably make Hyun Gi’s head spin around Exorcist style. But Yunho knew that if he didn’t at least suggest it, he would regret it later. He couldn't, in good conscience, hurry up their wedding when his head, and his heart, were so full of thoughts of JaeJoong.
“Knock, knock.” Yunho looked up and saw JaeJoong poking his head through the crack of his open office door. Jesus! Now he was able to summon JaeJoong just by thinking of him. He bit back a groan.
“Hey, you.” Yunho finally responded. JaeJoong smiled prettily and pushed the door open a little further so that he could enter. He held up a take-out cup.
“I brought you tea.” He walked over to Yunho’s desk and set it down before plopping down in guest chair in front of it. Yunho smiled and took it, letting the heat from the cup warm his fingers. He shivered. He hadn’t even noticed how cold he was.
“Very kind of you, Dr. Kim.” He smiled at JaeJoong over the top of the cup before he took a sip. JaeJoong shrugged and looked down at his lap. Yunho studied him. His reading glasses were perched on top of his head and his lips looked red like he had been worrying them with his teeth. He was thinking about something and it was clearly bothering him.
“It was the least I could do for, you know, being a lousy drunk the other night.” JaeJoong responded as he finally looked up from his lap and into Yunho’s eyes. Yunho placed the cup down and folded his hands in front of him on top of his desk.
“You were just having fun. It just so happens that it doesn’t take you much to get there,” He laughed when JaeJoong’s eyes got wider before he continued. “But you weren’t any trouble. I had fun.” And he had. Spending time with JaeJoong on his birthday for the first time they had ever had been special. He wouldn’t have changed a thing about that night. Well, he might have changed the part where Changmin showed up.
“Still. It was your birthday and I was behaving like a nut; I know how I am when I’m drunk.” JaeJoong scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin before continuing. “I actually stopped by to see Changmin earlier to apologize for being a handful. He bought me two more drinks and that made me ever more of a challenge to get home.” Yunho’s eye twitched at the mention of Changmin taking JaeJoong home. Had he stayed with JaeJoong? Did they kiss? Did they…. no. It wasn’t his business. But God he wanted it to be and it was driving him out of his mind!
“Oh. Well either way I’m sure you weren’t as bad you thought you were.” He cleared his throat and took another sip of the tea. He glanced up at the wall clock and then at his cellphone. No missed calls or texts from Hyun Gi. He should go home and wait. Even if it ended up being one in the morning when Hyun Gi got home, he should be there.
“Did you always think I could do no wrong?”
“Huh?” Yunho answered distractedly. Lost in his racing thoughts, he hadn’t even heard JaeJoong’s question.
“I asked if you always thought I could do no wrong. Like when were kids and stuff.” JaeJoong repeated, his face serious. Yunho opened and closed his mouth at least half a dozen times. He couldn’t figure out how to respond. It was like his brain had taken a fucking vacation. An ‘Out of Office’ sign was firmly nailed to it.
“I-I’m not sure what you mean.” He stuttered and closed his eyes feeling like a dunce. He let out a deep breath and tried again. “I guess I liked you so much that I didn’t see the unflattering things about you. It was all good to me.” Liked? Loved. And was? It still is. He watched a range of emotions play across JaeJoong’s expressive face and waited with bated breath for the next thing JaeJoong would say.
“Last week when we were texting and you told me about how we used to be with other kind of left me feeling weird.” JaeJoong finally said.
“Weird how?” Yunho heard himself ask without thinking. JaeJoong met his gaze for a moment and looked away.
“Not really weird, but nostalgic. Which is ridiculous because I can’t remember anything to warrant feeling nostalgic.” He shook his head as if he was trying to clear his thoughts. “I guess I’m just having a hard time dealing with these particular gaps in my memories. The ones that involve you.” The last words were almost spoken at a whisper. If Yunho hadn’t been paying attention, he would have missed them for sure.
They sat in silence for what felt like forever, but in reality, it couldn’t have been longer than 2 minutes. Yunho finally decided to end it by speaking.
“If there’s anything you want to know, I’m here. It doesn’t matter where or what time of day it is, you can call me or come find me and we can talk.” Or do other things. He closed his eyes as if it would banish the thought that had already taken root. But the relief on JaeJoong’s face was enough to quell his concern.
“Thank you, Yunho.” JaeJoong’s smile was radiant and it made Yunho’s heart flutter. The way it always did. He wanted to make JaeJoong smile and laugh all the time and he still wanted to be the reason for his joy. 11 years had changed absolutely nothing and the truth of it was almost too painful to deal with. Yunho smiled in return even though he wasn’t really feeling it.
“No problem.” He looked down at the cup. “I need to get changed. I, uh just finished up a surgery a little while ago.” This was his escape hatch. He needed to regroup, but he couldn’t do it if JaeJoong was here. Predictably, JaeJoong nodded his understanding.
“I’m sorry. I should have just stopped in to drop off the tea.” JaeJoong started to stand. “I’ll see you later on this week. Maybe for lunch?” Yunho stood up and nodded. His hands were damp. He was so damn nervous.
“For sure. And if not, maybe you can call me?” What?! Call him? JaeJoong once again, turned a sunshine bright smile on Yunho.
“I sound silly on the phone.” Yunho walked behind JaeJoong as they crossed his office to the door. He was close enough to smell JaeJoong’s shampoo and aftershave. Despite himself, Yunho wanted to hold him close and inhale him all night.
“You do not.” Yunho finally responded. They were now at the door and JaeJoong turned to face him. His dark brown eyes sparkled and Yunho couldn’t look away.
“You really think I’m perfect, don’t you?” JaeJoong asked, his tone teasing. Yunho’s heart slammed against his rib cage. There were so many warning bells and flashing red lights in his head. No one had this much self-control.
“Yes. It’s just a fact.” JaeJoong’s half lidded gaze sent electric shocks down Yunho’s spine.
“Well I’m incredibly lucky to know you then.” And then JaeJoong's lips were on Yunho’s. But before Yunho could even process what was happening, the contact was over. The sound of the door closing broke Yunho’s frozen state. Dazed, brought his hand up to his mouth that still tingled.
His phone vibrated loudly on his desk and he slowly walked back over to check it. The screen lit up with a text from Hyun Gi.
"I managed to wrap things up and I’m home! Oh and I cooked. You still up for a late-night date?" Yunho stared down at the text, feeling guilty. He sighed and texted back.
"Always. See you in a bit." He grabbed his coat. On his way out of the door, his phone vibrated again.
"I love you." He quickly texted back.
"I love you too."
-
"This is lunch. Why do you look so serious?" Hyun Gi looked up at his friend and colleague Yoona.
"Yunho's been behaving strangely for the last couple of weeks and I can't pinpoint what is causing it." Yoona raised her eyebrows at him.
"Strange how?" Hyun Gi put down his sandwich.
"Like he's seen a ghost. It's honestly just a subtle change, but it still bothers me." It was definitely the lawyer in him, but he couldn’t shake it. The other night when they ate dinner together, Yunho had looked like he was thinking about something the entire time. He had been so distracted lately.
"Is the sex fine?" Hyun Gi smirked at Yoona’s question.
"Life changing every single time." Yoona groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Disgusting." She picked up a french fry and threw it at him. He laughed and shook his head.
"But really everything is the same. We still talk and spend time together whenever we can. He's even taken a renewed interest in the wedding planning." Yoona shrugged.
"Then it sounds like you're being paranoid. Both of your jobs are hard, and you said last week that he lost someone during surgery; which he very rarely does. Compounded dealing with how obsessed you are with planning your wedding, he probably is having a really difficult time." Hyun Gi considered it for a moment. Yunho had never really handled stress very well and it wasn't helping that his sleeping schedule had been worse than usual. There could be a lot of things he needs to talk about but hasn't for fear he'd bother Hyun Gi; it was something he's done many times in the past. He sighed.
"You're probably right." He checked his watch. He had a couple of hours until his next meeting. "I'm going to go pick him up some lunch and bring it to the hospital." Yoona smiled.
"Send me a fiancé like you so I don't have to date anymore losers." Hyun Gi laughed and snatched up one of Yoona's fries as he passed.
"You could stop doing that now, you know?" Yoona batted her long lashes and smirked.
"Nah! It's too addicting."
Hyun Gi left the break room and headed out to his car. Before the hospital, he swung by Yunho's favorite brunch restaurant to get him the egg and cheese sandwich he'd probably eat everyday if he didn't care about his health. He found a spot in the guest parking lot and headed in the side double doors that led to the first set of elevators. On his way up, he sent Yunho a text.
"I hope you're not too busy to eat!" When Yunho didn't reply, he cursed. He was probably either with a patient or in surgery. Looking down at the bag, he frowned. It wouldn't be quite as good re-heated, but he could leave it at the nurse’s station. When he got off the elevator, he headed to the large nurse’s station and found Yunho's nurse right away. She spotted him and waved.
"Mr. Song! I haven't seen you in so long. How are you?" Hyun Gi smiled. He had always liked Yunho's nurse.
"I've been just fine, Nurse Lee. Thank you." He held up the bag. "Do you think you could hand this to Dr. Jung whenever you next see him. I sent him a text, but he never responded." She tilted her head looking confused.
"He's definitely on break now. His schedule is clear until his next appointment at three." She clicked around on her computer for a second and nodded. "He's either in his office or cafeteria. But my best bet is that is in his office." Hyun Gi smiled and nodded as he turned to head down the hall to go to Yunho's office.
He was trying his best no to read into it Yunho not replying to his text because more than likely, he was probably taking a nap. When he got down to Yunho's office, he found that the door was slightly ajar. And judging on the sound of someone elses voice, he wasn't alone either. He peeked in and saw Yunho sitting on the floor, a spread of food in front of him. He looked in a little more, but was only able see the feet of the person sitting across from Yunho.
"You've got to be kidding." Yunho laughed, nearly falling backwards.
"I wish I was. But he looked so relieved after that I wasn't even disappointed that my favorite shirt was covered in every liquid he ever consumed. I wore my scrubs for the rest of the day." The other voice, a man’s, responded.
"You're really a saint. I've never heard anyone, doctor or not, say that they were relieved they got thrown up on." The other man laughed.
"I didn't say I was relieved, but he definitely was, so for his sake I recovered quickly." The other man replied before laughing.
"Well if it happens again." Yunho began to say before being interrupred.
"It will." The other man injected.
"You can always come to my office and grab one of my shirts. I always keep extras." The softness in Yunho's voice, softness that Hyun Gi only had ever heard Yunho use with him, made Hyun Gi feel nervous.
"Your torso is longer than mine. I'd end up looking like I was playing dress up."
"You would look adorable." Having heard enough, Hyun Gi turned on his heels and quickly headed back down the halls to the elevator. Once he was outside and the cold air hit his face, he was able to breathe. Closing his eyes, he tried not lose temper.
Yunho's cellphone had been laying on the floor right next to him.
-
JaeJoong adjusted his glasses as he looked at the computer screen. Lab results for a patient had just come in and he was taking notes furiously. He was in the middle of a sentence when someone knocked on his door.
"Come in." He didn't look away from his computer screen until a cup of coffee was sat down on his desk. He looked up and found Changmin standing there looking down at him with a soft smile.
"Dr. Shim how are you?" The department head of neurology chuckled.
"Jae, I think you can call me Changmin.” JaeJoong felt the heat of a blush rise on his cheeks. Gosh, he was never going to drink again. He smiled and picked up the coffee and nodded his thanks.
"Ah, I think you’re right. Thanks for the coffee." JaeJoong gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "If you've got the time to, please have a seat." Changmin took the offer and sat down. JaeJoong couldn’t help but notice the way his long legs stretched out for what looked like miles in front of him.
"I don't want to keep you from you work, so I'll be quick." He looked nervous, but he continued anyway. "Would you like to have dinner with me?" JaeJoong blinked dumbly.
"Like a date?" JaeJoong winced at his dumb response. Changmin nodded.
"Is this where you tell me you're not interested in guys and I have run out of here and never be able to show my face again?" JaeJoong chuckled and shook his head no.
"Nope. Your gaydar was correct. But I'll have to warn you: you might want to be careful in the future trying that with someone else." Changmin's panic visibly faded to relief.
"I hope I don't have to worry about that in the future." He stood up and put his hands in the pockets of lab coat. "I forgot my cell in my office, so I'll leave my number with your nurse. Text me?" JaeJoong raised his coffee cup.
"Absolutely."
--
Yunho and Changmin sat across from each other in the cafeteria. He had wanted to have lunch with JaeJoong, or at least have him join them, but the pediatrician was booked with appointments until 4:30 and the only free time Yunho had to eat was before his 12:30 surgery. It probably was for the best. Even though they had eaten together since the short kiss in his office last week, it still was weird for Yunho and he didn't want to give JaeJoong the wrong impression. Sighing, he picked at his salad for a moment before looking up at Changmin. The other man hadn't said a word since they sat down.
"Have you gone mute?" Changmin glanced up at Yunho for the first time, looking confused.
"Huh?" Changmin answered, his eyes wide with surprise.
"I asked you if you're mute." Yunho shook his fork at him. "You've been off in lala land since we sat down." Changmin's confusion turned into dreaminess.
"I have a date." Yunho smiled and leaned back in his chair.
"Well damn. Congratulations! What has it been now? Two, three months, since you've had a date. Girl or guy?" Changmin smile widened at Yunho’s question.
"A guy." He answered and Yunho continued to egg him on.
"And....? Who asked who? He must be something amazing because you look like you're already in love."
"Not yet, but it could definitely end up that way." He bit his lip. "It's JaeJoong. I stopped by his office earlier today and asked him out and he accepted. We're going to eat and see a movie Saturday night." Yunho's smile slowly slid off his face. It felt like ice had been dumped down the back of his shirt.
"Oh." Changmin frowned.
"Oh? Where's all the enthusiasm you had literally a minute ago?" Yunho licked his lips that had suddenly gone dry.
"No, I'm still excited for you. I guess I just didn't think you were serious when you mentioned asking him out." Changmin laughed, but it didn't have any humor in it.
"And I thought I made myself clear when I said I was ready to start taking finding a partner more seriously. He's nice, and funny, and sweet as hell. Why-"
"How do you know all of that? Did you get all that from the night you brought him home?" Yunho interrupted him mid-sentence. He knew he was being an asshole, but he couldn’t help himself.
"Because we've been working together for the last few weeks on a couple of patient cases. We've only ever talked about medical related things, but it's been nothing but pleasant every time. And his passion for taking care of kids is attractive." The red on Changmin's neck was creeping up high above the collar of his shirt as he spoke. "Am I done explaining myself to you or would like to know the color of my fucking underwear too?" Yunho, equally pissed off chuckled humorlessly.
"You're the one getting upset for no reason." Yunho answered and Changmin pulled Yunho's tray away from him before he could dig his fork back into his salad.
"No. I'm upset because you seem to really dislike the idea of me going out with JaeJoong and I don't have a clue as to wh-." He paused, his expression changing to realization. "You like him." It was a statement, not a question. Yunho grabbed his tray back and started eating his salad again.
"You're insane." Changmin shook his head.
"No, I'm not. You like him and are jealous." Yunho snapped his head up and looked at Changmin angrily.
"I'm not jealous! I'm engaged for fucks sake." Changmin shrugged, ignoring Yunho’s anger.
"So? Your eyes still work. Your ability to be attracted to someone that isn't Hyun hasn't been removed just because you're gettting married to him." Changmin's rebuttle fanned Yunho's flames.
"I know that." But he didn't want to admit it. And attraction was a gross understatement for how he really felt about JaeJoong. That kiss, as chaste and innocent as it had been, hadn’t left Yunho’s thoughts once. It was on loop during every free moment he had to think.
"Then just admit it. I'm not going to run off and tell Hyun. It's okay to think about someone else sometimes." Yunho's jaw clenched.
"Would you think about other people if you and JaeJoong got serious?" Changmin leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful expression.
"I can't promise that I won't. But I honestly don't think I could think about anyone else." Yunho wanted to evaporate on the spot. The look in Changmin's eyes read as infatuation in its highest form. Not feeling hungry anymore, Yunho grabbed his tray and stood up.
"I have to get ready for surgery." He walked away from the table as quickly as he could headed towards the exit. After dumping the contents of his tray in the trash, he left and headed in the direction of the cardiology department. His chest ached so bad and the urge to punch something was at a record high. He stopped in his office before going into the operating room, hoping to calm down. Leaning over his desk to grab his water bottle, he noticed a sticky note in JaeJoong's handwriting.
I stopped by and grabbed a t-shirt. There was another spill on aisle me today, but luckily it wasn't vomit. Just pee! I knew it was going to happen again, but not this soon. I promise to bring it back to you clean, pressed, and folded :). ~Yours, Jae
Yunho traced his fingers across the note, inexplicably sad. Jae wasn't his anymore.
-
"I swear your life feels like "Boys Over Flowers"." Ji-Yoo said as she bounced up and down on JaeJoong's bed. "Where can I get my version of that; Girls Over Flowers." JaeJoong laughed as he tried to decide on which shirt to wear for his date with Changmin. They were supposed to eat somewhere casual and then go to a movie, so he didn't want to dress up. But he still wanted to look good since it was a first date.
"Yunho and I are just friends. And as for Changmin, this is just a first date." He held up a green button up and a dark blue sweater. "Which one?" Ji-Yoo pointed to the green button up.
"Your eyes look like chocolate swimming pools when you wear green." He smiled and lowered his head.
"You flatter me." He pulled off the t-shirt he was wearing and slipped on the button up.
"But seriously. How is it possible that 2 of the most gorgeous guys ever are both vying for your attention." She scoffed "Well I know how: you're insanely gorgeous and sweet. But these guys are prize winners in the looks department and you know that means something coming from me because I don't even like dudes." JaeJoong was putting on his black skinny jeans when the doorbell rang.
"It does mean a whole lot. I'm almost ready so could you get that?" Ji-Yoo saluted him as she jumped off the bed.
"I'm on it!" When he was done, he looked in the mirror. His hair looked fine and so did the rest of his face, but he still felt a little bit insecure. Changmin was possibly the most handsome guy he had ever dated. Well except for Yunho he guessed. He worried that he would end up looking like a troll next to Changmin. He inhaled and let out a slow breath to calm his nerves. First date nerves sucked.
Finally ready, he grabbed his things and headed out to the living room. Sitting on the couch, Ji-Yoo had Changmin completely absorbed in conversation.
"...and then he picks up my books with one hand and then turned around and punched the shit out of this assholes face. Then he turns back to me like a perfect angel and says: 'You shouldn't let people treat you like that'. And he's been my best friend ever since." JaeJoong rolled his eyes and grabbed Ji-Yoo around the neck with his arm in a playful choke-hold.
"Must you tell that story every time you meet someone?" She faked like she was choking.
"Yes because you are the second love of my life." He smiled down at her.
"And who's your first?" She rolled her eyes at him.
"Kim Yuna." She got up and bowed to Changmin. "Have fun and bring him back in one piece please." With that she was gone, and it was just him and Changmin. He stood up and took JaeJoong's hand in a gentle hold.
"You look great." JaeJoong smiled. The really good looking one here was Changmin. His black wool coat was open revealing the gray turtled neck sweater that formed to his body like a glove.
"So do you. Are you ready to go?" Changmin nodded and followed JaeJoong out of the apartment. "Am I driving?" JaeJoong asked.
"That depends." JaeJoong tilted his head.
"On what?"
"Do you drive with one or both hands on the steering wheel?" JaeJoong looked confused.
"One, usually." Changmin clapped his hands and nodded.
"Then you will drive. One of the sexiest things on the planet is a man who only has one hand on the steering wheel." He unlocked the door to his BMW before handing the keys to JaeJoong.
"And why is that?" JaeJoong asked as he accepted the keys.
"Because you can use the other one to hold my hand." JaeJoong laughed as he got in the car. Tonight, he was going to have fun and not think about all the things, and people, he couldn't remember.
....
"So, I've been thinking." Hyun Gi began.
"Uh-oh." A pillow came down on Yunho's face.
"Would you shut up?" Hyun Gi shifted and put the pillow he used to hit Yunho back behind his head. "Anyway. I've been thinking about our wedding and I absolutely agree with the simple is better approach." He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed his iPad. "I've cut the guest list down by 80 and finally found a cake shop that does the two tier cake you want." Yunho sighed.
"That sounds awesome, honey." Yunho reached over and wrapped his arms around Hyun-Gi's waist.
"But you know how badly I want to maintain some of the fanfare. So I think we should have a an engagement slash pre-wedding wedding party. Just a night of fun and drinking. You know?" Yunho considered it. He had never been much of a party person, but he could see how it could be a lot of fun and he really wanted to make it up to Hyun for being so distant lately. And for being a coward who couldn't follow through on talk to him about everything he's been going through these last couple of months.
JaeJoong had been the center of his thoughts and knowing that tonight he was out on a date with Changmin, made him feel sour. But he knew that he was just being selfish, and jealous, just like Changmin had forced him to admit. He knew that it wasn't fair of him to try and hold JaeJoong back from the chance to have a future that could only ever involve Yunho as his friend.
"I think that sounds like a great idea. When were you thinking of having it?" Hyun Gi stroked the top of Yunho's head.
"I called Junsu this afternoon. He's closing at 6 next Friday night for us." Yunho chuckled.
"So this was decided before we talked." Hyun Gi shrugged.
"Kind of. But it's a lot easier when you say 'yes'." He looked down at Yunho. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything." Yunho closed his eyes and focused on Hyun Gi's fingers in his hair.
"Your new co-worker, the one who texts you sometimes, are you guys close?" Yunho noted the measured tone Hyun Gi used. It was his court voice.
"We're friends." Hyun Gi hummed to show he was listening.
"Do you spend time a lot of time together? I mean in unrelated work situations." Yunho cleared his throat nervously.
"Why do you ask?" Hyun Gi shrugged again.
"Because when I stopped by your office last week to bring you lunch, you were already eating with someone else." Yunho sat up, the spell of Hyun Gi's soothing touch falling away.
"Last week? You've been sitting on that question for a week?" Hyun Gi pretended to be indifferent, but Yunho knew better.
"I'm not trying to start a fight. I'm just curious. I just think that it's strange that I don't know anything about him." Yunho rolled his eyes.
"What do you want to know?" Hyun Gi intertwined his fingers across his lap.
"What's his name, for starters."
"Kim JaeJoong." He raised his eyebrows. "What else?"
"Is he nice?"
"Very."
"Is he good at his job?"
"The best pediatrician in Seoul, probably."
"Is he attractive?" Yunho laughed.
"What's the right answer here?" Hyun Gi's face turned serious.
"The truth. Is he attractive?"
"In general?" Yunho kept his gaze straight ahead.
"To you, Yunho. Stop joking." Hyun Gi, finally at the edge of his patience, raised his voice.
"If he is attractive to me, what does that mean for you?" This was pandora's box and Yunho was dreading even cracking it.
"Is he, or is he not?"
"He is." Yunho looked at Hyun Gi. "So? Now what?" Hyun Gi shrugged.
"Nothing. I completely get it. I just wanted to hear the truth."
"And what else?" Yunho asked.
"I love you. I knew I wanted to be with you forever on our second date. Us taking this leap into getting married is very scary and I just want to make sure you want to do it as much as I do." Hyun Gi took Yunho's hand in his and Yunho looked down at their cupped hands.
"I do, Hyun." And he meant it. He just wasn't handling all the emotions he was having about JaeJoong being back in his life very well.
"Good." Hyun reached over and turned out their bedside lamp. He ran his hand underneath Yunho's shirt. "Let's go to sleep." Yunho smiled and scooted down in bed, taking Hyun-Gi with him.
This was right. He just needed more time to convince himself that it was.
--
JaeJoong threw his head back and laughed loudly. He hadn't laughed this hard in so long and it was all thanks to Changmin.
"I don't know how you've stayed alive this long. Your residency sounded horrifying." Changmin nodded, the smile in his eyes never leaving.
"I knew that I needed to get out of emergency medicine and find a specialty as soon as possible." He took a quick sip from his drinking before refocusing his attention on Jae. "How'd you know you wanted to be a pediatrician?" JaeJoong sighed and leaned his head on his hand.
"I was in my last year of undergrad and one night during exam week I decided to pull an all-nighter at the library. By the time I was done, it was almost to wake up again for class so on my way home I stopped at the convenience store to get more coffee. Sitting out front, practically curled up into a little ball, was this boy; he had to have been about 6. His face was dirty and his clothes were ripped and he all around just looked like he had been badly mistreated." He swallowed, still finding it hard to talk about after so many years. Taking a deep breath, he continued.
"I stopped and talked with him and he told me he ran away from home because his mom was mean. I knew that I should have taken him to the police station, but I wanted to fix him first; be the person to comfort him. So I went into the store and bought a miniature first aid kit and a sandwich. He ate it quietly while I fixed up his cuts and scrapes. When I was done, he wrapped his arms around my neck and told me he loved me." He smiled. "And I told him that I loved him right back."
JaeJoong pulled out his phone and revealed his home screen. Dressed in his graduation gown, a smiling JaeJoong held a tiny boy. His arms were wrapped around his JaeJoong's neck, his smile wide and full of joy.
"And I still do. He turns 11 in March and he's so smart. His foster parents are great people who are gracious enough to let me stay in his life." When Changmin finally looked away from the picture, he stared at JaeJoong.
"Are you even real?" JaeJoong raised his eyebrows and put his phone back into his jean pocket.
"What do you mean?" Changmin shrugged.
"You're just unlike anyone I've ever met. You have so much compassion and so down to earth. I'm just glad I took the chance and asked you out. I'm even more glad that you said 'yes'." JaeJoong felt his cheeks get warm. He never enjoyed talking about himself, mainly because he didn't know very much.
"I just love what I do. Kids like Dae need protection and sick kids who are scared need help too. I can't figure out why I feel so attached to the idea of being a pediatrician, but I've never made a better decision." Changmin reached across the table for JaeJoong's hand to take in his own. He held it, stroking the back of it with his thumb.
"Well regardless of the reason, Seoul Memorial is extremely lucky to have you." Changmin replied with a soft smile.
"And I'm very lucky to be there." JaeJoong squeezed his hand. "So, I hope you don't think this was enough to hold me over for the entire movie. Who's buying the popcorn?" The other doctor chuckled and shook his head at JaeJoong.
"I'll buy you the concession stand if you want it."
---
A/N: AHHHHH KISSES, FIRST DATES, GUILT, CONFLICT! I'm exhausted. Yunho, once again, has failed to talked to Hyun Gi and tell JaeJoong he was engaged. And now Changmin and JaeJoong might start seeing each other seriously. Gosh, I hope you guys stick with me through this. I hope I don't let you guys down. Once again, thanks for all the comments and support. I read every single one and it really makes me happy. Hope to see you all again on Tuesday! Merry early Christmas as well as happy holidays to anyone who doesn't celebrate Christmas! Bye!!