[Fic] as luck would have it 2/? (wip)
Title: as luck would have it 2/?
Pairing: Jaejoong/Changmin AU; JaeMin (other pairings possible as well, surprise pairing for my queen JJ)
Length: Chaptered/ WIP
Rating:PG
A/N: Yay!!! I've managed to write more than what I had from 4...5? Whatever, however many years ago that was. Ugh. Anyway, still not sure where this is going so I'm just writing and maybe it will tell me when it wants to end. No beta so I hope I've been keeping to the same voice and that my tenses aren't all over the place.
[1]
“Over here Jae!”
The restaurant is really more like a bar, with live music, cheap alcohol and raucous laughter filling the place. You once lived around the block from the place, the owner often asked for your assistance after hours to help clean up. In return, he’d often give you free soda or left over treats from the bar and the right to brag to your elementary school friends that you worked in a bar.
Your family moved to a larger house about a half hour away before you began middle school. You’d still often frequent the place afterhours to help when you could and once you were at the age to legally drink, you brought your friends, the owner offering a round of drinks on the house.
As it was still early, the crowd had yet to make an appearance. You pass by the bar before heading over to your friends, giving a nod and a wave to the owner and his wife.
Sliding into the booth, you greet your best friend with a punch to the shoulder.
“Hey! Ouch, that hurt, what was that for?”
“Thanks for *not* waiting for me. Do you know how far I had to walk? And in the rain?! In my new pair of jeans!”
“And who’s fault was it for not looking out the window?”
“Can it, Chun, I’m not talking to you right now”
“Why not?”
You glare across the table at your roommate, who’s looking oddly impeccable, considering you both just had to trek through the same torrential downpour.
“For one, you left me this morning, taking our good umbrella. And secondly, for stealing all my cookies!”
“You weren’t going to eat it all anyway!”
“You don’t know that!”
“Do too!”
“Fat ass!”
“No, that would be Junsu.”
You’re startled out of your squabble with your roommate by the sound of a new, yet very familiar voice. You turn to your left and had to visibly restrain yourself from gaping like a fish…again.
Standing in front of you is your fellow classmate, and potential crush but you’ve only admitted that to two people and they were sitting with you right now crap, and it would seem, a friend of his.
“Changmin! Junsu! I’m so glad you found the place okay. Sit sit.”
You turn to stare incredulously at your best friend and he stares right back at you, giving you a mischievous smile.
Turning back to the newcomers, who look a little confused, you give them a big smile, before grabbing his best friend by his jacket, forcibly.
“Excuse me for a second while I have a short conversation with Yunho. Outside.”
~*~
Pulling Yunho outside with you, you belatedly forget that it’s still pouring outside. Thankfully, the bar has a little overhand in front that provides some coverage against the downpour, and that’s where you’re both huddled up under.
Yunho was the first to break the silence, yanking the sleeve of his jacket out of your grasp and whirling to face you.
“What was that for?”
“Why did you invite him!? How did you even find out who he hangs out with?! Why is he hanging out with us?!?”
“Calm down Joongie. My god, it’s as if you had a crush on him or something.”
You punch Yunho on the shoulder again. He winces. You smile on the inside in victory.
“I don’t appreciate the sarcasm. And I told you that in confidence.”
“More like you gushed to me about him on the phone like a teenage girl!”
Yunho flinches as you raise your fist again. You’ll show him teenage girl, you know you could easily bruise Yunho with one punch. “Details! Right, right! And don’t worry, I didn’t say anything to him about your crush. I’m a better best friend than that, I’ll have you know.”
You glare at him from under your bangs; thinking off handedly that you’ll need to make an appointment for your hairdressers to get them trimmed soon.
“You’re doing a poor job of it right now, you know.”
The hurt puppy dog look that flashes across Yunho’s face reminds you again why you can never stay mad at your best friend. And plus he knows all your secrets so the only way for you both to break up is for you to kill him.
~*~
“So…you want to explain to me why he’s here?”
You glance over at Yunho from your perched position on the bench in front of the bar. You were getting tired from standing all day and dragged him to sit on the wet bench. My jeans are already ruined; at least I can rest my legs.
He rubs his neck awkwardly before turning back to answer you.
“So, I may have lied, a little.”
Your eyes widen in size at all the possible things he could have lied about; and how that affects the security of your secret.
Yunho sees your almost panicked deer in the headlights look and quickly jumps in to calm you down.
“No no no! I promise I didn’t say anything to him. I swear.”
Relieved breath.
“But I may have said something to Yoona and she may have introduced me to Junsu who’s in her marketing class who also happens to be best friends with Changmin don’t hurt me!”
The last part was said in almost a squeak. You’re not sure if you want to laugh or cry or punch Yunho again. But you settle on hiding your face in the folds of your arms.
“Can we get back inside now? It’s kind of wet out here, even under an overhang.”
That brings you close to tears. Everyone and everything hates you, even the rain is trying to finish its job in drowning you.
~*~
When you both finally return to the table, YooSuMin are in an intense discussion about the merits of crunchy peanut butter over smooth peanut butter.
Yoochun interrupts Junsu’s argument when he notices you both slipping into the booth across.
“That was a very…long discussion.”
You give a pointed glare to Yoochun and he knows not to say anything further, for fear of his life, as there would be a noticeable lack of leftovers if he tried to question you further. Death through starvation was never fun.
You turn to smile weakly at Changmin and his friend Junsu.
“Hi, sorry about that. There was just a very important matter I needed to discuss with Yunho. I’m Jaejoong by the way.”
The last part was directed towards Junsu, seeing as you and Changmin already know each other; spent the two months of the semester sitting across the aisle from each other; with you not sneaking sidelong glances at him while taking notes.
“Junsu. Changmin’s told me all about you.”
At this, three pairs of wide eyes turn toward a blushing Changmin. Unfortunately, Changmin’s reply is left stuck in his throat, rudely interrupted by a loud and mucus filled sneeze. Followed by 3 smaller, consecutive sneezes. You’re left scrambling with one hand holding your nose and the other trying to find a tissue or napkin or anything.
A hand from across the table appears in front of you, interrupting your frantic searching, holding a perfectly folded square handkerchief. Your embarrassed look turns horrified and you know you’re a blushing, shivering, still-wet-from-the-rain mess and this is just more than you can handle. But at Changmin’s insistence, you take the proffered piece of cloth, hastily wiping your nose - I’ll wait until I leave to blow it thank you very much, not that it can get any more embarrassing.
“I’m sorry. I’ll get this right back to you. I’ll make sure to wash it and bleach it and iron it and don’t worry, it will be nice and clean.”
Changmin smiles and you think you’re going to die again, but for other reasons.
“Don’t worry about it, please. Keep it. My mom’s always making me embroidered handkerchiefs and I have a ridiculous amount stored up.”
You want to take the gift and hug it to your chest and kiss it, but remember that, not only are you in the company of four other guys, but it’s quite soiled now and needs to be washed. Dammit.
“Jae, I think I should take you home. You’re starting to shake a little. And you really need to get out of those wet clothes.”
You glance up at Yoochun, about to protest, before you feel a particularly awful chill run through you. Okay, maybe he does have a point.
You both say your goodbyes to the three others, convincing them not to break up the meet-up just because you both were leaving. After repeated bows of apology on your part, with everyone brushing it off and sending you well wishes for a speedy recovery, you and Yoochun finally leave, opting to take a taxi this time around.
~*~
Three days later and you’re still stuck in bed. Your fever, thankfully, broke two nights ago but you’re still feeling achy and awful and all around bitchy.
Yoochun has decided the best method was just to stay clear of you; would leave notes on the night stand and food on the stove for you, but keeps clear of you when you are awake. See if I take care of you when you’re sick again. But you knew you would anyway, even if he was a whiny brat when socked with a head cold. Damn motherly instincts.
So you’re stuck in bed, with no one to talk to and nothing to really do. You want to sleep more but your mind is too restless to settle down. And you can’t move out of bed because your body protests too much. Why the flu body? A simple cold would have taught me not to go out in the rain with jeans and sneakers!
You decide to text Yunho. At least you can get him to bring over your homework or something. Maybe some real food too. He means well, but Yoochun hasn’t yet learned that there are others out there that don’t enjoy rice porridge for three meals three straight days in a row. Yoochun’s stomach might be easy to please, but yours requires some variety.
Jae to Ho (2:35 PM): Can you pick up my assignments from my professors?
Jung to Joongie (2:38 PM): Umm…I’ll have to see, I think I may have to run to work right after this class.
Jae to Ho (2:39 PM): *pouts*But what about my wooooork!!! I can’t fall behind!
Jung to Joongie (2:50 PM): Don’t worry, you’ll have your assignments, calm down princess.
You glare at your phone, as though Yunho would be able to sense it. Don’t call me princess! You hate the nickname and make sure to remind him constantly with punches to the arm. But considering the fact that he’s delivering your assignments…
Jae to Ho (2:53 PM): BRING ME FRIED CHICKEN TOO!!!
…and food. You decide to give him a free pass. This one time. Plus you’d probably end up injuring yourself considering the state you’re in.
I hate being sick.
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