Destined for Eternity - Prologue + Chapter One
Title: Destined for Eternity (Prologue + Chapter One)
Author: lucifertimes (Lucifer)
Pairing: YunJae
Genre(s): romance, drama, a bit of fluff, slight angst, AU
Rating(s): PG-13
Summary: Yunho gave up on love the moment his own left him. He thought he would never find another like his wife. But he was wrong. So wrong. Because love has no boundaries. And because that, it will soon find him.
A/N: plot bunny adopted from ayusfiction here. :3 I hope I did okay, noona~ ^^ Cliche prologue, lame summary, I know OTL
Prologue
What is ‘love’?
How do you know whether you are fated to always be with a certain someone, in a certain lifetime? Love-it is the soul of music, art and all that revolves around life itself. Love is paradoxical and omnipresent.
And sometimes, it can appear to you in more forms than one. It is what makes life so worth living. True love transcends every aspect-gender, age, and time.
And because of that, you can never put it down to only one definition.
Yet, people still ask themselves, what is ‘love’?
This is a story of such.
This is a story of how love transcends every aspect. Gender. Age. Time.
Chapter One
‘Jaejuko~’ Yunho called out in a sing-song voice as he subtly skipped towards his wife whose back was facing him as she hung the laundry to dry in the Sun. Her hair was a mix of blonde and orange-brown, and the strands beamed in the presence of the Sun rays. She was wearing a single-strapped white dress that flowed to her knees, emphasizing her delicate frame. Apparently, she did not hear her husband calling out for her as she merely continued hanging the clothes.
Pouting at being neglected, Yunho got behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her frail torso. Instantly, Jaejuko yelped and dropped the Angry Birds design t-shirt in her hands, jumping slightly. Turning around, she breathed out a sigh of relief. ‘Woah, you scared me.’
Yunho pouted. ‘That’s because you were neglecting me,’ he said childishly. But the puckered lips quickly turned to grinning ones as he leaned down to catch his wife’s succulent lips in his own heart-shaped ones. Moaning slightly, Jaejuko wrapped her slim arms around her husband’s neck, deepening the kiss.
That is, until a toddler of two years barged into the moment with a wail.
‘Umma! Hyung bite my face!’ little Junsu sobbed. He was cupping his cheek where teeth marks were marred onto the baby skin. Tears pooled in his eyes, and his small mouth was trembling.
Breaking away, Yunho sighed. ‘What happened now?’ he groaned.
‘Hyung don’t want to share toys! I want to play!’ the boy whined. He ran up to Yunho, and made waving motions with the length of his arms. ‘Carry!’
Releasing his hold on Jaejuko, Yunho merely muttered incoherent words as he swiftly carried the little boy into his arms. He traced the teeth marks with his finger, and winced when he imagined what it felt like to be bitten by Yoochun. The last time Yunho did something funny to his eldest son, he received an immediate black and swollen wound.
Leaving his wife to continue doing the laundry, Yunho went into the house in search for Yoochun, with Junsu in his arms.
And there he was, the usual, emo, older boy of the pair of twins, playing with his collection of trucks and cars. He had on his nonchalant expression, even as his father and twin brother stepped into the room. His eyes glanced at them for a moment, but that was the only acknowledgement that the two intruders got from the boy.
Yunho cleared his throat noisily. He hoped to get Yoochun’s attention, but not in ways that will earn him death glares or bite marks that normally lasted for two weeks or so. ‘Yoochun-ah,’ Yunho said, hoping that his voice came out stern and father-like. However, the two-year-old merely casted a look, and went back to ignoring the existence of his two family members. Yunho sighed, kneading the spot between his eyebrows. This was going to be harder than he thought. ‘Yoochun-ah,’ he tried again, ‘Why did you bite Junsu’s cheek?’
Yoochun looked to his father. ‘He cannot play with my toys,’ he said.
‘Yoochun, you have to share-’
‘NO!’
‘Yoochun-’
‘No! CANNOT! You cannot!’
Soon enough, Yoochun began throwing a tantrum, chucking lego bricks and figurines at his father, who had no choice but to surrender and call for Jaejuko. And when his mother came, Yoochun instantly faked his tears and told his mother of how “Appa don’t let me play with my toys”. Yunho merely groaned as he watched the scene, only comforted by Jaejuko’s occasional pitying and amused looks.
It was three o’clock in the afternoon, and the couple finally tucked the twins into their beds. Meanwhile, Yunho and Jaejuko were in each other’s arms, snuggling up to each other on the sofa of the living room. They were watching ‘Boys over Flowers’, and Yunho only laughed as his wife continued to criticize and mock the drama, saying how “the Japanese version is so much better”.
‘Aegiya, when’s your next appointment with Myungsoo-sshi?’ Yunho asked, kissing his wife’s forehead.
‘Less than a week onwards,’ the girl purred. ‘Will you accompany me?’
Yunho chuckled. ‘Of course.’
‘Good,’ Jaejuko grinned.
And so the following days came and passed, until the delicate girl sat on the chair of the doctor’s office, eyes bulging and jaw dropping as the news was relayed onto her. Yunho was beside her, mirroring her expression as they held hands. Except that he was quicker to recover.
Snapping from his trance, Yunho asked, ‘Wait, what? Repeat those words, will you?’
Doctor Myungsoo smiled. ‘Your wife is four months pregnant, Mr. Jung. That may explain why she is often having slight mood swings and odd, untimely cravings.’ But then his smile faltered. ‘However…’
The couple’s growing smiles abruptly changed to worried looks. ‘What is it, doctor?’ Yunho squeezed his wife’s hand in an effort to relieve some stress.
‘Well, you see…’ he trailed off.
‘Well?’ Yunho snapped impatiently. And the next words sent a wave of dread coursing through his veins. His blood froze.
‘I have to say that your womb is rather weak, Mrs. Jung. Your first children were twins, were they not? And even then, your body condition was not very strong,’ the doctor affirmed. Jaejuko nodded hesitantly, afraid where things were going. ‘Then I will have to ask you to abort the baby. Your womb is too fragile to carry another being inside it. If you had had only one child for your firstborn, perhaps you could have a better chance. But the situation is too dangerous.’
‘No!’ Jaejuko cried in horror.
Yunho held his wife in his arms. ‘Please, there must be something you can do.’
The doctor shook his head. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘I won’t abort the baby,’ Jaejuko sobbed, body quaking.
‘But you will die!’ Yunho protested.
‘I won’t abort the baby,’ the girl repeated. The look in her eyes said everything, and it was then that Yunho knew there was no chance that he would change his wife’s mind. But he has to try. He has to.
‘Please, Jaejuko-yah,’ Yunho pleaded. ‘Think about Yoochun, Junsu. Think about me, us. Who will take care of the twins when you’re gone? Who will keep me company when I’m alone? Can you at least wait for a few years before having a baby again? You’re too weak right now. Please, aegiya.’
‘But…’ Jaejuko looked as if she was on the very urge of breaking down. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot with tears, and she was sniffing to prevent her nose from running. Her rosy lips were trembling like her body, and Yunho wanted nothing more than to just hold his wife. But no. Not yet. He took a deep breath, and turned to the doctor.
‘What are the chances of survival does she have if she were to give birth?’ he asked, crossing fingers mentally. He prayed with all his heart that there was at least a spark of hope in the next words. But it didn’t come.
‘If you insist on having the baby, then I have to say your wife has a fifty-fifty percent chance of surviving during childbirth. The baby may live, but Mrs. Jung will die,’ the doctor ended with a grim tone. Then he looked to Jaejuko. ‘Are you sure you want to go on? You are currently only four months pregnant. There’s still plenty of time to rethink. This is no light matter. I suggest you give yourself time for serious consideration.’
The two men in the room looked to the only girl. Her breath got caught up in her throat. ‘I…’ The two pair of eyes seemed to bear into her soul, creating marks. She cleared her throat, then shook her head firmly. ‘I’ve already decided. I will not abort the baby.’
Yunho began to protest. ‘But, baby, you still have five months-’ Then a finger landed on his lips. His eyes locked with his wife’s, and he saw the sadness and anxiety in the rich, dark brown orbs. Then it was in that moment that they had one of their deepest, most intimate wordless conversations. They understood each other’s feelings, putting new light onto the phrase ‘the eyes are the windows to one’s soul’. Yunho’s eyes started to water. ‘Alright,’ he sobbed.
Jaejuko smiled at her husband sadly. She knew that she still had five months to think about it. She knew that she would risk dying if she went through with it. But she loved the baby in her womb. Even though it was barely developed, she could already feel the connection. And this may be the last time she’ll ever have another child. And… she knew that if she didn’t survive, then she would never see her husband or children again. The thought killed her.
But no. She wouldn’t kill her own baby. Yunho may prioritize her and her current grown children, but he wouldn’t understand the bond, the connection between a mother and her child. A bitter smile graced her features. I’m sorry, Yunho-yah.
And in an act of security, Jaejuko encased the crying man in a warm embrace, whispering doubtful words of ‘it will be alright’ and ‘everything will be okay’ into her husband’s ears in an effort to soothe the child’s soul.