Heart Abroad, Part 13
Title: Heart Abroad
Pairings/Characters: Jaejoong/Yamapi
Rating/Warnings: T for language and (eventual) making out
Disclaimer: I own nothing; written just for fun
Summary: Yamapi discovers the joys of babysitting
A/N: Have some more chibi!Taemin ;)
Heart Abroad, Part 13
On the Monday after the long vacation Yamapi is a little apprehensive walking up to the academic building. He expects everyone to be restless and dragging their feet but surprisingly enough the kids come back refreshed and excited to share all about their breaks. In intimate detail.
Chanyeol shares that his sister Yura got carsick in the heavy traffic on the way to Seoul and then asks Yamapi how much makgeolli he drank.
Baekhyun brags about hitting up some holiday sales with his mom and adding a few new shades of eyeliner to his collection. He jumps up and starts strutting in the aisles to model the limited edition Shimmering Shamrock, which matches the plaid of his uniform precisely, until Yamapi escorts him back to his seat.
Minseok shares that he spent the whole break in the woods with his uncle collecting chestnuts and has a tan and a new pet lizard to prove it.
Joonmyun, who is usually an attentive student, confuses the kanji for “time” with the kanji for “temple” and has to be corrected three times. It’s such an elementary mistake that Yamapi sincerely asks the glazed over student if he needs to visit the health office.
Joonmyun blushes furiously and hastily explains that he’s fine, he just got 4 hours of sleep total the whole break because his older cousin, Kyuhyun, kept him awake to play videogames and watch the holiday special (which, by the way, was Werewolf Boy with the beautiful Park Boyoung, and Yamapi totally needs to watch it if he hasn’t).
Basically, Yamapi learns that Chuseok is exhausting but exponentially more exciting. He kind of feels tired just listening to all the adventures that happened while he was vegetating on an ancient couch with an endless supply of makgeolli at his elbow.
After seven hours of all the happy feels he’s definitely surprised when Boa pops into the gyomushil at the end of 7th period all nervous and tense.
“So can I ask you a favor?” Yamapi pulls out one of his earbuds to find Boa hovering at the edge of his desk.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Yamapi asks quickly. Boa doesn’t hover, and she never asks for favors, she just gives orders.
“Something came up and Yunho’s out of town, and I’m already late to pick up Tae...can you watch him for a bit til I get back?” She twists her pinstriped lime green scarf between agitated fingers.
“Sure, what--”
“You’re an angel! Here’s his extra jacket in case it starts raining.” Boa tosses a tiny blue rain slicker at him, grabs her purse, and dashes out the door, already dialing someone on her cell.
Yamapi packs his desk up, takes his leave of the office stragglers, and changes his shoes.
No one’s in the courtyard. The late afternoon is peaceful, almost drowsy in its stillness. He unlocks his bike and and zips down the steep hill, grateful it’s not raining yet and he doesn’t have to balance an umbrella while navigating the switchbacks.
He coasts down the gentle incline of the road at the bottom of the Hill of Doom as quickly as he dares, making it to the kindergarten at the end of the street in record time. It looks exactly the same as always, fading pink plastic fence and crooked shutters, but it seems forlorn and a little sinister in the fast fading light of dusk.
Yamapi leans his bike against the fence without bothering with the lock. The front gate swings open with a creak and Yamapi shudders a little as the breeze picks up through the trees. He’s growing more and more certain that he never wants to walk through this playground after dark. There’s probably a haunted pet goldfish graveyard out back or something. Yamapi shudders.
The light doesn’t appear to be on and no one answers his tentative knock but the door pushes open.
Yamapi stands in the doorway a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light. The front room is low ceilinged and even darker than it is outside, though spacious and lined with shelves that seem to house a variety of toys and books. Through a half open doorway in the back spills warm yellow light.
“Uh, hello?” Yamapi calls, unsure whether to remove his shoes and just enter or to wait; kindergartens have rules about visitors and stuff, right?
“Yes?” A ragged voice precedes the quiet padding feet of a middle aged woman in a colorful patchwork apron. She halts halfway across the floor, leaning forward with hands on her hips to assess her visitor.
“I...Ms. Kwon--”
“Well who are you?” She sounds impatient, but not really angry.
“I’m Yamashita, the foreign teacher from--”
“Hyung!”
Taemin appears in the far doorway and dashes across the open space to attach himself to Yamapi’s leg like a koala. A koala that’s been dipped in sorghum molasses and rubber cement.
“Whoa! Uh, hi, Min.” Yamapi throws out his arms to balance himself. Taemin squeezes tighter.
“Well, finally.” The woman heads for a dark corner and returns with Taemin’s dolphin backpack and a pair of well loved sneakers. Taemin lets go of Yamapi long enough to slip into his shoes as the woman helps him with his backpack.
“Goodbye!” Taemin folds into a quick bow and runs down the steps to the gate.
“Bye, Taemin! Go home safely!” The woman waves goodbye from the doorway as Yamapi follows quickly after the boy. He feels strange just walking out of here with Taemin without signing anything or even having managed to explain himself, but he guesses Boa must have called the teacher.
“My tummy hurts!” Taemin announces as Yamapi is bending to retrieve his bike from the cracked pavement.
“Are you sick? What’s wrong?” Yamapi asks quickly, forgetting to use Korean he’s so worried.
“Hungry…” Taemin moans in a weak voice. Oh. Well that at least is something Yamapi knows how to fix.
“Let’s go! Let’s eat something delicious! What do you like to eat?”
“Steak!” Taemin perks up at the mention of food, bouncing on his heels.
“How about ramen?” Yamapi suggests in the most appealing voice he can muster. There’s probably not much else in his apartment and it’s a little too late to think about shopping first.
“Ok,” Taemin readily agrees. He shoves a small fist into the pocket of Yamapi’s jacket and latches onto the lining as Yamapi adjusts his grip on the handle bars. “Can we go home now?”
“Uh...let’s go somewhere...special first! You haven’t been to Hyung’s room before, have you?” Taemin shakes his head slowly, his eyes wide.
“What’s inside...secret, it’s secret,” Yamapi bends to whisper in his ear. “If you see, you can’t tell anyone, not even Mommy. Deal?”
“Deal!” Taemin whispers back solemnly.
“Ok! Let’s go!”
It’s usually a twenty minute walk back to Yamapi’s apartment, but with Taemin’s short legs it takes more like thirty and the street lamps flicker to life just as they reach the courtyard of Yamapi’s apartment.
Taemin yawns loudly as Yamapi locks his bike into the rack. The eggshells Landlady Imo dropped there weeks ago are still lying in the dirt, slightly embedded in the dust after a month long procession of footsteps and fall rain.
“Hey, we’re almost there,” Yamapi soothes in quiet Japanese, scooping Taemin up in his arms.
“No, Hyung! Piggyback,” Taemin protests being held like a child, wriggling insistently in Yamapi’s arms. Yamapi has no idea how Taemin knows that vocabulary word (unless Boa’s started him in on the J-dramas a little young?) but he obliges with a tired smile.
Taemin regains some of his energy astride Yamapi’s shoulders, gently kicking his heels against Yamapi’s chest, tiny fingers fisted in his hair.
“Faster, Hyung, faster!” Taemin gives a yank on his handful of hair and Yamapi winces. “Can you run up the stairs?”
“If I drop you, your mom will kill me,” Yamapi grunts, readjusting the strap of his heavy work bag, but he takes the stairs at a slow jog, huffing and completely winded by the time he reaches the top. He has seriously got to find a gym in town. Maybe he should ask Heechul-hyung about--nah, Yunho is probably a much better resource for information related to physical activity.
“Here it is...the very special place,” Yamapi whispers dramatically as he unlocks his door and slowly pulls it open.
“Wow!” Taemin gasps when Yamapi hits the lights on. “Your bed is hugigantic!” He starts clambering down from his perch head first like a rabid squirrel.
“Ouch!” Yamapi hisses as a ragged fingernail finds his earlobe and a sharp elbow jabs his kidney. “Hey, hey! Shoes!” He catches Taemin by the hood of his zip-up before the boy can make it past the entryway threshold in his grubby sneakers. Light-ups or not, Yamapi doesn’t need footprints on his bed (never mind the fact he’s been sleeping on the floor mostly anyway).
Taemin slips out of his shoes and shrugs off his hoodie, making straight for the alluring mattress.
Yamapi opens the cabinet above his sink and digs around as the mattress springs start to sing. Soy sauce, cooking oil, take-out menus, ahah! Ramen.
“Do you want spicy ramen? Pork flavor?” Yamapi calls over his shoulder to the kid enthusiastically bouncing all over his bed.
“Is there the potato noodle kind?” Taemin answers between whoops of bed-domination.
“There is potato noodle ramen?” No one bothered to inform Yamapi of this important fact either, apparently. And potatoes are so delicious.
“It’s soooo good!” Taemin moans in Korean, his voice hitching and jarring in cadence with his jumps.
“Where...we can buy it?” Yamapi strips off his own jacket and throws it on top of Taemin’s on the table.
“Dunno.” Taemin gives one last terrific jump and flops onto his back in a pile of pillows, panting.
“Let’s have the spicy kind then,” Yamapi suggests. He fills the electric kettle and plugs it into the wall.
Taemin wanders in to attach himself to Yamapi’s leg just as the kettle’s humming builds to a high pitched whine. Yamapi fills two paper bowls of spicy ramen precisely to the fill line. Taemin reaches hungrily for a bowl as soon as Yamapi folds down the paper lids.
“Why don’t you you be the Chopstick Master?” Yamapi points to the purple 2NE1 mug on the edge of the counter that houses his measly collection of utensils. “Do you think you can pick out chopsticks for both of us?” Taemin’s dark eyes go wide and then he nods quickly.
Yamapi keeps an eye on him as he slides the table through the sliding doors to rest between his bed and the TV. The counter is a little high for him, but Taemin carefully takes down the mug with both hands and drops to his knees to contemplate his options. When Yamapi returns for the noodles Taemin holds up two pair of convenience store chopsticks for inspection.
“Are these ok, Hyung?” One wrapper has the 7-Eleven logo printed in red, the other says “GS25” in green ink.
“Excellent choices,” Yamapi nods, and Taemin’s keen expression breaks into a sly smile, as though he had been sure of his selections all along. Yamapi carefully navigates around the small mounds of laundry and half read books cluttering the floor, balancing a steaming noodle cup in each palm. Taemin bounds ahead of him into the other room and crouches expectantly at the edge of the table.
“Chopstick Master, would you do me the honor of opening this?” Yamapi solemnly hands over his designated pair, the 7-Eleven ones,
to be opened. Taemin takes a deep breath, rips open the paper at the top, and hands them back. Yamapi accepts the package with both hands and a slow bow.
“Are they ready yet?” Taemin pokes at the soggy paper lid of his bowl as Yamapi rolls up his shirt sleeves. It’s starting to rain outside, a soft steady fall that will have drenched the earth through by morning.
“You know, chopsticks are very important to a meal’s success,” Yamapi says, searching with his hand along the floor for the TV remote. “If you pick the wrong pair, the food won’t taste right.” Taemin tugs on a small pink earlobe, narrowing his eyes skeptically, but he sits up a moment later and returns his attention to his noodles, sufficiently satisfied that he’s not being teased.
“It smells...nice.” Taemin yawns, sliding fingers into his messy brown hair. Yamapi checks his phone. Yup, the ramen should be cooked through now. He pulls off the paper wrappers, taking care not to fling greasy condensation from their undersides across the room. Yamapi starts to crumple the paper trash in his fist but a horrified gasp from Taemin makes him freeze.
“Tomo-hyung, wait!” Taemin snatches the paper lids back and furrows his brow as he painstakingly folds one into quarters. He opens one fold, popping the triangle into a cone and hands it to Yamapi. Yamapi blinks at the sculpture in his hand. Is this some kind of Korean origami mealtime ritual?
“What--?”
“Like this!” Taemin announces imperiously as soon as his cone is ready too. He twirls a length of steaming noodles around his chopsticks and rests the ends of them into the paper cone and blows. The force of Taemin’s lung capacity splatters tiny droplets of orange broth onto the table and the front of Yamapi’s white shirt but he just snaps his chopsticks apart and copies his tiny teacher. It’s a good thing dry cleaning is so cheap in Korea, what with all the kimchi and greasy red sauces at every meal.
“Itadakimasu!” Yamapi blows on his ramen, too.
“Jalmeoggessumida,” Taemin mumbles, already shoving the noodles into his mouth. The cheap wooden chopsticks are a little clumsy in his small hands, but Taemin makes up for undeveloped fine motor skills with enthusiasm.
They eat quickly, only stopping to take short, panting breaths as the spicy soup and the steam warm them from the inside out.
Yamapi drinks the last drop of broth just as there’s a lull in the rain, snagging the bits of green onion and reconstituted vegetables sticking to the bowl on the tips of his chopsticks with a flick of wrist. Taemin has downed the majority of his serving, quite a bit more than Yamapi expected to fit in his flat little stomach, but he stares down at the remaining fourth left in his bowl for a moment before shoving the carton across the table for Yamapi to finish.
“Hyung, you make the most delicious ramen!” Taemin leans back against the mattress with a heavy sigh and lets his eyes flutter closed, a contented kitten smile on his face. Yamapi laughs.
“Oh really? Are you sure it’s the best?”
“Definitely. Way better than my mom’s,” Taemin mumbles sleepily, as if the quality of Boa’s rendition of instant noodles could vary that significantly. It must be the chopsticks, after all.
Yamapi tries not to snicker at the picture of perfect satisfaction yawning lazily on the floor next to him. This kid is something else. Yamapi’s a little scared to think of how irresistible his liquid charm will be when he’s 17 and all the girls are after a piece of him.
“Tae-kun~! Are you sleepy? You can take a nap in Hyung’s bed.” It sounds a little weird inserting Korean honorifics into Japanese speech, but Yamapi ain’t gonna lie, his heart squeezes a little every time Taemin calls him “hyung”. It’s like the adorable automatically ratchets up an extra notch. Or five.
“Nooo!”
At the mention of a nap Taemin is immediately upright to combat the threat, opening his eyes as wide as he can force them. “Not sleepy! No! And we didn’t try out Hyung’s TV yet!”
“TV?”
“Yes! Whenever you visit someone, you have to try out their TV before you leave.” He scowls disapprovingly at Yamapi as if offended that someone could not understand such a universally acknowledged truth.
“Oh really now?”
“Yes. Very important.” Taemin primly balances his chopsticks, stained orange to the hilts, on the rim of his empty bowl. “And Hyung’s TV is secret,” he adds in solemn whisper.
“Ok, good point,” Yamapi whispers back as he stacks their trash. “What do you want to watch? Pororo?” he asks, naming the only Korean kid’s show he’s heard of even though he has no idea when it’s on, or even which channel.
“Pororo is for babies!” Taemin’s nose wrinkles dangerously, as if he’s about to burst into tears or let loose an explosive sneeze.
“Sorry,” Yamapi apologizes sincerely, scooting the pile of trash to the end of the table and grabbing the remote.
“Can we watch Kunonome-hime?” Taemin pulls the remote out of Yamapi’s hands and switches the TV to DVD mode. Yamapi still hasn’t figured out half the buttons.
“What?”
“Kunonome-hime, it’s my favorite.”
“Is that a Korean movie, or a--”
“Geez, Hyung.” Taemin rolls his eyes and slaps a palm to his forehead. “It’s Japanese. Aren’t you Japanese, too?” Yamapi smiles hesitantly as he is judged harshly from across the table.
“Umm, repeat again...what’s the name again?”
“Ku-no-no-me. Hi-me. Princess Kunonome?”
“Do you mean...Mononoke-hime?” Yamapi asks loudly, the light bulb suddenly flickering on. “With the...wolf...girl, and the...the…”
“San and Ashitaka?” Taemin fills in, tapping a fingernail against the table with an unimpressed expression eerily reminiscent of his mother’s.
“I don’t have it on DVD,” Yamapi considers. “But I’m sure we can find it online!” he finishes just as Taemin’s face crumples until he looks on the verge of tears for real this time.
“Ok.” Taemin smiles and calmly turns off the TV. “But you have to invite me over to watch TV next time.”
“Ok,” Yamapi agrees, booting his computer and waiting for the internet to load. It isn’t difficult to find a heavily seeded torrent for the movie. Yamapi changes into a T-shirt and gym shorts and tries to pick up the room a bit before Boa’s arrival while they wait. Taemin occupies himself by downloading his favorite games and essential apps to Yamapi’s phone while maintaining a meandering monologue on some idol group named Crayon Pop.
It’s almost 7:00 by the time they start the movie, wrapped up together in Yamapi’s down comforter and slumped against the bed. Taemin sings along with the ominous overtones of the opening theme. Yamapi hasn’t seen this film in...forever. He can’t remember the ending at all, except he has a vague notion it’s rather sad.
At the first hint of action Taemin snuggles close, tucking his head under Yamapi’s chin and worming warm fingers into Yamapi’s own. The tousled mop of soft brown hair partly obscures Yamapi’s view, but he’s already having trouble focusing his eyes on the bright screen in the dark room. He lets his eyelids ease shut and folds Taemin more securely into his arms, content to listen. It’s so quiet now that the rain has stopped, only Taemin’s soft hums of surprise or gasps of horror competing with the soundtrack’s soaring themes.
Yamapi awakes with a start, his eyes flashing open to catch a stampede of wild boars on screen. He groans softly as he registers the crick in his neck and the barren desert spreading in his dry mouth. He has no idea how long he’s been asleep, but the battle scene is far into the film if he’s remembering correctly. Taemin is heavy and still against his chest.
“Tae-kun,” Yamapi murmurs gently against the sleeping boy’s forehead. “Taemin?” He’s fast asleep, his breaths slow and deep. Yamapi carefully shifts his weight, sliding Taemin’s limp form forward until he can kneel to scoop the tangle of blankets and limbs onto the bed. He tucks in the top coverlet and Taemin suddenly stirs, reaching up with a whimper. Yamapi freezes. Please don’t wake up, please stay asleep, he thinks desperately. He has no idea what he’s supposed to do if Taemin starts to cry.
“Hyung,” Taemin mumbles, rolling into the pile of pillows and blankets until his voice is muffled further.
“Hmm?”
“Don’t forget...recycling...chopstick wrappers...”
“Recycling?” Yamapi whispers in confusion, rubbing at the knots in his neck.
“We have to...protect the earth,” Taemin mutters, yawning widely and licking his lips. His eyes stay closed though, and he shows no signs of bursting into tears. Yamapi heaves a sigh of relief as silently as he can as Taemin’s breathing slows again.
“Ok, Tae-kun.” Yamapi pulls the comforter up to his chin. “Sweet dreams.”
Yamapi drags the table back to the kitchen and eases the door nearly shut so the light above the sink won’t disturb his sleeping guest. He plugs his laptop into the outlet by the sink and waits for the WI-FI to decide to be his friend again.
It’s not quite 9 PM now. He could check and see if his mom’s online and wants to skype; it’s been more than two weeks since they last talked in person. Or, he could watch some more One Piece…
His phone buzzes in his pocket and he jumps in surprise, banging his shin against the low table top. Scowling at the throb of pain Yamapi fishes out his phone to find a new message from an unknown sender. Fucking spam, giving him bruises. Yamapi clicks his tongue in annoyance and opens it anyway.
→ 8:47 PM Tomo-kun! Guess who this is :P
Yamapi squints at the tiny screen for a moment before typing a hasty reply and hitting send, a small ripple of anticipation waving through his gut.
← 8:48 PM Um...Jaejoong-san?
→ 8:48 PM how did you know?? O.o
← 8:49 PM How many people do I know with a Korean phone number who speak Japanese?
→ 8:50 PM Oh…
→ 8:50 PM And cut the honorifics...Eri-chan told you, we’re the same age xP
← 8:51 PM Ok ^^
→ 8:51 PM dude, why do you not have a katak?
← 8:51 PM A what?
→ 8:52 PM you need to download katak NOW!
← 8:52 PM download what?
→ 8:53 PM ><
→ 8:53 PM Kakao Talk
→ 8:54 PM It’s a free messaging app
→ 8:55 PM download now on Google Play Store!
← 8:55 PM Ok...why?
→ 8:56 PM >< so I can message you when I’m bored at work
← 8:57 PM You’re still at work??
→ 8:57 PM yeah, I’m a homeroom teacher, remember? I have to supervise night study
← 8:57 PM Oh. Ok.
← 8:58 PM hang on…
Yamapi impatiently wades through the clusters of new icons for apps that Taemin must have downloaded and hops on Google Play Store to search for Kakao. It comes up right away and he presses download. He taps his toes in a staccato against the kitchen floor as he waits.
He’s ecstatic when it loads, and the yellow speech bubble emblazoned with black looks like royal livery. Well, Yamapi thinks smugly, it is delivering messages to a prince.
Oh no, did his head really just think that? That’s just embarrassing. He needs to get ahold of himself before he completely slips up and says something incriminating in front of Jaejoong, although who knows when they’ll meet again.
The first thing Yamapi does is open a chat with Jaejoong and then spam him with stickers. Hey, this is almost as good as Line! Although some of the sticker characters look a bit creepy.
Thirty seconds later, a reply from Jae pops up. Yamapi almost drops the phone as it buzzes loudly in his hand. It’s a sticker of a face grinning and winking smarmily. Yamapi’s heart almost bursts with giddy happiness. He sends back a face winking innocently.
The next thing Yamapi does is hop online to pester Ryo.
Yes! He’s in their IM chat room.
Yamapiiiink: Good morning, beautiful.
Sexyosakaman84: dont beautiful me, you asshole
Yamapiiiink: So, you should download kakaotalk. Now.
Sexyosakaman84: what?
Yamapiiiink: It's this awesome korean messaging app~!
Sexyosakaman84: .....no.
Yamapiiiink: come on! its way better than Line.
Yamapiiiink: dooooo iiiiiiit!
Sexyosakaman84: I seriously doubt it. unless you mean that the stickers are even weirder and grosser.
Yamapiiiink: ........
Sexyosakaman84: I guess thats my answer.
Yamapiiiink: Oh come on! please?
Sexyosakaman84: no! I dont even like Line!
Yamapiiiink: Then why did you bother to defend its virtue against its rival?
Yamapiiiink: Just download it~ ^^
Sexyosakaman84: hows the dumb app spelled?
"Yes!" Yamapi fist pumps in his empty apartment, probably way more excited over this than he should be, but it's been a long and strange day and he could always use some more Nishikido Ryo in his life.
Yamapiiiink: so when you gonna come visit me? ???
Ryo ignores him. Or maybe downloading takes all of his attention.
20 minutes later (or maybe it’s five, Yamapi got tired of waiting and went all the way across the room to dig through his empty fridge), Yamapi’s phone vibrates and he dives onto the ondol next to the table, reaching for his phone.
Ryo’s intro message is a string of cuss words and inappropriate stickers...where did he even download those? Yamapi types a hasty message into the reply box.
← 9:17 PM: This is you dwarf, right?
If the user name is iluvmayokissmyass Yamapi thinks it's gotta be, but better safe than sorry with the internet these days.
The response is a string of insults and emoticons dripping blood. Yup, it's Ryo.
Yamapi sends a gleeful puppy with a wagging tail in return. Good. Now they can stay up late messaging. He’s missed texting Ryo.
Yamapi tells him so in a bedazzled message.
→ 9:23 PM: what the?
→ 9:23 PM: Pii, you were spamming me on line til 4 last night! what exactly did you miss?
Yamapi grins. No wonder he was tired this morning. Was it really four by the time he fell asleep?
← 9:24 PM: I missed you~
→ 9:25 PM: gross! xp
← 9:26 PM: So are you gonna visit me?
← 9:27 PM: If you’re afraid of planes, the ferry to Busan only takes three hours~
← 9:27 PM: ;)
Lightning bolts flash on the screen in reply.
Then a pirate flag.
← 9:29 PM: Where are you finding these stickers?
← 9:30 PM: Are you saying you’re afraid of boats too?
Yamapi glances up at a soft ping from his computer. Ryo’s back on IM.
Sexyosakaman84: Pi, look.
Sexyosakaman84: Dude.
Sexyosakaman84: Number one, I’m not afraid of anything.
Sexyosakaman84: Number two, I’d steal all your booty if i came within a ten kilometer radius.
Sexyosakaman84: Number three, I thought you left because you needed space?
Sexyosakaman84: and last but not least, whether or not you care, I’m busy and have a life too. I don’t have time to keep you company every time a girl dumps you.
Yamapi stares at the screen. The last two lines hurt, just a little bit, between his ribs.
Sexyosakaman84: thats what this is about right?
Sexyosakaman84: Pi? hello?
Sexyosakaman84: you always get clingy and send too many flowery texts when you’re disappointed in love.
Yamapi freezes. Wait, what? He doesn’t type anything, his hands fluttering over the keys but not managing to push the buttons as
his synapses rapid fire.
Sexyosakaman84: ><
Sexyosakaman84: I knew it.
Sexyosakaman84: its girl problems.
The knot of anticipation in Yamapi's stomach starts to loosen into a floppy jellyfish of nausea.
Sexyosakaman84: man, listen, Im really busy this week, but if youre still messed up by Friday, book a weekend flight home and well hit Roppongi.
The corners of Yamapi’s eyes sting and he rubs them harshly with the heels of his sweaty hands before typing back.
Yamapiiiink: Who’s messed up? ;)
Yamapi forces himself to erase the guffawing emoticon he added to end before hitting enter. Ryo can always immediately tell when he's trying too hard.
Ryo’s still not convinced.
Sexyosakaman84: just come home Pi. oull feel better after some ramen and beer.
Yamapiiiink: korean beer is better.
Sexyosakaman84: no its not both are shit.
Yamapi can’t help but laugh, his gut aching.
Yamapiiiink: Why are you trying to feed it to me then?
Sexyosakaman84: because youre an oblivious jerk so its what you deserve and you wouldnt care anyway.
Yamapi smiles sharply.
Yamapiiiink: That’s probably....all true.
Sexyosakaman84: just come home.
Yamapiiiink: I cant…
Sexyosakaman84: what?
There are no accompanying emoticons or superfluous punctuation marks, but Yamapi can palpably feel the intensity in Ryo’s words from how fast he types them.
Yamapiiiink: Ryo, it’s in my contract.
Sexyosakaman84: what?
This one’s incredulous.
Sexyosakaman84: you signed something that said you cant come home?
Sexyosakaman84: are you an idiot?!
Sexyosakaman84: dont answer that!
Yamapiiiink: Ryo…
Yamapi waits for him to fold his arms like he knows he’s doing.
Yamapiiiink: Apparently the last native teacher was something of a flake and missed a lot of Mondays passed out in Tokyo
Yamapiiiink: or Bangkok
Yamapiiiink: or
Sexyosakaman84: dude! and they just assume you’ll do the same? because they think every japanese is the fucking same?!?
Yamapiiiink: Ryo, breathe.
Sexyosakaman84: :P
Yamapiiiink: That’s a good boy :)
Sexyosakaman84: I hate you!
Yamapiiiink: It’s...kinda understandable? in a way?
Sexyosakaman84: theyre stupid.
Sexyosakaman84: youre stupid!
Yamapiiiink: They want me to take the job seriously. That’s a good thing.
Yamapiiiink: It means they’re taking me seriously.
Yamapiiiink: It’s nice to have some expectations for a change.
Sexyosakaman84: well, I guess youll be fine... it doesnt seem like the bars been set too high
Sexyosakaman84: ^^
"Bastard," Yamapi growls, but types back,
Yamapiiiink: I’m a big boy Ryo.
Yamapiiiink: :PP
Yamapiiiink: I can take care of myself three hours from home for a semester.
Sexyosakaman84: semester?
Yamapiiiink: I can come home at New Years?
Sexyosakaman84: why didnt you say so!
Yamapiiiink: Aww~! I miss you too ^^
Sexyosakaman84: I hate you.
Yamapiiiink: You already said that.
Sexyosakaman84: Fuck you.
Yamapiiiink: I’ll try my best~! ^^
Pi is surprised his browser doesn’t crash from the toxic assault on the Japanese language that follows, a vulgar mix of garbled Kansai-ben and Tokyo slang.
Yamapiiiink: Dude, don’t break Japanese! I have to teach that shit on Monday :P
Sexyosakaman84: good luck and goodbye.
Sexyosakaman84: jerk
Yamapiiiink: So you’re coming?
Sexyosakaman84: fuck you
Sexyosakaman84: Yes.
Yamapiiiink: When? You pick the day!! *\(^_^)/*
Sexyosakaman84: ><
Sexyosakaman84: Im too tired for this.
Yamapi fist pumps again.
Ryo’s gonna love Korea.
As soon as Ryo’s offline (although really, he probably just signed off of messenger and will be surfing the web until 4:00 again) Yamapi turns back to his phone. His message to Jaejoong is still unanswered. Yamapi folds his arms and pouts at his computer screen. Jaejoong hasn’t even read his message yet, so much for being bored at work.
Yamapi sighs and loads an episode of One Piece as the rain starts again. Why is it not even 10:00 yet. He misses Tokyo.
Ten minutes into his third episode the doorbell rings. Yamapi pauses the screen and stumbles to the door, flicking on the overhead light. It’s Boa, of course, in a thin T-shirt and leopard print harem pants looking like she wandered under a waterfall on her way over.
“Yo, Tomo-kun.” She steps in as soon as he opens the door without waiting to be asked, but it is raining after all. Yamapi sidesteps to let her in.
“Did you feed my developing child instant ramen with a side of preservatives?” Boa asks as she steps into the kitchen, dripping all over Yamapi’s shoes lined neatly at the door.
“Um, yes? Why?”
“I can smell it,” Boa says, leaning forward to sniff. “I suppose there aren’t leftovers?”
“Huh? Uh, no,” Yamapi apologizes with a small smile.
“Ramen doesn’t taste good after the noodles sit for awhile anyway.” Boa gestures briskly and drops her large, wet bag onto Yamapi’s sneakers.
“I could boil more water if you…”
“No no, ramen makes me bloated.” Boa pauses in the middle of the floor to yawn like a lioness, throwing back her head. “I hope you at least didn’t let Tae drink all the soup? Have you seen the sodium content on those nutrition labels?”
“Absolutely unwholesome,” Yamapi nods, nervously rubbing at his nose. Boa shakes her head like a disgruntled Shih Tzu and her ponytail peppers Yamapi’s shirt with rain. She folds her arms across her chest and raises a soggy eyebrow.
“Oh! Right. Tae-kun is…” Yamapi gestures vaguely to the slightly open door to the bedroom. “He’s asleep.”
“Aw, poor baby!” Boa wails, skating forward towards the sliding doors. Her black lace footies squeak wetly on the floor. Yamapi follows slowly behind her, quietly collecting Taemin’s discarded sweater and the scatter of pokemon cards that fell out of his backpack at some point from the floor.
“Taemin-ah! Wake up, sweetie! Mommy’s sorry…!” Yamapi can’t quite catch all of Boa’s hurried Korean as she rushes to kneel by the bed. She smears a damp palm on Yamapi’s comforter before reaching to soothe Taemin’s sweaty bangs back from his forehead.
Yamapi trips over Taemin’s backpack, cussing under his breath at the throb of pain through his metatarsals and the ominous rattling sound the contents of the bag make. Taemin stirs with a quiet moan, squinting at the dim light through the opened doorway.
“Let’s go home, baby!” Boa helps her son sit up and smooths her thumbs across the fine arches of his eyebrows, rubs gentle knuckles across his shoulders.
“Not...a baby!” he huffs groggily, dragging a clumsy fist across his bleary eyes.
“Yosh! Up you go!” Taemin gives a shuddering sigh as his mother hoists him to his feet. He wobbles for a second in his sock feet, then stills and holds his arms out patiently as Boa kneels to dress him in the sweater and rain coat Yamapi holds out to her.
"Do you want to borrow my umbrella?" Yamapi holds up his big black collapsible umbrella as Boa struggles to fit Taemin's floppy feet into his tiny sneakers.
"You're the best, Tomo-kun." Boa swipes the umbrella from his hands and grabs her purse from the floor, scattering Yamapi's shoes across the entryway. "Sorry." She hoists Taemin onto her hip and he winds his arms around her neck like a baby lemur.
"Bye, Tae-kun," Yamapi waves.
"See you tomorrow," Boa calls over her shoulder and slams the door behind her.
Yamapi sighs and bends to straighten his shoes. He really should mop up the wet spots on his floor, but he totally doesn't feel like it. He check his phone again: still no messages from Jaejoong.
Yamapi grabs the dinner trash from the counter and dutifully sorts, making sure the chopstick wrappers make it into the recycling and don't get mixed in with the wastes. He brushes his teeth, sets an alarm for 6:14, and turns out the lights. It's barely 11:00 but he figures it's late enough to just go to bed. If his 15-year-old self could see him now...Yamapi shakes his head with a soft laugh that ends in an unexpected yawn. He runs his fingers through his messy hair and pounces on his phone as it buzzes, the alert notification lighting up the dark room with a faint glow.
It's from Jaejoong!
→ 11:08 PM: Sorry, I had to go break up a cat fight at the vending machine ><
← 11:09 PM: Haha wow, that sounds exciting ^^
→ 11:09 PM: Tell me about it (--.--)
→ 11:09 PM: I'm going home now, Jalja~!
← 11:10 PM: Oyasumi :)
Yamapi yawns again and watches his phone screen fade to black just as the clock changes to 11:11. He falls asleep in a matter of minutes, his chest full to bursting with wishes for tomorrow.
Pairings/Characters: Jaejoong/Yamapi
Rating/Warnings: T for language and (eventual) making out
Disclaimer: I own nothing; written just for fun
Summary: Yamapi discovers the joys of babysitting
A/N: Have some more chibi!Taemin ;)
Heart Abroad, Part 13
On the Monday after the long vacation Yamapi is a little apprehensive walking up to the academic building. He expects everyone to be restless and dragging their feet but surprisingly enough the kids come back refreshed and excited to share all about their breaks. In intimate detail.
Chanyeol shares that his sister Yura got carsick in the heavy traffic on the way to Seoul and then asks Yamapi how much makgeolli he drank.
Baekhyun brags about hitting up some holiday sales with his mom and adding a few new shades of eyeliner to his collection. He jumps up and starts strutting in the aisles to model the limited edition Shimmering Shamrock, which matches the plaid of his uniform precisely, until Yamapi escorts him back to his seat.
Minseok shares that he spent the whole break in the woods with his uncle collecting chestnuts and has a tan and a new pet lizard to prove it.
Joonmyun, who is usually an attentive student, confuses the kanji for “time” with the kanji for “temple” and has to be corrected three times. It’s such an elementary mistake that Yamapi sincerely asks the glazed over student if he needs to visit the health office.
Joonmyun blushes furiously and hastily explains that he’s fine, he just got 4 hours of sleep total the whole break because his older cousin, Kyuhyun, kept him awake to play videogames and watch the holiday special (which, by the way, was Werewolf Boy with the beautiful Park Boyoung, and Yamapi totally needs to watch it if he hasn’t).
Basically, Yamapi learns that Chuseok is exhausting but exponentially more exciting. He kind of feels tired just listening to all the adventures that happened while he was vegetating on an ancient couch with an endless supply of makgeolli at his elbow.
After seven hours of all the happy feels he’s definitely surprised when Boa pops into the gyomushil at the end of 7th period all nervous and tense.
“So can I ask you a favor?” Yamapi pulls out one of his earbuds to find Boa hovering at the edge of his desk.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Yamapi asks quickly. Boa doesn’t hover, and she never asks for favors, she just gives orders.
“Something came up and Yunho’s out of town, and I’m already late to pick up Tae...can you watch him for a bit til I get back?” She twists her pinstriped lime green scarf between agitated fingers.
“Sure, what--”
“You’re an angel! Here’s his extra jacket in case it starts raining.” Boa tosses a tiny blue rain slicker at him, grabs her purse, and dashes out the door, already dialing someone on her cell.
Yamapi packs his desk up, takes his leave of the office stragglers, and changes his shoes.
No one’s in the courtyard. The late afternoon is peaceful, almost drowsy in its stillness. He unlocks his bike and and zips down the steep hill, grateful it’s not raining yet and he doesn’t have to balance an umbrella while navigating the switchbacks.
He coasts down the gentle incline of the road at the bottom of the Hill of Doom as quickly as he dares, making it to the kindergarten at the end of the street in record time. It looks exactly the same as always, fading pink plastic fence and crooked shutters, but it seems forlorn and a little sinister in the fast fading light of dusk.
Yamapi leans his bike against the fence without bothering with the lock. The front gate swings open with a creak and Yamapi shudders a little as the breeze picks up through the trees. He’s growing more and more certain that he never wants to walk through this playground after dark. There’s probably a haunted pet goldfish graveyard out back or something. Yamapi shudders.
The light doesn’t appear to be on and no one answers his tentative knock but the door pushes open.
Yamapi stands in the doorway a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light. The front room is low ceilinged and even darker than it is outside, though spacious and lined with shelves that seem to house a variety of toys and books. Through a half open doorway in the back spills warm yellow light.
“Uh, hello?” Yamapi calls, unsure whether to remove his shoes and just enter or to wait; kindergartens have rules about visitors and stuff, right?
“Yes?” A ragged voice precedes the quiet padding feet of a middle aged woman in a colorful patchwork apron. She halts halfway across the floor, leaning forward with hands on her hips to assess her visitor.
“I...Ms. Kwon--”
“Well who are you?” She sounds impatient, but not really angry.
“I’m Yamashita, the foreign teacher from--”
“Hyung!”
Taemin appears in the far doorway and dashes across the open space to attach himself to Yamapi’s leg like a koala. A koala that’s been dipped in sorghum molasses and rubber cement.
“Whoa! Uh, hi, Min.” Yamapi throws out his arms to balance himself. Taemin squeezes tighter.
“Well, finally.” The woman heads for a dark corner and returns with Taemin’s dolphin backpack and a pair of well loved sneakers. Taemin lets go of Yamapi long enough to slip into his shoes as the woman helps him with his backpack.
“Goodbye!” Taemin folds into a quick bow and runs down the steps to the gate.
“Bye, Taemin! Go home safely!” The woman waves goodbye from the doorway as Yamapi follows quickly after the boy. He feels strange just walking out of here with Taemin without signing anything or even having managed to explain himself, but he guesses Boa must have called the teacher.
“My tummy hurts!” Taemin announces as Yamapi is bending to retrieve his bike from the cracked pavement.
“Are you sick? What’s wrong?” Yamapi asks quickly, forgetting to use Korean he’s so worried.
“Hungry…” Taemin moans in a weak voice. Oh. Well that at least is something Yamapi knows how to fix.
“Let’s go! Let’s eat something delicious! What do you like to eat?”
“Steak!” Taemin perks up at the mention of food, bouncing on his heels.
“How about ramen?” Yamapi suggests in the most appealing voice he can muster. There’s probably not much else in his apartment and it’s a little too late to think about shopping first.
“Ok,” Taemin readily agrees. He shoves a small fist into the pocket of Yamapi’s jacket and latches onto the lining as Yamapi adjusts his grip on the handle bars. “Can we go home now?”
“Uh...let’s go somewhere...special first! You haven’t been to Hyung’s room before, have you?” Taemin shakes his head slowly, his eyes wide.
“What’s inside...secret, it’s secret,” Yamapi bends to whisper in his ear. “If you see, you can’t tell anyone, not even Mommy. Deal?”
“Deal!” Taemin whispers back solemnly.
“Ok! Let’s go!”
It’s usually a twenty minute walk back to Yamapi’s apartment, but with Taemin’s short legs it takes more like thirty and the street lamps flicker to life just as they reach the courtyard of Yamapi’s apartment.
Taemin yawns loudly as Yamapi locks his bike into the rack. The eggshells Landlady Imo dropped there weeks ago are still lying in the dirt, slightly embedded in the dust after a month long procession of footsteps and fall rain.
“Hey, we’re almost there,” Yamapi soothes in quiet Japanese, scooping Taemin up in his arms.
“No, Hyung! Piggyback,” Taemin protests being held like a child, wriggling insistently in Yamapi’s arms. Yamapi has no idea how Taemin knows that vocabulary word (unless Boa’s started him in on the J-dramas a little young?) but he obliges with a tired smile.
Taemin regains some of his energy astride Yamapi’s shoulders, gently kicking his heels against Yamapi’s chest, tiny fingers fisted in his hair.
“Faster, Hyung, faster!” Taemin gives a yank on his handful of hair and Yamapi winces. “Can you run up the stairs?”
“If I drop you, your mom will kill me,” Yamapi grunts, readjusting the strap of his heavy work bag, but he takes the stairs at a slow jog, huffing and completely winded by the time he reaches the top. He has seriously got to find a gym in town. Maybe he should ask Heechul-hyung about--nah, Yunho is probably a much better resource for information related to physical activity.
“Here it is...the very special place,” Yamapi whispers dramatically as he unlocks his door and slowly pulls it open.
“Wow!” Taemin gasps when Yamapi hits the lights on. “Your bed is hugigantic!” He starts clambering down from his perch head first like a rabid squirrel.
“Ouch!” Yamapi hisses as a ragged fingernail finds his earlobe and a sharp elbow jabs his kidney. “Hey, hey! Shoes!” He catches Taemin by the hood of his zip-up before the boy can make it past the entryway threshold in his grubby sneakers. Light-ups or not, Yamapi doesn’t need footprints on his bed (never mind the fact he’s been sleeping on the floor mostly anyway).
Taemin slips out of his shoes and shrugs off his hoodie, making straight for the alluring mattress.
Yamapi opens the cabinet above his sink and digs around as the mattress springs start to sing. Soy sauce, cooking oil, take-out menus, ahah! Ramen.
“Do you want spicy ramen? Pork flavor?” Yamapi calls over his shoulder to the kid enthusiastically bouncing all over his bed.
“Is there the potato noodle kind?” Taemin answers between whoops of bed-domination.
“There is potato noodle ramen?” No one bothered to inform Yamapi of this important fact either, apparently. And potatoes are so delicious.
“It’s soooo good!” Taemin moans in Korean, his voice hitching and jarring in cadence with his jumps.
“Where...we can buy it?” Yamapi strips off his own jacket and throws it on top of Taemin’s on the table.
“Dunno.” Taemin gives one last terrific jump and flops onto his back in a pile of pillows, panting.
“Let’s have the spicy kind then,” Yamapi suggests. He fills the electric kettle and plugs it into the wall.
Taemin wanders in to attach himself to Yamapi’s leg just as the kettle’s humming builds to a high pitched whine. Yamapi fills two paper bowls of spicy ramen precisely to the fill line. Taemin reaches hungrily for a bowl as soon as Yamapi folds down the paper lids.
“Why don’t you you be the Chopstick Master?” Yamapi points to the purple 2NE1 mug on the edge of the counter that houses his measly collection of utensils. “Do you think you can pick out chopsticks for both of us?” Taemin’s dark eyes go wide and then he nods quickly.
Yamapi keeps an eye on him as he slides the table through the sliding doors to rest between his bed and the TV. The counter is a little high for him, but Taemin carefully takes down the mug with both hands and drops to his knees to contemplate his options. When Yamapi returns for the noodles Taemin holds up two pair of convenience store chopsticks for inspection.
“Are these ok, Hyung?” One wrapper has the 7-Eleven logo printed in red, the other says “GS25” in green ink.
“Excellent choices,” Yamapi nods, and Taemin’s keen expression breaks into a sly smile, as though he had been sure of his selections all along. Yamapi carefully navigates around the small mounds of laundry and half read books cluttering the floor, balancing a steaming noodle cup in each palm. Taemin bounds ahead of him into the other room and crouches expectantly at the edge of the table.
“Chopstick Master, would you do me the honor of opening this?” Yamapi solemnly hands over his designated pair, the 7-Eleven ones,
to be opened. Taemin takes a deep breath, rips open the paper at the top, and hands them back. Yamapi accepts the package with both hands and a slow bow.
“Are they ready yet?” Taemin pokes at the soggy paper lid of his bowl as Yamapi rolls up his shirt sleeves. It’s starting to rain outside, a soft steady fall that will have drenched the earth through by morning.
“You know, chopsticks are very important to a meal’s success,” Yamapi says, searching with his hand along the floor for the TV remote. “If you pick the wrong pair, the food won’t taste right.” Taemin tugs on a small pink earlobe, narrowing his eyes skeptically, but he sits up a moment later and returns his attention to his noodles, sufficiently satisfied that he’s not being teased.
“It smells...nice.” Taemin yawns, sliding fingers into his messy brown hair. Yamapi checks his phone. Yup, the ramen should be cooked through now. He pulls off the paper wrappers, taking care not to fling greasy condensation from their undersides across the room. Yamapi starts to crumple the paper trash in his fist but a horrified gasp from Taemin makes him freeze.
“Tomo-hyung, wait!” Taemin snatches the paper lids back and furrows his brow as he painstakingly folds one into quarters. He opens one fold, popping the triangle into a cone and hands it to Yamapi. Yamapi blinks at the sculpture in his hand. Is this some kind of Korean origami mealtime ritual?
“What--?”
“Like this!” Taemin announces imperiously as soon as his cone is ready too. He twirls a length of steaming noodles around his chopsticks and rests the ends of them into the paper cone and blows. The force of Taemin’s lung capacity splatters tiny droplets of orange broth onto the table and the front of Yamapi’s white shirt but he just snaps his chopsticks apart and copies his tiny teacher. It’s a good thing dry cleaning is so cheap in Korea, what with all the kimchi and greasy red sauces at every meal.
“Itadakimasu!” Yamapi blows on his ramen, too.
“Jalmeoggessumida,” Taemin mumbles, already shoving the noodles into his mouth. The cheap wooden chopsticks are a little clumsy in his small hands, but Taemin makes up for undeveloped fine motor skills with enthusiasm.
They eat quickly, only stopping to take short, panting breaths as the spicy soup and the steam warm them from the inside out.
Yamapi drinks the last drop of broth just as there’s a lull in the rain, snagging the bits of green onion and reconstituted vegetables sticking to the bowl on the tips of his chopsticks with a flick of wrist. Taemin has downed the majority of his serving, quite a bit more than Yamapi expected to fit in his flat little stomach, but he stares down at the remaining fourth left in his bowl for a moment before shoving the carton across the table for Yamapi to finish.
“Hyung, you make the most delicious ramen!” Taemin leans back against the mattress with a heavy sigh and lets his eyes flutter closed, a contented kitten smile on his face. Yamapi laughs.
“Oh really? Are you sure it’s the best?”
“Definitely. Way better than my mom’s,” Taemin mumbles sleepily, as if the quality of Boa’s rendition of instant noodles could vary that significantly. It must be the chopsticks, after all.
Yamapi tries not to snicker at the picture of perfect satisfaction yawning lazily on the floor next to him. This kid is something else. Yamapi’s a little scared to think of how irresistible his liquid charm will be when he’s 17 and all the girls are after a piece of him.
“Tae-kun~! Are you sleepy? You can take a nap in Hyung’s bed.” It sounds a little weird inserting Korean honorifics into Japanese speech, but Yamapi ain’t gonna lie, his heart squeezes a little every time Taemin calls him “hyung”. It’s like the adorable automatically ratchets up an extra notch. Or five.
“Nooo!”
At the mention of a nap Taemin is immediately upright to combat the threat, opening his eyes as wide as he can force them. “Not sleepy! No! And we didn’t try out Hyung’s TV yet!”
“TV?”
“Yes! Whenever you visit someone, you have to try out their TV before you leave.” He scowls disapprovingly at Yamapi as if offended that someone could not understand such a universally acknowledged truth.
“Oh really now?”
“Yes. Very important.” Taemin primly balances his chopsticks, stained orange to the hilts, on the rim of his empty bowl. “And Hyung’s TV is secret,” he adds in solemn whisper.
“Ok, good point,” Yamapi whispers back as he stacks their trash. “What do you want to watch? Pororo?” he asks, naming the only Korean kid’s show he’s heard of even though he has no idea when it’s on, or even which channel.
“Pororo is for babies!” Taemin’s nose wrinkles dangerously, as if he’s about to burst into tears or let loose an explosive sneeze.
“Sorry,” Yamapi apologizes sincerely, scooting the pile of trash to the end of the table and grabbing the remote.
“Can we watch Kunonome-hime?” Taemin pulls the remote out of Yamapi’s hands and switches the TV to DVD mode. Yamapi still hasn’t figured out half the buttons.
“What?”
“Kunonome-hime, it’s my favorite.”
“Is that a Korean movie, or a--”
“Geez, Hyung.” Taemin rolls his eyes and slaps a palm to his forehead. “It’s Japanese. Aren’t you Japanese, too?” Yamapi smiles hesitantly as he is judged harshly from across the table.
“Umm, repeat again...what’s the name again?”
“Ku-no-no-me. Hi-me. Princess Kunonome?”
“Do you mean...Mononoke-hime?” Yamapi asks loudly, the light bulb suddenly flickering on. “With the...wolf...girl, and the...the…”
“San and Ashitaka?” Taemin fills in, tapping a fingernail against the table with an unimpressed expression eerily reminiscent of his mother’s.
“I don’t have it on DVD,” Yamapi considers. “But I’m sure we can find it online!” he finishes just as Taemin’s face crumples until he looks on the verge of tears for real this time.
“Ok.” Taemin smiles and calmly turns off the TV. “But you have to invite me over to watch TV next time.”
“Ok,” Yamapi agrees, booting his computer and waiting for the internet to load. It isn’t difficult to find a heavily seeded torrent for the movie. Yamapi changes into a T-shirt and gym shorts and tries to pick up the room a bit before Boa’s arrival while they wait. Taemin occupies himself by downloading his favorite games and essential apps to Yamapi’s phone while maintaining a meandering monologue on some idol group named Crayon Pop.
It’s almost 7:00 by the time they start the movie, wrapped up together in Yamapi’s down comforter and slumped against the bed. Taemin sings along with the ominous overtones of the opening theme. Yamapi hasn’t seen this film in...forever. He can’t remember the ending at all, except he has a vague notion it’s rather sad.
At the first hint of action Taemin snuggles close, tucking his head under Yamapi’s chin and worming warm fingers into Yamapi’s own. The tousled mop of soft brown hair partly obscures Yamapi’s view, but he’s already having trouble focusing his eyes on the bright screen in the dark room. He lets his eyelids ease shut and folds Taemin more securely into his arms, content to listen. It’s so quiet now that the rain has stopped, only Taemin’s soft hums of surprise or gasps of horror competing with the soundtrack’s soaring themes.
Yamapi awakes with a start, his eyes flashing open to catch a stampede of wild boars on screen. He groans softly as he registers the crick in his neck and the barren desert spreading in his dry mouth. He has no idea how long he’s been asleep, but the battle scene is far into the film if he’s remembering correctly. Taemin is heavy and still against his chest.
“Tae-kun,” Yamapi murmurs gently against the sleeping boy’s forehead. “Taemin?” He’s fast asleep, his breaths slow and deep. Yamapi carefully shifts his weight, sliding Taemin’s limp form forward until he can kneel to scoop the tangle of blankets and limbs onto the bed. He tucks in the top coverlet and Taemin suddenly stirs, reaching up with a whimper. Yamapi freezes. Please don’t wake up, please stay asleep, he thinks desperately. He has no idea what he’s supposed to do if Taemin starts to cry.
“Hyung,” Taemin mumbles, rolling into the pile of pillows and blankets until his voice is muffled further.
“Hmm?”
“Don’t forget...recycling...chopstick wrappers...”
“Recycling?” Yamapi whispers in confusion, rubbing at the knots in his neck.
“We have to...protect the earth,” Taemin mutters, yawning widely and licking his lips. His eyes stay closed though, and he shows no signs of bursting into tears. Yamapi heaves a sigh of relief as silently as he can as Taemin’s breathing slows again.
“Ok, Tae-kun.” Yamapi pulls the comforter up to his chin. “Sweet dreams.”
Yamapi drags the table back to the kitchen and eases the door nearly shut so the light above the sink won’t disturb his sleeping guest. He plugs his laptop into the outlet by the sink and waits for the WI-FI to decide to be his friend again.
It’s not quite 9 PM now. He could check and see if his mom’s online and wants to skype; it’s been more than two weeks since they last talked in person. Or, he could watch some more One Piece…
His phone buzzes in his pocket and he jumps in surprise, banging his shin against the low table top. Scowling at the throb of pain Yamapi fishes out his phone to find a new message from an unknown sender. Fucking spam, giving him bruises. Yamapi clicks his tongue in annoyance and opens it anyway.
→ 8:47 PM Tomo-kun! Guess who this is :P
Yamapi squints at the tiny screen for a moment before typing a hasty reply and hitting send, a small ripple of anticipation waving through his gut.
← 8:48 PM Um...Jaejoong-san?
→ 8:48 PM how did you know?? O.o
← 8:49 PM How many people do I know with a Korean phone number who speak Japanese?
→ 8:50 PM Oh…
→ 8:50 PM And cut the honorifics...Eri-chan told you, we’re the same age xP
← 8:51 PM Ok ^^
→ 8:51 PM dude, why do you not have a katak?
← 8:51 PM A what?
→ 8:52 PM you need to download katak NOW!
← 8:52 PM download what?
→ 8:53 PM ><
→ 8:53 PM Kakao Talk
→ 8:54 PM It’s a free messaging app
→ 8:55 PM download now on Google Play Store!
← 8:55 PM Ok...why?
→ 8:56 PM >< so I can message you when I’m bored at work
← 8:57 PM You’re still at work??
→ 8:57 PM yeah, I’m a homeroom teacher, remember? I have to supervise night study
← 8:57 PM Oh. Ok.
← 8:58 PM hang on…
Yamapi impatiently wades through the clusters of new icons for apps that Taemin must have downloaded and hops on Google Play Store to search for Kakao. It comes up right away and he presses download. He taps his toes in a staccato against the kitchen floor as he waits.
He’s ecstatic when it loads, and the yellow speech bubble emblazoned with black looks like royal livery. Well, Yamapi thinks smugly, it is delivering messages to a prince.
Oh no, did his head really just think that? That’s just embarrassing. He needs to get ahold of himself before he completely slips up and says something incriminating in front of Jaejoong, although who knows when they’ll meet again.
The first thing Yamapi does is open a chat with Jaejoong and then spam him with stickers. Hey, this is almost as good as Line! Although some of the sticker characters look a bit creepy.
Thirty seconds later, a reply from Jae pops up. Yamapi almost drops the phone as it buzzes loudly in his hand. It’s a sticker of a face grinning and winking smarmily. Yamapi’s heart almost bursts with giddy happiness. He sends back a face winking innocently.
The next thing Yamapi does is hop online to pester Ryo.
Yes! He’s in their IM chat room.
Yamapiiiink: Good morning, beautiful.
Sexyosakaman84: dont beautiful me, you asshole
Yamapiiiink: So, you should download kakaotalk. Now.
Sexyosakaman84: what?
Yamapiiiink: It's this awesome korean messaging app~!
Sexyosakaman84: .....no.
Yamapiiiink: come on! its way better than Line.
Yamapiiiink: dooooo iiiiiiit!
Sexyosakaman84: I seriously doubt it. unless you mean that the stickers are even weirder and grosser.
Yamapiiiink: ........
Sexyosakaman84: I guess thats my answer.
Yamapiiiink: Oh come on! please?
Sexyosakaman84: no! I dont even like Line!
Yamapiiiink: Then why did you bother to defend its virtue against its rival?
Yamapiiiink: Just download it~ ^^
Sexyosakaman84: hows the dumb app spelled?
"Yes!" Yamapi fist pumps in his empty apartment, probably way more excited over this than he should be, but it's been a long and strange day and he could always use some more Nishikido Ryo in his life.
Yamapiiiink: so when you gonna come visit me? ???
Ryo ignores him. Or maybe downloading takes all of his attention.
20 minutes later (or maybe it’s five, Yamapi got tired of waiting and went all the way across the room to dig through his empty fridge), Yamapi’s phone vibrates and he dives onto the ondol next to the table, reaching for his phone.
Ryo’s intro message is a string of cuss words and inappropriate stickers...where did he even download those? Yamapi types a hasty message into the reply box.
← 9:17 PM: This is you dwarf, right?
If the user name is iluvmayokissmyass Yamapi thinks it's gotta be, but better safe than sorry with the internet these days.
The response is a string of insults and emoticons dripping blood. Yup, it's Ryo.
Yamapi sends a gleeful puppy with a wagging tail in return. Good. Now they can stay up late messaging. He’s missed texting Ryo.
Yamapi tells him so in a bedazzled message.
→ 9:23 PM: what the?
→ 9:23 PM: Pii, you were spamming me on line til 4 last night! what exactly did you miss?
Yamapi grins. No wonder he was tired this morning. Was it really four by the time he fell asleep?
← 9:24 PM: I missed you~
→ 9:25 PM: gross! xp
← 9:26 PM: So are you gonna visit me?
← 9:27 PM: If you’re afraid of planes, the ferry to Busan only takes three hours~
← 9:27 PM: ;)
Lightning bolts flash on the screen in reply.
Then a pirate flag.
← 9:29 PM: Where are you finding these stickers?
← 9:30 PM: Are you saying you’re afraid of boats too?
Yamapi glances up at a soft ping from his computer. Ryo’s back on IM.
Sexyosakaman84: Pi, look.
Sexyosakaman84: Dude.
Sexyosakaman84: Number one, I’m not afraid of anything.
Sexyosakaman84: Number two, I’d steal all your booty if i came within a ten kilometer radius.
Sexyosakaman84: Number three, I thought you left because you needed space?
Sexyosakaman84: and last but not least, whether or not you care, I’m busy and have a life too. I don’t have time to keep you company every time a girl dumps you.
Yamapi stares at the screen. The last two lines hurt, just a little bit, between his ribs.
Sexyosakaman84: thats what this is about right?
Sexyosakaman84: Pi? hello?
Sexyosakaman84: you always get clingy and send too many flowery texts when you’re disappointed in love.
Yamapi freezes. Wait, what? He doesn’t type anything, his hands fluttering over the keys but not managing to push the buttons as
his synapses rapid fire.
Sexyosakaman84: ><
Sexyosakaman84: I knew it.
Sexyosakaman84: its girl problems.
The knot of anticipation in Yamapi's stomach starts to loosen into a floppy jellyfish of nausea.
Sexyosakaman84: man, listen, Im really busy this week, but if youre still messed up by Friday, book a weekend flight home and well hit Roppongi.
The corners of Yamapi’s eyes sting and he rubs them harshly with the heels of his sweaty hands before typing back.
Yamapiiiink: Who’s messed up? ;)
Yamapi forces himself to erase the guffawing emoticon he added to end before hitting enter. Ryo can always immediately tell when he's trying too hard.
Ryo’s still not convinced.
Sexyosakaman84: just come home Pi. oull feel better after some ramen and beer.
Yamapiiiink: korean beer is better.
Sexyosakaman84: no its not both are shit.
Yamapi can’t help but laugh, his gut aching.
Yamapiiiink: Why are you trying to feed it to me then?
Sexyosakaman84: because youre an oblivious jerk so its what you deserve and you wouldnt care anyway.
Yamapi smiles sharply.
Yamapiiiink: That’s probably....all true.
Sexyosakaman84: just come home.
Yamapiiiink: I cant…
Sexyosakaman84: what?
There are no accompanying emoticons or superfluous punctuation marks, but Yamapi can palpably feel the intensity in Ryo’s words from how fast he types them.
Yamapiiiink: Ryo, it’s in my contract.
Sexyosakaman84: what?
This one’s incredulous.
Sexyosakaman84: you signed something that said you cant come home?
Sexyosakaman84: are you an idiot?!
Sexyosakaman84: dont answer that!
Yamapiiiink: Ryo…
Yamapi waits for him to fold his arms like he knows he’s doing.
Yamapiiiink: Apparently the last native teacher was something of a flake and missed a lot of Mondays passed out in Tokyo
Yamapiiiink: or Bangkok
Yamapiiiink: or
Sexyosakaman84: dude! and they just assume you’ll do the same? because they think every japanese is the fucking same?!?
Yamapiiiink: Ryo, breathe.
Sexyosakaman84: :P
Yamapiiiink: That’s a good boy :)
Sexyosakaman84: I hate you!
Yamapiiiink: It’s...kinda understandable? in a way?
Sexyosakaman84: theyre stupid.
Sexyosakaman84: youre stupid!
Yamapiiiink: They want me to take the job seriously. That’s a good thing.
Yamapiiiink: It means they’re taking me seriously.
Yamapiiiink: It’s nice to have some expectations for a change.
Sexyosakaman84: well, I guess youll be fine... it doesnt seem like the bars been set too high
Sexyosakaman84: ^^
"Bastard," Yamapi growls, but types back,
Yamapiiiink: I’m a big boy Ryo.
Yamapiiiink: :PP
Yamapiiiink: I can take care of myself three hours from home for a semester.
Sexyosakaman84: semester?
Yamapiiiink: I can come home at New Years?
Sexyosakaman84: why didnt you say so!
Yamapiiiink: Aww~! I miss you too ^^
Sexyosakaman84: I hate you.
Yamapiiiink: You already said that.
Sexyosakaman84: Fuck you.
Yamapiiiink: I’ll try my best~! ^^
Pi is surprised his browser doesn’t crash from the toxic assault on the Japanese language that follows, a vulgar mix of garbled Kansai-ben and Tokyo slang.
Yamapiiiink: Dude, don’t break Japanese! I have to teach that shit on Monday :P
Sexyosakaman84: good luck and goodbye.
Sexyosakaman84: jerk
Yamapiiiink: So you’re coming?
Sexyosakaman84: fuck you
Sexyosakaman84: Yes.
Yamapiiiink: When? You pick the day!! *\(^_^)/*
Sexyosakaman84: ><
Sexyosakaman84: Im too tired for this.
Yamapi fist pumps again.
Ryo’s gonna love Korea.
As soon as Ryo’s offline (although really, he probably just signed off of messenger and will be surfing the web until 4:00 again) Yamapi turns back to his phone. His message to Jaejoong is still unanswered. Yamapi folds his arms and pouts at his computer screen. Jaejoong hasn’t even read his message yet, so much for being bored at work.
Yamapi sighs and loads an episode of One Piece as the rain starts again. Why is it not even 10:00 yet. He misses Tokyo.
Ten minutes into his third episode the doorbell rings. Yamapi pauses the screen and stumbles to the door, flicking on the overhead light. It’s Boa, of course, in a thin T-shirt and leopard print harem pants looking like she wandered under a waterfall on her way over.
“Yo, Tomo-kun.” She steps in as soon as he opens the door without waiting to be asked, but it is raining after all. Yamapi sidesteps to let her in.
“Did you feed my developing child instant ramen with a side of preservatives?” Boa asks as she steps into the kitchen, dripping all over Yamapi’s shoes lined neatly at the door.
“Um, yes? Why?”
“I can smell it,” Boa says, leaning forward to sniff. “I suppose there aren’t leftovers?”
“Huh? Uh, no,” Yamapi apologizes with a small smile.
“Ramen doesn’t taste good after the noodles sit for awhile anyway.” Boa gestures briskly and drops her large, wet bag onto Yamapi’s sneakers.
“I could boil more water if you…”
“No no, ramen makes me bloated.” Boa pauses in the middle of the floor to yawn like a lioness, throwing back her head. “I hope you at least didn’t let Tae drink all the soup? Have you seen the sodium content on those nutrition labels?”
“Absolutely unwholesome,” Yamapi nods, nervously rubbing at his nose. Boa shakes her head like a disgruntled Shih Tzu and her ponytail peppers Yamapi’s shirt with rain. She folds her arms across her chest and raises a soggy eyebrow.
“Oh! Right. Tae-kun is…” Yamapi gestures vaguely to the slightly open door to the bedroom. “He’s asleep.”
“Aw, poor baby!” Boa wails, skating forward towards the sliding doors. Her black lace footies squeak wetly on the floor. Yamapi follows slowly behind her, quietly collecting Taemin’s discarded sweater and the scatter of pokemon cards that fell out of his backpack at some point from the floor.
“Taemin-ah! Wake up, sweetie! Mommy’s sorry…!” Yamapi can’t quite catch all of Boa’s hurried Korean as she rushes to kneel by the bed. She smears a damp palm on Yamapi’s comforter before reaching to soothe Taemin’s sweaty bangs back from his forehead.
Yamapi trips over Taemin’s backpack, cussing under his breath at the throb of pain through his metatarsals and the ominous rattling sound the contents of the bag make. Taemin stirs with a quiet moan, squinting at the dim light through the opened doorway.
“Let’s go home, baby!” Boa helps her son sit up and smooths her thumbs across the fine arches of his eyebrows, rubs gentle knuckles across his shoulders.
“Not...a baby!” he huffs groggily, dragging a clumsy fist across his bleary eyes.
“Yosh! Up you go!” Taemin gives a shuddering sigh as his mother hoists him to his feet. He wobbles for a second in his sock feet, then stills and holds his arms out patiently as Boa kneels to dress him in the sweater and rain coat Yamapi holds out to her.
"Do you want to borrow my umbrella?" Yamapi holds up his big black collapsible umbrella as Boa struggles to fit Taemin's floppy feet into his tiny sneakers.
"You're the best, Tomo-kun." Boa swipes the umbrella from his hands and grabs her purse from the floor, scattering Yamapi's shoes across the entryway. "Sorry." She hoists Taemin onto her hip and he winds his arms around her neck like a baby lemur.
"Bye, Tae-kun," Yamapi waves.
"See you tomorrow," Boa calls over her shoulder and slams the door behind her.
Yamapi sighs and bends to straighten his shoes. He really should mop up the wet spots on his floor, but he totally doesn't feel like it. He check his phone again: still no messages from Jaejoong.
Yamapi grabs the dinner trash from the counter and dutifully sorts, making sure the chopstick wrappers make it into the recycling and don't get mixed in with the wastes. He brushes his teeth, sets an alarm for 6:14, and turns out the lights. It's barely 11:00 but he figures it's late enough to just go to bed. If his 15-year-old self could see him now...Yamapi shakes his head with a soft laugh that ends in an unexpected yawn. He runs his fingers through his messy hair and pounces on his phone as it buzzes, the alert notification lighting up the dark room with a faint glow.
It's from Jaejoong!
→ 11:08 PM: Sorry, I had to go break up a cat fight at the vending machine ><
← 11:09 PM: Haha wow, that sounds exciting ^^
→ 11:09 PM: Tell me about it (--.--)
→ 11:09 PM: I'm going home now, Jalja~!
← 11:10 PM: Oyasumi :)
Yamapi yawns again and watches his phone screen fade to black just as the clock changes to 11:11. He falls asleep in a matter of minutes, his chest full to bursting with wishes for tomorrow.