Remind Me (part 1, chapter 5)
Chapter 5 - The Long Awaited
Yoochun decides that they should keep their new friendship a secret.
"We're friends. But me and the You that actually belongs here, aren't. Hyung, this is for the best. I don’t think it’s a good idea to make anyone else suspicious that you're, you know, not really you."
Jaejoong’s argument is mostly just to pout and whine. "But, Yoochunnie, I don't think I know how to NOT be your friend."
Yoochun hugs him and promises to lure Changmin to the music room the next night. "I'll charm some extra cookies from the lunch ladies and use them against Min."
It sounds like something his Yoochun would do to his Changmin and Jaejoong finds himself reluctantly agreeing.
The next morning they head to breakfast separately, where Yoochun acts like Jaejoong doesn't exist and Jaejoong tries to do the same. Of course he still sneaks glances at Yoochun, Changmin, and Yunho, but only when Hyunjoong and Seunghyun aren't paying attention. Yunho leaves the dining hall early once more, a bottled juice and brown paper bag in his hands, and Jaejoong makes a mental note to ask Yoochun about that later.
School still sucks as bad as Jaejoong remembers, and he's as bad at it here as he was in his own world. The only real pleasure he finds is the three times a day he gets to spend in the dining hall eating and pretending not to look at 2UMin. Jaejoong also really likes English class, where he gets to stare at Yunho’s back for an entire hour and fifteen minutes. Sure, Yunho ignores all of his attempts to start a conversation, but Jaejoong still has the best time ever!
How?
Easy.
Jaejoong amuses himself by yelling out random things like, "Oh, my god, sun!" and "long time no see" (thank you, Junsu) while Yunho’s in the middle of answering questions from the teacher. Because, yes, riling up Yunho in this world is just as much fun as riling up Yunho in his own world.
By the time dinner's done and he and Yoochun are back in their dorm room, Jaejoong feels better than he has in...well, since he suddenly woke up here.
“Yoochunnie, do you know where Yunho goes when he leaves the dining hall early at every meal?”
“He leaves the dining hall early?” Yoochun repeats, pulling a notebook out of his backpack that he writes all his songs in.
"Well, I guess that answers that question.” Jaejoong mutters, following Yoochun out the door as they once again sneak their way to the music room. Jaejoong sighs and asks for the nth time. “Then, are you sure Changmin’s coming?"
"He's coming." Yoochun promises. "I drew him a map and everything."
Jaejoong finds out five minutes later that Yoochun isn’t lying…about any of it.
Changmin’s already waiting for them at the entrance to the music room and greets Yoochun with a, "Hyung, your map totally blows."
The maknae has a piece of paper dangling in his fingers, on which Jaejoong can make out blocks and arrows and something that looks like an "X" and a stick figure with Changmin’s haircut.
"Oh, like you could do better." Yoochun huffs indignantly, holding the classroom door open for all of them to walk through.
“Actually, I could." Changmin declares, taking out a pen from his pant's pocket and scribbling something on the paper before shoving it into Yoochun’s face.
Yoochun gapes at it. "That - that isn't even a map, it's a - a sentence!"
"Just read it." Changmin orders.
"Old music room, third floor."
Jaejoong has to admit that, to someone familiar with the school, Changmin’s one sentence is probably a lot easier to follow than Yoochun’s map.
"Oh, shut up." Yoochun growls, glaring at Jaejoong as if the older one had actually said all of that out loud.
Yoochun stomps over to the piano in the middle of the room and Jaejoong shrugs, thinking, soulmates.
Changmin finally recognizes Jaejoong’s presence with a pointed, "What are you doing here?"
Jaejoong winces at that and asks cautiously, "Do you hate me too, Changmin-shi?"
Changmin blinks. "Well, I don't actually know you - though based on everything I've heard about you, that's probably a good thing - but, no, I don't hate. I actually don't really care."
Jaejoong considers that response for a second, then smiles. "Better than I was expecting."
Yoochun sets up his flashlight and notebook on the piano and calls out. "Changmin-ah, I wrote a song and I want you to sing it."
Changmin snorts. Jaejoong thinks he can almost see the sarcasm gathering on the tip of Changmin’s tongue. "Do you want me to dance like a monkey too?"
Yoochun sets a plastic container of cookies on the piano bench beside him with a smirk. "Dance, monkey, dance."
Changmin hesitates for a whole half second, before hurrying over to take a seat next to Yoochun, hording the container onto his lap like a cherished child. "No dancing, but I'll sing." He bargains.
Yoochun grins, since that's all he really wanted anyway. "Deal."
Yoochun places his notebook in front of Changmin, page already open. "Can you read notes?"
"I'm a genius." Changming responds. "I can do anything."
Yoochun snorts and points to his notebook. "Then sing from here to here, genius."
"Watch me." Changmin states smugly, doing exactly as Yoochun requests, opening his mouth wide and hitting high notes that Yoochun’s always imagined but never thought possible.
"Min," Yoochun stares, awed. "You never told me you could sing."
It's Changmin's turn to smirk. "You never asked."
Changmin turns out to be exactly like Jaejoong’s own Changmin in both musical ability and character, and the night passes by like any other night would, if spent in the DBSK household. Yoochun's at his piano, Changmin's with his food, and Jaejoong watches over both of them with helpful suggestions or a teasing smirk and a one-touch every now and then. Jaejoong doesn't really feel surprised at how easy it turns out to be for the three of them to just...fall into place with each other. He just really, really misses Junsu and Yunho.
~~~
"Alright, you go first. I'll be, like, ten feet behind you." Yoochun tells Jaejoong the next morning as they’re about to leave for breakfast.
"Is Changmin coming to the music room tonight?" Jaejoong asks
"Yeah," Yoochun grumbles, "but I had to promise him muffins this time."
"He's the same way in my world, too." Jaejoong comforts, patting Yoochun on the shoulder before heading out. “See you later.”
Jaejoong still steals glances at Yunho during breakfast, but he doesn't have to do that with Yoochun or Changmin anymore. Instead, he and Yoochun exchange silly faces and hide smiles behind their hands, while Changmin simply rolls his eyes at the both of them. Seunghyun asks Hyunjoong if brain damage is curable or if this is what Jaejoong will be like from now on.
"Like what?" Jaejoong is curious.
Seunghyun shrugs. "I don't know...happy, I guess."
Jaejoong is so disturbed and distracted by that answer that he doesn't even notice Yoochun rushing out of the dining hall until he hears Changmin yell, "Hyung, where are you going?"
Jaejoong catches Changmin's eyes from across the room and Changmin shakes his head at the silent question. The younger one is already standing, stepping away from his table to head after Yoochun.
"Um," Jaejoong says quickly, pushing his unfinished food toward Seunghyun and rising. "I have to go to the bathroom. Okay, bye."
"Something about his song book being missing." Changmins says, the second Jaejoong catches up with him just outside of the double swinging doors.
"His song book? He had that in the music room last night." Jaejoong remembers.
"The music room!" Changmin and Jaejoong conclude simultaneously, instantly racing off down the hall.
When they arrive at the old music room on the third floor, they find Yoochun just inside the doorway, looking as if Jaejoong had just told him that no, in fact, Jaejoong really is an alien body snatcher planning to eat Yoochun’s brains and then blow up the world.
Yoochun’s surprise is completely understandable, though, because in the center of the room, sitting at the piano…is Junsu. The other boy has Yoochun's song book open before him, fingers tripping gracefully along the keys and his voice echoing around them, Yoochun’s lyrics leaving his mouth in pure and beautiful clarity.
When he finishes singing, he picks up Yoochun’s notebook, walking it over to the three boys frozen by the door.
"Is this yours?" Junsu asks, looking at Yoochun.
"Y - yes." Yoochun stutters out.
"You're songs are pretty." Junsu compliments and hands the book back to Yoochun. He bows politely in parting, brushing past the other three and out the door.
Yoochun just stands there, stunned. Changmin’s not in any better condition. Jaejoong feels just as astonished, but for a different reason and runs out of the classroom after Junsu.
"Junsu-yah!"
Junsu stops and turns around. "Yes?" There's no recognition in the younger boy's eyes.
It brings Jaejoong up short; he'd been so completely ecstatic at finally seeing the other one again that he'd momentarily forgotten that this isn't his Junsu.
"Um, I," Jaejoong stumbles over his words, searching for something to say that won't make this Junsu think that he's lost his mind. "You -”
Just then Yunho walks around the corner, bottled juice and brown paper bag in his hand. "Junsu-yah, breakfast!" His calls out cheerfully, but stops cold the minute he notices Jaejoong.
Junsu lights up, hurrying over to Yunho to take the offered food. "Thanks, Hyung."
"Junsu-yah," Yunho says carefully, still eyeing Jaejoong. "Why don't you start heading to class already? I'll catch up."
"But, hyung," Junsu whines.
"Go." Yunho shoos, placing two hands on Junsu’s shoulders and gently pushing. "I need to talk to Jaejoong-shi for a second."
"Oh, okay." Junsu submits. He turns to Jaejoong once more and bows, then skips off with his breakfast.
Yunho watches Junsu until he's out of sight, then rounds on Jaejoong. "Look," Yunho threatens, stepping up to Jaejoong and looming in the shorter boy's personal space. "You can play whatever sick games you want with me, I can take it, but you leave Junsu alone. He's been through enough. He doesn't need some spoiled, malicious brat messing with him on top of everything else. Stay away from him." Yunho glares once for good measure (like Jaejoong didn't already feel intimidated enough) and stalks off.
"It means to be full of, or characterized, by showing malice; being malevolent or spiteful." Changmin offers, walking over to Jaejoong.
"What?" Yoochun asks, coming up on Jaejoong’s other side and looking at his new friend worriedly.
"Jaejoong-hyung looks confused." Changmin points out. "I thought he might not know what 'malicious' means, so I was explaining it to him."
Yoochun reaches over and whacks the maknae in the head.
"Ow!" Changmin yells.
Jaejoong shakes his head, turns to Yoochun and feels tears welling up behind his eyes. "What the hell kind of person am I here? You hated me, Changmin hated me, Yunho still hates me, and Junsu doesn't even know who I am!"
Changmin runs his bottom lip through his teeth. "I never hated you, Hyung, remember? I didn't really care."
Yoochun whacks Changmin again then pulls Jaejoong into his arms and tries to soothe. "I don’t hate you any more. It’ll be okay, I swear it."
"I - I can't even think right now. I really hate this, Chun! And what did Yunho mean by Junsu’s 'been through enough'? What has Junsu been through?"
"I don't know." Yoochun says, hugging Jaejoong tighter.
"Oh, um," Changmin clears his throat. "I think I might know. From what I've heard, Junsu used to be really popular in middle school, outgoing and good at sports. But, um, three years ago Junsu’s dad committed suicide. He'd made some pretty bad business decisions and...yeah, you guys can guess how that goes. Anyway, after that Junsu just sort of shut down. He still plays sports and stuff, but he doesn't really like to talk to most people or be around them."
Jaejoong's going to cry. He really, really is. But he gets saved by the bell, literally.
“First period.” Changmin says, squeezing Jaejoong's shoulder. "We should probably get to class."
"Yeah." Jaejoong agrees quietly.
He goes through the rest of the day completely preoccupied with thoughts of Junsu and finally asks Hyunjoong and Seunghyun about it during dinner.
"Yeah," Hyunjoong replies disinterestedly. “His dad off-ed himself a few years ago or something.”
Seunghyun nods, “But everything went to his mother after his dad’s death, and she was actually able to turn the business around. I don’t think they’re as rich as they used to be, but they're definitely not poor either."
Jaejoong feels a little relieved to hear that, but he still want to wrap Junsu up in his arms and take away the pain.
Later that night in the music room, Jaejoong shares that piece of news with Changmin and Yoochun.
“He’s one of us, isn’t he?” Yoochun wants to know. “A part of TVXQ?”
“Yes.” Jaejoong sighs.
“I want him to sing my music.”
Jaejoong smiles. “You always do.”
“What the hell?” Changmin demands. “Was that conversation supposed to make sense?”
“Just eat your muffins, Minnie.” Jaejoong replies, ruffling the maknae’s hair.
Changmin grumbles, but complies. Just before they leave for the night, Jaejoong catches Yoochun leaving behind his notebook again, but this time on purpose.
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Afterward | 11 |
Yoochun decides that they should keep their new friendship a secret.
"We're friends. But me and the You that actually belongs here, aren't. Hyung, this is for the best. I don’t think it’s a good idea to make anyone else suspicious that you're, you know, not really you."
Jaejoong’s argument is mostly just to pout and whine. "But, Yoochunnie, I don't think I know how to NOT be your friend."
Yoochun hugs him and promises to lure Changmin to the music room the next night. "I'll charm some extra cookies from the lunch ladies and use them against Min."
It sounds like something his Yoochun would do to his Changmin and Jaejoong finds himself reluctantly agreeing.
The next morning they head to breakfast separately, where Yoochun acts like Jaejoong doesn't exist and Jaejoong tries to do the same. Of course he still sneaks glances at Yoochun, Changmin, and Yunho, but only when Hyunjoong and Seunghyun aren't paying attention. Yunho leaves the dining hall early once more, a bottled juice and brown paper bag in his hands, and Jaejoong makes a mental note to ask Yoochun about that later.
School still sucks as bad as Jaejoong remembers, and he's as bad at it here as he was in his own world. The only real pleasure he finds is the three times a day he gets to spend in the dining hall eating and pretending not to look at 2UMin. Jaejoong also really likes English class, where he gets to stare at Yunho’s back for an entire hour and fifteen minutes. Sure, Yunho ignores all of his attempts to start a conversation, but Jaejoong still has the best time ever!
How?
Easy.
Jaejoong amuses himself by yelling out random things like, "Oh, my god, sun!" and "long time no see" (thank you, Junsu) while Yunho’s in the middle of answering questions from the teacher. Because, yes, riling up Yunho in this world is just as much fun as riling up Yunho in his own world.
By the time dinner's done and he and Yoochun are back in their dorm room, Jaejoong feels better than he has in...well, since he suddenly woke up here.
“Yoochunnie, do you know where Yunho goes when he leaves the dining hall early at every meal?”
“He leaves the dining hall early?” Yoochun repeats, pulling a notebook out of his backpack that he writes all his songs in.
"Well, I guess that answers that question.” Jaejoong mutters, following Yoochun out the door as they once again sneak their way to the music room. Jaejoong sighs and asks for the nth time. “Then, are you sure Changmin’s coming?"
"He's coming." Yoochun promises. "I drew him a map and everything."
Jaejoong finds out five minutes later that Yoochun isn’t lying…about any of it.
Changmin’s already waiting for them at the entrance to the music room and greets Yoochun with a, "Hyung, your map totally blows."
The maknae has a piece of paper dangling in his fingers, on which Jaejoong can make out blocks and arrows and something that looks like an "X" and a stick figure with Changmin’s haircut.
"Oh, like you could do better." Yoochun huffs indignantly, holding the classroom door open for all of them to walk through.
“Actually, I could." Changmin declares, taking out a pen from his pant's pocket and scribbling something on the paper before shoving it into Yoochun’s face.
Yoochun gapes at it. "That - that isn't even a map, it's a - a sentence!"
"Just read it." Changmin orders.
"Old music room, third floor."
Jaejoong has to admit that, to someone familiar with the school, Changmin’s one sentence is probably a lot easier to follow than Yoochun’s map.
"Oh, shut up." Yoochun growls, glaring at Jaejoong as if the older one had actually said all of that out loud.
Yoochun stomps over to the piano in the middle of the room and Jaejoong shrugs, thinking, soulmates.
Changmin finally recognizes Jaejoong’s presence with a pointed, "What are you doing here?"
Jaejoong winces at that and asks cautiously, "Do you hate me too, Changmin-shi?"
Changmin blinks. "Well, I don't actually know you - though based on everything I've heard about you, that's probably a good thing - but, no, I don't hate. I actually don't really care."
Jaejoong considers that response for a second, then smiles. "Better than I was expecting."
Yoochun sets up his flashlight and notebook on the piano and calls out. "Changmin-ah, I wrote a song and I want you to sing it."
Changmin snorts. Jaejoong thinks he can almost see the sarcasm gathering on the tip of Changmin’s tongue. "Do you want me to dance like a monkey too?"
Yoochun sets a plastic container of cookies on the piano bench beside him with a smirk. "Dance, monkey, dance."
Changmin hesitates for a whole half second, before hurrying over to take a seat next to Yoochun, hording the container onto his lap like a cherished child. "No dancing, but I'll sing." He bargains.
Yoochun grins, since that's all he really wanted anyway. "Deal."
Yoochun places his notebook in front of Changmin, page already open. "Can you read notes?"
"I'm a genius." Changming responds. "I can do anything."
Yoochun snorts and points to his notebook. "Then sing from here to here, genius."
"Watch me." Changmin states smugly, doing exactly as Yoochun requests, opening his mouth wide and hitting high notes that Yoochun’s always imagined but never thought possible.
"Min," Yoochun stares, awed. "You never told me you could sing."
It's Changmin's turn to smirk. "You never asked."
Changmin turns out to be exactly like Jaejoong’s own Changmin in both musical ability and character, and the night passes by like any other night would, if spent in the DBSK household. Yoochun's at his piano, Changmin's with his food, and Jaejoong watches over both of them with helpful suggestions or a teasing smirk and a one-touch every now and then. Jaejoong doesn't really feel surprised at how easy it turns out to be for the three of them to just...fall into place with each other. He just really, really misses Junsu and Yunho.
~~~
"Alright, you go first. I'll be, like, ten feet behind you." Yoochun tells Jaejoong the next morning as they’re about to leave for breakfast.
"Is Changmin coming to the music room tonight?" Jaejoong asks
"Yeah," Yoochun grumbles, "but I had to promise him muffins this time."
"He's the same way in my world, too." Jaejoong comforts, patting Yoochun on the shoulder before heading out. “See you later.”
Jaejoong still steals glances at Yunho during breakfast, but he doesn't have to do that with Yoochun or Changmin anymore. Instead, he and Yoochun exchange silly faces and hide smiles behind their hands, while Changmin simply rolls his eyes at the both of them. Seunghyun asks Hyunjoong if brain damage is curable or if this is what Jaejoong will be like from now on.
"Like what?" Jaejoong is curious.
Seunghyun shrugs. "I don't know...happy, I guess."
Jaejoong is so disturbed and distracted by that answer that he doesn't even notice Yoochun rushing out of the dining hall until he hears Changmin yell, "Hyung, where are you going?"
Jaejoong catches Changmin's eyes from across the room and Changmin shakes his head at the silent question. The younger one is already standing, stepping away from his table to head after Yoochun.
"Um," Jaejoong says quickly, pushing his unfinished food toward Seunghyun and rising. "I have to go to the bathroom. Okay, bye."
"Something about his song book being missing." Changmins says, the second Jaejoong catches up with him just outside of the double swinging doors.
"His song book? He had that in the music room last night." Jaejoong remembers.
"The music room!" Changmin and Jaejoong conclude simultaneously, instantly racing off down the hall.
When they arrive at the old music room on the third floor, they find Yoochun just inside the doorway, looking as if Jaejoong had just told him that no, in fact, Jaejoong really is an alien body snatcher planning to eat Yoochun’s brains and then blow up the world.
Yoochun’s surprise is completely understandable, though, because in the center of the room, sitting at the piano…is Junsu. The other boy has Yoochun's song book open before him, fingers tripping gracefully along the keys and his voice echoing around them, Yoochun’s lyrics leaving his mouth in pure and beautiful clarity.
When he finishes singing, he picks up Yoochun’s notebook, walking it over to the three boys frozen by the door.
"Is this yours?" Junsu asks, looking at Yoochun.
"Y - yes." Yoochun stutters out.
"You're songs are pretty." Junsu compliments and hands the book back to Yoochun. He bows politely in parting, brushing past the other three and out the door.
Yoochun just stands there, stunned. Changmin’s not in any better condition. Jaejoong feels just as astonished, but for a different reason and runs out of the classroom after Junsu.
"Junsu-yah!"
Junsu stops and turns around. "Yes?" There's no recognition in the younger boy's eyes.
It brings Jaejoong up short; he'd been so completely ecstatic at finally seeing the other one again that he'd momentarily forgotten that this isn't his Junsu.
"Um, I," Jaejoong stumbles over his words, searching for something to say that won't make this Junsu think that he's lost his mind. "You -”
Just then Yunho walks around the corner, bottled juice and brown paper bag in his hand. "Junsu-yah, breakfast!" His calls out cheerfully, but stops cold the minute he notices Jaejoong.
Junsu lights up, hurrying over to Yunho to take the offered food. "Thanks, Hyung."
"Junsu-yah," Yunho says carefully, still eyeing Jaejoong. "Why don't you start heading to class already? I'll catch up."
"But, hyung," Junsu whines.
"Go." Yunho shoos, placing two hands on Junsu’s shoulders and gently pushing. "I need to talk to Jaejoong-shi for a second."
"Oh, okay." Junsu submits. He turns to Jaejoong once more and bows, then skips off with his breakfast.
Yunho watches Junsu until he's out of sight, then rounds on Jaejoong. "Look," Yunho threatens, stepping up to Jaejoong and looming in the shorter boy's personal space. "You can play whatever sick games you want with me, I can take it, but you leave Junsu alone. He's been through enough. He doesn't need some spoiled, malicious brat messing with him on top of everything else. Stay away from him." Yunho glares once for good measure (like Jaejoong didn't already feel intimidated enough) and stalks off.
"It means to be full of, or characterized, by showing malice; being malevolent or spiteful." Changmin offers, walking over to Jaejoong.
"What?" Yoochun asks, coming up on Jaejoong’s other side and looking at his new friend worriedly.
"Jaejoong-hyung looks confused." Changmin points out. "I thought he might not know what 'malicious' means, so I was explaining it to him."
Yoochun reaches over and whacks the maknae in the head.
"Ow!" Changmin yells.
Jaejoong shakes his head, turns to Yoochun and feels tears welling up behind his eyes. "What the hell kind of person am I here? You hated me, Changmin hated me, Yunho still hates me, and Junsu doesn't even know who I am!"
Changmin runs his bottom lip through his teeth. "I never hated you, Hyung, remember? I didn't really care."
Yoochun whacks Changmin again then pulls Jaejoong into his arms and tries to soothe. "I don’t hate you any more. It’ll be okay, I swear it."
"I - I can't even think right now. I really hate this, Chun! And what did Yunho mean by Junsu’s 'been through enough'? What has Junsu been through?"
"I don't know." Yoochun says, hugging Jaejoong tighter.
"Oh, um," Changmin clears his throat. "I think I might know. From what I've heard, Junsu used to be really popular in middle school, outgoing and good at sports. But, um, three years ago Junsu’s dad committed suicide. He'd made some pretty bad business decisions and...yeah, you guys can guess how that goes. Anyway, after that Junsu just sort of shut down. He still plays sports and stuff, but he doesn't really like to talk to most people or be around them."
Jaejoong's going to cry. He really, really is. But he gets saved by the bell, literally.
“First period.” Changmin says, squeezing Jaejoong's shoulder. "We should probably get to class."
"Yeah." Jaejoong agrees quietly.
He goes through the rest of the day completely preoccupied with thoughts of Junsu and finally asks Hyunjoong and Seunghyun about it during dinner.
"Yeah," Hyunjoong replies disinterestedly. “His dad off-ed himself a few years ago or something.”
Seunghyun nods, “But everything went to his mother after his dad’s death, and she was actually able to turn the business around. I don’t think they’re as rich as they used to be, but they're definitely not poor either."
Jaejoong feels a little relieved to hear that, but he still want to wrap Junsu up in his arms and take away the pain.
Later that night in the music room, Jaejoong shares that piece of news with Changmin and Yoochun.
“He’s one of us, isn’t he?” Yoochun wants to know. “A part of TVXQ?”
“Yes.” Jaejoong sighs.
“I want him to sing my music.”
Jaejoong smiles. “You always do.”
“What the hell?” Changmin demands. “Was that conversation supposed to make sense?”
“Just eat your muffins, Minnie.” Jaejoong replies, ruffling the maknae’s hair.
Changmin grumbles, but complies. Just before they leave for the night, Jaejoong catches Yoochun leaving behind his notebook again, but this time on purpose.
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Afterward | 11 |