Chapter 13 - Obsidian Tears
“I can see why you fell in love with Airi,” Yunho commented offhandedly, his sharp gaze sweeping the sidewalk, noticing each characteristic and slight of the pedestrians, before dismissing them as irrelevant. Changmin glanced up inquisitively from his hunched shoulders, the collar of his jacket turned upwards, shielding him from the glistening raindrops that dewed upon their bodies from the fitful mischief the heavens had decided to shower upon them. “she’s as cheerful and spritely as him…”
Changmin smiled softly, his eyes tightening slightly, as they glimmered faintly within the murky gloom with the burden of his past memories. “Nah,” he shook his head after a while. “she can never replace the place Junsu occupies in my heart. Because, Yunho, she’s already taken ownership of my entire heart. She accepts that I have a past love, but she’s infuriatingly confident of my undying love for her.” Changmin snorted in disbelief. “And ya know what? I don’t really mind it when she says it. Cause I already know that it’s true…” He smiled at Yunho unabashedly, his love for Airi shining forth from his crinkled, mismatched eyes.
Yunho nodded in understanding, glancing upwards to the burgeoning womb of moonlight spilling forth to shine down upon the frozen, dirty slush that decorated the city’s gutters. It streaked the towering, industrial buildings with streaming manes of velvet. Silken caresses were bestowed upon the city that night, their glittering lights dotting the alabaster surface with stars, resembling the Milky Way streaming above their heads in the heavens.
Yunho tore his gaze away from the wondrous view, turning back to watch the tall, Korean man cup a hand around the lit end of a cigarette. He heard the definitive click of Changmin's lighter snapping shut, the crackling burn of ashes as they flared with each intake, the hoarse whisper of smoky tendrils being blown out into the frigid wind in a long, continuous stream.
“Yoochun reacted pretty badly there though,” Yunho observed. “I’ve never seen him get so angry. He's usually a gentle guy…” He whispered in awed, hushed tones. Changmin rolled his eyes suddenly, laughing bitterly.
“He’s gentle only because of Junsu. You’ve never seen him before Junsu got to him. A raging, maniacal beast. If you’re scared now, he would have made you pee in your pants back then.” Changmin answered seriously, before smirking ruefully. “He’s pretty pissed because of a mistake I made in my last visit. It’s apparent he hasn’t forgiven me for it- Heck, I’ve never forgiven myself for it as well…”
Yunho cocked an eyebrow in interest, doubt evident within his caramel orbs. Changmin nodded earnestly, encouraging Yunho to trust him. “It’s true, just ask Junsu. Besides, everyone’s pretty shocked of my return. It’s been fifty goddamned long years since they last saw me. The Japanese mafia have been keeping me busy all those years, killing their enemies. If you thought it was ugly last time we met, after I returned from Korea, it was horrendous. What with the introductions of guns. Humanity is vicious.” Changmin uttered in low tones, his body gone deathly still. A lean figure that stalked menacingly under the shadowed arches of shop awnings. A pale ghost that was a servant of death, enveloped in an entire ensemble of black. He almost resembled Jaejoong.
He grinned abruptly, a white flash of gleaming teeth within the cover of gloomy darkness that sent shivers down Yunho's spine. “But I relished in it. It was like I was born for it, the instinct simply rushed through my veins, always waiting on the side to finally unleash its fury upon the world. I scared myself pretty shitless when I made my first formal kill as a hired assassin. It was over so quick, and yet, there was so much blood. ” He murmured in contemplation, his amber orbs alight with a foreshadow of his former exhilaration.
“Enough of me,” Changmin abruptly declared firmly, his lips curving upwards in a sneaky smile, that made Yunho move away reflexively in apprehension. “How did you end up working for my aunt? I would never have imagined that you would end up within a host club of all places.”
Yunho sighed out tiredly. “Hey pass me a drag, would you?” Yunho began, accepting a slim stick between his fingers gratefully, dragging in deeply of the noxious poison, before breathing it out in a thick fog of silver. “Well, Jaejoong saved me when I was in deep shit. Like seriously deep shit. And I kinda insulted Kit the minute I opened my fucking mouth. Yeah- Long story short, suddenly I found myself being recruited by your aunt to work for her, as sort of a way to repay Jaejoong's help.” Yunho looked up sheepishly from his sudden perusal of the gritty concrete ground, to meet Changmin's shocked visage.
Changmin stared at him incredulously for a moment, before bursting out into loud guffaws, attracting curious gazes from the smattering of folk milling about on the streets. Yunho shushed him hurriedly, grimacing apologetically as he was promptly ignored by Changmin, who doubled over, clutching at his stomach helplessly as he chortled indefinitely. Yunho glanced about frantically, resorting to gripping Changmin harshly by the shoulders and shaking the laughter out of him. Yunho dragged him roughly along the paved sidewalk, taking care not to stumble into any tricky potholes that dotted the cracked concrete. Changmin straightened up finally, whimpering the last shreds of his amusement out of his system, lifting a slim finger to wipe away daintily at crystallized diamonds clinging to his long lashes.
“Oh my god,” Changmin hiccupped a giggle, a breaking smile threatening to fling him back into a recurring bout of hysterics. “I would never have expected that. You, being saved from deep shit is serious, I know. But my aunt totally whooped your ass. Who the fuck is stupid enough to insult my aunt? Man, you seriously are a moron.” Changmin said, an amused grin painted across his lips as he stared back at Yunho's chagrined grimace. “She’s dangerous. Very dangerous. If I'm lethal, then she’s fatally deadly. I mean, I only have three tails, she has FIVE. Papi has ALL nine. He's practically an immortal legend now.” Changmin threw his arms out wide, gesturing the enormity of his words.
“Why do you think she’s the undisputed matron that owns the establishment?” Changmin reprimanded Yunho with an arched brow. “She has some pretty kooky ideas in her head too. I guess it comes with age… Anyways, I think it’s good that you’re paired with Jaejoong. He seems… breakable.” He stated, settling upon that word with finality.
Yunho shot startled eyes towards Changmin brows, furrowed in concentration, a crease upon his puckered lips as the nub of his tongue flicked out to dab tentatively at the chapped surface. Yunho caught himself comparing the two, resolutely acknowledging that Changmin's little habit with his tongue was nothing compared to the way Jaejoong slid his sinfully, erotic tongue through his parted lips. So fleetingly quick that it left the beholder with only a yearning want, simply to glimpse that skilful act, once more.
“It seems I'm not the only moron here,” Yunho growled heatedly. “Jaejoong is far from being breakable, he's the strongest, most determined person I have ever meant. He simply accepts the present so easily, and sees the world for what it really is. Neither black nor white, but a muddle of grey that he expertly cuts a swath through. It’s like he sieves through his life, taking everything at point blank. You have no idea what I would give to have that kind of ability.” Yunho whispered fervently, his gaze hardening into darkened, roiling pits of ochre. He felt the slow lick of his fiery anger recede as suddenly as it had come, leaving him with banked embers of a fading annoyance. Yunho puzzled over the cresting rush of his emotions that drenched him in a sudden tide of fury, at Changmin's words about Jaejoong.
Breakable… Far from it… An invincible, angel of death…
“So why don’t you?” Changmin stated directly, his smile abruptly thinning into a challenging sneer as he stared back unblinkingly at Yunho. “Why don’t you just accept it as a part of who you are and move on? Take a leaf from Jaejoong, and see for yourself the mountain of unwanted grief and suffering you put yourself through because of your guilt. You’ll soon realise that you were dead on wrong, that it was simply a mistake.” He continued mercilessly, unheeding of the tightly pursed lips and flicker of anger that blazed within Yunho's irises.
Yunho fell silent, flicking his head resolutely away, refusing to meet Changmin's earnest gaze. He quickened their pace, long strides that ate away at the distance, a tense bubble of silence entangling itself between their stiff bodies. Changmin made no reply, puffing a stream of miniature halos to trail behind in his wake. He hummed intentionally, swivelling his head around to pursue fascinating shapes materialising in thin air. Yunho's frown deepened, an irritated snarl ripping itself free from his rumbling chest.
Changmin chuckled lightly, weaving his way expertly through the treacherous, crumbled sidewalk, all the while, shooting humorous glances Yunho's way. His grin widened a fraction more as he glimpsed Yunho's eyes narrowing in barely concealed anger.
A pang of remorse flashed through him as Airi’s words recounted themselves in his mind.
You better be nice to Yunho, and Jaejoong... I don’t really think anyone here is prepared for your snarkiness. Just yet.
Changmin abruptly relented, a fond smile tracing around the edges of his lips as he took into account her parting words. “Alright, alright. I know I have no right to tell you what to do, but please, at least keep in mind what I said. You don’t have to follow it, but it would be nice to at least consider a friends advice...” Changmin shrugged nonchalantly, tilting his head curiously to the side, fixating sincere orbs of hazel upon Yunho's hunched shoulders.
Yunho felt unnerved by the simple stare, a tremulous shiver skittering up the fine hairs of his back, ruffling up his roiling thoughts. He nodded curtly, indicating he had accepted Changmin's apology. For as long as he knew the man, Changmin had a way with tensing a person up. Either through a discreet slight of his hand that brought him a little too close for comfort, or a demure graze of his piercing gaze upon your frozen body. It served its main purpose- directing chilling darts of pure, irrational fear- to paralyse his hapless prey. Without meaning to, Changmin had ghosted back into the lethal grace that had driven him back in Japan. Frankly, it unsettled Yunho.
He sighed out tiredly, breathing out the stress laid upon his shoulder with every fitful snatch of sleep he managed to obtain. The nightmares still seized him in the middle of night, flinging him helplessly against their booming force, stealing his frightful gasps within their crushing grip. But the true extent of their malicious leers had faded under the brunt of recent events, eroding away the panicky edge that had once filled him with terrifying tremors.
He was sure it had something to do with the even breaths whooshing out in a soothing lullaby from between reddened lips, Jaejoong's still countenance within the night, filling him with a certain peace in knowing that he was being watched over during his immobilising dreams. He knew the other man was awake when he fought desperately with the sheets, his initial embarrassment flushing down to finally warm his heart with Jaejoong's boundless care.
A gentle smile tugged at his lips, as Yunho summoned back the original purpose in dragging Changmin out. He recounted it within his mind, lodging it firmly in place, lulling him into a momentary calm as he walked on.
***
“Good night darling...” She cooed into his ear, a silly grin plastered across her cheeks. Loose powder dusted across her face, did nothing to hide the faint evidence of her age, with etched lines crinkling the edges of her lashed eyes, spiralling outwards in a weathered scrawl. Junsu smiled faintly, bowing down politely as her chauffeur stepped out of the limo and guided her drunken form up the well-worn steps. The sound of her heels clacking against the poured concrete drifted jarringly into his ear. The gentle breeze of coming spring tousled his hair lightly, throwing wispy locks to fall over his vision, effectively hooding his eyes, tightened in worry.
Junsu straightened up as the soft purr of the sleek vehicle faded away, leaving him to stand solemnly under the colourful eaves of Kit's main entrance, breathing in deeply of the cool, night air. A few patrons still remained, lingering behind heavy wooden doors, effectively secreting away their occupant’s private dealings. Jaejoong was enjoying a rare night off, firmly ensconced within their common room, along with Kit and Lily, enjoying a wholesome round of monopoly. Junsu wondered briefly about Yunho's whereabouts, before his frown deepened, his eyes darkening into swirling pits of honeyed amber. Yunho had brought Changmin out.
Sighing out a sigh, he turned around, stepping back into the hushed silence that pervaded the empty lounge. A lone figure, hunched over a scattering of piano scores flared across the glossy black surface, his long tresses falling over his solemn countenance, eyes closed in repose, sat upon the dais. His slim fingers flitted over the black and white keys, metallic glimmers flashing occasionally as his many rings reflected the light, fabricating a haunting melody that echoed soulfully between their entwined breaths.
“Hey you,” Junsu breathed, slipping next to the silent frame of his lover. “Are you okay?” He murmured hesitantly, concern warring with his anguish over the tense silence that hovered around Yoochun's pale appearance. Like an insidious tick that fastened stubbornly to the cracked crevices within his throbbing heart, it released its poison to work steadily through his veins, a tightened nub of distress stinging Junsu sharply in the chest, making it hard to breath.
Yoochun stilled abruptly, culling the entrancing tune with an ugly snag, the sudden hush pressing down heavily upon their ears. He shifted upon the leather, padded seat, flicking his sorrowful orbs of molten gold to fall upon the apprehensive crease, marring Junsu's otherwise smoothed forehead. He leaned wordlessly forward, kissing the furrowed brows gently away before pressing their heads together. He sighed heavily, a drawn out exhalation of fatigue.
“I'm fine,” Yoochun assured within the little bubble of their embrace. He intertwined his fingers with Junsu's, squeezing them briefly as he sought solace from his lover’s unquestioning comfort, offered willingly to him. “I'm- I- I'm just worried that I’ll lose you again. I don’t think I could continue on, if I lost you for a second time. And I know it’s silly, but I just can’t help it.” He whispered brokenly, a single tear seeping past his closed lashes, to track a silvery sheen down his drawn cheeks. His thin lids trembled slightly, his front teeth clamping down harshly upon his quivering bottom lips.
Junsu breathed in deeply of Yoochun's scent- a hint of crisp masculinity enveloped by the sweetened taste of morning’s sun first dew- as he reached up a finger to tilt Yoochun's face into the light, at once both vulnerable and delicate. Junsu marvelled at the silken caress that God had gifted the Korean man with; angled streaks of porcelain that painted a fascinating portrait of shadows and curves along his face. Extraordinarily long lashes fluttered open in astonishment, as Junsu cupped the sides of his soft cheeks, sipping lightly at the cup of saccharine syrup that lay promisingly past Yoochun's pouty lips.
It was a gentle kiss, loving in all its comfort. Junsu stared deeply into Yoochun's searching gaze, nuzzling the tips of their noses together, a tender smile lifting the sides of his lips. “You’ll never lose me,” Junsu whispered fervently. “Not to Changmin, not to anyone. I’ll never leave you, Park Yoochun. Never ever. Because I love you...” He reaffirmed his tumultuous emotions that threatened to overwhelm him with feverish tremors, by drawing Yoochun closer with a needy kiss.
The answering smile that broke across Yoochun's face, felt like watching the sun breaking free of the horizon, to stream her loving fingers upon the world, washing it with her muted radiance. Yoochun brought his arms up around Junsu, snuggling closer to his lover, leaving a trail of nips down his nape. His silky mane brushed gently against Junsu's shoulders. Junsu giggled, lifting the intricate veil of anxiety from their shoulders, their grins instantly turning fey with each lilting chuckle that escaped past their reddened lips. “I know, I know... I'm just being silly, but you can’t blame me for getting jealous... it’s my right,” Yoochun huskily voiced into Junsu's awaiting ear, his heated breath tickling Junsu's sensitive earlobe, sending thrilling shivers to shimmy down his back in anticipation.
“I love you too, my little dolphin...” Yoochun said softly, his grin mellowing into a tender lift of his lips, as he drew away from their snug embrace, glimpsing the boundless warmth that lingered within Junsu's orbs.
“Although,” Yoochun's lips twisted in contemplation, his eyes darkening into pitch ochre. His irises contracted with the roiling of his churning stomach, sending blazing trails to race through his body, setting it feverishly alight with desire. “You could do something to help make it better...” He trailed away deviously, training keen eyes upon Junsu's mischievous smirk, amusement gambolling a flame of amber within his eyes.
Junsu cried out in mock embarrassment, flinging his hands up hurriedly to ineffectually hide away the rosy blush that flushed the apples of his cheeks. An irresistible pout formed upon his bitten lips, his eyes glinting with laughter as he peered between his fingers at Yoochun, enticing an unwilling gasp from the man, in wonder. “Not if you can catch me!” He shouted childishly, before sprinting down the shadowed hallways, leaving a drifting trail of candy drops, filled with his boundless laughter, for Yoochun to follow.
***
“Oh, shit.” Changmin threw out eloquently, resting his horrified gaze upon the plastic doors, glaringly white light spilling through their transparent window panes to shine upon the parked cars stationed outside the clinic. A faint trace of bleach and antiseptic slithered through the seams under the doors, stinging their wrinkled noses. Changmin's refined features twisted into a picture of revulsion, his eyes narrowed in disgust as a loathing sneer decorated his thinned lips. “When you said you wanted to run an errand. I DIDNT THINK YOU WOULD GO VISIT A VETERINARIAN!” Changmin roared at Yunho's infuriating smirk, whirling about in rage to glower at the sniggering man.
“Relax,” Yunho raised his palms up in placation, sweeping gestures that were meant to calm the maddened Korean that snarled in terror. “It’s not like they’re gonna bite you.” Yunho chuckled lightly, shifting impatiently as he glanced back towards the large neon signboard fixed above the establishment.
“That’s the least of my worries,” Changmin hissed menacingly, his hands curled into gnarly fists, bluish veins standing out against his tan skin. He whimpered slightly, staggering back in fright, his teeth showing unconsciously in a feral growl. His panicked eyes flitted around hastily, searching for an escape, any escape. “Fuck. I can’t believe we’re here! This place stinks!” He swore loudly, uttering a long stream of profanities that would have made Airi very proud of her husband. He curled his lips back, the hairs on his back raising in hackles, his nose wrinkled with the overwhelming stench.
The smell of dog.
The place reeked of it. Brutal and primal, it rolled over him in waves, drenching him in a sheen of cold sweat. Yunho glanced at him in concern, his eyebrows perked in barely concealed surprise, his head cocking to the side as he puzzled over Changmin's bizarre behaviour. “Don’t you know dumbass. Kitsune are foxes. Dogs are mortal enemies of foxes. They will kill us if they can...” Changmin returned his frantic gaze to the fluorescent interior of the clinic, all the while shifting his frozen body backwards in minute steps.
A dawning sense of realisation hit Yunho. He felt two jagged pieces of information sealing their edges together in a seamless line, his chaotic thoughts finally revealing a glimmer of sense. No wonder there was a no-dog policy rule in Kit's establishment. He had ignorantly blamed it upon the mess that they created while their owners were visiting. How wrong he was.
Yunho laughed suddenly instead. He breathed out a sigh of relief, meeting Changmin's indignant gaze that glimmered with his impending fury that was about to be unleashed. “No, no, I'm not laughing at you... I'm just grateful that I didn’t intend on getting a dog.” Yunho explained hurriedly, flinging his hands up warily, warding away Changmin's icy darts that were hurled at his chest. “You stay here and wait for me, I’ll just be a minute.” Yunho flashed a cheery smile at Changmin's stormy gaze, before sprinting impishly into the clinic.
“Bloody asshole.” Changmin bit the words off, a chagrined smirk brightening his somewhat terrorizing countenance as he felt a pang of fond affection wash through him, watching Yunho bend over the counter excitedly conversing with a bespectacled clerk. He had not glimpsed ecstatic Yunho for some time now. He was glad that Jaejoong had that effect on his friend.
***
“Here you are,” She turned the faded doorknob, pushing the whitewashed door open to blast Yunho with a cacophony of noise. “take your time to look around. I hope you find one to your liking. When you’re done, come out front and sign some papers. You have a good heart by adopting them. ” She smiled at Yunho politely, before leaving him to stroll about the rows of pens.
Dogs yipped excitedly, fighting with the wailing calls of meowing cats to be heard. Yunho blinked momentarily, stupefied by the clamour, before padding down the rows of cages, peering past metallic bars to cast an assessing eye over their occupants. He was greeted with varying welcomes. Some cats threw hostile spits as they brandished their claws at him in warning. Some purred as he loomed closer to the bars, rubbing their sleek heads against his finger, sniffing tentatively at the air for any whiff of the promise of food.
You have no smell...
Yunho froze mid-step, halting in silence as he strained his senses, trying to detect the mildly curious voice that had spoken to him. He swung his head around the end of the hallway, scratching his head in befuddlement as he puzzled over the sudden intrusion of his thoughts. A wave of languid calm and peace washed over him, quickly replaced with intrigued inquisitiveness.
Down here. Down here, it sounded eagerly within his thoughts.
He finally understood what Jaejoong had been trying to convey that day, back in the field. He could not find words to express the sensation, an intimate connection that communicated not just thoughts, but emotions as well. It went deeper than mere skin to skin contact. The complete wholeness of an animal was comprehended within that single moment of sharing. Yunho glanced down sharply, meeting the steady gaze of a frisky kitten. It stopped nibbling hurriedly through its front claws, perking its ears as it cocked its head comically to the side, all the while staring at Yunho.
Its pelt was dipped entirely in the heavens, inky midnight rippled over its broad shoulders, bursts of starlight coating its forepaws in a light sugary dusting. A single dewdrop of the moon adorned the crown of its head. Its eyes glowed back at Yunho unblinkingly, drowning him within their pools of shimmering pitch tar. A drop of obsidian ink.
“Hey little guy, were you the one who called to me just now?” Yunho cooed softly, a tender smile quirking one side of his lips as he watched in wonder. The kitten sniffed warily at his outstretched fingers, before blinking once and rubbing the side of its whiskered cheeks against his hand. Yunho could feel the purrs thrum through its little, ragged body to tremor up his arm. That was when he saw it. “Ah.” Yunho murmured sorrowfully.
A deep, long gash travelled up the left side of its hind leg. The wound was sound and healed, leaving behind a stripe of puckered flesh. Its muscles were corded and knitted over the injury, a visible furrow cutting a gap through its otherwise lustrous coat. The kitten seemed unbothered by it though. It jumped and gambolled about with the same amount of childish delight that his fellow littermates exhibited.
Yunho chuckled fondly, shifting resolutely away from the lone cage, tucked in the tiled corner, to walk back to the front of the clinic.