Meet You There [2/?]
Title: Meet You There
Pairings: Jaeho, Yoosu
Length: Chapter fic
Author: rainbowpebbles
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Humour, Fluff, Angst (not in any particular order)
Summary: Sequel to A World of Colour. Who said that the road after the first kiss would ever be smooth?
The first thing that one wouldn’t want to hear in the morning would be someone singing ‘Magic Castle’ at the top of his voice in an overly-dramatic tone. The first thing that one wouldn’t want to see in the morning would be the very same person (as mentioned before) dressed in a pink apron with Hello Kitty print scrambling eggs at your stove. Thankfully for Jaejoong, he was mercifully spared from the visual image.
Heechul abruptly changed his song to ‘Cry Me a River’.
Jaejoong screamed into his pillow.
Heechul turned around to face the door of Jaejoong’s bedroom, where a lump could be seen hidden under the blankets on the bed. “Joongie? Are you awake? Breakfast is ready!”
Jaejoong had given Heechul a spare key to his apartment after much whining from Heechul, although that was only part of the reason. The decision was actually largely affected by Heechul’s annoying habit of pressing the doorbell in time to his favourite tunes. Jaejoong had heard everything so far, from anything that had recently made it onto the Top 10 chart to nursery rhymes. Numerous doorbells had already surrendered under the wrath (sort of) of Heechul.
Jaejoong vaguely wondered which was worse: letting Heechul get automatic entry into his apartment or having to change doorbells every month. His pondering was rudely interrupted by a pink being whipping the blankets off his form, and a hand grabbing his wrist in a vice-like grip.
“Get up, Joongie! I’ve made breakfast! Let’s eat it before it turns cold! And before Eunhyuk finally realizes that I’ve abandoned him in the apartment!”
Eunhyuk had just moved in next door into Heechul’s apartment just a week ago, simply because it was so convenient and partially because he wanted to have someone to manipulate for company.
Heechul plopped Jaejoong into a chair, forcing him to sit straight with his face off the table. It was then that Eunhyuk decided to make his appearance, walking through the front door which had been left unlocked, plopping himself down on the chair next to Jaejoong, greeting him enthusiastically.
Jaejoong rubbed his eyes sleepily. “Good morning.”
Heechul gasped. “His first two words!”
Eunhyuk followed. “Oh, I’m so proud, papa!” He turned to Jaejoong. “Can you try ‘mama’? Repeat after me. MA-”
Jaejoong aimed his hand in the general direction of Eunhyuk’s face, growling playfully and laughing when he heard the satisfying sound of his hand meeting Eunhyuk’s forehead. Heechul cackled evilly in the background.
Eunhyuk glared at Heechul. “Is this how you treat all new roommates? Abandon them in the apartment with the promise of breakfast and laughing when they receive physical abuse and suffer the consequences of possible brain damage!?”
“Firstly, I’ve never had another roommate before, and yes, this is the kind of treatment you get. Secondly, it’s not remotely possible for you to get brain damage because the afore-mentioned all-important organ doesn’t exist in your skull in the first place. Thirdly, I didn’t cook anything for you so get out of that seat!”
Eunhyuk raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? How come there are six sausages then?”
“Three for me and three for Joongie. Can’t you do simple math--- oh I’m sorry. I forgot you didn’t even get past kindergarten.”
The arguments never stopped. Everyday. It was like watching a never-ending verbal boxing programme on television. Minus the commercials.
Jaejoong idly picked at his scrambled eggs as he listened to the duo’s squabbling, wondering whether he should bring up the operation again to push against Heechul’s stubborn defenses once more. He didn’t need to.
“Who’s the one who can’t even tell that 74 happens to take up a majority out of 100? Why can’t you just stop being so paranoid and let Jaejoong go for his operation? 74% is a good chance, you know!”
Heechul stopped abruptly, slowly getting off the chair that he had been standing on during his earlier rant. The room was suddenly enveloped in an unusual silence. Heechul sat down, setting his back on the back of his chair heavily.
Jaejoong decided to try again. “Heechul-”
“Don’t say anything. I mean it, Jaejoong. Not now.”
Attuned to the tones of Heechul’s voice, Jaejoong knew that these words were said in exhaustion. And hidden somewhere between those words was guilt. He decided not to press on further.
The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence, apart from the occasional “pass the milk carton” and “Heechul hyung, that’s my foot, not the carpet”. After breakfast Jaejoong left the house quickly, but not without a great big hug from Heechul, who, for once, did not nag as Jaejoong stepped through the doorway.
Eunhyuk sat on the sofa, watching carefully as Heechul shut the front door and made his way to the sink to wash the dishes.
“You’re over-protective.”
Heechul stiffened. “So I am. Sue me.”
Eunhyuk crossed his legs, tucking his socked feet in neatly. “You’re afraid.”
Heechul gave up trying to drown his fingers in detergent and walked over, wiping his hands onto his apron before he untied it and draped it over a chair. “You’re not wrong about that.” He sat down on the sofa adjacent to Eunhyuk’s.
“Why are you so afraid?”
Heechul propped his knees up in front of him, wrapping his arms around his legs. “Honestly? I don’t know.”
Eunhyuk patiently waited for Heechul to continue.
“I spoke to the doctor myself. He told me that 74% was a good percentage, and that there wouldn’t be any serious repercussions should the operation fail. There is a small chance that something major would crop up, but that chance is so minute that it could be completely ignored. If the operation succeeds, Jaejoong would stand to recover all or at least 90% of his sight.”
“That’s what Jaejoong’s been trying to tell you for weeks now.” Eunhyuk pointed out. “Why can’t you just give your consent?”
Heechul shut his eyes. “I want to, but I can’t. I can’t. Every time I shut my eyes that 26% haunts me. Even in my dreams. I dream of waiting outside the operation room, and the doctor comes out to tell me that something bad has happened. I dream of Jaejoong being dejected, because he knows that he’ll remain blind forever, for the rest of his life. I dream of not being able to comfort him, because I’ll never know what it’s like. To see nothing.”
“What happens if something major does crop up? I can’t bear to watch him get his hopes up just to get them squished all over again. He’s lost his mom already, hyuk. I’ve tried to make up for that by caring for him. But I don’t think I’ll be strong enough to support him if he goes through the entire process of feeling like he’s lost his sight again. I just can’t.” Heechul slumped slightly, locking his fingers even more tightly around his legs.
Eunhyuk smiled inwardly. This was his hyung. This was the hyung that always seemed so crazy, always full of energy. This was the hyung that worried about his dong saengs. This was the hyung that nobody really knew much about.
“Hyung. I know that you’re worried. But can’t you just let Jaejoong seize this chance? This is the one opportunity that he has to regain his sight. To live a normal life again. To see the faces of his loved ones.”
“But-”
“You never know until you try, don’t you?”
Heechul lapsed into deep thought. Eunhyuk held his breath.
“I…I don’t know why, hyuk. I have this bad feeling…like something’s gonna happen. And it’s not gonna be nice.” Heechul turned to look at Eunhyuk, sending him a small smile. “But I guess it would be selfish if Joongie held back just because of me, huh?”
It was then that Eunhyuk smiled back, knowing that Heechul understood.
~*~
“Jaejoong oppa…when’s Yunho oppa coming to visit me?”
Jaejoong knelt down, taking the small hand that had been tugging lightly at his pants into his own. “Eun Bi? What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be having your play time now?”
Eun bi shook her head, her two ponytails swishing with the movement. “I want Yunho oppa to play new games with me. When’s he coming to see me?”
Jaejoong let out a small sigh. “I don’t know, Eun Bi. He’s been really busy lately, and I only got to see him last night. I asked him if he could come down, Eun Bi, but he said that he had another meeting today. But,” he quickly added, anticipating the look that was almost certain to appear on her face. “He said that he would rather be here with you than in that ‘stuffy, boring old meeting room’ and that you’re way better than those ‘stinky ancient geezers’ that he has to spend time with. And he promises to come and visit you soon, as soon as he’s free.”
Eun Bi giggled slightly and Jaejoong smiled, patting her head lightly.
“Tell Hamster oppa that I miss him and I hope his work disappears soon so he can come and play with me again.” She hugged Jaejoong’s arm tightly. “You will tell him, won’t you, oppa?”
Jaejoong stifled a laugh at the mention of “hamster”. “I will, Eun Bi. Now hurry off before Youngah noona wonders where you are.”
Eun Bi nodded happily and exited to adjoining room, leaving Jaejoong alone. Jaejoong reached into his pocket for the phone that Yunho had given him the night before and pressed 1 on speed dial. The phone rang for a long time and Jaejoong was tempted to give up before it was finally answered.
“Joongie I’m so sorry I missed both your calls earlier the morning has been crazy and I already had two shitty meetings with 5 cups of coffee and Changmin’s not in the office cause he’s gone to meet a potential client, and Donghae was stuck in the lift for 1 hour because it broke down and I can’t even see the bottom of my table-”
Jaejoong had to shout Yunho’s name twice over the phone before he stopped rambling.
“Sorry. What did you call for again?”
Jaejoong was unsure of whether to sigh in exasperation or to laugh at Yunho for being the goofball that he was. “Eun Bi missed you, Yun.”
He heard Yunho sigh over the phone. “I know. I miss coming over to play with the kids. But my schedule’s crazy, Joongie. You know that. I don’t really have a choice.”
She’s not the only who misses you, Yunnie. Jaejoong wanted to say over the phone. I miss you too. Last night was the only time I got to see you in two weeks.
Jaejoong bit his lip. “Yeah, I understand.”
“Tell her I miss her, Joongie. And that I’ll come as soon as I can.”
“I will. Can you come over for dinner tonight? I’ll cook.”
“Oh Jaejoong you know I’d love to but-” Jaejoong heard Yunho talk to someone else in the background. “Really? Really? Now? Sorry Jaejoong… I have a lunch appointment now. I’ll call you later. Love you!”
The line cut off.
Jaejoong stood there for a while, clutching the phone next to his ear, as if expecting Yunho’s voice to come through the ear piece again. He slowly lowered the phone and sat down on a chair, using the fingers on one hand to massage his forehead gently.
Stop it, Jaejoong. It’s not his fault. It’s his work. It’s not like he can help it. He met you last night didn’t he?
Yes he did. He does make time for me. As much as he can manage. And he did get me a phone.
Yes, so stop these stupid thoughts going through your brain. Right now. He can’t help it he can’t help it he can’t help it…
Jaejoong let the little Jaejoongs in his head chant the mantra over and over again while dancing in small circles around an imaginary campfire before the message sunk in.
Tucking the phone into his pocket and telling himself not to be such a prat, he went off to find the children. He did put the ring volume of the phone one level higher though. Just in case he missed a phone call from Yunho.
Just in case.
~*~
He sat on the bench outside, watching as the figure in the room stood while he talked on the phone, small frown lines forming on the pretty face. A small smile appeared just for a fleeting moment before it disappeared again.
He was just passing by, really. He just happened to stumble upon the association for the blind, just so happened to sit at the bench facing the window of the children’s class, just so happened to see that Jaejoong was the teacher teaching the blind children there.
What a terrific coincidence.
He had been sitting on the bench for two hours now. Funny, when he told himself to leave, somehow he couldn’t get up. His feet refused to move, his eyes were glued to that window and his brain told him to shut up and stop thinking so much cause it’s complicated to multi-task.
He watched as Jaejoong sat down slowly on the chair, thinking very hard.
Jaejoong looked upset.
It wasn’t really obvious, it just so happened that if you spent a long enough time simply staring at another person’s face, you sorta get a better idea of how that person feels. Even the barest twitch of an eyebrow.
Finally, Jaejoong left the room to the next one, whose window was obscured slightly by a bush. Normally, he would have immediately jumped to the nearest bench facing the next window, but he was currently bubbling with slight anger at a certain someone.
Jung Yunho. What did you do to Jaejoong?
End of chapter two.
A/N: T-R-A-N-S-I-T-I-O-N CHAPTER.
Yes, folks, this was an in-between chapter, the real plot hasn’t even started yet ^___^ it may start in the next chapter, or the one after the next. I won’t blame you if you find this chapter boring, because I did.
Sorry for the lateness~! Hopefully the next chapter comes out sooner. I’ll try my best to make up for this one. Haha! And hopefully, you guys haven’t forgotten the plot of this story ^-^’’’ I do that sometimes, especially when the author takes a long time to update in between chapters. *gets shot* GUILTY AS CHARGED.
Alright! I’ll just end my blabbering here.
Comments and constructive criticisms are GREATLY appreciated :D