10 Things... - Chapter 7/10
Title: 10 Things To Make You Happy
Chapter: 7/10
Author: Geojitmal
Pairings: YunJae, mentions of YooSu
Rating: PG
Genre: General overall. Fluff. Some Angst.
Word count: 1,397
Summary: You know those crappy articles in every second women's magazine. "10 Things That Will Make You Happy". No-one ever reads those. But someone wants to see Jaejoong happy and sets out to make him so.
Diclaimer: All mine. Or so I wish. Well, at least the story is.
A/N: Next chapter already! :o
o7.
Jaejoong was restless. Fidgeting. He had spent all day in his small studio in his apartment, alternately bent over his keyboard trying to come up with a melody, and bent over his desk trying to come up with lyrics. He hadn’t been too successful with either and his overwhelming tiredness hadn’t really helped the process of writing. Instead of retreating to bed early, however, the always hardworking singer had opted to deplete his stock of energy drinks. Three cans, a total of one and a half liters, of Red Bull later had Jaejoong sitting on his swivel chair with his legs tugged under his chin, his heartbeat going a mile a second and his toes drumming a silent beat on the seating surface. He sighed, got up and went back and forth between his studio and his adjacent gaming room, carding his hands through his hair. Maybe that last can had been a bit too much, after all. He had never been good with those energy drinks, but as he had promised Junsu to write him a song for his upcoming solo album, he couldn’t square it with his conscience to go to bed early without having even started on the piece.
Deciding it would be a good idea to get some fresh air, he went out onto his spacious terrace. He stepped close to the railing, grabbed it and leaned as far forward as he dared, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It felt just great, almost like the clean night air revived him, though it did nothing to ease his racing heartbeat and the fidgetiness. It unnerved him, to be perfectly honest, how his current state prevented him from both, sleeping and coming up with a proper song. Upon stepping back inside, he spotted his new work-out clothes, carelessly thrown over the couch and contemplated for a second to go out for a late night jog, in all hopes that it would get him down from his high. After some more contemplating, however, he decided that a late night stroll through the streets would have to do. A flash of memory of his band mates’ reactions to his last nightly stroll through the park caused him to hesitate for a moment, before he shrugged and proceeded to grab his favorite hoodie and a scarf. He couldn’t very well let his friends dictate his life. Unless they wanted him to spend all night keeping them awake to keep him company in their apartment, and Jaejoong was sure that they definitely didn’t want that, he had to go out to calm himself down, he reasoned.
Wandering through the streets did him good. It calmed him to some extent, though he still had to try pretty hard to keep himself from running and skipping down the street, instead of walking. What didn’t do him good was the flood of couples that streamed out the movie theater when he passed it. The late-night showing of some cheesy movie must have just ended and Jaejoong on the one hand wanted to get away from them as soon as possible, but on the other hand couldn’t help but jealously, though inconspicuously, stare at the mass of lovebirds. He remembered the last time he and Yunho had been to the movies. It had been during their holiday on Bali, the greatest holiday Jaejoong had ever had and still one of his most precious memories. Yunho had taken him out on a date, they hadn’t understood much of what happened in the movie, but even if they had understood the language, they hadn’t paid too much attention anyway. Afterwards they had wandered along the beach, under a blanket of stars and a full moon and just thinking about that night, the singer could feel the butterflies in his tummy again.
When he returned to his apartment complex a bit more than an hour later, he felt only slightly less fidgety. He was greeted by his favorite security guard who had waited for his return, even though his shift had ended half an hour ago, because apparently an express delivery guy had, once again, dropped off a parcel for him. Bowing deeply, Jaejoong accepted the small box from him and slipped him a banknote as a sign of his gratitude, before he called the elevator and stepped into it, not without wishing the guards a good night.
Jiji, for once, actually seemed happy about his return. He snuggled against his master’s legs and barely let him step out of his shoes. It made the singer instantly feel bad about leaving his cat alone in the middle of the night. One hand still occupied with the cardboard box, he picked up Jiji with his other hand and went to the bedroom with him, where he set him down on the bed, before he plopped down on it himself, careful not to crush the cat in the process and thus destroy the fragile trust and love the cat had seemed to have developed towards him.
“Let’s see what Yunho sent us this time, shall we?” Jaejoong told his cat, who curled up next to the singer, its tiny head resting on Jae’s leg, almost as if trying to console him, as if he had noticed the hint of sadness in his master’s voice.
Jaejoong gently petted his companion’s head once, before he finally ripped the parcel open to reveal an assortment of brushes, different watercolors and some more painting utensils. The biggest brush had a note attached.
Finishing a task. Jaejoong was well aware what it was that Yunho wanted him to finish. He wasn’t too sure, however, if he could ever finish it, especially now, when the memories attached to it hurt so much. He stared at the painting utensils for a bit longer, before he sighed and got up to rummage through the deepest, darkest corners of his walk-in closet. There it was. The canvas with the unfinished painting of his and Yunho’s favorite spot on Bali. He had started it in a quiet moment on the island, while Yunho had taken a nap in the sun and he didn’t know what to do with himself. Not many people knew that he painted, but those who did kept telling him he should do an exhibition with his art, so highly they thought of it. It was embarrassing. He had been meaning to finish the painting after their return, but he never quite found the time to do so, and then the lawsuit happened and he thought it would be better for him and his sanity to stow it somewhere far away.
Yunho had always bugged him to finally finish it. Jaejoong wasn’t sure why his boyfriend was so intent on this one painting. It showed the beginnings of what would be a beautiful scenery with a beach, palm trees, exotic flowers, a sunset and, in the middle of it all, a beautiful white, triangular, illuminated building that locals told them was a chapel. The memory of the beauty of this scenery was still vivid in his head and he knew he would have no problem to finish the painting. He heaved another sigh and dug through his closet again to find his easel. The things he did for his lover.
Six am the next morning had Jaejoong critically observe the result. Jiji had fallen asleep on the bed, rolled up in the cardboard box a few hours prior. The singer had to admit the painting didn’t turn out bad. In fact, it looked just like he had wanted it to. He went to the stereo, switching off the music he had put on to get him in the mood. A compilation of their favorite songs during that time back then. His eyes were puffy from the tears he had shed while painting, he was dead tired from painting all night and his feet hurt from standing in front of the easel for hours. But he felt definitely accomplished and when he finally curled up next to his cat on his big bed, Jaejoong let himself be lulled to sleep by that deep sense of satisfaction of finally having finished something he had put off for so long and of finally having faced something with so many memories attached. He fell asleep with a small, content smile on his face.
« Sixth. || Eighth. »
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
Okay, fast update.
Since I'm most looking forward to the last chapter and the chapters now start to build up to the final, I hope I can bring myself to write them soon. :]
Comments, criticism and suggestions are welcome. :)
Chapter: 7/10
Author: Geojitmal
Pairings: YunJae, mentions of YooSu
Rating: PG
Genre: General overall. Fluff. Some Angst.
Word count: 1,397
Summary: You know those crappy articles in every second women's magazine. "10 Things That Will Make You Happy". No-one ever reads those. But someone wants to see Jaejoong happy and sets out to make him so.
Diclaimer: All mine. Or so I wish. Well, at least the story is.
A/N: Next chapter already! :o
o7.
Jaejoong was restless. Fidgeting. He had spent all day in his small studio in his apartment, alternately bent over his keyboard trying to come up with a melody, and bent over his desk trying to come up with lyrics. He hadn’t been too successful with either and his overwhelming tiredness hadn’t really helped the process of writing. Instead of retreating to bed early, however, the always hardworking singer had opted to deplete his stock of energy drinks. Three cans, a total of one and a half liters, of Red Bull later had Jaejoong sitting on his swivel chair with his legs tugged under his chin, his heartbeat going a mile a second and his toes drumming a silent beat on the seating surface. He sighed, got up and went back and forth between his studio and his adjacent gaming room, carding his hands through his hair. Maybe that last can had been a bit too much, after all. He had never been good with those energy drinks, but as he had promised Junsu to write him a song for his upcoming solo album, he couldn’t square it with his conscience to go to bed early without having even started on the piece.
Deciding it would be a good idea to get some fresh air, he went out onto his spacious terrace. He stepped close to the railing, grabbed it and leaned as far forward as he dared, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It felt just great, almost like the clean night air revived him, though it did nothing to ease his racing heartbeat and the fidgetiness. It unnerved him, to be perfectly honest, how his current state prevented him from both, sleeping and coming up with a proper song. Upon stepping back inside, he spotted his new work-out clothes, carelessly thrown over the couch and contemplated for a second to go out for a late night jog, in all hopes that it would get him down from his high. After some more contemplating, however, he decided that a late night stroll through the streets would have to do. A flash of memory of his band mates’ reactions to his last nightly stroll through the park caused him to hesitate for a moment, before he shrugged and proceeded to grab his favorite hoodie and a scarf. He couldn’t very well let his friends dictate his life. Unless they wanted him to spend all night keeping them awake to keep him company in their apartment, and Jaejoong was sure that they definitely didn’t want that, he had to go out to calm himself down, he reasoned.
Wandering through the streets did him good. It calmed him to some extent, though he still had to try pretty hard to keep himself from running and skipping down the street, instead of walking. What didn’t do him good was the flood of couples that streamed out the movie theater when he passed it. The late-night showing of some cheesy movie must have just ended and Jaejoong on the one hand wanted to get away from them as soon as possible, but on the other hand couldn’t help but jealously, though inconspicuously, stare at the mass of lovebirds. He remembered the last time he and Yunho had been to the movies. It had been during their holiday on Bali, the greatest holiday Jaejoong had ever had and still one of his most precious memories. Yunho had taken him out on a date, they hadn’t understood much of what happened in the movie, but even if they had understood the language, they hadn’t paid too much attention anyway. Afterwards they had wandered along the beach, under a blanket of stars and a full moon and just thinking about that night, the singer could feel the butterflies in his tummy again.
When he returned to his apartment complex a bit more than an hour later, he felt only slightly less fidgety. He was greeted by his favorite security guard who had waited for his return, even though his shift had ended half an hour ago, because apparently an express delivery guy had, once again, dropped off a parcel for him. Bowing deeply, Jaejoong accepted the small box from him and slipped him a banknote as a sign of his gratitude, before he called the elevator and stepped into it, not without wishing the guards a good night.
Jiji, for once, actually seemed happy about his return. He snuggled against his master’s legs and barely let him step out of his shoes. It made the singer instantly feel bad about leaving his cat alone in the middle of the night. One hand still occupied with the cardboard box, he picked up Jiji with his other hand and went to the bedroom with him, where he set him down on the bed, before he plopped down on it himself, careful not to crush the cat in the process and thus destroy the fragile trust and love the cat had seemed to have developed towards him.
“Let’s see what Yunho sent us this time, shall we?” Jaejoong told his cat, who curled up next to the singer, its tiny head resting on Jae’s leg, almost as if trying to console him, as if he had noticed the hint of sadness in his master’s voice.
Jaejoong gently petted his companion’s head once, before he finally ripped the parcel open to reveal an assortment of brushes, different watercolors and some more painting utensils. The biggest brush had a note attached.
Finishing a task. Jaejoong was well aware what it was that Yunho wanted him to finish. He wasn’t too sure, however, if he could ever finish it, especially now, when the memories attached to it hurt so much. He stared at the painting utensils for a bit longer, before he sighed and got up to rummage through the deepest, darkest corners of his walk-in closet. There it was. The canvas with the unfinished painting of his and Yunho’s favorite spot on Bali. He had started it in a quiet moment on the island, while Yunho had taken a nap in the sun and he didn’t know what to do with himself. Not many people knew that he painted, but those who did kept telling him he should do an exhibition with his art, so highly they thought of it. It was embarrassing. He had been meaning to finish the painting after their return, but he never quite found the time to do so, and then the lawsuit happened and he thought it would be better for him and his sanity to stow it somewhere far away.
Yunho had always bugged him to finally finish it. Jaejoong wasn’t sure why his boyfriend was so intent on this one painting. It showed the beginnings of what would be a beautiful scenery with a beach, palm trees, exotic flowers, a sunset and, in the middle of it all, a beautiful white, triangular, illuminated building that locals told them was a chapel. The memory of the beauty of this scenery was still vivid in his head and he knew he would have no problem to finish the painting. He heaved another sigh and dug through his closet again to find his easel. The things he did for his lover.
Six am the next morning had Jaejoong critically observe the result. Jiji had fallen asleep on the bed, rolled up in the cardboard box a few hours prior. The singer had to admit the painting didn’t turn out bad. In fact, it looked just like he had wanted it to. He went to the stereo, switching off the music he had put on to get him in the mood. A compilation of their favorite songs during that time back then. His eyes were puffy from the tears he had shed while painting, he was dead tired from painting all night and his feet hurt from standing in front of the easel for hours. But he felt definitely accomplished and when he finally curled up next to his cat on his big bed, Jaejoong let himself be lulled to sleep by that deep sense of satisfaction of finally having finished something he had put off for so long and of finally having faced something with so many memories attached. He fell asleep with a small, content smile on his face.
« Sixth. || Eighth. »
★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆
Okay, fast update.
Since I'm most looking forward to the last chapter and the chapters now start to build up to the final, I hope I can bring myself to write them soon. :]
Comments, criticism and suggestions are welcome. :)