Because of You [Chapter 22A]

[sum3r]

Title: Because of You [22A/?]

Author: Sum3r

Pairing: JaeMin

Rating: R (Lemon)

Warning: Delinquent!Jae and Uke!Min = Smex / Language

Disclaimer: Plot is mine. Characters aren’t.

Summary: Min is a simple boy who was rejected by his first love. However, when he agrees to tutor a delinquent, his life turns upside down in ways he never wished it would.
Previous: [Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6A] [Chapter 6B] [Chapter 7] [At a Glance - YooSu SideStory] [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10] [Chapter 11A] [Chapter 11B] [Chapter 12] [Chapter 13] [Chapter 14] [Chapter 15A] [Chapter 15B] [Chapter 16A] [Chapter 16B] [Chapter 17] [Chapter 18] [Chapter 19A] [Chapter 19B] [Chapter 20A] [Chapter 20B] [Chapter 21A] [Chapter 21B]

[A/N]: Longest chapter I’ve ever written D: I apologize for the wait. ♥

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He shook the package harder this time, shook it and watched with shock, eyes as wide as they could be, as picture after picture fell onto the floor; Changmin at school, in class, at home, with him- Nearly every photograph, Jaejoong finally realized as the pictures became littered around him…was marked with a big red X.

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Chapter 22

Soo Jin searched through her bag for her keys, cursing silently as her stuffed hand met loose papers and hard books rather than a single set of keys. When at last she pulled the keychain out, clicking open the front door, the last thing she had been expecting was being taken down by a wet tongue and a loud bark.

“Down Mangdongie! Down!” As Soo Jin untangled herself from the floor, she realized she had an unexpected guest at her hands, an excited guest, as the puppy continued to lick her cheek, wagging his tail eagerly. Changmin soon came scuttling after him, helping her up as he took the puppy into his arms, pushing its mouth down to silence him.

Soo Jin merely raised a brow as she slammed close her house door, slipping out of her jacket and shoes as her son stayed close behind her.

“I assume we’re keeping him?” she asked nonchalantly as she headed towards the kitchen, knowing full well what the question would be before he even said it. But she hid as smile as Changmin’s grin perked up, the younger boy rubbing his lean fingers into the puppy’s fur, trying to soothe him into sleep.

“I-I wasn’t sure if you’d let me keep him,” Changmin said, continuing to stare down at the puppy’s fur as his mother bustled around the kitchen, the sound of the coffee maker easily overtaking his voice.

There were a few minutes of silence before his mother turned around, a grin in place as she stated, “If he gives us rabies, we’re kicking him out.” And just like that, Changmin’s nervous air broke as he laughed, settling down into one of the kitchen chairs as his mother reached forward, ruffling his hair.

“I actually picked him up, since he had nowhere to go and no collar.” Soo Jin listened to Changmin’s story as she poured herself a cup of coffee, mixing in a bit of sugar and milk as the younger boy continued to talk.

“-I’m planning on posting up signs, but…” Changmin hesitated, fingers curling around the glass of water he poured himself and said tentatively, “…can we really keep him?” Soo Jin slid into the seat in front of him, the smell of ground coffee wafting into the air as she nodded, sipping the hot drink.

“Once we get him checked out, he can stay.” Soo Jin smiled softly, “and besides, I always wanted a pet.” Changmin nodded, face thoughtful as his fingers gently petted Mangdongie’s fur.

“I already took him to the vet, and got his supplies too. I was searching for a spare box for his bed when you came back home.” Soo Jin looked at him over the rim of her coffee cup, and said in an overly casual tone, finger tracing unseen lines on the table, “Was this before or after school? Because I remember that for the most part of the day, you would have been at class, in school…with your textbooks.”

Silence stretched over the table.

Soo Jin carefully laid down her cup on the table as Changmin blushed, turning sheepish as he tried not to make eyes contact. She laughed then, eyes lighting up as she titled back her head, her loud laugh echoing through the silent kitchen as Changmin blushed even deeper. “I was surprised though,” she said, still grinning as she tried to catch Changmin’s eye, “I was hoping for next year at the least. Or that’s what I told my co-worker.”

Soo Jin picked up her cup again, sipping the drink as Changmin turned his horrified face to her, and said in an almost whinnying tone, “You betted on when I’d skip school with you co-worker?!”

Soo Jin almost laughed out loud again as Changmin suddenly stood up, chair scraping against the wooden floor as he laid down Mangdongie and turned his disgruntled face away from her. “Hey, now…I just merely suggested that you…you would be highly unlikely to…to…not participate in your school hours…” but her snort became her undoing and she ended up laughing again at her son’s irritated expression, the younger boy mumbling to himself as he started to wash the dishes.

“Betted...on her son…”

Soo Jin smiled gently as she watched her son washing the dishes, picking up her foot as she slung one arm around it, hand on knee, and leaned back, relaxing in her chair. It was times like these, as she gazed out the window, with the rays of sunshine lightening up the entire house, the distinct aroma of coffee still drifting through the doors, the carefree atmosphere around her that made her enjoy the simplicity of life, relish in it regardless of the chaotic world waiting for her behind the house door.

“I like it like this,” she heard Changmin say, as Soo Jin turned to him, realizing that he had stopped washing dishes and was staring out the window as well, on par with her thoughts.

She smiled, “Yeah,” she said, basking in the comfortable air, “yeah.” As she turned back to her son, interest sparked up again and she said, with a coy smile, “Not that I want to interfere, or anything…”

“You do,” said Changmin, cutting her off with his flat tone as he had an inkling of what she was going to say.

Soo Jin simply grinned as she talked to him, a knowing smile on her face. “I do hope my son went with someone to the amusement park, rather than going all alone because that would be…”

“Slightly pathetic?” said Changmin, filling the word in for her as he dried his hands, finishing up the dishes. “And yes, I did go with someone, if you wanted to know.” He kept his tone as inconspicuous as possible, but Soo Jin was his mother, and as all mothers know, she heard an underlying tone of happiness in his voice, could see it in his eyes.

“And-” Changmin continued, cutting off Soo Jin’s words as she opened her mouth, “you will meet him*”

“Good,” she said in return, nodding as she began to finish the last of her coffee.

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“Name?”

“Jaejoong,” said the older boy tightly, waiting for a moment before the black iron gates began to creep open slowly, the grating noise filling the air as he stayed silent in his car.

When at last the gate was fully opened, the older boy sped his car into the long driveway stretch, tires screeching over the gravel as his old house loomed closer and closer. With hands white-knuckled on the steering wheel, Jaejoong forced himself not the listen to every part of his body screaming at him to go back.

He strapped off his seat belt, slamming the car door shut as he walked through the massive front doors, nearly winching as it shut behind him, leaving him in utter silence. Jajeoong paused for a moment, back in the foyer of his old childhood home, empty now, void of guests and butlers and caterers who trailed around like lapdogs. The silence was nearly deafening, the remains empty, with white sheets thrown over expensive furniture and lights too low to welcome any guest.

Of course that was what he was now; only a guest in this grand house. Jaejoong gripped the package tightly in his hand, shaking his head as he headed for the stairs. He had a purpose, a reason to be here now and the quicker it was settled, the faster he would be able to leave.

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“You know…” said Changmin slowly as his mother looked up, eyes slightly unfocused, as if she was daydreaming. “I wouldn’t mind it if you dated.”

Soo Jin choked, spilling out the last gulp of coffee and splattering it all onto the table as she sputtered and tried to speak. “W-what, what-?!”

Changmin grinned, but his eyes were serious. “I know you didn’t have a choice before, but it’s okay now.” He gave a shrug, “You don’t have to worry about me.” Soo Jin clicked her tongue, shaking her head as she reached for a paper towel, intending to clean the coffee spill.

“Runs away from home once and thinks he needs to take care of old mother now...” But she looked away from him as she wiped away the mess, not meeting his eyes. “I don’t have the time,” she said finally, “between work, and taking care of you…there’s no time for anyone else.”

“No time…” said Changmin slowly, as he met his mother’s eyes, fingers slowly stroking the puppy, “or you don’t want to make time?”

[Go to Part B]