The Art Of Deception (Yunho x Jaejoong) - Chapter Thirty-Two
**Note: Thank you, dadamidi, for the wonderful banner you made for me!**
**Note: Thank you, steorie, for the wonderful banner you made for me!**
The Art of Deception (Chapter Thirty-Two)
Pairing: Yunho (DBSK) x Jaejoong (DBSK).
Category: K-Pop.
Length: Multi-chaptered.
Genres: Angst, drama, humor, romance.
Rating: PG-13.
Warning: Homosexuality, abuse, light swearing, sexual implications, violence.
Summary: Yunho is a rich son who’s never done anything to earn his own money. Attending snobby diners and appearing in social events with his parents is more than he can take, so he decides to run away, thinking that surely life is better elsewhere - anywhere but his place. Little does he know that it doesn’t get any better in the slums. His thirst for adventure will be quenched - a little too much. Enter street Kabuki actor Kim Jaejoong!
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Those of you who know me outside of LJ will know. Same crazy shit as usual. Sorry for the very very very belated update. Hopefully this chapter is a 'little' worth the wait. :) Not exactly sure where I'm going with this... XD But the end is nearing.
***
[Jaejoong’s POV]
Pouting rather pathetically, I watch Yunho fill out some paperwork like a born president, with a pair of glasses balancing on his nose (the whole picture!). Someone is taking his job WAY too seriously. But I must admit… it kinda suits him.
What am I saying. I could take him on that mahogany desk anytime.
My point is that Yunho is assuming his position very well. Too well.
So well, in fact, that he has forgotten all about me and my malfunctioning limb.
Aishhh. I feel neglected.
For weeks of pure boredom, time has been stretching out into what has felt like eternity... I’ve grown really tired of sitting around doing nothing. In fact, I’ve gotten so sick of it that my condition has taken its toll on my mood… To be honest, I haven’t been the most pleasant of company. Well, at least I gained a little freedom and got some of my physical strength back when I finally succeeded in convincing Yunho to let me walk with crutches.
Okay, my temper has been downright shitty. And I, somewhat of an asshole.
From my spot on Yunho’s guest wheeled armchair, I slump a little further down my seat, letting my chin fall on my hands resting on the padded back. This results in a very uncomfortable yet sloppy position, which is what I’m aiming for as I try to take Yunho’s attention off the goddamn papers for a minute by pissing him off with my bad manners.
No such luck. He doesn’t even lift his eyes.
This calls for a (more) blatantly obvious demand for attention.
Not looking for any kind of subtlety this time, I clear my throat once… twice… thrice, before at last Yunho deems me worthy of his time and tears his gaze away from his work. When he does, I make sure to give him my best glare, but he looks on unimpressed. “What is it now? How many times has it been… thirty-seven? I’m sorry, I lost count.”
“Very funny.” I feign humor, bitter, trying to look more menacing without much result.
Yunho tsks and looks as though he were wondering what to do with me.
I have a suggestion for him. I already know what he’s gonna say, but there really isn’t anything else to busy myself with. “…There has to be something I can do… Isn’t there?” As if on cue, my comment is met with a few strikes of a hammer somewhere in the residence. All around me, something incredible is taking place and starting to take shape, but I can be no part of it. I feel unworthy and undeserving.
My threatening air turns into a look of pure desperation. “You’re all working so hard and all I’m doing is taking up space and oxygen. It’s not fair. I wanna help too…”
For a moment, I think I have won, as Yunho’s expression softens with warmth.
But his head is still as hard as rock.
“Jae… The only thing I need you to do right now is recover. You’ll do plenty more later. Which reminds me… Have you done your readaptation exercises today?” Uh-oh. Sheepish, I shake my head, knowing very well that Yunho will feel disappointed in me. “The doctor said you need to if you want your leg to go back to the way it used to be…”
“I don’t need to… I can walk just fine.” And to demonstrate how much my leg has healed and how healthy I am, I push myself up from the chair and stroll over to the door with confidence, trying not to let the strain I feel in my limb show in my expression and in my step. I clench my teeth a little and turn my head so as not to show Yunho, partly because of the pain and partly because of the frustration and anger I feel at being so helpless.
As expected, Yunho believes none of that. He walks up to me and slips one arm loosely around my waist from behind, giving me my crutches with the other. “Here. Use these until you can walk normally again. What if the bones don’t set properly?”
Part of me wants to resist and refuse the stupid wooden sticks (on which I depend, sadly).
But a simple look at Yunho’s sincere doe eyes does it for me.
With no more than a light sigh, I take the crutches from his hands, frowning a little. This… This isn’t his fault. Besides, I know that he’s right. “I’m gonna go out for a while to get some fresh air…” I inform him, leaning sideways to kiss him lightly on the temple, and he blinks owlishly, visibly surprised by my sudden change of heart. Normally, he would have had to twist my arms into a knot behind my back for me to listen to him…
Well, maybe that would have shifted the pain.
“Don’t go too far.”
“…I won’t...”
On the way to the entrance, I can hear the renovations progressing smoothly. Peeking into one of the multiple rooms that the sumptuous villa contains, I spot Yoochun, Seunghae and Changmin discussing the arrangement of the furniture while Kibum and Jonghyun lie on their stomach drawing happily on pieces of paper that are scattered all across the floor. I’m assuming these will serve to warm up the cold, impersonal walls of this castle.
Preferring not to disturb their work, I slip away without a word, thinking that in the worst of cases, at least Yunho will have an idea where to find me.
Before going out the front door, I turn to look at Yunho’s mother in the ancient and authentic yet modernised kitchen. She looks absolutely minuscule in the center of the gigantic room, drying the dishes with small precise movements, so petite yet beautiful in her own way. (But I still prefer the son.) I really hope she’ll come to like me in time. For now, she continues eyeing me warily and knowingly at the same time, as if she knew more than she lets on but hadn’t yet decided whether I can be trusted or not.
It would be just and expected for me to come out to her and tell her about my relationship with her son - not to mention that she’s entitled to that much. But I’m a coward, and I guess she knows it all already, unless she’s just naturally wary of strangers.
That, I could understand. We do look kinda suspicious, after all, and she might not have forgiven us yet for taking over her house. Fair enough.
For now, all I can do is hope she’ll accept me one day.
Once I’m outside, I instantly feel better.
Deciding to get as far from the house as possible, as such occasions might not present themselves again in the near future - Yunho might just tie me up for good once I get back -, I start walking without paying attention to where I’m going, the key here being to get lost for a while. As an act of rebellion, I bring my crutches just in case, but I do not use them right away. Clinging to my handicap won’t help my recovery…
Being overly dependent isn’t better than being a little daring.
The itch is still there, but I can feel the good old mechanism being set in motion and my body quickly getting used to the familiar sensations. Already I’ve reached the corner of the street without any incident and it only keeps getting better.
So far, so good.
A huge weight that I hadn’t realised was there gradually starts being lifted off my chest. It’s not that I dislike Yunho’s house or that I don’t appreciate what he’s doing for us, but the state of things and the condition of my leg, which forces me to stay inside and stay still, and also the reluctance of Yunho’s mother added up to the feeling that not everyone wants me there all contribute to making me feel weary, unwanted and useless.
I soon find that there is not much to see or do. Despite this neighborhood being quite high-class and wealthy, it is mostly residential, and everyone seems to like their privacy and quietness. Living downtown has its perks and liveliness is definitely one of them, though it also gets peaceful around that time, just not exactly deserted. On the contrary.
My leg is getting tired… That much I can admit to myself, at least. But I can’t stop yet. I have still much to see. Weighing my options, I resolve to use the goddamned crutches.
Why, though, am I under the impression that I’m not alone?
I could be wrong, but my senses hardly ever deceive me, and this time…
I could stake my life on it. Someone is following me.
Deciding not to act on it, I just keep going, trying to ignore the bad feeling I’m getting. Suddenly, something that hadn’t occurred to me until now becomes very obvious. Believe it or not, my weak legs have taken me back to my old neighborhood, of all the places I could have gone. In a way, it only makes sense, as this is the road I know best. But you’d think that after all I went through, I would avoid it at all costs...
Despite feelings of uneasiness, a part of me is somewhat nostalgic at the familiarity.
And so I find myself walking through the alleyways, feeling my way through the dark…
Wind blowing through the narrow passages. The crisp sound of gravel under my shoes. The quiet thud of footfalls coming in my direction… Hah! As I whirl around quickly to meet my pursuers, I lose my footing and end up putting all my weight on my faulty limb. I cringe at the pain, exhaling a sharp breath of air. That was a bad idea.
And yet, there’s no one there, but I could have sworn…!
Well… No use dwelling over that. I’ll be on my way while keeping my guard up.
I’ve gotten to a particularly sombre corner. Not too sure I recognize where I am now… Maybe I should head back after all. I can’t shake off the feeling that my path is being tracked and I’m currently in no position to defend myself… I won’t lie: this tension is making me nervous. All I want is to return to the mansion.
I can always come here later.
As I go around in circles, trying to find my way back, the ground suddenly disappears under my feet. Fuck, a staircase! I hadn’t realised it was there… In order to avoid falling down several flights of steps, I flail my arms blindly in front of me, managing to grab the railing on time. But as I do that, I let go of my crutches which clatter on the floor.
That was close...
Crouching down slowly, I start feeling for them in the dark, convinced that I won’t be able to go back without the walking aid this time. Yunho was right about my leg not being fully healed just yet. Of course, I won’t tell him that... For the time being, at least, my priority lies in getting the hell out of here A.S.A.P. Screw dignity.
Driven by a fear I’ve never had and can’t explain, I manage to grab what I need, get on my feet in less time than it takes to say it and stumble in the opposite direction, hoping that I won’t encounter another such obstacle. Or that whatever’s following me - I’m not imagining things, I swear! - won’t catch up to me. Though I’m exhausted, I ignore the discomfort in my leg for now, running with all the strength in my body.
Since when have I been afraid of the dark?
It’s true that I have grounds to fear that someone wants to get back at me. Needless to say, I have more than just friends. Some people would be glad to see me disappear.
But that has never stopped me before…
Maybe it’s that this time, I feel that my opponent is far greater than I can take. I don’t think I’m dealing with the people I’m used to. Underestimating them could be risky… More than brute force, I think their influence is what I should be afraid of… the power to take me down without getting their hands dirty. This is a lot more frightening.
Once I’m out in the much wider streets, I decide to head back, assuming that it must be getting pretty late. That is, given the quietness of the air, the absence of people.
Aish… Why did I walk so far? I feel so weary and my ribs hurt like hell…
And what is that sound I’m hearing suddenly… an engine?
Ahhhh... it’s probably just a car passing by...
Just as I thought, a pair of headlights suddenly appears behind me, lighting up the path ahead. This isn’t anything unusual, right? Automobiles are free to drive around if they want, after all… I’m walking in the opposite lane, facing traffic, so there’s no reason why there should be a problem if the car is on the right side of the road. Except that the car is now approaching at a very high speed…
I can hear the engine roar as it accelerates… towards me.
Okay, something is definitely wrong. This isn’t normal.
Just what is going on here...?
I only have time to turn and look at the car like a deer caught off guard. When I do, it’s already so close that I’m blinded by the bright headlights, frozen to the spot, unable to lift even a finger. At that moment, right before the impact which I’m sure can’t be avoided, I hear a voice, high-pitched like that of a child, alarmed and desperate. “Hyung!”
Little bum…?
In the blink of an eye, just as my legs give out under the weight of my shock, I feel an impact on my left side which has me falling to the side a few feet away. But at that moment, as my body has stopped responding, my sense of hearing has become more acute and I can hear distinctly something like the sound of broken bones and the strident screeching of tires on the road… That’s when I realize that the car did not hit me, by some stroke of luck. I was bloody fortunate once again.
Quickly, I prop myself up and whirl around just in time to see a luxurious car skid out of control for a few meters before crashing into a parked car.
A few alarms go off as the two vehicles fume, threatening to catch fire.
Overwhelmed by the unexpected series of events, I turn to look at Seunghae, who’s lying on the ground next to me, and then at Taemin, across the road, who gets up with difficulty and stumbles in our direction. There, lying forgotten in the street, my crutches have been broken to pieces that are scattered here and there.
That… could have been me. I swallow with difficulty.
An explosion is followed by the rise of a tall flame engulfing both cars. Watching it burn, hypnotised, I consider rushing over to help, but Seunghae holds me back.
“Don’t even think about it, hyung. Before I found you, I recognised the car and felt something was off, so I decided to follow it. I just know I saw it once at Yunho’s house. I’m pretty sure it belongs to one of those shareholder bastards. Something tells me this wasn’t an accident or a coincidence. These guys were heading straight at you, hyung… They wanted you dead, no doubt. Let’s get out of here before the pigs arrive.”
As I register the information, little of which is new to me, I pat Taemin’s back as he clings to my chest, crying his eyes out. “Thanks for saving me.”
Seunghae bows his head and dismisses the matter with his hand. “Don’t mention it.”
“Why?” Taemin manages to croak out as he lifts his head up from my shoulder. “...Why would they do this to hyung...? You did nothing wrong!”
I pat his head lovingly, smiling at his innocence.
“They got plenty of reasons to hate me, little bum. Loads of ‘em.” I glance at Seunghae, sharing a knowing look with him. Having led this kind of life for as long as we can recall, we have gained our share of enemies and learned to deal with them, but what should we do when the beast is too large to be kept on a leash? Let it roam free and risk getting our heads bitten off? Do we even have another option besides running away?
“We’ll figure something out...” Seunghae says under his breath, reading my mind. “But for now, let’s get out of here. We don’t wanna land ourselves with a hit and run charge.”
That would be the last straw. Somehow, I’d rather not push our luck...
After eyeing the flaming wreck one last time, I lift myself up, followed by the other two. In the distance, I can already hear the shrill wailing of the cops’ siren, and the streets are starting to awake, alerted by the commotion. I don’t wanna be caught up in this mess (even though I already am, whether I like it or not), so I motion for the guys to follow me, but I soon find that my leg does not want to cooperate.
Damn that rotten little...!
“You really pushed yourself too hard, hyung.” Seunghae scolds me, and I’m momentarily reminded of Changmin. The nerve of these dongsaeng...
“Get on.” He instructs me to climb on his back. I don’t really have a choice, huh... Ignoring my pride for this one time (what’s up with people giving me piggyback rides?!), I decide to acquiesce. Just because I don’t want to hold them back and I know they won’t leave me here even if I ask them. Fuming a little inside too, I slip my arms around Seunghae’s neck and let him haul me up.
He does so without an ounce of difficulty. “You’re so light, hyung...!”
“Shut up and walk, would you...?”
***
[Yunho’s POV]
Well, that’s the last of it for today.
Throwing the last file in the pile on my desk, I take my glasses off, sinking further down my chair and exhaling a deep sigh of exhaustion.
When I decided to turn a successful hotel chain into a shelter for the poor, I never imagined it would be so complicated. Clearly, money is not an issue... I wouldn’t have bothered if it was. The shareholders, however, are proving to be quite a pain to handle. Most have turned back with their heads down and their tails between their legs, but a few recalcitrant ones are potentially dangerous, so I’m in the process of dealing with those.
Aigo, is it really that late already?
And the clock stares back at me, stating the obvious. Of course it is.
Then why isn’t Jaejoong back already? I was so focused and deeply engrossed in my work that I forgot about him. He’s going to give me hell when he returns...
Pushing my chair back, I walk over to the window and peer out, but it’s pitch black.
I must have forgotten to turn on the security lights...
I flip them on absentmindedly, giving one last look out before heading towards the door and walking out. Despite the late hour, the house is still animated, but the renovations have been put off for now. That’s good... Which reminds me, I’ll have to give everyone a hand tomorrow. Can’t always be taking care of the easy stuff.
As I start going down the stairs, the front door suddenly opens.
Yongjin rushes over on the spot, breezing past me without seeing me, closely followed by the rest of the gang which gathers around the newly-arrived guests.
“Where was he?” Yoochun asks in a low worried tone of voice, and I figure that Jaejoong must be back at last. A little apprehensive, I finish coming down the stairs, having not the slightest idea of what I’m going to find. Judging from the way everyone is reacting, he must not be in the best of shapes... Indeed, Seunghae is standing there with his back slightly hunched forward and his hands clasped around slender legs. In the crook of his neck lies a familiar mass of unruly raven hair and two thin arms hang loosely on his chest.
Taemin is standing at his side, eyes puffy and red.
Something fishy is going on here. Trying to make as little noise as possible, I inch closer to the group while scanning my surroundings briefly, relieved to see that neither my mother nor the housekeepers are in sight. “What on Earth happened...?” I ask him, trying to keep my voice down as I follow him in the living room, where he sets Jaejoong’s lithe body down on the couch. My boyfriend does not even budge.
For some reason, I have a hunch...
“Someone tried to run him over. I barely got there on time. It was a close call.”
My eyes widen at the news. “What?!” I whisper back - maybe a little too loud -, profoundly horrified. Can we not leave Jaejoong alone for a few hours without him getting almost killed? I haven’t even finished settling matters with the policemen who shot Jaejoong... and now this. “Where is he now? Did you see who it was?”
“It’s someone you know... probably one of the shareholders. The car was familiar... I’ve seen it before. I don’t know who it was exactly, but karma took care of him.”
Even if he’s out of the picture, it doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet.
I’m not sure I want to know the details. Maybe that’s because, if my feeling is right, someone from my family might be responsible for this incident, might stand at the very heart of it... I’m not proud to admit it, but my bloodline has produced more cowards and selfish assholes than it can afford. The more I think about it... Yeah, it would be just like them to do something like that. “I’ll investigate on my end, but I’m sure there’s no need. This will probably blow up in our face soon enough.”
Everyone nods in agreement, most likely used to Jaejoong attracting more than his fair share of trouble wherever he goes.
I, for one, can attest to that.
“Thanks for bringing him back. I won’t let him out of my sight again.”
Chapter Thirty-Three