[Can we live...] Happily Ever After [?] - Chapter 9 (part1)
Title: [Can we live] Happily Ever After [?]
Rating: PG-13 || Genre: Drama/ Romance/ Fluff/ Friendship/ (slight) Angst (?)/ AU || Status: Completed || Chapters: 9/9 + Epilogue
Pairing(s): YooSu / YooMin (friendship)
Warning: Loosely based on "Zettai Kareshi" and the movie "Bicentennial man". Although the idea was inspired by something else, I do desclaim the story as mine. I wish I could claim all 5 as mine though, but unfortunately I can't...
Basic Synopsis: In a modern and technologicaly advanced world, where God is no longer the only creator, perfection is born.
Junsu is an college art student who has the most boring life ever, which makes his best friend think that what he needs the most in his life is love and so he decides to get him the perfect girlfriend. The only problem is that his 'perfect girlfriend' is perfectly beautiful... male.
Previous: Prologue & Trailer || Chapter 1 || Chapter 2|| Chapter 3 || Chapter 4 || Chapter 5 || Chapter 6 || Chapter 7a) || Chapter 7 (b) || Chapter 8
“Oh... Hi, Taeyeon...” Yoochun greeted, trying not to make her notice his unfriendly tone.
She smiled “Aren't you going to invite me to get in?”
“Sure”
Yoochun opened the door wide, letting the girl in and closing it afterwards while sighing. “Junsu is not home and I am going out in a bit.” He started
“I won't take long. Actually I wanted to talk with you not with Junsu.” Yoochun showed her a surprised look which she ignored. He led her to the living room and after telling her to take a seat, he disappeared into the kitchen.
A few minutes later, he was back with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“I don' know if you drink coffee...”
“Yes, thank you.”
Yoochun took a seat, right in front of the girl, clasping his hands together. “Well, you said, you wanted to talk with me, right? What is it?”
“Yes,” she said, while sipping a bit of the coffee “I wanted to talk to you about Junsu. You are together, right?”
“Yes. Since Junsu told me he had broken up with you.”
She smiled bitterly “Yes. Well, it was nice to date him for a few hours.”
“I'm sorry.” Yoochun said
“No, you're not.” She replied, coldly. “Well, you do have to be good, don't you? It was the way you were programmed anyway.”
Yoochun was startled “I don't know what you mean...”
“Of course you do, so don't act dumb. I know you are not human, that you are a robot, a weird thing that is trying to deceive Junsu.”
“I am not trying to deceive anyone. Yes, I am a robot, but I exist because of him. I was made because of him and I know he needs me just like I need him.”
“Junsu doesn't need you!” She blurted “Since you came, you gave him nothing but troubles. First you come to his house, then you ruin his project and now you won't let him be happy.”
“That's not true. I know that I have caused him a few troubles initially, but it was never intentional and I am not preventing him from being happy, much on the contrary. No one more than me wants him to be happy.”
“He would be if you disappeared from his life.” She said, surprising Yoochun. “Do you think you can be together? Junsu is human and you are a machine. The feelings you have, were artificially implanted but Junsu's feelings are real. Everything about you was programmed so you say you love him because that's what they made you for. Junsu will change, he will grow old, but you won't. Ever. What are you going to do when that happens?”
“Why are you being so mean?” Yoochun asked
“Me? Alright, yes, I'm being mean, so what? I like Junsu and I want him for myself. I hate you for showing up and meddle between the two of us. I hate you and I can't even stand to look at your fake human face. I want you to disappear and never get near Junsu again.
So? Was I mean enough now?”
“I don't want to leave Junsu and I won't.” Yoochun replied, decided “I might have been programmed to like him, but that was at first. Now is different. Before, I liked him because I had to but now I like him but I can't explain why I do. I like him and that's it. These feelings... unlike you said, are not fake or programmed.” Yoochun got up, still looking at the girl who was fuming “Now if you don't mind, I need to go out, so...”
Taeyeon got up also but a bit too suddenly, hitting with her knee on the table and sending the cup that was on top of it to the floor.
“Oh, that's so clumsy of me.”
“I'll get it.” Yoochun said, kneeling to get the cup. Suddenly though, he felt a hand being buried into his hair and a slight touch on the back of his ear that made him drop what he had in his hand. The android felt his body getting weaker and weaker until his whole system shutdown, making him lay with one knee on the floor and the rest of his body slightly inclined on the couch.
“Alright, it's off. Now... where is that thing supposed to be located? AH! This must be it!”
Taeyeon lifted Yoochun's hair, at the back of his head, revealing a tiny protective opening where the chip that controlled his main system was inserted and took it off, keeping it with her. A few seconds later, she grabbed her phone and made a quick call. A knock on the door came a moment later and when the girl opened it, a tall man appeared.
“It's on the couch, you can take it. When you get out of the city's limits, you can drop Iit wherever you want.”
The man bowed and proceeded into going near Yoochun and pick him up, putting him on his shoulder and leaving the house only to throw him to the back of his truck, carelessly. After getting inside the vehicle, he started the engine and departed.
Soon after, Taeyeon left Junsu's house, closing the door behind her.
Meanwhile, Junsu kept waiting in front of the college's gate, seemingly frustrated with the fact that Yoochun was beyond late.
“Don't worry, he'll be here soon, you'll see.” Jaejong said, trying to prevent him from frowning even more.
“But it's not like him to be late. Maybe something happened.”
“Hish prwobabwy rate becaush he wash making tzhe luntch” Changmin said, while having his mouth stuffed with an over-sized rice ball.
“What did you just said?” Junsu asked
“Hyung... w-water...” Changmin gasped, while gagging with his food and after being “saved” by Yunho, he breathed again “I was saying... he's probably late because he was making the lunch.”
“Yeah, you're worrying too much,” Yunho coaxed “he's only twenty minutes late and -”
Suddenly a little giggle interrupted the boy's thoughts and three pairs of eyes darted towards Jaejoong who was looking at his cellphone.
“What's wrong with him?” Junsu asked
“It’s the principal's daughter... don't even ask. He's like glued to the phone ever since he got her number.” Yunho said in a very disgusted tone.
“Aww... are you in love, Jae?”
“Of course not! It's just that the kid is really cute and I kind of like her sense of humor and so. Oh, shit! My battery is dead! Yah, Yunho, give me your cellphone, quickly! I'll die if I don't reply quickly.”
“I don't have any money in it.”
“WHAT? Are you insane? Why don't you have any money?!”
Junsu kept looking at Yunho and at Jaejoong, arguing about why the younger had no credit left but decided that it would be better to seek for the answer in the very frustrated Changmin, looking at them at the side but before Junsu could even open his mouth, Jaejoong squeaked. “The girl is confessing! She was like: 'if you remain silent I'll take it as a yes'! I'm not ready to compromise myself yet!” He said, before whispering an apology to Junsu and darting away.
“This is so depressing...” Yunho said, while kicking a can and going away.
Changmin sighed “I so have to talk to my parents one of these days... I am sure that I must have been adopted, really... It’s impossible that I share their blood.” He said going away also and leaving Junsu all alone in front of the gate, sighing heavily.
“What about me then?”
Yunho walked lazily towards the man's bathroom “I have to stop drinking so much juice if I don't want to keep coming in here every hour.”
After finishing his business and washing his hands, the youngster finally realized that there was nothing that he could use to dry his hands, the other two doors were locked and the only on that wasn't has a red sign on it, indicating that some one was using it. He decides to wait though, but the person didn't seem like it was coming out any time soon so he knocked.
“Sorry to bother you, but are you going to take long? I need something that is in there... Oyy, are you alive in there?”
A very stifled sound coming from inside made Yunho understand that he was being completely ignored nonetheless he tried once more. “I just need some toilet paper, can you throw me some?”
Suddenly the paper roll flew from inside the cabinet and into Yunho's hands. “Thanks.”
The boy cleaned his hands, returning the paper and yet again thanking the 'poor guy who should be suffering inside' before leaving the bathroom.
A couple of seconds later, a head peeked out of the bathroom, releasing a heavy sigh and a girl came out. After washing her face, red from the embarrassment she noticed that Yunho had left his backpack on the floor, near the sink. Recognizing it, the girl decided to pick it up and prepared to leave when Yunho suddenly came in, running into her.
An awkward silence took place then.
“I think you might have entered the wrong bathroom... this is the men's bathroom. Did you realize that?” The girl nodded positively “Weird... Oh! I knew I had forgotten my bag. You found it, huh?”
“Yeah, here you go” She said, shyly
Yunho thanked her while putting on his bag back on and prepared to leave but stopped on is tracks, looking at the girl once again “Sorry but, were you the one who was in there awhile ago?” She nodded again “You know... people can start talking...”
“Actually I followed you.” She blurted
“Even so, you shouldn't - ” He stopped “Huh? You what? Me? Why?”
“I had something for you” The girl said, searching inside her bag and finally took out a pink envelope. “I was going to put it inside the locker but - ”
“Give it to me, I'll deliver it to him later on” Yunho said, interrupting the girl's speech.
“To 'him'? Who is 'him'?”
“Jaejoong, my brother. Isn't the letter for him? I promise I won't read it, so you can give it to me.”
“But this is for you... since I actually like you...”
“That's why I'm telling you that...” He stopped again “Huh? You like me? I mean, are you sure? I mean... who are you?”
She smiled, shyly although obviously amused by the boy's puzzled expression. “I'm just... someone who likes you.” She said, shoving the letter in his face “I'll see you around then.” The girl waved slightly, smiling wider and disappeared next, leaving Yunho with his mouth wide open.
“What was this?”
~*~
Junsu had decided that heading home was the best solution. Maybe Yoochun was actually late like Changmin suggested however, when he opened the door and called for him, no one answered and that's when the boy started to panic since he could tell that he was previously there because the house was clean and there were still groceries on the top of the kitchen table.
He decided to wait and not to get paranoid over the situation, but two hours went by and there was still no sign from Yoochun so he called Jaejoong.
“I won't freak out, I won't freak out!” He chanted while the phone kept ringing until his friend picked up “JAE, YOOCHUN DISAPPEARED!”
And then he freaked out. It was actually easier said than done.
“What? How so?”
“He wasn't home when I got here and it's been two hours already but he won't show up. I'm strangely worried, Jae.”
“Calm down, Junsu. It won't be any help if we get paranoid now. It's weird, but he's probably okay. I have Heechul's address with me so we can ask him to track him down since he has a way of doing so. I'll pick you up in 5 minutes.”
Junsu hung up, grabbed his jacket and left. Jaejoong showed up a few minutes later with Changmin inside the car. Junsu just looked at the youngest, wordless.
“I'm just worried.” The younger said.
It didn't take long until the car was stopped right in front of Heechul's company, making Junsu jump from his seat and ring the bell immediately.
Meanwhile, somewhere outside Seoul, Yoochun woke up, feeling something wet underneath his body. When he was able to finally open his eyes, he realized that he was lying down on the floor, which was completely wet, since it had probably rained earlier. Yoochun also noticed that his pants were torn on his knees, everything around him was pitch-black and he seemed to be in some sort of an alley.
As soon as the android got up, he had to lean on the wall behind him, since he could actually feel like he would faint anytime soon. He knew he didn't have the chip that controlled his main system and he had used most part of his backup battery just to wake up and initiating the system. Although he tried to remain standing, he felt unable to so he decided to sit down, leaning his back on the wall and hugging his knees.
Yoochun knew he wouldn't be able to get out of there alone because he wouldn't be awake for much longer; he felt pain all over his body and the only thing he could think about was how worried Junsu must be at that moment.
“It's my fault. It's all my fault...” A tear rolled down his cheek as he felt all of his strength abandon his body and his eyes finally closed.
~*~
Jaejoong was getting awfully irritated given the fact that he was actually driving at a frighteningly law-forbidden speed, trying to keep his eyes on the road, but the backseat passengers were screaming like the world was coming to an end.
“To the right!” Changmin directed
“Who made you responsible for the map?” Heechul asked “I'm the one who knows where we should be heading.”
“You told us where it was, now I’ll give the directions”
“YAH!” The flamboyantly dressed man screamed “If it wasn't for me you wouldn't know where to go. Do you have something against me?”
Changmin snorted before giving him a grin “Yeah, I do. You are too weird, too flashy, too noisy and definitely too pink! You remind me of a strawberry icing of a cake. The only difference between that and you is that looking at you doesn't make me the least happy.”
“YAH, YAH!”
“WOULD YOU JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP ONCE AND FOR ALL?” Jaejoong finally exploded.
“Turn left at the intersection, hyung. LEFT!”
“Changmin, SHUT IT, DAMN!”
After finally arriving at the right location, the driver stopped the car, making Junsu sigh in relief for actually being alive after all of that.
“The signal is coming from there.” Heechul said, getting out of the car while running and pointing ahead.
Everyone rushed forward, following Heechul and after some running they finally got to an alley, which was basically a dead end and further ahead they found who they were looking for. Junsu ran to Yoochun at once, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him almost violently.
“Yoochun! Yoochun! Can you hear me? Yoochun, wake up! Heechul, come here quickly!”
“Move over please” The man said, while examining the android, looking for the chip that should be in place, but wasn't. “Junsu, did you take out his microchip?” The boy nodded while Heechl hummed for a bit “Well, someone did because it's not here. Despite everything you've told me about Yoochun's seemingly 'human condition' that microchip is what keeps him awake because he still has a positronic system and controls his main functions. Without it, the secondary battery can only last a few minutes and the main one won't even work. Besides,” he continued, looking at Yoochun intently “what the hell happened to him? You know, he's not just a toy, you have to treat him like he is a real person.”
“We didn't do it! He was okay this morning” Jaejoong defended
“Can't you take him to your lab and fix him?” Junsu asked, approaching the man.
He glared “Of course not! I need his chip. As a matter of fact, yes, I am going to take him to the lab and I can fix his outer appearance but he won't wake up unless he has the chip.”
“So he won't wake up, like ever? I mean, how am I supposed to know who the hell took his damn chip off?”
Changmin looked at his friend, surprised to hear him ever curse like that and then a light bulb turned on inside his head “You know... I don't want to be mean and all but I might have an idea about who is behind all this...”
The younger managed to get everyone's attention then.
“Taeyeon...”
Junsu scoffed at the idea “She wouldn't do that.” Changmin rolled his eyes, while trying his best not to yell at his friend.
“I actually feel like beating the hell out of you right now, Junsu! When are you going to realize that she is MEAN and DEVILISH? She wants you and she'll do whatever it takes to get it.”
As Junsu still dwelled on the hypothesis of whether his cute classmate could actually be able to do such a thing to Yoochun or not, Heechul took the lead and ordered that Yoochun was taken to the car.
“I wouldn't mind taking him, but I hate people who only give out orders, so why don't you take him yourself?” Changmin asked
“He's dirty, wet and my clothes are too expensive to ruin like that.”
Changmin smirked before throwing some dirt and water from the floor right to his shirt “There you go, its 'ruined' so pick him up and carry him!”
“DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS COSTS? THIS IS BRANDED!” - The man in pink yelled, being utterly ignored by Changmin, who picked Yoochun up and put him on Heechul's back.
“It's tasteless too. Now, let's go.”
~*~
Part 2 >>>