Budding Romance 2/3
Title: Budding Romance:
Status: 2/3
Pairing: YunJae
[ Part 1 ]
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The boombox on the picnic table was blaring the latest hits, the park deserted all except the five young men chasing around a soccer ball. Smiles were on all of their faces, sweat glistening in the sun, shirt sleeves rolled up and open water bottles littering the surface of the table.
A powerful kick sent the ball between two trash cans that were standing in as goal-posts, team Yoosu cheering and high-fiving each other. Team Yunjae hunched over, breathing hard as the others cheered, Changmin the referee joining in as well.
"That was a lucky shot," Yunho panted, straightening and placing his hands behind his head, trying to get air into his parched lungs.
"You're just getting old," Junsu said teasingly, sticking his tongue out playfully as they made it to the picnic table, each one of the members picking up a water bottle and taking grateful swigs from them.
Jaejoong wiped the sweat from his brow; more of his extensions had fallen out, and they've been piling up on the picnic table (since Junsu was severely against littering). The eldest member gathered his hair and pulled it up into a ponytail, flopping down on the bench once he was satisfied and finally cooling down.
"Now you owe us lunch.~" Changmin said, still vibrant and full of energy. Well, like he did anything except chase the other members to make sure they were playing fair. And it's not like he made any official calls anyway...
"We owe Yoosu lunch," Yunho corrected, smiling and grabbing a towel to dab at his neck and gather the sweat away. "You're welcome to tag along if you like."
Changmin pouted and turned towards Jaejoong, who merely raised his brows as if to say 'What do you expect me to do?', before turning away and sipping on his water. Junsu gave into the pout, however, and put an arm around Changmin. "Hyung, I think Changmin counts as either team..."
"So then he should pay for your lunch too!" Jaejoong said, pointing at Changmin with his free hand, the other sloshing some water around as he spoke.
Yoochun blinked and waved his hands around, trying to quell the squabbling members. When it came to Changmin and Jaejoong, they could fight for eons before any end came in sight. Well, at least unless one of the other members intercepts.
"Let's just all go out to lunch, eh? We all have the same bank card anyway." Yoochun spoke reason, and the other members blinked at him a few times before Jaejoong spoke.
"Yeah Changmin, sheesh." the eldest member reached out and smacked Changmin upside the head, making the youngest flinch and recoil, his own hand rubbing the abused area.
"All right, calm down." Yunho chided, smiling and grabbing the boombox. "Let's clean up our mess and go, hm?"
~*~
About two hours later found the members of Dong Bang Shin Ki on the sand, towels set up on the beach, a larger blanket underneath an umbrella that sported Jaejoong laying out in his swim trunks and an unbuttoned white shirt. Junsu, Changmin and Yoochun were splashing around in the water, the sky above them perfectly blue and blending with the ocean, the sun bright and not too hot. Yunho was seated in a lawn chair, sipping a drink and watching the 'children' play.
His brown eyes glanced over to Jaejoong, watching the pale skin stretch and relax with the breaths that the older male took. The sun was beating down on him, Jaejoong not really noticing that the shade had moved off of him.
"Hyung," Yunho grabbed the sunscreen, and then adjusted the large umbrella to put Jaejoong back in the shade. The leader smiled when Jaejoong looked over at him, dark pools obscured by large fashionable sunglasses. "You're going to burn if you stay in the sun like that."
Blinking behind the shades, Jaejoong sat up and glanced around. "Omo..." Apparently he didn't notice that his body was exposed to the UV rays, and he shifted to move more under the shade, effectively putting him right next to Yunho's chair. Yunho smiled and tugged on the collar of Jaejoong's shirt, making the motion of taking it off. Jaejoong complied and took off the piece of material, setting it behind him to act as a pillow for when he laid back down.
"Ah~" Yunho stopped the elder from laying down, and twirled his finger. Jaejoong stared for a moment, not quite sure of what Yunho meant, but when the leader wiggled the sunscreen bottle, Jaejoong nodded in understanding and dutifully turned to face his back towards Yunho. "If you burn you can't go out in public until it heals."
"Ah, relaxation time." Jaejoong smiled, then hissed as the cool substance hit his warm back. He dipped his head forward as Yunho rubbed in the liquid, blushing slightly as he imagined the strong hands smearing the substance around. Biting his lip, he pulled away almost shyly as Yunho finished, taking the bottle of sun lotion for himself so he could rub it in on his arms and torso.
"It was a good idea to come to the beach for lunch," Yunho said, reclining in his chair and glancing around, watching the boys play as his eyes scanned over the beautiful beach.
"Well, we deserve a bit of a break. This is our first day off in a while..." Jaejoong said, rubbing the sunscreen into his chest.
Yunho nodded, "It's peaceful." He then turned around some to see the barricade of security guards and police making sure that no civilians got into the area. They were putting up the façade that they were doing a huge clean up after the most recent storm, and that it was dangerous for people to go down there.
As long as DBSK wasn't bothered, the security would lie to Hell and back to keep the media away.
"Yeah..." Jaejoong smiled and leaned back on his hands once he was finished rubbing the lotion on his body, watching the boys play. "Don't go too far out!" He called, making all three younger members turn back and wave, Changmin on the verge of going too far for Jaejoong's liking.
"Listen to your umma~" Yunho called, and Jaejoong elbowed his knee lightly, rolling his eyes and bringing his own knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and resting his chin on them. The younger male glanced down at the top of Jaejoong's head, the singers features hardly noticeable under the curtain of dark bangs, the rest of his hair still up in a ponytail. Without much thought, the dancer reached out and placed his palm on top of the dark head, gently caressing it with a soft smile.
Jaejoong glanced up under thick lashes, chocolate eyes imploring as Yunho tucked some bangs behind the delicate shell of his ear, Jaejoong leaning into the touch like a content kitten. Yunho let a soft smile curl over his features when Jaejoong raised a hand to cup the one caressing him, holding it delicately. Yunho turned his palm and lanced their fingers together, the brunet kissing the younger male's hand tenderly before he leaned against the dancer's leg lightly as they both watched the three younger members frolic in the sparkling waves.
Only a few hours later and the sun was starting to set, tiki torches lit as the boombox was turned on once again. The soft light of the flames flickered across the sand, sending shadows and warmth all over as the five members were standing and chatting, each with some sort of fruity drink in their hand (courtesy of one of the security guards). Tunes came and went from the ghetto blaster, and then the radio station played a song that made them all smile broadly and dancing and singing.
After a few minutes things started to wind down, the sun dipping lower and lower. The light mixing with the waves was making the sky sparkle, the few twinkling stars out flickering and fading, waiting patiently for night to befall the beach.
Spreading out two large blankets right next to each other, all five men spread out on them. Jaejoong's head was on Yunho's chest, his body perpendicular. Junsu and Yoochun were just under his legs, and Changmin was content near the end, sipping on his drink and making awkward noises with the straw that made them all giggle occasionally.
"This is so nice.~" Junsu said, stretching and curling into Yoochun's side, the elder members' arm going around the smaller man protectively.
"Yeah..."
Jaejoong's eyes were watching the sky as it grew darker and darker, the air warm but slightly chilled due to the spray of the ocean crashing not ten meters in front of them. His lids started to droop a bit, his body relaxing as Yunho started to rub his lower abdomen gently, the action almost lulling Jaejoong into a state of semi-sleep.
However, a large flash and a crash, followed by dozens of screaming voices made all of the members shoot up and glance around. There, coming over the hills, were their security guards running frantically, media and fans behind them snapping cameras and rolling tapes. Jaejoong scrambled to get up and grab his jacket and beanie, the rest grabbing their clothes and doing their best to put the place back in order and pack up their things.
"No time for that!" A guard said as he came closer, a couple more following and shuffling DBSK away.
In the commotion, Jaejoong realized he was missing something; his glasses. He'd brought them because his eyes had been hurting lately, especially at night time - there they were, on the closed cooler.
"Wait, my glasses!" Jaejoong said, struggling against the guards. They merely grunted and kept the lithe body back easily, Yunho glancing over to see what Jaejoong wanted. He grabbed the oldest members' hand and gave him an apologetic look, before they were all hauled into a van that had managed to screech its way onto the beach.
"So much for a relaxing evening," Changmin said, sitting on the floor and running a hand through his hair.
Jaejoong was shivering from the cold and sudden excitement, and Yunho wrapped a blanket around him along with his own arm, trying to comfort the eldest member.
"We'll get your glasses," he said, rubbing Jaejoong's arm. The other male just sighed, pouty lips puffing with the action, his eyes glued to the floor.
"I'll bet a fan got them..." he said, biting the bottom right corner of his lip and blinking slowly. "Those were my favorite glasses..."
Jaejoong wasn't really a materialistic person. But those glasses were special; Yunho had them specially made last Christmas, just for Jaejoong, and he treasured them dearly. Sure, they looked like the other member's glasses, but they were different... they had an inscription on the inside of one of the ear pieces.
Strawberries & Apples
Yunho seemed to understand what was going through Jaejoong's mind, and he sighed and pressed a kiss to the elder's head. "Don't worry about it. We just need to go home and get some sleep, okay? Tomorrow we start working on a new song."
"Yeah..."
That night, neither Jaejoong nor Yunho slept too peacefully.
~*~
The next morning was unusually slow and sluggish for Jaejoong. Everyone was dressed and ready to go, and by the time he stepped out of his room wearing a beanie and his other glasses, he was nearly carried to the van to take them to the studio. Yunho kept giving Jaejoong worried glances and asking if he was okay, to which the eldest member would just nod.
They were due for a radio interview in the afternoon, but by that time Jaejoong was coughing none too prettily and carrying a little packet of kleenex. Inside of the radio studio, even the DJ asked if Jaejoong was all right; he just responded with a small smile and said it was a bit of a cold that caught up to him.
Throughout the whole interview he was rather silent, only speaking when spoken to. He hadn't even argued with Changmin, or cracked a joke with Yoochun. It was really worrying Yunho, even Mr. Lee, and once the show was over, he was pulled aside by both.
"Jaejoong, are you okay?" Mr. Lee asked, concern flashing in his weathered eyes.
Jaejoong flashed his charming smile, though it was dimmed a few watts. "I'm okay... just coming down with something."
Yunho bit his lip, then took Jaejoong's hand. "Can I talk to you?" He glanced at Mr. Lee, "Alone?"
The eldest member nodded, and out of the room they went, Yunho leading Jaejoong down the corridor towards the stairs that probably lead to the roof.
"What's gotten into you?" Yunho asked as they started to ascend the steel steps, the clanging of their feet against them echoing throughout the slightly dingy hall.
Staying silent until they exited the door onto the top of the building, Jaejoong took in a deep breath as he leaned over the rail on the edge, resing his forearms on the cold metal. "I don't know... just a bit of stress, I suppose." He shrugged lightly, but Yunho knew better.
"Jaejoong..." He stood next to his hyung, facial expression wrought with worry. A faint breeze picked up, ruffling Jaejoong's hair, which had returned to its normal length. "It's more than that. Are you really so upset about your glasses that it's making you sick?"
Chocolate eyes lowered down to the bustling street below, and Jaejoong shrugged once again as he licked his lips. "I don't know if it's just that. Maybe it's just a combination of things. I got really scared last night, I thought something horrible had happened when I heard all of those noises..." He scratched his cheek and raised his gaze to the overcast sky, his cheeks slightly flushed with a light fever.
Yunho reached out and touched Jaejoong's cheek after seeing the rosy tint, and tsked lightly. "You're running a fever, hyung..." Jaejoong said nothing, and let himself be pulled into the taller man's chest. He pillowed his face into the soft fabric of Yunho's sweater, inhaled the sweet scent that was his cologne.
"I don't know what's wrong with me..." Jaejoong said, raising his arms and clutching at the back of Yunho's coat. "I just... feel so high-strung..."
Yunho rested his chin on top of the dark locks, looking around and thinking. After a few moments of staying like that, Yunho smiled and pulled back, kissing Jaejoong on the forehead.
"Sounds like a vacation is in order." The leader declared, and Jaejoong blinked a few times.
"What?"
Yunho didn't explain, he merely kissed Jaejoong's lips lightly, leaving the elder flustered as the dancer walked away in a flourish, talking to himself about flight arrangements and hotels. Jaejoong faltered for a second, confused at the sudden action, and then stumbled after the leader.
"Wait!" Jaejoong called as he jogged after Yunho, following the man down the steps back into the room where the rest of the members and Mr. Lee were.
"Everyone," Yunho said once he entered the room, making all faces and eyes turn up to him, Jaejoong panting behind him. Running around with a fever was exhausting. He glanced up at Yunho, who merely continued. "Me and Jaejoong are going on a trip."
"... trip...?" Mr. Lee repeated, tilting his head as if he didn't hear correctly.
"Yes, a trip." Yunho raised a finger and smiled brightly. "To France!"
"To France?" The room echoed, and Jaejoong squeaked lightly.
"France?"
"We're leaving in the morning."
"The morning?"
"Morning?" Jaejoong's words were but a shocked echo of what Mr. Lee was repeating.
"Mhm. Jaejoong needs rest, I'm going to go take care of him now.~" He grabbed Jaejoong and pulled the elder man along with another indignant squeak, leaving the room in silence as they stared at the empty doorway that was just occupied.
"Uhm..." Junsu glanced around, and pouted lightly. "Why don't we get a vacation?"
Mr. Lee shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose, returning to the work they were doing. "That's not important, boys, now let's get back to work..."
Meanwhile, walking down the streets with their hats and sunglasses and jackets, Jaejoong was tugging on the hand that was holding his elbow.
"Yah, why France?" He whined, and Yunho merely smiled at him.
"It's romantic there, isn't it?"
Jaejoong blushed, "Their language is funny..."
"You love their food." Yunho countered.
"I know..." Jaejoong finally gave in, glancing around a bit awkwardly, so as to make sure to keep his voice low so fans wouldn't recognize them. After a few moments of silence as they made their way to their apartment complex, Jaejoong spoke up, softly. "Thank you..."
Yunho smiled and kissed the side of Jaejoong's head, "It's no problem, hyung. As the leader it's my job to take care of you."
Smiling lightly, the eldest member leaned into Yunho as they walked down the sidewalk, relaxing and savoring the feel of the taller man against him.
Maybe a vacation is just what he needed...
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A/N: Ahhahahahaha part 2. This is all pre-written from 3 years ago, please keep that in mind. The 3rd part may or may not be up tomorrow.
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