“Is he picking up?”
“No of course not.” Yunho looked down at his phone with frustration. He had been calling for five minutes straight now with no reply from Jaejoong.
Junsu looked at Yunho worriedly, “I’m sure if you leave a voicemail he’ll get back to y-”
“No,” Yunho cut him off curtly. He looked around the auditorium and his eyes settled on the stage, where the female professor had just been.
“I’ll be right back.”
Before the others could stop him, Yunho headed towards the stage. Taking the side stairs of the stage in big strides, Yunho went in through the back-stage entry.
Looking around, Yunho could see the art professor who had just been on stage, speaking to another lady in a corner. Their conversation looked quite serious. Without hesitation Yunho walked up to the two women.
“Indeed. Jaejoong never did seem in great health before either.”
“It’s quite unfortunate, especially on a day like this.”
“What’s unfortunate?”
The two elderly women looked startled to be interrupted by a young man they had never seen before.
Yunho took a step closer to them and even grabbed one of the woman’s arms urgently, “Do you know where Jaejoong is?? Please tell me.”
The lady looked indignant by Yunho’s rough actions and she pulled away her arm from Yunho’s grasp. Yunho let her go and took a step back: he couldn’t overreact like this.
“Who are you? Are you a friend of Jaejoong?” It was the art professor who spoke, addressing Yunho with an unreadable expression.
Yunho just nodded, “Yes, please tell me where he is. I haven’t been able to get in contact with him.”
The art professor sighed and looked as if she was relenting. “Well I was told Jaejoong didn’t want us to make a big deal about it so I haven’t told anyone other than the art coordinator here. I got a call from Jaejoong’s friend, Janghyuk, that Jaejoong is in the hospital right now.”
Yunho’s eyes widened, “Do you know which hospital?”
“I’m not sure I can divulge so much-“
“Please. I’m desperate here.”
The professor stared at Yunho for some time. After a few moments she seemed to relent.
“Seoul Memorial Hospital.”
Yunho bowed his head to her and expressed his thanks. He turned to go but the professor’s voice stopped him once more.
“Take good care of Jaejoong. He’s a very special boy.”
I plan to, Yunho thought to himself.
***
After hailing a taxi and pestering the driver to drive faster for some time, Yunho finally arrived at the hospital with Changmin by his side.
“Dude, wait up!”
Rushing into the hospital, Yunho barely even acknowledged Changmin’s presence with him. Finding out Jaejoong’s room number from the front desk he was off running again.
“At least take the elevator!! Why are you running up four flights of stairs???” Changmin shouted, clutching on to the railing a little out of breath. But Yunho was almost already out of sight as he took the steps two at a time in big strides. Changmin sighed to himself and started running as well.
When Yunho reached Jaejoong’s room he stopped right before opening the door. He took a deep breath and tried to get his irregular breaths under control. Right as he was about to clutch the door handle it was yanked open from the inside.
It was Janghyuk. Upon seeing Yunho his eyes narrowed menacingly.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see Jae. ”
Answering Janghyuk curtly Yunho stepped forward to get in the room. But he was blocked by a long arm that pushed his chest roughly.
Yunho stumbled back a few steps.
“You’re that stupid prick from before. Get lost, Jaejoong doesn’t want to see you.”
“Why don’t we leave that to Jae to decide? If you’ll excuse me.”
With that Yunho tried to get past the guy again but again he was blocked. This time more aggressively as Janghyuk pushed him so hard he banged his back into the wall opposite the hallway.
Yunho slowly felt his patience run thin. It was right when he clenched his hand tightly in a fist that he heard Changmin’s voice behind him.
“Gentleman, gentleman, what’s the meaning of this?”
All eyes went towards Changmin who approached the two guys with a benign smile.
“There’s really no need to fight is there? Especially in the presence of the honorable Student Council VP.” Changmin cocked an eyebrow at Janghyuk.
Janghyuk glowered at Changmin, “Fuck off nerd, don’t get involved in this.”
Changmin looked offended at his words and then he clucked his tongue. “Still going around causing trouble Janghyukssi? Really I wouldn’t underestimate my power in the school if I were you. I confess I do have some powerful connections.”
Janghyuk scoffed a little, “Do you really think I’m scared of you?”
Changmin shrugged, “If you’re not scared now I suggest you start being scared. As Veep I’m privy to certain kinds of knowledge. For example the fact that you’re on academic probation right now and on record for various cases of misbehavior. I really don’t think you should cause any more trouble here Janghyukssi. Not if you want to continue attending our school, that is.”
Janghyuk continued to glare at Changmin but he was silent.
Changmin approached Janghyuk with a smile once more and clapped him on the shoulder. “How about I buy you some vending machine coffee from the waiting room and we can give those two a little space?”
Janghyuk shrugged off his hand but he followed Changmin down the hallway and out of Yunho’s sight.
Yunho sighed a little and mentally reminded himself to buy Changmin not one but two sushi sets.
Yunho approached the partially open door and peered into the room hesitantly. Luckily it was a single patient room. The lights were turned off with only a small lamp in the corner to aid vision. Yunho could see Jaejoong’s form lying on the hospital bed. His body was perfectly still.
Closing the door quietly behind him, Yunho tiptoed towards Jaejoong’s still form.
When he arrived at Jaejoong’s bedside, he couldn’t help but doubt his eyes at the sight before him. Jaejoong was a mess, in worse condition than he had ever seen him before.
Though Yunho had seen his bodily scars before, Jaejoong’s face had always been fine. But today there were bruises everywhere and a busted lip. He also had a bandage around his head. Though he was covered with a light sheet, Yunho imagined Jaejoong’s body wasn’t much better off either.
Yunho heard the click of the door behind him. It was a middle-aged matronly looking nurse.
“Oh are you a friend of Jaejoongssi? He’s probably not awake yet due to the heavy painkillers we gave him. I’m Nurse Lee, I just came to check if everything was alright.” The nurse whispered to Yunho in a quiet and soothing voice.
“I just came in and he seems to be sleeping peacefully.” Yunho added with a pause, “But do you mind telling me…what exactly happened?”
The nurse seemed to hesitate but Yunho gave her his most convincing smile.
“Well his friend, the big hulky looking one, brought him in. Apparently Jaejoongssi was the victim of gang violence. As you can see there are all the wounds on his face but also aside from that he has a concussion and also two broken ribs.” The nurse looked over at Jaejoong with a graven face, “And the worst of it was he showed signs of rape. Male victims are a rare case but...”
She muttered as an afterthought, “Really, gang violence these days is quite a problem. I mean the lengths they will go to…”
Yunho seethed inside and he had to struggle not to commit an act of violence himself right then and there. If anything, his mood was more fucked up then after he heard about Jaejoong’s high school story. Gang violence? That was total bullshit. He knew the real perpetrator of this incident. And the sad fact of the matter, and what really pissed him off, was that Jaejoong would try to cover up the whole incident and run back into the criminal’s arms.
The nurse squeezed Yunho’s arm as a sign of encouragement, “Don’t worry too much about your friend. It’ll just take some time to heal, that’s all.” But her face was solemn as she gave a deep sigh.
Yunho smiled a little and watched as the nurse left the room. As the door closed and he was left alone, he felt his face harden once more and he clenched his teeth.
Walking over to where Jaejoong lay sleeping he stared down at the battered face. Deep in his chest it felt like a hand was repeatedly squeezing his heart painfully tight.
Pulling up a chair Yunho sat and just stared aimlessly at Jaejoong. He didn’t know if he should wake him but he felt as if the need to talk to him was bursting from his body.
Luckily Yunho’s prayers were answered as it wasn’t long before he saw Jaejoong’s eyes start to flutter.
When Jaejoong opened his eyes he kept blinking rapidly as if driving away the sleep and then he finally turned to see he had a visitor. When Jaejoong’s eyes locked on Yunho they looked a little dazed at first and when he came to his senses there was a bit of wariness.
“Hey.”
Yunho’s voice went out in an unnatural croak, even to his own ears. Jaejoong just continued to stare at Yunho without saying a word
.
Yunho cleared his throat but he couldn’t keep the stiffness from his voice, “I heard about the gang violence….But the thing is I actually wasn’t aware gangs go around in packs of one these days. That’s not much of a gang if you ask me.” Yunho’s voice became even lower, “That’s just a good for nothing thug.”
Jaejoong bit his lip but he must have forgotten his lip was cut open too because he winced and let out a small whimper.
“You look like shit.”
Yunho reached forward and gently cupped Jaejoong’s cheek. Jaejoong whipped his face away but then winced again from the sudden movement.
Yunho let his hand go. He knew Jaejoong was stubborn too in his own right.
There was a brief silence between the two. And it was Yunho who broke it.
“How far is this going to go Jae?”
Jaejoong looked at him with his fathomless, dark eyes.
“Until you’re a cripple? Or even worse, until you’re dead?” Yunho’s voice shook dangerously.
“It’s not your problem, Yunho.”
A fiery light flashed in Yunho’s eyes, “Oh yeah?? You think so? How do you think I feel when the man I love is being beaten around? How do you think I feel when I’m not even allowed to help, when I have to just sit there and watch it??”
There was silence again on Jaejoong’s part, which made Yunho even more frustrated.
Yunho let out a deep breath, “Fuck Jae…you have to let me in. I understand you feel some kind of sick, twisted sense of gratitude towards Janghyuk but still you can’t let him abuse you until you’re a lifeless corpse. Do you think acting like this will bring that boy back?”
Jaejoong’s eyes widened at Yunho’s bold words but he didn’t respond.
If Yunho had the choice he wanted to take Jaejoong by the shoulders and shake him until he came to his senses but he couldn’t. He could only sit there and stare down at Jaejoong’s hurt body.
When Jaejoong finally did answer, his words were resolute, “I’m not going to change myself or the way I live. Not for you, not for anyone.”
“Not even if I love you?”
Jaejoong shook his head and his voice was cold, “No…your love is just a burden to me, Yunho.”
Yunho grit his teeth in frustration and he felt a growing sense of anger at Jaejoong’s stubbornness and utter inability to open his heart.
“Can you honestly tell me that you haven’t felt anything for me, not even once?”
Yunho could hear Jaejoong’s quick intake of breath, but Jaejoong’s reply followed closely after. “No, not once.” Jaejoong’s voice rang in the little room.
Yunho’s eyes narrowed, “You’re a coward and a liar. You’re so fucking scared to grab my hand, to be happy, that you’re just pushing everything away.”
Jaejoong’s voice that had been emotionless so far, shook a little tremulously, “And what makes you so sure you can make me happy??”
Yunho’s raised his voice, “I’m not sure!! I’m not. But I can at least guarantee you that I’ll love you and respect you, unlike that jerk who’s just treating your body like some kind of punching bag!”
There was a knock on the door and Yunho could see Changmin peek his head in.
“You guys were taking forever so we came back. But what’s all this yelling?”
Yunho just ignored him.
“Why can’t you just be honest with yourself, Jae? You like me too.”
But Jaejoong only bit his lip again and looked down, avoiding Yunho’s eyes.
“No, actually I don’t Yunho. Don’t speak about love as if it’s something you can attain by just working at it. I appreciate how well you’ve treated me but it can’t make me love you.”
Yunho let out a sharp laugh, “Of course not, of course it can’t.”
Jaejoong didn’t respond or look up. There was dead silence in the room asides from Yunho’s angered breathing.
“Tell me if you ever leave that fucked up boyfriend of yours.”
“Don’t worry, because I won’t.”
Yunho just stared at Jaejoong angrily, or more accurately the top of Jaejoong’s bandaged head.
Jaejoong spoke again, “Leave, I’m tired. And don’t come find me again.”
For a moment Yunho just continued to drill lasers into Jaejoong’s head with his narrowed eyes. He clenched his fists that felt like they were slightly shaking with emotion.
“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on it.”
Yunho got up from his chair, his violent movement making the chair fall backwards with a large crash.
He could see Jaejoong wince at the noise but he was beyond caring at this point.
He strode over to where Changmin was still peeking in through the door and yanked the door open angrily.
“Hey dude, what was all that?”
Ignoring Changmin and merely brushing past Janghyuk who was standing behind him, Yunho started walking down the hallway towards the stairs again.
Behind him he could hear Changmin rushing to catch up.
“Did you guys fight again?” Changmin grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
Yunho just stared at Changmin stonily.
“I’m done. I don’t care what you think of me or anything. I’m done with this shit.”
_____________________________
A/N Hey guys I'm bacccckkkkk!!! *gets bricked* haha, hope you've all been well! Lots of ppl getting sick at my school and then we had a blizzard, lots of crazy shit going down!
Hope you guys know I'm always thankful that you read my story!! (my humble drabbles haha) I see this story finishing up in maybe 4-5 more chapters so hang in there!
Have a nice day!