Soul Song 3/?
Title: Soul Song 3/?
Pairing: Yoochun/Jaejoong (side pairings: Changmin/Junsu, Yunho/Yoohwan)
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I'd claim them as my soulmates, but that would make me a liar. They only belong to each other.
Summary: Jaejoong can't hear his soul song, not the way everyone is supposed to. He's given up on ever finding a soulmate. But he can't keep music completely out of his life, especially when Park Yoochun plays his way right into Jaejoong's heart.
A/N: A soulmate fic for everyone that reminded me that I hadn't written one and that I always meant to. Special shoutout to winged-kame for helping me with the idea/plotline.
Part 3:
Dissonance - lack of harmony among musical notes; a tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements
Yoochun worked at a very high-end gentleman’s club that catered to male/male soulmates. It was run by Kim Junsu, one of Yoochun’s friends from his childhood, and his soulmate Shim Changmin. The two of them had risked everything to open the club, despite the backlash they received for discriminating against other soulmate pairings, but fortunately for them, it worked.
Yoochun played the piano and sang, sometimes with Junsu, sometimes with a woman named Tiffany.
It had been very hard parting ways at five. But with lips pressed together, arms around each other, Yoochun had whispered promises of seeing him soon. So soon.
“After a lifetime without you, I can wait a few more hours,” Jaejoong had said.
“And now, with having you, every hour feels like a lifetime.”
“Wow. That was equal parts sweet and equal parts disgusting.”
Yoochun laughed and held him for just a little longer, until Junsu was calling him and demanding to know where he was and why he was not at the club practicing.
Yoochun’s eyes sparkled when he said, “Sorry. I’m with my soulmate.” He hung up on Junsu’s excited squeals and kissed Jaejoong again.
“You didn’t tell him?” Jaejoong asked.
Yoochun shook his head. “Just my brother and his soulmate. Oh, and my mom. Be prepared to be pounced on. Junsu is a little ... enthusiastic about everything. And well, Changmin’s a pessimistic, realistic, sarcastic bitch. They work well together.”
It took a few more minutes before Yoochun peeled himself away and headed down the street. Jaejoong thought of watching him walk away, but was too afraid of chasing after him like a lovesick fool, so he went upstairs, breath a little short.
He was at the top of the stairs when his phone buzzed with a text. He took it out and smiled at the screen.
SoulSong: Miss you already
Jaejoong sent back a flurry of hearts and music notes.
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪
After eight, Jaejoong called a cab to take him to Club Xia. It was in the middle of Gangnam, but still discreet enough to be inconspicuous to those who did not know what it was.
Jaejoong had been very careful with his outfit. Yoochun had dressed up a bit to go to work two days before, so Jaejoong made sure he was classy enough to be at a high-end club. He wore his favorite outfit: black slacks with thin teal pinstripe, a teal button down with a skinny black tie, and a black sport coat, complete with a teal pocket square. Maybe a little too fancy, but he wanted to impress, not just Yoochun, but Yoochun’s best friends. He wore diamonds in his ears and thin silver chains on his neck and wrists. Bulky rings. And then he dressed up his face. Smokey eyes, lip gloss, a tiniest touch of teal shadow.
He was carded at the door by a tall attractive piece of chocolate whose nametag said “Siwon,” and then he smiled after looking at his ID and widely and said, “Yoochun-hyung said you’d be by. Wow. You look amazing. Usually I have to turn newcomers away because they aren’t dressed appropriately. Welcome to Club Xia. Go straight to the bar and Changminnie will get you a drink.”
Jaejoong said thank you and bowed. When he stepped into the main room of the club, he froze for a moment, listening to the familiar jazzy lilt of a piano. He found the instrument and Yoochun behind it and smiled. His heart soared. It’d just been a day, but he could already see his life without the pain that had been stuck to his heart before Yoochun. Maybe not now, but soon. Yoochun was wearing all black today, except the tie in his hair which was bright red. He managed to tear his eyes away from his soulmate.
The decor was muted, black and grays with splashes of color here and there. The piano was not quite in the middle of the room, but close, and there was a dance floor nearby. The wait staff wore tight black shorts, white crop vests that showed off their arms and stomachs, and colored bowties. Everything was really sexy.
Including the man behind the bar who was tall and well-built. He was wearing tight, dark blue jeans that showed off his long legs and a billowy white shirt, the top few buttons open. He had short, black hair, and really pretty eyes, a wide smile that turned to a sexy smirk for the man who he was chatting with while he made a drink. A quick glance around showed that the bartender was the only one in jeans.
Jaejoong went to the bar, and the tall man behind the bar caught his gaze and his eyes widened, and then he smiled, shouting for someone.
“Jaejoong-shi,” the man said. “Give me two seconds. What do you want to drink?”
Jaejoong swallowed and said, “Um, soju, for now.”
The man smiled. Before the man finished the drink he was making, another man came out of a door behind the bar. He was handsome, but in a cute way. The cut of his suit around his compact, strong body was the handsome part. The bright smile, colorful earrings, and bright pink hair was the cute part. He saw Jaejoong and immediately lunged over the bar. Lunged. Put his hands on the countertop and just jumped over it. And then Jaejoong was hugged, a loud squeal of happiness in his ear.
“Hi, Jaejoong-shi. Wow. Yoochunnie was right. You’re gorgeous. Damn. But fuck all, worth the wait, I’d say.”
“Ignore him,” the bartender said and put a bottle of soju on a coaster in front of Jaejoong. “Babe, at least introduce yourself before you freak him out.”
“Why do I love you?”
“My legs, my body, my dick, my--”
“Your humility.”
The man snorted.
“Sorry, Jaejoong-shi. I’m Kim Junsu, and this gorgeous thing is my soulmate, Shim Changmin.”
Jaejoong sort of bowed from his stool and muttered, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s so good to meet you,” Junsu said and hugged him. “Yoochunnie is so lucky to have found you. And you’re gorgeous. He’s so lucky you’re gorgeous. Fuck, you’re absolutely sinfully gorgeous.”
Eight F majors came from the piano, and Jaejoong turned around quickly. Yoochun was smiling at him. He played them again, and then said into the microphone, “We don’t normally do this actually, it’s against the rules, but this”--He played it again--”is my soul song.”
The men in the audience tittered in interest.
“If you look over at the bar, the dashingly attractive man being mauled by the owner of this club is my soulmate, who I found two days ago.”
The men cheered, shouting congratulations, and Yoochun smiled.
“Thank you. I’m going to get off the piano for a little while and go rescue him from Junsu-yah’s wandering hands. While I’m gone, you’re welcome to come up and play your soul song, just in case.”
Yoochun flung his fingers up the keys to the highest notes in a rolling flourish, and then he stood up and headed over to them.
Jaejoong swallowed. Yoochun was amazing. He looked so good in a suit, the bowtie loose, the white shirt disheveled. His jacket was off a moment later, flung over his arm, and then the bar. He squeezed himself between Jaejoong and Junsu with a smile, cupped Jaejoong’s cheeks and kissed him deeply.
Jaejoong’s hands fluttered at his elbows and then settled around his waist. He was vaguely aware of Junsu crowing at them.
“Hi, beautiful,” Yoochun said against his lips. “You look amazing.”
Jaejoong’s cheeks flushed. “Hi. Thanks.”
“Sorry about Junsu. I told you he’s a little overeager.”
“Especially in bed,” Changmin said.
Jaejoong flushed.
“Changminnie, give us a shot to celebrate. You too, Junsu!”
Junsu made a face, but like a good friend, took a shot of something strong when it was dropped in front of him.
Yoochun signaled for another one, and then kissed Jaejoong again. “Such a perfect, sweet chaser.”
Jaejoong blushed and buried his face in Yoochun’s shoulder.
“So how did you two meet?” Changmin said.
Jaejoong looked down and bit his lip. He did not want to tell these two this story. “He-he came into where I work.”
“He works at a stationery store called ‘Paper Notes’,” Yoochun added, “and I went in hoping he had music sheets.”
“And ...” Changmin prompted. “The soul song. How did that happen? You don’t usually just play it. I think before tonight, I’d only heard it twice.”
Yoochun took a deep breath. “You can’t judge, either of you. Jaejoong is my soulmate and nothing anyone thinks can convince me otherwise. You don’t know how it feels, how ... how he feels to me.”
“Chunnie, woah,” Junsu said, holding his hands up. “We can see how you feel about him.”
“Why would we think otherwise?” Changmin asked.
Jaejoong turned his head away and bit his lip.
“Jaejoong can’t hear our soul song.”
His chest tightened at Yoochun’s use of “our” instead of “my.” But not in a good way. He didn’t hear it. It wasn’t his soul song. Not really.
“What?” Changmin said after a few moments of silence. “What do you mean?”
“He can’t hear it,” Yoochun said. “All he hears are F majors.”
“But that means...” Junsu narrowed his eyes at Jaejoong. “So you aren’t his soulmate.”
“He is,” Yoochun said, arms tightening around Jaejoong. “He can hear music. Everything. He knows how to play the piano, and he knows how to sing. But these eight notes just sound like F majors to him. That’s how he knew. When I sing them or play them, hell when I wrote them down on a piece of a paper, all he sees and hears are F majors.”
“Wait. You wrote down your soul song?” Changmin said. “Are you stupid?”
Yoochun shook his head. “Shut up. You weren’t there. You didn’t see the pain ...”
“It’s okay,” Jaejoong suddenly whispered. “I’m ... I’m used to this. It’s ...”
“No,” Yoochun said and spun Jaejoong around on the stool. “You are my soulmate. I know you are.”
Jaejoong buried his face in Yoochun’s shoulder and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.
“You weren’t there,” Yoochun said softly. “You did not see the pain in his face. The heartbreak when I told him that the notes I was singing weren’t F majors. He was so sure, so convinced that I was his soulmate, that I was singing F majors because that’s what he hears in his soul. It’s what he hears in his heart.”
“But it’s supposed to be--”
“I know how it’s supposed to go,” Yoochun said firmly, “but we’re different. It’s not that strange. My soul song is in F major.”
“We’re just worried about you,” Changmin said. “But if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” He pulled away and touched Jaejoong’s cheeks. “Are you sure, my soulmate?”
Jaejoong smiled, throat tightening again. He nodded, even as doubt danced upon his heart.
“Good.”
A trickle of bright notes came from the piano, quick and staccato, a bit higher than normal, and then there was a crash. Immediately, Junsu stood, his smile turning a frown, and Jaejoong turned toward the noise. Everything in the club was quiet.
“No way,” Changmin muttered.
There was a man at the piano, business suit a bit disheveled, dark hair cut short on his head. His mouth was open, eyes wide in surprise.
One of the waiters stood almost as still, eyes just as wide. The tray of food he’d been carrying was all over the floor, glasses and plates in pieces. But neither noticed. Him especially as he walked through the mess, toward the piano. He was shorter, floppy light brown hair, cute in a way that Jaejoong could tell he was a popular server. His bowtie was bright pink with white polkadots.
“No fucking way,” Changmin said, a little louder.
Yoochun laughed. “I’m really not surprised.”
“What’s going on?” Jaejoong whispered.
Yoochun hugged him with one arm. “The man at the piano is Chanyeol, one of our most frequent customers. The server is Baekhyun. He’s Chanyeol’s favorite. If Baekhyun is here, Chanyeol sits in his section. I think Chanyeol even asked him out once, but Baekhyun doesn’t want to date anyone that isn’t his soulmate. This is the only place they are together where there is a piano, and no one is allowed to use it to find their soulmate.”
“For this reason,” Changmin said. “Fucking hell, Baekhyun better clean that up.”
“I think he’s doing something a little more important,” Junsu said and smacked his soulmate’s arm.
Sure enough, Baekhyun sat at the piano. Fell onto the bench, hands hitting a harsh set of keys. He was shaking. Chanyeol swallowed deeply. Baekhyun’s eyes fluttered shut and his fingers twisted through a few missteps. Chanyeol touched his shoulder, said something to him, and Baekhyun took a deep breath, and then played their soul song, a perfect match to what Chanyeol had played.
The other men in the audience cheered, and Baekhyun leaned against Chanyeol and then they were kissing.
“Fucking hell,” Changmin said, and then louder, he said, “Goddamnit, Park Yoochun, now we’re out one server.”
The others in the room laughed.
Junsu grinned at him. “Guess that means you’re going to put on a short pair of shorts and bowtie, darling.”
“You fucking wish.” He bounded over the bar and headed toward the happy couple.
Junsu smiled. “Such a great idea, Yoochunnie. I know Changmin doesn’t want this place to be a soulmate searching point, but I’ve been trying to get Baekhyun to go out with Chanyeol for more than a year now. You better get back to the piano before there’s a mass of soulmates finding each other in my club.”
Yoochun smiled at Jaejoong. “You should come and play the piano with me. Actually, Junsu-yah should hire you because you’re such a good piano player and a singer. Come and sing with me please. Let the men hear how angelic and pure your voice is.”
“I would hire you,” Junsu said, chuckling, “because being deemed as a good piano player by Yoochun is high praise, but he also said you’re a good blinker. His exact words were, ‘Everyone blinks, but the way he does it is so delicate, so’--”
Yoochun covered Junsu’s hand with his mouth, eyes shining. “Ignore him. Want to come play with me?”
Jaejoong looked out over the crowds and ducked his head. “M-maybe next time. There ... there are a lot of people here.”
Yoochun’s eyes softened and he nodded. “Okay. Go sit at a table. Order some food. I’ll come and sit with you on my next break.”
Jaejoong grinned and nodded.
“Go on,” Changmin said. “I’ll send Kibum over with everything you want.”
“Just not Yoochun, right now,” Junsu added with a wink.
Slightly embarrassed, Jaejoong let Yoochun lead him to a table near the piano. He was very aware of the eyes on them as Yoochun leaned down and kissed him, a lingering kiss, with a swipe of his tongue.
“I’m so happy, beautiful,” Yoochun said and touched his cheek. “So happy that I found you.”
“Me, too,” Jaejoong said.
Yoochun pecked his lips and then went back to the piano. Someone was on it, playing their soul song, and Yoochun waited with a smile on his face until he had finished.
“Sorry about the interruption,” he said, fingers playing eight F majors again, “and I’m really sorry that all I can seem to play today are happy love songs. If you have any requests, let me know. For now, please indulge me while I play a bit of my favorite jazz.”
Jaejoong watched Changmin supervising the new soulmate couple cleaning up the mess of glass and food. Junsu was there a moment, hands on his hips. They had a short discussion, and then Junsu pulled at Baekhyun first and then Chanyeol, tugging them toward the bar. Changmin rolled his eyes, and then a moment later, there was a guy in all black, probably a dishwasher from the back, cleaning the mess on the floor, and the new soulmate couple were gone.
Jaejoong sighed and rubbed his face with his hands.
That was how you were supposed to find your soulmate.
“What do you want to eat, Jaejoong-shi?” someone asked.
Jaejoong looked up and right into the cute face of one of the waiters. He was skinny, but certainly handsome. His black hair was streaked with greens and blues and purples. He had a piercing in his lip and one his eyebrow. The small vest showed off his stomach and the a pink jewel sparkled at Jaejoong from his navel. His bowtie was neon green. The little black tag on his vest said, “Key.”
“Sorry, I don’t even know what you guys serve here,” Jaejoong said, reaching for the small menu that was centered on the table.
“Take a look at it. I think you need another shot. I’ll be right back with a drink.” He winked, and Jaejoong smiled.
The only word Jaejoong had for the food was elegant. There were very few options, but a sentence at the bottom of the menu declared everything fresh that day, bought from the market or the fisherman, and that the menu always changed. He ended up ordering a halibut steak with steamed vegetables all drizzled with a lemon cream sauce and garnished with candied slivered almonds. The plate that Junsu brought out to him was gorgeous, presented so well that Jaejoong did not want to eat it and ruin the masterpiece.
“Seems a little classy,” Jaejoong said, snagging a garden pea with his chopsticks.
Junsu laughed. “When it came to the food, Changmin would not allow anything to be prepared here but the best. He made me order a master chef. That man’s salary almost bankrupts us.”
Considering how many men were in the club, Jaejoong highly doubted the two owners were close to bankruptcy.
A few minutes later, a few men came to say hello to Jaejoong and introduce themselves. They were the guitarist and bassist of the band that played on nights when Yoochun did not work. And then a few patrons come over, and then each server made their way to his table during the night. They congratulated Jaejoong on meeting Yoochun, finding his soulmate. Yoochun had so many friends at the club, so many people that spoke kindly to him and were so excited that Yoochun was happy.
But they did not know. They didn’t know that Yoochun had taught him to play their soul song. They did not meet the way Chanyeol and Baekhyun just did. Everything about their soulmateship would be considered fake by everyone if they knew it not had gone the proper way. The next time Jaejoong saw the two of them, Baekhyun was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and Chanyeol in his nice suit had him pulled close, and they were on the dance floor, moving to the music that Yoochun played. Baekhyun was a lot shorter than him, but the two of them fit perfectly against each other, and both of them were smiling. Maybe even crying.
Jaejoong tried not to watch them.
Each person that came wanted a shot with him, and Jaejoong had no problem at all trying to quiet the dissonant voice in his head. The one that said Yoochun was not really his. The one that said Jaejoong could not hear the same soul song that Yoochun heard.
He managed to laugh and smile with everyone else, but only because of the alcohol. But his heart was aching, every time he looked over at the piano. Every time Yoochun smiled at him. He ate too many desserts, just as decadent as the main course, and then had too many bottles of soju.
In a moment of clarity, he realized he was propped up against Yoochun’s body, head on his shoulder, and he wound his arms around Yoochun’s waist, burying his face into the warmth of his neck.
Yoochun’s laughter trickled over his skin, the adoration bled into his soul.
“You okay?”
“Drunk,” Jaejoong managed.
“No kidding. Come home with me? I’ll take care of you.”
Jaejoong frowned. He wanted to ask why, he wanted to scream and shout and demand to know why Yoochun thought they were soulmates when he couldn’t even hear his soul song. Instead he said, “No mate, no song. Not you.”
And hands were on his face, tilting his head up. Yoochun’s concerned face swam in front of him. “What are you talking about?”
Jaejoong did not know. He shook his head. The movement made the world spin.
A firm arm went around his waist, a soft voice said, “I got you, soulmate of mine. I’ve got you.”
Part 4: Cross Rhythm
Part 2: Peace and Harmony
Part 1: Sweet Melody
.
Pairing: Yoochun/Jaejoong (side pairings: Changmin/Junsu, Yunho/Yoohwan)
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I'd claim them as my soulmates, but that would make me a liar. They only belong to each other.
Summary: Jaejoong can't hear his soul song, not the way everyone is supposed to. He's given up on ever finding a soulmate. But he can't keep music completely out of his life, especially when Park Yoochun plays his way right into Jaejoong's heart.
A/N: A soulmate fic for everyone that reminded me that I hadn't written one and that I always meant to. Special shoutout to winged-kame for helping me with the idea/plotline.
Part 3:
Dissonance - lack of harmony among musical notes; a tension or clash resulting from the combination of two disharmonious or unsuitable elements
Yoochun worked at a very high-end gentleman’s club that catered to male/male soulmates. It was run by Kim Junsu, one of Yoochun’s friends from his childhood, and his soulmate Shim Changmin. The two of them had risked everything to open the club, despite the backlash they received for discriminating against other soulmate pairings, but fortunately for them, it worked.
Yoochun played the piano and sang, sometimes with Junsu, sometimes with a woman named Tiffany.
It had been very hard parting ways at five. But with lips pressed together, arms around each other, Yoochun had whispered promises of seeing him soon. So soon.
“After a lifetime without you, I can wait a few more hours,” Jaejoong had said.
“And now, with having you, every hour feels like a lifetime.”
“Wow. That was equal parts sweet and equal parts disgusting.”
Yoochun laughed and held him for just a little longer, until Junsu was calling him and demanding to know where he was and why he was not at the club practicing.
Yoochun’s eyes sparkled when he said, “Sorry. I’m with my soulmate.” He hung up on Junsu’s excited squeals and kissed Jaejoong again.
“You didn’t tell him?” Jaejoong asked.
Yoochun shook his head. “Just my brother and his soulmate. Oh, and my mom. Be prepared to be pounced on. Junsu is a little ... enthusiastic about everything. And well, Changmin’s a pessimistic, realistic, sarcastic bitch. They work well together.”
It took a few more minutes before Yoochun peeled himself away and headed down the street. Jaejoong thought of watching him walk away, but was too afraid of chasing after him like a lovesick fool, so he went upstairs, breath a little short.
He was at the top of the stairs when his phone buzzed with a text. He took it out and smiled at the screen.
SoulSong: Miss you already
Jaejoong sent back a flurry of hearts and music notes.
♪ ♫ ♪ ♫ ♪
After eight, Jaejoong called a cab to take him to Club Xia. It was in the middle of Gangnam, but still discreet enough to be inconspicuous to those who did not know what it was.
Jaejoong had been very careful with his outfit. Yoochun had dressed up a bit to go to work two days before, so Jaejoong made sure he was classy enough to be at a high-end club. He wore his favorite outfit: black slacks with thin teal pinstripe, a teal button down with a skinny black tie, and a black sport coat, complete with a teal pocket square. Maybe a little too fancy, but he wanted to impress, not just Yoochun, but Yoochun’s best friends. He wore diamonds in his ears and thin silver chains on his neck and wrists. Bulky rings. And then he dressed up his face. Smokey eyes, lip gloss, a tiniest touch of teal shadow.
He was carded at the door by a tall attractive piece of chocolate whose nametag said “Siwon,” and then he smiled after looking at his ID and widely and said, “Yoochun-hyung said you’d be by. Wow. You look amazing. Usually I have to turn newcomers away because they aren’t dressed appropriately. Welcome to Club Xia. Go straight to the bar and Changminnie will get you a drink.”
Jaejoong said thank you and bowed. When he stepped into the main room of the club, he froze for a moment, listening to the familiar jazzy lilt of a piano. He found the instrument and Yoochun behind it and smiled. His heart soared. It’d just been a day, but he could already see his life without the pain that had been stuck to his heart before Yoochun. Maybe not now, but soon. Yoochun was wearing all black today, except the tie in his hair which was bright red. He managed to tear his eyes away from his soulmate.
The decor was muted, black and grays with splashes of color here and there. The piano was not quite in the middle of the room, but close, and there was a dance floor nearby. The wait staff wore tight black shorts, white crop vests that showed off their arms and stomachs, and colored bowties. Everything was really sexy.
Including the man behind the bar who was tall and well-built. He was wearing tight, dark blue jeans that showed off his long legs and a billowy white shirt, the top few buttons open. He had short, black hair, and really pretty eyes, a wide smile that turned to a sexy smirk for the man who he was chatting with while he made a drink. A quick glance around showed that the bartender was the only one in jeans.
Jaejoong went to the bar, and the tall man behind the bar caught his gaze and his eyes widened, and then he smiled, shouting for someone.
“Jaejoong-shi,” the man said. “Give me two seconds. What do you want to drink?”
Jaejoong swallowed and said, “Um, soju, for now.”
The man smiled. Before the man finished the drink he was making, another man came out of a door behind the bar. He was handsome, but in a cute way. The cut of his suit around his compact, strong body was the handsome part. The bright smile, colorful earrings, and bright pink hair was the cute part. He saw Jaejoong and immediately lunged over the bar. Lunged. Put his hands on the countertop and just jumped over it. And then Jaejoong was hugged, a loud squeal of happiness in his ear.
“Hi, Jaejoong-shi. Wow. Yoochunnie was right. You’re gorgeous. Damn. But fuck all, worth the wait, I’d say.”
“Ignore him,” the bartender said and put a bottle of soju on a coaster in front of Jaejoong. “Babe, at least introduce yourself before you freak him out.”
“Why do I love you?”
“My legs, my body, my dick, my--”
“Your humility.”
The man snorted.
“Sorry, Jaejoong-shi. I’m Kim Junsu, and this gorgeous thing is my soulmate, Shim Changmin.”
Jaejoong sort of bowed from his stool and muttered, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s so good to meet you,” Junsu said and hugged him. “Yoochunnie is so lucky to have found you. And you’re gorgeous. He’s so lucky you’re gorgeous. Fuck, you’re absolutely sinfully gorgeous.”
Eight F majors came from the piano, and Jaejoong turned around quickly. Yoochun was smiling at him. He played them again, and then said into the microphone, “We don’t normally do this actually, it’s against the rules, but this”--He played it again--”is my soul song.”
The men in the audience tittered in interest.
“If you look over at the bar, the dashingly attractive man being mauled by the owner of this club is my soulmate, who I found two days ago.”
The men cheered, shouting congratulations, and Yoochun smiled.
“Thank you. I’m going to get off the piano for a little while and go rescue him from Junsu-yah’s wandering hands. While I’m gone, you’re welcome to come up and play your soul song, just in case.”
Yoochun flung his fingers up the keys to the highest notes in a rolling flourish, and then he stood up and headed over to them.
Jaejoong swallowed. Yoochun was amazing. He looked so good in a suit, the bowtie loose, the white shirt disheveled. His jacket was off a moment later, flung over his arm, and then the bar. He squeezed himself between Jaejoong and Junsu with a smile, cupped Jaejoong’s cheeks and kissed him deeply.
Jaejoong’s hands fluttered at his elbows and then settled around his waist. He was vaguely aware of Junsu crowing at them.
“Hi, beautiful,” Yoochun said against his lips. “You look amazing.”
Jaejoong’s cheeks flushed. “Hi. Thanks.”
“Sorry about Junsu. I told you he’s a little overeager.”
“Especially in bed,” Changmin said.
Jaejoong flushed.
“Changminnie, give us a shot to celebrate. You too, Junsu!”
Junsu made a face, but like a good friend, took a shot of something strong when it was dropped in front of him.
Yoochun signaled for another one, and then kissed Jaejoong again. “Such a perfect, sweet chaser.”
Jaejoong blushed and buried his face in Yoochun’s shoulder.
“So how did you two meet?” Changmin said.
Jaejoong looked down and bit his lip. He did not want to tell these two this story. “He-he came into where I work.”
“He works at a stationery store called ‘Paper Notes’,” Yoochun added, “and I went in hoping he had music sheets.”
“And ...” Changmin prompted. “The soul song. How did that happen? You don’t usually just play it. I think before tonight, I’d only heard it twice.”
Yoochun took a deep breath. “You can’t judge, either of you. Jaejoong is my soulmate and nothing anyone thinks can convince me otherwise. You don’t know how it feels, how ... how he feels to me.”
“Chunnie, woah,” Junsu said, holding his hands up. “We can see how you feel about him.”
“Why would we think otherwise?” Changmin asked.
Jaejoong turned his head away and bit his lip.
“Jaejoong can’t hear our soul song.”
His chest tightened at Yoochun’s use of “our” instead of “my.” But not in a good way. He didn’t hear it. It wasn’t his soul song. Not really.
“What?” Changmin said after a few moments of silence. “What do you mean?”
“He can’t hear it,” Yoochun said. “All he hears are F majors.”
“But that means...” Junsu narrowed his eyes at Jaejoong. “So you aren’t his soulmate.”
“He is,” Yoochun said, arms tightening around Jaejoong. “He can hear music. Everything. He knows how to play the piano, and he knows how to sing. But these eight notes just sound like F majors to him. That’s how he knew. When I sing them or play them, hell when I wrote them down on a piece of a paper, all he sees and hears are F majors.”
“Wait. You wrote down your soul song?” Changmin said. “Are you stupid?”
Yoochun shook his head. “Shut up. You weren’t there. You didn’t see the pain ...”
“It’s okay,” Jaejoong suddenly whispered. “I’m ... I’m used to this. It’s ...”
“No,” Yoochun said and spun Jaejoong around on the stool. “You are my soulmate. I know you are.”
Jaejoong buried his face in Yoochun’s shoulder and took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.
“You weren’t there,” Yoochun said softly. “You did not see the pain in his face. The heartbreak when I told him that the notes I was singing weren’t F majors. He was so sure, so convinced that I was his soulmate, that I was singing F majors because that’s what he hears in his soul. It’s what he hears in his heart.”
“But it’s supposed to be--”
“I know how it’s supposed to go,” Yoochun said firmly, “but we’re different. It’s not that strange. My soul song is in F major.”
“We’re just worried about you,” Changmin said. “But if you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” He pulled away and touched Jaejoong’s cheeks. “Are you sure, my soulmate?”
Jaejoong smiled, throat tightening again. He nodded, even as doubt danced upon his heart.
“Good.”
A trickle of bright notes came from the piano, quick and staccato, a bit higher than normal, and then there was a crash. Immediately, Junsu stood, his smile turning a frown, and Jaejoong turned toward the noise. Everything in the club was quiet.
“No way,” Changmin muttered.
There was a man at the piano, business suit a bit disheveled, dark hair cut short on his head. His mouth was open, eyes wide in surprise.
One of the waiters stood almost as still, eyes just as wide. The tray of food he’d been carrying was all over the floor, glasses and plates in pieces. But neither noticed. Him especially as he walked through the mess, toward the piano. He was shorter, floppy light brown hair, cute in a way that Jaejoong could tell he was a popular server. His bowtie was bright pink with white polkadots.
“No fucking way,” Changmin said, a little louder.
Yoochun laughed. “I’m really not surprised.”
“What’s going on?” Jaejoong whispered.
Yoochun hugged him with one arm. “The man at the piano is Chanyeol, one of our most frequent customers. The server is Baekhyun. He’s Chanyeol’s favorite. If Baekhyun is here, Chanyeol sits in his section. I think Chanyeol even asked him out once, but Baekhyun doesn’t want to date anyone that isn’t his soulmate. This is the only place they are together where there is a piano, and no one is allowed to use it to find their soulmate.”
“For this reason,” Changmin said. “Fucking hell, Baekhyun better clean that up.”
“I think he’s doing something a little more important,” Junsu said and smacked his soulmate’s arm.
Sure enough, Baekhyun sat at the piano. Fell onto the bench, hands hitting a harsh set of keys. He was shaking. Chanyeol swallowed deeply. Baekhyun’s eyes fluttered shut and his fingers twisted through a few missteps. Chanyeol touched his shoulder, said something to him, and Baekhyun took a deep breath, and then played their soul song, a perfect match to what Chanyeol had played.
The other men in the audience cheered, and Baekhyun leaned against Chanyeol and then they were kissing.
“Fucking hell,” Changmin said, and then louder, he said, “Goddamnit, Park Yoochun, now we’re out one server.”
The others in the room laughed.
Junsu grinned at him. “Guess that means you’re going to put on a short pair of shorts and bowtie, darling.”
“You fucking wish.” He bounded over the bar and headed toward the happy couple.
Junsu smiled. “Such a great idea, Yoochunnie. I know Changmin doesn’t want this place to be a soulmate searching point, but I’ve been trying to get Baekhyun to go out with Chanyeol for more than a year now. You better get back to the piano before there’s a mass of soulmates finding each other in my club.”
Yoochun smiled at Jaejoong. “You should come and play the piano with me. Actually, Junsu-yah should hire you because you’re such a good piano player and a singer. Come and sing with me please. Let the men hear how angelic and pure your voice is.”
“I would hire you,” Junsu said, chuckling, “because being deemed as a good piano player by Yoochun is high praise, but he also said you’re a good blinker. His exact words were, ‘Everyone blinks, but the way he does it is so delicate, so’--”
Yoochun covered Junsu’s hand with his mouth, eyes shining. “Ignore him. Want to come play with me?”
Jaejoong looked out over the crowds and ducked his head. “M-maybe next time. There ... there are a lot of people here.”
Yoochun’s eyes softened and he nodded. “Okay. Go sit at a table. Order some food. I’ll come and sit with you on my next break.”
Jaejoong grinned and nodded.
“Go on,” Changmin said. “I’ll send Kibum over with everything you want.”
“Just not Yoochun, right now,” Junsu added with a wink.
Slightly embarrassed, Jaejoong let Yoochun lead him to a table near the piano. He was very aware of the eyes on them as Yoochun leaned down and kissed him, a lingering kiss, with a swipe of his tongue.
“I’m so happy, beautiful,” Yoochun said and touched his cheek. “So happy that I found you.”
“Me, too,” Jaejoong said.
Yoochun pecked his lips and then went back to the piano. Someone was on it, playing their soul song, and Yoochun waited with a smile on his face until he had finished.
“Sorry about the interruption,” he said, fingers playing eight F majors again, “and I’m really sorry that all I can seem to play today are happy love songs. If you have any requests, let me know. For now, please indulge me while I play a bit of my favorite jazz.”
Jaejoong watched Changmin supervising the new soulmate couple cleaning up the mess of glass and food. Junsu was there a moment, hands on his hips. They had a short discussion, and then Junsu pulled at Baekhyun first and then Chanyeol, tugging them toward the bar. Changmin rolled his eyes, and then a moment later, there was a guy in all black, probably a dishwasher from the back, cleaning the mess on the floor, and the new soulmate couple were gone.
Jaejoong sighed and rubbed his face with his hands.
That was how you were supposed to find your soulmate.
“What do you want to eat, Jaejoong-shi?” someone asked.
Jaejoong looked up and right into the cute face of one of the waiters. He was skinny, but certainly handsome. His black hair was streaked with greens and blues and purples. He had a piercing in his lip and one his eyebrow. The small vest showed off his stomach and the a pink jewel sparkled at Jaejoong from his navel. His bowtie was neon green. The little black tag on his vest said, “Key.”
“Sorry, I don’t even know what you guys serve here,” Jaejoong said, reaching for the small menu that was centered on the table.
“Take a look at it. I think you need another shot. I’ll be right back with a drink.” He winked, and Jaejoong smiled.
The only word Jaejoong had for the food was elegant. There were very few options, but a sentence at the bottom of the menu declared everything fresh that day, bought from the market or the fisherman, and that the menu always changed. He ended up ordering a halibut steak with steamed vegetables all drizzled with a lemon cream sauce and garnished with candied slivered almonds. The plate that Junsu brought out to him was gorgeous, presented so well that Jaejoong did not want to eat it and ruin the masterpiece.
“Seems a little classy,” Jaejoong said, snagging a garden pea with his chopsticks.
Junsu laughed. “When it came to the food, Changmin would not allow anything to be prepared here but the best. He made me order a master chef. That man’s salary almost bankrupts us.”
Considering how many men were in the club, Jaejoong highly doubted the two owners were close to bankruptcy.
A few minutes later, a few men came to say hello to Jaejoong and introduce themselves. They were the guitarist and bassist of the band that played on nights when Yoochun did not work. And then a few patrons come over, and then each server made their way to his table during the night. They congratulated Jaejoong on meeting Yoochun, finding his soulmate. Yoochun had so many friends at the club, so many people that spoke kindly to him and were so excited that Yoochun was happy.
But they did not know. They didn’t know that Yoochun had taught him to play their soul song. They did not meet the way Chanyeol and Baekhyun just did. Everything about their soulmateship would be considered fake by everyone if they knew it not had gone the proper way. The next time Jaejoong saw the two of them, Baekhyun was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and Chanyeol in his nice suit had him pulled close, and they were on the dance floor, moving to the music that Yoochun played. Baekhyun was a lot shorter than him, but the two of them fit perfectly against each other, and both of them were smiling. Maybe even crying.
Jaejoong tried not to watch them.
Each person that came wanted a shot with him, and Jaejoong had no problem at all trying to quiet the dissonant voice in his head. The one that said Yoochun was not really his. The one that said Jaejoong could not hear the same soul song that Yoochun heard.
He managed to laugh and smile with everyone else, but only because of the alcohol. But his heart was aching, every time he looked over at the piano. Every time Yoochun smiled at him. He ate too many desserts, just as decadent as the main course, and then had too many bottles of soju.
In a moment of clarity, he realized he was propped up against Yoochun’s body, head on his shoulder, and he wound his arms around Yoochun’s waist, burying his face into the warmth of his neck.
Yoochun’s laughter trickled over his skin, the adoration bled into his soul.
“You okay?”
“Drunk,” Jaejoong managed.
“No kidding. Come home with me? I’ll take care of you.”
Jaejoong frowned. He wanted to ask why, he wanted to scream and shout and demand to know why Yoochun thought they were soulmates when he couldn’t even hear his soul song. Instead he said, “No mate, no song. Not you.”
And hands were on his face, tilting his head up. Yoochun’s concerned face swam in front of him. “What are you talking about?”
Jaejoong did not know. He shook his head. The movement made the world spin.
A firm arm went around his waist, a soft voice said, “I got you, soulmate of mine. I’ve got you.”
Part 4: Cross Rhythm
Part 2: Peace and Harmony
Part 1: Sweet Melody
.