Life, In Between (Flashfic Challenge 68: I Left This Morning)
Title: Life, In Between
Author: dentedsky
Word Count: 1,470
Concrit? Yes
Pairing: HoMin
Life, In Between
Less fans came to stalk him at the airport these days, but still Yunho was followed by a few paparazzi whom had somehow found out he would be here, picking Changmin up. He ignored them, and as he looked up at the arrivals screens he absently reached for Chohee's hand.
She quickly snatched it away. “Oh my god,” his eleven year old daughter gasped, exaggeratedly scandalised. “So embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing?” he said, offended, looking down at her dark head. “When I was a singer girls your age used to flock - “
“Gross!” she interrupted. “I don't want to know.”
“I didn't mean - “ he started, before cutting himself off. When had talking to his only child become so complicated?
A few minutes later Changmin and his son Dai came down the airport escalators towards them, and Yunho grinned wide, catching his friend's eye. Changmin grinned back, all teeth and gums, and hurried over and gave his hyung a hug. They held each other for a moment before Yunho pushed him gently away, holding him at arms length and giving him a once-over.
“You look good,” Yunho murmured, envious. Changmin was one of those lucky people who seemed to only get more handsome with age, a trait Yunho wished he could say about himself.
Changmin ran a hand through his hair. “No, I don't think so,” he said, self-conscious.
The paparazzi were in a bit of a frenzy now that Max Changmin, solo artist, had arrived.
*
After the divorce with Chohee's mother Yunho had moved into a three roomed apartment. He still lived there now, years later. In the past if Chohee, Changmin and Dai stayed over Changmin and Dai would share a bed; but this time around Dai was nine and Changmin was reluctant.
Changmin offered to sleep on the futon in the lounge room.
“If that's ok with you,” said Yunho. “Then we can stay up late and talk,” he added, already reaching for beers in the fridge. He gestured lazily behind him in Chohee's and Dai's general direction. “You two, go to bed.”
Dai, who since arriving in Korea had been glued to his hand-held video game console, readily complied, but Chohee whined about how she wasn't a child anymore.
Changmin squatted down to her level and gave her a sweet smile. “Please Chohee,” he said in a soft, lyrical voice, “your father and I have catching up to do.”
Chohee went pink.
“You shouldn't tease her like that,” Yunho told him later, with no real heat. “You know you've still got your good looks.”
Changmin rolled his eyes and fingered the label on his beer bottle. A movie was playing on the television but they weren't really watching. “I missed Korea so much,” he said, changing the subject. “How is everyone? You work with Siwon, right?”
“Yeah, he's director.” Yunho was currently working on a drama, where he played a mafia boss. “Heechul's fine. Oh, Minho asked after you the other day.”
An indecipherable expression crossed over Changmin's face for a second.
Yunho watched him and wondered over his melancholy. The thing was, he and Changmin talked on the phone everyday, sometimes for hours and sometimes only for five minutes. But here, face-to-face after not seeing each other for so long, things felt a bit awkward.
Yunho couldn't place the feeling.
“Sorry, hyung,” said Changmin, rubbing his eyes, “but I'm tired and you're sitting on my bed.”
“Nah,” Yunho said, getting up, “sleep with me tonight.”
Changmin peered up at him. He looked like he was about to protest, but then seemed to resign himself.
When they were in their pyjamas and settling in under the covers, Changmin whispered, “Hyung, I have to tell you something.”
Yunho, already on the verge of sleep, mumbled acquiescence into his pillow.
Changmin swallowed, then confessed, “I had been seeing someone.”
Yunho abruptly woke up. He leaned on his elbows and stared at him in the dark. “What?” he said, groggily. “Who? Why didn't you tell me?” Then added, “How long?”
“A few months. And I didn't know how serious it was, so I didn't tell anyone.” Changmin lay there in the dark, body still. “Are you angry?”
Yunho sighed and flopped back onto the pillows. “No,” he lied, turning away onto his side, “we'll talk about it in the morning.”
But when morning came Changmin was already running out the door when Yunho got up. “Thanks for taking Dai today. Also, I'm borrowing one of your cars.”
Yunho waved him off. “Say hi to the big boss for me,” he said jokingly.
About half-way through the morning he got a call from Siwon. “We have to reshoot a scene from last week.” He sounded apologetic.
“I don't mind,” said Yunho honestly, “but I have to bring my kids with me.”
After making arrangements Siwon hung up and Yunho eyed Dai, who was on the futon playing video games. “Didn't your father say you need to study Hangul while you're here?”
“No,” Dai lied.
Yunho crossed his arms. Honestly, kids these days, what was the world coming to? Yunho, Changmin and all their friends hadn't fought in World War III just so their children could rot their brains on holographic 3D whatchama-callits. Never mind that he and Changmin used to play video games when they were younger - but that was different, anyway.
“I have to go into work,” he told Dai, and Chohee as she walked into the room. “You guys are coming with me. And you're not allowed to bring that thing with you,” he added to Dai.
Yunho was rewarded with wide bambi eyes for that, which he ignored.
*
It turned out to be a great day overall.
Chohee, who was a true Jung, befriended all the actors and crew and Siwon even let her behind the camera. Dai had been sulking for the first half, until the stunt guys offered to put him in the harness. He flew around the warehouse, laughing hysterically.
They arrived home to find Changmin in one of Yunho's aprons, placing a hot meal on the dining table. “Did you guys have fun?” he asked, and Dai couldn't contain himself, he burst out with the story of the day's events, words tripping over each other.
“In Hangul, Dai,” Changmin interrupted, and Dai continued his story haltingly, but with no less excitement.
“How did the meeting with the agency go today?” Yunho asked Changmin later that night, as they were getting ready for bed. Changmin grabbed a towel and used it to dry Yunho's hair, rubbing vigorously.
“Very well,” Changmin answered. He added, hopeful, “You're coming to my performance this weekend, right?”
“Wouldn't miss it for the world,” Yunho told him, grinning at him from under the towel.
There was a knock on the door.
Yunho opened it to find Chohee staring up at him with wide, fearful eyes. “Can I please talk to you, Appa?”
“Of course,” Yunho answered, leaving the bedroom and shutting the door behind him. He followed her through to the far side of the lounge room. “What's the matter?”
“Are you sleeping in the same bed as Ahjusshi?” she burst out, upset.
He stared at her with some alarm, then sobered and squatted down to her level. “Yes,” he answered. “Changmin and I have been friends for many, many years - “
He stopped, because this explanation only seemed to be upsetting her more.
“And last night?” she asked, feeble.
Yunho stared at her, perplexed by her line of questioning. “Chohee, talk to me.”
She stuck her bottom lip out and lifted her chin. “Dai told me.”
Yunho raised his eyebrows inquiringly.
“Dai told me, Ahjusshi had a boyfriend.”
*
Yunho woke up with a sleeping Changmin wrapped around him: arm and leg flung over his body. Yunho pulled his own arm from the covers and grabbed his dongsaeng's hand, giving it a squeeze.
Changmin mumbled incoherently into the back of his neck.
“You're going to your sister's today?” Yunho asked quietly.
“Ah,” said Changmin, waking up, “yeah.”
They spent the morning having a lazy breakfast and packing one of Yunho's cars. “Have you got your toothbrush?” Changmin asked Dai. “Your back-pack packed? You didn't leave your pyjamas in the bathroom, did you?”
Chohee said her goodbyes and went back inside. Yunho lingered, overcome with a strange, nervous feeling that Changmin wouldn't come back. Then Changmin turned around from making sure Dai had his seatbelt on and gave Yunho a smile.
“See you on Friday?” he said, seeming amiable and carefree.
Yunho grabbed his shoulders and gave him a quick, friendly peck on the lips. Changmin pulled back and stared at him with wide eyes.
“Hyung...” he said, quietly.
Yunho smirked. “Dongsaeng,” he said affectionately, “I'll see you soon.”
-end
Sequel
Author: dentedsky
Word Count: 1,470
Concrit? Yes
Pairing: HoMin
Life, In Between
Less fans came to stalk him at the airport these days, but still Yunho was followed by a few paparazzi whom had somehow found out he would be here, picking Changmin up. He ignored them, and as he looked up at the arrivals screens he absently reached for Chohee's hand.
She quickly snatched it away. “Oh my god,” his eleven year old daughter gasped, exaggeratedly scandalised. “So embarrassing.”
“Embarrassing?” he said, offended, looking down at her dark head. “When I was a singer girls your age used to flock - “
“Gross!” she interrupted. “I don't want to know.”
“I didn't mean - “ he started, before cutting himself off. When had talking to his only child become so complicated?
A few minutes later Changmin and his son Dai came down the airport escalators towards them, and Yunho grinned wide, catching his friend's eye. Changmin grinned back, all teeth and gums, and hurried over and gave his hyung a hug. They held each other for a moment before Yunho pushed him gently away, holding him at arms length and giving him a once-over.
“You look good,” Yunho murmured, envious. Changmin was one of those lucky people who seemed to only get more handsome with age, a trait Yunho wished he could say about himself.
Changmin ran a hand through his hair. “No, I don't think so,” he said, self-conscious.
The paparazzi were in a bit of a frenzy now that Max Changmin, solo artist, had arrived.
*
After the divorce with Chohee's mother Yunho had moved into a three roomed apartment. He still lived there now, years later. In the past if Chohee, Changmin and Dai stayed over Changmin and Dai would share a bed; but this time around Dai was nine and Changmin was reluctant.
Changmin offered to sleep on the futon in the lounge room.
“If that's ok with you,” said Yunho. “Then we can stay up late and talk,” he added, already reaching for beers in the fridge. He gestured lazily behind him in Chohee's and Dai's general direction. “You two, go to bed.”
Dai, who since arriving in Korea had been glued to his hand-held video game console, readily complied, but Chohee whined about how she wasn't a child anymore.
Changmin squatted down to her level and gave her a sweet smile. “Please Chohee,” he said in a soft, lyrical voice, “your father and I have catching up to do.”
Chohee went pink.
“You shouldn't tease her like that,” Yunho told him later, with no real heat. “You know you've still got your good looks.”
Changmin rolled his eyes and fingered the label on his beer bottle. A movie was playing on the television but they weren't really watching. “I missed Korea so much,” he said, changing the subject. “How is everyone? You work with Siwon, right?”
“Yeah, he's director.” Yunho was currently working on a drama, where he played a mafia boss. “Heechul's fine. Oh, Minho asked after you the other day.”
An indecipherable expression crossed over Changmin's face for a second.
Yunho watched him and wondered over his melancholy. The thing was, he and Changmin talked on the phone everyday, sometimes for hours and sometimes only for five minutes. But here, face-to-face after not seeing each other for so long, things felt a bit awkward.
Yunho couldn't place the feeling.
“Sorry, hyung,” said Changmin, rubbing his eyes, “but I'm tired and you're sitting on my bed.”
“Nah,” Yunho said, getting up, “sleep with me tonight.”
Changmin peered up at him. He looked like he was about to protest, but then seemed to resign himself.
When they were in their pyjamas and settling in under the covers, Changmin whispered, “Hyung, I have to tell you something.”
Yunho, already on the verge of sleep, mumbled acquiescence into his pillow.
Changmin swallowed, then confessed, “I had been seeing someone.”
Yunho abruptly woke up. He leaned on his elbows and stared at him in the dark. “What?” he said, groggily. “Who? Why didn't you tell me?” Then added, “How long?”
“A few months. And I didn't know how serious it was, so I didn't tell anyone.” Changmin lay there in the dark, body still. “Are you angry?”
Yunho sighed and flopped back onto the pillows. “No,” he lied, turning away onto his side, “we'll talk about it in the morning.”
But when morning came Changmin was already running out the door when Yunho got up. “Thanks for taking Dai today. Also, I'm borrowing one of your cars.”
Yunho waved him off. “Say hi to the big boss for me,” he said jokingly.
About half-way through the morning he got a call from Siwon. “We have to reshoot a scene from last week.” He sounded apologetic.
“I don't mind,” said Yunho honestly, “but I have to bring my kids with me.”
After making arrangements Siwon hung up and Yunho eyed Dai, who was on the futon playing video games. “Didn't your father say you need to study Hangul while you're here?”
“No,” Dai lied.
Yunho crossed his arms. Honestly, kids these days, what was the world coming to? Yunho, Changmin and all their friends hadn't fought in World War III just so their children could rot their brains on holographic 3D whatchama-callits. Never mind that he and Changmin used to play video games when they were younger - but that was different, anyway.
“I have to go into work,” he told Dai, and Chohee as she walked into the room. “You guys are coming with me. And you're not allowed to bring that thing with you,” he added to Dai.
Yunho was rewarded with wide bambi eyes for that, which he ignored.
*
It turned out to be a great day overall.
Chohee, who was a true Jung, befriended all the actors and crew and Siwon even let her behind the camera. Dai had been sulking for the first half, until the stunt guys offered to put him in the harness. He flew around the warehouse, laughing hysterically.
They arrived home to find Changmin in one of Yunho's aprons, placing a hot meal on the dining table. “Did you guys have fun?” he asked, and Dai couldn't contain himself, he burst out with the story of the day's events, words tripping over each other.
“In Hangul, Dai,” Changmin interrupted, and Dai continued his story haltingly, but with no less excitement.
“How did the meeting with the agency go today?” Yunho asked Changmin later that night, as they were getting ready for bed. Changmin grabbed a towel and used it to dry Yunho's hair, rubbing vigorously.
“Very well,” Changmin answered. He added, hopeful, “You're coming to my performance this weekend, right?”
“Wouldn't miss it for the world,” Yunho told him, grinning at him from under the towel.
There was a knock on the door.
Yunho opened it to find Chohee staring up at him with wide, fearful eyes. “Can I please talk to you, Appa?”
“Of course,” Yunho answered, leaving the bedroom and shutting the door behind him. He followed her through to the far side of the lounge room. “What's the matter?”
“Are you sleeping in the same bed as Ahjusshi?” she burst out, upset.
He stared at her with some alarm, then sobered and squatted down to her level. “Yes,” he answered. “Changmin and I have been friends for many, many years - “
He stopped, because this explanation only seemed to be upsetting her more.
“And last night?” she asked, feeble.
Yunho stared at her, perplexed by her line of questioning. “Chohee, talk to me.”
She stuck her bottom lip out and lifted her chin. “Dai told me.”
Yunho raised his eyebrows inquiringly.
“Dai told me, Ahjusshi had a boyfriend.”
*
Yunho woke up with a sleeping Changmin wrapped around him: arm and leg flung over his body. Yunho pulled his own arm from the covers and grabbed his dongsaeng's hand, giving it a squeeze.
Changmin mumbled incoherently into the back of his neck.
“You're going to your sister's today?” Yunho asked quietly.
“Ah,” said Changmin, waking up, “yeah.”
They spent the morning having a lazy breakfast and packing one of Yunho's cars. “Have you got your toothbrush?” Changmin asked Dai. “Your back-pack packed? You didn't leave your pyjamas in the bathroom, did you?”
Chohee said her goodbyes and went back inside. Yunho lingered, overcome with a strange, nervous feeling that Changmin wouldn't come back. Then Changmin turned around from making sure Dai had his seatbelt on and gave Yunho a smile.
“See you on Friday?” he said, seeming amiable and carefree.
Yunho grabbed his shoulders and gave him a quick, friendly peck on the lips. Changmin pulled back and stared at him with wide eyes.
“Hyung...” he said, quietly.
Yunho smirked. “Dongsaeng,” he said affectionately, “I'll see you soon.”
-end
Sequel