Through the crown of the sakura tree - 24
Author: hikjang / delsogno
Fandom: DB5K
Pairings: Changmin x Junsu, Yoochun x Junsu, Yunho x Jaejoong
Genre: Romance, Angst
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They are not mine.
“Oppa, where are you staying at?”
“A friend’s.”
“Junsu-shi?”
“…Yes.”
“Oppa, you can stay at my place… I’ve got an apartment near the center, we can move in…”
“Yuri, the thing is that, I need some space. I have to reflect upon something and I think I should stay away from you guys for the moment. Just wait.”
“Oppa…”
“You have class now don’t you? Have a good one.”
Changmin put some bills on the table and swung the strap of his bag on one shoulder. He stood up and walked out of the café.
It was late Spring. Bright sun blinded Changmin’s eyes and warm air rushed over the moment Changmin pushed the glass door open.
It was another lovely Spring day, but Changmin couldn’t relate to the Changmin he used to be at the beginning of the season. Sakura rain still fell, but so many aspects of Changmin’s life had changed: where he was at, his mentality, his view on the life planned ahead for him - all had changed.
Changmin wondered why that Spring was so eventful.
Changmin checked his phone.
It was 4pm. Junsu should have gotten out of classes by now. Some time living together had got Changmin used to Junsu’s academic schedule.
The night before, after his head had cooled down, Changmin had walked back inside to find Junsu no longer in the living area. Junsu had since long retreated to his own room, probably already asleep.
It was Changmin who could hardly sleep.
Changmin just did not want to face with whatever sentimental issue there was concerning Junsu and himself, so much that it was almost as if he was scared of it. Changmin didn’t want to break the current state they were in. All had been good and if anyone was to make a move now, chances were that he would never be able to see Junsu as he could now.
Nevertheless Changmin truly felt bad about having overreacted, banging on the piano and leaving like that, so he decided to treat Junsu to something for dinner that evening.
He took out his phone and pressed Junsu’s number.
He need to act normal around Junsu.
“Yeoboseyo?” Junsu’s voice echoed from the other line.
“Junsu, when are you back?”
“Err… I will be back later today, like 6 or 7 something. What’s the matter? You forgot the key?”
“No, just want to treat you to dinner,” Changmin leaned back, breathed out relaxingly, “Why will you be late?”
“Ah, today’s the birthday of one of my friends so…”
“What birthday party ends at 7? I’ll go with you, then we can leave together then.”
“Changmin, I don’t think you want to come with me,” Junsu’s voice became serious, “What about I’ll see you later at home?”
Changmin furrowed his eyebrows. Junsu’s lifestyle had been transparent up until now, and Changmin didn’t like the idea that there was anything there he didn’t know.
“Who is that friend, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Junsu sighed. It felt like an eternity had passed when Junsu’s voice was heard again.
“Well, Changmin, it’s at a hospice. Still want to tag along?”
“Junsu!”
Changmin ran up the hill under the honey-like sunshine. Junsu was leaning against a ivied wall, waiting for him.
“Hey,” Junsu smiled, strainedly.
“Why that uneasy smile? Don’t want me to go that much?”
“Not that… It’s just… I don’t think you will like the place.”
“Really? But it’s not even the first time I’ve been there. Is it the hospice on top of this hill you are visiting?”
“You know the place?” Junsu widened his tear-shaped eyes.
Changmin nodded, almost like how young boys would do showing off their new set of figurines. “Of course. My family is a big donor there. I was there during the last time they had a renovation.”
It was the truth. The Shim’s were also big names among philanthropists.
Junsu regarded Changmin with unreadable eyes. He led Changmin uphill nevertheless.
Upon stepping inside, Changmin came to understand immediately why Junsu didn’t want him to go there.
It was nothing like Changmin remembered about the last time he had visited this place. Oh but actually, he just stayed outside that time anyway.
Once walked in, Changmin’s nostrils were attacked with a repugnant smell. At first, he had no idea what that smell came from, as inside the place things were all clean - the facilities were impeccable. Well, his family had poured in some millions here after all. It was absolutely not because of bad hygiene. But what else could that be?
When they entered a large room with lots of beds in it, the moans and groans coming from the beds made chillds run up Changmin’s spines.
Changmin was no wimp but his mind became totally hazy. He knew now what the smell was. It was the smell of death. It came from the dying breath of the people on the bed, from under the skin close to rotting, and probably from whatever substance that was not immediately cleaned up after it came out of the humans there.
People there were waiting to die. They moaned and groaned and many had bodies disfigured with sickness. Some lacked a few limbs and many had saliva all over their faces. Nurses walked around but couldn’t attend to everyone all at the same time.
A man just excreted straight on the mattress, worsening the atmosphere.
Changmin felt his pupils strained as he tried to inhale only minimally. The smell was extremely bad, but at the same time Changmin felt bad for finding the smell bad. Along with the want to vomit, he felt an overwhelming feeling of pity inside. Changmin suddenly felt like whatever hardship he was facing at this period of life was still much, much better than what the people at that hospice had to endure.
As Changmin gazed around, he found among those who were present there were also some, or quite many actually, who gave him the looks that were nothing like looks from people near death - looks that made the hair on Changmin’s nape stand up. Those men, with barely any flesh on their bodies, barely any hair on their head, and barely life in their gaze, shot over Changmin’s way looks that belong only to predators; Changmin even got an impression they were salivating at him, wanting to eat him up. It got Changmin frozen like one who succumbs to the power of Medusa’s gaze.
Suddenly Junsu’s voice came, sounding like from another world. “Don’t look,” Junsu said, “That they’re terminally sick doesn’t mean they’re all good guys. There are lenty of horrible people who end up here, or old age and sickness have made them that way.”
Junsu’s words didn’t make Changmin feel any better. Changmin felt really sick.
Junsu sighed. He turned back, extending a hand out to hold one of Changmin’s cold with terror hand, as if to give Changmin some strength.
“Well, that’s why I told you you shouldn’t come.” Changmin felt Junsu’s firm grasp on his skin. “And one can’t really blame them actually. It’s your fault to have such a fit body and beautiful face. Such vitalità. Of course they’d be jealous.”
Changmin couldn’t tell whether it was a joke or not.
“Why… Why’d they not be jealous with you then?” Changmin asked, stupidly.
Junsu chuckled lightly. “Now, c’mere,” he said, not giving Changmin an answer.
Junsu led Changmin by his hand through a long corridor. On the way, whenever they saw a nun or a nurse, Junsu would smile and say hello. Truth was that Changmin had never seen Junsu that generous with his smiles.
Finally they reached a room with only a few old people inside. The smell was much less than before and there were no longer the gazes that made Changmin felt sick. Junsu pulled Changmin along to a bed at the end of the room.
“Hi, auntie Han,” Junsu said smilingly.
Junsu released Changmin’s hand to take from his backpack a rose in a plastic cover. He put it inside a bottle on the table next to auntie Han’s bed.
“Changmin, here is Miss Han. She’s the friend whom I talked to you about. Today is her birthday. Auntie Han, happy birthday!”
Then Junsu started singing the song “Happy birthday” to Miss Han. Miss Han was very old and apparently was also near the border to the other world. She couldn’t answer Junsu’s words, but could moved he hands lightly and her eyes brimmed with tears as Junsu sang.
Changmin had never heard Junsu sing before. Junsu was a rather bad singer - something quite amusing considering the guy’s musical abilities, but that was indeed the case. His voice while singing sounded as disorganized as a pack of dlittle ducklings walking, but there was something so sweet in that husky vocal. Futhermore, Junsu sang as if no one was close, reminding Changmin of kindergarten kids. It was so cute that Changmin slowly forgot the unpleasant things he had just exprerienced.
“… Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.”
Junsu clapped as he finished the song.
A single tear drop fell from Miss Han’s left eye.
Junsu fixed the blanket on Miss Han’s body, before sitting down on a chair. He held Miss Han’s hand in his, carressing it. He just sat there and looked at Miss Han’s eyes with a pleasant smile on his lips, while Changmin stood stiffly beside him.
Changmin observed the serenity on Junsu’s face, and also Miss Han’s as the old woman slowly difted off into sleep.
After an hour or so, when Miss Han was completely in her slumber, Junsu stood up. He turned back to Changmin and said, “Let’s go. What are you having in mind for dinner?”
End 24
Part of this chapter is inspired by Zafon's "The Shadow Of The Wind" :)
Fandom: DB5K
Pairings: Changmin x Junsu, Yoochun x Junsu, Yunho x Jaejoong
Genre: Romance, Angst
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: They are not mine.
“Oppa, where are you staying at?”
“A friend’s.”
“Junsu-shi?”
“…Yes.”
“Oppa, you can stay at my place… I’ve got an apartment near the center, we can move in…”
“Yuri, the thing is that, I need some space. I have to reflect upon something and I think I should stay away from you guys for the moment. Just wait.”
“Oppa…”
“You have class now don’t you? Have a good one.”
Changmin put some bills on the table and swung the strap of his bag on one shoulder. He stood up and walked out of the café.
It was late Spring. Bright sun blinded Changmin’s eyes and warm air rushed over the moment Changmin pushed the glass door open.
It was another lovely Spring day, but Changmin couldn’t relate to the Changmin he used to be at the beginning of the season. Sakura rain still fell, but so many aspects of Changmin’s life had changed: where he was at, his mentality, his view on the life planned ahead for him - all had changed.
Changmin wondered why that Spring was so eventful.
Changmin checked his phone.
It was 4pm. Junsu should have gotten out of classes by now. Some time living together had got Changmin used to Junsu’s academic schedule.
The night before, after his head had cooled down, Changmin had walked back inside to find Junsu no longer in the living area. Junsu had since long retreated to his own room, probably already asleep.
It was Changmin who could hardly sleep.
Changmin just did not want to face with whatever sentimental issue there was concerning Junsu and himself, so much that it was almost as if he was scared of it. Changmin didn’t want to break the current state they were in. All had been good and if anyone was to make a move now, chances were that he would never be able to see Junsu as he could now.
Nevertheless Changmin truly felt bad about having overreacted, banging on the piano and leaving like that, so he decided to treat Junsu to something for dinner that evening.
He took out his phone and pressed Junsu’s number.
He need to act normal around Junsu.
“Yeoboseyo?” Junsu’s voice echoed from the other line.
“Junsu, when are you back?”
“Err… I will be back later today, like 6 or 7 something. What’s the matter? You forgot the key?”
“No, just want to treat you to dinner,” Changmin leaned back, breathed out relaxingly, “Why will you be late?”
“Ah, today’s the birthday of one of my friends so…”
“What birthday party ends at 7? I’ll go with you, then we can leave together then.”
“Changmin, I don’t think you want to come with me,” Junsu’s voice became serious, “What about I’ll see you later at home?”
Changmin furrowed his eyebrows. Junsu’s lifestyle had been transparent up until now, and Changmin didn’t like the idea that there was anything there he didn’t know.
“Who is that friend, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Junsu sighed. It felt like an eternity had passed when Junsu’s voice was heard again.
“Well, Changmin, it’s at a hospice. Still want to tag along?”
“Junsu!”
Changmin ran up the hill under the honey-like sunshine. Junsu was leaning against a ivied wall, waiting for him.
“Hey,” Junsu smiled, strainedly.
“Why that uneasy smile? Don’t want me to go that much?”
“Not that… It’s just… I don’t think you will like the place.”
“Really? But it’s not even the first time I’ve been there. Is it the hospice on top of this hill you are visiting?”
“You know the place?” Junsu widened his tear-shaped eyes.
Changmin nodded, almost like how young boys would do showing off their new set of figurines. “Of course. My family is a big donor there. I was there during the last time they had a renovation.”
It was the truth. The Shim’s were also big names among philanthropists.
Junsu regarded Changmin with unreadable eyes. He led Changmin uphill nevertheless.
Upon stepping inside, Changmin came to understand immediately why Junsu didn’t want him to go there.
It was nothing like Changmin remembered about the last time he had visited this place. Oh but actually, he just stayed outside that time anyway.
Once walked in, Changmin’s nostrils were attacked with a repugnant smell. At first, he had no idea what that smell came from, as inside the place things were all clean - the facilities were impeccable. Well, his family had poured in some millions here after all. It was absolutely not because of bad hygiene. But what else could that be?
When they entered a large room with lots of beds in it, the moans and groans coming from the beds made chillds run up Changmin’s spines.
Changmin was no wimp but his mind became totally hazy. He knew now what the smell was. It was the smell of death. It came from the dying breath of the people on the bed, from under the skin close to rotting, and probably from whatever substance that was not immediately cleaned up after it came out of the humans there.
People there were waiting to die. They moaned and groaned and many had bodies disfigured with sickness. Some lacked a few limbs and many had saliva all over their faces. Nurses walked around but couldn’t attend to everyone all at the same time.
A man just excreted straight on the mattress, worsening the atmosphere.
Changmin felt his pupils strained as he tried to inhale only minimally. The smell was extremely bad, but at the same time Changmin felt bad for finding the smell bad. Along with the want to vomit, he felt an overwhelming feeling of pity inside. Changmin suddenly felt like whatever hardship he was facing at this period of life was still much, much better than what the people at that hospice had to endure.
As Changmin gazed around, he found among those who were present there were also some, or quite many actually, who gave him the looks that were nothing like looks from people near death - looks that made the hair on Changmin’s nape stand up. Those men, with barely any flesh on their bodies, barely any hair on their head, and barely life in their gaze, shot over Changmin’s way looks that belong only to predators; Changmin even got an impression they were salivating at him, wanting to eat him up. It got Changmin frozen like one who succumbs to the power of Medusa’s gaze.
Suddenly Junsu’s voice came, sounding like from another world. “Don’t look,” Junsu said, “That they’re terminally sick doesn’t mean they’re all good guys. There are lenty of horrible people who end up here, or old age and sickness have made them that way.”
Junsu’s words didn’t make Changmin feel any better. Changmin felt really sick.
Junsu sighed. He turned back, extending a hand out to hold one of Changmin’s cold with terror hand, as if to give Changmin some strength.
“Well, that’s why I told you you shouldn’t come.” Changmin felt Junsu’s firm grasp on his skin. “And one can’t really blame them actually. It’s your fault to have such a fit body and beautiful face. Such vitalità. Of course they’d be jealous.”
Changmin couldn’t tell whether it was a joke or not.
“Why… Why’d they not be jealous with you then?” Changmin asked, stupidly.
Junsu chuckled lightly. “Now, c’mere,” he said, not giving Changmin an answer.
Junsu led Changmin by his hand through a long corridor. On the way, whenever they saw a nun or a nurse, Junsu would smile and say hello. Truth was that Changmin had never seen Junsu that generous with his smiles.
Finally they reached a room with only a few old people inside. The smell was much less than before and there were no longer the gazes that made Changmin felt sick. Junsu pulled Changmin along to a bed at the end of the room.
“Hi, auntie Han,” Junsu said smilingly.
Junsu released Changmin’s hand to take from his backpack a rose in a plastic cover. He put it inside a bottle on the table next to auntie Han’s bed.
“Changmin, here is Miss Han. She’s the friend whom I talked to you about. Today is her birthday. Auntie Han, happy birthday!”
Then Junsu started singing the song “Happy birthday” to Miss Han. Miss Han was very old and apparently was also near the border to the other world. She couldn’t answer Junsu’s words, but could moved he hands lightly and her eyes brimmed with tears as Junsu sang.
Changmin had never heard Junsu sing before. Junsu was a rather bad singer - something quite amusing considering the guy’s musical abilities, but that was indeed the case. His voice while singing sounded as disorganized as a pack of dlittle ducklings walking, but there was something so sweet in that husky vocal. Futhermore, Junsu sang as if no one was close, reminding Changmin of kindergarten kids. It was so cute that Changmin slowly forgot the unpleasant things he had just exprerienced.
“… Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.”
Junsu clapped as he finished the song.
A single tear drop fell from Miss Han’s left eye.
Junsu fixed the blanket on Miss Han’s body, before sitting down on a chair. He held Miss Han’s hand in his, carressing it. He just sat there and looked at Miss Han’s eyes with a pleasant smile on his lips, while Changmin stood stiffly beside him.
Changmin observed the serenity on Junsu’s face, and also Miss Han’s as the old woman slowly difted off into sleep.
After an hour or so, when Miss Han was completely in her slumber, Junsu stood up. He turned back to Changmin and said, “Let’s go. What are you having in mind for dinner?”
End 24
Part of this chapter is inspired by Zafon's "The Shadow Of The Wind" :)