School Daze [Re-Edit] - Chapter One
Title: School Daze [Re-Edit]
Rating: PG - 13
Pairing: Multiple [JaeHo/YunJae among others..]
Warning: Slash, mild cursing, AU
Summary: "Jung Yunho," he greeted casually, a sensual smirk on those full lips that held the promise of sweet sin.
-=Chapter One=-
Jaejoong sighed rather contentedly as he studied his new surroundings for the rest of his high school life with an appreciative eye. The finely furnished and even more finely decorated apartment style dorm was certainly more dazzling than anything he had seen in his life. The countless pictures he had seen in varying magazines couldn't even possibly begin to compare to the reality in front of him right at that moment.
The television in the living area looked to keep up with time effortlessly, complete with a DVD player and all the latest gadgetries. He even took note of the various game consoles that littered the floor directly in front of the television set. There was no doubt that because of the consoles alone, hours could be spent in front of the device without the chance of boredom or educational advancement.
Well over an hour had passed since he had settled himself into his new living situation, but Jaejoong couldn't help but stare at the beautiful paradise he had landed in. This apartment was simply for a high school, boarding school or not. His imagination instantly filled with images of what a real college dorm would look like if this was the lifestyle for basic education.
Finally giving his mind the opportunity to stop focusing on one subject for too much longer, Jaejoong allowed his thoughts to drift elsewhere. His roommates, or just roommate at the present, Shim Changmin was the only one he had been able to meet, and through his polite silence and informative answers, quite an impression had been left on Jaejoong.
Usually aloof and unaware were two words often associated with Kim Jaejoong, but this Shim Changmin was very much different. Despite his youth, he displayed a great maturity. One example was the fact that he had been allowed to skip a grade and still maintained the top seat in his entire junior class!
Upon stumbling across this information, Jaejoong was in awe.
As to his other two roommates, Kim Junsu and Jung Yunho, he was told their names were, had not been able to meet their newest arrival as they were out of town for a soccer competition of sorts.
"I think it's in Japan," Changmin responded, nonchalantly, when Jaejoong had inquired about the location.
Jaejoong smiled at the memory of his reaction toward the news. His face had twisted into one of awe and shock and his mouth nearly dropped to the floor. Japan of all places! Somewhere he hoped to go one day. He couldn't believe that he was now counted amongst a student body where they seemed to freely travel to the country!
The younger boy had reminded the dorm's newest occupant the concept of manners after several minutes passed in absolute silence.
Now, a good while later, Jaejoong could sit back, relax and enjoy the comfortable feeling this place easily created. Though He wasn't sure what awaited him when the other two arrived, something told him that he would be able to bear it. That he would endure what he had to in order to survive all.
After showing Jaejoong to his room and sharing a bit of information with him as far as what went where and the location of the cafeteria since none of the boys really knew how to cook, Shim Changmin granted his new roommate the opportunity to unpack on his own, something he had been denied because of an over excited hyung of his by the name of Kim Junsu, practically tearing his luggage apart in order to 'assist' the youngster in the unpacking process.
Of course, Changmin often wondered at the sanity level of the boy he had come to call 'hyung' but as time passed, and boy did it pass slowly, he learned Jusnsu had next to no level of sanity. If his hyung did or said something odd, it would simply be shrugged off by Changmin and accompanied by the phrase, "It is Junsu-hyung after all."
As Yunho-hyung had once told him, he could often be negligent of others when caught up in his own thoughts. To prove that ridiculous notion wrong, Changmin would occasionally drift to the open doorway of Jaejoong's room, asking if there was anything the older boy needed or wanted.
The answer was always a polite, shy smile and a simple shake of the head.
After three or so times of this, Changmin finally retreated to the comfort of his own room where he would be able to work in a few minutes of studying, though he was pretty sure there was nothing left for him to study. Perhaps he could get a head start for the next semester. He sighed and collapsed onto his bed and mulled over his next possible course of action. Maybe it would be wise for him to talk to one of his hyungs later on or possibly even a teacher about getting ahead on some work, he thought dully.
There was a growing feeling of anxiety in the very pit of the boy's stomach, and it caused the intellectual youth some mild discomfort. Did it have to do with the arrival of this Kim Jaejoong? He nibbled absently on his lower lip, while allowing a hand to blindly reach for a book.
Any book.
His long fingers finally grazed across the hard cover of a book he hadn’t remembered placing there. He dragged it closer to him in order to better examine the title. He sighed and put it down with a roll of his eyes. No, Harry Potter wouldn't be able to dissolve the anxiety, now closely followed by dread. He made a mental note to himself to never let Junsu in his room ever again. His hyung had horrible taste in books.
Changmin tossed the book aside before draping his arm over his eyes in attempts to close out the uncertain reality. "Hurry back, Yunho-hyung," he muttered silently to himself, certain the strong and able hyung would be able to fend off anything unwelcomed.
* * *
"Those damn cheaters!" Yunho growled as he entered the main hall of the dormitory building in an angry huff. His large black duffle bag swayed haphazardly on his shoulder, threatening to display its owner's foul mood on anyone that dared to get too close.
Si Won grinned and shook his head, his calm demeanor quickly slipping into place, the earlier anger and annoyance he felt complete erased, "You're taking it way too personally, Yunho-ah. Calm down already, before you cause a scene." Never mind the fact that while they had been on their way back to the school, he had agreed completely with Yunho and had almost started up a petition to hunt down their rivals and bring them to justice.
Not too far behind the two boys, a third jogged lightly to keep up, only falling slightly behind because of the two much too large duffle bags on either of his shoulders and the heavy backpack that was such a burden to his back. It seemed that gravity would only work with him for so much longer.
"Yunho-hyung," he began, attempting to catch his breath and adjust his weight so to better balance the bags he carried, "they did play a little rough, but there wasn't any cheating from what I saw." The boy only stopped when he tripped over one of the bags that had slipped from his shoulder. With a small yelp, the boy crashed down to the tiled flooring of the hallway.
Both Si Won and Yunho stopped and turned around to see their fallen teammate, in all his embarrassment. It was Yunho who helped the boy to his feet and Si Won who relieved the boy of one of the oversized bags.
"Be more careful, Susu-ah," Yunho scolded gently, making sure the boy was steady on his feet. He ruffled the boy’s hair and grinned before adding, "And they did cheat. They always cheat." His voice was a great deal gentler in regard to his younger teammate, even when on the displeasurable subject of the cheaters.
Si Won slung the duffle bag he had picked up over his shoulder with relative ease, not particularly interested in staying in the hallways any longer than need be. "Some of the guys are heading out to a party later on tonight," he wiggled his eyebrows playfully, "and you know we have to be there."
"But," the smallest of the three, Junsu, began to argue, lightly wiping at his pants to rid himself of any substances that might have latched onto him from his light tumble.
"So tell you what," Si Won went on, now directing his gaze at Yunho, refusing to hear any arguments, "I'll take this," he shifted the duffle he had collected from Junsu, which was filled with the team's uniforms, "to the locker rooms, while you guys go and get primped and pretty for the party."
It wasn't a question, and certainly wasn't a suggestion. If anything, it was an order.
With that, Si Won headed off in the direction of the gym to put his words into action. Yunho smirked and shook his head at his friend's retreating back. "Where's this party going to be?" He called, hoping for once that he would get a straight answer from his friend.
"As if you really need to ask," was the retreating form's response, "and bring Minnie! That boy is was too serious for his own good!" With a final wave of his hand, Si Won vanished around a corner, and his footsteps eventually faded as the distance grew between them.
Yunho and Junsu glanced at one another. The younger of the two shrugged his shoulders slightly as he began to speak slowly, "Changmin is too serious, hyung." He grinned brightly at the taller, older boy, excitement shining in his eyes, "For his sake, we should definitely go." As if to settle matters right then and there he delivered a nod of finality.
Clapping Junsu on the back and spurring the boy into motion, Yunho couldn't help but grin at him. "Well," he sighed, as if he had been objecting to the idea for the longest time, "since you put it like that, I guess we have no other choice but to go. For Changmin's sake of course."
* * *
Changmin had fallen asleep well over an hour ago and since it was already starting to get darker outside, Jaejoong saw no point in arousing the slumbering boy, though his stomach did call him several different kinds of idiot for not waking him. He was hungry and couldn't remember the whereabouts of the cafeteria, something he was painfully reminded of every time his gut let out a distressed wail of hunger.
He had taken precious care in unpacking and organizing his room, thus losing track of all time and had become so hungry that he worried his stomach would start to eat itself, if that was even possible. "Aish," he swore pathetically, squeezing his empty gut, hoping the action would distract him from his hunger.
It only wailed louder.
He strode into the living area of his new 'home' and collapsed onto one of two plush couches. "I should have asked Changmin if there was something in here to snack on."
There were, no doubt, endless snacks stashed away in one of the cupboards placed in the dorm room's kitchen, and the refrigerator seemed more than promising, but lessons learned from his parents kept him from acting on impulse and taking the treats as his own.
If it's not yours don't touch it.
But he was just so hungry!
His stomach seemed to give a bit of a lurch, causing another stream of swears to escape from the soft lips of the beautiful boy. Perhaps one little-- No, he wouldn't think with his stomach, but rather his mind. He would simply wait for Changmin to wake up.
Then again, he might drop dead from starvation before that happened.
It was then that the door to the room opened from the outside, revealing two boys, both smiling brightly and carrying large duffle bags on their broad shoulders. As the door closed with a small 'click' Jaejoong quickly turned around to see who had entered. These must have been his other two roommates Changmin had told him about. Jung Yunho and Kim Junsu.
Jaejoong cocked his head to one side and studied the new comers with innocent curiosity. From what he could see of the two, they looked nice enough. Hopefully there would be no mishaps living with these guys.
"Ah!" The shorter of the two exclaimed, and none too silently, upon seeing Jaejoong staring at them with that wide gaze. His duffle dropped to the floor with a dull 'thud' and he latched onto the taller, and possibly older, boy. "Yunho-hyung! Did Changmin say he was inviting someone over today?"
Jaejoong quickly stood up and smiled hesitantly at the two, "I'm Kim Jaejoong. I was assigned to this room. Starting today I'll be your roommate." He gave a very slight, but respectful enough bow to the two boys.
There was a long stretch of silence that suffocated the three boys in which Yunho and Junsu carefully studied this Jaejoong from top to bottom. Jaejoong simply stood there, allowing them to examine him.
This Kim Jaejoong, Yunho noted, was surprisingly pretty, enough so that the girls at the school only paled in comparison. "Well," Yunho began, shifting slightly, a bit bothered, but at the same time, intrigued, with Jaejoong's beauty, "we're going to a party in a bit, want to go?"
"Hyung!" Junsu hissed at Yunho, tugging slightly at the boy's shirt sleeve then delivering a glare in Jaejoong's direction.
Jaejoong missed Junsu's mistrusting glare and thought only about Yunho's open invitation. After a second's thought, he responded slowly, "Will there be food?"
Yunho's smile became brighter considerably and he even let out a small laugh, "Of course. We'll be heading out soon, we just have to--" he glanced down at Junsu who continued to tug at his shirt sleeve, a small pout forming on that adorable face of his. "Susu-ah, go tell Minnie to get ready, and don't let him argue."
The pout on Junsu's face deepened a bit more, but he didn't dare ignore an order given from Yunho. With a small sigh, Junsu shuffled out of the living room to where Changmin lay asleep in.
If Yunho had been watching Junsu leave the room, he would have missed seeing Jaejoong's soft pink lips curving just a bit more into a slightly bigger smile. If Yunho had been watching Junsu leave the room, he would have missed how that tiny smile lit up Jaejoong's porcelain skin. If Yunho had been watching Junsu leave the room, he would have seen the delicate and disapproving frown on Junsu's face.
But Yunho did not watch Junsu leave the room. His eyes remained trained on their newest addition, in all his beautiful glory.
* * *
'Jeong Ji Hun' was the name of the boy throwing the wild party while his parents were out of town on vacation. 'Rain' was what regular attendees of his wild and out parties called him.
"Rain?" Jaejoong asked, raising his voice against the loud, pulsating music that contradicted the house's peaceful and serene look. He stayed glued to Changmin's side as they sifted their way through numerous party goers, as he had quickly become comfortable with the younger boy. "Why does everyone call him Rain?"
Changmin smirked at the question and responded quickly, "It practically rains liquor here. Ji Hun-hyung seems to always have it in abundance. I've never been to a party where he's run out."
Having heard Changmin's short explanation, Yunho nodded his agreement, "Me neither! No party is a party without Rain there."
As if on cue, the host himself pushed through the crowd with a half full bottle of soju in his hand. He didn't stop until he reached Yunho and his small party. He grinned brightly at the sight of them all, "You made it! I even made triply sure to get your favorite brand this time, Yunho-ah."
Ji Hun, or Rain rather, was roughly the same height as Yunho and clearly the participant of some physical activity or other. Even through the t-shirt he wore and the dark lighting of the house, it was difficult not to see that muscular frame. He seemed nice enough, but at the same time, Jaejoong detected a hint of arrogance in the way he carried himself and spoke to others.
Jaejoong blinked as he realized Rain had addressed him, been speaking to him even, "I'm sorry. You said something?"
"Ah, he's a pretty one, Jung Yunho," Rain laughed, taking a small swig from his bottle and nudging Yunho slightly while winking in Jaejoong's direction. "You sure you aren't a girl or something?" When Jaejoong's eyes narrowed slightly and drew breath to defend his manhood, Rain switched his attention to Junsu. "Ya, Yoochun is here, in case you're wondering. Si Won took care of that."
Junsu, who had been glowering darkly, lit up instantly at hearing the name 'Yoochun,' causing Jaejoong's curiosity to heighten. Who was this 'Yoochun' that could shift Junsu's mood so quickly just by having the person's name mentioned? "Chongmal?" He asked eagerly, already looking for said 'Yoochun' Rain had mentioned. “He’s really here?”
"Ye, but you better hurry and get to him fast," Rain cautioned, moving slightly so a couple of girls could skitter pass him, "you know he can't control himself around liquor, and worse, he's with Heecul. Bali!" Rain thrust his bottle of soju in the direction the boy would have to follow.
With a small 'eep', Junsu hurried off in the direction Rain had indicated with such intensity that it caused the others to laugh at his exit. But the laughter quickly died.
They had become so serious and so fast that Jaejoong hadn't the time to even register what had happened. At seeing the sour expressions of his friends, Rain quickly scanned the area for the problem, but his eyes instantly fell on the source. Upon his discovery, he was not surprised at the least in the dramatic shift of mood.
Without a moment's hesitation, Rain quickly stepped in front of Yunho as a rather large group approached. Some of them had bored expressions on their faces, while others seemed just as intense as Yunho and Changmin. Some even went as far as to clench their fists or crack their knuckles, as if preparing for a fight.
Jaejoong took a step behind Yunho, and peered slightly over the boy's shoulder, wondering what would come next. Perhaps it was because of the intense reactions to the approach of this particular group that the boy felt an instant tug of danger. Perhaps it was the way Yunho angled his body ever so slightly, thus hiding Jaejoong from view that gave him the feeling that getting mixed up with this crowd would be the death of him.
He frowned thoughtfully at the negative first impression he was so far receiving.
"Remember guys," Rain looked at the newly arrived group then over his shoulder to Yunho and Changmin, hardly noting the growing crowd behind the two students, "this is my place, completely neutral territory. No fighting. No trouble."
Jaejoong's head cocked to one side at hearing the boy's words. Neutral territory? Had he just stepped into the middle of a war?
"Trouble?" The boy that had led the group to Rain was a rather short boy with spiky hair in almost every possible direction. A crooked grin gave him a comical look as well as a menacing one. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before turning back to his own friends. "Did we come here to cause trouble guys?"
This group was notably different from those Jaejoong had met earlier, especially in the way they presented themselves, dressing down in overly baggy pants and shirts that were meant for much larger people. They even decorated themselves with long chain necklaces, some even dawned bandanas.
Were these the academy's students? Jaejoong instantly thought upon carefully inspecting the group.
For some reason, he seriously doubted that this particular group belonged to SM Academy. Just as Jaejoong drew a silent breath to ask Changmin or Yunho just who these people were, the short boy stepped aside as another boy, considerably taller, stepped forward.
His breath caught.
This new boy was, as Jaejoong's mother would put it, a well put together young man, and oh how he was put together.
And so well too.
"Jung Yunho," he greeted casually, a sensual smirk on those full lips that held the promise of sweet sin.
Yunho scowled darkly at the boy and gently pushed past Rain in order to properly match gazes with this boy, who remained unknown to Jaejoong. A moment, a long moment, but a moment none the less, passed in absolute silence before Yunho finally hissed his own greeting. "Choi Dong Wook."
.
Rating: PG - 13
Pairing: Multiple [JaeHo/YunJae among others..]
Warning: Slash, mild cursing, AU
Summary: "Jung Yunho," he greeted casually, a sensual smirk on those full lips that held the promise of sweet sin.
-=Chapter One=-
Jaejoong sighed rather contentedly as he studied his new surroundings for the rest of his high school life with an appreciative eye. The finely furnished and even more finely decorated apartment style dorm was certainly more dazzling than anything he had seen in his life. The countless pictures he had seen in varying magazines couldn't even possibly begin to compare to the reality in front of him right at that moment.
The television in the living area looked to keep up with time effortlessly, complete with a DVD player and all the latest gadgetries. He even took note of the various game consoles that littered the floor directly in front of the television set. There was no doubt that because of the consoles alone, hours could be spent in front of the device without the chance of boredom or educational advancement.
Well over an hour had passed since he had settled himself into his new living situation, but Jaejoong couldn't help but stare at the beautiful paradise he had landed in. This apartment was simply for a high school, boarding school or not. His imagination instantly filled with images of what a real college dorm would look like if this was the lifestyle for basic education.
Finally giving his mind the opportunity to stop focusing on one subject for too much longer, Jaejoong allowed his thoughts to drift elsewhere. His roommates, or just roommate at the present, Shim Changmin was the only one he had been able to meet, and through his polite silence and informative answers, quite an impression had been left on Jaejoong.
Usually aloof and unaware were two words often associated with Kim Jaejoong, but this Shim Changmin was very much different. Despite his youth, he displayed a great maturity. One example was the fact that he had been allowed to skip a grade and still maintained the top seat in his entire junior class!
Upon stumbling across this information, Jaejoong was in awe.
As to his other two roommates, Kim Junsu and Jung Yunho, he was told their names were, had not been able to meet their newest arrival as they were out of town for a soccer competition of sorts.
"I think it's in Japan," Changmin responded, nonchalantly, when Jaejoong had inquired about the location.
Jaejoong smiled at the memory of his reaction toward the news. His face had twisted into one of awe and shock and his mouth nearly dropped to the floor. Japan of all places! Somewhere he hoped to go one day. He couldn't believe that he was now counted amongst a student body where they seemed to freely travel to the country!
The younger boy had reminded the dorm's newest occupant the concept of manners after several minutes passed in absolute silence.
Now, a good while later, Jaejoong could sit back, relax and enjoy the comfortable feeling this place easily created. Though He wasn't sure what awaited him when the other two arrived, something told him that he would be able to bear it. That he would endure what he had to in order to survive all.
After showing Jaejoong to his room and sharing a bit of information with him as far as what went where and the location of the cafeteria since none of the boys really knew how to cook, Shim Changmin granted his new roommate the opportunity to unpack on his own, something he had been denied because of an over excited hyung of his by the name of Kim Junsu, practically tearing his luggage apart in order to 'assist' the youngster in the unpacking process.
Of course, Changmin often wondered at the sanity level of the boy he had come to call 'hyung' but as time passed, and boy did it pass slowly, he learned Jusnsu had next to no level of sanity. If his hyung did or said something odd, it would simply be shrugged off by Changmin and accompanied by the phrase, "It is Junsu-hyung after all."
As Yunho-hyung had once told him, he could often be negligent of others when caught up in his own thoughts. To prove that ridiculous notion wrong, Changmin would occasionally drift to the open doorway of Jaejoong's room, asking if there was anything the older boy needed or wanted.
The answer was always a polite, shy smile and a simple shake of the head.
After three or so times of this, Changmin finally retreated to the comfort of his own room where he would be able to work in a few minutes of studying, though he was pretty sure there was nothing left for him to study. Perhaps he could get a head start for the next semester. He sighed and collapsed onto his bed and mulled over his next possible course of action. Maybe it would be wise for him to talk to one of his hyungs later on or possibly even a teacher about getting ahead on some work, he thought dully.
There was a growing feeling of anxiety in the very pit of the boy's stomach, and it caused the intellectual youth some mild discomfort. Did it have to do with the arrival of this Kim Jaejoong? He nibbled absently on his lower lip, while allowing a hand to blindly reach for a book.
Any book.
His long fingers finally grazed across the hard cover of a book he hadn’t remembered placing there. He dragged it closer to him in order to better examine the title. He sighed and put it down with a roll of his eyes. No, Harry Potter wouldn't be able to dissolve the anxiety, now closely followed by dread. He made a mental note to himself to never let Junsu in his room ever again. His hyung had horrible taste in books.
Changmin tossed the book aside before draping his arm over his eyes in attempts to close out the uncertain reality. "Hurry back, Yunho-hyung," he muttered silently to himself, certain the strong and able hyung would be able to fend off anything unwelcomed.
* * *
"Those damn cheaters!" Yunho growled as he entered the main hall of the dormitory building in an angry huff. His large black duffle bag swayed haphazardly on his shoulder, threatening to display its owner's foul mood on anyone that dared to get too close.
Si Won grinned and shook his head, his calm demeanor quickly slipping into place, the earlier anger and annoyance he felt complete erased, "You're taking it way too personally, Yunho-ah. Calm down already, before you cause a scene." Never mind the fact that while they had been on their way back to the school, he had agreed completely with Yunho and had almost started up a petition to hunt down their rivals and bring them to justice.
Not too far behind the two boys, a third jogged lightly to keep up, only falling slightly behind because of the two much too large duffle bags on either of his shoulders and the heavy backpack that was such a burden to his back. It seemed that gravity would only work with him for so much longer.
"Yunho-hyung," he began, attempting to catch his breath and adjust his weight so to better balance the bags he carried, "they did play a little rough, but there wasn't any cheating from what I saw." The boy only stopped when he tripped over one of the bags that had slipped from his shoulder. With a small yelp, the boy crashed down to the tiled flooring of the hallway.
Both Si Won and Yunho stopped and turned around to see their fallen teammate, in all his embarrassment. It was Yunho who helped the boy to his feet and Si Won who relieved the boy of one of the oversized bags.
"Be more careful, Susu-ah," Yunho scolded gently, making sure the boy was steady on his feet. He ruffled the boy’s hair and grinned before adding, "And they did cheat. They always cheat." His voice was a great deal gentler in regard to his younger teammate, even when on the displeasurable subject of the cheaters.
Si Won slung the duffle bag he had picked up over his shoulder with relative ease, not particularly interested in staying in the hallways any longer than need be. "Some of the guys are heading out to a party later on tonight," he wiggled his eyebrows playfully, "and you know we have to be there."
"But," the smallest of the three, Junsu, began to argue, lightly wiping at his pants to rid himself of any substances that might have latched onto him from his light tumble.
"So tell you what," Si Won went on, now directing his gaze at Yunho, refusing to hear any arguments, "I'll take this," he shifted the duffle he had collected from Junsu, which was filled with the team's uniforms, "to the locker rooms, while you guys go and get primped and pretty for the party."
It wasn't a question, and certainly wasn't a suggestion. If anything, it was an order.
With that, Si Won headed off in the direction of the gym to put his words into action. Yunho smirked and shook his head at his friend's retreating back. "Where's this party going to be?" He called, hoping for once that he would get a straight answer from his friend.
"As if you really need to ask," was the retreating form's response, "and bring Minnie! That boy is was too serious for his own good!" With a final wave of his hand, Si Won vanished around a corner, and his footsteps eventually faded as the distance grew between them.
Yunho and Junsu glanced at one another. The younger of the two shrugged his shoulders slightly as he began to speak slowly, "Changmin is too serious, hyung." He grinned brightly at the taller, older boy, excitement shining in his eyes, "For his sake, we should definitely go." As if to settle matters right then and there he delivered a nod of finality.
Clapping Junsu on the back and spurring the boy into motion, Yunho couldn't help but grin at him. "Well," he sighed, as if he had been objecting to the idea for the longest time, "since you put it like that, I guess we have no other choice but to go. For Changmin's sake of course."
* * *
Changmin had fallen asleep well over an hour ago and since it was already starting to get darker outside, Jaejoong saw no point in arousing the slumbering boy, though his stomach did call him several different kinds of idiot for not waking him. He was hungry and couldn't remember the whereabouts of the cafeteria, something he was painfully reminded of every time his gut let out a distressed wail of hunger.
He had taken precious care in unpacking and organizing his room, thus losing track of all time and had become so hungry that he worried his stomach would start to eat itself, if that was even possible. "Aish," he swore pathetically, squeezing his empty gut, hoping the action would distract him from his hunger.
It only wailed louder.
He strode into the living area of his new 'home' and collapsed onto one of two plush couches. "I should have asked Changmin if there was something in here to snack on."
There were, no doubt, endless snacks stashed away in one of the cupboards placed in the dorm room's kitchen, and the refrigerator seemed more than promising, but lessons learned from his parents kept him from acting on impulse and taking the treats as his own.
If it's not yours don't touch it.
But he was just so hungry!
His stomach seemed to give a bit of a lurch, causing another stream of swears to escape from the soft lips of the beautiful boy. Perhaps one little-- No, he wouldn't think with his stomach, but rather his mind. He would simply wait for Changmin to wake up.
Then again, he might drop dead from starvation before that happened.
It was then that the door to the room opened from the outside, revealing two boys, both smiling brightly and carrying large duffle bags on their broad shoulders. As the door closed with a small 'click' Jaejoong quickly turned around to see who had entered. These must have been his other two roommates Changmin had told him about. Jung Yunho and Kim Junsu.
Jaejoong cocked his head to one side and studied the new comers with innocent curiosity. From what he could see of the two, they looked nice enough. Hopefully there would be no mishaps living with these guys.
"Ah!" The shorter of the two exclaimed, and none too silently, upon seeing Jaejoong staring at them with that wide gaze. His duffle dropped to the floor with a dull 'thud' and he latched onto the taller, and possibly older, boy. "Yunho-hyung! Did Changmin say he was inviting someone over today?"
Jaejoong quickly stood up and smiled hesitantly at the two, "I'm Kim Jaejoong. I was assigned to this room. Starting today I'll be your roommate." He gave a very slight, but respectful enough bow to the two boys.
There was a long stretch of silence that suffocated the three boys in which Yunho and Junsu carefully studied this Jaejoong from top to bottom. Jaejoong simply stood there, allowing them to examine him.
This Kim Jaejoong, Yunho noted, was surprisingly pretty, enough so that the girls at the school only paled in comparison. "Well," Yunho began, shifting slightly, a bit bothered, but at the same time, intrigued, with Jaejoong's beauty, "we're going to a party in a bit, want to go?"
"Hyung!" Junsu hissed at Yunho, tugging slightly at the boy's shirt sleeve then delivering a glare in Jaejoong's direction.
Jaejoong missed Junsu's mistrusting glare and thought only about Yunho's open invitation. After a second's thought, he responded slowly, "Will there be food?"
Yunho's smile became brighter considerably and he even let out a small laugh, "Of course. We'll be heading out soon, we just have to--" he glanced down at Junsu who continued to tug at his shirt sleeve, a small pout forming on that adorable face of his. "Susu-ah, go tell Minnie to get ready, and don't let him argue."
The pout on Junsu's face deepened a bit more, but he didn't dare ignore an order given from Yunho. With a small sigh, Junsu shuffled out of the living room to where Changmin lay asleep in.
If Yunho had been watching Junsu leave the room, he would have missed seeing Jaejoong's soft pink lips curving just a bit more into a slightly bigger smile. If Yunho had been watching Junsu leave the room, he would have missed how that tiny smile lit up Jaejoong's porcelain skin. If Yunho had been watching Junsu leave the room, he would have seen the delicate and disapproving frown on Junsu's face.
But Yunho did not watch Junsu leave the room. His eyes remained trained on their newest addition, in all his beautiful glory.
* * *
'Jeong Ji Hun' was the name of the boy throwing the wild party while his parents were out of town on vacation. 'Rain' was what regular attendees of his wild and out parties called him.
"Rain?" Jaejoong asked, raising his voice against the loud, pulsating music that contradicted the house's peaceful and serene look. He stayed glued to Changmin's side as they sifted their way through numerous party goers, as he had quickly become comfortable with the younger boy. "Why does everyone call him Rain?"
Changmin smirked at the question and responded quickly, "It practically rains liquor here. Ji Hun-hyung seems to always have it in abundance. I've never been to a party where he's run out."
Having heard Changmin's short explanation, Yunho nodded his agreement, "Me neither! No party is a party without Rain there."
As if on cue, the host himself pushed through the crowd with a half full bottle of soju in his hand. He didn't stop until he reached Yunho and his small party. He grinned brightly at the sight of them all, "You made it! I even made triply sure to get your favorite brand this time, Yunho-ah."
Ji Hun, or Rain rather, was roughly the same height as Yunho and clearly the participant of some physical activity or other. Even through the t-shirt he wore and the dark lighting of the house, it was difficult not to see that muscular frame. He seemed nice enough, but at the same time, Jaejoong detected a hint of arrogance in the way he carried himself and spoke to others.
Jaejoong blinked as he realized Rain had addressed him, been speaking to him even, "I'm sorry. You said something?"
"Ah, he's a pretty one, Jung Yunho," Rain laughed, taking a small swig from his bottle and nudging Yunho slightly while winking in Jaejoong's direction. "You sure you aren't a girl or something?" When Jaejoong's eyes narrowed slightly and drew breath to defend his manhood, Rain switched his attention to Junsu. "Ya, Yoochun is here, in case you're wondering. Si Won took care of that."
Junsu, who had been glowering darkly, lit up instantly at hearing the name 'Yoochun,' causing Jaejoong's curiosity to heighten. Who was this 'Yoochun' that could shift Junsu's mood so quickly just by having the person's name mentioned? "Chongmal?" He asked eagerly, already looking for said 'Yoochun' Rain had mentioned. “He’s really here?”
"Ye, but you better hurry and get to him fast," Rain cautioned, moving slightly so a couple of girls could skitter pass him, "you know he can't control himself around liquor, and worse, he's with Heecul. Bali!" Rain thrust his bottle of soju in the direction the boy would have to follow.
With a small 'eep', Junsu hurried off in the direction Rain had indicated with such intensity that it caused the others to laugh at his exit. But the laughter quickly died.
They had become so serious and so fast that Jaejoong hadn't the time to even register what had happened. At seeing the sour expressions of his friends, Rain quickly scanned the area for the problem, but his eyes instantly fell on the source. Upon his discovery, he was not surprised at the least in the dramatic shift of mood.
Without a moment's hesitation, Rain quickly stepped in front of Yunho as a rather large group approached. Some of them had bored expressions on their faces, while others seemed just as intense as Yunho and Changmin. Some even went as far as to clench their fists or crack their knuckles, as if preparing for a fight.
Jaejoong took a step behind Yunho, and peered slightly over the boy's shoulder, wondering what would come next. Perhaps it was because of the intense reactions to the approach of this particular group that the boy felt an instant tug of danger. Perhaps it was the way Yunho angled his body ever so slightly, thus hiding Jaejoong from view that gave him the feeling that getting mixed up with this crowd would be the death of him.
He frowned thoughtfully at the negative first impression he was so far receiving.
"Remember guys," Rain looked at the newly arrived group then over his shoulder to Yunho and Changmin, hardly noting the growing crowd behind the two students, "this is my place, completely neutral territory. No fighting. No trouble."
Jaejoong's head cocked to one side at hearing the boy's words. Neutral territory? Had he just stepped into the middle of a war?
"Trouble?" The boy that had led the group to Rain was a rather short boy with spiky hair in almost every possible direction. A crooked grin gave him a comical look as well as a menacing one. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before turning back to his own friends. "Did we come here to cause trouble guys?"
This group was notably different from those Jaejoong had met earlier, especially in the way they presented themselves, dressing down in overly baggy pants and shirts that were meant for much larger people. They even decorated themselves with long chain necklaces, some even dawned bandanas.
Were these the academy's students? Jaejoong instantly thought upon carefully inspecting the group.
For some reason, he seriously doubted that this particular group belonged to SM Academy. Just as Jaejoong drew a silent breath to ask Changmin or Yunho just who these people were, the short boy stepped aside as another boy, considerably taller, stepped forward.
His breath caught.
This new boy was, as Jaejoong's mother would put it, a well put together young man, and oh how he was put together.
And so well too.
"Jung Yunho," he greeted casually, a sensual smirk on those full lips that held the promise of sweet sin.
Yunho scowled darkly at the boy and gently pushed past Rain in order to properly match gazes with this boy, who remained unknown to Jaejoong. A moment, a long moment, but a moment none the less, passed in absolute silence before Yunho finally hissed his own greeting. "Choi Dong Wook."
.