The Ropes; Jaejoong/Kan [FANFIC]
“I still don’t get why you’re doing this.” Yunho replies after the long silence, only to shovel another colossal spoonful from his cereal bowl.
Jaejoong sighs heavily, stopping in place (smack dab in the center of the living room) and lets his head fall back tiredly. “I already told you,” he strains calmly, eyes shut tight as he takes a deep breath to lessen his annoyance, “that kid needs help. I knew it when I saw him.”
Yunho scoffs, “Worried the new pretty boy won’t be as clever or conniving as yourself?”
Jaejoong ‘s already gone back to looking for his cell phone and finds it in between a couch cushion. He now stands erect and turns to his favorite member of DBSK as he states shamelessly, “Exactly.”
Yunho only shakes his head, never looking up from the nourishment he’s now scarfed down.
He’s about to say something else when Jaejoong interrupts, “Shit.”
“What is it?”
“I’m late now, because I was messing with you!”
/scoffing again/ “Since when do you care about ever being late? The minimum you make me wait is a good fifteen minutes.”
“Ha ha, very funny.” Jaejoong breezes to the door now, slipping into his shoes. “That poor child’s probably just standing out there with his arms crossed trying not to get raped.”
Yunho laughs heartily at this while placing his now empty bowl in the sink before throwing in, “Where exactly did you plan to meet him where that might be an issue?”
“Not anywhere bad! I told him to meet me at Crunch.”
Yunho now turns from the sink to raise an eyebrow.
Jaejoong gives another exhausted sigh as he checks his cell phone before giving a rushed response, “You know that café above the shoe store that’s going out of business soon? The one we went to like a year ago?”
Yunho gives a wide grin, suppressing a laugh as he asks, “You honestly expect me to remember food we ate from a year ago? I don’t even remember what it is I just had now!”
“Dammit Yunho! The one with the really huge lemon and berry bars for dessert!”
Yunho rubs his chin, “Lemon bars, lemon bars…?”
“You had six.” Jaejoong replies deadpan, his hand now on the doorknob.
“Oh! I totally remember now! Man, those were tasty!”
“Goodbye Yunho.” Is Jaejoong’s only reply as he rolls his eyes and breezes out of the door.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jaejoong is near steaming.
‘I told him to meet me at 11:00. It’s 11:30.’
He can dish being fashionably late but…
Just when Jaejoong’s about to whip out his cell phone and send a questioning text he sees a pair of boots coming near him as he looks down.
They come closer and it doesn’t take him much longer to look up, way up.
Before him, a very nervous young man stands and bows several times, reciting, “Jaesonghaupnida, Jaejoong-shi.”
When the young man stops, Jaejoong finds himself examining him from head to toe.
‘Nice boots. Super dark wash, fitted denim- a plus… black, deep crew-neck sweater with gray tipped, fingerless glove sleeves- another plus…all topped off with a gray designer trench with gold buttons-nice...’
Jaejoong would have analyzed farther if he wouldn’t have had pity on the undoubtedly worried face above him. Yet he still couldn’t stop himself, ‘and a black knit headband over a chic haircut. Good to see he’s keeping it nice.’
Finally, he feels he can return the greeting warmly, “Ah, ahnnyeonghaseyo, Kan!” Standing, he bows and rises with a smile and offers, “Please, have a seat.”
“kamsahamnida,” he hears the very deep and still nervous voice answer as he does what’s offered.
There’s a brief silence as they settle into their seats, the younger clearing his throat several times and adjusting his posture.
Jaejoong’s already made himself comfortable and is sitting back leisurely: leg’s crossed and arms resting his lap with his shoulders relaxed.
He’s continuing his examination. ‘hmm…he’s got the high cheekbones…also the sharp nose…/laughing to himself/ the perfect brows…and in a way, the hair…wow-‘
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All the while Kan’s knee is now pumping up and down in rapid motion.
‘Oh god, he must still be upset that I was so late…’ is the thought that Kan just can’t keep from racing his mind. ‘I should’ve been on time!!’ he continues to scold, ‘This is, after all, the Kim Jaejoong of Asia’s best artist group, Dong Bang Shin Ki!! God, I am so stupid!! I can already tell he hates me.’
Suddenly Kan’s thoughts are interrupted abruptly. He’s been looking down at the table but his gaze is brought up to voice he hears declaring, “Wow, you really do look like me.”
“E-exuse me?” is all he says wide-eyed, overwhelmed with both the compliment and its random nature.
Kan watches his cold sunbae’s demeanor change from piercing and critical to warm with laughter. He doesn’t seem at all bothered to repeat or explain himself, “I was just thinking how it’s true, you really do look somewhat like me.”
Kan can’t help but laugh nervously. He’s already overwhelmed being across a small café table from one of Asia’s brightest stars, but now he’s just taken aback being told, from said star’s mouth, that he resembles him somewhat. He can’t help but repeat his thank you’s.
The smaller man across from him still has a smile on his face when he says, “Well it’s true. A few people have told me already, but now I finally got to see with my own eyes that it wasn’t just some random exaggeration.”
Kan can’t help but laugh at this. ‘Oh my god, he’s so nice…’
“So,” he finally hears his sunbae begin, using a different tone of voice this time, “Did you have trouble finding your way here?”
He gulps suddenly hearing the question, feeling guilty again for his tardiness. “Honestly, Jaejoong-shi -“
As he’s interrupted, Kan watches Jaejoong lightly throw up a hand and instruct, “Just call me Jaejoong.”
He’s slightly caught off guard by this but more than willing, “Ah- okay. Jaejoong…honestly finding the place wasn’t why I was delayed.”
“Then why were you?” He hears the tone in the older man’s voice change yet again. This time demanding in a way, but more accurately, his tone was testing.
He can’t help but stutter yet again answering to his hyung, “I-I was having a hard time getting out of the dance studio at what was supposed to be the appointed time. I was held afterwards helping my friend brush up on a certain move in our new dan-“
Interrupted again.
“Which friend?” again, the testing tone.
“Oh, ah, YeJun.”
++++++++++++++++++
“Oh really?” Jaejoong can’t help but keep asking questions throughout the dongseng’s attempted explanation. He had never been much of a listener.
“Yes. He wanted to go over just a few things again and asked me to help him-“
“Why? Because your lead dancer?” Jaejoong couldn’t help but love grilling the younger. He was so cute under pressure. He was still visibly nervous, stuttering just ever so slightly every now and then when interrupted, and his face looked stony, yet his eyes were vulnerable.
He hears Kan laugh nervously as he replies, “No! Well, yes, but-I mean- I am lead dancer, that is true, but that’s probably not why he asked me.”
“You don’t think so?”
“No, it’s just that I was the last one left. JinOn and LeeU had already left to shower and change. They also have plans today.”
“Ohh, so you boys are already popular?” Jaejoong gives an evil little grin, lacing each word with mischief.
Kan laughs nervously again, “Well no, not exactly. We’re just really trying to spend as much time as we can with friends and family before our debut. We’re constantly working already, prepping ourselves for the eighth of this month, and we rarely have any time to ourselves or with our families, so when we do, we have to make the most of it.”
Jaejoong scoffs silently and thinks, ‘You think I don’t know? I have a flight to Japan in less than twenty-four hours and I haven’t seen my family in months.’
Yet he smiles and nods, “I understand, trust me.”
He sees the young man in return only look down and lace his fingers together on the table.
Jaejoong continues, “So you took your time off to come see me?”
At this, the young man looks up with those intense eyes of his which seemed to have widened, “Of course! I mean, you asked me to come. There’s no way I would decline your invitation.” He concludes.
‘Ah, he loves me already.’ Jaejoong smiles wide and thanks Kan for the ego boost.
Another silence is about to rest upon them when they both seem to realize they’ve ordered nothing to eat.
“So, is my dongseng hungry?”
Kan smiles at this, “Yes, I am actually. I haven’t eaten all day.”
Jaejoong frowns a little mentally, actually noticing that the star-to-be in front of him does look a bit drawn. “Yeah? Well we’re going to change that now. Order whatever you like off of the menu, it’s on me.”
“Jaejoong-shi, you don’t -“ the younger tries to protest.
“It’s just Jaejoong, remember? And I’d be offended if you didn’t let me.”
“Okay….” Kan quickly agrees, yet still never fails to thank.
“Don’t even worry about it.” Jaejoong turns around slightly and makes a hand motion to a woman behind the counter across the room of the very small café. Almost in an instant, a young waiter brings them two small menus.
++++++++++++++++++++++
After the food is ordered there is a short wait and during Kan explains the rest of his story.
“-and that’s when she came up to me and asked me if I was from F.Cuz. She was very kind and I was overwhelmed with her support for us, even though we haven’t even debuted yet.”
Jaejoong smiles at the genuine look of surprise still behind his dongseng’s eyes. Once he’s sure Kan’s finished, he interjects knowingly, “The fans give love like no one else can. That feeling you felt when you ran into her is going to be with you from now on, forever.”
Kan seems to like the thought of this, his mature features looking now boyish as he seems slightly overwhelmed with the thought o his dreams coming true.
Soon, the food comes and each of the boys say their thanks to the waiter and proceed to dig in.
Jaejoong takes a large forkful of the salad placed before him that’s covered in colorful things like spinach leaves, dainty mandarin oranges, and bean sprouts tossed in light vinaigrette. Kan takes a nibble of his perfectly grilled chicken, spinach, and eggplant Panini but then decides to dig in once he feels comfortable. Suddenly the waitress comes back and places a plate of gourmet, thinly sliced, seasoned red potato wedges in front of them.
Kan looks puzzled when Jaejoong explains before taking another forkful, “For us to split.”
Kan can’t suppress his smile or slight laugh when he says without thinking, “Isn’t that a little girly?”
Jaejoong only looks up, raising a brow, “Well you want to keep the perfect body, don’t you?”
Kan stutters, “Uh-well..”
“I’m just kidding, kid.”
They smile at each other and laugh.
Jaejoong continues with a smile and a playful tone in his voice, “I have to admit though, when I got a glance at your profile and saw you were six feet tall and weighed one hundred and fifty-eight pounds, I was slightly horrified.”
Kan has food in his mouth and struggles to cover it as he laughs.
/swallowing/ “Haha, yeah, I know it sounds a bit intimidating.”
“Eh, well there’s nothing wrong with being a big boy.” Jaejoong finishes leisurely, then winking at the younger across the small table from him.
Kan only looks down smiling, his cheeks coloring a bit, before he takes another massive bite out of his sandwich.
Before Jaejoong shovels another bite, he requests, “So, tell me more about yourself.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Womens Health
Jaejoong sighs heavily, stopping in place (smack dab in the center of the living room) and lets his head fall back tiredly. “I already told you,” he strains calmly, eyes shut tight as he takes a deep breath to lessen his annoyance, “that kid needs help. I knew it when I saw him.”
Yunho scoffs, “Worried the new pretty boy won’t be as clever or conniving as yourself?”
Jaejoong ‘s already gone back to looking for his cell phone and finds it in between a couch cushion. He now stands erect and turns to his favorite member of DBSK as he states shamelessly, “Exactly.”
Yunho only shakes his head, never looking up from the nourishment he’s now scarfed down.
He’s about to say something else when Jaejoong interrupts, “Shit.”
“What is it?”
“I’m late now, because I was messing with you!”
/scoffing again/ “Since when do you care about ever being late? The minimum you make me wait is a good fifteen minutes.”
“Ha ha, very funny.” Jaejoong breezes to the door now, slipping into his shoes. “That poor child’s probably just standing out there with his arms crossed trying not to get raped.”
Yunho laughs heartily at this while placing his now empty bowl in the sink before throwing in, “Where exactly did you plan to meet him where that might be an issue?”
“Not anywhere bad! I told him to meet me at Crunch.”
Yunho now turns from the sink to raise an eyebrow.
Jaejoong gives another exhausted sigh as he checks his cell phone before giving a rushed response, “You know that café above the shoe store that’s going out of business soon? The one we went to like a year ago?”
Yunho gives a wide grin, suppressing a laugh as he asks, “You honestly expect me to remember food we ate from a year ago? I don’t even remember what it is I just had now!”
“Dammit Yunho! The one with the really huge lemon and berry bars for dessert!”
Yunho rubs his chin, “Lemon bars, lemon bars…?”
“You had six.” Jaejoong replies deadpan, his hand now on the doorknob.
“Oh! I totally remember now! Man, those were tasty!”
“Goodbye Yunho.” Is Jaejoong’s only reply as he rolls his eyes and breezes out of the door.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jaejoong is near steaming.
‘I told him to meet me at 11:00. It’s 11:30.’
He can dish being fashionably late but…
Just when Jaejoong’s about to whip out his cell phone and send a questioning text he sees a pair of boots coming near him as he looks down.
They come closer and it doesn’t take him much longer to look up, way up.
Before him, a very nervous young man stands and bows several times, reciting, “Jaesonghaupnida, Jaejoong-shi.”
When the young man stops, Jaejoong finds himself examining him from head to toe.
‘Nice boots. Super dark wash, fitted denim- a plus… black, deep crew-neck sweater with gray tipped, fingerless glove sleeves- another plus…all topped off with a gray designer trench with gold buttons-nice...’
Jaejoong would have analyzed farther if he wouldn’t have had pity on the undoubtedly worried face above him. Yet he still couldn’t stop himself, ‘and a black knit headband over a chic haircut. Good to see he’s keeping it nice.’
Finally, he feels he can return the greeting warmly, “Ah, ahnnyeonghaseyo, Kan!” Standing, he bows and rises with a smile and offers, “Please, have a seat.”
“kamsahamnida,” he hears the very deep and still nervous voice answer as he does what’s offered.
There’s a brief silence as they settle into their seats, the younger clearing his throat several times and adjusting his posture.
Jaejoong’s already made himself comfortable and is sitting back leisurely: leg’s crossed and arms resting his lap with his shoulders relaxed.
He’s continuing his examination. ‘hmm…he’s got the high cheekbones…also the sharp nose…/laughing to himself/ the perfect brows…and in a way, the hair…wow-‘
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All the while Kan’s knee is now pumping up and down in rapid motion.
‘Oh god, he must still be upset that I was so late…’ is the thought that Kan just can’t keep from racing his mind. ‘I should’ve been on time!!’ he continues to scold, ‘This is, after all, the Kim Jaejoong of Asia’s best artist group, Dong Bang Shin Ki!! God, I am so stupid!! I can already tell he hates me.’
Suddenly Kan’s thoughts are interrupted abruptly. He’s been looking down at the table but his gaze is brought up to voice he hears declaring, “Wow, you really do look like me.”
“E-exuse me?” is all he says wide-eyed, overwhelmed with both the compliment and its random nature.
Kan watches his cold sunbae’s demeanor change from piercing and critical to warm with laughter. He doesn’t seem at all bothered to repeat or explain himself, “I was just thinking how it’s true, you really do look somewhat like me.”
Kan can’t help but laugh nervously. He’s already overwhelmed being across a small café table from one of Asia’s brightest stars, but now he’s just taken aback being told, from said star’s mouth, that he resembles him somewhat. He can’t help but repeat his thank you’s.
The smaller man across from him still has a smile on his face when he says, “Well it’s true. A few people have told me already, but now I finally got to see with my own eyes that it wasn’t just some random exaggeration.”
Kan can’t help but laugh at this. ‘Oh my god, he’s so nice…’
“So,” he finally hears his sunbae begin, using a different tone of voice this time, “Did you have trouble finding your way here?”
He gulps suddenly hearing the question, feeling guilty again for his tardiness. “Honestly, Jaejoong-shi -“
As he’s interrupted, Kan watches Jaejoong lightly throw up a hand and instruct, “Just call me Jaejoong.”
He’s slightly caught off guard by this but more than willing, “Ah- okay. Jaejoong…honestly finding the place wasn’t why I was delayed.”
“Then why were you?” He hears the tone in the older man’s voice change yet again. This time demanding in a way, but more accurately, his tone was testing.
He can’t help but stutter yet again answering to his hyung, “I-I was having a hard time getting out of the dance studio at what was supposed to be the appointed time. I was held afterwards helping my friend brush up on a certain move in our new dan-“
Interrupted again.
“Which friend?” again, the testing tone.
“Oh, ah, YeJun.”
++++++++++++++++++
“Oh really?” Jaejoong can’t help but keep asking questions throughout the dongseng’s attempted explanation. He had never been much of a listener.
“Yes. He wanted to go over just a few things again and asked me to help him-“
“Why? Because your lead dancer?” Jaejoong couldn’t help but love grilling the younger. He was so cute under pressure. He was still visibly nervous, stuttering just ever so slightly every now and then when interrupted, and his face looked stony, yet his eyes were vulnerable.
He hears Kan laugh nervously as he replies, “No! Well, yes, but-I mean- I am lead dancer, that is true, but that’s probably not why he asked me.”
“You don’t think so?”
“No, it’s just that I was the last one left. JinOn and LeeU had already left to shower and change. They also have plans today.”
“Ohh, so you boys are already popular?” Jaejoong gives an evil little grin, lacing each word with mischief.
Kan laughs nervously again, “Well no, not exactly. We’re just really trying to spend as much time as we can with friends and family before our debut. We’re constantly working already, prepping ourselves for the eighth of this month, and we rarely have any time to ourselves or with our families, so when we do, we have to make the most of it.”
Jaejoong scoffs silently and thinks, ‘You think I don’t know? I have a flight to Japan in less than twenty-four hours and I haven’t seen my family in months.’
Yet he smiles and nods, “I understand, trust me.”
He sees the young man in return only look down and lace his fingers together on the table.
Jaejoong continues, “So you took your time off to come see me?”
At this, the young man looks up with those intense eyes of his which seemed to have widened, “Of course! I mean, you asked me to come. There’s no way I would decline your invitation.” He concludes.
‘Ah, he loves me already.’ Jaejoong smiles wide and thanks Kan for the ego boost.
Another silence is about to rest upon them when they both seem to realize they’ve ordered nothing to eat.
“So, is my dongseng hungry?”
Kan smiles at this, “Yes, I am actually. I haven’t eaten all day.”
Jaejoong frowns a little mentally, actually noticing that the star-to-be in front of him does look a bit drawn. “Yeah? Well we’re going to change that now. Order whatever you like off of the menu, it’s on me.”
“Jaejoong-shi, you don’t -“ the younger tries to protest.
“It’s just Jaejoong, remember? And I’d be offended if you didn’t let me.”
“Okay….” Kan quickly agrees, yet still never fails to thank.
“Don’t even worry about it.” Jaejoong turns around slightly and makes a hand motion to a woman behind the counter across the room of the very small café. Almost in an instant, a young waiter brings them two small menus.
++++++++++++++++++++++
After the food is ordered there is a short wait and during Kan explains the rest of his story.
“-and that’s when she came up to me and asked me if I was from F.Cuz. She was very kind and I was overwhelmed with her support for us, even though we haven’t even debuted yet.”
Jaejoong smiles at the genuine look of surprise still behind his dongseng’s eyes. Once he’s sure Kan’s finished, he interjects knowingly, “The fans give love like no one else can. That feeling you felt when you ran into her is going to be with you from now on, forever.”
Kan seems to like the thought of this, his mature features looking now boyish as he seems slightly overwhelmed with the thought o his dreams coming true.
Soon, the food comes and each of the boys say their thanks to the waiter and proceed to dig in.
Jaejoong takes a large forkful of the salad placed before him that’s covered in colorful things like spinach leaves, dainty mandarin oranges, and bean sprouts tossed in light vinaigrette. Kan takes a nibble of his perfectly grilled chicken, spinach, and eggplant Panini but then decides to dig in once he feels comfortable. Suddenly the waitress comes back and places a plate of gourmet, thinly sliced, seasoned red potato wedges in front of them.
Kan looks puzzled when Jaejoong explains before taking another forkful, “For us to split.”
Kan can’t suppress his smile or slight laugh when he says without thinking, “Isn’t that a little girly?”
Jaejoong only looks up, raising a brow, “Well you want to keep the perfect body, don’t you?”
Kan stutters, “Uh-well..”
“I’m just kidding, kid.”
They smile at each other and laugh.
Jaejoong continues with a smile and a playful tone in his voice, “I have to admit though, when I got a glance at your profile and saw you were six feet tall and weighed one hundred and fifty-eight pounds, I was slightly horrified.”
Kan has food in his mouth and struggles to cover it as he laughs.
/swallowing/ “Haha, yeah, I know it sounds a bit intimidating.”
“Eh, well there’s nothing wrong with being a big boy.” Jaejoong finishes leisurely, then winking at the younger across the small table from him.
Kan only looks down smiling, his cheeks coloring a bit, before he takes another massive bite out of his sandwich.
Before Jaejoong shovels another bite, he requests, “So, tell me more about yourself.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Womens Health