Promises [4/?]
Title: Promises
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Action, Drama
Summary: As secrets came to light, Jaejoong saw his life falling apart to the point where he realizes he knows nothing and suspects everyone - even, Jung Yunho.
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It was raining the day of the Jungs’ funeral.
The whole service was mostly a blur for Jaejoong, but if there was one thing that remained clear in his memory, it was the sight of Yunho standing alone underneath a black umbrella, staring at the coffins of his parents.
He didn’t shed a single tear, but Jaejoong could feel the resonating sadness from the other man, and if it weren’t for social restrictions and for his own cowardice, he would’ve stepped closer to Yunho to offer him comfort.
Most of the people, Jaejoong knew, didn’t quite care about the Jungs - what they cared about more was about what would happen to the immense wealth the family possessed. With Yunho as the sole heir to everything, many were just waiting for him to slip up.
“Jaejoong.”
Jaejoong blinked, unaware that most of the people had already retreated back to their cars. He glanced up and noticed that the person next to him was Yunho.
“You’re still here.” Yunho said quietly, his gaze focused on Jaejoong. “I…I didn’t think you would stay for so long. Your family’s all gone.”
“I…I didn’t mean to linger.” Jaejoong replied honestly as he shuffled closer to Yunho and accidentally knocked his umbrella against to Yunho’s. He muttered a quick apology and stared at his feet, “…I’m so sorry Yunho -“
“You don’t have to apologize for anything.”
They stood in relative silence, the only sound being that of the rain droplets hitting against the umbrellas they held. Jaejoong sighed quietly before he took a step back and looked up at Yunho.
“If…if you need someone to talk to, I’m here.” Jaejoong whispered, “You can talk to me.”
The corners of Yunho’s lips curved into a small smile, “Thank you.” He replied, “I…I have something to talk to you about though Jaejoong, and I’m worried you might not like it.”
Jaejoong looked at Yunho worriedly, “What is it?”
“I need you to live with me, if only for a while.” Yunho said bluntly, the words coming out of his mouth without a second’s worth of hesitation. “It’ll help prove our romantic relationship to the other members.”
“Live with you?” Jaejoong asked, “For how long?”
“Not long - a month at least.” Yunho replied. He glanced at his parents’ graves and then turned his attention back to Jaejoong, “I know this probably wasn’t the best time to tell you about this, but…”
“Don’t apologize.” Jaejoong muttered, “You don’t have to.” He swallowed hard and looked at Yunho, “I’ll move in with you.”
“Okay.”
Jaejoong glanced at the graves in front of them and then glanced back at Yunho, whose attention had returned back to where his parents were buried. Jaejoong looked around, and just as he’d expected - no one was around.
He would’ve questioned why Yunho didn’t have any security around, but he decided against it.
Before he could even consider the consequences of his actions, Jaejoong bridged the small distance between his hand and Yunho’s, and intertwined the fingers. He squeezed Yunho’s hand tightly, and Yunho quickly turned his attention back to him questioningly.
Jaejoong looked up and met Yunho’s gaze.
“I’m here for you.” He said softly before he broke their eye contact and looked away.
Although nothing had changed in the scenery, and only a few minutes had passed by, Jaejoong couldn’t help but feel like their relationship had changed completely.
o-o-o
“I heard that most of the managerial duties of Jung Corporation have been handed over to Hong Kangshik.” Jaejoong’s father murmured as he flipped through a newspaper.
Jaejoong couldn’t control his curiosity, “Do you know why?”
Jungwon put the newspaper down, “Well, apparently Yunho is in an emotional state right now, so he handed the responsibilities over himself.” He glanced at Jaejoong, “It’s understandable…”
The older man trailed off, and Jaejoong placed his hand over his father’s. “Don’t lose hope father. Keep faith that -“
“I know.” Jungwon sighed and pulled his hand away from Jaejoong - he’d never been one for physical touches of comfort. He shuffled his papers restlessly for a few minutes and remembered the reason for Jaejoong’s visit. “You had something to tell me?”
“I…” Jaejoong trailed off and bit his lip, “I don’t know how to say this, but -“
“Cut to the chase Jaejoong.” His father muttered gruffly, and Jaejoong knew the man well, so he took no offense.
He swallowed hard, “I’m going to live with Yunho for a while.”
Jungwon stopped what he was doing and set his files back down onto the table. He stared at Jaejoong for a few seconds, unsure if what he had heard was correct. After Jaejoong made no move to correct anything, Jungwon knew that he’d heard correctly.
“For what reason?” he asked, refusing to jump into any conclusions concerning his son’s sexual preferences.
“Support.” Jaejoong replied clearly, straightening his posture. “Yunho’s not in a very good state of mind right now, and I’m worried about him. I thought that if I lived with him for a while, then maybe I could -“
“You really want to do this Jaejoong? Are you not worried that someone could misinterpret this in a wrong light?” Jungwon asked, staring at his son directly and unblinking.
Jaejoong nodded, “I…I won’t regret this. Yunho needs me right now, and I have to be able to provide him with emotional support.”
Jungwon exhaled loudly, “Well, there’s nothing I can do about this.” He muttered as he handed Jaejoong a stack of papers, “You’ve chosen for yourself, and I trust your judgment...I’ve never known you and Yunho to be close, but I trust you in doing what is right.”
“Thank you father.” Jaejoong said as he took the papers and stood up. He bowed and turned to exit his father’s office.
Jaejoong’s hand was on the doorknob when his father called his name and stopped him in his tracks. Jaejoong turned around to look at him questioningly.
“Yes?”
“Don’t forget to take care of yourself.” Jungwon said softly, “You’re still in a sensitive position too. You have needs.”
Jaejoong nodded, “I know father, and I won’t forget.” He replied with a small smile before he left the room and shut the door quietly behind him. Jaejoong let out a sigh and leaned against the doorway.
He didn’t know what he needed anymore.
o-o-o
Jaejoong stared at the magazines on Yunho’s coffee table. He’d flipped through all of them at least six times within the past week, and he was restless. He’d moved out of his apartment and into Yunho’s penthouse because of the need to prove their relationship to the other members of the syndicate.
It was uncomfortable, to say the least.
Explaining a cover up for the whole situation to his parents and family had been awkward, but living with Yunho was even more so. Although Yunho kept his distance, the times when both of them were at home at the same time were filled with tension that Jaejoong didn’t know how to ease.
The door opened, and Jaejoong dropped the magazine he was holding in his hands. He watched as Yunho entered, and when Yunho noticed him sitting on the couch, he shot Jaejoong a weak smile.
“Still awake?” he asked as he slowly made his way to Jaejoong.
Jaejoong nodded, “Yeah. I’ve been having a hard time sleeping lately.” He murmured as he massaged the back of his neck, “Have you eaten?”
“Well -“
“I should heat you up something then.” Jaejoong brushed past Yunho and made his way to the kitchen, desperate to keep some distance between the two of them. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out containers of food, stacking them onto the kitchen counter.
Yunho leaned against the doorway, “You…you really don’t have to.” He said quietly, his attention Jaejoong, “I know you’re uncomfortable about this, and you really don’t have to try so hard to make it work if you don’t want this to go on for much longer.”
Jaejoong shut the refrigerator and held onto the handle tightly. “It’s…it’s not that I don’t want you around.” He said quietly, “I…I’m just worrying. I made this deal with you Yunho, and…” he turned and looked at him, “I don’t want to regret this decision.”
“Do you think I’m playing with you?” Yunho asked, his voice steely and colder than Jaejoong had ever heard him before. “Do you think I’m imprisoning you here, and that I like reducing you to this?”
“No, I don’t think that.” Jaejoong’s throat tightened, and he hated how his mind and throat always seemed to shut down whenever Yunho was around. He swallowed hard and averted his gaze, keeping it focused on the cold marble tiles, “Yunho…I just, I hate being unsure of everything.”
“I’m sorry.” Yunho whispered from the doorway, “I wish I could offer you more comfort, but please, Jaejoong…” he walked up slowly to Jaejoong and stopped a few centimeters away from him, “When I said that I would get your sisters back, I meant it. I wouldn’t betray your trust.”
Jaejoong looked up and met Yunho’s gaze, “I’m sorry too.” Jaejoong replied, “For being so...untrusting of you.” He ran a hand through his hair, “I should know better, and you’ve done nothing for me to suspect something bad of you. It doesn’t matter who you’re involved with, or what you’re involved with…you’re still the Jung Yunho I’ve always known.”
They stared at each other, unsure of what to do next. Jaejoong bit his lip hesitantly and glanced at the food containers stacked on the counter and then back at Yunho, “Are you still hungry?”
“I was never hungry.” Yunho replied with a small smile on his face, “You just kind of bolted before I could reply.”
“I’m sorry.” Jaejoong muttered.
“It’s okay.”
They stood in awkward silence for a bit longer until Yunho’s phone rang. He picked up the call immediately and walked out of the kitchen, and despite Jaejoong’s curiosity, he remained rooted to the spot in order to give the other man privacy.
He glanced at the counter top and placed the food back inside the refrigerator in attempt to abate his mounting curiosity. After he’d placed everything inside, he walked away from the refrigerator and leaned against the kitchen counter, waiting for Yunho to come back inside.
He didn’t have to wait long because after a few more minutes, Yunho came back inside. As soon as he stepped in, he paused and studied Jaejoong for a while, a serious look crossing his features.
“I…I have to go.” Yunho said finally, breaking the uneasy silence in the room. He swallowed and glanced at his watch, “There’s…there’s something I need to do.”
Jaejoong nodded.
Yunho never explained the reasons why he left - he only told Jaejoong when he was leaving, and Jaejoong never bothered to ask for an explanation. Jaejoong offered Yunho a weak smile and ignored the unease that once more settled at the bottom of his stomach.
No matter how much he tried not to worry, he always worried whenever Yunho stepped out of the penthouse - it was like his mind refused to allow him to forget the memory of Yunho stepping into his apartment, injured and bleeding.
Jaejoong couldn’t stop himself from caring.
Yunho returned the smile half-heartedly, “I’ll go now.”
He turned away, and Jaejoong stared at him begin to retreat to the door. He bit his lip, and his heart clenched in his chest, once more reminding him of feelings he refused to open himself to.
Yunho pushed the door open, and before he fully stepped out, Jaejoong called out his name. Yunho turned around, a look of surprise and confusion on his face. He blinked twice, “Jaejoong?”
The words were caught in his throat, and Jaejoong wasn’t sure if it was normal to feel so light headed, so he gripped the kitchen counter tightly for support. His tongue darted out to wet his dry lips, but nothing could soothe the irritating pace of his heart.
“Yunho…” his voice trailed off, and Jaejoong struggled to find the words that were lingering in the back of his mind.
All the while, Yunho stared, his impassive brown eyes focused solely on Jaejoong and nothing else. Yunho tilted his head to the side, and Jaejoong knew that the other man was waiting for him to speak what was on his mind.
Before Jaejoong could even attempt to hold himself back, the words slipped out.
“Yunho, be careful.”
Jaejoong didn’t know why he found it so difficult to say those words - they hardly meant anything. He’d said those words to his sisters, to his parents, to his friend, yet his heartbeat quickened as soon as they’d left his mouth.
Yunho stared at him for a few seconds before he smiled and nodded, “I’ll be careful.”
As soon as Yunho left the kitchen, Jaejoong released the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and ran a hand through his hair. He swallowed hard and made his way out of the kitchen and to his bed in the guest room.
He needed to stop thinking, if only for a while, and sleep was the only comfort he could find.
Things were more complicated when he was awake.
o-o-o
Jaejoong woke up to the sound of his phone ringing.
“Hello?” he murmured groggily, as he sat up and attempted to rub sleep away. He swallowed and waited for the person on the other end to answer, “Hello?”
“Jaejoong, I’m coming to pick up you up. Be ready in five minutes.”
“What? Why?”
“Your sisters have been taken to the hospital, we rescued them.” Yunho replied, “As much as I would’ve liked for them to be taken to your family as soon as possible, I couldn’t do so. The best I could do was -“
Jaejoong wiped away his tears, “They’re safe?” he asked, his voice breaking, “They’re okay?”
“Yes, as far as I know, they’re okay. I’m already at the building, please dress up and meet me at the basement parking.”
Yunho hung up, and Jaejoong dressed quickly. His phone rang on the bed, but there was no time to answer it as he threw on whatever clothes he could find lying around. The call ended, and he pocketed his phone before he practically flew out the door and made his way to the basement parking.
The moment he caught sight of Yunho, Jaejoong crashed into his arms and began to sob onto the other man’s chest. He pulled Yunho closer, inhaling his scent and he could barely make out a word of thanks as he cried onto the other man’s chest.
Yunho’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer before he began to wipe the tears from his eyes, “Jaejoong, don’t cry.” He whispered, “Come on, we have to go to the hospital.”
Jaejoong swallowed hard and nodded, prying himself off Yunho. A slight blush covered his cheeks as soon as he realized what he’d done, but his embarrassment was forgotten as he followed Yunho to the other man’s car.
As soon as they’d reached the highway, Jaejoong found the courage to speak, but his phone rang before he could voice out the questions he had in mind.
The moment he answered, his mother’s voice filled his ear, and he listened to her tell him about his sisters’ safe return. He was more than happy, yet pretending like the news was new to him took a toll on his mood. He ended the call after a few minutes with a promise to go to the hospital, and silence filled the car.
After a few seconds of anxious internal debate, Jaejoong glanced at Yunho, who was staring out blankly at the road ahead of them, and asked, “How did you know who took them? The police have been looking for -“
“The police don’t know where to look.” Yunho replied quietly as he swerved and overtook a car in front of them, “I do.” He glanced at Jaejoong, “I couldn’t get them myself, so as soon as I found out about where your sisters were being held captive and had that information confirmed, I had someone tip the police about it.”
“You couldn’t -“
Yunho shook his head, “No, I couldn’t have barged in there and gotten them myself because that would just result in…” he trailed off, “It would’ve just made things even more complicated for you and for me.”
“I see.” Jaejoong said quietly. “Do you know why they never bothered asking for a ransom?”
Yunho’s frown deepened, and he shook his head. “I don’t know. I had a few of my men stay at the scene, and from what they reported back to me, the people who took your sisters hostage are all dead…so there’s no trail I can follow.”
“Do you at least know which group is responsible for this?” Jaejoong asked, and he glanced out the window, realizing that they were nearing the hospital. “Do you -“
“I’m sorry.” Yunho said as he pulled into the hospital’s driveway, “I don’t know. I’m still confused about it all. As far as I know, the men who took your sister had nothing to do with any of the major crime groups here - they had no ties to any syndicates whatsoever.”
Jaejoong nodded, “I see.”
Yunho stopped the car and glanced at Jaejoong, “You should go see your sisters now, and I’m sure your family is waiting anxiously for you.” Yunho offered a tired smile and leaned back into his seat, “You deserve a bit of happiness right now.”
Jaejoong smiled back, “Thank you Yunho, thank you so much.” He replied, his voice cracking with emotion. “I…I owe you once again.”
Yunho shook his head, “You don’t owe me anything. All I’m doing is setting right things that should never have happened. You don’t need to feel indebted to me.”
“Yunho…”
A car honked behind them, and Yunho glanced back before he turned his attention back to Jaejoong. “You should go now. Your family’s waiting, and I’m sure the press will be arriving here at any moment. It’d be better if people know less about our association, so you should go now.”
Jaejoong nodded and he opened the car door to leave, yet as soon as he had one foot out of the car, he turned around to face Yunho once more.
“Thank you so much…” he whispered, “You don’t know how much I…” Jaejoong could feel himself tearing up, and he rubbed his eyes in irritation. He shot Yunho a watery smile, “Thank you Yunho, thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” Yunho replied, “Now go, I know you want to see your sisters…I’ll see you soon.”
Jaejoong made his way to the hospital entrance, but just as he was about to step inside, he turned and watched Yunho’s car speed out of the hospital driveway.
o-o-o
Jaejoong met his mother in the corridor, and she immediately pulled him into her embrace. She could hardly speak, and he kept holding onto her until his father pulled her away and led her away so that she could compose herself.
He wasn’t left alone for long because his other sister Soojung instantly approached him. Jaejoong hugged her tightly, “How are they?” he asked, looking at her worriedly. “Are they going to be okay? Do you know -“
Soojung nodded, “They’ll be okay…but,” she wiped at her eyes, “Suyeon might…she might be more damaged from all this than Sohyang.”
Jaejoong frowned, “What happened to her?” he asked, his grip unconsciously tightening on his sister.
She let out a small noise of pain, and he let go of her. He kept his hands at his side and stared at Soojung, waiting for her to answer. When it was clear that she was keeping quiet, he repeated his question, “What happened to her?”
“Sohyang hardly remembers anything,” Soojung mumbled, her eyes downcast and avoiding Jaejoong’s intense gaze. “The doctors said that she was injected with numerous sedatives which is why everything’s a blur for her. They’re just making sure now that -“
“Soojung, what happened to Suyeon?”
She swallowed hard and shook her head, “When they found her…she was bruised and beaten.” Soojung murmured. She met Jaejoong’s eyes, “She was beaten Jaejoong, and because of the state she was found in…the police asked the doctors to make sure…to make sure she wasn’t -“
She burst out into tears, and Jaejoong quickly pulled her back into his embrace. He shut his eyes and let Soojung cry onto his chest, her tears dampening the front of his shirt quickly.
He didn’t know how long they stayed in such a position, but he knew that the moment he heard the approaching footsteps of a doctor, he’d never felt such relief before. Soojung wrenched out of his grasp and wiped her eyes, taking quick steps to meet the doctor, and Jaejoong followed behind her.
“Do you have the results?” Soojung asked, “Do you know if she was -“
“No, she wasn’t raped.” The doctor replied, “We are sure of that.” He shuffled with his things and adjusted the way he held his clipboard, “A police officer interrogated her as soon as we ran a few tests, and he shall be coming to speak to you soon.”
Jaejoong nodded, “Thank you doctor.”
“As far as the basic check up has gone, aside from loss in weight, we don’t think any of your sisters will suffer any long lasting physical injuries from the incident…as for Suyeon, if she proves to be suffering from any reoccurring stress from this incident, I highly suggest you encourage scheduling meetings with a therapist for her.”
“I understand.” Jaejoong replied, swallowing hard. “Are we free to see them now?”
“Suyeon’s still sedated, and one of the other doctors may still visit her in order to run a few more tests. You are free to visit your older sister, and I would gladly show you the way to her room.”
Jaejoong took hold of Soojung’s hand, and they followed the doctor. He said nothing, and it wasn’t long before they were outside of Sohyang’s door. The doctor opened it and took a quick look before he turned back to them.
“It seems the rest of your family has already been informed. If ever you need assistance then feel free to call for it.” The doctor said with a bow before he walked away.
Jaejoong entered the room and joined his family by Sohyang’s bedside. Her husband, Taeyoung, was at her side and they were talking softly while Jaejoong’s parents talked between themselves in a farther corner of the room.
Sohyang smiled weakly at him and Soojung, making room for the two of them to sit down on her bed. The moment they sat down, she pulled them into her arms and hugged them tightly, murmuring about how much she loved them.
Soojung broke down into tears - Jaejoong’s mother following soon after, but Jaejoong remained calm and inched away. He ran his hand up and down Soojung’s back as a gesture of comfort, and while he did so, Sohyang met his gaze.
“I’ll be fine.” She whispered.
Jaejoong’s heart clenched in his chest, and he could feel the tears he’d been holding back escape and begin to slide down his cheeks.
“I know you will.” He replied before he reached out and pulled her close. Her arms wrapped around him, and he cried freely onto her shoulder.
o-o-o
The dark bruises contrasted against Suyeon’s pale skin, and Jaejoong could understand why his parents refused to spend so much time in the room. Suyeon had always radiated such life and beauty, and to see her in such a fragile state undoubtedly hurt both his parents.
He reached out and clasped her hand, waiting for her to react.
Suyeon’s eyes fluttered open, and she stared at him for a few seconds before she smiled weakly.
“Hi.” She croaked, her voice hoarse.
Jaejoong immediately poured her a cup of water, and she took a sip. He took the cup from her and held it in his hand. He swallowed hard and stared at the white hospital bed sheets, thinking hard about what he wanted to say.
“…it’s not as bad as you think.” Suyeon murmured as she shifted on the bed.
Jaejoong raised his eyes, and she stared back at him before she squeezed his hand reassuringly. “It just hurts a bit.” Suyeon continued, her dark brown eyes staring intently back at him. “I don’t understand why…I don’t understand why someone would want to do something like this to our family.”
“There are a lot of bad people in the world.”
“But there are good people in the world too.” Suyeon murmured, “When they beat me, they didn’t say a single word. They didn’t shout words of hate, they didn’t say anything to reveal their motives…they just did it.”
“Suyeon -“
“I don’t understand.” She let out a shuddering breath and shut her eyes, “I don’t understand why they would do something like this without a motive. I don’t understand what kind of person would want to inflict hurt on another for no reason.”
“I wish I could give you an answer.” Jaejoong said as he inched closer to Suyeon, “I wish that I could take away all this pain you feel.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“How can I not?” Jaejoong asked, his voice tightening, “Look at what they did to you!” he gestured to the bruises that tainted her skin, “How can you just…” he swallowed hard and stood up, his chair scrapping against the hospital room floor.
Jaejoong paced furiously for a few seconds before he paused and ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t…I can’t just settle for this.” He let out a shaky breath and looked back at his sister, “I need answers. I don’t want to wait for another incident to happen like this again. I won’t let it happen again.”
Suyeon stared at him, “Jaejoong…”
“No, you can’t persuade me otherwise.” He muttered, his gaze downcast. “I want answers. I need to find out who’s doing this to our family, and make sure that whoever that person is gets punished.”
The nurse stepped in before Suyeon could say another word, and Jaejoong watched as the woman handed Suyeon medication and applied medicine wherever necessary.
Perhaps it was foolish for him to feel so enraged, to let his emotions take control, but deep down, Jaejoong knew that he felt no real regret.
He would find out who was responsible for everything and ensure that that person paid dearly for the crimes committed against his family.
o-o-o
It was another long night, and he hadn’t expected much, as usual. Although he knew that he had nothing to do with what had happened to Suyeon, that didn’t stop him from feeling responsible for it all. Jaejoong let his face rest in his hands, and he sighed loudly before he straightened his posture and stared down at the Coke he’d bought.
He couldn’t even remember why he’d bought it in the first place.
“Kim Jaejoong?”
Jaejoong looked up and blinked twice - whoever had called him had broken his chain of thoughts. He stared at the man in front of him, trying to place the face to a name, but he couldn’t. In fact, the man didn’t even look familiar.
“Yes, that’s me.” Jaejoong replied slowly, looking at the man warily. “What is it that you want from me?”
“Firstly, let me introduce myself.” The man took out a card from the breast pocket of his suit and handed it to Jaejoong. As Jaejoong read the details on the card, the man proceeded to introduce himself, “I’m Kim Junsu.”
“I could tell from the card.” Jaejoong replied as he tucked the card into his pant pocket and kept his gaze on the man across him, “Now, tell me what you want because I never get visits from accountants out of the blue.”
Junsu sat down on the chair across Jaejoong and placed his briefcase on the table. He clasped his hands and smiled, innocent and friendly.
“Well, I’m here in regards to your future participation with our syndicate. I am quite sure you know what syndicate I mean, right?” Junsu asked, his voice and expression hardly changing.
“I do.”
“Good!” Junsu said excitedly as he opened his briefcase. He fished out a stapled group of papers and slid it across the table to Jaejoong, “Feel free to flip through the documents later.”
“Why are you doing this here?” Jaejoong asked, gesturing around to the people that surrounded them in the hospital canteen. “This is a public area. Couldn’t you have paid me a house visit?” he asked, “I do not want -“
“You’re too paranoid Mr. Kim.” Junsu replied as he fixed his papers slowly, “These people are too tired to even bother to pay attention to us.” He looked up and met Jaejoong’s anxious gaze, “Besides, I look like every other business man, don’t I? I don’t think I’d stand out to anyone who saw us. People would only assume that I was here to talk to you about your own businesses.”
He was right, but Jaejoong did not want to admit that, so he settled for averting his eyes and remaining silent. After a few more minutes of paper shuffling, Jaejoong grew irritated by the other man’s slow pace. He held the documents tightly, “Now would you care to explain what this is all about? If you don’t explain now, then I shall leave you and return back to my sister’s side, because -“
“Don’t worry. I’ll explain.” Junsu smiled and cleared his throat before he gestured to the stack of papers that Jaejoong was holding, “Now, after days of discussion and analysis, there has been an agreement as to how you may be useful for the syndicate.”
A look of confusion appeared on Jaejoong’s face, but Junsu continued. “Although your association to us may just be because of your romantic relationship with Jung Yunho, you are an official member of this syndicate, and because of that, you are expected to have a monthly contribution.”
“Contribution?”
“Yes, a contribution. You see, the syndicate refuses to keep any members that do not provide any sort of use. It’s a simple relationship Mr. Kim - give and take. Although you have not been formally introduced to the syndicate’s members, you are considered one of us, and thus, you are expected to prove your worth and value.”
Jaejoong remained silent and looked down at the papers for a moment before he met Junsu’s face. “Let me guess, my value comes in terms of monetary worth?” he asked, and he was unsurprised when Junsu nodded.
“Indeed. Your wealth will come in use to the syndicate and its future goals and business ventures.”Junsu replied, “Within those documents are detailed instructions as to how you will pay a certain amount to the syndicate. Think of it as a membership fee.” Junsu said with a smile.
Jaejoong did not smile back and instead only pushed the documents aside. “Is that it, or is there anything else you would like to speak to me about?” he asked, “If there’s nothing else, then -“
“Don’t you have any questions?” Junsu asked curiously, “As a new member, I assumed you would have questions…unless Yunho’s answered them all for you already?”
“I don’t need to know more than I already do.” Jaejoong muttered, “Besides, I don’t want to go any deeper into these sorts of matters than I already am. I’d prefer to stay at the level I’m in now.”
Junsu nodded, “I see. You’re still reluctant about this.” He stood up to leave, “I understand how you feel Mr. Kim, I once felt the same a few years ago.” He held out his hand for Jaejoong to shake, “Welcome to the syndicate.”
Jaejoong stared at Junsu’s hand for a few seconds before he reached out and shook the man’s hand quickly before he dropped it. He averted his gaze, and he heard Junsu’s amused chuckle.
When Jaejoong turned back to glance at where Junsu had been sitting, the other man was gone. He stared at the empty spot on the table for a few seconds before he got his phone and called a number on his emergency dial.
He had to call twice before the other person answered.
“Hello?”
Jaejoong swallowed hard and stared down at his clenched fist. “Yunho…” He whispered softly, “Can I meet you at the hospital parking lot? We have to talk.”
< >
Author’s Note: We’re nearing the end of my Christmas updates! I really hope you guys have all enjoyed my updates so far, and if you haven’t read some, I’ll probably take the time to make a list of all the stuff I’ve updated over the twelve days. ^__^ For tomorrow’s guesses: Remember, For You and The Effects of a One-sided Crush! Guess wisely! ^__^ Hahaha. Thank you for reading this, I hope you guys all enjoy it, and please do leave a comment! Also, I’ve made a special chapter list for this story which can be found here, so please do check it out because it somewhat has hints as to how the story will go. Once again, thank you for reading! ♥
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, Action, Drama
Summary: As secrets came to light, Jaejoong saw his life falling apart to the point where he realizes he knows nothing and suspects everyone - even, Jung Yunho.
banner made by godchild1134
It was raining the day of the Jungs’ funeral.
The whole service was mostly a blur for Jaejoong, but if there was one thing that remained clear in his memory, it was the sight of Yunho standing alone underneath a black umbrella, staring at the coffins of his parents.
He didn’t shed a single tear, but Jaejoong could feel the resonating sadness from the other man, and if it weren’t for social restrictions and for his own cowardice, he would’ve stepped closer to Yunho to offer him comfort.
Most of the people, Jaejoong knew, didn’t quite care about the Jungs - what they cared about more was about what would happen to the immense wealth the family possessed. With Yunho as the sole heir to everything, many were just waiting for him to slip up.
“Jaejoong.”
Jaejoong blinked, unaware that most of the people had already retreated back to their cars. He glanced up and noticed that the person next to him was Yunho.
“You’re still here.” Yunho said quietly, his gaze focused on Jaejoong. “I…I didn’t think you would stay for so long. Your family’s all gone.”
“I…I didn’t mean to linger.” Jaejoong replied honestly as he shuffled closer to Yunho and accidentally knocked his umbrella against to Yunho’s. He muttered a quick apology and stared at his feet, “…I’m so sorry Yunho -“
“You don’t have to apologize for anything.”
They stood in relative silence, the only sound being that of the rain droplets hitting against the umbrellas they held. Jaejoong sighed quietly before he took a step back and looked up at Yunho.
“If…if you need someone to talk to, I’m here.” Jaejoong whispered, “You can talk to me.”
The corners of Yunho’s lips curved into a small smile, “Thank you.” He replied, “I…I have something to talk to you about though Jaejoong, and I’m worried you might not like it.”
Jaejoong looked at Yunho worriedly, “What is it?”
“I need you to live with me, if only for a while.” Yunho said bluntly, the words coming out of his mouth without a second’s worth of hesitation. “It’ll help prove our romantic relationship to the other members.”
“Live with you?” Jaejoong asked, “For how long?”
“Not long - a month at least.” Yunho replied. He glanced at his parents’ graves and then turned his attention back to Jaejoong, “I know this probably wasn’t the best time to tell you about this, but…”
“Don’t apologize.” Jaejoong muttered, “You don’t have to.” He swallowed hard and looked at Yunho, “I’ll move in with you.”
“Okay.”
Jaejoong glanced at the graves in front of them and then glanced back at Yunho, whose attention had returned back to where his parents were buried. Jaejoong looked around, and just as he’d expected - no one was around.
He would’ve questioned why Yunho didn’t have any security around, but he decided against it.
Before he could even consider the consequences of his actions, Jaejoong bridged the small distance between his hand and Yunho’s, and intertwined the fingers. He squeezed Yunho’s hand tightly, and Yunho quickly turned his attention back to him questioningly.
Jaejoong looked up and met Yunho’s gaze.
“I’m here for you.” He said softly before he broke their eye contact and looked away.
Although nothing had changed in the scenery, and only a few minutes had passed by, Jaejoong couldn’t help but feel like their relationship had changed completely.
o-o-o
“I heard that most of the managerial duties of Jung Corporation have been handed over to Hong Kangshik.” Jaejoong’s father murmured as he flipped through a newspaper.
Jaejoong couldn’t control his curiosity, “Do you know why?”
Jungwon put the newspaper down, “Well, apparently Yunho is in an emotional state right now, so he handed the responsibilities over himself.” He glanced at Jaejoong, “It’s understandable…”
The older man trailed off, and Jaejoong placed his hand over his father’s. “Don’t lose hope father. Keep faith that -“
“I know.” Jungwon sighed and pulled his hand away from Jaejoong - he’d never been one for physical touches of comfort. He shuffled his papers restlessly for a few minutes and remembered the reason for Jaejoong’s visit. “You had something to tell me?”
“I…” Jaejoong trailed off and bit his lip, “I don’t know how to say this, but -“
“Cut to the chase Jaejoong.” His father muttered gruffly, and Jaejoong knew the man well, so he took no offense.
He swallowed hard, “I’m going to live with Yunho for a while.”
Jungwon stopped what he was doing and set his files back down onto the table. He stared at Jaejoong for a few seconds, unsure if what he had heard was correct. After Jaejoong made no move to correct anything, Jungwon knew that he’d heard correctly.
“For what reason?” he asked, refusing to jump into any conclusions concerning his son’s sexual preferences.
“Support.” Jaejoong replied clearly, straightening his posture. “Yunho’s not in a very good state of mind right now, and I’m worried about him. I thought that if I lived with him for a while, then maybe I could -“
“You really want to do this Jaejoong? Are you not worried that someone could misinterpret this in a wrong light?” Jungwon asked, staring at his son directly and unblinking.
Jaejoong nodded, “I…I won’t regret this. Yunho needs me right now, and I have to be able to provide him with emotional support.”
Jungwon exhaled loudly, “Well, there’s nothing I can do about this.” He muttered as he handed Jaejoong a stack of papers, “You’ve chosen for yourself, and I trust your judgment...I’ve never known you and Yunho to be close, but I trust you in doing what is right.”
“Thank you father.” Jaejoong said as he took the papers and stood up. He bowed and turned to exit his father’s office.
Jaejoong’s hand was on the doorknob when his father called his name and stopped him in his tracks. Jaejoong turned around to look at him questioningly.
“Yes?”
“Don’t forget to take care of yourself.” Jungwon said softly, “You’re still in a sensitive position too. You have needs.”
Jaejoong nodded, “I know father, and I won’t forget.” He replied with a small smile before he left the room and shut the door quietly behind him. Jaejoong let out a sigh and leaned against the doorway.
He didn’t know what he needed anymore.
o-o-o
Jaejoong stared at the magazines on Yunho’s coffee table. He’d flipped through all of them at least six times within the past week, and he was restless. He’d moved out of his apartment and into Yunho’s penthouse because of the need to prove their relationship to the other members of the syndicate.
It was uncomfortable, to say the least.
Explaining a cover up for the whole situation to his parents and family had been awkward, but living with Yunho was even more so. Although Yunho kept his distance, the times when both of them were at home at the same time were filled with tension that Jaejoong didn’t know how to ease.
The door opened, and Jaejoong dropped the magazine he was holding in his hands. He watched as Yunho entered, and when Yunho noticed him sitting on the couch, he shot Jaejoong a weak smile.
“Still awake?” he asked as he slowly made his way to Jaejoong.
Jaejoong nodded, “Yeah. I’ve been having a hard time sleeping lately.” He murmured as he massaged the back of his neck, “Have you eaten?”
“Well -“
“I should heat you up something then.” Jaejoong brushed past Yunho and made his way to the kitchen, desperate to keep some distance between the two of them. He opened the refrigerator and pulled out containers of food, stacking them onto the kitchen counter.
Yunho leaned against the doorway, “You…you really don’t have to.” He said quietly, his attention Jaejoong, “I know you’re uncomfortable about this, and you really don’t have to try so hard to make it work if you don’t want this to go on for much longer.”
Jaejoong shut the refrigerator and held onto the handle tightly. “It’s…it’s not that I don’t want you around.” He said quietly, “I…I’m just worrying. I made this deal with you Yunho, and…” he turned and looked at him, “I don’t want to regret this decision.”
“Do you think I’m playing with you?” Yunho asked, his voice steely and colder than Jaejoong had ever heard him before. “Do you think I’m imprisoning you here, and that I like reducing you to this?”
“No, I don’t think that.” Jaejoong’s throat tightened, and he hated how his mind and throat always seemed to shut down whenever Yunho was around. He swallowed hard and averted his gaze, keeping it focused on the cold marble tiles, “Yunho…I just, I hate being unsure of everything.”
“I’m sorry.” Yunho whispered from the doorway, “I wish I could offer you more comfort, but please, Jaejoong…” he walked up slowly to Jaejoong and stopped a few centimeters away from him, “When I said that I would get your sisters back, I meant it. I wouldn’t betray your trust.”
Jaejoong looked up and met Yunho’s gaze, “I’m sorry too.” Jaejoong replied, “For being so...untrusting of you.” He ran a hand through his hair, “I should know better, and you’ve done nothing for me to suspect something bad of you. It doesn’t matter who you’re involved with, or what you’re involved with…you’re still the Jung Yunho I’ve always known.”
They stared at each other, unsure of what to do next. Jaejoong bit his lip hesitantly and glanced at the food containers stacked on the counter and then back at Yunho, “Are you still hungry?”
“I was never hungry.” Yunho replied with a small smile on his face, “You just kind of bolted before I could reply.”
“I’m sorry.” Jaejoong muttered.
“It’s okay.”
They stood in awkward silence for a bit longer until Yunho’s phone rang. He picked up the call immediately and walked out of the kitchen, and despite Jaejoong’s curiosity, he remained rooted to the spot in order to give the other man privacy.
He glanced at the counter top and placed the food back inside the refrigerator in attempt to abate his mounting curiosity. After he’d placed everything inside, he walked away from the refrigerator and leaned against the kitchen counter, waiting for Yunho to come back inside.
He didn’t have to wait long because after a few more minutes, Yunho came back inside. As soon as he stepped in, he paused and studied Jaejoong for a while, a serious look crossing his features.
“I…I have to go.” Yunho said finally, breaking the uneasy silence in the room. He swallowed and glanced at his watch, “There’s…there’s something I need to do.”
Jaejoong nodded.
Yunho never explained the reasons why he left - he only told Jaejoong when he was leaving, and Jaejoong never bothered to ask for an explanation. Jaejoong offered Yunho a weak smile and ignored the unease that once more settled at the bottom of his stomach.
No matter how much he tried not to worry, he always worried whenever Yunho stepped out of the penthouse - it was like his mind refused to allow him to forget the memory of Yunho stepping into his apartment, injured and bleeding.
Jaejoong couldn’t stop himself from caring.
Yunho returned the smile half-heartedly, “I’ll go now.”
He turned away, and Jaejoong stared at him begin to retreat to the door. He bit his lip, and his heart clenched in his chest, once more reminding him of feelings he refused to open himself to.
Yunho pushed the door open, and before he fully stepped out, Jaejoong called out his name. Yunho turned around, a look of surprise and confusion on his face. He blinked twice, “Jaejoong?”
The words were caught in his throat, and Jaejoong wasn’t sure if it was normal to feel so light headed, so he gripped the kitchen counter tightly for support. His tongue darted out to wet his dry lips, but nothing could soothe the irritating pace of his heart.
“Yunho…” his voice trailed off, and Jaejoong struggled to find the words that were lingering in the back of his mind.
All the while, Yunho stared, his impassive brown eyes focused solely on Jaejoong and nothing else. Yunho tilted his head to the side, and Jaejoong knew that the other man was waiting for him to speak what was on his mind.
Before Jaejoong could even attempt to hold himself back, the words slipped out.
“Yunho, be careful.”
Jaejoong didn’t know why he found it so difficult to say those words - they hardly meant anything. He’d said those words to his sisters, to his parents, to his friend, yet his heartbeat quickened as soon as they’d left his mouth.
Yunho stared at him for a few seconds before he smiled and nodded, “I’ll be careful.”
As soon as Yunho left the kitchen, Jaejoong released the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding and ran a hand through his hair. He swallowed hard and made his way out of the kitchen and to his bed in the guest room.
He needed to stop thinking, if only for a while, and sleep was the only comfort he could find.
Things were more complicated when he was awake.
o-o-o
Jaejoong woke up to the sound of his phone ringing.
“Hello?” he murmured groggily, as he sat up and attempted to rub sleep away. He swallowed and waited for the person on the other end to answer, “Hello?”
“Jaejoong, I’m coming to pick up you up. Be ready in five minutes.”
“What? Why?”
“Your sisters have been taken to the hospital, we rescued them.” Yunho replied, “As much as I would’ve liked for them to be taken to your family as soon as possible, I couldn’t do so. The best I could do was -“
Jaejoong wiped away his tears, “They’re safe?” he asked, his voice breaking, “They’re okay?”
“Yes, as far as I know, they’re okay. I’m already at the building, please dress up and meet me at the basement parking.”
Yunho hung up, and Jaejoong dressed quickly. His phone rang on the bed, but there was no time to answer it as he threw on whatever clothes he could find lying around. The call ended, and he pocketed his phone before he practically flew out the door and made his way to the basement parking.
The moment he caught sight of Yunho, Jaejoong crashed into his arms and began to sob onto the other man’s chest. He pulled Yunho closer, inhaling his scent and he could barely make out a word of thanks as he cried onto the other man’s chest.
Yunho’s arms wrapped around him and pulled him closer before he began to wipe the tears from his eyes, “Jaejoong, don’t cry.” He whispered, “Come on, we have to go to the hospital.”
Jaejoong swallowed hard and nodded, prying himself off Yunho. A slight blush covered his cheeks as soon as he realized what he’d done, but his embarrassment was forgotten as he followed Yunho to the other man’s car.
As soon as they’d reached the highway, Jaejoong found the courage to speak, but his phone rang before he could voice out the questions he had in mind.
The moment he answered, his mother’s voice filled his ear, and he listened to her tell him about his sisters’ safe return. He was more than happy, yet pretending like the news was new to him took a toll on his mood. He ended the call after a few minutes with a promise to go to the hospital, and silence filled the car.
After a few seconds of anxious internal debate, Jaejoong glanced at Yunho, who was staring out blankly at the road ahead of them, and asked, “How did you know who took them? The police have been looking for -“
“The police don’t know where to look.” Yunho replied quietly as he swerved and overtook a car in front of them, “I do.” He glanced at Jaejoong, “I couldn’t get them myself, so as soon as I found out about where your sisters were being held captive and had that information confirmed, I had someone tip the police about it.”
“You couldn’t -“
Yunho shook his head, “No, I couldn’t have barged in there and gotten them myself because that would just result in…” he trailed off, “It would’ve just made things even more complicated for you and for me.”
“I see.” Jaejoong said quietly. “Do you know why they never bothered asking for a ransom?”
Yunho’s frown deepened, and he shook his head. “I don’t know. I had a few of my men stay at the scene, and from what they reported back to me, the people who took your sisters hostage are all dead…so there’s no trail I can follow.”
“Do you at least know which group is responsible for this?” Jaejoong asked, and he glanced out the window, realizing that they were nearing the hospital. “Do you -“
“I’m sorry.” Yunho said as he pulled into the hospital’s driveway, “I don’t know. I’m still confused about it all. As far as I know, the men who took your sister had nothing to do with any of the major crime groups here - they had no ties to any syndicates whatsoever.”
Jaejoong nodded, “I see.”
Yunho stopped the car and glanced at Jaejoong, “You should go see your sisters now, and I’m sure your family is waiting anxiously for you.” Yunho offered a tired smile and leaned back into his seat, “You deserve a bit of happiness right now.”
Jaejoong smiled back, “Thank you Yunho, thank you so much.” He replied, his voice cracking with emotion. “I…I owe you once again.”
Yunho shook his head, “You don’t owe me anything. All I’m doing is setting right things that should never have happened. You don’t need to feel indebted to me.”
“Yunho…”
A car honked behind them, and Yunho glanced back before he turned his attention back to Jaejoong. “You should go now. Your family’s waiting, and I’m sure the press will be arriving here at any moment. It’d be better if people know less about our association, so you should go now.”
Jaejoong nodded and he opened the car door to leave, yet as soon as he had one foot out of the car, he turned around to face Yunho once more.
“Thank you so much…” he whispered, “You don’t know how much I…” Jaejoong could feel himself tearing up, and he rubbed his eyes in irritation. He shot Yunho a watery smile, “Thank you Yunho, thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” Yunho replied, “Now go, I know you want to see your sisters…I’ll see you soon.”
Jaejoong made his way to the hospital entrance, but just as he was about to step inside, he turned and watched Yunho’s car speed out of the hospital driveway.
o-o-o
Jaejoong met his mother in the corridor, and she immediately pulled him into her embrace. She could hardly speak, and he kept holding onto her until his father pulled her away and led her away so that she could compose herself.
He wasn’t left alone for long because his other sister Soojung instantly approached him. Jaejoong hugged her tightly, “How are they?” he asked, looking at her worriedly. “Are they going to be okay? Do you know -“
Soojung nodded, “They’ll be okay…but,” she wiped at her eyes, “Suyeon might…she might be more damaged from all this than Sohyang.”
Jaejoong frowned, “What happened to her?” he asked, his grip unconsciously tightening on his sister.
She let out a small noise of pain, and he let go of her. He kept his hands at his side and stared at Soojung, waiting for her to answer. When it was clear that she was keeping quiet, he repeated his question, “What happened to her?”
“Sohyang hardly remembers anything,” Soojung mumbled, her eyes downcast and avoiding Jaejoong’s intense gaze. “The doctors said that she was injected with numerous sedatives which is why everything’s a blur for her. They’re just making sure now that -“
“Soojung, what happened to Suyeon?”
She swallowed hard and shook her head, “When they found her…she was bruised and beaten.” Soojung murmured. She met Jaejoong’s eyes, “She was beaten Jaejoong, and because of the state she was found in…the police asked the doctors to make sure…to make sure she wasn’t -“
She burst out into tears, and Jaejoong quickly pulled her back into his embrace. He shut his eyes and let Soojung cry onto his chest, her tears dampening the front of his shirt quickly.
He didn’t know how long they stayed in such a position, but he knew that the moment he heard the approaching footsteps of a doctor, he’d never felt such relief before. Soojung wrenched out of his grasp and wiped her eyes, taking quick steps to meet the doctor, and Jaejoong followed behind her.
“Do you have the results?” Soojung asked, “Do you know if she was -“
“No, she wasn’t raped.” The doctor replied, “We are sure of that.” He shuffled with his things and adjusted the way he held his clipboard, “A police officer interrogated her as soon as we ran a few tests, and he shall be coming to speak to you soon.”
Jaejoong nodded, “Thank you doctor.”
“As far as the basic check up has gone, aside from loss in weight, we don’t think any of your sisters will suffer any long lasting physical injuries from the incident…as for Suyeon, if she proves to be suffering from any reoccurring stress from this incident, I highly suggest you encourage scheduling meetings with a therapist for her.”
“I understand.” Jaejoong replied, swallowing hard. “Are we free to see them now?”
“Suyeon’s still sedated, and one of the other doctors may still visit her in order to run a few more tests. You are free to visit your older sister, and I would gladly show you the way to her room.”
Jaejoong took hold of Soojung’s hand, and they followed the doctor. He said nothing, and it wasn’t long before they were outside of Sohyang’s door. The doctor opened it and took a quick look before he turned back to them.
“It seems the rest of your family has already been informed. If ever you need assistance then feel free to call for it.” The doctor said with a bow before he walked away.
Jaejoong entered the room and joined his family by Sohyang’s bedside. Her husband, Taeyoung, was at her side and they were talking softly while Jaejoong’s parents talked between themselves in a farther corner of the room.
Sohyang smiled weakly at him and Soojung, making room for the two of them to sit down on her bed. The moment they sat down, she pulled them into her arms and hugged them tightly, murmuring about how much she loved them.
Soojung broke down into tears - Jaejoong’s mother following soon after, but Jaejoong remained calm and inched away. He ran his hand up and down Soojung’s back as a gesture of comfort, and while he did so, Sohyang met his gaze.
“I’ll be fine.” She whispered.
Jaejoong’s heart clenched in his chest, and he could feel the tears he’d been holding back escape and begin to slide down his cheeks.
“I know you will.” He replied before he reached out and pulled her close. Her arms wrapped around him, and he cried freely onto her shoulder.
o-o-o
The dark bruises contrasted against Suyeon’s pale skin, and Jaejoong could understand why his parents refused to spend so much time in the room. Suyeon had always radiated such life and beauty, and to see her in such a fragile state undoubtedly hurt both his parents.
He reached out and clasped her hand, waiting for her to react.
Suyeon’s eyes fluttered open, and she stared at him for a few seconds before she smiled weakly.
“Hi.” She croaked, her voice hoarse.
Jaejoong immediately poured her a cup of water, and she took a sip. He took the cup from her and held it in his hand. He swallowed hard and stared at the white hospital bed sheets, thinking hard about what he wanted to say.
“…it’s not as bad as you think.” Suyeon murmured as she shifted on the bed.
Jaejoong raised his eyes, and she stared back at him before she squeezed his hand reassuringly. “It just hurts a bit.” Suyeon continued, her dark brown eyes staring intently back at him. “I don’t understand why…I don’t understand why someone would want to do something like this to our family.”
“There are a lot of bad people in the world.”
“But there are good people in the world too.” Suyeon murmured, “When they beat me, they didn’t say a single word. They didn’t shout words of hate, they didn’t say anything to reveal their motives…they just did it.”
“Suyeon -“
“I don’t understand.” She let out a shuddering breath and shut her eyes, “I don’t understand why they would do something like this without a motive. I don’t understand what kind of person would want to inflict hurt on another for no reason.”
“I wish I could give you an answer.” Jaejoong said as he inched closer to Suyeon, “I wish that I could take away all this pain you feel.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“How can I not?” Jaejoong asked, his voice tightening, “Look at what they did to you!” he gestured to the bruises that tainted her skin, “How can you just…” he swallowed hard and stood up, his chair scrapping against the hospital room floor.
Jaejoong paced furiously for a few seconds before he paused and ran his hand through his hair. “I can’t…I can’t just settle for this.” He let out a shaky breath and looked back at his sister, “I need answers. I don’t want to wait for another incident to happen like this again. I won’t let it happen again.”
Suyeon stared at him, “Jaejoong…”
“No, you can’t persuade me otherwise.” He muttered, his gaze downcast. “I want answers. I need to find out who’s doing this to our family, and make sure that whoever that person is gets punished.”
The nurse stepped in before Suyeon could say another word, and Jaejoong watched as the woman handed Suyeon medication and applied medicine wherever necessary.
Perhaps it was foolish for him to feel so enraged, to let his emotions take control, but deep down, Jaejoong knew that he felt no real regret.
He would find out who was responsible for everything and ensure that that person paid dearly for the crimes committed against his family.
o-o-o
It was another long night, and he hadn’t expected much, as usual. Although he knew that he had nothing to do with what had happened to Suyeon, that didn’t stop him from feeling responsible for it all. Jaejoong let his face rest in his hands, and he sighed loudly before he straightened his posture and stared down at the Coke he’d bought.
He couldn’t even remember why he’d bought it in the first place.
“Kim Jaejoong?”
Jaejoong looked up and blinked twice - whoever had called him had broken his chain of thoughts. He stared at the man in front of him, trying to place the face to a name, but he couldn’t. In fact, the man didn’t even look familiar.
“Yes, that’s me.” Jaejoong replied slowly, looking at the man warily. “What is it that you want from me?”
“Firstly, let me introduce myself.” The man took out a card from the breast pocket of his suit and handed it to Jaejoong. As Jaejoong read the details on the card, the man proceeded to introduce himself, “I’m Kim Junsu.”
“I could tell from the card.” Jaejoong replied as he tucked the card into his pant pocket and kept his gaze on the man across him, “Now, tell me what you want because I never get visits from accountants out of the blue.”
Junsu sat down on the chair across Jaejoong and placed his briefcase on the table. He clasped his hands and smiled, innocent and friendly.
“Well, I’m here in regards to your future participation with our syndicate. I am quite sure you know what syndicate I mean, right?” Junsu asked, his voice and expression hardly changing.
“I do.”
“Good!” Junsu said excitedly as he opened his briefcase. He fished out a stapled group of papers and slid it across the table to Jaejoong, “Feel free to flip through the documents later.”
“Why are you doing this here?” Jaejoong asked, gesturing around to the people that surrounded them in the hospital canteen. “This is a public area. Couldn’t you have paid me a house visit?” he asked, “I do not want -“
“You’re too paranoid Mr. Kim.” Junsu replied as he fixed his papers slowly, “These people are too tired to even bother to pay attention to us.” He looked up and met Jaejoong’s anxious gaze, “Besides, I look like every other business man, don’t I? I don’t think I’d stand out to anyone who saw us. People would only assume that I was here to talk to you about your own businesses.”
He was right, but Jaejoong did not want to admit that, so he settled for averting his eyes and remaining silent. After a few more minutes of paper shuffling, Jaejoong grew irritated by the other man’s slow pace. He held the documents tightly, “Now would you care to explain what this is all about? If you don’t explain now, then I shall leave you and return back to my sister’s side, because -“
“Don’t worry. I’ll explain.” Junsu smiled and cleared his throat before he gestured to the stack of papers that Jaejoong was holding, “Now, after days of discussion and analysis, there has been an agreement as to how you may be useful for the syndicate.”
A look of confusion appeared on Jaejoong’s face, but Junsu continued. “Although your association to us may just be because of your romantic relationship with Jung Yunho, you are an official member of this syndicate, and because of that, you are expected to have a monthly contribution.”
“Contribution?”
“Yes, a contribution. You see, the syndicate refuses to keep any members that do not provide any sort of use. It’s a simple relationship Mr. Kim - give and take. Although you have not been formally introduced to the syndicate’s members, you are considered one of us, and thus, you are expected to prove your worth and value.”
Jaejoong remained silent and looked down at the papers for a moment before he met Junsu’s face. “Let me guess, my value comes in terms of monetary worth?” he asked, and he was unsurprised when Junsu nodded.
“Indeed. Your wealth will come in use to the syndicate and its future goals and business ventures.”Junsu replied, “Within those documents are detailed instructions as to how you will pay a certain amount to the syndicate. Think of it as a membership fee.” Junsu said with a smile.
Jaejoong did not smile back and instead only pushed the documents aside. “Is that it, or is there anything else you would like to speak to me about?” he asked, “If there’s nothing else, then -“
“Don’t you have any questions?” Junsu asked curiously, “As a new member, I assumed you would have questions…unless Yunho’s answered them all for you already?”
“I don’t need to know more than I already do.” Jaejoong muttered, “Besides, I don’t want to go any deeper into these sorts of matters than I already am. I’d prefer to stay at the level I’m in now.”
Junsu nodded, “I see. You’re still reluctant about this.” He stood up to leave, “I understand how you feel Mr. Kim, I once felt the same a few years ago.” He held out his hand for Jaejoong to shake, “Welcome to the syndicate.”
Jaejoong stared at Junsu’s hand for a few seconds before he reached out and shook the man’s hand quickly before he dropped it. He averted his gaze, and he heard Junsu’s amused chuckle.
When Jaejoong turned back to glance at where Junsu had been sitting, the other man was gone. He stared at the empty spot on the table for a few seconds before he got his phone and called a number on his emergency dial.
He had to call twice before the other person answered.
“Hello?”
Jaejoong swallowed hard and stared down at his clenched fist. “Yunho…” He whispered softly, “Can I meet you at the hospital parking lot? We have to talk.”
< >
Author’s Note: We’re nearing the end of my Christmas updates! I really hope you guys have all enjoyed my updates so far, and if you haven’t read some, I’ll probably take the time to make a list of all the stuff I’ve updated over the twelve days. ^__^ For tomorrow’s guesses: Remember, For You and The Effects of a One-sided Crush! Guess wisely! ^__^ Hahaha. Thank you for reading this, I hope you guys all enjoy it, and please do leave a comment! Also, I’ve made a special chapter list for this story which can be found here, so please do check it out because it somewhat has hints as to how the story will go. Once again, thank you for reading! ♥