Promises [5/11]
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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Jaejoong waited, and it wasn’t long before he caught sight of Yunho’s car in the parking lot. He stuck his hands into the pocket of his coat and trudged forward, determined to see the other man.
The car door was unlocked, so he merely opened the door and slid into the passenger’s seat.
“It’s not safe to leave your car doors unlocked.” Jaejoong murmured as he settled back into the car seat, “Anyone could’ve just opened the door and snuck into your car. You should be more careful -“
Yunho laughed, and Jaejoong frowned. “What?”
“Nothing.” Yunho smiled, “You’re telling the guy with a gun to be more careful, when you walk around unprotected all the time. You don’t even have your bodyguards anymore, so I think you should be more careful as well.”
“Well…” Jaejoong’s frown deepened. “I…”
“What did you want to see me about?”
Jaejoong turned his gaze away from the car’s dashboard and glanced back at Yunho, who was looking at him curiously in the dark. “I received a visit from…from an accountant of your syndicate.”
Yunho’s jaw tensed, and he gripped the steering wheel tightly. His eyes remained away from Jaejoong, and he continued to look out the window. “So you know now.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Do you regret agreeing with me?” Yunho asked, finally turning his attention to Jaejoong and staring at him directly. “Do you regret accepting my offer?”
“It’s just money.” Jaejoong said softly as he leaned back into the chair and avoided Yunho’s gaze. He looked out the window and leaned his head against the cold pane of glass. “I have more than enough of that…all I’ll need to do is make sure that none of my father’s money goes to the syndicate - it has to be the money I’ve earned.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Jaejoong turned his head and looked at Yunho, “What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that I regret it, and that I want to turn back?” he shook his head, “No, Yunho, I don’t regret a thing. My sisters are away from harm, and it’s all because of your offer. I regret nothing.”
Yunho was silent for a few minutes, and he averted his gaze. “Is that why you asked me to visit you, so that you could tell me about Junsu’s visit?”
“No…I wanted to see you because…”Jaejoong swallowed hard, “I want to find out who did this to my family.”
Yunho shook his head, “Jaejoong, I refuse. You can’t. I don’t want you to delve any deeper into this issue. Our deal extended only until your sisters were returned, if you wait a few more months, then I am sure that I could -“
“I can handle myself.” Jaejoong replied, “Yunho, I need to know who is doing this to my family. I need to know, and I need for him or her to be brought to justice -“
“Do you really think that the person will be brought to justice?” Yunho asked, his gaze intense as he studied Jaejoong, waiting for the latter’s reaction. “This isn’t a perfect world Jaejoong, I don’t think you understand the gravity of the kind of harm you might bring upon yourself and your family!”
Jaejoong was silent, and Yunho let out a deep breath. He shook his head slowly and he looked at Jaejoong with more sympathy, “I know you want to know who did this to Suyeon and Sohyang…and I know you want answers, but Jaejoong…be content with what you have. You don’t need to know any more than you already know.”
“I’m sick of not knowing anything.” Jaejoong muttered. He glanced at Yunho, “I’m tired of being the last to know - I want to be aware of things for a change. Yunho…why can’t you understand that?”
“I don’t want you digging any deeper into the issue Jaejoong.” Yunho replied, ignoring Jaejoong’s previous statement entirely. “I do not think anything else will happen to your family, this…this isn’t worth agonizing over any further -“
“Why can’t I want revenge, or at least, punishment?” Jaejoong snapped, earning him a surprised look from Yunho. “Can’t you see the injustice of it all? Should I allow my family to be bullied and bruised until we’ve lost every single ounce of pride and strength?”
Jaejoong averted his eyes and shook his head, “No, I can’t allow that.” He turned his head and studied Yunho, “I won’t allow my family to be bullied into submission. If you don’t agree with me, then so be it.”
He opened the car door and stepped out, “I’ll find my own way to get what I want.” Jaejoong slammed the door shut and walked back to the hospital, his words resonating in his ears, and his heart beating wildly in his chest.
o-o-o
Jaejoong walked tiredly to Yunho’s apartment and unlocked the door. He didn’t bother with the lights and slowly made his way to his bedroom, anticipating the feeling of being able to sleep on a comfortable bed rather than the chair in Suyeon’s hospital room.
As he was halfway to his bedroom, he heard the scrapping of one of the kitchen chairs, and froze in his tracks.
“Yunho?” he called out, waiting for a response from the other man. When he didn’t get one, Jaejoong slowly made his way to the kitchen and pushed the door open gently.
Yunho looked up at him, and Jaejoong was surprised to not find alone. Changmin took his gun off the table and placed it back in its holster before he acknowledged Jaejoong’s presence with a raise of his eyebrows.
“What is he doing here?” Jaejoong asked, his eyes narrowed as he waited for Yunho to answer the question. “He’s the one…he’s the one from before - the one who told me that you wanted me to join the syndicate.”
Yunho glanced at Changmin, “Explain yourself to him.”
Changmin looked at Jaejoong indifferently, “I was simply sizing you up. I was well aware of what happened between you and Yunho. I only wanted to know more about you and how you behaved.”
Jaejoong glared at the man irritably, “Fine.” He turned his attention back to Yunho, “Now explain why he’s here.”
Yunho sighed and lowered his eyes, “I don’t agree with you, and so I have assigned Changmin to watch over you in order to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.” He answered calmly, “He’ll be living here with you from here on until you decide to give up on your bitter tirade.”
“How could you do this?” Jaejoong asked as he approached the table furiously. He glanced at Changmin, “You’re assigning me some kind of babysitter? Yunho, this is stupid, and -“
Yunho stood up quickly, and his chair scrapped loudly against the kitchen tiles. He met Jaejoong’s gaze with equal fire and refused to back down, “No, what you’re doing is stupid. Jaejoong, you can’t handle what you’re trying to accomplish, and I refuse to encourage your foolishness. Changmin will live with you here, he will assist you, and he will protect you.”
Jaejoong’s jaw tensed, “I don’t need this.” He took a step away from Yunho, “This is unnecessary and -“
“I hope that one day you will understand why I’m doing this.” Yunho said softly as his tiredness began to edge through and bury his irritation. He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Changmin, who’d been watching the entire exchange from his seat. “I will leave now. Take care of him.”
Jaejoong raised his gaze off the floor, and he frowned at Yunho, “And where are you going? Are you just going to leave me here? This is your home, not mine. You can’t just leave me…” he swallowed hard, “You can’t just leave me alone.”
“You won’t be alone.” Yunho replied as he began to make his way to the kitchen door. He paused in front of Jaejoong, “You…you’ll be fine. You don’t need me anymore. This was always the plan.”
“No one will be convinced that you and I are together if we don’t live together.”
Yunho shrugged, “I’ll say that you and I are fighting.” He murmured, “It seems like that isn’t too far from reality - you and I have been fighting lately.”
“Only because -“
“I’ll go now.” Yunho said quietly, “I’ll see you again sometime.” He breezed past Jaejoong, and the latter could say nothing but watch Yunho walk away from him.
After a few seconds had passed, Jaejoong tore his eyes away from the kitchen door and looked at Changmin, who was staring at him quietly. Jaejoong frowned and took the seat across the other man.
“I take care of my business affairs in the morning, and then I visit my sisters from the afternoon until the end of visiting hours.” Jaejoong recited, “I refuse for you to walk close to me, and if anyone asks why you’re with me, let me do the talking.”
Changmin shrugged, “I don’t care much about you, to be honest.” He crossed his arms and studied Jaejoong carefully, his head tilted to the side. “I honestly believe that my skills and talents could be better used somewhere else, but since Yunho has asked me to watch over you, I must.”
“And if anyone else asked you to watch over me?”
“I’d refuse immediately.” Changmin replied honestly without batting an eye. “I’m too skilled and intelligent to be the babysitter of a spoiled brat.”
Jaejoong’s jaw tensed, and he clenched his fists. “Why does the asker make a difference? What makes Yunho different from anyone else in your syndicate?”
“Firstly, Yunho is my closest friend.” He answered, “Secondly, Yunho is next in line to replace the current head of our syndicate - if I refused his demand, then I could risk earning myself punishment.”
“What kind -“
Changmin shook his head and stood up, “I can’t answer that.” He studied Jaejoong carefully, “I would think, that you being Yunho’s…whatever it is that you are, that you would know more about him.”
Jaejoong was silent, and he lowered his gaze. “Yunho refuses to tell me anything.”
“He’s right in doing so.” Changmin murmured, “Once you get too far into this business, you’ll never be able to turn back, and you’ll be a changed person for the rest of your life.” He watched Jaejoong carefully, “He’s doing you a favor.”
Changmin brushed past Jaejoong and pushed the kitchen door open before he paused and glanced back at the other man, who was still seated at the table. “I’ll be going to bed now, and trust me, I sleep light - if you try to run, I’ll hear.”
“Should I be afraid?” Jaejoong muttered irritably.
“Seeing as I have a gun, then yes, it would be better if you were.” Changmin replied before he opened the door completely and walked out, leaving Jaejoong alone to sort out his thoughts.
o-o-o
Changmin stood by the doorway, and Jaejoong said nothing to him as he watched Suyeon sleep. Her bruises were gradually fading away, but he feared that she was hiding more pain from him, pain she couldn’t bring herself to share. He wanted her to see a psychiatrist, but she had refused.
Sohyang had been discharged a few days before, and he was glad to know that she was doing much better. Although she was still fearful of being alone, her husband was ready and more than willing to constantly be at her side.
“When will she get discharged?” Changmin asked as he gave up his position at the doorway and closed the door before he walked inside and sat down on the chair farthest away from Suyeon’s bed.
“In a few days,” Jaejoong murmured as he glanced at the bouquet of flowers that Yunho had ordered to be delivered the day before - violet chrysanthemums, which were Suyeon’s favorite, “She’ll be living with Soojung as soon as she’s released.”
“Not with you?”
Jaejoong turned his head and frowned at Changmin, “With you lurking in the penthouse like some sort of shadow? I think not.” He glanced back at Suyeon, “Besides, what she needs now is a comforting presence, not an ominous one.”
“I can be friendly.” Changmin drawled from his seat, stretching out his long legs. “You just don’t deserve to see my friendlier side.”
“I don’t think I want to see it.” Jaejoong replied as he stood up to fix the way the flowers were positioned in the vase, “I’d like to be saved from the sight of your mismatched eyes whenever you smile.”
“Insulting me so early in the morning?” the younger man asked, “Are you just grumpy because Yunho hasn’t contacted you in days?”
Jaejoong tensed up and didn’t turn around. “This has nothing to do with Yunho. As one of Yunho’s friends, I thought that you would know and understand the kind of relationship I have with Yunho.”
“No, I don’t think I understand it, but I have my own suspicions that there’s something more to what both of you are trying to put up.” Changmin replied, “I’ll leave you two to settle your own problems though - I have enough to deal with in my own life.”
“Why? There’s more to your life than flashing your to strangers and trying to scare them into submission?” Jaejoong asked as he looked around for water to pour into the vase, “I didn’t know you had the time to go out and do something else other than be a scary criminal.”
“My life does not revolve around criminal activity.”
Jaejoong turned his head and raised an eyebrow at the younger man, “Then tell me, what does it revolve around?”
“I’m sorry to say, but I’m not willing to tell you.” He replied, “It’s not any of your business anyway, so I suggest you butt out of things. You’re annoying enough as it is, and if you were to start asking about my personal life, then that would only increase the rate of how much I dislike you.”
“Well -“
Suyeon’s eyes fluttered open, and she blinked drowsily before she noticed the presence of the two men in the room. She attempted to sit up, but Jaejoong quickly told her to lie back down onto the bed.
He took the seat next to her and held her hand, “How are you feeling?”
“Tired.” Suyeon murmured with a small smile as she squeezed Jaejoong’s hand back tightly. “Nothing new really…I’m still as tired as ever. It’s probably from all the medicine they’ve been giving me.”
“Do you want me to ask them if there’s anything else they could give you? I don’t like the fact that you seem to be -“
“Stop mothering me.” She chuckled and pulled her hand away from Jaejoong’s so that she could reach for a flower. Jaejoong pulled one out of the vase for her, and Suyeon took it into her hands. “I’ll be fine.”
“Mother’s coming to visit you in thirty minutes. She’ll be here for the rest of the day.”
Suyeon’s eyes were still focused on the flower, “Okay.”
“Is there something wrong?” Jaejoong asked worriedly, “If you want, I could stay for the rest of the day too -“
“No, it’s not that.” Suyeon said as she twirled the flower idly, “It’s just…mother makes me sad. In fact, seeing all of you so worried about me makes me sad. I don’t need you all to be brought down by this -“
“We’re just worried about you.”
She shifted her gaze from the flower to Jaejoong’s face. Suyeon reached out and brushed his cheek before she carded her fingers softly through his hair in a comforting gesture, “I’ll be strong again,” Suyeon murmured with a smile, “Not just physically, but mentally too. I’ll recover.”
“Suyeon…”
“Jaejoong, did you know Yunho visited me?” Suyeon asked as she set the flower down on her lap and finally stopped toying with me. “He visited me when you went down to the canteen with Changmin for lunch.”
Jaejoong frowned and glanced at Changmin, who shrugged in response and picked up a magazine from off the table next to the chair he was in. Jaejoong turned his attention back to Suyeon, “What did he say?”
“Nothing unusual.” Suyeon replied, “He asked about how I was feeling, and if I was getting better.”
“That’s it?”
Suyeon smiled down at the flower and picked it up, irritating Jaejoong with her momentary lapse into silence. He coughed slightly, and she glanced back up at him with an amused smile on her face. “He told me a story about you.”
Jaejoong frowned, “What did he tell you?”
“He told me that when you were younger, you learned flower arrangement.” Suyeon said before she moved, despite her brother’s protests, and placed the flower back into the vase.
“I vaguely remember that.” Jaejoong replied, “I was…fourteen at the time, and mother wanted me to learn more about Japanese culture, so I took up flower arrangement for a while with Soojung.”
Suyeon’s smile widened, “Well, Yunho told me that one time, he found you practicing, and that you’d bent every single flower stem of the flowers given to you by your instructor.”
Jaejoong was silent for a few seconds, “And then?”
“Yunho told me that he went out and bought you new flowers so that you could practice more.” She laughed and glanced at the vase, “He said that the flowers he bought you were violet chrysanthemums like these ones.”
“I…” Jaejoong trailed off, the memory vaguely coming to mind. He could remember receiving the flowers, and the awkwardness that had come after - after all, it wasn’t exactly the norm for a boy to receive flowers from an equally awkward teenage boy. “I remember that.”
“It’s a funny story.” Suyeon murmured before she leaned back further into the bed and shut her eyes, “I can’t imagine the man that Yunho is now, giving you flowers. He seems too…too distant to do something like that.”
Jaejoong watched his sister until she fell asleep, and it was only after she began to snore softly that he stood up to leave the room. He made his way through the corridors in silence, with Changmin following right behind him, and it was only until they were in the car that the younger man broke the silence.
“Did you know Yunho was going to buy you flowers at the time?” Changmin asked curiously as he backed the car out of the parking lot. He glanced at Jaejoong, “I don’t think that he would just go out and buy you -“
Jaejoong shook his head, a wistful look on his face. “No, I didn’t know.” He said softly as he leaned his head against the car window. “It was a surprise…he didn’t tell me that he would get me more for me to practice with.”
Changmin was silent for a moment before he replied, “Oh, I see.”
“He’s always been like that.” Jaejoong murmured, the words more directed to himself than to Changmin. “He’s always preferred keeping things to himself.”
It seemed that it was a trait of Yunho’s that had never changed.
o-o-o
There was a knock on the door, and it woke Jaejoong up. He rubbed at his eyes drowsily and shut off the television before he placed the remote back down onto the coffee table. He let out an irritated sigh and allowed himself to slink back further into the sofa, refusing to get up and answer the door.
“Lazy ass.” Changmin muttered as he began to make his way to the door, sending an irritated glare in Jaejoong’s direction as he walked past. He pressed his long frame against the door and looked through the peephole.
Jaejoong watched him carefully, “Who is it? I don’t usually get visitors -“
“Jaejoong, get out of here.” Changmin warned as he removed his gun from its holster slowly. He glanced back at Jaejoong, “I don’t…” he looked around the room anxiously, and the person on the other side of the door banged it loudly.
“Fuck.” Changmin moved away from the door, and Jaejoong quickly followed him into the kitchen. The man began to rifle through the drawers, carelessly allowing kitchen utensils to clatter onto the tiles as he searched for something.
“What are you looking for?” Jaejoong asked as another loud bang was heard in the distance, “You have to tell me so that I can help you!”
“Ammunition, I need ammunition.” Changmin muttered as he managed to find some in a distant corner of one of Yunho’s cupboards. He jammed it into his pocket and handed Jaejoong his phone, “Call Yunho now, and lock yourself in his room. I’m sure he has a gun somewhere there, go find it in case…” he trailed off and shook his head, “Go find it now!”
Jaejoong ran away from Changmin and made his way to Yunho’s room, casting a frightened gaze at the door that was beginning to show large cracks. He shut his eyes and closed the door behind him as another loud bang was heard.
He fumbled with Changmin’s phone and dialed Yunho’s number. The phone rang, and it only took two rings before Yunho answered.
“Hello -“
“Yunho, there are people here.” Jaejoong panicked as the banging only got louder, “I assume there’s more than one person, and please, you have to get here soon because I don’t think -“
“Where’s Changmin? I’m on my way.” Yunho replied, “Is he with you? Where is he? I need to talk to him.”
“He’s pre-occupied.” Jaejoong replied as he looked around the room, trying to identify which place was the most likely area for Yunho to keep a gun. He rushed over to the drawers, but he found nothing. “Yunho,” he gripped the phone tightly, “I need a gun. Where do you keep yours -“
“Under the mattress.” Yunho answered quickly, “Make sure to take the gun off safety, and if anyone gets inside that room that isn’t Changmin, you have to shoot him, okay Jaejoong? Don’t think twice.”
Jaejoong swallowed hard and his hands shook as he pushed away the bed’s mattress. He took the pistol into his hands, and he could hear the sounds of gunfire coming from the other parts of the penthouse.
“Yunho, are you near?” Jaejoong asked, hating how helpless he sounded as he glanced at the door. “I don’t know if -“
“I’m here. Jaejoong, please, remember what I said. If anyone gets through that door, shoot him.”
Yunho hung up, and Jaejoong dropped the phone as he rushed over to the door. He stared at the doorknob, and at the sound of more gunfire, he went against Changmin’s instructions and opened the door.
He crouched down low, and he caught sight of Changmin.
The other man was bleeding. Changmin’s eyes widened at the sight of Jaejoong, and he gestured for the other man to go back inside the room. “Get back in there you idiot!” he shouted, regardless of the presence of the other men.
Before Jaejoong could even reply, bullets were fired and hit the mirror nearby. He moved away and quickly ran over to Changmin’s side. He looked down at the man’s wounds, and he realized that he’d been grazed by bullets near his chest and at his waist.
“You’re bleeding heavily.” Jaejoong muttered as more gunfire was heard in the background. He shakily stood and fired a few shots back before he bent back down to assess Changmin’s injuries. “Yunho’s coming. He said he was near, so just stay with me, okay Changmin.”
“I can barely feel my arm.” Changmin winced as he shifted, “I’m losing too much blood.” He replied weakly, “He has to get here soon…Jaejoong, fire more bullets back, just to show that we’re alive.”
Jaejoong followed Changmin’s directions and fired more carelessly aimed shots before he hid behind the wall next to Changmin. “What are we going to do?” he asked desperately, “I don’t -“
There were more gunshots, and Jaejoong’s shut his eyes as he heard bodies falling to the ground. He gripped Changmin’s hand tightly, and the other man barely made a noise as they listened for more gunfire.
Eerie seconds of silence passed by, and just as Jaejoong was about to look to see what had happened, Changmin pulled him back and shook his head. “Don’t look. It might just be a trap -“
“Changmin! Jaejoong!”
Jaejoong distinguished Yunho’s voice immediately. He left their spot and looked around, trying to find Yunho. He caught sight of the other man, “Hurry! Changmin got hurt, please, he’s bleeding and -“
Before Jaejoong could finish his sentence, a group of men brushed him aside and rushed over to carry Changmin. Jaejoong moved to help them, but two men prevented him from moving any closer, so he watched as they lifted Changmin away.
“The police are going to arrive any second, we have to leave.” Yunho explained as he approached Jaejoong and set his hands down onto the shorter man’s shoulders, “No one will say that you were here, so we need to make it seem like someone just broke in tonight.”
“Are they really going to -“
“They’ll report anything as long as they’re paid off properly.” Yunho replied before he cupped Jaejoong’s face with his hands. He stared into Jaejoong’s eyes, “Are you okay Jaejoong? You didn’t get hurt or -“
Jaejoong shook his head and averted his eyes, “I’m fine, really -“
Before Jaejoong could get another word out, Yunho had already wrapped his arms around him tightly. Jaejoong froze in shock, surprised by their sudden closeness, before he slowly hugged Yunho back, burying his face into his chest.
They stayed that way for a few minutes, and it was only until someone coughed in the background that Yunho untangled himself from Jaejoong.
Two of Yunho’s men held a bleeding man, and Yunho took a step closer to inspect the man carefully. He reached out and took hold of the man’s collar. “Who do you work for?” he asked, his tone cold and a far cry from what it’d been like with Jaejoong.
The man shook his head and spat at Yunho’s face.
Yunho’s jaw tensed and he simply wiped it off before he took a step back. “Detain him.” He murmured before he walked back to Jaejoong, “I’ll decide what to do with him -“ Yunho’s eyes widened in horror, and Jaejoong stared back at him in confusion until he felt the sharp jab of a knife against his waist and the crushing pain of a hand over his mouth.
“Let us go, or I’ll kill him!” the man shouted, deranged and clearly past the brink of desperation.
Jaejoong tried to fight the man’s grip, but the man still maintained a tight hold over him, and every single movement only made the blade dig into his skin. From what felt like an eternity quickly shifted over to seconds, and it wasn’t long before the loud sound of a gun firing resounded in his ears.
The man’s forceful touch quickly faded, and Jaejoong heard his dead body thump against the flooring. He blinked twice, and it wasn’t long before he could feel the stinging pain coming from his waist.
Jaejoong looked down, and saw the crimson red that was spreading across his shirt. Still in shock, he pressed his hand against the wound and when he pulled away, his hand was covered in blood.
Yunho immediately rushed over to his side, and Jaejoong could only meet the other man’s eyes blankly as he gripped his shirt tightly, fighting to keep balance. He didn’t know if it was because of the blood loss, but it felt like everything was getting blurrier.
He blinked twice, and tried to speak, but his throat was too dry. He could hear the vague ringing of Yunho’s voice in his ears, but he couldn’t understand a word. Jaejoong used the strength he had a pulled Yunho close, gripping his shirt tightly in order for the man to stop his frantic movements and just look at him.
Jaejoong licked his lips and opened his mouth to speak, “I’ll be okay.” He whispered to Yunho calmly before everything faded to black.
< >
Author’s Note: I love you all? Hahaha. Okay, I’ll probably update something else soon, and then after that…I’ll take a bit of a break. This story is pretty much completed though, so I’ll update it regularly. I have lots of revamping to do with my journal! I want to change the kind of font, and I might change the formatting up a bit. Also, I have to update my master list and I really have to switch up my personal post. XD I’ve also changed my journal layout, so do check that out if you have the time. :3 As usual, thank you so much for reading and comments are appreciated greatly. I promise I’ll start replying to them as soon as possible! ♥
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
Jaejoong waited, and it wasn’t long before he caught sight of Yunho’s car in the parking lot. He stuck his hands into the pocket of his coat and trudged forward, determined to see the other man.
The car door was unlocked, so he merely opened the door and slid into the passenger’s seat.
“It’s not safe to leave your car doors unlocked.” Jaejoong murmured as he settled back into the car seat, “Anyone could’ve just opened the door and snuck into your car. You should be more careful -“
Yunho laughed, and Jaejoong frowned. “What?”
“Nothing.” Yunho smiled, “You’re telling the guy with a gun to be more careful, when you walk around unprotected all the time. You don’t even have your bodyguards anymore, so I think you should be more careful as well.”
“Well…” Jaejoong’s frown deepened. “I…”
“What did you want to see me about?”
Jaejoong turned his gaze away from the car’s dashboard and glanced back at Yunho, who was looking at him curiously in the dark. “I received a visit from…from an accountant of your syndicate.”
Yunho’s jaw tensed, and he gripped the steering wheel tightly. His eyes remained away from Jaejoong, and he continued to look out the window. “So you know now.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Do you regret agreeing with me?” Yunho asked, finally turning his attention to Jaejoong and staring at him directly. “Do you regret accepting my offer?”
“It’s just money.” Jaejoong said softly as he leaned back into the chair and avoided Yunho’s gaze. He looked out the window and leaned his head against the cold pane of glass. “I have more than enough of that…all I’ll need to do is make sure that none of my father’s money goes to the syndicate - it has to be the money I’ve earned.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Jaejoong turned his head and looked at Yunho, “What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say that I regret it, and that I want to turn back?” he shook his head, “No, Yunho, I don’t regret a thing. My sisters are away from harm, and it’s all because of your offer. I regret nothing.”
Yunho was silent for a few minutes, and he averted his gaze. “Is that why you asked me to visit you, so that you could tell me about Junsu’s visit?”
“No…I wanted to see you because…”Jaejoong swallowed hard, “I want to find out who did this to my family.”
Yunho shook his head, “Jaejoong, I refuse. You can’t. I don’t want you to delve any deeper into this issue. Our deal extended only until your sisters were returned, if you wait a few more months, then I am sure that I could -“
“I can handle myself.” Jaejoong replied, “Yunho, I need to know who is doing this to my family. I need to know, and I need for him or her to be brought to justice -“
“Do you really think that the person will be brought to justice?” Yunho asked, his gaze intense as he studied Jaejoong, waiting for the latter’s reaction. “This isn’t a perfect world Jaejoong, I don’t think you understand the gravity of the kind of harm you might bring upon yourself and your family!”
Jaejoong was silent, and Yunho let out a deep breath. He shook his head slowly and he looked at Jaejoong with more sympathy, “I know you want to know who did this to Suyeon and Sohyang…and I know you want answers, but Jaejoong…be content with what you have. You don’t need to know any more than you already know.”
“I’m sick of not knowing anything.” Jaejoong muttered. He glanced at Yunho, “I’m tired of being the last to know - I want to be aware of things for a change. Yunho…why can’t you understand that?”
“I don’t want you digging any deeper into the issue Jaejoong.” Yunho replied, ignoring Jaejoong’s previous statement entirely. “I do not think anything else will happen to your family, this…this isn’t worth agonizing over any further -“
“Why can’t I want revenge, or at least, punishment?” Jaejoong snapped, earning him a surprised look from Yunho. “Can’t you see the injustice of it all? Should I allow my family to be bullied and bruised until we’ve lost every single ounce of pride and strength?”
Jaejoong averted his eyes and shook his head, “No, I can’t allow that.” He turned his head and studied Yunho, “I won’t allow my family to be bullied into submission. If you don’t agree with me, then so be it.”
He opened the car door and stepped out, “I’ll find my own way to get what I want.” Jaejoong slammed the door shut and walked back to the hospital, his words resonating in his ears, and his heart beating wildly in his chest.
o-o-o
Jaejoong walked tiredly to Yunho’s apartment and unlocked the door. He didn’t bother with the lights and slowly made his way to his bedroom, anticipating the feeling of being able to sleep on a comfortable bed rather than the chair in Suyeon’s hospital room.
As he was halfway to his bedroom, he heard the scrapping of one of the kitchen chairs, and froze in his tracks.
“Yunho?” he called out, waiting for a response from the other man. When he didn’t get one, Jaejoong slowly made his way to the kitchen and pushed the door open gently.
Yunho looked up at him, and Jaejoong was surprised to not find alone. Changmin took his gun off the table and placed it back in its holster before he acknowledged Jaejoong’s presence with a raise of his eyebrows.
“What is he doing here?” Jaejoong asked, his eyes narrowed as he waited for Yunho to answer the question. “He’s the one…he’s the one from before - the one who told me that you wanted me to join the syndicate.”
Yunho glanced at Changmin, “Explain yourself to him.”
Changmin looked at Jaejoong indifferently, “I was simply sizing you up. I was well aware of what happened between you and Yunho. I only wanted to know more about you and how you behaved.”
Jaejoong glared at the man irritably, “Fine.” He turned his attention back to Yunho, “Now explain why he’s here.”
Yunho sighed and lowered his eyes, “I don’t agree with you, and so I have assigned Changmin to watch over you in order to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.” He answered calmly, “He’ll be living here with you from here on until you decide to give up on your bitter tirade.”
“How could you do this?” Jaejoong asked as he approached the table furiously. He glanced at Changmin, “You’re assigning me some kind of babysitter? Yunho, this is stupid, and -“
Yunho stood up quickly, and his chair scrapped loudly against the kitchen tiles. He met Jaejoong’s gaze with equal fire and refused to back down, “No, what you’re doing is stupid. Jaejoong, you can’t handle what you’re trying to accomplish, and I refuse to encourage your foolishness. Changmin will live with you here, he will assist you, and he will protect you.”
Jaejoong’s jaw tensed, “I don’t need this.” He took a step away from Yunho, “This is unnecessary and -“
“I hope that one day you will understand why I’m doing this.” Yunho said softly as his tiredness began to edge through and bury his irritation. He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Changmin, who’d been watching the entire exchange from his seat. “I will leave now. Take care of him.”
Jaejoong raised his gaze off the floor, and he frowned at Yunho, “And where are you going? Are you just going to leave me here? This is your home, not mine. You can’t just leave me…” he swallowed hard, “You can’t just leave me alone.”
“You won’t be alone.” Yunho replied as he began to make his way to the kitchen door. He paused in front of Jaejoong, “You…you’ll be fine. You don’t need me anymore. This was always the plan.”
“No one will be convinced that you and I are together if we don’t live together.”
Yunho shrugged, “I’ll say that you and I are fighting.” He murmured, “It seems like that isn’t too far from reality - you and I have been fighting lately.”
“Only because -“
“I’ll go now.” Yunho said quietly, “I’ll see you again sometime.” He breezed past Jaejoong, and the latter could say nothing but watch Yunho walk away from him.
After a few seconds had passed, Jaejoong tore his eyes away from the kitchen door and looked at Changmin, who was staring at him quietly. Jaejoong frowned and took the seat across the other man.
“I take care of my business affairs in the morning, and then I visit my sisters from the afternoon until the end of visiting hours.” Jaejoong recited, “I refuse for you to walk close to me, and if anyone asks why you’re with me, let me do the talking.”
Changmin shrugged, “I don’t care much about you, to be honest.” He crossed his arms and studied Jaejoong carefully, his head tilted to the side. “I honestly believe that my skills and talents could be better used somewhere else, but since Yunho has asked me to watch over you, I must.”
“And if anyone else asked you to watch over me?”
“I’d refuse immediately.” Changmin replied honestly without batting an eye. “I’m too skilled and intelligent to be the babysitter of a spoiled brat.”
Jaejoong’s jaw tensed, and he clenched his fists. “Why does the asker make a difference? What makes Yunho different from anyone else in your syndicate?”
“Firstly, Yunho is my closest friend.” He answered, “Secondly, Yunho is next in line to replace the current head of our syndicate - if I refused his demand, then I could risk earning myself punishment.”
“What kind -“
Changmin shook his head and stood up, “I can’t answer that.” He studied Jaejoong carefully, “I would think, that you being Yunho’s…whatever it is that you are, that you would know more about him.”
Jaejoong was silent, and he lowered his gaze. “Yunho refuses to tell me anything.”
“He’s right in doing so.” Changmin murmured, “Once you get too far into this business, you’ll never be able to turn back, and you’ll be a changed person for the rest of your life.” He watched Jaejoong carefully, “He’s doing you a favor.”
Changmin brushed past Jaejoong and pushed the kitchen door open before he paused and glanced back at the other man, who was still seated at the table. “I’ll be going to bed now, and trust me, I sleep light - if you try to run, I’ll hear.”
“Should I be afraid?” Jaejoong muttered irritably.
“Seeing as I have a gun, then yes, it would be better if you were.” Changmin replied before he opened the door completely and walked out, leaving Jaejoong alone to sort out his thoughts.
o-o-o
Changmin stood by the doorway, and Jaejoong said nothing to him as he watched Suyeon sleep. Her bruises were gradually fading away, but he feared that she was hiding more pain from him, pain she couldn’t bring herself to share. He wanted her to see a psychiatrist, but she had refused.
Sohyang had been discharged a few days before, and he was glad to know that she was doing much better. Although she was still fearful of being alone, her husband was ready and more than willing to constantly be at her side.
“When will she get discharged?” Changmin asked as he gave up his position at the doorway and closed the door before he walked inside and sat down on the chair farthest away from Suyeon’s bed.
“In a few days,” Jaejoong murmured as he glanced at the bouquet of flowers that Yunho had ordered to be delivered the day before - violet chrysanthemums, which were Suyeon’s favorite, “She’ll be living with Soojung as soon as she’s released.”
“Not with you?”
Jaejoong turned his head and frowned at Changmin, “With you lurking in the penthouse like some sort of shadow? I think not.” He glanced back at Suyeon, “Besides, what she needs now is a comforting presence, not an ominous one.”
“I can be friendly.” Changmin drawled from his seat, stretching out his long legs. “You just don’t deserve to see my friendlier side.”
“I don’t think I want to see it.” Jaejoong replied as he stood up to fix the way the flowers were positioned in the vase, “I’d like to be saved from the sight of your mismatched eyes whenever you smile.”
“Insulting me so early in the morning?” the younger man asked, “Are you just grumpy because Yunho hasn’t contacted you in days?”
Jaejoong tensed up and didn’t turn around. “This has nothing to do with Yunho. As one of Yunho’s friends, I thought that you would know and understand the kind of relationship I have with Yunho.”
“No, I don’t think I understand it, but I have my own suspicions that there’s something more to what both of you are trying to put up.” Changmin replied, “I’ll leave you two to settle your own problems though - I have enough to deal with in my own life.”
“Why? There’s more to your life than flashing your to strangers and trying to scare them into submission?” Jaejoong asked as he looked around for water to pour into the vase, “I didn’t know you had the time to go out and do something else other than be a scary criminal.”
“My life does not revolve around criminal activity.”
Jaejoong turned his head and raised an eyebrow at the younger man, “Then tell me, what does it revolve around?”
“I’m sorry to say, but I’m not willing to tell you.” He replied, “It’s not any of your business anyway, so I suggest you butt out of things. You’re annoying enough as it is, and if you were to start asking about my personal life, then that would only increase the rate of how much I dislike you.”
“Well -“
Suyeon’s eyes fluttered open, and she blinked drowsily before she noticed the presence of the two men in the room. She attempted to sit up, but Jaejoong quickly told her to lie back down onto the bed.
He took the seat next to her and held her hand, “How are you feeling?”
“Tired.” Suyeon murmured with a small smile as she squeezed Jaejoong’s hand back tightly. “Nothing new really…I’m still as tired as ever. It’s probably from all the medicine they’ve been giving me.”
“Do you want me to ask them if there’s anything else they could give you? I don’t like the fact that you seem to be -“
“Stop mothering me.” She chuckled and pulled her hand away from Jaejoong’s so that she could reach for a flower. Jaejoong pulled one out of the vase for her, and Suyeon took it into her hands. “I’ll be fine.”
“Mother’s coming to visit you in thirty minutes. She’ll be here for the rest of the day.”
Suyeon’s eyes were still focused on the flower, “Okay.”
“Is there something wrong?” Jaejoong asked worriedly, “If you want, I could stay for the rest of the day too -“
“No, it’s not that.” Suyeon said as she twirled the flower idly, “It’s just…mother makes me sad. In fact, seeing all of you so worried about me makes me sad. I don’t need you all to be brought down by this -“
“We’re just worried about you.”
She shifted her gaze from the flower to Jaejoong’s face. Suyeon reached out and brushed his cheek before she carded her fingers softly through his hair in a comforting gesture, “I’ll be strong again,” Suyeon murmured with a smile, “Not just physically, but mentally too. I’ll recover.”
“Suyeon…”
“Jaejoong, did you know Yunho visited me?” Suyeon asked as she set the flower down on her lap and finally stopped toying with me. “He visited me when you went down to the canteen with Changmin for lunch.”
Jaejoong frowned and glanced at Changmin, who shrugged in response and picked up a magazine from off the table next to the chair he was in. Jaejoong turned his attention back to Suyeon, “What did he say?”
“Nothing unusual.” Suyeon replied, “He asked about how I was feeling, and if I was getting better.”
“That’s it?”
Suyeon smiled down at the flower and picked it up, irritating Jaejoong with her momentary lapse into silence. He coughed slightly, and she glanced back up at him with an amused smile on her face. “He told me a story about you.”
Jaejoong frowned, “What did he tell you?”
“He told me that when you were younger, you learned flower arrangement.” Suyeon said before she moved, despite her brother’s protests, and placed the flower back into the vase.
“I vaguely remember that.” Jaejoong replied, “I was…fourteen at the time, and mother wanted me to learn more about Japanese culture, so I took up flower arrangement for a while with Soojung.”
Suyeon’s smile widened, “Well, Yunho told me that one time, he found you practicing, and that you’d bent every single flower stem of the flowers given to you by your instructor.”
Jaejoong was silent for a few seconds, “And then?”
“Yunho told me that he went out and bought you new flowers so that you could practice more.” She laughed and glanced at the vase, “He said that the flowers he bought you were violet chrysanthemums like these ones.”
“I…” Jaejoong trailed off, the memory vaguely coming to mind. He could remember receiving the flowers, and the awkwardness that had come after - after all, it wasn’t exactly the norm for a boy to receive flowers from an equally awkward teenage boy. “I remember that.”
“It’s a funny story.” Suyeon murmured before she leaned back further into the bed and shut her eyes, “I can’t imagine the man that Yunho is now, giving you flowers. He seems too…too distant to do something like that.”
Jaejoong watched his sister until she fell asleep, and it was only after she began to snore softly that he stood up to leave the room. He made his way through the corridors in silence, with Changmin following right behind him, and it was only until they were in the car that the younger man broke the silence.
“Did you know Yunho was going to buy you flowers at the time?” Changmin asked curiously as he backed the car out of the parking lot. He glanced at Jaejoong, “I don’t think that he would just go out and buy you -“
Jaejoong shook his head, a wistful look on his face. “No, I didn’t know.” He said softly as he leaned his head against the car window. “It was a surprise…he didn’t tell me that he would get me more for me to practice with.”
Changmin was silent for a moment before he replied, “Oh, I see.”
“He’s always been like that.” Jaejoong murmured, the words more directed to himself than to Changmin. “He’s always preferred keeping things to himself.”
It seemed that it was a trait of Yunho’s that had never changed.
o-o-o
There was a knock on the door, and it woke Jaejoong up. He rubbed at his eyes drowsily and shut off the television before he placed the remote back down onto the coffee table. He let out an irritated sigh and allowed himself to slink back further into the sofa, refusing to get up and answer the door.
“Lazy ass.” Changmin muttered as he began to make his way to the door, sending an irritated glare in Jaejoong’s direction as he walked past. He pressed his long frame against the door and looked through the peephole.
Jaejoong watched him carefully, “Who is it? I don’t usually get visitors -“
“Jaejoong, get out of here.” Changmin warned as he removed his gun from its holster slowly. He glanced back at Jaejoong, “I don’t…” he looked around the room anxiously, and the person on the other side of the door banged it loudly.
“Fuck.” Changmin moved away from the door, and Jaejoong quickly followed him into the kitchen. The man began to rifle through the drawers, carelessly allowing kitchen utensils to clatter onto the tiles as he searched for something.
“What are you looking for?” Jaejoong asked as another loud bang was heard in the distance, “You have to tell me so that I can help you!”
“Ammunition, I need ammunition.” Changmin muttered as he managed to find some in a distant corner of one of Yunho’s cupboards. He jammed it into his pocket and handed Jaejoong his phone, “Call Yunho now, and lock yourself in his room. I’m sure he has a gun somewhere there, go find it in case…” he trailed off and shook his head, “Go find it now!”
Jaejoong ran away from Changmin and made his way to Yunho’s room, casting a frightened gaze at the door that was beginning to show large cracks. He shut his eyes and closed the door behind him as another loud bang was heard.
He fumbled with Changmin’s phone and dialed Yunho’s number. The phone rang, and it only took two rings before Yunho answered.
“Hello -“
“Yunho, there are people here.” Jaejoong panicked as the banging only got louder, “I assume there’s more than one person, and please, you have to get here soon because I don’t think -“
“Where’s Changmin? I’m on my way.” Yunho replied, “Is he with you? Where is he? I need to talk to him.”
“He’s pre-occupied.” Jaejoong replied as he looked around the room, trying to identify which place was the most likely area for Yunho to keep a gun. He rushed over to the drawers, but he found nothing. “Yunho,” he gripped the phone tightly, “I need a gun. Where do you keep yours -“
“Under the mattress.” Yunho answered quickly, “Make sure to take the gun off safety, and if anyone gets inside that room that isn’t Changmin, you have to shoot him, okay Jaejoong? Don’t think twice.”
Jaejoong swallowed hard and his hands shook as he pushed away the bed’s mattress. He took the pistol into his hands, and he could hear the sounds of gunfire coming from the other parts of the penthouse.
“Yunho, are you near?” Jaejoong asked, hating how helpless he sounded as he glanced at the door. “I don’t know if -“
“I’m here. Jaejoong, please, remember what I said. If anyone gets through that door, shoot him.”
Yunho hung up, and Jaejoong dropped the phone as he rushed over to the door. He stared at the doorknob, and at the sound of more gunfire, he went against Changmin’s instructions and opened the door.
He crouched down low, and he caught sight of Changmin.
The other man was bleeding. Changmin’s eyes widened at the sight of Jaejoong, and he gestured for the other man to go back inside the room. “Get back in there you idiot!” he shouted, regardless of the presence of the other men.
Before Jaejoong could even reply, bullets were fired and hit the mirror nearby. He moved away and quickly ran over to Changmin’s side. He looked down at the man’s wounds, and he realized that he’d been grazed by bullets near his chest and at his waist.
“You’re bleeding heavily.” Jaejoong muttered as more gunfire was heard in the background. He shakily stood and fired a few shots back before he bent back down to assess Changmin’s injuries. “Yunho’s coming. He said he was near, so just stay with me, okay Changmin.”
“I can barely feel my arm.” Changmin winced as he shifted, “I’m losing too much blood.” He replied weakly, “He has to get here soon…Jaejoong, fire more bullets back, just to show that we’re alive.”
Jaejoong followed Changmin’s directions and fired more carelessly aimed shots before he hid behind the wall next to Changmin. “What are we going to do?” he asked desperately, “I don’t -“
There were more gunshots, and Jaejoong’s shut his eyes as he heard bodies falling to the ground. He gripped Changmin’s hand tightly, and the other man barely made a noise as they listened for more gunfire.
Eerie seconds of silence passed by, and just as Jaejoong was about to look to see what had happened, Changmin pulled him back and shook his head. “Don’t look. It might just be a trap -“
“Changmin! Jaejoong!”
Jaejoong distinguished Yunho’s voice immediately. He left their spot and looked around, trying to find Yunho. He caught sight of the other man, “Hurry! Changmin got hurt, please, he’s bleeding and -“
Before Jaejoong could finish his sentence, a group of men brushed him aside and rushed over to carry Changmin. Jaejoong moved to help them, but two men prevented him from moving any closer, so he watched as they lifted Changmin away.
“The police are going to arrive any second, we have to leave.” Yunho explained as he approached Jaejoong and set his hands down onto the shorter man’s shoulders, “No one will say that you were here, so we need to make it seem like someone just broke in tonight.”
“Are they really going to -“
“They’ll report anything as long as they’re paid off properly.” Yunho replied before he cupped Jaejoong’s face with his hands. He stared into Jaejoong’s eyes, “Are you okay Jaejoong? You didn’t get hurt or -“
Jaejoong shook his head and averted his eyes, “I’m fine, really -“
Before Jaejoong could get another word out, Yunho had already wrapped his arms around him tightly. Jaejoong froze in shock, surprised by their sudden closeness, before he slowly hugged Yunho back, burying his face into his chest.
They stayed that way for a few minutes, and it was only until someone coughed in the background that Yunho untangled himself from Jaejoong.
Two of Yunho’s men held a bleeding man, and Yunho took a step closer to inspect the man carefully. He reached out and took hold of the man’s collar. “Who do you work for?” he asked, his tone cold and a far cry from what it’d been like with Jaejoong.
The man shook his head and spat at Yunho’s face.
Yunho’s jaw tensed and he simply wiped it off before he took a step back. “Detain him.” He murmured before he walked back to Jaejoong, “I’ll decide what to do with him -“ Yunho’s eyes widened in horror, and Jaejoong stared back at him in confusion until he felt the sharp jab of a knife against his waist and the crushing pain of a hand over his mouth.
“Let us go, or I’ll kill him!” the man shouted, deranged and clearly past the brink of desperation.
Jaejoong tried to fight the man’s grip, but the man still maintained a tight hold over him, and every single movement only made the blade dig into his skin. From what felt like an eternity quickly shifted over to seconds, and it wasn’t long before the loud sound of a gun firing resounded in his ears.
The man’s forceful touch quickly faded, and Jaejoong heard his dead body thump against the flooring. He blinked twice, and it wasn’t long before he could feel the stinging pain coming from his waist.
Jaejoong looked down, and saw the crimson red that was spreading across his shirt. Still in shock, he pressed his hand against the wound and when he pulled away, his hand was covered in blood.
Yunho immediately rushed over to his side, and Jaejoong could only meet the other man’s eyes blankly as he gripped his shirt tightly, fighting to keep balance. He didn’t know if it was because of the blood loss, but it felt like everything was getting blurrier.
He blinked twice, and tried to speak, but his throat was too dry. He could hear the vague ringing of Yunho’s voice in his ears, but he couldn’t understand a word. Jaejoong used the strength he had a pulled Yunho close, gripping his shirt tightly in order for the man to stop his frantic movements and just look at him.
Jaejoong licked his lips and opened his mouth to speak, “I’ll be okay.” He whispered to Yunho calmly before everything faded to black.
< >
Author’s Note: I love you all? Hahaha. Okay, I’ll probably update something else soon, and then after that…I’ll take a bit of a break. This story is pretty much completed though, so I’ll update it regularly. I have lots of revamping to do with my journal! I want to change the kind of font, and I might change the formatting up a bit. Also, I have to update my master list and I really have to switch up my personal post. XD I’ve also changed my journal layout, so do check that out if you have the time. :3 As usual, thank you so much for reading and comments are appreciated greatly. I promise I’ll start replying to them as soon as possible! ♥