Our Song
Title: Our Song
Beta: minniesaranghae
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Angst, Humor, Historical
Summary: Together, they find their song.
An almost one month late birthday fic for yuki_3, who is a lovely fairy. ♥
Patrols were boring, uneventful, and unfortunately were his duty. Yunho sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he continued his way through the sleepy town. All he wanted to do was return to his rickety cot and sleep the rest of the night away - anything would be better than walking around in the darkness.
He wanted to go back home - back to the farm, back to the past, back to the home that he missed with all his heart.
As he rounded a corner, a noise in the usually silent street pulled him out of his thoughts instantly. Yunho glanced in the direction of the noise and slowly made his way in that direction; ready to incapacitate a drunk person if he met one.
However, instead of meeting a drunk person, he was greeted by a large wall covered with vines. He started at the wall for a few seconds, and just as he was about to leave, he heard the sound once more.
Someone was singing.
Yunho paused and listened to the voice, his eyes fluttering shut instinctively. The voice gripped his heart, and the sound was so enchanting that he couldn’t help but be drawn closer to where it was coming from.
He pressed against the wall to hear more, but the singing stopped.
It was like he was jolted back to reality, and Yunho took a step back. He glanced up at the height of the wall and let out a small sigh. He glanced at the deserted roads around him and decided that he could slow down his usual patrol pace for the night.
“Why did you stop?” Yunho asked boldly, his eyes focused up at the tallest point of the wall. He waited for a response, but none came, so he repeated his question.
His answer was a gust of wind.
“Maybe I’m crazy.” Yunho mumbled as he ran his hands through his hair. He adjusted his jacket and just as he was about to walk away, he couldn’t help but look back. There was nothing on the edge of the wall, and Yunho felt a slight pang of dismay.
He would’ve liked to hear the voice once more.
Just as he turned back and was about to resume his patrol, he heard a voice. Yunho whirled around instantly, and he approached the wall. “Are you there?” he questioned, his hands pressed against the plant covered surface of the wall.
“Yes.” The voice replied timidly. “I’m still here.”
A smile crossed Yunho’s face and he turned to lean against the wall. “Why did you stop singing? Your voice is lovely.”
“I don’t have any more songs to sing.”
Laughter slipped past Yunho’s lips, and the other man smiled in the darkness. Yunho leaned his head against the wall and crossed his arms. “Is that so?” There was no reply, so he decided to keep speaking, “Why are you singing out here in the cold and in the dark?”
“I don’t think I owe you any answers.” The voice replied stubbornly. “Let me do what I want.”
Yunho chuckled, “I was just asking an honest question.” He sat down on the grass next to the wall and brought his knees close to his chest. “It’s not every day that I meet someone with such a beautiful voice.”
“Why do you keep complimenting my voice? What do you want?”
“I just want to hear you sing again.” Yunho answered honestly, the words tumbling easily from his mouth. “Your voice reminds me of home and better times. Is it so wrong that I’d like to keep listening to it?”
Once more, there was silence from the other end of the wall. Yunho plucked blades of grass off the ground and waited for there to be an answer. He was sure that the other person was still there and hadn’t left.
“What should I sing?”
“I don’t know.” Yunho paused, “What do you like to sing? Anything would be okay for me. I’m not picky at all.”
“Well -“
Before the other person could continue what he was saying, a loud clear voice rang over his soft tone.
“What are you doing outside? Get back inside!”
Yunho stood up and looked around, only to realize that whoever had shouted was referring to the person on the other side of the wall. He pressed close to the wall and asked, “Will you be here tomorrow night?”
“I don’t know, why?”
“I want to hear you sing again my nightingale.”
“Your what?” the other person asked timidly, “What did you call me?”
“I called you my nightingale, because I love your voice…and isn’t it more romantic that way?” Yunho questioned lightheartedly, a smile crossing his face. “Are you blushing?”
“Of course not, I’ve heard better compliments.” The person replied quickly, “I’m not flattered at all, and I’m not even close to blushing -“
“I told you to get back inside!” the strict voice commanded, “It’s cold out!”
“You’ve wasted my time.” The person on the other side of the wall hissed finally, and Yunho waited for a few seconds until he heard the vague sound of a door being slammed shut.
A smile crossed his face, and Yunho continued his patrol, whistling the song that had gotten stuck in his mind.
o-o-o
The next evening, Yunho resumed his patrol with more enthusiasm. He walked from the military camp faster than usual and made his way to the house where his ‘nightingale’ lived. He approached the house in the distant corner of the small town and stopped in front of the wall.
No one was singing.
Yunho frowned slightly and decided to take his chances and to do something bold.
“Nightingale?”
There were a few brief seconds of silence before a muffled and irritated reply came from the other side of the wall. “Don’t call me that.”
Yunho’s lips immediately curved into a smile and he took a step closer to the wall, his eyes focused at the highest point of the structure. “Unless you tell me your real name, I’ll keep calling you that.” He chuckled and crossed his arms, “So, why weren’t you singing?”
“I was waiting. I didn’t want to run out of songs for my only listener.”
Yunho laughed and sat down, his back against the wall. He leaned his head against the hard surface and looked up at the night sky, “Does my little nightingale have a crush on me already?”
“No, of course not! I expect to be paid after this. Toss your payment over the wall please.”
Yunho stood up and looked around, trying to find something to pay the other person with. He wasn’t going to pay with money, but he was going to send something else over the wall instead. He searched in the darkness and caught sight of a white flower growing near the edge of the wall. Yunho plucked it and walked back to where he originally was.
“Where are you?”
“What do you mean?” the other person asked, “I’m here.”
Yunho neared the area where he heard the voice the loudest and tossed the flower over the edge of the wall. “There’s my payment.” He said with a laugh as he waited expectantly for the other person to reply.
Instead of a verbal answer, the first thing he got was a rock to the head. Yunho yelped in surprise and massaged the sore spot on his head, and it wasn’t soon after that the person on the other side of the wall spoke.
“There’s your change.”
o-o-o
Yunho smiled happily against the wall, and as the song came to an end, he stood up. He glanced back at the wall, “Is that all for the night?” he questioned, “It’s quite late by now, and you probably need to sleep soon and I should go.”
“…will you keep coming back?” the person questioned timidly.
“Do you want me to?” Yunho questioned.
“I don’t know.”
Yunho chuckled and replied, “Of course I’ll keep coming back. As long as you keep singing for me, then I will return to you every evening.” He walked over back to the bush where he’d taken a flower earlier and plucked another one before he returned to his former spot.
“Goodnight, dear one.” Yunho murmured as he tossed the flower carefully over the wall that separated them. “Sweet dreams.”
There was a silence, and Yunho waited, wondering if the other man had received his little token of affection. Once again, he did not have to wait long for a reply.
“Goodnight.” His nightingale replied, “Sleep well.”
“The memory of your voice is my lullaby.” Yunho replied affectionately before he turned away from the house and resumed his patrol. While he lost a few hours of sleep due to his visit to the mysterious singer, never did he regret it.
The voice of his lovely nightingale was sweeter than any dream he could make in sleep.
o-o-o
Yunho was a good and honest man on all accounts. While he knew other soldiers liked to spend their time indulging in more sinful activities as they were away from home or to slack off and laze around, he fulfilled his duties as best as he could and kept true to his morals. He was a truthful person, and never once did he lie to himself.
So as he returned to his mysterious singer’s house each night, he knew he did it not just because he enjoyed the other man’s voice. Yunho knew that he also did it because of his growing attraction to the singer.
As he listened to the other man’s songs each night, Yunho relaxed and longed for the home he’d left behind. Never once did he interrupt his nightingale while he sang, and he always paid handsomely in compliments.
He didn’t expect anything more from the singer than the time they spent together during his evening patrols - their relationship would remain as it was until he was shipped off to his next station. As much as Yunho wanted more, the other man seemed reluctant to pursue deepening their relationship.
Yunho furrowed his brows and stared at the grass, too caught up in his thoughts to realize that his nightingale had stopped singing.
“Are you asleep?”
Yunho blinked and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I’m stuck in my thoughts.” He chuckled to ease away any tension, “I wasn’t really listening.”
“It’s okay.” The singer replied. “I…I have something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?” Yunho asked as he stretched out his long limbs in order to ease the slight ache he was feeling from being seated for too long. “Feel free to ask me anything.”
“What’s your name?”
Yunho was taken aback by the question and was surprised by the fact that the singer wanted to know more about him. He glanced back at the wall, and although there was nothing there aside from the usual structure, he felt like his nightingale was close by.
“It’s Yunho…Jung Yunho.” He replied, “Would you mind if I asked for your name?”
“Kim Jaejoong.”
Yunho smiled and leaned against the wall, “It’s a nice name.” he repeated it in the darkness and his grin stretched further. “I’ll still call you nightingale every once in a while though.”
“I don’t want you to call me that.”
Yunho could imagine a pout on the other man’s face, and all he could do was laugh in response. “I’m sorry. I enjoy calling you nightingale too much to stop.”
“Fine.” Jaejoong huffed, “Well, would you mind if I asked you another question then?”
“Go ahead, I don’t mind.”
“Why are you always out so late at night?” Jaejoong asked, “My neighbors are mostly all old people, and you don’t sound old. I don’t think it’d be normal for someone to just wander around so late at night for no reason.”
“Well, I’m on patrol -“
“So you’re a soldier.” Jaejoong cut in with an obvious tone of disapproval in his voice as he spoke.
Yunho flinched. He knew that soldiers did not have the best reputation in the town. They were known to be lax, flirtatious drunks. While he was one of the few good men in the group stationed at the small town, the acts of a few bad men were enough to sully the good reputation of others.
“It’s not like that.” Yunho muttered as a breeze of wind blew against his face and chilled his cheeks. “Don’t think badly of me. I’m not here by choice. There was a shortage of soldiers, and so I was forced to enlist.”
“So…if you had the choice, what would you rather be doing?”
Yunho thought for a second before he smiled. “I’d be working on my farm and taking care of my family.” He chuckled, “You don’t think of that as a stupid dream, do you?”
“It sounds like a good dream.” Jaejoong replied softly. “It’s an honest, simple dream for a wonderful person like you.”
“Well -“
“Jung!”
Yunho stood up straight and watched as his captain approached him. He walked away from the wall, and as he met the older man halfway, he could feel something else was coming aside from the usual scolding.
“What do you think you were doing?”
“I was just resting sir -“
“Resting?”
Before Yunho could reply, he was quickly struck in the face by his superior. Yunho stumbled to his knees, and the older man kicked him when he was on the ground.
“What do you think you’re doing?” the older man slurred, “Get back to your patrol!”
Yunho watched as the older man hobbled away drunkenly and shook his head. He’d been careless and had forgotten that the captain would be out on that night. Yunho sighed and walked back to the wall.
“Did you hear that?”
“Are you okay?” Jaejoong whispered. “Are you bleeding?”
Yunho checked his injuries in the darkness, “No, I’m okay.” He pressed a sore spot on his cheek and winced. He began to move away and glanced back at the wall, “I should go now -“
“Wait.”
Yunho paused and he watched as a basket was dropped down. He picked up the things and noticed the medical supplies that were in it. A smile graced his face as he picked out the bandages. “Thank you.”
“Don’t stay so long next time.” Jaejoong murmured from the other side, “I don’t want you getting into trouble because of me.”
Yunho applied the balm to his cheek and replied, “I like spending time with you though.”
Jaejoong was silent for a few minutes, and Yunho made use of that time to bandage up his bruised cheek. He glanced at the wall after he was done tending to his injuries, “Jaejoong? Did I say something -“
“I like spending time with you too…but please, don’t stay so long next time.” The other man pleaded softly, “I don’t want your superior to get mad at you again. I wouldn’t want him to have you transferred, so please, don’t linger for too long?”
“I won’t.” Yunho promised as he stretched upward and placed the basket of medical supplies at the top the gate. “I don’t want to be parted from you.” He took a step back away from the wall and his heart clenched in his chest.
His eyes stared intently at the wall that blocked Jaejoong out of sight, and he sighed softly to himself before he walked away.
One day, he would see Jaejoong.
o-o-o
His curiosity was killing him.
He had to see Jaejoong.
Yunho leaned against the wall of the nearby house and narrowed his eyes as yet another woman exited the home. He crossed his arms and tried to make sense of it all, but really, he could not understand a thing.
Not once had a young man stepped out of the house. There was no way that Jaejoong could be an elderly gentleman, so he eyed the entrance of the grand home warily.
He did have one fear amidst all his confusion.
Was Jaejoong married?
o-o-o
Yunho was unusually silent as Jaejoong sang, and as soon as the latter finished his third song, he promptly asked Yunho about what was wrong. Yunho let out a sigh and leaned back against the wall’s hard surface.
“Are you married?”
“What?” Jaejoong questioned, obviously surprised. “What made you think that?”
“I…” Yunho faltered, “I visited your house, and I stood outside for most of the day, and no one that I expected to look like you went out.”
“Do you need to see my face? Why are you so curious?”
“I just want to put a face to the voice. Is that too much to ask for?”
Jaejoong was silent for a moment, and as Yunho was about to apologize for his boldness and lack of respect, he heard the other man reply.
“You could look over the wall.”
Yunho paused and glanced up at the tallest point of the border between them. “Should I climb over all the way, or…?”
“Just look over it!” Jaejoong replied persistently.
Yunho chuckled. He found purchase on the wall and climbed up slowly. As soon as he reached the highest point, he gripped the top and looked around the expanse. There was no one, and he could see hardly anything aside from a large tree and a small pond.
“Jaejoong -“
A rock hit him on the arm, and he nearly slipped in surprise. Yunho turned his attention in the direction where it came from, and he finally caught sight of a dark figure seated underneath the large tree.
“Close your eyes!” Jaejoong ordered, “Or I won’t come out.”
“I’m getting tired.” Yunho whined, a childish grin on his face. “I won’t be able to stay up here for much longer -“
“Close your eyes then!”
Yunho chuckled and complied, his eyes immediately fluttering shut. He waited for Jaejoong patiently, and he could vaguely hear the sound of grass crunching underneath footsteps. He fought with his desire to open his eyes, but no, he should follow Jaejoong’s demand.
“Jae -“
His words were cut off by lips against his own. Yunho’s eyes snapped open, and for the first time, he finally saw Jaejoong.
Jaejoong was beautiful.
Yunho quickly reached forward and pulled Jaejoong closer, determined to deepen their kiss despite the awkwardness of it all. His free hand carded through the inky strands of Jaejoong’s hair, and he could feel Jaejoong clutch onto him.
In his desire to get closer, Yunho forgot about the importance of being balanced. His foot slipped, and he fell back down onto the ground. Instead of Jaejoong’s beautiful face, his eyes viewed the starry night sky.
Jaejoong’s head poked out, and he laughed. “Will I see you tomorrow?” he questioned, his voice melodious and playful.
“Of course.” Yunho replied breathlessly, the wind knocked out of him by his fall.
“Are you hurt?”
Yunho sat up, “I’m fine.”
“Goodnight.” Jaejoong murmured shyly. “I have to -“
“Don’t I get another kiss?”
The beautiful man shook his head and chuckled, “No - maybe tomorrow night,” was his reply before he disappeared once again.
Yunho lay back down onto the grass and sighed contentedly.
He was looking forward to tomorrow’s patrol.
o-o-o
The next night, Yunho’s heart was heavy. Every step seemed like a burden, and he didn’t know how he could speak to Jaejoong. His news was anything but good, and he wanted nothing more than to pretend like he didn’t know what would happen to him in a few weeks.
“More men are needed out in the frontline. You will be sent out in two weeks.”
His heart ached in his chest, and as he approached the wall, the pain only got worse. Yunho reached out and pressed his palms against the hard surface, his eyes turned upwards.
“Jaejoong?” he called out, his voice desperate.
There was no response.
He called out again - and once again, his answer was silence.
He stayed by Jaejoong’s house the entire night.
Jaejoong never replied.
o-o-o
It was his last night.
Yunho didn’t know what to do, and he felt like crying as he neared Jaejoong’s home. Nothing could soothe the ache he felt in his chest, and as he drew closer, it was like grief had taken hold of him completely.
It was silent as usual, and Yunho rested his forehead against the wall. He clenched his fists and was about to turn away when he heard it.
Jaejoong was singing.
Before he could even think of calling out to Jaejoong, Yunho quickly scrambled over the wall and reached the other side. He fell onto the grass with a soft thump, and his eyes darted in every direction, determined to find Jaejoong.
He found his beautiful muse seated by the pond, and Yunho ran over to him.
It was only when they were centimeters apart that Yunho noticed the wetness that streaked down Jaejoong’s face. He cupped Jaejoong’s cheeks and wiped the tears away, but Jaejoong wouldn’t stop crying.
“What happened to you?” Yunho whispered after he’d pressed a kiss to Jaejoong’s lips. He ran his hands through the other man’s hair, “Please, Jaejoong, speak to me.”
Jaejoong buried his face into Yunho’s shoulder, and Yunho held the smaller man close. His heart twisted in his chest, and he finally realized what Jaejoong was crying about.
Jaejoong knew.
“I’m sorry, I’ll come back to you.” Yunho murmured as he tried to comfort Jaejoong. His hands ran all over Jaejoong’s body in a soothing gesture, “Please don’t cry my love. I promise to come back to you.”
Jaejoong cried harder, and Yunho was at a loss. He pulled away from Jaejoong and made the other man look at him, “My love, what’s wrong?”
“I won’t be able to see you again.”
Yunho stared at Jaejoong in confusion, “What do you mean? I’ll come back, I promise -“
“I’m dying.”
More tears streamed from Jaejoong’s eyes, and he moved away from Yunho’s gentle hands. He made move to stand up, but Yunho wrapped his hand around Jaejoong’s wrist and prevented the other man from walking away.
Jaejoong bit his lip, “Even if you come back, I won’t be here.” The other man choked out, his voice tight with emotion. “I’m sick. It’s why I can never leave the house, and it’s why I only go out at night…and the reason I sing, it’s because I’m going to lose my voice soon.”
A sudden fit of coughs seized Jaejoong, and Yunho took hold of the other man before he crumpled onto the ground. Jaejoong wripped Yunho’s arms tightly and stared at him with watery eyes, “I’m sorry Yunho.”
Yunho captured Jaejoong’s lips in a kiss once more, a kiss filed with desperation, urgency and passion. He could feel Jaejoong’s grip on him tighten, and it wasn’t long before tears were falling from his own eyes as well.
Jaejoong pulled away and smoothened back Yunho’s hair, “You should -“
“Jaejoong!”
A woman stared disapprovingly at them from the darkness, and her eyes found Yunho’s immediately. Her gaze was hard and she shook her head at him, “You have to go. Jaejoong should be back in bed -“
“Sister, please -“
“Ten minutes.” Yunho whispered pleadingly, “I leave for the frontlines tomorrow. Please, just give me more time with him.”
“Five minutes, and no more.” Jaejoong’s sister replied before she turned away and disappeared back inside the house.
Yunho turned his attention back to Jaejoong and he cupped the other man’s face.
“Wait for me.” He pleaded, “I’ll come back -“
Jaejoong’s eyes turned away and he bit his lip hard, “I, I don’t know if I’ll be able to -“ his watery brown eyes met Yunho’s, and he ran his fingers through Yunho’s hair, “I love you…but I can’t promise you anything.”
“Jaejoong -“
“I’ve never loved anyone more than I love you.” Jaejoong whispered, “If I am dead before you come back, please live your dream. You deserve a family, and you deserve all the happiness in the world. You’ve made me happier than -“
Yunho silenced him with a kiss, and when their eyes met once more, Yunho’s gaze was filled with determination. “We’ll be happy together.” He held onto Jaejoong tightly, “We will see one another again, okay?”
Jaejoong swallowed hard, “Okay.”
“Do you believe in me?” Yunho asked.
Jaejoong nodded, and Yunho pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I love you. I will come back.” He murmured before he noticed that Jaejoong’s sister had returned. He stood up slowly and turned away from Jaejoong, but just as he was about to climb over the wall, he turned back to look at Jaejoong.
They would see each other again.
o-o-o
Death made him cling to life more. Every night, he would lie down in his makeshift bed and dream of Jaejoong. Sometimes in his dreams, Jaejoong was dead by the time he returned. In his other dreams, Jaejoong was alive and well. He cherished the good dreams, and he did his best to forget the tragic ones.
It would not be long before the war was over. Victory was within their grasp, and Yunho knew it would only be days before the other side formally withdrew their advances.
The flap of the tent was pulled open, and Yunho sat up. A mousy looking man walked up to the soldiers and handed them letters. Yunho watched the man for a few minutes, and after realizing that he would receive none, Yunho lied back down.
As he was about to drift off to sleep, the mousy man nudged him and dropped a package next to his face.
Yunho thanked the man quickly and ripped open the package. Several letters fell out, and in his rush, Yunho opened them all carelessly.
All of them were from Jaejoong.
It’s a bit hard to breathe lately, but I’ve been taking new medicine.
He set that letter away, and picked up another.
I miss you so much it hurts. I hear all is good on the frontlines, and as more news comes in, I become all the more hopeful that you shall return.
On the other hand…I am not doing so well. I can barely speak, and even now, my hand shakes as I write. They tell me the new medicine is not working. The doctors have gone to search for new medicine, but even my family seems doubtful that they will work.
Yunho dropped that letter and found one letter beneath all the others. The lines of Jaejoong’s text were shaky, and he gripped it tightly as his eyes watered.
I think…this will be the last letter I shall write to you. Every movement is a huge task, and I hardly leave my bed anymore. My bones feel brittle, and I am scared to fall asleep because I fear I shall never wake up and see you again.
In a way though, I feel relief. Maybe all this pain will end, but then I remember that I am leaving you, and that I will leave you alone. I don’t want to leave you alone my love, but perhaps fate has a different plan for us.
Please remember, that every song, I sang for you, that every breath, I breathed for you, and that every minute, I longed for you. This separation is only temporary. I am sure that we will meet each other in our next lives.
Every day, I am thankful for you and for my family, and I promise to never stop fighting this terrible disease. I am tired, but I shall never give up.
I love you, Yunho. Although my body dies, know that my love for you will not.
o-o-o
The moment he was discharged, Yunho headed to Jaejoong’s town. He couldn’t think of much else aside from his lover, and he couldn’t bring himself to think about the possibility that Jaejoong had passed away in his absence.
It was late at night when he reached the town, and Yunho practically ran all the way to Jaejoong’s home. He reached the familiar wall of the garden with an aching heart and shaking legs.
Yunho didn’t know what else to do to signal his return, so he shouted Jaejoong’s name to the darkness.
There was no reply.
A sob burst forth from his lips, and Yunho’s hands balled into fists as he crumpled against the wall. He called for Jaejoong desperately as his heart throbbed and as his mind finally came to the conclusion that he’d dreaded.
Jaejoong was dead.
“Don’t make me sing for you,” Yunho sobbed as he banged his fists against the hard surface of the wall, “Please, I’ll never be able to sing as well as you.”
Despite his pleas, there was no reply. He received no answer, and only silence greeted him in the darkness of the night. As time slipped by, Yunho finally managed to gain some control over himself.
He picked himself up shakily and stared hard at the wall, allowing himself a few more minutes to hope for Jaejoong’s arrival. His hopes were crushed as no voice was heard, and Yunho finally turned away from the wall.
He walked in a trance and was totally consumed by his grief. He couldn’t take in any details of the town as he walked aimlessly, and he couldn’t hear anything aside from the painful the silence that had been the greeting to his return.
In fact, he was so filled with despair that he hadn’t heard approaching footsteps.
“Yunho?”
Yunho froze, and he heard his name repeated once more. His heart quickened in pace and he turned around to see who was calling him.
“I knew it was you.” Jaejoong whispered before he ran and threw himself at Yunho, burying himself in the latter’s embrace. “I knew it was you.”
Yunho couldn’t bring himself to speak and instead chose to kiss Jaejoong, clutching at him desperately and praying that it wasn’t all a dream. He kissed Jaejoong passionately and held him close, determined to never let go of him again.
Jaejoong pushed him away and spoke breathlessly, “Not too much,” he murmured, “I’m still getting better. You can’t wear me out.”
Yunho smiled at Jaejoong through his tears and kissed him in a softer fashion, “I thought you were dead.” He murmured in between kisses, “I thought you had died.”
“I fought hard, for my life and for our love.” Jaejoong replied as he ran his hands through Yunho’s hair, “I couldn’t bear to leave you and my family. I needed to live for all of you.”
“Thank you.” Yunho whispered, to the heavens and to Jaejoong. “Thank you for living.”
Jaejoong smiled through his tears and kissed Yunho, “Thank you for giving me the strength to do so.” He pulled Yunho close, “Thank you for coming back.”
Yunho had no more words to speak, and instead he chose to kiss Jaejoong rather than to fumble with trying to form coherent sentences. He wanted to declare his love for Jaejoong over and over again, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to do so properly through words, so he chose to show his love through action.
Whether spoken or acted, Yunho was sure Jaejoong would understand that there was no one in the world that he would rather go back to. He’d found his soulmate in Jaejoong, and with him, he felt complete.
Nothing separated them anymore, and they would be free to live their lives blissfully, uninterrupted, and together.
Author’s Note: Oh dearest fairy unnir, I’m sorry for the lateness! D: I hope everyone enjoys this, and yeah. ^__^ I’m really working hard on updating my ongoing stories, so please be patient with that. :3 If you enjoyed the story, I would love to receive a comment! Thank you for reading, and I hope you all like it. ♥
Beta: minniesaranghae
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Angst, Humor, Historical
Summary: Together, they find their song.
An almost one month late birthday fic for yuki_3, who is a lovely fairy. ♥
Patrols were boring, uneventful, and unfortunately were his duty. Yunho sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he continued his way through the sleepy town. All he wanted to do was return to his rickety cot and sleep the rest of the night away - anything would be better than walking around in the darkness.
He wanted to go back home - back to the farm, back to the past, back to the home that he missed with all his heart.
As he rounded a corner, a noise in the usually silent street pulled him out of his thoughts instantly. Yunho glanced in the direction of the noise and slowly made his way in that direction; ready to incapacitate a drunk person if he met one.
However, instead of meeting a drunk person, he was greeted by a large wall covered with vines. He started at the wall for a few seconds, and just as he was about to leave, he heard the sound once more.
Someone was singing.
Yunho paused and listened to the voice, his eyes fluttering shut instinctively. The voice gripped his heart, and the sound was so enchanting that he couldn’t help but be drawn closer to where it was coming from.
He pressed against the wall to hear more, but the singing stopped.
It was like he was jolted back to reality, and Yunho took a step back. He glanced up at the height of the wall and let out a small sigh. He glanced at the deserted roads around him and decided that he could slow down his usual patrol pace for the night.
“Why did you stop?” Yunho asked boldly, his eyes focused up at the tallest point of the wall. He waited for a response, but none came, so he repeated his question.
His answer was a gust of wind.
“Maybe I’m crazy.” Yunho mumbled as he ran his hands through his hair. He adjusted his jacket and just as he was about to walk away, he couldn’t help but look back. There was nothing on the edge of the wall, and Yunho felt a slight pang of dismay.
He would’ve liked to hear the voice once more.
Just as he turned back and was about to resume his patrol, he heard a voice. Yunho whirled around instantly, and he approached the wall. “Are you there?” he questioned, his hands pressed against the plant covered surface of the wall.
“Yes.” The voice replied timidly. “I’m still here.”
A smile crossed Yunho’s face and he turned to lean against the wall. “Why did you stop singing? Your voice is lovely.”
“I don’t have any more songs to sing.”
Laughter slipped past Yunho’s lips, and the other man smiled in the darkness. Yunho leaned his head against the wall and crossed his arms. “Is that so?” There was no reply, so he decided to keep speaking, “Why are you singing out here in the cold and in the dark?”
“I don’t think I owe you any answers.” The voice replied stubbornly. “Let me do what I want.”
Yunho chuckled, “I was just asking an honest question.” He sat down on the grass next to the wall and brought his knees close to his chest. “It’s not every day that I meet someone with such a beautiful voice.”
“Why do you keep complimenting my voice? What do you want?”
“I just want to hear you sing again.” Yunho answered honestly, the words tumbling easily from his mouth. “Your voice reminds me of home and better times. Is it so wrong that I’d like to keep listening to it?”
Once more, there was silence from the other end of the wall. Yunho plucked blades of grass off the ground and waited for there to be an answer. He was sure that the other person was still there and hadn’t left.
“What should I sing?”
“I don’t know.” Yunho paused, “What do you like to sing? Anything would be okay for me. I’m not picky at all.”
“Well -“
Before the other person could continue what he was saying, a loud clear voice rang over his soft tone.
“What are you doing outside? Get back inside!”
Yunho stood up and looked around, only to realize that whoever had shouted was referring to the person on the other side of the wall. He pressed close to the wall and asked, “Will you be here tomorrow night?”
“I don’t know, why?”
“I want to hear you sing again my nightingale.”
“Your what?” the other person asked timidly, “What did you call me?”
“I called you my nightingale, because I love your voice…and isn’t it more romantic that way?” Yunho questioned lightheartedly, a smile crossing his face. “Are you blushing?”
“Of course not, I’ve heard better compliments.” The person replied quickly, “I’m not flattered at all, and I’m not even close to blushing -“
“I told you to get back inside!” the strict voice commanded, “It’s cold out!”
“You’ve wasted my time.” The person on the other side of the wall hissed finally, and Yunho waited for a few seconds until he heard the vague sound of a door being slammed shut.
A smile crossed his face, and Yunho continued his patrol, whistling the song that had gotten stuck in his mind.
o-o-o
The next evening, Yunho resumed his patrol with more enthusiasm. He walked from the military camp faster than usual and made his way to the house where his ‘nightingale’ lived. He approached the house in the distant corner of the small town and stopped in front of the wall.
No one was singing.
Yunho frowned slightly and decided to take his chances and to do something bold.
“Nightingale?”
There were a few brief seconds of silence before a muffled and irritated reply came from the other side of the wall. “Don’t call me that.”
Yunho’s lips immediately curved into a smile and he took a step closer to the wall, his eyes focused at the highest point of the structure. “Unless you tell me your real name, I’ll keep calling you that.” He chuckled and crossed his arms, “So, why weren’t you singing?”
“I was waiting. I didn’t want to run out of songs for my only listener.”
Yunho laughed and sat down, his back against the wall. He leaned his head against the hard surface and looked up at the night sky, “Does my little nightingale have a crush on me already?”
“No, of course not! I expect to be paid after this. Toss your payment over the wall please.”
Yunho stood up and looked around, trying to find something to pay the other person with. He wasn’t going to pay with money, but he was going to send something else over the wall instead. He searched in the darkness and caught sight of a white flower growing near the edge of the wall. Yunho plucked it and walked back to where he originally was.
“Where are you?”
“What do you mean?” the other person asked, “I’m here.”
Yunho neared the area where he heard the voice the loudest and tossed the flower over the edge of the wall. “There’s my payment.” He said with a laugh as he waited expectantly for the other person to reply.
Instead of a verbal answer, the first thing he got was a rock to the head. Yunho yelped in surprise and massaged the sore spot on his head, and it wasn’t soon after that the person on the other side of the wall spoke.
“There’s your change.”
o-o-o
Yunho smiled happily against the wall, and as the song came to an end, he stood up. He glanced back at the wall, “Is that all for the night?” he questioned, “It’s quite late by now, and you probably need to sleep soon and I should go.”
“…will you keep coming back?” the person questioned timidly.
“Do you want me to?” Yunho questioned.
“I don’t know.”
Yunho chuckled and replied, “Of course I’ll keep coming back. As long as you keep singing for me, then I will return to you every evening.” He walked over back to the bush where he’d taken a flower earlier and plucked another one before he returned to his former spot.
“Goodnight, dear one.” Yunho murmured as he tossed the flower carefully over the wall that separated them. “Sweet dreams.”
There was a silence, and Yunho waited, wondering if the other man had received his little token of affection. Once again, he did not have to wait long for a reply.
“Goodnight.” His nightingale replied, “Sleep well.”
“The memory of your voice is my lullaby.” Yunho replied affectionately before he turned away from the house and resumed his patrol. While he lost a few hours of sleep due to his visit to the mysterious singer, never did he regret it.
The voice of his lovely nightingale was sweeter than any dream he could make in sleep.
o-o-o
Yunho was a good and honest man on all accounts. While he knew other soldiers liked to spend their time indulging in more sinful activities as they were away from home or to slack off and laze around, he fulfilled his duties as best as he could and kept true to his morals. He was a truthful person, and never once did he lie to himself.
So as he returned to his mysterious singer’s house each night, he knew he did it not just because he enjoyed the other man’s voice. Yunho knew that he also did it because of his growing attraction to the singer.
As he listened to the other man’s songs each night, Yunho relaxed and longed for the home he’d left behind. Never once did he interrupt his nightingale while he sang, and he always paid handsomely in compliments.
He didn’t expect anything more from the singer than the time they spent together during his evening patrols - their relationship would remain as it was until he was shipped off to his next station. As much as Yunho wanted more, the other man seemed reluctant to pursue deepening their relationship.
Yunho furrowed his brows and stared at the grass, too caught up in his thoughts to realize that his nightingale had stopped singing.
“Are you asleep?”
Yunho blinked and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I’m stuck in my thoughts.” He chuckled to ease away any tension, “I wasn’t really listening.”
“It’s okay.” The singer replied. “I…I have something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?” Yunho asked as he stretched out his long limbs in order to ease the slight ache he was feeling from being seated for too long. “Feel free to ask me anything.”
“What’s your name?”
Yunho was taken aback by the question and was surprised by the fact that the singer wanted to know more about him. He glanced back at the wall, and although there was nothing there aside from the usual structure, he felt like his nightingale was close by.
“It’s Yunho…Jung Yunho.” He replied, “Would you mind if I asked for your name?”
“Kim Jaejoong.”
Yunho smiled and leaned against the wall, “It’s a nice name.” he repeated it in the darkness and his grin stretched further. “I’ll still call you nightingale every once in a while though.”
“I don’t want you to call me that.”
Yunho could imagine a pout on the other man’s face, and all he could do was laugh in response. “I’m sorry. I enjoy calling you nightingale too much to stop.”
“Fine.” Jaejoong huffed, “Well, would you mind if I asked you another question then?”
“Go ahead, I don’t mind.”
“Why are you always out so late at night?” Jaejoong asked, “My neighbors are mostly all old people, and you don’t sound old. I don’t think it’d be normal for someone to just wander around so late at night for no reason.”
“Well, I’m on patrol -“
“So you’re a soldier.” Jaejoong cut in with an obvious tone of disapproval in his voice as he spoke.
Yunho flinched. He knew that soldiers did not have the best reputation in the town. They were known to be lax, flirtatious drunks. While he was one of the few good men in the group stationed at the small town, the acts of a few bad men were enough to sully the good reputation of others.
“It’s not like that.” Yunho muttered as a breeze of wind blew against his face and chilled his cheeks. “Don’t think badly of me. I’m not here by choice. There was a shortage of soldiers, and so I was forced to enlist.”
“So…if you had the choice, what would you rather be doing?”
Yunho thought for a second before he smiled. “I’d be working on my farm and taking care of my family.” He chuckled, “You don’t think of that as a stupid dream, do you?”
“It sounds like a good dream.” Jaejoong replied softly. “It’s an honest, simple dream for a wonderful person like you.”
“Well -“
“Jung!”
Yunho stood up straight and watched as his captain approached him. He walked away from the wall, and as he met the older man halfway, he could feel something else was coming aside from the usual scolding.
“What do you think you were doing?”
“I was just resting sir -“
“Resting?”
Before Yunho could reply, he was quickly struck in the face by his superior. Yunho stumbled to his knees, and the older man kicked him when he was on the ground.
“What do you think you’re doing?” the older man slurred, “Get back to your patrol!”
Yunho watched as the older man hobbled away drunkenly and shook his head. He’d been careless and had forgotten that the captain would be out on that night. Yunho sighed and walked back to the wall.
“Did you hear that?”
“Are you okay?” Jaejoong whispered. “Are you bleeding?”
Yunho checked his injuries in the darkness, “No, I’m okay.” He pressed a sore spot on his cheek and winced. He began to move away and glanced back at the wall, “I should go now -“
“Wait.”
Yunho paused and he watched as a basket was dropped down. He picked up the things and noticed the medical supplies that were in it. A smile graced his face as he picked out the bandages. “Thank you.”
“Don’t stay so long next time.” Jaejoong murmured from the other side, “I don’t want you getting into trouble because of me.”
Yunho applied the balm to his cheek and replied, “I like spending time with you though.”
Jaejoong was silent for a few minutes, and Yunho made use of that time to bandage up his bruised cheek. He glanced at the wall after he was done tending to his injuries, “Jaejoong? Did I say something -“
“I like spending time with you too…but please, don’t stay so long next time.” The other man pleaded softly, “I don’t want your superior to get mad at you again. I wouldn’t want him to have you transferred, so please, don’t linger for too long?”
“I won’t.” Yunho promised as he stretched upward and placed the basket of medical supplies at the top the gate. “I don’t want to be parted from you.” He took a step back away from the wall and his heart clenched in his chest.
His eyes stared intently at the wall that blocked Jaejoong out of sight, and he sighed softly to himself before he walked away.
One day, he would see Jaejoong.
o-o-o
His curiosity was killing him.
He had to see Jaejoong.
Yunho leaned against the wall of the nearby house and narrowed his eyes as yet another woman exited the home. He crossed his arms and tried to make sense of it all, but really, he could not understand a thing.
Not once had a young man stepped out of the house. There was no way that Jaejoong could be an elderly gentleman, so he eyed the entrance of the grand home warily.
He did have one fear amidst all his confusion.
Was Jaejoong married?
o-o-o
Yunho was unusually silent as Jaejoong sang, and as soon as the latter finished his third song, he promptly asked Yunho about what was wrong. Yunho let out a sigh and leaned back against the wall’s hard surface.
“Are you married?”
“What?” Jaejoong questioned, obviously surprised. “What made you think that?”
“I…” Yunho faltered, “I visited your house, and I stood outside for most of the day, and no one that I expected to look like you went out.”
“Do you need to see my face? Why are you so curious?”
“I just want to put a face to the voice. Is that too much to ask for?”
Jaejoong was silent for a moment, and as Yunho was about to apologize for his boldness and lack of respect, he heard the other man reply.
“You could look over the wall.”
Yunho paused and glanced up at the tallest point of the border between them. “Should I climb over all the way, or…?”
“Just look over it!” Jaejoong replied persistently.
Yunho chuckled. He found purchase on the wall and climbed up slowly. As soon as he reached the highest point, he gripped the top and looked around the expanse. There was no one, and he could see hardly anything aside from a large tree and a small pond.
“Jaejoong -“
A rock hit him on the arm, and he nearly slipped in surprise. Yunho turned his attention in the direction where it came from, and he finally caught sight of a dark figure seated underneath the large tree.
“Close your eyes!” Jaejoong ordered, “Or I won’t come out.”
“I’m getting tired.” Yunho whined, a childish grin on his face. “I won’t be able to stay up here for much longer -“
“Close your eyes then!”
Yunho chuckled and complied, his eyes immediately fluttering shut. He waited for Jaejoong patiently, and he could vaguely hear the sound of grass crunching underneath footsteps. He fought with his desire to open his eyes, but no, he should follow Jaejoong’s demand.
“Jae -“
His words were cut off by lips against his own. Yunho’s eyes snapped open, and for the first time, he finally saw Jaejoong.
Jaejoong was beautiful.
Yunho quickly reached forward and pulled Jaejoong closer, determined to deepen their kiss despite the awkwardness of it all. His free hand carded through the inky strands of Jaejoong’s hair, and he could feel Jaejoong clutch onto him.
In his desire to get closer, Yunho forgot about the importance of being balanced. His foot slipped, and he fell back down onto the ground. Instead of Jaejoong’s beautiful face, his eyes viewed the starry night sky.
Jaejoong’s head poked out, and he laughed. “Will I see you tomorrow?” he questioned, his voice melodious and playful.
“Of course.” Yunho replied breathlessly, the wind knocked out of him by his fall.
“Are you hurt?”
Yunho sat up, “I’m fine.”
“Goodnight.” Jaejoong murmured shyly. “I have to -“
“Don’t I get another kiss?”
The beautiful man shook his head and chuckled, “No - maybe tomorrow night,” was his reply before he disappeared once again.
Yunho lay back down onto the grass and sighed contentedly.
He was looking forward to tomorrow’s patrol.
o-o-o
The next night, Yunho’s heart was heavy. Every step seemed like a burden, and he didn’t know how he could speak to Jaejoong. His news was anything but good, and he wanted nothing more than to pretend like he didn’t know what would happen to him in a few weeks.
“More men are needed out in the frontline. You will be sent out in two weeks.”
His heart ached in his chest, and as he approached the wall, the pain only got worse. Yunho reached out and pressed his palms against the hard surface, his eyes turned upwards.
“Jaejoong?” he called out, his voice desperate.
There was no response.
He called out again - and once again, his answer was silence.
He stayed by Jaejoong’s house the entire night.
Jaejoong never replied.
o-o-o
It was his last night.
Yunho didn’t know what to do, and he felt like crying as he neared Jaejoong’s home. Nothing could soothe the ache he felt in his chest, and as he drew closer, it was like grief had taken hold of him completely.
It was silent as usual, and Yunho rested his forehead against the wall. He clenched his fists and was about to turn away when he heard it.
Jaejoong was singing.
Before he could even think of calling out to Jaejoong, Yunho quickly scrambled over the wall and reached the other side. He fell onto the grass with a soft thump, and his eyes darted in every direction, determined to find Jaejoong.
He found his beautiful muse seated by the pond, and Yunho ran over to him.
It was only when they were centimeters apart that Yunho noticed the wetness that streaked down Jaejoong’s face. He cupped Jaejoong’s cheeks and wiped the tears away, but Jaejoong wouldn’t stop crying.
“What happened to you?” Yunho whispered after he’d pressed a kiss to Jaejoong’s lips. He ran his hands through the other man’s hair, “Please, Jaejoong, speak to me.”
Jaejoong buried his face into Yunho’s shoulder, and Yunho held the smaller man close. His heart twisted in his chest, and he finally realized what Jaejoong was crying about.
Jaejoong knew.
“I’m sorry, I’ll come back to you.” Yunho murmured as he tried to comfort Jaejoong. His hands ran all over Jaejoong’s body in a soothing gesture, “Please don’t cry my love. I promise to come back to you.”
Jaejoong cried harder, and Yunho was at a loss. He pulled away from Jaejoong and made the other man look at him, “My love, what’s wrong?”
“I won’t be able to see you again.”
Yunho stared at Jaejoong in confusion, “What do you mean? I’ll come back, I promise -“
“I’m dying.”
More tears streamed from Jaejoong’s eyes, and he moved away from Yunho’s gentle hands. He made move to stand up, but Yunho wrapped his hand around Jaejoong’s wrist and prevented the other man from walking away.
Jaejoong bit his lip, “Even if you come back, I won’t be here.” The other man choked out, his voice tight with emotion. “I’m sick. It’s why I can never leave the house, and it’s why I only go out at night…and the reason I sing, it’s because I’m going to lose my voice soon.”
A sudden fit of coughs seized Jaejoong, and Yunho took hold of the other man before he crumpled onto the ground. Jaejoong wripped Yunho’s arms tightly and stared at him with watery eyes, “I’m sorry Yunho.”
Yunho captured Jaejoong’s lips in a kiss once more, a kiss filed with desperation, urgency and passion. He could feel Jaejoong’s grip on him tighten, and it wasn’t long before tears were falling from his own eyes as well.
Jaejoong pulled away and smoothened back Yunho’s hair, “You should -“
“Jaejoong!”
A woman stared disapprovingly at them from the darkness, and her eyes found Yunho’s immediately. Her gaze was hard and she shook her head at him, “You have to go. Jaejoong should be back in bed -“
“Sister, please -“
“Ten minutes.” Yunho whispered pleadingly, “I leave for the frontlines tomorrow. Please, just give me more time with him.”
“Five minutes, and no more.” Jaejoong’s sister replied before she turned away and disappeared back inside the house.
Yunho turned his attention back to Jaejoong and he cupped the other man’s face.
“Wait for me.” He pleaded, “I’ll come back -“
Jaejoong’s eyes turned away and he bit his lip hard, “I, I don’t know if I’ll be able to -“ his watery brown eyes met Yunho’s, and he ran his fingers through Yunho’s hair, “I love you…but I can’t promise you anything.”
“Jaejoong -“
“I’ve never loved anyone more than I love you.” Jaejoong whispered, “If I am dead before you come back, please live your dream. You deserve a family, and you deserve all the happiness in the world. You’ve made me happier than -“
Yunho silenced him with a kiss, and when their eyes met once more, Yunho’s gaze was filled with determination. “We’ll be happy together.” He held onto Jaejoong tightly, “We will see one another again, okay?”
Jaejoong swallowed hard, “Okay.”
“Do you believe in me?” Yunho asked.
Jaejoong nodded, and Yunho pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I love you. I will come back.” He murmured before he noticed that Jaejoong’s sister had returned. He stood up slowly and turned away from Jaejoong, but just as he was about to climb over the wall, he turned back to look at Jaejoong.
They would see each other again.
o-o-o
Death made him cling to life more. Every night, he would lie down in his makeshift bed and dream of Jaejoong. Sometimes in his dreams, Jaejoong was dead by the time he returned. In his other dreams, Jaejoong was alive and well. He cherished the good dreams, and he did his best to forget the tragic ones.
It would not be long before the war was over. Victory was within their grasp, and Yunho knew it would only be days before the other side formally withdrew their advances.
The flap of the tent was pulled open, and Yunho sat up. A mousy looking man walked up to the soldiers and handed them letters. Yunho watched the man for a few minutes, and after realizing that he would receive none, Yunho lied back down.
As he was about to drift off to sleep, the mousy man nudged him and dropped a package next to his face.
Yunho thanked the man quickly and ripped open the package. Several letters fell out, and in his rush, Yunho opened them all carelessly.
All of them were from Jaejoong.
It’s a bit hard to breathe lately, but I’ve been taking new medicine.
He set that letter away, and picked up another.
I miss you so much it hurts. I hear all is good on the frontlines, and as more news comes in, I become all the more hopeful that you shall return.
On the other hand…I am not doing so well. I can barely speak, and even now, my hand shakes as I write. They tell me the new medicine is not working. The doctors have gone to search for new medicine, but even my family seems doubtful that they will work.
Yunho dropped that letter and found one letter beneath all the others. The lines of Jaejoong’s text were shaky, and he gripped it tightly as his eyes watered.
I think…this will be the last letter I shall write to you. Every movement is a huge task, and I hardly leave my bed anymore. My bones feel brittle, and I am scared to fall asleep because I fear I shall never wake up and see you again.
In a way though, I feel relief. Maybe all this pain will end, but then I remember that I am leaving you, and that I will leave you alone. I don’t want to leave you alone my love, but perhaps fate has a different plan for us.
Please remember, that every song, I sang for you, that every breath, I breathed for you, and that every minute, I longed for you. This separation is only temporary. I am sure that we will meet each other in our next lives.
Every day, I am thankful for you and for my family, and I promise to never stop fighting this terrible disease. I am tired, but I shall never give up.
I love you, Yunho. Although my body dies, know that my love for you will not.
o-o-o
The moment he was discharged, Yunho headed to Jaejoong’s town. He couldn’t think of much else aside from his lover, and he couldn’t bring himself to think about the possibility that Jaejoong had passed away in his absence.
It was late at night when he reached the town, and Yunho practically ran all the way to Jaejoong’s home. He reached the familiar wall of the garden with an aching heart and shaking legs.
Yunho didn’t know what else to do to signal his return, so he shouted Jaejoong’s name to the darkness.
There was no reply.
A sob burst forth from his lips, and Yunho’s hands balled into fists as he crumpled against the wall. He called for Jaejoong desperately as his heart throbbed and as his mind finally came to the conclusion that he’d dreaded.
Jaejoong was dead.
“Don’t make me sing for you,” Yunho sobbed as he banged his fists against the hard surface of the wall, “Please, I’ll never be able to sing as well as you.”
Despite his pleas, there was no reply. He received no answer, and only silence greeted him in the darkness of the night. As time slipped by, Yunho finally managed to gain some control over himself.
He picked himself up shakily and stared hard at the wall, allowing himself a few more minutes to hope for Jaejoong’s arrival. His hopes were crushed as no voice was heard, and Yunho finally turned away from the wall.
He walked in a trance and was totally consumed by his grief. He couldn’t take in any details of the town as he walked aimlessly, and he couldn’t hear anything aside from the painful the silence that had been the greeting to his return.
In fact, he was so filled with despair that he hadn’t heard approaching footsteps.
“Yunho?”
Yunho froze, and he heard his name repeated once more. His heart quickened in pace and he turned around to see who was calling him.
“I knew it was you.” Jaejoong whispered before he ran and threw himself at Yunho, burying himself in the latter’s embrace. “I knew it was you.”
Yunho couldn’t bring himself to speak and instead chose to kiss Jaejoong, clutching at him desperately and praying that it wasn’t all a dream. He kissed Jaejoong passionately and held him close, determined to never let go of him again.
Jaejoong pushed him away and spoke breathlessly, “Not too much,” he murmured, “I’m still getting better. You can’t wear me out.”
Yunho smiled at Jaejoong through his tears and kissed him in a softer fashion, “I thought you were dead.” He murmured in between kisses, “I thought you had died.”
“I fought hard, for my life and for our love.” Jaejoong replied as he ran his hands through Yunho’s hair, “I couldn’t bear to leave you and my family. I needed to live for all of you.”
“Thank you.” Yunho whispered, to the heavens and to Jaejoong. “Thank you for living.”
Jaejoong smiled through his tears and kissed Yunho, “Thank you for giving me the strength to do so.” He pulled Yunho close, “Thank you for coming back.”
Yunho had no more words to speak, and instead he chose to kiss Jaejoong rather than to fumble with trying to form coherent sentences. He wanted to declare his love for Jaejoong over and over again, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to do so properly through words, so he chose to show his love through action.
Whether spoken or acted, Yunho was sure Jaejoong would understand that there was no one in the world that he would rather go back to. He’d found his soulmate in Jaejoong, and with him, he felt complete.
Nothing separated them anymore, and they would be free to live their lives blissfully, uninterrupted, and together.
Author’s Note: Oh dearest fairy unnir, I’m sorry for the lateness! D: I hope everyone enjoys this, and yeah. ^__^ I’m really working hard on updating my ongoing stories, so please be patient with that. :3 If you enjoyed the story, I would love to receive a comment! Thank you for reading, and I hope you all like it. ♥