Pulsatilla | Chapter 6/? [Part One]

[love_cassiopeia]

Pulsatilla
Author: love_cassiopeia
Summary: A complete mess was what Jung Yunho became after his beloved wife’s death. Trapped in a permanent state of isolation and loneliness, Yunho summons his knowledge on biology in hopes of recreating his wife in the form of an artificial human. However, the experiment goes terribly wrong and instead creates a male who has all his wife’s looks and qualities, one who he eventually decides to name ‘Jaejoong.’ Coping with the idyllic memories Jaejoong brings back of his wife, Yunho tries his best not to fall in love with his creation, knowing that the love he brings along is not the real thing-or is it?
Rated: PG-13 - NC-17
Warning(s): NC-17 material, language
Genre: Romance/Angst
Pairing(s): YunJae
Chapter 6: Nocturne (Part One)

Definition: The Pulsatilla is a deciduous perennial flower native to Europe and Asia that grows in the leftover nutrients of a dead plant. It is usually grown to replace another plant. It is capable of curing diseases and may be used in remedies.

[Please leave your comments on part 2 of the chapter. I've disabled the comments on part 1]





N o c t u r n e

*

The pale-complexioned boy stared upon the mirror in awe as he tightened the bowtie around his neck and adjusted the collar of his ivory white linen shirt. His eyes couldn’t stop moving up and down, awfully captivated by his reflection that stood several inches before him in the glass. He placed a dark suit over his white shirt and fastened the buttons. The dark shade of the suit and bowtie contrasted his silky pale skin, giving whoever was gazing at the boy a generous feast for the visuals. His eyes scanned from his slim waist to his long legs, realizing just how much the formal suit had flattered him.

It was a cloudless Friday evening, or as Jaejoong would have it-the night of concert for the charity downtown. Considering he didn’t purchase any formal apparel during his whimsical shopping trip nearly a week ago, he was forced to ask Yunho a favour, requesting him for a suit which he could wear to present himself in before the large audience at the concert. Yunho handed over one of his most formal suits without protest, intending to wish Jaejoong all the luck he would need as he went onto the magical yet somewhat nerve-wracking stage that night. But to be honest, Yunho was just dying to see how alluring Jaejoong would look in a dark, sensual evening suit.

Studying his reflection in the mirror, Jaejoong felt quite satisfied with the results. He wanted Yunho to be just as amazed when he laid his eyes on him-for he always wanted to appear beautiful before his creator, just as his creator had always appeared attractive in front of him. He wanted to know that he could live up to his standards; such a thing was all that mattered for the time being.

A couple of knocks on the bedroom door alerted Jaejoong as he smoothed out the last few wrinkles in the linen shirt. Ecstatic, Jaejoong uttered a cheeky “come in,” awfully curious to see Yunho’s reaction as he saw him in such a pleasant suit.

The door opened instantly. “Jaejoong, I hate to break it to you but-”

Halting both in his casual speech and his rash footsteps, Yunho’s eyes moved up and down instantly, ogling at Jaejoong’s enthralling appearance and at the supple figure the suit put on display. He was breath-taken, this time not by how beautiful or feminine Jaejoong looked, but by how handsome he looked.

Jaejoong was quite pleased with Yunho’s reaction, if he really had to admit it. “Did I put the suit on correctly?”

Yunho wanted to say yes, but a part of him was dying to lay if only a single finger on the stunning boy. “Actually, your bowtie seems to be a bit tilted.” He lied. “Let me fix it for you”

Approaching Jaejoong, the scientist wrapped his arms around his shoulders, allowing his fingers access to Jaejoong’s lithe neckline. He fixed the bowtie slightly-not because it was out of place-but because he loved the sensation of being pressed so closely against him. He smirked naughtily as he finished. “There you go.”

Jaejoong tilted his head in perplexity. “The positioning looks the same to me.”

“It’s the magic touch of Jung Yunho!” The scientist sang out as his excuse. “Besides, I’m the expert here; I know what looks best.”

“Whatever you say.”

Yunho couldn’t keep his prying eyes off Jaejoong, no matter how much he tried telling himself to stop gazing at like a complete pervert. Even after scanning him over for a lengthy few minutes, his eyes simply could not get enough. He wanted more of him. In fact, he wanted him so much that if he wasn't careful, he would've taken on an action for his desires.

“You look so suave tonight Jae, I’m even jealous.” Yunho couldn’t help but spill his thoughts.

“Suave, really? Why thank you. That’s quite the compliment.” Jaejoong replied in a childish tone. “I just can’t wait to see the audience's reactions as they see me play.”

To Jaejoong’s dismay, Yunho’s face immediately fell after his sentence concluded. “About that…” The biologist trailed off. “As much as I’d like to attend your concert… I’m afraid that I am unable to do so tonight.”

The lively atmosphere in the room was immediately soiled as soon as Yunho’s words were carried out. “You can’t? Didn’t you tell me days ago that you’d be able to attend?” Jaejoong asked. “Why? Is something the matter?”

Hearing the discontent in Jaejoong’s voice, Yunho anticipated that his answer wouldn’t seem too ridiculous. “No, Jaejoong, it's nothing really... It’s just, at the moment this bastard Lee JoongYoung and I are competing for an upcoming project the company has yet to offer us.” He elucidated. “If I receive the project and do well, there is most likely a chance for a promotion. So I’m afraid that I’ll have to visit the office tonight for a few more hours to work a bit more so I can ensure that the higher ups will choose me for the project.” Feeling a bit guilty, he hoped to offer Jaejoong the best apology he could offer him. “I’m sorry, I hope you’re not disappointed…”

The distraught expression upon Jaejoong’s countenance was instantly expunged as Yunho made his point crystal clear. “Don’t worry.” He responded. “I know how important this is to you, and it would be absolutely absurd of me to hold you from it. Besides,” he continued. “If you get a promotion, that means we will have more money to buy groceries with; which mean more gourmet meals for me to cook!”

Yunho gazed at the ceiling in deep consideration. “I guess we could look at it that way…”

“We will both benefit from the promotion, I’m certain.” Jaejoong noted, not a trace of misery in his voice. “But you will at least give me a ride to the concert hall, won’t you?”

“Of course,” the scientist agreed. “No need to worry about that.”

Grabbing a few documents and his laptop, Yunho led Jaejoong out of the penthouse and took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. Although Jaejoong didn’t seem to have a single problem with it, Yunho felt that he had brought a massive disappointment upon Jaejoong’s once lively emotions. He felt culpable; he was exceptionally irritated that Jaejoong’s big day was situated at such an inopportune date and time, yet he knew it was absolutely inhumane for him to not be there during Jaejoong’s most crucial event yet.

Despite if there were traces of despair on Jaejoong’s face or not, Yunho understood that deep down, Jaejoong’s hopes and wishes were mercilessly crushed.

As the two of them drove out of their apartment complex, Yunho couldn’t help but feel an uncomfortable tightening at his chest. It was as if the pain was acting as a constant warning, a sign, reminding of him of what a bastard he was being for exhilarating Jaejoong’s spirits and then ultimately, letting them plummet to the point where he didn’t have anything to look forward to anymore. It was cruel of him, not being at the concert to support Jaejoong during his minimal time in the limelight.

As the vehicle started approaching their destination, Yunho couldn’t impel himself to be at peace with his decision. Once he dropped Jaejoong off at the music hall, he would be alone once more, unaccompanied by the face and voice which had made him smile for the last couple of months.

But work was work and he didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity of winning the promotion which seemed to close to his grasp.

Arriving at the concert hall, Yunho parked the car at a nearby curb, wishing Jaejoong a needed ‘good luck’ and telling him to do his best. Once his words of encouragement came to an end, he was forced to watch Jaejoong leave the vehicle, his slender body striding away into the building, joined by no one. And then a small, somewhat insignificant question emerged in his mind: would Jaejoong be able to manage on his own without his accompaniment? After all, it was the first time Jaejoong was left alone in a public setting since the day he abandoned him at the nightclub.

So of course, he couldn’t help but feel worried. Jaejoong might’ve been wiser now about the dangers of the world, but the occasion of him bumping into trouble was inevitable. Besides, despite what he taught him, there were things he needed to learn by experience. And with an age less than a few months old, Jaejoong was bound to crash, burn, and make a substantial mistake.

He needed to make a decision. It was either work or Jaejoong. No matter how demoralizing it was, he had to choose one, not both.

The truth was, he didn’t want to be imprisoned inside a dark office, staring emotionlessly at meaningless charts and diagrams, trying to make the slightest bit of sense out of them. He wanted to be in there, with Jaejoong, letting the music surround him and cure him of the copious depression that had glued itself to him after Seulki's capricious death. To be honest, he thought the latter of the choices was much more appealing and enlivening.

The tough decision brought him back to the day his wife appallingly passed away. It was the same concept of work that drove her into the dangerous streets, presenting him with the repugnant yet vivid death of the person who completed him. It was that very night when he made the decision to choose work over love, to attempt to finish an endless pile of work instead of accompanying his wife during their fundamental anniversary together. If he was to go to work tonight, then he would be making the same mistake. It was true that Jaejoong was completely patient with him and refused to throw a tantrum. But eventually, he would become just as irritated as his wife, allowing him to walk down the same blood-tainted path.

Letting the thoughts sink into his mind, he was willing to do all that he possibly could to prevent himself from making such a foolish mistake once again.

“Jaejoong!” He called out, getting out of his vehicle. Fortunately, the boy had not gone too far-or even into the concert hall for that matter. He thanked fate for the favourable incidence, locking his car door and running fervently towards his creation.

Puzzled by the sound, the raven-haired male turned around and offered the scientist a forthcoming grin. “Yunho!” He called out. “Is something wrong?”

When Yunho’s run finally came to a conclusion and he reached Jaejoong, he was so relieved that he eagerly wrapped an arm around Jaejoong’s shoulders for support. “Nothing’s wrong.” He stated effortlessly. “I just decided… well, work can definitely wait.”

“Are you sure?” Jaejoong asked, fretful. “I know how important that promotion is to you.”

Yunho chuckled in glee. “Don’t worry Jaejoong, even if I don’t get that promotion, we will definitely have enough money to buy you more groceries to cook with and more pineapples to force down my throat.”

Jaejoong was confused by his partner’s words. “I thought it was pineorange.”

“God Jae, let’s not argue over this right now.” Yunho warned. “You have a show to perform in front of a massive audience. You don’t need to be thinking about a piece of fruit during your performance-knowing how clumsy you are, you might mess up!”

Jaejoong gave his creator a nudge in the ribs. “Hey, watch it. Playing the piano is the one thing I’m not afraid of. So if you want me to mess up, then you might as well wait until the day pigs fly.”

“Well, today’s going to be the day then!” Yunho bantered. “Just wait and see, Koreans won’t have any of their infamous barbeque anymore tomorrow because the pigs will fly away before they can hit the grill.”

“Right.” Jaejoong ignored Yunho’s farcical remark and entered the concert hall without delay. By his side Yunho stood, his hand still around the Jaejoong’s waist as if he was afraid to lose him.

The concert hall was colossal in size, but not very extravagant. Due to the fact that the event was to raise money for charity, the hall was decorated accordingly with a warm vibe. Groups after groups of people began to pour in, filling the empty seats one by one. For a moment, Yunho was fortunate that he had accompanied Jaejoong to the event, for Jaejoong would’ve easily gotten lost in the crowd if he was on his own. In his mind, there was a slight (perhaps ‘slight’ wasn’t the right adjective) obligation for him to protect the fragile boy from the hungry palms of the perilous world.

After a few minutes of searching, the two finally came face to face with the salesman they had met only a week ago, Kim Junsu. The store owner wore an amiable smile as the twosome approached him. It was relieving for Yunho, finding a familiar face within the sea of confusion. He knew Jaejoong felt the same.

“Ah, Jaejoong, you look absolutely dazzling tonight!” were the exact words that slipped from Junsu’s mouth as the two approached each other. “And Yunho…” He stared at Yunho’s causal t-shirt, shorts, flip-flops and tried to hold back his uncontrollable laugh. “Erm... You look very… comfortable tonight.”

Yunho scoffed in response. “Jaejoong’s suit was initially from my closet, thank you very much.” He announced. “So actually, I’m the one responsible for making him look so polished tonight.”

“Oh, so you borrowed the suit from Yunho, Jaejoong-sshi?”

He nodded to answer Junsu’s question. “Of course.” He clarified. “I always borrow clothes from Yunho’s wardrobe.”

Junsu seemed quite bewildered by Jaejoong’s words, as insignificant as they might’ve seemed to be. “Why, that means the two of you are quite close then, doesn’t it? The first time I saw the two of you, I would’ve sworn that judging by the closeness you have with each other that you were a married couple in disguise!” Junsu chuckled in amusement, having no idea what his words were igniting between the two.

“Yes… I guess you could look at it that way.” Yunho cut in, hoping to abolish the awkward atmosphere Junsu’s words had created. “We’re just really close friends, that’s all.”

“I see.” Junsu subconsciously gave Jaejoong a quick wink. “Well! Jaejoong, are you ready to perform?”

The boy agreed with a nod, a hopeful spark in his eyes. “Definitely.”

“All right then. This is my assistant HyukJae.” Junsu introduced a shorter male with bleached hair, not looking nearly half as polished as Junsu did that night. “He will lead you backstage and tell you of how the show is programmed-and of course to rehearse just once more with you to go over the small details, all right?”

"Yes, of course."

After waving a childlike goodbye to Yunho and offering Junsu a polite bow, Jaejoong left with HyunkJae, abandoning the loud hall and leaving Junsu and Yunho by themselves within the extensive room.

Without delay, the two attractive men seized two empty seats fairly close to the stage and rested upon them, waiting patiently for the show to begin. Seeing how talkative he was turning out to be, Yunho was quite frightened that Junsu would be eager to start a conversation concerning his personal life right out of the blue-which was just what he did.

“I’ve been waiting to ask you Yunho, what does Jaejoong do for a living?”

The question surfaced unexpectedly, catching Yunho off guard. “He uh… you know, stays home, does the laundry, cleans the house… makes dinner for me.” It was only after he saw Junsu’s dumbfounded expression when he finally noticed he had spoken the wrong words.

“He lives with you?”

Yunho had no choice but to agree after his thoughtless statement earlier. “Well… yeah. My apartment is too large for myself after all.”

“And he cooks dinner for you and does your laundry.”

The scientist was getting relatively furious, having his mind probed of the details of his strange, barely-blossoming relationship with Jaejoong. “The guy has nothing else to do!” was the only feasible answer Yunho could give out.

“So… his occupation is a housewife, huh?” Junsu was completely baffled. “Or should I say, your housewife.”

Yunho chuckled fretfully, trying to avoid Junsu’s prying questions, but failing miserably. “Um-I guess you could say that! But in the end, he’s just a really close friend of mine, really.” He emphasized the word ‘friend’ to a ridiculous extent, hoping such a statement would efface all of Junsu’s wild conjectures entirely.

“Oh, just admit it, will you?”

Yunho was bemused by Junsu’s sudden burst of words. “Admit what?”

The shopkeeper rolled his eyes and sighed sympathetically. “Oh Yunho. You had a hand around his waist tonight! Now what kind of ‘friend’ would do that?” Junsu shook his head. “Besides, I can see the way you eyed at him the entire time he was playing the piano at my shop. Admit it Yunho, you’re gay!”

The situation was beginning to feel utterly nonsensical to Yunho. For goodness’ sake, he had not even known Junsu for a few hours, and here he was, trying to figure out what his sexual orientation was!

“G-gay…? I-I’m not gay!”

“Right, right, you’re not gay.” Junsu agreed. “But you’re madly in love with Jaejoong.”

“Am not!”

“Oh Yunho, take it from an outsider. You might not recognize the things you do that prove your affection, but I can see it clearly.” He notified. “Trust me; mere friends do not act like this…”

Yunho was getting quite aggravated by the sardonic words that were flying out of Junsu’s sharp mouth, each one running into his mind, damaging its somewhat stable sanity. “And I suppose you’re an expert on relationships, psychology, and body language.” He accused. “For Christ’s sake Junsu, you’re the owner of a piano gallery!”

“So what?” Junsu counterattacked. “Some people just have the eyes for these kinds of things.”

“Yeah, keep wasting your breath, trying to convince me.” Yunho gave the shopkeeper a petulant glare. “But despite whether you have the ‘eye’ for this or not… you don’t have permission to go around determining who everybody has emotions for unless you’re a mind-reader!”

Junsu wagged his finger. “This is not mind-reading.” He denied. “It’s called knowing.”

“You don’t know a thing about me, Junsu.”

“I might not, but I know that Jaejoong means a lot to you.” He indicted. “Try denying it all you want, but the more you run away from the thought of it, the more apparent it is.”

Yunho’s thoughts halted. Was this really the case with him? If it wasn’t, then why on earth was he having such a hard time ignoring Jaejoong’s hauntingly beautiful gazes-not to mention his honey-like voice which was now all of a sudden starting to get to him?

“How do you know all of this, Junsu?”

He shrugged in return. “It’s from experience, I suppose.” He explained. “But look, Yunho, if you feel embarrassed, taking a liking to Jaejoong, don’t be. Homosexuals are relatively common nowadays in Seoul.”

“I’m not embarrassed, I just think that it’s downright wrong!” Yunho burst out without thinking, trying to contain himself but failing. “I mean, the guy is too enticing not to like! Just look at him! He’s the closest thing to perfection! Everything from his looks to his clumsy actions to his annoying habits-they’re just too endearing to ignore!”

Junsu lifted an eyebrow. “So you do feel something for him, after all.”

Yunho was astonished that Junsu had even forced his lips to disclose such deep thoughts. “I-I…”

“Oh Yunho, I get it. Now that you’ve said it all, you don’t need to try to deny your love for Jaejoong any longer.” The petite man responded. “I know everything now. No matter how much you try to cover it up with the whole ‘friend’ concept, everything will appear as a lie after your last statement about Jaejoong’s looks, clumsiness, and bad habits.”

There was nothing Yunho wanted more at the moment than to superglue Junsu’s lips together, or perhaps, to steal his voice away and offer it to a mute at a health facility somewhere. “You know what, Junsu? You’re the nosiest person I’ve ever met my entire life.”

“But I’m right, you have to admit that.”

Yunho folded his arms in aggravation, sighing in dismay. “I guess you are.” He acknowledged. “It’s just that... I don't know, Jaejoong reminds me of someone I used to love before all this happened.”

“Really.” It was mission accomplished for Junsu-finally having Yunho spill the beans. “An old girlfriend? Boyfriend?”

“A wife.”

Junsu was stunned by the scientist’s sudden remark. “You were married?”

Yunho nodded. “Once.” He admitted. “My wife Kim Seulki passed away eight months ago.” That was all he could divulge at the moment, for he knew that revealing the process of creating artificial life was perhaps just a little too bizarre for Junsu’s light-hearted mindset.

“I’m sorry to bring it up…” Junsu apologized. “I never thought a person like you could ever go through that. You seem so cheerful and contended with Jaejoong by your side.”

Yunho snorted. “See? There are some things that you can’t assume by just looking at a person’s body language!”

Ignoring the scientist’s words entirely, Junsu initiated his own inquiry. “How does Jaejoong compare to your wife? Do you feel guilty, seeing that he’s replaced her?”

“You’re wrong, Junsu. He can’t replace her. No one can.” Yunho answered icily. “But sometimes, I feel like I really need him, like without him, I could easily shatter and lose sense of direction in life completely.”

“I see, so he keeps the thought of the passing of your wife out of your mind-not to mention, he also keeps you sane.” Junsu indicated. “Yet, at the same time, he keeps reminding you of her.”

Yunho exhaled, shocked at how utterly absurd his situation was. “I guess you could say that.” He confessed. “It’s quite complicated… I’m surprised that a musician like you can actually figure out something so complex.”

“Hey, watch it.” Junsu defended. “Musicians are geniuses. They are just as wise as scientists.”

“I’m a scientist, thank you very much.”

“I’m wrong then. Musicians are even wiser than scientists.”

Yunho couldn’t tolerate Junsu’s sharp tongue any longer. “Whatever.”

“Is it busy, being a scientist?”

Yunho nodded in full accord. “Of course!” He revealed. “You know, just tonight, I was debating whether or not I should’ve come to Jaejoong’s performance due to some work I had to finish at the office.” He let himself speak his mind, feeling just a bit absurd. “But seeing how clumsy Jaejoong is, I gradually became a bit worried about him.”

“You’re worried about him?”

“I think that should be obvious by now.” He mentioned. “If anything were to happen to him, I wouldn’t know how to live on with myself.”

Junsu was tremendously taken aback by Yunho’s deep, momentous words that could’ve easily made an angel cry. He knew there was certainly something between Jaejoong and the scientist, but never had he imagined it would be as grave as what Yunho had described. Now, knowing everything he was allowed to know, Junsu comprehended there was an obligation for Yunho to protect Jaejoong from the world. Was there perhaps something that was so meaningful in their relationship that Yunho forgot to bring up?

Opening his mouth and planning to toss yet another question at Yunho, Junsu was interrupted by the curtains lifting off from the stage and the fading of the lights, indicating that the show was ready to begin. Deciding to end their solemn conversation right there and then, the two of them sat back in their seats, dropping the argument and planning to enjoy the show.

The first two performances were carried out by a local string quartet. They played proficiently-too proficiently in fact, that Yunho was uncertain whether Jaejoong would fit in with the show or not. Junsu watched the performances with glee, showing his paramount interest for music as he applauded enthusiastically at the end of every single performance. It was funny really, bringing an apathetic scientist and a sprightly musician under one roof, forcing them to sit next to each other, and ironically, having them learn from one another.

After the quartet, a local jazz band went onto the stage, playing quite adeptly as well. Not having much interest in music, Yunho nearly dozed off as the band played its number, only to be awoken by Junsu who told him it was exceptionally rude and irreverent to sleep during a concert-the shopkeeper had been lecturing him about nearly everything tonight, after all.

After the first four pieces concluded, Jaejoong was finally brought to the stage. To Yunho's content, Junsu had chosen a seat fairly close to the stage, ensuring that the two of them would see Jaejoong clearly. Using his ravenous eyes to scan over Jaejoong’s body, covered in the evening suit-and his lustrous eyes (of course, we mustn't forget about the lustrous eyes) Yunho was nearly ready to leap onto the stage to claim his lips in his.

But alas, he had to wait, for Jaejoong had a song to play at the moment. Damn it.

No matter how much he hated it, the scene of Jaejoong playing his song in the venue made him retrospect on the day he and his wife met. At times, the thought of that day was capable of sending daggers into his heart, and yet, he could not escape from such a blissful occurrence that was so far from his reach now. As Jaejoong’s song, Nocturne, by Frederick Chopin, reverberated throughout the hall, the scientist couldn’t help but picture Seulki in Jaejoong’s place, her long adroit fingers tapping on the many keys.

But no matter how much he reminisced of his history with Seulki, he couldn’t find a single nerve in his body that was capable of giving Jaejoong the same title. Seulki was his wife, and everything she did, along with every part of her, was gone.

It was just so strange, seeing Jaejoong bring back the enchanting memories so easily; it appeared that it was as if he was using magic.

As the song played on, Yunho tried to channel his attention to what was ahead of him-to Jaejoong. He wanted to pay attention to what was real, to what was at his fingertips instead of something so desirable and yet so unreachable. As he scrutinized Jaejoong, letting his song drift into his ears, Yunho did not want to think about Seulki. To be frank, he wanted to focus fully on Jaejoong and the beautiful melody that sprung from his open heart.

Jaejoong was the one tapping on the keys now, not Seulki. Jaejoong was the one who made his heart beat out of rhythm (strangely by executing another rhythm himself), not Seulki. And oddly, it was Jaejoong he desperately wanted right now, not Seulki.

How was this possible? It had only been a month ago that he detested this boy, classifying him as a mere ‘mistake’ in his cluttered mind. It was only months ago when he couldn’t stand staring into the boy’s marble eyes, but why the hell couldn’t he stop staring now?

Time changes everything, Yunho told himself as Jaejoong’s song ended. Or maybe it doesn’t change anything at all-especially emotions for a certain person, even if she passed away and was somehow replaced by another.

Taking a break from his inescapable thoughts that nearly made his brain erode, Yunho took the time to applaud Jaejoong for his performance, still marvelled at how beautifully he played. After all this time, lamenting and stressing over the death of his wife, Yunho finally felt at ease, being in the audience and offering Jaejoong his acclaim by applauding exuberantly.

As Jaejoong bowed and planned to walk off stage, their eyes met-if only for a mere second-sending a chill up his spine and making his heart feel as if it was ready to burst out of his ribcage.

After waiting patiently through a few more performances, Yunho was overjoyed to see that the concert had finally come to a conclusion. He felt fortunate for choosing the correct decision to come to the concert instead of the office. Everything about the event was so calming yet so superlatively vivacious at the same time (unless he counted in Junsu), and it felt utterly generous too, considering that the profit made by the concert were solely dedicated to those in need.

Jaejoong was elated as soon as soon as he met up once again with his creator and the garrulous shopkeeper. “Yunho, Junsu!” He called out from within the crowd. “See? I told you I wouldn’t mess up, Yunho! But I’m worried… would everyone have enough pork to eat after this?

Junsu was completely puzzled by Jaejoong’s spontaneous statement. “What the hell did this have to with pork?”

Yunho forced a fake smile onto his lips. “I-it’s a… long story.” He chuckled vociferously. “Too complicated to explain…”

Junsu nudged Yunho in the elbow. “Oh, no need to explain anything. I can see it all.”

Feeling intruded by the outlandish statements, Yunho and Jaejoong waved a goodbye to Junsu and HyukJae as the night sunk deeper into the sky. Although it had been a fantastic experience for Jaejoong, being on stage in front of hundreds of others, he was glad to finally be reunited with Yunho-to finally go home for the night.

Once the two were situated within the sedan with their seatbelts fastened on their waists, Jaejoong finally dug up the strength to ask Yunho a question that he had been waiting to ask all night.

Breaking the vapid silence in the vehicle, Jaejoong summoned the courage that had been dormant within him for so long. “Yunho… when you told Junsu at the beginning of the concert that the two of us were ‘mere friends,’ were you telling the truth?” Jaejoong’s voice was solid and demanding, making it even harder for Yunho to answer.

The scientist may have graduated from a prestigious university and worked a job that was as difficult as it was rewarding, but he simply could not find the knowledge within himself to answer such a significant question. For the first time in his entire life, he didn’t know the correct answer.

But what more would it do, ignoring the question? If he were to ignore it, the question would return time after time, striking him powerfully with the same predicament. If he was ever going to answer this question, he would answer it now.

“I lied.”

The two simple words made Jaejoong’s breath hitch in his throat and his head spin. Just what the hell does he mean, he 'lied?’ He asked himself.

“I know that I’ve been trying to deny it for a while, but…” Yunho began. “You’ve been much more than a friend to me. In fact, I feel I have a connection with you… something that not even friends share.”

Jaejoong was thrilled to see that Yunho’s opinion matched his own, but there was still something so equivocal about the way the scientist spoke. It was as if… he was crestfallen that the two of them were more than mere friends.

“Yunho… I-I don’t know what to think.” He spilled his thoughts immediately. “Is it… a yes or no for us?”

Yunho shook his head. “It’s okay Jae, I feel confused too.” He confessed. “But give this-or should I say, us-some time to figure this out. There’s no need to rush.”

The statement brought a permanent smile to Jaejoong’s lips and a certain warmth and comfort to settle within his rattling heart. And although nothing was complete now, he knew that someday, the two of them would be.

Yunho, on the other hand, was eager for the feeling of completeness-perhaps even more than Jaejoong. And although the love they created subconsciously between each other was entirely ephemeral, Yunho was ready to leap at the opportunity of finally making it solid.

It felt wrong, obviously, falling in love with something so alien and obscure, but with a shrug, Yunho asked himself “why not?” and urged himself to cherish every single moment of it.

Onto Part 2

Previous Chapters:

R é s u l t a t |  A l i é n é |  D é s o l é |  B a i g n o i r e | M u s i q u e | 


Want more? For a list of chapters and stories, please don’t hesitate to visit my fanfiction archive