[FIC] Puppy Love~ Ch 7
Title: Puppy Love
Pairings: Changmin/ fc
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff, Romance
Length: 8 chapters + epilogue
A/N: Told in fc's first person pov, occasionally Changmin's pov.
Summary: Changmin's busy with TVXQ activities and isn't able to devote as much time as he'd like to his lil-baby-girl Mandoongie. Until a chance encounter with his neighbor gets him thinking.
Chapter 7- Sudden revelations
So we continue like that for the next few weeks- me missing him during the days, then seeing him occasionally at nights, the weekends eternally ours.
But I had Mandoongie to help me through all of it. By the end of the month we had gotten used to the routine, had known each other’s houses inside out, the rooms, habits, expressions, everything.
That’s not to say we didn’t have anything interesting left to find out about one another. Every day I’d think of him and discover something new about him- whether a Naul CD, a hidden video game, or an old dusty photo album of childhood pictures.
The longing and missing him just fueled my desire to see him again. The same went for him, apparently. He’d call at least once a day, especially the days when he couldn’t come at night.
Then the second month came. July. It was mid-summer already. I loved the relationship, but I still had a question lurking at the back of my mind.
Where would all this go? I mean, I loved the guy, he was amazing and fun to be with, but I always had a lingering fear that this was all a summer fling to him.
Friends came to me crying in the past to be comforted; these memories stuck with me as this fear became cemented in my mind. I would love to continue the relationship to more than just the summer, but was he willing? Was he ready to? And what about after a year? Two years? Five? I shouldn’t be getting ahead of myself but, then what?
And we’ve shared everything between each other except the one thing he’s never told me about is his job. Merely that he’s in a company. I wonder why he doesn’t tell me? But I should let him tell me when the time comes and not let these lurking questions get in the way of our relationship.
Sooner or later, I’ll get my answer.
....and got it I did.
Late July. He comes crying. Well, not really crying, just silent, sad, and depressed. Says his work is sending him off to Japan for the first week of August, and then God knows when he’ll be back. Says he needs to go to Japan to complete his “company’s activities.” Whatever THAT means. I ask to send him off at the airport, he looks at me with sad eyes and shakes his head. I ask what this is all about. He says, “You’ll see....you’ll see.”
First week of August. Sitting in my living room with Mandoongie on my lap, flipping through channels. Come across a Japanese channel. No problem. Hm, seems like there’s the A-Nation celebration thing coming up. And there’s this artist called “Tohoshinki” that will be performing next. Eh.
I flip through the other channels, stopping at a random nature documentary and settle down to see the soothing trees and lakes, Mandoongie practically purring in relaxation on my lap.
Then at night, again I sit on the couch, flip through the tv. Again come across a Japanese channel by chance. This time it’s a weather channel talk show section. Mandoongie barks.
“What is it girl?” I ask, bending down to scoop her up into my lap again.
The day had been spent jogging around the neighborhood, going for a walk in the park, then giving Mandoongie a bath outside and playing for a while in the backyard, listening to CDs and singing.
She says nothing, merely pants at the television screen.
“Hm, silly girl, you want to watch this program?”
I ruffle her ears.
“Silly you don’t know Japanese you’re a born proud Korean doggie!”
I laugh but comply with the doggie’s wishes, hearing a Japanese “Welcome and now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, an exclusive ten minute interview with Tohoshinki!”
Hmph
I grin down at Mandoongie and ruffle her ears, just the way she likes it.
If it’s an exclusive interview, why is it only ten minutes? Oh, the irony of the media.
“One- two- three! Ohayo gozaimasu, Tohoshinki desu!”
“Ohayo~ ohayo~ ohayooooo~” I repeat in sing-song to Mandoongie, who’s closed her eyes from me scratching behind her ears. I bend down looking at the puppy, still half-listening to the channel.
“Minna san ohayo gozaimasu! Yunho desu!”
“Hai Jaejoong desu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!”
“Hajimemashite, Junsu desu!”
“Yoochun desu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!”
“Hai minna san, Changmin desu!”
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .my eyes slowly lift up from where I was looking at Mandoongie. My hands still.
Time freezes.
There, on screen, is Changmin, a very, very FAMILIAR-looking Changmin, smiling in shyness and clapping as the announcers continue introducing their program.
The Korean words at the bottom continue sliding along, translating what they were saying but my eyes remained glued on one figure and one figure only. Changmin? On international tv? As part of this...group? This...Tohoshinki?
I snap out of it and try to catch what they were saying. Something about just performing in A-nation and now shortly going to go rest. A few questions on how tight their schedules are, how tight their outfits are, how stressed they are, what they do to relax, things like that.
Mandoongie barks, a smile seemingly on her mouth as if immediately recognizing her owner.
“Mandoongie you. . .recognize Changmin?”
She barks again, looking from the tv screen which showed a moment’s close-up of Changmin to me, wagging her tail in response.
As the interview progresses, I reach over and clutch my phone in my hand. His number is the first one on my speed dial, just the touch of a button and I could contact him immediately.
. . .But I couldn’t. He probably had his phone closed anyway.
Just at that moment there was a section in the interview where the announcers were asking each member who was on their speed dial. They each had their cell phones open, flipping through them, talking and chatting. The last one was Changmin.
...next thing I know my fingers fly over the buttons and I send him a text. It was done. I set the phone down again, eyes glued to the screen, waiting for the sign.
I see him checking his phone, darting glances at it, his face still had the calm, reserved look. Just as one of the others was talking though, I see him look down and his face still as his smile falters. I knew then that he read my message. He slowly looks up to the camera, makes full eye-contact with it, knowing I was staring back at him through it.
“Changmin kun? What about you? Who is on your speed dial?”
He blinks, breaking the connection, and looks at the announcer. The others didn’t notice the stare he gave to the camera.
“On my speed dial? The first person? Ahh...”
I knew. I damn knew the answer.
But of course he couldn’t say it straight out.
“It is someone very close and special to me.”
He smiles warmly as the typical squeals and applause effect was added to heighten the appeal of what he just said.
“Eh, it’s probably one of the members” one of the others- Jaejung it says under his sitting figure- adds.
Everyone laughs, shrugging it off and continuing with the interview. But now I see he’s unnerved, occasionally darting glances at the camera, flicking his tongue over his lips nervously as if waiting, waiting.
Changmin’s point of view
I knew A-Nation would be shown on Japanese channels in Korea. Now whether Mi had those channels or not I didn’t know, but somehow, I knew, I just knew that with time, she would find out.
Tonight’s A-nation interview would be aired live from Japan to Korea. As I sat there, smiling and nodding along in the usual fashion, I had my cell phone in my pocket, a habit that I started upon leaving Korea this time around.
As if fate or heaven was directing it all, the interview suddenly turned to a new topic- “who-is-on-your-speed-dial- <3 ?”
My cell phone was open in front of me as I glanced down at it occasionally, not giving any thought, thinking nothing of it, waiting my turn to reply and move on.
Then, out of the corner of my eye I see my cellphone light up, silently saying I had a text. Without letting anyone else see, I subtly move my finger and open the text.
And the next two words make my heart still and my mind numb.
“Changmin. . . . . . . A-Nation???”
I knew. I just knew.
Slowly I lift my gaze at the camera, the central camera. And stare straight at it, straight through the black lens into Korea, into Seoul, into our neighborhood, straight into her eyes.
She knew. . . she knew.
I barely knew how to respond to the question once it came directed at me.
The others did not know who was on my speed dial now- from past experiences one of the members or my family was always first on speed dial, so by now they’ve guessed it was one of them.
I managed to compose myself and safely get by with the response, “Someone very close and special to me.”
I look at the camera. Hopefully she will understand those words and realize what I mean.
Then Jaejoong breaks the atmosphere with his words again, causing the interview to continue, picking up at a faster pace since the time was almost up. Thank goodness...thank goodness.....
end of Changmin’s point of view
Just awhile ago the same channel switched to the backstage live footage of the five guys, these “Tohoshinki” people walking around backstage, talking, chatting to the camera crew, getting ready to go home.
But I wasn’t busy looking at the person who was talking. I was busy trying to catch Changmin on the phone. The cell was against my ear, the ringtone sounding, waiting for Changmin to pick up. On screen I see a tall figure walking around in the background, with his cellphone against his ear, speaking.
“Yoboseyo?”
“Changmin ah...”
“Mi...”
“You’re in Japan...” I say softly. I hear the creak of a chair over the phone and look at the screen. Sure enough, the figure in the back, also just sat down. Then, the Changmin I knew was also the Changmin on the screen.
“So now you know...”
“What do you mean ‘now I know’ ??”
“Remember at first when I told you you will understand why the sudden departure to Japan?” I hear him sigh, the figure on screen resting his head in his hand.
“I know, I understand now...” I say softly again. “Are you...are you at home resting over there?”
“No, we’re backstage, doing some filming. Resting doesn’t come until later. Much later.”
“I-I think I see you onscreen.” I see him raise his head slightly, looking around for a camera, finding it and then narrowing his eyes at it. Then he sighs and hands his head again.
“I knew of no other way to tell you...” He sounds defeated, tired, and just a bit scared. His next words revealed why. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to leave me now, now that you know the truth and- and-”
“Silly, what do you think I am?” I say over the phone. His breath hitches. “Of course I’ll stay with you now! Just...you could’ve told me about your job sooner...”
“If I did, would you still have stayed? More importantly, would you have still looked at me and regarded me the same way?”
“...you’re right. No.”
He sighs.
“We shouldn’t be having this conversation over the phone.” I hear his sharp intake of breath, as if he was fearing something. “Relax, relax, I didn’t mean anything bad about that, I just meant this is awkward for the two of us, speaking like this over this topic, miles away.”
“I miss you...” I continue and moisten my lips. “When you come home we can talk more. Until then, rest and do your best at...work...”
“Thank you. Thank you for understanding.” I hear the warmth and relief in his tone. “How’s my baby girl?”
“Mm? Your baby girl is doing just fine. She’s on my lap right now...here-” and I lower the phone to Mandoongie.
“Say something Mandoongie ah” I coo to it, and the little puppy looks at the sleek black chocolate-bar-like object, sniffs it, and barks.
“Mandoongie ah?” I see the ears of the puppy perk up at its owner’s voice. It looks at the metallic object confused and whines, wondering how its owner got in there.
“Mandoongie ah, it’s appa~ Appa misses you~~~ You take care, arrasseo?”
Mandoongie whines again and barks.
“Mi ah~” I put the phone back against my ear.
“They say we’ll be back by the...by the end of the month or...or the middle of the month...around that time. Until then...could you-”
“We’ve already established that. Yes I’m taking care of the baby”
I hear a chuckle over the phone.
“Bo ya?”
“...we sound like a couple discussing who’s taking care of an infant...”
“...you’re making me blush”
“I wish I could see...” He darts a glance at the camera, now interviewing another member, but still within his eyesight.
“I’d better let you go.”
“No, I want to keep talking to you~”
“Until when, pabo ya?” I joke
“Until I fall asleep. Until I feel better. Until...until i come back...” his voice softens.
“. . .”
“Well?”
“. . .”
“What is it Mi ah?” I hear his laugh over the phone.
“. . .”
“Please, say something. . .” his tone softens.
“. . .” Thinking of nothing else to say, I sigh. “Even though you’re not here now, I’ll always think of you ba~by~~~”
He lets out a breath- recognizing the song, my lyrics. I can almost see him smile over the phone.
“And remember to have faith” I say. “Because with courage you can conquer anything~~~”
“*sigh* Komawo...Mi ah... well, good night then...”
“Good night Min~ Mandoongie says bye bye too~”
“Bye~ *click*”
“....bye....”
Pairings: Changmin/ fc
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff, Romance
Length: 8 chapters + epilogue
A/N: Told in fc's first person pov, occasionally Changmin's pov.
Summary: Changmin's busy with TVXQ activities and isn't able to devote as much time as he'd like to his lil-baby-girl Mandoongie. Until a chance encounter with his neighbor gets him thinking.
Chapter 7- Sudden revelations
So we continue like that for the next few weeks- me missing him during the days, then seeing him occasionally at nights, the weekends eternally ours.
But I had Mandoongie to help me through all of it. By the end of the month we had gotten used to the routine, had known each other’s houses inside out, the rooms, habits, expressions, everything.
That’s not to say we didn’t have anything interesting left to find out about one another. Every day I’d think of him and discover something new about him- whether a Naul CD, a hidden video game, or an old dusty photo album of childhood pictures.
The longing and missing him just fueled my desire to see him again. The same went for him, apparently. He’d call at least once a day, especially the days when he couldn’t come at night.
Then the second month came. July. It was mid-summer already. I loved the relationship, but I still had a question lurking at the back of my mind.
Where would all this go? I mean, I loved the guy, he was amazing and fun to be with, but I always had a lingering fear that this was all a summer fling to him.
Friends came to me crying in the past to be comforted; these memories stuck with me as this fear became cemented in my mind. I would love to continue the relationship to more than just the summer, but was he willing? Was he ready to? And what about after a year? Two years? Five? I shouldn’t be getting ahead of myself but, then what?
And we’ve shared everything between each other except the one thing he’s never told me about is his job. Merely that he’s in a company. I wonder why he doesn’t tell me? But I should let him tell me when the time comes and not let these lurking questions get in the way of our relationship.
Sooner or later, I’ll get my answer.
....and got it I did.
Late July. He comes crying. Well, not really crying, just silent, sad, and depressed. Says his work is sending him off to Japan for the first week of August, and then God knows when he’ll be back. Says he needs to go to Japan to complete his “company’s activities.” Whatever THAT means. I ask to send him off at the airport, he looks at me with sad eyes and shakes his head. I ask what this is all about. He says, “You’ll see....you’ll see.”
First week of August. Sitting in my living room with Mandoongie on my lap, flipping through channels. Come across a Japanese channel. No problem. Hm, seems like there’s the A-Nation celebration thing coming up. And there’s this artist called “Tohoshinki” that will be performing next. Eh.
I flip through the other channels, stopping at a random nature documentary and settle down to see the soothing trees and lakes, Mandoongie practically purring in relaxation on my lap.
Then at night, again I sit on the couch, flip through the tv. Again come across a Japanese channel by chance. This time it’s a weather channel talk show section. Mandoongie barks.
“What is it girl?” I ask, bending down to scoop her up into my lap again.
The day had been spent jogging around the neighborhood, going for a walk in the park, then giving Mandoongie a bath outside and playing for a while in the backyard, listening to CDs and singing.
She says nothing, merely pants at the television screen.
“Hm, silly girl, you want to watch this program?”
I ruffle her ears.
“Silly you don’t know Japanese you’re a born proud Korean doggie!”
I laugh but comply with the doggie’s wishes, hearing a Japanese “Welcome and now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, an exclusive ten minute interview with Tohoshinki!”
Hmph
I grin down at Mandoongie and ruffle her ears, just the way she likes it.
If it’s an exclusive interview, why is it only ten minutes? Oh, the irony of the media.
“One- two- three! Ohayo gozaimasu, Tohoshinki desu!”
“Ohayo~ ohayo~ ohayooooo~” I repeat in sing-song to Mandoongie, who’s closed her eyes from me scratching behind her ears. I bend down looking at the puppy, still half-listening to the channel.
“Minna san ohayo gozaimasu! Yunho desu!”
“Hai Jaejoong desu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!”
“Hajimemashite, Junsu desu!”
“Yoochun desu, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!”
“Hai minna san, Changmin desu!”
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .my eyes slowly lift up from where I was looking at Mandoongie. My hands still.
Time freezes.
There, on screen, is Changmin, a very, very FAMILIAR-looking Changmin, smiling in shyness and clapping as the announcers continue introducing their program.
The Korean words at the bottom continue sliding along, translating what they were saying but my eyes remained glued on one figure and one figure only. Changmin? On international tv? As part of this...group? This...Tohoshinki?
I snap out of it and try to catch what they were saying. Something about just performing in A-nation and now shortly going to go rest. A few questions on how tight their schedules are, how tight their outfits are, how stressed they are, what they do to relax, things like that.
Mandoongie barks, a smile seemingly on her mouth as if immediately recognizing her owner.
“Mandoongie you. . .recognize Changmin?”
She barks again, looking from the tv screen which showed a moment’s close-up of Changmin to me, wagging her tail in response.
As the interview progresses, I reach over and clutch my phone in my hand. His number is the first one on my speed dial, just the touch of a button and I could contact him immediately.
. . .But I couldn’t. He probably had his phone closed anyway.
Just at that moment there was a section in the interview where the announcers were asking each member who was on their speed dial. They each had their cell phones open, flipping through them, talking and chatting. The last one was Changmin.
...next thing I know my fingers fly over the buttons and I send him a text. It was done. I set the phone down again, eyes glued to the screen, waiting for the sign.
I see him checking his phone, darting glances at it, his face still had the calm, reserved look. Just as one of the others was talking though, I see him look down and his face still as his smile falters. I knew then that he read my message. He slowly looks up to the camera, makes full eye-contact with it, knowing I was staring back at him through it.
“Changmin kun? What about you? Who is on your speed dial?”
He blinks, breaking the connection, and looks at the announcer. The others didn’t notice the stare he gave to the camera.
“On my speed dial? The first person? Ahh...”
I knew. I damn knew the answer.
But of course he couldn’t say it straight out.
“It is someone very close and special to me.”
He smiles warmly as the typical squeals and applause effect was added to heighten the appeal of what he just said.
“Eh, it’s probably one of the members” one of the others- Jaejung it says under his sitting figure- adds.
Everyone laughs, shrugging it off and continuing with the interview. But now I see he’s unnerved, occasionally darting glances at the camera, flicking his tongue over his lips nervously as if waiting, waiting.
Changmin’s point of view
I knew A-Nation would be shown on Japanese channels in Korea. Now whether Mi had those channels or not I didn’t know, but somehow, I knew, I just knew that with time, she would find out.
Tonight’s A-nation interview would be aired live from Japan to Korea. As I sat there, smiling and nodding along in the usual fashion, I had my cell phone in my pocket, a habit that I started upon leaving Korea this time around.
As if fate or heaven was directing it all, the interview suddenly turned to a new topic- “who-is-on-your-speed-dial- <3 ?”
My cell phone was open in front of me as I glanced down at it occasionally, not giving any thought, thinking nothing of it, waiting my turn to reply and move on.
Then, out of the corner of my eye I see my cellphone light up, silently saying I had a text. Without letting anyone else see, I subtly move my finger and open the text.
And the next two words make my heart still and my mind numb.
“Changmin. . . . . . . A-Nation???”
I knew. I just knew.
Slowly I lift my gaze at the camera, the central camera. And stare straight at it, straight through the black lens into Korea, into Seoul, into our neighborhood, straight into her eyes.
She knew. . . she knew.
I barely knew how to respond to the question once it came directed at me.
The others did not know who was on my speed dial now- from past experiences one of the members or my family was always first on speed dial, so by now they’ve guessed it was one of them.
I managed to compose myself and safely get by with the response, “Someone very close and special to me.”
I look at the camera. Hopefully she will understand those words and realize what I mean.
Then Jaejoong breaks the atmosphere with his words again, causing the interview to continue, picking up at a faster pace since the time was almost up. Thank goodness...thank goodness.....
end of Changmin’s point of view
Just awhile ago the same channel switched to the backstage live footage of the five guys, these “Tohoshinki” people walking around backstage, talking, chatting to the camera crew, getting ready to go home.
But I wasn’t busy looking at the person who was talking. I was busy trying to catch Changmin on the phone. The cell was against my ear, the ringtone sounding, waiting for Changmin to pick up. On screen I see a tall figure walking around in the background, with his cellphone against his ear, speaking.
“Yoboseyo?”
“Changmin ah...”
“Mi...”
“You’re in Japan...” I say softly. I hear the creak of a chair over the phone and look at the screen. Sure enough, the figure in the back, also just sat down. Then, the Changmin I knew was also the Changmin on the screen.
“So now you know...”
“What do you mean ‘now I know’ ??”
“Remember at first when I told you you will understand why the sudden departure to Japan?” I hear him sigh, the figure on screen resting his head in his hand.
“I know, I understand now...” I say softly again. “Are you...are you at home resting over there?”
“No, we’re backstage, doing some filming. Resting doesn’t come until later. Much later.”
“I-I think I see you onscreen.” I see him raise his head slightly, looking around for a camera, finding it and then narrowing his eyes at it. Then he sighs and hands his head again.
“I knew of no other way to tell you...” He sounds defeated, tired, and just a bit scared. His next words revealed why. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to leave me now, now that you know the truth and- and-”
“Silly, what do you think I am?” I say over the phone. His breath hitches. “Of course I’ll stay with you now! Just...you could’ve told me about your job sooner...”
“If I did, would you still have stayed? More importantly, would you have still looked at me and regarded me the same way?”
“...you’re right. No.”
He sighs.
“We shouldn’t be having this conversation over the phone.” I hear his sharp intake of breath, as if he was fearing something. “Relax, relax, I didn’t mean anything bad about that, I just meant this is awkward for the two of us, speaking like this over this topic, miles away.”
“I miss you...” I continue and moisten my lips. “When you come home we can talk more. Until then, rest and do your best at...work...”
“Thank you. Thank you for understanding.” I hear the warmth and relief in his tone. “How’s my baby girl?”
“Mm? Your baby girl is doing just fine. She’s on my lap right now...here-” and I lower the phone to Mandoongie.
“Say something Mandoongie ah” I coo to it, and the little puppy looks at the sleek black chocolate-bar-like object, sniffs it, and barks.
“Mandoongie ah?” I see the ears of the puppy perk up at its owner’s voice. It looks at the metallic object confused and whines, wondering how its owner got in there.
“Mandoongie ah, it’s appa~ Appa misses you~~~ You take care, arrasseo?”
Mandoongie whines again and barks.
“Mi ah~” I put the phone back against my ear.
“They say we’ll be back by the...by the end of the month or...or the middle of the month...around that time. Until then...could you-”
“We’ve already established that. Yes I’m taking care of the baby”
I hear a chuckle over the phone.
“Bo ya?”
“...we sound like a couple discussing who’s taking care of an infant...”
“...you’re making me blush”
“I wish I could see...” He darts a glance at the camera, now interviewing another member, but still within his eyesight.
“I’d better let you go.”
“No, I want to keep talking to you~”
“Until when, pabo ya?” I joke
“Until I fall asleep. Until I feel better. Until...until i come back...” his voice softens.
“. . .”
“Well?”
“. . .”
“What is it Mi ah?” I hear his laugh over the phone.
“. . .”
“Please, say something. . .” his tone softens.
“. . .” Thinking of nothing else to say, I sigh. “Even though you’re not here now, I’ll always think of you ba~by~~~”
He lets out a breath- recognizing the song, my lyrics. I can almost see him smile over the phone.
“And remember to have faith” I say. “Because with courage you can conquer anything~~~”
“*sigh* Komawo...Mi ah... well, good night then...”
“Good night Min~ Mandoongie says bye bye too~”
“Bye~ *click*”
“....bye....”