Catch Me Chapter 8
“I… really like you, Hyung.”
Kai’s heart beat fast. He said it. He said it. He confessed to Yunho. It came out just like that, the feeling had bubbling up inside him for quite some time. It was his kindness. His thoughtfulness. When he had no friend, Yunho came to him like an angel sent from heaven.
And when the older man hugged him, he just lost it.
“I like you too, dongsaeng,” Yunho’s palm were big and warm, he rubbed his back gently, and patted it.
Kai’s heart stopped. I’m just a dongsaeng. I’m only a little brother.
Yunho pulled out from the hug and looked at him, stroke his hair.
“I’ll… be going, then.” He said slowly. Bit his lip to hold his bursting feeling. Took Yunho’s crutches from the ground and gave them to the older man.
“I’ll see you at lunch.”
Kai smiled. “Sure, Hyung.”
*
“I’ve told you to be careful around him, Amber.”
“Yeah, five times. I count them.” Amber gathered her books and leave the machine. She was copying some material in the library when Jaejoong came and followed her around. “Five times verbally. Through messages, hmph, countless.”
“It’s because you should be!” Jaejoong said. He had seen Donghae around Amber too much. And Amber laughed to the player too happily to his likings.
“I am! But why can’t I allow him being nice to me?” Amber turned and looked at Jaejoong in the eye. “He never forced me to do anything. If I say no, it’s fine with him.”
Jaejoong closed his eyes and sighed. “You don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t understand.” Amber pointed her finger to Jaejoong’s chest. “He wrote lyrics and rap it for me.” She looked down and bit her lip.
She looked somewhat feminine then in Jaejoong’s eyes. “That’s sweet.” He remembered that one time when he rapped to Amber. The girl just said, “No, Hyung, this thing isn’t for you.”
“Look, when you said that you won’t tell Yoochun, I thought I can trust you.”
“You can trust me! I’ve done nothing to make you doubt your trust in me. The one who shouldn’t be getting your trust it Kim Donghae, Amber.”
“Lee Donghae.” Amber corrected him.
“He’s a player.” There. He said it.
“And you’re not?” Amber lifted her eyebrows. “You’re not in the position to judge.”
*
Changmin could see Yunho in a distance, went out from a café. He had been contemplated to say hi, but he realized that another man was holding the door for the man in crutches.
And he was nailed to his spot when he saw the kid hugged Yunho.
The older man looked shocked, and Changmin thought it was because Yunho didn’t expect the hug. And Changmin sensed a one sided love come from the junior. But Yunho held him back. Let his crutches fell. Held onto him.
Changmin would give anything to be in that position. Became Yunho’s trusted one, the one Yunho hold on to for his dear life. The one who accompany him during his hard time, be there always, only for him.
Yunho let go of the hug and Kai took the crutches. Changmin quickly diverted his eyes and continued walking, took a further way around so he didn’t have to meet Yunho. He was going to his class but he spotted Yoochun, Jaejoong, and Junsu in a corridor.
“Yunho Hyung had a doctor appointment today, can you accompany him, Chun?” Junsu asked. “I have to pick up my brother in the airport.”
“I have to teach piano lesson today,” Yoochun sighed.
Changmin had nothing to do and he was this close to volunteer.
“It’s okay. He’s going with Kai.” Jaejoong said.
“Kai?” Changmin repeated.
Jaejoong just realized Changmin was there. So did the two other men. Junsu looked back at Jaejoong.
“Well. He had been accompanied him in the previous doctor visit when I couldn’t go with him.” Jaejoong explained. “He’s a good kid.” He added.
“Are they dating?” Yoochun asked, and Changmin was thankful that he didn’t have to ask that question.
“Do you consider doctor visit as a date?” Jaejoong asked.
“Well… I saw them in a café this morning.” Changmin said casually. He tried not to sound weird. What if someone thought he stalked Yunho?!
“That kid has a massive crush on Yunho though. But you know him… he’s not that kind of person who date easily.”
But he hugged him too!, Changmin wanted to scream. And Yunho hugged him back…
“I gotta go.” Jaejoong said, before left them.
Yoochun kept an eye on the older man, before turned to Junsu and speak, “Do you know if he’s keeping a secret for me?"
Junsu eyes widened and he gave a quick glance to Changmin, who felt nervous too. “W… what? Really? Why?”
“Well, he’s said that he wanted to tell me something, and I said go ahead. But then he said, no, no, it’s fine.” Yoochun said. “What the heck? What’s he trying to say?”
“Maybe he stole your music sheets again, Hyung.” Changmin teased. But none of the men were laughing. “Okay. I have a class now. See you at lunch.”
*
“Your place is nice,” Julien said, took off his shoes and placed them neatly.
“Thanks,” Changmin said. “Wanna have something to drink?” he went to the kitchen.
“I brought a gift.” Julien showed him a paper bag be bought. “Wine.”
Changmin’s eyes widened. “Really? Whoa… thank you!” he brought two glasses to the living room, gave Julien the bottle opener and enjoyed the wine. “How’s the lesson going?” he sat next to the taller man.
“Hmm… it’s tiring.” Julien sighed, put his arm around Changmin’s shoulder. “But somehow worth it.”
Changmin leaned to Julien’s broad chest and though it felt different and somewhat weird, it was comfortable. “Tell me about it.” He sipped his wine.
“Well…” Julien took a deep breath, carefully took Changmin’s hand.
Changmin let him.
“There are two new students in the beginning of the week. They’re elementary school students and I don’t know how to deal with children.” Julien said, his long fingers started to massage Changmin’s head. “Yeah… but they speak pretty good English so it’s quite easy to communicate with them. Do you know why their mom want them to study French?”
“Why?”
“She’s dating this French guy and wanted her kids to be able to speak French too.”
Changmin laughed. “That’s because her boyfriend is French?”
“Hey, what’s wrong with a French boyfriend?” Julien stopped massaging and looked at the younger man.
“Oooh, don’t you feel offended.” Changmin slapped Julien’s thigh lightly.
“Why… what do you think of French boyfriend?”
Changmin didn’t look at the man. He could feel Julien’s beating heat from that angle and he could feel his own heart beat faster too. “Back to the story?”
“Well. That’s the end of the story.” Julien said, his breath blew Changmin’s hair.
Changmin slipped out from Julien’s embrace to pour both of them more wine. When he turned to give Julien’s his glass, the older man surged forward and kissed him.
He spilled the wine and the glass fell to the sofa, but Julien’s lips were soft and he was some kind of hot and it felt really nice and damn. Julien was a good kisser. So Changmin let the older man savor him, and he tasted the expensive wine in the French guy’s tongue.
Julien pushed him to lay down on the sofa and the glass fell to the carpet. Their breath mingled and he could feel the heavy, intoxicating air between them. The older man’s rough stubble brushed against his soft cheek and Changmin shivered at the feeling.
Changmin could feel Julien sucked his lower lip and he bit Julien’s upper lip lightly. Changmin could hear the man above him moaned and his fingers combed through Julien’s short hair.
Changmin felt a bit disappointed when Julien pulled up and looked down to his eyes. His lips were luscious red and wet and fuck, Changmin wanted to kiss again.
“Not awkward?” Julien asked, reminded him of his attempt for their first kiss.
Changmin laughed. “Yeah, like I said. Just kiss.” He thumbed Julien’s cheek.
Julien grinned. “Glad I followed your advice.”
Changmin laughed harder.
“You’re gorgeous.”
Changmin’s laugh went slower. And he pulled Julien to kiss some more.
*
Jaejoong saw a big crowd once he entered the canteen. He saw Donghae, and the man pulled a girl to the center and fuck. He knew what it was. Fuck, it was the deadline of the bet and they would embarrass her anytime now.
“Junsu, go find Yoochun and do anything so he wouldn’t come here. Now.” Jaejoong instructed.
“But, why? What ha-“
“Hurry up!” Jaejoong gave a serious look to Junsu, and the man sighed before went to find Yoochun.
“Jae, what is it?” Yunho asked.
Donghae kissed Amber‘s cheek the crowd was cheering. Amber pushed Donghae away and looked confused.
“What’s wrong, Baby? Shouldn’t we declare our relationship now?” Donghae looked at Amber and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Amber whispered something to Donghae and tried to get away from the crowd.
“Wait a second,” Donghae held her hand.
“Donghae, I-“ Amber looked uncomfortable.
“Amber, wait. We need to confirm something.” Taecyeon said. “Do you really date this guy?”
Amber looked at Donghae. Felt something wrong but didn’t know what to do.
Donghae looked at her with puppy eyes, held her hand and kissed her knuckles. “You’re my girlfriend, right?”
“You’re his girlfriend? Oh my God! Amber! You won the bet!” Jaejoong split the crowd and went to Amber.
Everyone was looking at Jaejoong like a green alien with one eye and three ears, suddenly dropped from a UFO in the middle of them.
Jaejoong whistled. “Gotta hand it to you. I mean, how can you do that? Damn girl, I can’t believe you can fool him that easy!”
“What is this?” Taeyeon asked.
Jaejoong turned to Taecyeon. “Well. Amber and I made a bet, whether she can be Donghae’s boyfriend in… a time given.”
Taeceyon grinned evilly. “So I see you don’t win the bet, Hae.”
“Bet? What bet?” Amber looked at Taecyeon and Donghae back and forth.
“Well, you see… we made a bet whether Donghae can make you his. But I-“
“It doesn’t mean I lost!” Donghae cut him.
Jaejoong could see Amber’s eyes were watery. “Okay! That’s enough information you gave, I’m afraid. And now If you excuse us, we have things to be settled.” He took Amber’s hand. “Let’s go.”
*
“Do you see Jaejoong?” Yunho asked.
Changmin shook his head. “I was about to searching for you guys.”
Yunho huffed and kept walking. “There’s was something big happened just now.”
“Wow.” Changmin raised his eyebrows at how fast Yunho moved, didn’t expect the man could walk that fast. “What happened?”
“Fuck,” Yunho muttered, and walked even faster after he saw something on his left side.
Changmin followed his gaze, and he saw what Yunho saw.
Shindong was holding Jaejoong in place while Kangin threw punches to his face. Donghae was smoking on the other side, watching the show. Jaejoong was one of a hell streefighter, but if you were being hold by a big hairy gorilla like Shindong, it was hard to fight back. Well, maybe if you were Jung Yunho, who could bend down the metal pole of the traffic light. And speaking of Yunho…
How could the man get there that fast, Changmin thought, ran quickly to the back of the university building where they had the fight.
“Yunho, don’t-“ Changmin tried to hold Yunho got into the fight. But he was speechless at the same time.
“Three versus one? You gotta be fucking kidding me.” Yunho threw his bag to the ground.
Kangin looked at Yunho and scoffed.
“Get the fuck away from my friend, asshole.”
Wow. That was the first time Changmin heard Yunho cursing another person so bad. With his glaring eyes, clenched teeth and tight fist. He was one damn fine sexy man.
Changmin slapped himself and reminded himself that they were having a fight right then.
In a blink of an eye, Kangin threw his fist at Yunho, but the man could get away and hit Kangin shin’s hard with his left crutch. Jaejoong made use of Shindong unawareness to elbow his stomach hard, turned around and kneed the big man’s crotch, made him fell to the ground.
“Hyung, just… Yunho…” fuck. Changmin was at loss at what to do. Yunho was still injured and of course he couldn’t fight. And Jaejoong was so freaking thin he afraid the man would break and he wanted all those wrestlers to just stop for the humanity’s sake.
Now it was the either way around. Jaejoong was holding Kangin from behind with all his might, while Yunho made his nose bleed.
“Yunho! Behind you!” Jaejoong shouted.
It was too late. Donghae kicked Yunho’s thigh and the man fall.
“Way to go, cripple.”
Jaejoong smashed Kangin to the nearest wall, and the victim was being too concerned about the quantity of the blood coming out from his forehead, so he quickly turned to help Yunho, but-
Changmin punched Donghae hard in the face.
“OUCH!”
But it was Changmin’s own scream of pain coming out not long after.
“Changmin, are you okay?” Yunho dragged his ass to go to Changmin, who was sitting on the ground, holding his right hand.
“Gosh, why do guys you love throwing punches, it fucking hurt so much!” Changmin gripped his poor hand to his chest.
“Then why are you getting involved?”
“He’s calling you cripple! That idiot dumbass!” Changmin wiggled his hand wildly, tried to reduce the pain.
“Stop it, let me see,” Yunho took Changmin’s hand checked his bruised knuckles.
Changmin could feel Yunho’s calloused and slightly rough palm on his hurting and hot hand. He loved that feeling and almost forgot about it. How could he, he even bought hand cream for Yunho once, and put it on for the man every night.
“He lost two teeth!” Jaejoong laughed. “Donghae lost two teeth!”
Yunho laughed. “You made him lost two teeth.” He looked at Changmin.
“I made him lost two teeth!” Changmin cheered for himself. Didn’t expect he’d do such a brave thing to a man.
The three men walked back in glory from the war. The bloody ground they left. The fight had been hard.
*
“How is she?” Yunho asked as Jaejoong disconnected the call.
“Junsu said they’re going back home. I asked him to accompany them. I’m afraid Yoochun will explode.” Jaejoong said, rubbed his shoulder. It was so fucking hurts.
“Yeah, tell him I already made the motherfucker lost two teeth!” Changmin threw random punches to the air. “Assa~!”
Yunho and Jaejoong exchanged a grin.
“Ah… the joy of a first fist fight.” Jaejoong sighed. “Nothing could exchange that excitement.”
Yunho just nodded in agreement and chuckled softly.
Jaejoong went home and Yunho and Changmin continued to walk to their apartment.
“You have to treat that.” Changmin could see Yunho’s purple cheekbone and there was a small cut that bleed in that bruise.
“It’s okay.” Yunho said, gave him a small smile. Any wider, it would hurt his cheek.
“I have an ointment. Let’s go to my place first.” Changmin said.
Yunho said nothing but followed the younger to his apartment.
“Come in,” Changmin opened the door and took off his shoes. Went to his bedroom to find the ointment. “Take a seat. Let me clean your wound.” But when he turned around, Yunho wasn’t there.
The man was still in front of his door. Staring blankly to the insides of the apartment.
“You’re… not coming in?” Changmin walked slowly to the door.
“I’d… rather not.”
Changmin couldn’t read Yunho’s expression. It wasn’t a sad one. But also far from happy.
“Oh.” He traced the little glass bottle in his hand. “Okay.”
How dumb of him to think that he would have Yunho sitting in the sofa. And him cleaning his wound, patting that handsome face with wet towel before putting on the ointment.
“Here you go,” Changmin gave Yunho the bottle.
“You need it yourself,” Yunho showed his knuckles. “Knocked out two teeth.”
Changmin scoffed. “Yeah, I have another one. You can take this.”
Yunho received the bottle. “Thank you,”
Changmin nodded slowly. “You’re… welcome.”
“I’ll be going, then.” He straightened and walked a step backward before turned. “Bye.”
“Bye.” Changmin gave Yunho one last smile before the man went away and closed the door.
*
“Then why are you getting involved?”
“He’s calling you cripple! That idiot dumbass!”
Yunho smiled and looked at the ointment bottle in his hand. His heart felt a small burst of warmness he missed for so long. Changmin was punching a guy for him? Yunho couldn’t help but felt a tinge of happiness when he knew Changmin would do such thing for him.
Maybe not as much for a lover. Wasn’t Yunho fight for Jaejoong too? Then, why wouldn’t Changmin do the same for him?
Yunho tried to push down his feelings as they walked to Changmin’s apartment. Their old apartment. Or had Changmin moved to a new one, just like him?
It was their apartment.
Nothing had changed. It was exactly the way Yunho remembered.
Unless one thing.
He was waiting for Changmin by the door, contemplated to enter it or not and he could hear Changmin’s faint voice speaking inside. He couldn’t hear it well so he wondered if he should follow the younger man in.
Yunho’s eyes caught something.
A pair of leather glove on the small table by the door. He smiled at the thought of Changmin wearing it. Took them off as soon as he entered the apartment before he took off his jacket as well. Yunho traced the glove with his fingers, the delicate and soft black leather. He put his hand on it.
It was bigger than Yunho’s hand.
“My hand is too small,” Changmin pouted, stretched his fingers in front of them.
“They’re lovely.” Yunho stretched his fingers as well and put their palms together.
“They’re small.” Changmin stated, again. “Smaller than yours. The fingers are too short for my long body.”
Yunho bent his knuckles and gripped Changmin’s hand. “They’re the right size.”
Changmin held Yunho’s hand, looked at the older man and gave him a kiss.
Then Yunho realized it.
The gloves weren’t Changmin’s.
They belonged to another man.
“You’re not coming in?”
Yunho looked at the man in front of him. He knew he shouldn’t be there.
As he faced his own apartment, Yunho realized he had to take care of himself now. No more scolding from Changmin. No more “Yunho you make the floor wet. Yunho I’ve told you not to wear your shoes inside. Yunho can’t you pour the water to the glass first don’t drink straight from the bottle.”
He uncapped the ointment bottle and put the content on his bruise.
The lonely feeling was now familiar. And Yunho was learning to welcome it. Bit his lip at the sharp pain, told himself it was from the wound on his face, not the wound in his heart.
At least Changmin didn’t have to be alone like this…
Kai’s heart beat fast. He said it. He said it. He confessed to Yunho. It came out just like that, the feeling had bubbling up inside him for quite some time. It was his kindness. His thoughtfulness. When he had no friend, Yunho came to him like an angel sent from heaven.
And when the older man hugged him, he just lost it.
“I like you too, dongsaeng,” Yunho’s palm were big and warm, he rubbed his back gently, and patted it.
Kai’s heart stopped. I’m just a dongsaeng. I’m only a little brother.
Yunho pulled out from the hug and looked at him, stroke his hair.
“I’ll… be going, then.” He said slowly. Bit his lip to hold his bursting feeling. Took Yunho’s crutches from the ground and gave them to the older man.
“I’ll see you at lunch.”
Kai smiled. “Sure, Hyung.”
*
“I’ve told you to be careful around him, Amber.”
“Yeah, five times. I count them.” Amber gathered her books and leave the machine. She was copying some material in the library when Jaejoong came and followed her around. “Five times verbally. Through messages, hmph, countless.”
“It’s because you should be!” Jaejoong said. He had seen Donghae around Amber too much. And Amber laughed to the player too happily to his likings.
“I am! But why can’t I allow him being nice to me?” Amber turned and looked at Jaejoong in the eye. “He never forced me to do anything. If I say no, it’s fine with him.”
Jaejoong closed his eyes and sighed. “You don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t understand.” Amber pointed her finger to Jaejoong’s chest. “He wrote lyrics and rap it for me.” She looked down and bit her lip.
She looked somewhat feminine then in Jaejoong’s eyes. “That’s sweet.” He remembered that one time when he rapped to Amber. The girl just said, “No, Hyung, this thing isn’t for you.”
“Look, when you said that you won’t tell Yoochun, I thought I can trust you.”
“You can trust me! I’ve done nothing to make you doubt your trust in me. The one who shouldn’t be getting your trust it Kim Donghae, Amber.”
“Lee Donghae.” Amber corrected him.
“He’s a player.” There. He said it.
“And you’re not?” Amber lifted her eyebrows. “You’re not in the position to judge.”
*
Changmin could see Yunho in a distance, went out from a café. He had been contemplated to say hi, but he realized that another man was holding the door for the man in crutches.
And he was nailed to his spot when he saw the kid hugged Yunho.
The older man looked shocked, and Changmin thought it was because Yunho didn’t expect the hug. And Changmin sensed a one sided love come from the junior. But Yunho held him back. Let his crutches fell. Held onto him.
Changmin would give anything to be in that position. Became Yunho’s trusted one, the one Yunho hold on to for his dear life. The one who accompany him during his hard time, be there always, only for him.
Yunho let go of the hug and Kai took the crutches. Changmin quickly diverted his eyes and continued walking, took a further way around so he didn’t have to meet Yunho. He was going to his class but he spotted Yoochun, Jaejoong, and Junsu in a corridor.
“Yunho Hyung had a doctor appointment today, can you accompany him, Chun?” Junsu asked. “I have to pick up my brother in the airport.”
“I have to teach piano lesson today,” Yoochun sighed.
Changmin had nothing to do and he was this close to volunteer.
“It’s okay. He’s going with Kai.” Jaejoong said.
“Kai?” Changmin repeated.
Jaejoong just realized Changmin was there. So did the two other men. Junsu looked back at Jaejoong.
“Well. He had been accompanied him in the previous doctor visit when I couldn’t go with him.” Jaejoong explained. “He’s a good kid.” He added.
“Are they dating?” Yoochun asked, and Changmin was thankful that he didn’t have to ask that question.
“Do you consider doctor visit as a date?” Jaejoong asked.
“Well… I saw them in a café this morning.” Changmin said casually. He tried not to sound weird. What if someone thought he stalked Yunho?!
“That kid has a massive crush on Yunho though. But you know him… he’s not that kind of person who date easily.”
But he hugged him too!, Changmin wanted to scream. And Yunho hugged him back…
“I gotta go.” Jaejoong said, before left them.
Yoochun kept an eye on the older man, before turned to Junsu and speak, “Do you know if he’s keeping a secret for me?"
Junsu eyes widened and he gave a quick glance to Changmin, who felt nervous too. “W… what? Really? Why?”
“Well, he’s said that he wanted to tell me something, and I said go ahead. But then he said, no, no, it’s fine.” Yoochun said. “What the heck? What’s he trying to say?”
“Maybe he stole your music sheets again, Hyung.” Changmin teased. But none of the men were laughing. “Okay. I have a class now. See you at lunch.”
*
“Your place is nice,” Julien said, took off his shoes and placed them neatly.
“Thanks,” Changmin said. “Wanna have something to drink?” he went to the kitchen.
“I brought a gift.” Julien showed him a paper bag be bought. “Wine.”
Changmin’s eyes widened. “Really? Whoa… thank you!” he brought two glasses to the living room, gave Julien the bottle opener and enjoyed the wine. “How’s the lesson going?” he sat next to the taller man.
“Hmm… it’s tiring.” Julien sighed, put his arm around Changmin’s shoulder. “But somehow worth it.”
Changmin leaned to Julien’s broad chest and though it felt different and somewhat weird, it was comfortable. “Tell me about it.” He sipped his wine.
“Well…” Julien took a deep breath, carefully took Changmin’s hand.
Changmin let him.
“There are two new students in the beginning of the week. They’re elementary school students and I don’t know how to deal with children.” Julien said, his long fingers started to massage Changmin’s head. “Yeah… but they speak pretty good English so it’s quite easy to communicate with them. Do you know why their mom want them to study French?”
“Why?”
“She’s dating this French guy and wanted her kids to be able to speak French too.”
Changmin laughed. “That’s because her boyfriend is French?”
“Hey, what’s wrong with a French boyfriend?” Julien stopped massaging and looked at the younger man.
“Oooh, don’t you feel offended.” Changmin slapped Julien’s thigh lightly.
“Why… what do you think of French boyfriend?”
Changmin didn’t look at the man. He could feel Julien’s beating heat from that angle and he could feel his own heart beat faster too. “Back to the story?”
“Well. That’s the end of the story.” Julien said, his breath blew Changmin’s hair.
Changmin slipped out from Julien’s embrace to pour both of them more wine. When he turned to give Julien’s his glass, the older man surged forward and kissed him.
He spilled the wine and the glass fell to the sofa, but Julien’s lips were soft and he was some kind of hot and it felt really nice and damn. Julien was a good kisser. So Changmin let the older man savor him, and he tasted the expensive wine in the French guy’s tongue.
Julien pushed him to lay down on the sofa and the glass fell to the carpet. Their breath mingled and he could feel the heavy, intoxicating air between them. The older man’s rough stubble brushed against his soft cheek and Changmin shivered at the feeling.
Changmin could feel Julien sucked his lower lip and he bit Julien’s upper lip lightly. Changmin could hear the man above him moaned and his fingers combed through Julien’s short hair.
Changmin felt a bit disappointed when Julien pulled up and looked down to his eyes. His lips were luscious red and wet and fuck, Changmin wanted to kiss again.
“Not awkward?” Julien asked, reminded him of his attempt for their first kiss.
Changmin laughed. “Yeah, like I said. Just kiss.” He thumbed Julien’s cheek.
Julien grinned. “Glad I followed your advice.”
Changmin laughed harder.
“You’re gorgeous.”
Changmin’s laugh went slower. And he pulled Julien to kiss some more.
*
Jaejoong saw a big crowd once he entered the canteen. He saw Donghae, and the man pulled a girl to the center and fuck. He knew what it was. Fuck, it was the deadline of the bet and they would embarrass her anytime now.
“Junsu, go find Yoochun and do anything so he wouldn’t come here. Now.” Jaejoong instructed.
“But, why? What ha-“
“Hurry up!” Jaejoong gave a serious look to Junsu, and the man sighed before went to find Yoochun.
“Jae, what is it?” Yunho asked.
Donghae kissed Amber‘s cheek the crowd was cheering. Amber pushed Donghae away and looked confused.
“What’s wrong, Baby? Shouldn’t we declare our relationship now?” Donghae looked at Amber and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Amber whispered something to Donghae and tried to get away from the crowd.
“Wait a second,” Donghae held her hand.
“Donghae, I-“ Amber looked uncomfortable.
“Amber, wait. We need to confirm something.” Taecyeon said. “Do you really date this guy?”
Amber looked at Donghae. Felt something wrong but didn’t know what to do.
Donghae looked at her with puppy eyes, held her hand and kissed her knuckles. “You’re my girlfriend, right?”
“You’re his girlfriend? Oh my God! Amber! You won the bet!” Jaejoong split the crowd and went to Amber.
Everyone was looking at Jaejoong like a green alien with one eye and three ears, suddenly dropped from a UFO in the middle of them.
Jaejoong whistled. “Gotta hand it to you. I mean, how can you do that? Damn girl, I can’t believe you can fool him that easy!”
“What is this?” Taeyeon asked.
Jaejoong turned to Taecyeon. “Well. Amber and I made a bet, whether she can be Donghae’s boyfriend in… a time given.”
Taeceyon grinned evilly. “So I see you don’t win the bet, Hae.”
“Bet? What bet?” Amber looked at Taecyeon and Donghae back and forth.
“Well, you see… we made a bet whether Donghae can make you his. But I-“
“It doesn’t mean I lost!” Donghae cut him.
Jaejoong could see Amber’s eyes were watery. “Okay! That’s enough information you gave, I’m afraid. And now If you excuse us, we have things to be settled.” He took Amber’s hand. “Let’s go.”
*
“Do you see Jaejoong?” Yunho asked.
Changmin shook his head. “I was about to searching for you guys.”
Yunho huffed and kept walking. “There’s was something big happened just now.”
“Wow.” Changmin raised his eyebrows at how fast Yunho moved, didn’t expect the man could walk that fast. “What happened?”
“Fuck,” Yunho muttered, and walked even faster after he saw something on his left side.
Changmin followed his gaze, and he saw what Yunho saw.
Shindong was holding Jaejoong in place while Kangin threw punches to his face. Donghae was smoking on the other side, watching the show. Jaejoong was one of a hell streefighter, but if you were being hold by a big hairy gorilla like Shindong, it was hard to fight back. Well, maybe if you were Jung Yunho, who could bend down the metal pole of the traffic light. And speaking of Yunho…
How could the man get there that fast, Changmin thought, ran quickly to the back of the university building where they had the fight.
“Yunho, don’t-“ Changmin tried to hold Yunho got into the fight. But he was speechless at the same time.
“Three versus one? You gotta be fucking kidding me.” Yunho threw his bag to the ground.
Kangin looked at Yunho and scoffed.
“Get the fuck away from my friend, asshole.”
Wow. That was the first time Changmin heard Yunho cursing another person so bad. With his glaring eyes, clenched teeth and tight fist. He was one damn fine sexy man.
Changmin slapped himself and reminded himself that they were having a fight right then.
In a blink of an eye, Kangin threw his fist at Yunho, but the man could get away and hit Kangin shin’s hard with his left crutch. Jaejoong made use of Shindong unawareness to elbow his stomach hard, turned around and kneed the big man’s crotch, made him fell to the ground.
“Hyung, just… Yunho…” fuck. Changmin was at loss at what to do. Yunho was still injured and of course he couldn’t fight. And Jaejoong was so freaking thin he afraid the man would break and he wanted all those wrestlers to just stop for the humanity’s sake.
Now it was the either way around. Jaejoong was holding Kangin from behind with all his might, while Yunho made his nose bleed.
“Yunho! Behind you!” Jaejoong shouted.
It was too late. Donghae kicked Yunho’s thigh and the man fall.
“Way to go, cripple.”
Jaejoong smashed Kangin to the nearest wall, and the victim was being too concerned about the quantity of the blood coming out from his forehead, so he quickly turned to help Yunho, but-
Changmin punched Donghae hard in the face.
“OUCH!”
But it was Changmin’s own scream of pain coming out not long after.
“Changmin, are you okay?” Yunho dragged his ass to go to Changmin, who was sitting on the ground, holding his right hand.
“Gosh, why do guys you love throwing punches, it fucking hurt so much!” Changmin gripped his poor hand to his chest.
“Then why are you getting involved?”
“He’s calling you cripple! That idiot dumbass!” Changmin wiggled his hand wildly, tried to reduce the pain.
“Stop it, let me see,” Yunho took Changmin’s hand checked his bruised knuckles.
Changmin could feel Yunho’s calloused and slightly rough palm on his hurting and hot hand. He loved that feeling and almost forgot about it. How could he, he even bought hand cream for Yunho once, and put it on for the man every night.
“He lost two teeth!” Jaejoong laughed. “Donghae lost two teeth!”
Yunho laughed. “You made him lost two teeth.” He looked at Changmin.
“I made him lost two teeth!” Changmin cheered for himself. Didn’t expect he’d do such a brave thing to a man.
The three men walked back in glory from the war. The bloody ground they left. The fight had been hard.
*
“How is she?” Yunho asked as Jaejoong disconnected the call.
“Junsu said they’re going back home. I asked him to accompany them. I’m afraid Yoochun will explode.” Jaejoong said, rubbed his shoulder. It was so fucking hurts.
“Yeah, tell him I already made the motherfucker lost two teeth!” Changmin threw random punches to the air. “Assa~!”
Yunho and Jaejoong exchanged a grin.
“Ah… the joy of a first fist fight.” Jaejoong sighed. “Nothing could exchange that excitement.”
Yunho just nodded in agreement and chuckled softly.
Jaejoong went home and Yunho and Changmin continued to walk to their apartment.
“You have to treat that.” Changmin could see Yunho’s purple cheekbone and there was a small cut that bleed in that bruise.
“It’s okay.” Yunho said, gave him a small smile. Any wider, it would hurt his cheek.
“I have an ointment. Let’s go to my place first.” Changmin said.
Yunho said nothing but followed the younger to his apartment.
“Come in,” Changmin opened the door and took off his shoes. Went to his bedroom to find the ointment. “Take a seat. Let me clean your wound.” But when he turned around, Yunho wasn’t there.
The man was still in front of his door. Staring blankly to the insides of the apartment.
“You’re… not coming in?” Changmin walked slowly to the door.
“I’d… rather not.”
Changmin couldn’t read Yunho’s expression. It wasn’t a sad one. But also far from happy.
“Oh.” He traced the little glass bottle in his hand. “Okay.”
How dumb of him to think that he would have Yunho sitting in the sofa. And him cleaning his wound, patting that handsome face with wet towel before putting on the ointment.
“Here you go,” Changmin gave Yunho the bottle.
“You need it yourself,” Yunho showed his knuckles. “Knocked out two teeth.”
Changmin scoffed. “Yeah, I have another one. You can take this.”
Yunho received the bottle. “Thank you,”
Changmin nodded slowly. “You’re… welcome.”
“I’ll be going, then.” He straightened and walked a step backward before turned. “Bye.”
“Bye.” Changmin gave Yunho one last smile before the man went away and closed the door.
*
“Then why are you getting involved?”
“He’s calling you cripple! That idiot dumbass!”
Yunho smiled and looked at the ointment bottle in his hand. His heart felt a small burst of warmness he missed for so long. Changmin was punching a guy for him? Yunho couldn’t help but felt a tinge of happiness when he knew Changmin would do such thing for him.
Maybe not as much for a lover. Wasn’t Yunho fight for Jaejoong too? Then, why wouldn’t Changmin do the same for him?
Yunho tried to push down his feelings as they walked to Changmin’s apartment. Their old apartment. Or had Changmin moved to a new one, just like him?
It was their apartment.
Nothing had changed. It was exactly the way Yunho remembered.
Unless one thing.
He was waiting for Changmin by the door, contemplated to enter it or not and he could hear Changmin’s faint voice speaking inside. He couldn’t hear it well so he wondered if he should follow the younger man in.
Yunho’s eyes caught something.
A pair of leather glove on the small table by the door. He smiled at the thought of Changmin wearing it. Took them off as soon as he entered the apartment before he took off his jacket as well. Yunho traced the glove with his fingers, the delicate and soft black leather. He put his hand on it.
It was bigger than Yunho’s hand.
“My hand is too small,” Changmin pouted, stretched his fingers in front of them.
“They’re lovely.” Yunho stretched his fingers as well and put their palms together.
“They’re small.” Changmin stated, again. “Smaller than yours. The fingers are too short for my long body.”
Yunho bent his knuckles and gripped Changmin’s hand. “They’re the right size.”
Changmin held Yunho’s hand, looked at the older man and gave him a kiss.
Then Yunho realized it.
The gloves weren’t Changmin’s.
They belonged to another man.
“You’re not coming in?”
Yunho looked at the man in front of him. He knew he shouldn’t be there.
As he faced his own apartment, Yunho realized he had to take care of himself now. No more scolding from Changmin. No more “Yunho you make the floor wet. Yunho I’ve told you not to wear your shoes inside. Yunho can’t you pour the water to the glass first don’t drink straight from the bottle.”
He uncapped the ointment bottle and put the content on his bruise.
The lonely feeling was now familiar. And Yunho was learning to welcome it. Bit his lip at the sharp pain, told himself it was from the wound on his face, not the wound in his heart.
At least Changmin didn’t have to be alone like this…