Before You Go - Chapter 17
Title: Before You Go
Pairing(s): Jaemin, Yoosu (later),
Length: Chaptered 17/20?
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: (gang) violence, language, abduction
Genre: AU, drama, angst
Summary: Jaejoong and his cousin have been swept up into the world of violence and gangs. The struggle and fight for his sanity is complicated greatly by the addition of a certain Shim Changmin into the mix. Will he be able to protect those he loves as well as save himself?
A/N: oh my gosh... this is ridiculously LONGGG~ hahaha no idea where this thing is taking me~~ T^T
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 - part 1 - part 2 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
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Jaejoong hurried down the corridor as fast as he could, the worry on Junsu’s face as he told him he needed to go see Changmin, and the dark urgency in Yoochun’s eyes as he took Junsu aside for a private word were clashing in his confused brain.
He knew he should be concerned about what was going on. Where were Jung and Kim? What had happened? And how had Junsu found them? How did they end up at a hospital together? The last thing he could remember was being surrounded by Jung’s men; but, for the life of him he just couldn’t remember which way Junsu had told him to turn.
He stood bewildered in the middle of the hallway as nurses and other patients passed him by, seeming intent on their own tasks.
Taking a steadying breath, he chose a direction and walked determinedly towards a more empty hallway. After somehow coming full circle to the same check-in desk twice, a nurse on duty had finally come to ask him if he was alright. He could only repeat Changmin’s name desperately, feeling so weak and lost, such a far cry from the always in control, hotheaded Jaejoong he had thought he was.
The woman had checked in her computer slowly, almost painfully so, and Jaejoong wanted to seize her shoulders and shake her until her teeth rattled. Did she have no idea how urgent this was? He had to get to Changmin before it was too late. He had to make sure he was alright, as his memory of their escape was cut off sharply and he had no idea what had happened to the other, or even what state he was in.
The suffocating panic that had gripped his heart since he woke up with Changmin nowhere in sight threatened to overwhelm him, and he swayed dangerously where he stood, clutching tightly to the counter.
He must be fine or else Junsu would have told him, right? In his worry over Changmin, he hadn’t had the time to talk to Junsu, or even to hug him. A strange feeling had gone through him when Junsu followed after Yoochun, walking so close together their shoulders brushed. As if they were about to hold hands. But, it all slipped from his mind. Junsu was safe enough, and nothing seemed as important as finding Changmin at that moment.
He was directed back down the way he had come, a left, pass another hallway and to the right. He struggled to catch his breath as the clutching fingers of anxiety steadily grew tighter. He was rushing past people and rooms, stumbling to a stop finally in front of room 412.
Breathing heavily he stared at the numbers on the door before him, thoughts raced through his head as to what lay beyond; one shaking hand automatically rose to knock feebly. Images of Changmin bloodied and broken had haunted him throughout the many hours of floating in unconsciousness.
The panic grew in intensity until he wasn’t in control of his own body or thoughts anymore, and he finally pushed the door open weakly.
Changmin’s terrified pale face was the first thing that met his eyes.
He was sitting rigidly with wide eyes trained on Jaejoong, but he was very much alive. Those eyes looked too large on such a drawn, heartbreakingly battered face. The first glimpse of Changmin in daylight, and he looked so fragile, so small and vulnerable amidst the sterile whiteness of the room. Dark bruises were like stains across his skin.
Jaejoong’s mind had stuttered to a halt as he took in the man in front of him, and the other was staring back at him as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. But when Changmin’s chin started trembling, and he bit down on his bottom lip shakily, Jaejoong’s body seemed to take on a life of its own.
He pushed away from the door frame, striding forward as the door swung quietly shut behind him. Changmin’s eyes followed him across the room, eyes that crinkled slightly with the effort of holding back the tears now glistening there, threatening to spill down his cheeks.
Jaejoong was vaguely aware of the sting behind his own eyes as he came to the side of the bed, hand shaking slightly as he reached out towards the distraught face that was making his heart clench painfully.
“H-hyung-”
The way Changmin’s voice caught in his throat as he uttered the word was all it took to dissolve Jaejoong’s remaining hesitancy and his shocked disbelief at really seeing the other before him. Safe and alive. And so incredibly endearing.
He found himself sitting on the bed, wrapping his arms around the boy as best he could and hauling him almost roughly to himself. Changmin melted into his arms willingly, burying his face in the crook of Jaejoong’s neck. Hot tears pricked and slid down Jaejoong’s skin as Changmin was unable to hold back his sobs any longer.
Jaejoong’s hand came up to slide into the back of Changmin’s hair, twisting it between his fingers in a fist as hot liquid squeezed itself stubbornly from behind his own tightly closed lids. With the sound of Changmin’s soft cries filling his ears it was all Jaejoong could do to control his own emotions.
It all hit at once: all the fear, desperation, and horror that had been his only reality for endless dark days, but most of all the swooping nauseating feeling of his heart and stomach changing places with the feel of Changmin, so solid and real, in his arms.
He clasped Changmin tighter, as if trying to fuse their bodies together as closely as possible, while Changmin’s arm slid around his waist, clinging tightly.
Long minutes passed, safe and warm in the reality of each other’s arms. Jaejoong’s heart was pounding fiercely, commanding him to never let go, as he realized his lips were resting against the warm skin beneath Changmin’s ear.
It only seemed natural and so perfectly right when he thoughtlessly pressed a kiss to the spot, soft and tender. Then before he could even think or stop himself he was turning his head, pulling Changmin’s face up.
He only looked for a moment to take in the tear streaked face before him, the sweet curve of a mouth trembling uncontrollably from crying, and the now red-rimmed brown eyes still shiny with tears that flickered up to meet his gaze.
“Changmin-ah…” He breathed the name as if it was something precious.
And then Jaejoong was tugging in his hair to draw him closer, eyes slipping closed as he captured those lips with his own. The feel of Changmin’s lips was all warm and pink velvet, tasting of salty tears and a sweet breath of air as Changmin sighed into his mouth.
The world faded around them as Jaejoong melded their mouths together, desperately seeking more, heart pounding at the sudden touch of the soft warmth of Changmin’s tongue meeting his own. A caress that stopped his heart as Changmin trembled in his arms.
Changmin was so intoxicating, so sweet and inviting that he couldn’t breathe anymore. Pulling back for a moment, Jaejoong watched as the other’s eyes slowly fluttered open, dazed and foggy yet completely exposing every emotion Jaejoong could also feel filling his own chest until it felt like it would burst.
And before Changmin could catch his breath or gather himself to utter a single word, Jaejoong was pressing another kiss to those slightly parted lips. His whole body was on fire, mind shutting off as he tasted Changmin again, gently pushing him down onto his back as Changmin’s fingers were tangling in his hair.
Changmin was a dizzying heat beneath him, the small tugs in his hair an attempt to draw him closer as Jaejoong obliged and dropped his hand to brush along Changmin’s neck, a sudden urge to feel, and a crazed heat flooding his body as a muffled sound came from the back of Changmin’s throat.
Neither of them had heard the soft click as the door opened behind them, or the stifled gasp. But as the soft mumbled apology of a woman’s voice broke through Jaejoong’s consciousness, he was quickly pushing himself off of Changmin and twisting around in shock, panic filling his passion clouded brain as his eyes fell on a middle aged woman backing awkwardly from the room.
She froze as their gazes met, but as her eyes inevitably slid past Jaejoong’s face to fall upon the boy still lying beneath him, Jaejoong realized that something wasn’t right.
The way Changmin’s hand suddenly clenched in his shirt accompanied by the startled intake of breath was enough to confirm the warning feeling, as the woman seemed to come out of her surprised shock and suddenly shrieked at them.
“Changmin-ah! What- What are you doing to my son!? Get away from him!”
She was across the room in a blur, slender fingers twisting fiercely in the front of Jaejoong’s shirt as she none to gently dragged him off of the bed. Completely taken off guard by her outburst as well as her surprising strength, Jaejoong tumbled awkwardly from the bed with the sharp tug.
The woman seethed as her hand darted out to slap across his cheek. “How dare you touch him? How dare you, you disgusting-!!”
Her shrill, almost crazed voice was suddenly drowned out by a loud voice from the door.
“Kang Seo-young!”
The woman instantly let go of Jaejoong as if she were burned, whipping around to face the man who had just come through the door, a gaggle of curious people just visible behind his shoulders.
“Y-yeobo..” The woman deflated instantly, voice suddenly filled with tears. “This man was…was… a-attacking our Changmin!”
The accusation set Jaejoong’s teeth on edge, and his whole body tensed instantly, his cheek flaring angrily with the sting of a blow on already bruised skin. He drew himself up, glaring as best he could at the man who turned sharp eyes on him. It was none other than Mr. Shim.
The man scrutinized him silently for a mere moment, confusion flickering like a shadow over his features. Jaejoong stared back unflinchingly as beside him the woman, he now knew to be Changmin’s mother, sank to Changmin’s side, cooing and wailing over him as if he were dying.
A doctor and nurse were then pushing around Mr. Shim, the nurse making her way to Changmin’s side to check on him while the doctor looked over the group in the door sternly.
“I must ask you to keep your voices down as the patient is not in stable condition. If you are unable to do so, I am afraid you must leave the room.”
Mr. Shim grudgingly tore his gaze away from Jaejoong who had been staring him down cooly, and agreed with the doctor, and with a fake smile turned to usher in the few people still clustered behind him.
Jaejoong’s blood boiled as he saw the man let in a handful of reporters. They looked around the room with far too much interest, eyeing Jaejoong curiously, and he clenched his fists tightly to fight down the anger rising dangerously inside of him.
It took him a moment to realize the doctor was speaking to him as his eyes were angrily following the reporters, who were already holding up cameras to flash pictures of the tearful reunion of mother and son.
“I need to ask you to leave. This visitation is for family only.”
Jaejoong had to bite his tongue to keep back a scalding retort. How dare the doctor kick him out while letting such slime into the room, he glared daggers at a reporter who none to discreetly attempted to take his own photo. Before he could reply however, Changmin spoke up weakly from the bed.
His voice was strained and small, chest rising and falling much too quickly as the reporters closed around him. The fingers clasped in his mother’s hands were white as he seemed to hang onto her for dear life. Yet his eyes, so full of liquid fear, were trained on none other than Jaejoong.
“No, please. Hyung - Don’t leave me.”
A shock ran through Jaejoong’s core as he met those eyes. His whole being clamored to strike down all the people now threatening his Changmin, to crush their leering faces and to take the other into his arms.
He didn’t care that the reporters were scribbling on their notepads furiously, eagerly taking in the whole situation. All he could see was Changmin’s distraught face, and the ache of holding himself back was a sharp fire through his body.
Mr. Shim was now moving to Changmin’s side, talking loudly about how upset they had been over the kidnapping, and how they were unable to even sleep until their son had been found. The man basically ignored his step-son as he solemnly answered the flow of questions from the reporters, while Changmin’s mother started to sob dramatically into Changmin’s shoulder.
There was a lump growing in Jaejoong’s throat, and he stumbled backwards a step until his back met the wall. He felt so powerless, the clamoring voices unable to drown out the small sounds of panic he could clearly hear coming from Changmin. None of them seemed to notice except for Jaejoong. And it was driving him crazy.
The only thing he could do was keep his eyes locked with Changmin’s, a feeble, invisible connection across the stuffy hostile air. Jaejoong tried to communicate his care and protection with his eyes, but it seemed the gaze alone was enough to keep Changmin from succumbing to panic.
By the time the reporters were satisfied, and finally making their exit, Jaejoong was sagging with exhaustion, his body aching all over as medications wore off and his injuries reestablished their presence.
A nurse had tried to attend to him more than once at various points, but he’d turned her down, refusing to leave the room. He couldn’t leave Changmin alone with all these people, not when he’d just gotten him back.
When the only people left in the room were Changmin and his parents, a tense silence fell. Although he seemed to be fighting it, Changmin broke the intense gaze first, his eyes rolling slowly back into his head. His body looked so broken and lifeless that Jaejoong had already taken a step towards him before he knew what he was doing.
Mr. Shim was suddenly grabbing him roughly by the shoulder, shoving him harshly back against the wall.
“You.” He snarled in a low voice. “Who are you? If that bastard sent you here...” His eyes glinted dangerously as he spat the words into Jaejoong’s face. He was much too close, much too threatening, and Jaejoong reacted the only way he knew how.
His hands shot out to jab him in the chest, catching Mr. Shim off guard so that he stumbled backwards with the attack.
“Don’t touch me.” His own voice surprised himself, sounding calm and cold. Years of practice slipping into place easily.
Mr. Shim was sputtering indignantly, face slowly darkening into a sick shade of purple. His wife scurried to his side, attaching herself to his arm. The man looked as if he’d like nothing more than to throw his fist into Jaejoong’s face, but a single look at his wife, wetting his shirt with her tears, held him back.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with, bastard.” He said angrily, drawing himself up in a way that may be considered intimidating, but Jaejoong was already distracted by Changmin calling his name.
Changmin was watching them all with a distressed expression, begging Jaejoong with his eyes. Jaejoong wasn’t sure what the boy wanted, but that look was so sad, and everything just felt so wrong. Their moment of bliss had been so short lived it must have been a dream, he thought bitterly.
Although he probably shouldn’t have, although he knew he should wait until they were safe and alone, he was reaching for Changmin. There was no way he could resist the pull of those eyes, they had captured him body and soul.
His fingers glided over Changmin’s cheek, brushing away the remnants of previously shed tears. Soulful eyes looked imploringly up at him, and Changmin's hand came up to seize Jaejoong’s hand in his own.
“What’s wrong?” Jaejoong whispered, heart sinking as Changmin’s eyes started welling up again. The grip on his hand was so tight.
Before Changmin could speak, hands were pulling at Jaejoong again. Changmin’s mother was livid, calling for a nurse to come in as she charged Jaejoong with molesting her son. Jaejoong shrugged her off, refusing to let go of Changmin, who was now crying as he struggled to keep a hold on his hand.
“Enough of this.” Mr. Shim’s hard voice cut in, he was eyeing both of them with unconcealed disgust. “I won’t have this fuck turning him into a faggot. You’re coming home, now.” He turned to the nurses who had burst in, shocked at the scene in front of them. “Changmin will be discharged now. We’re continuing treatment at home.”
The nurses didn’t even bother questioning his authority, and rushed about to make the necessary preparations.
Jaejoong’s blood chilled, and this time was unable to hold on as Changmin’s mother pulled their hands apart, angrily berating Jaejoong and calling him foul names as she pushed him away. A nurse had already come to Changmin’s side, helping him to sit up, already planning on taking him away from Jaejoong.
But suddenly Changmin was moving on his own, scrambling out of the bed awkwardly. Jaejoong turned and was able to catch him as the man stood and all but fell into his arms. He clung to Jaejoong, voice muffled in his chest as the nurse looked on helplessly, not sure of what to do.
“Hyung, don’t let them take me. I can’t do it- I can’t go without you. We promised we’d go together.”
Jaejoong was unable to stop himself from hugging the taller man tightly. What could they do? He wildly thought they could make a run for it… the door was currently wide open as the nurses came in. But Mr. Shim was blocking the way, and he hardly doubted they could make it far in the state they were in.
Mr. Shim was watching him with calculating eyes, as if he could read his very thoughts.
"Sedate them both if you have to." He commanded the nurse, smirking slightly as Jaejoong glared at him. "And make sure this dirty thug is kicked out of my hospital. We'll be leaving now." He turned away.
Jaejoong's insides were seething, and he took a step back, pulling Changmin with him protectively. No way in hell they were going to get away with this. He'd take them all on if he had to.
A group of nurses and a doctor were coming towards them hesitantly, and Jaejoong stared them down frostily, satisfied to see the doubt in their eyes. But when the door opened again to reveal a pair of burly body guards, Jaejoong's confidence faltered.
He unconsciously maneuvered Changmin around slowly until he was standing in front of him, shielding him from the advancing group. Changmin clung to his arm, warm breath wafting against his ear in the softest of caresses.
Everything seemed to be frozen, and Jaejoong took a slow, deep breath. And then there was a shout and as the room exploded into movement all he could see was red.
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Chapter 18
A/N:
puahahahahhahah! -0- sorry!! it's turning into a novel, so i had to just.. cut it off somewhere~~~~~~~~ @v@~
geez, i think this whole thing is gona be longer than i anticipated :P ~
p.s. : found some old stories i wrote years ago, and got all inspired to rewrite them... thinking jaechun~ or yoomin?...or jaemin. lol wat say you!?
Pairing(s): Jaemin, Yoosu (later),
Length: Chaptered 17/20?
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: (gang) violence, language, abduction
Genre: AU, drama, angst
Summary: Jaejoong and his cousin have been swept up into the world of violence and gangs. The struggle and fight for his sanity is complicated greatly by the addition of a certain Shim Changmin into the mix. Will he be able to protect those he loves as well as save himself?
A/N: oh my gosh... this is ridiculously LONGGG~ hahaha no idea where this thing is taking me~~ T^T
Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 - part 1 - part 2 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
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Jaejoong hurried down the corridor as fast as he could, the worry on Junsu’s face as he told him he needed to go see Changmin, and the dark urgency in Yoochun’s eyes as he took Junsu aside for a private word were clashing in his confused brain.
He knew he should be concerned about what was going on. Where were Jung and Kim? What had happened? And how had Junsu found them? How did they end up at a hospital together? The last thing he could remember was being surrounded by Jung’s men; but, for the life of him he just couldn’t remember which way Junsu had told him to turn.
He stood bewildered in the middle of the hallway as nurses and other patients passed him by, seeming intent on their own tasks.
Taking a steadying breath, he chose a direction and walked determinedly towards a more empty hallway. After somehow coming full circle to the same check-in desk twice, a nurse on duty had finally come to ask him if he was alright. He could only repeat Changmin’s name desperately, feeling so weak and lost, such a far cry from the always in control, hotheaded Jaejoong he had thought he was.
The woman had checked in her computer slowly, almost painfully so, and Jaejoong wanted to seize her shoulders and shake her until her teeth rattled. Did she have no idea how urgent this was? He had to get to Changmin before it was too late. He had to make sure he was alright, as his memory of their escape was cut off sharply and he had no idea what had happened to the other, or even what state he was in.
The suffocating panic that had gripped his heart since he woke up with Changmin nowhere in sight threatened to overwhelm him, and he swayed dangerously where he stood, clutching tightly to the counter.
He must be fine or else Junsu would have told him, right? In his worry over Changmin, he hadn’t had the time to talk to Junsu, or even to hug him. A strange feeling had gone through him when Junsu followed after Yoochun, walking so close together their shoulders brushed. As if they were about to hold hands. But, it all slipped from his mind. Junsu was safe enough, and nothing seemed as important as finding Changmin at that moment.
He was directed back down the way he had come, a left, pass another hallway and to the right. He struggled to catch his breath as the clutching fingers of anxiety steadily grew tighter. He was rushing past people and rooms, stumbling to a stop finally in front of room 412.
Breathing heavily he stared at the numbers on the door before him, thoughts raced through his head as to what lay beyond; one shaking hand automatically rose to knock feebly. Images of Changmin bloodied and broken had haunted him throughout the many hours of floating in unconsciousness.
The panic grew in intensity until he wasn’t in control of his own body or thoughts anymore, and he finally pushed the door open weakly.
Changmin’s terrified pale face was the first thing that met his eyes.
He was sitting rigidly with wide eyes trained on Jaejoong, but he was very much alive. Those eyes looked too large on such a drawn, heartbreakingly battered face. The first glimpse of Changmin in daylight, and he looked so fragile, so small and vulnerable amidst the sterile whiteness of the room. Dark bruises were like stains across his skin.
Jaejoong’s mind had stuttered to a halt as he took in the man in front of him, and the other was staring back at him as if he couldn’t believe his eyes. But when Changmin’s chin started trembling, and he bit down on his bottom lip shakily, Jaejoong’s body seemed to take on a life of its own.
He pushed away from the door frame, striding forward as the door swung quietly shut behind him. Changmin’s eyes followed him across the room, eyes that crinkled slightly with the effort of holding back the tears now glistening there, threatening to spill down his cheeks.
Jaejoong was vaguely aware of the sting behind his own eyes as he came to the side of the bed, hand shaking slightly as he reached out towards the distraught face that was making his heart clench painfully.
“H-hyung-”
The way Changmin’s voice caught in his throat as he uttered the word was all it took to dissolve Jaejoong’s remaining hesitancy and his shocked disbelief at really seeing the other before him. Safe and alive. And so incredibly endearing.
He found himself sitting on the bed, wrapping his arms around the boy as best he could and hauling him almost roughly to himself. Changmin melted into his arms willingly, burying his face in the crook of Jaejoong’s neck. Hot tears pricked and slid down Jaejoong’s skin as Changmin was unable to hold back his sobs any longer.
Jaejoong’s hand came up to slide into the back of Changmin’s hair, twisting it between his fingers in a fist as hot liquid squeezed itself stubbornly from behind his own tightly closed lids. With the sound of Changmin’s soft cries filling his ears it was all Jaejoong could do to control his own emotions.
It all hit at once: all the fear, desperation, and horror that had been his only reality for endless dark days, but most of all the swooping nauseating feeling of his heart and stomach changing places with the feel of Changmin, so solid and real, in his arms.
He clasped Changmin tighter, as if trying to fuse their bodies together as closely as possible, while Changmin’s arm slid around his waist, clinging tightly.
Long minutes passed, safe and warm in the reality of each other’s arms. Jaejoong’s heart was pounding fiercely, commanding him to never let go, as he realized his lips were resting against the warm skin beneath Changmin’s ear.
It only seemed natural and so perfectly right when he thoughtlessly pressed a kiss to the spot, soft and tender. Then before he could even think or stop himself he was turning his head, pulling Changmin’s face up.
He only looked for a moment to take in the tear streaked face before him, the sweet curve of a mouth trembling uncontrollably from crying, and the now red-rimmed brown eyes still shiny with tears that flickered up to meet his gaze.
“Changmin-ah…” He breathed the name as if it was something precious.
And then Jaejoong was tugging in his hair to draw him closer, eyes slipping closed as he captured those lips with his own. The feel of Changmin’s lips was all warm and pink velvet, tasting of salty tears and a sweet breath of air as Changmin sighed into his mouth.
The world faded around them as Jaejoong melded their mouths together, desperately seeking more, heart pounding at the sudden touch of the soft warmth of Changmin’s tongue meeting his own. A caress that stopped his heart as Changmin trembled in his arms.
Changmin was so intoxicating, so sweet and inviting that he couldn’t breathe anymore. Pulling back for a moment, Jaejoong watched as the other’s eyes slowly fluttered open, dazed and foggy yet completely exposing every emotion Jaejoong could also feel filling his own chest until it felt like it would burst.
And before Changmin could catch his breath or gather himself to utter a single word, Jaejoong was pressing another kiss to those slightly parted lips. His whole body was on fire, mind shutting off as he tasted Changmin again, gently pushing him down onto his back as Changmin’s fingers were tangling in his hair.
Changmin was a dizzying heat beneath him, the small tugs in his hair an attempt to draw him closer as Jaejoong obliged and dropped his hand to brush along Changmin’s neck, a sudden urge to feel, and a crazed heat flooding his body as a muffled sound came from the back of Changmin’s throat.
Neither of them had heard the soft click as the door opened behind them, or the stifled gasp. But as the soft mumbled apology of a woman’s voice broke through Jaejoong’s consciousness, he was quickly pushing himself off of Changmin and twisting around in shock, panic filling his passion clouded brain as his eyes fell on a middle aged woman backing awkwardly from the room.
She froze as their gazes met, but as her eyes inevitably slid past Jaejoong’s face to fall upon the boy still lying beneath him, Jaejoong realized that something wasn’t right.
The way Changmin’s hand suddenly clenched in his shirt accompanied by the startled intake of breath was enough to confirm the warning feeling, as the woman seemed to come out of her surprised shock and suddenly shrieked at them.
“Changmin-ah! What- What are you doing to my son!? Get away from him!”
She was across the room in a blur, slender fingers twisting fiercely in the front of Jaejoong’s shirt as she none to gently dragged him off of the bed. Completely taken off guard by her outburst as well as her surprising strength, Jaejoong tumbled awkwardly from the bed with the sharp tug.
The woman seethed as her hand darted out to slap across his cheek. “How dare you touch him? How dare you, you disgusting-!!”
Her shrill, almost crazed voice was suddenly drowned out by a loud voice from the door.
“Kang Seo-young!”
The woman instantly let go of Jaejoong as if she were burned, whipping around to face the man who had just come through the door, a gaggle of curious people just visible behind his shoulders.
“Y-yeobo..” The woman deflated instantly, voice suddenly filled with tears. “This man was…was… a-attacking our Changmin!”
The accusation set Jaejoong’s teeth on edge, and his whole body tensed instantly, his cheek flaring angrily with the sting of a blow on already bruised skin. He drew himself up, glaring as best he could at the man who turned sharp eyes on him. It was none other than Mr. Shim.
The man scrutinized him silently for a mere moment, confusion flickering like a shadow over his features. Jaejoong stared back unflinchingly as beside him the woman, he now knew to be Changmin’s mother, sank to Changmin’s side, cooing and wailing over him as if he were dying.
A doctor and nurse were then pushing around Mr. Shim, the nurse making her way to Changmin’s side to check on him while the doctor looked over the group in the door sternly.
“I must ask you to keep your voices down as the patient is not in stable condition. If you are unable to do so, I am afraid you must leave the room.”
Mr. Shim grudgingly tore his gaze away from Jaejoong who had been staring him down cooly, and agreed with the doctor, and with a fake smile turned to usher in the few people still clustered behind him.
Jaejoong’s blood boiled as he saw the man let in a handful of reporters. They looked around the room with far too much interest, eyeing Jaejoong curiously, and he clenched his fists tightly to fight down the anger rising dangerously inside of him.
It took him a moment to realize the doctor was speaking to him as his eyes were angrily following the reporters, who were already holding up cameras to flash pictures of the tearful reunion of mother and son.
“I need to ask you to leave. This visitation is for family only.”
Jaejoong had to bite his tongue to keep back a scalding retort. How dare the doctor kick him out while letting such slime into the room, he glared daggers at a reporter who none to discreetly attempted to take his own photo. Before he could reply however, Changmin spoke up weakly from the bed.
His voice was strained and small, chest rising and falling much too quickly as the reporters closed around him. The fingers clasped in his mother’s hands were white as he seemed to hang onto her for dear life. Yet his eyes, so full of liquid fear, were trained on none other than Jaejoong.
“No, please. Hyung - Don’t leave me.”
A shock ran through Jaejoong’s core as he met those eyes. His whole being clamored to strike down all the people now threatening his Changmin, to crush their leering faces and to take the other into his arms.
He didn’t care that the reporters were scribbling on their notepads furiously, eagerly taking in the whole situation. All he could see was Changmin’s distraught face, and the ache of holding himself back was a sharp fire through his body.
Mr. Shim was now moving to Changmin’s side, talking loudly about how upset they had been over the kidnapping, and how they were unable to even sleep until their son had been found. The man basically ignored his step-son as he solemnly answered the flow of questions from the reporters, while Changmin’s mother started to sob dramatically into Changmin’s shoulder.
There was a lump growing in Jaejoong’s throat, and he stumbled backwards a step until his back met the wall. He felt so powerless, the clamoring voices unable to drown out the small sounds of panic he could clearly hear coming from Changmin. None of them seemed to notice except for Jaejoong. And it was driving him crazy.
The only thing he could do was keep his eyes locked with Changmin’s, a feeble, invisible connection across the stuffy hostile air. Jaejoong tried to communicate his care and protection with his eyes, but it seemed the gaze alone was enough to keep Changmin from succumbing to panic.
By the time the reporters were satisfied, and finally making their exit, Jaejoong was sagging with exhaustion, his body aching all over as medications wore off and his injuries reestablished their presence.
A nurse had tried to attend to him more than once at various points, but he’d turned her down, refusing to leave the room. He couldn’t leave Changmin alone with all these people, not when he’d just gotten him back.
When the only people left in the room were Changmin and his parents, a tense silence fell. Although he seemed to be fighting it, Changmin broke the intense gaze first, his eyes rolling slowly back into his head. His body looked so broken and lifeless that Jaejoong had already taken a step towards him before he knew what he was doing.
Mr. Shim was suddenly grabbing him roughly by the shoulder, shoving him harshly back against the wall.
“You.” He snarled in a low voice. “Who are you? If that bastard sent you here...” His eyes glinted dangerously as he spat the words into Jaejoong’s face. He was much too close, much too threatening, and Jaejoong reacted the only way he knew how.
His hands shot out to jab him in the chest, catching Mr. Shim off guard so that he stumbled backwards with the attack.
“Don’t touch me.” His own voice surprised himself, sounding calm and cold. Years of practice slipping into place easily.
Mr. Shim was sputtering indignantly, face slowly darkening into a sick shade of purple. His wife scurried to his side, attaching herself to his arm. The man looked as if he’d like nothing more than to throw his fist into Jaejoong’s face, but a single look at his wife, wetting his shirt with her tears, held him back.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with, bastard.” He said angrily, drawing himself up in a way that may be considered intimidating, but Jaejoong was already distracted by Changmin calling his name.
Changmin was watching them all with a distressed expression, begging Jaejoong with his eyes. Jaejoong wasn’t sure what the boy wanted, but that look was so sad, and everything just felt so wrong. Their moment of bliss had been so short lived it must have been a dream, he thought bitterly.
Although he probably shouldn’t have, although he knew he should wait until they were safe and alone, he was reaching for Changmin. There was no way he could resist the pull of those eyes, they had captured him body and soul.
His fingers glided over Changmin’s cheek, brushing away the remnants of previously shed tears. Soulful eyes looked imploringly up at him, and Changmin's hand came up to seize Jaejoong’s hand in his own.
“What’s wrong?” Jaejoong whispered, heart sinking as Changmin’s eyes started welling up again. The grip on his hand was so tight.
Before Changmin could speak, hands were pulling at Jaejoong again. Changmin’s mother was livid, calling for a nurse to come in as she charged Jaejoong with molesting her son. Jaejoong shrugged her off, refusing to let go of Changmin, who was now crying as he struggled to keep a hold on his hand.
“Enough of this.” Mr. Shim’s hard voice cut in, he was eyeing both of them with unconcealed disgust. “I won’t have this fuck turning him into a faggot. You’re coming home, now.” He turned to the nurses who had burst in, shocked at the scene in front of them. “Changmin will be discharged now. We’re continuing treatment at home.”
The nurses didn’t even bother questioning his authority, and rushed about to make the necessary preparations.
Jaejoong’s blood chilled, and this time was unable to hold on as Changmin’s mother pulled their hands apart, angrily berating Jaejoong and calling him foul names as she pushed him away. A nurse had already come to Changmin’s side, helping him to sit up, already planning on taking him away from Jaejoong.
But suddenly Changmin was moving on his own, scrambling out of the bed awkwardly. Jaejoong turned and was able to catch him as the man stood and all but fell into his arms. He clung to Jaejoong, voice muffled in his chest as the nurse looked on helplessly, not sure of what to do.
“Hyung, don’t let them take me. I can’t do it- I can’t go without you. We promised we’d go together.”
Jaejoong was unable to stop himself from hugging the taller man tightly. What could they do? He wildly thought they could make a run for it… the door was currently wide open as the nurses came in. But Mr. Shim was blocking the way, and he hardly doubted they could make it far in the state they were in.
Mr. Shim was watching him with calculating eyes, as if he could read his very thoughts.
"Sedate them both if you have to." He commanded the nurse, smirking slightly as Jaejoong glared at him. "And make sure this dirty thug is kicked out of my hospital. We'll be leaving now." He turned away.
Jaejoong's insides were seething, and he took a step back, pulling Changmin with him protectively. No way in hell they were going to get away with this. He'd take them all on if he had to.
A group of nurses and a doctor were coming towards them hesitantly, and Jaejoong stared them down frostily, satisfied to see the doubt in their eyes. But when the door opened again to reveal a pair of burly body guards, Jaejoong's confidence faltered.
He unconsciously maneuvered Changmin around slowly until he was standing in front of him, shielding him from the advancing group. Changmin clung to his arm, warm breath wafting against his ear in the softest of caresses.
Everything seemed to be frozen, and Jaejoong took a slow, deep breath. And then there was a shout and as the room exploded into movement all he could see was red.
*********
Chapter 18
A/N:
puahahahahhahah! -0- sorry!! it's turning into a novel, so i had to just.. cut it off somewhere~~~~~~~~ @v@~
geez, i think this whole thing is gona be longer than i anticipated :P ~
p.s. : found some old stories i wrote years ago, and got all inspired to rewrite them... thinking jaechun~ or yoomin?...or jaemin. lol wat say you!?