DBSK Fanfic: Between Logic and Feeling (1/5)
Title: Between Logic and Feeling
Main pairing: Yunho x Jaejoong
Other pairings: Changmin x Junsu
Genre: Romance/Comedy
Rating: PG-13 for now, NC-17 in later chapters
Warnings: boy x boy relationship, host!universe
Disclaimer: I do not own DBSK/JYJ
Summary: Yunho was an upcoming politician. Good looking, rich and righteous, he was a popular candidate to become a Senator. There was only one problem: he was too kind. He needed someone to teach how to survive in politics. Meet Kim Jaejoong, a cunning host exclusively reserved for the rich.
Author's Note: So I was plotting this and I thought that 30,000-ish words are definitely too long to post in one shot. Please enjoy the first chapter! Will update the second one ASAP ORZ
---
Between Logic and Feeling
Chapter One
By: Sharl
Hero led him to a room what the hosts at Eclipse call the 'Longue'. It was more like a bar at a luxurious hotel rather than anything else. The room was dim-lit, as all other rooms on the floor that Yunho had seen so far. There were tables and cushions spread across evenly, but still could afford a sense of privacy. For those who wanted even more privacy, Yunho could see alcoves and nooks here and there. To his surprise though, not many other people were in the room. Aside from him and Hero, there were only five other men, two of them were clearly hosts.
Yunho sat down on a plus sofa at one corner. Hero sent him a smile and he felt his breath hitched. God clearly spend more time making this one than the others. "Can I offer you something to drink?"
You, his libido said again. It seems that it would be a common occurrence whenever he was in this building.
Fighting down a blush he nodded, "Brandy, please." He watched as Hero walked to the bar -no, glided would be the appropriate term- and poured a glass of brandy for Yunho and some champagne, perhaps for himself. Smiling, Hero handed the glass to Yunho who felt tongue-tied seeing that smile. He took a big gulp of that heady drink, praying that hopefully he wouldn't do anything embarrassing in front of the host.
"So," Hero crossed his legs, "Changmin mentioned that you want to hire me?"
Yunho flushed again. Apparently neither Changmin nor Junsu had explained the situations to Hero. Maybe they just forgot or maybe preferred to leave those awkward details for Yunho to explain. He shifted uncomfortably, "Err, yes. Umm, what does exactly Changmin told you, if you don't mind me asking?"
Hero shrugged, "not much, only that you experienced some kind of difficulties and that I might help you with that."
"Right," Yunho licked his lips, unaware that the action had made Hero's eyes darken with lust. He then began to explain the situation for the second time that night. By the time he was finished, Hero was staring at his lips. He touched his lips uncomfortably, "Err, do I have something in my face?"
"Oh no," Hero purred and the sound went straight to Yunho's groin. "Do you mind if I kiss you?"
"What?" Yunho blinked.
Next thing he knew, Hero was in front of him. He leaned down, arms on either side of Yunho, trapping the politician in the process. Yunho felt like a very, very willing prey in front of its predator. "I said," The host whispered, "do you mind if I kiss you."
"No." The answer came automatically.
Hero's lips curled upwards in a smirk. "Good," he ghosted over Yunho's lips before finally kissed him.
Yunho bit back a moan the second Hero's lips touched his. It felt like tasting a forbidden fruit, the one that was very exotic, sweet, and definitely addicting. Hero bit his upper lip playfully, licking at them, but just when Yunho was about to reciprocate, the host drew back. Yunho could feel Hero smiled. “Thank you, that was really nice,” Hero gave him another kiss. “I’m not usually this forward, but you’re just too tempting.”
A lump in Yunho’s throat made a comeback. He was still dumbfounded by the kiss, and he couldn’t exactly say why because his brain currently refused to work. And so he just nodded, cleared his throat a bit and say, “Thanks.”
Hero laughed, head thrown back with a hand covering his mouth. “I think I will have a good time with you.”
They discussed some arrangements and laid down some ground rules. Hero was to be on Yunho’s side on every dinner parties, the Democratic Party’s convention and the like. At the end of every meeting Hero would give him bits and pieces of advices that might help the young politician. Their first date -a dinner at one of the most influential Senator in the country, Senator Norrington- was five days away. Jaejoong would meet Yunho at his office and they’d go to the restaurant together.
The two of them exchanged numbers, just in case there was an emergency and needed to contact each other. Yunho briefly wondered if he should’ve asked Hero for his twitter (yes he was using Twitter, shut up) but he didn’t want to appear stalker-ish. Yet.
On his way down in the elevator, Yunho immediately called Yoochun. “I can’t believe you!” he complained even before the businessman finished saying hello.
“….What did I do?”
“Why the hell you didn’t tell me about this place earlier?”
Yoochun laughed. “So I guess it meets your expectations then?”
And more, Yunho wanted to reply, but he decided it’d be better to tell Yoochun in person. “Where are you? Meet me for a drink?” It was just few minutes past midnight and tomorrow was Saturday, surely they could spend extra hour to meet up. Besides even after downing two glasses of brandy he was nowhere intoxicated. In fact he thought he needed more, especially after the mind-blowing meeting with Hero. And the kiss, let’s not forget the kiss.
Twenty minutes later, he was in an exclusive bar, nursing a shot of whisky. Few fellow politicians had greeted him earlier and Yunho, ever the polite young man, decided to indulge them a little and they briefly spoke about the next Democratic Party’s agenda: a banking bill that had passed through the House of Representatives but still needed the Senate’s approval in order to becoming a law. The president had hinted that he had approved the bill so it was really up to the Senate now. Yunho thought it was strange that they talked to him about these things, after all he wasn’t a Senator yet but maybe this was a good thing. It gave him the chance to persuade others, sharing point of views and even exchanging ideas.
Yoochun arrived in style, wearing a customized suit and tailored pants that screamed expensive, very fitting to his businessman’s image. His cufflinks were pure gold and it probably worth more than the bartender’s three months salary. A pair of horn-rimmed glasses was perched on his nose, giving him more serious aura than his usual casual style that Yunho had seen him on occasion. He sat down on a bar stool next to Yunho before ordering a glass of cognac.
“I guess it all goes well?” Yoochun asked after sipping on his drink. “Have you found someone that can help you with your particular problem?”
“…can you not make it sounds like I have a terribly embarrassing disease or something?” Yunho glanced at the bartender who seemed shocked hearing Yoochun’s words.
The businessman chuckled. “Alright, my bad. Now tell me, who does Changmin have in mind for you?”
As Yunho launched into full-blown description and how fucking gorgeous Hero was (he totally ignored the bartender because the staffs here knew better than tattling up customers’ personal business for few sleazy hundred bucks), he could see Yoochun was getting more amused by the second. Clearly his friend was enjoying Yunho’s misery. And then his cell phone beeped. It was his father.
I heard you’re a customer at Eclipse now. Congratulations.
The young politician groaned. He chugged the rest of his whisky in one big gulp and gestured for more at the bartender, ignoring Yoochun who raised an eyebrow at him. How the hell his father immediately knew about this, and why on earth the congratulations were for, Yunho didn’t know and frankly he didn’t really care. Right now he just knew that he needed to get more alcohol in his system or he’d drive back to Eclipse and spend more time with Hero. “You’re driving me home,” he commanded, “I need more drink.”
“You need to have sex,” Yoochun pointed out disinterestedly.
“…. Shut up.”
---
It was still two days before Senator Norrington’s dinner party and Yunho was already jittery.
His party’s leader, Eric, had come to his office earlier this morning and conveniently hinted that Yunho needed to bring Senator Norrington over the banking bill. Senator Norrington was a prominent member of Republican Party and with him he brought over nine Republican votes that might just tipped the game to the Democratic Party’s favor. The Democratic Party was sure that the banking bill would be a reforming move to the country’s banking system and it would give an economic robust. However the Republican Party had different ideas, they said that because the bill was addressing middle low income people it wouldn’t impact much on the economy as a whole and it’d be much better to have specific plans that can directly impact bigger income chunks. Basically they’re saying that the bill was a waste of time and resources.
Moreover, to make things worse, this was one of those moments where Democratic Party didn’t have much to offer to their counterpart for negotiations. With the election coming in just few months, the Party needed to muster all their money and started preparing campaigns in every district. Although they were the majority in both House and Senate, Eric was taking no chance. This win on the banking bill would be an amazing public image and served as fundamental pillars to win more votes later in the election.
The problem here was that Senator Norrington was a notoriously tough nut to crack, and he had made it very clear that he didn’t support the bill. Yunho was even amazed why on earth he was invited in the first place.
Nonetheless, the party was around the corner and with that Yunho couldn’t help but be reminded about his date with Hero (okay, he marked the date with huge ‘!!’ signs but that was totally random thing to do). It also wasn’t helping that Hero’s beautiful face kept popping out randomly in the young politician’s mind these days.
While Yunho was sorting through his emails and replying/ignoring some of them, his cell phone beeped. He nearly choked by his own saliva when he saw who’s it from.
Hey, I’d like to get over some details before our firs appointment if you don’t mind. Just some background information about the guests. Think we can meet tonight?
His inner high-school-girl that had squealed previously deflated a bit when Yunho realized that Hero was using the word appointment. Well to be fair, it was a tutoring-session-like-appointment and not a date like what he had thought. What the hell was he thinking? Of course Hero wouldn’t see this as anything other than the usual host-client session. Somehow the thought made Yunho sad. Still sulking a bit, he decided to get some early lunch. Maybe some sandwiches and coffee would make him feel better.
Just as his luck would have it, Yunho bumped into an old friend when he was about to come into his favorite diner. He hadn’t seen Donghae since Yunho was announced as the next candidate for Senator and the two friends agreed to catch up over lunch.
Donghae was a White House reporter, but he was also a strong Democrat supporter. In fact he had made it very clear on several occasions until his editor complained formally to him, saying that he couldn’t be a reporter if he continued to have such subjective views. Donghae had taken the critics in his own way: by writing a complete and published review pinpointing weaknesses in Republican Party’s strategy. Let’s just say that the Republicans didn’t like him very much since then. If only he wasn’t so good at what he was doing, Donghae would probably find himself out of job since years ago.
They took a seat in corner table, not that they had anything secret to discuss, but it was just their habit. Sipping on his coffee, the reporter opened up the conversation. “So I heard that you’re going to run in the next election?”
Yunho nodded. “Yeah. Eric thought I have a good chance to win, and that I get the full support and almost unanimous vote from the Party’s members.”
“Did he mention which Party’s members?”
“…. What do you mean?”
Donghae gave a nonchalant shrugged, but he’s using that particular I-might-know-something-that-you-don’t-voice. “The Democratic Party is a huge organization Yunho, don’t tell me you think it’s possible to round everyone and ask for their votes in such short time. No I don’t think he’s lying,” he quickly added seeing that Yunho wanted to ask something, “It’s just that he might left out few important details.”
The young politician cursed. “Shit, I never thought about that. What have you heard?”
To his amazement, Donghae only laughed. “God Yunho, you’re definitely very gullible. I don’t need my sources to tell me something is… well, brewing with the higher ups there. Just really think about it, other than the fact that you’re the youngest candidate in history for Senator, something is missing from your career path.”
Yunho furrowed his brows, trying to understand the clues his friend gave him. The waiter came to bring their meals and it wasn’t until Yunho was on his second turkey sandwich he finally realized what Donghae was talking about. “I pass right through the House.” His eyes widened when he saw the reporter smiled proudly at him, “Fuck Hae, I jump right over to the Senate, passing the House of Representatives.”
“And what does the Senate do? What are their special rights?”
“They… are consenting to treaties before the ratification; they are involved in confirming appointments for Cabinet secretaries, federal judges and even military officers and ambassadors. Compared to a Congressman, Senators have longer terms, smaller numbers and statewide constituencies.”
“In a way, it’s more prestigious. Do you know that the Senate is sometimes called the world’s greatest deliberative body?” Donghae swallowed the pastrami sandwich he had been chewing, “To put it in another words, it’s the cool kids table in politics. It’s only natural some people would be jealous.”
“So when you ask which Party’s members, you mean there are some people in Democratic Party who doesn’t agree with my candidacy? My own Party?” Yunho asked in disbelief.
Donghae faked a sigh. “Buddy, I think it’s time you get some help. You’re clearly too naïve and gullible for your own good.”
Yunho pouted. “That’s what exactly what Yoochun said.”
“And Yoochun is a smart man,” Donghae replied slowly, as if he was talking to a small child. Everyone in the politic circle knew that Park Yoochun was Jung Yunho’s main financial backer and that the two men were close friends since they met in college. Although he didn’t know Park Yoochun personally, Donghae knew enough about him to fully appreciate the man’s genius business brain and if he told Yunho something, most likely it was for the young politician’s own good. “You should listen to him, Yunho.”
“I know he is smart. It’s just, well, this is kind of embarrassing.”
“Dude, I’ve seen you wearing pink boas and sombrero hat and nothing else running across the street to hit on a girl in which she of course poured one gallon of soapsuds all over you. Tell me if it hasn’t topped your most embarrassing moment list.”
“Hey! In my defense, it’s a Frat house initiation prank!”
“And yet you didn’t get accepted into that Frat house,” Donghae smiled innocently.
Realizing that he wasn’t going to win this round robin Yunho had no choice but to declare defeat and glared at his friend. “Alright fine, but this stays off the record alright?” At Donghae’s exaggerated act of crossing his heart to swear an oath, the young politician continued. “What do you know about…. Eclipse?”
---
Later that night, Yunho was once again standing in front of the same skyscraper feeling like a déjà vu plaguing his mind. This was all too familiar, and the fact that he was going to meet Hero again didn’t really put his mind to rest. Oh for crying out loud, he wasn’t going to get cold feet now was he? This wasn’t some prom night and Hero was definitely not some girl he liked. Although yes, he’s pretty enough to be one and Yunho quite obviously (pathetically) lusted for him, but that was beside the point.
Squaring his shoulders, he got into the same shiny elevator and soon after found himself standing in the same zen-like lobby, with the same host greeted him. “Hello,” Yunho said to Junsu. The host was looking as sensual as ever with a kimono draped open on one shoulder and Yunho gulped as Junsu gave him a sultry smile.
“Hello,” Junsu purred, “How are you Yunho?”
The young politician had to clear his throat to answer. “I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
Junsu pretended to think for a moment. “Well, Changmin had tied me up and fucked me three times in a row this morning. Then he pushed butt plug into me and hasn’t taken it off since then so I guess I feel fine, thank you for asking.”
Yunho blushed and thought Junsu might be sarcastic, but the host’s face looked totally innocent, or at least as innocent as that sultry smile on his face could be. He cleared his throat again. “I’m here to see Hero, he asked me to discuss few things.”
“Yes he has told me about that. If you will follow me, Yunho-shi.”
When watching Junsu sauntered away, Yunho couldn’t help but thinking how on earth could he have a butt plug in him and still walk normally? Junsu led him through the same dim hallway just when Yunho first visited this place. However this time he turned in one corner and stopped at one door. Junsu gave Yunho one last smoldering gaze before knocking on the door and said in sing song voice, “Hero, your client is here, looking as handsome as the first time I met him.”
To Yunho’s disappointment, the door didn’t immediately open. Instead Hero’s voice filtered through it, “It’s not locked, he can come in himself if he wants to, I’m not in a state that can open the door.”
Suddenly Junsu suddenly shuddered and freaking moaned. He then smiled a lustier smile (as if that was possible), making Yunho gulped. What in the world was he getting himself into? What did Hero mean by ‘not in a state that can open the door’? Was he decent? Was he doing something important right now and somehow Yunho had interrupted him? But Hero was the one who told him to come here, wasn’t he?
“Go on,” Junsu’s voice broke his running thoughts, “you should open the door. Good luck, Yunho.” Before the politician could move, Junsu had leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. He giggled again and stepped away, “Changmin called me, I have to go.”
“How do you know Changmin called you?”
Junsu stopped in his track. Looking over his shoulder, he replied, “Because the butt plug vibrated just now. And only he has the remote.” With that, he slipped into the dim hallway again, leaving Yunho who could only gape at the answer. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts and focus on Hero instead. He knocked on the door a couple of times before turning the knob open and entered the room. However what he saw next made him froze.
Hero was standing upside down, with his legs spread in the air and he was shirtless. Droplets of sweat clung to his bare skin, making it glistened even in the not-so-bright room. Yunho gawked at the sight, and from the upside down face of Hero, the host looked incredibly amused. He then flipped around and stood up, big doe eyes glinting as he stared at Yunho. “Sorry about that, I wasn’t expecting you to come on time. Usually our clients are not big on timely manner.”
Yunho cleared his throat. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”
“I bet you don’t.”
Fighting down a blush, Yunho looked away from all that naked skin and sat on the sofa. “So. You said you wanted to ask few things.”
“Yes,” Hero answered as he walked casually towards a chair and picked up a thrown tank top, “I want to know more about our first appointment. Where’s it held, is it a formal or casual dinner, who are the guests, etc., those kinds of things. You know, the usual.”
“Oh.” Yunho was somewhat disappointed with Hero’s answer. But he chided himself almost immediately. Of course Hero was very professional, why would he call Yunho for something other than business purpose? He probably had men gawked over him all the time so Yunho’s very obvious attraction was something he was already familiar with. “Well,” Yunho began to answer, “Senator Norrington is a member of Republican Party and he’s a long time player in politics. He has a wife and three children, a family man that would do almost anything for his children’s privacy. He-“
“Yunho-shi,” Hero cut him off, “I can know these things from the internet. He’s notoriously tough, he opposes the banking bill, bla bla bla. Give me some other information.”
The young politician could only blink. “What kind of other information?”
Hero leaned forward. “Other information, something that normal people wouldn’t know. Like how are his treatments towards you so far?”
“Oh. Well. Umm, I’m not sure about his treatments towards me specifically, but we have spoken few times occasionally although we are on opposing political parties. We discussed few topics and argued some. ” He stopped for a moment, unsure whether he should disclose the next particular information or not, but then he looked to Hero’s eyes and thought: what the heck, I should just say it. “He thinks my ideas are silly and that I’m too young to become a Senator.”
“Do you?”
Hero’s immediate reply startled Yunho for a moment. “Although the vote in Democratic Party was unanimous, a recent poll on the field says that only 27% people in my district agree that I’m suitable to become a Senator,” he said.
“I’m not asking what the pole or your political members think, Yunho-shi, I’m asking about what you think. Do you want to become a Senator?”
“Yes,” Yunho answered almost immediately because it was very clear to him. “I do want that.” He was twelve years old when he first discovered -and was so amazed- how a new law or a new bill that had just been passed could really affect people’s lives in general. A bunch of people that voted ‘yea’ could determine other people’s lives so to speak, in a complex and indirect ways. Take a new tax law or the banking bill for example. Even one dollar could be very meaningful to some people and this law would help. And so yes, Yunho wanted to become a Senator. He repeated that to Hero out loud.
Hero shrugged. “There’s your answer.”
“Does it matter that I’m not sure yet?”
“Nah. Ask as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you,” Hero said, quoting the bible. “Put in another way, fake it till you make it.”
-End Chapter One-
Teaser
Main pairing: Yunho x Jaejoong
Other pairings: Changmin x Junsu
Genre: Romance/Comedy
Rating: PG-13 for now, NC-17 in later chapters
Warnings: boy x boy relationship, host!universe
Disclaimer: I do not own DBSK/JYJ
Summary: Yunho was an upcoming politician. Good looking, rich and righteous, he was a popular candidate to become a Senator. There was only one problem: he was too kind. He needed someone to teach how to survive in politics. Meet Kim Jaejoong, a cunning host exclusively reserved for the rich.
Author's Note: So I was plotting this and I thought that 30,000-ish words are definitely too long to post in one shot. Please enjoy the first chapter! Will update the second one ASAP ORZ
---
Between Logic and Feeling
Chapter One
By: Sharl
Hero led him to a room what the hosts at Eclipse call the 'Longue'. It was more like a bar at a luxurious hotel rather than anything else. The room was dim-lit, as all other rooms on the floor that Yunho had seen so far. There were tables and cushions spread across evenly, but still could afford a sense of privacy. For those who wanted even more privacy, Yunho could see alcoves and nooks here and there. To his surprise though, not many other people were in the room. Aside from him and Hero, there were only five other men, two of them were clearly hosts.
Yunho sat down on a plus sofa at one corner. Hero sent him a smile and he felt his breath hitched. God clearly spend more time making this one than the others. "Can I offer you something to drink?"
You, his libido said again. It seems that it would be a common occurrence whenever he was in this building.
Fighting down a blush he nodded, "Brandy, please." He watched as Hero walked to the bar -no, glided would be the appropriate term- and poured a glass of brandy for Yunho and some champagne, perhaps for himself. Smiling, Hero handed the glass to Yunho who felt tongue-tied seeing that smile. He took a big gulp of that heady drink, praying that hopefully he wouldn't do anything embarrassing in front of the host.
"So," Hero crossed his legs, "Changmin mentioned that you want to hire me?"
Yunho flushed again. Apparently neither Changmin nor Junsu had explained the situations to Hero. Maybe they just forgot or maybe preferred to leave those awkward details for Yunho to explain. He shifted uncomfortably, "Err, yes. Umm, what does exactly Changmin told you, if you don't mind me asking?"
Hero shrugged, "not much, only that you experienced some kind of difficulties and that I might help you with that."
"Right," Yunho licked his lips, unaware that the action had made Hero's eyes darken with lust. He then began to explain the situation for the second time that night. By the time he was finished, Hero was staring at his lips. He touched his lips uncomfortably, "Err, do I have something in my face?"
"Oh no," Hero purred and the sound went straight to Yunho's groin. "Do you mind if I kiss you?"
"What?" Yunho blinked.
Next thing he knew, Hero was in front of him. He leaned down, arms on either side of Yunho, trapping the politician in the process. Yunho felt like a very, very willing prey in front of its predator. "I said," The host whispered, "do you mind if I kiss you."
"No." The answer came automatically.
Hero's lips curled upwards in a smirk. "Good," he ghosted over Yunho's lips before finally kissed him.
Yunho bit back a moan the second Hero's lips touched his. It felt like tasting a forbidden fruit, the one that was very exotic, sweet, and definitely addicting. Hero bit his upper lip playfully, licking at them, but just when Yunho was about to reciprocate, the host drew back. Yunho could feel Hero smiled. “Thank you, that was really nice,” Hero gave him another kiss. “I’m not usually this forward, but you’re just too tempting.”
A lump in Yunho’s throat made a comeback. He was still dumbfounded by the kiss, and he couldn’t exactly say why because his brain currently refused to work. And so he just nodded, cleared his throat a bit and say, “Thanks.”
Hero laughed, head thrown back with a hand covering his mouth. “I think I will have a good time with you.”
They discussed some arrangements and laid down some ground rules. Hero was to be on Yunho’s side on every dinner parties, the Democratic Party’s convention and the like. At the end of every meeting Hero would give him bits and pieces of advices that might help the young politician. Their first date -a dinner at one of the most influential Senator in the country, Senator Norrington- was five days away. Jaejoong would meet Yunho at his office and they’d go to the restaurant together.
The two of them exchanged numbers, just in case there was an emergency and needed to contact each other. Yunho briefly wondered if he should’ve asked Hero for his twitter (yes he was using Twitter, shut up) but he didn’t want to appear stalker-ish. Yet.
On his way down in the elevator, Yunho immediately called Yoochun. “I can’t believe you!” he complained even before the businessman finished saying hello.
“….What did I do?”
“Why the hell you didn’t tell me about this place earlier?”
Yoochun laughed. “So I guess it meets your expectations then?”
And more, Yunho wanted to reply, but he decided it’d be better to tell Yoochun in person. “Where are you? Meet me for a drink?” It was just few minutes past midnight and tomorrow was Saturday, surely they could spend extra hour to meet up. Besides even after downing two glasses of brandy he was nowhere intoxicated. In fact he thought he needed more, especially after the mind-blowing meeting with Hero. And the kiss, let’s not forget the kiss.
Twenty minutes later, he was in an exclusive bar, nursing a shot of whisky. Few fellow politicians had greeted him earlier and Yunho, ever the polite young man, decided to indulge them a little and they briefly spoke about the next Democratic Party’s agenda: a banking bill that had passed through the House of Representatives but still needed the Senate’s approval in order to becoming a law. The president had hinted that he had approved the bill so it was really up to the Senate now. Yunho thought it was strange that they talked to him about these things, after all he wasn’t a Senator yet but maybe this was a good thing. It gave him the chance to persuade others, sharing point of views and even exchanging ideas.
Yoochun arrived in style, wearing a customized suit and tailored pants that screamed expensive, very fitting to his businessman’s image. His cufflinks were pure gold and it probably worth more than the bartender’s three months salary. A pair of horn-rimmed glasses was perched on his nose, giving him more serious aura than his usual casual style that Yunho had seen him on occasion. He sat down on a bar stool next to Yunho before ordering a glass of cognac.
“I guess it all goes well?” Yoochun asked after sipping on his drink. “Have you found someone that can help you with your particular problem?”
“…can you not make it sounds like I have a terribly embarrassing disease or something?” Yunho glanced at the bartender who seemed shocked hearing Yoochun’s words.
The businessman chuckled. “Alright, my bad. Now tell me, who does Changmin have in mind for you?”
As Yunho launched into full-blown description and how fucking gorgeous Hero was (he totally ignored the bartender because the staffs here knew better than tattling up customers’ personal business for few sleazy hundred bucks), he could see Yoochun was getting more amused by the second. Clearly his friend was enjoying Yunho’s misery. And then his cell phone beeped. It was his father.
I heard you’re a customer at Eclipse now. Congratulations.
The young politician groaned. He chugged the rest of his whisky in one big gulp and gestured for more at the bartender, ignoring Yoochun who raised an eyebrow at him. How the hell his father immediately knew about this, and why on earth the congratulations were for, Yunho didn’t know and frankly he didn’t really care. Right now he just knew that he needed to get more alcohol in his system or he’d drive back to Eclipse and spend more time with Hero. “You’re driving me home,” he commanded, “I need more drink.”
“You need to have sex,” Yoochun pointed out disinterestedly.
“…. Shut up.”
---
It was still two days before Senator Norrington’s dinner party and Yunho was already jittery.
His party’s leader, Eric, had come to his office earlier this morning and conveniently hinted that Yunho needed to bring Senator Norrington over the banking bill. Senator Norrington was a prominent member of Republican Party and with him he brought over nine Republican votes that might just tipped the game to the Democratic Party’s favor. The Democratic Party was sure that the banking bill would be a reforming move to the country’s banking system and it would give an economic robust. However the Republican Party had different ideas, they said that because the bill was addressing middle low income people it wouldn’t impact much on the economy as a whole and it’d be much better to have specific plans that can directly impact bigger income chunks. Basically they’re saying that the bill was a waste of time and resources.
Moreover, to make things worse, this was one of those moments where Democratic Party didn’t have much to offer to their counterpart for negotiations. With the election coming in just few months, the Party needed to muster all their money and started preparing campaigns in every district. Although they were the majority in both House and Senate, Eric was taking no chance. This win on the banking bill would be an amazing public image and served as fundamental pillars to win more votes later in the election.
The problem here was that Senator Norrington was a notoriously tough nut to crack, and he had made it very clear that he didn’t support the bill. Yunho was even amazed why on earth he was invited in the first place.
Nonetheless, the party was around the corner and with that Yunho couldn’t help but be reminded about his date with Hero (okay, he marked the date with huge ‘!!’ signs but that was totally random thing to do). It also wasn’t helping that Hero’s beautiful face kept popping out randomly in the young politician’s mind these days.
While Yunho was sorting through his emails and replying/ignoring some of them, his cell phone beeped. He nearly choked by his own saliva when he saw who’s it from.
Hey, I’d like to get over some details before our firs appointment if you don’t mind. Just some background information about the guests. Think we can meet tonight?
His inner high-school-girl that had squealed previously deflated a bit when Yunho realized that Hero was using the word appointment. Well to be fair, it was a tutoring-session-like-appointment and not a date like what he had thought. What the hell was he thinking? Of course Hero wouldn’t see this as anything other than the usual host-client session. Somehow the thought made Yunho sad. Still sulking a bit, he decided to get some early lunch. Maybe some sandwiches and coffee would make him feel better.
Just as his luck would have it, Yunho bumped into an old friend when he was about to come into his favorite diner. He hadn’t seen Donghae since Yunho was announced as the next candidate for Senator and the two friends agreed to catch up over lunch.
Donghae was a White House reporter, but he was also a strong Democrat supporter. In fact he had made it very clear on several occasions until his editor complained formally to him, saying that he couldn’t be a reporter if he continued to have such subjective views. Donghae had taken the critics in his own way: by writing a complete and published review pinpointing weaknesses in Republican Party’s strategy. Let’s just say that the Republicans didn’t like him very much since then. If only he wasn’t so good at what he was doing, Donghae would probably find himself out of job since years ago.
They took a seat in corner table, not that they had anything secret to discuss, but it was just their habit. Sipping on his coffee, the reporter opened up the conversation. “So I heard that you’re going to run in the next election?”
Yunho nodded. “Yeah. Eric thought I have a good chance to win, and that I get the full support and almost unanimous vote from the Party’s members.”
“Did he mention which Party’s members?”
“…. What do you mean?”
Donghae gave a nonchalant shrugged, but he’s using that particular I-might-know-something-that-you-don’t-voice. “The Democratic Party is a huge organization Yunho, don’t tell me you think it’s possible to round everyone and ask for their votes in such short time. No I don’t think he’s lying,” he quickly added seeing that Yunho wanted to ask something, “It’s just that he might left out few important details.”
The young politician cursed. “Shit, I never thought about that. What have you heard?”
To his amazement, Donghae only laughed. “God Yunho, you’re definitely very gullible. I don’t need my sources to tell me something is… well, brewing with the higher ups there. Just really think about it, other than the fact that you’re the youngest candidate in history for Senator, something is missing from your career path.”
Yunho furrowed his brows, trying to understand the clues his friend gave him. The waiter came to bring their meals and it wasn’t until Yunho was on his second turkey sandwich he finally realized what Donghae was talking about. “I pass right through the House.” His eyes widened when he saw the reporter smiled proudly at him, “Fuck Hae, I jump right over to the Senate, passing the House of Representatives.”
“And what does the Senate do? What are their special rights?”
“They… are consenting to treaties before the ratification; they are involved in confirming appointments for Cabinet secretaries, federal judges and even military officers and ambassadors. Compared to a Congressman, Senators have longer terms, smaller numbers and statewide constituencies.”
“In a way, it’s more prestigious. Do you know that the Senate is sometimes called the world’s greatest deliberative body?” Donghae swallowed the pastrami sandwich he had been chewing, “To put it in another words, it’s the cool kids table in politics. It’s only natural some people would be jealous.”
“So when you ask which Party’s members, you mean there are some people in Democratic Party who doesn’t agree with my candidacy? My own Party?” Yunho asked in disbelief.
Donghae faked a sigh. “Buddy, I think it’s time you get some help. You’re clearly too naïve and gullible for your own good.”
Yunho pouted. “That’s what exactly what Yoochun said.”
“And Yoochun is a smart man,” Donghae replied slowly, as if he was talking to a small child. Everyone in the politic circle knew that Park Yoochun was Jung Yunho’s main financial backer and that the two men were close friends since they met in college. Although he didn’t know Park Yoochun personally, Donghae knew enough about him to fully appreciate the man’s genius business brain and if he told Yunho something, most likely it was for the young politician’s own good. “You should listen to him, Yunho.”
“I know he is smart. It’s just, well, this is kind of embarrassing.”
“Dude, I’ve seen you wearing pink boas and sombrero hat and nothing else running across the street to hit on a girl in which she of course poured one gallon of soapsuds all over you. Tell me if it hasn’t topped your most embarrassing moment list.”
“Hey! In my defense, it’s a Frat house initiation prank!”
“And yet you didn’t get accepted into that Frat house,” Donghae smiled innocently.
Realizing that he wasn’t going to win this round robin Yunho had no choice but to declare defeat and glared at his friend. “Alright fine, but this stays off the record alright?” At Donghae’s exaggerated act of crossing his heart to swear an oath, the young politician continued. “What do you know about…. Eclipse?”
---
Later that night, Yunho was once again standing in front of the same skyscraper feeling like a déjà vu plaguing his mind. This was all too familiar, and the fact that he was going to meet Hero again didn’t really put his mind to rest. Oh for crying out loud, he wasn’t going to get cold feet now was he? This wasn’t some prom night and Hero was definitely not some girl he liked. Although yes, he’s pretty enough to be one and Yunho quite obviously (pathetically) lusted for him, but that was beside the point.
Squaring his shoulders, he got into the same shiny elevator and soon after found himself standing in the same zen-like lobby, with the same host greeted him. “Hello,” Yunho said to Junsu. The host was looking as sensual as ever with a kimono draped open on one shoulder and Yunho gulped as Junsu gave him a sultry smile.
“Hello,” Junsu purred, “How are you Yunho?”
The young politician had to clear his throat to answer. “I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
Junsu pretended to think for a moment. “Well, Changmin had tied me up and fucked me three times in a row this morning. Then he pushed butt plug into me and hasn’t taken it off since then so I guess I feel fine, thank you for asking.”
Yunho blushed and thought Junsu might be sarcastic, but the host’s face looked totally innocent, or at least as innocent as that sultry smile on his face could be. He cleared his throat again. “I’m here to see Hero, he asked me to discuss few things.”
“Yes he has told me about that. If you will follow me, Yunho-shi.”
When watching Junsu sauntered away, Yunho couldn’t help but thinking how on earth could he have a butt plug in him and still walk normally? Junsu led him through the same dim hallway just when Yunho first visited this place. However this time he turned in one corner and stopped at one door. Junsu gave Yunho one last smoldering gaze before knocking on the door and said in sing song voice, “Hero, your client is here, looking as handsome as the first time I met him.”
To Yunho’s disappointment, the door didn’t immediately open. Instead Hero’s voice filtered through it, “It’s not locked, he can come in himself if he wants to, I’m not in a state that can open the door.”
Suddenly Junsu suddenly shuddered and freaking moaned. He then smiled a lustier smile (as if that was possible), making Yunho gulped. What in the world was he getting himself into? What did Hero mean by ‘not in a state that can open the door’? Was he decent? Was he doing something important right now and somehow Yunho had interrupted him? But Hero was the one who told him to come here, wasn’t he?
“Go on,” Junsu’s voice broke his running thoughts, “you should open the door. Good luck, Yunho.” Before the politician could move, Junsu had leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. He giggled again and stepped away, “Changmin called me, I have to go.”
“How do you know Changmin called you?”
Junsu stopped in his track. Looking over his shoulder, he replied, “Because the butt plug vibrated just now. And only he has the remote.” With that, he slipped into the dim hallway again, leaving Yunho who could only gape at the answer. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts and focus on Hero instead. He knocked on the door a couple of times before turning the knob open and entered the room. However what he saw next made him froze.
Hero was standing upside down, with his legs spread in the air and he was shirtless. Droplets of sweat clung to his bare skin, making it glistened even in the not-so-bright room. Yunho gawked at the sight, and from the upside down face of Hero, the host looked incredibly amused. He then flipped around and stood up, big doe eyes glinting as he stared at Yunho. “Sorry about that, I wasn’t expecting you to come on time. Usually our clients are not big on timely manner.”
Yunho cleared his throat. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.”
“I bet you don’t.”
Fighting down a blush, Yunho looked away from all that naked skin and sat on the sofa. “So. You said you wanted to ask few things.”
“Yes,” Hero answered as he walked casually towards a chair and picked up a thrown tank top, “I want to know more about our first appointment. Where’s it held, is it a formal or casual dinner, who are the guests, etc., those kinds of things. You know, the usual.”
“Oh.” Yunho was somewhat disappointed with Hero’s answer. But he chided himself almost immediately. Of course Hero was very professional, why would he call Yunho for something other than business purpose? He probably had men gawked over him all the time so Yunho’s very obvious attraction was something he was already familiar with. “Well,” Yunho began to answer, “Senator Norrington is a member of Republican Party and he’s a long time player in politics. He has a wife and three children, a family man that would do almost anything for his children’s privacy. He-“
“Yunho-shi,” Hero cut him off, “I can know these things from the internet. He’s notoriously tough, he opposes the banking bill, bla bla bla. Give me some other information.”
The young politician could only blink. “What kind of other information?”
Hero leaned forward. “Other information, something that normal people wouldn’t know. Like how are his treatments towards you so far?”
“Oh. Well. Umm, I’m not sure about his treatments towards me specifically, but we have spoken few times occasionally although we are on opposing political parties. We discussed few topics and argued some. ” He stopped for a moment, unsure whether he should disclose the next particular information or not, but then he looked to Hero’s eyes and thought: what the heck, I should just say it. “He thinks my ideas are silly and that I’m too young to become a Senator.”
“Do you?”
Hero’s immediate reply startled Yunho for a moment. “Although the vote in Democratic Party was unanimous, a recent poll on the field says that only 27% people in my district agree that I’m suitable to become a Senator,” he said.
“I’m not asking what the pole or your political members think, Yunho-shi, I’m asking about what you think. Do you want to become a Senator?”
“Yes,” Yunho answered almost immediately because it was very clear to him. “I do want that.” He was twelve years old when he first discovered -and was so amazed- how a new law or a new bill that had just been passed could really affect people’s lives in general. A bunch of people that voted ‘yea’ could determine other people’s lives so to speak, in a complex and indirect ways. Take a new tax law or the banking bill for example. Even one dollar could be very meaningful to some people and this law would help. And so yes, Yunho wanted to become a Senator. He repeated that to Hero out loud.
Hero shrugged. “There’s your answer.”
“Does it matter that I’m not sure yet?”
“Nah. Ask as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you,” Hero said, quoting the bible. “Put in another way, fake it till you make it.”
-End Chapter One-
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