The Art of Deception (Yunho x Jaejoong) - Chapter Twenty-Two
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**Note: Thank you, steorie, for the wonderful banner you made for me!**
The Art of Deception (Chapter Twenty-Two)
Pairing: Yunho (DBSK) x Jaejoong (DBSK).
Category: K-Pop.
Length: Multi-chaptered.
Genres: Angst, drama, humor, romance.
Rating: PG-13.
Warning: Homosexuality, abuse, light swearing, sexual implications, violence.
Summary: Yunho is a rich son who’s never done anything to earn his own money. Attending snobby diners and appearing in social events with his parents is more than he can take, so he decides to run away, thinking that surely life is better elsewhere - anywhere but his place. Little does he know that it doesn’t get any better in the slums. His thirst for adventure will be quenched - a little too much. Enter street Kabuki actor Kim Jaejoong!
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
***
[Jaejoong’s POV]
Unable to stay put and hear more, I dash out of my hiding place with the intent to confront Hyejin and his confidant. Since the latter is looking the other way and has his back facing me, he doesn’t see me instantly, but the person with him, whom I vaguely remember seeing around the block and for whom I haven’t the slightest interest, pales dramatically when I enter his field of vision, as if he had just heard news of his own death.
Well, well. Seems like he knows about me and my friendly way of dealing with people who mess with the ones I care about.
I wonder if he cares for a demonstration…
But before I can show him that I mean business, he gestures goodbye at Hyejin, all jittery, and gets the hell out of my sight as quickly as he can. “I-I’ll catch you l-later…!”
Aw… Maybe next time, then.
Hyejin must be wondering why his friend reacted so violently, so he turns to find out and freezes as soon as he sees me there, all colors draining from his face. “Afraid, aren’t we? I don’t blame you, although…” Smirking, I close the distance between us and he does the same, trying to be brave. But I know it’s all an act. “You should be fucking terrified. What the hell are you plotting? I won’t let you take a cent out of Yunho’s house!”
Losing my cool at the thought that he could try to hurt Yunho, I grab Hyejin by the collar, pushing him up against the wall. “Tell me everything!” I spit out menacingly.
When his back scrapes against the brick wall, he winces a little, but his foolish pride doesn’t falter. “You’re a real funny guy… You just wanna get to it before we do, right? Admit it… Don’t pretend to be an honest man! You’re just like us!”
If there is one thing that he should not have said, it’s this.
“Don’t you pretend to know shit about Yunho and me!” I hiss with vehemence, already furious beyond belief, and I tighten my hold around his throat, which causes him to start having trouble breathing. “I don’t give a fuck about his money!”
“Are you s-sure you don’t…?” He sputters out the words, the flow of air to his lungs partly blocked. What a stupid fool… “Not even one little bit?”
“Not one bit. Now tell me where he lives before I tear your head off.”
“I’m not afraid of-”
As soon as he shows signs of resistance, I crush him deeper into the wall and retrieve a knife from my back pocket which I open and hold against his throat. That’s right… I’ve been carrying this around lately, just in case. Can’t be too careful these days. Of course, I have no intention of killing him, only to scare him into telling me what I wanna know. “…Don’t! Let… Let go of me…! No matter what you do, I won’t-”
I press the cool blade a little more, dangerously close to a vital, risqué spot. He whimpers.
“…ahhh! Alright, alright! I’ll tell you! I said I’ll tell you, dammit! Stop! Fuckin’ sicko!”
This is something I am not going to deny. “Heh… You can say that again.”
“Aish…! You’re fucking crazy!”
“I guess. Are you gonna tell me how to get there before my patience runs out?”
This time, he has nothing to say. “…”
Hyejin remains silent as he contemplates his options. To be honest, I have had it up to here with him being so difficult and I intend to put an end to it. I have given him enough time to make his decision. “You’re pushing your luck!” If he values his life, he’s gonna have to sell out his friend - not that I doubt him capable of something like that.
I don’t like him, but we used to be a team. I never thought he could betray me so easily.
“…alright, listen well…”
Attentively, I listen to his explanations, with an already accurate mental representation of the way to go. So that’s where Yunho lives… Once I make Hyejin swear that he told me the entire truth, I remove the weapon from its unsafe position. As soon as he’s free, he runs away, probably off to alert his partner in crime of my visit.
But regardless of what trick they have up their sleeve, I won’t let them get to Yunho. Who knows what they could do to him to get what they want?
Even if Yunho and I can’t be together…
Living in a world where he’s not would be unbearable. I can’t let that happen.
With my heart in my throat, I start running, hoping to make it in time.
Given the situation, it’s a relief I know my way around, because otherwise, I might need to comb through the entire city. I’m pretty sure that I’m heading in the right direction, so I’ll just hope that luck is on my side today and that nothing bad will happen before I get there. Where Yunho lives is a long way from my (formerly our) home, but nothing right now could stop me from running to him, much less physical exhaustion.
I don’t know how long I run, zigzagging through the streets. Because it’s dark out, I have no visual landmark to help me determine the time. But when I finally catch sight of the imposing manor that Hyejin told me to look out for, I come to a halt to catch my breath. My lungs are burning, my legs are shaking, my heart is throbbing painfully…
I can’t stop. No time to waste.
The gate is closed and there doesn’t seem to be a car in the driveway, which means that Yunho and his family must be away. That’s a relief… At least there’s no chance of them getting hurt. But still, I need to stop Bongchol from running off with their wealth... Partly because I don’t want him to benefit from it - he deserves so much worse than opulence -, but mostly because I don’t want an innocent household suffering by the bastard’s fault.
At any rate, I need to find my way in.
The front door doesn’t seem like the best choice, since there might be domestics inside, who would not need much time to realize that I’m not one of their masters…
I have no desire to ruin my chances after coming this far.
Besides, I won’t be of any use to Yunho in jail.
Having made my mind, I walk along the fence protecting the private land in search of another way in. There doesn’t seem to be another door on the side, but there are a lot of windows which shouldn’t be that much of a challenge to get in through.
Letting nothing stop me from going all the way, I jump and haul myself on the barrier, landing on the other side with a mute ‘thud’. My greatest fear appears to be unfounded; indeed, security seems to be pretty lax, as there are no alarms or security lights. But that doesn’t mean I should lower my guard… I can’t allow myself to relax while I’m here… Careful not to make any sound, I quietly sneak my way towards the wealthy house.
What strikes me the most is the fact that the window is already open.
So this must be where he got in…
Again, I run up to the wall and jump, taking hold of the window sill and lifting myself up with ease, as I am quite used to this. Once inside, I look around, only to find that I ended up in a bedroom of some sort. Either the person who owns it is very messy or my former theater mate has something to do with the state of the room.
I think I know the answer.
Still, I wonder why I can’t spot signs of the servants… I hope they’re safe.
I look around for a while, going through this room and crossing over to another without encountering a soul. And then I see the person I was looking for, rummaging through drawers in search of valuables, most likely. Well, I’ll make sure that he walks out of here with nothing in hand. “You better forget about taking anything with you, Bongchol.”
Visibly not expecting to see me here, he looks up in horror.
When he’s past his initial shock, however, he takes on a poker face and resumes what he had been doing until now - that is, filling his bag with glimmering jewelry without giving me so much as a look. That arrogant asshole… Trying as best as I can not to lose my cool, I grab his arm before he can reach a particularly shiny brooch and he drops it. The brooch falls back in the drawer with a deafening metallic sound.
“Are you out of your mind?” He keeps his voice low so as not to draw attention, but the damage is done. If there really are housekeepers and he hasn’t dealt with them yet, they will be here within seconds - minutes at most. He’s dead meat.
If he thinks I’m gonna help him, he couldn’t be more wrong…
“I was told that by your stupid sidekick too, when I beat him up earlier. He didn’t present much of a challenge, to be honest… Had him whining like a little boy.”
That angers him to no end, which is what I wanted.
“Hyejin…? What did you do to him?!”
Bongchol tries to break himself free from my grip, but I tighten my hold around his arm, my fingers biting into his skin. Never before have I hated someone so much…
Pulling on his arm, I manage to make him lose his balance and stumble towards me, after which I grab the other one and cause him to drop his bag. “At least you acknowledge that he’s your pathetic lapdog. No, I just messed up with his mind a little… He did ask for it.” I knee him in the stomach and he gasps loudly, out of breath. “Thought you might want to know that he didn’t hesitate to betray you. It’s thanks to him that I’m here.”
Eyes on the discarded bag of riches, Bongchol appears to be waiting for the right moment to dash and grab it, but I won’t give him that chance.
Plus, that bag has his fingerprints all over it…
In my case, since I came in, I’ve been careful not to touch anything.
If push comes to shove, this might help establish who between us really is guilty.
Seeing that I have the upper hand, Bongchol forgets about winning physically and resorts to verbal weapons in order to unsettle me. “Aren’t you afraid…?” He asks me, looking like he knows something that I don’t, but will find out shortly. “…You’re in as much trouble as I am if anyone gets here. If I’m caught, I’ll drag you along with me.”
Of course I know that.
That’s precisely why I need him out of here as soon as possible - so that I can leave, too.
“Just give it up already. There’s no use.” I advise him as a sudden feeling of uneasiness and urgency rises in me. As the seconds tick away, I realize that we have no time to waste and that we can’t stay here any longer. “Come on. We’d better leave.”
“What do you mean, “we”? I’m not going anywh-”
As I try to drag him out along with me, he struggles to stay inside and retrieve what he just claimed as his own. Suddenly, we hear something that attracts our attention: the sound of a lock being tweaked with, of a door being opened, of footsteps coming in. A woman wonders about a faulty security system that did not do its job. I should probably leave, take to my heels and run for my life, but… for some reason, I can’t move.
Having sensed the danger, Bongchol is already far gone.
The woman wonders out loud about the state of the house. “Where are the servants…? The lights are out, but they do not seem to be anywhere in sight. Are they asleep already? How could they leave the house in such an unguarded state…?”
What I hear next literally freezes me to the spot. My feet take root inside the floor as soon as it makes itself heard. Though I was expecting this, I wasn’t emotionally prepared…
Yunho’s voice, deep and masculine.
“This is strange… Way too strange. I don’t believe this is mere carelessness on their part. Someone might have sneaked inside the house. You two stay here and be on your guard. I’ll go have a look around. There might still be someone in the house…” His steps grow closer as he approaches the staircase and begins to go up to the second floor.
Why am I still here? I need to get out now.
Another man speaks up, which I assume to be a domestic - probably a butler or chauffeur of some sort, as the voice sounds much too young to belong to his father. “Young master, this is too dangerous! You must not venture alone. What if something happens to you? We do not need another patient... Please come down, I shall go in your stead.”
This catches my attention, despite the mess I’m in. Another patient…?
“No, stay with my mother. I’ll just go and come back. Wait for me to confirm that no one’s here before you come up, okay? Don’t worry about me. I can fend for myself.”
Yunho’s mother expresses her worry for him. “Be careful, dear...”
As Yunho resumes his ascension of the stairs, my body starts shaking uncontrollably and I break into a cold sweat, my mouth suddenly very dry. Absentmindedly, I wipe my moist palms on my thighs. What is wrong with me? What am I waiting for? One thing’s for sure: I can’t let Yunho find me here! What am I going to say to him for my defense?
A sudden high pitch scream suggests that they have found the domestics. “Good lord, they tied up the maids! Whatever ill intent could they have in mind for us?”
This is Bongchol’s work, no doubt.
Yunho’s tone becomes icy and firm. I’ve never heard him speak like that.
“Lock all the doors and windows.”
Within seconds, I hear a series of metallic sounds which consist in exits being shut and locked in a remote manner with the activation of a highly technological security system. Stricken by fear, I start walking backwards, staggering on trembling leg as I now consider the option of escape. I can’t let anyone find me here. I’m not ready to say goodbye to my freedom. I don’t want to rot in prison for the rest of my life…
But more than anything, I don’t want to imagine what Yunho will think.
Now downright panicking, I whirl around and start fumbling with the window, feeling its frame for a handle or a bolt, but there are none. Nothing but a touchpad requiring a code which I haven’t. Frantically, even though I know it’s pointless, I grab the rail of the window and try to slide it up despite its being barred. Of course, it does not move an inch. The noise I’m making is probably not helping my case, but despite that, it’s hopeless.
There won’t be any escape for me. I’m trapped in. My cover is blown.
And Yunho will be here any second.
This is a horrible misunderstanding… How could this happen?
Yunho’s steps stop in front of the door and the handle turns slowly, carefully…
***
[Yunho’s POV]
The last few days have been a living hell.
My mother and I have spent all this time at the hospital, sitting up with my father, watching over his sleep… There isn’t much hope for a complete recovery of his functions. The damage and death of some of his brain cells will most likely be irreversible, which means that he will have to be like this for the rest of his life, however long it will last.
Though we have been waiting and hoping for a miracle, I know it’s useless.
Nothing will ever be the same. That is the reality.
I just wish I had spent more time with him. If I had stayed, I wouldn’t have these regrets... Maybe none of this would have happened…
But it did, and now a decision must be made.
At any rate, for now, my mother and I have been sent home to get some rest. Should there be any change in my father’s condition, we will be notified. Being so far away from him, I feel uneasy at the prospect that he might die in our absence… but that seems unlikely. He is stable, now. Simply, he isn’t in his right mind and probably never will again.
Now that we have reached home, I plan on getting some good rest.
That is, if I somehow manage to fall asleep.
When we arrive, the gate is closed as we left it, but the house is plunged into darkness. Now that is pretty weird… Our housekeepers never go to bed before our return. Besides, it really isn’t that late to begin with… Something definitely does not feel right.
My mother, our chauffeur and I get inside after the doorknob turns without resisting, as it has apparently been left unlocked. What’s more, the alarm system remains silent, which means that it hasn’t been set. This is getting weirder and weirder… Somehow, I can’t shake off the feeling that a burglar has broken inside the house. Since I can’t allow my mother to expose herself to such a risk, I decide to get to the bottom of this myself.
Despite their warnings, I climb up the stairs, wondering if I will encounter someone on my way there. At the announcement that the maids have been found tied up, I ask that the windows and doors be locked, to ensure that any wrongdoer remaining will be caught.
When I finally stop in front of my parents’ bedroom, I have a hunch that someone is there behind the door and that they do not mean well.
Why are they here? Who could it be?
Taking a deep breath, I reach for the doorknob and turn it slowly, carefully…
Chapter Twenty-Three