Wanted: Chapter 3
~Chapter 3~
In the living room of a luxurious beach house, a grand piano stands facing the clear glass windows carefully framed to capture the oceanic view. A beautiful boy, casually dressed in white, gracefully enters the room like an angel sent from heaven to shine light on all things on earth.
This angel makes his way to the piano, resting his finger on the lightly on the padded keys. Under his familiar touch, the piano’s soft sweet melody broke the deafening silence cast on this beach upon that gunshot fifteen years ago.
With the feverish movement of his wrist and the dramatic crescendo, the music takes flight. Enchanting tones filled with intensity echoes off the glassy windows and the marble floor. As the slender fingers gracefully dances on the keys of the piano, the melody swirls in the vacant vicinity.
The melody was hauntingly beautiful. So sooth and mesmerizing that would make all listeners stop whatever they were doing to listen.
Yet this young man could not. He needed comfort and knew exactly where to seek for it.
His loud knocks on the fragile door to the beach house promptly stopped the lovely melody.
The angel within hastily responded to the knocks quickly throws open the door revealing the distressed young man on the other side. With one glance at other’s ghastly state, the angel quickly brings young man into his embrace.
Right on cue, the young man breaks down crying in his angel’s arms. He hugs the angel closer to himself, forcing any space in between them to disappear entirely.
“Jae…” The young man’s voice muffled as he buried his face in the angel’s soft hair.
“Yun, I’m here.” The angel whispered soothingly.
Hearing his angel’s lovely voice made his sobbing calm down a bit, though his tears continued to pour out. “… Jae…”
Jaejoong strokes the crying boy’s hair, and whispers calming words to the boy. “… Yun-ah, I’m here, I’ll always be here for you.”
“…Jae…”
Of course Yunho didn’t need to hear those words, he had always believed that. That is why every time he wanted someone to lean on, even at times when the sadness caused his conscious mind to shut off all his abilities like simple human reasoning, he would always find himself at the beach house and in Jaejoong’s arms.
That’s why he is here this time, and the thing he has been able to mutter is Jaejoong’s name. Yunho knew that this is the one person that would be there for him. There’s one person he could still turn to… He has an angel that will forever hold an important place in his heart.
Every time he is in his angel’s arms, he is filled with warmth and all of his unhappy thoughts will be pushed aside.
“Jae…”
“Hush Yun… I’m here.”
Jaejoong didn’t want Yunho to say anymore. He understands the young man too well to know that he is not ready yet. When he is, Yunho will tell him everything.
Seeing Yunho’s worn out form, Jaejoong carefully helped Yunho to the white Carmel Sofa in the living room. He gently lowered Yunho and himself onto the cotton-linen sofa. His arms remained around Yunho’s waist, holding him close, as to give him all the warmth and comfort he could possibly offer. Jaejoong continues to stroke the Yunho’s hair caringly while murmuring sweet loving words into Yunho’s ears.
The angel’s smooth silky voice was melodious to the crying boy’s ears. Hearing Jaejoong’s soft whispers, Yunho rests his head lightly on Jaejoong’s shoulders, and let his eyelids flutter a few times before shutting his eyes entirely. Soon the exhausted one falls into dreamless slumber.
Jaejoong’s face lit with a slight smile as he realized Yunho is sound asleep. Jaejoong took this chance to memorize the sharp features of the sleeping form. It’s not everyday that he gets to see his savior this close. This is one of the rare chances that he gets to thank the young man for everything he has now, including his life.
He could still remember the night deep alone in the dark cave where his mom left him.
As a mere seven-year-old boy, who spends entire life living with luxury most people could only dream about, that night was terrifying beyond believe. His shorts were stained with his own blood along with the mud from the mucky floor. Little Jaejoong hugged his himself in a fetal with his head rested on his knees, and his tears as pouring waterfall. His entire body ached from the run and the fall. Yet most of the pain concentrated in his heart. He was left alone. His family abandoned him.
He continued to shake his head in disbelieve. His mom couldn’t have left him… She’ll be back…
Just as he that thought crossed him, he heard footsteps.
‘She’s back!!! She came back for me!’ The little boy thought happily, pushing himself up from the ground, ready to run into his mom’s embrace.
Then he heard a voice. “Hey! There’s a cave! They may be in there!”
“Go check.” A chilling voice ordered.
Little Jaejoong panicked.
‘That’s not umma!’
Jaejoong took small steps backwards trying not to make a sound to capture the attention of the pursuers.
“It’s dark in here.” Another voice sounded as the footsteps entered the cave.
“Do you see anything?!” The first voice asked.
“Can’t see a thing. It’s too dark.” Came the reply.
Jaejoong, as his eyes were able to adjust to the darkness, made out two buff figures wandering around in the cave trying to find something. Their hands were reaching out, searching for anything to grab onto.
The seven-year-old’s light steps brought him back up against the cold cave wall.
One man made his way closer to Jaejoong, but tripped on a rock along the way, making him land only inches away from the frightened boy.
Jaejoong tried to calm his heavy breathing, not wishing to be discovered.
Hearing the loud thump made by his accompaniment, the other guy inched closer towards their vicinity. “Are you alright?”
The man on the ground let out a loud grunt, “Yea, I’m fine, just tripped.”
Taking the hand offered, he got up and brushed off the dirt. “This is annoying. Let’s get out of here already.”
“Are you sure there’s nothing here?!” The other man looked around, his hands making random grabs in the dark.
Jaejoong closed his eyes and backed up plastered himself along the walls, trying to blend in and not get grabbed.
“It’s so dark in here; we are not going to be able to find anything. Let’s go before a bear or something shows up and eat us alive.” The first man voiced out.
“Idiot, there are no bears on this beach. But we should go anyways, there doesn’t seem to be anything here. We don’t know how deep the cave reaches, and we don’t want to waste any time, or else our lives are on the line.” The other man said and made his way out of the cave with the other man trailing behind. They were careful trying not to stumble and fall in the blinding dark cave.
Jaejoong finally lets out the breath he was holding, and falls into the fetal position again hugging on to his knees and let himself rock back and forth to calm down. He was exhausted, yet every time he tried to shut his eyes, the day’s event flashes into his mind, not allowing him to acquire a moment of rest that his fatigued body needed.
After long hours of internal struggle, dawn finally arrived, bringing some light into the cave.
Jaejoong’s energy was completely drained. He hasn’t moved at all from last night’s position.
Not long after the first ray of light shone in the cave, he heard excited barking nearing the cave, and footsteps following.
‘Oh no… They are back… With a dog this time they will surely find me.’
The little boy felt panic arise again. He can’t stay here waiting to be captured. So he stood up shakily, and made his way towards the entrance of the cave.
“Whoa boy, where are you taking me?” A young boy’s voice was approaching the cave.
Jaejoong’s racing heart calmed a little. ‘It’s not them…’
“Hey! Whose there?!” The boy cried out and rushed over when he spotted Jaejoong’s failing figure.
The young boy made his way in front of Jaejoong just in time to catch him before he collapsed due to exhaustion.
“Are you okay?” The young boy didn’t know what to do as he held the other boy closer to himself. He tried shaking the boy a couple of times, but it was no use, he didn’t wake up.
Seeing the terrible state the little boy was in, the older boy decided to take the younger to his house.
Since it was still early, his parents and their maids have not yet awaken. So the young boy carried Jaejoong to his room.
The boy gently laid the fatigued body on his bed. Then he went to get a bowl of water and a towel and hurried back to the frail body’s side. He took the towel and soaked it with water before gently wiping the younger boy doll like face, soft hands, and battered knees clean of his own blood and mud in mixed together. After cleaning and he carefully bandaged the wounds as well, cautious not to hurt the other boy. When all that was done, he decided to get something from the kitchen to satisfy his grumbling tummy.
Once he returned, he saw the little boy restless in his bed, tossing and turning, throwing an tantrum in his unconscious state.
So the older boy made his way closer to the bed to listen to the words escaping from the small plump lips, “… Umma… Appa… Don’t leave me.” Tears silently slide down his pale cheeks, his hands reaching out as if to grab his parents that he were leaving him.
Witnessing this heart breaking sight, the older boy couldn’t help but reach out to wipe the tears away. Then brought the younger boy into his embrace, and hugged him close, hoping that the warmth radiating from his body would calm the other boy.
His wish was heard, and the other boy stopped struggling, and soon his eye lids fluttered open, revealing big round chocolaty eyes that stared into his, yet it was filled with emptiness. “Appa… Umma…” He let out a whisper, and his tears came tumbling out again.
The older boy cupped the younger boy’s face with a hand, and whispered soothing words, “Don’t cry… I’m here for you.”
And he was.
He was always there for Jaejoong, and in return, Jaejoong was always there for him. There and then, an everlasting bond was formed between the two. They will always be there for each other.
… And now, ten years later, it was Jaejoong’s turn to hold his savior close… To give Yunho warmth and comfort that he needs.
~★~