Dating on Earth: Running
Title: Running
Pairings: YunJae, brotherly HoMin
Ratings: PG-13
Genres: AU, romance, angst
Length: part of one-shot series
Beta: shadowofmyday
Running
It was nearly 2AM, yet ChangMin was still awake, sitting in YunHo’s apartment and nervously chewing on celery.
YunHo left, together with YooChun and JunSu around 6PM, the meeting was at 7PM, and at around 8PM JunSu called and said that YunHo had ignored them and just headed somewhere, obviously zoomed out.
That meant 8 hours, perhaps 5 would be more precise, that he didn’t get any messages about YunHo and didn’t know where his hyung was.
Only once before had ChangMin grown so attached to a person so fast - spending nights up, just to know the person is ok, to show support if the other needs it. And waiting in times like this was the worst.
He had already re-arranged all books back in shelves, put the sketch books by date, threw out everything that was broken, made the bed, found a few blankets for himself, because he knew - leaving YunHo when he comes back wouldn’t be a good idea.
The front door opened and he almost bit his fingers, as the celery ended.
“Hyung!” He jumped up from his seat and rushed to meet YunHo, yet froze when other entered the room.
His face was pale, whole body seemed to went limp any second and each step caused him to hiss.
“Hyung…” ChangMin tried to move closer again, but YunHo pushed him aside gently and headed straight to the bathroom, locking himself in.
ChangMin just sighed and went to back to his previous place.
*-*-*-*-*
The shower was running for almost 30 minutes, when Min finally decided to speak.
In other situation he would have thought of something to in nanosecond, but this was far more complicated than it might seem.
He leaned against the wall next to the door and took a deep breath.
“You can’t wash that feeling away hyung.” He said loud and clear, though in his mind, his voice trembled.
“No matter how hard you try, you will still have that feeling in and under your skin. Nothing will be able to erase it.” He continued, finally hearing how the shower stops.
“I know. Trust me.” ChangMin sighed again and swallowed loudly, unpleasant memories floating back in his mind.
Somehow this was his fault too.
The door opened and YunHo stumbled out, wearing a long t-shirt and sweatpants.
“Shouldn’t you be at home?” He said quietly and ignoring his dongsaeng following him climbed in to bed under the covers, hiding his face under the blanket.
“I’m staying here tonight. And the rest the nights when you have runs too.” ChangMin replied, taking his place on the floor.
“What will your parents say if you aren't home for two weeks?” YunHo continued quietly.
“Two weeks? You will do 14 runs in a row?” ChangMin said with unconcealed shock in his voice.
“Yes.” YunHo’s voice was still quiet, but ChangMin got the answer.
“Have you lost your mind? This is just the first night and you’re already in awful condition! Can you imagine in what state you will be after 14 nights like this? JaeJoong hyung will kill me for not looking after you! Aish!” ChangMin rubbed the back of his head in frustration and landed face forward on his pillow, forgetting that he’s sleeping on floor.
“Ouch.” He frowned and sat back up.
“Hyung… You should have had at least one day between runs.” He continued in a little bit calmer tone.
“That would take too much time.” YunHo’s face was still covered by a blanket, so all his answers were even quieter.
“Rain isn’t that bad. He wouldn’t harm JaeJoong. He’s a businessman and he cares about his investments and clients. He wouldn’t do this, if not his business.” ChangMin continued. He knew Rain wasn’t that bad. Not that he understood why a smart, clever person like him does illegal stuff like this, but he wasn’t able to change anything.
“Rain is not the person I’m worried about.” There was obvious anger in YunHo’s voice.
“So it’s Lee Joon behind this all. I knew it!” the youngest one pounded his fist on the 'bed' with all his strength and winced in pain. For the next two weeks he needs to remember how hard the floor is.
“I just don’t get why…” YunHo’s face finally appeared from under the blanket.
“Why Joon is doing this?” ChangMin rubbed his hurt hand and tried to hide pain in his voice.
“Yes. If it’s business for Rain, then what is it for him?” it seemed that YunHo had finally calmed down, his voice wasn’t that quiet.
“First of all, Joon is spoiled little brat, who can’t be satisfied in any matter. No one is good enough for him, not his lover, friends or even his father.” He checked for any damage to his hand and looked at his hyung, whose frame was lying still, with no movement at all, hands clenched in blanket.
“Second, JaeJoong rejected him, when Joon, in return of releasing his debts to Rain, asked to hyung to become his lover, or pet… something like that.” Min noticed how YunHo’s hands grips the blanket even harder.
“Third, he hates to see people happy. He would have used his power on YooSu if not YooChun’s influence.”
“What do you mean, 'YooChun’s influence'?” YunHo’s head rose from the bed, as he stared at the youngest.
“You need to ask YooChun about that.” Min tried to avoid his hyung's gaze and stood up.
“I will turn off the lights. Goodnight hyung.” He said and soon after turned the lights out.
For few moments YunHo just listened, how his dongsaeng rustles on not so comfortable floor, how his breath steadies after a moment.
This apartment felt empty. Painfully empty.
Who would have imagined how addicted he would become? Who would have known that JaeJoong would ever mean so much to him?
*-*-*-*-*
The strangely familiar weight was pressing his body down again, not letting him to move.
Whit effort he opened his eyes and checked the surroundings.
The same frame of black car that haunted him all his conscious life was back, crushing his body, cutting him in half. His legs were numb, hands barely moving, neck screaming from pain and head buzzing like a beehive.
The red car next to his death trap was already on fire, flames dancing around its carcass.
No firefighters, no police, no rescuers - no one here to pull him out, to save his useless life from the pain and fire which approached him with every second.
His mind was blank - no memories about past, no memories about why he was here or where should he go, if he gets out from deaths claws.
His eyes were still wandering around to see any kind of rescuer, yet only another human frame was lying further.
His vision blurred, but he concentrated as much as he could to see the face of the man, who was lying on the cold asphalt, wrecked car details around him, flames approaching his slender frame.
A sudden burst of memories run trough his mind.
Smiles, laughter, hugs, kisses, the warmth of another's body - it all was so real, so alive in his mind.
His eyes went twice as wide, when he finally realized who was lying on the ground.
Everything in him screamed to get closer to other, to touch him, to see if he’s all right, yet the car was holding him, digging deeper in his flesh with every movement he made.
But he couldn’t just stay there and hope for things to happen themselves.
With all strength he had he stared to crawl forward, ignoring the agonizing pain and blood leaking from his wounds.
His legs were still numb and all he could do was to rely on strength in his arms.
He felt how his body started to give up, though his mind runs forward, how his vision
blurred again and suddenly went blind just few meters away from his destination.
*-*-*-*-*
“Hyung! Hyung!” Two hands were gripping YunHo by his shoulders, shaking him out of his nightmare.
“Hyung! Do you hear me?” YunHo forced his eyes to open.
ChangMin was staring back at him, eyes wide with fear.
“Hyung, you had a nightmare. Are you all right?” ChangMin sighed with a small relief and sat on the edge of the bed.
“I’m fine.” YunHo said with a blank expression.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I have nightmares once in a while.” YunHo continued and felt how shivers run trough his entire body.
“How often?”
“I don’t recall. Since JaeJoong moved in I stopped having them. But, I guess, no more than once a week. “ He sighed a little.
“What are they about?” Min continued to ask questions, though it wasn’t the best time to do that, yet sometimes talking nightmares out helped.
“About the car crash. Only this time there was JaeJoong too.” YunHo didn’t even wait for ChangMin reply, as he lay back down and turned his back to his dongsaeng.
“So, I guess, you’re not ok. Am I right?” Min said in a calm voice.
YunHo shook his head in approval.
“Would you like me to stay close?” ChangMin continued.
Nod again.
Min sighed and took his blanket from the floor. He settled his tall body next to his hyung's frame.
“Try to sleep hyung. I’m… I’m here for you.” He whispered after he felt how YunHo’s frame started to shook a little. He securely wrapped his long arm around hyungs middle, just to show that he’s here.
“Thank you.” YunHo whispered with a sob and slowly fell in a restless sleep.
*-*-*-*-*
“You’re really coming to school today?” ChangMin stared at YunHo, who was standing at the counter in full school uniform, swallowing some pills.
“I doubt that any of the teachers will find this as an excuse.” He said and put the glass of water down, after he took a sip to swallow painkillers.
“But still…” ChangMin frowned a little.
“I’m going to be fine.” YunHo tried to force out a smile at least for a second.
He grabbed his bag and jacket, and headed to the door.
“Let’s go.” He continued and waited until ChangMin walks out of the apartment and locked the door behind them.
“Oh look, isn’t this the newest whore in the block?” Joon’s mocking voice rang across the school yard as soon as YunHo and ChangMin stepped behind the gate.
“Shut your mouth Joon!” ChangMin hissed.
“No, you shut your mouth Shim! This ain’t your business.” Joon nodded toward his loyal 'friends' and they blocked the way.
“As far as I know, this ain’t your business either. It’s still run by your father.” ChangMin continued, knowing how deep in Joon’s self-esteem this dagger will cut - the fact that he has no legal power and everything actually belongs to his father.
“You better keep quiet dog! Who are you to talk to me like that?” Joon was obviously frustrated.
“Rather ask yourself who are you, that someone talks to you like this.” ChangMin stayed calm and didn’t raise his voice.
“How dare you!” Joon already rise his hand to land a fist on ChangMin’s face, but stopped, realizing how much trouble he could get in.
“Anyway, I’m not here to talk to you brat, but this pretty whore.” He turned to YunHo, who kept silent all this time.
“So, how’s the feeling, to know what your precious Joongie did when he left you at night?” He moved closer, crossing his hands behind his back.
“How did it feel when…”
“That is enough, Joon!” YooChun’s voice rang across the yard.
“Oh, another of 'the mighty' is here. What will the might Micky do to me, huh?” Joon laughed a quite crazy laughter and stepped away from YunHo.
“First I could kick your ass, ‘cause I can't be kicked out from this school, but we could at least know how much your daddy cares about a fucker like you.” YooChun continued with a grin and stood between Joon and YunHo.
It was obvious, that Joon was boiling from anger know and his anger doubled when JunSu took his rightful place by YooChun’s side.
“I think, you have classes to attend, ChangMin.” YooChun turned his head a little.
“Yes. Till later.” ChangMin said quickly, grabbed YunHo’s trembling hand and rushed away, pulling the older one along, ignoring remarks and grins from surroundings, about the fact he, the straightest of straightest were holding a man's hand in the tightest grip.
They entered the class about five minutes before the bell and ChangMin headed straight to his desk, which he shared with a girl named YeonHee.
“YeonHee, can I ask you to sit somewhere else for few days?” He asked politely and bowing to confused girl, still holding YunHo by his hand.
“Sure oppa, but why?” She looked at YunHo.
“Something wrong with YunHo-oppa?” She stood up and placed her stuff on another desk.
“He… he has some family problems and I need to look after him.” ChangMin said and literally pushed YunHo in his new seat.
“Poor YunHo-ssi. If you need help, you can ask me, oppa.” YeonHee smiled and sat down as the bell rang.
“Thank you.” ChangMin said with a smile, leaning closer to the girl, before teacher started the class.
“You should have stayed home hyung.” ChangMin muttered.
“It’s ok. Really.” YunHo whispered his answer, though his face was as pale as last night when he came home.
“Don’t listen to Joon; he’s a moron and an utter bastard.” Min continued, his pen running over the paper.
“I know… I know…” YunHo sighed.
“And you don’t have to worry about me that much.” He continued, finally taking some notes, slowly getting back to himself.
“I have to.” Min smiled a little.
“Why?”
“Because JaeJoong hyung loves you… and just because I care.” ChangMin didn’t even glance at YunHo, who was not staring at him a little.
“Ok. That’s your choice.” The older one said and lowered his head to write down something.
“I guess so.” Min sighed and tried to forget about the bitter reality, sinking himself in to studies.
*-*-*-*-*
YunHo’s phone stared to ring and he automatically picked up.
After few minutes just listening, he put the phone away and reached for his jacket.
“You have to go?” ChangMin stood up from floor along with his hyung.
YunHo just nodded.
“Ok. I shall wait for you then.” ChangMin picked up his homework from the floor and placed it on the chair, he nailed together few days ago, after the act of vandalism.
“You don’t have to ChangMin.” YunHo sighed and slipped the white phone in to his pocket.
“I have to, I need to be sure you’re okay hyung.” The youngest one continued.
YunHo didn’t look back at his dongsaeng; he just sighed again and opened the door.
“But hyung, why are you always telling me not to wait for you?” ChangMin stopped him before he left.
“I hope that you will listen to me.” YunHo replied and left his apartment.
“10 more to go.” He sighed and flagged down a cab, named the address and watched how the city lights gets brighter and brighter, heading more to the city center this time.
His heart almost died when took the first step out of the cab in front of classy office building.
His breathing got shallower as he stood in front of a big wooden door on top floor.
He switched off his mind, as male voice called him and doors locked behind him.
Previous parts:
1.( -I guess you won’t tell me where a dork like you got a body like this.-)
2.( -You’re tasty nerdy boy.)
3.( -Will you be my dork?)
4.( Kim JaeJoong never lost his own game.)
5.( I want you so much it even hurts)
6.( - And you are actually manly, half kinky walking sex? - )
7.( You’re warmer than any blanket)
8.( - Yes, you big silly dork of mine! - )
9.( - I will do everything! I swear! Just, not him… - )