Paper Lies
Title: Paper Lies
Author: countingcr0ws
Pairing/ Characters: Yunjae
Rating: PG
Form: One-shot
Genre: AR, Cavity Inducing, Ridiculously Happy, Romance, Slice-of-Life
Summary: Jaejoong's on a quest to find his ideal girlfriend while he engages Yunho on the side for personal entertainment.
Inspired by: Clover (Otsu Hiyori) Manga
"I'd like to apply."
I frowned at the oven before turning around to lock eyes with a boy.
"Yeah?" I winged unsurely, unclear about the topic at hand.
"The part time job application," he prompted, his face blank as he pointed at the notice on the display window.
Oh! I nodded to myself quickly. I had already forgotten that I had put that up.
"Okay, you're hired then," I shrugged lightly as I leaned across the counter to appraise the frown marring his face with an amused smile.
"There's not going to be any interview, expectation setting or introduction?" He seemed completely unsettled by the informality and I couldn't help but wonder what he had expected. I was a student after all, and Mrs Kim hadn't given me any guidelines for hiring.
"I could be a thief or a serial murderer or something," he warned seriously, and I licked my lips out of habit, entertained.
"But you look normal to me, so I don't see much need for that. And I'm your new co-worker, Jaejoong." I flashed a bright smile at him before continuing. "Plus, that scarf's at least eight hundred dollars, so you're most likely really rich with no need to steal." I laughed as he turned a fast scarlet, the heat quickly colouring he exposed area of his neck.
"I was Financial Controller for student council last year," he suddenly blurted, not meeting my eyes, and I bit my lips quickly in self-control with a slow nod.
"That's convenient," I mused in approval as I crossed my arms, leaning against the counter. Suddenly regaining his confidence, he caught my eyes before making a show of rolling his.
"I'm Jung Yunho and I'm trustworthy. Pleased to meet you." He pronounced smoothly before extending a handshake. Eyebrows raising in amazement, I appraised his hand lightly with a laugh.
"Kim Jaejoong, and I'm too trusting, or so it seems," I introduced myself playfully as his warm hand enveloped mine. "I think we're going to have a great time," I commented sincerely as he cocked an easy smile at me.
- - - - -
"Oh my god, don't put so much sugar!" I slapped his hands away hastily as I scrambled to pick out some sugar from the mixture.
"Isn't it supposed to be sweet?" He asked with such genuine confusion that I couldn't even be mad at him, settling for an annoyed huff as I pushed him out of he way with more force than necessary.
After a week of working with Yunho who was surprisingly the same age of fifteen as I was, I had learnt that his strengths laid in anything but baking. It always seemed like he was intentionally botching the task whenever he had to make the batter.
"Yeah, but not that sweet, kid," I ignored his grimace as I progressed to adding milk into the mixing bowl.
"Welcome to Cups and Treats! How may I help you?" Yunho greeted brightly as he made his way to the counter. Rolling my eyes at his professionalism, I quickly beat the wet mixture together. Ever since Yunho was hired, the shop's business had improved drastically much to the satisfaction of Hyunjoong's mother. It definitely helped that Yunho practically flirted with the customers, smiling and complimenting their choices with small noises before making more purchase suggestions that they usually always took up.
"She's glancing at you," I teased before sliding the trays into the oven, laughing when he flailed, phone almost flying out of his fingers. Yelping as he tightened his hold on the gadget, he surveyed the shop carelessly before returning to his phone with a shrug.
Sighing as I pressed my face against the counter, I peered at him curiously. "Why don't you go over?"
"Mm?" He barely spared me a glance as his fingers continued to fly across the screen, working to link the animals in a chain.
"I mean she's pretty, and she seems to like you," I trailed off unhappily with a deep pout as I fiddled with the egg shaped timer.
Hyunjoong had said that his mother's café cum pastry shop was a complete babe magnet, but it didn't quite seem like it. I mean sure, girls were attracted by the cakes and decoration, but they also left just as easily without 'dropping their numbers' or 'confessing their undying love,' which was what Hyunjoong had promised. Maybe I was doing the whole thing wrongly. Maybe I should switch duties with Yunho to man the cashier instead, I mean it'd work, right? Frontline and all.
"No, you're pathetic at numbers, kid." Yunho interjected suddenly, and I hadn't even noticed that I had been vocalizing my thoughts.
"But practice makes perfect, right? I mean if I went at it for a few days, I'd be better." I defended feebly, squirming as I noted that he had pocketed his phone at some point, unnerved by the close scrutiny.
"What do you want in a girl?" He asked lightly with a shake of head, and I pulled a face in thought.
"Pretty, I guess? Smart." I nodded to myself in approval.
Smart was good.
"Rich too, I suppose." I added as an afterthought with a shrug, pushing him lightly when he snorted.
"Rich? You looking for somebody to take care of you forever, Jaejoongie?"
Pretending to consider, I quickly nodded with a smirk. "Roughly forever and maybe ever," I returned in jest with an ugly pull of my face. It was just a rough criteria anyway, geez. Yunho was such an idiot.
"Well I guess it's great that I fit your criteria then," I quickly straightened as I gaped at him.
"I'm smart, and I guess that I'm rich. I've also been told that I'm good looking, and I've received 'pretty' a few times," he shrugged lightly before continuing. "We can be boyfriends until the girl of your dreams confesses her undying love for you. How about that?"
I narrowed my eyes at him in scrutiny. "Don't mess with me," I threatened with a mean lilt as I tried to read his face. It wasn't much, but knowing each other for a week helped.
"No, I'm serious. You're bored and lonely, and I'm offering to keep you company until you get a girlfriend," he explained, and I relaxed slightly at the genuine sincerity in his eyes, the proposition slowly sinking in as I mulled over it. With Yunho as a boyfriend, I'd get somebody to spend the weekend with without having to crash on Yoochun's dates. I mean, Junsu was great and all, and while Yoochun insisted that three was company, it was ridiculous to have to cross check dates with a third party.
I had somehow already made up my mind already, and while it sounded a little ridiculous, I couldn't help but think that it was actually pretty good idea.
"Please take care of me then, Yunho," I breathed nervously as he broke out into a wide smile.
- - - - -
"What do you mean when you say that can't make it this Sunday!" Yoochun bellowed as he dropped his spoon dramatically, eyes wide as he learned across the table to inspect my pores or something of equivalent creepiness.
"I mean I can't make it likeIhaveanactualdatethinggoingononSunday." I mumbled quickly, too flustered by the interrogation to push him away. He paused for a moment to process the avalanche of words before quickly covering the rapidly spreading blush on his face.
"Oh my god, you're taken! Oh gosh, where did you get her! Oh my god, for a moment I thought you were going through that whole moping phase about Junsu and I needing space. I wanted to yell at you." He paused for a moment to look at me. "You're happy, right?"
I frowned in thought before nodding. Yunho had begun to smile at me more nowadays, and there were small touches whenever we were close to each other behind the counter. I just wasn't sure how it made me feel just yet.
"It's a guy though," I added as an afterthought, and Yoochun gaped at me in shock.
"But-" he set his fork down to stare properly at me. "Don't-" he closed his eyes as if in complete agony.
"Don't you think that you're wasting your time? I mean-" he gave up as he appraised my face. "Fine. If he breaks your heart, I'm going to slice his penis into sections. Sections," he repeated in emphasis as I merely giggled in reply, grateful for his friendship.
- - - - -
"Hey, boyfriend," I sauntered over teasingly with a wide smile. Raking down the length of his body, I felt the nerves in my belly rising again, something which I entirely failed to comprehend. Brushing it off, I gave him a quick hug before stepping back.
"Where're we going?" I asked lightly as I helped him up.
"We're gonna grab some lunch, catch a movie, then go to a pastry café to scope out competition. After that, we'll drop by the newly opened park, and then I'll send you home," he finished with a proud grin, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"I could send you home too, kid."
"But I was the genius who came up with the plan." He concluded simply as he reached for my arm. "Planners are winners, Jae," he explained matter-of-factly as he tugged me along. Suddenly breaking out into a spontaneous blush at the idea of being pulled along, I was eternally thankful that he couldn't see my body's involuntary response.
-
"If you have the urge to puke your lunch out in fright, you can hold on to me, you know."
"I'm not a girl, thank you very much," I sniffed unhappily as I crossed my arms in front of me, incredible grouchy as I glared ahead. I really didn't know why Yunho had to choose the ghost blockbuster out of the various offerings. Yunho had already booked the movie before, and he had been so enthusiastic, it was so hard to say no.
"No, really. You can hold on to me," he repeated once more, the smile on his face illuminated by the screen, his eyes were bright with excitement.
"I said it's fine!" I snapped tersely, ticked off as I scuffed my feet against the seat in front of me. He fell silent, and I looked away resolutely, overwhelmed with guilt for my rudeness.
The movie began, and it was terrible. It was worse than I had readied myself for, and I sat frozen, my muscles bunched tightly so that I wouldn't flinch outwardly. The zombie was coming, and would pop right at the centre of the screen in typical cinematic fashion. I could anticipate it, but despite all the mental warnings, I drew back reflexively with a whimper.
Yunho laid a hand on my arm, his touch like a question. Leaning into it desperately, I pressed myself against his side, crossing the centre of the length of couple seat. "I just-" I whispered softly into the dark, wincing as the zombie dragged the little girl by the legs into the darker half of the room.
"My sisters made me watch a lot of scary movies with them when I was younger," I explained hoarsely, biting my lips at the trail of blood her broken fingernails had left on the floorboard.
"They'd exaggerate the explanations and ambush me before we went to sleep."
Yunho rubbed small circles into my arm in comfort and I was overwhelmed by the extent of his concern, suddenly glad that I had taken up his offer. The idea of having a significant other was one thing, but truly having one was another. I shivered every single time he touched me, the tactual sensation foreign but heady. I wanted to pull him closer, to melt against him.
"I guess that I don't really like to watch horror movies," I murmured softly, suppressing a shiver as he pressed his face against my neck.
Another character in the movie released a blood curdling scream that reverberated loudly throughout the cinema, but the both of us were residing in a completely different plane with our quiet touches.
Finally returning my attention to the movie, I felt my face heating up when Yunho didn't remove his arm from around me, glad for the darkness in the theatre.
The plot progressed quickly, the police arriving at the scene only to be held back by the higher ups. More people within the building had been turned into zombies, and I released a sharp gasp of shock when the camera found the newly zombiefied girl. Her neck was concaved from the chunk torn off during the bite, and the bright red contrasted heavily with the ashen grey of her parlour. Eyes now replaced with a glassy look of mindlessness instead of the prior fear and hysteria as she closed into the camera, I found myself pulling wildly at Yunho's bottoms as the girl leapt crazily at a human.
He help me close as he pressed my face into his coat. "You wanna leave?" He whispered into my hair, and I shook my head timidly, acutely conscious of our proximity while being angry at how pathetic I was being.
"Let's watch this until it ends," I insisted stubbornly as he slid his warm hand into mine with a squeeze.
After all, watching scary movies with Yunho was essential because it would prepare me for my future date with my girlfriend.
- - -
"It wasn't that bad, was it?" He asked, and I shrugged for an answer, rolling my eyes when he squeezed my waist silently in encouragement. Everybody in the compound had turned into zombies in the end, and it was a terrible ending. How could anybody even concieve such a macabre plot?
"Let's go to the café now," he tugged excitedly, and I let myself be pulled along by his energy fondly.
-
"Ah, found it!" He eyes were sparkling with the same enthusiasm once more, and I couldn't help but think how much he'd make a good leader. He had the charisma and infectious enthusiasm that would do good in winning the loyalty of teams.
"Are you sure it's the right place?" I blanched as I surveyed the pink polka dot exterior.
"Yeah, it is!" He laughed as he pulled me into the shop. "My sister says that it's really good. This shop is a huge competitor, Jaejoongie," he whispered lowly into my ear, and I suppressed a shiver as a server in pink petticoats directed us to a table.
"Oh my god, it’s so expensive!" I hissed at him the moment she left. The main course offerings started at seventeen for a single dish, and the prices were ridiculous.
"It's a niche market, Jae. You're paying for the princess treatment in the meal. And don't worry, bill's on me," he replied lightly, his eyes still scanning the menu with a frown as if hard at work.
"But you've already snatched the tab for lunch and tickets!" I protested unhappily, to which he finally looked up.
"I asked you to be my boyfriend, Jae. I'll pick the tab up on our first date," he stated simply, his tone leaving no space for argument. Ugh, infuriating.
"Fine! And I'll pay for the next!" I shot back, turning a faint pink at the reminder that it was a date. It was the first official date in my entire fifteen years of existence.
"If that'll make you happy, Jae. A relationship isn't really a equation where monetary outlays have to equate." He explained patiently and seriously? Monetary outlay? I was datinga a complete nerd. I grimaced at him in challenge as I suppressed the urge to kick him. He always made me feel so incredibly stupid sometimes.
"Besides, I'm paying because I want to make the day great for you," he continued, and I made a spectacular show of rolling my eyes. There Yunho went, hard at work once more to make me feel like a girl. It was his company, not him paying for things that mattered.
"Whatever," I groused back, returning to the menu, too lazy to go against his weird concepts. Yunho was an idiot that was bent on being gentlemanly or whatever he thought he was accomplishing.
- - -
"What time is it already?" I wondered aloud as we walked along the pavement in the park. Patting my pockets for my phone when he shrugged, I fished it out lightly before sniggering to myself in satisfaction. The cafe had a rental service for garishly cute accessories, and I had made my first and only payment of the night to acquire a huge ribbon for Yunho. And needless to say, Princess Yunho looked absolutely adorable as my wallpaper.
"You don't have to be home so early, right?" He asked, the park's lamp illuminating his look of worry.
"Nah, my curfew's pretty flexible," I replied as he visibly relaxed. It wasn't even really late in the first place. Yunho was an idiot with the tendency for obsessive worrying. He was generally a big idiot with too many complexes.
"So how was today?" He finally asked softly with a tentative squeeze of my hand, and I hemmed and hawed for moment too long in consideration as I watched his anxiety rise with perverse satisfaction.
"It was okayyyyy," I dragged slowly before shrugging. "Apart from the extended hand holding and the whole insisting that you pay, it feels a lot like we're just hanging out outside of work as friends," I admitted honestly before squeezing his hand. "But I had a really great time though. Tha-"
"Sorry, Jaejoong," he suddenly cut me off, and before I could question his statement, he jerked me towards him as he pressed forward.
I- wow. His lips were on mine, and everything in my head went crazy. There was a soft pressure on my lips, and I felt the tingle of goose bumps as his hand slipped underneath my shirt to trial across my skin. His other hand was holding me up by the waist as I fell clumsily onto him after stumbling at the unanticipated pull. Climbing up slowly as I righted myself, he moved to cup the back of my head as his lips moved skilfully like waves of softness against mine, with crests of unspoken promises. I was lost, completely drunk at the unnamed sensation that churned in my belly.
His lips felt plush against mine, and I distantly registered that my first kiss was now officially with a guy; something that seemed so impossible and would have sounded completely ridiculous a few weeks ago.
"I-" I broke in, speaking into his lips, and he pulled away quickly, his eyes wild as he looked at me. My body felt alive; truly alive, like every single of my synapses were wide awake and righted in attention. The distance between us suddenly felt too much.
"Wow," I breathed wondrously, breaking out into peals of laughter as I licked at the tingle of my lips. His gaze was deep and dangerous and I felt compelled to hold it with mounting unease as the whispers of cold sifted through the night air.
"You make me crazy, Jae," he closed his eyes as he groaned harshly, and before I knew it, our lips were interlocked once more as he pressed against me.
If the previous was soft and dizzying, this was desperate, tinged with what seemed like hunger. I couldn't comprehend, but the roughness of the movement of his lips made me keen in depravity. His lips were opening mine, and I complied, starting a little as his tongue slipped into my mouth. It was foreign, a branch of intimacy that I was unaccustomed to, but it was intoxicating, incredibly so.
My head was throbbing, my senses flooded with everything that was Yunho.
I could feel the strength of him against me, the contrasting gentleness of his fingertips, and the relentlessness of his lips. I was lost as I begged in kind for more, clutching him close as he gave, and took. The kiss was all-consuming, every single sensation too sharp and too bright. My heart was going crazy, and I was light, my heart thumping hard in its confines.
"So are we just hanging out now?" He asked suddenly, smirking at the reflexive whine I had released at the lost contact. Watching spellbound as his tongue peeked out to swipe at his lips, I shook my head weakly as I worked to catch my breath. Definitely not just hanging out. I wanted to tell him that we should do that more often but his affective smugness was just too much for me at that moment. Yunho was such a bastard. Rolling my eyes, I shoved him away as I straightened my shirt with a faint smile.
Today was better than great. Fantastic, maybe. But Yunho didn't deserve to know that.
- - - - -
"So you're the Yunho?"
"Noona!" I complained as I pushed Yunho ahead, only to no avail. He was obviously getting too fat.
"Yes. I'm Jung Yunho, nice to meet you, Haneul noona," he introduced himself politely before extending a hand, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes in annoyance.
"Noona!" I groused once more as I tried to tug him away, only to be waved off by my boyfriend.
"I hope that I'm not intruding by staying over for the night," he continued politely, and I deflated at the look mirth on my sister's face, dreading her next sentence.
"It's not an intrusion as long as you make sure that Jaejoong doesn't moan the house down with your kinky sex," she laughed, and I yelped in protest, completely pink in the face, only to get a cheek pinch.
"I wish Sunye was here to tease you too," she added with a heavy sigh as if overwhelmed by the acute loss. "Then we'd have more stories to tell when we come together, and you'd be in a corner whining away like the little boy that you are," she continued fondly and I had the urge to bury myself.
"You should invite me when your family gets together, noona," Yunho suddenly interjected. "I'd love to meet all of you." I gasped at him in betrayal.
"You should be defending our honour, you traitor! You should be standing up for us and saying that we're not having sex, and no, you're not meeting them and stop flirting with my sister!" I yelled as I pulled him away, glaring at my elder sister annoyedly as I climbed up the stairs, ignoring the cackle and the silent gestures of communication between them.
"You're an idiot!" I scolded, pushing him in the shoulder the moment we entered my room. "Nice room, Jae," he only returned with a smile, and I frowned at his obvious dismissal before pushing him for the second time.
"You brought your clothes right?" I asked finally as he wandered towards my wall of pictures that had somehow grew as the years passed.
"Why isn't there a picture of us here?" He questioned finally as he pointed at the collection. Straightening my comforter out of need, I shrugged at him in reply. Now that we were sort of dating, it was hard to define what we would be when I got a girlfriend. Plus it would be difficult to explain Yunho if my future girlfriend visited. If I tacked him up, pulling him down during our awkward relationship post break up would only make me feel terrible.
"I'll just paste this up," he muttered to himself as he pulled a polaroid out of his wallet after pinching a little tack from the others. Smiling satisfactorily to himself, he proceeded to poke at my books while I took over the space that he had vacated. It was the first picture that Mrs Kim had taken when she dropped by a few days after Yunho's initial employment. It was tradition to paste up pictures of last employees, and I had blinked in the first shot. I didn't even know that Yunho had kept it. Frowning at the captured moment, I thwacked my silly looking face in disapproval before smiling at the tiny Yunho within. It was unfair how he always managed to look perfect.
"Oh my god, you're watching porn!" Yunho suddenly exclaimed, his eyes wide with his fingers frozen on the keypad.
"What!" I yelped in shock as I darted over, only to see my desktop screen.
"Where?" I cried anxiously, cheeks flaming in embarrassment as he smirked at me. Only catching on seconds later, I breathed out noisily, pulling a face as I hit him in the arm. "You scared me for a moment okay! That was so embarrassing, oh my god. Don't ever do that again. I wanted to bury myself, oh my god," I rushed out as I pressed the screen down to close it shut, mildly peeved at the amusement on Yunho's face.
"You should have seen your expression though," he continued to tease as I pouted exaggeratedly at him.
"But then again, if you didn't watch porn, you wouldn't have to worry, Jae," he continued in jest, and I turned away, only to be caught by my waist before being pressed against his front.
"So what kind of porn do you watch, Jaejoongie?" He whispered lowly into my ear, and I shivered in response as the heat crept down my neck.
"Stop it," I whined feebly, trying to escape his confines weakly only to be held tighter. Yunho was an idiot, an insufferably horny idiot that was capable to turning me on.
"Who's that guy on your wallpaper huh?" He asked as he licked up my neck, pausing to suck at the back of my ear.
"U-know-" I wobbled as I arched, pressing backwards towards him for more. "U-know of Dongbangshinki," I gasped as he released with a pop, the vulgar sound reverberating in my ears. The spot felt hot already, and I reached to touch it, only to have my hands slapped away sharply.
"Why do you like him, Jae? What's so great about him?" His voice was uncharacteristically low as he slid under my top, to caress my navel.
"He's nice, guess? Kinda righteous, and a good dancer-" I squeaked in shock as his hand suddenly moved to cup my front.
"I didn't know that he turned you on," he replied as I shifted in unease. It was the first time that we had went so far. I felt him moving, gasping as he pressed his groin against my leg, freezing at the hardness that I felt.
My face was heating up in embarrassment, weighed with the consciousness of what we were engaging in. His hand didn't move, simply placed above my length, and I breathed in thankfully as I tried to get myself to calm down.
"You didn't answer my question, Jae," he tutted, and I quickly scrambled to reassemble my thoughts. What did Yunho ask? Oh. My cheeks were positively flaming now, and I ducked my head in embarrassment.
"It's you, Yunho. Because you're touching me," I mumbled timidly, and it seemed to satisfy him as I felt him relax against me, every nerve of my body still flared up at the foreign tactility of a hand on my clothed genitals and the acute awareness that he was aroused, by me.
"You never said that you liked dancers. In your criteria," he bit out, and I faintly registered that I wasn't the only one incapable of forming complete, coherent sentences.
"I never-" I broke off in a whine as his hand moved, his finger trailing up the length of my front as he pressed firmly through my jeans.
"I didn't remember," I nearly sobbed as he arched suddenly to rub his hardness against me.
"So you like dancers?" He asked gruffly, and apparently, my reply wasn't fast enough as he pressed down roughly on my erection.
"No!" I cried, "no. No, I don't!" I begged, only to be spun around quickly. "You lie," he breathed, eyes flashing in warning as he claimed my lips. The kiss was hard and bruising as our groins continued to grind against one another's for friction. When he finally broke away, his eyes were unfocused and drenched with affection, his smile hard but crooked with marked amusement.
"But it's okay. Because I can dance too," he offered smugly, and I rolled my eyes before pressing in for another kiss. Because really, what could Yunho not do?
-
"You're handsome," he said out of the blue, almost like a statement, completely devoid of inflections as he tucked my hair behind my ear lightly while his finger lingered on the skin, drawing idle lines as he smiled at me.
"Don't be so shocked," I returned with an equally contented smile, shifting as I slid my legs between his. He didn't reply, his eyes steady as looked me. The moment continued to stretch, and I shifted uncomfortably, conscious of the weight of his gaze.
"Wait. Was that like a way to get into my pants or something? Are you like compelling me to strip with your eyes right now?" I exclaimed in indignance, frowning unhappily when he began to laugh at my expense. He opened his mouth quietly as if to speak, only to shut it once more before burrowing his face into my top as he pulled me close. "Are you okay?" I asked worriedly as I combed my fingers through his hair. Yunho didn't reply, and I didn't press, shifting my leg a little higher around him so that he knew that I was there.
- - - -
Scrolling through a Dongbangshinki news site, I picked at my nails idly, breaking out into a smile at Yunho's idle hum as the shower went silent. I guess it could possibly be one of the considerations of living together with another person, the need to adapt to each other's habits.
Yunho was accustomed to two showers per day, whereas I only showered after work.
I distantly wondered if my girlfriend would have the habit to shower twice daily too. Shrugging to myself, I listened to the sound of the tap coming on as I saved a picture of U-know into my phone.
"It's your turn, kid."
Yelping as a wet towel hit me squarely in the face, I freed myself only to find a topless Yunho grinning at me.
"Are you checking me out?" He teased as he walked towards me, and my self-preservation instincts kicked in as I shrunk back quickly. I had learnt over time that that grin was always something to be wary of.
"Are you too shy to admit, Jaejoongie?" He continued as his knees knocked the edge of the frame. Exclaiming noisily as he pounced and pinned me down, I wondered what I should have said in reply to inflate his insufferable ego. That it was unfair that he had abs for a non-gym goer? Or that I was already half hard?
"Is little Jaejoongie having weird thoughts?" He cooed softly as he caressed my flushed cheeks.
Shaking my head as I looked away in a futile attempt to hide my face, I could feel the heat of his leer spreading down my body. Quickly pressing my thighs together in embarrassment as his eyes reached my nether regions, there was a long pause before he rolled off the bed awkwardly.
"You really drive me crazy, boo," he muttered lowly, sounding almost crossed as he picked his towel up before turning his back to me.
Willing myself to tear my eyes away from the flex of muscles, I grabbed my clothes off the bed before making a beeline for the bathroom, the pounding of my heart so strong that I felt like collapsing.
-
"You should bake the muffins today," I decided as I set the both mixing bowls onto the counter.
"Oh really? Planning on scoring some girls today, boo?" He teased in reply, and I rolled my eyes as I fished for the ingredients, secretly pleased by the new nickname.
"Nah, just wanted to see you mess something up. Kinda like a reminder that you're a mortal too." I smirked proudly as he crossed his arms in disapproval.
"Not a chance, kid. I don't have a good feeling about today. I'll probably mess it up so badly that you'll have to throw the entire batter out."
Looking at him closely as he jut his bottom lip out in plea, I nodded wordlessly with a shrug. He genuinely seemed oddly distracted and a little less confident than usual.
He was spending so much time just peering at me that I had begun to develop a tic. "You're okay, right? I mean I wouldn't mind if you went home," I offered in worry as he worked at his lower lip in an uncharacteristic show of nerves.
He had been a little off since yesterday's sleepover, and I was beginning to feel guilty for inviting him over. Maybe the bed had been too small for him or the air in my room had been a little too stale.
"I'm not sick, boo," he brushed my concern off easily, a grin on his face as he pressed a kiss into my neck. "If I were sick, you'd be too," he finished with a quick swipe of his tongue, and I pretended to bristle as I wiped at it roughly before throwing him a dirty look.
"Boy cooties!" I protested loudly, happiness rising two folds at Yunho's fond chuckle.
-
"Welcome to Cups and Treats! How may I help you?"
I looked up reflexively to smile politely at the customer before returning to my work.
"Jae, the girl's asking for you," Yunho suddenly tugged at my sleeve sharply, and I nearly dropped the spoon in shock.
"Erm an individual picture?" I asked as I composed myself hurriedly to smile brightly at the pink-faced girl. There were occasionally customers that requested to take our photographs, and while it had initially been all sorts of weird and uncomfortable initially, I was now accustomed to it, viewing it as a part of my job.
"No, I-" she was awfully flushed, and I couldn't help but worry a little. Was there a viral infection going around?
"Oppa, I like you! Please go out with me!" She burst out as she thrust a pink envelope in my direction. I was frozen in place, too shocked to speak.
"I mean you don't have to say yes now. You can think about it, my number's in here," she waved the envelope a little in wild emphasis, and I nodded stupidly as she smiled brightly at me.
"But I really really like you, and I really hope that you'll say yes," she recited carefully, turning pink once more as she looked from me, to Yunho then back to me once more.
"I guess I'll leave now," she supplied at the silence, throwing me a quick smile, her eyes bright with excitement and mirth as she left the café as quickly as she had come.
The seated customers slowly returned to their food and beverages, and I stood there for a few moments, staring at the glass doors before remembering about the letter. Bringing it up against the light in scrutiny, I couldn't help but think of how the envelope would fit perfectly in the princess cafe we had visited on our first date.
"So this is how a confession letter looks like," I mused to myself in awe, staring at it for a few seconds before remembering my batter with a jolt. Leaving the mixed batter out for too long would make the muffin lumpy. But when I turned, the tray was gone and the bowl was already empty.
"I've distributed it and put it into the oven," Yunho suddenly interjected, and I turned to smile at him before pulling him over to press a kiss on his cheek, only to have it wiped off quickly.
"Don't, Jae. You've got a girlfriend now. Don't break hearts like that." He scolded lightly, his sleeve still working at his face. I frowned at him, perplexed.
"But I haven't even said anything to her!" I argued, only to be rebuffed.
"But you will. She's from my school, which makes her rich, possibly smart, and she's pretty. She's all that you wanted, and she just confessed her undying love for you," he explained, and I felt my face heating up in embarrassment at the superficiality of my criteria. But she was what I wanted, wasn't she?
"Oh, I will?" I replied listlessly, my question flat without any inflection. My chest felt hollow and I wanted to reach for him, but I could already imagine being pushed away.
I had a girlfriend now. I couldn't break hearts.
Nodding, I frowned to myself as I took the mixing bowl to the sink as Yunho began to greet another customer. As the water began to fill the bowl, I had the urge to crawl under the sink to hide.
-
The mood continued between us, Yunho distant and withdrawn, the playful pushes that we engaged in even before we had even gotten together a distant memory.
"Are you feeling better now?" I finally asked timidly as I transferred the cakes out of the display fridge to a container while he counted the cash to enter into the safe.
He turned to look at me, his fingers never missing a beat as the rifled through the notes. "I mean, you weren't feeling well in the morning, and I'm still kind of worried. I don't know if you're okay," I babbled on stupidly, chewing my lips in nerves when he didn't reply.
"I guess?" He offered before returning to his counting, an obvious dismissal that I had never experience before. I stood rooted, cheeks flushed with shame as the consciousness of losing a friend sank in.
"I'm glad that you are," I replied softly as he wrote the cash into the record book before shutting the safe.
We stood looking at each other without speaking, my heart twinging at how closed off his face was. "I guess I'll have to go first," he suddenly interjected. "I have an urgent errand to run, and I'm sorry that I can't close the shop with you today." He explained as he retrieved his backpack from the cupboard, and I could only nod as he stepped out of the work area before replacing the desk.
Putting the dish rag down, I fiddled with my thumb nervously, unsure of how to word my disappointment.
"Come," he gestured at me, and I shuffled closer to mirror him across the counter. Pressing a soft kiss on my forehead, he pulled back with a soft smile. "I hope that she treats you well," he whispered as he pushed my fringe back softly before giving a light wave as he made his way to the exit.
I could feel my heart breaking as I watched him leave. It was breaking in the literal sense, hollow gaps between the sections as my blood oozed out thickly. I found myself staring at the glass front even after he had long gone, my chest tight as my eyes began to sting. I didn't quite know what to feel. I wasn't quite whole any longer, as if he had taken a part of me with his departure.
I didn't want to break up with him, I realised as I stood there, trying to work pass the thick fog that had become my brain. I wanted to be his boo, to be subjected to his insufferable ego and be emasculated by his acts of extreme chivalry every single time we went out on dates. I wanted to be pinned down by him, to experience my firsts with him, to go out on disturbingly disgusting double dates with Yoochun and Junsu as a couple. I wanted him to play yell at me for being a dirty little boy for bathing once daily; I wanted more, so much more. I didn't care if he became poor, or if he wasn't pretty, or if he wasn't smart, I realised. I just wanted the whole of him.
Bolting out of the counter, I cursed as I suddenly remembered about my bag. Hauling it out before switching the lights off, I bounded towards the glass door, pulling the shutter down hastily before sliding the locks back in place. Running wildly in the direction he had disappeared to, I estimated that he had a head start of five minutes as I sprinted in a general direction. I wasn't sure if I could find him, but I knew that I had to.
Scanning the crowds along the street wildly, I suddenly laid eyes on a forlorn figure a mile ahead. The ostentatious red of his backpack contrasted heavily with his black coat, and he stood stationary in the middle of the path, his head raised as if appraising the sky. Slamming against him, I wrapped myself tightly against him.
"Jae?" He choked out, and I exclaimed as he turned to look at me, his face streaked with tears.
"Are you okay!" I yelped as I quickly released him to swipe at his cheeks. "What happened!" I was practically yelling now in agitation, and he picked my wrist away before shaking his head.
"I just need time, Jae. I can't-" he paused to collect himself, but more tears only flowed out of his ducts. "I just need some time to let you go," he managed between tears, and I felt my eyes heating up too at his sorrow. I opened my mouth to speak, only to be cut off. "I'm happy for you, Jae. I really am, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I can't let you go. I think I love you, Jae." He shook his head vehemently as he wiped his tears away.
"No, I love you, I do." He nodded to himself before continuing, his wet eyes holding mine steadily. "I knew that this day would come, that you would find somebody you'd like. But I didn't know that it would happen so soon," he mumbled as he thumbed my cheek lightly, his cheeks shiny with two trails of tears.
"But I'm glad that she's really pretty, made up of all the things you like. I just hope that you'll be happy. I'm sorry for making you worry about me," he spoke softly, before releasing my cheek and stepping away while biting his lips in an uncharacteristic act of nerves.
"I'll just-" he took a deep breath as if collecting himself. "I'll just leave now," he muttered as he shifted his bag before quickly walking away.
I stood reeling for a few moments before snapping out of my stupor. Damn that idiot for succeeding to walk away once more, I groused under my breath as I sped up to grab his bag to turn him around.
"You make me so mad, you know. You're acting like a complete idiot, and I've never even gotten this mad at you before, and no, you're not allowed to speak, because I've realised that you're terrible at it despite your whole façade," I yelled as I shook him violently, overwhelmed by my emotion.
"You've got to stop making decision on my behalf, because listen to me when I say that I don't want her, and that I don't want to break up with you." I nearly broke into a smile at Yunho's slack jaw. Speechless and confused went well on his face. The latest winter look for insufferable assholes.
"Yes, I don't want to break up with you, and thank you for loving me, because I happen to love you too, which is pretty huge, because people don't actually love martyrs, you know? I can't believe that you just tried to break up with me for 'my own good.' Who do you think you are. Harry Potter?" I squeezed his hand within mine tightly as I pressed myself closer.
"And I've learnt that love's really blind because it doesn't even matter to me any longer whether you're rich or pretty or smart, or whether you can dance. I just want the egoistical idiot inside you, that insufferable wit and that annoying swagger topped with your Neanderthal possessiveness." I confessed before continuing. "And you better treat me well because I just gave up the love of my life to be with you," I lamented as I poked at his belly unhappily before yelping at the sudden bone crushing hug.
"That girl isn't the love of your life, you twerp," he warned lowly like the control freak he was. "Because I am." He corrected grouchily as he pressed a kiss against my jaw.
"I'm glad that you chose me," he whispered softly into my ear before holding my gaze, and I felt my heart skip a beat at the naked mix of sadness, gratitude and endearment in his eyes.
Sliding a hand under his shirt, I pressed him closer as I smoothed across the planes of his back. "I love you," I returned as he pressed his lips lightly against mine.
And it was beautiful, the slow burn of affection in my body, and I felt my soul collapsing with his as our shared moment continued to stretch till the end of time.
- - - - -
A/N: I swear that I wanted Yunho to explain where he was coming from, like the whole creeptastic backstory, but then he was too busy crying and being an idiot, and somehow Jaejoong just ended the story so quickly, ugh. I bet there's mistakes somewhere (tell me) and I'm really not sure why I've been so inclined towards the confined single perspectives thing, but yeah. Thank you for dropping by, and I hope that I've rotted all your teeth out. I've realised that I really want to write happy stories, so yeah. I guess I'll write more of these genre, and erm leave a message? It's like the backbone of fanfiction communities, and I'm not even going to comment about the super relevant tittle like manzzzz, ugh.
ETA note: OMG, I JUST REALISED THAT I SHOULD HAVE LIKE WRITTEN IN YUNHO'S PERSPECTIVE. A writing book that I once read said that like you take the perspective of the person that changed the most (which is Yunho in this story), but I guess I was so busy being obsessed with the manga that I kinda just jumped into it without really using my brain like damnnnnn. /pretends that nothing happened.
Author: countingcr0ws
Pairing/ Characters: Yunjae
Rating: PG
Form: One-shot
Genre: AR, Cavity Inducing, Ridiculously Happy, Romance, Slice-of-Life
Summary: Jaejoong's on a quest to find his ideal girlfriend while he engages Yunho on the side for personal entertainment.
Inspired by: Clover (Otsu Hiyori) Manga
"I'd like to apply."
I frowned at the oven before turning around to lock eyes with a boy.
"Yeah?" I winged unsurely, unclear about the topic at hand.
"The part time job application," he prompted, his face blank as he pointed at the notice on the display window.
Oh! I nodded to myself quickly. I had already forgotten that I had put that up.
"Okay, you're hired then," I shrugged lightly as I leaned across the counter to appraise the frown marring his face with an amused smile.
"There's not going to be any interview, expectation setting or introduction?" He seemed completely unsettled by the informality and I couldn't help but wonder what he had expected. I was a student after all, and Mrs Kim hadn't given me any guidelines for hiring.
"I could be a thief or a serial murderer or something," he warned seriously, and I licked my lips out of habit, entertained.
"But you look normal to me, so I don't see much need for that. And I'm your new co-worker, Jaejoong." I flashed a bright smile at him before continuing. "Plus, that scarf's at least eight hundred dollars, so you're most likely really rich with no need to steal." I laughed as he turned a fast scarlet, the heat quickly colouring he exposed area of his neck.
"I was Financial Controller for student council last year," he suddenly blurted, not meeting my eyes, and I bit my lips quickly in self-control with a slow nod.
"That's convenient," I mused in approval as I crossed my arms, leaning against the counter. Suddenly regaining his confidence, he caught my eyes before making a show of rolling his.
"I'm Jung Yunho and I'm trustworthy. Pleased to meet you." He pronounced smoothly before extending a handshake. Eyebrows raising in amazement, I appraised his hand lightly with a laugh.
"Kim Jaejoong, and I'm too trusting, or so it seems," I introduced myself playfully as his warm hand enveloped mine. "I think we're going to have a great time," I commented sincerely as he cocked an easy smile at me.
- - - - -
"Oh my god, don't put so much sugar!" I slapped his hands away hastily as I scrambled to pick out some sugar from the mixture.
"Isn't it supposed to be sweet?" He asked with such genuine confusion that I couldn't even be mad at him, settling for an annoyed huff as I pushed him out of he way with more force than necessary.
After a week of working with Yunho who was surprisingly the same age of fifteen as I was, I had learnt that his strengths laid in anything but baking. It always seemed like he was intentionally botching the task whenever he had to make the batter.
"Yeah, but not that sweet, kid," I ignored his grimace as I progressed to adding milk into the mixing bowl.
"Welcome to Cups and Treats! How may I help you?" Yunho greeted brightly as he made his way to the counter. Rolling my eyes at his professionalism, I quickly beat the wet mixture together. Ever since Yunho was hired, the shop's business had improved drastically much to the satisfaction of Hyunjoong's mother. It definitely helped that Yunho practically flirted with the customers, smiling and complimenting their choices with small noises before making more purchase suggestions that they usually always took up.
"She's glancing at you," I teased before sliding the trays into the oven, laughing when he flailed, phone almost flying out of his fingers. Yelping as he tightened his hold on the gadget, he surveyed the shop carelessly before returning to his phone with a shrug.
Sighing as I pressed my face against the counter, I peered at him curiously. "Why don't you go over?"
"Mm?" He barely spared me a glance as his fingers continued to fly across the screen, working to link the animals in a chain.
"I mean she's pretty, and she seems to like you," I trailed off unhappily with a deep pout as I fiddled with the egg shaped timer.
Hyunjoong had said that his mother's café cum pastry shop was a complete babe magnet, but it didn't quite seem like it. I mean sure, girls were attracted by the cakes and decoration, but they also left just as easily without 'dropping their numbers' or 'confessing their undying love,' which was what Hyunjoong had promised. Maybe I was doing the whole thing wrongly. Maybe I should switch duties with Yunho to man the cashier instead, I mean it'd work, right? Frontline and all.
"No, you're pathetic at numbers, kid." Yunho interjected suddenly, and I hadn't even noticed that I had been vocalizing my thoughts.
"But practice makes perfect, right? I mean if I went at it for a few days, I'd be better." I defended feebly, squirming as I noted that he had pocketed his phone at some point, unnerved by the close scrutiny.
"What do you want in a girl?" He asked lightly with a shake of head, and I pulled a face in thought.
"Pretty, I guess? Smart." I nodded to myself in approval.
Smart was good.
"Rich too, I suppose." I added as an afterthought with a shrug, pushing him lightly when he snorted.
"Rich? You looking for somebody to take care of you forever, Jaejoongie?"
Pretending to consider, I quickly nodded with a smirk. "Roughly forever and maybe ever," I returned in jest with an ugly pull of my face. It was just a rough criteria anyway, geez. Yunho was such an idiot.
"Well I guess it's great that I fit your criteria then," I quickly straightened as I gaped at him.
"I'm smart, and I guess that I'm rich. I've also been told that I'm good looking, and I've received 'pretty' a few times," he shrugged lightly before continuing. "We can be boyfriends until the girl of your dreams confesses her undying love for you. How about that?"
I narrowed my eyes at him in scrutiny. "Don't mess with me," I threatened with a mean lilt as I tried to read his face. It wasn't much, but knowing each other for a week helped.
"No, I'm serious. You're bored and lonely, and I'm offering to keep you company until you get a girlfriend," he explained, and I relaxed slightly at the genuine sincerity in his eyes, the proposition slowly sinking in as I mulled over it. With Yunho as a boyfriend, I'd get somebody to spend the weekend with without having to crash on Yoochun's dates. I mean, Junsu was great and all, and while Yoochun insisted that three was company, it was ridiculous to have to cross check dates with a third party.
I had somehow already made up my mind already, and while it sounded a little ridiculous, I couldn't help but think that it was actually pretty good idea.
"Please take care of me then, Yunho," I breathed nervously as he broke out into a wide smile.
- - - - -
"What do you mean when you say that can't make it this Sunday!" Yoochun bellowed as he dropped his spoon dramatically, eyes wide as he learned across the table to inspect my pores or something of equivalent creepiness.
"I mean I can't make it likeIhaveanactualdatethinggoingononSunday." I mumbled quickly, too flustered by the interrogation to push him away. He paused for a moment to process the avalanche of words before quickly covering the rapidly spreading blush on his face.
"Oh my god, you're taken! Oh gosh, where did you get her! Oh my god, for a moment I thought you were going through that whole moping phase about Junsu and I needing space. I wanted to yell at you." He paused for a moment to look at me. "You're happy, right?"
I frowned in thought before nodding. Yunho had begun to smile at me more nowadays, and there were small touches whenever we were close to each other behind the counter. I just wasn't sure how it made me feel just yet.
"It's a guy though," I added as an afterthought, and Yoochun gaped at me in shock.
"But-" he set his fork down to stare properly at me. "Don't-" he closed his eyes as if in complete agony.
"Don't you think that you're wasting your time? I mean-" he gave up as he appraised my face. "Fine. If he breaks your heart, I'm going to slice his penis into sections. Sections," he repeated in emphasis as I merely giggled in reply, grateful for his friendship.
- - - - -
"Hey, boyfriend," I sauntered over teasingly with a wide smile. Raking down the length of his body, I felt the nerves in my belly rising again, something which I entirely failed to comprehend. Brushing it off, I gave him a quick hug before stepping back.
"Where're we going?" I asked lightly as I helped him up.
"We're gonna grab some lunch, catch a movie, then go to a pastry café to scope out competition. After that, we'll drop by the newly opened park, and then I'll send you home," he finished with a proud grin, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"I could send you home too, kid."
"But I was the genius who came up with the plan." He concluded simply as he reached for my arm. "Planners are winners, Jae," he explained matter-of-factly as he tugged me along. Suddenly breaking out into a spontaneous blush at the idea of being pulled along, I was eternally thankful that he couldn't see my body's involuntary response.
-
"If you have the urge to puke your lunch out in fright, you can hold on to me, you know."
"I'm not a girl, thank you very much," I sniffed unhappily as I crossed my arms in front of me, incredible grouchy as I glared ahead. I really didn't know why Yunho had to choose the ghost blockbuster out of the various offerings. Yunho had already booked the movie before, and he had been so enthusiastic, it was so hard to say no.
"No, really. You can hold on to me," he repeated once more, the smile on his face illuminated by the screen, his eyes were bright with excitement.
"I said it's fine!" I snapped tersely, ticked off as I scuffed my feet against the seat in front of me. He fell silent, and I looked away resolutely, overwhelmed with guilt for my rudeness.
The movie began, and it was terrible. It was worse than I had readied myself for, and I sat frozen, my muscles bunched tightly so that I wouldn't flinch outwardly. The zombie was coming, and would pop right at the centre of the screen in typical cinematic fashion. I could anticipate it, but despite all the mental warnings, I drew back reflexively with a whimper.
Yunho laid a hand on my arm, his touch like a question. Leaning into it desperately, I pressed myself against his side, crossing the centre of the length of couple seat. "I just-" I whispered softly into the dark, wincing as the zombie dragged the little girl by the legs into the darker half of the room.
"My sisters made me watch a lot of scary movies with them when I was younger," I explained hoarsely, biting my lips at the trail of blood her broken fingernails had left on the floorboard.
"They'd exaggerate the explanations and ambush me before we went to sleep."
Yunho rubbed small circles into my arm in comfort and I was overwhelmed by the extent of his concern, suddenly glad that I had taken up his offer. The idea of having a significant other was one thing, but truly having one was another. I shivered every single time he touched me, the tactual sensation foreign but heady. I wanted to pull him closer, to melt against him.
"I guess that I don't really like to watch horror movies," I murmured softly, suppressing a shiver as he pressed his face against my neck.
Another character in the movie released a blood curdling scream that reverberated loudly throughout the cinema, but the both of us were residing in a completely different plane with our quiet touches.
Finally returning my attention to the movie, I felt my face heating up when Yunho didn't remove his arm from around me, glad for the darkness in the theatre.
The plot progressed quickly, the police arriving at the scene only to be held back by the higher ups. More people within the building had been turned into zombies, and I released a sharp gasp of shock when the camera found the newly zombiefied girl. Her neck was concaved from the chunk torn off during the bite, and the bright red contrasted heavily with the ashen grey of her parlour. Eyes now replaced with a glassy look of mindlessness instead of the prior fear and hysteria as she closed into the camera, I found myself pulling wildly at Yunho's bottoms as the girl leapt crazily at a human.
He help me close as he pressed my face into his coat. "You wanna leave?" He whispered into my hair, and I shook my head timidly, acutely conscious of our proximity while being angry at how pathetic I was being.
"Let's watch this until it ends," I insisted stubbornly as he slid his warm hand into mine with a squeeze.
After all, watching scary movies with Yunho was essential because it would prepare me for my future date with my girlfriend.
- - -
"It wasn't that bad, was it?" He asked, and I shrugged for an answer, rolling my eyes when he squeezed my waist silently in encouragement. Everybody in the compound had turned into zombies in the end, and it was a terrible ending. How could anybody even concieve such a macabre plot?
"Let's go to the café now," he tugged excitedly, and I let myself be pulled along by his energy fondly.
-
"Ah, found it!" He eyes were sparkling with the same enthusiasm once more, and I couldn't help but think how much he'd make a good leader. He had the charisma and infectious enthusiasm that would do good in winning the loyalty of teams.
"Are you sure it's the right place?" I blanched as I surveyed the pink polka dot exterior.
"Yeah, it is!" He laughed as he pulled me into the shop. "My sister says that it's really good. This shop is a huge competitor, Jaejoongie," he whispered lowly into my ear, and I suppressed a shiver as a server in pink petticoats directed us to a table.
"Oh my god, it’s so expensive!" I hissed at him the moment she left. The main course offerings started at seventeen for a single dish, and the prices were ridiculous.
"It's a niche market, Jae. You're paying for the princess treatment in the meal. And don't worry, bill's on me," he replied lightly, his eyes still scanning the menu with a frown as if hard at work.
"But you've already snatched the tab for lunch and tickets!" I protested unhappily, to which he finally looked up.
"I asked you to be my boyfriend, Jae. I'll pick the tab up on our first date," he stated simply, his tone leaving no space for argument. Ugh, infuriating.
"Fine! And I'll pay for the next!" I shot back, turning a faint pink at the reminder that it was a date. It was the first official date in my entire fifteen years of existence.
"If that'll make you happy, Jae. A relationship isn't really a equation where monetary outlays have to equate." He explained patiently and seriously? Monetary outlay? I was datinga a complete nerd. I grimaced at him in challenge as I suppressed the urge to kick him. He always made me feel so incredibly stupid sometimes.
"Besides, I'm paying because I want to make the day great for you," he continued, and I made a spectacular show of rolling my eyes. There Yunho went, hard at work once more to make me feel like a girl. It was his company, not him paying for things that mattered.
"Whatever," I groused back, returning to the menu, too lazy to go against his weird concepts. Yunho was an idiot that was bent on being gentlemanly or whatever he thought he was accomplishing.
- - -
"What time is it already?" I wondered aloud as we walked along the pavement in the park. Patting my pockets for my phone when he shrugged, I fished it out lightly before sniggering to myself in satisfaction. The cafe had a rental service for garishly cute accessories, and I had made my first and only payment of the night to acquire a huge ribbon for Yunho. And needless to say, Princess Yunho looked absolutely adorable as my wallpaper.
"You don't have to be home so early, right?" He asked, the park's lamp illuminating his look of worry.
"Nah, my curfew's pretty flexible," I replied as he visibly relaxed. It wasn't even really late in the first place. Yunho was an idiot with the tendency for obsessive worrying. He was generally a big idiot with too many complexes.
"So how was today?" He finally asked softly with a tentative squeeze of my hand, and I hemmed and hawed for moment too long in consideration as I watched his anxiety rise with perverse satisfaction.
"It was okayyyyy," I dragged slowly before shrugging. "Apart from the extended hand holding and the whole insisting that you pay, it feels a lot like we're just hanging out outside of work as friends," I admitted honestly before squeezing his hand. "But I had a really great time though. Tha-"
"Sorry, Jaejoong," he suddenly cut me off, and before I could question his statement, he jerked me towards him as he pressed forward.
I- wow. His lips were on mine, and everything in my head went crazy. There was a soft pressure on my lips, and I felt the tingle of goose bumps as his hand slipped underneath my shirt to trial across my skin. His other hand was holding me up by the waist as I fell clumsily onto him after stumbling at the unanticipated pull. Climbing up slowly as I righted myself, he moved to cup the back of my head as his lips moved skilfully like waves of softness against mine, with crests of unspoken promises. I was lost, completely drunk at the unnamed sensation that churned in my belly.
His lips felt plush against mine, and I distantly registered that my first kiss was now officially with a guy; something that seemed so impossible and would have sounded completely ridiculous a few weeks ago.
"I-" I broke in, speaking into his lips, and he pulled away quickly, his eyes wild as he looked at me. My body felt alive; truly alive, like every single of my synapses were wide awake and righted in attention. The distance between us suddenly felt too much.
"Wow," I breathed wondrously, breaking out into peals of laughter as I licked at the tingle of my lips. His gaze was deep and dangerous and I felt compelled to hold it with mounting unease as the whispers of cold sifted through the night air.
"You make me crazy, Jae," he closed his eyes as he groaned harshly, and before I knew it, our lips were interlocked once more as he pressed against me.
If the previous was soft and dizzying, this was desperate, tinged with what seemed like hunger. I couldn't comprehend, but the roughness of the movement of his lips made me keen in depravity. His lips were opening mine, and I complied, starting a little as his tongue slipped into my mouth. It was foreign, a branch of intimacy that I was unaccustomed to, but it was intoxicating, incredibly so.
My head was throbbing, my senses flooded with everything that was Yunho.
I could feel the strength of him against me, the contrasting gentleness of his fingertips, and the relentlessness of his lips. I was lost as I begged in kind for more, clutching him close as he gave, and took. The kiss was all-consuming, every single sensation too sharp and too bright. My heart was going crazy, and I was light, my heart thumping hard in its confines.
"So are we just hanging out now?" He asked suddenly, smirking at the reflexive whine I had released at the lost contact. Watching spellbound as his tongue peeked out to swipe at his lips, I shook my head weakly as I worked to catch my breath. Definitely not just hanging out. I wanted to tell him that we should do that more often but his affective smugness was just too much for me at that moment. Yunho was such a bastard. Rolling my eyes, I shoved him away as I straightened my shirt with a faint smile.
Today was better than great. Fantastic, maybe. But Yunho didn't deserve to know that.
- - - - -
"So you're the Yunho?"
"Noona!" I complained as I pushed Yunho ahead, only to no avail. He was obviously getting too fat.
"Yes. I'm Jung Yunho, nice to meet you, Haneul noona," he introduced himself politely before extending a hand, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes in annoyance.
"Noona!" I groused once more as I tried to tug him away, only to be waved off by my boyfriend.
"I hope that I'm not intruding by staying over for the night," he continued politely, and I deflated at the look mirth on my sister's face, dreading her next sentence.
"It's not an intrusion as long as you make sure that Jaejoong doesn't moan the house down with your kinky sex," she laughed, and I yelped in protest, completely pink in the face, only to get a cheek pinch.
"I wish Sunye was here to tease you too," she added with a heavy sigh as if overwhelmed by the acute loss. "Then we'd have more stories to tell when we come together, and you'd be in a corner whining away like the little boy that you are," she continued fondly and I had the urge to bury myself.
"You should invite me when your family gets together, noona," Yunho suddenly interjected. "I'd love to meet all of you." I gasped at him in betrayal.
"You should be defending our honour, you traitor! You should be standing up for us and saying that we're not having sex, and no, you're not meeting them and stop flirting with my sister!" I yelled as I pulled him away, glaring at my elder sister annoyedly as I climbed up the stairs, ignoring the cackle and the silent gestures of communication between them.
"You're an idiot!" I scolded, pushing him in the shoulder the moment we entered my room. "Nice room, Jae," he only returned with a smile, and I frowned at his obvious dismissal before pushing him for the second time.
"You brought your clothes right?" I asked finally as he wandered towards my wall of pictures that had somehow grew as the years passed.
"Why isn't there a picture of us here?" He questioned finally as he pointed at the collection. Straightening my comforter out of need, I shrugged at him in reply. Now that we were sort of dating, it was hard to define what we would be when I got a girlfriend. Plus it would be difficult to explain Yunho if my future girlfriend visited. If I tacked him up, pulling him down during our awkward relationship post break up would only make me feel terrible.
"I'll just paste this up," he muttered to himself as he pulled a polaroid out of his wallet after pinching a little tack from the others. Smiling satisfactorily to himself, he proceeded to poke at my books while I took over the space that he had vacated. It was the first picture that Mrs Kim had taken when she dropped by a few days after Yunho's initial employment. It was tradition to paste up pictures of last employees, and I had blinked in the first shot. I didn't even know that Yunho had kept it. Frowning at the captured moment, I thwacked my silly looking face in disapproval before smiling at the tiny Yunho within. It was unfair how he always managed to look perfect.
"Oh my god, you're watching porn!" Yunho suddenly exclaimed, his eyes wide with his fingers frozen on the keypad.
"What!" I yelped in shock as I darted over, only to see my desktop screen.
"Where?" I cried anxiously, cheeks flaming in embarrassment as he smirked at me. Only catching on seconds later, I breathed out noisily, pulling a face as I hit him in the arm. "You scared me for a moment okay! That was so embarrassing, oh my god. Don't ever do that again. I wanted to bury myself, oh my god," I rushed out as I pressed the screen down to close it shut, mildly peeved at the amusement on Yunho's face.
"You should have seen your expression though," he continued to tease as I pouted exaggeratedly at him.
"But then again, if you didn't watch porn, you wouldn't have to worry, Jae," he continued in jest, and I turned away, only to be caught by my waist before being pressed against his front.
"So what kind of porn do you watch, Jaejoongie?" He whispered lowly into my ear, and I shivered in response as the heat crept down my neck.
"Stop it," I whined feebly, trying to escape his confines weakly only to be held tighter. Yunho was an idiot, an insufferably horny idiot that was capable to turning me on.
"Who's that guy on your wallpaper huh?" He asked as he licked up my neck, pausing to suck at the back of my ear.
"U-know-" I wobbled as I arched, pressing backwards towards him for more. "U-know of Dongbangshinki," I gasped as he released with a pop, the vulgar sound reverberating in my ears. The spot felt hot already, and I reached to touch it, only to have my hands slapped away sharply.
"Why do you like him, Jae? What's so great about him?" His voice was uncharacteristically low as he slid under my top, to caress my navel.
"He's nice, guess? Kinda righteous, and a good dancer-" I squeaked in shock as his hand suddenly moved to cup my front.
"I didn't know that he turned you on," he replied as I shifted in unease. It was the first time that we had went so far. I felt him moving, gasping as he pressed his groin against my leg, freezing at the hardness that I felt.
My face was heating up in embarrassment, weighed with the consciousness of what we were engaging in. His hand didn't move, simply placed above my length, and I breathed in thankfully as I tried to get myself to calm down.
"You didn't answer my question, Jae," he tutted, and I quickly scrambled to reassemble my thoughts. What did Yunho ask? Oh. My cheeks were positively flaming now, and I ducked my head in embarrassment.
"It's you, Yunho. Because you're touching me," I mumbled timidly, and it seemed to satisfy him as I felt him relax against me, every nerve of my body still flared up at the foreign tactility of a hand on my clothed genitals and the acute awareness that he was aroused, by me.
"You never said that you liked dancers. In your criteria," he bit out, and I faintly registered that I wasn't the only one incapable of forming complete, coherent sentences.
"I never-" I broke off in a whine as his hand moved, his finger trailing up the length of my front as he pressed firmly through my jeans.
"I didn't remember," I nearly sobbed as he arched suddenly to rub his hardness against me.
"So you like dancers?" He asked gruffly, and apparently, my reply wasn't fast enough as he pressed down roughly on my erection.
"No!" I cried, "no. No, I don't!" I begged, only to be spun around quickly. "You lie," he breathed, eyes flashing in warning as he claimed my lips. The kiss was hard and bruising as our groins continued to grind against one another's for friction. When he finally broke away, his eyes were unfocused and drenched with affection, his smile hard but crooked with marked amusement.
"But it's okay. Because I can dance too," he offered smugly, and I rolled my eyes before pressing in for another kiss. Because really, what could Yunho not do?
-
"You're handsome," he said out of the blue, almost like a statement, completely devoid of inflections as he tucked my hair behind my ear lightly while his finger lingered on the skin, drawing idle lines as he smiled at me.
"Don't be so shocked," I returned with an equally contented smile, shifting as I slid my legs between his. He didn't reply, his eyes steady as looked me. The moment continued to stretch, and I shifted uncomfortably, conscious of the weight of his gaze.
"Wait. Was that like a way to get into my pants or something? Are you like compelling me to strip with your eyes right now?" I exclaimed in indignance, frowning unhappily when he began to laugh at my expense. He opened his mouth quietly as if to speak, only to shut it once more before burrowing his face into my top as he pulled me close. "Are you okay?" I asked worriedly as I combed my fingers through his hair. Yunho didn't reply, and I didn't press, shifting my leg a little higher around him so that he knew that I was there.
- - - -
Scrolling through a Dongbangshinki news site, I picked at my nails idly, breaking out into a smile at Yunho's idle hum as the shower went silent. I guess it could possibly be one of the considerations of living together with another person, the need to adapt to each other's habits.
Yunho was accustomed to two showers per day, whereas I only showered after work.
I distantly wondered if my girlfriend would have the habit to shower twice daily too. Shrugging to myself, I listened to the sound of the tap coming on as I saved a picture of U-know into my phone.
"It's your turn, kid."
Yelping as a wet towel hit me squarely in the face, I freed myself only to find a topless Yunho grinning at me.
"Are you checking me out?" He teased as he walked towards me, and my self-preservation instincts kicked in as I shrunk back quickly. I had learnt over time that that grin was always something to be wary of.
"Are you too shy to admit, Jaejoongie?" He continued as his knees knocked the edge of the frame. Exclaiming noisily as he pounced and pinned me down, I wondered what I should have said in reply to inflate his insufferable ego. That it was unfair that he had abs for a non-gym goer? Or that I was already half hard?
"Is little Jaejoongie having weird thoughts?" He cooed softly as he caressed my flushed cheeks.
Shaking my head as I looked away in a futile attempt to hide my face, I could feel the heat of his leer spreading down my body. Quickly pressing my thighs together in embarrassment as his eyes reached my nether regions, there was a long pause before he rolled off the bed awkwardly.
"You really drive me crazy, boo," he muttered lowly, sounding almost crossed as he picked his towel up before turning his back to me.
Willing myself to tear my eyes away from the flex of muscles, I grabbed my clothes off the bed before making a beeline for the bathroom, the pounding of my heart so strong that I felt like collapsing.
-
"You should bake the muffins today," I decided as I set the both mixing bowls onto the counter.
"Oh really? Planning on scoring some girls today, boo?" He teased in reply, and I rolled my eyes as I fished for the ingredients, secretly pleased by the new nickname.
"Nah, just wanted to see you mess something up. Kinda like a reminder that you're a mortal too." I smirked proudly as he crossed his arms in disapproval.
"Not a chance, kid. I don't have a good feeling about today. I'll probably mess it up so badly that you'll have to throw the entire batter out."
Looking at him closely as he jut his bottom lip out in plea, I nodded wordlessly with a shrug. He genuinely seemed oddly distracted and a little less confident than usual.
He was spending so much time just peering at me that I had begun to develop a tic. "You're okay, right? I mean I wouldn't mind if you went home," I offered in worry as he worked at his lower lip in an uncharacteristic show of nerves.
He had been a little off since yesterday's sleepover, and I was beginning to feel guilty for inviting him over. Maybe the bed had been too small for him or the air in my room had been a little too stale.
"I'm not sick, boo," he brushed my concern off easily, a grin on his face as he pressed a kiss into my neck. "If I were sick, you'd be too," he finished with a quick swipe of his tongue, and I pretended to bristle as I wiped at it roughly before throwing him a dirty look.
"Boy cooties!" I protested loudly, happiness rising two folds at Yunho's fond chuckle.
-
"Welcome to Cups and Treats! How may I help you?"
I looked up reflexively to smile politely at the customer before returning to my work.
"Jae, the girl's asking for you," Yunho suddenly tugged at my sleeve sharply, and I nearly dropped the spoon in shock.
"Erm an individual picture?" I asked as I composed myself hurriedly to smile brightly at the pink-faced girl. There were occasionally customers that requested to take our photographs, and while it had initially been all sorts of weird and uncomfortable initially, I was now accustomed to it, viewing it as a part of my job.
"No, I-" she was awfully flushed, and I couldn't help but worry a little. Was there a viral infection going around?
"Oppa, I like you! Please go out with me!" She burst out as she thrust a pink envelope in my direction. I was frozen in place, too shocked to speak.
"I mean you don't have to say yes now. You can think about it, my number's in here," she waved the envelope a little in wild emphasis, and I nodded stupidly as she smiled brightly at me.
"But I really really like you, and I really hope that you'll say yes," she recited carefully, turning pink once more as she looked from me, to Yunho then back to me once more.
"I guess I'll leave now," she supplied at the silence, throwing me a quick smile, her eyes bright with excitement and mirth as she left the café as quickly as she had come.
The seated customers slowly returned to their food and beverages, and I stood there for a few moments, staring at the glass doors before remembering about the letter. Bringing it up against the light in scrutiny, I couldn't help but think of how the envelope would fit perfectly in the princess cafe we had visited on our first date.
"So this is how a confession letter looks like," I mused to myself in awe, staring at it for a few seconds before remembering my batter with a jolt. Leaving the mixed batter out for too long would make the muffin lumpy. But when I turned, the tray was gone and the bowl was already empty.
"I've distributed it and put it into the oven," Yunho suddenly interjected, and I turned to smile at him before pulling him over to press a kiss on his cheek, only to have it wiped off quickly.
"Don't, Jae. You've got a girlfriend now. Don't break hearts like that." He scolded lightly, his sleeve still working at his face. I frowned at him, perplexed.
"But I haven't even said anything to her!" I argued, only to be rebuffed.
"But you will. She's from my school, which makes her rich, possibly smart, and she's pretty. She's all that you wanted, and she just confessed her undying love for you," he explained, and I felt my face heating up in embarrassment at the superficiality of my criteria. But she was what I wanted, wasn't she?
"Oh, I will?" I replied listlessly, my question flat without any inflection. My chest felt hollow and I wanted to reach for him, but I could already imagine being pushed away.
I had a girlfriend now. I couldn't break hearts.
Nodding, I frowned to myself as I took the mixing bowl to the sink as Yunho began to greet another customer. As the water began to fill the bowl, I had the urge to crawl under the sink to hide.
-
The mood continued between us, Yunho distant and withdrawn, the playful pushes that we engaged in even before we had even gotten together a distant memory.
"Are you feeling better now?" I finally asked timidly as I transferred the cakes out of the display fridge to a container while he counted the cash to enter into the safe.
He turned to look at me, his fingers never missing a beat as the rifled through the notes. "I mean, you weren't feeling well in the morning, and I'm still kind of worried. I don't know if you're okay," I babbled on stupidly, chewing my lips in nerves when he didn't reply.
"I guess?" He offered before returning to his counting, an obvious dismissal that I had never experience before. I stood rooted, cheeks flushed with shame as the consciousness of losing a friend sank in.
"I'm glad that you are," I replied softly as he wrote the cash into the record book before shutting the safe.
We stood looking at each other without speaking, my heart twinging at how closed off his face was. "I guess I'll have to go first," he suddenly interjected. "I have an urgent errand to run, and I'm sorry that I can't close the shop with you today." He explained as he retrieved his backpack from the cupboard, and I could only nod as he stepped out of the work area before replacing the desk.
Putting the dish rag down, I fiddled with my thumb nervously, unsure of how to word my disappointment.
"Come," he gestured at me, and I shuffled closer to mirror him across the counter. Pressing a soft kiss on my forehead, he pulled back with a soft smile. "I hope that she treats you well," he whispered as he pushed my fringe back softly before giving a light wave as he made his way to the exit.
I could feel my heart breaking as I watched him leave. It was breaking in the literal sense, hollow gaps between the sections as my blood oozed out thickly. I found myself staring at the glass front even after he had long gone, my chest tight as my eyes began to sting. I didn't quite know what to feel. I wasn't quite whole any longer, as if he had taken a part of me with his departure.
I didn't want to break up with him, I realised as I stood there, trying to work pass the thick fog that had become my brain. I wanted to be his boo, to be subjected to his insufferable ego and be emasculated by his acts of extreme chivalry every single time we went out on dates. I wanted to be pinned down by him, to experience my firsts with him, to go out on disturbingly disgusting double dates with Yoochun and Junsu as a couple. I wanted him to play yell at me for being a dirty little boy for bathing once daily; I wanted more, so much more. I didn't care if he became poor, or if he wasn't pretty, or if he wasn't smart, I realised. I just wanted the whole of him.
Bolting out of the counter, I cursed as I suddenly remembered about my bag. Hauling it out before switching the lights off, I bounded towards the glass door, pulling the shutter down hastily before sliding the locks back in place. Running wildly in the direction he had disappeared to, I estimated that he had a head start of five minutes as I sprinted in a general direction. I wasn't sure if I could find him, but I knew that I had to.
Scanning the crowds along the street wildly, I suddenly laid eyes on a forlorn figure a mile ahead. The ostentatious red of his backpack contrasted heavily with his black coat, and he stood stationary in the middle of the path, his head raised as if appraising the sky. Slamming against him, I wrapped myself tightly against him.
"Jae?" He choked out, and I exclaimed as he turned to look at me, his face streaked with tears.
"Are you okay!" I yelped as I quickly released him to swipe at his cheeks. "What happened!" I was practically yelling now in agitation, and he picked my wrist away before shaking his head.
"I just need time, Jae. I can't-" he paused to collect himself, but more tears only flowed out of his ducts. "I just need some time to let you go," he managed between tears, and I felt my eyes heating up too at his sorrow. I opened my mouth to speak, only to be cut off. "I'm happy for you, Jae. I really am, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I can't let you go. I think I love you, Jae." He shook his head vehemently as he wiped his tears away.
"No, I love you, I do." He nodded to himself before continuing, his wet eyes holding mine steadily. "I knew that this day would come, that you would find somebody you'd like. But I didn't know that it would happen so soon," he mumbled as he thumbed my cheek lightly, his cheeks shiny with two trails of tears.
"But I'm glad that she's really pretty, made up of all the things you like. I just hope that you'll be happy. I'm sorry for making you worry about me," he spoke softly, before releasing my cheek and stepping away while biting his lips in an uncharacteristic act of nerves.
"I'll just-" he took a deep breath as if collecting himself. "I'll just leave now," he muttered as he shifted his bag before quickly walking away.
I stood reeling for a few moments before snapping out of my stupor. Damn that idiot for succeeding to walk away once more, I groused under my breath as I sped up to grab his bag to turn him around.
"You make me so mad, you know. You're acting like a complete idiot, and I've never even gotten this mad at you before, and no, you're not allowed to speak, because I've realised that you're terrible at it despite your whole façade," I yelled as I shook him violently, overwhelmed by my emotion.
"You've got to stop making decision on my behalf, because listen to me when I say that I don't want her, and that I don't want to break up with you." I nearly broke into a smile at Yunho's slack jaw. Speechless and confused went well on his face. The latest winter look for insufferable assholes.
"Yes, I don't want to break up with you, and thank you for loving me, because I happen to love you too, which is pretty huge, because people don't actually love martyrs, you know? I can't believe that you just tried to break up with me for 'my own good.' Who do you think you are. Harry Potter?" I squeezed his hand within mine tightly as I pressed myself closer.
"And I've learnt that love's really blind because it doesn't even matter to me any longer whether you're rich or pretty or smart, or whether you can dance. I just want the egoistical idiot inside you, that insufferable wit and that annoying swagger topped with your Neanderthal possessiveness." I confessed before continuing. "And you better treat me well because I just gave up the love of my life to be with you," I lamented as I poked at his belly unhappily before yelping at the sudden bone crushing hug.
"That girl isn't the love of your life, you twerp," he warned lowly like the control freak he was. "Because I am." He corrected grouchily as he pressed a kiss against my jaw.
"I'm glad that you chose me," he whispered softly into my ear before holding my gaze, and I felt my heart skip a beat at the naked mix of sadness, gratitude and endearment in his eyes.
Sliding a hand under his shirt, I pressed him closer as I smoothed across the planes of his back. "I love you," I returned as he pressed his lips lightly against mine.
And it was beautiful, the slow burn of affection in my body, and I felt my soul collapsing with his as our shared moment continued to stretch till the end of time.
- - - - -
A/N: I swear that I wanted Yunho to explain where he was coming from, like the whole creeptastic backstory, but then he was too busy crying and being an idiot, and somehow Jaejoong just ended the story so quickly, ugh. I bet there's mistakes somewhere (tell me) and I'm really not sure why I've been so inclined towards the confined single perspectives thing, but yeah. Thank you for dropping by, and I hope that I've rotted all your teeth out. I've realised that I really want to write happy stories, so yeah. I guess I'll write more of these genre, and erm leave a message? It's like the backbone of fanfiction communities, and I'm not even going to comment about the super relevant tittle like manzzzz, ugh.
ETA note: OMG, I JUST REALISED THAT I SHOULD HAVE LIKE WRITTEN IN YUNHO'S PERSPECTIVE. A writing book that I once read said that like you take the perspective of the person that changed the most (which is Yunho in this story), but I guess I was so busy being obsessed with the manga that I kinda just jumped into it without really using my brain like damnnnnn. /pretends that nothing happened.