The Physics of Sound; Jaejoong/Junsu
The Physics of Sound
1741 words. PG-16.
- DBSK; Jaejoong/Junsu.
author onew
summary First there's the attack when Junsu gives a challenge, then the decay when Junsu says 'time out'. But then there's the sustain when Junsu says 'I'm not giving up yet' and, finally, the release when Junsu smiles.
notes For sunshineyes @ dbsk_secretgame with the prompt 'of bright smiles and the thwarting of universal destruction' in mind. I tried making this as non-AU as possible. Hope you'll like it ♥ (Originally posted HERE)
disclaimer Only the plot is mine.
Jaejoong's a little bit fuzzy when he meets Junsu, fourteen and eager to beat anyone in his way. On their first meeting, Junsu is the one who extends his hand and says, "Kim Junsu. Nice to meet you!" in that small, pitchy voice of his. Jaejoong replies with a smile, a curt nod, saying, "Kim Jaejoong. Nice to meet you, too." in his equally small voice. There's something in Junsu's eyes that overwhelms him so he doesn't look at first, only hangs his head low but makes sure his smile is big enough for everyone to see. He makes occasional glances at Junsu, making sure he memorizes the look on Junsu's eyes that he slowly gets used to. "I'll see you in class!" Junsu calls out before he leaves with his friends - Yunho, Hyukjae and Donghae. He hears it, the note in Junsu's voice that tells him I'll beat you, just like how I've beaten every other trainee here in SM, but maybe that's just him day-dreaming (with Junsu's voice ringing in his ears like a familiar song stuck in his head). So he lifts his head, puts on his best smile and replies in his best voice.
"See you."
The first time they share a class, Jaejoong swears he gets the urge to bang his head on every single hard thing he finds. He's in a class with practically all the talented vocalists in SM - Junsu included - and just what the hell is he thinking? He can't possibly compete with these people! His strategy in life is like this - play your way through life and achieve something that'll make yourself happy, at the very least. He's not the competitive type of guy - that would be Yunho and Junsu.
Maybe this just isn't for him.
"Before we conclude the class, we'll be having a harmonization activity. Pick your own partner and get to know each other, then get to practicing," the instructor says. Everyone pairs off with everyone else. Jaejoong feels like shrinking and just disappearing, but then Junsu walks up to him, all bright smiles and shining eyes. "I want to hear you sing," Junsu says, blunt and genuinely interested. "Are you sure?" Jaejoong asks. Junsu nods. "Yeah. I've been with them far too long already, and I've kinda grown tired to hearing their voices so... Sing with me?" There's that bright smile again, and Jaejoong swears he's on the brink of just giving in and saying, No, I'd rather die than sing with you. "Come on, it can't be too hard!" Junsu hums a small song under his breath and it gradually picks up volume and before Jaejoong knows it, he's already singing.
They decide to stick with each other for the rest of their term as classmates in that particular class.
Junsu calls Jaejoong a "friend" eight months into knowing each other. Junsu says, "I'm pretty friendly, but I don't normally warm up to people easily. Like, I can make friends but I can't get intimate with them at once." Junsu takes a slice of kimbap and eats it before he resumes speaking. "And I don't know. I really feel comfortable with you. You're shy but you're also friendly and you don't back down from challenges easily and- You do get what I mean, don't you?" Jaejoong almost laughs, if not for the food he's just stuffed in his mouth. "Yeah, yeah, I get you," he replies, chuckling. Junsu doesn't let on.
"But I mean, I don't know why, really! You're good in singing and I'm supposed to hate you or be overly competitive with you but I just... feel comfortable with you." Junsu's all big gestures and fidgeting hands while Jaejoong's just enjoying every bit of Junsu's panicking act. In the middle of his sentence, Junsu stops.
"You think I'm crazy," Junsu says accusingly. Jaejoong's eyes widen and he chuckles a bit. "Whatever, Junsu," he replies, stuffing Junsu's mouth with a kimbap. Junsu just sinks in his seat and chews the kimbap and asks for another round when he finishes.
When they learn they'll be debuting together, Junsu is more than thrilled.
"You see, it's different when you're actually singing out there!" Junsu explains, and traces the roots of H.O.T. and Fly to the Sky and possibly every single idol group he's idolized. "There's a big crowd and you're testing the waters and seeing if your voices won't collide and you try to make everything sound right. And then, when you're already backstage, you realize you need to work more on this and that because you're not singing for yourself anymore. You're singing for them."
"You still sing for yourself sometimes, you know," Jaejoong quips, a soft smile on his lips, "because you sing because you want to, don't you?" Junsu nods softly, laughs to himself. "So much for being selfless," Junsu tells himself jokingly, a sheepish smile on his lips. Jaejoong slings an arm around his shoulder, whispers, "So much for getting beaten by me for believing everything I say."
"Hey!" Junsu almost jumps and moves away from Jaejoong. "No fair. You can't beat me!" There's a pout on Junsu's lips and Jaejoong finds himself growing increasingly fond of it. "Then I, Sir Kim Jaejoong, challenge you to a duel to see who gets more fans after debut!" Jaejoong mockingly does this knightly pose that only makes him look as if he knows nothing about knights whatsoever. Junsu's got a finger pointed at him. "I accept your challenge!" Then they proceed to running around, chasing each other until Junsu manages to catch Jaejoong by the foot and they both fall to the ground in a heap of laughter.
No one really wins. No one yet, at least.
Jaejoong is not Junsu's only rival in the group, though. There's Yunho for dancing, Changmin for anything that has something to do with games and brains, and Yoochun for song writing. Jaejoong's the song partner and the occasional shoulder to lean on when Yunho's got leader issues. But there's this wall that begins to grow between the two of them and Jaejoong can't help but wonder why it's even there. Then Junsu starts calling him Youngwoong hyung. "Too formal," Jaejoong tells Junsu one time, and Junsu just replies with, "But that's your stage name."
"Aren't we competing as Jaejoong and Junsu, though?" Jaejoong asks, leaning on the wall just beside the door to Junsu's room. Junsu pauses the game he's playing. "What?" "I said aren't we competing for the most fans as Junsu and Jaejoong? Why call me by my stage name?" Jaejoong repeats. Junsu looks away, biting his lower lip. "Well, I-"
"We don't stage victories, Junsu, and neither do we stage songs, so stop calling me 'Youngwoong hyung', okay?" Jaejoong smiles a little. Junsu's almost apologetic when he nods. Jaejoong turns around to leave and promptly stops in his tracks when Junsu asks him something.
"What do I call you, then?" Junsu's voice is so small and unsure. Jaejoong turns around and beams brightly. "The good 'ol 'hyung' will do." Jaejoong would be good, too. Junsu nods and smiles brightly and there's the same Junsu he saw back when he was fifteen.
Jaejoong leaves Junsu's room six years younger that he's supposed to be.
So it's in Japan where Jaejoong goes back to childhood (and so does Yunho, but it's different because it looks as if Yunho's having second childhood a bit too early) and Yoochun's a bit more free and Changmin's meaner than the usual. They're not using honorifics for each other and Junsu gets the hang of it, starts calling Jaejoong without the 'hyung'. They have more duets in their Japanese songs so they spend more time practicing with each other.
In one (or more) of these occasions, Jaejoong gets carried away when they 'harmonize'.
They normally practice in Jaejoong's work room, so they're free of distractions. One minute, Junsu's repeating one note again and again so Jaejoong would finally get it right; the next minute, it's already Jaejoong's name that Junsu's repeating under his breath, against Jaejoong's skin. The first time it happens, they're all sloppy kisses. "What are we doing again?" Junsu asks in between heavy breathing, head thrown back. Jaejoong chuckles. "Harmonizing, stupid."
Being in sync isn't only about singing the right songs, after all.
It's discovering things about each other more than anything else, and discovering each other's vocal range somewhere along the way. Junsu can hit higher notes and Jaejoong can practically hit both low and high notes. By the time they perfect their harmonization, Jaejoong's already memorized each curve of Junsu's body - the trace of Junsu's jaw when he laughs - sings - his hips, his fingers, everything.
Jaejoong leads by a couple of games to love.
... Until Junsu lands service aces one after the other. Junsu's advances are sly and sneaky, like the subtle leaning on Jaejoong's shoulder when he bursts into a peal of laughter, the slip of an arm around Jaejoong's waist, the leaning in a bit too close to whisper something and everything - those little things. Now that they're evenly tied, Junsu challenges Jaejoong to a game.
They're practicing a new song today, and Junsu's the one who first asks for a break. Two minutes into their rest time, Jaejoong speaks from the top of his head. "I've already won a long time ago, right? I'm the lead singer, after all." Junsu scoffs and laughs. "But more people say I have the better vocals," Junsu says in reply, a smirk on his lips. "But I've got more fans. Hell, even my hair has a fanclub already!" Jaejoong retorts, laughing at the very last statement. Junsu just shakes his head, smiling.
"I'll still beat you, you know, just like how I've beaten every other trainee in SM," Junsu says, determination thick in his voice. Jaejoong chuckles and replies, "Right now, I've got the lead. But we'll see, Kim Junsu," a teasing glint in his eyes. Junsu catches it, grabs Jaejoong by the wrist and pins him on the wall.
"Are you challenging me, Kim Jaejoong?" The tables are turned and Jaejoong's the one asking for a rematch even if he's already won. There's the same old fourteen-year-old he's met nine years back, the curve on Junsu's lips familiar enough to tell him what he's supposed to do. Jaejoong smiles.
"See you at the finish line, Junsu." That is, if Jaejoong gets there first.
Then Junsu smiles.