(no subject)
Title: Home
Pairing(s): HoMin, friend!YunJae
Rating: G
Warnings: girl!changmin, alternate reality
Genre: FLUFF!!!, romance
A/N: written for asalieangel because I want KangTeuk but I doubt this passes the conditions of our fic exchange.
Summary: Max was 14, skinny with long gangly limbs, and looked like a boy even in uniform. Yunho was 2 years older, already in high school and looked like a prince even in uniform. But perhaps that's exactly what he needs.
Home
Despite numerous warnings, it came as a surprise when the other finally left them. He never saw him again since that day two weeks ago as he watched him pedal away down the hill on his bicycle. He had hoped he was bluffing and turned away to return home and get started on his homework. They lived in opposite directions, Jaejoong being closer to the train tracks, while Yunho lived in the shadow of the factory with his cousin Yoochun.
When he arrived at school the next day to see Jaejoong's desk empty his mind reasoned that it was just a joke, that Jaejoong was going through another delinquent phase. Yunho held out for days but finally Junsu confirmed that the other was no longer there.
vvvvv
TING!!!
The sound of metal striking a flying baseball resounded through the air and away it flew. Up, up, up, and across the field, soaring by as the outfielders scrambled to catch it. Max grinned up at the ball, running backwards with arms outstretched in the air. Yuusei's team wouldn't get that home run. Max was so wrapped up in catching the ball that the warning screams of the other players fell upon deaf ears.
Suddenly the bottom of Max's feet were no longer on lush green grass but on tough concrete and the last thing heard was a deep yell and the ringing of bicycle bells before the crash.
“Unnghhh,” Max sat up, rubbing her head, pulling her legs from under the tires of the bicycle.
She looked over and the rider was already at her side.
“Chami!”
“Yunho,” Max whined at the use of the nickname derived from her real name.
“Are you ok?” Yunho asked, being ok himself, having prevented himself from falling after the crash.
Max shrugged Yunho's hand away and made to stand up on her own, wincing a little as she did so.
“Yah! Watch where you're going!” she shot at him, as her friends began to crowd around them.
“You alright?” Yuusei asked.
“Yeah.”
“Wah, where's the ball?” another kid exclaimed, looking all around the area.
“Watch where you're going!” Yuusei said, then muttering. “Fucking Koreans...”
“Hey I'm Korean too!” Max pointed out angrily.
“Yeah, but you're different. You don't smell like kimchi and run over people like the rest of them!” Yuusei countered, eliciting laughs from the other players.
Max balled her fist and scrunched her nose.
“Why you little--”
She was about to lash out when Yunho, who was temporarily forgotten grabbed her by the collar to hold her back and presented Yuusei with his ball.
“I found your ball.”
Yuusei snatched it without thanks and Yunho went to pick up his over turned bike. The others went back to play their game again leaving Max and Yunho on the sidewalk. Yunho sat on his seat.
“You're bleeding...”
“Huh?” Max was surprised and looked down, seeing a trail of blood running from her knee. She wiped it with her hand.
“You should really clean that. It could get infected,” Yunho noted.
Max was pressing a thumb against the open wound and looked up at the other with a pout she likely didn't even know what there.
“Max!!!” one of the player's voices shouted. “You coming or what!?”
“I... I think I'm going to head in guys. Sorry,” she yelled, breaking her eyes away from Yunho's face to face her players.
“Going with your boyfriend, huh?”
“He's not my boyfriend!” Max screeched.
Yunho merely chucked and gestured to the back of his bike. “Hop on. Let's go.”
Riding on the back of Yunho's bicycle, Max had to school her expression into the perfect poker face. She could feel her cheeks warming up from both the close proximity to the other teen and the teasing from her friends. As they rode down the hill towards the factory, she clutched tightly at every bump, laughing and enjoying the feel of wind through her short brown hair.
Max was 14, skinny with long gangly limbs, an awkward gait, and looked like a boy even in her uniform. She liked to say she didn't care, that she couldn't be bothered with the things other girls did, she liked eating, she enjoyed video games and reading sports manga more than listening to Johnny's boy bands or reading romance.
But despite all of that she was still a girl, and much to her displeasure, she had an absolutely idiotic crush on her neighbor. Yunho was 2 years older, already in high school, tall, with a confident stride, and looked like a prince even in his uniform. He liked to do the things other boys did like eating, reading manga, or playing sports, but he wasn't like the other guys. He wasn't crude or rough (like she was), but exceedingly kind and drew in everyone in their Korean community. He was really a true leader, a jewel hiding in this tiny backwater town in sad Aichi prefecture.
Max was silly to want him. She never thought she would have a chance.
The bicycle came to a stop at their complex and Yunho let Max slide off first. Max removed her hand from Yunho's shoulder, leaving behind a smug of dirt on his white shirt.
Yunho dismounted as well, setting the bike on the ground. The kick stand had long since stopped working and it would no longer remain upright on its own.
“Thanks for the ride home,” Max muttered, shoulders hunched, ready to pivot and turn on one foot in a run straight for the door.
“You didn't want to come in?” Yunho asked, stopping Max mid turn with the sound of his voice.
“Don't you have people your age to hang with?” Max replied, crossing her arms.
“You're pretty cool too... for a runt,” Yunho replied.
Max pouted, Yunho always did that.
“No really, Yoochun can make us noodles.”
Max's face lit up at the promise of food and she beat him to the door.
vvvvv
The sun was in his eyes and he squinted against it, trying his best to focus on the boy in front of him. They were standing in the middle of their little Japanese town, down by the river bank, flanked on side by high concrete slopes, knee deep in over grown grass.
“What do you mean you're quitting?” he asked, when his voice allowed him to speak.
The other just scoffed, cross his eyes and turned his head to face the river, head obscuring the sun and finally Yunho was able to see his face.
“Jaejoong,” Yunho began again.
A strong breeze ruffled the grass, ties from their school uniforms, and their hair: Yunho's a natural dark brown and Jaejoong's a striking honey colored that was surely against school regulations.
“You heard me,” Jaejoong answered. “What else could it mean?”
Yunho's jaw clench as he watched Jaejoong with hardened eyes, “It'll be hard.”
“I know...I know.”
“It's already hard enough for us without the proper education.”
“I can't talk to you when you're like this,” Jaejoong finally snapped, bending down to pick up his leather school bag and turning away to hike up the steps back to where they parked their bicycles.
Yunho picked up his bag as well and followed, reaching the other as he slammed his bag into the basket of his bicycle.
“It's because we're Korean, right?” Jaejoong asked, looking at Yunho exasperated. “You're a product of this country's system. You bought right into it. You think we can't amount to shit because of the race I was born?”
“I never said that,” Yunho said.
“You were thinking it. Even if we graduate our fate is there,” he pointed in the direction of the town's car factory, though neither could see it from where they stood. “I'm going to aim for more than that.”
“What exactly are you aiming for then? Tell me?” Yunho asked.
“More,” was the vague reply.
Jaejoong swung his leg over his seat and situated himself.
“I'm leaving. There is nothing keeping me here. I fucking hate this country but God knows I hate this town more.”
And with those words Jaejoong was set to pedal off but Yunho stepped in front of the bike, stopping the tire with his foot and folding his hands on top of Jaejoong's. He brought their faces to even level.
“Not even me? I'm not enough for you to stay here?”
vvvvv
Yoochun wasn't home to Max's disappointment, but Yunho didn't seem to mind.
“I'm hungry,” Max whined as she spread herself out on the slither of visible tatami of the single room in the apartment.
Three futon were laid out on the floor, left over from over night. Likely from Yunho, his father and his cousin Yoochun.
“Don't get blood on the tatami!”
Max sat up quickly, checking her leg and seeing that the liquid had congealed against her leg.
Yunho came back in, throwing a first aid kit at Max's socked feet and kicking one of the futon so that it folded in half and gave them both room to sit. Max spread her leg in front of her and opened the kit and Yunho sat beside her, sighing and slipping on the tiny television in the corner.
They sat in silence, Max dabbing mindlessly at her wound and Yunho watching the television set. Max didn't know when but she found her eyes drifting up, though her fingers still dabbed at her leg. It was only when Yunho turned to look at her that she realized what she was doing and quickly looked back down, cursing her large ears which were no doubt turning a slight shade of pink.
“Did you need help?” Yunho asked, turning his body more in her direction.
“Not from you,” Max replied, not even looking up.
A slight groan of protest left her lips when Yunho reached over and plucked a cotton ball from the kit and applied some alcohol to it. Max scooted back as the cotton ball neared.
“Hold still.”
“No.”
“Don't tell me you didn't put any alcohol on this.”
Silence.
“It stings.”
Yunho's lips quirked into a smile as he came closer, Max's back hit the wall and she winced, pulling her leg back as the soaked cotton ball made contact. Yunho gently wiped at the wound, eyes flickering up to see Max watching his fingers, face still scrunched up cutely from the pain.
“Stop exaggerating,” Yunho said throwing the cotton into a nearby empty potato chip bag and then taking out a bandage.
“I'm not! It hurts!”
Yunho grabbed her leg and placed it in his lap.
“Stop squirming.”
“Stop being so bossy!”
Max huffed and pulled her leg away again, leaning forward to snatch the bandage from Yunho's hand. As she applied it to her leg she was hyper aware of Yunho's eyes trained on her and when she finally looked up noticed the smile still plastered on his face.
“What are you laughing at?”
“You.”
“Don't you have other people to bother? Where's Jaejoong?”
The smile faltered a moment and Yunho turned away, eyes back glued to the TV. The light banter filled atmosphere changed in an instant with just the mention of one name.
“He left.”
“Doesn't he still have school?” Max asked innocently.
“He no goes to school. He left home, he left town.”
“He ran away from home?” Max's eyes grew large and Yunho nodded solemnly. “Why would you run away from home? That's where warm meals come from!”
Yunho's smile returned, though not as bright as before. That's what he liked about Max. Her needs and wishes were so straight forward and blunt. Maybe it came with her youth. After all she was still only a junior high student. But at the same time with her innocence she carried wisdom. Home was where warm meals come from, if one had a happy home. Sure none of them were rich, all of their parents worked at the car plant as immigrants hoping to start a new and better life for their family in Japan. They were provided for. That was something Max seemed satisfied with.
vvvvvv
“You never just want to leave?”
“Huh?” Yunho sat up in the tall grass, brows furrowed.
Jaejoong didn't seem to sense his confusion, content with staring up at the wide blue sky, arms folded behind his head. They were laying spread out across the tall grass by the river. It was after club activities and as usual they retired to their special resting place. There was something relaxing about lounging there with a Gari-Gari-kun ice pop after a long day at school.
“What do you mean? Like... leave town?”
“What else could it mean?”
Yunho frowned a bit, blinking down at his beautiful friend, before reclining once again in the grass.
“I mean... there's just nothing here. Why was I born here? I am not Korean. I am not Japanese. So what am I? I am a nobody in a small town. I want to be someone.”
“But aren't you already someone?” Yunho said, turning on his side and reaching for his friend, but stopping short and letting his hand drop beside the other's wrist. “You're Kim Jaejoong. You aren't defined by this town or anyone in it.”
“Exactly!” Jaejoong sat up and looked at Yunho. “I shouldn't be defined by anyone but face it I'm nothing or nobody in this town.”
“You never were a nobody!” Yunho interuppted, sitting up as well and finally taking Jaejoong's hands in his. “You never were a nobody and as long as I live I'll never let you feel that way!”
Yunho's voice was soft, and placating as he rubbed circles against the back of Jaejoong's hands. He was used to this. Jaejoong seemed strong, but Yunho knew there was a lack of confidence underneath as well. If he could be the pillar of strength for the other that was all he needed. That and for the other to never leave his side.
“Don't go...”
Jaejoong's reply was a soft half smile that failed to reach his eyes.
vvvvvv
Yunho moved so that he and Max were sitting side by side, arms brushing.
“Not everyone thinks like that,” Yunho finally replied. “Not everyone defines home by the same standards.”
Max pulled her legs to her chest, leaning her cheek against a knee to look at him.
“And what about you?... What's home?”
“My home is wherever there are people I love. The people that I want to take care of... I belong where they are. I have my father and Yoochunnie. I have the ahjusshi and team at the dance studio, and the landlady downstairs--”
“Who gives us kimchi!” chimed in Max, eyes crinkling into a mismatched smile.
Yunho smiled and nodded.
“Exactly.”
Yunho did consider leaving to follow Jaejoong. Jaejoong was his other half and as he said home was where the people he loved were. He didn't know where Jaejoong went but he had this gut feeling that if he tried, if he followed, he'd definitely find him. They were linked inexplicably that way.
After the first week of no Jaejoong, Yunho felt like his heart was full of lead. He felt so weighed down with grief, but who could he cry out to? But Yunho couldn't be selfish enough to leave things like that. They were poor. He had no money to run away with, mostly every yen his father made being used on he and Yoochun's high school education. He couldn't squander that or the faith the two had I him.
Yunho was smart. Yunho was talented. Yunho was going to be the one to make it in this hell hole and he wasn't going to make it by running away.
“Well, I'm glad...” Max's voice cut through his thoughts. “Because... because home is where, w-warm food comes from... b-but... for me it's also you.”
Silence hung thick in the air and Max's face immediately flushed and she waved her hands in front of her.
“I mean... I mean in like... the same way as the ahjumma down stairs! Or even Yuusei and the baseball team and... and...”
Yunho reach forward, grabbing the teen by her neck and pulling her close. Max gasped, then closed her eyes as her nose was pressed flush against Yunho's neck. She smelt the heaviness of his musky scent and scrunched her nose in distaste despite the quickening of her heart. When she felt the warm, moist press of lips upon her forehead her body stiffened in shock before she felt Yunho pulling back.
vvvvv
They were riding their bikes up hill, half melted ice pops hanging from their mouths. The sun was already setting in against the mountains as they made their way to the usual spot. When they finally stopped, Yunho took the pop from his mouth, slurping at the hastily melting substance.
“If I ever leave...” Jaejoong said, ignoring the way his own pop melted against his fingers. “Promise me you won't follow.”
“I can't promise you that,” Yunho replied, letting his bike lean haphazardly against a metal railing.
“Just promise me...”
“...I promise.”
vvvvv
Yunho pulled away, watching as Max's eyes fluttered open, a flurry of emotions behind her wide eyes.
“Yah!!!” Max cried out, scooting away and rubbing at her forehead. The young girl was absolutely red in the face and Yunho couldn't help but laugh at her antics, his entire body growing warm as he watched her.
It felt like another reassurance was given to him that he was right not to go. His place was here in this town regardless. He waited until Max once again looked at him before he said his next words.
“You're home for me too.”
THE END
Home is not where you live, but where they understand you. -anonymous
AN- OMFG. I can't believe I finished this and there is like absolutely no romance in here and I am an utter failure! This is my first AU and first gender bend fic. I don't read either so that's probably why it sucked so much. I don't like AU because I feel like it makes it even harder to keep them into character so I really want to know what you thought of Changmin and the gang in this alternate universe.
The alternate universe is supposed to be a small Japanese town with a car factory and a sizable Korean immigrant population who mainly work in said factory.
This fic is written because my friend said if I wrote her genderbent HoMin she'd write me KangTeuk... yeah... I think this barely qualifies. Do I have to redo?