Be My Savior
Title: Be My Savior (2/?)
Author: his_angel16
Pairing: YunJae
Genre: Romance, angst
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Jung Yunho is a dedicated officer. So dedicated that he is told to take a couple weeks off from work. After he is forced to take time off, he meets Kim Jaejoong, his new neighbor. While befriending him, Yunho discovers something about Jaejoong he never would have expected. Will Yunho be able to keep Jaejoong’s past from stealing away his future?
Chapter Two:
Yunho got what he needed to fix Jaejoong’s sink and went to wait for him by the registers. It was nearly ten minutes before he saw the other walking toward him, carrying an armful of things. He went ahead of Yunho and set all of his things before the cashier, the woman chatting casually with him. Yunho set his down, too, and pulled out his wallet.
“This is all together,” he said, smiling. He made a mental note of the look Jaejoong gave him, it making him want to squeal like a girl with a crush. After he paid, he took the bags before Jaejoong could and headed for the door. “You said you needed to go grocery shopping, too, right?”
“Why did you pay for my things?” Jaejoong asked, walking beside Yunho to the car. He climbed into the passenger seat while Yunho put the bags in the trunk. He waited for Yunho to get in before he spoke again. “Why did you pay for everything?”
“You said you needed to get groceries. Why pay money on things like that when you need to stock your cupboards since you just moved in?” Yunho fastened his own seatbelt and turned to Jaejoong. “Put your seatbelt on so we can go, please.”
Jaejoong did so, turning to look out the window. Yunho smiled at seeing him pout, taking another mental note about how cute the other was. He shook his head at remembering Yuchun’s voice practically mocking him that he would fall for Jaejoong. I’m not falling for him. I’m simply being nice, he reminded himself. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the supermarket. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as he drove, creating a simple rhythm. They were at a stoplight when Jaejoong suddenly reached over and grabbed his hand. Yunho froze instantly, glad that they weren’t moving since he most likely would have crashed. He peered over at Jaejoong, gulping at seeing the other staring at him.
“Please stop doing that. It’s annoying,” Jaejoong said. Yunho merely nodded, still too surprised to say anything.
When the light turned green, he locked his eyes on the road and starting driving again. He didn’t so much as make a sound until they were parked in front of the building. He unfastened his seatbelt, puffing out his cheeks when Jaejoong hopped out of his car and started for the door, not bothering to wait on him. “Yah, wait for me!” he hollered, frowning when he had to jog to catch up to him.
“I’m not getting much. I only need the basic things and I can always come back at some other time to get anything else. You could have waited in the car.”
Yunho crossed his arms, following a few paces behind Jaejoong as he grabbed a cart and headed to the very left of the store. He followed after him like a lost puppy the entire way, stopping when the reached the aisle with the breads. He watched Jaejoong toss a random loaf into the cart and sighed, taking it out and placing it on the shelf. “That kind goes stale too quickly. Get this one.” Yunho placed it in the front of the cart, ignoring the look Jaejoong gave him.
“The other one is cheaper.”
“It’s also not as good. Get this one.” Yunho took the cart from Jaejoong, wheeling it down the aisle and turning. Jaejoong stomped after him, peeved that the other so easily took control over his shopping trip.
“Are you always like this?” Jaejoong asked, following after Yunho.
“Like what?” Yunho was stopped in the next aisle, scanning over the various brands of salad dressings. He looked at Jaejoong, scanning him from head to toe before he turned back to the dressings and picked one, placing it in the cart.
“Why not the low fat one?”
“You’re too skinny.” He whistled as he wheeled the cart away, leaving Jaejoong in the aisle. He heard the other scoff and follow after him as he headed toward the vegetables.
“Anyway, do you always have to be in control of everything? I was doing just fine with shopping and you took over like I’m incompetent of taking care of myself.”
“Considering you have a few scars on the back of your hands and down your arms and have a scar over your right eye, I think you are very incompetent when it comes to taking care of yourself. You’re too skinny, too. Just be quiet and let me shop for you and we can get back to your place so I can fix your sink and go home.”
Jaejoong stopped walking, staring at Yunho as he stopped to compare tomatoes to each other, placing the best ones in a bag before tying it off and placing it in the cart. “Are you some sort of stalker?”
“Yunho’s not a stalker,” someone said, making Jaejoong practically jump out of his skin. He looked over to see someone staring at the back of Yunho with his hands in his pockets. “Yunho is just really observant. He could just glance at someone and tell you what they’re wearing, the type of fabric, the brand of shoes, the color and condition of their hair, and how many scars or tattoos they have that are visible.”
“Who are you?”
“Kim Junsu.” Junsu offered him a smile before looking over toward Yunho. “Yah, Jung Yunho, you should have told me that you were coming shopping today! I’d have come with you.”
Jaejoong watched as Junsu walked over to Yunho and the two exchanged a greeting. He shook his head at the way they behaved. “Are all of his friends so weird?” He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked over, hoping to sneak away with his cart while Yunho was distracted so he could shop for himself.
“I’m not shopping for myself,” Yunho explained, leaning on the cart. “I’m here shopping for my new neighbor. We were just over at the hardware store. He said he needed to shop for some groceries since his cupboards are bare so I tagged along.”
“Tagging along is being quiet while I shop. Not doing everything for me,” Jaejoong grumbled.
Junsu laughed. “He did the same thing to me when we first met. I moved here a few years ago and got a job as a police officer. One night after work my car wouldn’t start and I asked Yunho to give me a ride. He ended up shopping for me and made me trail after him like some kid.”
“Oh, shut up, Junsu. You know that you’re incapable of shopping. Even Yuchun lets me shop for him.”
“Yuchun only lets you because the two of you have been friends since you were in the hospital when you were a kid.”
Jaejoong looked over at Yunho, seeing the saddened expression on his face at the memory. He was about to ask, but he caught himself before he could. He shook his head slightly and watched Yunho wheel the cart to another vegetable stand. He walked over to Junsu and nodded toward Yunho. “Why was he in the hospital when he was little?”
“He was sick when he was a kid. He had problems with his heart. He had an older sister who used to take care of him and his schoolmate, Yuchun, would go visit him every day. When he was about seven years old, his heart nearly gave out. It scared the shit out of his parents and they were trying to find a suitable donor to get him a heart transplant. It turns out that his sister was the only possible donor within miles. Knowing that, she hung herself after leaving a note for them to give her heart to him after she was gone.”
Jaejoong felt his eyes widen and he looked toward Yunho. He never would have guessed that he had ever been sick in his entire life. He seemed too healthy, too happy all the time. “So, what happened after that?”
Junsu shrugged. “Yunho got the heart transplant that he needed. His parents didn’t tell him until after he had fully recovered that the heart was his sister’s. I only know this because Yunho go totally drunk once and asked me to give him a ride to where she’s buried. When we were there, he almost had a complete meltdown over it.” He laughed after remembering a part of that night and he shook his head. “That night is also when I found out that Yunho’s gay.”
Jaejoong’s mouth fell open in shock. So he hadn’t been seeing things in the hardware store when he went down that aisle. Ever since he had moved, he felt eyes on him, but he could never find who was watching him. Even now he couldn’t shake that feeling, but he remembered looking over his shoulder and seeing Yunho staring at him in the other store. “He’s gay?”
Junsu nodded. “Yeah. Yuchun and his parents always made jokes that it’s because he has his sister’s heart instead of his own.”
Yunho looked over at them then, waving them over as he turned and headed to another part of the store. Junsu nearly skipped after him and Jaejoong followed slowly behind, glancing around as he felt that all too familiar feeling of being watched. He tried to shake it off as he caught up to Yunho and Junsu, trying to focus on whatever they were saying instead of that feeling in the pit of his stomach.
~*~*~*~
Shim Changmin watched from the front door, seeing his target walk away with two other men. He looked around, turning and walking away from the building. He climbed into his car and started the engine, pulling out into traffic and heading for the highway. “I’ve finally found you,” he murmured, a small smile on his face. “You thought that you could just disappear from my radar after you went to the hospital. I promise you that you won’t survive a second time, Kim Jaejoong.” He turned right onto an exit that would take him to the countryside. He smiled at knowing that he’d soon be finishing the job that he hadn’t been able to a few months ago.
~*~*~*~
“What are you doing tonight, Junsu?” Yunho asked him as he placed a carton of eggs in the cart after checking that none of them were cracked.
Junsu thought for a moment as he retrieved a gallon jug of milk and a half gallon of orange juice from the refrigerator and placed them in the cart. “I’m not doing anything that I know of. Why?”
Yunho shrugged, heading for the frozen foods. “I was thinking about calling Yuchun over and getting totally plastered since I don’t have to work for two weeks.”
Junsu stopped, almost making Jaejoong run into him. “Yah, Yunho, why do something like that?”
Yunho offered him a smile although it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I always get drunk around this time. I’m kind of thankful that I overslept this morning and was late to work. The chief was nice enough to give me two weeks off.”
“He knows that this is around the same time you always freak out.”
“I don’t freak out, Su.”
“Then what do you call getting totally drunk and going up to your sister’s resting place every year? If that isn’t freaking out then I don’t know what is.”
“If I freaked out, Junsu, I’d be in a mental institution.”
“Sometimes I wonder why you aren’t at one already. Last year when this time came around you worked so much that you passed out while on duty and wrecked the cruiser.”
Jaejoong kept silent as he watched the two bicker, frowning at how white Yunho’s knuckles were turning as he gripped the cart’s handle too tightly. He wanted to intervene, but it wasn’t his place to do so. He sighed when Yunho seemed to compose himself before walking down the aisle and opening one of the freezer doors to get some frozen dinners. He looked over when Junsu lightly smacked his arm with the back of his hand.
“Yah, do Chun and I a favor and keep a close watch on him for the next two weeks, okay? I know you don’t really know us, but Yunho almost falls to pieces around this time. He feels like he took his sister’s life with his own hands and he still beats himself up over it. You don’t know how relieved I am to know that there’s someone living next to him now.”
“Has he always lived away form the two of you?”
Junsu shook his head. “When Yuchun was going through med school, he and Yunho lived together. I’d crash on the couch a lot of nights since Yunho and I worked together. It saved a lot of money on gas. It was only a few years ago that Yunho moved out. Until a few months ago, I didn’t even know where he moved to.”
“Really? Why wouldn’t he tell you?”
Junsu shrugged. “He says it’s because he was tired of me sleeping on the couch, but I think it’s because he didn’t want Chun or I see him have a complete breakdown.”
Jaejoong frowned, his eyebrows pulling together. “If it’s been that long since his sister passed away, why would he suddenly have a breakdown?”
“His parents divorced a few months ago. Even though he didn’t directly cause it, he still feels awful about it.”
“What do you mean by him not directly causing it?”
“His dad blamed his mom for him being so sick since he inherited a bad heart from her side of the family. His dad has rarely paid any attention to him since he was seven, always yelling at him for not being good enough. Yunho always said it never bothered him, but Yuchun could tell it did.”
Jaejoong looked over at Yunho, the other staring intently at two different brands of the same item, trying to decide which one to get. Why does his life seem more like hell than mine does? he thought to himself as he and Junsu went to catch up to him.
“All we need to get now is some bottled water and then we’ll be done. It’s a good thing that it’s close to the registers.” Yunho looked up at Junsu, smiling as if nothing happened. “I messaged Yuchun and he said that he’s in for drinking tonight. Are you in?”
Junsu nodded, hoping that this time he could keep Yunho from drinking too much. “Yeah, I’m in.” He glanced at Jaejoong, an idea coming to him and he smiled. “Yah, why don’t you join us? It’ll give you something to do tonight and you’ll get to meet Yuchun.”
Jaejoong wanted to protest, but he didn’t want to be alone while he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. He nodded once and forced a small smile. “I’ll join you. I don’t have anything better to do anyway.”
Yunho grinned before he turned the cart and wheeled down the aisle. Junsu watched him go and sighed, looking over at Jaejoong. “Let’s follow him. He’s going to the alcohol now and if we don’t stop him, he’ll end up buying half of it.”
“You’re kidding, right? He wouldn’t really buy so much, would he?”
“I wish I was kidding. Last year he bought about a third of the alcohol from the store we went to. Yuchun tried to stop him from buying so much since he was already drunk by the time we got to the employees, but since he was buying the expensive kind, they didn’t do anything. All they did was help him carry it out.”
Jaejoong frowned, following Junsu to go after Yunho. By the time they caught up to him, he had already picked out seven different bottles of the best alcohol. He looked over his shoulder at them and smiled before he went back to staring at the two in his hands. He thought for a moment before selecting the one in his right hand and set the other one back. “Yah, Jaejoong, go check out all of your groceries. Junsu, you help him and call Yuchun to have him meet us back at my place.”
Junsu pulled out his phone, dialing Yuchun’s number. He turned away from Yunho, not wanting the other to hear him. “Yah, Chun, get to the supermarket. Yunho’s buying alcohol. He wants me to help his neighbor get all of his groceries checked out and paid for, but you know we can’t leave him here by himself. He’s already selected eight bottles. Yeah, I know I shouldn’t have let him get that much, but the last time I tried to get between him and his alcohol, he almost broke my arm.”
Yunho looked over at Junsu, an annoyed expression surfacing to his face. “Didn’t I tell you to go already? Why are you still here? Yah, Jaejoong, just drag him away with you. He’s like a kid. You need to practically hold his hand to get him to follow you.”
Jaejoong patted Junsu on the back, getting his attention as Yunho turned back to the salesperson in charge of the alcohol. “Let’s go. We’ll check out and come back inside after putting the groceries in the car if we have to.”
Junsu nodded, ending the call with Yuchun. “Chun is on his way. He should be here by the time we get checked out. If things go well, he can have Yunho talked down to half of what he wants to buy.” He and Jaejoong wheeled the cart to the front, heading for the registers.
Ten minutes later, Junsu handed the cashier his credit card, causing Jaejoong to frown at not getting to pay for his things again. Junsu signed the receipt and pushed the cart to the doors, heading for his car instead of Yunho’s.
“Why aren’t we using his car?” Jaejoong asked, nodding to Yunho’s car parked a few spaces away.
Junsu opened the trunk of his car and started piling the bags in. “Because he still has his keys and we can’t access his trunk. You know how to drive, right?” At Jaejoong’s nod, Junsu tossed him his keys. “You’ll have to drive my car back to the complex. Yuchun will be driving Yunho’s car with Yunho in the passenger seat and I’ll be driving Yuchun’s car.”
“Why can’t they drive their own cars?”
“When Yunho bought his car, he didn’t think any of us knew how to drive a stick shift. None of us did at the time, but Yuchun learned. Yuchun’s car and my car are automatics so they’re pretty simple to drive. Yuchun is going to drive Yunho’s car to keep him from stopping at any other places that sell alcohol on the way back.”
As if on cue, Yuchun pulled up and parked next to Junsu’s car. He climbed out and handed Junsu his keys. “I hope that he hasn’t already agreed to buy half of their stock,” Yuchun murmured as he jogged toward the building. Five minutes later, he returned with Yunho walking beside him looking like a child who had to leave a toy store without getting a new toy. “Get in the passenger seat.”
“I want to drive,” Yunho replied, kicking his tire.
Yuchun sighed, opening the back door to Yunho’s car and placing the bag inside. He closed the door and opened the passenger door. “Yunho, I’m only going to repeat myself once. Get in the passenger seat.”
Jaejoong watched as Yunho climbed inside, crossing his arms as he pouted. He bit back a laugh at seeing the other act that way. Yuchun held his hand out, Yunho rolling his eyes as he gave the other his keys. Before closing the door, Yuchun had fastened Yunho’s seatbelt. He turned toward Junsu and Jaejoong. “All set here. Let’s go before Yunho starts throwing a fit.”
Jaejoong glanced at Yunho before he lowered his voice and spoke to Junsu and Yuchun. “You mean that wasn’t him throwing a fit?” When the other two shook their heads, Jaejoong turned and climbed in behind the wheel of Junsu’s car. Junsu knocked on the window and he rolled it down.
“Follow me back to the complex. You probably don’t know your way around yet so just follow behind me. I won’t drive fast like Yuchun. And he’s only going to be driving fast and taking different roads to keep Yunho from spotting any more stores that sell alcohol.”
Junsu walked over and climbed into Yuchun’s car, starting the engine and fastening his seatbelt. He waited for Yuchun to climb into Yunho’s car and pull out before he pulled out behind him. He looked in the rearview mirror, making sure Jaejoong was following him. It took about ten minutes to get to the complex, Yuchun leaning against Yunho’s car as the other was getting bags out of the trunk.
“It’s about time,” Yuchun joked, pushing away from the car and stretching. He laughed as Junsu flipped him off as he parked. “Help get the kid’s groceries inside and put away.”
“I’m not a kid,” Jaejoong replied, stepping out of Junsu’s car after he parked it. He opened the trunk before he handed Junsu his keys and turned to start collecting his bags.
Junsu hurried over and got the remainder of them so it would only take one trip and he took a step back, Yuchun leaning over and slamming the trunk shut. “Thanks, Chun.” He turned to Jaejoong and nodded toward the building. “Lead the way.”
Jaejoong walked around the car and went inside the building, going up to his floor and to his apartment. He was about to set his bags down to get the key form his pocket when Yunho reached into his pocket instead and retrieved the key. Jaejoong glared at him.
“Do you mind? That was a total invasion of my personal space,” he snapped, his anger flaring even more when Yunho simply smiled at him and went inside. He scoffed and turned to Yuchun and Junsu. “Yah, keep him on a leash or something.” He went inside his apartment, leading Junsu to the kitchen where Yunho was already tearing apart the pipes under the sink.
“This won’t take too long to fix,” Yunho informed, turning his head away when a foul stench hit him. “Okay, it might take a little longer than expected.” He buried his nose in his arm. “Yah, Yuchun, go to my apartment next door and get some air freshener before we all die from this toxic.”
Yuchun nodded, leaving and returning a few minutes later, holding the nozzle down and releasing air freshener all over Jaejoong’s apartment. “Is that better?” he asked, placing the canister down when Yunho nodded. “Want help doing that?”
Yunho shook his head, placing a trash bag on the inside of the cupboard and laying on his back on it. He turned the flashlight on and held it between his teeth, eyes focusing on the pipes as he loosened them. Jaejoong watched him work as he opened the toolbox and retrieved his drill. He looked at Junsu, hoping the other would help, too.
“You know how to hang blinds and curtains straight?” Barely waiting for Junsu to reply, he handed the other his drill. “Will you hang up the brackets for the blinds and curtains? I have some painting left to do.”
“I don’t mind.” Junsu took the drill and started going around to all the windows, carefully drilling in the screws to hold up the brackets. He’d occasionally step back to admire his work and other times it was to assure himself that it was straight.
Yuchun trailed around the apartment, not knowing what to do before he heard Yunho’s stomach rumble, signaling its emptiness. “Yah, Yunho, you haven’t eaten all day?” he asked, his tone disapproving.
Yunho took the flashlight from his mouth and turned it off, sliding out from below the sink. He turned the water on and grinned when it drained properly. “I didn’t have time to eat anything today. I was late for work and then I went to run errands with Jaejoong.”
“Well, I’ll go over to your apartment then and get lunch started. You guys finish up the work here and come over. Make sure Jaejoong comes, too. It’ll be nice for him to have a home-cooked meal for his first night here.”
An hour later, Junsu practically had to drag Jaejoong away from his apartment and into Yunho’s for lunch. He’d never outright admit it, but as soon as Jaejoong smelled the food Yuchun had prepared, his mouth watered instantly, already craving the cuisine he had never eaten before. Jaejoong looked at Yuchun, somewhat incredulously.
“You…you cooked all of this in that little time?” Jaejoong asked, staring at the table lined with various dishes.
Yuchun smiled, motioning for them all to take a seat. “It’s nothing, really. I took a few courses on it while I was in medical school,” he replied.
“What kind of doctor takes culinary while they’re studying to become a doctor?”
“Yuchun did,” Yunho deadpanned, picking up a fork. “He thought that he could keep Junsu and I from starving ourselves. He does this every other week.”
Jaejoong stared at them. “He does this every other week?”
Yuchun smiled, nodding as he picked up his glass of water to take a drink. “I don’t want Junsu and Yunho to starve. Neither of them can cook very well, so I come over and help them out.”
Jaejoong took a bite of the food, his mouth watering for more instantly. He stared at the food, a smile spreading across his face as he shoveled another bite into his mouth. “Remind me to come over when you’re over here cooking, Yuchun. This is the most appetizing thing I’ve eaten in a really long time.”
After they finished eating, the four moved to the living room, Yuchun still drinking water in case he needed to drive Yunho to the cemetery to visit his sister. Yunho had already downed more than half of the alcohol he had purchased, drinking from the bottle instead of using a glass. Jaejoong had a few drinks and was about to pass out at any moment, not used to drinking. He watched as Junsu downed another glass, holding his hand out for the bottle.
“Yah, Kim Jaejoong, give me the bottle. I want some more,” he said, giggling as he hiccupped.
Yuchun took his glass away from him, Junsu pouting. “You’ve had enough, Junsu,” Yuchun reasoned. He took the bottle from Yunho, the other growling at him like a dog trying to protect its bone. “You need to stop drinking, too. We should all just crash here tonight. I don’t feel like driving home and Junsu is too drunk to drive. Jaejoong, you can stay here, too, since your apartment isn’t quite furnished.”
Jaejoong nodded, falling over on the couch, his eyes glazed and blurry from the alcohol running rampant through his body. He watched as Junsu crawled over to Yunho, grabbing the other’s thigh and leaning over to give him a kiss. He scrunched his face up, but didn’t say anything about it. Yunho leaned into the kiss before pulling back slightly and standing, staggering his way over to the couch.
“Yunnie,” Junsu whined, motioning for him to come back over. “Come back. I wasn’t done kissing you.”
“Yes, you are.” Yuchun hoisted Junsu to his feet. “Okay. You two stay here. I’ll be back as soon as I take Junsu home.” Yuchun managed to get him out of Yunho’s apartment and to his car.
“I need to get home,” Jaejoong said, standing up. He was halfway to the door when Yunho snagged his wrist, pulling him backward until his head rested against Jaejoong’s lower back.
“Don’t leave me alone,” Yunho whispered, his voice unwavering despite the level of alcohol in his system. “I’m fine as long as someone is with me. It’s when I’m alone that I do stupid things. If you leave now, there’s no telling where I’d go.”
Jaejoong turned around slowly, gazing down into Yunho’s eyes. For them being drunk, the two of them certainly conveyed themselves well. He knelt down in front of Yunho, brushing the stray tears away that had managed to escape. “What stupid things do you do when you’re drunk and alone?”
Yunho caught Jaejoong’s wrist again, placing his palm to his cheek and leaning into it, closing his eyes. “One year I got drunk and went for a drive to my sister’s grave, but I ended up crashing and having to be hospitalized for two weeks. I don’t remember much from that night, but Yuchun said it was awful. A few years ago, I was home alone because Chun was taking Junsu home. I was drunk and almost drowned in the toilet.”
Jaejoong looked at him, the alcohol starting to wear off since he didn’t drink as much as Yunho had. “What was your head doing in the toilet?”
Yunho sighed, remembering the night although it was slightly foggy. “I remember being nauseous from drinking too much. I went to the bathroom in case I got sick, but the feeling passed. I was bent over the bowl and passed out. If Yuchun hadn’t come back as quickly as he had, I’d be dead.”
Without thinking about it, Jaejoong leaned forward, capturing Yunho’s lips in a kiss. To say the other was surprised would be an understatement. It was enough of a shock to awaken a person who had been in a coma for months. Yunho’s arms went around Jaejoong’s neck, his legs wrapping around his waist as he stood up. Jaejoong pulled back slightly, Yunho looking hurt that he broke the kiss.
“I’m not going to leave you by yourself. I know how terrifying it is to be alone and I don’t want anyone to have to experience it.” In a tangled mess with their lips locked together again, they managed to make it into Yunho’s room, falling onto the bed. When Yunho began pulling Jaejoong’s shirt off, the other stiffened, grabbing his wrists and stopping him.
“What’s wrong?” Yunho asked, staring intently into Jaejoong’s eyes. Jaejoong shook his head pulling Yunho’s hands away from his shirt. “Jaejoong, you can tell me what’s wrong.”
Jaejoong bit his lip, sighing as he pulled his shirt over his head and balled it up. He kept his eyes glued to the mattress, feeling self-conscious as he felt Yunho’s eyes roaming his body. He closed his eyes at the gasp the escaped Yunho’s lips, feeling delicate fingers move across the scars with a feathery light touch.
Jaejoong placed his hand over Yunho’s, making the movement cease. “Please don’t make a big deal out of them. I’ve had them for a while now and I still can’t look at myself fully in the mirror because of them.” His gaze was still on the mattress when Yunho’s free hand came up to tilt his head up so that their gazes met.
Yunho wanted to ask so many questions, but was only able to voice one. “What happened to you?” He didn’t understand why, but the look of fear he noticed pass through Jaejoong’s eyes made his heart clench painfully. Something bad had happened to him in his past and Yunho was determined to figure out what it was.
Author: his_angel16
Pairing: YunJae
Genre: Romance, angst
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Jung Yunho is a dedicated officer. So dedicated that he is told to take a couple weeks off from work. After he is forced to take time off, he meets Kim Jaejoong, his new neighbor. While befriending him, Yunho discovers something about Jaejoong he never would have expected. Will Yunho be able to keep Jaejoong’s past from stealing away his future?
Chapter Two:
Yunho got what he needed to fix Jaejoong’s sink and went to wait for him by the registers. It was nearly ten minutes before he saw the other walking toward him, carrying an armful of things. He went ahead of Yunho and set all of his things before the cashier, the woman chatting casually with him. Yunho set his down, too, and pulled out his wallet.
“This is all together,” he said, smiling. He made a mental note of the look Jaejoong gave him, it making him want to squeal like a girl with a crush. After he paid, he took the bags before Jaejoong could and headed for the door. “You said you needed to go grocery shopping, too, right?”
“Why did you pay for my things?” Jaejoong asked, walking beside Yunho to the car. He climbed into the passenger seat while Yunho put the bags in the trunk. He waited for Yunho to get in before he spoke again. “Why did you pay for everything?”
“You said you needed to get groceries. Why pay money on things like that when you need to stock your cupboards since you just moved in?” Yunho fastened his own seatbelt and turned to Jaejoong. “Put your seatbelt on so we can go, please.”
Jaejoong did so, turning to look out the window. Yunho smiled at seeing him pout, taking another mental note about how cute the other was. He shook his head at remembering Yuchun’s voice practically mocking him that he would fall for Jaejoong. I’m not falling for him. I’m simply being nice, he reminded himself. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the supermarket. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel as he drove, creating a simple rhythm. They were at a stoplight when Jaejoong suddenly reached over and grabbed his hand. Yunho froze instantly, glad that they weren’t moving since he most likely would have crashed. He peered over at Jaejoong, gulping at seeing the other staring at him.
“Please stop doing that. It’s annoying,” Jaejoong said. Yunho merely nodded, still too surprised to say anything.
When the light turned green, he locked his eyes on the road and starting driving again. He didn’t so much as make a sound until they were parked in front of the building. He unfastened his seatbelt, puffing out his cheeks when Jaejoong hopped out of his car and started for the door, not bothering to wait on him. “Yah, wait for me!” he hollered, frowning when he had to jog to catch up to him.
“I’m not getting much. I only need the basic things and I can always come back at some other time to get anything else. You could have waited in the car.”
Yunho crossed his arms, following a few paces behind Jaejoong as he grabbed a cart and headed to the very left of the store. He followed after him like a lost puppy the entire way, stopping when the reached the aisle with the breads. He watched Jaejoong toss a random loaf into the cart and sighed, taking it out and placing it on the shelf. “That kind goes stale too quickly. Get this one.” Yunho placed it in the front of the cart, ignoring the look Jaejoong gave him.
“The other one is cheaper.”
“It’s also not as good. Get this one.” Yunho took the cart from Jaejoong, wheeling it down the aisle and turning. Jaejoong stomped after him, peeved that the other so easily took control over his shopping trip.
“Are you always like this?” Jaejoong asked, following after Yunho.
“Like what?” Yunho was stopped in the next aisle, scanning over the various brands of salad dressings. He looked at Jaejoong, scanning him from head to toe before he turned back to the dressings and picked one, placing it in the cart.
“Why not the low fat one?”
“You’re too skinny.” He whistled as he wheeled the cart away, leaving Jaejoong in the aisle. He heard the other scoff and follow after him as he headed toward the vegetables.
“Anyway, do you always have to be in control of everything? I was doing just fine with shopping and you took over like I’m incompetent of taking care of myself.”
“Considering you have a few scars on the back of your hands and down your arms and have a scar over your right eye, I think you are very incompetent when it comes to taking care of yourself. You’re too skinny, too. Just be quiet and let me shop for you and we can get back to your place so I can fix your sink and go home.”
Jaejoong stopped walking, staring at Yunho as he stopped to compare tomatoes to each other, placing the best ones in a bag before tying it off and placing it in the cart. “Are you some sort of stalker?”
“Yunho’s not a stalker,” someone said, making Jaejoong practically jump out of his skin. He looked over to see someone staring at the back of Yunho with his hands in his pockets. “Yunho is just really observant. He could just glance at someone and tell you what they’re wearing, the type of fabric, the brand of shoes, the color and condition of their hair, and how many scars or tattoos they have that are visible.”
“Who are you?”
“Kim Junsu.” Junsu offered him a smile before looking over toward Yunho. “Yah, Jung Yunho, you should have told me that you were coming shopping today! I’d have come with you.”
Jaejoong watched as Junsu walked over to Yunho and the two exchanged a greeting. He shook his head at the way they behaved. “Are all of his friends so weird?” He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked over, hoping to sneak away with his cart while Yunho was distracted so he could shop for himself.
“I’m not shopping for myself,” Yunho explained, leaning on the cart. “I’m here shopping for my new neighbor. We were just over at the hardware store. He said he needed to shop for some groceries since his cupboards are bare so I tagged along.”
“Tagging along is being quiet while I shop. Not doing everything for me,” Jaejoong grumbled.
Junsu laughed. “He did the same thing to me when we first met. I moved here a few years ago and got a job as a police officer. One night after work my car wouldn’t start and I asked Yunho to give me a ride. He ended up shopping for me and made me trail after him like some kid.”
“Oh, shut up, Junsu. You know that you’re incapable of shopping. Even Yuchun lets me shop for him.”
“Yuchun only lets you because the two of you have been friends since you were in the hospital when you were a kid.”
Jaejoong looked over at Yunho, seeing the saddened expression on his face at the memory. He was about to ask, but he caught himself before he could. He shook his head slightly and watched Yunho wheel the cart to another vegetable stand. He walked over to Junsu and nodded toward Yunho. “Why was he in the hospital when he was little?”
“He was sick when he was a kid. He had problems with his heart. He had an older sister who used to take care of him and his schoolmate, Yuchun, would go visit him every day. When he was about seven years old, his heart nearly gave out. It scared the shit out of his parents and they were trying to find a suitable donor to get him a heart transplant. It turns out that his sister was the only possible donor within miles. Knowing that, she hung herself after leaving a note for them to give her heart to him after she was gone.”
Jaejoong felt his eyes widen and he looked toward Yunho. He never would have guessed that he had ever been sick in his entire life. He seemed too healthy, too happy all the time. “So, what happened after that?”
Junsu shrugged. “Yunho got the heart transplant that he needed. His parents didn’t tell him until after he had fully recovered that the heart was his sister’s. I only know this because Yunho go totally drunk once and asked me to give him a ride to where she’s buried. When we were there, he almost had a complete meltdown over it.” He laughed after remembering a part of that night and he shook his head. “That night is also when I found out that Yunho’s gay.”
Jaejoong’s mouth fell open in shock. So he hadn’t been seeing things in the hardware store when he went down that aisle. Ever since he had moved, he felt eyes on him, but he could never find who was watching him. Even now he couldn’t shake that feeling, but he remembered looking over his shoulder and seeing Yunho staring at him in the other store. “He’s gay?”
Junsu nodded. “Yeah. Yuchun and his parents always made jokes that it’s because he has his sister’s heart instead of his own.”
Yunho looked over at them then, waving them over as he turned and headed to another part of the store. Junsu nearly skipped after him and Jaejoong followed slowly behind, glancing around as he felt that all too familiar feeling of being watched. He tried to shake it off as he caught up to Yunho and Junsu, trying to focus on whatever they were saying instead of that feeling in the pit of his stomach.
~*~*~*~
Shim Changmin watched from the front door, seeing his target walk away with two other men. He looked around, turning and walking away from the building. He climbed into his car and started the engine, pulling out into traffic and heading for the highway. “I’ve finally found you,” he murmured, a small smile on his face. “You thought that you could just disappear from my radar after you went to the hospital. I promise you that you won’t survive a second time, Kim Jaejoong.” He turned right onto an exit that would take him to the countryside. He smiled at knowing that he’d soon be finishing the job that he hadn’t been able to a few months ago.
~*~*~*~
“What are you doing tonight, Junsu?” Yunho asked him as he placed a carton of eggs in the cart after checking that none of them were cracked.
Junsu thought for a moment as he retrieved a gallon jug of milk and a half gallon of orange juice from the refrigerator and placed them in the cart. “I’m not doing anything that I know of. Why?”
Yunho shrugged, heading for the frozen foods. “I was thinking about calling Yuchun over and getting totally plastered since I don’t have to work for two weeks.”
Junsu stopped, almost making Jaejoong run into him. “Yah, Yunho, why do something like that?”
Yunho offered him a smile although it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I always get drunk around this time. I’m kind of thankful that I overslept this morning and was late to work. The chief was nice enough to give me two weeks off.”
“He knows that this is around the same time you always freak out.”
“I don’t freak out, Su.”
“Then what do you call getting totally drunk and going up to your sister’s resting place every year? If that isn’t freaking out then I don’t know what is.”
“If I freaked out, Junsu, I’d be in a mental institution.”
“Sometimes I wonder why you aren’t at one already. Last year when this time came around you worked so much that you passed out while on duty and wrecked the cruiser.”
Jaejoong kept silent as he watched the two bicker, frowning at how white Yunho’s knuckles were turning as he gripped the cart’s handle too tightly. He wanted to intervene, but it wasn’t his place to do so. He sighed when Yunho seemed to compose himself before walking down the aisle and opening one of the freezer doors to get some frozen dinners. He looked over when Junsu lightly smacked his arm with the back of his hand.
“Yah, do Chun and I a favor and keep a close watch on him for the next two weeks, okay? I know you don’t really know us, but Yunho almost falls to pieces around this time. He feels like he took his sister’s life with his own hands and he still beats himself up over it. You don’t know how relieved I am to know that there’s someone living next to him now.”
“Has he always lived away form the two of you?”
Junsu shook his head. “When Yuchun was going through med school, he and Yunho lived together. I’d crash on the couch a lot of nights since Yunho and I worked together. It saved a lot of money on gas. It was only a few years ago that Yunho moved out. Until a few months ago, I didn’t even know where he moved to.”
“Really? Why wouldn’t he tell you?”
Junsu shrugged. “He says it’s because he was tired of me sleeping on the couch, but I think it’s because he didn’t want Chun or I see him have a complete breakdown.”
Jaejoong frowned, his eyebrows pulling together. “If it’s been that long since his sister passed away, why would he suddenly have a breakdown?”
“His parents divorced a few months ago. Even though he didn’t directly cause it, he still feels awful about it.”
“What do you mean by him not directly causing it?”
“His dad blamed his mom for him being so sick since he inherited a bad heart from her side of the family. His dad has rarely paid any attention to him since he was seven, always yelling at him for not being good enough. Yunho always said it never bothered him, but Yuchun could tell it did.”
Jaejoong looked over at Yunho, the other staring intently at two different brands of the same item, trying to decide which one to get. Why does his life seem more like hell than mine does? he thought to himself as he and Junsu went to catch up to him.
“All we need to get now is some bottled water and then we’ll be done. It’s a good thing that it’s close to the registers.” Yunho looked up at Junsu, smiling as if nothing happened. “I messaged Yuchun and he said that he’s in for drinking tonight. Are you in?”
Junsu nodded, hoping that this time he could keep Yunho from drinking too much. “Yeah, I’m in.” He glanced at Jaejoong, an idea coming to him and he smiled. “Yah, why don’t you join us? It’ll give you something to do tonight and you’ll get to meet Yuchun.”
Jaejoong wanted to protest, but he didn’t want to be alone while he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. He nodded once and forced a small smile. “I’ll join you. I don’t have anything better to do anyway.”
Yunho grinned before he turned the cart and wheeled down the aisle. Junsu watched him go and sighed, looking over at Jaejoong. “Let’s follow him. He’s going to the alcohol now and if we don’t stop him, he’ll end up buying half of it.”
“You’re kidding, right? He wouldn’t really buy so much, would he?”
“I wish I was kidding. Last year he bought about a third of the alcohol from the store we went to. Yuchun tried to stop him from buying so much since he was already drunk by the time we got to the employees, but since he was buying the expensive kind, they didn’t do anything. All they did was help him carry it out.”
Jaejoong frowned, following Junsu to go after Yunho. By the time they caught up to him, he had already picked out seven different bottles of the best alcohol. He looked over his shoulder at them and smiled before he went back to staring at the two in his hands. He thought for a moment before selecting the one in his right hand and set the other one back. “Yah, Jaejoong, go check out all of your groceries. Junsu, you help him and call Yuchun to have him meet us back at my place.”
Junsu pulled out his phone, dialing Yuchun’s number. He turned away from Yunho, not wanting the other to hear him. “Yah, Chun, get to the supermarket. Yunho’s buying alcohol. He wants me to help his neighbor get all of his groceries checked out and paid for, but you know we can’t leave him here by himself. He’s already selected eight bottles. Yeah, I know I shouldn’t have let him get that much, but the last time I tried to get between him and his alcohol, he almost broke my arm.”
Yunho looked over at Junsu, an annoyed expression surfacing to his face. “Didn’t I tell you to go already? Why are you still here? Yah, Jaejoong, just drag him away with you. He’s like a kid. You need to practically hold his hand to get him to follow you.”
Jaejoong patted Junsu on the back, getting his attention as Yunho turned back to the salesperson in charge of the alcohol. “Let’s go. We’ll check out and come back inside after putting the groceries in the car if we have to.”
Junsu nodded, ending the call with Yuchun. “Chun is on his way. He should be here by the time we get checked out. If things go well, he can have Yunho talked down to half of what he wants to buy.” He and Jaejoong wheeled the cart to the front, heading for the registers.
Ten minutes later, Junsu handed the cashier his credit card, causing Jaejoong to frown at not getting to pay for his things again. Junsu signed the receipt and pushed the cart to the doors, heading for his car instead of Yunho’s.
“Why aren’t we using his car?” Jaejoong asked, nodding to Yunho’s car parked a few spaces away.
Junsu opened the trunk of his car and started piling the bags in. “Because he still has his keys and we can’t access his trunk. You know how to drive, right?” At Jaejoong’s nod, Junsu tossed him his keys. “You’ll have to drive my car back to the complex. Yuchun will be driving Yunho’s car with Yunho in the passenger seat and I’ll be driving Yuchun’s car.”
“Why can’t they drive their own cars?”
“When Yunho bought his car, he didn’t think any of us knew how to drive a stick shift. None of us did at the time, but Yuchun learned. Yuchun’s car and my car are automatics so they’re pretty simple to drive. Yuchun is going to drive Yunho’s car to keep him from stopping at any other places that sell alcohol on the way back.”
As if on cue, Yuchun pulled up and parked next to Junsu’s car. He climbed out and handed Junsu his keys. “I hope that he hasn’t already agreed to buy half of their stock,” Yuchun murmured as he jogged toward the building. Five minutes later, he returned with Yunho walking beside him looking like a child who had to leave a toy store without getting a new toy. “Get in the passenger seat.”
“I want to drive,” Yunho replied, kicking his tire.
Yuchun sighed, opening the back door to Yunho’s car and placing the bag inside. He closed the door and opened the passenger door. “Yunho, I’m only going to repeat myself once. Get in the passenger seat.”
Jaejoong watched as Yunho climbed inside, crossing his arms as he pouted. He bit back a laugh at seeing the other act that way. Yuchun held his hand out, Yunho rolling his eyes as he gave the other his keys. Before closing the door, Yuchun had fastened Yunho’s seatbelt. He turned toward Junsu and Jaejoong. “All set here. Let’s go before Yunho starts throwing a fit.”
Jaejoong glanced at Yunho before he lowered his voice and spoke to Junsu and Yuchun. “You mean that wasn’t him throwing a fit?” When the other two shook their heads, Jaejoong turned and climbed in behind the wheel of Junsu’s car. Junsu knocked on the window and he rolled it down.
“Follow me back to the complex. You probably don’t know your way around yet so just follow behind me. I won’t drive fast like Yuchun. And he’s only going to be driving fast and taking different roads to keep Yunho from spotting any more stores that sell alcohol.”
Junsu walked over and climbed into Yuchun’s car, starting the engine and fastening his seatbelt. He waited for Yuchun to climb into Yunho’s car and pull out before he pulled out behind him. He looked in the rearview mirror, making sure Jaejoong was following him. It took about ten minutes to get to the complex, Yuchun leaning against Yunho’s car as the other was getting bags out of the trunk.
“It’s about time,” Yuchun joked, pushing away from the car and stretching. He laughed as Junsu flipped him off as he parked. “Help get the kid’s groceries inside and put away.”
“I’m not a kid,” Jaejoong replied, stepping out of Junsu’s car after he parked it. He opened the trunk before he handed Junsu his keys and turned to start collecting his bags.
Junsu hurried over and got the remainder of them so it would only take one trip and he took a step back, Yuchun leaning over and slamming the trunk shut. “Thanks, Chun.” He turned to Jaejoong and nodded toward the building. “Lead the way.”
Jaejoong walked around the car and went inside the building, going up to his floor and to his apartment. He was about to set his bags down to get the key form his pocket when Yunho reached into his pocket instead and retrieved the key. Jaejoong glared at him.
“Do you mind? That was a total invasion of my personal space,” he snapped, his anger flaring even more when Yunho simply smiled at him and went inside. He scoffed and turned to Yuchun and Junsu. “Yah, keep him on a leash or something.” He went inside his apartment, leading Junsu to the kitchen where Yunho was already tearing apart the pipes under the sink.
“This won’t take too long to fix,” Yunho informed, turning his head away when a foul stench hit him. “Okay, it might take a little longer than expected.” He buried his nose in his arm. “Yah, Yuchun, go to my apartment next door and get some air freshener before we all die from this toxic.”
Yuchun nodded, leaving and returning a few minutes later, holding the nozzle down and releasing air freshener all over Jaejoong’s apartment. “Is that better?” he asked, placing the canister down when Yunho nodded. “Want help doing that?”
Yunho shook his head, placing a trash bag on the inside of the cupboard and laying on his back on it. He turned the flashlight on and held it between his teeth, eyes focusing on the pipes as he loosened them. Jaejoong watched him work as he opened the toolbox and retrieved his drill. He looked at Junsu, hoping the other would help, too.
“You know how to hang blinds and curtains straight?” Barely waiting for Junsu to reply, he handed the other his drill. “Will you hang up the brackets for the blinds and curtains? I have some painting left to do.”
“I don’t mind.” Junsu took the drill and started going around to all the windows, carefully drilling in the screws to hold up the brackets. He’d occasionally step back to admire his work and other times it was to assure himself that it was straight.
Yuchun trailed around the apartment, not knowing what to do before he heard Yunho’s stomach rumble, signaling its emptiness. “Yah, Yunho, you haven’t eaten all day?” he asked, his tone disapproving.
Yunho took the flashlight from his mouth and turned it off, sliding out from below the sink. He turned the water on and grinned when it drained properly. “I didn’t have time to eat anything today. I was late for work and then I went to run errands with Jaejoong.”
“Well, I’ll go over to your apartment then and get lunch started. You guys finish up the work here and come over. Make sure Jaejoong comes, too. It’ll be nice for him to have a home-cooked meal for his first night here.”
An hour later, Junsu practically had to drag Jaejoong away from his apartment and into Yunho’s for lunch. He’d never outright admit it, but as soon as Jaejoong smelled the food Yuchun had prepared, his mouth watered instantly, already craving the cuisine he had never eaten before. Jaejoong looked at Yuchun, somewhat incredulously.
“You…you cooked all of this in that little time?” Jaejoong asked, staring at the table lined with various dishes.
Yuchun smiled, motioning for them all to take a seat. “It’s nothing, really. I took a few courses on it while I was in medical school,” he replied.
“What kind of doctor takes culinary while they’re studying to become a doctor?”
“Yuchun did,” Yunho deadpanned, picking up a fork. “He thought that he could keep Junsu and I from starving ourselves. He does this every other week.”
Jaejoong stared at them. “He does this every other week?”
Yuchun smiled, nodding as he picked up his glass of water to take a drink. “I don’t want Junsu and Yunho to starve. Neither of them can cook very well, so I come over and help them out.”
Jaejoong took a bite of the food, his mouth watering for more instantly. He stared at the food, a smile spreading across his face as he shoveled another bite into his mouth. “Remind me to come over when you’re over here cooking, Yuchun. This is the most appetizing thing I’ve eaten in a really long time.”
After they finished eating, the four moved to the living room, Yuchun still drinking water in case he needed to drive Yunho to the cemetery to visit his sister. Yunho had already downed more than half of the alcohol he had purchased, drinking from the bottle instead of using a glass. Jaejoong had a few drinks and was about to pass out at any moment, not used to drinking. He watched as Junsu downed another glass, holding his hand out for the bottle.
“Yah, Kim Jaejoong, give me the bottle. I want some more,” he said, giggling as he hiccupped.
Yuchun took his glass away from him, Junsu pouting. “You’ve had enough, Junsu,” Yuchun reasoned. He took the bottle from Yunho, the other growling at him like a dog trying to protect its bone. “You need to stop drinking, too. We should all just crash here tonight. I don’t feel like driving home and Junsu is too drunk to drive. Jaejoong, you can stay here, too, since your apartment isn’t quite furnished.”
Jaejoong nodded, falling over on the couch, his eyes glazed and blurry from the alcohol running rampant through his body. He watched as Junsu crawled over to Yunho, grabbing the other’s thigh and leaning over to give him a kiss. He scrunched his face up, but didn’t say anything about it. Yunho leaned into the kiss before pulling back slightly and standing, staggering his way over to the couch.
“Yunnie,” Junsu whined, motioning for him to come back over. “Come back. I wasn’t done kissing you.”
“Yes, you are.” Yuchun hoisted Junsu to his feet. “Okay. You two stay here. I’ll be back as soon as I take Junsu home.” Yuchun managed to get him out of Yunho’s apartment and to his car.
“I need to get home,” Jaejoong said, standing up. He was halfway to the door when Yunho snagged his wrist, pulling him backward until his head rested against Jaejoong’s lower back.
“Don’t leave me alone,” Yunho whispered, his voice unwavering despite the level of alcohol in his system. “I’m fine as long as someone is with me. It’s when I’m alone that I do stupid things. If you leave now, there’s no telling where I’d go.”
Jaejoong turned around slowly, gazing down into Yunho’s eyes. For them being drunk, the two of them certainly conveyed themselves well. He knelt down in front of Yunho, brushing the stray tears away that had managed to escape. “What stupid things do you do when you’re drunk and alone?”
Yunho caught Jaejoong’s wrist again, placing his palm to his cheek and leaning into it, closing his eyes. “One year I got drunk and went for a drive to my sister’s grave, but I ended up crashing and having to be hospitalized for two weeks. I don’t remember much from that night, but Yuchun said it was awful. A few years ago, I was home alone because Chun was taking Junsu home. I was drunk and almost drowned in the toilet.”
Jaejoong looked at him, the alcohol starting to wear off since he didn’t drink as much as Yunho had. “What was your head doing in the toilet?”
Yunho sighed, remembering the night although it was slightly foggy. “I remember being nauseous from drinking too much. I went to the bathroom in case I got sick, but the feeling passed. I was bent over the bowl and passed out. If Yuchun hadn’t come back as quickly as he had, I’d be dead.”
Without thinking about it, Jaejoong leaned forward, capturing Yunho’s lips in a kiss. To say the other was surprised would be an understatement. It was enough of a shock to awaken a person who had been in a coma for months. Yunho’s arms went around Jaejoong’s neck, his legs wrapping around his waist as he stood up. Jaejoong pulled back slightly, Yunho looking hurt that he broke the kiss.
“I’m not going to leave you by yourself. I know how terrifying it is to be alone and I don’t want anyone to have to experience it.” In a tangled mess with their lips locked together again, they managed to make it into Yunho’s room, falling onto the bed. When Yunho began pulling Jaejoong’s shirt off, the other stiffened, grabbing his wrists and stopping him.
“What’s wrong?” Yunho asked, staring intently into Jaejoong’s eyes. Jaejoong shook his head pulling Yunho’s hands away from his shirt. “Jaejoong, you can tell me what’s wrong.”
Jaejoong bit his lip, sighing as he pulled his shirt over his head and balled it up. He kept his eyes glued to the mattress, feeling self-conscious as he felt Yunho’s eyes roaming his body. He closed his eyes at the gasp the escaped Yunho’s lips, feeling delicate fingers move across the scars with a feathery light touch.
Jaejoong placed his hand over Yunho’s, making the movement cease. “Please don’t make a big deal out of them. I’ve had them for a while now and I still can’t look at myself fully in the mirror because of them.” His gaze was still on the mattress when Yunho’s free hand came up to tilt his head up so that their gazes met.
Yunho wanted to ask so many questions, but was only able to voice one. “What happened to you?” He didn’t understand why, but the look of fear he noticed pass through Jaejoong’s eyes made his heart clench painfully. Something bad had happened to him in his past and Yunho was determined to figure out what it was.