The Truth About Leader Jaebum Part 3 (sort of, you'll see)
Title: The Truth About Leader Jaebum pt. 3 OR The Missing Scenes from Part 1 and 2 of The Truth About Leader Jaebum
Character/Pairing: Jay/Taec, slight evil genius Nichkhun/Junsu, Chansung/Junho/Wooyoung
Genre: humor, crack, and a little romance
Rating: pg-13ish but only a little?
Word Count: 3, 243 ish
Disclaimer: Don't remind me of what I don't have
Summary: The missing scenes from the first and second part of The Truth About Leader Jaebum
A/N: I apologize for the extremely late update. I suck, I know.
Backtracking to the Tuesday dance rehearsal that started it all.
Junsu was off in the corner practicing his vocals, the powerful voice filling the room as background noise. He was their very own soundtrack. Wooyoung and Junho were talking and laughing being carefully watched by Chansung who was angrily chugging water. Wooyoung had an easy way of making Junho laugh with his Ssanti (cheap) humor. He was doing some dance movement that revolved around hip thrusts and arms flapping somewhat like a chicken; whatever it was, it had Junho in tears and practically having a fit on the floor. The maknae blames Boom-hyung for permanently bringing that side out of Wooyoung. Nichkhun was standing by the maknae watching him watching the two laughing on the dance floor. Same old, same old there. The Thai man turned his attention to his left where a less angrily drinking leader was enraptured with something. Ah, thought Nichkhun. Jaebum was intensely watching Taecyeon practice the dance steps alone. The gangly giant, though sometimes awkward, was hitting every step. Khun noted that his improvements must be because Jay spent extra time telling the giant what he was doing wrong. Nichkhun chuckled to himself. The leader had a strange way of showing his affections sometimes and rarely ever physically.
In the background Nichkhun can hear Junsu’s voice. It’s powerful and soulful, though he keeps the volume low as a courtesy to the other members. He is always so kind and courteous. The voice filling Nichkhun’s ears is completely overwhelming. So beautiful and pure and innocent that it makes him itch. Junsu is too good. Junsu’s goodness makes Nichkhun’s mouth go dry and his throat itch. After scratching at his Adam’s apple and bemoaning his own patheticness, he returns his attention to the more pathetic leader Jay. How to help the man?
Nichkhun’s thought are distracted by a maknae stamping off to join Wooyoung and Junho. Chansung seems unhappy that the two were having fun without him. Like the fun they had eating all the rice that morning while Khun was stuck waiting to use the bathroom after making the fatal mistake of letting Jaebum go first. Why does Jaebum need to take up so much time in the bathroom? The guy is tiny - how many times is he washing his body? Nichkhun’s face was plastered with an evil smile of which he was glad all the members were too busy to notice. Now Nichkhun could get his revenge (he really did need his rice in the morning) while balancing it out with helping Jaebum get his man.
Nichkhun walked up to the almost inseparable trio (something he even thought curious) with a toned down smile.
“What are you guys talking about?” Chansung already had an arm possessively around the second youngest (Junho) waist and now slung an arm around Wooyoung’s shoulders as is to warn Nichkhun off of his territory.
“We were just deciding what we should do tomorrow evening since we don’t have a schedule,” Junho beamed, always so helpful Nichkhun thought.
“Oh. I’m just going to relax and probably head to bed early.” Nichkhun needed Chansung to lower his guard for his plan to work. He didn’t want the maknae thinking he was interested in crashing their little trio outing. “What do you have in mind?”
“We aren’t sure yet, KTV maybe or just some night basketball.” Chansungs’s grip on his hyungs noticeably loosened, sensing no threat. Nichkhun inwardly smirked.
“Hey, were you guys thinking about going to that place, oh what was it Wooyoung? You know, you took Junho there a few weeks ago…” Wooyoung looked at him wide-eyed and furiously shaking his head. “What’s wrong Wooyoung?” Nichkhun kept his innocent naïve act up.
Chansung by now was sporting his angry face, which consisted of a tense, tight-lipped mouth, flared nostrils and an intense glare. Usually the maknae did not express his anger verbally or physically - right away. He let it boil as he remained unmoving. Statue like. Then he explodes and everyone runs for cover. Angry giants are NEVER fun to have stamping around a crowded dorm.
“I have no idea what you are talking about Khun!” Wooyoung was desperate. “SO, karaoke?” He looked over to Junho. The smile was gone and he just remained silent, staring at the ground. Chansung was glaring at Junho, as if willing him to return his gaze and maybe give him the answers he so desperately needed to hear.
“You remember; it was when Chansung went home to visit his family and spent the night. See I remember because I had the room to myself that night. It was a peaceful night’s sleep.” Nichkhun tried not to show his increasingly pleased mood on his face as Chansung’s glare was aimed at Wooyoung.
“Where did you take him?” The words came out low and forced through the maknae’s gritted teeth. Though Chansung was younger, he felt protective over the naïve Junho. Let’s not forget that in the finale of Idol Army it was Chansung that Junho had chosen for his male/male couple selection in the “here he comes” segment (after all the times he had been paired up with Wooyoung). And even though he trusted Wooyoung, this type of relationship was still unexplored territory for him and he just wanted everything to be fair. He didn’t want to end up being left out or forgotten. Nichkhun slowly backed away from the trio, obviously already forgotten.
“It was spontaneous. Totally unplanned.” Junho blurted out. He didn’t want Wooyoung to get in trouble since he was the one who was curious. “We went out for some ice cream and passed by this arcade place and Wooyoung hyung said they had this type of game I never played and then I begged him to go in with me and we ended up playing together all night.” He could not get the worlds out fast enough.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Junho wasn’t sure if Chansung was asking him because his gaze remained on Wooyoung. “If it was all so innocent.”
“‘Cause you are a jumps-to-conclusion, grumpy, overeating, giant, tantrum throwing baby!” Wooyoung said. Junho burst out laughing.
“Can you imagine? An actual giant baby Chansung throwing a tantrum!” He was in a fit now, vibrating with laughter, an image of an over-sized baby Chansung with his old boy face, his former topknot do and stuffing his face while angrily crying danced in his mind. Chansung stomped his foot like a child and Junho just laughed harder. Wooyoung was pleased with himself, easing the tension that Junho had been feeling, and joined in the laughter.
“Yah!” Chansung tried to stay angry but who could when looking at Junho’s smiling half moon eyes and Wooyoung chubby cheeks puffing with laughter. He playfully punched Wooyoung who hit him back.
“He’s the one that started laughing first!” he pointed to Junho. Chansung just joined in the laughter now.
“Yeah, but it’s your fault!” Wooyoung hit Junho on the back of his head, softly, for throwing the accusation back at him.
“Nah-uh, Chansung is the giant baby, it’s clearly his fault.” And with that Chansung lunged at Wooyoung who sprinted off with Junho chasing after them to try to break it up. The trio was slowly making their way to Taecyeon.
Nichkhun stood; drinking water and scratching his throat and watching it all unfold. Taec was completely (and luckily) unaware of the hurricane of idols heading towards him. Jay, eyes still trained on the lanky man was quick to act as Taec became a victim of three idiots. The pair landed in a jumble of limbs, entangled. Nichkhun smiled as he caught Jay’s eyes a few moments later. You’re welcome, he grinned. Khun then went to help the two men off the floor.
As Jaebum went after the three goof balls after making sure the lanky Taec hadn’t been injured or knotted any appendage, a victorious Nichkhun took a seat against the wall. He drank some more water and did his best to reframe from clawing at his throat. Junsu’s laughter at his three doomed band members had Khun repressing a delicious shiver from shooting up his spine. Ah, Junsu. The man he had yet to affect today whom ironically was the one that was having the biggest effect on him. Well, that would just not do. He would have gone into a planning frenzy but Jay was now done beating his band mates up and was ordering the group back into formation to pick up where they had left off in rehearsals. He would just have to make up for that later.
As the boys resumed practice, Jaebum didn’t criticize Taec as much, but complemented him instead. Taec grinned and blushed shyly more than he usually did when interacting with the leader. Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung did their best not to ‘accidently’ grope and fall all over each other, earlier argument forgotten. Nichkhun focused on looking innocent while he danced, he needed all the practice he could get and Junsu was probably the only one focused on the actual dance steps.
Speeding ahead to Wednesday afternoon before the trio’s outing.
After their morning schedule, the seven boys returned to their dorm. Junho proceeded to take a nap in his bed, he loved that he had his own proper bed. Wooyoung crashed on the couch with Junsu and played video games. Chansung went to the kitchen to snack with Nichkhun and Taecyeon. Jay was in the bathroom, showering, again.
Jay sauntered out of the bathroom, steam marking his entrance into the hallway. He always felt so good after bathing. He deduced from the boisterous laughter that Taecyeon was in the kitchen, most likely stuffing his face with the magnae. He headed there without further thought, a Taec seeking leader missile. He frowned when he saw their Thai member with the two giants, there was something about what happened yesterday that irked Jaebum. Nichkhun had been sporting that stupid fucking knowing smile of his the whole of the second part of their practice.
“Hungry Jay?” Taec asked in English. They often shared brief moments in English. Taecyeon supposed it was the closest thing to sweet nothings that he was brave enough to offer (his?) Jay Park. If only they had been alone in the kitchen. For a so-called beast on stage, Taec was as timid as a mouse when it came to wooing the muscled man from Seattle.
“Mmmhmm.” Jay frowned some more as his gaze went over the state of the kitchen. The damage the two overly tall members could cause was unbelievable. “I am not cleaning this up. It will take all night and I am too tired.” He eyed the three men before him.
“Not it! I have plans tonight.” Chansung would not miss going out on this rare opportunity. He had already picked out his clothes.
As Taec was about to offer his services, anything to please Jay, Nichkhun stepped in. “I’ll do it. I wasn’t planning anything for tonight anyways.” Yeah right. Silly gangly Taecyeon. In order for Jay and Taec to get it on tonight they would need privacy. Junsu could be easily coaxed into his room but Chansung and company needed to be out of the apartment, they were too much trouble to have around right now.
“Whatever.” Khun was up to something. “Chocolate cereal.” He said in English leaning into Taec.
Taec nodded, turning to get down the box and a bowl for Jay that were (not that the leader would ever admit it) just a tad too high for him. Anything that required Jaebum to go on his tippy-toes was too high.
“I thought you only eat this stuff in the morning because of all the sugar.” Taec continued in English as he headed to the fridge for the milk as Jay was in search of his favorite spoon. He had a separate drawer for his utensils. No one ever questioned it.
“I feel like indulging myself.” He replied, not meaning to pout as he did.
“I hate when you guys speak in English in front of me like that!” the Magnae complained.
“Think of it as an incentive to learn it.” Khun sneered; upset that Chansung interrupted a domestic moment between his pet projects. “You know, broaden your horizons.”
“I’m going to play video games.” Chansung left, bag of chips in hand.
“I’m going to go shower, I’ll clean up when I’m done.” Nichkhun didn’t really want to shower but he needed an excuse to leave and he did not want to be squished on a couch between Chansung and Junsu since there is no way the magnae would let him sit next to Wooyoung when they get along so well. Walking past the group on the couch he could here Junsu cheer and he instinctively reached for his throat.
Back in the kitchen in English:
“So what is the conspiracy now?” Taec took a seat across from Jay after returning the milk to the fridge.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. “ Which really sounded more like ‘I haff moo iwea wha wor falking avout’ as he filled his mouth like a chipmunk. He really did have a rodent look sometimes. Taec loved it.
“You eat this stuff like breathing air when you feel like you’ve just been screwed over.” Taec watch Jay pack that stuff away like it was his last meal.
“I’m not sure yet. I just feel like the world is out to get me all week.” The cooties and maybe Nichkhun. He wasn’t sure yet but there was no way he was going to tell Taec about it. Everyone thought he was weird enough as it was; he didn’t want to scare the member he liked the most away.
Sensing he would get nothing out of his strange knight in shining armor he decided to leave the man before he attempted to comfort him physically. Jay didn’t like hugs. He sighed and got up to leave. Jay sat back in his chair and tried not to fret over the fact that he had to use a shared bowl or the fact that Chansung, Junho and Wooyoung had probably drank out of the milk carton. Stupid dorms. Taec popped his head back in to get one last look at Jay. Seeing the older man looking so down he felt a surge of courage go through him in an effort to cheer the other up.
“You know you’re cute when you’re paranoid.” Jay was left blushing alone in the kitchen, comforted by the fact that Taecyeon probably drank from that carton too, but he would almost bet that Taec’s cooties could kick all the other members’ cooties asses. And judging from yesterday’s events, Taec’s cooties weren’t so bad.
Dinner was pretty quiet as it was only Junsu, Nichkhun, Taecyeon and Jay. Nichkhun wasn’t talking or looking at Junsu - who was going on and on about some song he wanted to sing with Jay on their next radio appearance. He just drank a lot of water. Taec stayed quiet too, just watching Jay nod along to Junsu’s ideas. Jay tried to concentrate on Junsu and not the cooties contaminating the shared side dishes or Taecyeon’s rather intense stare.
After they ate Nichkhun volunteered again for kitchen duty and Junsu announced that he would be in his room composing on his keyboard. That left Jay and Taec to watch TV in the living room.
Outside of the dorm, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung were having their dinner at a food stall. The trio feasted on spicy rice cakes, fish cakes, rice and kimchi, huddled around a small table with a couple of bottles of soju between them. Though it was summer, the nights were cool. It was pretty fortunate that they all were wearing hoodies and baseball caps to hide their appearance. However, Wooyoung was still cold, though he tried to hide it.
“Want my sweater?” Chansung offered.
“Nah, I’m fine.”
“You’re shivering.”
“I’m also the hyung here.”
A heavy sigh passed Chansung’s lips. “I thought we agreed on no titles or formalities.” He pouted and Wooyoung melted - just a little bit.
“Fine. Gimme your hoodie,” he said in an impossibly cute voice and stretched his arms out like a little kid; wiggling his fingers and puffing out his cheeks. Junho let go of breathe he didn’t know he was holding. There was always a bit of a power struggle between the other two and it made him uneasy. Chansung readily stripped it off (with a greasy grin plastered in his face) and was left wearing a t-shirt. Biceps happily being displayed.
“Chicken breasts have been good to you.” Junho finally pipes up. Chansung and Wooyoung look at Junho, who is still staring at the youngest’s arms and absentmindedly licks some spicy sauce off his lips, not aware how sensuous he looks. The other two look at each other then back at Junho, who stares back wide-eyed (well in theory) and innocent.
“Whud I do?” he looks between the two.
“God you’re impossibly cute and sexy all at once,” Chansung breathes.
“And all the while deceptively innocent.” Wooyoung agrees nodding his head as he inhales a fish cake off a skewer. This of courses sends the trio into a fit of laughter.
The boys then spent the rest of the evening hanging around a night market until Chansung finally admitted he was, in fact, cold as well. Wooyoung refused to return the sweater saying that he should be a gentleman and let him keep it when the truth was he just liked the way it smelt. Like Chansung. Well that remark sent Chansung after Woo, who muttered something along the lines of ‘I’ll show you what a gentleman is’ and Junho chased after them. After goofing around in a nearby school yard the trio decided to head home. The sweat they had worked up in the chase now had the youngest shivering. The stubborn Wooyoung still refused to part with his newly acquired article of clothing but was able to compromise with Chansung. Due to the late hour on a week day the streets were absent of people and Wooyoung proposed that he and Junho each take a side and snuggle up to Chansung on the walk home. This was the closest opportunity he had had to getting any since they formed their relationship (not having fully worked of a system where no one would be left out, it was a problem with mechanics) and he was not about to turn down the offer.
The trio returned, rather reluctantly, to an quiet dorm. Their hormones had worked themselves up but until they had a failsafe system they decided to remain (mostly) hands-off. Chansung all but bolted to his room after chaste kisses goodnight and Wooyoung headed to the bathroom to wash up. After a long day Junho wanted nothing but to face plant into his bed. However, when he reached his shared room he was met with a locked door and an unresponsive roommate. No way he cold snuggle up with Wooyoung on the couch - as tempting as it was. It would be against the rules. Besides how could he get any sleep with that adorable and handsome man next to him; who snores like a broken motorboat! His pleading pounds on the door went ignored and he found himself curled up on the floor.
Well. “Shit.”
Character/Pairing: Jay/Taec, slight evil genius Nichkhun/Junsu, Chansung/Junho/Wooyoung
Genre: humor, crack, and a little romance
Rating: pg-13ish but only a little?
Word Count: 3, 243 ish
Disclaimer: Don't remind me of what I don't have
Summary: The missing scenes from the first and second part of The Truth About Leader Jaebum
A/N: I apologize for the extremely late update. I suck, I know.
Backtracking to the Tuesday dance rehearsal that started it all.
Junsu was off in the corner practicing his vocals, the powerful voice filling the room as background noise. He was their very own soundtrack. Wooyoung and Junho were talking and laughing being carefully watched by Chansung who was angrily chugging water. Wooyoung had an easy way of making Junho laugh with his Ssanti (cheap) humor. He was doing some dance movement that revolved around hip thrusts and arms flapping somewhat like a chicken; whatever it was, it had Junho in tears and practically having a fit on the floor. The maknae blames Boom-hyung for permanently bringing that side out of Wooyoung. Nichkhun was standing by the maknae watching him watching the two laughing on the dance floor. Same old, same old there. The Thai man turned his attention to his left where a less angrily drinking leader was enraptured with something. Ah, thought Nichkhun. Jaebum was intensely watching Taecyeon practice the dance steps alone. The gangly giant, though sometimes awkward, was hitting every step. Khun noted that his improvements must be because Jay spent extra time telling the giant what he was doing wrong. Nichkhun chuckled to himself. The leader had a strange way of showing his affections sometimes and rarely ever physically.
In the background Nichkhun can hear Junsu’s voice. It’s powerful and soulful, though he keeps the volume low as a courtesy to the other members. He is always so kind and courteous. The voice filling Nichkhun’s ears is completely overwhelming. So beautiful and pure and innocent that it makes him itch. Junsu is too good. Junsu’s goodness makes Nichkhun’s mouth go dry and his throat itch. After scratching at his Adam’s apple and bemoaning his own patheticness, he returns his attention to the more pathetic leader Jay. How to help the man?
Nichkhun’s thought are distracted by a maknae stamping off to join Wooyoung and Junho. Chansung seems unhappy that the two were having fun without him. Like the fun they had eating all the rice that morning while Khun was stuck waiting to use the bathroom after making the fatal mistake of letting Jaebum go first. Why does Jaebum need to take up so much time in the bathroom? The guy is tiny - how many times is he washing his body? Nichkhun’s face was plastered with an evil smile of which he was glad all the members were too busy to notice. Now Nichkhun could get his revenge (he really did need his rice in the morning) while balancing it out with helping Jaebum get his man.
Nichkhun walked up to the almost inseparable trio (something he even thought curious) with a toned down smile.
“What are you guys talking about?” Chansung already had an arm possessively around the second youngest (Junho) waist and now slung an arm around Wooyoung’s shoulders as is to warn Nichkhun off of his territory.
“We were just deciding what we should do tomorrow evening since we don’t have a schedule,” Junho beamed, always so helpful Nichkhun thought.
“Oh. I’m just going to relax and probably head to bed early.” Nichkhun needed Chansung to lower his guard for his plan to work. He didn’t want the maknae thinking he was interested in crashing their little trio outing. “What do you have in mind?”
“We aren’t sure yet, KTV maybe or just some night basketball.” Chansungs’s grip on his hyungs noticeably loosened, sensing no threat. Nichkhun inwardly smirked.
“Hey, were you guys thinking about going to that place, oh what was it Wooyoung? You know, you took Junho there a few weeks ago…” Wooyoung looked at him wide-eyed and furiously shaking his head. “What’s wrong Wooyoung?” Nichkhun kept his innocent naïve act up.
Chansung by now was sporting his angry face, which consisted of a tense, tight-lipped mouth, flared nostrils and an intense glare. Usually the maknae did not express his anger verbally or physically - right away. He let it boil as he remained unmoving. Statue like. Then he explodes and everyone runs for cover. Angry giants are NEVER fun to have stamping around a crowded dorm.
“I have no idea what you are talking about Khun!” Wooyoung was desperate. “SO, karaoke?” He looked over to Junho. The smile was gone and he just remained silent, staring at the ground. Chansung was glaring at Junho, as if willing him to return his gaze and maybe give him the answers he so desperately needed to hear.
“You remember; it was when Chansung went home to visit his family and spent the night. See I remember because I had the room to myself that night. It was a peaceful night’s sleep.” Nichkhun tried not to show his increasingly pleased mood on his face as Chansung’s glare was aimed at Wooyoung.
“Where did you take him?” The words came out low and forced through the maknae’s gritted teeth. Though Chansung was younger, he felt protective over the naïve Junho. Let’s not forget that in the finale of Idol Army it was Chansung that Junho had chosen for his male/male couple selection in the “here he comes” segment (after all the times he had been paired up with Wooyoung). And even though he trusted Wooyoung, this type of relationship was still unexplored territory for him and he just wanted everything to be fair. He didn’t want to end up being left out or forgotten. Nichkhun slowly backed away from the trio, obviously already forgotten.
“It was spontaneous. Totally unplanned.” Junho blurted out. He didn’t want Wooyoung to get in trouble since he was the one who was curious. “We went out for some ice cream and passed by this arcade place and Wooyoung hyung said they had this type of game I never played and then I begged him to go in with me and we ended up playing together all night.” He could not get the worlds out fast enough.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Junho wasn’t sure if Chansung was asking him because his gaze remained on Wooyoung. “If it was all so innocent.”
“‘Cause you are a jumps-to-conclusion, grumpy, overeating, giant, tantrum throwing baby!” Wooyoung said. Junho burst out laughing.
“Can you imagine? An actual giant baby Chansung throwing a tantrum!” He was in a fit now, vibrating with laughter, an image of an over-sized baby Chansung with his old boy face, his former topknot do and stuffing his face while angrily crying danced in his mind. Chansung stomped his foot like a child and Junho just laughed harder. Wooyoung was pleased with himself, easing the tension that Junho had been feeling, and joined in the laughter.
“Yah!” Chansung tried to stay angry but who could when looking at Junho’s smiling half moon eyes and Wooyoung chubby cheeks puffing with laughter. He playfully punched Wooyoung who hit him back.
“He’s the one that started laughing first!” he pointed to Junho. Chansung just joined in the laughter now.
“Yeah, but it’s your fault!” Wooyoung hit Junho on the back of his head, softly, for throwing the accusation back at him.
“Nah-uh, Chansung is the giant baby, it’s clearly his fault.” And with that Chansung lunged at Wooyoung who sprinted off with Junho chasing after them to try to break it up. The trio was slowly making their way to Taecyeon.
Nichkhun stood; drinking water and scratching his throat and watching it all unfold. Taec was completely (and luckily) unaware of the hurricane of idols heading towards him. Jay, eyes still trained on the lanky man was quick to act as Taec became a victim of three idiots. The pair landed in a jumble of limbs, entangled. Nichkhun smiled as he caught Jay’s eyes a few moments later. You’re welcome, he grinned. Khun then went to help the two men off the floor.
As Jaebum went after the three goof balls after making sure the lanky Taec hadn’t been injured or knotted any appendage, a victorious Nichkhun took a seat against the wall. He drank some more water and did his best to reframe from clawing at his throat. Junsu’s laughter at his three doomed band members had Khun repressing a delicious shiver from shooting up his spine. Ah, Junsu. The man he had yet to affect today whom ironically was the one that was having the biggest effect on him. Well, that would just not do. He would have gone into a planning frenzy but Jay was now done beating his band mates up and was ordering the group back into formation to pick up where they had left off in rehearsals. He would just have to make up for that later.
As the boys resumed practice, Jaebum didn’t criticize Taec as much, but complemented him instead. Taec grinned and blushed shyly more than he usually did when interacting with the leader. Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung did their best not to ‘accidently’ grope and fall all over each other, earlier argument forgotten. Nichkhun focused on looking innocent while he danced, he needed all the practice he could get and Junsu was probably the only one focused on the actual dance steps.
Speeding ahead to Wednesday afternoon before the trio’s outing.
After their morning schedule, the seven boys returned to their dorm. Junho proceeded to take a nap in his bed, he loved that he had his own proper bed. Wooyoung crashed on the couch with Junsu and played video games. Chansung went to the kitchen to snack with Nichkhun and Taecyeon. Jay was in the bathroom, showering, again.
Jay sauntered out of the bathroom, steam marking his entrance into the hallway. He always felt so good after bathing. He deduced from the boisterous laughter that Taecyeon was in the kitchen, most likely stuffing his face with the magnae. He headed there without further thought, a Taec seeking leader missile. He frowned when he saw their Thai member with the two giants, there was something about what happened yesterday that irked Jaebum. Nichkhun had been sporting that stupid fucking knowing smile of his the whole of the second part of their practice.
“Hungry Jay?” Taec asked in English. They often shared brief moments in English. Taecyeon supposed it was the closest thing to sweet nothings that he was brave enough to offer (his?) Jay Park. If only they had been alone in the kitchen. For a so-called beast on stage, Taec was as timid as a mouse when it came to wooing the muscled man from Seattle.
“Mmmhmm.” Jay frowned some more as his gaze went over the state of the kitchen. The damage the two overly tall members could cause was unbelievable. “I am not cleaning this up. It will take all night and I am too tired.” He eyed the three men before him.
“Not it! I have plans tonight.” Chansung would not miss going out on this rare opportunity. He had already picked out his clothes.
As Taec was about to offer his services, anything to please Jay, Nichkhun stepped in. “I’ll do it. I wasn’t planning anything for tonight anyways.” Yeah right. Silly gangly Taecyeon. In order for Jay and Taec to get it on tonight they would need privacy. Junsu could be easily coaxed into his room but Chansung and company needed to be out of the apartment, they were too much trouble to have around right now.
“Whatever.” Khun was up to something. “Chocolate cereal.” He said in English leaning into Taec.
Taec nodded, turning to get down the box and a bowl for Jay that were (not that the leader would ever admit it) just a tad too high for him. Anything that required Jaebum to go on his tippy-toes was too high.
“I thought you only eat this stuff in the morning because of all the sugar.” Taec continued in English as he headed to the fridge for the milk as Jay was in search of his favorite spoon. He had a separate drawer for his utensils. No one ever questioned it.
“I feel like indulging myself.” He replied, not meaning to pout as he did.
“I hate when you guys speak in English in front of me like that!” the Magnae complained.
“Think of it as an incentive to learn it.” Khun sneered; upset that Chansung interrupted a domestic moment between his pet projects. “You know, broaden your horizons.”
“I’m going to play video games.” Chansung left, bag of chips in hand.
“I’m going to go shower, I’ll clean up when I’m done.” Nichkhun didn’t really want to shower but he needed an excuse to leave and he did not want to be squished on a couch between Chansung and Junsu since there is no way the magnae would let him sit next to Wooyoung when they get along so well. Walking past the group on the couch he could here Junsu cheer and he instinctively reached for his throat.
Back in the kitchen in English:
“So what is the conspiracy now?” Taec took a seat across from Jay after returning the milk to the fridge.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. “ Which really sounded more like ‘I haff moo iwea wha wor falking avout’ as he filled his mouth like a chipmunk. He really did have a rodent look sometimes. Taec loved it.
“You eat this stuff like breathing air when you feel like you’ve just been screwed over.” Taec watch Jay pack that stuff away like it was his last meal.
“I’m not sure yet. I just feel like the world is out to get me all week.” The cooties and maybe Nichkhun. He wasn’t sure yet but there was no way he was going to tell Taec about it. Everyone thought he was weird enough as it was; he didn’t want to scare the member he liked the most away.
Sensing he would get nothing out of his strange knight in shining armor he decided to leave the man before he attempted to comfort him physically. Jay didn’t like hugs. He sighed and got up to leave. Jay sat back in his chair and tried not to fret over the fact that he had to use a shared bowl or the fact that Chansung, Junho and Wooyoung had probably drank out of the milk carton. Stupid dorms. Taec popped his head back in to get one last look at Jay. Seeing the older man looking so down he felt a surge of courage go through him in an effort to cheer the other up.
“You know you’re cute when you’re paranoid.” Jay was left blushing alone in the kitchen, comforted by the fact that Taecyeon probably drank from that carton too, but he would almost bet that Taec’s cooties could kick all the other members’ cooties asses. And judging from yesterday’s events, Taec’s cooties weren’t so bad.
Dinner was pretty quiet as it was only Junsu, Nichkhun, Taecyeon and Jay. Nichkhun wasn’t talking or looking at Junsu - who was going on and on about some song he wanted to sing with Jay on their next radio appearance. He just drank a lot of water. Taec stayed quiet too, just watching Jay nod along to Junsu’s ideas. Jay tried to concentrate on Junsu and not the cooties contaminating the shared side dishes or Taecyeon’s rather intense stare.
After they ate Nichkhun volunteered again for kitchen duty and Junsu announced that he would be in his room composing on his keyboard. That left Jay and Taec to watch TV in the living room.
Outside of the dorm, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung were having their dinner at a food stall. The trio feasted on spicy rice cakes, fish cakes, rice and kimchi, huddled around a small table with a couple of bottles of soju between them. Though it was summer, the nights were cool. It was pretty fortunate that they all were wearing hoodies and baseball caps to hide their appearance. However, Wooyoung was still cold, though he tried to hide it.
“Want my sweater?” Chansung offered.
“Nah, I’m fine.”
“You’re shivering.”
“I’m also the hyung here.”
A heavy sigh passed Chansung’s lips. “I thought we agreed on no titles or formalities.” He pouted and Wooyoung melted - just a little bit.
“Fine. Gimme your hoodie,” he said in an impossibly cute voice and stretched his arms out like a little kid; wiggling his fingers and puffing out his cheeks. Junho let go of breathe he didn’t know he was holding. There was always a bit of a power struggle between the other two and it made him uneasy. Chansung readily stripped it off (with a greasy grin plastered in his face) and was left wearing a t-shirt. Biceps happily being displayed.
“Chicken breasts have been good to you.” Junho finally pipes up. Chansung and Wooyoung look at Junho, who is still staring at the youngest’s arms and absentmindedly licks some spicy sauce off his lips, not aware how sensuous he looks. The other two look at each other then back at Junho, who stares back wide-eyed (well in theory) and innocent.
“Whud I do?” he looks between the two.
“God you’re impossibly cute and sexy all at once,” Chansung breathes.
“And all the while deceptively innocent.” Wooyoung agrees nodding his head as he inhales a fish cake off a skewer. This of courses sends the trio into a fit of laughter.
The boys then spent the rest of the evening hanging around a night market until Chansung finally admitted he was, in fact, cold as well. Wooyoung refused to return the sweater saying that he should be a gentleman and let him keep it when the truth was he just liked the way it smelt. Like Chansung. Well that remark sent Chansung after Woo, who muttered something along the lines of ‘I’ll show you what a gentleman is’ and Junho chased after them. After goofing around in a nearby school yard the trio decided to head home. The sweat they had worked up in the chase now had the youngest shivering. The stubborn Wooyoung still refused to part with his newly acquired article of clothing but was able to compromise with Chansung. Due to the late hour on a week day the streets were absent of people and Wooyoung proposed that he and Junho each take a side and snuggle up to Chansung on the walk home. This was the closest opportunity he had had to getting any since they formed their relationship (not having fully worked of a system where no one would be left out, it was a problem with mechanics) and he was not about to turn down the offer.
The trio returned, rather reluctantly, to an quiet dorm. Their hormones had worked themselves up but until they had a failsafe system they decided to remain (mostly) hands-off. Chansung all but bolted to his room after chaste kisses goodnight and Wooyoung headed to the bathroom to wash up. After a long day Junho wanted nothing but to face plant into his bed. However, when he reached his shared room he was met with a locked door and an unresponsive roommate. No way he cold snuggle up with Wooyoung on the couch - as tempting as it was. It would be against the rules. Besides how could he get any sleep with that adorable and handsome man next to him; who snores like a broken motorboat! His pleading pounds on the door went ignored and he found himself curled up on the floor.
Well. “Shit.”