"Impressions at First Sight" [1/1]
Title: Impressions at First Sight [1/1]
Pairing: Yunho/Changmin
Genre: AU, drama/romance
Warnings: Basically, nothing happens. Cameos from Heechul and Jessica.
Words: 7569
Summary: While looking to hire a personal assistant, Jung Yunho finds himself visiting a hospital room every week for the next seven months.
Jung Yunho was having a terrible day.
"...and that's why you should get a personal assistant."
He blinked. "A what?"
"A personal. Assistant." His long-time friend currently also lending a helpful ear said slowly, as if the thirty-three year old CEO had the comprehension skills of a child.
"No. And you know how I feel about that, hyung."
"Yes yes, privacy issues and feeling uncomfortable with having what is essentially a manservant (that's in your words, by the way). Now, a personal assistant doesn't just pick your clothes and suck your cock, as you have apparently been led to believe - " Heechul grinned gleefully at Yunho's flabbergasted expression and resisted the urge to wiggle his fingers together to personify the very image of a scheming best friend, "they actually, you know, legitimately act as secretary and manage aspects of your life while you live it. Necessary for those who simply don't have the time to do it themselves."
He rubbed his temple. "It's not that I don't have the time - "
"Yunho. You know I love you. But I think the fact that last week, you forgot your sister's engagement party after repeated reminders from me and your parents, you know, says something about your time management lately."
"I didn't forget - "
"A meeting with a couple of businessmen who couldn't possibly wait until this week to kiss your ass? You forgot, Jung. Stop trying to make excuses." Heechul sniffed and crossed his arms. "Your secretary has the résumés for that job posting your company put in the newspaper two months ago. Try going through those."
"Job posting?"
"For, and I quote, 'a position with secretarial and managerial duties under CEO Jung Yunho.' I told Sica to put it up," Heechul smirked. "She's sick of watching your life crumble around your ears too."
"I hired her to make appointments and answer calls, not worry about my personal life," Yunho grumbled, taking a sip from the coffee he'd ordered. The serious and highly professional young woman he'd hired as his secretary had been a definite asset to his team but overstepped her boundaries far too often. She'd given him the most stern look he'd ever received from her after discovering he'd forgotten about his sister's -
"So maybe you're not entirely wrong," he said quietly, sighing. "I didn't mean to - I mean, there's so much to do - "
Heechul simply rolled his eyes and set his chin on his hand daintily, gazing at his friend. "Doesn't mean you have to give up on everything else. And when you're as rich as you are, what you can't do, you hire someone else to do it for you. It's a legitimate job. You did receive over twenty résumés you know. Just look through them and see if you find anyone qualified. You never know."
He eyed him doubtfully. "I'm still not entirely comfortable with the idea of a personal assistant but I suppose...I could give it a try." His sister's engagement party had been the last straw, he had to admit. Currently both his sister and his future brother-in-law (a business associate he'd been close to and had introduced to his sister) gave him the cold shoulder at every opportunity. Family dinner was torture. He was glad he had his own apartment in the downtown core of Seoul but going home for dinner once a week was an obligation he couldn't avoid. Now, evading her dirty looks made it even worse.
"That's what I like to hear," Heechul sat back in his seat, satisfied.
"How about you?"
"What about me?"
"You own several stores in the fashion district and you yourself work for some of the biggest entertainment acts as a top stylist - how do you find the time to - "
"Live my life? Here's where we differ, Jung - I don't have any family obligations and I, unlike you, do not have 'appeasing people' as a part of my job description. In fact, it's my job to make people cry because of the utterly despicable way they dress. No pressure to be at one place at any given time. And if anyone tried to add some order into my life, I might just spontaneously combust. Then you'd be short one best friend and it'd be a shame if this world lost as beautiful a person as me."
He stared. "Still the same as ever, hyung."
"What ever could you be talking about?" Heechul flicked a wayward strand of bleached red hair from his eyes and smiled sweetly, "By the way, it's almost one."
"Oh shi - " he grabbed his suitcase and pulled his jacket off from the seat. "I'll see you then, hyung."
"Hmm. Don't forget to look at the rés - "
Heechul sighed as Yunho disappeared through the double doors of the restaurant they met up at once a month. Heechul had made Yunho promise to after Yunho had gotten himself stuck in bed for a week for exhaustion. Jung Yunho spent far too much time in his office even though he lived in a high-rise apartment building in one of the richest districts of Seoul. And Heechul considered it a waste of space to have such a beautiful home and not have anyone to live in it with him.
'Of course a personal assistant isn't exactly a convenient fuck buddy', Heechul thought as he stirred his own cup of coffee, but they made perfectly good potentials to set up your workaholic best friend with.
~*~*~
Two weeks after his encounter with Heechul, Yunho looked up from the numerous contracts he was reading over when a stack of papers fluttered as they landed on his desk. He looked up further and saw bleached brown hair, impeccably tied up and curled, cold eyes and pinched lips, with a pair of red frames perched daintily on a perfectly shaped nose. Dressed in a white blouse and a black pencil skirt, Jessica Jung looked every bit as formidable and beautiful as her reputation dictated. She was a fearsome presence known throughout every floor of his administrative building.
"Heechul sshi requested these be placed in a conspicuous place but apparently your desk wasn't obvious enough." Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms, glaring accusingly at him.
He blinked. "You never put it on my desk - "
"I did. I found them yesterday under three folders from human resources and one from advertising."
"Oh." Yunho smiled sheepishly, setting aside his pen and slipping off his glasses. "I'm sorry about that. Are those - "
"The résumés Heechul sshi said you requested?"
"...Yes. The résumés."
"He informed me that the hiring of a personal assistant was imminent and that it would be good for me to return to the actual duties I'm being paid to do."
Yunho frowned, confused. "What have you been doing?"
"Ordering flowers to your sister for your unannounced disappearance from her engagement party, picking up your suit for the party next week, fending off calls from your admirers, handling the press for your recent escapades - "
"Escapades?"
"Three months ago your ex-girlfriend showed up drunk at your office and had to be escorted out by security. She has been talking to the press regarding your sordid love affairs ever since."
"What?"
"I've been issuing statements and you're now in the process of suing her for defamation of your character and therefore putting your company in danger of loss of profit - although you may not be aware of it. And that's just the beginning. May I remind you, Yunho sshi, that I signed a contract for a job as your secretary, not your caretaker, attorney, or public spokesperson?"
Suddenly, Yunho felt very bad about what he'd said to Heechul regarding Jessica's purpose in his company. "I don't suppose you'd want to take on the job of - "
"Babysitting a brilliant businessman well on his way to the top of the corporate world but utterly incapable of keeping his life together and out of the press? God, no."
"Thanks, Sica," he grumbled, arranging the résumés on his desk into a neat pile in front of him.
"You're welcome." For the first time, she smiled. "I don't suppose you would mind if I were to state my opinion on this matter, sir?"
"Go ahead, it's not like I can stop you." 'No wonder it was Heechul who introduced her to this job.'
"Hiring a personal assistant will be good for you."
"And why is that? Someone paid to know every little aspect of my life - "
"So that you can live it in the best possible way. That person may potentially know everything about you but only as much as you allow him or her to."
"But - "
"Besides, they will do what I have been trying to do for the past few months. It was only after you bought out several international companies that you became far too busy to manage your own life. And," she pointed out, "you didn't even know I've been doing all that until today. I assume it will be the same once you have hired the person of your liking." Jessica gestured towards the résumés.
"But the job posting was two months ago. What if all the people here have already been hired elsewhere?"
"Give me the ones you approve of and I'll call. If none of them are available, I'll post another."
He sighed loudly. "No excuse is going to work, is it, Sica?"
She eyed him before she turned to exit the room. "You should know the answer to that by now. Good day, sir."
He waited until the door softly fell shut before turning to the papers with a smile. Jessica had been working as a salesperson in one of Heechul's stores after graduating from college with a degree in business administration. One fateful day, Jessica had been sent to Heechul's studio with the latest sales figures. One glance at Heechul's terrible calculations had sent Jessica into a frenzy where she corrected, categorized, and filed every single receipt and record of sales. Three days later, he'd introduced her to Jung Yunho, whose latest secretary had quit after declaring his workday absolutely horrendous to organize into a workable schedule. Three years later, she worked as his main secretary and oversaw every administrative decision made.
Still. Yunho eyed the first page. The idea of having a personal assistant still didn't appeal to him. He knew most people in his position had one but to admit he couldn't even tend to his own life and had to have someone hold his hand made him frustrated. But he couldn't ignore the evidence. One more family obligation forgotten and his sister would probably have his head.
Within the next twenty minutes, he quickly skimmed at least fifteen résumés. There was a woman with a music degree from overseas and another with a law degree. Then there was a young man in his late twenties with an extensive history of activist and volunteer work, as well as having been involved in several research opportunities abroad through his fairly acclaimed university. He'd finished his master’s degree in history and had worked in mainly the social work sector.
So what was such a bright young man with a history of helping others doing applying to a job such as this one?
Yunho tried to recall what Heechul had put as the job description. 'Secretarial and managerial duties under CEO Jung Yunho.' Did that come off as a job description as a personal assistant? He knew that he was a well-known figure in the business world, was considered a young and promising bachelor by women, which was the reason he assumed was why he received so many female applicants. But for someone who had been engaged in - he glanced at the résumé - the protest a year ago for better work benefits and salaries for irregular workers from a rival company of Yunho's, the choice to apply to this position was an odd one.
He looked beneath the sheet he was looking at and was dismayed to find there were at least ten more. Glancing at the name on the top of the paper he held, he paged Jessica from her desk outside his office.
"Sir?"
"I've chosen a potential candidate. Would you give him a call for me to set up an interview? For next week, perhaps?"
"Of course. His name?"
"How - "
"I photocopied all of them in case you lost the ones you have now."
He laughed. "His name is Shim Changmin. Thanks, Sica."
"Anytime."
~*~*~
During the next few days, Yunho found his mind rolling that name around and around. Sometimes he even said it out loud thoughtfully, when he was alone in his office. He looked up that name and found two articles that mentioned a Shim Changmin in relation to a fundraiser for a nonprofits organization and the protest a year ago. There was no picture attached to those articles. Sometimes he would read over the application and résumé again whenever he had a slight break during his busy day. By the end of the week, he was almost eager to meet this faceless person occupying his thoughts so often. It was a curiosity towards a stranger he rarely ever possessed, but when he did, it made him all the more determined to meet him.
That was why when Jessica stepped into his office without warning with an inexplicably sad look, he'd been surprised. He was shocked at the words that came out of her mouth.
"He's what?" Yunho couldn't quite believe it.
Jessica gave a little sigh. "He's comatose," she repeated.
He sat back, eyes wide. "Since when?"
"When I called the number he provided, his mother picked up. Apparently he was in a car accident and received serious injuries to his head and slipped into a coma about a month ago. There have been no signs of him waking up from it."
"A...coma." He rubbed the back of his head, glancing at her uncertainly. What were the chances that the one résumé that had attracted his attention belonged to a man now lying on a hospital bed? "What hospital is he staying at?" She told him and then eyed him with curiosity. He shrugged. "No reason. His application was the only one that interested me."
"Well, since Changmin sshi appears to be incapacitated, there doesn't seem to be any chance of him attending any kind of interview anytime soon," she said carefully, knowing full well that if Yunho's choice didn't work out, he would rather give up on the idea then find other alternatives. Especially one that concerned his personal life.
Strangely, he felt sad. "He seemed to have a lot of potential."
"Yes," she said softly, glancing at the paper in her hand. She held his application.
He looked back at the proposal he'd been looking at before Jessica had stepped in. After a small period of silence during which he knew Jessica watched him with razor sharp eyes, he finally spoke up. "Did hyung explicitly say in the posting that they would be applying to be my personal assistant?"
"Something to that effect. He made it obvious, but didn't exactly put the words 'personal assistant' in the description."
"An activist with a masters degree. Why do you think he would apply to this kind of job?"
"Why would a musician or a lawyer apply? The question can be asked regarding numerous of the applicants."
"But he'd be working for what he hates. Against everything he stands for. I'm the epitome of large corporations working to the disadvantage of average, working people. And yet he included his activist work in his résumé, knowing full well I would never hire someone with such a large potential of causing havoc here." He spun the pen in his hand thoughtfully.
"You're far from being a corrupted business mogul, Yunho sshi. Don't get too arrogant," she responded, sarcasm laced in her words.
He grinned. "Thanks. Still, I'm curious about him. It's a shame."
"What will you do, then? Should I make another job posting or will you give those applicants another chance?" She winced at the thought of Heechul really letting her have it if all his hard work in convincing Yunho to even look at those résumés was for naught. Not that she'd take it sitting down, but it would certainly be an inconvenience for her.
Yunho shook his head and stood up, stepping out from behind his desk to grab his jacket hanging from the hanger by the window. "No need. In fact, you can throw them out."
"Sir?" Her panic must've shown on her face because Yunho laughed.
"Cancel the rest of my appointments for the day. I have an errand to run."
Jessica blinked in response but she had a slight idea as to what that errand could be. Maybe it wasn't a complete waste of both her and Heechul's time. But still...Shim Changmin was in a coma. That didn't provide much opportunity for anything. "I don't suppose you'd like flowers to take along with you to that errand?"
He threw her a sardonic grin. "That would be a good idea, yes."
"I'll make arrangements."
~*~*~
'Well, Jung, you've certainly dug a magnificent hole for yourself.'
"So tell me again, who are you?" Almond shaped eyes narrowed and he instantly felt defensive.
"Jung Yunho. As I've said - "
"I meant, how do you know Changmin? And why did it take you a month to visit, you dipshit?"
He nearly took a step back at the hostility. The shock must've been obvious because the other man, dark haired and pale with big eyes, instantly looked a little guilty. "I - ah, that is to say, I don't personally know Changmin sshi. He submitted an application for a job posting at my company about two months ago and my secretary called to offer an interview but was informed by his mother that he was in a coma." It took him about two seconds to realize how ridiculous the story was.
Apparently, the other man had similar thoughts and was staring at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Go on."
"And, um, I was interested in his reasons for applying for the job and his application interested me, so...here I am?" he said weakly, the small bouquet he held falling to his side.
The man still stared at him. "Are you sure you shouldn't be lying in a hospital bed yourself? What kind of employer would personally see an applicant he's never met?"
Yunho handed him a business card. "Apparently, someone like me."
"You're nuts." He glanced down and his eyes widened. "A rich nut, but a nut nonetheless."
"Who are you to Changmin sshi?" He asked curiously.
"I'm Jaejoong and a sunbae from university. Known the idiot for way too long," Jaejoong pocketed the card and gestured for him to sit on one of the uncomfortable plastic seats lining the wall. Yunho sat. "So. You're Yunho, huh?"
"...Yes." He frowned. Now he really wasn't sure what he was doing here. The idea of seeing Changmin, perhaps just to have a face to match the person he'd read about, had been enticing. He still felt this tragedy to be a terrible shame. "I believe I've said that already."
"Why would you be interested in Changmin just because of that though?"
"Why shouldn't I be? He's an activist with a degree in history trying to find a job at one of the biggest corporations in Korea. It makes no sense."
Jaejoong shrugged. "Changmin thinks in strange ways. He quit his job and applied to a lot of different positions before he got into the accident - " here, his eyes became sad, " - but that still doesn't explain why you're here."
"Why did he quit his job?"
Jaejoong threw him a sharp look. "Not that it's any of your business. He just wasn't happy working there. He didn't like it much."
Yunho smiled slightly hesitantly. "It must be strange for you to talk about him to someone with such an odd motive."
"Not strange - ridiculous. I should kick you out for having such a stupid reason."
He laughed. "I'm very thankful you haven't done so yet."
"What are you trying to get out of coming here anyway? It's - not as if - " Jaejoong glanced behind him, at the closed door, and then turned back to Yunho, "he can tell you the reason why he applied, himself," he whispered hoarsely, frowning hard.
Yunho shook his head. "I don't know. It was kind of an impulsive decision." He looked at the flowers in his head. "I wanted to see him for myself. He had so much potential - "
"Has."
He smiled. "Yes, you're right. Has. And if I were going to hire anyone, it would've been him. He had the most interesting résumé. It actually made me want to meet him, in a way."
"Changmin's like that," Jaejoong agreed, smiling at some faraway memory. "He's single-minded and determined, does whatever he wants. Does everything his own way and never listens to anyone with reason. He acts like the biggest jerk but he loves helping others, to the point of putting himself in harms way. That idiot." He sniffed loudly.
Yunho remembered that article about the protest, about how it had become violent and numerous protesters had had to go to the hospital for treatment. "How did it happen?"
"What?"
"The...accident. If you don't mind me asking."
Jaejoong's jaw tightened and his eyes flashed angrily. "Hit and run. He was lucky to still be alive."
"I'm - "
He waved a hand. "I know you are, everyone is. Doesn't help, won't make him open his eyes. You want a drink?" He stood up.
Yunho looked at him. "A drink?"
"A coffee or something? There's a machine down the hall. Unless you're leaving now?"
"I - no. I mean, sure, a drink would be nice."
After a couple minutes of being left alone to stare at the plaster peeling from the wall in front of him, Jaejoong came back with two steaming cups. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
Jaejoong looked at him strangely. "Didn't you say you came to see Changmin?"
He stood up quickly and almost knocked the cups out of the other man's hand. "Oh! Sorry, here," he took one from him, "I thought you weren't going to let me see him, Jaejoong sshi."
"He - " Jaejoong suddenly clammed up, looking almost guilty. Instead, he shook his head and gestured for Yunho to follow. With his bouquet of flowers, he stepped into the hospital room for the first time.
It was a plain room, with the same peeling plaster. The window let in bright sunshine into half of the room and the rest fell in shadow. Several plastic chairs sat beside the desk and a cabinet next to the bed had only a plastic frame displaying what looked like a family photo. Finally, his gaze strayed towards the person in the bed and he stared, his breath caught.
Shim Changmin was a handsome man, he noted almost immediately. High cheekbones, a defined jaw, bow shaped lips adorned a face seemingly asleep. He looked too young to be lying there. Yunho tried to imagine this man staring defiantly up at riot police, a determination hardening his eyes and a firm set to his mouth. Then he imagined Shim Changmin impeccably dressed in a suit, his slightly long hair styled, leaning over Yunho as he stood by his desk.
"Doesn't it look like he's just sleeping? Like he's taking a nap," Jaejoong said softly, moving to stand beside him. Yunho placed the bouquet onto the table over the bed and took a sip from his coffee shakily, eyes blinking at the images that had worked themselves into his mind and was now refusing to go away.
"Too young," he said softly, and Jaejoong nodded.
They both moved to take a seat by Changmin's bed. Once they'd both settled, Jaejoong took Changmin's immobile hand and Yunho pretended not to notice.
"Would you tell me about him, Jaejoong sshi?" Yunho asked politely. Jaejoong didn't answer but continued to gaze at his friend's face with furrowed brows, as if he was trying not to cry. "I know I'm essentially a stranger, but - "
"I will. Because Changmin has many wonderful stories to tell and they deserve to be told. Even if the audience is some weirdo who came to visit him because of his résumé, of all things," he grinned at Yunho, who shrugged back with a smile.
That was how Yunho spent his afternoon. He discovered that Changmin had two younger sisters and was raised by his single mother. He'd moved out after university at the age of twenty-two and had gotten his masters when he turned twenty-five. He had a close circle of friends from school, from work, but rarely socialized beyond that circle. He had a big appetite and had an affinity for good cuisine. He liked to watch movies and enjoyed listening to music to relax. He displayed a kind of 'tough' love to those he cared about (Jaejoong described the way they expressed their love for each other in their 'love touches'). He was incredibly smart, studious, and serious. He hated people who took advantage of others, who were willingly ignorant and unaware. There was never a time he didn't try to help others to the best of his ability. He strove to better others and himself.
Jaejoong spun wild anecdotes of his adventures with Changmin in university; how Changmin had been his conscience as he slept and procrastinated through secondary education. He'd dragged Changmin to parties with him and Changmin oftentimes brought him back home drunk and incapacitated. In return, Jaejoong helped alleviate Changmin's intense loneliness, a problem he'd had to deal with for most of his life. Changmin was intensely independent but desired, above all else, to have people he cared about and who cared about him. All this Changmin had admitted to Jaejoong himself. Once encouraged, Jaejoong told all of it to Yunho.
By the time Yunho left, promising to return the next day with a vase to place the flowers in, he felt like he'd known Changmin all his life.
~*~*~
'Sense of deja vu here.'
Another man, a different one this time, eyed him suspiciously. Yunho was thankful it was a Sunday and he'd had no obligations (otherwise Jessica would've thrown a glare at him over her shoulder and walked out with her head held high if he'd insisted on cancelling his appointments a second time). He'd expected to find Jaejoong again, but he supposed Jaejoong had his own life to tend to.
What he didn't expect to find was another man standing guard over Changmin's door, and Yunho's attempts to pass him was met with intense scrutiny.
"Jaejoong told me about you."
"Is he...busy today?"
"He has more free time than all of us combined but he had to meet with his editor today. So I volunteered to stay."
"You're another one of Changmins' friends." He nodded. "I'm Jung Yunho," Yunho said and offered his hand.
"Park Yoochun," Yoochun said, taking it. They shook.
"You take turns staying?" Yunho asked, surprised. These were certainly some very dedicated friends.
"Just in case...something happens. Changmin's mother works and his sisters are still in school. They come in the evening to see him."
"Ah...I see." Yunho smiled uneasily. "I just came by to put the flowers I brought yesterday in here," he held up the vase.
"I'll go fill it up," Yoochun said quietly, taking it from him. "To be honest, I think the reason you gave to see Changmin was ridiculous."
"I think so too. So does my secretary," he joked but stopped when Yoochun didn't smile. "Look, Yoochun sshi, I'm not here to cause anything. I'm just...I suppose you could say I'm curious about him."
Yoochun watched him for another second before wordlessly stepping past and heading to the bathroom. Taking that as an okay to go ahead, Yunho stepped into the room and took a seat. The second time seeing the man still gave him a jolt. Changmin possessed a face that took one's breath away. It was easy for Yunho to conjure up the same mental images as last time. Except this time, he tried to imagine how Changmin would look, if he was awake and well now, to attend the interview he had offered. Would Changmin walk into the room full of confidence? Would he be talkative or quiet? Would he answer him truthfully if Yunho asked him why he'd applied for the job? Would Changmin look him in the eye?
"This is really ridiculous," he said out loud. Why was he even here? Why did it matter if Shim Changmin was in a coma, making him unable to hire him as his personal assistant? He didn't even a personal assistant. Except the more he heard about this man, the more interested he became, the more he wanted to find out more.
"You really don't have better things to do?" was the first thing Yoochun said as he came back, setting the vase down and picking up his bouquet. He began to undo the ribbon and tissue paper. "Jaejoong said you're one of the youngest CEOs to come out of the corporate world in recent years."
"He's done his research," Yunho said, shaking his head. "As hard as it is to believe, I have far too much free time. This is as good a place to spend my time as any."
Yoochun made a small noise of acknowledgement and went back to what he was doing, while Yunho turned back to Changmin. He knew Yoochun watched him but he ignored it, focusing instead on the absolute stillness with which Changmin lay. It felt inherently wrong for him to be so still - so lifeless.
He wondered how Changmin would look when he smiled.
"What would you like to know?"
"Excuse me?" He turned back to Yoochun.
Yoochun carefully placed the flowers into the vase, arranging them so that they stood in direct sunlight. "You wanted to know more about him, didn't you?"
"I thought you were suspicious of me."
"Who wouldn't be?" Yoochun pointed out. "In fact, if Changmin was aware of this, he'd be wrinkling his nose at you and asking you what the hell you thought you were doing in his room."
"Would he?"
"Oh, definitely. Then he'd shove you out but keep the door open so you wouldn't feel too bad."
Yunho laughed. "I can imagine. From what Jaejoong sshi told me."
Yoochun glanced at him. "Why are you so interested in Changmin? Is it really just because he applied for a job at your company?"
"That's exactly it."
"Well, I can't help you there. I have no idea."
"How did you meet him?" Yunho asked curiously.
"From his last job. I worked with him for a short awhile but we kept in touch," he said softly, turning his eyes towards the bed. "I was going through a rough time and he helped me out."
"It seems he likes to do that a lot," Yunho said, smiling slightly.
"He's the most infuriating person I know. But you know, one can't help but want to both punch him and protect him. He's weird like that," Yoochun said as he took a seat next to Yunho, gazing fondly at his friend. "I wish he hadn't decided to go out that night. I wasn't feeling too good and called him out for a drink. It happened after we both left. I don't know why it had to happen then, why - because of me - " he stopped, releasing a slow shaky breath. He brushed away a tear he couldn't stop quick enough.
Yunho shifted uncomfortably in his seat, reaching out awkwardly to pat Yoochun's shoulder.
"I know it's not my fault," Yoochun continued, "but it's - Jaejoong said you saw Changmin's potential after you found out what happened. He doesn't deserve this. Nobody does, but least of all, him. He should be living his life right now, not lying in a crappy hospital room with a tube in his wrist and a machine hooked up to his heart, counting down to the day his heart stops beating. It's - "
"I know," Yunho said softly and felt his own heart hurt as Yoochun glanced at him with anguish filled eyes.
Yoochun smiled. "If only because there will be one more person here to tell him he's needed here, that he's missed...I'll tell you about him."
There was a weight to those words that Yunho wasn't sure he was ready to accept - or even if he deserved to. But when Yoochun began talking after composing himself, he found himself unable to stop listening. He discovered Changmin liked chocolate but hated extremely sweet candy. Changmin hated drinking but knowing Yoochun liked drinking with someone, he'd sip an entire bottle of beer, though not without a look of absolute disgust. He liked music with powerful voices and laughed whenever Yoochun would hide behind a pillow during horror movies. Changmin would volunteer and participate in protests and take time off work to go with his mother to the doctor. He would tutor his sisters whenever they needed it and read the newspaper every day. He loved to read and often picked up many non-fiction books from the library but considered manwha his guilty pleasure.
When Yunho had to leave, it was evening and Changmin's family had arrived to visit him. He tried to edge out of the room as they greeted Yoochun but Changmin's mother swooped in before he could, grasped his hands in hers, and tearfully thanked him for coming. The sisters, tall, slim, and beautiful, smiled but didn't say anything. When he made his escape, he glanced one more time at Changmin's slumbering face and felt his heart tighten.
~*~*~
'You've got to be kidding me.'
Two weeks later found him before Changmin's hospital room once again. He'd promised himself he wouldn't go back - the more he thought about it, the dumber he felt. He really didn't have the time to visit some stranger's hospital room so often and there was really, truly no reason to keep going back. Changmin was well looked after by friends and family and he should be concentrating on finding more potential applicants for the job as his 'personal assistant.'
Except he'd resisted Jessica's efforts to post up a new job posting. And here he was, back in the hospital. This time, with another man blocking his way. The only difference was that this one didn't look about ready to punch him.
"You must be Yunho sshi," he said rather than the expected anger, and he shook Yunho's hand. "I'm Kim Junsu."
"Let me guess - another friend of Changmin sshi's?" he said with a smile. At least Junsu was nice.
"Actually," Junsu grinned broadly, "I'm his ex-boyfriend."
He gaped.
It took a second for Junsu to burst out laughing at his reaction. "Sorry! Jaejoong and Yoochun told me about you and I was curious about you so I thought I'd play a little joke. Did that scare you?"
"Well, scare wouldn't be the word I'd use," he muttered, feeling indignant.
"Have no fear, Changmin's far too busy to date. He never really mentions or thinks about that stuff." He turned and Yunho followed; both of them entered the room. The flowers were wilting, Yunho noted. "Can you believe it? Almost thirty and he's never seriously dated. I've known him since he was a toddler and he's always been such a workaholic."
"You're not going to ask me why I'm here?"
Junsu shrugged. "Why bother? It's your third time here in, what, two weeks? As dumb as your reason sounds, obviously you think it's good enough to keep coming back. It's alright," he patted Changmin's hand, "Min here needs as many friends as he can get."
"It's great that he has friends willing to stay here with him every day."
"And now, apparently, he has you." It was a loaded statement and for the first time, Yunho felt a little, well, threatened.
"What do you mean?" he asked carefully.
"I just think it's really nice of you to care so much about someone you've never met. When Changmin wakes up, I hope you'll continue to get to know him, but through him. You know what I mean?"
"Not...really."
"I mean, there's only so much you can learn about him through us, through his family. You're fascinated by his history, by whatever reason you think he has to apply to your company; maybe even by the way he looks. Each of us sees and knows him in a different way, so you may get a lot of different accounts. But if you're serious about this, you'll stick around until he wakes up." Junsu grew serious. "Get to know him your own way."
Yunho stared. "Why - " would you ask that of me?
"Because obviously I know something you don't," he shrugged and grinned. "And if you want to find out, I guess you'll have to be patient."
"So, you know why he applied," he said matter of fact, refusing to fall for whatever Junsu was implying.
"I have an inkling. I can't be certain but I'm fairly sure I'm right." Junsu turned towards Changmin, reaching over to tweak his nose. Yunho blinked several times at that. "Hey Changmin, guess who's here today again? Remember how Jaejoong and Yoochun told you about him, how he insisted to know more about you? Surprising, huh? Maybe you're right when you said this world works in strange ways."
"Junsu sshi, if you know what I want to know, please tell me."
"No," he answered without looking at him. He continued to stare only at his friend.
"Why?"
"Because it's something Changmin should tell you himself." He turned to Yunho with an apologetic smile. "But I can tell you more about him, if you'd like."
During his third visit, Yunho discovered that Changmin was scared of almost everything as a child. He'd cling to Junsu's shirt when they went to the park. He would cry when his mother left him in kindergarten. He learned how to be a big brother when his sisters were born. He spoiled them and excelled in school. He wasn't a big fan of sports but liked to watch Junsu's soccer games while taking his textbooks with him to read by the bleachers. Even while in university he tried to go to as many of Junsu's university soccer matches. He never cheered but if Junsu won, Junsu would treat him to a meal and if they lost, Changmin would pat him on the back and pay instead.
When the accident happened, Junsu had been the first by his bedside. He'd been the last to leave.
~*~*~
"The rest of the day off, Sica."
"Sir?"
"I have another errand to run."
That was code for 'I'm going to see Changmin, screw the meetings I have to go to and the contracts I have to sign.' "Yunho sshi, I..." she hesitated.
"Hm?" He turned to her as he buttoned up his jacket.
"Are you...do you realize it has been four months since you first went to see Changmin sshi? And you've gone regularly once a week since."
"Well aware of that."
She fell silent, and the bowed. "Have a good day, sir."
Returning to her desk, she pulled out the application that sat in her drawer at the exact same place every day. It was worrying, and it was almost an obsession. She picked up the phone and dialled a number.
When the man on the other line picked up, she snorted. "Ten rings, Heechul sshi. Much better than last time."
"Haven't beaten my record of twenty yet! I'm very proud of that. Now, what can I do for you, Sica dear?"
"Yunho sshi, he's..."
"Ah, is this about the poor boy in the hospital? He's feeling kind, Sica, don't worry too much. He'll be alright. Grown man, my Yunho, he can take care of himself."
"For his sake, I hope Changmin sshi wakes up soon."
"For all of our sakes. I don't think I can stand another evening of his company while listening to him sigh into a glass of perfectly good ice wine."
~*~*~
Six months since the day he'd gone to see a mysterious, faceless Shim Changmin (he could no longer say that), after numerous times of meeting either one of the three people he'd met at the hospital, or occasionally with all three, after having been invited over to the Shims to have dinner, Yunho could not deny it any longer. Doing so would be lying to himself, and Yunho never did that for long.
That was one of the reasons why Yunho found it necessary to storm into Heechul's studio slash home one day. "It's all your fault, hyung."
"What? How can I possibly have done something before you've even stepped into my - "
"I'm in love with someone I've never met."
He supposed seeing Heechul speechless for the first time in his life was one good thing he'd gotten out of this whole mess.
~*~*~
The day Changmin opened his eyes was an uneventful one.
Yunho ate a stale bagel for breakfast. He'd made it to the office in record time. He attended two meetings in the morning, cancelled a third, postponed a fourth, and complained to Jessica about feeling awful. She'd checked his temperature and declared him absolutely fit to be at work. He glowered at her silently show his great displeasure at her for speaking the truth.
In revenge, he decided to ditch for the rest of the day and head to his favourite place for the past seven and a half months. His sister's wedding was two weeks from now, he hadn't even thought about a present yet, and had been threatened with a buzz cut if he forgot this little family event. He'd retorted that she hadn't exactly gone to his university graduation either, to which she responded with a stinging exclamation that she'd been in the hospital with appendicitis and to which he'd been shut up quite spectacularly.
Finally, he'd sat in Changmin's room by himself, feeling hateful towards the rest of the world. But at least here, he could relax a bit and not worry about what present would be the least likely to piss off his little sister. He loved her, truly, but she could be an infuriating little snot. Then again, he couldn't blame her.
"Seven months," he said aloud. The silence was too deafening. He tried to imagine how Changmin would respond. Maybe 'I didn't tell you to come so often'? Or 'hey, try living your own life once in awhile'? Or 'you know, loving someone you've never even talked to really isn't a good idea'? Or maybe that was what his conscience was trying to tell him.
Jaejoong and Yoochun had gotten over their apprehension towards him long ago and he could safely call them his friends. Junsu still refused to tell him what he knew but he was okay with that.
"You'll tell me when you wake up, right?" He smiled at Changmin, but the smile slowly slipped away. "And when would that be? Who can answer that for us?" He leaned forward and for the first time (he'd never been in Changmin's room alone), he took his hand. "I wish there was a deadline. Like a time frame during which we can cry and scream about how unfair this is, as much as we want, but we're guaranteed your recovery."
"Sometimes I wonder whether, hearing all these stories about you, whether I've already mentally constructed a personality for you without ever having really met you. If you wake up, will you be the person I've been imagining all this time? I wouldn't mind if you were different, you know. I mean, it'd be nice if I could get to know you through...you." He blinked. That sounded familiar.
"You have a very scary friend in Junsu, you know that?"
He fell silent, keeping a delicate hold on Changmin's hand. He suddenly wondered whether setting up a music player in this room would be a good idea. It was too quiet, and it'd be nice for some music to be playing. "What do you think? I could bring in some CDs - " He turned to look at Changmin.
When he saw a pair of eyes blinking slowly at him, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
Instead, he stood up and leaned over him, eyes wide. "Changmin?" he said hoarsely.
Changmin coughed lightly. "I'd like that."
“What - Oh, music. I’d - I’d be happy to.”
He stared. It was hard to believe his own eyes. His vision blurred and what came out of his mouth was a harsh croak of a voice but he had to say it. "I - I'm Yunho."
A tear dropped from his eyes and trailed down the side of Changmin's cheek. He closed his eyes with a smile.
"I know."
Pairing: Yunho/Changmin
Genre: AU, drama/romance
Warnings: Basically, nothing happens. Cameos from Heechul and Jessica.
Words: 7569
Summary: While looking to hire a personal assistant, Jung Yunho finds himself visiting a hospital room every week for the next seven months.
Jung Yunho was having a terrible day.
"...and that's why you should get a personal assistant."
He blinked. "A what?"
"A personal. Assistant." His long-time friend currently also lending a helpful ear said slowly, as if the thirty-three year old CEO had the comprehension skills of a child.
"No. And you know how I feel about that, hyung."
"Yes yes, privacy issues and feeling uncomfortable with having what is essentially a manservant (that's in your words, by the way). Now, a personal assistant doesn't just pick your clothes and suck your cock, as you have apparently been led to believe - " Heechul grinned gleefully at Yunho's flabbergasted expression and resisted the urge to wiggle his fingers together to personify the very image of a scheming best friend, "they actually, you know, legitimately act as secretary and manage aspects of your life while you live it. Necessary for those who simply don't have the time to do it themselves."
He rubbed his temple. "It's not that I don't have the time - "
"Yunho. You know I love you. But I think the fact that last week, you forgot your sister's engagement party after repeated reminders from me and your parents, you know, says something about your time management lately."
"I didn't forget - "
"A meeting with a couple of businessmen who couldn't possibly wait until this week to kiss your ass? You forgot, Jung. Stop trying to make excuses." Heechul sniffed and crossed his arms. "Your secretary has the résumés for that job posting your company put in the newspaper two months ago. Try going through those."
"Job posting?"
"For, and I quote, 'a position with secretarial and managerial duties under CEO Jung Yunho.' I told Sica to put it up," Heechul smirked. "She's sick of watching your life crumble around your ears too."
"I hired her to make appointments and answer calls, not worry about my personal life," Yunho grumbled, taking a sip from the coffee he'd ordered. The serious and highly professional young woman he'd hired as his secretary had been a definite asset to his team but overstepped her boundaries far too often. She'd given him the most stern look he'd ever received from her after discovering he'd forgotten about his sister's -
"So maybe you're not entirely wrong," he said quietly, sighing. "I didn't mean to - I mean, there's so much to do - "
Heechul simply rolled his eyes and set his chin on his hand daintily, gazing at his friend. "Doesn't mean you have to give up on everything else. And when you're as rich as you are, what you can't do, you hire someone else to do it for you. It's a legitimate job. You did receive over twenty résumés you know. Just look through them and see if you find anyone qualified. You never know."
He eyed him doubtfully. "I'm still not entirely comfortable with the idea of a personal assistant but I suppose...I could give it a try." His sister's engagement party had been the last straw, he had to admit. Currently both his sister and his future brother-in-law (a business associate he'd been close to and had introduced to his sister) gave him the cold shoulder at every opportunity. Family dinner was torture. He was glad he had his own apartment in the downtown core of Seoul but going home for dinner once a week was an obligation he couldn't avoid. Now, evading her dirty looks made it even worse.
"That's what I like to hear," Heechul sat back in his seat, satisfied.
"How about you?"
"What about me?"
"You own several stores in the fashion district and you yourself work for some of the biggest entertainment acts as a top stylist - how do you find the time to - "
"Live my life? Here's where we differ, Jung - I don't have any family obligations and I, unlike you, do not have 'appeasing people' as a part of my job description. In fact, it's my job to make people cry because of the utterly despicable way they dress. No pressure to be at one place at any given time. And if anyone tried to add some order into my life, I might just spontaneously combust. Then you'd be short one best friend and it'd be a shame if this world lost as beautiful a person as me."
He stared. "Still the same as ever, hyung."
"What ever could you be talking about?" Heechul flicked a wayward strand of bleached red hair from his eyes and smiled sweetly, "By the way, it's almost one."
"Oh shi - " he grabbed his suitcase and pulled his jacket off from the seat. "I'll see you then, hyung."
"Hmm. Don't forget to look at the rés - "
Heechul sighed as Yunho disappeared through the double doors of the restaurant they met up at once a month. Heechul had made Yunho promise to after Yunho had gotten himself stuck in bed for a week for exhaustion. Jung Yunho spent far too much time in his office even though he lived in a high-rise apartment building in one of the richest districts of Seoul. And Heechul considered it a waste of space to have such a beautiful home and not have anyone to live in it with him.
'Of course a personal assistant isn't exactly a convenient fuck buddy', Heechul thought as he stirred his own cup of coffee, but they made perfectly good potentials to set up your workaholic best friend with.
~*~*~
Two weeks after his encounter with Heechul, Yunho looked up from the numerous contracts he was reading over when a stack of papers fluttered as they landed on his desk. He looked up further and saw bleached brown hair, impeccably tied up and curled, cold eyes and pinched lips, with a pair of red frames perched daintily on a perfectly shaped nose. Dressed in a white blouse and a black pencil skirt, Jessica Jung looked every bit as formidable and beautiful as her reputation dictated. She was a fearsome presence known throughout every floor of his administrative building.
"Heechul sshi requested these be placed in a conspicuous place but apparently your desk wasn't obvious enough." Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms, glaring accusingly at him.
He blinked. "You never put it on my desk - "
"I did. I found them yesterday under three folders from human resources and one from advertising."
"Oh." Yunho smiled sheepishly, setting aside his pen and slipping off his glasses. "I'm sorry about that. Are those - "
"The résumés Heechul sshi said you requested?"
"...Yes. The résumés."
"He informed me that the hiring of a personal assistant was imminent and that it would be good for me to return to the actual duties I'm being paid to do."
Yunho frowned, confused. "What have you been doing?"
"Ordering flowers to your sister for your unannounced disappearance from her engagement party, picking up your suit for the party next week, fending off calls from your admirers, handling the press for your recent escapades - "
"Escapades?"
"Three months ago your ex-girlfriend showed up drunk at your office and had to be escorted out by security. She has been talking to the press regarding your sordid love affairs ever since."
"What?"
"I've been issuing statements and you're now in the process of suing her for defamation of your character and therefore putting your company in danger of loss of profit - although you may not be aware of it. And that's just the beginning. May I remind you, Yunho sshi, that I signed a contract for a job as your secretary, not your caretaker, attorney, or public spokesperson?"
Suddenly, Yunho felt very bad about what he'd said to Heechul regarding Jessica's purpose in his company. "I don't suppose you'd want to take on the job of - "
"Babysitting a brilliant businessman well on his way to the top of the corporate world but utterly incapable of keeping his life together and out of the press? God, no."
"Thanks, Sica," he grumbled, arranging the résumés on his desk into a neat pile in front of him.
"You're welcome." For the first time, she smiled. "I don't suppose you would mind if I were to state my opinion on this matter, sir?"
"Go ahead, it's not like I can stop you." 'No wonder it was Heechul who introduced her to this job.'
"Hiring a personal assistant will be good for you."
"And why is that? Someone paid to know every little aspect of my life - "
"So that you can live it in the best possible way. That person may potentially know everything about you but only as much as you allow him or her to."
"But - "
"Besides, they will do what I have been trying to do for the past few months. It was only after you bought out several international companies that you became far too busy to manage your own life. And," she pointed out, "you didn't even know I've been doing all that until today. I assume it will be the same once you have hired the person of your liking." Jessica gestured towards the résumés.
"But the job posting was two months ago. What if all the people here have already been hired elsewhere?"
"Give me the ones you approve of and I'll call. If none of them are available, I'll post another."
He sighed loudly. "No excuse is going to work, is it, Sica?"
She eyed him before she turned to exit the room. "You should know the answer to that by now. Good day, sir."
He waited until the door softly fell shut before turning to the papers with a smile. Jessica had been working as a salesperson in one of Heechul's stores after graduating from college with a degree in business administration. One fateful day, Jessica had been sent to Heechul's studio with the latest sales figures. One glance at Heechul's terrible calculations had sent Jessica into a frenzy where she corrected, categorized, and filed every single receipt and record of sales. Three days later, he'd introduced her to Jung Yunho, whose latest secretary had quit after declaring his workday absolutely horrendous to organize into a workable schedule. Three years later, she worked as his main secretary and oversaw every administrative decision made.
Still. Yunho eyed the first page. The idea of having a personal assistant still didn't appeal to him. He knew most people in his position had one but to admit he couldn't even tend to his own life and had to have someone hold his hand made him frustrated. But he couldn't ignore the evidence. One more family obligation forgotten and his sister would probably have his head.
Within the next twenty minutes, he quickly skimmed at least fifteen résumés. There was a woman with a music degree from overseas and another with a law degree. Then there was a young man in his late twenties with an extensive history of activist and volunteer work, as well as having been involved in several research opportunities abroad through his fairly acclaimed university. He'd finished his master’s degree in history and had worked in mainly the social work sector.
So what was such a bright young man with a history of helping others doing applying to a job such as this one?
Yunho tried to recall what Heechul had put as the job description. 'Secretarial and managerial duties under CEO Jung Yunho.' Did that come off as a job description as a personal assistant? He knew that he was a well-known figure in the business world, was considered a young and promising bachelor by women, which was the reason he assumed was why he received so many female applicants. But for someone who had been engaged in - he glanced at the résumé - the protest a year ago for better work benefits and salaries for irregular workers from a rival company of Yunho's, the choice to apply to this position was an odd one.
He looked beneath the sheet he was looking at and was dismayed to find there were at least ten more. Glancing at the name on the top of the paper he held, he paged Jessica from her desk outside his office.
"Sir?"
"I've chosen a potential candidate. Would you give him a call for me to set up an interview? For next week, perhaps?"
"Of course. His name?"
"How - "
"I photocopied all of them in case you lost the ones you have now."
He laughed. "His name is Shim Changmin. Thanks, Sica."
"Anytime."
~*~*~
During the next few days, Yunho found his mind rolling that name around and around. Sometimes he even said it out loud thoughtfully, when he was alone in his office. He looked up that name and found two articles that mentioned a Shim Changmin in relation to a fundraiser for a nonprofits organization and the protest a year ago. There was no picture attached to those articles. Sometimes he would read over the application and résumé again whenever he had a slight break during his busy day. By the end of the week, he was almost eager to meet this faceless person occupying his thoughts so often. It was a curiosity towards a stranger he rarely ever possessed, but when he did, it made him all the more determined to meet him.
That was why when Jessica stepped into his office without warning with an inexplicably sad look, he'd been surprised. He was shocked at the words that came out of her mouth.
"He's what?" Yunho couldn't quite believe it.
Jessica gave a little sigh. "He's comatose," she repeated.
He sat back, eyes wide. "Since when?"
"When I called the number he provided, his mother picked up. Apparently he was in a car accident and received serious injuries to his head and slipped into a coma about a month ago. There have been no signs of him waking up from it."
"A...coma." He rubbed the back of his head, glancing at her uncertainly. What were the chances that the one résumé that had attracted his attention belonged to a man now lying on a hospital bed? "What hospital is he staying at?" She told him and then eyed him with curiosity. He shrugged. "No reason. His application was the only one that interested me."
"Well, since Changmin sshi appears to be incapacitated, there doesn't seem to be any chance of him attending any kind of interview anytime soon," she said carefully, knowing full well that if Yunho's choice didn't work out, he would rather give up on the idea then find other alternatives. Especially one that concerned his personal life.
Strangely, he felt sad. "He seemed to have a lot of potential."
"Yes," she said softly, glancing at the paper in her hand. She held his application.
He looked back at the proposal he'd been looking at before Jessica had stepped in. After a small period of silence during which he knew Jessica watched him with razor sharp eyes, he finally spoke up. "Did hyung explicitly say in the posting that they would be applying to be my personal assistant?"
"Something to that effect. He made it obvious, but didn't exactly put the words 'personal assistant' in the description."
"An activist with a masters degree. Why do you think he would apply to this kind of job?"
"Why would a musician or a lawyer apply? The question can be asked regarding numerous of the applicants."
"But he'd be working for what he hates. Against everything he stands for. I'm the epitome of large corporations working to the disadvantage of average, working people. And yet he included his activist work in his résumé, knowing full well I would never hire someone with such a large potential of causing havoc here." He spun the pen in his hand thoughtfully.
"You're far from being a corrupted business mogul, Yunho sshi. Don't get too arrogant," she responded, sarcasm laced in her words.
He grinned. "Thanks. Still, I'm curious about him. It's a shame."
"What will you do, then? Should I make another job posting or will you give those applicants another chance?" She winced at the thought of Heechul really letting her have it if all his hard work in convincing Yunho to even look at those résumés was for naught. Not that she'd take it sitting down, but it would certainly be an inconvenience for her.
Yunho shook his head and stood up, stepping out from behind his desk to grab his jacket hanging from the hanger by the window. "No need. In fact, you can throw them out."
"Sir?" Her panic must've shown on her face because Yunho laughed.
"Cancel the rest of my appointments for the day. I have an errand to run."
Jessica blinked in response but she had a slight idea as to what that errand could be. Maybe it wasn't a complete waste of both her and Heechul's time. But still...Shim Changmin was in a coma. That didn't provide much opportunity for anything. "I don't suppose you'd like flowers to take along with you to that errand?"
He threw her a sardonic grin. "That would be a good idea, yes."
"I'll make arrangements."
~*~*~
'Well, Jung, you've certainly dug a magnificent hole for yourself.'
"So tell me again, who are you?" Almond shaped eyes narrowed and he instantly felt defensive.
"Jung Yunho. As I've said - "
"I meant, how do you know Changmin? And why did it take you a month to visit, you dipshit?"
He nearly took a step back at the hostility. The shock must've been obvious because the other man, dark haired and pale with big eyes, instantly looked a little guilty. "I - ah, that is to say, I don't personally know Changmin sshi. He submitted an application for a job posting at my company about two months ago and my secretary called to offer an interview but was informed by his mother that he was in a coma." It took him about two seconds to realize how ridiculous the story was.
Apparently, the other man had similar thoughts and was staring at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Go on."
"And, um, I was interested in his reasons for applying for the job and his application interested me, so...here I am?" he said weakly, the small bouquet he held falling to his side.
The man still stared at him. "Are you sure you shouldn't be lying in a hospital bed yourself? What kind of employer would personally see an applicant he's never met?"
Yunho handed him a business card. "Apparently, someone like me."
"You're nuts." He glanced down and his eyes widened. "A rich nut, but a nut nonetheless."
"Who are you to Changmin sshi?" He asked curiously.
"I'm Jaejoong and a sunbae from university. Known the idiot for way too long," Jaejoong pocketed the card and gestured for him to sit on one of the uncomfortable plastic seats lining the wall. Yunho sat. "So. You're Yunho, huh?"
"...Yes." He frowned. Now he really wasn't sure what he was doing here. The idea of seeing Changmin, perhaps just to have a face to match the person he'd read about, had been enticing. He still felt this tragedy to be a terrible shame. "I believe I've said that already."
"Why would you be interested in Changmin just because of that though?"
"Why shouldn't I be? He's an activist with a degree in history trying to find a job at one of the biggest corporations in Korea. It makes no sense."
Jaejoong shrugged. "Changmin thinks in strange ways. He quit his job and applied to a lot of different positions before he got into the accident - " here, his eyes became sad, " - but that still doesn't explain why you're here."
"Why did he quit his job?"
Jaejoong threw him a sharp look. "Not that it's any of your business. He just wasn't happy working there. He didn't like it much."
Yunho smiled slightly hesitantly. "It must be strange for you to talk about him to someone with such an odd motive."
"Not strange - ridiculous. I should kick you out for having such a stupid reason."
He laughed. "I'm very thankful you haven't done so yet."
"What are you trying to get out of coming here anyway? It's - not as if - " Jaejoong glanced behind him, at the closed door, and then turned back to Yunho, "he can tell you the reason why he applied, himself," he whispered hoarsely, frowning hard.
Yunho shook his head. "I don't know. It was kind of an impulsive decision." He looked at the flowers in his head. "I wanted to see him for myself. He had so much potential - "
"Has."
He smiled. "Yes, you're right. Has. And if I were going to hire anyone, it would've been him. He had the most interesting résumé. It actually made me want to meet him, in a way."
"Changmin's like that," Jaejoong agreed, smiling at some faraway memory. "He's single-minded and determined, does whatever he wants. Does everything his own way and never listens to anyone with reason. He acts like the biggest jerk but he loves helping others, to the point of putting himself in harms way. That idiot." He sniffed loudly.
Yunho remembered that article about the protest, about how it had become violent and numerous protesters had had to go to the hospital for treatment. "How did it happen?"
"What?"
"The...accident. If you don't mind me asking."
Jaejoong's jaw tightened and his eyes flashed angrily. "Hit and run. He was lucky to still be alive."
"I'm - "
He waved a hand. "I know you are, everyone is. Doesn't help, won't make him open his eyes. You want a drink?" He stood up.
Yunho looked at him. "A drink?"
"A coffee or something? There's a machine down the hall. Unless you're leaving now?"
"I - no. I mean, sure, a drink would be nice."
After a couple minutes of being left alone to stare at the plaster peeling from the wall in front of him, Jaejoong came back with two steaming cups. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
Jaejoong looked at him strangely. "Didn't you say you came to see Changmin?"
He stood up quickly and almost knocked the cups out of the other man's hand. "Oh! Sorry, here," he took one from him, "I thought you weren't going to let me see him, Jaejoong sshi."
"He - " Jaejoong suddenly clammed up, looking almost guilty. Instead, he shook his head and gestured for Yunho to follow. With his bouquet of flowers, he stepped into the hospital room for the first time.
It was a plain room, with the same peeling plaster. The window let in bright sunshine into half of the room and the rest fell in shadow. Several plastic chairs sat beside the desk and a cabinet next to the bed had only a plastic frame displaying what looked like a family photo. Finally, his gaze strayed towards the person in the bed and he stared, his breath caught.
Shim Changmin was a handsome man, he noted almost immediately. High cheekbones, a defined jaw, bow shaped lips adorned a face seemingly asleep. He looked too young to be lying there. Yunho tried to imagine this man staring defiantly up at riot police, a determination hardening his eyes and a firm set to his mouth. Then he imagined Shim Changmin impeccably dressed in a suit, his slightly long hair styled, leaning over Yunho as he stood by his desk.
"Doesn't it look like he's just sleeping? Like he's taking a nap," Jaejoong said softly, moving to stand beside him. Yunho placed the bouquet onto the table over the bed and took a sip from his coffee shakily, eyes blinking at the images that had worked themselves into his mind and was now refusing to go away.
"Too young," he said softly, and Jaejoong nodded.
They both moved to take a seat by Changmin's bed. Once they'd both settled, Jaejoong took Changmin's immobile hand and Yunho pretended not to notice.
"Would you tell me about him, Jaejoong sshi?" Yunho asked politely. Jaejoong didn't answer but continued to gaze at his friend's face with furrowed brows, as if he was trying not to cry. "I know I'm essentially a stranger, but - "
"I will. Because Changmin has many wonderful stories to tell and they deserve to be told. Even if the audience is some weirdo who came to visit him because of his résumé, of all things," he grinned at Yunho, who shrugged back with a smile.
That was how Yunho spent his afternoon. He discovered that Changmin had two younger sisters and was raised by his single mother. He'd moved out after university at the age of twenty-two and had gotten his masters when he turned twenty-five. He had a close circle of friends from school, from work, but rarely socialized beyond that circle. He had a big appetite and had an affinity for good cuisine. He liked to watch movies and enjoyed listening to music to relax. He displayed a kind of 'tough' love to those he cared about (Jaejoong described the way they expressed their love for each other in their 'love touches'). He was incredibly smart, studious, and serious. He hated people who took advantage of others, who were willingly ignorant and unaware. There was never a time he didn't try to help others to the best of his ability. He strove to better others and himself.
Jaejoong spun wild anecdotes of his adventures with Changmin in university; how Changmin had been his conscience as he slept and procrastinated through secondary education. He'd dragged Changmin to parties with him and Changmin oftentimes brought him back home drunk and incapacitated. In return, Jaejoong helped alleviate Changmin's intense loneliness, a problem he'd had to deal with for most of his life. Changmin was intensely independent but desired, above all else, to have people he cared about and who cared about him. All this Changmin had admitted to Jaejoong himself. Once encouraged, Jaejoong told all of it to Yunho.
By the time Yunho left, promising to return the next day with a vase to place the flowers in, he felt like he'd known Changmin all his life.
~*~*~
'Sense of deja vu here.'
Another man, a different one this time, eyed him suspiciously. Yunho was thankful it was a Sunday and he'd had no obligations (otherwise Jessica would've thrown a glare at him over her shoulder and walked out with her head held high if he'd insisted on cancelling his appointments a second time). He'd expected to find Jaejoong again, but he supposed Jaejoong had his own life to tend to.
What he didn't expect to find was another man standing guard over Changmin's door, and Yunho's attempts to pass him was met with intense scrutiny.
"Jaejoong told me about you."
"Is he...busy today?"
"He has more free time than all of us combined but he had to meet with his editor today. So I volunteered to stay."
"You're another one of Changmins' friends." He nodded. "I'm Jung Yunho," Yunho said and offered his hand.
"Park Yoochun," Yoochun said, taking it. They shook.
"You take turns staying?" Yunho asked, surprised. These were certainly some very dedicated friends.
"Just in case...something happens. Changmin's mother works and his sisters are still in school. They come in the evening to see him."
"Ah...I see." Yunho smiled uneasily. "I just came by to put the flowers I brought yesterday in here," he held up the vase.
"I'll go fill it up," Yoochun said quietly, taking it from him. "To be honest, I think the reason you gave to see Changmin was ridiculous."
"I think so too. So does my secretary," he joked but stopped when Yoochun didn't smile. "Look, Yoochun sshi, I'm not here to cause anything. I'm just...I suppose you could say I'm curious about him."
Yoochun watched him for another second before wordlessly stepping past and heading to the bathroom. Taking that as an okay to go ahead, Yunho stepped into the room and took a seat. The second time seeing the man still gave him a jolt. Changmin possessed a face that took one's breath away. It was easy for Yunho to conjure up the same mental images as last time. Except this time, he tried to imagine how Changmin would look, if he was awake and well now, to attend the interview he had offered. Would Changmin walk into the room full of confidence? Would he be talkative or quiet? Would he answer him truthfully if Yunho asked him why he'd applied for the job? Would Changmin look him in the eye?
"This is really ridiculous," he said out loud. Why was he even here? Why did it matter if Shim Changmin was in a coma, making him unable to hire him as his personal assistant? He didn't even a personal assistant. Except the more he heard about this man, the more interested he became, the more he wanted to find out more.
"You really don't have better things to do?" was the first thing Yoochun said as he came back, setting the vase down and picking up his bouquet. He began to undo the ribbon and tissue paper. "Jaejoong said you're one of the youngest CEOs to come out of the corporate world in recent years."
"He's done his research," Yunho said, shaking his head. "As hard as it is to believe, I have far too much free time. This is as good a place to spend my time as any."
Yoochun made a small noise of acknowledgement and went back to what he was doing, while Yunho turned back to Changmin. He knew Yoochun watched him but he ignored it, focusing instead on the absolute stillness with which Changmin lay. It felt inherently wrong for him to be so still - so lifeless.
He wondered how Changmin would look when he smiled.
"What would you like to know?"
"Excuse me?" He turned back to Yoochun.
Yoochun carefully placed the flowers into the vase, arranging them so that they stood in direct sunlight. "You wanted to know more about him, didn't you?"
"I thought you were suspicious of me."
"Who wouldn't be?" Yoochun pointed out. "In fact, if Changmin was aware of this, he'd be wrinkling his nose at you and asking you what the hell you thought you were doing in his room."
"Would he?"
"Oh, definitely. Then he'd shove you out but keep the door open so you wouldn't feel too bad."
Yunho laughed. "I can imagine. From what Jaejoong sshi told me."
Yoochun glanced at him. "Why are you so interested in Changmin? Is it really just because he applied for a job at your company?"
"That's exactly it."
"Well, I can't help you there. I have no idea."
"How did you meet him?" Yunho asked curiously.
"From his last job. I worked with him for a short awhile but we kept in touch," he said softly, turning his eyes towards the bed. "I was going through a rough time and he helped me out."
"It seems he likes to do that a lot," Yunho said, smiling slightly.
"He's the most infuriating person I know. But you know, one can't help but want to both punch him and protect him. He's weird like that," Yoochun said as he took a seat next to Yunho, gazing fondly at his friend. "I wish he hadn't decided to go out that night. I wasn't feeling too good and called him out for a drink. It happened after we both left. I don't know why it had to happen then, why - because of me - " he stopped, releasing a slow shaky breath. He brushed away a tear he couldn't stop quick enough.
Yunho shifted uncomfortably in his seat, reaching out awkwardly to pat Yoochun's shoulder.
"I know it's not my fault," Yoochun continued, "but it's - Jaejoong said you saw Changmin's potential after you found out what happened. He doesn't deserve this. Nobody does, but least of all, him. He should be living his life right now, not lying in a crappy hospital room with a tube in his wrist and a machine hooked up to his heart, counting down to the day his heart stops beating. It's - "
"I know," Yunho said softly and felt his own heart hurt as Yoochun glanced at him with anguish filled eyes.
Yoochun smiled. "If only because there will be one more person here to tell him he's needed here, that he's missed...I'll tell you about him."
There was a weight to those words that Yunho wasn't sure he was ready to accept - or even if he deserved to. But when Yoochun began talking after composing himself, he found himself unable to stop listening. He discovered Changmin liked chocolate but hated extremely sweet candy. Changmin hated drinking but knowing Yoochun liked drinking with someone, he'd sip an entire bottle of beer, though not without a look of absolute disgust. He liked music with powerful voices and laughed whenever Yoochun would hide behind a pillow during horror movies. Changmin would volunteer and participate in protests and take time off work to go with his mother to the doctor. He would tutor his sisters whenever they needed it and read the newspaper every day. He loved to read and often picked up many non-fiction books from the library but considered manwha his guilty pleasure.
When Yunho had to leave, it was evening and Changmin's family had arrived to visit him. He tried to edge out of the room as they greeted Yoochun but Changmin's mother swooped in before he could, grasped his hands in hers, and tearfully thanked him for coming. The sisters, tall, slim, and beautiful, smiled but didn't say anything. When he made his escape, he glanced one more time at Changmin's slumbering face and felt his heart tighten.
~*~*~
'You've got to be kidding me.'
Two weeks later found him before Changmin's hospital room once again. He'd promised himself he wouldn't go back - the more he thought about it, the dumber he felt. He really didn't have the time to visit some stranger's hospital room so often and there was really, truly no reason to keep going back. Changmin was well looked after by friends and family and he should be concentrating on finding more potential applicants for the job as his 'personal assistant.'
Except he'd resisted Jessica's efforts to post up a new job posting. And here he was, back in the hospital. This time, with another man blocking his way. The only difference was that this one didn't look about ready to punch him.
"You must be Yunho sshi," he said rather than the expected anger, and he shook Yunho's hand. "I'm Kim Junsu."
"Let me guess - another friend of Changmin sshi's?" he said with a smile. At least Junsu was nice.
"Actually," Junsu grinned broadly, "I'm his ex-boyfriend."
He gaped.
It took a second for Junsu to burst out laughing at his reaction. "Sorry! Jaejoong and Yoochun told me about you and I was curious about you so I thought I'd play a little joke. Did that scare you?"
"Well, scare wouldn't be the word I'd use," he muttered, feeling indignant.
"Have no fear, Changmin's far too busy to date. He never really mentions or thinks about that stuff." He turned and Yunho followed; both of them entered the room. The flowers were wilting, Yunho noted. "Can you believe it? Almost thirty and he's never seriously dated. I've known him since he was a toddler and he's always been such a workaholic."
"You're not going to ask me why I'm here?"
Junsu shrugged. "Why bother? It's your third time here in, what, two weeks? As dumb as your reason sounds, obviously you think it's good enough to keep coming back. It's alright," he patted Changmin's hand, "Min here needs as many friends as he can get."
"It's great that he has friends willing to stay here with him every day."
"And now, apparently, he has you." It was a loaded statement and for the first time, Yunho felt a little, well, threatened.
"What do you mean?" he asked carefully.
"I just think it's really nice of you to care so much about someone you've never met. When Changmin wakes up, I hope you'll continue to get to know him, but through him. You know what I mean?"
"Not...really."
"I mean, there's only so much you can learn about him through us, through his family. You're fascinated by his history, by whatever reason you think he has to apply to your company; maybe even by the way he looks. Each of us sees and knows him in a different way, so you may get a lot of different accounts. But if you're serious about this, you'll stick around until he wakes up." Junsu grew serious. "Get to know him your own way."
Yunho stared. "Why - " would you ask that of me?
"Because obviously I know something you don't," he shrugged and grinned. "And if you want to find out, I guess you'll have to be patient."
"So, you know why he applied," he said matter of fact, refusing to fall for whatever Junsu was implying.
"I have an inkling. I can't be certain but I'm fairly sure I'm right." Junsu turned towards Changmin, reaching over to tweak his nose. Yunho blinked several times at that. "Hey Changmin, guess who's here today again? Remember how Jaejoong and Yoochun told you about him, how he insisted to know more about you? Surprising, huh? Maybe you're right when you said this world works in strange ways."
"Junsu sshi, if you know what I want to know, please tell me."
"No," he answered without looking at him. He continued to stare only at his friend.
"Why?"
"Because it's something Changmin should tell you himself." He turned to Yunho with an apologetic smile. "But I can tell you more about him, if you'd like."
During his third visit, Yunho discovered that Changmin was scared of almost everything as a child. He'd cling to Junsu's shirt when they went to the park. He would cry when his mother left him in kindergarten. He learned how to be a big brother when his sisters were born. He spoiled them and excelled in school. He wasn't a big fan of sports but liked to watch Junsu's soccer games while taking his textbooks with him to read by the bleachers. Even while in university he tried to go to as many of Junsu's university soccer matches. He never cheered but if Junsu won, Junsu would treat him to a meal and if they lost, Changmin would pat him on the back and pay instead.
When the accident happened, Junsu had been the first by his bedside. He'd been the last to leave.
~*~*~
"The rest of the day off, Sica."
"Sir?"
"I have another errand to run."
That was code for 'I'm going to see Changmin, screw the meetings I have to go to and the contracts I have to sign.' "Yunho sshi, I..." she hesitated.
"Hm?" He turned to her as he buttoned up his jacket.
"Are you...do you realize it has been four months since you first went to see Changmin sshi? And you've gone regularly once a week since."
"Well aware of that."
She fell silent, and the bowed. "Have a good day, sir."
Returning to her desk, she pulled out the application that sat in her drawer at the exact same place every day. It was worrying, and it was almost an obsession. She picked up the phone and dialled a number.
When the man on the other line picked up, she snorted. "Ten rings, Heechul sshi. Much better than last time."
"Haven't beaten my record of twenty yet! I'm very proud of that. Now, what can I do for you, Sica dear?"
"Yunho sshi, he's..."
"Ah, is this about the poor boy in the hospital? He's feeling kind, Sica, don't worry too much. He'll be alright. Grown man, my Yunho, he can take care of himself."
"For his sake, I hope Changmin sshi wakes up soon."
"For all of our sakes. I don't think I can stand another evening of his company while listening to him sigh into a glass of perfectly good ice wine."
~*~*~
Six months since the day he'd gone to see a mysterious, faceless Shim Changmin (he could no longer say that), after numerous times of meeting either one of the three people he'd met at the hospital, or occasionally with all three, after having been invited over to the Shims to have dinner, Yunho could not deny it any longer. Doing so would be lying to himself, and Yunho never did that for long.
That was one of the reasons why Yunho found it necessary to storm into Heechul's studio slash home one day. "It's all your fault, hyung."
"What? How can I possibly have done something before you've even stepped into my - "
"I'm in love with someone I've never met."
He supposed seeing Heechul speechless for the first time in his life was one good thing he'd gotten out of this whole mess.
~*~*~
The day Changmin opened his eyes was an uneventful one.
Yunho ate a stale bagel for breakfast. He'd made it to the office in record time. He attended two meetings in the morning, cancelled a third, postponed a fourth, and complained to Jessica about feeling awful. She'd checked his temperature and declared him absolutely fit to be at work. He glowered at her silently show his great displeasure at her for speaking the truth.
In revenge, he decided to ditch for the rest of the day and head to his favourite place for the past seven and a half months. His sister's wedding was two weeks from now, he hadn't even thought about a present yet, and had been threatened with a buzz cut if he forgot this little family event. He'd retorted that she hadn't exactly gone to his university graduation either, to which she responded with a stinging exclamation that she'd been in the hospital with appendicitis and to which he'd been shut up quite spectacularly.
Finally, he'd sat in Changmin's room by himself, feeling hateful towards the rest of the world. But at least here, he could relax a bit and not worry about what present would be the least likely to piss off his little sister. He loved her, truly, but she could be an infuriating little snot. Then again, he couldn't blame her.
"Seven months," he said aloud. The silence was too deafening. He tried to imagine how Changmin would respond. Maybe 'I didn't tell you to come so often'? Or 'hey, try living your own life once in awhile'? Or 'you know, loving someone you've never even talked to really isn't a good idea'? Or maybe that was what his conscience was trying to tell him.
Jaejoong and Yoochun had gotten over their apprehension towards him long ago and he could safely call them his friends. Junsu still refused to tell him what he knew but he was okay with that.
"You'll tell me when you wake up, right?" He smiled at Changmin, but the smile slowly slipped away. "And when would that be? Who can answer that for us?" He leaned forward and for the first time (he'd never been in Changmin's room alone), he took his hand. "I wish there was a deadline. Like a time frame during which we can cry and scream about how unfair this is, as much as we want, but we're guaranteed your recovery."
"Sometimes I wonder whether, hearing all these stories about you, whether I've already mentally constructed a personality for you without ever having really met you. If you wake up, will you be the person I've been imagining all this time? I wouldn't mind if you were different, you know. I mean, it'd be nice if I could get to know you through...you." He blinked. That sounded familiar.
"You have a very scary friend in Junsu, you know that?"
He fell silent, keeping a delicate hold on Changmin's hand. He suddenly wondered whether setting up a music player in this room would be a good idea. It was too quiet, and it'd be nice for some music to be playing. "What do you think? I could bring in some CDs - " He turned to look at Changmin.
When he saw a pair of eyes blinking slowly at him, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
Instead, he stood up and leaned over him, eyes wide. "Changmin?" he said hoarsely.
Changmin coughed lightly. "I'd like that."
“What - Oh, music. I’d - I’d be happy to.”
He stared. It was hard to believe his own eyes. His vision blurred and what came out of his mouth was a harsh croak of a voice but he had to say it. "I - I'm Yunho."
A tear dropped from his eyes and trailed down the side of Changmin's cheek. He closed his eyes with a smile.
"I know."