Falling For You chapter11
beta-ed by moon1084
Yunho eyed the lady before him, his anger rising at the sight of her. "Hye Sook-shii, can I help you with something?" He ground out. His eyes narrowed at the woman as she glanced behind him, her eyes settling on someone there behind him.
Yunho didn't have to look behind him to know who she was looking at, for Jaejoong was standing right behind him.
"I have come to talk to Jaejoong-shii, if he will see me." The woman spoke clearly, but a begging tone could be heard in her voice.
"No." Yunho snapped out, he was sure that Jae wouldn't want to speak with anyone from that family at the moment.
Hye Sook looked gently at Jaejoong, "Please, just hear me out. That's all I ask."
Yunho was shaking his head no when he heard the soft, small voice speak up from behind him.
"Yunho, let her in." His voice was soft but held an authoritative tone. A tone of voice that said he wouldn't be telling him twice.
Yunho turned to face Jaejoong, his face showing his shock, "Jaejoong, maybe you could speak with her on another day. Today you-"
Yunho was stopped by Jaejoong's hand on his arm.
"It's alright Yunho. Let her in."
Yunho took a deep breath before nodding. He turned to Hye Sook,
"Please come in. We'll go to the parlor."
Yunho turned to Yoochun, who was standing by with Junsu, watching the scene..
"Yoochun, could you lead Ms. Choi to the parlor? Jae and I will be there shortly."
Yunho nodded his head in gratitude when Yoochun agreed and the trio left the foyer, leaving Yunho and Jae alone.
The older one turned to the younger one still wondering why he had agreed to see the woman.
It was as if Jaejoong could read his mind, "We should be respectful to her Yun. She is the one that Seung Chu loves. Anyways, we should hear what she has to say. Not only that, we have to remember that she isn't her grandson."
Still not wanting Jaejoong to talk with the woman, Yunho breathed deeply before nodding his head. He didn't agree, but Jaejoong wasn't changing his mind about talking to her. Seung Chu was right about one thing; Jaejoong was stubborn when it came to something that he wanted.
Yunho followed Jaejoong into the parlor, noticing that Changmin and Kibum had joined them. Yunho took a seat beside Jaejoong when he sat on the loveseat. Yunho inched in closer to Jaejoong and slid his hand into the smaller hand lying between their legs.
He stayed quiet as Jaejoong motioned for Hye Sook to talk as she pleased.
Everyone was shocked when the older lady came to her feet, walking over to stand in front of Jaejoong and Yunho.
Her eyes had filled with tears, as she took hold of Jaejoong's hand, tears wetting her pale cheeks, "Please, I beg of you. Forgive my family." The small plea was uttered.
Sharp intakes of breath was breathed in as she knelt down before Jaejoong and Yunho on her knees, her forehead touching the floor, mere inches from Jaejoong's sock covered feet. The elder woman bowed before the offended couple time and time again, before Jaejoong leaned forward and gently took her by the shoulders.
To him, even though it was her grandson that had done the wrong, he felt like Hye Sook shouldn't be bowing down to him. He shook his head at the woman, but before he said a word, she had rushed on.
"Please, I didn't know what Hong Gi was going to do. I already talked to the newspaper; they will print a retraction and an apology. They promised to explain all that said was based off of false information. And I promise you, Hong Gi will serve the maximum sentence for the injustice that he had put upon you and your family. I will see to that myself. Please forgive me, forgive my family, I beg you."
Jaejoong still had his hands on Hye Sook shaking shoulders. He felt pity for the woman; she had been shocked by her grandson's actions and was genuinely sorry for them. To her, he had no reason to forgive because she had done nothing. Her grandson, on the other hand, he didn't know if he could ever forgive him, and he told her this.
"Hye Sook-shii, you have done nothing to be asking forgiveness for. As for your grandson, I can tell you truthfully that I cannot find it in myself at this moment to forgive him. He almost raped me, and I will never forget the fear I had felt." He shook his head, "I just can't, I'm sorry."
Hye Sook nodded her head, accepting his decision.
"Jaejoong-shii, I am head of my family, so I feel that it is my place to ask for forgiveness for my family. I understand you not wanting to forgive Hong Gi, but please accept my deepest apologies. I would have never wanted anything like this to happen to you. I feel so ashamed for what has happened."
Jaejoong glanced over to Yunho, as if asking what he should do and saw for the first time since Hye Sook came into their home that he wasn't looking at her with disdain in his eyes.
Yunho turned and met his eyes. He gave him a small nod and Jaejoong gave him a tiny smile.
It had been what he had wanted to do. Really, the woman was not to blame for her grandson’s secret intent.
He helped Hye Sook to her feet and rose up himself. He took her by the hand and smiled at her, "I forgive you. You have done nothing, so all is well with us. Do not feel ashamed for what you had no control over. We both will move on from this moment and never speak of this again, we agree?" Jaejoong inquired his eyebrows hitching as he waited for her answer.
Hye Sook let out a shaky breath and smiled at the beautiful boy in front of her. No, not a boy, no matter how many times Seung Chu had described him as an innocent child, he was indeed a man; A very affectionate man. She looked over to Yunho and thought that he was one lucky guy that Seung Chu had chosen him. She wondered if he knew how lucky he really was.
When she saw Yunho's arm slid around Jaejoong's waist and gently smile down at his upturned face, she got her answer. They both were in love and knew just how lucky they were.
Jaejoong's lips tilted at the corners as he stood, and led the lady to a nearby chair.
"Since that’s all taken care of, would you care for some punch and finger sandwiches?" At Hye Sook’s nod, he motioned for the maid to prepare a tray for them.
As the maid left the room, Hye Sook turned to Jaejoong and Yunho, "If you don't mind me asking, how is Seung Chu doing? I came by the other day to see him; he seemed to be restless."
Jaejoong studied Hye Sook as he thought over her question. He had been spending much time as he could with his husband. At times he just sat by his side while he rested, not making any noise. Just being there incase the elder man needed him.
He had watched as Seung Chu's health had gotten worse. He loved Seung Chu, the man was his grandfather, and he didn't want him to go. When he thought of it, it made him depressed. It made him feel like he was helpless and he couldn't do anything for him.
It also made him feel as if it weren't for his sickness then he would never had found love with Yunho.
Jaejoong glanced over to Yunho, his eyes softy caressing Yunho's features. Those same features that he had denied in the beginning, he now held so dear to him. But he couldn't help but wonder at the cost his loving Yunho had come to him as.
The cost being a person’s life, so he could marry the love of his life.
Finally, he tore his eyes away, turning his head back to Hye Sook, "He is as well as to be expected. I have to keep reminding myself to be strong, but it doesn't help when I see the strong, vibrant man that I use to know deteriorate to almost nothing." Jaejoong paused at her gasp, "I'm not going to lie. He is getting worse as each day passes by. The doctor said it could be at any time now."
Jaejoong sat back down beside Yunho, his hands finding Yunho's again.
"You know he refused treatment. He said that by the time he was diagnosed, it was to late for medication that could have helped him."
Hye Sook nodded her head, "Yes, I knew. I went with him to the doctor’s appointment when he was told about the cancer."
Hye Sook saw the surprise cross Jaejoong's face and shook her head quickly.
"No. No, it's not what you think. He wanted to take you. He said that after he thought about it for a while, he just wanted to save you the worry.. I thought it was silly of him; I knew that you would have to be told so why put it off."
Jaejoong gazed at the woman his husband had been having an affair with and couldn't find it in himself but to feel respect for her. He didn't feel wronged, he didn't feel anything. Only sadness that a great life was being cut short.
Jaejoong rose from the love seat and nodded towards the doorway to the stairs, "Do you feel up to meeting with him today?"
Hye Sook stood up from her seat and smiled, "I would love to. Thank you Jaejoong-shii."
Smiling, Jae bowed his head, "Please, drop the shii. We are basically family, are we not?"
At Hye Sook's nodd, he grinned wider and led the way out of the room.
Upon arriving at the staircase, SooYun came bustling down, holding her tummy in her hands; her face set in panic.
"Jaejoong-Shii! Jaejoong-shii! Come quick! I think something's wrong with Master Seung Chu!"
Jaejoong stood still for a moment, his heart racing. Quickly he glanced over to Yunho, his body shaking as he pushed past the maid and ran up the stairs, his brothers and their lovers behind him.
He ran to his husband’s door, his hands shaking as he reached out and pushed the door open slowly.
The room was dim, with only the bedside lamps turned on.
Jaejoong ran to the bed, hitting his knees as soon as he was beside the elder man. His tears were already flowing, his heart hurting, for he could see that there was little life in the kind man that offered him and his brothers a new life.
His body shook as he gathered the old withered hands in his own pale ones, bringing them to his tears stained cheeks.
Jaejoong rubbed the already cooling hands against his face, as his eyes traced the features of Seung Chu.
Jae barely noticed his brothers and Hye Sook entering the room, until he felt arms from his brother’s coming around him.
Seung Chu slowly lifted his eyes and gently smiled at Jaejoong, and he felt his heart break.
"Seung Chu, no." Jaejoong shook his head no, his voice cracking.
Seung Chu squeezed his hand, "It's time Jaejoong. I knew, you knew, everyone knew that this was going to happen." Seung Chu's voice was faint, his breathing getting more and more shallow. He was battling to just to get the few words out that he could. His chest was rising and falling in jerks.
"I know." Jaejoong moaned, "But it doesn't help. It doesn't answer why this has to happen to a good man like you."
Seung Chu groaned in pain, his eyes closing briefly until the wave of pain was gone, then opening them again. His eyes were filled with tears, but no regrets, "I do not question fate and what she has in store. I know that I have lived a good life. That the last few years of my life were great. You and your brothers gave me life that I had been missing for a while. I do not fear death. In fact I welcome it. This old body is tired and I want to rest now." Seung Chu's hand that Jaejoong was nuzzling against his cheek, cupped gently and then patted.
The room was quiet and Seung Chu's harsh breathing could be heard through out. The silence was nerve wrecking, but, Seung Chu just smiled tiredly at the occupants of the room.
Jaejoong felt himself calm down a bit, even though he kept thinking to himself, this was it. Seung Chu was dying right in front of him and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Promise me. Promise me that you will not grieve to long. I don't want you guys doing that. You have great men that will take good care of you. I couldn't have been happier that you boys feel in love. I want you to be happy. Marry and adopt babies."
Seung Chu then looked over to Hye Sook motioning her to come to him.
Seeing this, Jaejoong got up and offered his place to Seung Chu's special lover, standing back with Yunho’s arms around his waist for support..
Everyone could her soft sobs as she took his hands into hers, holding them to her heart as she leaned over to give Seung Chu a soft kiss.
Her lips ghosted over his cool lips, "Please Seung Chu, don't leave me." She whispered, and all in the room could hear her heart breaking, "I love you so much so why not one more day? One more day, please." She tried to bargain her way into more time with her lover.
Seung Chu smiled gently at Hye Sook, his eyes filled with longing and love for her, "I love you, Hye Sook. I don't want to go, but it's my time dear. And what would be one more day? It would still happen, even if you do put it off for one day, a week a year. I'm still going to go."
Seung Chu raised his shaking hand and caressed Hye Sook's cheek, "I would wish more than anything that I could spend more time with you. You are such a lovely woman. So kind hearted, so caring, and I'm so blessed to have known you, to have been able to love you and be loved by you."
Seung Chu drew in a pain filled breath as his body started to shut down, he knew he didn't have much more time with his loved ones. He looked around at everyone by his bedside wishing that he could have saved him or her all the grief they were feeling. He knew that his grandsons would be okay, it was his Hye Sook he was worried about the most. He didn't want her life filled with waiting.
"Hye Sook, when I'm gone find someone else to love. Don't go through life by yourself. Find someone to loves like you loved me. That would make me happy, knowing that you are not here alone."
Hye Sook shook her head no, "How could I think of something like that? I couldn't do that, it wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be you."
Seung Chu grasped her hand in his, and looked into her eyes, "You have to live. You hear me? You are an attractive woman. You have class and status. For me, find someone to love, do it for me."
The dying man closed his eyes gasping, his life force slipping away by the second.
Hye Sook just shook her head and buried her face in the covers by Seung Chu's side, wrenching sobs shaking her shoulders.
Seung Chu held her hand, while looking over to Kibum and Changmin, "I know you two wish to marry. You have my permission. I am proud that you would want to marry my grandson, Changmin."
Changmin nodded, not being able to speak from the tears clogging his throat.. Even though he had only known Seung Chu for a little while, he had made a great impact on his life. He would miss the man once gone.
The elder man found Junsu and Yoochun in the corner with Junsu crying in Yoochun's chest. Seung Chu shook his head. This was so hard for him, and he thought again that he wished to save his family from this kind of sorrow. "Junsu, when you are ready to accept Yoochun as more than a boyfriend, then you have my permission to marry also."
Junsu’s head jerked up, his eyes wide. He had never thought of marrying Yoochun, and now that it was put in front of him, he liked the idea. "Thank you, Grandfather. That is something that Yoochun and I will have to talk about later on. But, I will say that I am open to marriage if he will have me."
Seung Chu smiled at his two young grandsons. They were such a joy to him, and he had enjoyed every minute with them.
Finally, he turned to Jaejoong and Yunho. He could see the love in them; he knew that he didn't have to say anything to them. It was in the air, in the way they looked at each other, they way they held one another, "Be happy. I know that you two are in love. Just be happy in that love and let it grow."
With one hand holding Hye Sook, Seung Chu reached out to Jaejoong, Kibum and Junsu with his other hand, holding tight to his grandsons’ hands. The three brothers nodded as tears poured out.. Their sniffles resounded in the room, and were mixed with the other's sniffles and low cries.
Jaejoong leaned forward and smoothed back hair from his husband’s forehead, feeling the clamminess of his skin. As he gazed upon the elder man, he could see his breathing becoming less and less and the pain felt in his chest was there once more. He closed his eyes for he knew that a few more breaths was all that it was going to take for the man that was so loved by everyone in that room to no longer be here anymore.
Seung Chu closed his eyes and took one last deep breath before his chest ceased to rise anymore. His hands went limp, and his body relaxed as death took him to his resting place.
Hye Sook's eyes widened as her love’s breathing stopped, her own heart ceased to beat for a moment, "Seung Chu." She whispered, "Seung Chu no! Oh no please don't leave me! Don't leave!" The grieving woman laid her head back down on his chest. Her chest felt like there was a hole that would never be filled again.
Jaejoong grabbed the man by the shoulders and shook him, his own head shaking in denial at what was happening. "Seung Chu! Seung Chu, wake up!"
His tears fell like rain drops on the man’s deathbed, as he bowed his head to cry.
His grandfather, the only living relative of his mother was gone.
Jaejoong lifted his head, gazing at Seung Chu's still body. He was gone. He knew that. Had tried and be prepared for it. But, it still hurt that the man was gone. Hearing the soft cries of his brothers, Jaejoong gently placed the hands he was holding back on the bed, then turned and buried his face into his brothers’ necks. And then all three of then were crying.
He was gone. The one that took them from poverty and showed them that life could be good; he was gone now. Their grandfather, who showed such kindness towards them.
Jaejoong didn't know how long they kneeled there holding each other crying, trying to get the grief out. But, somehow he went from hugging his brothers to being in Yunho's arms, his head in his chest. He felt Yunho's hands running over his back soothing him.
He tried to get a hold of himself. He knew that Seung Chu wouldn't want him or his brothers grieving for to long. He would say they were to young for such things and that they needed to remember the good times.
Jaejoong dried his tears and looked around the room, his eyes landing on the only two ladies in the room. One the maid who stood in the corner and the other Hye Sook. Jaejoong studied the older woman. SooYun had her arm around the grieving elder woman, her eyes were red and swollen from crying and Jae felt bad for her. She had been in love with Seung Chu, a different love then what Jaejoong and his brothers held for the man.
When Hye Sook saw him looking at her she smiled and nodded her head, telling him that she was ok. That she would get through this.
He breathed a deep breath, before turning back to Yunho, "What do we do now? Do we call the coroner?"
Yunho held him close and caressed his hair, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. He will have a respectable funeral. I will make all the preparations."
Kibum and Junsu agreed to this, as they went to the men they loved, their hearts broken from the loss.
Jaejoong bit his lip as he stared at the body of the man that used to be his husband, and then his grandfather.
The man had been good to him and his brothers. Had given them the care and love that they needed when their mother had passed away and their father had turned to drinking to console himself.
He would never forget the man. He would always hold a special place in his heart. He just wished that Seung Chu hadn't ever been diagnosed with cancer.. That it was all just some terrible nightmare that he would be waking from soon.
Then he glanced up to Yunho.
No, he couldn't change his reality, but, he was grateful to Seung Chu for thinking about his future and for making him accept Yunho. This Yunho holding him would be his whole life now.
He just hated that it took the end of one life for him to begin a new one. A new life that he was looking forward to starting.
Standing there looking at Seung Chu, he felt bad that he couldn't wait to marry Yunho, even though the man had just died.
He turned his face away, and tried not to feel ashamed.
He was relieved when Yunho placed his warm hand on his back and guided him out of the room. Out into the hall and down the staircase to the living room where the decorations for the bridal shower were still up.
Jaejoong swept the room, not entirely sure how he was supposed to feel. He felt bad. Yes, he did. But then he felt relieved. Did that make him bad? Seung Chu said not to grieve for him, but surely he meant for him to grieve a little.
All this thinking was making him tired. In a nut shell, he wanted to be done with the grieving and crying and move on with Yunho.
He couldn't grieve over the man like a husband, even though he had been married to him. He at the end didn't feel like his wife. He had been treated and made to feel like his grandson.
So there, his mind was made up. He would grieve for the man for a while, and then he would let go.
He glanced around the room again and saw Boa and Seul Gi sitting on one of the couches, talking in low voices.
When Boa noticed him, she rose to her feet and quickly came to him, her hands held out. Her face covered in tears as she drew him into a sisterly, and comforting hug.
"I'm so sorry for your loss Jaejoong. I know how much you cared for him, in your own way."
Jaejoong sniffled and felt the tears coming again. Holding his best friend, he let out the grief of losing his grandfather.
He felt arms coming around him again. Seul Gi, Junsu, Kibum, Changmin, Yoochun and then finally Yunho. They held onto each other as they all cried. And Jaejoong knew it was going to be ok. They were all going to be ok. Because they had each other and the love of each other to help them through this time.
A/N: Just wanted to let everyone know that from now on I will be posting my chapters in jaeho_complex