Past, Present & Future, Chapter 1
Title: Past, Present & Future
Author: trieze0713
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Length: Chaptered
Genres: AU, Drama, Angst, Romance
Rating: PG
(Prologue)
Chapter 1: The Past and The Beginning
Yunho groaned on his bed, clutching on the front of his shirt. His chest hurts but as quickly as it came, it disappeared like it was just an imaginary pain. It’s strange and already the second time this month. He’s so reluctant to check himself up at the hospital. Moonbin needs the money for his tuition, he hoped it was just fatigue and nothing serious.
Lately he’s been dreaming of the past… the day when Moonbin became his own. When he was still with someone that he used to love more than his life. It’s ironic that after so many years had passed, the memories kept rushing back to him like the first few months after he was left with baby Moonbin in that rundown place he wished he never return to.
“I’m leaving!”
“What? Jae, what the hell! What’s gotten into you?”
He snickered, “What’s gotten into me? Isn’t it supposed to be what’s gotten into your pocket?”
“My pocket? What the f**k are you talking about?”
Moonbin always hated noise and shouts so he began crying loudly on the small bed that he shared with the two gentlemen. Yunho picked him up.
“Shh… sorry baby, sorry you have to wake up…” He rocked him in his arms and turned to face Jaejoong again. “Jae, look, let’s talk later. The baby is crying and I need to feed him…”
“Huh! The baby always comes first! Even now you don’t even give a damn of what I’m trying to say, do you!!” He’s getting hysterical.
“Kim Jaejoong! Look, I don’t understand what is it that you’re trying to say!”
“YOU NEVER UNDERSTAND A SINGLE THING I SAID! YOU NEVER UNDERSTAND A SINGLE THING THAT I WANT! I DON’T WANT THIS KIND OF LIFE! I DON’T WANT A BABY! I JUST… I just… How could you?” And Jaejoong sat by the bed, a sobbing mess.
Yunho stood still and Moonbin didn’t stop crying.
“You only cared about the baby… every time you came home from work you only asked about the baby… Is that why you took the check from my father and shamed ourselves?”
Now Yunho really didn’t get it, “Check? What check?”
“DON’T LIE TO ME!” He stood up to face him. “One of my father’s man came to see me today and showed me pictures of you, accepting a piece of paper with my father’s signature and a certain figure written on it!! You still want to lie to me?” He challenged him with his look.
The other party didn’t look away.
“You saw the picture and believed that I’ve stabbed you in the back by accepting money from your father?” He gave him a sad look.
“Don’t try to make me pity you, Yun… Tell me, did you accept the money or did you not?”
He looked straight into his eyes, one hand supporting baby Moonbin while the other was running circle on the baby’s back, trying to soothe him. “I did. I did receive the check but can you please calm down and listen to my explanation?”
Jaejoong snorted, “Now you said it! I don’t need an explanation, I’m leaving…” He sounded hurt and disappointed.
“Look, it’s not what you’re thinking! I didn’t take the money to surrender to your family, damn it!! Listen to me! You can’t leave… we have a baby now… We have Moonbin!”
“YOU have the baby! Not me… I never wanted him!”
“Jae!! I thought we’re in this together!”
“No we’re not! I said yes just because you kept begging me! I’m leaving… I’ve had enough of this hard life… I’ll go back to my family and you can go back to yours! And- and- you can keep the baby…” He stole a last glance at the boy in Yunho’s arms before he turned around and heading for the door.
“Jae… do you really mean it? You’re really leaving? You won’t listen to what I have to say? You don’t care about Moonbin?” he asked him once again, trying to make him stay.
He hesitated for a few seconds before he continued to turn the doorknob… “Goodbye…”
Kim Jaejoong walked out of his life on a hot summer night… exactly 1 year after Moonbin was found in that restaurant’s bathroom… and he didn’t even look back.
His head hurts… And the light’s getting brighter outside… It won’t be long before-
“APPA!! WAKE UP!!” Someone was shouting and banging on his bedroom door.
“Appa, it’s almost seven! I really have to get going or I’ll be late, wake up!”
Yunho grunted and pushed himself out of the bed. With heavy steps he walked to the door and opened it. “I’m up, I’m up… you’re so noisy Bin…”
“I’m not noisy, but I’m la- Appa! What happened to you?” The boy who was cleaning up the table from his own breakfast mess looked at the older man that he called father in shock; and running to his side in an instant.
Yunho just shrugged, “Nothing. Do I look that bad?”
The boy gave him a timid nod while helping his father to sit. “You’re so pale but you have bloodshot eyes and-“ he stopped in mid sentence.
“And? Well, I’m fine, don’t worry… just didn’t get enough sleep last night, it’s too hot.”
The teenager didn’t reply and sat himself next to his father. Yunho knows his son very well… ever since the accident that took his left arm 9 years ago, the boy had been quite sensitive about his health and well being. Just a sign of flu could send him over the roof in panic like he’s dying. But he can’t blame him either, he does the same to him.
Jung Yunho and Jung Moonbin had been living together (and for each other) as father and son for many years. He worked only for the kid… from food to clothes to tuition, pretty much what people called ‘living for the child only’. They depend and rely on each other, there’s practically no secret between them. Except one, the biggest of all that Yunho still refused to tell him even now and vowed that Moonbin should never find out for the rest of his life. The existence of Kim Jaejoong, the other person man that should be his second parent since that fateful night.
Yunho nudged him with his shoulder, “Hey, buddy, I’m fine. I’m not lying to you, so cheer up…”
“…”
“And I thought you’re late for something already. It’s Saturday, where you going early in the morning?” Yunho tried to change the subject since the kid seemed reluctant to give him any reply.
“Science project. I prefer to do it at school so I can use the free internet to check up on any fail experiments.” He mumbled.
“Why so early?”
“I want to finish up quickly to have lunch with you then help out at the store later.”
Yunho smiled, “You don’t have to you know, I can handle the store myself. And Jihye is working the noon shift. There won’t be any replenishment on our supplies until next week. You go ahead and enjoy hanging out with your friends, Bin.”
The kid glanced at him. “It’s fine, I can do that tomorrow. Let me help you with your arm, Appa, then I’ll leave.” He stood up to get Yunho’s prosthetic in the bedroom.
The older man sighed… he wished he could give his son a better life. After the accident, he lost the opportunity to continue with labor work. He was unemployed and armless for a few months… feeding Moonbin from the little money left on his savings. The kid was crying for milk and hunger, and he had zero balance on his accounts when he finally accepted the help of his step brother, Shim Changmin, to open a little convenience store (seeing that there’s none in the neighborhood) and bought him a prosthetic to replace his missing arm.
Since then, little Moonbin was always the one to help him attach it in the morning and remove it before they go to bed. It wasn’t easy for the boy, he was just 6 years old, but he’s so determined to be the one that his father could lean on. As time went by, it got easier for him to do that… Yunho could actually do it himself with a little difficulty, but Moonbin wouldn’t let him. He took it as his ‘daily duty’. He even helped him massage what little left of his shoulder since he lost it about 20cm from the shoulder down; practically the whole arm.
His son walkout of his room with the prosthetic and attached it to his body before he sat back down beside him.
Yunho raised his eyebrow but didn’t say anything. After awhile he reached out his right arm and pulled Moonbin into his embrace. “I’m fine…” That’s all he could say as he kissed him at the top of his head. He’s almost 15 but when it comes to losing Yunho, he never embarrassed to show his feeling. And at the moment he’s feeling afraid, Yunho understood.
Moonbin hugged him hard and let go. He stood up and kissed his father’s cheek before he turned around.
“I’ll be back before 12pm, your breakfast’s still on the stove. Bye Appa.”
“Bye.” And he was left alone once again.
He strolled over to the stove and checked what his son had left. Corn soup. He chuckled, the kid must be in a hurry.
And Yunho spent his Saturday morning finishing a bowl of hot corn soup that Moonbin made, had a hot shower that Moonbin had prepared for him and being thankful to God like he always does; for giving him the most valuable treasure in the world. Jung Moonbin.
* * * * *
Moonbin kicked the pebbles in front of him as he walked his way to school. He knew his father was NOT okay. There’s something wrong and he lied to him. He had spent his life watching him, he could tell when there’s something wrong or when the pretended that everything is fine. He always did that, not to worry him people said.
He was playing at the neighbor’s house where his father left him to work every day. That day, he didn’t come to pick him up. And the ahjumma couldn’t contact him too. He was so afraid that he’s being left, that probably his father had been sick and tired of taking care of him. He didn’t sleep at all that night. He kept crying and crying, calling for his Appa to come back home.
The next day, a handsome young man in nice clothes came and picked him up, saying that he’s his Ahjussi, his father’s brother. Changmin-ahjussi brought him to a hospital where he finally saw his father lying on a bed, unconscious, tubes all around him and a bag of red fluid (he found out later that it’s blood) was hanging above him. He almost ran and climbed on the bed to give him a hug, he missed him last night. But Changmin-ahjussi held his shoulder and prevented him from going closer. That’s when he realized there’s something strange about his father.
For a week Changmin-ahjussi would pick him up from the neighbor’s place, took him to the hospital, fed him lunch and dinner, then took him back at night. And he never stayed in his father’s hospital room with them, never. He was too happy to be able to be with his father again and didn’t want to think much about the other man, he just felt grateful that someone would be so kind to take him there. After his father returned home, Changmin-ahjussi visited them regularly, bringing stuff for him or food since his father was incapable of cooking only with one arm. He father didn’t like it but it seemed that he took everything that was given for his sake. He didn’t know that Changmin-ahjussi was his father’s step brother until 3 years ago. But that’s all he would tell him, there’s a lot he still didn’t know. There must be more since the guy went as far as opened up a store and bought him a myoelectric prosthesis that costs a fortune!
He cried so loud when he first saw his father’s damaged shoulder and realized that he only had 1 arm left. But seeing the pain in his father’s eyes hurt more. And in his young mind, he promised himself that he would grow up to be someone that his father can depend on and to be strong just like he had been for him. His father had become his world.
That was all when he was younger and innocent. He’s almost fifteen, and next year he will be in High School. He has dreams and goals to achieve. And he knows his father won’t be able to provide what he needs.
The science project that he told him was a lie. He was going to work part time tutoring his friend’s younger sister who’s still in primary school. He didn’t intend to receive money, he was just helping. But when Don Sun’s mother offered him a small amount of figure for a regular tutoring, he took the opportunity with glee, he’s fourteen anyway. He wanted to save money for the school’s field trip to Japan. It’s expensive and his father had told him that he couldn’t afford it. No matter what, he wanted to go. He knew his father dislike him to work, he’d go ballistic if he ever found out. But for now he’ll just save as much as he could, he’ll deal with his father later. Heck, he could ask Changmin-ahjussi to help talk to him, that guy always got away with anything when it comes to dealing with Jung Yunho.
And Jung Moonbin’s steps got lighter as he thought about his first flight to Japan…
* * * * *
A man and a woman were sitting across each other inside a private room of the most prestigious hotel in Seoul. The tension between them radiated through the air, thick with emotions and hidden grudge over the years.
The man spoke first, “My lawyer will contact yours for the alimony. It was a good thing that we never had a kid together.”
The woman stiffly nodded. “Hooray. Fine by me. We’re done?” She asked him in a flat tone.
“You may leave.”
She got up from her seat, walked her way out and didn’t even spare him a glance.
Just like that, a ten year marriage ended without a fuss. He never loved her anyway, and she’s satisfied with the money that she would get from the divorce.
Kim Jaejoong took a deep breath and slumped on his seat. It’s finally over. They’d been married for 10 years, no love and no bonds between them at all.
“I’m going to debut you as the Vice President of the company in New Year. But before that, you’re going to marry Mr. Choi’s daughter, Eun Hee. You’ve met her several times at our house.”
“What!! No way! I don’t love her at all!”
“You have no say in this!! Do you really think that you can decide for yourself? You’re my only son and that’s the fate that you’re destined for! To follow what I had planned for you since you left that Jung kid! I bet you that the old hag is going to debut his son as soon as we announce yours! Bastard!”
“Don’t say bad things about Yunho!!”
His father snickered at him. “What? He took my money!! You really think that he’s a good guy? He’s also his father’s son like you’re mine! And there’s been rumor that that bastard Jung was raising a secret heir. What secret heir? He only had that guy who betrayed you for 1 million won! Tch.. forget about him, you’re marrying Eun Hee and you’re going to give me grandchildren to inherit this company when you grow old!”
The marriage lasted 10 years… in which during the period they hardly spoke to each other and his wife spent more time at her parents’ house then their home. They had sex, but even without protection his wife never got pregnant and they never bothered to get themselves checked at the hospital, they just didn’t care. Or maybe now he could call himself lucky.
His father was furious with his marriage but he got back at him by saying that he was the one who wanted it to happen after all, not himself. They had a strained relationship until the day he died two years ago. Jaejoong didn’t even shed a tear. He took over the company in delight, swore to make it bigger so his father could roll over in his grave.
His mother had always been weak, following every single word that his father commanded her. She didn’t even defend him when his father began to beat him up the day he returned home after running away for more than a year, saying that he’d been s disgrace to the household for being a homosexual and running away with the son of his enemy. She didn’t dare to hug him though he’d been begging her in tears to stop him. Jaejoong didn’t hate his mother, but he couldn’t say that he loved her either. The only one that he ever loved was Jung Yunho.
After the announcement of his debut, Jung Corp. didn’t make any move like his father had predicted. But 5 years later they announced the debut of the new CEO, Shim Changmin, who happened to be the bastard son of Jung senior. That’s when he found out that Jung Yunho never returned to his family. Rumor said that Shim Changmin used his mother’s family name in return that of being the sole heir of Jung Corp. since Jung Yunho had been missing 10 years prior to the announcement. It was also another way for shame Jung senior for abandoning him and his mother after he was born.
He had been searching for Yunho’s whereabouts since his father died. To no avail. It’s like he had disappeared from the world or someone had been doing a very good job in erasing every single trace that he had left. He even sent his hired PI to go the place where they lived for 1.5 years, people said that he moved with the little boy, to where - no one could tell. It frustrated him… because he didn’t even know what he will do once he finds him. He’s just curious of why not even an insider at Jung Corp. ever heard a single news about Yunho. He tried to arrange an appointment with Shim Changmin but somehow he always found a way to reject his request in the most subtle way.
He just began his new life as a single once again. A rich and respected man unlike years ago when his father was still alive. And he had no idea what fate is going to bring in on his plate.
* * * * *
Chapter 2