When Love Is Not Enough, Chapter 6
Title: When Love Is Not Enough
Author: trieze0713
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Length: Chaptered
Genres: AU, Drama, Angst, Romance
Warnings: Foul languages, child abuse
Rating: PG 13 - NC 17
A/N: I'm sorry to those who waited for an update before my holiday TT____TT Works were piling up before I left and even more after I returned. Hopefully it won't take as long for me to update the next chapter. Thanks again to those who still read, really appreciate each and every one of you.
Chapter 6
Yunho - age 17, Jaejoong - age 19, Selling myself away
The boys were sitting in the living room, watching their little brothers yet again playing against each other in a heated game.
Yunho itched to talk to the Jaejoong but the unwelcoming frown was a bit intimidating for the soft hearted boy. Yet, he just couldn’t ‘not’ asking after something he overheard from his mother’s conversation with Jaejoong’s last weekend.
“Hyung…” he called softly. The other boy didn’t say anything to encourage him to talk more. “Can I ask you something?”
A side glance, but he still didn’t say a word. “Aunty came last week and spoke to Mom…. She said- errm, she said that you’re quitting school. I mean, you’re not going to college after the exam is over. Is that true?”
“True.”
“Oh!” He wanted to ask why, but after a stretched silence Jaejoong volunteered to answer the unspoken question.
“I was offered a job in modeling. They said with a face like mine, I’ll get a lot of money.” He looked up at the ceiling as if remembering something. “No… they said ‘with a face like that you’ll bring us a lot of money, you have a selling face.’”
Then he turned to look at Yunho, “Since everyone always suspected that I sold myself already, why not make it official? At least I’ll earn my own money so I can move out of the house!”
“Don’t! Don’t move out!” Panic rushed inside him, like Jaejoong will disappear into a world he never knew. “Please Hyung, don’t move.”
The gaze that the older boy directed at him was cold, “You can’t tell me what to do with my life.”
“But-“ He saw from the corner of his eyes that the younger boys have stopped playing games and were listening to their conversation. “I guess your mind’s made up already and nothing I can do to stop you from leaving Aunty and Junsu.”
“Yeah… I just… I just need to learn to live on my own.” His eyes turned softer when he told Yunho, “You can come visit.”
Yunho took it as an invitation, he couldn’t ask for more. So he stayed silent as he sank deeper into the couch, heart ached with longing as he reached out for Jaejoong’s hand. When the other tried to pull away he begged, “Please, just tonight. “ And Jaejoong silently let his hand be held, but not squeezing back.
After a few minutes there were sounds of games playing again on tv. But his heart was still heavy with fear of losing the one who held more than just his hand, the one who captured his heart and soul sitting just an inch away from him but felt more like a light years away.
~o~o~
Yunho - age 21, Jaejoong - age 24, He’s not to blame
The man lying on the hospital bed still looked paler than usual but nothing could make him less beautiful in Yunho’s eyes.
It’s been a week since the incident and Yunho had been staying by his side after his exams. Jaejoong’s mother also came everyday after work and Junsu only came to see him a couple of times after school. The doctor lowered his painkiller intake but he’s not allowed to move much to let his broken rib heal.
He saw Jaejoong opened his eyes and tried to make a move but fell back on the back wincing. He went to the bedside and gently asked the man, “Hey, what are you trying to do? Can I help?”
“I’m tired of lying down.” His lips healed but his voice still sounded rough. So Yunho helped him changed his position a bit and brought the straw with a glass of water for him to drink.
“You know that the broken rib takes a bit longer to heal, tell me when you feel like moving, I’ll help you… don’t do it yourself.” Surprisingly Jaejoong replied to him with a soft ‘I will’.
As he sat down on a chair next to the bed, he fixed Jaejoong’s hair with his fingers. “You’ve been here for a week only but your hair’s getting that long. You must feel uncomfortable, I’ll get someone to wash and cut it when you can sit up.”
“Yunho… why- why are you doing this? Why are you here?”
Yunho smiled at him, “Why shouldn’t I do this? You’re still my husband and you need me. I have no reason not to be here with you.” He kept running his fingers through Jaejoong’s soft locks.
“Min… Changmin…”
“He’s home. Your management wanted to press charges but since we’re family the police only counted on it as a family dispute. Well, he’s also underage, so for the time being the case’s being on hold and waiting until you recover. Then it’s up to you whether you want to continue to press charges on him or not.”
His eyes wide in disbelief, “I don’t- I won’t- Yunho, it’s not his fault, it’s me- I’m-“ and he started crying, it’s painful because he’s shaking so much but he couldn’t stop it. And he reached out to Yunho.
Yunho quickly tried to calm him down, “Hey, it’s okay, I know you won’t… Jae calm-down please. You have to stop shaking, you’re hurting yourself! Come on Jae, I understand, I know…”
“He shouldn’t be blamed, it’s me, tell my company that he’s not at fault! I’m sorry Yunho, I’m sorry…” He was hyperventilating and Yunho was kind of confused how to calm him down and hold him without hurting him. So he chose to cup his face in his hands and kissed him, hands and body shaking with Jaejoong but for a different reason.
Jaejoong was surprised but he didn’t reject the kiss. And after a minute or so he was panting but calming down. And Yunho caressed him gently, “Let’s talk about it when you feel better. I’ll call your company, no worries, no one’s going to jail, Jae. No one.”
And Jae suddenly felt out of energy as he fell back on the bed. “I’m tired.”
“I know, I’ll be here… Sleep baby, sleep…”
And just like that he fell into slumber… but this time, Yunho noticed that Jaejoong didn’t let go of his hand.
~o~o~
Yunho - age 18, Changmin - age 13, Don’t go
“Hyung! Are you in there? Breakfast’s ready, hyung!” Changmin was pounding on the bathroom door.
“5 minutes.”
“Ok, 5 minutes… or I’ll eat your pancakes too!” and Changmin ran down the stairs and sat beside his father in the dining room.
“Hyung is in the bathroom, he said another 5 minutes.”
“Ok, eat your breakfast, Yunho will take you to school.”
And at the mention of school his feature changed, not without his mother notice. “What’s going on honey?”
He fiddled with syrup container. “Can I stay home, Mom?” He saw his Dad lower down the paper that he’s reading to look at him.
“Are you feeling not well?”
He glanced at him and stared at his pancakes, “No… it’s just…” He looked up at him again, “I don’t like school. I don’t like my friends.”
His mother chuckled, “Well then there’s no reason for you to skip school then. You’ll like them.”
“I won’t like them, I don’t want to be their friends!” his voice raised up a notch and this time his father really put down his paper and just looked at him. He knew that without asking he was expecting a reason or two from him.
“They think I’m strange… And I don’t like them talking about me behind my back. I just want to stay home with Yunho-hyung.” He said the last words in whisper as his mother sighed and his father looked at him intently. Just then Yunho came and ruffled his hair.
“What’s up squirt? You still have to go to school, I won’t be home after school anyway so you need to find something to do.”
Changmin dropped his fork. “You’re not gonna be home later?”
“Nope, I’m going to see Jae-hyung.” He smiled at his mother, “Mom, can I come home late? It’s Jae-hyung’s day off and he said I can hang out with him.”
“You’ve been hanging out with him on his every day off, are you sure he’s okay with it?”
“Yeah, he’s cool. His manager, Yoochun-hyung is also fine… he’s a nice guy.”
“Fine, just make sure you’re home before 11 then.”
“I will, thanks Mom. Hey squirt, done with breakfast? Come on, let me take you to school.”
But Changmin had this hard look on him when he replied with “No. Don’t go to him hyung, I want to play with you! We haven’t got the chance to play the new game that Dad bought me!”
Yunho laughed, “Look, he only has day off once in a while, I haven’t planned anything for the weekend so it’ll be yours. Ok squirt!” He reached out to ruffle his hair some more but Changmin dodged it. He got up and screamed, “I don’t want to wait until weekend, I want today!”
“Changmin, don’t raise your voice on the table.” His father told him sternly.
“Fine. I won’t go to school then. You can go!” And he ran upstairs to his room, they all heard the door slammed hard and the three Jungs were rendered speechless by the stubborn action of their little one.
The Jung Senior finally spoke up to his son, “Yunho, can you stay for today?”
“But I promise Jae-hyung that I’ll go see him. Why is Min acting like a brat?”
“This is what I’m afraid of, he becomes dependent of you, Yunho.” His mother told him. “Because he’s been neglected for my many years by his own mother, you were the only one who kind of saved him and willing to hurt yourself for him. So he saw you as a hero of some sorts.”
“He’s forming something close between Dependent Personality Disorder and Co-Dependency. He looked up to you as someone whom he can rely on to make decisions and expected you to be by his side constantly. And…” His mother sighed as she took a seat next to him. “There’s something else that bothered me and the psych.” She glanced at his father as if asking for permission. And his father nodded.
“Your brother… he’s been bullied in school.”
“He WHAT??!?” Yunho was shocked. “How did it happen? How did you find out?”
“Apparently some parents feel it’s important to tell their children not to hang out with your brother because of his background. You know that his case made the news because he- he- you know, with his step-father-“
‘He killed him’ Yunho thought. “But he’s under therapy and so far other than attachment to me he hasn’t showed any sign of violence or whatsoever!”
His mother hesitated but his father spoke first, “Not to us. But after being pranked by a few boys for a few times he suddenly punched one of them and fortunately a teacher was present and the boy only got a bruise on his cheek. His parents tried to sue us but some children in his class witnessed that he was being bullied first. Still, it didn’t make things better 'cause all of a sudden he shut himself out from his friends and teachers, no one dared to speak to him or touch him, afraid that he’d lash out on them.”
Yunho was stunned. The boy that his mother just described didn’t even resemble the Changmin that he knew at home.
“Yunho,” his father finally spoke, “Last week we were called to his school and was asked to consider home schooling when he’s still under the therapy. And if possible, please come home after school to stay with him. Talk to him… he might open up to you.”
“Honey,” his mother took his hand, “I know that you really want to see Jaejoong but please stay with your brother today. He needs you.”
After processing the whole ordeal in his head he resigned. “Fine, I’ll call Jae-hyung and tell him that I’m not coming. I’ll see if I can get Changmin to talk out his problems.”
“Thank you.” A hug from his mother and his father nodded his approval. “You’re late already… leave now, your father and I will have a busy afternoon figuring out the best way to get him to school… Home schooling or whatever, we want to make sure there’s no bullying in any kind. My little boy had gone through so much in his young age, I don’t want him go through another drama in his life.”
Oh, if only they understand just what kind of drama they would get involve with in the future.
~o~o~
He stared at his phone.
He really needed to leave now or he’d miss his first period. But first, to call Jaejoong and tell him that he’s not coming.
The phone rang and rang and rang, but Jaejoong didn’t pick up.
The second time he thought that man wouldn’t pick up again but just before it went to voicemail Jaejoong answered. “Yun!” He suspiciously sounded like he was panting. “Hey… wha- ahhh!”
Now Yunho really stared hard at his phone. But he quickly shook off any negative thought from his mind and put the speaker back on his ear, “Hyung, I’m sorry I can’t come over today.”
“Ok… ok, never m- Oh gosh!! There!! Yunho!!”
“Hyung! What are you doing? Wha-“
“Massage!! Yoochun is giving me a massage and he’s doing a damn well job at it!” And he giggled. Jaejoong never giggled.
“Oh… great.” He replied disappointingly. “So you’ll tell me your next day off?”
“Yeah, bye! Shit, there!” And he was cut off. Once again left to stare at his phone. He shook his head and walked to the station. He wished Jaejoong’s next day off wouldn’t be so long.
~o~o~
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Author: trieze0713
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Length: Chaptered
Genres: AU, Drama, Angst, Romance
Warnings: Foul languages, child abuse
Rating: PG 13 - NC 17
A/N: I'm sorry to those who waited for an update before my holiday TT____TT Works were piling up before I left and even more after I returned. Hopefully it won't take as long for me to update the next chapter. Thanks again to those who still read, really appreciate each and every one of you.
Chapter 6
Yunho - age 17, Jaejoong - age 19, Selling myself away
The boys were sitting in the living room, watching their little brothers yet again playing against each other in a heated game.
Yunho itched to talk to the Jaejoong but the unwelcoming frown was a bit intimidating for the soft hearted boy. Yet, he just couldn’t ‘not’ asking after something he overheard from his mother’s conversation with Jaejoong’s last weekend.
“Hyung…” he called softly. The other boy didn’t say anything to encourage him to talk more. “Can I ask you something?”
A side glance, but he still didn’t say a word. “Aunty came last week and spoke to Mom…. She said- errm, she said that you’re quitting school. I mean, you’re not going to college after the exam is over. Is that true?”
“True.”
“Oh!” He wanted to ask why, but after a stretched silence Jaejoong volunteered to answer the unspoken question.
“I was offered a job in modeling. They said with a face like mine, I’ll get a lot of money.” He looked up at the ceiling as if remembering something. “No… they said ‘with a face like that you’ll bring us a lot of money, you have a selling face.’”
Then he turned to look at Yunho, “Since everyone always suspected that I sold myself already, why not make it official? At least I’ll earn my own money so I can move out of the house!”
“Don’t! Don’t move out!” Panic rushed inside him, like Jaejoong will disappear into a world he never knew. “Please Hyung, don’t move.”
The gaze that the older boy directed at him was cold, “You can’t tell me what to do with my life.”
“But-“ He saw from the corner of his eyes that the younger boys have stopped playing games and were listening to their conversation. “I guess your mind’s made up already and nothing I can do to stop you from leaving Aunty and Junsu.”
“Yeah… I just… I just need to learn to live on my own.” His eyes turned softer when he told Yunho, “You can come visit.”
Yunho took it as an invitation, he couldn’t ask for more. So he stayed silent as he sank deeper into the couch, heart ached with longing as he reached out for Jaejoong’s hand. When the other tried to pull away he begged, “Please, just tonight. “ And Jaejoong silently let his hand be held, but not squeezing back.
After a few minutes there were sounds of games playing again on tv. But his heart was still heavy with fear of losing the one who held more than just his hand, the one who captured his heart and soul sitting just an inch away from him but felt more like a light years away.
~o~o~
Yunho - age 21, Jaejoong - age 24, He’s not to blame
The man lying on the hospital bed still looked paler than usual but nothing could make him less beautiful in Yunho’s eyes.
It’s been a week since the incident and Yunho had been staying by his side after his exams. Jaejoong’s mother also came everyday after work and Junsu only came to see him a couple of times after school. The doctor lowered his painkiller intake but he’s not allowed to move much to let his broken rib heal.
He saw Jaejoong opened his eyes and tried to make a move but fell back on the back wincing. He went to the bedside and gently asked the man, “Hey, what are you trying to do? Can I help?”
“I’m tired of lying down.” His lips healed but his voice still sounded rough. So Yunho helped him changed his position a bit and brought the straw with a glass of water for him to drink.
“You know that the broken rib takes a bit longer to heal, tell me when you feel like moving, I’ll help you… don’t do it yourself.” Surprisingly Jaejoong replied to him with a soft ‘I will’.
As he sat down on a chair next to the bed, he fixed Jaejoong’s hair with his fingers. “You’ve been here for a week only but your hair’s getting that long. You must feel uncomfortable, I’ll get someone to wash and cut it when you can sit up.”
“Yunho… why- why are you doing this? Why are you here?”
Yunho smiled at him, “Why shouldn’t I do this? You’re still my husband and you need me. I have no reason not to be here with you.” He kept running his fingers through Jaejoong’s soft locks.
“Min… Changmin…”
“He’s home. Your management wanted to press charges but since we’re family the police only counted on it as a family dispute. Well, he’s also underage, so for the time being the case’s being on hold and waiting until you recover. Then it’s up to you whether you want to continue to press charges on him or not.”
His eyes wide in disbelief, “I don’t- I won’t- Yunho, it’s not his fault, it’s me- I’m-“ and he started crying, it’s painful because he’s shaking so much but he couldn’t stop it. And he reached out to Yunho.
Yunho quickly tried to calm him down, “Hey, it’s okay, I know you won’t… Jae calm-down please. You have to stop shaking, you’re hurting yourself! Come on Jae, I understand, I know…”
“He shouldn’t be blamed, it’s me, tell my company that he’s not at fault! I’m sorry Yunho, I’m sorry…” He was hyperventilating and Yunho was kind of confused how to calm him down and hold him without hurting him. So he chose to cup his face in his hands and kissed him, hands and body shaking with Jaejoong but for a different reason.
Jaejoong was surprised but he didn’t reject the kiss. And after a minute or so he was panting but calming down. And Yunho caressed him gently, “Let’s talk about it when you feel better. I’ll call your company, no worries, no one’s going to jail, Jae. No one.”
And Jae suddenly felt out of energy as he fell back on the bed. “I’m tired.”
“I know, I’ll be here… Sleep baby, sleep…”
And just like that he fell into slumber… but this time, Yunho noticed that Jaejoong didn’t let go of his hand.
~o~o~
Yunho - age 18, Changmin - age 13, Don’t go
“Hyung! Are you in there? Breakfast’s ready, hyung!” Changmin was pounding on the bathroom door.
“5 minutes.”
“Ok, 5 minutes… or I’ll eat your pancakes too!” and Changmin ran down the stairs and sat beside his father in the dining room.
“Hyung is in the bathroom, he said another 5 minutes.”
“Ok, eat your breakfast, Yunho will take you to school.”
And at the mention of school his feature changed, not without his mother notice. “What’s going on honey?”
He fiddled with syrup container. “Can I stay home, Mom?” He saw his Dad lower down the paper that he’s reading to look at him.
“Are you feeling not well?”
He glanced at him and stared at his pancakes, “No… it’s just…” He looked up at him again, “I don’t like school. I don’t like my friends.”
His mother chuckled, “Well then there’s no reason for you to skip school then. You’ll like them.”
“I won’t like them, I don’t want to be their friends!” his voice raised up a notch and this time his father really put down his paper and just looked at him. He knew that without asking he was expecting a reason or two from him.
“They think I’m strange… And I don’t like them talking about me behind my back. I just want to stay home with Yunho-hyung.” He said the last words in whisper as his mother sighed and his father looked at him intently. Just then Yunho came and ruffled his hair.
“What’s up squirt? You still have to go to school, I won’t be home after school anyway so you need to find something to do.”
Changmin dropped his fork. “You’re not gonna be home later?”
“Nope, I’m going to see Jae-hyung.” He smiled at his mother, “Mom, can I come home late? It’s Jae-hyung’s day off and he said I can hang out with him.”
“You’ve been hanging out with him on his every day off, are you sure he’s okay with it?”
“Yeah, he’s cool. His manager, Yoochun-hyung is also fine… he’s a nice guy.”
“Fine, just make sure you’re home before 11 then.”
“I will, thanks Mom. Hey squirt, done with breakfast? Come on, let me take you to school.”
But Changmin had this hard look on him when he replied with “No. Don’t go to him hyung, I want to play with you! We haven’t got the chance to play the new game that Dad bought me!”
Yunho laughed, “Look, he only has day off once in a while, I haven’t planned anything for the weekend so it’ll be yours. Ok squirt!” He reached out to ruffle his hair some more but Changmin dodged it. He got up and screamed, “I don’t want to wait until weekend, I want today!”
“Changmin, don’t raise your voice on the table.” His father told him sternly.
“Fine. I won’t go to school then. You can go!” And he ran upstairs to his room, they all heard the door slammed hard and the three Jungs were rendered speechless by the stubborn action of their little one.
The Jung Senior finally spoke up to his son, “Yunho, can you stay for today?”
“But I promise Jae-hyung that I’ll go see him. Why is Min acting like a brat?”
“This is what I’m afraid of, he becomes dependent of you, Yunho.” His mother told him. “Because he’s been neglected for my many years by his own mother, you were the only one who kind of saved him and willing to hurt yourself for him. So he saw you as a hero of some sorts.”
“He’s forming something close between Dependent Personality Disorder and Co-Dependency. He looked up to you as someone whom he can rely on to make decisions and expected you to be by his side constantly. And…” His mother sighed as she took a seat next to him. “There’s something else that bothered me and the psych.” She glanced at his father as if asking for permission. And his father nodded.
“Your brother… he’s been bullied in school.”
“He WHAT??!?” Yunho was shocked. “How did it happen? How did you find out?”
“Apparently some parents feel it’s important to tell their children not to hang out with your brother because of his background. You know that his case made the news because he- he- you know, with his step-father-“
‘He killed him’ Yunho thought. “But he’s under therapy and so far other than attachment to me he hasn’t showed any sign of violence or whatsoever!”
His mother hesitated but his father spoke first, “Not to us. But after being pranked by a few boys for a few times he suddenly punched one of them and fortunately a teacher was present and the boy only got a bruise on his cheek. His parents tried to sue us but some children in his class witnessed that he was being bullied first. Still, it didn’t make things better 'cause all of a sudden he shut himself out from his friends and teachers, no one dared to speak to him or touch him, afraid that he’d lash out on them.”
Yunho was stunned. The boy that his mother just described didn’t even resemble the Changmin that he knew at home.
“Yunho,” his father finally spoke, “Last week we were called to his school and was asked to consider home schooling when he’s still under the therapy. And if possible, please come home after school to stay with him. Talk to him… he might open up to you.”
“Honey,” his mother took his hand, “I know that you really want to see Jaejoong but please stay with your brother today. He needs you.”
After processing the whole ordeal in his head he resigned. “Fine, I’ll call Jae-hyung and tell him that I’m not coming. I’ll see if I can get Changmin to talk out his problems.”
“Thank you.” A hug from his mother and his father nodded his approval. “You’re late already… leave now, your father and I will have a busy afternoon figuring out the best way to get him to school… Home schooling or whatever, we want to make sure there’s no bullying in any kind. My little boy had gone through so much in his young age, I don’t want him go through another drama in his life.”
Oh, if only they understand just what kind of drama they would get involve with in the future.
~o~o~
He stared at his phone.
He really needed to leave now or he’d miss his first period. But first, to call Jaejoong and tell him that he’s not coming.
The phone rang and rang and rang, but Jaejoong didn’t pick up.
The second time he thought that man wouldn’t pick up again but just before it went to voicemail Jaejoong answered. “Yun!” He suspiciously sounded like he was panting. “Hey… wha- ahhh!”
Now Yunho really stared hard at his phone. But he quickly shook off any negative thought from his mind and put the speaker back on his ear, “Hyung, I’m sorry I can’t come over today.”
“Ok… ok, never m- Oh gosh!! There!! Yunho!!”
“Hyung! What are you doing? Wha-“
“Massage!! Yoochun is giving me a massage and he’s doing a damn well job at it!” And he giggled. Jaejoong never giggled.
“Oh… great.” He replied disappointingly. “So you’ll tell me your next day off?”
“Yeah, bye! Shit, there!” And he was cut off. Once again left to stare at his phone. He shook his head and walked to the station. He wished Jaejoong’s next day off wouldn’t be so long.
~o~o~
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