Call me baby
Title: Call me baby
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s)/Focus: Suho/Chen, side!Baekhyun/Chanyeol
Length: 3,780 words
Summary: The second call was a coincidence, he thinks. But the third, fourth, and fifth calls were fate.
Notes: This was a fic I wrote for Suholiday! I'll probably write more from this au soon! ｡◕‿◕｡
call #0031 january 15 07:06:33
It had been a busy morning for Junmyeon. It was only 7 in the morning, thirty minutes since he clocked into work, but he had received about thirty calls already. Half of the calls were about a faulty toaster that had too much pop up force. One caller narrated how the bread reached as high as the ceiling fan in their kitchen, which resulted to their breakfast being shredded into pieces. It wasn’t only him though, the whole floor was experiencing the aftermath of a stupid factory defect.
When the phone started ringing again, he prepared himself for another rant about a menacing breakfast appliance. It was already a routine for him, to try to solve the problems of customers who call their assistance hotline. And most of them didn’t really care whether their tones were offensive or rude, because they were the customers and they were told that they are always right.
That was how he spent his days, hunched over a computer for almost 10 hours a day. It was a far cry from where he imagined himself to be at 25, but it pays the bills with enough to spare, so he’s not exactly complaining. But it was too boring, too plain, and he’s just hoping for something to taint his otherwise monochrome days. So when man on the other line, voice hoarse and raspy, asked if the electric fly swatter sold by the company was strong enough to knock a person unconscious, something in him sparked.
He stifled a laugh, thinking that the man was joking. But the brief silence on the line followed by sounds of struggle proved otherwise. He panicked, what if the guy on the other line was a thief? Or worse, a murderer? But the voice of reason in his head told him that criminals don’t call customer service to ask questions that could be easily googled. And they don’t use fly swatters as weapons either.
That left Junmyeon with two plausible theories: the man was prank calling or was simply crazy.
It was part of their protocol to help the callers as much as they possibly can. They were trained to strain information about a person based on how he talks. They had to read and understand a person in less than a minute to avoid any complications.
The man on the other line continued to babble though, about his stupid friends who removed him from their Line group chat and stopped inviting him to night outs, his mom who keeps asking him if he already got a girlfriend when he already made it clear that he wasn’t getting one ever, his annoying new neighbor whose dog keeps barking until the wee hours of the morning, and his stupid brother who had gotten himself drunk and just vomited on his carpet.
This gave Junmyeon enough insight about the person on the other line. This wasn’t a prank call, but the man may just be a bit crazy
.
So he decided to humor him.
“Sir, I think the purpose of the product is to kill insects, not people. So the answer is no,” he paused and heard the man snicker, “we have other products for that, but we’d rather not be held responsible for any murders,” another pause.
Then like what he had hoped for, laughter filled the other line.
“I wasn’t really planning to knock someone unconscious… I was just really curious how powerful this thing is, you know, just in case.”
Junmyeon smiled at this, “Yes sir, I understand. The world is a dangerous place, but I’d suggest a tazer or a baseball bat.”
“I like you… You’re funny,” Junmyeon blushed, he had never been the funny one among his friends, they had always teased him about his corny and lackluster jokes, but this man had found him funny.
“Uh- Thank you sir, have a nice day!”
“Ah- never mind,” the man hesitated, “same to you.”
call #0378 january 22 16:53:15
hun: hyung, how do we get chanyeol hyung to go?
Junmyeon face-palmed himself for forgetting. They had been planning on throwing Baekhyun a send-off party because he had received an offer from a huge graphic design company in Japan, a huge leap from the freelance work he’s been doing. But his boyfriend, Chanyeol, wasn’t too happy about the news, because Baekhyun didn’t (forgot to) mention the fact that the work required him to stay permanently in Japan. This caused a rift between the two, and they haven’t talked to each other in 2 weeks. And what worried Junmyeon and the others most was that they haven’t fought like that since college, and that Baekhyun is leaving in two days.
don’t worry hun, i’ll take care of it, just remind jongin and soo abt the food
hun: okay hyung, oh and please don’t get mad…. but jongin kind of scratched the chen cd he borrowed?
Junmyeon groaned, he should’ve known better than to trust Jongin with the original copy of the CD. He scolded himself for not burning a copy for the younger boy instead.
tell him it’s okay, he just needs to buy me chen’s new album when it’s out and get it signed
hun: hyung, what are you? 16?
shut up
hun: should he get you a signed poster too? or a life size standee?
go away
hun: im srs hyung, I bet jongin can get you the standee from the chinese ice tea endorsement
hun: jongin’s parents sell that in their store I think
hun: his parents would understand if it’s you asking
bye sehun
hun: kekeke bye hyung~ think abt it
He closed the chat app, finished his green tea and went out of the break room. The familiar mindless chatter filled his ears once again. He silently walked back to his desk; the thirty minute break wasn’t exactly enough to clear his mind. But he only had a couple more hours in his shift; he could handle that.
As soon as he logged onto his desktop, an incoming call was redirected to him.
He breathed in, “Hello sir, how may I help you?”
“So the blender I bought might’ve just broke?”
The voice sounded familiar. It was distinct, raspy and a bit raw. Out of the thousands of voices he has heard in the two years he has worked as a call center agent, this voice was one of the voices that he could pick out among the others. He remembered the voice, he just couldn’t remember the conversation.
“Sir, how did that hap-“
“Oh, oh! It’s you, god, finally!”
Now he remembered. It was the same voice that asked him about electric fly swatters.
“Finally?” he blurted out, forgetting that he was supposed to speak formally to all their clients, “Oh, I apo-“
“Yeah, I’ve been calling for a while… Waiting for you to get the call…”
Junmyeon blushed, not really understanding why a man he’s never even met and has only spoken to once tried to contact him again. And considering the fact there are about a hundred agents assigned to receive calls from the clients of this home appliances company, he must’ve tried a lot of times.
“Sir, I don’t understand,” he paused to try and gather some composure, he’s never been in a situation like this so he is very unsure of what he’s supposed to say, the man is a client after all.
The man cleared his throat, “Well, it’s just, only a few people manage to humor me, and you did,” he paused, probably waiting for Junmyeon to say anything.
“Uh, thank you sir. But I still don’t understand,” the more they stay on the line, the more incoherent Junmyeon becomes. He mentally scolded himself for losing composure, but he just can’t grasp what was happening.
“Oh wait, it’ll be impolite to ask for his number first,” the man whispered to himself, yet Junmyeon still heard it quite cleary, “can I ask for your name?”
Junmyeon is completely flustered, never has a caller taken interest in him, much more ask for his name. The calls are always professional, and never, in any way, are they romantic. Junmyeon scolded himself again, he shouldn’t be thinking that the man’s interest was in anyway romantic. The man didn’t even know his name, much less his sexual preferences.
He’s nervous and curious at the same time. Maybe this could be the difference he has been waiting for, the splash of color he’s been asking for.
But although his gut’s been telling him to trust the man, he just couldn’t. And there’s a personal information nondisclosure clause in his contract, he’s not about to break that rule just because there’s someone showing him interest.
“I’m sorry sir, we aren’t allowed to give out personal information,” he replied, trying to sound more professional.
He heard the man sigh, “Ah really? Are you not going to make an exception?”
“I’m sorry sir, no.”
“Well, I’ll just introduce myself. I’m Kim Jongdae, or if you’d prefer, you can call me Chen.”
call #0403 january 26 14:42:12
baek: japan is so beautiful guys
baek: [pic]
yeol: oh shut up, im more beautiful than those cherry blossoms
yeol: [pic]
kyungsoo: ew get your own chat box losers
baek: shut up soo
Junmyeon stifled a laugh, he was in the office after all. He was genuinely happy that things worked out between Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Junmyeon and the others had to try a lot of things though, in the end they just decided to lock the two inside the supply cabinet in Kyungsoo’s apartment. Ten minutes later, the explicit noises that came from the cabinet confirmed that the two had worked it out.
hun: junmyeon hyung hyung hyung~
hun: did chen call u already
jongin: so it’s true then?
kyungsoo: chen? your favorite singer?
baek: is stalking you? are you sure it’s him?
junmyeon: i’m not sure, but it could be him
yeol: didn’t you say his voice was raspy? have you read the article?
sehun: he might lose his voice, hyung
Junmyeon’s eyes widened. It was true, he had been a fan of Chen ever since high school. He still remembered being laughed at by his own friends for being a fanboy - buying all of Chen’s albums and going to all his concerts and showcases. Until now, he still followed the boy’s music. There was something about his voice that Junmyeon found alluring. He could sing just about anything, and it would sound amazing. (Junmyeon loved his rendition of the national anthem, so…) Junmyeon still remembered the time he dreamt of being an idol too, but it didn’t work out, so he just listened to Chen’s songs more. He wouldn’t admit it, but Chen’s songs have been a safety blanket to him, reminding him that despite of all things in his life that have come and gone, Chen’s music was still there.
So it had become a huge shock to him when Chen announced that he was taking an indefinite hiatus. And reading the article that Sehun linked to him, Junmyeon connected the dots. Chen was talking a hiatus to regain his health. There were even rumors that he had lost his voice, needing a very risky operation to get it back. The man he had encountered on the phone twice could really be Chen, the raspy voice was a huge clue.
Junmyeon didn’t know what exactly he was feeling. He was worried for the other’s health. He still remembered being really down and upset that time Chen fainted onstage due to extreme fatigue. The company had been overworking him, and Junmyeon knew this was the same reason for the problems with his throat. But at the same time, he felt flustered. The man had showed interest him, and he didn’t even care if it wasn’t romantic interest.
He was brought out of his trance when a call comes.
He knew it was a long shot, but he secretly wished it was Chen who’d be on the line.
“Hello?”
And it was.
Junmyeon hoped that the excitement coursing through his veins wouldn’t show through his voice, “Good morning sir, how may I help you?”
But the excitement seemed to be mutual, “Oh, it’s you. Finally.”
Finally.
“How may I help you today, sir?”
“Would you give me your name now?” Chen asked, Junmyeon’s heart beating irregularly.
A part of Junmyeon really wanted to do so, but he’s still hesitant. What would happen if he does give Chen his name?
The coughing on the other line reminded him of what Chen was going through, maybe even if doesn’t give his name. Maybe he could help him by listening to him, trying to understand his problems.
“I’m sorry sir, I still can’t. But you’re free to ask me anything else.”
call #0587 february 1 11:01:32
“You like Girl’s Day? Really?”
Chen sounded like he couldn’t believe that Junmyeon listened to the girl group. He liked their songs a lot. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he could even dance to ‘Something’.
“Yeah, why? Are you judging me right now?”
Chen laughed heartily, making him cough uncontrollably.
This worried Junmyeon a lot, Chen had been avoiding talking about his condition with Junmyeon. Every time he tried to bring it up, Chen would always have a way out of having the conversation.
“Are you okay? I really think you should-“
Chen cut him mid-sentence, sensing that the conversation was leading to his condition, “I’m o-okay.”
Coughing filled the line again, and Junmyeon knew Chen wasn’t okay.
“I seriously think you should listen to your doctor, Chen. Risk it, take the chance.”
When Chen’s coughing fit ended, there was a brief and tension-filled silence. Junmyeon wanted to take back what he said, apologize for being too intrusive, but Chen beat him to it.
“You don’t know anything; you don’t even know what it feels like to hear that you just might lose the most important thing in your life.”
call #0621 february 10 20:52:11
It had been nine days since Chen’s last phone call, and this worried Junmyeon very much. Their last conversation did not exactly end well. Chen had dropped the call when Junmyeon pushed him to continue with the operation. He completely understood him though, and he realized that it was hypocritical of him to talk about taking risks when he has been avoiding them all his life. And yet a couple of hours after their last conversation, he heard news about the Chen, finally agreeing and taking a risk with the operation.
But since then, there haven’t been any updates. He’s been checking online gossip sites for the past few days for any updates about the pop star. But even the most credible ones still had no idea about Chen’s condition.
The worry that had built up in Junmyeon’s chest had completely ruined his sleeping patterns. His shift ended at about 9 in the evening, but instead of going straight home to sleep and rest, he would find himself roaming around aimlessly in the streets of Seoul with nothing but his iPod and headphones. And he listened to Chen’s songs over and over again. He walked until he tired himself out, only returning home at midnight.
He knew it was completely absurd to be that affected by the boy’s condition that much. But even though he refused to admit it, the boy and his music have been his anchor. The boy came in his life at best time, during his senior year. The year he found out about himself, his preferences. He was lost and confused. He didn’t know who he could run to. But one night, while he was flipping through radio stations, he encountered a voice that sang about dreams, happiness, and acceptance.
So maybe the worries he had were understandable. But he knew he was being illogical.
Their supervisor had asked him earlier if he was feeling okay. He had been spacing out, not noticing that he already had a caller on the line. He just shook his head in response. He didn’t want to be sent home. There was a call he was waiting for after all.
But his hopes slowly faded as the end of his shift neared. It was stupid, he thought. Waiting for someone who’d only reach him by chance. Even if he really did attempt to find Junmyeon, the odds were against them. And all they could rely on was fate.
With less than ten minutes remaining in his shift, Junmyeon decided to give it a rest. It was crazy of him to think that it was possible to beat the odds.
The beeping and blinking on his screen signaled that he already had a caller on the line. He accepted the call mindlessly, his thoughts drifting off somewhere else.
“Hello, how may I help you?”
A pause.
“Hi, I’m sorry.”
Junmyeon’s heart stopped.
“Hello? Are you still there?”
Tears pricked his eyes, and they were falling uncontrollably. Junmyeon cursed himself for letting his emotions take over him. But at same time, relief washed over him, because Chen sounded a lot better. His voice was still raspy, but it was better.
“H-hello…”
Junmyeon hoped that the surge of his emotions would go unnoticed, because he didn’t want the boy on the other line to know how much he cared.
“Wait, are you crying?” Chen sounded surprised and worried, but there was a hint of happiness in his voice, “Hey, don’t cry! I have good news!”
Junmyeon sniffled, the tears still haven’t stopped.
“Hey, thank you so much. You made me realize a lot of things. And I’m really sorry for shouting at you and all, but I’m really thankful. It worked. The operation worked! And wow, I still don’t even know your name, but…”
Another pause.
Junmyeon held his breath. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t.
“I really like you.”
Junmyeon could feel his heart beating out of his chest. The feeling wasn’t entirely foreign. He had felt it before, for a tall Chinese exchange student back in college.
He was still a loss for words, but Chen decided to fill in the gaps.
“I’ll find you, I will.”
february 14
Junmyeon didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. He found it a bit overrated. But when he reached his tiny cubicle, there was a bouquet on his table. His workmates were shooting him teasing glances and knowing smirks that made him blush. There was also card tucked in between the daisies and sunflowers.
Kim Junmyeon,
That’s your name right?
I told you I’ll find you.
It didn’t cross his mind that Chen would actually go this far for someone he’s never even met. But the huge flower arrangement on his desk was a testament that the boy was indeed serious. Junmyeon still couldn’t believe that Chen actually found him, but he did. Whether it was the work of fate or Chen’s manager just working with their connections, Junmyeon was thankful.
Junmyeon felt anxious. He tried to stop himself from hoping for more, but there was part of him that looked forward to what was to come. Just a month ago, he was complaining about how plain and boring his life was. All it took was a chance phone call to change everything.
“Junmyeon hyung, do you want to join us for lunch?”
Junmyeon shook his head and smiled, “Go ahead without me Tao, you guys enjoy your lunch.”
The younger boy just smiled back at him and waved goodbye. He brought his own food that day, deciding that it would be more convenient to eat at the break room, considering the fact that there would be a lot of people having Valentine’s Day dates.
He was taking the last bite of his grilled cheese sandwich when his cellphone started ringing. He peered at his phone and saw that it was an unknown number. Normally, he’d ignore calls from people he didn’t know, but something in his gut’s telling him that he should take the call.
“Oh I don’t care, even if I have to go far, I’ll be the one man to be by your side ”
Junmyeon felt like crying. It was Chen. He was about to ask Chen what was happening, but the call was cut.
Seconds later, he received a text message.
Go out of your building now.
A smile immediately found its way to Junmyeon’s lips. He held on to his phone tightly as he walked towards their building’s lobby. Time seemed to have slowed down, because Junmyeon felt his steps growing heavier as he grew closer to the lobby.
Chen had perfect timing, Junmyeon thought. It had been almost 7 years since the boy entered his life, but this meeting felt like the first time. It felt like the start of something new.
When he reached the lobby, he was greeted by 11 men he didn’t know, all giving him knowing smiles. An unknown beat started playing, and all 11 men turned around, revealing numbers that were glued to their shirts.
010-4321-9876
He looked at his call logs and saw that this was a different number. The men parted, and a voice he knew so well filled his ears.
And as always, Junmyeon found the song amazing. Even if his voice was a bit hoarse, Chen still sounded heavenly. Junmyeon believed that even if he sang the phonebook, it would still sound amazing.
Junmyeon was bright pink when Chen finally reached him. It felt surreal, being face to face with the person he admired the most. His heart was bursting with emotions when Chen decided to take both of his hands.
“Hey, look at me.”
When he finally had the courage to look Chen in the eyes, a warm smile greeted him, making his insides melt. It was a smile he never thought he’d receive. It was the smile that he only saw in photos and videos. It was overwhelming, and Junmyeon couldn’t help but think of this as a dream. But Chen was there, in front of him, looking at him as if he’s the only person in the world.
“I told you I’d find you, Kim Junmyeon.”
(“What’s the paper and pen for?” Junmyeon asked, confused when Jongdae (he refused to be called Chen) brought out a torn piece of paper and a chewed up pen.
“I wanted to test you,” Jongdae replied, pushing the pen and paper towards Junmyeon, “your friends told me how much of a fan you were, can you name all my albums and songs?”
Junmyeon rolled his eyes. Of course he could.)
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s)/Focus: Suho/Chen, side!Baekhyun/Chanyeol
Length: 3,780 words
Summary: The second call was a coincidence, he thinks. But the third, fourth, and fifth calls were fate.
Notes: This was a fic I wrote for Suholiday! I'll probably write more from this au soon! ｡◕‿◕｡
call #0031 january 15 07:06:33
It had been a busy morning for Junmyeon. It was only 7 in the morning, thirty minutes since he clocked into work, but he had received about thirty calls already. Half of the calls were about a faulty toaster that had too much pop up force. One caller narrated how the bread reached as high as the ceiling fan in their kitchen, which resulted to their breakfast being shredded into pieces. It wasn’t only him though, the whole floor was experiencing the aftermath of a stupid factory defect.
When the phone started ringing again, he prepared himself for another rant about a menacing breakfast appliance. It was already a routine for him, to try to solve the problems of customers who call their assistance hotline. And most of them didn’t really care whether their tones were offensive or rude, because they were the customers and they were told that they are always right.
That was how he spent his days, hunched over a computer for almost 10 hours a day. It was a far cry from where he imagined himself to be at 25, but it pays the bills with enough to spare, so he’s not exactly complaining. But it was too boring, too plain, and he’s just hoping for something to taint his otherwise monochrome days. So when man on the other line, voice hoarse and raspy, asked if the electric fly swatter sold by the company was strong enough to knock a person unconscious, something in him sparked.
He stifled a laugh, thinking that the man was joking. But the brief silence on the line followed by sounds of struggle proved otherwise. He panicked, what if the guy on the other line was a thief? Or worse, a murderer? But the voice of reason in his head told him that criminals don’t call customer service to ask questions that could be easily googled. And they don’t use fly swatters as weapons either.
That left Junmyeon with two plausible theories: the man was prank calling or was simply crazy.
It was part of their protocol to help the callers as much as they possibly can. They were trained to strain information about a person based on how he talks. They had to read and understand a person in less than a minute to avoid any complications.
The man on the other line continued to babble though, about his stupid friends who removed him from their Line group chat and stopped inviting him to night outs, his mom who keeps asking him if he already got a girlfriend when he already made it clear that he wasn’t getting one ever, his annoying new neighbor whose dog keeps barking until the wee hours of the morning, and his stupid brother who had gotten himself drunk and just vomited on his carpet.
This gave Junmyeon enough insight about the person on the other line. This wasn’t a prank call, but the man may just be a bit crazy
.
So he decided to humor him.
“Sir, I think the purpose of the product is to kill insects, not people. So the answer is no,” he paused and heard the man snicker, “we have other products for that, but we’d rather not be held responsible for any murders,” another pause.
Then like what he had hoped for, laughter filled the other line.
“I wasn’t really planning to knock someone unconscious… I was just really curious how powerful this thing is, you know, just in case.”
Junmyeon smiled at this, “Yes sir, I understand. The world is a dangerous place, but I’d suggest a tazer or a baseball bat.”
“I like you… You’re funny,” Junmyeon blushed, he had never been the funny one among his friends, they had always teased him about his corny and lackluster jokes, but this man had found him funny.
“Uh- Thank you sir, have a nice day!”
“Ah- never mind,” the man hesitated, “same to you.”
call #0378 january 22 16:53:15
hun: hyung, how do we get chanyeol hyung to go?
Junmyeon face-palmed himself for forgetting. They had been planning on throwing Baekhyun a send-off party because he had received an offer from a huge graphic design company in Japan, a huge leap from the freelance work he’s been doing. But his boyfriend, Chanyeol, wasn’t too happy about the news, because Baekhyun didn’t (forgot to) mention the fact that the work required him to stay permanently in Japan. This caused a rift between the two, and they haven’t talked to each other in 2 weeks. And what worried Junmyeon and the others most was that they haven’t fought like that since college, and that Baekhyun is leaving in two days.
don’t worry hun, i’ll take care of it, just remind jongin and soo abt the food
hun: okay hyung, oh and please don’t get mad…. but jongin kind of scratched the chen cd he borrowed?
Junmyeon groaned, he should’ve known better than to trust Jongin with the original copy of the CD. He scolded himself for not burning a copy for the younger boy instead.
tell him it’s okay, he just needs to buy me chen’s new album when it’s out and get it signed
hun: hyung, what are you? 16?
shut up
hun: should he get you a signed poster too? or a life size standee?
go away
hun: im srs hyung, I bet jongin can get you the standee from the chinese ice tea endorsement
hun: jongin’s parents sell that in their store I think
hun: his parents would understand if it’s you asking
bye sehun
hun: kekeke bye hyung~ think abt it
He closed the chat app, finished his green tea and went out of the break room. The familiar mindless chatter filled his ears once again. He silently walked back to his desk; the thirty minute break wasn’t exactly enough to clear his mind. But he only had a couple more hours in his shift; he could handle that.
As soon as he logged onto his desktop, an incoming call was redirected to him.
He breathed in, “Hello sir, how may I help you?”
“So the blender I bought might’ve just broke?”
The voice sounded familiar. It was distinct, raspy and a bit raw. Out of the thousands of voices he has heard in the two years he has worked as a call center agent, this voice was one of the voices that he could pick out among the others. He remembered the voice, he just couldn’t remember the conversation.
“Sir, how did that hap-“
“Oh, oh! It’s you, god, finally!”
Now he remembered. It was the same voice that asked him about electric fly swatters.
“Finally?” he blurted out, forgetting that he was supposed to speak formally to all their clients, “Oh, I apo-“
“Yeah, I’ve been calling for a while… Waiting for you to get the call…”
Junmyeon blushed, not really understanding why a man he’s never even met and has only spoken to once tried to contact him again. And considering the fact there are about a hundred agents assigned to receive calls from the clients of this home appliances company, he must’ve tried a lot of times.
“Sir, I don’t understand,” he paused to try and gather some composure, he’s never been in a situation like this so he is very unsure of what he’s supposed to say, the man is a client after all.
The man cleared his throat, “Well, it’s just, only a few people manage to humor me, and you did,” he paused, probably waiting for Junmyeon to say anything.
“Uh, thank you sir. But I still don’t understand,” the more they stay on the line, the more incoherent Junmyeon becomes. He mentally scolded himself for losing composure, but he just can’t grasp what was happening.
“Oh wait, it’ll be impolite to ask for his number first,” the man whispered to himself, yet Junmyeon still heard it quite cleary, “can I ask for your name?”
Junmyeon is completely flustered, never has a caller taken interest in him, much more ask for his name. The calls are always professional, and never, in any way, are they romantic. Junmyeon scolded himself again, he shouldn’t be thinking that the man’s interest was in anyway romantic. The man didn’t even know his name, much less his sexual preferences.
He’s nervous and curious at the same time. Maybe this could be the difference he has been waiting for, the splash of color he’s been asking for.
But although his gut’s been telling him to trust the man, he just couldn’t. And there’s a personal information nondisclosure clause in his contract, he’s not about to break that rule just because there’s someone showing him interest.
“I’m sorry sir, we aren’t allowed to give out personal information,” he replied, trying to sound more professional.
He heard the man sigh, “Ah really? Are you not going to make an exception?”
“I’m sorry sir, no.”
“Well, I’ll just introduce myself. I’m Kim Jongdae, or if you’d prefer, you can call me Chen.”
call #0403 january 26 14:42:12
baek: japan is so beautiful guys
baek: [pic]
yeol: oh shut up, im more beautiful than those cherry blossoms
yeol: [pic]
kyungsoo: ew get your own chat box losers
baek: shut up soo
Junmyeon stifled a laugh, he was in the office after all. He was genuinely happy that things worked out between Chanyeol and Baekhyun. Junmyeon and the others had to try a lot of things though, in the end they just decided to lock the two inside the supply cabinet in Kyungsoo’s apartment. Ten minutes later, the explicit noises that came from the cabinet confirmed that the two had worked it out.
hun: junmyeon hyung hyung hyung~
hun: did chen call u already
jongin: so it’s true then?
kyungsoo: chen? your favorite singer?
baek: is stalking you? are you sure it’s him?
junmyeon: i’m not sure, but it could be him
yeol: didn’t you say his voice was raspy? have you read the article?
sehun: he might lose his voice, hyung
Junmyeon’s eyes widened. It was true, he had been a fan of Chen ever since high school. He still remembered being laughed at by his own friends for being a fanboy - buying all of Chen’s albums and going to all his concerts and showcases. Until now, he still followed the boy’s music. There was something about his voice that Junmyeon found alluring. He could sing just about anything, and it would sound amazing. (Junmyeon loved his rendition of the national anthem, so…) Junmyeon still remembered the time he dreamt of being an idol too, but it didn’t work out, so he just listened to Chen’s songs more. He wouldn’t admit it, but Chen’s songs have been a safety blanket to him, reminding him that despite of all things in his life that have come and gone, Chen’s music was still there.
So it had become a huge shock to him when Chen announced that he was taking an indefinite hiatus. And reading the article that Sehun linked to him, Junmyeon connected the dots. Chen was talking a hiatus to regain his health. There were even rumors that he had lost his voice, needing a very risky operation to get it back. The man he had encountered on the phone twice could really be Chen, the raspy voice was a huge clue.
Junmyeon didn’t know what exactly he was feeling. He was worried for the other’s health. He still remembered being really down and upset that time Chen fainted onstage due to extreme fatigue. The company had been overworking him, and Junmyeon knew this was the same reason for the problems with his throat. But at the same time, he felt flustered. The man had showed interest him, and he didn’t even care if it wasn’t romantic interest.
He was brought out of his trance when a call comes.
He knew it was a long shot, but he secretly wished it was Chen who’d be on the line.
“Hello?”
And it was.
Junmyeon hoped that the excitement coursing through his veins wouldn’t show through his voice, “Good morning sir, how may I help you?”
But the excitement seemed to be mutual, “Oh, it’s you. Finally.”
Finally.
“How may I help you today, sir?”
“Would you give me your name now?” Chen asked, Junmyeon’s heart beating irregularly.
A part of Junmyeon really wanted to do so, but he’s still hesitant. What would happen if he does give Chen his name?
The coughing on the other line reminded him of what Chen was going through, maybe even if doesn’t give his name. Maybe he could help him by listening to him, trying to understand his problems.
“I’m sorry sir, I still can’t. But you’re free to ask me anything else.”
call #0587 february 1 11:01:32
“You like Girl’s Day? Really?”
Chen sounded like he couldn’t believe that Junmyeon listened to the girl group. He liked their songs a lot. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he could even dance to ‘Something’.
“Yeah, why? Are you judging me right now?”
Chen laughed heartily, making him cough uncontrollably.
This worried Junmyeon a lot, Chen had been avoiding talking about his condition with Junmyeon. Every time he tried to bring it up, Chen would always have a way out of having the conversation.
“Are you okay? I really think you should-“
Chen cut him mid-sentence, sensing that the conversation was leading to his condition, “I’m o-okay.”
Coughing filled the line again, and Junmyeon knew Chen wasn’t okay.
“I seriously think you should listen to your doctor, Chen. Risk it, take the chance.”
When Chen’s coughing fit ended, there was a brief and tension-filled silence. Junmyeon wanted to take back what he said, apologize for being too intrusive, but Chen beat him to it.
“You don’t know anything; you don’t even know what it feels like to hear that you just might lose the most important thing in your life.”
call #0621 february 10 20:52:11
It had been nine days since Chen’s last phone call, and this worried Junmyeon very much. Their last conversation did not exactly end well. Chen had dropped the call when Junmyeon pushed him to continue with the operation. He completely understood him though, and he realized that it was hypocritical of him to talk about taking risks when he has been avoiding them all his life. And yet a couple of hours after their last conversation, he heard news about the Chen, finally agreeing and taking a risk with the operation.
But since then, there haven’t been any updates. He’s been checking online gossip sites for the past few days for any updates about the pop star. But even the most credible ones still had no idea about Chen’s condition.
The worry that had built up in Junmyeon’s chest had completely ruined his sleeping patterns. His shift ended at about 9 in the evening, but instead of going straight home to sleep and rest, he would find himself roaming around aimlessly in the streets of Seoul with nothing but his iPod and headphones. And he listened to Chen’s songs over and over again. He walked until he tired himself out, only returning home at midnight.
He knew it was completely absurd to be that affected by the boy’s condition that much. But even though he refused to admit it, the boy and his music have been his anchor. The boy came in his life at best time, during his senior year. The year he found out about himself, his preferences. He was lost and confused. He didn’t know who he could run to. But one night, while he was flipping through radio stations, he encountered a voice that sang about dreams, happiness, and acceptance.
So maybe the worries he had were understandable. But he knew he was being illogical.
Their supervisor had asked him earlier if he was feeling okay. He had been spacing out, not noticing that he already had a caller on the line. He just shook his head in response. He didn’t want to be sent home. There was a call he was waiting for after all.
But his hopes slowly faded as the end of his shift neared. It was stupid, he thought. Waiting for someone who’d only reach him by chance. Even if he really did attempt to find Junmyeon, the odds were against them. And all they could rely on was fate.
With less than ten minutes remaining in his shift, Junmyeon decided to give it a rest. It was crazy of him to think that it was possible to beat the odds.
The beeping and blinking on his screen signaled that he already had a caller on the line. He accepted the call mindlessly, his thoughts drifting off somewhere else.
“Hello, how may I help you?”
A pause.
“Hi, I’m sorry.”
Junmyeon’s heart stopped.
“Hello? Are you still there?”
Tears pricked his eyes, and they were falling uncontrollably. Junmyeon cursed himself for letting his emotions take over him. But at same time, relief washed over him, because Chen sounded a lot better. His voice was still raspy, but it was better.
“H-hello…”
Junmyeon hoped that the surge of his emotions would go unnoticed, because he didn’t want the boy on the other line to know how much he cared.
“Wait, are you crying?” Chen sounded surprised and worried, but there was a hint of happiness in his voice, “Hey, don’t cry! I have good news!”
Junmyeon sniffled, the tears still haven’t stopped.
“Hey, thank you so much. You made me realize a lot of things. And I’m really sorry for shouting at you and all, but I’m really thankful. It worked. The operation worked! And wow, I still don’t even know your name, but…”
Another pause.
Junmyeon held his breath. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t.
“I really like you.”
Junmyeon could feel his heart beating out of his chest. The feeling wasn’t entirely foreign. He had felt it before, for a tall Chinese exchange student back in college.
He was still a loss for words, but Chen decided to fill in the gaps.
“I’ll find you, I will.”
february 14
Junmyeon didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. He found it a bit overrated. But when he reached his tiny cubicle, there was a bouquet on his table. His workmates were shooting him teasing glances and knowing smirks that made him blush. There was also card tucked in between the daisies and sunflowers.
Kim Junmyeon,
That’s your name right?
I told you I’ll find you.
It didn’t cross his mind that Chen would actually go this far for someone he’s never even met. But the huge flower arrangement on his desk was a testament that the boy was indeed serious. Junmyeon still couldn’t believe that Chen actually found him, but he did. Whether it was the work of fate or Chen’s manager just working with their connections, Junmyeon was thankful.
Junmyeon felt anxious. He tried to stop himself from hoping for more, but there was part of him that looked forward to what was to come. Just a month ago, he was complaining about how plain and boring his life was. All it took was a chance phone call to change everything.
“Junmyeon hyung, do you want to join us for lunch?”
Junmyeon shook his head and smiled, “Go ahead without me Tao, you guys enjoy your lunch.”
The younger boy just smiled back at him and waved goodbye. He brought his own food that day, deciding that it would be more convenient to eat at the break room, considering the fact that there would be a lot of people having Valentine’s Day dates.
He was taking the last bite of his grilled cheese sandwich when his cellphone started ringing. He peered at his phone and saw that it was an unknown number. Normally, he’d ignore calls from people he didn’t know, but something in his gut’s telling him that he should take the call.
“Oh I don’t care, even if I have to go far, I’ll be the one man to be by your side ”
Junmyeon felt like crying. It was Chen. He was about to ask Chen what was happening, but the call was cut.
Seconds later, he received a text message.
Go out of your building now.
A smile immediately found its way to Junmyeon’s lips. He held on to his phone tightly as he walked towards their building’s lobby. Time seemed to have slowed down, because Junmyeon felt his steps growing heavier as he grew closer to the lobby.
Chen had perfect timing, Junmyeon thought. It had been almost 7 years since the boy entered his life, but this meeting felt like the first time. It felt like the start of something new.
When he reached the lobby, he was greeted by 11 men he didn’t know, all giving him knowing smiles. An unknown beat started playing, and all 11 men turned around, revealing numbers that were glued to their shirts.
010-4321-9876
He looked at his call logs and saw that this was a different number. The men parted, and a voice he knew so well filled his ears.
And as always, Junmyeon found the song amazing. Even if his voice was a bit hoarse, Chen still sounded heavenly. Junmyeon believed that even if he sang the phonebook, it would still sound amazing.
Junmyeon was bright pink when Chen finally reached him. It felt surreal, being face to face with the person he admired the most. His heart was bursting with emotions when Chen decided to take both of his hands.
“Hey, look at me.”
When he finally had the courage to look Chen in the eyes, a warm smile greeted him, making his insides melt. It was a smile he never thought he’d receive. It was the smile that he only saw in photos and videos. It was overwhelming, and Junmyeon couldn’t help but think of this as a dream. But Chen was there, in front of him, looking at him as if he’s the only person in the world.
“I told you I’d find you, Kim Junmyeon.”
(“What’s the paper and pen for?” Junmyeon asked, confused when Jongdae (he refused to be called Chen) brought out a torn piece of paper and a chewed up pen.
“I wanted to test you,” Jongdae replied, pushing the pen and paper towards Junmyeon, “your friends told me how much of a fan you were, can you name all my albums and songs?”
Junmyeon rolled his eyes. Of course he could.)