AN: Last chapter before the epilogue! xx

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Three months. Three months is what it took to break him. If he didn’t listen to that god awful voice in the back of his head, he was going to go insane, and he quite liked his wit and sanity. And that’s the reason he was here, once again.

He’d tried with all the strength he had in him to not come here again, but his brain wouldn’t leave him in peace. He’d been plagued by Jaejoong’s eyes during his waking hours and tormented while he slept. He just couldn’t get him out of his head. The more days that passed, the stronger his urge to protect the teenager has grown in him. He couldn’t fight it anymore. He’d tried, only for it to result in fights with his friends and colleagues and foul moods.

He had a plan though. It’s not like he could just come and kidnap the boy. He had to make him come willingly. And he knew exactly how to do it. If…no, when Jaejoong agreed to come, then both he and Daesung could live at his home and Changmin would finally be able to get some sleep. Plus the annoying voice in his head would shut up. If he had Jaejoong’s face to look at in his own home, then perhaps his brain won’t be such a prick and bring the picture up in his brain every god damn minute.

He did have very pretty eyes though. Changmin couldn’t deny that.

He’d been in the neighbourhood for over an hour, searched the avenue and the alleyway and come up empty. He’d asked the shop workers if they’d seen him and still got nothing. He was getting more scared by the minute. What if Jaejoong taken CL’s offer? Would he be doing drugs?

NO! He couldn’t think like that. Jaejoong couldn’t. He had a gut instinct that Jaejoong would not get involved in that line of work, no matter how desperate he was. But then again, what if something had happened to Daesung and he had no other option. After all, he couldn’t forget that the boy had once robbed him at knife point.

As he continued to search the streets, he tried to fight such thoughts. He felt that Jaejoong had proven himself to be a good person despite his one mistake long ago, so he should not make such a horrible assumption without any evidence.

“Hey!” He was about to turn another corner when he heard someone calling him.

It was one of the guys from the alley during the shuffling game Changmin had witnessed.

“Yes?”  He asked, irritated. The snow from last night had caused a dramatic decrease in temperature since last night and his coat was useless against the harsh winter air. A large sum of money was wasted on that crap! Looking at the approaching figure, he wondered how the man was able to casually walk around in an old, torn pair of jeans and sweater. No gloves, no coat, no scarf. He was probably too used to withstanding all types of climates. Would Jaejoong be nonchalant about the cold too? What about Daesung?

“I heard you were looking for JJ.” The man stated, breath leaving him in puffs.

“Yes, I am. Do you know where he is?” He asked eagerly. Finally.

“Last I saw, he was at the park.” The man shrugged, walking off. Damn. Why didn’t he think of that?

“Wait.” He quickly ran after the man, pulling out some notes from his pocket. “Thank you.” Whoever he was, Changmin didn’t care. Because the grateful smile that graced his face as he took the money and bowed, had Changmin’s own lips stretching in a smile. Man did it feel good to help people.

When he got to the park, it occurred to him that he probably should have asked where exactly in the park Jaejoong was. Oh well, guess he should start searching his eyelashes fell out from the cold.

The first place he searched was the bench where they’d first come across each other. It was empty, so he had to think logically. Where in the park would be a warm place to stay during a cold winter day? Ah ha! The Contemplation Centre. He’d been told there was always warm water running there, which would keep the immediate area a little warmer than other places. He hoped there were also some walls or some kind of protection there.

As he got to the little clearing, his heart almost jumped in joy when his eyes landed on the wheelchair, which he noticed had its wheels changed again. That was one of the first things he was going to fix. He just hoped things would go according to his plan.

The place was protected by the large tree trunks from the snow and most of the cold winds. The loud rumbling of the machine told him the heaters were still in the water, which meant it was hopefully not freezing cold.

When he appeared in front of Daesung, he didn’t blame him for the confused expression on his face. The boy’s cheeks were too pale, his lips chapped and puffs of breath leaving them as he stared up at him questioningly. Changmin probably looked ridiculous all wrapped up, when the more vulnerable of the two was sitting there with no more than a dainty blanket covering his legs.

“Can I help you?” Jaejoong. He was holding an armful of twigs, his fingers so, so pale. They were shivering and Changmin had the strongest urge to hand over his gloves immediately. What caught his attention though, was the swollen cheek and split lip. He was so angry suddenly. Who the hell had done that? How dare they? It was a struggle to control his temper, but he knew it was not his place to question. Jaejoong would probably not understand his intentions for asking, anyway.

Deciding it was better to get this over with, he pulled the scarf down his face revealing his identity.

“Hi.” He breathed out.

“Changmin-sshi?” Daesung asked, confusion clearly written on his face. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to hold Jaejoong to his word.” Please say yes! His fingers were going to drop off soon. He was not used to this kind of cold. And the wound on Jaejoong’s cheek definitely needed warmth and care.

“What do you mean?” He put the twigs down, looking at him cautiously.

“If I remember correctly, the last time we met, you said, and I quote, ‘if there’s any way I can repay you, that’s within my ability to do, I will’. I’m here because I have decided that you do, in fact, need to repay me for your actions in this very park those years ago.” He crossed his arms in an attempt to hide their shivering. How was it possible that the other two were not as affected? God. Maybe privileged people really were too pampered for their own good. What would they do if an apocalypse happened, huh? They’d become yeti food, that’s what.

“H-how?” Jaejoong’s eyes grew very large. Fear. , he hadn’t meant to scare the boy.

“Oh god you’re not going to make him do something bad are you?” Daesung was horrified. For the love of all that’s warm, did they always juts jump to conclusions about everything? Jeez, give the man the chance to explain.

“Something bad? Wh-OMG! NO! What the hell?” He was offended if he was being honest. “I’m not a bloody ert! God!” He rolled his eyes.

“Um, that’s not what I meant, but ok.” Daesung’s smile was back, a giggle rather, at his expense. He hoped he’d be able to see Jaejoong smile, laugh and giggle one day. So far all he’d witnessed from the young man was coldness, fear, caution and well, nothing good.

“What will you have me do?” Jaejoong was not finding any of this amusing. He stood there stock still, expecting the worst. It made Changmin wonder, what horrors had the boy witnessed, to be so guarded at all times?

“Here’s the deal. I have a big house and job that keeps me busy.” Jaejoong snorted, probably thinking Changmin was showing off. “I’m not always home, which means my house is usually in need of care and usually when I get home after hard days of labour, there is no food on the table for me to eat.” That last part, he couldn’t help the pout that formed on his mouth. It truly was a tragedy.

“I don’t think I understand.”

“Simply put, I want you to come and work for me as repayment for your actions. I will not tell the police, like I promised. And in return, you will look after my home while I’m away.”

Yes, he was manipulating the boy. But who cares. He wanted him to stay somewhere safe. Somewhere he wouldn’t have to resort to doing horrible things to feed himself and his brother. He knew that he had to make his demand convincing, so he’d thought about what he’d say for a long time. Even practice in front of a mirror.

“But you said you’d forgiven him already.” Daesung said, looking sadly up at him again.

“I have. But, for the sake of discipline, he must face consequences for his actions.” He hated putting that look in the boy’s eyes. He was a lot better looking when he was constantly smiling. Not that Changmin knew what expression Daesung had on, most of the time. But from the looks of it, he appeared to be a smiley person.

“I don’t know where you live.”

“I’ll take you there.”

“What about Daesung, I’m not leaving him. And I can’t exactly afford to be going back and forth.” Ah, he still didn’t seem to get the full picture.

“Why would you need to travel? Daesung will be coming with you, of course.” He stated, as though that was the most obvious thing in the world.

“What?” Both Jaejoong and Daesung exclaimed at the same time, though both had opposite expressions. Daesung was grinning in excitement, while Jaejoong glared at him in horror.

“Look whatever you want from me, fine, take it. But leave Daesung out of it!”

“But hyung, I don’t think you understand what he’s saying…” he trailed off as his brother’s cold gaze turned to him, silencing him.

“Ok. I thought I was being very clear, but obviously I was wrong, so listen carefully,” Jaejoong opened his mouth to protest but Changmin shushed him with a cold, glove-covered hand. “I want you to work for me. That means you will come and stay with me at my home. Now I know that leaving Daesung here would cause you to not have your full attention on the tasks while you work, so to avoid that, Daesung will come too. I have spare rooms available where you can both live. Does that make things clearer?” God damn, he was freezing! Come on Jae, agree already!

Wait. Jae? Where did that come from?

“I-I guess so. You want me to stay at your home with you?” he asked, unsure.

“That’s what I just said.”

“And Daesung can come too?”

“I’m certain that’s exactly what I just recited to you.”

“Well...”

“Daesung, will you please knock some sense into you brother before I freeze my balls off!”

That caused the youngest of the three to double over, laughing. And Jaejoong to pout. That was some pout.

“Fine, fine I get it!” Jaejoong smacked Daesung on the head. “But how do I know you don’t have a torture chamber, or like to skewer people alive or something? I mean I don’t even know you.” Fair enough.

“You don’t know the police either, would you like to spend some time with them instead?” That seemed to shift his stance a little.

“What exactly do you expect me to do?” At least he wasn’t objecting anymore.

“Just general housekeeping and cooking.”

“I don’t know how to cook.” So does that mean he’s done chores for people before? That, again made him more determined to get these two into his house as soon as possible.

“Don’t worry. I’m on Christmas break, so there’s plenty of time for me to teach you everything.” Changmin rubbed his hands together in delight, also because they were hurting from the cold.

“Ok. Fine, then. I guess.”

“Great! Now can we move it? Because I have a more glamorous death wish than dying on a deserted park from hypothermia.” Daesung laughed again, and finally, finally he was able to glimpse a little hint of a smile on Jaejoong’s lips. It was a little mesmerising, which was probably because he’d been so desperate to see the little muscle movement.

“You want us to go now?” He asked, a hazy look in his eyes. It was probably too much for him to take in.

“Well, yes. Any objections?”

“Nope! None! Let’s go!” Daesung immediately wheeled himself towards Jaejoong grabbing his hand and dragging him along. There was only a small protest from Jaejoong. He went to retrieve his things (which were stuffed in an old plastic bag) from under a tree, and then they were off.

Changmin felt excited. And he was happy to find the little voice in his head was jumping in joy and content with the turnout.

“So can I call you hyung?” Daesung asked as Jaejoong wheeled him after Changmin. He’d taken off his gloves and forced the boy to wear them, worried for his health.

“No! We should call him ‘Sir’.” Jaejoong told his brother.

And really, what the hell!? Don’t get him wrong, Changmin loved to be in positions of power and be referred to by such high terms, but if these two referred to him as ‘Sir’ he’d probably end up hating the word. It felt wrong.

“Don’t you dare. Don’t listen to him Daesung. Yes, you can call me hyung, and I’d love to have such an adorable dongsaeng. You remind of one of my friends actually.”

And that was that. When they’d gotten Daesung into the backseat of the car, the boy was all but squealing in delight. He couldn’t stop talking about how much he loved the car. Apparently these seats were the most comfortable thing he’d sat on for as long as he can remember. Which was good, because Changmin wanted to see the look of joy on his face when he tried the bed mattress. He smiled, looking forward to that.

Jaejoong kept silent, fidgeting in his seat, but every now and then Changmin caught him looking around the confines of the care appreciatively.

And that was something Changmin could get used to. He thanked whatever force it was that had sent him to that park three years ago instead of someone else. Braving the horribly snowy day was totally worth it, he thought.

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AN: For the epilogue, would you guys (readers) like to see a JaeMin centred future-life glimpse, or would you prefer that I introduce the other three dorsk (Yunho, Yoochun & Junsu)??? I already started the epilgoue, but then I wasn't sure whether to go along with it or not, because I have plans for this AU which will be revealed after I post the epilogue!! So stay tuned and make sure you read the AN!!! 

Drop me your commenst below to let give me an idea of what to do for the epilogue! xx