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‘Sometime…when everything seems so right, we get invaded by the fear of something going wrong, till it make us too blind to see the truth.’

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It’s been a month already since Kim Jaejoong life had swiftly changed; got married to some stranger all of a sudden and had been living with his family in-laws. He just smiled and laughed only when he was outside, and changed to someone taken over by bitterness as he got home. Every day he would purposely come back late from work, as he felt relieved to get home when he was certain that his presence was just unwelcomed in the Jung’s mansion.

He also kept receiving sarcasm from his mother and sister in-law, Jung Jihyun; Yunho’s eldest sister. That only added the bitterness to his worsening life. Those two didn’t seemingly accept his presence as part of their family yet. His world was only in the room that he shared with his husband, in addition he kept on avoiding looking and meeting the man at all cost, though they were in one room. He had totally ignored Yunho’s presence, and only let his husband touch or be near him when they were in front of the parents. That was why he would always get home late from work; at least, being outside would make him feel a bit alive. He just didn’t care even when Yunho was waiting and worrying for him at home.

‘Why do I care… after all he was the one that agreed to this.’ Jaejoong’s hatred toward the man was still unalterable.

Also there were rumors that the second son of Jung had turned away from his old lifestyle in the short time after their marriage. Jung Yunho who was now being known as Kim Jaejoong’s husband, had started working at his family’s company, even taking a lower position for the start, before he could be experienced enough to replace his father’s place as the chairman. Even so, Jaejoong didn’t care less about the drastic changes in the other man. For him, Yunho was the main cause, who’d brought him living in hell…

Jaejoong had skillfully turned his car to get into the huge yard of Jung’s mansion and parked behind Yunho’s black Audi. As usual, all people were already home and he was the last that arrived, as that had been his sole intention.

“Starting to expose your true self huh? Busy having fun out there and you totally love making Yunho wait for you at home, huh?” Jihyun sarcastically said as she saw Jaejoong getting out from his car. She was having her evening tea as usual on the outside yard.

“I regret even more now…for not objecting when my son voiced out that he wanted to marry you last time.” Mrs. Jung who just came out from the back door with the evening snacks and joined her daughter in condemning Jaejoong.

‘Like I wanted to marry her son in the first place. Why can’t they just see through me?’ Jaejoong painfully held back. He felt his heart being jabbed by prickled pain as his sister in-law let out all of her harsh words:

”You should find another target if you’re craving so much for wealth. Because here, in this family, you won’t succeed with that dirty motive of yours because I will always be watching you. Don’t ever dream of fooling me with your stupid acting, because I’m not a sympathetic person like my little brother, who was easily trapped by your stupid act last time.” Jihyun threw her derogatory looks.

“I...I’m not-”

“Don’t put that innocent face. It only makes me disgusted.” Mrs. Jung added.

“Unnie, Mom…stop make Jae-oppa sounds that bad.” Jiyeon, who just came out to the yard, interrupted.

“Oppa, you are just busy with editing the next issue of your magazine right? I heard your company will be releasing a new fashion magazine next month. Is it true?” Jiyeon said again, as always, she’s good and alert all the time for being Jaejoong’s savior when this kind of steam-atmosphere came up.

Jaejoong smiled and nodded slightly at the girl. At least, with that youngest and smartass of Yunho’s little sister and the warm-fatherly of Mr. Jung presence, they did make his life in that house a bit at ease. Jaejoong resumed his walk to get into the house with not much of a word; he couldn’t bear to stand there and let himself being insulted again for the nth times.

“Jiyeon, when would you stop interrupting the elder when we are talking?” Jihyun threw a sharp looks towards her little sister.

“Sorry…I’m kind of forgetful, even I keep remind myself about that.” Jiyeon said carelessly.

Jaejoong walked into the house with his face down to get into his room as fast as possible, when he accidently bumped into Yunho, who was just descending the stairs.

“Oh, you are already home…” Yunho greeted and never forgot to throw Jaejoong a warm smile, even though he knew it would never be answered, instead he would only received Jaejoong’s cold stares or grumpy huffs.

But this time, to his surprise, Jaejoong looked up at him with teary-glazed eyes. It had been so long since he saw that look on Jaejoong’s face on their wedding day. Even he knew the other was still feeling unhappy, but still, for this past month, he was more relieved to see Jaejoong being all stoic and cold instead of seeing the other weeping with depression.

“Jaejoong…” Yunho started to question, but just like he knew well, Jaejoong just walked passed him without a word and got upstairs to get into their bedroom.

“Oppa…” Yunho, who was about to trail after the other turned around after hearing Jiyeon calling for him.

“What? Did something happen again? Why Jaejoong looks like he is about to cry?” Yunho asked his younger sister; face expressing deep worry as he knew how Jaejoong was always been treated in this house by his mother and sister for the past month.

“Just the usual, mom and unnie threw such insulting words toward Jaejoong oppa again.” Jiyeon reported.

Yunho heaved a sigh upon hearing the word. “What did they say this time?” Yunho’s face clearly reflected his frustration.

……………

‘Why do things end up like this...?’ Jaejoong let the cold breeze of the night sweep around him as he stood on the bedroom balcony.  He was spacing out again. ‘How long will I live here…and let myself being despised by others…’ He thought with a perceptibly dismal expression.

Now, he had already started to miss his life before the marriage. He missed his father, who now didn’t even want to see his face. He missed the sweet calls from his lover, who had now disappeared without a trace. He missed to hear his little brother demanding him to cook, Shim Changmin; even though he was only a foster son of the Kims, Jaejoong still loved him like his own brother. And…he missed to sleep in his late mother’s room when every time he drifted away into the memories of that lovely mother of him.

“If you were there with me that day, would you trust me Umma?’ Jaejoong looked up to the night sky, which was full of the brightest stars above him. “…Appa doesn’t believe me anymore Umma…’ Jaejoong tried hard to hold back the disillusionment as his eyes started to pool with tears that taunted to drop out.

It took a moment for Jaejoong to drift away a bit longer with his grief before he finally fell asleep there.

Yunho entered the bedroom, wanting to ask Jaejoong to get down for dinner as he’d been informed by the maid that Jaejoong had still not had any, since he hadn’t gotten out of his room the whole evening. He walked to the opened balcony of his room, but found that there’s no sight of the other on the bed. There, he saw Jaejoong laying on the lounge with eyes closed, while letting the breeze of cold night sweep his fragile body with only thin clothing on.

‘Aish, this stubborn one…always manages to sleep anywhere else but the bed. Really hate to share everything that belongs to me uh.’ Yunho sighed at the sight of his stubborn wife, who still hadn’t changed even a month after they had gotten married.

Yunho walked closer to the latter as that was his precious moment, where he could watch his wife closely and absorb the other’s beauty and calm face just enough to make him felt contented; because at any other time, he could only see a gloomy or irate look from his wife for him.

‘Umma ..…’ that incoherence word slipped out from Jaejoong’s lips.

Yunho’s eyes widen at the word.

‘Sleep talking? What a cutie…’ Yunho smiled as he kept eyeing the other with concern reflecting on his face, as at the same time he was trying hard to think of a way on how to stop people from hurting his Jaejoong. As if what her little sister said to him this morning was true, he would feel even guiltier for making Jaejoong being insulted, because of his stupid act.

“Hmmm…” Jaejoong squirmed on the lounge as he tried to seek a comfortable-warm spot, while the night breeze started to get more colder, almost sending him into a freezing state.

Yunho saw it and immediately bent down to scoop up the other, just like he had always sneakily done; even though he knew very well that tomorrow morning Jaejoong would be fuming with anger towards him again for stealthily lifting him up onto the bed. But there’s no way the gentle side of Yunho would let his loved one sleep outside in the night cold or on the cold-hardy floor. So he ended up bearing the angered Jaejoong in the next morning.

As Yunho’s hand reached under Jaejoong’s body to lift him up, at the moment, Jaejoong’s eyes flicked open. By the sudden shock of seeing Yunho’s face so close to his, Jaejoong leaped to his feet and felt awfully dizzy for getting up too quickly.

“Ugh!” Jaejoong winced as his palm connected with his forehead, when at the same time he tried to balance his feet.

“I’m sorry if I shocked you just now…” Yunho said as he noticed the other’s frowning face.

Jaejoong threw his usual glares and huffed angrily at Yunho. Only by hearing the other voice, was enough to annoy him to death.

“You can’t sleep here. It’s freaking cold out here.” Yunho said again.

“Just care about your own business.” Jaejoong scowled and rolled his eyes. Then he arranged his steps to walk into the room when out of sudden,

*CRASH!*

He didn’t notice the sliding door hump and had stumbled forward and bumped onto the side table where a crystal vase had been placed. The sudden bumps made the vase crash along with Jaejoong on the floor.

“Jaejoong!” Yunho rushed over to the latter.

Jaejoong bit his lips as he tried to surppress the sudden stabbing pain, when he felt the sharp pieces of the broken vase pierce both his palms in the process of trying to get up again.

“A-are you okay?” Yunho voiced out his worry. ‘Aish, what a stupid question… of course he’s not!’ Yunho inwardly smacked himself for asking something that was clear enough as he heard the other wincing in pain with his hands starting to bleed.

“Let me see your hands…” Yunho asked.

 Jaejoong was about to ignore and get up, but Yunho was faster as he grabbed Jaejoong’s hands to examine the cuts.

“It’s quite severe…” Yunho mumbled, seemingly more to himself; as Jaejoong never initiate a word to him. He would jolt in happiness if the man ever did once.

“Let me treat your wound before it gets infected.” Yunho was just about to pull the other to stand up with him, but Jaejoong pushed Yunho’s hand away from touching him.

“I can do it myself.” With that, he stood up slowly and walked to the bathroom to clean the wounds.

Yunho sat on the edge of bed. His eyes were fixed on the person on the sofa opposite of him, who was in fruitless effort to put the bandage on his hand, as the bandage keep getting lax and slip down.

Jaejoong sighed for the nth times. It was hard to put the bandage as both of his hands got severe cuts. He didn’t notice that Yunho was watching him in his grievance.

As he tired to see how long the other wanted to keep being that obstinate, Yunho got up from the bed and walked to Jaejoong.

“Let me do it…” Yunho grabbed the bandage from Jaejoong’s side and pulled the smaller man’s hands into his.

Jaejoong tried to retreat back, but of course, Yunho held onto them even tighter. Giving up, Jaejoong just threw his derision looks and scoffed harshly as he had nothing to go against the other man’s strength.

“Look, I know you must be tired to hear me saying this word. But still, I need to say it again… I’m sorry…” Yunho started initiating a conversation, while meticulously working on treating Jaejoong’s wounds. He wanted to grab his chance to talk with Jaejoong; since the man kept on avoiding him and even got home late for the past month.

“I know what I did was wrong and unforgivable. But… trust me, what I did actually has a reason.”

“Huh, what reason? Finding some