♥ Inundate

                They were taking a break after practicing until late at night in the practice room. Yoochun and Junsu are playing around on the couch, Changmin is listening to his cd player, Yunho is practicing in front of the mirror alone and Jaejoong is in a corner staring at his phone. His face was scrunched up; he looks disgusted with a little hint of fear. He packed up his bag.

                “Guys, I need to go somewhere. Great work for today.” Jaejoong left even before the members were able to respond to him. “Where’s Jaejoong-ie hyung go all this time? He’ll be staring at his phone for hours than rushed out like just now.” Yoochun voiced out.

                “You don’t think he got a girlfriend do you?” As Junsu finished his sentence, he and Yoochun made inhuman noise while poking at each other.

                “Ya!” Yunho yelled at them.

                “Does it make sense to look as if you’re about to kill someone after reading a text from a girlfriend. I don’t think so, hyung.” Changmin shakes his head and snickered at his hyung. Changmin had this my-hyungs-are-such-losers face on him.

                “Shut up.” Yoochun and Junsu said in unison. Yunho didn’t focus on his dongsaengs at all. He is more worried about Jaejoong. Though he is worried, he never made the first move; to pry into Jaejoong’s suspicious acts. He doesn’t want to be seen as clingy or jealous. He decided to trust and wait until Jaejoong tells him about this himself.

*****************

                The next day, they all woke up but Jaejoong is still not back home yet. With his eyes half opened, Junsu talked to Yoochun who was seating at the dinner table, half asleep. “Oh, Jaejoong hyung is not back yet.”

                “Hmm.” Yoochun opened one of his eyes and looked around, “You’re right. Probably he went back home again.”

                “Jaejoong-ie isn’t back yet?” Yunho, fresh out of the shower, joined in the conversation.

                Junsu nodded and said, “Maybe he went back home. It’s not like this is the first time he did this. The main manager always gave his permission to Jaejoong hyung but when I want to go home, he started to yell at me.” Junsu made a mocking face; insulting their main manager.

                Yoochun points at Junsu, “You! You do deserve to get scolded. He’s not wrong.” After he said that, Yoochun ran away. “What?!” Junsu ran after him. Yunho ignores those two; they are always like this anyways. Just as when Yoochun is being trampled by Junsu, he phone rang. He pushed Junsu aside and reach out to his phone. Jaejoong’s name is on the screen of his flip phone.

                Yoochun brings his phone to his right ear and said, “Oh hyung. Where are you?” Junsu is right next to him, pressing his left ear on Yoochun’s phone.

                No answers.

                “Hyung, are you okay?” Yoochun slightly panicked.

                Still no answers.

                “Hyung, where are you?!” Seeing Yoochun panicked, Junsu panicked too.

                “Yoochun-ah.” Jaejoong finally spoke up. His voice sounds weak and hoarse. “Help me.”

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Present; Two weeks after Yunho and Yoochun met

                Yoochun closed his eyes as he remembers the painful memory of that day; the day that he and Junsu finally realize the truth. The heart ache from seeing Jaejoong in that condition years ago hasn’t fade in the slightest. The guilt from not knowing the truth earlier is eating him from the inside and he knows Junsu feels the same way too. Even though Junsu looks carefree and optimistic, he took it harder than Yoochun did, blaming himself all these years. Yoochun knows Junsu too well.

                Yoochun took in a deep breath and pat himself on the back for the decision he made. Yoochun switched on Kakao app and tap on Jaejoong’s name. I hope things get better for you, hyung.

                Hyung! It’