His head was pounding, painfully. His throat was dry and scratchy. And there was a weird churning in the pit of his stomach.

Jaejoong opened his eyes and immediately closed them again from the sun’s rays coming in through the windows. What the hell happened last night?

He stayed in bed for god knows how long; he didn’t really feel like moving. That churning feeling in his stomach was increasing, turning into a nauseous feeling and before he knew it, he was stumbling out of bed and rushing to the trash can in the room. He heaved as the contents in his stomach left his body, leaving him feeling empty yet much better.

It took him a minute or so to realize that he wasn’t at home but in the familiar guest room where he frequently stayed when he spent the night with his cousin’s family.

As he sat on the floor in misery, the door opened, revealing Woohyun with an amused look.

“I heard you,” he stated, walking over to gently pick him up from the floor and helped him to the bed.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine, hyung. That’s why I put the trash can here. Figured you’d need it.” He patted the older man on the arm. “I’ll go throw it out and bring you coffee, okay? Just rest for a bit.”

Jaejoong fell back on the bed with a groan. He felt embarrassed that Sunggyu’s husband had to take care of him in this state. He hadn’t had a serious drunken stupor like this in ages where he couldn’t remember what happened the night before. He thought he had become a bit more responsible and knew his limits. But, he must not have realized the amount he had drunk last night.

Woohyun came back with a mug of freshly-brewed coffee. The aromatic scent alone was enough to Jaejoong wake up.

“Thanks, dongsaeng,” he said, taking the cup. He took a huge gulp, the scalding beverage and caffeine slowly bringing sobriety back into his body and mind. “Sorry about last night. And thanks for picking me up.”

Woohyun chuckled. “Actually, hyung, it was Yunho-hyung who picked you up.”

Jaejoong almost choked on the coffee in shock. “Wait, what?”

“He picked you up and brought you here. Apparently, you told your co-workers to call him and he went swooping in and saved the day.”

“Yah!” Jaejoong smacked the other's arm, feeling the blush rush to his cheeks. “It… It’s not like that. I… I don’t know why I asked for him.” His eyes widened in horror. “D-Do... Do you think something happened to us last night? Did I look like…”

His voice trailed off, not wishing to continue out of pure embarrassment.

“Did you look like you two had a quick romp in his car? Nope, you just looked drunk,” Woohyun teased.

Groaning, Jaejoong’s head fell into his palms. “I did something embarrassing. I’m sure I did. God damnit, I can’t remember!”

Sympathetically, Woohyun patted his shoulder. “Well, at least he was nice enough to bring you here instead of his place. Wouldn’t that be awkward?” He chuckled. “He said he didn’t know where you live. You haven’t invited him over yet?”

Jaejoong shook his head. “I guess I never really found a reason to ask him over.” He sighed. “I need to apologize to him.”

“Well, while you do that, I’ll go get lunch ready.” Woohyun stood up and began to make his way out. “Sunggyu took Myungsoo to his piano lessons so it’s just you and me.”

“Thanks, Hyun. Mind if I use your shower?”

“Feel free. Oh, and hyung?” Sunggyu paused at the door and turned around. “The fact that you asked for him last night instead of me and Sunggyu, it says a lot don’t you think?”

With a quick wink, he left the room.

Falling back onto the pillows, Jaejoong could still feel the embarrassment invading his every core. He couldn’t believe what he had done. What possessed his drunk self to ask for Yunho, of all people?!

As he wallowed in his misery, he heard the familiar tone of his phone, informing him of a text. He looked around and found it sitting undisturbed on the bedside table.

When he opened it up, his heart started picking up pace.

From: Yunho

Hey, just checking in. How are you feeling?

Swallowing despite the dryness in his throat, Jaejoong responded: I’m fine. Thank you again for last night. I’m sorry for bothering you.

The reply didn’t take more than a minute: It’s no problem. You can always call me if you need me.

Jaejoong felt a smile grace his lips as he responded: Thank you. I’m sorry if I did anything weird last night.

This time, the response took a little more time: You don’t remember much of last night, do you?

At that, Jaejoong was feeling nervous as he wracked his brain for any memory: Not really. Did I do something weird? I’m sorry.

He waited and the response was quicker this time: Lol Not at all. You mostly slept when I got you in the car.

Jaejoong breathed in relief: Oh, okay, that’s a relief. Thanks again.

He put the phone away and laid back against the pillows. Yunho said that he didn’t do anything weird, yet, he felt a little uneasy. There was something niggling in the corner of his mind. Something that he knew was important…

And just like a freight train, the memories hit him, one-by-one.

“Yunho-ah, kiss me.”

“I want a kiss.”

“Let’s meet in our dreams!”

The blood rushed to his cheeks and he groaned in embarrassment. He couldn’t believe he had done that last night! He tried to kiss Yunho! And practically begged for it when the other refused!

God, he felt so cheap!

And yet, Yunho remained a gentleman. He didn’t kiss Jaejoong. Yunho had been kind, sweet, and considerate to how he might feel when he sobered up in the morning.

Just that thought made the teacher’s heart beat even faster than normal and a warmth fill up his every core. The lawyer really had changed. And it made Jaejoong feel like he’s falling once more.

And he had no idea how to face his feelings.

 

That happened at least over a month ago. And Jaejoong had done a lot of thinking since then. It helped that Yunho was busy with another huge case so they hadn’t seen each other much; he also never brought up the drunken kiss incident either. It gave the blonde a lot of room to really examine his feelings.

A few phone calls with his mother, some heart-to-hearts with the Kim-Nam couple, and even Skype chats with Yoochun, Junsu, and Changmin back home had led him to a final conclusion.

There was really no beating around the bush about it. Jaejoong thought he would have some dramatic revelation one day or Yunho would perform some grand gesture of love (like saving him from a burning building with no regards to his own life, but that was way too drama-like and he should probably stop watching too many makjang dramas with Woohyun), but it simply occurred to him while he was sitting outside Myungsoo’s music school, waiting for him to finish his piano lessons.

And what did he realize on that warm, summer afternoon?

That he, Kim Jaejoong, was still so utterly and hopelessly in love with Jung Yunho.

And he could admit that to himself now without following it up with a denial. And so… now what?

Jaejoong was still trying to figure it out.

“Jae-samchon!”

The teacher broke out of his musings as the familiar little voice reached his ears. He waved at the now 8-year old coming his way.

He was picking up Myungsoo that day as a favor to the boy’s parents who were unavailable. Woohyun was working late and Sunggyu was teaching summer classes throughout the afternoon.

“You ready to go to the park?” he asked as Myungsoo took his hand. “Do you know if Sungyeol is there already?”

The kid was meeting up with his friend for a play date.

“I’m sure he is, samchon! But, wait, we can’t go yet! We have to wait!”

Jaejoong raised his eyebrows in confusion. “Wait for?”

Myungsoo sent him a toothy smile. “For Yunho-samchon!”

Almost immediately, Jaejoong felt the familiar fluttering in his chest. “Y-Yunho?” he managed.

The little boy nodded. “I asked him to come too! He said he will play soccer with me and Yeollie!”

“H-He is?”

Myungsoo nodded again before looking around, his eyes searching for the other adult.

Meanwhile, Jaejoong was doing his best to calm his beating heart. He felt silly, like a lovestruck teenager. It wasn’t like it was the first time he was meeting up with Yunho. Sheesh, the two of them dated! What was he getting nervous for?

“Yunho-samchon!”

Jaejoong watched as Myungsoo ran up to the taller male who opened his arms for a hug. Yunho picked up the little boy and swung him around for a bit before walking them over to Jaejoong. Myungsoo laughed in delight, chattering a mile a minute.

Jaejoong swallowed the sudden lump in his throat as the two approached. It suddenly felt like one of those movies, that scene when everything starts moving in slow motion, each expression exaggerated and the sounds in the air lowered to a minimum.

Yunho was dressed, casually, in a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and sneakers. His hair was a little messy, but not unattractive, and his arm muscles were prominent, uncovered from his usual long sleeve button downs and suit jackets. For a few moments there, he looked like the teenage high school soccer star that he was several years ago.

He looked so damn good.

“Hi,” he greeted with that familiar boyish grin that made Jaejoong’s stomach do back flips. “Sorry I’m late. There was a lot of traffic. Hope you don’t mind me tagging along.”

Jaejoong shook his head, flashing a smile of his own. “Not at all. At least I’ll have someone to talk to. Unless you’ll be spending the entire time playing soccer?”

Yunho laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay attention to you too.”

Was he flirting, teasing, being playful, or all three? Jaejoong couldn’t really tell, but the sudden flush he felt spread throughout his body was enough to make him cough and turn his head away.

“Um, how should we do this? I brought a car too. Should we go separately or…?” He left the question hanging.

Yunho scratched his head in realization. “Oh, right, maybe I should have called first to let you know.” He suddenly looked sheepish. “Sorry.”

Jaejoong just chuckled. “It’s fine.”

Yunho placed Myungsoo back on the ground. “Why don’t you two go on ahead to the park? I’ll just pick up a few things.”

Tilting his head to the side, Jaejoong asked, “You sure? We can help.”

“It’s fine, really. I’ll meet you guys there. Myungsoo, you and your friend wait for me, okay? Then we’ll play soccer!”

The little boy pouted a little, but after some persuasion and a promise that Yunho would be right there, he finally brightened up and allowed Jaejoong to lead him away.

Naturally, they arrived first at the park. Myungsoo latched on to his arm as he led him towards the playground where his friend was waiting.

On the swings was a dark haired, straight headed boy, screaming in delight as he swung by himself. Myungoos wasted no time disengaging himself from his uncle and running to his friend.

“Yeollie! Yeollie! I’m here!” he squealed.

At once, the other little boy jumped off the swing and ran to the other. “Myungie! What took you so long?!”

They hugged, tightly for a long time, as if they haven’t seen each other in years. The older by a few months Sungyeol then took Myungoo’s hand and dragged him over to the swings.

It was the most precious scene Jaejoong had ever seen in his entire life. Realizing that Myungsoo was off on his own little world, he scanned the area before finding an empty bench and claimed it, making sure to send Yunho a text to let him know where they were.

Then, he continued to watch the two best friends play. How they acted somewhat reminded him of when he and Yunho were kids. They were as close as Myungsoo and Sungyeol were. Yunho took care of him in the same way Sungyeol was taking care to make sure Myungsoo didn’t fall off the swing as he pushed him high, but not too high.

“Cute, aren’t they?”

Jaejoong almost jumped ten feet in the air at the voice.

He glared at the other. “Yunho!” he growled.

The other only laughed as he sat down and placed a plastic bag and a soccer ball in between them.

“Sorry, did I scare you?”

“Obviously! Don’t go sneaking up on people like that! I could have hit you!”

“But you didn’t, and that’s all that matters.”

Jaejoong continued to glare at him. Yunho reached into the bag and took out a triangle kimbap wrapped in clear plastic. He handed it to Jaejoong with a pout.

“Peace?” he said.

Who was Jaejoong to say “no” to that?

“So, are these the things you said you were picking up?” he asked, peering into the plastic bag as he unwrapped his kimbap.

Yunho had gotten an assortment of snacks – more triangle kimbap, boxes of pepero, bags of cookies, and cartons of strawberry milk.

“I figured Myungsoo and his friend would be hungry after playing,” he explained, handing Jaejoong one of the cartons of milk.

What a sweet gesture. “You could have told me. How much do I owe you?”

Yunho laughed before fondly ruffling Jaejoong’s hair. “You’re silly. Anyway.” He picked up the soccer ball. “I believe I have some kids to kick this ball around with.”

And with that, he winked before getting up and jogging over to the kids, who left the swings, excitedly, when they caught sight of him.

Jaejoong followed them with his gaze to an empty grassy spot, eating his triangle kimbap and sipping his milk. He cheered, clapped, and called out words of encouragement to the kids as they played a two against one game with Yunho. And as he watched them, Jaejoong couldn’t help the warmth bursting from his heart and spreading throughout his body.

Yunho had always been pretty great with kids. One of the reasons that fueled Jaejoong’s past insecurities was the fact that he knew that Yunho would make an amazing father, if given the chance. He would be loving yet strict. Any kid would be lucky to have him as a parent.

Perhaps, if they never broke up, maybe they really would have adopted a child. Would they have the chance to do that now?

The thought alone sent Jaejoong’s imagination into a frenzy. He could imagine having a little boy or perhaps a girl calling him “Appa” or calling Yunho “Appa”. They would live in a house, not an apartment, with a nice backyard for the kids to play in… Kids… how did a single kid in his imagination turn plural? Then again, neither he nor Yunho were the only child in the family. They both grew up with siblings. A family was more fun with siblings.

“Uncle Jae.”

Breaking out of his imagination, he blinked several times to see Myungsoo, Sungyeol, and Yunho in front of him. All three looked sweaty and tired yet brandished toothy smiles.

“You okay, Jaejoong-ah?” Yunho asked, tilting his head to the side. His hair and skin were all wet with sweat; he looked like he was glistening under the sunlight. “You look spaced out there for a while. And you were smiling too. What were you thinking about?”

Crap, how long had he been smiling goofily to himself?

Flustered, Jaejoong replied, “O-Oh… Ah… Nothing. Nothing at all.” He grabbed the bag of snacks and held it up. “Who’s hungry?”

The kids immediately dived for the bag, grabbing pepero and milk. Yunho helped himself to a triangle kimbap. They ate ravenously, regaining their strength.

When all the food was gone, the kids went back to the playground to play on the jungle gym. Yunho stayed seated next to Jaejoong, satiated from his snack. The soccer ball laid on the ground in between their feet, dirty and muddy from being kicked around.

“Had fun?” Jaejoong asked with a teasing grin.

Yunho grinned back. “Tons. It’s always fun playing with Myungsoo. The kid has a lot of energy. And his friend probably ten times more.”

Jaejoong nodded, fondly. “Sungyeol was Myungsoo’s very first friend, ever since kindergarten. When Sunggyu and Woohyun first adopted him, he was quiet and shy. He didn’t talk much, especially with strangers. Sunggyu and Woohyun were worried that he might not be able to socialize with kids his own age. But, along came Sungyeol who forced him out of his shell. Now, I can’t imagine Myungsoo not smiling or laughing or getting along with everyone else.”

For a while, Yunho didn’t respond, seeming to be contemplating something. Jaejoong didn’t mind, simply helped himself to a bag of cookies. He wordlessly held the bag out to Yunho who took one.

“You know, they remind me of us,” the lawyer suddenly said, cookie halfway to his lips.

Jaejoong’s heart began to beat faster than it did just a second ago.

“You were the shy kid and I was the loud one,” Yunho continued. “And I manage to coax you out of your shell and we became the best of friends.” He sighed. “Those were the days.”

Jaejoong nodded. “Yeah. They were.”

Silence fell upon them again as they ate their cookies and drank their milk. Even that simple action took Jaejoong back to grade school when he and Yunho shared their snacks with each other during recess. They shared everything with each other back then, from food to toys. In middle school, they began to share clothes and homework.

From sharing material things, they grew up to share intimate hugs and kisses and visions of the future. And suffice to say, Jaejoong missed those times. There was a longing in his heart to feel those things again.

 “Yunho.”

“Hmm?” Yunho turned his head, lips wrapped around the straw as he sipped from the carton.

“I… Um… I…”

Jaejoong’s words caught in his throat. He knew what he wanted to say, yet was quite unsure how to do it. Was it really that difficult to say words that he had said before?

“Yunho, I love you.” That was all there was to it. Yet, he couldn’t say it.

Beside him, Yunho remained oblivious to the turmoil in his thoughts. He simply tilted his head to the side in question at Jaejoong’s silence.

“What is it?” he finally asked.

Jaejoong swallowed the lump in his throat and shook his head. “It’s nothing. Just… I’m happy that you’re here spending the day with me… and Myungsoo.”

Yunho nodded. “Me too.” Then, he grinned and got on his feet. “Wanna go on the swings? I bet I can push you so high you’ll go over the top.”

At that, Jaejoong only laughed. “Is that so? I’m not as light as I was when we were kids, you know.”

“Challenge accepted.” Yunho held a hand out to him. “You in?”

With a smile, Jaejoong placed his hand in the other’s grasp, allowing him to pull him up. “I’m in.”

As Yunho pushed him higher and higher up into the skies, he was glad he didn’t confess.

The moment didn’t feel quite right. It wasn’t time yet.

 

---

 

Another opportunity came many weeks later when he was asked to babysit Myungsoo so Sunggyu and Woohyun could go on their monthly-planned date night.

According to Woohyun, a planned monthly date was necessary to maintain the fires of their relationship. It was kind of cute, actually, the way he would plan these dates like they were still on the honeymoon stage of their relationship. But, it was these monthly dates that had allowed Jaejoong to bond and form a close relationship with his nephew, so he wasn’t complaining.

So, as usual, he was left alone with Myungsoo. It didn’t take more than half an hour when the little boy announced, “Do you think Yunho-samchon will come play my new game with me?”

He had just gotten a new “Just Dance” game and based on Sunggyu’s stories, the little boy was obsessed with it.

Jaejoong pretended to pout. “What? Am I not good enough anymore? You only want your Yunho-samchon now?”

Alarmed, Myungsoo wrapped his arms around his uncle’s waist. “No, no, not like that! I like you more Jaejoong-samchon!” His eyes turned watery. “But this game is so fun with three players. Appa and Papa always play it with me. I want to play with samchon-deul too!”

And, innocently, he added, “You’re like Appa and Papa when they’re not with me!”

That innocent statement made Jaejoong blush from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. It was so incredibly cute and heartwarming. Myungsoo’s lips turned pouty so before he realized what he was doing, Jaejoong was calling Yunho and asking him to come over because “Myungsoo wanted to play with you. I can’t say ‘no’ when he’s looking at me with those eyes.”

And that was how he found himself playing “Just Dance” with a little boy and his ex-boyfriend for two hours.

He had to admit, it was actually really fun. Yunho was great at the game, but Jaejoong had the nagging suspicion that he let Myungsoo win a majority of the rounds.

When Myungsoo’s bedtime came, Jaejoong assisted the sleepy little boy with his bath, dressed him comfy pajamas, and tucked him into bed. He made sure the boy had his stuffed gray cat tucked under one arm; he couldn’t sleep without his Byeol.

“Did you have fun today, Myungie-ah?” Jaejoong asked as he soothingly caressed the kid’s hair.

Myungsoo nodded, sleepily. “It was so much fun. I like Yunho-samchon a lot. I hope he stays forever and ever.”

The older man chuckled. “That’s a long time.”

“You like him too, right Jae-samchon?”

Jaejoong blushed but nodded, nonetheless. “I do.”

Myungsoo yawned, his eyes drooping. “Samchon, you should keep him. He likes you too.”

Blushing lightly, Jaejoong chuckled. “What, is Yunho-samchon a puppy?”

“You’re so silly, Jae-samchon.” The little boy smiled, sleepily. “Papa is a puppy. Appa is a hamster. You’re a bunny. Yunho-samchon is a bear. And I’m a kitty”

Jaejoong laughed at the kid’s wild imagination. “Ahh, I’m sorry. I forgot.” He pulled the covers further up to Myungsoo’s chin. “Well, it’s time for the little kitty to go to sleep, okay? You had a long day.”

That was all he needed for Myungsoo to close his eyes and fall into slumber. He waited a few minutes, patting the little shoulder, comfortingly before leaving the room.

He found Yunho on the couch, the game already put away in its box and sitting on the coffee table. The lawyer looked up when he approached.

“Myungsoo asleep?” he asked.

Jaejoong nodded as he fell onto the couch, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up to his tired and aching bones. He was only in his late 20’s late he felt like a man in his 60’s.

Beside him, Yunho chuckled. “Do you want me to leave?”

Jaejoong’s eyes widened. “No, why?”

Yunho shrugged. “I figured you’d like to rest now, since the only reason I was here was for Myungsoo, right?”

But Jaejoong didn’t want him to leave. He didn’t want to be alone. “Sunggyu and Woohyun aren’t coming home for another two hours. I could use the company.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I’ll stay.” The lawyer grinned. “So, what should we do?”

They ended up watching a movie from the Kim-Nam couple’s collection: “The Wolf Boy.”

They sat in silence, full attention on Song JoongKi and Park BoYoung, only speaking to make a comment.

It wasn’t until halfway through when Yunho moved to get more comfortable that Jaejoong realized they were sitting fairly close, elbows almost touching. It was different from the last time they had sat together on a couch, so far apart that even stretching an arm out could barely ghost a patch of skin.

But, it wasn’t uncomfortable, not at all. After that brief thought, Jaejoong focused his full attention on the movie.

By the time it ended, his eyes were wet with tears. He always did have a soft spot for dramatic plots.

Beside him, Yunho chuckled. “You okay?”

Jaejoong sniffled. “Yeah. It was just so sad and happy at the same time.” He chuckled through his tears. “It was beautiful, though. Song JoongKi did a great job.” He wiped at his tears and grinned up at Yunho. “He was also really handsome.”

At that Yunho laughed. “Is he your type then?”

“Definitely,” Jaejoong teased. “What, is he not yours?”

“He’s handsome,” Yunho agreed before scrunching his nose. “But, not my type.”

Jaejoong snorted. “Your type is very specific. Cold on the outside yet warm and happy when you get to know them.”

“Don’t forget, they have to be a good cook.”

“Of course, you need to be fed good food.”

“That’s right.”

They shared a laugh, their voices melding as smiles painted on their lips.

It was then that Jaejoong’s attention was brought to Yunho’s lips. He always thought that for a manly man like Yunho, his lips reminded him somewhat of a woman’s. They looked delicate, shaped like a cupid’s bow, which gave his face a very soft charm.

He didn’t realize that he had been staring until Yunho tilted his head to meet his eyes.

“You okay?” he asked, smile still present. “You’re spacing out again.”

Jaejoong couldn’t stop staring at his eyes now, how brown and deep they were, shaped almost like an almond and framed by long eyelashes. Whenever Yunho laughed, they seemed to shine, no matter how cliché that sounded.

“Jae?”

“Yunho.”

He had subconsciously moved closer. Yunho made no indication of moving away. In fact, he seemed almost surprised yet amused.

Jaejoong swallowed the lump in his throat. Over the years, only Yunho could make him feel like he was floating on clouds while being a nervous wreck all at the same time. Only Yunho could make his heart beat a million times faster than normal, like he had run a marathon, yet not feel tired nor willing to slow down. Only Yunho could make him feel so utterly in love that he had no idea what to do with himself.

“Yunho, I…”

The other tilted his head to the side in curiosity. “You…?”

“I… I… Yunho, I…”

“We’re home!”

Like someone had burned him, Jaejoong practically jumped to the opposite side of the couch, away from Yunho. A flash of disappointment crossed Yunho’s eyes but it was also quick to disappear.

Jaejoong forced his heart to calm down as he stood up to welcome his cousin and his husband home from their date.

“Oh, Yunho-hyung, you’re here,” said Sunggyu when he caught sight of the other.

Yunho stood up and bowed his head, politely. “Myungsoo wanted me to come over and play his game.”

“Aish, that kid, he’s obsessed with it,” Woohyun commented, shaking his head. “I’ll go check on him.”

While Woohyun headed for his son’s room, Sunggyu stayed in the living room to ask how the night went. They exchanged stories and made small talk until Woohyun returned. After another ten minutes of talking, the two babysitters decided that it was time to head out as it was getting late.

Arm-in-arm, the Kim-Nam couple accompanied them to the door to see them off.

Both their cars were parked on the driveway, Yunho’s ahead of Jaejoong’s. Before getting in, Yunho turned around.

“Thanks for calling me out tonight, I had a great time,” he said.

Jaejoong felt himself blush. “Thanks for coming. It was more fun with you around.” He shuffled, smiling shyly. “Maybe you and I can babysit Myungsoo together again. I think he’d like that.”

“I’d like that too.”

They stood there for a moment, both smiling fondly and affectionately at each other.

“Good night, Jaejoong.”

“Good night, Yunho.”

“Drive safely.”

“You too.”

Yunho got into his car and was off first, waving at Jaejoong from the window. Jaejoong waved back and watched as the car got further and further until he couldn’t see him anymore.

Despite the chilliness in the air from the cold night, Jaejoong felt warm from Yunho’s smile alone.

 

---

 

The summer season came and went. Jaejoong was back to work doing what he loved the most – enriching young minds with the power of music.

Although he loved his job, the pay was sadly subpar. Thus, he kept putting off replacing the mechanical contraption he called a car. He had bought it, second-hand, four years ago and although it served him well, its age was showing. It had broken down on him at least three times since the school year began, often leaving him stranded somewhere on the side of the road.

Sunggyu and Woohyun had a friend, Lee Howon, who was a mechanic. His cousin had called him those three times to fix Jaejoong’s car for a discounted price. Jaejoong swore that he would replace it one of these days, but he never did have the opportunity.

He then regretted putting it off when, on his way home from work one day, it broke down on him again. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it hadn’t been storming so badly that the streets were practically flooded.

“Come on, come on,” Jaejoong pleaded as he tried once more, to no avail, to start the engine.

But, nothing happened. He smacked the steering wheel in frustration before peering out through the window. He could barely see through the amount of rain falling from the skies, hitting the glass windows like pelting rocks.

If he stayed out any longer, he would truly be stranded. He had to call someone.

When he got his phone out, his thumb hovered over Sunggyu’s name before he paused. Sunggyu had a son to look after. With this storm, surely, the other man was probably rushing to pick up Myungsoo. He didn’t want to inconvenience him. He found Woohyun’s name and yet, again, he hesitated.

Somehow, he found himself pondering over Yunho’s name. But, perhaps the other man was on his way home too. Or even stuck in the office. Could Jaejoong really inconvenience him?

Before he knew it, he was calling him.

Yunho picked up, immediately. “Jaejoong?”

“Hey.” He paused, not sure how to go about his request. “Um… are you at the office?”

“I’m about to leave, actually. Everyone is worried they’ll get stuck in the storm.”

“Oh.”

“What about you? Are you on your way home? Classes ended, right? Don’t stay late today.”

“Actually, I left school about half an hour ago. But, uh, I’m stuck. My car broke down.”

He heard rustling on the other line.

“Where are you? I’ll pick you up.”

He didn’t even have to ask. Yunho just somehow knew.

Jaejoong gave him his exact location and promised to wait for the other and not get out of the car. You didn’t have to tell him that twice; seeing the scene from inside was enough to make him lock his doors.

It took twenty minutes but Yunho finally arrived. Jaejoong spotted his car across the street. Wasting no time, he grabbed his bag, making sure that all of his students’ papers were secure, and his umbrella and braced himself for the downpour.

The umbrella barely helped protect his legs from the flooded streets and the harsh wind. So when he entered Yunho’s car, he was soaked to the bone.

“You okay?” Yunho asked, worriedly as Jaejoong quite literally threw his bag and umbrella in the backseat.

“Yeah, sorry about this,” he apologized as he removed his wet suit jacket. “And thank you for coming all the way here to get me.”

“It’s no problem, it was on the way.” Yunho tilted his head to the side. “You’re shivering.”

And Jaejoong really was. The chill of the cold rain seeped right into his bones and even Yunho’s car heater was taking its time warming him up.

“My place is pretty close, you can warm up,” the lawyer stated before pausing. “You don’t mind, do you? I mean, I can take you home if that’s what you want.”

Jaejoong peered outside. It was really bad. He could barely see the pavement. It was dangerous to drive in a weather like this. And he lived a little further away.

He turned to Yunho and tilted his head. “Your place is fine. Thank you.”

The drive was a bit of a blur, but mostly quiet. Jaejoong was too busy praying to every higher power that he knew that they would get to Yunho’s place safely.

When they arrived at the building and parked, they had no choice but to run through the storm with only Jaejoong’s flimsy umbrella as protection. He opted to leave his things in Yunho’s car to prevent any further damage to his students’ papers.

“I’ll turn the heat up. Make yourself at home.”

Jaejoong shook out his damp hair, the blonde strands darker than normal. He hung his suit jacket on a chair, flinching as it dripped water onto Yunho’s clean floor.

Yunho returned with a towel. He had changed into a comfortable shirt and sweat pants.

“You can go take a shower and I’ll dry your clothes downstairs,” he stated, handing Jaejoong the towel. “I left the laundry basket in the bathroom and a change of clothes. I’ll go make tea”

Before Jaejoong could protest, saying that he was fine without a shower, Yunho was already heading for the kitchen.

Resigned, he headed for the bathroom and took the much needed shower. Indeed, after a minute or so under the hot spray, he instantly felt better. The chill in his bones slowly started to dissipate. He stayed in the shower for a long while, savoring the warmth before finally deciding that it was time to get out. No need to waste any more of Yunho’s water.

He hurriedly dried off and got dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, obviously Yunho’s since Jaejoong was practically drowning in all the fabric. Yet, he was warm. And the clothes smelled like Yunho.

Blushing at that, he shook his head before tossing his wet clothes in the laundry basket that was already filled with Yunho’s own clothes. He brought the basket back out.

Yunho was there, placing mugs of hot tea on the coffee table as the T.V. displayed the news.

“Thanks, I feel much better,” Jaejoong said with a smile as he handed him the laundry basket.

The other grinned. “See?”

Jaejoong blushed, lightly. “Do you have a hair dryer?”

Yunho nodded. “In my room, on the dresser. Help yourself. I’ll take care of these.” He gestured to the clothes.

So, while Yunho went off to the laundry room, Jaejoong headed for the bedroom.

This was only the second time he had been to the lawyer’s apartment. The last and only time was during Christmas, when they had that talk about their relationship. It felt so long ago. Back then, he didn’t enter Yunho’s room, he didn’t have a reason too. It was his first time seeing it.

Jaejoong easily found the hairdryer and wasted no time drying his hair. As he did so, his eyes took in the sight of Yunho’s bedroom.

It was so different from his bedroom at home in Gwangju. The walls were bare of posters and the shelves held very little knick knacks. But, it was tidy but not overly so. A stray sock here and some books in a corner.

As he was admiring some of the fancy-looking cufflinks on Yunho’s dresser (why did he have so many?), his eyes were drawn to a black box. It looked so out of place on a table with just one bottle of cologne, a comb, a hair brush, and various sets of cufflinks.

When his hair was dry, Jaejoong put the hairdryer back where he found it.

He was about to leave when, once again, his eyes were drawn to the box. He was curious. He knew that it was rude to just open Yunho’s things without asking, especially when he had graciously saved him from the rain and offered a warm shower and clothes.

Yet, he found himself reaching out towards the box and picking it up. It definitely wasn’t empty; something clinked inside. Slowly and carefully, he opened it.

Lying side-by-side were two rings. Two very familiar white gold rings. With the engraving of the stars.

Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, Jaejoong reached in and caressed the rings with his finger, wondering if he was imagining them. They glinted back at him, as if to say they missed him.

Their old couple rings. Yunho kept them, after all.

The sight of those rings did it.

In a daze, Jaejoong replaced the top of the box and put it back on the dresser. He went back out to the living room to see it empty. He settled himself on the couch, picking up the mug of tea that was now lukewarm. Yet, when he tasted it, it warmed him up, immediately.

The T.V. continued to play the news, updating the viewers on the harsh weather. It appeared that the storm showed no signs of slowing down for a while. Outside, the sky began to darken.

Yunho returned, complaining about how everyone in his building seemed to want to do their laundry that day. He settled in next to Jaejoong with his tea, but made a face after taking a sip. So, he went into the kitchen to warm it up.

He had been gone but a minute when suddenly, they were blanketed in darkness. The T.V. had turned off. Not even the street lights outside glowed.

“Y-Yunho?” Jaejoong called out, feeling nervous all of a sudden.

“Jae? I’m here. Hold on.”

Jaejoong stayed put, managing to get his phone out and use it for light. A minute or so passed and Yunho finally emerged from the kitchen with a small lantern.

“So glad Appa talked me into getting one of these,” he said, setting it down on the coffee table. “I wonder if the whole building is out.”

After a few searches on their phone, it turned out that this entire side of Jeonju was without power due to the storm. The strong winds had knocked over a utility pole. Restoring power might take a while.

The loss of power had also turned off the heat. It didn’t take long for the cold to settle into the apartment, so Yunho grabbed a few spare blankets from his closet, giving one to Jaejoong. They sat on the couch, drinking cold tea, and making small talk.

Jaejoong talked about how his students were learning about classic Korean instruments and that someone was bringing in a Gayageum next week to discuss the mechanics of playing it.

Yunho couldn’t talk about his clients or cases but he did tell the story about how one of the firm’s clients brought in her dog and it did its business in his colleague’s office.

“Nothing much happens in law offices,” he said, as Jaejoong howled in laughter. “Really, it’s pretty boring.”

Soon enough, they fell into a comfortable silence. They ate instant ramen from a cup for dinner after managing to boil some water with the gas stove.

Outside, the wind howled as the sky continued to pelt rain against the windows.

At that point, Jaejoong knew there was no way he could go home. He had to stay the night. Good thing it was Friday.

He shivered, wrapping himself tighter in the blanket.

Yunho threw him a concerned look. “Still cold?” he asked.

Jaejoong nodded.

“I’ll get you another blanket.” Yunho made a move to get up.

“Wait.”

He paused, glancing back at Jaejoong with a questioning gaze.

The blonde bit his lip in contemplation before making his decision. It was now or never, before he lost his nerve.

“Can I share your blanket?” he asked.

Yunho blinked, owlishly, at him in confusion. “I’m sorry, what?”

Feeling brave all of a sudden, Jaejoong crawled forward towards Yunho, his blanket still wrapped around his shoulders. To the latter’s shock, he made himself comfortable between Yunho’s legs, his head resting against Yunho’s chest.

He closed his eyes and sighed. “It’s warmer this way,” he mumbled.

Tentatively, Yunho wrapped his own blanket around him, both of them encased under it.

And, indeed, pressed against Yunho and wrapped in two blankets, Jaejoong felt quite warm, and not just his skin and bones, either. He felt warm in his heart, filled with such overflowing love for Yunho.

No matter what happened to them, there was no changing the fact that his heart had always wanted and longed for only one man.

He was ready to answer Yunho’s question from that cold Christmas night almost a year ago.

“Yunho, ask me,” he whispered.

“Hmm?”

Jaejoong pulled back enough to look into the love of his life’s almond eyes, hoping that his own conveyed his true feelings.

“That question. Ask me.”

A nervous anxiety crossed those eyes as he realized what Jaejoong was asking.

“A-Are… are you sure?”

Jaejoong nodded. “Ask me. Please, Yunho.”

Yunho swallowed. “Jae… your answer… whatever your answer is, there is no turning back. After I hear it, that’s that.”

The blonde nodded again. “I know.”

“Then…” Yunho ran a hand through Jaejoong’s hair, gently caressing the strands. “Will you… go out with me again, Jaejoong? Will you… allow me to love you again?”

Jaejoong could feel his eyes filling with unshed tears as he placed a gentle hand on Yunho’s cheeks, thumb lovingly caressing the warm skin.

“Yes,” he whispered with a smile.

Yunho appeared to choke on his own tears at the answer. “R-Really?” he asked in disbelief. “Are… are you sure?”

Jaejoong tilted his head in acquiesce. “Yes.”

“Jaejoong… you know that I won’t let you go again after this? That if you try to leave me again, it will kill me.” He was afraid…afraid that this would yet again only result in dash hopes. “I’m going to hold on to you as tight as I can and never let go.”

“Good, I don’t want you to let go,” Jaejoong answered.

“Jae, are you sure-.”

“Yunho, I love you.”

It was the first time he had said it in years. The words felt familiar coming from his lips, as if he never stopped saying them at all.

At the declaration, Yunho looked like he had been handed the world. His eyes shined with tears. His grip around Jaejoong tightened. His smile, oh god, his smile was all the way up to his ears.

“Say it again,” he begged. “Please.”

Jaejoong lifted his other hand and placed it on his cheek. “I love you,” he declared. “And I never stopped loving you. Despite what happened to us, I still love you. And I don’t want you to ever let go of me again because if you do, Yunho, I’ll fight back this time.” He squeezed the other man’s cheeks. “Don’t ever, ever, break my heart again.”

“I won’t, Jaejoong, God, I won’t!”

With that Yunho wrapped him in his arms once more, freely crying now as he held Jaejoong like a lifeline.

Jaejoong, himself, allowed his own tears to fall as he held Yunho in his arms at last.

“Thank you,” Yunho whispered. “Thank you. Oh god, I love you. I love you so much, Jaejoong. I love you. I love you.” He pulled back a little to look Jaejoong in the eye. “I won’t ever hurt you like that again.” He pressed their foreheads together. “Never again, Jaejoong.”

And Jaejoong knew that Yunho was sincere and spoke the truth. He could see it in his eyes, full of nothing but warmth and love.

He was ready to love Yunho once more. And this time, he was confident that it would be stronger, so much stronger than it was before.

Not able to hold back anymore, Jaejoong allowed his desires to take over.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Yunho, taking the other by surprise. The cupid’s bow lips were just as soft and sweet as he remembered, fitting his like a puzzle piece.

They were a puzzle that fit. They were broken and torn apart, but their pieces still fit.

Before he knew it, he was pushing Yunho onto his back against the couch, his lips never ceasing from kissing him. Yunho made a noise, desperate hands sneaking under the hem of Jaejoong’s shirt.

Yunho devoured his lips like a hungry man, his hands caressing and touching every bit of Jaejoong that he could reach. Jaejoong, himself, felt greedy as he allowed his own hands to finally touch what they had been craving for months.

Wanting Yunho never went away. It was suppressed, yes. But it never stopped. He didn’t think it ever would. And that was perfectly fine with him.

Outside, the storm continued to rage. But, inside, there was only love.

 

---

 

When Yunho awoke the next morning, he felt more rested than he had in years. He had never felt such peace envelope him and it was all due to the events from the night before. He could still vividly remember every detail and feel every touch and caress, until they had fallen asleep on the couch, still fully dressed.

There was a familiar weight on top of him. His grip on it tightened, a part of him afraid that it was all a dream and that the lean body in his arms would disappear if he opened his eyes.

A faint groan reached his ears and the body in his arms moved slightly. Not even a minute later, soft lips pressed against his. His body’s response was instantaneous, returning the kiss.

He opened his eyes. Above him, the blonde head of the love his life filled his vision. Jaejoong was beautiful in the morning light, his blonde hair shining, giving him an angelic appearance.

The teacher smiled, sleepily at him. “Good morning,” he greeted.

Yunho reached up to place a hand on the other’s cheek. “Good morning,” he greeted back.

Jaejoong came back down again for another kiss and Yunho wondered if he had died and went to heaven. For surely, this was what being in heaven felt like.

When Jaejoong pulled away, he laid his head on Yunho’s chest.

They stayed in that position, savoring the moment. Neither wanted to let go.

“It stopped raining,” Jaejoong said after a while, raising his head a little to look at him. “The sun is out.”

Yunho felt his lips quirk into a loving smile. “It is. It’s a brand new day.”

It was a brand new start.

 

---

A/N: First, apologies for this being so late! Work has been BRUTAL and I rarely had the time to write. Plus, my computer has been giving me problems with freezing and not connecting to the wifi, so it's been quite annoying.

Second, as you can see, this chapter was a bit long and mostly in Jaejoong's point of view. I thought it was more appropriate to see his thoughts more because we already know Yunho is head over heels. Jaejoong finally realizes his feelings! Woot!

And third, only an Epilogue left! So, I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has stuck by this story from the beginning, despite all the pain, heartache, angst, and frustration I brought about when writing it. (The bajillion articles about infidelity that I edit at work have been very helpful in how I orchestrated the plot here, so thank you, my employers!) Thank you to those who rooted for YunJae and believed in their love! As for the ones who didn't, I hope I didn't disappoint you too much, but I had planned for a happy ending from the very beginning, so thank you for giving this fic a chance anyway.

This is my first time writing a full-fledged YunJae fic and I must say, it was quite an experience. I think I came off as very sassy in a few of my Author's Notes, apologies if I offended anybody. But, I definitely learned a lot from the experience so I know what to expect if I ever write another YunJae in the future.

Again, thank you very much for sticking by this fic! I enjoyed every bit of it! 

With that, please enjoy this highlight video from our Jaejoong's Asian Fan Meet tour in Seoul! Look at how adorable he is, I'm so proud!