a/n: A Jaejoong's birthday fic inspired by this picture featuring a mature!YunJae. They both are in their 30s here so they act less insane than in my usual stories. Please enjoy! <3

***

Every time Jaejoong goes to the park he sits in the same remote area on the same old bench and feeds the same hungry pigeons. He knows it’s a bad habit and the workers of this park must hate his guts for all the the birds leave behind, but he cannot help it. Pigeons are cute and he’s absolutely fascinated by the bench he found in this distant corner. It’s an old wooden thing that does not stand apart from any other old wooden thing except for the small golden plate attached to it that reads ‘In memory of Jung Yunho who hated this park and everyone in it.’

Jaejoong finds himself daydreaming about this mysterious Jung Yunho and what kind of a person he must have been. Did the workers around here harass him or, he gasps and accusingly looks at the pigeons happily gobbling the bread at his feet, maybe it was these little monsters?

He waves a hand at them half-heartedly but cannot believe that these innocent creatures could be at fault. Maybe it’s the squirrels, he decides, he never liked those suspicious things at all.

And so Jaejoong keeps wondering, every single day, as he comes to the park after work and feeds the pigeons which do not care one bit about his well-being.

♡♡♡

He stares incredulity at the man sitting on his bench. Sure it’s not his bench but nobody’s ever sat there, not even once since he started his little weird hobby a couple of weeks ago. The pigeons at the man’s feet are looking up at him in confusion, waiting for the bread that never comes.

Poor things Jaejoong thinks, looking at the bagel he's holding, not sure what he’s supposed to do with it now. It’s not like he can just ask the man to leave or go to another place. He likes this area exactly because it’s so secluded and has a sense of mystery about it.

He sways from one foot to the other, trying to make up his mind, before the man looks up at him and their eyes meet. Jaejoong feels himself blush at the intense stare and decides to leave but, as he turns around to do so, a commanding voice stops him.

‘Are you the one feeding these pigeons every day? I kind of imagined an elderly lady doing it but not someone like-’ and the voice hesitates for a bit before it resumes with an uncertain ‘-this.’

Whatever ‘this’ is Jaejoong doesn’t know, but he can appreciate the stranger’s fine looks when he comes closer. The man’s face is handsome although his eyes are stern and Jaejoong’s eyes fall lower, noticing a shiny badge at the other’s chest. 

‘Officer Jung Yunho. I’m here to address the complaints of littering in this area. I guess I have found my culprit now.’

Great Jaejoong thinks sullenly, huffing in annoyance at his own stupidity. He’s in trouble now, for feeding pigeons of all things. 

‘Yeah, I guess you have caught me now, officer,’ he smiles weakly before the other’s name hits him like a fully loaded truck. Jung Yunho? Did the guy just say that he’s Jung Yunho? 

‘Oh my God, wait. No. How is that even possible? Are you by any chance-‘ Jaejoong stutters out without thinking, not sure what he wants to convey by this weird behaviour. His mind is jogging circles around the sheer impossibility of there being a bench in memory of a Jung Yunho and an officer Jung Yunho standing right in front of him. What is this unbelievable coincidence?

They both look at each other with pure confusion until the officer catches up on what he’s so confused about and lets out a hearty laugh.

Jaejoong fails to see what’s so funny about their current situation. Of course it’s not like this man here is the one threatened with a littering fine so at least one of them is having fun. Besides, Jaejoong’s never seen a police officer laughing so heartily.

‘I really don’t understand what’s going on,’ he says, sneaking the bagel back into his bag because he surely cannot be prosecuted without any evidence. He could eat it as well but that’s stupid and he still has some pride left.

‘Oh, I’m sorry mister...’ the officer starts, looking at him expectedly, and Jaejoong realises he’s waiting for his name. It’s not the wisest thing to do, surely, as he’s still in danger of a fine, but the man’s eyes are warm and inviting and he lets himself be fooled.

‘Kim Jaejoong’

‘Well then, Kim Jaejoong, I am not the Jung Yunho the bench is dedicated to but he sure was my late grandfather.’

‘Oh,’ of course ‘I’m sorry,’ it’s so obvious. Jaejoong feels a bit foolish for thinking otherwise. Nonetheless, he’s intrigued that now he has someone to tell him the whole story about the mysterious bench and quench his thirst for the answers that his mind cannot find. 

‘No no, please don’t worry. It was old age anyway,’ the officer replies, as if that’s making it any better, before he coughs and stands up tall and intimidating, ‘and now let’s address that littering charge.’

‘Ah,’ Jaejoong deflates, going a bit white in the face. He almost forgot about it, or maybe hoped he would get off easily.

‘But officer-‘

‘Yes, Kim Jaejoong?’

‘Can’t we make some kind of a deal out of it? Maybe you can let me off with only a warning this time or maybe there’s something I could do to redeem myself?’ 

‘Are you trying to bribe a police officer, sir?’ Yunho raises a critical eyebrow and Jaejoong shakes his head, face red from shame.

‘No, no, of course not! I wouldn’t even think about it! I was just trying to be friendly, that’s all, and, uh, it’s not such a terrible offence, right? I was just thinking that such a handsome and smart man could definitely use his time more efficiently than hunting after little old me,’ he stalls, raising hopeful eyes to the other, and Yunho lets out a chuckle. 

So there’s hope. His flirting skills never fail him.

‘Fine, I will let you off this time with a warning,’ the officer says, giving him a sly smile that suddenly makes Jaejoong nervous, ‘but only if you agree to my one condition.’

‘Fine,’ Jaejoong nods, quite confused of what that condition could be because he’s just a common office worker with a boring, stressful job and no friends.

‘Go out on a date with me,’ the officer tells him and Jaejoong’s heart surrenders.

♡♡♡

Officer Yunho or Jung Yunho turns out to be quite the gentleman. 

He waits for Jaejoong in his car - and it’s not the police car, thanks God! - at his apartment and opens the door for him when he comes down. 

He brings him to a fancy restaurant where he’s reserved a table in a more private area that is illuminated by soft lights. He even gives him flowers. 

‘Oh, but you really didn’t have to,’ Jaejoong says as he takes the red roses, sticking his nose right into them. He regrets it immediately as it’s such a cliché thing to do but he cannot help it, it’s a natural reaction. 

‘Wow, they’re fragrant,’ he mutters in surprise which means they are the expensive kind of roses, not the cheap ones from your local supermarket. Yunho’s really gone all out for this first date. 

They exchange some pleasantries at the beginning and soon fall into a deep, comfortable conversation about the latest political gossip and environmental issues. Yunho tells him how the entire male line of his family has been police officers and that’s why he’s so passionate about his job while Jaejoong teases him that the entirety of his family is boring office workers and that’s why he’s so passionate about working a mundane 9 to 5 job. Yunho laughs a bit too loudly at that unfunny joke.

Their evening ends soon, too soon for both of their liking and, when Yunho drives him home and their eyes lingers with a sense of longing, Jaejoong decides to ask him upstairs for a ‘cup of coffee’. It's been a while since he invited a man upstairs so blatantly, especially after just one date. 

'It's a nice apartment,' Yunho tells him as he looks around.

'Office work pays,' Jaejoong says in a light-hearted mood when he neatly places his keys on the small corridor table. He motions for his guest to go further inside. He's a bit nervous considering that it's been some time and he's got no idea where they both are heading but, when he feels the other's hands on his shoulders, massaging them lightly, he gets a very clear idea of where Yunho wants them to be heading. 

'You're very tense. Sitting in that office all day must be pretty rough on your body. I may not be a field worker myself anymore but I do get to move around quite a bit.’

'Ah, about that,' Jaejoong moans when the hands dig out an especially sore muscle, 'I did notice you're not just an officer like you introduced yourself. I'm really curious what a superintendent was doing in the park that day?' he’s been dying to ask that for quite a while now.

The man's hands halt, starting to slide up and down Jaejoong's biceps in a pleasant manner, as he chuckles out a 'Curious one aren't you?'

'Well, I do try to learn something new every day,' Jaejoong answers, turning around and catching the other's eyes. They both are being awfully playful now. The mood has turned naughty and he thinks that he may even make this man breakfast in the morning. He seems like a keeper. 

'Let's just say I was curious.'

'About what?'

'About what kind of a person goes to feed pigeons in such a remote area every single day.'

'Really? And that's all?' Jaejoong gives him a pointed look to which Yunho gives him a pointed look in return.

‘Yes, really. And maybe because of the bench as well.'

'Aha!' Jaejoong exclaims, feeling almost childish at the joy that fills his heart, before he smiles sheepishly. 

'But that's a story to tell for another day,' Yunho puts a strong hand on the small of his back and draws him in closer. Instead of quenching his curiosity, he looks in his eyes with a mischievous glint, 'I would rather discuss Kim Jaejoong, the office worker, standing right in front of me and looking incredibly y.'

And, when Yunho's lips make their way to the side of his neck, sliding down from underneath his ear to his collarbone, Jaejoong's pretty sure he wants to discuss that as well. 

♡♡♡

Jaejoong really does make breakfast for Yunho the next morning.

Their last night together was amazing and he feels refreshened when he wakes up. The morning is complete when the other's sleeping face comes into his view, a light-hearted smile decorating his lips. 

Yunho was pretty vigorous last night and made sure all Jaejoong’s stiff muscles got a good workout. He can feel his body screaming at him to stop moving when he shifts underneath the soft sheets. Yunho’s quite the amazing lover. 

He quiets down his protesting muscles and stretches out like a cat lazily; he’s happy that it’s only the start of the weekend and what a good start at that! It doesn't seem like Yunho’s waking up anytime soon - what a calm attitude for a ‘police officer’ - Jaejoong thinks and gets out of the bed. He takes a quick shower and whips up a continental breakfast just in time when Yunho walks into his kitchen in nothing more than his boxers. 

He leans against the kitchen counter, eyes sliding down the other's toned body, and holds the coffee cup up in cheers to his Mr. Perfect. 

'I see someone's up early,' Yunho grins as he makes his way to where Jaejoong is standing and draws him in. He gives him a long, tender kiss, Jaejoong’s eyes fluttering close and his tongue darting out to invite the other deeper. It feels like they are a couple already and Jaejoong will ask him if he wants to become one as he's got no time to waste. It's rare for him to meet an amazing human being like this one and he's not going to stall. 

'I never thought you could be a sleepyhead,' he teases Yunho, pressing the second coffee cup in the other’s arms. 

'I am. On my days off,' Yunho tells him as he reaches up, petting Jaejoong's soft hair lightly. 'You’re truly beautiful. Even in the mornings,' he notes in amazement and Jaejoong laughs at that. 

'What did you expect? An ogre?' he shakes his head and Yunho shakes it back, playfully. 

'No, but what I wanted to say is that I wouldn't mind waking up to see your beautiful face every morning.'

Oh

Jaejoong quiets down and smiles shyly at that.

♡♡♡

Yunho's good at surprises, and he’s a hopeless romantic, Jaejoong soon finds out. He enjoys preparing small gifts for him, give him flowers from time to time and even plan elaborate events. It's a late Saturday day when his fairytale prince whips out a picnic basket he prepared the night before and invites Jaejoong to drives out of the town to see stars. 

'I actually grew up on the country,' Yunho tells him as he brings their interlaced fingers up to his lips and kisses Jaejoong's knuckles one by one. He smiles at that as he smoothes down a strand of the other's unruly hair. 

‘Hmm? Got any good stories about it?'

'Does shearing sheep interest you?' Yunho asks with humour lacing his voice and Jaejoong shakes his head. 

'I can't say that it does,' he laughs. He wonders how it's possible to fall for a guy so fast and so hard, and deems himself incredibly lucky. Those pigeons really contributed to his overall well-being after all.

‘I guess I'm out of my luck then,' Yunho says and leans close, pressing a chaste kiss on Jaejoong's lips, waiting for his permission to continue further and, when he tilts his head and leans in, Yunho takes them into a deeper, more passionate kiss. 

It's the most romantic thing he’s ever experienced and his heart is soaring high. Yunho’s hands slide under his shirt, raking over his ribs and his stomach until they stop at his shoulder blades and he flips Jaejoong to be underneath him. His eyes are shining when he hovers above him like a hungry beast.

‘Now I will have to improvise to entertain you,’ he says with mischievous glint in his eyes and Jaejoong hopes it’s a secluded enough place for them to not be charged with indecent exposure.

-

It's only much later, when they are lying on their chequered blanked side by side and arm in arm, when Jaejoong asks Yunho about his grandfather. 

'Why did he hate the park?' he wonders, turning his head and feeling his heart halt at the love he sees in the eyes looking back. 

'He didn't,' Yunho explains, shifting so that he's now on his side, facing him, his warm hand caressing over his cheek. Jaejoong follows him, also turning to his side so that they are face to face now. 

'Oh?'

'Well, at least not at first. It's only when his wife, my grandmother, disappeared there that he started to despite it. Went to look for her every day to no avail,'

It sounds like a sad story, Jaejoong thinks, but he listens intently anyway. 

'How did that happen?'

'Her disappearance? Well, we still don't know but she did go to the park alone at times when my grandfather was busy taking care of his roses.'

'He grew roses?'

'Yeah, for her. Told us all that grandma was the most beautiful rose of them all.'

'Ah, he really must have loved her a lot.' 

'Yeah, he did,' Yunho agrees, taking Jaejoong's hand and pressing it close to his chest. 'Just like I love you a lot.'

Jaejoong knows that if he were younger and less experienced, if he ware foolish and hot headed, he would be scared of those words right now or how quick his heart’s beating in his chest. But he's not young anymore and he known it all. He's fallen in and out of love and had his heart broken one time too many. But even so, when he's lying here with the other so close he can hear his heartbeat, he feels like he's in love for the first time all over again. He leans in and kisses Yunho softly, letting his lips linger against the other's.

'And just like that I love you a lot,' he tells him, pouring his whole heart in those few simple words.

'Yeah, just like you love me,' Yunho repeats in a whisper.

They stay like that for a while longer, the silence around them interrupted only by a lone grasshopper or maybe it's a cicada. Jaejoong really doesn't know nature well. All the critters sound the same to him. 

'So you never found out what happened?' he asks, the story still lingering on his mind, requiring some kind of an explanation or ending. Yunho lets out a deep sigh and rolls on his back to face the dark sky. 

'Not really.'

'Wasn't there an investigation?'

'Sure there was, but-' Yunho turns his head to him with a sad smile which breaks his heart a little, 'I'll be honest with you, Jaejoong. The official version is that she slipped while walking along that small lake in the area and drowned. Because it's such a remote place nobody was there to help her. They never found a body, of course, but the lake's deep and tricky, with underwater currents and what not else so it's not impossible. It's the most likely explanation.’

'Oh.'

Jaejoong doesn't even know what he expected or what to say so he rolls onto his back as well and looks into the sky. There's no stars out tonight but it's also not awfully dreary. He wants to say something, to interrupt the silence that's fallen between them, but Yunho's first to talk.

'But, you know, grandfather always said she was the brightest star on the land and he never deserved her even for that long. He believed she must have gone back to the sky where she belonged.'

'And do you believe that?' Jaejoong asks as he looks into the dark sky while finding the other's warm palm and sliding his own into it. He almost thinks he can see something twinkling somewhere far away when he narrows his eyes. 

'I guess I do,' Yunho tells him honestly, squeezing his hand, and Jaejoong thinks he can believe that too. 

***

end