It Only Takes One Call

{Sometimes, it takes him one phone call to make everything better.}

2410w; K+

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He’s tired – dead tired. He’s been working for two weeks straight and has not had a day of vacation for himself. He wonders if this was his manager’s revenge for not waking up early before.

He’s in Thailand right now, along with other idols for SBS’ Lunar New Year Special. He thinks of it as a paid vacation; three days under the hot Pattaya sun, playing in the pool and being paired up with someone of the opposite . It’s not that he dislikes it— he’s really fine with it. After all, this is work, nothing personal.

However, she’s the problem.

The night before he left for the shoot, while preparing and packing his things, they talk on the phone. His left ear is pressed tightly on his left shoulder to refrain the mobile from slipping while he folds the rest of his clothes into the luggage. She is at the company building with her group members, practicing their choreography for Visual Dreams: a collaboration song between Intel and SNSD. They’ve been at it for two days now; they shoot the music video tomorrow. He’s worried about her. They’ve been in and out (from Korea to Japan then back to Korea) of the country too much.

“Well, you know how the management just loves us.” She says sarcastically. He sighs and snorts as she rambles on how she hasn’t had a proper sleep and explains how Yuri has been irritated and grumpy and crazy all at the same time.

“My flight leaves at eight in the morning tomorrow.” He tells her when she asked what time his departure was.

“Oh. We’ll be on our way to the set by that time. Pity, I can’t see you off.”

He smiles, happy, because she’s gloomy she won’t see him off and she cares, yet also miserable because he won’t see her for three whole days. They can only communicate through their phones.

“I heard from Donghae oppa, you’d be paired up with Seungyeon for a segment. Is that true?” She sounds gruff, exasperated, and it creates the grin on his face wider.

“Yeah, it is. Why? Jealous?”

“As if I am. You go have fun there.” She keeps her reply short, meaning she’s either pissed or too weary to think of a better response.

He’ll take both. “You don’t have to be worried Sooyeon-ssi (he adds the –ssi to annoy her more). My heart, (Jinki points to where his heart is even though she can’t see) will always be yours!”

Jessica just laughs aloud and ultimately loses her balance as she cringed, collapsing from her seat to the ground. She is still laughing despite the fall, thus receiving peculiar stares and there she goes again head shake from the others. They don’t know who she’s talking with all the time to make her act like that but they really don’t mind. They prefer happy Sica than brooding Sica. When she finally stops, she informs him on how cheesy he is and she needs to hang up now— practice is resuming. He stutters an okay and says he’ll call her tomorrow to wake her up.

“Yeah. I love you.” The line goes down and Jessica’s probably flushing red on the other line. She’s always been the shy one when it comes to expressing her feelings so she must feel awkward conveying those three words.

“I love you too.” He still whispers it when all he hears a busy dial tone at the end of the line. He sleeps, thinking about her, and feels good, happy and very much in love.

Jinki calls her the next day, as promised, and tells her he’s on his way to the airport with Minho. Meanwhile Jessica has just gone out of the bed, her muscles aching and sore from the previous night. He soothes her with his warm voice, cheers her for their shoot, she does the same to him, and he ends the call when they arrive at the airport. It takes two hours for them to arrive in Thailand. They settle in their hotel first before heading to their press conference.

After the conference, the director gives the idols two hours to prepare for the show. Jinki loiters on his room’s balcony, wondering if the fresh air would enliven him. His clothes from the conference are making him itchy and hot and the clips on his newly styled coffee hair are annoying him too.  The things they make him wear at such a hot weather.

He sits on the white beach bench, removes the black blazer and takes his BlackBerry out. There’s one missed call from Warm Ice Princess Sooyeon half an hour ago. It’s around seven o’ clock there; they’re probably done with the shoot. He phones her.

She picks up after three rings, breathless and panting. “Hello?”

“Why are you so out of breath?”

“Jinki?” She heaves a sigh after recognizing his voice. “Oh just… Break just started and I was at the set. I suddenly heard my phone ring so I ran up from there, thinking it was you. I called you earlier.” She sounds a lot calmer and controlled than earlier.

“Yeah, I saw.” He says, shifting his position. He spots a fan with a camera on the left and eyes it. “Are you still at the set? Isn’t filming taking longer than usual?”

Jessica yawns. “Yeah. An accident happened earlier so shooting was delayed. No biggie though. We’re about to wrap out soon. How was your day?”

He stretches his whole body to the bench and puts an arm around his head. There’s a sudden pain on his head and he thinks it’s probably from the heat. “It was alright. They made me wear a suit at the conference even though it’s who-knows how hot it was. I have an hour and a half for myself before shooting starts. So here I am.”

Here you are indeed.She echoes in her mind and smiles.

He makes her narrate something interesting from the set, preferring to hear her voice than for him to talk. “The costume designer made us wear something ridiculous for the video. The first one was a silver glittery short dress and it was an eyesore. I swear, in between takes, I was scratching my arm and neck.” He chuckles at this. “The second was okay. A white blazer and shorts. The heels killed me. I think I got blisters on my feet now.” She tries not to sound too upset so he doesn’t worry but he still feels sorry for her, having the same faith like him when it comes to wardrobe malfunction and being forced to wear shoes she doesn’t like. He wishes to do something for her once he comes back to Korea.

“Sorry…” He squints, the sting on his head is getting worse plus, he’s stomach is churning. Now he’s contemplating whether it was from the change of temperature. He hears her giggle at the other line.

“Why are you apologizing? Silly.” There’s rumbling sound and voices coming near her. He assumes their break time is over. “Oops! Time to go. Call me later?”

He nods. “Later.”

Jinki isn’t alone anymore when he hangs up. His manager, along with his stylists, arrives with bags in hand. The noona stylist gives him the paper bag and orders him to change in to the clothes in the bag. He changes to light blue open button polo, on a white sleeveless shirt and white pants and Taemin’s white shoes. His manager says something funny and he laughs as he looks around, waving and smiling to his fans. He doesn’t tell them the ache coming from his head and stomach and just continues to grin.

His condition worsens by evening (and we’re not talking about his sangtae here), alarming everyone on set. He has diarrhea and a bit of a fever.  Nothing really major, Jinki says when people advise him to rest instead of being there on set. Inside, he’s really feeling weak and cold and in so much pain than he can handle.

Donghae comforts him gently, while he lies down for a short nap during break. He’s assigned to keep a close watch of him (on Jessica’s orders) along with Minho, but the flaming charisma is too busy on other hyungs so he guesses it’s all up to him.

When filming finally finishes, Jinki is taken to his room being carried by his manager’s back, with Donghae, Eunhyuk and Minho lagging behind. He is placed on the bed, covered by blankets and directed to take remedy.

“You could’ve told us you know instead of bearing all the pain.” Eunhyuk states, sitting beside the sick boy. Jinki manages a weak smile before passing out from the cold medicine. Sometimes, Jinki’s just too stubborn to let anyone worry about him.

Jinki wakes up after an hour, hearing voices and murmurs on the quiet room. He tries to sit but has a hard time, so he just settles to lie down. Minho is asleep in the other bed and he spots Donghae by the window, talking with someone on the phone.

“Donghae-hyung?” He barely even whispers it, when his tummy flinches in pain.

Donghae hears and turns around though, saying “He’s awake now.”

The older man comes in closer with an encouraging beam. Something must’ve happen. “Hey buddy, you feeling better?” He asks. Jinki trembles. “Here, she wants to talk to you.” He hands the phone over to Jinki.

Jinki knows it’s Jessica. Donghae is the only one that knows about their relationship and like their bridge or love messenger. Donghae doesn’t mind keeping tabs on them, because Jessica is like his little sister and Jinki is too lovable to be hated (hated for stealing his dongsaeng from him). He leaves them for a couple of minutes to get some bottled water for the sick boy.

What time is it here? Eleven? Twelve? So it would be like two in the morning there? Why is she still up? “H-hello?” He’s kind of scared to know why she called.

“Pabo! Pabo! Pabo!” Jessica showers him outrage, in between her silent sobs. “What is wrong with you?! Why do you always do that? Why don’t you let anyone worry about you? How can I call myself a girlfriend if you don’t even share these kinds of things? Why did Donghae oppa have to call me to let me know you’re sick? What am I to you?”

He nods, hushes her to calm down and apologizes a lot. He’s regretful for making her cry and fret. She has enough things to be concerned and he just doesn’t want to add more loads on her, that’s why he didn’t tell her earlier. Sometimes, he wonders if he even deserves her. When she stops crying (which took about some time), he assures her he’s okay and the ache is bearable than before.

“Are you really okay? You don’t sound like you’re okay.” She asks again and again. She wants to confirm his health. She’s really sad she can’t be with him to take care of him.

“Yeah Sooyeon, I’m alright.” Because you’re there, I’m a whole lot better. “Why don’t you sing me something? Anything would be fine.”

Jessica shifts in her bed uncomfortably, glancing at the other side if Sooyoung had been listening. Fortunately, she was sleeping like a baby. Usually, he’s the one who always sings to her when they’re on the phone. Always singing her lullabies to sleep. “What? Why?”

Because you’re voice always calms me to sleep.“Because I miss you badly.”

And she misses him too, even though he’s only been one day away. She’s used to meeting him randomly somewhere in the company building and hearing him make lame jokes, and today just felt so different. It feels like her routines are messed up and she doesn’t like it one bit. And the fact that he’s with Seungyeon, his alternative partner from KARA, causes her to be cautious and jealous. She’s frustrated that SNSD isn’t included in that stupid show. They have time.

“Jess, did you fall asleep?” His voice croaks.

“Nope, I was just thinking what song to sing. Hmm… I’m going to start now.” Jinki nods, wondering what song she has in mind. She’s always been the unpredictable one when it comes to expressing herself. He smiles, as she starts singing the song Happy Me.

“I met you after a few heartbreaks

So maybe that was why our start was so unsure

But getting to know and to love someone

How nice would it be if you were my last?

Like I do…

If you hear my voice, even for a moment in a busy day

Do you also feel like we are together?

Every night, when I return home and if you are there

My stress and pain from the day will melt away in your arms

Love me just like this

If you would never change

You’re the only one that has all of me

I will never waver

You may be unsure in the face of the unknowable future

But never forget that I love you

If it is with you, I will be forever happy.”

After Jessica sings the very last note, everything is followed by a long silence. She wonders what could have happened to him. She hears his heavy breathing on the phone seconds later and it comforts her to know that he has fallen asleep. She grins to herself, “Sweet dreams, my love.” She murmurs before hanging the phone up to prepare for her sleep.

Jinki wakes up earlier than anyone sleeping in the romm, and he doesn’t feel a thing. No pain, or ache, and he don’t have a hard time getting up. He feels energized somehow and he wonders if it was because of last night. He remembers falling asleep, which prompts him to grab his phone and message her if he left her hanging.

It’s alright. Kekekeke I knew you were tired anyway. Kekekeke good luck with later! ^^ -J

He sighs in relief, thank God, she wasn’t mad like the last time. He starts his day smiling, greeting everyone blissfully and assuring them he’s better now. It amazes people how he could be all cheery after being in so much pain the day before.

And people don’t know that sometimes, it only takes him one phone call to make everything in his life better.

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Notes: EDITED

For Sicalove and GianGain. Thank you for your ending support. ^^ (I dunno who was the first reader and subscriber. I think I should've kept track. lol I eth.)

This short story was inspired by this photo and this. You know how someone just calls you and you just smile and every stupid thing from your life just becomes better -- a whole lot better because of that. Well, this is what I think it's like between these two. The lyrics were also very very fitting for their situation. 

Happy Me is one of my favorite songs ever. If you want the lyrics please click this link. Kudos to that person. If you want to hear the song, click it here. Kudos to those who deserve it. 

And everything just falls in place for Jessica and Onew's schedules. I think they were perfect for this fic. 

Enjoy~