It Only Takes One Call

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

3812w; K+

Part Two

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After returning back to South Korea from their filming in Thailand, Jinki flies off to Tokyo for SM Town’s Concert. The two of them, him and Jessica, spend some good quality time together (under Donghae’s supervision) like sitting across each other on flight, secretly holding hands while helping Jessica get off the plane carefully and not-really-obvious lunch dates. Despite having no real interactions on the stage, they have lots on backstage. The others still don’t know anything about their relationship and they just think it’s ordinary for friends to hug or whisper to each other then laugh.

They go on a pre-Valentine date on the 26^th after the concert (in case they can’t see each other on the 14^{th of February}), where they stroll around the quiet streets of Shibuya, eating Takoyaki balls at dawn and lastly, visiting the Meiji shrine and praying for each other at the peak of sun. They bid goodbye at around seven in the morning, where SHINee has to go back with the other SM artists minus SNSD, who will still be continuing their promotions there in Japan. They promise to call each other every night.

Jinki has been pretty busy himself, returning from Japan. Showcasing his talents in variety shows, replacing Leeteuk and Eunhyuk and hosting Sukira (they had SS3), recording and practicing for their debut in March at Japan are mostly on his daily schedules. He gets little break but he’s fine with it. At least, he’s making other people smile. Jessica always reminds him to take care of himself. She knows how diligent he is when it comes to working and it really doesn’t help his health.

“I’m alright Jess. I’m not overworking myself or anything. You should worry more about yourself. Eat more.” He counterparts, leaning his head on the headboard of his bed. The others are already asleep. Jonghyun’s snoring is so loud; he should remind the younger one about that bad habit.

“I do eat. I also get plenty of sleep unlike someone I know.” She sighs and he hears rustling sound of bed sheet. She’s probably getting herself ready for slumber. “By the way, we’re going back to Korea on 13 for manager oppa’s wedding. We should go out or something after.”

The wedding has totally slipped his mind and he has to buy the present tomorrow morning. He needs to wake up early to make Taemin’s lunch, take a bath, and prepare for the day; the list just goes on and on... does he even have a break? Not that he’s complaining or anything, it’s just that maybe he can have a little time for himself…

“Jinki? Hello?” Her voice awakens him from sleeping and he remembers that he’s talking with Jessica on the phone. “Are you even listening to me?” She sounds like those annoying girls back at his old high school. The ones who always ask for somebody else’s number. However, he finds her just a tad different because she’s actually sweet and not flirtatious like those girls.

Jinki hears her sigh and then yawn. “Fine. We should go to sleep. Skip the singing and such. Goodnight Jinki. Sleep tight. I love… you.”

“Night. Sweet dreams. Thanks and love you too.” And he’s off too bed.

Luckily, Jinki only has two schedules for today: RJ-ing at Sukira and recording a segment for Star King. He has plenty of time to buy a gift for the wedding later. SNSD will also be arriving soon and what did Jessica say last night? His memory has fainted along when he passed out last. Maybe he’ll ask her later.

He arrives at the set of Star King with eagerness to start filming. Other artists arrive too – he’s with Kibum by the way, and they take their places as soon as MC Kang Ho Dong takes his position and start the introduction. Everything is going well for a while until he feels a slight pang on his chest. Being him, as always, he ignores it, thinking it was nothing, and just continues with the show. However, when another wave of twinge hits him and Kibum notices, they stop recording.

Jinki has breathing problems and is given first-aid kit treatment. A PD suggests for him to go the hospital but he dismisses it with a weak head shake and wary smile, “I’m alright.” But he never is. He just says he’s alright so people won’t worry, which ticks Jessica off too much. Speaking of which, he should inform her about his condition before anyone else bothers. She will get upset again if he doesn’t.

By the end of the show, there’s another cramp coming from his insides and as soon as the director yells “Cut!” and someone brings in the slate, his vision blurry. He is feeling dizzy and nauseous as people surround him, pat him in the back and praises a ‘good job’ or ‘thanks for the hard work’ and he just wears another weary grin and nod back. No one seems to remember he’s not feeling well and it’s fine with him --- no more people worrying about him.

His manager appears in front of where he is and he wonders how long he’s been stuck on his seat. He hands him his phone and there’s this weight building around his chest. This time, instead of disregarding it, he immediately finds her number and presses Call but his hand tremble and he realizes his hyperventilating. The phone slips on his grip and he doesn’t remember anything after.

When Jinki’s senses come back, he finds himself on a white room, surrounded by s and manager. It doesn’t seem like he passed out since he recalls being rushed inside the SHINee’s van. After that, it’s just pigments of blurry pictures and lights.

“He’s awake!” Someone says, and it belongs to Kibum.

“Hyung! Are you okay?” Taemin’s blurry and a worried face hovers in front of him. Everyone seems to have the same expression as they all rush to his side. He sits up carefully and it isn’t really hard for him to do that. He’s breathing also comes to even.

He smiles. “Yeah, I’m alright. Sorry for making you all worry.”

“Ey hyung! Why are you still smiling like that after what happened to you! How can you just apologize for making us worry?” Kibum nags continuously, hitting him in the arm. His motherly instincts kick in and it’s clear that he’s upset.

His manager steps up from the crowd and shakes his head with a sigh. “Onew, you really should speak up when you’re unwell. I’d get in trouble if you keep doing that. Do you want me to get in trouble?” He jokes. Jinki disapproves. The manager smiles contentedly. “Now, since you are still unwell, I’ll leave your next schedule to Key since he doesn’t have anything next. The doctor said you were overworked, you can have three days off.”

Hence for the next three days, Jinki spends most of his time in the dorm on the first day, waiting for his dongsaengs to come home. He sleeps for almost half a day, regaining most of his energy, doing some chores, laundry and cooking food for the members. The second day he visits his parents’ house; uses most of his time there, chatting and asking how they’ve been and all sorts. By the afternoon, he takes them to see and support Luna’s musical but doesn’t introduce her for the lack of time. On his third day of break, he sees some of his close friends and around two in the afternoon he bids them goodbye and goes back to the dorm. He doesn’t want to be out too late.

He sighs as he lies on the couch with nothing better to do. He’s too lazy and tired to even clean the living room since he knows Taemin or Jonghyun will mess it up later. So he settles on updating his me2day instead, interacting with his fans are always his favorite past time. He hears the doorbell the moment he opens his account and it makes him wonder if the others are home already. He doubts it though, because it’s too early for that. He checks the camera-screen.

There’s a straight and shiny, long copper hair, with its head downcast, eyes focus on something downward on the monitor. Only when the girl (he presumes) lifts its head does he realize those familiar chocolate eyes, staring back with a cold expression: Jessica.

She looks agitated, as she pouts with her pink lips and impatiently checks her watch. Her grimly expression troubles him and he chooses to open the door.

Upon opening the door, Jessica’s face lights up and her lips turn to a smile. “Jinki!” She exclaims while throwing herself at him, hands snaking around his neck. “I missed you!”

It surprises him, seeing her here. Wasn’t she supposed to be in Japan and be back here tomorrow, not today? Don’t get him wrong, her being here is quite nice but really he’s curious how she got there. “What’re you doing here?”

 “What do you mean? I’m here for you.” She answers, casually walking inside the house. She’s been here so many times (when the four was away), it’s like her second dorm. She puts her bag down on the floor and flops on the couch, arms crossed and eyes judged, following him as he walks away.

“I mean how did you get here? Aren’t you supposed to be somewhere in Japan promoting?” His back at the kitchen, getting a juice or a snack for her, he’s sure she’s tired from the flight.

“You’re not happy to see me?” She retorts.

“No, I am! I’m glad you’re here but –“

“So what’s the problem?”

Jinki groans and eyes her gallingly. He knows she’s playing him with her words. “Can you just let me finish?” She smiles at him innocently, batting her long lashes. “As I was saying, you’re not supposed to be here. Well, at least not today. You told me you were flying home on Sunday, one day before you’re actual arrival.”

“Change of plans.” Jessica sighs. She was going to play it all out, not get upset by what she learned but he is just persistent. “After you told me you were sick days ago, I kind of got worried. I persuaded manager oppa I needed to get back here soon but he said I couldn’t because we still have lots to do so I finished everything up and here I am. Plus, we didn’t have any schedule tomorrow and the girls wanted to have fun in Tokyo before heading back.” (*She’s trying to say that the reason they would fly out on Sunday because they didn’t have a schedule. It was Saturday when she arrived.)

He hands her the bottle of energy drink, sitting beside her. “I’m fine. Really. You should’ve gone with the others. Release your stress or something.”

“I’d rather stay here and be with you.” The brunette gives a small smile, grabbing the boy’s hand, intertwining it with hers and holding it firmly. Her eyes are fixed on him and he pulls her closer, until their faces are inches apart and he leans in for a kiss…

But she jerks away even before he managed to put a small peck on her lovely lips. Jessica chortles nervously, massaging her neck while Jinki scratches his head tensely. They are still a bit awkward with skinship, mostly on the kissing part. It’s kind of difficult to get used to each other when both have busy schedules and currently lives on different country. Clearing his throat, Jinki proposes she should stay for dinner and she agreed. “What do you want to eat?”

“Anything is fine really.” She reaches for the paper bag she brought and takes out something wrapped in plastic. “This, I found it while we were on a stop our way to Music Station and I found it really cute so I bought it for you.” She hands it to him then digs in to the bag more.

He unwraps it and finds a white-and-gray striped shirt. “Wow. Thanks.”

“I also got you chocolates and snacks, here.” She passes the whole bag to him and grins. “Share it with the others, okay?”

While they let the food boil, they cuddle in the couch, watching some humorous movie with Kim Soo Ro as the main lead. Jessica is leaning on Jinki’s chest comfortably, body heaving up and down as his breathes evenly, with her feet tucked on a cozy blanket. There’s a kissing scene suddenly, and both of them are reminded of the incident earlier, which makes them uneasy and awkward. The brunette doesn’t especially like their atmosphere right now, because she realized that it was like her Sica effect and she doesn’t like that either. She tries and thinks of something good to talk about.

“Hey, why don’t you take care of yourself well when I’m not around? I mean, on occasions I’m at another country, you always seem to catch a cold or a fever but when we see each other you’re perfectly fine. It’s really weird.” She shoots him an eerie look.

The boy shudders and continues on watching the movie. “I don’t know. I really didn’t want you to worry when we’re together, I guess. It’s also coincidence that I get sick.” He doesn’t dare to look her in the eye because a) she’s glaring at him and that was one of the things he’s scared b) the scene on the movie is good and c) if he does turn his head to her, there’s a high chance of him casting a kiss on her beautiful lips.

These past few days, while he was sick, he’s been having these “cravings” for her. A hunger to hold her hand, embrace and feel her warmth and to plant a sweet and blissful memory on her lips; he’s been dreading really, to control himself from doing anything rash and out of character to her. He’s surprised that he hasn’t done anything radical now.

“What’s the matter? Are you feeling unwell?” Jessica touches his cheek and the urge for him to touch her back rises and he can’t hold it back anymore. Jinki caresses her cheek, runs a hand on her neck line and tugs her nearer, until again, their faces are mere inches from each other. It takes his breath away as he sees her radiance up close; she’s a real goddess. She bites her lower lip provocatively and he gulps. Moving closer and closer, they are both determined to not let anyone ruin their moment…

The doorbell rings however, and it rings again and again as whoever the person is keeps on pressing it. Jinki grunts aggravated, punching the wall slightly as Jessica sighs in disappointment, banging her head on his chest and muttering inappropriate words. He rushes for the door, his fist ready to punch the that destroyed his happy time.

A beaming Kibum and Minho are the culprits. “Hyung, what took you? I’m hungry.” The raven-haired boy says as he enters the room, rubbing his stomach. He stops on his tracks though, frozen in uttered surprise. “Hyung! Why is Jessica-noona…?” He even points at her.

No one, inside the members of SHINee and SNSD knows the two of them are in a relationship. Donghae is the only one who knows and the others don’t really suspect anything, aside from Shindong and Kyuhyun when they saw Jessica, Jinki and Donghae together one time at a room together. It’s unnatural for those three to be together unless something was up between them.

“Well…” Onew throws a knowing look at Jessica.

They really don’t mind if more people find out. It will actually be easier for them because they won’t have to hide anything from their family anymore, right? Although maybe not from the management… In short, it was complicated.

“So, you guys have been dating for almost nine months now? All this time?” Kibum’s jaws are hanging unbelievably on the information he has just heard. It’s really hard to believe that his hyung, his precious hyung is dating someone! Moreover, it’s from SNSD, Jessica-noona! It seems impossible for Onew to even like someone at this time. How can he even fathom that?

“Yeah.” Jinki answers, figuring out Kibum’s expression. It doesn’t look like he’s taking it well. For someone who had a small crush on her anyway. Minho though, he’s calm and collective, almost like he knew it from the very start. That’s a good sign from him.

“Please don’t tell anyone. Even though we don’t want to keep it a secret, we have to. You know how the management is like.” Jessica clasps both of her hands in a begging motion with matching puppy eyes.

Minho shrugs, throws his bag on the floor and heads to the kitchen. He doesn’t really mind if his hyungs date anyone. It’s their business anyway, though it was nice of Jinki to inform him. “I’m fine with that.”

“Kibum?” Jessica raises her brow with an eerie smile.

Kibum’s not really sure. It all feels so fast – too much information he really didn’t expect. But if it makes his Jinki hyung happy… “Um, alright. I won’t tell.”

Jinki is a bit surprise. When Kibum found out that Jonghyun was dating Sekyung, he almost broke into tears. It made him feel that Sekyung will get in the way of their friendship and work. Jonghyun wasn’t even mad at Kibum’s statement and just laughed; patting the little boy in the head and reassured him nothing will block their friendship, ever. And nothing did, really.

He approaches the blonde one and gives him a hug. “Thanks Kibum-ah. Now come on, I prepared your favorite meal.”

Taemin and Jonghyun don’t arrive while they were having dinner. Taemin was at another schedule, and another one after and honestly nobody knows where Jonghyun was. (“Probably with Sekyung.” Minho comments and they all laugh. “Or at the gym.” Someone chimes in and they crack up again.) Minho and Kibum leave for a separate schedule and the couple is left alone again for the second time. They both do the dishes – Jinki washes the plates while Jessica dries them, and talks about a lot of stuff. Mostly him babbling about Luna’s musical and she should have seen her.

“The crowd loved her! She was sensational!” He squeals with both hands flinging upwards. She should be jealous at the mention of Luna or be in livid because a whip of soap bubbles flew on her hair, however, Jessica just giggles of how he’s so lively even though they were only doing the dishes.

“You are so odd.” She rolls her eyes when they finish the doing the dishes. She wipes her wet hands on the hanging towel by the rack. He does the same.

“Isn’t that what you like about me?” He grins, playing with her hand and bumping her side profile. “What time are you going home?"

She checks her watch. “Maybe not later than twelve. I’m exhausted and I really, really want to sleep badly.” She suppresses the urge to tell him she’s really fatigued from the activities SNSD has been doing, worried that she may be spoiling his fun. She’s kind of an expert when it came to that.

“Don’t you want to sleep with me instead?”

Jessica never fully understood what her boyfriend just said. One second, Jinki was absent-mindedly listening to her, spouting remarks here and there and the next, suggesting she should sleep with him— in their dorm. Full of boys. Does he want to have with her already?

She sees the blush creeping on his face, embarrassed, flushed and she can also feel the warmth rising on her cheeks. “I didn’t— it’s not what you think—” He chokes, “That came off wrong.” He’s not looking at her and she’s not either.

He scratches his head, “I meant, like, you know,” And glances swiftly to her direction. She’s red like a tomato, ears and cheeks, and she’s biting her lip nervously. “Sleep here in the dorm. On my bed and not—! I swear I didn’t mean it to sound like—” 

“Oh, oh! Okay!” Jessica sighs heavily and he watches the side of her lips twitch up. “Okay like not okay but okay I get it okay.” She gives out a stifled laugh and another sigh escapes her lips. She was so relieved he didn’t want… you know. “For a while there I thought you asked me to have with you. Ha-ha, silly me.”

They both finish washing the dishes and they know it’s time to bid their goodbye. Jessica side glances Jinki, who is sitting quietly beside her on the couch, and clears . “Listen, it’s late already and I need to get back to the dorm already…” He’s nodding but still not looking at her. Was he still embarrassed by what happened earlier?

“Umm, see you tomorrow?” She says, picking her things as she stood up. Simultaneously, Jinki is also reaching for her bags but his hand soon found its way slipping onto hers. He smiled.

“The offer’s still up, you know?” He stutters, a small blush creeping upon his cheeks again and she also does the same thing. He realizes it isn’t the best thing to do so he just drops the topic. “But you do what you want. I’ll take you home! I’ll just change my shirt and we can go.”

Jessica tugs on his shirt as he starts to leave for their room and smiles. “No! It’s alright Jinki. I know you have a busy schedule tomorrow and I want you to rest. I’ll be fine alone.”

“Are you sure? I mean it’s alri—“

She shakes her head. “I’m fine Jinki. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She surprises him by giving a small peck on the cheek and heads for the door.

“Sooyeon!” Jessica turns around to meet Jinki’s lips. They kiss, only for a short time, but it was sweet, subtle and enjoyable. It’s kind of gauche and clumsy but also romantic at the same time. It isn’t her favored kind of kiss however; she loves it because it came from him.

“Goodnight.” Jinki whispers on the phone as they end their conversation. He called as soon as she was tuck in bed and ready for sleep. Jessica can almost imagine his lips brushing her ears, breath tickling her inner core, arms wrapping around her waist and body pressing onto hers. Just the very thought of it leaves a cold, shrill sensation on her chest and it makes her sigh tenderly.

And as she closes her eyes, Jessica realizes that the only thing she needs to make her day complete was Jinki’s soft voice on her mind, calming her to sleep.

_____

Author's Note: 

Dedicated to iheartleejinki, jungjinki, kyuhyunlover, iamkristinefaye, soifon and shiningshineefan! Thank you for the support always~

• I wrote this for a month, I think. My brain is working really slow lately.
• Based by Jinki's "fainting" accident on Star King. Well he didn't really faint but you know what I mean. But IDK how it went afterwards. I forgot why I even started to write this. Rose you .
• About the thing, well someone asked me if I write and I answered no. Basically, the thing resurfaced and I thought, why not add a ? lol okay, so it isn't even close to a but whatever. My mind is still full of innocence. 

OH! And PLEASE guys, if you are reading/subscribing (to) my stories, please do remind me if I haven't dedicated a story to you. I don't want anyone to get upset because of my forgetfulness. PM me or leave a comment here if you want to be the next person, kay? ^^