Closer

***

'Unconsciously, my eyes are always following you. My mind begging me to shove you away,

but my heart strongly said to stand by you.'

"Yunnie, can I have an ice cream today?" The little boy on the hospital bed asked his brother in a hoping look.

"No, you are still in a recovery state." Replied the eldest curtly, his hands busied sorting the boy's clothe into the bedside locker.

"B-but... the kid next to my room just had an ice cream previously."

"I said no, means no. It's not good for your current condition."

The boy's eyes started glistening with tears as he stared at his brother pleadingly. His small pouty lips trembled, in the verge of crying with the thought that he couldn't eat his favourite vanilla ice cream anymore. It had been weeks and he still couldn't eat something sweet or cold after his surgery. He was already getting tired with the food that had been served by the hospital. For the kid at his age, all those foods were like something that he had to force himself to swallow down - healthy foods seemed tasteless to him.

"Ugh, you really don't get it, aren't you?" Yunho grunted. Seeing the boy just had his head hung low, resisted from looking at him anymore - sulking. He walked out of the room, leaving the boy on the hospital bed alone.

Jaejoong started sobbing once the eldest left, thinking that he had made his brother mad again. He was almost regretting it. He had promised to be a good boy, listening to every order and yet he still making the other irritated at him.

"Hey, why are you crying?"

He looked up once he heard his brother's voice returned to the room after few minutes passed.

"Yunnie..." He sniffed and brushed off his tears immediately.

"What? I was just going out for a while to buy your favourite ice cream." Yunho lifted up a small cup of vanilla ice cream in his hand.

After give it a thought, it won't be hurt to let the boy have a taste a bit. He had started to think that he was becoming to be a hopeless brother lately - became weak toward those bright, tearful eyes of the little Jaejoong.

"Now, let's have it. Only a small portions, okay? And you've to promise me that you will not telling the doctor that I've give you this."

"Of course, I won't! Joongie promises!" The boy said and the usual brightest smile re his face almost instantly.

"And promise me you will take your medicine after this."

"........." This time he turned silent, didn't respond cheerfully again.

"Okay, then no ice cream." Yunho said strictly.

"B-but...that medicine is bitter. Joongie hates it..." The boy whined while fiddling with his fingers in contemplated.

"It's bitter but it will help you to get better soon. If you didn't take it then the doctor will held you to stay here even longer. Do you want that? Or do you want to go home with me?" Yunho tried to persuade.

Upon heard the word 'home', the boy shook his head vigorously. "No... Joongie want to go home with Yunnie!"

"Then, that's good." Yunho smiled warmly. He then settled down on the bed, lifting the boy up to sit on his laps before started spooning the ice cream for him.

That was the first time where Kim Jaejoong was fed by Jung Yunho. And he felt he was being fully pampered starting that moment.

***

Yunho woke up from his afternoon nap, eyes snapped opened and blinked as he registered the present. It was rare for him to fall asleep in such time.

That was just a dream... another pleasant dream that he always had whenever he missed the boy so much. He was always visited by the same dream, when the other had just been taken away from him. That was when he lived in a long depressing years and it took him quite long to move on with the help of his best friend, Park Yoochun and his little family.

But now, he wondered what the cause for the dream to come again? Was it because of the real person had returned now? And on top of that he was living so close to him.

Yunho heaved a long sigh. He brought his palms on his face, trying to discard himself from thinking about the person that had always calling back emotions he did not yet know how to channel even after years had passed. 

The peace and silence in his room was disrupted by the sudden ringtone from his mobile phone, prompted him to answer the call immediately.

"Hey, I've another task for you. Get your off now and come here quickly." The person on the phone ordered.

"To where?" Yunho asked shortly as he knew who the caller was.

"I will text you the address now."

"Okay, I got it."

Yunho ended the call. Supressing the heavy feeling that was weighing him down, he headed to the bathroom, washing up before he get dress in his usual working suit.

***

It was his first day of concert. Kim Jaejoong had always turned to have this sudden incredible enthusiasm and energy once he took stage. The crowd went into frenzy like no other, once he kicked off his last performance with a track 'Don't walk away' from his rock-ballad album. He was indeed a great singer, composer and songwriter, never failed to surprise his fans by showing them a different side of him - from emotionally sang ballad to rocking out the stage.

The number of fans that flooded into Seoul National stadium that day was more than what the management had expected. It was quite surprise considering it was his first time to held a tour concert in his mother country and moreover for a solo performer. It was indeed a successful one. The fans were singing along when he sang one of the most romantic melancholy songs, word by word. It was a beautiful sight that night but it didn’t prolong, as hours passed by and he needed to end the memorable night for his fans.

Jaejoong came down from the stage with a small towel around his neck, wiping off the sweat that adhered to his fringe. There was a big satisfaction smile on his face.

"That's really an awesome performance I've ever seen you did so far. You've created another history for your music career tonight!" Junsu exclaimed once the top star reached him at the backstage.

Jaejoong looked at Junsu with a slit-eyed look and smirked. "Are you telling me that again because you're my manager?"

"What... No, I'm telling you the true! Yah, you should watch back the footing when you sang that last song. It was so energetic and while the fans kept chanting and-"

"Okay, okay... I got it. Tch, you're so hyper yourself. But... that's why I love you." Jaejoong chuckled as he cut off Junsu's ranting. Once the guy was in his fan mode, he wouldn't stop fawning.

Jaejoong pulled off the towel around his neck and threw it at the young manager, before he resumed walking down the corridor.

"Yah, even I'm your fan this is disgusting!" Junsu yelled as he pulled off the sweat towel that landed on his face, nonetheless he smiled. It was glad to see Kim Jaejoong was in a good mood and was showing his real self today when he was on the stage. The latter would pour all of his feelings into the song, whenever he started singing and moreover if the song was one of the many pieces that had written and composed by himself.

"Yah! where are you going?" Junsu called after the singer.

"Restroom!" Jaejoong answered without turning.

"Then, I'll wait for you in the waiting room. We have to go back before the fans started blocking the way out and stalking where are you staying this time." Junsu ordered and Jaejoong just responded by waving his hand before he disappeared into the corner.

He was using one of the toilet cubicles when he heard a distant footstep of someone entering the toilet. But then it was silent before the sound of something, seemingly being scratched on a tiled floor or glass could be heard from the outside.

Jaejoong remained silent and frowned. After done his business, he opened the door and stepped out slowly. He found there was no one in the washroom, instead, his own reflection from the mirror that looking back at him.

Suddenly, his stomach released a surge of paralysing fear. He froze. There was something written on the clear, human-size mirror in a red-ink marker, again.

'You are mine Kim Jaejoong!'

Now, he had a very bad feeling about all this. He might ignore this thing like he always did, brush it off with thinking it was another harmless threat from one of his fanatic fans. But this time he just felt something was a bit different. This person seemed persistent, and seemed know every move he made. It seemed he was close to him.

Jaejoong jerked from his stupor state, as his phone vibrated in his jacket's pocket.

"H-hello..?" He answered hesitantly, eyes still staring at the word written on the mirror.

"Hey, baby. Congratulation on your first day of concert! I've heard it from Junsu."

Jaejoong sighed as a gush of relieve came seeping into him upon heard the voice.

"Changmin-ah..."

"Yes, my dear...  What's wrong? Do you miss me?"

"Yah, stop that..."

"What? I'm just asking if you miss me? Because I miss you so damn much, every single day that I could barely breathe here thinking you are away." The man on the other line chuckled once he finished his words.

Jaejoong snorted. "Tch, stop that flirty talk, could you? I'm going to hang up if you continue." He threatened.

"Aww... that's hurt. But your threat is not working on me. Only if you say that you miss me too then I will stop." The man said, stifling a remaining chuckle.

"Okay... I miss you so damn much! Now, can you come here quickly? I'm so lonely here..." Jaejoong dragged on the conversation. To thought they had barely spent time in each other's company lately, as the man kept busy with his own job while he was always bind in a tight schedule.

"Oh now, this is unbelievable. To hear the famous Kim Jaejoong is pleading to see me."

"Yah, you jerk..." Jaejoong said with a faked pissing tone.

"Now, tell me when will you finish that work and having some vacation with me here?" He continued the talk and smiled along as he walked out from the washroom.

The last door of the cubicles opened slowly once Jaejoong stepped out. There, someone stood with his glove hand gripped the red marker firmly, as he overheard the lovey-dovey conversation of the top idol with someone unknown outside. His eyes pitch and empty as he stared back at the mirror.

"No one can have you other than me." He mumbled with a blank look, almost soulless.

*

Jaejoong reached the penthouse building when it was almost midnight. As predicted, it was hard to leave the stadium with fans were waiting for him outside.

Jaejoong stood with both hands in his jacket, waiting patiently as he looked up at the blink number that was going down on the elevator. His new and young bodyguard stood still behind him with his duffle bag in hand. Once the elevator came, they stepped in and the metal door was about to close when Jaejoong catch someone who just walked into the building.

He didn't know what happened to him, but it was like something leaped inside him to his heart, his hand just faster to stop the door from closing as he held it for the other to come in.

Yunho stepped into the elevator and mumbled, 'Thank you' before he looked up to the person who held the door for him.

He remained his calmness as his eyes met those familiar, beautiful doe-like eyes. And almost quickly, he avoided the eye contact, making the idol almost pouted and looked a bit disappointed as the man coldly turned away, looking ahead.

'What the... Did he just avoid my eyes?! To think he seemed loosened up a bit from his coldness last night when I lost and today, not a single nod of acknowledged me here. What a weird man!' Jaejoong nagged mentally, feeling dejected as the man didn’t even greets him. That was enough to make him feel annoyed for unknown reason.

"Are you still working at this hour?" Jaejoong asked suddenly. He didn't know why he still wanted to talk with the man even a lack of response from the stoic one.

"No." Only that one word which didn't need a single breath to spell was given to him.

'Tch, seriously what's wrong with this guy? Or... did he still mad because I make him lose his job?' Jaejoong thought.

"Hey, considering you don't have a job... do you want to come back being my bodyguard?" He blurted out suddenly, making Yunho looked at him with a cold astonishment, and Seungyu who stood behind them coughed upon heard what the idol had just asked his senior. He struggled to supress his smile.

"What... did I asked something funny?" Jaejoong turned and glared at his current bodyguard, as he caught the funny expression from the younger one.

"Hmm, no. I'm sorry..." Seungyu mumbled and tried to maintain a straight face.

"How is it, Yunho ssi? It's a good offer for you." Jaejoong said while raised an eyebrow, anticipating the man's positive response.

"I apologise for your disappointment," Yunho uttered. "I've a more important job now. But thank you for your offer." He said without looking at him.

Jaejoong looked at the man in disbelief, couldn't expect that he would get such a quick rejection.

 Yunho pressed the button to hold the door open once they reached Jaejoong's floor.

"It's your floor." He said and looked at the idol that suddenly remained quiet and seemed looking pissed.

"I know." Jaejoong stomped out from the elevator in annoyance. "What a jerk with expressionless look." He mumbled as he made his way out.

That night Jaejoong reminded himself that he won't utter a word or initiate a conversation with the man ever again.

***

The next day Jaejoong woke up and sat on the bed with a blank look, as his mind slowly brought back the moment where he had embarrassed himself last night. He kicked the duvet on his feet out of his bed in anoyyance.

"Argh, what's wrong with me?! Why did I ask him that question from the first place? This is so annoying!" He screamed in infuriated while kicking all the pillows off the bed.

"What is it that annoying?"

Jaejoong looked up in surprised at the sudden interruption and saw Junsu's head peeking behind the door.

"What the hell... yah, could you stop trespassing intro my personal space? If you keep doing that I will change my door passcode next time."

"Aww, calm down... what a temper in the morning." Junsu said while wondering the cause of the idol to get a sudden foul mood, to thought the guy was in a real good mood last night after the concert.

"Is something wrong?" Junsu asked.

"Nothing..." Jaejoong mumbled while get up from the bed.

Seeing there was no point to ask the guy when he was not in the mood to talk about it, Junsu shifted the topic. "If it's nothing, go get ready. We have to go to the broadcast station today. This people wanted to discuss about their offer for sought you as the next guest in one of their variety shows, once you ended with this tour concert."

"Is it today? I thought I've to go to the rehearsal for the next concert in Gwangju."

"That can be hold. We have a few more days before the second concert."

Jaejoong sighed before he headed to the bathroom. Junsu looked at the idol curiously, as the lad didn't say much. The usual Kim Jaejoong would avoid meeting or seeing new people