“Jae, DON’T!” yelled Yunho.

Yunho immediately bolted across the balcony, grabbed Jaejoong by the waist, and snatched him back over the railing. The force behind Yunho’s effort caused them both to land on top of one another as they hit the floor. Jaejoong quickly rolled off onto the floor beside Yunho and tried to stand, determined to throw himself over the balcony railing. Yunho acted quickly. He grabbed Jaejoong by the shoulders and forced him back down to the floor as hard as he could.

“What the hell is wrong with you Jae?” screamed Yunho as he shook him hard.

“Let me go!” cried Jaejoong as he tried to stand again.

“Never!” growled Yunho.

“Please Jae! Don’t do this!” begged Yunho as he gripped him tighter.

“Stay out of this.” growled Jaejoong while he tried to pull away from Yunho’s grip “It’s none of your concern.”

“I won’t let you do this!” retorted Yunho as tears began to form in his eyes and his voice cracked “You can’t do this!”

“Nothing is worth dying for!” yelled Yunho.

As that phrase echoed in Jaejoong ears, he immediately stopped struggling and began crying hysterically. The sound of Jaejoong’s heartbreak now filling the air around them, made Yunho’s heart sink.

“What the hell is going on? What could have happened?” thought Yunho as he lightened his grip and looked at Jaejoong intently. “What would make him try such a thing?”  

“Jae?” whispered Yunho softly after a few moments had passed “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Jaejoong didn’t answers and simply continued to cry for what seemed like an eternity. Yunho sighed deeply as he looked at Jaejoong. He knew that whatever had happened must have been traumatic for Jaejoong. The look on his face and the way he was behaving made Yunho fearful and angry all at the same time. The mix of worry and rage building inside of him caused his hands to shake. Yunho could scarcely believe that he was getting so worked up over someone he barely knew. However, he knew one thing with absolute certainty. He had to help Jaejoong get through this and find out exactly what happened.

After a few moments, Jaejoong sniffled harshly and took a deep hesitant breath before reaching back behind him and grabbing the room key he had dropped a few moments ago. Turning towards Yunho, Jaejoong fiddled with the key in his hands and stared at it with an expression of both disgust and acceptance.  As the thought of what happened earlier raced through Jaejoong’s mind, he griped the key tightly in one hand and reached up and hit himself in the head. Seemingly trying to beat the torturing thoughts racing through his mind away, he hit himself again. As he reached back to deliver another blow, Yunho quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled it back.

“Please stop. That won’t help you.” cried Yunho softly “I’m here. Let me help you.”

“Jae, please tell Me.” begged Yunho “Please.”

“This…” sniffled Jaejoong in a heartbroken tone as he glanced down at the room key in his hand “This is all I’m worth.”

“No matter how much I try to change my life, this is the only thing I’m good for.” whimpered Jaejoong before he suddenly buried his face in his hands and began crying again.

Not knowing exactly what Jaejoong was talking about, but feeling the agony in his voice, Yunho wrapped his arms around Jaejoong and hugged him tightly trying to console him.  

“Don’t say such things.” whispered Yunho softly “You are worth more than all the money in the world.”

“Please…” begged Jaejoong through his ever streaming tears “don’t lie to me…”

Before Yunho could answer his plea, Jaejoong suddenly turned pale and fainted in Yunho’s arms. Fear rose up in Yunho’s heart at the thought that something was really wrong with Jaejoong hit him. Yunho shook him softly and called his name but Jaejoong did not answer. After checking to make sure he was still breathing, Yunho thought “I need to get him to the hospital.” seconds before Yoochun walked out onto the balcony.

“What’s going on?” asked Yoochun in a panicked tone “What’s wrong with Jae?”

“Chunnie, go get Junsu.” ordered Yunho “Right now!”

“Ok!” nodded Yoochun before he turned and bolted out the door.  When DaeJung noticed the look on Yoochun’s face as he quickly turned and left, his curiosity about what was really happening on that balcony took him over. He slowly peeked around the door and saw Yunho sitting on the floor holding Jaejoong tightly. The sight immediately made DaeJung sigh. “That woman is a menace.” he thought as he slowly closed the balcony doors and resumed his self-appointed guard post.

Yoochun pushed his way ferociously through the crowd of music industry moguls, Hallyu stars, and fashionistas, looking for Junsu. A few moments went by before he spotted Junsu talking with Lawyer Park and the head of Japan’s Sundown Records near the back corner of the ball room. Trying not to draw attention to himself, but wanting to get to his side as quickly as possible, Yoochun continued to force his way through the crowd towards Junsu as his worry for Jaejoong continued to mount. As he walked up on Junsu, Yoochun reached out and grabbed him by the wrist. Without saying a word, he immediately began to pull Junsu away from his conversation. The force of Yoochun’s effort immediately caught Junsu’s attention as he pulled back his arm slightly and looked at him.

“What’s wrong?” asked Junsu with a confused look.

“You have to come with Me.” answered Yoochun.

“Yoochun!” scolded Junsu “You’re being rude to my guests.”

“Forgive me.” apologized Yoochun as he stopped and bowed respectfully at the two men Junsu had been speaking with. “But there is an important matter that President Kim must attend to at once.”

“Let’s go.” growled Yoochun softly as he pulled on Junsu’s arm “It’s Jae.”

Yunho continued to worry over the state of Jaejoong’s health. Continually checking to make sure that he was still breathing and that his heart was still pumping every few seconds, the wait and worry was killing him. He had no idea what was going on, why Jaejoong was in such as state, nor why he thought that jumping off the balcony was his only course of action. As the memory of Jaejoong climbing over that railing flashed across his mind once more, Yunho shuddered and shook his head in disbelief. He glanced down one more time at Jaejoong before he heard the balcony door open. Glancing up at Junsu, he noticed the shocked look on Junsu’s face before it quickly turned to a look of disappointment. Yunho suddenly had a feeling that Junsu had seen this all before. Junsu darted across the balcony and dropped to his knees beside Jaejoong. Feeling his head and giving him a quick look over, Junsu’s face turned from looking outwardly disappointed and sad to overly furious in an instant. “That !” growled Junsu.

“What the hell’s wrong with him?” questioned Yunho.

“Why would he try to…” started Yunho as he motioned towards the balcony railing.

“Not now.” growled Junsu “I’ll explain everything to you later. We have to get him out of here first.”

Yunho immediately dug into his jacket pocket and pulled out his car keys. Tossing them to Yoochun, he ordered “Go get the car!”

“Bring it to the back entrance.” added Junsu.

“DaeJung?” called Junsu “Will you handle the presentation?  Keep the crowd distracted so Yunho can get Jae out of here.”

“Yes sir.” answered DaeJung before he immediately turned and headed back inside.

“There is a service elevator just down the hall from here.” informed Junsu as he turned back to look at Yunho “Once the presentation starts, get Jae out of here.”

“I’ll take him to the hospital.” said Yunho.

“No hospital!” ordered Junsu in a furious tone as his pent-up anger began to boil to the surface.

“Why not?” questioned Yunho in surprise “He needs to see a doctor.”

“Yunnie,” sighed Junsu “You have to trust me on this.”

“Alright.” hesitantly agreed Yunho.

“Take him to your house and let him rest.” ordered Junsu softly as he stood up to leave.

“Where are you going?” asked Yunho “You’re not coming with us?”

“No. I have some business to discuss with Soo Hee first!” growled Junsu as his anger flared “I will meet up with all of you later.”

“Please watch over Jae for me Yunnie.” begged Junsu before he stormed out the door. 

Moments later Yunho heard the podium microphone key up as DaeJung began Junsu’s presentation for his client’s new clothing line. As the room lights dimmed for the playing of the promotional video, Yunho pulled Jaejoong’s unconscious body unto his back and stood up. Walking slowly towards the door while adjusting Jaejoong’s position on his back to make it more comfortable, Yunho sighed disappointedly as he randomly thought “He doesn’t weight anything.” Opening the door and peeking out to see that the entire room was captivated by the now playing cinematic, Yunho stayed as close to the wall as possible and hesitantly made his way to the door. When he got there Junsu’s managing director, Ms. Lee, was waiting for him. Upon seeing Yunho carrying Jaejoong, she immediately bowed respectfully and quickly opened the doors to let him passed unnoticed.

“Take good care of him sir.” she whispered as she slowly closed the door behind them.

Yunho carried Jaejoong down the hall to the nearest service elevator and got in. Pressing the button for the first floor, he leaned Jaejoong against the wall behind him, rested for a moment, and then glanced over his shoulder at Jaejoong’s face. As he stood there looking that beautiful face now stained by the latent marks of his tears, Yunho’s anger and fear at what Jaejoong had try to do flared once again, as he growled “What the hell were you thinking?” Gritting his teeth and fighting back is rage at the whole situation, Yunho tightened his grip on Jaejoong and stood back up just as the elevator doors opened. Making his way down the deserted hallway, Yunho hit the exit door just as Yoochun was getting out of the car.

“Yunnie, over here!” yelled Yoochun as he opened the back passenger door.

Yoochun helped Yunho get Jaejoong into the car and as Yunho climbed in behind him he said “Let’s go”

“So, which hospital are we taking him to?” questioned Yoochun as started the car.

“Junsu said no hospital.” informed Yunho as he covered up Jaejoong with his jacket “We’re going to my place.”

“Really?” asked Yoochun confusedly “Alright.”

As they made their way through the now desolate streets of Seoul, Yunho watched Jaejoong breathe sporadically, and grimace occasionally, as if he was in some kind of physical pain. The look on Jaejoong’s face and the condition he was now in, made Yunho even more worried. Why did Jaejoong act like that? What happened to make him want to do such a thing? Why was he being so unlike the Jaejoong he knew before?

As Yunho looked him over, he caught another glimpse of the scars on Jaejoong’s wrists.  The sight made Yunho shudder, as he thought about the correlation between tonight’s happenings and those scars. “Could there be a connection?” Yunho whispered. Reaching down and grabbing Jaejoong’s left hand, Yunho pushed back the five beaded bracelets that concealed his first scar. As he looked at it more closely, he noticed that these weren’t just any scars.  They were reminiscent of a very deep injury, as if they seemingly had come from cuts that were meant to go to the bone. They looked completely self-inflicted. Rubbing the scar gently with his finger, Yunho couldn’t help but wonder what else Jaejoong was hiding from him and the world.

Yunho was suddenly snapped out of his deep ponderings as the car came to a quick stop. Looking up, he immediately realized where they were seconds before Yoochun spoke up.

“We’re here.” said Yoochun “Let’s get him upstairs.”

Yunho and Yoochun pulled Jaejoong from the car, and after settling him on Yunho’s back, they made their way into the building through the back entrance. Immediately heading for Yunho’s private elevator as fast as they could, they quickly got in and headed upstairs. When the elevator opened up on Yunho’s private floor, Yoochun punched in the key code for the door, opened it, and walked in.

“Where should we put him?” questioned Yoochun as he closed the apartment door behind them.

“My room for now.” answered Yunho. 

After placing the still unconscious body of Jaejoong softly in the bed and covering him up gently with his warm comforter, Yunho pushed the hair back from Jaejoong’s eyes and felt his forehead. “He’s a little warm.” sighed Yunho as he glanced back at Yoochun. “I’ll get it.” answered Yoochun. After leaving the room for a few minutes, Yoochun returned with a cool washcloth and placed it gently on Jaejoong’s forehead. Yunho grabbed the chair out of the corner of the room, and placed it next to the bed before sitting down.

“Yunnie, what do we do now?” asked Yoochun in a concern tone.

“We let him rest.” answered Yunho as he rubbed his eyes gently “That’s all we can do for now.”

“What happened to him?” questioned Yoochun as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside Jaejoong “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know.” sighed Yunho sadly before he dropped his elbow on the chair’s armrest and rubbed his head trying to fight away the headache that was steadily creeping up on him.

“I really don’t know…” whispered Yunho once more as he looked up at Jaejoong’s sleeping face with concern. “Junsu has a lot of explaining to do.”

“I’ll take the first watch.” added Yunho “You try and grab a little sleep, while we wait on Junsu to get back.”

“Alright.” agreed Yoochun.

Four hours had passed before Junsu arrived at Yunho’s home. Junsu immediately punched in the pass code for the door and after hearing the door instantly unlock, he softly whispered “After three years, it still hasn’t changed.” Opening the door, Junsu looked around the dimly lit apartment for any signs of his friends. Save for a small glimmering light shining from a small table lamp from the nearby master bedroom, the apartment was eerily still and quiet. Junsu put the tray of coffee cups he had been carrying on the table and slowly made his way through the dark room towards the faint light.

Stopping in the doorway, he gently leaned against the door frame and sighed. Looking at the scene that played out before him, Junsu dropped his eyes to the floor and flashed a mischievous smirk before he mumbled “That didn’t take long.” Looking back up from the floor once again he took in what his eyes had beheld moments before. Yunho was sitting in the chair at Jaejoong’s bedside with his back to the door and his head gently laying on the edge of the bed.  As Junsu continued to watch the pair sleeping peacefully, he thought that maybe, just maybe, Yunho had finally realized what he had known all along.

As the quiet moments passed by unheeded, Junsu continued to watch the two sleeping until he was softly startled out of his daze by the feeling of Yoochun’s hand landing on his shoulder.

“You’re here.” whispered Yoochun softly.

“Yeah.” answered Junsu.

“Are they both still asleep?” questioned Yoochun.

“Yeah.” answered Junsu with a smile as he nodded in Jaejoong and Yunho’s direction. “Look.”

“How long has Yunnie been asleep?” questioned Junsu softly.

“Awhile.” said Yoochun “After his hectic schedule today and everything that happened at the party, his body just gave out a few hours ago.”

“Today was hard on us all.” sighed Junsu before he slowly crept his way towards Yunho and Jaejoong.

“How sweet.” thought Junsu as his eyes noticed that not only was Yunho fast asleep beside Jaejoong but he was gently holding his hand as well.

“I really should let Yunnie sleep.” sighed Junsu.

“He wouldn’t want you to.” replied Yoochun “He’s really worried about Jae, as you can tell.”

“You know he won’t let this go until you tell him what’s really going on.” added Yoochun. “That’s the way he is.”

“I know.” answered Junsu coyly.

Looking up at Jaejoong’s sleeping face one last time; Junsu reached out and gently placed his hand on Yunho’s back before he shook him gently. Yunho didn’t move or react to Junsu’s nudging. Sighing deeply at the realization that Yunho was indeed in a deep sleep and he would now have to wake him from his much needed rest, Junsu leaned in close to Yunho’s ear and with one more gentle shake he softly purred “Yunnie, wake up.”  Yunho showed no signs of stirring from his slumber, until he softly whispered seconds later “I told you never to do that.” which caused Junsu to chuckle softly before he purred “But it always works.”

Opening his eyes, Yunho pulled his head up from the bed and looked up at Junsu with a smile. “Behave.” laughed Yunho softly before he caught a glimpse of Yoochun standing off to the side “And you’re supposed to be sleeping.”

“And you’re supposed to watching Jaejoong.” retorted Yoochun as he stuck out his tongue at Yunho. “So we’re both in trouble.”

“Yah!” interjected Junsu softly "Knock it off."

“Yunnie, let’s go talk in the living room so Jae can sleep." added Junsu "Yoochun can you keep an eye on him for us?”

“Sure.” agreed Yoochun.

As Yunho began to follow Junsu out of the room, he took one quick look back at Jaejoong before leaving. Walking to the large couch in the middle of the living room, Yunho sat down with a thud before leaning back and closing his eyes. “I’m so exhausted.” whispered Yunho.  Junsu walked over to the table and retrieved two of the coffee’s he had purchased on his way to Yunho’s apartment, and went into the living room. Sitting down beside Yunho, he gently nudged him before he handed him his cup.

“Here drink this.” said Junsu “This will help.”

“It’s your favorite.” Junsu added.

“Thank you.” said Yunho before he took a small sip “It’s still warm.”

After ten minutes of absolute silence between the two, Yunho gently put down his cup on the coffee table before turning to Junsu and flashing an angry look.

“Before I lose my temper…” growled Yunho softly “I think you better tell me what the hell is going on.”

“I know you’re confused and angry.” answered Junsu “I will tell you everything I know.”

“But you have to make me a promise first.” added Junsu.

“What promise?” questioned Yunho impatiently.

“Promise me that no matter what I tell you tonight,” answered Junsu “you won’t treat Jaejoong any differently than you do now.”

“And…” added Junsu “that you won’t think badly of either of us.”

“What I have to tell you…” stuttered Junsu “will not be an easy thing to hear.”

“Promise me Yunnie!” begged Junsu softly.

“Alright, I promise.”  answered Yunho.

“Well…” started Junsu.