Theme music: Bach - French Französische Suite No 5 G major

The next time they met, Junsu and Changmin were like strangers to each other.

Changmin was wearing a dark brown suit with beige shirt and maroon tie, the shades of colors complimenting his wonderful caramel eyes. There was a girl in a bordeaux-colored dress with him. Junsu didn’t know her name but he knew she was  Yuri the Second.

Changmin was a Changmin that Junsu had never known. A Changmin who was cold and immaculate in the role of the heir to the Shim business empire, in every gesture he made. A Changmin who didn’t smoke cigarrettes but cigars. A Changmin who instead of greeting people with a great smile would shake hands with the gentlemen and kiss the ladies’ hands. A Changmin void of the boyish and arrogant air around him, but instead there was the aura of professionals and maturity. A stranger. And for once when his eyes swept across Junsu, they did it without any sign of recognition as he put the glass of wine on his lips, just like a stranger would do.

Junsu drew in a deep breath. It still hurt, no matter how he had tried to contain it. The best he could do was to avoid looking at Changmin. At least he didn’t have to try so hard, because soon Lady Park would catch the sight of him, and immediately she came to baby-talk him.

Junsu had always been a favorite of Yoochun’s mother. As a socialite and a fan of the arts, Lady Park took upon herself the role of a patron of artists, and usually host art salons in the family mansion. Junsu used to be a frequent there, before he became involved with Changmin. Now Lady Park was complaining about his not caring about her anymore, and was making him promise to come more often, which Junsu obliged.

Changmin sent another look over Junsu’s way. Even when he found Mrs. Park all over Junsu, he didn’t frown because he had great control upon his emotions. Casually, he changed the focus of his eyes back to the man who was talking to him in the next second, and made sure to laugh at a joke that had just been made.

He had felt so bored here, before he found out Junsu was also present. The event was an important one, without being interesting. Sure is was extravagant – the Parks all loved attention, and after all they needed to show how wealthy and influential they were. Now was just the time to do it. The Parks were hard-core Tories, and their fundraising events for Conservative candidates were a tradition before every election cycle. There, important (and Conservative) people from all fields would come together - which was why Changmin didn’t expect Junsu would be here at all, because for all he knew Junsu didn’t care about politics. But, judging from the warm way Lady Park was with Junsu, perhaps the reason Junsu was here was not like the other people’s. He was here simply because Yoochun’s family loved him, this Changmin inferred.

And this knowledge vexed Changmin to no end. It was one thing Yoochun loved Junsu, but it was another thing if Yoochun’s family also loved Junsu. The Parks were no doubt influential people, because in politics people come and go but there were always some Park’s around. At a time usually one or two among the Senators or Ministers would be from the Park family. Yet they loved Junsu. While Yoochun introduced Junsu to his family, it was something Changmin never had done and never would do. He never could introduce Junsu even as a friend because he knew his family would never show Junsu the kind of warmth the Park’s were offerring the pianist. Or, simply, maybe the reason was just because Changmin was just a coward. In any case, the fact Yoochun was doing something Changmin could never do got on Changmin’s nerves, even though Changmin thought he had legitimate reasons to hide Junsu. After all, Junsu was only an affair, and no man would introduce his affair to his family members.

But that did not matter now anyway, as Changmin and Junsu had officially parted their ways. Changmin had declared that he would spare Junsu no more thoughts after what had happened in his apartment in Ilsan sometime before, and they had cut off all connections ever since.

But somehow seeing Junsu with Yoochun still made Changmin feel restless. It was an event where most people had a partner with them (a reason why they were Conservatives!), but oh so accidentally Yoochun and Junsu were about the only ones who were without partners. In fact, they looked like a couple as they were together almost all the time. It got on Changmin’s nerves whenever Yoochun casually touched Junsu, or when Yoochun’s mother dotted on Junsu as if Junsu was her daughter-in-law.

Changmin felt his eyesight darkened with frustration but he managed to not show it. He would not show it. Junsu didn’t deserve his attention and neither did that Park Yoochun.

Unfortunately for Changmin though, soon Yoochun caught the sight of him and hastily made his way to greet the Shim heir.

“Hey, Changmin,” the soon-to-be politician said. Changmin frowned internally. He hated it whenever his rivals treated him like they were friends.

And even if Junsu was not considered, they were still not friends, but only political allies. Changmin hated how people tried to turn work relations into personal and emotional bonds. No way in hell that was going to happen. It was so fake, and just a way to delude one’s self that in this world of schemes and conspiracies there were still humane emotions. Exactly the reason why Changmin hated politics and politicians. He hated business and businessmen too but at least businessmen don’t hide the fact that they seek profit.

Nevertheless he shook Yoochun’s hand, making a firm grip. “Yoochun-ssi,” he said. Yoochun smiled widely. Yoochun was looking too cheerful to Changmin’s liking. But Changmin was a Shim today, so he was going to be professional.

“Congratulations on the event, Yoochun-ssi,” he said. In this context, Yoochun was no longer “sunbae-nim”, but simply a “-ssi”. The Shim’s were completely on equal terms with the Park’s, and Changmin hated being less than Yoochun even in the use of honorifics.

“No big deal, glad to see you here. You and my cousin look good together! We’re almost family members now, Changmin.”

Why was Yoochun not calling Changmin “-ssi”? It annoyed Changmin; he would still insist on calling Yoochun a “-ssi”…

On a second thought though, it probably made sense, as now it occurred to Changmin that Soo-ae was Yoochun’s cousin. Changmin always knew Soo-ae was one of the Park’s but had never think of her especially as Yoochun’s cousin. Now that he did, his thought for her became slightly less positive.

Yoochun was talking cheerfully with Soo-ae. Changmin suddenly felt a sadistic want to taunt the now President of their university’s Debate Society.

“So you’re going to make your debut in the country’s political scene soon, Yoochun-ssi?”

“Yes, I think I will start from the Ministry of Trade.”

“What branch of Conservatism are you?”

“I’m a Libertarian,” Yoochun smiled politely.

“You are an advocate of minimum state control then,” Changmin pretended to think hard, “But if you’re working for the government soon, and the Ministry of Trade when we’re at it, do you think that kind of makes you a left-winger?”

Changmin enjoyed baffling people. He certainly enjoyed baffling Park Yoochun.

Junsu turned back to hand a waiter his empty glass. In the process, he caught the side profile of Changmin standing at the other end of the room.

Changmin didn’t look his way. He never would, Junsu told himself. Changmin only saw Junsu as a tool, a plaything, never anything more. The knowledge hurt Junsu badly but Junsu told himself to be strong. He needed to be strong. So he turned back to the conversation with the group he was mingling with.

“Oppa, I’m a bit tired, can we leave now?”

“Wait a bit, Soo. I kind of enjoy the music.”

It was the third time Soo-ae had suggested leaving that night, and also the third time Changmin had said no. Changmin was sticking to the place for some reason totally mysterious to Soo-ae, because Changmin hadn’t seemed excited with the invitation to the event when he received it. Not that now he looked any more excited now, but he didn’t want to leave, which confused her. Was it really the music that Changmin was so interested in? He certainly didn’t look interested or very pleased about anything at all.

Unbeknownst to Soo-ae, occasionally Changmin would send glances across the room to where Junsu and his group were standing. Changmin was not jealous, he told himself. He just wanted to see what interesting shows Junsu and Yoochun would put on together. Changmin’s brain played some possible scenarios and he scoffed at them. Damn funny they were.

But Changmin found it funny no more when the show was actually on.

End 40

Sorry for the recent wordy chapters. I want to portray the difference happening in Changmin's character so xD