Chapter 16 Two Rings

It’s only few hours after Junsu told Changmin about Yunho’s situation. Changmin finally sees Yunho at night, and he looks at him differently. He thinks ‘behind that cold and though image, he actually has a great wound in his heart’. It is something he can’t heal, of course; he is no one to Yunho after all. Yunho goes home late but Changmin also only arrived. The younger just goes back from his short date with Jaejoong, because he insisted. “You just coming?”

“Yeah” Changmin shows a weak smile. Doesn’t sure how to act to Yunho after what he heard past few hours. “Where did you go?”

“Well…” Yunho is not in the mood to answer, instead he offer Changmin the food he bought on his way home for their dinner.

“So? Any interesting place?” Changmin asks Yunho when they seated. He knows Yunho just goes back from his date.

Yunho show the expression like there is nothing interesting, he never show any interest to most things. “Mmm, not really. I just watching movie.”

“Um.” He ever watched movie with Yunho, but their friends also come. There was Jaejoong too. A bulb switches on in his head. He just realizes that maybe it was Jaejoong who set them to watched movie. How stupid he can only find it now.

Silent for a moment and then Changmin bringing other topic “You always wear the same ring. And it’s black”. Yunho wears the ring on his left thumb and he never left it. Sometimes Yunho would wear it as necklace but mostly he sees it on his thumb. Changmin ever caught Yunho kiss that ring like wishing for luck. Yunho has wears it at the first time he stepped his feet in this apartment. Changmin first noticed it on their first dinner but never once he asked about it, Yunho always so cold.

“It’s a gift.” Yunho looks at his ring. There is something hidden on the inside and Yunho smiles a little, makes Changmin wonder what kind of memories the ring bringing. “Zirconium”

It’s probably the first time he heard that element, “That person must be important”

“Indeed. Very important to me”

Changmin feels miles away from Yunho, thought they are facing each other now. Who is this person he means? The reason of Yunho’s smile wasn’t because he reminds the person who gives that ring. It was because Jaejoong’s reaction after seeing his ring.

Today before enter the theater; Yunho was in restroom of course with Jaejoong tailed on him. The ring drops (in)coincidentally and Jaejoong take it right away. He is also curious why Yunho always wear it everywhere. And before he can fully understand Yunho snatches it first. Yunho put it back on his thumb and get out from restroom, leaving Jaejoong with question about a name engraves inside the ring. His heart full with jealousy, is Yunho already has someone? If not why would he never let that ring away from him? But if he has, why he said he is not interesting on dating on his first year? Is it because the person is far away?

“Anything funny?” Changmin asks; brings back Yunho from his space.

“Nothing” Yunho responds in instant, he smiles.

After finish their dinner, both Yunho and Changmin sit in front of TV. Changmin randomly changes TV channel while Yunho continues his ‘project’. Changmin used to play games almost everynight but he doesn’t want to make Yunho annoyed by that. Especially since he needs to concentrate on his knit, or not the stitches will increase again without him realizes. Lately Yunho knits quite fast, he has used to it, but still his expression is something priceless; cute as ever. Yunho never cares about him knitting in front of Changmin, he doesn’t feel ashamed thought it was something unusual.

“How long is it now?” Changmin asks

“About 40 cm now?” his eyes still fix to the scarf in progress.

“You bring it everywhere?”

“Only at weekend. I’m too slow am I?”

“It’s fast enough” Changmin supports him “For male”

Yunho is puffing his cheeks. “That’s not true, I ever see men who can knit much faster. I also ever see a knit competition; all of the competitors are men.” He remembers re-run of TV shows few years ago. If he reminds it, it feels very annoying.

“Fast for someone who never knit before” Changmin corrects himself. These days, Yunho always goes bed later than usual, too fond of his knit project. “You really want to finish it soon?”

“Faster better. Uh… I should just use finger-knit. Knit with needles like this is so tiring. My hands hurt.” He even put hot patch on his hand before, hopes it will relieve the pain, not really working thought.

Changmin can’t agree more. He smiles a bit and tries to look at TV again. He doesn’t want to catch staring at his roommate. The channel aired news program now. Changmin doesn’t really care about the news content, the fact that they are sit together in same couch has make him happy. He still denies it.

Sometimes he looks at Yunho, only a glimpse and Yunho still focuses knitting until the reporter reads the fashion news. It’s about a success Korean lady. She has boutique in Italy and so on. Changmin doesn’t interest at fashion news. He needs fashion too but about that kind of business, no. To his surprise, when he steal a gaze to Yunho, the younger who doesn’t care about the news before now fixed his gaze to TV. He still holds the needle very tightly, afraid if all the yarn looses from the needles but his gaze is something different. It’s the first time he sees that gaze from Yunho, and it’s hard to explain what kind of expression is it.

The news ended and Yunho works on his knit again like there is nothing that bothered him before. What so impressive about the Korean lady? Well, it should be impressive enough. But what she has that make Yunho stops knitting? Who knows? That lady will comes back to Korea after years. When will it be? Tomorrow or day after? Changmin can’t remember it well.

The next day, right after his shift, Yunho has been forced by Jaejoong. The shorter one keep wanting Yunho to goes with him. It should be hard for anyone to resist that cute face, but Yunho has immune. There is nothing about Jaejoong that can touch him again. “You have to follow me!”

“It’s night already. I need to dinner” He tries to shows that he is tired.

“You can have it with me” Jaejoong offers, tries to sounds offering instead of forcing.

Yunho brows knitted, “Why should I?” He still can’t forget the time Jaejoong harassed him after dinner 5 years ago. Now dinner with Jaejoong is totally a NO.

“You don’t need to prepare dinner all time”

“Of course not” Yunho answers, the fact is he is not always doing that; sometimes he would buy something especially on weekend. Innocently answers, Yunho’s awareness decrease a bit at that moment.

“Don’t cook for him again!” Jaejoong has a point to complain, but can’t really throw it to Yunho that he jealous of Changmin who can have dinner with Yunho almost every night.

“Who?” Yunho seems to don’t understand Jaejoong’s jealousy. It makes him look cute when he cocked his head.

“Changmin!” Half shouted. There, he finally points it.

And then it only makes Yunho can’t understand more. “Why? We live together so it’s cheaper” he doesn’t need to give any reason, but it was the only thing that cross his mind in second.

Jaejoong need to be extra patience, reminds him that Yunho must be not having lots dating experience. “Just! Follow me now! I’m your boyfriend so you should do me more favor”

“How about his dinner?” He asks so innocently.

Jaejoong really burn, he already feels that since the day he knows that Changmin’s new roommate is Yunho. It was absolutely silly since Changmin is one of his best friends. “He is not a baby” It’s hard to be patience when you are so possessive but your boyfriend is clueless.

“But he must waiting for me”

“Then call him!” Jaejoong orders in annoyance. Why should HIS Yunho think about Changmin like this?

“I don’t have his number. You call!” Yunho orders back. Jaejoong looks at Yunho in disbelieve. They have lived together for months and Yunho doesn’t have his phone number. “What? Why you looking at me like that? Do you still want to go or not? I’m tired!”

“Ah, yes. Wa… wait! I’ll call him” Jaejoong stuttered. He becomes nervous all of sudden.

“Changmin!” he almost screams on phone.

Changmin really startled with sudden yells he receive “What?” He answers it with most natural tone. He no longer wants to talk just two of them; at least they talk on phone.

“I’ll go with Yunho for a while so can you make dinner for yourself?” He feels it’s really silly. It seems like he is asking permission to Yunho’s parents to go dating, except that yelling part.

Yunho suddenly abrupt, Changmin can clearly hears him “I didn’t say I want to have dinner with you. Note that! We only go to whatever you mean just now and no dinner.” It’s a proof, that Yunho is not acts sweet when there only him and Jaejoong. He almost yells, Changmin sure.

“Whatever. Just take care about your own dinner” and before Changmin can comments anything, Jaejoong has closes his line.

“Let’s go now!” Jaejoong says; stretch his hand, wanting Yunho to take it.

“What’s wrong with you?” Yunho scoffs and walk away to Jaejoong’s car. There is no sweet act. To be honest, Yunho feels really tired and stressful and maybe for the first time after the incident 5 years ago, he wants to have dinner badly. Yunho has lose his appetite since that day and he won’t voluntary eat without his family threatening him.

Yunho feels bored. With Jaejoong, he never feels comfortable. His ‘Jaejoong allergic’ symptoms get better nowadays, he doesn’t want to vomit or runaway. But still it hasn’t easy for him to in a room with Jaejoong; the person who has does a cruel thing to him.

“How’s your day?” Jaejoong talks, try to make conversation. Yunho always this quiet. So much different from 5 years ago, Yunho was really a cheerful and bright boy.

“Why? You interested?”

“I want to know what my boyfriend does this day.” He whines again, the usual voice he uses to his boyfriend, but Yunho hates it.

“Study and work. It repeated 5 days each week.”

“Then what about the rest 2 days?” Jaejoong is always this curious; wanting to know about two days that forbidden for anyone to disturb Yunho.

“Working”

“Can I come to your working place?” Jaejoong says it slowly, he is nervous.

“No”

“But, I want to see” He is not whining this time.

“I’m not cheating.”

“It’s not about that. I just want to know what you are doing. How about the wages and if I can find better job for you” Yunho always rejected him about this topic. Jaejoong understand if Yunho doesn’t want to depend on him and maybe to anyone.

Frowning, Yunho knows that Jaejoong is really possessive. But what about finds him a better job? Get real! Yunho’s mind doesn’t work well right now. “Don’t want another job” Yunho can only say that although that’s not the point. Jaejoong tries to treat Yunho well. Jaejoong thinks it might be a good for his image if he can help Yunho to find better job than whatever he do now. Too bad for him, he doesn’t know what Yunho’s job.

Jaejoong brings him to a jewelry shop. Yunho can only watch the shop with confusion. He thinks ‘why should the older bring him here?’ He is not really care about accessories and clothes and he almost doesn’t care about everything, except few things. His ‘Mom’ will take care about it all. And there are also his cousins since their clothes are mixed. He can match clothes pretty good but mostly it’s for his own profit, like disguise.

“What do you think about this?” Jaejoong shows him a ring.

Still dumbfounded, “Woman will like that”

“This one?” Jaejoong shows him another

“Too blink blink?”

 Finally a simple ring and Yunho says good. Jaejoong smiles and takes Yunho hand, which Yunho quickly pull his hand. Frowning, Yunho sees the pleading eyes of Jaejoong. “What?” Yunho asks him; he gives in anyway, let’s Jaejoong hold his hand. Jaejoong smile; pushing the ring to Yunho’s fingers one by one. Too bad it’s too big, now only 1 finger left: thumb. Jaejoong is about to take off the ring which already placed neatly on Yunho’s left thumb. “Quit doing that!”

“But it will only fit on your thumb.” Again, the older pleaded.

“If you dare to take that from my finger, I’ll kill you” Yunho says with stern voice. He doesn’t like anyone touch that ring. Jaejoong froze in spot.

“Then, try this one” He gives another ring. Instead of pushing on Yunho’s finger, Jaejoong let’s Yunho do it by himself. Middle finger. Jaejoong wants that black ring away, sadly his plan doesn’t work. And when Yunho realizes Jaejoong also wears the same ring, Yunho finally understand.

“Couple rings?” Yunho doesn’t know how to react. He trapped between awe and disgust. “Seriously? Why?”

“It’s not weird to have couple things with your boyfriend, isn’t it?” Jaejoong pays the rings and Yunho still look at the ring just given. “Should we put our name inside too?”

“Don’t you realize I’m not fond of this couple thing?” The same word to say ‘No way’

Jaejoong ignores this. “Well, let’s grab dinner?”

“I’ve told you I don’t want to have dinner with you. Just send me home! I’m tired” Yunho steps out and Jaejoong follows him right away. He was wishing Yunho would like this idea, he expecting too much.

“Changmin won’t prepare your dinner. Let me buy something for you. Take home?”

“Care your own!”

Yunho comes back home tiredly. He wants to eat right now, but CM won’t cook for him, right? Jaejoong was tells him to make dinner for himself. Maybe he can make ramyun, Changmin will let him cook one of his noodles, right? That if he still have power to do it, he probably will skips dinner tonight. “Hey? You’re home” Changmin greets him. “Let’s have dinner. I’m quite of starving right now” He pats his stomach, smiling.

“You wait for me?” Yunho’s eyes opened a little wider.

Changmin smiles “You always wait for me. What’s the matter?”

“But you don’t know when I will come home” And you always easily get hungry.

“Doesn’t matter. Come on!” Changmin waves his hand.

Yunho thanks for Changmin in his mind. He can’t say it. A profit of living together? In his home, he has housekeepers. But he prefers to do something by his own, not wanting to let peoples do everything for him so he get spoiled. Independent is what his family teach. You can get help, but you can’t depend on them. They work for you, so you must show respect to them. But in his current situation, Changmin is not his housekeeper. They are on the same level and sharing responsibilities. Maybe this is how it feels to married someone. Yunho never want to go that far. Marriage is not something that he wants. It has gone from his life list goal.

Changmin sees a new ring placed on Yunho’s finger. “Nice ring” he wants to say new ring but doesn’t sure why it comes out differently. Yunho a bit surprises, he then remember he wear something new on his finger. Looking at it with a stiff look, he really tired. He put it off and places it on the table. It’s not important at all for him. Jaejoong wants some kind of connector between them, must be because he saw his black ring with unfamiliar name engraved inside before. The ring placed on his thumb. Changmin guesses the new ring must be from Jaejoong and it’s clearly not something Yunho wants to keep. So the matter is on the thumb ring. Yunho suddenly asks “Which one?” His mind is not really working.

Changmin is not ready to answer that. “Ah both are nice”

“Ah” it’s the first time Changmin sees Yunho is so tired, he doesn’t look focus.

Changmin stretches his hand to touch Yunho’s forehead, means to checking his temperature while saying “Are you okay?”

But Yunho’s reflect works as good as if he is in current state. He slaps that hand right away when it touched Yunho. Yunho’s eyes wide open, shock. And next second, he realizes what exactly happen “Ah, I’m sorry. I’m not used to…” he meant to say touch by stranger but it will make all of this more awkward.

“Your reflect move is amazing. My faults” Now he can understand why Yunho almost never stops aware of his surroundings. That trauma.

“Well… *sigh*” he sigh because he gives up of explain. He can’t blatantly tells Changmin that he ever in the past by his best friend and that’s makes him aware of his surrounding more than anyone else.

Changmin worries, he isn’t just looks worries or showing empathy for Yunho’s current state. He know what exactly happen “You sure you okay?”

“I’m not sick. I can’t be sick. I may not sick” Yunho says it with decreased tone in each words, more like mumbling to himself. The idea of him getting sick is not good for him. His cousin would come right away and destroy everything. It can’t happen.

“You better rest after this. I’ll do the dishes”

“No, you can’t! That should be my job” Yunho says abruptly, he has cooked for him before.

“You are tired; better take a rest before you get sick” Changmin smile to Yunho and the younger nod in awkwardness.

A/N : thanks to rizahasdiana, MissAsh91, dbsklover66, adwijung and HominYC for your comments on chapter 15... ^^

I'm really happy but to be honest I feel pressured by that (altough some of them have know it) and special thanks to Adwijung and Homin YC... I'm fine now, my blood pressure is okay ^^. I just busy again at the day I should post it, so I late couples hours from the schedule. lol

I'm really sorry if this chapter is not satisfy all of you... The next chapter will only filled with fun (I guess). I suddenly have idea few weeks ago and ends up write the next chapter and put it between chapter 16 and supposed to be chapter 17 (now it becomes chapter 18 - if i had no plan changes). maybe it's okay to skip next chapter because mostly the progress happen on chapter 18.

Or should i do double post next week? since it will be year end, 31 December... What do you think? let me know...