it's really hot here *wipe sweat* i miss home already. oh hello there. how's your weekend? Hazeyma, Huyenkim, Cuppienoodles, alma, jess, and everyone. happy wicked wednesday ^^

      “Coffee?” Detective Yoochun offers the social officer who’s just arrived and taken a seat in front of him. Yunho sits comfortably and takes his blazer off to relax.

      “Iced cappuchino.” He replies after he glances at the listed menu.

Yoochun calls the stand by waiter near them to come and order.

      “Have you been waiting long? Sorry. I almost forgot I have an appointment with you.”

      “Nevermind. It’s my break anyway.” Yoochun waves it off. “So, how’s it going? I was expecting your kid’s appearance in the station but he disappoints me.”

      “He’s been really good nowadays.” Yunho grins. “Rae Im didn’t believe her ears when school called and told us that Changmin attended his class everyday and didn’t cause trouble anymore.”

      “Hmm..

      “The Ok parent dropped their suit?”

      “They had to.” Yoochun makes a face. “If they insisted to sue, they’d end up embarrassing themselves and their son even more. Your kid is damn lucky to have a great lawyer like Park Si Hoo. Even the big man in my league respects that professor. He’s famous for being silent killer toward his opponent and his service is rare since he just takes interesting cases.”

Yunho raises his eyebrows at the information.

      “Rae Im said so about that professor. He teaches law in campus and rarely takes cases let alone a nonprofit custody case like Changmin’s.”

      “You know, that Junsu man intrigues me.” Yoochun sips his latte. “Domestic violence isn’t my case unless someone is murdered or it leads to bigger scheme but I can’t help raking on his background.” He stops when the waiter reappears serving Yunho’s iced cappuchino. Yunho thanks the waiter with his smile. “Ok taecyon case is a piece of cake for lawyer like prof. Park. The parents keep the money though. Needy greedy heads.”

      “What did you find?” Yunho appreciates the bittersweet taste of his served drink. “Anything interesting?”

      “Not at all. Junsu is plain. Too plain for me. He challenges my curiosity.”

Yunho tsks his friend.

      “Not all people are bad ones, Chun.”

      “It’s not about good or bad. His life is too transparent and plain for someone who could tame your kid. Coming to Greyfair four years ago, working in a small convenience store before getting himself a job in the Kim’s bookstore, studying in Greyfair university and that’s it. No more.”

      “Family?”

      “I’m asking jung woo to track down his family and his past in ForeBax to get better details. There are so many asian Kim families. It takes time to nail it down. What I’ve gathered so far is he lived with his grandparents till high school and moved here after both of his grandparents passed away.”

      “Parents? Siblings?”

      “The school’s record only wrote his grandparents’ name as his guardian. They passed away a week after Junsu’s high school graduation.”

Yunho puts his cup and listens to the detective better.

      “How did he manage to enter GreyFair university?”

      “Working in small convenience store for a year to pay for the entrance test and tuition. He lived in the store. Sleeping in the storage room for years before moving in to his flat now.”

      “Friends?”

      “There are two who considered as close friends. Lee Hyukjae and Song Ji hyo. The others are co workers or employers.”

      “Lee hyukjae? Oh.. the one who came to police station bringing money to pay for the bail?” Yunho recalls.

      “Yes. that one. I asked some questions to Lee Hyukjae the other day. Bad move, paw. He studies law and he gave nothing but what we can see with bare eyes.” Yoochun sighs. “Triggering more curiosity since he acts like Junsu’s shield protector”

      “The employees in the store?” Yunho is interested too.

      “More or less same answers. Junsu is a diligent hard worker. He is always willing to exchange or take shifts when the other employees need days off or something else. Never seen dating or fooling around. His days are filled up either in the store or in campus.”

      “I get the campus part. Prof. Park’s colleague, prof. Rita is Junsu’s paper counselor. She gave us good head-on information about Junsu’s academic situation. It helped Changmin. Our dept could cooperate better with his study orientation. The school also informed us that Junsu came to school to discuss Changmin’s academic progress. He bought new pair of uniform with his own money. Haha. That’s really something. He didn’t know our dept covers everything related to school.”

Yoochun frowns at the last sentence.

      “He bought new uniform for Changmin?”

Yunho nods, sipping his iced cappuchino more.

      “But his salary is cut half to pay for his loan. How did he buy the uniform?”

      “His salary is cut half??” Yunho’s eyes widen.

      “Hyukjae took long time to answer. I went to see his manager.” Yoochun nearly whistles when he mentions manager. “Junsu borrowed three millions from the store to cover for Changmin’s bail out. The manager lent Junsu his personal money. Must say that charming extraordinary handsome man has a soft spot for Junsu.”

      “Wait. So Junsu borrowed money from his manager?”

      “He borrowed money from the store, technically. The manager used his personal money to lend and as return, Junsu pays form his half cut salary for six months.”

      “Why?”

      “The store has a tight policy about lending money to its employees. Three millions couldn’t just be retrieved from the store account so the manager gave hyukjae his card and used his name as the loan on the store. His father sent him to Japan for a week when he found out that his son, the young manager, retrieved three millions from the store’s account and couldn’t explain why. Family business is family business.”

      “…..”

      “For a plain simple employee like Junsu who has only two friends, he’s a luck magnet or he is a smart manipulative walking brain. I doubt both of them.”

Changmin meets Yunho in a sour look and hardened fists. It’s his second day for extra hours in school and he is summoned to the principal’s chamber. He knows it’s a bad sign to be called there.

      “Should I pack now?” He asks Yunho in gritted teeth and stabbing heartbeat.

      “I don’t know you take extra lessons.” Yunho starts to believe in miracles.

      “Yeah. Got train of Ds.” Changmin still stands.

      “Have a seat, young man.”

      “If I have to pack now, I’d better finish my extra lessons first.”

He wants to see Junsu before he leaves.

Yunho waves his hand, ignoring Changmin’s bold cold sentence.

      “I have something to tell you before we get to that packing and I need you to sit.”

Changmin steps his feet in iron weight. He sits reluctantly, the soft comfy leathered chair feels like hot pointy needles.

      “That’s better.” Yunho smiles. “About your parent-

      “Just cut it short, will you? The sooner the better. I have biology and chemistry waiting.”

Yunho sensed fire emitted from Changmin’s sitting in uncomfortable figure. He holds back teasing and mocking laughter because he understands.

      “We are sorry we haven’t been able locating where your father is.”

Changmin hears every sentence with a stabbed heart. Bleeding.

      “We promise to keep on searching till we can find him. In the mean time, Junsu told us yesterday that he’s willing to prolong your stay to another three months.”

Changmin’s ear is burned with stinging force. He has to leave. He has to move somewhere. He has to bid goodbye to Junsu’s flat.

      “That is to say you would stay with him for the next three months or till we can find your father before three months over so you can leave with your father.” Yunho sees the hardened fists on Changmin’s knees.

Changmin is too busy restraining himself from storming out the principle’s chamber and running somewhere where the world would leave him free.

Yunho pulls out an envelope from his case. He places the brown wrapping on the table.

      “Your food coupons. Junsu never takes it from our office. Either he forgot the clauses of taking you in or he’s too rushing signing the paper without reading.”

Huh?

It slowly floods Changmin’s stiff mind that Yunho says something about food.

      “Junsu never what?”

      “He signed the approval paper of letting you stay with him without reading the clauses. He said he’s late to work and rushed out after signing. These are your food coupons he didn’t take for last month. I added the coupons for the next three months.”

      “But.. but.. Why do I get coupons?”

      “Anyone who takes care of you get this coupon to support your daily meal. Your aunts got these too.”

It hits Changmin hard on his head.

      “Chae Rim never mentioned about.. we just..

      “I know, boy. Why do you think she is stripped off from your custody? We found out she sold this coupon for money and used the money for something else.”

He ate bread every breakfast. Just some bites and a small carton of milk when there’s any in Chae rim’s flat. Junsu always asked him whether he’d had his meal everyday and stored noodles, bread, jam and milk in the kitchen. Changmin bites his lips to suppress the burst out mixed feelings.

      “These coupons are exchangeable in several stores written at the back of every piece. The stores will notify us for every transaction so we know the guardian isn’t abusing this coupon for something else like your aunt did.”

Changmin’s eyes exposed something Yunho never seen before. Is that regret?

      “Hand this to Junsu, okay? I’m really glad you are taking school seriously, Changmin.” Yunho moves and pats Changmin. “You make us social workers feel our effort to make a better tomorrow for the abandoned children worth something. Thank you.”

It’s then that Yunho sees the trembling lips and b sheer water layer on Changmin’s eyes.

      “T-thank you, sir. Thank you.”

And also the first time Yunho gets a hearty hug from the rebellious boy. Yunho hugs Changmin back, touched and moved.

      “Two days off.”

Junsu wants to shake his head, rejecting the order but he owes Jaejoong too much to oppose the handsome kind manager.

      “You’ve pushed your self-limit too much, Junsu. My eyes get sore just by seeing your appearance.” Jaejoong crosses his arm, displeased. “I told you once I hate a sick worker. This is a store, not a slave station.”

      “I’m not pushing my-

      “I haven’t done talking!!”

Junsu lowers his head. Yi han and Yi fan cancel their intention going to literature section as they see Jaejoong is talking to Junsu. They take a round path to get to the wanted section. They know Jaejoong is not happy with Junsu’s shift schedule and they agree with their caring manager.

      “If you use guilt to overwork yourself, I’m taking fifty percent interest from your loan. You hear that, Junsu? Fifty percent interest every month!”

Junsu swallows back his retort, head lowered and submitted.

      “I went to Japan for work, not because of you. Don’t think so high of yourself!”

Junsu stands still, saying nothing.

      “Two days off this week. I don’t care what day you pick. If I hear Lisa tells me you don’t take two days off, I’m banning you from using the old computer in the storage room.”

That would be disaster for Junsu.

      “Yes, sir.”

      “Am I understood?”

      “Two days off this week, sir.” Junsu repeats.

      “Good.” Jaejoong taps his finger on his crossed arm. “Now go home. It’s nine pm and you’ve been littering our sight since noon.”

      “Sir..?”

      “What now?” jaejoong halts his turning around steps.

      “Am I allowed to come tomorrow? I mean.. Not for work. I.. I would like to use the computer to do assignments.”

Jaejoong glares his big doe eyes at the head lowered store assistant.

      “As long as you are not around my sight, fine!”

The manager leaves Junsu with a smug smile plastered on his face.

      “Mom sends this.” Hyukjae puts a medium box into Junsu’s bag. “She said hi. She asked why you never visit home anymore. I told dad and mom you’re busy with paper and campus.”

      “Your mom spoils me, hyuk.” Junsu pouts. “And she never accepts anything I bring for her.”

      “Yeah. I feel like a step son here.” Hyukjae juts his lips. “She likes you more than me.”

      “Stupid monkey!” Junsu pushes his best friend.

      “Moron dolphin!” Hyukjae pushes Junsu back. They laugh afterward.

      “I told you not to pay my money back till graduation day, dolph. Why are you so stubborn?”

      “Don’t tell me boss Jae and you are conspiring against me!” Junsu pushes Hyukjae more. “Look, Hyukkie. I take you as my best friend. I don’t want money steps in between you and me.”

      “You idiot dolphin! Why so sensitive over money, huh?”

      “Law students need a lot more than my major.” Junsu scoffs. “You even went for the trouble of asking help from your professor.”

      “Not trouble at all, you stone head! In fact, I use Changmin’s case as my advance report and I got an A for that. Prof. Si Hoo liked my analysis. He borrowed it as example for children care studies.”

      “Whatever, monkey!” Junsu shoulders his bag. “Say my thanks to your mom. I’m sorry I can’t come visiting her these days.”

      “Yeah, mutant. You’ve been working like a donkey.” Hyukjae makes a disapproval face. He’s the one coming to Jaejoong wording out on Junsu’s endless shifts. No break for three weeks at all and sometimes even took double shifts when this dolph had no class in uni.

Junsu has no money left in his saving account. His salary is cut half to pay for the three million loans. The rest is used to pay for water, electricity and food for two people after handing some number to Hyukjae’s account. His last roll of money was used to buy Changmin’s uniform. He got refund two days later, surprised and kept the money to buy better school bag for Changmin. That boy lost his bag together with the other burned things. Changmin uses Junsu’s old shabby canvas bag to carry books and school’s equipment. The social dept covers everything related to school like books and uniform but bag and shoes are not on the list. He plans to buy new bag but the money he has doesn’t meet the price. He keeps it in his untouchable pouch and decides he’ll buy one after next month’s salary.

He can’t afford days off because he needs any possible extra income to buy papers for assignments. Thank God he doesn’t have to pay for renting computer and printer like some poor students he knows. Now Jaejoong orders him to take off days. He sighs and climbs the stairs to the third floor heading to his flat. He gives weak smile at Mrs. Fujitsu, too exhausted to put proper manner.

      “Junsu!” Changmin beams at his arrival. His big shining smile on changmin’s face blinds Junsu’s eyes. “You are home early.” The boy jumps eagerly but frowns when he sees Junsu’s pale tired look.

      “How’s school today? Anything fun?” Junsu walks past the frowning Changmin. He needs to get to his room fast or he could fall from the approaching headache.

      “Great! Yunho came and gave me these.”

Junsu catches a sight of brown envelope extended to him. He blinks and looks up to see Changmin’s beaming face.

      “What is that?”

      “You didn’t read the paper when you signed it, did you?” Changmin accuses, pouting. “It says we have food coupons. You should take it last month, you know.”

      “Should I? Oh, sorry. My bad. That’s yours.” The tired man smiles. “Um.. got to bath soon. Have you had dinner?”

Changmin nods his head in bubbling happiness.

      “Udon.” He exclaims joyfully. “Let’s buy more tomorrow. Use these coupons.”

Junsu ruffles Changmin’s hair, chuckling lightly.

      “You go buy them, hero. I have work and class tomorrow.” He lies.

      “Can’t.” Changmin pouts again. “Yunho says it’s you buying them, not me.”

      “Why is that?” Junsu really needs to reach his room asap. The pounding hammer in the back of his head is getting bigger.

      “Because you are my ….

Not my brother!

      “Hm?”

      “Because Yunho said so!” Changmin grins wide. “I can wait till your shift is over. Please?” He pleads, unaware that his cute pleading makes him look pinchable and squishy.

      “Let’s see tomorrow.” Junsu sighs. He closes his eyes for some seconds.

      “Junsu?” Changmin follows Junsu’s direction going to bathroom. “Are you alright? You look pale.”

      “Just sleepy.” Junsu performs his thin smile covering his exhaustion. “I’ll bath and sleep.”

      “Not having dinner? I’ll cook udon for you.”

      “Later. Too sleepy.”

Too sleepy? Changmin is curious. He opens his bedroom’s door wide to see Junsu passing his bedroom from bathroom to his room. Junsu still look pale after bathing. Junsu doesn’t leave his door at all after he enters it. Changmin eyes the closed door in suspicion. He can see how tired Junsu is. His mountain of happiness is reduced fast to quarter size. He’s happy he’s not moved to some stranger’s house or sent to foster homes. Three months. More time living with Junsu! Wow. And the coupons. Just picturing Junsu and him buying some food together has made Changmin soar high to the sky. Everything was so grande today. He learned his extra lessons in such good mood that he answered all questions correctly and the teacher praised his perfect score. Everything seems so bright and he can’t help giggling for no reason till he sees Junsu’s tired eyes and pale face. Changmin sleeps with the door left open, in case Junsu is awake in the middle of the night or odd hours in the morning. He will jump out from his bed and help whatever things Junsu is about to do but the door where Junsu sleeps stays unopened till Changmin wakes up and prepares for school.

Is junsu still asleep?

Changmin spreads pineapple jam on the bread for breakfast. There are only five loaves left and he puts jam on all of them. For him and Junsu. He eats his share and leaves a note on the table. He leaves for school after knocking on Junsu’s door and gets no respond. That man must be still deep in sleep.

Unknown to everyone, Junsu is having fever and nose bleed. Exhaustion takes its toll on him and he must agree with Jaejoong that he needs his days off. He didn’t sleep. He fell to darkness as soon as he laid himself on the spread old blankets. When he comes to, he feels dried blood on his cheeks and lips. He tries to get up when he hears Changmin’s knock but he tells himself not to open the door. He can’t look weak in front of Changmin.

Two days off. He will lose extra money but he needs it badly. He could use one for now and another day next week. He can’t lose more chance to get additional income. He walks to bathroom with jelly legs and washes his face. The mirror hung on the bathroom’s wall frowns at him for the thick paleness shown on his face. He goes back to his room to have more rest.

Changmin rushes home after four. He runs fast ignoring Jonghyun’s offer to play badminton with the others. Mr. Fujitsu waves his hand at him as Changmin smiles and quickly climbs the stairs. People are buzzing along the hall as usual. He runs past them and goes straight to Junsu’s flat.

      “Junsu?”

The man he’s eager to see is sitting in the kitchen, drinking water. Junsu still look pale. Changmin doesn’t like it a bit. He wonders why the paleness stays. Has Junsu just hit home from work? Can’t he just rest? What then? Classes?

      “Why didn’t you bring the bread for lunch in school?” Junsu smacks Changmin’s back lightly. “What did you have for lunch? White board?”

Junsu didn’t eat the bread changmin prepared for breakfast??

      “It’s your breakfast! You didn’t have dinner last night.”

      “Fussy.” Junsu smacks changmin again, harder than the first one. “I told you I don’t really care for food. Don’t leave your lunch again, okay?”

      “Are you sick?” Changmin places his palm on Junsu’s forehead. The man flinches at the small caring gesture. Changmin hastily pulls his palm back. “You’re warm.” He remarks with rounded protesting eyes.

      “Fussy.” Junsu flashes his thin smile. “How’s school? Anyone did something?”

Changmin stares. He wants to shake Junsu to tell him how pale he is but seeing how junsu flinches by a mere palm touch stops Changmin’s intention.

      “Mr. Headwig.. I mean Mr. Sato asked us to write about world war II, Nazis and stuff. I’ve never written anything that long my whole life.” Changmin throws his bag to his bed and goes back to Junsu. “He said I need to rearrange my paragraphs. Whatever. I got B.”

      “History?” Junsu guesses, smiling at Changmin’s made face.

      “Then there’s this long boring story about a man who loves a woman but their family are enemies forever. The woman dies and the man suicides.”

      “Romeo Juliet?” Junsu chuckles. Changmin just made his best annoyed face.

      “I don’t understand why girls are so worked up into this story. They squealed like hunted mice in a castle. Yikes.”

Junsu bursts out laughing. Color crawls on his pale cheeks.

      “That’s one of the most memorable love stories in the world, hero.”

      “What’s memorable?” Changmin pouts, butting himself on the couch following Junsu. “They die!”

      “Misunderstanding and tragic death do nothing to separate them.” Junsu grins.

      “HUH? They die, Junsu. End of story.”

      “Did you read the ending? The two families in conflict for generation finally make up and bury the dispute. They become better families after their children death.”

      “So people have to die first to make other people realize and see their stupidity?”

      “Sometimes.” Junsu smiles flatly. “In some other case, death creates further separation and deeper misunderstanding that lead to bigger misery.”

      “Yeah. Yeah. Screw the author. He had such a messed up head for a love story.”

      “Homework?”

      “You bet! Long essay about that Romeo Juliet kill themselves together. Tsk!”

Junsu smiles again. Not flat this time.

      “You could write your thought about it on your essay.”

      “Hmpf.. I’ll just write short paragraph. Romeo and Juliet die because they are too narrow minded. They live in rich loving families, they are spoiled, they don’t have to go to school, they have everything and they choose to die. Good.”

Junsu doesn’t say a word.

      “Do you have classes after this?” Changmin eyes his brother not.

Junsu shakes his head. He has one class in the evening but he can’t ride his bike far with his condition right now.

      “Cool.” Junsu sees stars in Changmin’s eyes. “I’ll make dinner. Eh, there’s only rice left.” He scratches his hair, unsure of what to make. “Fried rice?”

      “Let’s go buy something with your coupon.”

If only rainbow can pop up from Changmin’s eyes, the flat will be filled up with shiny colorful curves by now. Changmin grins wider than their door as he jumps from the coach and dances to the bathroom. Junsu smiles at Changmin’s shadow rushing to bathroom. His fever has half gone and his nose has quit bleeding. At least he could make someone happy today. That eighteen years old is acting more like five years old taken to a candy or toy shop. Junsu’s smile falters when he remembers he was once like Changmin, dancing his heart out for simple hand offered to him.

long weekends ignited this. hope you like it. unbetaed.