JJ's new album? well i guess he could make album after he goes home from the Kim's store /bricked/

      “Can I buy this?”

Junsu nods. His hands are holding a shopping cart following Changmin’s super excited steps exploring the grocery store.

      “Popcorn?”

Junsu nods. Changmin’s hand grabs two packs of popcorn displayed on the shelves.

      “Chips?”

Junsu nods again, unable to hide his amusement watching Changmin’s hyper spirit.

      “Uh.. fruit? Orange? Banana? Melon? Apple?”

      “Pick anything you need, Min.” Junsu pushes the trolley slowly. He still has mild headache.

Changmin’s grin can compete with the big bright neon light attached to the ceiling’s store. Shopping is a new thing for him. It’s the first. He means, shopping with Junsu. He shopped before but he’s not allowed to touch anything. Here, Junsu frees him to pick anything he wants. He can’t contain the flying high spirit and he points at everything displayed on the long neatly lined up shelves as they stroll along and blabbers on and on. Junsu lets him. Changmin has to slower his pace to wait for Junsu. His eyes widen round and big when they finish shopping and get in line to the cashier to pay. The trolley is full of everything Changmin picked. Now he glances at Junsu with bitten lips, worried. Has he picked too many? What if the coupon is rejected here? What if the coupon is not enough?

      “Cash or card?”

Junsu nudges Changmin and the eighteen excited teenager reaches inside his oversize jacket to get the brown envelope.

      “I’m sorry.” Junsu smiles at the cashier. “Is it alright to use these coupons here? We are not sure about it.”

The cashier lady takes the envelope and checks the content. She nods and places the coupons on the counter.

      “How many coupons are you going to cash out?”

      “Excuse me?” Junsu doesn’t understand.

The lady tears one piece of the thick coupons and shows it to both puzzled customers.

      “The green ones are for food and the brown one can be cashed out for other purchase outside food. You have four brown ones here.” She patiently explains. Typical ignorant guardian but this one is polite and good looking. She doesn’t mind explaining.

      “One brown coupon, please.” Junsu blinks.

      “And the green one?”

      “We don’t know how many ones needed to cover for these purchases.” Junsu points at the trolley.

      “Ten is the limit in one month.” The lady holds his smile. “If the price exceeds the limit, you have to pay with cash.”

      “He didn’t take last month’s coupons.” Changmin quickly adds before Junsu makes any reply. “He’s too busy working he didn’t even know about the coupons.”

Junsu steps his foot onto Changmin’s and the teenager flinches upon the sudden weight on his left foot.

      “I see.” The cashier lady looks amused now. “Let’s count how much your purchases first. You can sign later.”

      “Sign?”

      “Yes, sir. Every purchase will be reported to the social department as a proof of coupon’s usage.”

      “Ah. I’m really sorry for the inconvenience, ma’am.”

A real polite guardian. Too young to be one. The cashier lady can’t help stealing glances at Junsu and changmin is so irritated at that. He stomps his feet while waiting for the scanning and signing. Junsu holds changmin’s arm to still the restless annoyed eighteen years old. Changmin is still annoyed and eyed the lady darkly. Why are you looking at Junsu like that, huh? Look at the computer, ***s!

      “Here. Nine coupons and one brown cash out. Please sign below the red stamp.”

Junsu does what he is asked to do.

      “Um.. if I may ask, could this impatient young man use his coupons without me?”

Changmin stops stomping feet and turns his dark look to Junsu. What the hell? Junsu doesn’t want to go shopping with him anymore? What did he do wrong? It’s not him stealing glances to you, Junsu. It’s the cashier lady. Why do you..

      “The guardians always do the shopping.” The cashier lady answers while stuffing all of the purchased items into shopping bags.

      “Err.. Could you make exception for changmin?”

NO. YOU COULDN’T. Changmin is about to scream loudly on to the cashier’s face.

      “I’m afraid I don’t know about it, sir.”

      “I’m not always around to shop and he is in his senior year. If he has to wait for me to buy something, it will take time and give him trouble.”

Not at all, Junsu! I can wait. I will wait till you have time. Why are you so dense? Changmin grunts soundlessly.

      “I have to ask to the store manager first.”

      “He’s eighteen and very independent, ma’am. I can’t let him wait for me just to buy a roll of bread here. He has school and extracurricular too.”

      “Junsu..

Junsu shuts Changmin with one hand signal behind his back.

      “The agreement said that the guardian must sign the receipt-

      “He can sign. It’s his coupons, ma’am. He has right to buy what he needs. I trust him.”

Changmin reaches Junsu’s hand and holds it tight. His heart feels like being squeezed strongly hearing Junsu’s last words. He trusts Changmin.

It doesn’t end there. The money Junsu cashes from the brown coupon is given to Changmin. All of it.

      “Your monthly allowance.” Junsu shoves the money into Changmin’s palm. “You are right. I should have read the paper before I signed it. I’m sorry. My ignorance has caused you of no allowance last month.”

Changmin gapes, he doesn’t know what to say. Money is something he hardly touches, let alone holds or keeps it for long and this much.

      “I..I don’t know what to do with this money, Junsu.” He mutters after two minutes.

      “Save it. Senior year needs a lot of money. You’ll have homecoming, prom, graduation, dates-

      “I don’t know all of it.”

      “Well, you’ll know. The government gives you this for good reason. Just.. don’t waste it to something short and regretful later.” Junsu pats Changmin’s frozen state.

      “Can you keep it for me?”

      “Silly. No. I hate someone else’s money.”

Changmin writes three pages long of his homework essay that night. He writes about happiness and sunshine, not complaining about the dead Romeo and Juliet anymore. They can die for love as Changmin lives for great things life offers him. He lives in Junsu’s flat, their kitchen is full of food supplies, he has money he keeps it in a crumpled shoes box in his closet (junsu facepalms at that but Changmin is too happy to care) and on top of all, Junsu trusts him. Today is another wonderful day for Changmin. Junsu is at home all day. No classes, no assignment, no shift. They make dinner and create stains and disaster in the kitchen. A failed fried rice and awfully peeled melon but Changmin is beyond happy. Life is much better. He sleeps with a contented smile that night after writing the long essay.

      “Did you get laid or what?” Jonghyun frowns at him in school. “You look like sunflower. Tall and yellow.”

      “Shut up!” Changmin grins. “Sorry about yesterday.”

      “Yeah. I know why you turned down my offer. You had a date. Rushing out after the extra lessons ended”

      “A date your nails, cr***ie.” Changmin puts his canvas bag on his desk. “I went somewhere with Junsu.”

      “You are dating your.. brother?” Jonghyun is shocked.

      “He’s not my brother, idiot! He’s Junsu.”

      “Seriously, Min? You are dating Junsu?” Jonghyun’s shocked face is thick with disbelief.

      “I’m not!” changmin hotly denies. “He lets me stay with him till my father comes. Not dating, you dirty mind!”

      “You stay with him and turn into sunflower? Alright. Min, tell me how many is this?” Jonghyun scowls as he lifts three fingers in front of Changmin’s nose.

      “Three.”

      “This?” Jonghyun spreads his all fingers of his right hand.

      “Five.”

      “And this?” Jongyhun forms a fist and punches Changmin’s head.

      “HEY!!”

      “YOU MORON WRECK! YOU DATE HIM.”

Changmin runs after his friend who escapes to meet Jinwoon, the third warrior. Jonghyun is joking, Changmin knows well. That friend of his is too filled with corrupted mind thanks to his father and uncle who’ve been feeding adult lives inside Jonghyun’s head. Jonghyun can woo any girl in school and gets away with it the minute after. He is tall and good looking. Well, not as tall as Changmin though who looks like growing up to his recent height over a month. Changmin is still skinny and boney but compared to the months before he lives with Junsu, he gains more weight and he looks way happier it irritates some students. The number one easiest to provoke for a fight is now bubbly and smiley. He treats the teachers better and studies in class like a real student. Even Jonghyun can’t brush off feelings that Changmin is undergoing a drastic change.

      “Junsu didn’t work yesterday. I gave him two days off this week and he used one yesterday. Why don’t you come to his flat?” Jaejoong eyes the social officer in mild interest. He has met one detective asking for Junsu and ended up answering questions he didn’t like to answer and now here comes another one from social department.

      “I’m sorry.” Yunho senses clear rejection from the young extraordinarily good looking store manager. “I thought it will be better to meet him outside his residence.”

Jaejoong casts his gaze around the children section, wanting to end the conversation soon.

      “Do you mind my coming here tomorrow to see him again? He has no phone to reach and I don’t know about his shifts’ schedule.”

Jaejoong shrugs.

      “What Junsu does outside store isn’t my concern to know in details.” Jaejoong coldly says. “You can come anytime here.”

      “Thank you, Mr. Manager.”

The manager might treat him coldly, Yunho understands. Jaejoong might feel upset because of the interruption Yunho does to the manager’s busy working time. He wonders if the detective also got the cold shoulder too from this one breathtakingly handsome manager.

      “You don’t look good. Too much working?” Rita scoffs her student.

      “I’m terribly sorry for skipping class yesterday, ma’am.” Junsu bows expressing his regret.

      “Mass-media and its implication toward society modern lifestyle.” Rita reads the heading on Junsu’s paper. “I’ll check this later. How’s Changmin?”

Junsu is not expecting the sudden changing topic.

      “Um.. he is doing really well at school.”

      “Glad to hear that. Prof. Si Hoo told me about the dropped case. Congratulation.”

      “Thank you, ma’am.”

      “I’ll return your side paper on Saturday.”

Junsu goes home to his flat and write a note for Changmin.

I’ll be working and doing my assignments in the store. Might be as well sleeping there to finish my papers. Have dinner well.

Junsu.

He grabs a changing outfit, stuffs them into his bag, drinks a glass of water and leaves for afternoon shift. His face still has traces of paleness and dark baggy circles around his tadpole eyes. He greets Mr. Fujitsu and rides his old bike to Kim’s bookstore.

Changmin finds the empty flat and crumples the note in irritation. He wants to show Junsu that he’s got another A for social studies. His long essay on the dead Romeo and Juliet scored a B+ because he went astray from the topic. He wrote about happiness and wandered from the romance and values he should have written about but the teacher praised his essay. Now he has to have dinner alone again. The noise outside the flat somehow bothering him and he snaps at some playing kids who run freely from corner to corner with loud shriek and high laughter.

Well, okay. Two days more and it’s Saturday. No complaining, Changmin. Let’s do homework. The teachers really love to keep them busy with homework, don’t they? What now? Group project? Oh, crap. Junsu is not home and he needs to go to Jonghyun’s house to do the group project.

The days pass and Junsu spends time more and more often in his work place than at home. Changmin sees him like fifteen minutes every day either in the morning or at late night after work where Junsu is tired and falls asleep as soon as he meets pillow. Junsu knows no day where he doesn’t work or do his paper in the store. He forgets his another day off as new arrival books hit the store and the upcoming of signing days by three different authors. The employees have to set the spot and decorate it as demanded by the author’s agency or management. Displays are arranged and rearranged in the followings weeks and Jaejoong is too immersed in his work to notice that one of his store assistants spends too much time working or sleeping in the store’s basement.

Changmin uses the green coupons to shop food but he is not allowed to cash the brown ones as the legitimate one is the guardian. Junsu is right about him needing money for his senior year. Changmin is soon busied with school’s yearbook, school trip, school’s festival, class’ performance, class’ project, group study, projects, homework and so on. His grades slowly crawl up significantly from Ds to B- and few C+. He manages three As for art, history and literature. He draws well. His sketches attract the teacher’s interest and he is motivated to draw better. His head isn’t dropped low anymore when Junsu comes to school to meet Ms. Trang and discusses about Changmin’s academic monthly report. He beams at both of his homeroom teacher and Junsu who looks so pleased with Changmin’s scores. Junsu makes time to come to school despite his load of work and piling up assignments. Changmin can’t be more grateful for that. He sketches Junsu a lot but keeps them hidden from the object drawn and everyone. Changmin meets Yoochun three times. Once when Yunho visits him at school during extra lessons. The other two are when Yoochun bumps into him on the way home and the handsome detective gives him a ride home. The last one, however, feels like an arranged meeting than coincidental one.

      “No fist-bump anymore nowadays?”

Changmin casts a side glance toward the driving detective.

      “Fist-bumping with homework and projects.” Changmin grumbles. “I don’t really care about what Taecyon and his gang do anymore. They can fool around all the way their moron faces want.”

      “Nice.” Yoochun smiles meaningfully. “I guess we could drop the surveillance on you.”

      “Excuse me?” Changmin’s eyebrow quirked.

      “Junsu didn’t tell you? No? Yeah. He didn’t.” the detective takes a left turn. “Your case was dropped with conditions. If you are involved in any physical violence for three months ahead after your case’s dropped, the state would take you under their care and send you back to your family or relatives.”

Changmin gulps in shock.

      “Junsu said you wouldn’t do any stupid fight anymore because you’d learned your lesson. That’s why you didn’t have to answer to a court and imprisoned behind the bar. Your case was dropped and you behave really well these two months.”

Changmin doesn’t have a clue what to say.

      “I was wondering what Junsu did to cage your fist in check.”

      “Nothing.” Changmin replies after a while. Junsu did do nothing. He didn’t set rules for Changmin except for school.

      “At all?” the detective slower the car’s pace as they reach Changmin’s flat.

      “He said he trusted me.”

      “And?”

      “I don’t wanna break his trust.”

The knowing smile on Yoochun’s face is hidden well. His detective guts tell him something from the senior high schooler’s look and the way he speaks about Junsu but it’s not his business.

      “You are eighteen, aren’t you?” He pulls his car aside and stops.

      “Nineteen soon.”

      “I bet girls and boys are all over you with your look and height.”

      “Haha.” Changmin unbuckles the seatbelt on him. “Like they will care to a poor boy. Girls run away from me and boys dare me to fight. Is that what you call all over me?”

Yoochun laughs at the picture. Can’t blame them doing so.

      “They will run after you soon or they are running after you but you don’t notice.”

      “Huh?”

      “Girls are usually shy to initiate talking to you first, especially with your infamous fist-bumping pinned on your head. Boys dare you to fight to get your attention.”

      “Really, sir.” Changmin opens the car’s door. “You sound like Jonghyun too much.” He closes the door. “Thank you for the ride.”

      “Say hi to Junsu. I haven’t seen him around for ages.”

You’d better not, Changmin scoffs. You’d corrupt him like Jonghyun always does shoving me with those pictures. Pfft.. Detective my knees.

Junsu comes home that night after eleven, tired and worn out as usual. Changmin is awake from his short doze off hearing the sound of opened door and light steps to bathroom. He lets his bedroom’s door open again waiting for Junsu.

      “Why do you let your door open?” Junsu comes out from bathroom, refreshed but still tired. “What if someone comes and do something bad?”

      “Huh?” Changmin rubs his eyes. “I didn’t let it open. Was doing math homework and fell asleep.”

      “Getting better giving excuse now, aren’t we?” Junsu pulls the sleepy Changmin to couch. “Had dinner?”

      “Hmm.”

      “Boring day in school?”

      “Hmm.”

      “Got detention?”

Changmin shakes his head, eyes heavy with sleepiness but he wants to see Junsu.

      “Go back to sleep.”

Changmin lies down on the couch and curls up, folding his knees and body into one.

      “Your bed, hero.”

      “Zzzzz.,”

      “Not funny, Min.”

      “You’re so busy.” Changmin mumbles with closed eyes.

      “Am I? Sorry about that.”

      “Hhnnggg..”

His face is covered with somewhat like plastic wrapping. Changmin lazily grabs the thing covering his face to throw aside and his hand meets thick wrapping. He grunts and forces his eyes open to see.

      “What the..

Junsu laughs seeing Changmin’s confused sleepy face.

      “Is it a doll?” Changmin juts his lower lip, eyes still buffering to look clearly. “I’m not girl!!” he squeezes the thick heavy wrapping to feel whether it’s a stuffed plushy or not.

      “Perhaps.” Junsu still laughs. “C’mon. You have school tomorrow.” He pulls Changmin up and pushes the half asleep teenager to his bedroom.

      “I’m done with mathey workie.” Changmin complains but complies at the push leading him to his bed. He carries the plastic wrapping and drags it along with his left hand.

      “Nite, hero.” Junsu closes Changmin’s door after making sure the teenager is safe sleeping in bed covered with blanket. The plastic wrapping is stationed next to his sleeping figure as the tall eighteen years old muttering low protests before getting lost in dream in seconds.

Junsu is still sleeping in peace when his door is knocked persistently. He doesn’t lock his door but Changmin never opens it without being allowed to enter.

      “Go!” Junsu utters in groggy voice.

      “Junsu! Junsu!”

      “Junsu is sleeping!”

      “I’m entering your room!!”

Aish this kid.

Junsu yanks his thin blanket and gets up to answer Changmin’s stubborn knocking.

      “I have afternoon shift, Min. Can I sleep more for a while?” He scolds the bright beaming face jumping to his arms, shocking Junsu.

      “A new bag! A new bag! You should have told me last night. Where did you get it?”

      “Store. Where else?” Junsu’s sleepiness is gone with the hug. His body goes stiff and rigid.

      “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” Changmin hugs him once more and laughs happily. “Gotta go now. I’ve made breakfast in the kitchen. Seeee yoouuu!! Wooohoooo!!” and he dashes out of the flat in one flash leaving the stiff standing Junsu at the door of his room.

      “Golden sunflower.” Jonghyun rolls his eyes. “Was it that great last night? How many round?”

      “You y bastard!” Changmin chuckles. His mood soars up to the sky. “Look what I bring to school.” He shows his new bag off to his best friend.

      “Put that lame thing down, buddy.” Jonghyun swats the bags shoved to his forehead away. “You are blinding our sight with that cunning light you turn on your face. Ahh..Where’s my shades?”

Jonghyun isn’t poking fun at his deskmate since Changmin is indeed shining bright with unstoppable smile and stupid grin. Too bad Changmin has to attend extra hours at school till four otherwise he can run home and meet Junsu before the man leaves for work.

The sunflower state lasts for three days. On Saturday afternoon, he goes home from extra hours at school in light happy steps. Things are just marvelous. His latest drawing gets A and the teacher suggested him refine the drawing to be sent as one of school representative participants in regional high school annual art competition. He uses new bag, new uniform and he gains more friends at school from the extra hours class. He studies better too nowadays as his quizzes get Bs in average and two C+s. No more Ds.

He opens the flat door and sees Junsu’s shoes are still in the flat. He has his day off? Changmin smiles wider.

      “I’m home.” He announces and walks to his room. He throws his new big bag on to bed and takes off his uniform to change with his casual shirt and trousers. Is junsu still asleep as usual? He hums a song and goes to kitchen, making some meal for lunch. He makes two bowls of shrimp flavored udon. One for him, one for Junsu.

      “Junsu?” Changmin knocks the book room. “I made lunch. Are you still dreaming?”

Silence. No respond.

Changmin tsks. Junsu is somewhat light sleeper. If he doesn’t wake up hearing knocking sound, either he’s too tired and refuses to wake up or he’s really deep asleep.

      “I’ll eat first. Hurry come to kitchen.”

Changmin eats his ramen up quickly. He carries the dirty bowl and spoon (he is accustomed to eating anything with spoon now) to the sink and walks back to Junsu’s room after drinking some water.

      “Junsu.” He knocks again. “Your udon will be elephant if you don’t eat them now.”

No answer. Changmin knocks again. Harder.

      “I’m entering your room!” He warns after fourth round knocking and gets no respond.

No sound of Junsu.

Changmin turns the door handle and opens the door slowly. It’s dark. He opens the door wider and turns on the light. What he sees later shocks him to his core.

Junsu, sleeping, unmoved. His nose has a running blood. Fresh one. It runs over his cheeks and stains the pillow.

      “JUNSU!!”

It’s like the sun suddenly disappears from Changmin’s universe. He runs frantically hugging the sleeping man and feels the temperature rising from the man’s body. Changmin’s heart stops functioning and his brain is paralyzed. His sun is held by dark black clouds blocking its shine and warmth.

duckie said ..... not gonna tell you :p