“Jung Yunho.”

 

“Yea?”

 

“I like you. Go out on a date with me.”

 

“….What?”

 

Needless to say, the first time Jung Yunho met Kim Jaejoong he was rather…awestruck?

 

Not just because the young man had his reddish brown hair tied up in bun or that he was looking down at with his determined eyes through pink, Hello Kitty glasses that clashed so horribly with his red turtleneck; his cute, plumb lips set in a line. Nor was it because the man’s body appeared so slim and his perfectly waist so petite that it could have belonged to a woman that Yunho was he wasn’t the only one imagining what it would feel like to wrap his hands around it.

 

No, what struck him as the odd was that this attractive stranger had walked up to him at his regular café and asked him on a date. Well, not so much asked. It was more like a statement than a question. A demand than a suggestion.

 

Instantly taking away Yunho’s chances to refuse and only confusing him more.

 

“Wait, what—what are—”

 

“Meet me at the entrance of the amusement park in front of the train station at four this Saturday,” the redhead said, leaving no room for Yunho to finish his questioning.

 

“This Saturday? But I—”

 

“Would you rather go on Sunday?” the only question that young man had asked since he had walked up and basically demanded that he go on a date with him.

 

“Wha—no, Saturday is fine! But—”

 

“Good!” the man’s smile was so bright and beautiful, that Yunho caught himself holding his breath, “I’ll see you then, Jung Yunho!”

 

The tall college student was stunned to silence as the slender man glided over to the exit, that gorgeous smile still on his face. It wasn’t until the redhead was halfway out the door that Yunho found his voice again.

 

“H-hold on a second! Who are you?!”

 

The redhead didn’t appear to hear him and walked out of the café without a care, leaving the college sophomore with a half empty cup of expresso and a slightly cold blueberry muffin.

 

===

 

That was day he officially met Kim Jaejoong. Well, not officially. Officially requires information, a name to place to a face and a phone number to match and well, Yunho had none. And he wouldn’t have a chance to even get to know the name of his admirer until three days later when he met up with him at the amusement park.

 

Yes, he did meet up with the very forward, café shop stranger at the amusement park.

 

This would have surprised most people. Hell, it even surprised Yunho himself. He had promised after his last break-up to a-girl-whose-shouldn’t-even-mentioned-in-this-story that he would give up on relationships and focus on school. Which was hard, since people walked up to him a lot and he had to bite back his niceness to politely reply: ‘no thank you’.

 

Perhaps, his admirer had heard of this. And made sure that Yunho didn’t have a chance to say it.

 

Sneaky guy.

 

“Are you serious? He just walked up to you and told you to go out with him? Wow, that guy has some balls!” Yoochun said, as he munched happily on some BBQ flavored chips.

 

“Really, Chun? Are you an animal? Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Yunho chided his younger friend while flicking his forehead with his plastic fork and ignoring the ‘what the hell are you my mother?’ retort, “and yea, he just walked in and said ‘go out with me’ and I didn’t even know what to say…it was just so…weird.”

 

“Hmmm…” the smaller man mused, as he knocked the plastic fork away and continued to finish off his chips, “so you didn’t even catch his name?”

 

“No. He left before I finally got the chance to ask him,” the college sophomore replied as he played with his pasta, “Now I guess I’ll have never know.”

 

“What? You mean you’re not going to meet up with him?”

 

He sighed.

 

“I don’t know. I mean, I know I should…but I’m just tired of dating…I’m tired of my lovers always turning out to be the same person. Two-faced. Annoying. I’m just done with it all. And you never know he could be some crazy, psycho killer or something…”

 

But then again, it didn’t really hit the man’s image. Unless you call Hello Kitty glasses, ponytails, and ugly red turtlenecks in the summer as signs of a born serial killer. Then again, Yunho had never met a serial killer face to face, so maybe the pretty appearance mixed with the childish attire was indeed the look of a serial killer…but he could probably label at least half of his past girlfriends as killers…and the other half would be considered psycho stalkers.

 

Still, the man certainly didn’t fit either of those images.

 

“He doesn’t sound like one to me. Maybe you should give it a try, hyung. You haven’t had a date let alone a normal conversation with people since your last girlfriend. It’s starting to get a little pathetic—”

 

“—hey now!”

 

“—I’m just saying maybe you’ll be surprised,” Yoochun smirked as he rested his head on his hands and stared into Yunho’s annoyed face, “besides I know you. And I KNOW you’re curious too. You like him already don’t you, Yunho hyung?”

 

Yunho had to admit that he was instantly attracted to the man the second he casually sat down at his table asked him out. To put it plainly, he was curious. He was curious as to how the man knew his name. Perhaps, he was an acquaintance of one of his friends? One of his exs? Did he go to the same university? He didn’t remember ever seeing him in any of his classes.

 

He was sure he would have noticed someone like him.

 

And then there was an issue of hurting the man, and Yunho didn’t like the image he saw if he didn’t show up. He didn’t want to think about how the man would feel if he didn’t show up and make him stand there for hours waiting for him. There were many people who would tell him you’re too nice for your own good but Yunho couldn’t help it. He didn’t like hurting people and didn’t like seeing their faces when he rejected their feelings. He guessed that his punishment was the numerous failed relationships.

 

But that was no reason to punish this man. He would at least give it a try.

 

“Fine, fine. I might as well go…I need to have a night off anyway.”

 

Then I can properly reject him.

 

“But if something happens and I get kidnapped and killed, I’ll make sure to have it was my best friend’s Park Yoochun’s idea written on my tombstone.”

 

Yoochun smiled in victory, “There you go, hyung. You need some action! You’ve been extremely clingy lately.”

 

Yunho sighed in annoyance, flicking Yoochun with the plastic fork once more inciting a “ouch!” before he grabbed his tray and left the cafeteria.

 

Saturday came quickly and Yunho found himself walking towards the entrance of the park. He easily picked out the beautiful man, even without the Hello Kitty glasses. He was still casually dressed in a white turtleneck and jeans. His hair was no longer held up by a ponytail and fell even more flawlessly over his doe eyes that looked even larger once he spotted him among the crowd.

 

“You came…” the man seemed very surprised that he had even showed up. It seemed that he had been fully prepared to be forgotten or ignored and he had only come due by some miracle that he did come.

 

Well, miracle it was.

 

Yunho laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he approached his suitor who appeared shier and more self-conscious than that day in the cafe, “Yea, well, you did tell me to meet you here so, here I am.”

 

“You are…I just didn’t imagine that you’d come…I thought…” the man shared in Yunho’s own nervousness by awkwardly adjusting his sleeves, pull them up and down along his forearm, “after I left, I thought I had freaked out you… and that you wouldn’t show up.”

 

The taller man chuckled, silently wishing the awkwardness away, “Well, it wasn’t the most ideal way to get asked out but I guess you could say I was intrigued.”

 

The smaller man smiled shyly but the smile did not completely reach his eyes, “I’m sorry about that. I was really nervous and I didn’t know how I should I ask you out. I’ve been….wanting to for a very long time—”

 

A long time? Interesting.

 

“—so I’m really sorry if I freaked you out and forced you to meet up with me. You can leave if you want. I won’t hold it against you…”

 

Even if Yunho wanted to ignore the down casted expression of the man’s face or the watering of those large eyes, he knew he wouldn’t have been able to. The desire to hold the man was stronger than his desire to take the chance and turn tail and run from this man who only confused yet intrigued him at the same time. Those feelings, whether he understood them or not, was what kept Yunho there. He wanted to know more about this person who had, only a few days before, demanded that he go out with him but now seemed so self-conscious as if he wanted nothing more than the concrete to turned into an alligator and eat him whole.

 

And that was reason why Yunho stepped closer to the smaller, shrugging slightly and a friendly smile on his face, “It’s okay. I’m already here so we might as well see how this night goes right?”

 

Well, it was too late now. Might as well go through with it.

 

Once again, the smile that appeared on the man’s face was so stunning that Yunho felt his chest ache at the sight, his heart racing a mile a second, “By the way, I never got your name. Care to tell me just who I’m shall be wooing tonight?”

 

The man giggled, covering his mouth in a way that Yunho found so adorable and endearing, “Jaejoong. Kim Jaejoong.”

 

Ah Jaejoong…Kim Jaejoong…

 

Their first date was one that he would always remember. After they had paid for the tickets, the awkwardness between them never really went away. They had stayed silent most of the time, the only conversation being ‘where they came from’, ‘where they went to school’ and of course Yunho just had to ask ‘how did he know his name?’ and ‘just how long had he liked him’. He found that Jaejoong actually goes to the same university, but was a year younger and had only been there for one semester.

 

He also found out that he was majoring in photography and had always been into art while Yunho…well, he was still deciding. But explained why Yunho might have found him familiar. He had come into the Communication Arts building from time to time for a couple of classes. He remembered how Jaejoong seemed curious as to why Yunho’s major was still undecided after he was already halfway through his second year of college, but he didn’t press. Yunho was happy that he didn’t, because he wasn’t ready to open that can of worms just yet.

 

But when he asked ‘how long had he liked him’ Jaejoong simply replied, “Just a while.”

 

And nothing more.

 

After that they fell into silence that was neither comforting nor awkward. It was just…silence. They had walked around, only a riding a few rides, one of which being a rather slow and scarily put together carousel, and played a few games which left them a few dollars short and only one, hand-sized stuffed husky that Yunho had been given out of pity by one of the workers. To which he gave it to his quite date. At least that Yunho found some comfort that Jaejoong actually liked the toy and held it like it was the most precious thing on the planet.

 

Soon, they both reached the large Ferris wheel at the center of the park. It was the most popular ride and while it seemed a little too romantic for a first date, neither of them questioned anything as they walked in that direction and hopped on without a word.

 

Still, the silence was there. And Yunho began to feel that maybe staying had been a mistake after all and that he might eventually have to go through the trouble, once again, to reject that man’s offer for another date. If he wanted to offer it at all.

 

I’m sure he’s probably disappointed by now. God, this is so awkward…

 

Yunho thought as he turned to speak, which something they both had refused to do for the past hour, but soon he was left, once again, speechless. He stared with his mouth agape as he watched as the lights of the Ferris wheel bounced off Jaejoong’s pale face and as the man’s pouty lips curled up with a content expression on his face. There was something this man’s presence, the powerful expressions that played on his face that had him lost in wonder.

 

And he was once again surprised, when Jaejoong pulled out his phone as if to take a picture of the skyline, but instead turning a slightly to the left and took a picture of both of them, catching Yunho’s affectionate gaze in just one snap. When he looked at Jaejoong questionably, still not able to find his voice, the smaller man smiled and said, “Just wanted to make a memory is all.”

 

He wanted to ask him what he meant…but he knew, deep down, that Jaejoong probably wouldn’t have told him. At least not yet. To be honest, most people might have found Jaejoong’s sudden desire for a romantic selca with a random guy on their first date. However, Yunho didn’t. Instead, he found it very endearing, and it only made him more and more curious about the man named Kim Jaejoong.

 

And in that moment, even it was only one date and an odd one at that, even he couldn’t deny what his feelings were telling him. That was falling in love with the redhead.

 

Hell, perhaps he had already fallen in love…in that café three days ago.

 

So, when they left the amusement park two hours later and about to head their separate ways, it was him who asked for a second date.

 

And Jaejoong smiled and said, “Of course.”

 

And thus began his life with Kim Jaejoong.

 

Jaejoong.

 

…was indeed an interesting specimen of a human being.

 

Yunho didn’t need more than a few minutes to figure that out. But it would take him the next few months to even begin to figure just how interesting.

 

It was the second date (which was at the zoo where they spent most of the day near the elephant exhibit) that he realized that the confident man who had asked him out and the shy beauty at the amusement park were one and in the same. Kim Jaejoong was actually a very, VERY talkative person; open about his feelings (which he explained was due to growing up with eight, older sisters), quirky to the core, often times nerdy, and honest, oh so very honest. To the point of bluntness. The more he knew Jaejoong, the more he had gotten used to the unusual comments and the strange need to take pictures of everyone and everything that he found intriguing, even if it angered them in the process.

 

Not to mentioned like recording himself babbling nonsense and putting up on instagram. So much so that Yunho wondered Jaejoong plus internet and technology was not the compatible .

 

No matter how cute and adorable those videos were…

 

Thus, he tried to avoid that camera phone at all costs.

 

But instead of being put off by it, Yunho found himself adoring and even admiring Jaejoong’s honesty and lovable weirdness.

 

However, at the same time, Jaejoong was one of the sweetest people he had ever met. Even with his bluntness, he never intentionally tried to hurt anyone else and wiser than even he gave him credit for. He was also great with children, as he happily noticed the way Jaejoong’s many nieces and nephews adored the man to pieces. Even Yunho had eventually introduced him to Yoochun, the two seemed to hit it off immediately, like they had always meant to be friends. Like soulmates, Jaejoong had said.

 

Pfft, whatever.

 

And Yunho found himself getting along with Jaejoong’s two friends, Junsu and Changmin, who, despite being a year younger than Jaejoong and still in high school, were able to keep up the smaller man’s “unique” personality; making them the perfect companions.

 

The dates continued long after the first. On the third date, they kissed. A slight peck that by the fifth date, turned into something deeper. By the seventh date, they were already together and for the first time in a long time, Yunho actually felt happy about a relationship. There was no falsity when it came to Jaejoong; was no selfishness or cruelty. Which was something he had always come across. People had always asked him out because of his good looks…but once they went out with him, it seemed, they were always disappointed. As if they expected him to be something, something bigger than what he was.

 

They would continue to date him, hoping to make him into what they thought he should be.

 

Over time, Yunho had come to see the signs and end it before it got too far.

 

Before the hurt would become too much.

 

Jaejoong it was never like that. In fact, he never pushed Yunho. Never once.

 

Well, maybe during their first meeting, but that was only out of shyness.

 

Other than that, Jaejoong was unlike a majority of people in his life who would make it their priority to tell him what to do with his life.

 

But there was one thing that made Yunho curious…for as much as Jaejoong talked about his past; the smaller man rarely shared much about his time in high school. He had talked about his childhood. About playing badmitten in junior high. And his semester in college. But never about his high school. Not that it was important. But he felt that something was missing…

 

Something was off…

 

“Why did you quit playing hockey?” Jaejoong had asked him one night, as they sat in Yunho’s apartment watching horror movies on the Sci-fi channel. Of course they all turned to be more hilarious than scary and had them rolling all over each other laughing.

 

“How do you know I quit?” he raised an eyebrow. He didn’t even realize he had told why he had quit playing the sport he had grown up loving but over time had started to despise. He knew he had told Jaejoong that he had played hockey and that he was very good, but he had quit playing after his senior year of high school.

 

It had been the beginning of his “rebellion” as his father would call it.

 

Jaejoong shrugged, “Yoochun told me that you quit. I don’t think he meant to mention it. I just figured you got hurt or something. You seem...happy when you talk about playing it so I was curious.”

 

He sighed as he wrapped his arms around Jaejoong’s shoulder, gently combing through his boyfriend’s soft hair, “I guess I was…tired. It was fun when I was younger. Until I realized that it had become more like a job than a game…more of a way for my father to control me. My parents and I, as you know, we don’t get along very well.”

 

The smaller man nodded while he started playing with Yunho’s long fingers, like he couldn’t enough of the feel of the other’s skin against the tips of his fingers.

 

“I know I should’ve felt lucky. That I was one of few kids whose fathers went to all of their games and to every school event, but I didn’t feel that way. No matter what I do or have done, it was never good enough. By my senior, I couldn’t stand playing it competitively anymore. And it was the same with school. He had always wanted me to study law, but….after the first semester, I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted. Hell, I still don’t know what I want to do with my life…I don’t have a single clue…but I just, I didn’t want to go through the same thing I went through with hockey as I did with choosing what I wanted to do for the rest of my life…but my father, he’s never forgiven me for quitting. So, well, that’s my sob story…I sound like a selfish brat, don’t I?” Yunho joked, though his body was still tense and full of held in frustration and bitterness.

 

To be honest, he wasn’t used to not having a plan or a goal set out for him. To know what he’d be doing 5 years into the future. He was always used to have things planned out for him. But now, he had become accustomed to it. And that scared him even more. But somehow, with Jaejoong and his other friends, it didn’t frighten him as much as it used to.

 

There were a lot of things that no longer scared since Jaejoong came into his life.

 

“No, you don’t. You’re not selfish for wanting to choose what you want to do with your life. Whatever it may be, you should be happy doing it. I know my parents don’t really accept my love for photography but it makes me happy and whatever you choose, you do what make you happy too,” Jaejoong said as he curled up against the taller man’s body, “and you said that you like that Creative Writing class. Your professor praised your writing on that last assignment remember? Maybe you should become a writer?”

 

Yunho thought it over briefly. He did like the idea of writing. He had already written so much about his life and of course, about his boyfriend. A couple of the writing assignments that he had turned had been about Jaejoong, and of course, he had aced them. All because of Jaejoong.

 

The man was definitely his biggest muse.

 

Not that he has told Jaejoong this. He was sure he wouldn’t be happy finding out some of the personal things he mentioned in those papers.

 

“So, you’re fine with a having a boyfriend who works a run-down restaurant and has no plans for the future?” Yunho asked as he leaned down into that lovely face, his nose lightly touching Jaejoong’s own, their lips barely centimeters apart.

 

Jaejoong smiled, “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Jaejoong smiled as he leaned forward and gave his taller lover as quick but extremely wet, “besides, I could always sell those pictures of Little Yunho-peepee on Ebay. I’m sure that’ll bring a lot of money, don’t you think?”

 

Yunho found himself shoved playfully to the other side of the couch as the redhead rushed towards the bedroom. It wasn’t long before he frantically followed behind, hoping to push that notion out of Jaejoong’s head forever. Preferably in the comfort in his bedroom.

 

And by not-so-innocent means.

 

Not that Jaejoong ever complained at all. Neither of them did.

 

Everything had seemed perfect. Almost too perfect. Until a stupid, drunken comment almost ruined that perfection….

 

===

 

He and Yoochun had been drinking together one Saturday night, just like had been doing regularly for the past couple of years. They weren’t completely drunk but enough to lose whatever filter they had been born with.

 

“…you know…I’m still mad at Changmin—” Yoochun slurred and giggled to him at the same time. When Yunho asked why, Yoochun continued, “he—he promised me he would help me in Algebra if I helped him out. And after all I did to make sure Junsu and Jaejoong’s bet go through, he’s been ignoring me…some reward huh.”

 

When he heard the word ‘bet’, he sobered up quickly.

 

“What do you mean bet?”

 

“You know, the bet that Junsu made with Jaejoong to ask you out. Apparently, he had liked you since high school. But hey! You never told me you two were in the same high school! You could’ve been together so much longer!” Yoochun went off his rant again, mumbling away, “and Changmin told me to make sure you went…stupid Changmin! I hate him!”

===

Yunho was shocked to say the least. Shocked and angry.

 

A bet.

 

The reason Jaejoong had asked him out was because of a bet he had made with Junsu. The two and Changmin apparently had went to the same high school together, to HIS high school. And yet, neither of them had mentioned going to the same high school. And Jaejoong had never mentioned going to the same high school as him. Or even knowing his name outside of going to the same college.

 

This bet? What kind of bet?

 

He knew he should’ve been more rational about this. He had never known Jaejoong to lie but to withhold that kind of information. But after a few drinks and painful knot that was growing in his stomach, Yunho couldn’t control himself and grabbed his cellphone and called Jaejoong. When the smaller man answered with his usual playful ‘hey Yunnie’, he was immediately assaulted by Yunho’s accusations.

 

“I heard you had a bet with Junsu. What was it?”

 

“W-what? How did—?”

 

“And also how do you really know me, Jaejoong? We were in high school together, weren’t we? But that’s what you said…”

 

“Y-Yunho…”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me that, Jae?”

 

“….because it wasn’t important anymore…”

 

“Like how it wasn’t important! You knew me all of this time and you didn’t say anything?”   

 

“I-I didn’t think it was that important. It’s not like you knew me…it’s not like you knew I ever existed…”

 

Yunho swallowed the rush of guilt. Now was not the time to feel guilty, to feel sad. No matter how much he wanted to forget he heard anything and rush over to Jaejoong’s apartment and hold him in the most intimate way possible, he was tired of being nice, tired of being used.

 

Tired of his lovers all turning out to be the same. Liars.

 

“What was the bet, Jae? Did I reject you in high school or something?! Did I break your poor, little heart and now you’re trying to get back at me or something?!”

 

“It’s not what you think…it’s not like that…”

 

“Then what is it? Tell me!”

 

“Do you really think I would do something like that, Yunho?”

 

“Dammit, Jae! Tell me!”

 

“It’s because I’m sick okay!”

 

“….What?”

 

“I’m…I’m sick…I was…sick.”

 

“…was…sick…”

 

“I—I had cancer, Yunho.”

 

Cancer.

 

Jaejoong has…had cancer. Hodgkin’s lymphoma…which luckily, had been detected early enough to that it had given a higher chance of survival and remission.

 

He had been sick.

 

Those two years…all Yunho could think about were what he was doing during that time. He had been worrying about his hockey team, getting voted in as Student Council President, and about dating the cute girls and boys. All the while, the man he would eventually fall in love with… had been in and out of hospitals…battling for his life…not once being able to experience what high school life was like or what it was like to date or to be around his peers.

 

He remembered that he was shocked to find out that Jaejoong had never been on a date. And had never been kissed. That he never been to a football game let alone a hockey game. That he had only been to that amusement park once he was a child, and that their first date had been the first he had been there since being getting released from the hospital.

 

“You’ve never skated before, Joongie?”

 

“Nope! I’ve never been on the ice before. I’ve always wanted to but I never…had the time…”

 

He remembered holding his unusually quiet lover close to his chest before stating, “I’ll teach you how to skate. Let’s go skating on the pond when it’s snows.”

 

“Eh? Are you sure that’s safe?”

 

“Of course, it’s safe. I wouldn’t put you into any type of danger!” He exclaimed, while sounding extremely offended, “so much faith you have in boyfriend there, babe.”

 

“I don’t mean the ice. I mean me. Are you sure it’s safe with my clumsy and ice skates? I might somehow slit your throat by accident!”

 

“I think I can manage. I think I’ve become Jae-proof by now,” he laughed loudly as he pecked Jaejoong on the cheek, “but don’t worry, I wouldn’t let you fall.”

 

That’s the reason why he said he had always wanted to learn how to skate…but never had time…never had time or never felt well enough…

 

Jaejoong had missed all that…all those things…and he didn’t even know he had existed.

 

After Jaejoong had hung up the phone in near tears and Yunho finally sobered up enough to realize what he had done, he sat in his room, trying to figure out a way for Jaejoong to forgive him for unleashing those inner insecurities he had about himself and others. He felt even worse when Junsu called him, not sounding too pleased with him but still nice enough to clear everything up completely.

 

“The bet was for Jaejoong to ask you out. And Changmin, he convinced Yoochun to make sure you would go when Jaejoong asked you. You see, he really liked you in high school, but he was really shy and insecure then…I mean, he wasn’t the most popular kid. At least not enough to be noticed to the older students like you…But he had liked you. He would talk about how he loved watching you skate and that it was you that made him fall in love with photography… I know you never knew this…but when he got sick and Changmin and I stuck with him through the whole thing…It was horrible…Jae had lost so much weight cause he couldn’t hold any food down…his neck was swollen all of time…he had fevers, back pain, and he had lost large clumps of his hair because of the chemo…It was just…it was a horrible time for Jae.”

 

Yunho choked. He could only imagine.

 

“But through it all, he always tried to be positive and would always smile even when things looked bleak…when Jaejoong started to get better, he told me that he didn’t want to take anything for granted this time…that he wanted to live his life to the fullest, to have no regrets…so I bet him, I told him that he should ask you out once he gets better and if he couldn’t, his statement would mean nothing…and so he did…he asked you out…and since then I’ve never seen him happier than I have now…”

 

He was in tears while hearing this. He didn’t bother to wipe them away as they fell down his cheeks and onto the bed.

 

“The cancer has become a part of Jaejoong’s life. He has grown so much from who was before he had cancer. So much so that I don’t understand sometimes why he didn’t mention it to you before. I know that he hates the pitiful looks that he gets especially since he still feels side effects of the chemotherapy and drugs. So much so that he tries to hide the fact that it ever happened. That he ever had cancer. I mean, it’s not like cancer is something should be considered a good thing to happen to anyone. But…it was gave Jae the push to start his life. A push to take chances. And because of that, it brought him to you…And I couldn’t be more grateful for that…he needs you, just like you need him…”

 

And he did need him. He needed Kim Jaejoong. Needed like he needed to breath. The man may have come into his life and swept him away like the unforgiving tide…but that was what Yunho had wanted. It was what he had been looking for.

 

Someone like Jaejoong.

 

It made so much sense.

 

“Where did you get the scar on your neck?” He remembered asking, around the fourth when Jaejoong had decided to take off his green turtleneck. One of many that Yunho found out he had.

 

The smaller man coughed nervously and began rubbing the scar that ran from the juncture of his left shoulder to just below his jawline. It was light enough and short enough to be covered by his clothes but painful looking enough to be questioned.

 

“It’s nothing. Just an old childhood injury. I’ve always had it,” the smaller man said, watching him carefully.

 

He had wondered why Jaejoong never said anything about it. If it was that minor than it shouldn’t have been a big deal. But then again, Jaejoong obvious felt uncomfortable and self-conscious about it. Enough to wear turtlenecks in 80 degree weather. So, Yunho understood why the smaller man might not have wanted him to see those insecurities just yet.

 

“It’s ugly isn’t it?”

 

Yunho shook his head and leaned down to kiss the scar before his way up the man’s neck to just below his ear, “Not at all. I think it’s y.”

 

Now it made so much since.

 

That scar.

 

One the tumors had traveled to his neck.

 

It made so much since now.

 

Oh, Jaejoong…

 

My honest, kind, strong, and beautiful Kim Jaejoong.

 

That night he had called Jaejoong. Though, he was afraid that the man would ignore his calls. Not that he would blame him. He would ignore his calls too after the way he had acted the night before. But after a few rings he got his answer.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Kim Jaejoong.”

 

“Eh? Yunho?”

 

“I like you. Go out on a date with me.”

 

“W-what?”

 

“I’ll meet at the skating rink tonight at 10.”

 

“At 10? But it’s—”

 

“I’ll be waiting…”

 

With clink he had ended the call and headed over in the direction of the rink, with the timing being quarter after nine o’clock.

 

He had arrived just before 10, when he turned and saw his boyfriend running up into the front entrance of the gate. He wore his favorite black and white Hamtaro sweats and wore that ugly red turtleneck that he had worn on their first date. He never knew Jae favored turtlenecks but now, it made sense. When Jae was sick and his neck started to swell, he would find ways to hide the swelling and high collared outfits like turtlenecks seemed to work best.

 

Perhaps, it was his unconscious need to hide those wounds…ones that he felt so subconscious about because no matter how many times Yunho told him was beautiful, Jae refused to believe it. Maybe someday he would see that his body, despite the struggle it had gone through, was even more beautiful than before.

 

Before the smaller man could open his mouth to question what they were doing there so late at night, Yunho unlocked the gate with ease (due to the key that one of the janitors had given him when he and friends would stay late at the rink). He gestured Jaejoong inside and led him towards the ice, once they reached the bottom from the stadium seating, he walked the smaller man’s face as it started to look flushed due to the cold temperature of the ice.

 

The taller student turned and pulled out too ice skates from his backpack and handed the smaller size over to Jaejoong, “here put these on.”

 

“Why?” The smaller man questioned, looking slightly confused.

 

“I’m going to teach you how to skate. You said you wanted to learn so I’m going to teach you,” Yunho said with a confident smile that sent Jaejoong almost falling to the floor due to some suddenly weak knees.

 

“Really? But I—I thought,” the redhead looked down at the ice skates he had just put on and sighed, “I thought you wouldn’t want to talk to me again. After last night…you seemed very… upset…So I’m surprised that you…that would want to….”

 

Yunho leaned down to grab Jaejoong hand and dragged him gently towards the entrance of the ring. Once through, he rested his hand on his lower back, just above his waist, holding him close against him. He entwined his right hand with Jaejoong’s left and slowly pushed them both onto the ice.

 

He chuckled to himself when he felt Jaejoong’s body tense and his mouth let out a soft gasp as they glided across the ice. They almost fall a couple of times, due to Jaejoong’s newness to skating that added to his usually clumsy self, but Yunho’s experience come them from crashing to the cold ground. Yunho tightened his hold around Jaejoong’s waist when he heard the man’s beautiful laugh as the taller man twirled them around, and as they slowed down he proceeded to place a sweet kiss on the man’s forehead.

 

“See? I told you I wouldn’t let you fall.”

 

Jaejoong lifted his head from his resting spot on the older man’s chest and gazed up at him, “I know,” he said, with no hint of doubt or loss of confidence, “I always trust you.”

 

Yunho’s breath hitched as he leaned down and kissed those soft lips, a brief yet heart pounding kiss. He pulled back slightly, their lips still barely touching as Yunho caressed that smooth cheek with his left hand, “I’m sorry, Jaejoongie…I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions like that. I was just afraid that you were…just like everyone I had ever met. But you aren’t. That’s the thing. I don’t care how we met. I don’t care what happened in the past. I’m just happy that you asked me out. I’m happy that Yoochun forced me to go. I’m happy…I’m happy that you’re here…that you’re here with me…”

 

He pains him to think…what if Jaejoong hadn’t survived the cancer, long enough for him to ask Yunho out? He wouldn’t have noticed. He wouldn’t have cared. Jaejoong had only been a shadow to him. Some nameless student in the mix of hundreds. Jaejoong had meant nothing to him then. Nothing at all. And yet, the thought that he could lost him back then…it scares him. It scares the hell out of him.

 

What if he didn’t have this second chance to finally get to see, to know, to love his person who he had believed popped into his life so suddenly…but yet…he had always been there…waiting for him to notice him.

 

“The cancer…is in remission…” Jaejoong said, his hot breath hitting Yunho’s chilled face, warming the taller man instantly, “I’ve been cancer for almost two years now…but I don’t know what the future holds for me. Sometimes my body…doesn’t move or feel like it used to. Some days I can’t even get out of bed…but because I didn’t know when or…if it would come back…I didn’t want to let that chance go. I had…I had to give it a chance…I’m sorry, Yunho. I’m sorry for pulling you into my problems…I’m sorry for lying…for…being so selfish…”

 

Yunho hushed him as he swiped the tears that started to form in those doe eyes, “Yah, yah, didn’t you listen to a word I said, silly? I said I don’t care about the past. I just want to focus on the future. All my life people have tried to control what I say and do…but you Jae, you never told me to fall in love with you. Never forced me into having feelings for you. All you did was get the ball rolling…,” he smiled down at the beautiful, his thumbs still brushing away stray tears, “and I’m grateful for that. If it wasn’t for what you did or said, I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet someone as beautiful and strong as you are.”

 

He leaned down once again to capture those lips, his tongue granted entrance easily and without fight. He had a long since memorized the sweetest taste of strawberry and mint, but yet, he knew he would never get enough of it. The taste of Jaejoong….he knew he was forever hooked. Just like day the beautiful man demanded a date at that small café shop in the middle of Seoul, he had been hooked even then; he just didn’t realize it until now.

 

Still gasping as they pulled away, Yunho pulled the smaller man even closer, resting his head on top of Jaejoong’s, “But what if I get sick again…”

 

“Then I’ll be there. I’ll be there. Like I should’ve been…”

 

“Don’t say that. It’s not like you shouldn’t noticed me. I never made an effort to make you notice me…it was my own fear that kept me from asking you before…”

 

“And I’m happy that you did,” Yunho said, whispering, “you’ve swept me away you know that right, Kim Jaejoong? It doesn’t matter how or why and I don’t really care. I’m not going to think about it anymore. I just want to be with you.”

 

Just like Jaejoong had demanded on that day, Yunho was going to do the same. He was going to be the tide that swept away Jaejoong this time…and keep save and secure in the warmth of his ocean.

 

“I love you. Stay with me forever.”

 

Jaejoong smirked, stifling his giggles, “That sounds like an order, Mr. Jung…”

 

“You bet it is,” Yunho lifted the smaller man up on the tips of his skates and kissed his nose, “what do you say, Joongie. Is it a yes or a yes?”

 

“Oh what a tough answer that is!”

 

A pinch to his . And a loud laugh.

 

“You don’t have to even ask. Cause it’ll be a yes…”  

 

I’m fine with being swept away...

 

…as long as I’m being taken away by your tide…

 

THE END

 

===

This is a birthday fic for my Kermity/Nat~ casshawol505

Sorry bb, it's not very good and it ended a little too quickly ;;^^ I'm sorry /bow bows/ I do still hope you liked it anyway b/c it's your bday and you should enjoy it right?? ;;^^ HAPPY BIRTHDAY BB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ❤❤❤