AN: hey everyone! I know it's been a suuuuuuper long time since I have last updated Play the Keys. I had the first track to this chapter written a long time ago but due to many things happening in my life I never got around to finishing the story. Unfortunately I don't think I can finish this story anymore because it's been so long since I've been involved with the plot and the characers that I can't bring myself to complete the ending. However, this chapter reveals the answer of how Yoochun and Jaejoong are related. Whether it's a big deal or not, I don't know but I hope it's somewhat satisfying than not knowing. I will come up with an epilogue of what happens with the characters! Thank you for your support everyone! It's been fun while it lasted^^

Album No. 43

∫Track 01

Murmurs and whispers emerged from the crowd after Yoochun greeted JaeJoong in the most unexpected way.

“Hyung?”

“They know each other?”

“Come to think of it…”

“It’s the first time they’re together, isn’t it?”

“Ongaku’s Number One and Number Two!”

“Are they rivals?”

“What’s going on?”

These questions were the exact questions that were boggling my mind as I looked back and forth between JaeJoong and Yoochun. Yoochun still had a scary smile on his face and JaeJoong just looked plain disturbed.

Before any of us said another word – which was a relief since I didn’t know what to say anyway – Yoochun purposefully bumped JaeJoong’s shoulder with his own and walked past us, leaving us and the crowd in awe.

If there’s one thing that Yoochun never showed to the world, it was this dark side to him.

I turned to JaeJoong seeing a serious look on his face, like he didn’t know what just happened. “JaeJoong?”

He stared blankly into space for about a moment more and then let out a breath that he seemed to have been holding in the entire time.  The school bell finally rung and the surrounding chatters dispersed, leaving the two of us alone.

I wrapped my hands around his arm, causing Jaejoong to flinch. At least he reacted.

“What.. just… happened?” he murmured, casting his gaze downward. That’s what I would like to know! I almost shouted out loud but watching Jaejoong’s dark brown eyes glaze over with what looked like a mix of surprise and fear made me scared for him.

“Jaejoong, we need to get to class,” I told him, hastily pulling him by the arm towards music history.

∫Track 02

Throughout first period and practically the entire day until after school, Jaejoong didn’t say a word to me. Of course I was curious about the whole ordeal but I didn’t want to bother him at a time when it seemed like he needed some space to sort things out in his head.

BUT… I had so many questions! It was agonizing to keep it all in but as Jaejoong’s girlfriend, I needed to be understanding, right? Hehe, Jaejoong’s girlfriend… that I am!

When we met at the school entrance after classes were done for the day, I showed my boyfriend my best smile. I wasn’t going to ask if he wasn't going to talk about it-

“Did you want to talk about this morning’s incident?” Jaejoong went straight for it.

“Oh god, yes.”

 He totally gets me.

We went to a quiet café in the neighborhood and sat across from each other with warm mugs of coffee and tea between our palms.

“So…” I started off, looking at him with my innocent gaze.

Jaejoong sighed a deep sigh, “Boa, I had been thinking about this all day. About how to tell you this... that I… that, um-”

I widened my eyes a bit and fear crept in at the back of my mind. “J-Jaejoong… is this… is this… is this a break up talk?! My answer is NO! Jaejoong, no!” Then an image of Yoochun flashed across my mind. My eyes grew threefold. “Wait… WHAT! Don’t tell me that you and Yoochun are dat…”

Jaejoong clamped a hand over my loud mouth and sat me down quietly. “Boa, listen for a moment first!”

I silenced myself and tried to sit up calmly. We looked at each other for about a minute.

“Boa.. listen. After I tell you this, you… you might hate me,” Jaejoong confessed and I gawked at him, bewildered at such a ridiculous statement. Jaejoong, don’t you know that I loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee you?! And YES with that many e’s- for emphasis.

“So, the story is…” Jaejoong shut his eyes and breathed out the rest of his sentence, “Yoochun and I are cousins.”

I blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Twenty times.

BOYFRIEND SAID WHAT.

“Yoochun and I are cousins,” he repeated calmly and yet his face looked so sorry. “I knew that he liked you from the beginning Boa. I… I told him that I would get close to you and help him win you over, somehow.”

“I don’t get it,” I replied with a you-must-be-kidding face. “But why? How? You two… you’re not even close!”

“I know,” Jaejoong said plainly. “We keep our relationship low-profile because our parents… I mean, our dads are brothers, but they don’t get along well.”

This is for real, isn’t it?

Jaejoong went on, “They were always competitive since they were young and always comparing everything, down to us - their only sons. My dad is the younger one, but he got married first and I also became the first grandson in the family just by a few months. Yoochun’s dad was somehow jealous of that, resenting the fact that my grandparents gave me and our family more attention after my birth. But I mean, I think they’ve gotten over all the competitiveness now but they never resolved their conflict as brothers so it’s just been sour.”

I tried to take it all in the best I could. But I had to ask, “So you and Yoochun…”

“Yeah, we met a few times in our childhood when our families reluctantly came together for holidays and stuff like that. We naturally became fast friends since we were technically the same age. We always had a good relationship but we never told anyone just in case it got to our dads’ ears.” Jaejoong paused. “That is until you came into the picture, Boa. I… I always felt bad for Yoochun because he was often overlooked by our grandparents. He was weak and a bit sickly growing up, but he tries his best and does really well in his studies. Clearly, I can’t compare with him in that department.” Jaejoong added an endearing smile that soon faded.

“But… luckily or unluckily, we both got accepted to Ongaku. And as you know, Ongaku’s ranking is based on musical talent and skill so… here I am, number one for nothing.”

“Your piano playing isn’t nothing,” I defended, standing up in my seat. “It’s beautiful. And you deserve to be number one.”

I smiled as I watched the corners of his mouth curl up. Jaejoong chuckled, pulling me by the wrist so that I would sit down again. “I can almost kiss you for saying that.”

YOU SHOULD.

“Anyway.” What a way to change the subject Kim Jaejoong.

“I felt bad for Yoochun so when he told me about his crush, I promised him that I would help,” Jaejoong admitted and glanced down at the table space between us.

“But I couldn’t keep my promise because I fell-“ He stopped himself short and blatantly blushed as he stared at me with his lips pursed. “I mean- you- I- well, you know!” Jaejoong blurted out and whipped his head to the side, embarrassed. He is sometimes too cute for words. These times.

I leaned over the table and pecked him on the cheek. Jaejoong turned back at me and placed a palm over the spot that I kissed. “You are a good friend, Jaejoong. A good cousin.”

Jaejoong was utterly surprised. “Boa, you mean… you’re not angry with me?”

I had to admit that I was a bit taken aback but- “What do you mean? Why should I be mad?”

“I tried to get close to you, all the while knowing about you and Yoochun, and I came between you two and I-“ again he stopped short with a very apparent redness in his face. “Well, you know!”

Then his expression turned sad and he hung his head. “I kept the truth about Yoochun and I from you… for so long.. this whole time. I’m sorry.”

“I really don’t get it, Jaejoong,” I said frankly.

Jaejoong looked up, bewildered. “What? I don’t get it. Why aren’t you mad?”

Do you need me to repeat myself, dummy? I shrugged, “Why should I be mad though?”

I gave him a cheerful smile and grabbed his face between my tiny hands. “I am proud of you, Jaejoong. For being a loyal friend to Yoochun. Well, as loyal as you could be. And I am happy that you came between us. Oh- that sounded bad. Let me rephrase. I am happy that you went with your feelings for me and now we can be together… right?”

Jaejoong smiled.

“Yeah.” He held my hands in his and the warmth quickly reached my cheeks.

That is all I need. He is all I need.

∫Track 03

Jaejoong walked me home, swinging our hands back and forth. He sighed.

“What’s wrong? I said I forgive you, you know,” I told him, peeking at his solemn expression.

“I know. I just- Yoochun must be really mad at me now and I feel bad about it.” Jaejoong exchaled with all his might at the sky. “I’ve been thinking… should I let him be number one?”

“No way!” I protested.  How could he do something like that? The number one spot was rightfully his. “That doesn’t even make any sense, Jaejoong. Please. It’s not going to make him happier, you know.”

Jaejoong stared back at me intensely and I felt his grip on my hand tighten. “Hm… you’re right. But how- how can I make it up to him?”

“Um… well… I don’t know yet, but I’m sure we’ll think of something!” I gave him a bright smile.

Jaejoong nodded. “I hope so.”