Chapter 4

The black Mercedes pulled over at the side of the street, under a streetlight. In the dim orange hue of the streetlight, the driver could see the beautiful features of his co-passenger.

Jaejoong was tired and looking out of the windshield, not even realising the car had stopped. Yunho cupped her cheek with one hand, his long fingers going behind her neck and caressing it. Jaejoong flinched at the sudden contact and came to her senses.

“We’re here.” Yunho whispered. He didn’t know how someone who is conscious enough to give directions could zone out on the way. Since he knows her story and that he’s probably the first one she ever told it to, he can tell she’s preoccupied.

“Thanks for dropping me.” She leaned over and kissed him. It barely lasted few seconds when she pulled away and pointed to a house, “that white house with the French windows is where we live.” Yunho noticed that it was a good 3 houses away and frowned. “I’m hoping we’ll go out tomorrow.” She said and opened the door. She was about to step out of the car but Yunho caught her wrist.

“Why did you tell me to stop so far away?” Yunho sounded a bit hurt and if Jaejoong knew better, she’d say he was pouting. It didn’t take her long to figure out that Yunho misunderstood. He’s having stupid (in Jaejoong’s opinion) thoughts that she doesn’t want her family to know she’s dating the asocial and scandalous kid in school.

“Stop with whatever you're thinking.” Jaejoong twisted her hand to release her wrist from his hold and curled their fingers together, “I’m just making sure that My boyfriend is not dead on the day we start dating.” Yunho looked at her incredulously making her roll her eyes, “If we were to show up holding hands like some married couple of two hours, Changmin will shoot you with a bazooka after Heechul-nee will castrate you with her bare hands.”

“they can’t be that bad!”

“you don’t know. Nii-san isn’t here or it would be worse. Well, Changmin and he are wrapped around my finger. But when it comes to Junsu or me, nee-chan is possessed with Attila the Hun. There’s no stopping her.” Jaejoong suddenly took both his hands in hers and made a very solemn face, “I’m too young to be widowed.”

Yunho’s eyebrow quirked upwards, “technically, we have to be married for you to be widowed and just go, as long as I’m spared the melodrama.” Jaejoong just stuck her tongue out at him before she stepped out of the car. She hardly took a step to close the door till she fell prone. Yunho looked with wide eyes at her sudden collapse. “Jae?”

“Yunho?” a shaky voice came and Yunho could practically imagine the pouty lips quivering due to apparent helplessness.

“are you okay?”

“I think…I’ll take your offer. I have this epiphany….. I have a pelvis and an .”

“Stupid bastard with the stupid giant !” Jaejoong grumbled against Yunho’s nape.

“You shouldn’t curse the gentleman who’s giving you a piggy back ride.” Yunho could feel her lips pouting against the skin of his neck.

“Take me from the back gate.” Yunho was about to comply but the front door opened and Junsu stepped out clad in duck print pyjamas and a thick furry coat to protect her against the cold. “Nonononono!” Jaejoong ducked for cover behind Yunho’s tall frame which was difficult she’s sitting on his back.

“don’t worry Joongie.” Junsu said very excitedly. She looked at Yunho with a grin a girl had when a girl wants juicy secrets from her friend, “I saw you guys walking down. Are you the tall, handsome emo guy who Joongie has a crush on?” Yunho couldn’t stop the very happy smile adorn his face, even when Jaejoong muttered ‘kill me now’ behind him. Yunho quickly nodded and Junsu let out a supressed squeal.

“Su, you're voice will alert dogs which will alert everyone.” Jaejoong chided her, ignoring Yunho when he asked if he should put her down.

“Like I said, no need to worry. And get down. You’ll break his back.” Junsu helped her down from Yunho’s back.

“I don’t care about his back. He broke my .” Junsu looked wide-eyed at Yunho.

“that’s a quick progression of events.” Yunho blushed bright red. Junsu and Jaejoong shared the unabashed quality. “anyhow, no need to sneak around. Nee-chan said she’d return on Sunday, probably from you know where.” Junsu sneaked a glance at Yunho while talking to Jaejoong.

“I know.” Yunho said curtly and Junsu nodded, not surprised. She knew Jaejoong really loved Yunho now.

“Min’s still there.” Jaejoong pointed at the window of Changmin’s bedroom where the lights are on.

Junsu chuckled, “that’s why I was keeping watch for you so I could let you in without alerting him. He’s distracted unless you made any noise.”

“with what?’”

“whom, is the right question. what’s the name of the cute nerd that’s his partner?”

“Cho Kyuhyun!” Yunho exclaimed. As much as surprising it is, it’s amusing too.

“yup! They’ve been working on their project for hours and every time I went in, he’d be blushing because Kyuhyun was toooo close to him and then angry because she’s apologizing for nothing. Haha! This is the first time I enjoyed the numerous snack rounds I have to take to him.”

“that idiot’s just playing hard to get. I swear I’m going to lock them in a room.” Jaejoong chuckled deviously.

“when are you two going on a date?” Junsu’s question flummoxed Yunho and Jaejoong.

Yunho felt awkward, “that’s sudden…”

“and uncalled for.” Jaejoong said warningly.

“we thought of going tomorrow.” Jaejoong glared at Yunho for giving that out.

“Good. We’re coming with you.” Junsu was now on the receiving end of Jaejoong’s glare. Junsu pretended to ignore her and spoke only to Yunho, “if you want to win over her brother and my sister, you need Changmin on your side. To start, make him believe that you're not taking Joongie away. hence, we’re going to impose on your first day.”

Yunho shrugged, “I don’t mind.” Jaejoong grabbed him by his shirt collar and shook him.

“Yes you do mind. You just don’t know it yet. You mind! You mind! You mind!”

“Jaejoong, are you home!” Jaejoong eep-ed when Changmin’s voice bellowed from the house. Just why did she have to raise her voice in over-reacting.

“Okay! Okay! We’ll have a big family date tomorrow.” Jaejoong said hurriedly as she pushed Yunho off their property.

“We’ll ask Kyuhyun too!” Junsu hollered to Yunho while Jaejoong had turned to push her in the house.

Yunho gave Junsu a thumbs up and returned to his car. Jaejoong noted that Yunho and Junsu have no problems getting along at all.

~~~       

“Who the goes to school on a Saturday?!” Yunho has been hearing the same sentence for the 26th time in the past two hours. And his answer was still the same.

“I told you I had to return some books.” The books were a week overdue so he had decided a while back he would return them on the coming Saturday when the librarian wasn’t there to avoid her nagging. When the plan for a date with Jaejoong was made, he was going to drop the books off and then pick up Jaejoong and the others. He even cleaned his unused Pajero till 2 in the morning because he didn’t believe the 5 of them would be comfortable in his Mercedes.

However, when he was walking up to the SUV, he was ambushed by Jaejoong. The ball of sunshine that was Jaejoong had sneaked away to his house in a bid to avoid having Changmin, Junsu and Kyuhyun on their first date. Yunho being a man of his word didn’t agree with her. Jaejoong of course had to give in when Yunho pulled out a tactic straight from  some historic drama.

“I want to prove to your family I’m worthy of you.” Is what Yunho had said. He said it like a joke but Jaejoong knew it was very much true.

Hence, she agreed to their group date. All they had to was first finish up at the library and then pick up the ers others.

“Why didn’t you just return the book on time?” Jaejoong huffed from her place at the end of an aisle. She was keeping watch for any other students who could waltz in and tattle Yunho. Students did come to school to study or use the facilities like the lab or pool. Jaejoong didn’t want any more unsavoury rumours about Yunho.

“I would have returned it on time but a certain girl with no sense of boundaries took it from me.” Yunho smirked at his pouting girlfriend. He was commending himself for his enormous self-control right now. Jaejoong’s pout made his brain go hazy with lust and what she’s wearing doesn’t help either. they're both dressed in casuals but Jaejoong’s dress was alluring to Yunho.  It was a white short dress and a pink cardigan. Simple to most but Yunho’s tastes were such, the cute ensemble turned him on. Adding to that were the beige heels. Jaejoong made full use of Tohoshinki’s loosely-implemented dress code and wore her favourite heels every day. but those heels are small and today’s heels were a full 6 incher. Yunho had to admit he quite like the convenience of looking into those doe-eyes without having to duck his head and search through the bangs.

“Found it!” Yunho mentally pat his back for finding the correct place of his book. If the crazy librarian asked him, he’d say the book is where it is. He does feel a smidgen bad that his choice of books is always in the abandoned, dusty section of the library where no one visits.

Jaejoong was convinced that no one was coming in so she walked to him. “Are you sure tha- Achooo!” she sneezed so loud, she lost her balance a bit. “So much du….du….Achooo! Dust!” Jaejoong could even feel her eyes sting because of the dust and pretty soon they would water. Yunho was already walking to her to pass his handkerchief but Jaejoong surprised him.

Jaejoong pulled him the second he was in arm’s reach and lifted his shirt to wipe her eyes. He really can’t get over her brazenness. It was after a few rubs on her face and a sheel-shocked Yunho unmoving, Jaejoong suddenly hugged and buried her face in his chest. If he didn’t know better, he’d say she was hiding her face.

“don’t look.” Ah, so he was right, “there are mascara stains on your shirt. Why did you have to wear white?”

“sorry. I coordinated after I saw what you were wearing when you popped in just as I was about to leave home.”

“So you're saying it’s my fault?!” there really was nothing at fault, Yunho wanted to say but his speech failed him. Jaejoong was looking at him and God she was pouting again. his blood rushed south because now he was not only seeing in those enticing eyes, but they were sans makeup. He could guess that his shirt might have some stains of mascara and pink eyeshadow. Yunho made a mental note to tell Jaejoong she needs no makeup later. For now he has other things on mind.

When Jaejoong felt her body being pushed closer and Yunho kissed her, she needed a few seconds to absorb the information. But she was more than welcoming until Yunho pulled away.

“God Kim Jaejoong! How do you expect me to control myself when you're like this.” Yunho grianed against her lips.

“who’s asking you to resist.” So saying Jaejoong latched their lips together again. they kissed for a few seconds before Yunho moved to her Jae then neck. In the course of it, Jaejoong had removed her cardigan and Yunho was pulling down the back zipper of her dress. The whole time Yunho was persistently marking her on her neck.

Jaejoong’s top half was save the bra but that was going to come off in a matter of seconds.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

Yunho and Jaejoong pulled away looking horrified.

Why would someone want to come in the library just when they were getting into it.

Well, they weren’t supposed to be doing it in the library but they shall debate about that later.

“Whoever is out here stop playing invisible. I could hear voices. There better be nothing wrong going on here or I’ll be forced to report you.”

“I think that’s wide forehead’s voice.” Jaejoong whispered and Yunho cursed. He stepped away from her and glanced between the space of two books and yes, it was park Yoochun.

Yunho didn’t even let Jaejoong put her dress back on when he was pushing her towards the small space between the tall book shelves and the wall behind. Jaejoong swatted his hands away and mouthed a ‘what’ in a manner she would if she was screaming indignantly at him.

Yunho came to her eye level and whispered warningly to her, “listen her Jaejoong. I’m not letting anyone see you like this or God forbid I’d pluck their eyes out.” Jaejoong was sure Yunho would hold true to his words so she slipped to the other side of the book shelve while holding her dress over her chest.

“oh! So it’s just you.” On any other day Yunho would scowl the out of the guy but today he had to play nice so he can drive the bane of his life from Jaejoong.

Yunho turned around and plastered a amicable smile on his face.  “just getting a book.” He randomly picked up the book closest to him.

“Why are you talking to me you deviant?”  Yoochun scowled. Yunho didn’t pay attention to it because he just stepped on Jaejoong’s cardigan and something hard. His mistake was to look down. “What’s that doing here?” before Yoochun could pick it up, Yunho grabbed the cardigan but Yoochun caught hold of the hard thing, an angel pendant with some engraving. Yunho grew confused at the Yoochun looked dumbfounded by the pendant. “How do you have this?” Yoochun showed him the pendant.

“it’s ….uh….a friend’s?” Yunho hoped he believed him. Yoochun seemed to accept that but a sound diverted their attention

“what the hell!” Yoochun went to behind the shelf and Yunho was hoping Jaejoong wasn’t there. Yunho  was grateful. Jaejoong wasn’t there and the source of the sound was some books she knocked over.

They were still outside the rows of bookshelf so Yunho could see at least three aisles at once and the window where they were earlier. Yoochun’s back faced where Yunho’s eyes were.

He could see Jaejoong and she was holding her heels and she was climbing the window and Yunho’s heart was in his mouth.

“What are you looking at?” Yoochun turned around just then and followed Yunho’s line of sight and gasped. He was sure he saw a lock of human hair disappear from the window. “What was that? Whoa!” He turned around to find Yunho missing.

~~~

Yunho ran over to where the window from where Jaejoong jumped overlooked. He couldn’t help his sigh of relief when Jaejoong came over from the bushes walking like a drunk and giggling.

She waved at him as if nothing happened but found the wind knocked out of her in Yunho’s bone-crushing hug.

“Yunho!?”

“don’t do such things!” Yunho scolded her.

“relax. Min and I have jumped from our rooms and that’s higher.”

“just don’t do it again. I’m meeting your overprotective family and you’ve already scratched your heel.”

‘that was there before.”

Yunho just hugged her and Jaejoong cuddled him before kissing him. Both were oblivious to a certain someone watching them.

“There goes my chances.” Yoochun grimaced. Oddly, it didn’t feel all that bad. Well, being rejected by a girl never felt hurt after that one time. That reminded Yoochun of the pendant he was holding.

The same exact one he remembers buying on her birthday and having it engraved with her initials. He knows it wasn’t Yunho’s and since they appear to be together it might be Jaejoong’s. It could be a coincidence because Jaejoong has the same initials as her.

“still….” Yoochun found it odd. When Yunho and Jaejoong went to Yunho’s car, Yoochun followed them.

~~~    

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Jaejoong chanted a litany while sitting in the back seat. When Changmin muttered a shut up. She kicked his seat. He shouldn’t have insisted on sitting in the passenger seat beside Yunho anyway.

“It’s okay Joongie.” Junsu said again.

“But I borrowed it and I should have been careful.” Jaejoong insisted that she be tried for murder.

“was it something special Junsu?” Kyuhyun asked beside Jaejoong. The girls had insisted she drop all honorifics because they were friends now.

“It….” Junsu was about to say yes, but that didn’t matter to her anymore, “It’s nothing, just a present. I don’t wear it anymore.”

“I promise I’ll replace it.” Jaejoong asserted.

“You don’t have to Joongie. I told you, I don’t want to wear that.” Because it had some painful memories, she said in her head. “How did you lose it anyway?”

Jaejoong gulped, Yunho pretended like he’s too focussed on driving, Changmin glared at the two of them.

While the girls walked ahead, Yunho waited for a distracted Changmin. He checked whether the girls had entered the amusement park and went to call Changmin.

“you coming?” he asked the tall youth.

“hmmm….” Changmin hummed but still continued to look in the direction of the parking.

“You sensed it too, huh?” Yunho’s words got Changmin’s attention but he quickly reverted back to the black sedan that Changmin was looking at earlier. “It’s been trailing since I left school for your house.” Yunho told him.

“it’s not what you think.” Changmin told Yunho, “the people looking for us are experts, mercenaries for want of a better word. And you're saying he followed you from school than it’s someone else. An amateur and not Durand’s men.”

“If you keep standing here, he’s not going to come out and we can’t see who it is.” Yunho reasoned.

“you have a point.” Changmin turned around to enter the amusement park and Yunho followed him.

“By the way, if Durand’s men follow you would you be able to do anythin