“I'm pleased to see you smile so much these days. Is It because of the new bride in your house?”

The governor chuckles lightly as he allows for the physician to examine him, his head moving as he nods in response.”Indeed, he brings me much joy.”

“I assume the beauty of his personality matches the beauty of his face then?”

“Yes, Yoochun.” The governor smiles, his eyes filled with utter adoration.”Yes, it does. My children adore him already. Whenever they look at him, I can see how much they care for him and how much joy he brings with his pleasant voice. I wonder for how much longer I will be able to witness that.”

“Do not worry. Too many worries at your age will only be bad for your health.” The physician reprimands him softly.

The governor smiles as he nods his head in recognition.”That's why I asked for Jaejoong to come and live here, didn't I? So he would free me from my greatest worries.”

The physician agrees with a smile.”Yes, indeed.”
 

“Young Master Jaejoong, may I ask you something?”

Jaejoong looks up from the book he is holding to nod at the young servant.”Of course. What would you like to know?”

“In the poem you have read out just now.” Siwan starts.”The kind of love which makes one burn like a star and warms one more than the sun, do you believe that a love like that exists?”

“I'm most certain that it does.” Jaejoong replies confidently.

“May I ask if you have experienced it before?”

“I haven't.” The Young Master smiles.”But that doesn't mean I will never get to experience it. Who knows what the future holds for us. Many things come to us when we least expect them to and love is no exception. And although I feel nothing but respect for the governor now, as time goes by, I might experience that kind of love with him.”

“I would like to experience a love like that as well, one day. I want to feel my heart doing a silly dance for a certain someone.”

Jaejoong's smile widens some more.”One day, your heart will do that. I'm sure.”

The two of them share a smile of understanding before Jaejoong looks back at the book he is holding as he searches for a good poem to read out to Siwan, but much to his dismay, he finds himself distracted by his earlier words about the possible future lying ahead of him by the governor's side.

Will he really be able to experience that kind of love with the governor?

A dull feeling crawls into his heart as he realizes that it's not the governor's face which occupies his mind at that very moment.

'Don't be foolish.' He tells himself.'It's nothing.'

Jaejoong lets out a sigh and shakes his head briefly as if to will the thoughts inside his mind away before he continues to look through the book, only to find himself halting his movements the moment he discovers a dried flower between two pages.

“Oh?” Jaejoong runs his fingertips along the dry plant as if afraid to destroy it before he looks at Siwan.

“Young Master Changmin used to mark his most favorite tales and poems with mugunghwa.” Siwan explains.

“Young Master Changmin...the youngest of the governor's sons?”

“Yes.”

“Is he out of town at the moment? I have not met him once since my arrival in this house.”

“Ah.” Siwan lowers his head at the question.”Yes, he is currently out of town.”

Although the expression Siwan wears as he answers him seems highly suspicious to Jaejoong, he decides to not ask the other anything further.”I see.”
 

“I hope you will enjoy the books I recommended to you. They brought me much joy.” Taehee smiles as she steps out of the library with Jaejoong.

The two of them have spent the whole morning in the library, going through the collection of books the Jung family possesses. Ever since Jaejoong stepped into this house, he barely saw anyone from the Jung family enter the library aside from Taehee herself.

“May I ask you something, Taehee ssi?”

“Of course.” Taehee smiles and gestures for Jaejoong to have a seat on the corridor surrounding the courtyard garden once they arrive in front of Jaejoong's room where she had ordered for servants to place down a tray with some tea and fruits for her and Jaejoong beforehand.

The young servants are then being dismissed as the two settle down.

“I did not have the honor of meeting your youngest brother-in-law yet, will he attend the wedding in four days?”

Taehee's smile falters a little as she replies.”He is expected to come back the day after tomorrow, together with my husband as well as Sooyeon and Soojung.”

“Sooyeon ssi and Soojung ssi...the governor's daughters?”

“Yes, my sisters-in-law.” Taehee nods.”You will enjoy their presence greatly, I'm certain. Sooyeon is four years younger than you and Soojung is five years your junior, but they are very mature for their age. And Changmin is a very intelligent and witty person, an admirable boy.”

“He is three years younger than me as I've heard.”

“Yes, indeed. But you will think that you are talking to an adult once you get to speak with him.”

Jaejoong merely smiles in response and truly hopes that he is going to get along well with the rest of the governor's children, maybe even better than with Yunho considering that he can't seem to really get through to the other.

Yunho.

His thoughts seem to revolve around the other man a lot these days and Jaejoong has a feeling that things can only get worse from here despite his determination to not let the other cross his mind too often anymore.
 

Taking a deep breath, Jaejoong tries his hardest to not look at the man walking right next to him as they make their way through the market and Jaejoong is starting to wonder whether fate is playing a cruel game with him and his feelings.

When the young bride informed the governor about his plans to go to the market earlier this morning, the family's patriarch immediately insisted for Yunho to accompany him and Siwan.

It's his way of trying to help them to get closer to each other and Jaejoong is very well aware of that.

Yunho, on the other hand, feels slightly frustrated at his father's decision to make him accompany Jaejoong. But he somehow saw this coming.

He overheard the conversation between Jaejoong and the younger one's sister not long ago and no words existing in this world could ever describe how horrible he truly felt for making the other feel uncomfortable in his presence despite his initial plan of putting a certain distance between him and the other. And when he informed his father about what he has heard, the older male naturally reprimanded him for bringing a certain sense of discomfort towards the new member of their family.

Despite feeling that bothersome warmth eating him up from the inside – something which reoccurs every time he is with Jaejoong - , Yunho dutifully leads the younger male through the market and tends to the other's every whim to the point of Jaejoong barely daring to pick something up to have a closer look at as he fears Yunho would insist on buying it for him once again.

“Isn't it heavy?” Jaejoong's question causes Yunho to break out of his daydream and look at the younger man as the pretty youth talks to his servant.”I can carry my own things. You don't have to do that.”

“I am here to assist you, so I will do my best to fulfill that task.” Siwan replies with a smile and timidly moves his hands with the things Yunho bought for Jaejoong out of the Young Master's reach when Jaejoong stretches his hands out to take them from him.

Just then, Yunho witnesses Jaejoong pouting for the very first time. The sight of the other's red lips jutted out so endearingly is truly enchanting and Yunho cannot help but smile in a mix of amusement and adoration.

“You can't always offer to do his duties on his behalf. What should he do when he has no one to serve? He earns money with what he does. If you do those things for him, then he won't get his payment.”

Jaejoong gasps before going quiet and although he is obviously still feeling bad for letting Siwan carry everything for him, he does not protest any further and turns around to look at some lucky charms instead.

Yunho and Siwan exchange a glance and smile slightly at Yunho's white lie. There is no way the Jung family would ever refuse to pay their servants as long as they fulfill their tasks well and that Siwan's Young Master sometimes refuses his assistance is by no means Siwan's fault, but Yunho had to do something and come to Siwan's aid or Jaejoong would've never let go of the topic.

The young man can be quite hard-headed, Yunho knows that much after spending some time with the other. But that doesn't make Jaejoong seem any less attractive to anyone.

The Kim family never had any servants to do things for them. Despite being fairly wealthy, they have always been leading a humble life which taught their children to be independent and responsible, so it was a given that Jaejoong would feel a little uncomfortable to have someone serve him 24/7, doing the things for him which he has learned to do on his own up until now.

But his status has changed and Jaejoong will have to learn to adjust.

“What a pleasant sight to be greeted with in the early morning.”

Jaejoong gasps upon recognizing the husky voice and immediately looks up before turning to his right where the voice comes from, his lips curving up into a gentle smile as he bows slightly.

“Good morning, Yonghwi hyung.”

“Good morning, Jaejoong.” The other male replies before his attention is on Yunho.”Good morning, Sir.”

“Good morning.” Yunho utters, something about the other irking him to the extent of making his muscles tense up.

“When did you return from your journey?”

Yonghwi stares at Yunho some more before he regards Jaejoong with a loving stare as he answers to the younger male's question.”One day ago. I heard from your parents that you are going to be wedded very soon. I shall take this chance to congratulate you. I wish you eternal happiness with your future spouse, dearest friend.”

“Thank you for your kind wishes.” Jaejoong bows, his smile remaining on his lips as Yonghwi excuses himself and takes his leave.

What he fails to see is the hard stare Yonghwi and Yunho exchange as Yonghwi walks past the taller male, no trace of kindness between them as they regard each other in mistrust.

“You and him seem close.”

“Pardon me?” Jaejoong asks as he turns around to face Yunho.

“You and the man. You seem close.”

“Oh.” Jaejoong utters.”We've known each other since childhood. His younger sister and I used to be the best of friends until she was wedded to a physician and moved away from this town. He is like an older brother to me.”

“I see.” Is everything Yunho can come up with and the silence which follows easily signals for Jaejoong to turn around and have a look at the goods being sold on the market once again.

Yunho wonders whether Jaejoong is really oblivious to Yonghwi's longing stares towards him or whether the other is just plainly ignoring those for some reason. Either way, Yunho is glad about the other's obvious lack of romantic interest in Yonghwi and he has to admit that it's not only because Jaejoong is to be wedded to his father very soon.

But before Yunho can lose himself even deeper into those bothersome thoughts, Jaejoong catches his attention by picking up a hairpin to regard it with a bright smile on his lips and a happy gleam in his eyes. It's not something males usually take an interest in, but considering that Jaejoong has been brought up wearing women's hanbok and the matching accessories, Yunho could understand the other's fascination for it.

It's a simple silver hairpin with a white flower gracing its less pointy end and a pink pearl at the flower's center, nothing special and yet to Jaejoong, it seems to be one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen.

“We will take this.” Yunho says as he takes the hairpin from Jaejoong and shows it to the elderly woman selling it, soon signaling for Siwan to pay for it as he is the one carrying all the money for the Young Masters.

“But-”

“It's a gift.” The taller man says the moment Jaejoong's protest arises.

“You have been saying this every time you bought something for me today.” Jaejoong recalls.”Does your father know that you are using the excuse of everything being a gift from him which I cannot reject to silence me?”

“This one is not a gift from him.” Yunho steps closer and gently fixates the hair at the beginning of Jaejoong's braid with the newly-bought item.”It's a gift from me.”

The sudden heat arising inside of Jaejoong makes him feel faintly dizzy and he cannot do anything else but stare at Yunho for a rather long while before he finally remembers to thank Yunho and bows to the other in gratitude.”T-Thank you for your kindness, Yunho ssi.”

He is about to enter a dangerous place of inappropriate adoration, he knows that all too well and he is trying his best to not overstep the border, but how can he continue to hold back when every encounter with Yunho tempts him so much?

Only a few days ago, he deemed his own behavior and reactions to the other's every movement and words as nothing worth worrying about, but the more time passes, the more certain he is of the seriousness of it all. And it scares him greatly.

But right now, in this very moment, he would like to allow himself to enjoy this warm and secure feeling by Yunho's side.

Yunho responds with a silent nod, but the gaze and smile he directs at Jaejoong say more than words ever could.

Jaejoong looks so lovely to say the least, his smooth cheeks painted in red as blood rushes to his face, his smile so shy and timid that he does his title as the Kim family's 'most delicate petal' justice effortlessly. But as much as he enjoys looking at Jaejoong, the longer he stares at him, the more it hurts as realization about several things hit him repeatedly.

Siwan smiles and looks away after witnessing what appears to be the sweetest exchange Yunho has ever had with anyone outside of the Jung family. The more often he sees them together, the harder it gets for him to not think of them as a lovely – if not perfect – match. But considering that Jaejoong is to marry Yunho's father very soon, Siwan knows that it's more than inappropriate to think of the two Young Masters that way.
 

“Thank you so much for sparing me so much of your time.” Jaejoong says the moment he steps into the house with Yunho and Siwan, giving the older male a proper bow of gratitude as he speaks.”I truly enjoyed your company and I will keep your gift safe.”

Yunho, lacking of words to say, merely nods in recognition before he excuses himself to go to his room while Jaejoong and Siwan head right towards Jaejoong's room.

They part in silence, but Jaejoong wears a bright smile nevertheless.

“I am glad to see you smile like this, Young Master Jaejoong. To leave the house from time to time does you good.”

“I feel that way too.” Jaejoong agrees gently and takes a brief look into the courtyard garden once they are walking along the corridor leading around it before stepping into his room with Siwan following him.”You can place the things down and then retire until dinner is over.”

“Thank you, Young Master Jaejoong.” Siwan gives the older male a deep bow before placing the bags with the things Yunho insisted on buying for Jaejoong on his father's behalf down next to Jaejoong's cupboard.

Jaejoong nods with a smile and watches Siwan leave in silence. Only when Siwan closes the door from the outside does Jaejoong lift his right hand to touch the hairpin Yunho has put into his hair earlier, removing it with utter care before he holds it in front of himself to have a closer look at it.

The mere sight of it makes his heart race and the intensity of its beauty increased by a tenfold the moment Yunho announced it to be a gift from him for Jaejoong.

Realizing his own doings, Jaejoong lets out a soft sigh and shakes his head although his hand refuses to place the hairpin away.”Foolish boy, don't do this to yourself.”

The young bride then takes a deep breath and finally wills himself to place the hairpin next to the rest of his hair ornaments, soon turning around to unpack the things he bought although he can't help but look at the hairpin Yunho gifted him with every once in a while.
 

Yunho remains quiet as he lowers himself on one of the big rocks in the courtyard and stares right ahead of him where he can see the door to Jaejoong's room, the lights within those four walls showing him that Jaejoong is still awake.

Although he repeatedly tells himself to not dwell in the small moments of joy he shared with Jaejoong earlier today way too much, he can't stop himself from thinking about the shy and timid look Jaejoong gave him upon receiving the small gift from him at the market. But then again, if Jaejoong has truly been happy about his gift, why did he not wear the hairpin to dinner? The clothes he wore to the market, he wore them to dinner too and the braid still looked the very same. The only thing Jaejoong has changed about his appearance was the hairpin Yunho gifted him with.

“Fool. What are you thinking?” Yunho reprimands himself.”You have no right to be angry.”

He tries his hardest to not be bothered by anything related to Jaejoong and he detests himself for not succeeding in doing so.

Hearing his words echo within his mind, Yunho lets out a bitter laugh.”That's right. I have no right to be angry.”
 

The cheery chatter of the adults accompanied by the children's laughter fills the room as the Jung family comes together to enjoy a delicious meal in the morning and Jaejoong finds himself sitting next to Taehee as usual. She is a truly delightful person who always manages to bring a smile to Jaejoong's face with humorous anecdotes.

However, not even Taehee's enthusiastic chatter could make Jaejoong smile in sincerity today and after placing some vegetables into his mouth, Jaejoong briefly takes a look at Yunho and is rather surprised to find the other looking right back at him. But not even a second after does Yunho turn his head to avoid Jaejoong's gaze, the gesture causing the younger man to look down at his bowl of rice with a glum smile.

Only yesterday did the other treat him almost sweetly but today, he did not even make an effort of conversing with Jaejoong after the morning greeting. The other's behavior is not only puzzling but also frustrating to say the least.

“You seem to be bothered by something today, is something wrong?” The governor leans in to whisper to Jaejoong, sharing the words he has spoken to the young man only.

Jaejoong forces himself to smile.”No, it's nothing of importance, Sir.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Jaejoong's smile widens slightly.”Please do not worry too much.”

The governor regards Jaejoong with a gentle gaze which makes him feel a great sense of warmth and comfort.”If something should ever bother you, you can always tell me.”

“Yes, thank you for your kindness.”

Only after hearing Jaejoong's reply does the governor lean back to bring some distance between them, fully unaware of the dark gaze Yunho sends his and Jaejoong's way. But what went by unnoticed by the governor caught Jaejoong's attention to the fullest.

Yunho's gaze of anger made Jaejoong's heart ache to the extent of making him lower his head in slight shame and sorrow. What has he done wrong for Yunho to be like this today?

“Yunho, your brothers and sisters are returning today. You should make a trip to the waterfall with them and take Jaejoong with you. A few hours together will surely help your siblings to get to know Jaejoong better and vice versa.” The governor speaks, his gaze on his son.

“Yes, father.”

Something inside Jaejoong tells him that Yunho would've protested if it wasn't the governor who gave him that order. But Yunho is a dutiful son, obeying his father's every word.

He heaves a sigh and keeps his gaze lowered, feeling oddly near to tears.

Unbeknownst to him, Yunho does notice each trace of sadness on his face. And Yunho's heart is aching too.
 

“Young Master Jaejoong, are you ready? The Young Masters and Young Ladies will be here soon.” Siwan says from outside of Jaejoong's room and causes the newest Young Master within the Jung household to get up immediately as he fixes some more strands.

He then opens the door to his room and steps out with a slightly nervous smile.”We can go now.”

Siwan bows before getting off the ground and gestures for his Young Master to lead the way to the dining room where the returning Young Masters and Young Ladies will be welcomed back with a proper meal.

Once they step into the room, Jaejoong bows to greet the Jung family members and soon finds himself being approached by Yunho.

“Please have a seat next to me, Jaejoong ssi.”

“It will be my honor.” Jaejoong agrees without any protests, knowing that his seating position by the dinner table is naturally going to change with the return of Jihoon.

Siwan swiftly makes his way towards the other servants and sits down quietly as he watches Jaejoong occupy his new seat next between Yunho and a vacant spot which is reserved for one of the returning members of the family.

Soon after everyone has settled down, several footsteps can be heard as more than one person approaches the dining room and Jaejoong feels his nervousness rising as he wonders whether the other children of the governor are going to welcome him in the family just as warmly as their father has done. He knows that he had the pleasure of meeting all of them before when they were still children, but he barely remembers anything from that time.

“Young Master Jihoon, Young Master Changmin, Young Lady Sooyeon and Young Lady Soojung have arrived.” A servant announces before stepping aside and soon enough, Yunho's siblings enter the room.

It is not hard to tell who Jihoon is as he leads his siblings in with his head held high. But the moment they are standing in front of the dining table, the four siblings swiftly lower themselves on their knees and bow to greet their father.

“Father, we have returned.”

“I'm overjoyed to see you returning safely. Now have a seat and enjoy this meal together with us.”

“Yes, father.” The four siblings reply in unison before they get up to make their way towards their respective seats with Changmin approaching Yunho and Jaejoong.

His eyes widen briefly upon spotting the unfamiliar face of Jaejoong but he is quick to respond to Jaejoong's subtle bow with one of his own before sitting down by the table.

“As Changmin has seen already, this is Jaejoong, the new addition to our family.” The governor speaks and looks at his oldest son and his daughters as he gestures towards Jaejoong, pleased to see the young bride greeting everyone with a bow.”You will have more time to get to know him better after this meal. I hope that all of you will welcome him into our family with a warm heart.”

“Yes, father.”

The governor smiles before gesturing for everyone to start eating.

Jaejoong is more than happy to see Taehee reunite with her husband and the way the two of them look at each other as they talk makes Jaejoong feel very warm and also slightly envious of the obvious love they have for each other.

Much to his surprise, Yunho and Changmin say nothing to each other. It's as if they do not even recognize each other's presence, so the meal goes by in silence for Jaejoong.
 

“How do you like living in our house, Jaejoong ssi?” Soojung asks the moment they step out of the house together with the young girl's siblings walking ahead of them.”I hope Yunho oppa did not make you feel uncomfortable.”

“N-Not at all, he has been very courteous throughout my stay and I enjoy living with your family greatly.”

“I'm glad.” Soojung smiles.”Sometimes, Yunho oppa does not really know how to handle himself around other people. He is stiff, isn't he?”

Jaejoong allows himself to let out a soft laughter at the young one's words while Sooyeon – being close enough to them to hear everything – shakes her head with a smile.

“Sometimes, I'm very worried about him. He needs to loosen up and enjoy life more or else he will die with a frown on his face.”

“Do not speak like that about your older brother, you brat.” Yunho's voice rings through to them and causes Soojung to gasp in surprise before she hides herself behind Jaejoong.

Yunho lets out a sigh as he looks at his mischievous sister before his gaze meets Jaejoong's as the other smiles in amusement. But it's not long after that Yunho looks to the front again without smiling back at Jaejoong, his behavior earning himself a look of disappointment from the other.

Sooyeon witnesses all of it and frowns her brother's way before she flashes a smile at Jaejoong.”If you ever feel lonely, you are welcomed to spend some time with Soojung and I.”

“Thank you, I will gladly accept your offer in the future.” Jaejoong is glad that Sooyeon and Soojung are so warm to him and although he did not get to talk to Jihoon that much until now, the other has been nothing but friendly towards him during their rare interactions.

Changmin is the only one who worries Jaejoong. The other is fairly cold to him, colder than Yunho has ever been and Jaejoong is starting to wonder whether the other is harboring any hard feelings towards him for what reason ever. But nevertheless, he hopes for things to get better between them as time goes by.

“We're here!” Soojung cries out before storming towards the waterfall, the thundering noises coming from it having been heard by everyone a few minutes ago already.

“Soojung, be careful!” Jihoon tells her and receives a loud 'Yes' in return.

“Jaejoong ssi, shall we go and sit down over there?” Sooyeon suggests as she points towards the largest rock there is near the riverbank, her smile widening some more when Jaejoong agrees easily.

The two of them climb onto the rock carefully with each other's help, their eyes soon trained on Soojung as the young one urges for Jihoon to catch a fish for her.

“Did you get to see your parents and siblings ever since you moved into our house?”

“Yes, they all came by for a visit.” Jaejoong replies.

Sooyeon hummed.“Has your heart settled down in your new home yet?”

“Not fully.” The young man admits.”But I'm certain that things will change after the wedding.”

Sooyeon doesn't say anything for a while and lowers her gaze to stare at her hands before she looks up at Jaejoong once again.”You don't have to confirm or deny this, but if you have ever harbored ill feelings against my father for forcing you away from your home, I hope that you will be able to forgive him one day.”

“Please do not worry. If I can be honest with you, I was harboring a small amount of ill feelings against him at first, but those feelings dissipated when I saw how much of a noble and friendly man your father is. How could I possibly feel anything near dislike for him?”

“I'm glad to hear that.” And she does look more relieved after hearing Jaejoong's words, her smile now brighter and even more sincere than before.

“Sooyeon unnie!”

Sooyeon immediately follows the voice with her eyes and looks up to see Soojung holding onto her hairband, the younger female's hair now freely lifted by the wind.

“Could you help me braid my hair?”

“Sure.” Sooyeon replies before looking at Jaejoong.”I will join you again in a few minutes.”

“Ah, yes.” Jaejoong nods in recognition and watches how Sooyeon gets down from the rock to make her way towards Soojung and Jihoon.

He catches Yunho looking his way but chooses to be the one breaking the eye-contact first this time around and fixes his gaze on the fishes in the water as he listens to the rhythmic thundering of the waterfall.

When he hears steps approaching him only a few seconds after, he looks up and is ready to welcome Sooyeon back but comes face to face with Changmin instead as the youngest son of the governor approaches him with a rather stoic expression.

“Changmin ssi.”

“Jaejoong ssi.” Changmin's lips curve up as he steps closer and the fact that the smile does not quite reach his eyes makes Jaejoong feel oddly uneasy.”I think I should introduce myself to you properly. I am Jung Changmin, Governor Jung Woo Sung's youngest son.”

“I am Kim Jaejoong, Kim Youngwoong's youngest child. It's a pleasure to meet you, Changmin ssi.” Jaejoong introduces himself and gets down from the rock to answer to Changmin's bow with one of his own.

“The pleasure is all mine.” And although those words are being accompanied by a smile, Jaejoong finds it hard to believe them.”I am fairly curious about something, Jaejoong ssi. I hope that you won't mind a few questions from me.”

“Not at all. Please go ahead and ask.”

“Do you adore my father?”

Jaejoong is stunned into silence by the direct question and looks at the other with surprise gleaming in his eyes.”P-Pardon me?”

“Do you adore my father?” Changmin repeats.

“I admire his kindness.”

“That did not answer my question.”

Slowly but surely, Jaejoong is starting to feel frustration rising within him upon being spoken to as if he is being interrogated like a criminal and the fact that Changmin is three years his junior only increases his dislike towards the tone the other is using on him. Others might have reprimanded Changmin for his behavior already, but Jaejoong has been brought up to be patient. And so, he manages to smile in return.

“I do not harbor romantic feelings for your father as of now.” He admits and remains calm despite the sharp glare Changmin is throwing his way.”But it is an honor for me to-”

“An honor?” Changmin asks, the malice in his voice having Jaejoong flinch.”It's an honor for you to give up the chance of being with someone you love? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“I-”

“Jung Changmin, who do you think you are talking to? He is three years your senior, show him some respect!” Yunho's voice booms from behind Changmin and his brother as well as Jaejoong are surprised to see him there, his approach having gone by unnoticed until now.”Not everyone wishes to disregard their family's honor to go after their own selfish dreams.”

“And not everyone's heart is as hard as granite. Just because you do not feel hurt at the sight of seeing the one you love getting married to someone else, it doesn't mean that others have to be just as numb to the pain.”

The slapping sound which resonates a mere second after has the two sisters as well as Jaejoong gasp in shock, Changmin now having been silenced by force.

“Jung Changmin, watch your mouth!” Jihoon yells, his voice booming with anger.”You talk like you don't know your brother at all! Do you really think that Yunho does not feel the least bit of pain and sorrow? You fool!”

But Changmin does not reply, only focusing his gaze on the ground he is standing on as Jihoon glares at him.

Changmin went too far, he knows it well. Jihoon is not one to reprimand his brothers like this often, quite the opposite. It's very rare for him to get physical while putting his brothers into their places and for him to get this angry, Changmin knows that he has gone beyond several boundaries.

He then looks at Yunho who is not even looking at him anymore, the other's gaze now casted downwards.

“You will return to our house with me right now.” Jihoon commands before he looks at Jaejoong, the gaze he regards the new family member with notably more gentle.”Jaejoong ssi, I have to apologize on my brother's behalf. Please enjoy your time here with Yunho and my sisters.”

Jaejoong nods and then witnesses how Jihoon turns around and gives Yunho a pat on his shoulder before he leaves with Changmin right behind him.

The young bride is not quite sure how he should ease the tension away which – unfortunately – did not leave along with Changmin. The implications Changmin made about Yunho's supposed love confuses him greatly and all kinds of questions swirl around within his mind as he wonders about the meaning of Changmin's words.

“Please forget the nonsense Changmin uttered out in his moment of rage. Despite being very mature for his age, he is still possesses the foolishness of youth.” Yunho breaks the silence in a whisper of words, the way his voice trembles awakening Jaejoong's worry greatly.

Jaejoong smiles weakly.”He seems to be the kind of person who would fight for the chance to be with the person he loves no matter the circumstances, so I can understand that my words have angered him. His will to fight for love is admirable.”

“'Foolish' may be a more fitting word to call it by.” The older male's gaze hardens as he speaks, his muscles how tense once again.

“Jaejoong ssi, would you like to join us?” Soojung calls out from the grassy area by the riverbank, having settled down there with Sooyeon not long ago.

“Ah...” Jaejoong looks at her hesitantly before his eyes are on Yunho, not wanting to leave the older male alone.

“Please go ahead and join my sisters, don't mind me. I will be over there if you need anything.” Yunho gestures towards the rock Sooyeon and Jaejoong were sitting on earlier and smiles encouragingly as Jaejoong starts to make his way towards the two sisters who are waiting for him.

“Please don't mind Changmin oppa's words too much. He is a little sensitive these days.” Soojung says, welcoming Jaejoong next to her with a smile.

Sooyeon nods in agreement.”Yes, please pay his words of rage no mind. We should forget everything unpleasant.”

Jaejoong smiles in return and looks around, taking in the view of the trees surrounding them before his eyes are on the water which glistens under the sunlight while the waterfall fills the air with a powerful melodies.

It's not long after that a certain figure sitting on a rock in silence catches his attention. Yunho's shoulders are slumped down in defeat and although he can't see the other's face properly, Jaejoong is most certain that Yunho is currently wearing an expression which matches his body language.

'And not everyone's heart is as hard as granite.'

Those words coming from Changmin still ring in his ears powerfully and Jaejoong cannot help but think of just how wrong Changmin is with his accusations.

Yunho's heart is obviously just as easy to break as everyone else's.

If Changmin's words can be trusted, then the person dearest to Yunho married or will marry someone else.

Jaejoong is confused of his own feelings, every emotion having been thrown together in a sea of utter chaos.

He feels sorry for Yunho and yet, one selfish part within him is glad that the spot by Yunho's side will remain vacant.

And those thoughts make him dislike himself.

How can he be glad about someone's misery like this? Although the satisfaction he feels is nothing more than a fleeting pigment within his heart, Jaejoong can't help but loathe himself for feeling it.

His expression darkens visibly and neither Sooyeon nor Soojung fail to notice the change, nor do they miss the way Jaejoong's gaze is fixated on their brother.
 

Sighing for the umpteenth time that day, Jaejoong makes his way into the courtyard garden and sits down on the one of the rocks before focusing his attention on the stars shining above. He feels the coldness of the calm evening wind brushing against his skin and takes a deep breath.

The dinner has been filled with only silence on his part, for neither Changmin nor Yunho made the effort to talk to him or each other and the tension between the two brothers put him into a very difficult and bothersome position. He wish he could do anything to help them get rid of the negative perceptions, but it's not like he can actually allow himself to dig further into their private matters. No matter what is standing between Yunho and Changmin, Jaejoong has the feeling that it is something which existed way before he made his first step into this house.

“Jaejoong ssi.”

Jaejoong swiftly looks to his right and is more than surprised to see Changmin standing there, his expression not resembling the one he had on his face earlier today the least bit as his face is void of the glare he regarded Jaejoong with during their trip to the waterfall.

“May I join you?”

The request leaves Jaejoong speechless for a moment before he nods and gestures towards the vacant spot next to him.”Of course, please have a seat.”

He can feel the uncomfortableness squeeze him tighter and tighter the closer Changmin gets and when the younger male is finally sitting next to him, Jaejoong doesn't dare to look at him.

“I have to apologize for how I have treated you today.” Changmin starts.”The thought of a person giving up on their chance of marrying someone they love angers me greatly. I am about to lose my beloved because of a marriage my father wishes for. But I went too far and I know that I have no right to judge you for your choices. Our situations are different, after all.”

Jaejoong feels apologetic for Changmin upon hearing about the young one's painful confession and he assumes that Changmin is revealing so much to make Jaejoong understand him better, which he does.

“I am sorry that your heart is in so much pain. But you are right, our situations are different. If I were in your situation, I may act differently, but I have no love to fight for.” Jaejoong lowers his head as his own words ring in his ears.

'No love to fight for.'

Why do those words sound like a lie out of a sudden?

Does he really have no one in his heart?

“Although I myself am trying my hardest to avoid my arranged marriage, I hope that yours will lead you to bliss. I truly do. I wish for no one to go through the same pain as me.”

“Thank you, Changmin ssi. Your kind words mean a lot to me.” The young bride presses his lips into a thin line and wills himself to gather all of his courage before he continues to speak.”Have you proposed for your father to accept the one you love as your bride?”

“I have, of course I have. But it's of no use. The person I love is a servant. My personal servant.” Changmin's eyes are filled with grief as he speaks.”To me, he is so much more than a mere servant. He is the greatest source of warmth for my cold self. But to others, he is someone not worth the position by my side.”

Jaejoong grew up in a fairly wealthy family but without any servants around so he never got the chance to see the difference between two ranks first hand. The thought that two people who love each other are unable to join their hearts because of a mere difference of status given to both parties by birth saddens him greatly and he truly wishes he could do something to help, but like so many times before during his time within the Jung household, he finds himself in an utterly helpless position.

“I even tried to flee from everything, with Junsu by my side. But everything came to an end when my oldest brother and my sisters found us.”

To say that Jaejoong is shocked would be an understatement. The lengths Changmin is willing to go in order to be together with the person he loves is truly admirable and Jaejoong – more than ever – can understand very well why he would be upset about Jaejoong's perception about his own marital situation.

Is he truly throwing away his chance of finding true love?

Who says that he won't be able to find love in the governor if fate allows?

But what if he is about to bind himself to a man he will never be able to love?

Changmin takes in the way Jaejoong's face is being shadowed by doubts and fear and for a moment, he feels bad for making the other feel uneasy once again. But he does not want Jaejoong to make the wrong choices. He may have an even better chance of escaping his fate than Changmin does and although he does wish for Jaejoong to be happy with his father, he also wishes for Jaejoong to walk into his marriage with confidence in his heart. If there is any doubt left within Jaejoong, then Changmin does not want him to suppress it for the sake of someone else.

Also, for the sake of the brother he has hurt under the influence of rage's heat and with an immature choice of words, Changmin truly wishes for Jaejoong to see that succumbing to everyone else's wishes instead of his own may be a mistake.

“The pain I am feeling right now, it's tearing me apart.” Changmin's voice is low and grief-stricken as he speaks, his gaze now on the sky.”And what I said earlier...I truly mean it. I would never want anyone else to go through the same.”

After saying those words, Changmin gets up and bows to the older male with a faint smile on his lips.”I will excuse myself for the night.”

Jaejoong smiles in return and watches how Changmin walks away and leaves him alone with his thoughts and feelings now being thrown around even harsher within a whirlwind of confusing emotions.

Hidden from both stands another figure behind one of the pillars, the darkness aiding his disguise. He stumbled upon his brother and Jaejoong by accident and has been listening to their conversation ever since Changmin decided to mention the person who has caused Changmin to stray away from his family and responsibilities.

Only when Changmin is gone does Yunho step forward to approach Jaejoong, surprising the other greatly if the expression on his face is anything to go by.

“Yunho ssi-”

“Please don't let my brother's words bother you. When it comes to these matters, it's better to not mind his words.”

Jaejoong flinches slightly at Yunho's words, the meaning behind them bothering him more than it should.”I can understand why he is talking like that. If I were in his situation, I wouldn't want to let go of the person that I love either.”

“Such a foolish mindset.” Yunho utters out without giving it another thought, regretting his words the moment he sees the way Jaejoong frowns at what he says.

“A foolish mindset?” Jaejoong asks, unintentionally raising his voice and receiving Yunho's full attention in return.”Wanting to be with the person dearest to him is a foolish mindset?”

There lies sadness in Jaejoong's voice and Yunho can see pain and anger in the other's eyes.

But the moment Jaejoong realizes what he is doing and saying, he swiftly lowers his gaze.”I apologize, Yunho ssi.”

“It's not that I don't understand how he feels. But sometimes, the welfare of the family is more important than our own.”

Silence follows and accompanies the two of them for quite a while as Jaejoong ponders about the topic.

'Why am I so upset?' Jaejoong wonders and frowns in confusion.

Just a few hours ago, he has been content with the idea of serving his family and become the governor's wife. Also, the fact that Yunho was willing to give up on the person he loves so the other could marry had been the source of his small moment of shameful satisfaction not long ago but right now, he feels highly upset – angry even – to the point of the heat of his body rising in rage.

“Do you really think that way?” His voice is strained, his effort to not yell it all out more than obvious.”Do you really think that, although your own heart hurts to the point of feeling like it's shattering, one should always put the family's wishes before one own's?”

Yunho does not reply, nor does he look at Jaejoong as he fears that his reaction to the other's assumingly pained expression could throw them into the abyss of misery.

“I think it's obvious how I think about the matter.”

“The person Changmin ssi talked about earlier today, can you really let go of that person just like that?”

Yunho hesitates and gulps thickly.”He will have a bright future ahead of him. And as long as he is well, I have no reason to hold him back or be a burden for him or his future husband.”

Jaejoong finally realizes why Yunho's perception about an arranged marriage upsets him so much. As he walked along the short path of pondering and confusion today, Jaejoong – at one point – has started wondering whether Yunho would let go of that special person just as easily if it was Jaejoong himself in that person's position. And the more he tries to get the right answer from Yunho, the more he sees that Yunho would never fight for anyone.

It's so silly how much it hurts and Jaejoong now sees how stupid he has been to disregard his growing feelings up until now.

He keeps falling and there is no one and nothing to catch him.

Jaejoong wills himself to get up and bows.”I will excuse myself for the night.”

Yunho wants to tell him to stay and hold him back, but he doesn't. All he can do as Jaejoong retreats to go into his room is watch him leave in silence.

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comments are gold

mugunghwa's English name is 'rose of sharon' and it's Korea's national flower

a/n I got too many scenes and ideas for this fic to end it in two parts, look forward to the 3rd and last part

a/n1 I am almsot finished with Homeless' epilogue. Still struggling to edit the past chapters of Bound To Bleed though.