Thirteen.

Yunho greets Junsu’s father in the afternoon. He has to fly in two hours and before that he would like to see Junsu first. The father gives the two men the needed space to talk as he excuses himself to find doctor in charge.

“You look different.” Yunho sits on the gestured space for him in bed. “Better and livelier.”

“Did I look that bad before?”

“Might be.”

“Hope Jae didn’t take any snap shots on it.” Junsu scrunches his nose. “He showed me a ridiculous picture this morning.”

“What picture?”

“Nevermind.” Junsu grins. A well done taken picture of Changmin made out with an exposed model. It’s taken from odd angle that Junsu soon recognized it wasn’t actually a making out. Changmin’s shoulders and arms looked too stiff for someone in action. The model’s hand should clutch on Changmin’s cloth if the deed was indeed as convincing as it might seem. He wasn’t even angry at Changmin. He and Jaejoong used the picture to make fun of his fiancé (again) which expectedly made Changmin sulk badly. “Are you going abroad?”

“Yes.” Yunho flashes his Jung Yunho trade mark smile. “For a couple of days. Might be longer. Depends on the work.”

Junsu scoots closer to the tall busy man. “You shouldn’t work too much, Yun. I don’t like seeing your improper meal time and your tired look after a too long day.”

Yunho will miss this warm attention. “I’ll take care of myself well. Don’t worry.”

“I can’t worry for you?” Junsu frowns. “I thought we are good enough to nag on each other.”

“We are.” Yunho nudges Junsu’s elbow. “But I guess you’d better worry on other more important things.”

“You are important.” Junsu reasons. “Or you don’t want me to see you as important person anymore.”

Yunho’s smile stretches longer. “You’ll make me hope more on you if you keep doing this to us, Su.”

Junsu lowers his gaze. He hasn’t properly apologized to Yunho. The recent changes between Changmin and him do not erase yesterday’s pictures of Yunho and him. The watcher clearly said the past couldn’t be changed. It’s there altogether with other memories they made. The Aeon trip. The pavilion. The walk date. The kiss. They happened.

“I feel like dreaming.” Yunho confesses. “I dreamed about far days of we went together to places. You walked beside me, we were holding hands, we walked to our home.”

“I’m sorry.” Junsu mumurs. He didn’t mean to mislead Yunho or the kind. He asked Yunho on their walk date because he wanted to do something for Yunho before he reached his final stop. He didn’t know Changmin remembered. Yunho is a good person. A great generous heart whom he could fall for Yunho sooner or later after he really forgets and lets go of Changmin. “Sorry, Yun.”

Yunho crosses Junsu’s lowered gaze. “Why sorry? I like the dream.”

Junsu bites his lip. “I shouldn’t.. use your generous side to my personal low benefit.”

“Not that again.” Yunho lifts Junsu’s chin up to see him. “You said we are important to each other, right? I didn’t do charity on you, Su. I did it because I wanted to. It’s not pure kindness. I was trying to impress you.”

“You impress me.” Junsu looks back. “Really, Yun. You do. It’s just that.. I was drowned in my own doubts and thoughts.”

“You still think too high of me, don’t you?”

“No. Not anymore.” Junsu shakes his head. “I would have the same dream with you if I manage to let go of my tangled mind and thought.”

“Not tangled anymore?” Yunho guesses. “You love him so much?”

Junsu nods in heavy head. “I do.”

“Despite the long absence and everything else happened between you two? You still love him?”

“Yes.” Junsu clears his sudden dry throat. “Still love him.”

“Then it’s my turn to wake up.” Yunho caresses Junsu’s cheek. “The dream is good but I can’t sleep and dream forever, can I?” His finger moves softly on Junsu’s cheek. “I regret nothing. We had good journey. You gave me wonderful company till today.”

“Yun..

“You are important to me, Junsu.” Yunho continues. “I hope Changmin knows what a warm loving person you are. I wish both of you great trip together in the future.”

“Thank you.” Junsu whispers. “I don’t know how to repay for your kindness. Thank you, Yun.”

“Call me if you have time. That’s enough.”

Junsu holds Yunho’s hand cupping his cheek. “I will. I’ll call you often.”

The tall man leans forward bidding long kiss on Junsu’s other cheek. “Be well. I love you too.”

Junsu reaches out for Yunho’s sitting figure, hugging him warmly and close. He wishes Yunho could open up for Jaejoong or anyone else who makes Yunho happier. Yunho deserves better heart and better love to match his generous caring personality. “Be happier.” Junsu whispers back. “I want you to be happier than me.”

Yunho could hear the sound of his own shattered heart splattered all around them. He hugs Junsu for as long as he’s allowed to record the warmth he receives from Junsu’s beating heart. To cherish their togetherness along the way. To print this last picture of them hugging. To feel Junsu in his arms for the last time.

Yoochun and Junho click their phone camera furiously. This is too good pranking material to be dismissed. Yoochun takes pictures. Junho records the scenes. They fit themselves amidst the narrow space of the door and the not too blurry angle.

“You think Changmin wouldn’t kill us with this?” Junho asks in quiet whisper.

“Jaejoong did it this morning. My turn soon.”

“Eh, wait. Is it for Changmin or Jaejoong?” Junho frowns. His hand starts protesting for being stretches long in one position recording the sequence.

“Why not both?” Yoochun smirks. “I haven’t paid back his bad kick on me two days ago.”

No wonder his younger brother grows up so well, Junho grunts inside. These two prankster boys have sharpened Junsu’s well-trained deceiving side beyond any school.

--

Junsu watches his mother packs his clothes and cleans around the ward. He’s free to go home with a firm note that he has to consult his head once a week.
“Mom.”

“Yes?” The mother folds and inserts their home blanket into the bag.

“I haven’t seen Shin Ae since morning. Where is she?”

The mother gets another cloth to fold. “Who?”

Junsu blinks. “Shin Ae? Doctor?” He is doubtful. Does his mom not remember Shin Ae, their doctor? “She treated me yesterday? Told me to sleep?”

The mother gives Junsu a look. “You mean Dr. Shin Ah? She said she had to fly to Neolhwa last night. She has handed all of your medical reports to Dr. Moon here.”

“Shin Ah?” Junsu mutters. “Mom, do you bring my phone?”

“You aren’t to make call here, Su.” The mother warns. “Wait till we are home.”

“Please, mom..” Junsu pleads. “I won’t text or call. I just need to check something.”

“Your work can wait.” The mother refuses. “Go home and get really well first.”

“Mooommm! I’m not kid anymore!” Junsu tugs his mother’s dress. “I just need to check my phone book. I swear.”

“You’ve been saying repetitive I swear since forever.” She smirks inwardly. “All are of those ever happen?”

“I mean it!”

“Me too! Now quiet or I’ll ask Dr. Moon to prolong your stay here!”

“Hih!” Junsu sulks. He needs to check whether he still has Shin Ae’s number in his phone or not but his mother has to choose this moment to use her authority as mother.

“Shall I call Yunho to iron out that curled lips of yours?”

“WOMAN!” Junsu shrieks covering himself with hospital blanket.

She giggles. No, she’s not at all offended. Her sons know not to ever swear at their parents. They use creative words to express their disagreement or rebel instead, none of them is harmful. She doesn’t mind. Besides, it’s been a while she sees Junsu’s back and butts turned against her cutely when he is denied of his request and sulking like now.

No Shin Ae’s number in his phonebook. Not in anyone’s phonebook either. Junho says it’s Dr. Shin Ah who’s been treating Junsu in Neolhwa, Gingsheol and other cities depends on Shin Ah’s rotation medical contract. When Junsu looks at the female doctor’s pictures in Junho’s phone, it’s the very opposite of Shin Ae he has in mind. This Shin Ah has semi tanned complexion, shorter wavy hair and shorter height than Mrs. Kim while Shin Ae is tall, unbargainable and firm. What does it mean? Has Shin Ae Junsu knows been the smooth cover of the watcher? Closely watching him?

His phone suddenly beeps. New incoming message. Four fixed number? The provider? He taps read icon absentmindedly.

When you wake up from sleep next time, you would not know or keep any trace of us anymore. Universe has its own working way. Till we meet again.

Junsu stares at his phone in long daze. Is it.. parting words? He’s not going to see Shin Ae ever again? He releases long breath.

--

February, 2016.

Changmin lies down carefully not wanting to disturb Junsu’s figure lying on his stomach reading sport magazine. He rides from Shim Heaven store in a bit haste to get to their spot now.

“Tired?” Junsu asks, eyes glued on the page he’s reading. “Shall we go home? We could go picnic any day.”

Changmin rolls bumping their side profiles. “Have you been waiting long?”

“No problem.” Junsu flips the page. “I’m not that bored.”

Changmin squints his eyes. “Did you call anyone while I wasn’t here? Who? Yunho? Jaejoong? Yoochun?” He demands.

Junsu nonchalantly close the magazine and rolls it up to hit Changmin’s head. “Your ex. YeonHee. Why? Object?”

“Yeonhee isn’t my ex!” Changmin snatches the magazine roll and hits Junsu’s back. “I never see her, Junsu. Why do you keep mocking me using her?”

“The kiss looked so much fun.” Junsu makes a face. “I wish I was there.”

“We didn’t kiss.” Changmin crosses his long leg on Junsu’s . “I was coughing and she just tried to soothe my cough.”

“Sounds promising.” Junsu scowls. Not really.

“How long will you make fun of me and that bloody pic?” Changmin pulls Junsu with his long leg. “Wait, you haven’t answered. Who did you call?”

Junsu laughs. “Come on, be honest, your face was all red in that pic. Was it good kiss?”

“Junsu!” Changmin warns. “Not Funny! I was red from coughing.”

“Ooohh.” Junsu coos. “The kiss must be super burning good that you coughed because of it.”

“Shut up!” Changmin growls. He knows Junsu is teasing him. Junsu isn’t jealous or angry, or bitter or what but sometimes Junsu is being a bit too much with his tease. He turns Junsu to face him in one swift move. “I don’t like it, Su. Stop it.”

Junsu circles his hand over Changmin’s neck. “You ask for it, handsome.”

“I ask what?” Changmin fumes.

“Ask this.” Junsu lifts his head meeting Changmin’s pressed tight lips. “You are more addictive when you are sulking.”

It’s a good thing the pool is empty. Their kiss isn’t decent to be seen by people’s eyes. Kiss after kiss captured again and again till their breaths fused into one. Changmin’s typical kitchen and baking scents always work inviting Junsu’s smell to want to inhale it more and more. Junsu’s playful kiss never fails melting Changmin’s sour sulking down. They roll on the spread mat uncaring about their surroundings. The pool is old, rusty and quite dirty because they only sweep the pool once in a while. They are hardly close to actually tidy up or clean up their secret hideout, too distracted with each other to do the other deed but to play with each other.

Changmin Junsu’s lower jaw. “Who did you call, Junsu?”

Junsu breathes hard controlling himself from ripping Changmin’s shirt off. “You don’t wanna know.” H