Chapter 11 “Perception”




The sun heat caused him to be blinded more, he was scared. He couldn’t think straight, the world was like spinning inside his head. He muffled his cries with his shaking hand, barely silent himself.

He caught his breath as he took another pill from the bottle. He could pass this; he must pass this, just like every time the pain struck. 

Slowly, unsurely, the pain lessened. He leaned on the wall as he finally could see clear. His eyes stared at the clock; it was only 9 in the morning. Taking the tissue beside him, he wiped his nose. The tissue ended up in red marks. He needed to hide it from the others.

Flushing the toilet, he stood up and washed the tissue, till it broke and went down from the pipe. No one would ever find it anymore. 

He used the water to wash his face and made his hair, he needed to look perfect. After making sure his pills were hidden, he got out from the bathroom.

Staffs greeted him as he made his way inside a room, it was written ‘DongBangShinKi’s Room’.

“Hyung, where have you been?” Changmin asked.

“I’m just calling someone,” Jaejoong lied; he leaned on the seat as Eun Jin made his hair. They’re going to do the rehearsal today.

“I’m finally done!” The dolphin boy cheered as Jija finished his hair.

“Me too~ Hana, my costume!” Yoochun cheered as he and Junsu went to Hana for their costume.

“Wait, Yoochun Oppa, your foam!” Inori went to Yoochun’s side and gave final touch.

Meanwhile…

“Injo, make it as long as you can,” Changmin demanded as he continued eating his food, he just wanted to eat, didn’t he?

“Alright,” Injo smiled.

“Guys, do you see Yunho?” Jaejoong asked suddenly.

“Well, he’s in the toilet,” Yoochun spoke,” Wait; it has been almost 20 minutes! What he is doing there?”

“I’ll go check,” Junsu offered.

Jaejoong started to panic at that moment. Yunho was in the toilet! He was in the toilet too! No, he muffled himself; Yunho should hear his cries in pain. But what if Yunho has heard it? He…He couldn’t tell them the truth, could he?

“I’m back, sorry, bad tummy…” Yunho smiled as he got inside the room. It seemed the leader-sshi ate something wrong this morning.

“Um, Yunho yah,” Jae called, he was about to ask more, but he stopped.

“Hm?” 

Yunho’s reaction was fine. He acted normal, Jae observed. No, Yunho didn’t know about his sickness yet. That caused Jae in relief.

“Nothing, I will take to you later,” Jae smiled. Meanwhile the girls inside the room giggled for the YunJae-ness. They thought Jae wanted to talk to Yunho alone.

---


“Jae hyung, faster…” Junsu reminded, it has been the 3rd time Jae did the rotation move and he was slow.

“Sorry…” Jae tried to catch his breath.

“Jae, are you OK?” Yunho became worried; usually Jae could catch up well.

“I’m fine, just…a little tired I guess…” Jae spoke.

“Hyung, better take a rest for a while, OK?” Changmin suggested as Jae nodded. So Jae sat on the nearest bench, leaving the other still on the stage.

“Hyung,” Yoochun called,” Don’t you think Jaejoong is kind of weird these days?”

“Weird?” Yunho asked.

“Well, he’s…easily get tired and he’s like…hiding stuff from us,” Yoochun explained,” It’s just my feelings though…”

“But I think that’s true…” Junsu added,” I feel the same…”

“Hmmm…Changmin ah, what do you think?” Yunho decided to ask the maknae, just to find out that…

“WHY ARE YOU EATING AGAIN?!” the men shouted as the maknae finally went back from his foodland.

---


“We’re done!!!” the five men cheered. Yes, the rehearsal ended well and they were ready for the concert tomorrow. They cheered again as they finally decided to take a shower together in the changing room.

“I’m stink…” Yoochun spoke.

“We’re stink, Yoochun ah,” Junsu agreed.

“That’s why we need to take a nice bubble bath!” Changmin suggested.

“I think I’ll pass,” Yunho spoke.

“Besides, there’s no bathtub here,” Jaejoong added.

And so the five men ended up washing each other back before finally the poured each other with water, splashing here and there.

“I’m out of here!” Changmin gave up as he went outside the bathroom, drying himself. He was about to dress himself but then a shining thing caught his attention. It was inside Jaejoong’s bag.

Deciding to take a peak, Changmin took the thing. It was a small bottle with some pills inside it. Changmin wondered, has Jaejoong caught cold? He read the prescription on the container. It was writted 60% steroid, 40%anti-convulsion.

Changmin didn’t have any idea what the medicine for. He put the medicine back as he decided to ask Jaejoong later.

---


“I’m exhausted…” Junsu spoke as he laid on the bed, it felt so comfortable. That night, once again, they decided to stay at Jae’s place.

“Hyung,” Changmin called,” Do you know what anti-convulsion is?”

“Antis---What?” Junsu couldn’t catch the word.

“Forget it, hyung…It’s OK,” Changmin finally realized his mistake, he shouldn’t ask English word to the dolphin. He decided to go ask Yoochun, who was reading magazine in the living room alone.

“Hyung, do you know what anti-convulsion is?”

“Is that kind of medicine?” Yoochun asked.

“Well yes,”

“Hm, I don’t know what it is for though…” Yoochun spoke,” Are you sick, Changmin ah?”

“I’m not,” Changmin said,” It just…I’m curious…”

“Curious about what?” Yoochun asked as his eyes still streamed down the pages.

“Well, Jaejoong hyung is taking the medicine,” Changmin finally said.

“Jae---“ Yoochun stopped reading. He looked at Changmin’s eyes as he realized he might just figure out what was going on with Jaejoong.

“Stay here…” Yoochun spoke as he went inside Jae’s room. Jaejoong and Yunho was there talking some stuff.

“What’s wrong?” Yunho was the one who asked the man approaching them.

“Jaejoong hyung, does your insomnia come back these days?” Yoochun asked.

“A bit…yes I guess,” Jaejoong stated as the matter of fact he couldn’t really sleep well today because of the pain.

“Oh, OK then, it’s fine…” Yoochun spoke,” Just try to get some rest…”

And with that Park Yoochun told Changmin that the medicine was for Jaejoong’s insomnia.

---


It was a fine day, when the sun shone bright and the sky was clear. It was really a perfect day for a comeback concert. 

“You guys ready?” Jaejoong shouted.

“Of course!!!” the other and the staff shouted.

“OK, on 3!” Yunho added.

“…1…2…3…DONG BANG SHIN KI HWAITING!!!” All of them shouted behind the stage. They could hear the fans were screaming from the other side.

“Everything checked! Off you go to the stage!” the staff spoke.

And so the five men looked at each other, for them it was still felt like a dream came true. With nervous but happy smile, they walked up the stage as the light shone upon them. The fans were screaming their lungs.

The background sound started as the music began. Their voiced mixed beautifully, harmonized so perfectly with each other. The starter song was in Japanese. This concert originally had Korean and Japanese song after all.

“Kimi dake ni aitakatta yo~”

“Itsudatte aitakatta yo~”

“Ima mo dakishimete iru yo kimi no subete wo~”

“Hohoemi wo yurue yo tada bokura no tame ni~”

“Kitto kono saki ni mada hikari was sasu kara~”