Chapter 8 “Giving Up a Dream”



Looking the croissant-shaped moon from his window somehow made he felt relaxed. Weak smile carved on his lips as he opened his terrace door and came outside, enjoying the night breeze. He felt happy because he could see the happy face of his precious members today.

A sudden opened-door-noise caught his ear; he turned back as he discovered the man who’s drinking the local beer. It must be from the 24 hour shopped near his neighborhood.

“Jae! There you are…Mind if I join?” he asked.

Jaejoong smiled as he signaled the man to sit next to him. 

“Yun---“

“Wait, I want to speak first…” Yunho spoke as he put his finger on Jae’s lip,” Thanks for today…”

“…You know, I never thought that we can do those things anymore since the disbanding…Well, I mean, doing all the stuff we do now…Whatever we do, we do it together like old times…And today, somehow…You managed to give us back the name that belongs to us, the thing I can’t do as the leader…DongBangShinKi---” the leadersshi spoke as he wiped his tears. Jae couldn’t hold back, he laughed softly as he tried to hide it.

“Yaaa! Don’t laugh! I’m being serious here…” Yunho protested.

“I can’t help it, because this is the first time seeing you like this after a long time,” Jae spoke as he tried to cheer the leader up,” OK, don’t cry ‘Appa’…If you’re lonely, tonight ‘Umma’ will accompany you~”

“Yaaa!” Yunho didn’t have mood to cry anymore, he put his beer can away as he began to attack the oldest one with his tickling finger.

“Stop! Yaa…Haha! You’ll wake the others!” Jae hissed. Yunho stopped as he smirked and told who the ruler there was, Jae couldn’t help but pouted,” My terrace is invaded by my own member…”

“Well, I’ll stop it if you answer my question,” Yunho spoke,” What did you actually do?”

This question had been bagging on the leadersshi’s head the whole day and also the other member. But they’re too tired to ask more after the show because somehow they ended up doing two another TV Show after ‘Come to Play’.

“…I talked to Soo Man Hyung…” Jae spoke.

“EHHHHH? WH---…!!!“ 

“Don’t scream damn it, Yun! You’ll wake the others!” Jae warned once again. Well, Yunho wasn’t 100% sober, that’s why he’s kind of overreacting. But well, that’s just too astonishing to happen.

“…OK, so how do you manage to have our name back?” Yunho asked once again.

“I told you I talked to Soo Man Hyung…” Jae replied.

“I know, about what? He won’t give it that easy! He must have some condition!” Yunho demanded an answer.

“…Yun, how about we talk about this later, OK? It’s getting late and you’re drun---“

“I want to know now!” Yunho was persistent.

“Yun…Please…I’ll tell you guys tomorrow, OK?” Jaejoong asked in soft tone, afraid he would make Yunho angry. The leader stopped asking as he was in a deep thought. Neither, of them spoke. Deciding to continue his drinking, Yunho took his can. He gulped it in silence. 

Minutes passed and as Yunho finished his last can of beer, he discovered Jaejoong fell asleep next to him. He could never get it, how the oldest one could this careless about himself. Yunho knew Jae’s habit, he always made sure all of them slept well, yet, himself could ended up anywhere, like when Jae fell asleep in the dressing room on the rehearsal of their last concert at Tokyo Dome.

Slowly he got Jae up and put him on the comfortable bed. He would let Jae used the bed tonight. Besides, the sleeping king, Park Yoochun already conquered the comfy couch, which meant Yunho could sleep on the bed too. 

That night Yunho couldn’t help but fast asleep next to Jaejoong as his body was too exhausted of the day they had. He just hoped he would get his explanation tomorrow.

---


“Umm…”

“I won’t let hyung escape again,” the maknae spoke with a lot of confidence.

“Yup! We need explanation,” the dolphin said.

“Jae, you told me you would explain today…” the leadersshi added.

“But---“

“No buts,” Yoochun cut in.

“OK! I’ll explain, but let me go first!” Jaejoongie used his puppy eyes. Why? Because this morning he discovered himself tied into his bed, wouldn’t let him go before he explained the talked-to-So-Man-Hyung thingy.

“No…” the maknae spoke expressionless. Even now, their Soul Fighter really still existed, didn’t it?

“Um…I went to SM, and then accidentally I met Soo Man Hyung who’s going to a meeting on the car. I stopped the car and he---“

“YOU STOPPED THE CAR? THAT’S DANGEROUS!” the leadersshi spoke worriedly, maybe the alcohol hadn’t really leave him. But Jae just pouted and continued his story.

“Then, I talked to him that all of us want our name back for our concert. He didn’t agree at first because that’s opposed the company policy, but then---“

[FLASHBACK]

“Please So Man Hyung! Just tell me the condition, anything, I’ll do it!” Jaejoong begged.

“It’s not like that Jae, it’s just I can’t because the one who hold the contract isn’t me...It’s him…Kim Young Min,” Soo Man spoke. Jaejoong knew Soo Man would help him if he could, but he learnt that sometime the old man was too coward.

“Then…Where’s him?” Jae asked.

“He’s having meeting no---“before Soo Man could finished, Jae stormed out from to the lift as he manage to get into it before the old man caught him. Jae pressed the floor as he waited inside. Deep inside, he was so worried and afraid, but he knew his decision was final. I would do anything to get DongBangShinKi back.

Jaejoong rushed out as soon as the lift door opened, he went through the staff, ignored them. Finally he saw the meeting room, he was sure Kim Young Min was 100% there. He opened it without even knocking as all the people’s sight there on him. Of course, Kim Young Min was more than surprised till his wrenching jaws fell into the ground.

“…What are you doing here?” Kim Young Min asked.

“I come here to ask for the thing that belongs to us,” Jae spoke, ignoring the stares,” I want our name back…”

“Name? I don’t think I owned your---“

“DongBangShinKi, I want it back,” Jaejoong spoke. The people started whispering, they’re Young Min’s companion partner, Jae thought.

“But you see, I’m in a meet---“

“I don’t *censored* care about that because I don’t give a damn about your reputation and meeting,” Jae couldn’t hold back anymore,” You told us we can be number one singer and we believed that. We signed the contract even though it’s slave contract, we didn’t have a choice at all. But then, when he had our popularity, you began to push us hard till we hoped we’re better off died than doing those slave works you ordered us. Yet, we couldn’t do much because we wanted to survive your torture for our fans, family, and everyone.”

“People might call us ‘Gods Rising from the East’, but we got our patience too because we’re merely human. The three of us couldn’t hold anymore and so we held the lawsuit, yet, you did nothing and just split us forever. Telling Yunho and Changmin that we’re the one who wanted the break up; doctrine them with your corrupted mind. Thanks to that, we lost our friendship for more than one year.”

“For people like you, friendship might be just ink on the paper for doing you company business, but to us, it’s the most precious thing the five of us ever had. I’m confused, why can’t you see that? Why did you tear us apart like this?” Jaejoong ended up his explanation as he demanding an answer. The people inside didn’t speak even a word. They just like lifeless-robotic-people who lived for work.

“That’s a long lecture, Kim Jaejoong-sshi,” Young Min got up from his seat. He walked closer to Jaejoong as he spoke,” So, all you want is DongBangShinKi’s name right?”

“Yes,” Jaejoong answered.

“Fine, I’ll give it to you since I don’t need it anymore; let’s see if you guys can survive without me…” Young Min spoke in confidence,” But, in one condition…”

[END OF THE FLASHBACK]

“What condition?” Junsu asked.

“It doesn’t important…” Jae answered.

“Tell us, Jae…” Yunho demanded.

“I…secretly…gave up…my business to him…” Jae spoke as he waited for ’s reaction. Neither of them spoke, it’s like their soul had go away from their body.

“…Um…Hello? Can you guys let me go now?” Jae asked.

The four men moved closer to him, but not undo him. Yoochun was the first one who embraced Jaejoong tightly, followed by the others.

“Pabo Jaejoong hyung!!!” Yoochun shouted as cried.

“I hate you, Jae!” Yunho spoke.

“I’m damn angry now!” the maknae spoke.

“I will kick hyung’s with soccer ball!” Junsu added.

All Jae knew that his black singlet was wet because of s’ tears. He couldn’t help but cried himself. To some people, losing a business like huge supermarket business would be a huge losing because it brought so many disadvantages, but that’s not why all of them cried.

“I’m seriously can’t take it!” the maknae spoke as he let Jaejoong free.

“Why in the world you gave your *censored* dream to him?!” Yunho screamed in depression.

It had been Jaejoong’s ideal dream from his childhood to be supermarket owner, because when he’s a child he wanted to eat candy so much. It’s started by that innocent reason, but they knew the supermarket business was done with all his heart. 

Yet, now, he needed to give up that dream in order to have their name back. The reason Young Min wanted Jae’s business was more than transparent to them; because it would give Young Min more money of course, Jae’s business already gone international after all. Moreover, giving it secretly to Young Min would make people thought it still Jae’s business. Young Min could have advantages in Jae’s name.

“Why…?” all of them demanded an answer.

“Why not my soccer team?!” Junsu asked as he cried.

“Or my song collection!” Yoochun added.

“Our company!” Yunho and Changmin chorused.

“Because I don’t want you guys to lose your dream,” Jae spoke as he wiped his tears and s’ tears, bitter-sweet smile carved on his lips as he continued,” I gratefully gave up my dream if that can make our dream come true…”

Besides, if the worst thing happened, the business wouldn’t be so important anymore…Jae spoke in his deepest heart.