Puzzle

RE-SAIL: YUNJAE
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I broke down and cry. Pressure, pressure and pressure—I can't take any more of it.

I let my eyes release all of the overflowing emotions I felt that time. Burying my face on both of my palms, I felt someone sat beside me as three concerned voices echoed in my ears.

"Yunho-yah..."

I lifted my head slightly with the call. I saw my hands drenched with my tears. It reminded me of something I'm curious about.

 

 

I was sitting on a bench of a park back then, in my hands was pieces of broken crackers. There, gathered around me were flocks of birds that I thoughtfully shared my snack with.

I saw a lot of couples having their quality time together. I actually felt out of place for I was alone, and the only company I had were the birds.

Trying to shrug off all my thoughts about the training I had, I began to notice something common within the couples at sight. They were all holding each others' hands. As if their hands were glued together. I'm not dumb but I asked myself why. Why do they do that? It is given that the first thing you'll think of when you saw a pair of people holding hands is love. But how in the world does that simple gesture can convey such a complicated feeling?

I let all the crackers in my hand fell on the ground. I looked at my hands. I intertwined it with each other and I thought, something's not right. Something's missing. What could that be, I wondered.

I smacked myself in my head when I heard my co-trainee, Jaejoong, holding two cups of coffee in his hands, laughing at me. I felt like an idiot, I actually tried to find out what it felt by myself. I'm so hopeless.

Then I felt Jaejoong held my hand. That scene turned slow motion in my eyes. He intertwined his hands with mine after he sat beside me. Then, like a missing puzzle piece that had been found, I felt something was completed. Jaejoong just completed something within me.

+++

I rested my head in both of my palms as I watched our family's amma cooking. He looked so focused and I wonder if I ever wore that same reaction as he did.

Gracefully, he flew around doing all the necessary things he should. I really wanted to help but he forbad me to. He said he appreciated the thought but it'll work better and taste better without me messing up the job. I got what he meant because the first time I insisted to help, we ended up eating cup of noodles. And I myself don't want to repeat the same mistake again. To be honest, I got scared with all the glares I got from my beloved dongseangs. Especially Changmin-ah's glares. Ah, I felt he sent me to hell with those. I don't even want to remember it again and great, I just remembered it.

After he had tasted his masterpiece, he quickly went to the sink and washed all the left dishes. I hurriedly stood up from my seat and dashed towards his side when he carelessly cut himself when he washed the knife.

"Yah, how can you be so careless?" I asked as I grabbed his hand that he just a while ago. I stared at the finger, a streak of blood is leaking from it. I frowned. You shouldn't let your beautiful hands be wounded like this. I really felt protective of it. Maybe because it's something important for me.

He just looked at me with an apologetic smile in his face as he muttered he's sorry. I just sighed with that as my free hand grabbed the first aid kit from one of the cabinets in the kitchen. I'm grateful that it's within my reach. I don't want to be separated with the injured beautiful hands of Jaejoong.

I applied ointments on it then wrapped a band aid around the wound. It's not deep, I just over reacted. "There. Be careful next time Jaejoongie." I commanded, staring directly at his doe-shaped eyes so that he'll know that I'm serious with what I just said. He simply nodded. I replied a smile.

"I haven't turned off the stove Yunho-yah."

I saw Jaejoong stopping his laughter at my stupidity. Yes, stupidity. I'm still holding his hands. I laughed, pouting as I released the beautiful hands. I went back to my seat as he continued to laugh.

+++

Just the smell makes my mouth water. What more if we can see it and can place it on our hungry mouths. We literally raced to the kitchen once the aroma of Jaejoong's master piece reached our senses. They were all ahead of me. Can you imagine it? The leader's left out?! There's just no way I'll let that happen. I tried to pull our maknae who's in front of me but he's stronger than me. His power is triggered by food, I thought. But I can't lose. It's my Jaejoong's lovely creation! I can't let those selfish monsters taste it first.

Wait... Did I just say 'my'? Ooops... My bad.

Anyway, back to the battle, our dolphin was leading but our desperate crybaby pulled his hair that made him squeal. Junsu-yah turned to Yoochun-ah for his sweet revenge. They ended up running after each other. Junsu-yah and Yoochun-ah both eliminated.

Two down, two to go. Changmin-ah is almost at the finish line. But, fortunately for me, he tripped himself from the fallen dolphin and crybaby in the floor. I laughed. I shifted my gear to the fullest speed. With that speed of mine, any obstacle can be annihilated. I was about to declare my triumphant success but Jaejoong stood there, eying us strictly with his pair of lovely doe eyes. I the switch for the emergency brake. I made it on time, almost. I was declared the winner while I pinned Jaejoong under me. It made me breathless.

Finally, it's time to for dinner. After all the mess we made that made our amma really angry, we can finally eat.

Jaejoong eyed me as he passed to me the dish. I looked down, as if I was the one who initiated the race a while ago, his gaze never left me. I was feeling guilty because I even joined their childish game. I grabbed the bowl of rice in front of me, holding the chopsticks on my other hand. I started to eat as I turned to look at Jaejoong. He was still looking at me but when our eyes met, he immediately looked away. I sighed. I stared at the dish Jaejoong prepared. My mouth watered again. I placed back the bowl of rice and replaced it with Jaejoong's soup. I spooned it and placed it in my mouth. And for the uncountable time, Jaejoong amazed me again.

"Does it taste good Yunho-yah?"

I heard him ask, looking back and forth in my eyes then to the bowl. I smiled. So that's why he's been looking at me anxiously. My smile grew even wider.

"That doesn't make sense at all Yunho-yah."

All eyes are focused on me. "It makes sense Jaejoongie." I disagreed as I placed the bowl back on the table. I stared at his eyes.

"I don't know if you're praising or teasing me Jung Yunho."

He complained, raising an eyebrow at me. "You're the one who's confusing me Jaejoongie." I said softly, looking down as I ate a spoonful of his master piece again.

It just simply amazes me. I looked at him again and caught him sighing. I laughed silently. He looked at me and I showed him a funny smile, I guess, because he laughed hard after he saw my face. I saw his hands again when he used it to cover his wide-opened mouth. I wonder how those paled-color hands created such a wonderful product. Jaejoong's making me confused. But, the empty space on my growling stomach was filled with Jaejoong's creation, again. He completed something in me once more.

"Oh... So that's true..." I said under my breath.

"What is Yunho-yah?"

I answered him with a smile. "You just made it Jaejoongie..."

Jaejoong's eyes narrowed with my statement. "Made it to where?"

"Did you mean Jaejoong-hyung can make it to the cooking career? I mean, this is just delicious hyung." Junsu innocently asked, his mouth still full as he asked that. I saw Changmin and Yoochun looked at each other, wearing an obvious grin that I'm making myself obvious, it's just that there are a couple of dense humans amongst us.

"Obviously..." Changmin smirked but decided to stay quiet when I glared at him.

"It is Junsu-yah." Yoochun laughed as he winked at me.

"I thought so!" Junsu proudly exclaimed.

I sighed, busying myself again with my dinner. Jaejoong just shook his head when I faced him. You're confused Jaejoongie, aren't you? We're even then. I laughed at my thought again.

There's a saying that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. And I guess, Jaejoongie just made it to my heart. Yes he did. Maybe he did a long time ago. It's just me who took a long time finding him there.

+++

I covered my eyes with my left hand. I can't sleep no matter how I tried. Something's bothering me.

I raised my hand up. I stared at it as the moonlight peaks into my finger's gap. A gap? Why do my fingers have gaps between each other? Can't our hands work without it? Will it lose its purpose without it?

With my thought, I intertwined my both hands with each other. Then, I felt like a lightning struck me. I hurriedly went outside my bedroom.

I sat on the floor beside Jaejoong's bed. I saw his hands with the band aid. I frowned. I looked at his sleeping face. It's very beautiful. I looked at his hand again. I lifted my hand. I touched his hand then held it. Hesitating at first, I slowly intertwined my hand with his.

Ah, there it is. I bit my lips as my smile grew wide. Staring at the intertwined hands of ours, I felt something unexplainable. I gripped it softly. I wonder what it'll feel if Jaejoong gripped back, I bet it'll feel good.

"Yunho-yah?"

I was startled with Jaejoong's awakened voice. He was looking at me confusedly. If you'll caught your best

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jjbrownsugga #1
Chapter 11: They're both jealous and protective. Thank you for the update.
jjbrownsugga #2
Chapter 10: I remember seeing a clip from that interview. Thank you for the update.
jjbrownsugga #3
Chapter 9: Thank you for the updates. They were nice to read.
jjbrownsugga #4
Chapter 7: Those were cute updates.
jjbrownsugga #5
Chapter 5: Very fluffy. Thank you for the update.
jjbrownsugga #6
Chapter 4: Cute stories.
jjbrownsugga #7
I saw a new story, and got excited. Then I got even more excited when I saw the title, and read the forward. Then I noticed you’re no longer a Yunjae author. Thank you for posting it.