Author’s Note: This story is set in an alternate universe, in an imaginary town and country, and during an ambiguous time period.

After Yunho watched him go inside his house, he texted him thirty minutes to let him know he also arrived safely. His text message popped up right as Lani wrote him.  

Yunho: Got home safely.

Yunho: I had fun.

Lani: Hey! How are you? How’s your friend doing and how is the situation? Any positive developments?

He had needed an outlet, and given how secretive everything was, she was the only person he could be semi-honest with and rely on and he swore Lani enjoyed his rant-filled text messages. It was the highlight of her summer. She was not the one experiencing all the tribulations, the lows and highs, and the moral dilemma; he was good entertainment for her. 

Just as he was about to respond Jinjoo knocked on his door and didn’t wait for his permission before she cracked the door open and asked, “Are you decent?”

“No. Stark .”

“Good.” She opened the door and leaned against it as she declared, “We’re watching Forrest Gump. Popcorn is buttery and ready. We’re waiting on you.”

“Can I—”

She frowned. “Was your date that tiring?”

He sprung up and jumped out of his bed. “Do we have oreos? I’m in the mood for something sweet,” he said walking passed her.

She fell in step behind him. “Is there someone?”

“No.” He glared at her. “Except if you think I am dating the J-gang.”

She giggled. “You still call them that?” She reached up and pinched his cheeks. “I also call us the J-siblings, too.”

“Our parents are so imaginative,” she said, rolling her eyes.

They chuckled.

Jaejoong felt like he was walking on cloud nine. 

Today had been one of the best days of his life, and that alone filled him with a restless feeling that bordered on sadness. He was happy. He had a good day. Yunho was…Yunho was everything he knew he would be, because he was A.aime. He enjoyed being with him. He felt so free and unencumbered. There was no pretense when he was with him. It is so easy. Too easy.

Settling in the living room with his family, Jaejoong decided to ignore Yunho’s text message for now and focus on Lani instead.

Jaejoong: Hey, what’s up? 

Jaejoong: Stop being nosey.

Lani: Just checking up. 😊 

Jaejoong: How’s your  summer vacation going so far?

Lani: It’s feeling too long. I miss you all. I miss our poetry slam sessions. 

Jaejoong: You we’re always a great cheerleader. 

Lani: HAHA! I contributed. 

Jaejoong: Cheerleader. 

“Who are you texting?” His father asked, reaching for a handful of popcorn. 

He shook his head and smiled at his dad. “Lani. Uni friend.”

He arched a suspicious eyebrow. 

They all knew something was up, huh? Or at least, it was obvious his whole family had suspicion that he was involved with something—romantically. 

“Girl. I’m gay.”

His dad still looked at him with suspicious eyes. 

His mother cleared and said, “We know dear, but remember the talk we had.”

Jaejoong wanted to disappear. “How can I forget?”

One of the most terrifying and embarrassing days of his life. 

His sisters laughed. 

“He’s bright red,” Jangmi teased. 

“They all know!” Jaejoong snapped. 

“We all got the same talk,” Jinjoo said. 

“Really? Did you get promised to be put on Prep?”

She shrugged. “Better safe than sorry.”

“We didn’t know then,” his mother quickly added. “But that’s an option I want you all to utilize.”

“Safe is the best ,” Jiae said in a sing-sing voice. Jinjoo looked agitated and shot her younger sister an annoyed look. Jiae just smirked and winked at her.

Jangmi had both hands covering , and her eyes were watering in the corner.

Their mother agreed with Jiae, because she said firmly, “Always." And she nodded her head for emphasis. 

Jaejoong looked over at his father to see him looking as mortified as Jaejoong knew he looked. At least someone supported him.

“Don’t worry, everyone; after that -talk, I’m too scared to ever do that,” he said, grudgingly. 

“Love,” his mother said, sounding all serious. 

Jinjoo sighed loudly, making sure her chagrin was known, and decided to pause the movie. 

All the attention was now on Jaejoong. He straight up wanted to jump up and leave, but he knew better. 

“We want you to find…we want you to date.” She gave her husband a look. He cleared his throat awkwardly and shrugged. “If it must be done, I want you to be safe, of course. But you know how I feel—I’d prefer all my children to not date.” He winked at his children. The girls chuckled, Jaejoong felt his nape growing even warmer. He swore the skin there was melting off.

If dating meant talks like these with his parents, he planned on being single forever. Cute muscular boy with long lashes and shy, charming smiles be damned.

“Jaehyun!” His mother snapped, irritated, and she threw her husband a stink eye. He grinned at her, lightening the mood. 

“It’s just that, we, your dad and I, want you to put your safety first—always. That’s all we can do to protect you: educate you. But the rest falls on you. We want you to be prepared.”

His face was melting now.

He must be a skeleton from his head down to his neck now. That would explain his sisters' look of horror and his dad evident discomfort and his mother's impassioned gaze.

“I’m not having or dating!” He hated that he screamed, but there was no way out of it. He was so ashamed. 

He hated how forward his parents were sometimes. Most times. Like right now.

“But when I do,” he inhaled roughly, “ I’ll use all the protection. I’ll do all the tests. Happy?”

His parents did smile and his mother visibly relaxed. “Yes, knowing that it’s on your consciousness does make us happy.”

“School first,” his father declared, winking at him as he stuff popcorn in his mouth. 

“Right. Yes, sir.”

With a loud sigh, so they all knew she was beyond peeved, Jinjoo clicked play. Jaejoong could have kissed her. 

Just then, Yunho texted him again. 

Yunho: Thank you for agreeing to join me.

He locked his phone and slid it under his thigh. He’d deal with Yunho later, because right now, he was back to sixteen and feeling the enormity of what it meant to be an adult with a functioning ual-drive and proper ual education. 

———

Later that night, after his shower and brushing for the night, Jaejoong looked at Yunho’s texts. 

He knew he needed to respond, and so he did. 

Jaejoong: Me too, I had a lot of fun. Thanks for inviting me again. 

Jaejoong: sorry for the late text. I was having some “family” time.

Jaejoong: Good night. 

Jaejoong thought Yunho was probably asleep and he was fine with that. However, he was wrong. 

Yunho: nice. What did you’ll do?

Jaejoong: Movie night: Forrest Gump. We watched it for billionth time. 

Yunho: I thought Mean Girls was the go to?

Jaejoong: That’s Jangmi’s choice. Always. FG is the family’s safe choice. 

Yunho: ATLA is your choice?

Jaejoong: Too bad it’s not a two-hour watch. 

Yunho: Should I go there😁

Jaejoong laughed out loud against his will. He shifted to his side on his bed. 

Jaejoong: don’t you dare talk about the movie that shall not be named. 

Yunho: Lol. 

Yunho: I said it out loud like you did. 

Jaejoong: you will not stress me on my phone that I pay the bills for. 

Yunho: You said it was a family plan.

Another chuckle. 

Jaejoong: you remember everything, huh?

Yunho: Just the stuff you say. 

A burst of electricity crackled in his chest. 

Yunho: So, I was wondering. Today was a lot of fun, want to do it again?

Jaejoong: Surfing was great and all, but I think I’ll have to pass on a second time.

Yunho: Lol—unironically.😁 No, I meant hanging out. You free Wednesday night?

Jaejoong: I don’t know. 

Yunho: Since you’ve mentioned you’re interested in working out, would you like to join me for an afternoon indoor wall climbing? 

Yunho: I’ll get you  ice cream after. 

Jaejoong sprung up in his bed and stared at his phone's lit screen. 

He was asking him out. Again. 

He wasn’t sure if he should keep on playing with fire. 

He soon felt a dull ache forming. He took a deep breath and lay back down on his bed on his back. He stared at his ceiling. 

He replied to her first. She did not make him feel choked up and unsettled. She was calming to talk to.

He wondered how he should reply. 

He wanted to do it. He wanted to hang out with him again. But he just wasn’t sure of anything right now. 

Yunho: If that’s not your scene, I’ve been wanting to go go Slammin’ Night downtown and I don’t want to go alone. I know you’re into slam poetry. 

Jaejoong wanted to do both. He wanted to do it all with him. 

He loved being with Yunho. It was so easy. They made good friends, if nothing else. The issue was that this was more than just a request for friendship. Yunho wanted more, he was pursuing him, and, originally, he had been letting him. 

All he knew was that he didn’t want to stop hanging out with Yunho. 

His fingers trembled as he typed his reply.

Jaejoong: hard to say no to free ice-cream.

Yunho: From Kreamy.

Jaejoong: l best in town. I'm tempted beyond measures.

Yunho: That was the hope.

Grinning against his will, he bit his bottom lip and wondered what he should say. How he should respond. He wanted to say yes, clearly, but he wasn't sure if that was the best course of action right now.

Jaejoong: let me check my schedule and I’ll let you know.

He watched as the gray test bubble appeared and then disappeared without a text message for a few minutes before Yunho finally wrote something back. 

Yunho: sure thing. 

Yunho: I know you have an early morning. Let me let you go. Good night. 

Jaejoong felt his heart sinking and his whole body hurt. He didn’t need to be in Yunho’s presence to feel his hesitation and hurt. 

He wanted Yunho, and wanted to readily agree to everything, and that was the problem. It was a huge problem. 

Jaejoong: Good night 😴🌙 

Instead of sleeping like he implied, feeling as unsettled as he was, he watched his comfort show: Avatar the Last Airbender. 

--------

Jaejoong could almost believe he and Yunho were nothing but friends hanging out. Except for the few instances when he would catch Yunho’s quick, not so secretive heat filled looks or when his heart would skip a beat over a light touch, or him standing too close to him.

Jaejoong was weak, and he had given into his curiosity and attraction. 

Indoor wall climbing was fun. He never do it again. 

Jaejoong was realizing why he always said he wanted to bulk up but hasn't. He actually hated physical labor. Yunho thrived in it. He was so athletic and fit, it made him red faced.

Poetry night was more his speed, even though he wasn’t a writer, not even an amateur writer. He enjoyed being around artistic people and how romantic the whole thing was. 

Plus, it felt like a proper date and Yunho looked super cute in his casual get up. He looked like a church boy in his loafers. 

“So,” Jaejoong said, his ice cream. “Are you planning to take me to a painting class next?”

Yunho smirked. “You want to?”

They were walking around downtown, enjoying the summer night breeze and their ice cream after the slam poetry event had concluded. Everything Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night, there was a live band at the Rooftop, a bar located downtown. The live band was outside the bar, and people gathered in the courtyard to enjoy them. 

Yunho and Jaejoong paused to enjoy one of their set as they walked. 

Jaejoong lifted a playful eyebrow. 

“Will you take me to Painting with a Twist?”

“Bake and Paint is a lot of fun, I heard. I like cakes.”

“The Cookie Monster appears,” Jaejoong said, laughing. 

“Cake monster. But I’m just a foodie.”

“I know you’ve said you can, but are you really a good cook?”

“You can’t be a foodie if you can’t cook well.”

Jaejoong snorted. “That’s a lie.”

“Don’t look so cynical. I’ll make you dinner one day.”

Jaejoong flushed, feeling as if he must have sounded as if he had been asking him to make such a statement. 

“No, that’s fine! I believe you.”

“Are you sure? I make a mean steak.”

“That’s fine, but,” he said, making a huge act of pondering, “Bake and Paint? Hmm. I don’t think we have a location here.”

“Really?”

“Lilia wanted to go there for her eighteenth. That’s how I know.”

“Well.” Yunho’s eyes met his. “When we’re back at uni, then.”

Jaejoong’s heart leaped and slammed against his rib cages. 

“Ooh.” Was his one syllable response. He had been jesting. 

“Are you good at painting,” Jaejoong asked, trying not to think about what Yunho was implying. 

“It’s just icing a cake.”

“You win a prize if you’re good.”

“Half off your purchase.”

They laughed. 

“That can help. Maybe?”

Yunho shrugged and the corner of his lips twitched up high. It was contagious and Jaejoong couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. 

Yunho answered his question. “I’m not artistic, but I like to think I can manage icing a cake and decorating it.”

“Okay.” Jaejoong nodded and spoon up ice cream into his mouth. 

“Should we keep going?” Yunho asked. 

He nodded and they resumed their walking. 

Jaejoong wondered what Yunho would do if they bumped into someone he knew. Maybe one of his friends. Old friends? Like Nathen?

They still hadn’t talked about him yet, the elephant in the room. Well, one of two. Because the biggest elephant was the question of their status: what are they and what are they doing?

Friends hanging out. Would be his response if they bumped into his people. But even Jaejoong wasn’t sure if that’s what they were. 

“So…” Jaejoong started, not really having anything to discuss, but not liking the silence between them—though it was comfortable. So he said, when Yunho looked at him, his eyes shimmering, “What do your parents think?”

“About what?”

He shrugged, averting his gaze. He cleared his throat. “I mean, you hanging out with me.”

Yunho chuckled. It was carefree and charming. “Nothing. They know I’m hanging out with a friend.” Yunho paused, and it felt awkward and tense. Jaejoong saw the way he worked the muscle of his throat as he asked, “What about you?”

Maybe he wanted to make Yunho grow hotter around the nape and tip of his ears, because he bluntly said, “They think I’m lying about hanging out with a friend and is dating.”

A thick eyebrow arched all the way up. “Huh? Why?” Their steps slowed. 

Jaejoong shrugged and laughed. “And the gave me that terrifying talk again.”

Yunho nodded, the corner of his lips shyly curling up. “Yeah.”

“Yeah? Dude, you can’t relate, and if you could, you’d understand my mortification.”

Yunho nodded, looking withdrawn. “My parents are more conservative.”

“Not more,” he interjected jubilantly. “They are just are and mine are not.”

“Right.” He let out a calm little laugh. “But,” he fixed his ice-cream, “it’s amazing to have parents who don’t shy away from that conversation and want you to be safe.”

Jaejoong shrugged, realizing Yunho was talking on his privilege. “I know,” he muttered lightly before he shoved some ice cream into his mouth to stop from saying anything more. 

Yunho looked at him and smiled. “They gave you a good education. I benefited from it.”

He almost choked. 

“I’m glad one of us is not traumatized.”

And Yunho laughed. 

“ is scary, and that’s why it’s best to be prepared.”

Jaejoong felt like a colony of  ants were crawling under his skin. He was buzzing. Positively. 

Jaejoong wondered if Yunho felt as awkward as he felt about this topic.

He sneaked a look at him, he got his side profile. His eyes were shifty. He was nervous, too. That detail calmed Jaejoong down a little bit.

“And you know how?”

Yunho laughed again. The sound light and gleeful. 

“Per your parents, which you shared with me, remember?”

“Say the .”

He was teasing, but he was also checking to make sure he wasn’t the only one thinking he needed to “save” himself for A.aime during their…courtship? Friendship? Talking stage-ship? Not that they were flirting or would ever be anything more than…each other’s time wasters. He didn't know. 

Yunho gave him a secretive grin and his ice cream. 

“I can’t share all my secrets now.”

“Eww, bro.” Jaejoong let out an open mouth cackle. Yunho joined him.

"But, no," Yunho said, taking his effortlessly styled hair back, "I'm not...I mean, right now I'm more focused on other things in my life."

"Now?"

He gave him a brief look and nodded. "Maybe in the future that'll changed, but," he shrugged again.

"Right," Jaejoong muttered. "No relationships for you. That's amazing."

He laughed and shook his head, his fluffy hair going everywhere. "No, I mean, if it happens that's fine, but I'm not—" He frowned, looking focused. "I've just never been very focused on and relationships."

Jaejoong believed him. Not that Yunho would get a lot out of lying, but he remembered Yunho saying the exact same thing when he was A.aime. His perception of a lot of what he thought he knew about A.aime when he found out he was Jung Yunho has changed, but he was now rectifying that.

Maybe Yunho really never dated—even though high school rumors had it he was a player.

Maybe the Yunho he thought he knew was all an illusion. The real Yunho was A.aime, the genuine guy he had shown he was to Jaejoong these past months.

Maybe.