Chapter 20 - Love In The Ice

Jaejoong sighed in content as he leaned back against Yunho’s chest, entangling his legs with Junsu as Changmin rested his head on his lap. Yoochun was playing with Junsu’s hair as he entangled his leg with Changmin.

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” Yunho asked

Jaejoong reached behind to smack Yunho’s head gently. “Stop wallowing leader-ssi.”

“I’m not wallowing! Just stating the facts.” Yunho protested while rubbing the spot where Jaejoong had hit.

“Then stop stating the obvious facts, hyung. The only one who needs that is Junsu.” Changmin drawls lazily.

“Yah! Shim Changmin! Are you calling me slow? And where are your manners?” Junsu screeched.

“Yes I just did. Honestly Junsu ah, you are very slow.” Changmin replied.

Yoochun, sensing that yet another heated argument brewing, interrupted. “Yunho hyung. Are we eating soon?”

“Ask the band umma.”

“Yah! Aren’t you also in charge of them? Band appa?” Jaejoong retaliated.

“But jagiya, you are the one in charge of cooking.” Yunho answered.

“Since when?”

“Because my cooking will end up poisoning them all. Surely you don’t want your dongsaengs to die?”

“UMMA PLEASE COOK FOR US!”

“Yah! Shim Changmin! I am not your umma! Besides, you guys just ate!”

Silence fell over them again as they lapsed into a comfortable routine. There never had been a need for words between them, just simply basking in each other’s presence. It really has ben a long time. Yunho smiled to himself as he s his arms around Jaejoong’s waist. It was too thin. Too thin for his liking. He nuzzled the lead singer’s neck, enjoying the warmth radiating off the latter’s skin as Jaejoong Changmin’s hair, humming a soft melody, his soothing voice drifting over them. Junsu had, by now, lifted the sleepy maknae’s shirt and start doodling random drawings onto his stomach with his fingers, tracing the younger’s stomach muscles, ignoring the younger’s soft sleepy protests.

*click*

They look up at the shuttering sound of a camera, only to see a grinning Yoochun holding his phone. Jaejoong covered his smile with his hand. The younger had learned well from him.

“Come over here, Chunnie ah.” Yunho called, extending his hand as he shifted his body so that Jaejoong was leaning on one side. Yoochun (gently) threw his phone onto the sofa before all but clambering into the leader’s lap, resting his head against his shoulder.

*flashback*

“Let’s go.” Yunho suddenly said, gently leading Jaejoong out into the open, out from the safety of the shadows. Jaejoong immediately pulled back, eyes darting to and fro, as if scanning around for any signs of danger.

“It’s going to be alright.” Changmin reassured him, one hand slung around Junsu’s neck and the other one on Yoochun’s back, pushing them forward. “We’ll protect you.”

JYJ took hesitant steps towards the corridor, heads automatically lowering and eyes trained on the ground. Yunho and Changmin guided them towards the entrance, each one flanking the sides of their members.

Junsu tensed as he felt eyes staring at them. It was unnerving. Whispers started to rise again as they passed the company’s staffs. Yoochun gulped nervously hearing the whispers. He felt himself chill as they walked through crowds of trainees, staff and idols alike, each one stopping in their individual activities to stare at the groups. Jaejoong trembled slightly as whispers of ‘traitors’ and ‘hatred’ and ‘spoiling them’ drift into their ears, all immediately stopping when Changmin let out a growl.

“Just where do you think you are going.” A stern voice pierced through the tense silence that had engulfed the atmosphere, like a knife cutting through a cake. JYJ tensed. Changmin narrowed his eyes. Yunho simply just sighed to himself.

‘Go on first. I’ll deal with this.’ Yunho motioned to Changmin. The latter nodded his head in understanding, even though he was wondering what the leader could do, and continued to usher JYJ out of the company.

“Stop them.” The voice commanded. The staff started to move towards the group, only to fall back immediately when Changmin’s glare was diverted towards them. Yunho’s eyes followed his group, never once leaving them until they disappeared behind the closing of the doors. It was then he turned back to face the origin of the voice.

“Jung Yunho. I demand an explanation for this.” Kim Young Min demanded.

Yunho sighed before raising his eyes to look at the company’s CEO. He wasn’t going to back out of this fight.

“Don’t you think it’s time to end this?” Yunho asked. Kim Young Min raised an eyebrow in question. “The lawsuit against CJES? Interfering with JYJ’s broadcasting activities?” Yunho prompted.

“We never tried to interfere with their -” The CEO tried to protest but was cut off by Yunho.

“Blocking them with television broadcasting stations? Cutting off Junsu’s segments? Seriously? How many times have you banned them from appearing on television. ‘We will prevent all other artistes from appearing on television if you allow JYJ to appear.’ That’s very childish of you.”

“Hey. Wait a minute now -” Kim Young Min tried to get a word it but the TVXQ’s leader was on a roll.

“While I do understand where you are coming from? Don’t you think you already had your revenge? 3 years is really a long time. It’s time to stop this. And Baek Chang Joo isn’t doing anything good either. Aish. The two of you are just like two kids fighting over who gets to use the playground slide first. And the final result? Both sides end up losing money over lawsuits, our fans gets disbanded - one side blaming CJES, one side blaming SM Entertainment, another side blaming JYJ, another side blaming Changmin and I and one side being neutral (which really is the minority). What you guys are doing is simply shifting the blame on each other. It’s a never-ending cycle unless one of you takes the initiative and end it but it seems clear that neither side is willing to, which leaves me with no choice but to do this.”

(A/N: this are my own thoughts. because i am tire of seeing cassies blaming either side, or fanwars starting all over again. just saying, i blame nobody. if i have to blame someone, then i’ll blame everyone involved. yes, including JYJ, CJES, Homin, SME and Cassies. After all, it takes two hands to clap. or in this case, five hands.)

“Do what?” The CEO asked, staring at the TVXQ’s leader.

“Either you drop all lawsuits against JYJ and CJES and allow them to appear on television and don’t interfere with them anymore or Changmin and I will leave the company immediately.” Yunho said with a straight face.

A gasp went up from the listening audience but Yunho ignored them. “I know that both of us are one of the groups that bring in the highest revenue for the company and if we leave, the sales for the company will drop drastically. But you leave us with no choice. Also, trying to add new trainees or members into our group will also cause us to leave. And we also have a few more conditions.”

“Which are?” Kim Young Min asked weakly. He had, by now, given up on trying to interrupt Yunho or putting in a few words of his own.

“As what I have mentioned, no interference with JYJ’s activities whatsoever and adding of new trainees or members in TVXQ is not allowed. The rest of the conditions are we will be allowed to keep in contact with JYJ, do collaborations with them, guest on television shows with them. They are after all, our members. Leaving the company does not mean that they had left the group. And also, to cut down on the number of shows that we have to do. Changmin is barely getting any rest and is on the edge of exhaustion and close to fainting. And surely you don’t want Cassiopeia to come after you. We also would like to answer interviews ourselves, and supply them with the truth or what we want them to know. Not what you want them to know.”

“These are my conditions. And the choice rests in your hand. Either you accept them with no negotiations or Changmin and I will leave the company immediately. Your choice. I expect a reply from you within three days.” Yunho ended his speech, staring down at the CEO who suddenly looked like he had aged a few years.

An applause from the back of the audience caught their attention and they turned to see Lee Soo Man walking towards them, hands clasped together.

“Well done, Yunho ah. It seems like you really have matured. As expected of the leader of the group that is the King of SM Entertainment.” He said, with a hint of pride in his voice. “I agree with your conditions.”

“But seongsaengnim-” Kim Young Min protested weakly.

“Give it up Young Min ah. There’s no way you can win this fight. Yunho ah is very protective of s. Let them go.”

The SM Entertainment’s CEO nodded his head tiredly and gave his consent, before turning his attention to the audience and commanded them to leave for their individual activities.

“Thank you, seongsaengnim.” Yunho said gratefully, bowing a full 90-degree bow before turning on his heel and walked away. He did it. Before he managed to exit the building, he passed by the Super Junior members who gave him a thumbs up and a pat on his back. He finally did it.

“Rrrriiiinnnng.”

Yunho fished his phone out of his pocket as he crossed the street in front of his company, looking left and right, being wary of the incoming traffic.

“Hello?”

“Yunho hyung.” Changmin’s voice drifted into his ears. “We are at Jaejoong hyung’s restaurant. The one nearest to our company.”

“Alright. I’ll be there in a while.” The elder answered as he began making his way to the destination.

Yunho found himself arriving to an awkward atmosphere. s were sitting in a circle, but with Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu squished on one end and Changmin on the other, an very obvious gap in between. Changmin flashed his leader a helpless smile as the latter made his way towards the table, squeezing himself in between Yoochun and Jaejoong, forcing Junsu to shift closer to Changmin.

(A/N. The sitting arrangement is like this. Changmin, Jaejoong, Yunho, Yoochun, Junsu. They are sitting in a circle)

“I’ve ordered your food already.” Changmin told the leader, receiving a smile in acknowledgement.

Yunho looked around the table as they waited for their food to arrive. Jaejoong was fiddling with his phone, Junsu on his gameboy while Yoochun was playing with the table cloth. His maknae was simply staring out of the window, refusing to look at any of them. It looks like things were still awkward despite having clearing up the doubts of hating each other. They needed time to heal.

Changmin’s gasp of happiness indicated the arrival of food and Yunho turned his