Yunho’s POV

The ride back felt good. It’s been almost a year since I left home. Ah! How time flies so fast. We had to drive for six hours and as of now we still have to drive for 3 hours more. Jae had fallen asleep, being the one to drive for the first three hours. We couldn’t afford to buy our very own car but I’m glad that Appa taught me how to drive and I was able to get a license or I would have felt really bad if I made Jae drive for that whole 6 hours.

Jaejoong had left the window on his side open letting the wind blow on his face. He looks like an angel sleeping like that. No trace of the Jaejoong who once tried to push people he loves and who loves him away, the Jaejoong who tried to hide his gentle loving heart from people around him. All that there is the man I’ve fell hopelessly in-love with.

Stopping the car, I bent over a little towards my lover and reached for by the side of the seat. Pushing a button there, his seat reclined a bit more. I felt his breathe against my wrist when I brushed away the strands of hair falling on his face, stealing a quick kiss on his lips my attention was soon back to driving.

Just an hour more before we arrived at Gwangju, Jae woke up, his smile washing away any tiredness I’m starting to feel.

“Are we there yet?” He asked then his focused was on the green fields behind me. Like a child, Jae tucked his head out of the cars window to have a better look of our surrounding.

There were no more tall buildings and bustling street like in Seoul instead there’s only the wide open field and trees here and there and a few cars who’s either going on the same direction as us or the opposite.

“Yunho, it’s beautiful around here.” Jae breathed in the fresh air before sitting back down.

“Welcome to my world, Jaejoong-ah.”

“Stop the car.”

“What?”

“Let’s take some pictures!” Jae exclaimed, taking his camera out of his bag. The photographer in him just kicked in so I complied more than happily.

Jae stepped out of the car first with his video camera in hand and started taking pictures around us. He was too absorbed with what he’s doing I bet he failed to notice I’ve been taking pictures as well. Probably satisfied with the pictures he’d taken, Jae finally walked up back to me, stopping a few steps away and took a picture of me unprepared. “Yah! I’m not prepared!” take another one!” and this time I made a pose.

We took more and more pictures. One of them had Jae resting his head on my chest and doing a peace sign. I also have my hand wrapped around his waist and the other holding the camera, arms stretched out in front of us as I took another picture. All the camera did was to make a clicking sound as we did. A surprised gasped escaped my mouth when Jae suddenly turned my head with his hand and planted a kiss on the side of my mouth when we took the last picture. Smiling, Jae finally pulled me back in the car and with a knowing smile, I started the car’s engine once again.

We’re almost there.

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“Yunho… I… do you think they’ll really… you know...uhm…” I waited as Jae stumbled with his words. We already have the car stopped in front of our house. After 45 minutes more of driving, we finally reached our destination.

Cupping his face as I’ve placed our bags down on the ground, I stared at my lover’s eyes. “They’ll like you, Boo so stop worrying. Everything’s gonna be just fine.

Leaning in for a light kiss, I pulled him out of the car. “Now, come on. They’ve probably prepared us some lunch.”

We never got to reach the gate as my Mom was already running out the moment we completely stepped out of the car. Father was just a few steps behind her, his bright face easing any worries I was keeping inside.

“Yunnie!” I sighed at hearing the pet name my mother’s calling me and bend a little to embrace her. Then father stepped up, taking his hands out in his pocket and gave me a hug as well. More like he patted me in the back. Pulling away from my parents, I took Jae’s hand and pull him to come closer.

“Appa, Umma… This is Jaejoong.”

Jae gave a small nervous smile as he bowed his head a little as he greeted my parents. My mother stared at Jae for a mere second and then stepped forward. I thought she’s hug Jae as she did with me but no, she just hand to walk pass him, slapped his behind making my boyfriend yelp before he finally did hug him.

“Umma!” I can see Jae’s face flushed so I immediately came to his rescue. I don’t want him to get traumatized.

“Aaaaww! Such a fine looking young lad, no wonder you caught our Yunnie’s heart.”

“C’mon now, Jini, don’t harass, Jaejoong-sshi.” I threw my dad a thankful glance for saving Jae.

“I wasn’t harassing him.” Mom glared at my father, then placed her hand on Jaejoong’s shoulder as she leads him towards our house, blabbering about how I used to run around the house and other embarrassing stories she doesn’t really need to tell him about.

Mom’s hunch of us arriving at around lunch time was right. She had prepared a hearty meal for everyone.

“Really?” I nearly slapped myself for mentioning about Jae’s great cooking skills. Now, I got mom’s attention. -_-

“Yes, Mrs. Ju---“

“Aish! What’s with calling me Mrs. Jung like your some stranger? You can call me umma.” The beef stew was starting to smell really delicious that my stomach’s starting to make an obvious sound. My mother continued talking as she finished cooking the last meal she prepared.

Jae glanced at me then back at my mother. Father was just on the sofa reading his paper (but believe me, he’s ears are on us so don’t let him deceive you), looking at us as we stood by the pathway leading to the kitchen.

“Umma?” Jae repeated.

“Or Aunt Jini will be fine if you’re not very comfortable with Umma.”

“Aunt Jini.”

“How about we cook a meal together tomorrow?”

Jae’s face lightened up and from that time on his nervousness seemed to have completely gone away especially with my parents throwing jokes every once in awhile. And you know they’re trying to make him feel more at ease.

Jae had offered to at least help prepare the table so I joined my father for a while in the balcony. I spread my arms up then placing it on the railing. “Ah! It’s been a long time since I’ve smelled the air of Gwang Ju!”

“Then, inhale as much air as you want, son”

“You bet I will, Appa.”

“Jaejoong… you love him. I can see that.” Father stated.

I smiled at breathe in the air once more. “I do. So much.”

“And I can see how much he loves you.”

I can only smile in response. Father and I talked a bit more before we were practically shoved inside the room they’ve prepared for us.

Our home, unlike the one I’m staying at back in Seoul, is much smaller, simpler. It doesn’t even compare to Jae’s room in their real home, not the apartment their renting with YooSu. Knowing Jae doesn’t care about any of these made that bit of worry in me go away.

“I haven’t seen Jihae?” he asked indirectly as we lay on the bed, next to each other.

“My aunt Jisuen, Seulgi’s mom, got sick so they had to pay her a visit. They’ll be coming back home tomorrow.”

“Oh.”

Tired from the long trip Nested against each other, we soon fell asleep. It was already dark outside when I opened my eyes, Jae still sleeping soundly beside me. After planting a soft kiss on his temple, I walked out of the room and found my parent on the living room, watching some drama.

“Jae’s still asleep?” Father noticed me first.

Nodding, I walked forward and squeeze myself in between my parents, hugging my mom by the waist.

“He must have gotten tired.” I nodded at my mother’s word, resting my head on her shoulder.

“So, how’s Jae doing so far?” I looked up to my mom as I asked the question.

“Well, you’re father and I couldn’t be happier to finally meet him, that’s for sure.”

“You know you don’t have anything to worry about us, son” Father added, giving me a reassuring look.

When I finally stopped denying myself the truth about the fact that I prefer men that women, it wasn’t easy. I even tried to hide it. Like Jae, my father didn’t take the reality of his oldest and only son is gay. But Father couldn’t’ just sit down and listen as some narrow minded people talk about me in such a degrading manner and that’s when my father and I both accepted who I really am.

“If anything, I think it’s Jihae you should worry about. Seulgi told me what she did when she visited you. You know how jealous your sister gets when it involves you and your attention.”

I laughed but I knew how true that is. Jihae made sure I didn’t spent much time with Jae when she was with us. “Yeah…I’m gonna have to talk to her about that.”

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I pushed the door open to my sister’s room when Jihae didn’t even answer when I knocked on her door. She just arrived early this morning and after eating lunch with us, she went straight to her room. Poking my head in, I found my sister lying on her bed. I can only see the side of her face as she has her back facing the door. Slowly, I went in and walked towards her, her bed sinking in under my weight as I climbed the bed.

Jihae stirred but didn’t get completely awake. Grabbing a stuff toy from her collection of teddy bears on her bedside I spoke with a smaller voice.

“Jihae-yah, wake up. Your handsome oppa’s here.” The face of the stuff toy hover just above my sister’s own and moved it closer to her face when she didn’t even budge a bit.

“Oppa, I’m still sleepy. Go back to your room and let me go back to sleep.” Jihae pulled the blanket over her head, turning away from me.

“Ah, now you’d rather pretend sleep than talk to me.” I couldn’t help but sound sad as I spoke. Ever since we were kids, no matter how small or big our arguments are, we’d always talk it out. And now, we didn’t even have a fight yet Jihae wouldn’t even get up to look at me.

I stayed for a little while more, still trying to wake my sister up and when I still didn’t get any reaction from her, I pushed myself up off the bed, placing the toy on the top of the pillow she’s using. Tucking my hands up, I noticed the little stars on the ceiling of her room. A glow in the dark star Jihae and I placed there before I left for Seoul. “Oh, these glow in the dark are still there.” I stated bending over as I picked up a shopping bag I placed on the side of her bed when I came in.

“Your Jaejoong-oppa brought this for you.” I said, taking out a medium sized dolphin stuff toy from the bag. Jaejoong remembered that one time I talked about how fond my sister is of dolphins and stuff toys that when he saw this said stuff toy, he immediately bought it without a second thought. He wouldn’t tell me how much it is but from the looks of it, it’s an expensive one. “Hope you’ll like it. It’ll make him very happy if you’d at least like what he gave you.

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I joined Jae back in our room, sliding under the covers and falling back to sleep again. We we’re only woken up by some soft knocks on the door. I let my arm fall languidly beside me as Jae got up and opened the door.

“Jihae-sshi.” My head lifted up from the pillow when I heard my lover say my sister’s name.

“Mom just wants you guys to know that dinner’s almost ready.” Jihae’s voice was low.

“Ah, tell Uncle Yun Seok we’ll be down in a minute. Th-thanks Jihae.”

Turning around, Jae didn’t need to tell me what my sister said as five minutes later we already joined them around the dining table. Dinner was a whole lot better with Jihae joining in our conversation. All throughout dinner, she seems to be avoiding my eyes and when our eyes meet, she gave me an apologetic smile and from that time on, I knew that we’re okay.

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Jihae’s POV

I bit on my bottom lips as I watch Jaejoong-oppa’s movement from the small balcony, pacing back and forth as he talked to Changmin or so I’m guessing. I would have laughed when oppa nearly jump off his feet, surprised when I suddenly spoke from behind him.

“Oppa… I ah…just wanted to say thank you… for the stuff toy.” I stuttered and I only stutter when I did something wrong. I felt guilty for acting the way I did towards him when I was in Seoul. I can feel how he was trying to reach out to me. Jae oppa was probably thinking I don’t like when in fact I do. I can see how much he loves my older brother and that alone was enough for me to like him. But as what Seulgi told me, I was just being a total then. Now I couldn’t even look them in the eyes, he and Yunho-oppa without feeling bad.

His head turned, strands of his jet black hair falling onto his face. “Oh, Jihae-sshi… Did you like it? Yunho mentioned you like collecting stuffs toys so I thought… you’d like it.”

“I love it. It’s so cute. It’s officially my favorite stuff toy now.” I smiled. His mouth opened as if to say something but nothing came out of his lips. I guess he was too shocked at the sudden change in my behavior that it made him speechless. And I couldn’t blame him. When it comes to my brother, his attention and love, I do get a bit jealous. Okay, maybe VERY jealous.

“I’m glad.”

Silence.

“Oppa, mianhae.” His browse furrowed. “I know I wasn’t acting very nice when I was with you guys in Seoul. You’ve always made me welcome, treated me nice and I was acting just the opposite so I’m sorry. I was just jealous of you but that’s not an excuse so I’m really, really sorry.”

“You’re jealous of me? Why would you be jealous of me?! You’re Yunho’s sister, I’m just his...” He stopped and blushed (so cute) before he continued. “boyfriend. You’re his sister. He can find another boyfriend but you will always be his sister.”

“I know but you’re not someone that’ll be replaced in my brother’s life. If it’s not too much to say, Oppa lives and breathes for you. He talks about you most of the time, even when we’re together.” A pout made its way on my mouth.

“Heh! He talks about you just as much...” His hands went up from his side to his cheeks, pressing on the evident redness in there. “That’s why I found out you like dolphins and stuff toys. That your favorite movie is Titanic. That you’d climbed up into his bed when there’s thunder and lighting. That your first crush is Donghae, and you received your first kiss from him too. You’re brother even thinks he’s your first love.”

I held my hand up, stopping Jae oppa from recounting everything that my brother told him about me.

“Okay, I get it! I’m officially killing oppa for telling you that much.” I laughed , mentally planning a way to get at my brother for telling Jae oppa that much. But then, I don’t really mind that he knows though.

This time, we laughed together. I took his hands, swaying our arms as I did, once again apologize. He smiled a smile that reached his eyes at the same time giving my hand light squeeze as if telling me that I have nothing to worry about. Anyone who looks at him will know that he’s in-love and I’m just so lucky that I know who he’s in-love with. And more than happy to know that those twinkled in his eyes are brought by my own brother.

“Thank you, oppa.”

Our face turned towards the door as my brother made its way in. Seeing us together, a contented and very happy smile made its way on his handsome face. Placing both of his arms on our shoulder, he looked at me and then at Jaejoong-oppa. “So, does this mean that we can all go to the lake without me worrying that my sister would try to drown my boyfriend?”

Jae oppa and I exchange look and as if I we planned it, lifted my brother’s arms off of our shoulders and walked away, leaving him pouting behind.

“What did I do now?”