How shall I start? At the beginning I guess. When it all started. But first I must explain a bit about myself... at least who I used to be~

- - - - - - - - - - -

I currently work for an advertising company in Seoul. It's part of an international company named H&B, which I suspect are the first initials of the names from the two men/women who created it.

I had been a hard working student, receiving high grades in every subject and extra credit. The top student in my school for five years straight.  I won a scholarship for university and decided a career in advertising. Why? Because of my best friend convinced me to.

 My best friend and partner, Xiah Junsu, is the best customer communicator in the company. Together we make a pretty good team and have reached to the honored rank of executives. Often I would be sent to other countries to represent South Korea, so I am pretty fluent in English and can get by in a few other languages.

I had a girlfriend too. Beautiful. She loved me. I loved her. I was ready to ask for her hand in marriage.

Life seemed perfect.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Jaejoong!" I could hear my partner breathe my name in the still room. We were in the middle of the longest freaking' meeting in history.

Slowly I turned my eyes towards him. I expected him to tell me something important, but instead he flashed a grin and waved childishly, but silently, for the room was as still as a graveyard. I rolled my eyes and shifted in my seat, my burning from the hours I had sat for.

Currently we are representing our company in an advertising conference in New York, USA. You would think we were ecstatic about staying here, but no. Within the last 2 days, Junsu had ruined my appetite for American food with his bad english (or should I say "engrish") when he tried to order. For instance: Junsu: "Could I have a latte?" Waiter: "A rat?!" Junsu: "Yea, a latte!" How that incident ended wasn't good.

 We had only brought our business suit and pyjamas to wear and I was beginning to smell. I comforted myself with the thought of going home tonight. If we left on time that is.

Being painstakingly silent, I slid my plane ticket out from my suit's inside pocket and looked at the flight time.

New York - Seoul: 6:00PM

I quickly glanced at my watch: 5:03

The CEO of the company was busy comparing three carefully selected advertising posters’ I had designed for cosmetics. We have been here for a whole ing day. There are only three to choose from… it couldn't be that hard!

My stomach grumbled and cramped in its want for food. I put my hand over my stomach, under the table, mentally comforting it. I looked up across the table, directly into the twinkling eyes of my partner. I knew he had heard my stomach growling when he had to put his hand over his mouth. Immature idiot.

"I need to go." I mouthed to him.

He cocked his head, not understanding. I rolled my eyes and exaggerated the words with my mouth, "I need to go. I have to catch a plane!" I waved my plane ticket for emphasis.

"AHH~" He said out loud, nodding.

I mentally face-palmed. The entire table turned to us, including the client. Junsu muttered an apology, blushing.

The CEO put down the posters and turned to us. He looked slowly at all twelve of us, as if figuring out what he should say. I leaned forward; ready to bolt at his word. He adjusted his glasses and then cleared his throat, slowly looking at each of us once more.

The whole room held its breath. No one cared what he chose or said. We only wanted to escape. Come on… you can do it! Just say those two little words: meeting adjourned. You can do it~

But… instead he picked up another poster and resumed studying it. My head fell on the desk in defeat.

----

"Seriously, Junsu, its cosmetics, not curing cancer." I muttered as we escaped from the room 30 minutes later.

I punched the elevator button. Junsu laughed, "It is a bit annoying that he wasted four hours of staring at it to decide to reconvene in a month."

"A bit annoying?? Ugh, I swear if he didn't end it when he did I would've exploded. I didn't even know that my could fall asleep!!"

I groaned and rubbed my buttocks for emphasis and Junsu exploded with laughter. Junsu's a good sort. A little childish and crazy, but it helps since I'm the opposite. I will never regret being partners with him.

"Well, I'll see you later." Junsu pulled me into a hug.

I didn't return the hug. I never did.  I'm not exactly your "touchy-feely" kind of guy.

I suddenly frowned, "Wait! Why aren't you coming to the airport with me?"

Breaking his hug, Junsu patted my shoulder good-naturedly "Why should I bust my trying to catch a 6 o'clock flight? You're never going to get a taxi at this time of day… or night. Come with me tomorrow on the eight!"

I shrugged, I was too impatient to escape "I told my girlfriend I'd be home tomorrow morning at eight."

"Bom Kahi?" Junsu raised his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes "No, BoA the idol! Of course it's Kahi! I only have one girlfriend."

Junsu blinked at me, his expression confused. Sometimes I think my sarcasm is too advanced for my taste. Reminded of my girlfriend I began to daydream of her. But before I could go into any *ahem* details Junsu waved his hand in front of my eyes.

"So? How is it working out?" he grinned.

I smirked and stabbed the elevator button again while answering "Well, I'm trying to make this relationship work, you know? We've dated for a while and sooner or later I have to get married…"

"Have to? So you're going to propose? OHMYGOD, WHEN?!!" Junsu squealed and clapped his hands together.

"Well everyone I know, besides you, is married. I-I just have to marry. I-it's kind of an internal pressure." I took a breath, recollecting my thoughts "I'm planning on proposing tomorrow night. I've already booked the restaurant and a decorator and-"

There was a shrill "ding" of the elevator and the doors opened. I smiled and slapped the beaming Junsu's shoulder. He squashed me into another hug, speaking at the speed of light  "Just make sure at the wedding not to say 'I have to' instead of 'I do'."

I grabbed my thin business suitcase, which carried my papers and neatly folded pajamas "Well, goodbye, Junsu!"

"I'll see you in three days, okay Jae? You're birthday party is going to be epic!!!" Junsu waved as I walked on the elevator. As the doors hid my friend's beaming face, I smiled to myself.

My life was finally working out to be on the edge of perfect.

---

The giant sidewalks of New York were crowded with a river of people rushing to get home. The roads were golden-yellow, crawling with taxis with the odd car or bus. All of them were occupied. The edge of the sidewalk was scattered with business people trying to hail a cab in vain. I was one of those people.

Nervously I glanced at my watch: 5:47 PM.

Being late made me feel disorganized. I hated this feeling.

I sighed and scanned the roads once more, my eyes opened wide in a silent plea. Suddenly I saw a light. On a taxi. The light shining with a glorious "Unoccupied". It was in the middle of the road half a block away, but the traffic had caused the taxi to stop.

I glanced across the street and met eyes with a young Caucasian man. He had spied the taxi too. I squinted in a challenge and he smirked. With a bound of feet we took off, desperate to grab the taxi first.

Within moments I was out of breath. I hated running, or really any kind of sport. I glanced at my challenger and saw that he was behind me, the sidewalk crowd had stopped him briefly. I grinned to myself as I turned to run onto the road and reach the taxi. I had this in the bag! New York airport, here I come!

Suddenly, as I leaped off the sidewalk, something caught my foot. I fell down with a thud on the bitumen, my breath rushed out my chest. There was a screech of tires beside my head and I flinched.

I'MGOINGOTINGDIE!!!  I screamed in my head, ready to feel my skull getting crushed. Instead there was a blasting horn in my ear and the tires had missed by inches.

I scrambled up, my heart beating and panting heavily. It was a miracle that I didn't die! I looked up to see the young Caucasian man salute me and leap into my taxi

"American jerk." I muttered, trying to swallow my fury, and turned to see what I had tripped over.

It was a large, no… GIANT traveling crate, covered in various stickers. It was just there. Sitting randomly next to the sidewalk. I peered around, trying to make out an owner, but everyone was too busy rushing by.

Angry that I missed the taxi because of this stupid lump of… of box, I kicked fiercely at it. My whole foot exploded in a sharp pain that shot up and down my leg. Aw, … why me??

Author Notes:

Wow, it's been almost 4 months since I made the foreword, so I decided to update (finally)!
But it's just a chapter introducing the super-serious Jaejoong.
I'll be updating more often now! ^^
Please subscribe and comment~

p.s. There is no harm or offence intended in this chapter.
I suddenly got the feeling some people may feel this is a bit racist, which it ISN'T!
It was only in Jaejoong's view, so it is made-up!