Hi! 

Here is an update for today!! *bows*

This chapter might appear 'filler-ish' (if there's such a word), but I really wanted to give it a more cheery feel, since this would most likely be the 2nd last chapter. I sincerely hope no one is disappointed by this random chapter!! This kind of sums up Yunjae as well.

Thank you all for your kind comments and also the subscriptions!! AND for bearing with me up till now. I am really thankful and truly enjoyed writing this fic so much more because of you guise!! *cyber hugs everyone* T^T

One last chapter to go!! Please do let me know whatever scenes you might want to add on and I will attempt to accomodate them in the last chapter(s).

Do stay and read!! *bows*

Signing off~

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The next morning… In a quiet estate just outside of the capital…

“Sir Yunho. Breakfast is ready.” A few soft knocks on the door, followed by the heavy structure creaking open woke one of the tenant within as a few servants enters, with trays laden with food in their hands. The cowering subordinates can see that Yunho is far from pleased, face as black as the thunder clouds. Anyone can see that, so, inching over, the spineless bunch hurriedly deposited the objects and back off towards the door.

“Yah! When is Park Yoochun coming?” Yunho meant it as a friendly question, but the servants are bolting out of the door before he can extract himself from the jumbled mess of entangled flesh and blanket, belonging to both Jaejoong and him. Clearing running like their lives depended on it, as if Yunho is a monster of sorts.

“YOU THREE!! COME BACK HERE!!” “YAHHH!!!” The advisor immediately leapt out and gave chase, grimacing as his feet aches from the cold nipping at his heels and particularly his toes. He reaches the door just as it shuts in front of his nose. Pounding the door, the man cursed loudly and kicked once, yelping as he stubs his big toe against the gap accidently.

Hopping around, the man retreated to the nearby tea table where their breakfast sits on its tray, cooling off quickly as the temperature remains too low for comfort. Staring at the food for a brief moment, the advisor quickly got a whole of it, forgetting the pain at his foot, rushing back to their shared bed.

“Jaejoong. Breakfast is here.” The tall man bends over the still sleeping figure and attempts to rouse him. “We have to eat it before it gets cold.” Yunho is being practical.

Stirring cutely, like how he always does subconsciously, the healer woke to a beaming face, right beside his. Eyes widening, the healer even gasped, but quickly regained his composure, remembering that he was the one who offered to patch up with Yunho, hence their ‘closeness’. “I… I’m not hungry.” The healer answered in a weak voice, looking Yunho in the eye.

The advisor is in momentary bliss, even though he is still exposed to the bitter cold, squatting on the gelid stone flooring. “You haven’t eaten last night. At least take something.” Yunho is after all, pretty obsessed about Jaejoong, watching the healer’s every move even though he does not appear to be peeking. Jaejoong now knows Yunho was watching him at dinner the day before and sighs, considering if he wants to quarrel with the man over such a small matter. He chooses to throw in the towel. Yunho looks too sincere for him to go breaking the latter’s heart.

“You eat first.” The healer mumbled diplomatically as he sits up, tugging the tray onto the bed and patting the area beside him, signalling for the visibly shuddering advisor to sit there.

Smiling radiantly, the man jumped on and grinned stupidly as he accepts the healer’s offer to have ‘breakfast in bed’. The healer however, only remains seated silently, slouched over as he massages his now slightly swollen limbs. Jaejoong get that a lot recently. His legs would feel numb and his joints would ache whenever he wakes, but he is more or less used to it.

Seeing that Jaejoong seem to be having a hard time bending over the tiny bump at his abdomen, the advisor immediately abandons breakfast and rushes to his aid. Grabbing the healer by the thin shoulders, Yunho turned the other to face him and grabbed a whole of his ankle, rubbing the skin there skilfully. The advisor had picked up his ‘masseur’ skills from Jaejoong, who was caring for old Mrs Jung back then.

Without speaking, the healer watched the man, deciding if he should protest. Yunho appears somewhat endearing at this current moment, and though it baffles him, Jaejoong found himself enjoying the alien feelings of liking the person before him. The addictive need to feel loved and to love in return, to expel some form of loneliness as well as satiate the need for a ‘someone special’ to hold on to. All this is new to Jaejoong, and he is still learning, however, Yoochun had indeed prompted a start by incidentally separating him from Yunho and reuniting them.

“I can do this myself… breakfast will turn cold.” The healer shied away from Yunho after a brief moment, but the advisor is not done yet. Enveloping the blanket snugly over the healer’s shoulders while he himself sits exposed to the freezing surrounding, which is already warming up gradually, brows furrowed as he concentrates on the push and pull motion.

“Don’t worry.” “I won’t stop you from leaving as soon as that idiot opens that door.” The advisor assured the healer, trying to start a topic while he touches the other’s feet in awkward silence. The older man’s heart is hurting at the thought of separation, but he will not allow his emotions to get the better of him again.

Yunho does not know that the healer was the one who had walked into Yoochun’s trap voluntarily. Of course, Jaejoong would rather the other not know that he wasn’t coerced too.

“That’s enough.” “They will be fine.” Jaejoong replies, quickly extracting his dainty feet from the advisor’s hands as he turns away. Hearing those words come out of Yunho’s mouth, sounding so pained yet earnest, Jaejoong is experiencing an unexplainably terrible feeling as well. Lying down on his side, the latter forces his eyes shut, willing the negativity away.

Respecting Jaejoong’s choice and straightening back up, Yunho attempts to cheer himself up by continuing breakfast, but all appetite is lost. Looking around, the advisor felt trapped. As if being locked up together with Jaejoong wasn’t the best thing that ever happened to him, he felt forced, to face his feelings and the tough reality of his fractured dream for them to have a future together, once again. With so much spare time on hand, the advisor can’t help but start thinking about how he would deal with the rest of his days without the other, asides from drinking himself to oblivion every damn day.

The healer, too, is able to see things that he had once neglected. Both know that this intimate moment will end once the door opens, but as much as the harsh temperature is making them look forward to that moment, the warm feeling derived from the honest attraction towards one another makes them want things to stay this way for as long as possible. Both are unable to decide what they would prefer.

Obliging when the advisor offers him a spoonful of rice, the healer tried to masticate as best as he can, to distract himself, but the food remained tasteless, and before he is done with swallowing the third mouthful, the contents are threatening to come right out again.

Holding onto his mouth, the healer quickly stumbled off the bed, racing to the nearby brass basin, barfing into it. Yunho followed shortly after, patting his back for him as he purges. Jaejoong is stronger by nature, and since he always wakes up prepared to vomit his guts out, the healer does not complain or whines. He simply seated, gagging.

This sight left Yunho reeling in shock, from the regret, ruing his previous persistence to get the healer knocked up. He hadn’t given their child much thought before, since they themselves were going through a particularly tough period of ‘breaking up’. This is a grim reminder that he is going to be a father, and he is not as exultant as he was hoping he did be, fully aware of what Jaejoong will go through because of him. He was Junsu’s carer before.

“I will be fine. This is normal.” Jaejoong spoke after recovering from the nausea. Seeing the troubled look on Yunho’s face, the healer ensured the advisor that he will be fine, making the man even guiltier.

“Do you hate me… for all this?” The advisor asked in a shaky voice as his eyes follow the retreating figure back to the tea table. Jaejoong hesitated before continuing on his way, eyes boring holes on the ground as he does his ‘soul searching’, hoping to find the answer. A frank answer that will either hurt Yunho, or contradict the hostile person he stubbornly wishes to portray, whenever he is faced the man.

“I need to wash up.” The healer replied finally, excusing himself as he makes his way over to the temporary ‘wash area’, avoiding the advisor’s question. The floors are warming up as they speak, and that is an indication that their harrowing night is finally over. Nonetheless, they still do not have an idea how many more similar nights they will have to go through before freedom. Absolutely no inkling how long they will have to face one another with such unease and irritating self-consciousness.

“You do don’t you?” The taller man would not let it slide, choosing to tail the other as he persists with his quest for the real truth, ugly or not.

“You already know the answer. Jung Yunho.” The healer stopped short, lips quivering as he spoke, as coldly as he can. “Why ask?”

With this, the rapport they just built is back to square one. With the budding acceptance and near exposure of the mild adoration he holds only close to his heart, the healer brushed them off crudely. Yunho saw that coming all along, choosing to believe that whatever happened the night before was nothing but a sweet dream. A final but gentle tap on the shoulder, telling him that it’s time to let go for real, that it is all just a mere memory.

“I just. Needed closure.” The advisor replied with a straight face, but his handsome face still remained visibly twisted with distraught. Again, the healer can feel his hardened heart softening, refusing to go back on his words, yet fighting a losing battle.

Unbeknownst to them, there was someone spying on them all along, wearing a very disturbed expression. The third party can see clearly, how unsettled Jaejoong looks, since the healer is facing the gap by which he is peeping through. There is no way the peeping tom would miss out the fact that the healer is sneaking glances at the depressed Yunho, hesitant but yearning.

“AIGOO!!” “I GIVE YOU TWO A WHOLE NIGHT AND NOTHING HAPPENS?!” Without any warning or an advance notice, the doors are thrown apart as a boisterous man enters. Swaggering over to the tea table with his escorts encircling him protectively, fearing for his life because of the things he had done, the man slumps down onto a stool, yelping at the sudden contact of his rear end with the still icy marble surface.

The two who were staring in shock immediately reacts. The taller one did not even say a word before charging at the man, ramming into the escorts to get them out of his way. This will be the first time the patient man blows his top at the other. “PARK YOOCHUN!!!” “NO AMOUNT OF ESCORTS CAN PROTECT YOUR SORRY !!” “BE A MAN AND FACE ME BEFORE I GET YOU!!!”

“Let him through.” The man announced boldly, though the other is behaving like a maddened bull. The royal escorts obeyed and bowed their heads, taking a step back to allow the fuming person through. Yunho immediately moves in on Yoochun, walloping him.

Shoving the advisor like a defiant spoilt brat, Yoochun puffed his chest up to look more intimidating. Jaejoong almost laughed out when the pair reminded him of a couple of beasts fighting over a female, though he definitely does not see himself as the mate. Snickering, the person retreated into a corner of the room while the two continues to thrash things out, pulling each other by the cape and pouncing on one another, biceps bulging as they take turns to choke one another with it.

“YAHHH!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW COLD IT WAS LAST NIGHT!?!” “JAEJOONG WAS UNWELL AND YOU FREAKING SUBJECTED HIM TO ALL OF THAT!! YOU KNOW THAT?!!” “BASTARD!!!” “YOU DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED!!” The king was in the midst of fending for himself when his self-defence disintegrated with him cracking up. Yunho’s face and words made him a very amused king. He had never the advisor behaving so mushily, putting someone before himself unabashedly.

Guffawing as the advisor’s blows becomes ticklish for some unknown reason; the king rolled around on the ground and almost choked on his own saliva, had the advisor not heaved him up and sent a knee to his epigastrium. “SHUT UP!! WHAT’S SO FUNNY?!” “YOU ARE SO MISTAKEN IF YOU THINK I WILL NOT KILL YOU FOR REAL!!!”

“WAIT!!! WAIT!!” Yoochun had to clutch onto his abdomen, where it’s hurting from the excessive chortling instead of the beatings he received from Yunho, which are not merciful in any ways. “Omo omo. My gut.” The king bowled over, rubbing the tears from his eyes as he seals his lips shut, afraid that his teeth might fall out if he laughs some more. Yunho might just sock him in the face when he is most vulnerable, and he does not want that. He is going to be a groom soon, and he needs to appear dashing with his full set of pearly whites.

“You are funny!!” The king commented weakly as he straightens up, punching the obedient Yunho’s shoulder playfully. Yunho had stopped hitting his friend upon the other’s command. It’s an old habit that he has to listen to whatever Yoochun says, no matter how disgruntled he is.

“WHAT?!” “!!” The advisor scowled as he kicks the king in the shin again. Yoochun does not even flinch.

Sitting down after he is done adjusting his headgear, the king let out one more hearty laugh before clearing his throat. “It’s good to know you are still alive. I heard from the servants that you were quite the athlete.” The king raises an eyebrow at the advisor before proceeding to demonstrate a single star jump, just to mock the other, earning a fierce growl from the insulted friend.

“YOU !!” The advisor slapped the king across the face, causing the person to stumble back a little.

“WHAT?! ?!" "HIT ME THERE AGAIN AND YOU WILL PAY THE PRICE!!” The king’s eyes widen as he starts to threaten his opponent childishly. The advisor simply issued him another tight slap across the other cheek this time. “SMACK!!” Yoochun retaliates and both manly men ended up slapping one another.

Only a loud snigger that escaped the healer’s mouth could stop them.

“SEE!! JAEJOONG SSHI ISN’T EVEN ANGRY!!” “WE ARE EVEN NOW!!” The king grabbed both of Yunho’s wrists to stop the other from attacking his already inflamed and burning cheeks.

“EVEN?!!” “YOU!!!” The advisor became hopping made once again and jumps at Yoochun, twisting his hands violently as he stamps on the king’s toes brutally.

“I LET YOU HIT ME EARLIER TOO!!” The king protests as he wrestles with the struggling Yunho.

“ALRIGHT!! ALRIGHT!!!” “Jaejoong sshi. I’m sorry!!” The humiliated king quickly apologises to the healer, just as the advisor escapes, ‘saving his face’ in the nick of time, literally. Yoochun came prepared to make up to the duo he had scammed.

“ARE WE EVEN NOW?!” The king shouted in inquiry and an appeased Yunho takes a step back, nodding once, toning down at last. The advisor is too forgiving for his own good.

Then, excusing himself as he makes his way to the door, the king grabbed an object from the padded box his servants had brought along and lifted the object up, signalling for everyone present to pay attention as he has an announcement to make. The room immediately quietens down. No one is supposed to speak when the king has something to say.

“I had a discussion with Junsu last night, and he feels that what I made the both of you go through is inappropriate and dangerous. THEREFORE, I have thought of another ingenious way to facilitate bonding.” The king beamed at the reminder of his own intelligence, as if hoping Yunho would give him a pat on the head for being a smartass too. “With this, there will be no more freezing half to death.” The king even paused to allow the couple to register the item in his hand.

With a single loud rattle, both the advisor and the healer’s eyes widens, still trained on the dreadful though shiny metallic looking thing in Yoochun’s hands, as the king parades the item proudly. “This.”

“Goes here.” The king then lowers his hands and snaps something circular around the advisor’s wrist before the man can blink. “And this side goes…” Tugging the dumbfounded person over to the smaller person hidden in the shadows, Yoochun wraps the other end of the object to the cowering person’s thin wrist. “Here.” Finishing his sentence.

“I hereby declare you two, man and wife.” The king grinned evilly, patting the stupefied advisor on the back. “Take this as a wedding gift from me.”

“This house is all yours too. A gift from me as well.” “There are plenty of rooms for loads of children to play in.” The king continued his ‘speech’, much to the couple’s dismal.

“Oh! One more thing.” The king added. “Take this off and both your heads roll.” “Now, you two are free to leave.” Yoochun said conclusively, stepping aside to reveal the wide open door.

“YAH!!! PARK YOOCHUN!!! YOU CAN’T CHAIN US TOGETHER!!”

Smirking, the said man secured a metal band to the only key to unlock the restraint, stringing it to his neck. “Yes I can.”

TBC

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