Shim Changmin

I opened my eyes when I felt my earlobe been pulled harshly. I rubbed my eyes lazily as I heard the person who was in the same room with me shuffled and changed his position to in front of me.

I stared at him, and he smiled back at me.

"Here. Eat first," he gave me a pair of chopsticks and there was a tray of food that he had brought here.

"I'm not a kid,"

"I know," I grinned. He actually brought along two sets of breakfast. I couldn't help but feel loved. Junsu wasn't afraid of me anymore since he let me stayed at his old playhouse that was actually beside his current home. He said he and his twin brother always stayed in the house for the weekend and holidays.

And I knew his mom cooked me this breakfast and also for the previous meals I had since I stayed here for almost two weeks now. I paid them of course, not in money but with raw materials for Junsu's mom to cook. Junsu's mom loves to cook as Junsu and his twin brother eat so much because firstly they were boys and secondly because Junsu was always singing and running and Junho was in a baseball team and plus they were still growing, and they needed a lot of energy.

It's a blessing, really because I really, really love to eat.

I started to dig on my breakfast when Junsu scolded me again because I didn't wash my face yet. I groaned and obliged because I was so hungry. Who's the hyung right now? I want to ask him that.

Then I sat in front of him again and saw him eating quickly like he had not eaten for quite a few days. I then noticed that there were bruises on his wrists and arms. I grabbed it.

"It's new," he pulled his hands back, his face flustered. "When did you get this?"

"It was nothing." his voice was very small. I grabbed his right wrist and inspected it. New bruises. I thought I saw it last two days and it had been worse each day.

"Nothing?" and I saw a long cut near his elbow and then only I realised there were bruises on the base of his neck and cuts on his jawline that was only visible if he looked up. "What was all this?"

"I said it's nothing!" he put his chopsticks down and wanted to walk away but I pulled him harshly and took off his T-shirt.

I gasped. There were bruises and cuts everywhere.

"Where did you get this? Answer me, Junsu!" I roared. His pale skin that was once flawless was tainted by this scar and bruises and it was only in two weeks’ time. "Did someone bully you, Junsu?" he hid his eyes away from me. I was right. "Was that the reason why you always stayed late at the college?"

He didn't answer.

"Tell me who the motherer is! I’ll go and hit him until he bleeds and couldn't..."

"No, Changmin-hyung, no!" Junsu pleaded. "It's nothing." he was on the verge of crying and he said it's nothing?

Bull.

"Did Junho know about this?" Junsu shook his head. Figures. Junho was not here because he had a tournament out of Seoul. "Then, who knew?" he didn't say anything. He just looked down upon the floor. I huffed, unable to eat anymore. Junsu didn't stay any longer then, because he gathered all the eating bowls and carried away the tray.

***

I checked my new phone. I bought it and a new number so that no one could trace where I was. I was too lazy to run to another district so I decided to stay with Junsu until I figures out how I was feeling with Appa back here. He didn't deserve my respect and it was only because he was an elder that I called him Appa. But for now, I am not going back yet. Whoever was searching for me would have to wait.

I couldn't brush off the memory of what happened this morning. Something was wrong and he refused to talk about it. It was obvious that somebody inflicted the bruises on him on purpose. I wanted to hit that person so bad for making my Junsu like this.

You must be wondering why I was with Junsu and I seemed like I didn't care about Jaejoong anymore. I still care. I still loved Jaejoong but he was too stubborn. He still hung out with Junsu and occasionally I would be there to eat together with them and Jaejoong treated me like a friend. I didn't want that. I wanted more but what could I do? Junsu advised me to just follow the flow because he said loving someone didn't mean I have to force him to love me back. When I looked back, I actually was giving Jaejoong a hard time. I always wanted to win, I wanted him to love me because I was attached to him. Maybe it's because Yunho's doing too, but there's more to it. He's beautiful, his persona amazed me. He was in a predicament when both Yunho and I chased him and did things he didn't want to him, made him miserable all the time. I thought I was happy to see him like that, but I was wrong. I didn't want to hurt him anymore.

And it's getting repetitive. Junsu told me that. He asked me to just leave Jaejoong alone and he would choose what he wanted. He was a person who was still looking for an identity, compared to me who was more grown-up he was just a mere beginner. I am too, still in the stage of developing my heart again as I was so afraid of rejection. Thanks to Appa I was so afraid to love but Jaejoong changed it.

But now that Junsu was in the same picture, I felt the need to protect him. He made me try to open up again. Well, his personality was so inviting.

He protected me from my family and hid me here. Eh, actually he didn't intend to but I forced him. I should just stop forcing people to do what I wanted.

I was bored then. I put on my cloth and walked outside. It was nearly dark but Junsu was not home yet. Then there was a message sent to me.

It was from Junsu.

'Help.'

Only one word needed that could drive me mad. I called him but he didn't answer. I quickened my pace. Where should I go? Should I go to the college?

I called him again and the phone was actually answered.

"Junsu? Hey, Junsu? Why did...?" but I didn't hear his voice. I could only make up the sounds of something hitting the ground and some shuffling. . I got the feelings that something really bad about Junsu. "Junsu!"

Nothing. I heard him breathe heavily on the other side.

"Jaejoong..." I heard him say, and there were loud voices that I couldn't make out what they were saying. And then I heard people hitting something like a punch bag. "No!"

I was getting furious by then. I ran to the college, my mind only focused on one thing. Save Junsu. Save Jaejoong, and destroy whoever bullies them.

I arrived at the entrance of the college and was welcomed by Junsu and Jaejoong lying on the ground, all beaten up.

"What the ?!" I rushed to Junsu, cradling him in my arms. My whole body was shaking because of the fury I contained inside. Junsu was almost unconscious. I turned to Jaejoong, whose face met the tarmac and his shirt was badly dishevelled. With Junsu still on my lap, I moved and held Jaejoong's face. "Jaejoong, hey!" I smacked his face but he was unconscious. He didn't response.

. . . Oh .

I fumbled for my phone and called the ambulance. Both of them were weak, some bullies knocked the lights out of them. If I could get my hands on them, I swear...

***

I waited patiently inside the emergency room and saw the doctors treated both Jaejoong and Junsu. Jaejoong was more affected than Junsu. His face was severely beaten. He was still unconscious when the doctor and the assistants treated him, and Junsu was half awake. I went to Jaejoong's bed and observed how they treated the wound and inserted intravenous fluids for him because of the bleeding. My heart broke when I saw him like that. Who had the heart to hit him like that? His ethereal face was covered with bruises now, but he was still beautiful to me.

Then he was brought to a room and I stayed there with him. I took his hands and squeezed the fingers that were smaller than mine. If he was awake, he would never let me touch him like this. I caressed his hair that was matted with sweats and blood and dirt.

"Who did this to you?" I asked him but of course he couldn't answer. "Why did they do it?" I held his hand for a long time. I wished he would open his eyes, I wished I would be the first one he saw. It's the third time I saved him. Maybe the third time's the charm. Maybe he would fall for me. Maybe he would consider me.

I sighed.

"Um...are you the one who came with the other boy too?" suddenly a middle-aged medical assistant approached me. I nodded. He meant Junsu. "He's asking for you," I almost forgotten about Junsu!

I let go of Jaejoong's hand and rushed out of the room to Junsu's place. He was sitting on a bed, he was obviously exhausted and shook by the incident. When he saw me, he broke into uncontrollable sobs. I walked closer and embraced him. He cried and cried on my chest.

"Thank you, hyung..." he managed to speak between his sobs. "I don't know what would happen if it weren't you,"

"Who did this to you?" I asked fiercely. I have to know so that I could kill them. Or, I could use my family's influence to make their life miserable. "Tell me, Junsu. Or I'll announce it at your college that if..."

"No, don't do it!" Junsu cried out. "It was my entire fault. My mistake."

"You were bullied, Junsu. Please don't lie to me anymore, I didn't want to hear that," he shook his head. I used my fingers to wipe his tears away. "They have to pay. Don't worry. I'm an heir of a big company. I will destroy them." Junsu hiccupped but he shook his head again. "Junsu..."

"No, I don't want to, hyung. I don't want them to know about you being close to me."

"What about Jaejoong, then? Was he bullied because of the same reason?" Junsu didn't answer. He looked upon his dangling feet. "Junsu..."

"Please, hyung! Please!" he begged and held my hand in both his. I scratched my forehead. I couldn't resist this angelic plead. He always did this, making me weak and subsequently complied to what he wanted. Like for example, when he didn't want me to send him to college with my car. I actually wanted to see Jaejoong to if he had arrived there but Junsu didn't want to. He knew about my lingering feelings to Jaejoong. Aish... I wish I stopped being this way and liked someone else instead - like Junsu - but our relationship was purely brotherhood. He will hate me if I think of him otherwise. Well, of course I wouldn't. It was Jaejoong and would always be. "Have you called Yoochun?"

"Eh, what for?"

"He needs to know about Jaejoong. Didn't he have only Yoochun here?" I creased my brows.

"Why? Why don't you tell his parents?"

"I don't know. He never actually talked much about his parents, the only family that came close is Yoochun," aish, again. The rich family's problems. They are always like that.

"You know his parents right?" Junsu scratched his head.

"He didn't tell me anything about them. But I have my own suspicions,"

"What is it?"

"Last time there was a driver who came and took him away, just like that. I thought they were looking for someone else but they kept calling Jaejoong 'young master',"

Young master? Did that mean that Jaejoong never told anyone about his true status? He even hid it from Junsu, his best friend?

"Then do you know who Park Yoochun is?"

"Yes. He's a chaebol from Jeju." Junsu looked at me, puzzled. Shall I tell him about Jaejoong? It seemed like it wasn't a good thing to do, to put my back against the kid, but...Junsu should know about him. He's his best friend, right?

I ended up not telling him.

"Maybe his parents are too busy," I said with a sigh.

"But he never let me know them. They were always somewhere else, or they weren't home. Heck, I don't even know where he lives,"

"You don't know?" well, what do I expect?

"Why do you assume me know?"

"I don't assume. I was just asking," he looked at me in contempt. He was accusing me with that look but I just smiled at him.

"Just wait, okay? I'm sure he'll tell you later, and maybe he'll bring you to meet his parents," I reassured him but he was still using that face. I his cheek and checked the tearstains. Tears didn't suit him. He looked prettier if he laughed and blushed. If he cried, he looked really ugly. Well, relatively.

"Just call Yoochun, okay?"

"You call him." I didn't want to talk to that overprotective best friend. I didn't know what happened after the last time we caught him after both of them had . I mean...Yunho and Jaejoong. . Remembering those things made me very mad.

I heard Junsu took his phone and dialled a number.

"Yoochun-ah, Jaejoong...yes, yes. We are fine now, no...no, at the hospital. Yes, Jaejoong is umm..." his eyes flickered at me then to the wall. "The bullies...Jaejoong is fine. He's resting. Come here now," Junsu said a couple of yes and then hung up. He took my hand and held it tightly. "I'm scared. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about our bullies,"

"Our?"

"Me and Jaejoong." I looked at him, the fury that was inside me started to build up again. He sensed it so he squeezed my hand tighter. It soothed me in a way that I couldn't understand. I smiled at him and shook my head. I wouldn't get angry. I wouldn't do anything reckless and stupid; that's what he wanted from me when he let me stayed at his house.

"Did you call Yoochun?" suddenly a familiar voice broke our bubbles. Both of us turned to see Jaejoong stood at the doorway; his pretty face seemed hard. He looked at Junsu and Junsu pulled away his grip on my hand. I stared down at my hand and back at Jaejoong.

"Jaejoong," Junsu stood up from his bed.

"I told you not to ask him to come and protect me again,"

"But he's...he asked me to," Junsu's voice croaked.

"I don't need anyone to protect me!"

"We are nearly killed!"

"I don't care!" Jaejoong glared at me. "Why are you here? Junsu, why was he here? Did he know about it, too?"

"Jaejoong, if not for me, both of you would die in front of the college," I defended Junsu and myself.

"I don't want to live anymore!" Jaejoong burst to tears. "I don't want to live in this fake world! What's the point of still holding on when I've done everything I could?"

"Jaejoong-ah..." Junsu looked at me.

"Tell me, then. Who are these bullies? Why are they doing this to you?" I forced him to tell but Jaejoong only smirked at me.

"I'm sick of people like you. Don't you know because of you Junsu was being bullied? Don't you know I was bullied because of ing Jung Yunho?"

"I don't understand..." I looked at Junsu for explanations but the boy brought his gaze somewhere else, avoiding me.

I grabbed Jaejoong's wrist and forced him to tell me but he pushed me away. He screamed, and I had to hug him and hold him until he calmed down. I didn't know if he's too scared or too angry with me but I could bear with it. He punched my chest trying to get away but I embraced him tighter until he finally hugged me back and cried endlessly in my arms.

I was having a mixed emotion. I was terrified; if Jaejoong was harmed so much he'd lost his mind. I was afraid if he would hate me for doing this. I was sad because he was crying so much like a hungry baby who’s abandoned by the mother. I was angry; I wanted to kill the bullies. But I was too happy too when he hugged me like this. It felt like I was still needed.

After a while, he pulled away from me. He sniffed and hung his head low.

"Why don't you tell him the truth, Junsu?" his voice was coarse. I turned at Junsu who was pale. "He was the cause of your misery, he should know," his tone was full of venom, trying to kill me. I swallowed when Junsu shook his head. Jaejoong grunted. He had become more aggressive than Junsu. Or might be he was actually fiercer than Junsu but I had no way of knowing that.

"What is it, Junsu? Tell me." my heart was beating rapidly.

He sighed.

"Remember when we went to the amusement park and you kissed the person who was with my ex that time?" Yes, I do remember so I nodded. "Well, apparently when you ran back to my side, there was a bunch of kids from school who were there too. They saw what happened and they followed us. They even knew that we spent our time in the public bath before we went home,"

The public bath? Now that I thought of it, what we did was kind of...gay? I guess?

I watched him, all teared up. I patted his shoulder and later just wrapped him up in my arms. I didn't always show my affection with anybody else but I did with Junsu. Jaejoong watched us but we stayed that way. Were my feelings for him decreased because of Junsu?

No. Junsu pushed me lightly and smiled. Why did he always smile even when people hurt him? Why didn't I be that way?

"And they bullied you because...?"

"Because they thought us of being gay!" Jaejoong spurted out, almost impatiently.

"Jaejoong-ah..." Junsu whined.

"Isn't that what you are?" I blurted out. Jaejoong's big eyes went even wider and he slapped me hard on the face.

"Say it again!"

"Wasn't you gay? That's why you slept with Yunho!" he wanted to slap me again but I grabbed his wrist. I heard Junsu gasped and Jaejoong's face full of contempt stared back at me. "Am I wrong?!" he pulled his hand back harshly.

I took a deep breath.

"Let me protect both of you this time," I said. Jaejoong pulled his gaze away. He bit his lower lip. "I know who you are, Jaejoong. I know who you really are and by letting them do this will not do any good to your reputation,"

"I don't care. Just stay the away from me and him! Don't you see it's you the problem now? If you don't intrude our life, we will never be in this predicament!" Jaejoong spat before he burst into tears again. "Junsu was bullied because people thought he was gay, because you brought a younger person with you and hugged him in a much compromised situation which people could misunderstand. He bears everything, even letting you to stay in his house..."

"Isn't that more of a reason for me to protect him, at least? I don't understand why are you so stubborn, Jaejoong? What's wrong with me? If you want me to stay away from you, it will never help anything! If only you let me manage this bullies, they will never be brave to even speak your name out loud," he huffed, tears streamed down his cheeks like two rivers. "I have power, I'll look after you,"

Knock! Knock!

I turned and saw Yoochun stood at the door entrance, his face sad and worried. I looked at Jaejoong who instinctively walked to Yoochun and embraced him.

A/N did Jaejoong just do it again? just pushing Min aside?

ahh...well, Jaejoong is Jaejoong.

and the story will end soon, but i can't figure out how many more characters, but i had an ending in my mind, so the story will heading that way!

thank you for reading!!!

*the gif is not mine*