Jaejoong POV

“Ugh, my head,” I complained.

“What the hell happened to you?”  Yoochun asked, basically slamming the cold compress against my head.

“Ah!  Watch it!”  I screamed.  Again, a bad decision.  My own voice echoed around my head, painfully reminding me just how numb I was.

“Stop being such a baby,” he said.

I could feel my lips form a pout but this time I was smart enough to not say anything.  Yoochun has been my comrade, my friend and my brother ever since we met 8 years ago.  I can still remember the tall lanky kid fresh out of the American boat, studying to make it big in his homeland after an over 5 year absence.  And now here he is, 26 years old; still tall, less lanky, more defined thanks to MY efforts, but still the innocent romantic of all those years ago.  Which brings me to my next question, HOW IN THE GODS’ NAME DID HE GET SOME AND I DIDN’T!  For all that is in sacred!  This man is the most obscure and clueless gay man I’ve ever met in my life.  If it weren’t for me he’d still be wearing flip flops and ripped jeans to his press conference.  His famous long locks would be resembling more of a nest were it not for his weekly grooming session.  Hell, he couldn’t even consider cutting it unless I lure him into the salon with the promise of free sweets.

“Quit smiling like that you’re creeping me out, dude” Yoochun so rudely interrupted my train of thought. 

“I was smiling?”

“Yep.”

“It’s got nothing to do with you.  Get back to work!  Act II scene 3, start reading,” I repeated for the umpteenth time.  Seriously, is his memory that good?  How does he get away with such little repetition and so much distraction?

“Hyung, this is already my second reading.  Need I read it all over again?” he asked me with that cute little pout that so often either ended in me giving up or feeding him so that I wouldn’t have to give up.

“YES YOOCHUN!  You’re a professional now.  You have to recite this word for word until the director changes it himself.  You should know your parts, your counter’s parts and everyone else you will share a scene with.  Because that’s what professional does.  NOW READ!” I said again.   I heard him hiss in annoyance but he obeyed instantly, maybe taking pity on my current state.   His features soon took on new aura I noticed, the way they always did so often whenever he’d immerse himself into a role.  To Park Yoochun, the characters in a script were never mere fiction.  They were human.  This time I caught myself smiling.   I never really did have that passion for acting as he did.  My childhood was filled with memories of sets, scripts and talk shows.   Luxuries a young child would normally never experience in a typical span of their first 10 years.  By the time I was fifteen though, I decided I was quitting show biz and were it not for my fateful encounter with him at the start of my college life, I probably would have succeeded.

[Flashback]

The Seoul Academy of Arts was by no means an easy place to be admitted into but having connections in the business, an almost endless supply of saved funds and fame under his belt, Jaejoong was admitted instantly.  He’d chosen this university for two reasons.  One, it was close to everything he’d ever worked for but a far distance from anyone he never wished to see again.  No one would ever guess that the famous child star Yeongwoon Jaejoong would be enrolled in an ordinary university when most actors in his position simply looked for their next bit of bought luck.  And second, aside from his talent in networking and conversation he had little other talents outside the realm of performance and showmanship.  So there he was, in a just above average dorm room getting ready for the next three to four years of his life as a normal student.  He hadn’t even requested a room to himself.  Lost in thought and countless aspirations under the melody of his headphones he barely noticed his room had suddenly been invaded by another individual.

“A-ann-neyohaseyo,” the boy stuttered.  “I’m Park~

“Park Yoochun.  Yes, I was told who you were.  Theater department right?”  He asked still not looking at him.

The boy nodded but did not move, perhaps waiting for the other’s permission.  Nonetheless, Jaejoong kept on as he was.  “I hope you don’t mind, I took the bed next to the window.  It’s the only way I’ll wake up at all.”  The boy shook his head with a quiet mutter that sounded like No.  Clearing his throat Jaejoong rose from the bed to greet his new roommate properly.  “Kim Jaejoong, I believe I’m your hyung by less than a year.  Do you need help with that?  If it’s the only one you have it must be heavy.”  He said motioning to Yoochun’s bag.

“A-actually, it’s n-not” the boy replied.  But Jaejoong took it anyway.  He’d been working on getting rid of his pretty boy persona for the last three years, ever since he started high school with strict diet and exercise regimes.  Surely he could handle one heavy bag.  But to his surprise, he found the boy was not lying.  The bag barely weighed much beyond maybe 30 pounds.  Noticing the look of shock on Jaejoong’s face he added, “I didn’t think it be wise to pack too much.”  Jaejoong nodded and proceeded to place the bag on the free bed before heading back to his previous activity, this time without the headphones.  Instead, he plugged his mp3 to the speakers already installed under the windowsill.

He watched this Park Yoochun carefully.  He didn’t seem to be some crazy obsessed fan.  In fact, he appeared cool and for all that he resisted in believing, oblivious.  The kid was tall, taller than normal but still not taller than him.  Not yet, anyway.  Judging by his lanky frame, pale skin and boyish looks Yoochun had yet to hit full puberty.  His hair was long past his chin and curled at the ends.  However, despite the flower boy looks in casual clothing he could hear a low baritone humming along to his radio.  The boy kept on, oblivious to Jaejoong’s vigilant observation, unpacking only clothes from what the elder could tell.

“Half the closet space is yours.  Don’t worry about trying to stuff everything into that drawer when the rest of your stuff gets shipped in,” Jaejoong said.  “I’m afraid that’s all we get though, the rest has to go under you bed” Jaejoong informed pointing to his own things stuffed under his bed.

“Um … “

“Yes?” The elder asked sensing the other’s hesitation. 

Yoochun lowered his gaze, bangs covering his eyes in what Jaejoong could only guess was embarrassment.  “You can … you can take the rest of the closet space.  This is all I have.”  Jaejoong cocked his head watching at how the boy braced himself for some sort of snark remark.

“Okay.  If you insist.” Jumping off the bed and taking his things into the closet with a brazen smile Jaejoong kept on, “Park Yoochun you are my kind of man!  A true hero!”

The elder’s childish response made Yoochun smile for the first time since he’d arrived to the place.  Finally a bit more relaxed he let himself breath in deep, the initial awkwardness of meeting his roommate almost forgotten.  They stayed in silence for a few minutes, listening to Jaejoong’s collection of songs engulfing their attentions spans when suddenly a loud thunk echoed out from the closet.  “Jaejoongshii?  Kenchana?” Yoochun asked in odd formality.  Jaejoong popped out the privacy of the closet looking only slightly dazed.

“Dandy, just a minor mishap.  No real wreckage,” he answered nervously.

“It didn’t sound like a minor thing,” Yoochun commented trying to peek through but the elder blocked him as they swayed from side to side.  “Hyung, you’re … you’re bleeding!” Yoochun fibbed.

“Bwoah?!” Jaejoong screamed, momentarily losing focus and allowing Yoochun to swoop into the closet. Half of the left side shelves had collapsed, laying in pieces on the floor.  “Uh … I can explain.  You see, I was … I mean … It’s not as sturdy as it looked.”  Yoochun stood flabbergasted at the mess but mostly at his hyung’s cute response.  Realizing the irony of the situation both men blew up in laughter.  “Lunch?”

“Um.”

“My treat, for letting me use the closet space.  And for not ratting me out with our dorm leader?”  He asked with a cheeky grin.  “I’ll fix it, promise.”

“Deal.”

[End of Flashback]

Jaejoong POV

A lot has changed since then hasn’t it?  And yet, some things will always be the same.  For one, this guy is still as oblivious as ever, not really understanding the degree to which he attracts others in all facets and forms.  It’s his gift or as he would put it, his curse.  Seriously, all that playboy potential.  WASTED.  But at least he’s not naïve. Simply closed off.

“Yah, Chunnie-ah … so you and Xi~” he began before catching his friend’s deathly glare, “Um … you-know-who … did you two really hook up?”

“No.”

“But you were… ?”

“I already said no,” Yoochun insisted not taking his eyes of the script.  “Are you going to tell me what happened to you last night?  You ditched me, remember?”

*Click. Slam*

“Sup dolchu [moron].  Hey Chunnie!” interrupted a very chirpy girl.

Seeing how Jaejoong refused to even acknowledge the girl’s presence Yoochun began to wonder.  “Seriously, what happened last night?”

Lizzie shrugged, “Nothing really.  I dialed the wrong number.”

“That being Jae’s number?”

“If you must call that thing a by a name, then yes” she answered pointing to Jaejoong.

“YAH!”

“YAH WHAT!?  Quit being such a baby,” she yelled.

“B-baby?!  I have sprained knee and a fractured wrist, not mention all the bruises!   My designs don’t’ sew themselves!  You’ve literally halted my livelihood you … you badly groomed dictator!  When was the last time you had your hair styled, huh?  It’s a like nest up there, is that where you hide all your sharp objects?!”  He paused long enough to hear her gasp.  “Get out! GET OUT! I’ll have restraining order against you, you harpy!”

Lizzie cleared before raising her chin high in defiance.  “First of all, my hair is fabulous!   And these clothes are from GD’s collection!”  She began, noticing Jaejoong’s huff at the mention of his nemesis’s name.  “And the only thing sharp within my possession is my tongue so watch it KIM JAEJOONG, I can have a scandal against you with the push of a button and my well manicured finger!”

Jaejoong snapped, getting up from his bed with quick haste.  “YOU. PUSHED. ME. Remember?!  The one with the scandal is not me but you, I have a million fans ready to tear you apart!”

“Jaejoong-ah, you really should not be putting pressure on your leg.  The doctor said to stay in bed rest for at least a week before you try moving,” Yoochun warned watching his friend wince in discomfort.  “Wait, you pushed him down that ramp?” he asked turning to his other friend.  “I thought it was an accident.”

“It was.”

“No, it was NOT!” Jaejoong yelled.

“Was too!”

“Not!”

“Look it’s not my fault you have two left feet!” Lizzie tried.

“Oh and it’s my fault that I suddenly get a distressing phone call and I rush over only to find you standing out on the parking lot ready to attack?  Is that an accident too?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Aish chincha!  You’re the one that …” Jaejoong began remembering what happened with a slight blush to his cheeks.  Despite his attempt to hide it though, Yoochun noticed it quite clearly.

Lizzie sighed, growing tired of the conversation.  “I don’t have time for this.  Look, I just came to apologize.  Though I have no reason to, I will assume responsibility for your stupidity.”

Jaejoong stared at her long and hard, crossing his arms.  “You apologize?  Tch.  Fine, let’s hear it.”

“I just did.”

“Wah?  No you didn’t! That was not… ”

“Well, I’ll be going now.  Try not to trip over your feet again,” she advised before walking out the door, leaving bothered Jaejoong behind.

“She’s … she’s … AGH! She’s going to…”

“Be the death of you?” Yoochun finished for him.

“Pay.”

“Eh?”

“She’s. Going. To. Pay.”