Found You

'There are some people who can stay in your heart but not in your life'

***

Yoochun walked into his office only to be greeted with the sight of a petite guy sitting on the couch with shoulders slumped, looking pensive with elbows on his knees.  

“Hey, how’re you doing?” He asked once he approached the latter who had been waiting for him. 

The guy looked up with a pair of tiring eyes. “I’m fine… as usual.” Junsu muttered.  

Yoochun stared at him for seconds as Junsu responded with an uncertain smile. He knew how the other felt for the past few months, and there was nothing he could do to eliminate that distress look off his face just yet. Who wouldn’t look like that when the idol under his care was missing for almost eight months now, without a trace and a single word, just ended everything. 

“So, I bet he’s still not contacting you.” Yoochun concluded by the expression on the other’s face. He took a short breath before he spoke. “I’ve something to tell you.” 

Junsu looked up at him, expectantly somehow. Yoochun made himself sit next to him, clasping both hands together as he tried to compose his words.  

“We’ve caught the real mastermind behind the attack on Yunho last time.” 

Junsu’s eyes widened and a gasp escaped his lips. 

“But… I need you to prepare yourself and calm down since I’ve learned the culprit is someone you know, rather close to you.” Yoochun added. His hand reached Junsu’s and gave a squeeze as he could sense the other’s entire body turned rigid in his seat.  

“Who..?” Junsu muttered lowly after a long quiet. 

Yoochun’s eyes linger on his face for a moment, examining his look. “It’s Shim Changmin.”  

Junsu’s face creased into confusion mixed with disbelief as he pulled his hands from Yoochun’s and turned to face in front. He was startled. 

“H-how… No. There is no way he could… No way.” Junsu’s words faltered as he had a deep-thinking face and shook his head vigorously as something was played in his mind. “I don’t want to believe it but, still… he might be capable to do something like that if it’s all about Jaejoong.” He admitted, more like muttering to himself.  

He then looked alarmed and turned back to face the CEO of the security company, asked avidly. “How’s Yunho? Did he already know about this?” 

Yoochun who still eyeing him nodded and took a short breath before letting it out. He leaned his back to rest on the couch. “He’s the first one I informed once I received this info from my acquaintance that working in the criminal department. I asked him to update me regarding Yunho’s case. And… there’s another thing I need you to know.” Yoochun turned to Junsu again who was still fully giving him attention.  

“The one that led to catching the real culprit is actually Jaejoong.” Yoochun caught another shock crossing the shorter one’s face. “The guy in charge of this case told me he received a call from Jaejoong about a month after his disappearance. He asked him to keep a close eye on Changmin. And later on, he received a package that contents all the proof on his desk.”  

“What proof?” Junsu questioned keenly.  

“It’s a screenshot email of Shim Changmin has ever contacted a third person who provided those personal photos of Jaejoong and Yunho to the psycho stalker. The one that shot Yunho. The police had detained the person, and he was just an outsider, personal photographer Changmin has hired. After going through some interrogation, primed him to admit to more comprehensible charges of his crime. He gave the name who had hired him for the job of tailing Jaejoong every time Jaejoong was outside of his schedule. But he didn’t seem aware of the motive of his own deeds.” 

There was a moment of silence again as Junsu remained motionless in thought as he took in all the unsettling revelation. 

“I… I don’t know what to say. This is too much. I know Changmin seems possessive over Jae all these times. I tried to discard it with the thought of it’s understandable since he is his cousin, like being protective over your family member is normal. But to go this far even to commit such a crime indirectly… I can’t believe it for someone who studies mental health, how people behave and feel to have such psychopathic behavior himself.” 

“He is?” Yoochun looked astonished at the fact.  

“Yes, he studied psychology. A psychiatrist.” Junsu informed.  

“I see… so he is probably someone who characteristically low activity in psychopaths all this time, but once he is triggered, everything went wrong.” Yoochun confirmed.  

“He had discreetly controlled everything that evolved in Jaejoong’s life before. But when the photographer he hired lost sight of Jaejoong, he had to step out himself. Do you remember the time when you sent Jaejoong off to have a holiday with Yunho in Bali? It seemed he lost track of Jaejoong whereabouts since that vacation was unplanned.” Yoochun alerted Junsu about the fact he had discovered. 

Junsu nodded as he remembered that time when he sneakily booked a flight for the superstar to have his short escapade with his loved one. He didn’t regret that since it was what Jaejoong had yearned for a long time. But it didn’t occur to the young manager that Changmin would take such a drastic measure. He thought a thing like this was bound to happen anyway. 

“So, that was when Changmin reached out to Jaejoong after he landed back in Korea, and Jaejoong was missing the next day after they met.” Yoochun continued. 

“So, where is Jaejoong now? Is he with Changmin all these times?” Junsu looked at Yoochun expectantly.  

*

“Where is he?” Yunho asked through the intercom telephone, his eyes boring into the man who sat behind the soundproof glass of the visiting cell, holding the same phone to his ear. It was only a fifteen-minute meeting, and he had to directly ask that question to the other.  

Changmin smiled as he stared back at the man who was facing him with a cold expression, voice controlled but he could tell the man’s deep vein of anger bubbled beneath the surface. He let out a chuckle, looking pleased and amused upon being aware of the real situation once the man asked him that question. “So, he doesn’t go back to you?” 

“Listen, I don’t have time for idle chatter. Just answer the damn question.” Yunho spoke. His controlled voice crack, rage was so apparent in his every word. “Where is Kim Jaejoong?” 

“I will be honest with you… I don’t know.” Changmin answered with an unwavering smile. He somehow looked enlightened to see the other’s broken look.  

“What do you mean you don’t know? Where did you hide him?” Yunho's face was rigid with tension. 

“I mean what I said. I really don’t know. When I asked him to live with me, I thought he would come to me but… neither you nor I currently know where he is. And now, to see you coming and asking me his whereabouts with that look on your face. I bet he really leave you for good this time.” For someone who was being detained, the young doctor looked totally opposite - seemed pleased as if he had nothing to worry about for his life.  

Yunho couldn’t help, his face darkened, almost feeling hopeless now. The man was his last chance to find Jaejoong. But it seemed the man also had no idea where the idol was.   

“I never thought he would be this clever. He even set up someone to keep an eye on me, and secretly find proof to put me here. That Jaejoong, if I can’t keep him to myself, neither will you. As long as he is not with you. I’m glad.” Changmin smirked. 

“He is probably hiding somewhere and doesn’t even dare to appear before you again. So, stop looking for him and dreaming. He will never become yours.” Changmin added.   

Yunho’s jaws clamped tightly. He gritted his teeth as he spoke in an even tone. “There’s where you’re wrong. Your possessiveness over him is nothing like mine. We are different since his heart always belongs to me. That’s what makes him always find his way back to me before. That’s the unchangeable fact even you can’t deny because… he’s already mine from the very beginning.” Yunho let out word by word. Seeing the other’s expression swiftly change, he knew he had triggered the other. This time he was the one to smirk. Yunho stood up once the correctional officer gave a hard knock on the door, signaling the visiting time ended. Changmin stared up at him, looking expressionless as he muttered.  

“You won’t find him. Believe me, even if you found him again, he will not go back to you.” 

* 

Yunho pushed open his office door hard, enough to make a few of his staff look in his way. Closing the door, he heaved a sigh as he slumped down in his office chair and closed his eyes. His head was still pounding and the office seemed to be painfully noisy. He rubbed his temples. Suddenly feeling exhausted from all the thinking and debate mentally of giving up. It had been eight months since Jaejoong disappeared from his life. Now, it seemed his sole work was focusing on finding the missing idol.  

For the past few months, his life had been so bleak. He had always been restless. It was at the point of not feeling necessary to sleep at home anymore. The feeling was not the same when he woke up, only to be hit by the reality after being aware of the empty spot beside him, and shuddered again just to remind himself that the other half of him was gone.  

Thus, Yunho decided to distract himself from delving into miserableness by working on tracking Jaejoong even it seemed futile. The days become endless and the night seemed to last forever when everyone went home, leaving him alone to work in his office, tracking every possible location Kim Jaejoong would be hidden or escaped to. It became like his numb heart forced his body to work harder, even neglect the healthy lifestyle he had once lived in.  

Days turned into nights, weeks, then eight months had gone by even his connection with the outside world, was no more. But still, he never lost hope in looking for the other. That line of thinking was forbidden to him.    

But today, for the first time… he felt so down, at the point of losing hope after confronting Shim Changmin. The guy was the last string of hope he had to find Jaejoong and yet didn’t acquire a clue. He looked haggard, worn as he leaned his back sluggishly into his armchair.  

The soft knock on his door made Yunho lift up his face to look up at the person who already stepped into his room without waiting for his response. 

He dropped back his look, continued massaging his temple with eyes closed, a posture that indicated to be left alone. But the other seemed going to ignore the hint. 

“So, I bet the guy refuses to tell you a thing?” Yoochun asked upon catching the other’s dispirited look.  

Yunho looked up, stopped massaging his throbbing head. “He seems really determined to leave this time.” He remained quiet before voicing out again, “How long should I wait for him to come back? Another fifteen years? I don’t have that much patience anymore. That kind of pain just gives me constant emotions and strain.” Yunho confided. The thought scared him to think of Jaejoong was out of his sight once and for all this time. 

“I bet he must have a reason for leaving.” Yoochun reassured, trying to console him. “Give him a little more time and space to sort out whatever the things that burdened him, he’ll show up eventually. Believe me, he loves and cares about you like no one else ever would.” 

“Still, it painful to be left with just a note asking you to just forget everything? How could he...” Yunho muttered lowly to himself. He felt like there was an increasing big hole inside of him each day he had to live without Jaejoong.  

Yoochun remained silent this time as he started to recognize that brooding poignant and miserable look of his best friend. It had been so long ever since he saw the man in such a state. He hoped Kim Jaejoong would return soon; so that his friend could wake up from this familiar almost-lifeless state. 

*** 

A lone, beautiful lad sat on the wooden plank, both legs stretching out with hands flat on his side, supported himself as he was staring into the spectacular view of the field before him. The reeds are golden brown and waving in the autumn wind as if soothing his melancholy heart. The flat rays of the falling sun warmed the yellow fields and shone over his calm feature.  

There was no trace of emotions over his face, as he just threw an empty look over the field. For the past few months, he had struggled in blocking his mind from being lost in any beautiful, sad memories that had ever happened in his life. He had been engrossed himself in a series of seemingly urgent chores at the hanok guest houses, doing all sorts of indoor and outdoor works including catering to the needs and necessities of travelers during their stay. Every day was a busy day for him, doing something that he never thought he would end up doing in a far-off rural area in Suncheon. It was not like he had to earn some cash, but more to the needed distraction and a good desolated place to live, to devoid himself from public and more importantly from the person who was solely a reason for him to come up with these sudden changes and decision in his life.  

The thud of someone walking on the wooden planks broke Jaejoong from his reverie. The approaching footsteps slowed down and stopped right behind him before he felt the person settle down next to him quietly, joining him to witness the evening spectacular view of the golden reeds waving in the wind.  

“You seem to know where to find me these days.” A small smile adorned Jaejoong’s face as he looked at the young boy whose eyes staring into the field. The boy was the grandson of