Chapter 23
You, Whom I Left OffYunho walked into the café and smiled at the waitress, before immediately scanning his surrounding to find two people he has been looking for. Once he could see one of them, Yunho quickly continued his walk towards the latter. Soon after he has arrived there, Yunho sat down across the other person and looked around to find the other one. But strangely, no matter how hard Yunho tried, there was no single sign of the man who was supposed to be there as well.
“Where is Yoochun?” asked Yunho, finally giving up in searching the latter all by himself.
The woman in front of him remained in silence for a second. “I don’t think he’s going to come,” she said all of sudden. “There were… problems. And I think it’s the time to end our game already.”
“Game-” Yunho frowned as he couldn’t understand what that was supposed to be. But as soon as he finally understood it, Yunho was widening his eyes in instant. “You want to cut the engagement off?”
“I have to,” Jieun said with a firm nod, showing how determined she was. “It’s not me… the right one who should be with Yoochun-Oppa. He loves someone else who loves him back. So, I shouldn’t stand between them. They have to be together again.”
Yunho didn’t need to be a genius to understand that Jieun has known Junsu’s existence between her and Yoochun’s relationship. And even though Yunho really wanted to reassure Jieun that everything wasn’t going to be changed, deep down there he knew that it wasn’t true at all. Yoochun was madly in love with Junsu up to now; despite the fact that he has been trying to love Jieun.
“You don’t need to pity on me, Oppa,” Jieun finally said when he could see a troubled look on Yunho. “I am fine; I’m not broken hearted. But Yoochun-Oppa deserves someone whom he doesn’t need to be learnt about. He needs Junsu-Oppa, and I swear I will make it happens.”
Yunho stunned again for another second, surprised on how much the determination in Jieun’s voice. But soon after he has gained his mind back, Yunho suddenly let a soft chuckle out. “Aren’t you trying to play match-making here?” asked him as the realization hit.
Jieun raised her eyebrows in a challenging way. “Yes. Why? Is it inappropriate for Oppa?”
“No; not like that,” Yunho answered with a giggle. “I just found it funny, that we were both match-making someone who should be with us… and now we are together here.”
Jieun thought for a moment before following Yunho’s giggle along. “That’s right. What are we doing, seriously?” said her brightly.
Yunho smiled reassuringly, feeling happy to successfully make Jieun relaxed. “Maybe… someday we should try match-making ourselves with each other,” said him unexpectedly with another laughter.
Jieun widened her eyes and froze at her place, too shocked to respond appropriately right away. “I… I don’t plan to… find a new relationship for now,” she said carefully, trying to hide her reddened face. “It has been too much lately, so I just want to enjoy my life by myself- period, of course.”
Yunho laughed whole-heartedly. “I didn’t really mean it for real,” he said, comfortably patting Jieun’s head. “Just like you, I haven’t thought of finding anyone yet… it’s not the time to find it after all the messes we’ve experienced. But I want you to know that we’re partner and you can depend on me.”
Jieun did nothing but stared back on Yunho for a while, since she didn’t know what she should say at the time like this. She wasn’t even sure if that kind of relationship was what she wanted from Yunho. But before she was able to arrange her words, two walking men outside the windows were already making her gaped as wide. “Isn’t that-” said her halfway while pointing at the men.
Yunho raised his eyebrows and followed Jieun’s stare curiously, finding out immediately there was a familiar couple walked side by side across the street. It was Jaejoong and Changmin. Yunho stared at both of them, noticing soon that they weren’t only walking side by side but also holding each other’s hands tightly. Upon the sight, Yunho did nothing but smiled in satisfaction.
“Should we call and ask them to join us?” Jieun asked excitedly. “I never met with both of them all at once before. We always met separately, right?”
Yunho shook his head without any second thought. “It’s better to leave them be for now,” he said. “I guess they both still need time to catch each other up. There’re too many things they haven’t know.”
***
Changmin did want to explain everything towards Jaejoong; from how he has decided coming at him until how he has been able to get a donor for his eyes. But unfortunately, there was something that prevented him to do so; and that was his stomach. Due to the nervousness, Changmin hasn’t been eating at all since the morning. His mind has been too busy thinking on how Jaejoong would react at his appearance. And now he knew that Jaejoong didn’t hate him, his hungriness was built up again.
“Minnie?” Jaejoong called for the third time while waving his hand in front of Changmin. “What was happened back there?”
“Sorry,” Changmin blinked as he finally noticed that Jaejoong has been asking him repeatedly. “I was wondering… do you mind if we order something first? I haven’t had a chance to eat breakfast, but I also don’t want to make you busy at our first meeting after years.”
Jaejoong thought of the idea for some seconds first. “That’s fine by me, but that might take too long,” he said with a trouble look, as if knowing already that Changmin needed it to be fast. “How about we go outside instead? I know a good restaurant in which you can ask for the private space too.”
“It works too,” replied Changmin back with a smile.
Changmin then immediately helped Jaejoong to sit again since they were basically lying down on the couch with Jaejoong at the top of Changmin. After that, Changmin stood up and offered his hand to Jaejoong, who was doing nothing but admiring Changmin all the times. Jaejoong was surprised for a brief time, before a warm smile crept on his face as he took the hand excitedly.
“Let’s go, then,” said Changmin again while pulling Jaejoong, so that the other would start walking.
Jaejoong giggled shyly; too happy to have Changmin right beside him, holding his hand tightly. Didn’t want to miss the moment, Jaejoong was quickly pulling Changmin closer and leaning forward to peck the latter on the lips. Looking at Changmin’s flushed face Jaejoong couldn’t help but to laugh. “Don’t you think you’re the one who should tag along?” he asked with a playful smile, pinching Changmin’s nose softly. “How can you lead our way if you don’t know where the place is?”
“I can search it at the internet,” said Changmin with the same bright smile; looked like he didn’t even care whether his answer was right on its context or not.
“Such a fool,” Jaejoong teased with another giggle as he pulled Changmin’s hands so that they would start walking already. “I didn’t even mention the name of the restaurant. How can you search it?”
“You didn’t?” asked Changmin uncaringly, following Jaejoong along to wherever he would go.
Since none of them had the car, Jaejoong and Changmin finally decided to go by their feet. Of course they could call a taxi instead, but Changmin was more than willing to explore the city (and in whisper he also added that he could hold Jaejoong’s hand more comfortably that way). So that, with flushed face, Jaejoong nodded in agreement since he would never be able to reject it in any possible way.
Even though the first and foremost intention was for Changmin to explore the city, in the end those were getting ignored completely. Hands intertwined at their side, Changmin and Jaejoong were too engrossed with their affection to each other. Sometimes it would be Changmin brushing Jaejoong’s bang away from his eyes. Another time, it would be Jaejoong tidying Changmin’s coat up. Or maybe Changmin would hug pulled Jaejoong into him so that the latter wouldn’t stumble over… something. Even rarely, they would play with each other’s free fingers without even looking at their front.
That way, Changmin and Jaejoong were passing Yunho and Jieun’s café without noticing any of them.
After they have been walking for around twenty minutes, both of Changmin and Jaejoong eventually arrived at the restaurant. Soon after they have gotten in, a lot of people came and gathered around Jaejoong. Changmin raised his eyebrows as he
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