Chapter 4: Unexpected twist

***

For these past two weeks, every evening after his office hour ended, Jaejoong found he had become used and accustomed to be at Yunho’s place. Also, he realized he would felt overwhelmed to be around his new friends; Changmin, Junsu and Yoochun who would always welcomed him with their friendly aura. Well, except for that cold, snobbish Jung Yunho who was still kept being callous towards him sometimes. If the second night where he found his lover cheating behind him didn’t happened a week ago, Jaejoong won’t ever know that in the deepest side of the man named Jung Yunho, he still had a soft spot. The man could be a warm and softhearted one in some circumstances. That thought alone brought a careless smile adorned Jaejoong’s face.

Now, he had finally able to catch up with all the trainings that he needed to go through for these past two weeks. All just related to the daily basis etiquettes of high-social people would always do and give a heed to. But he still felt it was such exhausting things to do – have to put up of becoming someone who wasn’t like himself. And Jaejoong thought there was no more difficulty that he needed to face, but it seemed the ill-fated things kept pestering him, restrained him from getting back into his comfort zone - where he won’t enduring any depression or painful feelings.

“Here, take this…”

Jaejoong stared at a piece of cheque that stated an amount of his one month salary. It was handed to him suddenly by his manager. 

“What is this for?” He asked curiously, since the payday was still far off.

The fat, flabby man before him looked at him guiltily. “I’m sorry…this is not my decision Jaejoong. It’s an order from the main department. You’re not being hired here anymore.” The man tried to deliver the meaning of the sudden cheque in a careful word.

“W-what... am I being fired? But why?! Have I done something big to be kick out so suddenly?” Jaejoong asked in a shocked tone.

“It’s just the rumor has been spread out.”

“What's rumor?” Jaejoong asked confusedly.

“You’ve gave the information about our property selling strategies to other developer company.”

“What?!” Jaejoong’s tone sounded more surprised by the absurdity of the sudden accusation. “Where the rumor comes from? I don’t get it. I never meet anyone from other developer company nor do I have any acquaintance from ones.” Jaejoong denied, still looking confused. He just could not accept his sudden termination due to some random accuse that must be putting on him by someone who possibly loathing his presence in the company.

“I’m sorry Kim Jaejoong. To be honest, I really like having you as one of my subordinates. But this is an order from the headquarters. Last time, you’ve been spotted meeting a person from other developer company and you had handed him our selling strategies file to him. We’ve investigated it and found that his company has the name list of all our clients and their confidential data. And he has started pursuing them to buy properties under his company with a lower installment payment than our company has offered.”

“I would never do that? I don’t even remember I’ve meet som-” Jaejoong couldn’t finish his words as he snapped at the meeting he had last week. There was a day where he had replaced one of his colleagues in meeting a client which was not his to start with, after the man asked him a favor. And he remembered he had passed a file to the said client as he was ordered. He didn’t even check the file since the man said it was a confidential document and must be handed to their client directly. Thoughtlessly and clueless, he just handed it to the said person without even checking its content – easily being manipulated as always.

“That's… must be it.” Jaejoong mumbled with a distraught face. It was clear he was being framed.

“I’m sorry, Jaejoong. I can’t defend you this time.”

Jaejoong looked at his manager and smiled bitterly.

“It’s okay. This is not your fault and under your supremacy to retain my position here.” With that said, Jaejoong walked back to his place to pack up his stuffs. There was nothing he could do and out of his authority to fight for straighten out the fact - as a mere office boy. As he walking out of his office department, he could sense some of his colleagues’ eyes were eyeing him. Ignoring and pretending he didn’t affected a bit by the sudden dismiss from a job was the best choice at the moment. He won’t show them the weak sight of him again; it would only fulfill their satisfaction.

Once he stepped out of his building office, he sighed in a low-spirited state and walked to the nearby bus stand. But then a beep from incoming message broke him from his trance. Jaejoong pulled out his cellphone from his trouser pocket, checking the message.

From: Wonnie ღ

Hye baby, Happy birthday! Wish you have a great day of celebration with your colleagues at your workplace. This is your first birthday where I can’t be with you to celebrate it together as we always had every year. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you sooner when we meet. Love you.

Jaejoong stared at the message displayed on his phone in bewilderment for a few seconds. He even forgot what day was today until he received the message from his lover. He bit his bottom lips, as the sudden message which supposed to cheer him up and make his day, turned up to make him even depressed and gloomier instead.

He had lost his job on his special day and to make it worsen, his lover knows nothing about his current situation. Instead, the man wished him to have a great celebration with his coworkers?

Jaejoong tried to hold the bitterness and hurt feelings that swooping him at the moment. He won’t yield himself into such a pathetic state ever again. He needed to change… be strong for himself, so he can move on. There was no more a kind lover where he can depend on in times of need, or be his pillar of support when he was in a tough times. There was nobody to share his problem like before. Now, he hated the thought of being alone, but he couldn’t prevent it from happening.

***

Yunho’s eyes were concentrated on his computer’s screen, engrossed in his work. He looked up once someone barged into his office without even care about the courtesy of knocking the door before entering.

“Jung Yunho, what's with all of this?! Mind to explain?” A man who was in his early fifty and in a gray suit, throwing the document file in his hand to the younger one that was sitting on his chair composedly. The lad didn’t seem affected by the elder’s sudden outburst. Seemingly he had already predicted the event.

“What?” He asked the older man before him with his usual expressionless face.

“You have snatched my big client and even dared to ask me what? Your sneaky tactic just showed how immature you are, don’t you think so?” The man said in a scornful tone.

Yunho remained calm in his seat. “Well, I don’t think it is an immature, since that client interested with what I’ve offered them compared to yours. Sorry uncle, it happened what you presented and offered are not appealing enough and worth for them to give a glance.”

“How many times do I need to remind you? It is Mr. Lee when we are at office.” The man gritted the words. “You're lucky bastard… Don’t you think this time you won, it means you can go on and do whatever you want in this company. This is not the first time you’ve done this.”

“Well, it’s not like their investment money get into my personal account. It is a company’s. Don’t you think you should at least praise me for done a good job for our company, uncle?” Yunho said, totally ignoring the man’s previous warning and smiled provocatively, which get into the man’s nerves.

“You’re really bold in showing your sly tactic these days, uh. Well, just keep smiling since you’re still seating in that chair. Because soon… you’re not lucky enough to even step a foot in this company’s building.”

“Let’s see… maybe it’s not only this time the luck is on my side.” Yunho said again, his face still remained calm. The older man’s threat didn’t get into him at all.

“It’s good to see how you’re still full of confident.  I hope I can see that same expression on your face after the next two weeks, Jung Yunho. Seem you’re still left behind on how to get that woman which your grandfather had asking you to bring home. Or, could you… not interested in women at all? Since, I’ve never seen any women around you.” The old man smirked. “Could you possibly… gay? If that the case, I don’t even want to imagine it. That probably would make your beloved grandfather die due to heart attack.” The man said with a smug face, as he caught Yunho’s pissed off look this time. He then made his way out of the younger man’s office with a triumphant smile.

Yunho’s knuckles turned white at his sides as he balled them into fists, trying hard to control the rage that currently burning inside him. Usually, he would just explode if the one that bring up the topic about his grandfather was just anyone.

He caught several eyes of his staffs were eyeing him worriedly from the door of his office that was left opened after his uncle walked out. All of h