Chapter 17 (Part II)

            A few hours after 7PM, Gummi found herself utterly surrounded by celebrities.  Yoochun arrived a few minutes after Junsu to help Jaejoong prepare.  Though he was far more shy and solemn, he reacted to her presence with as much surprise and delight as Junsu did.  Whenever Junsu and Jaejoong, Yoochun was quick to reprimand him.

            A couple Super Junior members trickled in along with some of Jaejoong’s closest friends who preferred a less musical or notorious lifestyle.  Gummi held onto Jaejoong’s arm as he eagerly introduced her to his friends.

            “This is my date,” Jaejoong told everyone.  “In fact, she’s my girlfriend.”

            Kyuhyun eyed her curiously when he met her.  “You seem very familiar.  Did you attend my musical recently with hyung?”

            “I did,” Gummi admitted reluctantly.

            “Ah, yes, I saw you in the front row,” he grinned merrily.

            Jaejoong glared at Kyuhyun.  “Ah, dongsaeng, you can be so dense.  She’s much more than a face you saw in the audience.”

            Gummi forced an awkward smile as Kyuhyun carefully studied her faced.  It had been far too easy for artists to look down upon Crayon Pop.  They weren’t considered “serious idols” by a majority of critics, and many resented their “overnight success”.  Few knew the extent of their earlier promotional efforts.

            “Jumping?”  Leeteuk, who stood quietly beside Kyuhyun, filled suddenly with interest.  “Jumping!  You’re from Crayon Pop, aren’t you?”

            “Yes!” she answered excitedly, amused by his unexpected elation.  “Do you know of us?”

            “Of course!” Leeteuk assured.  “Ah, you girls are so cute.”

            “Aish, thank you, sunbaenim.”

            When Junjin from Shinhwa arrived around 9PM, Gummi barely held herself together.  Though he could sense her failing sanity, Jaejoong dragged her over to the sunbae and introduced her.

            “Ah, Gummi, is it?” Junjin asked politely.  “Yes, I recognize you.  Minwoo plays your song nonstop.  It’s quite adorable.”

            “I…I admire you a lot, sunbaenim,” Gummi stuttered nervously.  “Oh my…You recognize me?”

            “Of course,” he laughed.  “You’re a superstar.  Ya, Jaejoong-ah, what are you drinking?  Could you pour hyung a glass?”

            As Jaejoong helped Junjin with his wine, Gummi slipped away to the small library next to the living room.  A few guests had retired to this part of the house simply because of its simple magnificence.  Books from every age filled the bookshelves, and a certain tranquility that only hundreds of books could bring filled the room.  Taking a sip of wine from her glass, she peeked though the window to the street outside.  Out on that dark, quiet street was a tall man standing beside a black motorcycle.  He took off his helmet to reveal a head of newly bleached hair. 

            Gummi nearly spilled her wine as she rushed away from the window.  She could feel her heart beating violently against her chest.  Why was Loki here? 

            “Ah, Sica!  Taeyeon-ah!  You made it!”

            Glancing into the living room, Gummi watching in horror as Jaejoong welcomed both Jessica and Taeyeon into his home.  After he hugged them both, he waved for Gummi to join him.  She grudgingly obeyed him, hoping that neither of them would be able to recognize her frightened, pale face.

            “Gummi-ah, I don’t know if you’ve ever met Jessica or Taeyeon from Girls’ Generation,” Jaejoong began.  “We’ve been good friends for a very long time.”

            “Ah!”  Jessica stared at Gummi with absolute astonishment.  “You’re from Crayon Pop!  I love your song!  Jumping!  Jumping-”

            “Sica, this is no time for that,” Taeyeon cackled, gently taking hold of Jessica’s arm.  “Hi, Gummi.  I’m Taeyeon.  This one is Jessica.  It’s very nice to meet you.”

            “Sunny and I dance to that song all the time!” Jessica cried, her glimmering eyes so full of bliss.  “Oh, can’t we do the dance together just once?”

            “Um, Sica,” Jaejoong interrupted slowly.  “Why don’t I get you some wine instead?”

            “Does she sound like she needs wine, oppa?” Taeyeon asked with one subtle eyebrow raised.  “We’ll just search for some friends.  I’m sorry, Gummi.”

            “It’s quite alright,” Gummi declared warmly, amazed by the amount of her recognition.  “I’m quite flattered by you, Jessica.”

            “Unnie, this may be our only chance!” Jessica urged as Taeyeon pulled her away.  “Unnie!  We really ought to jump with Gummi!”

            Jaejoong laughed as he watched them move into the dining room.  “Jessica was quite starstruck by you.”

            “It’s really baffling!” Gummi informed fervently.  “I’ll have to tell my members that we’re so liked by Girls’ Generation’s Jessica.”

            “Jessica can be very silly,” Jaejoong grinned.  “But her taste in music is impeccable.  Hey, are you having fun?”

            “Of course I am,” she smiled happily.  “Why do you ask?”

            He gave a weary sigh.  “I’ve been speaking to so many people, it seems.  I wish we had more time to talk.”

            “I’m sure we’ll have time to talk later,” she insisted.  “I’ll help you clean up afterwards.”

            “It would be selfish of me to let you do that.”

            “It wouldn’t be selfish at all.  Now, go ahead and talk with your friends.  I’m going to go sit down.”

            She dashed away from him and into the library.  If she could stay as far away from both Jessica and Taeyeon as possible, there was a better chance she wouldn’t be noticed.  She knew the general tactics Earman Kim used.  If a K-Much member was lurking outside, a Crayon Pop member was somewhere closer to The Nine.

            The library, along with its massive bookshelves and beautiful paintings, had magnificent furniture.  On one couch sat Park Bom and Song Jihyo.  Not wanting to interrupt their pleasant chat, Gummi sat down on a lonely couch in the corner of the room.  She watched carefully for Jessica or Taeyeon, hoping they wouldn’t enter.

            “Would you mind if I sat here?”  Gummi looked up so see Junsu, who had somehow inconspicuously entered the library.  Perhaps he had been lurking between the bookshelves all this time.  However he had appeared, Gummi found his presence quite relaxing.

            “Of course,” she answered.  “Go ahead.”

            He sat beside her and sipped his wine cheerfully.  “Are you having a good time?”

            “Oh yes.”  Before she could try to contain it, a yawn escaped her lungs.  She began to feel the weight of her exhaustion bearing down on her.  Sinking into the couch, she gave a weary laugh.  “Trust me, I’m having a good time.”

            “You seem sort of tired,” he chuckled, swirling his wine glass.  “How early did you come to help prepare the party?”

            “Oh, just an hour early,” she informed.  “I’m not tired from helping.  I suppose I just haven’t slept in a while.”

            “The five of you must be busy.”  A sincere grin graced his lips.  “Gummi-ah, I haven’t seen Jaejoong hyung so happy in a long time.”

            She stared at him anxiously.  “Really?  Has he been sad about something?”

            “I think he’s a very somber person in general,” Junsu admitted reluctantly.  A frown overwhelmed his seemingly permanent smile.  “The three of us think of TVXQ very often.  Because of what happened, Jaejoong thinks he failed all of us as the eldest."

            “It was out of his control,” Gummi contended in frustration.  “The three of you couldn’t bear to live under the conditions of SM Entertainment.  But Changmin and Yunho decided to continue.  It wasn’t his fault at all.  All of you had choices.”

            “Ah, if only he saw it that way,” Junsu grinned weakly.  “He invited the both of them to the party tonight.  I know they won’t show up.  It’s not because they hate us.  It’s simply because Lee Sooman is too powerful to defy.  They could hurt both JYJ and TVXQ by coming.”

            “That’s a tragedy,” Gummi sighed.  She began to imagine a Crayon Pop divided by lawsuits and politics.  It was an utterly horrible thought.  She shook her head and tried to smile.  “Well, I’m glad this party can cheer oppa up a little.”

            Junsu smirked humorously.  “This party?  That’s not why he’s so happy, Gummi-ah.”

            “What?  Then what is it?”

            “Can’t you see?  It’s you.”

            Her whole body tensed up at his words.  Though she was absolutely exhausted, her eyes opened widely and gazed at him in shock.  “Me?”

            “Of course, Gummi-ah,” Junsu laughed.  “What else could put such a smile on a man’s face?”

            “I…I don’t know if I mean that much to him.”

            “What could make you think that?” he asked in amazement.  “Listen, hyung doesn’t connect with people very easily.  He is constantly searching for a heart that understands him.  And, Gummi, you understand him.  Ah, you’ve turned him into a little schoolboy.”

            Her heart was beating a little too fast for her to handle.  She cleared and opened to argue with him, but nothing came out.  Unable to say anything, she simply gulped down the rest of her wine.

            “You inspire him so much,” Junsu smiled.  “He told me that when he first saw you, he was so intimidated by your loveliness that he resorted to being the flirty jerk he sometimes plays on variety shows.”  He shook his head disapprovingly.  “But now he’s embarrassed by that, because you turned out to be beautiful even beyond your appearance.  And what really caused him to fall head over heels for you was when you asked him about TVXQ.  Any other girl wouldn’t dare speak about it, simply because they wouldn’t want to offend him.  But he knows that he needs to speak freely about it in order to find peace, and he said you made him feel quite serene.”

            “Oppa, should you be telling me all this?” she questioned, his words making her incredibly nervous and embarrassed.  “I mean, didn’t Jaejoong tell you these things in confidence?”

            “Oh, you know, you may be right,” he replied casually, rising from his seat.  “How very thoughtless of me.  Well, I’ll see you later, Gummi-ah.”

            She heard a mischievous laugh escape his lips as he walked away.  What kind of scheme was he planning?  Why was he so eager to expose Jaejoong’s feelings?  And why was her heart still beating so fast?

            Leaning back on the couch, she tried to relax.  Her heart was dancing in her chest, rejoicing excitedly.  Underneath all her concern, she felt a sense of pride knowing she could make him happy.  If she could brighten even one of his darkest moments, she would be satisfied.

            He was such a loving and thoughtful man.  How did she ever stumble upon him on that fateful day?  How did they grow so close in a little more than a month?  Now she couldn’t imagine going a month without seeing him.

            Though he was somewhere in this house, perhaps even in the next room, she closed her eyes and imagined that he was sitting rights beside her.  But her heavy eyes wouldn’t open again.  And the image of Jaejoong disappeared from her mind.  Everything became dark and calm.  As her wine glass slipped from her hands, she couldn’t move herself to catch it.  Her head tilted onto her shoulder, and she fell asleep.