(XI) Love Set Them Free
Love Can Set You Free
A/N: Some light during this chapter, I will not spoil it by telling you who it is between hehe. Enjoy as always! x
Some trivia: This chapter is our longest! Please bare with it and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
“For sake” Jaebum muttered under his breath as he saw Jackson enter the bathroom in the reflection of the mirror.
“Did you hear about Mark?” Jackson blurted out, his eyes red and his breath heavy.
Jaebum stood up straight and turned around with a straight face, “I heard”
“Then why aren’t we doing something?!” Jackson shouted, throwing his bag to the ground and pulling desperately at his tie to loosen it. He felt like he couldn’t breathe and needed to cool down as much as possible.
“I know you’re upset Jackson-“Jaebum was cut off by the other boy pushing him up against the tiled wall
“Jaebum- this isn’t a drill, Mark was nearly KILLED” Jackson squared up to Jaebum’s stature as tears began to run down his cheeks.
Jaebum tried to form words to reply to the sobbing boy, who was now at his feet, but no words came. He couldn’t argue with Jackson, Mark really had been hurt bad and on purpose it had looked like. The police didn’t know much and Mark was still in hospital having his leg looked at; nothing much could be done at the present moment.
“What if something like that happened to-“Jackson was cut short by Jaebum
“Don’t say his name.” Jaebum said very softly, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the wall. Jaebum slowly lowered himself down to Jackson on the floor and pulled him up, wiping the dirt off of Jackson’s arms.
“Thanks...” Jackson replied feebly, looking down at his shoes.
“I ing...ugh” Jaebum started, not sure how to concede defeat to the person he loathed most in the world, “Let’s...find a way to work together...starting from today.” Jaebum finally got out, feeling a tonne of bricks be lifted from his shoulders in the process.
“You really mean it?” Jackson looked up from his snivelling and the faintest hint of a smile ALMOST danced upon his face.
“I do...I do...now come on, man up” Jaebum grumbled, pushing Jackson’s schoolbag into his hands before pushing past him to leave the bathroom.
As soon as Jaebum left, a smile appeared on Jackson’s face and for the first time in a while he felt hopeful that the right thing could be done.
“Jinyoung...you’re like the cutest kid in school I just want to take you home!” The older Suzy Bae cooed along with her friends over Jinyoung. He blushed and continued walking along the corridor until he reached his locker. Jaebum was already at his locker beside him and so Jinyoung poked his head around the open door and smiled brightly at the older.
“Jeez-!” Jaebum jumped and banged his head on the shelf, rubbing his head while a smile danced upon his lips.
“Nice to see you too Jaebum” Jinyoung almost cooed and punched Jaebum’s shoulder lightly
“Jin...did you hear about Mark?” Jaebum started, placing a hand on Jinyoung’s shoulder, over his bag strap.
“Uh Mark? What’s wrong?” Jinyoung’s smile soon faded from his face and he stared at Jaebum as he was told how badly Mark was hurt.
Jinyoung’s blood went cold and the hairs on the back of his neck rose up. He immediately took a step back and shivered, “Jae...” Jinyoung stuttered.
“It might not have been Jackson’s dad! We don’t know that...” Jaebum’s half assed attempt at trying to make the situation better bombed and Jinyoung went pale.
“It had to be his dad...it’s too convenient for it not to be...” Jinyoung muttered, shoving some books into his locker forcefully.
Jaebum moved behind Jinyoung and slowly rubbed his arms, cooing gently in his ear, “Its fine Jinyoung, don’t let this ruin your day...we’ll go see Mark after with the boys okay?”
Jinyoung found comfort in Jaebum’s touch and voice but still, the fear of Jackson’s father finding him and murdering him was now higher than ever. The fear was very much alive and continued to eat at him. Jinyoung stayed in Jaebum’s arms like that until the bell for the next class rang out loud. He glanced around to see Jaebum’s eyes closed and his face blank. He looked serene. Jinyoung also noticed the looks of the people walking by, seeing bad boy Jaebum having his arms around the waist of another. Jinyoung wriggled slightly but Jaebum ignored him.
“Shhh babe...just a few more minutes” Jaebum whispered, his eyes closed and his arms tightening around Jinyoung’s smaller waist.
“People are staring” Jinyoung whispered back
“Let them stare!” Jaebum said in a louder voice causing Jinyoung to jump slightly. He laughed gently in his ear and swayed them a bit before finally releasing Jinyoung.
“Sorry...I enjoyed that too much” Jaebum admitted, raising a hand to scratch the back of his head while the hint of a red blush appeared on his cheeks.
“Come on you...” Jinyoung punched him playfully and closed his locker.
“AH!!” Jaebum shouted playfully, holding his shoulder, “ing hell Jinyoung Park, how strong did you get?!” Jaebum joked
“Well I guess all that soup you fed me paid off didn’t it?” Jinyoung flashed a grin as Jaebum closed the space in between them.
With Jinyoung’s back firmly pressed up against the back of the locker and the hallway deserted, Jaebum leaned down to capture Jinyoung’s lips with his. He held both of his arms above Jinyoung’s head and pressed his weight down slightly.
Jinyoung’s eyes flew wide open and he was shocked into paralysis; he couldn’t move but soon the thought of him leaving the kiss were long gone and he placed his hands on either side of Jaebum’s faced and kissed him back just as hard.
“Do you like me?” Jaebum asked as he pulled away slightly, his breath heavy and his mouth open; he eyes falling down in lazy lids to look upon the red face of Jinyoung.
Jinyoung freaked out inside and bit his lip, breaking eye contact with Jaebum. He wasn’t 100% sure of his feelings- he felt something but he wasn’t quite sure what ‘something’ exactly was.
“I...I don’t-“Jinyoung began to speak before the sounds of footsteps in the corridor sent Jaebum practically leaping off of the smaller Jinyoung.
“Later? Okay?” Jaebum flashed an over-confident smile and dragged Jinyoung the opposite way down the corridor to their class which had started ten minutes ago.
“This isn’t legal” Bam shrieked as he was pushed to the ground in the back of Jaebum’s car.
“If you’re quiet we can get to the hospital sooner than later!” Youngjae frowned and rested his feet on top of Bam’s .
“I swear to god one of you jackasses can lie down here when we drive back” Bam shouted.
As part of the deal for losing the silly game they played before going to see Mark, Bam was the one who had to forfeit a seat in Jaebum’s car and instead take the floor. It wasn’t exactly legal but without any other way to go, Jaebum’s car was the only way and he didn’t exactly want to make two journeys.
“I’ll take the floor don’t worry” Jinyoung smiled from the front seat of the car, Jaebum resting one of his hands on his thigh.
“Yeah whatever” Bam grumbled from the back.
The bumpier than usual ride to the hospital only took them about twenty minutes and soon they were all crowded around a smiling Mark.
His leg was raised in a cast and stood there but the rest of him appeared to have escaped unscathed from the accident; he only had a few minor bruises on his cheek.
“Mark...are you okay?” Youngjae asked as they crowded around his bed
“What kind of ing question is that?” Jackson spat out, rushing to Mark’s side to hold onto his hand tightly.
“It looks like it hurts a lot” Bam muttered, pouting slightly at the sight of Mark hurt in such a way
“How long do you reckon you’ll be in this state for?” Yugyeom added, moving behind Bam.
“Ah...so much happening at once!” Mark let out one of his familiar laughs and shook his head, “I don’t know how long I’ll be like this but the doctor says it was broken in the best way possible! So that’s...a small victory?”
Jaebum let out a loud chuckle and shook his head, “Jesus...what a way to make the situation better. What a doctor!”
“I know right? I guess I’m pretty lucky!” Mark joked
“Don’t joke about such things!” Jackson frowned and bit his lip, holding onto Mark’s hand even tighter.
“Jackson...its fine, look I’m still alive right?!” Mark said with a bright smile
“Mark, you’ll be happy to hear that Jackson and I have put aside our differences and we’re working together now” Jaebum said with his arms folded
“So the plan is going ahead then?” Youngjae asked
“What plan?” Jinyoung frowned and looked at Jaebum
“The plan is to rid the world of Jackson’s father...” Jaebum confirmed with a nod of his head.
Jackson nodded his head and stood a little awkwardly by Mark.
“You know Jackson...” Jinyoung began, tugging at his sleeve slightly, “The term father has to be earned in my opinion...that man really doesn’t define you”
“I think you’re absolutely right Jin” Jaebum squeezed Jinyoung’s shoulder slightly and forced a smile at Jackson, “Do we have a name for him?”
“Hwang...I take my mother’s Chinese name rather than his Korean name...” Jackson shrugged slightly.
“Hwang...is the enemy” Youngjae gave a curt nod to Jaebum and then turned to Mark, “Do you have any idea who the guy was?”
Mark stayed silent for a while and caught Jinyoung’s worried eyes, “It was...it was indeed Hwang...that I am almost certain of”.
As Mark confirmed Jinyoung’s worst fear, Yugyeom piped up and asked, “Do you have any details of his car? Those details could potentially help us a lot!”
“Black sedan...it was dark so it could have been grey or even dark blue but it was definitely a sedan” Mark nodded softly, “I actually spoke to him as well”
“What did he say to you?” Jackson asked with worried eyes
“He told me to be careful walking home which I guess now in hindsight...was a threat” Mark shuddered slightly and shook his head, “Let’s get together someday when you guys get out of school at my house, there we can discuss this in more detail” Mark nodded his head in the direction of two doctors talking silently at the other side of the room.
“We should give you and Jackson some privacy as well shouldn’t we?” Jinyoung asked, patting Mark’s unhurt leg softly
“That would be fantastic” Mark said before giving another brilliant smile. He looked up to Jackson who was doing the same.
“We’ll visit again soon” Jaebum said before resting a hand on Mark’s shoulder, “Just text us okay?”
The boys bid a fond farewell to the seventh member of their gang and when they were leaving the parking lot, Jinyoung couldn’t help but spot a black sedan in the corner of his eye as Jaebum pulled out onto the main road.
“Jinyoung wow, you look great! Did you come here to ask about the job?” Mr Kim gave his former employee a friendly smile and handed him his two drinks.
“So, you’re willing to give me another shot sir?” Jinyoung asked his old boss, his face lighting up at the prospects of him getting his job back.
“I mean you already know how to work the machines so you’d be a shoe in!”
“Can I apply sir? I really miss working here if truth be told” Jinyoung admitted, setting the drinks down on the table beside Jaebum before taking an application form from his old boss.
“Actually- screw the application. I’ll text you the shift times next week okay? Welcome back Jinyoung!” Mr Kim stretched out his arms and Jinyoung practically ran into the older man to give him a hug.
Jaebum looked on with a raised eyebrow as Jinyoung came to sit opposite him beside the window which looked out onto the busy Hongdae Street.
“Does this make you my sugar daddy?” Jaebum said with a sly smirk, taking a sip of his iced tea
“Hey shut it you!” Jinyoung laughed along and playfully kicked Jaebum under the table.
The original shock over Mark’s injuries had subsided and things returned to normal for the two boys; they picked up their relationship where they had left it and Jaebum was keen for Jinyoung to finally give him an answer.
“Can I ask you a question Jinyoung?” Jaebum started, taking his lips off of the straw for a moment to talk.
“Fire away” Jinyoung nodded, looking down at the messages appearing on his phone which was lying on the table face up.
“Uh well...” Jaebum frowned at his phone and leaned over before grabbing it and sliding his down the front of his shirt. Jinyoung’s eyes widened and his face went red.
“What was t-that for?!” Jinyoung shrieked
“I like you Jinyoung...I want your eyes on me when I tell you” Jaebum said with a smile, staring into Jinyoung’s eyes.
Jinyoung looked back at him a little speechless; his hands still raised in mid air as if to ask for his phone back. Jaebum took both of his hands and squeezed them, bringing them down to the table.
“I want you to know that I have strong feelings for you Jinyoung and I’m ready to finally tell you how I feel; I want you to be mine and I want to make you happy...” Jaebum said with a strained voice, having trouble finding the words to fully express himself.
“You’ve thought about this for a while right?” Jinyoung asked, his eyes still on Jaebum’s.
“I’ve deliberated over it for a while...whether to tell you or not that is. I don’t want to ruin what we have now but I can’t help it...those looks you give me, those kisses I steal from you at the most precious of moments...these memories are the ones that will stay with me for years to come even if you do say yes or no” Jaebum admitted with a deep breath.
A smile crept upon Jinyoung’s lips and he squeezed Jaebum’s hands back, “What else do you like about me Jaebum?”
Jaebum smirked slightly and lowered his gaze a little, “I love that face you make when you try and concentrate in class, I love your snoring sounds-“Jaebum held up a hand to stop Jinyoung interrupting him before he continued, “Yes you do snore! I especially love...I really love it when you wear your shorts around the house” Jaebum also admitted, his cheeks going a rosy red colour.
“S-s-shorts?” Jinyoung stuttered and raised a brow
“And your thighs and oh my god...” Jaebum shook his head and leaned back in his seat, “You’re ing y Jinyoung and you drive me crazy”
Jinyoung sat back in his head also and stared at Jaebum as if he had two heads, “y? ME? Y?!” Jinyoung said in a loud voice, not caring who was looking on.
Jaebum brought his hands to his mouth and concealed his large smile as he muttered, “So ing y”
Jinyoung felt an unusual stirring arise inside him and for the first time he experienced ual desire. He experienced a fire inside him and a tent popping up in his boxer shorts.
Jaebum noticed the boy’s cheeks going a darker shade of red and raised one of his dark eyebrows, “Jinyoung? Is everything okay?”
Jinyoung frowned and looked out the window before lying through his teeth, “Everything is perfectly fine”
Jaebum stifled a chuckle and stretched out his arms, “Let’s get you home before you get even hotter”
The two boys collapsed on Jaebum’s bed as soon as they got home in a fury of kissing and passionate touching. Jaebum’s shirt was the first on the ground as he saw how frustrated Jinyoung got. It drove him wild and turned him on even more.
“Babe...” Jaebum breathed heavy as Jinyoung’s hands reached down to graze over Jaebum’s clothed crotch.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Jinyoung asked, looking up as he got onto his knees before Jaebum.
“You’re ing beautiful” Jaebum said with a slightly smirk before Jinyoung began to be more rough with the elder.
Jaebum stood before Jinyoung and placed his hands on his hips, his breathing becoming highly irregular and his voice going up in peak by two octaves.
“- Jinyoung no” Jaebum pulled Jinyoung up before throwing him down onto the bed, kissing every inch of skin that he could before he prepped Jinyoung with his finger.
As he hovered over Jinyoung he couldn’t help but be enthralled by the noises and the smaller boy was making; he mewled and closed his eyes, he threw his head back, his arms clung around Jaebum’s neck and he let out sweet soft moans as Jaebum moved his fingers in and out at a fast pace.
“Jae...Jae- I want it now” Jinyoung managed to get out
Jaebum smiled down at him and obliged, bringing their bodies closer as he pushed into Jinyoung softly, careful not to hurt him.
Their first movements were slow and there was a lot of wriggling but after a while the two got into a rhythm and the room was filled with their low grunting, high pitched and nervous mumblings.
With sweat dripping down Jaebum’s muscles onto Jinyoung’s chest, the boys continued until they couldn’t hold it any longer; a mess was made all over Jaebum’s bed but neither boy seemed to care as they cuddled up next to each other and fell asleep in the arms of one another.
Jinyoung was awoken early the next morning to the flashing of his phone. He reached over without thinking and answered the phone.
“Jinyoung its Mr Kim, I was just wondering if you could do a shift for me today. If you can’t its fine but I just wanted to ask” Mr Kim shouted down the phone
“Uh- yeah sure I can! I’ll be there as soon as I can!” Jinyoung said begrudgingly before heaving himself out of Jaebum’s sheets. He looked over to see Jaebum’s body snoring loudly.
“And he has a cheek to say that I snore loudly?” Jinyoung muttered before hitting his side playfully. He gained a response of a groan from Jaebum before the elder turned over and wrapped himself up like a marshmallow.
Jinyoung slowly crept to the bathroom to take a shower and when he returned he got dressed in some fresh clothes in his own room before returning to Jaebum’s dark room.
“Where are you going-“Jaebum groaned sleepily from his sleeping pit, his voice full of need
“I have to go to work babe, I’ll be back later though!” Jinyoung said with a smile before picking his phone up from the nightstand.
“I’ll drive you!” Jaebum said half asleep. He made no attempt of moving after that so Jinyoung bid him farewell with a laugh and left the house shortly after that before making his way to work in the bright afternoon sun.
Jinyoung took a detour from the smartest way to get to his work by going to pay his mother a visit. He hadn’t been in a while due to circumstances and he missed her terribly; this was all the more reason to visit her before work.
Jinyoung reached the place he marked her burial and knelt down onto the dusty ground, placing his palm on the ground.
“It’s been a while mom hasn’t it?” Jinyoung said with a sad smile, “I hope you’re doing okay down there. I’ve been doing better now and you’ll be happy to know that Jaebum is taking good care of me”
“Jaebum’s taking good care of you?” A voice came from behind Jinyoung and he jumped up to see Jackson’s dad, Hwang, standing before him with a crowbar in one hand. His black sedan was in the background, blocking the entrance to the site.
“So what were you saying about Jaebum?” Hwang asked, smirking as he raised his crowbar.
Jaebum heaved himself out of bed after he heard the door downstairs slam shut. He rubbed his eyes and pouted slightly, being robbed of the privilege of cuddling Jinyoung awake this morning. He sighed and figured he could always do that again tomorrow and maybe even the day after.
“I told you not to leave okay? I’ll come find you and give you a lift you rascal, it’s like a 30 minute walk!” Jaebum left a message on Jinyoung’s voicemail after not being able to get through to him.
In the meantime, Jaebum went to take a shower and when he came back he fully expected Jinyoung to have responded. There was no response.
“Is it even worth it going to pick him up? He’s probably there by now” Jaebum said out loud before picking up his phone to give Jinyoung’s work a call just to check that he was there.
“He didn’t arrive?” Jaebum said in disbelief
“Not yet! He should be here soon!” Mr Kim said hopefully before ending the call to return to his work.
Jaebum frowned and acted with his heart; he pulled on some clothes and jumped into his car to trace the steps Jinyoung would have taken to go to work. He planned to locate the rascal and smother him with kisses and not let him go to work at all that day. Maybe they could go to Lotte World and buy an evening ticket, Jaebum thought to himself in the car as he drove along slowly.
As he reached the cafe Jaebum looked in and to his disbelief Jinyoung was still not there. He frowned to himself and thought of the only other place he would be; the construction site. Jaebum turned in the middle of the streets and ignored the honking of horns; he made his way to the construction site and his heart sunk when he spotted the infamous black sedan blocking his way in.
“ this ” Jaebum swore and abandoned his car by the side of the road. He leapt over the black sedan’s hood and stopped in his tracks as he saw clearly what was happening in the middle of the site.
Jackson’s father had a shiny silver crowbar raised in the air and Jinyoung...his Jinyoung was on the ground fearing death itself. He wouldn’t let this happen and he began to sprint across the site, pushing his muscles to carry him faster than they had ever carried him before.
“This is what happens to punks that can’t pay their money back on time” Hwang said as he spat at Jinyoung’s feet, the crowbar still raised in the air.
“I can pay sir! Just give me some time!” Jinyoung whimpered, his eyes closed waiting for death to take him.
“The time for paying is long over and you’ve made me look a fool in the eyes of my associates. I’m not taking from you for any longer. This time I’ll do to you what I wanted to do to your little friend” Hwang shouted out as he tensed his arm, ready to bring the bar down on Jinyoung’s skull.
The sound of feet brought both of the male’s attention up and as Jaebum was just about to push into Hwang’s body and send him flying, the gang leader turned around and in one shift movement, slammed the bar across Jaebum’s face.
There was an almighty crack.
Jaebum didn’t make one sound; the only sound heard was him falling to the ground unconscious and probably dead. The crowbar fell out of Hwang’s hand and Jinyoung stood up, tears streaming down his face.
He launched onto Hwang and pushed the older man down onto the ground. He had never seen such strength in his life and sought the courage deep inside to muster more. He trapped Hwang under his knees and with his once feeble and frail fists; he began a fury of assaults aimed at Hwang’s face. He sobbed more and more as he punched his frustrations into Hwang’s body, not stopping even when his hands were covered in blood and Hwang’s face only made squelching sounds.
Jinyoung was pulled off of the body by a man in uniform as sirens began to blare. He took one look at Hwang and realised he wasn’t dead; both of the boys were placed in handcuffs as Jaebum was placed into the ambulance.
Mark was the first to see Jinyoung later that evening when he was released from the police’s custody in the hospital. The two embraced and Mark led Jinyoung to the rest of the gang.
“We’re so glad you’re safe” Youngjae said on behalf of the boys before they all crowded around him to give him a hug.
Jinyoung nodded softly and returned the feeble hug, “Where is Jaebum and please tell me he’s alive...”
Jinyoung’s voice was weak and nervous as the boys directed him up to Jaebum’s room. Thankfully Jaebum wasn’t dead although he was still unconscious and the doctor’s weren’t quite sure of what state he would be in when he woke up.
Jaebum’s room was empty when Jinyoung entered and so he took a seat beside the unconscious boy. He reached over and tenderly rubbed one of his hands, thankful to every god in the galaxy that even if this was the end, he had been given one last chance to hold Jaebum’s hand.
“Jaebum...if you’re listening...the answer is yes. It’s always been yes. I’ve been too afraid to say yes but for you I’m willing to say yes. I’d say yes everyday for you Jaebum. Yes. One thousand of them! Yes!” Jinyoung was half crying half laughing by the end of his confession to the unconscious Jaebum. He squeezed his hand and rested his head against the side of the bed.
“What was that? Yes?” A weak voice said.
Jinyoung looked up and saw Jaebum’s familiar trademark sly smirk. Even with his head bandaged up he looked adorable in the eyes of Jinyoung.
“Yes” Jinyoung breathed a sigh of relief and Jaebum carefully received Jinyoung’s embrace with open arms.
The boys shared a tender moment in the privacy of the hospital and as their lips met, their hands stayed intertwined and their eyes remained open and alert.
They remained in their embrace in the small Seoul hospital room as the last rays of the sun set over the city and the moon began to rise.
It would be strange to think that just a few months ago a completely different situation had existed between the two but the one question that remained had already been answered.
What set Jaebum and Jinyoung free?
Love set them free.
A/N: Hello all! Thank you to everyone, the subscribers, the readers, the upvoters, Escapade poster shop and AFF for making this fic possible! I know this wasn't a perfect story but I'm still so honoured by the response I've had. I really hope you guys enjoyed the story and I LOVE reading your feeback in the comment section so please let your voices be heard! Farewell again but if you like my writing be sure to keep an eye out for me I'm sure I'll be able to muster up something else! Love you all so much x
Kind regards to all,
Jonathan
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