Chapter 2

Jaejoong wasn’t in a happy mood nowadays. Ever since he got back from Taiwan three weeks ago, he had been having trouble sleeping due to his affliction. He groaned & rubbed his oval-shaped face roughly. Hyukjae, who was sitting across from Jaejoong, looked at him & sighed, “What’s wrong with you, man? You have been very edgy nowadays. I have been asking you this for three weeks already. If you don’t want to tell me then don’t show such an ugly face in front of me. You will ruin my appetite. Now, spill it or save it, your choice.”

Jaejoong looked at Hyukjae expectantly, “Have you ever felt...um, mesmerized by someone you are not supposed to? Um...like...like a fifty year old woman? Or...Or a guy?”

Hyukjae snorted & smirked, “Bad jokes, buddy. Like I will ever. If Fany ever hear your question, she had think I’m playing with her. You haven’t met her yet so you don’t know what she’s capable of doing.” Hyukjae tried to control his instinctive shudder.

Abruptly, Hyukjae turned to look at Jaejoong suspiciously, “Why did you ask that kind of question? Unless.” His rich brown like dark brown, almond-shaped eyes widened & he started to choke.

Jaejoong, ashamed of his condition, bowed his head lower amidst Hyukjae’s coughing sound.

“You fell for a fifty year old granny?!” Hyukjae shouted in shock.

Jaejoong raised his head hastily & shushed him. Hyukjae still had the ‘You are so sick’ look on his soft round face.

Glowering at him, Jaejoong said, between his clenched teeth, “Of course not. What do you think I am? I could practically have any girl I want. Why would I settle for a fifty year old woman?”

Hyukjae pursed his mouth for a while & tried to defend himself, “True enough but you said.”

Jaejoong, feeling like he was at the end of the rope, made an anguish sound & said brokenly, “Hyukjae, buddy, I...I have this affliction. I have...I have just found out that I...I was att...attracted to...to a guy, a transvestite.”

Hyukjae stared at Jaejoong, flabbergasted, eyes as big as dinner plates, “You what?”

Jaejoong slumped on his chair & looked at Hyukjae with eyes full of sorrow & hopelessness. Hyukjae, alarmed, gulped loudly & said, “The...The guy isn’t me, is it?”

Jaejoong laughed miserably & replied, “In your dreams, Hyukjae. Of course, it’s not you. He's the cutest guy.” He had a dreamy look on his face. Realizing what he's doing, he shook his head & went back to his gloomy expression.

Hyukjae wiped his forehead in relief & said casually, “Phew, you scared me for a while there. I thought you would confess your feelings to me or something.” Seeing Jaejoong’s glum face, Hyukjae became serious again, “So, tell me, buddy, who’s this...um, guy?”

“I met this guy on the plane a month ago. I think he’s probably a transvestite. He was very cute; with eyes so beautiful they couldn’t be real. I couldn’t forget him; even when I was asleep, he appeared in my dreams. I tried to swamp myself with work but he kept haunting me. What am I going to do, Hyukjae? I have never felt like this before, not to a woman & never to a man. What am I going to do?”

The only reaction to Jaejoong’s question was the sound of Jaejoong’s head banging against the table. Hyukjae ignored the depressive sound & tried to think about Jaejoong’s situation clearly. After a while, he scoffed, “You? Gay? A playboy like you? I’m sure this is just a passing affliction. Maybe he looked so girlishly cute that your sub-consciousness told you he was a she. The cure to this affliction, I believe is to date as many girls as you can. You are bound to find someone who could fascinate you. Well, at least for a while. When you have a gorgeous & dazzling girl by your side, you can easily purge him out of your system. You won’t even remember those eyes. Trust me, it’s that simple. Now, bring out that black book of yours, pal, because we are going hunting.”

Jaejoong’s eyes sparkled with hope & started to rummaged through his bleecker portfolio leather briefcase & fished out a dingy little black book. Inside were numerous of girls’ names & numbers. He closed his eyes while flipping it through & pointing his long finger down a couple of times. Hyukjae leaned closer to read the name Jaejoong had pointed & started writing. After eight names had been picked, he picked up the phone & started dialing.