- Chapter Sixteen - "His own fight for a better future."

The room was filled with an awkward silence. Only some humming was heard here and there by the young idol sitting on the soft sofa who was browsing through some documents in his hands, comparing every sentence with the ones in his possession. Amid his reading, Changmin glanced at the CEO of SM Entertainment and frowned. The older man sitting in his desk was looking hard at his hyung and he didn't like it a bit.

"I know that my hyung is a beautiful man but could you stop looking at him like you want a piece of him?!" He said before returning to read the next file in his hands.

Kim Young Min heaved a sigh at Shim Changmin's remark. That young man seemed to be more overprotective about the man sitting next to him than Jung Yunho.

"And you being fussy is ridiculous. You know that I won't take advantage of him. It's the same contract as yours. I just added a few files for his future activities as a songwriter like I said to your leader. That's why I need his sign on the paper."

"Let me finish and we can talk." Changmin had promised Yunho to verify every line and every word in the contract. And he would do it.

"Take your time. I can have a good talk with Kim Jaejoong-ssi in the meantime."

"I'm watching you."

"Happy to know that I have a stalker." The CEO added with an amused smile.

Changmin rolled up his eyes and tsked at the older man intending to be funny. He glanced at Jaejoong who shook his head slightly with an amused smile painting on his face.

"Don't trust him." He whispered to his hyung.

Okay was what Jaejoong mouthed to his dongsaeng who nodded before returning to read the documents in his hands.

Meanwhile Kim Young Min was trying to find some words to describe this Kim Jaejoong who just let his dongsaeng take the role of his protector while he was preoccupied with a baby laying in a stroller next to him.

This young man was not the same man he had seen long ago. The man who had become the idol years ago didn't shine with the same aura. The Kim Jaejoong before his departure had fame, presence and this little something that made him so alluring in the eyes of the world. However, the Kim Jaejoong before his eyes was different.

Fragile and mature were what came into the CEO's mind when he had set his eyes on the man. And with the way this man behaved now, he knew that SM Entertainment could not use him like before. With the path he had taken, the man had gained a lot of credibility in the eyes of their citizens. His words would be taken with good sense meaning that Kim Jaejoong wasn't an innocent and carefree brat anymore.

"We didn't meet much when I took my position as SM Entertainment's CEO. So I hope we could work well from now on." The older man said quietly with a business smile.

"I hope so." Jaejoong replied in the same tone. The first time he had seen this man was when the SM Entertainment's direction had hosted an assembly to introduce the new CEO of their company in front of all their artists. After that day, everything had turned into a mess. Junsu, Yoochun and him had to left their dorm abruptly under this man's decision.

"And being new at my task I did make some decisions which weren't good for all of us. So I offer my apology." The man said with an apologetic smile, knowing that the young man before his eyes would need time to trust his words.

Changmin widened his eyes at what he just heard and looked up from the file he was reading. "Whoa! You're saying that you acknowledge your fault."

"Yes Changmin-ssi. I'm not a coldhearted man. I was new and people didn't do a good work to update me about the real problem you have with us. And I know, it's a lame excuse but I was trapped between our shareholders and the people working in this finance company... Yes, SM Entertainment is a big company who makes big money from its artists." The older man added when Changmin was skeptical at his definition of SM Entertainment. "It's not a jail as you want it to be."

"You won't make me change my mind. And the way you said it, it's worse than being in jail. You define us as slaves. You make money from our tears and sweats."

"Changmin." Jaejoong reprimanded, earning a pout from the young man.

"Thank you Jaejoong-ssi."

"I can understand what you are trying to say. You were new and needed to prove to everyone that you are capable to fit that position. But you should take more time and work hard on this conflict than to hasten your decisions."

"It seems unreal for an old man like me to be lectured by a young man like you." Kim Young Min chuckled softly. "But fair enough. I was too enthusiasm about proving myself to those old people that I neglected a lot of things. And the man you are now is more wiser than the young man you were 3-4 years ago." He sighed. "We cornered you at your limits. And for that, I'm sorry. My apology won't undo the suffering you experienced. I'm married. I have children. But, I have never experienced what you have experienced... So I won't be the older brother who will lecture you about what is wrong and what is right. I'm older than you. But in this life, fate has made you a better man than me."

"Sweet talker." Changmin mumbled under his breath while he shook his head lightly.

"Can I ask you something?" Jaejoong inquired quietly.

"You can."

"Did you know about Yunho and me?" Jaejoong wasn't going to hide his past relationship to this Kim Young Min. Why being hypocrite? It was the main cause of their separation.

"I knew." The CEO added quietly with a nod. "It was the main topic of our discussion which had made me put the three of you aside overnight. Our shareholders weren't happy to know that two men had fallen in love with each other. Mostly under the label which represents them." The older man added, interlacing his fingers on the surface of his desk.

"I see." Jaejoong said in a low voice.

"And since your return, they are aware of the fact that you two seem to be close again." The CEO replied. He paused and turned his eyes to the other idol who had returned to read the remaining of Kim Jaejoong's contract. "It seems that some people don't help a lot by sending comments and photographs of you two on the social network. And to tell you the truth, I had a hard time to convince those traditional men not to take drastic measures against you two. And yes Changmin-ssi. Once again, my words aren't flattering." The man sighed at the way the young idol was ready to argue back at him and he turned his eyes to the young father who had taken his daughter in his arms. "You being married and now widower have helped a lot. They don't see you like a sinner anymore. They seem satisfied by the path you took. And with your daughter's presence, they seem happy for this turn of event. You being a father, you have something that could serve promoting a good image of our company policy. Assurance and stability. But mostly that a young artist of SM Entertainment could become a mature man under their care."

Jaejoong chuckled softly at the older man's words. So his Ha-chan was right. People will never point their finger at him if he had a child. As she said, she did give him his right to be a man among other men. It was like if he didn't show them that he could be a man, he would always be the sinner while Yunho will always be the messiah in all their lives. No wonder the man was the golden boy of SM Entertainment.

Everything was and will be his fault if Jung Yunho took a wrong path in his life. What a difference between their statuses. Should he be offended or laugh at his misery?

"However, the way you have handled your problems with SM Entertainment, mostly the lawsuit didn't disappear overnight." The older man continued.

"It was too good to be true." Changmin said under his breath.

"What did they want from me?" Jaejoong wasn't stupid. Those old shareholders had their own way of life which led by money. And everything related to it could only make them more understanding.

"As you know, SM Entertainment had lost a lot when the three of you had left. Statistically and in a term of monetary, Dong Bang Shin Ki were the most income of SM Entertainment among all its artists. Even with only two, the group which is called TVXQ! now, still makes money for our company. But, not like before. Our benefice can't be compared at the time when you all were in the same group."

"Don't beat around the bush." Changmin added, a bit irritated by the older man before his eyes.

"Yunho-ssi asked me to let you all the time you need to adapt into your new life. That man didn't let me a choice to refuse everything." Kim Young Min replied, shaking his head lightly with a smile. "So, I propose this to our shareholders, and Lee Soo Man-ssi approves it too..." The older man elbowed the surface of his desk and pressed his palms together, trying to find the right words to tell what he had to say, knowing that he had a bit gone overboard from what Jung Yunho had asked for his friend. "You know, those men are dictated by money only. So, I propose them a deal."

"I don't like that." Changmin mumbled and took his phone from the coffee table, ready to call Yunho but Jaejoong put his hand on his forearm. "Hyung..."

"Go ahead." The young father said to the CEO, wanting to know what was the deal.

"You know that in your absence, Yunho-ssi and Changmin-ssi have recorded a few albums for their Korean and Japanese fans." Jaejoong nodded, having an idea about what the man wanted from him. "They will let you have your time, if TVXQ! rerecord those albums with your voice in addition. We will sell them as repackage. Of course there will be a photobook accompanying them with pictures of you three. And..."

"There's more?" Changmin asked in disbelief.

"It would be good if sometimes you appear in radio shows or TV shows. Of course not alone. If Yunho-ssi or Changmin-ssi can't accompany you, you will be accompanied by one of SM's artists." Kim Young Min rose his hand to stop Shim Changmin to shout at him. "I'm not done yet. SM Entertainment has a fandom for its every group. And in TVXQ! Fandom, since your return, we received a lot of question concerning your position within the group. Some are eager to see you sing again with the two of them. Some don't really know what you could do more than the two remaining members did to make the group shined more than now. Of course there are some fans who think you don't have your place in the group." He added quietly. "And this afternoon press conference will answer all their questions. So we have to define your position within the group. Are you going to be an invisible member for a while? Are you going to focus being only a songwriter? Are you going to hold your name and the group in your hands for the better of all of us?"

"You're a cheater." Changmin scolded.

"It's a business matter. So what is your decision?"

"Hyung don't-"

"As you said, it's a business matter." Jaejoong cut Changmin off. "And in business there's this role of give-and-take. I give you what you want but you have to give me what I want. To have a sane relationship between SM and its artists, the profit should be in the same amount of quality, right?"

"You're right." The CEO nodded.

"So... First I just have to record my voice in all the songs they had recorded. Then I have to appear in radio shows and TV shows."

"From time to time. Once or twice a month it would be good." Kim Young Min added. "I don't want to upset Yunho-ssi. He made it clear that I have no right to put you in the spotlight like a puppet. Mostly your daughter is your priority than to entertain your fans."

"So you should know that what you ask is a bit too much." Changmin said sternly.

"I know. But we should get into a compromise."

"I suppose I have to talk about my life with my wife." Jaejoong said quietly, earning a head shake from Changmin. "Also about her illness and the birth of our daughter. I'm right?"

"People want to know. You disappeared for almost three years. They want to know what did you do, what was your life away from our homeland and where were you. As an idol you have to justify yourself to all of them."

"If you want to make money from my sad story I refuse." The young father added. "My life with her isn't a show for SM Entertainment to gain profit. And my daughter isn't a merchandising stamped by Dong Bang Shin Ki or TVXQ like you said. She's my child. She's the daughter of Kim Jaejoong. And as her father I'm in the right position to protect her from any harms. You can't deny my role in her life. When I say no it really means no."

"So... you refuse to-"

"I can go to some radio shows. I can introduce myself as Youngwoong Jaejoong and playing the fool in front of cameras. I will record my voice into those songs. I will pose for photobooks. I will write songs for SM's artists or another artists who want my work. And I will even record a solo albums for those old men to expand their wealth. However, I want something from them."

"What is it?" Kim Young Min looked suspiciously at the young father.

"Nothing much. All the right of Dong Bang Shin Ki, meaning all of Dong Bang Shin Ki's assets including our different name's stage and all the merchandising of the group will be all mine when the last member of my group will enter his military service. So meaning Changmin. Junsu and Yoochun are excluded from my deal because they aren't anymore under SM Entertainment's care."

"I didn't know that you became a tough business man." The CEO smiled.

"My fa