Jaejoong held a hand to the spot Yunho had kissed him. Wide eyes staring at the man and he all of a sudden lost the ability to speak. The unforeseen kiss was affecting him as if he were just being doused with a bucket of cold water.

Jaejoong was fidgety throughout the rest of the dinner but the same thing wasn't happening to Yunho. The man seemed composed though it was undeserving of him to commit such action and in front of everyone? 'Please'. Jaejoong constantly exuded the dark aura from his body as he shot Yunho his strong glare in hopes of the man would get the signal he was sending. Frustratingly enough, Yunho was still putting on his poker face mask, pretending he didn’t know the meaning hidden underneath that glare. 'What the hell he thinks he is doing? Yunjo, you are going to regret this!' 

What ticked Jaejoong off even more was because everyone seemed to be teaming up against him to add fuel to his raging fire. Starting from that annoying -eating grin Yuchun was sporting on his face, continuous scoffing of Yunho's father until to the vexing responses from Yunho’s mother over her son's previous action. Every one of them had been added to the list of Jaejoong's new pet peeves. 

“Yunhoooo, how can-, don’t do that during dinner. You really can't wait, can't you? Oh my God, you lovebirds.” Mrs Jung insisted on cupping a hand over to suppress her giggly laugh though it came out way squeakier. 

“Ma, for your information, Yunho and Jaejoong were doing something at the porch when I was trying to invite them in. I just don’t understand these two. Youngsters these days... ” Mr Jung sighed, fingers pinching the space between his eyebrows while his wife's mouth was left agape.

"Really, Pa?"

"Yeah." He answered with a shrug. "That's why they were late."

"Jaejoong?" Her question came with a raised eyebrow. 

"Huh?" Jaejoong's head snapped up so fast it might hurt his neck.

"Mom, please. Yes we did a little something. But that's it." 

"Why? Too personal huh?" Yuchun intercepted. 

"Shut up, Chun... Can we talk about something else?" 

The remaining food was left untouched on Jaejoong’s plate. Jaejoong could hardly wait to go back. As the gears in his mind was busy plotting the idea to just bolt from the place, his hand unconsciously stabbed and poked his food. The previous slice of meat and vegetables on the same plate had formed into a pile of disgusting mush. Jaejoong wanted to kill someone. He really did. Whenever the tips of his knife and fork impaled the poor mush, all he could imagine was Yunho’s face. Wouldn't it be great if he could ruin Yunho’s face like how the food was crushed? Yunho would be a great potential nominee for the The Academy Awards with his great acting alone and boo boo the fools to the rest of them who fell for it. 

He was too focused on murdering his food but when a hand clasped over his, Jaejoong stopped. Finally managing himself to actually pay attention to the people around him. Yunho's frown was nowhere near angry, more confused than anything else. "What are you doing?" The man muttered. 

"I'm already full." Jaejoong's eyes didn't meet Yunho's as he answered. 

"So put down your cutlery. It's disturbing." Yunho's teeth gritted together as he bit down a hiss. 

"When are we going back?" 

On impulse, Yunho cut the distance between them as he leaned closer and closer to whisper. "Are you kidding me? We're staying the night. Have you forgotten?" 

"How about my clothes?" 

"You have left bunch of them in my old wardrobe."

"Huh? But-" 

"Jaejoong, -" Jaejoong could see the tensed muscles of Yunho's jaw. 

"STOP, YOU GUYS!" Yuchun complained with a slam of his spoon onto the table. 

Both Jaejoong and Yunho spun their heads around that quick but Yunho was the only one asking. "What?" 

Yuchun snorted. "Yunho, you are such a pain in the .... hole."

.......... 

After the dinner finished, Jaejoong shot up from his seat, seeming eager to flee the scene. Although clueless to the layout of the mansion, Jaejoong managed to find its kitchen as he blindly tailed a maid as she was busy pushing a cart with stacking plates on top towards the area. The very same maid glanced over her shoulder and looked at him as if he just grew another head.

Jaejoong's steps were brought to a halt. "Uh.. Do I have something on my face?"

"Huh? No. No. It's just... Actually you shouldn't be here."

"And why is that?" 

"Uh... It's-" 

"Wait, let me see, because it isn't my duty, right? Well, it. I still wanna help."

The girl gasped and Jaejoong really didn't need to think twice at what word she was giving such a response. They stood face to face, stupidly staring at each other without breaking the silence that was starting to grow heavy. 

And Jaejoong was the one to break the tension. "Come on, let me be a nice guy today."

In the beginning she was hesitant to let him stay in the area for she knew there was going to be a punishment awaited her. But the glint in Jaejoong's eyes said he was adamant so, she sighed and let Jaejoong help her wash the dishes. She was actually a tad bit late at rejecting Jaejoong's offer to help because the man was already painstakingly scraping the mush of food on his plate into a waste bin.

.............

Yunho was about to join Yuchun and his dad in the living room but a hand grabbed his arm made him turn around at that instance. "Yunho, where's he?"

"Where's who?" 

"Jaejoong."

"I don't know, he's gone as soon as we finished."

"How come? Go find him now."

"Mom..Just let him be wherever he wants. I wanna rest, today's a-" 

"No, no excuses."

"Wh- okay, fine." A defeated sigh fell off of his lips. 

.....

A silent moment turned into a chatty session. In all honesty the maid was more than happy with Jaejoong by her side, helping her around since Mrs Jung had always prevented those with titles in the mansion from doing so. They were busy talking when Mrs Jung suddenly stood at the doorway. Seeming too deep into the conversation and oblivious to the new presence in the kitchen, she cleared and slowly entered.

"Jaejoong? What are you doing here, honey? Yunho is looking for you."

"Madam Jung..." The plate in the maid's hand all but slipped her hand but Jaejoong was faster to save it from the damage. 

"Mom? Uh, hi?"

“Jaejoong, how many times do I have to tell you? That is not your work.. There's a reason why they're doing all the works. And I'm not saying this to degrade anyone but, we hired and paid them."

"But I just want to accompany her. She looks lonely and... bored?" Jaejoong let out a sheepish smile. 

"She's used to this. There are other maids aside from her. Don't you worry that much. They have an entire big dorm where they will go back to by the end of today. These girls can chat however long they want. When it's time to work. They work."

"Yeah I know but-" 

"Yunho said you went out earlier this morning. So I guess you must be tired by this time. Go upstairs and get some rest." She moved closer and wrapped a hand around Jaejoong's wrist. Her smile was nothing short of motherly. If Jaejoong wasn't too deep in his longing for a mother's care, he would think she was overbearing. As if on autopilot, Jaejoong began to place down all the plates in his hands onto a table top. 

"Sorry..."

"No, no. It's my fault. I'm deeply sorry for being so reckless, Madam Jung. I will make sure that this not happen again."

"It's okay. Jaejoong has been like this ever since the first time he stepped his foot into this mansion."

Mrs Jung hooked a hand around Jaejoong's arm as they both slowly headed off to the living room. Jaejoong certainly did not know where this turn of event would lead him to. Spending a lone time with the madam alone in this new body? Heck he might as well dig his own grave in the backyard. It was spacious he believed.

"What's wrong Jaejoong? You seem tense." Mrs Jung gently smiled at him anyway. 

A sudden warmth would have crept up his nape for the tone she used with him if it wasn't for someone's violent cough from the back, evidently trying to gain their attention. They turned around to find an unimpressed Yunho towering behind them, with a crossed forearms over his chest. 

"Here you are, Yunho. You did a lousy job at finding him. I found him first." She sounded so chirpy and proud of it, earning a snicker from Jaejoong that Yunho merely ignored with squinted eyes.

Yunho was about to snap at the other guy but realized that Mrs Jung was still silently observing the tense exchange right before her. The woman wasn't that oblivious and slow on the uptake so Yunho held both hands up to his chest in a placating motion.  "Okay, sure I did, Queen. You won. What was he doing in the kitchen anyway?"

"There are still so many things you have to learn about him, Yunho. For sure he wasn't there just for a glass of cold water. And..why am I not surprised you can't still figure it out?" The previous hand uncurled from Jaejoong's arm. 

"Mom, please. Not this again. It's not like I'm not trying at all." Yunho looked frustrated and from the looks alone Jaejoong could judge that this was certainly not the first nor the tenth time he was ambushed with such sarcasm. "It's been only a year. Besides, I don't stay at the house for 24/7. I would say it's rather hard with the catching up."

"Stop giving me excuses. This new behaviour of yours will be the shame of me."

"Mom, don't you think it's about time for you to let me manage my own love life? I'm not eighteen just in case you forgot."

"Back then was different. How could you hold that against me? I set up blind dates for you because you keep playing around with girls. And now you're married and I want you to be serious for once. "

"Mom, it's-" The frustration to be unleashed stuck in his throat. "We're still in the same building for God's sake. I'm not going around hooking up."

"Yunho,"

"What?" A clear frustration laced his voice. 

"Really? You wanna do this now?" 

"Okay, I'm sorry. Got it. I'll try."

"Great." She grinned with a clasping hands over her chest. "I'm sorry Jaejoong, honey. You're not supposed to witness all of this mother-child squabble. You can go to your room now. I've been dragging everything."

'Your room.' Jaejoong was repeating the two words like some sort of mantra to save himself. With a mansion this big, how in the world would he know which one was his? He had watched too many movies and a mansion that size probably had hundreds of rooms, some of which were inoccupied or haunted with a story of a dead body being burried in the wall. A perfect place where directors would kill each other to film their own horror movies. It wasn't just about the room, the new surroundings and people. Jaejoong had been dreading the idea that if he made a fool out of himself and accidentally broke the curse, what would happen to this current body. Call him delusional but Jaejoong had seen them all in movies, nobody could tell him otherwise.

Yunho's low voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Jaejoong? Are you with me?"

"Huh? Yeah, yeah. I'm moving." He was about to turn around for the stairs but he stopped midway when Yunho called him again in the same voice.

"Jaejoong, I said I wanted to talk to you for a second." Yunho reiterated, thumbing towards the direction of the mini garden Jaejoong had strayed to previously. There was no mistaking that there was a sharpness in his stare.

Stalling sounded like a good idea. It would just confuse Mrs Jung further if they kept on playing this killing-you-with-my-stare game. "Yeah, sure. I have something to talk to you too."

"Mom, you won't mind right?" Yunho quirked a brow. "It won't be long. As soon as we finished, he can go upstairs and get all the rest he deserves."

"Can't it be done tomorrow morning?"

"No, it's kinda important between us. Need to tell him by tonight. And I might be staying back a bit late at the gaming room with Yuchun. The usual, Overwatch. I believe Jaejoong is going to be asleep by the time I make it to the room."

"Well, have it your way then. But don't be too late."

Sporting an uncessarily sweet smile both on their faces, Yunho merely steered Jaejoong out of the living room to the said garden by pressing a palm on the small of the latter's back. The moment they're out of sight, Yunho withdrew. Jaejoong dropped the fake smile and braced himself of the petty scolding or perhaps hissing but was surprised when he wasn't provided with one. 

"Don't do that again." Yunho started for them once they stepped onto the lawn. 

"I'm sorry?"

"Doing whatever you like in this mansion." Whatever emotion playing on Yunho's face at that moment certainly was not angry. It was more of a frustration as Jaejoong saw it. Mrs Jung really had that effect on people, sapping the energy of whomever arguing with her, especially her son. "This isn't our house. People will eventually find out about our pretense." He added.

"Okay, noted."

Yunho rubbed the wrinkle between his furrowed brows and drew out an exasperated sigh. "I know we both disagree to this marriage though I'm more on the vocal side, but for God's sake don't let her down. She loves you so much and you know it was her idea."

Jaejoong could only give a silent nod in return. Mrs Jung was definitely Yunho's weak point and Jaejoong didn't know what to do with that information. 

"You may leave now."

"Wait, Yunho! I-"

"What?"

"Can you at least show me the way to the room?"

Jaejoong blinked and Yunho scoffed. 

............. 

"So tell me, did you hit your head on something this morning or you are being annoyingly childish on purpose?" Yunho was glaring at the man walking next to him. 

"Neither. There are just too many rooms I can't remember which one." Jaejoong mirrored Yunho's frustration. 

"Bull, Jaejoong. We have been here for every Friday night since the day we get married throughout a year. How come you still cannot tell which one is ours? It's either you are stupid or you are stupid."

Jaejoong's head turn to shoot a glare at Yunho. "Hey, I have THAT power against you in this house with your mother's love by my side. Remember that."

"Huh, you wanna use a dirty trick now? I judged you way too early, Jaejoong. Man, I'm starting to regret ever hoping that you will at least speak more than five words when I talk to you now that this happened."

"Well, be grateful for at least you don't feel like talking to a brick wall anymore."

"But I didn't ask for a chatter box."

Instead of retorting something sassy per usual, Jaejoong settled with an indignant shrug, to which Yunho scoffed loudly at. The vast hallway finally brought them to the room at the very end. Jaejoong was about to grab the door knob while Yunho was halfway turning around when the latter saw the foreboding threat that was moving towards them. Jaejoong was yanked back and he found himself being wrapped in Yunho's arms in the next second. The arms curled perfectly around his waist and Jaejoong had to suppress a giggle when suddenly Yunho was nosing his nape. 

"Good night, baby."

As if the word 'Baby' had flicked a new defensive switch he had built in his body, all the molecules in his body went on high alert by the sudden pet name. “What-are-you-doing, idiot? Get-your-hands-off-me-right-the--now!”

"Mom is here."

"But that doesn't warrant you to pull this ." Jajeoong gritted his teeth as he leaned backward, whispering to Yunho at the same time attempting to manage a smile to the woman who was only a few feets apart from them. He was struggling to nudge the man away with his elbow but the effort was futile as Yunho only pulled him closer.

“Yunho, darling. Weren't you the one who said that Yuchun was waiting for you in the gaming room?" Loosening the arms around his waist, Jaejoong made a mistake of spinning around to face Yunho directly. The words he was going to utter were lost midway, never finding his mouth. They were close. Too close. It was at that moment he realized that Yunho was actually a very fine looking