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[law!verse] Homecoming
"UMMA!"
Jaejoong couldn't hold back his grin as he leaned on the counter, watching his sister get clobbered by three screeching children. They all talked at once ("Love you! Missed you! Guess what I was- Did you die? -sooo good! Pink! Love you so much!") and she cooed and kissed and smoothed their hair as Junsu and Yoochun stumbled around her with luggage.
A pair of arms snuck around Jaejoong's waist, and he smiled faintly as Yunho whispered, "You did so well. I love you so much."
Jaejoong squeezed the hands folded over his stomach and leaned back, waiting patiently as mother and children squished the life out of one another.
After a few minutes, she pushed them away, "Let me say hi to everyone else!", and Jaejoong pulled her into a tight hug.
"I love you," he said, "and I love your children, but I am so glad that you're back."
She laughed into his shoulder, squeezing harder, "Me too." She kissed his cheek and then proceeded to give Yunho a once over before drawling, "You must be the professor."
"That would be me," Yunho acknowledged.
"I'm glad Jaejoong caught you, finally. I was sick of hearing about it all."
"Noona," Jaejoong muttered, blushing furiously.
Yunho laughed and reached out, hugging Jaejoong around his waist again, "I'm glad he caught me too, Jihye."
"Aren't you younger than me? You can call me noona, everyone else does."
"Umma, pink dec'layshions," Sun Hea had apparently decided that it was time for more attention and she tugged urgently on her mother's hand.
"Listen to you and your half-sentences!" Jihye cooed, swinging Sun Hea up, "I hope you haven't been learning any bad words!"
"I good," Sun Hea insisted.
Jaejoong met his sister's eyes as she asked, "Were they?"
“Mostly,” Jaejoong reported, thinking of a certain incident involving orange jello.
"Oh dear," she murmured, "Well, we can talk about it later," and kissed Sun Hea's temple. "Did you get a cake for your birthday?"
"Pink one!"
"Good."
The joy on his sister's face was probably one of the best things he had seen in a long time. He felt his throat constrict a little bit, and took a deep breath to calm himself.
"No sad!" he heard Sun Hea demand.
Jaejoong gave her his best watery smile, "I'm not sad, precious. I'm really happy."
Sun Hea glared at him suspiciously as her mother said "You tell him, love. No sadness in this house."
"I'm happy!" Jaejoong insisted, "Go...unpack or something."
"Can't believe I'm getting kicked out of my own kitchen," Jihye sniffed, but she pulled all three kids (plus Yoochun, Junsu, and bags) up the stairs, listening to stories of the summer pour from her children.
"C'mere," Yunho whispered, and spun Jaejoong around, holding his tight, "Liar."
"Not lying," Jaejoong muttered, but he knew his tears were giving his thoughts away.
"You are spectacular. You managed a whole household and taught classes all by yourself and saved several students from distress all at once. And you loved me. That's kind of a feat in and of itself."
Jaejoong laughed weakly. "Sun Hea...I don't think she understood me when I said I was leaving."
"I think she did. But she's two. Three,” Yunho corrected with a little laugh, “she doesn't want to think about things that will make her sad."
"I don't want to make her sad," Jaejoong whispered, "I don't...I want to be there to hold her when she has nightmares, I want to kiss her when she wakes up and make her food and tell her off when she does stupid things and-"
"No one said you had to stop," Yunho soothed, "Those are your things now just as much as they are your sister’s.”
"I got used to this," Jaejoong whispered, "I got used to...you. Being here. With you." And that was really crux of the matter, he thought, as he heard the confession slip from his mouth.
Yunho raised his head and kissed him chastely. "Me too," he murmured, "Let's talk about it later, okay? Right now you have hungry mouths to feed which you are still semi-responsible for and a birthday girl who demands the attention from all of us. Now that your sister's back you can spoil them all rotten and not feel guilty."
"You're right," Jaejoong wiped at his eyes and blew his nose, tossing the tissue into the trash and turning towards the stove.
"I know," Yunho responded, and received a thwap of a towel on his backside as he sauntered away, "I'm going to pay you back for that."
"I'll be looking forward to it," Jaejoong grinned, a dangerous gleam in his eye, and he turned back to perfecting his frosting before Yunho could respond.
~~~~~
Jaejoong had forgotten how spontaneous his sister could be. Somehow, she had managed to talk him into dragging everyone out for dinner. He and Yunho had spent a good hour or so catching her up with everything that had happened, and she insisted that they call Leeteuk and Kangin so that she could meet them. “And Yejin! I really want to meet her and squeeze her tight. I’ll pay, we can celebrate, no one has to cook anymore!”
Jaejoong had complained that they already had a cake (made by himself because no one had had a cake that Sun Hea had liked,) but he could only pout as his sister cooed over him, promising that they would eat it.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Jaejoong muttered.
~~~~~
Changmin was elated. He had found out something semi-spectacular that day and when Jaejoong had told him to call Yejin and arrange the dinner, he couldn’t help but add, “I have something to tell you. At the restaurant.”
“Something good?” She asked.
“Yes,” Changmin breathed, feeling giddy, “I’m really excited about it.”
“Then I’m excited too."
They shared a small laugh. “I’ll see you later,” he said.
“’Kay.”
The dinner was something of a blur for Changmin; between Yejin’s close proximity and his elation over his big news he felt like he was high. Although, it could have been the alcohol. He wasn’t sure how many drinks Yoochun had pushed at him.
Changmin remembered making fun of Yejin for ordering the same odd dish that Junsu did and refused to try it, even when she held up a bit of it in between her chopsticks for him.
He was also very aware of the smug looks Jaejoong had been shooting him all night as his friend went back and forth between helping Ha Neul and feeding Yunho. Changmin was sure he was going to get pounced on when they got home.
When Ha Neul escaped from the table when Jaejoong was busy stealing a kiss from Yunho and half the table got up to chase her around the restaurant and apologize to the employees, Changmin saw his opportunity.
He double-checked to make sure that no one was looking before latching onto Yejin’s hand and pulling her around the corner into a semi-secluded area near the bathrooms.
“It’s been killing me all night,” Yejin said, “What’s this revelation?”
“It’s not a revelation, it’s more...news. Well, it’s both I guess. I mean...do you trust me?”
Yejin smiled, “You know I do.”
Changmin felt his heart flip; it hadn’t done that in so long. Oddly, he found that he had missed the sensation. It took him a minute to gather his thoughts. Yejin looked beautiful, smiling up at him expectantly and...what was he supposed to be telling her again?
Completely tossing out his planned lines, Changmin took a breath to steady himself before grasping Yejin and tugging her close. “I was-“ he started, and then as her vanilla scented...shampoo, perfume, he didn’t even know what, wafted around him he decided that he had nothing good to say and bent his head a little to kiss her.
~~~~~
Jaejoong was playing idly with Yunho’s hand, only half listening to his sister scold Ha Neul for her antics. Jaejoong turned his head as he caught a flicker of movement and watched Seungyon sidled up, having returned from the bathroom.
“What is it?” Jaejoong asked when Seungyon tugged on his arm.
"I saw them kissing," he whispered, like it was the juiciest bit of gossip ever.
"Who?" Jaejoong wondered when his nephew had started to care about kissing. It was a little unnerving, considering how mature Seungyon was already. He really didn't need to be thinking about kissing.
"Changmin," Seungyon said quietly.
Jaejoong blinked at his nephew, "Changmin and..."
"Yejin," Seungyon said even softer.
It took a minute to process. And when it did, it took all of Jaejoong's mental ability to not shout with joy. "Thank you for telling me," he whispered into his nephew's hair squeezing him tight.
"You've been waiting for it to happen," Seungyon shrugged.
"Observant as always," Jaejoong grinned, and he swore that his heart had never been so happy. Except for when he had first kissed Yunho; nothing would ever top that experience.
"Good news?" Yunho voice asked, sliding into his ear in a way that made Jaejoong's eyes fall shut.
"The best," Jaejoong said, "It deserves a celebratory kiss."
Yunho wasted no time in complying, and Jaejoong’s brain was a bit fuzzy afterward. He sure sure he only came out of his stupor because Yejin came back to the table. Jaejoong thought she didn’t look as happy as she should have. She buried herself in between Jaejoong and Yunho, the professor automatically wrapping an arm around her.
Jaejoong watched with increasing perplexity as Yejin leaned into him, closing her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Yunho asked.
"I'll be fine," Yejin whispered.
"Not what he asked," Jaejoong said quietly, thinking that Seungyon must have seen wrong because if they had kissed, then in no way would Yejin be so unhappy.
Before Yejin could respond, Jaejoong saw Changmin walking back to the table, an indecipherable look on his face. Jaejoong raised an eyebrow at him but Changmin only smiled briefly.
"I have an announcement," he said, "I'm leaving."
"Can you drop Yejin off?" Leeteuk asked, "Kangin and I have a quick errand to run."
Changmin stared at Leeteuk for a second before sitting himself down by Ha Neul. "No, I mean...I'm leaving Korea. I applied for an internship in Japan and I got my acceptance letter this morning.”
There was a moment of silence before Yunho whooped. “Changmin, that’s incredible!”
No, it’s not! Jaejoong thought.
“I’m so jealous!” Yoochun whined, “Changmin that is like the best news I’ve heard all week!”
It is not. How is this good?
“You only tell us just now?” Junsu was practically screeching, “I’m so offended!”
“I didn’t know if I was going to get it or not.”
“God, they really do things slow over there, don’t they?”
“Not really,” Changmin smiled weakly, “I just applied really late.” He looked at Yunho sheepishly, “Um...I sort of need you to write a letter for me. I told them you couldn’t really do it a few weeks ago because of personal reasons.”
“They believed you?” Yunho asked.
“Yeah well, apparently you made yourself an international name with your case. That was enough for them.”
Jaejoong tried not to be impressed. He glanced at Yejin and bit his lip as he saw her forced smile. Is it really forced, he wondered, or is my judgement being clouded by something I want to see? Maybe Yejin really is happy for him.
“Are you happy?” Jaejoong whispered to her as Junsu and Yoochun continued to yell in excitement and Sun Hea bounced up and down on her mother’s lap demanding to know why everyone was so excited.
“Yes,” Yejin responded, “Very.”
“Honestly?”
Her smile faltered for a second.
“That’s what I thought,” Jaejoong said, and pulled her away from his very inconsiderate boyfriend. He wasn’t too sure, but if Yunho did not do something useful very soon, the professor would be sleeping on the couch.
“Jaejoong,” Yunho prodded him, and Jaejoong looked up to see Changmin looking expectantly at him, “Why do you look upset? Aren’t you pleased?” Definite couch time on Jung Yunho’s horizon, Jaejoong was sure of it.
“As long as it’s what you want,” he said.
He saw Yunho look back and forth between the two of them. “Did I miss something?” The professor whispered as Kangin and Leeteuk barraged Changmin with questions (so is that why your elective isn’t with me?). “You seem upset. This is really good for him. He needs this; he needs a fresh start.”
Jaejoong watched Changmin started to glow a little bit. “I know,” he muttered.
“What is it?” Yunho asked, and Jaejoong cursed inwardly because Yunho had just effectively wheedled his way back into the bedroom without even realizing he had left it in the first place.
Jaejoong met his eyes and patted Yejin on her head. Yunho wouldn’t have known that they had kissed, but the professor had certainly noticed the attraction that had been blooming.
“Ah,” Yunho whispered, and bent his head to kiss Yejin on the forehead, “Don’t worry,” he whispered to her as Sun Hea started to cry because leaving meant she wasn’t going to see Changmin for a long time, “You’ll always have us.”
“You’re not single,” Yejin hissed, “Or straight.”
Jaejoong sensed the tears before they came and he pulled Yejin away from the table yelling that she had a stomach ache over his shoulder as his sister asked why they were getting up so fast. He forgot that there were two doctors at the table with them and when Leeteuk let himself into the handicapped bathroom (conveniently labeled for both genders) Jaejoong blamed Ha Neul. She had used that excuse on him one too many times.
“What’s wrong?” Leeteuk asked, reaching out for her, “Yejin?”
Yejin’s chin trembled a little and Jaejoong swallowed hard as she wrapped her arms around Leeteuk and started to sob.
“What hurts?” he asked.
“My heart.” Yejin heaved, and Jaejoong watched the realization sink into the doctor’s features.
“Oh, baby,” Leeteuk whispered, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think...”
“He kissed her,” Jaejoong said.
“He...what?”
“I thought he liked me,” Yejin moaned.
“He does,” Jaejoong assured her, “Trust me, he does. He’s just..actually I have no idea what’s going through his head. I’m going to kill him when we get back. Full out murder. With dull cutlery.”
There was a gentle knock on the door before Kangin poked his head inside the room. “What’s wrong?”
“Food poisoning,” Leeteuk said, without missing a beat. Kangin tried to move further in, looking terribly concerned but Leeteuk waved him off, “It’s already too crowded in here. I’ve got it.”
Kangin nodded, “Maybe I should check Junsu. He ordered the same thing.”
Leeteuk smiled, “I think we should leave.”
Kangin nodded, “I’ll get the car once I make sure Junsu’s not going to hurl all over the table.”
Once the door clicked shut, Yejin lost no time in reducing herself back to tears. Jaejoong just stood there, soothing her back as Leeteuk held her close.
“It’s not totally hopeless,” Leeteuk said, “He did tell you before everyone else. And he kissed you so...even though it was a bastard way of showing it, I’m pretty sure he cares.”
For some reason she found that funny and the three of them giggled.
“Poor Junsu,” Yejin whispered, “He must be scared stiff.”
“Don’t worry about him,” Jaejoong assured her, “If he knew the whole story I’m sure he’d be more than willing to act as a scapegoat.”
“I think we’ll not tell Kangin for now,” Leeteuk said, “Because if he knew he might punch Changmin.”
“Who says I’m not going to do that?” Jaejoong asked.
“Don’t,” Yejin pleaded, and Jaejoong found himself promising that he wouldn’t.
~~~~~
Jaejoong buckled his nieces into their car seats and then directed Changmin to the front of his sister’s van. “Don’t get too cozy when we arrive home,” he hissed, “I have several, strong words that I have to say to you.”
He slid into the backseat with Yunho and Seungyon, positively seething.
He barely noticed Seungyon falling asleep against his shoulder or Yunho leaving a gentle hand on his thigh. When they finally got back, he spit Changmin with a glare and said, “Bedroom. Five minutes.”
He didn’t wait for an acknowledgement as he helped Ha Neul out of the car. “Is Changmin in trouble?” she asked.
“Heaps,” Jaejoong muttered, “Heaps and heaps.”
“Worse than Seungie ruining Chun’s computer?”
“What?” His sister asked, spinning around, and raising a formidable eyebrow.
Jaejoong sighed, “No, probably not quite that bad.”
“Oh, this does not sound good,” Jihye said, “I’m already not impressed.”
“Later,” Jaejoong said firmly, and kissed his sister’s kids goodnight, distractedly, before yanking Changmin away.
“Jaejoong come on,” Yunho entreated him, making sure the door to their bedroom was shut securely, “This is a good opportunity for him, you don’t- Jae!”
Jaejoong had managed to whack Changmin over the head with his pillow twice before Yunho grabbed him, “Jaejoong!”
“How could you do something like that?”
“It’s just an internship!” Yunho sounded shocked.
“That’s not the problem!”
“Then what is it?”
“He kissed her!”
Yunho looked back and forth between a depressed Changmin and a livid Jaejoong, “What?”
“You kissed Yejin and then you told her that you’re leaving,” Jaejoong accused, pointing a shaking finger in Changmin’s direction, “That has to be-“
“What?”
“-the lowest-“
“You kissed her?”
“-dirtiest-“
“And then you told her you were going to be in Japan for a year?”
“Yes. Okay, yes!” Changmin was yelling, “I did!” He fell back against the bed covers, his hand running through his hair. “I didn’t...I didn’t mean to do it.”
“Like hell you didn’t. God, Changmin, she’s been through so much! How could you?”
“I...I was just going to tell her that I was leaving but...she was just there, in front of me, and I couldn’t remember what I wanted to say because she’s so...” Changmin swallowed and Jaejoong felt his anger dissipate as tears welled in his friend’s eyes, “she’s so beautiful and she smelled so good and I just...I stopped thinking.”
“You kissed Yejin?” Yunho asked, still confused.
“No one was supposed to find out,” Changmin’s face was buried into pillows.
“Seungyon saw you.”
“Tattle tale. God, he will spill about anything to better his image.”
Jaejoong laughed, the rest of his tension leaving him as he crawled up next to Changmin to wipe away his tears.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it,” Changmin whispered, and Jaejoong knew that he wasn’t talking about the kiss. “I didn’t think there was that big a chance of me getting it. Now you’re roommate less and...I’m sorry.”
“I don’t care about any of that. I am happy for you, this is awesome. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“He wanted to ditch you anyway so he could move in with me,” Yunho teased and Jaejoong grabbed his pillow again to whack at the professor.
“I did not. You suggested it.”
“I wouldn’t have cared.”
“Lies. That’s all the both of you do. Lie to me.”
“We love you,” Yunho corrected, “I really am going to have to give a test, aren’t I?”
“Oh my God I don’t want to know,” Changmin said as Jaejoong opened his mouth.
“No test,” Jaejoong wrinkled his nose in his best Sun Hea impression, “Yuck.”
“Well you’ve just proven that you need one,” Yunho said and Jaejoong didn’t know what to feel when he heard his own words (that he had used on Sun Hea earlier that day) thrown back at him.
He pouted, wondering how much of the conversation his boyfriend actually remembered. “Yuck,” Jaejoong reiterated.
“Maybe if you’re good it won’t happen,” Yunho breathed into Jaejoong’s mouth. Jaejoong was sure that those few words shouldn’t have aroused him as much as they had.
Changmin made a gagging sound and tried to get up from the bed. “Ew. Really?”
Jaejoong grabbed Changmin’s arms as Yunho laughed himself silly. “I’m sorry. I want to have a serious conversation with you.”
“No, you want to make out with your professor. Good night.”
Jaejoong pouted. “I promise to behave.”
“Me too,” Yunho added, “Tell us what happened.”
“I did,” Changmin said irritably, but allowed Jaejoong to pull him back down, “God I cannot believe I’m lying in a bed with the two of you.”
Jaejoong giggled, “Not going to happen again anytime soon.”
“Good.”
They were silent for awhile, Yunho caressing the bits of Jaejoong that weren’t pressed cozily up against him, and Jaejoong stroking back Changmin’s hair.
“I do care for her.”
“I know.”
“It’s just...I don’t want to be with her when it just might be me missing Soo Ae. Or...not her specifically but missing...having someone with me. You know? And she...she has to start her whole life again. She needs to figure out who she is without me there. Because if she defines herself according to me then...then it’s not really her, right? I don’t want that. She shouldn’t want that.”
Jaejoong felt Yunho move behind him and a hand reached over to squeeze the youngest’s shoulder.
“Did you tell her that, though?” Jaejoong asked.
“I...well...no. Not really.”
“You probably should have.”
“I know. I’m going to tell her. Tomorrow.”
“If Leeteuk will even let you near her.”
“You...you told Leeteuk?”
“No. She did.”
Changmin stared back at him, “There was no food poisoning?” he guessed.
“No. Just her broken heart.”
Changmin groaned. “I’m an idiot.”
“I’ve been telling you that since we met.”
“I think I’m going to go to bed now,” Changmin got up from the bed and Jaejoong immediately moved to fill his empty space, smiling as he felt Yunho rearrange himself as well. “Thanks for yelling at me.”
“Any time,” Jaejoong assured him, already focused in on Yunho’s hand trailing up his side.
“You’re so mean to him,” Yunho whispered, when Changmin had left.
“Mmm.”
Jaejoong’s eyes fell shut as Yunho kissed his temple. “So,” the professor whispered, “About this test.”
Jaejoong cracked an eye open and gave the professor what he desperately hoped was a glare. Yunho’s smile was bordering on devious as he slid a hand down Jaejoong’s pants. “I think you’ll enjoy this test.”
Jaejoong managed to remember that there were other people in the house before muffling his moan with Yunho’s mouth.
~~~~~~~~~~
I wasn't planning on doing this originally, but I think it will make the Minjin story more interesting when I get around to writing it. :) Not that it's going to be any consolation to you shippers lol. Sorry. I promise it'll be worth it. Would love to hear your thoughts/reactions tho. I'm wicked curious.
Thx for sticking with this guys, I was looking at the stuff I had written and I was like....shit this is long lol. Will be wrapping it up soon so I can get on to other things.
<3 you all.
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<3