[1s] How to get a lover for Christmas, part 2

[haru_ran]

[part 1]



The next morning came sooner than either of the two had expected and so it was no wonder that they missed their first train to Gwang-ju because of oversleeping. The result of that was for them to wait for another hour and a half before they could take the next train.

“You know I could drive us there any time,” JaeJoong had offered when YunHo had called him about the train they had to catch, but the brunette had declined.

“I know you mean well, but I really don't want to be bother. I would've driven myself if I had a car, but since I don't have one the train will be our option. I really don't want to depend on you and your kindness,” was YunHo's response and JaeJoong knew that he had to give in. Who was he to take away the pride an introverted person like YunHo had in the first place.

When they successfully boarded the train an hour and a half later, they had some trouble finding two unoccupied seats next to one another. Just before the train started its ride they finally found one and YunHo slid on the seat next to the window and JaeJoong followed suit.

“Did you tell your mother that we would be late?” JaeJoong asked after a while whilst rummaging in his backpack for a book to read along the trip.

“Yeah, I did. I called her before you rang the bell and she said it was all right and that we don't have to worry about being late for lunch,” YunHo replied and shifted in his seat to find a comfortable position. “She also said that she is excited to meet you,” he furher said and smiled at JaeJoong. The blond smiled back.

“The pleasure will be all mine. She seems to be a really nice woman,” he replied and YunHo eagerly affirmed his assumption. Between talking about what was about to happen at the family gathering and what JaeJoong would probably have to be mindful of, both read a book or watched the scenery outside. It let the time go by fast and they reached their destination just a few hours later. It was already past lunch time, and both were pretty hungry by now, but a short trip by bus was left before they could have a taste of whatever YunHo's mother had cooked that day.

“You sure have a huge house,” JaeJoong muttered awstruck when he and YunHo walked down the street after leaving the bus and strolled towards a two-storeyed house with a huge garden and a garage with a small apartment on top of it.

“It was my grandparents' house. My dad had eight siblings and they all had lived there together with my great-grandparents. Now it's just my mom together with my sister and her family. It only is really full around Christmas when everyone comes together,” YunHo explained when opening the door to the parcel and fished out his key. JaeJoong didn't comment on that and just smiled sentimentally. He already could feel the house being filled with love. A warmth spread through the house that let JaeJoong shiver for a second and muffled voices echoed through the hallway when the two entered.

“You can put your luggage here for now. I assume we get my old room to sleep in tonight, so we can bring it there later. I'll just have to ask my mom for an extra mattress and bedding though since it only has a single bed,” YunHo explained and put his own luggage right next to JaeJoong's before pulling off his shoes and coat and putting them away. He did the same with JaeJoong's and handed him a pair of slippers after slipping on his own. YunHo motioned for JaeJoong to follow him and they made their way through the hallway, crossed a wide living room lovingly being decorated for Christmas and entered a dining room filled with a long dinner table and its amount of chairs JaeJoong really didn't feel like counting because each was occupied by a person belonging to YunHo's family. It was the first time he felt so nervous during his work, and he really didn't want to imagine how YunHo felt with all those eyes on him.

“The lost son found home, I guess,” an older man exclaimed amused and JaeJoong figured that it might be YunHo's uncle.

“He didn't come alone though, how curious,” a younger female announced excitedly and by now everyone stopped eating and talking. Now all eyes set on JaeJoong and he really could imagine now how YunHo must feel like probably every day of his life.

“Now, now, stop treating YunHo and his guest as if they were animals in a zoo. You know perfectly well that you make him feel uncomfortable with your behaviour,” a woman in her mid-fifties interrupted the goggling crowd and rose from her chair at the head of the table. She was a rather small woman, had a few wrinkles across her face, a warm smile on her lips and kind eyes. JaeJoong was very sure that the woman in front of him was YunHo's mother and the way YunHo greeted her was affirmation enough.

“You must be JaeJoong then. My son didn't tell me much about you, but I am really pleased to meet you,” YunHo's mother greeted JaeJoong with a smile so contagious that the blond just couldn't stop himself from smiling as well.

“Yes I am. The pleasure of meeting you is all mine, Mrs. Jung and I am sorry for intruding like this on the holidays,” JaeJoong replied and bowed down in respect.

YunHo's mother laughed softly at that. “Now, now, dear boy, don't apologize like that. You are not intruding at all and very welcome here. Every friend and boyfriend of YunHo is welcome here, especially if they are so nice,” she remarked and insisted that the two sat down next to her and join them for lunch.

As JaeJoong had expected, YunHo's family was characterwise very much like YunHo. Just as kind, attentive and nice as him, albeit most of them were far more extroverted than he was. YunHo's mother had told him that it was a trade he had from his late father and that she always had loved this the most about him. When the time neared the late afternoon, the entire family consisting of YunHo's mother, his sister together with her husband and little daughter, the sister of YunHo's mother, her husband and two of their children with their lovers and three of his father's brothers together with their family had gathered in the huge living room around the Christmas tree. The smaller family members were very excited to finally unwrap the presents when both YunHo and JaeJoong registered that their presents were still missing.

JaeJoong came back with two little presents and gave YunHo a helping hand with his own armoury of presents, so to speak. Most had been unwrapped by the time YunHo had given away all of his presents and had unwrapped the ones he had gotten, when JaeJoong handed YunHo's mother the smaller of the two presents he had brought with him.

“It is just a little gift for letting me spend Christmas with all of you,” the blond exclaimed and the elder woman thanked him for the chocolate box with a kiss onto his cheek. The other he handed YunHo and wished him a Merry Christmas whilst saying, “I saw this and thought of you. I hope you like it.” YunHo eyed the neatly wrapped present curiously and wondered what JaeJoong could have possibly put in there. He didn't expect a present from the blond, but then again he had gotten something for him as well so he really shouldn't be that surprised.

He carefully unwrapped the present and felt a little awstruck when Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera stared back at him. He had always meant to read the book and really wondered how JaeJoong could know about this. “Thank you so much,” he just rambled with a broad smile and embraced JaeJoong. Most of the family members were too caught up in their own presents to even notice YunHo's emotional outburst, but it deeply warmed the heart of YunHo's mother when she witnessed it. “I've got something for you as well,” the brunette muttered and handed JaeJoong his present.

“Thank you,” JaeJoong replied and accepted the gift. His fingers slid over soft coloured wool when he stared at the scarf inside.

“I noticed the one you're having is laddering,” YunHo mumbled and upon such attentive kindness, JaeJoong couldn't help himself and chastily kissed YunHo's cheek. They didn't say much to one another until dinner after that and, to their surprise, YunHo's mother seemed very merry about it.

“Mom, do you have a mattress and bedding for us left?” YunHo asked his mother after dinner and took the wet plate his mother handed him to wipe dry.

His mother thought for a second and shook her head when she handed him another plate. “I'm afraid I gave the last to your cousin JunSu. I would have offered the sofa or my double bed, but all the free spaces are taken this year.”

“I see. It was worth a question though,” YunHo muttered and put away a dried plate before accepting another one. They didn't register that JaeJoong had returned from a playing session with YunHo's niece and was standing in the doorway.

“It bothers you to sleep with him in one bed because you've not been together for a long time, right?” she inquired softly and halted in washing the dishes for a moment. YunHo nodded and continued drying the dishes left on the sink unit in silence. Shortly after JaeJoong let them know of his presence and joined them in washing and drying the dishes.

YunHo dreaded the moment a little when he and JaeJoong had to go to bed until half of the house was already asleep and the clock was nearing beyond midnight.

“You feel troubled about us sharing a bed, don't you,” JaeJoong declared when they stored YunHo's presents in his room and caught YunHo by such surprise that the brunette let a handful of them fall onto the ground.

“It's got nothing to do with you,” YunHo tried to explain but JaeJoong shushed him.

“I know, but I think I have a solution. One of us has to sleep before the other, and if it is all right with you, I go to bed first since I am a pretty fast sleeper so that you have all the time to get adjusted to it,” JaeJoong offered and, thinking about it for a while, YunHo agreed. A few hours later JaeJoong was already in a deep slumber when YunHo returned from the bathroom in his pajamas as the last person in the house to still be awake. As expected he had difficulties falling asleep right away, mostly because he feared to touch JaeJoong accidentally in his sleep and because it took much getting used to someone else's breathing. It helped a little that JaeJoong was sleeping with his back to YunHo since he really didn't want to think about what it would trigger in him if he saw JaeJoong's sleeping face.

*****

The morning of the 26th wasn't a particular quiet one in the Jung household as a quarter was already wide awake and playing games or helping YunHo's mother in preparing breakfast for the couple of dozen mouths that needed to be filled. In YunHo's room it was JaeJoong who stirred awake first and shifted under the warm blanket. When he dared to open his eyes they fell onto a sleeping YunHo and he watched him for the split of a second until YunHo hummed in his sleep and turned around. The blond crawled out of bed at that and shivered a little at the cold that had enveloped YunHo's room over night. He quickly grabbed a handful of fresh clothes from his backpack and hurried to the bathroom in hope that no one was occupying it. He was lucky enough that morning and quickly slipped into the room and all but jumped under the warm shower after locking the door.

Freshly showered and warmed up JaeJoong returned to YunHo's bathroom and found a drowsy YunHo sitting on the bed when he entered. “Good morning,” he chimed and YunHo hummed a grumpy response. He chuckled a little at YunHo obviously not being a morning person and excused himself to make his way downstairs. Barely an hour later YunHo joined the breakfast table waiting for the guests in the house and munched as eagerly on the waffles his mother had made as JaeJoong and a handful of YunHo's family did.

“Are there any special plans for today?” JaeJoong asked YunHo when they sat at the table and drew pictures for YunHo's niece.

“Oppa, can you draw a castle?” the little girl asked JaeJoong and he smiled at her when he inquired the colour she wanted for her castle.

“Actually no. There's just lunch today and in the afternoon we have to catch our train back,” YunHo replied and turned to his niece afterwards, “Do you want Captain Hook's ship, JiYool-ie?”

“Yes! And Peter Pan and Mr. Smee and Wendy and John. And Micheal and Tinker Bell,” the four-year-old exclaimed excitedly and hopped on her chair between YunHo and JaeJoong. By turns she looked at the two drawing away her requests and time and again asked for another thing and another colour and proudly showed her mother the progress the pictures were making.

“Then we better finish your pictures before uncle Yun and I have to leave again, right little whirlwind?” JaeJoong said and JiYool nodded furiously in agreement. The time until lunch was mostly filled with drawing and just stopped right before the table being set for the meal. The time after lunch was spent outside in the snow that had been falling over the last few days and to JiYool's delight a snowman was built.

“You really won't stay a little longer?” YunHo's mother asked when YunHo and JaeJoong readied themselves to leave.

“I can't mom. I've got to work tomorrow again and JaeJoong has plans as well,” YunHo replied and put down his luggage in the hallway. JaeJoong agreed to his words and started to make a round of goodbye. YunHo followed after him and JiYool made it really hard for the two of them to leave.

After putting on their shoes and coats, and JaeJoong fastening his new scarf around his neck, the blond was the first to say goodbye to YunHo's mother, “Thank you so much for letting me stay here. It was really nice.”

“It was really nice to have you here as well. You can visit me with YunHo any time you want,” the elder woman replied with a warm smile and JaeJoong had a hard time to reciprocate the gesture at the sting her words caused his heart. YunHo bid her goodbye soon afterwards, with a warm hug and a peck to her cheek and left the house together with JaeJoong and their luggage.

“You're so silent,” YunHo exclaimed after they had entered the train station and were waiting for their train home to Seoul. The unusual silence of JaeJoong ever since they had left his mother's house was quite worrisome to him.

“I feel a little melancholic. That's all,” JaeJoong muttered softly and sighed. Their train arrived before YunHo could inquire any further and they hurried inside to get a free seat. The silence between them kept going on throughout their trip home. Just time and again one of them said something and the other replied deeply lost in thought.

“I think I never thanked you for all this,” YunHo remarked halfway through the ride and JaeJoong shook his head.

“I really liked doing it. This is my job after all, though I really have to thank you instead,” the blond exclaimed and sighed softly once more.

“Why would you thank me?” YunHo asked astonished and looked surprised at JaeJoong.

A soft smile scurried over the blond's lips. “I got to meet your wonderful friends and family. I've seen many things already during my jobs, but this was extraordinary and beautiful,” he exclaimed and sighed dreamily. Another silence followed upon YunHo not knowing how to respond to that which stayed until their train reached Seoul. When it stayed even in their subway, JaeJoong suddenly laughed.

“I never thought this would be so awkward,” he exclaimed and YunHo joined his soft laughter.

“I know what you mean. It's like we're back to square one from the day we met,” the brunette said and rubbed over the nape of his neck. “I think I'm honestly going to miss this,” he whispered and JaeJoong sighed deeply beside him, “Me too.” When YunHo's station was announced, the two embraced and bid each other goodbye.

“It was really nice to work with you, YunHo,” JaeJoong said and YunHo uttered a hopeful reply, “I'm sure we meet again somehow.” With that he hurried out of the subway before the doors closed and waved JaeJoong goodbye until either of them was out of sight.

*****

The days after Christmas felt like a torture for YunHo. He didn't know that the weeks and days he had spent with JaeJoong had had such an impact on him and his feelings until the blond was gone. Eventhough he had figured out his feelings he still didn't have the courage to call JaeJoong. And just two days before New Year's Eve luck was not on his side and crushed his mobile phone into pieces when falling into a machine of his workplace. Even the escort agency was against him. They had vacation until the 11th of January.

He even was so desperate that once reaching his mother's house a day before New Year's Eve he told her the entire truth about him and JaeJoong. She was stupified at first, a little hurt that he had put her through that scheme, but she had understanding for him as well and tried to soothe his lovesickness. The house was still full at New Year's Eve, but it bothered YunHo more than ever that he was alone.

“I didn't grasp the opportunity I had, and now it is too late,” he muttered and threw his head back against the back of the sofa.

“You shouldn't give up so easily. Didn't you say the agency opens again in January?” his mother replied and tried to lift his hopes. She really didn't like to see her only son like this when a new year was about to start. Her garden had already turned into a firework station and everyone was eager to ignite any of the fireworks.

“That's still such a long time,” YunHo sighed and dropped sideways onto the soft furniture. YunHo's mother sighed as well and ruffled his hair when the door bell rang. Wondering who possibly could want something from them this close to midnight, she walked to the door and openened it.

“YunHo dear, it's for you,” she announced and hurried the late guest inside.

“Whoever it is, I don't want to seem them,” YunHo mumbled into the sofa which swallowed his voice.

“Then I guess I took the long journey on me for nothing. What a pity.” At the sound of the voice YunHo immediately jumped up and turned to the source.

“JaeJoong,” he whispered and stared at the blond standing in his mother's living room in full gear. “What are you doing here?” he asked a little unsure about it all being real and pinched the back of his hand. It stung, badly even, and he knew that he wasn't dreaming.

“I forgot something,” JaeJoong muttered and tip-toed once he stood right in front of YunHo and kissed the brunette on the lips once the clock struck 12 o'clock.