Chapter 4: Birthday Dinner

“Where are you taking me? You better not be ditching me!”

Jaejoong laughed, his hands pressed firmly over the other’s eyes. “Calm down, Yoochun.”

“Why would you think we’re ditching you? Especially on your birthday?”.Junsu turned around to nudge Yoochun, and instead he saw Jaejoong step on the back of Yoochun’s foot, again, within five minutes. “You’re such a klutz, Jaejoong!

Jaejoong huffed. “What about Yoochun, huh? He bumped into three whole people!”

“He doesn’t count, idiot! He’s blinded!” The three of them entered an air conditioned restaurant, and Jaejoong unveiled Yoochun’s eyes.

“Surprise!” Jaejoong and Junsu said at once when they entered the building.

“Let’s go!” Jaejoong grabbed Yoochun’s hand, not giving him a chance to realise where they are, and dragged him in. “Party of three.”

“Right this way please.” The host led them to a booth and handed them their menus and left.

“You guys didn’t have to do this” Yoochun picked up his menu to hide his embarrassed face.

“Of course we did. Who else would?” Junsu unfolded his napkin, and placed it on his lap before looking at the menus. It was quiet while they looked over the menu, and a few minutes later the server came in.

“Hello, my name is Yunho, and I’ll be serving you today. What can I get everyone to drink?” The table was dead silent as everyone stared at the server.

“This is Yunho?” Yoochun stared upwards, slightly leaning across the table. Jaejoong nodded. Yoochun leaned back, and went back to his menu. “I’ll take a cola.”

“Same.” Junsu continued to look through his menu. Both of their faces were neutral, but they were definitely cursing Yunho in their minds. Yunho took note of it, and when it came to Jaejoong’s turn, he didn’t look at him like he did the others. He just stared at the notepad, waiting for input, like a robot.

Jaejoong continue to stare at the other  until he realized that Yunho wasn’t going to have the talk right then, or look at him. “Water.” Yunho nodded, and promptly left. Jaejoong sunk in his chair and groaned. Junsu and Yoochun looked up from their menus,and once they were sure Yunho was gone, dropped their mouths.

“Are you sure that’s Yunho?” Yoochun slammed his menu down and leaned across the table, a tint of panic in his voice. Jaejoong nodded, glaring at him. He would know the man from his dreams..

Junsu moved his menu a little down, eyes curious. “He didn’t even look at you!”

Jaejoong nodded again, staring at the table, his eyes unnaturally focused on the wood. “I’m sure he recognized me. He just...didn’t want to talk to me. Maybe.” His voice wavered, and Yoochun and Junsu looked at each other, slightly confused, slightly judging.

Yunho came back with the drinks, hands moving in a blur as he set everyone’s drinks down. The two put their menu's back up, determined not to make eye contact. Once Jaejoong’s water was put down, he snatch Yunho’s hand.

“Please let go.” Yunho’s voice was quiet, yet tired, as if he had given up. Yunho wriggled his hand and tried to escape, but Jaejoong pulled him back and gripped tighter, fully determined to get the other to talk to him.

“Not until you tell me when your shift ends.” Yunho, again, tried to wiggle out, but Jaejoong held on tighter, and the skin around his fingers turned white. “Please, just let me explain.”

Jaejoong watched as Yunho looked at him for the first time, and deflated at such sad eyes. “Fine.” Yunho sighed. “Come back at 5:30.” Jaejoong nodded, letting his hand slip away as Yunho pulled his hand back.

Yunho turned to face them again, back into work mode, but the tiredness in his eyes still showed. “Now, do you three need more time to order, or are you ready now?”

“We’re ready now.”

The three chatted mindlessly after Yunho left to get their orders. “So, Jaejoong.” Jaejoong looked up, seeing Yoochun stare at him. “How’s that search for a place for the art?”

Jaejoong sighed, and slunk in his chair. “Turns out, I don’t have enough money, nor artwork to have an entire place to myself.”

Junsu’s eyebrows furrowed, and he leaned across the table. “Oh no. What are you going to do?”

“I need to find someone to co-host it.”

Yoochun nodded, and pulled out his phone. The other two glanced at him, and Junsu even leaned over to see what he was doing. He frowned when he got a glimpse of it. “I’m sure Jaejoong’s already seen them all.”

Jaejoong leaned over the table, trying to get a look, but Yoochun only smirked and pulled the phone closer to them. “I know someone. He’s into photography, and has also been looking to sell his photos.”

“Who?” When Yoochun didn’t answer, instead calling someone, Jaejoong leaned closer to hear the conversation.

“Hey, Myungsoo! You said you wanted to sell your photos right?” Yoochun chuckled at the response. “Well, I have someone who’s also looking to sell his artworks. We’re thinking you two could share the building and co-host it?”

Yoochun started nodding and mm-hming. Then he motioned for a writing utensil. Junsu pulled one out of his pocket. Yoochun snagged a napkin and wrote a series of numbers on it, with some difficulty. “I’ll have him call you then.” A smile formed on his lips, and he hung up, beaming the smile to Jaejoong. “I just found someone to help pay for you art exhibit.”

“Who?” Jaejoong’s leg was bouncing from anticipation.

“Kim Myungsoo. Has a lot of photos, but can’t find anyone to buy any. Maybe you can help him.” Yoochun smiled again, and passed the napkin across the table. Jaejoong stared at it for a moment, trying to read the numbers,before carefully folding it and placing it in his pocket.

The rest of the meal was idle chat, with the exception of half the staff singing Yoochun “Happy Birthday.”

Jaejoong was sure Yunho was aware of his staring, because he never looked in their direction, and always worked faster when he was in Jaejoong's sight. The other two even stopped talking for a bit whenever they noticed Jaejoong staring.

He was startled at one point, with Yoochun snapping his fingers in front of his face. “Sorry.” He mumbled, taking a bite of his burger. A tang of sour hit his mouth and he spit everything back onto the plate, rushing to grab his drink. Yoochun and Junsu were howling with laughter as he downed the entire glass.

Jaejoong glared at the two as he slammed the glass down. The two were still laughing, clinging on to each other, pointing between the salt, his food and him. One look at anything and they would laugh again. It was beginning to get irritating.

He saw movement pass by his eyes, and he tapped the waiter’s hip. “Sorry. Can I get more wa--” Yunho. Jaejoong gulped, forcing himself to finish his sentence. “Water. Can I get more water?”

Yunho left without another glance, picking up the dishes left over from the booth in front of them. “Oh man. You should have seen your face!” Jaejoong turned back to the duo to see Junsu wiping his eyes and Yoochun fanning himself, both smiling at each other.

“What else did you salt?” Jaejoong picked through his food, dabbing his tongue on his fries. He immediately cringed at the saltiness of it, sending Junsu into a fit of giggles. Jaejoong grimaced and shoved his plate away. “Great. Now I can’t eat this.”

“No, no. I think there are some fries that are untouched.” Yoochun waggled his finger at the fries, smirking. It was unsettling, and led him to think Yoochun probably peppered them. 

“Yeah, on the bottom, somewhere.” Junsu said once he calmed down again. Yoochun glanced at him, sending a smile before grinning back at Jaejoong. Jaejoong began searching through his fries for unsalted and unpeppered fries. No such luck.

Yunho came back with a pitcher of water, and the same plate Jaejoong had. He took the salted plate, replacing it with the new one while he filled the glass. He was gone in the blink of an eye. Everyone stared at the new plate. “He seems nice.” 

Jaejoong nodded at Yoochun’s words before taking a cautious bite of his new burger. It tasted better than the last one. He ate quicker this time, completely enamored by the taste of his new burger.

Jaejoong worked with Junsu after eating until 5:00 PM came along. With his was fidgeting, and glances at the clock every minute, he didn’t need to tell Junsu he was leaving. He bolted out the door so fast, Junsu didn’t even have time to say goodbye.

He took the bus, which was a mistake. The result of 90 degree weather all day, in a bus filled with people made the temperature seem like it was in the 100s. The wife beater he was wearing didn’t do him any good except get more sweat from all of the other people rubbing on him from getting on and off their stops.

By the time Jaejoong got to the restaurant, bullets of sweat trailed down his face and neck, and from the tips of his hair.

He contemplated waiting inside, in the fresh air condition, but they would make him pay for something. So he settled on waited outside, sitting on the curb. The table wasn’t a choice either, because they might see him and make him pay there, too.

5:30 came and went, sitting on the hot concrete, and there was no sign Yunho. 6:00 PM came and went, and Jaejoong was beginning to think Yunho ran out the back. The sun was beginning to set behind the buildings, casting shadows on the backs of buildings, making the city appear as a silhouette. Just like his first dream.

Jaejoong became antsy, cleaning the dirt out of his nails, pacing back and forth, fixing his sweating hair, looking at the door every time he heard the jingle of it opening, then getting disappointed when Yunho didn’t come out. 6:27 on the dot, Yunho came running around the back. His face was flushed and his hair a mess. He was breathing hard, eyes wide and searching.

“Let’s go, before I’m caught.” Yunho grabbed his hand, and they ran.  Hot wind rushed past his ears, plastering his hair to his face. His grip was greasy on Yunho’s, slipping occasionally from the sweat on both their hands. He gasped for breath, only able to grab the thick and hot air.

They dodged people, and chairs. Jumping over small dogs and skateboards left on the side. Yunho clutching harder when they turned into a side street. The stopped for a moment, to catch their breath. Jaejoong leaned on his hands, watching the sweat roll down Yunho’s neck. The other moved a few inches, peeking his head from the wall. Jaejoong followed, and saw no one.

“Come on.” Jaejoong led him back to his apartment. They were too tired to run this time, and instead agreed on walking. It was better than the sticky bus.

A step inside his apartment and he was met with a burst of cool air. He sighed a relief, standing there for a second. Yunho took off his shoes once he entered the apartment, now familiar with the setting. His eyes fell in the corner of the room, covered with dusty art. “The paintings are still there.”

Jaejoong forced himself to smile. “ Yeah. Would you like anything to drink?”

Yunho nodded, and sat down in the same edge-of-the-seat spot he did last time. “If you have any  water, that’s fine.”

Jaejoong grabbed two bottles from the fridge, and tossed one to Yunho. He plopped himself next to Yunho, exhaling with a tired groan and leaned back. He would have drank the water, in fact, it stayed on his lips the entire time he watched Yunho’s adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he chugged the water. Once half of the bottle was done, Yunho screwed the cap back on, and also leaned back.

Jaejoong wanted to explain everything to him, but he had no idea where to start. The beginning is always a nice choice, but how does he explain the best adventures they had together, to someone who doesn’t even remember them? They sat in silence until the stars shone with the moon, with only the sounds of breathing to listen to.

“I’m sorry.” “I remember.”

Jaejoong’s mouth dropped, and his bottle fell to the floor as he turned his head to look at the other. He could only stare at his eyes, wanting his words to be true. He was anxious to scoot closer, but knew Yunho wouldn’t like that. “What did you say?”

“I remember. Well, not all of it, of course. But over the last week, some things came to me. Like the little things. I hardly remember the bits I do recall, but I remember running--in a city, like you said. From something, I don’t know, but it felt so horrible, and dull. And then I saw you, and suddenly everything was better.”

If he didn’t know any better, he would say that was a smile on Yunho’s lips. He attempted to repress his own smile creeping its way onto his face. “So, what you’re saying is, you forgive me?”

Yunho glanced at Jaejoong before nodding, and chugging the rest of his water. He stared at the dusty art corner again, and got up and walked over to the paintings. He was quiet for too long, staring at them.

“Can you help me remember? What happened in each of these?” Jaejoong slipped off the couch, anxious to show him the world they saw. Then Yunho held out his hand, stopping him. “Just go a little slow for me, okay?”

Jaejoong smiled, and nodded a little slower this time, before moving to his most recent painting.