The Letter
Author(s):
taeckittyPairing(s): Taecyeon/Junsu
Rating: G [NC-17 later]
Summary: Before Junsu's grandmother died, she left something to him. According to her, the moment she dies, he needs to give the letter to someone who's named on it. And so he did and that became a way for his life to change for good. That good change includes his acquaintance with Taecyeon. The problem is, Taecyeon sees him as a pretentious damsel in distress; he was skeptical about his whole being. But that didn't hinder Junsu to develop a feeling inside his heart. until one day, he just realized he was in love with him.
"I love you." He said one day.
"I'm sorry, but I don't." He answered.
Should he give up already?
Notes: Unbeta-ed. Hope you guys enjoy~ Sorry for the grammatical errors.
Taecyeon woke up early that morning. No matter what he does, even if he sleeps so late, he’ll still wake up early. A businessman thing, he thought. He just waited for his mind to function fully before he got up from his bed. He has many things to do at Midas World, their family’s company that is currently being managed by him. After he took a bath and put his office clothes on, he decided to go down to leave. He was thinking of skipping breakfast, he wasn’t hungry anyways. He’ll just take a bite later whenever he feels like it.
“You seem to be early?” Lola Chichi asked from behind, slowly walking downstairs after him.
“Good morning, ‘La.” He greeted as he pecked the old woman on the cheeks. “I have many things to do today.”
“C’mon let’s eat, I think Hyomin already prepared the food.”
“No ‘La, I’m in a hurry.” He refused.
“What are you talking about, kid? Haven’t I told you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? You’ll lose energy faster if you don’t take breakfast.” The old woman scolded.
He couldn’t refuse. He knows that his grandmother would just nag him until he agrees. He was just a child when his parents died and she was the one who took the responsibilities on taking care of him until he grew up. Lola Chichi is sure an old woman, but still, you can clearly see the solidarity in her face. The sole reason why she made Midas World as it is today.
Midas World was passed down to his father but was immediately returned back to Lola Chichi when his father died in a heart attack after his mother’s car accident. Now he was the one managing it. And he didn’t find it easy.
They both went to the dining room together just to see the table already set.
“Why are you in a hurry, by the way?” The old woman asked as she passed the bowl of rice to him.
“I’m going to meet a client. After that, the division heads and I will have a meeting to discuss about the status of the different projects they are working at.” He explained.
“You’re taking too much work. You should learn how to delegate responsibilities. Hijo, you shouldn’t focus on work only, you need to unwind yourself sometimes.”
“Look who’s talking,” he retorted with a laugh on his face. “Seems like I remember someone back then who goes home very late because of work.”
“It had to be done. The company was in danger of going belly up because of the sudden death of your father. I had to focus on every aspect in running Midas World. But now, it’s different. The company is doing well and yet you couldn’t seem to relax. What is the use of all the money you are getting if you couldn’t even use it for yourself? As it is, you don’t even have an heir you can pass all your worldly riches to. After Yoona, there wasn’t any other woman in your life. Don’t tell me you aren’t still over with her?”
Taecyeon cringed inwardly. “I’m still young, lola. I’m just waiting for the right time.” Waiting my ass. Having his own heir was the last thing he wanted to imagine, not to mention him being with a girl. It’s just.. No. ‘Taecyeon’ and ‘straight’ don’t go well together in a sentence. He’d rather live alone forever than to have a wife and a child. About Yoona, well it was just a onesided relationship that turned out to be his worst nightmare. She’s obsessed with him so much to the point she’s been stalking him everywhere he goes. He didn’t have a choice when his lola knew about her and when Yoona confessed her feelings for him in front of the old woman. He agreed to be his boyfriend, which he regretted immediately right after he said ‘yes’.
For almost 6 months with Yoona, his life was practically a living hell. He became a chaperone, a pacifist, and a friggin’ nanny. Bitch was a single mother, and the father of the child suddenly entered the picture which forced Yoona to break up with him. It was like one of the glorious moments in his life.
“About Yoona.. Well, we aren’t really meant for each other.” He lied.
“Then who is the one meant for you, son?”
The conversation was getting somewhere far from his liking. He needs to stop it before it gets too deep and complicated, at least for him. “You know what, Lola. Let’s just eat, the food’s getting cold.” He smiled.
“Okay, okay. But I just want you to be happy. I want you to meet someone you can love. And I want her to be the right girl, with the right values in life.”
“You’re a girl, I mean, a woman, right? You love me and you have the right values in life. Then we don’t have problem anymore.”
“Hmp.” The old woman pouted. “I just really wanted to see you settle down already.”
“In due time, Lola.” He just said in finality ending the conversation even though he was very sure that that ‘due time’ will never come.
Junsu prepared a very simple breakfast that morning. It was only consist of two boiled eggs, tomatoes, and a plate of fried rice; a cup of coffee for him and a mug of hot chocolate for the old woman who is sick.
“Why did you give me so much food? Look, there’s nothing left for you.” Lola Monique protested when Junsu brought the tray of food on her bed. “And you’re drinking coffee without milk? Why don’t you drink chocolate? Here, take mine.” She took the mug of chocolate and gave it to him. “Chocolate makes me fat. I’m on a diet, you know.”
He forced a smile. She can still tell a joke even though she was weak.
“I’m on a diet, too. That’s why I think it’s better that you take it. And you can’t say no, age before beauty.” He said, half-jokingly. She doesn’t need to know the real reason why he prepared only one mug of hot chocolate. It’s because he was saving it for her grandmother only.
He loves Lola Monique so much. He was raised by her because his mother went away with another man when he was only two years old. His father, on the other hand, never showed up since he allegedly went overseas to work.
If only Lola Monique wasn’t hit by stroke, he could’ve finished his studies already because he was a scholar. The thing is, his grandmother went ill when he was already on his fourth year that’s why even though it’s unfortunate, he was forced to stop. He wasn’t able to study again because all of his time was spent in searching jobs that can help him and her grandmother to live.
Writing and composing songs were the only things he could think of as a job. He was good at it. Heck, he was also a good singer too. He was thinking of taking auditions on entertainment companies, but he had no time for that. He needs to save the small savings he had when he was still in college and there is no way he would waste money travelling across Korea just to take singing auditions.
Even though he’s earning from composing songs, it was still not enough. Maintaining his grandmother’s vitamins and medicine weren’t an easy thing, despite using her senior citizen’s discount and accepting generic drugs. Not to mention he was also paying the rent of their house and other necessities.
“Before you start working, eat first ok? You might get sick, too. I don’t like taking care sick people. I won’t be able to sing on noraebang.”
“Of course. I know you so well, Lola. I know that you’re going to sing on noraebang first rather than taking care of me.” He laughed.
She laughed too but her face suddenly turned serious. She gently caressed his cheek, “You’re so kind, son. Too bad we ended up like this.” Lola Monique said sadly.
“Aish, stop the drama, ok? Just eat so you’ll get your energy back.”
“I’m afraid I’m not going back to what I used to be. I can feel, it would only take a moment before I finally leave this world.” She said seriously as serious as her face.
“Don’t talk like that, La.”
“Can’t be avoided, son. Time will come that I would leave you. That’s why I have something to ask and I hope you promise me you’ll do it; for me.” The old woman pleaded as she held his hand.
“As long as I can do it, why not? What is it anyways?” He asked.
“The moment I die…..open my old wooden chest. You remember that? That wooden chest you’d been dying to open since you were young.”
“Yes. And you always scold me whenever you see me opening it.”
She smiled before continuing what she was saying. “Inside that wooden chest is a letter. It is for an old friend of mine. Her address is written on it. I want you to find her and give my letter to her.”
“Why?” he asked intriguingly.
“Don’t ask. Just promise me you’ll do that.”
“Eh? W-why?”
“Just do it, ok? You’ll know the reason soon when the right time comes. Now, are you going to promise me you’ll do it or do I still need to spank you?” She opened her eyes wide in attempt of scaring him.
“O-okay. Yes. I promise.”
Hearing on what he said Lola Monique leaned on the pile of pillows behind her tiredly. “Thank you. Now, leave me so you can eat already.”
Junsu hesitantly walked out from the small room. Before he completely left the old woman, he threw a concerned look to her. Her grandmother rarely speaks like that and so he was worried.
Morning passed by. Because he was busy composing new songs, he totally forgot and didn’t notice her grandmother’s usual call of his name asking for a glass of water or help in going to the bathroom.
The moment he stretched his arms was the moment he felt eerie at the deafening silence. Nervous, he hastily stood up and went to his grandmother’s room.
“Lola Monique, wake up.. Lola…” He called while tapping her shoulders. He wanted to make sure she’s all right. But she didn’t budge. “Lola!” He tapped her harder now. But she won’t really wake. “Lolaaa!” Junsu screamed.
He asked for help from their neighbours and her lola was sent to the hospital but she didn’t get back to consciousness anymore. Two days after she stayed at the ICU, Lola Monique died.
With what happened, his savings were completely gone. In the next days after the burial he needs to strive hard so he can pay all the expenses spent from the hospital down to the funeral of his grandmother.
He was somewhat lost of direction suddenly. Lola Monique was the only thing he had. She was his mother, father, and grandmother. She was the one supporting his decisions, and the one who makes him strong. And now that she’s gone, he was like a lost puppy.
He found himself one night sitting on their dark living room. He didn’t notice the sun has already set because of thinking so many things in his head.
The letter….
He twitched. It seemed like someone whispered those words to him. He slightly shivered. Was that Lola Monique?
He hurriedly went to his grandmother’s once room and knelt beside the bed pulling out the old wooden chest underneath. Trembling, he slowly lifted the cover. Inside was a white envelope. He took the envelope and inspected it. He found out that it was sealed, meaning he can’t open the letter inside.
He looked at the name written on it. It’s time that he do his promise to his lola.
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A/N: Lola is a Filipino word for grandmother. I find it easy to use when it comes to dialogues.