Bridging the Gaps (1/1)

"What am I going to do with all these?" Jae Joong eyed Jun Su helplessly. In front of him was a large white box full of gifts yet to be wrapped. Jun Su was towering above him, arms crossed in front of his chest and lips pursed."Donate it to the nursing home." Then scrunched up his face when he saw the large box of Nars makeup set, probably for Yun Ho's sister, Jessica. No nursing home would need expensive make up. Or South Sea pearl necklace. Or a horse saddle. And all other stuff that Jae Joong had bought for people close to him. Which list was made up of himself, Hyun Ji, Seung Gil, Yoo Chun, Hee Chul and Yun Ho's family and of course Yun Ho. And since they broke up, Jae Joong's been avoiding his family too, much to Hyun Ji's disapproval. "Just give it to them, Hyung. It's for them anyway." He sat beside him, lifting random items from the box and placing them back again."I--I can't do that.""Why can't I see a gift for myself?" He asked like Jae Joong said nothing."Kim Jun Su." Jae Joong whined."Just go straight to their house in Bedford and hand those to the help. Or send it thru UPS! There are thousands of ways, Hyung." Then he eyed Jae Joong seriously. "Or would you still want to get invited for Christmas dinner?" It was a fact that since Yun Ho and Jae Joong got together, the former would spend Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners at the Jung mansion in Bedford, New York while New Years he will spend with the Kim family.Jae Joong got jilted last Thanksgiving and he had nowhere to go this coming Christmas. Jun Su's heart went out to his brother/best friend. He can't send him to Florida since his parents would have their world trip starting the winter vacation and won't be back until after three months. But he can't leave Jae Joong alone either."I-I'm not thinking about that." He denied weakly."Hyung, come with us to Fairfax*, please? So I can spend my Christmas in peace?" Yoo Chun's family invited him for Christmas and he was fairly nervous since it would be his first time meeting them. Right, it would be like hitting two birds with one stone. He can look after Jae Joong and he can have the moral support he needs from a family member."I have a lot of things to do here and I wouldn't steal your alone time with Yoo Chun second time 'round, Su-ah. End of discussion." Jae Joong raised an eyebrow and silently challenged his younger brother to contradict him."Fine." He pouted cutely. Jae Joong wanted to laugh upon seeing his reaction. How he missed these trademark Jun Su expressions. Outside, people seldom see any reaction on his face at all. It was like a blank canvass. Jun Su was afraid his courtroom foes would see something on his face and would use it against him."Su-ah. . ." He placed an arm around Jun Su. "You know how painful it would be for me to visit Virginia at this point in time, right?" He said slowly and Jun Su nodded in understanding. It would just bring back bittersweet memories that wouldn't help him in anyway.****************************************************************************"Ugh! You just have to break down now, you useless piece of crap!" He kicked the fender of his car with all his might and left a considerable dent on the old metal. Now more than ever that he regretted on fighting Yun Ho about buying himself a new car before. The latter even resorted to offering him a car loan which he vehemently declined. He was using a car he bought from his own savings since he was in middle school. It had sentimental value and he wouldn't want to dispose it ever but sometimes, he can't help but vent his frustration on it. Today was a very good example. He was running late for an important meeting and he certainly had no time to spare.Seeing he had no choice but take a cab, he banged the door closed and gathered his stuff from the trunk and hailed a cab. "Brooklyn, please." He said upon boarding the yellow taxi. "Charge me triple if you want but please, please, hurry up." He pleaded, looking at his wrist watch, balancing a box on his hands. He only had forty-five minutes to get to the agreed place."If you say so." The driver shrugged and revved the engine up.**************************************************************************"I heard from Jordan* that you just broke up with your boyfriend, is that true?" Yun Ho mentally noted to make Kang In pay for being a blabbermouth. He let out a small smile and nodded. He went out on his second blind date since the break up, his date courtesy of Kang In this time since Dong Hae's choice practically made his blood boil the last time.He refocused his attention to Zhou Mi. When he heard his name, he was laughing secretly, remembering his broken Korean (that's pretty much nonexistent by now) and ending the thought with the memory of Jae Joong and his stupid self confessing for whole Dalton High to hear. Zhou Mi's like a Korean homophone for the word 'seasoning'. Ironically enough, Zhou Mi had this bland, boring aura all around him. Like a dish without seasoning. He desperately wanted this ordeal to end."It must be real tough, holidays are just around the corner." He commented. He wouldn't dare mention he broke up with Jae Joong the day of Thanksgiving or he might send him running away by the instant. But on second thought, maybe he should?"I'm doing alright. How about you, any interesting story you want to share?" He asked politely, wishing that he doesn't have one."Oh, well. . ." He removed his eye glasses and rubbed his eyes gently. "Last year, I learned that my live-in partner for five years was after me. Literally. My head and the information he had to give his country. His was the blood that last tainted my hands before I resigned from the CIA." Yun Ho stared at him, astonished, silently willing himself not to run away."C-CIA?" He let out a nervous laugh. "You don't mean THE Central Intelligence Agency, right?" Zhou Mi just smiled."Hey," He might have noticed that Yun Ho's face was void of color now. "It's not like I'm armed. And didn't you hear what I said? I'm no longer in service." But Yun Ho just can't reconcile with the fact that he's talking to a spy. Or a former spy. It didn't matter. And to think that he killed people before. It's nauseating!"Yun Ho-sshi," Zhou Mi suddenly shifted to his perfect Hangul that Yun Ho was taken aback. "Did you agree on this date because you're desperate to forget the things that hurt?""I mean, who wouldn't?""In the expense of other people?" Zhou Mi raised an eyebrow, gone the undistinctive self. "I suggest that before you look for the answer else where, you should find it here first." He placed a hand on his left chest. "You might just be risking yourself in much more pain by doing this.""You know nothing about what I feel.""Oh? Then tell me something I don't know about pain." Zhou Mi had this far away expression on his face that probably mirrored his own.After the early dinner, Yun Ho gained a new friend. They even exchanged phone numbers before they parted. He found himself opening up to Zhou Mi, saying things he found difficult to say even to his own family. His first impression of him vanished. He was very intelligent, speaking nine languages fluently (something he insisted was just a requirement from his former duties) and was well-versed in almost every topic there was.He was sitting at the red light at the 34th street, waiting for the light to turn green. He stepped on gas the moment it changed color only to be t-boned on his passenger side by a cab. Cursing, he got off his car, not wanting to see the damage the stupid cab made on his Maserati.***************************************************************************Jae Joong was busy SMS-ing Hee Chul about the luncheon the latter arranged for both of them when his head bumped on the headrest of the front passenger seat, nearly smashing his nose. The contents of his box were scattered on the car's floor. "Whatda--!" The driver didn't even pay attention to him and got off the car immediately. He held his head and sighed in relief when he didn't feel any bump. He gathered his stuff carefully and got out of the car. It's just wasn't his day.He alighted the car and was stunned to see Yun Ho in a heated discussion wtih the driver.****************************************************************************A/N: 1) Fairfax, Virginia is where Yoo Chun lived when he was in the States.2) Jordan is Kang In's official English name.