I LOVE YOU MY FRIEND (FAN FICTION) (CHAPTER 34)

CHAPTER 34

 

            Two days passed . . .

 

            Lena had been silently observing Jaejoong. She knew he was very worried about his friends, but was just trying to hide it. There were times she would catch him staring blankly into open spaces.

 

            She had asked him many times if something was bothering him, but he would always answer with a lie. Somehow this made her feel more guilty and confused.

 

            She was silently hurting as she continued to watch Jaejoong keep his feelings all to himself. She somehow understood why he wouldn't tell her the truth. She knew he was just trying to protect her. She knew he didn't want her to get upset.

 

            Jaejoong had even asked her to avoid watching the news. He told her that it would only add more confusion into their already complicated situation. She just agreed without any further discussion. She didn't want to add more worry to Jaejoong.

 

            It was already three in the afternoon . . . Jaejoong was standing near the window in the living room. he had been standing there for almost half an hour. He then let out a long sigh. He was obviously having deep thoughts about something.

 

            Unknown to him, Lena was watching him from one of the rooms where their body guards had access to all the cameras installed in the house.

 

            Lena had asked the men in the room to let her watch what Jaejoong was doing in the living room. They all agreed and just left her alone in the room.

 

            As she continued to watch him, it was as if someone was slowly crushing her heart. She couldn't stand seeing Jaejoong so troubled. How she wished she could make things all better.

 

            Suddenly . . . Jaejoong carefully took out his cell phone from his pocket. He then stared at it for several minutes . . . before finally opening it.

 

            Lena just watched what Jaejoong was going to do. She had been expecting him to break the rules and just call his friends. She suddenly smiled. She was happy that Jaejoong finally had the courage to call his friends.

 

            Jaejoong stared again at his phone. He then started to check his messages and the calls made to his phone.

 

            There were more than a hundred messages waiting for him and more than fifty or more calls from different numbers. Most of the messages were from Micky, Xiah, U-Know and Max. While some of the other messages were from their manager. And some other messages were sent by unknown numbers.

 

            But what caught his attention was a certain number . . . a number that had sent him more than twenty messages and had called him more than ten times. Curiously he opened one of the messages that the unknown number had sent him.

 

            Jaejoong, you have totally ruined my family's reputation. Do you really think that I will let you have Lena so easily? Bring her back now! Or else I will be forced to use any means necessary to draw you out. Do you think you have the heart to see your friends and family suffer? Give Lena back to my son. You don't deserve her. I suggest you try to think fast before it is too late. I don't have much patience and I am certainly not fond of waiting.

 

            As soon as he read the message, he felt as if his heart had suddenly stopped. And his whole body had suddenly turned cold.

 

            Lena saw the sudden change in Jaejoong's facial expression. Fear suddenly filled her heart. She suddenly became curious as to what Jaejoong had read in his cell phone.

 

            Then without any hesitation, Jaejoong dialled for Max's number. He needed to know what was happening with his friends and family.

 

            Lena was suddenly surprised, because as soon as Jaejoong dialled a number on his phone, a ringing sound immediately came on one of the speakers in the room.

 

            "Hyung . . ." Max happily uttered as soon as he answered his phone.

 

            "Max . . ." Jaejoong uttered.

 

            Lena was silent as she stared at the monitor and listened to the speaker. She immediately understood that both their phones were already tapped by the people who were protecting them.

 

            "Hyung . . . how are you? How is Lena?" Max asked worriedly.

 

            "I should be the one asking you guys . . . how all of you are doing . . ." Jaejoong said seriously.

 

            "Well . . . " Max was hesitant to answer.

 

            "Max, I already know that all of our group's activities have either been canceled or postponed. So you don't have to lie to me," Jaejoong said.

           

            "Hyung . . .I really didn't want to say anything. But since you already know the truth about our group, I might as well tell you about . . ."

 

            "Max!" a voice suddenly called out in the background as if trying to warn Max.

 

            "Who was that?" Jaejoong asked curiously.

 

            "It's Micky," Max answered with a low voice.

 

            "Why? What's wrong? What else do I need to know? Tell me Max, please. . ." Jaejoong said with a trembling voice.

 

            "HYung . . .I . . . I don't think it's a good idea to tell you . . .It might just add more burden on you," Max replied.

 

            "Max . . ." Jaejoong uttered.

 

            "Hyung, I really can't," Max uttered again.

 

            "Put Micky on the line. I want to talk to him," Jaejong said.

 

            "Okay . . ." Max uttered. "Micky, hyung wants to talk to you," he said in the background.

 

            "How is Lena?" Micky immediately asked as soon as he went on the line.

 

            "She's fine. Don't worry. I am taking good care of her," Jaejoong replied.

 

            "That's good," Micky uttered.

 

            "Micky, please tell me what's going on. Please tell me the truth. I want to know everything . . .I need to know," Jaejoong begged.

 

            Lena suddenly felt pity for Jaejoong as she heard him beg.

 

            "Jaejoong . . . I thought you already decided to just leave everything behind . . . and everyone as well? You're supposed to be taking care of Lena . . . and stop worrying about us," Micky said angrily.

 

            "But all of you are my friends . . . and our group is important to me too. How can I not be concerned with what is happening to you guys?" Jaejoong replied.

 

            "Just take care of Lena. She's your responsibility now. We will take care of the problem regarding our group. So don't worry," Micky said seriously.

 

            "Micky . . ." Jaejoong uttered.

 

            "You shouldn't be calling us. You might get traced or something," Micky said worriedly.

 

            "Micky . . . do you guys . . . by any chance have any news about my family?" Jaejoong asked.

           

            "I'm sorry . . . but I don't think I have any right to say anything," Micky said weakly.

 

            Jaejoong immediately noticed that Micky was hiding something.

 

            "Okay. . .I won't force you to say something you don't want to," Jaejoong said seriously.

 

            While she was listening, Lena felt that her heart was getting heavier by the minute. Somehow she felt so guilty and responsible for everything that was happening.

 

            "Bye . . . Jaejoong, Take care of yourself and especially Lena," Micky said.

 

            "Don't worry. I'll take good care of her," Jaejoong said as he closed his phone.

 

            Jaejoong kept on staring at his phone. for more than ten minutes after talking with Max and Micky. Then she suddenly sighed. He was feeling totally helpless and worried about everything.

 

            He then started to dial another number. He was determined to know what was going on with his family.

 

            "Hello . . ." an old woman's voice answered.

 

            "Mother . . . ." Jaejoong uttered.

           

            "Jaejoong is that you?" the old woman asked excitedly.

 

            "Yes, mother. How are you?" Jaejoong asked worriedly.

 

            "Where are you Jaejoong? Do you know I am worried sick about you?" the old woman said while crying.

 

            "Mother . . . please don't cry," Jaejoong uttered as tears started to form in his eyes as well.

 

            "How are you? How about Lena? Are you both all right? Your father and I already know about everything that happened . . ." Jaejoong's mother said.

 

            "How? Who told you?" Jaejoong asked curiously.

 

            "It's all over the news Jaejoong. You haven't been watching the news, have you? So I guess you still don't know about what is happening with your group?" the old woman asked

 

            "About my  group? I know all of our activities have been canceled . . . that's all I know. Mother, is there something . . . more important I should know about? I have already called Micky and the others . . . but they wouldn't tell me anything . . ." Jaejoong said with  a trembling voice. He was afraid of what he might suddenly find out.

 

            There was a long silence before Jaejoong's mother finally spoke.

 

            "Jaejoong, my son . . . I  . . . I really don't want to say anything but . . . I think you have a right to know . . . Your group Dong Bang Shin Ki is being disbanded," the old woman said.

           

            "What?" Jaejoong exclaimed

 

            "There had been rumors going around that your group is going to be disbanded by SM Entertainment, if you don't appear within the next few days. But they have already made a formal announcement yesterday. And they are giving you a week to return to Tokyo to clear everything out," the old woman said.

 

            Jaejoong felt like a bomb had suddenly exploded infront of him. He totally became speechless.

 

            "Jaejoong . . . Jaejoong . . ." his mother kept on calling his name.

 

            Lena suddenly bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying out. Somehow she could feel the pain that Jaejoong was experiencing.

 

            "Jaejoong, are you still there?" the old woman asked.

 

            "Yes, mother," Jaejoong answered as he tried to control himself.

 

            "What are you planning to do now? You and Lena can't possibly go on hiding forever. Sooner or later the two of you have to return and face everyone. But I suggest before you do that . . . try to explain everything first to Lena. I believe there are a lot of things she has to be responsible for when she returns. And I know it would be very hard for her. Her entire clan is outraged by what the two of you have done. And the mother of her fiancee . . . well she's basically threatening everyone," Jaejoong's mother said seriously.

 

            "Threatening everyone? What do you mean?" Jaejoong asked as if confused.

 

            "Frankly . . . I . . . I don't want to tell you this . . . But you know I don't keep secrets from you," the old woman started to say.

 

            "What is it mother?" Jaejoong asked worriedly.

 

            "Your father . . . and five of your sisters have all been fired from their work," the old woman weakly uttered.

 

            "What?" Jaejoong asked. He felt his whole body was slowly weakening.

 

            "We know it is connected with what is happening with you," the old woman said.

 

            "I . . . I'm sorry, mother . . . I'm sorry," Jaejoong uttered as he slowly cried. He couldn't control himself anymore. Everything that he had learned had totally made him weak inside and out.

 

            Lena was already crying as well as she continued to watch and listen. She couldn't think of anything else but the fact that everything was her fault.

 

            "I'm sorry, Mother. I'm sorry . . . I didn't follow your advise. I know this was what you were afraid of when you told me that I should just be friends with Lena . . . nothing more, nothing less. I . . . I love her too much, Mother. I don't think I can live without her. Please forgive me," Jaejoong uttered as tears continued to fall from his eyes.

 

            "It's okay, son. We all know that you love her. We have already known about it . . . for years now. We know how much you have tried to control your feelings. So don't worry about us. We still have some savings to live on . . . while your father and sisters find other jobs. You don't have to worry. Just take care of yourself and Lena. Make sure you take extra good care of her . . . You know how weak she is . . . She easily gets sick . . . Are you two eating on time? Make sure you cook nutritious foods for her okay . . ." the old woman said with concern.

 

            "Yes, mother . . . I . . . I have to end my call now. Maybe I . . . I can call again some other day. Take care of yourself . . . and please say sorry to father and to my sisters . . . for me," Jaejoong uttered.

 

            "Jaejoong . . .take care," the old woman uttered.

 

            Jaejoong slowly closed his phone. And as soon as he closed it, he weakly leaned on the wall . . . and slowly he fell down on his knees. Then he started to cry uncontrollably. How he pitied his friends and family. Eventhough he didn't want to, he was somehow regretting everything he had done.

 

            As Lena watched Jaejoong cry, somehow she wanted to comfort him. But she knew she couldn't let him know that she had heard and seen everything. She needed to pretend.

 

            As Jaejoong cried in the living room, Lena was crying in a hidden room as well. Both of them were in so much pain. And eventhough how much they tried to stop it . . . regret was slowly creeping into their minds and into their hearts.

 

            "Jaejoong . . . I'm sorry . . . I'm sorry . . . I know this is all my fault. I'm sorry for making your life so miserable. I'm starting to think that I shouldn't have entered your life . . . I'm sorry . . . Please forgive me . . . for ruining your peaceful life," Lena uttered as she cried.