sounds like love

7/27/2019 Sounds Like Love

1/23

sounds like love

yunho/jaejoong

pg-13

jaejoong's tired of plugging headphones into his heart and hearing nothing but static.

based off another dream i had. finally wrote me some yunjae. rofl.

---

Jaejoong only has a very distant memory of what his music sounds like. hen he was

little! like really little! he remembers his mother handing him a cookie from the cookie

jar. "e had gone back to play in the front yard! munching #uietly on chocolate chips!

cheeks bulging. $ink earbuds that belonged to his sister were securely in his ears! and he

had been bobbing his head to happy melodies full of pan flute backgrounds and sunny

rhythms.

%ut that was a really long time ago.

"e takes off his shirt! ready to collapse from his day at work! and looks at the little!

unused jack in the middle of his chest. &f he didn't know better! he would've thought that

it was rusting.

(%leeding again!) he sighs. *rabbing a tissue and wetting it in the sink of his apartment!

he gently wipes the dried blood away! crinkling his nose at the metallic smell.


2/23

&t's been too long since he's plugged something in there. %ut really! he's not a very big

fan of static.

---

+n good days! he can catch a snatch of music here and there. ,fter Junsu had taken him

to a house party that one night with no alcohol! for eample. hey had played onopoly

and 0isk and lue and %oggle until unfortunate times in the early morning and Jaejoong

had had a ton of fun. +n his way back home! still stone sober! he had plugged in his

earbuds for the hell of it and caught something like bubblegum pop weaving in and out of

the regular static.

&t figures that Junsu would bring out the bubblegum pop within him. 2trangely enough!

the couple of masochistic occasions when he had asked Junsu for a listen of his music! all

he ever heard were great! full voices belting melodies that could please the heavens. im

Junsu! the voice! the boy bursting of music.

Jaejoong sighs! flopping back on his bed. "e grabs a pair of red headphones off the

dresser and puts them on! hesitating just slightly before plugging them in. , sharp pain

announces itself in the middle of his chest and he coughs through it.

4amn it! nothing but static.

---


3/23

(5ou should go do happy things!) 5oochun says over the phone.

(*ood job! r. 4escriptive.)

(6ook!) 5oochun says flatly! and Jaejoong can almost see the way his friend is rolling

his eyes! (you want your music back but you don't want to tell anyone about it because

you're too embarrassed to! but then you refuse to do anything about it and call me when

you're feeling shitty! and thenyou shoot down all my ide-)

(+kay! okay7) Jaejoong sighs! rolling over onto his stomach. (& just8can't even

remember the last time my heart ever gave me anything but static.)

(5ou'll find it! Jaejoong-ah!) 5oochun encourages. Jaejoong rolls his eyes but smiles.

(2o what's the first step to happy things! then9)

(& don't know! do things that make you happy7)

(hanks! 5oochun. 5ou're a great help.)

(& am a very worldly person! you know.)


4/23

(:ot worldly enough to know sarcasm! apparently.)

(5ou shut up.)

(& love you too.)

---

ruth is! Jaejoong loves music. 2omeone up there had seen it fit to give him a great voice

and that's not lost on him; the problem is! nothing he sings makes himfeelanything. he

hard songs! the lost songs! the mean songs! the chilled songs; they come out of him in

technical perfection and fail to hold an iota of true feeling. ell! on the days when his

relative pitch isn't kicking his ass. %ut anyway.

Junsu's dad's friend's friend who owns a nice! laid-back lounge was nice enough to let

him work there for decent pay and more than decent tips. "e gets to sing twice a week

and women love him. en too! depending on what color his hair is.

2inging makes him happy. aybe it's because he's lost his own music.

,fter work that day! on the way home! he plugs his earbuds in again! wincing at the small

sting in his chest that only comes with disuse.


5/23

2till static.

---

Jaejoong loves cooking! too.

"e bakes a bajillion cookies! yes! a bajillion eactly! and carries it over to 5oochun's

house in a huge! flowery basket.

(hat8) 5oochun starts to say! staring at Jaejoong from across the threshold.

(5ou owe me five bags of flour and two bags of sugar and a whole shitload of eggs!)

Jaejoong informs him kindly! stepping in and dropping the cookies onto the kitchen

counter! waving half-heartedly at 5oochun's gaping girlfriend sitting on the couch.

(*uess that means you haven't found your happy thing yet! huhn9) 5oochun asks. "e

grabs a cookie and starts munching! collecting Jaejoong's pouting form into a hug.

(&t's really upsetting!) Jaejoong mumbles into 5oochun's shoulder.

(& know.)


6/23

(an & listen to yours for a while9)

(2ure!) 5oochun answers immediately! smiling! fishing out his earbuds and plugging

them into his heart after unbuttoning his shirt! handing them over to Jaejoong.

*orgeous! slow! lonelyballads fill his head. Jaejoong shoots a look over at 5oochun's

current girlfriend and sighs. ,nd he had liked this one too.

(Just don't say anything!) 5oochun says! seeing Jaejoong's epression! pinching the

bridge of his nose.

(:ot saying anything8) "onestly! 5oochun's always been his source of gorgeous! slow!

lonely ballads. &t's just that Jaejoong had been hoping that one day! he'll get to hear a

gorgeous! slow! notlonely ballad from 5oochun! because then he wouldn't have to worry

about his soulmate anymore.

(&t's fine.)

(*uess this means you haven't found your happy thing either! huhn9)

5oochun smiles and his eyes crinkle! collecting Jaejoong in another hug! rocking the two

of them back and forth. (2oulmates for a reason! right9)


7/23

---

%ike riding. Jaejoong decides on bike riding.

hoever said that you never forget how to ride a bike is a flipping liar.

"andlebars shaking dangerously! Jaejoong keeps a deathgrip on the bike! swerving madly

down the street. &f he doesn't get himself killed for this! he's going to be a better man and

give up smoking. +r something.


8/23

hree steps out of the store! he hears a strange sound. ind of like screaming. "e tilts his

head to the side and looks up at the street lamp! kind of disturbed that the sound seems to

be getting louder the longer he stands there.

(hat istha-)

(+h my god watch ouuuuut7) Jaejoong screams! headed straight for him.

(+h my god7) 5unho cries! eyes wide! whirling around to see a platinum blond on a bike!

shooting towards him at the speed of light.

(4on't move7 4on't move7)

(hat7 hat do you mea-)

(&f you move! &'ll hit you7 Just don't move7)

(4on't hit me7) 5unho cries. "e free=es and stares! too petrified to look away! seeing the

bike headed closer and closer towards his body.

(4+:' +>?7)


9/23

(&' :+ +>&:*7)

(4+:' +>- +" 4?,0 *+4-)

, second and three #uarters later! 5unho's flat on his back with a fully grown man on top

of him! still trying to remember how to breathe. "e's pretty sure the bicycle handlebars

have made a lasting impression in his diaphragm.

Jaejoong groans and silently thanks whoever's up there for providing him such a soft

cushion. *etting up! he looks down to see a gorgeous! gorgeous! man around his age

decked out on the ground! spluttering. (hoops!) he says! face flaming! reaching out a

hand and tugging the other man up.

(ha- wha-) 5unho starts.

("i! &'m Jaejoong!) Jaejoong says! coughing and blushing! offering his hand. "e can see

the metal wreckage that was his bike out of the corner of his eye.

(Jung 5unho7) 5unho huffs! (and now you can tell me why you told me not to move7)

(& didn't want to hit you7) Jaejoong says! pouting.


10/23

(%ut you hit me anyway7 ere8were you aiming?)

("ow could you even imply that7)

(ho tells people to stay still7 5ou tell them to move7)

(&t's not like & meant to hit you7)

(%ut you did7)

(,nd you're alive7)

(%arely7)

(2top eaggerating7)

(y hodo kwaja's decorating the cement because of you7)

,nyway! twenty minutes later! they both reali=e how it looks for two grown men to be

s#uabbling and poking each other in the chest out in the middle of the street! and go back

into the store where Jaejoong buys 5unho another bo of hodo kwaja.


11/23

(& really am sorry!) Jaejoong grumbles! still kind of blushing! crossing his arms.

(&t's okay!) 5unho sighs! smiling wide and happy as he stuffs another red bean pastry

into his mouth. (mm8want one9)

,nd that's how they become friends.

---

wo weeks later! Jaejoong reali=es with stunning clarity that he's fallen in love.

---

(his kind of shit always happens to me!) Jaejoong nearly sobs in a whine into the

mouthpiece of his phone! banging his head against his kitchen table. (his is so bad!

5oochun-ah! so bad! so! so! so bad! sooooo! sooooooooo-)

(& get it7) 5oochun yells! (just calm down for one second7 im Jaejoong7)

($ark 5oochun7)


12/23

(&t's fine7)

(hat do you mean it's fine79) Jaejoong screams! hitting the kitchen table now with the

palm of his hand! bouncing in his chair. (his is clearly not fine77 e-we're friends7 &

can't just suddenly be in l-l-love with him7)

(5ou've known him for two weeks7 &t's fine to like him like that7)

(&'m pretty sure he's straight! 5oochun-ah.)

(2o what9 hat doesn't mean you're not allowed to like him.)

Jaejoong is silent for a full minute. (8%ut8)

(aybe it'll go away if you tell him.)

(8aybe8) Jaejoong sighs! slowly! not sure if he even wantsit to go away.

(+r maybe!) 5oochun says a few seconds later! voice clearly reflecting a smile! (you'll

be pleasantly surprised. ,nd then there won't be anything to worry about.)

---


13/23

Jung 5unho. ,ge twenty-three! taking a break before law school to learn dance! as cra=y

as that sounds. omes from a nice! traditional family! loves sports! loves music! loves a

lot in general.

"e comes over almost every day. &t had been great fun at first and then two weeks later!

once Jaejoong's had his stupid revelation! it's just painful.

("ey JaeJae7) 5unho says as soon as Jaejoong opens the door! smiling wide like he

always does! holding out a bag of flour.

Jaejoong melts on the inside and smiles in confusion. (hat's this9)

(5our friend 5oochun called me. "e's nice. ,nyway! he said you were in dire need of

flour so & went out and got you a bag.)

Jung 5unho. 2o flawlessly kind that Jaejoong wants to throw up in adoration.

(8hanks!) Jaejoong says! closing the door! taking a very! very deep breath before

facing 5unho with a smile! hoping on everything he knows of to make it through the visit

without turning into a puddle of lovesick goo.

---


14/23

, month after their first! cra=y meeting! Jaejoong's ready to lose his mind. ,t first he had

just believed himself to be so lonely that he was willing to clutch onto anything that gave

him company! but the more time he spent with 5unho! the more he felt like he was

drowning. 5unho sleeps over sometimes! their friendship so immediate and so thick that

he feels like he's known the younger man forever. hose nights are the hardest! when

Jaejoong needs simply to turn his head and be face to face with 5unho's sleeping smile!

eyes drawn to that teasing beauty mark above ready-to-kiss lips.

?very time he draws close! Jaejoong can feel his heart ready to thud straight out of his

chest! or maybe out of the jack! and bleed onto the floor while 5unho stares in sympathy.

"e can't bring himself to risk the friendship but the friendship is barely enough. "e's

terrified he'll slip one day and lean too close! linger too long! and then what9

&t's not fair that he knows 5unho best and there's still nothing he can do to keep 5unho

for himself.

---

hey go to the park and take walks. 5unho talks about this and that and makes Jaejoong

laugh! and Jaejoong finds that 5unho listens with painful intensity and gives advice with

slow! purposeful feeling! putting everything into every word said.

Jaejoong tells him about his family and 5unho listens and gets teary-eyed when Jaejoong

turns away to hide tears.


15/23

hey hug all the time. ,t Jaejoong's apartment! at karaoke! at 5oochun's apartment when

5oochun's having a cra=y party. 5unho's full of fast dance tracks and cool hip-hop and

the very common cheesy love song about being with someone forever and ever. "is

music is fun and happy and sappy and Jaejoong had blushed the entire time he had

listened through 5unho's earbuds! trying with futility not to stare at the smooth skin of

5unho's eposed chest and imagine what the rest of that dancer's body looks like.

&t's not fair that they're just about everything a couple is and Jaejoong can't have the

official title. "e's too scared to ask 5unho about girlfriends or crushes.

5unho sighs! breaking into his thoughts! taking Jaejoong's hand in his as the two of them

lie together in bed. (Jaejoong-ah.)

(5unja9) Jaejoong breathes! clutching 5unho's hand! willing his heart to stop beating so

hard.

(4on't laugh at me! okay9)

(2ure.)

(& love you.)


16/23

Jaejoong closes his eyes and wishes that those words were meant in the way he needs

them to. (& love you too!) he answers at length! s#uee=ing the hand clasped in his own!

resisting the urge to turn to the side and grab 5unho and kiss him senseless.

(& know you've never offered or mentioned it for your own reasons!) 5unho says! (but

would it be okay for me to listen to your heart for a little bit9)

Jaejoong feels himself flush and s#uirms a bit in embarrassment. (&t's really8there's

nothing to listen to!) he stammers.

(ould &! please9) 5unho asks again! getting on an elbow! looking down at Jaejoong

imploringly. (& know it's a personal thing and something you only share with people you

love! but Jaejoong-ah! & really want to hear you. $lease9)

2omething in 5unho's eyes and voice just makes Jaejoong crumble into bits of dust. "e

sighs! still blushing! shrugging in defeat. 5unho smiles so brightly that Jaejoong almost

feels like it's worth it and bites his lip as the younger man slowly unbuttons the top of his

shirt. "e wishes they were headed in a different direction.

5unho pulls out his own earbuds from his pocket! giving one last look for permission!

nodding when Jaejoong nods! gently plugging them into the centre of Jaejoong's chest.

Jaejoong doesn't feel anything! not even a twinge of pain! only mild embarrassment that

5unho's using his personal earbuds to do this. &t's strangely intimate to be sharing them!

not at all like when he shares 5oochun's! and he closes his eyes for the inevitable


17/23

#uestions about the static to start.

wo full minutes later! Jaejoong opens his eyes again. 5unho's head is down and he's

very! very #uiet! and very! very still. Jaejoong blinks and sits up a bit! free=ing when

5unho's hand comes up to press him back down. "e still can't see the younger man's

face. onfusion runs through him and Jaejoong can't help but wonder what in the world

5unho is listening to or listening for. &t's all static that'll drive you cra=y.

"e lies still and stares up at the ceiling! barely daring to breathe! swallowing hard when

5unho eventually lays his head down on the older man's chest! fingers curled loosely

into his palm.

---

5unho goes home the net morning! strangely #uiet! avoiding Jaejoong's ga=e. Jaejoong

has a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach but doesn't say anything! waving goodbye

with a forced smile and hoping things are okay.

"e doesn't hear from 5unho at all for the net week. he younger man doesn't even pick

up his phone when he calls to ask what's going on! and never calls back.

:ot understanding and scared and trying not to be overwhelmed! Jaejoong grabs his red

headphones and nearly stabs them into his heart! closing his eyes in distress when he

hears the clear! pure sound of music.


18/23

&t's the saddest love song he's ever heard.

---

(&t'll be fine!) 5oochun soothes! brushing Jaejoong's hair back! wiping at the tears

trailing down Jaejoong's cheeks. ("e'll come to his senses! & know he will.)

(:o! he won't!) Jaejoong mumbles miserably! still in a bundle of blankets in his bed.

5oochun had come over as soon as he had heard Jaejoong's voice over the phone and

now Jaejoong can't get rid of him. 5oochun's too much of a sweetheart for his own good.

(&'ve totally fucked things up and & didn't even get the satisfaction of telling him myself.

2tupid heart.)

hey both look down as Jaejoong pokes himself in the plug! 5oochun recoiling a bit as

Jaejoong's shirt darkens with blood. (5ou're bleeding8) he says helpfully.

(%leeding again!) Jaejoong huffs. "e kicks the covers off his bed! grabbing a tissue and

wetting it in the sink! halfway back to his bed when there's an urgent knock on his front

door. &t sounds like there's a struggle outside before the person knocks again.

Jaejoong gives 5oochun an interested look and opens the door! choking on a breath when

he's met with a model if he's ever seen one.


19/23

("ey it's8) 5oochun starts! pointing.

(2him hangmin!) the model says! right eye twitching just slightly! (and & can't freaking

stand it anymore7)

(8hat9) Jaejoong says brilliantly.

(his is yours7) hangmin eclaims after a deep breath! nearly flinging 5unho into his

arms! Jaejoong reeling back with the sudden weight and proimity of someone he was

already sure he'd never see again. ("e's been rambling and floating in the clouds about

you for the past month and a half and & thought & could just stick cotton in my ears and

take it but & can't7) hangmin continues! clearly pissed off! not even wanting to be

invited in! venting right in the hallway. (hen last week! something obviously happened

because he keeps getting weepy and walking into inanimate objects7 & keep sending him

here but he always comes back mopey so & assume you've never gotten a single visit in

the last week9)

(8@m!) Jaejoong continues to say brilliantly.

(hat's what & thought7) hangmin bursts out. (& cannot! even!stand it!& betyourbest

friend isn't like this7)

(,ctually!) Jaejoong sighs! stealing a look at 5oochun! turning away when 5oochun

shoots him a stunningly painful death glare.


20/23

(&f you don't want me to kill him! just deal with this for me.)

(&8well8&8)

(*ood7) hangmin finishes with no room for arguments! motioning at 5oochun.

(5oochun-ah! come with me and buy me sweet things.)

(2ure thing!) 5oochun says! eyebrows in his hairline! running out into the hallway!

giving Jaejoong a look. 5unho is still in his soulmate's arms! head down! clinging gently.

(ait! you two know each other9) Jaejoong asks! eyes wide.

(,nother story for another day7) hangmin says! waving absent-mindedly. (& hope we

can meet in more stellar circumstances later! Jaejoong-hyung! perhaps when we're

unofficial brothers-in-law or something.)

(hat79) Jaejoong asks again! brilliantly! feeling fear steal into the cracks of his soul at

hangmin's massive grin.

(%ye7) 5oochun calls with a big smile. (6et's go get Junsu7) is the last thing he hears

before the front door swings shut.


21/23

Jaejoong continues to stand there! 5unho still in his arms! the two of them standing in

absolute silence.

(85unho8) he says eventually! (@m8& think there's stuff we need to talk about.)

(& couldn't stay away!) 5unho whispers suddenly! making Jaejoong free=e again! pulling

away just enough to look him in the eyes. (& got scared and & tried to stay away when &

didn't know what to do and then there was nothing but static the whole time & wasn't with

you.)

Jaejoong's heart lodges itself in his throat painfully. (5ou mean your8your music9)

(,nd every time hangmin kicked me out of the house to come talk to you! & couldn't

come all the way back.)

(hy not9)

(%ecause!) 5unho whispers! leaning closer! the dark rings under his eyes glaringly

obvious! (the closer & got! the clearer the music got. & know that music's only in the

things that matter. ,nd & didn't know what to do.)

(8,bout what9) Jaejoong breathes! naturally tilting his head to the side.


22/23

(%eing in love with you!) 5unho says! barely audible! eyes slipping shut! and closes the

distance between them! lips meeting lips in the sweetest kiss Jaejoong's ever tasted.

---

Jaejoong wonders about how completely normal they are. "e had fallen in love! needless

drama had ensued! and he had eventually found his heart's music.

+kay! so they aren't normal at all. "e had #uite literally fallen in love and almost killed

the object of his affections with a bike! created needless drama because of his stupid

bleeding heart! and found the music after a greater force by the name of 2him hangmin

had intervened.

(Just don't think about it!) 5unho mumbles against his neck! holding him tighter.

Jaejoong sighs! wiggling a bit! 5unho wiggling with him to get into a deeper snuggle.

(%ut don't you think we're ridiculous9 & mean! now we have to be together forever or

else my heart's going to bleed out from this stupid little plug right here-) he pokes at the

plug moodily! (-and you're not going to get anything but static7)

(& don't mind forever!) 5unho replies immediately! pressing gentle kisses to Jaejoong's

neck and moving his way up.

Jaejoong flushes. (5unho! & need to tell you this officially.)


23/23

("m!) 5unho hums! kissing him on the lips for the nth time! and again before Jaejoong

can get the words out.

(mfmm! okay! mm!) Jaejoong concedes! (& mmfmm! love! mmm! yoummm8)

5unho smiles and flails his arm around until he reaches over the bed and locates a bag.

"e pulls two pairs of headphones out! couple headphones if Jaejoong's ever seen any!

matching pink and heart-shaped. hey're so ugly and so sweet that Jaejoong has to

swallow the urge to tell 5unho to return them.

"e looks up at 5unho with dark eyes! licking his lower lip when 5unho shivers as he

gently plugs a pair into the younger man's heart! putting the headphones over his ears.

5unho does the same before returning to his snuggled place in Jaejoong's arms! closing

his eyes and listening to Jaejoong's heart.

(&t's your love! your love!) Jaejoong sings softly! sifting his fingers through 5unho's

hair.

(5ou're my melody!) 5unho sings back! smiling as they listen to the same song! tilting

his face up for another kiss.

---

sounds like love

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