#joongjae

~*~*~*~*~*~ When they reached the bar, Joongyeop and Jaehwan walked over to the bar, both of them ordering beer before they sat on the barstools, Jaehwan letting out a soft sigh.         “This is nice” he murmured as the bartender placed their beers before them.  Joongyeop hummed in agreement as he picked up his beer and held it out to Jaehwan, Jaehwan laughing before he clinked his beer against his, both men taking a sip before Jaehwan placed his beer door and looked over at Joongyeop.         “So what did you do in England?  Go back to being a surgeon?” he asked.  Joongyeop nodded.         “It’s really all I know how to do so I thought I’d go back to it” he answered.  Jaehwan hummed.         “And now?  What are you going to do?  Considering that the hospital that you used to work for belonged to the Ryoon Group” he stated.  Joongyeop shrugged.         “I…I don’t know” he admitted.  Jaehwan chuffed.         “So what…you just decided to come back to Korea with no plan of action?” he asked.  Joongyeop huffed as he took another swig of his beer.         “Yeah” he answered.  Jaehwan stared at him in shock before he laughed.         “How unlike you, Dr. Lee” he murmured.         “Joongyeop” Joongyeop muttered, making Jaehwan look over at him with a raised eyebrow.         “What was that?” he inquired.         “Joongyeop.  Call me Joongyeop.  I think…I think we’re past formalities at this point, considering you called us friends” Joongyeop stated, looking back at him.  Jaehwan blinked before he held out his beer, Joongyeop smiling as he clinked his beer against his, both men taking another sip.         “Have you heard from Eugene?” Joongyeop asked, raising an eyebrow.  Jaehwan shook his head.         “I received her book but…I haven’t been able to contact her.  She must be busy” he replied.  Joongyeop hummed.         “I haven’t heard from her either” he stated as he took another sip of his beer.  Jaehwan hummed.         “Her book’s pretty good.  Have you read it?” he asked.  Joongyeop huffed.         “I haven’t had the time.  Busy with surgeries and patients and all” he explained.  Jaehwan hummed as he took another sip of his beer, Joongyeop frowning.         “You know we have to drive home, right?  Should you be drinking?” he asked.  Jaehwan chuckled.         “I can call a cab and just pick up my car in the morning” he replied.  Joongyeop hummed as he took a sip of his beer, letting out a soft sigh.         “You’re right…this is nice” he agreed.  Jaehwan smiled and glanced over at him.         “I honestly thought you’d be drinking some high-end whiskey” he stated.  Joongyeop chuckled.         “I can enjoy a good beer too every now and then” he replied.  Jaehwan made a face.         “I wouldn’t call this beer good” he murmured, causing Joongyeop to chuckle.         “Well, it’s not bad either” he replied.  Jaehwan chuckled as well before they both knocked back their beer, enjoying each other’s company. ~*~*~*~*~*~ After enjoying a couple of beers, Jaehwan and Joongyeop headed out of the bar, both men just enjoying the night air.         “How are your cases going?  You haven’t pissed anyone off recently, have you?” Joongyeop asked, glancing over at Jaehwan, who laughed.         “I’m not the one who had all those enemies.  That was you” he reminded.  Joongyeop huffed.         “Yeah, well, you’re a cop.  I’m sure you’ve pissed off a few people over the course of your career” he mused, just as he noticed a hooded figure walking towards them, their hands in their pocket.  As Joongyeop stared at him, he noticed that one of his hands were moving out of his pocket and that he was holding a gun.  Joongyeop’s eyes widened and he quickly grabbed Jaehwan’s arm, dragging him away from the hooded man, both men quickly walking in the opposite direction.         “Joongyeop…Joongyeop, where are we going?” Jaehwan demanded.  Joongyeop shook his head as he continued to drag Jaehwan along.         “Shut up and keep walking” he ordered, glancing over his shoulder to see the hooded man still following them, the gun now raised and pointed at them.  Joongyeop’s eyes widened, just as the man pulled the trigger, hitting Jaehwan in the lower back, causing him to cry out in pain as he stumbled forward.         “Jaehwan!” Joongyeop shouted, his arms quickly going around the man as they both sunk to the ground; Joongyeop looking towards where the shooter was, only to find that the man had disappeared.  Joongyeop’s eyes widened before he looked down at Jaehwan, who was fading in and out, and quickly pulled out his phone, dialing 911.         “Help!  My friend’s just been shot.  Please, send an ambulance” he begged, placing his phone down so that the dispatcher could pin-point their location before he wrapped his arms around Jaehwan and held him close, pressing his hand into the bullet wound to try and staunch the bleeding.         “Cha Jaehwan.  Cha Jaehwan, you hang on.  You hang on, Jaehwan, the ambulance is coming.  The ambulance is coming, Jaehwan, please” he begged as he buried his face in Jaehwan’s hair.         “Please” he whispered.  Thankfully, the ambulance soon arrived and rushed over to them, practically having to pry Jaehwan out of Joongyeop’s arms because he just would not let go.  Once they had gotten Jaehwan out of his arms, they rushed him to the ambulance, Joongyeop quickly grabbing his phone before he pushed himself to his feet and ran over to the ambulance, getting inside.  He then sat down on the bench next to Jaehwan and took his hand while the paramedics worked to staunch the bleeding, gently rubbing his thumb over the back of Jaehwan’s hand, tears in his eyes.         ‘Hang on, Jaehwan.  Just…hang on’ he pleaded. ~*~*~*~*~*~ When Jaehwan woke up hours later, he found himself laying in a hospital bed, his body aching and his head spinning.  He then looked around to see Joongyeop sitting at his bedside, his head bowed and his hands clasped together as if he was praying.         “What an odd sense of déjà vu” he murmured, making Joongyeop lift his head and look at him with wide eyes.         “Jaehwan” he whispered before he reached out and took his hand, grasping it tightly in his.         “How am I doing, doc?” Jaehwan croaked, making Joongyeop huff before he sighed.         “You’re alive, so that’s good.  And the shooter thankfully missed your vital organs, which is also good” he murmured.  Jaehwan smiled before he noticed that Joongyeop’s clothes were stained with blood, his blood, just like how he was stained with Joongyeop’s blood when he was shot all those years ago.         “You didn’t go home?” he asked.  Joongyeop glared at him.         “How could I?  You got shot, Jaehwan” he growled.  Jaehwan smiled and gave his hand a squeeze before he chuckled.         “You should go home and change.  I’m not going anywhere soon” he murmured.  Joongyeop shook his head.         “I’m not going anywhere” he grumbled.  Jaehwan gave him a look.         “You’re covered in blood.  You probably feel gross.  Go home” he ordered.  Joongyeop shook his head.         “No” he declared.  Jaehwan glared at him.         “You’re so stubborn” he grumbled.  Joongyeop smirked.         “Sue me” he replied.  Jaehwan let out a groan and rolled his eyes as Joongyeop looked at him, sighing softly.         “Get some rest.  I’ll have a nurse come by and give you more morphine” he murmured as he stood to his feet, heading to the door when Jaehwan squeezed his hand, making him stop and turn to look at him.         “Can you stay?  Just until I fall asleep?” he asked.  Joongyeop smiled and walked back over to his chair, sitting down.         “Sure” he agreed.  Jaehwan smiled and let out a soft sigh as he sunk into his bed, his hand still held tightly in Joongyeop’s, his breathing soon evening out.  Joongyeop watched him sleep and waited for him to be truly asleep before he carefully pulled his hand out of Jaehwan’s and stood up, heading over to the door, quietly slipping out.  He then looked over at Kwangsoo, who also had stayed at the hospital like him, and crossed his arms.         “Did you ever find the shooter?” he asked.  Kwangsoo sighed and shook his head.         “My men are still looking into it, but we’ll find him” he promised.  Joongyeop nodded.         “Okay.  Keep me updated” he instructed.  Kwangsoo nodded.         “Of course” he replied before he clapped Joongyeop on the arm.         “Thank you” he thanked, making Joongyeop look at him with wide eyes.         “For what?” he asked.  Kwangsoo smiled.         “For saving Jaehwan’s life” he explained.  Joongyeop huffed.         “He saved my life…the least I could do was return the favor” he murmured.  Kwangsoo chuckled and nodded before he tilted his head at him.         “You want a ride back to your hotel?  You’re kind of…covered in blood” he stated.  Joongyeop looked down at himself before he hummed.         “You know…I would appreciate that” he murmured.  Kwangsoo smiled and motioned for him to follow him, both men walking away from Jaehwan’s room, Joongyeop throwing one last look over his shoulder before he continued after Kwangsoo. ~*~*~*~*~*~ Over the next few weeks, Joongyeop stayed by Jaehwan’s bedside, making sure that he was comfortable and that he was healing well, even though he wasn’t his primary doctor.  Thankfully, the doctors at the hospital knew about him and about his abilities so they didn’t protest too much whenever he ordered them to get him something that would make Jaehwan as comfortable as possible or ease his pain.  And once Jaehwan was okay enough to be discharged, Joongyeop took him home, much to Jaehwan’s protest.         “I can go back to work, you know.  I mean, it’ll be desk duty, but I can work” he grumbled.         “Like hell I’m letting you go back now.  Knowing your stubborn ass, you’ll end up assisting with a case and somehow get hurt…you got shot, Jaehwan.  If something else happened to you…I don’t think I could forgive myself” Joongyeop murmured.  Jaehwan looked over at him in surprise before he smiled slightly, not saying anything until they reached Jaehwan’s house, both men getting out.  They then headed over to the front door, Jaehwan unlocking the door before he stepped inside, Joongyeop following after him, closing the door behind him.         “Go lie down.  I’ll make you some soup” Joongyeop declared as he headed to the kitchen, Jaehwan looking at him in shock.         “You know how to cook?” he asked.  Joongyeop huffed.         “Of course I do.  Now go lie down” he ordered.  Jaehwan chuffed.         “Yes dear” he murmured as he headed to his bedroom, Joongyeop looking at him with wide eyes before he clucked his tongue and headed to the kitchen to make Jaehwan something. ~*~*~*~*~*~ An hour or so later, as Jaehwan was sitting on his bed (which he replaced for a larger one) reading a book when Joongyeop opened the door, poking his head in.         “Soup’s ready.  Come eat” he ordered before he slipped away, making Jaehwan look up before he closed his book and slipped off the bed, heading out of the room and over to the dining table, where Joongyeop was sitting, sitting down across from him.         “So, what did you make?” he asked.  Joongyeop smiled and removed the lid of the earthen pot, revealing a pot of samgyetang, making Jaehwan’s eyes widened.         “I had a whole chicken in my fridge?!” he exclaimed.  Joongyeop huffed.         “No, I went out and bought it.  You didn’t have a lot in your fridge, so we’ll have to go buy groceries later, but I just bought enough to make this” he stated as he carefully tore off a piece of chicken and placed it in a bowl before ladling some soup over it, handing it to Jaehwan.         “Eat” he ordered.  Jaehwan huffed before he picked up his spoon and took a sip of the soup, his eyes widening in surprise before he looked at Joongyeop.         “I could seriously kiss you right now” he declared.  Joongyeop raised an eyebrow.         “You’d kiss me over soup?” he asked.  Jaehwan shrugged.         “Maybe” he replied.  Joongyeop huffed and shook his head as Jaehwan grabbed his bowl and filled it with chicken and soup, handing it to him.         “You eat too” he ordered.  Joongyeop blinked before he dipped his head and took his bowl, both men enjoying the soup that Joongyeop made.         “Who taught you how to cook?  Or did you learn whenever you went into the military?” Jaehwan asked, looking up from his soup at Joongyeop, who paused.         “Um…my mother taught me.  I used to cook a little whenever she was too tired to do so.  My skills got better as I got older” he explained as he looked at Jaehwan and tilted his head.         “Do you know how to cook?” he asked.  Jaehwan chuckled.         “Of course I do.  My mom owns a snack shop, remember?” he reminded.  Joongyeop hummed, nodding.         “Yes, I remember that.  Your mother is a great cook” he mused.  Jaehwan chuckled.         “Yes, I remember how you all but wolfed down her cooking when you were here the last time” he teased.  Joongyeop narrowed his eyes at him.         “Hush and eat your soup” he ordered.  Jaehwan chuckled.         “Yes dear” he replied, making Joongyeop point his spoon at him.         “Call me “dear” again and I’m gouging your eyes out with this spoon” he warned.  Jaehwan smiled slightly.         “Yes—” he started when Joongyeop jabbed his spoon at him.         “Don’t you dare” he growled.  Jaehwan laughed and nodded as he went back to eating his soup, Joongyeop throwing him a look before he also went back to eating.         “This is domestic” Jaehwan mused, making Joongyeop look up at him before he hummed.         “It is” he agreed.  Both men fell silent again, and once they finished eating, they began to clean up.  As Joongyeop washed and Jaehwan dried, Jaehwan looked over at the doctor and smiled before he reached out and wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him close, causing him to look at him with wide eyes.         “What are you doing?!” he exclaimed.  Jaehwan smirked.         “Something I should have done sooner” he replied before he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Joongyeop’s lips.  Joongyeop’s eyes widened in shock but to Jaehwan’s surprise, he didn’t pull away like he thought he would, and instead let out a soft pant when Jaehwan pulled away.         “Honestly thought you’d pull away…or punch me” Jaehwan murmured.  Joongyeop scoffed.         “There was so much tension between us…I was waiting for one of us to make the first move.  You just beat me to it” he replied.  Jaehwan chuckled and pressed a kiss to his temple before he pulled away.         “I’m going to take a shower” he stated as he turned and headed to the bathroom to shower.         “Just be careful of your wound!  It’s still tender” Joongyeop called out.         “Yes dear” Jaehwan called back, making Joongyeop raise a ladle at him.         “Cha Jaehwan!” he shouted, Jaehwan cackling in reply.  Joongyeop huffed and shook his head as he turned back to the dishes, a small, fond smile on his face.  That Cha Jaehwan. ~*~*~*~*~*~ After Joongyeop had finished washing the dishes, he went to take a shower and when he had finished, he stepped out into the bedroom, Jaehwan smiling at him from where he was reading in bed.         “Come on, we can share” he stated, patting the space beside him.  Joongyeop raised an eyebrow.         “I can just sleep on the floor like last time, you know” he replied.  Jaehwan huffed.         “I didn’t get a bigger bed so that you could sleep on the floor” he grumbled.  Joongyeop’s eyes widened.         “You…you got a bigger bed so that we could…share?” he asked.  Jaehwan sighed.         “I wanted to the last time you were here, but my bed was far too small…so I got a bigger one…in the hopes that if you ever came back…” he murmured.  Joongyeop stared at him in shock before he huffed and walked over to the bed, smacking him on the arm.         “Scoot over” he mumbled.  Jaehwan hummed and scooted over as Joongyeop laid down, letting out a soft sigh as he snuggled under the blankets, Jaehwan quickly putting his book down before turning off the lights, also snuggling under the blankets.  As they both laid under the blankets, Jaehwan looked at the back of Joongyeop’s head, sighing softly.         “Joongyeop.  Are you asleep?” he whispered.           “No.  Why, what’s wrong?  Do you need medicine?  Is your wound hurting?” Joongyeop asked, turning over to look at him, concern in his eyes.  Jaehwan smiled and shook his head as he reached out and pulled Joongyeop in, tucking him under his chin.         “No, I’m fine.  It’s just…ever since I committed my mother to a care home, the house has been so empty.  With you here…it doesn’t feel so empty anymore” he murmured.  Joongyeop hummed as he carefully wrapped an arm around Jaehwan’s waist and pulled him close, sighing softly.         “I missed you” he murmured.  Jaehwan smiled and hugged him tightly.         “Not as much as I missed you.  You’re not going to leave again, right?” he asked.  Joongyeop chuckled softly.         “There’s nothing for me back there.  Everything I need is right here…right in front of me” he murmured.  Jaehwan grinned.         “That’s what I like to hear” he declared as he let out a sigh of content, Joongyeop sighing as well.         “Go to sleep, Jaehwan” he murmured.  Jaehwan smiled.         “Yes dear” he replied.  Joongyeop let out a soft groan, causing Jaehwan to grin.         “You love me” he teased.  Joongyeop huffed.         “Sometimes I ask myself why” he grumbled before he gently pinched Jaehwan’s side.         “Now go to sleep.  Doctor’s orders” he murmured.  Jaehwan chuckled and hummed as he pulled Joongyeop tighter against him, resting his chin on top of his head.         “Goodnight, Joongyeop” he whispered.  Joongyeop smiled slightly.         “Goodnight, Jaehwan” he replied.