Runner, a DBSK Fan Fiction

[onthethruway01]

Title: Runner: Chapter One, Childhood Dreams

Author: onthethruway01

Length: chaptered

Rating: This chapter, rated PG

Pairings: DBSK, all 5

Genre: AU ( another place and time), friendship, angst

Summary: 5 young men dream of growing up together and being friends forever, but wishes don’t always come true.

A/N: there will be no smut in this fic; strictly a friendship story with lots of angst

The sound of laughter filled the alleyway; five young men, still in their teens, played together like little boys.  They rejoiced in the summer sun; like hooligans they ran amuck upon the streets.  They had graduated, save the youngest, who scowled at his seniors.  His reprieve from what he considered “jail” was only a temporary situation.

“Cheer up Changmin,” the leader told him.  Yunho smiled at his junior. “We’re not going anywhere without you.”

Junsu nodded his head.

“That’s right Min.  Besides, I heard a rumor that you’ll be graduating early.  The word is you’ve got a scholarship.”

The youngest scratched his head.

“It’s not official; not yet.  If I get it, then it’s off to University early.  If I don’t, I’ve got two more years.”

Yunho patted him on the back.

“You’ll get it; you’re our evil genius.  We need you in college to keep us out of trouble.”

Min breathed deep. It had rained the night before and he smelled it in the air. Small puddles had formed in various spots across the cobblestone streets; a few small children running past them and splashing as they went.

Changmin looked across the narrow road and spied the middle man of their group.  Yoochun was leaning up against a post smoking a “cancer stick.”  A pretty woman walked by and caught his attention.  Pulling out a cigarette case, she asked him for a light.  He did so willingly; their eyes meeting in a fervent glance.  His friends chuckled bringing a flush to the woman’s cheeks. She bowed to Yoochun and gave thanks as she wandered off to finish her afternoon shopping.

“Thanks a lot guys,” Yoochun spoke in his deep voice.  “I was about to score.”

He joined his compatriots who were still laughing under their breath.

“Man, she’s too old for you Chun; besides, I think she’s married.”

Yoochun licked his lips.

“That means she’s experienced.”

Yunho shook his head.

“You’re going to get in trouble one day.  Some jealous husband is going to get you.”

Yoochun shook his head.

“No way.  I’m too fast.  I’ll never get caught.”

In a sense, he was right; for despite his asthma, Yoochun was the fastest runner.  His room was filled with trophies from all the track meets he had won.  It was an athletic scholarship that got the would be playboy into University.

Junsu sighed; Min had the brains, Yoochun was the athlete and Yunho was the leader.  He shuffled his feet nervously as he contemplated his future.  It had already been planned out for him.  His father was a doctor; one of many in a long line of doctors.  Junsu was destined to continue the tradition, even if he didn’t want to.  He had no desire to pursue a medical career; but he had no choice.  It was medical school or nothing.

Yunho wasn’t sure what he was going to study, but Junsu knew that whatever it was, their leader would succeed at it.

Then there was Jaejoong.  He was the eldest, but relinquished the leadership of the group to Yunho.  They were like two peas in a pod, but Jae was too into himself to be bothered with being the boss.  He stared at himself in a puddle and smiled.  Junsu resisted laughing out loud; he knew how sensitive Jae was about his appearance.  He was far too pretty and therefore elicited sighs and moans from every girl that gazed upon him.  Junsu had no idea what their resident “face man” wanted to do with his future, and neither did Jae.

A hum above their heads caught their attention as a low flying air ship appeared from the clouds.

“Is that a Zeppelin?”

The five shielded their eyes from the sun as they watched the helium filled flying machine come closer.

Crowds of people stopped and watched in wonder.  This was not an ordinary occurrence.  A few mothers nervously shuffled their children inside their homes.

“Aren’t the airships used by the military?” Jaejoong asked.

Yoochun nodded his head.  He had an uneasy feeling.  There had been rumblings in the Senate about political unrest.  Some men even dared speak of cessation from the Union.

Suddenly, the sky was filled with white; leaflets falling from the airship like confetti.  People scrambled to and fro to pick up the papers.

With trembling hands, Yoochun read the words.  He swallowed hard and looked at his friends.  They anxiously turned to Yunho for guidance.

Their leader took a deep breath.

“Don’t panic,” he told them.  “We’re going to college, all of us.”  He pointed to Min who bit his lower lip.

“We won’t be involved.”

They all smiled nervously.  Even though Yunho meant well, there was little hope of avoiding the unrest.  War was around the corner, and as young men, they would most likely have to serve. College would no doubt delay their recruitment, but eventually they would have to enlist.

Yoochun lit another cigarette and began pacing up and down the street. As a group they were inseparable, but there was a catch; their families were active in politics and some were strongly devoted to the “cause.”  Yoochun feared that familial ties would separate them.

“I need a drink,” he exclaimed as he put his cigarette out with the heel of his shoe.

“We’re underage,” Junsu told him.

Yoochun started down the alleyway, the others scrambling after.

“There’s this little street cafe where we can get some soju,” he told them.

Jaejoong licked his lips; he liked drinking; something his compatriots noticed of their unusually pretty friend.

“I don’t like drinking,” Junsu reminded them.

Yoochun burst out laughing.

“I’ll buy you a bottle of the finest sparkling water then.”

Yoochun lead them to a small courtyard where an outdoor food stand was set up.  They sat down at the table, a large canopy shading them from the afternoon sun.  A lovely woman in her thirties instantly came by with a tray of soju.

“Hello Yoochun, “she smiled at the young man.  He nodded; his eyes fixated on her shapely body as she sashayed away.

All eyes were upon him as he opened the soju.  He tooked a deep swig and swallowed; his friends still staring at him in disbelief.

“What?” he asked.

Min leaned forward.

“You dog.”

He winked at his junior.

“Drink up boys; yes, you too Junsu, don’t be a pussy.”

All five opened their bottles.  They clanked them together, then drank; even Junsu, who wrinkled his nose yet still managed to bring the liquor to his lips and swallow.

“To us,” Jaejoong toasted; “like the Gods, may we rise above all others.”

“Always keep the faith,” Yoochun shouted, his words echoing across the courtyard.

As they drank, the Zeppelin flew above them; the war machine still spewing pamphlets from it’s belly, spreading the seeds of war upon the populace below.

Next chapter: War