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When SM and their manager announced they would be learning Japanese in preparation for their debut, the members of DBSK were apprehensive.
Learning a whole new language seemed like a daunting task and none of them were too happy to be leaving Korea and their home for such a long time. The prospect of having a whole new group of fans was heartwarming and the excitement of going to a new country was refreshing, though.
When it came to studying, certain members excelled while others struggled in their new language.
Jaejoong loved watching his donseangs study and learn the new language, taking pride in their accomplishments.
But at the same time, they were so “hardcore” as he put it and they delighted in involving him and waking him up.
Jaejoong didn’t know why learning a new language should ruin his sleep but it did…oh, it did.
Changmin, being the “nerd” and “genius” picked up the language easier then most of the others. He was the baby of the group, sure, but he was also one of the more mature members, the one who had some of the most intelligence. Part of it came from wanting to be as good as, if not better, his hyungs at something. More often then the others, he would spend hours studying into the night, sometimes pulling all-nighters, to assure his vocabulary would be better and his pronunciation sharp, pleasant.
Jaejoong didn’t like his baby staying up later hours. Partly because he was worried about Changmin’s sleeping habits but mostly because it, as previously mentioned, affected his own sleep. Changmin would study into the night and wake up Jaejoong at random times, demanding to be fed because he was working so hard, or insisting that Jaejoong make him coffee. Sometimes, he would wake Jaejoong up early, early in the morning because he didn’t go to sleep the night before and demand an early breakfast.
Naturally, Jaejoong would feed his baby but he wasn’t happy about. 3:00 in the morning snack raids were more Yoochun’s style then his.
Yunho wasn’t as bookish as Changmin but being the leader of DBSK, he practiced long and hard, a book on Japanese always in hand. He felt it was his responsibility to learn the language, being their noble leader. The language was difficult for him but he had to be able to speak and speak well enough to learn his rap parts. It was harder for him but he was famous for his determination and his willingness to do anything for the team.
Sometimes, he would wake Jaejoong up to have him help him, to test him and use the flash cards. And even though he was half blind with exhaustion, Jaejoong would always drag himself out of bed and hold up the cards, praising Yunho when he got something right and telling him how well he was doing when he got them wrong.
Yoochun wasn’t lazy but he disliked learning many new things, especially when they were very difficult. It didn’t mean he wouldn’t try his hardest, he just got easily frustrated and more willingly to say, “I’ll learn this bit later, after my nap.” But having two languages instead of just one under his belt helped him slightly, though he complained he was getting too old to be this bilingual.
Yoochun always had a Japanese book on hand and would always be reading weather he was eating, relaxing, sometimes even when he was playing video games. Always reading as he mumbled the words, his brows furrowed in thought as he tried to memorize everything he could. At random times during the night, when he finished one of his books, he would wake Jaejoong and asked his hyung to go to the bookstore and get him a different book or a better reading light.
Jaejoong did so without much compliant but he didn’t quite understand why Yoochun couldn’t do it himself. He read while doing everything else, why not driving? Then Jaejoong realized how stupid that thought was and put it off, knowing Yoochun would probably kill himself.
Jaejoong himself was learning the language, though he was much in the same boat as Yunho. It was difficult for him but he loved singing and always wanted to be the best he could be in his music. Japanese wasn’t so different from Korean and Jaejoong took time out during the day, instead of listening to music or relaxing, to pour over his books and learn the language to the best of his ability.
During the daytime hours, he would ask the other members for help and tips. But he never disturbed them during the night, being a very thoughtful and loving hyung. It was rather a shame that they couldn’t extend the same courtesy to him.
Surprisingly, outside of Changmin, it was Junsu who excelled the most at Japanese. Unlike Changmin, he had a harder time remembering the words, phrases, and proper honorifics and it took him a longer time to remember the necessary words/lyrics. But his pronunciation was nearly flawless when he did speak, speaking it with such a childish easy and simplistic beauty.
Yunho and Jaejoong were proud of his accomplishments, Changmin jealous he could speak it better, and Yoochun annoyed that Junsu could speak is easier then himself. And Jaejoong was also very pleased that Junsu, unlike his other bandmates, didn’t wake him up in the middle of the night for food, light, or flashcard practice.
When it came to Junsu’s practicing, Jaejoong got to sleep undisturbed. Or so he thought.
One night, Jaejoong went to bed with a smile after seeing how Yoochun was going out drinking, leaving his books behind, Changmin was in a computer game tournament, and Yunho had gone to bed early. It seemed like the troublesome students were all taking the evening off to relax and recharge, which just left Junsu and Jaejoong. Jaejoong was going to bed, hoping for an undisturbed night, and it didn’t matter that Junsu was going to be up studying because he never bothered to wake him up in the middle of the night.
Stretching out, in moments Jaejoong was asleep and ready to remain asleep until morning. But unfortunately in the DBSK home, sleep was something that rarely went without unwanted interruptions.
About 2 hours later, at around 2 in the morning, someone started grabbing his shoulder and shaking him awake, calling his name. Jaejoong groaned.
“Jaejoong, hyung! Jaejoong hyung, wake up!” A voice, almost childish voice called and Jaejoong instantly realized it was Junsu. He was the only one who’d try to wake him up like that and use that cute of a voice to do so. Obviously, it was the second baby of the group.
“Junsu ah?” Jaejoong groaned as he turned over, eyeing the boy blurrily. Just as he thought, Junsu was kneeling beside his bed with a bright look in his eyes and a childish grin on his face. Even though he was half dead with exhaustion, Jaejoong had brain power enough to think that no person should be that awake and cheerful at 2 in the morning.
“Jaejoong, guess what? My Japanese…” Junsu started but something inside the sleepy Jaejoong snapped and he sat up quickly, startling the younger boy. With a tired glare, Jaejoong stared down the second youngest and started in on a small rant.
“Japanese! That’s all I hear at night, Japanese! All of you ungrateful donseangs want me to help you with your studies and yet you wait till I’m asleep to ask me for help. But have I done it? Yes! When Changmin wakes me up and demands to be fed, I feed him. When Yunho wants flashcard training and a pat on the back, I flash and pat! When Yoochun wants me to help him understand those books and buy him more, do I? Yes! But I’m tired of being used like this and I wanna sleep!” Jaejoong growled, sounding as angry and indignant as Jaejoong ever did. If Junsu hadn’t been so shocked and so excited (albeit, fading excitement) about what he wanted to share with him, he would have laughed.
Jaejoong was so much the mother of the group that even when he got angry about something, he sounded like an overworked housewife.
“But hyung…” Junsu said in a soft voice, his eyes wide and a tad hurt. Jaejoong cooled down quickly and took a deep breath, trying to remain calm and cool as he realized, in some rational part of his brain, that Junsu hadn’t been waking him up every night like the others.
“What, Junsu? What is so important?” Jaejoong asked, his tone cool but not as angry as before. Junsu dropped his head and his reddish bangs fell in front of his eyes, blocking them from view.
“I just wanted to tell you after all my studying on my way, I finally learnt and mastered the most important phrase.” Junsu said in a soft, almost timid voice that could barely be heard over the nighttime noises of the dorm. Jaejoong’s ice melted instantly when he realized he might have done something very wrong and very unfair in his anger and exhaustion.
“Well, speak it to me, Junsu.” Jaejoong said and tried to make his voice sound happier and awake. Junsu mumbled it at first and after a gentle coax, he finally said a phrase in the foreign, poetic Japanese but refrained from raising his head.
“Aishiteru, onii-san.” Junsu said and his voice was perfect, angelic, and the pronunciation flawless. Jaejoong smiled at the pretty phrase, though he hadn’t the faintest clue what it meant. He leaned forward and clapped his hands together in delight, causing Junsu to life his head in surprise.
“That sounded wonderful, Su! Tell hyung what it meant.” Jaejoong said in his gentlest voice as he reached out and ruffled Junsu’s hair affectionately. The young boy glanced down again and Jaejoong couldn’t tell if it was in embarrassment or if he was still hurt from what he had said. Perhaps a mixture of both?
“What does it mean, Su?” Jaejoong asked softly, stroking his hand through Junsu’s hair. The younger boy didn’t say for a moment but Jaejoong knew he would. If it was so important he had to wake his hyung up in the middle of the night, certainly it was something important?
Finally, Junsu raised his head and translated the phrase quickly.
“It means: “I love you, hyung.” Junsu said and Jaejoong’s hands stilled and his heart broke a little. Junsu woke up him up in the middle of the night to proudly show off “the most important phrase”.
And he had snapped at him…crap.
“Oh, Junsu. Come here.” Jaejoong said and scooted aside, making room for Junsu on the bed. The younger boy got up off his knees and scrambled up onto the bed, looking far younger then his 20 years. Once he was settled next to Jaejoong on the bed, the older boy immediately wrapped his arms around him a crushing hug.
“I love you too, Junsu. And hyung is sorry that he snapped at you. Hyung has been very tired lately but it’s not your fault.” Jaejoong apologized, feeling stupid for snapping at his second baby when he was the only one who hadn’t woken him up or disturb him with his Japanese studies. Junsu hugged Jaejoong back and smiled against his wiry shoulder.
“It’s okay, hyung. I know the others have been bugging you. I just wanted to wake you up tonight to share that with you.” Junsu said and didn’t mention he was hurt when Jaejoong had snapped. Because obviously he hadn’t meant it and from the look on his face when he pulled him into the hug, he obviously felt bad enough as it is.
Jaejoong pulled away after a moment but kept his arm wrapped tightly around Junsu as he leaned against the pillows on his bed. Junsu curled up by his side, not wanting to leave his comforting arms too soon.
“Now, teach me how to say it.” Jaejoong said brightly and for next 15 minutes, Junsu (the little Japanese expert) taught Jaejoong how to properly say the most important phrase in Japanese. After 15 minutes, Jaejoong could say it properly and Junsu praised him before realizing he was already asleep.
Junsu smiled and cuddle against his hyung’s side, knowing there was no way he could get up now. No, Jaejoong’s arms were wrapped tightly around him and Junsu never minded spending the night with his motherly hyung.
So the younger boy relaxed and decided to forgo his nightly studies. For now, he would sleep by his hyung’s side, quietly whispering, “Aishiteru, onii-san” before drifting off.