Leeteuk entered the mansion as usual, however he noticed that something was odd as soon as he crossed the door.

"What's that smell? " Leeteuk asked pleased

"Weird right? The mansion often smells like poop and babies" Heechul commented from a chair

"How come you are sitting there alone and everything is calm?" Leeteuk started to suspect that his friend had something to confess

"Ah, about that... now that you mention it... I finally found help for us" Heechul smiled innocently

"Help? What kind of help? Heechul what did you--"

"Mr. Kim, breakfast is ready" A young woman entered the living room

"Thanks" Heechul nodded and sent the girl back to the kitchen

Leeteuk blinked thrice when he saw another two girls carrying a laundry basket. He turned to the other side only to find another one cleaning the nursery.

"What... what..." Leeteuk couldn't find words

"I finally hired more help. Don't worry you are still my favorite. Also, you don't have to care about them, they will do the chores I can't do properly and receive orders from Mrs. Jung" Heechul seemed happy

Leeteuk nodded while keeping that odd feeling that Heechul was still hiding something.

"Where... where are the kids?" Leeteuk panicked. Heechul was a good person but still, he lacked the common sense that a parent should have.

"They are with the nanny helpers. Weird name right? I probably should call them differently... how do yo--"

"AISH!" Leeteuk ran to the bedrooms as fast he could. Did Heechul just admit he left the kids with recently hired people?

"WAAAAAAA UKWEEEEEEEEE!! WAAAAAAAA!" Kyuhyun was kicking in the air while a young woman tried to calm him

"It's ok honey, it's ok" Leeteuk held the crying baby

"He seems upset..." the young woman sighed

"Of course he is. He doesn't know you yet... aish Heechul, you sure did it well" Leeteuk said sarcastically

"He was the first to woke up... the other kids are still sleeping... should I wake them up?" The woman asked

"N-no, let me take care of this one first..." Leeteuk felt overwhelmed. He just realized he had two other women about the same age looking at him like expecting something.

"What's wrong with you? I hired you help! " Heechul whined

"Without asking me first! Also you left your beloved nephews in unknown hands!" Leeteuk hissed

"No no. You got it wrong! Do you think I will leave my precious kids in inexperienced hands? I hired two NURSES. NUUUUURSEEEEES. They are used to babies!!" Heechul protested

"But the babies are not used to them! Also, there were three... " Leeteuk was getting mad and yet he felt anxious

"Ah, a kindergarten teacher. She is still young and needed the experience so..." Heechul shrank his shoulders and made a funny face that made Kyuhyun giggle.

"You can't just leave them alone. It's ok to have help but... they are your responsibility" Leeteuk sat with the amused baby on his lap

Kyuhyun stretched his short arms to his uncle. He wanted to sit with Heechul.

"I know, but not everything is like we wish... I need to start working again. I mean, it's been over a month that I don't work properly and since my brother is not here anymore... the company needs me. I can't take longer vacations... I need to take care of the business" Now Leeteuk got it. Heechul got probably scared that he would not be able to help him anymore and hired help for him.

"I understand... but, isn't it a bit too much? I mean three helpers just for me?" Leeteuk didn't how to say it

"Without me, those rascals are going to misbehave the whole time. Also, you don't work on Sundays so I need extra help those days. Saturdays are going to be hell since no one has school on weekends" Heechul was playing with the cute baby that seemed fascinated by Heechul's shirt

Leeteuk started to believe that maybe it was him who didn't understand it well. Heechul was worrying about everything. He wanted help to Mrs. Jung to keep clean the mansion, do the laundry, the dishes and the cooking. He wanted help for him too.

"Even working... you will have time for the kids won't you? " Leeteuk couldn't avoid asking. He could feel the answer.

"I guess so" Heechul lied. He knew perfectly how much work he had now that his brother wasn't there to help him.

As Leeteuk worried, he started seeing Heechul less and lesser than before. The busy man would wake up early and leave the house even before the kids were ready to get to school. He often came back late at night very tired with tons of papers to do in his office at home. Leeteuk could feel the sadness around the big house: none of the kids smiled like before and it had been only five days of that sour taste.

"Uncle lied... he hates us" Kangin said while lying on the couch without energy

"He doesn't have time to p--" Siwon started

"Shut up! He is a liar too! You don't remember! Daddy used to say the same! 'I will play with you later' and he never did! " Kangin went upstairs very upset and slammed his room door. One of the new nannies tried to follow but Leeteuk stopped her.

"I think he needs some time to get used" Leeteuk reassured.

The triplets’ potty training experiment had setback since the boys were busy thinking about his uncle than his own needs. Every single achievement was lost. Donghae who was usually a happy child started crying several times per day and rejecting food. Yesung was having a hard time at school again, Siwon seemed to wet the bed every single time he slept, the triplets were a chaos and the twins...

"NO!" Kyuhyun bit a nanny again

Leeteuk worried that the kid was showing a really bad temper even for someone as young as him. Ryeowook wasn't different at all, he cried all the time and got fussy from one day to another. However, there was one child that worried Leeteuk the most, maybe because instead of crying, getting fussy and misbehaving, the kid got utterly quiet.

"Do you want to play with me? " Leeteuk tried again. Sungmin showed no response.

"Are you feeling bad? Does your tummy hurt?" Leeteuk thought that maybe tickling the boy would at least trigger a reaction but he was wrong.

Sungmin only rolled to the other side to ignore his favorite babysitter for the fifth day straight. Usually, Sungmin was a cute toddler but now the boy was awful to see.

"Minnie~~ Minnie~~" Leeteuk tried carrying the toddler to force the eye contact. Sungmin only look at him with a sad face.

"He is acting very strange lately. It's not like he talked a lot before, but I haven't listened to his voice for a long time" Leeteuk told one of the young nurses

"He may have got it worse than the others. Every child is different... maybe he hates not having his uncle around" the woman felt pity for the young kid

"Even so... I never got to ask before but this child... I only have listened one word coming out from his mouth" Leeteuk worried.

"That's strange... kids at his age are usually talkative" The nurse worried

Leeteuk finished putting to bed all the kids. The twins had been getting anxious during bed time for a while but being babies their endurance wasn't as big as the triplets who fought every day to stay awake until their uncle returned.

"He is coming back late... again" Mrs. Jung announced trying to convince the triplets to go to bed

"Unkwe coming?" Donghae asked sadly

"Yes, but later. Let's go to sleep, you are tired" Leeteuk tried

"I want ukwee to sweep 'me" Eunhyuk sobbed nervously. It's been a long time since he got to sleep with his uncle.

"I know sweetie; I know" Leeteuk held the crying toddler only to notice that Donghae managed to climb furniture to have a better view of the window. But he wasn't alone. Sungmin was sitting there too.

"Forget it. They are not sleeping until he arrives..." Leeteuk told Mrs. Jung. He sat with the three boys at the living room until they saw Heechul going down of the car.

"UKWEE!" Donghae jumped happily to the door

"KEY! KEY! KEY! DOOR!" Eunhyuk hit the door several times asking Leeteuk to open the door

Leeteuk observed that Sungmin was finally smiling. The kid seemed happy.

"What's going on here? You guys should be asleep! " Heechul entered the mansion after three kids jumped on him

"They were waiting for you. Again. And you were late... again" Leeteuk faked a smile

"You are kind of salty lately. It's not my fault I have work to do" Heechul complained. The triplets were busy climbing their uncle and fighting for the best spot to be held.

"It's not like I don't understand but you should try to spend time with them too. They miss you a lot" Leeteuk tried to convince Heechul to at least be there every morning for the kids.

"You mean that... I should leave later so I get to see the children at the morning?" Heechul repeated doubtful while the triplets fell asleep on him

"That would be better than killing your nephews from tiredness" Leeteuk pointed at the tired kids sleeping on Heechul's lap.

"They do look tired" Heechul felt guilty

"Not only them but the twins are going crazy! Yesung and Kangin are starting to have troubles at school again and Siwon keeps wetting the bed! Th--"

"Oh no no! That's NOT MY FAULT. Those three! They were 'broken' even before I took the custody. I may be responsible for them going to sleep late but their issues... not my fault" Heechul raised his voice annoyed. He ended waking up the twins that started crying loudly in order to call the attention.

"Heechul... the babies" Leeteuk went to look out for the youngest siblings

Heechul used the time Leeteuk went to bring the twins to arrange the triplets in a better way. He sighed as he put the blanket over them. Sungmin had his eyelashes wet.

"Were you crying? Why? Do you miss me?" Heechul's heart broke. When Leeteuk returned with the crying boys he found Heechul dozing off while holding Sungmin's tiny hand.

"Heechul?"

"Sorry, I'm just tired. Oh~~ long time no see! Look who we have here!" Heechul made his biggest effort to stay awake for a few minutes more just for the twins.

"Kweeee! Kweeee!" Ryeowook cried grabbing Heechul's shirt desperately

"Mine" Kyuhyun hugged Heechul like a teddy bear

Leeteuk smiled seeing the two babies stuck on Heechul like little cicadas wearing footie pajamas.

"Will you see them tomorrow at morning? Well, tomorrow is Saturday so... I guess you don't have..." Leeteuk started worrying since Heechul's expression seemed to be sad instead of happy

"I have a business trip tomorrow" Heechul confessed

Leeteuk couldn't hide his annoyance. He stared at Heechul like the worst human being.

"Sorry... I should ha--"

"Forget it. Just go to sleep. I will take care of the children during the weekend so just go and do your job" Leeteuk replied

"Teuk is not like that, I just can't--"

"It will be ok. I will do my job and you will do yours" Leeteuk was disappointed. The children were going to cry a sea of tears when they realized that their uncle wasn't going to there for them after a hellish week.

The next day, Heechul was ready to leave with his baggage really early. Leeteuk frowned when he saw him standing in front of the door.

"Again, I'm sorry" Heechul apologized

"Again, it's ok" Leeteuk replied annoyed

"When did I marry you?" Heechul tried to be playful

"Just go before one of the kids wakes up and see you" Leeteuk rushed

"Uncle? Where are you going?" Yesung asked still half sleep

"Hey... buddy!" Heechul tried hiding his baggage behind the door

"Are you traveling today?" Yesung yawned. The boy seemed used to it.

"Yes, something like that. Don't worry! I will be home for bedtime!"

"Sure. Have a safe trip! I love you uncle!" Yesung hugged Heechul. Leeteuk was shocked.

"Bye bye, be good and do your homework before I arrive" Heechul waved for a long time

"Aren't you going?" Leeteuk started to get impatient

"Sure..." Heechul left slowly

Yesung laughed. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

"Why are you mad at uncle?" Yesung asked his babysitter

"Me? Honey, I -"

"You are. Stop faking. I'm seven years old! I think I know when someone is mad at you" Yesung giggled

"It's just... I asked him to stay with you for the weekend and he said he had a business trip and..."

"Are you disappointed? Uncle is doing his best for us. Like always. He is a good uncle " Yesung scolded

"You sound like a grown up talking to a kid" Leeteuk frowned

"You are behaving like one. Uncle is trying his best and you are treating him like if he wasn't. That's unfair" Yesung crossed his arms. Leeteuk liked the way the boy will defend his uncle.

"Uncle needs to pay you more attention" Leeteuk tried

"But he has no time now. Daddy was like that too and not for that he was a bad daddy. It may feel like uncle is not caring about us but he is trying hard. All mornings I wake up and read the letter he leaves for me on my desk, I collect the drawings he makes for me, I wear the clothes he selected for me..." Yesung explained

"Wait. He really writes you a letter every morning? " Leeteuk smiled

"Yes! And he checks my homework at night even if he is tired! I see the corrections every morning when I wake up. At night he kisses us before going to sleep" Yesung kept explaining

"That's sounds amazing" Leeteuk nodded proudly. He may have been misunderstanding Heechul.

"Don't you believe me?" Yesung stomped his feet and dragged Leeteuk to his room.

"Those are..."

"Letters! I told you!" Yesung showed a big box full of colorful envelopes. Leeteuk wasn't shocked by the fact Heechul left him letters but the quantity of them.

"Since when he started leaving you letters? " Leeteuk asked suspecting that the boy may be omitting something important

"I can't remember; I think he started sending me letters when I was learning to read. Come to think of, I wasn't very interested in learning so he started sending letters to me so I could practice" Yesung smiled nostalgic

"Really? Such a good uncle..."

"I remember mommy would sit me on her lap and help me read my uncle's letters. It didn't matter where he was he would always send me at least one per week. Now, since we live in the same house he leaves them on my desk every morning" Yesung started showing the letters to the amused babysitter.

The letters were done carefully. It seemed that Heechul cared about the smallest details: stickers, paper, envelope, colors...

"Can I tell you a secret? " Yesung whispered

"Sure" Leeteuk was now in a good mood

"Sometimes uncle leaves candy for me with the letters!! " Yesung chirped happily

"Really? Be careful of not getting cavities, sweetie..." Leeteuk replied while ruffling the boy's hair

As the day passed, Leeteuk started suspecting that whenever it was Heechul's meeting, he must have been utterly nervous. He found misplaced items around the mansion, including a tangerine inside the twins’ crib and a pair of tiny socks in the fridge.

"Mr. Kim seemed nervous this morning. I don't know why, but it feels like if he is not confident at all. It's been a while since I saw him so anxious" Mrs. Jung commented while she knitted socks for the boys

"You know him better than I do. You have been working for this family for a long time so you may already know how to understand him. I think I need to learn too... I mean, I misjudged him and thought he was... you know, just getting away from job" Leeteuk wasn't going to mention it clearly in front of the triplets that were playing with a ball.

"Mr. Kim wasn't the best when it came to responsibilities. However, there is one quality that makes him the best option for the children and a good boss for the company. He had always been a good person" Mrs. Jung smiled sweetly

"I never asked before because I didn't want to make him feel bad but, right now you said he was the best option the children had. I mean, I always thought he was the only option available" Leeteuk sat next to the old lady that now looked at him with sad eyes

"Unfortunately, he is not. The children's grandparents, Heechullie's parents... they are alive too. He also has another brother married and with their own children. The family... they didn't take very well the fact Heechul was named guardian and had the full custody of the kids" Mrs. Jung stopped knitting and looked at the floor with a worried face.

"Unfortunately...?" Leeteuk repeated confused.

The babysitter could understand a bit the rest of the family since he has seen by himself that Heechul lacked experience when talking about raising kids. Somehow he had convinced himself that Heechul was the best option for them and that meant that they probably didn't have more family available for taking care of the children. Now with the new information, Leeteuk wondered what could had been the reason Heechul got selected instead of his married brother or his experienced parents.

(I must be missing something. Maybe not just something but a lots of somethings) Leeteuk wandered around the twins’ room as the babies slept in their crib.

Leeteuk worried when he suddenly listened noise downstairs and a crying kid. By the way it sounded, it may had been one of the triplets. Leeteuk decided to leave the twins with Mrs. Jung and went down to figure out what happened.

"One of the kids threw up" the woman mopping the floor informed

"Which one? " Leeteuk started looking around until a nurse came back with a crying Donghae from the bathroom

"Aw, poor boy" Leeteuk rushed to hold the pale boy

"Something is not right" the nurse informed

"What do you mean? " Leeteuk carried the young toddler.

"He seems drowsy and too pale"

"He just threw up; it may be because of that" Leeteuk tried

"That kid is not ok" The second nurse interrupted

Leeteuk got anxious. Heechul wasn't around and it was obvious Donghae wasn't fine. The toddler seemed to have his energy drained.

"We should call an ambulance" One of the nurses proposed

"Even if we call it... the other kids... what...? How...? " Leeteuk was ready to have a panic attack

"You go with him. We will take care of the others while you are out. We promise we will do our best" the young kindergarten teacher reassured

At that moment, Leeteuk finally understood Heechul. Sometimes, you wished it was different and you could do and act like you always wanted but it's not like that. If he could have the way of replicating himself, Leeteuk would have done it at that moment. Heechul have felt the same during the week.

Without looking back, Leeteuk took the sick toddler with him to the ambulance and went to the hospital. He called Heechul several times during the ride but his phone seemed to be off. At the hospital, Leeteuk's fears got confirmed. He felt guilty for it, he had seen the signs but he thought it was because the toddler was trying to call his uncle attention. During the past week, Donghae spent half of the time crying and being fussy. He rejected food, had troubles for falling asleep and started having more accidents than before in potty training.

"Sir, we need to do the surgery" the doctor shook Leeteuk's shoulder again

"Is he going to be alright?" Leeteuk asked with teary eyes

"If we don't hurry, the kid may suffer a lot more. We need to perform the surgery as soon as you sign the permission"

Leeteuk swallowed. He was not the kid's guardian and therefore he couldn't sign that thing. However, Heechul wasn't around and Donghae needed the surgery.

(What would Heechul do?) Leeteuk needed to take a decision. He couldn't waste time, Donghae's life was in danger.