Jinki was standing in front of the door to Minho and Jonghyun’s room. He had sent Minho off to do homework, knowing that he had procrastinated taking care of the mountain, so he would have the time to talk to Jonghyun alone. He took a deep breath, readying himself for what he knew was going to be a long and uncomfortable conversation before he opened the door.

He smiled automatically at the sight he was greeted with. Jonghyun was laying on his back, his eyes closed with Roo sleeping on his slowly rising and falling chest. Jonghyun hadn’t let that puppy out of his sight since the first time he touched her the day before. Jinki was glad the nurse had suggested it - and the doctor had agreed, too. The only issue it seemed to present at all was Taemin’s not-so-small amount of jealousy, and really, that wasn’t an issue. He could just buy the blonde haired boy one for his birthday or something.

Jonghyun’s eyes remained closed as Jinki shut the door and the elder began to worry he was going to have to wake his son when Jonghyun suddenly smiled. He reached his hand up and placed it securely on the dozing pup before sitting up. Jinki couldn’t help but grin at how it was obviously second nature to Jonghyun already. He knew that he couldn’t do that - he had had enough trouble carrying her in the box.

“Were you sleeping?” Jinki asked, already knowing the answer but needing to say something. Jonghyun shook his head, supporting the dogs small body as she slid down his chest and onto his lap.

“What’s up?” He asked, looking up at Jinki with a small smile on his lips.

Jinki was struck by the thought of how happy his boys seemed to be this weekend. Key looked like he had a weight lifted off his shoulders, and was maintaining his silly attitude. Jonghyun had been quietly settling in with everyone, observing silently as Jinki had come to realize was common for the boy. The amount of natural aegyo his boys possessed was frightening to say the least, but it was very...cute. He moved to sit on the bed beside Jonghyun, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and feeling Jonghyun lean into him. Guilt washed through him, and he sighed. He didn’t want to ruin the boys happiness.

“Jjong...I need to..” He started, then stopped, shaking his head. “I don’t need to tell you. Actually, your doctor thinks I shouldn’t...but I think you have the right to know. It’s...about your mother.”

“M-my mother?” Jonghyun questioned, leaning away from Jinki slightly. The appa nodded, swallowing hard.

“Or...more precisely...the woman you call your mother.” Jinki said. Jonghyun looked confused, and a little bit scared. “She wasn’t your biological mother, Jjong.”

“W-what are you talking about?” He asked. Jinki bit his lip, staring at the vulnerable expression on his son’s face and feeling like dirt.

“She was your sister.” Jinki said. “But she took care of you like any mother would have, am I right?”

“Sh-she saved my life.” Jonghyun said, his eyes wide. “She pushed me out of the way of the car.”

“Exactly. She loved you the way any mother would love her son.” Jinki said, and Jonghyun nodded slowly, his eyes starting to look more damp than usual. He felt like the earth was shaking beneath his feet, and he was afraid of whatever else Jinki was going to tell him, though Jinki seemed not to want to speak anymore.

“A-appa?” Jonghyun said, his grip on Roo tightening just a bit.

“I feel like...you deserve to know the truth.” Jinki said, his voice carrying tones of sadness. “It’s better that you find out from me and be upset now, than find out later, and hate me forever for not telling you.”

“Who’s my mother?” Jonghyun asked, looking like he wasn’t sure what to do. Jinki looked up at Jonghyun, biting his lip.

“Her name is Kim Bong-Cha.” Jinki said.

“Where is she?” Jonghyun asked, feeling sick to his stomach. “Do I have to leave?”

“No.” Jinki said, turning to look at his son. “No, Jjongie. Your home is here. You couldn’t go with her even if you wanted to. She’s..she’s in jail.”

“W-what?!” Jonghyun’s eyes got huge, and he looked like he was going to start crying at any second. Jinki didn’t know what to do. He’d already told the other boys, but he wasn’t sure if Jonghyun would want company during this. Jonghyun swallowed hard, his whole body shaking as he tried to reign in his emotions. “What did she do?”

“She killed someone.” Jinki whispered. Jonghyun felt sick to his stomach suddenly, and he wanted Jinki to hug him, to tell him everything would be ok, but he didn’t, and Jonghyun couldn’t wrap his head around why.

“Who?” Jonghyun asked, his voice slightly higher than normal. Jinki chewed his lip for a moment, looking nervous, before he looked up at Jonghyun.

“Your father.” He said. Jonghyun felt a choking sensation near the bottom of his throat as he tried to swallow again. Jinki’s paternal instinct suddenly checked in, and he wrapped his arms around Jonghyun. “Let it out. It’ll be ok.”

Jonghyun hid his face, a few tears slipping out, but not as many as he had anticipated. The touch alone was comfort enough, and enough to ease a lot of his fears. He rubbed at his eye, then wiped his face, but stayed against Jinki’s chest as he let out a shaky breath and prepared his next question.

“Why?” He finally asked. Jinki pet his hair silently for a moment before answering.

“From what I’ve heard, he was cheating.” Jinki said. “But, I also heard she had a history of violence. Mostly...with you.”

“M-me?” Jonghyun asked, sitting up slightly. Jinki nodded.

“That’s why your sister ran off with you when you were really young. She wanted to keep you safe.” Jinki said.

Jonghyun sat quietly, letting the information digest, then leaned against Jinki once more. He got comfortable under his appa’s arm and reflected on his life with his mom...sister?...and a lot of things started to make sense. She was always so nice to him, trying to help him through his awkward barriers that prevented him from dealing with the rest of the world the way he was supposed to. He’d always thought there was something wrong with him, and he’d always been so happy to know that his mother loved him so much.

But that wasn’t the way things were. His mother probably didn’t love him at all. It was his sister who had taken care of him, and that made him feel guilty. She had given up her life - both figuratively and literally, for him. He wiped at his eyes, not realizing there were tears leaking out until he was halfway through the unconscious action. Jinki rubbed his back gently, letting him work through it in his own way. It was silent in the room for such a long time Jinki was actually beginning to wonder if Jjong had fallen asleep, but then the boy spoke up.

“Appa?” He called out to him quietly. Jinki smiled softly.

“De?” Jinki answered just as quietly. Jonghyun rubbed at his eyes again, then let out a small sigh.

“Thanks for telling me.” Jonghyun said. Jinki didn’t know what to say, so instead he kissed the top of his son’s head. It was quiet for a few minutes, then Jonghyun spoke up again. “When do I have to go back?”

“Tomorrow morning.” Jinki said, sounding a bit sad himself. Jonghyun nodded slowly, then his lips and looked at Roo.

“I can bring her with me, right?” He asked, sounding a bit more childish than he intended. Jinki laughed softly.

“Of course you can.” He said.

Jonghyun nodded again. He was about to say something else, but Roo suddenly sat up on her wobbly puppy legs and looked up at him. She pushed herself up on her hind legs, keeping her balance with her paws on Jjong’s chest as she his face a few times. Jonghyun seemed absolutely floored by the sudden display of affection, and he wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face into her soft fur.

“Did I ever say thank you?” Jonghyun asked, happiness bleeding back into his voice. Jinki snorted, then covered his mouth with his hand.

“Only about a thousand times.” Jinki confirmed. Jonghyun blushed.

“Well. Make it a thousand and one.” Jonghyun said. Jinki laughed, then leaned back on the bed, sighing softly.

“What kind should I get Taemin?” He asked. Jonghyun didn’t look up, or even seem to think before he answered.

“A poodle.” He said. Jinki blinked a few times, sitting up again.

“A poodle?” He repeated. Jonghyun nodded.

“He told me he wanted a poodle.” Jonghyun said. “When you were at work, we were watching TV, and a commercial came on with a poodle, and he just kept staring at it. After, he told me he wanted one. But, a little fluffy one, not one of the huge ones that people shave all weird and put in dog shows.”

“Point taken.” Jinki said, laughing softly. “A poodle it is.”

“When are you gonna get it?” Jonghyun asked, still staring at Roo, who was wagging her tail and tilting her head from side to side.

“I’m not sure. Maybe if his report card is good.” Jinki said. Jonghyun laughed at that, finally tearing his eyes from the dachshund.

“From what Minho said, it’s always good.” Jonghyun said. Jinki shrugged, petting Jjong’s hair suddenly. He couldn’t believe how well it had come out.

“Are you feeling better?” He asked. Jonghyun nodded slowly, then looked up at Jinki, his eyes big, and the small hint of a smile returning to his lips.

“I’m hungry.” He said. Jinki laughed, rolling his eyes.

“Fine, fine. I’ll go make something.” He said, ruffling Jonghyun’s hair as he left the room. Jonghyun grinned and looked down at Roo, who just continued to stare at him with huge eyes.

“I guess that explains my nightmares, hmm?” He said to the dog. She stood on her hind legs again, relentlessly at Jonghyun’s face, and he laughed as he fell back on the bed.