“Appa! I missed you!” JaeYoung exclaimed as he ran to JaeJoong, crashing into his legs and squeezing tightly as if he were afraid to let go. “Where have you been?” He looked up at his father sternly. After JaeJoong received YunHo’s frantic phone call yesterday, he immediately dropped JaeYoung off at ChangMin and KiBum’s place. Even though he had told ChangMin and KiBum what was going on, he refused to tell JaeYoung for the mere fact that he did not know what to say.

JaeJoong tousled his son’s hair as he smiled at him. “I had to stay with YunHo Appa for a while.” He was still reluctant to tell JaeYoung about the situation with MinHyun because he was unsure how the child would react.

“Why? Is YunHo Appa okay? Did something bad happen?” JaeYoung inquired.

JaeJoong shook his head. “No, he’s fine…but…um…MinHyun had to…had to go away for a while…”

“Where did he go? Is he coming back?”

“I don’t know.” JaeJoong shrugged. “But, while he’s away, YunHo Appa wants us to stay with him, you up to that?” JaeYoung nodded while reaching for his father’s hand which JaeJoong happily allowed him to take. “Okay kiddo, but first we have to make a quick stop.” The child nodded again as he and JaeJoong made their way to the car.
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JiHoon entered his quiet luxurious home, inhaling the aroma of the sweet tropical scented candles Seul Gi had burned early this morning. From the reticent and tranquility lingering about, he knew Seul Gi was not home much to which he was grateful for. He dropped his keys into the key dish where a small note written in Seul Gi’s handwriting laid, the small note spoke about her whereabouts as well as MinHyun being upstairs fast asleep. “Damn you Seul Gi…” He muttered after reading the note, how could she leave him here by himself? Was she neglecting him after all this time of trying to get him back?

JiHoon sighed heavily while making his way upstairs to change; he had to do something soon. Once he reached upstairs and entered the bedroom, his eyes instantly located MinHyun fast asleep in the fetal position holding a stuffed panda. He slowly and cautiously walked towards the bed and took a seat, careful not to wake the child. He stared down at MinHyun, pondering how he was going to get this child out of his and Seul Gi’s life. “You shouldn’t be here...I have to get you out of here.” He whispered caressing the child’s hair, enjoying the softness between his fingers.

“Appa?” MinHyun stirred underneath JiHoon’s touch that was beginning to wake him. “Appa?” He sat up and began rubbing his eyes, wiping away the slumber.

JiHoon drew back his hand, not wanting to frighten the child by the sudden contact. “Hi MinHyun.” He smiled softly; however, MinHyun frowned in return. “Are you hungry?” MinHyun shook his head. “Want to go outside and play?” Again, he shook his head. “Well, what do you want to do?”

“I want my Appa.” MinHyun answered rather callously.

JiHoon sighed, he walked into that one. It had only been a day since MinHyun was unwillingly brought here, so him warming up to JiHoon really was not expected; though, it would be nice. “Listen MinHyun, I know you miss your Appa and want to be with him…but right now, it’s not possible.” That knowledge caused MinHyun to drop his head in disappointment. “Hey,” JiHoon lifted the child’s head so he was looking at him. “Even though you can’t right now, doesn’t mean you can’t ever see him…I promise I’ll get you back to your Appa as soon as possible.” The words of the vow made MinHyun smiling and in doing so, it made JiHoon smile as well. “You know what, how about you and I go get ice cream?”

MinHyun hesitated for a moment before he nodded. “Okay…” He tightened his grasp around the panda in his hand, which the older man took notice of.

“Well then, let me change and then we’ll go.” JiHoon replied as he got off the bed and walked over to his dresser. “And if you want Pada panda, you can have him…I don’t need him anymore.”

MinHyun’s eyes lit up with excitement while bringing the panda to his chest, hugging it. “Thank you.”

“You need it more than me.” JiHoon shrugged with a smile. The smile was for meaning things, it was for the fact he managed to make the homesick child illuminate with excitement and contentment, it was for the fact he managed to fill the child with hope and more importantly for the fact within his heart, he was doing the right thing...he just needed to figure out how and when because all he knew about YunHo was his name and what he looked like.
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“So will you help me out SeungHyun?” JaeJoong questioned as he leaned back in the leather chair he sat in. “I have to get this child back.” He was in the private office belonging to his childhood friend, Choi SeungHyun, whom moved during the beginning of middle school and he also happened to be the husband of Kim, HeeChul.

SeungHyun looked from JaeYoung sitting in his lap to JaeJoong. “Of course I’ll help you Jae, you’re my best friend.” He rested his chin on the crown of the child’s head as he continued speaking. “What all do I need to do?”

JaeJoong leaned forward in the chair, his eyes seemed to darken. “All I need for you to do is find any information you can on a Bae, Seul Gi, I’ll handle the rest from there.”

A teasing smirk creased SeungHyun’s lips as he released JaeYoung from his hold. “What are you scheming about?”

“Honestly, I don’t even know, but it does have something to do with the information you give me.” JaeJoong replied sending a devious smirk in SeungHyun’s direction. “Call me when you have her information.” He stood from the chair and outstretched his head. “Come on Young, YunHo Appa is waiting for us.”

Obliging his father’s instructions, JaeYoung hurried to his father. “Bye Uncle SeungHyun!”

“Bye Young Jae.” SeungHyun waved back, putting a play on JaeYoung’s name. He watched the father and son duo leave the office, his mind perplexed with what JaeJoong was up too.
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