Yunho was walking beside your mother with his school bag. You were in your mother’s arms, not wanting to go on. “Umma, I don’t want to go to school! All the kids in the neighborhood said that the teachers are mean and they make you do work and won’t let you talk! I don’t want to!” You were starting to cry in your mother’s shirt.

Your mother did her customary sigh, “------, Yunho has been going to school for a year now and he doesn’t complain about it!” You shook your head in disagreement. Yunho had complained to you several times. He would say things like ‘There was always that one person out to get me in trouble!’ You didn’t like getting in trouble.

Your mother was trying to persuade you into going when she heard a familiar voice from behind her. She turned and saw Jaejoong’s mother. She was carrying Jaejoong just as your mother was carrying you. Jaejoong was also begging his mother not to make him go to school. You saw them too and perked up.

“Jaejoong oppa!” Jae lifted his head. You both jumped out of your mothers’ arms and ran to each other. “Is Jaejoong oppa going to school too? I hope we are in the same class. I want to play with you everyday!” You finally accepted that Jae was older than you and was your oppa, but you still insisted that he call you noona. For the past three years you, Yunho, and Jaejoong continued to play together. Yunho felt that you were so silly, he wanted to do something fun, so you finally gave in to not limiting your play only to house.

Even when you played different games, you continued to mother over Jaejoong. When he tripped after Yunho pushed him in tag and scraped his knee, you petted his head reassured him he was ok. “It’s ok my baby Joongie.” When the power went out while you were playing Princess, you let your knight cuddle up behind you instead of saving you from your dragon brother. Even after you stopped playing house, you never lost your mothering feelings for him.

Thinking of all the mean people that were at the school, you suddenly felt that you had to be there. You had to protect your Joongie. You grabbed Jae’s hand and raced ahead. “Don’t worry oppa, together nothing will happen. It’ll be fine!” Speeding along the sidewalk, you looked at Jaejoong. He was smiling brightly and giggling. You too started to giggle.