'Changminnie!Hurry up,sweety!Su will come any moment',Jaejoong said,packing the lunch box into the bag.There was no sound.Sighing,Jaejoong went into the tiny garden and to the huge,old dog kennel.And he found the tiny,curled up figure of his son there.

'Minnie,it's time to go',Jaejoong said,kneeling at the entrance of the kennel.The kennel was big enough for a child to enter it.It must have belonged to a very big dog.It was a perfect hide-out for Changmin.

'Minnie no come.Minnie no go',a sulky reply came from inside.Jaejoong sighed.He didn't know what to do.Usually,Changmin would hide in the kennel when he wasn't in mood to go to school.And it would be equally easy to draw him out with the promise of food.But something was off.Just like it had been from the past 2 days.

'Won't you tell umma what happened?Does someone trouble you at school?',Jaejoong asked.

'No'.

'Then what happened,baby?Umma is worried',Jaejoong said in a soft voice.The cute head poked out and grabbing the chance,Jaejoong pulled out the little boy.But instead of struggling,Changmin just hugged Jaejoong.Sensing that something was definitely off,Jaejoong carried Changmin inside,cheking if he had a fever or something.His usually lively son was so silent and broody.

'What happened honey?Tell umma',Jaejoong coaxed,rocking Changmin in his arms.It did seem to calm down the toddler who looked at Jaejoong with teary eyes.Jaejoong hugged him tighter,now worried very much.

'Honey,speak to me',Jaejoong whispered.

'Umma,pwease no go',a shaky voice came from somewhere near his chest.And it clicked to Jaejoong.Changmin must have heard him telling Junsu that he was going to Jeju for a few days for work.He had gotten a fairly good contract for photographing the locales of Jeju for a magazine.And he was leaving that very night.No wonder Changmin was really restless and clingy from 2 days.

'Umma,pwease stay!Minmin will be good boy',Changmin said,tears wetting Jaejoong's work shirt.Jaejoong hugged his baby boy tighter,now knowing the real reason for the odd behaviour.

'Baby,umma has to go for work.Umma will go quickly and come back as quickly.Won't you stay with halmoni and haraboji till umma comes back?',Jaejoong said.The crying just grew harder and louder.

'U..umma n..no g..go!Pwease!Minmin n..no stay..w..without u..umma',Changmin stuttered through his tears.Jaejoong kissed the soft hair,sighing.It hurt him to see Changmin's tears.But what could even he do.It was work.And they did needed it to sustain themselves.And as much as it tore his own heart to stay apart from Changmin,Jaejoong had no choice but to go.He knew that,frankly speaking,he needed the money the contract would bring in.And it was a fairly good one.He might finally be able to give the things Changmin had wanted.

As for Changmin,the mere thought of not even being able to hear his umma's voice was scary.He couldn't place it in words,but he knew that this was different from regular work.Regular work meant he got to be with Umma.But this meant that he would not even hear the sweet and soft voice.And that was something he was wouldn't accept.And who could blame him.He was barely even a kid.For him,his mother was his all.

'Minnie,listen sweety.Umma will call you every night.And umma will bring you many delicious goodies.And when umma comes back,we will even go the the ice-cream park',Jaejoong said.

'No!No!No!Minmin no want ice cleam.Minmin want umma!Pwease,no go!',Changmin cried,his tiny fists tightening on Jaejoong's shirt,growing more hysterical.Jaejoong his back to soothe him,but it was to no avail.For Changmin,his mother leaving him alone was more terrible than anything.

'Changminnie,don't cry baby.Umma will be back in 3 days',Jaejoong said.But Changmin was beyond even the hearing point.His chant of 'Umma,no go' was continious.He kept on bawling.

'Changmin,umma has to go.And you will be staying with halmoni and haraboji till I come,ok?',Jaejoong said firmly.Stress of leaving and patience running out had made Jaejoong raise his voice on his son.And he regretted it deeply now.Changmin quietened down immediately.But the baleful look he threw at Jaejoong made the pretty man bite back his own tears.

'Oh god.Minnie,umma is sorry.Please,baby,umma never meant to raise voice on you.Changminnie,baby.I am sorry',Jaejoong whispered,hugging the little kid tighter to his chest.He deeply wished he could take his words back.How could he even scold his baby boy when he didn't even know what was going on.He was leaving Changmin and how could he raise his voice on him.How could he do that when he was to blame because he had not told his son that he was going,himself.

Tears escaped his doe eyes when he felt Changmin shaking with supressed sobs.He held him tighter,cooing to him the melody he had always sang for the toddler right from his birth.He saw Changmin cling onto him tigher,so as not to let him leave.Seeing his baby boy so sad was making Jaejoong waver with his decision of going.But he had to go.If he wanted to provide for his child,he had to go.

Jaejoong gave a silent sigh as he rocked the sniffling boy closer to him.

                                                                                 -x-x-x-

'-and tuck pillows into the bed so he doesn't roll off',Jaejoong said,his jacket in his hand as he sat down in his seat.A smartly dressed flight attendant came to him.

'The flight is about to take off,sir.May I request you to switch off your phone?',she said,smiling politely.Jaejoong gestured with his hand that he will shut it off.

'Umma,how is he?Is he crying?Has he eaten?',Jaejoong whispered.

'He is still asleep.Don't worry,Jae-ah.He is alright',his mother said from the other side.

'I know.I am so worried.He was crying a lot the entire day and wouldn't even eat.May be I shouldn't go',Jaejoong said softly,closing his eyes.It was true.Changmin had never let go of Jaejoong,crying very much and being restless the entire day.It was when he had fallen asleep with exhaution from crying that Jaejoong had left him at his mother's place before going to the airport.He had come here alone,as Junsu had stayed with Changmin so he could help out if the need arises,because it was Junsu who had taken care of Changmin the most,when Jaejoong was busy bringing in bare necessities.

'Jaejoong,listen.He will be just fine.Changmin is a very strong child.A mature one too.You have brought him up well.Just have faith in him and in yourself.He will be alright.Don't worry too much',his mother said in her soothing voice.Jaejoong nodded,despite knowing she couldn't see him.

'I guess you are right,umma.Take care.I will call when I reach Jeju.Bye.My love to my boy',Jaejoong said and shut his phone off.He sighed as he leaned on his seat,eyes closed.His mother was right.He should just have faith.In his baby boy.And in himself too.Changmin will be fine.

'You can recline the seat if you want to sleep more comfortably'.

Jaejoong opened his eyes to find Yunho smiling at him.

'Oh my god,Yunho!What are you doing here?',Jaejoong said and realised how odd it must sound.'I-I mean,I am so surprised to see you here!',he sputtered,trying to cover up.

'Just surprised?Not happy?',Yunho asked,looking in amusement as Jaejoong grew more flustered.

'What-?No!No!I am glad.Very glad to see you.How come you are going to Jeju?',Jaejoong said,growing red.Yunho chuckled.

'And I am glad to see you too.We have an inaugration there',Yunho said,smiling.Jaejoong smiled back,relaxing.

'Yeah.You did tell me about it.So your seat is here?',Jaejoong asked.

'Oh no.I sit over there',Yunho said.

'I see.So see you later',Jaejoong said.

'Sure.And don't worry about Changmin too much.He is one fine,strong fellow',Yunho said,smiling gently.

'Eh?How did you know?',Jaejoong asked,eyes wide.Instead of answering,Yunho lightly poked in between his eyebrows.

'You had that particular frown which happens when you are worrying over Changmin',Yunho said,smiling.In that moment,the flight attendant arrived,saying the plane was ready for take-off.Bading Jaejoong,Yunho went to his seat.Jaejoong absentmindedly touched the spot where Yunho had touched,his face unnaturally hot and heart thudding loudly.How did Yunho know he was exactly worried about Changmin and when had he known the particular frown?

Shaking his head and gulping some water,Jaejoong shut his eys and went to sleep,trying to calm his heart which was growing madder with every thought of Yunho.

Jeju was going to be one heck of a trip.

                                                                             -x-x-x-

Rather fast update..no?XD

kamsahamnida!!^^