“Son?” questioned Jaejoong instantly as he stood up with the frightened little boy in his arms and stared at the irate man before him.

“Seungie?” asked Jaejoong as he glanced at the upset boy in his arms worriedly. “Is that man your father?”

“No!” answered Seungie and he shook his head fervently and suddenly buried his face in Jaejoong’s neck.

“Stranger! Stranger! Stranger!” chanted Binnie instantly, pointing at the irate man and bouncing up and down.

Reaching up and gently rubbing the frighten child’s shoulder, Jaejoong looked up at the man and suddenly felt his heart drop when he saw nothing but sadness in his eyes instead of anger. The man looked heartbroken, defeated as if the words the child had just spoken had cut through the very heart of him. Jaejoong looked back and forth from the man to the child, taking in their similar features, and suddenly realized, partially, what was going on here. The little boy was lying.

“Seungie?” ventured Jaejoong softly, the love in his voice palpable, as he grabbed the little one by the shoulder and pulled him from his new-found hiding place. “Can Mama Jae as you a question?”

The little boy nodded yes as a quiet tear streamed down his face.

“Do you know the story about the little boy who cried wolf?” questioned Jaejoong gently.

“I do. I do!” answered Binnie in a heartbeat.

Seungie shook his head yes while the man looked upon their interaction curiously.

“Do you remember how the story goes?” questioned Jaejoong rhetorically before he began to sum up the story. “A little boy, so bored with tending sheep, decided to have a little fun. He called out to the villagers: There’s a wolf! There’s a wolf! When the villagers heard his cries, they came running to save him from the wolf that would surely gobble him up. But when they got there, they found that there was no wolf and the little boy had lied. He did this over and over again, each time lying about the wolf and the villagers came to his aid. But when the big, nasty, mean wolf finally appeared before him and his flock, what happened?”

“No one helped,” answered Seungie reluctantly.

“And the wolf gobbled him up,” concluded Jaejoong with a knowing smile.

“So, tell me Seungie…why didn’t the villagers come and save the little boy from that nasty, mean, old wolf?” questioned Jaejoong as he glanced over at the man before them and flashed an almost motherly smile.

“He told a story.” answered the little boy hesitantly.

“That’s right,” said Jaejoong encouragingly. “They didn’t believe he was telling the truth. So, they didn’t come to help him when he needed them the most.”

“Binnie?” questioned Jaejoong as he glanced down at his son who had been paying attention to the conversation all along. “What’s the moral of that story?”

“Always tell the truth.” recited Binnie happily. “And you will always be safe from the wolf.”

“That’s right,” answered Jaejoong as he turned his eyes back to Seungie and smiled. “So Seungie, do you think that you would be safe from the wolf right now or would you be gobbled up?”

“Gobbled up.” whined the little boy as his eyes began to water.

“I promise…We will all protect you from that mean wolf. We won’t ever let him get you… if you tell us the truth.” soothed Jaejoong lovingly as he patted the little boy gently on the shoulder. “So, I’ll ask you once again. Is this nice man your father?”

“Yes,” answered Seungie with a nod.

“I see,” replied Jaejoong as he flashed a gentle smile in the man’s direction before turning back to the child in hand. “Will you do Mama Jae a favor and always tell the truth from now on?”

Seungie nodded his head with a smile.

“Ok.” cheered Jaejoong lovingly. “So, no more telling stories, alright?”

“I promise,” answered Seungie as he leaned in and hugged Jaejoong around the neck.

“I’m sorry I told a story.” sniffled the little boy sadly.

“It’s ok. I forgive you.’’ comforted Jaejoong. “But, I think you owe someone else an apology as well, don’t you think?”

“Look.” prompted Jaejoong as he pulled the little boy away from him and pointed towards his father. “See how sad you dad is? I think your little story hurt his feelings too. Why don’t you go give him a big hug, say you’re sorry and make him feel better?”

“I think he would like that very much,” added Jaejoong with an encouraging smile. “Don’t you?”

Seungie nodded happily, feeling much better now that Jaejoong had set him straight. Jaejoong put the little boy down and the second his feet hit the pavement, he bolted into his father’s arms.

“Sorry, daddy!” cried Seungie as he hugged his father.

Jaejoong watched as the man hugged his son tightly and let out a deep sigh. Dropping his hand down on Binnie’s shoulder, he looked at his cute and adorable son with a slight frown.

“Binnie…” Jaejoong prompted as he nodded his head towards the man and his son.

“Ok, Mama,” answered Binnie, knowing full well what he was telling him with that look.

The little boy instantly walked up to his new brother and his dad and gently tugged on the man’s sleeve. The man looked up at the little boy with a confused look.

“I’m sorry Mister.” apologized Binnie wholeheartedly. “I thought you were a stranger and you were going to hurt my brother. I’m sorry for kicking you and calling you a nasty name.”

“It’s ok…Binnie, is it?” answered Yunho as he reached out and patted the little boy on the shoulder. “You were only trying to protect someone you care about. That is an admirable quality to have.”

 “Your…Mother…should be very proud of such a dutiful and loyal son.” added Yunho as he looked up at the beautiful man standing just a few feet away and flashed an understanding smile.

“Thank you, Mister,” answered Binnie as he bowed respectfully.

“Can me, and Seungie go play now Mama?” questioned Binnie as he looked back at his mother.

“Only if it’s ok with…umm… Seungie’s dad,” answered Jaejoong as he looked at the man and awkwardly realized that he didn’t even know his name.

“We have to go soon,” explained Yunho with a frown. “Seungie has a music lesson that he has to get to.”

Seungie let out an almost inaudible whine in disappointment.

“But…” interjected Yunho as he released his son and looked at the two boys. “I guess another ten minutes wouldn’t hurt.”

“Go on,” ordered Yunho kindly. “Go play.”

“YAY!” cheered the two boys in tandem as the immediately grabbed each other’s hands and darted back towards the playground happily.

As Jaejoong watched the two boys run across the grass to the jungle gym, Yunho reached down and picked up the discarded old book that had been so succinctly used as a weapon only moments ago and smiled.

“I’m sorry for pushing you down.” apologized Yunho sincerely as he stepped up to Jaejoong and handed him his book. “I was mad at Seungwoon and I took it out on you.”

“Mad?” questioned Jaejoong as he took the book. “What could that precious little one ever do to make you mad at him?”

“He ran away,” stated Yunho flatly as he looked across the playground at his son playing with his new friend.

“Why?” Jaejoong questioned as his eyes followed Yunho’s.

“He doesn’t like the new nanny,” answered Yunho with a sigh. “I don’t understand it. She a completely capable woman, well trained and experienced, but every time she comes over to watch him he just acts out and runs off to this playground.”

“You don’t think she could be hurting the little one, do you?” answered Jaejoong suspiciously. He had had his share of questionable nannies himself. He wouldn’t have put it past the woman to be disciplining Seungie physically, instead of verbally.

“No.” answered Yunho. “I had originally thought that myself, but I had cameras installed in the house and she’s never anything but kind to him.”

“He’s been acting out around women for a while now.” offered up Yunho cryptically with another sigh. “The psychologist says that there is some underlying fear of women for some reason but he can’t figure out why.”

“Then, why hire a female nanny? When it’s so obvious he doesn’t like them?” quipped Jaejoong logically.

“Do you know how hard it is to find a male nanny in Seoul?” questioned Yunho with a chuckle. “There’s no such thing.”

“Well, I guess you’re right about that.” chuckled Jaejoong.

After a moment of silence fell between them, Jaejoong looked up at the man and frowned a bit.

“I’m sorry I was so rude to you earlier.” apologized Jaejoong. “I shouldn’t have accused you of being an abductor without asking who you were, properly, first.”

“It’s alright…” replied Yunho as he flashed a soft smile and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “When I think about it now, I can understand why you thought what you thought. I should have at least acknowledged you before I walked away with my son.”

“My name is Yunho by the way, Jung Yunho.” he offered. “And my son’s name is Jung Seungwoon. He’s three.”

“Please to meet you, officially,” Jaejoong answered, with a slight giggle and a gentle bow. “My name is Kim Jaejoong. My son’s name is Kim Moonbin and he’s three as well.”

“They’re the same age?” questioned Yunho gently as he looked back towards the playground.

“And quite taken with each other as you can see.” agreed Jaejoong with a smile.

“So they are.” smiled Yunho.

“Binnie claims that Seungie is his brother…” chuckled Jaejoong, mostly to himself. “How cute is that?”

“It’s adorable.” agreed Yunho. “And from what I can tell, my little Seungwoon is in total agreement of that assessment.”

“Well…” said Yunho after a few more quiet moments passed and he looked down his watch. “It looks like it’s time to go.”

“Must you two leave right now?” questioned Jaejoong curiously. “They seem to be having so much fun together.”

“I’m afraid so…” answered Yunho with a sigh. “But, I wouldn’t fret too much. Our apartment is on the other side of the park, so if you live around here I’m sure they will see each other again soon.”

“Well, in that case, maybe we should set up a time for them to play together,” suggested Jaejoong as he pointed towards a set of apartment buildings behind him. “Since we live just over there.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” nodded Yunho. “If you two are available at ten tomorrow, I will have the nanny bring Seungwoon here to play as soon as she starts her shift.”

“Better yet.” offered Jaejoong with a smile. “Why don’t you just cancel the nanny tomorrow and drop him off here yourself? I have the day off tomorrow so I can watch him for you, while you work or whatever, and the boys can play together.”

“How does that sound?” questioned Jaejoong caringly.

“Are you sure?” asked Yunho as the thought of leaving Seungwoon with Jaejoong and not the nanny began to settle in. He was sure he was asking too much of himself to trust a strange man and his kid, but something about the way Jaejoong had interacted with his son earlier told him that the man would treat him well.

“Absolutely,” answered Jaejoong with a bright smile. “We’re going to be here most of the day anyway so, why not?”

“Alright then.” agreed Yunho. “If you’re really sure.”

“I am,” confirmed Jaejoong. “So, bring him to the playground around ten and I will watch him for the day. I’ll make sure he eats well and has a good time, and you can come to pick him up whenever you’re ready –either here or at my apartment.”

“Ok then.” agreed Yunho. “What’s your apartment number?”

“1225,” answered Jaejoong.

“Sounds like a plan then.” nodded Yunho as he glanced down at his watch.

“Man, we really need to go.” sighed Yunho. “I’ll see you tomorrow Jaejoong.”

“Ok,” answered Jaejoong as he watched Yunho slowly walk away towards the playground. “Have a good night.