Someday

“hey boo, don’t you think you should sleep? It’s late.” It’s past midnight and Yunho couldn’t sleep even though he was exhausted. It was eating him that Jaejoong is pulling late nights to complete her studies. Jaejoong along with Changmin have their hands full since the start of the year because the two have impressed their faculty by their immense potential earning them a spot each on research trials with experienced doctors. It’s quite an honour for med students and the two weren’t about to let this opportunity pass, but Yunho was getting worried about them because they have practically given up food, water and rest in the bid.

“5 more minutes.” She said turning hallway from her study desk to face Yunho.

“you said that when I called you for dinner.”

“oh right, dinner…..” Jaejoong had this look of epiphany and realized the lack of food when her stomach growled.

“see, your stomach is telling you the same thing.” Yunho got up from the bed, “let’s get some food inside you and then you're going to bed even if I have to chain you to it.”

“is that some new kink you have there Yunnie?” she teased.

“I forgot how to laugh…haha…see.” He said drily.

“what’s for dinner?”

“pita bread and humus and some chicken.”

“that’s cool.” She was honestly amazed that such exotic food was made by Yunho and Kibum. Kibum isn’t exactly inept in the kitchen but she gets by, Yunho on the other hand….is very skilled in boiling water.

“don’t be amazed, Kibum ordered out after I burnt the eggs.”

“you were going to have eggs for dinner?” she had an eyebrow raised mockingly.

“hey, eggs are completely nutritious and healthy and….over…...I used them all in one go. Remind me to pick up some tomorrow and a new pan too.”

“what happened to my pan?” she now had a dark look, and Yunho shuddered. It was to be expected considering how much the lady loved her kitchen.

“I couldn’t scrape off the burnt bits so I got frustrated and threw it.” he said it in such a small voice, you would think he was a puppy mewling for its mama.

Jaejoong sighed, she’s too tired and hungry to scold him, “forget it, but you’re getting me the expensive one.”

“deal.” He said readily, he thought he was treading on eggshells when he threw the vessel.

“and a new food processor.”

“double deal.”

“what about Minnie?”

“he’s the same as you. I can’t believe there would be a day Jung Changmin would skip food.” He said dramatically. They were laughing and giggling in jokes until a loud crash resounded through the quiet apartment.

Yunho and Jaejoong were startled but kept their senses about them to find out the source of the crash which came from Changmin and Kibum’s shared bedroom.

“Min!” Yunho barged through the wooden door but was met by a sleeping Changmin slumped over the desk and buried under a pile of papers. The bed or room for that matter was void of Kibum.

“Jae, look in the bathroom. I’ll check on Min.” Jaejoong nodded her head and walked to the bathroom, the door of which was slightly ajar. “Min, wake up.” Yunho shook the sleeping teen lightly.

The somnolent teen woke up groggily, “hyung, what’s wrong?” he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

“didn’t you hear that sound just now?”

“sound? No, I guess I dozed off.”

“that show how exhausted you are.” He said as he pat his head.

“Yunho! Changmin!” Jaejoong yelled from the bathroom. The two boys were quick on their feet and rushed to her aid. When they opened the door, they were greeted by a mess of bathroom products on the floor.  A little further in, they found the source of the sound, the hand showerhead had fallen from its holder breaking the glass cubicle in the process. It was a small broken fragment but enough to make a sound. Behind the partially closed glass door, they could make out the silhouette of two people.

“Jae!” “noona!”

Jaejoong looked up, her eyes filled with tears. She was cradling an unconscious Kibum and there was blood near their feet.

“noona, did Bummie get hurt?” Changmin asked as he and Yunho lifted Kibum and carried her to the bed.

Jaejoong shook her head, more tears flowing.

“boo, what’s wrong?” Yunho gathered her in a hug and rubbed soothing circles on her back. Jaejoong’s attention was on Changmin. You could tell that she was debating whether to tell him or not.

“noona, say it.” Changmin urged, though he was beginning to dread it himself.

“Changmin, she…Kibum had a…miscarriage.” Jaejoong said between hiccups.

Changmin sat on the bench looking blank than when he had received the news. Jaejoong too had a lost look as her head rested on Yunho’s shoulder. Yunho was the only one who had a hold over himself. His one arm was around Jaejoong in a sorry hope of comforting her, and his other hand was placed over Changmin’s, serving as his only anchor from falling deep into sorrow.

Yunho tugged the both of them when the doctor approached.

“family of Kibum Kim?” the brunette female doctor asked. Yunho nodded. “well, like the young lady said, the patient has suffered a miscarriage.” The repetition of the same words once again brought tears in Changmin’s eyes and this time he was being cradled by Jaejoong.

“how….I’m sorry.” Yunho corrected himself from speaking Korean, “how long was the pregnancy?” he asked.

“about two weeks.” the doctor supplied, “can I ask does she have any medical history?”

Yunho wasn’t aware of it, so he urged Jaejoong to answer.

“her family has a history of ovarian cancer. Her grandmother died of it. Her mother and aunt are survivors. Kibum was checked but she didn’t show any symptoms.” Jaejoong answered in Korean, too distraught to do it in English. Yunho helpfully translated for the doctor.

The doctor absorbed the information, understanding sawing on her face, “there’s no malignancy but she does have a weak womb. Added to it is her young age. Sooner or later she would have a miscarriage.”

“she didn’t show any signs of pregnancy.”  Jaejoong said this time.

“I don’t think she was even aware of it herself.” The doctor said, “like I said, the foetus is only about two weeks old. The signs didn’t show yet. When she was conscious for a brief moment I asked her if she knew why she was here. All she remembered was feeling nauseous and going for a shower to get rid of the feeling and she out.”  A nurse cam and whispered something to the doctor who nodded and turned her attention back to the trio. “she’s awake and she’s asking for you all. You can meet her, but might I suggest to not telling her about the miscarriage at least for time being, she’s too young and she might not take it too well.”

Yunho agreed with her and thanked her when she took her leave. The three of them silently walked to the private room where Kibum was. Before they could step in Yunho halted Changmin with a tight grip on his arm. The two med students were shocked by Yunho’s sudden action.

“Jaejoong, go inside. Changmin and I will follow later.” Under any other circumstances Jaejoong would have demanded reason, but the stern order had her complying and she went in the room and closed the door softly, giving the two brothers privacy.

Changmin looked at Yunho strongly, “if you think I’m going to tell her, then you have nothing to worry about.”

“I’m not worried about that, trust me.” Yunho matched Changmin’s heated gaze with his own. “Min, I know I’m not the one who should be talking about abstinence, but you do know you are at fault here.”

Changmin pulled his arm harshly from his brother’s hold, “you don’t have to tell me. I know I should have used protection. Otherwise kbum wouldn’t get pregnant, then have a miscarriage and my child would be alive! It was a misstep on my part and I’m suffering for it already. I don’t need you to rub it my face.” With each word, fat tears flowed from his eyes, his sorrow replaced with anger at himself.

Yunho sighed, he didn’t want to get confrontational, he just wanted Changmin to be clear about the future course of things. “listen Changmin, like the doctor said we’re going to spare Kibum the trauma and so we’re not going to tell anyone else about tonight. This will only stay between you, me and Jaejoong. We don’t talk about this to mom or dad, or the others, we don’t talk about this period.” Changmin gave a small nod, completely exhausted by now. “should we go in?” Yunho asked and Changmin nodded again but both didn’t make any move to enter the room.

The unanswered question still lingered.

“Min…um…” Yunho fumbled for the right words, “when the doctor said about her womb….she…does she….”

“means there’s a slim chance she gets pregnant again.” Changmin deadpanned, “even if she does get pregnant, she could die or the baby could die or both.” Never before did Changmin hate having this immense medical knowledge. Like they say ‘ignorance is bliss’.

He felt Yunho squeeze his shoulder, “Min, I know you love Kibum as much I love Jaejoong. This…..issue doesn’t have to be the end of you both. Take this as a sign; maybe you’re not ready to go the family way yet. I admit you skipped a couple of years and you're hallway through college but you're still 19. Kibum’s 18, she just started college. God forbid, if Jae and I were in Kibum and your place, I wouldn’t be able to live down the loss of my child, but it’s too soon to even think about having a child and the two of you are younger. If the child lived then I assure you I would support you but think of this as fate’s way of telling you that it’s too soon to be a father.”

Changmin could get that. He wasn’t thinking of becoming a father at 19 but he was allowed to mourn over the loss of his child, wasn’t he?

“hyung, what would you do if noona could not give you a child?” he asked, maybe following by example would be easier he thought.

Yunho took a shaky breath, “you know, since the first day we began dating, Jaejoong and I always talked about kids, from their names, to how many and what age our daughter should marry. She says 25 but I’m not going to let it happen till my baby girl is 40 or till I’m dead.” They chuckled a bit, the joke seemed to lighten the mood a bit. “but we also dreamed to go other things. She wants to research cure for sickle-cell anaemia, I want to expand our company beyond Asia. She wants to get married in a quiet manner, I want a big celebration. She wants to have 2 kids, I want 25….”

“do you want to kill her?” Changmin a