Moonbin’s surprise

Jaejoong moaned in satisfaction as she swallowed the last bit of the chocolate-chip cookies and caramel ice-cream. She patted her 6 month old baby bump and stood up trying not to make too much noise. Well it was 2 am and everyone was sleeping soundly, except herself who woke up to sate her nightly cravings for sweets and maybe even Changmin who was on night duty at the hospital.

She tiptoed to the kid’s nursery where her 2 year old nephew and her son, who turns 4 today, were sleeping, her hand held the empty cookie carton. The whole household was busy in preparing for the birthday celebrations and were catching some much needed rest. It was safe to say they were out cold for the night. Even Yunho, who always woke up when Jaejoong even stirred a bit, was in deep slumber.

Jaejoong looked around to make sure no one saw her. Well Changmin is the only one who could catch her in the act but he won’t be home for another half hour. So she has 30 minutes left. As if understanding what Jaejoong was up to, the baby started to kick incessantly. Jaejoong patted her stomach as she tried to calm her child.

“hey! You’re the one who wants to eat. Now I have to get rid of the evidence before your uncle finds out we ate his cookies.” The baby kicked again in protest, “don’t deny it. We’re in this together whether you like it or not. Now I just have to plant this carton in the kid’s room and Changmin will think they ate it. Genius right!” the baby still kicked, slowly this time, as if sending a message in Morse code, “what do you want me to do? Plant this on your daddy? Maybe I should do that. At least your brothers won’t have to deal with the food monster.” She was about turn around and go to her bedroom when a shrill voice echoed from within the nursery.

Jaejoong, in a fit of panic and worry, rushed inside. She looked around in the dark to find the source of the muffled cries. Moonbin was sleeping soundly in his Winnie the Pooh bed. She turned around to the other side of the room where a blue crib, originally Moonbin’s, was rattling because of something kicking against the bars.

Jaejoong leaned over the crib to find a tiny being curled under the green blanket, only the tiny feet and the hand holding onto the tiger plushy were visible under the dim night light. Jaejoong tried to pry the blanket out of the child’s hold but the child started kicking again in panic.

“Lulu it’s me, aunty Joongie!” Jaejoong consoled.

The tiny head that peaked from under the blanket was so adorable if it wasn’t for those tear streaked eyes. When he found the familiar face, the 2 year old automatically raised his arms to be carried. Jaejoong picked him and held him close as the toddler’s sobs died down at the comfort Jaejoong provided. He fit nicely over her baby bump and the unborn baby too kicked to show that it cared for Luhan.

“what happened Lulu? Had a bad dream?”

The toddler nodded against her shoulder. “Mama not there. Binnie nit there. Lulu alone.” Luhan whimpered. Jaejoong’s heart broke at the small voice.

To Luhan, his mother and his cousin were the most precious things. Hyori even called Luhan and Moonbin a mini version of Changmin and Yunho, because the 2 year old followed his cousin everywhere and displayed such loyalty to him and even Moonbin was protective about his little cousin to the point of not letting their own grandmother carry him because she always pulled Luhan’s cheeks.

“Lulu baby, you're not alone. Mama and Binnie are right here. See…” she turned the little face to the bed where Moonbin was letting out tiny snores, “everyone is so tired because it is Binnie’s birthday. So they are all sleeping. Lulu needs to sleep too. Come on!” she lowered herself to the crib to put the baby in it, but Luhan clutched on to her neck crying a litany of no’s. Jaejoong was helpless she didn’t know what to do to appease him without waking up anybody. Giving him to Kibum was no option. The poor girl performed three surgeries today and squeezed time in between them to come home and help decorate the ginormous mansion and feed her son. She was sleeping like a log and deserved the respite after all she did for Moonbin while Jaejoong is pregnant.

An idea struck her, there is something that could distract the distraught toddler and it was in the back yard. She carried Luhan with her through the dimly lit hallways. She was glad that Yunho added the soft night lighting during Kibum and Jaejoong’s pregnancies. That way the girls didn’t have any accidents in the dark while sating their night cravings. Tonight the mild illumination soothed the toddler of his nightmares. They walked through the door of the kitchen and through Hyori’s small vegetable garden. When Luhan registered they were walking to the back garden, a place the kids had been banned to enter for the past one month, he looked at