By the time Jaejoong and the two younger boys got home, Junsu was all tuckered out. Jae carried him up the flight of stairs that lead to their apartment and asked Yoochun to immediately prepare the futon so he could lay the younger one to bed.

Afterwards, Jae prepared rice in the kitchen so he could bring Yunho food while watching over Changmin. Yoochun on the other hand got Changmin’s stuff ready under the instructions of Jae. Silently they worked together as they prayed for the youngest.

When Jae had everything ready he went down to Mrs. Park’s residence and asked for her to keep watch over the two as he heads back to the hospital for a little while. The old woman obliged and Jae couldn’t have been more grateful. She even packed them a bowl of kimchi and some soup she had made earlier that afternoon. So armed with the food, Changmin’s stuff and Yunho’s change of clothing, Jae headed back to Yunho.

Unfortunately, once he got there, he was informed that visiting hours were already over. Jae begged the nurses to allow him to just give Yunho the stuff he brought. He wouldn’t stay over, he promised. The nurse informed Jae that they were acting under the doctor’s strict instructions that only family members were allowed to stay with Changmin and that they had to ask for the doctor’s permission if he insisted in seeing Yunho. Deciding that it would be too much trouble Jae then asked the nurse if they could just give Yunho what he brought. The nurse agreed and sent him on his way.

On the way back, Jae couldn’t help but pass by the park where he spoke with Yoochun earlier that morning. It was hard not to feel dejected after what was obviously a form of discrimination he was experiencing with the hospital staff just because he didn’t have the same blood as Changmin. Finding the bench where he sat with Yoochun, Jae sat there for a moment looking up at the stars as tears began to trickle down his cheeks.

Ever since Changmin was a little baby he was the one who always took care of the maknae. Tonight would be the first night in a long time that he wouldn’t be the one sleeping next to Changmin. He couldn’t help but blame himself for misreading what he thought was just a tooth growing in for a damn ear infection. It was in times like this that he missed his mother for she could always tell when he or Junsu were sick.

Sitting up straight, Jae sniffed and wiped away at the tears on his cheeks. It would be of no use to sit there and cry since it wouldn’t help Changmin. Even if he missed him and wished that he could be the one holding the tot’s hand while he slept, Jae knew that Yunho was there making sure that the baby wouldn’t be alone.

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Yoochun sighed deeply as he looked up at the moon from the window in their apartment. He decided to stay up and wait for Jaejoong’s return. In the meantime he had Jaejoong’s music box for company.

He wasn’t exactly sure what to feel at the moment. It felt like too much has happened too soon. He knew deep in his heart that his Jae hyung loved him and that his Yunho hyung wasn’t trying to hurt him but why was he hurting so much?

Suddenly Yoochun heard the doorknob click as Jaejoong quietly stepped into the apartment making as little noise as possible. But then he realized that Yoochun was still up when he heard the last strains of the music box’s tune.

Jaejoong didn’t say anything but instead sat on the floor and leaned his back against the wall then sighed deeply. Yoochun quietly stood up and went to the kitchen and fetched Jae a glass of water walking ever so slowly back to his hyung to make sure he didn’t spill.

Jae reached out and gratefully drank the water. After he finished, Jae took a good long look at Yoochun then patted the space next to him silently asking Yoochun to sit beside him.

Yoochun seemed to hesitate not really sure whether it was a good idea to sit so close to his hyung. But he was feeling too tired to care. Sitting beside Jae, Yoochun leaned his head against his hyung’s shoulder as he listened to Jaejoong breathe.

“Hyungie?” Yoochun asked in a low voice.

“Hmm?” Jae answered.

“Is Changmin going to be alright?” Yoochun asked tilting his head so he could look at his hyung.

Jae looked at Yoochun and said, “I hope so Chunnie.”

Yoochun just nodded and didn’t say anything for a moment. Jae thought that he might have fallen asleep when suddenly Yoochun asked, “Are we going to be alright?”

Jae didn’t respond not really sure of what to say. “I wish I knew Chun.” He answered truthfully.

“I saw how that doctor looked at you and Yunho hyung tonight.” Yoochun said softly.

“I… He…” Jae stammered.

“He’s wrong hyung. No matter what, you and Junsu, you’re our family.” Yoochun said passionately without looking at Jae.

And with that Jae threw his arms around Yoochun and hugged him with all his heart. “I’m so sorry Chunnie. I’m so sorry for hurting you.” Jaejoong said hot tears flowing down his cheeks.

“I know hyungie.” Chunnie said patting his hyung’s back. “I know I’m young but I can see you love Yunho hyung. I’m sorry making you feel bad.”

Jaejoong couldn’t help but laugh. Here he was 21 years of age being comforted by an 8-year old. “You’re a man-child Chunnie. How come you’re so smart?” He said as he wiped away his tears and looked at his dongsaeng with love in his eyes.

Yoochun smiled, “I got it from my mom.” He said without blinking.

“I’ll bet you did. She must’ve been someone really special.” Jaejoong said cupping Yoochun’s cheek and brushing away the hair from his forehead.

Yoochun’s face fell for a moment then tears formed in his eyes.

“What’s the matter Chun?” Jae asked.

“I’m afraid I’m starting to forget her hyung.” Yoochun replied as he looked up at Jae.

Jae couldn’t help but hug Yoochun again. “That’ll never happen Chun. You can never forget her.”

“How can you be so sure hyung?” Yoochun asked as he wiped the back of his back under his nose.

Jae looked up and saw the music box. Standing to grab it he returned to Yoochun and opened it so that it started playing. “See this music box? My mother gave it to me. She used to play it when she was pregnant with Junsu. Before she died she called me and asked me to hum the song. I did, easily without fail. I asked her why she did that. She said that whenever I’m sad, I should hum this song. For every time I do, I should remember how much she loves me. I don’t know how songs work Chunnie but this song maybe because it means so much, I can never forget it. It’s like marked in my heart so that every time I do sing it or hear it, I am reminded of her love. I think that’s how love works too. Ever tried scanning the radio and hearing the first couple of notes in a song but you know what song it is already? I think love’s like that. You don’t have to hear the whole song to remember.”

Yoochun just looked at Jae then nodded, “So you’re saying that I don’t have to have all the memories of my mom to remember her love?”

“I think so.” Jae said smiling at how smart Yoochun was.

Yoochun didn’t say anything but instead laid on his tummy as he continued to listen to the music box.

“What are you doing now Chunnie?” Jaejoong asked.

Without looking at Jaejoong, Yoochun answered, “Making sure I will never forget you hyung.”

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Early the next day Jaejoong brought Junsu and Yoochun to visit Changmin. He also told Yunho to go to training so he wouldn’t have to absent. Yunho gratefully accepted even though he didn’t have much sleep as Changmin kept whimpering for Jae the entire night.

Jaejoong couldn’t help but smile as the Changmin’s eyes lit up when he saw him. Gathering the little boy in his arms, Jae began to rock him back and forth as he buried his nose in Changmin’s hair missing the little boy’s smell.

For a while Jae just stayed there cuddling and fussing over the little boy. Changmin looked at the nurses who came in to administer his medications with a smug look on his face as though daring them to poke him again now that his eomma was here.

After a while Junsu got bored just sitting and watching them so he stood up and asked Jae if he could teach Changmin stuff. Looking at the clock Jae realized that he needed to check on Changmin’s next medicines so he left Yoochun in charge.

When he returned Jae he couldn’t help but smile as Changmin looked at Junsu with disinterest even though the little one kept trying to teach him their names. “Minnie, Junsu.” Junsu would say as he poked Changmin first and then himself. But then Changmin just looked at Junsu with a bit of a frown then decided that on his thumb was a better way to occupy his time. Junsu couldn’t help but feel down as he sat on the floor and scratched his head in frustration.

Jae walked over to Junsu and kneeled in front of his brother then said, “What’s up love?”

“It’s Minnie, hyung.” Junsu said as he looked up at his older brother’s face as the afternoon shift nurse came into the room to give Changmin his afternoon meds.

“What’s wrong with Minnie?” Jaejoong asked as he made way for the nurse to go around.

“He doesn’t know how to say anything except eomma.” Junsu said again with a frown.

Jaejoong blinked. Was that true? Could Changmin really only say eomma? The boy was almost two years old already, surely he could say more than that. Couldn’t he?

Jae stood up just as he saw the nurse turn away from them and leave. Ignoring the warning bells that rang in his mind, Jae turned to the little one and said, “Minnie, who is he?” Jae asked the tot as he pointed at Junsu.

Changmin turned to see Jae and smiled then said, “Ma!” as he threw his arms up waiting to be carried.

Jae shook his head and asked again this time holding onto Junsu then asking Changmin again, “This isn’t ma Minnnie. Who is this?” Jae asked Changmin again.

“M-Ma?” Changmin replied blinking repeatedly as he looked at Junsu then Jaejoong.

Jae didn’t like the feeling of dread that started to wash over him. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t seem to have noticed that Changmin apparently say anything else except his name. Now that he thought about it, he never called out to Yunho or to the other boys just to him. But then Jae remembered that even at an earlier age, Junsu could already call out his name as well as Ma and Pa to their parents. Was there something he missed?

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That night, Jae brought the two younger kids home again when Yunho arrived at the hospital. Doing the same thing the night before, Jae prepared food for Yunho to eat the next day as he took care of the tot that night. Passing by Mrs. Park’s apartment again, Jae decided to ask the older woman what she thought of Changmin.

Listening to Jaejoong’s description, the old woman said, “Have you not been teaching him things at all? Surely you must have.” Mrs. Park said.

Jaejoong hesitated. Truth was whenever he was with Changmin he didn’t really teach him per se but instead would just talk to the tot as he would Junsu or Yoochun. When he told the old woman this, she began to tut and say, “You should teach babies to talk. They won’t learn on their own.”

Jaejoong’s face fell when she heard her answer. “I didn’t even know.” He replied thinking how much time Changmin has lost on not learning anything.

The old woman smiled warmly at Jaejoong saying, “Don’t worry Jae. Kids are smart. They’re like sponges. They learn very fast. Start teaching him tomorrow. The next thing you know Changmin would be talking so much you’d rather he shuts up.” The old woman chortled and sent him on his way.

Resolving to do so once Changmin was back home, Jae made his way to the hospital and asked the night nurse to pass on the food to Yunho.

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The next day, Yunho texted that the doctor said that Changmin was well enough to be sent home. Happy to read the news, Jaejoong told the two younger boys and engaged their services to clean up the house as best they could for Changmin’s return.

Jae even cooked all of Changmin’s favorite foods to welcome home the little tot. Taking a look at the clock, Jae rushed to put the finishing touches on the table in time for Yunho and Changmin’s arrival for lunch when suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Jae smiled thinking that they must’ve been released a bit earlier than expected seeing as how there was still thirty minutes before lunch. Yelling for the two boys to get ready for lunch, Jae opened the door with a flourish only to stop when a man and a woman dressed in business suits stood outside the door.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you looking for someone?” Jae asked.

“Are you Kim Jaejoong?” The woman asked in strict clipped tones.

Jae nodded and said, “That would be me. May I ask who you are?

“My name is Choi Haerin and this is my colleague Lee Min Kook. We work for the National Child Protective Services. We’re here to take minors Junsu and Yoochun.”

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*Hides from outraged readers... silent or otherwise* I apologize for the cliffhanger folks. Things are not going to be pretty these next two chaps so I beg for your patience. When I first thought of this story I knew that these were going to be the worst chapters to write and I hope they're not as y as how I feel right now. I miss writing Yoosu. Unfortunately I started focusing too much on JaeMin but the next chaps are going to be more YunJae. Hold on guys two more chaps and then it gets better, I promise. Comments please...