Jaejoong’s hands were shaking so bad that he had a hard time dialing Yunho’s number on his celphone. It was bad enough that he could barely breathe but he just couldn’t get the image of a confused Yoochun trying to comfort a crying Junsu being taken away by those people from the National Child Protective Services away.

“Hyungie did we do something wrong? Why do we have to leave? Please don’t make me leave hyungie, Minnie’s coming home soon right? Didn’t you say we were going to have a party for Minnie? I can’t leave now hyungie. Please don’t make me go with those people.” Junsu said his lower lip trembling as fat tears began to roll down his cheeks.

Jaejoong looked down at his brother who clung to his leg looking up at him like a lost little puppy. Kneeling on the floor in front of his younger brother Jae wiped away his tears and brushed the hair away from his eyes and said, “We’ll have the party some other time okay baby? These nice people just need you to go with them for a little while okay? Don’t worry baby, it’ll be okay. I promise.” Jaejoong said folding his younger brother into a hug as he tried keeping his voice neutral so as not to scare his little brother even if ever fiber of his being wanted to run away with Junsu and Yoochun as fast as his legs could carry them out the door.

Facing Yoochun he also gave the younger boy a hug and whispered to his ear, “Take care of Junsu okay Chunnie? We’ll come get you as soon as we can okay?” He said then looked into the young boy’s eyes willing him strength even if all he could see in Chunnie’s eyes was fear.

Junsu kept crying as they were being led towards the car while Jaejoong had to hold on the railing as he watched helplessly while his brothers were being taken away. Only after the car turned the corner that he ran back into the apartment and dialed Yunho’s celphone number.

Finally on the third ring, Yunho picked up the call. “Jae?” He answered sounding out of breathe.

"Y-Yunho, she… they… took J-Junsu… and Chunnie… t-they took them Yunho… they just took them a-away.” Jae stuttered his teeth almost chattering from overwhelming emotion.

“!” Yunho cursed as he ran outside trying to find a cab so he could head back to Jae the soonest. “I’m on my way home now. I can’t believe they took Yoochun and Junsu too.” He said as he climbed on the back of a cab.

Jae felt like the room was spinning around him as his knees gave way and he crumbled to the floor. “T-They took Changmin?” He whispered.

Yunho hesitated. Mentally smacking himself for being so clueless Yunho tried to do damage control. “Jae, the doctor, he felt that it would be for Changmin’s best interest to be with the National Child Protective Services right now. They wouldn’t let me take him home.”

Suddenly Jae felt like he couldn’t breathe. Clutching at his throat he began to hyperventilate as he gagged on air that wouldn’t reach his lungs.

Yunho closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Telling the cab driver his address and to step on it Yunho lowered his voice and calmly told Jae, “Jae please listen to me. I need you to listen to my voice. I need you to breathe right now. Don’t rush it baby. Just take your time. Come on honey, small sips of air okay.” Yunho said trying to keep the panic out of his voice as he tried to calm Jaejoong down. “Come on baby, please. I need you to be strong right now.” Yunho said to Jae desperate for the other man to breathe.

The tears that have been threatening to spill finally flowed down Jae’s cheeks. Letting out a small sob something which sounded exactly like what Changmin would do Yunho had to  push back the sob in his own throat as it was all he could do not to burst out crying himself.

“What are we going to do Yunho? They just took them.” Jae whispered his world still spinning.

Grateful for the lack of traffic on the road the cab arrived at their apartment in record time. Yunho leapt out of the cab only to run back and pay the driver who shouted at him for not paying. Running up the stairs two at a time, Yunho almost broke down the door by opening it only to find Jaejoong on the floor with the celphone still on his ear.

Jae looked up at Yunho from the floor with his tear-streaked face his arm dropping to his side, the celphone falling to the floor forgotten. “What are we going to do Yunho?” Jae asked brokenly.

Yunho sat on the floor in front of Jae straddling the other man so that he could rest his forehead on the other. “We’ll think of something. I promise.” Yunho said praying to the heavens that he someone up there was listening.

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Park Jung-su more popularly known to his colleagues as Leeteuk tapped his chin thoughtfully as he looked at the two young men sitting at the waiting room of the law firm he’s been working in. In his 15 years of practice he’s pretty much seen it all except for those rare cases that was going to be as big of a headache as this case was going to cause him.

Silently cursing himself for answering his aunt’s call that morning, he sighed as she basically twisted his arm into accepting this case by subtlety reminding him of who financed his law school education. He knew she had him when she started talking about anonymous donors and kind hearts that shall remain nameless. Mrs. Park was one of those old women who looked venerable but was rather devious when it got right down to it. These boys were apparently her next door neighbors at that apartment complex that she and her husband have been living in for the past 50 years. After his uncle died, he told her to move in with him but she refused saying that she had plenty of company at the apartment complex. Apparently she’s been taking care of the younger brothers of those two waiting for him outside of his office. Shaking his head as he headed back to his desk, he called his secretary on the intercom and told him to usher the two young men waiting to meet with him.

Keeping his face stoical, Leeteuk observed the two young men who entered his office. Standing up to welcome his new clients Leeteuk watched them curiously as they greeted him and bowed politely before he told them to take a seat. He watched as the taller ushered the shorter into one of the plush chairs in front of his desk before taking a seat himself. Switching on the intercom, he told his secretary to hold all his calls as he was going to be in a meeting.

Settling down on his chair and arranging the sheets of paper on his desk, Leeteuk cleared his throat before looking up at the two young men who were looking at him anxiously.

“So, you’re the boys my aunt has been talking about.” Leeteuk said by way of opening the conversation.

“Ah yes, Park byeonhosa-nim*.” Yunho answered bowing his head slightly.

“Thank you so much for seeing us in such short notice sir. We sincerely appreciate you meeting with us today. Your aunt has told us wonderful things about you sir. We really appreciate you helping us out.” Jaejoong rambled as he repeatedly bowed to the man who was obviously appraising them silently. Jae let out a deep breath when Yunho reached over and gently patted his arm. He knew he was laying it on a little thick but he felt like they had to make a good impression if they wanted a chance to get their brothers back. Apparently Mrs. Park’s nephew was a really good lawyer.

Leeteuk smiled. “Ah, yes, well, my aunt is a very convincing woman. There would’ve been hell to pay if I ignored her call this morning” replied kindly.

Jaejoong relaxed a little bit when he remembered what happened that morning. When Yunho arrived from the hospital without Changmin it took all of Jae not to bawl his eyes out as they sat on the floor holding each other for strength. He knew that they needed to think of what best to do knowing that the little ones must be scared not knowing what was going to happen to them. Unfortunately, they were both at a loss and didn’t really have anyone to run to.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Yunho motioned for Jae to remain seated as he got up to open the door. There stood Mrs. Park with a bowl of freshly made ddeokbokki* a dish that Changmin has surprisingly been loving as of late. Even Jae was surprised at how the boy has taken loving spicy foods like he does. She apparently wanted to welcome the little one back from the hospital only to learn of what happened to the three younger ones.

Looking back Jae could only thank the heavens when suddenly Mrs. Park sprang into action. The typically subdued old woman suddenly transformed into this spritely old soul pushing her way into the apartment and demanding to be showed where the kitchen was. After putting the food away and putting on a pot to make some tea, she sat down across the little dining table and required an explanation.

Jaejoong hesitated to talk, afraid that Mrs. Park would judge him and Yunho just like the others. But the old woman’s eyes seemed to say otherwise. Cautiously, Jaejoong started to open up about his and Yunho’s relationship as of late, even telling her about what has happened at Yoochun’s school and most recently at the hospital. Mrs. Park shook her head silently as she listened to Jae occasionally patting the back of his hand as he recounted the fact that he felt like he was the one to blame if only he didn’t mistake Changmin’s ear infection for a toothache.

But then Yunho could hold back no longer especially when he heard Jae say that it was his fault that things got this way. Dropping his chin to his chest he started blaming himself for being too obvious about his feelings for Jae and even said that if it wasn’t for him, the boys would be at home right at this very moment celebrating Changmin’s return. Jae shushed and tutted Yunho as he reached over and squeezed his shoulder. But Yunho couldn’t even look at Jae when he apologized for the fact that Junsu got involved just because those stupid people at the hospital didn’t understand how much Jae has done for him and his brothers.

Mrs. Park kept silent all throughout both of their explanations. When the pot whistled she calmly stood up and poured them each a cup of tea. Pulling out her celphone from her pocket, she dialed a number and excused herself by heading back into the kitchen. Jae took the opportunity to talk to Yunho.

Turning to the younger man, Jae took Yunho’s hands in between his and said, “Look at me Yunho. Please.”

Yunho looked so downcast that Jae’s heart felt like it would burst. Cupping Yunho’s cheek with his palm, he tilted Yunho’s face up so he could look at his eyes. “I need you to listen to me now. I want you to know that I don’t believe that any of this is your fault. I know that you think that it’s because of how you feel about me that all of this has happened but I want you to know that if I had the courage to love you first, if I had the courage to tell you how I truly felt, if I had the courage to show to the world how much I love you then I’d be the cause for what has happened to the boys.”

“No Jae. Please don’t say that. If you told me you loved me first then it could have only brought me joy. When you finally let me love you it made me the happiest I’ve been in my life. Please don’t ever associate that with something that’s bad.” Yunho said as unexpected tears started flowing down his cheeks.

“I know baby. That’s what I’m trying to say. If you say that it’s your fault that our brothers are gone because of how you feel for me then it’s like you’re saying that your love for me is wrong. I don’t believe it is Yunho. I refuse to believe that.” Jae explained patiently as he wiped at Yunho’s tears with his thumbs. “You have made me the happiest these past few days even if we’ve had such few moments together. Please don’t apologize for it because it’ll only break my heart.”

Yunho looked at Jae with such love in his eyes. Gently pulling at Jaejoong’s nape to rest his forehead against the other, he whispered, “But I’m still sorry about Junsu. He should never have gotten involved. I’m so sorry that this has happened Jae. I wish I could fix it even if it meant never being able to tell you how I feel about you. I feel so selfish.” Yunho said his voice filled with so much regret.

“Please don’t say that Yunnie. You have no idea how much I love you. I love you so much that it scares me but I’m finally willing to face it. You gave me that courage Yunho. I finally allowed myself a chance to be happy and I’m glad I did. I know that right now it looks bad but we’ll get the kids back. I don’t know how but it’ll happen I promise.” Jae answered hugging Yunho tight.

Yunho pulled away when Mrs. Park suddenly cleared as she stood there looking at the two of them. Feeling a bit embarrassed Yunho began to apologize only to be cut short by Mrs. Park who said that they needed to get down to the address that she was about to give them. Her nephew she said is a lawyer in one of the biggest law firms downtown. She said that he should be able to help them out.

Jaejoong stood up quickly and bowed gratefully in front of Mrs. Park. “I don’t know how to thank you for your help Mrs. Park. Yunho and I, we don’t have that much money, but somehow I promise you, I will pay you one way or another.” Jae gushed as he took the old woman’s hands in his.

Now it was Mrs. Park’s turn to shush and tut him by saying, “You just get those brothers of yours back. I miss having the little ones around.” She said as she bid them goodbye and scurried out the door.

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*Byeonhosa-nim = Attorney

*Ddeokbokki = Spicy korean rice cakes

Finally an update!!! Oh my goodness that first part was the hardest chapter I've ever had to write. The next chap isn't going to be very pretty either and I debated if I should hold off posting until I've written both at the same time but this chap was quite a b!tch to write (sorry for the language). Anyway, I'm hopefully going to be able to post regularly until the end of the story which is quite soon. I think there are now about four or five chapters to go? So comments will be truly appreciated!