Yunho opened his eyes as he stretched languidly on the futon awakened by the familiar sounds of Jae puttering in the kitchen as he prepared breakfast. Smiling at himself, he sat up slowly as he looked at Yoochun who was sleeping soundly beside him tangled in a mess of arms and legs with Junsu. Changmin was already awake and was on his high chair playing with pieces of cereal that Jae left for him.

Standing up and walking towards the kitchen, his feet padding silently on the floor, he gazed at Jaejoong who was preparing their morning meal with the efficiency of one who has made many-a-morning meals for their little family. Leaning against the doorway, he winked at little Changmin who gave him a toothy grin before returning to his neglected cereal.

Returning his attention to Jae, Yunho watched in rapt fascination as Jae took some vegetables and cut them precisely then arranging them in a colorful fashion on a plate. A trail of sweat trickled down Jaejoong’s neck and disappeared into the back of his shirt. Yunho couldn’t help but gulp at the sight. Walking silently behind the shorter man, Yunho stopped right behind him and closed his eyes as he took a whiff of Jaejoong’s hair. It smelled like strawberries.

“Omo!” Jaejoong suddenly turned around in surprise to see Yunho standing so close to him. “You… you scared me!” Jaejoong said quickly dropping his knife on the kitchen counter. “You should never do that to a person holding a knife Yunho!” Jae said admonishing a contrite looking Yunho.

“I’m sorry for scaring you.” Yunho said seemingly rooted to the spot. He couldn’t help but stare at Jaejoong’s eyes before his gaze traveled to the shorter man’s lips.

Realizing how close they were to each other, Jaejoong swallowed a gulp took a side-step to avoid Yunho’s gaze. “Are the kids awake already?” He asked.

Yunho grabbed his arm before he could get away. “Why are you always doing that?” he asked.

“D-Doing what?” Jae asked feeling uneasy about how close he was to Yunho and it was doing to his stomach.

“Why are you always running away from me like that?” Yunho asked again his head tilted to one side as he gazed at Jaejoong’s eyes.

“I… I am not.” Jae said indignantly as he tried to free himself from Yunho’s grasp.

“Really Jae? You don’t try to avoid me when I get too close to you like this?” Yunho asked him again.

“What are you saying Yunho?” Jaejoong replied finally twisting free of Yunho as he stepped away from the kitchen counter taking a deep breath as he took Changmin out of the high chair and putting some space between them.

Yunho turned to face him again and took Changmin out of his hands and putting the baby back in the high chair. “I want to know why you’ve been avoiding me these past few days.” He asked referring to Jaejoong’s reactions whenever he and Yunho would be alone by themselves or whenever Yunho ever got close to him ever since that fateful night when he first felt his heartbeat slam against his chest when he thought that Yunho was going to kiss him.

“I… I haven’t been avoiding you Yunho.” Jae said defensively as he walked back over to the stove feeling flustered.

“Haven’t you?” Yunho asked again following him back to where they started.

Sighing deeply, Jae turned to look at Yunho and said, “Are you flirting with me Yunho?” Jae asked with a challenge.

Yunho leaned back on the doorway and smiled, “What if I am?” He asked.

Jae didn’t respond immediately. When he did, he said in a soft voice, “I’m not gay.”

It was Yunho’s turn to not respond. “Liking you or how you make me feel doesn’t have anything to do with you or me being gay or not Jae.” He replied gently.

Jae looked down and turned away. These past few months have been confusing to him as well, what with him willingly playing house with Yunho and the kids. “You’re just confused Yunho. We’ve been playing pretend as  mom and dad to these kids and somehow pretend feelings started to feel like real feelings.” He said resolutely.

Yunho’s voice dropped low when he suddenly said, “Have you been pretending that you care for my brothers then?” He asked.

Jae looked at him, anger flashing in his eyes, “I have never pretended to care for your brothers.” He said. “I care for them deeply.”

“Ah, so it’s just me that you’ve been pretending with then.” Yunho asked flatly.

“I… I…” Jae didn’t know how to respond.

Yunho didn’t say anything as he dropped his gaze to the floor. Hitching his hands inside his pockets, he walked over to Changmin and kissed him on the forehead before walking out of the kitchen.

Jae watched as Yunho walked away from him then he shook his head and whispered, “I never pretended with you either.”

---------------------------------------------------

That afternoon, Jae was trying to pull all the loose ends together. They were having a surprise party for Yoochun who was turning a year older. He prepared miyeok guk* and pa jun* and pa chae*. Yunho was going to pick up a small cake on his way home from training while Junsu was in charge of drawing and coloring the birthday banner that Jae prepared for him.

As Jae checked up on the napping Changmin his phone began to ring. Making sure that the guk was simmering away, Jaejoong answered the phone. “Yeoboseyo*?” He answered.

“Ah yeah, is this Kim Jaejoong-shii?” Came a woman’s voice.

“Ne, this is Kim Jaejoong. May I know who is calling?” Jaejoong asked as he walked over to where Junsu was on the floor whose eyebrows were furrowing over the rabbit he drew that seemed to be losing a foot.

“Ah, this is Mrs. Choi, Yoochun’s teacher.” Answered the woman.

“Ah, yes Mrs. Choi, how are you?” Jaejoong asked politely as he pointed out to Junsu what was missing. The little boy looked up at him with delight at the discovery. Returning his concentration on the project, Jae stood to leave his little brother in peace.

“Ah, I’m doing well, thank you for asking. I’m actually calling about Yoochun.” Mrs. Choi started hesitantly.

“Oh, yes, I think our Yoochun is on his way home from school ne?” Jae said checking the clock on the wall. “It is his birthday you know?” Jae said as he walked over to the stove checking on his guk again.

“Ah, well, actually Mr. Kim, that’s the reason why I’m calling. You see, Yoochun got in trouble at school this afternoon. I need you to come and get him from the principal’s office.” Mrs. Choi said.

“I… I don’t understand.” Jae said suddenly stopping short. “What did he get in trouble for?” He asked.

“Well, it would be best if you could come by the school yourself Mr. Kim. I called you because according to Yoochun, his older brother Yunho wouldn’t be home from work yet?” Mrs. Choi asked.

“Ah, yeh, that’s right Mrs. Choi.” Jae said as he turned off the stove. “It will take me a little while to get there as I have the other kids to take care of but I’m on my way.” Jae said.

“Okay Mr. Kim, we will wait for you.” Mrs. Choi replied and the line went dead.

Hurrying to get Junsu and the sleeping Changmin, Jae knocked on Mrs. Park’s door just a couple of doors down and begged for her to take the younger kids for an hour or two. He said that he will text Yunho so he can take them from her once he got off work.

Once he got to the school, Jaejoong ran towards the Principal’s Office and there outside, he saw Yoochun folded into one of the chairs, his head bowed low. Sighing deeply, Jae walked towards the boy and sat beside him. Yoochun didn’t look up and so Jae slightly nudged him on the shoulder. “Hey.” He said.

Yoochun turned his head away from Jae which surprised the latter. Suddenly a door opened and a woman looked at Jae and asked, “Are you Mr. Kim?”

“Ah, yeh.” Jae said quickly standing and bowing to the woman.

“Okay. Come this way please.” She said inviting him into the room.

Jaejoong nodded and followed the woman after reaching out and patting Yoochun softly on the head.

“Have a seat Mr. Kim.” The woman said before going round the table and taking a seat. “I am Mrs. Yoon, the school principal.” She said by way of introduction.

“Ah, yeh, Mrs. Yoon. I am Kim Jaejoong, Yoochun’s… friend.” He said.

“Yes, the nuns at the orphanage have told us about your… current home… arrangements.” Mrs. Yoon said haltingly.

Jae nodded albeit feeling a bit uncomfortable at the woman’s insinuations but deciding to ignore it. “May I ask what got Yoochun in trouble?”

“Ah, well, that’s a little bit complicated.” Mrs. Yoon began as she riffed through the various folders on her desk finally settling on the one that had Yoochun’s name on it. Opening the file folder, Mrs. Yoon checked a few pages before continuing. “Mr. Kim, Yoochun has actually been a very good student these past few months compared to when he first arrived here at our school.” She said as she continued to look at the papers inside the file folder. “His grades have gone up and he actually started learning to play the piano.” She added surprising Jaejoong. “He’s really quite good.”

“I… I had no idea.” Jae said feeling proud of Yoochun yet feeling sad that he didn’t even know. Wondering if Yunho knew, Jae tried to concentrate on what the principal was saying.

“Yes, well, it has not escaped our knowledge of the fact that when Yoochun first got here, he was heavily bullied due to him living at the orphanage. Please know that we have taken the necessary steps to remedy that situation.” She explained.

“And we’re truly grateful for your help in that Mrs. Yoon.” Jaejoong replied to her sincerely.

With a small smile and a nod, Mrs. Yoon accepted Jae’s gratitude. However, the woman’s face turned serious once again as she closed the file folder and began to talk again. “Mr. Kim, have you and Yoochun’s brother explained to him that you are not a real family?” She asked.

Jae blinked. “What do you mean?” He asked a bad feeling pooling at the pit of his stomach.

“Mr. Kim, I hope you don’t mind me being frank with you, however, as you know, our society continues to frown upon same relationships. Whether or not you and Yoochun’s brother are in one does not really matter in this case, however, to the outside world, your dalliance with him is apparently confusing the boy.” Mrs. Yoon said bluntly.

“D-Dalliance?” Jaejoong sputtered. “We are not in that kind of relationship Mrs. Yoon.” He said defending himself.

“No need to be defensive Mr. Kim.” Mrs. Yoon said dismissively with a wave of her hand. “What I am merely trying to say is that Yoochun is having problems with the other kids because he is being teased for his older brother being ‘gay.’” She said.

“What?” Jaejoong said incredulously. Feeling sick to his stomach, Jae shook his head and asked, “How would they even get that idea?”

“He told them himself.” Mrs. Yoon said matter-of-factly.

“He… He did?” Jae asked a confused expression on his face.

“They had a show-and-tell presentation in their class a couple of days ago and they were asked to draw and talk about their family. Yoochun drew his brother Yunho as the father and you as the mother with the younger ones as the kids.” She said.

Jae fell silent feeling guilty in the knowledge that he didn’t really seek to correct the two younger ones when they started up talking about how he was their mom and Yunho was their dad. Looking the woman squarely, Jaejoong began to speak with careful consideration, “Mrs. Yoon, I know that our set-up may not be the most ideal but please understand, we don’t have parents anymore. Yunho and I, we’re trying our best to take care of our brothers. Yoochun didn’t know any better. He was just trying to make sense out of what he has left.” Jaejoong said seeking understanding from the older woman.

The woman seemed to weigh his words carefully. “Believe me when I say that I understand your situation Mr. Kim.” She said after careful consideration. “However, I believe that it is important that Yoochun and your younger brothers understand that you are not their mother and neither is Yunho their father. I know what I am saying is harsh, but as you ask of my understanding, I am and asking you to understand others as well, this thing… this arrangement, it does not look good from the outside.”

Jae nodded. “I know that. Please let me work on it with Yoochun. I promise this will not be a problem anymore.”

Nodding her head, Mrs. Yoon stood up and reached out to shake Jae’s hand. “I’m glad we’ve come to an understanding Mr. Kim.”

Jae stood to shake the older woman’s hand and bowed low before leaving her office.

Outside, Yoochun was still sitting down in the same position when Jae left him. Sighing deeply, Jae grabbed Yoochun’s bag and tapped the young boy on the shoulder and said, “Let’s go home Chunnie.”

********************************************************************

*Miyeok guk – seaweed soup

*Pa jun – scallion pancake

*Pa chae – scallion salad

*Yeoboseyo – Hello (when answering the phone)

And it begins… dun dun duuuuun…. Heehee… I wanted to write more but this is certainly the longest chap yet so I’m holding off the next chap until a day or two. Do you guys like the poster? Dajeerah of Starlight Reality Designs made it. I sooo love little Junsu in this. Wish I had a better childhood photo of Yoochun though (hey if anyone has anything better, send it my way please!). Okay so for the kiss, it’ll happen soon I promise. Hahaha! I’m loving how everyone’s got different opinions for this kiss. Remember you can still cast your vote in a comment okay?  Spread the DB5K love everyone!

Also, I just wrote a YunJae Oneshot called "Kissing 101" please go check it out and leave a comment! See y'all later!

P.S. (boy this is getting long): I rarely check for spelling or grammatical mistakes so if anyone sees something go ahead and leave me a private message or something. Will really appreciate it!