Minchan looked around at his new home not knowing if he liked living in it so much as just visiting with his grandmother. It wasn’t completely new to him since he had been there before without his mother or Jaejoong knowing it.

He had only been inside the house for a few hours but he already didn’t like the arrangements. “Umma” he called out to Chanmi.

Chanmi was with Minchan in his new room that Jaejoong had put together before their arrival just for him. “What is it baby” she asked as she put away his clothes in the closet.

“This room is too far away from your room… I don’t like it.” He looked around at the huge room that was given to him with a skeptical look. “It’s too big for me alone.” Minchan went over to his mom and hugged her making her stop what she was doing and give him his full attention. “Can you sleep here with me?”

A giggle escaped Chanmi as she heard her son’s request. “Minchan why do you suddenly complain about having a room to yourself? You were okay in your old room.”

“Yes but it was in front of your room so I can run there in the night when I want to sleep with you.” He let go and looked up at her with a curious look, “Where are you going to sleep Umma?”

“With Appa of course” Jaejoong stepped in through the door with two maids that Chanmi recognized from his mother’s home. “I brought Hara and Jia to unpack Minchan’s things so you won’t have to worry about it.”

The maids quickly went to work and began opening the boxes that were in Minchan’s room.

Minchan had a look of disapproval on his face. He didn’t like the fact that his mother was going to share a room with Jaejoong. “Umma why do you want to share a room with him and not me?”

Chanmi sighed thinking about how desperate she was to share a room with Minchan rather than Jaejoong. “It’s normal for an Umma and Appa to share a room.” Chanmi didn’t want to sleep in the same room and even less in the same bed as Jaejoong but it was part of the contract. She couldn’t believe he had even included it in the contract.

“I don’t want you sharing a room with him” Minchan said as he held onto her tightly.

Jaejoong was uncomfortable with the way his son was referring to him as a stranger. “Minchan who am I?”

Minchan looked over at him with an uninterested look and simply answered “Jaejoong.”

Chanmi noticed Jaejoong flinch as Minchan called him by his name.”Yes, that’s his name Minchan but who is he to you?”

“Jaejoong hyung” Minchan answered immediately. He knew what they wanted to hear but he wouldn’t say it. Having an Appa was a new thing for him and so far he didn’t like it. He couldn’t accept the fact that he had one of those, especially when it seemed he was taking his mother’s attention away from him.

Chanmi was speechless at her son’s response while Jaejoong was puzzled. He expected his son to warm up to him easily and begin calling him Appa immediately but it seemed he was wrong. “Minchan I am your dad. You should only call me Appa.”

Minchan shook his head and opened his arms wanting Chanmi to hug him.

Chanmi responded and took him into her arms. She saw Jaejoong’s face and knew he was disappointed. A side of her felt bad and guilty for how her son was acting cold towards him but the on the other hand she loved how Minchan seemed to reject him. “Minchan are you hungry?”

Minchan smiled at his mom and nodded.

“Okay then let’s go downstairs and get your dinner ready.” She put him down on the ground and let him go downstairs ahead of her. When she and Jaejoong stepped out into the hall she looked over at him a bit hesitant to say anything. “Did you expect him to accept you so easily?”

Jaejoong sighed, “I hoped and wished he would. I really wanted him to love and accept me as his father instantly as if we had always been together.”

“It’s impossible to accept someone into your life when they have been gone for so long. Distance and absence makes love disappear. Just like I stopped loving you after all the time we were apart.”

“You already told me you don’t love me once before but I fought for a long time to gain your love and acceptance. If I did it once I can do it again. I won’t give up until you love me again and Minchan as well.”

Chanmi gave him an amused smile. “The heart remembers pain and suffering more than love and happiness. You have already hurt me once before. Now I can never trust you enough to try again.” She walked down stairs trying to catch up to Minchan so she can feed him.

Jaejoong exhaled loudly as his shoulders deflated. He couldn’t believe the situation he was in. His wife no longer loves him and his own son doesn’t recognize him as his father. “I have to get them to love me as much as I love them.”

After Chanmi finished cooking dinner she sat down to eat with Jaejoong and Minchan.

Jaejoong was surprised she had made him dinner without him reminding her to. It was like she was actually playing the role of his wife again and he liked it. After taking one bite he smiled remembering how good a cook she was. “This is really good.”

Minchan on the other hand didn’t. He ate silently as he saw Jaejoong eating the food his mom made. He wasn’t comfortable at the dining table in the house. It was a six person table where he had to sit next to his mom rather than in front of her like at their apartment where they had a small table for just the two of them. Now he had to sit in front of Jaejoong and didn’t like it.

Chanmi only nodded at his words and watched as Minchan ate his food silently. Usually even if he was eating Minchan would never stop talking about what he watched on television or about the things he did during the day.

“Umma can you feed me” Minchan stated more than asking as he pushed his plate closer to her. He just wanted to face her and pretend it was just the two of them like at their old house.

Chanmi was surprised Minchan wanted her to help him eat. He had stopped asking her for help a while back but she was glad to do it for her one and only son. “Of course baby” she smiled as she gave him a spoonful of rice.

Minchan opened his mouth wide to receive the food. He ate the rice with a smile on his face and showed his appreciation to his mom by eating it as if it was the best thing he ever ate. Once he had chewed enough to reduce the food in his mouth to half he said, “Delicious.”

She laughed knowing he was over reacting. It was just plain rice but he said it like he had ate a spoonful of ice cream. “Don’t talk with your mouth full Minchan.”

After swallowing the rice he nodded. “Okay Umma.”

Once they were done with diner Chanmi went upstairs and helped Minchan take a bath and tucked him into bed. When she had put the blanket over him she gave him a goodnight kiss. “Goodnight Minchan.”

“Umma can’t you sleep with me?”

Jaejoong knocked on the door and entered interrupting the two of them. “Hey can I come in?”

Chanmi nodded, “it is your house after all” she muttered.

Minchan pouted as Jaejoong entered and joined next to his bed.

“How do you like it here Minchan” Jaejoong asked hoping his son would instantly like living in his new home.

Minchan shrugged as he held his mother’s hand and played with her fingers. “I don’t like the house being big. Umma will be too far away from me and I don’t like that.” He looked over at Jaejoong with puppy eyes. “Can Umma sleep with me?”

Jaejoong looked over at Chanmi not knowing what to do. He felt he should give in and let Minchan have his way but then he also wanted to have his way and have Chanmi sleep with him. “Minchan how old are you, three?”

“I thought you are my Appa, shouldn’t you know I’m four already?” Minchan responded with a bit of attitude already knowing he was going to get the big boy talk.

 “Minchan” Chanmi warned him to let him know he was being disrespectful.

Minchan looked down a bit sad that his mom had disapproved of his actions. “Sorry… I’m four years-old” he said to answer Jaejoong’s question. He already didn’t like how Jaejoong was causing his mom to act differently with him.

Jaejoong felt hurt hearing his son speak the truth. He should know his age at least. It was basic information, how could he call himself a father without knowing even that. He smoothed out Minchan’s hair trying to consol his son. “I know I haven’t been around so you don’t see me as your Appa but I hope that soon you will.”

For a small moment Chanmi felt a pang of guilt in her chest. Would it have been better if she had told Jaejoong about Minchan from the beginning? Would it have been easier on Minchan?

At the same time Minchan looked at Jaejoong and felt sadness. He didn’t know why but he felt he had done wrong.

Seeing the look on Minchan’s face let Jaejoong know he was only making it difficult for his son. He smiled and gave him a kiss on his forehead. “Don’t worry your Umma can sleep with you. I won’t take her away from you.” With that he left the room not knowing how long he could keep his emotions to himself.

Chanmi watched Jaejoong in disbelief until he closed the door behind him. Maybe he wasn’t as selfish as she thought. It seemed he really did want Minchan to like him genuinely. Did this mean he wasn’t just interested in having the perfect family for show so he can continue playing around at night?

She looked over at Minchan who still looked at bit down as he too looked over at the door. “Umma” he said, breaking her gaze.

“What is it baby?”

“Am I mean? Did I hurt Appa?”

Chanmi was surprised to hear Minchan refer to Jaejoong as Appa for the first time. She shook her head as she hugged him close to her. “Of course not baby. You are one of the nicest boys in the world.”

Minchan pulled away from her and looked down at his small hands. “When he brought us here I thought he was going to take you