Chapter 7

5 years later

“Umma, I’m leaving!”

“oh wait!” Jaejoong hurriedly fished for something in her bag and let out a happy sigh when she found it. “Here. I bought yesterday but forgot to give you.”

Changmin had this delighted smile on his face when he accepted his mother’s gift. It was a brand new sketch book. Lord knows he needs a new one every month at the rate this self-taught young artist finishes through them. “But Umma, my birthday is tomorrow.”

“whoever said this is your birthday gift! I get you a new sketchbook every month. You’ll get your birthday present tomorrow.” She fixed she fixed his hair and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Go or you’ll miss the bus. And don’t forget to say bye to Taemin. He was upset that you left without meeting him.”

“not my fault if he was sleeping.” Changmin rolled his eyes, “and I met him after I returned anyway.”

“Min-Min just loves his Minnie hyung.” Jaejoong cooed at her son on purpose because she knows he hates it, but never stops her.

“Bye Umma! Make some good music today.” Changmin kissed his mother on her cheek and left.

Jaejoong sighed when the door closed. She had gotten better over the years and she didn’t weep in her lonesome as often as she did. But her nightmares still lingered and she had a constant fear of the ‘what-ifs’.

Every day Changmin leaves for school she feels a bit empty. But she manages to get a hold over herself, at least in her professional life.

That day 5 years ago, when Changmin came home with Heechul and was asking his Umma for ice cream, she felt like Changmin was her 10 month old crawling aficionado who said his first word-Umma- but he was really 4 and had become temporarily mute because he felt like an alien among the kids his age who had two parents instead of one. There was even the son of a gay couple from Japan, but that kid still had two parents and Changmin had a only his mother. Jaejoong blamed herself and nearly succumbed to her depression if it wasn’t for Changmin demanding for more and more food and other stuff, seemingly to keep his mother busy and also because after not speaking in over 2 months had made him overuse his vocal cords. At that time, Heechul didn’t give a straight answer as to how Changmin started talking again, but that was only Yoochun’s concern. Jaejoong and Junsu were just happy to hear the babbling kid after so long.

“well, my baby said to make good music today.” Jaejoong picked up her bag and the folder containing her music scores, “better be quick if I have to beat Yoochun.” She left her apartment muttering ‘competitive bastard forehead’.

Changmin entered the apartment next to where he lives and entered the kitchen. “morning aunty Suie!”

“Morning Minnie! Want some pancakes?” Junsu asked as she stacked another pancake on the existing pile.

“love to, but I’ll miss by bus then. Where’s Min-Min?” As if on cue, a tiny creature in Hamtaro pyjamas came zooming in.    

“hyungie!!! Wait fol Min-Min!” the little toddler, hardly 2 years old, ran and hugged Changmin around his waist. He gave the older boy a toothless grin, “happy budday hyungie!”

“my birthday is tomorrow Taemin!” the toddler shaped his mouth in an O at the revelation, but he forgot it as far as the short-term memory in babies go.

“hyungie, ale you seeing youl Appa?”

“whose Appa?” Changmin bit his lip when Junsu asked that. Before Taemin could spill the beans Changmin cut in.

“uncle Chunnie!” Changmin said hurriedly, “Taemin is talking about his Appa! I was going to meet Umma after school so Min-Min was asking if I’ll meet him.” Changmin did a fist-pump in his head when Junsu bought his story. He made a mental note to drop by the company according to his story. When Junsu went back to her work Changmin turned to Taemin, who was blinking innocently and had his hands wrapped around Changmin’s waist, “Min, I told you it’s a secret. Don’t ever talk about again. Got it?” when Taemin nodded, Changmin placed a kiss on his cheek and left after waving bye to Junsu.

Yunho placed the shopping bag on the bench and sat beside it. He used the warmth of the piping hot coffee cup to warm up his cold hands. The