It’s a Sunday and Jaejoong is furiously typing away on his laptop. It’s rare for him to bring work home or work on weekends but his office needs this presentation in two days and he was only informed about it a couple of hours ago. he has to finish it now, show it to his boss for approval tomorrow, tweak it and then present it the day after. Knowing his boss, there’ll be some major tweaking.

It was supposed to be his colleague’s presentation. But he fell sick.

Now Jaejoong has no problems filling in for his colleague but that foolish person really put him in a fix. He thought his cold would get better soon and he can work right after. But after a fainting spell, he was rushed to the hospital by his neighbour where he was informed he has a serious case of stomach infection and he wouldn’t be getting discharged for another week.

That resulted in the executive calling Jaejoong on a Sunday morning and assigning the task to him.

That sick fellow had not even started on anything which meant that Jaejoong had to start from scratch.

He’s been at it since morning, without a break. He only had coffee for breakfast and has been living off water for the duration of his work. It doesn’t even strike him that he was supposed to give his husband and son breakfast or make lunch. And it’s pushing 12:30.

“WAAAH! Ghost is going to catch me~! WAAAH!”

“MWAHAHAHA! I’m going to eat you!”

Jaejoong scowled at his computer screen but didn’t look up from it. He was crouched on the living room floor with his laptop on the couch. A bunch of files and papers were scattered on couch like a makeshift table. And he’s very close to the source(s) of noise. He would’ve moved to his bedroom but that would waste precious time.

“Nooooo! Stay away Ghostie! BANG! BANG!”

“that puny sword is not going to save you. HAHAHAHA!”

Jaejoong side-glanced at the side of the spacious living area and went back to his work with a huff. He picked up his cell phone and dialled his junior.

“I need you to find the last contract’s accounts and email it to me….” There was squealing and a gruff voice laughing which made Jaejoong frown in irritation and cup the receiver with his free hand, “yes, I know it’s a Sunday but I’m working here too aren’t I? Just find the file in the accounts department. The security head has the keys… Hurry. I’m hanging up.” Jaejoong cut the call abruptly and looked over to where his son and husband were having a tickle fight.

Jaejoong knew Yunho had wordlessly taken Changmin out for breakfast somewhere. He can’t cook, not without making a lot of noise and a lot more mess. When the two were out, Jaejoong had plenty of quiet to work. Jaejoong appreciated Yunho understanding the situation without explaining and didn’t disturb Jaejoong.  

When they came back however, energised from Belgian waffles (Changmin, on returning, kept saying Jaejoong makes better) created quite a din playing around.

As usual, Yunho was in Sunday mode, being his energetic and playful self and Changmin was as noisy as ever.

With the piled up work, tiredness and hunger, the noise was grating on Jaejoong’s nerve.

“Hey kiddo! Don’t you think we should start making lunch?” Perfect! Now Yunho was going to mess his kitchen and that means more work for Jaejoong.

“But Appa your food is yucky. Only Umma can make food.” As much as Jaejoong is grateful for Changmin saving his kitchen, that last thing on his mind is cooking.       

“well Umma is veeeery busy. So we’ll order takeout.” That’s a relief for Jaejoong.

“Chinese!” Changmin shouts loudly making Jaejoong flinch.

“We always have Chinese. Let’s try something European for once.” As much Jaejoong is grateful Yunho is handling lunch, their talking is getting very disturbing and Jaejoong wished he had gone to work today. that way, he could leave Changmin with one of his sisters and work peacefully. Stupid self-employed attorneys and their flexible timings!

“what’s that Jae?” Jaejoong forcibly strained his eyes away from the laptop screen to find Yunho looking at him curiously. At that, Jaejoong realised he spoke his thoughts aloud. Jaejoong quickly returned his focus to his work, “nothing. Just order whatever you like. He eats everything anyway.”

Yunho stood there for a long while, with a cocked eyebrow and crossed arms. He wasn’t even fazed by Changmin behind him, tugging his pants and chanting a litany of ‘I want Chinese!’ When Jaejoong’s phone started ringing, Yunho gave in and retreated to the kitchen where they keep the takeout brochures.

Changmin follows him anxiously while pulling along the crudely bundled bedsheet they were playing with earlier. He’s quiet noticing Yunho’s mood is a little sour.

“well forgive me for being my own boss.” Yunho huffed under his breath and picked up the first menu card he found which turned out to be Thai restaurant’s. Changmin would’ve objected but the delectable piece of shrimp shown on the menu called Changmin’s heart stomach.

Yunho went about ordering their lunch neglecting Changmin. The easily-bored boy pouted a little at not having anything to do but watch his father talk on the phone. He contemplated eating the sandwich they brought when they went out for breakfast.

Going over to the fridge, he opens it by pulling on the side of the door rather than the handle. Looking inside he pouts fiercely seeing the shelf at his eye-lever absolutely empty. His very tall father has a penchant for putting everything in the top levels of the fridge just so he doesn’t have to bend too much. unfortunately for the four year old Changmin, the things are out of reach.

Turning to look at his father who’s now dictating their address, he huffs and walks out of the kitchen.

He was at the door of the kitchen, thinking whether he should pass his time in his room or cycle around in the backyard. He couldn’t make up his mind at all.

Changmin was distracted when Jaejoong’s phone vibrated noisily on the glass top of the coffee table. Changmin looked at the back of his mother’s head as Jaejoong was now sitting on the single-seating sofa chair beside the couch with his computer on his lap so the device could reach the charging point on the wall nearby. He didn’t pay attention to what Jaejoong was saying or his mood because his mind is only filled with the realisation that he hasn’t spent a single minute since he woke up with his mother. He’s absolutely not used to that.

“I don’t care if you can’t find the guard! Just get the keys from the desk…” Jaejoong barked loudly on the phone, “of course it’s okay. You're not stealing anything…. You don’t bother about it. I’ll tell them I sent you tomorrow, first thing… you entered your name in the log book right… just send me the damn accounts. I’ll deal with the rest.”

Jaejoong cut the call knowing he was uncharacteristically rude but his mental state at the moment didn’t let him care. With a frustrated sigh, he returned his attention back to his computer but his face went blank. His flow was cut off by that call and now he doesn’t remember what he was doing. Somehow, the plans he organised in his head had got wiped out.

While he stared at the half-done statistics on his computer, he missed the speeding blur rounding the couch and running towards him.

“Ummaaaaa~!” Jaejoong looked up confusedly at the long call and belatedly realised it’s his son. it was a second too late (or early), because when Jaejoong turned to his right where the voice came from, he found his son almost flying.

Changmin jumped really high from the floor towards Jaejoong with sparkling eyes and an excited expression. Jaejoong’s expression was far from it. “Changmin!” His parental instincts kicked in and he immediately spread out his arms and turned from his waist to catch his son before he hurt himself. 

“GYAAA~!” It was almost in slow motion. Changmin’s nose smashed on Jaejoong’s head when Jaejoong caught him awkwardly –one hand around Changmin’s shoulders and the other somehow trapped between Changmin’s thighs and holding the child on his hip.

Jaejoong lost his balance, almost falling backwards with Changmin but he pushed his body forward to stabilise them. What the entire struggle did was cause the laptop to slip off his lap and hit the floor hard.

“AHAHAHAHA~” Changmin laughed squeakily thinking it was like some game. He bounced excitedly in Jaejoong’s hold, “Umma Play! Let’s Play!”

Jaejoong though, wasn’t looking at him. his eyes were fixed on the laptop lying pitifully on the floor. With an overdue gasp, Jaejoong got up and put Changmin on his feet on the ground. In his mental state, he could’ve let Changmin fall to the ground without a care but he’d never do that. Still, he moved his son as if he was insignificant at that very moment.

Jaejoong lifted his laptop with bated breath and made a sound that was a mix between a whimper and a groan.

The laptop screen was cracked on corner, though it was still working. However, there was some funky black, grey and reddish blotch on one side of the device.