When Yunho stepped out of his car, he let out a fond chuckle as he heard one affectionate scolding voice and a cute squeaky protesting voice from inside the house.

He dropped the umbrella, that got wet when he had to run from the parking lot to the supermarket to buy a list of things Jaejoong gave him, in a bucket kept in the garage. He vaguely noted that Jaejoong’s umbrella is in there too and got curious. He knew Jaejoong didn’t go out today. He even asked Yunho to shop for them just so Jaejoong didn’t have to take their little son out in the downpour that hasn’t ceased since afternoon.

Grabbing his things and the extra baggage from the car, Yunho enters the house through the kitchen.

“I’m home.” He calls and it’s about 75 seconds late for the expected usual response.

“Oh good Yunho! Thank god you're here.” Jaejoong appears near the entryway of the kitchen and beckons him to come closer. Yunho obliges and when he’s close enough Jaejoong gestures to the floor. Yunho belatedly realises Jaejoong’s gesturing towards the puddles and nearly slips before Jaejoong steadies him by the shoulder.

There’s a foreign sound which is unheard because just then a blue blur zips past the parents in a fit of giggles.

“Jung Changmin, I said stop!” Jaejoong yells and stomps after his son.

Yunho follows, still holding his things and finds Jaejoong trying to wrestle a wiggling Changmin from going out to the garden. His blue raincoat is already dripping wet making it harder for Jaejoong to grip but the mother is quite invincible when determined. Changmin could only make whining songs and flail.

“Yunho close the door quickly!” Jaejoong yells dragging a kicking and flailing Changmin away from the glass doors giving Yunho enough room to close the door without any stubborn toddlers getting jammed between them.

Yunho drops the things on the coffee table and closes the heavy glass and wooden doors in their living room that open to the patio and garden. It takes a little effort because of the strong winds but he manages to do it. He doesn’t just bolt it but puts the bottom and top latches too. He knows Jaejoong would’ve locked the door because of the rains. Which means only Changmin could’ve opened it considering the toddler grew tall enough to reach the lock.

Once it’s secure, Yunho turns to where Jaejoong is wrestling the raincoat off Changmin. Yunho stood with arms and akimbo and a stern face which by Jaejoong’s reckoning, he has yet to master. “Have you been playing in the rain mister.”

“I wear raincoat.” Changmin retorts immediately as if the added rainwear negates any wrongs.

“and what about the mess? Who’s going to clean all the water?”

“Mama.”

Yunho looks at Jaejoong for some help. Though it’s true that Jaejoong will be the one cleaning up, they don’t want Changmin to think it’s okay to make a mess.

Jaejoong tries to change the subject by listing more of Changmin’s mischief. “He’s been going on about wanting to play and he dragged me to the road when it started pouring. And then I had to run back to get my umbrella but by then he already soaked. And then, and then, he sees my umbrella and goes ‘me also’” Jaejoong imitates in a squeaky tone that Changmin had to protest against, “and then he finds the raincoat and puts it on himself –it’s quite amazing coz he’s never dressed himself before- and then he runs out and I had to drag him back again and because I told him he can’t play on the road so he’s trying to go to the garden and he’s running away and my whole house is full of puddle- did you just meow at me?” Jaejoong asks his son sassily.

The soaked-to-the-bone Changmin tilts his head backwards to look at his mother and shakes his head mutely. Then cutely points in the direction of the furniture and Jaejoong’s eyes follow.

“meow”

Jaejoong blinks, then looks at Yunho confounded. “you only just noticed?” Yunho laughingly says.   

“Kitty?” Changmin squeaks and runs to the table where the carrier was kept. He peeked inside the caged opening and then looked at his father confusedly.

“yes, that’s a kitty. You're seeing one so close for the first time right?” Yunho opens the carrier and brings the tiny kitten out gently before holding it in front Changmin’s face. The toddler is scared for a moment and presses against Yunho’s side. He stares at the kitten as if studying the animal. When he’s sure the kitten is harmless thanks to an extremely cute mew, he peeks from Yunho’s arm with a gap-toothed smile and stretches one finger to rub its head.

“where did he come from?” Jaejoong leans over the two boys to run a tentative hand on the brownish fur.

“your sister actually…” Yunho’s answer confuses Jaejoong but he doesn’t say anything because he knows Yunho has yet to finish what he’s saying, “she came by my office today. it seems they found this kitten near Seohyun’s school and they took it to the vet to see if it’s okay. I think Seohyunnie wanted to keep it but you know…”

“Hyunnie’s daddy is allergic to cats.” Jaejoong continues understandingly. “So I guess we keep it then.”

“Hyunnie named him Jiji.” Jaejoong and eyebrow and then both snort. The name ‘Jiji’ definitely has to do with Jaejoong because Seohyun tends to associate all cute animals to her cute uncle.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Changmin tugs at Yunho’s shirt finding that there’s no attention on him, “carry kitty? Pleeeej?” the 2 year old pleads as if his parents were going to deny him.     

Yunho looks at Jaejoong an getting an approving nod from him turns his attention to their son, “sure. Here… both hands.” Yunho tries to transfer the kitten to Changmin’s hands a little in vain because Changmin’s slightly scared. He’s never touched an animal’s fur before though he has been close to some of the pets in their family, mostly dogs.

Yunho has to hold the small feline with Changmin’s hands till the toddler is used to the feeling. He’s still standing away from the cat by stretching his arms as much as he could. At this point, Changmin’s got his small hands around the cat’s body and Yunho’s hands are holding his and the cat’s lower body.

“you can go close Minnie. He won’t do anything.” Jaejoong coaxes his son and gives a slight push on the middle of his back to make Changmin go forward. Changmin looks at his mother and when he gets an encouraging nod, he steps closer. His hands are very close to his chest now and Yunho takes this chance to the back of the kitten’s head.  That elicits a cute purr making Changmin giggle.

“Kitty cute~” Changmin sings and does the same action as his father. However, instead of getting a cute response from the animal at his , he gets an indignant meow because a few drops of rainwater from Changmin’s wet hair falls on the cat when the boy leans his head closer.

The kitten mewled as if it wanted to get away and swung it’s limbs as if demanding Yunho to do so. One of its paws hit Changmin’s hand and the frightened child pulled back immediately and retreated to his mother.

“Kitty angry?” Changmin asked with teary eyes to his parents. Yunho puts the kitten back in its carrier. He would’ve put it on the floor but not with so many puddles inside the house.

“He’s not angry....” Jaejoong answers his son absentmindedly while inspecting his son’s hand for any claw marks. Changmin’s lucky he didn’t get scratched much to the parents’ relief.

“cats don’t like water. So he got upset.” Yunho explains to Changmin hoping the toddler would understand. Changmin looks at his father then tilts his head up slowly. His parents don’t understand what he’s trying until he pulls his wet fringe and tries to see it. he’s almost cross-eyed till a few drops trail into his eyes and lets go to rub his eyes.

Peeking inside the carrier from that distance, Changmin waves at the kitten. “Sorry.” A meow is heard in response. “I think he forgives you.” Jaejoong says trying to lift Changmin’s spirit.

“I think you and I are much overdue for a hot bath champ.” Yunho picks up Changmin and hauls him over his shoulder like a potato sack.

“Don’t put the wet clothes in the basket. Just hang them on the towel rack.”

“yeap!”

“and I’m going to clean. You're going to help make dinner right?”

“sure!”

“don’t take too long. You're only allowed up to 3 songs.”

“3 songs and 1 dance and Yup!”

“dance~” Jaejoong chuckles at Changmin’s happy squeak as they head to the upstairs bathroom.

once they’re out of sight, Jaejoong takes Changmin’s dripping raincoat but he’s at a loss where to dry it. deciding he should just get it out of the way, he made to dump it in the bucket near the front door for wet umbrellas. As tried to crumple fold it as small as possible, a few drops fell near the carrier and possibly on the kitten as well.

“meow”

Jaejoong stops and looks at the adorable eyes looking up at him from the cage. “you got wet again Jiji?”

“meow”

“I’m sorry. You probably want to dry up right?”

“meow”

“Just a sec” Jaejoong hurriedly got rid of the wet raincoat while making sure it doesn’t drip on the floors and went back to the cat.

He got Jiji out of the cage and brought it to eye-level. “on closer look you’re much cuter. Shame Seohyunnie had to part with you. But you’ll get to see her this weekend.”

“Meow?”

“Yes, really. But for now we should get you fed. How does some milk sound?”

“MEOW! MEOW!”

Jaejoong chuckled at the excited kitten and walked to the kitchen. He got a paper towel to dry some of the moisture that got on the kitten because of the rainy weather and poured some milk in one of Changmin’s used bowls.

From upstairs, he could hear Yunho loudly singing DBSK’s Uknow’s ‘Champagne’ and knowing Changmin, he’s probably laughing and trying to imitate his father.

“Change the song before he falls on his face Yunho!” Jaejoong hollers up the stairs and sure enough he hears a thump and loud wailing from Changmin.

“I got it!” Yunho yelled hurriedly from the bathroom just when Changmin’s cries ceased.

“meow?” Jaejoong l