Changmin was up early, and had already finished with his shower.He dressed up quickly and went down to find his host nowhere to be seen. He saw his breakfast on the table and wondered when had Yunho got up to make breakfast.He gulped it down in record time and realised he had forgotten to bring his phone.He was about to go up when Yunho re-entered the kitchen,a bunch of carnations and a twine of wild jasmine in his hands.

'You finished eating?',he asked,surprise in his eyes.Changmin nodded as he washed his plates while Yunho bustled around, sniping at the unnecessary stems of the flowers.

'I will take out the car.Come fast',Yunho said,smiling and disappearing again. Changmin rushed upstairs to get his phone when his eyes fell on the wooden chest in the corner of the room. He was intrigued by it. More like,he always felt attracted to it.As if getting pulled by dome invisible force.He had this strong,almost devastating urge to open the chest.But out of sheer respect for his host,he merely always glanced at it,wondering what would be in there.

Shaking his head once,he rushed downstairs,somehow eager to go to the place Yunho had spoken of.He didn't know the details nor had he asked for them.But judging from Yunho's expression,he was going someplace which was close to his host's heart.He locked the door and went to see Yunho already in the car,speaking to an elderly fellow Changmin often saw in the park.He bowed to the man,getting into the shotgun seat.

They had just entered the highway,with Yunho humming a tune.Changmin whipped his head, astonishment on his face.

'You know this song?',Yunho asked,smiling at the wide eyes.Changmin nodded,looking straight.It had been years now.Was he willing to let go.

'I heard it many times.I don't know when.May be when I was little.My mother used to play it whenever I couldn't sleep or had nightmares',Changmin said,eyes still on the dashboard.He glanced at Yunho to see a small smile on his face.

'How do you know it?',Changmin asked.Yunho didn't speak for some time.

'My wife used to sing it to our son when he was a baby',Yunho said,his voice low.There was again a pause.

'What happened to them?',Changmin asked,remembering the talk he had with his employer.

'They are in better places now',Yunho said,eyes unblinking and face smiling as he drove.

'I am sorry',Changmin said in a whisper.

'Don't be',Yunho said and Changmin felt the warm hand caress his hair again in the same fatherly fashion.

They were silent the rest of the drive.

                                                 -x-x-x-
Changmin wasn't sure what he was expecting to see,but the pale peach building he saw was definitely not what he had imagined.There was a huge garden with many benches and small hut-like structures.Changmin saw a few people pottering around the rose shrubs.And a few sitting on benches.As they reached closer to the path leading to simple double doors,Changmin saw vacant expressions on their faces.A few elderly people were seemingly roaming in circles. Before he could ask Yunho where they were,he was ushered in by a frail looking lady who was staring unblinkingly at him.Feeling slightly wierded out,he followed his host quickly.

Realisation struck Changmin as he passed a group of giggling grannies who squealed on seeing him.And an old man who was standing dab smack in middle of the path,looking as if he didn't know where he was.

He was in an mental institution.

But strangely,it did not feel like one.The interiors were a bright,cheery blue and green swirly patterns on the walls.Even the furniture matched it.Each room had something hanging outside,something handcrafted.Pictures and drawings,which looked as if drawn by elementary school kids,adorned the walls.The place had a very happy atmosphere.He saw Yunho walking in front of him and he rushed to follow him.They winded through some paths,crossing acroos caretakers giving walks,cleaning fallen food and talking with cheerful disposition.If it hadn't been for the boards like 'Recreation Room','Therapy Room',Changmin would have felt it to be a normal old-age home.

They passed couple of doors,before stopping in front of a simple door decorated with chains of folded cranes.Yunho opened the door and went in,with Changmin close behind him.He saw a man, almost same age as Yunho,sitting st the desk who looked up,a grin spreadeing on the still handsome features.Except for the graying hair at the temples.

'Yo U-know Yunho',the man said,eyes crinkling with humour.Yunho let out a throaty laugh as he hugged the man.

'Still that name?',Yunho asked.The man nodded,ushering Yunho to sit.His gaze fell on Changmin and the eyes widened slightly.

'And our guest?',he asked.

'This is Changmin',Yunho said,and turned to Changmin.'This is my best friend and the man who runs this Institution.Dr.Park Yoochun'.

'So the heir of Shim Industries in such a small town?Without media?',Yoochun said,eyes smiling naughtily as he shook hands with Changmin who stiffened slightly.Yoochun laughed kindly.

'Don't worry,son.People here won't recognise you.Or even if they did,they will probably think they are dreaming.Have a seat',Yoochun said.But Yunho cut him.

'Not today,Chun.A bit in hurry',Yunho said.Yoochun looked at him,an understanding smile on his face.He got up and they went outside.

'Junsu is there.They must have returned from the walk.You will find him in the back garden', Yoochun said.Yunho nodded,patting the doctor's back.Changmin bowed to the man and followed him.They left through a fire exit and entered a small stone garden.It was quite empty,except for a caretaker.

'Hello Junsu,how are you?',Yunho asked.The man whipped around,showing the most cherubic face Changmin had ever seen.And the largest in a male.But it was the voice that really got him to wonder whether the caretaker's family were dolphins.

'Oh my god sun,Yunho!'.the man squealed,hurting Changmin's ears.And what was with the exclamation.

'You are early.We just came from the walk',Junsu said,bouncing.And a totally unwanted image of a duck on steroids came to Changmin's mind.They followed him to a small area where there were a couple of plum trees.And a wooden swing.There was someone on the swing,the back to them.Yunho stopped at a distance while Junsu went to the person.For some reason,Changmin's heart was beating really fast.And there was a strange buzzing in his ear.As if expecting something totally diffrent.Something unnatural.They saw Junsu kneel before the person,smiling stupidly.

Changmin opened his mouth again to speak but Yunho had left already,going towards the person,taking slow steps as if he had suddenly aged.Junsu smiled and left to stand beside Changmin who was watching open-mouthed at his host kneeel before the swing.His lips seemed to be moving,but Changmin couldn't hear a single word.The look in Yunho's eyes was strong enough to make him speechless as his host offered the makeshift bouquet to the person.His heart was threatening to jump out his chest.

'Who is it?',Changmin whispered after what seemed an eternity.

'I think Yunho will be able to explain better.But I can say this much,that person is his entire life',Junsu said,patting Changmin's shoulder and leaving.Changmin's feet took him forward on their own.The buzzing in his head had increased.But his heart was calming down.As if he had known this.

Yunho looked up at him as he neared and smiled that warm smile at him.He slowly straightened up,and Changmin saw  asmall pale hand in his.He bent to whisper something and the person also got up.Changmin could see that the other was smaller,as if shrunken.The hospital garments hung loose on the person,but Changmin could see slight curves of the body.But the shoulders were shapely,making it impossible to tell if the person was male or female.But as the person turned,Changmin had his breath knocked out of him.Literally.

It was not the question if the other was male or female.It was whether Changmin was dreaming or not.His voice and breathe both stuck in his throat,a painful knot forming.His heart was thudding fast,but it was a pleasant sort of beating.He had never seen someone so ethereal.And the wide,doe eyes nearly made him suffocate in their deep gaze.So much so,he almost missed the next words.

'Baby,this is Changmin,my friend',Yunho said in an affectionate voice.He looked at Changmin whose Bambi eyes were fixed on the doe ones.

'Changmin,I would like you to meet my better half,Jung Jaejoong'.

                                                                                                                        -x-x-x-

Comments are most welcome.

Kamsahamnida.^^