Yunho let the kind lady lead him. He doesn’t know much about the layout of this school anyway. He’s only been till the gate every time. Jaejoong has been here more than once and that is saying something because Changmin started school only a month ago.

Today, the semester tests were being conducted in Jaejoong’s school. So she can’t even give her students a free period to run a block down the street and get Changmin. When the kindergarten called her, she told Yunho to go and the attorney swore he heard some pre-teens whine for ‘Min-Min’.

Anyway, Yunho wondered what this was about this time. The reasons for which Jaejoong was called and she picked up Changmin turned out to be false every time.

On the first day, Changmin balled his eyes out with crying. He refused to let go of Jaejoong and clung to her like his life depended on it. Yunho had to use brute strength to detach the puny four-year old from Jaejoong and literally pushed him in the building before bolting so Changmin wouldn’t have a chance to run back to Jaejoong.

That last stunt cost Yunho. Changmin didn’t talk to him for a week and even refused to eat with Yunho sitting in front of him. Mid-week, he took it to another level when the grandparents and Yoochun and Junsu were over for dinner.

Changmin threw his food on the floor angrily and ran off to his room. It hurt Yunho to see him behave so cold to him but the worry of Changmin not having eaten properly for a week exceeded that.

While the young parents and Yoochun and Junsu tried to change Changmin’s food and make him eat, the grandparents knew what the real reason is. They told Yunho and Jaejoong to give Changmin a few more weeks in school and he’ll be better.

It was and Yunho and Jaejoong thought that their parents’ advice worked. That was until Jaejoong picked Changmin from school and the first thing the boy says was something odd. “Kyuhyunnie fell and his Umma took him home. Umma also has to take Minnie home if Minnie is hurt.”

Jaejoong didn’t think much of it, even when she was called the very next day because ‘Changmin’s stomach is aching’. When Yunho came home that day, Changmin was just fine while eating a burger.

Another time, Jaejoong rushed when ‘Changmin fell down’. she thought it was serious, still traumatised by his fall from the house swings less than a year ago. it turned out he was unhurt. He just fell in the mud and was a mud monster from head to toe. Jaejoong spent 3 hours washing out mud from Changmin’s hair and clothes.

It escalated to pranks later. Changmin would break someone’s toys, crayon-doodle on the walls, hitting other children, refusing to classwork. Jaejoong would be the gracious mother who would apologise to the parents and teachers profusely while forcing Changmin to say sorry too.

Yet, Changmin refuses to talk to them about the real issue. He just turns cheerful the second he’s back home and plays in his room, ignoring his parents.

“He’s right there.” The lady gestured to the boy sitting on the bench with his legs swinging back and forth.

In Yunho’s eyes, Changmin looked perfectly fine. “Didn’t you call me because he was sick?” he asked the lady.

“throwing up yes.” She concurred.

“he looks alright.”

“he is.”

“then why did you call me?”

The lady smiled. She understood why Yunho was so lost. She figured the Jung couple have a lot to learn about parenting after seeing how young they are.

“Mr Jung, Changmin spat out some chewed up food and water to make it look like he vomited. He’s fine health-wise. His problem though, is why he did that among everything else.”

“I know, but he doesn’t allow us to get through him and it’s not like we stop sending him to school.” The stress from Changmin’s incidents showed on Yunho’s face.

“Mr Jung, I’ve been teaching small children for 12 years now and I still haven’t figured out the best way to get a child that small to open up. But I can tell why they behave naughty. It’s usually one reason.” The lady put her hand on Yunho’s shoulder, “you need to explain to him that going to school doesn’t mean that he’s going away from his parents.”

“But he doesn’t listen. If we try to force him, he’ll refuse to eat again.”

“then get him to listen. Mr Jung, you're the father and Changmin has to learn to listen to his parents. Qualities like these have to be inculcated young or God forbid when he grows up, he’ll refuse food till you get him dirt bike or something. Mr Jung, you and your wife have to learn to get your point across to your son in a gentle yet assertive manner. If you don’t know how, try and recollect how your parents did or call them if you will.”

Yunho nodded. “you're right. Jaejoong and I will talk to him today.” He bowed to the lady, “thanks for your advice. I’ll take him home now.”

Yunho entered the waiting room and walked straight to Changmin. hearing footsteps, Changmin looked to the side and jumped off the bench happily. “Appa~!” Yunho picked him up and Changmin gave him a gap-toothed grin.

“I heard you weren’t well?” Yunho pretended to not know prank Changmin.

“I’m not well *cough* see?” Changmin feigned coughing and sore throat.

The corner of Yunho’s lips twitched but he held it in. his single brow went higher though. “I thought you were puking?”

“err….” Changmin was sweating bullets. His small hands habitually fiddled with the hem of his shirt out of nervousness while he was trying to come up with explanations but the four year old didn’t have that much medical knowledge to give a name for a virus.

“Save it.” Yunho didn’t say it angrily but his tone was strict and got Changmin to obey. He put the boy down, “I suppose you can walk.” Changmin held Yunho’s hand while they walked to his car. The whole time he looked down or out of the car window because his guilt made it difficult to look his father in the eye.

When Jaejoong came home to her boys, Yunho didn’t say anything except for ‘Changmin’s fine.’ It was a different story at dinner time though.

“You know, you can’t keep making up stories so we’ll come and get you from school.” Jaejoong looked at Yunho when he said that then at Changmin. Changmin poked his chicken with the chopsticks with a pout.

“What are we talking about?” Jaejoong asked on confusion.

“don’t play dumb.” Yunho pointed at Changmin, “he makes up reasons to get out of school and you,” He pointed at Jaejoong, “you know it and yet you indulge him.”

“Whaa~!” Jaejoong looked offended, “I don’t! I’m just being a responsible mother. He could be really hurt.”

“Exactly!” Yunho nudged Changmin to look up from his plate, “one day you're going to be really hurt and we might think it’s just one of your pranks. We’ve told you the story of ‘the boy who cried wolf’ right. So we won’t be there when you're really in need.”

“I’m not going to be eaten by a wolf.” Changmin muttered.

“Yah! It’s metaphoric.” Yunho chided.

“What’s metaphoric?”

“that’s why you need school.”

“Yunho, Changmin.” Jaejoong put a stop to their bickering. She looked at Changmin, “Min-ah, why do you not like school?”

“Because Umma and Appa are not at school.” Changmin pouted.

“Umma and Appa aren’t at home either.” Jaejoong said, “you spent time with Hyori Imo while we worked before. This is no different. Why the sudden need for our presence then?”

Changmin remained mum. Yunho thought for a moment then spoke, “you don’t like there’s no one you know in school right?” Changmin nodded. “Minnie-ah, that’s the po