It's quite cool in her mother-in-law's home. Jihye has the tendency to crank up the air conditioner. But even after a week, Jaejoong and Changmin are not used to it. It could also be that they don't have much to do around here.

Jihye insisted that they stay with her during their recuperating period. She had been a pillar of strength the whole time for Yunho and Jaejoong but when the time came for Changmin to be discharged, she had reached her limit and made them stay with her.

Jaejoong and Yunho stayed in this house after their wedding till moving to their townhouse as soon as Changmin was born. But it's still too novel of an experience.

"Uh... hmm..." that meek sound from that bundle under her chin wakes her up from her daze. She shifts the blanket and unfolds her legs to slip her feet into the slippers next to the couch. She now lets the weight she had been carrying in her arms for an hour rest on her lap.

"Good morning." She whispers and pecks between that pair of doe eyes peeking from the edge of the blanket. Changmin shifts and releases one arm from the blanket only to turn and bury his face in his mother's belly, clutching her blouse above his face.

That's another development recently. He's spent the past few days at a hospital and then his grandmother's home, two places that are not his home. He's gotten a lot quieter in the different place, only making incoherent sounds to get someone's attention.

It makes Jaejoong want to just run off to their home with Changmin.

She's only hanging on out of respect for Jihye's feelings. Speaking of whom, "Morning. Is my Bambi up?" Jihye arrives with a bunch of stuff. Jaejoong tries to coax Changmin out of his cocoon to at least look at his grandmother but he only whines and curls up in her lap.

"It's okay. I know he's clingy because he's in a different place." Jihye gestures to her to let him be and puts a bag in front of them. "Yunho got some of your stuff before heading to work. There's more toys for Minnie and..." Jihye runs out and returns a few seconds later, her blank canvas under her arm. "This is for you." She plops the board against the foot of the couch and drops the tote bag full of supplies on the table.

"I'll give Minnie a bath. So you can try drawing while you're free." Jihye tries to pick up Changmin but he whines and holds on to Jaejoong's shirt. Jaejoong has to pry his hands off her clothes so Jihye can take him.

"Just for a while, Bambi. I'm right here." Jaejoong coaxes him to go with Jihye till he's begrudgingly curled up in his grandmother's arms.

"I got him. Don't worry." Jihye jogs out of there with Changmin leaving Jaejoong alone in the room.

By herself her eyes are drawn to the blank canvas. She can't seem to remember what she wanted to put on it. She's always completed her project before her inspiration is lost. So she's not familiar with this empty feeling. Then again she wasn't having much luck getting her scattered thoughts together in the first place.

With a tired sigh, she leans back on the couch. She pulls up her legs again and takes Changmin's small blanket up to her chin and closes her eyes.

Jaejoong tries to picture a certain scene that has been eluding her since she picked up the pencil again. She knows how it's supposed to look. She can even recall that distinct smell. But the actual picture was distorted. It felt like there were a thousand pieces of a jigsaw puzzle she can't seem to solve.

She tries remembering sounds, the ambient noise and a voice. And it seems to work.

She can hear the distinct sound of waves and birds. There's a dull mechanized hum in her head she thinks is of the boat. But they're not moving. Slowly she can see that machine on the deck that's pulling up a never-ending stretch of net. She can even see that huge snapper thrashing in the net. Now she can recall the salty and fishy smell in the air.

On this side of the boat, she can see the shore with boats docked at the harbour. Seaside towns are much livelier than the quiet suburban neighbourhood she spent her life in. She'd love to visit it a place like this again.

"It's time." She hears that gentle voice with the soothing treble she's missed so much and she closes her eyes recalling that warm hand on her head. Tears prick at the corner of her eyes as she waits for those words she'll never hear that voice say again.

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