For once Taemin had a free day so he said to Mai that she could do thing she likes while he was taking care of Yu Jin. It would be the first time since 4 months. Mai was a bit worried though, letting her son alone with her clumsy husband. But well she couldn’t say no to a day for her only. Before she left the next morning she made sticky notes and stuck them everywhere for helping Taemin, just in case.

When Taemin got up, he first checked on his wife but she was out already, and then went to his son who was sleeping beautifully. He was so peaceful while sleeping. How could he be so hard once awake?

After he walked the corridor heading to the kitchen, a corridor all covered of sticky notes. Once in the kitchen, he found out that his beloved wife cooked him breakfast. He sighed. He asked her to rest and she woke up early doing all the food and wrote so much notes. But somehow he was happy, cooking wasn’t his thing. He ate his breakfast and warmed up Yu Jin’s milk with the help of Mai’s little help because his son was waking up. He walked to his son’s room and took him in his arms and fed him while making cute noises.

After this breakfast, Taemin took him out of the room and sat him next to his desk in a baby bouncer. Even if it was a day off, the singer was still working on his next solo album. He was trying to match lyrics with the melodies he received. According to how Yu Jin would react he was changing them. “You are my new associate Lee Yu Jin.” He told his baby while playing with Mr. Sprout.

Mr. Sprout was Yu Jin’s cuddle toy. Mai bought this mini Taemin doll thinking it could slightly replace this father who was away most of the time. After some days it had become Yu Jin’s favorite toy and couldn’t live without.

The afternoon came and Taemin was tired of working. “Should we go see the uncles Yu Jin-ah?” By seeing how baby’s face illuminated at the word “uncle”, Taemin was sure that he liked the idea. He packed Yu Jin’s stuffs, not forgetting Mr. Sprout, and mailed s.

“Hyungs, what are you doing? Do you bother if we come to visit Yu Jin and me?

-I’m home composing. You can come! Mom and Noona will be so happy to see you! – answered Jonghyun fast as always”

He looked at his son, knowing that Jonghyun would be the first. “Let’s go son!”

On their way to Jonghyun house a second mail came: “I’m home working for school, you can come but not for too long. - It was a mail from Key

-Okay, hyung ~ Coming after meeting Jonghyun’s family”

Later they finally arrived at Jonghyun’s place. Sodam noona was so happy to see her almost nephew that she jumped on Taemin, grabbed Yu Jin and disappeared inside. All that even before the father had both feet inside.

“Ya Noona! Let me see Yu Jin too! – Whined Jonghyun.

-You can see him more often than me, let me have him a bit.”

The two siblings were fighting over Yu Jin and it made Taemin and the mother laugh.

“You should take back your son, Taeminnie. Or you won’t get him back in one piece. – advised the mother making Taemin giggled.” Listening to these wise words he grabbed back his son from Sodam’s arms.

“As my wifey would say: this is my baby, If you want one to fight over have your own! – He said mischievously.”

The 3 boys then went upstairs and played creating children’s song and laughed at every eyebrow movement Yu Jin would do.

“He has your thing with the eyebrow so much! You can’t deny that he is your son!”

After a while, Taemin left saying goodbye to the cute family. On the way to Key’s house he thought that it would be so wonderful to have that kind of happy house with Mai in the future.

Arrived at the university boy’s flat, a new mail reached his phone: “Hey Taeminnie! I was napping so I’m answering late. Sorry! The dorm is too quiet today, so please come!”

“This old man. - Thought Taemin before answering. - Ok! I’ll come after seeing Key hyung!” 

When he knocked at Key’s door he met a young man with glasses and casual clothes. “Wow you dressed up your 1^st student costume?” it was Kim Kibum. “You look exhausted though. You should rest.” Teamin said while sitting Yu Jin on the couch in between two pillows. “You look after him? I’m making you some coffee.”

Key sat next to the little boy and played a bit with him.  “He doesn’t laugh yet? – He asked.

-No, not yet. We are waiting for it so much! It will be so cute to hear. Don’t you think?

-I agree! I hope it’ll be soon. I want to hear it Mr. Yu Jin. I want to see if you’ll have a shy laugh or an extravagant one.

-Here your coffee, hyung.

Thanks Taemin.”

They talked together about work, about family and about school for an hour, but as Kibum had to go back to his work Taemin left him alone taking back his noisy son with him. Even though, Key thanked for his visit making him having a nice break.

While fastening his son in the car chair, Taemin’s phone rang.

“Taemin? – His wife said.

-Mai. What is it?  -He answered all smiley. He missed her to be true.

-How is your day going? Everything’s fine? You two are alright?

-Everything is fine, don’t worry. We are doing some uncles visits. Yu Jin enjoys a lot. – He told his worried wife.

-Eeeh~ So great! I’m jealous. I miss the boys. Let’s do a big meal together some day!

-I’ll try to organize that! I have to go! I love you~

-Okay ~, I love you too my men.”

He went back at fastening this crazy hard fasten belt for car chair and told Yu Jin that the phone call was his mommy worried about them both. Once he succeeded attaching him he climbed in front and looked at him in the rear-view mirror and smiled at his success.

“Let’s go my son!”

He drove for another 30min and finally arrived.

“Here we are my baby. Let’s meet the bored uncles.”

He took the elevator and landed at the dorm floor then walked to the door and opened it.

“Taemin! Yu Jin! Oh Yu Jin, come see Jinki Uncle!

-My son, you are already so popular. What will I do about you in the future? Why are you all taking him from before I ever step in though? – Taemin told his baby pinching his cheek.

-It’s because it’s a mini Taemin. So he is as pretty as doll and cute like his father. Oh and has beautiful eyes like his mother! A perfect boy! – described Onew.

Taemin paused for a second and mouthed back – You’re right!”

They walked the three of them into the living room while Jinki was talking baby with Yu Jin. It was like they had an actual serious conversation.

“Yo Minho! How are you? – questioned Taemin to his hyung.

-Tired! I can’t get a proper sleep these days. Filming at night. – He confessed

-I’m sorry hyung. We’ll not stay long with Yu Jin so that you can have some quiet rest.

-That’s fine. Look at how the old man is happy right now?

-When will he have a baby? He needs one so much.

-I know right…”

They faced each other and laughed.

Mai’s two boys spent all the end of afternoon within the dorm talking, eating, playing …

*~*~*

Mai enjoyed her day so much. Not that she hated her son, all the contrary, but having a bit of time for he own only had really been a healing. Even though that she missed her boys during all the day and restrained her to only one call. When she got back home, the house was empty. Empty of people solely because of mess it wasn’t. The house had become stuffs kingdom! Seeing that, Mai dropped her bag on the floor and stayed opened mouth for a minute.

“YA LEE TAEMIN! How did you manage to dirty and mess up the house THAT MUCH! – She finally let out. – Oh My! This isn’t a kitchen anymore! This not a desk room anymore either! Did war occur while I was away? Did a rubber come in? WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! Wait you arrive LEE TAEMIN! I’ve leave notes everywhere saying to be tidy! How could you mess up that much IN HALF A DAY ONLY! – She whined and screamed – Let’s take some pictures as proof and tidy! I can’t bear a house in that state.”

*~*~*

“Ok, Yu Jin-ah, we’re back! Today was fun right? Let’s see mommy, we missed her lots, right?”

He took his son out of the car as well as the necessary bag and entered the house.

“Honey! We’re back! Your men have return.

-Oh you do? I’m in the kitchen~

-What? Are you cooking dinner?”

He put the bag and his son still inside the baby car sit on the floor and headed to the Kitchen.

“What are we going to e… Oh.”

Mai was standing in front of the table covered with pictures and was looking at him angrily.

“Oh?

-I can explain! – He told her fast.

-Listening. - She raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms on her chest.

-So, you see, uh, well, was my first time alone, and… Yu Jin kept crying and…

-Buup buup Wrong answer! Sometimes babies need to be let crying so they learn that they can’t have everything every time. I’ve let you notes about this I think. Plus it helps them developing their lungs. If he cries a lot alone he could become a good singer maybe. So? Something else?

-I saw the notes but… I’m sorry! It’s my fault! – He bowed giving up.

-Lee Taemin how can you be so … carefree? – Mai sighed.

-I’m really sorry. I got my mind into work and forgot everything else around. I’m sorry my little wife.

-It’s okay but … please be more careful. A house with children needs to be clean and tidy so it is safe. What if something happens to Yu Jin?

-Yes Madam Lee Mai. I’ll be careful in the future. I’ll do my best!  - He smiled to her.

-You better! I’ll keep an eye on you husband! – She joked.”

When bed time came.

“Daddy! Where is Mr. Sprout? – Mai called from Yu Jin’s room.

-Eh? Inside the bad, no? – He said back from the desk room.

-Can’t find. Can you come?

-Coming. – He left his computer and entered the small bedroom, then emptied the bag. – Not here? Maybe in the car, wait.

-Ok! It’s fine Yu Jin. Daddy will find Mr. Sprout. I know you’re tired my baby but just wait, hum? Daddy didn’t lose him. He can’t! No, no don’t cry! DADDY!! Oh look Yu Jin-ah! This is Mr. Potamus and Miss Berry! Look how funny they are~

-Not in the car either! – Said a bit panicking Taemin back from outside.

-WHAT? You f* kidding me? Did you lose it?

-Waaaaaaaaaaah – Started to cry loud Yu Jin.

  -No, no, no! Don’t cry my son! – Mai tried to comfort his baby by rocking him – Daddy! Do something! Fast!!

-Hyungs! Maybe I left Mr. Sprout to one of their place!

-Oh, ok go! Call them! – She said still rocking her crying baby.”

Taemin called all s but the result was that Jonghyun was in a studio mixing his songs, Minho was night filming, Onew was at his mom’s place eating meat, and Key was out drinking with friends: In short, no answers as if Mr. Sprout was left at their place or not.

“Daddy?! – Mai was seriously worried. How will Yu Jin sleep without Mr. Sprout?

-They don’t know… They are all out right now. – He told her disappointed.

-What do we do…? Let’s check again, hum? Maybe we missed him? Stop crying baby-ah… We’re doing our best right now, so please stop crying…

-Calm down Mai. It’s okay, we’ll find him. It’s not lost, I feel it. – He said while hugging her.”

Mai put back Yu Jin in his baby bed, letting him cry out. They spent another 10min searching but still no Mr. Sprout.

“I should have bought two. I knew I should have… - Mai was giving up.

-Don’t give up! Ah… Wait! I know where it is!!

-You know? – Mai was seeing light again.

-Yes!! Wait here.

-O.. okay!”

She ran back to Yu Jin’s room and took him back in her arms and hugged him against her chest. She was rocking him and singing some lullaby trying to calm him down. Too much crying wasn’t good for a baby, he could suffocate. “That’s it Yu Jin-ah, that’s it. Be calm, Daddy said he knows where Mr. Sprout is. So everything’s fine. Everything’s fine.”

A minute later, Taemin got back and found the two loves of his life smiling at each other. It was really a sweet image. He couldn’t get enough of it. The soft voice of Mai while talking to Yu Jin sound nothing like her everyday voice. It was a voice way more mature, way more filled with love and affection. He loved her mother voice. He approached them slowly and when Mai eyes crossed his, she asked about Mr. Sprout. Taemin back hugged his wife and looked at his son.

“He has your eyes you know. – He simply let out.

-Maybe. He has your nose for sure. Did you find our purple friend? – She said with a soft voice.

- I did! – He hugged her tighter.

-For real? Yu Jin-ah! Daddy is a super hero! He super hero! He found Mr. Sprout! He didn’t lose it.

-Here! – He showed up My Sprout to his son from behind his mother – Hello little boy! Mr. Sprout has returned from his walk in the garden. Let’s play together now – He spoke with a cute voice as if it was the doll.”

This is when something magical happened. A cute little sound came from Yu Jin’s throat.

“Do it again! Do it again! – Pressed Mai.

-Hello little boy~ - voiced again Taemin.”

The same sound a bit louder this time came from Yu Jin., a sound making both parents giggling and dying of cuteness. A laugh, it was a baby laughter; it was Yu Jin’s first laugh. They wanted to hear it more and more and again, so that they played with Yu Jin way much longer than scheduled… 

Bonus : 

Mr Sprout :