Let’s make a deal

“Ummaaaaa!!!” 

Jaejoong frowned hearing his call, lazily opening his eyes. 

“Umma! Wake up! Hurry! Santa came in last night!” 

Melody sat on his chest, palming his cheeks, making him smile. 

“He did?” 

Jaejoong asked stretching lazily, his sleepy eyes meeting the sparkly little ones. 

“Enn Enn!” 

Melody nodded happily before holding her mother’s hand, pulling him up and out of the bed. 

“Ummaaaaa! Palli (quick)!!” 

“Alright... I’m coming...” 

He said smiling, letting himself be led by his excited daughter. 

“Oh my God!!!” 

Reaching the living room, Melody squealed seeing the presents under the tree, jumping around happily waking up Changmin who was sleeping on the couch near them. 

“Samchun!!! You have to see what Santa got! Wake up!!” 

Jaejoong chuckled seeing Melody jump on the Changmin’s sleepy body startling him. 

“Um... where... I...” 

Changmin sat up looking around sleepily, seeing Jaejoong giggling at him and Melody bouncing on his lap with a wide smile. 

“Santa Caa-me?!” 

He yawned asking the excited girl. 

“YES!!!” 

Melody chanted happily. 

“LOOK!!!” 

She yelled jumping into his chest hugging him, before holding his cheeks, turning his head towards the lit tree with the wrapped boxes around it. 

“Woah!! Look at all these presents! I wonder what he got you?!” 

Changmin said, chuckling with Jaejoong seeing the little girl jump towards the boxes counting them. 

“Coffee?” 

Changmin nodded eagerly to the other. 

“Yes please...” 

************ 

“Did you like what Santa got you, baby?” 

Jaejoong asked seeing his daughter has unwrapped all the boxes. 

“Yes! I love them! Santa is the best!!” 

Melody nodded, her eyes twinkling at the couple of barbie dolls she wanted, the pink and blue dresses, and the colorful school bag with the unicorn design. 

“Baby... there is one gift left... Yunho Samchun got you for Christmas...” 

Jaejoong said smiling gently at his excited little girl.  

“Chincha?! Odeyeh?!” (Really? Where is it) 

“It's there.” 

 Jaejoong nodded pointing at the couch where a big wrapped box was hidden next to it. 

“Omo! It’s a house!!! For my dolls Somi and Yona...” 

Jaejoong nodded smiling to Melody who bunced on her feet with excitement. 

“Next time we see Yunho Samchun, you have to thank him... ok baby?” 

“Deh!!” 

Chuckling at his daughter’s excitement, he felt his heart lighten seeing her happy and excited. 

“I’ll go make breakfast, ok? Let Minmin Samchun help you build the house, ok?” 

Nodding to her mother, Jaejoong stood up meeting the mismatched smiling eyes, as he entered the living room freshly showered and sat down next to Melody. 

***************** 

“Good morning.” 

Jaejoong said entering Yunho’s office with the coffee tray. 

“Oh! Good morning!” 

Yunho who was reading a paper, took off his glasses, standing up as soon as he saw him. 

“M-merry Christmas.” 

Jaejoong stuttered, he didn’t expect his boss to stand up and meet him half way, taking the tray off of his hands. 

“Merry Christmas, Jaejoong-ah... How are you? Feeling better? come on, sit down...” 

Yunho said, walking back to his chair, placing the coffee tray in front of him. 

“ Deh? Aah, yes... all is good now...” 

Jaejoong looked at the other confused, before remembering how he fainted two days ago when melody got lost. 

“Sit down... will you?”  

Yunho repeated, taking a bite from one of the cookies next to his coffee. 

“Wow, this cookie is delicious... did you make these?” 

Jaejoong nodded shyly, sitting at the chair in front of his boss’s desk. 

“You have a talent... I tell you... these are heavenly...” 

Yunho said munching on another one. 

“It’s not that heavenly... you are probably starving... let me guess... you haven’t eaten since... when? Christmas eve dinner?” 

Jaejoong asked, his lips smiling at his boss, seeing him blush, scratching his neck. 

“It’s that obvious, huh?” 

Yunho said, smiling shyly at his assistant. 

“It’s your bad habit...” 

“Deh?” 

He asked not sure what his assistant said. 

“I said, it’s your bad habit... everyone has a bad habit, some smoke, some over-drink, others curse... some over-eat and some skip meals...” 

Yunho nodded to the other, before asking: 

“And what’s yours?” 

“D-deh?” 

Jaejoong looked up surprised, not expecting the question. 

“I’m wondering what is your bad habit...” 

Jaejoong blushed not knowing what to tell the other. He never thought of his bad habit... he has many... he didn’t know what to say so he just answered uneasy. 

“I-I don’t know... I never thought about it...” 

“I’ll tell you... ” 

“Heh??” 

Jaejoong looked at his boss with wide eyes, biting his lip anxiously... Did he do something wrong, why is his boss saying he had a bad habit.  

‘I must have messed up again.’ 

“You are doing it...right now” 

“D-doing what?” 

“You’re overthinking, you tend to do that a lot... That's your bad habit...” 

“That’s not a bad habit” 

Jaejoong said chuckling embarrassedly. 

“It is... you get stressed over things... not good for your health... physically and mentally...” 

“I guess...” 

He mumbled embarrassedly. 

“Let’s make a deal...” 

“Deal?” 

“Yes... we are a team here, aren’t we?” 

Seeing his assistant nod back, Yunho gave him a big smile saying: 

“How about we try to help each other stop the bad habits...” 

Jaejoong looked confused and anxious hearing about the deal his boss proposed. 

“You, as my assistant will remind me of my meals and make sure I have them... and I’ll try and stop and help you every time you overthink... like now...” 

Yunho said before chuckling, seeing the worried doe eyes. 

“B-but...” 

“Don’t worry... a little help from each other to get better... sounds like a good plan... nothing to worry about... ok?” 

Jaejoong thought of his boss’s words... he does tend to worry too much... and he sees no harm in that. 

“Ok...” 

Nodding again to his boss, whom took another cookie drinking coffee after it. 

“Um, Yunho... I’m going out for 10 minutes... I won’t take long... is that ok?” 

Yunho nodded to him, wondering what’s on his mind. 

********** 

“Come in...” 

Yunho said, hearing the door knocked, seeing his assistant enter the office with another coffee tray and a plastic bag with the name Isac toast and coffee on it. 

“I got you breakfast...” 

Jaejoong said walking to his boss, putting the new steaming hot coffee in front of the other, before pulling out a big container from the bag, which has 5 large toast sandwiches. 

“Woah! Jaejoong-aah... you are the best!” 

Yunho said, hearing the other chuckle at him sweetly, he palmed his stomach feeling it gurgle at the sight of food... cookies were definitely not enough. 

“These are different type... I wasn’t sure what to get you...” 

Jaejoong said, opening the container, for his boss to eat. 

“Komawoo Jaejoong-ah! Chomal kowaoo!” (Thank you really) 

Yunho said taking a bite from the first sandwich, ushering his assistant to eat with him, but he shook his head. 

“I had breakfast earlier with Melody... I’ll do the financial reports and you can revise them when you’re done...” 

“But-” 

“I really can’t...” 

Jaejoong said taking the few open documents from his boss’s desk, bowing to him before leaving. 

‘This is so good... Jaejoong is amazing!’  

‘I’m smart... coming up with such a deal... now I can get him to talk about his worries... And I’ll be reminded by my caring pretty assistant to eat and not to skip meals...’ 

Yunho thought smiling giddily munching on his sandwich. 

‘He won’t remind you to eat because he cares... you had a deal...’ 

 A voice in his head reminded him, but he didn’t care... he likes when Jaejoong give him a personal attention.