Minjun

April...

"No! I don't wanna go see Doctor Khunnie!" Kim Gain shouted "I want my Mommy."

It was a familiar refrain. Whenever Gain didn't want to do something, she'd trot out that line.

Jun sighed as his niece continued to scream and pitch a fit. Gain's behavior was nothing new. This same thing happened every day, reminding him of the Bill Murray movie, Groundhog Day. Only this was no joke and a happy ending wasn't guaranteed.

Gain was combative about everything Minjun suggested, just because he'd been the one to suggest it. She'd throw a tantrum over going out for pizza or watching Frozen, things she loved, or had loved before her mother passed away.

"Come on, sweetheart, we have to go see Doctor Khunnie so he can tell us how healthy you are." According to Miryo's medical records, Gain hadn't had a physical since this time last year.

"I'm not your th-weetheart!" Gain screamed, her lisp in full effect. 

Nothing Minjun had tried over the last three months had worked to soothe his grieving niece. He'd been hoping that having Gain in his life would help his own grieving process. So far it had only made things worse for him. For both of them, actually.

Scooping up a still screaming Gain, Minjun grabbed his briefcase and headed out the front door toward the car. He hated starting their mornings like this, but Jun knew once he got to Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul's office, Gain would calm down. She only seemed to throw these kinds of tantrums at home or in the car with him.

To the rest of the world Gain appeared to be a sweet little girl dealing with an incredible loss, but at home, she was nothing short of a holy terror.

Meals, homework and bedtime were all nightmares and Jun was at his wits end to figure out a way to wave the white flag and find peace between himself and his niece.

There were occasional glimmers of hope when Gain would seem as if she'd forgotten to be angry with him, but those moments were few and far between. In truth, those little moments were the one thing keeping hope alive that they were going to make it.

It was a conversation with Hwang Chansung that precipitated this trip to see Doctor Horvejkul. He'd mentioned that whenever he was having some kind of behavioral issue with his five-year-old son, Jay, Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul was the person he went to for advice. Jun could see the logic in that. As a pediatrician, Nichkhun was familiar with kids and issues that could change their behavior.

The reason he'd picked Nichkhun as Gain's doctor was because he'd become a part of their circle of friends over the last six months. Nichkhun had been a key participant in Hwang Chansung's custody trial, helping to convince the judge that Chansung should have full custody of his little boy.

Now that Junho was in love and happily engaged to Chansung, he'd been pushing the good doctor at their friend, first grade teacher, Jung Ewon. Both men were friendly toward each other, but Jun hadn't seen any indication that the men were interested in each other beyond being friends.

He knew the reason Junho had pushed Nichkhun toward Ewon was that he was still a tiny bit hung up on his ex, Ok Taecyeon. Okay, maybe "tiny" was the wrong word to use.

Two years after their bad breakup, Jun still occasionally missed the cheating, rat-bastard, even though he was in no particular hurry to fulfill his promise to Miryo about getting back in touch with the handsome asshat.

Jun turned into the doctor's office parking lot and easily found an empty spot. Thankfully, Nichkhunwas willing to open the office at 7:30am so that Gain could have her physical and they both could get to school on time. 

Taking a deep breath, Jun looked up at the rearview mirror to see Gain was rubbing the silky end of her blanket against her nose. Her eyes were closed and she looked at peace. Jun shut off the engine, dreading having to disturb Gain.

When he opened her car door, the little girl's eyes snapped open and she scowled at him. He stood there waiting for her to unbuckle her own seatbelt. The last time he'd tried to unbuckle Gain, she'd started screaming that she could do it herself, before telling him, again, that she wanted her mother.

With a fierce look on her face, Gain pressed the seatbelt button and climbed out of the car with her blanket and stuffed cat. She never went anywhere without either comfort item.

Jun held his hand out for Gain to hold, but she frowned up at him and refused to take it. Sighing, he started walking toward the office building. There were so many things he needed to talk to Doctor Nichkhun about today.

"Good morning, Gain!" Doctor Horvejkul was all smiles when the little girl walked into the office "Jun, it's good to see you again." Nichkhun was wearing a scrub top patterned with cats.

"It's good to see you too, Nichkhun." Jun had never been happier to see a doctor in his entire life.  He reached out to shake the doctor's hand, grateful for the human contact.

"Why don't we come on back to exam room one?" Nichkhun opened the door leading to the exam rooms and pointed to a bright yellow door with a red '1' painted on it.

"Do you know why you're here today?" Nichkhun asked as he lifted Gain up onto the exam table.

Jun breathed a sigh of relief. There was no way in hell Gain would have let him lift her up like Nichkhun had done.

"To make sure I don't have cancer like my Mommy." her dark eyes twinkled with brewing tears.

Jun felt his heart break all over again. Is that really what Gain thought? That she was going to get cancer like her mother?

Nichkhun flashed a sympathetic look at Jun and grabbed a rolling stool. He sat down in front of Gain bringing them eye-to-eye with each other "That's a really smart answer. You're absolutely right!"

Jun felt his mouth drop open. This was just a routine physical not a cancer screen. What the hell kind of game was Nichkhun playing here?

"I'm gonna check out your eyes and ears and listen to your heart and test your reflexes. Okay?" 

Gain nodded, clutching her cat and blanket closer to her chest.

Nichkhun got up from his seat to gather his instruments and nodded at Jun, slapping him on the shoulder before he got to work.

The doctor was true to his word, using his stethoscope to listen to Gain's heart. He even gave the instrument to the little girl so she could hear her own heart beating. Jun tried to relax as Nichkhun conducted the exam. He even managed a smile when Gain giggled at having her reflexes tested. It was the first time he'd heard her laugh since her mother passed.

"You did a terrific job, honey. Why don't you go play with the toys in the waiting room while I talk to your uncle?"

"Do I have cancer, Doctor Khunnie?" Gain's dark eyes were serious.

"No, honey. You're perfectly healthy." Nichkhun smiled at the little girl and helped her down off the exam table.

"Okay, you're gonna have to explain this to me. We were here for a physical, not to check her for signs of cancer."

"We both knew that, Jun, but Gain didn't. The only doctors she's seen in the last few months or so have been doctors treating Miryo-ssi's cancer, right?"

Jun nodded. 

"Not only is she afraid of having cancer like her mother, but she's also afraid of doctors. In her mind, they only bring bad news. What I wanted to do today was build back some of her lost trust."

In that moment, Jun could have hugged Nichkhun for doing that for Gain. It had never occurred to him to try to reassure his niece "She didn't want to come see you today and threw a pretty bad tantrum. I had to carry her, screaming, out of the house."

"That's happening a lot, huh?"

"Yeah, everything's a fight. We don't have very many peaceful moments together. I don't want this kind of life for her, Nichkhun. I want to be able to tell her and show her how much I love her and she won't let me." what Jun didn't say was that he needed that kind of love and support from Gain in return.

"I think Gain's lashing out at you is her way of dealing with her entire life being out of her control. She had this life with her mother and then all of a sudden that life is gone and now she's living with you in a new place and nothing is familiar. Does that make sense?"

Jun thought about it for a minute. What would his life be like if all of a sudden he lost his job and his house and had to move in with Jongup? It would be hard for him to handle as a fully functioning adult, never mind as a five-year-old "Yeah, it makes perfect sense." 

"What I suggest is giving her a little bit of control, maybe some responsibility combined with a chore like making her bed. That way there she has something to focus her love and attention on, not to mention giving her a happy reason to come home."

It hurt Jun to think coming home to him didn't make Gain happy, but this wasn't about him. It was about finding a way to help Gain heal "You mean like a pet?" he remembered Miryo telling him that Gain loved kittens. Maybe going to the pound to rescue a kitten would be just the thing to turn Gain around.

"In my opinion, an animal would be perfect for your situation. You said she's yelling and throwing a lot of tantrums. You'll tell her that she can't yell and carry on in front of the pet and she'll stop, not because you're asking her to, but for the animal."

Jun snorted "Ah, a little reverse psychology. Boots needs you to do your homework or Mittens looks sleepy, maybe it's time for bed, right?"

"Exactly!" Nichkhun set a hand on Jun's shoulder "She just needs one thing to go her way. It might just be that simple to jumpstart your life together."

"I'd do anything to see that little girl smile."

"Your little girl, Jun. Gain is your little girl now. It might help things more than you know if you stop thinking of her as the niece you took in because her mother died and start thinking of her as your daughter." 

He wanted to do that more than anything, but didn't think Gain was ready to accept him as a parent "I'll do it. It'll be a fresh start for both of us."

"What are you doing about her lisp? I noticed it a few times during the exam."

"I hadn't really thought a lot about it. I just figured it would work itself out in time."

"It might just do that, but I'd suggest talking to a speech pathologist. We've got one of the best ones here in Seoul. His name is Ok Taecyeon."

That was just Minjun's luck "You got another pathologist you can recommend aside from him?" Jun's stomach roiled in protest while he ground his teeth together. The last person he wanted to work with Gain, was his ex-boyfriend.

"He's the best in the business, but I understand your reluctance." Nichkhun shuffled his left foot against the carpet, not making eye contact with Jun.

It didn't escape Jun's notice that Nchkhun was acting cagey when he mentioned Taecyeon's name. He couldn't help wondering if the good doctor was sleeping with his ex. 

For the second time this morning, Jun was reminded of Miryo's request that he get back in touch with Taecyeon. He knew Gain deserved the best speech pathologist to help with her lisp. Shaking his head, Jun sighed. It looked like his baby sister was going to get her wish after all.

Taecyeon

Ok Taecyeon looked down at his phone in disbelief. Kim Minjun' name flashed across his caller ID. After two long years of being apart, his ex was calling.

More likely than not, Minjun's call was about one of his students at Little Wonder Clovers. There was no way he was breaking radio silence to finally listen to Taecyeon's side of the events that broke them up.

Butterflies rioted in his stomach. Just play it cool man... "Yoboseyo, Ok Taecyeon speaking." maybe not that cool. He'd just answered the phone like the man he'd spent three years with was a total stranger. 

"Hi, it's Jun."

Taecyeon would never forget Jun's deep voice as long as he lived "Hi, Jun.” Taecyeon sighed.

He had so many things he wanted to say, but first things first "I'm so sorry about Miryo. She was one hell of a lady." Taec cringed, not sure if Jun would be offended by his language. 

Minjun barked out what sounded like a surprised laugh "She sure was."

It wasn't until he heard Jun's rich laugh that he realized how much he'd missed that sound "Your eulogy was beautiful, man. Worthy of the brightest angel in heaven.

"You were there?" Minjun sounded like he was taken off guard by Taec's confession.

"I loved her so much. Figured you wouldn't want to see me, but I had to be there to say goodbye to her. She was always there for me, even when I was being a total jack-off."

"Which was all the time." Jun laughed. 

As much as Taecyeon wanted to disagree with him, he wouldn't. Spending the last two years without Jun had taught him to pick his battles. Now wasn't the time to remind Jun they'd had a lot more good times than bad.

"How's Gain holding up?" as much as he'd loved Jun's sweet sister, he'd loved her baby girl more. 

Rem let out a heavy sigh "Gain's struggling. I mean we're all struggling, you know?"

Taec wished he could pull Jun into his arms and hug him until his arms went numb. It was his own damn fault that he couldn't, but maybe this call could be a fresh start for them "I know how much you love that little girl. If anyone can help with her grief, it's you."

Jun snorted before he cleared his throat "Gain's actually the reason I'm calling."

"Oh?" Taec hoped the disappointment he felt slicing through his heart didn't come through in the tone of his voice.

"She's got a speech impediment, a lisp, and Doctor Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul suggested you might be able to help her out with that. I'm not so sure about it, but Nichkhun said you're the best speech pathologist in Seoul."

If Taec thought his heart was sliced to ribbons before, now he felt like Jun was stomping on it with steel-toed boots. He managed to hold on to his temper and that had to count for something "I'm honored he'd recommend me. He's a great guy.

! He shouldn't have said that. The last thing he wanted was for Jun to think he'd been with Nichkhun.

The old Taecyeon would have hit that in a heartbeat. Nichkhun Buck Horvejkul was gorgeous, no doubt about it, but even after Jun had kicked him out, throwing away three years together, Taecyeon still pined for the only man that he'd ever really loved. 

"Yeah, he is. Helped out some friends of mine a few months ago and now he's Gain's doctor."

"Where does she go to school?" Taec figured getting down to business would be his best move and might help get his mind off his broken heart. 

"She's at my school, Little Wonders Clovers."

"Who is her teacher? Lee Junho or Kwon Yuri?"

"She's in Junho's class. My friend's soon-to-be stepson is in that class."

"Ah, you must be talking about Hwang Jay." Taec chuckled.

"How do you know Jay?" Jun's voice took on a suspicious tone.

"I work with another classmate of his and all she does is gush about Jay." 

"Oh." Jun sounded pacified "Jay is pretty much the only person who can get through to Gain right now."

Taecyeon was afraid that might happen. When kids lost parents, it was common for them to seek solace in their peers rather than in adults.  Taec pulled his calendar up on his laptop "I've got the 2-3pm time slot free all week. I've been seeing Lisa at my office on Thursdays, but if it's okay with you, I could fit her in at Little Wonder Clovers so her mother wouldn't have to make two stops."

"Would I need to be in the room with you?" Jun sounded nervous.

"No." that old familiar slash of disappointment ripped through him again. It seemed like the last thing Jun wanted was to see him again.

It was the reason he'd been seeing Lisa at his office rather than at the school like he did with his other kids "It's better if I meet with Gain one-on-one and then after the session, I can get together with you or send you an email of my observations."

"Yeah, I can do that. Thursday works for us. Jay's grandparents pick up both kids from school that day. So we'd be free to talk about Gain once the kids go home."

"Send me whatever medical records Nichkhun thinks that I should have. Do you remember my work email address?" Taec took a deep breath. 

"Yeah, I'll send everything over in a few minutes and thanks. I appreciate your willingness to work with Gain."

"Sure thing." the click of Jun disconnecting their call echoed loudly in his ear. All in all, their conversation wasn't a total loss. He'd managed to hold his tongue and he was going to get to see Jun on Thursday. 

That gave him three days to pull himself together and find a way to help Gain. Maybe seeing how good he was with Jun's niece would convince his mistrustful ex to give him a chance to make things right between them.