“Changmin, eat your breakfast.”

“Hmph.”

“Come on, baby. I made your favorite! Cheese omelet with ham and bacon inside!”

A twitch. Then another, “Hmph!”

Jaejoong sighed. Giving up, he just placed the plate of food in front of the 8-year-old. Hopefully when he turned around to get the kid’s bento ready, Changmin would eat.

“Morning, my favorite men!” piped Jaejoong’s husband’s voice.

“Morning, yeobo,” Jaejoong greeted as a good morning kiss was placed on his cheek.

“Hmph.”

Yunho let out a sigh as he grabbed a mug and the pot of coffee. “Changmin, come on, we talked about this.”

“Hmph.”

“No matter how much you give us the silent treatment, we’re still bringing your brother home,” Yunho continued, as he settled on the table with his coffee.

“He’s not my brother,” Changmin mumbled.

Jaejoong sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. It wasn’t like they could just not go through with the adoption, they already made a commitment. They even talked to Changmin beforehand and he didn’t seem to mind a few months ago. They had taken him to meet the little boy they wanted, a 6-year-old with large brown eyes and a bright personality named Samuel.

As soon as Samuel had said “hi” and smiled that bright smile that captured Yunho and Jaejoong’s heart, they thought Changmin would be taken too. However, things went downhill. Changmin had frowned before taking Jaejoong aside and demanding that they chose another baby. And then, he had spent the rest of the visit reading children’s books at the orphanage’s library while his fathers play with Samuel.

Now, Jaejoong and Yunho loved their first child and would do anything to make him happy. However, unfortunately for the 8-year-old in this case, Jaejoong and Yunho’s hearts were already set on Samuel.

So, Changmin retaliated in the way he knew best: sulking.

For the rest of breakfast, Jaejoong and Yunho left him alone to pout and glare at his empty plate. And when Yunho announced that it was time to leave for the day, Jaejoong turned around briefly to grab the prepared lunch boxes from the kitchen counter.

When he turned back, a piece of omelet was missing and Changmin’s cheeks were puffed up.

Jaejoong inwardly grinned, pleased. Changmin’s hunger won out in the end, after all.

Before the two could head out of the door, Jaejoong gently took hold of his son’s shoulders and kneeled on the floor so he could look him in the eye. Still pouting, Changmin stared down at his shoes.

“Hey, I know that things are going to be different now,” Jaejoong stated, making sure to keep the tone of his voice loving and affectionate. “And that can be scary. But, Changmin, you’ll learn to love Samuel. I’m sure of it. And he’s really excited to see you again. Can you at least try to be friendly with him when he comes home? Please? For Papa?”

At that, Changmin finally looked up at him. Jaejoong flashed him a reassuring smile.

“Okay,” he said, nodding.

“Promise?” Jaejoong lifted his pinky to him.

“I promise.”

Jaejoong kissed his forehead. “That’s my good boy. Now, have a good day at school, okay? Uncle Yoochun will pick you up later.”

His son grinned, mischievously, which made Jaejoong nervous. The kid always had a glint in his eyes when he was planning something.

“Can he take me to get ice cream?” the little boy asked.

Typical Changmin. Always thinking about his stomach. But, Jaejoong rarely denied him anything. Yunho often scolded him for spoiling the boy too much, but he was Jaejoong’s baby. He couldn’t help but spoil him, just a little. And now that they were having another child that Changmin wasn’t too happy about, he felt a little guilty.

“Alright, I’ll tell him to get you ice cream,” he resigned.

Changmin cheered.

“Jae,” Yunho began to scold but held his tongue at the look Jaejoong sent his way.

He kissed their son one more time before Changmin bounded to the door, his mood improved.

Jaejoong kissed Yunho’s cheek, whispering in his ear, “Let’s just indulge him for now, okay? He’s been upset. You want him sulking when we bring Samuel home?”

Yunho conceded at that and his face of disapproval turned to mischief (Changmin definitely got that from him).

“Can you indulge me too?” he asked.

Jaejoong pinched his arm, making his husband yelp. “Just take our son to school!”

Yunho pouted before grinning and flashing him a wink. “Tonight then, yeobo!”

Without another word, he followed Changmin out.

“Have a good day!” Jaejoong called out, watching the two get in the car.

He continued to stay at the door, watching Yunho pull out of their driveway and onto the road. He waited until they disappeared before heading back inside the house.

Sighing, Jaejoong’s eyes ran all over the mess in the house. From Changmin’s toys and books strewn all over the living room floor to the unwashed dishes in the kitchen sink. He took a day off from his work as a restaurant chef that day to clean and get the house ready for Samuel’s welcome home party. Yunho was taking the afternoon off work from the law office to help him with setting up the party before they had to pick up Samuel from the orphanage.

With a determined huff, Kim Jaejoong got ready for a long morning of housework.

…………………..

RING!

“That’s all for today! I’ll see everyone on Monday!”

“Yes!”

Chairs scraped against the floor accompanied by the thud of desks closing and chattering of students. With a small sigh, Changmin zipped his backpack close and followed his classmates out the door, bowing to his teacher on the way.

He walked to the entrance slowly, quietly grabbed his outdoor shoes from his cubby and switched to them, and headed out.

Sure enough, his Uncle Yoochun was there, waiting for him. The adult was surrounded by the mothers of his schoolmates who were giving him looks that Changmin could only describe as the same look his Yunho-appa would give his Jaejoong-papa when the former wanted “alone time.” (Changmin often didn’t mind these times; he was allowed to watch T.V. alone so he would always sneak a box of cookies from the kitchen.)

“Hey, there, Minnie!” Yoochun called out with an ear-splitting grin as he waved at him.

Changmin walked up to him. “Uncle Yoochun. Ice cream,” was all he said.

Yoochun pouted. “No hug for your uncle?”

Normally, Changmin would refuse. The adult was always asking (read: begging) for his affection and Changmin would only give it when it was required of him (like when his parents were around). He was most comfortable only giving affection to his own fathers, not so much to other adults, though. But, for today, since Uncle Yoochun was buying him ice cream, he would behave.

He stepped forward to hug the adult around the middle, loosely. Fingers ruffled his hair, messing it up.

“Let’s go get your ice cream so we can get back to your house and help with the preparations for the party.”

Changmin pouted. “Hmph,” was all he responded.

Thankfully, Uncle Yoochun said nothing. He simply chuckled and led him to the car.

The 8-year-old stayed quiet and unobtrusive in the back seat as his uncle hummed along to the radio. When they reached the ice cream shop, Changmin could no longer keep his excitement to himself and ran in. He pressed his face against the glass, his mouth watering in anticipation as he looked at all the ice cream.

“So, what is it today, Minnie?” Uncle Yoochun asked behind him. “You can get any flavor you want.”

Changmin pursed his lips in contemplation. He really loved Rocky Road but the Chocolate Chip was really looking good that day.

“Minnie? Don’t mean to pressure you, buddy, but we’re a little short on time today.”

“Rocky road… Chocolate chip…” Changmin looked up at his uncle. “Can I have both?”

Uncle Yoochun chuckled. “Your Papa told me you can only get one.”

But, he really couldn’t decide. And he wanted both. And desperate times called for desperate measures.

He sent his uncle a pout with a slight quiver and schooled his eyes to puppy ones.

The adult rolled his eyes. “I’m not your Jae-papa, that doesn’t work on me.”

Changmin amplified his eyes to go wider and even sadder, even forcing out a tear for effect. His Uncle Yoochun was not fond of tears. He had seen him pretend not to cry while watching dramas with Jaejoong-papa.

“F-Fine,” he relented and Changmin mentally raised a fist in victory. “Just two, okay? No more, no less. And no telling your parents!”

Changmin smiled, sweetly. “Thank you, Uncle Yoochun. You’re the best.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the adult mumbled as Changmin turned to the noona at the counter.

“Rocky road and Chocolate Chip, please, Noona! With the oreo bits and sprinkles!”

His uncle said nothing about not getting toppings.

The adult’s left eye twitched but Changmin pretended not to notice as the pretty noona behind the counter handed him the giant cone, the crumbs from the oreo practically raining down on the floor.

“Jae is gonna kill me,” his uncle mumbled as he paid.

Skipping happily to the door, Changmin at the cold sweet treat, his mood improved. The rocky road had bits of cookies and the chocolate chips were soft and melted in his mouth. He didn’t mind the crumbs of oreo and sprinkles falling onto his school uniform.

For a moment, he forgot why he was even upset earlier. There was no reason to be sad at that moment. Not when ice cream was in his hands.

However, like everything in life, happiness didn’t often last very long. Not only did Changmin finish the ice cream before they even arrived home, but as soon as he stepped into the foyer, he was reminded that he was no longer an only child.

They were bringing home that… HEATHEN… today. (He wasn’t entirely sure what “heathen” meant but he heard it being used on T.V. and it sounded like an appropriate word for the intruder invading his haven.)

The 8-year-old scowled at all the streamers and balloons decorating the living room. He glared at the giant “Welcome home, Samuel!” banner strewn across one wall and the table stacked with presents underneath it.

“Is that my Minnie?”

At the sweet voice, Changmin forgot his ire and smiled as he ran towards the open arms of his grandmother, Jung Yeojin. She smelt of honey and cookies.

“My handsome boy,” his grandmother chuckled. “Are you excited to meet your brother?”

At the mention of the intruder of his home, Changmin’s frown returned and his eyes narrowed.

Sighing at the boy’s change in attitude, his grandmother turned to his uncle Yoochun.

“Did he eat?” she asked.

“He had some ice cream, halmeoni.”

She nodded. “Do you mind helping Junsu with the food? Heechul and Siwon are in the back with Donggun, finishing up with the barbecue. And Yunho called, they’re at the orphanage now signing some papers, so they will be home soon. I’ll get Changmin ready.”

As his Uncle Yoochun obediently went to the kitchen to help his Uncle Junsu, his grandmother took his hand and led him upstairs to change into his party clothes.

Defeated, Changmin decided to behave, in hopes that being good will at least get him cookies. He could smell them wafting from the kitchen.

Well, the little intruder is good for one thing, at least. They would pay him so much more attention that Changmin can probably get away with eating extra dessert that night.