It seemed that every time Jeonghan got pregnant time literally flies by. He is now already six months along, it is the middle of June and it is boiling hot, especially while pregnant. Now he knows how his mother felt while she was pregnant with him. Today, Daejung and him were in the grocery store, since it’s just the three of them they don’t have to shop much. One meal can usually last about three or four days, depending on what it is. Jeonghan was planning on making Mandu, Korean dumplings, for Daejung’s lunch before he realized he didn’t have all the ingredients, so here they are.

            They’ve been shopping for about an hour and Daejung was getting restless so Jeonghan made haste to get to the check out line. Daejung sat in the cart as he began to put his shopping on the counter to get scanned. He had his back turned for about five minutes when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Hey, is this your kid?” A man asked.

“Excuse me?” Jeonghan turned and his eyes went wide, it was Mingi, Mingyu’s brother.

“I said is this your kid? He was wondering around by the strawberries.” He was holding Daejung’s hand.

“Oh my god yes! Daejung what are you doing?” Jeonghan panicked as his brain finally caught up, grabbing up Daejung in his arms.

“I wanted strawberries.” Daejung said nonchalant.

“If you want something ask me, okay, don’t run off. Something bad could have happened to you.”

“I’m sorry daddy.” Daejung pouted.

“It’s okay Daejung-ah. Just don’t do it again, okay?” Jeonghan then turned to Mingi who was still standing there, “Thank you so much Mingi.”

“No problem. I thought he was yours since he looks so much like Mingyu.”

“Yeah, we hear that a lot.”

“Sorry sir, but could you please pay, a line is forming.” The cashier cut in.

“Oh yeah, I’m so sorry. How much is it?”

“$173.”

“Okay, here you go. Keep the change.” Jeonghan said handing her cash, “And thanks again Mingi, you saved my life just now.”

“It’s fine, no problem at all.”

            They walked out to the parking garage to the car, Jeonghan now keeping a thorough eye on Daejung as he packed away the groceries.

“Daddy who was that man?”

“That’s uncle Mingi. Dad’s older brother.”

“I didn’t know dad had a brother.”

“Yeah, they don’t talk to each other much.” Jeonghan said, perhaps too honestly.

“Why not?”

“Well, their life growing up was very different. Uncle Mingi was more adventurous, while dad was more behaved. They just didn’t have a lot in common, so they didn’t spend a lot of time together.”

“Do they hate each other?”

“No, they love each other very much.” Jeonghan not knowing how true that was.

“Can uncle Mingi come over one day?”

“If he has time, of course.”

“Okay!”

            Jeonghan finished putting away the groceries and buckled Daejung into his car seat. As got in and was about to start the engine, he felt a strange feeling, like he was being watched. He looked up and saw Mingi standing in front of the car, motioning for him to roll down the window.

“Oh, hi again Mingi.”

“Hey, sorry about this, but my car batteries dead and you’re the only one out here right now. I was hoping you’d give me a upstart?”

“Of course, where’s your car?”

“It’s the red SUV over there.”

Jeonghan immediately saw it as it was the only car there. Jeonghan started his car and drove over to where Mingi was parked and popped the hood and got out.

“Where are you going daddy?” Daejung asked over his thumb.

“Uncle Mingi needs some help with his car. It’ll only be a second okay.”

“Okay.”

“Thanks Jeonghan, I hate having to do this when you’re busy.” Mingi said connecting the jumper cables to Jeonghan’s battery.

“Well, after you helped Daejung, I sort of owe you one.”

“So, how far along are you?” Mingi said looking down at Jeonghan’s belly.

“A little more than six months now.”

“It’s like every time I see you your pregnant.”

“Well, we’ve only seen each other twice.” Jeonghan said quite uncomfortable with his statement.

“Yeah, I know, it’s just I don’t think Mingyu would be comfortable with me being around you all the time.”

“Why not?” Jeonghan was now even more uncomfortable.

“Because, the one reason Mingyu and I lost touch with each other is because of you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I had a crush on you Jeonghan, back in high school, just like everyone else did. But so did he, so he made every effort to get you first. And he did.”

“That doesn’t really sound like something Mingyu would do.”

“Yeah, he had the good guy persona down packed by then.”

“Look, I see where this conversation is going and I don’t have time for it. So could you start your car, I have other things to do today.” Jeonghan was starting to get annoyed.

“Actually, my car is fine. I just wanted to talk to you.” Mingi said removing the jumper cables.

“What did you just say?” Now Jeonghan was angry, “You wasted my time just to talk to me.”

“Yeah, like I said Mingyu doesn’t want me seeing you alone, because as I said earlier, I have a crush on you. Even now.” Mingi said stepping closer.

“I think you should go.”

“Why?” Mingi was now inches from him, his hand on Jeonghan’s side.

“Daddy! I’m hungry! Can we go now?” Daejung yelled from the car.

“That’s why.” Jeonghan said stepping around him, “I’m married to Mingyu, I have two kids with him and I love him. That’s why.”

“I see. Well, can do me a favor and not tell Mingyu you saw me, he’d flip out. Can you do that for me?”

“No, I can’t.” Jeonghan let down the hood and walked to the driver’s side door, when Mingi’s hand grabbed his.

“Please. I don’t want this to blow up like it did all those years ago, please.” Mingi sounded sincere, but his eyes said different.

“Okay, fine. Now let go of me.”

            Jeonghan jerked his hand away and got in his car and drove off, his tires screeching a bit. The drive home was quiet, apart from the radio. Jeonghan’s mind busy thinking about the fact that Mingi just randomly appeared like that after more than four years of being AWOL. And also the fact that he just confessed all of that to Jeonghan. He didn’t know what to do with that information. He debated whether or not to tell Mingyu about Mingi showing up, but he decided to tell him. Every time he keeps something from Mingyu, especially in this sense, bad things happen. That night after Daejung went to sleep Jeonghan told him.

“Hey Mingyu, can I talk to you for a minute?” Jeonghan said walking into Mingyu’s home office.

“Sure hyung. What’s up?” Mingyu not even looking up from his computer.

“I saw Mingi at the store today.”

“What?” Mingyu said hands pausing in mid type, “What’d he say to you?”

“Nothing. Daejung had run off to look at strawberries and Mingi found him and brought him back.”

“How did he know Daejung was yours? He’s never seen him.”

“He said he looked like you.”

“I see.” Mingyu sounded and looked uneasy, “What else did he say?”

“He told me about you two, and how you guys fought over me.”

“We didn’t fight over you, it had nothing to do with you. He was mad that I confessed to you before he did. I didn’t even know he liked you, he never told me.”

“If you had known, would you still have done it?”

“No, I was a cowered when it came to Mingi hyung. I always let him have his way, trying to avoid a fight. But it seemed the more I tried, the more we fought.” Mingyu sighed leaning back in his chair.

“He told me not to tell you this, you know.”

“I bet he did. Look hyung, try not o go out too much by yourself alright. Take Kiyeon with you for now. I don’t trust him or this situation.”

“You think he’ll do something?”

“Maybe when we were kids no, but he’s different now and it’s been years since I’ve seen him. I just want to you and Daejung to be safe. It’s my job to protect you.”

“You’re a great protector Mingyu.” Jeonghan walked over to him and his hair.

“Thanks hyung.” Mingyu said as he kissed Jeonghan belly.

“Now come to bed, its late.”

“Yes sir.” Mingyu smirked, shutting down his computer.

“Very funny.”