“Auntie, can I help wash the dishes?” Jaejoong softly inquired, directing big-doe eyes towards Yunho’s mother.

Yunho, who was sitting beside the smaller boy let out a disgruntled sigh as he began to make x signs in the air with his arms, signaling at his Umma to not let Jaejoong help out. He’d rather spend time with him alone.

“But Jaejoongie we have loads of homework tonight. Please, please can we just go to the room now? I’m really having trouble understanding the subjects, especially Mrs. Kang’s math class." Yunho clutched at his head as if in pain to add emphasis to his words. "Aigoo, just thinking about all those numbers makes my brain hurt.”

Jaejoong chewed at his bottom lip. He would be staying with the Jungs for the entire week. His Umma and Appa were out of the country for a business trip. Again. And little Jaejoongie had already told himself that he was going to help out and do as much as he could to not be a burden to his Yunnie-ah’s parents.

The small boy’s gaze darted to little Yunho’s almond orbs. The other was pouting at him, eyebrows dropping to the sides in an expression that made Jaejoong think of his Bikeu. When he looked down beside Yunho, Taepung was looking up at him with the same kicked puppy dog look, as if he too was begging for Jaejoong to agree.

“Yunnie-ah, it’s going to be just a few dish…”

“Jaejoongie, please?” Yunho pleaded, pouting on full force as he turned to his mother. “Umma, you really don’t need any help with the dishes right? You’d rather have me and Jaejoongie study for our class subjects right?”

Mrs. Jung smiled at her son. “Of course Yunnie.” Turning to Jaejoong she added. “You two run along now.”

“But Auntie…” Jaejoong began to protest but his statement was cut off when Yunho hollered.

“Yes!” Yunho whooped a fist in the air as he deftly hopped off his stool. “Come on Jaejoongie.” He began tugging at Jaejoong’s hands, dragging him towards the stairs and into the general direction of his bedroom.

Once they were inside Yunho’s haven, the younger boy immediately dove into his bed, rolled on the soft sheets for a few moments before finally settling down and lying flat on his back at the center. Jaejoong stood at the bedside, gazing down at his best friend with a doting expression.

Yunho looked up and grinned. “Jaejoongie, here.” he said, gently patting the spot next to him.

“What are you so happy about Yunnie-yah?” Jaejoong asked in mild bewilderment as he crawled on the bed next to Yunho. The minute that he had fully laid down on the soft covers, Yunho turned to his side and swung his arms and legs across Jaejoong’s smaller body. Jaejoong made a short ‘ommph’ noise at the contact.

“Yah!” Jaejoong protested, trying to lift Yunho’s limbs off his frame. When Yunho didn’t budge and instead snickered by his ear, his soft breath tickling him and sending shivers down his spine, keeping his facial color to its normal state became the hardest thing for the small boy to do. “Yunnieeeee.” Jaejoong whined. “Get off.”

“Make me." Yunho giggled. "And I'm happy because you're staying with me again.” he murmured gently against his neck, tightening his hold on him. "I missed you Jaejoongie-hyung."

Jaejoong’s response was an immediate eyeroll. “We always see each other at school silly.” he chuckled.

“But it’s not the same.” Yunho supplied and when Jaejoong turned his neck to try and take a good look at the other’s face, Yunho’s lower lip was jutting out again in a pout. Jaejoong’s eyes softened at the sight.

“What you do mean not the same?” he asked.

Yunho huffed out a breath. “Hmmph, don’t act like you don’t know.”

Turning fully to his side so that they were now face to face, Jaejoong replied. “Yunnie-ah, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” There was a mild scowl marring Yunho’s forehead. Jaejoong blinked. “What?”

“How come you don’t let me hug you in school anymore?” Yunho asked. “Are you ashamed of me?”

Jaejoong let out a sigh. Reaching out a hand to Yunho's plump cheeks, he began caressing the soft skin as he smiled. “Of course I’m not ashamed of you.” he assured. ”But Yunnie-yah, we’re both boys.”

The confusion in the younger one’s face was evident. “Jaejoongie, you’re not making any sense.”

“Boys don’t hug boys Yunnie.”

“Why not?”

“Just because…” Come to think of it Jaejoong really didn’t know why boys weren’t allowed to hug boys.

Yunho frowned when Jaejoong looked just as confused. “See? You can’t even give me an answer.”

Remembering a conversation he had with his father, Jaejoong spoke. “Appa said that it doesn’t look nice.”

Yunho grumbled under his breath. “Your Appa is pabo.”

“Yah!” Jaejoong lightly punched him in the arm, frowning. “How could you say that?”

“Because I know that you look nice when I’m hugging you, so he’s pabo.” Yunho pointed out.

“Ei?”

“Come here.” Yunho was immediately out of bed, tugging at Jaejoong’s wrist. Leading the smaller boy to his life size mirror, Yunho stood directly behind his back and closed his arms around Jaejoong’s middle.

Jaejoong stared at their reflections with widened eyes, gasping. “Yunnie.”

“We look nice.” Yunho exclaimed happily, grinning. “Jaejoongie looks good with Yunnie.” he proudly stated.

When Yunho rested his chin on Jaejoong’s shoulder, Jaejoong couldn’t help but agree. He really couldn’t quite find the words to explain how they looked but there was a sense of… belonging in the way Yunho held him in his arms and how Jaejoong seemed to sink into his embrace. How could his Appa say it looked wrong?

But whatever, Jaejoong realized now that being hugged by his best friend was anything but wrong.

Worrying at his bottom lip, Jaejoong's facial expression fell. “Yunnie-yah.”

“Hmmm?”

“After Appa said that Yunnie hugging me looked bad and that he didn’t like what he saw, I got scared that he’d get mad at me. That’s why I avoided you." Bending his head low, he apologized. "I’m sorry."

Pursing his lips before letting his hold on Jaejoong go, Yunho plopped back down onto his bed. Bewildered, Jaejoong walked over and seated himself beside Yunho, their shoulders touching. “Yunnie-yah?”

“I’ll forgive you.” Yunho said, mouth quirking in the corners. “But on one condition.”

Jaejoong blinked, head tilting to the side. “Condition?”

“Yep.”

“What is it?” The quickly spreading grin on little Yunho’s face made little Jaejoong uneasy.

Yunho gestured at his cheek, beaming. “I want a popo.”

Jaejoong flushed.

“Yunnie-yah.” He was pretty sure that boys didn’t kiss boys. Jaejoong shook his head. “I don’t wanna.”

“But Jaejoongie, didn’t you promise that when I get hurt you’re going to give me a popo to make it all better?”

“I did?”

Yunho fervently nodded.

But when did he ever make such a promise?

Flashback

“Yunnie-yah, stop crying already.” Jaejoong gently coaxed, feeling helpless at seeing his sobbing best friend.

Yunho wailed louder, thick droplets of tears trickling down the side of his eyes. “But Jaejoongie, it hurts!!!”

The crying boy was currently lying on one of the school clinic’s bed while Jaejoong stood beside him.

Unfortunately, when they got there the doctor was nowhere to be found.

The wound that was on Yunho’s knee, courtesy of him tripping midst sprint during their P.E, was producing icky red blood as it oozed out of the nasty cut. The poor little boy was reduced to tears from the excruciating pain.

“The doctor will be here in a little bit and she’s going patch up your cut.” Jaejoong assured, cradling Yunho in his arms. The younger boy cried some more and clung to him tighter, burying his face on Jaejoong’s neck.

Jaejoong was at a loss. He didn’t like seeing Yunho in pain. It was such a heartbreaking sight.

He had to do something! Hmm, maybe he could distract Yunho while the clinic’s doctor hasn’t arrived yet.

Suddenly, a flash of his mother’s face raced in Jaejoong’s thoughts. An idea struck him. There was something that his Umma always did when Jaejoong became clumsy and managed to hurt himself while playing.

Extracting himself from the hug, Jaejoong sat on the bed’s edge and held Yunho’s face in his hands, wiping at the salty liquid that marred his cheeks. “Yunnie-yah, don’t cry anymore. Hyung, will take care of you.”

Yunho’s lower lip quivered violently as he sniffed, hiccups escaping his throat. “Jae-jaejoongie-hyung…”

“I’m going to make you all better now.” Little Jaejoong responded, smiling. Moving towards Yunho’s knee, Jaejoong positioned his lips to a part near the wound that was relatively clean and kissed it. “There.” he beamed as he looked up and gazed into Yunho’s eyes. “It should stop hurting soon.”

When Yunho's cries began to subside, he continued. “Umma always gives me popo when I get clumsy and hurt myself. She said that because she kissed it, the pain would go away.” Shifting to Yunho’s side once more, Jaejoong added. “Yah, don’t cry anymore alright?” Yunho rubbed at his eyes, sniffing. “Jaejoongie-hyung promises that when Yunnie-yah’s hurting, he’s going to give him a popo to make him feel all better okay?”

Yunho bit at his lips, hesitantly nodding at first but when Jaejoong smiled again, in a split second, Yunho flung himself into his arms. And shortly after, to Yunho's amazement, the pain in his wound was indeed gone.

End Flashback

Right. Jaejoong did remember that incident.

“But you’re not hurt.” Jaejoong pointed out. Then his face morphed into a look of worry. “Wait, did you hurt yourself at school again? Did Shindong-ah bully you? Or was it Kangin?” Jaejoong’s hands quickly landed on Yunho’s body, meticulously checking for any signs of bruises or cuts. “Did you trip? Did you…”

Hands closing around Jaejoong’s arm, Yunho guided it to his chest. “It hurts here. My heart hurts.”

“Waahh, Yunnie-yah!" Jaejoong’s eyes widened in panic. "That sounds bad! We have to tell Auntie and Uncle! Wait, I’m going to call the ambulance. What is the number of the ambulance?" Jaejoong began to flail. "Ahhh!!! I can’t remember! Wait here I’m going to let Auntie and Uncle know that you’re sick. We have to...”

Yunho clamped his palm on Jaejoong’s mouth. “Aish!” he said in exasperation. “Jaejoongie-hyung, I’m fine.”

Jaejoong pried away Yunho’s hand. “But didn’t you just say…”

“When you kept avoiding me it made me sad and my heart felt like it was breaking into pieces.”

Jaejoong blinked.

Yunho blinked back.

And then realization began to sink in.

“Oh.” Jaejoong mouthed as he effectively flushed.

“It hurt because you avoided me, so you have to give me a popo now to make it all better.” Yunho beamed.

Jaejoong jumped out of the bed and made a quick beeline for the door. “I still don’t wanna!” He remembered promising his Yunnie that he was going to give him a popo when he was hurt but he was sure this didn’t count.

“But Jaejoongieeeee!!!” Yunho opened the door and ran after him down the stairs. “You prom… ahhhh!”

Jaejoong halted in his tracks, eyes widening when a couple sounds of thuds reached his ears. Quickly running back towards the stairs, Jaejoong quickly fell to his knees in front of a groaning Yunho. “Yunnie-yah!”

“Jaejoongie.” Yunho’s eyes began to water as he clutched a hand to his face. “It hurts.” he moaned.

Biting at his lip, Jaejoong’s hands instantly roamed Yunho’s body. “Where, where does it hurt?”

“I want a popo!” Yunho started to sob, facial expression crumbling down. “Jaejoongie lied!”

“Yunnie, you have to tell Jaejoongie where it hurts.”

“Liar.” Yunho repeated, breaking down into tears. “You… you promised but you…”

What to do? What to do? Gahhh!!! Jaejoong was panicking again. So much for not being a burden to the Jungs, yet it was still his first night and Yunho was already crying because of him.

And Yunho kept insisting to be a given a popo. Wait, a popo!

Jaejoong wanted to mentally slap himself in the head for momentarily forgetting that. But how was he going to give Yunho a popo when he wouldn’t say where he was hurting? Wait, didn’t Umma and Appa popo a lot in the mouth? And they always looked so happy after doing it. That should make Yunnie happy too right?

Inside the boy's innocent little head, that logic made a lot of sense.

Quickly palming Yunho’s face with both his hands, Jaejoong leaned forward and kissed the crying boy.

Yunho’s sobs instantly died down, his eyes widening when he felt soft lips against his.

Eventually, Jaejoong broke the contact and leaned back. He began wiping the tears that trickled down Yunho’s cheeks. “Yunnie feels better now?” he softly asked, feeling relief wash over him when Yunho stopped wailing.

“What was that?” Yunho asked in awe as he at his lips.

Jaejoong blinked. “A popo.”

“Wow.” Yunho breathed, fingers resting on his mouth. Jaejoong’s lips felt so soft against his. Yunho liked the feeling. And he could’ve sworn he tasted apples and cinnamon. “I want more.”

“Ei?”

“Jaejoongie, do it again.” Yunho suddenly looked hyper.

“Aren’t you hurting anymore?” Jaejoong asked in concern, trying to ignore the fact that he was blushing.

Yunho shook his head. “No, I just slipped a few stairs.” he paused. “Well, my still hurts a little.”

Jaejoong’s eyes widened when Yunho grinned. “Yah, I’m not gonna popo your .”

“Eww, gross.” Yunho made a face then his expression lighted up. “But you can popo me in the mouth!”

“No!” Jaejoong ran again and as usual, Yunho chased after him.

“Jaejoongie-hyung, one popo is not enough!”

“Yah, I thought you said your hurts! Stop chasing me.”

“Just one more.”

“That’s it! I’m not hugging you at school tomorrow either.”

“Waaaaaaaiiiii, no fair!!!”

Taepung who was lazily sleeping on his mat opened one eye after hearing the noises. When his gaze landed on his master and his friend Bikeu’s master running around in circles, he thought that it looked real fun.

And so he decided to join in. “Woof! woof!
 

Minutes later when Yunho caught Jaejoong, demanding for his very much needed popo to which the smaller boy had begrudgingly and reluctantly gave, both boys went back to the bedroom to go over their homework load one by one. Shortly after when they had finished working on everything, Yunho finally decided to call it a night.

Jaejoong had at first insisted that he slept on the floor. But Yunho wouldn't allow it. And so in the end, the two little boys laid tangled on Yunho's bed, arms and legs draped all over each other as they peacefully dreamed.

END