Hi!

A double update for today! 

Managed to squeeze in two chapters for this weekend after a brief editing! Time is tight... and my laptop had to die on me before I could backup the edited ver.! At least I still have my back up lappy... with a screwed up 'k' button.  ^.^ V

Thank you all for your kind commments and also the subscriptions!

Special thanks to Shain44 for your first comment on this fic! And also your kind words! *hug*

Do stay and read! Hope no one is disappointed with this updates!

Ciao~ xoxo

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“Your highness! We can’t allow you to go beyond this point.” A couple of guards on duty spotted a boy, heading to the exit, at the main gates of the fortress, with a baby in his hands, and approached him, speaking firmly. He is with a couple of servants as they follow him with a horse and a carriage, obviously hoping that no one will notice him since he is exiting and not entering.

“I… I just… we are going to the markets. The… the baby is growing… and I wish to shop for some fabrics.” The boy stuttered, pointing coyly at the servants behind him. He isn’t very good at lying, neither is he good at telling the truth, when he IS truly headed for the markets. He is just not fluent with full sentences, whenever there is a guilty conscience. Having to plot a reason to leave the fortress, the boy had to crack his brains earlier and rehearse his excuses a gazillion times.

Looking at the servants, the guards narrowed their eyes. “Is his majesty notified about this?” The servants shrugged in response and the guards returned to stare at the boy again, as if trying to see through his intentions.

“Ah. Yes. He gave me money too.” The boy’s fingers trembles a little as he fakes a smile, before replying with an overdramatic expression. Voice cracking, he pulls out a seal skin pouch full of gold and dangles it in front of the duo, hoping they will overlook the fact that there isn’t a black and white permission slip from the king. There isn’t. “I will not take long. Promise!”

“Why don’t we let the servants go in your stead?” The guards asked, turning to the servants who were exchanging confused glances. “Your highness. For this type of errands… you can always ask for assistance.” The guards are quite insistent, but the boy is dead set as well.

“But… only I know what I want! Please!” The boy begged with a tiny high pitched voice. The guards looked at one another once again. “Your highness. We suggest you leave that job to the servants anyway.”

With tears welling up, and sniffling like a pitiful puppy, the boy turned to retreat, but not before saying his piece, giving it one last shot. “You guys are so mean! I just wanted to bring my son around my hometown before we leave later… and you are complicating the matter!” “It’s not as if I will run away… with them following me.” Attacking the guards with big watery doe eyes, the boy pouted cutely though he is close to his ‘lie limit’, lips quivering. The two men caved, thinking he is just upset.

With a immediate change in mood, the boy started smiling ear to ear. He got what he wanted, so, skipping out of the gates with the baby, the boy went ahead as the servants tags along loosely.

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POV from Junsu

I am actually glad to be reunited with my baby… and him… but I have one last thing I need to do.

Running away with Jae hyung was a bad idea. We kind of abandoned hyungie back then… and I still feel bad about it. I can only imagine how upset he will be when he realizes we are gone… but he can be really stubborn at times, and that is not helpful at all.

This time, I returned to that person because a part of me really wanted to see my baby and him again… but I also did it because hyungie will be safe if I did return. That is what Yunho hyung told me before… but from the looks of it, there is a high chance hyungie will be killed… I heard the guy tell that person that they plan to destroy the safe house…

I actually kind of expected it… since hyungie did do many things to that person… and I am thinking that he will not be allowed off the hook so easily. Though I do not think that the person will harm hyungie… I can tell that he is troubled by hyungie persistence. I think… if he is forced to choose whether or not he wants to hurt hyungie… he might.

Hyungie had and will always be as stubborn as appa. Umma had a tough time with appa because appa does not listen. Same goes for hyungie. Jae hyung can’t seem to get him to budge… I can’t seem to get him to either. At this rate he is going… he will be in danger for sure. Again! His temper is too hard… and I am very worried.

I plan to make a trip back to the safe house to warn him about the impending attack… but my guesses are that he already knows and is preparing to fight back. It will be tough to talk him out of it… but I have to try and persuade him to run while he still can. I need to tell him about Jae hyung too… and I need to tell him about my reunion with that person… and I need to tell hyungie that I want to stay with that man.

Hyungie will be upset… but it is about time I tell him the truth. I want to be by that man’s side. I want him to know that it is no longer out of obligation. I just feel like staying with him… and I don’t know why either. However, I am sure I will be happy when I am with him.

Also, I decided to bring Minnie along. Hyungie needs to see that I cannot be separated from my baby. Minnie is so cute! Hyungie will definitely love him too. Maybe Minnie can help me persuade hyungie not to act so rashly.

I will have to trick the servants though… to get away. But I’m not running away or anything like that! I am just making an impromptu trip there… and I will leave after I am done talking to hyungie. I promise!

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“Can you help me pay for the bulk I ordered over at that store… and also that store? The ahjussi and ahjumma there knows I made the orders earlier.” Junsu asks the two servants with him as he holds the wailing Changmin, trying to pacify the infant. The boy sees this as a chance to break away from them, so he is going to take it.

“I will just go somewhere there to feed Minnie.” The boy said while pointing to the row of trees in the end of the alley, just around the corner. The boy sound so earnest that the servants believed him.

Then, leaving the two people while they run the chore they were delegated with, the boy ran around the place in search of a transport. Finally, running into the herbs trader that once saved his life, the boy managed to convince the man’s son to fetch him to the safe house, offering them a hefty sum in exchange for their discretion.

Crawling into the man’s carriage, the boy proceeded to nurse the baby as the carriage runs along, headed for the valleys, leaving the two oblivious servants to load the spools of cloth into their carriages.

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Later that day… at the Junho's hideout.

“Knock knock knock knock!” The soft but urgent rattling on the main gates alerted the people within the residence as they gather around and opens the door slowly. Peeping out, they almost missed the small form standing outside, right in front of them,.

“Junsu!?” With a loud cry of surprise, a bunch of soldiers approached as well, staring the boy down while he looks back at them shyly. “Where have you been!? Your hyung is dying of depression since you two decided to elope!!” The boy bit his lip, as if guilty, and the crowd stopped reprimanding him instantly.

With a squirming bundle in his hands, the boy followed one of the man’s lead to where Junho is, standing in front of the fire as he take out his frustration on the single piece of hot iron, clobbering it with his hammer while he moulds and straightens it. “Hyungie.” The voice almost caused him his toes as he jumps and drops he red glowing piece of metal onto the floor after losing grip of his calipers.

“YAH!! MIDGET!! HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO YOUR HYUNGIE!?” The man charged at the boy the moment he registers the familiar face and voice, intimidating him as he backs away slightly. Grabbing Junsu by the arms, the man squeezed them harshly as he glances into the boy’s eyes menacingly.

“Where is your Jae hyung!?” The man demanded as he releases his grip and returns to wash his soot laden hands in the rinse basin right next to them, not noticing what Junsu have in his hands throughout the whole conversation.

“WAAHHHHHHH!!” The baby’s cries shocked him so much that he ended up tipping the basin of water over. The baby is terrified by the unfamiliar surrounding as the rowdy bunch crowds around him, emitting an intimidating aura. There is just too much manliness going on, and the baby isn’t used to it.

“HOLY!!” The general yelled as he watches Junsu pacify baby Changmin. The boy even glared at his brother for scaring the child. “WHERE IN THE WORLD DID YOU GET... THAT?!” The man continued loudly. “Where did you steal that baby? I told you to forget your own didn’t I?!” The man finally lowers his voice.

“Hyungie. This baby is Changmin. My son.” The boy started.

“You must be crazy! Junsu yah! You can’t just grab any baby off the streets and claims that he is your Changmin or something…” The man walked up to Junsu, pressing a palm on the boy’s forehead. “Give the baby back… hyung promise to help you forget about him.” The man is speaking as though Junsu has truly gone nuts, very convinced by himself that the boy is a loony.

“Hyungie. I went back... to him.” The boy started again. He always allows his brother to finish speaking or assuming before retorting. He has to be extra careful when dealing with this delicate issue of returning to Yoochun, and he knows it. The boy plans to give his brother more time to digest whatever information is provided.

“I came from the fort.” The boy said plainly, earning a chortle from the general.

“What?! You really… you are mad, Junsu!” The man answered in between breathes. “You went back just to get the baby? Where is your Jae hyung? Did he agree to this?” For all Junho knows, Jaejoong is with Junsu all the while. He is exasperated to find out that Jaejoong would approving of Junsu's crazy antics and consents to his actions.

“Jae hyung is with Yunho hyung… Yunho hyung came to get Jae hyung.” Junsu tried, keeping the details of Jaejoong’s capture as 'implicit’ as he can. He can’t possibly tell Junho that Jaejoong is bounded, gagged and shipped back to the capital.

After all, Yunho did promise Junsu that he will never hurt Jaejoong. He even told Junsu to visit when he returns to the capital with Yoochun, and the boy is looking forward to doing so. He has no idea, the amount of tension between the two, as innocent as he is. Yunho did a good job by silencing the healer.

Though Junho has had enough to deal with, faced with Yoochun alone, and does not need one more Yunho to add on to his problems, Junsu had to be honest. The boy can see that Junho hadn’t shaved in days, and is looking a lot more haggard than he used to, so he even contemplated keeping the fact that he just spent a night with the king, a secret, but he can’t keep his brother in the dark forever. Not when a troop of thousands are marching towards them, on their way from the capital.

“I will be going back to the capital with him soon… hyungie… but I heard he said he will be here tomorrow morning… to destroy this place.” The boy continued while Junho’s eyes widen more, jaws dropping. The man cannot fathom how Junsu can speak in such a matter-of-factly tone when he is personally overwhelmed by devastation.

“WHAT?!! THAT JUNG KIDNAPPED YOUR JAE HYUNG!?!” The man practically screamed into Junsu’s face, gripping onto the boy’s shoulders tightly again, milking his thin arms.

“Yunho hyung did not… kidnap… Jae hyung. I will see Jae hyung again when I return…” Junsu hesitated, but is still bent on siding with Yunho, much to Junho’s dismay.

“WHAT ABOUT YOU?!!” “YOU ARE ACTUALLY WITH THAT BASTARD ALL THIS WHILE?!” The man grabbed the back of his own neck, holding on as he staggers backwards. Junsu nodded. Junho is seeing stars as every word said so nonchalantly comes as a blow to him.

“He is not a bastard… hyungie.” The boy is interrupted rudely as the man grabs him again and starts shaking him aggressively.

“COME TO YOUR SENSES!! JUNSU YAH!!! HE IS THE ENEMY!! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” “Did he force you to say all this?! What is happening to you?!!” The man shouted into Junsu’s face again, causing the baby to wail even louder.

“He made you do this didn’t he??” “That coward does not want to face me am I right?!” Junho assumed again.

“NO! Hyungie!! I came back because I don’t want you two to fight anymore!” The boy cried out in protest. “Hyungie has to stop being so stubborn!! Even he can’t help it if you keep trying to hurt him! He might have to kill you if you attack him again!! Please stop all this!!” The boy pleaded. His words sounded senseless to Junho.

“YOU are the reason I need him dead!! He is a bloody jerk!! You know that!! He wasn’t even planning on looking for you when you offered yourself to him again!! YOU are SUCH an idiot!!” The general can get really insulting when he is hopping mad. Jaejoong use to get that a lot. “HE DEFILED YOU!! Made you his !! I am just there to stop you from going back to him!!”

“Hyungie! He isn’t a bad guy!! He is… I like him.” The boy didn’t know if he should say that, since Junho is already very bitter about him returning to Yoochun, but he had to reason with the man no matter what.

“YOU WHAT?!! SEE WHAT I MEAN?!” “I am going to purge you of him!!” “YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LOVE THAT DISGUSTING MAN!! For as long as I live!!” With Junho’s stubbornness, even Junsu is unable to salvage the situation.

“Lock this boy up until he regains his senses!” The seething man barked at a couple of his men witnessing the quarrel, and stomped off.

TBC

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