Yunho has always looked out for Changmin.

Even when Yunho denies it, even when Changmin laughs at the query, it has always been evident to those around them.

It isn't in large, obvious ways, but rather in small, little things that, when added up, become something that one would feel silly to not notice.

It is in the way Yunho tries his best to make Changmin smile, even if it means the former has to play the role of idiot between the two. It is in the way Changmin clams up when not around Yunho and how Yunho searches for him in a crowd so the silent younger won't get lonely. It is in the way Yunho spends an extra hour of teaching the Maknae one-on-one, just so Changmin can get his moves right.

Even before the split, even before their debut, Yunho has always looked out for his Maknae. No one knew *exactly* why, at that point of time, and honestly, they don't really know why now.

Heechul started observing this when Yunho had caught Changmin stealing from his jar of coins as a trainee, choosing to forgive the younger one who had burst out in tears for fear of being beaten, when just the week before, Leeteuk received the beating of his life from Yunho for grabbing ten dollars to buy ramen noodles for his teammates.

BoA started noticing this when, a few minutes before their debut, Yunho had spent an extra ten minutes alone with Changmin backstage to calm the nervous youngster down.

It ultimately became blaringly evident to everyone, when Yunho had chosen to stay in SM Entertainment when the then-teenager had bailed out last minute from the supposed lawsuit they were going to file as five, secretly scared of the dangers of the outside world, of coming out of his protective bubble. Yunho had chosen to stay and protect his Maknae, even when it meant leaving his three other treasures behind.

That was when people had chosen to take a step back. A step back to signify their respect for Yunho, whose selflessness knew no bounds, whose love and care he held now exclusively for the Maknae was infinite in its amount. A step back to signify their awe for him, in their knowledge that the purity of heart Yunho held, they could only imagine to reach. A step back to signify that *no one* messed with Changmin and got away with it.

Yunho would drop the world for his Maknae, and without hesitation. Perhaps it was because he felt Changmin needed protection, because he was still a child, because he was the Maknae. Changmin was growing up, that he knew, and was still growing. Perhaps not physically, but he was exploring many new things, going through many new experiences a young adult like him would go through.

Perhaps Yunho was just hanging on to the notion that Changmin was still a child, and always would be, in his eyes.

But he wasn’t, and he knew that. He knew by how Changmin was, quite suddenly, taller than him, how Changmin’s personality flourished, from being the painfully shy child to the confident, witty young adult he was now, how Changmin would boast in interviews how it was practically *he* who took care of the elder, much to the amusement of everyone who knew the duo, because it most obviously *wasn’t*.

Changmin couldn’t be a child forever now, could he?

And so, when Changmin returned home one day from a gruelling eight hour filming schedule with a storm cloud practically hanging over his head, Yunho kept quiet, choosing instead to help Changmin with his bag and thick winter coat. The younger grumbled a thanks, not really one to be a burden to another, and – Yunho s you not -- physically crawls into the sofa, curling up as he does so.

He is asleep by the time Yunho places Changmin’s bag and coat in his room and comes back to the hall to see a slumbering six foot baby on the Italian leather sofa. He knows better than to wake him, so he turns up the heater in the house, grabs a duvet from the newly done laundry and throws it over his Maknae, who curls further into the warmth.

Yunho considers turning off the lights and leaving the young one be, but he falters for a moment.

He chooses to sit on the sofa for a while, because he knows of Changmin’s irrational fear of being alone. Even though one may argue that Changmin is already fast asleep, Yunho will still sit there for a good half hour, checking to make sure that Changmin is truly in slumber. He runs his hand through Changmin’s hair (he *is* his baby, after all), finding it rough from hairspray. He cards through it gently, smoothing out the tangles (and is that a *weave* in his Maknae’s hair??), knowing that Changmin finds the action comforting.

Once the half hour is up, Yunho gets up from the couch, dims the light in the halls and heads for his room, where he leaves the door open. He justifies this action with an argument in his head that the heat will travel faster by doing so, but really, it is to allow the rare occasion of Changmin choosing to sleep with him instead of alone. Sometimes Changmin sleepwalks, he reminds himself, and he should be up to hear it.

Though really, Changmin has never done so.

Yunho wakes up earlier than usual and whips up a quick American breakfast for the two of them. He’s heard of the fanfics where he is depicted as a horrible cook and he remembers laughing at them, because really, he is twenty six. He’s lived on his own for the past thirteen years. He’d be long dead by now if he couldn’t feed himself.

Yunho brews some tea too. Changmin dislikes coffee and Yunho has taught himself to swallow the English drink as well (with massive amounts of sugar and cream) and he finds the drink relaxing, though really, a relaxant should be the last thing they ought to swallow.

He brings the food and tea out to the coffee table in the living room, where Changmin is still fast asleep. Yunho would be loath to wake him, but the only thing worse than an angry Changmin throughout a schedule would be a hungry Changmin throughout a schedule.

So he wakes him.

Changmin wakes up with a massive frown, so ferocious that his lips are in an N-shaped curve. His hair is a mess, his eyes are barely half open and he should wash himself up first before breakfast really, but he drinks and eats his breakfast silently. He even manages to fall asleep halfway through his toast, and somehow misses his mouth twice, poking himself with a fork on his chin and cheek.

Yunho says nothing. His Maknae is tired from a truly gruelling previous day, and they have to fly to a concert in Beijing in about two hours’ time, so he knows better.

They prepare for the day, or rather, Yunho does.

Changmin falls right back asleep after breakfast, his arm thrown dramatically over his eyes, leaving Yunho to clean up and pack for their short stay in China. Really though, the only thing they’d need would be a change of clothes for bed and another to leave, because they’re heading straight for the venue from the moment they touch down in Beijing.

Yunho stuffs his belongings in his backpack, before he goes pack a separate one for Changmin. He takes longer to pack for this one because Changmin will throw a hissy fit if his clothes don’t match.

They are out the door and in the plane in a very short span of two hours, a very groggy Changmin waking up and bathing, silently putting on the clothes Yunho has prepared for him, silently retrieving the bag Yunho holds out for him at the door.

In the car ride to the airport, Changmin is silent. He slips on his Ray ban shades and crosses his arms over his chest, staring out the window. Yunho knows Changmin is developing a mood, a very unlikeable mood; so once again, the normally very conversational and sociable man is quiet, simply because his Maknae is quiet too.

Out the airport, squeezing through a legion of fans and reporters, through checkpoint and they are now in the plane, up in first class because Changmin had wanted an upgrade.

And of course Yunho had complied.

Changmin is seated by his side, the shades still on his face, the scowl still on his lips, as passengers pass him by. His mood is evidently felt by everyone around them as the stewardesses, the in-flight attendant and their manager avoid him like the plague. A scared stewardess even looks away when Changmin’s gaze passes her.

Yunho allows the plane to take off and settle before he turns to Changmin, concerned for his younger member.

“Changmin?” he prompts, “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Changmin doesn’t answer, choosing to push his seat back into a bed and throwing the in-flight blanket over himself. There is a very slight quiver on his lips as his scowl falters for a moment, and Yunho knows to not push it. Once again, he chooses to let him be.