The boy was going to cry. He knew it. He could feel it. He was going to scrunch up his face, that face that reminded him so much of his parents and bawl. Big, fat, watery tears. And he would feel like the monster he most certainly wasn’t.

Hear that, he wasn’t a monster. Just a tad snarky. A teensy, weensy bit mean. But if the brat cried, he was going to be Public Enemy Number One. His girlfriend would refuse to talk to him; his brothers would kick his , hell, even his mother who shouldn’t have anything to do with this situation would make sure he got an earful. And he hated to think what the kid’s father would do to him.

Actually, he wouldn’t think about it.

“Jio yah,” He used his best “I love you” voice. Countless women, and men, had swooned when they were the recipient of the voice but the little twerp in front of him didn’t even so much as blink. In fact, he looked highly impressed. Was that a tear?

Jung Il Woo dropped to his knees in front of the brat. Damnit, his new jeans were going to be ruined. This thought was immediately overtaken by the firm conviction that if it stopped the kid from crying, he didn’t care.

“Your Omma and Appa will be back soon, I promise. They just needed to go visit some old people.” He sent a mental apology to Jang Geun Seuk. Well, technically speaking, the man was old now. The sooner he admitted that to himself, the better. Il Woo smiled a bit more confidently when he saw the flicker of interest in those big, brown eyes. Just like his mum's.

Then the kid frowned and said, “My Omma says it is rude to call people old.”

Il Woo was floored. He opened his mouth and then closed it. Then chastised himself for his good heartedness in offering to babysit the brat.

“Well, okay, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you saying sorry to me? You did something wrong, huh.” He was seriously Min Ho's kid. Who else would have that cheek?

“Why don’t you sit down with me and I’ll tell you a story, okay?” He patted his knee and wasn’t shocked when the twerp's stare turned outright suspicious. Left eyebrow rising, as if questioning his intent. Not cute at all.

“I’ll sit here. Thank you very much.” He sat on the far edge of the couch, as far away from him as he could get and gave him a look down that was so reminiscent of his mother he had to blink.

“You can tell the story now.” Right. He gave the kid a narrow eyed look.

“Do you know how your mother and father met?” He lowered his voice.

“Are you going to tell me that I was grown and harvested in a cabbage patch when Omma wished for a baby?” He pursed his lips.

“No.” He wondered if the brat had been talking to Min Ho.

“Okay. Go ahead.” Still the same defiant chin and bedimpled cheek.

“If you come sit here, I will tell you.” He coaxed, patting his knee again and watched as his desire for a story won over his reluctance to sit by here. The brat sat on his knee, crossed his legs like an old man and then looked up at him.

“Well, I’m here, aren’t I?” There, Min Ho again!

“Okay, this happened a long time ago,” He started.

“Before I was born, duh.”

“Am I telling the story or are you?”

“You are.”

Silence.

“Why did you stop?”

Il Woo gave up trying to argue with a six year old. You have to choose your battles well. And this wasn’t one he was going to win. Sighing, he shifted then settled him more comfortably in his arms and continued.

------------------------

At the beginning when Lee Min Ho had been offered the Etude CF, he hadn’t been enthusiastic. He didn’t get along well with strangers, he's shy, a newbie and just fresh from the success of Boys over Flowers. The thought that he would have to pretend(again!) to like a girl at once, in a day, had been tantrum inducing.

Il Woo had been present at the meeting when the initial discussions had taken place. But something had changed when Min Ho had been told who his CF partner was, his pretend girlfriend. The director wanted to place him with Shin Se Kyung but thought that Park Shin Hye might be a good idea too.

Il Woo swore he could remember the exact reaction Min Ho had when he had been told that Shin Hye was his CF partner. He had done that weird facial tick that gave away how excited he was at the idea, and weirdly, his eyes shone. Il Woo had wondered at that, he had. They knew Shin Hye, the industry was a small one and you were bound to bump into fellow colleagues at the frequent events.

So there had been nothing to warrant the apparent excitement that had been present in Min Ho  when they rode back to a bar in Gangnam and told Bummie what had gone down.

It had been later, much later that Il Woo had wondered if his friend was nursing some kind of innocent crush on this cute dongsaeng. Then he had shrugged it off. She was three years younger; it was impossible; he was a fast-rising hallyu star.

The shooting for that CF had started then ended, and Il Woo had gotten busy with his own activities.

Two more CFs later then the drama Heirs started. He was shocked that Min Ho and Shin Hye was paired in a drama much similar to BoF, when both were supposed to lead in the latter. It must really have been fate then, Il Woo mused, laughing at that coincidence. Again, he didn't think too much of it as he knew Min Ho is still not over his past love. Still, he's seeing that weird tick on his face again each time Shin Hye is mentioned around him, along with that too bright eyes.

But then she had become his CF partner in Holika Holika, just at the same time the drama was airing. And Il Woo had at long last realized exactly how beautiful she was. She was nurturing, caring and seemed to shrug off the hurtful comments from antis like drops of water.

He had tried to make her lose her cool a couple of times and he liked to think that he had gotten close (it was a personal victory) but at the same time had finally realized just how bad Min Ho had it. Really bad.

All those glances he snuck at her when he thought no one was looking (long after the cameramen had wrapped up) and all those times he tried to initiate some sort of physical contact. And that damn closet kiss. He knew Min Ho adlibbed in that kiss, it's freaking obvious.

Il Woo prided himself on being observant and he had noticed once and again what seemed to be the beginning of a relationship. Again he had shrugged it off. Feelings were inevitable considering the nature of the drama. Min Ho was a man, testosterone overflowing and Shin Hye was beautiful. If something happened, it would blow over.

Okay, maybe he had been jealous. Just a little bit. A tiny, tiny bit.

Then that night when he had come back from the wrap up party of Heirs. Dead tired and utterly crushed. It had been the last time he would have a reason to meet with her. Il Woo remembers him sitting in a corner, his corner of the couch in their favorite bar, silent and brooding. He would get up and perform the actions he was supposed to but other than that, Min Ho seemed as though he was grappling with something momentous. He looked at his phone all the time, opening and shutting it; irritating Il Woo until he felt like throwing the bloody thing away.

He had tried to confront him. But Min Ho had given him one of his famous blank looks and told him that nothing was the matter. Their other friends had finally intervened and asked Bummie to entice Shin Hye to come over. Come over before he left the country to film CFs and do the upcoming performance in CCTV China. The wretched performance show that no one would ever shut up about when obviously his drama was so much greater. But wait, that’s not the point here.

The point is – she came over and he immediately looked like he had won the lottery. Min Ho that is. Il Woo couldn’t understand what he was so happy about. Bummie had been happy, the man was a romantic but not as much as Min Ho's mother who had been planning their wedding since day one. Min Ho's sister had been relieved. She had been tired of Min Ho’s continuous grumpy demeanor. Il Woo remembers how tentatively Shin Hye had spoken to Min Ho because he kicked them out of the room and shut the door behind them.

---------------------------

“And so they got married.” Il Woo finished, “and had you.”

“I see.” Jio nodded.

“You do?” The kid was really grown up for his age.

“But I don’t understand, Ahjusshi.” A-ajusshi?! He wasn’t that old!

“What don’t you understand, b-Jio?”

“When was I harvested from the cabbage patch?” Okay, he was really going to have to have a talk with Min Ho about this. Filling the kid’s head with cabbage patches and stuff. He could at least have been more original.

“Actually, we found you in a chocolate store.” Il Woo lowered his voice, his penchant for drama apparent.

“Why are you lying?” He got off his knee and stood in front of him with his hands on his hips and a disbelieving look on his face.

“Lying? Who me?” Il Woo put on his most innocent look. … He should have known it wouldn’t work on him.

“Well if you want to be taken from a cabbage patch,” He grumbled.

The little kid gave him a look that was purely his own. “Omma already told me that I am a product of love.”

“Do you know what love is?” Il Woo raised an eyebrow.

“Of course.” He nodded with sagacity.

“And what is it?”

“It’s what ice cream is made of. And marshmallows.” Il Woo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This was certainly Min Ho's kid.

Then a key turned in the lock and a voice called. Jio with his ears perked at the sound took off for the entrance and straight into his Appa's arms. Il Woo followed at a more idle pace. He looked at the man – his brother by everything but blood and smiled. The years had been kind to him. He still retained his looks but time had made him a man. One who was at peace with the world and satisfied with everything he had. And the woman beside him glowed. It might have been the fact that she was expecting again but from the wide smile curving her lips, it could also be that she was happy and it was enough for her.

“Did the Ahjusshi treat you well, Jio?” Min Ho was saying.

“He told me the same old story.” Jio rolled his eyes. Wait a minute, Il Woo scowled, what did he mean by the same old story?

“All the other Ahjusshi’s told me their versions so I thought it was only fair that he got to tell his version.” Jio continued.

Shin Hye grinned at Il Woo’s growing displeasure. “Thanks for taking care of him. He likes you.”

Il Woo looked at the brat who was smiling at him from over his father’s shoulder and sighed. Maybe the kid wasn’t that bad.

“He used to like Omma, did you know, Appa?” Jio was telling Min Ho who immediately speared Il Woo with a narrow eyed look that was identical to the one Jio was wearing. He was wrong. The kid wasn’t bad. He was evil.

Like father, like son.