this is pretty much a parody of most fics i’ve read. i’ve been wanting to write something like this since forever and since there was no internet and i wasn’t distracted by it, i was finally able to write it haha






A curse escapes his lips when feels his pocket for a pack of cigarettes and finds nothing. It had been a hectic day at work and to be quite honest, his twenty year young self could only take so much. All he needs is his daily fix of nicotine, why can’t the world be nice to him just this once?

“We’ve been friends for almost twenty years but I didn’t know you have a flair for theatrics. And it’s all because of cancer sticks.”

“It’s way past your bed time, Chunnie boy. Go to sleep.”

“Damn you. I was about to sleep anyway. Just checked up on you and made sure you didn’t make your office a substitute for your bedroom again.”

“Such a nag.” he complains, but chuckles anyway. “Now sleep.”

And then he hangs up.

It was during his nineteenth birthday when his father had given him the worst gift someone could ever give him, the company. He was to take over their company in Korea while his father was responsible for their branch in Japan. He never wanted to be a businessman. He always had a passion for the arts but that never really mattered as he is expected to do what he is told to do. There are still times when he locks himself up in his room and cries himself to sleep wishing that he has an older brother so there is not much pressure on his part.

He is not alone though, because he has Yoochun, his long-time best friend who had voluntarily taken the role of being his pseudo-mother when his real one had run away with someone else. Although it gets annoying sometimes, Yoochun does his job pretty well.

Seeing how it’s pointless to throw a hissy fit at his non-existent cigarettes, he pulls over at the nearest convenience store, puts his car on hazard and dashes out. He buys himself five packs just because. “It’s never bad to stock up.” He mumbles to himself and stops on his tracks upon hearing a soft sobbing and some mumbling. He looks around and spots a dark alley on his right. Suddenly feeling brave, he grips on to his precious cigarettes tighter and checks the source of the seemingly disturbing sound.

With a shaky hand, he uses the flashlight on his phone and almost drops the device when his eyes land on a shivering little boy lying on a cardboard with a torn blanket wrapped around him. Out of pity, he approaches the boy who, much to his surprise, throws himself at him, hugging his leg as he continues sobbing, asking for food.

“What’s your name?” Yunho asks softly when he gets on one knee so he is face-to-face with the crying boy. He could not see his face clearly because it is too dark and he does not want to startle the latter by shoving his flashlight to his face just so he could see him properly.

The boy hiccups and Yunho rubs his back as he urges him to continue. “Kim Jae... Jaej… Kim Jaejoong. Mister… food, please? So… so hungry. No eat. No foo… no food.”

Yunho would already be on his way to feed to kid if he is not itching to ask the million dollar question. “Where are your parents?”

Jaejoong blinks owlishly at him and wipes his tears. “S-say bye bye to Joongie. No money.”

He understands. Knowing what it is like to be abandoned by a parent, he scoops him up and takes him home, not before stopping by a fast food joint. As much as he wants to feed Jaejoong decent food, he could not cook to save his life. The maids are out of the question because he knows they’ve had a pretty busy day as well and they deserve their much needed rest.

“How old are you?” he asks as he and Jaejoong take a dip in the bath tub together.

The smile that spreads across the little boy’s face is priceless. “Two!” Seems like the food has given the little boy an unbelievable amount of energy because he cannot stop flailing around the tub, splashing water everywhere. Yunho is surprised that he does not mind the mess one bit.

Jaejoong is a beautiful kid. He has a straight black hair framing his face perfectly, red plump lips, glassy doe eyes and pale skin that Yunho wonders how his parents actually had the heart to leave such a beautiful boy alone in the streets. Sure he understands that they are financially incapable of taking care of him, but they could have given him to the orphanage, at least, seeing as how the place is obviously safer than the dangerous streets of Gwangju. He shakes his head at his thoughts. All of that do not matter anymore because Jaejoong already has him and he will take care of him no matter what happens.





“I’m already a grandmother?!”

Yunho stares at his best friend in annoyance. “We might have already established the fact that you love to be a mother hen but Yoochun, you’re still my best friend, not my actual mother so stop that.” He smiles when he sees Jaejoong contently playing by himself in the playpen he had just recently set up. He had asked the maids to get all his toys from when he was a kid to bring them over to his room. Well, his and Jaejoong’s now shared room. Spending a day with Jaejoong had made him incredibly protective of him and he refused to let the boy have his own room.

Yoochun huffs. “Spoilsport. Are you sure you can take care of him? Having a kid is a big deal, Yunho. You had no idea how hard it was when I had you.” Yunho gives him a look. “Fine. But it’s the same thing, okay! But I could already tell he loves it here with you. Does your dad know about this?”

He shrugs. “Don’t know. Don’t care.”

“It doesn’t matter, does it? He may be strict when it comes to business but you know he loves you too much to take away whatever it is that makes you happy. Well, except for your dreams, but—“

“Yoochun, do us both a favor and shut up.”





Apparently, the way to Jaejoong’s heart is through pastries. Yoochun is a living proof of that. Whenever he pays them a visit, Jaejoong drops whatever he is doing and runs towards his Uncle Yoochun, latching on to him and makes grabby hands at the cake of the day.

He chuckles as he pulls the two-year old away from his dazed friend. “Papa!”

“In a while, sweetie. Let Uncle Yoochun breathe for a moment.”

Jaejoong has started calling him papa just a week ago. He was pretty much against it because he was too young to be a father but figuring that Jaejoong has already considered him a father figure when he took him in, then why not? And besides, if it makes Jaejoong happy then so be it.

“Father knows.” He confesses to Yoochun once Jaejoong has happily settled down the couch with a slice of cake.

“What did he say?”

He shrugs. “The usual. As long as it’s not a distraction to work.” Yoochun pats him on the back. “Hey, are you free tomorrow?”

“Why? You gonna ask me out on a date?”

“No, idiot. I have a meeting and I can’t leave Jaejoong alone here. Well technically he isn’t alone since the maids are here but the last time I left him with them, he refused to eat the whole day.”

“Oh?”

“Hmm. Threw a tantrum and all that.”

“I’d like to say yes, but you see, mom and I are going to visit my baby brother in Jeongno. The delinquent thought it was funny to set his teacher’s hair on fire.”

“Was it?”

Yoochun chuckles. “Kinda. He sent me a picture and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hilarious. Anyway, I think you should take Jaejoong to work. Your secretary could watch him while you’re in a meeting. It would be easier for him this time knowing you’re just a room away.”





Yoochun is a liar.

His secretary had barged in in the middle of his meeting and hastily whispered in his ear that Jaejoong had run away when she told her that his papa is too busy to play with him at the moment. Mentally cursing, he adjourns the meeting and says he will reschedule it another day, then proceeds to sprint out of the board room to find the missing boy.

He finally finds Jaejoong in the pantry, stuffing himself with strawberries and milk. He would chuckle at the rather cute sight if only the boy is not crying. “Oh my baby.” He pulls him in a tight hug, accepting the weak punches to his chest. “Please don’t cry. Papa is here.”

“Bad! Bad papa!” mumbles a still crying Jaejoong, his one small hand still punching him on the chest as the other clutches on to his suit jacket tightly, pulling him closer. “Papa leave Joongie.”

“What? No! I would never leave you.”

“But…” Jaejoong snorts. “But papa too busy. No play time with Joongie. Papa will leave Joongie. Very busy for Joongie.”

Yunho hugs him closer, pressing a kiss atop his head. “Papa is never too busy for Joongie. I’m here now, aren’t I? Now let’s clean the mess you made and go back to my office, hmm? Joongie can sit on papa’s lap while I work, okay?”

“Kiss?”

“Yes. I will give you lots of kisses too.”

Jaejoong finally smiles. “Okay.”

As he moves to grab a rag for the spilled milk, his secretary makes her presence known and says that she’ll do it instead. With a curt nod, he thanks her and heads back to his office with a sated Jaejoong in his arms.





“I hope you know you’re acting worse than a stage mom.”

“It’s Jaejoong’s first day at school! How can I not be worried?!”

Yoochun rolls his eyes at him and points at a calm Jaejoong looking up at him. “Does he look nervous to you? No? Yeah, I think so too. He’s five—“

“Almost six!” Jaejoong pipes in with a grin, slipping his small hand into Yunho’s big one.

“—almost six, yes, thanks baby boy. He was at day care the past two years, too! He’s going to be fine.”

Jaejoong nods. “But he’s still too young.” Yunho reasons out lamely. Somehow, he is not comfortable sending Jaejoong to school. A real school.

“Not too young for school.” Yoochun replies. “Remember your first day at school? You met me, right? He might meet the Yoochun to his Yunho. Isn’t that great?!”

“It’s not.” he grumbles and Yoochun bursts out in laughter.

“I know what this is about! You are jealous. You’re afraid that Jaejae will drift away when he makes new friends.”

Yunho looks down when he feels a tug on his dress shirt. “Don’t worry papa. I will not leave you. Even if I meet the Yoochun to my Yunho I will still be the Jaejoong to your Yunho, okay?”

Suddenly, he feels a whole lot better.





Jaejoong stares out the window. He is waiting like he always does. Always waiting and waiting for his papa to come back. It has been almost a year since he last saw him. They have been calling each other and exchanging emails but lately, Yunho has not been answering any of his emails and when he calls him, it goes straight to his voicemail. The now seventeen year old heaves out a deep sigh. He misses his papa and he wonders when he will see him again.

A pair of arms wrap around his waist and he leans his back against the warm chest. His Uncle Yoochun has been with him during his papa’s absence afraid that he would get too lonely to the point of depression. The older man had volunteered to live with him just until Yunho comes back from his business trip.

“I heard from his secretary that his father took away his cellphone a month ago because he’s always too busy calling you and it affects his work.”

Jaejoong huffs. “What is he, a teenager? I don’t think his father likes me, uncle. He has never met me and then he forces papa to cut all contacts with me.”

Yoochun runs a hand through the younger man’s soft locks, feeling sorry for him and his best friend. He could just imagine how much they both miss each other. “His father has always been too business-minded. Reason why his wife left him.”

“Papa is already doing business stuff here in Korea why does he have to send him to Japan?! I don’t understand.”

“I’m not sure, but maybe this has something to do with merging with another company.” Jaejoong looks at him in confusion. “It’s either they’re simply merging with another company or the merge will only happen if a marriage happens.”

“This is not some silly drama. I refuse! I am going to run away if such marriage will happen.” He retorts. Yunho has been with him for fifteen years and he will not allow anyone or anything take the most precious person in his world from him. His papa is his and no one else’s.

Yoochun chuckles. “Calm down, Jaejoongie. I said I’m not sure. Let’s wait until he comes back, okay? Until then, let’s not assume anything. Now why don’t we go visit your best friend across the street? I think he misses you.”

Jaejoong snorts. “More like you miss him. Man up, uncle. You have yet to prove Junsu that age does not matter.”





“Uncle is not bothering you too much, is he?” Jaejoong asks, plopping down Junsu’s bed as he watches the latter doodle on his English book.

Junsu shakes his head. “Nah. He’s been helpful. Helping me with assignments and projects and stuff.”

Being the blunt person that he is, he asks, “You know that he likes you, right? Romantically, I mean.” Junsu hums in response. “I’m glad you’re not bothered by the .”

“Oh, but I am. Well, I used to be. His constant presence made it tolerable and now I don’t find myself not minding the fact that he’s all over the place.”

“So like, do you like him too?”

“I don’t know, Jae. Romance isn’t my priority right now.”

He snatches the book from Junsu and chucks it on the floor that gets the latter wincing. “What are your boundaries when it comes to love?”

“Why the sudden question?”

He shrugs. “Just curious. It’s not like I’m in love or something, I just want to know. Like, we’re at that age where we’re supposed to be falling in love with someone already.”

“I haven’t thought about it, you know.” Junsu answers, lying on his back and stares at the ceiling. “But… hmm, well, love knows no boundaries.”

“Such a textbook answer, Junsuyah. I want an honest one.”

“Honest answer, you say? Then I don’t know. Seriously, you think a teenager like me who spends his weekends lazing around and playing video games has given romance, love in general, a thought?”

“Oh come on. We’ve all thought about it at one point.”

“I haven’t been at that point yet.” Junsu confesses. “What do you want to hear from me, Joongie? Tell me and I’ll say it. Love is love and you’ll love who you’ll love regardless of age, gender, race and insert inspirational speech.” The boy squeaks when Jaejoong’s hand comes in contact with his arm. “Are you in love? Is it some kind of a forbidden love or something? You want my blessing or what?”

Frustrated that his friend’s answer did not satisfy him, he asks Yoochun about it on their way home from school.

“Uncle, how do you know when you’re in love?”

Yoochun almost steps on the brake, surprised at the sudden question. “Is my little Jaejae in love?”

“It’s just a silly question, uncle. But can you please answer it as honestly as possible?”

The older man gives it a thought before answering. “Personally, it’s something inexplicable. There might be symptoms of being in love but it varies on people. Like, let’s say, for example, me. I realized that I’m actually in love with Junsu when I couldn’t stop thinking about him. He would invade my mind twenty four seven and I’m unreasonably happy everytime I see him or just hear his name. You know, simple and silly things like that. I know it’s weird because he’s your best friend but my feelings are genuine.”

“It’s not weird.” Jaejoong replies, smiling at him. “Junsu doesn’t think it is, either. Or at least I think he doesn’t.”





“Guess who’s back!” The familiar voice booms throughout the household. The showering Jaejoong squeals in glee and promptly turns off the shower, makes a grab for the towel that he wraps around his waist before sprinting out of his bedroom, throwing his wet self at the beaming Yunho who is waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. “I see someone is excited to see me.” Jaejoong tightens his hold around his neck and cries his heart out. “Baby, my baby, please don’t cry. I’m sorry for leaving you for so long. I missed you so much.”

Hearing the older man’s voice just causes him to cry harder. He clutches on to Yunho’s suit, uncaring if he’s ruining it with his tears and snot. He missed his papa and he is allowed to ruin it if he wants to.

“You’re the worst.” He says although they both know he does not mean it. “How could you?” He continues when he finally finds his voice, shamelessly rubbing his nose on the lapel of Yunho’s suit. “A year, papa? Even if the older Jung took your phone and everything else, you could have brought another one or borrowed from someone. I guess you just did not want to talk to me at all.”

“Jaejoong! How could you say that?! You know I would have done anything if I could. I was under a very strict supervision. I was not even allowed to go out of his house unless it’s business related.”

“You’re not his slave.” he mumbles, burying his face on the crook of Yunho’s neck.

“I know, my angel. But I am back now. Come on, you need to put some clothes on or you are going to get sick.” He does not argue when Yunho guides him upstairs towards his bedroom.





“Our little Jaejae is in love.” Yoochun says casually during dinner.

Yunho drops his chopsticks on his plate and with a sigh, Jaejoong picks the dropped utensil and puts it back in Yunho’s hand. “What?”

“I’m not.” He frowns at his Uncle Yoochun. “Uncle, my question did not mean anything. I was simply curious.”

“You won’t be curious if you’re not in love. Or at least attracted to someone. Anyway, Yunho, how’s Japan? Any reason why you were sent and locked up there for a year?”

Jaejoong throws a piece of beef towards his Uncle Yoochun earning a disapproving glare from Yunho but he ignores it and then shuts his mouth, letting the adults converse.

“Marriage proposal. A business marriage.”

“Are you going to say yes?” Jaejoong finds himself asking, hoping that Yunho will say no, because he has Jaejoong and he is enough for him.

“I really haven’t thought much about it although I don’t have much choice but to say yes anyway.”

Yoochun could not say he is shocked by the news because he has expected something like this to happen. It is very normal for a business-minded person like Yunho’s father to resort to such things. “Who is the girl?”

Yunho smiles lightly. “I’ll let you meet her one of these days.”

Suddenly feeling sick, Jaejoong excuses himself and heads straight to his room, uncaring if he has slammed the door too hard. Not even more than ten minutes, though, Yunho manages to sneak inside his room with the help of the maids and slips under covers with him.

Jaejoong wants to push and kick him away because he wants to be alone but that would be disrespectful. This man singlehandedly raised him, provided anything he wanted, worked hard for him and loved him like his own family. The least he could do to return whatever Yunho has done for him is respect and love him.

“What’s wrong baby?” He has not told anyone about it, but whenever Yunho calls him baby, he feels funny inside. He does not know what it means or why it happens but it’s a feeling that is always welcomed.

He bites his lip when Yunho wraps his arms around his waist, pulling him closer, his back leaning against his rather broad chest. “Nothing.” he denies, and ends up making a silly excuse about being too tired from playing soccer with Junsu earlier.

If Yunho knows the boy is lying, he does not saying anything about it.

Jaejoong hates sports.

“So what’s this I heard about the person you might be in love with.”

He sighs and decides to hell with it. He just told a white lie about not feeling well. One more wouldn’t hurt. “It’s just some stupid guy at school.” Yunho stiffens, obviously appalled at the mention of the gender. Jaejoong turns around to look at Yunho’s face and frowns. “Why do you look so surprised?”

“I... I didn’t think you’re okay with it. I didn’t even know you swing that way.”

“Well,” he says. “Junsu told me… well, the book told Junsu who told me that love is love regardless of age, gender and all that stuff.”

Yunho, who looks so thoughtful, just nods and hugs him to sleep.





Jaejoong wakes up one morning at the nice aroma. Hot on his heels, he dashes to the kitchen only to find a tall woman behind the stove, stirring something in a pot.

“Who are you?” he asks. 

The woman turns around and smiles at him. “I am Shim Chamiko, the woman your father is bound to marry.”

Glaring at her, he walks back to his room and slams the door shut. At the rate he keeps on going slamming his bedroom door close all the time, he might need a new door by the end of the week. He heads to his bathroom, thinking that a shower would help him cool down.

Chamiko is very attractive. She is as tall as Yunho, has a pointy nose, a pair of mismatched eyes that suits her well, she can cook and she seems very pleasant. But that does not mean she is allowed to marry Yunho. And that certainly does not mean that she will ever get Jaejoong’s approval of the marriage. But then again, is his approval even important?

Once done showering, he uses the window to escape and carefully climbs down the tree. Landing safely on the ground, he dusts his pants and runs across the street to Junsu’s house.

“What’s wrong?” Junsu asks, getting a carton of juice in the fridge while Jaejoong tiptoes to get two glasses in the cupboard.

On their way to Junsu’s room, he snatches a bag of chips on the counter.

“Papa might be getting married.”

“Then why do you look unhappy? Isn’t that supposed to be a good thing?”

“Because I am unhappy. It’s not as if he wants to get married. His father is forcing him to. Stupid oldie.”

Junsu chuckles, rummaging his CD rack for a good movie they can watch. “He is your grandfather.”

“Not by blood.” he retorts. “Not even on paper. And besides, he doesn’t like me. We haven’t even met, remember? I don’t exist to him.”

“Is the woman he’s going to marry ugly? Has she ever done anything mean to you?”

“Nope. She actually seems very pleasant. Looks like she can take care of papa.”

“Then why are you so against the marriage?”

He collapses on Junsu’s bed, the bag of chips now squished in between his chest and the bed. “I don’t know why either.”

That night, he comes home to a furious Yunho who demands to know where he went.

“Here and there.”

“Jaejoong, I am asking you properly. Where were you?”

“No you weren’t.” he hisses, ignoring the pain on his wrist from Yunho gripping it too tightly. “You were demanding.”

“Is that how you answer to your father?”

“No, but it’s how I want to answer to my dear father.”

“Why you—“

“Stop it, you two.” A female voice interrupts. Chamiko steps in between them and pries Yunho’s hand off his wrist. “You’re hurting the kid.”

The kid? Jaejoong rolls his eyes. He is not just a kid. He is the most important person in Yunho’s life and she cannot take that spot away from him. He shoots her a glare and tells her with venom in his voice, “Go yourself.”

A resounding slap echoes throughout the walls of the living room and Jaejoong chuckles bitterly, holding on to his left cheek that Yunho just hit. Without giving Yunho time to react to what he has done, he once again runs out of the house to Yoochun’s who welcomes him with open arms.

It’s almost funny how they only needed a woman to ruin their relationship.

“What happened?” Yoochun questions, holding an ice pack to his still reddened cheek.

He winces slightly at the pain. “Ran away this morning when I found a woman in the kitchen who told me she’s who is papa is bound to marry. Papa was furious when I came back and asked where I was. I didn’t want to tell him because I was still mad. We kinda argued and that Chamiko woman stepped in like she has every right to do so. They aren’t even married and she’s already acting like my stepmom! Out of spite, I told her to go herself.”

Yoochun sighs. “Jaejae, no matter how much you dislike her, you shouldn’t have cursed at her.” He scolds lightly. “I’m sure you are hungry. I still have pasta in the kitchen, help yourself.”

Nodding, Jaejoong gets up and presses a kiss on Yoochun’s cheek, thanking him for being such a good uncle to him.

Predictably, Yunho calls and asks if Jaejoong is with him. He says yes, then tells him not to bother fetching the boy because Jaejoong will go back home as soon as he feels better. Yunho tries to argue but Yoochun wouldn’t have any of it, telling him to cool off as well and make sure that the woman is nowhere to be found when Jaejoong comes back home.

“Alright, but uhm, Yoochunah, please tell him I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hitting him like that.”

“Yeah? Well go tell him that yourself.”

He hangs up.





Jaejoong comes back home the next day, much to Yunho’s relief. But he is giving him the cold shoulder. He does not blame him though, although Jaejoong is also at fault for being so tough talking to Chamiko that way. The woman has not done anything wrong to him.

He corners the boy when he finds him stuffing himself with strawberries and milk in the kitchen just like fifteen years ago. “Jaejoongie, baby, can we talk?”

Startled at his presence, Jaejoong chokes and has a major coughing fit. Yunho runs to his side, patting his back and offers him his glass of milk which the younger boy gulps down. He wipes Jaejoong’s lips with a tissue and envelopes him in a hug, rubbing his back in a comforting manner.

“I’m still mad at you.” Jaejoong mumbles and he smiles because he is almost too sure that the boy isn’t that mad at him anymore considering how he’s burying his face on his chest, rubbing his cheek against his shirt, like what he always does when he wants to be cuddled into oblivion.

“You can be mad at me all you want, baby. I’m sorry for slapping you, I shouldn’t have.” He kisses him on the head. “Why were you so mad, though? Has Chamiko done anything wrong?”

“She hasn’t yet. But she will.”

“What does that mean?”

Jaejoong wraps his arms around Yunho’s middle, clutching on to his shirt. “She’s going to take you away from me.”

“That is not true.” Yunho says firmly. “I am never going to leave you.”

The younger boy scoffs. “You told me that years ago and what did you do? Left me to go to Japan for a whole year.” Yunho assures him that nothing like that is going to happen again but he does not buy it. “You are fooling no one, papa. Once you get married, you’re going to forget about me. Your priorities will change. You are going to have kids of your own. Kids who do not talk back and kids that your father would love to meet. It’s only a matter of time before it happens.”

He detaches himself from Yunho and goes in the comfort of his bedroom.





Yunho looks up from the document he is reading and stands up to greet Yoochun who barges in his office like he owns the place.

“You are so stupid.” His best friend tells him over a cup of coffee. “You’ll be even more stupid if you do what your father tells you to do. You are your own person, Yunho. Don’t you get it? You are given this company because your father trusts you and your decisions. You are allowed to make your own. You are not his puppet.”

“I respect my father and I don’t want to disobey him.” he reasons out.

“What about Jaejoong?”

“What about him?”

“What about his feelings about this? Isn’t it as important as yours and your father’s?”

Crossing a leg over the other, Yunho looks at his best friend challengingly. “Then tell me. What am I supposed to do? I have to, Yoochun. I simply have no choice.”

“You do.”

“No I don’t. You don’t understand.”

“Then make me!”

“Father is blackmailing me. He knows my weakness, Yoochunah. If I don’t agree, he is going to take Jaejoong away from me. Do you now see why I have no choice?!” he comes clean, fists clenched tightly. “I cannot let him take Jaejoong away from me. I love him.”

“I… I know you do.”

“No. I love him. Not the kind of love a father has for their son. It’s the romantic kind of love and somehow, father figured it all out. He threatened to tell the police I kidnapped him since I did not legally adopt him.” Only when Yoochun wipes his tears with his thumbs does he realize he is crying. He looks at his best friend in confusion. “Are you not disgusted at me?”

Yoochun chuckles, cupping his cheeks. “Why would I be? We’re best friends for a reason. We are in the same boat. I am in love with Jaejoong’s best friend. The kid who is the same age as him.”

“But he is not your son.”

“Jaejoong isn’t yours either. Let’s face it, he’s not your son by blood or by law. And he happens to be in the same side of the court as us. Well, sort of, because we’re in the middle and he’s all the way in— yeah, okay I think you get what I’m trying to say.”

He chuckles, bumping his forehead with Yoochun’s. “Chamiko’s pregnant.”

A loud thud is heard outside the office and both men ignore it. If there is something wrong, Yunho’s secretary would surely inform them.

Yoochun pushes him away. “What?”

“Relax. I’m not the father. Chamiko… she’s in love with someone else, but it’s unrequited. She thought the guy loved her but all he wanted was to get in her pants. Father is also using her pregnancy to get what he wants. The Shims seem to be fine with it, too. Except Chamiko, of course, although I promised her that if we do get married, I am going to treat the kid as my own.”

“You should have opened up an orphanage. You seem to have a knack for taking care of abandoned children.”

“I’m going to consider that. Don’t look at me like that. I’m serious.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know, Chunnie. I doubt Jaejoong returns my feelings. He might even be disgusted at me.” He sighs. “I don’t even know what to do with the whole marriage ordeal.”

“Say, what will you lose if you go against what your father wants?”

He hums to think for a while before responding. “My father. And the company, I guess. He’s probably going to disown me and all that dramatic stuff I’m too old to actually care about if not for Jaejoong.”

“You are really considering that orphanage, right, best friend?”

Yunho looks at Yoochun suspiciously and then nods. “Yeah, I am.”

“Great! Then no wedding will happen. Make sure you make your feelings clear to Jaejae and I’ll be back to bug you in a few days. Master Yoochun has some brainstorming to do.”

With a grin, Yoochun gets up and exits the office leaving a dumbfounded Yunho.





There is no doubt that he is torn between telling and not telling Jaejoong. The boy can be quite unpredictable and having no clue as to how he’ll be reacting is scaring him too much. Confessing is easy, but not if you’re confessing to someone who considers you a father figure in his life. The last thing he wants to do is ruin his and Jaejoong’s relationship.

He is not in a rush. He is going to think it through before making a move.

As soon as he steps foot inside their house, a frantic maid runs up to him. “Mr. Jung, Jaejoong is missing!”

He frowns. “What? Are you sure he didn’t go to Junsu’s or any of his friend’s house?”

“No, Mr. Jung. He… he…” Yunho pats her on the shoulder, telling her to calm down even if the news of Jaejoong going missing has made him nervous. “He went home after school and told us he’ll drop by your office to give you your gift but he came back home in tears, running up to his room. We were surprised when he came back out with a bag and bid us good bye. That was the last time we saw him, Mr. Jung.”

“Wha— the driver? Where’s his driver? Surely, he knows where he is.”

She shakes her head. “He did not ask him to drive him to his destination. He went by himself.”

“What… I don’t understand. Ms. Bae… and what gift? What’s that gift for?”

She blinks at him in disbelief. “Today is your birthday, Mr. Jung.”





Four years, five days, fifteen hours and eighteen minutes.

Yunho has been counting.

Today is his birthday, but there is no reason for him to celebrate. Four years ago, he lost his love, his life, Kim Jaejoong.

He searched high and low, even hired private investigators, but no one could trace his whereabouts. It’s as if he disappeared into thin air.

He also lost his father and the company he has worked hard for, for years, but none of those mattered because those were not as painful as losing one Kim Jaejoong.

Everyone around him told him not to give up, but he knows they are all just saying it to cheer him up. No one knows if Jaejoong will be back, but he is going to wait, he will always wait just like how Jaejoong waited for him when he had gone to Japan.

The orphanage did not happen like Yoochun planned. He did not make it happen because it will only remind him of Jaejoong and he already has a lot of things that remind him of the boy every single day.

He did not sink into depression, nor did he get dangerously skinny. He kept himself healthy and made sure he always looks presentable. What if Jaejoong suddenly comes back? He cannot let him see him in such an unpleasant state.

Drying his hair with a towel, he reads Yoochun’s text telling him to hurry to Junsu’s house. He fights the urge to roll his eyes. What’s the rush for? Junsu lives right across him. He could run his way over there in five seconds flat.

He does not want a celebration for his birthday, but he could not say no when Junsu, who is now Yoochun’s partner for two years, insisted that he would at least cook lunch for the three of them.

“Mr. Jung…” Ms. Bae pops her head inside his bedroom door after knocking thrice. “Mr. Park called. He said you—“

He chuckles softly. “I understand, Ms. Bae. I’m on my way to Junsu’s now. If he calls in the next two minutes, please tell him he is banned from calling already.”

She smiles, nodding in understanding before leaving him be.

Donned in khaki shorts and a plain white shirt, the birthday boy knocks on Junsu’s door, expecting to see his best friend grinning at him like he has won the lottery. He might as well have won it because Yunho clearly remembers how Yoochun told him that winning Junsu’s heart is just as good as winning the lottery. Maybe even better.

The door bursts open and before he could comprehend what is happening around him, a body is already clinging on to his own for dear life. Legs are wrapped around his waist as tightly as arms are wrapped around his neck.

“Papa… I’m back.”

Hearing the voice he has not heard for more than four years brings tears to his eyes. Unable to speak, he lets his body do the talking. He envelopes Jaejoong’s trembling figure in his arms, pulling him as close to his body as he could.

“Jaejoongie, my baby.”





“Uncle Yoochun took Junsu out for a date. We have the house to ourselves.” says Jaejoong, content in his spot in Yunho’s lap. Yunho broke their moment for a while so they could transfer to the living room. He does not mind carrying Jaejoong all day but he is sure their neighbors would. Not once has Jaejoong detached himself from him.

Yunho kisses his forehead, extremely glad and relieved that the younger boy is back. “You’re not leaving me again, are you?” Jaejoong shakes his head. “Where were you?”

The now twenty year old man fidgets a little. “I went to look for my parents.”

“What?”

“I… I had to. I know they left me, but they had no choice. It has always bothered me that my real parents abandoned me. I never told you about that because I did not want you to worry. You have so much things going on already and I know taking care of someone like me isn’t easy. But everything’s okay now…” he says, smiling up at Yunho who resists the temptation of pressing a kiss on Jaejoong’s lips. They still have a lot of things to talk about. “I made peace with them.”

“Did you live with them?”

“No. I lived on my own. In Busan. I rented a small apartment and found myself a job. I had to learn how to be independent, papa. I’ve been too dependent on you. And besides, I did not want to be a bother when you are starting your own family. I heard the first few years are crucial. I ran away so I won’t be in your way. Don’t worry, I still won’t. I just came here for a visit. I thought I’ve been gone for too long and I must have made you worry sick, although that’s not the case at all.” Jaejoong chuckles.

“Jaejoongie, what are you talking about? You cannot leave me again.”

“I have to. I’m going to visit you every week, I promise. I don’t want to be a bother for your family. Your kid might be jealous of me, too. Chamiko might not like having me around, too, because I’ve been nothing but an to her.”

Yunho feels like crying. Jaejoong has got it all wrong.

“There is no Chamiko, Jaejoongie. There is no kid either. What are you talking about?”

“Eh? But I heard you and Uncle Yoochun… that day… I… you said she’s pregnant…”

“That was you?!” He remembers hearing some thud from outside his office, but he did not pay much attention to it. “Jaejoong, my love,” he blurts out. “You ran away before you could hear my explanation. She was pregnant, but I am not the father of her baby. Her ex-boyfriend impregnated her. Also, the marriage was not pushed through. She and I did not want to get tied down when we know we have no feelings for each other. How are you not aware of this? Are you not in contact with Junsu?”

“I am. But I strictly told him not to tell me anything about you.”

“I see. Are you seeing someone right now?”

Jaejoong furrows his brows at the abrupt change of topic. “I… no… I have never…”

Letting out a sigh of relief, Yunho cups Jaejoong’s cheeks and stares right into his eyes. “Jaejoongie, I am not getting any younger so I need to do this. I apologize in advance if this is going to shock you. I love you. I love you not how a father loves his son, but how a man loves his lover. I don’t know how you feel about me. But I hope I am not disgusting enough for you to not give me a chance.”

“Papa! You are not disgusting. Never disgusting for me.” A small smile graces Jaejoong’s lips. “Does this mean I get to kiss you now? But just a peck, papa, because I don’t know how to kiss with tongue and all that slimy stuff yet.”

Yunho bursts out in laughter and then proceeds to give Jaejoong an open mouthed kiss that leaves the former teenager breathless. “Oh, and Jaejoongie?”

“Yes papa?”

“Just call me Yunho from now on. Unless you have a I am not aware of.”