Peppero Sticks and Protec (1/1)

Peppero Sticks and ProtectivenessIt was an unusual scene indeed. An almost four-year old Jaemin was crying hysterically and hitting the legs of a man that he had only met once, that morning – very opposite to his usual calm and quiet demeanour. The man picked the little boy up and placed him on his hip and tried to calm him down, but Jaemin kept fighting, yelling out incoherent sentences due to the hiccups that followed his tears. “Let…me…go…Omma…mine!” Taemin was preparing to leave for his fan meet tour with his hyungs for the week. He had let Naeun sleep in and decided to make his breakfast when he found his son already waiting for him and watching a cartoon in the lounge, a packet of peppero sticks in his hands. Taemin let him be for the moment and looked towards the direction of the kitchen, and sure enough, found the trail of destruction that his son left while grabbing the sugary snack from one of the shelves. Other packets of food were strewn across the floor and the cereal box had fallen out along with its contents dotting the floor. Taemin clicked his tongue at the mess but couldn’t hide his smile. However, he put on his most serious face and walked in front of the television.“Appa!” The little boy dropped the box from his hands and leapt from his seat to go and receive a hug from his father, but when he wasn’t picked up, he hugged Taemin’s legs and looked up. “Appa…” Taemin put his hands on his hips and looked in the other direction to try and hide his laughter. “Jaemin-ah…what did you do this morning that would make Omma and Appa mad?” Jaemin shrugged his shoulders so Taemin grabbed his hands and led him to the kitchen. “What’s this?” The boy made an ‘o’ face and then began to pick up the bits of cereal off the floor. “I’m sorry, Appa…”Taemin shook his head at his son. “Aigoo…ahrasso…as long as you’re sorry…” He picked his son off the floor and gave him a hug. “You’re not angry at me?” Taemin poked his stomach. “Aniya…you’re too cute…let’s clean it up.” Taemin took out a broom and pan and Jaemin picked up the packets off the floor and put them on the table for his dad to put back. They were finished within five minutes, so Taemin and Jaemin went back to the lounge to go watch the rest of the cartoons together and finishe the box of peppero.When Naeun woke up, she found her boys laughing on the couch together. “The two of you didn’t want to include me in all this fun?” Father and son turned their head towards Naeun and the scotted over to make room for her. She placed Jaemin in her lap after sitting down as Taemin slung an arm around her. “Oppa…don’t you have to leave soon?” He nodded his head. “Yeah…don’t worry about breakfast…I’ll grab something at the airport…and this one has already had some snacks…” Naeun blocked Jaemin’s sight to get his attention. “Omma…I can’t see the tv.”“Is the tv more important than your Omma? You haven’t even given me a kiss yet.” Jaemin reached forward and turned off the television before lauching himself into Naeun’s arms and peppering kisses all over her face. “Morning, Omma…I love you…” Naeun couldn’t hide her laughter as she peeled her son off of the man. “I’m so sorry sunbae…I guess he’s just not used to being on set.”“It’s alright. The little guy’s exactly like Taemin…” He ruffled the boy’s hair and then walked away as Naeun rocked Jaemin back and forth. The little boy tightened his arms around his mother’s neck. “Omma is mine…” The family was hanging around the doorway saying their goodbyes. Taemin’s manager had already gotten his things and was waiting for him downstairs. Naeun gave Taemin a hug and a long kiss before Taemin knelt down to his son’s eye level and ruffled his hair. “Be good for Omma…while Appa’s not here, you’re the man of the house…okay?...Take care of your Omma.” Taemin did a salute, and Jaemin returned it, then gave Taemin a hug and kiss before Taemin left.“Omma, what are we doing today?”“Wanna go to work with Omma?” Jaemin nodded his head enthusiastically. “Okay…let’s get dressed and then go.”When they had arrived on set of Naeun’s drama, Naeun had taken Jaemin to see the people that she worked with before going into makeup. She had let Jaemin sit in the chair next to her and gave him her phone to play with thinking that he would be bored, but he just watched her with curiosity in the mirror. When Naeun was finished, she lifted him onto her lap and Jaemin began to examine her face. “Wae? Does Omma look different?” Jaemin nodded his head. “Different…but still pretty…” Naeun couldn’t hide her proud smile when the make-up artist complimented her for having such a loving and adorable son. “Gamsahamnida…”Naeun walked to the set where they were setting up to do her scene while holding Jaemin’s hand. When the director asked them to take their places, she told Jaemin to sit quietly next to the director. For the first few scenes, Jaemin was very well behaved, even giving a ‘thumbs up’ to Naeun while she was shooting. However, when it came time for Naeun to do a romantic scene, Jaemin began to fidget, until Naeun’s male co-star leaned in for a kiss and Jaemin bolted from his seat and began hitting the man.“Stop it! Stop it! Stop It! Get away from my Omma! Only me and my Appa can kiss her!” “Baby…why did you run in like that and start hitting Omma’s work-mate?”“Appa told me to look after you and I thought that only Appa and Jaemin gets to kiss you…”Naeun gave Jaemin a big hug. “That’s true…”“Then why did you kiss him?”“Because Omma was playing pretend. That was fake. Like Eunji Imo. You know how you saw her kiss that man on tv?” Jaemin nodded his head and played with his fingers. “It’s exactly like that. It’s called acting.” Jaemin sniffled. “So, you still love me and Appa?” Naeun hugged him tighter. “Of course. When I kiss you and your Appa…that’s real…”“Okay.”“So, you’ll be good and let me finish that scene?”“Eo…”------------ That night, as Naeun was listening to Jaemin having a phone conversation with Taemin, she tried to hold in her laughter when Jaemin detailed to his father about how he protected her from kissing another guy, and how he hit him and warned him to stay away from her. Taemin’s laughter was so loud that she could even hear it. When Jaemin passesd the phone back to her, he had an accomplished smile on his face. “You can talk to Appa now, Omma…” He passed the phone to Naeun.“Yeoboseyo?”“Naeun-ah…”“How was the flight?”“Good…but…let’s talk about how you were kissing another man today and I only found out about it through our son…” Naeun could tell that Taemin was smiling. “Well…I did tell you about the kiss…and it was pretty funny watching our son reacting that way…you’ve taught him well…”“Of course! You’re mine…only mine! I should buy Jaemin a big present for when I come back. He’s been a good bodyguard for you….”“I don’t think he deserves one…he left out one part in the story…” While waiting for Naeun to get out of costume and make-up, Jaemin was waiting patiently. He saw someone sit next to him and move further away when he recognised the man to be Naeun’s co-star. “Jaemin-ah…I’m sorry for kissing you Omma…I promise that it was just pretend…”Hearing exactly what his Omma was saying coming from the guy, Jaemin looked up at the man. “Okay…I believe you…just don’t do it again…” Jaemin had a stern voice, but the man still thought it was adorable and tried to hide his smile. “I promise…now…to make up for it…I bought you this…” He handed a packed of peppero the Jaemin and the little boy accepted it without hesitation. “Am I forgiven?” Jaemin just nodded his head while he ripped open the packet.Naeun watched the exchange and smirked when she heard Jaemin say “I forgive you…I think I like you…” The man ruffled his hair. “Because I gave you a snack?”“Ne…”“Does that mean I get to kiss your Omma for the drama now?”Without thinking, Jaemin just nodded, to engrossed in the food. “Oppa? Still there?”“Wait? So, after protecting you…he just completely changed after he got peppero?”“Yep.”Naeun laughed when she heard Taemin mumble on the line. “That kid isn’t going to eat peppero for a very long time…”