A Cliché Family fiftysix b Kibum worries about Taemin as he watches the teenager hurry into his room after school and slam the door closed. It’s not Taemin’s need for time alone that bothers Kibum, it’s the fact that it’s so unlike Taemin. He doesn’t bring Jongin home anymore, hasn’t for the past few weeks and that’s even more unusual. There is something wrong, Kibum reasons, and it worries him.

Taemin doesn’t want to talk to him, however. Every time he tries to bring it up or he asks when he’s going to hang out with Jongin again, Taemin dodges the question and scurries off to isolate himself in his room again. There is something wrong and Kibum wants to know what it is, wants to know how to help. There is nothing he wouldn’t do to help his children, if only they would talk to him.



“Taemin, we’re eating,” he says to the closed door to Taemin’s room and gets a “coming” from the other side. Taemin doesn’t emerge while Kibum stands there, however. It takes a minute or two where Kibum just stands, hoping to catch Taemin, but it’s like the boy has a detector that warns him of Kibum’s presence. In the end, he gives up and goes to join his husband at the dinner table. Taemin doesn’t emerge until Jinki knocks on his door and tells him that it’s now or no dinner. Kibum swallows down his worries as he sends Taemin a smile.

“How was school?” he asks and Taemin shrugs and continues eating. It’s not the response Kibum wants. “What did you learn?” Taemin rolls his eyes and swallows his bite of rice.

“Usual stuff, dad. It was fine.”

Kibum can hear the unwillingness to talk and he lets the topic drop and turns around to question Jinki about his day and talk about what has happened. As soon as Taemin finishes, he stands and hurries from the table, only returning when Jinki calls after him to clean up after himself. Kibum just sighs when the door closes again and Jinki turns to look at him quizzically.



“Honey, what’s wrong?” Jinki asks and Kibum climbs under the covers and pulls closer to Jinki. Jinki lets his hand rest around Kibum’s midsection so he can pull him a little closer. Kibum has been unusually quiet in the evening and Jinki is starting to worry a little about his husband.

“It’s Taemin,” Kibum says and sighs. Jinki frowns in confusion.

“Taemin?” he asks and Kibum nods against his chest, hair tickling Jinki’s neck. Jinki doesn’t understand what’s wrong with Taemin. To him, Taemin acts the same as all other teenagers. Granted, he’s a little more isolated than his brothers were but it’s not something Jinki considers unusual. After all he is the youngest and he must be tired of having such old parents at times. They’re not exactly trendy.

“He’s acting differently from usual. I worry about him but he doesn’t want to talk to me.”

The information worries Jinki as well. He’s still not sure how Taemin is acting differently but if Kibum worries more than usual, then it doesn’t really matter what exactly Kibum considers different. Jinki wants to comfort Kibum and tell him he’s seeing things, but it’s not so much Kibum’s reaction as much as it’s Taemin’s avoidance that’s beginning to worry Jinki.

“Now you're making me worried too,” Jinki says and Kibum slaps his chest lightly.

“Sssh,” he says. “Don't worry.”

Jinki thinks that’s impossible but he doesn’t tell Kibum.



Kibum needs to know what’s up with Taemin and when Taemin doesn’t want to speak to him, Kibum hopes he speaks to his brothers. And Kibum really shouldn’t be doing this but Taemin keeps isolating himself and his worry only grows.

When he calls Jonghyun, it isn’t really with the intention to ask about Taemin. He just wants to know how his oldest son is holding up and he wants to know