Sunday morning. Another uneventful week had passed in Minho’s absence; nothing to fill the empty space save the usual early morning breakfasts, primping of school uniforms, half-asleep afternoons in class, and boring “hang-out” times at night with his hyungs, which consisted mostly of Jonghyun and Key bickering and Onew remaining oblivious to anything around him that didn’t have to do with chicken or body gags.           

         But he wasn’t oblivious. Not really. They hadn’t talked in awhile, but Taemin felt like Onew-hung always had his back. Even when he was silent, even when it seemed he had no idea what was going on behind the closed doors of the SHINee dorm. He trusted that the leader had everything under control.

            Sunday. Sunday? Another day without him. When was he coming back? They’d have to start working on their new mini soon. He couldn’t stay away forever—but... well, Taemin wanted him home now.

            The only one who seemed to really understand the depths of his complex feelings—Onew aside—was his strange penpal. I hear there’s a cool art exhibit in Daehangno on Sunday, Taemin remembered 2Min_Dreamer saying. His penpal also lived in Seoul, and they knew about this event first. So, what if he went? Went in disguise? He wondered—they both lived in Seoul. What if... what if this person just so happened to be there? I mean, he wouldn’t know who it was, but... being there in the same place was a neat feeling. He was curious if it would be like the dramas where something extraordinary would happen, the unthinkable. If nothing else, they would have one more thing to talk about online.           

            But... there was only one problem: 2Min_Dreamer didn’t want to meet. “That makes me nervous, honestly,” they’d said. “I like the anonymity of FFC.”

            Well, Taemin could certainly understand that. His plan wasn’t the best, given his celebrity. But—he had a devious streak too. And sometimes you just have to do what you want to, regardless of judgment or others’ opinion. Right? Those are the times when you really feel in control of your life—the times when you listen to impulse and forgo sensibility... 

            But just in case, I can always... 

            “Yosha!” he chanted as he sprung from the bed with an enthusiasm he hadn’t felt in a long time. He successfully talked himself into it.

            He got dressed quickly and grabbed a banana off the kitchen counter, doing his best to avoid all eye contact with Key, whose umma-like powers of perception were scarily unparalleled, even by Taemin’s own mother.

            “Oh? And just where are you going so early in the morning?” he started, swinging the rice paddle like a disciplinary device as he stood over the steaming cooker. “Breakfast is almost ready, you know...”           

            Taemin nodded. “Thanks, but I’ve got to be somewhere.”

            “You’ve got to be somewhere...?” His voice was full of suspicion.

            “Er—yeah. I promised Taesun-hyung I’d come home today,” he lied. He hated lying like that but he'd dropped his brother's name as a scapegoat before really thinking it out; might as well string it out farther. “He’s, uh, he’s going to stop by and he said it would be nice if all of us were together, the whole family. So...”

            Key’s face twisted with what seemed like confusion, or perhaps it was merely distrust. Either way, he resigned to disregard the information and let out a shrug. “Well, whatever. Do you what you feel you have to, I guess. But—just be careful.”

            He nodded, gratefully.

            “And eat a little something before you go! I’m sure that brother of yours wouldn’t want you to pass out from starvation before you get there...”

            Here, he had to restrain his giggle. As much as he loved this side of his hyung, he knew Key just needed to take care of someone—the way he longed for someone to take care of him. Which is why it made him smile all the more when he heard Jonghyun, who had just emerged from his room, say in mid-yawn, “I’ll eat his portion. I’m starving! What’s for breakfast, Bummie~?”

            Kibum pointed the paddle at him. “YOU—” he begun with uncharted intensity.

            Jonghyun seemed a tad frightened, his eyes globular.

            “You already get double portions today. For being so sweet last night, coming to my rescue.”

            Taemi