Taemin P.O.V

”This seat is taken!”

”Not here!”

“Loser!”

“!”

“Is that a boy or a girl?”

“Another table!” It was like they were pushing me around. I held my gaze lowered and walked against the back of the cafeteria, trying not to make a show. Why did I move? Why did I change school? Oh yeah… because of my mum. Again.

“I heard he was kicked out from his old school because of ual harassment!” Those words made me almost look up and say something back. Where the hell had she heard that?! ual harassment… me?! I was… well, kind of…

“You can sit here.” Okay, those words made me look up. Some dark brown eyes looked out between her also dark brown hair. The guy send me a smile.

“You heard it right. Sit down or keep listening to those comments as you walk through the cafeteria, hoping for another one to save you,” I widened my eyes and before I managed to react, he pulled me down beside him. I bowed my head to him.

“Thank you,” I said and bit my lip. He smiled.

“You’re welcome. You’re a guy right?” He had a bit of accent. I didn’t know which kind of accent though. I had never been good at finding out these things.

“Neh,” I nodded, “my name is Taemin. Lee Taemin,” the guy laid his chopsticks down.

“Nice to meet you Taemin! Which classes are you going to take?” I found my schedule and handed it to him. He studied it for a short moment and smiled.

“We’re going to take danceclasses together! Cool!”

“When losers meet,” a girl’s voice said beside me. I looked up and saw a blonde and a brunette walk pass. I bit my lip and looked down, trying not to react. The guy looked at me.

“That’s just Jessica and Yoona. The two princesses here,” I looked up at him, “ignore them. That’s what I do!”

Amber P.O.V

The new guy seemed sweet. Shy and innocent too. Sad thing that people were like that here, ‘cause I thought he would get popular within a few days. Just a feeling.

“Are you a dancer too?” he asked out of the blue. I looked up from my noodles and nodded.

“I am. I’m majoring in dancing and rapping,” I said, “you? Dancing and what more?” Taemin stretched his back.

“Dancing and piano-playing,” he answered confidently, “I’ve danced since I was six years old and played piano in four years now.” I nodded.

“Cool bro’” I said as the bell rang. I got up and looked at him.

“We’re having dance now. Come with me,” I said. He looked really happy and got up.

“Thanks hyung!” I looked at him with a tiny smile. Hyung… no one had ever called me that~

Truth is, I’m a girl. My name is Amber Liu and I grew up in the states. Three years ago my family decided to move to Korea, not back to Taiwan where we originally came from. Don’t ask me why. I’ve always hidden my true gender in front of other people. I’ve never wanted to be a girl actually, but I was born this way and I just had to accept it, right? How I managed to hide it for the other students at school you ask? I don’t use the bathroom at school, and after dance or PE, I’m always the last person to change my clothes. Since people don’t really bother if I’m there or not, no one have ever noticed or asked me anything.

3^rd Person P.O.V

“New kid, Taemin right?” Taemin looked at the teacher and nodded.

“Yes,” he said. The teacher smiled.

“Since you’re new here you have to show me what you got. Any music you would like to dance to?” Taemin gulped and looked at Amber who gave him a puf.

“Do it,” she mumbled. Taemin nodded and got up.

“Bad by Michael Jackson,” he mumbled, with a little sign of confident. The teacher just went to the computer and found the song. The classmates sat back at the mirror and talked, not really paying attention to Taemin. The music started and Taemin closed his eyes. Slowly his feet started moving and then his legs. Just by that his classmates stopped talking and started looking at him. The way he was moving his body was different from others they’d seen, but it was professional. Amber was also impressed. The new kid seemed to know how to show of. There was also a change in Taemin’s eyes – the kid she had seen this morning was insecure but now… it was gone. It was a confident boy who was dancing in front of them, knowing exactly what he was doing. Taemin danced through the whole song, not with one single mistake and when he finished, his body was soaked in sweat, and as the music toned out the confident gaze faded away. No one clapped except Amber. Was it really that bad? Taemin had felt that he did so well! But there was no response… was this class too good? Was he just a bad dancer here too? Couldn’t he not even do that right?

“That… that was really good, Taemin-ssi,” the teacher said and got his attention.

“R-r-really?” Taemin said insecure, “it was…?”

“Daebak!” Amber said, “really good! Amazing! Fantastic! It was…”

“Shut up,” Yoona said and scowled, “no one asked for your opinion!” Now she looked at Taemin, “no matter if he is bad or good, he still has a lot to learn.”

“Just because he was better than you-”

“Enough,” the teacher said, “Yoona, stay positive. The kid did well and then he has to hear it. And you,” the teacher looked at Amber, “it’s nice that you wanna defend him but don’t get interfered. Okay?” Amber clenched her fists and nodded.

“Yes.”

Taemin P.O.V

“Don’t listen to Yoona,” the hyung from the cafeteria came to me, “she is just jealous!” I looked at him.

“Thanks hyung,” I said and looked at him, “I… what is your name? I’m sorry, I don’t think…” he smiled to me and handed me his bottle of water. I smiled grateful to him.

“I’m Amber. Amber Josephine Liu,” he said… wait what?!

“A-Amber? But… but isn’t that…”

“A girl’s name?” he asked. I nodded and he chuckled.

“Girls usually have a girl’s name. Weird huh?” I widened my eyes and forgot everything about drinking the water.

“B-b-b-ut! I… I thought… aren’t you…”

“I’m a girl. Nobody here knows, but I was born a girl.”

“How was your day honey?” I kicked of my shoes and threw my schoolbag in the corner.

“Fine. Got a new friend,” I said and went to the kitchen where I took a banana.

“Oh really? What is his name?” she asked. I looked at her.

“Amber. It’s a girl,” I said, still not over the fact that it actually was a girl. He… she seemed so boyish! But then… look at me, right? I’m a guy, wearing girly clothes and having long hair. Not that I didn’t like to be a guy, I just felt more comfortable in girl’s clothes. It didn’t make it any better than I had girl’s features either.

“That’s nice honey. Invite her home some times soon, okay?”

 I nodded.

“Neh-”

“Oh, and by the way. I’m going out tonight. You can order some Chinese food if you want?” I nodded and sighed.

“Can I invite Amber? If I can find her number?” I asked. I didn’t want to spend the night alone and since Amber was my only friend in town, I should contact her, right? Maybe we could be better friends then!

“Of course honey! Just remember that you have school tomorrow, okay?” I nodded and got up.

“Thanks.”

Amber P.O.V

“Darling, I bought you a dress,” I looked up from my algebra book and rolled my eyes.

“I don’t want it mum. Burn it or something,” I switched page as my mum sat on my bed.

“Amber, darling. You have to wear this kind of things. How will you ever get a boyfriend, looking like that? No boy wants a girl looking like that!” I just send her a gaze before I turned back to my book.

“I don’t want a boyfriend. Especially not one who judge me by my looks,” I said. My phone started ringing and before my mum could say anything more I answered it.

“Hello?” I said. The number was unknown.

“H-hello? A-Amber-ssi? I-is that you?” a voice said. I knew that voice… but who was it?

“Yes? Who am I talking to?” I asked, avoiding my mum.

“I… I’m T-Taemin. The new k-kid…” he hesitated and I smiled.

“Taemin ah! Wassap bro?” I noticed that my mum looked surprised. The only one I ever talked to in phone was Henry, my cousin. He lived in Daegu so we didn’t get to see each other often.

“I… I w-wondered if you c-c-could come o-over tonight? I have n-nothing to d-d-do, and the h-house is com-completely empty…” Was he stuttering? How cute was that?! I smiled.

“Of course Taemin! Give me address and I’ll be there soon!”

I stood in front of a penthouse and stared. Was this the right address? I looked at the nametag. Taemin’s name was there, and hesitantly I knocked on. I stepped back and waited for a few seconds before the door got opened and a gorgeous woman stood in front of me. She looked at me.

“Who are you?” she asked rudely. I sank.

“I… I’m Amber. Is Taemin here?” The woman widened her eyes.

“Amber? The girl from school?” she asked, obviously surprised. I nodded.

“Neh. Taemin invited me-”

“Hi Amber-ssi,” Taemin appeared behind the woman, “j-just come in,” he said. The woman looked at Taemin, now avoiding me.

“Honey, I don’t know when I will be home, so get in bed in good time. Remember to lock the door when this Amber-girl is gone and if anything happens then call my cell phone. But only if it’s really important, okay?” Taemin nodded.

“Neh umm-”

“The Chinese food will be here soon. Be sure to clean after yourself. Bye honey,” she kissed his forehead and went past me without saying anything. I looked at Taemin who seemed a bit embarrassed.

“I…”

“Don’t say anything,” I stepped inside, “thanks for inviting me. Let’s have fun, shall we?”

His house was awesome! It was big, stylish and looked like there came a cleaning-lady everyday – which wouldn’t make me wonder after meeting his mother. She seemed strict.

“Make yourself comfortable noona,” he said. I looked at him.

“Keep calling me hyung,” I said and smiled, “the kids at school don’t know… and I feel better by being called hyung…” Taemin nodded.

“O-okay h-hyu-hyung,” he said. I chuckled. Adorable, I swear!

“How old are you anyways? We’re in the same class but you seem pretty sure that I’m older than you?” Taemin bit his lip and sat down on a chair in the kitchen. I sat down in front of him.

“Born in 93,” he said, “I started in school one year before anyone else. My mum’s decision,” he said. I smiled.

“Then you’re right. I am your hyung,” I winked. A message came to his phone and he looked at me.

“Is it okay if…” I nodded.

“Of course! Don’t be so polite when I’m around. Speak comfortably with me, okay?” He nodded and blushed.

“Neh… thanks h-hyung,” he said. I looked around when Taemin checked his message. I could look directly into the living room where the first thing that caught my gaze was a big picture of Taemin and his mum at some photo-shoot when he was younger. His hair was shorter but he had the same angel-girly-face as now. I chuckled.

“Uh-oh…” I heard him mumble. I turned back to him.

“Uh-oh? Something wrong?” I asked. He looked up with a little smile.

“My… my old school is visiting our school tomorrow.” I’d heard about that. Some students, who were going to stay with us for a week or so.

“What’s so bad about that? They can’t be worse than the students at our school, can they?” Taemin shook his head.

“No, I know. But Key hyung is coming. He is a bit…”

“A bit what?” I smiled and he did too.

“Overprotective. Umma-ish…” he said. I smiled.

“Oh… I see,” I said, “that’s going to be fun~”

Taemin P.O.V

It didn’t take long before I was comfortable with Amber and doing the dinner, she told me about her time in the states and I, about my many school-changes. This was the third school within the last four years, my ninth school all counted. I had been a lot of places…

After eating we went to my room upstairs and I clenched my fists. I hadn’t been here since I left this morning and now my room was filled with some new boy-clothes. Frustrated I went to the bunch of clothes and threw it in a corner.

“Argh!” I yelled frustrated, forgetting everything about Amber. I kicked it and jumped on it.

“Stupid. Boy. Clothes!” I yelled.

“T-Taemin?” I turned around and saw Amber stand with a shocked expression on her face. I blushed and got down from the clothes.

“I… sorry,” I said, “my mum… she uses too many money on clothes I’ll never wear,” I said, “it annoys me…” Amber went to me and held up a shirt.

“My mum is like that too… and gosh, this is awesome!” she said and took it to my mirror where she held it in front of her body. Then she turned around with a shining face.

“Do you want it?” I asked. When I didn’t wanted it and she obviously liked it… She nodded.

“C-can I?!” I nodded and went to my walk-in closet – my mum had insisted that I got it.

“Yeah sure… I have a lot anyways,” I opened the door and made a sign for her to come with me.

“Oh my God…” she said and looked around, “Taemin is this all yours?!” I looked at her and smiled a bit.

“Yeah… it is…”