“Taemin! Phone for you!”

Taemin opened his eyes a crack and saw Taeyeon’s body and her tossing the phone on his bed. Thank god Key had just left, and he was just lightly dozing.

“Who is it?” he groaned. He couldn’t think of anyone who would call him.

“I don’t know,” said Taeyeon before leaving.

Taemin rubbed his head before picking up the phone. He was going to get a headache today, he knew it.

“Hello?” he said groggily.

“Taemin?” said the voice on the other line.

“KAI?” he shouted, startled.

“Taemin! I didn’t recognise your voice when you said ‘hello’!” said Kai. “You must be really American now.”

“Kai, oh my god, Kai! You called me? Why? Um… how are you? Wow, this is insane!” blabbered Taemin, overwhelmed.

“Of course I called you! In fact, I should have called you sooner hyung, but you don’t know how hard it was finding out your phone number, and then finding a phone card, plus I’ve been crazy busy. I’ve missed you so much hyung, of course I would call, you’re my best friend! I’ve been fine, same old same old. All the girls in school miss you so much, always “do you remember that hottie Taemin, ohmygaah!” laughed Kai. “Sehun and I miss you heaps hyung, going to eat rice cakes without you is so different. How have you been? Made the American girls cry yet?”

“Aaah, Kai…” Taemin didn’t know where to begin. “I have made one girl cry I think. It wasn’t very nice.”

“Hyuuung, the lady killer,” laughed Kai.

“No, it wasn’t very nice. She was my friend and she was unhappy. I should say sorry.”

“Taemin, are you kidding?” asked Kai in disbelief. “Apologise?”

“Well, she didn’t deserve it..”

“Was she hot?” asked Kai bluntly.

“Yeah, but-“

“Ah, that’s why you want to apologise.” Taemin could feel Kai smirking into the receiver. “Yeah, don’t let her get away in case you feel like hooking up with her one day.”

“I would never do that to Lacey!” said Taemin, stung.

“Hmph, like you’ve never done that before,” laughed Kai. “You practically taught me how to play with girls hyung! How is living in America?”

“Well, it’s okay. Noona is nice, a little bit overprotective, but nice. She lets me do whatever normally, but when she wants to punish me she does. She has a boyfriend called Onew hyung and he’s sort of nice too I guess.”

“Nice?” echoed Kai. “Come on hyung. I know you. You’re my best friend. Let it all out. I know what you’re like. Tell me.”

“Tell you what?” asked Taemin.

“About how they annoy you and stuff, come on,” said Kai. “You don’t get along with anyone apart from me and our group.”

“There’s nothing to tell,” said Taemin stonily. “I’m not going to talk bad about my family.”

There was a pregnant pause as both boys remembered Taemin’s many rants about his family before the accident, and how vicious Taemin’s words could be. Taemin didn’t want to remember because he felt guilty, and no way was Kai going to bring it up.

“How is school? Have you made any new friends? Met someone you like?” asked Kai, changing the subject.

“School is ,” said Taemin bluntly. “I have met someone I like though,” he added, leaving out the new friends bit because he had none.

“Oooh, what’s she like?” asked Kai.

“Mmm… pretty hot and good, gets good grades and stuff. Likes shopping a lot and girly stuff. Born in 91 though.”

“A noona,” said Kai suggestively. “Hyung, you have always had a way with the ladies. Going for the older ones now are we? So what’s the deal? You guys go out or something?”

“Yeah,” said Taemin. “I think I’m in love.”

Kai started laughing. “Lee Taemin? In love? With yourself, yes.”

“I love Key a lot,” said Taemin, unnerved. “I’m not like what I was in Korea. I’m faithful to Key and want to be by Key’s side for as long as Key wants me to. I love Key.”

“Key?” asked Kai. “That’s a weird name. Is it that person you’re in a relationship in on facebook? Why is her profile picture of a guy?”

“Because he is a guy,” said Taemin before hanging up.

He didn’t want to talk to Kai anymore. Did Kai think he was this superficial? He knew he had been very superficial before, but the person Kai kept assuming him to be seemed really mean. He rubbed his ears where his earrings made his head throb. Getting all those cartilage earrings definitely weren’t the most painless idea he had ever had, but he didn’t regret them.

He grabbed his lunch that Taeyeon made for him as Taeyeon kissed his forehead and he ran for the bus. He was so tired.

Taemin couldn’t even focus on the gravel in front of him. He had walked slowly out of school and decided to go to the park to relax and breathe. He sat on the park bench and kneaded his forehead, feeling a stress migraine coming on. He closed his eyes and could feel the blood pumping in his head. He just wanted to sleep. Even the cigarette in his shaking hand couldn’t calm him, and he wouldn’t have been surprised if he would burn himself soon with all this shaking. He put it out and rustled in his bag for some emergency migraine medicine. It was hereditary- his mother and brother always had splitting migraines too, and whenever he got them his family would always be so nice to him and be quiet around the house and make him soups and give him little gifts to make him feel a bit better.

He missed them so much.

He took his medicine with a swig of water, wondering if that had been wise when they made him really groggy. He buried his head in his hands, just wanting his stupid headache to go away already.

“Is that Taemin?” said Jonghyun as he and Minho walked in the park to get to the shops on the other side of the city.

Minho squinted. “I think so. I wonder what he’s doing.”

Minho and Jonghyun looked at Taemin for a while, who was hunched over on the seat with his head in his hands.

“No,” said Minho, trying to shake his feelings of concern away. “Let’s go. The lunch deal ends at 2.”

They walked away.

“You think he’s sick?” asked Jonghyun.

“I don’t know,” said Minho.

“He looks like he’s going to fall over,” said Jonghyun.

“I know.”

“What’s going to happen if he does? Do you think he needs help? He looks really bad.”

“Yeah.”

Jonghyun paused. “You think we should help him?”

Minho sighed. “Yeah. Let’s just go make sure he’s okay.”

“Hey Taemin,” said Minho, jogging over to the park bench with Jonghyun. “Are you okay?”

Taemin made no movement.

“You alright?” asked Minho again, kneeling in front of him and trying to look up through Taemin’s fingers to his face.

“Whoa whoa whoa,” said Minho as Taemin toppled forward and Minho caught him.

“What’s wrong Taemin?” asked Jonghyun. “Does something hurt?”

“I have a migraine and I took my medicine and now I want to go home,” whined Taemin, his eyes still closed. “I want to go home.”

Minho and Jonghyun exchanged glances. Were they supposed to take him home?

“We can’t leave him here,” hissed Minho to Jonghyun. “Look at him.”

“I know,” sighed Jonghyun. “But you’re responsible for carrying him there.”

Jonghyun and Minho manoeuvred Taemin until he was on Minho’s back and Jonghyun held their backpacks.

“Right. Where do you live Taemin?” asked Minho, propping the kid up on his back so he could get a better grip of Taemin’s legs, because Taemin wasn’t holding onto him very well.

Taemin mumbled Korean words that had no meaning for Jonghyun or Minho.

“Aish,” said Jonghyun, slapping his head as he felt like an idiot. “He’s Key’s neighbour. He must live next to Key.”

They walked down Key’s street, looking out for his house after they had caught the bus. Taemin had fallen asleep during the ride and Minho and Jonghyun had stayed silent, but the movement getting off the bus had woken Taemin up again.

“Hyuuung,” whined Taemin quietly, and hugged Minho’s shoulders a bit tighter as Minho propped Taemin up further on his back, keeping a tight hold on Taemin’s legs so he wouldn’t fall.

“So much nicer when he’s sick,” said Jonghyun. “He’s so cute, almost girly looking.”

“Hyung, I miss you so much,” said Taemin, hugging Minho tighter. “When can you take me to play soccer again?”

“He wants to play soccer with you Minho, that’s like your favourite sport!” cackled Jonghyun as Minho snickered.

“Hyung,” Taemin whispered. “I miss you. When will I see you again?”

Minho and Jonghyun stopped laughing.

“I want to see you so badly…I’m sorry for being a bad dongsaeng… ”

“Do I answer?” asked Minho. “Won’t that be cruel of me?”

“I love you Taesun hyung,” whispered Taemin as he hugged Minho tighter and nestled into his neck. “Taesun hyung saranghaeyo. Come back.”

“I can’t,” said Minho as Jonghyun furiously nodded.

“Why, come back, please,” whispered Taemin. “I need you. I’m so lonely.”

“I’m sorry Taemin,” as Minho got to Key’s house. “I’m so sorry. I’m sure Taesun hyung is watching over you. Taesun hyung loves you too.”

Jonghyun and Minho tried to stop themselves from crying too as Taemin started to sniffle, little broken hiccups escaping his throat.

“That one must be his,” said Jonghyun stuffily, pointing at the house that had a car parked in the driveway. “I hope whoever looks after him won’t be mad,” said Jonghyun as he wiped his eyes discreetly with his sleeve.

“Yup,” said Minho looking down as Jonghyun rang the door bell, trying to pull himself together.

“Hello?” said Onew as he opened the door, surprised when he saw who was behind it.

“Jonghyun! And Minho! And Taemin?”

“Hyung?” said Jonghyun astounded, hugging Onew. “Onew hyung, it’s been ages! What are you doing here? This is Taemin’s house right?”

“Wow,” said Minho. Onew and Jonghyun had been in a band together in high school, since they were both awesome singers. Minho had been the rapper and played the drums. They had separated once Onew, a year above Jonghyun graduated early and went to college.

“This is,” said Onew. “My girlfriend’s his aunt, and she’s just gone food shopping. What happened to Taemin?” he asked, concerned when he saw that Taemin’s eyes were closed and hadn’t moved.

“We found him on a park bench about to faint or something,” explained Jonghyun. “He said he had a migraine and took some medicine and wanted to go home, so we took him home. He fell asleep on the bus for a bit though. I think he’s asleep again.”

Taemin blinked his eyes open.

“Oh Taeminnie, what happened,” said Onew, as Minho and Jonghyun helped him hold Taemin.

“Appa!” cried Taemin, flinging his arms around Onew.

“No Taeminnie, I’m not your appa, it’s Onew hyu-“

“Appa, I miss you, appa,” cried Taemin. “Appa, I’m sorry.”

“I’ll look after him,” said Onew, steadying Taemin. “We need to catch up soon for a jam session, or even just to hang out, seriously,” he said to Jonghyun and Minho.

“Definitely, dubu!” joked Jonghyun as they said their goodbyes, using their old nicknames.

“Poor Taemin,” said Minho when they were walking away.

“Appa,” said Taemin again as Onew tried to get him to lie down on his bed unsuccessfully.

“No Taeminnie, I’m Onew hyung,” said Onew again as he tried to push him down gently.

“Appa,” said Taemin, latching onto Onew.

 Onew sighed and Taemin’s hair. “Why are you like this?” he murmured.

“Appa, I’m sorry. I don’t want any appa but you. I don’t want Kai’s appa. I’m sorry for being bad all the time. I love you so much,” cried Taemin.

“You aren’t bad,” soothed Onew, not knowing who Kai was.

“Appa, when can I see you?” asked Taemin. “I want to see you so much, just once..”

Onew stayed silent as he managed to get Taemin to lie down and pulled his blanket over him.

“I don’t want to forget you appa… I don’t want to forget what you look like and what you sounded like. Please can I see you? I’m so sad without you.”

“One day,” said Onew gently. “I’m so sorry Taeminnie. One day you will be happy.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, I’m sorry Taemin. Your appa will always love you, I promise.”

Onew watched Taemin make a sad face and close his eyes, getting ready to sleep. “I miss you,” whispered Taemin dejectedly. “I want to be with you.”

“Not yet Taemin,” said Onew, worried. “It’s going to be okay.”               

Onew watched Taemin drift off to sleep, so sad for the young teenager.

Taeyeon tried to quietly place the soft drink that Taemin had requested she get him on his nightstand, along with some other treats that she had bought for him, hoping he would wake up to a nice surprise. She had heard that Taemin had a migraine, and remembered when her sister would get them when she was younger. It was strange to know that it was now passed down to Taemin.

Taemin stirred as a chocolate bar rolled off and hit the floor.

“Sorry,” whispered Taeyeon. “Go back to sleep. Sorry.”

She was surprised when Taemin reached out his arms, as if asking for a hug.

She patted his back as she gave him a little hug, going to pull away. But Taemin held on, smiling happily with his eyes still closed.

“Umma, Mama, Mommy,” he said. “My umma, mama, mommy..”

Taeyeon gently untangled herself from Taemin, giving him a kiss on his forehead and covering him up with his blanket.

“Are you still mad at me?” said Taemin.

“Of course not,” said Taeyeon. “Of course not.”

“Then come see me,” said Taemin. “I want to see you again, just once, please just one more time, my umma, please.”

“Shhh,” said Taeyeon softly. “I’m sorry Taemin.”

“Give me my phone back,” said Taemin. “If you’re not mad, give me my phone back…”

Taemin rolled onto his stomach and continued to sleep, leaving a perplexed Taeyeon. She was the one who had his phone. Had Taemin confused her with his mother, or did he see her as his mother now?

She left it as sleep talking that made no sense and closed the door carefully.

A/N It was my birthday on the 10th! Happy birthday to me! :D :D

I don't even know what this chapter is about. sigh. it's just a filler, necessary one so that the rest of the story will make sense. hopefully next chapter will have some more action!

No Key in this chapter, but Jonghyun, Minho and Onew know each other? Haha I would have never imagined :D

Haha i sometimes get slight ontae feels in this story! i would say ontae is my next favourite pairing... must resist the ontae!! :)

Omg i read Crash on my phone and all I saw were typos. but now on my laptop i can't spot them. This is so embarrasing! :X will be editing this story thoroughly soon!

As always tell me what you think <3 :)