When Taemin opened his eyes in a dark unfamiliar room he was so confused. He looked to his side and saw that Taeyeon was lying on the bed he was lying on, slumped over on her chair next to him and clutching his arm while she slept. Next to the wall, Onew was collapsed in an armchair, his head in his arms.

He had never felt so loved and appreciated and worried over for. A smile spread over his face as he watched them sleep and he remembered the past events. He was so glad to see them! He was so glad his.. family were here.

His family! His immediate family were gone, and Taeyeon and Onew had managed to fill the hole, even if one of them wasn’t even related to him. He loved them so much, and was so grateful that he still had a family that cared for him. They made him so happy.  He wanted to make them happy too now, because they must have had such a hard time with him

So if they were the replacements for his old family, then he was going to do everything to show that he was thankful for them. He was going to treat them with what he should’ve treated his old family, the thoughts that haunted him every day.

He was going to try hard in Onew’s class, be the best behaved nephew for Taeyeon and make them proud. He was going to be the best boyfriend for Key, ever. He was going to be a good boy.

Taeyeon had smothered him in hugs and kisses when he woke up in the morning, and even Onew had given him a tight hug and pressed his lips against Taemin’s hair before both lecturing him on how worried they were and to never, ever do that again or they would lock him up in his room and nail planks on the doors and windows. Taemin kept smiling because it meant that they wanted him to stay with them forever.

Taemin had only ever been a good boy when he had wanted something. So when he had to be now, he was almost excited. It was like the game he played back in Korea. Except this time what he wanted was Onew, Taeyeon and Key to be proud of him, which he had never wanted before.

This morning he had woken up and he only needed Taeyeon to call him twice.

He packed his lunch and smiled and thanked Taeyeon, and hugged her before he left.

“I live in a house. Do you live in a house? Do you live in an apartment? Or in a car-a-van? Or even a boat?” said Onew very lively to a class full of teens who weren’t even looking at him. He could see at least two of them slouched into their arms like they were asleep.

Except one hand shot up.

“Taemin!” asked Onew excitedly. He had never put his hand up before.

“I live in a house,” announced Taemin with a horrible accent.

“Good job Taemin. I live by myself. Who do you all live with? Mother? Father? Sis-“

“I live with my auntie,” said Taemin loudly.

“Well done, Taemin. Anyone else? Who do you live with-“

“I live in a house with my auntie,” interrupted Taemin happily.

Onew knew Taemin was trying to please him by getting to the next point he was going to teach, and he was happy.

“Lovely! Taemin’s English has improved.  Can anyone else answer this question-“

“I live in a house with my auntie and her boyfriend come at night too,” said Taemin mischievously.

The class tittered and giggled and Onew turned red. “Do you like her boyfriend, Taemin?” asked Onew. Two could play at this game.

“I love her boyfriend. He is nicest man in the world,” said Taemin, smiling as hard as he could and injecting as much love as he could in his gaze at Onew.

“You’re a good boy Taemin,” smiled Onew widely. “I’m sure your auntie’s boyfriend loves you too.”

Taemin ran up to Lacey after class.

“Lacey!” he said, grabbing her shoulder.

“What?” she snapped, glaring at him.

“Dui bu qi,” quipped Taemin. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do that. I am sorry.”

“Then why did you do that? And call me a ?” she accused, her eyes narrowed in anger and her tone harsh.

“You are not . You’re pretty. You’re pretty and I wanted to make my boyfriend angry.”

“Boyfriend???” Lacey’s eyes popped out before she broke out in a grin. “Boyfriend??????”

“Yes,” said Taemin, looking at his feet and shuffling. “Sorry.”

“No. Don’t be sorry. Don’t you ever be sorry for liking boys! Come on, let’s go buy lunch!”

And they were friends again.

He bounded up to Key after school at the busstop, hugging him and jumping up and down excitedly as his backpack bounced up and down too.

“Cute!” squealed Key. “Taemin is so happy today!”

Taemin smiled and leaned in, kissing his boyfriend happily and not afraid to deepen the kiss.

“Still not sick of me even though you’ve seen me all fat and ugly?” smiled Key self consciously.

“You’re pretty and skinny hyung,” frowned Taemin. “You need to have more confidence in yourself. And looks aren’t even anything anyway.”

“Yo Key, wanna go- oh hey Taemin,” said Minho awkwardly as he and Jonghyun both walked up to them, bouncing a basketball and stopped. “We’ll just leave.”

“No sunbae,” said Taemin, pushing away his pride. “Sorry for shouting at you before that one time. I’m very sorry. And thank you for taking me home when I had a migraine. Thank you so much Minho sunbae, Jonghyun sunbae.”

“Just call me Minho, none of that sunbae stuff,” smiled Minho, “It’s all right Taemin. I’m glad you’re okay. Key told us what happened when you guys went away. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.”

“It’s good to see you’re okay. It was my fault the first time too,” added Jonghyun.

“Thanks… hyung,” said Taemin and Minho and Jonghyun smiled at him, while Key stared, puzzled at Taemin.

Key hated sports. So why was he here, sitting on the grass that was going to leave stains on his new jeans, his scarf and jumper not keeping him warm at all as he watched his boyfriend giggle and chase after his two best friends over a stupid bouncy orange ball?

Taemin smiled at him as he ran off the court and plopped down next to him.

“Why’d you stop?” asked Key.

Taemin squirmed up next to him.

“Because you looked left out,” he said simply, laying his head on Key’s shoulder and kissing his cheek.

“When did you get so sweet?” giggled Key as he leaned into the warmth.

“Ever since I started dating my sweet honey,” smiled Taemin

“Ewwww,” chorused Jonghyun and Minho.

“I didn’t know you were so smooth Taemin, no wonder Key is in love with you,” said Jonghyun, making a face.

“Yah! Just because he’s a better boyfriend then you’ll ever be!”

A/N Hope y'all had a merry christmas and have a happy new year! Even if you didn't really, you still have aff :) and shinee :) double update because i realise i'm a horribly slow writer :/