(AN: I'm supposed to be doing revision but writing this story is more appealing atm than learning about bog bodies or neanderthals T^T)

Donghae was scared.

He had only been caught twice before coming home late, but this was the first time by his step-mother.

"Well?" she demanded, "Why are you late?" She shouted this time.

Donghae flinched and looked down closing his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry. I had detention."

Yeon-Jae stepped up close to him.

"I came in here expecting to see a spotless kitchen. But no. I see all the dishes that shouldve been put away by you from my brunch earlier. You useless little boy. I spend money on you to clothe and feed you." she said while poking him roughly in the chest. "And on your education, and you repay me by getting a detention? I ask you to follow my rules. You cant even be here to do your chores. You truly are ungrateful. I sometimes wonder how your father had the patience to put up with you."

Donghae felt like he had been stabbed in the chest by that remark. Tears started to form in his eyes.

"M-my d-dad loved m-me." He whispered.

"Did he?" she said grabbing Donghae's chin to make him look up at her. "Did he really? If he loved you so much wouldnt he have left you with something?"

She knew she had hurt him. She didnt care. It was just a little thrill she had for that day; messing with his life so he knew he was unloved. Not wanted. A waste of space. The tears slid silently down his cheeks.

"Make dinner, and dont expect a protion of it." She said as she turned her back to him.

After she left Donghae leaned on the kitchen counter to make sure he stayed standing up. He wiped away the fresh tears from his eyes and cheeks. Tomorrow...he thought... tomorrow I will be away from here, you can cope till then. He tried to give himself some hope.

Donghae stopped crying. He set down his school bag and rolled up his sleeves to get to work.

He got ingredients out of the fridge to make spaghetti carbonara for the family. Once the meal was ready he pressed the buzzor that sent little bells throughout the house as an indicator to show that dinner was ready.

Donghae went into the dining room and quickly set the table.He went back and brought the plates of food out for the 3 family members. None of them said thank you. They never did. They also didnt question as to why Donghae wasnt eating with them. It because he was forbidden from eating with them. Donghae had his solitary life in the house. He ate and worked in the kitchen.

He washed the dishes from cooking, he dried and put them away. Next he put away the dishes from brunch.

It was 30 minutes since dinner had been served. Donghae reckoned they had finished by now. He went to go check, and to his luck he found the dining room empty. He collected the dishes and washed them. He was hungry, but not starving due to Sungmin sharing his lunch with him earlier. He wouldnt risk sneaking some food.

Donghae did the rest of the chores and retreated to his room. He set his alarm and fell asleep straight away.

-

Donghae was woken from his dreamless sleep by the alarm. Donghae liked Saturdays. He had a lie in.

It was 6am. He got washed and dressed and cleaned the bathroom like normal after. 

Knowing that he would have less time to do his chores because his job started today, he got most of the cleaning equipment out ready to make sure he could get most, if not all of it done. He put his clothes from that week in the wash, and cleaned around in the dining room. Donghae couldnt vacuum anywhere till everyone was up.

It was time for him to go prepare Kangin some breakfast and lunch to take with him to his Tae kwon do classes. He made two bento boxes for him. And set them in a bag by the front door for Kangin to grab as he would leave.

He got out his freshly cleaned outfit. He checked the time on the clock in the kitchen to make sure he didnt wake Kangin up too early again. The clock was just about to turn to 8am.

He went up to Kangin's room and knocked on the door and opened it.

"Time to get up Kangin." He said as he walked over to the wardrobe and hung the outfit on the door.

A pillow thudded into Donghae's back with a "get out" from an annoyed voice included.

Without complaint, Donghae did as instructed.

Donghae was successfull in getting Siwon up by 10:30am. He only had to finish cleaning the upstairs landing and his chores would be complete for when he gets him.

But now it was time to go to work.

-

Donghae arrived at the mini-mart 10 minutes before his shift was due to start. He walked up to the counter and asked the boy there if the manager was here.

"I'm here to start me job." Donghae told him.

"Oh! You are the new guy he mentioned. I'm Kyuhyun. Nice to meet you." He said bowing.

"Donghae." He responded bowing.

"Eunhyuk!" Kyuhyun shouted not looking away from Donghae. "The manager isnt here, but his son is incharge while you are away. Be warned, he has a quick temper." Kyuhyun whispered to him.

Great...more shouting Donghae thought, but I must do my best so I can make money to leave that house.

"If its the new guy send him round back." A voice responded.

"You heard him." Kyuhyun said indicating the door at the back of the store that read 'Staff Only'.

You walked through the store to the back and knocked on the door and waited to be told to enter. The office was bigger than Donghae's tiny bedroom. There were 5 screen monitors that showes images of different angles around the store. There were filing cabinets allong both sides of the wall. Eunhyuk was sitting on the main office chair with his feet up on the desk. He indicated for Donghae to take a seat.

Donghae couldnt see Eunhyuk's face as he was covered by a newspaper that he was reading. It was silent for a couple of minutes before Eunhyuk finally put down the paper to lok at Donghae.

 Nothing was said. Eunhyuk squinted his eyes at Donghae giving him a once over. He picked up his resume and began to read it.

"Lee Donghae?" he asked.

"Yes sir." Donghae replied. Eunhyuk stopped reading the paper and raised an eyebrow to him.

"You go to the same school as me and Khuyhyun, how come ive never seen you there?"

"Um I dont really go around the school, just stick to my classes."

"But I havent seen you in the canteen...And we are in the same year." Eunhyuk added.

Donghae never told anyone, except for Sungmin, that he wasnt allowed to go into there from orders of his step-brothers. Donghae just left that statement hanging to save himself having to try and come up with an answer.

"Do you have any siblings at school?" Eunhyuk asked

"Yes, my two step-brothers; Siwon and Kangin," He replied with a poker face.

Eunhyuk's mouth hung open at the statement. He removed his feet from the desk and brought the chair in closer to Donghae.

"You are their step-brother? Ive always wondered who you were when they talked about you?"

"Oh..." was all Donghae could say. He was thinking of all the nasty things they were saying about him behind his back.

Eunhyuk's POV (AN: thoughts)

Great I have to train someone new. Stupid dad, he should be here to do this. Eunhyuk didnt say anything for a bit as the new recruit was sitting on the opposite chair in the office. He lowered the paper at last.

His mind went blank when he looked at him. He looked so timid and innocent. He couldnt help but squint his eyes at him to see if the boys good looks faultered. They didnt.

He reached over to the resume and began to read it. Donghae... "Lee Donghae?"

"Yes sir." He called me sir? So polite! Maybe I should tell him he just has to call me Eunhyuk... nah! I will see how far it goes.

Why havent I seen him in before? Stick to your classes? He must be a loner...

Eunhyuk was curious to know who Donghae was since they were in the same year after all and he had no idea who he was.

"Do you have any siblings at school?"

"Yes, my two step-brothers; Siwon and Kangin," He replied with a poker face.

WHAT?! You are.... he is... they are.... Wow. Eunhyuk couldnt help his mouth to drop open in surprise.

"You are their step-brother? Ive always wondered who you were when they talked about you?" he pressed

"Oh..."

Crap, he looks upset now, maybe I shouldnt have said that considering some of the stuff theyve said about him. It could be true though... Looks like I will have to keep an eye on him.

"Well..." Eunhyuk said changing the conversation. "Your apron is behind the door, I'm making your name tag now. Go ask Kyuhyun to show you round the shop."

Donghae stood up and bowed to him and grabbed the apron as he left.

He bowed to me....

(AN: the story seems dull around the waking up time, but yayyyy donghae finally meets eunhyuk :) Happy New Year! Hope you all have a good night, im going out to a masquerade woop)