“Umma.” Taemin opened the door softly, fearful of waking her up, even though that was really what Taemin wanted to do.

Lightning flashed and thunder clapped loudly in Taemin’s ears, the resonating echo sounded like nature mocking him at his cowardly figure.

Taemin was alarmed, he ran forward and hid under his Umma’s blankets, trembling a little. You would’ve thought Taemin would be fearless by now, given his 19 years in the wild. But tonight, Taemin was a weak little boy, needy of Umma’s care and protection.

“Taemin-ah, are you scared?” Eve turned around to see Taemin’s back facing her, she rubbed her son’s arm.

Taemin nodded quietly.

“It’s okay, Umma’s here.” She rocked Taemin soothingly.

“Umma?”

“Yea baby?” Eve hummed.

“Do you love Appa?” Taemin asked, for the first time.

“Yes, I do.” Eve replied factually.

“Do you love me?” Taemin probed.

“Of course I do, baby.”

“What’s the difference?” Taemin wanted to know.

“I love both of you just the same.”

“Ani. I don’t love you and Onew hyung the same.” Taemin kept his back facing Eve.

(By the way, Taemin have no knowledge of heteroual and homoual romantic relationships. Love is just love, which is the right way to go.)

Eve was shocked, did her son just confess he was gay?

But living in an alternate universe, this really wasn’t the weirdest thing she heard so far. She never minded homouals too, so she was willing to accept Taemin’s gender preferences.

“Really Taemin? How different then is your love to Onew hyung?” Eve teased, interested to know of her baby’s first love.

To think it would actually happen that Taemin would experience love at all.

“I love you Umma, but my heart doesn’t beat faster when I’m thinking of you.” Taemin stated.

“I love you Umma, but my heart doesn’t ache when I don’t see you.”

“I love you Umma, but my stomach doesn’t tie itself in knots when I see you.”

“I don’t have a longing to be in your arms day and night. I never want to hold your hands for too long, except for maybe a morning brisk walk in the forest. I never want to play tickle wars with you, and I most certainly don’t have an urge to kiss you.”

“Wow Taemin,” Eve sounded like she was speaking to a kindergartener, “How did you know so much about the forbidden fruit?”

“Forbidden fruit?” Taemin was puzzled.

“Tae-ah, I’m so proud of you. You found true love all by yourself.” Eve told Taemin, “You must know that true love is hard to come by.”

“Have you told Onew?”

Taemin shook his head softly.

“Umma, have you told Appa you loved him?” Taemin shot the question back innocently.

Eve was taken by surprise. No, she hasn’t been telling Adam of her affections to him. Not since Taemin was born. And she had to have her child remind her.

Listening to Taemin list down his feelings, Eve couldn't help but think of her young loving days with Adam. Even though admittedly, their love wasn't one of choice, she fell heads over heels with him here in this alternate world.

She felt safe in his arms and loved in his care. Adam felt the same right? But he was so hurtful today.

She remembered how she gazed into Adam's eyes, willing herself to be touched only by this man. And when Taemin arrived, he was the most beautiful thing she'd created.

She loved him, and she must let him know. She can't afford to lose someone so important to her, again.

"Taemin-ah, I have a feeling that Onew is a great man, to have captured my baby's heart so completely," Eve smiled, "Why don't you tell me about him?"

She just really wanted to be distracted from what Adam said this morning.

At the mention of Onew, Taemin couldn't help feeling excited, with a small electric pulse going through his body.

So Taemin started with his first encounter with Onew: from the first gaze, to how adorable he was when he concentrated, the banana touch, his groundless fear of Taemin being kidnapped by monsters, his protecting of Taemin on the first night. All the nicknames Onew had given him, how he loved all of them.

He couldn't stop blabbering on. The Onew conversation, the adoption of him by Key and Jonghyun, the hunting trip, the tokki, the night when he realized he loved Onew hyung all this time.

He didn't forget to recount what happened this morning where he thought Onew hated him, which got his Umma laughing so hard.

"Umma..." Taemin whined, "Why do you have the same reaction as Key Umma?"

Taemin wondered if there was still anything his parents haven't thought him about behaving like a human.

"Minnie, you're still young, I'm sure Onew will guide you along." Eve winked suggestively.

"I'm a big boy now, grown man, Umma!" Taemin scowled, "And only Onew hyung can call me Minnie."

“Woah Minnie, you’ve hurt me,” Eve pretended to clutch her generous heart, “Why the double standards? I love you too you know.”

Taemin turned around and did a mehrong at his Umma, though he wondered if she saw it in this darkness, except for the ocassional flashes of lightning.

This by now the rain has subsided considerably. Mother and son fell into a comfortable silence, holding each other tightly in this cold and wet night enjoying each other’s presence.

“I love you too, Umma.” Taemin said warmly in her ears.