[Slight warning: mentions of abuse.]

Taemin and Minho came to like each other rather quickly than his parents were okay with. Minho said that it was because they were worried that his grades would drop if he spent so much time with Taemin instead of studying. Taemin thought that it was because they didn’t like the idea of the two of them together. For some reason, Taemin couldn’t disagree with them. He thought that Minho was too good for him- too amazing. His brain withheld more information that Taemin could only dream of keeping in his mind. He was capable of doing so much with his smarts and Taemin could possibly- definitely keep him from doing them.

Now when it came to his own parents, Taemin would rather die than tell them that he was dating someone- a boy at that. His parents wouldn’t be so accepting of he and Minho’s relationship like Minho’s parents were. If Taehoon was treated so horribly with his career choice, Taemin was afraid to imagine the things that would happen if he came out to his parents about his relationship.

So he never mentioned Minho to his parents or answered them truthfully when they would ask him where he spent all his time on the weekends. He never brought him over and he never even let him walk him home.

“I get it,” Minho says to him one Thursday afternoon, up to his neck in winter wear. They were out Christmas shopping for a secret Santa exchange party at school. Taemin was shopping for more than just the party, and he thinks that Minho knows that, but doesn’t say anything because he is enjoying the time being spent together.

“Get what,” Taemin asks while looking in the window of a sports shop.

“About you not telling your parents about us,” he answers, and leans against Taemin as he looks at a display of soccer equipment. “I get it. Not every parent out there wants to hear that their son is dating another boy- my parents still don’t want to hear it, but they swallow it because they know that you are a good person.”

“What are you getting at, hyung?

“I want to at least meet your parents, Taemin, if only as your friend."

Taemin backs away from the window and shakes his head. “No, definitely not. That’s out of the question.”

Minho sighs. “Give me one reason why I can’t meet them.”

“My father is a complete monster, hyung. He is the worst about things such as these. My mom might just accept the idea of you if I decided to tell her about our relationship, but I can’t just tell my dad that we are only friends. He would automatically catch on- like he senses these things. My brother asked my father to send him to the states to study to become a beautician and he straight up disowned him. My brother is only allowed to come home because my mother begged and pleaded for him to let her see her son. Imagine the things that  he would do if he found out the youngest of his sons is gay.”

And that was the last time that Minho brought it up. Mostly, Taemin thinks, because he didn’t want to cause problems for him. And he didn’t know if that was thoughtful of him or something that he should be wary of.

•

Taemin says goodbye to Minho right before he walks onto his street. He steals a small kiss from him and turns to run towards his house. Once he is inside his house, Taemin collapses as soon has he steps foot into the living room. “I can’t believe I did that,” he whispers, bringing a finger to his lips.  “And in such a girlish way too… I am such a ing girl!”

“Taemin,” says his mother from the Kitchen, “I just got off the phone with your father.”

He didn’t like the tone in her voice. “Oh yeah? And what did he want?”

“He has come home a day early this time around. He said that he spotted you a few streets ahead from where he was driving…”

This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening. “Did he really?”

“Taemin,” his mother says with disgust, “your father wants to talk with you. He’ll be here in a few moments.”

As soon as that door opened, Taemin knew he was in for it.

•

It takes two days for Taemin to be able to walk properly again. He spent most of his Saturday learning how to apply cover-up through various video tutorials on the internet and that evening, he calls Kibum and asks him if he can stay at his house until Monday. Kibum doesn’t ask him why and he doesn’t push Taemin to tell him, he just says okay.

It wasn’t until Taemin got out of the shower that Kibum demanded answers from him.

“What happened?”

“I fell down the stairs.”

“Bull.”

“It’s true,” Taemin whispers emotionlessly. “I didn’t watch where I stepped and I fell down the stairs.”

“You were pushed,” Kibum argues, “weren’t you? Don’t lie to me or I will mention this to my parents.”

“Yes, I was pushed.”

“How did you get the other bruises?”

Taemin grits his teeth. “I was hit.”

“Did Minho do it? Do I need to kick his ?”

Taemin shakes his head. “No, he didn’t do it. But he was the reason for it.”

And then Kibum caught on, gasping loudly in horror. “Your father found out…”

“Worse,” Taemin says, tears falling from the corners of his eyes as he stares at the ceiling of Kibum’s bedroom, “he had seen me kiss Minho hyung.”

“Did your mother do anything to stop him?”

Taemin wanted to cry at the memory of his mom ignoring his cries for her to stop his father from hitting him. He wanted to scream as she turned her back and shut her bedroom door. He wanted so desperately for her to come and catch him before he fell down the steps in results to his fathers careless pushing and shoving him around. So instead of telling the truth, because Kibum loved his mother as much as he did, he lies.

“She went out of town, she doesn’t even know.”

“Jesus, Taemin.”

“I just want to sleep, hyung.”

And that was the last Taemin spoke of his abusive father with Kibum or anyone for that matter.

Author's note:

Yes, it's short, but short is all I can give you right now.

Also, I'm sorry that I made Taemin's father abusive. There is a reason for it I swear. Please don't hate me.