I got home and immediately went upstairs to my room. I have given up with Dad; I had tried to get a decent conversation out of him since Mom had died in September. Now, it's November. I slammed my door and went over to my bed. I grabbed my pillow and hugged it tightly, falling back on my bed. I felt a smile spread across my face as I stared at the ceiling. I thought about how Taemin was so eager to be my friend, and how he had stayed with me, even though he could've left with the girl. I loved liked that he didn't care about what others thought about him if he stayed there. And the way he got so excited over the fact that I was his hyung was..... sort of cute, but in a little brother kind of way, I guess.

I suddenly wondered if my mom would like that I finally had a friend after being lonely for so long. I pulled out my phone and went back to her last voicemail to me, which was from a few months ago. I played it. "Hi, Key. I'm going to take you to a dentist appointment at 4:00, okay? Call me back when you get the chance, bye." I decided to call her back, not expecting an answer. "Hi, you've reached Ms. Kim. I'm not here right now, so leave a message at the beep," which went silent at the tone.

"Hi, Mom. It's me, Kibum. I just wanted to tell you I finally found a friend, Taemin. I love you, bye," I said into the empty phone call. "I miss you." I bit my lip and ended the call. I looked up, hoping for some reason that she would be there. I remembered our frequent conversations when I was a child.

"Hey, come here, Kibum. I have a secret," she said mischievously. I came over, always eager for a secret.

"What, Mama? I want to know!" I replied excitedly. She pulled me over to her and hugged me.

"I love you. I'll love you until the day I die," she whispered in my ear. One day, I looked up at her with sorrow when I realized her words.

"But you won't die, right? You'll stay here forever?" I asked hopefully. She smiled and nodded.

"Of course, my Kibum. I'll stay here, I promise," she responded sweetly.

But she broke her promise. I knew that she wouldn't keep it forever, but I didn't want it to be so soon. This brought me back to Taemin. He will die, too, someday. Someday, hopefully after I get a wife and kids, he will die. I started to cry at the sudden, awful thought.

"Taemin, please stay with me. I'll miss you too much," I begged to myself. I was so scared that he would leave me that I just tried to think of happy things. Puppies, Mom, cookies, I want cookies so bad.... I realized I was starving, so I went downstairs into the kitchen to find food. I found a can of soup, so I put it in a bowl and put it in the microwave.

"Kibum," I heard someone behind me. I whipped around in shock. My dad stood in the doorway of the kitchen, so I scowled at him.

"I know you don't love me anymore. Why did it take you so long to answer me?" I asked angrily. he stared at me with a blank expression.

"How long is it going to take you this time?!" I yelled. The ding of the microwave reminded me that I was so hungry. I took my soup out of the microwave and grabbed a spoon, but I looked back at him.

"Thanks for leaving me, Dad," I stated, passing by him and going back upstairs to my room. I thought about how he would react to Taemin. But I wasn't going to tell him unless he cared. Translation: I won't tell him. I could tell him I went to the club instead of school and had with guys in the bathrooms, WHICH WILL NOT HAPPEN, and he still wouldn't react.

Taemin was my only relief to the pain I receive at home. And he was the reason I was still alive, so I smiled. "Thank you, Lee Taemin," I said to myself.

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Hi, guys! Sorry if this chapter wasn't as long.... Or good. But I tried to develop why Taemin was important, so this happened. Thank you for reading another chapter! Feel free to comment and subscribe! Hashi Konata Bye!