A fountain is one thing, I think in disbelief. A glass fountain surrounded with ten different types of flowers and a ring of rose bushes in the center of a maze is something quite different.

Yoogeun doesn't seem to mind. He worms his way between the rose bushes and charges through the flowers, which had been planted neatly in a crowded haze around the fountain, and jumps onto the ledge.

"Yoogeun, don't!" I call out, but Minho chuckles behind me.

"It's fine," Minho assures me, stepping up next to me. My face grows a furious shade of red and I look down at the grass.

"But the flowers..." I mutter halfheartedly. Minho laughs again.

"Someone else will replant them. Let him have some fun." His voice is careles, and suddenly the thougsands of indignaties that had been mounted on me by society spilled over.

"And some gardener's going to do that, I assume," I hiss venomously. Minho just shrugs. I explode in his face. I leap in front of himand stretch up to my full height, bristling.

"Taemin?" Minho asks nervously, backing away. I advance, prowling forward with slitted eyes.

"So, you're just gonna wave your hand and this problem is gonna fix itself?" I snarl softly. I don't know why I'm so angry, and i don't care. The intoxicating high of fury is too amazing for me to let it go. I keep with it. "You're just going to make someone else do the work?"

"Taemin, calm down," he says softly. I don't.

"I don't want someone else cleaning after our mess! Do you even know that they're ing people?" I demand, stomping my foot. I'm mindful to keep my voice low so that Yoogeun can't hear us, just in case I call him something I won't regret. Minho's eyes widen.

"Taemin, please just-"

"You are nothing more than a spoiled, underworked, over paid little-"

"Appa! Watch me!" Yoogeun shrieks. I spin around to tell him to stay out of this and that Taemin and Minho appa are arguing, but I see him preparing to take a swan dive into the pond.

"Yoogeun, no!" I exclaim. I start forward, but Minho's past me in an instant. He hops easily over the bushes and grabs Yoogeun, swallowing him up in the broad chest and long arms.

"Don't even think about it," I hear Minho growl as I approach. I se Yoogeun's pout between Minho's long arms.

"Why not?" he whined. Minho's eyes harden and even I flinch, even though I'm not recieving the full blow. I can see Yoogeun begin to shake.

"The fountain is made of glass and if you jump, you can hurt yourself," Minho hisses softly. His words are simple so that Yoogeun can understand them, but blunt so that Yoogeun will never forget them. I approach and kneel to loosen his grip on a trembling Yoogeun.

"He gets it," I say softly, laying a hand on Minho's arm. He lets go, albeit reluctantly, and trails Yoogeun with his eyes as I scoop the little boy into my arms. Minho stands as I get to my feet. Yoogeun turns tear-filled eyes to Minho, shrinking further into my body.

"Don't you ever do that again," Minho warns. Yoogeun nods and Minho's stance relaxes. A hand stretches forward and ruffles Yoogeun's hand, and I can feel the warmth from Minho's hand as he Yoogeun's cheek, just bare inches from my neck.

"I promise, Minho-appa," Yoogeun whimpers ruefully. Minho's face melts into a soft smile.

"Ookay, go play now," Minho murmurs. I set Yoogeun on the ground and watch him race off to dive into the grass and play in the mud. I turn to see Minho looking at me intensely. He turns his head quickly and my breath catches in my throat at the way his face looks at this moment. His emotions are flickering erratically under his skin, and looks so... wonderful. The words shoot too quickly up my throat for me to hold them down.

"Minho... Thank you." The thought flickers through my mind too fast and too strongly for me to disregard it.

Maybe... he's not so bad.

At first I don't believe it. I don't want to, nor do I have to... At least, that's what I think until he says it again.

"Thank you." I turn and see his soft profile as he looks away, hands stuffed in his pockets. "You... you did a good job."

"Thanks," I return, my eyes once again fixated on him. His eyes are far off in the distance, his cheek bones relaxed and his lips parted to breathe in the autumn air. They look so damn kissable... He turns back and I look down quickly. I can't be caught staring. Damn it, I shouldn't even be staring!

"This garden is beautiful," he observes softly. I look up slowly, giving myself time to prepare to meet his eyes.

"Thank you," I reply. There's a stiff, awkward silence as he does nothing but blink and stare blankly at me. "I'm thinking about adding something," I say finally.

"What?" Taemin asks softly, coaxing me to answer.

"A playground," I say offhandedly, the image forming in my mind as I speak. I can practically see the picture constructing itself.

"For Yoogeun?" Taemin asks. I nod as I turn slowly, seeing new possibilities every turn.

"A swingset, a jungle gym, a slide... Everything a kid could want," I say with a smile stretching at my lips. The colors, the shapes... They're all coming together. It's absolutely perfect.

"No," Taemin says bluntly. I turn and look at him shocked.

"Why not?" I ask, too surprised to react any other way. "It'll be great!"

"I don't want him spoiled," Taemin says frimly. "You wouldn't know."

"You don't know me," I snarl, bristling instantly at the low ball.

"I know you're a-" He cuts himself off and fumes. I chuckle coldly.

"Say it out loud," I taunt.

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

"APPA! A ROCK!" Yoogeun shrieks, cutting in. I turn and see him holding up a shiny piece of quartz. I force a smile and turn back to Taemin to see him grinning the same forced, tight way.

"He's playing with a rock, Taemin," I point out, sizzling down as the image of Yoogeun still sinks joyfully into my mind. Taemin sighs and turns back.

"I had the same childhood, Minho. Don't think everyone's life was as perfect as yours."

"You don't know me," I repeat. Taemin turns back with flashing eyes.

"I know enough people like you to know exactly how your kind operates," he hisses. "You're selfish, think everything is yours, think the whole world should just bow to you-"

"Shut up," I demand. I feel the rage build up in my throat, but suddenly somthing breaks through.

Sadness.

I see it flit over his face for hald an instant, but it's so intense and so concentrated that I can't help but be tipped off my balance.

"I hate you," he says softly. I have to look down to avoid the boring anger that's building in his eyes. His hands shift in his pockets and my eyes are drawn to the movement. I see a flash of white bound around his palm.

"What's on your hand?" I ask out of impulse. He stuffs his hand back into the folds of fabric, but I've already seen it.

"Nothing," he snaps. I look up and see him look away.

"Let me see your hand," I say firmly. He flinches and I make my voice even firmer. "Let me see it." Reluctantly, he draws it out. I frown.

"It's nothing," he says angrily. I want to grab his hand so that he can't hide it, but I can't help but remember the deal.

"What happened?" I ask. He groans and turns away, stomping off.

"Go away," he shouts over his shoulder. I chase after him in a trot, slowing to a walk by his side. I herd him to a tree as he tries to avoid my touch, and then I stand in front of him, his back to the trunk. I place my hands on my hips and fix my eyes on his.

"What happened to your hand?" I ask softly. He looks to the side.

"Get away from me," he mutters.

"I'm not touching you," I point out, leaning closer. He turns and his face draws itself into my shadow. His lips part in a silent gasp, and beauty erupts all over his face. I feel myself lean closer. His eyes flutter closed and I put a hand on the rough trunk of the tree to steady myself.

"Minho..." he breathes softly. His breath hits my lips as I close my eyes, my heart pounding...

"Appa!" Yoogeun shouts. We snap apart and look at the approaching kid, my face still burning red.

"Y-yes, Yoogeun?" Taemin asks. I know he's right next to me, but I can't bring myself to look at him. I focus on Yoogeun, who's holding up a handful of colorful pebbles.

"They're pretty!" Yoogeun announces enthusiastically. I chuckle at his dirty appearance. His face is smeared with mud, his hands are covered in muck, and his clothes are stained a dirty brown.

"They are," I agree, ruffling his soil-crusted hair. He must have been digging furiously, I realize.

"Can we go home now?" he asks. I smile and nod, grateful for the excuse to get away from Taemin. From that haunting presence whose warmth is strangling me right now.

"Let's go," I say eagerly, scooping him up. The mud feels colder against my skin, but not as cold as I feel inside.

Behind me, I can't hear Taemin's footsteps. Maybe it's better that way.

A/N - Please don't kill me...

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