Key was happily walking home hand in hand with Jonghyun. School had been let out early due to the fact that the water main had broken and the entire first floor was basically a giant puddle. Key and Jonghyun decided to go home and change then meet up and go to the park to hang out.

“I’ll come back over after I changed! See you, Key,” Jonghyun said, hugging his best friend. Key grinned happily and waved as Jonghyun jogged off into the distance. When he turned around to go inside he noticed that his father’s car was in the driveway. Yay, appa is home early too! He thought excitedly as he ran up the front steps to the house. But when he got inside, he saw something that he was definitely not expecting.

“You’re leaving, just like that? Just because you can’t accept who your own son is?!” His mother yelled from upstairs. Key frowned and paled slightly, slowly walking the stairs.

“How can you accept him? I will not have a gay son! I have had enough of this, him and his boyfriend and you always being out, I’m leaving and finding someone new to have a better life,” His father shouted back. Key reached the top of the stairs and stared as his father came marching down the hall with two suitcases in his hand.

“Appa? Where are you going?” Key asked innocently. His father whirled around and smacked Key across the face, causing his to crash backwards.

“Don’t you ever call me your father, you .”

And with that, his father stomped down the stairs and slammed the front door behind him. Key could hear the car start up and pull away, and that was the last time he ever saw his father.

Two weeks later

Key was sitting near his window, staring out it blankly. It was almost six-thirty, his father would be getting home soon. He should be coming home soon. He was coming home, he was! Key bit his lip and placed a hand on the window as tears rolled down his face.

“Appa…please come home…”

But he knew that his father wasn’t coming back. And now his mother was working the night shift, so he rarely saw her anymore. He had never felt so alone. He hadn’t gone to school since his father had left, and he hadn’t seen Jonghyun since. But he knew Jonghyun had been calling every day.  But Key was too ashamed to answer the phone. He didn’t want his best friend to know that his father had left the family because Key was gay. He couldn’t.

“Kibum…why are you crying?”

Key whipped around and saw Jonghyun standing in his doorway. Key quickly wiped away his tears and stood up, walking over to Jonghyun and hugging him. Jonghyun wrapped his arms around Key and held him tight.

“Key, why haven’t you been coming to school?” Jonghyun asked, bringing them over to the bed and sitting down. Key shook his head, suppressing the sobs threatened to break loose.

“I don’t want to tell you,” Key whispered, refusing to look in Jonghyun’s eyes. Jonghyun used his sleeve to wipe away Key’s tears.

“You can tell me anything, Kibummie, you know that. So tell me what’s wrong,” Jonghyun said softly, tilting Key’s head up to face him. It hurt him to see Key like this.

“He left, my dad left us…because I’m gay,” Key whispered.

Key awoke with a start.

He sat up, slightly out of breath, and looked around. Everything seemed normal; until he remembered last night. He shakily got out of bed and looked over at his desk, where there was a new note from Onew sitting under his phone.

Key,

I think you should stay home from school today and rest.

We’ll stop by later to see how you’re doing.

If you need anything text Taemin because me and Minho are going on that field trip today.

Onew

Key his lips and wiped the sweat off his face and slowly began to get ready for school. There was no way he was staying home alone today.

The bell rang signaling the end of second period. Taemin collected his books and walked out of the room to go to his next class, Algebra 2. He generally had this class when Key, but he knew that Onew told him to stay home today. Which was exactly why he was shocked to see a very pale looking Key walking towards him. Taemin quickly walked over to him.

“Key! Why are you here? Onew wanted you to stay home,” Taemin said, putting his hand on Key’s shoulder. Key looked at him with glossy eyes. Coming to school was not a good idea. He had a splitting headache from crying so much, and quite frankly he felt like crap. But he just didn’t want to be alone. I should have just asked Taemin to skip and stay with me…

“I d-don’t want to be a-alone Taemin,” Key mumbled. Taemin grabbed Key’s arm as he started to sway and began walking down the hall to the bathroom. The bell rang, but he ignored it and shut the door behind him.

“I’ll go home with you, Key, okay?...Key?” Taemin said unsurely when Key didn’t respond. Key leaned against the wall and slid down, putting his head in his hands.

“I don’t feel good, Taemin. I don’t want to be alone,” He whispered. Taemin looked around worriedly, he didn’t know what to do. Key obviously wasn’t well and thinking straight, but Taemin didn’t think he would be able to get him home safely.

“Key, stay here, I’m going to get someone to help,” Taemin said.

“Jonghyun…please, I just want Jonghyun,” Key whispered weakly. Taemin bit his lip nervously but nodded and stood up to leave. Thankfully he knew Jonghyun’s schedule, so he quickly walked