Big boys don’t cry, he kept saying it to himself but it was hard when his nose bleed and his whole body ached.  He managed to get through school's yard without sheding a tear but at the moment he took a step outside the main gate he burst. The little napkin he was holding to his nose was already red but he kept pushing it against his nostrils, he tried to walk fast, if he'll walk fast enough he'll make it home before his parents will, he could take a shower and get rid of his dirty clothes before they could see it. However, he forgot about one little thing- the housekeeper.

Opening the door, Taemin peeped into the house and looked for the housekeeper before he shut it behind him and tiptoed toward his room.

"Taemin-ah…"

The boy froze at the staircase not wanting to turn and looked at the housekeeper.

"I thought I asked you to take off your shoes before you walk into the house"

"Mianhaeyo" he turned with his head down and tried walk by her back to the entrance but she placed her hand on his shoulder and made him flinch with pain.

"Taemin- ah, what happened?!" she asked worried as she saw spots of dry blood on his shirt.

Taemin raised his gaze at her and sniffed, his tears renewed "Victoria Noona…please don’t tell Appa and Umma…"

Victoria kneeled so she could look into his eyes and wiped his tears "don’t cry…it was him again?"

Taemin nodded and tried to calm.

"You know you have to tell your parents, right?  If you're afraid I can tell them for you"

"Aniyo!"

"Tae-"

"Aniyo, chaebal" he cut her "they won't let me go to art school next year"

Victoria sighed and looked at the 8 years old boy in front of her, he wanted to go to art school so bad that he didn’t mind if someone bullied him at school as long as his parents will know that he's a good boy who doesn't get into troubles.

"Sweetie, this time it's not just calling you names…you got hurt" she said and tried to wipe the blood from his nose, making him screamed with pain.

"It's ok…it doesn't hurt" Taemin said with a shaking voice.

"Yeah, right" Victoria said and raised a brow "Go take a shower so I could take care of your nose"  

The boy nodded and walked upstairs to his bathroom.

"Victoria Noona…" Taemin called as he walked downstairs 20 minutes later, he was clean and there was no trace of blood from his nose, his knees however were scratched and the housekeeper could see it because of his short pants.

"What have he done to you?" she asked him as he took a sit on a stool by the kitchen island and waited for her to take the first aid kit.  

"He pushed me in the yard"

"Why!?"

"Cause he was playing soccer and I was there…"

"Is that a reason?!"

"Ahh!!!" Taemin cried out as Victoria placed a cotton ball with antiseptic to his right knee.

"Sorry sweetie"

Tears sparkled in his eyes and he held the hem of his shirt tightly till the pain was gone.

After giving the same treat to his left knee she placed some ointment on his scratches, she looked at his nose and pinched his bridge with her fingers, when she saw Taemin hadn't flinched she assumed it wasn’t broken.

Taemin got to his feet and arched his arms around the housekeeper tightly "komawoyo Noona…"

"Nae…" she said smiling and patted his back before sending him to watch some television.

Taemin was a sweet kid, she worked for the Lee family for 5 years now since she was 22 and she loved the boy, he was like her little brother. Someone was hurting him and she needed to do something about it but what could she do? Taemin begged her to keep it as a secret from is parents. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Taemin dragged his feet toward his class, his hands held the strips of his bag and his head was down, he haven’t noticed when he bumped with the little girl who came right across him, making her fall.

"Mianhaeyo!" Taemin hurried to say and reached his hand to help the girl get back to her feet.

"It's ok Oppa…don’t worry"

Taemin tilted his head and eyed the girl, he recognized her, he saw her few times before running at the corridors with her friends, she was younger then him probably- second grade, he was in the third.

Giggling the girl crossed her hands around her back and rocked her body from side to side sheepishly "my name is Choi Jinri but everybody calls me Sulli"

"I'm Lee Taemin…" he announced.

"I know…"

"You do?"

"Nae…" she giggled again but before she could keep talking someone placed his hand on her shoulder and caught her attention.  

"Hadn't you had enough yesterday? Do you want me to help you meet with the floor again?!" the voice was threatening.

Taemin raised his gaze at the ten years old boy who bullied him every day and took a step back.

"…stay away from my sister" he said dangerously and held Jinri's hand in his- pulling her away.

"Minho Oppa…" she whined at he brother as he dragged her away "let go of my hand...I'm telling Umma!"

Taemin looked at the two as they walked away, Jinri, she looked…nice, how could it be that she was Choi Minho's sister? The one who made his life a living hell, they were too different.

"Taemin…" a soft voice called his name and he turned, his teacher got closer to him with a smile.

"Nae, Kwan seonsaeng-nim?" he bowed.

"I would like to speak with your parents…" she said and the boy knew exactly why, she was going to tell them about his grades- again. Nodding his head he promised to tell his parents to call her and walked to his class.

If thing would keep going like that he can say goodbye to art school.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Ha ah…nae. I understand, sure, we'll take care of it. Thank you Mrs. Kwan. Goodbye"

Taemin looked at his mother as she placed the phone back in it place, she and his father shared a look that said – you're in troubles.

"Taemin, sit" his father ordered.

Taemin sat at the stool and placed his hands on his knees, small pain crossed his body when the fabric of his pants rubbed against his scratches but he kept his hands so his parents won't notice anything wrong.

"Mrs. Kwan said you're missing classes, last week you haven’t showed up for the test"

"Mianhaeyo" was all Taemin could say to his defense, he couldn’t tell his parents it was because Minho locked him in the toilet and he couldn't get out until someone heard his cries for help.

"We won't let you go to art school if you won't change your ways, Taemin" his father said and he just nodded understandingly.

"Go to your room"

"Nae Appa"

Taemin walked to his room with his head down, his parent haven’t seen the tears of anger that rolled down his cheeks, he was so mad, he could miss art school just because of Minho.

Slamming the door behind him he crushed on the bed and buried his head in his pillow, screaming his throat out until it was hurts, next time Minho would dare to bully him he'll kick his so hard, yeah! He'll show him that Lee Taemin is not afraid of him anymore!

Well, that what he intended to do but when Minho pinned him to the lockers and by calling him in names he just chickened out and turned his head so he won't have to face him.

Minho was too close, his breath lingered on his face, his chuckles hurt his ears, he was so mean to him as he called him 'a little fairy princess'.

"Leave me alone" Taemin mumbled and tried to move but Minho's hands were on each side of his head threatening him. Eventually, the 10 years old boy let him go, he took his hat as a reward for his bullish behavior and walked away, Taemin slid down his locker and sat on the floor, his trembling hands tried to collect his books back to his bag.

"I'm not a fairy princess" he mumbled, tears blurred his vision, yes, sure, he is a pretty boy but that doesn't mean he's girly.

"Oppa, do you need help?" a soft voice caught his attention and he raised his teary gaze to look at Jinri who stood in front of him.

Shaking his head he turned back to his bag.

"Sorry for what my brother did" Jinri said and crouched down by his side to helped him with his books "Minho Oppa can be really-" her words trailed off when Taemin snatched his book from her hands, he looked angry.

Getting up on his feet Taemin threw his bag over his back and walked away from there leaving Jinri surprised, it wasn’t her fault, she was a very nice girl but she was his sister and he hated him.