"Lee Taemin, I never thought I had to go through this kind of humiliating confrontation." I pulled the maknae into my bedroom, sitting him on my bed, myself standing in front of him. 

 

I'd received a complaint from SNSD's manager about Taemin being rude to the noonas. 

 

"Never in my dreams, at least not from you." 

 

The younger only stared straight back at me, refusing to admit his fault. It would have been stronger if his pout forming weren't so cute on his face. 

 

"I think I deserve some explanation, Lee Taemin." 

 

He kept quiet, his head now hung low, staring at his feet. 

 

"So I'll take it that our well-tempered maknae has grown up, and he doesn't care to listen to his hyungs anymore." I challenged, "Well, then I guess you don't need me anymore either." 

 

"It's...it's not like that..." Taemin started off soft. 

 

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me anymore. You obviously don't give a shi-" 

 

"It's not like that!" He yelled, eyes flooded with tears as he looked back up at me. 

 

His hands gripped the hem of his shirt so hard that his knuckles turned white. Taemin tried to suppress his sniffles, but only ended up with more tears overflowing. 

 

"Taemin," My heart ached at the sight, "Then tell hyung what happened, what caused you to snap? I know, right from the bottom of my heart, you're not like that."

 

My arms naturally went around wrapping my maknae close, comforting him by rubbing circles on his back until his weeps lessen.

 

“The noonas…they were so mean…” He sobbed into my chest, “When I walked past, I heard them calling you gay…”

 

“And I-I, I got angry, so I flared at them. es. They deserved it!” Taemin hissed with anger in his tone.

 

“Why did you get angry?” I questioned slowly, “Would you despise me if I really was that?”  

 

It was a dangerous question, but I really wanted to know his answer.

 

Maknae shot up immediately from my embrace, his face still wet with tear stains.

 

“I-I would never! I can never hate you! Onew hyung, you have no idea how much I love you! I-“ He clamped shut, hands cupping over his mouth.

 

Taemin stared at me wide-eyes, with me mirroring his expression. Except that I couldn’t hold my smile seeping through, nor stop my thumping heart from getting any louder in the quiet night.

 

“Minnie…I just know I can never get angry at you for too long…” I chuckled softly, reaching for his hands.

 

I them in mine gently, feeling the clammy fingers from his nervousness after the unexpected confession.

 

“You know, the noonas are actually right. I am gay, and I really really, really, like you.” I grinned, my turn to feel embarrassed as I avoided his stare.

 

A few moments of silence.

 

Taemin burst into tears again, yet this time coupled with happy giggles as he lunged forward at me pushing us both down on the bed. He hugged me so hard I could feel his bony figure for a while before he sat up again, straddling me.

 

“Are you sure? Do you really like like me?” He asked with uncertainty.

 

The dancer’s gaze pierced through me, expectant of some sort of assurance, yet at the same time displayed sincere fear. My hands unknowingly extended to caress his soft cheeks, smiling softly at my precious dongsaeng.

 

“Yes. I really like like you. I. Love. You.”

 

“I love you, Lee Taemin.”

 

My heart almost exploded at the glowing reaction, so much that it ached to see him cry, because he was so happy.

 

“Minnie, it actually feels good to know that you stood up for me.”

 

By then, he was already snoozing in my cradle. He spent the night in my single bedroom, cuddling close to me. In fact he spent every night here after, occupying not just the empty space on my bed, but also the one in my heart.