Taemin went upstairs to his bedroom, threw his bag across the room,  and collasped onto his bed. He screamed into his pillow. Why did his  family have to be so hard on him? He hasn't even made up with his hyung yet. It was tough being a Lee but he had Minho to make him happy.

But Taemin wasn't sure if that happiness will last once the Lee family knows he's in love with a Choi and the Choi family knows Minho's in  love with a Lee. Chaos. That would be what occurs. Chaos. Arguments, maybe murders, or maybe both. Taemin understood those were the  consequences he had to be ready for.

Taemin's thoughts were cleared when he walked out of his room and  passed by Jinki's old room. He stopped and took a step back. The said  male was sitting on his bed. Jinki. Onew hyung. A memory flashed  through Taemin's mind and his heart thumped harder (no, it's not  love, his heart would always beat much more faster for Minho)  at his hyung's existence. The hyung that he always wanted to be cared by.

FLASHBACK~

"Onyu hyung! Onyu hyung!" Taemin whispered, shaking the lazy eight- year old boy. His hair disheveled, Jinki rubbed his eyes and sat up.  He faced his frightened dongsaeng and smiled weakly. He offered his  arms to the seven-year old, who struggled to climb onto his hyung's bed.

"What's wrong, Tae-tae?" Jinki ruffled Taemin's hair while smiling  brightly. He laid the younger boy down onto his bed.

"I had an icky nightmare."

"About what?"

"You weren't part of the family anymore," Taemin gave a sad look.

Jinki couldn't help it but his face softened. "Well, we'll always be  together, Tae-Tae. Why don't you sleep with me?" he offered.

Taemin hugged his hyung, snuggling his head into his neck. Jinki  looked to his door, where his mother had watched the two. She was a  bit startled that Jinki noticed her but smiled sweetly and gently. Her  long chestnut hair that went down to her waist swayed in the air as  she walked back to her and their father's room.

Jinki couldn't help but smile, his little brother and his mother being  the last thought before he drifted to sleep. He tightened his hold  onto Taemin.

Jinki jumped up as he saw Taemin standing in the doorway. He didn't  know what to do.

"W-What are you doing here, Onew hyung?" Taemin asked nervously, "How  did our father let you in?"

"Uhm, the man was drunk. He easily let me in. I didn't know you were  home. I thought you'd be at Minho's house or something."

"He has soccer practice. The snow all melted so his coach ordered all the players to practice before vacation starts."

"You're not watching him play?"

"The coach yelled at me."

"Oh. How is that tradition thing?"

"Uhm... I made some new friends... Wearing a skirt has been really comfortable... But I guess you wouldn't know, hyung."

There was awkward silence between the two. Both of them aren't good at  words when they're nervous.

"Tae-tae."

Taemin immediately looked up, surprised that Jinki called him by his old nickname. "Onew hyung?"

Jinki laughed nervously. "I guess it's hard for you to pronounce it  wrong now."

"Erm, yeah."

"Tae-tae?"

"Ne?"

Jinki offered his arms with a bright smile. "You're crying. Cheer up."

Damn sensitivity. It's Taemin's weakest trait. He ran towards Jinki and jumped into his arms, hot tears spilling out.

"Onew hyung... Onew hyung... I-I'm sorry..."

Jinki smiled and hugged him tighter, "I missed you. I really did."

"I-I did too... I-I love you, hyung..."

The two brothers continued to lie on Jinki's bed, talking about anything and catching up with each other's lives. Taemin laughed when  Jinki tried to imitate Kibum but tripped on air. They spent the entire day with each other.

"Hey hyung... are you born with the same condition as me?" Taemin asked.

Jinki was surprised. "Y-You mean, you have it...?"

Taemin nodded solemnly. "Although I'm still safe... I haven't done... you know."

"Well, no, I'm not. Unless you count my one-of-a-kind sangtae."

"Whatever Onew does, it's Onew sangtae~~" Taemin sang while singing.

"You have a nice singing voice. You should be in musicals, Taeminnie ah."

"Oh no," Taemin giggled, "I get all nervous if I have to sing in front of people."

"You dance in public."

"That's different. It's been my life-long thing."

"Just like everyone," Jinki gave a disappointed look.

"No worries, hyung. I actually really love it. Juliard even contacted me, saying they were interested in me. Hardly anyone in our family is accepted to Juliard."

"Ah... Yeah. I'm happy for you, Taemin."

"Jinki hyung..."

"Ne?"

"Saranghae. I'm really glad I know you're my brother. I hope you'll be happy too," Taemin softly smiled before falling asleep next to Jinki.

Jinki was startled but leaned forward to kiss Taemin on the top of his head. "I hope so too."

Unknowing to them, Minho had been secretly watching, and smiled to himself.

---

"Hyung," Taemin suddenly called from Minho's living room, setting down the pearl blue mechanical pencil. The mushroom charm attached to it made a jingling noise. Despite being the start of winter vacation supposing to be a peaceful time of rest, their teachers still dropped a hefty amount of homework. Which shouldn't matter to Taemin, Minho pointed out, since "Taeyeon" would've already transferred out of the school by the end of the holiday anyway. "Oh well. Might as well do it," Taemin said cheerfully the other day, "'Taeyeon' already beats the other girls to the dust at maths anyway. She can't be a slacker now."