I enjoy reading all the comments I received. It gives me joy seeing eneryone's thoughts and theories, motivating me to write. I am a little shy and I wanted to concentrate on writing so apologies for the lack of response.

We're shifting down from a Gear 5 to a Gear 2 cuz my boys need a break. Needed a break from trying to draw Minho (which I have no idea why is he that hard to draw, all my sketches of him look so ugly TT_TT). But don't worry, the next few chapters are going to be the reveal until showdown time...

After some pondering he asks if Taecyeon is free on his birthday so that they can hang out. Taecyeon agreed, they will be doing whatever Taecyeon wanted to do. Now they are in a private area of a department store, watching Taecyeon shifts through the clothes in front of him.

Who would've thought Taecyeon would be clothes shopping for Taemin on his birthday? Despite his protest, Taecyeon wants to buy new clothes for Taemin, saying that the clothes he wore to his office are ill-fitting. Shopping can honestly get boring and tiring no matter who he shops with. Taemin has gone shopping with Key multiple times but he would either fall asleep or end up carrying his bags for him. He tries to stay awake for Taecyeon's sake but quite often dozing off.

“Taemin-ah, which color do you like?”

Taemin glances over, doesn't really matter to him. “I like blue.”

Taecyeon compares the two shirts in his hands, weighing his options. “I think I'll need to see what you look like wearing it. Taemin go change.”

Taemin had to hold back a groan as he gets up and does what he's told. Just as he reaches for the clothes, Taecyeon grabs his wrist. The movement was so startling, jarring Taemin fully awake. “Hyung?”

“What happened to your hand?”

Taecyeon was talking about the scar on his hand, an aftermath from summoning Minho. He never did get the chance to ask Minho about its sudden appearance and yet for some reason people are making a big deal out of it. But he guesses it must have look kind of big.

“I cut my hand with a scissor a long time ago,” Taemin answers truthfully. “It was an accident and it doesn't hurt.”

“I don't remember seeing it before,” Taecyeon softly rubs the scar with his thumb like he wants to erase it. “Taemin you should be more careful. What if you hurt yourself even worse?”

“I'll be more careful, hyung.”

“It looks like it didn't heal properly. I'll get some scar cream for it later.”

Taecyeon smoothly lets go of the hand to give Taemin clothes to try on, no chance to deny them. The sale attendants standing by the side are cooing and sighing amongst themselves, watching the whole interaction. They giggle when they see Taemin's astounded look before trudging to the dressing room.

He gets out of the dressing room for what seems to be the umpteenth time, turns in place for Taecyeon to see. Taecyeon nods in approval. “This one is nice, makes your skin bright. We'll take this one as well.”

“I don't know about this hyung,” Taemin fiddles with the ends of his shirt. The clothes aren't his style but Taecyeon insists on them. “You've bought me a lot already and this is a little too much.”

Taecyeon fondly shakes his head. He gets up from where he's sitting to where Taemin is. “You can never have enough clothes,” he pats Taemin's shoulders to smooths out the shirt. “Especially the clothes I chose.”

Taemin glances at the tag on his clothes and was shocked by the price. “Hyung, this is expensive! And is that name brand?! Hyung!”

Taecyeon doesn't pay mind to Taemin's reaction, his hands moves on to Taemin's hair to brush his hair. “Only the best for my dongsaeng.”

“But hyung, today is your birthday,” Taemin says. “We should be doing things you like instead of this.”

“We are doing things that I like and I like spoiling you like this.”

Taemin pouts as he lets Taecyeon make him look presentable. “Very handsome.” He was turned to the mirror with Taecyeon leaning behind him with a tie in his hand. “I'll teach you how to wear a tie properly.”

Taecyeon slips the loose tie around Taemin's neck and whisperes instructions in his ear as he demonstrates. But Taemin couldn't pay attention, his mind strays to Minho who is absent this whole time.

After that fiasco with Key's apartment, Minho made himself scarce. He's always around but ends up coming and going whenever and wherever he likes. In the past if Minho doesn't appear before him, he could still tell where he is, not lingering too far from him. But Minho isn't near him at all. He shouldn't be complaining about Minho's sporadic appearance, he's always complained about the lack of privacy and space.

“And you're all set,” Taecyeon tucks his head above Taemin and wraps his arms around him, pecking the top of Taemin's head. “Look at you, Taemin-ah. Very handsome.”

Taemin looks at his reflection. What a pair they make. Compared to Taecyeon's tall stature, Taemin is small, almost like Taecyeon is holding a pet. Thinking about it, Minho should be about the same size as Taecyeon...

Seeing him distracted Taecyeon pinches the tip of Taemin's nose. “What is my dongsaeng thinking about?”

Taemin crinkles his nose as he turns his head up. “Hyung, we should get some clothes that are a bit bigger. I'm still a growing boy.”

“I doubt you'll be growing anymore with the way you eat,” Taecyeon chuckles, rocking them back and forth in his embrace. “Besides I know what you're trying to do. I have enough clothes already, some are specifically tailored. But thanks for thinking about me.”

Taemin pouts. It's actually not what he's aiming for but its better this way. He can't really tell Taecyeon he's living with a demon. He wanted to get some new clothes for Minho.

“Then can I get a new hoodie?” Taemin clutches Taecyeon's arms around him, toying with the sleeves. “If you're buying clothes for me then I want something that's in my style.”

Taecyeon sighs, shaking his head. “Only one. You have plenty of hoodies but not enough professional clothes.”

“I can never have enough. Thank you, hyung.” Taemin turns to get out of Taecyeon's embrace and takes out his phone. “Hyung, let's take a selfie together. We should eat soon – I'm a little bit hungry.”

“Anything for you, Taemin-ah.”

~~

“Damn! Is that what your brother looks like? My god I'd like to climb tha -”

“Damnit Key! Stop thirsting after my brother!”

Taemin snatches his phone out of Key's grip. He should have known Key would be so shameless like that. After a day with Taecyeon, Taemin and Key are in his apartment going through the newly bought clothes.

Key slumps against the sofa like a wistful maiden. “I couldn't help my reaction,” he says. “Tall, hot, rich, generous, and young? Is he a model? Does he have a girlfriend?”

“He modeled in men's fashion when he was younger,” Taemin replies, going through his clothes. “His picture is on a magazine but I forgot which one. I kept a copy of it somewhere. As for girlfriend I don't think so, he's really busy these days.”

“For real? So that means I have a chance? Daebak... I would kill for a sugar daddy like him.”

“Key that's gross!”

“What's wrong with being a sugar baby? If your brother is my sugar daddy, a few years down the line does that mean I would be your sugar momma?”

“Nononononnono!”

Key cackles at Taemin's reaction, deflecting a pillow Taemin threw at him. “Okay okay I'll stop. I'm just messing with you. It's very rare that I can get you to react like that.”

Taemin pouts, hugging a pillow to his face and lies down on the sofa. He sneaks a peek, watching Key go through his newly bought clothes with an excited expression. To see Key excited about something and not depressed lifts some of Taemin's worries.

He has been worried about Key since that holy water fiasco. Key's reaction to Minho revealing as a demon was underwhelming but Jonghyun revealed as an angel is more shocking. Taemin had been shocked and Onew was probably shocked as well with how quiet he has been the entire time. Key had reacted poorly; kicking Jonghyun out of his apartment and screening his calls. His poor reaction was because Jonghyun could have met Key under false pretenses and they have hanged out long enough to be called as close friends. Angry enough to cut off all communication from him, outright ignoring him.

Key gives an reassuring pat on his pillow and goes through his newly bought clothes. “Your brother chose the best clothes! And are these name brands of the latest season – daebak... This is so expensive.”

“The clothes are more his style,” Taemin grumbles beneath his pillow. “He didn't even buy me my hoodie, purposely forgot.”

“I agree with your brother on getting you these clothes,” Key says, picking up one of the dress shirts and putting it against him to measure. “You have enough generic shirts and hoodies.”

“They are comfy and fit me perfectly,” Taemin says. “A few of them originally belonged to Taecyeon.”

“What really?! I wouldn't have known considering what he wears. Then again he would look good in anything. Those hoodies wouldn't be able to hide his -”

“Key please don't finish that.”

“-muscles. He looks like he works out too. Taemin-ah, get your head out of the gutter. Your mind is so dirty~”

Taemin gives a slight kick where Key is sitting, missing when he heard that cackle. He never knew how annoying Key's laugh was when he's at the receiving end.

“If you don't want them then let me borrow them,” Key picks up a jacket. “Or better yet get Minho to wear them. Might be a tight fit for him but his demon magic might fix it. Demons don't have much of a fashion sense since he keeps wearing the same thing every day.”

Taemin removes his pillow surprised. “I'm honestly surprised that you're taking the fact Minho is a demon very well.”

“I've always had a feeling there is something not right with Minho so it's nothing new,” Key shrugs. “Speaking of the devil, I haven't seen him around lately. Did he go back to Hell?”

“Probably but he always come back,” Taemin hugs himself. “He would have told me if he wasn't coming back.”

At the tone Key pushes the clothes to the side and looks over at Taemin carefully. “Taemin, what's wrong?”

Taemin looks up surprised. “What do you mean?”

“That tone of your voice means something is on your mind,” Key gives him a flat look. “And that leads to a hell of a mess like summoning an actual demon or getting into a fight in front of the school library.”

Taemin looks away, avoiding Key's gaze. “Well what if it's nothing big like that?”

“Then you have nothing to worry about telling me,” Key's voice takes a softer tone. “Taemin-ah whether your worries are big or small, I'm here for it. I don't like it when others keep me in the dark. I can't help you if you keep things bottled up. I don't mean to be nosy but I worry about you the most not because you are younger than me but because... you're the type of person who thinks hard about yourself the most.”

At that Taemin tentatively glances at Key. It always surprises him how intuitive Key can be to notice things that Taemin doesn't know himself. Then again he shared a friendship with Key for so many years so of course Key would know him best. And he can't blame Key about wanting to pry after what happened recently. To care for someone while having a lot of their own worries is a strength that can't be look down on.

“I was thinking about my brother and other things,” Taemin fiddles with his pillow in his lap. “It was his birthday and my brother bought me expensive clothes and treated me to good food. But I don't feel comfortable about it. There are people who wished to have a brother like mine and yet I'm not grateful about it. Am I selfish?”

He loves his brother, he truly does. But a part of him feels lacking in areas Taecyeon excels in as though he can't do anything without Taecyeon's support. Taecyeon acts like a second parent when their parents are often away for work, taking care of Taemin on top of everything. But Taecyeon never complains, always spoiling Taemin without even asking.

“In a way he reminds me of Minho,” Taemin jokes, a soft smile graces his lips. “Minho is similar to him is like Taecyeon never left. And for that I'm grateful.”

Key scoffs. “No way. Minho is nothing like your brother. He's so irritating... Seriously wearing one outfit for a lifetime sounds like he never left Hell in the first place.”

This causes Taemin to giggle. “I'm gonna tell Minho you said that.”

“Go ahead and tell him, I dare you. Maybe he'll actually wear something different,” Key snatches the pillow Taemin is hugging. “And there's nothing wrong feeling this way about your brother. To feel this way, it just means that you're growing up and self-aware. If you don't like it maybe tell him. Or take the initiative and spoil him for a change and see how he likes it.”

“He's looking to buy a house for the both of us to live in,” Taemin lies down on the sofa, propping his legs on Key's lap. “How am I supposed to top that?”

“For real?!” Key slaps the pillow on top of Taemin's legs. “Yo, what does your brother actually do? That's – I'm gonna be his sugar baby! Forget college and work, I'm gonna be his house cat!”

“Key, give it a rest already!”

On the roof of the apartment building Minho is sitting on the ledge, staring at an unknown distance. He absently twirls something small between his fingers, lost in thought. When the object falls from momentum, Minho snatches it up before it touches the ground without looking.

Minho looks down and opens his hand. A ring rests on his palm. More specifically the matching ring Taemin wore with Kai. He took it without Taemin knowing, wasn't like Taemin would miss it with his inability to keep track of things.

It's a clue to find out who those people were and the person who gave them holy water.

The ring becomes engulf with Minho's black flames, glowing and flickering. Minho's eyes flares and whispers to the ring. “Come claim what you seek.”

And closes his hand.