When she saw her hope unfulfilled, her expectation gone, she took another of her cubs and made him a strong lion.

Ezekiel 19:5

Taesun came down the stairs. He had changed for the Sunday service and was dressed in his dark suit. Surprised, he looked at his younger son.

"You're not even dressed yet."

Taemin could not sleep for the night. Over and over again he had tossed and turned. He could still remember the last service. How all the voices had mocked him and chased him away. He couldn't bear it a second time, he never wanted to endure it again.

"Yes...um...I will stay home today." He said quietly.

Only with difficulty did Taemin manage to look his father in the eye. Jinki sat at the dining table in the kitchen, pausing with the coffee cup in his hand.

"I wanted to help Jinki with everything..." explained Taemin meekly.

Jinki looked back and forth between his anxious brother and his dismayed father. After a moment of processing, Taesun was able to compose himself.

"Taemin. Don't fool around and go get dressed now." He ordered him in a harsh tone of voice.

But Taemin remained standing. Though with shaky fingers, he withstood his father's gaze.

"Taemin, now!"

But when Taemin again did not move, hope died in Taesun. Would he lose both his sons now? What had happened to Taemin? The gap between them was widening and he would not be able to hold them and bring back together. His younger son's chest rose and fell rapidly.

Jinki did not understand what had happened. But he could not bring himself to cut through this pent-up silence. He thought if just one pin hit the ground, his father would lose patience for good.

The disappointment in his father's eyes struck Taemin like a knife in his heart. Taesun shook his head wearily and wordlessly walked out of the kitchen and out of the house.

Taemin would have liked to go after him and beg for forgiveness. But he lacked the strength for that. He did not want to disappoint his father. It was better for everyone if his father slowly realised that Taemin would never be the son he wanted.  

Wordlessly, Jinki and Taemin put new hay in the stalls. Jinki kept looking over at his little brother until he could stand it no longer. He dropped the pitchfork and went over to the sad boy.

"Why don't you want to go to church?" he asked Taemin.

But Taemin refused to be distracted. With all his strength, he tried to concentrate on the work. He didn't want to think about it anymore. He wanted to bury himself and forget everything.

Jinki grabbed the handle of Taemin's pitchfork and held it tightly.

"Taemin, you can talk to me." Seriousness rang out in his voice, but there was no mistaking the concern that lay within.

"I don't think I'm welcome there anymore." Taemin sighed with a shaky breath. His voice was only softly audible.

Jinki's heart shattered into many pieces. He was glad his brother had told him about his secret. But he hadn't thought about how hard it must have been for Taemin to accept himself.

For Taemin, no matter which way he would go, there would never be peace. If he wanted to stay here, he would have to hide. This town, this community would never accept him. And if he made his true self public, they would cast him out. It didn't matter how well he had fitted into the community before.

"Get dressed!" Taemin looked at him, perplexed.

When Jinki had lost his mother, he had abandoned his faith. But Taemin had clung to it, it had given him strength. If it was important to Taemin, Jinki could not allow Taemin to give that up now.

Jinki walked inexorably out of the stable. Taemin ran after him as he recovered from his freeze.

"Jinki, wait!" He shouted after him in a panic. He couldn't go there anymore. God had shown him.

"If we leave right away, we can still make it on time." Said Jinki without stopping.

"We?"

Taemin didn't understand anything anymore. Jinki hadn't come to church with him for the last few years. It made no sense to Taemin that he would want to go there today.

"I hope my suit still fits." Jinki unlocked their front door.

"Jinki!" Ta