Taemin got up and quickly replaced all the number plates on the doors and the wall. He heard someone coming so he did the one on his door a little too hastily. He rushed back inside the room and sighed. He was exhausted, having woken up far too early. Taemin was not used to such little sleep, being a sickly kid, and the asthma attack that morning didn’t help at all. He knew he needed fresh air.

            Taemin descended the stairs after making sure to lock the dorm room door (he didn’t want to risk Key getting even madder at him) and walked out onto the quad. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining and the air cold and brisk. He didn’t know whether or not cold air was good for his lungs, but he thought the perfect weather was worth the risk.

            He didn’t remark on anything interesting until he saw the basketball court. A group of boys were playing a casual game, and there was one particularly good member who kept getting baskets as Taemin watched in wonder.

            “Wow!” he cried excitedly, and all the boys stopped the game to look at him. “This looks like so much fun!”

            “It is,” the boy who got all the baskets said. “Do you want to play?”

            “Can I?” Taemin asked.

            “Sure! We’re always looking for new members. Are you a freshman?”

            “Yeah, but I’m seventeen internationally,” Taemin said. “I’m Taemin.”

            “I’m Minho, this is Jinwoon, that’s Chansung over there, and those guys over there are Taecyeon, Nichkhun, Junho, Junsu, Seulong, and Wooyoung. We were playing a scrimmage but since you’re here we can even out the teams.”

            “Minho-hyung,” Taemin said, quickly adopting a familiar honorific, “you’re really good, aren’t you? Is this varsity?”

            “Nah, I don’t play for varsity. But I like basketball,” he smiled. He threw the basketball to Taemin lightly. Taemin caught it and grinned, throwing it back to him. “So you’ll be on my team.”

            “But Minho, your team already has five people,” Jinwoon pointed out. “Put Taemin on the team with four people.”

            “Why don’t we move Junho to your team instead?” Minho asked, glancing at Taemin again. Taemin smiled.

            “Can I please be on Minho-hyung’s team, Jinwoon-hyung? Please please please?” Taemin pleaded.

            “Do you guys know each other or something?” Jinwoon asked, looking between Minho and Taemin.

            “We’re new friends!” Taemin cried. “Heads up, Minho-hyung!” He threw the ball to Minho, who swung around Jinwoon and shot a basket. He passed the ball again to Taemin and Taemin dribbled it down the court, laughing as Minho followed him and the other players looked slightly confused.

            Suddenly, Taemin’s lungs did the clench thing again, and he stopped, dropping the ball and clutching at his chest.

            “Taemin-ssi? Are you okay?” Minho asked. “Taemin-ssi?”

            “H-hyung…inhaler…backpack…” Taemin wheezed. Minho stood there for a few seconds, seeming to be panicking internally before he finally ran to Taemin’s backpack and returned with the inhaler. For the second time that day, Taemin’s breathing eased after a few puffs of the inhaler.

            He felt woozy from lack of oxygen. He sat on the ground and closed his eyes.

            “Taemin-ssi,” Minho said. “Where do you live? I’m bringing you home.”

            “Kongju Dorms…room 306,” Taemin sighed quietly.

            Suddenly, Minho hoisted Taemin up onto his back.

            “What are you doing?” Jinwoon asked. “Where are you going? What’s up with our game?”

            “Even teams again,” Minho said as he carried Taemin back to his dorm.

            “Hyung…aren’t I too heavy?” Taemin asked, his lungs still sore.

            “No, you’re light as a feather,” Minho said happily, carrying Taemin up the stairs.

            “The door should be locked,” Taemin said.

            “It’s not,” Minho replied, as he opened the door. Taemin looked over Minho’s shoulder to see Key and, to Taemin’s great satisfaction, Jonghyun, standing in the room.

            “This is his room?” Minho said in surprise. Taemin wondered vaguely why his tone was so shocked.

            “Yes. What happened?” Key asked.

            “I think it was an asthma attack. He was playing basketball with us and he suddenly started wheezing. Lucky he had an inhaler with him, but I figured since he was a little lightheaded it would be best to bring him back here.”

            “Taemin-ah! You were playing basketball? You should know that you shouldn’t exercise after having an asthma attack, another one is bound to happen!” Key reprimanded.

            “Sorry, hyung,” Taemin said weakly. “But Minho-hyung took good care of me.”

            “Call me…oh, never mind,” Key said, looking back at Jonghyun. “So who are you?”

            “Choi Minho,” Minho said bluntly.

            “I’m—”

            “Kim Key. I know. You and I are the same age,” Minho said in a monotone. Key eyed him warily but continued.

            “This is my hyung, Kim Jonghyun,” Key said as he introduced Jonghyun.

            “Nice to meet you,” Minho said. “Who’s this kid?” he asked, pointing to Taemin. “I just know him by Taemin-ssi.”

            “This is Lee Taemin, and he should not have been playing basketball. What were you thinking, Taemin-ah?”

            “But Minho-hyung made it look like so much fun, I wanted to play too! And he’s so good, but he doesn’t even play for varsity. Why not, hyung?”

            “It’s because of—” Minho began, in a somewhat irritated manner, but was rudely interrupted by Key.

            “Put him on his bed,” Key instructed, pointing out Taemin’s bed to Minho. “Taemin-ah, do you need your inhaler again?”

            “No, it’s okay, hyung,” Taemin said.

            “Twice in one day,” Jonghyun said. “You’re unlucky, Taemin-ssi.”

            “No,” Taemin said with a hint of a smile as he glanced at Minho. “I’m not unlucky.”

            “Just unlucky that it happened a second time. The first time had nothing to do with luck, did it, Taemin-ah?” Key said accusingly.

            “That’s not what I meant,” Taemin replied in surprise.

            “Oh, wasn’t it? You mean, you didn’t make this happen on purpose like you did this morning?” Key said, raising his voice. “You mean you’ve been being perfectly honest with everything today?”

            “Hey, don’t talk to him like that!” Minho said. “Can’t you see he’s weak?”

            “It’s his own damn fault!” Key cried. “He’s doing this just for kicks!”

            “No, he’s not, he legitimately wanted to play basketball with us, and it caused an attack!” Minho shouted back.

            “How do you know? How does anyone know what this kid really wants?” Key yelled. “He’s just doing everything and anything he wants for his own personal gain and I have to put up with it, and what’s more—” Jonghyun had come between Minho and Key, who looked like they were about to make it a fistfight.

            “What’s going on?” Jonghyun asked, looking into Key’s eyes with his deep black ones.

            “Nothing,” Key said, turning his head, realizing how silly he would sound if he told the truth. Jonghyun turned to Taemin.

            “What’s going on, Taemin-ssi?” he asked again.

            “I…” Taemin stuttered. Taemin looked at Key, at Jonghyun, and back and forth before finally resting his gaze on Key. He knew he couldn’t ruin this for Key. He couldn’t make Key look bad, because it would mess with his own plans. “I’m just a brat who always wants my way.”

            “Yah,” Minho said. “Don’t say that. You’re not a brat, Taemin-ssi.”

            “No, hyung, it’s true. I just want a lot of stuff.” Taemin smiled at Minho. “And if you want you can speak more comfortably with me. You too, Jonghyun-hyung. Key-hyung already does.” Jonghyun and Minho both smiled, but Key looked at him suspiciously. Taemin yawned, unconcerned the Key was wary of him as long as he was on good terms with Jonghyun, which had been his goal in the first place. He closed his eyes as he heard Minho and Key talk.

            “Wake up, loser,” Key said, kicking Taemin hard on the arm. Taemin woke with a start. He looked around the room, and neither Jonghyun nor Minho were there anymore.

            “Owww, hyung, that hurt! Why did you kick me?” he asked, rubbing his arm.

            “You deserve it. I know you’re a brat. But what’s your motive? Ramyeon? A nice warm bed? Explain why you caused the asthma attack.”

            “You’ll see,” Taemin said with an innocent smile. He had an answer. It was just too early to give it. In the meanwhile, food would be welcome. “But ramyeon would be good too.”

            “Why of all people did I get stuck with you?”

            “Maybe it was fate, hyung.”

            “Well screw fate then; I can’t wait until your precious Onew-hyung gets back and I can finally be rid of you. If I don’t kill myself before then.”

            “I like hyung.”

            “I don’t like you,” Key said.

            “I know. You like Jonghyun-hyung better,” Taemin said knowingly.

            “What? Of course I like him better; he’s not—”

            “You know what I mean,” Taemin interrupted. “See, hyung? You’re getting red!” Key put his hands to his face and rushed over to the mirror. He was getting red. Taemin giggled. Evidently his plan had worked better than even he’d expected. “Anyway, hyung, I’m just trying to be friends with you, I don’t mean any harm.”

A/N: New chapterrrrr :D Sorry they're so few and far between :/

@Hitsugayataichoda: Ooh I read that! Kekeke Taeminnie~

@AsianNoodles: I'm happy you like it. I'm writing this story just so we can hear what hasn't been told, and not necessarily for people who are looking for a good story. But thank you for liking it!

@AlmightySHAWOL123: Kekekeke Key won't be able to resist the aegyo for very long~

@naznew: You're welcome~

♥ Exie