Taemin heard his phone ring and at last he decided he had enough courage in order to answer it, he couldn't be afraid forever besides Onew could been sounding like that because he just woke up or some other reason, also he could of found out the number because the school knew he was or rather used to be inseperable to Taemin or perhaps he had a friend in the teachers which he pleaded it from. Onew couldn't be that bad, he couldn't have changed to be something horrible, he was Onew, the soft and lovable klutz.

He was surprised however to hear Key's voice, he was sounding giggly and the background noise was loud with the sound of people talking and the beat of music. There was one conclusion he got from this, Key was drunk and at a club, this happened with Key he got depressed or really annoyed he goes to the club and he ends up ringing Taemin to bring him to his house as drunk Key hated being solitary and just had to hold onto someone as he slept.

"Minnie, Minnie MinMin, hiya. You finallalelely picked up, I rang you for ages." Key said giggling as if it was the most funniest thing ever. To him in his drunken state it probably was. Taemin felt guilty for not picking up some of the phone calls now most if not all were probably all from Key rather than Onew, his not answering probably was the cause of Key's stress which lead him clubbing or at least part of it.

"I'm sorry for not picking up." Taemin apojised, Key made an odd noise on the other side of the phone line.

"Alls well what ends well, Minnie MinMin, now pick umma up so umma can eat your food." Key ordered giggling as he said it, Taemin rolled his eyes, Key always stole his stuff and abused his hospitality when drunk.

"Which club are you at now?" Taemin asked, Key began rambling on the address and repeating it so Taemin would not forget and then lecturing him about staying away from dark alleyways, strangers, alcohol and other things. Taemin smiled slightly at how even when drunk Key tried to protect him. Key was the best surrogate umma ever. He decided to ring the taxi company, he used for occassions such as these, he was going to drive there, make the taxi wait and then pick Key up. Like usual.

He arrived at the club, the loud pounding of the music audible from outside the club clearly. He enters and stands by the door nervously, he did not feel quite safe here or in public places at all really. Too much people. He preferred a couple of people he knew and liked. Well one really as he only had Key. Speaking of Key, wasn't that him clinging onto a shorter man who was speaking to him soothingly. Taemin recongnised the man really well.

Who wouldn't recongise their old friend who abanoned you after all? He was confused why Key was leaving with him of all people after just calling for him. He felt hurt, it was like he was being replaced and as if time was repeating itself again. Key leaving with Jonghyun was just like how Jonghyun left with Minho. He was shocked too as Key was the one person he had trusted nearly completely, it hurt to think that he would forget about him.

He ignored the advances that some men and women where making on him and when some even dared touch him he could not stand for it. He had had enough, his day and night both had been crap and he was frustrasted and upset, thus he nearly broke their hands off making them leave him alone. Then he stormed out not recongnising or just not realizing the suited man who drop his drink in the surprise of seeing him.

x

Onew spat out his drink in surprise, what the hell was Taemin doing at a club, the Taemin he knew was cute, innocent and hated crowds, why on earth was he in a club? Especially one such as this. He was going to go rescue Taemin from the advances from the greasy looking people but stopped when he watched in pride how Taemin scared them off, he also stopped mostly due to the fact some of his men held him back smirking at him.

"So that's the boy you want to protect? He's cute." His right hand man said taking a sip of his drink, Onew glared at him.

"Shut up." He ordered. And he did.

x

Taemin left the club still frazzled from the sight he had just witnessed, he still couldn't believe it. He just hoped it was because Key had passed out rather than forgotten him. He couldn't keep being forgotten besides there was not much difference between forgotten and simply just not wanted. He knew it was cruel to be wishing your friend to be passed out but he couldn't keep getting forgotten.

He was about to go back to the taxi musing slightly over the money he had just wasted to get here and he was leaving without Key. He froze at the sight of a dark huddled figure at the edge of the alley. He knew what Key had warned him about alleys and strangers but he felt rebellious against Key due to being left alone. Besides that person did not look so good especially considering the red liquid trickling from him... what was that blood?

Concerned he moved over to the alley and gasped horrified to see a tall man around Key's age if not younger beaten up badly. He had bruises, dark ones showing they were recent and they certainly weren't small. His lip was spilt, his nose possibly broken if the blood dripping from it was any clue, his clothes were shred. Then he realized something.

He knew this person, he knew them so well, his froggy eyes were recognizable despite being shut and black eyes forming. It was Choi Minho. Taemin felt his legs shiver and threaten to fall from underneath him, he was scared. Too many bad memories especially the incident. What if Minho did it again? He took a deep breath knowing that even if Minho had not given him the same coursity he could not just leave him there to die. Besides he was unconscious he couldn't hurt him now.

He did not know what to do with him though so he resorted to bringing him home instead of Key, Minho needed treatment for his wounds and Taemin could do it for him having dealt with and treated worse, Key he had been a bit reckless sometimes. He nearly choked up at Key's name but swallowed it down.

x

Onew had left the club after Taemin, following him hoping to comfort him. As long as he did not end up breaking his arm for him leaving him and calling him, Onew had felt regret after sending the call, he had heard the fear in Taemin's voice. He did not want Taemin to fear him, Taemin was the one person he did not want to fear him no matter how dodgy his profession was.

He paled at the sight of Taemin and Minho together, did Taemin not realise who he was supporting into the taxi was? He might have not after all they had beaten him up quite badly, he decides to warn Taemin. Surely Taemin did not want to help the person who hurt him?

"Taemin!" Onew yelled after the boy but Taemin did not hear him. The door had been shut before he yelled and the taxi was speeding away. He had one word which could describe this moment. .

A/N: This hasn't been updated in ages, I'm so sorry about that but hey we have the lovely lawlee as co-author now ^_^ who helped with this chapter as I was so stuck it was not even funny. Again so sorry for not updating in agessssssssss,