"Bye, Taemiri!" Taemin's friend calls, running off in the direction of his parents. Taemin waves back to his friend, his smile not so blithe anymore. 

"See you tomorrow," he says, more to himself than his friend. Taemin turns back to the sandbox and gathers his toys. He dusts the large red bucket and clatters his two miniature shovels against the sidewalk to rid of the sandy residue, placing them gently in the former. He sighs and lingers in his spot, notreally wanting to go home yet. 

Taemin sits on the empty swing and with a forceful jump his little legs push himself off the ground. They swing forward and then backward, tucking themselves under the seat only to reappear seconds later. The squeak of the chains is the only sound Taemin hears for awhile. 

"Umma!" 

Taemin whips his head in the direction of the voice. 

"Please? Pretty please?" The kid's mother smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry, Minho, but you shouldn't eat ice cream before dinner. You know how it upsets your stomach." She looks at him knowingly and the kid, so-called Minho, pouts. 

"Please! Just this once, I promise! It's really hot, umma!" 

Taemin watches curiously as the pretty woman laughs and reluctantly gives in. The woman tells her son to ask his father and if he says yes, then she will buy him ice cream. Were all mothers like this? Taemin wonders to himself silently. He frowns. Or was it just his mother who was different?

The father says yes, his handsome smile causing his wife's eyes to soften. Minho squeals with delight and jumps around happily before tugging on his mother's dress and tugging her towards the ice cream man. 

Taemin tears his eyes away from the all-too-merry scene. He's had enough of seeing these close, smiley families. His lower lip curled outwards as his chin rested on his collarbone. Taemin felt even more distressed as he realised his feet could not reach the ground. Curse his eight year old body! Curse his short legs and this tall swing! Curse Minho and his happy family!

Taemin furiously brushes away the tears that fell without his permission. He was not supposed to cry. He promised himself and his nanny he wouldn't! 

Taemin jumps off the swing and grabs his bucket. He runs away, shoes stomping painfully and angrily against the concrete. The sound of Minho's whoops and his parents' laughter slowly disappears as he turns the corner. 

Taemin hates Minho. If he ever sees him again, Taemin won't let him play with his toys! Taemin will ignore him and leave him to play by himself. He won't befriend people like him! People who have pretty ummas and handsome appas and people with large eyes and ice cream... he won't! 

He places his bucket by the door and hastily rings it. When Taemin's brother Taesun opens the door, Taemin's expression lights up with hope. "Hyung! You're home!" His brother grunts and turns away, Taemin's existence completely forgotten. 

"Do you want to play cards?" 

"No." 

"Do you want to color with me? Nanny bought me new books. I haven't colored in them at all! You can be the first." 

"No."

"Or if you'd like, we could just watch TV. I'm okay with that, as long as we can watch it together."

"No." 

"O-okay... Then.... Then I'll see you at dinner?" 

There is no response. Taemin flinches as Taesun's door slams shut. He looks down at his small feet and, with clenched fists, coaxes himself not to cry like every other day Taesun ignores him. 

"Oh, baby! You got home! How was the park?" Taemin smiles and jumps into his nanny's open arms, welcoming her warm kisses on the cheek. "Nanny! Oh, nanny!" 

His nanny raises an eyebrow. "What's up, Taebaby? Why are you so relieved to see me?" Taemin shakes his head, the smile still plastered on his pink lips.  "I'm just happy you're here! Do you want  to play cards?" 

"Sure, just let me put up these groceries first, okay?" Taemin follows after his precious nanny into the kitchen and helps her put away the ingredients she bought, eyes shining as he realises what she would be cooking for dinner. 

"What would you like to play, my dear?" His nanny asks. 

Taemin grins mischeviously, skillfully shuffling the deck of cards. "GOLDFISH!" 

His nanny groans. "Oh, no! Not goldfish! You are too good at goldfish!" 

Taemin throws his head back and laughs maniacally, wriggling his eyebrows playfully yet evilly. 

"Ne, nanny?" Taemin asks after a few games of goldfish. His nanny hums, briefly glancing between the cards laid in front of them and the stack in her hands. "Do you love me?" She pauses, then slowly smiles. Taemin sees a little shard of pity in her irises. 

"Yes, yes I do, Taeminnie. I love you very much, dear." 

Taemin hopes she's not lying.