Taemin was transferring.

 

Taemin didn't want to transfer.

 

He didn't want to leave his hometown, Sydney.

 

He didn't want to leave all his friends.

 

He didn't want to leave the place he loved.

 

He just didn't want to.

 

But Taemin also knew, that he had to, for the sake of his dad and for the sake of the family.

 

Taemin crossed his arms together and pouted his mouth.

 

Taemin was at Sydney airport waving to his friends ; his best friends since childhood. Taemin's eyes started to tear up but he quickly wiped the out so his friends didn't see.

 

Taemin and his mum began to go on their way to the place where they were to board Seoul Air.

 

When Taemin and his mum arrived there, they realised that they had another hour left. Taemin's mum put her bags down and said to Taemin,

"Honey. I'm going to be doing a bit of shopping. I'll be back in about 20 minutes. During this time would you mind looking after my things?"

Taemin's head went down a centimetre and then back up to its original position, not saying anything.

 

Taemin's mum sighed and crouched down to look at Taemin.

 

"Taemin-ah. I know you're still angry about us going back to Seoul but please...scream or cry but just don't stop talking okay? I haven't heard you talk for a week now and I know it's not healthy..."

 

Taemin looked into his mum's beautiful eyes that was filled with worry. Taemin sighed and said,

 

"Just go and shop okay?" His mum smiled and stood up.

 

She ruffled his hair and said,

 

"I'll be back soon and then you can go off for about 20 minutes to buy yourself a magazine okay?" Taemin nods and his mum turns away and begins to walk towards the duty-free stores.

 

Taemin watched his mum's long black hair bounce up and down and Taemin's heart softened.

 

His mum had a lot of responsibilities for a lady her age.

 

Taemin still remembered the day she and his dad got married and when they first met; Taemin was only thirteen years old.

 

***

 

"Taemin-ah~ Look who's here! You're new mother!" Taemin looked up, his eyes stone cold and a thin line on his usually smiling lips.

 

Taemin would never forgive the father that had always ignored his mother that had died a few months back.

 

A lady, not every twice Taemin's age looked at Taemin with a slight smile on her young and intricate face.

 

Her hair was black and long with a beautiful slim figure to match and a pair of beautiful brown eyes. Taemin looked at the lady that stands before her.

 

"Go away." Taemin said to her coldly before turning back to his math homework.

 

Taemin's dad sighed and showed the girl around the house before returning to Taemin's room, wanting to give him a second chance in saying hi.

 

"Taemin-ah say hi to you're step mum." Taemin ignores his father and soon, his father becomes angry.

 

"TAEMIN! SAY HI!" Taemin could feel the anger behind his words but he still choose to ignore him. Suddenly, he could feel the air around his father shift and knew that he was about to get smacks.

 

Taemin's hand stops writing and he screws his eyes shut, waiting for the slap that would sting his face for the next few days and cause questions to go around the school.

 

But...

 

It never came.

 

Taemin looked up and saw that, although his fathers hand was raised high above his head, a hand was stopping him from hitting Taemin.

 

The hand belonged to...

 

Her.

 

His new mum.

 

He's step mum ushered Taemin's reluctant dad out of Taemin's bedroom and crouches down to Taemin.

 

"Taemin-ah. I know you miss you mother. And I know that I can't replace her no matter how hard I try because like you, I also have a step-mum."

 

Taemin looked at his new mum.

 

She was beautiful.

 

"Let's just be friends okay?"

 

Taemin turns his head the other way and tears begin to form.

 

His mother knew but didn't make him turn around.

 

"My name if Park Sae Min. You can call me Sae." And like that, his new mum, Sae , left him alone to let his tears fall out of his eyes.

 

From then on, Taemin and Sae Min always talked together and would act like best friends rather than mother and son.

 

Although Taemin missed his mum, he was glad that he had met Saemin.

 

"You won't blame me right umma?" Taemin said to himself while he looked up into Sydney's clear blue sky.

 

***

 

20 minutes was up and sure enough, Saemin kept her promise and came back right on time, carrying with her, a bag. When she had put the bag down and sank into the seat next to him Taemin went into the bag to see what she had bought; One Vogue magazine and a book that was as thick as Taemin's math work book. Taemin looked up at Saemin and she said,

 

"Now...It's your turn!" Saemin grabbed his had and put in a few 20 dollar notes in his hand.

 

"Go buy whatever you want."

 

Taemin smiled and nodded. He got up and was about to leave when Saemin pulled him back and made him face her.

 

"I miss that smile..." Taemin looked down on his mum and smiled again.

 

Saemin got up and hugged Taemin.

 

"When we get to Seoul...be yourself and don't change..."

 

Taemin's smile disappeared as reality hit him again.