After Jonghyun tossed the money into the air, his mother tightly embraced him, throwing her skinny arms around him and showering with kisses. Knowing better, she didn’t ask how he’d gotten the money. She was sure she didn’t want to know. Jonghyun was extremely grateful for this because he hadn’t a clue where the money had come from. He was just glad he’d happened to feel the cash in his back pocket.

                To celebrate, his mother went out and bought a small chocolate and coconut candy bar. The two split it and ate it as desert with their noodles. Today was a good day for Jonghyun and his mother. Clinking their plastic cups filled with water, they toasted the man on the wall.

                “For you, Dad!” Jonghyun sang, smiling widely.

                “To you, honey,” His mother stated.

                That night, Jonghyun collected his beer bottles and cans, put them into his basket and rode to his location. He usually arrived five minutes early to set up before the guys showed up.

                “Hey, Kim.” A guy stated, giving him a curt head nod.

                Jonghyun bowed deeply, offering the man a beer bottle, accepting the money he gave him. He spent  his whole night until midnight selling and serving, earning more money.

                Taemin eventually went downstairs after his crying, waiting until his red-rimmed eyes had returned to their normal colour. He crept down the steps, sort of relieved when his father casually sipped from a can while watching the news.

                “Hi, Dad!” Taemin chirped, running to sit beside his father.

                “Taeminnie,” his father cooed, hugging his son. “How was your day?”

                Taemin babbled on about school. He looked down and added, “I wanted to try out for the dance team at school…” He trailed off, shyly.

                His father smiled. “Well, that’s just wonderful. When are the auditions?”

                “Tuesday, Dad! It was supposed to be last Friday, but it got cancelled,” Taemin said with confidence. “I’ve been practising all day.”

                “I’d love to see my son on stage. Dad will come to your concerts, he will.”

                Taemin nodded, leaning against his father and turning to watch the news with him. If there was anyone Taemin could count on, it was Key and his father.

                “Dad?”

                His father looked at him.

                “I have something to tell you…”

                His father motioned for him to go on, turning the television off and holding eye contact with his son.

                “Dad… Don’t be mad at me,” Taemin pleaded, looking down at his hands.

                “I would never be mad at you, son. I’m always proud of you. Whatever’s wrong, we can always fix it,” He cupped Taemin’s face in his hands. “Dad loves you no matter what.”

                Taemin regained a bit of his confidence. “Okay… Dad… I’m gay.” He hesitated, not looking at his father’s face. When he did, his heart almost broke in two.

               His father scowled. It was a look Taemin had never seen before. “You’re what?” He barked, grabbing Taemin’s face. His eyes were full of fury, his grip hard and painful. He breathed heavily, staring at his son, his eyes flickering back and forth.

                “I’m sorry, Dad!” Taemin apologised, tears threatening to fall again.

                “No, no, you’re not gay. No real son of mine could ever be that.” He threw Taemin’s hands from his own, standing up and walking away. He slammed the garage door behind him. Taemin heard the car start and leave the garage. It was when he no longer could hear the car that he let out a noise he’d never heard before.

                His body shook as he cried, burying his face in the couch pillow, screaming, soaking himself with tears. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry, I’m sorry” He chanted. Taemin did not calm down. His brother heard his cries and ran downstairs, holding his brother in his lap, rocking him back and forth like he used to when Taemin was a baby. His brother truly loved him because Taemin was his baby. Taemin was his “twin”. They were a lovely pair of siblings, each one making up for the other.

                He kissed his brother’s head, rubbed his back, muttered soothing words to the boy. Never once did he ask what happened. Never once did he question anything.

His baby brother was hurt and whoever did it was going to pay the dearest price.

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                 Yesssss, I know Taeminnie cries a lot but he has a lot to deal with! And he's only 15~ Honestly, if these things happened to me when I was 15, I would have given up. First love rejected, passions rejected, uality rejected... Like bruv, that's some painful stuff :c