A/N: Saeguk speak* Is the way Koreans used to speak in the past Rooftop Prince

Lee Taemin spent the first seven years of his life growing up in a bubble. He ate, slept and breathed within the monitored care of an adult. His mother would tuck him into bed at night and retreat to her rocking chair and from her post, watch over him like a vulture. They treated him as if he was so fragile he could shatter into thousands of pieces and spoke to him so tenderly, as if every moment could be his last.

Due to his extensive supervision, Taemin was rarely given the opportunity to make friends. When he did leave the house it was only to go to and from school; no breaks or side stops. On the rare occasion that he was presented with the opportunity to socialize, he grasped at it like a rescue rope and clung to it with all of his might, praying that it would be enough to penetrate the barrier of security forced opon him by adults, suffocating him and preventing him from living his own life. It was the hope that he would be able to keep the new friends he made and be able to live a normal life like every other kid his age. It was these thoughts that ran through his mind when he met Choi Minho.

It was a chilled Saturday in Spring when Taemin had been awarded for his recent good behaviour with a trip to the park. The sky was a pale pink, lined with a few pearly clouds that looked close enough to touch; Taemin's favourite kind. It was the unfortunate timing of a following doctor's appointment that decided Taemin's only free time to be an absurd hour of the morning – before most other kids would even be awake. Taemin played by himself quietly in the sand while his mother looked on.

“Are you cold, Taemin-ah?” The boy smiled and shook his head, not feeling a nip of the cold through his fluffy wool sweater. His mother smiled and continued clicking away with a pair of knitting needles and red thread.

“Can I play with you?” A quiet voice on his right startled Taemin from his fantasy he had woven around his minute sand castle.

“S-Sure.” Taemin said. The voice belonged to a boy who looked about the same age him – perhaps a little older. The other boy wore a a dark blue track suit jacket – the kind that had the flashy silver stripe across the back and arms.

The boy sat down beside Taemin and scooped up handfuls of sand and formed a mound next to Taemin's. Taemin watched him with burning curiosity.

“What's your name?” he asked, in casual speech, unsure if it was okay to speak informally to a stranger. He rationalized that the other boy couldn't be that much older than himself.

“Choi Minho” The other boy answered, giving a shy smile. He glanced at Taemin, unable to look him straight in the face. “You?” he shot back informally.

Taemin prepared to look Minho in the eye to be polite but burst out laughing. Minho looked confused. “What's so funny?” When Taemin laughed harder, he frowned and took Taemin's shoulder and shook him lightly. “Yah.”

“What's wrong with your eyes?” Taemin gasped. “They're so big,” he giggled. “And kinda lopsided.” He added as an afterthought. Minho's frown grew and he poked at one eye with his finger.

“There's nothing wrong with them.” He sniffed. He pulled down on his cheeks making a successful fish face; stretching them out so his eyes looked twice their size in length. “See? There's nothing wrong.” Taemin couldn't help but burst into a renewed fit of giggles at Minho's show.

Minho stopped and pointed at Taemin's sandy blonde hair. “There, what's wrong with your hair? It looks like a...” He trailed off, searching for the right word, his hands miming a large umbrella. “Mushroom,” he declared.

Taemin opened his mouth in protest, his hands flew up to smooth out his hair, but in all honesty, he had heard before that his mushroom haircut was not too flattering, even with his campaign to dye his hair a different colour. “Does not!” He exclaimed. Minho regarded his state of panic and laughed. Taemin stuck his tongue out tried to pour but somehow ended up laughing as well.

A few minutes later, they finally stopped giggling and they went back to building sand castles. “Hey” Minho said, breaking the constructive silence. “You never told me your name. That's not fair.”

Taemin grinned. “Lee Taemin. I'm seven.” He declared proudly.

“Eight.” Minho snickered. “Looks like I'm the hyung and that means you have to do everything I say.”

“Yah! I do not. You're not even that much older than me.” A real pout forming on the younger boy's lips. Minho puffed out his chest and pretended to an imaginary beard.

“You insolent punk! Listen to your elders!” He bellowed in *saeguk speak. This time, they didn't even try to control their laughter.

An hour passed like that – they took turns talking about themselves and getting to know each other. As it turned out, Minho lived in the neighbourhood and not too far of from where Taemin lived. It was a surprise that they hadn't run into each other before. “I don't really get out much, though.” Taemin confessed.

Apparently Minho had been coming to the park for quite a long time now. He found he enjoyed the peace and quiet that could only be found late at night or early in the morning as he was somewhat shy of others and preferred to play alone but hastily admitted when Taemin's face fell, that he did find the younger boy's company enjoyable and refreshing; at that, Taemin looked relieved.

At eight o'clock, Taemin's mother set down the set of knitting needles and checked her watch. The boys' happy chatter ceased when she approached them with a small smile.

“Taemin-ah, we have to go now.” She said softly.

Taemin hung his head but made no move to get up; he had just made a new friend and there was no saying when he would see Minho again – if ever. After all, they had lived in the same area for over five years but they had only just met today.

“May he stay just a few minutes more?” Minho asked in polite honorifics. Mrs. Lee shook her head, still smiling slightly but it seemed a little sad. “Sorry he had to go to a doc-”

“Umma.” Taemin cut in sharply, not caring if he was being rude.

“He has somewhere to be.” She finished. “Come, Taemin-ah. Now.” She held her hand out for him to take.

Taemin held back a sigh and got up. “Bye Minho. It was a lot of fun.” Minho nodded and waved.

“Bye, it was fun finally having someone to play with. Will I see you again?”

“Soon.” Taemin's mother said, before Taemin could open his mouth.

As Taemin left with his mother, he felt a little disappointed and wished he could stay longer, but at the same time he also felt a flush of hope that he would be able to see Minho again; his mother did promise. Either way, he really enjoyed his time even if it couldn't last. He left with a smile tucked securely to his face and he felt happier inside than he had in a long time. 

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Okay, so here is the first chapter. ^^ I do apologize for the wait even though I couldn't help it. Something came up and I out for the day didn't have access to a computer. So here it is now. I hope it doesn't disappoint! 

Pleease tell me what you think, because I love to hear my reader's opinions as it often alerts me to certain details that I tend to miss when I'm writing. I don't know when the second chapter will follow but comments will always give me motivation to update days faster.

Thank you so much for reading and subscribing.  

Catch you next update ☆

Rainy