Kibum washed the dishes after dinner. He worked in silence, not even a smile on his face. He thought of the talk with taemin earlier kept him pondering. For Kibum loving Jinki meant loving him unconditionally, loving him meant also loving all the people Jinki loved and in this case, his family. He loved taemin that’s sure. He already loved the kid since the first time he saw him. He never thought about having Taemin was a obstacle for their relationship. So that was why, as much as happy he was knowing how much Jinki loved him, he wanted taemin to love him as much as Jinki did.

A pair of arms wrapped around his waist waking him up from the thought. he took a heavy sigh and smiled.

“you don’t have to worry about Teamin. He will understand” Jinki whispered.

“Maybe it is too soon” he whispered back, “maybe it will be better if we wait a little more, we can delay the wedding”

Jinki didn’t reply instead he just buried his face on Kibum’s shoulder. He remember the time when he proposed the man he loved for so long. He couldn’t describe the feeling when Kibum acccept it, when he said yes and kissed him. The memory itself made him smiling like a love sick. It was until kibum’s finish the wash and turned around facing Jinki got him speaking.

“I want to marry you”

Kibum smiled, leaning forward to give him a quick peck. “I’m glad to hear it” he hugged Jinki, “but we have to understand Taemin’s feeling. We can’t be selfish”

They stayed hugging for a moment, feeling warmer for being so close.

“sometimes i think Teamin doesn’t like me”

Jinki pulled off the hug and looked at Kibum, frowning. “it’s not true. He likes you”

A small chuckle came out from the younger’s lips, “he is so cold to me, but i understand if he doesn’t...”

“hey....”

And Kibum halted, looking at the other’s eyes with concern

“do you give up, now?”

Kibum hugged Jinki, putting his jaw on Jinki’s right shoulder, “you know i promised you that i won’t”

“then we can make it” he rubbed Kibum’s back softly, “I love you, you know that...”

“i know...”

And at that time, like any other time his worried slowly disappeared because with Jinki, he believed everything would be okay.

---

Taemin sulked all the day at school. He didn’t smile, didn’t even eat his lunch and just did drink his favorite banana milk during lunch in cafetaria

“i notice you sulking” Taemin rolled his eyes as Minho sat next to him, lunch on his tray as he put it on the table, “is it about your father and his boyfriend again?”

“yeah... “ Taemin replied  lazily

“what is it now? Kibum asks you for shopping again? Vacation ?”

Taemin looked at minho who was now munching his lunch. “they are getting married”

“ooh...” Minho stopped, widening his frog eyes, “thats... errr not a good news?”

“of course not, hyung!” the younger pissed off, “I can’t let Kibum be my father”

“actually, i kind of thinking about what has been Kibum doing to you” Minho continued, “i mean he’s not that mean, never to you. Has he ever hit you? Or ask you for a household like cinderella’s step mother?”

Taemin couldn’t tell if Minho was scorning him or telling the truth. It was true that Kibum had never been treating him bad. Kibum was actually nice. Done the household and laundry because Taemin was to lazy to do it, cooked them food, and sometimes when his father didn’t have time to pick him up from school, kibum would do it. But it wasn’t that, it wasn’t about him being nice to him or not. It was his presence that annoyed him.

“you never know how does it feel, having your mother died 2 weeks after you were born and there is someone else trying to replace her” Taemin said in low. “ and it hurts me seeing my dad is sharing his love for a stranger”

“i’m sorry” Minho said, “i didn’t mean to remind you your mother... it’s just...” Taemin looked at him sternly, “err... okay don’t mind me. i’m sorry”

Taemin turned his look away and sighed “yeah.. it’s okay”

“so what will you do?”

“i don’t know...” taemin shrugged, “i’m thinking a way to break them up actually”

“and how?”

“well, i always have a way. I just can’t think about it now”

At the same time there was several guys walking passed their table. One of them was the guy Taemin recognized. Kim Jonghyun was the coolest and iest guy in school. And Taemin wondered how does it feel to be popular like jonghyun, to be surrounded by the cool guys and pretty girls all the time. Without him even realized, Taemin admired this guy a lot. And it was like impossible for Taemin when this Jonghyun guy happened making a contact with him, smiling his y smile directed to Taemin. Taemin couldn’t believe his fate.

“ugh, that short dino head again”

Taemin heard Minho mumbled. “excuse me, what?”

“him... kim jonghyun. Look! He’s flirting to those girls and showing off his ridicoulous muscles again. I dare him playing football and i bet he will colapse within a minute. That guy in sport” Minho rolled his eyes.

“you are just jealous because he is cool and popular in the whole school while you only popular in your football team” Taemin defended.

“i’m not jealous of him, why should i? i am taller than him”

“whatever” and Taemin stood up leaving Minho with his lunch. And he was sure that before he exited the cafetaria, he caught Jonghyun looked a him. And for some unknowing reason, Taemin found his heart beating up so fast.

---

When taemin came home, he saw Kibum was cooking dinner. Kibum greeted and approached him in the living room where taemin threw himself on his favorite couch.

“hey taemin, how’s school?”

Taemin didn’t reply. It made Kibum felt awkward so he decided to get closer, taking a seat next to the couch

“Jinki will come home before 6 so i thought for dinner together tonight. Don’t you like beef? I’m making your favorite food”

Still taemin was quiet.

“oh, i’ve just bought packs of banana milk. I’ve done your laundry and i thought maybe i can tidy up your room but you know i must have your allowance to enter your room and... “

Kibum stopped as Taemin turned his head to him “don’t you ever enter my room” Taemin said in firm.

Kibum was surprised at Taemin’s tone. T didn’t sound nice at all

“okay... that is why i ask you because...”

“can’t you stop?” Taemin stood up, “why can’t you just leave me alone and acting like my mom? I’m not your son!”

That was the first time Taemin spoke to him like that. Taemin normally was just silent to whatever Kibum said to him.

“Taemin.. i didn’t mean...”

“listen, kim kibum. Just because you are dating my father and about to marry him, doesn’t mean i’m your child. I don’t need you to do my laundry, i’m not even asking you to come and cook me dinner”

Taemin grabbed his bag in a rush and walked toward the front door

“where are you going?”

“you think i want to eat the food you cooked”

Kibum didn’t dare to stop him. the boy was in rage and he didn’t want to cause it worse. He only could closed his eyes as heard the door slammed shut.

Maybe next time he should tried harder