Taemin sat huddled into her couch in her small house, blinking lethargically. He had just slept for about 14 hours after a 13 hour plane ride from Seoul to the small town with a name he couldn’t remember but in Boston. Taeyeon had told him that in their will, his parents had said that she was going to look after him. Taemin accepted that. Taeyeon was nice.

“Wait noona- I know this show.” Said Taemin abruptly as Taeyeon flipped through the channels. Taeyeon had told him to call her noona because they were only about 4 years apart in age.

“Really?” said Taeyeon. “Do you want to watch it?”

Taemin nodded. “It’s Skins. I used to watch it back… back home.” He whispered the last part.

“Okay,” said Taeyeon gently. “You sit here and I’ll make us some dinner.”

Taemin had been shocked when Taeyeon had lead him to a house, and his jaw had dropped when she had told him that she lived in it herself. No one in Seoul lived in a house! He wasn’t sure if he had even been in one- everyone lived in an apartment. And why was she living alone? She wasn’t married. Taemin wondered why she moved here instead of staying with his grandparents. Inside was full of girly things that Taemin wasn’t used to. Candles, furry carpets… he had never seen these things in a house before. He thought that what he saw in those American movies were not real- he was shocked to find that America was everything he had seen in the films. The blue sky. The footpaths which no one was walking on. Green grass. Houses and fences and trees.. big roads where everyone drove nicely. And there were so many white people! Taemin had only seen one or two white people in Seoul, and they were usually tourists. Here, they were everywhere!

This was an episode he had seen before, when Tony’s class went to Russia. He felt like them now, all in a foreign country.  He closed his eyes again. He was still so drowsy. His behaviour at the funeral still haunted him and he was sort of glad that he didn’t need to see everyone  again for a long time.

Taemin jumped as a bell sound rang through the house and quickly looked at Taeyeon, who didn’t look worried at all.

“That’s just the doorbell Taemin,” she said, as she went to the door. Taemin watched with huge eyes as the door opened and he heard a deepish voice that definitely belonged to a teenage boy talk to his aunt. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“Taemin, this is Key. He’s our neighbour. He’s a bit older than you,” she told him.

In walked in this person Taeyeon called ‘Key.’ Taemin’s eyes widened as he saw the boy. About the same height as him, with dyed brown hair that was shorter than his. He had eyes that looked like a cat and a smile that seemed to have a sensual side to it. He wore skinny jeans and a t shirt and Doc Martens. Taemin wanted Doc Martens. The boy looked excited and ready to burst.

“Waaah,” Key said, before jabbering away to Taeyeon in English. Taemin looked away. He hated English. He didn’t understand it all.

“Key honey, Taemin doesn’t speak English yet,” said Taeyeon in Korean. Key seemed even more excited at that.

“Annyeong!” Key sang to him in Korean. “My name is Kim Kibum, but call me Key. My mother just made some kimchi for you and asked me to come over to welcome you to America! Let’s be friends!”

Taemin looked warily at Key. He was so happy and enthusiastic, and even before the accident, Taemin had not been a happy and enthusiastic sort of person.

“I’m Taemin.” He stated before staring pleadingly at his aunt to try communicate his unwillingness to continue this. Taeyeon smiled at him and shook her head slightly to show that she wasn’t going to stop it.

Taemin fiddled with his blanket.

“You can come over anytime you want Taemin,” said Key. “I want to get to know you better.”

Taemin stayed silent.

“I’ll make sure he comes over,” said Taeyeon. “He’s just a bit jetlagged at the moment.”                      

“Oh! I’ll leave you to rest then. Bye Taemin, I’ll see you again soon, arrasso?” asked Key who flashed him a big smile.

Taemin shrugged.

Key smiled again. “You are the cutest boy I have ever seen in my life. Bye! Bye Taeyeon.”

Taemin was shocked as Key gave a wave and headed out confidently and Taeyeon giggled and said her goodbye too.

“That’s Key. He’s a nice boy. You should be friends with him sweetheart.”

“He’s so rude,” Taemin whispered.

“Why, what did he do?” asked Taeyeon, leaning forward to try hear Taemin better.

“He.. he said your name,” said Taemin, eyes wide.

“Why is that.. ohh. In America, people don’t really call each other honorifics. He doesn’t have to call me noona and I don’t want him to. I’m not his big sister. He was born here so he doesn’t really understand it anyway.”

“But he has to call you noona!” protested Taemin. “He has to.”

“You’re so cute Taemin!” said Taeyeon, his cheek. “No he doesn’t.”

“He said I was cute,” said Taemin.

Taeyeon laughed. “Why, does that offend you? I’m sure you’ve heard it many times before.”

“Not from a boy.”

Taeyeon smiled. “He’s just excited to meet you. You should visit him tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to.”

“I know you don’t want to, but you should make some friends Taemin.”

Taeyeon let him sleep until noon the next day and made him eat a sandwich. He had rarely eaten sandwiches back home and when he did, it was like an exotic treat.  Taemin had whined the whole time as Taeyeon grabbed his hand and marched over with him to next door. He was trying to tug his hand free, his heart beating in fear when the door opened. A middle aged woman opened the door.

“Oh Taeyeon! And this must be Taemin! I’m Key’s umma.” she exclaimed.

Taemin out of habit bowed.

“Oh my,” said Key’s mother. “I’ve forgotten how polite Koreans can be. Come in Taemin! Key!” she yelled. “Taemin’s here!”

Taemin heard thumping as Key ran down the stairs and beamed at Taemin. “Hi! I’m so glad you’re here!”

“Be nice to him,” said Taeyeon, patting Taemin on the back.

“Of course we will,” said Key’s umma before waving goodbye and shutting the door.

Now he was trapped.

“Want to come to my room?”

Taemin shrugged and let Key grab his hand and guide him upstairs to a room.

Blue walls adorned with paintings and photos. A clean and tidy room, but full of little things that Taemin, if he had been happy, would have been itching to touch and fiddle with.

“This is my room. Come, sit on my bed.”

They both plopped on Key’s bed, and sat there in awkward silence as Taemin rubbed his bandaged hand.

“I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” asked Key, looking worried. “Does it hurt?”

Taemin shook his head.

“So, um.. what sort of music do you like?” asked Key tentatively.

Taemin shrugged.

“Don’t you listen to music?” asked Key. “But you came from Korea. Do you… do you like kpop?” Key seemed to be full of hope for some reason.

Taemin actually didn’t know the word ‘kpop’ so he didn’t say anything.

They sat in silence again.

“Did you bring all your clothes from Korea here?” asked Key.

Taemin shook his head. “Noona says we’ll go shopping soon,” he whispered.

“Noona?” Key tilted his head. “You have a big sister?”

“Taeyeon noona. I have a..had a…had a hyung..” Taemin dropped his head, biting his lip.

Taemin was surprised when he was all of a sudden squeezed by Key. Strong arms were holding him, and he found himself pressed up against Key’s shirt.

“I’m sorry Taemin, Taeyeon told us what happened. I didn’t mean to make you upset.” said Key, hugging him tighter. Taemin didn’t even know he why he was blinking so much until he realised that it was because his eyes were heating up.

Key let go of him and smiled at him warmly. “I have so many clothes it’s insane. You should have some, although you’re so skinny they’ll probably hang off you!”

Taemin shook his head.

“No really, I want you to take them. Please, I’ll be so happy if you do! I won’t take no for answer.”

Taemin watched as Key grabbed a door and swung it open.

Taemin gasped at what he saw. Clothes, clothes clothes, all crammed neatly into the wardrobe. Buckets of folded clothes on the floor.

“Look!” said Key from the other side of the room, next to a dresser and pulling out the drawers all containing neatly folded clothes.

“Look!” said Key at his desk, pulling out drawers again full of clothes.

“And look underneath my bed.”

Taemin looked underneath to see plastic bins full of clothes.

“I think I have a problem. I buy way too many clothes. Plus I don’t try them on, so sometimes they don’t even fit me and I’m too lazy to return them. Here, let me find some for you.”

Taemin really didn’t want to admit it, but.

He really wanted the clothes that Key had just heaped up on the bed for him. They were actually really, really cool. And American branded. That was cool. He wanted them. But he felt so rude. Key had convinced him to try one of the shirts on and he was still wearing it- it was a singlet with weird English writing on it but the design was really nice and Taemin really liked it.

“You like them don’t you?” asked Key with a grin. “You can have them.”

Taemin shook his head. He didn’t want to take them. Okay he did. But that was rude, wasn’t it?

“They’re yours now. I’ll put them in bags for you,” said Key, hopping off the bed. “Wait here and I’ll find some.”

Taemin stared as Key started to quickly fold and put the clothes in assorted large paper bags that were obviously from his regular shopping sprees.

“Are you sure?” asked Taemin hesitantly. “They’re yours.”

“No. They’re yours,” said Key, smiling. “I’m giving them to you.”

“Kamsahamnida hyung,” Taemin said, bowing.

When he came back up, Key had stopped packing, his hands covering his mouth.

“Oh my God. I’ve.. I’ve never been called hyung before! This is the most happiest time of my life!” Key removed his hands and Taemin could see that Key was smiling widely. “You. Are. Adorable!”

Taemin scrunched up his nose. He didn’t like being called adorable by another guy.

“Taemin! Key! I’ve made some food, want to come down and eat it?”

“Neh, umma!” replied Key. “Here, I’ve finished. We’ll take YOUR clothes home when you leave, arrasso?”

Taemin couldn’t keep his eyes off Key’s mother. She had on an apron, and she looked like she was making dinner.

He was sitting at Key’s dining table, eating cookies (he didn’t even know people could make cookies). From the back, Key’s mother sort of looked like.

Taemin’s mother.

They both had the medium bob hair, the apron, and the build. His umma used to cut vegetables on the chopping board like that. Taemin knew that when his mother was cooking, it meant his father would be home soon from work and Taesun would come back from college soon. The smells of soup, kimchi and rice assaulted him and it reminded him of home. The radio was on at a Korean station, and some men were discussing politics. Taemin would then turn on the TV and watch something and tell his umma about the gossip and his day and pretty much spill his guts while his mother laughed.

“Taemin, are you okay?” a voice broke through his thoughts and he looked at Key.

Taemin looked back at Key’s mother. She really looked like Taemin’s mother, sort of. Maybe if she turned around it would magically be his umma. And then she would tell him that this was a joke, and then Taesun and his appa would pop out and surprise him, and then they would have a vacation in Boston and then fly back home and do everything that they normally did.

Key’s umma turned around to look at him worriedly and Taemin choked. This was definitely not his umma. It didn’t even look like his umma at all. She looked like Key. His little fantasy was just that. He would never go home again or see his umma again.

“Taemin, are you okay?” repeated Key.

“Sweetheart, you’re looking a bit pale. Are you still tired?” asked Key’s mother.

Taemin didn’t answer, opting to look at his hands.

“Taemin?”

Key’s mother went to his side. “What’s wrong?”

Taemin remained silent.

“It’s okay Taemin, I know it’s hard,” said Key’s mother, reaching for him and giving him a hug.

Only to be pushed away.

“I don’t want Key’s umma! I want MY umma!” he cried, not realising tears were dripping off his face. He jumped up and ran for the door, yanking it open and running across the yard to Taeyeon’s house before opening the door and flying into the living room.

“Taemin what’s wrong?” said Taeyeon, standing from where she was reading a magazine. “Oh baby, what happened? Oh baby..”

Taemin let Taeyeon guide him to the couch and continued to cry as he sat down and Taeyeon hugged him. “I don’t want Key’s umma I want MY umma, “he kept repeating, trying to tell Taeyeon that he wanted his own umma, not someone elses.  He only wanted his own umma and only his umma. He wanted his own hyung, not Key hyung. And he wanted his own friends. Not Key.

He had never felt so alone in his life.

A/N WHY did I set in a country I've never been to before? WHY did I make them not in SHINee? I just made this too complicated. I hope I can pull it off! And wouldn't it be fabulous to have a girl friend like Key who had the exact same/better style who would give you free clothes HAPPILY and REGULARLY. Oh dear a girl can dream haha!Oh and Skins was my favouritest show EVER because of Nick Hoult before I even knew about SHINee. It only makes it even better that Taemin loves Skins too. Haha he likes the sister of the character I liked! That girl Ka-ya-Sco-do-la-rio is pretty hot though, I have to admit.

Onew, Minho and Jonghyun will come in soon! Thanks for reading, and tell me what you think! :D