A couple days later

It was 10 O'clock when Minho finally released Taemin for the day. Well, actually, it was Kibum who forced him to do so by putting the man in a headlock. Taemin whined as he launched himself face first into his bed with an "oof" coming from his throat. The boy kicked the air as if he were being attacked by a pack of wild dogs and flailed around like that until his chest became heavy. Barely able to breathe, he reached into the pocket of his black skinny jeans (Kibum made an exception for him to wear jeans, because he felt uncomfortable in uniform slacks) and pulled out his phone in search for a number and voice to keep him sane.

"Hello? Hyung?" The man on the other line said with a sound of relief and fatigue. "You haven't called me since the day you moved in! How are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Kai, I've been busy. Like, really busy." Taemin sighed as he crawled to switch his position to kick his feet on the thousands of pillows piled up against the headboard. "Do you want the lie, or the truth?" He asked .

"The lie, please." Jongin answered. That was the choice he picked whenever Taemin asked that question. It was more work for his brain to reverse the words to it's actual meanings, but he didn't like hearing about bad happenings. He knows something is wrong when Taemin calls him up out of breath.

"I'm having so much fun swabbing the poop deck all by myself! Minho doesn't assign too much work so it's pretty easy around here. But the best part is, is that my co-workers get to sit back the last couple days, watching me clean!" Taemin exclaimed with fake enthusiasm. The man on the other line stayed quiet, for a moment.

"Sounds like fun over there. Minho's such a peach, isn't he?" Jongin said sarcastically. Taemin just scoffed at that, eliminating his 'cheery' nature from earlier, causing the younger to laugh. "I know what answer I'm going to get from this, but, are you going to quit since he's giving you such a hard time?" He then asked, the tired tone in his voice had faded away by now.

"I don't even see why you ask in the first place." Taemin laughed, "I would if I could find another job that offered the same bonuses, but minus the idol. Yah, and don't say anything about me working for Minho, or that he's rude and stuff. "

"Why, are you going to get in trouble? Or did they dress you in drag and are using blackmail as a weapon?" Jongin guessed out of the blue. It was plain to hear that he had gotten it exactly right, when Taemin's mouth hung open without a word.

The line became quiet, and nothing was heard at all, before Jongin began again with suppressed giggles. "You," he started, "can't be serious. Did I just guess correctly?"

Taemin squished a single pillow between his feet and flung it next to his head, looking like a scorpion in the process. When the pillow was delivered, Taemin immediately stuffed his face on the surface of the satin and screamed insults about the man he once adored wholeheartedly, hoping that maybe there was some way that he would overhear.

"Oh my god," Jongin bursted out so loud that Taemin dropped his cell phone and resumed with his angry rave. "this is too good!" said the younger who was imagining his friend dressed as a woman. 

At first it was straight out hilarious, but then he realized that Taemin looked too much like a girl for it to really be a joke. The laughter and curse words died down quickly on both ends of the phone and it was Taemin who was first to say something this time. "He's wearing me out like a five year old in school wears out an eraser." Taemin whined into the receiver.

"Well have you danced to relieve stress lately?" Jongin asked curiously. He remembered how back in Osaka, they used to have freestyle sessions frequently when they had troubles in life.

"Do you think I have enough energy or time to do that?" Taemin snapped. It was like Jongin hadn't even heard him when he said Minho was wearing him down. Of course that meant he was tired by the end of the day.

"Woah there, calm down now. Didn't you tell me that they had a dance studio over there? I think it's a good idea to use it; and soon." Jongin said, startled at his friend's hostile tone. Taemin inhaled deeply, and exhaled it all out as if to release the demon that had just possessed him and said, "Sorry Jongin, I haven't. The first day I'm released at a reasonable time I will, and I'm looking forward to it."

"You should settle for an alternative. Like," Jongin conjured up all of the things he knew Taemin loved to do, and came up with only one thing besides Minho. But it included the man in it, "listening to music?" He suggested.

Taemin thought about it for a minute, and ended up laughing. "I pretty much have only Choi Minho songs, you know. I just need him to stay out of my dreams, and I might come out from my sleep sane. Besides him, I have dance music on my iPod. If I were to play those while trying to fall asleep, I'd be up until sunrise laying there like a log."

"Just imagine him as an angel or something majestic and innocent to at least drag you into a calming sleep. That's all I can think of that could help you in any way; sorry." Jongin apologized with sincerity. Even if the predicament his friend is in is comedic, he really felt bad for Taemin. What he's gone through to get away from his dad and what he has in his future to overcome. Right now, it seems like the horrible situations never stop coming.

"I guess it's worth a shot, but I don't know how far into 'dream land' I can get before the songs drive me into making murder plans." Taemin laughed.

"Get some sleep before you wake up looking like a zombie."

"I was planning on it. With this face? Not going to let that happen."

Their goodbyes were short, and within the next five minutes, Taemin's teeth were brushed and body clothed with an old T-shirt and pair of sweats. The young man jumped up onto the plush bedding and burrowed himself underneath a couple layers of blankets thinking, Man, they like keeping it chilly in this place. Keeping himself from falling over the side of the bed, Taemin flattened his hand on his side table and pulled open the drawer which held some important belongings like his music player. He grabbed the device and placed it next to him as he switched the light off.

Adjusting his head onto the biggest pillow provided, Taemin then unraveled the headphones blindly and stuck a random bud in his ear. It didn't matter to him if they were in the correct placement; they fit both ways and will fall out during his sleep no matter what. Using his thumb, Taemin slid the lock button from left to right on the screen and quickly selected the icon of a music note. He looked through his list of songs with his cheeks full of air and switching them from side, contemplating on if he should really do it. If there was one place he wished Minho would never be able to invade, it was his dreams.

After a minute of deciding passed, his eyelids grew heavy and were ready to drop any minute now. Whatever, I don't usually dream about people I know. He thought as he observed the library of Choi Minho songs and touched the 'shuffle' button. The first song that came on, was his favorite. I haven't heard this in a while. Taemin thought as he set the player down next to his side and once again fidgeted with his surroundings. In little to no time, the man was off on his imaginary journey.

~~~~~

The last thing Taemin recalls was being pulled by the hand through what seemed like a never ending atmosphere of dark clouds by an angel in a solid, pure white suit. Suddenly the clouds came to a stop, and Taemin and the dark haired angel were engulfed by nothing but rays of sunshine. In the distance, a floating estate came up almost too fast, but Taemin managed to land with the angel. Upon their feet hitting the ground, the first thing the other man, or mythical creature, did was embrace him in a tight hug saying, "You're home."

Taemin remembers crying tears of joy and giggling. After, the angel pulled away to show Minho's face. But, something was different about it. No, not in some plastic surgery way or anything like that. There was a different look in his eyes. It was the smile plastered on his face instead of that scowl or cocky smirk.

He opened his mouth, but when he did, it wasn't his voice. And why would he be screaming for him to wake up? And where are those banging sounds coming from?

"Taemin-ah? Taemin-ah! Hello, are you even in there?" A loud voice called from the outside of Taemin's door. The groggy boy lifted his head to the sound and turned towards the window which was illuminating his whole room with a bright light. Putting these hints together, it could only mean one thing: Taemin slept in on the job. When the news hit him, Taemin bolted straight up from his bed and ripped the sheets clean off his body, rushing for the door and flinging it open.

The door swung open instantly with the amount of adrenaline pumping in his veins, Jonghyun stood there leaning into his room. "Taemin, you slept in for two hours! It's an hour until noon! We were going to let you sleep in, until Minho noticed that your presence wasn't there." He said as he watched the younger frantically pick up his uniform for the day.

"! You guys should have just woken me up!" Taemin raised his voice as his shirt was stripped, revealing light tracings of abs. "Is Key or Onew-hyung mad?" he asked, motioning for Jonghyun to either come in or shut the door and stay outside.

Jonghyun went with the first option and stepped inside while closing the door behind him. "No, I think they favor you. That happened to me one time, and Onew-hyung threw a fit. But Kibum didn't." Jonghyun said with a smile. Taemin looked at the man with a grin as he stepped out of his baggy pants and traded them for the skin-clinging material.

"Do you like him back?" Taemin asked innocently as he now was in the process of wrapping his bowtie around his neck.

"He's adorable, but I want to be able to hold a conversation with him for more than ten seconds." Jonghyun laughed as he held the door open for Taemin. 

"Minho said he's waiting in the kitchen for you; have fun." He said as he headed upstairs. Probably for that daily meeting he wishes he was let in on.

"Right, thanks." Taemin said as he headed the opposite way to use the restroom. A little bit later, he finished brushing his teeth and jogged out the door when he heard Minho calling for him. , I forgot to use the toilet. Damn it! He thought as he pulled up his pants by the belt loop. 

Remembering Jonghyun's words, Taemin arrived in the kitchen without being greeted by the usual intoxicating smells of world gourmet food. I thought this was around the time that they started cooking for lunch? He thought to himself as he looked around for any figure other than Minho's. When it was confirmed that they were the only two in the room, Taemin leaned up against a counter across from where the other was standing.

"What." Taemin said flatly.

"Is that the only greeting you know? How about a, 'Hello master, good morning. I'm sorry for being so careless as to sleep in.' from you?" Minho said in a high pitched voice, fluttering his eyelashes along with it.

"First of all, how about no. Second of all, I do not do that." Taemin referred to Minho's imitation with much attitude incorporated in his tone.

"Say it. Remember the pictu-"

"Hello master, good morning. I'm sorry for being so careless as to sleep in." Taemin mouthed as quick as a flash.

"Good. Now I called you in here to punish you." He said and kicked a bucket of soapy water from behind him into view. "Clean the floors with this." Minho said holding up a new blue and white toothbrush, and dropping it into the bucket with a ploop sound. "Finish quickly, because you're also going to do all of the bathrooms in the house."

Taemin eyed the man, and then the bucket, then back up to the man. "You've got to be kidding me." He said standing up straight now.

"As you can see, the chefs aren't working right now- in here. I convinced them to barbeque beef, pork, and chicken for everybody to share. That is, excluding you, since you'll be busy at work. And just to make sure you don't fall back to sleep while working, I'll be supervising you."

Taemin stood there with his mouth open incredulously, staring so hard at the mans face he wished that he could burn a hole through him. That would be the end of that, and he wouldn't be bossed around anymore. But on the other hand, he'd be a murder who killed one of the people he admired most. Well, used to admire most.

"What're you doing? Trying to catch lunch like that? If you're hungry, I suggest getting to work right now, and you might make it for the leftover scraps and bones." Minho said kicking the bucket right by Taemin's feet. The younger looked down in disgust, knowing that he's going to have to do this. There won't be a way out. Reluctantly, he squatted next to the bucket and began scrubbing the tiles. 

30 minutes passed, and Taemin was barely done with half of the kitchen. Not because it was ridiculously big like other rooms, but because Minho kept commenting and complaining about his work. Saying that he 'missed a spot' or, 'the tile isn't white enough.' All that Taemin could think was What the actual .

A little bit later, one of the chefs had come in with a full course and variety of foods on a tray and set it down for Minho. Something unexpected happened though. He said thank you in a merry way. The two words and smile made the stout man with a mustache jump and leave immediately. Taemin did the same, except for the leaving part.

A minute later, Taemin begged his bladder to hold on a bit longer. But it was hard to when Minho was purposely slurping up his glass of sparking water obnoxiously with a straw. Taemin's head was spinning when Minho finished the drink and he couldn't take it anymore.

"Minho, please let me go to the bathroom!" He pleaded sitting on his haunches. Minho looked up and touched his finger to his chin like he was thinking. "Uh, how about no." He used Taemins's words earlier on against him.

"I'll piss on your damn floor!"

"Go ahead, that's just another thing for you to clean."

Taemin bit his lip and mumbled something under his breath when Kibum came in. "Minho, your mother just called in and said her business trip would be cutting short. She doesn't have an exact date- Oh, good to finally see you awake Taemin!" He said happily, and shot Taemin a quick grin before switching his whole attitude for Minho. "You're horrible." He then said with the corners of his lips tugged down.

Minho ignored the insult. "Damn, I hate her. Can't you just send her away somewhere else for another couple of months?" Minho said wiping his fingers clean with a moist towelette. What he said made Taemin freeze mid-scrub, appalled. He stayed that way as Minho and Key continued on with their conversation.

"Seriously? Just stop. She's one of the kindest people out there. You just piss her off so much that it seems like she's mad all the time." Kibum said like this topic was over-discussed.

"I don't care, she should stop being such a ."

. ? Did he just say.... ?

Taemin threw the cleaning utensil with huge force against the wall in front of him, causing it to smash. The younger looked at Minho with such a fiery gaze that gave the older goose bumps.

"What the  did you just call your own mother?" He said cupping his ear, just to clarify. Even though he already knew exactly what he said.

Minho remained quiet with some sort of a puzzled face crossed with shock from the sudden outburst. The question went unanswered as Taemin stood up from his knees and picked the bucket up from his handle and slowly made his way toward Minho.

By the time he got to the man, both doors leading into the kitchen were filled with familiar faces staring. Taemin dropped the bucket from his hip, making it tip and spill all over Minho's shoes.

"What do you think you're doing-" 

"You ing listen here you ungrateful little of a son!" Taemin yelled and poked the center of Minho's chest, hard enough for Minho to back into the counter he was just dining at. "Don't you ever talk about your own mother like that! She gave birth to you, and how dare you say bad things behind her back! How dare you, when she gave you life and raised you?! I bet you’d be nothing without her care. You wouldn't be where you are today without her undying love and support." He screamed right in Minho's face.

"You're a ing . No, you're worse. I could look up the most nastiest adjective ever used, and it would never be able to describe you." Taemin said walking backwards to the door closest to the foyer. Just as he was about to push through the door, Taemin said one last thing. "It would have been better for her if she hadn't even had to deal with you. You never know exactly what you have until it's gone forever." With tears threatening to mess up his cold glare, Taemin disappeared from the kitchen; disappeared from the whole estate.

Quietly, the workers left their spots in the doorway, whispering things to each other. Jonghyun rushed in to quickly wrap an arm around the stunned Kibum's waist and managed to drag him out of the kitchen, leaving Minho to himself. The man stood there like a statue, until a mix of guilt and rage swirled through his body. Minho stomped across the wet tiles and followed Taemin out the door thinking about his last words and what they could possibly mean.

You never know exactly what you have, until it's gone forever.

A/N: Minho, how dare you disrespect your mother like this?! Not okay! And especially not okay for Taemin. Poor baby! T~T I hope this chapter totally made up for the last crappy one, because I feel like it was redeemed! I'm actually very satisfied with this, and I hope I pleased you all! Until next chapter!
                Annyeonhigaseyo!~ Queen S