The short ten minute walk it took for Taemin to arrive at the front gate of the mansion was enough time for the scorching flames of his anger to extinguish itself with the promise he made to himself: never let Taesun see him upset. Taemin entered the pattern of digits that have been branded into his mind, into the keypad with his pointer finger and waited for the metal bars to roll aside and out of his way. As the thick, black, vertical bars smoothly glided past his feet, Taemin then started up the stone-pasted driveway.

Ahead of him, he could see his brother's car parked between the mansion's front steps and the fountain. It doesn't take that long to get papers from Mrs. Choi, or whatever. I wonder what excuse he made since I wasn't there when he arrive, he thought with an expressionless face. As Taemin neared the quietly gurgling water spouts in the center of the round-a-bout, the numbness that rendered the sense of touch in his right hand had ultimately subsided. The young man left his heel floating mid-air as he paused to take a moment to examine his self-inflicted wounds.

Observing the multiple, bright red scratches and burning cuts, Taemin couldn't help but wish that the numbness would have stayed; or at least wished he had a couple pain killers on him. The trainee hissed through clenched teeth, as he ran the tips of his fingers over the sensitive damage that were barely leaking now, and beginning to scab over. Hoping that a good shake would reduce his state of hurt, he thrashed his hand about like a merciless predator would its prey. The only results Taemin got out of it, was putting himself in more agony, and coating his face in a rain shower of blood.

"Ah- !" His fury compressed into a small, whisper-like voice as to not draw any attention. Luckily, not a single drop of the crimson liquid met the man's lips, but just as a precaution, Taemin used the sleeve of his coat to wipe the pink-tinted surface. Although he's an emotionally hardened person towards ignorant figures    the type to speak his mind, and stir up trouble for his own amusement, you'd think the tiniest touch of blood to the tongue wouldn't affect him.

Wrong.

He hates the taste of the iron and even cringes at the thought of tasting it again; most of the reason coming from the day he was beaten like a punching bag by the jocks. Looking at blood wasn't as big as a problem as tasting it was. Just the smallest tear on the inside of his cheek, and he'll refuse to take a towel out of his mouth until hours later to ensure the cut has been sealed. But the smell, too... was like inhaling the scent of death. It made him weak, dizzy, nauseous. Makes him knock out cold at the snap your fingers. It brings him back behind the farthest building on campus, lying face-down in the wide-spreading pool of bodily fluid; body aching with even the simplest twitch of an eye.

Just another reason to hate Taesun.

Damn it! Why me? The peeved man grimaced at his hand that had a fresh, steady flow down his middle finger. ing gross. I need to get cleaned before anybody sees me. Turning immediately to the fountain next to him, he looked over the edge of the rim to find himself staring back at another man with a face spotted like a dog's. He wondered if the fountain was sanitary, but it doesn't really make a difference. Walking in with a face sprayed like that? Wouldn't really blame his friends if they called the police for murder or something.

Not having a choice, Taemin propped a knee up on the edge of the sand colored cinder blocks, curved his back, and closely examined the waters for any algae or bugs. Especially for the bugs. After a full minute, he realized that he shouldn't be wasting precious time; considering the fact that he watches the same maintenance man filter out the water every single day. Then, he finally came to an conclusion. I'll just wash my face and not my hand. I don't want to take the chance of it getting infected.

Using his right elbow to balance himself out, Taemin used his other hand to slosh arctic water over his face. Upon touch, chills ran through the young man's body. Rubbing away at every pore, completely focused in his own business, his mind had barely registered the slamming of a car door in the distance.

"So you did cry. I actually expected you to tough it out; I assumed wrong, then." Somebody unexpectedly voiced.. "I thought your hate was enough to withstand my harsh words. You really are, the same little brother of mine. Give up the punk attitude; it doesn't suit you at all."

The sound of his brother's voice forced Taemin's eyes to mimic those of a goldfish. My hand, was the first thing that popped into his conscience. Stealthily, without any sudden movement, Taemin gently tucked his hand away into his coat's pocket; all the while thinking of the stains he'd have to scrub out later. One clean sweep from the forehead down to his chin mopped away relatively all of the droplets as Taemin glanced at Taesun with an annoyed expression. "Yeah, you assumed wrong, twice; I wasn't crying."

"Really? For what other reason could you possibly be washing your face out here for? Knowing you, you wouldn't dare to take the embarrassment of walking inside with a face as flushed as a cherry's and eyes swollen into puffs." Taesun smirked. Well, he has sort of a point there. What else could be played as an acceptable excuse for cleansing yourself outside, when there is a perfectly private and comfortable bathroom    no, bathrooms    inside of the mansion.

Taemin found himself holding back from denying the supposition once more, to protect the case of his not-so-great-looking hand that was being stowed away for the time being. In a way, giving Taesun the happiness of 'making his younger brother cry' would be let go only this once. Taemin swore never to appear upset in front of him, and in all technicalities, this doesn't count against that promise to himself since it never really happened. Clearing his voice, the younger one started off with the real question here. "How come you're still here? Why aren't you inside?"

The lawyer also projected a face of annoyance, "I stayed to pick daisies with the gardener, Taemin. That's why I'm still here." He finished sarcastically. Taemin rolled his eyes and ended up stuffing both of his pockets. "Of course I was waiting for you, but I fell asleep for a couple minutes," Taesun pulled back a sleeve to unveil time ticking away second by second, "took you a while, too."
"I like to    enjoy nature when I take walks," Taemin smiled on the inside. "You should have went inside before me."

"And what, lie about your whereabouts? 'Oh, he's in the car still' and within the next ten minutes of you getting here, Mrs. Choi probably would have released some of her servants to come find you. I'm not going to jeopardize my job with your stupid 'enjoying nature' walks." Taesun barked. Nothing ignites this side of him more than ignorant people. It amazes him how little common sense some people portray. "She expects us back, together. So I'm obviously still here because of you." He took a breath to fill his lungs and continued, "Now, let's get going then."

Heavy tapping from each step they took never matched up, thanks to Taemin. He's so stubborn, that he even refuses to step in sync with his brother. Finally reaching the door after climbing the mile-long set of stairs, Taesun knocked on the door. As they stood waiting for the approaching figure in the window    who Taemin predicts is Jinki    Taesun said eagerly, "I'm looking forward to meeting your girl, Tae,"

Oh. That's right. "M-My girl... Yeah. She's a beauty. Don't even try to steal her away from me, because we are head over heels for each other." Taemin squeezed in right before the head butler greeted the two of them cheerfully. "Ah, there you guys are. Mrs. Choi started to panic and called both of your phones without an answer. She was about ready to send out a search team," Jinki laughed as he stepped aside, "Better get in here, then." 

"Great to see you Jinks," The pet name Taesun gave out was plainly distasteful for the butler who held an awkward string of chuckles in the air. Taemin followed in after his brother and made a barely audible gagging noise as he passed the older worker. 

One out of many reasons that Taemin holds Jinki as a close friend is that they both have a similar taste in humor. The coworkers giggled, having a mutual understanding of the joke without having to speak at all. As soon as Taesun flipped around to find out about the sudden laughs, the butlers quieted down. Jinki coughed lightly into a fist and then began to instruct the lawyer where to go.

"Mr. Lee, the mistress is awaiting for you in her office upstairs. Please remember to knock first."

With a courteous nod, Taesun started for the stairs. "When I come back down, Tae, introduce me to her, got it?" He turned back to flash a quick smile and in an instant, he was gone.

"Wow, you've already been named in the short amount of hours that he's known you? I guess that beats my record." The older man hung an arm around Taemin's shoulders and leaned on him. "Congratulations in being signed!" He placed a lightning-fast peck on the trainee's cheek. The younger man laughed and rubbed the spot with the back of his hand laughing, "Minho and Kai wouldn't approve of this, hyung."

"And I won't either!  Get off the poor boy, you cheater!" Kibum called out from the right hallway. "You're lucky Minho can't take calls at the moment, and that Jongin is busy running errands." The manager swept Jinki's arm clean off of Taemin and replaced it with his own. "I'm so happy for you! I'm definitely going to like managing you, better than the - I mean Minho." Key corrected himself, causing much laughter amongst the three.

"Thank you both so much. How did you guys know? Or at least Jinki." Taemin questioned. Key and Onew looked at each other and smiled. Without a single word, they seemed to know exactly what to do. At first, Taemin was confused. Why was Jinki locking Key out of the mansion, just to let him back in-

"Omo!" Kibum- who was playing as Mrs. Choi- exclaimed as he clasped his hands together, "Such a good day!"

Jinki- playing himself and filling Key's role- asked her why, curiously. "When Taemin comes home, congratulate him! I will make him into a star! That cutie will make it big at Hallyu! My son and son-in-law will take over the company~"

The short play included a tight embraces and a whole lot of skipping and twirling merrily until Kibum complained that the room wouldn't stop spinning. "Oh my god," Taemin crowed from behind the back of his hand, "Did she really? She's so energetic for her age!" Son-in-law? I really really like her now.

"She adores you, and one-hundred-percent approves of you and Minho being together." The motherly figure stated as he crossed his arms with a grin. "By the way, who did you arrive with?"

"My brother." Taemin sighed to relieve himself of the aftermath of giggles.

Jinki looked at him quizzically, "Brother? What're you talking about, you came with Taesun!" The foyer was inhabited by silence except for the occasional sentences being screamed on the television in the living room.

"Taesun is my brother." 

The gasps and high amounts of sympathetic things that came from the other too shocked Taemin. Greatly.

"You guys don't like him either?"

"Either? So we're on the same page then.  There's a list of things why us and the rest if the staff don't like him. But what about you? You're the one related to him. How come you aren't close?" The butler wondered aloud.

A lot of things? We really are on the same page then. Mindlessly, the young man started slide his forefinger and thumb together as he thought. Why did his fingers feel so pruney, though?

"Same here and because-" Taemin's mouth dropped when he realized there was something he was forgetting to take care of.

"I-I'll tell you guys later. Hyung," he turned to Key, "where is the nearest first aid box?" Kibum saw the nervous bob of the boy's Adams Apple and didn't question him at all. Instead, they parted from the disappointed Jinki and ended up in the bathroom near Key's office. Taemin thanked Key and promised to tell him about details concerning Taesun and his bleeding hand later.

"Don't take so long, because today we have to go and pick up your college schedule."

After cleansing his hand and wrapping it properly with a white wrap, Taemin stopped by Kibum's office to ask when they could pick up the schedule.

"We can go now, if you want." He said without taking his eyes away from the computer screen in front of him. "I'm not doing anything important at the moment, so you can just let me know when you're ready-"

"I'm ready now," Taemin butted in.

This was where he could break off the lie. If they move fast enough, Taemin could leave the premises and stay out long enough for Taesun to be gone by the time they arrive back. Plan Prevent Further Lies was now in operation. All Taemin needed now, was the partner and most important part of this, to cooperate without knowing what he's a part of.

Taemin could see that Kibum was becoming skeptical by his raised eyebrows. "I-uh, am just excited for college. It should be fun, right? I want to know what classes I'm going to be in, sorry." He apologized, hoping it would wipe away any concern. After a while, Taemin became fidgety with the way that Key's intimidating stare was searing holes right through him, until the manager agreed to going.

"Give me five minutes to get my things together." He said.

A breath of relief winded from the younger as he thanked Key and started his route to the garage. The garage where you had to pass through the foyer and living room to get to. And who decides to descend the stairs at the moment Taemin barely makes it into the lobby? The one and the only Lee Taesun who has already spotted his younger brother.

Fantastic..

"Waiting for me? How sweet." Taesun looked around and behind the shorter man to look for the female, but found only a butler carrying a laundry basket passing by. "Where is she?"

"I don't know where Hyoyeon is." Taemin replied honestly.

"Hyoyeon?" A voice from behind repeated. Oh god, don't you even J-

"She's in the living room with Yuri. They're taking their break at the moment." He finished. Taemin mentally punched himself and Jonghyun in the face.

"Oh, thank you so much!" Taesun smiled, "Such a help. Well, what are you waiting for? Lead me to her, Tae." Reluctantly, Taemin dragged himself slowly while sending a telepathic message to Jonghyun saying "I will sick your own boyfriend on you later. You will be sorry for this."

Entering the room, Taemin first noticed Yoona who was sitting in an armchair in the corner of the room making peace signs and pouty faces. At first he thought she was crazy, until he noticed that she was clutching her phone. Girls and their selcas, he thought while spotting Hyoyeon next. Comfortably lying down on a couch and watching an intense drama in the tv.

"Oh, Taemin! I haven't seen you all day, where were you?" Hyoyeon exchanged her solemn expression for a smile as soon as a commercial came on.

"Hey, Hyoyeon. What's up?" Taemin asked casually with his hands in his pant pockets.

"Nothing, really. I'm just watching this drama, and Yoona is doing whatever." She replied. The conversation fell flat and dead right after. 

Taesun cleared his throat. "So she's who you're dating?"

Immediately, both women snapped their heads up from what they were doing to stare at man, wondering who he is, and if they had heard right. Yoona stopped modeling for the camera and fiddled with her touch screen. Taemin sent a whole spasm of secret winks to Hyoyeon, making sure she knew to follow along. She understood.

"Who are you to get into our love life?" She asked the unfamiliar man. 

"Babe, this is my brother, Taesun," Taemin crossed the room to Hyoyeon and faked a kiss on the crown of her head, "Taesun, this is Hyoyeon. She's my girlfriend."

Yoona bit her bottom lip as she smirked. Well, well. Look at this. I probably wouldn't have been fast enough to record this if my camera wasn’t already on. Thank god for making me such a camera .

With this information, Yoona, could tell that things were going to become very lively.