“I can’t believe that you’re here.” Key said, wrapping one arm around Taemin’s shoulders as they left class when the bell rang. “Here I thought you’d be on the other side of town and I was going to have to use all my resources to track you down.”

Jonghyun snorted, shaking his head to get the hair that had flopped down out of his eyes. “He’s not kidding.” He began noticing the sceptical look on Taemin’s face. “All I’ve heard about since I got back here last night was Tay this and Tay that. It’s quite annoying to tell the truth.” The smirk on his face said otherwise. 

Jonghyun moved ahead of Taemin and Key, shifting them in the direction that the crowd was moving. “The one day that we don’t go to the cafeteria for lunch.” Key shot him a look that Taemin barely caught and he was smart enough not to question it.

“What?” Jonghyun clearly saw it though and a cocky grin appeared on his face. “Key often helps with my… oral practice.” 

Key glared, a light flush appearing on his neck. “You’re gross.”

Taemin wasn’t quite sure what they were hinting at, it sounded as though Jonghyun was making a ual innuendo but that couldn’t be it. His mind circled around an unlikely conclusion, it wasn’t very convincing that on his first day here he would meet with not one but two boys that had a similar style to his. 

Although there was the business of the marriage pack, Key wasn’t exactly a common name Taemin figured, which meant that these two had to be the two Amber and Sulli were talking about earlier. 

Holding onto Taemin tightly, the two boys walked through the halls. “Where is your next class?” Key asked, unconsciously moving his fingers in a circular pattern on Taemin’s arm.

“Music.” Taemin informed him, he was quite looking forward to that class. “I read that I can pick what instrument I can learn?”

“Yep.” Jonghyun grinned, looking over his shoulder and then taking a step back to wrap his arm around Taemin’s waist, sandwiching the tiny younger in-between the two older boys. “I’m taking guitar, base and vocals. Key does vocals too.”

Key rolled his eyes at Jonghyun’s grabby hands as the eldest fingers brush Key’s hip. “What instrument did you play in America?”

Taemin felt his face flush, “I didn’t actually play one. I mean, not really. There was always a piano someone at the schools I went to and I took out books to try and teach myself, but I’m not very good.” 

“Well teacher Choi is fantastic and you’re going to love him.” Jonghyun gushed as they stopped in front of the music practice room. 

“Jonghyun is half in love with him.” Key teased, releasing Taemin and poking Jonghyun’s nose. 

“Am not!” Jonghyun protested, his own arm whipping from Taemin’s waist to Key’s and pulling his taller but younger friend into his arms. He muttered something into Key’s neck that Taemin didn’t catch. Whatever it was caused Key to flush deeply, his cheeks bright red but he never protested. 

Confused at the display of affection, Taemin muttered a goodbye and managed to walk a single step before his friends noticed. 

“Hey!”Jonghyun shouted. “Nice try new little buddy.”

“Don’t try and run away without a proper goodbye.” Key scolded before breaking away from Jonghyun to hug Taemin. “Come to the cafeteria after your last class and we’ll have an early dinner together.”

Taemin agreed, a smile plastered on his face that he didn’t want to hide. It made Key squeal and rub Taemin’s cheeks. “Oh my son is so cute!”

Taemin still didn’t understand the ‘my son’ concept but with the bell ringing again saying they were about to be late for class, he didn’t have time to question it. “Okay.” He agreed simply. “I’ll see you later then.”

He pulled out of Key’s grasp, wincing at the feeling rushing back into his cheeks. Jonghyun swept in for his own hug and then grabbed Key’s arm and dashed off, Key complaining about the run every step of the way until they were around the corner and Taemin couldn’t hear them any more. 

As he walked into the class, Taemin couldn’t help but wonder if all Korean’s were as outgoing and excitable as Key, Jonghyun, Sulli and Amber. He didn’t really know his roommate that well, but Minho seemed to be the exception rather than the rule at this point. 

A long two hours later, Taemin’s fingers were sore from practicing scales. Teacher Choi had wanted Taemin to show his skills to determine where the teen would need to begin lessons. The teacher had been highly impressed and pleased to see that Taemin was clearly a natural. He wasn’t as smooth at transitioning between the notes and needed to practice more, but the teacher figured with enough time, the boy would become a piano star. 

Sulli laughed at Taemin as he cracked his knuckles and stretched his fingers. “Choi likes to make us practice scales a lot in the beginning. The foundation is the most important part.” She deepened her voice to emulate their teacher. 

“I don’t mind.” Taemin said. “I think its fun. Its just nice to actually be allowed and encouraged to play.” 

Sulli gave him a sad look but Taemin shook his head. “Let’s go get something to eat.” He said. “I’m starving and I’m sure you are too.”

Sulli nodded. “So hungry.” She linked arms with Taemin and set off with a bounce in her step. 

As the walked closer to the cafeteria, Taemin could hear the loud ruckus of students eating and chatting when he realized his promise to Key. “Oh, I’m suppose to meet another friend to eat.” His voice was sheepish as he turned to look at Sulli.”

“Who?” She asked, confusion evident on her face as she tried to figure out who he would have made friends with so quickly again. 

“Who what?” Amber said as she slinked up to them. 

“Taemin made another friend.” Sulli grinned. “But you’re not allowed to replace us.”

“Never.” Taemin grinned.

“So who?”

“Key and Jonghyun.” Taemin said remembering that the girls knew the older teens. 

Amber burst out laughing. “Of course it's those two.”

Sulli grinned. “Taemin and I will grab a table, you should go and find those two and tell them we have Taemin hostage.” 

Amber rolled her eyes but ran off, she knew that the other two had class across the school and she’d have just enough time to intercept them before they made it too far. 

Holding Taemin’s hand, Sulli tugged Taemin over to an empty table as she scanned the cafeteria. Waving hello to a few friends and declining a seat, they finally sat in the almost exact middle of the room. 

It felt as if everyone in the school was gathered in the cafeteria. Taemin felt his heart race as he unconsciously began looking out for Yunho. He hoped that the older boy wouldn’t mess with him while Sulli was sitting right there but he had a funny feeling that it didn’t matter one way or another. 

“Shouldn’t we go grab food?” Taemin asked, confused. 

“Nah, we’ll wait for the guys and make them go and get it. What’s the use in having guy friends if you can’t make them wait in line for you.”

Taemin wasn’t sure just how much she was joking, but he also didn’t want to ask. 

“There he is!” Key’s voice rang out over the din and Taemin looked up to see him practically dancing through the tables to get to the table. “Amber said she was holding you hostage.”

Taemin smiled. “The girls can be very persuasive.” He waved back to Jonghyun when the older waved before getting into the food line. Amber followed him, chattering away as they grabbed trays. 

“I really should go get mine.” Taemin began before getting cut off by Sulli. 

“Jonghyun’s got it.”

“But my meal…” he bit his lip. Key already knew in part about his special scholarship and Sulli knew about his meal allowance but he wasn’t sure how to bring it up again. 

Sulli rolled her eyes. “The guys have an unlimited food plan, they can get whatever they want and there isn’t a stupid limit on it and it isn’t a designated meal. Tonight’s meal is rice and tofu, which is good but honestly the other stuff on the line is better.” 

“Jonghyun will just fill up a couple trays and we’ll share.” Key said, patting Taemin’s hand. “Dry, unseasoned tofu and stale rice is not food. It’s a jail sentence.” He looked disgusted at the thought. 

“If you’re sure, honestly I’m happy with anything.” Taemin said, thinking back to the meals of cheese sandwiches where he had to scrape mold off the cheese before he could eat it. The school lunches that consisted of mystery ‘meat’ and half cooked French fries. 

“Which is wrong and we are going to seriously fix that.” Key said. “I bet you haven’t had much authentic Korean food have you?”

Taemin shook his head, he’d barely had authentic American food. 

“Well that changes tonight.” Key nodded to himself. “I’ll order groceries and make you some of my dishes. You’ll never eat plain tofu and dry rice again.”

“I’ll look forward to it hyung.” Taemin grinned as he used the Korean term, he’d been forgetting it while speaking but as he adjusted slowly, he would make the effort to use it more. Especially at the thrilled look on Key’s face. 

Jonghyun and Amber appeared at the table then, Amber setting her tray in front of her and Sulli as she slid into the seat beside her friend. Jonghyun sat on the other side of Taemin, once again trapping him between his two new guy friends. 

Jonghyun passed Key and Taemin each a bowl of rice and a set of chopsticks and spoon before taking one of the two bowls left on the tray. “Minho’s on his way, he had to stop at the office before he made his way here.” Something in Jonghyun’s voice said he wasn’t exactly pleased with his friend’s detour. 

“Already?” Sulli asked through a mouthful of what Taemin guessed was kimchi. 

“He’s being an .” Jonghyun said but didn’t elaborate more. 

He didn’t need to though, Taemin was well versed in reading body language and after his roommate’s less than welcoming meeting last night the teen knew that Minho’s office trip was about him. 

Taking a small bite of his rice, Taemin looked down at his bowl. He jolted in surprise as a piece of cooked meat appeared in his bowl. Looking up he watched Jonghyun’s chopsticks retreating. “Eat.” The older boy said. 

Taemin nodded and ate the meat, in delight at the taste. He hadn’t ever had something so tasty. “It’s so good!”

Amber laughed. “Its like you’ve never had steak before.”

“I haven’t.” He said, distractedly as Key gasped and took it as a sign to begin to fill Taemin’s bowl with meat and sides. 

 It was then that Minho made is appearance. The tallest of the group took a seat across from Jonghyun next to the girls. 

“You’re an .” Jonghyun said, passing Minho the last bowl of rice. 

Minho glared at him and took a large bite. 

“I’m sorry.” Taemin said. It made Minho choke on his food and look up at Taemin. The other four stared at him as well and Taemin almost wished he hadn’t said anything. “I know that you don’t want a roommate and if there is a way for me to move rooms I’ll do it.”

Key let out an angry sound and Minho had the grace to look embarrassed. Jonghyun goggled at Taemin, “How did you figure that out?” He grunted as the table shook from Minho kicking his friend under the table. 

“That’s not true.” Minho began, but then cut himself off. “There’s nothing you can do. There are no empty spots.” He sounded bitter but at least he wasn’t trying to lie.

“Minho you didn’t.” Key said, appalled at his friend. 

Minho signed and set down his spoon to dig his fingers into his scalp. “I wasn’t doing it to be mean and how was I to know that this was your new ‘son.’” 

“Its okay.” Taemin said. “I understand.” And he really did. It wasn’t surprising to him that the rich and privileged student wouldn’t want the poor charity case living his him. 

“Its not okay.” Sulli said, glaring at Minho. “He’s only been here a day and already Yunho’s been picking on him and you’re trying to get him kicked out of his room. God!”

“Yunho’s picking on him?” Minho asked, ignoring the rest of Sulli’s scolding. 

“Yes he’s at his old tricks.” Sulli complained. “I broke up with him last year because of this crap and here he’s trying it again. I was going to text you later about it, you’re his captain, can you make him back off?”

Minho nodded. “I’ll talk to him.” He piled some vegetables into his bowl. “And you wondered why I didn’t want you to date him in the first place.”

“Yeah I got that now.” Sulli said with a pout. “Just make sure he doesn’t try any of his other tricks.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Its okay you don’t have to.” Taemin quickly interjected. “Honestly, I’m sure he won’t do anything that I haven’t already had done to me.” He realized his mistake after the words came out of his mouth and his eyes widened before he hung his head. 

“What do you mean worse?” Key questioned, grabbing Taemin’s chin to force him to look at him. 

“Weird new Asian kid every few months at school.” Taemin shrugged as best he could with Key holding his face. “This is the first time I’ve had someone to sit with my first day.” He hoped that revealing this wouldn’t cause him to from there on be abandoned. 

Key’s grip released and Taemin began to shovel his food into his mouth at rapid speed, not looking at the sympathy on four of the five faces staring at him. Guilt was the emotion on the fifth face as Minho regretted his decision. 

Swallowing hard, Taemin stood up and grabbed his bag. “Thank you for getting dinner, Jonghyun hyung. I’ll leave first.” He nodded at the table and before anyone could argue, he rushed off.