Minho was happy. He was enjoying the party Mr. and Mrs. Lee was giving - the decorations were lovely and the food was delicious: just like what a party should be, he thought. But as he was enjoying the party, one question nagged his mind: Whose is is party for, anyway?

He went to his mother to satisfy his curiosity, but he was insulted - his omma merely laughed when he asked this question.

"Going to a party unarmed, eh?" His mother looked rather amused at his dilemma. For a five-year-old, he was extremely annoyed by this lack of seriousness from his omma.

"Well," his mother finally said, puttung food in his plate, "This party is for Mr. and Mrs. Lee's only son, Taemin."

Son? He never knew they had a son.

"He keeps to himself you know, rarely goes out," His mother replied, shoving him into a vacant chair. Maybe he's sickly, he thought, or super ugly. He made to sit down when his mother called him.

"Minho, there he is, Taemin," His mother said, pointing into the far side of the room. He craned his neck to have a better look at where his mom was pointing.

And it happened.

His heart skipped a beat - or beats, or whatever - because he suddenly had dificulty breathing. The boy standing at where he's mother was pointing was unbelivably beautiful. His stomach lurched as he stared at the boy - Taemin, as his mother was saying - so he decided to look the other way. He wanted to run at the same moment, because the feeling was really making him uncomfortable. He reached for his omma, but she was nowhere near. Butterflies are now appearing in his little stomach, he fought the urge to vomit to get it out.

Taemin was not helping the situation either. He was now striding towards Minho who was now trying hard just to breathe. Get away from me, freak! Minho soundlessly thought, glaring at the boy walking towards him. Now he hated the boy.

And then again, it happened.

Taemin wasn't Taemin anymore, he became a monster, a monster ready to kill and eat Minho. He wanted to run, but he can't. He screamed and screamed, hoping somebody would hear him, because he is going to die, die in the evil clutches of Taemin...

Minhowoke up with a start, his whole body covered with icy, pearly sweat. That nightmare again, Minhothought, frowning. He shot a glance (more of a glare, actually) over his shoulders unto his bag that is covered with dried mud. As he scrambled towards the bathroom to shower, he reminded himself to forever hate that day, that boy, and that feeling he gave him.

*    *    *

Taemin stared into space, thinking. He just cannot believe that he and Minhohad another row - again. He really hates me that much? Taemin asked himself, his eyebrows burrowed. Why, in the name of Neptune, why does he hate me?!He continued to rant in his head, making him look angry.

"Taemin-ah, eat faster, or you'll be late for school again, " he heard his Aunt Bom said, who was looking striking in her bright red hair.

"Oh- whu-? Oh. Sorry," Taemin muttered, trying to regain his appetite.

"By any chance, may I know why my cute nephew is currently thinking about?" Aunt Bom asked, looking very motherly.

Taemin just smiled.

"Nothing Ahjumma. I just... like your hair." Taemin quickly lied.

"Oh- Ohoho! Well, I was actually thinking about dying it blue-green you know, I just thought you might like it..."

Aunt Bom's voice trailed away from Taemin's ears. A sudden outburst of gratefulness overcame his senses. She has been with him eversince his parents died in a car crash back in his third birthday - and since then, she has been his refuge, his motivatorm his number one supporter.

Taemin hadn't realized he was on his feet until his aunt called him in a concerned voice.

"Taemin dear, is there anything wrong?" she quickly asked. "Don't you like pink for my hair..?"

Instead of replying, he hastened to where his aunt was sitting and gave her a bearhug.

"Oh..." Aunt Bom gasped quite unsure of what was happening.

"Ahjumma, komawoyo... saranghaeyo..." Taemin said, tears suddenly forming in his eyes.

“Ahhw, my baby’s being sentimental again…” Aunt Bom said, hugging Taemin even tighter.

After a while, Aunt Bom finally broke the dramatic silence. “Taemin-ah, I hate to break this, but, you are really, really late for your classes.”

“Oh.” Taemin said, breaking the hug and looking quickly to his watch. “OH! I must be going Ahjumma! BYE!” And he broke into a run, hoping, against all his luck, that he still wasn’t late for his classes.

*    *    *

Taemin arrived at the school gates a second before the bells went off. He was panting then, but he managed to jump to celebrate his good fortune. But all these were nothing compared to the person waiting for him at the gates.

“Taemin-ah!” Jonghyun shouted.

Jonghyun was Taemin’s best friend. They met in school a couple of years ago, and they became instant companions. Through the highs and lows of high school they stuck togethe