When Key and Taemin walked down the hallway, people were giving him looks but he knows that his Key umma would protect him. They finally got back to Minho’s office and he was working at his desk as if nothing happened. Minho didn’t even bother looking up, he just ordered Taemin around.

                “Bring me a cup of coffee, and make sure it’s no milk and one sugar” Key wanted to smack him but Taemin dragged him out of the room.

                “Umma, there’s no point in arguing with him. He’s above us; he could easily get us fired or play with us. Just go back to Mr. Kim’s office, I’ll be careful” Key nodded and hugged Taemin before leaving. Taemin went to the staff room and poured a cup of coffee, when he stepped out; a bunch of girls came in crowding around him.

                “Aww he’s so cute, don’t worry Taemin, we’ll protect you. Even though Mr. Choi is handsome and just delicious, he shouldn’t yell at you. From now on, you’re going to our little baby. If anything happens, just come to us noonas” the girls ruffled his hair and pinched his cheeks before stepping out. Taemin just stood there, not knowing what had just happened. He decided he’s going to ask Key the next time he sees him.

                “Here’s your coffee Mr. Choi” Taemin gently placed down the cup of coffee and stood by the side, waiting for Minho’s next orders. An hour passed and Taemin was still standing, his tummy was growling since he didn’t eat much before leaving the restaurant. When it was time for Minho’s meeting, Taemin quickly followed carrying all of the required documents; he followed Minho like a little puppy, trotting along his footsteps. They entered the room and Taemin looked around, all the seats were full so he assumes he was supposed to stand. He stood silently by the side while Minho was giving the presentation but for some reason, he feels as if someone was staring at him. He tries to look around but everyone appears to be looking at the slides, not paying attention to him. After the presentation was finished, Taemin gathered up all the folders and quickly ran after Minho. Throughout the whole day, except for when Minho was talking ill about Taemin’s parents and ordering him to get him coffee, he hasn’t spoken to him at all. It was time to go home and Taemin followed Minho into the elevator, since they were near the top of the building, many people got on as they slowly reached the bottom. Taemin was behind Minho but there were a lot of people behind him, the elevator was pretty much full. Suddenly, Taemin felt someone touch his , he thought it was an accident to he decided to ignore it. It was only when the hand started to and squeeze his that he knew it wasn’t an accident. Taemin wanted to look behind but he was afraid to see who he would see, Taemin inched forward and the hand followed him. He was shaking, he didn’t know whether to tell Minho or not but since Minho didn’t really care about him, there was no use. Finally the doors opened and people started shuffling out, Taemin then looked behind him but everyone was minding their own business, he had no way to tell who was touching him.

                “Hurry up! I want to get home for dinner!” Minho yelled as he was already halfway to his car. Taemin ran after him and slowly got into the car, even though the person didn’t directly touch his skin, he felt dirty. It reminded him of when his step-father would touch him like that; using an excuse of reaching over Taemin and pressing his groin into Taemin’s behind. Taemin shivered at the thought of it, when they got home, he quickly ran to the bathroom and tried to clean every inch of him. Taemin wanted to forget the feel of that hand on him but it was hard for him. Taemin silently got dressed and looked at the scars and bruises on his body. The bruises were pretty much gone but most of the scars were still there. He could remember each and every one of them; they were all caused by his step-father. When he opened the door, he could already smell the delicious food in the air, he went downstairs and saw them sitting at the table.

                “Taemin, you must be starving, come eat dinner with us” Yoon hee said as she motioned for him to the table. Taemin sat down and just when he took the first bite, he couldn’t help himself but started to gobble up the food.

                “Have you been starving little Taemin, Minho?” Dong hoon laughed, Taemin managed a smile but he tried to control himself, he didn’t want Minho to get in trouble.

                “Of course not appa, I’m not that kind of evil boss” Dong hoon and Yoon hee laughed. Taemin gave them a small smile before declaring that he was done eating. He looked at their plates and they had barely started.

                “You must’ve been terribly hungry, Taemin. Don’t worry, you’re still a growing boy, I’ll tell them to serve desserts for you first. What do you want, I can tell them to make it now” Yoon hee looked at the boy lovingly, he really reminded her of her best friend Minae.

                “Do you have banana milk? I would really like some please” Taemin said cutely, Yoon hee had to keep herself from squealing while Dong hoon ruffled his hair, something he would do to Minho when he was younger. Minho stared at Taemin, it was the typical aegyo, and anyone can do it. What Minho didn’t know was that Taemin didn’t even know he was doing it, it was all natural aegyo. A maid came over with a glass of banana milk and Taemin quickly drank it down, he really loved that stuff. That night, Taemin asked Yoon hee for a pillow, even though he was going to sleep in the bathroom, the floor was a bit too hard for his liking.

                “Don’t you have one in Minho’s room? Why don’t you ask him for it?” Taemin panicked for a second, he didn’t want her to find out that Minho doesn’t allow him to sleep in his bed.

                “His pillows are too hard, I would prefer one that’s a big softer” Yoon hee nodded and went to the guest room to get one. Taemin peeked in and saw that it was an empty room; it was tempting but without Yoon hee’s permission, he wouldn’t dare sleep in the nice bed. Taemin thanked her for the pillow and went back to Minho’s room.

                “What are you doing with a pillow in your hands? Are you trying to sneak into my bed again?” Taemin shook his head and ran into the bathroom, he the counter lights and lied down, the tiles were warm on his skin, and it was actually pretty soothing. Within minutes, Taemin fell asleep, curling up and holding his body, he looked like a little baby doing that. What both Minho and Taemin didn’t expect was for Yoon hee to sneak in at the middle of the night to grab some lotion from Minho’s bathroom, she was surprised to find Taemin sleeping on the floor.

                “Taemin, sweetie, what are you doing on the floor?” Yoon hee gently woke Taemin up who adorably rubbed his eyes. His eyes widen when he saw who was in front of him.

                “Oh...um...Minho snores and in the night he likes to hog the blanket and kick me, so that’s why I decided to sleep on the tiles” Taemin tried to explain without getting Minho into trouble.

                “You should’ve told me then, Taemin. Come on, I’ll bring you to the guest room” Yoon hee led Taemin into the guest room and tucked him in.

                “Sweet dreams, Taemin” Yoon hee gently kissed his forehead before turning off the lights and closing the door. Taemin touched his forehead, his umma used to do that to him.

                “Umma I miss you, why did you have to leave little Taeminnie all alone?” Taemin pulled the blankets closer to his body and wiped his tears. He sniffled and tried to sleep, he didn’t want to have enough energy tomorrow and end up making mistakes at work. Taemin was having such a good sleep that he didn’t wake up until Yoon hee came into the room.

                “Sweeties, Minho and Dong hoon already went to work. Come down and eat breakfast before getting ready to go to work” Taemin slowly got out of bed and went downstairs; he ate the breakfast but could barely taste anything. Taemin was still missing his umma and Yoon hee could see it in his face.

                “Sweetie, if you don’t like the food, I can ask them to make it again” Taemin shook his head and said it was fine, he just didn’t have much of an appetite today. Taemin excused himself and got up, but before he could walk up the stairs, Yoon hee called him back.

                “Taemin, I know that you miss your umma. She was my best friend so I miss her too. If it makes you feel any better, you can call me umma since you’re going to be my son very soon. What does your umma call you when she was still alive?” Taemin just stood there, he was really grateful to Yoon hee, not only did he save him, clothe him and feed him, she was allowing him to call her umma.

                “She used to call me Taeminnie” Taemin whispered as he remembered his umma calling out to him and he would run into her arms. He felt the tears flowing down his cheeks, he felt someone wiping the tears for him and realized that it was Yoon hee, she pulled him into a hug and started rubbing his back. He couldn’t hold it back any longer and started to bawl his eyes out; he really misses his umma and appa.

                “Umma! I miss you so much! Why did you have to leave Taeminnie all alone? Taeminnie misses you both, umma and appa! Do you miss me too?!” Taemin cried as he grabbed onto Yoon hee’s shirt and cried on her shoulder. Eventually, Taemin was exhausted from all the crying and Yoon hee had to call over a few maids to support Taemin. He had cried himself to sleep, slowly she asked a butler to carry him back to his room. When Dong hoon and Minho came home, Minho was pissed. He was expecting his assistant to arrive at work on time and to prepare everything for him. If he can’t do that much, how did he expect Minho to marry him? He stormed upstairs and found him sleeping in the guest room. Minho flung the covers away and woke him up by dragging him out of bed.

                “H-hyung, how come you’re at home? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Taemin rubbed his eyes and found them to be a little puffy.

                “Shouldn’t I be asking you the same question? You think you could go to work for one day and that’s it?! Your job is a personal assistant; you were supposed to prepare everything for me this morning. Can’t believe you slept so much, is that what you’re used to at your old house, after having with your step-father and then just collapse?” Minho dragged Taemin out of the room and down the hallway.

                “I didn’t know I slept for so long! Umma just told me to eat breakfast and a driver will bring me to work, I don’t know how I fell asleep” Taemin tried to explain, but a word caught Minho’s attention.

                “Who are you calling umma?! Who gave you permission to call my umma that? You think you could just suddenly come into my life and take everything of mine away. I know your kinds, you just want to marry into the family and then when we’re finally married, you’re going to figure out some way to divorce me so you would be able to get half of the company! I’m not going to let some take it away from me!”

SLAP!

Taemin couldn’t hold back anymore, he couldn’t let Minho talk bad about him anymore. He didn’t know what he saw in Minho before, probably he was just trying to repay his debt to Yoon hee so it kind of overtook his emotions.

                “You dare slap me?! Who are you to hit me?! I don’t care what my umma and appa says, I’m kicking you out of this house starting right now!” Minho yelled as he continued to drag Taemin down the hallway, Taemin knew he didn’t belong here, but he wants to satisfy his parent’s agreement with the Choi family and he also needed to repay Yoon hee’s debt to him.

                “S-stop, I can’t leave here! Please don’t make me, let me go!” Taemin tried to struggle but Minho’s grasp on his arm was too strong, he felt like a small doll being dragged. They were nearing the stairs and Taemin could already see the door, pretty soon he’s going to be back on the streets. He may be selfish but he doesn’t want to go back to his step-father and end up being sold again. They were right at the edge of the stairs when Taemin, out of desperate, pushed Minho away from him, not knowing that right behind him was the staircase.

                “Let me go!” Taemin yelled out as he used all of his strength to push Minho away from him. Minho’s grip disappeared from his arm and Taemin began to fall backwards, he tumbled down the stairs of more steps, landing at the bottom. The last thing Taemin saw before he fell unconscious was Minho’s surprised look and a woman’s voice calling ‘Taeminnie’ out, maybe it was his umma calling him to join them in heaven.