"Hyung," Taemin whispers, collapsing onto the grass and scooting closer. "H-Hyung."

Jinki is there, like Taemin knew he would be, all gentle fingers running through his hair and soft murmurs. "It's okay. I'm here. What happened? Why are you crying?" And his voice is so comforting that Taemin can almost feel it seeping into him—calming him.

Taemin sniffles a little, bringing his hands up and trailing his fingers along Jinki's arms. "I'm not sure where to start," he confesses quietly, fingers wrapping around Jinki's wrists and pulling his hands down to where he can twine their fingers together. "A lot of things went wrong today."

Jinki tries to smile, leaning in to bump his nose against Taemin's, and Taemin can't help smiling slightly in return. "Start at the beginning?" he offers. "Just tell me about your day."

"I got up late," Taemin starts, hanging his head so that Jinki can't see how upset he is. "So then Kibum hyung yelled at me. And I was late to school. And because of all the practice I failed my test. And then when I was in vocal training, my voice kept cracking, and my teacher yelled at me, and hyung, I just..." he trails off. "I feel like I'm not good e-enough."

Jinki is quiet, and it'd upset Taemin even more if he couldn't feel Jinki's thumbs smoothing over the backs of his hands, couldn't feel his warm breaths against his lips, couldn't see the conflict in his eyes as he thinks. But because he can, it's not upsetting—it's comforting because Jinki is thinking of the best way to help him, and that in itself is almost enough to make Taemin feel better already.

It's silent for another heartbeat or two before Jinki is pulling his hands back, fingers moving over Taemin's cheeks to catch the drying teardrops, soft smile making Taemin feel warm. Safe. Important and good enough, and not pushed to the side.

Jinki tilts his head up slowly, smile getting wider. "Hey look at me, okay?" he says, pressing his fingertips lightly into Taemin's cheeks to make sure he does. "I have a few solutions. Tell me which one you like best, alright?"

Taemin nods, eyes focusing on Jinki's face like he asked.

Jinki smiles for real, big and bright and warm and just for him. "Okay Taemin, how about—"

"Okay Taemin, how about you get up already?" he hears, and it jerks him awake faster than just about anything else at the moment could. That's not Jinki's voice, and it sounds angry, and what did he do wrong this time? He hasn't even been up to do anything, and he whines a little, rubbing at his eyes in frustration. He's not ready to get up, not at all. He doesn't want the day to start, because Jinki didn't get a chance to tell him how to fix it, and he's just...he's not ready yet.

"Did you hear me, Taemin?" Kibum asks again, flipping the switch this time, and Taemin buries his face in his pillow because the light hurts his eyes.

"I don't wanna get up," he mumbles, wanting to tell Kibum that he'd rather spend time with Jinki because they get along better, but he doesn't. Mainly because he can hear Jinki's voice from the other night repeating over and over again.

He won't understand.

Taemin can hear Kibum sigh and he doesn't want whatever lecture that's going to follow, so he rolls out of bed as fast as he dares, pushing past Kibum with grumbles of, "I'm up, I'm up." He realizes it's incredibly rude of him and he turns right after, bowing slightly. "I just, I was having a good dream, and I didn't want to get up," he says, hoping that's a good enough excuse. Because it's the truth.

Taemin lifts his head and is surprised to see that Kibum looks...different than he expected. Not angry or mad, but more upset, in pain almost, and Taemin doesn't understand why, because he's certain he didn't bump into Kibum that hard. Feminine as Kibum might be, Taemin knows that that can't be the reason for well...Kibum's distress. "Hyung?" he starts. "Hyung what's—"

"I just don't want you to be late to school again," he cuts in, a little harsher than Taemin thinks is needed, but then again it's Kibum. And Kibum is sort of harsh. And not nearly as gentle as Jinki, he thinks, frowning because why did he have to wake up?

Before he can think too hard on it, Kibum is trying to smile and patting down his hair. "Just get ready okay? So that you can work hard today and achieve your dreams in real life," he says, nodding a bit and moving down the hall. Taemin can't help but wince a bit at the very obvious emphasis, and doesn't understand why it's there.

He doesn't have time to think on that either though, because Jonghyun is coming out of the bathroom and ushering him down the hall to the kitchen with a smile and a, "Don't want to miss breakfast, right?" His hand on Taemin's back is warm, but it's not the hand he wants and he scrunches his nose a little, wondering if it'd be rude to pull away.

A thought crosses his mind, and he stops them before they can get to the kitchen, not wanting Kibum to hear. "Taemin, what—"

"Hyung," he cuts Jonghyun off, biting his lip before continuing. Jonghyun is nice, so he'll tell Taemin the truth, right? "Hyung, is Kibum hyung mad at me? Did I do something? He just seems so...mean," he mumbles, trying not to look like a kicked puppy, but it's what he feels like.

He expects Jonghyun to laugh, to smile, to maybe pat him on the shoulder or give him a hug and tell him it's all in his head, and that nothing is wrong. Or to maybe joke about how it's Kibum's 'time of the month' and assure him with a pinch to his cheek that everything is okay. So Taemin feels a little like he's going to throw up when he gets none of these responses.

Instead Jonghyun goes still, tense. There's no smile, and his eyes give away just how truly upset he is, and Taemin just doesn't understand. "Hyung...?"

Jonghyun shakes his head then, the look leaving his eyes and frown replaced with a smile. "Don't worry Taeminnie," he says, patting both of Taemin's cheeks. "I think he's just a little stressed out from practices and school himself, and doesn't want you to be late again."

Taemin doesn't really buy it, but he lets Jonghyun lead him into the kitchen anyway, feeling upset still for a number of reasons. Jonghyun's reaction scared him, the obvious lie didn't sit well with him, and then of course the fact that he still had to go to school. It was history he failed yesterday, and he's sure his math test will go the same way today.

He takes his seat next to Minho, poking at his rice because he's really just not hungry. Minho nudges him in the side a little, smiling slightly. "You okay?" he asks, eyebrows furrowing.

He wants to say that he's not because Kibum seems angry with him, and Jonghyun won't tell him why, and he doesn't like that they're hiding things from him. But he sighs instead, putting on a fake smile. "Worried about my test and vocal training today," he says instead, both legitimate worries, but not at the top of his list anymore.

"That makes two of us then," he says, smiling. "Maybe we can compare how much the vocal teacher yells at us today? Most scoldings wins, but no cheating and failing on purpose," he says, laughing and Taemin isn't sure if he's serious or not. Minho is really quite competitive. But he likes to win too, and Taemin decides he's just kidding to make him feel better. And it sort of helps. But not as much as other things, he thinks, feeling a little guilty because he just wants the day to be over so he can see Jinki already.

And he kind of forgets that he was supposed to say anything back to Minho, instead picking at his breakfast so that Kibum will stop glaring at him. He doesn't think it helps much though, since it doesn't stop even when he finishes and dumps his bowl into the sink. It's a little louder that it needs to be, but Taemin is just...angry.

He makes his way down the hall to get dressed, trying to block out the bickering behind him. He opens the door to the bedroom quietly, stepping in and putting his uniform on as fast as he can, humming one of the songs Jinki sings to him when he's stressed, hoping to block out the voices that just seem to keep getting louder. He doesn't understand, and he knows it's about him, but he doesn't want to hear it. It will probably just confuse him more, and he doesn't want that right now.

Jonghyun comes in after it all dies down, reminding him to brush his teeth before they leave. Taemin does so in a little bit of a daze, and before he knows it, Jonghyun is leading him out the door, holding Taemin's school bag, because Taemin just wants to...zone out.

"Are you talking to him now?" Jonghyun asks, drawing Taemin from his thoughts. Or rather, lack of thoughts.

He turns his head to look at the older, eyebrows furrowing. "Who?"

Jonghyun looks uncomfortable, kicking a pebble off the sidewalk and into the gutter. "...Jinki," he says slowly, almost like he's afraid it'll upset Taemin. Taemin's not upset, but he's honestly surprised that Jonghyun even knows Jinki's name. Or about him at all.

"How do you know about Jinki?" he asks, feeling a slight smile tug at his lips. See hyung, it's okay.

"You mumble sometimes at night, or whenever you're asleep really," Jonghyun explains, glancing at Taemin from the corner of his eye. "Sometimes when you're zoning out...like now."

"I see," he says quietly, biting his lip.

Things are silent between them for the next few minutes, Jonghyun shifting his eyes Taemin's way every few seconds, and Taemin trying to ignore it. It makes him feel almost as uncomfortable as Jonghyun looks.

He doesn't like me.

Taemin fiddles with the sleeve of his uniform, catching Jonghyun's eyes when he looks over again. "Do you not like Jinki hyung?" he asks.

Jonghyun looks a little bit surprised, and more than a little guilty, and Taemin doesn't like it at all. He frowns, repeating the question.

"He uh...sounds like a nice guy?" Jonghyun offers, but Taemin knows there's so much more he wants to say. Taemin just doesn't think he wants to hear it.

"I hear a 'but' coming," Taemin says, a little snippy, but he just doesn't get it. Jinki is the nicest person he knows, and he helps him so much, and without him Taemin feels like he would have no one, and so why does everyone seem to be angry at him for having a friend?

"Taemin just...we think you know...I mean, I know that you're young but..." he mumbles, not seeming to be able to find his words.

Taemin frowns, kicking another pebble much harder than he should. "What does being young have to do with anything?" he asks, feeling insulted, but he's not sure why just yet. Nothing that Jonghyun is saying makes any sense.

Jonghyun sighs, running his fingers through his hair and biting his lip, looking like he never wanted to bring this up. "Taemin."

"What," he says, the word coming out flat, and not quite like the question it was supposed to be.

"Taemin you're far too old to have imaginary friends, this has to stop," he finally says, not meeting Taemin's eyes. His voice is way too loud, Taemin thinks, and it makes his stomach twist so hard it hurts.

"Imaginary friends?" he asks, voice sounding as small as Jonghyun is implying he is.

"Jinki," the older says, like that explains everything. It doesn't, and Taemin feels hurt.

"What about him?" he snaps, pulling the other to a stop.

"It's why Kibum seems so 'angry,'" Jonghyun says, eyes looking at Taemin with something akin to pity, fingers making quotes in the air.

Taemin doesn't understand the look, or the way the conversation is headed. What on earth does that have to do with anything? First Jonghyun doesn't like Jinki, then Taemin is 'too young,' then he's talking about imaginary friends, and now Kibum. The quick changes in the topics make Taemin's head hurt.

"I don't understand," he says truthfully, blinking hard because he wants to cry he's so confused.

Jonghyun sighs again. "Taemin. Jinki's not real. Okay? We're all worried for you. I mean, we thought it was kinda cute at first you know, but then it didn't stop, and it's not healthy Taemin. He's not real."

Taemin you know that isn't true. I'm right here.

"Hyung, why would you say that?" Taemin asks, balling his hands into fists. "Jinki hyung is real, you just haven't met him yet."

"That's because he's in your head," Jonghyun says, voice raising in volume, like that will make Taemin understand better. But there's nothing to understand on Taemin's part anymore. It's Jonghyun that doesn't understand.

"No he's not!" Taemin yells, taking a step toward the shorter boy. "He is a real person hyung!"

"Yeah? Then where is he?" Jonghyun challenges. "Show him to me."

Taemin glances around, hoping to pick him out in the people on the street. If he can just show Jonghyun, then he'll see and everyone will stop being mad, and everything will be okay.

Over here Taeminnie! Across the street!

Taemin finds Jinki on the other side of the street, smile big and both arms waving in the air. His black hair is mussed like he just woke up, and Taemin points at him, smile just as big as Jinki's.

"See hyung?" he asks Jonghyun, tugging on his arm so that he has a clear view of Jinki through the people on the sidewalk. "He's right over there."

Jonghyun looks doubtful, but Taemin talks over him before he can say anything. "See? Over there, with the messy hair, and he's standing right by that bus sign, and he's waving, hyung. The one with the big smile, and you see him, right?"

"Taemin, there's no one there," he says, voice firm.

"But he's right there," Taemin says, frustrated. Jinki is right there and now Jonghyun is just being mean by pretending to not see him.

Jonghyun grabs his arm, shaking him, and Taemin feels scared for the first time ever around the older boy. "Taemin."

"What?!" he shouts, trying to tug himself free, but Jonghyun doesn't let him go.

"There's no one there, why can't you see that?!"

"He's right there, why can't you see that?!" he screams, tears building up in his eyes, and why is Jonghyun shaking him again? It's not helping anything, and it's only making Jinki angry. He can hear his voice from across the street, but he can't make out anything because he's too far away.

Jonghyun is shouting at him then too, but Taemin squeezes his eyes shut, not wanting to hear any of it.  Jonghyun doesn't know anything, and so it doesn't matter what he says. Taemin just wants him to let go so that he can cross the street and see Jinki. Because Jinki likes him, and he's not so mean, and he doesn't yell at Taemin. Jinki actually cares about Taemin, and wouldn't try to hurt him like this.

"Taemin are you even listening—" Jonghyun starts.

"Let me go!" he yells over him, giving a vicious twist, finally freeing himself from Jonghyun's grip and stumbling off the curb of the sidewalk into the street.

"Taemin!"

Taemin!

Kibum doesn't know what to say, or what to do. Half of him feels sick to his stomach, half of him wants to just break down and cry, and the other half wants to strangle Jonghyun. So maybe thirds of him. He decides on the last bit because it's easier to think about. Kind of. Anger is better than tears.

"I can't believe you," he spits, glaring at Jonghyun on the other side of Taemin's hospital bed. "I really can't."

Jonghyun looks sheepish and guilty, his face an ugly red color, cheeks stained with dried tears, new ones welling up at the corners. "Yeah, I can't believe me either Kibum, lay off okay?" he snaps, sharp tone ruined by the waver in his voice and the way that he has to wipe his nose on his sleeve.

"This is all your fault," he continues, unrelenting. He tries to convince himself that it's because it's true. The traffic cameras caught Jonghyun and Taemin fighting, the way that Taemin tried to get away from Jonghyun, the way that the speeding car had hit Taemin at over twice the legal speed. It even caught the sickening crunch. He tries to ignore the fact that Jonghyun was just doing what he told him to.

You have to talk to him. It has to stop. Try to get him to understand in any way you have to.

"It was your idea!" Jonghyun shouts, stomping his foot like an upset child, and it'd be funny except for the fact that absolutely none of this is funny. Their youngest member, their friend, someone that they were supposed to take care of is laying in a hospital bed covered in gauze and casts and tubes, and it's all their fault. Kibum and Minho not liking how attached Taemin had been, Jonghyun just going along with them. Kibum's pressuring to talk to Taemin today, Jonghyun getting just a little out of hand.

"Yelling won't help anything," Minho says from his chair next to Kibum. "The doctor even said it might hinder everything. The thing that Taemin was running from was yelling. Do you think he'll try to wake up if all you're doing is what he wanted to get away from?"

Jonghyun goes quiet, and Kibum drops into the chair next to Minho, eyes averted from everyone, focusing on Taemin's hand in front of him. It's the only thing peeking out from bandages and casts and Kibum feels sick.

"Taeminnie," he says softly, trying his best not to cry, to sound as comforting as he can.

Think of it a little like coaxing out a scared animal. Soft voices, calming words, little touches, they might help.

"Taeminnie, wake up."

"Taeminnie, wake up."

Taemin groans, squeezing his eyes tighter and trying to roll away from the voice.

"Taeminnie," Jinki says again, laughing softly and touching his cheek gently. "Come on, wake up."

"Mmm...what?" he asks, finally cracking an eye open to see Jinki smiling at him. He instinctively smiles back, even though he's still sleepy.

"You've been sleeping a long time. If you sleep any longer you'll be so pretty I won't know what to do with you," he laughs, and it takes Taemin several seconds to realize that Jinki is trying to make a joke. Pretty. Sleeping Beauty.

Taemin laughs, half-heartedly hitting Jinki's arm. "You're so cheesy hyung."

Jinki just grins, crossing his legs and leaning in closer. The moonlight is bright enough to reflect in his eyes, and Taemin thinks that they're prettier than the stars.

"How long have I been sleeping?" he asks quietly, not wanting to ask, but he has to know.

"Doesn't matter," Jinki says, smiling and reaching a finger out to trail it down the bridge of Taemin's nose.

"But I have to go soon," he says, feeling like he might cry. It feels so nice here with Jinki—he doesn't want to go. He never wants to go.

"Not today," Jinki murmurs, smiling wider and poking the side of Taemin's lips to get him to smile as well. "We have all the time in the world."

"Really?" Taemin asks, feeling hopeful. He really doesn't have to leave?

Jinki nods, bending down the last bit to press their lips together briefly. "I promise."

We have all the time in the world.

I promise.

Taemin smiles, liking the sound of that.