I apologize SO MUCH for keeping you guys waiting. Of course, I had a good excuse, as you guys read. Sadly, my grandmother passed away on Thursday. I'm alright, as is the family. We're just taking it day by day. But since everyone's now just kinda sitting around lost, I've been writing like crazy, trying to make a decent chapter. So I really hope you guys will appreciate this.

Thank you for the continued support! I love you all so much.

~~~~~

Taemin's POV

"Okay, class. Pop quiz!" the teacher beams as she holds up a stack of papers.

I groan in harmony with the rest of the class. The worst part of Fridays are the pop quizzes. So it's really not a pop quiz, since we always know it's coming. Stupid teacher. Aren't teachers supposed to be smart?

"Relax," the teacher giggles. Does she try to act cute? "It's only on what we've been discussing this week: Pythagorean Theorem."

I breathe a sigh of relief. Thank God for luck. Thank God for tutoring. Thank God for Minho.

The teacher passes out the quizzes face-down. I stare down at mine with a slight smirk. Finally, I can show them. I can show them that I'm not stupid. Minho made me smart.

"You have fifteen minutes to complete the quiz. You may begin!"

I flip over my paper and grab my pencil with excitement. But when my eyes read over the first question, my mood is killed.

What is this ?

I gape as I read over the page covered in word problems, some with diagrams. Is this really Pythagorean Theorem? Didn't Minho teach it to me? Think, Taemin, think. What do you remember from tutoring yesterday?

Minho's serious eyes as he focuses on the paper in front of him. The way his bangs trace lightly across the top of his eyebrows when he turns around to take a sip of his strawberry milk. The way his lips form words perfectly as he expresses his genius. The way he smiles warmly every time I as a stupid question, possibly for the fifth time. The way he laughs whole-heartedly whenever I make a mistake. The way his skin feels on mine when he reaches and takes the pencil from my hand to show me another example.

Great, Taemin. You spend an hour with a tutor, and instead of studying math like a good boy, you were studying him.

"Okay, pencils down!"

Those words ring through my head like a gunshot. I look down at my blank quiz and sigh deeply. She's gonna call home again. What the hell have I done?

The teacher collects the quizzes, and I sit back in a daze, somewhat pondering how fast I could run out of the classroom and how much trouble I would get in if I actually did.

The bell rings.

"Lee Taemin-"

"I know."

The classroom clears out, and I collect my things, still pondering ideas.

"Taemin, this cannot keep happening. You know very well what will happen if-"

"Yeah, I know," I snap, cringing at how rude I sound. "I'm sorry."

"I'll have to call your-"

"My parents are out of town," I blurt out without thinking.

The teacher blinks and stares at me for a second. "Okay. Then who are you staying with?"

"My uncle." Bad Taemin! Stop talking!

I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out the slip of paper Minho had written his number down on the day before. I handed it to the teacher, keeping my gaze on the floor.

The teacher nods as she plays with her golden hair. "And what is your uncle's name?"

"Minho," I breathe. "Lee Minho."

"Like the actor, neh?" she remarks, and I know she doesn't believe me.

I take this as my cue to leave and do so quickly. My hands shake as I walke to my last class of the day. Why have I become such a liar? Am I just causing more trouble for myself? What's Minho going to do when my math teacher calls him, thinking he's my uncle?

God, are you torturing me?

~~~~~

Minho's POV

I look up at the clock as I sip my tea. Taemin gets out of school in about five minutes. Maybe if I leave the house now, I can beat him home. That way we can get started immediately. Hell, it is Friday. Maybe I should give him a break.

Taemin. What is it with this kid? He's incredibly adorable with his rusty hair and wide eyes. I can tell he's rather shy. He's intelligent, I know he is. But he wasn't focused yesterday. I could tell. There seemed to be something else on his mind.

I think more about Taemin as I set my now-empty tea cup in the sink and grab my car keys. I decide that maybe he does need more help, so I need not waste time.

As I'm heading down the steps of my apartment, my cell phone rings. My heart does a little flippy thing as I consider the possibility of it being a call from Taemin. What the hell? It's just Taemin.

I look down at the phone and frown as I don't recognize the number. I push the talk button as I make my way to my car.

"Yoboseyo?"

"Hi there. Is this Mr. Lee?" it was a woman's voice. I blinked at the name.

"Pardon?"

"I received this number under the assumption that it belonged to a Mr. Lee Minho."

Like the actor? She must have the wrong number. At least she got the first name right.

"Sir, I apologize if I'm mistaken, but are you or are you not Lee Minho, the uncle of my math student Lee Taemin?"

My eyes widen. Oh my God.

"Uh, y-y-yes, that is correct! I am so sorry! I've had a long day, and my brain's a little frazzled. I'm sure you can relate, neh?"

"I definitely can," the woman says with a small laugh. "So I'm calling on behalf of your nephew's grades. You do, perhaps, know about Taemin's performance in math class?"

"Yes ma'am, I do," I answer with a nod she couldn't see. "How is he doing?"

The woman sighs heavily, making me flinch. "We had a pop quiz today, and he left it blank."

I sigh. Poor Taemin. Maybe I should work harder to make sure he focuses.

"It's rather strange," the teacher muses, "Pythagorean Theorem is such a simple concept."

I stop in my tracks, my hand on the car door.

"The test was on Pythagorean Theorem?"

"Yes sir," she answered.

What?

"I'm very concerned about Taemin," the teacher said. "He's very, very smart, Mr. Lee, he really is. But I just don't think he tries. He doesn't really apply himself, you know?"

"Yes ma'am," I answered, getting in the car and closing the door. "That is something he definitely needs to work on."

"You'll make sure of it?"

"I will."

"Very well, Mr. Lee. I truly appreciate it," the woman's voice seemed brighter now. "Taemin is such a great kid with so much promise. I'd be terribly sad to have to hold him back."

I gripped the keys in my hand. "He's gonna fail?"

"If he doesn't get his grades up, I'll have no choice but to prevent him from advancing to the next grade level."

Taemin, what have you gotten yourself into?

"I can't let that happen," I say, determined. "I won't let him fail."

"That's good to-"

"It's been nice talking to you, ma'am, but I really need to go. Thank you for calling. Goodbye!"

I hang up the phone and throw it onto the dashboard, turning the key in the ignition in a frenzy. I back out of my spot and drive out of the parking lot and down the road, careful not to disobey the speed limits by too much. I need to get to Taemin and fast.

It's rather funny. I've only known Taemin for a day, and I already feel so attached to him. I want to see him do well. I promised I would help him get better.

And I'm not one to break a promise.

~~~~~

Taemin's POV

I hurry in the door, barely hanging my jacket up properly and almost forgetting to remove my shoes. I walked quickly down the hallway and paused in the doorway of the living room, not able to hold in my slight smile.

Minho was there, sitting on the couch, drinking out of a cup of strawberry milk. He was wearing a short-sleeve shirt today with a pair of pants whose legs don't quite reach his ankles. His striped socks come up from his penny loafers as he crossed his legs.

He looks up at me suddenly and smiles.

"Hey, Taemin. Ready to get on with the lesson for today?" his voice is as clear as I remember it being. Well, duh, pabo. You just saw him yesterday.

I nod as I step into the room, setting my schoolbag down on the coffee table in front of Minho. I sit down next to him, trying hard to hide my eagerness.

"So, how did school go today?" Minho made small talk as Umma walks in, phone pressed to his ear. He hands me a container of banana milk, offering me a smile and a kiss on the forehead before disappearing down the hall to finish his phone conversation.

"It was alright," I say nonchalantly, picking at the seal on my milk container.

"Really?" Minho presses. "Even in math class?"

"Yep," I lie. Minho's eyebrows twitch up the way Umma's do when he sees through my lies.

"Well, that's good. Regardless, I think we're going to work on Pythagorean Theorem again today so you can try to do better on the nexy quiz, okay?"

I lower my head ans sigh. I forgot about giving my teacher his number.

"Taemin, I'm extremely disappointed," I want to run from Minho's words. He sounds so much like Onew appa. "I spent almost the entire afternoon teaching you Pythagorean Theorem, and you didn't retain any of it?"

I keep my head lowered and bite my lip. He's disappointed. Great. Someone else is disappointed in me.

"Taemin, what's on your mind?" I flinch as Minho lifts my head up and rests a hand on my knee. "I see you shaking your head, but please. If there's something hindering you from learning, you should tell me. You can tell me anything."

What am I supposed to tell you, Minho? That I'm extremely attracted to you, and it's hard to concentrate on anything BUT you? That every time your lips move, I wonder what they would feel like on mine? That the hand you have on my knee and the eyes you have boring into my soul are making me break into a sweat? I can't tell you all that, Minho. Because then you'll be disgusted with me, resign from being my tutor, and I'll never be good at math. I'll probably end up dropping out of high school just to save myself the embarassment. And then Key umma and Onew  appa will disown me. And then I'll become a hobo. I like hobos; they're nice people. 

"Taemin?" my eyes meet Minho's again. Oh, right. He is still waiting for an answer. But I don't really have one.

"I'm sorry, Minho hyung," I say finally, adding the formality just to seem more serious. "I will pay more attention now. I promise."

Minho looks over my face, keeping his hand firm on my knee. He nods lightly and removes his hand, using it instead to take a piece of paper and pencil from my bag.

"Now, I'm going to teach this again," Minho said, sounding father-like again, "And you're going to listen this time so you can learn, correct?"

I nod, giving Minho a bright smile. He smiles too, and I feel my heart beat faster. He starts his explanation, and I prop my head up on my hand, focusing on his every word. I'm going to learn this time.

I promised.

~~~~~

Good enough for being on hiatus? T_T Comments make me happy!