Title: If I follow you, will you keep me?
Pairing: Taemin/Minho
Rating: PG
Summary: Minho worked as a volunteer in an orphanage and Taemin is one of the orphan.

Minho worked as a simple volunteer in an orphanage. The reason was simple, he loved kids and he was the only child in his family. Every day, he would turn up at the orphanage after school to help out.

On an ordinary day, he would appear at the doorstep of the orphanage wearing his school uniform with his bag slung over one shoulder. The kids would run out to welcome their hyung and pull him into the playroom for games. After he settled himself with the kids, they would start playing games that involved physical exercises and that was how he had ended up training his amazing stamina.

After hours and hours of playing, it was time for the kids to have their nap time. The ajummas taking care of this place would start sending them to bed for their afternoon nap. From the time they start to fall asleep to the time they woke up would be the perfect time for Minho to take a well deserved rest.

However, he would still keep himself busy with cleaning while the ajummas took care of the kids. He knew that they were old and chores that appear to be simple might be a big problem for them. That was why he volunteered to assist them in any possible way.

During that period of time, Minho would be washing the plates and bowls the kids used earlier on. He would then feel a pair of eyes staring at him and it was Lee Taemin, one of the orphans.

Ever since the day Minho started helping out in the orphanage, Taemin had held onto the hem of his shirt and started following him around like a lost puppy. Especially during nap time, he would still stay by his side stubbornly. The ajummas tried to make him sleep instead of sticking to Minho and getting in his way while doing the chores. But they failed pathetically. They had no choice but to give him special permit to be awake during nap time. Minho did not mind at all and to be honest, he loved having him around.

The little kid approached his hyung and watched him with his creamy blue eyes. The older one got his hint and pulled a little chair in front of the sink. Taemin stood on the stool and Minho stood behind him with his hands stretched over to the sink. His hands guided the maknae and taught him the correct way of washing the plates. The lighter ones would be cleaned up by Taemin and the heavier ones would be cleaned by Minho.

The next thing that the older man had to complete was to bask the blanket in the sun. It was a simple job since he was tall and strong. He took out blanket from the basket and flapped it in mid air to straighten the wrinkles on it. As he continued on to hang the blankets on the pole, a coverlet could be seen moving out of the basket and move on its own.

Minho was not frightened by the blanket that was moving by itself, but laughed quietly at it. There was logical explanation to this occurrence. Taemin was under that blanket, trying to help by passing it over to his hyung. Alas, the coverlet was a little too large and it covered him fully. The older one reached out to remove the blanket from the little one and ruffled his head to thank him for his effort.

Both of them would smile at each other and continue on with hanging the blankets.

After that, there was nothing else to be done. Minho would then take over ajummas’ shift, sitting at the bedroom where all the kids are taking their nap. He had to make sure everyone was sleeping soundly and no one was having nightmare.

Taemin did not leave his side to sleep in his bed, but still stuck to the older one. Minho would be lying on the chair with the chair back support adjusted to the lowest. The brunette lied flat on top of him with his head resting against his chest and listened to Minho’s heartbeat which was the perfect lullaby for him. The older one secured his arms around his waist so that he would not slip down or fall off when he moved too much.

Around evening, Minho would leave the orphanage and head home to study or do his own work. He waved goodbye to everyone and Taemin too. He would also leave a kiss on the maknae’s forehead before waving goodbye for the last time.

On his way home, he heard small and fast footstep behind him. He inferred that someone was stalking him and the person was very inexperience. The every step he took was loud. It was pretty naive if he thought Minho had not heard him. He slipped into one of the alley and waited for the person to follow after him.

And the person did.

It was Taemin.

“Taemin?” Minho looked at him disbelievingly, “what are you doing here?”

The younger one said nothing but looked down on the floor guilty. He lowered himself to be at the same height level as the younger before talking again.

“Taemin-ah, Minho hyung needs to go home, so Taemin cannot follow me. I will play with Taemin tomorrow so you have to wait there for me, alright?”

No answer was heard. The older one heaved a sigh and stood up again. He held onto his little hand and headed back again. However Taemin did not want to go back and tried to swipe his hands away. Minho squatted down again and started asking, “Taemin-ah, what’s wrong?”

The younger one remained quiet and held onto his spongebob bag strap on both sides. He seemed to have brought his things along with him. Did he decide to run away from the orphanage? Maybe there was something that startled the little one.

Minho moved a little closer to ruffle his hair and persuade him to go back before the ajummas panicked about his disappearance.

“Taemin-ah, if there is a boogie man hiding under your bed or monster in your closet, you can ask always tell the ajummas to chase them away.”

He still refused to budge and remain silent. Perhaps there might have been other reasons.

“Taemin-ah if you don’t tell Minho hyung what happened, I don’t know what to do.”

The maknae finally lifted up his head to look at his hyung. His eyes were flooded with tears and streaming down his cheeks. The older one quickly wiped away the tears with his thumb, whispering words to calm him down. Unexpectedly, Taemin wrapped his arms around his neck and buried his head against his shoulder.

Minho caressed his back and patted lightly on his back.

“If…Taeminnie followed Minho hyung home…will Minho hyung…keep me?”

It was weird for a kid to ask a question like that. Did he have problems in the orphanage? Or did he remember how his parents left him alone in the orphanage and never appear again? Minho broke away from the hug and stared at the little one's eyes, being face to face with him,

“Taemin-ah, tell me what happened. Did someone bully my dear Taeminie?”

There was a pregnant pause before Taemin answered him, “I'm scared…appa and umma don’t want Taeminnie…and…Minho hyung also doesn’t want Taeminnie either.”

“Taemin-ah, why wouldn't I want you? I won’t leave you. I promise.”

“Really?” His eyes were filled with hopes and waited for his hyung's reassurance.

Minho nodded and continued on, “If Taeminnie follows Minho hyung, Minho hyung will keep Taeminie.” He then held on with both of his hands, “and Minho hyung will always protect Taeminnie. But Taeminnie must promise not to leave Minho hyung alone okay? If not Minho hyung will also cry.”

Without a second thought, Taemin nodded and stuck out his pinky. Minho understood what he was doing and stick out his last finger. His finger intertwined with Taemin’s and it was a promised made by the both of them to each other.

“Let’s go home, back to our home.” A grin spread across on the maknae’s face.

They both smiled blissfully at each other and headed back to the place they both called home.

From today onwards, they would be together blissfully as a happy family.






Maybe when Taemin is a little older, they could be something more than just family.

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