“This isn’t…this can’t be happening,” Taemin whispered as he stared at the piece of paper that now hung limply from his fingers. He no longer needed to look at it to know what it said – he’d read it over so many times in disbelief of its words that he’d memorized the entire thing. But what the letter took its sweet time saying could have been summarized in three words: Taemin was dying.

He’d been battling acute myelogenous leukemia for five years now. This letter was his death sentence. They’d given him a month to live, not enough time to do anything.

The letter fell from his fingers, splattered with Taemin’s tears. The small boy collapsed onto the bed, shaking with sobs, fully prepared to spend the rest of his short life lying in his bed and wallowing in his own sorrow.

~~~

Kibum was worried. Granted, he’d been worried the first day Taemin didn’t show up for school, but it had been a week. Enough was enough, and he was going to see what was wrong with his son if it killed him.

A hand rested on his shoulder. “What’s wrong, Key? You seem out of it today,” Jonghyun said, sitting down beside him.

Key leaned against him, glad for his boyfriend’s support. “It’s Minnie, he hasn’t been here all week and I’m worried sick about him.”

“I’m sure it’s just the flu or something,” Jonghyun tried, attempting to console him.

“He would never miss this much school over the flu. I’m going to go see him.”

Jonghyun nodded. “Hopefully he’ll be back soon.”

~~~

Taemin sat on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest, looking up at the ceiling as he staved off a wave of nausea.

He jumped when Kibum barged into his room. “Why haven’t you been at school for the past week?” he asked, looking at Taemin accusingly. Then he noticed how pale Taemin was, with a slightly green tinge to his skin. “Minnie, what’s wrong?” he asked, accusation turning into concern as he went over and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy.

But Taemin couldn’t get the words out through his rising tears. He clung to Key’s shirt and cried himself out as the startled diva rubbed his back comfortingly.

When Taemin had no more tears left, Kibum pulled back to hold him at arm’s length by the shoulders. “I don’t know what happened, but all I need to know is whose I have to kick.”

Taemin smiled weakly at him. “The only person who’s at fault here is me.”

“What are you talking about?” Kibum was confused, but he knew Taemin would get around to his point eventually.

“What would you do if I told you that I only had three more weeks to live?”

The question startled Kibum. “I’d tell you to get up and find something worth fighting for so you wouldn’t have to die. Why do you ask?”

“Because I should probably take your advice. You’re right nearly all of the time.”

“Minnie, what… Oh my god. Minnie, please tell me you’re kidding… Why didn’t you tell me before? And why have you been sitting in here? You should be out, doing whatever you want, not wasting away in here!”

Taemin sighed. “Umma, I don’t want to go out.”

“Too bad. We are going to have some fun right now. This instant.” Key stood up, dragging a reluctant Taemin with him.

“Umma…”

“No. You are getting out of this house if I have to drag you kicking and screaming.”

Taemin sighed and let Kibum drag him out of the house by his arm.

~~~

“Umma, what are we doing here?” Taemin asked plaintively.

“We are having fun, what do you think?” Key asked.

Taemin just sighed, the music from the speakers pounding through his head and giving him a migraine on top of his gathering nausea. He’d just slip out once Key let him out of his sight.

This, however, took a while. Kibum suspected him the moment they walked into the club from the look on Taemin’s face. But once Key’d had a few drinks, he went off to the dance floor.

Taemin sighed gratefully and slipped back out of the club, beginning his walk home. After a few minutes he was already exhausted, and regretting what was probably a very bad decision on his part.

~~~

After the song was over, Key went back to the bar to find Taemin and grab another drink. The only problem was that he couldn’t find Taemin.

He looked around frantically, hoping the boy had just gone off to dance, but he couldn’t find him anywhere in the club. “,” he muttered, running out the door.

A/N: So, first chapter. Wootness! I'll update as soon as I can, and please let me know of any grammar or spelling issues. I am NOT, however, too pleased with this chapter. Sadness and desparity. Well, hope you liked it! Please review! It gets you updates faster. My ego likes to be .