"Taemin is living off of a scholarship and works at the cafe for extra money."

"Cool. Wow. I can't believe that he is a tough, hardworking, independent boy trapped in a body of a cute lil chick"

"I feel extremely disturbed when you start referring my boyfriend as cute lil chick so please stop when I'm still nice."

"God, I pity him for having such a possessive boyfriend."

"Changmin, can we focus on the fact that Taemin is working to provide for himself?"

"Oh, about that, I don't remember you telling me that he is coming from a wealthy family."

"I don't remember telling you he is poor either."

"My dear friend, it is not cheap to live here. We don't feel that way because we are born to a family that could basically pay for everything. But for the Tabby boy, maybe the scholarship and the allowance he get from his parents are not enough. Maybe he decides to take matters into his own hands by working for extra money. That is good. That is noble. It is something you should be proud of."

"I don't think that's what happens but if it is, should I start giving him money?"

"Are you serious? Your friends, or should I refer them as his other hyungs that love him so much, are rich enough to pay for his school and living expenses but did he tell them that he doesn't have enough money and let them help him? No! He stays quiet and chooses to take a side job. Do you really think he would be happy if you suddenly start giving him money and in return he has to quit the job?"

As much as he wants Changmin to be wrong, the guy has his reasons and it all makes sense. Taemin must have wanted to do this all by himself and not wanting the hyungs to worry about him.

Minho gives in on assuming what could be the reason behind Taemin's current situation and starts thinking of the best way to dig information out of Taemin, and Jihye, if things don't go well with Taemin.

By the lunch time, the four of them are sitting in a Korean restaurant not far from their university.

"Do you guys come here often?" Jihye starts the conversation.

"Yeah, almost once or twice everyweek. Have you been here before?"

Both Taemin and Jihye shake their heads.

"Ah, you guys are missing out the good stuff! The foods here are really good. It makes you feel like you're eating in South Korea." Changmin explains with sparks on his eyes, almost like a little kid getting a new toy. It has Jihye smiling over how innocent he is right now.

"Well, look at this place. Look around! Does it look like a place where average students would go for lunch?" When the boys turn around to check the room and finds mostly adults in working attires, they look back at Jihye who goes "Exactly!" in her winning smile.

"Then you guys are lucky to have us as boyfriends, I guess." Changmin grins.

"Is he your boyfriend now?" Taemin looks at Jihye and get a no. He turns to Changmin and gives him a devilish smile just to annoy the older.

"So Taemin, are you on a full or partial scholarship?" Minho cuts off, asking the big question right away.

"Whoa, how smooth is that!" says Changmin sarcastically as he couldn't believe what Minho's just asking.

"It's a full scholarship but it's not much. I mean it wouldn't allow me to have a nice lunch or a fine dine. But I can live with that."

"If it's enough for you to live off from, and now you that you've met me, do you still need to work after classes?"

"Like I said, they don't give me much money so it would be nice to have extra cash and maybe treat myself a nice lunch here when I feel homesick." Taemin smiles, trying to make it the whole situation sounds good. But he knows that it is far from good in the eye of his boyfriend.

"You got Minho for that! You can eat wherever you want and he would pay for it." Changmin winks and Taemin swears he catch Jihye throwing him a glare.

"But Taemin could really use the money. Maybe find a better place that is not in a shady neighborhood. A decent place that I could crash anytime I want without the fear of walking in on Dean -" Jihye stops midway, knowing she just make a mistake and send Taemin a guilty look.

"Who is Dean?" Both Minho and Changmin shouts at the same time. Luckily, the foods arrive so they go on an awkward pause until they're done serving the foods.

"He is my roommate." Taemin whispers, scared of how Minho would take it in.

"Do you know him beforehands?" Minho's voice is on the low end even Jihye goes from guilty to scared right away.

"No. But that's provided by the foundation. We don't have a say on the roommate thing."

"Alright, Jihye, you're banned from going to his place for your own safety."

"You can't order me around like that Changmin, you're not my boyfriend."

"Okay, what is this scholarship? I need to look into it." Minho's patience is wearing thin. He doesn't like this at all.

"It's from Hope Foundation. They have a website you can go to."

Minho freezes a little and exhanges look with Changmin.

"Are you sure it's Hope Foundation?" Changmin reconfirms.

"Yeah, Jihye knows it too." Taemin turns to Jihye for support and earns a nod. "Why?"

"That's indirectly owned by my family through one of our companies."

"I think you should let your parents know because if it's true, then they should be embarrassed about how poorly managed the scholarship is."

"I will." Minho mumbles as he looks very deep in thought. "I should" he adds. "For now, let's just eat before they get cold."

That evening, Taemin suddenly receives a text from Jonghyun that he is on his way to Taemin's apartment. His manager doesn't give him a day off so he asks him to come and wait at the cafe. He has no idea how to explain this part time job to his hyung. But he knows for sure that he won't be liking it. That's why Taemin insists that Minho should not come and see Jonghyun that day. One problem at a time, Taemin couldn't take more than that.

When Jonghyun enters the cafe, Taemin holds his breath and smiles nervously at the older. In this cafe, it is his job to treat customer nicely no matter who they are. It is not helping when Jonghyun has a cynical look on his face as he scans the place and walks painfully slow toward the counter.

"Hi hyung, you're here." Taemin's greeting comes off weak. "What should I get you?"

Jonghyun doesn't even look at Taemin. His eyes are fixated on the menu board on top of Taemin's head.

"Coffee. Black." He says as he fishes his wallet out and pull out small bill to pay for his coffee. If only he would look up to see how Taemin's face lose its colour.

Taemin carefully handed him his cup of coffee and he silently makes his way to the corner of the cafe and sit there. Never in his working time he feel time goes as slowly as today. When his shift ends, he hurries to change back to his clothes. He explains to his fellow coworker that he couldn't help them cleaning up the place and apologies for that. It is fortunate that his coworker is understanding his situation and let him leave early.

"Hyung, sorry for making you wait this long." Taemin says when he reach Jonghyun's table.

Jonghyun glances up a second and returns to his phone right away. "Oh, you're done now."

Taemin clearly doesn't like how that sounds. He dares himself to take a seat in front of his hyung and works on his explanation.

"I've been working part time job here not long after I come here. The scholarship money is not that much and I needed extra money to pay for buses as I moved around the city so much in search of Minho. I don't want you to worry about me so I keep quiet about this."

"I don't like being lied to, Taemin, especially by you."

"I'm sorry I let you down. But if you know about this, I'm sure I wouldn't be here right now, fixing everything with Minho."

"If you had told me properly, I could have defend you in front of Onew hyung and Kibum. If you had told us, we could have sent you some money -"

"I don't want your money, hyung." Taemin interrupts him. "Thanks for that. But coming here is my decision and I got everyone upset over it. It doesn't feel right to accept money from you after that." Taemin reaches out for Jonghyun's hand, holding them in a reassuring way. "Hyung, I'm sorry for not telling you but don't worry. I got this."

"I would keep this a secret but you have to quit. You've found Minho so you have no reason to need the extra money. I'm tired so let's just go back to your apartment and get some rest."

That's where Taemin goes pale again. The first time Jonghyun came to his place, he made sure Dean was out and cleared up Dean's stuff. "Hyung, didn't you book a hotel?"

"No. Why would I? I want to stay with you despite you living in that hole."

"I don't think you could stay there."

"Why is that?"

"I actually have a roommate. The other bed you see back in my place is not an empty bed. It's Dean's."

Jonghyun lets out a heavy sigh. These are too much for him to take in. "Alright Taemin, let's just go to a decent hotel. We can talk about this and any other things you hide from us tomorrow."