When Taemin woke up from nap on the grass field, it has already past the time that the class ended. . He thought he would just sleep for fifteen minutes since he’s kind of early for school today. Who would have thought that he slept for three hours, well, must be because he didn’t sleep last night. He stared at the box to his right. Sighing, he went back to the empty classroom with the box in his hand and claims the rest of his belongings before making his way home.

              When Taemin reached home, the house was quiet with no one else. Jinki had already gone to work and it’s no surprise that his father went gamble, or somewhere else to rot for all he cares.

              He inhaled a sharp breath. He still has another two more hours before going to the café. With his stomach growling, he put his bag and the box on the kitchen counter before cooking himself a packet of ramen. He sighed again.

              As long as he could remember, eating ramen seemed to be the only choice of food when he was young. Or sometimes when Jinki first got his salary, before their father could took it away; he would buy some food that his little brother would love to eat. Only until Taemin started working, he would often buy groceries for the family and his brother would cook some decent meals.

              He sat on the chair with one of his leg up against his chest while waiting for the water to boil, and his vision happened to land on the box. Pulling it closer to him, he wonders what’s inside.

              Since the water doesn’t look like it will boil anytime soon, Taemin opened up the box. “What the hell?” he glazed at the pieces of mini rolled-up papers. Picking up one of it, he removed the small metal ring around it.

#543

543 days has gone. I haven't seen you. I'm afraid that I might even forget how you look like as days goes on. Taemin, I'm going to the U.S soon.

He frowned, what is this? He doesn’t understand. So he took another piece.

#3265

Today is the 3265th day since you left me, I miss you a lot as usual (:

School today was bored, something terrible happened. Guess what? There's this girl who took the leaf ring you made for me, I wanted to snatch back but her gang stopped me from doing so. Looking at the precious ring that is the only thing you left for me being taken by others, my anger rises and I end up fighting with them. I got suspended from school as I scratched her face. Most importantly, your ring is still well-protected by me (:

#3659

Taemin, I went to my brother's school today for my first lesson. A boy has a same name as you. But I'm sure he isn't you because he's so funky and ill-mannered. He treats me badly and ignores me at times.

#4

I still don’t get it, why did you leave?

#286

I miss you.

#843

I miss you a lot…

#3661

Taemin, I didn't know that you were actually just beside me when I'm missing you so much. You were beside me every day sleeping in class but I actually didn't realize that it was you. I'm so blaming myself. And why didn't you admit you are Taemin? Do you hate me?

#3662

I love you, can you please look at me…

Taemin felt like his heart was being squashed. He could literally feel the pain behind all these words and the pain spilled out into tears that filled his eye rims. He doesn’t know about the pain she was feeling, and yet he was rejecting her again and again, stepping on her as though she was nothing.

              It wasn’t like he doesn’t have feelings for her. So what if he does? He’s nothing now. He couldn’t afford to give her the happiness that she deserves.

              So what? His inner thought said.

              The sound of the water boiling pulled him back to reality as he got up and went over to the stove.

              Your love is what she wants, not your money. He heard it again.

              Sighing, he turned off the stove instead of putting in the ramen, and he leaned there against the counter for a good five minutes.

              “Ugh,” he slammed on the counter and quietly uttered a word ‘’ before leaving the house in a rush.

“Today was fun,” Minyoung beamed when they walked the path to their house. After a lunch at McDonald’s, Minho brought her to the cinema and they caught a comedy movie.  Minyoung never had so much fun for so long, she was awfully glad that her brother managed to spend time with her today, just so she could forget Taemin for a moment.

              “Minyoung.”

              Both Minho and Minyoung looked up and saw Taemin standing near their house. Taemin had a hard time getting Key to tell him where Minho lives because Key wasn’t sure if he will be inviting troubles, but since Taemin wanted to talk to Minyoung, why not?

              “I’ll go in first,” Minho said, ruffling Minyoung’s hair as he mentally pats himself on the back for doing the right thing – passing the notes to Taemin.

              “Why are you here?” Minyoung quietly asked. She didn’t know why Taemin knew where she stayed but that don’t seemed to be the important thing right now. She still didn’t forget what Taemin did to her in his room, although she was sure that he did that to her just so she could be scared and leave him alone. But still, she wasn’t ready to face him yet.

              “I…” Taemin blinked, looking down at the ground while he clenched his fists. They were still very far apart and Minyoung doesn’t look like she wanted to step forward.

              He his dried lips, “your brother showed me the notes.” He said, taking small steps towards her and secretly prayed that she won’t retreat. “What?” Minyoung’s eyes widen in shock, “…and what? Didn’t you say you’re not that Lee Taemin? What does it got to do with you then?”

              “Minyoung…” by the time Minyoung realized, he was already inches away before her eyes. “I’m sorry,” he breathed, pulling Minyoung into his arms.

              She frowned and did not return the hug. She allowed him to hold her but her tone was still cold as ice. “What are you doing?” she asked.

              Taemin placed his chin on her shoulder, “I’m terribly sorry, I am the Lee Taemin you knew, and I am the mushroom haired idiot who gives you lollipop. I’m the stupid who left without saying a thing, and the bastard who pretend not to know you when you asked about it.”

              Minyoung exhaled deeply, she doesn’t like to be played with and apparently, Taemin seemed to be toying with her feelings, telling her lies and stepping on her.

              “Forgive me for leaving,” was what she heard next.  She blinked, swallowing the lump that formed at the back of . Pulling apart the hug, Taemin leaned in and planted his lips onto hers, and hopefully, his feeling could reach her through the kiss.

              “I love you, Minyoung.” He said after breaking the kiss, pulling her into his warm embrace. Minyoung’s face turned into shades of pink after the kiss and she felt like she could forgive him for all the things he did. “Thank you…for coming to me.” She said low, wrapping her arms around Taemin’s frame and inhaling his scent. Thank you, Taemin, thank you for coming back.

When Taemin got home in a good mood, exactly like a teen in love, he smiled and plopped himself down on the couch. Sighing, he lifted his legs up and changed into a laying position, before staring at the white-turned-yellow ceiling.

              Am I doing this right? He thought, getting Minyoung involved in my life…

              He was so into his thoughts that he failed to notice the shuffling of feet from the master bedroom to the living room, until a warm sticky fluid was felt on his skin. What the ?

              “Damn it! Dad!” Taemin’s eyes widen and he shot up immediately, removing his shirt and staring at himself in disbelief before diverting his attention to his drunkard dad. “Why are you—ugh!” Taemin’s face scrunched up in disgust when he could smell the disgusting fluid his dad just threw up on him.

              Taemin sighed, making his way to the toilet but just before he closed the door, he saw his father dropped onto the couch, “Taeminnie…I…I did wrong to you… and your brother…” he mumbled in between hiccups.

              Taemin gritted his teeth, looking at the ground for a second before closing the bathroom door.

              You did nothing wrong, dad.

Morning came and Taemin took an apple from the fridge and bit it. Jinki didn’t return last night so no one made breakfast. He passed by the living room, glancing at his father who fell asleep there last night.

              “Hey.”

              A guy in suit approached Taemin as soon as he stepped out of the house, alarming him as he thought some loan sharks came again. He almost dropped his apple from his mouth. “Hi…?” he raised a brow, taking the apple off his mouth and locked up the door.

              “I’m looking for Lee Jaehyun.” The guy said, standing upright with his hands at his back a meter or two away from Taemin.

              “Did he owe you money?” Taemin asked, not looking at him. “Write down your number and address or whatever I can find you with. When I have the money, I’ll return.” He said, taking a notepad and a pen out from his bag and stuff it in the guy’s hands before bending down to wear his shoes.

              “No, erm, he didn’t owe us money,” though the guy still obediently took the notepad and pen over. “My boss wants to see him, Lee Jaehyun.”

              Well, that caught Taemin’s attention. “Your boss?” he picked up the falling strap on his shoulder. “And your boss is?”

              “Nars—, P-Park Hyojin.” The guy stuttered. “Are you…by any chance, Lee Taemin?”

              Taemin flinched at his name being called, but he was even more shock at the name Park Hyojin.

              He laughed, brushing the guy’s shoulder as he walked past him. “Sorry to say, neither my dad nor I know her.”

              “Wait,” the guy said, turning around and stopping Taemin who landed his foot on the stairs down. “My boss wants to see him. You can’t expect me to go back empty-handed.”

              Taemin sighed, “What do you want? I really don’t know her.”

              “I won’t go back empty-handed.”

              “Don’t make me repeat again,” Taemin glared, “I don’t care who the Park Hyojin is, and we do not know her.”

              The guy stood rooted at his position, exchanging threatening glares with Taemin. “I’ll come again,” he said, and Taemin rolled his eyes, whatever.

Damn you whoever you are, because of you, I’m late for school now.

              Taemin turned the corner and entered his classroom when the teacher was teaching. “Lee Taemin!”

              “I’m sorry, Mdm., s happened, I was early you know.” Taemin raised both of his hands in surrender as he walked to the last row, the class roared in laughter at his actions.

              The homeroom teacher cleared , frowning and resuming her lesson.

              Taemin took a glance at Minyoung who happened to look at him too. “Why are you late again?” she whispered, she doesn’t want to get caught when Ms. Kim isn’t in the mood.

              “Something happened at home. No worries,” he smiled, running a hand down Minyoung’s head and assuring her that everything is fine. “Let me know later, alright?” She asked in concern.

              Taemin nodded, placing his bag on the table to serve as a pillow. He yawned.

“Taemin…”

              “Taemin…”

              A woman squatted down in front of him, ruffling his hair as she looked at her with empathetic eyes.

              “Mum is going off now, be good okay? Your brother will look after you.” She stood back up and straightened her back. “No…” Taemin tugged on her velvet dress. “Taeminnie wants to go with you…”

              “You will be a burden to me…will you want that to happen? Taeminnie?” tears began to form at the back of Taemin’s eyes.

              “We should go,” a guy appeared behind her and grabbed hold of her shoulder.

“Taemin!” Minyoung hit the top of Taemin’s head and that certainly woke him up. His face scrunched up in pain. “Why are you even here when you are not paying attention to class, you’ve always been sleeping.” Minyoung said while packing her bag.

              “I’m here for you, not for the lesson.” Taemin yawned again, scratching his head and at the area Minyoung hit him. He suddenly became aware that he had the dream again, the same dream that haunted him since forever.

              “Taemin?” Minyoung placed her hand on his cheek when she realized that he had zoned out for the past few minutes, only to get her hand slapped away by him. “Don’t touch me.” He said hostilely.

              What? Minyoung stood rooted, watching Taemin as he stood up. “I’m sorry,” he said apologetically after realizing what he just did, his mood was totally gone and all he wanted now is to go home and be alone.

              “I’m sorry, but I’m heading home.” He apologized again, taking his bag and leaving without looking at Minyoung. On his way out, he bumped into Key but he just looked at him with hatred in his eyes and walked away.

               Key was surprised at first but he sighed after that, walking into the classroom and leaned against Taemin’s table, looking at Minyoung. “Did you ask about his mum?”

              His what? Minyoung shook her head.

              “He will be like that whenever he’s reminded of his mum. He doesn’t really like her you see.” Key shrugged his shoulders. “By the way, Jonghyun and I have something to inform.”

Taemin sighed, putting his hands into his pocket as he walked home. Sometimes, he would pull up his bag strap that was falling off his shoulder.

             Park Hyojin.

             The name lingered in his mind. It’s not fair; they were leading a normal life right now, why did the name appear again?

             He sighed again, lowering his vision and stared at the ground as he walked, until someone tapped him on his shoulder.

             “Hyung?” Taemin turned his head around before Jinki walked on par with him. “You looked tired.” The elder guy said. Taemin let out a small smile, “you worked overnight last night, you seemed more tired.”

             “I’m okay,” Jinki smiled, letting out a yawn, “but I’m just going home to sleep whole night, settle your dinner yourself.”

             Taemin chuckled. Should he tell his brother about the guy in the morning?

             “Hyung,” Taemin started. Jinki stretched his arms and tilted his head to the side, “hmm?”

             “In the morning…there’s a guy that came.” He continued as he watched Jinki’s expression. “He was talking about Park Hyojin…”

             Jinki’s eyes widen but it wasn’t obvious. He blinked, putting his arms down. “Oh, is that so?”

             Taemin was surprised at his brother’s reaction, it was way more…normal than he thought. But the both of them didn’t exchange anymore words on the way home.

             When the Lee brothers entered the house, it was a rare sight to see their father in his sober state. Both the brothers took a glance at each other.

             “Yes…I’ll bring them to you soon…” Jaehyun said on the phone before hanging up the call. “Who was that?” his elder son asked, going into the kitchen and did some cleaning while Taemin walked into his room.

             “Jinki…I’ve something to tell you,” Jaehyun sighed, sitting on the couch and covering his face with his palms. Although Taemin was in his room, he could hear their conversation clearly. “Your mum…she’s back…and she wants to take the both of you back.”

             What? Taemin ran out of his room, “and you agreed to it??” he asked agitatedly. “Why??”

             “Given my situation now, it’s better if the both of you leave my side. Your young master status will return, both of you will have a brighter future.” Jaehyun said; lowering his head as each words came out of his mouth.

              “Then what about you?” Taemin asked, “Who is going to take care of your debts? Who is going to take care of you when you’re drunk?”

              “Just go, let me live my remaining life peacefully.” His father sighed.

              “What?” Taemin laughed, “Do you think that without us here, you will still be alive?” he sarcastically questioned him, before noticing that his brother didn’t say a word.

              “Hyung?” He turned towards Jinki. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you okay with this? Going back to that woman who left us?”

              Jinki his dried lips, glancing both his father and young brother. “If dad wants us to leave, so be it. We are not worth fighting for, that’s why dad didn’t bother to fight for it.”

              Jaehyun raised his head immediately wanting to retort Jinki’s words but his elder son already went back to his room, leaving Taemin standing still there.

              “Look how disappointed hyung sounded, dad.” The long-haired lad sighed, dragging his feet and left the house. He doesn’t want to be at home, not at the moment.