“Mom! Where are my jeans?” Taemin called out to his mother, staring confusedly at his wardrobe.

“If you are talking about those jeans with huge holes in them, then I burnt all of them.” Mrs Lee replied, placing a warm glass of milk on his side table.

“What?!” Taemin turned, and followed his mother into the kitchen.

“Mom! I spent so much time to rip them right!”

“Rip?” His mom raised an eyebrow.

“Yes! It’s fashion!” Taemin  pouted.

“I don’t approve of fashion that makes you flash your thighs, Taemin.” Mrs Lee sighed.

“Dad!” Taemin whined, running to the table where Mr Lee was having his morning coffee.

His father just shrugged.

Taemin flopped into a chair, frowning. “Great. First day of my campus life and I have no pants to wear.”

“I bought you some appropriate clothes, Taeminnie.” His mother beamed, taking out a shopping bag from under the table.

“Don’t call me that.” Taemin glared. He took the bag reluctantly, and groaned when he looked inside.

“Boring.” Taemin took out a blue jeans with a ‘comfortable fit’ sticker on it. All of them were plain, and shades of blue or black.

“Now, now. Go get dressed otherwise you’ll be late!” His mother said, handing him a toast.

Taemin stuffed it into his mouth and stormed upstairs into his room, swinging the bag his mother gave him.

Mr Lee sighed. “Let him be, Honey.”

“What? You said the same thing when he dyed his hair and got his ears pierced! I withstood all of that, but I won’t let my son go to college in rags!”

“He said its fashion. Loosen your hold, he’s already nineteen. If he doesn’t wear what he likes now, then when will he?”

“Fine. I’ll let him wear his rags. I’ll let my son look like a beggar off the streets. And what else should I tolerate next? Him being gay?!”

“What’s wrong with that?”

Mrs Lee’s mouth fell open. “Honey…” She gulped. “You are okay with him being gay?”

“Well he isn’t. Yet.  And it’s a personal preference. As long as he isn’t doing drugs, I am fine with anything.”

Mrs Lee’s face puffed up in anger. But she remained silent.

Taemin rushed out the next minute, wearing the pants his mother got him. He waved lousily at his parents before heading out.

Mrs Lee pouted. “I miss my son.”

Mr Lee raised his eyebrow in amusement. “But he just left.”

“I am not talking about that idiot who just walked out. I am talking about the boy who had fluffy brown hair, and an angelic smile…a boy who used to be so polite and mannerly. Not the one who looks like a cross between a vampire and a street thug, with tiny skulls hanging off his ears.”

Mr Lee chuckled at his wife’s words. “Don’t worry; his university life might set him straight.”

Taemin rushed to the university, afraid that he might be late for the first day.

“Made it.” Taemin panted, as he made his way into the building.

“Barely.” A girl’s voice ran through his ears, and he turned to find his best friend, Sulli smiling at him.

“Looking cool, huh, Taemin?” She winked.

“It would have been cooler if Mom hadn’t burnt my ripped jeans.” Taemin rolled his eyes.

“Oh. My. Gosh.” Sulli’s face paled with horror. “She’s still not okay with your look?”

Taemin shook his head. “What about you?”

“Mom never understands. She bought me bellbottoms last week. I just accepted them kindly, and later shoved them back into her closet.”

“Bellbottoms?” Taemin snickered.

“She thinks we still live in the 80s or something.” Sulli sighed. “Never mind, I already checked all our classes, and we are together in most of them!”

“That’s cool.” Taemin smiled, fixing his cap.

“Nice skulls.” Sulli said, eyeing Taemin’s new earrings.

“Haha, thanks. But you don’t know the drama I had to go through when I bought these last week.”

“Shoot!” Sulli said, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“Mom threatened to cut my ears off if I let skulls hang off them.” Taemin began.

“How come your ears are still intact?”

“Dad.” Taemin beamed.

Sulli smiled, punching him playfully. “You lucky idiot!”

As they walked to the first class, Sulli glanced at the seating arrangement. “Second row.” She pouted. “Tae, you are in the last row. Gosh, you are really lucky!”

Taemin chuckled in response.

He headed towards the end of the class, while Sulli took her seat in the second row.

He flopped down, bringing out his iPod from his bag, and ing one earphone in his ear. He rested his head on the desk, his legs swaying lightly to the music.

The lecturer entered and started with the introduction of the subject, one hour passed, and soon it was time for roll call.

“Lee Taemin.”

Taemin felt somebody shaking him. He looked up and saw a boy smiling at him. “Roll call.” He whispered, and Taemin sat up immediately.

“Lee Taemin.” The lecturer called out again.

“Present, Sir!” Taemin said loudly. He turned towards the boy, giving him a look, before resting his head back on the desk.

 “You’re welcome.” The boy murmured.

“Hmm.” Taemin replied, his head still down.

“Are you unwell?”

Taemin sat up, irritated. “Let me sleep, dude.” He ruffled his hair and turned away from him.

The boy next to him just stared at Taemin with wide eyes.