“Appa, I can’t! We can’t!” Taemin refused outright, “Umma isn’t working, Taesun is studying overseas, and you’re still in hospital. There’s too much…we can barely cover it all with me working in replacement of your job…”

It felt weird to be even using the word ‘replacement’ on himself.

“Taemin, look. You’re here and crying in front of me because of Onew. How could I let you continue on as this?” Lee appa sighed, “It hurts me as much as it pains you.”

“Besides, what kind of a father am I to be having my son worry about such at your age?” He smiled kindly laying his hand on Taemin’s.

Taemin felt utterly conflicted; he knows he wants to stay by Onew, yet he also knows well enough that Onew wouldn’t want Taemin to be managing him anymore.

Tears were welling up in his eyes once more. This isn’t just about himself wanting to be close to Onew, it also isn’t just about whether Onew wanted him anymore. The young boy had to think of his family too. He’d never considered dropping this job; but now that Appa has suggested it, it made Taemin feel even more burdened.

“I…” Taemin hesitated, “Let me think about it. I’ll tell you again in two days.”

Lee appa smiled tenderly, wishing his son would choose sincerely from his heart and decide what is best for himself. He knew this was difficult for Taemin, but he also knew Taemin would eventually work this out.

Taemin lingered for a while longer before gathering the courage to go back to his apartment; to face the uncertainty of a hostile Onew and the cold lonesome space.

***

“Where have you been?” Onew asked.

The singer was just at his door, prepared to go out instead of in. His face a look of irritation and tiredness.

“I…I went to see appa…” Taemin replied meekly, eyes avoiding Onew’s.

There was this deafening silence bring unease to Taemin.

“I’m going to see the General Manager. I’ll be back late so don’t bother reaching me.” Onew’s voice was soft, unlike his usual yelling, “Tomorrow, you don’t have to-“

He had to speak up before Onew could; before Onew could say anything hinting for him to leave.

“I’ll be early tomorrow, I promise! See you!” Taemin blurted out before darting back into his room.

Taemin realised in that moment how he’d never really once thought of quitting on his father, quitting on Onew.

No matter how it should be, Taemin’s heart only belonged with Onew and he would be lying if he’d say he was unhappy around the elder. Maybe he should consider his appa’s proposal, that maybe he should be sitting down calmly and thinking this through. But out of his character, Taemin wanted to be selfish for once. Before he needed to give his father an answer, he would serve Onew whole-heartedly, as always.

The next day, Taemin woke up three hours ahead of time to check on Onew, to make sure that he had plenty of time so that Onew doesn’t slip away without him again.

He knocked the door gently once. Then twice. But there was no stirring in the house at all. He tried twisting the door knob but it was locked, naturally. Not wishing to wake Onew up too early, the manager rode the elevator down to the security’s guardhouse for assistance.

“Onew-ssi? He left late last night and never came back. Didn’t you know?” The guard asked questioningly.

He never came back? Onew specifically told Taemin not to contact him; did he really oppose of anything to do with Taemin? Did Onew really hated living next to Taemin so much that he’d rather not return to his house?

Taemin’s mind was filled with self-doubt again. Those questions manifested in his head as if a deadly disease. It triggered his tear ducts to act up and Taemin found himself running up all twelve floors from the stairs to his bed.

The frustrated boy punched into his damp pillow repeatedly, imagining the cushion as Onew and himself interchangeably. He was so frustrated at Onew for showing his distaste towards him so openly. He was frustrated at himself for being so ready to forgive Onew over and over, so ready to ask for forgiveness.

He finally let out a scream and threw the pillow at Onew’s poster just across his bed, right at his handsome face. His chest heaved up and down heavily as he willed himself to breathe right.

***

“So what’s the deal now? You keep asking me for more assignments, more than what you can handle, and now you’re crashing at my house?”

The General Manager wasn’t really angry at Onew, but just really confused at his behaviour. Onew never asked for extras, he never had to. And he never liked sleepovers anywhere except for his own bed.

The idol only groaned and continued to fix his bed hair in the mirror.

“For that Taemin brat?” GM queried, “It would’ve been more convincing if for Manager Lee.”

“But to do this…it’s so unlike you. You never care about anyone else other than your fans.” He mocked further.

“It is for Manager Lee…and for Taemin too. They’re not mutually exclusive.” Onew glared at his GM for his cruel jokes.

“Taemin’s a fan, too.” He added in a murmur.

His hands stopped picking at his hair and his ears flushed a light pink.

“So you’re going to overwork yourself for every fan that has their dads in hospital then?” GM cooed beside him with a smirk.

“It’s different, you stupid. I’m leaving.”

With that, Onew picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder before leaving the GM’s house to his scheduled location. By then, his face was blushing red.

GM was right; Onew wouldn’t have twitched a brow if it happened to someone else. He knew well enough he didn’t do this because it was Manager Lee. Onew would have done the same in a heartbeat if it concerns Taemin’s anybody.

This morning Onew was scared and tired.

He was scared because Taemin was so stiff when he saw him. Taemin must’ve hated him because of what he did to him previously. So much he refused to look at him last night, and he was so unwilling to breathe the same air with Onew seeing how he dashed into his apartment before Onew could say anything more. The last straw was when Onew said not to call him, and he really didn’t despite him not returning home the whole night. He had no single idea how else he could redeem himself besides helping with Lee appa’s recovery.

He was also tired, because…well he had been working non-stop all day yesterday – working on CFs, photo-shoots, and even doing unpopular variety shows to help boost ratings. Today was also nothing less than the day before.

Where should he return to tonight? He wanted to see his favourite fan in the world, yet he also wants to avoid the dreadful declaration of loathe towards himself from Taemin.

Annyeong! Hope you've enjoyed thissssss while I drown in schoolwork D: 

Let me know what you think! 

Thanks for reading and please comment! ♥