I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart

And no one will desert you

Just try to never grow up, never grow up

(3 years later)

Taemin sighed as he walked into Minho’s elementary school, mentally preparing himself for the worst.

While at school (he was in his second year in college), he received a call from the school, telling him that someone had informed Minho’s teacher, Kim Jonghyun, that Minho had been crying in the bathroom. The boys allowed Jonghyun to lead him out of the bathroom, but he wouldn’t talk at all, not even with bribes of candy, crafts, or recess. So, they moved to their last result, which was Taemin.

“May I help you?” the secretary, a young woman, asked kindly when Taemin walked up to the desk.

“Yes, um, I received a call from the school about 30 minutes about about my brother, Choi Minho-”

“Ah, yes. He’s currently in his homeroom with his teacher, Kim Jonghyun. I assume you know where to go?”

Taemin smiled weakly and nodded.

“Yes, I do. Thank you,” he replied, bowing kindly before walking quickly towards room 156.

Go straight, turn right, turn left, 2nd door on the left.

Taemin adjusted his scarf slightly before loosening his shoulders and knocking on the wooden door. Seconds later, he was presented with a familiar face.

“Ah, Taemin-ssi,” Kim Jonghyun said, smiling in relief and bowing slightly before continuing in a whisper, “Minho… he… we’re not sure what happened. A classmate of his merely came to tell me that Minho was crying in the bathroom. So, of course, I went to get him, but he won’t talk to me and I don’t know what to do.”

Jonghyun blurted everything out at once, sighing loudly when he finished. Taemin merely smiled.

“It’s okay, Jonghyun-ssi, I understand. It’s okay, you handled the situation well. I’ll try to talk to him,” he replied gently, making sure that Jonghyun knew that the situation wasn’t his fault at all. The latter merely nodded and bowed before silently exiting the room.

“Minho,” Taemin called out once the door shut completely, “Minnie, what happened?”

Taemin slowly walked over to Minho, who was sitting cross legged in a beanbag near the back of the room. As he expected, no response came. In fact, Minho didn’t even look up, which worried even Taemin a little. Minho never not looked at him.

“Minnie,” Taemin whispered as he pulled Minho up by the arms and took a seat in the beanbag chair before placing Minho back in his lap, “tell hyung what’s wrong.”

Minho merely shook his head, crossed his arms, and continued to silently cry to himself. Taemin sighed internally.

“Minnie, hyung can’t make you feel better if you don’t tell him what’s wrong,” Taemin tried to negotiate as he gently squeezed the younger boy around the middle.

At that moment, Minho began to verbally cry, rivers of tears flowing down his red cheeks.

“Aww, baby, shh,” Taemin pleaded, frowning himself and gently wiping Minho’s tears with his thumbs.

“Th-they c-c-called me a f-frog because of m-my eyes,” Minho managed to whisper, wiping his face with his little fist. Taemin couldn’t help but smile sadly. That’s what got the boy so riled up?

“Aw, Minnie,” Taemin cooed softly, placing soft kisses in the boy’s black hair, “you have big, beautiful eyes. They’re such a pretty shade of brown and so sparkly- I’m sure those bullies were just jealous.”

“B-but,” Minho continued in a teary voice, “th-they called m-me an ugly d-duckling…”

Hold up. Come again?

“Wait, wait, wait. What was that, Minnie?”

“Th-they said th-that I was an u-ugly duckling… Umma and a-appa never c-came back, a-and then I w-was teased b-before Taemin hy-hyung and n-new umma and appa and T-Taesun came. B-but then n-new umma and appa… they n-never came b-back either. N-no one wants to b-be my friend b-because they’re afraid th-they’ll disappear l-like ummas and appas and T-Taesunnie…”

Minho didn’t continue, thankfully, because Taemin was on the verge of tears.

They’re afraid they’ll disappear like ummas and appas and Taesun.

“M-Minnie,” Taemin mumbled, hugging the crying boy closer to his chest than before, “don’t listen to them. I… I know u-umma and appa and T-Tae-”

Taemin felt a lump in his throat form, and he choked back a sob he knew was there. He and Minho didn’t really talk about umma, appa, and Taesun anymore. Taemin couldn’t even say his hyung’s name without crying anymore. Still, he had to be brave and strong for Minho. So, as best he could, Taemin took a deep breath and continued in a slightly shaky voice.

“I know umma and apa and T-Taesun… Won’t come back-” Taemin bit his lip, hard, “b-but you still have me, right? You still have Taeminnie hyung. I-I’m here…”

“D-did they not love me? W-was Minnie a bad boy?”

Taemin felt his heart clench painfully as Minho’s words echoed in his ears.

“N-no!” Taemin exclaimed desperately, “u-umma and appa and T-Taesunnie loved you very much!” he cracked a tearful smile, “th-they loved you and ch-cherished you and always said you were a g-gift.”

By this point, Taemin had given up on trying to keep his tears in. Usually, Minho cried because of little things,