A strong, stinging slap landed on Key's face. "You are such a disgrace to this family!" His father yelled which confused him. "What are you talking ab-"

"This." his mother showed him a video from the Instagram of a fellow classmate: the one where he pulled and kissed Minho from the backstage. His eyes widened as he saw the video and his parents' reaction.

"Damn it! The public now knows the son of one of the biggest company in Seoul is gay! What do you think will be its impact in our business? Aren't you really thinking?" his father yelled at his face, and Key became defiant. "So what," he let out a bitter laugh, "you are worrying about your company again instead of worrying about my reputation?"

"Here we are at your dramas again. You are really useless! You don't have the brain to run a business, you don't have the right brain to deal with people, and now, even my company's reputation will be destroyed, you are still thinking of yourself? How selfish had you become!"

"Ask me first who raised me into a selfish b*tch I am today." Key shot back, which angered his mother also. "You are blaming us? How could you say those words after we rais-"

"You raised me, yes, but you didn't teach me the true values.Technically speaking, you just raised me, you didn't make me grow.  You taught me money is everything, but I still thought you love me. But it is money that had my place exchanged in your lives. I guess I shouldn't have told you a company's secret in becoming rich. I'm going." he said as he grabbed his grab his bag and is about to go out of the door, had not he felt a vase thrown at his back and a punch landing on his face.

 

Key is walking quietly on the hallways as he ignored the stares he got, especially because of his bandages and bruises at his face, and of course, the issue that spread about his uality. And, Key does not really go to school if he has these kind of situations like being beaten up by his own father, but this is a different case. He needs to see Minho.  "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!?" he yelled at the students and they all went silent.

"I wonder what your parents said about your video." a girl giggled at the side, who looks suspiciously the same girl that posted it to the Instagram. The hallway roared into laughter, and threw unexpected objects at Key that came from nowhere, like eggs, flour, cream, and other things. Key just fell on the floor in a crying mess as he was continuousy hit by eggs. Out of nowhere, a student in black jacket had him stood up and pulled him out of the way.

"Is that Choi Minho-sshi?" the students murmured as the two got lost in nowhere.

"Hmmmmphhhmmh..." Key tried removing the hand that is covering his mouth, and saw Minho's face as they got into the library. "M-M-Minho..." he stuttered, and removed his jacket full of pastey mixture. "Wash yourself at the comfort room." Minho said as he sat down casually and opened a book. Key then rushed into the library's comfort room, and washed his hair and face in a swift motion as he thought Minho will leave right after.

After rinsing, he sat himself on front of Minho. "I... I..."

"Can't you see I am reading?" Minho muttered without even sparing the other a glance. The atmosphere became more awkward, and silence filled the room, but Minho knows that Key's mind is all chaotic.

"You are not Minho." The one with the said name stopped on what he is doing and averted his gaze to the other. "Excuse me?"

"Bring me back Minho. The Minho I know isn't like you."

"Are you getting crazier every single day Kibum?" Minho addressed the other at his real name now. "Yes I am." Key said with his voice shaking, "I want the old Min-"

"Ah, the one who you treated as a slave?" That made Key shut up. "The one who will comfort you in times like this but you never even thank him once? The one who you never let to fix his own self so that no one will go near him because he is your slave? You know what, the feeling is mutual."

"Huh?"

"What I mean is..." Minho began looking at him with cold eyes, "I also miss Kibum, not the one who is on front of me. he is Key, a very different person from the Kibum I know. The Bummie I know is down to earth. He is funny without hurting others. He is also the one that always gives me a ppoppo everytime I help him with his studying." Key blushed as he remembered the things that has been long wiped out of his memory because of his selfish needs in life.

"But that was Bummie.  You are not Kibum anymore, youi are just Key. Inconsiderate. Insensitive. Hurts others. You also destroyed someone's life, and make him emotionless and lose faith to the humanity." Key felt angry at himself at the last sentence MInho just said, and how he regretted destroying Taemin. But the next words that followed really pierced his heart like a javelin. "I don't need you, Key." then he dropped his book on the table with a disappointed look in his face, and left Key bursting there into tears.

Flashback:

"When will you stop ignoring me Minho!?" Key shouted at the phone.

"Stop following me Key, Please, I want a peaceful life without you." he said as the line went dead.

"Why are you leaving me..." Key began crying as he rolled up his sleeve and got a blade from his cabinet. Slicing it through his skin. he felt pain at frist but multiple cuts will feel you numb at the emotional pain

"I'm late again." Taemin shook his head as he ran his way to his classroom while biting a piece of croissant, then he stopped on his tracks when he heard a familiar sound of sobbing as he passed by the library, the sound he had not long heard almost 8 years ago.

"Kibum?" he saw the other crouching to a corner of the library, head covered by his hands. Taemin didn't hesitate to go inside, and he saw the side of Key's head full of bloody bandages.

"Kibum," he addressed the other in his real name, which surprised Key, "Why are you-" he was caught in surprise when Key suddenly clinged to his legs.

"M-Minho h-he gave u-up on me..." he heard the other murmur, which made things clear for Taemin. He wrapped his arms around the crying boy, who seemed so fragile, that he never saw for years.

"Shhhh it's okay." Taemin said as he rubbed the other's back.

After a few minutes...

"Oh."

"What?" Key asked.

"Based on what you told me, Minho is right anyway. I kinda understand him." As those words sinked in to Key, he began crying again.

"Please don't cry, you look ugly." Taemin remarked as he wiped smudged eyeliner from Key's face.

"Tsk. You really like interrupting moments."

"Whatever." Taemin rolled his eyes, not expecting what will happen next.

"...Taemin-ah."

"That is the first time you said my name in 8 years, without getting angry. Congratulations."

"I'm serious." Key scoffed. "I am serious, too, Kibum." Key was moved when he heard his name being said by his ex-bestfriend. He bit his lip at first, but then spoke the words Taemin has been longing to hear for many, many years of bitterness.

"I-I'm sorry."

"...Excuse me?"

"You know how I hate saying this, but again, sorry. For revealing your family business' secrets to my family and using it to get rich. For being the main reason why you are like that now, emotionless. Robot-like. Not having any life ahead of you."

"Your appa did that wound to you right?" Taemin averted his gaze to Key's head wounds.

"Do you accept my apology?"

"That cruel tyrant. He always hurt you." Taemin hissed. "Yes he did. Now answer me. Do you acce-"

"Yes." Taemin sighed as he crossed his arms. A grin spread through Key's face and hugged the other. "Thanks Taem-- ouch." he squirmed as he felt a sharp pain from his shoulder.

"What happened?" Taemin is about to check the other but Key pulled away.

"I-I am oka-"

"Is that blood?" Taemin pointed at his longsleeved undershirt, where blood marred the white piece of garment. Key didn't answer, and covered his shoulder to hide it from the other.

"Answer me!" Taemin exclaimed and opened the garment by force, leaving Key half .

"What the-Key!" Taemin covered his mouth as he stared in horror at Key's wound, or wounds, where blood oozes out like river.

"What happened to th-"

"I cut." Key answered in a low tone. "What!?" A tear caught into Taemin's eye. "Why!?"

"It is the only way to numb the pain I am feeling." Key said as he began crying again. "Come with me at the clinic." Taemin pulled him by the hand. "I-I am still half nak-" then Taemin covered him with his own uniform and dashed out the hallway, completely forgetting about his class. Some students look at them, especially at Key.

"Don't you have any meaningful businesses to engage at instead off us?" Taemin raised a brow at them before he went into the infirmary.

"Taemi- Key?" Jonghyun who happened to be inside the infirmary too, saw the wounds on Key's shoulder that he is covering.

"What happened?" he asked as they sat Key on the bed.

"Quite a long story." Taemin answered. "Where is the nurse, Kim Jonghyun-sshi?" Key asked in a small voice,

"Uhh, let us just say she is absent..."

"Damn." Taemin cursed under his breath as he fumbled through the first aid closet. "Do you really know what to do with that?"

"Not really, but I need to." Taemin answered as he pulled out bandages, cotton balls and alcohol.

"Alcohol!?" Key began screaming as he saw the other holding it.

"Let me do it. Tae, get a glass of water, we need to wash the wound first." Jonghyun smiled as he took the whole first aid kit. "We need to disinfect the wound. Key-ah. Anyway, why do you have those wou-"

"I cut." as a response, Jonghyun looked worriedly at the younger male. "I promise to take good care of your wounds."

"But-"

"Do you wanna die of infection? Do you want your tombstone to have the inscription 'died of infection'?"

Key began screaming 'no' all over again like a child that made Jonghyun chucked.

"The pain will last only for a minute." Jonghyun said as he used the water that Taemin got to wash the wounds and wiped it with a cotton, followed by a swipe of cotton with alcohol. Key hissed for a while, but he got used to it after a minute, like Jonghyun said. He unconcsciously gripped on the sleeve of Jonghyun's uniform, showing a pain-filled face.

"You look cute too, like Taemin." Jonghyun ruffled the other's hair. "I told you. You will get used to it."

"Thanks, Jonghyun hyung." Key began smiling. Taemin, who is just watching by the side, have to admit that he is impressed on how Jonghyun dealed with his whiny, almighty (as some says.) friend, but then, he felt a slight pain in his chest as he saw Jonghyun hug Key.

"YAH!" He pulled them apart and glared at the two, "stop that."

"Duh, I just said Key should stop cutting." Jonghyun rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Class is over for sure. Let's go now." Taemin shook his head.

 

"Why do I get this feeling that your car isn't coming for you anymore?" Taemin said as they stood by the school gate for 1 hour already.

"I-it's just late, you know..." Key began hanging his head low.

"Ride my car and let's find out. Come with us Jonghyun." Taemin dragged the eldest by the hand that felt so warm.

"Oh Taeminnie, you have friends." Seungri smiled as he started the engine.

"Go to the Kim's house." Taemin instructed. "Huh? At those copycat's hou-"

Key cleared his throat, "Uh, I'm here, you know, their son."

"Then why are you here, brat?" Seungri became confused, and Taemin answered, "Ugh. We are now okay. Just go there."

"And who is the one beside you?"

"Jonghyun."

"Ah! The guy you told me about?" Seungri didn't miss the dark, evil glint on Taemin's eyes when he said his last sentence. "Ri.." he felt the killer aura of Taemin behind him. 

"You are talking about me?" Jonghyun beamed at Taemin.

"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS." Taemin covered his face with his handkerchief in embarassment.

 

"Uggh. I really need to find an apartment ASAP." Key said as he clutched on his few clothes that he found scattered outside their gate,

"Stay at my house then." Taemin offered, "I know you have no money. You never save money."

"Don't you think your grandpa won't kill us when he finds out the used-to-be-heir of your rival company is living in your house?"

"Stay at my humble home. Everybody is welcome in my home." Jonghyun smiled.

 

"Aigoo what are those two doing?" Taemin rolled on his bed restlessly as he stared at his phone. He dialled Key's number, who answered on the very first ring.

"What are you two doing?!" Taemin asked, which Key found intriguing, because Taemin doesn't care about what people are doing, so he set it in loudspeaker.

"What did you say?" Key asked teasingly as he rushed to the kitchen where Jonghyun is cooking. He signalled Jonghyun to don't make a sound.

"YAH! TELL ME WHAT THE TWO OF YOU ARE DOING! ARE YOU CUDDLING? oR KISSING OR POUNCING ON EACH OTHER OR DOING THINGS NOT MEANT FOR MINORS? ARE YOU BEING BY JONGHYUN HYUNG OR IS IT THE OTHER WAY RO-"

"Taemin," Jonghyun couldn't hold his laugh anymore, "first, we are not minors. Key is 18, and I am 21. And second, we aren't doing anything, so stop your hysteria."

"What the-- KIM KIBUM! DID YOU SET YOUR PHONE ON LOUDSPEAKER!? DO YOU WANT ME TO DIE OF HUMILIATION!?"

"Aigoo, just sleep there. I would be having fun with hyung without you." Key teased, "bye!"

"YAH!"

============================================================================================

"What did you two do?"

"Oh my God Taem," Jonghyun facepalmed, "I just came here after a long walk from home, and i had not been here on my seat for even 5 minutes, now you will ask that question again?"

"Just answer my question." Taemin sat uneasily as he is about to start answering math questions.

"Volume down, will you?" Jonghyun shook his head as he focused on the whiteboard and the teacher.

"Answer me first." Taemin whined, and Jonghyun shrugged as he started. "Well, Key is a kind person, very different from the Key that used to pick on you. I was treated as the guest, instead of him. He babied me for short. And you know what, I didn't know he can dance girl group dances like a pro. He looked so cute."

"What!?" Taemin exclaimed, "he never did that on front of me then he did that on front of you!?"

"He even told me he loves me because I am the greatest hyung in the wor-"

"I'M REALLY GOING TO KILL YOU KIM KIBUM..." a string of profanities escaped Taemin's mouth as he marched out of his seat to the door.

"Taem--"

"Don't stop me, Kim Jonghyun!"

"N-no it is just..."

"I told you I will kill that brat--"

"LEE TAEMIN, WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!?" Taemin stiffened, and turned towards their teacher, who stared at him with anger, and Taemin began smiling. "U-ummmm I umm.."

"Get out of this room. Stand outside." teacher said and Taemin scratched his head as he got out obediently, which he usually doesn't do.

"TAEMINNIE~"

"STOP DOING AEGYOS, JONGHYUN! GET OUT TOO! GET OUT OF THIS CLASSROOM, NOW!"

 

"Ugh, you shouldn't have just said my name like that and did aegyos just for the teacher to let me in." Taemin said as they stood by the hallway.

"It's okay, don't feel guilty. Jonghyun said tongue on cheek. "Don't you know that times like this would be enjoyable when you are with someone?" Taemin turned his head away when he heard the statement.

"Lalalalala~" Key skipped on the hallway happily when he saw Taemin. "sent out of class?" he chuckled, then he noticed Jonghyun standing at the side. "Hi hyung!" he pecked on the elder's cheek, much to Taemin's chagrin.

"YAH! DON'T DO THAT TO JONGHYUN HYUNG!" Taemin gripped on Key's collar, then he began realizing what the hell he is doing. "I even called him hyung.."

"Calm down, Tae." Jonghyun removed the former's hand from Key.

"This brat." Taemin snarled and murmured curses, by which Jonghyun covered his mouth. "Limit your cursing. You had been talking more these days, and majority of them is cursing. Stop that." he whispered at the other's ear, whichc sent shivers to Taemin's spine, and heat rushing to his cheeks, which Key noticed.

"Omo! It is my first time to see you blush in 18 years!" Key squealed. Taemin turned away and hid his beet red face.

"I just realized you two look good together! Jonghyun + Taemin=JONGTAE!" Key began fangirling *cough* fanboying I mean *cough* over the two, and the more he stares at them, the more he gets excited.

"Jonghyun is straight okay?!" Taemin is ready to butcher the other had not he ran from him.

 

"Um Taemin." Jonghyun tapped on the other's shoulder but got no response. He poked Taemin at a sensitive spot on his waist and Taemin squirmed. "Hyung..." he turned, cheeks with a pinkish tint.

"...Woah." Jonghyun began pinching Taemin's face. "You look so cute I want to devour you!"

"What!? Stop looking at me like that!" Taemin closed his eyes to avoid the hellah embarassment he is having.

"I just noticed that you really have female facial features. Ohh, so that is really why you won the pageant too. You look so cute!" Jonghyun was so engrossed with the other that he didn't notice the bell rang, signalling recess. Onew, who is the first to come out of the room, smiled at the sight of those two.

"Ehem." He cleared his throat as he passed, seeing Jonghyun caressing Taemin's red face. "Tae, looks like you are having a good time."

"Shut up Onew, just help me here." Taemin rolled his eyes at the other who just laughed loudly as he passed the hallway.