Wishes and Dreams
Title: Wishes and Dreams (2/?)
Author: his_angel16
Pairing: JongMin, TofuHo
Genre: Romance, slight fluff, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Being the new kid is bad enough for Lee Taemin when he appears almost from nowhere. Add having abusive and neglectful parents and the fact that he's a figure skater to it, and he's the perfect target for trouble.
Chapter Two:
Jinki and Key were quiet. They stood in the living room while Taemin cleaned up the glass shards. Their argument had left him withdrawn into his shell. Key vehemently refused the idea of him moving. He stated that they were meant to be friends from this point onward and that he was going to everything in his power to protect him.
“I don’t know if living with you is such a good idea,” Taemin stated. He brushed his hair out of his eyes as he straightened up. “I mean, I’m grateful that you want to have me as a guest, but I don’t think I can stay in this city anymore.”
“You just got here! Please don’t go so soon!” Key pleaded. He was pouting. He knew the effect his pouts had on people, so why wouldn’t Taemin just give in?
“How about you try it out for a week?” Jinki suggested. “If you don’t like it, or if it’s too unbearable for you, you can leave this weekend.”
“That doesn’t sound too troublesome.” Taemin looked from one to the other, pondering the idea. Finally, he nodded. “Deal. It will be a one week trial. If I don’t like it, I’m leaving Saturday. Got it?”
Key smiled. “Got it! I’ll prove to you that this place is worth living in!”
“But where will he stay for this week? I don’t want him staying here by himself with his dad around.”
“I’ll be fine, Jinki. I’ve endured it this long, so one more week won’t be that horrible.”
Jinki shook his head. “I’ll call my dad to see if you can stay in the extra room we have.” Before the youngest could protest, Jinki pulled his phone out and hit the speed dial. “Hi, Dad, I have a question. Can a friend of mine stay with us for this week? He’s new around here and he still needs to find a place to stay.” Jinki smiled triumphantly at his dad’s words. “Thanks, Dad!”
“He’s staying with you?” Key smiled hopefully, his hands clasped together in a prayer like manner. When he saw the smile on Jinki’s face, he jumped up and down. “Now all we need to do is get his things moved to your place! To Taemin’s room!” Key launched himself toward the stairs, nearly bouncing off of the walls.
“I’m…what?” Taemin looked at Jinki, hoping he had heard Key incorrectly. “I’m staying with you? As in…at your house with your family?”
“Yeah, you’re staying with me at my place.” Jinki ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry. You’ll be taken care of properly at the mansion.”
Taemin stared at Jinki, then turned his eyes on Key. “He lives in a mansion?”
Key laughed. “He’s the mayor’s son! Of course they live in a mansion, silly! Now, where are some boxes or suitcases? I’ll help you pack!”
“That’s not necessary, Key. I can do it by-” Key was halfway up the stairs in a hurry, a big smile on his face. “Yah! Key, you’re not even listening to me!”
“Key’s just showing his way of caring.” Taemin glanced at Jinki as he spoke. “Key’s been that way since we first met. Let’s get up there before he tears your room apart.” Jinki followed after Key, leaving Taemin at the foot of the stairs.
Can I really stay with Jinki? Taemin asked himself. He looked at the broken frame, the portrait of his parents mocking him with their façade of a perfect family. He grimaced before shaking his head to rid himself of the image. Today is a new beginning. I must be strong. Taemin started up the stairs, finding each step harder to take. Leaving this world of pain behind would be good, right? So why couldn’t he just get up to his room and pack his things?
“Yah, Taemin!” Key’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Seeing Key and Jinki standing there, suitcases in their hands, gave him hope. “I hope you don’t mind, but we kind of already packed all of your things.”
“Let’s call a cab to take us to my house.”
Taemin smiled at the look of horror on Key’s face at the very thought of taking a city cab somewhere. “Jinki, that’s sacrilege! Call your chauffeur! He’ll give us a ride!”
“No, I don’t want to bother him. He already has to take my parents everywhere.”
“It’s his job to drive you all over the city! It’s in the job description! I wonder if you’re actually as wealthy as you seem! You don’t act like it one bit, Jinki!”
I think that I may be able to stay in this city after all, Taemin thought. He smiled up at his bickering friends, tears starting to form in his eyes. With these two people by my side, not even my parents can hurt me.
Key turned to Taemin, his argument with Jinki growing intense. “Taemin, you must pick a side! We’ll never reach an agreement!” He straightened his posture at seeing the younger’s expression. “Yah, Taemin-ah, are you okay?” He hurried down the stairs toward the younger, worry taking precedence over his argument.
“I’m okay, Key.” Seeing the skeptical look the other gave him, he laughed, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I assure you, Key, that I am perfectly fine.”
“Then let’s get your things over to my house.” Jinki pulled out his phone, hitting the speed dial for his chauffeur. “Hi, it’s me. Yeah, I need you to pick me and my friends up. Yeah, we’ll be at the usual place.” He looked at them after placing his phone in his pocket. “He’ll be picking us up from the park we met at before school.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Taemin stared at Jinki, his mouth agape in shock. Had he heard his friend right? Jinki’s smile proved that he had heard correctly. He glanced around the spacious room, his few suitcases tucked away in a corner.
“This…this is where I’ll be sleeping?” Taemin asked again, still uncertain about it all.
“Yes, Taemin, this is your room. Through that door is your bathroom and down the hall is-” Jinki began repeating.
“I get my own bathroom?”
Jinki laughed. “Yes, your own bathroom. Like I was saying, down the hall is my room. If you need anything, whether day or night, don’t hesitate to come to my room.”
“Young Master, dinner will be ready in an hour,” the butler said, standing at the doorway.
“Thanks, Siegfried. We’ll be down in an hour.” The butler bowed before disappearing down the hall. Jinki looked back to the younger, finding him staring. “What?”
“You even have a foreign butler?”
“He has a foreign equestrian professor, too!” Key exclaimed, bouncing into the room.
Taemin once again stared at Jinki. “You ride horses?” When Jinki nodded, he laughed. “How typical!”
“Oh, get cleaned up for dinner, Taemin. We’ll help you unpack after we eat.” Jinki steered Key from the room, closing the door behind them.
“Do you think he’ll be okay?”
“He’ll be fine, Key. He’s strong.”
“Do you think his strength is just a front, though? He seems…like a wounded puppy.”
“A wounded puppy?”
Key nodded. “I feel like I have to keep him safe. He seems so lost and thrown aside that it pains me.”
“Key, you’re just overly sensitive to new people. I remember the day you came barreling up to the monkey bars because I lost my grip. You slid under me to break my fall.”
“You would be dead now if it wasn’t for me that day.” Key frowned as they entered Jinki’s room, something metallic catching his eye. “Oh, yeah. Jinki, did you notice those medals in Taemin’s things? They were all first place and engraved with his name. What do you suppose they are for?”
“I don’t know, Key. Stop snooping into his past. He’ll tell us about them when he’s good and ready.”
“And if he doesn’t tell us?” His eyes were locked on the elder. “What if he’s some great athlete? Or an academics fiend?!”
Jinki laughed as he sprawled himself out on his bed. He patted the space next to him, signaling for Key to sit. “You have an overactive imagination. Those medals could be for anything.”
Key sat down beside Jinki, leaning over so that their backs were touching like when they were younger. “Hyung, what’s going to happen when you go away next year? Or when you get a boyfriend? We won’t be able to stay like this forever…”
The seriousness of the younger’s voice concerned him. Key hardly ever mentioned things like university or relationships, so why was he worried over it now? Jinki did what he always had. He turned onto his side and pulled Key into a hug. “Stop fretting over the future. It only upsets you.”
“I can’t help it, Jinki. Things will change between us eventually.”
The elder sighed, tightening his arms around Key’s waist. “Listen to me very carefully, Kibum. So long as I’m living here, nothing will change between us. You and I are always going to be friends, so stop thinking about the future. Just worry about what’s happening right now.”
Taemin sat quietly in front of the window. He couldn’t believe that this room would be his for the week. Just the thought of having to leave brought tears to his eyes. He silently wiped them away as they slid down his cheeks. “What am I going to do when this week is up?” he whispered to himself. He folded his arms before placing them on the windowsill. “I don’t want to leave them behind. They’re the closest to friends I’ve ever had.”
“Sir, the Young Master has requested your presence in the dining hall,” Siegfried announced as he stood in the doorway.
“I’ll be down in a minute.” Taemin brushed away the last few stray tears before he stood up. “Let me just use the restroom and I’ll be down…” He watched the butler retreat down the hall before darting into the bathroom. He winced at his appearance in the mirror. “Lee Taemin, you are a complete mess.” He splashed some water on his face before turning to grab a towel. He jumped at the sight of Key standing there.
“Taemin-ah, were you crying?” He approached the younger before smiling sadly. “Come here, Taeminnie.” He pulled the younger into a hug, resting his chin on the top of the other’s head. “You’ll be fine here. Jinki won’t let anything happen to you, so don’t worry too much.”
“I’ll try not to, hyung.” Pulling away, he flashed Key a smile before pulling him to the door. “Let’s go eat, okay? Hyung is probably waiting for us.” If I can stay here like this, with Key and Jinki by my side, I can live peacefully.
The final bell rang, allowing students to spill into the corridors and through the many exits of the building. Kim Jonghyun strolled carelessly down the sidewalk, whistling a new tune to himself. He started toward his favorite after school hangout when something caught his eye. He stopped to stare incredulously at the banner hanging in the window of the hockey rink:
Coming Soon: Figure Skating!
Sign up in the athletics office.
Snorting at the brightly colored banner, he couldn’t help but smile. What would Minho think about his signing up for figure skating? He was only doing it as a hoax, so the other would encourage it, right? Nearly skipping into the stadium, he made his way to the office. Minho was busy practicing on the ice, ignoring everything that didn’t accompany hockey.
“I’d like to sign up for figure skating,” Jonghyun stated to the person behind the glass window.
The receptionist smiled happily to him. “Are you sure? Your friends might make fun of you for signing up,” she informed.
“Let them laugh, then. I’m really interested in it.”
“Alright. Just fill out these forms and get your parent or guardian to sign it before turning it back in.”
He accepted the papers she handed him before smiling at her. He turned to walk away, his eyes catching Minho’s as he passed. The look of confusion on the younger’s face amused him. What will you do, Minho? Will you join me in this game as you have in the others, he thought to himself.
“Hyung, can I speak with you for a minute?” Minho asked as he stopped in front of Jonghyun.
Smirking, Jonghyun glanced at his watch before looking to the younger. “What do you need to talk about, Minho? Make it quick, I have to get home before my parents leave for the week.”
“Well, are you…are you really going to try figure skating? I mean, if you want to, it’s your own fault, but really, hyung? Can’t you just rethink it?”
Jonghyun blinked in surprise at the younger’s concern. “Wait, are you saying this because you’re worried about my reputation?” He took it as a confirmation when Minho said nothing. He laughed at his friend’s expression. “Look, Minho, I’m just doing it for laughs. I’m not interested in wearing tights now or ever. I’m going to drop out the first week, so lighten up.”
He left the younger standing in the hall as he walked away. A smile tugged at his lips as he walked out of the stadium and toward his house. He tucked the forms neatly under his arm, beginning to whistle to the tune that circulated through his mind. Arriving home in mere minutes, he opened the door to hear his parents.
“…grades are slipping. Dear, we have to do something to help him,” Mrs. Kim nearly pleaded.
“Honey, I know you worry over his academics, but he’ll be fine. All he needs is an outlet for his energy. He skips class to hang out with his friends. Maybe an extracurricular will benefit him,” Mr. Kim reassured his wife.
“I’m home!” Jonghyun hollered, slamming the door and kicking off his shoes. “And I have something I want to ask you about.” Walking into the kitchen, he placed the forms before his parents. “I want to take up figure skating.”
The seriousness of their son’s voice shocked them. “Why such a feminine activity? Why not try hockey like your friend. What’s his name…um…Minho! Choi Minho!”
Jonghyun rolled his eyes. “I want to try figure skating, Dad. You need speed, stamina, endurance, strength. All of which are used in other sports.”
“Figure skating isn’t a sport, son. It’s…it’s…more like a hobby or a game. You don’t just suddenly decide you want to do something like baseball or hockey. Sports take practice. Figure skating is, well, a joke.”
He pecked his wife on the cheek before heading to the front door. He slipped on his shoes and left. Jonghyun looked to his mom for support, willing her to accept his irrational decision.
“Mom, you understand why I want to try figure skating, don’t you?”
Smiling sympathetically to her son, she held out her hand. “Give me a pen.” Jonghyun smiled as he watched his mom scrawl her name across the forms, giving her permission for him to try it out. “Look, Jonghyun, if you don’t stick with this, your dad will be furious. Hell, he’s going to be furious that I’m signing for you to do this, but I know how you are.” She smiled at her only son after she finished penning in her signature where it was needed. “Make me proud, darling. Oh, and don’t forget to practice your guitar. Your progress is astounding.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Jonghyun kissed his mom’s forehead before heading to his room. He pulled his guitar case from below his bed. Unzipping the case, he pulled the instrument onto his lap. The tune he whistled earlier came to mind so he started strumming the strings to recreate the melody. He knew his mom was listening from downstairs, a smile on her face.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“You wanted to see me, sir?” Taemin asked as he entered Mayor Lee’s home office. He closed the door quickly behind himself. The clock on the wall read sometime between midnight and one o’clock in the morning.
“I have something for you that you might want to look into,” Mayor Lee stated. He finished scrawling his name onto a paper before he passed it to Taemin across his desk. “If you’re interested, just turn it in. As of today, I am your legal guardian, so no worries.”
After scanning the paper, Taemin’s eyes darted to Jinki’s dad. “How did you know that I like figure skating?”
“Jinki mentioned your medals when I arrived home today. He’s curious as to what they are all for, but he’s not one to pry. Also, after seeing the way you sprinted away from Kim Jonghyun today, you caught his attention. My son sees a lot of potential in you for this sport. You have the right amount of stamina, speed, etcetera.”
“Hyung really thinks that of me?”
Mayor Lee nodded. “My son is a man of great observation. It was him that directed Choi Minho to hockey and Kim Jonghyun to his music. Jinki has also directed Kibum to his passion of art.”
Taemin smiled at the forms he held in his hands. “I’ll return to figure skating, sir.” He looked up, shocking the mayor with the passion blazing in his eyes. “It was the only thing that kept me grounded at my old schools. I’ll take this opportunity and give nothing less than my very best.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Mr. Lee. You should get some rest. Turn that form in tomorrow at the athletics office at the stadium next to the school.”
“I will.” After saying his goodnight, Taemin made his way up to the second floor and to his room. He placed the forms on the desk before heading to Jinki’s room. “Hyung, are you still up?”
“Yeah, come on in, Taemin-ah.”
Taking a deep breath, Taemin entered the elder’s room, a small box in his hands. He noticed Jinki sprawled out on his bed reading a comic. “Hyung, can I tell you something?”
“Sure, Taeminnie. What’s on your mind?”
“At my old schools, I used to figure skate. A lot, actually. I went to dozens of competitions and even won some of them. That’s what these medals are that you and Key hyung found.”
Jinki paused in reading his comic to look at the younger. “Figure skating, huh?” He smiled before tossing his comic to the floor and reaching out for the box in the other’s hands. He placed it on the floor before pulling Taemin onto his bed. “So, mister hotshot skater, you going to make a comeback?”
Taemin nodded, trying to nonchalantly remove himself from Jinki’s bed. “I feel at ease while I’m skating. It’ll be good for me.”
Jinki pinned Taemin’s hands above his head. “I’m happy to hear it.” Pecking the younger on his forehead, he released him. He laughed when Taemin fell onto the floor wit a soft thud. “Go get some sleep, Taemin-ah.”
“Alright. Good night, hyung.”
“Yah, if we’re going to be living under the same roof, lose the hyung and just call me Jinki.”
Taemin nodded as he left the elder’s room. He smiled all the way to his room. Setting the box of his medals on the floor, he climbed into bed. I’ll be able to stay here. Jinki hyung and Key hyung will be the ropes supporting me. They won’t let me fall…will they?
Author: his_angel16
Pairing: JongMin, TofuHo
Genre: Romance, slight fluff, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Being the new kid is bad enough for Lee Taemin when he appears almost from nowhere. Add having abusive and neglectful parents and the fact that he's a figure skater to it, and he's the perfect target for trouble.
Chapter Two:
Jinki and Key were quiet. They stood in the living room while Taemin cleaned up the glass shards. Their argument had left him withdrawn into his shell. Key vehemently refused the idea of him moving. He stated that they were meant to be friends from this point onward and that he was going to everything in his power to protect him.
“I don’t know if living with you is such a good idea,” Taemin stated. He brushed his hair out of his eyes as he straightened up. “I mean, I’m grateful that you want to have me as a guest, but I don’t think I can stay in this city anymore.”
“You just got here! Please don’t go so soon!” Key pleaded. He was pouting. He knew the effect his pouts had on people, so why wouldn’t Taemin just give in?
“How about you try it out for a week?” Jinki suggested. “If you don’t like it, or if it’s too unbearable for you, you can leave this weekend.”
“That doesn’t sound too troublesome.” Taemin looked from one to the other, pondering the idea. Finally, he nodded. “Deal. It will be a one week trial. If I don’t like it, I’m leaving Saturday. Got it?”
Key smiled. “Got it! I’ll prove to you that this place is worth living in!”
“But where will he stay for this week? I don’t want him staying here by himself with his dad around.”
“I’ll be fine, Jinki. I’ve endured it this long, so one more week won’t be that horrible.”
Jinki shook his head. “I’ll call my dad to see if you can stay in the extra room we have.” Before the youngest could protest, Jinki pulled his phone out and hit the speed dial. “Hi, Dad, I have a question. Can a friend of mine stay with us for this week? He’s new around here and he still needs to find a place to stay.” Jinki smiled triumphantly at his dad’s words. “Thanks, Dad!”
“He’s staying with you?” Key smiled hopefully, his hands clasped together in a prayer like manner. When he saw the smile on Jinki’s face, he jumped up and down. “Now all we need to do is get his things moved to your place! To Taemin’s room!” Key launched himself toward the stairs, nearly bouncing off of the walls.
“I’m…what?” Taemin looked at Jinki, hoping he had heard Key incorrectly. “I’m staying with you? As in…at your house with your family?”
“Yeah, you’re staying with me at my place.” Jinki ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry. You’ll be taken care of properly at the mansion.”
Taemin stared at Jinki, then turned his eyes on Key. “He lives in a mansion?”
Key laughed. “He’s the mayor’s son! Of course they live in a mansion, silly! Now, where are some boxes or suitcases? I’ll help you pack!”
“That’s not necessary, Key. I can do it by-” Key was halfway up the stairs in a hurry, a big smile on his face. “Yah! Key, you’re not even listening to me!”
“Key’s just showing his way of caring.” Taemin glanced at Jinki as he spoke. “Key’s been that way since we first met. Let’s get up there before he tears your room apart.” Jinki followed after Key, leaving Taemin at the foot of the stairs.
Can I really stay with Jinki? Taemin asked himself. He looked at the broken frame, the portrait of his parents mocking him with their façade of a perfect family. He grimaced before shaking his head to rid himself of the image. Today is a new beginning. I must be strong. Taemin started up the stairs, finding each step harder to take. Leaving this world of pain behind would be good, right? So why couldn’t he just get up to his room and pack his things?
“Yah, Taemin!” Key’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Seeing Key and Jinki standing there, suitcases in their hands, gave him hope. “I hope you don’t mind, but we kind of already packed all of your things.”
“Let’s call a cab to take us to my house.”
Taemin smiled at the look of horror on Key’s face at the very thought of taking a city cab somewhere. “Jinki, that’s sacrilege! Call your chauffeur! He’ll give us a ride!”
“No, I don’t want to bother him. He already has to take my parents everywhere.”
“It’s his job to drive you all over the city! It’s in the job description! I wonder if you’re actually as wealthy as you seem! You don’t act like it one bit, Jinki!”
I think that I may be able to stay in this city after all, Taemin thought. He smiled up at his bickering friends, tears starting to form in his eyes. With these two people by my side, not even my parents can hurt me.
Key turned to Taemin, his argument with Jinki growing intense. “Taemin, you must pick a side! We’ll never reach an agreement!” He straightened his posture at seeing the younger’s expression. “Yah, Taemin-ah, are you okay?” He hurried down the stairs toward the younger, worry taking precedence over his argument.
“I’m okay, Key.” Seeing the skeptical look the other gave him, he laughed, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I assure you, Key, that I am perfectly fine.”
“Then let’s get your things over to my house.” Jinki pulled out his phone, hitting the speed dial for his chauffeur. “Hi, it’s me. Yeah, I need you to pick me and my friends up. Yeah, we’ll be at the usual place.” He looked at them after placing his phone in his pocket. “He’ll be picking us up from the park we met at before school.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
Taemin stared at Jinki, his mouth agape in shock. Had he heard his friend right? Jinki’s smile proved that he had heard correctly. He glanced around the spacious room, his few suitcases tucked away in a corner.
“This…this is where I’ll be sleeping?” Taemin asked again, still uncertain about it all.
“Yes, Taemin, this is your room. Through that door is your bathroom and down the hall is-” Jinki began repeating.
“I get my own bathroom?”
Jinki laughed. “Yes, your own bathroom. Like I was saying, down the hall is my room. If you need anything, whether day or night, don’t hesitate to come to my room.”
“Young Master, dinner will be ready in an hour,” the butler said, standing at the doorway.
“Thanks, Siegfried. We’ll be down in an hour.” The butler bowed before disappearing down the hall. Jinki looked back to the younger, finding him staring. “What?”
“You even have a foreign butler?”
“He has a foreign equestrian professor, too!” Key exclaimed, bouncing into the room.
Taemin once again stared at Jinki. “You ride horses?” When Jinki nodded, he laughed. “How typical!”
“Oh, get cleaned up for dinner, Taemin. We’ll help you unpack after we eat.” Jinki steered Key from the room, closing the door behind them.
“Do you think he’ll be okay?”
“He’ll be fine, Key. He’s strong.”
“Do you think his strength is just a front, though? He seems…like a wounded puppy.”
“A wounded puppy?”
Key nodded. “I feel like I have to keep him safe. He seems so lost and thrown aside that it pains me.”
“Key, you’re just overly sensitive to new people. I remember the day you came barreling up to the monkey bars because I lost my grip. You slid under me to break my fall.”
“You would be dead now if it wasn’t for me that day.” Key frowned as they entered Jinki’s room, something metallic catching his eye. “Oh, yeah. Jinki, did you notice those medals in Taemin’s things? They were all first place and engraved with his name. What do you suppose they are for?”
“I don’t know, Key. Stop snooping into his past. He’ll tell us about them when he’s good and ready.”
“And if he doesn’t tell us?” His eyes were locked on the elder. “What if he’s some great athlete? Or an academics fiend?!”
Jinki laughed as he sprawled himself out on his bed. He patted the space next to him, signaling for Key to sit. “You have an overactive imagination. Those medals could be for anything.”
Key sat down beside Jinki, leaning over so that their backs were touching like when they were younger. “Hyung, what’s going to happen when you go away next year? Or when you get a boyfriend? We won’t be able to stay like this forever…”
The seriousness of the younger’s voice concerned him. Key hardly ever mentioned things like university or relationships, so why was he worried over it now? Jinki did what he always had. He turned onto his side and pulled Key into a hug. “Stop fretting over the future. It only upsets you.”
“I can’t help it, Jinki. Things will change between us eventually.”
The elder sighed, tightening his arms around Key’s waist. “Listen to me very carefully, Kibum. So long as I’m living here, nothing will change between us. You and I are always going to be friends, so stop thinking about the future. Just worry about what’s happening right now.”
Taemin sat quietly in front of the window. He couldn’t believe that this room would be his for the week. Just the thought of having to leave brought tears to his eyes. He silently wiped them away as they slid down his cheeks. “What am I going to do when this week is up?” he whispered to himself. He folded his arms before placing them on the windowsill. “I don’t want to leave them behind. They’re the closest to friends I’ve ever had.”
“Sir, the Young Master has requested your presence in the dining hall,” Siegfried announced as he stood in the doorway.
“I’ll be down in a minute.” Taemin brushed away the last few stray tears before he stood up. “Let me just use the restroom and I’ll be down…” He watched the butler retreat down the hall before darting into the bathroom. He winced at his appearance in the mirror. “Lee Taemin, you are a complete mess.” He splashed some water on his face before turning to grab a towel. He jumped at the sight of Key standing there.
“Taemin-ah, were you crying?” He approached the younger before smiling sadly. “Come here, Taeminnie.” He pulled the younger into a hug, resting his chin on the top of the other’s head. “You’ll be fine here. Jinki won’t let anything happen to you, so don’t worry too much.”
“I’ll try not to, hyung.” Pulling away, he flashed Key a smile before pulling him to the door. “Let’s go eat, okay? Hyung is probably waiting for us.” If I can stay here like this, with Key and Jinki by my side, I can live peacefully.
The final bell rang, allowing students to spill into the corridors and through the many exits of the building. Kim Jonghyun strolled carelessly down the sidewalk, whistling a new tune to himself. He started toward his favorite after school hangout when something caught his eye. He stopped to stare incredulously at the banner hanging in the window of the hockey rink:
Coming Soon: Figure Skating!
Sign up in the athletics office.
Snorting at the brightly colored banner, he couldn’t help but smile. What would Minho think about his signing up for figure skating? He was only doing it as a hoax, so the other would encourage it, right? Nearly skipping into the stadium, he made his way to the office. Minho was busy practicing on the ice, ignoring everything that didn’t accompany hockey.
“I’d like to sign up for figure skating,” Jonghyun stated to the person behind the glass window.
The receptionist smiled happily to him. “Are you sure? Your friends might make fun of you for signing up,” she informed.
“Let them laugh, then. I’m really interested in it.”
“Alright. Just fill out these forms and get your parent or guardian to sign it before turning it back in.”
He accepted the papers she handed him before smiling at her. He turned to walk away, his eyes catching Minho’s as he passed. The look of confusion on the younger’s face amused him. What will you do, Minho? Will you join me in this game as you have in the others, he thought to himself.
“Hyung, can I speak with you for a minute?” Minho asked as he stopped in front of Jonghyun.
Smirking, Jonghyun glanced at his watch before looking to the younger. “What do you need to talk about, Minho? Make it quick, I have to get home before my parents leave for the week.”
“Well, are you…are you really going to try figure skating? I mean, if you want to, it’s your own fault, but really, hyung? Can’t you just rethink it?”
Jonghyun blinked in surprise at the younger’s concern. “Wait, are you saying this because you’re worried about my reputation?” He took it as a confirmation when Minho said nothing. He laughed at his friend’s expression. “Look, Minho, I’m just doing it for laughs. I’m not interested in wearing tights now or ever. I’m going to drop out the first week, so lighten up.”
He left the younger standing in the hall as he walked away. A smile tugged at his lips as he walked out of the stadium and toward his house. He tucked the forms neatly under his arm, beginning to whistle to the tune that circulated through his mind. Arriving home in mere minutes, he opened the door to hear his parents.
“…grades are slipping. Dear, we have to do something to help him,” Mrs. Kim nearly pleaded.
“Honey, I know you worry over his academics, but he’ll be fine. All he needs is an outlet for his energy. He skips class to hang out with his friends. Maybe an extracurricular will benefit him,” Mr. Kim reassured his wife.
“I’m home!” Jonghyun hollered, slamming the door and kicking off his shoes. “And I have something I want to ask you about.” Walking into the kitchen, he placed the forms before his parents. “I want to take up figure skating.”
The seriousness of their son’s voice shocked them. “Why such a feminine activity? Why not try hockey like your friend. What’s his name…um…Minho! Choi Minho!”
Jonghyun rolled his eyes. “I want to try figure skating, Dad. You need speed, stamina, endurance, strength. All of which are used in other sports.”
“Figure skating isn’t a sport, son. It’s…it’s…more like a hobby or a game. You don’t just suddenly decide you want to do something like baseball or hockey. Sports take practice. Figure skating is, well, a joke.”
He pecked his wife on the cheek before heading to the front door. He slipped on his shoes and left. Jonghyun looked to his mom for support, willing her to accept his irrational decision.
“Mom, you understand why I want to try figure skating, don’t you?”
Smiling sympathetically to her son, she held out her hand. “Give me a pen.” Jonghyun smiled as he watched his mom scrawl her name across the forms, giving her permission for him to try it out. “Look, Jonghyun, if you don’t stick with this, your dad will be furious. Hell, he’s going to be furious that I’m signing for you to do this, but I know how you are.” She smiled at her only son after she finished penning in her signature where it was needed. “Make me proud, darling. Oh, and don’t forget to practice your guitar. Your progress is astounding.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Jonghyun kissed his mom’s forehead before heading to his room. He pulled his guitar case from below his bed. Unzipping the case, he pulled the instrument onto his lap. The tune he whistled earlier came to mind so he started strumming the strings to recreate the melody. He knew his mom was listening from downstairs, a smile on her face.
~*~*~*~*~*~
“You wanted to see me, sir?” Taemin asked as he entered Mayor Lee’s home office. He closed the door quickly behind himself. The clock on the wall read sometime between midnight and one o’clock in the morning.
“I have something for you that you might want to look into,” Mayor Lee stated. He finished scrawling his name onto a paper before he passed it to Taemin across his desk. “If you’re interested, just turn it in. As of today, I am your legal guardian, so no worries.”
After scanning the paper, Taemin’s eyes darted to Jinki’s dad. “How did you know that I like figure skating?”
“Jinki mentioned your medals when I arrived home today. He’s curious as to what they are all for, but he’s not one to pry. Also, after seeing the way you sprinted away from Kim Jonghyun today, you caught his attention. My son sees a lot of potential in you for this sport. You have the right amount of stamina, speed, etcetera.”
“Hyung really thinks that of me?”
Mayor Lee nodded. “My son is a man of great observation. It was him that directed Choi Minho to hockey and Kim Jonghyun to his music. Jinki has also directed Kibum to his passion of art.”
Taemin smiled at the forms he held in his hands. “I’ll return to figure skating, sir.” He looked up, shocking the mayor with the passion blazing in his eyes. “It was the only thing that kept me grounded at my old schools. I’ll take this opportunity and give nothing less than my very best.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Mr. Lee. You should get some rest. Turn that form in tomorrow at the athletics office at the stadium next to the school.”
“I will.” After saying his goodnight, Taemin made his way up to the second floor and to his room. He placed the forms on the desk before heading to Jinki’s room. “Hyung, are you still up?”
“Yeah, come on in, Taemin-ah.”
Taking a deep breath, Taemin entered the elder’s room, a small box in his hands. He noticed Jinki sprawled out on his bed reading a comic. “Hyung, can I tell you something?”
“Sure, Taeminnie. What’s on your mind?”
“At my old schools, I used to figure skate. A lot, actually. I went to dozens of competitions and even won some of them. That’s what these medals are that you and Key hyung found.”
Jinki paused in reading his comic to look at the younger. “Figure skating, huh?” He smiled before tossing his comic to the floor and reaching out for the box in the other’s hands. He placed it on the floor before pulling Taemin onto his bed. “So, mister hotshot skater, you going to make a comeback?”
Taemin nodded, trying to nonchalantly remove himself from Jinki’s bed. “I feel at ease while I’m skating. It’ll be good for me.”
Jinki pinned Taemin’s hands above his head. “I’m happy to hear it.” Pecking the younger on his forehead, he released him. He laughed when Taemin fell onto the floor wit a soft thud. “Go get some sleep, Taemin-ah.”
“Alright. Good night, hyung.”
“Yah, if we’re going to be living under the same roof, lose the hyung and just call me Jinki.”
Taemin nodded as he left the elder’s room. He smiled all the way to his room. Setting the box of his medals on the floor, he climbed into bed. I’ll be able to stay here. Jinki hyung and Key hyung will be the ropes supporting me. They won’t let me fall…will they?