(no subject)
Title: Living With Taemin
Rating: PG-13
Author: thsk
Length: Chaptered: Chapter One - Chapter Two
Summary: Jinki's younger brother, Taemin, can be quite a handful at times to look after, but it's not his fault.
Warnings: Mentions of characters having mental handicaps.
Chapter Three
Tuesday came faster than I expected. I barely slept at all Monday evening, and when I woke up Tuesday morning I was almost in a cold sweat. I felt guilty, I felt like the worst brother ever. Why was I taking him here again? Is he going to hate me? Is he going to have a tremendous meltdown an no one's going to be able to help him? Oh God, why am I doing this again? I rolled out of bed, looking at my sleep deprived face in the mirror on my closet and shook my head. I have got to be the most horrible brother ever, I mean was I giving up on him?
"Taemin is beside himself," Kibum's voice cut through my self pity and I jumped probably about two feet into the air. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's cool. I was having a bit of an inner battle, no big," I said, digging out my freshly pressed clothes for another day at work. "Beside himself as in upset or..."
Kibum stepped into my room and took my clothes from me, carefully placing them on the bed, "He's excited. He wants to see Minho most of all. Although he occasionally mentioned Jonghyun. He's downstairs making his lunch right now, although I told him they most likely provide him a lunch since it was mentioned in the pamphlet. But, he insisted."
I let out a long sigh, grabbing onto Kibum and hugged him tightly. I felt all the worry and guilt leave me in a matter of seconds, now I was just exhausted and wanted to go back to bed. Unfortunately, I couldn't, so I hugged Kibum and let my worries fly out the window.
"You shouldn't worry, you're not giving up nor are you shoving him into the laps of other people and neglecting your duties as an older brother," he said, smiling at me as he pulled away, "This place isn't like that, right? He's not living there."
"I know, I ... I just didn't want to ever have to have someone else look after him..."
"Jinki," he grabbed my hand and squeezed it, "You're not the only one who feels like they're abandoning him. While he's gone today, I'm going to be applying for jobs and if I get one, it's going to be the same thing for me. Besides, he doesn't have to go every single day, right? He's not committed to this place, he's free come and go as he pleases."
I nod, squeezing his hand back. This was turning out to be more difficult for us than it was for Taemin, who's excitement could finally be heard now that he was in his room. I let go of Kibum's hand and followed the excited chattering. I leaned against the door frame of his room and watched him decide on what he wanted to take with. He picked up various stuffed animals he'd had since he was a baby, only to put them back down. We told him the night before that he could only take one item from home and it had to be something that wouldn't disturb the others.
"Take this one," I said as I came into the room, picking up a simple, ash gray teddy bear. It was one I bought him when he was in the hospital and he held onto it every night until he was allowed home. At night, when I check in on him, he's usually cuddling it but it somehow had fallen to the floor and was disregarded. Taemin bounced over and took it, hugging it to this chest.
"I was looking for Smokey," he said, grinning. "He'll never leave my side, hyung. I promise."
"I know, I trust you," I opened my arms for a hug and he quickly climbed into them, squishing Smokey between us.
I listened to everything he said during breakfast, even if some of what he was talking about required eating with his mouth full. I wanted to embed all of it in my head while I was at work so I wouldn't panic. His happiness was infectious, but I still had that ball of guilt gnawing at my insides. I wouldn't know how well he actually did today until I picked him up on my way home from work. Yeah, I was definitely going to be distracted all day. When breakfast was finished, I helped him clean up and pick out something to wear, opting for a simple t-shirt and jeans, handing him one of my hoodies incase it got chilly and he needed something that was mine for comfort. He tugged it on right away and I couldn't help but laugh, he looked like he was swimming in it, his fingers just barely poking out of the sleeves. But he wrapped his arms around himself and inhaled my scent with the most adorable smile.
On my way out the door, I gave him the longest hug I'd given him in a long time, whispering in his ear to call me if he needed me. He giggle and thought I was being really silly, but hugged me just as tightly in return. I watched him wave from the window like I do every morning and returned his wave, puffing out my cheeks on my way out the driveway to work.
---
Kibum brushed his fingers over the hoodie and Taemin's shirt to get rid of any crumbs from the cookies Taemin had been eating while they drove over to the center. Taemin was bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking around at all the new people he hadn't seen before. He'd spotted Minho already, but he was busy with someone Taemin didn't know, so he hung back with Kibum who was fussing over him.
"Do you want me to stay for a bit?" Kibum asked, lacing their fingers together. Taemin looked over at him, torn about what to do. When he started to tear up out of distress, Kibum was quick to wrap him in a tight hug.
"No, no! Don't cry. It's okay, really. Look," he removed his shoes and guided Taemin over to the art table, sitting down next to him. He pulled over one of the boxes of Crayola crayons and a piece of paper. "Draw Kibummie hyung a picture."
Taemin dove right into the crayons, describing what he was drawing as he pressed all kinds of colors onto the paper. His tears had faulted for now, but that didn't mean they'd be gone if Kibum tried to leave.
"Taemin!" came a voice from behind them. Taemin lifted his head and looked around, smiling when he saw Minho coming towards them, "It's nice to see you here today. I was hoping you'd come. Wow, that's a neat drawing! Very colorful."
Taemin beamed proudly and turned back to his masterpiece, Kibum puffing out his cheeks. He took a few steps back, looking up at Minho.
"He's a bit sensitive, so I hope he doesn't break down if I go. I have a job interview..."
"I can handle it. He'll be fine, sometimes you have to give that hard push, you know?" Minho said, offering a gentle smile. Kibum nodded, glancing at Taemin. He took in a deep breath and turned around, quietly leaving the center, but not without tucking a note in Taemin's lunch bag that he'd put in a cubby with Taemin's name under it.
It took quite awhile for him to notice Kibum had left, and by then he was too enamored in coloring to be too affected by it. He had various drawings of butterflies, rainbows, flowers and family portraits strewn about the table and was working on a dragon when someone else joined him.
"Hi."
Taemin lifted his head, looking over. He smiled shyly when he saw Jonghyun, pushing over a blank piece of paper and the box of crayon's he knew he'd been hogging. Luckily the other people who arrived while he'd been drawing had taken to the other stations and didn't care too much that he had taken over the art supplies.
"I'm glad you came, cause I was hoping you didn't get scared away," Jonghyun said as dumped out the crayon's and started to put them back in color order. "I got a bit of a problem with not understanding peoples personal space."
"It's okay," Taemin said softly, watching him with interest. Jonghyun smiled, dumping out the crayons again and repeating the action.
"Do you like art?" he asked Taemin, stopping to pick up the black crayon and draw music notes neatly on the piece of paper he'd been given earlier.
"Yeah, all kinds. Like music and dancing," his voice grew a bit louder, his eyes locked on Jonghyun writing out lyrics that he didn't know between the music notes.
"Oh, music!" Jonghyun grinned, "That's my passion. I like to write it, sing it, perform it. But I'm not allowed to."
"Not allowed to what?" Taemin turned back to his dragon, coloring it in a nice violet purple, adding hot pink pokadots. Underneath, he wrote 'Jinki' carefully.
"Hyung says it upsets some of the others when I bring in my bass guitar. So I avoid the instruments as best as I can but it's hard," Jonghyun pouted, putting the black crayon back, "When I play, I can't stop. I just have to go and go.. and I get all weird inside if I don't keep playing once I start."
Taemin tilted his head in confusion, which only made Jonghyun giggle.
"It's just my condition, certain things have to be repetitive for me or I get upset," he said, dumping out the crayons once again. "Like, when I go home I have to have the same routine. I check my mail, I go upstairs, I feed and water my cat, I check my messages on my phone, I wash my hands, I start my dinner... and so on. I f anything happens that messes up the order... it's not pretty."
"You have OCD?" Taemin asked, curious. Jonghyun laughed softly, shaking his head.
"Not exactly, it's hard to describe cause everyone is different. Not every cause is identical," he explained, arranging the crayons one last time before pushing them away, turning to look at Taemin, "Do you know what Autism is?"
"Not really," Taemin shook his head.
"I'm not as bad as some people. I've met the really bad cases when I used to go to the hospital for therapy and I used to think if I didn't go, that I'd turn into that," he frowned. "But my doctor helped me. I've known her since I was four, she's been really kind to me. Like a mom in a way," Jonghyun smiled as he thought about his doctor, playing with the piece of paper that he'd drawn music notes and written lyrics on.
"My mom died," Taemin whispered, his voice barely audible. Jonghyun stopped what he was doing to look at Taemin, his eyes wide.
"Oh, no. Did I hurt you? I didn't mean to," he said, shaking his head. "I do this all the time. I say the wrong things and I get into trouble and then no one wants to talk to m-"
Taemin pressed his hand to Jonghyun's lips with a cute giggle, shaking his head, "I like you, I want to talk to you. Don't worry, Jjongie hyung."
Jonghyun smiled a little behind Taemin's hand, using his own to remove his hand from his mouth.
"Okay, I'll try," he nodded. He picked up the box of crayons and looked them over, picking out a red and started to draw hearts on his paper with the music notes and lyrics.
"Hyung," Taemin spoke after a few minutes of the two quietly doodling in silence. Jonghyun lifted his head, glancing at my brother, waiting for him to finish. "Will you be my friend?"
Jonghyun looked surprised, dropping the crayon to the table in shock. He pointed to himself as if Taemin could possibly be talking to someone else.
"Me?"
"Yes, you," Taemin said, giggling. "I like you, hyung."
Jonghyun's smile just about brightened the whole room and he sprang to his feet in a fit of joy. Taemin laughed, grabbing onto his arm to pull him back down, the other so ecstatic he could barely sit still.
"I'll be your friend, Taeminnie. I'll make sure you're okay," he said with confidence, nodding. "Nothing will hurt you as long as I'm around."
---
Stepping into the center today was different. There were more people around, including staff I didn't know, but the atmosphere felt good. I felt comfortable there, even if that twang of guilt was still occasionally playing with m y heart strings. I glanced around, just observing when arms wrapped around me and nearly dragged me to the floor.
"HYUNG!" came the excited cry from my little brother. I laughed, wrapping him up in a hug. He shoved a handful of drawings at my chest, then took off again, bounding around like a rubber ball. I looked over the drawings with a soft smile, laughing to myself over the purple dragon who had my small eyes and big smile. When I got to the one of Jonghyun, aptly drawn to look like a puppy, my smile just about split my face in two. In hangul next to the puppy, the words 'my friend' were scrawled out in Taemin's handwriting.
"He did really well," a deep voice came from next to me. I jumped, gasping. I hadn't noticed Minho slide up next to me, I just about had a heart attack - again. Why does this keep happening around him of all people? He apologized when he noticed he scared me, looking concerned that he might've upset me. I chuckled, patting my chest as my heart calmed do a somewhat regular beating pattern.
"You need to wear a bell or something around your neck," I joked weakly. He grinned as he pulled his hair back in a pony tail, a few loose strands framing his handsome face.
"Yeah, Changmin says the same thing. Just not as nicely," he said with a wink. I gulped. "But yes, Taemin did wonderful today. And he made a friend in Jonghyun, it was very sweet. They never left one another's side."
"I know. I mean, that they're friends," I said, holding up the drawing. Minho looked it over, his smile widening even more. My heart just about leapt out of my chest. I really couldn't figure out why everything Minho did, made me act like such an idiot around him.
"Hyung!" Taemin exclaimed as he ran over, Jonghyun not too far behind him. "Hyung, can... no that would mess up his routine..."
I raised an eyebrow. What would mess up whose routine? It took me a second to realize he was actually talking about Jonghyun, who was tugging on his Vans slip ons and tucking a pair of slippers into his cubby hole, double checking to make sure they were okay.
"What did you want to know, Taeminnie?" I asked, taking my brothers hand. He looked over at Jonghyun, then back at me with a heavy sigh.
"I was gonna ask if Jjongie hyung could come for dinner, but he has a routine and he said he gets upset if it doesn't work out how he does it or whatever. He has autism," he nodded, pouting a little. "He's my friend now."
"I saw your puppy drawing of him," I said with a smile, ruffling Taemin's hair. He made a face, glancing at Jonghyun again. I thought for a moment, then tugged Taemin over to him where he was lining up some blocks one of the others had left near the coat racks and cubby holes.
"Jonghyun?" I asked, watching him line them up in size, then color.
"Yes?" he said, standing but not quite meeting my eyes. He was too busy staring at the blocks.
"Taeminnie wants to know if you'd like to come for dinner, but he's worried it'll interfere with your routine," I explain. Jonghyun finally looked away from the blocks and met my eyes, his own lighting up.
"He, he wants me to come to dinner?" he asked, looking thoroughly surprised. "Wow, no one's invited me to their place before."
"You mean you'll come?" Taemin asked, sounding as if he was beside himself with joy.
"Can you make sure I'm home by nine? I usually get home then," he explained, starting to look anxious.
"Of course," I assured him, offering a smile, "I'm sure Kibum is making dinner right now."
He smiled and took Taemin's hand, giving it a squeeze. Taemin left my side to go to Jonghyun's which almost made me tear up. I'd never seen my brother actually let someone hold his hand, other than myself and Kibum. It was touching to see how far he was coming along.
"C'mon, guys. Let's go then. Kibum will start texting me soon, bugging me," I said with a laugh. Taemin walked ahead of me, knowing where the car was parked, chatting away about Kibum, telling Jonghyun what he was like and how amazing his cooking was. I stood there in awe for a few minutes, shaking my head. This was amazing, he wasn't only holding someone elses hand but he was going on ahead without me. I wasn't sure how to react.
I waved a quick goodbye to Minho and bolted out the door, rushing after them incase he did need me, but the whole time he never looked back. For a second, I felt a bit jealous. Did he not need me anymore? I quickly pushed the feeling away, puffing out my cheeks. No need to get jealous so soon, Taemin would always need his older brother, even if he bonded with a new friend. Right? At least, that's what I hoped.
Chapter Four
Rating: PG-13
Author: thsk
Length: Chaptered: Chapter One - Chapter Two
Summary: Jinki's younger brother, Taemin, can be quite a handful at times to look after, but it's not his fault.
Warnings: Mentions of characters having mental handicaps.
Chapter Three
Tuesday came faster than I expected. I barely slept at all Monday evening, and when I woke up Tuesday morning I was almost in a cold sweat. I felt guilty, I felt like the worst brother ever. Why was I taking him here again? Is he going to hate me? Is he going to have a tremendous meltdown an no one's going to be able to help him? Oh God, why am I doing this again? I rolled out of bed, looking at my sleep deprived face in the mirror on my closet and shook my head. I have got to be the most horrible brother ever, I mean was I giving up on him?
"Taemin is beside himself," Kibum's voice cut through my self pity and I jumped probably about two feet into the air. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's cool. I was having a bit of an inner battle, no big," I said, digging out my freshly pressed clothes for another day at work. "Beside himself as in upset or..."
Kibum stepped into my room and took my clothes from me, carefully placing them on the bed, "He's excited. He wants to see Minho most of all. Although he occasionally mentioned Jonghyun. He's downstairs making his lunch right now, although I told him they most likely provide him a lunch since it was mentioned in the pamphlet. But, he insisted."
I let out a long sigh, grabbing onto Kibum and hugged him tightly. I felt all the worry and guilt leave me in a matter of seconds, now I was just exhausted and wanted to go back to bed. Unfortunately, I couldn't, so I hugged Kibum and let my worries fly out the window.
"You shouldn't worry, you're not giving up nor are you shoving him into the laps of other people and neglecting your duties as an older brother," he said, smiling at me as he pulled away, "This place isn't like that, right? He's not living there."
"I know, I ... I just didn't want to ever have to have someone else look after him..."
"Jinki," he grabbed my hand and squeezed it, "You're not the only one who feels like they're abandoning him. While he's gone today, I'm going to be applying for jobs and if I get one, it's going to be the same thing for me. Besides, he doesn't have to go every single day, right? He's not committed to this place, he's free come and go as he pleases."
I nod, squeezing his hand back. This was turning out to be more difficult for us than it was for Taemin, who's excitement could finally be heard now that he was in his room. I let go of Kibum's hand and followed the excited chattering. I leaned against the door frame of his room and watched him decide on what he wanted to take with. He picked up various stuffed animals he'd had since he was a baby, only to put them back down. We told him the night before that he could only take one item from home and it had to be something that wouldn't disturb the others.
"Take this one," I said as I came into the room, picking up a simple, ash gray teddy bear. It was one I bought him when he was in the hospital and he held onto it every night until he was allowed home. At night, when I check in on him, he's usually cuddling it but it somehow had fallen to the floor and was disregarded. Taemin bounced over and took it, hugging it to this chest.
"I was looking for Smokey," he said, grinning. "He'll never leave my side, hyung. I promise."
"I know, I trust you," I opened my arms for a hug and he quickly climbed into them, squishing Smokey between us.
I listened to everything he said during breakfast, even if some of what he was talking about required eating with his mouth full. I wanted to embed all of it in my head while I was at work so I wouldn't panic. His happiness was infectious, but I still had that ball of guilt gnawing at my insides. I wouldn't know how well he actually did today until I picked him up on my way home from work. Yeah, I was definitely going to be distracted all day. When breakfast was finished, I helped him clean up and pick out something to wear, opting for a simple t-shirt and jeans, handing him one of my hoodies incase it got chilly and he needed something that was mine for comfort. He tugged it on right away and I couldn't help but laugh, he looked like he was swimming in it, his fingers just barely poking out of the sleeves. But he wrapped his arms around himself and inhaled my scent with the most adorable smile.
On my way out the door, I gave him the longest hug I'd given him in a long time, whispering in his ear to call me if he needed me. He giggle and thought I was being really silly, but hugged me just as tightly in return. I watched him wave from the window like I do every morning and returned his wave, puffing out my cheeks on my way out the driveway to work.
---
Kibum brushed his fingers over the hoodie and Taemin's shirt to get rid of any crumbs from the cookies Taemin had been eating while they drove over to the center. Taemin was bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking around at all the new people he hadn't seen before. He'd spotted Minho already, but he was busy with someone Taemin didn't know, so he hung back with Kibum who was fussing over him.
"Do you want me to stay for a bit?" Kibum asked, lacing their fingers together. Taemin looked over at him, torn about what to do. When he started to tear up out of distress, Kibum was quick to wrap him in a tight hug.
"No, no! Don't cry. It's okay, really. Look," he removed his shoes and guided Taemin over to the art table, sitting down next to him. He pulled over one of the boxes of Crayola crayons and a piece of paper. "Draw Kibummie hyung a picture."
Taemin dove right into the crayons, describing what he was drawing as he pressed all kinds of colors onto the paper. His tears had faulted for now, but that didn't mean they'd be gone if Kibum tried to leave.
"Taemin!" came a voice from behind them. Taemin lifted his head and looked around, smiling when he saw Minho coming towards them, "It's nice to see you here today. I was hoping you'd come. Wow, that's a neat drawing! Very colorful."
Taemin beamed proudly and turned back to his masterpiece, Kibum puffing out his cheeks. He took a few steps back, looking up at Minho.
"He's a bit sensitive, so I hope he doesn't break down if I go. I have a job interview..."
"I can handle it. He'll be fine, sometimes you have to give that hard push, you know?" Minho said, offering a gentle smile. Kibum nodded, glancing at Taemin. He took in a deep breath and turned around, quietly leaving the center, but not without tucking a note in Taemin's lunch bag that he'd put in a cubby with Taemin's name under it.
It took quite awhile for him to notice Kibum had left, and by then he was too enamored in coloring to be too affected by it. He had various drawings of butterflies, rainbows, flowers and family portraits strewn about the table and was working on a dragon when someone else joined him.
"Hi."
Taemin lifted his head, looking over. He smiled shyly when he saw Jonghyun, pushing over a blank piece of paper and the box of crayon's he knew he'd been hogging. Luckily the other people who arrived while he'd been drawing had taken to the other stations and didn't care too much that he had taken over the art supplies.
"I'm glad you came, cause I was hoping you didn't get scared away," Jonghyun said as dumped out the crayon's and started to put them back in color order. "I got a bit of a problem with not understanding peoples personal space."
"It's okay," Taemin said softly, watching him with interest. Jonghyun smiled, dumping out the crayons again and repeating the action.
"Do you like art?" he asked Taemin, stopping to pick up the black crayon and draw music notes neatly on the piece of paper he'd been given earlier.
"Yeah, all kinds. Like music and dancing," his voice grew a bit louder, his eyes locked on Jonghyun writing out lyrics that he didn't know between the music notes.
"Oh, music!" Jonghyun grinned, "That's my passion. I like to write it, sing it, perform it. But I'm not allowed to."
"Not allowed to what?" Taemin turned back to his dragon, coloring it in a nice violet purple, adding hot pink pokadots. Underneath, he wrote 'Jinki' carefully.
"Hyung says it upsets some of the others when I bring in my bass guitar. So I avoid the instruments as best as I can but it's hard," Jonghyun pouted, putting the black crayon back, "When I play, I can't stop. I just have to go and go.. and I get all weird inside if I don't keep playing once I start."
Taemin tilted his head in confusion, which only made Jonghyun giggle.
"It's just my condition, certain things have to be repetitive for me or I get upset," he said, dumping out the crayons once again. "Like, when I go home I have to have the same routine. I check my mail, I go upstairs, I feed and water my cat, I check my messages on my phone, I wash my hands, I start my dinner... and so on. I f anything happens that messes up the order... it's not pretty."
"You have OCD?" Taemin asked, curious. Jonghyun laughed softly, shaking his head.
"Not exactly, it's hard to describe cause everyone is different. Not every cause is identical," he explained, arranging the crayons one last time before pushing them away, turning to look at Taemin, "Do you know what Autism is?"
"Not really," Taemin shook his head.
"I'm not as bad as some people. I've met the really bad cases when I used to go to the hospital for therapy and I used to think if I didn't go, that I'd turn into that," he frowned. "But my doctor helped me. I've known her since I was four, she's been really kind to me. Like a mom in a way," Jonghyun smiled as he thought about his doctor, playing with the piece of paper that he'd drawn music notes and written lyrics on.
"My mom died," Taemin whispered, his voice barely audible. Jonghyun stopped what he was doing to look at Taemin, his eyes wide.
"Oh, no. Did I hurt you? I didn't mean to," he said, shaking his head. "I do this all the time. I say the wrong things and I get into trouble and then no one wants to talk to m-"
Taemin pressed his hand to Jonghyun's lips with a cute giggle, shaking his head, "I like you, I want to talk to you. Don't worry, Jjongie hyung."
Jonghyun smiled a little behind Taemin's hand, using his own to remove his hand from his mouth.
"Okay, I'll try," he nodded. He picked up the box of crayons and looked them over, picking out a red and started to draw hearts on his paper with the music notes and lyrics.
"Hyung," Taemin spoke after a few minutes of the two quietly doodling in silence. Jonghyun lifted his head, glancing at my brother, waiting for him to finish. "Will you be my friend?"
Jonghyun looked surprised, dropping the crayon to the table in shock. He pointed to himself as if Taemin could possibly be talking to someone else.
"Me?"
"Yes, you," Taemin said, giggling. "I like you, hyung."
Jonghyun's smile just about brightened the whole room and he sprang to his feet in a fit of joy. Taemin laughed, grabbing onto his arm to pull him back down, the other so ecstatic he could barely sit still.
"I'll be your friend, Taeminnie. I'll make sure you're okay," he said with confidence, nodding. "Nothing will hurt you as long as I'm around."
---
Stepping into the center today was different. There were more people around, including staff I didn't know, but the atmosphere felt good. I felt comfortable there, even if that twang of guilt was still occasionally playing with m y heart strings. I glanced around, just observing when arms wrapped around me and nearly dragged me to the floor.
"HYUNG!" came the excited cry from my little brother. I laughed, wrapping him up in a hug. He shoved a handful of drawings at my chest, then took off again, bounding around like a rubber ball. I looked over the drawings with a soft smile, laughing to myself over the purple dragon who had my small eyes and big smile. When I got to the one of Jonghyun, aptly drawn to look like a puppy, my smile just about split my face in two. In hangul next to the puppy, the words 'my friend' were scrawled out in Taemin's handwriting.
"He did really well," a deep voice came from next to me. I jumped, gasping. I hadn't noticed Minho slide up next to me, I just about had a heart attack - again. Why does this keep happening around him of all people? He apologized when he noticed he scared me, looking concerned that he might've upset me. I chuckled, patting my chest as my heart calmed do a somewhat regular beating pattern.
"You need to wear a bell or something around your neck," I joked weakly. He grinned as he pulled his hair back in a pony tail, a few loose strands framing his handsome face.
"Yeah, Changmin says the same thing. Just not as nicely," he said with a wink. I gulped. "But yes, Taemin did wonderful today. And he made a friend in Jonghyun, it was very sweet. They never left one another's side."
"I know. I mean, that they're friends," I said, holding up the drawing. Minho looked it over, his smile widening even more. My heart just about leapt out of my chest. I really couldn't figure out why everything Minho did, made me act like such an idiot around him.
"Hyung!" Taemin exclaimed as he ran over, Jonghyun not too far behind him. "Hyung, can... no that would mess up his routine..."
I raised an eyebrow. What would mess up whose routine? It took me a second to realize he was actually talking about Jonghyun, who was tugging on his Vans slip ons and tucking a pair of slippers into his cubby hole, double checking to make sure they were okay.
"What did you want to know, Taeminnie?" I asked, taking my brothers hand. He looked over at Jonghyun, then back at me with a heavy sigh.
"I was gonna ask if Jjongie hyung could come for dinner, but he has a routine and he said he gets upset if it doesn't work out how he does it or whatever. He has autism," he nodded, pouting a little. "He's my friend now."
"I saw your puppy drawing of him," I said with a smile, ruffling Taemin's hair. He made a face, glancing at Jonghyun again. I thought for a moment, then tugged Taemin over to him where he was lining up some blocks one of the others had left near the coat racks and cubby holes.
"Jonghyun?" I asked, watching him line them up in size, then color.
"Yes?" he said, standing but not quite meeting my eyes. He was too busy staring at the blocks.
"Taeminnie wants to know if you'd like to come for dinner, but he's worried it'll interfere with your routine," I explain. Jonghyun finally looked away from the blocks and met my eyes, his own lighting up.
"He, he wants me to come to dinner?" he asked, looking thoroughly surprised. "Wow, no one's invited me to their place before."
"You mean you'll come?" Taemin asked, sounding as if he was beside himself with joy.
"Can you make sure I'm home by nine? I usually get home then," he explained, starting to look anxious.
"Of course," I assured him, offering a smile, "I'm sure Kibum is making dinner right now."
He smiled and took Taemin's hand, giving it a squeeze. Taemin left my side to go to Jonghyun's which almost made me tear up. I'd never seen my brother actually let someone hold his hand, other than myself and Kibum. It was touching to see how far he was coming along.
"C'mon, guys. Let's go then. Kibum will start texting me soon, bugging me," I said with a laugh. Taemin walked ahead of me, knowing where the car was parked, chatting away about Kibum, telling Jonghyun what he was like and how amazing his cooking was. I stood there in awe for a few minutes, shaking my head. This was amazing, he wasn't only holding someone elses hand but he was going on ahead without me. I wasn't sure how to react.
I waved a quick goodbye to Minho and bolted out the door, rushing after them incase he did need me, but the whole time he never looked back. For a second, I felt a bit jealous. Did he not need me anymore? I quickly pushed the feeling away, puffing out my cheeks. No need to get jealous so soon, Taemin would always need his older brother, even if he bonded with a new friend. Right? At least, that's what I hoped.
Chapter Four