My Love... by My Side [COMPLETED]

1: Around The Corner

"Good morning!!" Taylor bounded into the kitchen, his infectious energy filling the room. With a swift movement, he planted a tender kiss on his sister's cheek.

True to his mischievous nature, he couldn't resist attempting to swipe a mini pancake from the plate. However, his sister caught him red-handed and playfully smacked his hand with her pink spatula.

"Sit yourself down and eat like a civilized person, young man!" Rae admonished while passing him a small plate and a bottle of honey.

Taylor pouted his lips and shot his sister a mock glare.

"Aw..." Rae couldn't help but chuckle. She gazed at her brother, who was undoubtedly sulking at her gentle scolding.

"Did it hurt?"

"Yes..." he replied, his eyes locking with hers as he batted his long eyelashes and pouted once more.

"Trust me, if you don't cease your mischief, the consequences will be far worse," she warned, patting his shoulder lightly.

"You can't deny that I'm irresistibly cute, can you?" he cooed, his voice brimming with adorable sweetness. Rae almost swatted him with a spoon, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, she burst into laughter at the sight of Taylor's face.

Passing him a fork, she watched with affection as her little one savored his breakfast, their shared moments of joy filling the room with warmth.

"Yes, you are undeniably cute..." she replied, her words laced with affection, accompanied by a radiant smile. Taylor continued to munch on his pancake, reveling in the joy of being adorable in his sister's eyes. He understood Rae better than anyone else.

Though she had a reserved and strict demeanor, like anyone else, she had her vulnerabilities. And he was her weakness. He held the power to ask for anything, talk about anything, and she never denied him or said no.

Never.

Suddenly, a slightly disheveled figure burst into the kitchen, resembling someone who had just been chased by a bull. The boy was panting heavily, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, gasping for breath.

"Well, good morning to you too, Mint," Rae greeted him with a hint of amusement. Mint simply waved his hand up and down, still struggling to regain his composure. Rae couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, rising from her seat and fetching a plate for him.

Mint, still panting, gratefully took the plate and served himself a piece of pancake, dousing it with syrup. Despite his earlier ordeal, he savored his breakfast with his customary gusto, though a weary expression lingered on his face.

Taylor furrowed his brows in concern, his curiosity piqued. Mint finished his last bite, signaling the end of his silent struggle.

"Mister Klien... he's leaving..."

"What?! Are you certain?"

"Yes, Patty heard it from Garfield, who spilled the news to Trent, who then went to Holland's house for a supposed 'sleepover' and shared the details with Mike, who finally informed me... He's resigning and moving to New York for a significant theater project," Rae's lips parted in astonishment.

How could Mint manage to spill all that information in a single breath? She was genuinely amazed by his talent.

"Traitor! I knew he'd eventually run off!" Taylor exclaimed, his plate clattering into the sink as he downed his milk, his eyes smoldering with anger.

"What did you guys expect? We all knew Trevor's lifelong dream was to work in the theater," Mint remarked with a hint of resignation in his voice.

"...and now he's just abandoning us like that..." Taylor sighed, his expression turning gloomy as he leaned against the countertop.