4. Song Minho:

Two years later...

W Magazine Studio.

- Cut! That’s all for today, our works are finished. Good job Taehyun-ssi, now you can leave. See you all tomorrow!

Taehyun quickly gathered his stuff and left the studio. The weather was so cold and he was absolutely tired after the long photoshoot. It’s nearly one o'clock in the morning, Taehyun wondered if that silly would pick him home today or not? “Why’s he still not here? So he would let me go home myself huh?”

The impatient young boy was a little bit frustrated.

“Beep beep!!!”

- Hey little prince, where’re you going? You aren’t going to catch a taxi yourself, are you?

Taehyun quickly got in the car and shot Minho a sharp glare.

- Where the hell was you parking? I really thought that I would have to go home myself you know that?

- Today there was lots of work to do so I left the office a little later than normal. Recently there are many important customers so I have to draw all day like crazy. But don’t worry, althought how busy I am I’ll never leave you behind, my little prince.

Looking at the big warm grin of Song Minho, suddenly Taehyun couldn’t help but sigh. It has been two years and this idiot still hasn’t change, always followed him everywhere and took care of him everytime like a fool. Why are there still a silly billy like this on earth?

...

It has been two years now since he returned to Korea. That day, the last day of the course, Seungyoon was in a hurry to fly back to Korea right after the graduation ceremony that he didn’t even attend the farewell party with their friends. Taehyun understood the reason behind Seungyoon’s rush, certainly, there was someone who has been waiting for him for almost five year, how could he not be in a hurry right? Firstly Taehyun hesitated a little bit thinking about coming back to Korea, but finally Minho succeeded in persuading him to return. As if the older could read Taehyun’s mind, he told him there’s nothing to worry about his old friends because actually in love there’s no one at fault even if it resulted or failed. And so on Taehyun left California with Minho following him as a loyal bodyguard.

When Taehyun got enough courage to meet his old friends again, the first thing Jinwoo hyung did was giving him a tight hug and then asking him why he didn’t call the older sooner. Thanks to their openness that he could feel relieved from the rock of anxiety which has been weighing in his heart for years. Once again they became best friends, and it was much later till Seungyoon told Taehyun about how Minho found them to confide about his worries and arrange a meeting between three of them. That idiot, how could he always do things that no one told him to do but always get back good results like that?

Yesterday Seungyoon and Jinwoo hyung have just sent him an invitation, their wedding would take place in about a month's time. They engaged right when Seungyoon arrived back in Korea but Jinwoo hyung accepted to wait for Seungyoon to invest his time in his career and improved the clinic first, and now they decided that it’s time for them to officially together live under the same roof. It’s fine, they love and believe in each other so just two years wasn’t a big deal to them. Of course Taehyun was happy for them, but it also made him feel a little bitter. Not because he still had something for Seungyoon, it’s just that he felt so lonely and empty for himself. There’re many times he found himself feeling sorry for Minho, but he thought it’s probably better to just keep a “some” relationship like this. Taehyun still couldn’t be ready to widely open his whole heart, and of course he understands that Minho couldn’t just forever wait for him to be ready like this. Such a good guy like him deserves to be with someone who loves him and be able take a good care of him. Taehyun thought that if Minho wants to leave, he would be willing to let the other go.

But life is a series of surprises, isn’t it?

...

It’s Sunday, a rare Sunday that a famous model like Taehyun didn’t have any shooting schedule so he rewarded himself with a freely shopping day. Leisurely walking on the street to enjoy his own precious free time, suddenly Taehyun thought of Minho. Should he call that silly here and spend the rest of this day-off with him?

Taehyun was about to take his phone from his pocket when suddenly his eyes idly flipped through the two guys who were sitting together in the coffee shop across the street, and that image made him freeze for a few seconds. One of them was someone he knew very well, and he had never seen the other. They were talking to each other with excitement, sometimes laughing so joyfully. Since a long time ago Taehyun hasn’t seen that man laughing that much. He slowly took the phone out and pressed the call button with his own trembling hands.

- Hello?

- I’m free now, do you want to go somewhere together?

- I'm sorry Hyunnie, I’m really busy now so I’ll come to take you out this afternoon okay?

- ... forget about it, I have other plan this afternoon. Bye.

Taehyun immediately hung up, he didn’t want to hear anything else from Minho. Across the street, the older hesitated a few seconds but then he quickly put the phone in the pocket. The two of them stood up after paying for their meal, they got in Minho’s car and quickly drove away.

Taehyun was still standing there alone with an empty heart. There was something weighing on his feet and made them heavy like rocks. Minho has never refused to go out with him. He was always happy like a kid who got his new favorite toy and gleefully ran to Taehyun’s place. Why’s it different this time? Because of that guy???

Taehyun understood that he had no right to blame Minho. They’re even still not an official couple. The older has been waiting for him for many years, if now he decided to give up and look for his own happiness, it’s totally reasonable. But... there is something... Yeah, there is something tightening Taehyun’s heart and hurt him a lot. He felt like he was going to lose something so important to him, his hands were shaking a little bit in fear. The guy who was with Minho is a really handsome guy. His smile shone bright like the sun, his single-eyelid eyes curled into a beautiful half-moon shape and they twinkled when he looked at Minho. They’re indeed a very nice... couple. Taehyun’s heart suddenly sank deep. Why is he being like this? He had promised to himself that if Minho wanted to leave then he wouldn’t try to keep the older from having his own happiness. And he was the one who has been pushing Minho away for all those years, wasn’t him? Why was his heart breaking like hell now???

As people said, you will know what’s precious to you only when you already lost it.

...

The next day when Minho came to Taehyun’s home, the first thing he met was the cold facial expression like ice of the younger. He confusedly asked.

- Why are you wearing that sulky face on?

- I'm just a little tired. Why do you come here?

- Eyy, why are you suddenly so cold to me like that? Forget it, you’re always being cold to me right? Okay okay, I’ll stop the kidding. It’s my best friend’s wedding tomorrow and he told me to bring my lover with me to the wedding so... umm... can you... go with me...?

Spotting the older's awkward expression, Taehyun just smirked.

- Since when have I been your lover huh?

- Well... I didn’t have a lover, but... I can’t think of anyone else but you to ask for this so... - Minho confusedly hesitated.

"What about the guy yesterday? Why do not you ask him to come along?”

Taehyun almost blurted that sulky question out, but then he immediately remembered that he had no right to sulk at the older.

- Bring some of your playgirls. I'm not that free.

- I swear I never ever met any playgirl before! Just one evening only, help me pleaseee!!!

The older’s expectant look made Taehyun couldn’t help but sigh. Perhaps this is really an important occasion that he really wanted his presence. He never saw this expression of Song Minho before. Okay, just this once, he would allow himself to live as Nam Taehyun of years ago, become the center of Minho’s life, being the only love of his heart, even if it only was the illusion of his own.

- It’s tomorrow evening?

- Yes! So I will come pick you up at seven, is it okay? - Minho happily answered.

- Okay.

It was one more sleepless night with someone...

...

The next evening, exactly at 7pm, Minho’s black Audi R8 parked right in front of Taehyun’s condo. The image of the gorgeous male who was coming towards Minho made him freeze in a few seconds. Of course he knew that normally Taehyun was very beautiful already but now the younger’s even a lot more charming. Taehyun got in the car and immediately saw the exaggeratedly silly expression on the other’s face. He pinched his cheek while trying to hide his own smile.

- Aissh it hurts!!! Why do you pinch me??? - Minho held his cheek and yelled like a teenager girl.

- I'm in already, are you going to start driving or not? Don’t you be afraid of being late for your friend’s wedding?

- Oh... yeah... here I’ll drive right now. But today you’re really beautiful you know that? What should I do if my friend blame me for bringing a more beautiful lover than his bride huh? - Minho grinned widely before started to drive.

"Me and that guy, who looks better?"

Taehyun turned away to stop himself from straightly asking the older that question. On the entire way Taehyun was having a lot of stray thoughts, mostly about the guy he saw some days ago and his face looked quite serious therefore the older didn’t dare to say even a single word, he was just quietly driving. They just remained silent like that until the car stopped.

Lotte Hotel Seoul, one of the most luxurious five-star hotels in the city. Maybe Minho’s friend had acquired wealth so he could hold his wedding at a place like this. Minho gently opened the car door for Taehyun and they walked arm in arm inside. The younger tried to draw a smile on his lips of politeness, anyways he shouldn’t be wearing a sulky cold face while attending a wedding, right?

- Minho yah! I’m here!

Both of them turned back to see a young handsome man in a black tuxedo who was joyfully waving at Minho. The slight smile on Taehyun’s lips slowly faded. Isn’t this the guy he saw that day with Minho in the coffee shop?

- Jiho hyung, you're here! Congratulation! Is everything well prepared?

- Everything was carefully done already. I’m sure that he’ll be really happy with this, all thanks to you that we can have such a beautiful wedding!

That man intimately patted Minho shoulder and they both laughed happily. Everything Taehyun’d just heard had barely sunk in his brain. What does that mean? So this wedding...?

- And this is...?

The man suddenly redirected his gaze toward Taehyun who was still bewildered.

- Ah, I forget introducing you two to each other. Jiho hyung, this is Taehyun, my boyfriend. And Hyunnie, this is Jiho hyung, my best friend, also the happy groom of this wedding.

It took exactly 1 second for the younger to understand the whole situation. Taehyun smiled while bowing and said a “hello” to Jiho, though now the only thing he wanted to do was just digging a hole and jumping in it. What the hell is happening? That’s the groom? So Taehyun’s own imaginary dramatically made himself a damsel in distress like that??? Oh my God, it’s so embarrassed!!!

- Hello, I'm Woo Jiho, this idiot’s blood brother and also the CEO of KQ Entertainment. I’ve heard about you for so long but you’re a famous model so it’s hard for us to meet each other before isn’t it? You see, all the designation of my wedding today was Minho’s works, I have this brilliant wedding thanks to him so of course you have the right to be proud of your talented boyfriend, right Taehyun-ssi?

Now Taehyun had time to looked around the place where he was standing carefully. How luxury, the reputation’s really not exaggerating. Plus the extremely exquisite and romantic decoration, this palace is the real paradise that everyone wants their wedding to be held here. Suddenly he felt so proud without any reason.

Jiho looked at his golden watch and then quickly told Minho:

- Well we should hurry up, the ceremony will start in a few minutes! - the oldest said before sent them a wink - How can it start without the lucky groom so here I go, don’t forget to wish me luck okay?

...

- Why haven’t you introduced Jiho hyung to me?

Taehyun asked Minho when they were on their way back home.

- You have never been interested in my acquaintances, now why do you ask? - Minho was a little suprised with the younger’s question.

- You refused to go out with me to go with him so I thought that he must be so important to you. What else can I think of?

- Of course he’s important to me, he’s been one of my best friends anyway. But did you see me with him? - the older curiously stared at him.

- Hey I didn’t spy on you or something, I just accidentally saw you two at a coffee shop while passing by! - Taehyun protested.

- I didn’t say that you spied on me or something anyways! - Minho laughed out loud before seriously told the story - Jiho hyung and Kyung hyung have been a couple since our teenage years and there were so many things happened but I’ll just say that it was hard for Kyung hyung to wait for Jiho hyung to invest in his career so now when they can finally get married Jiho hyung wanted to create a super luxurious royal wedding than ever to compensate his beloved wifey. As you have known I have some designing skills so Jiho hyung asked for my help and they’re my best friends so of course I agreed to help. We were up all night working so hard on our plan that Jiho hyung looked like a zombie right before the wedding so I suggested that he should have a whole relaxing day, as you saw we had a meal together and then I took him to a salon. Which kind of groom having dark circles under his eyes, pale skin and tiredness on his face on his own wedding day, right?

Taehyun was totally silent, he couldn’t say anything even just a single word. He suddenly found himself really silly. What? Minho never said that Jiho hyung was his lover, it was all from his own imaginary wasn’t it?

Minho suddenly asked the younger teasingly.

- Are you jealous?

- Who? Me? Are you crazy??? - Taehyun’s eyes embarrassedly widened.

- So that’s the reason why you acted weirdly yesterday morning. - Minho laughed out loud.

The younger’s embarrassment turned to anger, he pinched Minho’s waist so hard.

- Ouch!!! Why are you so violent to me today Hyunnie??? I’m even driving! - the older teasingly screamed like a kittenish teenage girl.

Taehyun turned away angrily. Minho just smiled before asked.

- It’s still not so late and you don’t have any schedule tomorrow morning so, do you want to stop at Han river bank for a while?

- What for?

- I just want some fresh air. Is it okay with you?

...

Han river in a quiet autumn night like this looked so beautiful and romantic. This kind of romantic atmosphere here suddenly made Taehyun ears redden. The two were just silently sitting for a while like that, before Minho suddenly said.

- Hey...

- What?

- I’ll ask you a really serious question right now so can you honestly answer me?

- You have to ask first then I can decide that if I can be honest or not!

- Have... have I ever been in your heart? Even just once?

The younger was silenced at Minho expectant look. How to explain what he feels? How to give Minho a satisfactory answer when he even hasn’t understand himself yet? Suddenly Taehyun recalled the moment when he saw Minho with Jiho. How scared of losing Minho he was, how painfull his heart felt thinking about Minho being with someone else, he still remembered so clearly like it’s just happened some minutes ago. Perhaps he had let both Minho and himself wait for too long. Now maybe it’s his turn to make the older happy and compensate him, the one who has loved him by all his heart for all those years, who brought warmth and joy to his cold world, who healed his painful heart, who was always be with him when he needed someone by his side the most.

Taehyun looked into the older’s eyes and took a deep breath.

- Before I answer your question, will you answer mine first?

- What do you want to know?

- Do you really love me?

- What I have done for those six years that we have been together still wasn’t enough to prove it?

- Do you know it’s a week till Seungyoon and Jinwoo hyung’s wedding?

- Yes, I know it.

- So will you go there with me as my official boyfriend?

- Like... you with me tonight? - Minho warily asked.

- No, not like this. Not just to show them that I have a boyfriend but really become my boyfriend from now on, until our relationship turn into something bigger. What do you think “official boyfriend” means?

Taehyun’s face was slowly reddening like a tomato while Minho was extreme suprised, his eyes widened dumbfoundedly. He didn’t mishear it, did he?

- Are you going to answer me or not?

- Yes, yes, of course I will!

- Good, remember to pick me up on time. Besides, this year I’m already twenty five and you’re twenty seven. You see, now my friends and your friends are all married already. I quite like the palace where Jiho hyung and Kyung hyung had their wedding, but I want my wedding to be a lot more beautiful than theirs, you got it?

Minho just silently stared at Taehyun’s flushed face. The younger was acting like there’s nothing important at all but he couldn’t even look straight at Minho’s eyes. He knew that his sassy Taehyun wasn’t used to say things like this, and even so Minho never could be happier than this moment. Then he suddenly wrapped his arms around the younger’s waist and hugged him tightly.

- Thank you.

Minho gently leaned his chin on Taehyun’s shoulder and slightly whispered in the younger’s ear. His breath was on Taehyun neck, warm and tickling.

- For what?

- For finally accepting me and giving me a chance, for agreeing to be by my side.

- Then I owe you a thank too.

- For what?

- For patiently holding my hand all those years and not letting go, my silly boyfriend.

END.