Chapter 20

Back Then

Minho went to visit Taemin again…

“I heard Sulli left.” Said Taemin

“Yeah…I heard she went to the US to study.” Said Minho

“I miss her already.” Said Taemin

Minho felt a strip of pain in  his chest.

“Is there anything wrong, Hyung?” asked Taemin

“I think that…I miss her too.” Said Minho

Taemin had that “Oh….you…too?” Expression on his face.

Minho chuckled

“It’s not like that…I mean…she’s the stubborn type…she doesn’t stop to look for LUCEAT’s artist. She kept on bugging the Art’s club…so…yeah…I…miss her too.” Said Minho

“No, Hyung…I don’t think L Hyung or Lee Joon Hyung misses her…it’s only you.” Said Taemin “Did you two have a relationship?“

“No…no we didn’t” said Minho

“I’m about to die Hyung, tell me about it. I will carry the secret to the grave.” Said Taemin

Minho tooka  deep breath looking at the ceiling.

“I…I…just…miss her.” Said Minho “I don’t know how it started…but it just turned out this way.”

“I miss seeing her running around the school…I miss her voice…I miss her passion on LUCEAT…I miss...” Minho stopped talking

Seeing her by that big tree behind the school…when he doesn’t know where she is…he’ll only need to go there and he’ll find her…that’s what he miss the most.

That empty space by the tree…

That’s what makes him know that she’s gone.

“You…fell for her Hyung” said Taemin “There’s no hiding it…the way you talk about her…your eyes…a dying person can tell. We have this wisdom.”

Minho brushed Taemin’s hair

“Don’t keep saying that.” Said Minho

“What do you plan to do now?” asked Taemin

“I…am planning on continuing what you can’t.” said Minho

“What do you mean?” asked Taemin

“If you had more years to live…would you go to LCUEAT and continue the Art that can make a change?” asked Minho

“Yes.” Said Taemin

“And after that…do you plant to take communications in College?” asked Minho

“Exactly…” said Taemin “You..Hyung…are you saying…you’re going to LUCEAT?!” asked Taemin

“Hyung..you can’t just do that. Remember when I did that, it was chaos in the Art’s club. Everyone suddenly became my enemy. I wasn’t even an officer then. I was just the protégé.” Said Taemin “But you...You’re the artist everyone looks up to. You’re like an idol to us juniors. You’re the best Artist of the club…not mentioning you’re the vice president.”

“If you were to turn back time…If you knew you’d be hated by the people you value the most like that…will you not go to LUCEAT anymore?” asked Minho

“No…I will not replace what I experienced in LUCEAT for anything…I found my value there…I found the value of what I do there…” said Taemin “When I chose to go to LUCEAT, I promised not to look back anymore. LUCEAT was to be my world.”

“Then that’s what I’m going to do.” Said Minho

“It will be hard Hyung. L Hyung will not allow you to just leave the dream behind. The 4 of you made a pact to fulfill your dreams together…to be the greatest Artists of Korea…L Hyung holds on to that dream so much. Will he just allow you to leave?” asked Taemin

“No…of course he won’t.” said Minho “But it’s still my decision in the end.”

Minho stood up.

“I’ll visit you again.” Said Minho.

Minho turned to leave but Taemin spoke up stopping him.

“You’re not doing this for her right?” asked Taemin

Minho smirked “If choosing LUCEAT will also lead me to the people close to her…that would give me a chance to hear things about her…” said Minho “I’m doing this for myself…but if this will bring me closer to her…that won’t be so bad, right?”

Taemin chuckled.

“Can you promise to take care of LUCEAT for me then? What I can’t do…please do it” said Taemin

“Of course.” Said Minho

Minho opened the door and saw L…just standing outside.

“We need to talk.” Said L

“Not here. If you’ve come to visit Taemin, go ahead. Let’s talk some other time.” Said Minho tapping L’s shoulder.

That was the last time Minho was able to visit Taemin…

Taemin succumbed to his illness 2 days after.

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Lee Joon held the brush in his hands…the plain canvass is just waiting for him to paint…but as soon as he lifted his hand to paint, his arm is in pain. He lifted his sleeve…his arm was burnt from the fire…and since then..he hasn’t been able to paint…

Lee Joon broke the brush in his hand…how can life be this bitter…he just wants to be a great artist…why is it sooo hard to do?

Is this the curse he has to take…from the sins he did?

Will he still be able to paint…

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L, Lee Joon and Hara could not believe the letter on the table.

Minho…resigned as Art’s club member…

“He did not even give me a chance to talk to him.” Said L

“He was pretty decided…” said Hara tears flowing from her eyes

Lee Joon is feeling devastated…”Why is Minho doing this?!” Lee Joon shouted

L crumpled the letter.

“Whatever his reasons are…he can’t just throw everything away.” Said L

“L…let