AN: Here’s the epilogue! It’s not meant to be long, either xD.

Kiss Kiss Kiss by SHINee is what I listened to during this so I highly recommend it!

Thanks for loving this story, lovelies! Enjoy!

 A FEW MONTHS LATER:

Taemin sat on the edge of the rooftop quietly, the sounds of rushing traffic buzzing by below him. He swung his leg back and forth over and over, taking in deep breathes with each swing.

To say the months that had gone by were easy would be a lie. It took adjusting on everyone’s part to the new—yet old situation. That day after he and Minho had finally talked things through, the two had come to an understanding.

The long talk that had occurred after between all five members dragged on for hours and was filled with tears and some minor bickering, but understanding all around. Taemin knew what Minho was feeling and despite how most people would never forgive what he had done, Taemin knew he could.

Their manager had been thoroughly surprised to find them calm and collected the day after when he picked them up. Jinki rarely left Taemin’s side after, doing everything he could to try and repair the relationship that had been damaged. Taemin could tell that all he wanted was what they had before everything had hit the fan and they pushed each other away. Taemin was willing to try for it and fight for it this time.

He often spent time alone as well, despite the fear of his hyungs. He knew they worried about him since it was likely a true fact that he still suffered from a bit of depression and self-loathing. To some extent, they were right, but it wasn’t enough to make him disappear for good.

He knew he could count on his hand the people he was close to and he knew he could trust them despite any feelings of feeling like he was alone or thrown out or unprotected. Jinki had a way of clutching him from behind and whispering his worth in his ear when his thoughts would try to break the self-confidence he had built. Minho and he had grown closer as well. The rapper had ended up dating Donghae not too long ago and it was clear that they were happy together.

Taemin knew he had found it in himself to forgive everything that had happened over the past few months. If he were honest with himself, he knew there was only one thing missing.

He laid down on the side of the building and looked up at the clouds in the sky and took a deep breath. He knew somewhere that balloon he had let go still carried his love for Jinki. The love he had never let go of was still there. But the thing he was missing and that he had refused to let go was the anger towards himself.

He wanted to stop hating himself. He knew he could preach about what he had learned and had done, especially since he was that much closer to each member as well now. But that feeling of being hard on himself didn’t want to disappear.

“You know you’ll give me a heart attack one of these days laying on the edge like that.”

Taemin looked up to see Jinki standing next to him. The maknae smiled up at his boyfriend. Their relationship had progressed to a spot he was comfortable at again. He and Jinki hadn’t really fought or avoided each other and more often than not Taemin was finding ways to surprise the leader every day. They had even began to tease each other again.

“It’s fun though.”

The leader sat down next to Taemin, his hand going for the boy’s hair. He laced his fingers through it, gently scratching his nails against the boy’s head.

Taemin groaned, “That feels so good…”

“So what are you up here contemplating?”

Taemin was silent as he shut his eyes. “Myself.”

“What about yourself?” Jinki asked quietly.

Taemin opened his eyes and looked up at Jinki, “I’m too hard on myself sometimes…”

Jinki nodded as Taemin shut his eyes again.

 “You always have been. You were that way when we met on the rooftop of SM, too.”

“But I was so young then, I had no choice but to be hard on myself. I wanted to be independent and show you what I was worth,” Taemin said.

He wanted that feeling to be true even now. He felt it deep in his heart when he ached, knowing that if he could let this part go his self-confidence would shoot through the roof and he’d find a certain happiness he had missed for so long.

“Taemin-ah…look at me.”

Taemin opened his eyes and looked up. Jinki was smiling at him and he felt his breath catch in his throat. That breathless smile never ceased to make his heart pound. Jinki’s other hand landed on his cheek, gently his skin.

“You prove yourself regardless of what you think. What you see in yourself does not translate to what others see.”

“Hyung?”

Jinki leaned down and gently pecked his nose.

 “You have grown into a beautiful boy who has the ability to do what he puts his mind to. I see such amazing qualities in you that make you stand out and make others love you more for it. I see that you have grown up into that independent nature you want. Imperfections are not a bad thing, they are a part of our design, the way we are, and it makes me love you more for it.”

Taemin smiled when Jinki leaned over and kissed him gently. He shut his eyes again and sighed happily, letting his leader give him the comfort he wanted at that moment.

While in the past he would have thought he was weak, he felt strong instead. It was Jinki who showed him that he was strong when he felt weak. It was his leader who showed him that he was stronger than he thought he was.

But it was his own heart that made him finally believe it at that moment.

And maybe for forever as well.

AN: <3