AN: Not going to lie…writing that last chapter made me cry. But, this is an angst-based story, so I suppose it works. Let’s move on, shall we? This chapter...sounds incredibly happy…and at first will sound like it doesn’t belong in this story, but it’s needed for the later chapters! So enjoy!  

4 WEEKS LATER:

Four weeks, four weeks he had spent in Busan. He didn’t try to contact anyone but his manager, letting him know he was fine and safe. He hadn’t even tried to contact Jonghyun after that skype call on the train. Out of all of his hyungs, he knew he understood why.

He hadn’t thought of Jinki since the night he arrived and his body finally felt like it had been healed from all the aches and pains. He spent his time walking around the city, exploring the sights and attractions, and slowly but surely, he felt his heart beating more each day.

He felt more alive than he did the days before. No longer did he feel numb, like he wanted to run from everything falling around him. He had acknowledged his pain, wrote it out, and let it go. He forced himself not to care about anything other than having fun and restoring his health to the fullest.

Taemin knew he had been gone for almost two months, and he hoped it was enough time to give Minho and Jinki time to settle in as a couple. Even now as he stared up at the blue sky, he felt himself smiling. If they were happy, then his intention was to be happy. Even though he was alone, he didn’t feel lonely. He felt peaceful. The maknae didn’t feel the same as he did before. He felt brand new. He felt like he had finally done something right by accepting that what had happened wasn’t fair, but in the past. He had a chance to start over and he was going to do it right this time.

It was early in the evening when he checked out of his hotel, rushing to the train station. He didn’t know how it would feel finally being around them all again, but in his time away, he found out so many things about himself. He found that writing lyrics to songs made him smile and that drawing allowed him to giggle.

He had supported himself this entire time and he finally felt proud. Taemin felt like an adult instead of the maknae he was. He was standing alone in the station, singing quietly to himself, not even bothering to conceal his identity. He looked up when he felt a hand touch his hip. At first he was confused, then he looked down to see a little girl smiling up at him.

“Taeminnie-oppa?”

The maknae smiled and bent down in front of her. The girl had to be about six or seven years old and from a distance, he could see an older boy staring at them. He gave the girl his attention.

“Hi there…what’s your name?”

“Minah…” she said quietly.

Taemin grabbed her tiny hand she was holding out to him, “What can I do for you, Minah-ah?” 

She swayed back and forth, shy as Taemin continued to smile at her.

“My oppa told me he always wanted to meet you and I saw you standing by yourself and I wanted to say hi.”

“Minah!”

Taemin and the girl looked up when the boy approached them with a blush on his face. Taemin stood, looking the boy over as he grabbed her hand. He stared at Taemin and then bowed.

 “I’m sorry, sunbaenim, I didn’t mean for her to bother you.”

Taemin bowed as well and then laughed when he stood straight.

“She’s not a bother. She was just telling me her oppa wanted to meet me.” Taemin held his hand out, “I’m Lee Taemin.”

“Daehyun…Park Daehyun.” He gripped his hand tightly and they bowed once more before standing up and laughing.

Taemin pointed, “Are you heading on this train, too?”

“N-neh, sunbaenim…we’re heading to live with our grandparents in Seoul.”

Taemin raised his eyebrows. “Funny, I’m heading back there myself. Care if I tag along with you both?”

The boy eagerly nodded, “It’d be wonderful if you did, sunbaenim!”

“Just call me Taemin,” Taemin smiled brightly.

He didn’t feel any pain. He felt bright, free. Taemin looked down at the little girl.

“Do you mind if Taemin-oppa tags along with you and your brother?”

“Ani!”

Taemin giggled. This little girl was adorable and he wanted to squish her cheeks.

“You’re cute! How old are you, Minah?”

“I’m seven, Taemin-oppa! And Daehyunnie-oppa is nineteen!”

The boy blushed madly, “M-Minah! Don’t call me that in front of Taemin-sunbaenim!”

Taemin waved him off. “I get called Taeminnie all the time. I think it’s fine. You don’t need to be formal with me.”

The train pulled up at that moment, and Taemin snickered at how much the boy was blushing.

“Shall we?”

Both Minah and Daehyun went ahead of him and they found a small section to sit together. Taemin thought it was somewhat adorable how Daehyun took care of his little sister, making sure she was next to the window and comfortable before settling himself in. Taemin sat across from them, his legs crossed and eyes shut peacefully. He had one headphone in as he bounced along to his music quietly, waiting for the train to start moving. Minah squealed when it took off, her tiny hands plastered against the window.

Taemin watched Daehyun hover over her shoulder, his finger pointing to the scenery they were passing by. Taemin would admit he was cute. Blonde hair that fell over his brown eyes, a cute little nose and sharp jaw. He was quite skinny, almost as much as him. His little sister had chubby cheeks and long black hair that went down her back.

The maknae quietly sang to himself as he leaned back in his seat, his fingers trembling in delight. He was going home, but he wasn’t going home broken. No, he felt ready to take on the world and be independent. He knew he’d always have his hyungs with him, but he felt better than he had in ages. He wasn’t worried about seeing the two together. Hell, maybe he’d laugh and tease them if they were actually cute together.

He opened one eye when he felt eyes on his face and he couldn’t help but chuckle at the now blushing boy.

“Waee, do I have something on my face?”

“N-no!!” Daehyun said.

Taemin giggled, “Yahh, you can call me hyung if you want. No more sunbaenim. I’m not working right now!”

 Taemin burst out laughing and fell forward when the boy looked at him with stars in his eyes. Is that how he looked whenever he had been around Jinki?

“You’re cute.”

Minah giggled as well, “Haha, oppa! Taeminnie called you cute!”

“Minah!!!” Daehyun cried.

And this is how most of the train ride went for the three. Taemin teased and got to know the brother and sister duo, often finding Minah as a good teammate to tease the blushing boy. Taemin almost squealed again when Daehyun left to run to the restroom a couple hours later.

Minah smiled up at the maknae, “My oppa says you’re his bias…what does that mean, Taeminnie-oppa?”

The maknae blushed. “It means out of my hyungs and myself that I’m his favorite.”

“He has a big poster of you in his bag! I think he likes you!”

Taemin smirked. Really now? Well, that was interesting. He texted Jihun a couple times checking on him as well. The boy had sent him some pictures, telling Taemin he’d be in Seoul in a couple of days and wanted to meet up. When Daehyun came back, Taemin smiled at him.

“So Daehyun-ah, is SHINee your favorite band?”

“N-neh!” he said.

The boy threw a stare to his sister who blatantly ignored him in favor of coloring in a book.

Taemin leaned forward, “So which of us is your favorite? Key-hyung? Jonghyun-hyung?”

“Omo, oppa! I like Jonghyun-oppa! His smile is pretty!” Minah said without looking up from her book.

Taemin bit his lip. “And you, Daehyun?”

“I-I…well…I…” He bit his lip when Taemin’s smile turned into a smirk. “You already know!”

“Minah-ah told me you had a poster of me.” Taemin made grabby hands, “Give me your phone!”

The boy nervously handed it over and Taemin snickered. He was just like Jihun. Taemin added his number in there and handed it back.

“So we can hang out in Seoul, if you’d like. I wouldn’t pass up a chance to hang out with my fan,” Taemin said with a wink.

The boy died and sputtered incoherently in his seat while Taemin and Minah colored in the book together, passing away time.

Taemin watched the little girl snuggle up to her brother later that night, and Daehyun had wrapped his arms around her in return, falling asleep as well. The train was dimly lit, and he watched the night sky pass by him outside.

They would be stuck on this train for the rest of the night or so, getting into Seoul late tomorrow evening. The maknae played with his phone before dialing a couple of numbers. He snickered when the line picked up and he heard a crash.

“TAEMIN-HYUNG!” Jongin shouted over the phone.

“Yah Jongin, no need to scream in my ear.”

“Where the hell have you been?1 We all have been freaking out and I missed you~!”

“Pabo. I missed you, too. I’ll be back soon. Are you and Sehun-ah down for a dance marathon? We have a lot to catch up on and I want to show you some dances I made!”

Sehun must’ve stolen the phone. “YEHET! HYUNG!”

Taemin laughed, “Silly maknae. I’ll take that as a yes?”

Jongin grumbled, “Dammit, Sehun! GIVE ME THE PHONE!”

Taemin waited a couple of moments, and Jongin chuckled when he was back on.

“Yeah, hyung! Time and place.”

“Not tomorrow, but the next day at the SM building. I’ll call you. I get in tomorrow night and I have a feeling Kibum-umma won’t let me out of his sight the moment I walk through the door.”

Jongin laughed, “Everyone but Jonghyun-hyung has been moping without you. Even Heechul-hyung has been wanting to see you.”

Taemin rolled his eyes. He’d call the diva in a minute.

“Fine fine, I’ll call him, too, and everyone else.”

“Be safe getting home, Hyung! We miss you, but I miss you the most!”

“NO YOU DON’T!” Sehun shouted in the background.

“SHUT. UP. MAKNAE.”  

Taemin snorted, “Bye, pabos!”

“YAH-”

Taemin snickered and hung up, dialing Heechul’s number as well.

 “MY TAEMINNIE!” the diva yelled over the line.

“Hey,Hyung, Jongin said you were missing me!”

“I do! Are you coming home soon? You better be coming over to see your favorite hyung as soon as you get here! I MUST HEAR ABOUT YOUR TRAVELS!”

“Aish, yes and yes. If Kibum-umma lets me out of his sight tomorrow, I’ll stop by the dorm and see you.”

“I’ll kidnap you, don’t worry,” Heechul said with an amused laugh.

As if anyone would ever deny him seeing the dancer. Taemin talked with him for a few more moments and then hung up. He bit his lip, wondering if he should surprise his hyungs, or tell him he was coming home. Since Heechul, Jongin, and Sehun know knew, he figured it’s be around soon anyway.

With a tiny yawn, he dialed Jonghyun’s number and waited.

Jonghyun sounded tired, “Taeminnie? That you?”

“Hey, Hyung, it’s me…”

The elder yawned from his spot on the couch back in the dorm. “Where you heading to now?”

“Seoul,” Taemin said, playing with his ring.

Jonghyun sat up, immediately awake and alert. Taemin was coming home? He was ready to be here with them again?

“When will you be here?”

“Ahh, I get in tomorrow night. I met another cute fan and his sister who let me tag along with them since they’re going to Seoul, too.”

Jonghyun smiled. Taemin sounded better. He sounded like he had a bounce in his voice and even a smile.

“That’s wonderful, Tae. Are they nice?”

Taemin couldn’t help but gush. “Neh! This boy is cute, Hyung, he blushes so much.”

“You sound better. Happier, Tae-ah,” Jonghyun said.

The dorm was quiet, with Jinki and Minho out and Kibum at rehearsal. He was glad to talk to the boy without having the other three jump down his neck about him. The past month had been unbearable since that skype call, but like Taemin had guessed, Jonghyun understood why he hadn’t contacted anyone after. 

Taemin sighed, “I feel better. I’m trying to be happy, I really am. I’ll prove it when I’m home!”

The singer rolled his eyes. He had no doubt that Taemin was better.

“Well, hurry and get here. We miss our maknae.”

“I miss you guys, too,” Taemin said.

It felt nice to be missed. He would always have his hyungs and their overprotective love and he would never forget that.

“Do you need me to pick you up from the train station?”

“Ani, I can get home on my own. Do you four have schedules tomorrow?”

Jonghyun grunted and stood, going to the kitchen to check the weekly schedules. Kibum had rehearsals and a music video shoot, while Minho had a drama shoot and Jinki would be out covering for a DJ in the evening. He had his own schedule as well.

“Neh, we’re all working late tomorrow. Do you want me to tell manager-hyung?”

“No. I was debating on surprising you, but I told Jongin, Sehun, and Heechul already and since they have big mouths….”

The main singer laughed. “Of course. Thanks, Tae. Just be safe getting home and call me if you have problems, okay?”

“I will, Hyung. Promise.”

Jonghyun was silent for a moment. “Yah, Tae-ah?”

Taemin waited, a smile on his face.

Jonghyun chuckled, “I’m proud of you.”

And like that, the maknae smiled brightly. He didn’t need to ask for what, he just knew.

“Thanks, Hyung. Is everyone alright? Is Kibum-umma going to lock me up when I get back?”

“I think Minho and Jinki will actually be the ones to do that.”

Jonghyun expected to hear the boy’s voice drop and his demeanor dim, but Taemin giggled instead.

“Are they doing okay together? Is Minho taking care of Jinki?”

“As well as they can be,” Jonghyun said.

He honestly didn’t have a better answer. Their relationship…had been strange. They weren’t overly affectionate with one another like Jinki was with Taemin. The only way you’d know they were together were the sounds coming from one of their bedrooms, or the rare times they would cuddle or hold hands. But Jonghyun wasn’t about to tell Taemin this. The dancer had worked hard for his independence and ability to let it go and giving him false hope about Jinki would only make him go backwards in his progress.

“Well, that’s good at least. As long as they’re happy, that’s all I can ask for.”

And that’s why Jonghyun was proud. Taemin was being mature about a terrible situation. Taemin had every right to be angry and demand to never talk to them again, but he was wishing them happiness instead, coming back home to be friends and offer to be there and care about them still.  

“Hyung will treat you to some dinner tomorrow night. You can tell me all about this cute fan then, okay?”

“Neh, Hyung! Thanks! Get some sleep and rest, Hyung!”

“Bye, Taemin,” Jonghyun said softly, hanging up the phone.

He imagined Taemin was getting read to catch some sleep of his own and he laid back on the couch. Despite being worried about tomorrow, he was excited. He couldn’t wait to see what type of explosions would go off.