“Hyung, where is Taemin?”

 

“Recording. We Got Married.” Onew answered before slumping his body unto the couch in their living room, not even bothered to remove his shoes.

 

“What?! I remember clearly that recording doesn’t start until after dinner, why is that punk there so early nowadays?” Kibum ranted as he stomped his way into the Shinee dorm, chucking his bag aside before diving straight into his lovely bed.

 

Minho let out an inaudible sigh as he too made his way into their dorm after a tiring n gruesome outdoor variety show recording with Kibum and Onew. Ever since Taemin started recording for We Got Married, the younger boy has sort of fallen further and further away from the group. He still hangs out with his Shinee hyungs, he still practices and laughs with them, but somehow Minho could feel that Taemin’s heart wasn’t here with them anymore, or at least, not with him anymore. Minho recalled how often Taemin would budge into his room to hang out with him every night before he falls asleep and let Minho carry him to his bed; he recalled how the younger boy would rant about their whole day of activities to him; he recalled how Taemin would share little secrets here and there with him; … Minho had to admit, he thought that they were heading towards something. He knew clearly that both of them had exceeded the fine boundary of friends when he gave Taemin a small peck on his lips that night after a fan sign event in Osaka back in December. Minho swore he felt the younger boy responding although the kiss was so brief. He thought that they were heading towards something more, he thought. Not until Taemin started to slip further and further away ever since he started filming for We Got Married and rumors of Taemin and Na Eun dating started to flood the internet.

 

It pained Minho’s heart a lot. Na Eun was a pretty girl. He watched every episode aired, trying his best to convince himself that Taemin was just acting since everything in We Got Married is scripted. But the recent tabloid pictures of Taemin and Na Eun secretly dating couple with the fact that Taemin is always leaving way too early for filming made Minho’s heart sink to its pit. Everytime Minho sees Taemin flashing a genuine smile to Na Eun in the episode, a tiny part of Minho dies away.

 

Minho took a glance at Taemin’s empty bed when he walked pass Taemin’s room. They use to cuddle, laugh and talk on Taemin’s bed but now its coldly empty.

 

Tae…

*************

 

“Hyung!!”

 

Kibum and Jonghyun laughed out loud as Taemin spilled some of the contents of its bento on the table as the duo endlessly. “OMG Taemin, is that the couple bracelet? The one that the fans are talking about?” Kibum pointed to the silver bracelet encircling Taemin’s wrist and the younger boy blushed.

 

Minho stayed silent. He wanted to take a peep on the couple bracelet but he knew he shouldn’t. Choi Minho, don’t you dare look. Minho quietly ate up his lunch as the duo continued to tease Taemin inside the resting room until they finally left, leaving Minho and Onew.

 

Minho literally let out a sigh when the trio finally left which wasn’t left unnoticed by the leader.

 

“Hey.. you okay?” Minho jerked slightly when he heard Onew’s voice.

 

“Yeah hyung.” Lying.

 

Onew shifted closer to Minho, “Don’t lie Minho, I can see it. I can see how unhappy you have became ever since Taemin started filming for We Got Married, its written all over your face, Minho.” Minho’s face went pale instantly. “Hyung, I…”

 

“Minho, those two idiots might not realize, but I do. You have been exceptionally close to Taemin, perhaps that is why you are feeling so down about this whole thing.”

 

Minho finally broke down into tears as Onew hung an arm around him, “Its okay, you can cry out if you want to.” Onew gently coaxed. He knew that this would come sooner or later. He knew that Minho and Taemin had been very, very close to each other, that Minho had probably fallen for the younger boy evidenced by his outward physical concern and genuine care for the younger boy. But Onew was very much aware that Taemin was still young and perhaps not mature enough to realize Minho’s sacrifices for himself.

 

“Hyung..” Minho sobbed in between tears, “I.. Am I a wicked person? I am supposed to be happy for Taemin if he is indeed in love with Na Eun shi. But, I can’t hyung, I can’t bring myself to wish Taemin happiness. Why can’t I be the one making Taemin happy, hyung? Why…”

 

Onew sighed and grabbed Minho’s shoulder with his arm hung around Minho, “But you want Taemin to be happy don’t you?” Minho paused and looked up into Onew’s eyes. Yes, although it pained his heart that he will not be the one making Taemin happy, but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. As long as the younger boy is happy, he will somehow find a way to nurse his broken heart. As long as Taemin is happy, he will be okay, he will find a way to be okay.

 

“Yes.”

 

*******

 

That was the last time Minho allowed himself to grief and be bitter over Taemin. He still couldn’t stop himself from loving Taemin, no matter how much his brain rationalized with him that if he continued to love Taemin, he will end up inflicting more wounds on himself. Perhaps time is all that he needed, Minho thought. Still, Minho stocked up banana milk in their fridge, he still pre-ordered Taemin’s favourite bento and made sure that it is delivered to Taemin during his We Got Married recordings everyday, etc..

 

Minho became largely indifferent towards everything now. He still danced, practiced and sang with Shinee, he still attends recordings and fan sign events with Shinee, but whenever Taemin says something or makes any movement, Minho would harden his heart.

 

Time. All I need is time, Minho convinced himself.

 

Who would have thought that after the conclusion of the We Got Married recordings and despite it being very apparent to the Shinee members that Taemin was still seeing Na Eun, the headlines of the newspaper this morning left all Shinee and Apink fans in great shock and horror.

 

“APINK’s Son Na Eun caught in a compromising position with 2PM’s Taecyeon.”

 

The pictures of Na Eun and Taecyeon embracing and kissing as they made their way out of the cab and into Taecyeon’s home was enough to speak for itself. If it was true that Na Eun is seeing Taemin, it would only meant that she was cheating on Taemin.

 

“Taemin, please, you have to eat, at least some.” Minho gently placed a tray of food in front of Taemin, who is sitting on the floor with his back leaned against his bed, eyes staring aimlessly into the air, tear marks staining his eyes. “I got you your favourite banana milk too, see.” Minho coached warmly, it pained his heart to see Taemin like this, but the younger boy had to eat no matter how heartbroken he felt, they had a live performance to do later in Busan. “Tae please, just eat a li…” It was then Taemin erupted by pushing the tray of food away from himself and spilling all the contents on the floor before throwing dagger stares at Minho.

 

“This is what you all wanted, isn’t it?!” Taemin ranted with tears coming out from his eyes. He couldn’t explain the mixture of feelings that were running through his mind right now. Anger, sadness, frustration, regret and etc. He thought that his relationship with Na Eun was going fine, he thought that Na Eun genuinely liked him for who he is, he thought that beyond the scripts Na Eun actually felt something for him but he was proven a fool by this morning’s newspaper headlines. “I know that you don’t like me being with Na Eun shi! I know that you have been complaining to the rest that im spending lesser time with my hyungs! I know!! Are you happy now that she has cheated on me?!”

 

Minho was taken aback by Taemin’s sudden burst of emotions and hurtful remarks. After a few seconds of painful silence between the two, Minho finally reacted. He slowly placed the banana milk on the floor and stood up, he steadily left Taemin’s room, he had to, before the remaining little pieces of his heart withers away.

 

********

 

“You know Taemin, its time you get rid of that bed lamp and be a man.” Onew joked.

 

Taemin pouted, “Ani hyung,” before sticking his tongue out at Onew. It has been a week since they last saw Minho. After Taemin’s encounter with Minho, Minho requested to return to his home for one week, citing personal reasons. All Shinee members knew what exactly was going on by now.

 

The remaining members were sad to see Minho being away but agreed regardlessly since Minho said that he really needed some time to sort things out. This week hadn’t been an exactly good one for Taemin either. Sure he was feeling better after ending his relationship with Na Eun but he regretted his behavior towards his hyung. He went back to his usual daily activities with Shinee and realized how painfully alone he felt without Minho. Sure he had fun with his Shinee hyungs, but Minho was different, the kind of bond that Taemin had with him was different. He never knew that Minho’s presence meant so much to him, not until now.

 

Taemin took a glance at his bed lamp. It was a gift from Minho, last Christmas. Speaking of which the bulb should have been worn out by now. “Strange, I remember my bed lamp only lasting for a couple of months. Hyung, by any chance did you change the bulb?”

 

Onew smiled and ruffled, “Silly, I didn’t, Minho did.”

 

Taemin’s eyes were wide open as he stared at Onew.

 

“Oh and he was the one buying you all the banana milk and bentos too by the way.” Onew smiled, “Oh not to mention your gastric medicines too”

 

“I….” Taemin was speechless, “I thought, manager hyung..”

 

“Silly, how would manager hyung know the exact kind of banana milk that you wanted, your favourite food and your medical condition Taemin..” Onew laughed again. But Taemin was starting to tear up now. Minho hyung… Minho hyung.. so all these while when he was busy dating and enjoying his time with Na Eun neglecting his hyung, Minho had faithfully and quietly attended to his daily needs. Lee Taemin, how stupid and selfish you have been...

 

Onew patted Taemin’s back before laughing, “Not to late okay Taemin, Minho will be coming back tomorrow.”

 

Taemin finally shed a tear, “But I said hurtful words to Minho hyung, I..” Memories of the good times he had with Minho hyung started to flash back in his mind and Taemin felt himself suffocating with the mere thought of not being able to be with Minho like how they used to be anymore.

 

“Ah, trust me Taemin, that frog loves you too much to turn you down.” Onew grinned.

 

*******

 

Taemin stood at the side of his bedroom’s door frame, hands folded neatly on his lap, biting his lips as he nervously waiting for Minho’s return. He heard Jonghyun and Onew talking this morning that Minho is taking the five pm train back to Soeul.

 

Hyung should be arriving by now, right? Taemin was mentally questioning himself as he looked back and forth at the clock and the front door until a sound of the front door opening startled him.

 

“Hyungs I’m back!”

 

Taemin’s eyes darted to the handsome man who appeared at the front door with his bags who was expecting some bone crushing hugs from his hyungs. Minho’s wide smile faltered slightly when he spotted Taemin standing in front of him. His eyes fluttered a little but he decided to remain calm. He thought that after a week of being away from Taemin he could finally face Taemin with much indifference, he thought of acting as if nothing had happened. He rehearsed in his mind a thousand times how he was going to ‘deal’ with Taemin during his train journey back but right now having the boy standing in front of him, Minho felt completely helpless, waves of emotions were pouring out, he wanted to go forward to hug Taemin but he knew he couldn’t.

 

“They… they will be back soon, recording got delayed.” Taemin decided to break the painful silence between them.”

 

“Oh, okay.” Minho forced a small smile on his face before dropping his gaze on something else as he made his way pass Taemin, heading towards his own room.

 

Taemin had his hands fisted in a ball as Minho brushed past him with a familiar scent invading his nostrils. Before Minho could reach out his hand to grab the doorknob, he felt a pair of arms encircling his waist from behind and familiar body warmth pressed against his back.

 

Taemin.

 

Minho held his breathe. He didn’t know how to react but he felt Taemin’s hands holding tight against his torso and grabbing the fabric of his shirt, and the younger boy was sobbing.

 

“Don’t… Hyung… Please..” Taemin cried, “Please don’t treat me like this hyung..” He couldn’t stand it anymore, Minho’s indifference and cold treatment, not after knowing that Minho had been silently taking care of him, quietly loving him. He must be the greatest fool on earth not to realize Minho’s love for himself, and the greatest idiot for not realizing his own feelings for Minho.

 

“Tae, I… ” Minho felt his defense slowly crumbling hearing Taemin’s pleas and tears, Taemin is his weak spot, Taemin will be the death of him, “You are right Tae, I wasn’t happy that you were spending lesser time with us. I was being selfish. I know that you really like Na Eun and I will wish you happiness with Na Eun no matter how..”

 

“NO! No..” Taemin cried, “No.. I don’t want to be back with Na Eun shi hyung..” Minho hyung is giving up on him already? Minho hyung is giving him his blessings now? No, Taemin refused to accept.

 

“Hyung.. I’m sorry… for everything..” Taemin continued to sob as he tightened his arms around Minho, “I.. I have been such a great fool, for searching for love when it had been beside me all these while..” Minho spun around slowly as Taemin loosened his arms. Was he hearing it correctly? Minho lifted Taemin’s chin, heart to eager to confirm the words that just registered in his mind. “I.. I love you, hyung.. I’m sorry for realizing it so late.. Please, please tell me that it’s not too late and you still love me..please..” Taemin gazed into Minho’s eyes, hoping for some sort of hope that Minho had not given up on him. Taemin was sure that he loved Minho, he really love his hyung.

 

Minho smiled, he gently touched Taemin’s lips and returned Taemin’s gaze with such yearning and adoration. He never felt this energized and electrified, not after hearing the three letter word that came from Taemin’s mouth. He pulled Taemin into his arms and dropped feather kisses on Taemin’s cheek, ear and temple as the younger boy sobbed.

 

 “I love you, Tae. I will always love you.”

 

*******

 

just a random thought that invaded my mind today at work. enjoy guys. 2min rocks! :D