Posted on 8 Oct 2014

“Mrs Lee, you mean…”

“Jinki-ah, I know this sounds ridiculous,” Lee umma explained hurriedly, “I’m also at my wits’ end. I really wouldn’t have asked you if I had another way out.”

“It’s just…Taemin is my only one son. It pains me to see him suffer every now and then. Every single day, I’d wished the one who has his sickness was me.”

“You grew up with Taemin, played with him well, protected him and understood him best. I wouldn’t want anyone else to marry Taemin.”

“What am I even saying…” Lee umma shook her head, “It’s just a reunion of family ties. Just a mock wedding, you know…until when Taemin finds someone…or when you find someone you love…we could dissolve the marriage…”

“Please, Jinki,” She pleaded, tears started to form around her already red eyes again, “I beg of you…”

“All these years, I’d never expected you to pay for your family’s folly. Just this once, Jinki-ah, just this and we’ll forget everything that happened twenty years ago. I promise…”

“Mrs Lee, I...” Jinki started, “How could I ever be enough for Taemin…I don’t deserve Taemin…”

Taemin’s mother looked up at Jinki with glaring eyes, quite appalled at what she had just heard. And she had always thought Jinki was Taemin’s best friend. Jinki had just graduated and finally returned back to the small old town to see his family. Lee umma had called on him immediately.

“Oh no, Mrs Lee! I meant, a lowly person like me is not fit to marry Taemin. He’s so…precious. He needs someone better, much better than me.” The boy quickly explained.

He hasn’t seen Taemin for those two years he was away, but he’s sure the younger boy still looks as beautiful as the day he left, if not more. Jinki had also missed Taemin terribly, though unlike the latter, Jinki had nothing but his memories to keep Taemin alive in his mind. Seeing the bigger world outside of the community has indeed widen his horizon, but also confirmed his affections for the fragile porcelain boy was more than what he initially thought it was.

“Jinki, as long as you’re willing to try this with us, Officer Lee and I will always welcome you in this family. Taemin would be thrilled to know we chose you. He misses you everyday.” The mother smiled benevolently.

“…Really? He thinks about me too?” Jinki asked with a suppressed smile.

“I am grateful you would allow me to go through this with Taemin, if it’s the only thing I can do. You know I would do anything for him. I have already sworn my life to Taemin, I’ll be by his side forever.”

“It’s just a pretend union, yes? I will leave at once when Taemin has set his eyes for someone else.” He said dryly, a tinge of bitterness.

***

“Jinki-yah, please come in.”

Officer Lee, his wife and Taemin were seated in the big hall of their traditional house around a table. Earlier, Mrs Lee had call for this gathering to break this news to Taemin, thinking he was still kept in the dark. Because of this, the stoic expression Taemin had on his face surprised both his father and mother, adding to their worry of whether this was even a good idea in the first place.

 Taemin shot his glare to the front door hearing the name. As soon as the door was closed, the younger was almost hanging off the other boy. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent he’d missed the most in the four or so lonely years. It calmed his excited heart a little, but it was beating fast nonetheless to know that Jinki hyung is finally back and within his reach.

“Jinki hyung…I missed you so much.” Taemin whispered softly behind Jinki’s ears, still hugging him tightly.

He felt Jinki holding him in close, reminiscing every piece of each other. It has been a while, and the boys have grown. What hasn’t grown was the distance between both hearts.

Seeing a sight like this, Officer Lee and his wife exchanged a look of uncertainly. The union of Jinki and Taemin sounded perfect and…just right in all sense. Yet there seemed to an unknown storm brewing ahead, something that would crumble this bond between them.

“Taemin-ah, as we were saying, to protect you from harm’s way, you need to marry.” Lee umma said slowly, wary of her son’s response, “And, Jinki has very kindly agreed to take care of you.”

Officer Lee gulped down the accumulating saliva behind his throat, “It’s this, Taemin. We know both of you are boys, but take this as a pretend marriage, a mock ceremony, to prepare for the real one!”

He tried to make light of the situation, eyes darting between the two youngsters in front of him. Jinki peered carefully to look at Taemin beside him, only to notice tears trickling down his fair face.

“Tae-Taemin! I’m sorry it has to be this way.” Jinki was all flustered, seeing the boy cry broke his heart.

“For you, I can’t say no. It’s just a temporary means, you can still be with whoever you want to in future.”

Jinki was wishing with all his might for Taemin to not react this way. Anything, anything but crying. Officer Lee quickly gestured for him to leave first while they settle Taemin down to speak to him. He picked himself up quickly and left the house.

“It has to be him, hasn’t it?” Taemin sobbed quietly, “Out of everyone, why does it have to be Jinki hyung?”

Like Jinki himself, Officer Lee and his wife were perplexed at the reaction. They have honestly expected their son to be elated, what with that their fondness for each other hasn’t lessen one bit since the day they were apart.

“Hyung doesn’t even like me that way! He must be disgusted. He’s following this through because of that incident two decades ago, but what happens after this marriage is resolved? Will he still be indebted to me? Will he still bother with me?”

Taemin ran back to his room right after, wiping his eyes with his already damp sleeves.

“Our son is right. You know how he adores this older brother. What if he’s to leave for good after this façade?”

“I don’t know…I haven’t thought about it this way. Even if it turns out that way, Taemin will learn someday that all I did, I only had his interests at heart.” She sighed, “It’s no time for this now. I’ll start preparing for the ceremony now. Are you going to help me?”

Both husband and wife scrambled to change and went out to arrange for the upcoming wedding. It has to be the earliest auspicious date to avoid another relapse of Taemin’s.

The next few days of ongoing preparations consisted of Jinki visiting Taemin to catch up on lost times. Masking the uncertainties and unhappiness, Taemin is actually more than excited to marry Jinki. He’s in love with him, been in love ever since he knew what it was. Taemin would spend hours under the shade of the large tree just outside of town, talking to Kibum (or bragging, rather) about his wonderful Onew hyung. It wasn’t long before Kibum concluded and decided it was love, a feeling stronger than just admiration, for Taemin. And he was sick – lovesick.

On one occasion, Taemin introduced Jinki to his two best friends, Kibum and Minho. Kibum was the usual; cheery and eager to meet the one who so captivated the maknae. While Minho was a little less than thrilled to welcome Jinki back to town.

Taemin never spoke to Minho about Jinki, so Minho never knew how the youngest had been carrying a torch for the eldest. The best he knew was that they were childhood friends, and that Jinki was very protective of his dongsaeng.

“We’re getting married.” Taemin said plainly, fully expecting a mix of reactions from his friends.

Kibum’s smiling face contorted to one with a wider grin and raised eyebrows, while Minho was truly surprised.

“It’s not what you think it is. It’s an arranged marriage.” Jinki quickly explained.

Though he wasn’t in too much of a hurry to clear up any sorts of misunderstanding. He was afraid how his friends might look at Taemin differently, how Taemin must be upset by this whole bluff (seeing how he cried when he first heard the news).

“Oh.” Kibum took a quick glance at the pretty boy.

He hooked an arm around Taemin and led him away from the group, “Hey Taebaby, I don’t know what that means. But it’s still ‘Congratulations!’ right? He’ll fall for you, I’m sure.”

“Congratulations Taemin! You have our blessings and last long!” Kibum exclaimed loud enough for the rest to hear, giving the boy a big hug and a rub on his back.

Taemin’s face broke into a wide smile at the encouraging support. He sincerely wished for Jinki to love him someday in the most romantic sense, and then turn this fantasy into his reality.

Seeing the bright smile on his bride-to-be made Jinki happy.

Thanks for reading! (▰˘◡˘▰)