AN: I was originally going to post this in a different story as a conclusion to Spirit Realm, but this works instead. Enjoy lovelies!

Taemin knew he was a normal boy. He was in his third year of university, he liked dancing, and listening to music. He found science to be fun and history to be boring, and most of the time he loved to read. But what most people didn’t know was that his best friend…was his lover. The boy felt arms wrapped around him tightly as he dreamed about his best friend leaving him, the ghost going up into the heavens. Finally a soft hand woke him.

“Tae-baby, you’re having a nightmare.”

Taemin opened up his eyes and turned around in the bed, staring up at his best friend. Taemin had met Jinki back in high school, on one fateful day when something fell out of the tree he was sitting under. Taemin remembered looking up that day and seeing a person gazing down at him in return. Taemin had screamed, of course, as the figure fell down in front of him and smiled brightly.

“H-Hyung…you scared me, you pabo!” Taemin yelled throwing his arms around the elder.

Jinki was out of university at this point, working full time and living with Taemin.

“Yah, is that anyway to talk to your favorite person in the world?” Jinki asked, poking Taemin’s forehead.

What Taemin found adorable was that he could always feel certain love when Jinki touched him and it always made his heart race. As he got to know Jinki through the years, he learned that the elder was four years older than him and had nearly died in a car accident near his high school when Taemin happened to come upon him and saved him from bleeding out.

Taemin had never told Jinki this, but he often dreamed about what would have happened if he hadn’t saved him in time. His crush since that day had expanded into love. Taemin believed that Jinki knew somehow, though.

Jinki brushed his forehead, “What did you dream about this time?” 

The junior turned over in the bed and snuggled his face into Jinki’s chest.

“Y-you left me…you were a ghost.”

Jinki was silent for a few moments before chuckling, “Was I a cute ghost?”

“Jinki! I’m not kidding! You had died and lived with me for years as a ghost before you left me!” Taemin cried.

The elder pulled him tighter into his embrace.

 “Taeminnie, but I didn’t die. It was because of you that I lived. You were there.”

Taemin reached up and felt the pendant from his dream around his neck. Jinki had given it to him years ago and he had never taken it off. He sobbed silently into Jinki’s chest, using the elder’s shirt to keep his tears muffled.

Jinki began rocking him back and forth before he pulled back and wiped at his tears.

“I could have departed this world years ago.” Jinki gave him a serious look, “But I could never bear to leave you.”

Taemin sniffled, wiping at his eyes silently. He could never understand how Jinki was able to accept such a close brush with death so easily when he dreams about losing him nearly every week.

Jinki touched his cheek, smiling as he brushed away his tears.

“I fell in love with your bratty personality awhile ago, Tae.”

Taemin lifted his hand, touching Jinki’s cheek in return.

“I-is this where I tell you how much I love you, too, Hyung?”

Jinki leaned forward, letting his lips touch Taemin’s. The boy shut his eyes silently, letting a tear drip from his eyes. It felt like a gentle caress, lulling him to sleep softly.

Jinki pulled back, “You know I’m always here for you.” 

When Taemin opened his eyes, Jinki was still here this time. He stared into his boyfriend’s eyes, feeling his heart pound as Jinki comforted him from his nightmare. He hated how real it felt but at the same time, he knew that his and Jinki’s paths were always intertwined with each other.

Jinki touched his pendant and Taemin quietly giggled, “Hyung.”

“You know we belong together anyway,” Jinki said quietly, pecking his nose.

Taemin nodded, clasping onto his boyfriend tightly. Out of the window, he saw a shooting star fly overhead, flying off into the distance.

He’d be with him every day and he could be free to be together with him, loving him right with every ounce of humanity and heart he had.

AN: Much better :)