I am so sorry for the absence of the personal replies.
I'm really in rush right now, I am so sorry.
Thank you so much for reading, especially to those who leave me comments,
I love you guys to bits! And to new subscribers, welcome ^^!

The 10th Letter

The Unfinished Letter

"Morning!" Taemin greets Minho with a cheerful smile as he jumps into the room. His heart is a little bit disappointed upon seeing the usual view, Minho lying on the bed with his eyes closed, but his fake smile never fades.

"Hyung, look what I'm wearing today!" he said again, pointing to his blue shirt.

"Yes, blue! Because you said I look good in it, why would I choose other colours, right?" Taemin muttered again as he walks to Minho's bed, holding a food container in his hands. After he took his seat besides the bed, he took out some pancakes from the container.

"I made you some pancakes too," he uttered, smiling.

"And I have a good news for you too. I am no longer under SM. I am tired of singing, hyung. I want to do something else. I am thinking to continue my studies and later work with you in your firm, then we will always be together!"

Minho did not show any kind of respond to him.

"No, no. Please don’t think I sacrifice my career because of you. I already thought of this very well, hyung. I want to do something else. Later when I'm already old, I don’t want to regret I once made a decision to ignore my studies to be a singer. Knowledge is important, right?"

Knowing the fact that Minho can never respond to him, for now, Taemin decided to just proceed with his usual one-sided-conversation.

"What's with the blue shirt, pancakes and good news, you asked? Hyung, today is October 10! Our tenth anniversary.." he muttered as he leans own and give a kiss on Minho's dry lips.

"I miss you so much," he said, holding his tears in his eyes. As if Minho is looking at him, he tried to hide his tears by turning to the other side, looking for the wooden box and secretly wipes his tears.

"Finally, the tenth letter," he said as he took out the last one from the box. He knows Minho will definitely wake up, but he doesn’t know when. This is the last letter from Minho.. he will not be getting letters anymore starting from tomorrow, and the thought of that made him very sad. 

Slowly, he opened the last letter with his long, slender fingers.


Dear Taemin,

Today is the 43rd day since the last day you talked to me.

Yes, I count the days. I must have sound so pathetic. But I did count every single seconds you're away from me.

***

"Taemin-ah!" Jinki called for him, grabbing his shoulders and forced him to face him too, at the same time.

"Hyung, why are you like this?!" Taemin snapped. He tried to escape Jinki since the young doctor confessed to him a few moments ago after their dinner.

"What is wrong with my feelings?" Jinki asked, his voice sounds so stern and Taemin's negative respond to his confession.

"You know about Minho hyung and I, right?" 

"Yes, and he is abandoning you. Who were at all your concerts? Me. Who celebrated your birthday? Me!"

"Shut up, hyung.." Taemin pushes Jinki away. He is very disappointed with Minho upon hearing such words from Jinki. But deep inside his heart, he won't forget all the kindness and love Minho had showered him just because of the few mistakes.

"And today you guys are supposed to have dinner together, right? Where is he? He broke his promise again, Taemin. How long are you going to hold on?" Jinki keeps on attacking Minho, it hurts Taemin. It hurts even more since he agrees so most of the attacks.

"Something suddenly came up. It's not that he broke his promise or anything," Taemin backs up Minho as he walks away.

"Not just breaking his promise, but he lied too? Geez, that lawyer.." Jinki said as he walks to his car, leaving Taemin.

Taemin, upon hearing what Jinki had said, quickly went after him and grab his hand.

"What did you just said, hyung?" he asked.

"What?" Jinki responded lazily.

"What do you mean he lied?" Taemin asked again.

Jinki took a few seconds before he let out a heavy sigh.

"I don’t mean to make things worst, but on my way here just now, I saw him having lunch with a pretty lady. They look .. pretty close.." Jinki looks unsure too. 

"Really..?" Taemin doesn’t really know how to respond to Jinki's explaination.

"You may think I am jealous, but I can drop you by the restaurant now and you can see for yourself," Jinki said as he pushed the younger guy into his car and closed the door.

To make long story short, Taemin's heart sank upon seeing the unknown lady leaning against Minho in the restaurant.

He is disappointed. He really is.

***

It's really not like what you think, Taem.

"I know, hyung. I know, I am so sorry.." Taemin said as he read the sentence.

She's my client. We were talking about her case when her migraine suddenly attacks her.

"I know, hyung. Just like what you've told me countless of times. And I chose not to listen back then, I am so sorry.."

I bumped into Jinki at the restaurant. He said he's meeting you so I asked him to explain to you that I'm with my client. I didn’t get to explain beforehand on phone because it's very urgent.

"And he never told me that, hyung.. he said.." 

Taemin then realized he is only blaming Jinki to shove away his guilt for not believing Minho's words. Yes, Jinki lied about Minho and the girl, hiding Minho's message about him meeting his client. But the one who spent almost 10 years with Minho is Taemin. How could he punish Minho just because of a small misunderstanding like that? 

He was writing all these letters during those painful times where Taemin was totally ignoring him for something that is not even his fault.

"I'm so sorry.." Taemin's heart is bleeding again. He can't even imagine how strong Minho is, still trying to hold on to the relationship when the other party is burdening him with false guilts.

"I was so stupid.." Taemin muttered, very disappointed at himself as he turned to the next page.

Taemin-ah, you know your happiness is mine, right? I know you're happy with Jinki.

"Ani, hyung. What are you saying.." Taemin shooks his head as he read the line.

The smile on your face when you were with him is priceless. It's something I keep on failing to do these days.. All I did was making you suffers, I am so sorry for that, Tae..

"Hyung, it's really not like that…" Taemin's heart bleeds even more knowing how much suffers Minho had gone through before the car accident. Taemin is the one to blame, he knows that very well.

You know what, Taemin? I might be the most stubborn person you'll ever meet. I can feel that our relationship is going to end sooner or later. I really understand that. If there is a person who can make you happy, that person is Jinki.

Not me. I know that, Tae.

But I still want to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Maybe it is nothing to you, but it means a lot to me. Last two years, I promised myself I will ask you to marry me on our 10th anniversary. The reasons.. 10 years spending times with you, our relationship should've been really strong, right? 

But I guess ten years are too long. I must have bored you so much, neh?

God knows how many times Taemin shooks his head reading every single words . He was so selfish back then, he gave Minho a wrong impression. Ten years are not long. It's never enough when it comes to Minho. To think that Minho did think of proposing him, Taemin smiles a bit. 

I want you to be happy, Tae. Even if that means you'll go to Jinki. I'm aware of that, but I still want to celebrate our tenth anniversary. I am selfish, right?

"Why are you saying, this..?" Taemin muttered, trying to hold in his tears.

Come to think of it, I must have burdened you to read all these letters. I'm sorry for taking your times, Tae. This is already the tenth letter, I won't disturb you anymore after this.

"Hyung.." Taemin is still holding his tears. He feels so hurt. And he knows the pain he's feeling right now is nothing compared to Minho's.

You'll still let me celebrate our 10th anniversary with you, right?

"Why are you begging, hyung? I.. I'm so sorry I made you think this way.. It's really not like this.." Taemin responded to Minho unconsciously. Deep inside, he feels extremely sad and regretful. If only he can rewind the time.

If only..

Taemin, I'm sorry but I have to stop writing now. I need to go to a jewellery store. I ordered something for you.

"Jewellery.. store?"

I plan to propose you on our anniversary. But I know I won't be here with you today, thanks to my job. I'm really sorry. I don’t think you'll pick up my call too if I were to propose to you on phone, judging on our situation now.

But I still want to propose you on our tenth anniversary, Taemin.

"Hyung.."

So I'll stop for awhile. I need to go to the jewellery store. It'll be closed soon. If I didn’t pick it up today, I won't be able to give it to you since my flight is tomorrow morning. I'll come back and finish this letter okay? I'll put the ring inside the letters box too. It is supposed to be a surprise, but you probably already figured it out the first time you saw the ring when you opened the box last ten days, right?

Taemin thought it was really weird since he never sees any ring since the first time he opened the box. He puts down the tenth letter on the bed besides Minho and quickly reach for the box. He opens it carefully and took out the other nine letters one by one, scattered them on the bed. He checks all of the papers, and each corner of the box. He even turns the box upside down and still, he can't find the said ring.

"Where is it..?" he muttered as he opens the tenth letter again to continue reading, just in case Minho changed his mind and keep the ring somewhere else.

It is supposed to be a surprise, but you probably already figured it out the first time you saw the ring when you opened the box last ten days, right?

The letter ends with that sentence, in the middle of the third page. Taemin turns to the other page. There's nothing.

"The letter is unfinished.." he finally figures. Deep inside, he feels so disappointed and sad. First, because he won't be getting letters anymore starting tomorrow onwards. Second, because the final letter is not finished. And third, the ring is out of his reach. He doesn’t know where to find it.

"Taemin..?" 

He turns back as soon as he heard his name. 

Jinki is standing at the door, looking at him. 

"What is it?" Taemin asked coldly as he keeps back all ten letters inside the box and put it in the drawer nicely.

"You spend too much time in this room. I suggest you go out for awhile. Breathing fresh airs," Jinki said.

"Neh," Taemin replied. He feels thirsty at the moment so he thought going out for awhile to but a drink will be a good a idea.

"I'll be back," he whispers to Minho's ear after kissing his forehead.

Jinki just watch Taemin walks pass him. He knows the younger guy is still angry at him for hiding the truth back then.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, letting out a heavy sigh.

***

Taemin was about to enter a bakery when he saw a junction not very far from where he's standing. Gang-il Junction.

Unconsciously, he started walking to the junction. 

"Neh, Minseok hyung?" Taemin asked as soon as he picked up Minseok's call. It's unsual for him to receive a call from Minseok. They are quite close since Taemin always visits Minho's parents, and he is always with Minho when visiting Minseok in the hospital, back then when he was still in a comma. But they were never on phone.

"Minho is in the hospital now!"

"W-what?! Why? What happened, hyung? He didn't pick up my call when I called him just now!" Taemin quickly stood up from the dining table he's sitting with Jinki. They're about to have their lunch at that time.

"It's an accident, Taemin. At the Gangil Junction!"

"Watch where you were going, young man!" Taemin is shocked at the voice and the person pushes him to the left too. Only then he realized he was walking dangerously in the middle of the busy road.

"Mianhae," he quickly apologizes to the man. 

Taemin choose a safe spot where he can stand and look around. The junction is indeed very busy and dangerous. If you let your guard down even for a second, you'll regret it forever. There's a long row of shops and stores not very far from it. Taemin can see the parking lot at the back. One will have to park his car there and cross the road to get to the stores.

And from what he had heard, Minho was knocked down by a Jeep Patriot while crossing the road.

"Minho hyung.." he said the name. 

Taemin wasted a few more minutes there, just watching the junction that had caused the biggest misery in his life before he hecided to leave. Taemin was waiting for the pedestrian traffic light when his eyes caught a store in the long row with black signboard. A silver, curvy font is shining on it.

"Heart and Soul Jewellery," Taemin read. His heart suddenly beats faster as he read the signboard. Not knowing why, instead of going back to his car, he crossed the road carefully and is now standing in front of the jewellery store. His heart skipped a beat the moment he touched the doorknob.

"Minho hyung was here.." his heartbeat confirms it. Taemin can totally feel his presence.

The cold, air-conditioned store greets him as soon as he pushes the door and stepped in. Taemin eyed the store from corner to corner. He caught a couple of girls snapping his pictures, too. At the counter, an old man is looking at him from head to toe, Taemin feels like he's a criminal.

"Annyeong, ahjusshi," he greets the old man as he bows a bit. The old man looks charismatic, Taemin is sure he is the owner of the store.

"Annyeong, Lee Taemin. Have a seat," the old man invites him with a smile on his face. It was then when one of the workers in the store burst into laugh.

"Ahjusshi, I thought you never give a damn about idols! I am surprised you know Lee Taemin!" and the others join his laugh. 

The old man just smiles and signaled everybody to keep quiet as he took a seat in front of Taemin.

"Komawo, ahjusshi," Taemin quickly bows. If what the worker said is true, he really has to thank the old man for at least, knowing him.

"Don't mind it. I don’t know because you're an idol," the old man responded with a warm smile.

"N-neh?" Taemin wriggled his eyebrows. He is pretty sure this is the first time they met. How did the old man know him if it is not because he is a singer?

"His hair is a bit long, but never reach his shoulder. Smooth and silky, makes you always want to run your fingers along his hair just by looking at it. He has such warm eyes, and never fail to make you feel special with its sparkles. His skin is perfect; from afar he might look like a life-size porcelain doll. He looks skinny, but very healthy. He's very polite when he talks. When he smiles, he will take all worries out of you. We sometimes fight. But I know his heart always beats my name."

"Ahjussi..?" Taemin asked, shocked and confused at the long description. 

"Minho is always sitting on the chair you're sitting on now, talking about you," the old man said, pointing to the chair.

"Minho hyung..?"

"Yes, your Minho hyung. I know right away you must be his Taemin the moment you stepped in," the old man responded as he unlocks a drawer besides him and took out a small, red box.

"So he did.. came here.." Taemin muttered, more to himself. His heart never lies when it comes to Minho. It's true, Minho was once here.

"He came here every week since last two years. He asked for this," the old man opened the red box in front of Taemin. Inside, Taemin saw a simple, white gold ring.

"A ring.." Taemin whispered.

"22kt. It was made by a very fine jeweler, who is an old friend of mine. This is one of the best you'll ever find,"

Carefully, Taemin took the ring in his hand, eyeing it from all angles. His heart is beating faster since he is now holding the ring Minho is supposed to give him today.

The ring Minho didn’t get to put it inside the box for a reason.

"As a lawyer, his income is good. But he didn’t get to pay for this ring because almost all of his money went to his brother's treatment. He was in a comma, right?"

"N-neh.." Taemin replied, his voice got stuck at his throat.

"The agreement says he's going to get this ring last month. He paid the full payment a week before that, after almost a year paying for this ring every month. I was waiting for him, yet he never come until today,"

So I'll stop for awhile. I need to go to the jewellery store. It'll be closed soon. If I didn’t pick it up today, I won't be able to give it to you since my flight is tomorrow morning.

"He never comes..?" Taemin asked, looking into the old man's eyes and the old man nods.

"He paid for it. And I know he really wants this, it's really weird he didn’t come and pick this up. I tried calling him too every week since the date he supposed to pick this up, but my call never gets through,"

"His mobile phone was crashed.." Taemin said, remembering the details of Minho's accident when suddenly something came across his mind and his eyes widened.

He quickly took out his phone and look for Minseok's number at a lightning speed. 

"Taemin?" he heard Minseok's voice on the other line.

"Hyung, where are you? I need your help!"

"What is it?"

"Hyung, after the accident, Minho hyung was brought to the hospital with an ambulance, and aside from his wallet and car key, they also found his crashed mobile phone, right?" Taemin repeats the details as he stood up and walks to the front door. He can see the junction from there.

"Yes. What about it?"

"Where's the phone? Can it be repaired?" Taemin asked.

"I just got it back last night from the police station. They said they can't get anything from the phone, it's no used. They can't really figure out what happened actually, so the case was closed. It's a mere car accident, Taemin,"

"Hyung.. I need the phone.. I need to confirm something!"

"Well yes, you can come and pick it up. I'm charging it now,"

"Now? So you mean it can still be used?" 

"Why, yes. What is it, Taemin? You sounds so curious about the mobile phone,"

"Hyung, can you pl-please check the calls history..?" Taemin started to stutter his words.

"Well, sure. Wait,"

A few seconds feels so long for the first time in Taemin's life. He feels like his heart is beating too fast it's going to explode really soon.

"The last call he attempted was to you, the night before the accident,"

Taemin regret his act of ignoring Minho for more than a month because of the misunderstanding. He ignored all his calls.. and still, Minho tried to contact him a night before the accident took place.

"What about the last miscall he received.. hyung?"



September 8, 2020
Taemin's room
2.37pm

Taemin was lying on his bed lazily. It was his day-off, finally and he planned to spend the day on bed, sleeping. It was then when suddenly his mobile phone bepped, marking the new coming text message. 

"Samwon Garden. Lunch?"

It was from Jinki. Taemin's heart skips a bit upon reading the text. Samwon Garden is Minho's favourite restaurant in Shinsa-dong. They often went there together.

"Minho hyung.." he said that name. It has been more than a month since the last time they talk. Because of the incident at the restaurant, Taemin is ignoring Minho since then. He rejected hundreds of calls from Minho. He never opened his door when Minho visits too. 

"I'm a jerk.." Taemin muttered as he looks for Minho's number in his phone. He's being stupidly stubborn all this while. He can't even imagine if Minho is the one ignoring him that long. 

"You're being too patient with me, hyung.." Taemin's lips curled into a smile as he thought of that perfect boyfriend of his. 

Patiently, he waited for Minho to pick up his call. He was so nervous at that time, thinking how Minho will react to his call after all this while. He can't be angry, right? He has the right to be, though.

It was then when suddenly Minho's calling tone died. Taemin stared at the screen for awhile before he dialed the same number again, and this time his call didn’t get through.

"He must be busy with his client," Taemin thought, disappointedly. He then sent a reply to Jinki's text message just now.

"Sure, hyung."



September 8, 2020
Gang-il Junction
2.37pm

After he parked his car, Minho stepped out of his car. He saw Heart and Soul Jewellery from where he was standing. His flight is the next morning, so he has to take the ring today to put it in the letters box for Taemin.

It was unlicky for him, the traffic light was not working at that time. It might took some times for the traffic police to arrive, and Minho was in rush. It has to be now. He had an appointment with a client later, and he still has to finish his last letter to Taemin.

Confident with his familiarity around the junction, he stepped into the road carefully after making sure no transports are heading towards him. Minho was a step to reach the middle of the road when his phone suddenly rang.

In the middle of such a dangerous junction, especially when the traffic lights are not working, a sane person will never bother to pick up his phone. No one in the right mind will even blink an eye while crossing the junction. Minho, too.

Except for this time.

"At a smile brighter than sunshine, my heart seems already to have stopped
It seems this is love, you and me, together."

Minho's heart skipped a bit the moment he heard that song. His mobile phone will only rang FT Island's Magic if that call is from Taemin's number.

Unconsciously, his hand reached for his phone in his pocket. His heart bloomed, and a happy smile appeared on his face for the first time after 43 days being ignored by his beloved when he saw Taemin's name on the screen.

Everything happened too fast. Minho heard a very loud horn accompanied by screeching sounds of tyres. It was then when a Jeep Patriot knocked him real hard, and he fell on the road right after that. He fell nothing but pain all over his body, especially his head. He smelled blood. Lots of blood. His head is bleeding badly, the upper part of his head is all covered by the red liquid.

He fainted there, his mobile phone slipped from his fingers and were run over by a motorcyclist, caused it to shut down.



"What about the last miscall he received.. hyung?"

Minseok took a few seconds before he answered Taemin's question.

"It's from you, Taemin,"

Everything suddenly came back to Taemin's mind. How could he be so blind before this? How could he not see the cause of everything?

Minho was on his way to the Jewellery store. He is about to make their dreams come true. Taemin's call made his heart blooms more than ever, and his eyes remain closed since then.

All energy suddenly escapes Taemin's body and he fell on his knee. He dropped his mobile phone too, but the ring is still safe in his fingers.

"How.. how could I not see this earlier..?" he asked himself, his vision started to get blurry.

"Taemin-shi?" the old man rushed to him and tried to help him stand again, but he slapped away his hand gently.

"Go.." he muttered, his eyes are locked on the ring.

"But.. why are you like this?"

"Leave.. leave me alone.." what he said came out more like a whisper. Everything started to make sense now. He was hit at the junction because he was distracted for a couple of seconds because of Taemin's call. Taemin, who had ignored him for more than a month. That's why he didn’t get to claim the ring. That's why the ring is not in the box like he had stated. That's why the tenth letter is unfinished.

Come to think of it, I must have burdened you to read all these letters. I'm sorry for taking your times, Tae. This is already the tenth letter, I won't disturb you anymore after this.

"Why are you always the one saying sorry, hyung..? Everything is my fault. Everything.. is.."

Back then when he hurt Minho on his birthday, when he was being stubborn and drop out from the university despite of anything Minho had said, when he was judging Minho since Minho was so busy with his career and didn’t get to attend his concerts, even when he was cheating on Minho with Jinki, Minho is the one who apologize. Minho is the one saying sorry for not being good enough for Taemin.

And he punished such guy because of a small misunderstanding.

How can he be so heartless towards Minho?

"Everytime.. It's always you.." 

I can feel that our relationship is going to end sooner or later. I really understand that. If there is a person who can make you happy, that person is Jinki. Not me. I know that, Tae. But I still want to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Maybe it is nothing to you, but it means a lot to me.

"You are.. everything to me.." he closes his eyes and his tears finally wet his cheeks. He brings the ring close to his heart and started to regret everything more than before.

He closes his eyes and his tears finally wet his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, hyung.."

TBC~

Annyeong!! Finally the tenth letter is up! God knows how long I took to finish this! I just didn't get to find the right time to write the final letter. Many things came up, I just move into a new workplace too. I'll be teaching university students from now on, I hope they will be saved from my -lover-ness XD

So.. this is very long. 4550++ words. And please, please do forgive all the mistakes. I didn't double check this, wuuu~ Iam very busy. 

I already revealed what actually happened to Minho, also what happened between Taem and Jinki. And as you all can see, this is not the end of the fic, YET! Remember the previous letter, the ninth one? Taemin didn't finish that letter, right? The ending of the fic is hidden in the ninth letter. So don't go anywhere, remain in your seat, and we'll go back to the ninth letter in the FINAL chapter!

Tell me what you think of this letter, ne? Comments encourage me, alot ^^!

Till the FINAL chapter,
PYNKFAERY