What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

Taemin yawned and rubbed his eyes cutely as he got up from bed that morning. He padded out into the living room and smiled as he walked over to him. “Mm, morning baby.” He said, winding his arms around his lover and friend, Minho.

Minho’s body jerked when Taemin hugged him and Taemin looked at his lover. “Minho, you alright?” He asked, looking at the worried expression on the other’s face. It was as if he wasn’t there but off in another world or another time.

The light was gone in his eyes as he stared off and Taemin realized what was wrong. “It’s today.” He whispered, looking at the calendar.

“Hyung! Hyung! Leave Taeminnie alone!” A ten year old Minho shouted, tugging on his big brother’s sleeve. He wasn’t scared of the gun that was merely inches away, he was scared of losing his best friend. “He won’t tell Hyung I swear!” Minho shouted, knowing Taemin hadn’t meant to see what he’d seen.

Minho was thrown to the ground  and he sobbed as his brother advanced on Taemin. Looking around frantically, he spotted the iron their mother had left out that morning and grabbed it, lashing it across his brother’s head with a loud ringing sound.

Taemin was shocked, too terrified to move as Minho smashed the iron against his brother’s head over and over, only stopping when his hands were covered in blood. He collapsed into a broken heap, sobbing, as Taemin ran from the house.

Soft lips brought Minho out of his memories and he blinked slowly, looking at Taemin, not having realized his heart had let out emotions his mind had long since forgotten. Taemin smiled. “You’re crying Minho… Don’t worry about the past. I love you no matter what okay? You did what you had to protect me.” Taemin said, wiping the tears from Minho’s cheeks.

“I don’t deserve you.” Minho said, his voice raspy. He hadn’t spoken much since that day and the words, though his own, felt foreign. Taemin smiled and hugged him. “I love you, that’s all that matters. The past can’t control our lives and only we can control our futures so… what do you say? Forget about the past and live in the now, with me.”

Minho looked up at Taemin and wrapped him in a hug. He only hoped that Taemin was right. In the end he supposed it didn’t matter. No one could hurt him, because Taemin had always had his heart.