Complete

Minho's parents had let him have a guiltless bash  when he had graduated, bagged an awesome job and was soon gonna move out. He had been too happy, eyes crinkling when he smiled wide and welcomed all of his friends in, his smile not faltering even a bit when a guy slightly younger than his expected company stood at the door with a nervous smile of his own.

For a moment, Minho lost track of himself at his sight, at the voice he introduced himself in, at the way he fidgeted with his pockets, waiting expectantly to be let in.

Anyone would have said Minho had been mesmerized, and Minho would have believed them as well, if it hadn't been for his younger sister Minjung who popped in right beside him the very next moment, claiming the handsome stranger at the door to be her boyfriend.

Minho blinked at the knowledge, subconsciously brushed off the slight twisting ache of his heart to let the guy in with a welcoming smile.

That was how Minho had met Taemin the very first time.

 

There was always a limit of ignorance, a limit of endurance,  a limit of how much one can fool themselves. It took a couple of months for Minho to accept that he was undeniably attracted to his sister's boyfriend.

Taemin dropped by often, and though Minho mostly kept to himself, there was a limit to how much he could stop himself from being affected by Taemin.

Taemin never even tried, he was charming and endearing and Minho found his constraints at the brink of breaking many a times.

He had decided to not shut this part of him, because it kept growing day by day, and shutting it off would mean shutting off his whole self someday.

A few more months passed and Minho remained where he had always been, but now deep into the ground, his feelings for Taemin entangled tightly around him like roots. He had tried a hundred ways to forget and get over Taemin but watching him so often, finding out so many parts of himself in him, finding so many parts of himself that he lacked, parts that would complete him, just pushed him further into the ground, the roots tightening around him, stifling him.

He moved out before he had planned.

His life now was devoid of Taemin and his busy days ended with him in front of his tv, eyes blank as he thought about everything, wishing to have taken dangerous chances, wishing that he could change the plot of his life in some miraculous way or the other.

And he finally slept, his wishful thinking taking intangible forms behind his closed eyelids.

 

One night before Minho could fall into his dreams, where in he lived his life complete, there was a loud banging on the door. Minho stiffened, grabbing his golf club after checking the time and sensing the impatience and force in those knocks.

He opened his door slightly and blinked, once, twice and thrice, not believing that Taemin stood right before him, face aflush and irate, the air around him carrying the faint smell of alcohol.

Before Minho could break from his stupor, Taemin had walked in, his steps making Minho step back. Taemin slammed the door shut behind him, grabbing Minho's collar and pulling him into a kiss, between which he lost vigor and fell limp onto Minho, who dropped the golf club and grabbed him before he fell, holding him close, feeling his warmth, his heartbeat, his soft snores.

Minho finally regained his numbed senses, his heart racing like it used to once, maybe louder, faster, his body ablaze with warmth as the fact that Taemin was right now as close to him as he can ever be, settled in.

But he stabled his mind and put Taemin onto his bed and left him to sleep, pacing around in his living room, taking a deep breath as he finally decided to call Minjung.

Minjung answered, her tone quizzical and drunk as well, "Anything wrong, Minho?"

Minho swallowed, trying to calm his thumping heart to let words out, "I don't really know. Taemin's here."

There was a long silence at Minjung's end before she began, her voice really careful and serious, "Minho. You gotta listen to me without freaking out, okay?"

Minho swallowed, pushing the horrid thoughts off his mind, "Okay."

"A few months ago, I had a stalker problem and Taemin agreed to help me by pretending to be my boyfriend. There is absolutely nothing going on between us. Never can be. Taemin likes guys. And since he ended up at your house...he likes you."

"What-"

"We were drunk and celebrated our official break up today with a pact that we'll take a step towards the ones we truly like."

Minho remained silent, his heartbeat clouding his ears and after a long while, "Why didnt you ever tell me?" He asked, "About the stalker."

"You were in between of making your life, Minho. Moreover, you couldn't be with me as much as Taemin could. We had the same classes, we took the same bus. He is very kind, I know that you don't like men, but don't be too harsh on him, please?"

Minho sighed, "I-I don't know if I should shout in joy or in frustration, you know."

"What do you mean?"

"Would it be fine if I..." he turned, peeking into his room, at the guy adorably covered in his messed up blanket, "...if I fess up to him too?"

"Choi Minho!" Minjung squealed, "Don't tell me...!"

"Yes." Minho smiled wide, "Yes."

"Oh gosh, I feel so awful right now. That means he dropped by so much to see you, and you moved out sooner because you were afraid of spoiling it for...well, our fake relation." Her voice grew weak, "I am so sorry-"

"All forgiven." Minho whispered, as he continued to fondly gaze at Taemin, "Because he's finally here."

 

Taemin woke up to the smell of coffee and he sprung up on noticing the bed to not be his own. His eyes roamed wild as his memory returned to him and he jolted from the bed, grabbing his jacket, searching for Minho, finally finding him in the kitchen, pouring himself some coffee.

"Good morning." Minho greeted him with a small smile, "Coffee?"

Taemin swallowed, shaking his head, "I was super drunk last night. I-I...just forget it, okay?" He paused, his face painfully aflush, "I should just leave." And he turned away to do so, but Minho caught his arm, turning him back.

"Minjung told me you guys broke up." He took a deep breath, "She actually told me everything."

Taemin's eyes widened, and he just stared at Minho who had begun to smile wide and bright. "Would it be too soon to ask you out?"

Taemin blinked as he took in Minho's smile, his gentle yet firm hold around his wrist, his words, and he averted his gaze, faint pink tinting his cheeks, "I don't wanna waste a moment more."

Minho lowered his hand to hold Taemin's, entwining their fingers as he pulled him close, pinching himself with his other arm to make sure nothing of it was a dream.

The pain was real, so was the warmth in his hand, so was the modest, fond gaze that met with his.

He was finally living his life complete.

End