Key looked upon at Taemin. He sat him down and just looked at him with a frowning face.

The boy with a delicate face, fragile frame, and smooth hair looked like everything innocent. Key hated to break bad news that would cause heartache to his ‘son’.

“What do you mean, hyung?”

Key saw his lips move, the sound coming, but it took time for the sentence to sink in.

 

 

— Flashback—

“He has schizophrenia. It’s a mental illness. ”

Key gasped and would’ve have fell if Jonghyun wasn’t by his side, holding him upright.

“Isn’t that permanent, doctor? There must be something you can do, right?” Key begged the man in white with the stern face.

“In Taemin’s case, it may be temporary. Because of his emotionally abused state, it may be that he imagined the person as a form of comfort. If he is removed from his abusive mother, he could revert back to his normal state. ” The doctor explained.

—Flashback End—

 

 

“I mean you imagined him up, Taemin-ah. It’s the schizophrenia. ” Key furrowed his eyebrows and lips formed a thin line, not happy about needing to explain this.

“B-but he’s real, hyung! He felt real! I know he’s real!” Taemin’s mind fumbled with this confusing information.

Choi Minho.

This person was Taemin’s whole world. The person that kept him held to the earth, his gravity, when everything seemed to want to fall apart.

“Look Taemin!” Key stood up from the chair and looked at Taemin in the eyes, putting his arms on his shoulders, “Choi Minho was a person that you made up because your mother was abusing you. When you felt like she was pushing you down, you made him up and he was the person who comforted you, right?”

Taemin in his breath and looked down, tears brimmed his eyes, “He’s my world, hyung.”

Key sat on the bed, and pulled Taemin into a hug. Key patted Taemin’s hair on his shoulder, trying to soothe the crying boy, “There, there. ”

Taemin let out a couple of sniffles before composing himself to ask, “Is that why … the doctor asked when my mother started a-abu—doing those things?”

 “You said it was 3 years ago when your mother started emotionally abusing you. I remember it was at the end of that 1^st year that you told me you met someone really special. You were so happy because he seemed just really handsome and nice to you, you couldn’t put it into words. ”

Key slightly laughed, “You were so cute when you were talking about him. ”

Key looked down and moved Taemin’s bangs, “2 years ago, your mother started abusing you physically; Jonghyun and I started going out. And a year ago, you said Minho asked you out. ”

Realization settled on Taemin’s face, “Oh …”

“Do you see Taemin? Every time your mother hurt you; you brought things with Minho up a notch. ” Key’s eyes filled with tears, “It breaks my heart to tell you something like this. Schizophrenics make up things that have never happened. They imagine things, visualize things, and hear things that aren’t real. ”

Taemin raised his eyes to meet Key’s and his lips quivered, “Hyung, b-but he’s my everything. ”

Key looked at him with his pain filled face as well, “I don’t want it to be like this either, Taeminnie. Sometimes, life is unfair. We don’t get the things we want. But I’ll be there, Jonghyun will be there, it’ll be alright. ”

 

 

 

 

Taemin couldn’t say it got better.

As he faced his Minho hyung, Taemin had no words. After Key left, Taemin was surprised he had appeared. No one could support him now.

He’s not real.

He’s not real.

He’s not real.

But everything in front of him was contrary to the fact.

Taemin just stared at this regretful faced hyung.

“Why?”

After hours of crying with Key, that was the only thing he had choked out his hoarse voice.

Minho looked down and balled his hands.

 “I’m sorry. ”

There was no exchange in interaction with each other, no more accusations and apologies. The silence spoke for Taemin as he his bed to face the wall. He couldn’t look at his hyung. Taemin wished he was real; he really did—but all facts state that he’s not.

His brain tricked him. His brain tricked Taemin and his heart.

—Both were feeling quite betrayed.

His brain told him to go ahead, love Minho. His heart agreed. But he woke up. His brain told him, go ahead, love him—Minho’s right there.  His heart ached—but he’s not real.

 

 

 

 

But things didn’t get worse.

Taemin saw less and less of Minho as he lived with Key out of escape from his mother and went to the therapies. One day, Minho just stopped appearing. The image of him was etched in Taemin’s mind.

 It was a fact, Choi Minho wasn’t real.

Sometimes Taemin did cry himself to sleep. Key would come in and sleep next to him.

He had beautiful dreams where Minho and him were in a meadow, all was peaceful. They never ended with Minho leaving, but that made it hurt even more. He woke up facing a world where Minho didn’t exist.

Thankfully, Taemin could come home in peace where a dutiful Key Umma made dinner for them and maybe a Jonghyun Appa was there too. He had a family he always yearned for. A ‘mother’ that loved him and complimented him to the fullest, and sometimes an ‘appa’ which just accompanied his umma and do stupid things which Taemin never experienced having a father.

But there were times where Taemin was happily sipping his banana milk and Jonghyun had to skip the channel where soccer or basketball or something that had to do with sports—they were always darn on—because Taemin would get a sad face or have tears in his eyes.

Taemin couldn’t go to Jonghyun’s basketball games.

 

 

 

 

Taemin was just walking home from the supermarket with bags of groceries when the basketball from the basketball court across the street rolled in to his feet. Taemin knew he shouldn’t have gone this way home. Taemin put his heavy groceries down carefully before picking up the basketball. He saw a pair of shoes as he looked up.

Taemin dropped the ball with widened eyes.

Oh my god.

The stranger caught it before it could hit the ground.

“Not very good at passing, are you?” The tall boy in front of him chuckled.

It was an exact—almost replica of Minho—except taller, slimmer, and more grown up. His jaw was sharper, his bangs was styled to sweep across his forehead which was beaded with sweat, and—no, Taemin couldn’t have been more attracted to Minho than—ever. Because Minho was that handsome—not that original Minho was not handsome.

Wait, wait, a moment.

Taemin must be dreaming or hallucinating again because this was Choi Minho—well it looked like Choi Minho and sounded—with a more husky tone though—like Choi Minho. But did it feel like Choi Minho?

“Hello, are you in there?” The boy waved a hand across Taemin’s face.

“What’s your name? Are you real? Can I touch you?” Taemin blurted out in frenzy.

The boy chuckled once again with a worried but amused gaze, “My name is Choi Minho and yes I’m real, I don’t know about the touching part though. You’re a weird kid.”

It’s Choi Minho! His name is Choi Minho too!

“I’m not a kid, I’m 19 years old and attending a university. ” Taemin rebutted.

The boy so-called Minho pursed his lips, “Whatever you say kid. ”

The phone rang before Taemin could argue against his statement. Taemin realized it was his ringtone when he recognized ‘Life’ playing.

“Hello?”

“Taemin, where are you!? I told you to go buy groceries TWO HOURS AGO. ” Key yelled at him so loud that Taemin had to pull it away from his ear.

“Sorry Umma,” Taemin apologized, “There was this nice ahjumma giving me a bunch of banana milk, it was so overwhelming!”

Taemin sneered at Minho’s laugh at his statement. Apparently there was something funny about liking banana milk.

“Well I want you home, soon. Got it, young man? And don’t make me fetch you, Taemin.” Key demanded from over the phone.

Taemin wonders if Minho likes banana milk from the way he’s chuckling, too preoccupied to answer Key, “Uh huh,” Taemin wondered if Minho was real, “Umma, wait! I have something I need to—“

“Don’t even give me excuses, Taemin. This conversation ends. Geunuh”, Key barked before hanging up.

Taemin heard the beeping of being left one sided, “—ask you ...”

Minho stopped smirking, “Seems like your mom wants you home. ”

Taemin doesn’t tell him that it wasn’t his mom that called him; actually Taemin wants to know why Minho was still standing in front of him. Should he ask for his number—would that be a little creepy?

Taemin nodded absently, “Uh huh, are you going to be here tomorrow?”

“Uhm  ...” Minho looked at the basketball court, “Sure, kid. ”

Taemin smiled, he could just visit Minho tomorrow then. Taemin picked up the groceries which Minho voluntarily helped grab.

Taemin took a few steps around Minho, “I should go now … I’ll see you tomorrow. ”

Minho looked as if he didn’t know how to respond, “Bye…” he mumbled.

Taemin stared at Minho while walking forward, as if he was waiting for Minho to disappear into thin air or something or the sort.

 

 

 

 

“Really, he’s real, Hyung. I tell no lie!” Taemin continuously persuaded the taller one.

Key just waved it off, “I’ll believe it when I see it. ”

“Are you sure it went away, Taemin-ah?” Jonghyun warily peered at the boy.

“Well, you believed me right? You’re wearing basketball shorts and all. ” Taemin pointed out Jonghyun’s choice of clothing.

Taemin told Key and Jonghyun about meeting this new and improved Choi Minho. Key screamed his head off and worried and nagged—which wasn’t the best of combinations. Jonghyun had furrowed his eyebrows and to sooth Key down. When asked if Taemin was in any trouble, he shook his head and smiled as if unicorns were flying and world peace had begun. Key would only believe it if Taemin took him to see Minho. Jonghyun was all readied up with basketball clothing if there was a Minho and he wanted to challenge this guy to a game or two.

Taemin couldn’t be happier—Key didn’t know whether to be devastated that Taemin could be imagining things up again and the Schizophrenia came back or excited that he would finally meet this Minho guy that caused Taemin to talk, bounce, and wriggle with nonstop energy for 24 hours.

Taemin pointed to a figure, “There he is” and waved, “Minho hyung!”

The figure stopped dribbling and looked over to them.

 Minho jogged over to them, waving, “Hey…”

Taemin realized that Minho never knew his name, “—Taemin, my name is Taemin.” He pointed to Key, “This is Key and Jonghyun.”, and then pointed to Jonghyun.

Taemin looked back at the two with an excited smile that seemed way too bright, “Is he real or what?”

The smile quickly faded seeing the shocked looks on their faces, “He’s … not?”

The world stopped. Tears had brim his eyes at the thought that he would face having a life without his gravity, his everything. He would lose it all over again. He would break once more.

Key quickly stammered and waved his hands in deny, “No, no! He’s real, Taemin! Very real!”

“Just taller than I thought,” Jonghyun murmured in distaste.

Key smiled to relieve Taemin, “We’re just shocked that he’s here and all … living—he looks like a frog. ”

“I am still here. ” Minho pointed out, “Am I suppose to know what you’re talking about?”

Jonghyun looked at him with thankful eyes, “We’re just glad your name is Minho and you exist. ”

Minho looked at the two curiously, “It seems your friends are weird like you are, Taemin.”

But one look at Taemin’s face and it almost broke Minho’s heart.

“Are you crying? What’s wrong—did I insult you? I’m sorry!” Minho rushed to soothe the feminine boy whose baby face was streaming with tears.

Taemin brought up his hand to wipe his tears, “It’s just that—I’m so glad you’re here. ”

His ribcage shook and his body convulsed from the sobbing from happiness—relief—sadness—aching—joy, all of it was pouring out.

Minho had to let the boy grab his shirt when Taemin’s knees couldn’t support him and Minho willingly let him cry onto his chest and patted the younger’s head.

 

 

 

 

Taemin was more than happy now. Minho was with him in the meadow he always dreamt about. This time, no more waking up.

Minho laid with Taemin’s now blond head on his chest and an arm around the blond’s waist.

“Even this moment feels like a dream, hyung.” Taemin moved his head into a more comfortable position.

Minho looked down, “Why would you say that Minnie?”

Taemin propped himself on his elbows now, facing his hyung.

“You know I used to dream that the imaginative Minho and I would be in a meadow just like this. But when I woke up and there was no more you, I cried. ”

Minho sighed and caressed Taemin’s cheek, “Sometimes, you talk about the other Minho like—like he meant your whole life, sometimes it just makes me wonder …”

Taemin leaned down so that he and Minho were at the same eye level. Sometimes, when Taemin was so close like they were—so close that the slightest move would make their lips touch, the hot breath breathing onto both of them—Taemin still felt shy even if it was him initiating it.

“I love you, Hyung.” Taemin whispered so soft that only the two of them would know.

“You’re so much better in ways I couldn’t explain. The way your one look charisma sends tingles down my spine. The way your body envelopes me everytime we hug—it’s so perfect. The other Minho—when he left, sure my heart was hurting but when you left me like that one time when I was swept in the crowd—remember that?”

Minho bitterly smiled, “I searched at every single corner for you even if it took the whole night. It could have been a panic attack. ”

Taemin sent a sweet smile and pointed to his heart, “This here couldn’t even take leaving you. Maybe it was partly because there was so many people and no you—but when you left, my heart was burning like there was a hole—even if it beat so fast, it felt like I could die losing you. There was a chance, you weren’t real again. ”

Minho leaned up to kiss Taemin ever so sweetly before pulling back, “Good thing I found you then. I kissed the hell out of you afterwards too. ”

That statement sent the pink over to Taemin’s cheeks.

Taemin continued shyly, “And when you kiss me—it’s like never before. Not that I’ve kissed anyone else. My heart beats too fast and too loud—my knees turn weak and I could melt before you. You make me lose all sense and nothing matters more than you. ”

Taemin placed his hand on Minho’s cheek, “Can’t you see that no one—even other Minho—could mean more to me than you? You’re billions of banana milks better than him. ”

Minho cheekily smiled and flipped them over so Minho was on top of Taemin.

“Billions of banana milks, huh? Then I guess you mean more to me than competition or sports. ” Minho compared before giving Taemin a quick peck.

Taemin’s eye smile showed, “I must mean a lot to you then, Hyung.”

“You betcha, kiddo. ”

“Hyung, I’m only two years younger than you!” Taemin wailed.

“Whatever you say,” Minho mumbled—not adding that Taemin was a kid mentally sometimes.

Taemin really wanted to tease Minho by calling him ahjusshi.

But Taemin just smiled brightly, “Kiss me, Hyung!” the younger commanded.

Minho murmured against his lips, “Your wish, my command. ”

The two engaged in a sweet, loving kiss in the meadow of soft barley and multi-colored flowers.

 

 

 

 

WOOHOO. Finished this two-shot finally. If you're confused by any means, please ask by pm-ing me or posting on my wall or commenting. I'll be happy to explain. But real life things don't happen like this. If it did, the world really would be like PERFECT or something. Unicorns flying and all.