Minho hated the way Taemin didn't look at him. All he wanted was for the latter to embrace him and tell him everything was alright. But he never did. All the petite individual did was stare straight ahead. He never turned to look at Minho. Perhaps Minho was undeserving. 

 

Taemin grew from scratch. He grew up stealing scraps from restaurants and eating but a meal a day. But he had ambition, which was possibly the only thing that saved him. Because one day, he upped himself and left his starving family. He bought a train ticket to Seoul and found himself standing before an intimidating building labeled "SM Ent."

 

When he stepped in the building, all eyes fell on him. Such a ragged boy; what was he doing there? He wanted to run. It was suffocating, the eyes on him. He wanted to flee. Like snakes slithering all over his body, constricting him. But he couldn't back out now. Not when his parents had probably found his letter apologizing for leaving with ₩200,000 that he had scraped up. 

So he stalked in. And he danced. He out and his senses took over. He moved his body loosely and brought out new tricks for the judges whenever they were rounding on boredom. He kept them on their toes and they loved him. 

 

And soon enough, he was a trainee.

 

He could sing too, surprisingly. He was a natural entertainer. He had a pretty little face, a petite body with just enough muscle, a nice little voice that could put people to sleep, and an air of awkwardness that made everyone fawn over him. He was perfect. A good little pawn. So in but a couple years, he was put into a group. SHINee, it was called, so perhaps they would shine the most on stage. 

 

s were great people. Jinki, the oldest and their leader, was extremely awkward but had such a kind little heart with the best intentions. And a God-blessed voice of honey. But he was dense, and couldn't see what was sometimes so obvious. 

 

Jonghyun was loud. He loved attention, and deserved it. He had the best voice that any person could possibly have been graced with. But he was a bit insecure. It was probably because he was a bit short, and was well aware that he could get slightly obnoxious. So he pushed himself. He pushed himself past any limits. He indulged himself in music, and sometimes forgot to look around himself. 

 

Kibum was an interesting character. He was very self-aware. Like he knew already what he was and what he was capable of. Like he had already planned out his rising fashion brand, when he really just knew what he wanted. He wasn't self-conscious or too loud. He was just himself. Only sometimes, he was himself too much. And he would get detached. And often times, forget to look to the person on his other side. 

 

Minho was competitive. He never liked losing. He liked winning, it it was easy for him, sometimes, because he was a jack of all trades. He was tall with a model face. He got lots of attention and was comfortable in it. But he never forgot to bring his fellow members along with his victory. He saw people around him, maybe because he had the time to look around. Because he didn't have to worry about losing or not getting what he wanted. So he saw some things he was certain no one else did. But he didn't do anything. He couldn't. 

 

SHINee grew big. They were musically talented and didn't lack even a little in the visual or personality departments. But perhaps it was their overwhelming talent that brought them to ruin. 

 

At first, being in a boy band like SHINee excited Taemin. It was fun. Hard work, sure, but fun. The first six years went by smoothly. Their popularity skyrocketed and they easily reached the top charts whenever they released a new song. Each of the members began investing in their own projects and soon enough, it wasn't just SHINee that rang in everyone's ears, but each of the individual members. 

 

Jinki released several solo albums and caught many gigs as an entertainer. 

 

Jonghyun also threw out a few solo albums before taking off to be a composer, his real dream. 

 

Kibum released a fashion brand named Lock•Key and collaborated with many well-known fashion designers. 

 

Minho continued with acting and modeling. He starred in several more dramas and modeled for both the runway and commercials. 

 

Taemin managed a couple solo albums too. He appeared in many variety shows and a drama or two. He also dabbled in modeling and choreographing, but never got too far. It was then, when he realized that he wasn't good at anything but being Taemin of SHINee. He wasn't very good at being just Taemin. 

 

But there was one thing he was good at. It was getting Minho's attention. Minho had been attracted to the individual since they first him. Enraptured would be a better word to describe it. He loved the way the lanky boy danced. The way he sang. The boy himself. So maybe that was how he saw. 

 

Taemin was crying. He was wilting. He was dying. Everyone was going somewhere and he was left behind. Slipping. He hated how he had so little to give. Slowly, depression took him in its arms. 

 

No one but Minho noticed that Taemin was slipping away. But he could do nothing to help him. He was too scared to touch him. Taemin seemed too grandiose for him. 

 

And one day, his angel fell. 

 

And Minho wept

 

At the mangled figure

 

That lay

 

Drowning

 

In a pool

 

Of bright-red

 

Nothingness. 

 

 

It was Minho who wept at the funeral. The day was bright and sunny, a direct contrast to the atmosphere. And he called out for Taemin. For the first time he screamed for the youth to look at him. For him to hold him. But the talented boy did not turn to look at him. For he was buried deep in the earth. Untouchable.