LETTER 9 : Going Through The Same


Taemin, I hope you're smiling today. Don’t let anything make you sad, arasso?

Until now, I haven’t told you what's with these letters. You must hated me so much for making you curious, right? Well, last week I received an official letter from the higher departments from where I work. I need to attend a Law seminar at Los Angeles next October 8th. I will be there for five days, that means I will missed our 10th anniversary. 

You do notice the gap between us, right? I don’t want to make it even bigger. I tried asking them to exclude me but failed. I have to go, so I came up with a lame idea like this. Writing you ten letters for you to read each day until the day of our anniversary, so you don’t feel lonely.

You don't, right? I hope my letters made you smile everyday.

I can't believe I am writing the ninth letter already. Times fly so fast sometimes, right? It feels like it was just yesterday I decide to write 10 letters for you, and I'm on ninth now. It feels like it was just yesterday I promised you everything will be okay, and today our life is really messed up.

I really hate my career. Even though I support my living with it, it keeps me very far from you. Missing all your three concerts is enough to make me really disappointed with myself. But I just can't forgive myself for forgetting your birthday..
 

***

Taemin is lazying around on his bed, only has his skinny jeans on. It was still so early in the morning, the sky is still dark, as he can see through his window. Slowly, he leans over the still sleeping Jinki besides him, reaching for the remote control for his air conditioner and turned it off.

"Too cold," he muttered as he took out a cigarette from the cigar box. He socialized with different people ever since he's no longer the old Taemin, but the Halyu star. People that is different from Minho, that's when he caught the bad habit.

Taemin was about to lit up the cigar when his mobile phone rings. His dry lips curled into a smile as soon as he saw the name appeared on the screen.

Minho Hyung

He quickly throws away the cigar and pick up the call.

"Hyung!" he greets the latter first, as he is actually waiting for him to call.

"Morning, Taemin. I'm glad you're already up," Minho said on the other line.

"I can't really sleep anyway, hyung" Taemin said as he slowly crawls down from the bed. His voice might wake the young doctor, he might get into trouble. What will he say if Minho happened to heard Jinki's voice if he woke up in the middle of their conversation?

It's really hard to be on phone with Minho because of their busy schedules, Taemin don't want to risk anything.

Even though all Jinki and he did on bed is cuddling each other till morning.

"How are you?" Minho asked. The question might be simple and short, and Taemin knows Minho really meant it. He really cares and concern about Taemin.

"I'm fine, hyung. What about you?"

"I'm very busy with works, but I'm fine too,"

"Good to hear that," Taemin said as he took a seat on his single sofa in the living room. It was then when he saw the famous 'koala hug' picture of him and Minho, standing on the small desk in besides him.

It was from nine years ago, and suddenly Taemin realized he really is missing those sweet moments with Minho.

"Taemin, are you still there?" Minho's voice brings Taemin back to the painful both of them are in right now. Both of them are very busy with their careers, it's hard to have a dinner together even for once a month.

It's like a long distance relationship, except that both of them are still living in the same town.

"Neh, hyung,"

Taemin is seeing Jinki too, once in a while. Not that often, but enough to ruined his relationship with Minho if the other get to know about it.

"Are you free today?"

Taemin doesn’t know what he really wanted in his life right now. He feels abandoned because Minho is too serious with his career, but it's Taemin who started everything by dropping out of the university to be a public figure. It's him who created the gap at first. It's him who said "it will be okay as long as we trust each other, hyung!" and it's him who started seeing Jinki in secret, too.

"Neh!"

Will Minho asked him out? Did he remember? He might be late for a few hours, but Taemin will definitely forgive him if he remembers.

"I'm going to visit Minseok hyung today. It's been awhile since the last time I talk to him. Want to come along?"

So, we're going to the hospital? Taemin feels bad for asking that question, even if it's only his own thought.

"Taemin?" Minho called for his name.

At least I can still spend sometimes with Minho, right? Taemin is talking to himself again.

"Sure, hyung!" Taemin replied. The conversation went on for a few more minutes, and Taemin let out a heavy sigh as he ended the call at last.

"Today is my birthday, hyung.." Taemin whispered as he slowly closes his eyes.

***

"I am a big guy, hyung. I don't really celebrate my birthday these years, so you don't have to worry about forgetting my previous birthday. It's really nothing!" Taemin says as he finished reading the first two pages of the ninth letter. Minho was apologizing and Taemin doesn’t want him to keep on feel guilty so he lied.

"It's not a big deal, hyung," he said again, faking a smile, trying to deceive Minho when he himself knows there is no one who knows and understands him more than Minho.

***

One thing Taemin hates the most when it comes to a hospital is because it is very crowded. He has to be very careful not to bump into anyone, especially the rushing nurses and doctors.

As much as Taemin hates the hospital, Minho hates it even more.

"I can't stand the chemical smell," he said as he dragged Taemin with him into a room. 

"At last!" Taemin said as he throws himself onto the sofa in the room. There's a bed in the middle of it, and Minseok hyung is lying on it, he looks really calm. Taemin sometimes envy him since he has nothing to worry. All he has to do is lying down there, and wait for his family and relatives to visit him.

"Annyeong, hyung," Minho said as he fixes Minseok's hair a bit.

"I'm sorry I'm a little late. Look what I've with me?" Minho said as he took out a small chocolate cake from it's box and place it on the table near the bed.

"I remember when we used to bake a chocolate cake together," Minho said as he put on a smile on his face. Taemin can feel Minho's sadness just by listening to his voice.

Two years ago, Minseok hyung was involved in a car accident and he was put into comma since then. Minho's Mom cried so much that day, Taemin still remembered. Minseok hyung is a really nice guy, Taemin really hopes he will recover soon. Seeing Minho talking to the sleeping guy hurts Taemin deep inside. He adores Minho for being so strong. If he were in Minho's place, he is sure he can never fake a smile, a happy expression like Minho did. Especially when he has a person he really loves in front of him.

"I can never do it," Taemin uttered to himself. Who would have known he will go through the same thing in the future..?

"We'll come again to visit you later, hyung!" Taemin said as he waves at Minseok as him and MInho leave the room.

"You miss him so much, right?" Taemin said as he walks side by side with Minho.

"Very much," Minho gave him a short reply, trying to smile at the same time.

"Cheer up, hyung. The doctor said he still has the chance to recover, right?" 

"I don’t know Taemin. It has been two years.. I really want him back," 

***

"You worried too much, hyung," Taemin said as he pats on Minho's head. Still holding the pages in his fingers, he fixed Minho's long hair a bit.

"I told you Minseok hyung will be fine, right?" he says again as he turned to the other page.

Minseok surprised everyone in the hospital and his family too when he suddenly opened his eyes seven months ago. That is a miracle that makes Taemin keep on believing Minho will wake up, too.

Minho's Mom was crying again when Minseok opened his eyes, but this time the tears are out of happiness. Poor old woman, she shed her suffering tears again last month when Minho was announced in comma for the same reason, a car accident.

Taemin still remember how painful he feels the moment he heard the news about Minho's accident from Minseok. He thought he will never experience the feelings of having his soul pulled out from his body, but he did on that day.

"I still believe you will wake up soon," Taemin said, almost whispering.

Taemin was about to continue reading the letter when suddenly his phone rings. He took out his mobile phone and pick up the call. It was from his manager. Taemin already decided to give up his career. He doesn't want to be a Halyu star anymore. A couple of days after Minho was submitted into the hospital, he made a call to his manager regarding the matter. They argued on the topic for a week, but the manager finally let Taemin choose his own future. Plus, his parents who hates him so much left him a company to handle.

"Hyung, I have to go now. The manager just called me," he said as he folded the letter carefully and put it nicely in the wooden box.

"It's something about the thing I told you," he said again as he leans down a bit and gives Minho's cheek a kiss.

"I'll come back soon," he said, smiling as he left the room.

TBC ~

I revealed a few things here  Minho wrote the ten letters to accompany Taemin for ten days since he will not be with him on their 10th anniversary. And the reason why he was in a comma, it's because of a car accident. Half of you are guessing Jinki is the one who hit him and such, but no  Jinki is not behind the car accident ^^.

And Minseok, so sudden XD. He was also in a comma before, and Minho once, was like Taemin. Talking to a person who never respond back. Taemin thought Minho was very strong back then, but you guys know Taemin is as strong too after reading all nine letters, ne ^^? [If you guys remember, Minseok is the one who gave Taemin the wooden box in the prologue]

And yes, we are now at the ninth letter! I am so happy the fic is ending soon! And DID YOU GUYS NOTICE Taemin didn't finish reading this letter. Why? Because it will reveal the ending, so you guys will ONLY know the whole letter in the final chapter 

One more letter to go, don't go anywhere! *hugs to all readers*
LOVE, PYNK

p. s : Mian for the late update. I was writing a fic for a 2min contest, and I put all my fics on hiatus in order to finish the fic on time. It might be not as good as "10", but I will be happy if you can read it HERE. I finish all 8 chapters within a month ^-^