FINALE 01 : Together
10 [Released on 10/10/10 , 10:10 am KST]
SORRY I CAN'T REPLY ALL OF YOU. I AM IN RUSH AND I DIDN'T GET TO REPLY THE REST, I AM REALLY SORRY. PLEASE KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE WORD YOU GUYS DROPPED FOR ME! -hugs all of you-
@anis : u listen to tic toc while reading the last chapter? bad idea XD, but that song is 10's theme song XD, so ure on the right track ^^. thank u for saying this fic is inspiring :)
@androider : awww, thank u so much ^^! i love u too! -hugs- and .. idk, it's not easy for me to be a novelist. first, i still have to work really hard on my writing. second, i love writing , and it's like a taboo in where i live ~
@naeyan : awww.. -hugs- don't cry ~
@sanakyu : u made me feel so happy with ur comment, seriously.. thank u so much for such an encouraging comment! and the ending of the ninth letter is now revealed, so read on :) i can assure u it is not about minho finding out about taem x onew.
@choiminhoprincess : thank u for saying the previous chapter is the best ever, i really apreciate that!
@lia unnie : ne, the ending is hidden in the ninth letter. read on, coz i already revealed the letter, and the ending :) and tq unnie for saying this is ur fav fic! -hugs u!-
@INAsineeaddict : i'm happy u like this fic! -bows-
@double_uenim : twin dongsaeng, ure here! aww, dont cry.. -hugs-
@bunny unnie : aww, unnie .. -wipes ur tears- dont cry.. and yes, minho is very considerate of taemin. he's perfect in here :)
@yuchanisawesome : thank u for ur comment :) -bows-
@babyyspider : congratulations because u manage to stop ur self from crying! because most of the readers told me they cried reading the last chapter ~
@heme-sanloveminho : komawo for ur encouraging comment! -bows-
@caline : -wipes ur tears- don't cry :) .. and thank u for ur comment :)
@minnie124 : read on.. lol, i really dont know how to reply ur comment XD, mian.
@asian_invasion : tq for ur comment :)
@roomie : read on, coz the ending of the ninth letter is revealed. i can assure u it is not abt taemin x jinki :) it's something else~ and thank u for ur long comment! i love u!
@ain : neh like u said, it depends on me XD. and komawo! -hugs-
The final chapter is finally here. 4600 words, enough to conclude everything. And I want to request for you guys to listen to INFINITE's Tic Toc while reading this chapter If you don't have the song yet, you can download it here :http://www.mediafire...qvphqe1deadaeg9 And if you don't like INFINITE, please ignore me XD LOL. And now, remember the ninth letter that Taemin didn't get to finish in the two previous chapters? It is now revealed, HAPPY READING!
The Final Chapter
Together ; 01
10 October, 2021
It's 6 in the morning.
Taemin is in the bathroom, washing his face. He looks into his reflection in the mirror and he saw a fresh looking guy. No more eyebags under his eyes, he is clean shaved, he doesn't look pale or tired too.
Much better compared to a year ago since he read the tenth letter.
He turns to the calendar on his wall.
Today's date is circled with red ink.
"It has been a year," he muttered to himself as he walks to his closet and took out some clothes for him to wear today.
"Blue," he whispers to himself as he holds a blue jacket in his hand. Minho said he looks the best in blue, why would he choose other colour for today's event, right?
***
Jinki is sitting in his office, going through a document in his hand.
Minho's treatment report.
He was in a coma for more than a year, and last three months a meeting was held in the hospital. The experts in brain injuries from all branches decided that the possibility for Minho to wake up is very small. One of them is invited from Craig University in Denver, and his 20 years of experience in the field suggested Euthanasia for the 30 year old guy.
"Euthanasia," Jinki read the word.
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relief pain and suffering. It is also known as 'merciful death', and is normally a solution for desperate conditions such as incurable painful disease, or an irreversible coma.
And the meeting three months ago decided to put Minho in the same conditions.
"There's no way he'll wake up," the expert says, and he broke Taemin's heart at the same time.
It's not easy to carry Euthanasia on Minho. His parents once have their other son in the same condition too, and he woke up after a few years. Telling them there is no hope for their youngest son is not enough to convince them to sign the required document for the hospital to perform Euthanasia on Minho.
His parents even brought the case to South Korea Supreme Court, fighting for their son's right to live.
The court decided that Euthanasia is not the best solution for Minho, but they gave Minho's family an advice. The experts know better, and when they said there is no hope for Minho, they have lots of valid evidence to support their decision. So the court suggests another solution, which actually sounds the same to Euthanasia.
"It's the best to discontinue his life-sustaining treatment," said the court.
This past year, Taemin spends most of his times with Minho and his parents. He went up and down the court with them, too.
And he started to treat Jinki better, too.
Jinki smiles as he looks at a picture frame of him and Taemin on his table. They're having a dinner together last month when they took the picture.
Taemin stopped being cold to him since last year. He started with responding to Jinki's questions. After a week, he started greeting Jinki everytime they bumped into each other in the hospital, and after a couple of months, they're became close to each other again for the second time.
Jinki will never confess again, or do anything that might put both of them in an awkward position again.
Having Taemin talking and smiling to him is more than enough. They talk about almost everything. Taemin's interest, Jinki's work, Minho's condition, and Taemin even learn some medical terms from him since they sometimes didn’t get to go out because of Jinki's schedule, so they just hang around in the hospital.
Taemin had been to almost each part, room and laboratories of the hospital during those times, and eventhough some of the rooms are restricted to the hospital staffs only, Jinki put his full trust on Taemin and let him explore the hospital with him.
It brings no harm, right?
That's what Jinki thought.
"I've been thinking about Taemin too much these days," Jinki muttered to himself as he took off his glasses, put it on his desk and he closed his eyes, leaning against his chair.
His mind is exhausted of overflowing works, he needs rest.
***
"Annyeong, hyung," Taemin greets Minho with a smile as he stepped into the room. Unlike before, today he locks the door before he went to Minho.
He puts down a black case he brought together with him on the bed and sits besides Minho. Taemin leans down a bit and gives Minho a peck on his cheek.
"I love you. I love my parents. I love my hyung. I love everything I have, Taemin,"
Taemin's heart beats a little faster than usual as he remembers one of the last lines from the ninth letter he didn't finish last year. After he realized what actually caused Minho to be in a coma, he went back home and suddenly remembered he didn’t finish the previous letter yet. He took it out, read it, cried again, but chose to be fair to Minho.
"But I can never imagine if I were to be bedridden like Minseok hyung,"
All these times, Minho had been very considerate of Taemin, to the extent Taemin thought of himself as ridiculously blind and cruel for hurting Minho again and again. If there is one person on the earth who deserves to be happy the most, it will be Minho, for he possessed the most beautiful heart Taemin had ever encountered.
"I am used to move everywhere, to do things on my own, with my own hands. I don't even want to know what it feels like to be paralysed. It will hurt my pride and dignity to live like that,"
Taemin choked his own breath as he remembers the letter word by word. Last three months, it has been confirmed that the car accident affected his brain more than it should, and Minho is confirmed half paralysed because of his brain dysfunction.
"No one knows what will happen in the future, right, Tae?"
"Neh, hyung. No one knows," Taemin muttered, forcing a smile as he cupped Minho's cheek.
"But if one day I’ll be bedridden. If one day my body is paralysed. If one day my brain is confirmed to dysfunction. If one day I am no different from a dead man except that I am still breathing.."
Taemin holds both of Minho's hands in his.
".. I'm begging you to promise me you will never let me suffer those. Even if it means you'll have to end my life."
He brings Minho's fingers to his lips and kisses them.
"I promised, hyung. And sorry I took so long," he whispered. He places Minho's hand back to his both sides and reaches for his black case. He opened it and took out a small bottle.
***
Jinki is still resting when his mobile phone rings. Slowly he opened his eyes, reached for his phone and pick up the call.
"What?" he responded as stood up, putting on his glasses and left his room.
"I'll be there," he said before he ended the call and walk even faster to the stairs and climbs to the next level. It took him a couple of minutes to reach the medication laboratory. His assistant is waiting there, in front of the door.
"Are you sure?" Jinki quickly asked as soon as he reached the laboratory.
"Ne. The door is unlocked when I arrived this morning," his assistant said half whispering, not wanting anyone to hear their conversation.
"But only the two of us have the keys," Jinki replied as he stepped into the laboratory. He is the doctor in charged of the laboratory where the hospital keeps their medical supplies.
"Well, there are some others who also have the key," his assistant said as he matched Jinki's steps.
Yes, the assistant is saying the truth. One person from each department in the branch is trusted to hold the key, just in case an emergency came up, a situation where Jinki and his assistant can't be reached. That sometimes happened too, but Jinki will always be informed first before the laboratory is opened without him or his assistant.
"No one gave me a call.." Jinki responded to his assistant, checking each corners of the laboratory.
"Are you checking if something is missing, seonsaengnim..?" the assistant asked as he watched Jinki checking the space from corner to corner.
"Yes. It is already bad someone got in here without permission. It'll be the worst if that person stole something," Jinki said, he looks so worried.
"Sorry, I should have told you this earlier but I was too worried, I forgot. Actually I already checked the laboratory, and a bottle of anesthesia was gone,"
"Anesthesia?"
"Ne,"
***
Taemin took out a clean, syringe needle from the case and he look at it for awhile. He took a deep breath and uncapped the bottle from before and carefully transferred some of the liquid into the syringe needle.
He places the bottle on a small table besides the bed. The label clearly read 'Anesthesia'.
"I don't think my parents will understand this wish of mine,"
"Yes, they don't, hyung. They've been fighting for your right to live for a couple of months already. But it's not their fault. They love you too much, hyung," Taemin whispered as he remembers Minho's last words he read from his ninth letter.
"It's a miracle my hyung survived. And it is imposibble to have two miracles at a time,"
Taemin slowly nods his head, agree. Slowly he stood up besides the pole where the intravenous bag is hanging on. There is a long, small hose attached to the intravenous bag, which contains parenteral nutritions. The intravenous fluid theraphy is applied on Minho since the first day he was bedridden to make sure he gets the nutritions he needs to live. That is what Taemin had learned from his made up 'random' conversation with Jinki all these while.
He is closed to Jinki not for that reason alone. Yes, he needs to know lots before he can actually keep his promise to Minho, and he also wants to forget everything that happened between him and Jinki. Everybody deserves a second chance, right? And Minho had given him lots of chances..
"If one day that really happens, please make my parents understand my decision, Taem. I'm more than sure this is what I chose if I am meant to be in a coma like my hyung,"
"Sure, hyung. I already wrote them a long letter to explain everything. And I left them your ninth letter too, so they'll know what you really wants," Taemin said, trying to mutter each words as clear as he can since everything feels so hard all of a sudden.
***
"I still have the key with me," the assistant said, waving his key in front of Jinki's face.
"I also have mine!" he said as he put his hand in the pocket of his long, white coat, only to find it empty.
"Where is it?" he asked as he looks for it again.
"Maybe you left it somewhere else..?" his assistant asked.
"I never left it.. I.. Oh my god, where was I last night?" Jinki tried his best to remember. No matter how hard he tried, all he can recall is he's having a dinner with Taemin.
It is then when suddenly piece by piece came to his mind.
All these while, Taemin talked a lot whenever they are together, especially when they hang around the hospital. He asked a lot on the medications, the intravenous theraphy, on the laboratory, on the use of anesthesia, on .. almost everything.. and since he talks and asks about others things too in between for a long period of time; almost a year, Jinki never realized that Taemin now has almost a perfect knowledge on Minho's medical treatment.
"But even if he's the one who took the anesthesia, I just can't think of what will he do with it," Jinki muttered more to himself, but is heard by his assistant.
"If it is misused, it can use to kill.." the assistant said, something that Jinki don't even want to consider Taemin might do.
"That is impossible," Jinki said. It is impossible, really. Taemin loves Minho more than anything, and what good will it brings by killing that guy?
Only then Jinki realized something.
Yes, Taemin is always with Minho's parents when they are fighting for Minho's right at the supreme court. But all these while, never even once had Jinki heard from him that he wants the same as Minho's parents, that he wants to win the case, that he wants Minho to live.
Never.
Whatever the reason is, something is going wrong and Jinki started to run. He took out his mobile phone too, dialing Taemin's number but his phone is switched off.
"Don't do anything stupid, please!" Jinki muttered as he runs, leaving his dumbfounded assistant. He thought of contacting everyone at the nearest departments to Minho's room, but suddenly thought of his assumption might be wrong, so he thought it's the best to keep it to himself for now. After all, he still has faith in Taemin.
"I should be wrong about this," Jinki slowered his steps.
***
"Do you still remember the first day we met, hyung?" Taemin asked slowly as took the long hose attached to the intravenous bag in his right hand, while his right hand is holding the syringe needle with the anesthesia liquid in it.
"The sky was bright. It was then when I first spotted you, looking at the college from our school's back gate. Back then you were so quiet and lonely, and you don't have friends too. Maybe because of the car accident, so you were late to enroll in a college. I'm your first friend, right?" Taemin muttered as he recalled the bright, blue sky from ten years ago.
Carefully, he injects the anesthesia liquid into the hose.
Not the intravenous bag. Because last four months when he talked to Jinki about the bag, Jinki said it will took an hour or more for the nutrition to fill in Minho's body if they were to inject an extra vitamin for him from that bag. It will be much faster if they just inject it into the hose because of the flowing liquid.
"It'll reach him within five minutes," Jinki once said.
Taemin waits for a year for him to actually made Minho's wish comes true. He was so scared back then, and confused. Is it really the best way for Minho? Can he really end Minho's suffers? Can he really do it? Ending someone's life is not as easy like he had seen many times on TV.
Taemin took 12 months to gather as much information he need in order to do so from Jinki. Bringing it once in awhile into their random conversations, trying hard to fake and hide everything, so he won't be discovered before he can actually put an end to Minho's sufferings. It is also for him to take his times, to be prepared.
A few months before Minho was bedridden, all Taemin did was making him sad, disappointed and Minho is the one who always said sorry. Taemin was too blind.
And now that he finally sees everything, and Minho made him promise one thing, how in the world can Taemin refused to do it?
"Do you remember the moment you asked me out? We were on your bed, you woke up too fast and your head hit mine. I dropped the pancakes I made for you and you said never to drop it again. Never.. or.."
The syringe needle in his hand is now empty. Taemin quickly grabbed the bottle again and transferred more liquids into the syringe needle.
The quantity he used just now should be enough to reach level 2 of anesthesia.
"There are four levels of anesthesia. Usually for surgeries, the doctors will only use it up to level 3 and have to maintain the level. If it goes to to level 4, the patient will die because of organs dysfunctions," Jinki once said.
Organs dysfunctions. Taemin don't know if it will hurt Minho or not. That's why he chose to inject the liquid into the hose instead so it won't take long.
" Never.. or you said you'll die.."
His eyes are terribly teary by now, but he is still trying his best not to cry.
Taemin takes a deep breath before he injected the second shot of anesthesia into the hose.
"I can't believe I did this.." he muttered slowly, more like whispering. It was then when suddenly the electrocardiograph machine besides Minho started to have gaps in between the beeps.
All his limbs feels weak, Taemin dropped the syringe needle in his hand and his tears suddenly wet his cheeks. He climbs on the bed and lies down besides Minho, hugging his prince, resting his head on Minho's chest.
"Why did it have come to this, hyung?" he muttered, closing his eyes.
"I've been waiting for so long.."
The gap in between each beeps is getting wider. Taemin don't even bother to check the leads on the screen.
He knows the leads will be flat very soon.
"Today is 10 October, hyung. We've been together for eleven years," Taemin whispered again.
A couple of minutes passed, and judging from the beeps from the electrocardiograph machine, Taemin knows it is almost there. He changed his position a bit so he can lean down and kisses Minho's dry lips for the last time.
"Goodbye, Minho hyung. I'm so sorry I took so long to grant your last wish. It's really hard, I hope you understand.. and forgive me for everything I've done, and please know that I'll never love anyone else as much as I love you.."
A drop of his tears fell on Minho's cheek, and right at that time the electrocardiograph machine makes a long beep. Taemin turns to the screen, and as he had predicted, all the leads on the screen are now flat.
After the entire long wait, Minho had left him for real.
As much as Taemin thought he's prepared for this day, he fails to control his tears. Never had he thought a guy can shed this much tears.
Gathering every little strength left inside his body, he slowly steps out of the room after whispering the last "Saranghae" to Minho.
***
"So, you have to sign here," the medical assistant at the Electrocardiograph Monitor Room said, handing Jinki a document.
"I'll do it later," Jinki said as he grabbed the document. He was on his way to Minho's room just now when the medical assistant stopped him and talk about some random documents.
"I'll go first," he said but the medical assistant stopped him again.
"There's another document, seonsaengnim,"
"Whatever documents you need me to sign, just bring them all here! I'm in rush now!" Jinki finally exploded, and the medical assistant quickly gathered all documents and handed them to Jinki. Jinki was about to leave when he saw one of the electrodiagraph machine in the room have flat leads.
"What.. yah! How can you missed this?! Why the machine didn’t beep at all before? It couldn’t go all flat like this before slowing down the pace first!" Jinki dropped all the documents on the floor and rush to the machine.
The medical assistant was surprised too and quickly matched Jinki's steps.
"It must be when I was talking to you, seonsaengnim.." he muttered and feels so guilty.
"But why there's no sound at all from this? We should've notice the slow pace even if you're not paying attention to the screen!"
"This one needs to be fixed, seonsaengnim. It has been acting like this for a couple of days already. It is scheduled to be fixed this evening.."
"Damn! Which room is this?" Jinki cursed as he took out his mobile phone to let the others know about this poor patient.
"Room 302,"
And Jinki dropped his phone upon hearing that.
Minho's room.
***
A moment before
"I can't believe I did this.." Taemin muttered slowly, more like whispering as he hugged Minho tighly. Minho heard him very well. He never fails to listen to Taemin, every single day since the first day he was bedridden.
He understands Taemin's guilt. How he wish he can tell the guy he loved that he never blames him. Everything happened for a reason. God had arranged their love story to be like this. And Minho got to see the best side, the most honest side of Taemin during his days when he was in a coma.
Taemin has a beautiful heart, Minho knows.
He understands how hard Taemin is pretending to be happy when he talks to him. If only he can tell Taemin that he doesn't have to act strong. Minho knows Taemin more than anyone else. He can put a smile on his face every single day when the fact is his own parents are cursing him at home. He can still reached his dream to be an idol despite of having a heart breaking family. Minho knows he is strong.
"I've been waiting for so long.." Taemin muttered again.
Minho understands Taemin's patience, waiting for someone who can't even move a muscle for hundreds of days, having faith that the person will open his eyes one day.
Minho started to feels so dizzy, his head feels much heavier compared to the worst migraine one might ever encountered.
"Today is 10 October, hyung. We've been together for eleven years," Taemin whispered again.
Eleven years? Minho is happy both of them had come this far.
He must say the times he hates the most will be the days he spent on this bed. He hates the fact that he is useless and weak. He hates the fact that he can't do anything aside from making Taemin and his parents sad and cry. Being like this is a torture, Minho really wants this to end really quick. He meant everything he said in the ninth letter to Taemin. If he ever encountered the same experience as his hyung did, he wishes for nothing except for everything to ends really fast.
He made Taemin promised him that.
Minho realized the gaps between the beeps from the electrocardiograph machine besides him are getting wider. The time is almost up.
It was then when Taemin changed his position a bit so he can lean down and kisses Minho's dry lips for the last time.
"Goodbye, Minho hyung. I'm so sorry I took so long to grant your last wish. It's really hard, I hope you understand.. and forgive me for everything I've done, and please know that I'll never love anyone else as much as I love you.."
This is the best of proof that Taemin is a strong person. If Taemin is the one bedridden, Minho himself is not sure if he really can do what Taemin just did.
Ending Minho's life equals to ending Taemin's own happiness, yet he chose to be fair to Minho.
"Tae, I'm glad I met you last eleven years. Even if I'm reborn a thousand more times, I only want you in my life. I love you so much, I really do. Thank you for everything."
A drop of Taemin's tears fell on Minho's cheek, and right at that time the electrocardiograph machine makes a long beep.
Minho has Taemin with him during his last moments.
He couldn’t ask for me. He is very thankful, and he's going to thank God as soon as he can for making his life perfect by creating Taemin.
***
Within a very short period of time, everyone rushed to the said room after receiving Jinki's call. Jinki has to squeeze himself in between the other doctors, nurses and medical assistants as soon as he reached the room, only to find Minho on the bed, and he never looks as pale as today.
"No.." he muttered when he saw the anesthesia bottle on the small desk besides Minho's bed.
He won't ask a foolish question such as "Is he still alive?" since the electrocardiograpgh machine explained it all. He is just way too confused, why did Taemin commit such thing, unaware of the fact there will be no one who understands Minho more than Taemin.
"This is a homicide, right?" someone muttered, and the others agreed in unison since the anesthesia bottle on the desk and the syringe needle on the floor are enough to explain what had just happened.
A few police officers suddenly appeared and starting to collect the evidences, asking questions to everyone in the room, trying to figure out the culprit and many in the crowd are expressing their sympathy towards Minho's parents who had been fighting for their son's right to live, and Lee Taemin, the ex-idol who spend most of his times in Minho's room since the first day the guy was in a coma.
"I.. I know who did this.." Jinki suddenly said, his eyes are fixed on Minho's dead body.
That single sentence of his creates a chaos in the room and the police officers has to force most of them to leave to avoid more obstacles in the investigation.
***
A couple of police cars arrived in front of Taemin's apartment. A few police officers jumps out from each, and Jinki is among them.
He has no intention to bring Taemin into trouble.
And he also has no intention in hiding the truth. Though deep inside in his heart, he is hoping things are not like what he had in mind.
Jinki's heart beats faster than usual whe he saw Taemin's door is left opened, and carefully he stepped into the apartment, followed by the police officers who then dispersed into the kitchen, living room and whatever corners there are in the apartment.
Jinki went straight to Taemin's room, and again, the door is left opened. His heart almost stops beating as soon as he steps into the room. He found Taemin, lying on his bed with his eyes closed, tears wetting his cheeks, and there is no single movement from his body.
As if he is not breathing.
"T-Taemin..?" Jinki stuttered his voice as he hold Taemin's wrist, trying to feel his pulse, and realized the male is no longer alive. Minho's letters are scattered on the bed besides him, and he is wearing the ring Minho bought him back then.
"What.. what have you done?" he said as he lifts Taemin's lifeless body a bit and hugs his close to his chest. Everything went too fast, Jinki is having difficulties to accept what had happened. He don’t even have the chance to make it up for the two poor souls and now both of them left him on the same day, in a way he can't even imagine.
The sky is bright that day. Like the first day Taemin and Minho first met.
A few days later the hospital and the CSI department released an autopsy report, a post mortem examination to discover the cause of Taemin's death. It is neither suicide nor homicide.
No, Taemin is not stupid. He didn’t commit suicide. Why would he? He had made Minho suffers way too much, he knows Minho will be disappointed again if he commit such a foolish act.
It's because Taemin is made for Minho. They are made for each other. They are made to love each other. So there are only two endings for their love. Live together, or die together.
God chose to take Minho first. And since there is no way to separate true lovers who are honestly in love with each other, He takes Taemin right after that.
That's the only reason.
Because Minho and Taemin are meant to be together.
The End.
I seriously don't know what to ramble this time..
Okay, this is the final chapter. Yes, as you had already read, both of them died. Because they are meant to be together. I am really worried to post this chapter, actually. I hope I don't make anyone angry. I have a nightmare last night regarding this
~
I never write a sad ending before, I just want to give it a try ..
Like I said, the ending if FIXED. 10 is originally planned to have two versions of endings. Did anyone noticed '01' up there? This is version 01, and version 02 will be up in more or less .. two weeks from now. I'll be really busy starting next week, but I'll try my best not to keep you guys waiting ^^!
I won't say Goodbye yet, coz there is still another version of FINALE coming up. The title will be 'Never Enough'. Stay tune ^-^ ! Make sure you have SHINee's Kiss Kiss Kiss for you to listen to while reading the other version, ne?!
~ PYNK ~
YOUR COMMENTS ARE MY ENERGY
Together ; 01
10 October, 2021
It's 6 in the morning.
Taemin is in the bathroom, washing his face. He looks into his reflection in the mirror and he saw a fresh looking guy. No more eyebags under his eyes, he is clean shaved, he doesn't look pale or tired too.
Much better compared to a year ago since he read the tenth letter.
He turns to the calendar on his wall.
Today's date is circled with red ink.
"It has been a year," he muttered to himself as he walks to his closet and took out some clothes for him to wear today.
"Blue," he whispers to himself as he holds a blue jacket in his hand. Minho said he looks the best in blue, why would he choose other colour for today's event, right?
***
Jinki is sitting in his office, going through a document in his hand.
Minho's treatment report.
He was in a coma for more than a year, and last three months a meeting was held in the hospital. The experts in brain injuries from all branches decided that the possibility for Minho to wake up is very small. One of them is invited from Craig University in Denver, and his 20 years of experience in the field suggested Euthanasia for the 30 year old guy.
"Euthanasia," Jinki read the word.
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relief pain and suffering. It is also known as 'merciful death', and is normally a solution for desperate conditions such as incurable painful disease, or an irreversible coma.
And the meeting three months ago decided to put Minho in the same conditions.
"There's no way he'll wake up," the expert says, and he broke Taemin's heart at the same time.
It's not easy to carry Euthanasia on Minho. His parents once have their other son in the same condition too, and he woke up after a few years. Telling them there is no hope for their youngest son is not enough to convince them to sign the required document for the hospital to perform Euthanasia on Minho.
His parents even brought the case to South Korea Supreme Court, fighting for their son's right to live.
The court decided that Euthanasia is not the best solution for Minho, but they gave Minho's family an advice. The experts know better, and when they said there is no hope for Minho, they have lots of valid evidence to support their decision. So the court suggests another solution, which actually sounds the same to Euthanasia.
"It's the best to discontinue his life-sustaining treatment," said the court.
This past year, Taemin spends most of his times with Minho and his parents. He went up and down the court with them, too.
And he started to treat Jinki better, too.
Jinki smiles as he looks at a picture frame of him and Taemin on his table. They're having a dinner together last month when they took the picture.
Taemin stopped being cold to him since last year. He started with responding to Jinki's questions. After a week, he started greeting Jinki everytime they bumped into each other in the hospital, and after a couple of months, they're became close to each other again for the second time.
Jinki will never confess again, or do anything that might put both of them in an awkward position again.
Having Taemin talking and smiling to him is more than enough. They talk about almost everything. Taemin's interest, Jinki's work, Minho's condition, and Taemin even learn some medical terms from him since they sometimes didn’t get to go out because of Jinki's schedule, so they just hang around in the hospital.
Taemin had been to almost each part, room and laboratories of the hospital during those times, and eventhough some of the rooms are restricted to the hospital staffs only, Jinki put his full trust on Taemin and let him explore the hospital with him.
It brings no harm, right?
That's what Jinki thought.
"I've been thinking about Taemin too much these days," Jinki muttered to himself as he took off his glasses, put it on his desk and he closed his eyes, leaning against his chair.
His mind is exhausted of overflowing works, he needs rest.
***
"Annyeong, hyung," Taemin greets Minho with a smile as he stepped into the room. Unlike before, today he locks the door before he went to Minho.
He puts down a black case he brought together with him on the bed and sits besides Minho. Taemin leans down a bit and gives Minho a peck on his cheek.
"I love you. I love my parents. I love my hyung. I love everything I have, Taemin,"
Taemin's heart beats a little faster than usual as he remembers one of the last lines from the ninth letter he didn't finish last year. After he realized what actually caused Minho to be in a coma, he went back home and suddenly remembered he didn’t finish the previous letter yet. He took it out, read it, cried again, but chose to be fair to Minho.
"But I can never imagine if I were to be bedridden like Minseok hyung,"
All these times, Minho had been very considerate of Taemin, to the extent Taemin thought of himself as ridiculously blind and cruel for hurting Minho again and again. If there is one person on the earth who deserves to be happy the most, it will be Minho, for he possessed the most beautiful heart Taemin had ever encountered.
"I am used to move everywhere, to do things on my own, with my own hands. I don't even want to know what it feels like to be paralysed. It will hurt my pride and dignity to live like that,"
Taemin choked his own breath as he remembers the letter word by word. Last three months, it has been confirmed that the car accident affected his brain more than it should, and Minho is confirmed half paralysed because of his brain dysfunction.
"No one knows what will happen in the future, right, Tae?"
"Neh, hyung. No one knows," Taemin muttered, forcing a smile as he cupped Minho's cheek.
"But if one day I’ll be bedridden. If one day my body is paralysed. If one day my brain is confirmed to dysfunction. If one day I am no different from a dead man except that I am still breathing.."
Taemin holds both of Minho's hands in his.
".. I'm begging you to promise me you will never let me suffer those. Even if it means you'll have to end my life."
He brings Minho's fingers to his lips and kisses them.
"I promised, hyung. And sorry I took so long," he whispered. He places Minho's hand back to his both sides and reaches for his black case. He opened it and took out a small bottle.
***
Jinki is still resting when his mobile phone rings. Slowly he opened his eyes, reached for his phone and pick up the call.
"What?" he responded as stood up, putting on his glasses and left his room.
"I'll be there," he said before he ended the call and walk even faster to the stairs and climbs to the next level. It took him a couple of minutes to reach the medication laboratory. His assistant is waiting there, in front of the door.
"Are you sure?" Jinki quickly asked as soon as he reached the laboratory.
"Ne. The door is unlocked when I arrived this morning," his assistant said half whispering, not wanting anyone to hear their conversation.
"But only the two of us have the keys," Jinki replied as he stepped into the laboratory. He is the doctor in charged of the laboratory where the hospital keeps their medical supplies.
"Well, there are some others who also have the key," his assistant said as he matched Jinki's steps.
Yes, the assistant is saying the truth. One person from each department in the branch is trusted to hold the key, just in case an emergency came up, a situation where Jinki and his assistant can't be reached. That sometimes happened too, but Jinki will always be informed first before the laboratory is opened without him or his assistant.
"No one gave me a call.." Jinki responded to his assistant, checking each corners of the laboratory.
"Are you checking if something is missing, seonsaengnim..?" the assistant asked as he watched Jinki checking the space from corner to corner.
"Yes. It is already bad someone got in here without permission. It'll be the worst if that person stole something," Jinki said, he looks so worried.
"Sorry, I should have told you this earlier but I was too worried, I forgot. Actually I already checked the laboratory, and a bottle of anesthesia was gone,"
"Anesthesia?"
"Ne,"
***
Taemin took out a clean, syringe needle from the case and he look at it for awhile. He took a deep breath and uncapped the bottle from before and carefully transferred some of the liquid into the syringe needle.
He places the bottle on a small table besides the bed. The label clearly read 'Anesthesia'.
"I don't think my parents will understand this wish of mine,"
"Yes, they don't, hyung. They've been fighting for your right to live for a couple of months already. But it's not their fault. They love you too much, hyung," Taemin whispered as he remembers Minho's last words he read from his ninth letter.
"It's a miracle my hyung survived. And it is imposibble to have two miracles at a time,"
Taemin slowly nods his head, agree. Slowly he stood up besides the pole where the intravenous bag is hanging on. There is a long, small hose attached to the intravenous bag, which contains parenteral nutritions. The intravenous fluid theraphy is applied on Minho since the first day he was bedridden to make sure he gets the nutritions he needs to live. That is what Taemin had learned from his made up 'random' conversation with Jinki all these while.
He is closed to Jinki not for that reason alone. Yes, he needs to know lots before he can actually keep his promise to Minho, and he also wants to forget everything that happened between him and Jinki. Everybody deserves a second chance, right? And Minho had given him lots of chances..
"If one day that really happens, please make my parents understand my decision, Taem. I'm more than sure this is what I chose if I am meant to be in a coma like my hyung,"
"Sure, hyung. I already wrote them a long letter to explain everything. And I left them your ninth letter too, so they'll know what you really wants," Taemin said, trying to mutter each words as clear as he can since everything feels so hard all of a sudden.
***
"I still have the key with me," the assistant said, waving his key in front of Jinki's face.
"I also have mine!" he said as he put his hand in the pocket of his long, white coat, only to find it empty.
"Where is it?" he asked as he looks for it again.
"Maybe you left it somewhere else..?" his assistant asked.
"I never left it.. I.. Oh my god, where was I last night?" Jinki tried his best to remember. No matter how hard he tried, all he can recall is he's having a dinner with Taemin.
It is then when suddenly piece by piece came to his mind.
All these while, Taemin talked a lot whenever they are together, especially when they hang around the hospital. He asked a lot on the medications, the intravenous theraphy, on the laboratory, on the use of anesthesia, on .. almost everything.. and since he talks and asks about others things too in between for a long period of time; almost a year, Jinki never realized that Taemin now has almost a perfect knowledge on Minho's medical treatment.
"But even if he's the one who took the anesthesia, I just can't think of what will he do with it," Jinki muttered more to himself, but is heard by his assistant.
"If it is misused, it can use to kill.." the assistant said, something that Jinki don't even want to consider Taemin might do.
"That is impossible," Jinki said. It is impossible, really. Taemin loves Minho more than anything, and what good will it brings by killing that guy?
Only then Jinki realized something.
Yes, Taemin is always with Minho's parents when they are fighting for Minho's right at the supreme court. But all these while, never even once had Jinki heard from him that he wants the same as Minho's parents, that he wants to win the case, that he wants Minho to live.
Never.
Whatever the reason is, something is going wrong and Jinki started to run. He took out his mobile phone too, dialing Taemin's number but his phone is switched off.
"Don't do anything stupid, please!" Jinki muttered as he runs, leaving his dumbfounded assistant. He thought of contacting everyone at the nearest departments to Minho's room, but suddenly thought of his assumption might be wrong, so he thought it's the best to keep it to himself for now. After all, he still has faith in Taemin.
"I should be wrong about this," Jinki slowered his steps.
***
"Do you still remember the first day we met, hyung?" Taemin asked slowly as took the long hose attached to the intravenous bag in his right hand, while his right hand is holding the syringe needle with the anesthesia liquid in it.
"The sky was bright. It was then when I first spotted you, looking at the college from our school's back gate. Back then you were so quiet and lonely, and you don't have friends too. Maybe because of the car accident, so you were late to enroll in a college. I'm your first friend, right?" Taemin muttered as he recalled the bright, blue sky from ten years ago.
Carefully, he injects the anesthesia liquid into the hose.
Not the intravenous bag. Because last four months when he talked to Jinki about the bag, Jinki said it will took an hour or more for the nutrition to fill in Minho's body if they were to inject an extra vitamin for him from that bag. It will be much faster if they just inject it into the hose because of the flowing liquid.
"It'll reach him within five minutes," Jinki once said.
Taemin waits for a year for him to actually made Minho's wish comes true. He was so scared back then, and confused. Is it really the best way for Minho? Can he really end Minho's suffers? Can he really do it? Ending someone's life is not as easy like he had seen many times on TV.
Taemin took 12 months to gather as much information he need in order to do so from Jinki. Bringing it once in awhile into their random conversations, trying hard to fake and hide everything, so he won't be discovered before he can actually put an end to Minho's sufferings. It is also for him to take his times, to be prepared.
A few months before Minho was bedridden, all Taemin did was making him sad, disappointed and Minho is the one who always said sorry. Taemin was too blind.
And now that he finally sees everything, and Minho made him promise one thing, how in the world can Taemin refused to do it?
"Do you remember the moment you asked me out? We were on your bed, you woke up too fast and your head hit mine. I dropped the pancakes I made for you and you said never to drop it again. Never.. or.."
The syringe needle in his hand is now empty. Taemin quickly grabbed the bottle again and transferred more liquids into the syringe needle.
The quantity he used just now should be enough to reach level 2 of anesthesia.
"There are four levels of anesthesia. Usually for surgeries, the doctors will only use it up to level 3 and have to maintain the level. If it goes to to level 4, the patient will die because of organs dysfunctions," Jinki once said.
Organs dysfunctions. Taemin don't know if it will hurt Minho or not. That's why he chose to inject the liquid into the hose instead so it won't take long.
" Never.. or you said you'll die.."
His eyes are terribly teary by now, but he is still trying his best not to cry.
Taemin takes a deep breath before he injected the second shot of anesthesia into the hose.
"I can't believe I did this.." he muttered slowly, more like whispering. It was then when suddenly the electrocardiograph machine besides Minho started to have gaps in between the beeps.
All his limbs feels weak, Taemin dropped the syringe needle in his hand and his tears suddenly wet his cheeks. He climbs on the bed and lies down besides Minho, hugging his prince, resting his head on Minho's chest.
"Why did it have come to this, hyung?" he muttered, closing his eyes.
"I've been waiting for so long.."
The gap in between each beeps is getting wider. Taemin don't even bother to check the leads on the screen.
He knows the leads will be flat very soon.
"Today is 10 October, hyung. We've been together for eleven years," Taemin whispered again.
A couple of minutes passed, and judging from the beeps from the electrocardiograph machine, Taemin knows it is almost there. He changed his position a bit so he can lean down and kisses Minho's dry lips for the last time.
"Goodbye, Minho hyung. I'm so sorry I took so long to grant your last wish. It's really hard, I hope you understand.. and forgive me for everything I've done, and please know that I'll never love anyone else as much as I love you.."
A drop of his tears fell on Minho's cheek, and right at that time the electrocardiograph machine makes a long beep. Taemin turns to the screen, and as he had predicted, all the leads on the screen are now flat.
After the entire long wait, Minho had left him for real.
As much as Taemin thought he's prepared for this day, he fails to control his tears. Never had he thought a guy can shed this much tears.
Gathering every little strength left inside his body, he slowly steps out of the room after whispering the last "Saranghae" to Minho.
***
"So, you have to sign here," the medical assistant at the Electrocardiograph Monitor Room said, handing Jinki a document.
"I'll do it later," Jinki said as he grabbed the document. He was on his way to Minho's room just now when the medical assistant stopped him and talk about some random documents.
"I'll go first," he said but the medical assistant stopped him again.
"There's another document, seonsaengnim,"
"Whatever documents you need me to sign, just bring them all here! I'm in rush now!" Jinki finally exploded, and the medical assistant quickly gathered all documents and handed them to Jinki. Jinki was about to leave when he saw one of the electrodiagraph machine in the room have flat leads.
"What.. yah! How can you missed this?! Why the machine didn’t beep at all before? It couldn’t go all flat like this before slowing down the pace first!" Jinki dropped all the documents on the floor and rush to the machine.
The medical assistant was surprised too and quickly matched Jinki's steps.
"It must be when I was talking to you, seonsaengnim.." he muttered and feels so guilty.
"But why there's no sound at all from this? We should've notice the slow pace even if you're not paying attention to the screen!"
"This one needs to be fixed, seonsaengnim. It has been acting like this for a couple of days already. It is scheduled to be fixed this evening.."
"Damn! Which room is this?" Jinki cursed as he took out his mobile phone to let the others know about this poor patient.
"Room 302,"
And Jinki dropped his phone upon hearing that.
Minho's room.
***
A moment before
"I can't believe I did this.." Taemin muttered slowly, more like whispering as he hugged Minho tighly. Minho heard him very well. He never fails to listen to Taemin, every single day since the first day he was bedridden.
He understands Taemin's guilt. How he wish he can tell the guy he loved that he never blames him. Everything happened for a reason. God had arranged their love story to be like this. And Minho got to see the best side, the most honest side of Taemin during his days when he was in a coma.
Taemin has a beautiful heart, Minho knows.
He understands how hard Taemin is pretending to be happy when he talks to him. If only he can tell Taemin that he doesn't have to act strong. Minho knows Taemin more than anyone else. He can put a smile on his face every single day when the fact is his own parents are cursing him at home. He can still reached his dream to be an idol despite of having a heart breaking family. Minho knows he is strong.
"I've been waiting for so long.." Taemin muttered again.
Minho understands Taemin's patience, waiting for someone who can't even move a muscle for hundreds of days, having faith that the person will open his eyes one day.
Minho started to feels so dizzy, his head feels much heavier compared to the worst migraine one might ever encountered.
"Today is 10 October, hyung. We've been together for eleven years," Taemin whispered again.
Eleven years? Minho is happy both of them had come this far.
He must say the times he hates the most will be the days he spent on this bed. He hates the fact that he is useless and weak. He hates the fact that he can't do anything aside from making Taemin and his parents sad and cry. Being like this is a torture, Minho really wants this to end really quick. He meant everything he said in the ninth letter to Taemin. If he ever encountered the same experience as his hyung did, he wishes for nothing except for everything to ends really fast.
He made Taemin promised him that.
Minho realized the gaps between the beeps from the electrocardiograph machine besides him are getting wider. The time is almost up.
It was then when Taemin changed his position a bit so he can lean down and kisses Minho's dry lips for the last time.
"Goodbye, Minho hyung. I'm so sorry I took so long to grant your last wish. It's really hard, I hope you understand.. and forgive me for everything I've done, and please know that I'll never love anyone else as much as I love you.."
This is the best of proof that Taemin is a strong person. If Taemin is the one bedridden, Minho himself is not sure if he really can do what Taemin just did.
Ending Minho's life equals to ending Taemin's own happiness, yet he chose to be fair to Minho.
"Tae, I'm glad I met you last eleven years. Even if I'm reborn a thousand more times, I only want you in my life. I love you so much, I really do. Thank you for everything."
A drop of Taemin's tears fell on Minho's cheek, and right at that time the electrocardiograph machine makes a long beep.
Minho has Taemin with him during his last moments.
He couldn’t ask for me. He is very thankful, and he's going to thank God as soon as he can for making his life perfect by creating Taemin.
***
Within a very short period of time, everyone rushed to the said room after receiving Jinki's call. Jinki has to squeeze himself in between the other doctors, nurses and medical assistants as soon as he reached the room, only to find Minho on the bed, and he never looks as pale as today.
"No.." he muttered when he saw the anesthesia bottle on the small desk besides Minho's bed.
He won't ask a foolish question such as "Is he still alive?" since the electrocardiograpgh machine explained it all. He is just way too confused, why did Taemin commit such thing, unaware of the fact there will be no one who understands Minho more than Taemin.
"This is a homicide, right?" someone muttered, and the others agreed in unison since the anesthesia bottle on the desk and the syringe needle on the floor are enough to explain what had just happened.
A few police officers suddenly appeared and starting to collect the evidences, asking questions to everyone in the room, trying to figure out the culprit and many in the crowd are expressing their sympathy towards Minho's parents who had been fighting for their son's right to live, and Lee Taemin, the ex-idol who spend most of his times in Minho's room since the first day the guy was in a coma.
"I.. I know who did this.." Jinki suddenly said, his eyes are fixed on Minho's dead body.
That single sentence of his creates a chaos in the room and the police officers has to force most of them to leave to avoid more obstacles in the investigation.
***
A couple of police cars arrived in front of Taemin's apartment. A few police officers jumps out from each, and Jinki is among them.
He has no intention to bring Taemin into trouble.
And he also has no intention in hiding the truth. Though deep inside in his heart, he is hoping things are not like what he had in mind.
Jinki's heart beats faster than usual whe he saw Taemin's door is left opened, and carefully he stepped into the apartment, followed by the police officers who then dispersed into the kitchen, living room and whatever corners there are in the apartment.
Jinki went straight to Taemin's room, and again, the door is left opened. His heart almost stops beating as soon as he steps into the room. He found Taemin, lying on his bed with his eyes closed, tears wetting his cheeks, and there is no single movement from his body.
As if he is not breathing.
"T-Taemin..?" Jinki stuttered his voice as he hold Taemin's wrist, trying to feel his pulse, and realized the male is no longer alive. Minho's letters are scattered on the bed besides him, and he is wearing the ring Minho bought him back then.
"What.. what have you done?" he said as he lifts Taemin's lifeless body a bit and hugs his close to his chest. Everything went too fast, Jinki is having difficulties to accept what had happened. He don’t even have the chance to make it up for the two poor souls and now both of them left him on the same day, in a way he can't even imagine.
The sky is bright that day. Like the first day Taemin and Minho first met.
A few days later the hospital and the CSI department released an autopsy report, a post mortem examination to discover the cause of Taemin's death. It is neither suicide nor homicide.
No, Taemin is not stupid. He didn’t commit suicide. Why would he? He had made Minho suffers way too much, he knows Minho will be disappointed again if he commit such a foolish act.
It's because Taemin is made for Minho. They are made for each other. They are made to love each other. So there are only two endings for their love. Live together, or die together.
God chose to take Minho first. And since there is no way to separate true lovers who are honestly in love with each other, He takes Taemin right after that.
That's the only reason.
Because Minho and Taemin are meant to be together.
The End.
I seriously don't know what to ramble this time..
Okay, this is the final chapter. Yes, as you had already read, both of them died. Because they are meant to be together. I am really worried to post this chapter, actually. I hope I don't make anyone angry. I have a nightmare last night regarding this
~I never write a sad ending before, I just want to give it a try ..
Like I said, the ending if FIXED. 10 is originally planned to have two versions of endings. Did anyone noticed '01' up there? This is version 01, and version 02 will be up in more or less .. two weeks from now. I'll be really busy starting next week, but I'll try my best not to keep you guys waiting ^^!
I won't say Goodbye yet, coz there is still another version of FINALE coming up. The title will be 'Never Enough'. Stay tune ^-^ ! Make sure you have SHINee's Kiss Kiss Kiss for you to listen to while reading the other version, ne?!
~ PYNK ~
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