Title: Lotusland

Pairing: 2min (Taemin/Minho)

Summary: Taemin had a glimpse of the afterlife

Author’s Note: I wasn’t very satisfied with this one. If I knew this would be my next word I would have saved the plot for verdant to this one. It would have fitted quite well to this word.

Song Inspiration: “Life” by SHINee

Word Count: 1191

lotusland \LOH-tus-land\

noun

1 : a place inducing contentment especially through offering an idyllic living situation

2 : a state or an ideal marked by contentment often achieved through self-indulgence

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“You are here because?” A man with a goofy smile who was sitting on a chair behind a table full of paperworks asked. He was wearing a suit and tie and from the way he looks and how the other guy with pink hair addressed him Taemin assumed that he’s probably the boss.

Before Taemin could utter a word, the pink-haired guy answered in his place. “Suicide, sir. He killed himself by jumping off a building.”

“And why exactly did you that?” The boss asked again.

Taemin opened his mouth to answer the question but the pink-haired guy beat him into it once again “Love problems, sir.”

“Kibum, let the man speak.”

 “Yes, sir. I’m sorry.” The guy named Kibum replied before backing away a few steps.

“Name?” The man behind the table asked.

“Lee Taemin.”

The boss wrote down something which Taemin assumed his bio data on a piece of paper before asking again. “Age?”

“21”

When he was done writing, he placed the paper aside and gave Taemin a big smile before saying, “Welcome to the afterlife Taemin-shi.”

Taemin had a lot of questions in his mind and he guessed it would be the best time to ask. “Uhm, where exactly am I going after here?”

“Well, that depends entirely on you.” The man stood up and walked closer to him before offering his hand for a handshake. “I’m Lee Jinki by the way.”

Taemin took it which made Jinki’s smile widen even more. “You see…” Jinki continued. “Before you can go to either heaven or hell, there is a place you have to go to first. It’s like a…” Jinki tilted his head on the side thinking for the right word before saying, “…a stopover. Yes, that’s right.”

Jinki draped his arm around Taemin’s shoulder and they went on a stroll which Taemin thinks is pretty pathetic because there isn’t much to see in the room. Except for the walls painted in white and Jinki’s desk filled with paperworks the entire office is just a big dull room of whites.

“I’ve met a lot of people like you Taemin-shi. Killed themselves because they thought it’s what they really wanted only to regret it afterwards.”

Taemin wanted to tell Jinki that he will never regret what he did but Jinki seemed to be the kind of person who never lost an argument in his life. He decided to do as he says because for one he didn’t think he had a choice in the matter and besides it will only be for a short while.

“Kibum,” Jinki called.

“Yes, sir?”

“Give our guest here a tour, will you?”

Taemin had never seen such a place before. It is definitely the place where he wanted to be. “This is lotusland,” Kibum explained. “It is designed to your liking so you would probably find everything you used to love on earth in this place.”

Taemin realized it must be true. There was a pond in a distance, a lush garden of different kinds of plants. There are flowers everywhere. And he could hear a faint sound of a piano playing in the background. He could also smell something cooking and there was a table on the side serving different kinds of food he loves. Everything was perfect.

But Taemin found something odd with the place. There were a few people probably like himself but everyone seemed to be doing different things. One was banging his head as if he was moving to a tune he himself could only hear. Another one was sitting in a non-existent chair and Taemin was wondering how long he had been doing it without feeling exhausted from squatting for so long.

“Everyone has their own version of lotusland,” Kibum explained as if reading his mind. “See that guy over there?” He pointed at the guy who was banging his head and Taemin nodded. “He’s a fan of rock music so he must be hearing rock tunes all day long.” Taemin understood and then he realized that the squatting man might have been sitting on a chair that the rest of them couldn’t see.

“How long had they’ve been here?” Taemin thinks it must have been ages because afterall if it’s a place made for their liking then surely they would love to stay.

“A week at most,” Kibum replied. “Lotusland is a place you would definitely love to visit but it’s not a place you would love to stay forever. Anyway, I’ll have to leave you here for a while so you can think things over. I’ll be back again. Have fun.” Kibum said before disappearing with a pop.

Taemin knew he has no reason to think things over. He made up his mind even before he climbed his way up to that rooftop of a 30-floor building and then jumped and threw his life away. He knew it even before then. He needed to die because that was for everyone’s convenience including his own.

He wandered around the place and the more he sees it the more he realizes that he likes the place. It gives him the feeling of contentment and satisfaction that he never felt when he was alive. But it also gives off a feeling of loneliness. Because even with all those people around he still feels alone. And it all breaks down to one thing: Minho isn’t with him.

“Taemin?” A familiar voice made him turn around and he found Kwon Yuri staring back at him. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said. It confuses him because he knew he should be the one telling her that.

“How about Minho?” she asked and Taemin didn’t know what to say because he had no in’ idea what’s going on. He jumped off a building because that was the wisest thing to do at the moment. Now he is no longer certain. “How could you leave him alone?” she asked with a tint of anger and disappointment in her voice.

“I thought you…” Taemin didn’t know what to say. Yuri was everything he could never be. She’s beautiful, talented, kind, and perfect. She was perfect for Minho. And since Taemin didn’t want to put Minho in a difficult position, he made the decision for him instead. He jumped off a building and put himself out of the picture.

But if Yuri is here then…

“Taemin you have to go back…” Yuri said and he knew she’s right.

-*-

When he opened his eyes Minho was there beside him, smiling at him, welcoming him back. His eyes were puffy red probably from crying and Taemin feels bad for causing him so much pain. Taemin just realized how stupid he was for leaving this man.

“Minho…” his voice was hoarse and his throat was dry.

“Yes, Tae? Do you need anything?”

“I had a dream…”

“What kind of dream?”

“I was in a very beautiful place. It was almost perfect. But I decided to go back.”

“Why is that?”

“Because it wasn’t heaven.”

Minho moved closer to him, leaned down and tenderly brushed his lips against Taemin’s. And Taemin realized one thing: this is definitely heaven.