The Way I Love You
Title: The Way I Love You
Rating: G
Pairing: 2min
Summary: Taemin just forgets about his home for a long time. But when he comes back, he never leave it again.
A/N: This fic is written for shawol_haven 13th challenge. Inspired by a song Milk Tea. I love that song, maybe because Minho's voice was so good when he sang it.
Prompt:
“Taemin-ah, don’t stand there. It’s dangerous.”
“But I like doing this, hyung. Come on, try this. It’s fun.” The younger of two doesn’t seem to listen to the older and continues walking on the iron of the railway.
“How is it if the train comes?” He takes Taemin’s wrist and pulls him.
“You worry too much, Minho hyung.” Taemin pouts.
“Sorry, I can’t focus on my painting if you keep standing there.” Minho says as he sits back on his earlier spot and continues to work on his drawing paper. Taemin follows and sits next to him.
“What have you done?” Taemin takes a peek at Minho’s paper. “Oh, it’s beautiful hyung.”
“Thanks,” Minho smiles.
“When we grow old, will you be a painter?”
“Yes, maybe. Why?”
“Because I want to be your model. I want you to paint me when we’re old one day.”
Minho only smiles to him but deep inside, he’s laughing hard at Taemin’s wish and the word ‘old’ that he used. That day, at their favourite place, Minho tells himself to become a great painter so he can paint Taemin as his model. He promises to learn quickly because he wants to paint Taemin as soon as possible. He wants to paint the young and attractive Taemin, not the old one.
“But, will you still stay with me when we grow up?”
“Yes. We will be together forever, won’t we? We should attend the same middle school and high school. We will-“ Taemin continues telling how the future will be in his eyes. Minho, who always stays quiet, just listens to him and smiles when he says something funny about their future.
The future seems so beautiful in their eyes. They never guess that the future is not always as beautiful as they think.
Five years later…
“A yummy lollipop for hyung.” Taemin hands a lollipop to Minho who receives it with a shocked face. Taemin’s sudden presence startles him.
“Why are you always shocked by my presence, hyung?” Taemin pouts.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to. But, somehow, you always surprise me,” Minho says in a strangely serious tone. He knows he need not be too serious about it but as usual, Minho is never good at speaking.
“No need to apologize hyung. I’ve told you about that.”
“Sorry.”
“Hyuuuuuung!” Minho chuckles at Taemin’s act. They stop talking to each other as they put the lollipops into their mouths.
They don’t talk much during school, but they always go home together. Minho usually arrives first at the bus stop and waits, and then Taemin will be there in 15-20 minutes later with lollipops in his hands. He loves candies so much, especially lollipops; he is also happy to give Minho some of them. Actually, Minho doesn’t particularly like eating candies or lollipops, but he knows that Taemin will love it if he likes lollipops too. So, he takes whatever Taemin gives to him just to please him.
They enjoy their lollipops while waiting for the bus. They know they have to stay quiet until they come to their favourite place, a peaceful road along the old obsolete railway that has been unused for the past two years.
When they arrive at their favourite place, Taemin will walk on the iron of the railway, his favourite thing to do at his favourite place with Minho. There, at their favourite place, they will talk about what happened during school, share about something in their private lives, and tell everything they want. Taemin talks more because Minho prefers to listen, because for him, listening to Taemin’s voice is just the same as listening to a beautiful song.
***
“Taemin-ah, there will be a painting competition next month. Do you think I should join?”
“There is no reason for you not to join it. Win the first place for me hyung. You’re always the best. Fighting!”
Minho sighs, wondering how Taemin could affect his life. He has never lost before. Everyone says it’s because of his great talent on painting. But Minho knows that he wins - or has to win - because Taemin wants it that way. Because he likes the way Taemin screams at him when he says he wins the competition. Because he likes to make Taemin smile and feel happy. Because to win means to repay all the support that Taemin gives to him. Minho knows he is not good with words, so he will speak to Taemin through his actions.
***
“Hyung, may I tell you something?”
“You know you can tell me everything, Taemin-ah.”
“Do you know a girl named Sulli? She’s our junior.”
“No, I don’t know her. I’m sorry.”
“No need to say sorry hyung. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know her. I-” Taemin’s cheeks turn red in embarrassment. Minho is dazed by Taemin’s blushing face; this is the first time he sees Taemin flushed. “I think I love her.”
This time, Minho is completely stunned. He even stops walking and his eyes go blank.
“Hyung? What’s wrong?”
“No. Nothing.”
“What do you think if I go after her?”
“I don’t know, Taemin-ah. I’m sorry.”
Minho may look calm and quiet, but deep inside; he’s not fine at all.
Minho locks his room and sits at his desk. He grabs his sketch book from his desk drawer. In that book, he has drawn the most memorable of Taemin’s expressions in sketches. He stares at every page that has been filled by Taemin’s face and a note that he wrote on the bottom of the pages.
Then, he starts to draw Taemin’s blushing face. He tries hard to remember Taemin’s face but half of him wants to forget it because it hurts. He doesn’t know why he is crying when he draws it, why his heart clenches when he remembers it, or why he feels like he is going lose his Taemin even more. Is it just because Taemin is his only best friend, so he feels a huge loss when Taemin says he loves somebody else? Or is it another feeling that he even doesn’t know what?
***
“What?”
“Guess it.”
“Sorry, I don’t have much time.”
“Hyuuuuuung!”
“Okay, okay, I guess it. You passed your last test.”
“You’re wrong. I confessed to her. We’re dating now.”
It takes a while for Minho to respond to him.
“Oh, congratulations Taemin-ah.”
“Thanks. Umm, hyung, I think I can’t go home with you today. I’m going to walk her home. May I?”
A week later…
Taemin has already forgotten about going home with Minho. He has already forgotten to text Minho, to call Minho, even to answer Minho’s calls.
Minho keeps waiting for him at the bus stop, hoping he will come and walk home with him.
A month later…
Sulli is the only thing that exists in Taemin’s head. He prefers to accompany her to get a manicure than be with Minho at a painting competition. When Minho tells him that he won, Taemin replies, “Really? Congratulations hyung,” and leaves.
Minho misses Taemin so much, that’s why he starts to buy lollipops on his own. He brings one every day. He walks to the bus stop, sits there, takes a lollipop and eats it, pretending that Taemin sits next to him, waiting for a bus to go home. Minho knows it’s crazy but he misses him too much.
At their graduation day..
“Taemin-ah, congratulations.” Minho does congratulate him brightly. He can’t describe how proud he is of his Taemin.
“Congratulations to you too. Oh, sorry hyung, I have to go. Sulli is waving at me; she has said that she wants me to greet her parents. God, I’m nervous.”
Two years later..
“Hyung, I-I have something to say,” Taemin says hesitantly.
“You know you can tell me everything, Taemin-ah.”
“I’m going to move the day after tomorrow. Sulli’s family is moving to Seoul. You know that I love her. I think I can’t live without her, so I decided to follow her to Seoul. I think I should tell you about this, hyung.” Taemin finishes and meets Minho’s stiffened face and empty eyes but his face turns back to calm directly.
“You’ve made a good decision, Taemin-ah. Umm, I think it’s too late. You better go home and get enough rest. Good night.” Minho closes the door. His tears are streaming from his eyes. All of a sudden, he remembers their conversation when they were still children.
“But, will you still stay with me when we grow up?” “Yes.”
Five years later..
Taemin is having a perfect life. He has a good job as a lawyer. He has a flawless fiancée, Sulli, who will be his wife next month.
On the other hand, Minho has grown up to be friendlier than before. He greets and talks to everyone easily. He works at a pet shop. He has Choco, a faithful white poodle, who accompanies him at the bus stop and to take walks at the old obsolete railway. Sometimes, they go stalking Taemin in Seoul when Minho has spare time, just to treat his longing. Minho never stops loving Taemin even if he knows that Taemin will never be with him.
A month after Taemin’s wedding…
“I heard that Taemin and his wife got a car accident last night. That’s why Mr. and Mrs. Lee came to Seoul to see their son,” a neighbour tells Minho.
Several hours later, Minho is in Taemin’s room with Taemin’s parents. Sulli was dead and Taemin lost his vision because of the accident. Taemin curses himself on Sulli’s death and he wants to just die in the accident. The sight of pained Taemin hurts Minho so much. If there is anything he can do to make him smile again, he will definitely do that.
“Hi, Taemin-ah,” Minho dares to talk to Taemin when his parents are out for lunch.
“Who are you?” Taemin answers coldly.
“Don’t you remember me?” Minho’s heart clenches. “I-I was your…friend-“ I was your friend..when you were single, that is what Minho actually wants to say to Taemin.
“I don’t remember you. Get out.”
Two weeks after Taemin’s car accident…
Taemin gets a donor for his eyes but it doesn’t mean he is happy. He spends his days drinking all the time and refuses all the attention towards him. No one can stop him. But he feels bothered by some weird either dreams or hallucinations of his own lately. Sometimes, his sight goes blurry. When that moment happens, he can see warm smiles from some people that he doesn’t know, an unfamiliar house, and a dog.
One day, he decides to ask the doctor about it.
“Who is my donor?”
“I’m sorry, but the person doesn’t want his identity revealed. Maybe it was just your hallucinations, you drink too much.”
“What the fuck are you saying? I’m sure it wasn’t my hallucinations. I got weird sights which bothered me so much, I thought it was about my donor memories or something like that and you refuse to tell me about it!”
“Please don’t shout here, Mr. Lee.” His doctor knows well how Taemin’s condition is right now, so he wants to give some hints to him. “I can just give you some hints. This person said that he was your friend. He never left you when you were hospitalized. That’s all I can tell you, Mr.Lee.”
After getting hints from his doctor, Taemin decides to visit his parents and ask them about the person that gave him the eyes. When the bus drops him at his destination, Taemin stops at the sight of the bus stop. Suddenly, he remembers about the bus stop near his high school. He feels a strange warmth creep into his heart and for the first time after the death of his wife, Taemin shows a wide pure smile.
Excitement fills Taemin’s heart; he can remember the old obsolete railway where he used to play when he was child. He decides to visit it before he sees his parents. But, when he is in the road of the railway, he meets someone unexpected.
It’s Minho and his white poodle dog, Choco.
Taemin stares at the dog intensely before he turns to see its owner. Taemin swears it is the same dog in either his dreams or hallucinations. The dog barks when their distance is pretty close.
“What’s wrong Choco?” The owner of the dog stops walking. Taemin stares at him with a doubtful look. Even if the owner is wearing a hat and dark glasses, Taemin’s sure it is Minho, but why doesn’t Minho greet him? Has he forgotten about Taemin?
“Choco, why are you stopping here?” Minho’s voice sounds hesitant. He turns around.
“Is there anyone near here?”
Taemin’s heart drops at Minho’s question. There is one way to know whether it was true or he was just mishearing. Taemin takes a few soundless steps closer to Minho and waves his hand in front of Minho’s face carefully, not wanting him to be aware of his presence.
And Minho shows nothing. He doesn’t react to Taemin’s action.
Tears start to stream from Taemin’s eyes.
“..This person said that he was your friend. He never left you when you were hospitalized.”
He forgets about his parents and stalks Minho.
As usual, Minho visits the bus stop near their high school and sits there with a lollipop in his mouth. Taemin can’t hold it anymore. He sits next to Minho and talks to him.
“You’re too old for lollipop.”
Minho is surprised and turns his head to the source of the voice. Somehow, he feels like it is Taemin’s voice but it is impossible for Taemin to be here. So, he strikes that thought away.
“I think there is no age limit for a lollipop.” He smiles.
From his answer, Taemin’s sure Minho has forgotten his voice. It relieves him.
“Yeah, it’s just uncommon to see a man sitting alone at the bus stop with a lollipop in his mouth. What exactly are you doing here?”
“I’m not alone.” He smiles again; it makes Taemin realize that he misses it so much.
“I’m with Choco, my dog. He is cute, isn’t he?” He strokes Choco’s hair. “I used to sit here with my friend when we were still in high school. I just miss that time. Are you a visitor?”
Taemin can’t answer his question because he is crying badly right now. He keeps his crying silent so that Minho won’t be curious.
“Don’t you remember me..Minho hyung?” Taemin says and bursts into tears. He hugs Minho tightly like his life depends on it. Minho is stunned at his action.
“Is it really you, Taemin-ah?”
“Don’t you believe me?” His voice is panting from crying.
“I-I just didn’t think you’d be here. I thought you’d forgotten me.”
Taemin tightens his grip even more when he hears it. How could he be so stupid so far? How could he forget about his home? A home that has never failed to warm him. He wonders on how that warmth works on him, even now, so that he can let go of Sulli.
The next day..
Taemin stays at Minho’s house, exploring every spot of it. Sometimes, he laughs at funny stuff of his hyung, but most of the time he cries at everything about him in his house. Every painting, trophy, and medal, which is dedicated to him, but he never knows. One thing he cries hard about is a sketch book he finds in Minho’s desk drawer. He finds all the pages are filled by his face and a note in every corner of the page.
The first time he blushed on someone. I don’t know why I dislike it.
He confessed to her. It hurts.
Are you still remembering our bus stop moment, Taemin-ah?
You said we will be together when we grow up. But you leave me.
Taemin stops at a sketch from when he was hospitalized. He recognizes it from the bandage that’s tied around his eyes. He sheds a tear when he reads the note. Maybe, this is the last time I’ll draw you. I’m sorry, I promised myself I would paint you when we were children. But I think I won’t be able to fulfil it. I decided to give you my eyes instead of a painting. I hope you’ll understand it someday. Welcome back to the world Taemin-ah, you deserve this beautiful world. I wonder why God took your vision, but don’t worry; I’ll be the one who gives it back to you.
A few months later…
“Minho hyung, I love you,” Taemin confesses to him. He has been living with Minho a week after his coming to this small town. He takes care of everything about Minho; he doesn’t want to repeat the same mistake he did before. Taemin is happy to know Minho still accepts him as his close friend and allows him to live with him. As days pass, his attention towards Minho is growing more intense, until he wants to be more than a friend.
“You know I always love you, Taemin-ah.” Minho seems to misunderstand. He doesn’t know that Taemin is confessing to him.
“Hyuuung, I’m serious.” He pouts and tugs on Minho’s sleeve. “I love you; I mean I want to be your boyfriend.” Taemin blushes. Somehow, he is glad Minho can’t see his face.
But Minho thinks it’s different. If he wasn’t blind, he would hug the younger and say that he wants to be his boyfriend too.
“Taemin-ah, you’re not in love with me. The feeling you feel towards me is just sympathy, not love. You deserve something more than a blind and useless person like me. Just go find pretty girls out there.”
“STOP IT, HYUNG! I HATE IT WHEN YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF IN FRONT OF ME. IT’S MY FEELING, NOT YOURS! HOW DARE YOU JUGDE IT JUST LIKE THAT?”
Taemin leaves him and Minho can hear the door slam behind him. Minho knows he has made a mistake. Carefully, he reaches Taemin’s room and goes inside.
“Sorry, I just want the best for you,” Minho says when he stands next to Taemin.
“For me, you are the best hyung.”
Countless days later…
Minho is sitting at the bus stop near his old high school with Choco on his lap.
“Sweet lollipop for my husband,” Taemin hands Minho a lollipop and gives a peck on his lips. Minho smiles and puts his palms on Taemin’s face.
“It seems like my wife looks happy today. I wonder what it is.”
Taemin smiles brightly and tells him that he is proud of his students as they passed the final exams.
“What about you? How is the progress of your painting?”
Minho has started to paint again after Taemin forced him to do it.
“Well, umm, Choco was-“ Minho stops because Taemin punches his stomach.
“Yaah, you didn’t do it, did you?”
Minho chuckles in pain. Even if he can’t see Taemin’s face, he somehow knows how cute he is now.
“What kind of wife would punch his husband?” Minho teases him.
“Stop teasing me, hyung.”
“It seems like someone is mad now.” Minho leans closer to Taemin and whispers, “I’m just kidding. I finished it this afternoon.”
“Hyuuuuuung-“
A/N: if you like this and want to vote, you can vote for this fic here
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Rating: G
Pairing: 2min
Summary: Taemin just forgets about his home for a long time. But when he comes back, he never leave it again.
A/N: This fic is written for shawol_haven 13th challenge. Inspired by a song Milk Tea. I love that song, maybe because Minho's voice was so good when he sang it.
Prompt:
“Taemin-ah, don’t stand there. It’s dangerous.”
“But I like doing this, hyung. Come on, try this. It’s fun.” The younger of two doesn’t seem to listen to the older and continues walking on the iron of the railway.
“How is it if the train comes?” He takes Taemin’s wrist and pulls him.
“You worry too much, Minho hyung.” Taemin pouts.
“Sorry, I can’t focus on my painting if you keep standing there.” Minho says as he sits back on his earlier spot and continues to work on his drawing paper. Taemin follows and sits next to him.
“What have you done?” Taemin takes a peek at Minho’s paper. “Oh, it’s beautiful hyung.”
“Thanks,” Minho smiles.
“When we grow old, will you be a painter?”
“Yes, maybe. Why?”
“Because I want to be your model. I want you to paint me when we’re old one day.”
Minho only smiles to him but deep inside, he’s laughing hard at Taemin’s wish and the word ‘old’ that he used. That day, at their favourite place, Minho tells himself to become a great painter so he can paint Taemin as his model. He promises to learn quickly because he wants to paint Taemin as soon as possible. He wants to paint the young and attractive Taemin, not the old one.
“But, will you still stay with me when we grow up?”
“Yes. We will be together forever, won’t we? We should attend the same middle school and high school. We will-“ Taemin continues telling how the future will be in his eyes. Minho, who always stays quiet, just listens to him and smiles when he says something funny about their future.
The future seems so beautiful in their eyes. They never guess that the future is not always as beautiful as they think.
Five years later…
“A yummy lollipop for hyung.” Taemin hands a lollipop to Minho who receives it with a shocked face. Taemin’s sudden presence startles him.
“Why are you always shocked by my presence, hyung?” Taemin pouts.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to. But, somehow, you always surprise me,” Minho says in a strangely serious tone. He knows he need not be too serious about it but as usual, Minho is never good at speaking.
“No need to apologize hyung. I’ve told you about that.”
“Sorry.”
“Hyuuuuuung!” Minho chuckles at Taemin’s act. They stop talking to each other as they put the lollipops into their mouths.
They don’t talk much during school, but they always go home together. Minho usually arrives first at the bus stop and waits, and then Taemin will be there in 15-20 minutes later with lollipops in his hands. He loves candies so much, especially lollipops; he is also happy to give Minho some of them. Actually, Minho doesn’t particularly like eating candies or lollipops, but he knows that Taemin will love it if he likes lollipops too. So, he takes whatever Taemin gives to him just to please him.
They enjoy their lollipops while waiting for the bus. They know they have to stay quiet until they come to their favourite place, a peaceful road along the old obsolete railway that has been unused for the past two years.
When they arrive at their favourite place, Taemin will walk on the iron of the railway, his favourite thing to do at his favourite place with Minho. There, at their favourite place, they will talk about what happened during school, share about something in their private lives, and tell everything they want. Taemin talks more because Minho prefers to listen, because for him, listening to Taemin’s voice is just the same as listening to a beautiful song.
***
“Taemin-ah, there will be a painting competition next month. Do you think I should join?”
“There is no reason for you not to join it. Win the first place for me hyung. You’re always the best. Fighting!”
Minho sighs, wondering how Taemin could affect his life. He has never lost before. Everyone says it’s because of his great talent on painting. But Minho knows that he wins - or has to win - because Taemin wants it that way. Because he likes the way Taemin screams at him when he says he wins the competition. Because he likes to make Taemin smile and feel happy. Because to win means to repay all the support that Taemin gives to him. Minho knows he is not good with words, so he will speak to Taemin through his actions.
***
“Hyung, may I tell you something?”
“You know you can tell me everything, Taemin-ah.”
“Do you know a girl named Sulli? She’s our junior.”
“No, I don’t know her. I’m sorry.”
“No need to say sorry hyung. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know her. I-” Taemin’s cheeks turn red in embarrassment. Minho is dazed by Taemin’s blushing face; this is the first time he sees Taemin flushed. “I think I love her.”
This time, Minho is completely stunned. He even stops walking and his eyes go blank.
“Hyung? What’s wrong?”
“No. Nothing.”
“What do you think if I go after her?”
“I don’t know, Taemin-ah. I’m sorry.”
Minho may look calm and quiet, but deep inside; he’s not fine at all.
Minho locks his room and sits at his desk. He grabs his sketch book from his desk drawer. In that book, he has drawn the most memorable of Taemin’s expressions in sketches. He stares at every page that has been filled by Taemin’s face and a note that he wrote on the bottom of the pages.
Then, he starts to draw Taemin’s blushing face. He tries hard to remember Taemin’s face but half of him wants to forget it because it hurts. He doesn’t know why he is crying when he draws it, why his heart clenches when he remembers it, or why he feels like he is going lose his Taemin even more. Is it just because Taemin is his only best friend, so he feels a huge loss when Taemin says he loves somebody else? Or is it another feeling that he even doesn’t know what?
***
“What?”
“Guess it.”
“Sorry, I don’t have much time.”
“Hyuuuuuung!”
“Okay, okay, I guess it. You passed your last test.”
“You’re wrong. I confessed to her. We’re dating now.”
It takes a while for Minho to respond to him.
“Oh, congratulations Taemin-ah.”
“Thanks. Umm, hyung, I think I can’t go home with you today. I’m going to walk her home. May I?”
A week later…
Taemin has already forgotten about going home with Minho. He has already forgotten to text Minho, to call Minho, even to answer Minho’s calls.
Minho keeps waiting for him at the bus stop, hoping he will come and walk home with him.
A month later…
Sulli is the only thing that exists in Taemin’s head. He prefers to accompany her to get a manicure than be with Minho at a painting competition. When Minho tells him that he won, Taemin replies, “Really? Congratulations hyung,” and leaves.
Minho misses Taemin so much, that’s why he starts to buy lollipops on his own. He brings one every day. He walks to the bus stop, sits there, takes a lollipop and eats it, pretending that Taemin sits next to him, waiting for a bus to go home. Minho knows it’s crazy but he misses him too much.
At their graduation day..
“Taemin-ah, congratulations.” Minho does congratulate him brightly. He can’t describe how proud he is of his Taemin.
“Congratulations to you too. Oh, sorry hyung, I have to go. Sulli is waving at me; she has said that she wants me to greet her parents. God, I’m nervous.”
Two years later..
“Hyung, I-I have something to say,” Taemin says hesitantly.
“You know you can tell me everything, Taemin-ah.”
“I’m going to move the day after tomorrow. Sulli’s family is moving to Seoul. You know that I love her. I think I can’t live without her, so I decided to follow her to Seoul. I think I should tell you about this, hyung.” Taemin finishes and meets Minho’s stiffened face and empty eyes but his face turns back to calm directly.
“You’ve made a good decision, Taemin-ah. Umm, I think it’s too late. You better go home and get enough rest. Good night.” Minho closes the door. His tears are streaming from his eyes. All of a sudden, he remembers their conversation when they were still children.
“But, will you still stay with me when we grow up?” “Yes.”
Five years later..
Taemin is having a perfect life. He has a good job as a lawyer. He has a flawless fiancée, Sulli, who will be his wife next month.
On the other hand, Minho has grown up to be friendlier than before. He greets and talks to everyone easily. He works at a pet shop. He has Choco, a faithful white poodle, who accompanies him at the bus stop and to take walks at the old obsolete railway. Sometimes, they go stalking Taemin in Seoul when Minho has spare time, just to treat his longing. Minho never stops loving Taemin even if he knows that Taemin will never be with him.
A month after Taemin’s wedding…
“I heard that Taemin and his wife got a car accident last night. That’s why Mr. and Mrs. Lee came to Seoul to see their son,” a neighbour tells Minho.
Several hours later, Minho is in Taemin’s room with Taemin’s parents. Sulli was dead and Taemin lost his vision because of the accident. Taemin curses himself on Sulli’s death and he wants to just die in the accident. The sight of pained Taemin hurts Minho so much. If there is anything he can do to make him smile again, he will definitely do that.
“Hi, Taemin-ah,” Minho dares to talk to Taemin when his parents are out for lunch.
“Who are you?” Taemin answers coldly.
“Don’t you remember me?” Minho’s heart clenches. “I-I was your…friend-“ I was your friend..when you were single, that is what Minho actually wants to say to Taemin.
“I don’t remember you. Get out.”
Two weeks after Taemin’s car accident…
Taemin gets a donor for his eyes but it doesn’t mean he is happy. He spends his days drinking all the time and refuses all the attention towards him. No one can stop him. But he feels bothered by some weird either dreams or hallucinations of his own lately. Sometimes, his sight goes blurry. When that moment happens, he can see warm smiles from some people that he doesn’t know, an unfamiliar house, and a dog.
One day, he decides to ask the doctor about it.
“Who is my donor?”
“I’m sorry, but the person doesn’t want his identity revealed. Maybe it was just your hallucinations, you drink too much.”
“What the fuck are you saying? I’m sure it wasn’t my hallucinations. I got weird sights which bothered me so much, I thought it was about my donor memories or something like that and you refuse to tell me about it!”
“Please don’t shout here, Mr. Lee.” His doctor knows well how Taemin’s condition is right now, so he wants to give some hints to him. “I can just give you some hints. This person said that he was your friend. He never left you when you were hospitalized. That’s all I can tell you, Mr.Lee.”
After getting hints from his doctor, Taemin decides to visit his parents and ask them about the person that gave him the eyes. When the bus drops him at his destination, Taemin stops at the sight of the bus stop. Suddenly, he remembers about the bus stop near his high school. He feels a strange warmth creep into his heart and for the first time after the death of his wife, Taemin shows a wide pure smile.
Excitement fills Taemin’s heart; he can remember the old obsolete railway where he used to play when he was child. He decides to visit it before he sees his parents. But, when he is in the road of the railway, he meets someone unexpected.
It’s Minho and his white poodle dog, Choco.
Taemin stares at the dog intensely before he turns to see its owner. Taemin swears it is the same dog in either his dreams or hallucinations. The dog barks when their distance is pretty close.
“What’s wrong Choco?” The owner of the dog stops walking. Taemin stares at him with a doubtful look. Even if the owner is wearing a hat and dark glasses, Taemin’s sure it is Minho, but why doesn’t Minho greet him? Has he forgotten about Taemin?
“Choco, why are you stopping here?” Minho’s voice sounds hesitant. He turns around.
“Is there anyone near here?”
Taemin’s heart drops at Minho’s question. There is one way to know whether it was true or he was just mishearing. Taemin takes a few soundless steps closer to Minho and waves his hand in front of Minho’s face carefully, not wanting him to be aware of his presence.
And Minho shows nothing. He doesn’t react to Taemin’s action.
Tears start to stream from Taemin’s eyes.
“..This person said that he was your friend. He never left you when you were hospitalized.”
He forgets about his parents and stalks Minho.
As usual, Minho visits the bus stop near their high school and sits there with a lollipop in his mouth. Taemin can’t hold it anymore. He sits next to Minho and talks to him.
“You’re too old for lollipop.”
Minho is surprised and turns his head to the source of the voice. Somehow, he feels like it is Taemin’s voice but it is impossible for Taemin to be here. So, he strikes that thought away.
“I think there is no age limit for a lollipop.” He smiles.
From his answer, Taemin’s sure Minho has forgotten his voice. It relieves him.
“Yeah, it’s just uncommon to see a man sitting alone at the bus stop with a lollipop in his mouth. What exactly are you doing here?”
“I’m not alone.” He smiles again; it makes Taemin realize that he misses it so much.
“I’m with Choco, my dog. He is cute, isn’t he?” He strokes Choco’s hair. “I used to sit here with my friend when we were still in high school. I just miss that time. Are you a visitor?”
Taemin can’t answer his question because he is crying badly right now. He keeps his crying silent so that Minho won’t be curious.
“Don’t you remember me..Minho hyung?” Taemin says and bursts into tears. He hugs Minho tightly like his life depends on it. Minho is stunned at his action.
“Is it really you, Taemin-ah?”
“Don’t you believe me?” His voice is panting from crying.
“I-I just didn’t think you’d be here. I thought you’d forgotten me.”
Taemin tightens his grip even more when he hears it. How could he be so stupid so far? How could he forget about his home? A home that has never failed to warm him. He wonders on how that warmth works on him, even now, so that he can let go of Sulli.
The next day..
Taemin stays at Minho’s house, exploring every spot of it. Sometimes, he laughs at funny stuff of his hyung, but most of the time he cries at everything about him in his house. Every painting, trophy, and medal, which is dedicated to him, but he never knows. One thing he cries hard about is a sketch book he finds in Minho’s desk drawer. He finds all the pages are filled by his face and a note in every corner of the page.
The first time he blushed on someone. I don’t know why I dislike it.
He confessed to her. It hurts.
Are you still remembering our bus stop moment, Taemin-ah?
You said we will be together when we grow up. But you leave me.
Taemin stops at a sketch from when he was hospitalized. He recognizes it from the bandage that’s tied around his eyes. He sheds a tear when he reads the note. Maybe, this is the last time I’ll draw you. I’m sorry, I promised myself I would paint you when we were children. But I think I won’t be able to fulfil it. I decided to give you my eyes instead of a painting. I hope you’ll understand it someday. Welcome back to the world Taemin-ah, you deserve this beautiful world. I wonder why God took your vision, but don’t worry; I’ll be the one who gives it back to you.
A few months later…
“Minho hyung, I love you,” Taemin confesses to him. He has been living with Minho a week after his coming to this small town. He takes care of everything about Minho; he doesn’t want to repeat the same mistake he did before. Taemin is happy to know Minho still accepts him as his close friend and allows him to live with him. As days pass, his attention towards Minho is growing more intense, until he wants to be more than a friend.
“You know I always love you, Taemin-ah.” Minho seems to misunderstand. He doesn’t know that Taemin is confessing to him.
“Hyuuung, I’m serious.” He pouts and tugs on Minho’s sleeve. “I love you; I mean I want to be your boyfriend.” Taemin blushes. Somehow, he is glad Minho can’t see his face.
But Minho thinks it’s different. If he wasn’t blind, he would hug the younger and say that he wants to be his boyfriend too.
“Taemin-ah, you’re not in love with me. The feeling you feel towards me is just sympathy, not love. You deserve something more than a blind and useless person like me. Just go find pretty girls out there.”
“STOP IT, HYUNG! I HATE IT WHEN YOU HUMBLE YOURSELF IN FRONT OF ME. IT’S MY FEELING, NOT YOURS! HOW DARE YOU JUGDE IT JUST LIKE THAT?”
Taemin leaves him and Minho can hear the door slam behind him. Minho knows he has made a mistake. Carefully, he reaches Taemin’s room and goes inside.
“Sorry, I just want the best for you,” Minho says when he stands next to Taemin.
“For me, you are the best hyung.”
Countless days later…
Minho is sitting at the bus stop near his old high school with Choco on his lap.
“Sweet lollipop for my husband,” Taemin hands Minho a lollipop and gives a peck on his lips. Minho smiles and puts his palms on Taemin’s face.
“It seems like my wife looks happy today. I wonder what it is.”
Taemin smiles brightly and tells him that he is proud of his students as they passed the final exams.
“What about you? How is the progress of your painting?”
Minho has started to paint again after Taemin forced him to do it.
“Well, umm, Choco was-“ Minho stops because Taemin punches his stomach.
“Yaah, you didn’t do it, did you?”
Minho chuckles in pain. Even if he can’t see Taemin’s face, he somehow knows how cute he is now.
“What kind of wife would punch his husband?” Minho teases him.
“Stop teasing me, hyung.”
“It seems like someone is mad now.” Minho leans closer to Taemin and whispers, “I’m just kidding. I finished it this afternoon.”
“Hyuuuuuung-“
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