Work Text:
~ September, 2024 ~
He looked out from the window, took a deep breath and sighed. His fingers were a bit shaken up after crying so hard. Why? His mind was just replaying all the memories he had with him. Now they all were gone. Just in a snap of fingers, everything was gone.
“Taemin-ah?“ he heard a soft knock, he quickly rubbed his eyes wiping off his tears. “Y-yeah?“ he tried to collect himself a bit better when a young man walked into his room.
“What’s happening? I heard your cries downstairs…“ the man said calmly with a soft smile. “I… nevermind…“ Taemin shook his head and looked out from the window. “It is fine, Onew hyung… really… I…“ Taemin sighed and bit his lip.
“No, Minnie, I can see for days that you aren’t exactly fine,” Onew sighed and sat beside him when Taemin just looked at his hands and played with his fingers biting his lip.
“I… well… let me explain this to you,” he said quietly.
~ November, 2010 ~
“Jonghyun! No! It is tickling me!” Taemin laughed and smacked Jonghyun’s hands away, or so he tried. “Ow, it is tickling you? And what if it is something I wanted to do, hm?” Jonghyun laughed and gave a soft pinch to Taemin’s nose. Taemin pouted slightly and rubbed the edge of his nose pouting slightly.
“Not funny!” he said stubbornly and Jonghyun laughed softly when he shook his head.
“Aww, you are just a baby… right? Such a cutie, come here,” Jjong smiled chuckling, and hugged Taemin tightly squeezing him in his embrace.
“Nah! Hyung! I am not a baby!” Taemin whined pouting slightly and tried to push Jonghyun away but it caused the older boy tighten his hug, Taemin squeaked trying to push his friend away but they ended up laughing. But they weren't just friends.
“No offense, but you will be forever baby,” Jonghyun said smiling softly when he took Taemin’s hand. “You are going to be my baby even if I have to go to that college…” he said with a soft smile and Taemin’s heart beat fast.
"Remember, Taeminnie, you are forever mine, no matter where I will be... no matter how far I will be, you are always deeply in my heart, you are the only one who can make me smile and laugh. You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy...." Jonghyun said softly smiling, stroking Taemin's cheek and looking deeply into his eyes.
"I love you, Jonghyunnie hyung," Taemin whispered.
"I love you too, baby," Jonghyun smiled, took Taemin's face between his hands, and kissed his lips deeply.
~ September, 2024 ~
Onew, after hearing Taemin’s story, blinked. “Um… you and Jonghyun were a couple?” Onew asked and rubbed Taemin’s knee when the younger boy nodded.
“Yeah… You can think what you want about me…” Taemin sighed and looked at his fingers back.
“I don’t think anything bad about you, Taemin-ah…” Onew sighed. “I always wondered why you never found some lady and kept living in this house…” he added.
Onew and Taemin had been friends, before even roommates till Onew’s graduation from the college where he was just two years up from Taemin but they shared the house for cheap rent. Taemin worked as a waiter and barista in the restaurant that Onew owned and was also a perfect cook. Onew didn't own just one restaurant, his complex of restaurants could be found in the whole town of Seoul and some other cities nearby. They stayed as best friends. This week Onew had been staying in the house again because his house needed some repairment.
“I always wondered… what happened to him,” Taemin said and smiled sadly.
“What do you remember about the last time you saw him?” Onew asked curiously. “Hm… he was supposed to leave for the college in Seoul while I was living in Daegu back then. His parents were also there but then one day they moved out of the town… my parents said they moved to Busan…” Taemin sighed and shook his head.
“And he never came back to Daegu? Never contacted you?” Onew asked in confusion. “He was your partner…” he added.
“That is something I will probably never know… since the day he moved to Seoul… I lost contact with him,” Taemin sighed and Onew hugged him. “I didn’t know… I am sorry, I wish you could meet him once again…” Onew said with a sad smile.
“I wish… but I don’t know much… I remember he studied at that prestige medic school…” Taemin said and Onew thought for a while. “I have an idea… shall we look for doctors online?” Onew looked at Taemin who blinked.
“Doctors… online? It… works?” he widened his eyes and Onew nodded. “Yeah, if he is working in any hospital in Seoul, his name should be there written,” Onew smiled softly.
“Let’s try it,” Taemin said nodding and his heart beat fast.
They opened the laptop and turned it on. Onew started searching some websites. He looked at every hospital in Seoul and looked up to its workers. They searched for Jonghyun for two hours, but there was no trace of the man named Jonghyun. And if there was Jonghyun, it wasn't Taemin's Jonghyun.
"I don't know hyung, I have a feeling... I won't find him..." Taemin sighed as he finished the coffee they made for themselves an hour ago. "Taemin, you can't give up!" Onew sighed. "You know... that time... I also lost my phone... I guess he might think I never wanted to contact him again," Taemin sighed again and Onew blinked. "So... you lost your phone?" Onew blinked.
"Um... I forgot to mention it... Yes, I lost my phone, he left for college and we exchanged a few messages. But one day I lost my phone and... when I got a new one two weeks later. There was no Jonghyun. Sadly, it was also after his parents moved away," Taemin sighed and rubbed his cheeks.
"He didn't appear in Daegu to meet you?" Onew sighed. "No... he didn't appear... I don't know if he came or not... I think that... with a lost contact... he forgot about me... but..." Taemin rubbed his eyes.
"But you can't forget him," Onew finished Taemin's sentence when the younger man nodded and leaned at Onew who sighed and comforted his friend.
~ November, 2024 ~
After the day when Onew tried to comfort Taemin, days passed. Taemin tried to recollect himself and did his best to stay focused on his work. At a small meeting with all workers, Onew stood up from his seat and drew the attention of everyone in the room to him.
"Okay team, I have been asked if we can arrange a big event..." He started and smiled.
"An international medical institution asked me if our restaurant could host a conference for delegates from medical universities, chambers, and leading hospitals from both South Korea and around the world. Our restaurant would have to accommodate 200 people, which would need to be served, which is a lot, and it wouldn't be held at this branch restaurant so we would choose our branch restaurant in the heart of Seoul, near the river. That building is big enough. On that day, the other branches would be closed, and all the staff working for our Flow restaurant would be present at our larger branch, which can accommodate and serve so many guests, as well as a hotel, whose staff would also cooperate," Onew smiled and looked at the surprised faces of the workers.
"Woah, that is a lot! So like faces of the main leaders from medical support teams, will appear?" one of the workers smiled widely.
"That's right... we will have that even for 48 hours... it will be held from Friday till Saturday..." Onew nodded smiling. "Minho and Kibum will make sure that the hotel is well prepared too, we will meet with the event organizers in the next week. So are you all in? I will get all managers together so we point out some strategies... and also we should prepare the main Menus," Onew smiled.
"We can do it, we aren't afraid," someone said and everyone cheered when Onew chuckled. "I knew I could count on you," he nodded and looked at Taemin. "Taemin, can you be our main leading waiter for the event?" Onew asked him if Taemin was the lead for the restaurant they were in, but leading the whole staff, was a bigger challenge. It was a bit anxious feeling.
"That sounds crazy... but okay hyung, I can," Taemin smiled nodding. "Perfect... we will arrange it and prepare everything... the day A will be on 20th December," Onew smiled and talked more about plans.
~ December, 2024 ~
The day came quickly. Everything was prepared and ready. People were slowly getting into the restaurant where the conference would happen. Onew was in his best suit greeting everyone and staying with organizers when organizers were asking some questions about Onew's business. Onew was happy to answer them all while glancing at his workers from time to time. Everything was going well.
Taemin was doing his best, as the leader of their workers, he had to watch over them and he made sure that all of their clients were well served and settled in their seats as they were supposed to. Soon all guests were in and the conference started. After some talking, and greetings, the meeting was perfect and everyone was satisfied. It was till Taemin walked into the corridor to get some more wine that they had in another room.
"Taemin-ah? Is that you?" suddenly a voice called his name and it wasn't a voice... wait what? It was familiar. But the voice he hadn't... his breath hitched and his voice got stuck when he turned around and looked at the person who was just in front of him, he was putting his phone in his pocket.
Taemin had to blink twice while the stranger, no... it wasn't stranger. After all these years. "J-Jonghyun?" Taemin breathed out in surprise.
"Taemin... it is really you... you are... wow... I don't know what to say," the man, the man whom he missed the most, was just now in front of him.
"Jonghyun... I... what are you doing here?" Taemin asked and he had to place the wine bottle on the carpeted floor or soon it would fall from his hands.
"I am here as a representative of the Scientific Cancer Research Center from the Korea and Japan region," Jonghyun said. "And you?" he asked and looked at Taemin, down and up again observing him. "I am the lead waiter today, watching over our staff..." Taemin said and his hands shook a bit. "You... didn't change a lot... it is nice to see you again... how long it has been?" Jonghyun bit his lip sighing when he got closer.
"Fourteen years..." Taemin whispered. "What happened... why have you never come back?" Taemin asked sadly.
"I came back... but you weren't home... I left a letter for you there," Jonghyun said blinking. "You didn't... get it?" he asked. "Which letter?" Taemin blinked confused.
"When I came over for summer holidays, you were in Japan, your mother said that... I left a letter for you," Jonghyun said sadly. "When I tried to come before my departure back to Seoul, I met your father and he said you are still in Japan with your friends, I left another letter for you and left Daegu again. Then my parents suddenly moved to Busan and when I tried to contact you, it was blacked off. I couldn't call your phone number. I couldn't text you, since we didn't have any social media... I couldn't get back in touch with you. Then sadly I lost my phone in one canyon on a trip and I felt like my world fell apart," Jonghyun sighed.
"Wait..." Taemin's breathing got heavier. "Japan? Me in Japan? I... never was there during my high school years..." Taemin shook his head. "Letters... I never got any letter," Taemin blinked.
"You didn't?" Jonghyun blinked. "Once in a month... I tried to write you a letter but you never texted back or called me on the phone number I gave you in the letter, that written phone number was my new... I even tried to come to Daegu again next summer but no one was home so I had to get back to Seoul... I thought you didn't want to see me ever again..." Jonghyun sighed.
"I need... someone to explain this to me... I need to talk to my parents... You send me a letter once a month? But... I never got one!" Taemin bit his lip and leaned against the wall when his legs shook more. Jonghyun widened his eyes and got even closer catching Taemin in his arms tightly.
Taemin's body relaxed against his body, the familiar feeling was still here.
"Taemin, where are you?" a voice disturbed them, and soon, Onew appeared in the corridor when he blinked. "Is everything alright? Sir, who are you?" Onew frowned a bit. "It is... Jonghyun... hyung... he is here... I... and I probably need some fresh air..." Taemin said shaking. Onew blinked, he didn't have to ask more, his confusion rushed away when he understood what was happening.
"I can take you to my room if it will ease you a bit," Jonghyun said. "Shouldn't you be at the conference?" Taemin asked and bit his lip. "I have my coworker there and I am not needed there that much..." Jonghyun smiled a bit and shook his head.
"You can take some time off... Taemin, if you need and want," Onew said with a soft smile when he picked up the bottle of wine but took four more in the basket.
"Are you sure, hyung?" Taemin asked biting his lip when Onew nodded. "Go... I am sure you have got a lot to talk about," Onew smiled and Taemin nodded. "And we can go... I... come..." Jonghyun sighed and led Taemin through the corridor which Taemin knew, they got to the hotel that was just part of the restaurant but run by someone else. They got in the elevator and arrived at the seventh floor where Jonghyun's room was, it was a big room and Jonghyun had already unpacked his things. They sat on the bed.
"There have been a lot of words I wanted to tell you in case we meet... but now it... faded away..." Jonghyun sighed. "I still don't understand... one thing... Did my parents hold all the letters from me? And why would they say... I am in Japan. I was in Japan after I finished my studies... but never before..." Taemin bit his lip. Jonghyun sadly nodded, he didn't know what he should say. The truth was just so hard to think about. Their life could be different.
But then a realization hit Taemin. "Though... one summer... the exact one you were in the first year... in summer they sent me to my grandparent's house, and next year I had to go with grandmother to Seoul... and help her..." Taemin bit his lips and shivered. "I need to see my parents. I need to ask them why..."
"I... may know why... they wanted a better future for you... future with a woman..." Jonghyun said a bit bitterly and sighed looking at his hands. Then he looked at Taemin's hands and his eyes lit up a bit. "You... were you ever married?" Jonghyun asked and Taemin shook his head. "I couldn't... I couldn't marry anyone... or date anyone... my heart was beating for only you," Taemin sighed and shook his head again. "And later then it was late... I and my parents aren't getting on well, they pushed me into some relationships but it never worked out well... I ended them..." Taemin said and looked at Jonghyun's fingers. "But... it seems like... you also didn't marry any woman?" Taemin whispered in surprise. "You must have been successful... Women... I am sure they were falling on their knees and drooling over your hot handsome body..." Taemin whispered, blushing after what he said.
Jonghyun chuckled, smirking. "Well... indeed they were," he hummed. "I was focused on my work, then I had some tasks during which I couldn't think about marriage and love. For years, I have been in this career field. I never actually thought about falling into love with anyone," Jonghyun said, and he sighed when his phone rang again.
"Sorry..." Jjong smiled and picked it up. Woonie... is it better?" Jonghyun looked at his watch. "Good. Tomorrow I will be back home, okay? Good... if anything happens, call me, and I will arrive. See you soon," Jonghyun smiled and looked at Taemin after placing the phone away.
"Sorry..." Jjong smiled softly. "It is okay... so... um... you got a boyfriend?" Taemin asked and a pang of sadness rushed over him. "This?" Jonghyun chuckled and shook his head. "Just like you... I am single and I couldn't get anyone as I was thinking about you. Jongwoon is my nephew, my sister is in California for some work, she will be back in two months. I am in charge of him," Jjong smiled and Taemin blushed feeling stupid.
"O-oh I see... sorry," Taemin smiled shyly and Jonghyun chuckled. "You still got that innocent smile and nice blush..." Jjong said softly and stroked Taemin's cheeks, but he blinked. "Sorry..." he sighed when Taemin shook his head. "All good..." Taemin smiled and Jonghyun thought for a while, and then he gave his phone to Taemin unlocked.
"Can you give me your number? So this time... no one stands between us," Jonghyun said softly and Taemin nodded putting into Jonghyun's phone his phone number. "Tomorrow I am gonna ask my parents... what the hell this means..." Tae hissed sighing but then thought for a bit. "Where do you live?" he asked Jonghyun, he made a call to his phone so he could save the phone number of Jonghyun as well.
"Currently in Incheon, there is our main camp," Jonghyun smiled softly. "That's close... um... you know... what is funny?" Taemin chuckled and Jonghyun looked curiously at him. "Just three months ago I tried to find you again... with Onew, that man from the corridor, he is my friend... We searched for doctors in Seoul thinking you might be there," Taemin said sighing. "Oh... I wish I were there... but I got interested in a different field... and became one of the main leaders in the experimental research for the cancer cure," Jonghyun sighed.
"Well... at least I... met you finally, after all these years," Taemin smiled trying to be positive. "But I already lost a lot of years... which I could spend better... I could be with you, I could be happier..." Taemin sighed.
"But we are still young... aren't we?" Jonghyun smiled softly and looked deeply into Taemin's eyes. "And... if both of us still share the same feelings... we had years ago... even if it is fourteen years... I am sure... we still can make this work..." Jonghyun said, sighing.
"We will have to do a lot if we want to make it up for those fourteen years..." Taemin said softly. "I am sure we can... so... Lee Taemin, will you be again the light of my life and world?" Jonghyun smiled, taking Taemin's hands into his. "I will," Taemin smiled and they hugged tightly. Hyun's heart was beating fast, and he felt like in some type of dream.
But it wasn't a dream. Here he was... with his beloved Taemin.
They enjoyed each other's presence until the late hours. They also went back to the restaurant, they both had to work but at night... they shared a bed, hugging tightly just in case it would be some type of a dream. But it wasn't a dream at all when they woke up in the morning.
Jonghyun stared deeply into Taemin's eyes. Taemin's heart was beating fast, and he wanted to pinch himself to see if this was not just some kind of dream. But he wasn't dreaming, Jonghyun was right there in front of him.
"Good morning..." Jonghyun smiled softly. "Good morning... I was afraid that I was dreaming," Taemin smiled when Jjong lifted his hand and pinched Taemin who squeaked. "Looks this like a dream?" Jjong chuckled and Taemin pouted. "No... it doesn't," Taemin chuckled and sighed. "I am sad... and afraid that I will have to go... to my room and get ready for today," Taemin sighed.
"We finally have our phone numbers... we don't have our families in our path... we can be together... we can enjoy our life and be together, we are adults, we can do anything we want, Taeminnie," Jonghyun smiled softly.
"We can... and I will get my answers..." Taemin said sternly and nodded. "I don't want to lose you again, Taeminnie..." Jonghyun said softly and looked around. He got up and took a paper and a pen, he wrote down his address giving it to Taemin. "Here you go, take this... so you can anytime come," Jonghyun smiled softly.
"Oh... wait," Taemin smiled, took another paper, and borrowed Hyun's pen when he wrote down his own address.
Jonghyun happily smiled and stroked Taemin's cheek, and he felt like he was fourteen years back, when they were young, and without any worry. They prepared for their work, and Taemin left the room sooner because of his waiter's job.
On Sunday Taemin went to his parent's house. It was after five months, his parents were surprised but happy their beloved son came back home. But they were surprised when Taemin asked them about letters. At first, his parents played dumb that they didn't know what is Taemin talking about. But when he almost yelled at them, they slowly started talking.
About how they didn't want their son to be with a boy. They wanted grandchildren, but now looking back, they see that they made a huge mistake.
Taemin blamed them for years when he was struggling, for the first months without contact with Jonghyun when he almost wanted to end everything. If Onew wasn't here... he would not be around anymore. His parents were feeling guilty a lot and then his mother brought an old shoe box inside which Taemin found all letters that were for him and also... his old phone! Taemin was upset. His parents took even his phone and never let him know that they knew where the phone was. It was the whole time with them.
Taemin had to leave the house. He couldn't stay any longer, he was very much upset. Before he could say something that he wouldn't be able to take back, he got back to his car with shaky hands. He took a deep breath and after calming himself he drove back home. Onew gave him a day off and Taemin was glad, he wanted to look at all the letters that his parents hid from him.
There were twelve letters and when he found a compatible charger for his old phone and charged it, he also found some old messages from Jonghyun's old phone number. His hands were trembling. When he wanted to open the first letter, he heard the buzz of his doorbell. Taemin blinked, stood up, and walked to get the door.
When he opened it, Jonghyun stood there with a rose and genie smile on his lips. "Hi, I hope I am not disturbing you," Jonghyun smiled and blinked when he saw Taemin's shaken state.
"I... Hi... no... you aren't disturbing me... I just... got back from my parent's place... I... do you want to come in? We can look at... letters together," Taemin said and Jonghyun widened his eyes. "They kept them?" he asked and Taemin nodded. "Yes and the phone I thought I lost... they kept that too," Taemin sighed and bit his lip but let Jonghyun in.
"That's horrible..." Jonghyun frowned and sighed but handed the rose to Taemin. "This is for you," he smiled softly when Taemin blushed. "T-thank you," he said and Jjong took his hand, giving it a slight squeeze, and hesitated for a moment.
Taemin decided it for him when he leaned forward and kissed Jonghyun softly. "I think... we have a lot to work on," Taemin said sighing. "I wish we could move the time back," Taemin huffed out, walking with Jonghyun into the living room where they sat on the couch.
"We can't move the time back but we can make new memories together," Jonghyun tried to smile encouragingly though it was also hurting him deeply inside him.
"We should..." Taemin nodded and smiled, he hugged Jonghyun when Jjong wrapped his strong arm around Taemin's waist pulling him closer. They opened firstly the phone where very old messages were.
Surprisingly the phone was working though it was very slow.
"You literally never gave up..." Taemin whispered seeing messages that popped up and they read them all. "I did... when I got no answer..." Jonghyun sighed. "But it was after a year? Or two... it is understandable, I would probably give up even sooner," Taemin said ashamedly and sighed shaking his head.
Jonghyun smiled softly and stroked Taemin's cheek but then took letters and they opened them. Jonghyun remembered his handwriting. He remembered some words that he put in.
"I can't believe... they took the letter and put it into the box without reading it... what they were thinking? That I won't ever read it?" Taemin sighed. "I am also surprised they didn't burn them all," Jonghyun nodded humming.
"It also surprises me... maybe they forgot... or they wanted to give them to me later," Taemin shrugged and sighed shaking his head again when they got back to reading.
All old memories were going through their heads. But one thing was clear. They got many years ahead. Many years to get back what they lost and get all the things they could get sooner.