Forgotten Memories

Just Different

4: Just Different

“Jinki Hyung,” he called timidly.

“Minho, I told you to call me Onew Hyung!” Jinki, the Leader of the group, scratched his head as he approached his dongsaeng in the kitchen. “Or at least Hyung.”

Onew, as the fans called him, had just taken a nap and was impatiently waiting for dinner.

“So what are we having?” Onew asked, yawning, as he took a seat at the bare dinner table.

“Um,” Minho still wasn't used to sleeping in the same house as his Hyungs and found their presence intimidating. “Key Hyung went shopping for the ingredients but I still have no clue...”

“Aish,” he replied, heading towards his shared dorm. “Just call me when dinner is ready!”

“Sure, Hyung,” came the soft reply.

Minho took a seat and laid his head on the cool wood surface.

It'd already been a week that SHINee had been introduced to each other. Soon after, they had been told to live together. The past week had been both stressful and rewarding to the exhausted Minho.

Practice was tough and tiring, but he'd always caught on to things easily and the dance for their debut wasn't as difficult as he had imagined.

Minho's rapping part brought a small smile to his face. Music was like life, that was the belief that the high school student had. He loved to rap and whenever he got the chance to, he would sing his part.

But the most difficult thing about his band life, was that there was always a reminder of the past. Yup: Taemin.

“Minho Hyung! Let's get ice cream!”

“Look Hyung, that girl is really pretty,”

“Hyung, let's go to shopping! They have new video games!”

“Minho Hyung, can you practice this part with me?”

“Omo, Hyung, what's with that sad expression?”

“Hyung, can you help me with this homework question?”

Everyday there was something new. Minho could sometimes slip out of having to be alone with the innocent maknae, but at times where he clung to his arm, there was no getting out of it.

It's not like he had started hating his group member, but whenever their eyes met, Minho could feel that pain intensifying in his heart. Was it his fault that he forgot Minho? Yes. Did he blame him for it? Of course not.

Minho already accepted that he was still in love with his forgetful dongsaeng. Yet, being forgotten by him was a powerful punch to his pride. He'd already decided that he wouldn't try to get Taemin to remember him. He would just try to make a new beginning.

But Minho was afraid that if Taemin discovered how he felt, everything would be ruined. Not just his career, but the only connection Minho had to him. He was already beginning to suspect that the other members were noticing how he winced at Taemin's touches and avoided being around him when SHINee had to do something together...

“I'm home!” Taemin's loud voice wafted from the dorm door to the kitchen. And instead of greeting him, Minho did something clever. He pretended to be sleeping at the dinner table.

“Minho Hyung,” the group's middle school maknae entered the kitchen to find one of his Hyungs laying his head on the table. “Are you asleep?”

No reply came.

Taemin just shrugged and dropped his school bag on the table diagonal from the sleeping elder. After little consideration, Taemin decided to sit across from him.

Minho listened to the soft shuffling and heard the chair across from him being pulled out. And as he always did, Minho regretted what he was doing. What would happen if Taemin found out he wasn't sleeping? This was wrong, and he knew it. But he couldn't just pop his head up and say, “Good morning!”

“Key Hyung?” Taemin opened his phone and spoke to his caller. “Yeah, I got home.”

Minho eavesdropped on the conversation, the guilt burning in his heart.

“Onew Hyung? I think he's in his room. Yep, Jonghyun Hyung wanted to practice by himself at the studio, so he stayed,” silence as Kibum spoke quietly on the other line.

“Minho Hyung is sleeping in front of me...” Minho could hear some hidden emotions behind the casual tone.

On the other side, Key replied quickly and loudly but Minho couldn't make out any of the words.

“Hyung,” Taemin asked, his voice stained with sadness. “When is this going to end... You said it was just a phase. Why does it have to be only me going through this?”

Minho's eyes widened, but thankfully, his face couldn't be seen from under his covering arms.

Was something wrong with Taemin? Why did he sound so frustrated about a 'phase'? And exactly what was it that Key knew and Minho didn't? He so wished that he could take a peek at the flustered maknae.

“But Hyung!” Taemin sounded enraged now. “Onew Hyung doesn't have to deal with it! I know he's the Leader, but-”

Loud replies came from the phone's speaker.

Taemin's anger drained and back came his depression. “Is there something wrong with me, Hyung?”

The next reply, Minho could hardly catch, but he was thankful that he did.

“You're just... Different,” said Key.

Minho's position was starting to get uncomfortable so he shifted his face to the right.

Bad idea.

“Hyung, I think he's waking up!” Taemin sounded alarmed. “I'll talk to you tonight!”

Once he hung up, Taemin just sat there. Staring at the silent and still, Minho.

And he sighed.

A sigh that Minho could interpret a bunch of different emotions.