Forgotten Memories

Why Me?

8: Why Me?

“Key Umma, does Minho Hyung hate me?”

Key turned to look at SHINee's baby-faced Maknae Taemin who sat on the park bench next to him, nibbling quietly on salted crackers.

“Why would you say that?” Kibum cared for his dongsaeng much more than he knew the other members did and even though he knew the truth, he couldn't help but hide it from the innocent child.

Taemin looked up at his most loving Hyung and sighed in frustration. “Hyung, I can tell that you know something. Why do you refuse to tell me?”

Key was the sensitive, caring, responsible Hyung that Taemin adored. But Kim Kibum was the painfully blunt, wait-for-nobody, Diva Hyung that Taemin loved. And right now, that's who he was calling out to.

“I don't think you'd like to hear what I'd have to say, Taemin-Ah,” Key muttered, looking up at the faint stars in the darkened sky.

“Tell me anyway,” Taemin whispered, laying his head on his Umma's shoulder as he clung to his forearm.

“He dislikes you.”

Taemin wasn't shocked at this bit of information. He'd been getting signs from Minho Hyung that sent the message that he wasn't interested in becoming friends in the very least. “Why?”

“He didn't give an exact answer,” Key sighed as he looked down at his dongsaeng once again. “But he said it's because of what you did when you guys first met.”

Now the middle-schooler was mind boggled. He'd never done anything to his Hyung other than introduce himself and smile brightly as the other members entered the room.

“I don't understand that at all,” Taemin said with a furrowed brow as he sat up straight. “You saw me, I never did anything!”

“That's what I told him, but he just said, 'Are you really sure you met him at the same time that I did?'” Key said, exasperated. “Which leads me to believe that you guys met before SHINee was assembled.”

The maknae thought back as far as he could. “Nope, I never met him before SHINee...”

“Then Minho might have mistaken you for someone else,” Key said with an eyebrow raised. “Though we both know he's not the type of person to mistake people like that...”

“Ne,” Taemin cleared his throat and crossed his legs on the cool park bench. “But Hyung, did he really not say anything specific? I honestly can't remember him...”

“Maybe that's what he's angry about,” Key pointed out as he leaned against the wood. “You can't remember him and he knows that he isn't memorable to you. That would explain why he treats only you with indifference!”

“That's a big possibility, if you're correct, I'll try my hardest to think back... It would explain why I'm treated differently.” Taemin blew up his cheeks as his Hyung tried to pinch his face.

“Try your hardest, but we've got to get back to the dorm or Manager Hyung might get worried.”

“Ne, Key Hyung!

“Hyung,” Taemin whispered, his breath hitting Minho's face which was quickly flaming.

Their faces were so close, their breathes were being exchanged!

“T-Taemin,” Minho managed to stutter out through his extreme shock. “What a-are you do-doing?”

“I'm holding you down on my bed,” Taemin said simply, his big, cold, baby eyes pierced through Minho's cool demeanor.

Minho couldn't breath, couldn't think, couldn't move. Every action of Taemin had his head spinning and heart thumping.

When Minho tried to weakly push him off, his hands were pinned above his head in a way that a boy would do to a girl. He knew that he could easily overpower the maknae, but his body wasn't functioning correctly and he couldn't summon his strength.

About twenty seconds had passed and Taemin's thighs surrounded Minho's frozen legs, his Hyung's hands were held above his head by him and his forehead was currently captured against Taemin's.

When Taemin tried to touch his Hyung's face, he flinched. And that simple reaction broke the maknae's heart.

“W-W-Wae-” the word could barely pass Minho's lips when he felt the sudden moisture against his cheek.

“You're crying...” Minho mouthed inaudibly as the tears fell silently from Taemin's shocked face and on to Minho's.

“Let me go,” Minho whispered forcefully.

“Ani,” Taemin muttered.

“Let me go,” Minho tried again, louder.

“Ani!” Taemin whisper-yelled as the tears ran down faster.

Before Minho could argue again, he was suddenly released as Taemin rolled to his right side. And as his Hyung reached out his hand to comfort him, his hand was suddenly smacked away.

“Why?”

“It's because of you, Hyung,” Taemin sighed as he scrubbed at his face. “Your disgusted attitude has taken it's toll on me.”

And the sniffling maknae left the room and his confused, heartbroken Hyung to stare after him.