Forgotten Memories

Reminisce

3: Reminisce

The two sat there, listening to the park's chilling silence.

“So what's your reason for coming to the park at this time?” Taemin, always the talkative one, began the conversation first.

“No particular reason,” Minho lied bluntly.

“Oh-ho,” Taemin smiled that smile that always had Minho's heart thumping. “Somehow, I don't believe that! I mean people aren't usually out this late.”

He had his point. It was 2am in the morning.

“I'm just an early bird,” Minho stated as a finality.

And the silence continued.

“Aren't you going to ask about me?” Taemin's pout remained the same, even through all the years. And it tugged on Minho's heart to see that he'd hardly changed at all through the years.

“If you want to talk, then you can, I won't force it out of you,” he replied nonchalantly, but in reality, Minho was dying to know how Taemin had been throughout the years after he'd left him.

“I'm just thinking over the past and being optimistic for the future...”

Taemin rubbed his hands and blew on them, as well. That's when Minho realized how lightly he had dressed. He didn't even have gloves!

“Why'd you come out here in such attire? It's so cold!” Minho scolded and handed Taemin his scarf which he had no use of since he was already sweating.

“I didn't think it'd be this cold,” his whining increased Minho's anger. “Thanks...”

“For what?”

“For caring,” Taemin smiled a strangely gentle and mature smile, one that Minho had never seen. But it affected him all the same.

These moments made Minho happy. Even though he knew his love wasn't being returned, the kindness he got almost made up for his loss. But he was always aware of that searing pain that came when he saw Taemin.

Staring down at him now, Minho saw something that he hadn't seen noticed earlier. “What's that?”

“Hm?” Taemin looked down at his ring. “Oh this? It's a sunflower!”

Minho obviously knew that. “You like sunflowers?” He feigned innocence.

“Yeah, they remind me of old times...” Taemin's voice faded and Minho could only dream that he was imagining of him.

A bird squeaked, a few trees away.

“You know,” Taemin whispered. “When we first met, you reminded me of someone from my childhood.”

Minho's breathing rate increased as he listened closely to Taemin.

“You looked so similar to him,” his voice cracked a little at the end. And Minho stood as still as a statue, afraid to wake from this dream. “You even sound a bit like him...”

The air was thick with tension that Taemin couldn't sense.

Taemin didn't make another comment, though Minho was dying to know what else he was going to say. When he finally looked back down at him, he realized that his little Taemin had fallen asleep and was resting his head on his shoulder.

Taemin... Lee Taemin. And Minho recalled that promise he'd made as a child. If you can't be my sunflower, then I'll forever be yours.

That's the night that Minho ended up giving Taemin a piggy-back-ride to their dorm.

Minho couldn't see it, but throughout the whole ride, a small, childish smile stayed on Taemin's face as he dreamed of his childhood Hyung.