Music Box & Dancing Doll (SHINee Taemin - Minho)
The Truth

"Oppa." The words of someone resuscitated Taemin.

It looks like IU who now seems to be fixated on looking at him at this time.

Taemin turned towards the girl.

"You..."

IU could feel the resentment and resentment emanating from Taemin's current face. He woke up when he saw a figure standing in front of his study table and was immediately shocked when he realized that the person was none other than Taemin.

Plus the young man was holding his brother Ahra's music box, which was when he realized that Taemin already knew everything.

Without saying anything Taemin immediately walked out of the room, followed by IU who followed him from behind. The girl knew that Taemin must have misunderstood her diary and she had to explain everything.

Both are now on the front page of IU's house. After many attempts, IU finally managed to make Taemin stop. He did not care at all about the heavy rain that was now drenching them, because for him the most important thing right now was to explain everything to the young man.

"What else is it?!" Taemin snapped while brushing IU's hands rough.

"Why are you lying to me about what else? Is hiding Ahra's whereabouts from me yet to make you feel satisfied?! I was like a fool looking for someone who was clearly in front of my eyes, but you lied to me and pretended like you just knew me?! What's it like to play games with me, LEE JIEUN?!"

I'm still trying to explain. "Oppa listen to me first. I didn't mean-" at all"

"Do you like me?!" Taemin's question made IU sculpt instantly. The girl could not answer.

The next second Taemin suddenly pulled his body and then kissed the girl's lips rough, making IU surprised and immediately tried to release his body but Taemin even deepened his kiss. IU who continued to try to rebel finally managed to release herself.

"Hows it? Is it satisfied enough?!" Taemin said casually but IU actually looked at him in wonder. The next instant his tears trickled down, he stared at Taemin in disbelief.

"Now tell me where, Ahra? After that I'll fulfill whatever you want-"

A violent punch just suddenly landed right on Taemin's right cheek making the namja instantly fall to the ground.

"Hyeong?" Taemin said as he touched the edge of his bloody lips when he found the person who hit him was none other than Minho.

IU herself did not say anything and immediately ran away from the place.

♥♥♥

He finally arrived at his destination. The place that is none other than the tomb of Father, Mother and Sister. There's no one there. IU continued walking until finally stopped at 3 parallel headstones. He sat down next to one of the gravestones. The next moment he hugged the stone.

The incident in front of his house came back. Tears fell dripping down IU's tiny cheeks. She did not expect Taemin to behave like that to her. His heart really hurt when he heard that saying which seemed to look down on him.

The cold rain that soaked his body as if adding to the plagues in his heart. The girl finally sobbed in the rain.

Alone.

♥♥♥

Minho looked at the annoyed Taemin who was now rising from his place.

"Hyung..why did you hit me?!" Taemin asked in surprise while Minho did not reply. "Do you know who he is? She was actually Jieun! He's been lying to both of us!!" Taemin exclaimed in the heavy rain that still flushed them.

Minho again did not reply, the young man just stared at his sister flat. Taemin who previously saw something strange behind Minho's silence now seemed to realize something.

"What possible..? Did you know everything from the beginning?!"

"Taemin~ah." Minho looked at his sister worried

Taemin laughed crisply. As if he could not believe what he was seeing right now.

"Mwoya~so true? You knew it from the beginning." Said slowly. "Waeyo, why? Why would you do this to me?"

"Taemin~ah, it's actually for your own good." Minho tried to explain

Taemin again laughed. "My goodness?! Isn't letting me meet Ahra the best thing in your eyes? The girl just wanted to separate me and--"

"TAEMIN~AH!!" Shouted Minho annoyed. He really couldn't bear to hear bad things about Jieun being thrown from Taemin's mouth. His sister was really out of bounds.

"Young! You like it, right?!" Taemin's question made Minho look at him in surprise. He did not expect that his sister would ask such a question.

Minho stared at Taemin sharply.

"Really! L like it. I like Lee Jieun. The girl I've known since childhood. Are you satisfied?!" This time it was Taemin's turn to be surprised to hear it.

Honestly, he knew that his brother had been holding feelings for Jieun. It was just that this was the first time he had heard Minho tell him directly.

"Do you know? Why would I agree to Jieun's wish not to tell you the truth?! That's because he doesn't want you to be disappointed later. We just want to find the right time to explain it to you."

"The right time? Is it really that hard to get me to Ahra?"

"You'll never see her again, Taemin~ah!" Sela Minho made Taemin look at her confusedly.

"What do you mean?"

"Ahra is gone, Taemin~ah."

"Where did he go? I can c-c-"

"Conscious Lee Taemin! Do you still not understand?!" Snapped the annoyed Minho

"Ahra is dead! He's gone forever!!"

Taemin who heard what Minho had just said was instantly stunned in place.

"What-what did you say? Ahra.he..?" Taemin could not continue his sentence. Her lips were too stiff to speak anything at this moment.

"Ahra is dead, Taemin~ah. We will no longer be able to meet him. This is a reality you must accept." Minho.

Taemin who seemed to be losing his strength now fell to his knees on the ground. All his efforts to meet the girl were now in vain. Ahra was gone forever, even before they could keep their promise.

His chest felt tight and his heart felt so painful hearing all this reality.

"Aaaarrrgh!!!!!"

Taemin shouted loudly while hitting the ground below him many times. The young man could not even hold back his cries. He kept hitting the ground which seemed to start falling apart.

Minho himself did nothing. He knew what Taemin was feeling right now. The young man must have been devastated to hear this reality.

That's why it would be better if he let it. Let go of all the frustration at once the sadness that was in him.

♥♥♥

It was his hyung who told him about this place.

In front of the young man there are now 3 headstones bearing the names of people he used to know. Taemin's heart still finds it hard to accept all of this, but this is the reality and nothing can change what has happened.

The young man's eyes suddenly turned to the figure of Jieun sleeping beside Ahra's tombstone.

Taemin looked at the girl's face long ago. Suddenly he remembered Minho's words while they were still in the girl's courtyard.

"I don't care if you want to hear it or not. But I'll keep telling you! 2 years ago when Jieun's father and mother came home from attending Ahra's school breakup, their car had an accident. Jieun, who was waiting for his family to come, received a report of his learning, instead of seeing Father, his mother or brother but the police who came to pick him up while carrying the news that the three people he loved were now gone. He once told me that he had felt desperate and tried to end his life because he felt there was nothing more he needed to defend in this world. But finally he remembered Ahra's message.

Before she died, Ahra had asked Jieun to help her replace her until you came to keep your promise. Ahra just wants you to know that she never forgot her promise to you. From then on Jieun felt like he had a reason to stay alive. Starting from working day to night just to survive and continue to continue his school.

When you found out you were back in Seoul, the girl was both happy and sad. He was happy because he finally saw you again, but on the other hand his heart was sad to remember he had to tell you the truth. Jieun knew, that reality would definitely make your heart hurt. That's why he chose to pretend he didn't know you and keep this secret until he found the right time. Even though he knew it would be painful for him to be considered as someone else by you, but he still wanted to do it. Because he likes you."

"Stupid girl. Why do I always have to involve myself in my life?" Taemin said while staring nanar at IU who was still asleep.

He recalled Minho's last words before leaving.

"I know Jieun likes you. Even I've been aware of that since we were kids. But I'm not giving up. I'm sure someday I can make her heart turn to me. I won't let go of Jieun a second time."

Taemin sighed loudly while looking the other way. A second later his gaze returned to Jieun.

"Minho hyung will take good care of you."

♥♥♥

Taemin was standing next to the school gate. Namja is waiting for Jieun. The bell has been ringing since then but the girl he had been waiting for since has not been seen through the gate. Is it possible that he didn't come today?

Instead of the moment Taemin started to despair and intend to leave from there, Jieun finally appeared from behind the gate. The two are now facing each other.

Jieun looked at Taemin for a moment, the next second the girl walked past him. Taemin who saw that immediately turned around and pulled the girl's hand. It was then that he was shocked because he felt Jieun's hand being so hot. He looked at Jieun who looked pale and limp. "What's wrong? Are you sick?!" Ask

Jieun pulled his hand from Taemin.

"I'm doing fine. Don't mind me. I have to go to work soon." He said cold and then walked back. But not far away the girl walked, Jieun suddenly felt her head dizzy and her body seemed to lose balance.

Taemin who saw that swiftly restrained Jieun's body as the girl fell unconscious.

♥♥♥

Taemin looked at Jieun who was asleep in bed. When the girl collapsed, she took her to a nearby hospital. The doctor said Jieun only had a normal fever, so there was no need to worry. According to the results of the examination, the girl's body became weak because she was too tired to work. Plus weather like this.

Hearing that made Taemin recall the incident yesterday when he found Jieun at the funeral. That girl must have been raining all day in that place.

Jieun finally opened his eyes slowly then found Taemin sitting next to him. He tried to get up from the bed but came back almost to fall if only Taemin did not quickly hold it.

"Take it off." Jieun brushed off Taemin's hand.

"Jieun~ah's.." Taemin's remarks are brief. Jieun however did not care at all and continued walking away until it finally collapsed just a few meters from his bed.

"WHY ARE YOU SO STUBBORN?! Do you think you can walk around like this, huh?!!" Taemin yelled as he approached her

"WHAT DO YOU CARE?!!" This time it was Jieun's turn to yell at Taemin making the young man slightly stunned in his place.

"Aren't I just a lowly girl in your eyes? A girl who for the sake of getting the young man she loves is willing to do anything including lying to the young man? I see, right?! Then why else would you look for me? Girls like me don't deserve to be in-"

Taemin who had suddenly pulled Jieun in his arms made the girl's speech instantly come to a halt.

"Mianhae's." He finally said

"I'm sorry for what hurt you. Forgive my stupid attitude of not wanting to listen to your explanation. You've always tried to help me, but all I did was hurt your feelings. Mianhae, Jieun~ah."

Hearing Taemin's words made Jieun powerless to hold back his tears. He finally sobbed in the young man's arms.

Without them realizing there was someone who was looking at them from behind the outside door. Minho who received the news immediately came to the hospital, but when the young man just wanted to get into his steps suddenly stopped.

Faintly he heard someone shouting making him curious and finally peeked through the door slit.

Since then he has seen everything that has happened.

♥♥♥

Taemin finally arrived home after earlier dropping Jieun home. He had just arrived in the room and threw his body on the bed. But it breathed a long breath and accidentally stared at a small table next to his bed. Beside his night light was a dancing doll.

Taemin grabbed the object and stared at it for a long time. The thing he always guarded because it had extraordinary meaning to him. Not only because it can remind her of Ahra, but also because it has an important role for her. He still remembers when Minho gave the Dancing Doll to him. At that time they were on a plane to America, Minho said that Ahra who entrusted his Hyung was to be given to him. When it turns out that what was given by Ahra was a dancing doll, he was so happy and kept looking after her until now.

Taemin slowly turned a key at the bottom of the doll several times, and the next second the doll began to move. There is a pair of dolls of boys and girls holding hands and dancing together. He looked at that thing again. For Taemin, the doll was one of his cheers. As a child, Taemin dreamed of becoming a great dancer, but sometimes hesitated. But after he saw the toy, his spirit seemed to return. The toy seemed to give him confidence in order to dance well.

It was then that he really wanted to thank Ahra for giving her the toy. But it is no longer possible to do so at this time. Taemin still looked at the two dolls that were still spinning, the object turned out to be funny too when viewed long enough. It reminds him of someone. The next second Jieun's face as a smile suddenly flashed through his mind making Taemin slightly surprised and instantly rise from his place.

"What happened to me? Wasn't I thinking about Ahra, but why did Jieun's face suddenly appear in my mind?!" Mumbled wonder. "What don't-don't..." Taemin put his hand on his chest and slowly closed his eyes.

The next second he widened his eyes in surprise.

"Maldo. L like? I like Jieun?!" Ask yourself as if you don't believe it. But the beating of his heart that is so tight at this time is able to clarify everything.Namja was unable to lie to himself. He had truly fallen in love with Jieun.

"Taemin~ah.." The words of someone suddenly awakened Taemin's daydream

Minho, who was standing at the door of his room, widened his eyes.

"Hyung.kau.since when did you stand there?!" Ask is stamped

"Just now." Minho replied casually making him sigh. "I want to talk to you about something, right?"

Taemin looked at her deeply then nodded slowly. "Of course, come in."

Minho also walked over to his sister, while his eyes were fixed on the toy next to the bed and then sat next to Taemin.

"Taemin~ah.you know all this time I've always trusted you and I'm sure you won't let me down." Minho's words made Taemin look at him flat.

"If I ask you something right now, will you answer it honestly?"

"What's wrong?" Taemin asked worriedly

Minho did not immediately reply, he stared at Taemin sharply.

"Do you..like Jieun?!"