"Hi, I'm Lee Minhyuk, I'm a freshman here and I hope you will treat me well!"

That's how he introduced himself 2 years ago, after he walked into your class, all smiling and bright. Admittedly, at the time you found him weird because who introduces themselves to their class in college? Everything about him was ticking you off, his over-the-top personality, his colorful yellow sweater, his gray hair. He radiated this sort of energy, it was tiring to you. 

You repeated his name, your lips slowly curving around the vowels, to try it out. It somehow fit him, you thought. 

He then started walking up the stairs of the small amphitheater like class, looking for a seat . He waved to everyone along the way, repeating "Hi, hello, I'm Minhyuk.". The literal definition of sunshine, it seemed. 

Minhyuk stopped in front of your row, looking at you with big eyes, the smile never leaving his face.

"Is this seat taken?"

You wanted to say yes, because who would want an overactive puppy seating besides them when they're trying to learn? It's distracting. But then again, you could already imagine how it would go if you said no and those sad, sad eyes staring right at you. It would be like kicking the overactive puppy away.

So you sighed and shook your head, telling him to sit down. He asked for your name and you told him.

"Great to meet you, Y/N, I think we'll have a lot of fun."

***

He was wrong. Minhyuk was so, so wrong. Being seated next to him for a whole semester was painful, frustrating and usually resulted in a heartache ( or, rather, headache ). Between secret passed notes during the class and shy waved in the hallway, you had grown to like him. 

Now that you think back, it was basically as if you signed your own death sentence the moment he sat down next to you. A handsome, cheerful and nice boy giving you his attention every Wednesday between 9 and 10 AM, and every Friday between 3 and 4 PM? He was the only reason you ever looked forward towards Physics class.

So then what was so bad about the fact that he sat next to you? It was simple, you liked him, but he didn't like you. 

Being the overly handsome boy he was, he had obviously had his fair share of girlfriends in the past 8 months. Three to be more exact. None of which were you.

It started with Dami, a pretty girl that sat two rows in front of you in Algebra. She had long black hair, pretty lips and nice hands. She was smart, confident and basically everything you were not. They started dating one month after school started. It was weird, Minhyuk hadn't even mentioned her until it happened. Throughout the whole time they were dating though, you had even found out what she smelled like on Sunday afternoons from him.

" And she's so great, Y/N, she's amazing." he'd say.

And it hurt very much, but you never said anything because Minhyuk was the human version of snowy days when school got cancelled. Not only that but he was sensitive, any kind of comment would hurt him. You were always cautious when you talked to him, one time you had told him he didn't look good with red hair. The next day, he came back sulking. And his hair was black ( "like my soul right now" he had said). He was like that for a week, and half of the school hated you.

"Can you believe what Y/N did? She hurt Minhyuk. Minhyuk! Isn't that like, illegal or something?"

Back to the subject at hand, you didn't say anything so you just stuffed your face with chips and complained to your friend, Hyungwon.

"Hyungwon, I'm so done with him. I'll switch seats, I'll pretend he doesn't exist, I'll-"

"I'm playing Mario Cart can you shut up?"

That was useless.

They broke up 2 months later, before the holidays. Your face hurt from smiling that day, you horrible human being.

But that didn't last long because then came Xiao, a Chinese girl that only wore expensive clothes and too much lipstick. You had hated Dami because of who she was dating, but at least she was nice compared to Xiao. Xiao was probably what inspired the sentence "The Devil wears Prada.". Those 3 weeks in which they dated were the worst, because you couldn't even talk to Minhyuk. Not with that thing leeched by his side. Fortunately, he saw her for who she was and broke it off. Then apologized to you for 2 weeks straight, for ignoring and mistreating you.

"My trust is gone Minhyuk, it's not coming back. I have been betrayed."

"I'm so sorry, Y/N. I will never do anything like this ever again."

"That's not gonna work." you'd say.

"I'll buy you coffe and éclairs from that shop down the street."

"Nope, my trust cannot be bought. You'll have to find someone else to copy from during the test."

"Y/N, I have better grades than you in Physics..."

"..."

"..."

"Fine, I'll see you after school. Those éclairs better be good."

But at least something good came out of Xiao's presence. You and Minhyuk started to hang out every day after your shared class. It became this sort of tradition, he'd buy sweets and you'd buy the coffee. 

When holidays came around, Minhyuk wasn't dating anyone. He had gone on a few dates but never stayed with anyone. You once asked him why he was in such a hurry to find someone.

"Can I say something cliche like, I don't know, I'm afraid of being lonely?" he asked, not looking up from where he was wrapping a present.

You were both at his place, trying to wrap up all the presents you had bought. He had a cooking book for Kihyun, his side kick, and a sweater for Jooheon, whereas you bought a video game for Hyungwon.

As you were packing Hyungwon's present, you realized the little didn't even deserve it. He never listened to you whine, but unfortunately he was your only friend besides Minhyuk.

"No, that's stupid." you replied while looking for the glue.

At that he laughed but nodded. You admired the way his eyes crinkled.

"Okay, you are right. I don't know, I guess I'm just bored. Or maybe it's the fact that all of my friends are dating and I'm not."

You threw some paper at him.

"I'm not dating anyone, or am I not your friend?"

He caught it and looked at it with disgust.

"Frozen? Really ?" he judged. " And aren't you dating that Hyungwon guy?"

"Oh my god, what the hell no. He's a loser, I would never. He doesn't even listen to me when I talk."

"Then why did you buy him a present?"

"He's my friend." you answered.

"So am I and I don't see any gift for me" he pouted " or am I not as special?"

You wanted to tell him that he's more than a friend to you, how special he truly was. But he thought you were dating Hyungwon, he obviously wasn't interested.

"You didn't buy one for me either, shut up."

Nevertheless, you both ended up buying each other presents for Christmas. 

Then came New Years and with it so did Siyeon. She was someone you had both met at the party one of your classmates, Wonho, had thrown. Minhyuk had instantly set his eyes on her, but this time, he was hesitant.

You were grumpy the whole night, he had spent his time chasing her instead of hanging out with you his friends. So when he came to you, twirling his fingers, you were more than annoyed.

"Y/N...can we talk?"

"What is it?" you said, twirling your glass of champagne.

"Are you alright with me dating Siyeon?"

You looked at him and he stepped back. He had probably never seen you this mad. It was scary how indifferent you got when you were mad, when you were done with someone.

"Has my opinion ever mattered?"

" Of cou-"

"And I don't understand the question, why would it matter what I said? You like her, don't you? Why should I have a say in it? Unless..."

And that's when everything hit you.

"Unless you know how I feel about you."

You turned to him, your body fully facing his. You could see it on his face, you didn't even need him to say that he knew.

"Who told you?"

"I kind of figured it out. But listen, I really care about you and I don't want you to-"

You scoffed.

"Honestly? Do whatever you want. Hurt me, it will be easier to get over you maybe. Date whoever, I never stopped you before."

You swallowed the rest of your drink and put the glass in his hands, keeping eye contact.

"I think I'm done here."

Then you left.

****

That was 2 months ago and since then you hadn't talked to him. Last you heard, he was still dating Siyeon and he was happy. He was still the same old Minhyuk, all sunshine and happiness, except he wasn't your Minhyuk anymore.

You tried not to care, you also tried not to be embarrassed by your actions that night but it was hard. 

What was even more ridiculous was that Minhyuk had changed sits. You now sat with Hyungwon again and Minhyuk sat there rows in the back.

Sometimes you'd feel his eyes on you, but when you'd turn around he was looking at his phone.

The occasional conversations were short and forced, but you could tell he also missed you from the way his eyes would linger on you, from how he'd leave his sentences unfinished in hope of a continuation.

Maybe he was avoiding you because he thought he was doing you a favor. Maybe it was because of what you had said. You never asked.

***

The day before Valentine's Day was the day the news broke. They had split up. You wish it wouldn't have made your heart twinkle with hope. Nobody knew exactly why, but they had been drifting apart lately.

You found Minhyuk in the library, sitting in your usual spot, a lollipop in his mouth.

"Food isn't allowed in the library." you said, book in your hands.

He took it out of his mouth with a pop, a smile on his face.

"This isn't food, and wow, look at this, she talks."

You rolled your eyes but sat down in front of him anyway. As you spread your books on the table you could feel his eyes watching you.

"I wasn't the one ignoring you, or the one that switched seats for that matter." you said.

"Well, yes, I might have had a slight part in this whole fallout" he shrugs 

"Slight? You're the one that got a girlfriend and ignored me"

Despite the subject being so touchy, the conversation was carried on easily.

"You're the one that couldn't resist my charms and had to fall for me" he fought back, a smirk on his face.

With a light flick of the wrist as if you were dismissing it, you made a disgusted face.

"That sentence was so cliche it hurt, are we in a really bad written book? Act normal. And stop smirking, it's unlike you"

He sighed.

"That was not the point"

"And the point was? We ignored each other, we're both at fault. And frankly I'm hurt that you're only willing to talk about this after you and Siyeon broke up."

"The timing has nothing to do with my break up, it's just a coincidence "

"No, a coincidence is that you broke with her before Valentine's Day. I mean, seriously, did you just not want to buy a present? This is something you have always done" you said " you get a girlfriend, ignore me, then when you break up you come back. And that's hurtful for me, I'm not this safety net you can fall back to when things don't go right "

"I didn't say you were" he said softly.

You opened one of your books, trying to get your hands busy just so you wouldn't punch him.

"Of course not, you didn't have to, you proved it to me. And this time it will take more than coffee and sweets for me to forgive you." You said, sitting back into your chair and looking at him.

"Anything" he breathed, standing up all of a sudden "Seriously, I'm so sorry. I'll do anything "

"A date"

"A what?"

"Date. You have to take me out on a date"

***

Minhyuk hadn't changed in the time you hadn't talked, he was still the same optimistic person. Still full of laughter and jokes. Your feelings hadn't changed either, except now you were more motivated to make him understand.

His idea of a date was, of course, going to an arcade. The whole day you played games together, hands often shyly touching, eyes looking for the other.

Yes, Minhyuk hadn't changed, but his feelings might have. You could see it in the way he gravitated towards you, in the way he got whiny when you would mention Hyungwon, in the way he was suddenly more focused on what you were doing or saying.

You didn't understand it, how could distance make him see you in a different way?

So you asked, and he just smiled and answered without any hesitation.

"I was suddenly more aware of you" he started as you were walking your way back home "I wanted to know where you were, because suddenly I couldn't just ask you. I wanted to know who you were hanging out with, because I wasn't there. It made me see how life was without you, I didn't like it. And I know, I know you deserve better than someone who had to lose you to know you, but I'm here, I'm sorry it took me so long, but you won't get rid of me now"

You laughed, slightly embarrassed by his words because you weren't used to it.

"So what does that mean exactly?"

He put his arm around your shoulder and laughed. He slightly twirled you around so your faces were next to each other.

"It means I like you, it means I want another date, it means I'm willing to make whatever effort to get you to give me a chance even if I don't deserve it"

You pushed his face away.

"Okay, I get it, stop being so cliche goddamn it"