The winter break had passed and Taemin spent it either studying or just hanging out in his garage where they usually gathered when Jonghyun wanted to play some music. 

School had started and everyone was gearing up for the Spring Fest, from which they were exempted now, due to being third years. But Jonghyun and Jinki were still participating in the music club’s act hence Taemin stayed back the extra hour, either studying or hanging out in the music room with them.

He had already told both his friends about his ‘break-up’, it was also what people constantly seemed to be gossiping about, along with the news of Minho scoring a photography internship. Even something about Minho couldn’t quell the news of his “break-up”. Woojin was one of the popular guys too and it stuck out like a sore thumb because Woojin, who almost never left Taemin’s side, was ignoring him like the plague. 

Taemin was a little angry at how people were siding with Woojin, how some people from the drama club and the entirety of Woojin’s friend circle was giving him the cold shoulder, he had even heard some of them call him names in passing. He was almost curious about what kind of tale Woojin must have spun when asked about how they had broken up. Jonghyun and Jinki had even caught some of the rumors but Taemin refused to hear them because, in the end, he just didn’t care. Taemin had never needed anyone but his two friends to survive high school and all that mattered was they were on his side. 

And it had surprised him that day, because, maybe, he even had Minho on his side. The whole class was playing dumb charades in the free period to pass time, and he had been isolated so rudely by the whole class. He had shrugged it off and Jonghyun had dropped out from the game– followed by even Minho and Kibum. He had turned around when Minho had announced he didn’t want to play either, and Minho had given him a little smile before returning to his work.

It was little moments like these that made Taemin forget just about everything. How Minho, out of sheer kindness, or the fact that they were friends, or maybe just good classmates, was so considerate of him. He was like that to everyone but it was something that meant a lot to Taemin. It fueled his heart… it suffused it in such extents that he truly forgot about the reality of everything.

He forgot, how in ways more than one, Minho and him were just not meant to be. How Minho was just a dream that could never be his reality. But he still liked to imagine it, the ideal situation where everything he did had succeeded. He played it back, trying to find anything wrong with that he had done… anything he had missed doing. If there could be anything he could still do. But he found nothing… The only thing that could make his ideal situation real was if Minho had the same feelings as him. The way Minho felt was something he had no control over… and hence it was something he couldn’t change– he hadn't been able to change– no matter how much he changed himself.

And seeing Minho and Yuri together everyday… was just a reminder, a proof of how much Taemin had perhaps hoped wrongly all this while. 

He pulled out the camera strap he had bought for Minho one day, pulled it out from the corner he had tucked it away in. He had only bought it to humor his heart, to somehow give a form to his love even if he couldn’t really give it to Minho. He had bought it for Minho, but never with the intention to give it to him.

But now maybe… it was time he let go properly. To slowly strip himself of all the tokens he had collected in Minho’s name. They carried memories, bits of his love and maybe he’d feel less in love, less in pain, if they were gone from his sight, from his possession.

He wanted to give away the camera strap so he carried it around every day, knowing he just couldn’t give it away to anyone, knowing the only way he could get peace was if he gave it to Minho. It was its rightful, intended place. It could be something– the only thing– from him that would’ve found its way to Minho. He could let go of everything… just content with that.

Though it was harder than it seemed, he finally found his chance. He had gone to grab Jonghyun’s forgotten folder from the music room after seeing his text and had stopped short, finding Minho in the music room, sitting on the piano bench, engrossed in his camera. He remembered then, that Minho had been visiting clubs to take pictures for that year's fest… and it was one of the reasons Taemin had stopped hanging around, a little afraid to face him, to face his resolve of ending things on his side. He had decided to end it… but he had been stalling, still a part of him wanting to hold on, despite his bleak chances.

“Hi.” He greeted him, grabbing the folder, and Minho greeted him back, “Hey.”

“Just grabbing these for Jonghyun,” Taemin waved the folder he had picked up. He was about to leave but after a little thought, he didn’t want to waste this opportunity, “Congratulations, by the way.” He started nervously, “I didn’t mean to… but I overheard Kibum congratulate you in class the other day. About your photography internship.”

“Eh, he’s loud. I’m sure people in the next class heard him.” Minho brushed it off, smiling, “Thank you, by the way.”

Taemin smiled and turned to leave, only to halt at Minho’s call, “Taemin–” But when Taemin had turned Minho shook his head, shrugging it off, “Sorry, it’s nothing.”

Taemin bit his lip, ignoring the internal beeping in his mind, to obey the foolish heart of his, but he ignored it, decided to overcome it, decided that it was best if he no longer carried that little token he had been carrying for days now. 

He sat on the bench, a little away, securing Jonghyun’s folder in his bag before taking out the camera strap. Minho had noticed him and his unasked question was lingering in the air, which Taemin began answering.

“I was buying earrings and… you know how they have those “get 6 for half price” on accessories?” He was getting a little flustered as he was just making it up, hoping it would make sense at the end of it all, “I liked the design on this, I… thought it was a phone strap but it’s actually a camera strap.” He handed it to Minho, “And the only one I know who has a camera is you, so.”

Minho accepted it and Taemin continued, “It’s adjustable– for both the wrist and neck–” He realized he was explaining a little bit too much so he stopped abruptly and Minho chuckled softly, putting the strap on his camera right away, examining it with such interest. He seemed to really like it.

“That’s quite an upgrade.” He smiled, “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Taemin smiled and started packing up to leave.

“Taemin?”

Taemin, who had been about to get up, sat back down again, looking at Minho. 

He seemed a little troubled– which Taemin had noticed the past week. Minho seemed quieter in class and was distracted only during soccer practice, but it was never Taemin’s place to probe, so he hadn’t.

“If– If I had to choose between soccer and photography, what should I choose?”

Taemin blinked at the question Minho had shot at him, his heart skipping a beat at the thought that Minho could ask him something so personal, so important. He knew it was probably because it must have troubled him so much that he didn't want to trouble anyone around him and maybe, he was just asking because Taemin was perhaps one of those few, not too close enough to get troubled. Taemin stopped thinking of reaons and instead focussed on his question, growing thoughtful and honestly spoke what he thought, “The fact that it’s a choice means you want to do both.”

“Yeah… I do wanna do both.” Minho sighed, “I don’t think it's possible though.”

Taemin bit his lip, he really didn’t know what to say but he knew for sure that he didn’t want Minho to give u