It has been 10 years since I met him.

When I was in college, I met Ryeowook for the first time. I was returning to my house when I saw him through the window of his house. A thin boy, short of stature, it was noticeable even if he was inside his house. White-skinned with blonde hair and a little wavy, his eyes looked curiously outside and he had one hand touching the window. He was looking into it and as soon as our gazes collided he freaked out and closed the curtains. It was funny back then, so I just laughed and went on my way.

Since then my attention to his house was inevitable. I had to do it I went through the same path to go to mine. And whenever it happened, coming back from the university, I saw him. There, standing at the window, watching the road or the people passing by perhaps. I wasn't sure but he was there, always watching.

A week passed and I couldn't hold back my curiosity. Without large bars or doors, I went to the window where he always looked. We were in a small town, and it seemed that it did not require great security since all the neighbors knew each other. It was like this that it was so easy to stand in front of someone's house.

I approached the house, the window was open, something unexpected in all the time I saw him but I pushed my thoughts away and walked there and waited. Not as close as I wanted but maybe a meter away. A few minutes have passed when I saw him and his surprise was so great to see someone so close that he fell to the ground. Unable to close the curtains, he stood scared on the floor looking at me. I was a little sorry for his blow and put my head closer.

"Are you alright?" I asked him and watched him slowly get up. Without answering anything, he stared at me with a lost and scared look.

"My name is Kyuhyun, nice to meet you" and I reached out to greet him. He was still in shock, it was understandable, I would also be scared to see a stranger in my house and in front of the window waiting for me. So I withdrew my hand after thinking it over and just smiled slightly.

"Sorry to scare you but I also live around here and wanted to meet you. I always see you when I come back from college" The boy kept looking at me and just nodded, perhaps telling me to follow my explanation. "I just wanted to say hello and maybe… get to know you more. I don't know, we could become friends" scratching my head, it was embarrassing to say that out loud. I had never asked someone like that if they wanted to be my friend, but I never saw that boy outside his house either.

For a few seconds, I could see how the other's eyes gleamed, curious and slightly excited to hear that. Maybe he wasn't very social and had a hard time relating to people, maybe he was just shy. So I decided to speak up and not seem like a stranger who wanted to rob his home.

"I... I'm a student at Chengsu University, the university that is near the Kenma Bridge, the one that is a few blocks from here. Every time I return home, I pass this same path" I turned and pointed at the street who was behind me "One day I saw you, right here through the window. And it made me curious. I... I don't know, I just wanted to meet you. I don't want to do anything bad to you either, don't think bad things..." I bowed my head out of shame, it was rare to say that and more in the first meeting.

"Ryeowook" I heard him say low and immediately looked up. Not confident that I had heard correctly, I asked again and moved closer to the window.

"Ryeowook... my name is Ryeowook" his voice was higher than mine, his hands were nervous as they were pressing the bottom of his shirt and his cheeks were red. I never thought to say this one day but, it was tender, a man was tender and my body reacted excitedly without knowing why.

I smiled even more excited and this time I put my hands on the window and made little jumps, it was not an attitude of a college student but I did not expect to hear his voice, not today. So listening to him even when he didn't know me made me happy. Ryeowook seeing my reaction blinked scared and then smiled a little.

My phone rang, signaling that there was a call and that made me stop jumping. I looked at Ryeowook who was scared again and immediately took out my phone and pointed it. I pulled away from the window, took a few steps back and answered the phone. Mom spoke to ask where I was and why I hadn't come home to eat. I told her that I was with some friends from the university and that I was already on my way.

When the call ended, I turned to see Ryeowook again, he was still at the window, still not understanding what to do. I walked over there again and explained "My mom called and asked me where I was. I have to go now but I'm glad I met you Ryeowook. It was nice to have been able to talk to you today"

Ryeowook blushed and nodded his head slightly. I smiled at his reaction, ah really he was a cute boy. I didn't know why but that was transmitted to me when I saw him.

I walked away and shook my hand when I was on the main street. And I headed home at the end.

~~~

The next day while I was in college, I couldn't stop thinking about that boy. I had decided that I would go to see him every day after school so that soon we would become closer and could be friends. My heart raced and I shook my feet with excitement.

"Cho, what do you have today? You look excited" I saw Changmin standing next to me. I didn't say anything and just shook my hand. Soon other friends came over and my heart calmed down for a while but the classes passed slowly.

A few hours later and classes ended. I left immediately, took my belongings and left the school. I walked faster than normal I was excited to see what progress I could make with Ryeowook. It was hasty but I wanted to get close to him. Somehow, I was attracted to him since I saw him and my curiosity increased every day.

When I was near his house there he was, like every day he was standing at the window seeing the outside and the people who was passing by. I walked a bit more until he noticed me and raised his hand slightly towards the window. I continued in a straight line but I could see how he was following me with his eyes. As soon as I was in front of the window I turned around and started walking in his direction. Ryeowook widened his eyes in surprise maybe he didn't think I'd talk to him again but he kept tapping on the window.

I stopped as soon as I got closer to the window and smiled. With one hand I pointed the lock asking him to open the window. Ryeowook was slow to understand and I re-pointed the lock. He immediately stopped touching the window and timidly unlatched it.

"Hello Ryeowook" I greeted with a smile.

"Hello" he answered me in a low voice. Still unsure of what to do.

"How have you been today?" I asked as I leaned against the window that separated us. I wanted to go into his house but I knew that was something rash now. Ryeowook still didn't trust me to do that and didn't want to scare him.

"Eh? Ah... fine, I'm fine" he replied a little scared. His gaze had changed to one of concern his hands clenched his clothes and he looked down.

I worried for a moment, I didn't know why he reacted like that with such a simple question but I tried to reassure him. "Ryeowook, it's okay if you don't want to answer me. If you're not feeling well today, I can go back to my house" and I turned away from the window.

"Not!" He said in a voice louder than usual but it wasn't a scream either. I turned and looked at him again. "Don’t go please"

I held back a smile and went to the window again. "It's okay"

To reassure him even more I started talking about my day, I told him about the classes I had today, how Changmin was teasing me for being happy and I was honest when I told him it was because I wanted to see him again. Ryeowook's ears reddened upon hearing that and that's when I couldn't hold my smile anymore. I told him how boring the economics class was but that I should take it because in the future I would have to inherit the business from my father, a small company in Seoul. I told him that it was the reason I didn't see my father much because he works in the capital and every so often he came to visit me and my mother. I told him that the food that my mother makes is good but not as good as the food of Changmin's mother. I also told him about Changmin who I met in junior year of high school. Changmin's family had been transferred here and so Changmin had changed schools. And although Changmin proved to be athletic and was more on the sports field he had somehow become friends through video games. We both liked games and every once in a while, I would visit his house to play.

My talk had dragged on and I still didn't realize the time. Although he was just standing there on the other side of the window. Ryeowook listened attentively, he didn’t complain about being standing still, sometimes he raised his eyebrow in a tender way when he didn’t understand something and when I saw him did it, I would retell the same part.

It was until my phone rang that I came out of my bubble. I took my phone out of the back pocket of my pants and it was a call from mom I told Ryeowook to wait a moment and walked away to answer the call.

Mom had dialed again to ask where I was. It was three in the afternoon and I still didn't get home when I left class at one. I took the phone away from me and saw the time, it was true. It was after three in the afternoon and I hadn't noticed. I apologized to her and told her that I would go home.

I approached Ryeow