“Minho-yah,” called Kibum, to Minho who was currently seated in their dorm’s living room couch, “you better come for dinner before all the food gets finished!” 

“Ne, I’ll be right there.” came the quiet reply.

It wasn’t because Minho was busy with anything that he would always be the last one at the dinner table. In fact, he had a relatively large amount of spare time on his hands.

Rather, he would always just hold a book in his hands, pretending to be busy, and wait for the group’s umma to call him to dinner. 

For it was the only time when Kibum would address him in such a soft and familiar manner.

Minho loved the way his name rolled out of Kibum’s tongue. 

And he relished those precious moments.

But what he didn’t notice was someone else, someone extremely thin and pale, staring at him every time. Someone who’s face would fall, upon seeing his face light up from Kibum’s simple words.

So bad... a person like you... 

Why did you take my heart without my permission?

I’m living with so much difficulty, 

But you don’t even know.

Yet precious moments were just moments, too small to keep one happy and too short to last.

So when Kibum announced his relationship with Jjong, Minho felt his whole world fall apart.

All he could do was to smile sadly at the new couple and congratulate them through teary eyes.

But what he didn’t notice was someone else, someone with beautifully long brown hair, frowning at him with tears already slipping out from under his long bangs. Someone who, after whispering a hasty “Congratulations”, had shut himself in his room and cried. For Minho.

I know... that it’s not me.

That I’m not worthy enough for even a blink of your eyes.

But sometimes, can’t you share your smile with me too?

Even if its not out of love.

It’s been a month already.

And boy, has it been a long and painful month for Minho. 

He’s not the same anymore; he hasn’t been the same since that day exactly one month ago, when those heartbreaking words came out of the mouth he so long adored.

Every day, when the JongKey couple would whisper sweet nothings to each other and cuddle in the far corner, Minho could feel his heart breaking more and more upon hearing every word and seeing every touch.

Now, Kibum doesn’t even look at him anymore. 

He doesn’t have time to, because Jjong is the one and only person who occupies his mind. 

Now, everyday at dinner time, Minho no longer hears the smooth and calming voice of Key calling him for dinner. 

That has long been replaced by a “Yeobo, call him for me, will you?”, followed by a careless “Minho! Dinner!”.

Yet all Minho hears is the word “Yeobo”, then the sound of his heart breaking, more and more.

But what he can’t hear is the cracking of someone else’s heart, someone with cute pinchable cheeks and adorable brown eyes, whose eyes start tearing up upon seeing the distraught look on Minho’s face.

Please turn back just once sometime,

If I wait endlessly like this today.

Again, it’s the one word in my heart that I can’t keep inside...

I love you.

Every night, when he would be lying in his bed with his eyes wide open, he could hear whispers and moans coming from the room next door. 

Every night, he would be surprised when fresh tears start to build at the corners of his eyes, and then silently fall down along his face. 

And to think he would’ve run out of tears to cry by now.

He couldn’t take it anymore.

The pain was tearing him apart.

He had honestly tried to move on. But every time he tries to forget the diva, it would seem as if the feelings would come rushing back at him with full blast, making him even more anguished than before.

As he hears the movements die down, he could make out the pants of the couple, then a hushed but oh-so-full-of-love whisper of “I Love You”. 

And how he wished that he could be the one to say that to Kibum.

“I love you too Kibum.... but I guess it’s too late now.” whispers Minho, as he silently cries himself to sleep.

But he doesn’t stay up long enough to hear the choked sobs of someone, someone by the name of Lee Taemin, upon hearing his heartbreaking confession. And obviously, he does not hear the despairing whispers of “I love you hyung...” coming from the maknae either.