Catch Taemin If You Can; [epilogue]

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The wind didn’t feel cold at all. The sky was clear and blue, and white clouds floated above like cotton candy. Taemin plugged the earphones into his ear and increased the volume. The harmonious playing of Chopin’s Nocturne flowed through, drifting Taemin up to the clouds. 

 

 

Taemin thought he was losing his mind. Even in the morning when Soojung prattled endlessly beside him, Taemin grinned like an idiot, until she gave him a look of disgust and changed her course of victimization to Chanyeol. During lunch when Sulli handed him a lollipop, Taemin accepted it with a bright smile, and even unwrapped it to pop it back into Sulli’s mouth. And even when Chanyeol threw another batch of erted jokes at him, Taemin had played along, giggling now and then and eventually scaring Chanyeol away.

 

 

Taemin hadn’t realized it before, but the world was ing beautiful.

 

 

Practically skipping across the soccer field, Taemin walked up the stairs of his school. He headed towards the auditorium, and the changeroom door suddenly swung open. The boys rushed out, grumbling about how Coach Kang’s unmarried-man-hysteria was getting worse every day. Taemin waved cheerfully with a big grin plastered on his face, completely oblivious to how idiotic he looked. The boys stared at him as their brows arched questionably. And at that moment, the changeroom door opened again. 

 

Jongin stood there still in his soccer uniform, having had to stay behind and listen through Coach Kang’s nagging as the team captain. He laughed when he spotted Taemin, motioning for him to come inside. Taemin quickly ran over, unplugging his earphones and following Jongin into the empty changeroom.

 

 

“It’s so unfair, like how can a student’s mom control the school’s system? Really, the government should know how corrupted schools are these days... The future of South Korea is in danger! This lady is even worse than how my mom used to be, remember how she came to our school like four times a week to check on our curriculum? Well this lady is worse, she’s totally lost it, she-”

 

 

Taemin chattered nonstop while Jongin only listened and took out his crammed uniform from his locker. Taemin continued while Jongin wiped his sweat with a towel, untied his soccer cleats, unrolled the bandage from his ankle, and took off his soccer jersey.

 

 

“Like, you should’ve seen my face when Baldy told me that I wasn’t allowed to perform. You know me, I was just about to throw a temper tantrum right then and there when I decided that it wasn’t worth it. So I just nodded and even bowed- bowed, Jongin, I bowed ninety-degrees towards Baldy like this- look, I bowed like this, and Baldy gawked at me as if he just saw a ghost-”

 

 

Jongin was staring straight at him, and Taemin stopped talking. He closed his mouth, and Jongin motioned Taemin to come closer again. Feeling like a well-trained puppy, Taemin approached him closer and Jongin laughed lightly at how easily Taemin complied. Without saying anything, Jongin reached past Taemin and placed his hand on the locker behind him. Taemin staggered back, startled by the sudden motion when Jongin wrapped his other hand around his waist and pulled him close. He gave a small peck on Taemin’s lips.

 

 

Stop chatting, his eyes seemed to say.

 

 

Taemin was just about to protest, but the pleasant feel of Jongin’s lips felt too good to pass. He clung onto Jongin’s neck and pressed his lips against him. 

 

 

Only, the ecstatic trance didn’t last for very long.  

 

 

Jongin’s tongue invaded into his mouth without skill, and Taemin tried to stop Jongin in alarm. It was in Jongin’s personality to be passionate about everything, but this was school they were talking about. It was only midday, and anyone could be walking in at any second.

 

 

“Kim… Jong… Jong…in-!”

 

 

Taemin muffled between kisses, his hands slipping against Jongin’s bare shoulders. Jongin held Taemin’s waist even tighter, and Taemin almost screamed in pain. His words were swallowed up by Jongin’s mouth, and Taemin felt like Jongin was eating his lips whole. Jongin gripped Taemin’s face tighter and drove him against the locker. Taemin couldn’t breathe.

 

 

There was only one explanation for Jongin’s kissing technique that always left Taemin breathless and flurried.

 

 

Jongin didn’t know how to kiss. He at it.

 

 

Of course, Taemin was aware that Jongin didn’t have experience. He never dated a girl, much less kiss anybody before.

 

 

But Taemin really couldn’t help wanting to smack Jongin in the head whenever he drove into Taemin’s mouth with unbelievable force. Jongin kissed Taemin harder and harder, and the changeroom echoed with a bang whenever Taemin’s shoulders slammed against the lockers. Running out of breath, Taemin unconsciously dug his nails into Jongin’s back when Jongin finally pulled away.

 

 

“…A, are… you, trying to… kill… me?!”

 

 

Taemin cried, gasping for air when Jongin leaned in again.

 

 

“KIM JONGIN!”

 

 

Taemin yelled in alarm, blocking Jongin’s face with his hands. Jongin smacked into Taemin’s palms, and he snickered against his hands. Taemin glared as Jongin straightened back and smirked in amusement.

 

 

“…I think I’m going crazy.”

 

 

He said, stealing a of own lips.

 

 

“…Yeah, I think so too.”

 

 

Taemin huffed, thinking how unfair it was that he was the only one out of breath. Jongin's arm slid from Taemin’s waist, and Taemin smiled in relief.

 

 

“So, what exactly did Baldy say?”

 

 

Jongin asked, slipping his uniform shirt on and buttoning it up.

 

 

“Remember how they nearly pleaded me to perform?” Taemin started. “Well, this stupid kid’s mom from Class Five is the president of the parents’ association, and she practically has her thumb over our school with a whiff of ‘This won’t do, I’ll have to contact the school board.’”

 

 

“What does that have to do with you?”

 

 

“She transformed the festival into her son’s piano recital.”

 

 

“…That’s ed up.”

 

 

“I know right? I mean, I didn’t even want to do it, but now I really want to because there’s a huge difference in not performing and not being able to perform. I’ve heard that stupid kid play before, he ing I bet he’s going to play twinkle twinkle little star-”

 

 

“Lee Taemin.”

 

 

Jongin cut him off, slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder.

 

 

“Yeah?”

 

 

“Why is it that your lips drive me insane every time I see it?”

 

 

“…….”

 

 

Taemin fell speechless at Jongin’s blatant announcement.  He seemed to have forgotten that they used to be just best friends about a mere week ago.

 

 

“…That’s because you are insane…”

 

 

Taemin grumbled, trying to ignore the rush of heat on his face.

 

 

“Well, I say I should be considered normal.” Jongin smirked. “I mean, I’ve waited ten years.”

 

 

“You?” Taemin scoffed in absurdity. “Don’t even bring up the word ‘waited’ in front of me-”

 

 

“You’re lips look puffier than usual.”

 

 

Jongin interrupted again, and Taemin found Jongin staring at him again. Taemin brushed his fingers against his mouth and felt his lips swollen from Jongin’s unskillful kissing. He saw Jongin smile, and Taemin’s shoulders slammed against the locker again.

 

 

Jongin smelled like sweat and fabric softener. Opening his mouth and taking in Jongin’s eager tongue, Taemin took an embraced breath and kissed Jongin back.

 

 

It wasn’t only Jongin who was insane. Taemin believed he was insane as well.

 

 

And he had never known how amazing kissing could be.

         

 

 

◈

 

 

 

 

“Eat it. Now, before I make you.”

 

 

Taemin pursed his lips and glared at the soy-sauce marinated anchovy that sat on his spoonful of rice. Hesitating to bring the spoon to his mouth, Taemin sent Jongin a desperate look. Jongin only looked back at him with firm eyes, clearly determined to send the anchovy down to Taemin’s stomach.

 

 

Chanyeol’s brows soared judgmentally towards Taemin and Jongin as a spoon dangled from his mouth, and Soojung crossed her arms as she watched the two with rising nausea. Sulli was sitting beside Taemin, examining the anchovy and unhelpfully pointing out its eyes.

 

 

Taemin didn’t eat anchovies. Whether it was fried, dried, grinded, or marinated, and no matter how loudly it screamed I’m ing healthy, Taemin didn’t eat anchovies. He just didn’t.

 

 

“Eat it, Taemin.”

 

 

Jongin repeated mercilessly.

 

 

“But I might die from the allergic reactions…”

 

 

“You have no ing allergy, put it in your mouth.”

 

 

“…Why are you suddenly doing this?!” 

 

 

Taemin cried indignantly, and Jongin replied with an air of defiance.

 

 

“I’m going to change your eating habits.”

 

 

“…, I can’t watch this.”

 

 

Chanyeol said, as his spoon dropped to the table. He glared at Jongin, the irritation on his face clearly telling them that he’d seen enough.

 

 

“Got a problem?”

 

 

Jongin spat, glancing sharply towards Chanyeol.

 

 

“…Of course not. You two just exceed my expectation every time and I’m just really touched.”

 

 

Chanyeol jeered and Jongin placed his chopsticks on the table with a loud clank.

 

 

“Take it slowly Jongin, anchovy by anchovy.” Soojung quickly cut in before the spark between the two boys could ignite. “You know Taemin’s ing difficult, he’s not going to suddenly change his eating habits in one day…”

 

 

Jongin’s disapproving eyes moved on to her, and Soojung quickly looked away.

 

 

“Let’s eat, Chanyeol-ah.” She smiled at Chanyeol instead.

 

 

As if to have fallen in shock, Chanyeol stared back at Soojung with a dumbfounded expression.

 

 

“What…?” Soojung blinked back. “Do I have something on my face?”

 

 

“…Why is it that I find you scarier when you don’t swear?” Chanyeol said, placing his palms on Soojung’s forehead. “Are you sick? Are you dying?”

 

 

“…What the , I don’t swear all the time...”

 

 

Soojung trailed off, as she found herself proving false.

 

 

“…Okay, fine.” Soojung snapped and lashed Chanyeol’s hand off her face. “Go back to eating, tard.”

 

 

“Yeah, that’s so much better.”

 

 

Chanyeol smirked, and Taemin quickly shoved his anchovy-resting spoon into Sulli’s mouth before Jongin could see. Jongin turned around, and nodded in satisfaction when he saw that Taemin’s spoon was finished clean.

         

 

 

◈

 

 

 

 

“So what’s happening, are you playing at the festival or not?”

 

 

Jieun was lying on her back with her legs propped up against the wall. Taemin was lying down in the same position as his sister, occasionally reaching for the bag of chips they had open in between them.

 

 

“It depends on how corrupted our school is…”

 

 

Taemin replied, and Jieun munched on the chips with a nod.

 

 

“So are you and Jongin dating?”

 

 

Taemin frowned at the random skip of question, and turned to meet his sister’s face.

 

 

“Can’t you ask questions with some consistency?”

 

 

Jieun looked at Taemin with an indifferent glance and popped a chip into . Taemin cleared his throat. Having Jieun walking in on them kissing was awkward enough, he wasn’t going to clarify that he was dating his former bestfriend.

 

 

“Of course they’re dating. They make out every freaking second.”

 

 

Taemin felt his head throb as he turned his head to the other side. Soojung was lying on the floor in the same position as them, the end of her sweatpants sliding down from her ankles. 

 

 

“You know, I wasn’t gonna say anything, but what are you doing here?”

 

 

Taemin asked in annoyance. And realizing what Soojung just said, Taemin frantically tried to remember exactly how many times and where he and Jongin had... 'had a moment' at school. Taemin’s ears turned bright red.

 

 

“And what are you taking about, we didn’t… make out…”

 

 

“Oh, shut up.”

 

 

Soojung said flatly, straightening herself up and peering down. Jieun snickered from the side and crunched on another potato chip. Taemin bolted up, practically feeling the accelerating rush of his blood pressure.

 

 

“W, when?! I swear, Jung Soojung, if you’re just making things up…”

 

 

Taemin cried indignantly, and Soojung snorted as she flipped her hair over her shoulders.

 

 

“You know, I’d at least think that you two would close the door before each others’ faces out.”

 

 

“I totally believe you, Soojung.” Taemin heard Jieun say before he could respond. “I have to come home in fear that someday I’ll walk in on them doing something more than just faces…”  

 

 

Taemin dragged Soojung out of the house before Jieun could elaborate any further.

 

 

 

 

The night chill of January was numb on their faces. The dark street was quiet, and the only thing that brightened their way was the dim streetlight by the side of the road. Taemin had only convinced Soojung to leave by telling her that he would walk her to the bus stop, and there he was, keeping his forced promise as Soojung trailed right beside him.

 

 

A loud chime disturbed the hushed street and Soojung unpocketed her phone. She took one look at the flashing name, and shoved it back into her pocket with an irritated grunt.

 

 

“Aren’t you answering it?”

 

 

Taemin said, and Soojung shook her head.

 

 

“Forget it.” She grumbled in annoyance. “These ing bastards never get it unless I kick them in the balls.”

 

 

“…Boy problems again?”

 

 

“Then would they be girls?”

 

 

Soojung scowled, and Taemin frowned at the girl’s snappy attitude.

 

 

“Jeez, I was just asking. And incase you don’t know, girls hate you.”

 

 

“I know.”

 

 

Soojung smirked with a casual nod. It was true. Soojung was popular and had many so-called girlfriends, but most of them actually hated her, turning their attitude around when Soojung wasn’t in front of them. It wasn’t like Taemin couldn’t understand them; Soojung tended to put on a mask and used her pretty face to her advantage. The girls didn’t know Soojung’s true personality, and they were jealous of her natural beauty and her clever cunning brain.

 

 

Taemin knew, Soojung was aware that the girls in her school – whether they were her “friends” or not – whispered about her behind her back. But Soojung never showed that she cared. She ignored them, like how Taemin had when he was called a heartless jerk and had ridiculous rumors spread about him. At least he didn’t think he cared, until the small scratches got deeper and deeper and left a scar. Taemin looked at Soojung, a small respect growing within for the strong girl. Soojung was one strong .

 

 

“Isn’t it cool how two people can feel the same way about each other?”

 

 

Soojung suddenly spoke up.

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

“It’s really a wonder, if you think about it. What do you think the probability is for the other person to like you back? When there are so many people in the world?”

 

 

“Uh, I don’t know…”

 

 

Taemin drawled uncertainly, and Soojung scoffed.

 

 

“Of course you don’t, you at math.”

 

 

Stopping in his tracks, Taemin was just about to retort something in return when her phone started ringing again. Soojung ignored it, smiling brightly and linking her arms with him as they left the neighborhood into the busier part of the streets. The neon signs flashed brightly and Soojung’s phone rang loudly again.

 

 

“Oh my god, doesn’t he get the ing hint?!”

 

 

Soojung groaned in annoyance.

 

 

“Just answer the phone and tell him that you have no intention in going out with him.” Taemin sighed. “Say exactly what you just said, don’t you get the ing hint?!”

 

 

Taemin mocked Soojung’s voice as the girl shot him a scowl.

 

 

“I’m supposed to be an angel, Taemin. Come up with something I can actually use.”

 

 

“Hey, you’re the prettiest when you’re not pretending to be pretty.” Taemin shrugged carelessly. “So take off that stupid mask. Aren’t you tired of pretending?” 

 

 

It was something Taemin just said without any intention. Though he did mean it; Taemin preferred the blunt Soojung who cussed to express her feelings more than the pretend Soojung that would flip her hair and bat her eyelashes innocently. Taemin felt Soojung’s arms slide off of him. He turned his head to find her staring at him wordlessly.

 

 

“…What?”

 

 

Taemin blinked, and Soojung bit her glossed lips.

 

 

“Taemin-ah.”

 

 

She finally voiced, her nose turning red.

 

 

“Yeah?”

 

 

“Thanks.”

 

 

“For what?”

 

 

“Am I really pretty?”

 

 

“…Uh, what?”

 

 

Taemin blubbered much too loudly, gaining glimpses from the people walking by. Soojung seemed to have returned to her normal self and smiled slyly, her eyes urging Taemin for an answer.

 

 

“Uh, well… I mean… generally speaking, uh, okay so… your eyes, nose and mouth and its proportions to your face is good I guess, you’re, uh…”

 

 

Taemin drawled, scratching the back of his head.

 

 

“Yes?” Soojung inquired.

 

 

“…Pretty.” Taemin said flatly. “But only when you’re not pretending to be pretty. Happy?”

 

 

Soojung grinned in satisfaction.

 

 

Suddenly, her phone started ringing loudly again. This time Soojung digged into her pockets and took out her phone. Taemin started walking again, but it was mere two steps he took before stopping to turn around. Dropping his jaws, Taemin gawked at Soojung as the girl’s pearly voice echoed through the streets, making everyone stop in their tracks to stare at her.

 

 

“Bleep! You bleep! What kind of bleep-ing bleep keeps calling at this time of night?! I’m warning you, you better watch your back because I’m going to bleep the bleep out of you, got it?! So stop calling me and leave me alone, you bleep!! Bleep bleeping bleep!!! If you call me one more time, I’m going to cut your bleep and bleep the bleep to it so that you bleep until you die, you bleeping bleep!!!!!"

 

 

With that last scream and a curse that Taemin didn’t dare try to comprehend, Soojung hung up. A coffee cup dropped from a woman’s hand nearby. And just when Taemin was about to ignore that humiliating incident, Soojung whipped her head in Taemin’s direction and flashed her signature dazzling smile.

 

 

“Taemin-ah, how about pretending to be my boyfriend one more time?” 

 

 

Everyone’s attention then turned to fix on Taemin, and Taemin cringed. Looking away and pretending not to know the girl, Taemin continued to walk in the other direction. But of course Soojung wasn’t one to let go.

 

 

“Lee Taemin! Wait for me!!” She cried, running after him and linking her arms again. “I’ll make sure that Jongin doesn’t find out.”

 

 

“No, I’m not doing it.”

 

 

Taemin whispered furiously, trying to cover his face with his free hand.

 

 

“Fine, I'll make Chanyeol do it then.” Soojung pouted. “He’s good enough.”

         

 

 

◈

 

 

 

 

When Taemin came home from walking Soojung to the bus stop, Jongin’s shoes were at the threshold of his house. Fe