Minho's POV

It is early afternoon, and I really have nothing to do. Living in an apartment by myself really has no perks, besides the obvious taste of independence. I often become lonely and rather stir-crazy. So upon craving a different view than my boring apartment, I take a walk.

I walk downtown, passing by my old school. Taemin's school. I smile as I think of Taemin walking down those halls, students staring in awe as he passes by. He drops a book, and the entire student body lunges forward to help him. Afterwards, he tells a joke, and everyone laughs. Then he walks off to the cafeteria, his arm wrapped around his stunningly gorgeous girlfriend, where he sits at his usual table with twenty-something of his closest friends sitting around, laughing and talking with him.

That has to be a normal day for Taemin, right? He's so...amazing. Incredibly intoxicating. He has to be popular, neh? I'm sure everyone loves him.

Just like I do.

Wait, what? No, no. I don't love Taemin. I mean, I guess in a way I do. No, that doesn't even make sense. I like Taemin. In fact, I like him a lot. I mean, I can tell just from our short tutoring sessions that he has a truly captivating personality. He's smart. He has one of those smiles that could put the sun to shame with it's brightness. Not to mention, he's completely adorable. I mean, you think puppies are cute? I would turn down every puppy in the world for Taemin.

Whoa. Did that last part have a double meaning?

I shake my thoughts away as I walk through the park. It's such a pretty day. The sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky. It's strange; there's snow in the forecast. A stray wind catches me, and I tug at my jacket. It's always so damn cold here.

My mouth waters as the ice cream shop across the street catches my attention. Even though it's blistering cold out, I could totally go for a couple scoops of strawberry goodness. And I'm pretty sure I have enough money in my wallet to cover it. What have I really got to lose?

I trot over to the ice cream shop, looking in the window to see the place is packed! Maybe this isn't such a great idea after all. But my craving for ice cream screams louder than my impatientice. Suddenly, my eyes catch a head of spiky brown hair, and I squint to get a better look.

Hey, I know that guy! Kim Jonghyun. He's a year younger than me. I remember he was the star player on the soccer team, which I was also a part of. But his first year on the team, he admitted to everyon he was gay. He inspired me to come clean about my orientation as well. That was, of course, until he was kicked off the team and deemed a freak by the entire school.

I couldn't help by feel for him. He was a super guy; totally popular with so many great scholarships lining up for him. But he threw it all away for everyone to know the real him. I wonder how he's doing. Last I heard, a classmate said he was hanging out with "some scrawny little boy that looked like a girl in desperate need of a ."

I walked into the shop, the little bell atop the door ringing as I step in. My eyes meet briefly with Jonghyun's before he looks across the table and mutters something to the person he's with. His eyes meet mine again, and I smile, hoping he maybe remembers me. After a moment, something below my gaze captures my attention. I look to notice another face, staring up at me with wide eyes. A face all too familiar.

"Some scrawny little boy that looked like a girl in desperate need of a ."

Taemin?

~~~~~

Taemin's POV

"I know that guy!" Jonghyun whispers excitedly, drumming on the table.

"No you don't!" I sputter, turning forward again. "You've never seen him before in your life!"

"Umm, yeah I have," Jonghyun raises an eyebrow at me. "He was the captain of the soccer team. What was his name...Minhyuk? Minwoo? Min...Minho! Choi Minho!"

"Yeah, of course you know him. Because he went to our school and he played on our soccer team and he walked down our halls and sat in our classrooms and ate in our cafeteria..."

Jonghyun's face suddenly looks concerned. "Taemin, are you alright? You suddenly look very sick-OH MY GOD, DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON HIM?!"

"What? No!" I grip my forehead, wishing he'd keep his voice down. "I've never even seen him before.

"Doesn't matter!" Jonghyun beams. "You're seeing him now! Isn't he delicious? You should totally go talk to him!"

"No, I'm fine. I don't like him." Please, Jonghyun. Just shut up.

"Whatever," Jonghyun smirks, taking another bite of his frozen yogurt.

We then sit there and eat our ice cream in silence. I resist the urge to turn and look at Minho again, but just barely. It kills me that Jonghyun keeps flashing his eyes behind me, obviously watching Minho. Stop it! Don't look at him! You're not allowed to look at him!

Wait, why do I even care? It's Minho. He's my tutor. And he's taking me to see a movie today. No big deal.

"Oh my God," Jonghyun suddenly whispers and I follow his gaze to see Minho sit down at the table next to ours. I stare at Minho as he smiles absent-mindedly into his ice cream. Strawberry. He won't return my gaze. I know he knows I'm here. But he's ignoring me.

He's keeping my secret.

"Taemin," Jonghyun mutters, and I snap my head back in his direction. "Stop eye ing him and go talk to him! Do you want me to do it for you?"

"I'd really rather you-"

Too late. Jonghyun's already gotten up from the table. He puts his empty ice cream container in the garbage before walking over to Minho's table.

"Choi Minho, right?" Jonghyun asks. Minho looks up at him and smiles in response. "It's been a while."

"Indeed it has," Minho's voice is soft and polite, the way he spoke when we first met. "How have you been?"

"As good as a guy like me can be, I suppose," Jonghyun sighs before gesturing towards me. "I'm just here having ice cream with my best friend, Lee Taemin."

Minho looks over at me, his intense eyes meeting my own. I see recognition in the twinkle of his eye, but he hides it well. The small yet meaningful smirk on his face makes me melt into a pool of warmth.

"Nice to meet you, Taemin," I melt even more. The same greeting he gave upon meeting me for real.

I smile in response, my heart beating out of my chest. I don't want to speak, in fear I wouldn't be able to hold my cover as well as Minho was.

"Taemin's very shy," Jonghyun says, flashing me a sly smile. "He's actually been meaning to come talk to you, but he won't. So I did it for him."

"Is that so?" Minho's gaze flickers to me. He's asking me with his eyes if Jonghyun knows anything. I shake my head, and he nods slightly, turning back to Jonghyun. "What a great friend you are."

My best friend nods at Minho's snickers. "Isn't he adorable? He's literally the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. It's a wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend, neh?"

I watch Minho's eyes widen. "Taemin's single?"

"Isn't it unbelievable?" Jonghyun coos. "Of course, I wouldn't expect him to have a girlfriend. He plays for the other team, you know? Just like me."

I sigh and roll my eyes. That's the way Jonghyun always does it. He never comes right out and asks people if they're gay. He always announces that he's gay first. "It eases them into it," he always says, "You don't ever want a potential candidate to feel pressured."

"That's interesting," Minho grumbles. "That's the way I am too, if you don't mind keeping the secret."

I freeze. Minho's gay? How is that even possible? Minho's gorgeous, a flawless being. I'm sure girls are constantly falling all over him! Who could be gay when they could have any girl they wanted?

"It doesn't even matter really, since you've graduated. You don't have to hear the bull everyday," Jonghyun said with a shrug.

Minho nodded sympathetically and returned to his quickly-melting ice cream, excess from his spoon with one quick, sharp movement of his tongue.

"You seem cool, Minho hyung. We should all three totally hang out! Taemin would love that. Like...we should get together and see a movie or something!"

I can't help but smirk at the irony. "Not tonight, Jonghyun. Remember, Umma needs me home by five," I say, checking my watch.

"He speaks!" Jonghyun throws his hands in the air, causing Minho to chuckle.

"Perhaps another time, then," Minho says, staring straight at me. I'm pretty sure I've stopped breathing.

"We should go," I say, standing up with my empty ice cream container. "It was really nice meeting you, Minho hyung," I talk quickly, grabbing Jonghyun by the arm and pulling him along with me as I make my way to the exit.

I hear Minho chuckle a goodbye as I throw my container in the trash and hurry with Jonghyun out the door.

Walking down the street on our lengthy journey back to my house, Jonghyun kicks the soccer ball skillfully down the sidewalk. I walk silently next to him, catching the ball with my foot every time it rolls towards the street and passing it back to him. Just then, my phone vibrates.

To: Taemin

From: Minho

We're still on for tonight, right? You haven't backed off on me, even though I'm scary?

I smirk to myself as I hurriedly type a reply.

To: Minho

From: Taemin

No way! I'm totally excited 2 go! UR not scary! ^^

To: Taemin

From: Minho

Well, that's good to hear. Or read. Can't wait to see you!

To: Minho

From: Taemin

Likewise. :)

"Yah! Who are you texting?" Jonghyun asked, dribbling the ball on his knees. So nosy!

"Just Umma. He's just reminding me I need to be home."

"Aigoo, so cute!" I ignore Jonghyun's outbursts and smile for the rest of our walk, thinking of Minho.

He can't wait to see me.

I think I might die of impatientice to see him.

~~~~~

Annyeong! Hope this chapter is sufficient. I rewrote it several times. I'm still not fully satisfied with it, but here it is anyway.

Sometimes you gotta take risks, right?

Comments make me smile. And I love to smile. :)