Taemin was mid-way to his car on the parking lot of the high-school, trying to figure out how he would explain to his mother why he had

failed at his history test when suddenly, her laugh broke the train of his thoughts, awakening the uncomfortable butterflies hidden in his

stomach.

 

Before he knew it, his eyes were glued to her happy face as she threw her head back in a fit of giggles while she walked to the school

gates ahead of him.

 

That sound, it was way better than any music he had ever heard. The sound of her voice, of her laugh, sent shivers down his spine

every time he heard them. He'd do anything to hear it all the time. He'd do anything to be the one provoking it. Yet, he just stood there

and observed as she laughed with her best friend.

 

It had always been like this. Taemin would watch as she entered a place, he would watch as she walked in the hallway, he would watch

as she spoke with someone, he would watch just for the sake of it, every time he had the opportunity to.

 

The first time he had seen her was during the first day of school of his sophomore year, and he had been kind of hypnotized by her

ever since. He had fallen so hard it was incredible how he managed to hold back when a guy came and spoke to her. Taemin had

always been a jealous person, so it was hard for him to keep his cool when he witnessed these situations. Even though he had never

talked to her more than a few times, he felt very possessive over her.

 

Three years had passed since their first “meeting” and things hadn't changed. As a senior, he'd soon leave and he couldn't still bring

himself to put a stop to that bad habit of his to just watch her. Honestly, it was sickening but he couldn't help himself. He didn't have the

courage to go up to her and confess. He didn't feel able to. He didn't feel good enough.

 

Being a year older than her only added to his discomfort, not that it should have been a huge obstacle to go through; but for him, who

was constantly looking for an excuse not to confess to her, it was one of the biggest problems he had to face.

 

His best friend – who had kind of forced him to tell him about his feelings – kept on telling him he was creeping for watching her all the

time, but he was so infatuated with her that he didn't care.

 

“Yah!”

 

A voice pulled him out of his trance and seconds later, a hand was laid on his shoulder and with much effort, he averted his gaze from

the painting-like scene before him to look at the intruder, an annoyed expression starting to deform his face.

 

“What?!” he snapped.

 

His brother flinched slightly but recovered quickly, his charismatic glare piercing holes at the elder.

 

“Wouldn't you wait for me?” Jongin asked.

 

“Pardon?” was the elder confused response.

 

Jongin sighed.

 

“Hyung, you said you'd drive me home or were you planning on making me walk again?”

 

Taemin held himself from rolling his eyes. He had completely forgotten about his brother, just a reason for his mother to scold him

– in addition to his failed test.

 

“Sorry,” he said. “I was...distracted.”

 

Jongin cocked an eyebrow before looking at the same direction he had caught his brother looking at. There, he saw his brother's

not-so-secret-crush, parting ways with her best friend at the school gates and rolled his eyes. He didn't even need to ask what – or

better, who – had distracted the elder so much.

 

He didn't understand. Taemin had never really been the shy kind when it came to speaking to someone he liked – actually, his brother

was the one who had taught him the majority of the tricks he knew in the subject –, so Taemin's hesitation on confessing to the girl was

a surprise for him. Even more because he had had more than one opportunity to.

 

Since Jongin and her were in the same class for two consecutive years and had more than once been assigned to projects together,

she had often come to their house, and when Jongin went to hers, Taemin always came to pick him up – and often ended up having to

spend some time with them, when the girl's mother insisted for them to stay over for dinner.

 

Moreover, Naeun wasn't exactly the kind of girl that would intentionally break someone's heart. He had to admit that she was very

charming, and had very good personality. Honestly, he understood why his brother was so infatuated with her – even if she was

nothing near the elder's ideal type and he would've tried to help Taemin out with her, but he judged he wasn't close enough to the girl,

and he doubted his brother would let him live a second more after discovering he had put his secret at risk. And believe it, the last

thing he would want, was an angry Taemin behind his back.

 

“So what?” his brother's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. “Are you coming or not?”

 

Jongin blinked several times to clear his mind and walked off to the elder, cursing himself for daydreaming in public – unfortunately,

that was a family problem.

 

Taemin shook his head as he watched his brother enter the car before doing the same, ignoring the lump that was forming in his

throat. Yet, before he could even start the engine, something forced him to get off the car under his brother's puzzled gaze.

 

Something bad was going to happen.

 

“Hyung, what's going on?” the younger asked, hopping off the car as well.

 

Yet, Taemin had become deaf to his brother's question as he just ran to the school gates. He ran, the faster he could, only to stop

dead on his tracks on the side-walk, witnessing powerless, as the one he had been so infatuated with crossed the road.

 

Suddenly there was a loud squeaking of tires against the asphalt and an ear piercing scream.

 

Fear paralyzed his whole body as the scene seemed to be displaying in slow motion before him. He just watched as her fragile body hit

the windshield and the bonnet of the car, before bouncing on it and falling limp on the ground.

 

Time seemed to freeze. His breath got caught in his throat.

 

His eyes didn’t catch on the crowd that had instantly started to form around the lifeless body of the teenage girl, gasps and whispers of

horror and surprise creating a gloomy background music for him, as he fought with the reality he had just witnessed.

 

Then, just as suddenly as everything froze, everything started to move again and he restarted his run, pushing mechanically pass the

curious people hovering his loved one. And, once he had her bloodied body in sight, his heart started to pace even faster in his chest.

 

It hurt more than he had expected it to.

 

He felt his legs tremble and very soon, they gave out on him and he fell by her inert body.

 

“Naeun...”

 

It was just a whisper, no one heard him, but he didn't mean for anyone to hear it. Actually, he wasn't even conscious of the people

surrounding them anymore. She was the only thing in his mind at the moment, the only one he saw, the only one who mattered.

 

Maybe that is why he couldn’t acknowledge the man pacing back and forth between the car and the body.

 

“I didn’t see her,” the man kept on repeating, head in hands and despair deforming his face. “I swear I didn’t see her.”

 

Breath hitched, Taemin brought a hand up to her blood strained face, caressing the smooth – wet – skin of her cheek.

 

“Oh God!” He heard a familiar voice exclaim, but didn’t pay attention to it.

 

He bent forward, ear close to where her heart should be, hoping he could hear something. Anything. But he didn't, and it only fed his

fears.

 

“Hyung,” his brother put a hand on his shoulder and crouched down by his side. “I called an ambulance. They should be here at any

moment.”

 

Though, Taemin didn't pay attention to his brother for his eyes were glued on her. Only her.

 

And as if he wasn't already crushed enough, his world crashed completely about twenty-minutes later, when the ambulance arrived.

The curious people had been dismissed, and the paramedics started their work, making sure Jongin held his statue-like brother back.

 

Taemin observed, in an agonizing anxiety as one of the paramedics looked at his co-worker and shook his head, after having checked

on her.

 

“There’s nothing we can do,” the man said, finally looking at the two brothers. “She broke her neck at the impact. It was an instant

death.”

 

 

The following hours didn't leave any major memory in Taemin's mind.

 

That could explain why he suddenly found himself alone laying on his bed with the moonlight as only source of light in the room, staring

at nothing.

 

Naeun was gone and he had the feeling that it hurt more than it should. He felt as if he had been torn apart, as if a hole had been tore

in him and nothing could fill it up.

 

Maybe, what he felt for her wasn't just a crush after all and he only realized the extent of his feelings for her now, when it was too late.

 

And regrets were eating him up.

 

He regretted having postponed his confession, he regretted having missed so many opportunities to talk to her, to tell her how he felt –

even if afraid of rejection –, he regretted not having called her when he had seen her walking to the school gates, he regretted having

ignored his longing heart for that long. He regretted having just watched. He felt like he had let pass the only thing that he was really

meant to do, and he would do anything to change that. Anything to have her back. Anything to be to with her. Anything to be able to

protect her.

 

“Anything?” a feminine voice suddenly asked.

 

The air around him suddenly became thick and cold. Each breathe he realized forming a little cloud before him. The strange thing was,

it wasn't supposed to be like this, the window was closed and the weather was everything but cold.

 

He looked around him, searching for the owner of the voice, only to find...it, straddling him, it's beautiful face just inches away from his.

 

“Anything you said...” the translucent creature hovering him said. “Anything for her.”

 

It's plump lips curved in a beautiful, yet terrifying, smirk.

 

“Is she worth that much for you?”

 

But Taemin wasn't able to speak. Something held him back, as if some kind of warning had been triggered by the only presence of

that...being there.

 

It suddenly clicked its tongue, a little pout forming on its perfect shaped lips.

 

“Don't be afraid Taeminnie.” it said. “I am not a threat. I just want to help you.”

 

Yet, even with these words, Taemin couldn't bring himself to trust that strange creature. Even with its extreme beauty. Because it would

be a lie if he said it wasn't beyond beautiful. Its figure was built completely like a woman's, from its long velvety hair to its curved

attractive body and the same went to its sweet, melodious voice.

 

But it had one flaw: its translucent and colorless skin, and it was enough for Taemin to be terrified by it.

 

 That thing couldn't be a living being. That thing couldn't be real.

 

A chuckled erupted from the beautiful spectrum's mouth as it brought a hand to his face.

 

“You're right,” it said. “I don't live.”

 

It traced a cold finger along his jaw-line, its colorless eyes never leaving his.

 

“I exist only for people with a deep sorrow like yours. People who need a second chance, like you do. People who lost a love”

 

Taemin only observed with fear in his eyes as the creatured observed his face.

 

“Cry.” it spoke again. “You haven't shed a tear since she left, let it out.”

 

And, as if he had only been waiting for someone – something? – to tell him that, his tears fell, the lump coming back to his throat, his

sobs breaking the deadly silence that filled his bedroom. He brought his hands up to cover his face, ashamed for crying in front of a

stranger, even if the said stranger wasn't real.

 

The spectrum only watched with compassion as he broke down. Slowly, it laid by his side, supporting its elbow on the pillows and

leaning its chin on the palm of its hand; waiting for the boy to calm down.

And after a few minutes, the spectrum carefully put a hand over Taemin's and took them away from his face, revealing the heart-

broken boy's wet cheeks and puffy eyes.

 

“I can give the chance to change what has been done.” the creature talked. “But you have to know there will be consequences to it.”

 

Repressing a sob, Taemin looked at the spectrum's colorless face, his eyes meeting its, asking millions of mute questions, giving out

his fears and doubts.

 

“I don't know what these consequences will be,” the creature informed. “but you said you'd do anything for her.”

 

Anything. He indeed was ready to do anything for her.

 

“Do you accept my proposition?” the spectrum asked. “Do you accept the chance I'm offering you?”

 

Taemin swallowed the lump on his throat, trying to find his voice.

 

“What–“ it came out hoarse. “What do I have to do?”

 

The ghost-like creature smiled.

 

“You only have to say you do and give me a kiss to seal the contract.”

 

Taemin frowned. Contract? What exactly was he getting himself into?

 

“Anything...” the creature whispered to him. “You said anything...”

 

Yet its tempting voice lured him, instantly making him forget about his doubts. His eyes slowly searched for the spectrum's attractive

lips.

 

It didn't matter what it took, what he wanted was to have his Naeun back, was to have the chance to tell her what he felt and

maybe...just maybe have the chance to stay by her side, protecting her, watching over her like he had always done, but this time from

a place where he could actually do something. Be acknowledged by the one he had discovered an unending love for. Avoid that

painful loss he had been confronted to so suddenly.

 

“I do.” he said. “I accept.”

 

The creature smiled brightly at him and before he knew it, the translucent being was straddling him again.

 

“As you wish.” it whispered.

 

And with these words, the few inches separating their lips were closed, the creature's cold ones caressing his and he closed his eyes a

shiver running down his spine. Suddenly, a sweet taste covered his tongue, the cold air seemed to subside being replaced by a

warmer one, the silence surrounding him, slowly being filled up by a hubbub. Slowly, he lost the contact of the lips over his and he

opened his eyes only to find himself standing in the same place he had that afternoon, as he was walking to his car.

 

He looked frantically around him, startled by the sudden change. Was this his chance?

 

“Of course it is,” the spectrum's voice echoed through his mind. “make it worth its price, Taeminnie.”

 

He gasped. Worth its price?

 

Yet, he didn't have time to question more as her laugh broke the train of his thoughts...again. And just like before, his eyes

immediately averted to her as she walked ahead of him, laughing out loud at whatever his best friend had told her.

 

“Make it worth.” the voice told him again.

 

And so he did, he ran to her.

 

“Naeun-ah!” he called. “Naeun!”

 

The two girls stopped on their tracks and looked back at him, Taemin smiled and gathered up his courage kept running, only stopping

once he was right in front of them.

 

“Sorry...I–“ he hesitated. “May I talk to you?”

 

He looked at the younger girl who seemed surprised, and didn't miss the pink that was starting to taint her cheeks.

 

“I'll be going,” her friend suddenly blurted out with a little smile on her face. “I don't want to be late, see you later Naeun, goodbye

sunbae”

 

“Uh...y-yeah.” was the girl's reply before waving at her friend.

 

Taemin only smiled and nodded at the girl.

 

“So...wha- what do you want to talk about?”

 

Taemin looked at the girl before him and smiled. His heart was pacing in his chest.

 

“I...was wondering...hum..would you want a drive home?”

 

Naeun frowned.

 

“uh...Are you sure?”

 

“Of course,” he said. “come on.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Taemin smiled, his mouth going dry. Slowly he offered a hand for the girl to take, which she did with a slight hesitation.

 

They went to the car, finding a smirking Jongin leaning against the vehicle.

 

“Hello, Naeun!” he said.

 

“Hi, Jongin.” the girl smiled at him.

 

Taemin glared at his brother, daring him to say anything. The younger just rolled his eyes and hopped in the backseat of the car once

the elder had unlocked it. Taemin smiled, glad his brother had gotten the message and he helped Naeun to get in the front seat.

 

As he drove off the school grounds, he came to a sudden stop as a very familiar car passed before them in full speed.

 

A slight impression of déjà vu flashed through his head, but this time, she wasn't on the way of that idiot.

 

“Hyung?” his brother called from the back seat as he drove.

 

“hm?”

 

“Could you drop me off at the café? I have someone to meet.”

 

Taemin frowned and looked at rear-view mirror only to meet with a wink he brother sent him.

 

“Okay.” he said, repressing a smile, glad his brother was helping him out.

 

After having 'gotten rid' of his brother, Taemin drove to Naeun's house, an awkward silence installing itself between them. Honestly, he

had no clue what to say or even how to start a conversation with her. Yet, the spectrum's voice kept on repeating the same sentence

over and over.

 

Make it worth its price.

 

And he would make it worth it, he just needed time to figure out how.

 

However, they seemed to have arrived at the girl's house faster than he had imagined. He stopped the car at the side-walk and took in

a deep breath.

 

“Erm...thank you.” the girl said, as she was ready to exit the car.

 

“Wait!” the elder said urgently. “I...I have something to tell you.”

 

“Yes?” the girl asked, looking up at him with big curious eyes.

 

But his voice didn't come out. He felt so nervous, his hands became clammy.

 

“Sunbaenim...are you okay?”

 

He smiled.

 

“Don't call me that.” he said. “It's too formal...”

 

“ah...” the girl whispered. “How should I-”

 

“As you please...Oppa maybe?” he locked eyes with her.

 

There was a moment of silence between them, before Taemin gathered up all of his courage and reached forward, taking one of

Naeun's small hands in his.

 

“Naeun I...I've been thinking about it for a long time now... I'm not too good with this...but...” he sighed, the words seeming to jostle in

his throat.

 

Naeun looked at the elder, heart beating fast, anxious as to what he was about to say. She had never been this close to him, yet the

feeling wasn't that unfamiliar, as if somehow, she belonged there.

 

“I've always liked you.” came Taemin's confession.

 

And Naeun's breathe hitched.

 

“But I've never had the courage to tell you that. “ he went on, his eyes staring into hers. “For a moment today, I thought I had lost you

forever and only then I realized how much of a coward I was. I realized how much I lik-…I love you.”

 

Silence made itself thicker as none of them spoke a word more. Naeun was too shocked and Taemin too nervous.

 

“Look,” he started again. “I understand if you don't-”

 

Though, his voice trailed off as the girl shook her head, biting her lower lip, a crimson color painting her cheeks.

 

No words were spoken, and with his heart nearly jumping out of his chest, Taemin bent forward a hand coming up to cup the girl's face

as his lips met hers. It was a sweet kiss – literally –, just like the spectrum's, yet it had something different to it, something more

meaningful than the simple sealing of a contract. Something both of them had been seeking for: each other and the mute love they

had come to share.

 

Months passed since the day he confessed, yet Taemin couldn't convince himself that it was real. Because it was and somehow, he felt

like he was the happiest person out there.

 

He was driving to school – and for once, he didn't have his brother with him. It would be just a normal day, that is, if he ignored the bad

feeling that was clenching his heart and the weird dream he had had with the beautiful spectrum smiling at him. He knew that wouldn't

be the last time he would see it, after all, he still had to pay for the favor it had made him – even though he still ignored what the price

really was –, bur for now he was just making it worth.

 

He stopped his car at a red light and sighed happily. Choosing to ignore the bad feeling that was bugging him.

 

“You won't be able to do that for long.” came the translucent creature's melodious voice.

 

Instantly, Taemin turned his head to the right only to see the spectrum sitting at the passenger seat, its beautiful smile curving its lips.

 

“It's time to pay, Taeminnie.” it told him.

 

Trying to control his pacing heart, Taemin cleared his voice.

 

“And how do I?” he asked.

 

The creature smiled sadly at him before pointing at the left side of the road were stood a bunch of students. Though, one particular

person caught his eye.

 

Naeun...

 

He shook his head.

 

“No...nononono...you won't take her...”

 

“I won't?”

 

He didn't wait, he hopped of the car, not noticing the lights had just turned green.

 

There was the loud squeaking of tires against the asphalt, and an ear piercing scream.

 

Another déjà vu, yet this time, he was the one on the way.

 

He felt numb as his body hit the ground. His sight became blurry, his lungs became unable to pump the air, his heart weakening by the

second.

 

“Oppa!” that familiar and yet distant voice called out. “Oh my God, no!”

 

He felt himself being lifted up, and he tried to focus on the blurry face before him. Her tears strained cheeks hurt as much as her blood

strained face. He didn't want to see her cry. He didn't want her to suffer.

 

“Don't...cry...” he managed to mutter.

 

“Don't speak.” came his loved one's reply. “Keep your strength...oppa please...”

 

Taemin felt the air around him become cold, thicker, scarier. Mustering the remaining of his strength, he rose a hand to her face and

brushed the tears away with his thumb.

 

“It's the price...I'm paying...for you...to stay...” he said, his voice weaker. “I love you...Naeun-ah...”

 

“I love you too...” the girl cried. “Please Taemin...don't...”

 

In a last effort, Taemin gave her his angel-like smile.

 

“I'll...be...watching...as always...”

 

And with these words, his hand fell limp on the ground, his eyes closed, his heart stopped and from his mouth, his last breath was

realized.

 

The spectrum just watched as, once again, a pure love was broken apart by its greed for pain.