Minho correctly always thought Taemin was innocently cute. Minho had a right to think so, he thought. He knew Taemin the best in the world, and no one could tell him otherwise. Minho was a year and a half older than Taemin, already walking and babbling when Taemin was born in the house across from his. Minho’s mother saw the friendly opportunity and introduced herself to the new mother of Lee Taemin.

Taemin did not know life without Minho. From the moment Taemin was alive, Minho had always been by his side. Even when separated briefly in school, Taemin always ran to the omnipresent security of Minho and relied on Minho’s undeniable strength. Minho’s love was reciprocal. Though he would never admit it, Minho often ran to Taemin, too. Minho relied on Taemin to love him.

Taemin had seen Minho cry childish tears many times when they were young. Minho had cried when he scraped his knee or when he fell off of the monkey bars or when his mother had hit him for pushing one-year-old Taemin out of three-year-old Minho’s way. But to Taemin, the first time he saw Minho cry was when 12-year-old Minho auditioned for the elementary school football team and was rejected right away. Football had always been Minho’s passion since he’d first seen a game in kindergarten and posters of his all-time favourite teams and players adorned his off-white walls. But Minho had never actually kicked a football before the day of the try-outs. Minho had never run up and down a field before then. It was no wonder that he got tired quickly, that he missed the ball, that he downright .

 Minho frowned and walked home dejectedly after the coach had a depressing private discussion with him. He was considering going straight home until he saw Lee Taemin sitting on his own front porch, favourite old book in hand, sipping some overly sweet hot chocolate.

“Hey, Taemin” Minho said, throwing his gym bag onto the floor and sitting next to the younger.

Taemin held up a finger, his chocolate eyes scanning the page quickly before he shut it and sighed. “I love good endings.” He sighed again. Taemin always fell deeper in love with the book, though he had read it multiple times before. “How was your try-out, hyung?”

Minho shifted his weight, leaning back onto his palms. “They said I’m terrible. I couldn’t even kick the ball” He said dejectedly. “I mean, I really like football and I’ve watched it for years.” His voice started shaking. “Shouldn’t I be good enough for even call-backs? But he said I wouldn’t have a chance to play it, that’s how bad I am” He cried, burying his face in his hands.

Taemin scooted closed to Minho and wrapped an arm around the older. “Well, you’d never even played before. What if my dad and I help you train so next year you can try again?”

Minho lifted his head up. “You would help me?”

Taemin nodded, laughing. “Duh. Anything for you, hyung. Let’s get my dad,” He pulled Minho up and handed him the gym bag.

Minho became the star player of the middle school and high school team.

Taemin cried in front of Minho a lot, but the last time Minho remembered Taemin crying was when he shook in front of Minho, tears streaming down his chubby face as he choked out two words that Minho never wanted to hear.

“I’m moving.” The younger said, staring into Minho’s large eyes.

Minho said nothing, pulling Taemin close to him, wrapping his long arms around the smaller, quivering boy. He was intent on never letting Taemin go, but his promise was shattered when Taemin moved away a week later, neither of them allowing themselves to cry.

Taemin promised his Minho that they would meet again, that he would come back to him after he finished high school. Seeing that Taemin was 15 years old, Minho was glad that he only had to wait three years.

Three long years passed and Minho patiently waited.

Minho waited until he was 23 years old. He had tried calling Taemin’s cellphone number, but the call was never answered. He tried calling his parents, but his calls always went unanswered.

And after six years and his own persuasion, eventually, Minho simply gave up. It seemed like his only best friend was gone forever.