"Is there a place we can talk?" Taeyeon asked.

Minho stopped pacing to look at her. She wanted to talk...again. Hopefully not to reiterate what she had said the last time. He had managed to convince her to go with him then, but he didn't know how many times he could persuade her.

He hadn't noticed it before, but she looked very uncomfortable. Like something was bothering her.

"There's something I need to tell you," she elaborated. "If we could talk in private somewhere."

The two of them were standing outside of the restaurant. Minho had expected it to just be another day he would walk her home, but apparently, she had more in mind.

"We could go to my uncle's place," he said, pointing in the general direction. "It's not far."

She nodded. "That would be fine."

They walked alongside one another through the parking lot, then on the sidewalk that would eventually take him home - or to the place that had become his home. Taeyeon was silent the entire time, and Minho was careful not to speak. They would obviously speak once they got there, though he was little worried about what she would say.

Maybe he'd find out why she was so mysterious all the time.

They eventually reached the small house and Minho opened the door for her, allowing her entrance into his current sanctuary. He led her to the dimly-lit living room, where he found his uncle searching around for his wallet. The man was obviously surprised to see them there.

"Hey," he said, looking between them briefly, before smiling at Minho.

"Hey," he returned awkwardly. "I didn't know you were still here."

"Don't worry, I won't be for long." He straightened suddenly when he found his wallet hidden under one of the pillows on the couch. "Who's your friend?"

"This is Taeyeon. Taeyeon, this is my uncle."

"Nice to meet you," she said simply, though she still looked too uncomfortable to have any sincerity in the greeting.

"You too," his uncle said with that same smile, as he made his way passed them to the front door. "I'm off to work...Have fun." He nudged Minho in the ribs as he walked passed, snickering very obviously.

"It's not like that," Minho hissed, but his uncle wasn't buying it. Luckily, he said no more before disappearing out the door, leaving him and Taeyeon alone.

He awkwardly turned to her, facing her blank stare. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine."

He cleared his throat and gestured to the couch. "Have a seat. Can I get you anything?" He made his way to the kitchen and quickly looked over what they had stored in the fridge. "There's...some water...soda...juice..."

"Soda."

He grabbed two cans from the top shelf then made his way back to the couch, taking a seat beside her. She took the can from him and quickly opened it to take a drink, as if trying to guzzle away her anxieties. Minho opened his a little more slowly.

"So..." he started, "What is it you had to tell me?"

She took a moment before answering. She stared ahead at nothing, nervously scraping her fingernails against her can. He waited patiently, watching her troubled expression. Eventually, she blurted it out.

"I don't like men."

Minho blinked a few times.

She sheepishly glanced at him, before looking away again. "I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner, but I don't like men. I like girls."

Minho took a few seconds to indulge an inappropriate thought, before returning to the present. "So you're saying you don't like me?"

"I do like you...just not in that way."

"You're attracted to girls?" he asked.

She nodded.

Minho's disappointed mind took in everything she said, quickly sorting it, quickly trying to find a way to still be hopeful. "Have you ever tried liking men?"

She shrugged. "I tried liking you."

They both fell silent. Minho stared at her as she continued to look away. She was still bothered, still nervous, and still so damn beautiful.

"I shouldn't have let it go this far," she said. She finally faced him, about to apologize once again, but she stopped when he drew in to kiss her.

She went stiff as he took her by the waist and tenderly kissed her trembling lips.

"Minho...what are you doing?"

He drew back enough to look into her wide, shocked eyes. "Trying to change your mind." He kissed her again and eased her back so that she was pressed against the couch, carefully trapped by him. "Tell me to stop if it makes you uncomfortable," he whispered in the short break he took, before locking their mouths again in a deeper kiss.

She was tense and obviously shocked, but she didn't push him off, or tell him to stop. She remained still, allowing him romance her - allowing his mouth to trail kisses from her lips, down her chin, and to her neck.

He finally evoked a gasped from her, though it was more likely from surprise than pleasure.

"Minho...stop."

He did as she said and slowly drew back. She was now trembling and looked almost to the point of tears. He suddenly felt awfully guilty.

"Taeyeon, I'm sorry. I didn't mean--"

"I'm a boy!"

Every thought in Minho's mind stopped.

In that moment, everything stopped. Words, feelings, ideas...everything. He tried to piece together the words, understand what they meant - for him, for her, and for them.

"...What?"

Taeyeon's eyes closed in an attempt to hide the shame and regret. "I'm a boy," she - he - reiterated.

"You're lying," were the words that slipped from his mouth. It couldn't possibly be true. His eyes looked her over, taking in every detail of her charm and beauty. It couldn't possibly be true.

"I'm not," she - he - said, struggling to keep her - his - voice steady.

"Prove it."

"What? How?"

He could think of one way, but decided quickly that he didn't want to go there. He turned away from Taeyeon, or whoever it was that sat beside him on the couch, and fought hard to keep his emotions at bay. "Get out," he said through clenched teeth.

"Minho, I'm sorry."

"Get out!" he snapped, striking his soda can from the table, causing it and all its contents to fall to the floor.

Warily, Taeyeon rose from the couch. She stared at him for a moment, before turning to leave. She left his house without looking back. The moment the door latched behind her, Minho rose and flung over the table before him. He then stood there with his clenched fists shaking.

What the hell had just happened?

A/N: Ha ha, poor infatuated Minho...