The Fifth Meeting
The Little Things
July 2009
She was starving. Her class had just ended and she was walking to the bus stop, looking through her text messages. Reading a text from her father sent about an hour ago, she quickly texted back as she sat down on the bus stop bench. He had messaged to say that he was not able to pick her up today due to a sudden business meeting. She told her father that there was no need to send a car to pick her up. Besides, the nights were getting warmer and there were only a few clouds still in the sky. It would probably be okay for her to walk home in her dress, despite not having a jacket and wearing heels. Sighing deeply, she sank back in the seat as she tried to think of a plan.
She was starving. Her class had just ended and she was walking to the bus stop, looking through her text messages. Reading a text from her father sent about an hour ago, she quickly texted back as she sat down on the bus stop bench. He had messaged to say that he was not able to pick her up today due to a sudden business meeting. She told her father that there was no need to send a car to pick her up. Besides, the nights were getting warmer and there were only a few clouds still in the sky. It would probably be okay for her to walk home in her dress, despite not having a jacket and wearing heels. Sighing deeply, she sank back in the seat as she tried to think of a plan.
I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten since breakfast and it’s nearly six. But I only have about 10,000 won on me and I’d rather save it for a taxi..
“Ahem.”
Her eyes found the source of her thought’s interruption. A boy was lounging on the bench, looking completely comfortable in a pair of jeans, black t-shirt, and blazer. His face was hidden by a book. The Little Prince.
She smiled at his game, deciding to play along. Putting on her most childish voice, she said, “Ahjusshi. Your throat sounds horrible. I hope you didn’t sing too much at the karaoke last night. Would you like a cough drop?”
Minho lowered his book, revealing a fake glare at her direction.
“Hey punk! Who are you calling ‘ahjusshi’?!”
He smirked when she began to laugh. Although he was surprised to see her walking towards the bus stop, he was glad as well. It was the first time since he’d seen her there in nearly a year and he let out an inward breath of relief that they still shared some sort of meeting place.
The last time he saw her was at manager hung’s wedding. He asked her to stay with him at the steps; and to his greatest surprise, she silently sat down next to him even though Jonghyun hyung was only a few steps away. Somehow, he had gotten her number that night. True, he had never actually called her or sent her a message yet. Everytime he’d scroll down his contacts list on his phone, he stopped at her name. Minho would stare at it for a minute before losing his nerve.
But his success in getting a form of communication with her had him smiling like an idiot for several nights before going to sleep.
“____ sshi, it’s been a while,” Minho stated calmly. He mentally patted himself on the back for being able to seem collected and cool.
However, she threw a skeptical look at him. “It’s only been around two months. Unless you missed me so much that it felt like more?”
She was teasing him and he knew it.
But he still felt blood rush up to his face.
Her smile resembled the Cheshire cat in that one book he read but the blood in his brain apparently flowed to his cheeks and prevent coherent thought.
As she watched him blush, she sunk into her own thoughts. He seemed a tad more confident and comfortable with himself. And she was glad. While his quiet, calm self had initially grabbed his attention, his arrogant, joking personality had charmed her.
Not to say that Minho charmed her. Just his antics.
“Well, I guess the group doesn’t have a schedule? Probably… Aish, I’m getting hungry. I should really get something to eat before getting home,” she said more to herself than to Minho.
“No, we have the day off. I’m hungry myself.. Let’s grab something to eat, if you want. Just let me call hyung to make sure that he doesn’t think some crazed fan kidnapped me,” Minho trailed off as he pulled out a phone from his blazer’s pocket and began to dial.
She wondered when she agreed to eating with him. Still, she couldn’t deny that she would’ve said yes anyway. Her thoughts rambled as she half listened to his conversation with his manager. How had the barrier between them, the wall that made him strangers, lift? Was it exchanging phone numbers that night?
No… It wasn’t then. It was even before.
“Ready to go?” Minho waited for her to stand from the bench and walked with her before continuing excitedly, like a child. “I know this place just down the street that Taemin swears makes the best dukbokki.”
Honestly, she enjoyed his company. Perhaps even more than Jonghyun and Onew oppa. She wasn’t exactly sure why; the other two boys were like suns. They were stars that shined brightly in the darkest of nights. But Minho just made her comfortable and jittery and nervous and happy and all of those things before she had lost her most important person.
She was afraid. She was out eating with an idol. An idol of the opposite gender. While there was no one there in the food stall that cared about who Minho was, the two were bound to meet up with someone that did if they continued like this. She couldn’t help but feel cautious. After all, fans were overprotective over their idols and..
That’s a lie. You’re not scared of the fans, she told herself. You’re scared of repeats. You’re scared of someone like her.
She was scared of Minho.
Why was he acting so nice? She was just a person he had met a couple of times. They really only started talking in their last meeting, and here they were, eating dukbokki like they were old friends. This wasn’t normal. Her life wanted, no, needed, constants. She couldn’t handle entropy. She hated changes and she needed things to stay and same and she just couldnotwouldnotshouldnotletithappenagain.
And Minho was like a warm flame on a cold October night.
“Trust me.”
Her eyes snapped to his warm brown ones. Minho looked just as scared and uncomfortable as her. She knew he was taking a risk as well. Their fragile relationship depended on these random meetings and interactions and there was no way that they could promise they’d become more than strangers.
But he held out his hand, giving them the chance to take a step forward.
Her eyes held onto his and her icy fear remained. But his kindness, his courage, his warmth melted some away.
She took his hand and they walked together on the path fate set for them.
Author's note: Dear fluff lovers, your chapter is next.
Again, thank you commentors, subscribers, and readers! I would all give you free Minhos if I could. :D
I can't say when my next update is since I have a couple of tests at the end of the week. Please check my userprofile status for updates on times if you're curious.
Author's note: Dear fluff lovers, your chapter is next.
Again, thank you commentors, subscribers, and readers! I would all give you free Minhos if I could. :D
I can't say when my next update is since I have a couple of tests at the end of the week. Please check my userprofile status for updates on times if you're curious.
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