[Afternoon Walks]

“Taehyun, I was not the one who helped you. It was Mino.”

“Oh right! You should’ve seen that guy’s face! He was like panicking while he carried you to the clinic!” Hoon exclaims, oblivious to the glare that a certain tanned kid was giving him. 

“Mino was like a superhero! He lifted you up like it was nothing and ran quickly to the clinic.” Jinwoo says as he briefly recalls the memory and giggles softly. 

Taehyun had his gaze fixed on Mino the whole time his friends were talking about him and his little heroic act. It was obvious that the kid looked embarrassed and flustered- judging from how pink his cheeks were down to the sweat that trickled down his forehead. 

Eyebrows drooping, hair still parted in the middle, Taehyun wondered why. Why did the guy, why did Mino, help him? And why did it sound like he was genuinely worried for him? They weren’t even……friends. 

“You know that I’m a nice guy so it’s natural that I help other people. My mom raised me well.” Mino spoke in a deeper tone than he normally would, aiming for nonchalance, but there was a faint quiver in his voice that gave in his anxiety. 

“So all this time, you thought it was me?” Seungyoon says. His eyes widened as a sudden thought came into mind. “Is that the reason why you gave me the CD?”

Growing up without having to interact with a lot of people or even making friends, there were a lot of feelings Taehyun wasn’t prone to having. He wasn’t really used to making a mistake and the humiliation that comes along with it. He didn’t like it.

“No. I really wanted to give it to you.” Taehyun says. With a stiff face, he lied and it made him feel uneasy. Was it supposed to feel this way? 

Mino tries to hide his disappointment as he looks down with a sullen face. “So Taehyun gave Yoon the CD just because he wanted to? What does that even mean? Were they that close already?”, Mino thought. There was a subtle ache that he could feel way down, somewhere in his chest to the pit of his stomach and it made him lose his appetite. This was something that rarely happens- to Song Mino who loves food like how he loves to sleep and rap. 

“Thank you.” Taehyun mutters under his breath, not really hoping for Mino to hear but more of, he just wanted to say those words. 

Surprised and in disbelief, Mino looks up and meets Taehyun’s gaze. He wasn’t sure if he heard it right but did Taehyun just say, thank you? He gaped at the boy with the droopy eyebrows, his eyes filled with query and perplexity, wanting Taehyun to repeat what he just said.

The other boy looks away.

Mino, too, looks away. Unknown to both of them, their cheeks have turned into a faint flush of scarlet. 

Song Mino’s POV

I like spending most of my afternoons at the nearby music store. Small and cramped- this is home to a lot of Korea's underground artists. I come here mostly to find new albums of my favorite rappers or to buy that one CD that has been pushed down to the back of the shelves where dust  and dirt gradually engulfs it to obscurity.

It's not that I pity those musicians, because no, I don't consider myself that nice. It's just, I believe that music deserves to be heard. And if it's bad or it's good, then so be it. 

The shelves are full today. A bunch of new albums have arrived and my heart leaps in excitement like a kid who just entered a candy store for the first time. I was busy rummaging through a pile of new releases when all of a sudden, I saw someone awfully familiar.

Middle-parted shrub? 

Nam Taehyun?

I hid behind one of the shelves and tried to peak through the small gaps between each rack, to see if it was really him. Pale skin, droopy eyebrows on top of eyes that looked like they were staring at some other world and, that hair. How would I forget that odd, middle-parted hair.

It was indeed him.

Why was he here? And why was I hiding? It's not like I was guilty of following him or something. I took a peak once more and saw that he was already at the other section- his gaze fixated on the records. He took a headphone and started listening to a song. Eyes closed, lips softly humming to whatever tune he was listening to- he looked at peace. And then  out of nowhere, without warning, as if he meant to give me a heart attack, he smiled. He was smiling like he had always been smiling like that. Odd and perfect, his smile was something that I found mystifying to be happening but it was also both beautiful and right at the same time. 

I turned my back- away from that smile, away from that face, away from him, because this is something that’s way out of my control and understanding. It didn't make any sense.

Feeling wobbly from whatever strange thoughts that pressed into my head, I made my way to the store’s exit, hoping that he wouldn't see me. The place was small so there wasn't really any space for me to hide. I made soft, quiet steps, as I sauntered my way to the door, my head facing the other side. 

However, things didn’t go as plan and I found myself bumping onto a gondola. Clashing sounds were heard as the discs fell onto the floor. Most of the people’s attention at the store were on me. Nice job Mino, nice job.

The owner was looking at me with a scowl as I bowed in apology. I hastily picked up the CDs that had fallen and clumsily placed them back to the stand. 

One of the CDs fell a little farther away so I extended my hand a bit to get it but I still couldn’t reach it. In an instant, a hand that was both slender and pale, reached for it and handed it to me. I said ‘thank you’ as I got up only to lock gazes with the person that I’ve been avoiding but wanting to see at the same time. 

Standing in front of me- eyebrows drooping, hair parted in the middle, was Nam Taehyun.

Do you know the feeling that kids have when they were caught doing something prohibited? Like let’s say, eating chips in the middle of the night when their moms instructed that they couldn’t and then suddenly, the lights turn on and mommy is in front of them with a frown on her face. 

That’s exactly what I felt when I saw him standing right in front of me.

But it wasn’t like I felt scared. 

No, I can’t compare it to the terror (how could he be terrifying when he’s so beautiful like that) but more on to the heart-stopping moment where in for a brief second, you suddenly forgot to breathe and there’s no oxygen going through your nerves and through your brain, so it can’t send signals to your body and you’re caught there, just standing still, without knowing what to do.

“Welcome.” He says. 

Just when I was about to recover, my heart stopped again. 

Nam Taehyun’s POV

I didn’t know why I approached him in the first place, or why I even picked up that disc for him. Would it look like I was trying to be friends?

He looked surprised when he saw me and I can’t blame him because I am surprised myself. This isn’t something I would normally do. Well, maybe today isn’t a normal day. 

Both of us just stood there, without doing anything. He was like unconscious but had his eyes open and was standing still. I too, didn’t do anything because I didn’t know what to do so I just did what he was doing and stood there with him.

Out of nowhere, he coughed. It was obviously a fake cough. 

“So… what are you doing here? Do you like going to this place too? I’ve never seen you here before.” He said and I didn’t know why but it sounded like he was nervous from how his voice sounded a tad bit higher than usual. 

“I’ve been here a couple times before, usually Wednesdays and Fridays.” I told him.

Wait. Did I just specifically mention the days that I go to this store? What was I trying to imply?

He looked a little surprised with what I just said.

And then he beamed at me. “Oh, okay!” He looked really happy. “So are you going to buy that album you’re holding?” He asked as he pointed to the disc that I had in my hand.

I hesitated for a moment but then I found myself telling him. “Well, yes. I wanted to buy it a long time ago but I had to make sure that I liked the song not because I was caught up in the moment I first listened to it but more of I liked the song just because I like it. So I went back and listened to it for the second time and it was still....good.” What was happening to me? And why was I telling him these things?

“That’s pretty, interesting.” Again, he smiled at me. And I felt something that I couldn’t explain. Was I sick today?

I went to the counter and bought the CD while he was busy going though the shelves near the exit. When I was finished, he followed me outside. I didn’t say anything and I just walked, walked, and walked. I noticed that he was still there, walking from behind.

“Why are you following me?” I asked him. He was starting to be annoying again.

He looked at me like I was accusing him of something he was not guilty of doing. “I wasn’t following you! I was really headed towards this way.”

“Is your house this way?”

He smirks. “Why are you asking me where my house is?”

What was he suggesting? “I didn’t mean anything wrong.” I said in a stern voice. Is he making fun of me?

“I know. I know.” He was smiling, again. I wanted him to stop but at the same time, didn’t. Did that even make sense?

“I need to go to the art store that’s why I’m going this way.” He told me.

I was about to go to the art store too. 

“I was… going there too.” I said. He might think that I was the one following him. I could feel my cheeks heating up. I must be really sick.

“Ah, really? Then let’s go together!” He was being over enthusiastic again.

I didn’t answer him and I just walked, walked and walked. He followed my stride and I found myself not minding walking together with him. It was a quiet walk, no words were said, and it felt nice.

Song Mino’s POV

I didn’t know that we shared a lot of common interests together. Art was a hobby of mine that developed mainly because I was too bored to listen in class so I just made sketches of whatever I could see or think of. It slowly became something that I really liked doing and I would do artworks for my family or friends as a gift whenever I felt like it. 

Taehyun was busy going through the rack of paintbrushes. He eyed each brush meticulously, and would always be in deep thought for every single one. I was always amazed on how he could be inside his own little world and there’s this part of me that wishes that I could be a part of it too, someday.

I mentally slapped the thought away.

We went to the counter and I handed the sketchpad to the saleslady. I have been drawing a lot these days and I’ve been using up my notebooks faster than usual. 

I waited for Taehyun to finish as I looked through the new stack of copic markers available. Damn, these things were so expensive. 

Taehyun was done so we headed outside and walked. He was not saying anything so I decided to keep my mouth shut- I know he liked it this way. People always labeled me as the noisy kid and it was true, I liked to talk a lot. But right now, just staying quiet somehow felt right. 

We were about to reach the street where I had to take a different turn to my house and I was fidgeting on whether I should say goodbye or just walk away.

“Uhmmm, I guess I’m off. See ya!” I said. To my surprise, he stopped walking but he wasn’t turning around to face me. I waited because he might want to say something but he just stood there, doing nothing. So I just walked away.

And then I suddenly heard him say, “Wait.”

I hastily turned around and saw him heading towards me with something in his hand. He had his grip onto it tightly. He then held one of my wrists and lifted it in his direction.

“Open your hand.” He demanded.

What was he doing? My heart was beating really fast and loud and I was hoping that he doesn’t hear it.

“Here, use this.” He said. And in my hands was a pencil. A pencil?

“I noticed that you almost used up your pencil a while back in class so there. I bought you one.” He said but he wasn’t looking at me. And was he blushing? I couldn’t see well because it was already getting dark. 

“Then, see you.” He said in a low voice that I could barely hear. But I heard it. I heard it alright. He wanted to, see me?

I didn’t know for how long but I just stood there, grinning like a fool, looking at the pencil Nam Taehyun had given me. Damn, I feel so happy.

“Yo Mino! Stop smiling like a maniac, it’s giving me goosebumps!” Seungyoon told Mino with a smack on the head seeing how his friend was daydreaming the whole time in class. “And why do you look so happy today? Don’t tell me you did something stupid again?”

“I don’t care whatever you say to me today, I am not listening.” Mino sang in an annoyingly out-of-tune way that made Seungyoon cringe. He stared at the pencil in front of him and smiled happily at a thought. He then stole a glance at the quiet boy on the other side of the class who had his eyes fixed on some book, earphones on. 

Song Mino’s thoughts were disturbed by the sudden arrival of their teacher. Break time hasn’t ended yet so why was he here?

“Song Mino, report to my office immdediately. You too, Nam Taehyun.”

A/N: So what do you guys think about this chapter? I'm pretty sure you'll be surprised by the fast update! I felt guilty for ending my last chapter with that cliffhanger so here! I felt really happy writing this one because finally, there's some progress happening between the two! Hohohohoho. Anyway, I'm sure all Namsong shippers are happy because of the abundance of Namsong these days <3 Ahhh, the world seems more beautiful and brigther!  

Thank you very much to all my readers! And I really do appreciate all your reviews!  :)

-Arielle