“It goes beyond the realm of just a relationship between man and woman; this is understanding what it is to allow another person to get close enough to you to teach you how to love yourself.” - Ne-Yo

Kyungsoo poked his best friend’s shoulder while his eyes were focused on a figure all the way back at the library, “Hey Baekhyun.”

The elder waved off Kyungsoo’s hand which made him poke him again, “Baekhyun.”

Poke

“Baekhyun.”

Poke

“Yah, Byun Baek--“

“Poke me one more time Do and you’re going to get it.” Baekhyun whispered harshly, glaring at his friend. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes while Baekhyun pushed his English textbook away from him, “Alright, what do you want?”

“Do you know who she is?” Kyungsoo asked, pointing at the lone figure. The elder furrowed his eyebrows before his eyes follow the direction Kyungsoo’s finger was pointing. He narrowed his eyes at the girl, trying to remember if he had seen her around before.

He shook his head ‘no’ when his mind came to a blank, “Sorry Soo.”

Kyungsoo sighed, “It’s alright.”

“Don’t know who?” the two looked up and blinked at their junior and friend, who took a seat across from Kyungsoo. “Who are you guys talking about?”

“That girl over there.” Baekhyun nodded at the figure. Jongin turned in his seat to look, “Oh her? That’s Eun Mi.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen, “How do you know her?”

“That’s Sehun’s younger sister.” He answered. The eldest of the three narrowed his eyes at the girl, his head tilted to the side as if it would give him a better view, “Well that now I look at her a little bit more, I see the resemblance.” He looked at Jongin, “Does lack of emotions run in their family or something?”

Whack

“That’s rude Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo glared. The elder whimpered out a ‘sorry’. Jongin chuckled at the interaction of his friends before a thought came to mind, “Kyungsoo hyung,” the doe-eyed boy looked at him, “Why did you ask about her?”

“I think Soo here is interested in her.” Baekhyun nudged Kyungsoo’s side with a teasing grin. A whined left his lips this time when the younger out of the two smacked him upside the head with a notebook once again.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to be interested in her hyung.” Jongin sighed, laying out his homework for the day.

Eyebrows furrowed and the corner of his lips tugged down into a frown, Kyungsoo asked, “Why not?”

Much as you blame yourself, you can't be blamed for the way that you feel
Had no example of a love that was even remotely real
How can you understand something that you never had?
Ooh, baby, if you let me, I can help you out with all of that

Kyungsoo wouldn’t say that he had fallen in love with the girl when he had never spoken a word to her. But he admitted that maybe, just maybe, he’s a little attracted towards her. He was also more curious about her after learning some things from Jongin and Sehun (he was reluctant to share any information about his sister though because “oh my gosh hyung, this is my baby sister we’re talking about”).

That’s probably why he found himself sitting across the lone female three weeks later in the library, “Hi.”

Glancing up from her homework to see who had dared to bother her. The girl rolled her eyes when she saw the smiling male. Sighing, she collected all her homework and stood up, “Goodbye.”

“No, wait!” scrambling off his seat, he smiled apologetically at the librarian who shot him a nasty glare from his little outburst before rushing to follow the girl out of the library.

Stopping in her tracks when she realized the boy had followed her, she turned around and glared at him, “Can you go away please?”

Kyungsoo smiled and stuck out his hand, “I’m Do Kyungsoo. You’re Oh Eun Mi, Sehun’s sister right?”

She raised an eyebrow, “You know my brother?”

“Not really,” he grin sheepishly, “He’s Jongin’s best friend so I see him often.”

“Okay.” Eun Mi nodded slowly, “Now if you would please leave me alone, that would be great.” She spun on her heels and walked away only to stop after a few steps when she heard the words that left his lips, “I know that you blame yourself.”

Turning around slowly, she stared at Kyungsoo with slightly widen eyes, “What?”

Kyungsoo took in a deep breath, “I know that you think it’s your fault that your parents are never home. You think something is wrong with you since they didn’t give you much love and attention that you needed since young. That everyone feels uncomfortable when you’re around.”

She glared at him, “My of a brother told you, didn’t he?”

“If it means anything, none of us, your brother, Jongin and I, blame you and your feelings are completely understandable.”

“Yeah, maybe you guys don’t blame me.” Eun Mi said with a roll of your eyes, “But everyone else probably does.”

“You’re not philophobic, are you?” the brunet stuttered out, his eyes slowly widening as the thought came up in his mind.

She scoffed, “There’s no reason for me to be afraid of love. How the hell did you come up with that idea?” Kyungsoo cleared his throat, his hand reaching up to scratched the back of his neck, a habit of his whenever the atmosphere becomes tense, “W-Well, I just assume that since you didn’t receive much love from your parents--”

“That what? I would be afraid of love?” she let out a loud ‘hah’. Kyungsoo flinched but she ignored it and continued, “I think love is stupid. It’s a load of crap. I find it hilarious that everyone believes in it. I just stand at the side lines watching happy couples here and there, saying ‘I love you’s and only to see them breaking up a few months later.”

Eun Mi took a deep breath and looked up at the sky as grey clouds loomed over, “And you know what always goes through my head when I see couples break up?” Kyungsoo chewed on his bottom lip, wondering if he should keep silent or not.

He found himself asking anyways, “What?”

She looked at Kyungsoo and smiled. It’s the first emotion other than annoyance that he’s ever seen on her face but he wasn’t elated because he noted the sad look in her almond-shaped eyes. Even though she was smiling, her eyes showed pain, “That they deserve it. They deserve every heart breaking pain they’re going through because it was their fault for wanting to be in a relationship in the first place.”

“What about those who actually last?”

“They’re just the lucky ones.”

Kyungsoo sighed; this was harder than he thought, “Look, maybe since you’ve never experienced genuine love before that’s why you are so against it. Love is something that you never really had in your life, so it’s logical that you don’t understand it.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Eun Mi scowled, “So do you have a point for of all this or should I punch you in the face for wasting ten minutes of my life.”

“Let me help you.”

“Excuse me?” she raised an eyebrow. Kyungsoo smiled, “Let me help you understand love. Let me show you how it feels to be loved.”

Blinking slowly, the girl's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “Is this a confession?”

“Maybe.” Kyungsoo shrugged, though the smile on his face widened into a grin,

Silence fell and he stood there, eyes never leaving hers as he waited for an answer. As seconds ticked by, Kyungsoo took the long silence as a form of rejection and decided that he would try again another day. Maybe tomorrow? Or should I give her time? Maybe--

And that’s when he saw it. The corner of her lips twitching up slightly, it was barely even the faintest of smiles but it made his heart skip a beat. Eun Mi her heels and walked off. Her answer, though soft, rang through the quiet corridor, “Whatever.”

I can see the pain behind your eyes
It's been there for quite a while
I just wanna be the one to remind you what it is to smile
I would like to show you what true love can really do

“You should tell me what you’re feeling you know.” Kyungsoo commented, his chin resting on his palm. Eun Mi looked up from the book she was reading and raised an eyebrow in question. He continued, “When you feel sad or happy or something. You should especially tell me when you’re having a hard time”

“And why would I do that?”

It had already been around two months since both of them had started hanging out. The first few weeks were awkward and sometimes Eun Mi tried to lose the elder but he was persistent. Soon, she gave up and the two of them had been seen around school together more often.

Eun Mi was now part of their rather large group, courtesy of Sehun and Jongin practically dragging her to their table every lunch. She didn’t talk much at first but Kyungsoo put in a lot of effort into making her open up. He beamed when she started to answer the group of friends’ questions, Sehun even looking stunned for a moment. Her answers were short but it was a start.

 “You think you’re hiding your emotions well but I can see it in your eyes. They have this shine to them when you’re happy and a little dull when you’re sad. But you know what I see in your eyes most of time?”

Eun Mi placed her book on the table and crossed her arms over her chest, “Enlighten me.”

“I see pain.” Kyungsoo noted how she stiffened a little, “I see pain and loneliness. I’ve noticed it since I met you and I’m pretty sure it started way before then.”

“So what?” She scowled. Kyungsoo frowned, “And another thing, stop scowling. You’re going to be like your brother.”

Eun Mi snorted out a laugh, “Well, we are siblings.”

“You should smile more.”

Here he goes again. “No thanks.” she said, picking up where she left off from her book just as his phone rang, reminding him that he needed to go buy groceries for dinner.

“I’m going to help you remember what’s it like to smile.”  He said determinedly, zipping up his backpack before swinging it over his shoulder. The junior hummed, “I don’t think I have any memory of smiling.”

He smiled, “All the more reason to do it.”

Glancing up from her book, she narrowed her eyes at him, “You’re weird you know.” Kyungsoo’s smiled turned into a grin, “Just you wait, I’m going to show you what love can do.” He said. He then waved and bid Eun Mi goodbye, reminding her to be home by six because he didn’t want a repeat of Sehun having a panic attack.

Eun Mi stared at his retreating back and unconsciously, the corner of her lips curled up into a faint smile, “Scratch that, you’re really really weird.”

Girl let me love you
And I will love you
Until you learn to love yourself

“Kyungsoo?” the brunet looked up from his phone. His face lit up when he saw Eun Mi and his eyes were practically shining.

Kyungsoo thought it would be a great idea to go out on such a lovely Saturday afternoon. And since he had some errands to run at the mall, the two of them went there. As Eun Mi was looking at hyper puppies jumping and barking when they saw her, she felt a hand holding onto her wrist and before she knew it, she was dragged into a clothing store.

“This is stupid. I look stupid.” She glared. Eun Mi tried to ignore the fact that she was fidgeting and that her fingers were playing with the buckle of the belt. She was never uncomfortable in a dress. She actually likes to wear it out occasionally but for some reason, the younger was looking down, cheeks pink as she stood before Kyungsoo wearing the dress that had caught his attention.

“Nonsense.” Kyungsoo scoffed. He turned to the staff and smiled, “We’ll take it.”

Her eyes widen, “Wha-- Kyungsoo!” she whispered harshly, tugging on his sleeve. She glared at him while he on the other hand smiled, “You look amazing Eun Mi, really.”

Girl let me love you
I know your trouble
Don't be afraid, girl let me help

“Are you scared?” Eun Mi swallowed the huge lump that was stuck in and shook her head.

Kyungsoo smirked as his face lowered closer to hers, “You sure?”

The group threw Min Seok, Lu Han, Yi Fan, Joon Myeon and Yixing a graduation party to celebrate their end as high school students. ‘I will miss you’s were said, hugs were shared and tears were shed (Lu Han refused to admit that he was crying even though tears were already rolling down his cheeks).

Since Sehun didn’t want to leave early because it might be the last time I see my favourite hyungs again! Except for you Lu Han hyung, I don’t want to see your ugly face ever again (“why you ungrateful little brat--” “Calm down Lu”). But you on the other hand, Eun Mi was exhausted so Kyungsoo offered to give her a ride home.

If she knew this was going to happen, she probably would have stayed a little bit longer and waited for her brother.

“It’s okay to be afraid Eun Mi.”

“I-I’m not--“ she was cut off by his lips slanting over hers. Eyes wide and breath hitching, she stood there frozen as his lips slowly moved against hers. There were so many thoughts running through her head but at the same time, her mind was completely blank.

When he was about to pull away, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back, eyes closing slowly as she returned the kiss.

Kyungsoo smiled into the kiss, his arms wrapping around her waist to pull Eun Mi closer.

Girl let me love you
A heart of numbness gets brought to life

“Still think love is a load of crap?”

Eun Mi rolled her eyes and swatted at Kyungsoo’s chest, “Shut up.”

It was a starry Friday night. Five months passed since the kiss Eun Mi and Kyungsoo shared and five months into her first ever relationship. The two were lying on the blanket that she had splayed over the grass of her front lawn, watching the stars twinkling above.

“It took me almost a year, you were so difficult.” Kyungsoo groaned playfully. She rolled onto her stomach and smirked at him, “Who says I’m not difficult now?”

He chuckled, “You’re right, you still are.”

A comfortable silence fell and Eun Mi was just about to roll back onto her back and rest her head onto her boyfriend’s chest when he piped up, “You know, since I’m older, you should--”

“I’m not going to call you oppa.” She deadpanned. Kyungsoo pouted, “Oh come on, please?”

“No.”

“Just once.”

“No.”

“Yeah, you’re still difficult.” He sighed but a hint of smile was on his lips. Eun Mi just smiled at him before doing what she wanted to do before. As she rested her head on his chest, she heard the faint sound of his heartbeat and the corner of her lips twitched up into a smile.

“Hey Eun Mi?” She hummed, tilting her head up to look at the brunet. He eyes went wide when she felt a soft kiss on her forehead, “I love you.”

It wasn’t the first time she had heard him said those three words but it still made her heart skip a beat and the heat rushing up to her cheeks. Eun Mi had never really said them back before but she can’t deny the way her heart was beating ten times the normal pace nor can she deny the warm feeling in her chest and the butterflies fluttering in the pits of her stomach whenever Kyungsoo was around. She took a deep shaky breath and smiled.

“I…I love you too.”

I'll take you there

Wow guys, three suscribers already that's the first. I hope I didn't disappoint you guys and that you enjoyed it ^^