Chapter 2        

 [Taemin’s P.O.V.]   

                   I stared out the window of my room. It was three in the morning. The pain in my ankle kept me awake, but it wasn’t the only thing. What was his name again? Minho? Yeah, that’s it.

                   Why did he suddenly run away? Did I do something wrong?

                   What I couldn’t get out of my mind was his face. The way he stole glances at me when I was in his arms. Why did I care so much about someone I just met? It doesn’t make sense.

                   I wrapped the blanket around myself. It was nothing compared to how safe I felt in his arms. I’m not even sure if I’ll have the chance to be in his arms again.

                   I looked out at the garden of my house. My parents weren’t home yet. Sometimes, it felt nice that I had the freedom. But then again, I somehow wished that maybe they would pay more attention to me. Thank god for Key umma and Jonghyun hyung, though. Jonghyun hyung always tucked me in at night. He was like my appa, just that we weren’t biologically related.

                   After Key umma and Jonghyun hyung went out of my room after making sure I was asleep, I climbed out of bed and had been thinking ever since. I pulled my knees up to my chest, hugging my legs. I miss Minho somehow, even though I don’t really know him.

                   I threw off my blanket and put on a jacket. I decided to go for a walk in the gardens. Might as well move around for a bit, since my thoughts weren’t going to let me sleep anytime soon.

                   I quietly closed the front door behind me and started limping slowly towards my favorite spot of the garden. There was a small maze, and in the middle of the maze was a gazebo. That was Jonghyun hyung and Key umma’s favorite spot. I went on through the maze and got out on the other side. There was a small garden, with sunflowers planted in a circle. I lay down in the middle of the circle and let my thoughts flow as I looked up at the starless sky.

[Minho’s P.O.V.]

                   Taemin. Taemin, Taemin, Taemin. I couldn’t get him out of my head. His name rang in my mind again and again and again. I paced in my room. It was starting to get on my nerves but somehow I liked the way his name sounded.

                   Not being able to take it anymore in the small space of my room, I put on a coat and went out. I kept my hands in my pockets and walked. I didn’t think where I was going, I just walked.

                   It wasn’t until I reached a familiar slope when I realized where I was. Taemin’s house. Taemin’s beautiful house. I stopped and stared up at the enormous structure of the building. What would it feel like to grow up and live here?

                   I slowly walked up the slope. I shouldn’t be here, what if the security cameras filmed me? What if Taemin saw me? I tried to turn back, but the more I tried, the more it felt like I was being pulled towards the house.

                   I stopped at the gate. It wasn’t like I could go in, anyway. A password was needed to open the gate and I didn’t get to see the password that Taemin typed in earlier. I sighed and stood with my back against the gate.

                   Well, since I’m here, I might as well just think here. People might think I’m weird to sit outside someone’s house doing nothing, but I didn’t care. Being outside his house made this afternoon’s memories flow back through my mind.

                   I sat there for an hour or so, trying to clear my thoughts. Why do I have such strong feelings for him? I just met him, and it’s not like I haven’t seen pretty guys before.

                   Just like a dream, a voice sounded behind me. It cut through my thoughts and brought me back to reality with a thump. I turned around and saw him standing in an angel-like glow, as if he jumped out of my thoughts. Did he come to save me?

                   I blinked and expected to see him gone, but he was still there, just without the angel-like glow. He called my name again and I could’ve sworn he was an angel sent down to save my soul.

[Taemin’s P.O.V.]

                   After looking at the starless sky for what felt like a lifetime, I got up, feeling better. I made my way out of the maze. I decided to walk past the gate, although I have no idea why. The front door to the house was the other way, but I purposely walked over to the gate instead.

                   Limping there, I had the urge to turn around and head back inside to my bed. My instinct pulled me towards the gate and I was surprised by what I found there.

                   There was a figure sitting outside. I walked closer and realized that the figure seemed familiar. My footsteps didn’t seem to have an effect on him as I inched closer and closer.

                   The dark brown hair that was messy yet beautiful made me realize who it was. “Minho? Minho? Is that you?” I called out softly.

                   He turned around to look at me. It really is Minho. He looked at me, dazed for a few seconds. I called his name again. “Minho? It’s me, Taemin.” He seemed to come back to reality and registered that I was calling him.

                   “Minho, what are you doing here?” I asked him. It didn’t seem like he knew why he was there, either.

                   “W-what? Oh. I was just… uhh…” He continued stuttering and I smiled at his cuteness. I just typed in the password and opened the gate, letting him in. I don’t usually let strangers into my house, obviously, but I let him in. Although I didn’t know him, which means that he was practically a stranger, I wasn’t afraid of him. There was no reason to be afraid of him once he looked into my eyes.

                   “What are you doing up so late?” He asked me, hands in his pockets.

                   “Me? Oh, just thinking.” I blushed, remembering what, or rather, who I had been thinking about.

                   “What about you? You still haven’t answered my question yet.” I asked him again. This time, it was his turn to blush. He looks so manly, but when he blushes, he looks so cute. He’s tall, like really tall. I hadn’t noticed it that much before, but now that he was standing close to me, it was glaringly obvious, although I’m not a short guy.

                   “I was just taking a walk and ended up here.” He answered nervously.

                   “Why did you come back after running away just now?” I couldn’t stop the confusion clouding my face and thoughts.

                   I saw him frown. I was still waiting for an answer and he knew it. He bit on his bottom lip. He looked like he was trying to figure out an impossible maths question. I was confused and slightly pissed and hurt, but I couldn’t help smiling.

                   “I don’t know. I’m sorry. I really don’t know. It’s not that easy to explain anyway.” He finally answered, looking up at me.

                   I kept quiet. Truth is, I had forgiven him the moment I realized it was him sitting outside. “Do you have anywhere to go or anything to do now?” I asked him.

                   He shook his head. I smiled and pulled him along, back to the garden. I leaned slightly on him, trying to lessen the pressure on my throbbing ankle. My favorite spot in the whole world. I don’t usually show people where it is. Since nobody explores the garden and nobody actually bothers to go through the maze, nobody actually knows about the small garden behind the maze. I never showed Key umma or Jonghyun hyung. It was my secret spot.

                   Minho followed me silently. When we finally reached the circle of sunflowers, I sat down in the middle of it. I turned around and looked at him, inviting him to sit beside me. He understood even though I didn’t say a word. I liked that. I liked that we could communicate without words.

                   So we lay down there and talked until I eventually fell asleep.