Flashback 4 years earlier:

Mino had finish early that day and left while some of his classmates were still there. Their topic today was about people. The professor had them paired up with some sophomores who were either out to earn a few bucks or just plain wannabe models. They look pretty much the same most of the time but the model he was being paired up seem different. His eyes twinkled every time he smiled and he had a cute pair of droopy eyebrows that seem to go pretty well with his longish hair with a middle parting. There was an air of confidence in the way he carried himself. There was definitely something different about him.

However, Being in a relationship was not something he should be pursuing at this moment. His mother has gave him the ultimate warning, no more playing around or she was going to bringing Jonghyun over to America. He loves his brother and knew that Jonghyun was going to be miserable if their mother took him so he decided to clean up his act. Not that he was a player or anything, just that he played by his own rules.

Taehyun, on the other hand, was being dragged by his best friend, Seungyoon, to participate in the class. Taehyun was not really interested in the participation general but he saw him. He was not too sure whether it was love at first sight or lust at first sight but he definitely like what he saw with that particular photography student. The way his hands worked with the camera, the way he smirked, his toothy grin and loud laughs had him totally mesmerized and hooked.

Imagine his delight when he was paired up with him. The photographer was just being all professional while he was getting under his skin trying to strike a conversation with him but he kind of point blankly ignored him. He was annoyed and a bit disappointed for normally guys or girls do not ignore him. They were the first to finish and he murmured a quick half-hearted thanks and went off leaving Taehyun stunned.

It was raining heavy when Taehyun walked out of the hall and out of the corner of his eye, he saw him.

“Hi!”

Mino turned to find himself face to face with the guy that has somehow been occupying his thoughts for the past 15 minutes without a particular reason.

“Oh.. Hi…”

“It is raining.”

“Yes, no .”

“Ermmm… sarcasm totally does not suit you.” Taehyun frowned.

Silence…

“Fine. I shall leave you alone then. Bye.” Taehyun turned to walk away.

“Wait.”

Taehyun turned back to look at him.

“Sorry, it was a reflex to an obvious question.”

Taehyun rolled his eyes.

“I was just trying to strike a conversation. Do you need to be so sarcastic?”

“I don’t remember needing to have a conversation actually.”

Without another word, Taehyun walked to the other side of the walkway.

“I am sorry.” Mino called out from the other side.

The heavy rain turned into a drizzle and Taehyun decided to make a run for it.

“Why does he needs to be so sarcastic? Who died and made him king anyways?”

Taehyun was so engrossed that he did not realize that he was not walking alone and even though it was raining, he was not getting wet much.

“One, no I do not need to. Two, no one made me king. Three, do you always have the habit to talking to yourself in the rain?”

Taehyun was so surprised that he nearly tripped and fell but a pair of strong arms reached out to steady him.

“Hey! Look where you are walking.”

Mino was using his jacket to shelter them from the slightly heavy deluge.

“Ermmm… Your jacket is wet.”

Mino was about to say something sarcastic again but looking at the guy's innocent face pointing out that obvious fact, he decided against it and be nice instead.

“Where to?”

Unknowingly, their steps became in sync the more they continued to walk together under his jacket in the rain.

Silence.

“Cat got your tongue?”

Taehyun shook his arm out of his grip and made a dash for the small hut in the middle of the school garden.

“I am sorry.”

Taehyun said nothing but remained silent.

“I guess you kind of bring out the worse in me?”

Taehyun pouted cutely and rolled his eyes.

“Idiot.”

“That I might be…”

They looked at each other at the same time and laughed.

“Library.”

“What?” Mino turned to look at Taehyun. His expression was rather cutely blanked.

“I am heading to the library.” Taehyun specified clearly this time around.

Mino held his jacket over the both of them once again.

“Come on. Let’s get you over to the library then.”

Off they ran, running in sync with each other all the way to the entrance of the library.

“The library, Your Highness.” Mino announced as he shook the rain water off from his jacket.

“Why, thank you, my good sir.” Taehyun could not help but to smirk playfully.

Mino could not helped but to smile at his reply. He put his jacket over his head and was about to make a dash for the Arts building.

“Taehyun, my name is Nam Taehyun.”

Mino smiled and ran out in the rain.

Taehyun stood there with his mouth opened with a sense of disbelief. That nerve of a person! He turned and walked into the library.

“In case you are wondering. It is Song Minho.”

Taehyun turned back to look at the grinning idiot who was standing out there under the rain and immediately broke out into a laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was funny how one would meet a certain person once and then you could never seem to get enough of them no matter where you are or where you went.

Mino smiled inwardly to himself, standing in front of Taehyun’s class building. He found it really funny and amusing that in a matter of weeks, Taehyun managed to effectively got under his skin in a way no other guy or girl had ever done before. He would suddenly turn up demanding to go for lunch together or disagree with him on littlest things because Nam Taehyun felt like it or because Nam Taehyun said so. Within those weeks, he had insinuated himself in his life that included Jihoon, Jiho, Yonghwa, Jungshin and even his brother, Jonghyun.

“Mino, you are here?”

Mino turned towards that voice that called out to him.

“I thought we go try out this new café along Han River. I heard that it has great crepes.”

“Oh…”

“Oh?”

“Well, I am meeting someone.”

“Oh…”

“It is ok we can go together. It is no big deal.” Taehyun smiled.

“No, it is ok. Anyways, it is not like we planned it beforehand.” Mino could not help but to feel a sense of disappointment. It was not like Taehyun was exclusively his or anything like that.

“It is ok really, we can go together because I am meeting Yonghwa hyung anyways.”

“Yonghwa?”

“Yes, that is me. Jung Yonghwa.”

Mino turned around to face his best friend and Mino felt his own little inner green eyed monster was already raring to have a go at him.

“What? I cannot go out with Taehyun now?”

“Of course not! We are only friends. Who am I to say no?”

“Yes, we are only friends. Nothing more and nothing less.” Taehyun practically shouted over the entire conversation.

Taehyun felt somewhat hurt at Mino’s comment. Taehyun had long known that he cared for Mino more than just a friend and that Mino was likely to think of him as his buddy. However, to hear it from the horse’s mouth was making him feel something different altogether. It made him feel really depressed, hurt and sad all rolled into one.

Taehyun then hooked his arms around Yonghwa and walked off leaving a stunned Mino standing there all alone.

“You do not want to be just friends with him.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Am I that bloody obvious?”

“Well, to practically everyone including Mino.” Yonghwa nodded his head.

“Was he hurt in the past or something? Or did something tragic happened to him? He seemed to sworn off all relationships.”

“Not really, he was quite popular in high school. Before you proceed to ask, no he was not a player. He was just simply popular.”

“Then why? I do not think I am a very bad catch.”

“Well…”

“Well? What? Come on, spill!”

“Ermmm… he might just kill me and skin my hide… You might never see the lights of me again...”

“I will put in a good word with my sister~~.” Taehyun said in a sing-song voice.

“Seriously? You will?” Yonghwa looked at Taehyun expectantly.

“Yes! Cross my heart and hope to die!”

“Hmmm….”

“I promise!! Since when have I ever lied to you?”

“Well, it was not really something tragic. During high school, he was a pretty easygoing guy without much of a care in the world. His parents do not get along well and the only person in his family he cared about was Jonghyun. When he was in his last year at high school, his mum had an affair that resulted in a kid while his dad passed away due to heart attack. His mum who favored Jonghyun, wanted him to follow her to America but Mino refused to let it happen for he had lost his dad and he did not want to lose his brother also. Mino had to show that he was a responsible brother so I guess he grew up pretty fast since then. He worked hard to get where he is today. With everything, relationship commitments are not really in his plans at the moment. You are not the first partner and would not be the last to be in this position.“

Taehyun could not help but felt proud of Mino but at the same time sad.

“Tae!” Seohyun shouted to get his attention.

“Oh, she is here!” Yonghwa excitedly tapped Taehyun’s arms.

“Oh noona, you are here.”

“What’s wrong Tae?” Seohyun looked at her brother. Her eyes filled with unspoken concern.

“Nothing. I think I am going go home instead. You two just go ahead?” Taehyun walked off without waiting for an answer from either of them.

~~~~~~~~~~

Mino had been wondering for the past few days where did Taehyun go or vanished to. He had not seen him at all even though he sat outside waiting for him to come out of his class. He began to worry and missed Taehyun as well. It had been the fifth day but who was counting? Damn, who was he kidding! He had been counting every minute since the last time Taehyun walked off with Yonghwa. Had he gone with Yonghwa? Does this mean he has and need to beat his best friend up?

Taehyun had been avoiding him at all cost. He knew Mino had been waiting outside his class for the past few days. Oh, he missed him alright. He missed their bantering, his sarcasm and that feeling he gets in his stomach when Mino subtly touched him without realizing it. He will be truthful and admit that he had fallen hard and since Mino was not going to catch, he wanted to make sure at least his heart would not break into more pieces than it already did.

On the 6th day, it was raining and there was no Mino in sight. Of course, it went without saying that he was disappointed at how fast he had given up but it was for the best. Today sadly reminded him of the first day they met and he sighed while getting ready to make a dash towards the library again.

He took a step out and someone covered him with an umbrella. Taehyun turned and came face to face with that face he had been missing for the past few days.

“I remembered to bring a brolly with me this time.” Mino smiled at him.

Taehyun caught his breath but turned and made a dash towards the library.

“Wait!” Mino ran after him. “You will catch a cold! Yah! Nam Taehyun!”

“That is none of your business! Go away!”

With his free hand, Mino grabbed his arm and Taehyun was forced to turn around to look at him. The umbrella provided a decent shelter for two people who were fighting their feelings for each other.

“Where have you been the past few days?”

“Somewhere.”

“Where?’”

“Why should I tell you? Who are you to ask?”

“A concerned friend.”

“I thought so…”

“What?”

“Nothing…”

“Taehyun, please. Do not be angry. If I do something to make you mad, please forgive me. I am pretty sure I did not mean it.”

Taehyun sighed.

“I am not angry, Mino.”

“Then why are you avoiding me?”

“I am not avoiding you.”

“Yes, you are.”

Silence.

“Taehyun?”

Taehyun sighed again.

“Just leave me alone, please?”

“Why?”

“Please, just leave me alone.”

“No.”

Silence.

“Tell me what did I do wrong, Taehyun.”

Silence.

“I want to know so I can make us better.” Mino pleaded

Silence.

“Please. I am sorry but I got to know what I am sorry for, Taehyun-ah.”

“There is no us.” Taehyun replied softly almost mumbling to himself but Mino heard it all the same.

“Huh?”

“No, why don’t you tell me what you want from me Song Minho. You know I like you but yet you pretend to blatantly ignore the fact. I have already avoided you but yet you keep showing up.”

Silence.

“If you do not intend to catch, then do not make me fall any deeper. Do not worry, we are still friends but for now, I cannot be your friend yet. Just give me some time at least. Please?”

Tears were rolling down his cheek.

“I am tired of running away.”

The umbrella was forgotten as Mino put both of his hands on each one of Taehyun’s cheeks and kissed him. It was not a very long kiss, but it lasted. Taehyun put his arms around Mino’s neck and deepen their kiss while rain trickled down their bodies.

~~~~~~~~~~

On normal days, Mino would wait for Taehyun after every class or he will wait for Mino depending on whose class finish first. Then they would have lunch together or sometimes joined by some of their friends. Some nights, they would spend it cuddling on that yellow couch on his balcony while counting the stars. Other nights, he could be spending it with the boys while Taehyun would go out with his friends.

Taehyun would spend the weekend at his place, sleeping and waking up next to each other. What more could one ask besides waking up to the face of the person you loved. Sometimes Taehyun would trace his face lovingly while Mino would pretend to sleep or taking morning walks together and eating breakfast . Some days, they would just spend the whole day at home doing nothing in particular or do some activities with the rest of their friends.

One thing Mino loved to do most was to take photos of Taehyun. He was after all the object of his affection.

It was not all rosy in their relationship though. There were times when Taehyun would be stubborn and stood his ground without budging but no matter how stupid or hard it was, though at the end of the day Mino would eventually and gladly backed down.

It was definitely a blissful year for the lovers...

~~~~~~~~~~

hihi, chaoter 5 is up with a back story of our main characters... i hope you enjoy this... do let me know your thougths! no silent readers please... enjoy..